Proto-oncogene KRAS, GTPase (KRAS) is one of the most intensively studied oncogenes in cancer research. Although several mouse models allow for regulated expression of mutant KRAS, selective isolation and analysis of transforming or tumor cells that produce the KRAS oncogene remains a challenge. In our study, we present a knock-in model of oncogenic variant KRASG12D that enables the "activation" of KRASG12D expression together with production of red fluorescent protein tdTomato. Both proteins are expressed from the endogenous Kras locus after recombination of a transcriptional stop box in the genomic DNA by the enzyme flippase (Flp). We have demonstrated the functionality of the allele termed RedRas (abbreviated KrasRR) under in vitro conditions with mouse embryonic fibroblasts and organoids and in vivo in the lung and colon epithelium. After recombination with adenoviral vectors carrying the Flp gene, the KrasRR allele itself triggers formation of lung adenomas. In the colon epithelium, it causes the progression of adenomas that are triggered by the loss of tumor suppressor adenomatous polyposis coli (APC). Importantly, cells in which recombination has successfully occurred can be visualized and isolated using the fluorescence emitted by tdTomato. Furthermore, we show that KRASG12D production enables intestinal organoid growth independent of epidermal growth factor (EGF) signaling and that the KRASG12D function is effectively suppressed by specific inhibitor MRTX1133.

• Keywords
• Colon cancer, Gene targeting, Intestinal organoids, KRAS oncogene, Lung cancer, MRTX1133 inhibitor,
• MeSH
• Red Fluorescent Protein * MeSH
• DNA Nucleotidyltransferases genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Gene Knock-In Techniques MeSH
• Luminescent Proteins * genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Disease Models, Animal MeSH
• Mice, Transgenic MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Lung Neoplasms genetics   pathology   MeSH
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) * genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Mice MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Red Fluorescent Protein * MeSH
• DNA Nucleotidyltransferases MeSH
• Hras protein, mouse MeSH Browser
• Luminescent Proteins * MeSH
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) * MeSH

DDI2 is an aspartic protease that cleaves polyubiquitinated substrates. Upon proteotoxic stress, DDI2 activates the transcription factor TCF11/NRF1 (NFE2L1), crucial for maintaining proteostasis in mammalian cells, enabling the expression of rescue factors, including proteasome subunits. Here, we describe the consequences of DDI2 ablation in vivo and in cells. DDI2 knock-out (KO) in mice caused embryonic lethality at E12.5 with severe developmental failure. Molecular characterization of embryos showed insufficient proteasome expression with proteotoxic stress, accumulation of high molecular weight ubiquitin conjugates and induction of the unfolded protein response (UPR) and cell death pathways. In DDI2 surrogate KO cells, proteotoxic stress activated the integrated stress response (ISR) and induced a type I interferon (IFN) signature and IFN-induced proliferative signaling, possibly ensuring survival. These results indicate an important role for DDI2 in the cell-tissue proteostasis network and in maintaining a balanced immune response.

• Keywords
• Biological sciences, Developmental biology, Immune respons,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

We asked whether acute redox signaling from mitochondria exists concomitantly to fatty acid- (FA-) stimulated insulin secretion (FASIS) at low glucose by pancreatic β-cells. We show that FA β-oxidation produces superoxide/H2O2, providing: i) mitochondria-to-plasma-membrane redox signaling, closing KATP-channels synergically with elevated ATP (substituting NADPH-oxidase-4-mediated H2O2-signaling upon glucose-stimulated insulin secretion); ii) activation of redox-sensitive phospholipase iPLA2γ/PNPLA8, cleaving mitochondrial FAs, enabling metabotropic GPR40 receptors to amplify insulin secretion (IS). At fasting glucose, palmitic acid stimulated IS in wt mice; palmitic, stearic, lauric, oleic, linoleic, and hexanoic acids also in perifused pancreatic islets (PIs), with suppressed 1st phases in iPLA2γ/PNPLA8-knockout mice/PIs. Extracellular/cytosolic H2O2-monitoring indicated knockout-independent redox signals, blocked by mitochondrial antioxidant SkQ1, etomoxir, CPT1 silencing, and catalase overexpression, all inhibiting FASIS, keeping ATP-sensitive K+-channels open, and diminishing cytosolic [Ca2+]-oscillations. FASIS in mice was a postprandially delayed physiological event. Redox signals of FA β-oxidation are thus documented, reaching the plasma membrane, essentially co-stimulating IS.

