Pub Date : 2025-07-31DOI: 10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100274
Ting Xie , Peipei Sun , Hao Huang , Qilong Li , Hudan Liu , Jue Jiang
MYC dysregulation plays a crucial role in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), yet the mechanisms governing its stabilization remain incompletely understood. MYC protein turnover is tightly regulated by post-translational modifications (PTMs), especially phosphorylation-dependent ubiquitination. Our previous study identified phosphorylation at MYC Serine 67 (S67) is critical to sustain its oncogenic activity in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). Here, we demonstrate that MYC S67 phosphorylation is also present in AML and catalyzed by p21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4). PAK4 directly binds MYC via its MBII domain, phosphorylates S67 and disrupts FBXW7-dependent ubiquitination, thereby stabilizing MYC to sustain MYC-driven leukemogenic programs. PAK4 inhibition destabilizes MYC and suppresses AML proliferation; however, it fails to elicit robust apoptosis, primarily due to the compensatory upregulation of the anti-apoptotic factor MCL-1. Combining the PAK4 inhibitor KPT-9274 with the MCL-1 antagonist S63845 induces synergistic lethality in AML cells. These findings provide the mechanistic insight of MYC stabilization in AML and establish a PAK4 inhibition-based targeted strategy as a promising therapeutic approach for AML treatment.
{"title":"PAK4 phosphorylates and stabilizes MYC to promote acute myeloid leukemia","authors":"Ting Xie , Peipei Sun , Hao Huang , Qilong Li , Hudan Liu , Jue Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100274","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100274","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>MYC dysregulation plays a crucial role in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), yet the mechanisms governing its stabilization remain incompletely understood. MYC protein turnover is tightly regulated by post-translational modifications (PTMs), especially phosphorylation-dependent ubiquitination. Our previous study identified phosphorylation at MYC Serine 67 (S67) is critical to sustain its oncogenic activity in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). Here, we demonstrate that MYC S67 phosphorylation is also present in AML and catalyzed by p21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4). PAK4 directly binds MYC via its MBII domain, phosphorylates S67 and disrupts FBXW7-dependent ubiquitination, thereby stabilizing MYC to sustain MYC-driven leukemogenic programs. PAK4 inhibition destabilizes MYC and suppresses AML proliferation; however, it fails to elicit robust apoptosis, primarily due to the compensatory upregulation of the anti-apoptotic factor MCL-1. Combining the PAK4 inhibitor KPT-9274 with the MCL-1 antagonist S63845 induces synergistic lethality in AML cells. These findings provide the mechanistic insight of MYC stabilization in AML and establish a PAK4 inhibition-based targeted strategy as a promising therapeutic approach for AML treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72541,"journal":{"name":"Cell insight","volume":"4 5","pages":"Article 100274"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144852685","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-24DOI: 10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100266
Liting Zhang , Chuchu Zhang , Junjie Zhang
Mediator of IRF3 activation (MITA)/Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING) (also known as MPYS/ERIS) is a crucial adaptor protein for initiating antiviral innate immune responses to intracellular DNA and DNA viruses. MITA binds cGAMP, a second messenger synthesized by cGAS in response to intracellular DNA, culminating in the induction of type I interferons (IFNs), inflammatory cytokines, and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). While the canonical IFN-dependent MITA signaling has been extensively studied, recent research has unveiled a growing repertoire of IFN-independent functions of MITA in various physiological processes and pathological conditions. These non-canonical roles of MITA are increasingly recognized for their involvement in critical processes such as antiviral activity, senescence, autophagy, metabolism, lysosomal biogenesis, and the development of neurological disorders. In this review, we summarize the latest advances in understanding MITA's non-canonical functions and provide insights into key scientific questions that remain to be addressed. Deciphering how MITA is involved in these complex physiological and pathological processes will not only deepen our understanding of MITA signaling, but may also offer new therapeutic targets for treating related diseases.
{"title":"Beyond interferons: Non-canonical roles of MITA/STING","authors":"Liting Zhang , Chuchu Zhang , Junjie Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100266","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100266","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mediator of IRF3 activation (MITA)/Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING) (also known as MPYS/ERIS) is a crucial adaptor protein for initiating antiviral innate immune responses to intracellular DNA and DNA viruses. MITA binds cGAMP, a second messenger synthesized by cGAS in response to intracellular DNA, culminating in the induction of type I interferons (IFNs), inflammatory cytokines, and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). While the canonical IFN-dependent MITA signaling has been extensively studied, recent research has unveiled a growing repertoire of IFN-independent functions of MITA in various physiological processes and pathological conditions. These non-canonical roles of MITA are increasingly recognized for their involvement in critical processes such as antiviral activity, senescence, autophagy, metabolism, lysosomal biogenesis, and the development of neurological disorders. In this review, we summarize the latest advances in understanding MITA's non-canonical functions and provide insights into key scientific questions that remain to be addressed. Deciphering how MITA is involved in these complex physiological and pathological processes will not only deepen our understanding of MITA signaling, but may also offer new therapeutic targets for treating related diseases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72541,"journal":{"name":"Cell insight","volume":"4 5","pages":"Article 100266"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144852684","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-12DOI: 10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100265
Haohan Ma , Kai Wang , Changtao Jiang
Bile acids are amphipathic sterol molecules regulated by both the host and gut microbiota, serving as classical mediators for deciphering host-microbiota interactions. Synthesized primarily in the liver and undergoing extensive structural modifications along the gastrointestinal tract, bile acids are dynamically shaped by diverse bile acid metabolic enzymes, especially from gut microbiota. Beyond their canonical detergent-like functions, bile acids act as receptor modulators, immune regulators, and microbiota sculptors, profoundly involved in regulating host metabolic processes, maintaining immune homeostasis, and contributing to metabolic disorders when dysregulated. The modifications of bile acids by microbial enzymes critically influence their functional diversity. However, despite the vast array of bile acid modifications observed, significant gaps remain in the systematic identification and characterization of microbial bile acid metabolic enzymes. This review underscores the urgency of exploring the biosynthetic pathways for the production of key bile acids and highlights its potential to advance precision therapeutic strategies targeting gut microbiota and their enzymatic machinery.
{"title":"Microbiota-derived bile acid metabolic enzymes and their impacts on host health","authors":"Haohan Ma , Kai Wang , Changtao Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100265","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100265","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bile acids are amphipathic sterol molecules regulated by both the host and gut microbiota, serving as classical mediators for deciphering host-microbiota interactions. Synthesized primarily in the liver and undergoing extensive structural modifications along the gastrointestinal tract, bile acids are dynamically shaped by diverse bile acid metabolic enzymes, especially from gut microbiota. Beyond their canonical detergent-like functions, bile acids act as receptor modulators, immune regulators, and microbiota sculptors, profoundly involved in regulating host metabolic processes, maintaining immune homeostasis, and contributing to metabolic disorders when dysregulated. The modifications of bile acids by microbial enzymes critically influence their functional diversity. However, despite the vast array of bile acid modifications observed, significant gaps remain in the systematic identification and characterization of microbial bile acid metabolic enzymes. This review underscores the urgency of exploring the biosynthetic pathways for the production of key bile acids and highlights its potential to advance precision therapeutic strategies targeting gut microbiota and their enzymatic machinery.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72541,"journal":{"name":"Cell insight","volume":"4 5","pages":"Article 100265"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144772227","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-11DOI: 10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100257
Mengjie Yang , Xiaowei Chen , Xiran Hu , Hexiang Li , Hao Huang , Yingzhe Fang , Jue Jiang , Hudan Liu , Yuan Wang , Guoliang Qing
M1-polarized macrophages exhibit remarkable resistance to ferroptosis, a form of regulated cell death driven by excessive lipid peroxidation. Yet the underlying mechanisms remain to be defined. Through CRISPR-based functional screen of metabolic genes combining transcriptomics analysis, we herein identified the cystine/glutamate antiporter SLC7A11 as a pivotal mediator of ferroptosis resistance in M1 macrophages. Mechanistically, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) engagement with the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) resulted in NF-κB activation, leading to RELA-dependent transcriptional upregulation of Slc7a11 expression. SLC7A11 in turn promoted cystine uptake and subsequent glutathione (GSH) synthesis. Genetic ablation of Slc7a11 reduced GSH production, sensitizing M1 macrophages to RSL3-induced ferroptosis. In aggregate, our findings unveil the RELA-SLC7A11 axis as a critical metabolic checkpoint dictating macrophage ferroptosis sensitivity, which might be employed to modulate macrophage functions in inflammatory diseases.
