de 01/08/17 - They hide the fact By www.tinyghosts.com Published On :: Monday, 09 Jan 2017 Full Article
de 7/29/18 - It made me a star By www.tinyghosts.com Published On :: Monday, 30 Jul 2018 Full Article
de 12/09/18 - Everyone you've ever met will be dead By www.tinyghosts.com Published On :: Monday, 10 Dec 2018 Full Article
de 6/16/19 - Made the right choice By www.tinyghosts.com Published On :: Monday, 17 Jun 2019 Full Article
de Medical consultancy NovaMed inks deal as mask supplier By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 12:39:18 -0500 One-year-old company NovaMed has inked a deal with Hong Kong-based DHB Global that will see the start-up medical consultancy transitioning to a producer of healthcare personal protective equipment, or PPE. Under the deal finalised earlier this... Full Article
de McNeill wants probe into tourism entities not filing deductions By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 12:48:48 -0500 Opposition spokesman on tourism, Dr Wykeham McNeill, is calling for an investigation into allegations that some employers of tourism workers have not been turning over income tax deductions to government. The situation has resulted in... Full Article
de Maybe not dead By www.gamemp3s.net Published On :: Sat, 16 Nov 2019 04:45:19 +0000 Hi everyone, Maybe we aren’t *completely* dead. Stay tuned. Full Article general
de Death Stranding Original Score By www.gamemp3s.net Published On :: Mon, 30 Mar 2020 22:58:30 +0000 -Album Details- Title: Death Stranding Original Score Publisher: Sony Classical Catalog Number: 19439727722 Release Date: March 13th, 2020 Ripped by: Razakin -Info- Soundtrack to Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding, score by Ludvig Forssell. Purchase Link(s) Amazon Full Article new releases
de Review of The Simpsons (Arcade) By www.mobygames.com Published On :: Sun, 3 May 2020 15:23:14 +0000 A review by Medio DeCritici (165). What I Can Remember - 90s Arcade & The Simpsons (Arcade, 1991) Full Article
de Инсайдер: Realme X3 SuperZoom получит 60-кратный зум и функцию Starry Mode для фотографий Млечного Пути By gagadget.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 06:42:23 +0300 Индийский инсайдер Судханшу Амбхоре (Sudhanshu Ambhore) продолжает публиковать подробности о новом смартфоне Realme X3 SuperZoom. Full Article
de Codemasters анонсировала DiRT 5 — смелый раллийный симулятор нового поколения с сюжетом By gagadget.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 12:08:32 +0300 Codemasters готовят одиночную кампанию, восемь режимов гонок, события и мультиплеер. Full Article Игры для ПК PlayStation 5 Xbox Series X PlayStation 5 Xbox One
de Finding a Suitable Web Design Company By www.kimvazquez.com Published On :: Fri, 27 Dec 2019 08:20:07 +0000 With Internet marketing and Search engine optimization, crucial components to owning a company site, most web designers are adding SEO to their arsenal of capabilities. The concern is that most of these designers neglect to understand the whole picture of… Continue Reading → Full Article SEO
de Make your restaurant decorative with finest interior design By www.kimvazquez.com Published On :: Mon, 30 Dec 2019 07:36:28 +0000 Interior decoration is a tremendously crucial element of any kind of dining establishment. If you are in the planning stages of opening up a dining establishment, if you already own one and also are thinking about making adjustments, you will… Continue Reading → Full Article General
de time-ridden, adj. By www.oed.com Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 00:00:00 -0400 OED Word of the Day: time-ridden, adj. Afflicted by the effects of time; time-worn Full Article
de Featured - What is the biggest difference between academic research and industrial research? By www.labspaces.net Published On :: Wed, 19 Jan 2011 01:06:16 -0600 I would like to thank AGreenMonster for these great questions for discussion. I am going to answer these from my perspective, which is from a life science company. I welcome anyone to give their feedback as well. In fact, if any of the readers out there feels like they have a lot to share, I would be happy to host your article on my blog so that you may provide more details. Just drop me a line.Hi; (read more) Source: Suzy - Discipline: BioTech Full Article
de Featured - How Products are Born: What exactly is going on in research and development anyway? By www.labspaces.net Published On :: Wed, 16 Feb 2011 14:18:06 -0600 OK, let’s pick up our discussion where we left off last week, at feasibility. You did it. You successfully convinced a room full of vice presidents and directors, or maybe even the CEO that they should take your fabulous product idea to the next level. You’ve got marketing on board, excited to promote it and now it’s time for the work to begin.You are the lead scientist s; (read more) Source: Suzy - Discipline: BioTech Full Article
