Acta biochimica et biophysica Sinica最新文献

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a clinically aggressive hematologic malignancy characterized by high relapse rates and treatment resistance, highlighting the need for novel biomarkers to improve clinical outcomes. In this study, we explore the roles of nuclear receptor-interacting protein 1 (NRIP1) in AML, focusing on its associations with tumor progression and immune infiltration. Analysis of public AML gene expression datasets reveals that NRIP1 expression is significantly increased in AML patients. Those with high NRIP1 expression have markedly shorter overall survival than those with low expression. Furthermore, NRIP1 expression is significantly associated with the infiltration of diverse immune cells, including B cells, dendritic cells, T cells, mast cells, eosinophils, and T helper cells, suggesting that NRIP1 may be a regulator of immune cell infiltration. Functional enrichment analysis indicates that NRIP1 and its interacting partners are involved in tumorigenesis, immune microenvironment remodeling, and metabolic reprogramming. Survival analysis confirms the prognostic value of NRIP1. Importantly, functional validation in AML cell lines confirms that NRIP1 knockdown suppresses proliferation and induces apoptosis. Our study identifies NRIP1 as a multifaceted regulator that promotes AML by driving tumor progression, regulating immune cell infiltration, and modulating ferroptosis, highlighting its role as a novel prognostic biomarker.

Dolutegravir (DTG) disrupts mouse embryonic development in a dose-dependent manner, culminating in neural-tube defects (NTDs). Using whole embryo culture (WEC), mouse embryos at embryonic day 8.5 (E8.5) are cultured for 24–48 h with 8, 10, or 12 μM DTG. The results reveal that higher DTG concentrations dose-dependently disrupt yolk sac development and markedly increase the frequency of NTDs. In vivo NTD models are generated by intraperitoneally injecting DTG at a dose of 7.5 mg/kg, and the resulting embryos exhibit disrupted yolk sac blood circulation, embryonic growth restriction, and malformations. Mechanistic studies suggest that DTG contributes to NTDs by inducing apoptosis: DTG exposure activates the Nrf2-SOD1/CAT antioxidant axis, yet it culminates in increased apoptosis and suppressed proliferation, ultimately impairing yolksac vasculogenesis and neuralepithelial closure, thereby producing NTDs. This study provides new evidence for assessing the potential risk of DTG in embryonic development and highlights the need to re-evaluate its clinical safety in future applications.

