Targeting ATP2B1 impairs PI3K/Akt/FOXO signaling and reduces SARS-COV-2 infection and replication.

ATP2B1 is a known regulator of calcium (Ca2+) cellular export and homeostasis. Diminished levels of intracellular Ca2+ content have been suggested to impair SARS-CoV-2 replication. Here, we demonstrate that a nontoxic caloxin-derivative compound (PI-7) reduces intracellular Ca2+ levels and impairs SARS-CoV-2 infection. Furthermore, a rare homozygous intronic variant of ATP2B1 is shown to be associated with the severity of COVID-19. The mechanism of action during SARS-CoV-2 infection involves the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway activation, inactivation of FOXO3 transcription factor function, and subsequent transcriptional inhibition of the membrane and reticulum Ca2+ pumps ATP2B1 and ATP2A1, respectively. The pharmacological action of compound PI-7 on sustaining both ATP2B1 and ATP2A1 expression reduces the intracellular cytoplasmic Ca2+ pool and thus negatively influences SARS-CoV-2 replication and propagation. As compound PI-7 lacks toxicity in vitro, its prophylactic use as a therapeutic agent against COVID-19 is envisioned here.

Loss-of-Function but Not Gain-of-Function Properties of Mutant TP53 Are Critical for the Proliferation, Survival, and Metastasis of a Broad Range of Cancer Cells.

Mutations in the tumor suppressor TP53 cause cancer and impart poor chemotherapeutic responses, reportedly through loss-of-function, dominant-negative effects and gain-of-function (GOF) activities. The relative contributions of these attributes is unknown. We found that removal of 12 different TP53 mutants with reported GOFs by CRISPR/Cas9 did not impact proliferation and response to chemotherapeutics of 15 human cancer cell lines and colon cancer-derived organoids in culture. Moreover, removal of mutant TP53/TRP53 did not impair growth or metastasis of human cancers in immune-deficient mice or growth of murine cancers in immune-competent mice. DepMap mining revealed that removal of 158 different TP53 mutants had no impact on the growth of 391 human cancer cell lines. In contrast, CRISPR-mediated restoration of wild-type TP53 extinguished the growth of human cancer cells in vitro. These findings demonstrate that LOF but not GOF effects of mutant TP53/TRP53 are critical to sustain expansion of many tumor types. SIGNIFICANCE: This study provides evidence that removal of mutant TP53, thereby deleting its reported GOF activities, does not impact the survival, proliferation, metastasis, or chemotherapy responses of cancer cells. Thus, approaches that abrogate expression of mutant TP53 or target its reported GOF activities are unlikely to exert therapeutic impact in cancer. See related commentary by Lane, p. 211 . This article is featured in Selected Articles from This Issue, p. 201.

PLK1 promotes the mitotic surveillance pathway by controlling cytosolic 53BP1 availability.

53BP1 acts at the crossroads between DNA repair and p53-mediated stress response. With its interactors p53 and USP28, it is part of the mitotic surveillance (or mitotic stopwatch) pathway (MSP), a sensor that monitors the duration of cell division, promoting p53-dependent cell cycle arrest when a critical time threshold is surpassed. Here, we show that Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) activity is essential for the time-dependent release of 53BP1 from kinetochores. PLK1 inhibition, which leads to 53BP1 persistence at kinetochores, prevents cytosolic 53BP1 association with p53 and results in a blunted MSP. Strikingly, the identification of CENP-F as the kinetochore docking partner of 53BP1 enabled us to show that measurement of mitotic timing by the MSP does not take place at kinetochores, as perturbing CENP-F-53BP1 binding had no measurable impact on the MSP. Taken together, we propose that PLK1 supports the MSP by generating a cytosolic pool of 53BP1 and that an unknown cytosolic mechanism enables the measurement of mitotic duration.

Extra centrosomes induce PIDD1-mediated inflammation and immunosurveillance.

Unscheduled increases in ploidy underlie defects in tissue function, premature aging, and malignancy. A concomitant event to polyploidization is the amplification of centrosomes, the main microtubule organization centers in animal cells. Supernumerary centrosomes are frequent in tumors, correlating with higher aggressiveness and poor prognosis. However, extra centrosomes initially also exert an onco-protective effect by activating p53-induced cell cycle arrest. If additional signaling events initiated by centrosomes help prevent pathology is unknown. Here, we report that extra centrosomes, arising during unscheduled polyploidization or aberrant centriole biogenesis, induce activation of NF-κB signaling and sterile inflammation. This signaling requires the NEMO-PIDDosome, a multi-protein complex composed of PIDD1, RIPK1, and NEMO/IKKγ. Remarkably, the presence of supernumerary centrosomes suffices to induce a paracrine chemokine and cytokine profile, able to polarize macrophages into a pro-inflammatory phenotype. Furthermore, extra centrosomes increase the immunogenicity of cancer cells and render them more susceptible to NK-cell attack. Hence, the PIDDosome acts as a dual effector, able to engage not only the p53 network for cell cycle control but also NF-κB signaling to instruct innate immunity.