de Last Day to Enter Video Contest! Show Us Your Kid’s Newfound Independence! By www.freerangekids.com Published On :: Sun, 26 Apr 2020 06:02:51 +0000 I realize that sounds kinda nuts — why are we asking PARENTS to show us their KIDS being independent? Who, after all, is better at making videos? Mom or little Ava (who’s 5)? But legally we can’t ask anyone under 13 to do anything. So go document your children doing something new on their own, […] Full Article Miscellaneous
de Smart, Helpful, FUNNY Flow Chart for Kid Independence By www.freerangekids.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 16:57:11 +0000 This flow chart, created by University of Virginia Psychology Professors Jim Coan and Daniel Willingham, is just plain terrific. “Could a child do this alone?” asks the chart. Then let ’em! “Could a child do this with some instruction?” Then let ’em. Etc. etc. Check it out — print it out! — by clicking here. […] Full Article Miscellaneous
de High Minimum Wage And The Decline Of Stores By www.futurepundit.com Published On :: 2016-08-07T19:51:35-08:00 The incentive to automate will be enormous for $15 per hour minimum wage. Of Americas nearly 16 million retail workers, the biggest group 4.6 million are salespeople. Their average wage is $10.47 an hour. After that, the country has another 3.4 million cashiers, and their average wage is $9.28 an hour. Only a quarter of salespeople earn more than $14 and only 10 percent earn more than $19. The figures are worse for cashiers. But in the race to automate there will be a clear winner: Amazon. Why: Amazon can automate more easily than can physical stores. It is analogous to why long haul trucking can be automated before taxis: Just as highways are simpler places than... Full Article
de Tesla Autopilot Slashes Accident Rates By www.futurepundit.com Published On :: 2017-01-21T13:50:10-08:00 The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) finds Tesla's Autopilot cuts crashes by 40%. How cool is that? Autonomous vehicles are going to cause a huge decline in accidents and deaths. Even short of autonomous vehicles, when you get your next car try to get one that supports automatic braking on imminent collision detection. You could get a large fraction of the collision avoidance benefit at a much lower cost today. Check out Insurance Institute for Highway Safety ratings of collision avoidance systems in current cars. Watch a Tesla react to a crash in front of it: Watch a Tesla avoid hitting a reckless driver: A recent analysis finds that autonomous vehicles will allow 2 million disabled people to get... Full Article
de JoT #2692: Pandemic priorities. By www.geekculture.com Published On :: Wed, 18 Mar 2020 20:34:05 -0800 Keep calm, and stay geeky people! Full Article Comics
de JoT #2705: Pandemic mental checklist! By www.geekculture.com Published On :: Sun, 03 May 2020 17:55:34 -0800 Helping you manage those out-of-control feelings! Full Article Comics
de L'histoire de Jack le fermier By www.lonvig.dk Published On :: Contes de fées aux enfants - L'histoire de Jack le fermier. Full Article
de La semaine dernière les contes de fées ont été lus dedans 13 langues. By www.lonvig.dk Published On :: Sat, 29 Jan 2005 23:11:43 +0100 La semaine dernière les contes de fées ont été lus dedans 13 langues : Anglais, français, allemand, italien, chinois, danois, espagnol, portugais, coréen, japonais, grec, russe et néerlandais. Vous pouvez employer les contes de fées, aussi. Voyez les contes de fées. Full Article
de Affiche - Bonjour Monde By www.artwanted.com Published On :: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 22:45:09 +0100 Affiches. Vous pouvez commander des affiches de cette image en ligne. De très petit à 76 x 102 centimètres, c'est à 30 x 40 pouces. Prix d'USS 1.95 vers les USA $79.95. Full Article
de Israel Independence Day 2020 By www.google.com Published On :: Date: April 29, 2020 On the fifth day of the Hebrew month of Iyar, Israeli communities worldwide celebrate their Independence Day, known locally as Yom Ha’atzmaut. Today’s Doodle pays tribute to this annual holiday in recognition of the day in 1948 when the State of Israel declared its independence. Depicted in the Doodle artwork, the flag of Israel features two blue stripes running horizontally over the white background with the Star of David at its center. Officially adopted in 1948, the same year as independence, the flag will be waved proudly wherever Israeli’s call home. Happy Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel! Location: Israel Tags: national day, National Holiday, independence, history, Israel Full Article
