Biology subjects

Lu, C.

Publications and source records attributed to Lu, C..

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Single-cell landscapes of long non-coding RNAs in early vascular endothelial development and hemogenic specification

Understanding the molecular regulation of arterial and hemogenic specification during early embryonic vascular development is crucial for guiding vascular and hematopoietic regeneration. Accumulating evidence emphasizes the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in cell fate decision. However, the dynamic expression and the potential roles of lncRNAs in early vascular development are still unknown. Here, we first constructed a single-cell landscape of lncRNA expression based on the deeply sequenced tag-based single-cell transcriptome data of early embryonic vascular endothelial cells (VECs). We revealed the contribution of lncRNAs to VEC heterogeneity and identified 295 lncRNAs with specific expression in eight VEC populations. Furthermore, we identified a series of lncRNAs potentially involved in regulating the two waves of arterial specification and hemogenic specification. We uncovered a transient downregulation of H19 in the hemogenic endothelial population during endothelial-to-hematopoietic transition. Additionally, we constructed a transcription factor regulatory network composed of 287 regulons for early VEC development. We further revealed differential activation patterns of regulons and modules in the eight VEC populations, and predicted potential lncRNA-regulon regulatory network. Moreover, unsupervised analysis of the lncRNA expression profile revealed novel VEC subpopulations strongly associated with the maturation of VECs, suggesting the prominent roles of lncRNAs in endothelial maturation. In summary, our study fills the gap in understanding of lncRNA regulatory networks in early vascular development and provides insights into the fields of vascular and hematopoietic regeneration research.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Discovery of cyclic peptide natural product inhibitors of Balamuthia mandrillaris

Balamuthia mandrillaris is a pathogenic free-living amoeba that causes infection of central nervous system, called Balamuthia amoebic encephalitis (BAE), as well as cutaneous and systemic diseases. Patients infected with B. mandrillaris have a high mortality rate due to the lack of effective treatments. A combination of non-optimized antimicrobial drug regimen is typically recommended; however, they have poor parasite activity and can cause various severe side effects. Cyclic peptides exhibit a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activities and lower cytotoxicity. In this study, we evaluated the anti-B. mandrillaris effect of cyclic peptides. The predicted natural product-43 (pNP-43), identified from the SNaPP (Synthetic Natural Product Inspired Cyclic Peptides) library, and its derivates displayed a significant inhibition for B. mandrillaris trophozoites. Eight pNPs had IC50s <5 M. Furthermore, all hit pNPs demonstrated minimal hemolytic and cytotoxic effects on human cells. Our study first indicates the anti-B. mandrillaris effect of cyclic peptides, which provides a new direction for drug development. Further studies of the mechanism of action and in vivo effects will be elucidated to confirm the potency as a treatment for B. mandrillaris infection in the future.

pharmacology and toxicology↗

bioRxiv2024

GABAAR-PPT1 palmitoylation homeostasis controls synaptic transmission and circuitry oscillation in CLN1 disease

CLN1 disease, also called infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by mutations in the CLN1 gene encoding palmitoyl protein thioesterase 1 (PPT1). To identify depalmitoylation substrate of PPT1 is crucial to understand CLN1 disease. In this study, we found that PPT1 depalmitoylates GABAAR 1 subunit at Cystein-260, while binding to Cystein-165 and -179. Mutations of PPT1 or its GABAAR 1 subunit binding site result in enhanced inhibitory synaptic transmission, strengthened and oscillation but disrupted phase coupling in CA1 region and impaired learning and memory in 1- to 2-months-old PPT1-deficient and Gabra1em1 mice. Our study highlights the critical role of PPT1 in maintaining GABAAR palmitoylation homeostasis and reveals a previously unknown molecular pathway in PPT1 induced diseases.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2024

HNF&alpha is a target of the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway and regulates colorectal carcinogenesis

Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4alpha (HNF4) is a transcription factor involved in liver function. Dysregulation of HNF4 leads to hepatocarcinogenesis. However, the role and mechanism of HNF4 in colorectal cancer is still unknown. Here we demonstrate that HNF4 is upregulated in colorectal cancers. and HNF4 upregulation promotes colorectal tumorigenesis. Notably, expression levels of HNF4 are positively correlated with the Wnt/{beta}-catenin signaling pathway in colorectal cancer patients. Further, we showed that HNF4 is transcriptionally activated by Wnt/{beta}-catenin/TCF3 and is at least partially responsible for the oncognesis activity of the Wnt signaling in colorectal cancer. Our findings indicate that HNF4 is a direct target of that Wnt/{beta}-catenin pathway and could play an important role in colorectal carcinogenesis. Author SummaryHere we demonstrate that HNF4 is upregulated in colorectal cancers and HNF4 upregulation promotes colorectal tumorigenesis. Notably, expression level of HNF4 are positively correlated with the Wnt/{beta}-catenin pathway in colorectal cancer patients. Further, we showed that HNF4 is transcriptionally activated by Wnt/{beta}-catenin/TCF3 and is at least partially responsible for the oncognesis activity of the Wnt signaling pathway in colorectal cancer.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Cancer-associated DNA Hypermethylation of Polycomb Targets Requires DNMT3A Dual Recognition of Histone H2AK119 Ubiquitination and the Nucleosome Acidic Patch

During tumor development, promoter CpG islands (CGIs) that are normally silenced by Polycomb repressive complexes (PRCs) become DNA hypermethylated. The molecular mechanism by which de novo DNA methyltransferase(s) catalyze CpG methylation at PRC-regulated regions remains unclear. Here we report a cryo-EM structure of the DNMT3A long isoform (DNMT3A1) N-terminal region in complex with a nucleosome carrying PRC1-mediated histone H2A lysine 119 monoubiquitination (H2AK119Ub). We identify regions within the DNMT3A1 N-terminus that bind H2AK119Ub and the nucleosome acidic patch. This bidentate interaction is required for effective DNMT3A1 engagement with H2AK119Ub-modified chromatin in cells. Furthermore, aberrant redistribution of DNMT3A1 to Polycomb target genes inhibits their transcriptional activation during cell differentiation and recapitulates the cancer-associated DNA hypermethylation signature. This effect is rescued by disruption of the DNMT3A1-acidic patch interaction. Together, our analyses reveal a binding interface critical for countering promoter CGI DNA hypermethylation, a major molecular hallmark of cancer.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Enhancer-targeted CRISPR-Activation Rescues Haploinsufficient Autism Susceptibility Genes

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a highly heritable condition with diverse clinical presentations. Approximately 20% of ASDs genetic susceptibility is imparted by de novo mutations of major effect, most of which cause haploinsufficiency. We mapped enhancers of two high confidence autism genes - CHD8 and SCN2A and used CRISPR-based gene activation (CRISPR-A) in hPSC-derived excitatory neurons and cerebral forebrain organoids to correct the effects of haploinsufficiency, taking advantage of the presence of a wildtype allele of each gene and endogenous gene regulation. We found that CRISPR-A induced a sustained increase in CHD8 and SCN2A expression in neurons and organoids, with rescue of gene expression levels and mutation-associated phenotypes, including gene expression and physiology. These data support gene activation via targeting enhancers of haploinsufficient genes as a therapeutic intervention in ASD and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2024

Gustatory-neuron-supplied R-spondin-2 is required for taste bud replenishment

Taste buds undergo continuous cell turnover throughout life, and taste cell replenishment relies strictly on innervation, a phenomenon first described almost 150 years ago. Recently, we provided evidence that R-spondin 2 (Rspo2) may be the long-sought gustatory neuron-supplied factor that regulates taste stem cell activity, via its interaction with taste stem/progenitor cell-expressed receptor Rnf43/Znrf3. Yet, whether gustatory-neuron-supplied Rspo2 is strictly required for taste tissue maintenance has not been resolved. Here, we set out to determine the necessity of gustatory-neuron-supplied Rspo2 in taste tissue homeostasis using genetic approaches. We used a mouse line that harbors the neomycin-resistance gene (NeoR) in one of the intron regions of the Rspo2 gene, which results in reduced expression of Rspo2. The number of taste buds is significantly reduced in these mice, compared to wild-type mice, in both anterior and posterior tongue. This phenotypic change was completely reversed by removing NeoR from the Rspo2 gene, thus making it normal. We also combined adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based delivery of Cre recombinase with a mouse line amenable to Cre-based ablation of the Rspo2 exons encoding the receptor-binding domains. Such deletion of Rspo2 in the nodose-petrosal-jugular ganglion complex led to nearly complete loss of taste buds in the circumvallate papilla. Thus, we demonstrate that Rspo2 is the long-sought gustatory-neuron-supplied factor that acts on taste stem cells to maintain taste tissue homeostasis. SignificanceWe have known for 150 years that innervation is required to induce and maintain cell replacement in taste buds. Until recently, the identity of the inducing factor produced by neurons was unknown. We have shown that R-spondin alone is sufficient to substitute for neuronal input to induce taste bud regeneration. Using a genetic loss-of-function approach, we now demonstrate that gustatory-neuron-expressed Rspo2 is required to maintain taste tissue homeostasis. Altogether, our work reveals that Rspo2 is the long-sought neuron-supplied factor that regulates the activity of taste stem/progenitor cells.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2024

