The nuclear envelope is often depicted as a static barrier that regulates access between the nucleus and the cytosol. However, recent research has identified many conditions in cultured cells and in ...vivo in which nuclear membrane ruptures cause the loss of nuclear compartmentalization. These conditions include some that are commonly associated with human disease, such as migration of cancer cells through small spaces and expression of nuclear lamin disease mutations in both cultured cells and tissues undergoing nuclear migration. Nuclear membrane ruptures are rapidly repaired in the nucleus but persist in nuclear compartments that form around missegregated chromosomes called micronuclei. This review summarizes what is known about the mechanisms of nuclear membrane rupture and repair in both the main nucleus and micronuclei, and highlights recent work connecting the loss of nuclear integrity to genome instability and innate immune signaling. These connections link nuclear membrane rupture to complex chromosome alterations, tumorigenesis, and laminopathy etiologies.
Repeated rounds of nuclear envelope (NE) rupture and repair have been observed in laminopathy and cancer cells and result in intermittent loss of nucleus compartmentalization. Currently, the causes ...of NE rupture are unclear. Here, we show that NE rupture in cancer cells relies on the assembly of contractile actin bundles that interact with the nucleus via the linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complex. We found that the loss of actin bundles or the LINC complex did not rescue nuclear lamina defects, a previously identified determinant of nuclear membrane stability, but did decrease the number and size of chromatin hernias. Finally, NE rupture inhibition could be rescued in cells treated with actin-depolymerizing drugs by mechanically constraining nucleus height. These data suggest a model of NE rupture where weak membrane areas, caused by defects in lamina organization, rupture because of an increase in intranuclear pressure from actin-based nucleus confinement.
The pre‐existing Fermi level alignment between ZnO and CuSCN semiconductors gives rise to the two key elements needed for a self‐powered, binary‐response UV‐ sensor: photovoltaic behavior and low ...turn‐on bias. Nanosecond response times, self‐powered performance, and long‐term stability, coupled with scalable, inexpensive fabrication on the nanoscale, offer currently unmatched progression towards self‐sufficient nanoscale systems.
During mitotic exit, missegregated chromosomes can recruit their own nuclear envelope (NE) to form micronuclei (MN). MN have reduced functioning compared to primary nuclei in the same cell, although ...the two compartments appear to be structurally comparable. Here we show that over 60% of MN undergo an irreversible loss of compartmentalization during interphase due to NE collapse. This disruption of the MN, which is induced by defects in nuclear lamina assembly, drastically reduces nuclear functions and can trigger massive DNA damage. MN disruption is associated with chromatin compaction and invasion of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) tubules into the chromatin. We identified disrupted MN in both major subtypes of human non-small-cell lung cancer, suggesting that disrupted MN could be a useful objective biomarker for genomic instability in solid tumors. Our study shows that NE collapse is a key event underlying MN dysfunction and establishes a link between aberrant NE organization and aneuploidy.
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•Micronuclei frequently undergo irreversible nuclear-envelope collapse•Lamin B1 levels influence the likelihood of nuclear-envelope collapse•Massive DNA-damage accumulation in micronuclei can occur upon collapse•Micronuclei disruption occurs in solid tumors as well as normal and cancer cells
Missegregated chromosomes recruit their own nuclear envelope to form micronuclei (MN). Most MN are disrupted due to nuclear-envelope collapse, and this leads to impaired chromosome function. Disrupted MN may therefore serve as a biomarker for genomic instability in solid tumors.
Mitochondria are essential components of eukaryotic cells and are involved in a diverse set of cellular processes that include ATP production, cellular signalling, apoptosis and cell growth. These ...organelles are thought to have originated from a symbiotic relationship between prokaryotic cells in an effort to provide a bioenergetic jump and thus, the greater complexity observed in eukaryotes (Lane and Martin
2010
). Mitochondrial processes are required not only for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis, but also allow cell to cell and tissue to tissue communication (Nunnari and Suomalainen
2012
). Mitochondrial phospholipids are important components of this system. Phospholipids make up the characteristic outer and inner membranes that give mitochondria their shape. In addition, these membranes house sterols, sphingolipids and a wide variety of proteins. It is the phospholipids that also give rise to other characteristic mitochondrial structures such as cristae (formed from the invaginations of the inner mitochondrial membrane), the matrix (area within cristae) and the intermembrane space (IMS) which separates the outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM) and inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM). Phospholipids are the building blocks that make up these structures. However, the phospholipid composition of the OMM and IMM is unique in each membrane. Mitochondria are able to synthesize some of the phospholipids it requires, but the majority of cellular lipid biosynthesis takes place in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in conjunction with the Golgi apparatus (Fagone and Jackowski
2009
). In this review, we will focus on the role that mitochondrial phospholipids play in specific cellular functions and discuss their biosynthesis, metabolism and transport as well as the differences between the OMM and IMM phospholipid composition. Finally, we will focus on the human diseases that result from disturbances to mitochondrial phospholipids and the current research being performed to help us gain a better understanding of their function.
