KDR Identifies a Conserved Human and Murine Hepatic Progenitor and Instructs Early Liver Development

SummaryUnderstanding the fetal hepatic niche is essential for optimizing the generation of functional hepatocyte-like cells (hepatic cells) from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). Here, we show that KDR (VEGFR2/FLK-1), previously assumed to be mostly restricted to mesodermal lineages, marks a hESC-derived hepatic progenitor. hESC-derived endoderm cells do not express KDR but, when cultured in media supporting hepatic differentiation, generate KDR+ hepatic progenitors and KDR− hepatic cells. KDR+ progenitors require active KDR signaling both to instruct their own differentiation into hepatic cells and to non-cell-autonomously support the functional maturation of cocultured KDR− hepatic cells. Analysis of human fetal livers suggests that similar progenitors are present in human livers. Lineage tracing in mice provides in vivo evidence of a KDR+ hepatic progenitor for fetal hepatoblasts, adult hepatocytes, and adult cholangiocytes. Altogether, our findings reveal that KDR is a conserved marker for endoderm-derived hepatic progenitors and a functional receptor instructing early liver development

Nuclear Distributions of NUP62 and NUP214 Suggest Architectural Diversity and Spatial Patterning among Nuclear Pore Complexes

The shape of nuclei in many adherent cultured cells approximates an oblate ellipsoid, with contralateral flattened surfaces facing the culture plate or the medium. Observations of cultured cell nuclei from orthogonal perspectives revealed that nucleoporin p62 (NUP62) and nucleoporin 214 (NUP214) are differentially distributed between nuclear pore complexes on the flattened surfaces and peripheral rim of the nucleus. High resolution stimulated emission depletion (STED) immunofluorescence microscopy resolved individual NPCs, and suggested both heterogeneity and microheterogeneity in NUP62 and NUP214 immunolabeling among in NPC populations. Similar to nuclear domains and interphase chromosome territories, architectural diversity and spatial patterning of NPCs may be an intrinsic property of the nucleus that is linked to the functions and organization of underlying chromatin

Results of a phase 1, randomized, placebocontrolled first-in-human trial of griffithsin formulated in a carrageenan vaginal gel

HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is dominated by clinical therapeutic antiretroviral (ARV) drugs. Griffithsin (GRFT) is a non-ARV lectin with potent anti-HIV activity. GRFT’s preclinical safety, lack of systemic absorption after vaginal administration in animal studies, and lack of cross-resistance with existing ARV drugs prompted its development for topical HIV PrEP. We investigated safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), and immunogenicity of PC-6500 (0.1% GRFT in a carrageenan (CG) gel) in healthy women after vaginal administration. This randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel group, double-blind first-in-human phase 1 study enrolled healthy, HIV-negative, non-pregnant women aged 24–45 years. In the open label period, all participants (n = 7) received single dose of PC- 6500. In the randomized period, participants (n = 13) were instructed to self-administer 14 doses of PC-6500 or its matching CG placebo (PC-535) once daily for 14 days. The primary outcomes were safety and PK after single dose, and then after 14 days of dosing. Exploratory outcomes were GRFT concentrations in cervicovaginal fluids, PD, inflammatory mediators and gene expression in ectocervical biopsies. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials. gov, number NCT02875119. No significant adverse events were recorded in clinical or laboratory results or histopathological evaluations in cervicovaginal mucosa, and no anti-drug (GRFT) antibodies were detected in serum. No cervicovaginal proinflammatory responses and no changes in the ectocervical transcriptome were evident. Decreased levels of proinflammatory chemokines (CXCL8, CCL5 and CCL20) were observed. GRFT was not detected in plasma. GRFT and GRFT/CG in cervicovaginal lavage samples inhibited HIV and HPV, respectively, in vitro in a dose-dependent fashion. These data suggest GRFT formulated in a CG gel is a safe and promising on-demand multipurpose prevention technology product that warrants further investigation

Comprehensive and Integrated Genomic Characterization of Adult Soft Tissue Sarcomas

Sarcomas are a broad family of mesenchymal malignancies exhibiting remarkable histologic diversity. We describe the multi-platform molecular landscape of 206 adult soft tissue sarcomas representing 6 major types. Along with novel insights into the biology of individual sarcoma types, we report three overarching findings: (1) unlike most epithelial malignancies, these sarcomas (excepting synovial sarcoma) are characterized predominantly by copy-number changes, with low mutational loads and only a few genes (, , ) highly recurrently mutated across sarcoma types; (2) within sarcoma types, genomic and regulomic diversity of driver pathways defines molecular subtypes associated with patient outcome; and (3) the immune microenvironment, inferred from DNA methylation and mRNA profiles, associates with outcome and may inform clinical trials of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Overall, this large-scale analysis reveals previously unappreciated sarcoma-type-specific changes in copy number, methylation, RNA, and protein, providing insights into refining sarcoma therapy and relationships to other cancer types

Brain metastasis from uterine serous carcinoma: A case report and review of literature

• Brain metastasis from UPSC is rare, with 9 cases in the literature. • UPSC may resemble other endometrial cancers in regard to brain metastatic behavior. • When appropriate, it seems that multimodal therapy offers the best outcomes

Total accumulation and distribution of NUP62 and NUP214 in different cell lines.

