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Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) IVA is a bone-affecting lysosomal storage disease (LSD) caused by impaired degradation of the glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) keratan sulfate (KS) and chondroitin 6-sulfate (C6S) due to deficient N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfatase (GALNS) enzyme activity. Previously, we successfully developed and validated a CRISPR/nCas9-based gene therapy (GT) to insert an expression cassette at the AAVS1 and ROSA26 loci in human MPS IVA fibroblasts and MPS IVA mice, respectively. In this study, we have extended our approach to evaluate the effectiveness of our CRISPR/nCas9-based GT in editing human CD34+ cells to mediate cross-correction of MPS IVA fibroblasts. CD34+ cells were electroporated with the CRISPR/nCas9 system, targeting the AAVS1 locus. The nCas9-mediated on-target donor template insertion, and the stemness of the CRISPR/nCas-edited CD34+ cells was evaluated. Additionally, MPS IVA fibroblasts were co-cultured with CRISPR/nCas-edited CD34+ cells to assess cross-correction. CRISPR/nCas9-based gene editing did not affect the stemness of CD34+ cells but did lead to supraphysiological levels of the GALNS enzyme. Upon co-culture, MPS IVA fibroblasts displayed a significant increase in the GALNS enzyme activity along with lysosomal mass reduction, pro-oxidant profile amelioration, mitochondrial mass recovery, and pro-apoptotic and pro-inflammatory profile improvement. These results show the potential of our CRISPR/nCas9-based GT to edit CD34+ cells to mediate cross-correction.

The tumor microenvironment and healing wounds both contain extremely high concentrations of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) compared to normal tissue. The P2Y2 receptor, an ATP-activated purinergic receptor, is typically associated with pulmonary, endothelial, and neurological cell signaling. Here, we examine ATP-dependent signaling in breast epithelial cells and how it is altered in metastatic breast cancer. Using rapid imaging techniques, we show how ATP-activated P2Y2 signaling causes an increase in intracellular Ca 2+ in non-tumorigenic breast epithelial cells, approximately 3-fold higher than their tumorigenic and metastatic counterparts. The non-tumorigenic cells respond to increased Ca 2+ with actin polymerization and localization to the cell edges after phalloidin staining, while the metastatic cells remain unaffected. The increase in intracellular Ca 2+ after ATP stimulation was blunted to control levels using a P2Y2 antagonist, which also prevented actin mobilization and significantly increased cell dissemination from spheroids in non-tumorigenic cells. Furthermore, the lack of Ca 2+ changes and actin mobilization in metastatic breast cancer cells could be due to the reduced P2Y2 expression, which correlates with poorer overall survival in breast cancer patients. This study elucidates the rapid changes that occur after elevated intracellular Ca 2+ in breast epithelial cells and how metastatic cancer cells have adapted to evade this cellular response.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is associated with unfavorable patient outcomes primarily related to disease relapse. Since specific types of leukemic hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) are suggested to contribute to AML propagation, this study aimed to identify and explore relapse-initiating HSPC subpopulations present at diagnosis, using single-cell analysis (SCA). We developed unique high-resolution techniques capable of tracking single-HSPC-derived subclones during AML evolution. Each subclone was evaluated for chemo-resistance, in vivo leukemogenic potential, mutational profile, and the cell of origin. In BM samples of 15 AML patients, GMP-like and MLP-like HSPC subpopulations were identified as prevalent at relapse, exhibiting chemo-resistance to commonly used chemotherapy agents cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) and daunorubicin. Reconstruction of phylogenetic lineage trees combined with genetic analysis of single HSPCs and single-HSPC-derived subclones demonstrated two distinct clusters, originating from MLP-like or GMP-like subpopulations, observed both at diagnosis and relapse. These subpopulations induced leukemia development ex vivo and in vivo. Genetic SCA showed that these relapse-related subpopulations harbored mutated EZH2 and TP53 , detected already at diagnosis. This study, using combined molecular, functional, and genomic analyses at the level of single cells, identified patient-specific chemo-resistant HSPC subpopulations at the time of diagnosis, promoting AML relapse.

This study investigates the use of silver nanoparticles as a potential new treatment for colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide, and finding more effective treatments is essential. The researchers tested silver nanoparticles AgNPs with two different surface coatings to see how they affect cancer cells compared to healthy cells. One type of nanoparticles showed significant effects, reducing cancer cell growth and inducing cell death, while the other had minimal impact. These findings suggest that modifying the surface of nanoparticles could help target cancer cells more specifically, leading to treatments that are both more effective and have fewer side effects. This research could pave the way for new therapies for colorectal cancer and other types of cancer, ultimately improving patient outcomes and advancing cancer treatment strategies.