de Stay and Play at Home with Popular Past Google Doodles: Garden Gnomes (2018) By www.google.com Published On :: Date: May 1, 2020 As COVID-19 continues to impact communities around the world, people and families everywhere are spending more time at home. In light of this, we’re launching a throwback Doodle series looking back at some of our popular interactive Google Doodle games! Stay and play at home with today’s featured throwback: Our 2018 Doodle game celebrating Garden Gnomes! Help stop the spread of COVID-19 by following these steps. Learn more here about the latest ways we’re responding, and how our products can help people stay connected during this time. Location: Global Tags: Full Article
de The Angler’s Code: What are the Best Practices for a Better Fishing Future? By www.oceanbluefishing.com Published On :: Thu, 30 Apr 2020 05:08:02 +0000 The Angler’s Code: What are the Best Practices for a Better Fishing Future? The post The Angler’s Code: What are the Best Practices for a Better Fishing Future? appeared first on Ocean Blue Fishing Adventures. Full Article Featured Post How To anglers code anglers practice best fishing practices fishing practices fishing tips Ocean Blue Fishing Vanuatu Fishing
de Глава МИД Литвы: мы должны сказать миру, что победа и свобода пришли не для всех (Delfi, Литва) By inosmi.ru Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 11:18:00 +0300 Россия якобы пытается переписать или представить однобоко историю Второй мировой войны. А строительство Россией АЭС в Белоруссии — лишь геополитический проект. Глава МИД Литвы Линас Линкявичюс отвечает на вопросы Delfi, активно используя антироссийскую риторику. Full Article Политика
de Delfi (Эстония): освобождение или оккупация? Студенты из шести стран поделились своим мнением о 9 мая By inosmi.ru Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 16:12:00 +0300 Эстонское издание провело опрос студентов к 9 мая, подведя под него антироссийскую риторику. Празднование 75-й годовщины окончания Второй мировой войны и победы над фашизмом для многих — довольно неоднозначный политический момент, считает автор. Full Article Политика
de The Independent (Великобритания): речь королевы Елизаветы II в честь 75-летия Дня победы в Европе By inosmi.ru Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 16:32:00 +0300 Королева Великобритании Елизавета II — единственная из действующих глав государств, служившая в вооруженных силах во время Второй мировой войны, — произнесла речь в честь Дня победы в Европе, который отмечается 8 мая. В своем выступлении она воздала дань памяти погибших и подчеркнула, что они гордились бы потомками. Full Article Политика
de Optimism or denial as mental self-defence By www.greenend.org.uk Published On :: Sat, 26 Nov 2016 15:25:44 GMT ---------------------------------------------------[Sat Nov 26 15:25:44 2016]-- From: (S) ease of well-being (steph) Subject: Optimism or denial as mental self-defence A few things recently have given me cause to consider my response to bad things happening, and my reactions to other people's responses. First, there's Trump's election in the US which is undesirable and directly or indirectly likely to cause some people harm (although I doubt it'll have any effect on me personally). I agree that he's not the best or even a good candidate and I agree that he has incited prejudiced people to show and act on their prejudices: people are being hurt. However, I do not like the stream of articles saying he's a white supremacist or a Nazi or California should secede or the Electoral College should choose Clinton, or whatever. Part of this is doubtless my contrary streak, but part of it is something different. I observe that I am semi-consciously adopting a position that `things will turn out all right' or `it won't be that bad' because countenancing the opposite is not good for my mental health. The other thing is some changes in the wider organisation for which I work; basically there has been a botched reorganisation which has left most people unhappy and from what I hear from numerous sources with good reason. This doesn't currently affect me much and I don't expect it to because of political realities. However, even just having the argument with someone closer to the failing department (and more likely to feel its direct effects) seems to be followed by my feeling anxious and depressed. Again, adopting a constructive positive attitude (which may appear to others pollyannaish, naive, optimistic, or just in denial) seems to be a defence I've learned here and I suspect it helps. But there's more obviously a risk when I'm more involved than I am in the US case, namely that my optimism will blind me to dangers that will be to my detriment. Does my ornery nature come to the rescue, though? Perhaps because I'm at heart a bit of a grumpy sod and only respect authorities when I think they deserve it my tendency to want to probe and prod and query and dig my heels in may counteract the defensive optimism. Or alternatively, I'm optimistic in a different sense: perhaps I just have confidence that I'll win? LJDW Full Article
