Abstract Creatine supplementation is widely used in sports and increasingly popular among exercising individuals. Although the physiological role of creatine has been extensively studied, the creatine biology in pathological conditions remains poorly understood. Here we report that exogenous creatine supplementation promotes tumor metastasis via platelet activation mechanism in various mouse models and humans. Mechanistically, creatine supplementation increases megakaryocyte creatine levels and upregulates creatine kinase B (CKB). Unbiased phosphoproteomics reveals that a CKB-downstream, non-canonical STAT5B phosphorylation instigates various platelet functional genes, leading to hyperactive, metastasis-promoting platelets. Megakaryocyte-specific knockout of the creatine transporter Slc6a8 or Stat5b , as well as pharmacological inhibition of STAT5, ablates the creatine-augmented platelet hyperactivity and prevents consequent metastasis in mice. Importantly, creatine supplementation in healthy volunteers results in hyperactive peripheral platelets that increase metastasis risks. Together, our study sheds mechanistic insights into the creatine-induced metastasis and provides an anti-metastatic therapeutic paradigm by targeting megakaryocyte creatine metabolism.

Abstrats Vein occlusion (VO), including deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and retinal vein occlusion (RVO), is a common cause of multiple diseases that severely compromise the quality of life of affected individuals. Epidemiological evidence indicates that VO prevalence increases in cold seasons, yet the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Here, we show that cold exposure markedly elevates peripheral platelet counts, thereby aggravating VO in mouse models. Cold-augmented thrombocytopoiesis depends on the activation of adipose thermogenesis and subsequent increase in circulating free fatty acid (FFA) levels. Mechanistically, FFA-β-oxidation promotes acetyl-CoA production, which upregulates and stabilizes C/EBPα by shifting the balance between p300 acetyltransferase and SIRT1 deacetylase. Acetyl-C/EBPα transcriptionally upregulates GATA-1 and NF-E2 for megakaryocyte maturation and platelet production. Depletion of adipose triglyceride lipase PNPLA2, megakaryocyte-specific knockout of key β-oxidation enzyme CPT1α, or pharmacological inhibition of CPT1α and p300 abolishes cold-augmented thrombocytopoiesis and alleviates DVT and RVO in mouse models. In healthy volunteers, tolerable cold exposure activates adipose thermogenesis, increases circulating FFA levels, and increases platelet counts. Moreover, a retrospective cohort study of 425 patients reveals elevated platelet counts and higher DVT incidence during cold seasons. Similarly, increased platelet counts are observed in 448 patients with RVO at the time of diagnosis in cold seasons. Our study provides novel mechanistic insights into the increased VO risk induced by cold exposure and proposes a new therapeutic paradigm for VO by targeting megakaryocyte metabolism.

Mutations in lysosomal enzyme glucocerebrosidase (GBA), the most common genetic risk factor for Parkinson disease (PD), exacerbate α-synuclein pathology through unclear mechanisms. Here, we report, in a large cohort, that GBA-mutated PD patients exhibit lower serum cholesterol levels. By introducing the most common GBA variant in our cohort, L444P, into human α-synuclein knock-in mice, we noted that the mice exhibited behavioral and molecular pathological PD features at 12 months of age. Mechanistically, lysosomal proteomics identified the loss of lysosome-cytoplasmic vesicle interactions and cholesterol-containing lipid microdomains in both PD patients and mice. Autophagic flux monitoring revealed impaired autophagosome-lysosome fusion in GbaL444P/+ neurons. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments uncovered cholesterol synthesis impairment via glycosphingolipid-reduced SREBP2 levels. Importantly, cholesterol supplementation was found to enhance the autophagic flux and mitigate α-synuclein accumulation in vitro, whereas AAV-Srebp2 delivery increased α-synuclein clearance in GbaL444P/+ mice. Our study provides animal models and mechanistic insights into GBA-associated PD and offers a therapeutic paradigm by facilitating cholesterol-associated α-synuclein autophagic clearance.

In diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), although most patients are curable, the approximately one-third who experience refractory or relapsed disease face a poor prognosis, underscoring the need for novel therapeutic strategies. Although Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKis) exhibit anti-lymphoma activity in various B-cell malignancies, they are less effective in patients with the germinal center B-cell-like (GCB) subtype. The anti-CD79b antibody-drug conjugate polatuzumab vedotin has been approved for DLBCL treatment. Previous studies have shown that the combination of the second-generation BTKi zanubrutinib and polatuzumab vedotin, within the R-CHOP regimen, yielded higher response rates in preliminary clinical studies; however, the efficacy of this combination remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate whether zanubrutinib plus polatuzumab vedotin could represent a novel therapeutic approach. Through assays of drug combination, cell proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis, we demonstrated that this combination synergistically inhibited DLBCL cell proliferation both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, zanubrutinib enhanced polatuzumab vedotin-induced G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis in DLBCL cells, accompanied by increased CD79b expression. Notably, the combination showed superior synergistic efficacy in GCB-subtype cells. In conclusion, these findings provide a novel mechanistic rationale for combining zanubrutinib and polatuzumab vedotin in DLBCL treatment, regardless of cell-of-origin subtype.

Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 1 (USP1) plays a critical role in the progression and chemoresistance of various cancers, making USP1 inhibitors a promising therapeutic option in cancer treatment. However, the role of USP1 in peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) has remained unexplored. Our study uncovers a USP1-dependent survival axis driving chemoresistance in PTCL. USP1 is significantly upregulated in PTCL patients and correlates with poor prognosis through promoting mortalin degradation via TRAF2 deubiquitination. USP1 overexpression enhances TRAF2 stability by reducing its ubiquitination, thereby elevating TRAF2 levels. This, in turn, facilitates mortalin degradation, leading to diminished mortalin expression, reduced mitochondrial localization of mortalin, and impaired apoptosis. Notably, silencing mortalin in PTCL cells further decreases sensitivity to doxorubicin and suppresses apoptotic pathways. Mechanistically, reduced mitochondrial localization of mortalin disrupts calcium transport between the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria through the IP3R-mortalin-VDAC1 complex. The impaired calcium shuttling triggers the activation of NF-κB and JAK-STAT signaling pathways, ultimately attenuating apoptosis. Importantly, pharmacological inhibition of USP1 with ML323 effectively enhances PTCL cell sensitivity to doxorubicin, suggesting a promising therapeutic strategy to improve treatment outcomes in PTCL patients. Collectively, we have found that USP1 represents a compelling therapeutic target for addressing chemoresistance and improving outcomes in PTCL therapy.

Peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTCL) is an aggressive and highly heterogeneous lymphoma with a bleak prognosis, highlighting the urgent need for an effective biomarker to guide therapeutic strategies. Ovarian tumor domain-containing 7B (OTUD7B) has been shown to have a critical function in the progression of cancers. However, the prognostic significance of OTUD7B in PTCL remains unexplored. In this study, we demonstrated for the first time that PTCL patients with low expression of OTUD7B had shorter progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). In addition, OTUD7B knockdown promoted chemoresistance to doxorubicin in PTCL cell lines, and led to increased translocation of p52 from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. Inhibition of non-canonical NF-κB partially restored the sensitivity of PTCL cells to doxorubicin. Remarkably, 5-azacytidine and cytarabine upregulated the expression of OTUD7B and exhibited a synergistic anti-lymphoma effect in PTCL. In summary, our study confirmed the prognostic role of OTUD7B in PTCL and the promising therapeutic potential of combining 5-azacytidine or cytarabine and doxorubicin for PTCL treatment.

Supplementary Methods, Tables, and Figures

Abstract In lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), loss-of-function mutations in the splicing factor RBM10 frequently co-occur with oncogenic EGFR mutations. A detailed understanding of the functional consequences and therapeutic impact of RBM10 loss in EGFR-mutant LUAD could help identify more effective treatment strategies. Here, analysis of LUAD data sets indicated that RBM10 mutations are mutually exclusive with mutations in the tumor suppressor gene TP53. In an EGFR-driven LUAD mouse model, lung-specific ablation of either Rbm10 or Trp53 similarly promoted tumor development, leading to overlapping gene expression changes enriched in cancer-related pathways. RBM10 loss induced key RNA splicing changes concordant in mice and LUAD patients. Importantly, RBM10 deficiency conferred high sensitivity to spliceosome inhibition in EGFR-mutated LUAD cells. Combined treatment with spliceosome inhibitor improved the therapeutic efficacy of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor osimertinib and overcame drug resistance, especially in RBM10-deficient LUAD. Together, this study establishes RBM10 as a tumor suppressor akin to p53 and provides a therapeutic strategy of targeting the splicing machinery in EGFR-driven LUAD. Significance: Loss of the splicing factor RBM10 is mutually exclusive with p53 mutations, promotes tumorigenesis, and enhances the efficacy of spliceosome inhibition in EGFR-driven lung cancer.