• Keywords
• Fatty acid-stimulated insulin secretion, GPR40, Mitochondrial fatty acids, Pancreatic β-cells, Redox signaling, Redox-activated phospholipase iPLA2γ,
• MeSH
• Insulin-Secreting Cells * metabolism   MeSH
• Cell Membrane * metabolism   MeSH
• Group VI Phospholipases A2 metabolism   genetics   MeSH
• Glucose metabolism   MeSH
• Insulin metabolism   MeSH
• Fatty Acids * metabolism   MeSH
• Mitochondria * metabolism   MeSH
• Mice, Knockout MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Oxidation-Reduction * MeSH
• Hydrogen Peroxide metabolism   MeSH
• Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled MeSH
• Insulin Secretion * MeSH
• Signal Transduction * MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Mice MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Ffar1 protein, mouse MeSH Browser
• Group VI Phospholipases A2 MeSH
• Glucose MeSH
• Insulin MeSH
• Fatty Acids * MeSH
• Hydrogen Peroxide MeSH
• Pla2g6 protein, mouse MeSH Browser
• Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled MeSH

A subset of patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) carry mutations in several spliceosomal components including the PRPF8 protein. Here, we established two alleles of murine Prpf8 that genocopy or mimic aberrant PRPF8 found in RP patients-the substitution p.Tyr2334Asn and an extended protein variant p.Glu2331ValfsX15. Homozygous mice expressing the aberrant Prpf8 variants developed within the first 2 mo progressive atrophy of the cerebellum because of extensive granule cell loss, whereas other cerebellar cells remained unaffected. We further show that a subset of circRNAs were deregulated in the cerebellum of both Prpf8-RP mouse strains. To identify potential risk factors that sensitize the cerebellum for Prpf8 mutations, we monitored the expression of several splicing proteins during the first 8 wk. We observed down-regulation of all selected splicing proteins in the WT cerebellum, which coincided with neurodegeneration onset. The decrease in splicing protein expression was further pronounced in mouse strains expressing mutated Prpf8. Collectively, we propose a model where physiological reduction in spliceosomal components during postnatal tissue maturation sensitizes cells to the expression of aberrant Prpf8 and the subsequent deregulation of circRNAs triggers neuronal death.

• MeSH
• RNA, Circular MeSH
• Cerebellum MeSH
• Mutation MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• RNA-Binding Proteins * genetics   MeSH
• Retinitis Pigmentosa * MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Mice MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• RNA, Circular MeSH
• RNA-Binding Proteins * MeSH

The kinase LCK and CD4/CD8 co-receptors are crucial components of the T cell antigen receptor (TCR) signaling machinery, leading to key T cell fate decisions. Despite decades of research, the roles of CD4-LCK and CD8-LCK interactions in TCR triggering in vivo remain unknown. In this study, we created animal models expressing endogenous levels of modified LCK to resolve whether and how co-receptor-bound LCK drives TCR signaling. We demonstrated that the role of LCK depends on the co-receptor to which it is bound. The CD8-bound LCK is largely dispensable for antiviral and antitumor activity of cytotoxic T cells in mice; however, it facilitates CD8+ T cell responses to suboptimal antigens in a kinase-dependent manner. By contrast, the CD4-bound LCK is required for efficient development and function of helper T cells via a kinase-independent stabilization of surface CD4. Overall, our findings reveal the role of co-receptor-bound LCK in T cell biology, show that CD4- and CD8-bound LCK drive T cell development and effector immune responses using qualitatively different mechanisms and identify the co-receptor-LCK interactions as promising targets for immunomodulation.