de Myeloid-specific Asxl2 deletion limits diet-induced obesity by regulating energy expenditure By www.jci.org Published On :: We previously established that global deletion of the enhancer of trithorax and polycomb (ETP) gene, Asxl2, prevents weight gain. Because proinflammatory macrophages recruited to adipose tissue are central to the metabolic complications of obesity, we explored the role of ASXL2 in myeloid lineage cells. Unexpectedly, mice without Asxl2 only in myeloid cells (Asxl2ΔLysM) were completely resistant to diet-induced weight gain and metabolically normal despite increased food intake, comparable activity, and equivalent fecal fat. Asxl2ΔLysM mice resisted HFD-induced adipose tissue macrophage infiltration and inflammatory cytokine gene expression. Energy expenditure and brown adipose tissue metabolism in Asxl2ΔLysM mice were protected from the suppressive effects of HFD, a phenomenon associated with relatively increased catecholamines likely due to their suppressed degradation by macrophages. White adipose tissue of HFD-fed Asxl2ΔLysM mice also exhibited none of the pathological remodeling extant in their control counterparts. Suppression of macrophage Asxl2 expression, via nanoparticle-based siRNA delivery, prevented HFD-induced obesity. Thus, ASXL2 controlled the response of macrophages to dietary factors to regulate metabolic homeostasis, suggesting modulation of the cells’ inflammatory phenotype may impact obesity and its complications. Full Article
de Erythrocyte-derived microvesicles induce arterial spasms in JAK2V617F myeloproliferative neoplasm By www.jci.org Published On :: Arterial cardiovascular events are the leading cause of death in patients with JAK2V617F myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). However, their mechanisms are poorly understood. The high prevalence of myocardial infarction without significant coronary stenosis or atherosclerosis in patients with MPNs suggests that vascular function is altered. The consequences of JAK2V617F mutation on vascular reactivity are unknown. We observe here increased responses to vasoconstrictors in arteries from Jak2V617F mice resulting from a disturbed endothelial NO pathway and increased endothelial oxidative stress. This response was reproduced in WT mice by circulating microvesicles isolated from patients carrying JAK2V617F and by erythrocyte-derived microvesicles from transgenic mice. Microvesicles of other cellular origins had no effect. This effect was observed ex vivo on isolated aortas, but also in vivo on femoral arteries. Proteomic analysis of microvesicles derived from JAK2V617F erythrocytes identified increased expression of myeloperoxidase as the likely mechanism accounting for their effect. Myeloperoxidase inhibition in microvesicles derived from JAK2V617F erythrocytes suppressed their effect on oxidative stress. Antioxidants such as simvastatin and N-acetyl cysteine improved arterial dysfunction in Jak2V617F mice. In conclusion, JAK2V617F MPNs are characterized by exacerbated vasoconstrictor responses resulting from increased endothelial oxidative stress caused by circulating erythrocyte-derived microvesicles. Simvastatin appears to be a promising therapeutic strategy in this setting. Full Article
de Specificity of bispecific T cell receptors and antibodies targeting peptide-HLA By www.jci.org Published On :: Tumor-associated peptide–human leukocyte antigen complexes (pHLAs) represent the largest pool of cell surface–expressed cancer-specific epitopes, making them attractive targets for cancer therapies. Soluble bispecific molecules that incorporate an anti-CD3 effector function are being developed to redirect T cells against these targets using 2 different approaches. The first achieves pHLA recognition via affinity-enhanced versions of natural TCRs (e.g., immune-mobilizing monoclonal T cell receptors against cancer [ImmTAC] molecules), whereas the second harnesses an antibody-based format (TCR-mimic antibodies). For both classes of reagent, target specificity is vital, considering the vast universe of potential pHLA molecules that can be presented on healthy cells. Here, we made use of structural, biochemical, and computational approaches to investigate the molecular rules