HSD17B7 gene in self-renewal and oncogenicity of keratinocytes from Black versus White populations.

Human populations of Black African ancestry have a relatively high risk of aggressive cancer types, including keratinocyte-derived squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). We show that primary keratinocytes (HKCs) from Black African (Black) versus White Caucasian (White) individuals have on average higher oncogenic and self-renewal potential, which are inversely related to mitochondrial electron transfer chain activity and ATP and ROS production. HSD17B7 is the top-ranked differentially expressed gene in HKCs and Head/Neck SCCs from individuals of Black African versus Caucasian ancestries, with several ancestry-specific eQTLs linked to its expression. Mirroring the differences between Black and White HKCs, modulation of the gene, coding for an enzyme involved in sex steroid and cholesterol biosynthesis, determines HKC and SCC cell proliferation and oncogenicity as well as mitochondrial OXPHOS activity. Overall, the findings point to a targetable determinant of cancer susceptibility among different human populations, amenable to prevention and management of the disease

In-silico prediction of dual function of DksA like hypothetical protein in V. cholerae O395 genome.

Cholera, an acute infection of the small intestine, is caused by Vibrio cholerae. The present study identified a hypothetical protein in V. cholerae O395, which was predicted to be acquired through horizontal gene transfer the origin of which was found to be from a phage. Its expression was further confirmed by RT-PCR. Homology based 3D model of the hypothetical protein indicated DksA like homologue. Protein binding site of 3D-model revealed a deep cleft which may influence the dimer formation and interaction with ds-DNA molecule. Also, canonical function of direct interaction with RNA polymerase (RNAP) holoenzyme in complex with ppGpp suggests its dual role in the pathogenesis of cholera

Nitric Oxide Sensing through 1,2,3,4-Oxatriazole Formation from Acylhydrazide: A Kinetic Study.

A simple molecular probe displays highly selective turn-on response toward NO by the unprecedented NO-induced formation of a 1,2,3,4-oxatriazole ring exhibiting no interference from various endogenous biomolecules including DHA, AA, etc. Kinetics of the reactions between NO and the probe provide a mechanistic insight into the formation of 1,2,3,4-oxatriazole which showed that, though initially 1,2,3,4-oxatriazole is formed and extractable in solid form, it exists in equilibrium with the ring opened azide form which ultimately hydrolyzed and converted to carboxylic acid and nitrate. The reaction displays second-order dependence on [NO] and first-order on [Probe]. The probe is water-soluble, cell permeable, and noncytotoxic and appropriates for live cell imaging. This constitutes the first report where there is a direct evidence of NO-induced ring closing reaction of an acyl hydrazide moiety leading to the formation of 1,2,3,4-oxatriazole

Phenazine-Embedded Copper(II) Complex as a Fluorescent Probe for the Detection of NO and HNO with a Bioimaging Application.

We report a novel phenazine-embedded fluorescent probe (2-[2-(pyridin-2-ylmethoxy)-phenyl]-1H-imidazo[4,5-b]phenazine, PIP), which upon complexation with Cu(II)-ion-forming [(PIP)Cu <sup>II</sup> (Cl)] becomes nonfluorescent but regenerates fluorescence in a selective reaction with NO and HNO over different biologically reactive oxygen and nitrogen (ROS/RNS) species under physiological conditions. The fluorescence intensity of PIP gets quenched due to the formation of the [(PIP)Cu <sup>II</sup> (Cl)] complex, which regenerates the fluorescence by 67 and 84% upon reaction either with NO or HNO, respectively, in the presence of other biological reducing species. Details of photophysical properties of PIP, [(PIP)Cu <sup>II</sup> (Cl)], and [(PIP)Cu <sup>I</sup> ] have been studied by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The recognition efficacy of [(PIP)Cu <sup>II</sup> (Cl)] for exogenous and endogenous NO and HNO in A549 and RAW 264.7 cells with the flow cytometry application has also been demonstrated successfully

N-Nitrosation Based Fluorescence Turn-On Nitric Oxide Probe: Kinetic and Cell Imaging Studies.

