Biology subjects

Feng, N.

Publications and source records attributed to Feng, N..

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

bioRxiv2021

A bacterium-like particle vaccine displaying Zika virus prM-E induces systemic immune responses in mice

The emergence of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection, which is an unexpectedly associated with congenital defects, has prompted the development of safe and effective vaccines. The gram-positive enhancer matrix-protein anchor (GEM-PA) display system has emerged as a versatile and highly effective platform for delivering target proteins for vaccines. In this article, we developed a bacterium-like particle vaccine ZI-{Delta}-PA-GEM based on the GEM-PA system. The fusion protein ZI-{Delta}-PA, which contains the prM-E-{Delta} protein of ZIKV (with a stem-transmembrane region deletion) and the protein anchor PA3, was expressed. The fusion protein was successfully displayed on the GEM surface, forming ZI-{Delta}-PA-GEM. Moreover, when BALB/c mice were immunized intramuscularly with ZI-{Delta}-PA-GEM combined with 201 VG and poly(I:C) adjuvants, durable ZIKV-specific IgG and protective neutralizing antibody responses were induced. Potent B cell/DC activation was also be stimulated early after immunization. Remarkably, splenocyte proliferation, the secretion of multiple cytokines, T/B cell activation and central memory T cell responses were elicited. These data indicate that ZI-{Delta}-PA-GEM is a promising bacterium-like particle vaccine candidate for ZIKV. Author summaryBecause Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is considered as an example of "disease X", the development of a safe and effective ZIKV vaccine is essential. The gram-positive enhancer matrix-protein anchor (GEM-PA) display system has been used in many vaccine studies due to its advantages. In this study, prM-E-{bigtriangleup} protein of ZIKV (with a stem-transmembrane region deletion) and the protein anchor PA3 was fusion expressed, termed ZI-{bigtriangleup}-PA. Then the fusion protein ZI-{bigtriangleup}-PA could be displayed on the surface of GEM, forming ZI-{bigtriangleup}-PA-GEM. The author evaluated the immunogenicity of ZI-{bigtriangleup}-PA-GEM with the 201 VG and poly(I:C) adjuvants. The study demonstrates that ZI-{bigtriangleup}-PA-GEM induced mice to produce neutralizing antibody and specific cellular immune responses. The author believe that the bacterium-like particle vaccine ZI-{bigtriangleup}-PA-GEM has the potential to be used as the ZIKV vaccine.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2021

Myocardial BDNF regulates cardiac bioenergetics through the transcription factor Yin Yang 1

Circulating Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is markedly decreased in heart failure patients. Both BDNF and its receptor, Tropomyosin Related Kinase Receptor (TrkB), are expressed in cardiomyocytes, however the role of myocardial BDNF signaling in cardiac pathophysiology is poorly understood. We found that cardiac-specific TrkB knockout (cTrkB KO) mice displayed a blunted adaptive cardiac response to exercise, with attenuated upregulation of transcription factor networks controlling mitochondrial biogenesis/metabolism, including Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha (PGC-1). The cTrkB KO mice developed an exacerbated heart failure progression with transaortic constriction. The downregulation of PGC-1 in cTrkB KO mice exposed to exercise or TAC resulted in decreased cardiac energetics. We further unraveled that BDNF induces PGC-1 upregulation and bioenergetics through a novel signaling pathway, the pleiotropic transcription factor Yin Yang 1 (YY1). Taken together, our findings suggest that myocardial BDNF plays a critical role in regulating cellular energetics in the cardiac stress response.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2021

Targeting glucose metabolism sensitizes pancreatic cancer to MEK inhibition

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is almost universally lethal. A critical unmet need exists to explore essential susceptibilities in PDAC and identify druggable targets for tumor maintenance. This is especially challenging in the context of PDAC, in which activating mutations of KRAS oncogene (KRAS*) dominate the genetic landscape. By using an inducible KrasG12D-driven p53 deficient PDAC mouse model (iKras model), we demonstrate that RAF-MEK-MAPK signaling is the major effector for oncogenic Kras-mediated tumor maintenance. However, MEK inhibition has minimal therapeutic effect as single agent for PDAC both in vitro and in vivo. Although MEK inhibition partially downregulates the transcription of glycolysis genes, it surprisingly fails to suppress the glycolysis flux in PDAC cell, which is a major metabolism effector of oncogenic KRAS. Accordingly, In vivo genetic screen identified multiple glycolysis genes as potential targets that may sensitize tumor cells to MAPK inhibition. Furthermore, inhibition of glucose metabolism with low dose 2-deoxyglucose (2DG) in combination with MEK inhibitor dramatically induces apoptosis in KrasG12D-driven PDAC cell in vitro, inhibits xenograft tumor growth and prolongs the overall survival of genetically engineered mouse PDAC model. Molecular and metabolism analyses indicate that co-targeting glycolysis and MAPK signaling results in apoptosis via induction of lethal ER stress. Together, our work suggests that combinatory inhibition of glycolysis and MAPK pathway may serve as an alternative approach to target KRAS-driven PDAC.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Selective augmentation of intestinal immunity by CD22-dependent SHP-1 control of β7 integrin expression.