underpinning the reactivity patterns of pHLA-targeting bispecifics. We demonstrate that affinity-enhanced TCRs engage pHLA using a comparatively broad and balanced energetic footprint, with interactions distributed over several HLA and peptide side chains. As ImmTAC molecules, these TCRs also retained a greater degree of pHLA selectivity, with less off-target activity in cellular assays. Conversely, TCR-mimic antibodies tended to exhibit binding modes focused more toward hot spots on the HLA surface and exhibited a greater degree of crossreactivity. Our findings extend our understanding of the basic principles that underpin pHLA selectivity and exemplify a number of molecular approaches that can be used to probe the specificity of pHLA-targeting molecules, aiding the development of future reagents. Full Article
de Molecular crosstalk between Y5 receptor and neuropeptide Y drives liver cancer By www.jci.org Published On :: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is clearly age-related and represents one of the deadliest cancer types worldwide. As a result of globally increasing risk factors including metabolic disorders, the incidence rates of HCC are still rising. However, the molecular hallmarks of HCC remain poorly understood. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) and NPY receptors represent a highly conserved, stress-activated system involved in diverse cancer-related hallmarks including aging and metabolic alterations, but its impact on liver cancer had been unclear. Here, we observed increased expression of NPY5 receptor (Y5R) in HCC, which correlated with tumor growth and survival. Furthermore, we found that its ligand NPY was secreted by peritumorous hepatocytes. Hepatocyte-derived NPY promoted HCC progression by Y5R activation. TGF-β1 was identified as a regulator of NPY in hepatocytes and induced Y5R in invasive cancer cells. Moreover, NPY conversion by dipeptidylpeptidase 4 (DPP4) augmented Y5R activation and function in liver cancer. The TGF-β/NPY/Y5R axis and DPP4 represent attractive therapeutic targets for controlling liver cancer progression. Full Article
de Targetable ERBB2 mutations identified in neurofibroma/schwannoma hybrid nerve sheath tumors By www.jci.org Published On :: BACKGROUND Neurofibroma/schwannoma hybrid nerve sheath tumors (N/S HNSTs) are neoplasms associated with larger nerves that occur sporadically and in the context of schwannomatosis or neurofibromatosis type 2 or 1. Clinical management of N/S HNSTs is challenging, especially for large tumors, and established systemic treatments are lacking.METHODS We used next-generation sequencing and array-based DNA methylation profiling to determine the clinically actionable genomic and epigenomic landscapes of N/S HNSTs.RESULTS Whole-exome sequencing within a precision oncology program identified an activating mutation (p.Asp769Tyr) in the catalytic domain of the ERBB2 receptor tyrosine kinase in a patient with schwannomatosis-associated N/S HNST, and targeted treatment with the small-molecule ERBB inhibitor lapatinib led to prolonged clinical benefit and a lasting radiographic and metabolic response. Analysis of a multicenter validation cohort revealed recurrent ERBB2 mutations (p.Leu755Ser, p.Asp769Tyr, p.Val777Leu) in N/S HNSTs occurring in patients who met diagnostic criteria for sporadic schwannomatosis (3 of 7 patients), but not in N/S HNSTs arising in the context of neurofibromatosis (6 patients) or outside a tumor syndrome (1 patient), and showed that ERBB2-mutant N/S HNSTs cluster in a distinct subgroup of peripheral nerve sheath tumors based on genome-wide DNA methylation patterns.CONCLUSION These findings uncover a key biological feature of N/S HNSTs that may have important diagnostic and therapeutic implications.FUNDING This work was supported by grant H021 from DKFZ-HIPO, the University Cancer Center Frankfurt, and the Frankfurt Research Funding Clinician Scientist Program. Full Article
de Retrograde nerve growth factor signaling abnormalities in familial dysautonomia By www.jci.org Published On :: Familial dysautonomia (FD) is the most prevalent form of hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy (HSAN). In FD, a germline mutation in the Elp1 gene leads to Elp1 protein decrease that causes sympathetic neuron death and sympathetic nervous system dysfunction (dysautonomia). Elp1 is best known as a scaffolding protein within the nuclear hetero-hexameric transcriptional Elongator protein complex, but how it functions in sympathetic neuron survival is very poorly understood. Here, we identified a cytoplasmic function for Elp1 in sympathetic neurons that was essential for retrograde nerve growth factor (NGF) signaling and neuron