MicroRNA-34a Perturbs B Lymphocyte Development by Repressing the Forkhead Box Transcription Factor Foxp1

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) can influence lineage choice or affect critical developmental checkpoints during hematopoiesis. We examined the role of the p53-induced microRNA miR-34a in hematopoiesis by gain-of-function analysis in murine bone marrow. Constitutive expression of miR-34a led to a block in B cell development at the pro-B-cell-to-pre-B-cell transition, leading to a reduction in mature B cells. This block appeared to be mediated primarily by inhibited expression of the transcription factor Foxp1. Foxp1 was a direct target of miR-34a in a 3′-untranslated region (UTR)-dependent fashion. Knockdown of Foxp1 by siRNA recapitulated the B cell developmental phenotype induced by miR-34a, whereas cotransduction of Foxp1 lacking its 3′ UTR with miR-34a rescued B cell maturation. Knockdown of miR-34a resulted in increased amounts of Foxp1 and mature B cells. These findings identify a role for miR-34a in connecting the p53 network with suppression of Foxp1, a known B cell oncogene

A global experiment on motivating social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic

Finding communication strategies that effectively motivate social distancing continues to be a global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-country, preregistered experiment (n = 25,718 from 89 countries) tested hypotheses concerning generalizable positive and negative outcomes of social distancing messages that promoted personal agency and reflective choices (i.e., an autonomy-supportive message) or were restrictive and shaming (i.e., a controlling message) compared with no message at all. Results partially supported experimental hypotheses in that the controlling message increased controlled motivation (a poorly internalized form of motivation relying on shame, guilt, and fear of social consequences) relative to no message. On the other hand, the autonomy-supportive message lowered feelings of defiance compared with the controlling message, but the controlling message did not differ from receiving no message at all. Unexpectedly, messages did not influence autonomous motivation (a highly internalized form of motivation relying on one’s core values) or behavioral intentions. Results supported hypothesized associations between people’s existing autonomous and controlled motivations and self-reported behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing. Controlled motivation was associated with more defiance and less long-term behavioral intention to engage in social distancing, whereas autonomous motivation was associated with less defiance and more short- and long-term intentions to social distance. Overall, this work highlights the potential harm of using shaming and pressuring language in public health communication, with implications for the current and future global health challenges

A global experiment on motivating social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic

Finding communication strategies that effectively motivate social distancing continues to be a global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-country, preregistered experiment (n = 25,718 from 89 countries) tested hypotheses concerning generalizable positive and negative outcomes of social distancing messages that promoted personal agency and reflective choices (i.e., an autonomy-supportive message) or were restrictive and shaming (i.e. a controlling message) compared to no message at all. Results partially supported experimental hypotheses in that the controlling message increased controlled motivation (a poorly-internalized form of motivation relying on shame, guilt, and fear of social consequences) relative to no message. On the other hand, the autonomy-supportive message lowered feelings of defiance compared to the controlling message, but the controlling message did not differ from receiving no message at all. Unexpectedly, messages did not influence autonomous motivation (a highly-internalized form of motivation relying on one’s core values) or behavioral intentions. Results supported hypothesized associations between people’s existing autonomous and controlled motivations and self-reported behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing: Controlled motivation was associated with more defiance and less long-term behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing, whereas autonomous motivation was associated with less defiance and more short- and long-term intentions to social distance. Overall, this work highlights the potential harm of using shaming and pressuring language in public health communication, with implications for the current and future global health challenges

Atg5 Is Essential for the Development and Survival of Innate Lymphocytes

Autophagy is an essential cellular survival mechanism that is required for adaptive lymphocyte development; however, its role in innate lymphoid cell (ILC) development remains unknown. Furthermore, the conditions that promote lymphocyte autophagy during homeostasis are poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that Atg5, an essential component of the autophagy machinery, is required for the development of mature natural killer (NK) cells and group 1, 2, and 3 innate ILCs. Although inducible ablation of Atg5 was dispensable for the homeostasis of lymphocyte precursors and mature lymphocytes in lymphoreplete mice, we found that autophagy is induced in both adaptive and innate lymphocytes during homeostatic proliferation in lymphopenic hosts to promote their survival by limiting cell-intrinsic apoptosis. Induction of autophagy through metformin treatment following homeostatic proliferation increased lymphocyte numbers through an Atg5-dependent mechanism. These findings highlight the essential role for autophagy in ILC development and lymphocyte survival during lymphopenia

Transforming Growth Factor-beta Signaling Guides the Differentiation of Innate Lymphoid Cells in Salivary Glands

International audienceThe signals guiding differentiation of innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) within tissues are not well understood. Salivary gland (SG) ILCs as well as liver and intestinal intraepithelial ILC1 have markers that denote tissue residency and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) imprinting. We deleted Tgfbr2 in cells expressing the ILC and NK marker NKp46 and found that SG ILCs were reduced in number. They lost distinct tissue markers, such as CD49a, and the effector molecules TRAIL and CD73. Expression of the transcription factor Eomes, which promotes NK cell differentiation, was elevated. Conversely, Eomes deletion in NKp46(+) cells enhanced TGF-beta-imprinting of SG ILCs. Thus, TGF-beta induces SG ILC differentiation by suppressing Eomes. TGF-beta acted through a JNK-dependent, Smad4-independent pathway. Transcriptome analysis demonstrated that SG ILCs had characteristic of both NK cells and ILC1. Finally, TGF-beta imprinting of SG ILCs was synchronized with SG development, highlighting the impact of tissue microenvironment on ILC development

β-globin gene transfer to human bone marrow for sickle cell disease

Autologous hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy is an approach to treating sickle cell disease (SCD) patients that may result in lower morbidity than allogeneic transplantation. We examined the potential of a lentiviral vector (LV) (CCL-βAS3-FB) encoding a human hemoglobin (HBB) gene engineered to impede sickle hemoglobin polymerization (HBBAS3) to transduce human BM CD34(+) cells from SCD donors and prevent sickling of red blood cells produced by in vitro differentiation. The CCL-βAS3-FB LV transduced BM CD34(+) cells from either healthy or SCD donors at similar levels, based on quantitative PCR and colony-forming unit progenitor analysis. Consistent expression of HBBAS3 mRNA and HbAS3 protein compromised a fourth of the total β-globin–like transcripts and hemoglobin (Hb) tetramers. Upon deoxygenation, a lower percentage of HBBAS3-transduced red blood cells exhibited sickling compared with mock-transduced cells from sickle donors. Transduced BM CD34(+) cells were transplanted into immunodeficient mice, and the human cells recovered after 2–3 months were cultured for erythroid differentiation, which showed levels of HBBAS3 mRNA similar to those seen in the CD34(+) cells that were directly differentiated in vitro. These results demonstrate that the CCL-βAS3-FB LV is capable of efficient transfer and consistent expression of an effective anti-sickling β-globin gene in human SCD BM CD34(+) progenitor cells, improving physiologic parameters of the resulting red blood cells