{"title":"The NF-κB-SLC7A11 axis regulates ferroptosis sensitivity in inflammatory macrophages","authors":"Mengjie Yang , Xiaowei Chen , Xiran Hu , Hexiang Li , Hao Huang , Yingzhe Fang , Jue Jiang , Hudan Liu , Yuan Wang , Guoliang Qing","doi":"10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100257","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100257","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>M1-polarized macrophages exhibit remarkable resistance to ferroptosis, a form of regulated cell death driven by excessive lipid peroxidation. Yet the underlying mechanisms remain to be defined. Through CRISPR-based functional screen of metabolic genes combining transcriptomics analysis, we herein identified the cystine/glutamate antiporter SLC7A11 as a pivotal mediator of ferroptosis resistance in M1 macrophages. Mechanistically, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) engagement with the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) resulted in NF-κB activation, leading to RELA-dependent transcriptional upregulation of <em>Slc7a11</em> expression. SLC7A11 in turn promoted cystine uptake and subsequent glutathione (GSH) synthesis. Genetic ablation of <em>Slc7a11</em> reduced GSH production, sensitizing M1 macrophages to RSL3-induced ferroptosis. In aggregate, our findings unveil the RELA-SLC7A11 axis as a critical metabolic checkpoint dictating macrophage ferroptosis sensitivity, which might be employed to modulate macrophage functions in inflammatory diseases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72541,"journal":{"name":"Cell insight","volume":"4 4","pages":"Article 100257"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144517072","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-02DOI: 10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100256
Jie Liu , Jingjing Feng , Jingxuan Zhao , Xiangjie Kong , Zhangyi Yu , Yuanru Huang , Zechun He , Mengxin Liu , Zheng Liu , Zhibing Lu , Li Wang
Cardiac fibroblast (CF) differentiation into myofibroblasts is a crucial driver of cardiac fibrosis, leading to extensive extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition that increases myocardial stiffness and eventually impairs heart function. Mechanotransduction has merged as a key regulator of CF activation and the fibrotic response post-myocardial infarction (MI). However, the molecular mechanisms linking CF activation to mechanical cues within the injured myocardium remain poorly understood. Here we identified transcription factor TFAP4 as a central regulator of fibrosis in both human and murine models. TFAP4 overexpression enhances CF proliferation, ECM protein expression, and myofibroblast differentiation. Notably, TFAP4 directly activates expression of mechanosensors including Itga11 and Piezo2, which are essential for transmitting mechanical signals that promote CF activation and fibrosis. Silencing Itga11 and Piezo2 reverses the pro-fibrotic effects of TFAP4, while TFAP4 downregulation in vivo reduces fibrosis and improves cardiac function post-MI. These findings identify TFAP4 as a pivotal link between mechanotransduction and fibrosis, suggesting it as a potential therapeutic target to mitigate fibrosis and enhance cardiac recovery following MI.