target tissue innervation and survival. Elp1 was found to bind to internalized TrkA receptors in an NGF-dependent manner, where it was essential for maintaining TrkA receptor phosphorylation (activation) by regulating PTPN6 (Shp1) phosphatase activity within the signaling complex. In the absence of Elp1, Shp1 was hyperactivated, leading to premature TrkA receptor dephosphorylation, which resulted in retrograde signaling failure and neuron death. Inhibiting Shp1 phosphatase activity in the absence of Elp1 rescued NGF-dependent retrograde signaling, and in an animal model of FD it rescued abnormal sympathetic target tissue innervation. These results suggest that regulation of retrograde NGF signaling in sympathetic neurons by Elp1 may explain sympathetic neuron loss and physiologic dysautonomia in patients with FD. Full Article
de (H)Elping nerve growth factor: Elp1 inhibits TrkA’s phosphatase to maintain retrograde signaling By www.jci.org Published On :: Nerve growth factor (NGF) regulates many aspects of neuronal biology by retrogradely propagating signals along axons to the targets of those axons. How this occurs when axons contain a plethora of proteins that can silence those signals has long perplexed the neurotrophin field. In this issue of the JCI, Li et al. suggest an answer to this vexing problem, while exploring why the Elp1 gene that is mutated in familial dysautonomia (FD) causes peripheral neuropathy. They describe a distinctive function of Elp1 as a protein that is required to sustain NGF signaling by blocking the activity of its phosphatase that shuts off those signals. This finding helps explain the innervation deficits prominent in FD and reveals a unique role for Elp1 in the regulation of NGF-dependent TrkA activity. Full Article
de Clinical and immunological features of severe and moderate coronavirus disease 2019 By www.jci.org Published On :: BACKGROUND Since December 2019, an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in Wuhan, and is now becoming a global threat. We aimed to delineate and compare the immunological features of severe and moderate COVID-19.METHODS In this retrospective study, the clinical and immunological characteristics of 21 patients (17 male and 4 female) with COVID-19 were analyzed. These patients were classified as severe (11 cases) and moderate (10 cases) according to the guidelines released by the National Health Commission of China.RESULTS The median age of severe and moderate cases was 61.0 and 52.0 years, respectively. Common clinical manifestations included fever, cough, and fatigue. Compared with moderate cases, severe cases more frequently had dyspnea, lymphopenia, and hypoalbuminemia, with higher levels of alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein, ferritin, and D-dimer as well as markedly higher levels of IL-2R, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α. Absolute numbers of T lymphocytes, CD4+ T cells, and CD8+ T cells decreased in nearly all the patients, and were markedly lower in severe cases (294.0, 177.5, and 89.0 × 106/L, respectively) than moderate cases (640.5, 381.5, and 254.0 × 106/L, respectively). The expression of IFN-γ by CD4+ T cells tended to be lower in severe cases (14.1%) than in moderate cases (22.8%).CONCLUSION The SARS-CoV-2 infection may affect primarily T lymphocytes, particularly CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, resulting in a decrease in numbers as well as IFN-γ production by CD4+ T cells. These potential immunological markers may be of importance because of their correlation with disease severity in COVID-19.TRIAL REGISTRATION This is a retrospective observational study without a trial registration number.FUNDING This work is funded by grants from Tongji Hospital for the Pilot Scheme Project, and partly supported by the Chinese National Thirteenth Five Years Project in Science and Technology for Infectious Disease (2017ZX10202201). Full Article
de GPR160 de-orphanization reveals critical roles in neuropathic pain in rodents By www.jci.org Published On :: Treating neuropathic pain is challenging and novel non–opioid-based medicines are needed. Using unbiased receptomics, transcriptomic analyses, immunofluorescence, and in situ hybridization, we found that the expression of the orphan GPCR Gpr160 and GPR160 increased in the rodent dorsal horn of the spinal cord following traumatic nerve injury. Genetic and immunopharmacological approaches demonstrated that GPR160 inhibition in the spinal cord prevented and reversed neuropathic pain in male and female rodents without altering normal pain response. GPR160 inhibition in the spinal cord attenuated sensory processing in the thalamus, a key relay in the sensory discriminative