Triap1 upregulation promotes escape from mitotic-slippage-induced G1 arrest.

Drugs targeting microtubules rely on the mitotic checkpoint to arrest cell proliferation. The prolonged mitotic arrest induced by such drugs is followed by a G1 arrest. Here, we follow for several weeks the fate of G1-arrested human cells after treatment with nocodazole. We find that a small fraction of cells escapes from the arrest and resumes proliferation. These escaping cells experience reduced DNA damage and p21 activation. Cells surviving treatment are enriched for anti-apoptotic proteins, including Triap1. Increasing Triap1 levels allows cells to survive the first treatment with reduced DNA damage and lower levels of p21; accordingly, decreasing Triap1 re-sensitizes cells to nocodazole. We show that Triap1 upregulation leads to the retention of cytochrome c in the mitochondria, opposing the partial activation of caspases caused by nocodazole. In summary, our results point to a potential role of Triap1 upregulation in the emergence of resistance to drugs that induce prolonged mitotic arrest.

Determination and risk assessment of phthalates in face masks. An Italian study.

Serious human health concerns have been recently raised from daily use of face masks, due to the possible presence of hazardous compounds as the phthalic acid esters (PAEs). In this study, the content of 11 PAEs in 35 commercial masks was assessed by applying a specific and accurate method, using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry. Surgical, FFP2 and non-surgical models, for both adults and children were collected from the Italian market. Analyses showed that four of the target analytes were detected in all tested samples with median total concentrations ranging between 23.6 mg/kg and 54.3 mg/kg. Results obtained from the experimental analysis were used in the risk assessment studies carried out for both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects. Doses of exposure (Dexp) of PAEs ranged from 6.43 × 10-5 mg/kg bw/day to 1.43 × 10-2 mg/kg bw/day. Cumulative risk assessment was performed for non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic effects. No potential risk was found for non-carcinogenic effects, yet the 20% of the mask samples showed potential carcinogenic effects for humans. A refined exposure assessment was performed showing no risk for carcinogenic effects. This paper presents a risk assessment approach for the identification of potential risks associated to the use of face masks.

Generation of corrected hiPSC clones from a Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS) patient through CRISPR-Cas-based technology.

BACKGROUND: Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) is a rare multisystem genetic disorder which is caused by genetic defects involving the Nipped-B-like protein (NIPBL) gene in the majority of clinical cases (60-70%). Currently, there are no specific cures available for CdLS and clinical management is needed for life. Disease models are highly needed to find a cure. Among therapeutic possibilities are genome editing strategies based on CRISPR-Cas technology. METHODS: A comparative analysis was performed to test the most recent CRISPR-Cas technologies comprising base- and prime-editors which introduce modifications without DNA cleavages and compared with sequence substitution approaches through homology directed repair (HDR) induced by Cas9 nuclease activity. The HDR method that was found more efficient was applied to repair a CdLS-causing mutation in the NIPBL gene. Human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) derived from a CdLS patient carrying the c.5483G > A mutation in the NIPBL were modified through HDR to generate isogenic corrected clones. RESULTS: This study reports an efficient method to repair the NIPBL gene through HDR mediated by CRISPR-Cas and induced with a compound (NU7441) inhibiting non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) repair. This sequence repair method allowed the generation of isogenic wild-type hiPSCs clones with regular karyotype and preserved pluripotency. CONCLUSIONS: CdLS cellular models were generated which will facilitate the investigation of the disease molecular determinants and the identification of therapeutic targets. In particular, the hiPSC-based cellular models offer the paramount advantage to study the tissue differentiation stages which are altered in the CdLS clinical development. Importantly, the hiPSCs that were generated are isogenic thus providing the most controlled experimental set up between wild-type and mutated conditions.

Quantification of preservatives in tattoo and permanent make-up inks in the frame of the new requirements under the REACH Regulation.

