@article{BoulosSaeedChatterjeeetal.2021, author = {Boulos, Joelle C. and Saeed, Mohamed E. M. and Chatterjee, Manik and B{\"u}lb{\"u}l, Yagmur and Crudo, Francesco and Marko, Doris and Munder, Markus and Klauck, Sabine M. and Efferth, Thomas}, title = {Repurposing of the ALK inhibitor crizotinib for acute leukemia and multiple myeloma cells}, series = {Pharmaceuticals}, volume = {14}, journal = {Pharmaceuticals}, number = {11}, issn = {1424-8247}, doi = {10.3390/ph14111126}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-250258}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Crizotinib was a first generation of ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of ALK-positive non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) patients. COMPARE and cluster analyses of transcriptomic data of the NCI cell line panel indicated that genes with different cellular functions regulated the sensitivity or resistance of cancer cells to crizotinib. Transcription factor binding motif analyses in gene promoters divulged two transcription factors possibly regulating the expression of these genes, i.e., RXRA and GATA1, which are important for leukemia and erythroid development, respectively. COMPARE analyses also implied that cell lines of various cancer types displayed varying degrees of sensitivity to crizotinib. Unexpectedly, leukemia but not lung cancer cells were the most sensitive cells among the different types of NCI cancer cell lines. Re-examining this result in another panel of cell lines indeed revealed that crizotinib exhibited potent cytotoxicity towards acute myeloid leukemia and multiple myeloma cells. P-glycoprotein-overexpressing CEM/ADR5000 leukemia cells were cross-resistant to crizotinib. NCI-H929 multiple myeloma cells were the most sensitive cells. Hence, we evaluated the mode of action of crizotinib on these cells. Although crizotinib is a TKI, it showed highest correlation rates with DNA topoisomerase II inhibitors and tubulin inhibitors. The altered gene expression profiles after crizotinib treatment predicted several networks, where TOP2A and genes related to cell cycle were downregulated. Cell cycle analyses showed that cells incubated with crizotinib for 24 h accumulated in the G\(_2\)M phase. Crizotinib also increased the number of p-H3(Ser10)-positive NCI-H929 cells illustrating crizotinib's ability to prevent mitotic exit. However, cells accumulated in the sub-G\(_0\)G\(_1\) fraction with longer incubation periods, indicating apoptosis induction. Additionally, crizotinib disassembled the tubulin network of U2OS cells expressing an α-tubulin-GFP fusion protein, preventing migration of cancer cells. This result was verified by in vitro tubulin polymerization assays. In silico molecular docking also revealed a strong binding affinity of crizotinib to the colchicine and Vinca alkaloid binding sites. Taken together, these results demonstrate that crizotinib destabilized microtubules. Additionally, the decatenation assay showed that crizotinib partwise inhibited the catalytic activity of DNA topoisomerase II. In conclusion, crizotinib exerted kinase-independent cytotoxic effects through the dual inhibition of tubulin polymerization and topoisomerase II and might be used to treat not only NSCLC but also multiple myeloma.}, language = {en} } @article{HabensteinSchmittLiessemetal.2021, author = {Habenstein, Jens and Schmitt, Franziska and Liessem, Sander and Ly, Alice and Trede, Dennis and Wegener, Christian and Predel, Reinhard and R{\"o}ssler, Wolfgang and Neupert, Susanne}, title = {Transcriptomic, peptidomic, and mass spectrometry imaging analysis of the brain in the ant Cataglyphis nodus}, series = {Journal of Neurochemistry}, volume = {158}, journal = {Journal of Neurochemistry}, number = {2}, doi = {10.1111/jnc.15346}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-239917}, pages = {391 -- 412}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Behavioral flexibility is an important cornerstone for the ecological success of animals. Social Cataglyphis nodus ants with their age-related polyethism characterized by age-related behavioral phenotypes represent a prime example for behavioral flexibility. We propose neuropeptides as powerful candidates for the flexible modulation of age-related behavioral transitions in individual ants. As the neuropeptidome of C. nodus was unknown, we collected a comprehensive peptidomic data set obtained by transcriptome analysis of the ants' central nervous system combined with brain extract analysis by Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry (MS) and direct tissue profiling of different regions of the brain by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) MS. In total, we identified 71 peptides with likely bioactive function, encoded on 49 neuropeptide-, neuropeptide-like, and protein hormone prepropeptide genes, including a novel neuropeptide-like gene (fliktin). We next characterized the spatial distribution of a subset of peptides encoded on 16 precursor proteins with high resolution by MALDI MS imaging (MALDI MSI) on 14 µm brain sections. The accuracy of our MSI data were confirmed by matching the immunostaining patterns for tachykinins with MSI ion images from consecutive brain sections. Our data provide a solid framework for future research into spatially resolved qualitative and quantitative peptidomic changes associated with stage-specific behavioral transitions and the functional role of neuropeptides in Cataglyphis ants.}, language = {en} } @article{GeisingerRodriguezCasuriagaBenavente2021, author = {Geisinger, Adriana and Rodr{\´i}guez-Casuriaga, Rosana and Benavente, Ricardo}, title = {Transcriptomics of Meiosis in the Male Mouse}, series = {Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology}, volume = {9}, journal = {Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology}, issn = {2296-634X}, doi = {10.3389/fcell.2021.626020}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-231032}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Molecular studies of meiosis in mammals have been long relegated due to some intrinsic obstacles, namely the impossibility to reproduce the process in vitro, and the difficulty to obtain highly pure isolated cells of the different meiotic stages. In the recent years, some technical advances, from the improvement of flow cytometry sorting protocols to single-cell RNAseq, are enabling to profile the transcriptome and its fluctuations along the meiotic process. In this mini-review we will outline the diverse methodological approaches that have been employed, and some of the main findings that have started to arise from these studies. As for practical reasons most studies have been carried out in males, and mostly using mouse as a model, our focus will be on murine male meiosis, although also including specific comments about humans. Particularly, we will center on the controversy about gene expression during early meiotic prophase; the widespread existing gap between transcription and translation in meiotic cells; the expression patterns and potential roles of meiotic long non-coding RNAs; and the visualization of meiotic sex chromosome inactivation from the RNAseq perspective.}, language = {en} }