The Unfolded Protein Response Plays a Predominant Homeostatic Role in Response to Mitochondrial Stress in Pancreatic Stellate Cells

Activated pancreatic stellate cells (PaSC) are key participants in the stroma of pancreatic cancer, secreting extracellular matrix proteins and inflammatory mediators. Tumors are poorly vascularized, creating metabolic stress conditions in cancer and stromal cells that necessitate adaptive homeostatic cellular programs. Activation of autophagy and the endoplasmic reticulum unfolded protein response (UPR) have been described in hepatic stellate cells, but the role of these processes in PaSC responses to metabolic stress is unknown. We reported that the PI3K/mTOR pathway, which AMPK can regulate through multiple inputs, modulates PaSC activation and fibrogenic potential. Here, using primary and immortalized mouse PaSC, we assess the relative contributions of AMPK/mTOR signaling, autophagy and the UPR to cell fate responses during metabolic stress induced by mitochondrial dysfunction. The mitochondrial uncoupler rottlerin at low doses (0.5–2.5 μM) was added to cells cultured in 10% FBS complete media. Mitochondria rapidly depolarized, followed by altered mitochondrial dynamics and decreased cellular ATP levels. This mitochondrial dysfunction elicited rapid, sustained AMPK activation, mTOR pathway inhibition, and blockade of autophagic flux. Rottlerin treatment also induced rapid, sustained PERK/CHOP UPR signaling. Subsequently, high doses (>5 μM) induced loss of cell viability and cell death. Interestingly, AMPK knock-down using siRNA did not prevent rottlerin-induced mTOR inhibition, autophagy, or CHOP upregulation, suggesting that AMPK is dispensable for these responses. Moreover, CHOP genetic deletion, but not AMPK knock-down, prevented rottlerin-induced apoptosis and supported cell survival, suggesting that UPR signaling is a major modulator of cell fate in PaSC during metabolic stress. Further, short-term rottlerin treatment reduced both PaSC fibrogenic potential and IL-6 mRNA expression. In contrast, expression levels of the angiogenic factors HGF and VEGFα were unaffected, and the immune modulator IL-4 was markedly upregulated. These data imply that metabolic stress-induced PaSC reprogramming differentially modulates neighboring cells in the tumor microenvironment.     

间充质干细胞诱导分化为胰岛β细胞的研究进展

间充质干细胞是一类具有多向分化潜能的成体干细胞,在体内外不仅可以被诱导分化为中胚层细胞,而且可以分化为内胚层和神经外胚层细胞。间充质干细胞易分离,体外可大量扩增,异体移植不引起免疫排斥反应,在细胞治疗和组织工程中具有广阔的应用前景。经过适当诱导,间充质干细胞可能成为胰岛β细胞的来源之一。就间充质干细胞的生物学性状和优势,以及诱导分化为胰岛β细胞的技术方法和发展趋势进行了综述。     

Targeting the Unfolded Protein Response in Glioblastoma Cells with the Fusion Protein EGF-SubA

Rapidly growing tumors require efficient means to allow them to adapt to fluctuating microenvironments consisting of hypoxia, nutrient deprivation, and acidosis. The unfolded protein response (UPR) represents a defense mechanism allowing cells to respond to these adverse conditions. The chaperone protein GRP78 serves as a master UPR regulator that is aberrantly expressed in a variety of cancers, including glioma. Therefore, cancer cells may be particularly reliant upon the adaptive mechanisms offered by the UPR and targeting GRP78 may represent a unique therapeutic strategy. Here we report that diffuse expression of GRP78 protein is present in Grade III-IV, but not Grade I-II glioma. To determine the role GRP78 plays in glioblastoma tumorigenesis, we explored the anti-tumor activity of the novel fusion protein EGF-SubA, which combines EGF with the cytotoxin SubA that has been recently shown to selectively cleave GRP78. EGF-SubA demonstrated potent tumor-specific proteolytic activity and cytotoxicity in glioblastoma lines and potentiated the anti-tumor activity of both temozolomide and ionizing radiation. To determine if the tumor microenvironment influences EGF-SubA activity, we maintained cells in acidic conditions that led to both UPR activation and increased EGF-SubA induced cytotoxicity. EGF-SubA was well tolerated in mice and led to a significant tumor growth delay in a glioma xenograft mouse model. The UPR is emerging as an important adaptive pathway contributing to glioma tumorigenesis. Targeting its primary mediator, the chaperone protein GRP78, through specific, proteolytic cleavage with the immunotoxin EGF-SubA represents a novel and promising multi-targeted approach to cancer therapy.     