Senescence is a cellular response closely associated with genotoxic stress and plays a critical role in determining cell fate following irradiation exposure. Primary cilia, which are sensory organelles on the cell surface, detect and transmit diverse signaling cues. However, the relationship between primary cilia and senescence in long-term cell fate decisions after ionizing radiation (IR) remains poorly understood. Here, we show that the DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) colocalizes with centromeres during various stages of mitosis, whereas during interphase, phosphorylated DNA-PKcs (p-DNA-PKcs) is confined to the nucleus in tumor cells. Following irradiation exposure, primary cilia are formed and persistently maintained at high levels in senescent tumor cells. Inhibition of DNA-PKcs enhances primary cilia formation, whereas combined inhibition with siDNA-PKcs and irradiation reduces cilia generation. Moreover, chloral hydrate-induced primary cilia removal results in senescent cell death and decreases p-DNA-PKcs protein expression. Notably, treatment with the apoptosis inducer ABT263 also leads to increased cell death and decreased incidence of primary cilia. Inhibition of either primary cilia or DNA-PKcs further enhances the radiosensitivity of tumor cells. These findings suggest that DNA-PKcs contributes to primary cilia formation after irradiation and plays a critical role in both the induction and maintenance of cellular senescence.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is closely related to tumor development. Adenine nucleotide translocator 1 (ANT1), which promotes ADP/ATP translocation across the inner mitochondrial membrane, is an important protein involved in mitochondrial function and plays a role in a variety of diseases, including cancers. However, its role in colorectal cancer (CRC) progression remains poorly understood. This study aims to explore the potential role of ANT1 in CRC and its relationship with mitophagy. Through immunohistochemical analysis, we find that ANT1 expression is significantly higher in the tumor tissues of CRC patients than in adjacent normal tissues and that its overexpression is associated with poor prognosis. Further experiments demonstrate that ANT1 knockdown significantly inhibits CRC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and leads to mitochondrial dysfunction, increased ROS production, and apoptosis by suppressing mitophagy. Mechanistically, ANT1 knockdown downregulates the PINK1/Parkin pathway, thereby inhibiting mitophagy activity. Notably, PINK1 overexpression partially rescues the cellular dysfunction induced by ANT1 knockdown, suggesting a potential role for PINK1 in reversing the suppression of mitophagy. In vivo xenograft models also show that ANT1 knockdown markedly inhibits tumor growth. In conclusion, ANT1 may play a critical role in CRC progression by regulating mitophagy, providing a basis for its potential as a therapeutic target.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) continues to pose a chief threat to the global healthcare landscape and is characterized by scarce therapeutic options and poor clinical outcomes, especially in advanced-stage disease. Although lymphocyte antigen 96 (LY96) is associated with immunogenic cell death, its specific role in HCC progression and therapeutic potential remains unclear. To identify prospective therapeutic targets in HCC, by combining the cancer-immunity cycle score with WGCNA and systems biology methods, we identify pivotal molecular interactions. By integrating the cancer-immunity cycle score with WGCNA and systems-level approaches, we systematically identify potential therapeutic targets in HCC. We evaluate LY96 expression at the transcriptomic and proteomic levels in HCC tissues and explore its prognostic relevance by drawing upon information from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) repository. The functional role of LY96 is delineated through a panel of cellular assays conducted in vitro, complemented by in vivo tumorigenesis models. To identify the downstream signaling cascades associated with LY96, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) is performed to elucidate the implicated pathways, which are then confirmed via experimental validation. Furthermore, we employ a lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticle (NP) platform to facilitate the systemic delivery of an LY96 inhibitor and demonstrate its potential as a newly proposed intervention strategy for HCC. Clinically, marked LY96 overexpression occurs in HCC samples, where elevated LY96 expression is strongly associated with reduced overall survival (OS) among liver cancer patients. LY96 facilitates the progression of HCC via complementary in vitro and in vivo approaches. Mechanistically, LY96 induces the activation of the TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling axis in HCC. For therapeutic applications, we develop a liposome-based nanoparticle system that delivers the LY96 inhibitor L6H21 to tumor cells and effectively suppresses HCC progression through a combination of in vivo and in vitro studies. Taken together, the current observations identify LY96 as a promising diagnostic indicator and a viable intervention for therapeutic modulation to improve HCC treatment.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most severe complications associated with diabetes. Recent studies have demonstrated that lactate-mediated histone lactylation is involved in diabetes-related complications. Moreover, alanyl-tRNA synthetase 1 (AARS1) has been identified as a novel lactyltransferase capable of modulating histone H3 lysine 18 lactylation (H3K18la). In this study, we aim to determine whether and how AARS1-mediated H3K18la participates in the pathogenesis of DN. Our data indicate that the levels of lactate, lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), lactylation and H3K18la are increased in DN patients and models. Moreover, decreasing lactate levels through oxamate attenuates lactylation and H3K18la, improves renal function, and decreases cell death in DN models. Furthermore, lactate-mediated H3K18la promotes ferroptosis via the modulation of acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain 4 (ACSL4) transcription. AARS1 is subsequently shown to be increased in DN models. In addition, AARS1 lactylates H3K18 to modulate ACSL4 transcription in DN. Furthermore, lactate, LDHA and AARS1 regulate each other through H3K18la, thus forming a positive feedback loop. Importantly, inhibiting AARS1-induced lactylation via β-alanine has been shown to interrupt the lactate/AARS1/H3K18la/LDHA positive feedback loop, thus inhibiting ferroptosis in DN models. In conclusion, β-alanine may represent an effective therapeutic strategy for DN by disrupting the lactate/AARS1/H3K18la/LDHA positive feedback loop.