pathways of pain. We also identified cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript peptide (CARTp) as a GPR160 ligand. Inhibiting endogenous CARTp signaling in spinal cord attenuated neuropathic pain, whereas exogenous intrathecal CARTp evoked painful hypersensitivity through GPR160-dependent ERK and cAMP response element–binding protein (CREB). Our findings de-orphanize GPR160, identify it as a determinant of neuropathic pain and potential therapeutic target, and provide insights into its signaling pathways. CARTp is involved in many diseases including depression and reward and addiction; de-orphanization of GPR160 is a major step forward understanding the role of CARTp signaling in health and disease. Full Article
de The lymph node stromal laminin α5 shapes alloimmunity By www.jci.org Published On :: Lymph node stromal cells (LNSCs) regulate immunity through constructing lymphocyte niches. LNSC-produced laminin α5 (Lama5) regulates CD4+ T cells but the underlying mechanisms of its functions are poorly understood. Here we show that depleting Lama5 in LNSCs resulted in decreased Lama5 protein in the LN cortical ridge (CR) and around high endothelial venules (HEVs). Lama5 depletion affected LN structure with increased HEVs, upregulated chemokines, and cell adhesion molecules, and led to greater numbers of Tregs in the T cell zone. Mouse and human T cell transendothelial migration and T cell entry into LNs were suppressed by Lama5 through the receptors α6 integrin and α-dystroglycan. During immune responses and allograft transplantation, depleting Lama5 promoted antigen-specific CD4+ T cell entry into the CR through HEVs, suppressed T cell activation, and altered T cell differentiation to suppressive regulatory phenotypes. Enhanced allograft acceptance resulted from depleting Lama5 or blockade of T cell Lama5 receptors. Lama5 and Lama4/Lama5 ratios in allografts were associated with the rejection severity. Overall, our results demonstrated that stromal Lama5 regulated immune responses through altering LN structures and T cell behaviors. This study delineated a stromal Lama5–T cell receptor axis that can be targeted for immune tolerance modulation. Full Article
de Phase I trial of donor-derived modified immune cell infusion in kidney transplantation By www.jci.org Published On :: BACKGROUND Preclinical experiments have shown that donor blood cells, modified in vitro by an alkylating agent (modified immune cells [MICs]), induced long-term specific immunosuppression against the allogeneic donor.METHODS In this phase I trial, patients received either 1.5 × 106 MICs per kg BW on day –2 (n = 3, group A), or 1.5 × 108 MICs per kg BW on day –2 (n = 3, group B) or day –7 (n = 4, group C) before living donor kidney transplantation in addition to post-transplantation immunosuppression. The primary outcome measure was the frequency of adverse events (AEs) until day 30 (study phase) with follow-up out to day 360.RESULTS MIC infusions were extremely well tolerated. During the study phase, 10 treated patients experienced a total of 69 AEs that were unlikely to be related or not related to MIC infusion. No donor-specific human leukocyte antigen Abs or rejection episodes were noted, even though the patients received up to 1.3 × 1010 donor mononuclear cells before transplantation. Group C patients with low immunosuppression during follow-up showed no in vitro reactivity against stimulatory donor blood cells on day 360, whereas reactivity against third-party cells was still preserved. Frequencies of CD19+CD24hiCD38hi transitional B lymphocytes (Bregs) increased from a median of 6% before MIC infusion to 20% on day 180, which was 19- and 68-fold higher, respectively, than in 2 independent cohorts of transplanted controls. The majority of Bregs produced the immunosuppressive cytokine IL-10. MIC-treated patients showed the Immune Tolerance Network operational tolerance signature.CONCLUSION MIC administration was safe and could be a future tool for the targeted induction of tolerogenic Bregs.TRIAL REGISTRATION EudraCT number: 2014-002086-30; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02560220FUNDING Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Technology, Berlin, Germany, and TolerogenixX GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany. Full Article