Alternative splicing (AS) has been implicated in cell cycle regulation and cancer, but the underlying mecha-nisms are poorly understood. The poly(U)-binding splicing factor 60 (PUF60) is essential for embryonic devel-opment and is overexpressed in multiple types of cancer. Here, we report that PUF60 promotes mitotic cell cycle and lung cancer progression by controlling AS of the cell division cycle 25C (CDC25C). Systematic analysis of splicing factors deregulated in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) identifies that elevated copy number and expression of PUF60 correlate with poor prognosis. PUF60 depletion inhibits LUAD cell-cycle G2/M tran-sition, cell proliferation, and tumor development. Mechanistically, PUF60 knockdown leads to exon skipping enriched in mitotic cell cycle genes, including CDC25C. Exon 3 skipping in the full-length CDC25C results in nonsense-mediated mRNA decay and a decrease of CDC25C protein, thereby inhibiting cell proliferation. This study establishes PUF60 as a cell cycle regulator and an oncogenic splicing factor in lung cancer.

分子伴侣介导的自噬(CMA)是一种特异性依赖于溶酶体的降解方式.通过靶向底物的KFERQ基序,CMA负责降解约30％的胞质蛋白,包括一系列与肿瘤发生、代谢、免疫和神经退行性疾病相关的蛋白.CMA的功能异常与恶性肿瘤、神经退行性疾病、代谢综合征及免疫功能紊乱等疾病有关.鉴于CMA功能障碍与肿瘤发生及神经退行性疾病的内在联系,CMA被认为是治疗恶性肿瘤和神经退行性疾病的重要靶标.

分子伴侣是一类能帮助其他蛋白质进行正确折叠、组装、转运、介导错误折叠蛋白降解的蛋白质.大量研究表明,分子伴侣参与肿瘤细胞的发生发展、侵袭、迁移、凋亡等过程,与多种肿瘤的耐药与预后密切相关.本文着重介绍分子伴侣与乳腺癌、卵巢癌、儿童急性白血病和神经母细胞瘤这四种常见妇幼恶性肿瘤的相关研究.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma with heterogenicity in clinical manifestation and prognosis. Some microRNAs can influence the development of tumors and may be related to the response of therapy or prognosis. This study aims to explore the role of serum miR-146a in predicting the prognosis of DLBCL. A total of 72 de novo DLBCL patients received 6 cycles of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) or rituximab combined CHOP (R-CHOP) regimen, and their serum samples were collected before treatment and after 4 cycles of chemotherapy. The results show that a high level of miR-146a is significantly associated with a good outcome in baseline and is more obvious in post-chemotherapy. In addition, a high level of miR-146a was associated with better progression-free survival and overall survival in patients treated with R-CHOP but has not been related to a superior outcome in patients treated with CHOP. Rituximab may improve the efficacy of therapy, especially in patients with high miR-146a levels. The level of miR-146a decreased in more patients after chemotherapy, and it seems patients with a decreased expression of miR-146a after chemotherapy tended a better outcome, but it is not statistically significant. Our results suggest that the level of serum miR-146a can serve as a potential prognostic biomarker for DLBCL patients.

