Urrutia, Raúl

Background While FOXP3 + regulatory T cell (Treg) dysfunction has been linked to human inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), molecular mechanisms for disease pathophysiology are unclear. Tregs play a vital role in maintaining self‐tolerance and homeostasis by suppressing pathological immune responses. We recently documented that the transcription factor FOXP3 via histone methyltransferase EZH2 prevents multi‐organ inflammation in mice. Here, we tested the hypothesis that a physical FOXP3‐EZH2 protein interaction is essential for gene co‐repressive function critical for human Treg physiological functions. Methods Human FOXP3 mutations clinically relevant to IBD and Immune dysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy, X‐linked [IPEX] syndrome pathogenesis were generated by site‐directed mutagenesis. T cells were isolated from human blood donors and lamina propria of Crohn's disease (CD) patients. Proximity Ligation Assay (PLA), confocal microscopy, and co‐immunoprecipitation (co‐IP) studies were performed for biochemical analysis. Dual Luciferase Reporter (DLR) Assay, Chromatin‐immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and RT‐PCR were performed to study gene regulation. Results PLA, confocal imaging and co‐IP studies revealed that constitutive FOXP3‐EZH2 interaction was uniquely abrogated by FOXP3 cysteine 232 to glycine mutation (C232G) that was previously associated with early‐onset IBD in contrast to IPEX‐inducing FOXP3 variants and wild‐type. As demonstrated by DLR experiment, C232 mutant consequently displayed impaired repression of model IL2 and IL17 promoters compared to wild‐type FOXP3. Establishing a mechanistic link between disrupted FOXP3‐EZH2 interaction and EZH2‐mediated gene repression, ChIP‐PCR revealed that C232 mutant lacked the capacity to recruit EZH2 to the IFNG locus as evident by diminished tri‐methylation of Histone 3 at lysine 27. Therefore, the impaired gene repressive function of C232 mutant is indicative of compromised Treg‐physiologic function. Exploring a generalizable mechanism, IL‐6 impaired FOXP3‐EZH2 interaction in a manner that correlated with increased tyrosine phosphorylation of FOXP3. Notably, IL‐6‐induced effects were reversed by a clinically available JAK1/2 inhibitor ruxolitinib. Remarkably, in lamina propria‐derived CD4 + T cells, reduced FOXP3‐EZH2 complex was a feature of CD patients in contrast to non‐CD control subjects. Conclusions Destabilized FOXP3‐EZH2 protein interaction and consequent impairment of EZH2‐mediated co‐repressor function may drive the pathological characteristics of intestinal inflammation. Our study indicates potential therapeutic approaches and mechanisms for improving Treg function during IBD pathogenesis via stabilizing FOXP3‐EZH2 interaction. Support or Funding Information This work was supported by NIDDK training grant T32DK007198 and the Pilot & Feasibility Award by the Center for Cell Signaling in Gastroenterology (P30DK084567) (to AOB), the National Institutes of Health NIDDK RO1 grant DK52913 (to RAU), NIAID RO1 grant AI089714 and the Leona Helmsley Charitable Trust (to WAF). This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal .

ABSTRACT Dynamin proteins containing a GTPase domain, a pleckstrin homology motif and a proline-rich tail participate in receptor-mediated endocytosis in organisms ranging from insects to vertebrates. In addition, dynaminrelated GTPases, such as the yeast Golgi protein Vps1p, which lack both the pleckstrin homology motif and the proline-rich region, participate in vesicular transport within the secretory pathway in lower eukaryotes. However, no data is available on the existence of Vps1p-like proteins in mammalian cells. In this study, we report the identification and characterization of a novel gene encoding a human dynamin-related protein, DRP1, displaying high similarity to the Golgi dynamin-like protein Vps1p from yeast and to a Caenorhabditis elegans protein deposited in the databank. These proteins are highly conserved in their N-terminal tripartite GTPase domain but lack the pleckstrin homology motif and proline-rich region. Northern blot analysis reveals that the DRP1 mRNA is detected at high levels in human muscle, heart, kidney and brain. Immunolocalization studies in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells using an epitope-tagged form of DRP1 and confocal microscopy show that this protein is concentrated in a perinuclear region that labels with the endoplasmic reticulum marker DiOC6(3) and the Golgi marker C5-DMB-Cer. In addition, the localization of DRP1 is highly similar to the localization of the endoplasmic reticulum and cis -Golgi GTPase Rab1A, but not to the staining for the trans -Golgi GTPase Rab6. Furthermore, overexpression of a cDNA encoding a GTP binding site mutant of DRP1 (DRP1K38E) in CHO cells decreases the amount of a secreted luciferase reporter protein, whereas the overexpression of wild-type DRP1 increases the secretion of this marker. Together, these results constitute the first structural and functional characterization of a mammalian protein similar to the yeast dynamin-related GTPase Vps1p and indicate that the participation of these proteins in secretion has been conserved throughout evolution.

