Science Communication Training Imparts Confidence and Influences Public Engagement Activity.

The impacts of science are felt across all socio-ecological levels, ranging from the individual to societal. In order to adapt or respond to scientific discoveries, novel technologies, or biomedical or environmental challenges, a fundamental understanding of science is necessary. However, antiscientific rhetoric, mistrust in science, and the dissemination of misinformation hinder the promotion of science as a necessary and beneficial component of our world. Scientists can promote scientific literacy by establishing dialogues with nonexperts, but they may find a lack of formal training as a barrier to public engagement. To address this, the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) launched the Art of Science Communication course in 2015 in order to provide scientists at all career stages with introductory science communication training. In 2020, we conducted a retrospective survey of former participants to evaluate how the course had impacted participants' science communication behaviors and their confidence engaging with nonexperts, as well as other benefits to their professional development. We found that scientists were significantly more likely to communicate with nonexpert audiences following the course compared to before (77% versus 51%; P < 0.0001). In addition, quantitative and qualitative data suggested that scientists were more confident in their ability to communicate science after completing the course (median of 8, standard deviation [SD] of 0.98 versus median of 5, SD of 1.57; P < 0.0001). Qualitative responses from participants supported quantitative findings. This suggested that the Art of Science Communication course is highly effective at improving the confidence of scientists to engage with the public and other nonexpert audiences regardless of career status. These data-driven perspectives provide a rationale for the implementation of broadly accessible science communication training programs that promote public engagement with science.

Sub-Regional Assessment of HPV Vaccination Among Female Adolescents in the Intermountain West and Implications for Intervention Opportunities.

Objectives We investigated the similarities and differences in the factors related to human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination of female adolescents in three sub-regions of the Intermountain West (IW). Methods We analyzed 2011-2012 National Immunization Survey-Teen data. Respondents (parents) who were living in the IW and who had daughters aged 13-17 years old with provider-verified immunization records were included in our analyses. East, Central, and West sub-regions were defined based on geographic contiguity and similarity in HPV vaccination rates and sociodemographic characteristics. Survey-weighted Chi square tests and multivariable Poisson regressions were performed. Results In all three sub-regions, older teen age and receipt of other recommended adolescent vaccinations were significantly associated with HPV vaccination. In the East sub-region, providers' facility type and source of vaccines were significantly related to HPV vaccination. In the Central sub-region, teens with married parents were significantly less likely to be vaccinated than were those with unmarried parents. In the West sub-region, non-Hispanic teens were significantly less likely to be vaccinated than were Hispanic teens. Conclusions for Practice In order to improve HPV vaccine coverage in the IW, region-wide efforts to target younger teens and to promote the HPV vaccine with other recommended adolescent vaccinations should be supplemented with sub-regional attention to the health care system (East sub-region), to married parents (Central sub-region), and to non-Hispanic teens (West sub-region).

Factors associated with early adoption of the HPV vaccine in US male adolescents include Hispanic ethnicity and receipt of other vaccines.

Adolescent males' HPV vaccine initiation and completion in the United States is far below the Healthy People 2020 goal of 80% 3-dose completion among boys. In 2012, less than 7% of males ages 13-17 years had completed the 3-dose series. The Diffusion of Innovations framework guided this investigation of factors related to early adoption of HPV vaccination among male adolescents. Provider-validated data from the 2012 National Immunization Survey-Teen (NIS-Teen) for male adolescents ages 13-17 years were analyzed via a multivariable Poisson regression to estimate prevalence ratios for factors associated with HPV vaccine initiation and completion. Adolescent males who are Hispanic and those who are up to date on other recommended adolescent vaccinations were most likely to complete the HPV vaccine. Public health interventions are needed to improve low HPV vaccination rates among adolescent males in the United States. Description of early adopters of the HPV vaccine provides historical context of HPV vaccination acceptance that is needed to inform the design of targeted vaccination interventions to prevent negative HPV-associated outcomes.

A role for the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier as a repressor of the Warburg effect and colon cancer cell growth.

Cancer cells are typically subject to profound metabolic alterations, including the Warburg effect wherein cancer cells oxidize a decreased fraction of the pyruvate generated from glycolysis. We show herein that the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC), composed of the products of the MPC1 and MPC2 genes, modulates fractional pyruvate oxidation. MPC1 is deleted or underexpressed in multiple cancers and correlates with poor prognosis. Cancer cells re-expressing MPC1 and MPC2 display increased mitochondrial pyruvate oxidation, with no changes in cell growth in adherent culture. MPC re-expression exerted profound effects in anchorage-independent growth conditions, however, including impaired colony formation in soft agar, spheroid formation, and xenograft growth. We also observed a decrease in markers of stemness and traced the growth effects of MPC expression to the stem cell compartment. We propose that reduced MPC activity is an important aspect of cancer metabolism, perhaps through altering the maintenance and fate of stem cells.

