Biology subjects

Ilangumaran, S.

Publications and source records attributed to Ilangumaran, S..

10 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Trans-presentation of IL-15 by IL15Rα attenuates tumor immune surveillance and is dispensable for IL-15-dependent tumor growth control

BackgroundIL-15 is a promising cytokine for cancer immunotherapy. IL-15 promotes differentiation and homeostasis of innate and adaptive immune cells, and their cytolytic effector functions. IL-15 receptor is composed of IL-15R, IL-15R{beta} and the common {gamma}c chains. IL-15 is also trans-presented as IL-15R:IL-15 complex to IL-15R{beta}:{gamma}c on neighboring cells. IL-15R is dispensable for early immune response to infections and in autoimmune diabetes. The role of IL-15R in antitumor immune responses remains unclear. MethodsIn WT, Il15-/- and Il15ra-/- mice, we studied the growth of syngeneic tumor cell lines and tumor immune surveillance against endogenous fibrosarcoma induced by methylcholanthrene (MCA). Immune gene signature and total proteome analysis were performed on MCA-induced tumors. ResultsLack of IL-15 or IL-15R did not enhance the growth of implanted tumor cell lines, despite reduced immune cell infiltration. MCA-induced tumor incidence was reduced in mice lacking IL-15R but not IL-15, although both are required for efficient tumor immunoediting. Il15-/- and Il15ra-/- tumors showed reduced Ifng expression but displayed differential modulation of Ifng-responsive genes. Proteome profiles of Il15-/- tumors, but not tumor-derived cell lines, showed significant reduction of antigen presentation pathways. B16-F10 melanoma cells expressing NLRC5, the IFN{gamma}-induced transcriptional activator of tumor antigen presentation, still required IL-15 but not IL-15R for efficient tumor control. ConclusionsOur findings show that IL-15 plays a negligible role in immunosurveillance against spontaneous tumor development, whereas IL-15R restrains immunosurveillance. Neither IL-15 nor IL-15R have a significant impact on implanted tumor models, although IL-15 facilitates efficient control of highly immunogenic tumors for which IL-15R is dispensable.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2026

SOCS1 expression in prostate epithelial cells is essential for tissue homeostasis and tumor suppression

Suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) negative regulates inflammatory cytokine production and attenuates oncogenic growth factor signaling pathways. Reduced SOCS1 protein expression in human prostate cancer correlates with greater disease severity. To define the physiological functions of SOCS1 functions in the prostate, we conditionally ablated Socs1 in prostate epithelial cells of C57BL/6 mice. These Socs1{Delta}PE mice exhibited normal prostate development, maturation and lobular architecture. However, adult Socs1{Delta}PEmice developed progressive epithelial hyperplasia and inflammatory cell infiltration that were temporally and spatially distinct. SOCS1-deficient prostate showed increased epithelial cell proliferation and elevated oxidative stress markers, and prostate organoids recapitulated this hyperplasia phenotype. Diet-induced obesity exacerbated both hyperplasia and inflammation in SOCS1-deficient prostate. Upon transurethral infection with uropathogenic Escherichia coli UPEC1677 expressing the genotoxin colibactin, Socs1{Delta}PE mice developed invasive prostate cancer with complete loss of lobular architecture, whereas control mice developed hyperplasia and pre-neoplastic lesions. In vitro, SOCS1-deficient prostate organoid-derived epithelial cells exhibited increased DNA damage following exposure to UPEC1677. Deletion of the colibactin biosynthetic gene clbP in UPEC1677 abolished its ability to induce DNA damage in SOCS1-deficient cells and to drive prostate cancer in vivo. Proteomic analysis of prostate organoids revealed dysregulation of basal and luminal epithelial lineage markers and signaling pathway proteins that could promote neoplasia in SOCS1-deficient cells. Collectively, these findings establish an essential, epithelial cell-intrinsic role for SOCS1 in maintaining prostate tissue homeostasis by restraining proliferation, regulating lineage plasticity, limiting inflammation and oxidative stress, and conferring protection against genotoxic injury and neoplastic transformation.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2025

NLRC5 expression in tumor cells is critical to activate adaptive and innate antitumor immune responses