BACKGROUND: According to the REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) restriction, tattoo and permanent make-up (PMU) inks placed on the European Union market after January 4, 2022, shall not contain methylisothiazolinone, benzisothiazolinone (BIT), octylisothiazolinone (OIT), or other skin sensitizers in concentrations of 10 mg/kg or higher and phenoxyethanol (PE) or other eye irritants or damaging substances in concentrations of 100 mg/kg or higher. In addition, preservatives and other substances enlisted in Annex II to Cosmetic Product Regulation shall not be present in concentrations of 0.5 mg/kg or higher. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to quantify 14 preservatives in 99 tattoo and 39 PMU inks from the Italian market and presents a comparison with concentration limits set by the REACH restriction. METHODS: Inks were analysed by applying validated analytical methods based on liquid chromatography techniques. RESULTS: About 24.0%, 15.2% and 1.5% of the overall samples contained BIT, PE and OIT, respectively, at concentrations exceeding REACH concentration limits. The number of noncompliant tattoo inks (49.5%) would be significantly greater than that of the PMU inks (17.9%). CONCLUSIONS: About 40.6% of the samples would be noncompliant with the restriction for the presence of preservatives above the permitted level. Additional concentration limits will apply to skin sensitizing preservatives for proper labelling of inks under CLP (Classification, Labelling and Packaging) Regulation.

Monitoring of alcohol-based hand rubs in SARS-CoV-2 prevention by HS-GC/MS and electrochemical biosensor: A survey of commercial samples.

Alcohol-based hand rubs (ABHRs) have found large diffusion during the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2, thus becoming the most widespread means for hand hygiene. Whereby, it is fundamental to assess the alignment of commercial ABHRs to the indications provided by the principal health agencies regarding alcohol content and possible impurities. In this work, a novel improvement of previous existent methods for the determination of alcohol content in such products was reported. In particular, two alternative sensitive and reproducible methods, such as an electrochemical screen-printed based enzymatic (alcohol oxidase) biosensor and a Headspace Gas Chromatography coupled with Mass Spectrometry (HS-GC/MS) were proposed. The electrochemical device represents a rapid, low-cost and accurate fraud screening method for alcohol-based hand rubs. The second technique confirms, identifies and simultaneously determines ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, n-propyl alcohol and methyl alcohol, improving their extraction through acidification in the sample pre-treatment step. The developed specific HS-GC/MS method was in-house validated according to ISO/IEC 17025 requirements. Analytical parameters such as limit of detection (LoD 0.13%v/v - 0.17%v/v), limit of quantification (LoQ 0.44% v/v - 0.57% v/v), inter-day repeatability (RSDR 2.1-10.7%) and recovery (80-110%) were assessed. The relative expanded uncertainties range (between 0.1%v/v and 3.4%v/v) for all the analytes were evaluated. Results obtained using the different analytical approaches were compared and indicated that the two data sets were comparable (median; HS-GC/MS, 56%v/v; electrochemical biosensor, 62%v/v) and were not statistically different (one-way ANOVA test; p = 0.062). In addition, a good correlation (95%) was found. This study noticed that only 39% of the tested hand sanitiser products had the recommended average alcohol content, thus highlighting the need for analytical controls on this type of products.

Allele-specific genomic data elucidate the role of somatic gain and copy-number neutral loss of heterozygosity in cancer.

Pan-cancer studies sketched the genomic landscape of the tumor types spectrum. We delineated the purity- and ploidy-adjusted allele-specific profiles of 4,950 patients across 27 tumor types from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Leveraging allele-specific data, we reclassified as loss of heterozygosity (LOH) 9% and 7% of apparent copy-number wild-type and gain calls, respectively, and overall observed more than 18 million allelic imbalance somatic events at the gene level. Reclassification of copy-number events revealed associations between driver mutations and LOH, pointing out the timings between the occurrence of point mutations and copy-number events. Integrating allele-specific genomics and matched transcriptomics, we observed that allele-specific gene status is relevant in the regulation of TP53 and its targets. Further, we disclosed the role of copy-neutral LOH in the impairment of tumor suppressor genes and in disease progression. Our results highlight the role of LOH in cancer and contribute to the understanding of tumor progression.

The PIDDosome: centrosome guardian and backup on the DNA damage response.

The PIDDosome is a Caspase-2-activating platform assembling in response to centrosome amplification or genotoxic stress. We have recently shown that both stimuli depend on ANKRD26 (ankyrin repeat domain-containing protein 26)-mediated localization of PIDD1 (p53-inducible protein with death domain) at the centrosome, demonstrating how this organelle can directly influence cell fate.

