Dlx homeobox genes, RANK/RANKL signaling and osteosarcomas

L’ostéosarcome (OS), plus fréquente des tumeurs osseuses primitives malignes, se caractérise par une croissance ostéoïde parfois associée à une ostéolyse. Malgré les avancées thérapeutiques, le taux de survie reste faible (30 % à 5 ans si métastases ou chimiorésis-tances). De nouvelles approches thérapeutiques ciblant la cellule tumorale et son environnement sont néces-saires. Les travaux présentés se sont intéressés aux poten-tiels facteurs pro-tumoraux que sont les gènes Dlx et à une signalisation clé de l’environnement osseux (RANKL/RANK) susceptible d’influer l’agressivité tumo-rale. L’OS étant une tumeur ostéoblastique, la famille Dlx a été choisie, car impliquée dans l’ostéoblasto-genèse, et la signalisation RANKL/RANK, car voie car-dinale du couplage entre ostéoblastes et ostéoclastes. De plus un lien entre Dlx et signalisation RANK était suspecté. Les gènes Dlx1, Dlx4 et Rank non-exprimés dans l’ostéoblaste sain le sont dans les lignées d’OS. Des modulations d’expression des Dlx et de Rank ont été réalisées afin d’en évaluer l’impact sur les cellules tumo-rales. L’implication de la signalisation RANK/RANKL dans le microenvironnement tumoral a été analysée. La perturbation du remodelage est en faveur de la tumeur en participant à l’établissement d’un cercle vicieux entre la tumeur et l’environnement. Les travaux ont établi l’implication des Dlx, surtout Dlx4 pour lequel un nouveau transcrit codant a été ca-ractérisé. Cependant des études supplémentaires sont nécessaires. Concernant la signalisation RANK/RANKL, il s’avère qu’au-delà du cercle vicieux, important au stade d’initiation tumorale, l’expression de RANK par la tumeur s’avère être un facteur pro-métastatique.Osteosarcoma (OS), the most common malignant primary bone tumor, is characterized by an osteoid formation occasionally associated with osteolysis. De-spite therapeutic advances, the 5-years survival rate remains low (30% in case of metastasis or drug-resistance). New therapeutic approaches targeting the tumor cell and its environment are needed. Presented studies focused on potential pro-tumor factors namely Dlx genes and a key signaling pathway of the bone environment (RANKL / RANK) that may influence tumor aggressiveness. The OS is an osteo-blastic tumor and Dlx family was chosen due to its in-volvement in osteoblastogenesis. RANKL / RANK path-way was selected as it constitutes a main element in the coupling between osteoblasts and osteoclasts. A link between Dlx genes and RANK signaling was suspected. Dlx1, Dlx4 and Rank genes are not normally ex-pressed in osteoblasts but are present in the OS cell lines. Dlx and Rank expression modulations were real-ized to assess the impact on tumor cells. RANK / RANKL signaling involvement in the tumor microenvi-ronment was analyzed. Disruption of remodeling is in favor of the tumor taking part in the establishment of a vicious circle between tumor and environment. This work established the involvement of Dlx, espe-cially DLX4 to which a new coding transcript has been characterized. However, additional studies are needed. Regarding the RANK / RANKL signaling, it turns out that beyond the vicious circle, leading to tumor initiation stage, the RANK expression by the tumor proves to be pro-metastatic elements