• MeSH
• CD4 Antigens MeSH
• CD8 Antigens metabolism   MeSH
• T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic * metabolism   MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell metabolism   MeSH
• Signal Transduction MeSH
• Lymphocyte Specific Protein Tyrosine Kinase p56(lck) * metabolism   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Mice MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
• Names of Substances
• CD4 Antigens MeSH
• CD8 Antigens MeSH
• Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell MeSH
• Lymphocyte Specific Protein Tyrosine Kinase p56(lck) * MeSH

Mature T cells are selected for recognizing self-antigens with low to intermediate affinity in the thymus. Recently, the relative differences in self-reactivity among individual T-cell clones were appreciated as important factors regulating their fate and immune response, but the role of self-reactivity in T-cell biology is incompletely understood. We addressed the role of self-reactivity in T-cell diversity by generating an atlas of mouse peripheral CD8+ T cells, which revealed two unconventional populations of antigen-inexperienced T cells. In the next step, we examined the steady-state phenotype of monoclonal T cells with various levels of self-reactivity. Highly self-reactive clones preferentially differentiate into antigen-inexperienced memory-like cells, but do not form a population expressing type I interferon-induced genes, showing that these two subsets have unrelated origins. The functional comparison of naïve monoclonal CD8+ T cells specific to the identical model antigen did not show any correlation between the level of self-reactivity and the magnitude of the immune response.

• Keywords
• T cell, T-cell diversity, antigen-inexperienced memory-like CD8 T cells, interferon response, self-reactivity,
• MeSH
• Autoantigens MeSH
• Clone Cells MeSH
• CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes * MeSH
• Interferon Type I * MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Thymus Gland MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Mice MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Autoantigens MeSH
• Interferon Type I * MeSH

Trophoblastic cell surface antigen 2 (TROP2) is a membrane glycoprotein overexpressed in many solid tumors with a poor prognosis, including intestinal neoplasms. In our study, we show that TROP2 is expressed in preneoplastic lesions, and its expression is maintained in most colorectal cancers (CRC). High TROP2 positivity correlated with lymph node metastases and poor tumor differentiation and was a negative prognostic factor. To investigate the role of TROP2 in intestinal tumors, we analyzed two mouse models with conditional disruption of the adenomatous polyposis coli (Apc) tumor-suppressor gene, human adenocarcinoma samples, patient-derived organoids, and TROP2-deficient tumor cells. We found that Trop2 is produced early after Apc inactivation and its expression is associated with the transcription of genes involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition, the regulation of migration, invasiveness, and extracellular matrix remodeling. A functionally similar group of genes was also enriched in TROP2-positive cells from human CRC samples. To decipher the driving mechanism of TROP2 expression, we analyzed its promoter. In human cells, this promoter was activated by β-catenin and additionally by the Yes1-associated transcriptional regulator (YAP). The regulation of TROP2 expression by active YAP was verified by YAP knockdown in CRC cells. Our results suggest a possible link between aberrantly activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling, YAP, and TROP2 expression.

• Keywords
• APC, EMT, TACSTD2, WNT/β-catenin signaling, colorectal cancer, expression profiling, organoids,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Coilin is a conserved protein essential for integrity of nuclear membrane-less inclusions called Cajal bodies. Here, we report an amino acid substitution (p.K496E) found in a widely-used human EGFP-coilin construct that has a dominant-negative effect on Cajal body formation. We show that this coilin-K496E variant fails to rescue Cajal bodies in cells lacking endogenous coilin, whereas the wild-type construct restores Cajal bodies in mouse and human coilin-knockout cells. In cells containing endogenous coilin, both the wild-type and K496E variant proteins accumulate in Cajal bodies. However, high-level overexpression of coilin-K496E causes Cajal body disintegration. Thus, a mutation in the C-terminal region of human coilin can disrupt Cajal body assembly. Caution should be used when interpreting data from coilin plasmids that are derived from this variant (currently deposited at Addgene).