CRISPR/Cas9 ribonucleoprotein-mediated knockin generation in hTERT-RPE1 cells.

hTERT-RPE1 cells are genetically stable near diploid cells widely used to model cell division, DNA repair, or ciliogenesis in a non-transformed context. However, poor transfectability and limited homology-directed repair capacity hamper their amenability to gene editing. Here, we describe a protocol for rapid and efficient generation of diverse homozygous knockins. In contrast to other approaches, this strategy bypasses the need for molecular cloning. Our approach can also be applied to a variety of cell types including cancer and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

Centriolar distal appendages activate the centrosome-PIDDosome-p53 signalling axis via ANKRD26.

Centrosome amplification results into genetic instability and predisposes cells to neoplastic transformation. Supernumerary centrosomes trigger p53 stabilization dependent on the PIDDosome (a multiprotein complex composed by PIDD1, RAIDD and Caspase-2), whose activation results in cleavage of p53's key inhibitor, MDM2. Here, we demonstrate that PIDD1 is recruited to mature centrosomes by the centriolar distal appendage protein ANKRD26. PIDDosome-dependent Caspase-2 activation requires not only PIDD1 centrosomal localization, but also its autoproteolysis. Following cytokinesis failure, supernumerary centrosomes form clusters, which appear to be necessary for PIDDosome activation. In addition, in the context of DNA damage, activation of the complex results from a p53-dependent elevation of PIDD1 levels independently of centrosome amplification. We propose that PIDDosome activation can in both cases be promoted by an ANKRD26-dependent local increase in PIDD1 concentration close to the centrosome. Collectively, these findings provide a paradigm for how centrosomes can contribute to cell fate determination by igniting a signalling cascade.

E2F-Family Members Engage the PIDDosome to Limit Hepatocyte Ploidy in Liver Development and Regeneration.

E2F transcription factors control the cytokinesis machinery and thereby ploidy in hepatocytes. If or how these proteins limit proliferation of polyploid cells with extra centrosomes remains unknown. Here, we show that the PIDDosome, a signaling platform essential for caspase-2-activation, limits hepatocyte ploidy and is instructed by the E2F network to control p53 in the developing as well as regenerating liver. Casp2 and Pidd1 act as direct transcriptional targets of E2F1 and its antagonists, E2F7 and E2F8, that together co-regulate PIDDosome expression during juvenile liver growth and regeneration. Of note, whereas hepatocyte aneuploidy correlates with the basal ploidy state, the degree of aneuploidy itself is not limited by PIDDosome-dependent p53 activation. Finally, we provide evidence that the same signaling network is engaged to control ploidy in the human liver after resection. Our study defines the PIDDosome as a primary target to manipulate hepatocyte ploidy and proliferation rates in the regenerating liver.

p53 mitotic centrosome localization preserves centrosome integrity and works as sensor for the mitotic surveillance pathway.

Centrosomal p53 has been described for three decades but its role is still unclear. We previously reported that, in proliferating human cells, p53 transiently moves to centrosomes at each mitosis. Such p53 mitotic centrosome localization (p53-MCL) occurs independently from DNA damage but requires ATM-mediated p53Ser15 phosphorylation (p53Ser15P) on discrete cytoplasmic p53 foci that, through MT dynamics, move to centrosomes during the mitotic spindle formation. Here, we show that inhibition of p53-MCL, obtained by p53 depletion or selective impairment of p53 centrosomal localization, induces centrosome fragmentation in human nontransformed cells. In contrast, tumor cells or mouse cells tolerate p53 depletion, as expected, and p53-MCL inhibition. Such tumor- and species-specific behavior of centrosomal p53 resembles that of the recently identified sensor of centrosome-loss, whose activation triggers the mitotic surveillance pathway in human nontransformed cells but not in tumor cells or mouse cells. The mitotic surveillance pathway prevents the growth of human cells with increased chance of making mitotic errors and accumulating numeral chromosome defects. Thus, we evaluated whether p53-MCL could work as a centrosome-loss sensor and contribute to the activation of the mitotic surveillance pathway. We provide evidence that centrosome-loss triggered by PLK4 inhibition makes p53 orphan of its mitotic dock and promotes accumulation of discrete p53Ser15P foci. These p53 foci are required for the recruitment of 53BP1, a key effector of the mitotic surveillance pathway. Consistently, cells from patients with constitutive impairment of p53-MCL, such as ATM- and PCNT-mutant carriers, accumulate numeral chromosome defects. These findings indicate that, in nontransformed human cells, centrosomal p53 contributes to safeguard genome integrity by working as sensor for the mitotic surveillance pathway.