{"title":"TFAP4 exacerbates pathological cardiac fibrosis by modulating mechanotransduction","authors":"Jie Liu , Jingjing Feng , Jingxuan Zhao , Xiangjie Kong , Zhangyi Yu , Yuanru Huang , Zechun He , Mengxin Liu , Zheng Liu , Zhibing Lu , Li Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100256","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100256","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cardiac fibroblast (CF) differentiation into myofibroblasts is a crucial driver of cardiac fibrosis, leading to extensive extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition that increases myocardial stiffness and eventually impairs heart function. Mechanotransduction has merged as a key regulator of CF activation and the fibrotic response post-myocardial infarction (MI). However, the molecular mechanisms linking CF activation to mechanical cues within the injured myocardium remain poorly understood. Here we identified transcription factor TFAP4 as a central regulator of fibrosis in both human and murine models. TFAP4 overexpression enhances CF proliferation, ECM protein expression, and myofibroblast differentiation. Notably, TFAP4 directly activates expression of mechanosensors including Itga11 and Piezo2, which are essential for transmitting mechanical signals that promote CF activation and fibrosis. Silencing <em>Itga11</em> and <em>Piezo2</em> reverses the pro-fibrotic effects of TFAP4, while TFAP4 downregulation in vivo reduces fibrosis and improves cardiac function post-MI. These findings identify TFAP4 as a pivotal link between mechanotransduction and fibrosis, suggesting it as a potential therapeutic target to mitigate fibrosis and enhance cardiac recovery following MI.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72541,"journal":{"name":"Cell insight","volume":"4 4","pages":"Article 100256"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144329937","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-01DOI: 10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100251
Huajian Tian , Guifei Li , Cookson K.C. Chiu , E. Li , Yuzong Chen , Ting Zhu , Min Hu , Yanjie Wang , Suping Wen , Jiajia Li , Shuangxue Luo , Zhicheng Chen , Huimei Zeng , Nan Zheng , Jinyong Wang , Weijun Shen , Xi Kang
While immune cell therapies have transformed cancer treatment, achieving comparable success in solid tumors remains a significant challenge compared to hematologic malignancies like non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and multiple myeloma (MM). Over the past four decades, various immunotherapeutic strategies, including tumor vaccines, tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapies, and T cell receptor (TCR) therapies, have demonstrated clinical efficacy in select solid tumors, suggesting potential advantages over CAR-T and CAR-NK cell therapies in specific contexts. The dynamic nature of the cancer-immunity cycle, characterized by the continuous evolution of tumor-specific neoantigens, enables tumors to evade immune surveillance. This highlights the urgent need for rapid and accurate identification of functional tumor neoantigens to inform the design of personalized tumor vaccines. These vaccines can be based on mRNA, dendritic cells (DCs), or synthetic peptides. In this study, we established a novel platform integrating immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry (IP-MS) for efficient and direct identification of tumor-specific neoantigen peptides. By combining this approach with our proprietary AI-based prediction algorithm and high-throughput in vitro functional validation, we can generate patient-specific neoantigen candidates within six weeks, accelerating personalized tumor vaccine development.
{"title":"Rapid and direct discovery of functional tumor specific neoantigens by high resolution mass spectrometry and novel algorithm prediction","authors":"Huajian Tian , Guifei Li , Cookson K.C. Chiu , E. Li , Yuzong Chen , Ting Zhu , Min Hu , Yanjie Wang , Suping Wen , Jiajia Li , Shuangxue Luo , Zhicheng Chen , Huimei Zeng , Nan Zheng , Jinyong Wang , Weijun Shen , Xi Kang","doi":"10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100251","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100251","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>While immune cell therapies have transformed cancer treatment, achieving comparable success in solid tumors remains a significant challenge compared to hematologic malignancies like non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and multiple myeloma (MM). Over the past four decades, various immunotherapeutic strategies, including tumor vaccines, tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapies, and T cell receptor (TCR) therapies, have demonstrated clinical efficacy in select solid tumors, suggesting potential advantages over CAR-T and CAR-NK cell therapies in specific contexts. The dynamic nature of the cancer-immunity cycle, characterized by the continuous evolution of tumor-specific neoantigens, enables tumors to evade immune surveillance. This highlights the urgent need for rapid and accurate identification of functional tumor neoantigens to inform the design of personalized tumor vaccines. These vaccines can be based on mRNA, dendritic cells (DCs), or synthetic peptides. In this study, we established a novel platform integrating immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry (IP-MS) for efficient and direct identification of tumor-specific neoantigen peptides. By combining this approach with our proprietary AI-based prediction algorithm and high-throughput <em>in vitro</em> functional validation, we can generate patient-specific neoantigen candidates within six weeks, accelerating personalized tumor vaccine development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72541,"journal":{"name":"Cell insight","volume":"4 3","pages":"Article 100251"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144221462","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-01DOI: 10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100252