Dlx homeobox genes, RANK/RANKL signaling and osteosarcomas

L’ostéosarcome (OS), plus fréquente des tumeurs osseuses primitives malignes, se caractérise par une croissance ostéoïde parfois associée à une ostéolyse. Malgré les avancées thérapeutiques, le taux de survie reste faible (30 % à 5 ans si métastases ou chimiorésis-tances). De nouvelles approches thérapeutiques ciblant la cellule tumorale et son environnement sont néces-saires. Les travaux présentés se sont intéressés aux poten-tiels facteurs pro-tumoraux que sont les gènes Dlx et à une signalisation clé de l’environnement osseux (RANKL/RANK) susceptible d’influer l’agressivité tumo-rale. L’OS étant une tumeur ostéoblastique, la famille Dlx a été choisie, car impliquée dans l’ostéoblasto-genèse, et la signalisation RANKL/RANK, car voie car-dinale du couplage entre ostéoblastes et ostéoclastes. De plus un lien entre Dlx et signalisation RANK était suspecté. Les gènes Dlx1, Dlx4 et Rank non-exprimés dans l’ostéoblaste sain le sont dans les lignées d’OS. Des modulations d’expression des Dlx et de Rank ont été réalisées afin d’en évaluer l’impact sur les cellules tumo-rales. L’implication de la signalisation RANK/RANKL dans le microenvironnement tumoral a été analysée. La perturbation du remodelage est en faveur de la tumeur en participant à l’établissement d’un cercle vicieux entre la tumeur et l’environnement. Les travaux ont établi l’implication des Dlx, surtout Dlx4 pour lequel un nouveau transcrit codant a été ca-ractérisé. Cependant des études supplémentaires sont nécessaires. Concernant la signalisation RANK/RANKL, il s’avère qu’au-delà du cercle vicieux, important au stade d’initiation tumorale, l’expression de RANK par la tumeur s’avère être un facteur pro-métastatique.Osteosarcoma (OS), the most common malignant primary bone tumor, is characterized by an osteoid formation occasionally associated with osteolysis. De-spite therapeutic advances, the 5-years survival rate remains low (30% in case of metastasis or drug-resistance). New therapeutic approaches targeting the tumor cell and its environment are needed. Presented studies focused on potential pro-tumor factors namely Dlx genes and a key signaling pathway of the bone environment (RANKL / RANK) that may influence tumor aggressiveness. The OS is an osteo-blastic tumor and Dlx family was chosen due to its in-volvement in osteoblastogenesis. RANKL / RANK path-way was selected as it constitutes a main element in the coupling between osteoblasts and osteoclasts. A link between Dlx genes and RANK signaling was suspected. Dlx1, Dlx4 and Rank genes are not normally ex-pressed in osteoblasts but are present in the OS cell lines. Dlx and Rank expression modulations were real-ized to assess the impact on tumor cells. RANK / RANKL signaling involvement in the tumor microenvi-ronment was analyzed. Disruption of remodeling is in favor of the tumor taking part in the establishment of a vicious circle between tumor and environment. This work established the involvement of Dlx, espe-cially DLX4 to which a new coding transcript has been characterized. However, additional studies are needed. Regarding the RANK / RANKL signaling, it turns out that beyond the vicious circle, leading to tumor initiation stage, the RANK expression by the tumor proves to be pro-metastatic elements

Bone resorption: an actor of dental and periodontal development?

International audienceDental and periodontal tissue development is a complex process involving various cell-types. A finely orchestrated network of communications between these cells is implicated. During early development, communications between cells from the oral epithelium and the underlying mesenchyme govern the dental morphogenesis with successive bud, cap and bell stages. Later, interactions between epithelial and mesenchymal cells occur during dental root elongation. Root elongation and tooth eruption require resorption of surrounding alveolar bone to occur. For years, it was postulated that signaling molecules secreted by dental and periodontal cells control bone resorbing osteoclast precursor recruitment and differentiation. Reverse signaling originating from bone cells (osteoclasts and osteoblasts) toward dental cells was not suspected. Dental defects reported in osteopetrosis were associated with mechanical stress secondary to defective bone resorption. In the last decade, consequences of bone resorption over-activation on dental and periodontal tissue formation have been analyzed with transgenic animals (RANK (Tg) and Opg (-∕-) mice). Results suggest the existence of signals originating from osteoclasts toward dental and periodontal cells. Meanwhile, experiments consisting in transitory inhibition of bone resorption during root elongation, achieved with bone resorption inhibitors having different mechanisms of action (bisphosphonates and RANKL blocking antibodies), have evidenced dental and periodontal defects that support the presence of signals originating bone cells toward dental cells. The aim of the present manuscript is to present the data we have collected in the last years that support the hypothesis of a role of bone resorption in dental and periodontal development

Contribution of the SYK Tyrosine kinase expression to human iNKT self-reactivity

International audienceInvariant Natural Killer T (iNKT) cells are particular T lymphocytes at the frontier between innate and adaptative immunities. They participate in the elimination of pathogens or tumor cells, but also in the development of allergic reactions and autoimmune diseases. From their first descriptions, the phenomenon of self-reactivity has been described. Indeed, they are able to recognize exogenous and endogenous lipids. However, the mechanisms underlying the self-reactivity are still largely unknown, particularly in humans. Using a CD1d tetramer-based sensitive immunomagnetic approach, we generated self-reactive iNKT cell lines from blood circulating iNKT cells of healthy donors. Analysis of their functional characteristics in vitro showed that these cells recognized endoge-nous lipids presented by CD1d molecules through their TCR that do not correspond to α-glycosylceramides. TCR sequencing and transcriptomic analysis of T cell clones revealed that a particular TCR signature and an expression of the SYK protein kinase were two mechanisms supporting human iNKT self-reactivity. The SYK expression, strong in the most self-reactive iNKT clones and variable in ex vivo isolated iNKT cells, seems to decrease the activation threshold of iNKT cells and increase their overall antigenic sensitivity. This study indicates that a modulation of the TCR intracellular signal contributes to iNKT self-reactivity