de TGF-β–induced epigenetic deregulation of SOCS3 facilitates STAT3 signaling to promote fibrosis By www.jci.org Published On :: Fibroblasts are key effector cells in tissue remodeling. They remain persistently activated in fibrotic diseases, resulting in progressive deposition of extracellular matrix. Although fibroblast activation may be initiated by external factors, prolonged activation can induce an “autonomous,” self-maintaining profibrotic phenotype in fibroblasts. Accumulating evidence suggests that epigenetic alterations play a central role in establishing this persistently activated pathologic phenotype of fibroblasts. We demonstrated that in fibrotic skin of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), a prototypical idiopathic fibrotic disease, TGF-β induced the expression of DNA methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A) and DNMT1 in fibroblasts in a SMAD-dependent manner to silence the expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) by promoter hypermethylation. Downregulation of SOCS3 facilitated activation of STAT3 to promote fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition, collagen release, and fibrosis in vitro and in vivo. Reestablishment of the epigenetic control of STAT3 signaling by genetic or pharmacological inactivation of DNMT3A reversed the activated phenotype of SSc fibroblasts in tissue culture, inhibited TGF-β–dependent fibroblast activation, and ameliorated experimental fibrosis in murine models. These findings identify a pathway of epigenetic imprinting of fibroblasts in fibrotic disease with translational implications for the development of targeted therapies in fibrotic diseases. Full Article
de Dysfunctional polycomb transcriptional repression contributes to lamin A/C–dependent muscular dystrophy By www.jci.org Published On :: Lamin A is a component of the inner nuclear membrane that, together with epigenetic factors, organizes the genome in higher order structures required for transcriptional control. Mutations in the lamin A/C gene cause several diseases belonging to the class of laminopathies, including muscular dystrophies. Nevertheless, molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of lamin A–dependent dystrophies are still largely unknown. The polycomb group (PcG) of proteins are epigenetic repressors and lamin A interactors, primarily involved in the maintenance of cell identity. Using a murine model of Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (EDMD), we show here that lamin A loss deregulated PcG positioning in muscle satellite stem cells, leading to derepression of non–muscle-specific genes and p16INK4a, a senescence driver encoded in the Cdkn2a locus. This aberrant transcriptional program caused impairment in self-renewal, loss of cell identity, and premature exhaustion of the quiescent satellite cell pool. Genetic ablation of the Cdkn2a locus restored muscle stem cell properties in lamin A/C–null dystrophic mice. Our findings establish a direct link between lamin A and PcG epigenetic silencing and indicate that lamin A–dependent muscular dystrophy can be ascribed to intrinsic epigenetic dysfunctions of muscle stem cells. Full Article
de Pathogenesis of peritumoral hyperexcitability in an immunocompetent CRISPR-based glioblastoma model By www.jci.org Published On :: Seizures often herald the clinical appearance of gliomas or appear at later stages. Dissecting their precise evolution and cellular pathogenesis in brain malignancies could inform the development of staged therapies for these highly pharmaco-resistant epilepsies. Studies in immunodeficient xenograft models have identified local interneuron loss and excess glial glutamate release as chief contributors to network disinhibition, but how hyperexcitability in the peritumoral microenvironment evolves in an immunocompetent brain is unclear. We generated gliomas in WT mice via in utero deletion of key tumor suppressor genes and serially monitored cortical epileptogenesis during tumor infiltration with in vivo electrophysiology and GCAMP7 calcium imaging, revealing a reproducible progression from hyperexcitability to convulsive seizures. Long before seizures, coincident with loss of inhibitory cells and their protective scaffolding, gain of glial glutamate antiporter xCT expression, and reactive astrocytosis, we detected local Iba1+ microglial inflammation that intensified and later extended far beyond tumor boundaries. Hitherto unrecognized episodes of cortical spreading depolarization that arose frequently from the peritumoral region may provide a mechanism for transient neurological deficits. Early blockade of glial xCT activity inhibited later seizures, and genomic reduction of host brain excitability by deleting MapT suppressed molecular markers of epileptogenesis and seizures. Our studies confirmed xenograft tumor–driven pathobiology and revealed early and late components of tumor-related epileptogenesis in a genetically tractable, immunocompetent mouse model of glioma, allowing the complex dissection of tumor versus host pathogenic seizure mechanisms. Full Article