Shi Qiu , Zhibo Wang , Sifan Guo , Dandan Xie , Ying Cai , Xian Wang , Chunsheng Lin , Songqi Tang , Yiqiang Xie , Aihua Zhang
Diabetic nephropathy (DN) exhibits profound spatial metabolic heterogeneity across kidney regions, yet how compartmentalized pathways drive disease progression remains poorly defined. A deeper understanding of the organizational spatial environment and metabolic pathways of diabetic kidney damage will provide new insights to develop new therapies. By integrating high-resolution spatial multi-omics and single-cell transcriptomics, we mapped region-specific metabolic dysregulation in diabetic kidneys, identifying glutathione metabolism, pentose phosphate, and glycolytic pathways as zonally disrupted in cortical and medullary regions. Spatial metabolomics revealed distinct anatomical clustering of ten clinically associated metabolites, while spatial proteomic profiling uncovered sixty-four region-enriched proteins linked to these pathways. Specifically, depending on anatomic location, spatial protein signatures across multiple regions of diabetic mouse kidneys were enriched in each segmentation, respectively. Cross-species integration identified GPX3 as a fibroblast-enriched biomarker strongly correlated with kidney dysfunction and closely related to clinical indicators. Notably, astragaloside IV (ASIV) treatment reversed spatial metabolic perturbations in diabetic mice, restoring glutathione and glycolytic pathway activity in a compartment-specific manner. Single-cell analyses identified five cell types—endothelial cells, fibroblasts, epithelial cells, macrophages and neutrophils—and further revealed fibroblasts as key contributors to regulatory effects via GPX3 overexpression. Importantly, the higher expression of Gpx3 in fibroblasts compared to other cell types, Gpx3 (AUC = 0.995), was further validated, demonstrating the high sensitivity and specificity for DN patients. This multimodal atlas establishes the spatially resolved metabolic blueprint of DN, bridging molecular zoning with anatomical localization of renal tissue to unveil actionable therapeutic targets for metabolic disorders in kidney disease.
{"title":"Single cell sequencing and spatial multiomics of diabetic kidney segmentation insights zonation-specific therapeutic metabolic pathways","authors":"Shi Qiu , Zhibo Wang , Sifan Guo , Dandan Xie , Ying Cai , Xian Wang , Chunsheng Lin , Songqi Tang , Yiqiang Xie , Aihua Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100252","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100252","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Diabetic nephropathy (DN) exhibits profound spatial metabolic heterogeneity across kidney regions, yet how compartmentalized pathways drive disease progression remains poorly defined. A deeper understanding of the organizational spatial environment and metabolic pathways of diabetic kidney damage will provide new insights to develop new therapies. By integrating high-resolution spatial multi-omics and single-cell transcriptomics, we mapped region-specific metabolic dysregulation in diabetic kidneys, identifying glutathione metabolism, pentose phosphate, and glycolytic pathways as zonally disrupted in cortical and medullary regions. Spatial metabolomics revealed distinct anatomical clustering of ten clinically associated metabolites, while spatial proteomic profiling uncovered sixty-four region-enriched proteins linked to these pathways. Specifically, depending on anatomic location, spatial protein signatures across multiple regions of diabetic mouse kidneys were enriched in each segmentation, respectively. Cross-species integration identified GPX3 as a fibroblast-enriched biomarker strongly correlated with kidney dysfunction and closely related to clinical indicators. Notably, astragaloside IV (ASIV) treatment reversed spatial metabolic perturbations in diabetic mice, restoring glutathione and glycolytic pathway activity in a compartment-specific manner. Single-cell analyses identified five cell types—endothelial cells, fibroblasts, epithelial cells, macrophages and neutrophils—and further revealed fibroblasts as key contributors to regulatory effects via GPX3 overexpression. Importantly, the higher expression of Gpx3 in fibroblasts compared to other cell types, Gpx3 (AUC = 0.995), was further validated, demonstrating the high sensitivity and specificity for DN patients. This multimodal atlas establishes the spatially resolved metabolic blueprint of DN, bridging molecular zoning with anatomical localization of renal tissue to unveil actionable therapeutic targets for metabolic disorders in kidney disease.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72541,"journal":{"name":"Cell insight","volume":"4 3","pages":"Article 100252"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144221463","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-05-23DOI: 10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100254
Yaobin Jing , Jie Ren , Jing Qu , Guang-Hui Liu
Aging is characterized by a progressive decline in organ and tissue structure and function, significantly increasing the risk of many chronic diseases. Developing interventions to delay aging holds the potential to reduce the burden of age-associated diseases and promote healthy longevity. Gene therapy has emerged as a clinically transformable approach, leveraging advanced gene editing and delivery systems to target the molecular underpinnings of aging. This review systematically explores the potential of gene therapy strategies in aging intervention, focusing on approaches that enhance genomic and epigenetic stability, restore metabolic homeostasis, modulate immune responses, and rejuvenate senescent cells. By providing a comprehensive overview and forward-looking insights, this article aims to inform future research directions and translational applications of gene therapy in mitigating aging-related decline.
