Browsing by Author "Davé, Utpal"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    Asparagine bioavailability regulates the translation of MYC oncogene
    (Springer Nature, 2022) Srivastava, Sankalp; Jiang, Jie; Misra, Jagannath; Seim, Gretchen; Staschke, Kirk A.; Zhong, Minghua; Zhou, Leonardo; Liu, Yu; Chen, Chong; Davé, Utpal; Kapur, Reuben; Batra, Sandeep; Zhang, Chi; Zhou, Jiehao; Fan, Jing; Wek, Ronald C.; Zhang, Ji; Pediatrics, School of Medicine
    Amino acid restriction has recently emerged as a compelling strategy to inhibit tumor growth. Recent work suggests that amino acids can regulate cellular signaling in addition to their role as biosynthetic substrates. Using lymphoid cancer cells as a model, we found that asparagine depletion acutely reduces the expression of c-MYC protein without changing its mRNA expression. Furthermore, asparagine depletion inhibits the translation of MYC mRNA without altering the rate of MYC protein degradation. Of interest, the inhibitory effect on MYC mRNA translation during asparagine depletion is not due to the activation of the general controlled nonderepressible 2 (GCN2) pathway and is not a consequence of the inhibition of global protein synthesis. In addition, both the 5' and 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) of MYC mRNA are not required for this inhibitory effect. Finally, using a MYC-driven mouse B cell lymphoma model, we found that shRNA inhibition of asparagine synthetase (ASNS) or pharmacological inhibition of asparagine production can significantly reduce the MYC protein expression and tumor growth when environmental asparagine becomes limiting. Since MYC is a critical oncogene, our results uncover a molecular connection between MYC mRNA translation and asparagine bioavailability and shed light on a potential to target MYC oncogene post-transcriptionally through asparagine restriction.
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    Asparagine starvation suppresses histone demethylation through iron depletion
    (Elsevier, 2023-03-16) Jiang, Jie; Srivastava, Sankalp; Liu, Sheng; Seim, Gretchen; Claude, Rodney; Zhong, Minghua; Cao, Sha; Davé, Utpal; Kapur, Reuben; Mosley, Amber L.; Zhang, Chi; Wan, Jun; Fan, Jing; Zhang, Ji; Pediatrics, School of Medicine
    Intracellular α-ketoglutarate is an indispensable substrate for the Jumonji family of histone demethylases (JHDMs) mediating most of the histone demethylation reactions. Since α-ketoglutarate is an intermediate of the tricarboxylic acid cycle and a product of transamination, its availability is governed by the metabolism of several amino acids. Here, we show that asparagine starvation suppresses global histone demethylation. This process is neither due to the change of expression of histone-modifying enzymes nor due to the change of intracellular levels of α-ketoglutarate. Rather, asparagine starvation reduces the intracellular pool of labile iron, a key co-factor for the JHDMs to function. Mechanistically, asparagine starvation suppresses the expression of the transferrin receptor to limit iron uptake. Furthermore, iron supplementation to the culture medium restores histone demethylation and alters gene expression to accelerate cell death upon asparagine depletion. These results suggest that suppressing iron-dependent histone demethylation is part of the cellular adaptive response to asparagine starvation.
