Genomic variants within chromosome 14q32.32 regulate bone mass through MARK3 signaling in osteoblasts

Bone mineral density (BMD) is a highly heritable predictor of osteoporotic fracture. GWAS have identified hundreds of loci influencing BMD, but few have been functionally analyzed. In this study, we show that SNPs within a BMD locus on chromosome 14q32.32 alter splicing and expression of PAR-1a/microtubule affinity regulating kinase 3 (MARK3), a conserved serine/threonine kinase known to regulate bioenergetics, cell division, and polarity. Mice lacking Mark3 either globally or selectively in osteoblasts have increased bone mass at maturity. RNA profiling from Mark3-deficient osteoblasts suggested changes in the expression of components of the Notch signaling pathway. Mark3-deficient osteoblasts exhibited greater matrix mineralization compared with controls that was accompanied by reduced Jag1/Hes1 expression and diminished downstream JNK signaling. Overexpression of Jag1 in Mark3-deficient osteoblasts both in vitro and in vivo normalized mineralization capacity and bone mass, respectively. Together, these findings reveal a mechanism whereby genetically regulated alterations in Mark3 expression perturb cell signaling in osteoblasts to influence bone mass.     

新疆克拉玛依地区的利什曼原虫及其与皮肤利什曼病的关系

应用多学科的手段，包括形态度量，对宿主的致病性和病理，组织化学，单克隆抗体检测，ＤＮＡ杂交，酶电泳分析等，从细胞水平到分子水平的不同层次，对新疆克拉玛依地区大沙鼠体内的利什曼原虫进行了研究；首次证实了我国新疆境内的大沙鼠耳组织有都兰利什曼原虫的寄生。用生态学，寄生虫与昆虫宿主的相容性等方法，确定了都兰利什曼原虫的传播媒介为蒙古白蛉和安氏白蛉，并从硕大白蛉吴氏亚种体内查见婴儿利什原虫，本文初步讨论了     

Prevalence of sleep apnea syndrome among patients with essential hypertension

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) among patients with essential hypertension. Sixteen of 50 patients with essential hypertension were suspected of having SAS based on their responses to a sleep questionnaire. Whole-night polysomnographic recordings revealed that 11 of the 16 patients, which is 22% of the initial sample, had SAS as defined by the occurrence of at least 10 apneas lasting 10 seconds each per hour of polygraphically defined sleep. The preponderant finding of SAS in this group indicates that the possibility of the syndrome should be taken into consideration in the clinical evaluation of these patients.     

Cx43 hemichannel microdomain signaling at the intercalated disc enhances cardiac excitability

Cx43, a major cardiac connexin, forms precursor hemichannels that accrue at the intercalated disc to assemble as gap junctions. While gap junctions are crucial for electrical conduction in the heart, little is known about the potential roles of hemichannels. Recent evidence suggests that inhibiting Cx43 hemichannel opening with Gap19 has antiarrhythmic effects. Here, we used multiple electrophysiology, imaging, and super-resolution techniques to understand and define the conditions underlying Cx43 hemichannel activation in ventricular cardiomyocytes, their contribution to diastolic Ca²⁺ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, and their impact on electrical stability. We showed that Cx43 hemichannels were activated during diastolic Ca²⁺ release in single ventricular cardiomyocytes and cardiomyocyte cell pairs from mice and pigs. This activation involved Cx43 hemichannel Ca²⁺ entry and coupling to Ca²⁺ release microdomains at the intercalated disc, resulting in enhanced Ca²⁺ dynamics. Hemichannel opening furthermore contributed to delayed afterdepolarizations and triggered action potentials. In single cardiomyocytes, cardiomyocyte cell pairs, and arterially perfused tissue wedges from failing human hearts, increased hemichannel activity contributed to electrical instability compared with nonfailing rejected donor hearts. We conclude that microdomain coupling between Cx43 hemichannels and Ca²⁺ release is a potentially novel, targetable mechanism of cardiac arrhythmogenesis in heart failure.     

17β-Estradiol and estrogen receptor α protect right ventricular function in pulmonary hypertension via BMPR2 and apelin

Women with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) exhibit better right ventricular (RV) function and survival than men; however, the underlying mechanisms are unknown. We hypothesized that 17β-estradiol (E2), through estrogen receptor α (ER-α), attenuates PAH-induced RV failure (RVF) by upregulating the procontractile and prosurvival peptide apelin via a BMPR2-dependent mechanism. We found that ER-α and apelin expression were decreased in RV homogenates from patients with RVF and from rats with maladaptive (but not adaptive) RV remodeling. RV cardiomyocyte apelin abundance increased in vivo or in vitro after treatment with E2 or ER-α agonist. Studies employing ER-α–null or ER-β–null mice, ER-α loss-of-function mutant rats, or siRNA demonstrated that ER-α is necessary for E2 to upregulate RV apelin. E2 and ER-α increased BMPR2 in pulmonary hypertension RVs and in isolated RV cardiomyocytes, associated with ER-α binding to the Bmpr2 promoter. BMPR2 is required for E2-mediated increases in apelin abundance, and both BMPR2 and apelin are necessary for E2 to exert RV-protective effects. E2 or ER-α agonist rescued monocrotaline pulmonary hypertension and restored RV apelin and BMPR2. We identified what we believe to be a novel cardioprotective E2/ER-α/BMPR2/apelin axis in the RV. Harnessing this axis may lead to novel RV-targeted therapies for PAH patients of either sex.     