DNA double-strand break - induced pro-survival signaling.

Radiation and other types of DNA damaging agents induce a plethora of signaling events simultaneously originating from the nucleus, cytoplasm, and plasma membrane. As a result, this presents a dilemma when seeking to determine causal relationships and better insight into the intricacies of stress signaling. ATM plays critical roles in both nuclear and cytoplasmic signaling, of which, the DNA damage response (DDR) is the best characterized. We have recently created experimental conditions where the DNA damage signal alone can be studied while minimizing the influence from the extranuclear compartment. We have been able to document pro-survival and growth promoting signaling (via ATM-AKT-ERK) resulting from low levels of DSBs (equivalent to ≤2 Gy). More extensive DSBs (>2 Gy eq.) result in phosphatase-mediated ERK dephosphorylation, and thus shutdown of ERK signaling. In contrast, radiation does not result in such dephosphorylation even at very high doses. We propose that phosphatases are inactivated perhaps as a result of reactive oxygen species, which does not occur in response to 'pure' DNA damage. Our findings suggest that clinically relevant radiation doses, which are intended to halt tumor growth and induce cell death, are unable to inhibit tumor pro-survival signaling via ERK dephosphorylation.

SRSF1 regulates the alternative splicing of caspase 9 via a novel intronic splicing enhancer affecting the chemotherapeutic sensitivity of non-small cell lung cancer cells.

Increasing evidence points to the functional importance of alternative splice variations in cancer pathophysiology with the alternative pre-mRNA processing of caspase 9 as one example. In this study, we delve into the underlying molecular mechanisms that regulate the alternative splicing of caspase 9. Specifically, the pre-mRNA sequence of caspase 9 was analyzed for RNA cis-elements known to interact with SRSF1, a required enhancer for caspase 9 RNA splicing. This analysis revealed 13 possible RNA cis-elements for interaction with SRSF1 with mutagenesis of these RNA cis-elements identifying a strong intronic splicing enhancer located in intron 6 (C9-I6/ISE). SRSF1 specifically interacted with this sequence, which was required for SRSF1 to act as a splicing enhancer of the inclusion of the 4 exon cassette. To further determine the biological importance of this mechanism, we employed RNA oligonucleotides to redirect caspase 9 pre-mRNA splicing in favor of caspase 9b expression, which resulted in an increase in the IC(50) of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells to daunorubicin, cisplatinum, and paclitaxel. In contrast, downregulation of caspase 9b induced a decrease in the IC(50) of these chemotherapeutic drugs. Finally, these studies showed that caspase 9 RNA splicing was a major mechanism for the synergistic effects of combination therapy with daunorubicin and erlotinib. Overall, we have identified a novel intronic splicing enhancer that regulates caspase 9 RNA splicing and specifically interacts with SRSF1. Furthermore, we showed that the alternative splicing of caspase 9 is an important molecular mechanism with therapeutic relevance to NSCLCs.

Alternative splicing of caspase 9 is modulated by the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt pathway via phosphorylation of SRp30a.

Increasing evidence points to the functional importance of alternative splice variations in cancer pathophysiology. Two splice variants are derived from the CASP9 gene via the inclusion (Casp9a) or exclusion (Casp9b) of a four-exon cassette. Here we show that alternative splicing of Casp9 is dysregulated in non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) regardless of their pathologic classification. Based on these findings we hypothesized that survival pathways activated by oncogenic mutation regulated this mechanism. In contrast to K-RasV12 expression, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) overexpression or mutation dramatically lowered the Casp9a/9b splice isoform ratio. Moreover, Casp9b downregulation blocked the ability of EGFR mutations to induce anchorage-independent growth. Furthermore, Casp9b expression blocked inhibition of clonogenic colony formation by erlotinib. Interrogation of oncogenic signaling pathways showed that inhibition of phosphoinositide 3-kinase or Akt dramatically increased the Casp9a/9b ratio in NSCLC cells. Finally, Akt was found to mediate exclusion of the exon 3,4,5,6 cassette of Casp9 via the phosphorylation state of the RNA splicing factor SRp30a via serines 199, 201, 227, and 234. Taken together, our findings show that oncogenic factors activating the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt pathway can regulate alternative splicing of Casp9 via a coordinated mechanism involving the phosphorylation of SRp30a.

