Oncogenic KRAS-Induced Feedback Inflammatory Signaling in Pancreatic Cancer: An Overview and New Therapeutic Opportunities

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains highly refractory to treatment. While the KRAS oncogene is present in almost all PDAC cases and accounts for many of the malignant feats of PDAC, targeting KRAS or its canonical, direct effector cascades remains unsuccessful in patients. The recalcitrant nature of PDAC is also heavily influenced by its highly fibro-inflammatory tumor microenvironment (TME), which comprises an acellular extracellular matrix and various types of non-neoplastic cells including the fibroblasts, immune cells, and adipocytes, underscoring the critical need to delineate the bidirectional signaling interplay between PDAC cells and the TME in order to develop novel therapeutic strategies. The impact of tumor-cell KRAS signaling on various cell types in the TME has been well covered by several reviews. In this article, we critically reviewed evidence, including work from our group, on how the feedback inflammatory signals from the TME impact and synergize with oncogenic KRAS signaling in PDAC cells, ultimately augmenting their malignant behavior. We discussed past and ongoing clinical trials that target key inflammatory pathways in PDAC and highlight lessons to be learned from outcomes. Lastly, we provided our perspective on the future of developing therapeutic strategies for PDAC through understanding the breadth and complexity of KRAS and the inflammatory signaling network.

Mitochondrial nucleoid in cardiac homeostasis: bidirectional signaling of mitochondria and nucleus in cardiac diseases

Metabolic function and energy production in eukaryotic cells are regulated by mitochondria, which have been recognized as the intracellular ‘powerhouses’ of eukaryotic cells for their regulation of cellular homeostasis. Mitochondrial function is important not only in normal developmental and physiological processes, but also in a variety of human pathologies, including cardiac diseases. An emerging topic in the field of cardiovascular medicine is the implication of mitochondrial nucleoid for metabolic reprogramming. This review describes the linear/3D architecture of the mitochondrial nucleoid (e.g., highly organized protein-DNA structure of nucleoid) and how it is regulated by a variety of factors, such as noncoding RNA and its associated R-loop, for metabolic reprogramming in cardiac diseases. In addition, we highlight many of the presently unsolved questions regarding cardiac metabolism in terms of bidirectional signaling of mitochondrial nucleoid and 3D chromatin structure in the nucleus. In particular, we explore novel techniques to dissect the 3D structure of mitochondrial nucleoid and propose new insights into the mitochondrial retrograde signaling, and how it regulates the nuclear (3D) chromatin structures in mitochondrial diseases.

Glioblastoma Proximity to the Lateral Ventricle Alters Neurogenic Cell Populations of the Subventricular Zone

Despite current strategies combining surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and aggressive malignant primary brain tumor in adults. Tumor location plays a key role in the prognosis of patients, with GBM tumors located in close proximity to the lateral ventricles (LVs) resulting in worse survival expectancy and higher incidence of distal recurrence. Though the reason for worse prognosis in these patients remains unknown, it may be due to proximity to the subventricular zone (SVZ) neurogenic niche contained within the lateral wall of the LVs. We present a novel rodent model to analyze the bidirectional signaling between GBM tumors and cells contained within the SVZ. Patient-derived GBM cells expressing GFP and luciferase were engrafted at locations proximal, intermediate, and distal to the LVs in immunosuppressed mice. Mice were either sacrificed after 4 weeks for immunohistochemical analysis of the tumor and SVZ or maintained for survival analysis. Analysis of the GFP+ tumor bulk revealed that GBM tumors proximal to the LV show increased levels of proliferation and tumor growth than LV-distal counterparts and is accompanied by decreased median survival. Conversely, numbers of innate proliferative cells, neural stem cells (NSCs), migratory cells and progenitors contained within the SVZ are decreased as a result of GBM proximity to the LV. These results indicate that our rodent model is able to accurately recapitulate several of the clinical aspects of LV-associated GBM, including increased tumor growth and decreased median survival. Additionally, we have found the neurogenic and cell division process of the SVZ in these adult mice is negatively influenced according to the presence and proximity of the tumor mass. This model will be invaluable for further investigation into the bidirectional signaling between GBM and the neurogenic cell populations of the SVZ.