• Keywords
• Cajal bodies, Coilin, Mutation,
• MeSH
• Point Mutation * genetics   MeSH
• Coiled Bodies * genetics   MeSH
• HeLa Cells MeSH
• Nuclear Proteins genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Mutation genetics   MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Nuclear Proteins MeSH

Extravasation of monocytes into tissue and to the site of injury is a fundamental immunological process, which requires rapid responses via post translational modifications (PTM) of proteins. Protein arginine methyltransferase 7 (PRMT7) is an epigenetic factor that has the capacity to mono-methylate histones on arginine residues. Here we show that in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, PRMT7 expression is elevated in the lung tissue and localized to the macrophages. In mouse models of COPD, lung fibrosis and skin injury, reduced expression of PRMT7 associates with decreased recruitment of monocytes to the site of injury and hence less severe symptoms. Mechanistically, activation of NF-κB/RelA in monocytes induces PRMT7 transcription and consequential mono-methylation of histones at the regulatory elements of RAP1A, which leads to increased transcription of this gene that is responsible for adhesion and migration of monocytes. Persistent monocyte-derived macrophage accumulation leads to ALOX5 over-expression and accumulation of its metabolite LTB4, which triggers expression of ACSL4 a ferroptosis promoting gene in lung epithelial cells. Conclusively, inhibition of arginine mono-methylation might offer targeted intervention in monocyte-driven inflammatory conditions that lead to extensive tissue damage if left untreated.

• MeSH
• Arginine metabolism   MeSH
• Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive * genetics   MeSH
• Histones metabolism   MeSH
• Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Monocytes metabolism   MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Protein-Arginine N-Methyltransferases * metabolism   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Arginine MeSH
• Histones MeSH
• Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins MeSH
• PRMT2 protein, human MeSH Browser
• PRMT7 protein, human MeSH Browser
• PRMT7 protein, mouse MeSH Browser
• Protein-Arginine N-Methyltransferases * MeSH

Mitochondrial Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2γ (iPLA2γ/PNPLA8) was previously shown to be directly activated by H2O2 and release free fatty acids (FAs) for FA-dependent H+ transport mediated by the adenine nucleotide translocase (ANT) or uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2). The resulting mild mitochondrial uncoupling and consequent partial attenuation of mitochondrial superoxide production lead to an antioxidant effect. However, the antioxidant role of iPLA2γ in the brain is not completely understood. Here, using wild-type and iPLA2γ-KO mice, we demonstrate the ability of tert-butylhydroperoxide (TBHP) to activate iPLA2γ in isolated brain mitochondria, with consequent liberation of FAs and lysophospholipids. The liberated FA caused an increase in respiratory rate, which was fully inhibited by carboxyatractyloside (CATR), a specific inhibitor of ANT. Employing detailed lipidomic analysis, we also demonstrate a typical cleavage pattern for TBHP-activated iPLA2γ, reflecting cleavage of glycerophospholipids from both sn-1 and sn-2 positions releasing saturated FAs, monoenoic FAs, and predominant polyunsaturated FAs. The acute antioxidant role of iPLA2γ-released FAs is supported by monitoring both intramitochondrial superoxide and extramitochondrial H2O2 release. We also show that iPLA2γ-KO mice were more sensitive to stimulation by pro-inflammatory lipopolysaccharide, as reflected by the concomitant increase in protein carbonyls in the brain and pro-inflammatory IL-6 release in the serum. These data support the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory role of iPLA2γ in vivo. Our data also reveal a substantial decrease of several high molecular weight cardiolipin (CL) species and accumulation of low molecular weight CL species in brain mitochondria of iPLA2γ-KO mice. Collectively, our results support a key role of iPLA2γ in the remodeling of lower molecular weight immature cardiolipins with predominantly saturated acyl chains to high molecular weight mature cardiolipins with highly unsaturated PUFA acyl chains, typical for the brain.

• Keywords
• adenine nucleotide translocase, cardiolipin remodeling, mitochondria, phospholipase iPLA2γ/PNPLA8, redox homeostasis,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH