Author: Aishwarya, Veenu ; Troczka, Bartlomiej J ; Singh, Kumar Saurabh ; Mallott, Mark ; Ozsanlav-Harris, Luke ; Wilding, Craig S ; O'Reilly, Andrias ; Bass, Chris ; Trissi, Nasser

In some aphid species, intraspecific variation in body colour is caused by differential carotenoid content: whilst green aphids contain only yellow carotenoids (β-, γ-, and β,γ-carotenes), red aphids additionally possess red carotenoids (torulene and 3,4-didehydrolycopene). Unusually, within animals who typically obtain carotenoids from their diet, ancestral horizontal gene transfer of carotenoid biosynthetic genes from fungi (followed by gene duplication), have imbued aphids with the intrinsic gene repertoire necessary to biosynthesise carotenoids. In the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum a lycopene (phytoene) desaturase gene (Tor) underpins the red/green phenotype, with this locus present in heterozygous form in red individuals but absent in green aphids, resulting in them being unable to convert lycopene into the red compounds 3,4-didehydrolycopene and torulene. The green peach aphid, Myzus persicae, separated from the pea aphid for ≈45MY also exists as distinct colour variable morphs, with both red and green individuals present. Here, we examined genomic data for both red and green morphs of M. persicae and identified an enlarged (compared to A. pisum) repertoire of 16 carotenoid biosynthetic genes (11 carotenoid desaturases and five carotenoid cyclase/synthase genes). From these, we identify the homolog of A. pisum Tor (here called carotene desaturase 2 or CDE-2) and show through 3D modelling that this homolog can accommodate the torulene precursor lycopene and, through RNA knockdown feeding experiments, demonstrate that disabling CDE-2 expression in red M. persicae clones results in green-coloured offspring. Unlike in A. pisum, we show that functional CDE-2 is present in the genomes of both red and green aphids. However, expression differences between the two colour morphs (350-700 fold CDE-2 overexpression in red clones), potentially driven by variants identified in upstream putative regulatory elements, underpin this phenotype. Thus, whilst aphids have a common origin of their carotenoid biosynthetic pathway, two aphid species separated for over 40MY have evolved very different drivers of intraspecific colour variation.

01 Jul 2019·Cancer Research

Abstract 3267: Cancer immunotherapy by use of FANA ASO therapy to silence Foxp3, impair Treg function and promote anti-tumor immunity

Author: Hancock, Wayne W. ; Aishwarya, Veenu ; Wang, Liqing

AbstractThere is an inverse correlation between tumor and draining lymph node infiltration by Foxp3+CD4+CD25+ Treg cells and clinical outcomes in carcinomas of the breast, liver, stomach, ovary, pancreas, and lung, as well as melanomas and glioblastomas. Tregs suppress tumor responses by host CD8 and CD4 T cells, B cells, NK cells, macrophages and dendritic cells. There are currently no effective ways to target Tregs, since toxins (e.g. IL-2-diptheria toxin) and cyclophosphamide have only transient effects with rebound and may also affect conventional T cells, use of CD25 monoclonal antibodies have confounding effects given IL-2 receptor (CD25) expression by activated T cells, and given the phenomenon of “peripheral” conversion (iTreg development) at the tumor site that can allow Tregs to evade therapy. These problems led us explore use of FANA antisense oligonucleotides (ASO) to suppress expression of Foxp3 mRNA. FANA ASO are highly specific and are taken up by cells without use of any delivery agents, conjugates or formulations, making them attractive compounds for cancer drug development. Various Foxp3 sequence-specific or scrambled FANAs were designed, and fluorescently-labeled FANA tested by addition to Foxp3+ Tregs in vitro; these studies showed successful uptake and both cytoplasmic and nuclear localization. FANAs were further screened by assessing effects on Treg suppressive function, and those resulting in 40-50% reductions were assessed for effects on expression of Foxp3 mRNA (qPCR) and protein (Western blots). We next tested the in vivo efficacy of Foxp3 FANA by intravenous or intraperitoneal injection, either daily or twice/week, of Foxp3 FANA, followed by isolation of Tregs from lymphoid tissues. Selected fluorescently-labeled FANA showed Treg uptake, and unlabeled FANA led to >75% reduction in Foxp3 protein expression (flow cytometry, Western blots), and marked reductions in Treg suppressive function. Lastly, we compared the effects of scrambled vs. specific Foxp3 FANA ASO on TC1 lung tumor growth in syngeneic C57BL/6 mice. Compared with mice receiving scrambled FANA ASO, mice receiving specific Foxp3 FANA ASO showed impaired tumor growth, with 50% showing complete tumor elimination (p<0.0001), and markedly reduced Foxp3+CD4+ Treg infiltration (p<0.01). Our data indicate that FANA oligos can modulate Foxp3 expression and Treg function in vitro and in vivo, such that their use may provide an important new approach to cancer immunotherapy.Citation Format: Wayne W. Hancock, Liqing Wang, Veenu Aishwarya. Cancer immunotherapy by use of FANA ASO therapy to silence Foxp3, impair Treg function and promote anti-tumor immunity [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3267.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Identification of Dhx15 as a Major Regulator of Liver Development, Regeneration, and Tumor Growth in Zebrafish and Mice

Article

Author: Melgar-Lesmes, Pedro ; Ribera, Jordi ; Sanduzzi, Marco ; Aishwarya, Veenu ; Jiménez, Wladimiro ; Fernández-Varo, Guillermo ; Fernandez-Galán, Esther ; Portolés, Irene ; Reig, Maria ; Lecue, Elena ; Casals, Gregori ; Boix, Loreto ; Morales-Ruiz, Manuel

RNA helicase DHX15 plays a significant role in vasculature development and lung metastasis in vertebrates. In addition, several studies have demonstrated the overexpression of DHX15 in the context of hepatocellular carcinoma. Therefore, we hypothesized that this helicase may play a significant role in liver regeneration, physiology, and pathology. Dhx15 gene deficiency was generated by CRISPR/Cas9 in zebrafish and by TALEN-RNA in mice. AUM Antisense-Oligonucleotides were used to silence Dhx15 in wild-type mice. The hepatocellular carcinoma tumor induction model was generated by subcutaneous injection of Hepa 1-6 cells. Homozygous Dhx15 gene deficiency was lethal in zebrafish and mouse embryos. Dhx15 gene deficiency impaired liver organogenesis in zebrafish embryos and liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in mice. Also, heterozygous mice presented decreased number and size of liver metastasis after Hepa 1-6 cells injection compared to wild-type mice. Dhx15 gene silencing with AUM Antisense-Oligonucleotides in wild-type mice resulted in 80% reduced expression in the liver and a significant reduction in other major organs. In addition, Dhx15 gene silencing significantly hindered primary tumor growth in the hepatocellular carcinoma experimental model. Regarding the potential use of DHX15 as a diagnostic marker for liver disease, patients with hepatocellular carcinoma showed increased levels of DHX15 in blood samples compared with subjects without hepatic affectation. In conclusion, Dhx15 is a key regulator of liver physiology and organogenesis, is increased in the blood of cirrhotic and hepatocellular carcinoma patients, and plays a key role in controlling hepatocellular carcinoma tumor growth and expansion in experimental models.

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Parkinson's disease (AUM LifeTech)	Parkinson Disease More	Preclinical
FOXP3 ASO (AUM LifeTech) ( FOXP3 )	Lung Cancer More	Preclinical

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