UniPR1331: Small Eph/Ephrin Antagonist Beneficial in Intestinal Inflammation by Interfering with Type-B Signaling

Eph receptors, comprising A and B classes, interact with cell-bound ephrins generating bidirectional signaling. Although mainly related to carcinogenesis and organogenesis, the role of Eph/ephrin system in inflammation is growingly acknowledged. Recently, we showed that EphA/ephrin-A proteins can modulate the acute inflammatory responses induced by mesenteric ischemia/reperfusion, while beneficial effects were granted by EphB4, acting as EphB/ephrin-B antagonist, in a murine model of Crohn’s disease (CD). Accordingly, we now aim to evaluate the effects of UniPR1331, a pan-Eph/ephrin antagonist, in TNBS-induced colitis and to ascertain whether UniPR1331 effects can be attributed to A- or B-type signaling interference. The potential anti-inflammatory action of UniPR1331 was compared to those of the recombinant proteins EphA2, a purported EphA/ephrin-A antagonist, and of ephrin-A1-Fc and EphA2-Fc, supposedly activating forward and reverse EphA/ephrin-A signaling, in murine TNBS-induced colitis and in stimulated cultured mononuclear splenocytes. UniPR1331 antagonized the inflammatory responses both in vivo, mimicking EphB4 protection, and in vitro; EphA/ephrin-A proteins were inactive or only weakly effective. Our findings represent a further proof-of-concept that blockade of EphB/ephrin-B signaling is a promising pharmacological strategy for CD management and highlight UniPR1331 as a novel drug candidate, seemingly working through the modulation of immune responses.

Genetic Approaches Using Zebrafish to Study the Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis in Neurological Disorders

The microbiota–gut–brain axis (MGBA) is a bidirectional signaling pathway mediating the interaction of the microbiota, the intestine, and the central nervous system. While the MGBA plays a pivotal role in normal development and physiology of the nervous and gastrointestinal system of the host, its dysfunction has been strongly implicated in neurological disorders, where intestinal dysbiosis and derived metabolites cause barrier permeability defects and elicit local inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, concomitant with increased pro-inflammatory cytokines, mobilization and infiltration of immune cells into the brain, and the dysregulated activation of the vagus nerve, culminating in neuroinflammation and neuronal dysfunction of the brain and behavioral abnormalities. In this topical review, we summarize recent findings in human and animal models regarding the roles of the MGBA in physiological and neuropathological conditions, and discuss the molecular, genetic, and neurobehavioral characteristics of zebrafish as an animal model to study the MGBA. The exploitation of zebrafish as an amenable genetic model combined with in vivo imaging capabilities and gnotobiotic approaches at the whole organism level may reveal novel mechanistic insights into microbiota–gut–brain interactions, especially in the context of neurological disorders such as autism spectrum disorder and Alzheimer’s disease.

Glypiated FGF directs contact-mediated bidirectional signaling to self-regulate tissue-specific dispersion

ABSTRACTDuring development, a handful of signals sculpt diverse tissue architectures. How the same signal produces different tissue/context-specific information and outcomes is poorly understood. We explored the basis that programs tissue-specific FGF dispersion and interpretation by cytoneme-mediated contact-dependent communication. Although aDrosophilaFGF was thought to be freely secreted, we discovered that it is glypiated and GPI-anchored on the source cell surface, which inhibits non-specific secretion but facilitates tissue-specific cytoneme contact formation and contact-dependent release. For long-distance signaling, source and recipient cells extend FGF-containing and FGFR-containing cytonemes that contact and recognize each other by CAM-like receptor-ligand binding. FGF-FGFR binding reciprocally induces forward and reverse signaling in recipient and source cells, responses of which polarize their cytonemes toward each other to mutually self-sustain contacts. FGFR-bound FGF’s subsequent unanchoring hand-delivers FGF to receiving cytonemes and dissociates contacts. Thus, while cytonemes spatiotemporally control FGF dispersion/interpretation, FGF selfregulates its tissue-specific signaling by controlling cytonemes.

Use of Integrated Optical Clearing and 2-Photon Imaging to Investigate Sex Differences in Neuroimmune Interactions After Peripheral Nerve Injury

Peripheral nerve injury induces a myriad of immune-derived symptoms that negatively impacts pain, depression, and overall quality of life. Neuroimmune differences underlie sexual dimorphisms in various pain states. The innate immune system is a source of these sex differences, which promotes inflammation and pro-nociception through bidirectional signaling with the nervous system. Spatiotemporal interactions between leukocytes and sensory neurons could hold the key to explain ascribed differences between sexes. To date, studies have found it difficult to display these interactions. We are poised to answer important questions regarding the recruitment of peripheral leukocytes to key tissues of the pain system, the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and sciatic nerve after nerve injury. We optically clear whole DRGs and sciatic nerves and concomitantly use multi-photon microscopy and transgenic reporter lines, to visualize leukocyte dynamics involved in neuropathic pain development following nerve injury. We observed robust sexual dimorphisms in leukocyte recruitment to the lumbar DRGs after nerve injury. We also assessed immune cell size and morphology to understand activation states in the context of nervous tissue inflammation. The altered mechanisms by which the male and female immune systems respond to nerve injury are still topics of further research, however; the continued use of next-generation imaging with advanced whole tissue image analysis remains an important tool in understanding the reciprocal interactions between neuronal and non-neuronal cells.