431 Background: Patients (pts) with localized PC do not routinely undergo comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) unless they develop recurrent or metastatic disease. KRAS is the most frequently mutated gene in PC, however, the impact of different KRAS mutations in localized PC has not been well characterized. We interrogated our genomic database to analyze the KRAS status in PC pts who presented with localized disease at diagnosis (Dx). Methods: We identified PC pts at our institution who underwent CGP utilizing the Foundation One CDx assay and had localized disease at initial Dx; these pts were categorized into resectable/borderline resectable PC (LPC) and locally advanced PC (LAPC). All pts with LPC and LAPC underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy and chemoradiation prior to possible surgery (all intended therapy - AIT). Tissue from metastatic sites was used for CGP in pts who developed recurrent/metastatic disease before or after completion of AIT. The primary tumor was used for CGP in pts who completed AIT without subsequent relapse or in the absence of adequate metastatic tissue. Effect of each gene on response and survival outcomes was estimated using proportional odds and Cox regression analysis, respectively, adjusting for stage. Results: 75 pts were identified, median age at Dx was 65 years, 59% were male, 65% had a primary tumor in the pancreatic head. 38 (86%) pts with LPC completed AIT compared to 21 (68%) pts with LAPC (p<0.001). KRAS mutation was detected in 95% (71/75) of pts– 94% (67/71) in codon 12 and 6% (4/71) in codon 61. The various KRAS mutations and their association with completion of AIT is summarized in the table. The likelihood of completing AIT did not differ based on KRAS wildtype (WT) vs mutated status (p =1.00), the mutated codon (codon 12 vs. codon 61; p =1.00) or the individual KRAS point mutations (p = 0.7); however, all patients with G12A (N= 1), G12C (N=1), G12L (N=1) and G12R (N=11) mutations completed AIT. KRAS status (mutated vs. WT) and the individual KRAS mutations were not associated with overall survival (OS) after adjusting for stage (p= 0.13 and p = 0.26 respectively). Median OS for patients with LPC and LAPC, was 39 months (mos) and 29 mos respectively. Conclusions: KRAS status and individual KRAS mutations did not have an impact on completing AIT or mOS; however, these findings need to be interpreted with caution due to the inherent biases involved in such analyses. The clinical significance and functional relevance of KRAS G12A, G12C, G12L and G12R mutations, though relatively rare, needs further characterization as well as mechanistic elucidation. [Table: see text]

The current standard treatment for patients with early-stage colon cancer consists of surgical resection, followed by adjuvant therapy in a select group of patients deemed at risk of cancer recurrence. The decision to administer adjuvant therapy, intended to eradicate the clinically inapparent minimal residual disease (MRD) to achieve a cure, is guided by clinicopathologic characteristics of the tumor. However, the risk stratification based on clinicopathologic characteristics is imprecise and results in under or overtreatment in a substantial number of patients. Emerging research indicates that the circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), a fraction of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in the bloodstream that originates from the neoplastic cells and carry tumor-specific genomic alterations, is a promising surrogate marker of MRD. Several recent studies suggest that ctDNA-guided risk stratification for adjuvant therapy outperforms existing clinicopathologic prognostic indicators. Preliminary data also indicate that, aside from being a prognostic indicator, ctDNA can inform on the efficacy of adjuvant therapy, which is the underlying scientific rationale for several ongoing clinical trials evaluating ctDNA-guided therapy escalation or de-escalation. Furthermore, serial monitoring of ctDNA after completion of definitive therapy can potentially detect cancer recurrence much earlier than conventional surveillance methods that may provide a critical window of opportunity for additional curative-intent therapeutic interventions. This article presents a critical overview of published studies that evaluated the clinical utility of ctDNA in the management of patients with early-stage colon cancer, and discusses the potential of ctDNA to transform the adjuvant therapy strategies.