Nitric oxide (NO) is a ubiquitous messenger molecule playing a key role in various physiological and pathological processes. However, producing a selective turn-on fluorescence response to NO is a challenging task due to (a) the very short half-life of NO (typically in the range of 0.1-10 s) in the biological milieu and (b) false positive responses to reactive carbonyl species (RCS) (e.g., dehydroascorbic acid and methylglyoxal etc.) and some other reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS), especially with o-phenylenediamine (OPD) based fluorosensors. To avoid these limitations, NO sensors should be designed in such a way that they react spontaneously with NO to give turn-on response within the time frame of t <sub>1/2</sub> (typically in the range of 0.1-10 s) of NO and λ <sub>em</sub> in the visible wavelength along with good cell permeability to achieve biocompatibility. With these views in mind, a N-nitrosation based fluorescent sensor, NDAQ, has been developed that is highly selective to NO with ∼27-fold fluorescence enhancement at λ <sub>em</sub> = 542 nm with high sensitivity (LOD = 7 ± 0.4 nM) and shorter response time, eliminating the interference of other reactive species (RCS/ROS/RNS). Furthermore, all the photophysical studies with NDAQ have been performed in 98% aqueous medium at physiological pH, indicating its good stability under physiological conditions. The kinetic assay illustrates the second-order dependency with respect to NO concentration and first-order dependency with respect to NDAQ concentration. The biological studies reveal the successful application of the probe to track both endogenous and exogenous NO in living organisms

CSL controls telomere maintenance and genome stability in human dermal fibroblasts.

Genomic instability is a hallmark of cancer. Whether it also occurs in Cancer Associated Fibroblasts (CAFs) remains to be carefully investigated. Loss of CSL/RBP-Jκ, the effector of canonical NOTCH signaling with intrinsic transcription repressive function, causes conversion of dermal fibroblasts into CAFs. Here, we find that CSL down-modulation triggers DNA damage, telomere loss and chromosome end fusions that also occur in skin Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC)-associated CAFs, in which CSL is decreased. Separately from its role in transcription, we show that CSL is part of a multiprotein telomere protective complex, binding directly and with high affinity to telomeric DNA as well as to UPF1 and Ku70/Ku80 proteins and being required for their telomere association. Taken together, the findings point to a central role of CSL in telomere homeostasis with important implications for genomic instability of cancer stromal cells and beyond

Androgen receptor functions as transcriptional repressor of cancer-associated fibroblast activation.

The aging-associated increase of cancer risk is linked with stromal fibroblast senescence and concomitant cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) activation. Surprisingly little is known about the role of androgen receptor (AR) signaling in this context. We have found downmodulated AR expression in dermal fibroblasts underlying premalignant skin cancer lesions (actinic keratoses and dysplastic nevi) as well as in CAFs from the 3 major skin cancer types, squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), basal cell carcinomas, and melanomas. Functionally, decreased AR expression in primary human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) from multiple individuals induced early steps of CAF activation, and in an orthotopic skin cancer model, AR loss in HDFs enhanced tumorigenicity of SCC and melanoma cells. Forming a complex, AR converged with CSL/RBP-Jκ in transcriptional repression of key CAF effector genes. AR and CSL were positive determinants of each other's expression, with BET inhibitors, which counteract the effects of decreased CSL, restoring AR expression and activity in CAFs. Increased AR expression in these cells overcame the consequences of CSL loss and was by itself sufficient to block the growth and tumor-enhancing effects of CAFs on neighboring cancer cells. As such, the findings establish AR as a target for stroma-focused cancer chemoprevention and treatment

In-Silico Structural and Functional Characterization of a V. cholerae O395 Hypothetical Protein Containing a PDZ1 and an Uncommon Protease Domain

Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of epidemic cholera, has been a constant source of concern for decades. It has constantly evolved itself in order to survive the changing environment. Acquisition of new genetic elements through genomic islands has played a major role in its evolutionary process. In this present study a hypothetical protein was identified which was present in one of the predicted genomic island regions of the large chromosome of V. cholerae O395 showing a strong homology with a conserved phage encoded protein. In-silico physicochemical analysis revealed that the hypothetical protein was a periplasmic protein. Homology modeling study indicated that the hypothetical protein was an unconventional and atypical serine protease belonging to HtrA protein family. The predicted 3D-model of the hypothetical protein revealed a catalytic centre serine utilizing a single catalytic residue for proteolysis. The predicted catalytic triad may help to deduce the active site for the recruitment of the substrate for proteolysis. The active site arrangements of this predicted serine protease homologue with atypical catalytic triad is expected to allow these proteases to work in different environments of the host