RIPK1 and Caspase-8 Ensure Chromosome Stability Independently of Their Role in Cell Death and Inflammation.

Receptor-interacting protein kinase (RIPK) 1 functions as a key mediator of tissue homeostasis via formation of Caspase-8 activating ripoptosome complexes, positively and negatively regulating apoptosis, necroptosis, and inflammation. Here, we report an unanticipated cell-death- and inflammation-independent function of RIPK1 and Caspase-8, promoting faithful chromosome alignment in mitosis and thereby ensuring genome stability. We find that ripoptosome complexes progressively form as cells enter mitosis, peaking at metaphase and disassembling as cells exit mitosis. Genetic deletion and mitosis-specific inhibition of Ripk1 or Caspase-8 results in chromosome alignment defects independently of MLKL. We found that Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) is recruited into mitotic ripoptosomes, where PLK1's activity is controlled via RIPK1-dependent recruitment and Caspase-8-mediated cleavage. A fine balance of ripoptosome assembly is required as deregulated ripoptosome activity modulates PLK1-dependent phosphorylation of downstream effectors, such as BUBR1. Our data suggest that ripoptosome-mediated regulation of PLK1 contributes to faithful chromosome segregation during mitosis.

Perturbing mitosis for anti-cancer therapy: is cell death the only answer?

Interfering with mitosis for cancer treatment is an old concept that has proven highly successful in the clinics. Microtubule poisons are used to treat patients with different types of blood or solid cancer since more than 20 years, but how these drugs achieve clinical response is still unclear. Arresting cells in mitosis can promote their demise, at least in a petri dish. Yet, at the molecular level, this type of cell death is poorly defined and cancer cells often find ways to escape. The signaling pathways activated can lead to mitotic slippage, cell death, or senescence. Therefore, any attempt to unravel the mechanistic action of microtubule poisons will have to investigate aspects of cell cycle control, cell death initiation in mitosis and after slippage, at single-cell resolution. Here, we discuss possible mechanisms and signaling pathways controlling cell death in mitosis or after escape from mitotic arrest, as well as secondary consequences of mitotic errors, particularly sterile inflammation, and finally address the question how clinical efficacy of anti-mitotic drugs may come about and could be improved.

The resurrection of the PIDDosome - emerging roles in the DNA-damage response and centrosome surveillance.

The PIDDosome is often used as the alias for a multi-protein complex that includes the p53-induced death domain protein 1 (PIDD1), the bipartite linker protein CRADD (also known as RAIDD) and the pro-form of an endopeptidase belonging to the caspase family, i.e. caspase-2. Yet, PIDD1 variants can also interact with a number of other proteins that include RIPK1 (also known as RIP1) and IKBKG (also known as NEMO), PCNA and RFC5, as well as nucleolar components such as NPM1 or NCL. This promiscuity in protein binding is facilitated mainly by autoprocessing of the full-length protein into various fragments that contain different structural domains. As a result, multiple responses can be mediated by protein complexes that contain a PIDD1 domain. This suggests that PIDD1 acts as an integrator for multiple types of stress that need instant attention. Examples are various types of DNA lesion but also the presence of extra centrosomes that can foster aneuploidy and, ultimately, promote DNA damage. Here, we review the role of PIDD1 in response to DNA damage and also highlight novel functions of PIDD1, such as in centrosome surveillance and scheduled polyploidisation as part of a cellular differentiation program during organogenesis.

The PIDDosome activates p53 in response to supernumerary centrosomes.

Centrosomes, the main microtubule-organizing centers in animal cells, are replicated exactly once during the cell division cycle to form the poles of the mitotic spindle. Supernumerary centrosomes can lead to aberrant cell division and have been causally linked to chromosomal instability and cancer. Here, we report that an increase in the number of mature centrosomes, generated by disrupting cytokinesis or forcing centrosome overduplication, triggers the activation of the PIDDosome multiprotein complex, leading to Caspase-2-mediated MDM2 cleavage, p53 stabilization, and p21-dependent cell cycle arrest. This pathway also restrains the extent of developmentally scheduled polyploidization by regulating p53 levels in hepatocytes during liver organogenesis. Taken together, the PIDDosome acts as a first barrier, engaging p53 to halt the proliferation of cells carrying more than one mature centrosome to maintain genome integrity.