Nuclear membrane rupture during interphase occurs in a variety of cell contexts, both healthy and pathological. Membrane ruptures can be rapidly repaired, but these mechanisms are still unclear. Here ...we show BAF, a nuclear envelope protein that shapes chromatin and recruits membrane proteins in mitosis, also facilitates nuclear membrane repair in interphase, in part through recruitment of the nuclear membrane proteins emerin and LEMD2 to rupture sites. Characterization of GFP-BAF accumulation at nuclear membrane rupture sites confirmed BAF is a fast, accurate, and persistent mark of nucleus rupture whose kinetics are partially dictated by membrane resealing. BAF depletion significantly delayed nuclear membrane repair, with a larger effect on longer ruptures. This phenotype could be rescued by GFP-BAF, but not by a BAF mutant lacking the LEM-protein binding domain. Depletion of the BAF interactors LEMD2 or emerin, and to a lesser extent lamin A/C, increased the duration of nucleus ruptures, consistent with LEM-protein binding being a key function of BAF during membrane repair. Overall our results suggest a model where BAF is critical for timely repair of large ruptures in the nuclear membrane, potentially by facilitating membrane attachment to the rupture site. Media: see text.
Stress, a ubiquitous part of daily human life, has varied biological effects which are increasingly recognized as including modulation of commensal microorganisms residing in the gastrointestinal ...tract, the gut microbiota. In turn, the gut microbiota influences the host stress response and associated sequelae, thereby implicating the gut microbiota as an important mediator of host health. This narrative review aims to summarize evidence concerning the impact of psychological, environmental, and physical stressors on gut microbiota composition and function. The stressors reviewed include psychological stress, circadian disruption, sleep deprivation, environmental extremes (high altitude, heat, and cold), environmental pathogens, toxicants, pollutants, and noise, physical activity, and diet (nutrient composition and food restriction). Stressors were selected for their direct relevance to military personnel, a population that is commonly exposed to these stressors, often at extremes, and in combination. However, the selected stressors are also common, alone or in combination, in some civilian populations. Evidence from preclinical studies collectively indicates that the reviewed stressors alter the composition, function and metabolic activity of the gut microbiota, but that effects vary across stressors, and can include effects that may be beneficial or detrimental to host health. Translation of these findings to humans is largely lacking at present. This gap precludes concluding with certainty that transient or cumulative exposures to psychological, environmental, and physical stressors have any consistent, meaningful impact on the human gut microbiota. However, provocative preclinical evidence highlights a need for translational research aiming to elucidate the impact of stressors on the human gut microbiota, and how the gut microbiota can be manipulated, for example by using nutrition, to mitigate adverse stress responses.
Slug (SNAI2), a member of the well-conserved Snail family of transcription factors, has multiple developmental roles, including in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Here, we show that Slug ...is critical for the pathological angiogenesis needed to sustain tumor growth, and transiently necessary for normal developmental angiogenesis. We find that Slug upregulation in angiogenic endothelial cells (EC) regulates an EMT-like suite of target genes, and suppresses Dll4-Notch signaling thereby promoting VEGFR2 expression. Both EC-specific Slug re-expression and reduced Notch signaling, either by γ-secretase inhibition or loss of Dll4, rescue retinal angiogenesis in SlugKO mice. Conversely, inhibition of VEGF signaling prevents excessive angiogenic sprouting of Slug overexpressing EC. Finally, endothelial Slug (but not Snail) is activated by the pro-angiogenic factor SDF1α via its canonical receptor CXCR4 and the MAP kinase ERK5. Altogether, our data support a critical role for Slug in determining the angiogenic response during development and disease.
The incidence of type 2 diabetes is increasing rapidly worldwide, and the development of novel anti-diabetic drugs is emerging. However, most anti-diabetic drugs cannot be used in patients with ...hepatic dysfunction, renal disease, and heart disease, which makes pharmacological therapy of type 2 diabetes complicated. Despite continued introduction of novel agents, the search for an ideal drug that is useful as both a hypoglycemic agent and to reduce diabetes-related complications remains elusive. Berberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid extract that has shown promise as a hypoglycemic agent in the management of diabetes in animal and human studies. Mechanistic studies have revealed beneficial effects of berberine on diabetes-related complications. Although there have been few clinical reports of the anti-diabetic effects of berberine, little documentation of adverse effects in humans positions it as a potential candidate drug to treat type 2 diabetes. In the present review, the anti-diabetic mechanism of berberine, its effect on diabetes-related complications, and its recent use in human clinical studies is highlighted. In addition, we summarize the different treatments for type 2 diabetes in adults and children.
Abstract Twenty-five years have passed since radioactive releases from the Chernobyl nuclear accident led to the exposure of millions of people in Europe. Studies of affected populations have ...provided important new data on the links between radiation and cancer—particularly the risk of thyroid tumours from exposure to iodine isotopes—that are important not only for a fuller scientific understanding of radiation effects, but also for radiation protection. It is now well documented that children and adolescents exposed to radioiodines from Chernobyl fallout have a sizeable dose-related increase in thyroid cancer, with the risk greatest in those youngest at exposure and with a suggestion that deficiency in stable iodine may increase the risk. Data on thyroid cancer risks to other age groups are somewhat less definitive. In addition, there have been reported increases in incidence and mortality from non-thyroid cancers and non-cancer end points. Although some studies are difficult to interpret because of methodological limitations, recent investigations of Chernobyl clean-up workers (‘liquidators’) have provided evidence of increased risks of leukaemia and other haematological malignancies and of cataracts, and suggestions of an increase in the risk of cardiovascular diseases, following low doses and low dose rates of radiation. Further careful follow-up of these populations, including the establishment and long-term support of life-span study cohorts, could provide additional important information for the quantification of radiation risks and the protection of persons exposed to low doses of radiation.
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