Architecture of the spinach plastid-encoded RNA polymerase

The plastid-encoded RNA polymerase (PEP) serves as the principal transcription machinery within chloroplasts and is responsible for transcribing over 80% of primary plastid transcripts. Plant PEP is composed of a prokaryotic-like multisubunit core enzyme known as the PEP core, supplemented by newly evolved PEP-associated proteins (PAPs). In this study, we present the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of a PEP complex derived from spinach (Spinacia oleracea). Our structural analysis unveils the presence of 14 PAPs closely associated with the PEP core complex consisting of 5 subunits, forming an irregular-shaped supercomplex. We provide a detailed depiction of the PEP core subunits and the 14 PAPs, elucidating their precise spatial arrangement and interactions. This research offers a crucial structural basis for future investigations into the functions and regulatory mechanisms governing plastid transcription.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2024

Determination and characterization of papillomaviurs and parvovirus causing mass mortality of Chinese tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis) in China

Chinese tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis) is one of the representative species in flatfish aquaculture in China. In recent years, massive mortality of farmed Chinese tongue soles occurred in Tianjin, China. The causative pathogens were determined as Cynoglossus semilaevis papillomavirus (CsPaV) and parvovirus (CsPV) by electron microscopy, virus isolation, experimental challenge, histopathological analysis, genome sequencing, fluorescence In situ hybridization (FISH) and epidemiology investigation. Electron microscopy showed large numbers of spherical non-enveloped virus particles presenting in liver, kidney, spleen, gill and heart of the diseased fish. The viruses were isolated and propagated in flounder gill cells (FG) and induced a typical cytopathic effect (CPE). The cumulative mortality reached 100% at 8 dpi by intraperitoneal injection. The complete genome of CsPaV and CsPV was 5939 bp and 3663 bp in size respectively, and both viral genomes shared no nucleotide sequence similarity with other viruses. The CsPaV contained seven predicated protein coding regions (E1, E2, L2, L1a, L1b, sORF1 and sORF2) and CsPV contained three predicated protein coding regions (NS1, VP and ORF3). Phylogenetic analysis basing on L1 and NS1 protein sequences revealed that CsPaV and CsPV are novel members belonging to new genus in Papillomaviridae and Parvoviridae family. FISH results showed positive signals in spleen and kidney tissues from CsPaV and CsPV infected fish and the two viruses could co-infected one cell. Epidemiological investigation showed that the two viruses cocurrented in 82.9% sampled fish and they were proved to be the pathogenic agents of the emerging disease in farmed Chinese tongue soles in China. This study represents the first report of co-infection of papillomavirus and parvovirus in farmed fish and provides a basis for further studies on prevention and treatment of the emerging viral disease, and also represents clues to elucidate the the mechanisms of viruses co-infection and evolution of viruses. Author summaryChinese tongue sole is a valuable fish kept in marincultures. Outbreak of an emerging disease caused massive mortality and resulted in significant economic loss. The pathogenic agent remains unknown. In this study, we identified papillomavirus (CsPaV) and parvovirus (CsPV) from the diseased fish simultaneously, and they are proved to be novel members belonging to new genus in Papillomaviridae and Parvoviridae family. It was shown that the emerging disease was caused by co-infection with the two viruses. Viral co-infections are widespread in nature, however, studies and available data on viral co-infections in fish aquaculture are limited. Our findings represent new clues to elucidate the mechanisms of viruses co-infection and evolution of viruses, and moreover, the present study provide a solution for the control of emerging viral diseases in Chinese tongue sole.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2024

Cell density couples tissue mechanics to control the elongation speed of the body axis