Background:Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCL) are aggressive lymphomas with poor prognosis, and therefore, there is a pressing need to explore new targets or compounds. Mitochondria may serve as a potential therapeutic target for PTCL. A designed positively-charged segment (pKV) is anchored to the specific 15 amino acid sequence (MIASHLLAYFFTELN) to yield a cell-penetrating peptide (pHK-pKV) and a lipid chain (Pal) is conjugated to the N-terminus of pHK-pKV (Pal-pHK-pKV) are bioactive amphiphilic peptide assemblies targeting the interaction between mitochondrial voltage dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1) and hexokinase II (HKII).Methods:PTCL cell line H9 was treated with Pal-pHK-pKV and pHK-pKV, respectively. Cell proliferation in each group was measured by detecting cell viability and the corresponding marker Ki-67. Apoptosis was detected by immunofluorescence, flow cytometry and western blot. We also measured mitochondrial membrane potential, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, the cytochrome c distribution and the expression levels of B cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) and BCL-2 associated X protein (BAX). Western blot was used to detect the activation of the extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK) signaling pathway.Results:Pal-pHK-pKV and pHK-pKV with 20 µM blocked the interaction between VDAC1 and HKII, and detached HKII from mitochondria, which depolarized the mitochondrial membrane potential, induced mitochondria dysfunction, and decreased ATP production. The decreased ATP subsequently inhibited the activation of the ERK/BCL-2 pathway and increased the BAX/BCL-2 ratio. Cytochrome c was then released from the mitochondria and induced capase-3 activation and subsequently apoptosis. Additionally, decreased ATP induced the expression of FAS and then apoptosis.Conclusions:Mitochondria specific peptide amphiphiles induce mitochondrial dysfunction and provide a new approach for the treatment of PTCL.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder causing severe social and economic burdens. The origin of PD has been usually attributed to mitochondrial dysfunction. To this end, mitochondrial transcription regulators become attractive subjects for understanding PD pathogenesis. Previously, we found that the expression of mitochondrial transcription termination factor 3 (MTERF3) was reduced in MPP+-induced mice model of PD. In the present study, we probe the function of MTERF3 and its role in MPP+-induced cellular model of PD. Initially, we observe that MTERF3 expression is also reduced in MPP+-induced cellular model of PD, which can be mainly attributed to the increase of MTERF3 degradation. Next, we examine the effect of MTERF3 knockdown and overexpression on the replication, transcription, and translation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). We show that knockdown and overexpression of MTERF3 have opposite effects on mtDNA transcript level but similar effects on mtDNA expression level, in line with MTERF3's dual roles in mtDNA transcription and translation. In addition, we examine the effect of MTERF3 knockdown and overexpression on mitochondrial function with and without MPP+ treatment, and find that MTERF3 seems to play a generally protective role in MPP+-induced mitochondrial dysfunction. Together, this work suggests a regulatory role of MTERF3 in MPP+-induced cellular model of PD and may provide clues in designing novel therapeutics against PD.

2020年武汉疫情期间，身患渐冻症的金银潭医院院长张定宇奔波在抗疫第一线，他行走不便、摇摇晃晃的身影感动了很多人。他所罹患的叫作渐冻症的疾病正式名称为肌萎缩侧索硬化症，发生率在人群中只有十万分之三到十万分之七左右。2014年，引人瞩目的冰桶挑战，也是为了呼吁关注渐冻症。除了渐冻症，还有非常容易骨折的被称为“瓷娃娃”的成骨不全症、手指脚趾如蜘蛛指样的马方综合征、轻轻一碰就出血的血友病……这些发病率很低的疾病被称为罕见病。

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) clinical trials show that antiangiogenic drugs (AADs) fail to achieve the expected efficacy, and combining AAD with chemoradiotherapy does not show superiority over chemoradiotherapy alone. Accumulating evidence suggests the intrinsic AAD resistance in NPC patients with poorly understood molecular mechanisms. Here, we describe NPC-specific FGF-2 expression-triggered, VEGF-independent angiogenesis as a mechanism of AAD resistance. Angiogenic factors screening between AAD-sensitive cancer type and AAD-resistant NPC showed high FGF-2 expression in NPC in both xenograft models and clinical samples. Mechanistically, the FGF-2-FGFR1-MYC axis drove endothelial cell survival and proliferation as an alternative to VEGF-VEGFR2-MYC signaling. Genetic knockdown of FGF-2 in NPC tumor cells reduced tumor angiogenesis, enhanced AAD sensitivity, and reduced pulmonary metastasis. Moreover, lenvatinib, an FDA recently approved multi-kinase inhibitor targeting both VEGFR2 and FGFR1, effectively inhibits the tumor vasculature, and exhibited robust anti-tumor effects in NPC-bearing nude mice and humanized mice compared with an agent equivalent to bevacizumab. These findings provide mechanistic insights on FGF-2 signaling in the modulation of VEGF pathway activation in the NPC microenvironment and propose an effective NPC-targeted therapy by using a clinically available drug.