Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in United States women, accounting for >40,000 deaths each year. These breast tumors are comprised of phenotypically diverse populations of breast cancer cells. Using a model in which human breast cancer cells were grown in immunocompromised mice, we found that only a minority of breast cancer cells had the ability to form new tumors. We were able to distinguish the tumorigenic (tumor initiating) from the nontumorigenic cancer cells based on cell surface marker expression. We prospectively identified and isolated the tumorigenic cells as CD44+CD24−/lowLineage− in eight of nine patients. As few as 100 cells with this phenotype were able to form tumors in mice, whereas tens of thousands of cells with alternate phenotypes failed to form tumors. The tumorigenic subpopulation could be serially passaged: each time cells within this population generated new tumors containing additional CD44+CD24−/lowLineage− tumorigenic cells as well as the phenotypically diverse mixed populations of nontumorigenic cells present in the initial tumor. The ability to prospectively identify tumorigenic cancer cells will facilitate the elucidation of pathways that regulate their growth and survival. Furthermore, because these cells drive tumor development, strategies designed to target this population may lead to more effective therapies.

/pdf/prospective-identification-of-tumorigenic-breast-cancer-4c9u5upfc3.pdf

Prospective identification of tumorigenic breast cancer cells

The transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) family of growth factors control the development and homeostasis of most tissues in metazoan organisms. Work over the past few years has led to the elucidation of a TGF-beta signal transduction network. This network involves receptor serine/threonine kinases at the cell surface and their substrates, the SMAD proteins, which move into the nucleus, where they activate target gene transcription in association with DNA-binding partners. Distinct repertoires of receptors, SMAD proteins, and DNA-binding partners seemingly underlie, in a cell-specific manner, the multifunctional nature of TGF-beta and related factors. Mutations in these pathways are the cause of various forms of human cancer and developmental disorders.

TGF-beta signal transduction.

Approximately 10% of peripheral CD4+ cells and less than 1% of CD8+ cells in normal unimmunized adult mice express the IL-2 receptor alpha-chain (CD25) molecules. When CD4+ cell suspensions prepared from BALB/c nu/+ mice lymph nodes and spleens were depleted of CD25+ cells by specific mAb and C, and then inoculated into BALB/c athymic nude (nu/nu) mice, all recipients spontaneously developed histologically and serologically evident autoimmune diseases (such as thyroiditis, gastritis, insulitis, sialoadenitis, adrenalitis, oophoritis, glomerulonephritis, and polyarthritis); some mice also developed graft-vs-host-like wasting disease. Reconstitution of CD4+CD25+ cells within a limited period after transfer of CD4+CD25- cells prevented these autoimmune developments in a dose-dependent fashion, whereas the reconstitution several days later, or inoculation of an equivalent dose of CD8+ cells, was far less efficient for the prevention. When nu/nu mice were transplanted with allogeneic skins or immunized with xenogeneic proteins at the time of CD25- cell inoculation, they showed significantly heightened immune responses to the skins or proteins, and reconstitution of CD4+CD25+ cells normalized the responses. Taken together, these results indicate that CD4+CD25+ cells contribute to maintaining self-tolerance by down-regulating immune response to self and non-self Ags in an Ag-nonspecific manner, presumably at the T cell activation stage; elimination/reduction of CD4+CD25+ cells relieves this general suppression, thereby not only enhancing immune responses to non-self Ags, but also eliciting autoimmune responses to certain self-Ags. Abnormality of this T cell-mediated mechanism of peripheral tolerance can be a possible cause of various autoimmune diseases.

/pdf/immunologic-self-tolerance-maintained-by-activated-t-cells-4ig5217vg5.pdf

Immunologic self-tolerance maintained by activated T cells expressing IL-2 receptor alpha-chains (CD25). Breakdown of a single mechanism of self-tolerance causes various autoimmune diseases.

The therapeutic properties of light have been known for thousands of years, but it was only in the last century that photodynamic therapy (PDT) was developed. At present, PDT is being tested in the clinic for use in oncology--to treat cancers of the head and neck, brain, lung, pancreas, intraperitoneal cavity, breast, prostate and skin. How does PDT work, and how can it be used to treat cancer and other diseases?

Photodynamic therapy for cancer

CD4+ T cells, upon activation and expansion, develop into different T helper cell subsets with different cytokine profiles and distinct effector functions. Until recently, T cells were divided into Th1 or Th2 cells, depending on the cytokines they produce. A third subset of IL-17-producing effector T helper cells, called Th17 cells, has now been discovered and characterized. Here, we summarize the current information on the differentiation and effector functions of the Th17 lineage. Th17 cells produce IL-17, IL-17F, and IL-22, thereby inducing a massive tissue reaction owing to the broad distribution of the IL-17 and IL-22 receptors. Th17 cells also secrete IL-21 to communicate with the cells of the immune system. The differentiation factors (TGF-β plus IL-6 or IL-21), the growth and stabilization factor (IL-23), and the transcription factors (STAT3, RORγt, and RORα) involved in the development of Th17 cells have just been identified. The participation of TGF-β in the differentiation of Th17 cells places ...

IL-17 and Th17 Cells.