Tumors evade cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL)-mediated killing by downregulating MHC class-I, mainly resulting from the loss of its transcriptional activator NLRC5. Expressing full-length NLRC5 (NLRC5-FL) or a shorter NLRC5-CIITA fusion protein termed NLRC5 super-activator (NLRC5-SA) in cancer cells upregulates MHC-I expression and promotes antitumor immunity. To distinguish the role of NLRC5 expressed within tumor cells and antigen presenting cells, we studied B16-F10 melanoma expressing NLRC5-FL (B16-N-FL) or NLRC5-SA (B16-N-SA) in Nlrc5+/+ and Nlrc5-/- mice. Both tumors were efficiently controlled in both Nlrc5+/+ and Nlrc5-/- hosts with abundant immune cell infiltration, enriched for activated and differentiated CD8+ and CD4+ T cells, NK, NKT and iNKT cells. B16-N-FL and B16-N-SA tumors showed increased collagen deposition and vascularization, with upregulation of CCL4 and CXCL9 chemokine genes in B16-N-SA tumors. Depletion of either CD8+ T cells or NK1.1+ cells increased the growth of B16-N-FL and B16-N-SA tumors in Nlrc5+/+ mice, and that of B16-N-SA tumors in Nlrc5-/- hosts. Proteomes of B16-N-FL and B16-N-SA cells showed downmodulation of dominant tumor antigens and upregulation of ubiquitination and protein processing pathway proteins. Differentially expressed proteins shared between B16-N-FL and B16-N-SA cells showed enrichment in phagosome and autophagy pathways. We conclude that tumor cell-intrinsic NLRC5 expression is critical for the activation of adaptive and innate immune cells, and establishment of an immune-supportive tumor microenvironment to permit immune cell infiltration and their effector functions and achieve tumor control. NLRC5 expression in APCs is dispensable to mediate these effects. Delivering NLRC5-SA is a promising approach to restore antitumor immune responses in MHC-I-low immune evasive tumors. Graphical abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=134 SRC="FIGDIR/small/695247v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (40K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1bc4f51org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1fb5b03org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@11448edorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@bff26c_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

immunology↗

bioRxiv2025

Molecular Insights into Long COVID: Plasma Proteomics Reveals Oxidative Stress, Coagulation Cascade Activation, and Glycolytic Imbalance

Persistent symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection are the hallmark of post-COVID condition (PCC), also referred to as long COVID. However, our knowledge is limited on the underlying molecular mechanisms. In this study, we performed data-independent acquisition mass spectrometry plasma proteomics (DIA-MS) to identify molecular alterations associated with PCC. DIA-MS proteomic analysis revealed a few proteins linked to oxidative stress that had altered expression. Notably, PCC samples exhibited downregulation of the antioxidant protein peroxiredoxin 6 (PRDX6) and upregulation of oxidative stress-associated proteins particularly vanin-1 (VNN1) and paraoxonase-3 (PON3). Additionally, the PCC group showed significantly higher levels of six proteins (PCSK9, CST3, C1Q, CPB2, KNG1 GAPDH), which were linked to pathways involving glycolysis, complement and coagulation cascades, and inflammation. Oxidative stress analysis confirmed that PCC samples had significantly higher levels of DNA damage (8-OHdG) than the convalescent group, whereas antioxidant markers, such as reduced and oxidized glutathione (GSH and GSSG), were significantly lower in PCC samples than in uninfected controls. Our observations point towards ongoing oxidative and inflammatory processes in PCC and suggest potential targets for biomarker development and therapeutic intervention.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2025

Essential role of NLRC5 in cancer immune surveillance and cancer immunoediting

A key mechanism of immune escape from CD8+ T cell-mediated tumor control occurs via downregulation of NLRC5, the IFN{gamma}-induced transcriptional activator of MHC class-I. As NLRC5 deficiency does not abrogate CD8+ T cell development, we investigated whether NLRC5-dependent antitumor immune mechanisms are required for immune surveillance. Development of 3-methylcholanthrene (MCA)-induced endogenous fibrosarcoma was studied in Nlrc5-/- mice with Nlrc5+/+ and Rag1-/- mice serving as controls. Nlrc5-/- and Rag1-/- mice showed increased propensity to develop MCA-induced tumors with elevated growth rate compared to Nlrc5+/+ mice, and displayed significantly reduced survival. Tumors from Nlrc5+/+ and Nlrc5-/-mice, but not from Rag1-/- mice, contained necrotic areas and displayed T cell infiltration. Tumor cell lines established from MCA- induced tumors were evaluated for their sensitivity to immune-mediated growth control following implantation into immunocompetent C57BL/6 and immunodeficient Rag1-/- hosts. Tumors formed by Nlrc5+/+ tumor cell lines progressed unhindered in C57BL/6 hosts that reflected their immunoedited status, whereas cell lines from Nlrc5-/- and Rag1-/-tumors were efficiently controlled, indicating their non-immunoedited status. Proteomic analysis by mass spectrometry followed by pathway analysis revealed enrichment of granzyme-mediated cytolytic pathway in Nlrc5+/+ tumors that were absent in Nlrc5-/- tumors, which showed enrichment of humoral and innate immune pathways. Overall, our findings show that NLRC5 is required for robust tumor immune surveillance and tumor immunoediting and that compensatory humoral and innate immune mechanisms activated by the loss of NLRC5 are insufficient for cancer immune surveillance and cancer immunoediting.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2023

SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen-specific B cell and antibody responses in pre-vaccination period COVID-19 convalescent males and females with or without post-covid condition

BackgroundFollowing SARS-CoV-2 infection a significant proportion of convalescent individuals develop the post-COVID condition (PCC) that is characterized by wide spectrum of symptoms encompassing various organs. Even though the underlying pathophysiology of PCC is not known, detection of viral transcripts and antigens in tissues other than lungs raise the possibility that PCC may be a consequence of aberrant immune response to the viral antigens. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated B cell and antibody responses to the SARS-CoV-2 antigens in PCC patients who experienced mild COVID-19 disease during the pre-vaccination period of COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsThe study subjects included unvaccinated male and female subjects who developed PCC or not (No-PCC) after clearing RT-PCR confirmed mild COVID-19 infection. SARS-CoV-2 D614G and omicron RBD specific B cell subsets in peripheral circulation were assessed by flow cytometry. IgG, IgG3 and IgA antibody titers toward RBD, spike and nucleocapsid antigens in the plasma were evaluated by ELISA. ResultsThe frequency of the B cells specific to D614G-RBD were comparable in convalescent groups with and without PCC in both males and females. Notably, in females with PCC, the anti-D614G RBD specific double negative (IgD-CD27-) B cells showed significant correlation with the number of symptoms at acute of infection. Anti-spike antibody responses were also higher at 3 months post-infection in females who developed PCC, but not in the male PCC group. On the other hand, the male PCC group also showed consistently high anti-RBD IgG responses compared to all other groups. ConclusionsThe antibody responses to the spike protein, but not the RBD-specific B cell responses diverge between convalescent males and females, and those who develop PCC or not. Our findings suggest that sex-related factors may also be involved in the development of PCC via modulating antibody responses to the SARS-CoV-2 antigens. Short SummaryPost-COVID Condition (PCC) is lingering illness that afflicts a significant proportion of COVID-19 patients from three months after clearing SARS-CoV-2 infection. Therapy for PCC is only palliative and the underlying disease mechanisms are unclear. The wide spectrum of PCC symptoms that can affect different organs and the detection of viral components in tissues distant from lungs raise the possibility that PCC may be associated with aberrant immune response due to presence of viral antigens. Therefore, we studied B cell and antibody responses to the spike and nucleoprotein antigens in PCC patients who cleared mild SARS-CoV-2 infection during the pre-vaccination COVID-19 pandemic period. We observed divergent patterns of immune reactivity to the spike protein in PCC males and females at different times post-infection, suggesting that the immune responses in PCC may also be influenced by sex-related factors.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2021

SOCS3-mediated activation of p53-p21-NRF2 axis and cellular adaptation to oxidative stress in SOCS1-deficient hepatocellular carcinoma

SOCS1 and SOCS3 genes, frequently repressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), function as tumor suppressors in hepatocytes. However, TCGA transcriptomic data revealed that SOCS1-low/SOCS3-high specimens displayed more aggressive HCC than SOCS1-low/SOCS3-low cases. We show that hepatocyte-specific Socs1-deficient livers upregulate Socs3 expression following genotoxic stress. Whereas deletion of Socs1 or Socs3 increased HCC susceptibility, ablation of both genes attenuated HCC growth. SOCS3 promotes p53 activation in SOCS1-deficient livers, leading to increased expression of CDKN1A (p21WAF1/CIP1), which coincides with elevated expression and transcriptional activity of NRF2. Deleting Cdkn1a in SOCS1-deficient livers diminished NRF2 activation, oxidative stress and HCC progression. Elevated CDKN1A expression and enrichment of antioxidant response genes also characterized SOCS1-low/SOCS3-high HCC. SOCS1 expression in HCC cell lines reduced oxidative stress, p21 expression and NRF2 activation. Our findings demonstrate that SOCS1 controls the oncogenic potential of SOCS3-driven p53-p21-NRF2 axis and suggest that NRF2-mediated antioxidant response represents a drug target in SOCS1-deficient HCC.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Cytokine priming of naive CD8+ T lymphocytes modulates chromatin accessibility that partially overlaps with changes induced by antigen simulation