Mitochondrial dysfunction critically disrupts adipocyte remodeling by impairing the thermogenic browning process essential for combating obesity through the upregulation of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) and mitochondrial biogenesis. Deficiencies in mitochondrial metabolism, dynamics (including fusion/fission), and autophagy suppress adipocyte plasticity, directly inhibiting UCP1 expression and destabilizing the PPAR-γ/PGC-1α and adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathways. These disruptions reduce energy expenditure, exacerbate insulin resistance, and promote metabolic syndrome. Moreover, mitochondrial inactivation intersects with neurodegenerative disorders via oxidative stress induced by β-amyloid and α-synuclein aggregation, amplifying systemic metabolic dysregulation. Structural mitochondrial anomalies further impede lipid utilization and adipose tissue adaptation, but unresolved crosstalk between mtDNA and nuclear DNA complicates therapeutic targeting. Future research must prioritize spatiotemporal mapping of mitochondrial dynamics in adipocyte differentiation via single-cell omics to identify key regulatory nodes. Addressing these mechanisms could unlock precision therapies, such as gene editing, to restore mitochondrial function, enhance adipocyte browning, and mitigate obesity, related pathologies alongside neurodegenerative and age-associated diseases.

AXL, a member of the TAM (Tyro3, AXL, and Mertk) subfamily of RTKs, is abundantly expressed in lung tissue and has been implicated in viral infections and lung injury. PROS1, one of the ligands known to activate AXL, functions as an immunomodulator in many diseases. However, the role of PROS1/AXL signaling in influenza A virus (IAV) infection and infection-induced lung injury is largely unknown. In this study, we find that the exogenous administration of PROS1 mitigates lung injury and protects mice from lethal infection by IAVs through the activation of AXL. PROS1 induces the phosphorylation of AXL, which in turn recruits Gab1 and p85, a regulatory subunit of PI3K, to form a complex that activates Gab1 and its downstream PI3K/AKT/mTOR in alveolar macrophages. Gab1 knockdown in vivo, or LY294002 (a PI3K inhibitor), abolishes the PROS1/AXL-induced protective activity against lethal influenza infection in mice. We also show that PROS1/AXL signaling induces M2 polarization of alveolar macrophages through Gab1 activation both in vitro and in vivo. Gab1 knockdown inhibits M2 macrophage accumulation in IAV-infected lungs and attenuates the protective effect of PROS1. These results indicate that PROS1/AXL signaling can activate Gab1 in macrophages and induce macrophage polarization to an anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype, thereby eliciting protective activity against lethal infection with IAVs. These data also highlight the PROS1/AXL signal as a novel therapeutic target for IAV infection.

Circadian disruptions appear at the presymptomatic stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and may exacerbate mental dysfunction in AD. The downregulation of brain and muscle ARNT-like protein 1 (BMAL1), a key clock element for the maintenance of circadian rhythms, has been linked to epigenetic mechanisms. Our previous study revealed that the mRNA level of DNA demethylase ten-eleven translocation ( Tet) 3 was reduced in the hippocampi of APPswe/PS1dE9 (APP/PS1) mice. However, the effects of TET3 on BMAL1 downregulation and circadian dysregulation in AD are still unclear. Our investigation first confirms that Tet3 mRNA and protein levels are decreased in both APP/PS1 mice and APPswe cells. In addition, decreased levels of 5hmC are observed in HT22 cells after TET3 knockdown, whereas TET3 overexpression reverses the reduction in 5hmC. Critically, we report that TET3 knockdown remethylates the Bmal1 promoter, thus downregulating BMAL1 expression in HT22 cells. In contrast, TET3 overexpression could upregulate BMAL1 by decreasing its methylation level. These results indicate that reduced TET3 is responsible for BMAL1 downregulation through decreased TET3 demethylation. Additionally, TET3 knockdown could lead to circadian disruption of BMAL1 in U2OS cells, whereas overexpression of TET3 alleviates the dysregulated biological rhythm in Aβ-treated U2OS cells. Our data suggest that TET3 plays a vital role in modulating the circadian rhythm at the epigenetic level through DNA demethylation.