<p>Top left corner: immunoblot analyses of Hs 832(C).T (Hs), TOV112D (112D), HEK293 (293), S12, and COS7 (cos7) cell lysates. Antibodies are explained in the text. Immunofluorescent images for the indicated cell lines represent 3D deconvolved projections of 250 nm optical sections through 10 to 15 um of the z axis. Projections are shown on x,y, x,z, and z,y planes, as indicated. immunofluorescence analyses of NUP62 (green) and NUP214 (red) were generated using Ab1 and Ab4, respectively. Blue, DAPI stain; yellow, overlap between green and red. Bars represent 2 um.</p

Optical sections of NUP62 and NUP214 immunolabeling in S12 cell nuclei using confocal and high resolution STED microscopy.

<p>HIgh resolution STED (NUP214; red) and standard confocal (NUP62; green) double immunofluorescence microscopy were performed on S12 neuroblastoma cells. Individual optical sections were selected from the ventral (culture plate side) nuclear surface (0 um) upward to the dorsal surface at intervals of 250 nm. Yellow, overlap bewteen green and red. Bar represents 5 um.</p

Detection of NUP62 and NUP214 in nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments of cultured cells.

<p>Whole cell, cytosolic, and nuclear fractions from Hs 832(C).T (Hs), TOV112D, HEK293 (293), S12, and COS7 cells were analyzed by immunoblot with antibodies to NUP62 and NUP214 (antibodies used were also used for immunofluorescence). Two T75 plates of cells at 80% confluence were used for each preparation (this does not yield equal numbers of cells). One third of the sample was taken for the whole cell extract; the remaining sample was fractionated into cytosol and nuclear components. Extracts were loaded to represent equivalent fractions of starting material. Indicated as Mr∼35K is an additional band observed in the NUP214 immunoblot. The Mr∼70K band present in the Hs832(C).(Hs) whole cell lysate fractionated with the cytosol. The Western blot analyses of the whole cell lysates were completed on single membranes for all five cell lines; however, the exposure times for Hs832(C).(Hs) and Cos 7 cells using the NUP214 antibody and for Hs832(C).(Hs) using the NUP62 antibody were longer. Consequently, those lanes are separated.</p

Radial intensity distribution graphs of NUP62 and NUP214 immunofluorescence in cultured cell lines.

<p>Immunofluorescent images for fields of TOV112D, HEK293 (293), COS7, or S12 cells (similar to those shown in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0036137#pone-0036137-g005" target="_blank">Fig. 5</a>), and images from several different Hs 832(C).T cells, were analyzed. Radial intensity distributions for NUP62 or NUP214 were determined for each cell line and normalized to arc length, and a minimum of 24 sectors derived from at least six independent nuclei were used for each analysis. Radial distances were normalized from 0 (point of origin) to 1 (surface of nuclear envelope). Distribution points are colored according to residuals (blue: less than one standard error; green: less than two standard errors; red: greater than two standard errors). Plotted in red are 95% confidence intervals.</p

High resolution STED microscopy resolves NPC clusters, reveals microheterogeneity in NPC populations, and demonstrates that NPCs from different populations are similar in size.

<p>HIgh resolution STED microscopy (STED) and confocal (Conf.) double immunofluorescence microscopy were performed with NUP62 (green) and NUP214 (red) antibodies in S12 neuroblastoma cells. All images are projections of 8–10 um total optical z-stacks. Bars represent 500 nm. A. Comparison of confocal and STED microscopy resolution of NUP214 antibody immunofluorescence. A and B. Arrows, NUP62⁺/NUP214⁻ NPCs; asterisks, NUP62>NUP214 NPCs; diamonds, NUP62⁺/NUP214⁺ NPCs; triangles, NUP62−/NUP214⁺ NPCs. C, D, and E. Measurement of diameters of NUP62⁺/NUP214⁻ (C), NUP62⁻/NUP214⁺ (D), and NUP62⁺/NUP214⁺ (E) NPCs in S12 cells. Measured pores were derived from STED microscopy images (indicated by asterisks). Yellow represents overlap between green and red.</p