The regulation of integrin expression and function controls interactions of immune cells and targets their trafficking locally and systemically. We show here that the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 is required for lymphocyte surface expression of the intestinal immune response-associated integrin {beta}7, but not for {beta}1 or {beta}2 integrins. Viable motheaten mice deficient for SHP-1 have less {beta}7 on T cells and lack {beta}7 on B cells. SHP-1 function is targeted in B cells by the B cell specific lectin CD22 (Siglec-2), suggesting a potential role for CD22 in {beta}7 expression. CD22-deficiency on B cells phenocopies the effects of SHP-1 haplodeficiency. Mechanistically, we show that SHP-1 suppresses {beta}7 endocytosis: internalization of {beta}7 but not {beta}1 integrin is accelerated in SHP-1+/- and CD22-/- B cells. Moreover, mutations in CD22 cytoplasmic SHP1-binding ITIM sequences reduce 4{beta}7 comparably, and loss of CD22 lectin activity has an intermediate effect suggesting a model in which the CD22 ITIM sequences recruit SHP-1 to control {beta}7 expression. Integrin 4{beta}7 selectively contributes to cell interactions in intestinal immunity. Consistent with this, CD22 deficient and SHP-1+/- B cells display reduced {beta}7-dependent homing to gut associated Peyers patches (PP); and CD22-deficiency impairs intestinal but not systemic antibody responses and delays clearance of the gut pathogen rotavirus. The results define a novel role for SHP-1 in the differential control of leukocyte integrins and an unexpected integrin {beta}7-specific role for CD22-SHP-1 interplay in mucosal immunity.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2019

Rotavirus infection induces both interferon (IFN) and inflammatory resistance by re-programming intestinal IFN receptor signaling

Rotaviruses (RV) cause acute severe diarrhea in the absence of substantial intestinal inflammation. They are also highly infectious in their homologous host species. The efficient replication capacity of RV in the small bowel is substantially linked to its ability to inhibit different types of interferons (IFNs). Here, we find that during RV infection in vitro, both virus-infected and uninfected bystander cells resist STAT1 phosphorylation and IRF7 induction in response to exogenous IFN. Functionally, cellular transcription in response to exogenous stimulation with IFN, but not intracellular dsRNA, was inhibited by RV. Further, IFNAR1 stimulation during RV infection significantly repressed a set of virus-induced transcripts. Regulation of IFN signaling in vivo was studied in suckling mice using the highly infectious homologous murine EW RV strain. Kinetic studies indicated that whereas sustained EW RV replication and IFN induction occurred in the small intestine, IFN-stimulated transcripts significantly decreased over time. In addition, LPS-mediated intestinal damage, driven by STAT1-induced inflammation, was prevented in EW RV-infected mice. Remarkably, ectopic stimulation of either IFNAR1 or IFNGR1 in murine RV-infected mice eliminated several intestinal antiviral and inflammatory transcriptional responses to RV. In contrast to homologous murine RV, infection with a STAT1-sensitive heterologous simian RV strain induced multiple IFN-stimulated transcripts, inflammatory cytokines, and intestinal expression of STAT1-pY701. Finally, RV strain-specific STAT1 regulation in the gut plays a prominent role in the activation of multiple intestinal caspases. On the other hand, the simian RRV strain, but not murine EW RV, uniquely triggers the cleavage of both extrinsic and intrinsic caspases (-8, -9, and -3) in a STAT1-mediated manner. Collectively, these findings reveal efficient re-programing of multiple IFN receptors in the gut towards a negative feedback mode of signaling, accompanied by suppression of IFN-mediated antiviral, apoptotic, and inflammatory functions, during natural RV intestinal infection.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2019

Deep transcriptome sequencing of subgenual anterior cingulate cortex reveals disorder-specific expression changes in major psychiatric disorders

How do differences in onset, symptoms, and treatment response arise between various mental illnesses despite substantial overlap of genetic risk factors? To address this question, we carried out deep RNA sequencing of human postmortem subgenual anterior cingulate cortex, a key component of limbic circuits linked to mental illness. Samples were obtained from 200 individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or major depression, and controls. Differential expression analysis in cases versus controls detected modest differences that were similar across disorders, although transcript-level differences were more pronounced. Case-case comparisons revealed greater expression differences between disorders, including many genes and transcripts that were expressed in opposite directions in each diagnostic group, compared to controls. Relative transcript abundances were associated with common genetic variants that accounted for disproportionate fractions of diagnosis-specific heritability. Inherited genetic risk factors shape the brain transcriptome and contribute to diagnostic differences between broad classes of mental illness.

genomics↗