4050 Background: Somatic mutations in KRAS, HRAS, NRAS (extended RAS) and BRAF have prognostic and predictive impact in pts with mCRC. We analyzed the prognostic impact of specific somatic mutations in extended RAS and BRAF. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of pts with mCRC at our institution who underwent comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) utilizing the Foundation One assay. DNA was extracted from clinical specimens and CGP was performed on hybrid-capture, adaptor ligation-based libraries for up to 315 genes plus 47 introns from 19 genes frequently rearranged in cancer. BRAF mutations were classified as class I, II and III according to accepted nomenclature. Fisher’s exact test and Kaplan Meier estimates were used for statistical analyses. This project was approved by the Medical College of Wisconsin Institutional Review Board. Results: 273 pts were identified - median age at diagnosis was 57, 48% were male. Somatic mutations in extended RAS were found in 138 (50%) pts, majority being mutations in KRAS (46%). Among pts with KRAS mutations, codon 12, 13, 61 and 146 mutations accounted for 73%, 11%, 4% and 6% respectively while KRAS G12C mutations accounted for 9%. BRAF mutations were detected in 22 (8%) pts - BRAF V600E and non–V600E mutations accounting for 4.4% and 3.6% respectively. Among pts with BRAF mutations, 17 (77%) were kinase domain mutations, 16 of which could be further classified as class I (12/16), II (1/16) and III (3/16). Median overall survival (mOS) for the entire cohort was 26.4 months (mo). KRAS mutated pts had a mOS of 25.8 mo; pts with KRAS G12C mutation had a mOS of 23 mo compared to 27.1 mo for pts with other KRAS mutations (p < 0.001).Pts with BRAF mutation had a mOS of 26.2 mo; pts with BRAF V600E mutation had a mOS of 14.1 mo compared to 30.6 mo for pts with BRAF non-V600E mutations (p = 0.1). Conclusions: The poor prognosis of pts with KRAS G12C and BRAF V600E mutations compared to pts with other KRAS and BRAF mutations merit further biologic characterization with functional assays. Individualized therapeutic strategies must be conceptualized for mCRC pts with specific RAS/BRAF mutations, considering their widely disparate prognosis and putative downstream signaling mechanisms. Dynamic molecular simulation to understand conformational changes in proteins associated with specific mutations will be pivotal to optimizing precision therapeutic strategies.

PAX1deficiency causes a syndromic form of SCID by altering differentiation of thymic epithelial cells and other pharyngeal pouch tissues.

AbstractDiffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a disorder principally characterized by calcification and ossification of spinal ligaments and entheses. Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is a rare autosomal dominant disabling disorder characterized by progressive ossification of skeletal muscle, fascia, tendons, and ligaments. These conditions manifest phenotypic overlap in the ossification of tendons and ligaments. We describe herein a patient with DISH, exhibiting heterotopic ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament where clinical whole exome sequencing identified a variant within ACVR1, a gene implicated in FOP. This variant, p.K400E, is a novel variant, not identified previously, and occurs in a highly conserved region across orthologs. We used sequence‐based predicative algorithms, molecular modeling, and molecular dynamics simulations, to test the potential for p.K400E to alter the structure and dynamics of ACVR1. We applied the same modeling and simulation methods to established FOP variants, to identify the detailed effects that they have on the ACVR1 protein, as well as to act as positive controls against which the effects of p.K400E could be evaluated. Our in silico molecular analyses support p.K400E as altering the behavior of ACVR1. In addition, functional testing to measure the effect of this variant on BMP‐pSMAD 1/5/8 target genes was carried out which revealed this variant to cause increased ID1 and Msx2 expression compared with the wild‐type receptor. This analysis supports the potential for the variant of uncertain significance to contribute to the patient's phenotype.

AbstractHeterochromatin protein 1α (HP1α) is a protein that mediates cancer‐associated processes in the cell nucleus. Proteomic experiments, reported here, demonstrate that HP1α complexes with importin α (IMPα), a protein necessary for its nuclear transport. This data is congruent with Simple Linear Motif (SLiM) analyses that identify an IMPα‐binding motif within the linker that joins the two globular domains of this protein. Using molecular modeling and dynamics simulations, we develop a model of the IMPα‐HP1α complex and investigate the impact of phosphorylation and genomic variants on their interaction. We demonstrate that phosphorylation of the HP1α linker likely regulates its association with IMPα, which has implications for HP1α access to the nucleus, where it functions. Cancer‐associated genomic variants do not abolish the interaction of HP1α but instead lead to rearrangements where the variant proteins maintain interaction with IMPα, but with less specificity. Combined, this new mechanistic insight bears biochemical, cell biological, and biomedical relevance.