Natural killer (NK) cells are an important innate defense against malignancies, and exogenous sources of NK cells have been developed as anti-cancer agents. Nevertheless, the apparent limitations of NK cells in clearing cancers have suggested that their efficacy might be augmented by combination with other treatments. We have developed cell-penetrating peptides that target the transcription factors ATF5, CEBPB, and CEBPD and that promote apoptotic cancer cell death both in vitro and in vivo without apparent toxicity to non-transformed cells. We report here that one such peptide, Dpep, significantly sensitizes a variety of tumor cell types to the cytotoxic activity of the NK cell line, NK-92MI. Such sensitization requires pre-exposure of tumor cells to Dpep and does not appear due to effects of Dpep on NK cells themselves. Our findings suggest that Dpep acts in this context to lower the apoptotic threshold of tumor cells to NK cell toxicity. Additionally, while Dpep pre-treatment does not prevent tumor cells from causing NK cell “inactivation”, it sensitizes cancer cells to repeated rounds of exposure to fresh NK cells. These findings thus indicate that Dpep pre-treatment is an effective strategy to sensitize cancer cells to the cytotoxic actions of NK cells.

Malaria elimination faces challenges from drug resistance, stemming from mutations within the parasite’s genetic makeup. Genetic adaptations in key erythrocyte proteins offer malaria protection in endemic regions. Emulating nature’s approach, and implementing methodologies to render indispensable host proteins inactive, holds the potential to reshape antimalarial therapy. This study delves into the functional implication of the single-span membrane protein Kell ectodomain, which shares consensus sequence with the zinc endopeptidase family, possesses extracellular enzyme activity crucial for parasite invasion into host erythrocytes. Through generating Kell-null erythrocytes from an erythroid progenitor, BEL-A, we demonstrate the indispensable nature of Kell activity in P. falciparum invasion. Additionally, thiorphan, a metallo-endopeptidase inhibitor, which specifically inhibits Kell activity, inhibited Plasmodium infection at nanomolar concentrations. Interestingly, individuals in malaria-endemic regions exhibit low Kell expression and activity, indicating a plausible Plasmodium-induced evolutionary pressure. Both thiorphan and its prodrug racecadotril, demonstrated potent antimalarial activity in vivo, highlighting Kell’s protease role in invasion and proposing thiorphan as a promising host-oriented antimalarial therapeutic. Subject terms: Parasite biology, Parasite host response

Circulating cancer cells (CCCs) are closely related to the process of distant metastasis. In early step of the metastasis cascade, CCCs must evade the detachment-induced cell death (anoikis) for their survival. Here, we examined whether Na + /K + -ATPase α3-isoform (α3NaK) in CCCs contributes to avoidance of anoikis. In CCCs isolated from gastric cancer patients, α3NaK was predominantly localized in the plasma membrane (PM), but it moved to the cytoplasm when the CCCs were attached to culture dishes. The CCCs showed significant expression of integrin α5 but not fibronectin, one of components of the extracellular matrix (ECM). In human gastric cancer MKN45 cells, digoxin (20 and 50 nM), a cardiac glycoside, significantly inhibited the enzyme activity and translocation (from cytoplasm to PM) of α3NaK, while they had no significant effect on ubiquitous Na + /K + -ATPase α1-isoform (α1NaK) in the PM. The translocation of α3NaK required the loss of ECM components from the cells. Additionally, digoxin significantly enhanced caspase 3/7 activity, as well as the expression of cleaved caspase 3, while reducing the viability of detached (floating) cells. In the MKN45 xenograft mouse model, intraperitoneal administration of digoxin (2 mg/kg/day) significantly decreased the number of CCCs and suppressed their liver metastasis. Our results suggest that α3NaK plays an essential role in the survival of CCCs in gastric cancer, and that digoxin enhances anoikis in detached (metastatic) gastric cancer cells by inhibiting the α3NaK translocation from cytoplasm to PM, thereby reducing CCCs. Targeting α3NaK may be a promising therapeutic strategy against CCC survival. Subject terms: Metastasis, Gastric cancer, Apoptosis