The vertebrate body forms by addition of new tissues at the posterior end. This leads to body axis elongation which balances the anterior segmentation process to produce the stereotypic body plan. How elongation speed is constrained remains unknown. Here we utilised modeling and tissue force microscopy on chicken embryos to show that cell density of the posterior presomitic mesoderm (pPSM) dynamically modulates elongation speed in a negative feedback loop. Elongation alters the cell density in the pPSM, which in turn controls progenitor cell influx through the mechanical coupling of body axis tissues. This enables responsive cell dynamics in over- and under-elongated axes that consequently self-adjust speed to achieve long-term robustness in axial length. Our simulations and experiments further suggest that cell density and FGF activity act synergistically to drive elongation. Our work supports a simple mechanism of morphogenetic speed control where the cell density relates negatively to progress, and positively to force generation.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Exploratory study of pulsed electric field ablation on atherosclerotic plaque in a rabbit model

New understanding of the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic diseases has led to the emergence of new therapeutic approaches. We explored the potential therapeutic effects of pulsed field potential ablation (PFA), a non-thermal ablation technique with high tissue selectivity, on atherosclerotic plaques. Carotid arteries of 30 high-fat rabbits were dilated with a balloon to obtain atherosclerotic plaques. PFA was administered on the carotid atherosclerotic plaques with 1000V/cm, 2000V/cm, and 1000V/cm ablation followed by rapamycin infusion. There were no visible changes in blood vessels after acute ablation, but apoptosis and polarity of cells were observed in atherosclerotic plaques. At 7 and 30 days after ablation, the density of lipid deposition in the plaque was significantly reduced, and multiple layers of new arranged anterograde smooth muscle cells appeared, replacing the original atherosclerotic plaque. The residual atherosclerotic structure is sandwiched between the new smooth muscle layer and the original smooth muscle layer, which makes vascular wall thicker and makes vascular wall elasticity increased. Rapamycin delays the vascular remodeling process. Conclusion: PFA ablation can reduce lipid deposition in atherosclerotic plaques, cause vascular remodeling, and enhance vascular elasticity. We believe that it may be a potential method for the treatment of atherosclerotic plaques.

biophysics↗

bioRxiv2023

Dysregulated Repeat Element Viral-like Immune Response in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

PurposeHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a lethal malignancy driven by complex interactions between cancer cells, immune cells, and additional stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). The LINE1 retrotransposon is a ubiquitous repeat RNA whose de-repression leads to significant cancer cell-intrinsic and TME changes that promote aggressive tumor characteristics. We leveraged single cell spatial transcriptomic profiling to characterize the relationship between LINE1 and differences in the heterogeneous HCC TME. Experimental DesignWe applied our profiling methodology to a cohort of 23 tissue specimens collected from patients who had undergone liver resection or transplantation and validated it in a partially-overlapping similar cohort of 39 specimens using RNA in-situ hybridization (RNA-ISH). ResultsWe found that LINE1-high tumors and LINE1-high single HCC cells exhibited a de-differentiated, stem-like, and inflammatory phenotype. Furthermore, within individual tumors, LINE1 high cancer cells associated spatially with one another and excluded the larger, organized immune cell conglomerates seen in LINE1 low tumors. Finally, we found that LINE1 RNA expression correlated with worse overall survival in the larger expanded retrospective cohort. ConclusionsOur study is the first to show a clearly disorganized immune TME in HCC driven by LINE1 expression, and this observation correlated with poor survival for patients whose tumors expressed large amounts of the LINE1 repeat RNA. These results provide further evidence of how effective anti-tumor immune responses contribute to cures after definitive surgery and may lead to novel biomarkers or drug targets in HCC. TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCEThe viral-like LINE1 retrotransposon is known to influence tumor cell state and the immune response in a variety of cancer. Here, we have used single cell spatial transcriptomic profiling to resolve repeat and coding gene RNA expression in a cohort of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. LINE1 RNA expression in HCC tumor cells was correlated with an undifferentiated stem-like cancer state and a disorganized, sparse immune infiltrate. Using in situ hybridization on an expanded validation cohort, we noted significantly worsened survival in the LINE1 high group. Altogether, LINE1 repeat RNA is a tumor intrinsic biomarker of more aggressive features that can be used for risk stratification and a potential biomarker for response to immunotherapies that merits further investigation.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2023

H3K27me3 spreading organizes canonical PRC1 chromatin architecture to regulate developmental programs

Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2)-mediated histone H3K27 tri-methylation (H3K27me3) recruits canonical PRC1 (cPRC1) to maintain heterochromatin. In early development, polycomb-regulated genes are connected through long-range 3D interactions which resolve upon differentiation. Here, we report that polycomb looping is controlled by H3K27me3 spreading and regulates target gene silencing and cell fate specification. Using glioma-derived H3 Lys-27-Met (H3K27M) mutations as tools to restrict H3K27me3 deposition, we show that H3K27me3 confinement concentrates the chromatin pool of cPRC1, resulting in heightened 3D interactions mirroring chromatin architecture of pluripotency, and stringent gene repression that maintains cells in progenitor states to facilitate tumor development. Conversely, H3K27me3 spread in pluripotent stem cells, following neural differentiation or loss of the H3K36 methyltransferase NSD1, dilutes cPRC1 concentration and dissolves polycomb loops. These results identify the regulatory principles and disease implications of polycomb looping and nominate histone modification-guided distribution of reader complexes as an important mechanism for nuclear compartment organization. Highlights{square} The confinement of H3K27me3 at PRC2 nucleation sites without its spreading correlates with increased 3D chromatin interactions. {square}The H3K27M oncohistone concentrates canonical PRC1 that anchors chromatin loop interactions in gliomas, silencing developmental programs. {square}Stem and progenitor cells require factors promoting H3K27me3 confinement, including H3K36me2, to maintain cPRC1 loop architecture. {square}The cPRC1-H3K27me3 interaction is a targetable driver of aberrant self-renewal in tumor cells.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Noncanonical Activity of Med4 as a Gatekeeper of Metastasis through Epigenetic Control of Integrin Signaling

Long term survival of breast cancer patients is limited due to recurrence from metastatic dormant cancer cells. However, the mechanisms by which these dormant breast cancer cells survive and awaken remain poorly understood. Our unbiased genome-scale genetic screen in mice identified Med4 as a novel cancer-cell intrinsic gatekeeper in metastatic reactivation. MED4 haploinsufficiency is prevalent in metastatic breast cancer patients and correlates with poorer prognosis. Syngeneic xenograft models revealed that Med4 enforces breast cancer dormancy. Contrary to the canonical function of the Mediator complex in activating gene expression, Med4 maintains 3D chromatin compaction and enhancer landscape, by preventing enhancer priming or activation through the suppression of H3K4me1 deposition. Med4 haploinsufficiency disrupts enhancer poise and reprograms the enhancer dynamics to facilitate extracellular matrix (ECM) gene expression and integrin-mediated mechano-transduction, driving metastatic growth. Our findings establish Med4 as a key regulator of cellular dormancy and a potential biomarker for high-risk metastatic relapse.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Protein-Ligand Binding Site Prediction and de Novo Ligand Generation from Cryo-EM Maps

Identification of protein-ligand binding sites is one of the most challenging tasks in drug discovery and design. Recent advances in machine learning community, particularly deep learning, inspired considerable research into deep learning-based methods for protein ligand binding site prediction (PLBP) and have achieved promising results. However one limitation of these methods and models is that they are developed and evaluated using conventional databases consisting of relatively small protein structures determined from X-ray crystallography and NMR with high resolution. When current PLBP methods are directly applied to large protein complexes, they either fail or produce very poor results. Given the increasing popularity of protein structures determined from Cryo-EM maps, which usually capture large protein complexes at relatively low resolution, there is a strong need to apply PLBP methods to Cryo-EM maps. For this purpose, we created a novel database (EMD-Ligand Dataset) consisting of Cryo-EM maps and information about their ligand-binding partners. Our study of several state-of-the-art PLBP methods show that even though they perform reasonably well on conventional databases, they do poorly on the novel EMD-Ligand Dataset, which calls for more research and work to be done by the community. As current methods for determining protein structures experimentally from Cryo-EM maps are time-consuming and expensive, we integrated PLBP methods with DeepTracer, an automatic and fast, de novo Cryo-EM protein structure modeling method, and established an end-to-end system capable of predicting ligand binding sites directly from Cryo-EM maps. Additionally, we leveraged an existing ligand generator to generate drug-like ligands from our predicted ligand-binding pockets and demonstrated its effectiveness.

