Biology subjects

Xing, P.

Publications and source records attributed to Xing, P..

10 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Identification of an epigenetically and phenotypically distinct peritumoral glioblastoma cell population linked to inferior patient outcome

Glioblastoma (GB) is an aggressive and therapy-resistant primary brain tumor with dismal prognosis. Lethality is in most patients caused by a local peritumoral (Edge) relapse near the resection cavity. This region is insufficiently studied and experimental models are scarce. We have analyzed matched tissue samples and cell cultures from bulk tumors and Edge regions of 11 GB patients. Genomic profiling displayed similar genetic alterations and subclonal distributions of matched bulk and Edge regions. Functional, phenotypic and combined single nucleus (sn) RNA-seq and ATAC-seq analyses showed distinct differences between bulk and Edge GB cells with similar shifts across patients. Sn multiomics uncovered a subset of Edge cells defined by unique chromatin accessibility signatures and elevated mesenchymal and immune gene expression. Integrated computational and functional investigations converged on microglia-derived Oncostatin-M as a driver of the Edge-unique phenotype, and high expression of Edge-related signatures correlated with inferior patient outcome in independent GB cohorts.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2025

New Evidence of Altered Gut Microbiota in Autism Spectrum Disorders through Metagenomic Analysis

Cumulative evidence suggests alterations of gut microbiota in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). However, due to highly diverse research approaches, the distinctive microbial patterns and underlying mechanisms driving ASD etiology remain elusive. Here, we constructed the metagenomic dataset of gut microbiota derived from Chinese children with ASD, incorporating a longitudinal study to explore the pivotal role of gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of ASD. At the bacterial species level, we identified a notable increase in the relative abundance of Clostridium scindens, which exhibited a positive correlation with the cholate degradation pathway and showing a decline concurrent with improved behavior in ASD children. Within the fungal community, we observed significant dysbiosis in twenty-six species, underlining their robust discriminatory potential between ASD and neurotypical subjects. Metabolic pathways related to mitochondrial dysfunction were enriched in ASD, alongside peptidoglycan, glutamate, and nucleotide pathways, suggesting potential interactions between the gut and brain through the innate immune system and vagus nerve in ASD. Our findings underscore the significance of the fungal community and mitochondrial dysfunction in ASD etiology, while also shedding light on how perturbed metabolic functions of gut microbiota collectively contribute to the pathogenesis of ASD.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2025

SUGP1 loss is the sole driver of SF3B1 hotspot mutant missplicing in cancer

SF3B1 is the most frequently mutated splicing factor in cancer. Mechanistically, such mutations cause missplicing by promoting aberrant 3 splice site usage; however, how this occurs remains controversial. To address this issue, we employed a computational screen of 600 splicing-related proteins to identify those whose reduced expression recapitulated mutant SF3B1 splicing dysregulation. Strikingly, our analysis revealed only two proteins whose loss reproduced this effect. Extending our previous findings, loss of the G-patch protein SUGP1 recapitulated almost all splicing defects induced by SF3B1 hotspot mutations. Unexpectedly, loss of the RNA helicase Aquarius (AQR) reproduced [~]40% of these defects. However, we found that AQR knockdown caused significant SUGP1 missplicing and reduced protein levels, suggesting that AQR loss reproduced mutant SF3B1 splicing defects only indirectly. This study advances our understanding of missplicing caused by oncogenic SF3B1 mutations, and highlights the fundamental role of SUGP1 in this process.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2021

Air Pollution Particles Hijack Peroxidasin to Disrupt Immunosurveillance and Promote Lung Cancer

Although fine particulate matter (FPM) in air pollutants and tobacco smoke is recognized as a strong carcinogen and global threat to public health, its biological mechanism for inducing lung cancer remains unclear. Here, by investigating FPMs bioactivities in lung carcinoma mice models, we discover that these particles promote lung tumor progression by inducing aberrant thickening of tissue matrix and hampering migration of anti-tumor immunocytes. Upon inhalation into lung tissue, these FPM particles abundantly adsorb peroxidasin (PXDN) - an enzyme mediating type IV collagen (Col IV) crosslinking - onto their surface. The adsorbed PXDN exerts abnormally high activity to crosslink Col IV via increasing the formation of sulfilimine bonds at the NC1 domain, leading to an overly dense matrix in the lung tissue. This disordered structure decreases the mobility of cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocytes into the lung and consequently impairs the local immune surveillance, enabling the flourish of nascent tumor cells. Meanwhile, inhibiting the activity of PXDN effectively abolishes the tumor-promoting effect of FPM, indicating the key impact of aberrant PXDN activity on tumorigenic process. In summary, our finding elucidates a new mechanism for FPM-induced lung tumorigenesis and identifies PXDN as a potential target for treatment or prevention of the FPM-relevant biological risks. Graphical abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=181 HEIGHT=200 SRC="FIGDIR/small/473156v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (52K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@12b72b2org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1770adforg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@6ac69corg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@154cce_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2021