The in vitro generation of human red blood cells (RBCs) from stem cells, such as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), holds promise for transfusable RBCs but faces challenges, including RBC maturation, enucleation, and large-scale production. In this study, we evaluated the effect of conditional TAL1 overexpression on in vitro RBC production via hematopoietic cell-forming complex (HCFC) formation from iPSCs because TAL1 is a key regulatory transcription factor essential for erythropoiesis. TAL1 overexpression in iPSCs, either before or after hematopoietic induction, significantly enhanced HCFC formation and hematopoietic differentiation, as evidenced by increased hematopoiesis-related gene expression, a higher yield of glycophorin A (GPA)+/CD71+ cells, and elevated gamma hemoglobin levels. These findings highlight the potential of TAL1 as a powerful regulator of erythropoiesis in vitro and offer a promising strategy for improving RBC production from stem cells. However, the reduced enucleation efficiency observed after TAL1 overexpression indicates a key challenge that must be addressed to optimize the generation of fully functional, transfusable RBCs. Further research is required to balance the benefits of enhanced differentiation with the need for efficient enucleation, which is critical for the production of mature, viable RBCs.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains a therapeutic challenge due to drug resistance and relapse. Selinexor, an XPO1 inhibitor, shows limited efficacy as monotherapy, necessitating combination strategies. JQ1, a BET inhibitor targeting MYC, may synergize with Selinexor to enhance antileukemic effects. AML cell lines, primary patient samples, and xenograft models (MLL-AF9, CDX, PDX) were treated with Selinexor and JQ1 alone or combined. Synergy was assessed via viability assays (Compusyn/SynergyFinder), apoptosis (flow cytometry/Western blot), and C-MYC suppression (qPCR/CRISPR). In vivo efficacy was evaluated by tumor burden (flow cytometry) and survival. The combination demonstrated strong synergy (CI < 1, HSA > 10) across AML models, with > 80% inhibition in cell lines and primary samples. Mechanistically, it suppressed C-MYC (protein/mRNA), induced apoptosis (cleaved PARP), and arrested cell cycle. In vivo, the combination reduced leukemic burden in bone marrow, spleen, and liver, extending survival in xenografts. PDX models confirmed efficacy in primary AML cells. Selinexor and JQ1 synergistically target AML by dual C-MYC inhibition, offering a promising strategy to overcome resistance. Further clinical evaluation is warranted. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12967-025-06525-z.

The airway epithelium provides a first line of defense against pathogens by release of antimicrobial factors and neutrophil-attracting chemokines. Pseudomonas (P.) aeruginosa , a Gram-negative bacterium that expresses flagellin as an important virulence factor, is a common cause of injurious airway inflammation. The aim of our study was to determine the contribution of flagellin to the inflammatory, antimicrobial, and metabolic responses of the airway epithelium to P. aeruginosa . Furthermore, as we previously showed that targeting mTOR limited the glycolytic and inflammatory response induced by flagellin, we assessed the effect of rapamycin on human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells stimulated with flagellated and non-flagellated P. aeruginosa. Primary pseudostratified HBE cells, cultured on an air-liquid-interface, were treated on the basolateral side with medium, vehicle or rapamycin, exposed on the apical side with flagellated or flagellin-deficient P. aeruginosa , and analyzed for their inflammatory, antimicrobial, and glycolytic responses. Flagellin augmented the P. aeruginosa -induced expression of antimicrobial factors and secretion of chemokines by HBE cells but did not further increase the glycolytic response. Treatment of HBE cells with rapamycin inhibited mTOR activation in general and flagellin-augmented mTOR activation in particular, but did not affect the glycolytic response. Rapamycin, however, diminished the flagellin-augmented inflammatory and antimicrobial response induced by Pseudomonas . These results demonstrate that flagellin is a significant factor that augments the inflammatory and antimicrobial response of human airway epithelial cells upon exposure to P. aeruginosa and suggest that mTOR inhibition by rapamycin in the airway epithelium diminishes these exaggerated responses.

The development of immunocompetent skin models marks a significant advancement in in vitro methods for detecting skin sensitizers while adhering to the 3R principles, which aim to reduce, refine, and replace animal testing. This study introduces for the first time an advanced immunocompetent skin model constructed entirely from induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cell types, including fibroblasts (iPSC-FB), keratinocytes (iPSC-KC), and fully integrated dendritic cells (iPSC-DC). To evaluate the skin model’s capacity, the model was treated topically with a range of well-characterized skin sensitizers varying in potency. The results indicate that the iPSC-derived immunocompetent skin model successfully replicates the physiological responses of human skin, offering a robust and reliable alternative to animal models for skin sensitization testing, allowing detection of extreme and even weak sensitizers. By addressing critical aspects of immune activation and cytokine signaling, this model provides an ethical, comprehensive tool for regulatory toxicology and dermatological research.

Neurodevelopmental studies employing animal models encounter challenges due to interspecies differences and ethical concerns. Maturing neurons of human origin, undergoing several developmental stages, present a powerful alternative. In this study, human embryonic stem cell (H9 cell line) was differentiated into neural stem cells and subsequently matured into neurons over 30 days. Ion AmpliSeq™ was used for transcriptomic characterization of human stem cell-derived neurons at multiple time points. Data analysis revealed a progressive increase of markers associated with neuronal development and astrocyte markers, indicating the establishment of a co-culture accommodating both glial and neurons. Transcriptomic and pathway enrichment analysis also revealed a more pronounced GABAergic phenotype in the neurons, signifying their specialization toward this cell type. The findings confirm the robustness of these cells across different passages and demonstrate detailed progression through stages of development. The model is intended for neurodevelopmental applications and can be adapted to investigate how genetic modifications or exposure to chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and other environmental factors influence neurons and glial maturation.