未折叠蛋白反应在胰腺癌发生发展中的作用及意义

胰腺癌是一种致死率相当高的消化系统肿瘤，其起病隐蔽导致早期诊断困难。近期研究发现，内质网应激 (endoplasmic reticulum stress，ERS) 状态下的未折叠蛋白反应 (unfolded protein response，UPR) 通路的调节作用，对于胰腺癌发生发展至关重要。UPR通路伴侣蛋白 GRP78 抑制了胰腺导管腺癌 (pancreatic adenocarcinoma，PDAC)细胞的凋亡，并增强了其化学抗性和耐药性。而 UPR 途径及其调节因子对于血管内皮生长因子 (vascular endothelial growth factor，VEGF) 的调节作用，有助于胰腺癌抵抗缺血缺氧环境。尝试靶向 UPR 途径关键调节因子的药物来控制胰腺癌的研究，可以为胰腺癌的治疗开辟新的途径。本文通过对近年来 UPR 在胰腺癌发生发展中的作用及意义进行综述，希望为通过调控 UPR 通路作为针对治疗胰腺癌的关键过程的一种新型抗癌方法研究提供参考。     

未折叠蛋白反应在胰腺癌发生发展中的作用及意义

胰腺癌是一种致死率相当高的消化系统肿瘤,其起病隐蔽导致早期诊断困难。近期研究发现,内质网应激 (endoplasmic reticulum stress,ERS) 状态下的未折叠蛋白反应 (unfolded protein response,UPR) 通路的调节作用,对于胰腺癌发生发展至关重要。UPR通路伴侣蛋白 GRP78 抑制了胰腺导管腺癌 (pancreatic adenocarcinoma,PDAC)细胞的凋亡,并增强了其化学抗性和耐药性。而 UPR 途径及其调节因子对于血管内皮生长因子 (vascular endothelial growth factor,VEGF) 的调节作用,有助于胰腺癌抵抗缺血缺氧环境。尝试靶向 UPR 途径关键调节因子的药物来控制胰腺癌的研究,可以为胰腺癌的治疗开辟新的途径。本文通过对近年来 UPR 在胰腺癌发生发展中的作用及意义进行综述,希望为通过调控 UPR 通路作为针对治疗胰腺癌的关键过程的一种新型抗癌方法研究提供参考。     

Ebola Virus Disease in Mice with Transplanted Human Hematopoietic Stem Cells

The development of treatments for Ebola virus disease (EVD) has been hampered by the lack of small-animal models that mimick human disease. Here we show that mice with transplanted human hematopoetic stem cells reproduce features typical of EVD. Infection with Ebola virus was associated with viremia, cell damage, liver steatosis, signs of hemorrhage, and high lethality. Our study provides a small-animal model with human components for the development of EVD therapies.     

Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Cells Expanded In Vitro from Lineage-Traced Adult Human Pancreatic Beta Cells

Background

In-vitro expansion of functional beta cells from adult human islets is an attractive approach for generating an abundant source of cells for beta-cell replacement therapy of diabetes. Using genetic cell-lineage tracing we have recently shown that beta cells cultured from adult human islets undergo rapid dedifferentiation and proliferate for up to 16 population doublings. These cells have raised interest as potential candidates for redifferentiation into functional insulin-producing cells. Previous work has associated dedifferentiation of cultured epithelial cells with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and suggested that EMT generates cells with stem cell properties. Here we investigated the occurrence of EMT in these cultures and assessed their stem cell potential.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Using cell-lineage tracing we provide direct evidence for occurrence of EMT in cells originating from beta cells in cultures of adult human islet cells. These cells express multiple mesenchymal markers, as well as markers associated with mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). However, we do not find evidence for the ability of such cells, nor of cells in these cultures derived from a non-beta-cell origin, to significantly differentiate into mesodermal cell types.

Conclusions/Significance

These findings constitute the first demonstration based on genetic lineage-tracing of EMT in cultured adult primary human cells, and show that EMT does not induce multipotency in cells derived from human beta cells.     

Induction of the Unfolded Protein Response by Constitutive G-protein Signaling in Rod Photoreceptor Cells

Phototransduction is a G-protein signal transduction cascade that converts photon absorption to a change in current at the plasma membrane. Certain genetic mutations affecting the proteins in the phototransduction cascade cause blinding disorders in humans. Some of these mutations serve as a genetic source of “equivalent light” that activates the cascade, whereas other mutations lead to amplification of the light response. How constitutive phototransduction causes photoreceptor cell death is poorly understood. We showed that persistent G-protein signaling, which occurs in rod arrestin and rhodopsin kinase knock-out mice, caused a rapid and specific induction of the PERK pathway of the unfolded protein response. These changes were not observed in the cGMP-gated channel knock-out rods, an equivalent light condition that mimics light-stimulated channel closure. Thus transducin signaling, but not channel closure, triggers rapid cell death in light damage caused by constitutive phototransduction. Additionally, we show that in the albino light damage model cell death was not associated with increase in global protein ubiquitination or unfolded protein response induction. Taken together, these observations provide novel mechanistic insights into the cell death pathway caused by constitutive phototransduction and identify the unfolded protein response as a potential target for therapeutic intervention.     