Profiling chromatin accessibility in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples

Archived formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples are the global standard format for preservation of the majority of biopsies in both basic research and translational cancer studies, and profiling chromatin accessibility in the archived FFPE tissues is fundamental to understanding gene regulation. Accurate mapping of chromatin accessibility from FFPE specimens is challenging because of the high degree of DNA damage. Here, we first showed that standard ATAC-seq can be applied to purified FFPE nuclei but yields lower library complexity and a smaller proportion of long DNA fragments. We then present FFPE-ATAC, the first highly sensitive method for decoding chromatin accessibility in FFPE tissues that combines Tn5-mediated transposition and T7 in vitro transcription. The FFPE-ATAC generates high-quality chromatin accessibility profiles with 500 nuclei from a single FFPE tissue section, enables the dissection of chromatin profiles from the regions of interest with the aid of hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, and reveals disease-associated chromatin regulation from the human colorectal cancer FFPE tissue archived for more than 10 years. In summary, the approach allows decoding of the chromatin states that regulate gene expression in archival FFPE tissues, thereby permitting investigators, to better understand epigenetic regulation in cancer and precision medicine.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2021

Extrachromosomal DNA is associated with chromothripsis events and diverse prognoses in gastric cardia adenocarcinoma

Extrachromosomal DNA plays an important role in oncogene amplification in tumour cells and poor outcomes across multiple cancers. However, the function of extrachromosomal DNA in gastric cardia adenocarcinoma (GCA) is very limited. Here, we investigated the availability and function of extrachromosomal DNA in GCA from a Chinese cohort of GCA using whole-genome sequencing (WGS), whole-exome sequencing (WES), and immunohistochemistry. For the first time, we identified the ecDNA amplicons present in most GCA patients, and found that some oncogenes are present as ecDNA amplicons in these patients. We found that oncogene ecDNA amplicons in the GCA cohort were associated with the chromothripsis process and may be induced by accumulated DNA damage due to local dietary habits in the geographic region. Strikingly, we observed diverse correlations between the presence of ecDNA oncogene amplicons and prognosis, where ERBB2 ecDNA amplicons correlated with good prognosis, EGFR ecDNA amplicons correlated with poor prognosis, and CCNE1 ecDNA amplicons did not correlate with prognosis. Large-scale ERBB2 immunohistochemistry results from 1668 GCA patients revealed that there was a positive correlation between the presence of ERBB2 and prognosis in 2-7-year survival; however, there was a negative correlation between the presence of ERBB2 and prognosis in 0-2-year survival. Our observations indicate that the presence of ERBB2 ecDNA in GCA patients may represent a good prognosis marker.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2021

Conserved cell-lineage controlled epigenetic regulation in human and mouse glioblastoma stem cells determines functionally distinct subgroups

There is ample support for developmental regulation of glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs). To examine how cell lineage controls GSC function we have performed a cross-species epigenome analysis of mouse and human GSC cultures. We have analyzed and compared the chromatin-accessibility landscape of nine mouse GSC cultures of defined cell of origin and 60 patient-derived GSC cultures by assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq). This uncovered a variability of both mouse and human GSC cultures that was different from transcriptome analysis and better at predicting functional subgroups. In both species the chromatin accessibility-guided clusters were predominantly determined by distal regulatory element (DRE) regions, displayed contrasting sets of transcription factor binding motifs, and exhibited different functional and drug-response properties. Cross-species analysis of DRE regions in accessible chromatin revealed conserved epigenetic regulation of mouse and human GSCs. Human ATAC-seq data produced three distinct clusters with significant overlap to our previous mouse cell of origin- based stratification, where two of the clusters displayed significantly different patient survival. We conclude that epigenetic regulation of GSCs primarily is dictated by developmental origin which controls key GSC properties and affects therapeutic response.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

Differences in the metabolite profiles of tender leaves of wheat, barley, rye and Triticale based on LC-MS