The loss-of-function PCSK9Q152H variant increases ER chaperones GRP78 and GRP94 and protects against liver injury

Individuals harboring the loss-of-function (LOF) proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 Gln152His variation (PCSK9^Q152H) have low circulating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and are therefore protected against cardiovascular disease (CVD). This uncleavable form of proPCSK9, however, is retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of liver hepatocytes, where it would be expected to contribute to ER storage disease (ERSD), a heritable condition known to cause systemic ER stress and liver injury. Here, we examined liver function in members of several French-Canadian families known to carry the PCSK9^Q152H variation. We report that PCSK9^Q152H carriers exhibited marked hypocholesterolemia and normal liver function despite their lifelong state of ER PCSK9 retention. Mechanistically, hepatic overexpression of PCSK9^Q152H using adeno-associated viruses in male mice greatly increased the stability of key ER stress-response chaperones in liver hepatocytes and unexpectedly protected against ER stress and liver injury rather than inducing them. Our findings show that ER retention of PCSK9 not only reduced CVD risk in patients but may also protect against ERSD and other ER stress–driven conditions of the liver. In summary, we have uncovered a cochaperone function for PCSK9^Q152H that explains its hepatoprotective effects and generated a translational mouse model for further mechanistic insights into this clinically relevant LOF PCSK9 variant.     

DNA methylome reveals cellular origin of cell-free DNA in spent medium of human preimplantation embryos

The discovery of embryonic cell–free DNA (cfDNA) in spent embryo culture media (SECM) has brought hope for noninvasive preimplantation genetic testing. However, the cellular origins of SECM cfDNA are not sufficiently understood, and methods for determining maternal DNA contamination are limited. Here, we performed whole-genome DNA methylation sequencing for SECM cfDNA. Our results demonstrated that SECM cfDNA was derived from blastocysts, cumulus cells, and polar bodies. We identified the cumulus-specific differentially methylated regions (DMRs) and oocyte/polar body–specific DMRs, and established an algorithm for deducing the cumulus, polar body, and net maternal DNA contamination ratios in SECM. We showed that DNA methylation sequencing accurately detected chromosome aneuploidy in SECM and distinguished SECM samples with low and high false negative rates and gender discordance rates, after integrating the origin analysis. Our work provides insights into the characterization of embryonic DNA in SECM and provides a perspective for noninvasive preimplantation genetic testing in reproductive medicine.     

Efficient maternal to neonatal transfer of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine

BACKGROUNDThe significant risks posed to mothers and fetuses by COVID-19 in pregnancy have sparked a worldwide debate surrounding the pros and cons of antenatal SARS-CoV-2 inoculation, as we lack sufficient evidence regarding vaccine effectiveness in pregnant women and their offspring. We aimed to provide substantial evidence for the effect of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine versus native infection on maternal humoral, as well as transplacentally acquired fetal immune response, potentially providing newborn protection.METHODSA multicenter study where parturients presenting for delivery were recruited at 8 medical centers across Israel and assigned to 3 study groups: vaccinated (n = 86); PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infected during pregnancy (n = 65), and unvaccinated noninfected controls (n = 62). Maternal and fetal blood samples were collected from parturients prior to delivery and from the umbilical cord following delivery, respectively. Sera IgG and IgM titers were measured using the Milliplex MAP SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Panel (for S1, S2, RBD, and N).RESULTSThe BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine elicits strong maternal humoral IgG response (anti-S and RBD) that crosses the placenta barrier and approaches maternal titers in the fetus within 15 days following the first dose. Maternal to neonatal anti-COVID-19 antibodies ratio did not differ when comparing sensitization (vaccine vs. infection). IgG transfer ratio at birth was significantly lower for third-trimester as compared with second trimester infection. Lastly, fetal IgM response was detected in 5 neonates, all in the infected group.CONCLUSIONAntenatal BNT162b2 mRNA vaccination induces a robust maternal humoral response that effectively transfers to the fetus, supporting the role of vaccination during pregnancy.FUNDINGIsrael Science Foundation and the Weizmann Institute Fondazione Henry Krenter.     

Regulation of intercellular biomolecule transfer–driven tumor angiogenesis and responses to anticancer therapies

Intercellular biomolecule transfer (ICBT) between malignant and benign cells is a major driver of tumor growth, resistance to anticancer therapies, and therapy-triggered metastatic disease. Here we characterized cholesterol 25-hydroxylase (CH25H) as a key genetic suppressor of ICBT between malignant and endothelial cells (ECs) and of ICBT-driven angiopoietin-2–dependent activation of ECs, stimulation of intratumoral angiogenesis, and tumor growth. Human CH25H was downregulated in the ECs from patients with colorectal cancer and the low levels of stromal CH25H were associated with a poor disease outcome. Knockout of endothelial CH25H stimulated angiogenesis and tumor growth in mice. Pharmacologic inhibition of ICBT by reserpine compensated for CH25H loss, elicited angiostatic effects (alone or combined with sunitinib), augmented the therapeutic effect of radio-/chemotherapy, and prevented metastatic disease induced by these regimens. We propose inhibiting ICBT to improve the overall efficacy of anticancer therapies and limit their prometastatic side effects.