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- Zhu, RJ, et al.
(author)
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Mesenchymal stem cell treatment improves outcome of COVID-19 patients via multiple immunomodulatory mechanisms
- 2021
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In: Cell research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1748-7838 .- 1001-0602. ; 3231:112, s. 1244-1262
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The infusion of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) potentially improves clinical symptoms, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. We conducted a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled (29 patients/group) phase II clinical trial to validate previous findings and explore the potential mechanisms. Patients treated with umbilical cord-derived MSCs exhibited a shorter hospital stay (P = 0.0198) and less time required for symptoms remission (P = 0.0194) than those who received placebo. Based on chest images, both severe and critical patients treated with MSCs showed improvement by day 7 (P = 0.0099) and day 21 (P = 0.0084). MSC-treated patients had fewer adverse events. MSC infusion reduced the levels of C-reactive protein, proinflammatory cytokines, and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and promoted the maintenance of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies. To explore how MSCs modulate the immune system, we employed single-cell RNA sequencing analysis on peripheral blood. Our analysis identified a novel subpopulation of VNN2+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor-like (HSPC-like) cells expressing CSF3R and PTPRE that were mobilized following MSC infusion. Genes encoding chemotaxis factors — CX3CR1 and L-selectin — were upregulated in various immune cells. MSC treatment also regulated B cell subsets and increased the expression of costimulatory CD28 in T cells in vivo and in vitro. In addition, an in vivo mouse study confirmed that MSCs suppressed NET release and reduced venous thrombosis by upregulating kindlin-3 signaling. Together, our results underscore the role of MSCs in improving COVID-19 patient outcomes via maintenance of immune homeostasis.
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- Li, XB, et al.
(author)
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Novel TCF21high pericyte subpopulation promotes colorectal cancer metastasis by remodelling perivascular matrix
- 2023
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In: Gut. - : BMJ. - 1468-3288 .- 0017-5749. ; 72:4, s. 710-721
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Haematogenous dissemination is a prevalent route of colorectal cancer (CRC) metastasis. However, as the gatekeeper of vessels, the role of tumour pericytes (TPCs) in haematogenous metastasis remains largely unknown. Here, we aimed to investigate the heterogeneity of TPCs and their effects on CRC metastasis.DesignTPCs were isolated from patients with CRC with or without liver metastases and analysed by single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). Clinical CRC specimens were collected to analyse the association between the molecular profiling of TPCs and CRC metastasis. RNA-sequencing, chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing and bisulfite-sequencing were performed to investigate the TCF21-regulated genes and mechanisms underlying integrin α5 onTCF21DNA hypermethylation. Pericyte-conditionalTcf21-knockout mice were constructed to investigate the effects of TCF21 in TPCs on CRC metastasis. Masson staining, atomic force microscopy, second-harmonic generation and two-photon fluorescence microscopy were employed to observe perivascular extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling.ResultsThirteen TPC subpopulations were identified by scRNA-seq. A novel subset of TCF21highTPCs, termed ‘matrix–pericytes’, was associated with liver metastasis in patients with CRC. TCF21 in TPCs increased perivascular ECM stiffness, collagen rearrangement and basement membrane degradation, establishing a perivascular metastatic microenvironment to instigate colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRCLM).Tcf21depletion in TPCs mitigated perivascular ECM remodelling and CRCLM, whereas the coinjection of TCF21highTPCs and CRC cells markedly promoted CRCLM. Mechanistically, loss of integrin α5 inhibited the FAK/PI3K/AKT/DNMT1 axis to impairTCF21DNA hypermethylation in TCF21highTPCs.ConclusionThis study uncovers a previously unidentified role of TPCs in haematogenous metastasis and provides a potential diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for CRC metastasis.
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- Ye, XF, et al.
(author)
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Genome-wide mutational signatures revealed distinct developmental paths for human B cell lymphomas
- 2021
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In: The Journal of experimental medicine. - : Rockefeller University Press. - 1540-9538 .- 0022-1007. ; 218:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Both somatic hypermutation (SHM) and class switch recombination (CSR) are initiated by activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID). Dysregulation of these processes has been linked to B cell lymphomagenesis. Here we performed an in-depth analysis of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and follicular lymphoma (FL) genomes. We characterized seven genomic mutational signatures, including two B cell tumor-specific signatures, one of which is novel and associated with aberrant SHM. We further identified two major mutational signatures (K1 and K2) of clustered mutations (kataegis) resulting from the activities of AID or error-prone DNA polymerase η, respectively. K1 was associated with the immunoglobulin (Ig) switch region mutations/translocations and the ABC subtype of DLBCL, whereas K2 was related to the Ig variable region mutations and the GCB subtype of DLBCL and FL. Similar patterns were also observed in chronic lymphocytic leukemia subtypes. Thus, alterations associated with aberrant CSR and SHM activities can be linked to distinct developmental paths for different subtypes of B cell lymphomas.
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