Regulated expression of the mouse whey acidic protein gene in transgenic swine

Recently, a short, interferon-inducible isoform of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2), dACE2 was identified. ACE2 is a SARS-Cov-2 receptor and changes in its renal expression have been linked to several human nephropathies. These changes were never analyzed in context of dACE2 , as its expression was not investigated in the kidney. We used Human Primary Proximal Tubule (HPPT) cells to show genome-wide gene expression patterns after cytokine stimulation, with emphasis on the ACE2/dACE2 locus. Putative regulatory elements controlling dACE2 expression were identified using ChIP-seq and RNA-seq. qRT-PCR differentiating between ACE2 and dACE2 revealed 300- and 600-fold upregulation of dACE2 by IFNα and IFNβ, respectively, while full length ACE2 expression was almost unchanged. JAK inhibitor ruxolitinib ablated STAT1 and dACE2 expression after interferon treatment. Finally, with RNA-seq, we identified a set of genes, largely immune-related, induced by cytokine treatment. These gene expression profiles provide new insights into cytokine response of proximal tubule cells.

/pdf/interferon-regulated-genetic-programs-and-jak-stat-pathway-3d7blerlzk.pdf

Interferon-regulated genetic programs and JAK/STAT pathway activate the intronic promoter of the short ACE2 isoform in renal proximal tubules

Antibody response following Omicron infection is reported to be less robust than that to other variants. Here we investigated how prior vaccination and/or prior infection modulates that response. Disease severity, antibody responses and immune transcriptomes were characterized in four groups of Omicron-infected outpatients (n=83): unvaccinated/no prior infection, vaccinated/no prior infection, unvaccinated/prior infection and vaccinated/prior infection. The percentage of patients with asymptomatic or mild disease was highest in the vaccinated/no prior infection group (87%) and lowest in the unvaccinated/no prior infection group (47%). Significant anti-Omicron spike antibody levels and neutralizing activity were detected in the vaccinated group immediately after infection but were not present in the unvaccinated/no prior infection group. Within two weeks, antibody levels against Omicron, increased. Omicron neutralizing activity in the vaccinated group exceeded that of the prior infection group. No increase in neutralizing activity in the unvaccinated/no prior infection group was seen. The unvaccinated/prior infection group showed an intermediate response. We then investigated the early transcriptomic response following Omicron infection in these outpatient populations and compared it to that found in unvaccinated hospitalized patients with Alpha infection. Omicron infected patients showed a gradient of transcriptional response dependent upon prior vaccination and infection status that correlated with disease severity. Vaccinated patients showed a significantly blunted interferon response as compared to both unvaccinated Omicron infected outpatients and unvaccinated Alpha infected hospitalized patients typified by the response of specific gene classes such as OAS and IFIT that control anti-viral responses and IFI27, a predictor of disease outcome.

Differences in transcriptional response underlie why prior vaccination exceeds prior infection in eliciting robust immune responses in Omicron infected outpatients (preprint)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2022.105369

Limited cross-variant immune response from SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2 in naïve but not previously infected outpatients

The Stat5 transcription factors Stat5a and Stat5b have been implicated in lymphoid development and transformation. Using the complete Stat5 knockout mice, we have previously shown that Stat5a/bnull/null cells were resistant to transformation and leukemia development induced by Abelson oncogenes, whereas Stat5a/bΔN/ΔN cells readily transformed. So far, these findings showed distinct susceptibility to Abelson-induced transformation of Stat5a/bΔN/ΔN and Stat5a/bnull/null mice and defined Stat5 as key regulator of initial transformation. In this study, we tested whether Stat5a/b is also essential for the maintenance of a transformed state. Therefore we developed a system, where Stat5a/b could be deleted at will. Abelson-transformed B lymphoid cells were generated from Stat5a/bfl/fl gene targeted mice that had been crossed with Mx-Cre transgenic animals. These leukemic Stat5a/bfl/flMxCre cells were then used to test effects of Stat5a/b ablation in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, Stat5a/b deletion resulted in a cell cycle arrest followed by apoptosis. Nine days after deletion, no viable cells could be detected. In line with that, a down-regulation of Stat5 target genes mediating G1/S transition within the cell cycle and viability, such as cyclin D2 and cyclin D3, c-myc and bcl-xL was found. When leukemic Stat5a/bfl/flMxCre cells were injected into wild type or immuno-compromised mice leukemia rapidly developed. Again, deletion of Stat5a/b in vivo within the leukemic cells significantly counteracted disease progression as indicated by an increase of leukemia latency from 16 to 49 days. Eventually, all animals succumbed to a Stat5a/b-positive leukemia indicating that a few residual cells escaped deletion. Moreover, p53 abruption or overexpression of the oncogene did not alter the susceptibility to Stat5 loss of established leukemic cell lines. Taken together our data define a key role for Stat5a/b not only for lymphoid development but also for lymphoid transformation. Stat5a/b is necessary for the initial transformation as well as for leukemia progression. This absolute necessity for the proliferation and viability of Abelson-transformed cells puts Stat5a/b into the spotlight of new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of bcr/abl-induced leukemias.

/pdf/evaluation-of-stat5-as-a-potential-drug-target-in-bcr-abl-46gijl4htx.pdf

Lothar Hennighausen

Papers

Regulated expression of the mouse whey acidic protein gene in transgenic swine

Interferon-regulated genetic programs and JAK/STAT pathway activate the intronic promoter of the short ACE2 isoform in renal proximal tubules

Differences in transcriptional response underlie why prior vaccination exceeds prior infection in eliciting robust immune responses in Omicron infected outpatients (preprint)

Limited cross-variant immune response from SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2 in naïve but not previously infected outpatients

Evaluation of Stat5 as a potential drug target in bcr/abl-induced leukemias