BackgroundNaive CD8+ T lymphocytes undergo antigen non-specific proliferation following exposure to certain synergistic combination of inflammatory (IL-6, IL-21) and homeostatic (IL-7, IL-15) cytokines. Such cytokine-stimulated naive CD8+ T cells display increased T cell antigen receptor (TCR) sensitivity, allowing them to respond to limiting concentrations of cognate antigenic peptides and altered peptide ligands of lower affinity towards the TCR. The purpose of this study is to gain insight into the molecular mechanisms of such cytokine priming. MethodsNaive CD8+ T lymphocytes expressing the PMEL-1 transgenic TCR were stimulated with IL-15 and IL-21, and chromatin accessibility was assessed using the assay for transposase-accessible chromatin (ATAC) sequencing. Cells stimulated by the cognate antigenic peptide mgp10025-33 were used as controls. ResultsCompared to naive cells, cytokine-primed cells showed 212 opening and 484 closing peaks, whereas antigen-stimulated cells showed 12087 opening and 6982 closing peaks. However, a significant fraction of the opening (33%) and closing (63%) peaks of cytokine-primed cells overlapped with those of the antigenic stimulated cells. Chromatin accessibility peaks modulated in cytokine-primed cells were strongly represented in gene ontology pathways for T cell signaling, activation, regulation and effector functions. Many of the transcription factor binding motifs located close to the opening and closing peaks of cytokine-primed cells also occurred in antigen-stimulated cells. ConclusionsOur data suggest that by modulating the gene expression programs involved in TCR signaling, cytokine priming induces a poised state that lowers the TCR signaling threshold in naive CD8+ T cells and increases their antigen responsiveness.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2020

SILAC proteomics implicates the ubiquitin conjugating enzyme UBE2D in SOCS1-mediated downmodulation of the MET receptor in hepatocytes

Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 1 (SOCS1) functions as a tumor suppressor in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and many other types of cancers. SOCS1 mediates its functions by inhibiting tyrosine kinases, promoting ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of signal transducing proteins, and by modulating transcription factors. Here, we studied the impact of SOCS1 on the hepatocyte proteome using Stable Isotopic Labelling of Amino acids in Cell culture (SILAC)-based mass spectrometry on the Hepa1-6 murine HCC cell line stably expressing wildtype SOCS1 or a mutant SOCS1 with impaired SH2 domain. As SOCS1 regulates the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) receptor MET, the SILAC-labelled cells were stimulated or not with HGF. Following mass spectrometry analysis, differentially modulated proteins were identified, quantified and analyzed for pathway enrichment. Of the 3440 proteins identified in Hepa-SOCS1 cells at steady state, 181 proteins were significantly modulated compared to control cells. The SH2 domain mutation and HGF increased the number of differentially modulated proteins. Protein interaction network analysis revealed enrichment of SOCS1-modulated proteins within multiprotein complexes such as ubiquitin conjugating enzymes, proteasome, mRNA spliceosome, mRNA exosome and mitochondrial ribosome. These findings suggest that SOCS1, induced by cytokines, growth factors and diverse other stimuli, may dynamically modulate of large macromolecular regulatory complexes to help maintain cellular homeostasis. Notably, the expression of UBE2D ubiquitin conjugating enzyme, which is implicated in the control of growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase signaling, was found to be regulated by SOCS1.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Prognostic significance of SOCS1 and SOCS3 tumor suppressors in hepatocellular carcinoma and its correlation to key oncogenic signaling pathways

Suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins SOCS1 and SOCS3 are considered tumor suppressors in liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC). To gain insight into the underlying molecular mechanisms, the expression of SOCS1/ SOCS3 was evaluated in The Cancer Genome Atlas LIHC dataset along with key oncogenic signaling pathway genes. SOCS1 expression was not significantly reduced in HCC yet higher expression predicted favorable prognosis, whereas SOCS3 lacked predictive potential despite lower expression. Only a small proportion of the cell cycle, receptor tyrosine kinase, growth factor and RAS-RAF-MEK-MAPK signaling genes negatively correlated with SOCS1 or SOCS3, of which even fewer showed elevated expression in HCC and predicted survival. However, many PI3K-AKT-MTOR pathway genes showed mutual exclusivity with SOCS1/SOCS3 and displayed independent predictive ability. Among genes that negatively correlated with SOCS1/SOCS3, CDK2, MLST8, AURKA, MAP3K4 and RPTOR showed corresponding modulations in the livers of mice lacking Socs1 or Socs3 during liver regeneration and in experimental HCC, and in Hepa1-6 murine HCC cells overexpressing SOCS1/SOCS3. However, Cox proportional hazards model identified CXCL8, DAB2 and PIK3R1 as highly predictive in combination with SOCS1 or SOCS3. These data suggest that developing prognostic biomarkers and precision treatment strategies based on SOCS1/SOCS3 expression need careful testing in different patient cohorts.

cancer biology↗