Ex vivo evolution of human antibodies by CRISPR-X: from a naive B cell repertoire to affinity matured antibodies

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Maternal RANKL Reduces the Osteopetrotic Phenotype of Null Mutant Mouse Pups

International audienceRANKL signalization is implicated in the morphogenesis of various organs, including the skeleton. Mice invalidated for Rankl present an osteopetrotic phenotype that was less severe than anticipated, depending on RANKL's implication in morphogenesis. The hypothesis of an attenuated phenotype, as a result of compensation during gestation by RANKL of maternal origin, was thus brought into question. In order to answer this question, Rankl null mutant pups from null mutant parents were generated, and the phenotype analyzed. The results validated the presence of a more severe osteopetrotic phenotype in the second-generation null mutant with perinatal lethality. The experiments also confirmed that RANKL signalization plays a part in the morphogenesis of skeletal elements through its involvement in cell-to-cell communication, such as in control of osteoclast differentiation. To conclude, we have demonstrated that the phenotype associated with Rankl invalidation is attenuated through compensation by RANKL of maternal origin

The Intrinsic and Extrinsic Implications of RANKL/RANK Signaling in Osteosarcoma: From Tumor Initiation to Lung Metastases

Background: Osteosarcoma is the most frequent form of malignant pediatric bone tumor. Despite the current therapeutic arsenal, patient life-expectancy remains low if metastases are detected at the time of diagnosis, justifying research into better knowledge at all stages of osteosarcoma ontogenesis and identification of new therapeutic targets. Receptor Activator of Nuclear factor κB (RANK)expression has been reported in osteosarcoma cells, raising the question of Receptor Activator of Nuclear factor κB Ligand (RANKL)/RANK signaling implications in these tumor cells (intrinsic), in addition to previously reported implications through osteoclast activation in the tumor microenvironment (extrinsic). Methods: Based on in vitro and in vivo experimentations using human and mouse osteosarcoma cell lines, the consequences on the main cellular processes of RANK expression in osteosarcoma cells were analyzed. Results: The results revealed that RANK expression had no impact on cell proliferation and tumor growth, but stimulated cellular differentiation and, in an immune-compromised environment, increased the number of lung metastases. The analysis of RANKL, RANK and osteoprotegerin (OPG) expressions in biopsies of a cohort of patients revealed that while RANK expression in osteosarcoma cells was not significantly different between patients with or without metastases at the time of diagnosis, the OPG/RANK ratio decreased significantly. Conclusion: Altogether, these results are in favor of RANKL-RANK signaling inhibition as an adjuvant for the treatment of osteosarcoma

Bi-allelic variants in DOHH, catalyzing the last step of hypusine biosynthesis, are associated with a neurodevelopmental disorder

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Bi-allelic variants in DOHH, catalyzing the last step of hypusine biosynthesis, are associated with a neurodevelopmental disorder

Deoxyhypusine hydroxylase (DOHH) is the enzyme catalyzing the second step in the post-translational synthesis of hypusine [Nε-(4-amino-2-hydroxybutyl)lysine] in the eukaryotic initiation factor 5A (eIF5A). Hypusine is formed exclusively in eIF5A by two sequential enzymatic steps catalyzed by deoxyhypusine synthase (DHPS) and deoxyhypusine hydroxylase (DOHH). Hypusinated eIF5A is essential for translation and cell proliferation in eukaryotes, and all three genes encoding eIF5A, DHPS, and DOHH are highly conserved throughout eukaryotes. Pathogenic variants affecting either DHPS or EIF5A have been previously associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. Using trio exome sequencing, we identified rare bi-allelic pathogenic missense and truncating DOHH variants segregating with disease in five affected individuals from four unrelated families. The DOHH variants are associated with a neurodevelopmental phenotype that is similar to phenotypes caused by DHPS or EIF5A variants and includes global developmental delay, intellectual disability, facial dysmorphism, and microcephaly. A two-dimensional gel analyses revealed the accumulation of deoxyhypusine-containing eIF5A [eIF5A(Dhp)] and a reduction in the hypusinated eIF5A in fibroblasts derived from affected individuals, providing biochemical evidence for deficiency of DOHH activity in cells carrying the bi-allelic DOHH variants. Our data suggest that rare bi-allelic variants in DOHH result in reduced enzyme activity, limit the hypusination of eIF5A, and thereby lead to a neurodevelopmental disorder