{"title":"Gene therapy strategies for aging intervention","authors":"Yaobin Jing , Jie Ren , Jing Qu , Guang-Hui Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100254","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100254","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Aging is characterized by a progressive decline in organ and tissue structure and function, significantly increasing the risk of many chronic diseases. Developing interventions to delay aging holds the potential to reduce the burden of age-associated diseases and promote healthy longevity. Gene therapy has emerged as a clinically transformable approach, leveraging advanced gene editing and delivery systems to target the molecular underpinnings of aging. This review systematically explores the potential of gene therapy strategies in aging intervention, focusing on approaches that enhance genomic and epigenetic stability, restore metabolic homeostasis, modulate immune responses, and rejuvenate senescent cells. By providing a comprehensive overview and forward-looking insights, this article aims to inform future research directions and translational applications of gene therapy in mitigating aging-related decline.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72541,"journal":{"name":"Cell insight","volume":"4 4","pages":"Article 100254"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144490698","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-05-22DOI: 10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100255
Ming Gao , Yining Qi , Junjie Zhang
Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is a prevalent human pathogen that establishes lifelong infection and causes a wide range of diseases. Antiviral innate immunity is critical for controlling HSV-1 replication; however, how host cells elicit a full spectrum of antiviral innate immune responses against HSV-1 remains poorly understood. Here, our studies indicate that Interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1) amplifies HSV-1-induced antiviral innate immunity in a feed-forward manner. Our data reveal that HSV-1 infection induces IRF1 expression, and MITA/STING contributes to the induction of IRF1 during HSV-1 infection. Moreover, IRF1 restricts HSV-1 replication dependent on its DNA-binding activity. Knockout of IRF1 significantly diminishes the induction of a large subset of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) critical for antiviral defense during HSV-1 infection. Notably, IRF1 interacts with IRF3, promoting its recruitment to the promoters of ISGs as well as type I and III interferons, thereby facilitating the activation of antiviral signaling. These findings uncover a novel amplifying role of IRF1 in HSV-1-induced antiviral immunity, which deepens our understanding of innate immune responses against viral infections.
{"title":"IRF1 amplifies HSV-1-triggered antiviral innate immunity in a feed-forward manner","authors":"Ming Gao , Yining Qi , Junjie Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100255","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100255","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is a prevalent human pathogen that establishes lifelong infection and causes a wide range of diseases. Antiviral innate immunity is critical for controlling HSV-1 replication; however, how host cells elicit a full spectrum of antiviral innate immune responses against HSV-1 remains poorly understood. Here, our studies indicate that Interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1) amplifies HSV-1-induced antiviral innate immunity in a feed-forward manner. Our data reveal that HSV-1 infection induces IRF1 expression, and MITA/STING contributes to the induction of IRF1 during HSV-1 infection. Moreover, IRF1 restricts HSV-1 replication dependent on its DNA-binding activity. Knockout of IRF1 significantly diminishes the induction of a large subset of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) critical for antiviral defense during HSV-1 infection. Notably, IRF1 interacts with IRF3, promoting its recruitment to the promoters of ISGs as well as type I and III interferons, thereby facilitating the activation of antiviral signaling. These findings uncover a novel amplifying role of IRF1 in HSV-1-induced antiviral immunity, which deepens our understanding of innate immune responses against viral infections.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72541,"journal":{"name":"Cell insight","volume":"4 4","pages":"Article 100255"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144280326","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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