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    Osteomacs promote maintenance of murine hematopoiesis through megakaryocyte-induced upregulation of Embigin and CD166
    (Elsevier, 2024) Mohamad, Safa F.; El Koussa, Roy; Ghosh, Joydeep; Blosser, Rachel; Gunawan, Andrea; Layer, Justin; Zhang, Chi; Karnik, Sonali; Davé, Utpal; Kacena, Melissa A.; Srour, Edward F.; Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine
    Maintenance of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) function in the niche is an orchestrated event. Osteomacs (OM) are key cellular components of the niche. Previously, we documented that osteoblasts, OM, and megakaryocytes interact to promote hematopoiesis. Here, we further characterize OM and identify megakaryocyte-induced mediators that augment the role of OM in the niche. Single-cell mRNA-seq, mass spectrometry, and CyTOF examination of megakaryocyte-stimulated OM suggested that upregulation of CD166 and Embigin on OM augment their hematopoiesis maintenance function. CD166 knockout OM or shRNA-Embigin knockdown OM confirmed that the loss of these molecules significantly reduced the ability of OM to augment the osteoblast-mediated hematopoietic-enhancing activity. Recombinant CD166 and Embigin partially substituted for OM function, characterizing both proteins as critical mediators of OM hematopoietic function. Our data identify Embigin and CD166 as OM-regulated critical components of HSC function in the niche and potential participants in various in vitro manipulations of stem cells.
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    Primary cutaneous peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified with mammalian target of rapamycin mutation: A novel finding for targeted treatment
    (Elsevier, 2020-12) De la Sancha, Carlo; Burgin, Callie; Warren, Simon; Hoffmann, Kristin; Davé, Utpal; Nassiri, Mehdi; Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine
    Primary cutaneous peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (pcPTCL-NOS) is a rare, progressive, and often fatal disease with no specific treatment regimen that presents as rapidly enlarging plaques or nodules. Here, we present a case of progressive pcPTCL-NOS with mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) mutation and variable T-cell antigen expression. mTOR mutation in pcPTCL-NOS may represent a new therapeutic target.
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    The Role of Inflammatory Signaling Pathways in TET2-Deficient Hematological Malignancies
    (2024-08) Burns, Sarah Sterling; Kapur, Reuben; Davé, Utpal; Ware, Stephanie; Herbert, Brittney-Shea
    Loss of the TET2 gene, which is commonly mutated in the pre-leukemic condition clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) and hematological malignancies, dysregulates inflammation, including the interleukin-1 (IL-1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) pathways. As TET2 mutations are often present in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, dysregulation of these pathways may contribute to leukemogenesis and may catalyze the progression of pre-leukemic states, such as CHIP, to malignancy. Tet2-/- mice exhibit splenomegaly, myeloid expansion, and myeloid malignancy. To investigate the effects of inactivation of IL-1 receptor, type 1 (Il-1r1) and Il-6 on Tet2-deficient mature and immature hematopoietic cells, Tet2-/-;Il-1r1-/- and Tet2-/-;Il-6-/- mice were generated. Interestingly, Il-1r1 loss rescued the leukemic phenotypes associated with Tet2 inactivation, including expansion of myeloid cells, suppression of lymphoid cells, and restoration of spleen size. These phenotypes were recapitulated with competitive transplant, suggesting that IL-1R1 exerts a cell autonomous role. Mice transplanted with Tet2-/-;Il-1r-/- bone marrow cells exhibited differential regulation of specific myeloid and lymphoid subpopulations. At the stem-cell level, the frequencies of early myeloid Lin-;c- Kit+, early lymphoid Lin-;Sca1+ progenitors, and multipotent progenitor populations 2 and 3/4 were corrected, and a pronounced and reciprocal switch in the levels of Lin-;c- Kit+ and Lin-;Sca1+ cells was detected. Aged Tet2-/-;Il-1r-/- mice retained some of these phenotypes. Acute myeloid leukemia with higher IL-1R1 expression had reduced survival, indicating potential clinical implications. Similar to Tet2-/-;Il-1r1-/- mice, Tet2-/- ;Il-6-/- mice showed correction of myeloid cell expansion and lymphocyte suppression; however, they also demonstrated a significant increase in long-term hematopoietic stem cells and possible splenic extramedullary hematopoiesis, highlighting unique roles of IL- 6 in the pre-leukemic context. Collectively, these findings suggest that IL-1R1- and IL-6- dependent signaling exhibit overlapping functions but also have distinct roles in leukemogenesis that may have important implications for the clinical management of CHIP and hematological malignancies.