Unfolded Protein Response Signaling and Metabolic Diseases

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a central organelle for protein biosynthesis, folding, and traffic. Perturbations in ER homeostasis create a condition termed ER stress and lead to activation of the complex signaling cascade called the unfolded protein response (UPR). Recent studies have documented that the UPR coordinates multiple signaling pathways and controls various physiologies in cells and the whole organism. Furthermore, unresolved ER stress has been implicated in a variety of metabolic disorders, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. Therefore, intervening in ER stress and modulating signaling components of the UPR would provide promising therapeutics for the treatment of human metabolic diseases.     

Decrease in Membrane Phospholipid Unsaturation Induces Unfolded Protein Response

Various kinds of fatty acids are distributed in membrane phospholipids in mammalian cells and tissues. The degree of fatty acid unsaturation in membrane phospholipids affects many membrane-associated functions and can be influenced by diet and by altered activities of lipid-metabolizing enzymes such as fatty acid desaturases. However, little is known about how mammalian cells respond to changes in phospholipid fatty acid composition. In this study we showed that stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) knockdown increased the amount of saturated fatty acids and decreased that of monounsaturated fatty acids in phospholipids without affecting the amount or the composition of free fatty acid and induced unfolded protein response (UPR), evidenced by increased expression of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) and glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) mRNAs and splicing of Xbox-binding protein 1 (XBP1) mRNA. SCD1 knockdown-induced UPR was rescued by various unsaturated fatty acids and was enhanced by saturated fatty acid. Lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 3 (LPCAT3), which incorporates preferentially polyunsaturated fatty acids into phosphatidylcholine, was up-regulated in SCD1 knockdown cells. Knockdown of LPCAT3 synergistically enhanced UPR with SCD1 knockdown. Finally we showed that palmitic acid-induced UPR was significantly enhanced by LPCAT3 knockdown as well as SCD1 knockdown. These results suggest that a decrease in membrane phospholipid unsaturation induces UPR.     

未折叠蛋白应答与疾病的关系

在Ca2 稳态平衡紊乱、葡萄糖饥饿、错误折叠蛋白质的表达、蛋白质糖基化的抑制或胆固醇合成超载等胁迫条件下,会导致内质网内积累大量的未折叠蛋白质,形成内质网应激(endoplasmic reticulum stress,ERS),对细胞产生根本性的危害。在应激条件下,内质网会产生未折叠蛋白应答(unfolded protein responseUPR),通过改变细胞的转录和翻译过程来缓解内质网应激,维持细胞功能;但是,如果细胞长时间处于UPR条件下,则会诱导细胞凋亡。     

线粒体未折叠蛋白反应分子机制的研究进展

线粒体未折叠蛋白反应(UPR~(mt))作为新发现的细胞内应激机制,直接影响老化、神经退行性疾病、癌症等疾病的发生发展.UPR~(mt)是线粒体为了维持其内部蛋白质的平衡,启动由核DNA编码的线粒体热休克蛋白和蛋白酶等基因群转录活化程序的应激反应.深入探究UPR~(mt)的作用机制对阐明老化和线粒体相关疾病的发病机理具有指导意义.本文主要阐述了线粒体未折叠蛋白反应的诱导因素、线虫和哺乳动物细胞中最新的未折叠蛋白应激反应的信号传导通路、调控因子、具体作用机制以及线粒体未折叠蛋白反应与衰老、免疫等疾病的联系,旨在为这些疾病提供新的理论基础和治疗靶点.     

SirT3 Regulates the Mitochondrial Unfolded Protein Response

The mitochondria of cancer cells are characterized by elevated oxidative stress caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Such an elevation in ROS levels contributes to mitochondrial reprogramming and malignant transformation. However, high levels of ROS can cause irreversible damage to proteins, leading to their misfolding, mitochondrial stress, and ultimately cell death. Therefore, mechanisms to overcome mitochondrial stress are needed. The unfolded protein response (UPR) triggered by accumulation of misfolded proteins in the mitochondria (UPR^mt) has been reported recently. So far, the UPR^mt has been reported to involve the activation of CHOP and estrogen receptor alpha (ERα). The current study describes a novel role of the mitochondrial deacetylase SirT3 in the UPR^mt. Our data reveal that SirT3 acts to orchestrate two pathways, the antioxidant machinery and mitophagy. Inhibition of SirT3 in cells undergoing proteotoxic stress severely impairs the mitochondrial network and results in cellular death. These observations suggest that SirT3 acts to sort moderately stressed from irreversibly damaged organelles. Since SirT3 is reported to act as a tumor suppressor during transformation, our findings reveal a dual role of SirT3. This novel role of SirT3 in established tumors represents an essential mechanism of adaptation of cancer cells to proteotoxic and mitochondrial stress.