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2023

PD-L1 Restrains the PD-1hiNrp1loTGFb+ Treg to block IL6+ Neutrophil tumor infiltration to Suppress Inflammation-driven Colorectal Cancer

PD-L1 functions as a suppressor of T cell activation and colonic inflammation. The consequence of and mechanism underlying these opposite functions of PD-L1 in colorectal cancer remains unknown. We report that global Cd274 deletion promotes inflammation-driven colorectal tumorigenesis. 16S rRNA and shotgun metagenomic sequencing revealed that loss of host PD-L1 leads to expansion of gut Ligilactobacillus murinus and activation of the AhR pathway in tumor-bearing mice. scRNA-seq analysis revealed that PD-L1 regulates PD-189Nrp11215 Treg, IL6+ neutrophils, and B cells in colorectal tumor. Treg expresses high level of TGF{beta} to recruit IL6+ neutrophils. IL6 inhibits activation of B and T cells. IL6 blockade or B cell activation via CD40 agonist increases CTL activation and suppresses colon tumor growth in vivo. Our findings determine that PD-L1 functions as a tumor suppressor in the context of inflammation-driven colorectal cancer and the PD-L1/L. murius/PD-189Nrp11215TGF{beta}+ Treg/IL6+ neutrophils pathway controls host cancer immunosurveillance and colorectal tumorigenesis. Key pointsGlobal deletion of Cd274 promotes inflammation-driven colorectal tumorigenesis. Loss of PD-L1 increases gut L. murinus and activates AhR pathway in colorectal tumor. PD-1hiTGF{beta}+Nrp1lo Treg recruits IL6+ neutrophils to inhibit B and T cell function in colorectal tumor. L. murinus and tryptophan metabolites connect PD-L1 and colorectal tumor immunosurveillance. Graphic summary O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=164 SRC="FIGDIR/small/562132v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (50K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@2d23bcorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1852c8eorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@304978org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@278c5b_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

immunology↗

bioRxiv2023

Auditory evoked-potential abnormalities in a mouse model of 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome and their interactions with hearing impairment

The 22q11.2 deletion is a risk factor for multiple psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia and also increases vulnerability to middle-ear problems that can cause hearing impairment. Up to 60% of deletion carriers experience hearing impairment and [~]30% develop schizophrenia in adulthood. It is not known if these risks interact. Here we used the Df1/+ mouse model of the 22q11.2 deletion to investigate how hearing impairment might interact with increased genetic vulnerability to psychiatric disease to affect brain function. We measured brain function using cortical auditory evoked potentials (AEPs), which are commonly measured non-invasively in humans. After identifying one of the simplest and best-validated methods for AEP measurement in mice from the diversity of previous approaches, we measured peripheral hearing sensitivity and cortical AEPs in Df1/+ mice and their WT littermates. We exploited large inter-individual variation in hearing ability among Df1/+ mice to distinguish effects of genetic background from effects of hearing impairment. Central auditory gain and adaptation were quantified by comparing brainstem activity and cortical AEPs and by analyzing the growth of cortical AEPs with increasing sound level or inter-tone interval duration. We found distinctive measures of central auditory gain or adaptation that were abnormal in Df1/+ mice regardless of hearing impairment, and other measures that were abnormal only in Df1/+ mice with or without hearing impairment. Our data identify potential biomarkers for auditory brain dysfunction in psychiatric disease and illustrate that central auditory abnormalities in 22q11.2DS are a function of both genotype and hearing phenotype.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2023

A genome-wide CRISPR screen supported by human genetics identifies the TNRC18 gene locus as a novel regulator of inflammatory signaling

Interleukin-1{beta} (IL-1{beta}) is dysregulated in many chronic inflammatory diseases, yet the genetic factors influencing IL-1{beta} production and signaling remain largely unknown. Myeloid-derived cells are the primary producers of IL-1{beta}, prompting a genome-wide CRISPR knockout screen in the human myeloid-derived U937 cell model, treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to mimic inflammatory conditions, and sorted for high and low intracellular IL-1{beta} levels. A total of 295 genes were identified as regulators of IL-1{beta} production, including known mediators, such as TLR4, JAK-STAT, IL-10 receptor, and the Cullin ring finger ligase complex. Notably, 57 out of the 295 genes overlapped with loci associated with human inflammatory diseases, including the TNRC18 gene on chromosome 7p22.1 associated with multiple diseases in the Finnish population. U937 cells engineered with the homozygous rs748670681 risk allele associated with inflammatory bowel disease, demonstrated decreased levels of mRNA for TNRC18 and an adjacent gene WIPI2, reduction in LPS-dependent gene activation and cytokine production, but elevation of interferon-responsive gene programs. Transcriptomic profiles for individual knockouts of TNRC18 and WIPI2 attributed the loss of LPS-dependent signaling primarily to TNRC18 while the exacerbation of interferon signaling is a hallmark of loss of WIPI2. Collectively, these findings delineate the global regulatory mechanisms of IL-1{beta} production and provide molecular insights to the role of the rs748670681 variant as a pleiotropic risk factor for inflammatory diseases.

genomics↗