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DNA methyltransferase inhibitors (DNMTis) reexpress hypermethylated genes in cancers and leukemias and also activate endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), leading to interferon (IFN) signaling, in a process known as viral mimicry. In the present study we show that in the subset of acute myeloid leukemias (AMLs) with mutations in

Neutrophil generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is enhanced by exposure to pro-inflammatory agents in a process termed priming. Priming is depending on exocytosis of neutrophil granules and p47phox phosphorylation-dependent translocation of cytosolic NADPH oxidase components. Clathrin-mediated endocytosis was recently reported to be necessary for priming, but the mechanism linking endocytosis to priming was not identified. The present study examined the hypothesis that endocytosis regulates neutrophil priming by controlling granule exocytosis. Clathrin-mediated endocytosis by isolated human neutrophils was inhibited by chlorpromazine, monodansylcadaverine, and sucrose. Exocytosis of granule subsets was measured as release of granule components by ELISA or chemiluminescence. ROS generation was measured as extracellular release of superoxide as reduction of ferrocytochrome c. p38 MAPK activation and p47phox phosphorylation were measured by immunoblot analysis. Statistical analysis was performed using a one-way ANOVA with the Tukey–Kramer multiple-comparison test. Inhibition of endocytosis prevented priming of superoxide release by TNFα and inhibited TNFα stimulation and priming of exocytosis of all four granule subsets. Inhibition of endocytosis did not reduce TNFα-stimulated p38 MAPK activation or p47phox phosphorylation. Inhibition of NADPH oxidase activity blocked TNFα stimulation of secretory vesicle and gelatinase granule exocytosis. Endocytosis is linked to priming of respiratory burst activity through ROS-mediated control of granule exocytosis.

The GATA and PAX-SIX-EYA-DACH (PSEDN) transcriptional networks are essential for proper development across taxa. Here we demonstrate novel PSEDN roles in vivo in Drosophila hematopoiesis and in human erythropoiesis in vitro. Using Drosophila genetics, we show that PSEDN members function with GATA to block lamellocyte differentiation and maintain the prohemocyte pool. Overexpression of human SIX1 stimulated erythroid differentiation of human erythroleukemia TF1 cells and primary hematopoietic stem-progenitor cells. Conversely, SIX1 knockout impaired erythropoiesis in both cell types. SIX1 stimulation of erythropoiesis required GATA1, as SIX1 overexpression failed to drive erythroid phenotypes and gene expression patterns in GATA1 knockout cells. SIX1 can associate with GATA1 and stimulate GATA1-mediated gene transcription, suggesting SIX1-GATA1 physical interactions contribute to the observed functional interactions. In addition, both fly and human SIX proteins regulated GATA protein levels. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that SIX proteins enhance GATA function at multiple levels and reveal evolutionarily conserved cooperation between the GATA and PSEDN networks that may regulate developmental processes beyond hematopoiesis.

Neutrophil granule exocytosis plays an important role in innate and adaptive immune responses. The present study examined TNF-α stimulation or priming of exocytosis of the 4 neutrophil granule subsets. TNF-α stimulated exocytosis of secretory vesicles and gelatinase granules and primed specific and azurophilic granule exocytosis to fMLF stimulation. Both stimulation and priming of exocytosis by TNF-α were dependent on p38 MAPK activity. Bioinformatic analysis of 1115 neutrophil proteins identified by mass spectrometry as being phosphorylated by TNF-α exposure found that actin cytoskeleton regulation was a major biologic function. A role for p38 MAPK regulation of the actin cytoskeleton was confirmed experimentally. Thirteen phosphoproteins regulated secretory vesicle quantity, formation, or release, 4 of which—Raf1, myristoylated alanine-rich protein kinase C (PKC) substrate (MARCKS), Abelson murine leukemia interactor 1 (ABI1), and myosin VI—were targets of the p38 MAPK pathway. Pharmacologic inhibition of Raf1 reduced stimulated exocytosis of gelatinase granules and priming of specific granule exocytosis. We conclude that differential regulation of exocytosis by TNF-α involves the actin cytoskeleton and is a necessary component for priming of the 2 major neutrophil antimicrobial defense mechanisms: oxygen radical generation and release of toxic granule contents.

Acute glomerulonephritis is characterized by rapid glomerular neutrophil recruitment, proteinuria, and glomerular hypercellularity. The current study tested the hypothesis that the release of neutrophil granule contents plays a role in both the loss of filtration barrier leading to proteinuria and the increase in glomerular cells. Inhibition of neutrophil exocytosis with a peptide inhibitor prevented proteinuria and attenuated podocyte and endothelial cell injury but had no effect on glomerular hypercellularity in an experimental acute glomerulonephritis model in mice. Cultivation of podocytes with neutrophil granule contents disrupted cytoskeletal organization, an in vitro model for podocyte effacement and loss of filtration barrier. Activated, cultured podocytes released cytokines that stimulated neutrophil chemotaxis, primed respiratory burst activity, and stimulated neutrophil exocytosis. We conclude that crosstalk between podocytes and neutrophils contributes to disruption of the glomerular filtration barrier in acute glomerulonephritis. Neutrophil granule products induce podocyte injury but do not participate in the proliferative response of intrinsic glomerular cells.

Prostate cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men in the United States. A large number of patients undergo radiation therapy (RT) as a standard care of treatment; however, RT causes erectile dysfunction (radiation-induced erectile dysfunction; RiED) because of late side effects after RT that significantly affects quality of life of prostate cancer patients. Within 5 years of RT, approximately 50% of patients could develop RiED. Based on the past and current research findings and number of publications from our group, the precise mechanism of RiED is under exploration in detail. Recent investigations have shown prostate RT induces significant morphologic arterial damage with aberrant alterations in internal pudendal arterial tone. Prostatic RT also reduces motor function in the cavernous nerve which may attribute to axonal degeneration may contributing to RiED. Furthermore, the advances in radiogenomics such as radiation induced somatic mutation identification, copy number variation and genome-wide association studies has significantly facilitated identification of biomarkers that could be used to monitoring radiation-induced late toxicity and damage to the nerves; thus, genomic- and proteomic-based biomarkers could greatly improve treatment and minimize arterial tissue and nerve damage. Further, advanced technologies such as proton beam therapy that precisely target tumor and significantly reduce off-target damage to vital organs and healthy tissues. In this review, we summarize recent advances in RiED research and novel treatment modalities for RiED. We also discuss the possible molecular mechanism involved in the development of RiED in prostate cancer patients. Further, we discuss various readily available methods as well as novel strategies such as stem cell therapies, shockwave therapy, nerve grafting with tissue engineering, and nutritional supplementations might be used to mitigate or cure sexual dysfunction following radiation treatment.

Germ cells give rise to the next generation and contain ribonucleoprotein particles, germ granules. In these granules, Piwi protein Aubergine has been shown to interact with Tudor protein in Drosophila. Tudor protein has eleven Tudor domains and it has been unclear to what extent all these domains are involved in the interaction with Aubergine. Here we present direct biochemical evidence that Tudor - Aubergine interaction surface is composed of different Tudor domains including those that have not been previously implicated in Aubergine recognition. Furthermore, we show that specific single Tudor domains determine localization of Tudor complex to different sites in ovarian germ cells. Our data suggest that multiple Tudor domains of germline proteins from various species are redundantly used for interaction with the same protein partner during germline development.