ATM-independent, high-fidelity nonhomologous end joining predominates in human embryonic stem cells.

We recently demonstrated that human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) utilize homologous recombination repair (HRR) as primary means of double-strand break (DSB) repair. We now show that hESCs also use nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ). NHEJ kinetics were several-fold slower in hESCs and neural progenitors (NPs) than in astrocytes derived from hESCs. ATM and DNA-PKcs inhibitors were ineffective or partially effective, respectively, at inhibiting NHEJ in hESCs, whereas progressively more inhibition was seen in NPs and astrocytes. The lack of any major involvement of DNA-PKcs in NHEJ in hESCs was supported by siRNA-mediated DNA-PKcs knockdown. Expression of a truncated XRCC4 decoy or XRCC4 knock-down reduced NHEJ by more than half suggesting that repair is primarily canonical NHEJ. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) was dispensable for NHEJ suggesting that repair is largely independent of backup NHEJ. Furthermore, as hESCs differentiated a progressive decrease in the accuracy of NHEJ was observed. Altogether, we conclude that NHEJ in hESCs is largely independent of ATM, DNA-PKcs, and PARP but dependent on XRCC4 with repair fidelity several-fold greater than in astrocytes.

Pro-survival AKT and ERK signaling from EGFR and mutant EGFRvIII enhances DNA double-strand break repair in human glioma cells.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is frequently dysregulated in malignant glioma that leads to increased resistance to cancer therapy. Upregulation of wild type or expression of mutant EGFR is associated with tumor radioresistance and poor clinical outcome. EGFR variant III (EGFRvIII) is the most common EGFR mutation in malignant glioma. Radioresistance is thought to be, at least in part, the result of a strong cytoprotective response fueled by signaling via AKT and ERK that is heightened by radiation in the clinical dose range. Several groups including ours have shown that this response may modulate DNA repair. Herein, we show that expression of EGFRvIII promoted gamma-H2AX foci resolution, a surrogate for double-strand break (DSB) repair, and thus enhanced DNA repair. Conversely, small molecule inhibitors targeting EGFR, MEK, and the expression of dominant-negative EGFR (EGFR-CD533) significantly reduced the resolution of gamma-H2AX foci. When homologous recombination repair (HRR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) were specifically examined, we found that EGFRvIII stimulated and CD533 compromised HRR and NHEJ, respectively. Furthermore, NHEJ was blocked by inhibitors of AKT and ERK signaling pathways. Moreover, expression of EGFRvIII and CD533 increased and reduced, respectively, the formation of phospho-DNA-PKcs and -ATM repair foci, and RAD51 foci and expression levels, indicating that DSB repair is regulated at multiple levels. Altogether, signaling from EGFR and EGFRvIII promotes both HRR and NHEJ that is likely a contributing factor towards the radioresistance of malignant gliomas.

In vitro complementation of Tdp1 deficiency indicates a stabilized enzyme-DNA adduct from tyrosyl but not glycolate lesions as a consequence of the SCAN1 mutation.

A homozygous H493R mutation in the active site of tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase (TDP1) has been implicated in hereditary spinocerebellar ataxia with axonal neuropathy (SCAN1), an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disease. However, it is uncertain how the H493R mutation elicits the specific pathologies of SCAN1. To address this question, and to further elucidate the role of TDP1 in repair of DNA end modifications and general physiology, we generated a Tdp1 knockout mouse and carried out detailed behavioral analyses as well as characterization of repair deficiencies in extracts of embryo fibroblasts from these animals. While Tdp1(-/-) mice appear phenotypically normal, extracts from Tdp1(-/-) fibroblasts exhibited deficiencies in processing 3'-phosphotyrosyl single-strand breaks and 3'-phosphoglycolate double-strand breaks (DSBs), but not 3'-phosphoglycolate single-strand breaks. Supplementing Tdp1(-/-) extracts with H493R TDP1 partially restored processing of 3'-phosphotyrosyl single-strand breaks, but with evidence of persistent covalent adducts between TDP1 and DNA, consistent with a proposed intermediate-stabilization effect of the SCAN1 mutation. However, H493R TDP1 supplementation had no effect on phosphoglycolate (PG) termini on 3' overhangs of double-strand breaks; these remained completely unprocessed. Altogether, these results suggest that for 3'-phosphoglycolate overhang lesions, the SCAN1 mutation confers loss of function, while for 3'-phosphotyrosyl lesions, the mutation uniquely stabilizes a reaction intermediate.