Wheatgrass has emerged as a functional food source in recent years, but the detailed metabolomics basis for its health benefits remains poorly understood. In this study, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis were used to study the metabolic profiling of seedlings from wheat, barley, rye and triticale, which revealed 1800 features in positive mode and 4303 features in negative mode. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed clear differences between species, and 164 differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) were detected, including amino acids, organic acids, lipids, fatty acids, nucleic acids, flavonoids, amines, polyamines, vitamins, sugar derivatives and others. Unique metabolites in each species were identified. This study provides a glimpse into the metabolomics profiles of wheat and its wild relatives, which may form an important basis for nutrition, health and other parameters. Practical ApplicationThis manuscript present liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) results of young sprouts of common wheat and its relatives. Our results may help to better understand the natural variation due to the genotype before metabolomics data are considered for application to wheatgrass and can provide a basis (assessment) for its potential pharmaceutical and nutritional value.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Establishment of Etv5 gene knockout mice as a recipient model for spermatogonial stem cell transplantation

Transplantation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) is an alternative reproductive method to achieve conservation and production of elite animals in livestock production. Creating a recipient animal without endogenous germ cells is important for effective SSC transplantation. However, natural mutants with depletion of SSCs are difficult to obtain, and drug ablation of endogenous germ cells is arduous to perform for practical use. In this study, we used mouse models to study the preparation of recipients with congenital germ cell ablation. We knocked out (KO) Ets-variant gene 5 (Etv5) in mice using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. The testicular weight of Etv5-/- mice was significantly lower than that of wild-type (WT) mice. The germ cell layer of the seminiferous tubules gradually receded with age in Etv5-/- mice. At 12 weeks of age, the tubules of Etv5-/- mice lacked germ cells (Sertoli cell-only syndrome), and sperm were completely absent in the epididymis. We subsequently transplanted allogeneic SSCs with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) into 3-(immature) or 7-week-old (mature) Etv5-/- mice. Restoration of germ cell layers in the seminiferous tubules and spermatogenesis was observed in all immature testes but not in mature adult testes at 2 months post-transplantation. The presence of heterologous genes Etv5 and EGFP in recipient testicular tissue and epididymal sperm by PCR indicated that sperm originated from the transplanted donor cells. Our study demonstrates that, although Etv5-/- mice could accommodate and support foreign germ cell transplantation, this process occurs in a quite low efficiency to support a full spermatogenesis of transplanted SSCs. However, using Etv5-/- mice as a recipient model for SSC transplantation is feasible, and still needs further investigation to establish an optimized transplantation process.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2019

An abscisic acid (ABA) homeostasis regulated by its production, catabolism and transport in peanut leaves in response to drought stress

ABA is an important messenger that acts as the signaling mediator for regulating the adaptive response of plants to drought stress. Two production pathways, de novo biosynthesis and hydrolysis of glucose-conjugated ABA by {beta}-glucosidase (BG), increase cellular ABA levels in plants. ABA catabolism via hydroxylation by 8-hydroxylase (CYP707A), or conjugation by uridine diphosphate glucosyltransferase (UGT), decreases cellular ABA levels. The transport of ABA through ATP-binding cassette (ABC)-containing transporter proteins, members of ABC transporter G family (ABCG), across plasma membrane (PM) is another important pathway to regulate cellular ABA levels. In this study, based on our previously constructed transcriptome of peanut leaves in response to drought stress, fourteen candidate genes involved in ABA production (including AhZEP, AhNCED1 and AhNCED3, AhABA2, AhAAO1 and AhAAO2, AhABA3, AhBG11 and AhBG24), catabolism (including AhCYP707A3, AhUGT71K1 and AhUGT73B4) and transport (including AhABCG22-1 and AhABCG22-2), were identified homologously and phylogenetically, and further analyzed at the transcriptional level by real-time RT-PCR, simultaneously determining ABA levels in peanut leaves in response to drought. The high sequence identity and very similar subcellular localization of the proteins deduced from 14 identified genes involved in ABA production, catabolism and transport with the reported corresponding enzymes in databases suggest their similar roles in regulating cellular ABA levels. In response to drought stress, ABA accumulation levels in peanut leaves agree very well with the up-regulated expressions of ABA-producing genes (AhZEP, AhNCED1, AhAAO2, AhABA3, AhBG11 and AhBG24) and PM-localized ABA importer genes (AhABCG22-1 and AhABCG22-2), although the expression of ABA catabolic genes (AhCYP707A3 and AhUGT71K1) was also up-regulated. It is likely that drought-responsive induction of catabolic genes helps not only to maintain ABA levels within a permissible range, but also to prepare the plant for degradation of ABA after removal of the stress. These results suggest that ABA homeostasis in peanut leaves in response to drought may be coordinated by a master regulatory circuit that involves production, catabolism, and as well as transport.

plant biology↗