Biology subjects

Kamel, S. M.

Publications and source records attributed to Kamel, S. M..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2020

Inflammation potentiates JMML-like blood defects in Shp2 mutant Noonan syndrome

Gain-of-function mutations in the protein-tyrosine phosphatase SHP2 are the most frequently occurring mutations in sporadic juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) and JMML-like myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) associated with Noonan syndrome (NS). Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) are the disease propagating cells of JMML. Here, we explored transcriptomes of HSPCs with Shp2 mutations derived from JMML patients and a novel NS zebrafish model. In addition to major NS traits, CRISPR/Cas9 knock-in Shp2D61G mutant zebrafish recapitulated a JMML-like MPN phenotype, including myeloid lineage hyperproliferation, ex vivo growth of myeloid colonies and in vivo transplantability of HSPCs. Single cell mRNA sequencing of HSPCs from Shp2D61G zebrafish embryos and bulk sequencing of HSPCs from JMML patients revealed an overlapping inflammatory gene expression pattern. Strikingly, an anti-inflammatory agent rescued JMML-like MPN in Shp2D61G zebrafish embryos. Our results indicate that a common inflammatory response was triggered in the HSPCs from sporadic JMML patients and syndromic NS zebrafish, which potentiated MPN and may represent a future target for JMML therapies.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2019

Analysis of the lineage of Phytophthora infestans isolates using mating type assay, traditional markers, and next generation sequencing technologies

Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary, a hemibiotrophic oomycete, has caused severe epidemics of late blight in tomato and potato crops around the world since the Irish Potato Famine in the 1840s. Breeding of late blight resistant cultivars is one of the most effective strategies to overcome this disruptive disease. However, P. infestans is able to break down host resistance and acquire resistance to various fungicides, possibly because of the existence of high genetic variability among P. infestans isolates via sexual and asexual reproduction. Therefore, to manage this disease, it is important to understand the genetic divergence of P. infestans isolates. In this study, we analyzed the genomes of P. infestans isolates collected from Egypt and Japan using various molecular approaches including the mating type assay and genotyping simple sequence repeats, mitochondria DNA, and effector genes. We also analyzed genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms using double-digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing and whole genome resequencing (WGRS). The isolates were classified adequately using high-resolution genome-wide approaches. Moreover, these analyses revealed new clusters of P. infestans isolates in the Egyptian population. Monitoring the genetic divergence of P. infestans isolates as well as breeding of resistant cultivars would facilitate the elimination of the late blight disease.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2019

Antagonism between regular and atypical Cxcr3 receptors regulates macrophage migration during infection and injury in zebrafish

The CXCR3-CXCL11 chemokine-signaling axis plays an essential role in infection and inflammation by orchestrating leukocyte trafficking in human and animal models, including zebrafish. Atypical chemokine receptors (ACKRs) play a fundamental regulatory function in signaling networks by shaping chemokine gradients through their ligand scavenging function, while being unable to signal in the classic G-protein-dependent manner. Two copies of the CXCR3 gene in zebrafish, cxcr3.2 and cxcr3.3, are expressed on macrophages and share a highly conserved ligand-binding site. However, Cxcr3.3 has structural characteristics of ACKRs indicative of a ligand-scavenging role. In contrast, we previously showed that Cxcr3.2 is an active CXCR3 receptor since it is required for macrophage motility and recruitment to sites of mycobacterial infection. In this study, we generated a cxcr3.3 CRISPR-mutant to functionally dissect the antagonistic interplay between the cxcr3 paralogs in the immune response. We observed that cxcr3.3 mutants are more susceptible to mycobacterial infection, while cxcr3.2 mutants are more resistant. Furthermore, macrophages in the cxcr3.3 mutant are more motile, show higher activation status, and are recruited more efficiently to sites of infection or injury. Our results suggest that Cxcr3.3 is an ACKR that regulates the activity of Cxcr3.2 by scavenging common ligands and that silencing the scavenging function of Cxcr3.3 results in an exacerbated Cxcr3.2 signaling. In human, splice variants of CXCR3 have antagonistic functions and CXCR3 ligands also interact with ACKRs. Therefore, in zebrafish, an analogous regulatory mechanism appears to have evolved after the cxcr3 gene duplication event, through diversification of conventional and atypical receptor variants.\n\nSummary sentenceCXCR3 paralogue with structural characteristics of atypical chemokine receptors regulates the activity of a conventional receptor involved in macrophage motility by scavenging shared ligands.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2017

Versatile open software to quantify cardiomyocyte and cardiac muscle contraction in vitro and in vivo

Contraction of muscle reflects its physiological state. Methods to quantify contraction are often complex, expensive and tailored to specific models or recording conditions, or require specialist knowledge for data extraction. Here we describe an automated, open-source software tool (MUSCLEMOTION) adaptable for use with standard laboratory and clinical imaging equipment that enables quantitative analysis of normal cardiac contraction, disease phenotypes and pharmacological responses. MUSCLEMOTION allowed rapid and easy measurement of contractility in (i) single cardiomyocytes from primary adult heart and human pluripotent stem cells, (ii) multicellular 2D-cardiomyocyte cultures, 3D engineered heart tissues and cardiac organoids/microtissues in vitro and (iii) intact hearts of zebrafish and humans in vivo. Good correlation was found with conventional measures of contraction in each system. Thus, using a single method for processing video recordings, we obtained reliable pharmacological data and measures of cardiac disease phenotype in experimental cell- and animal models and human echocardiograms.

physiology↗