Expansion microscopy (ExM) enables imaging of preserved specimens with nanoscale precision on diffraction limited instead of specialized super-resolution microscopes. ExM works by physically separating fluorescent probes after anchoring them to a swellable gel. The first expansion microscopy method was unable to retain native proteins in the gel and used custom made reagents not widely available. Here, we describe protein retention ExM (proExM), a variant of ExM that anchors proteins to the swellable gel allowing the use of conventional fluorescently labeled antibodies and streptavidin, and fluorescent proteins. We validate and demonstrate utility of proExM for multi-color super-resolution (~70 nm) imaging of cells and mammalian tissues on conventional microscopes.

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Mutations are a critical driver of cancer initiation. While extensive studies have focused on exposure-induced mutations, few studies have explored the importance of tissue physiology as a modulator of mutation susceptibility in vivo. Of particular interest is inflammation, a known cancer risk factor relevant to chronic inflammatory diseases and pathogen-induced inflammation. Here, we used the fluorescent yellow direct repeat (FYDR) mice that harbor a reporter to detect misalignments during homologous recombination (HR), an important class of mutations. FYDR mice were exposed to cerulein, a potent inducer of pancreatic inflammation. We show that inflammation induces DSBs (γH2AX foci) and that several days later there is an increase in cell proliferation. While isolated bouts of inflammation did not induce HR, overlap between inflammation-induced DNA damage and inflammation-induced cell proliferation induced HR significantly. To study exogenously-induced DNA damage, animals were exposed to methylnitrosourea, a model alkylating agent that creates DNA lesions relevant to both environmental exposures and cancer chemotherapy. We found that exposure to alkylation damage induces HR, and importantly, that inflammation-induced cell proliferation and alkylation induce HR in a synergistic fashion. Taken together, these results show that, during an acute bout of inflammation, there is a kinetic barrier separating DNA damage from cell proliferation that protects against mutations, and that inflammation-induced cell proliferation greatly potentiates exposure-induced mutations. These studies demonstrate a fundamental mechanism by which inflammation can act synergistically with DNA damage to induce mutations that drive cancer and cancer recurrence.

Mutation in the SHANK3 human gene leads to different neuropsychiatric diseases including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), intellectual disabilities and Phelan-McDermid syndrome. Shank3 disruption in mice leads to dysfunction of synaptic transmission, behavior, and development. Protein S-nitrosylation, the nitric oxide (NO)-mediated posttranslational modification (PTM) of cysteine thiols (SNO), modulates the activity of proteins that regulate key signaling pathways. We tested the hypothesis that Shank3 mutation would generate downstream effects on PTM of critical proteins that lead to modification of synaptic functions. SNO-proteins in two ASD-related brain regions, cortex and striatum of young and adult InsG3680(+/+) mice (a human mutation-based Shank3 mouse model), were identified by an innovative mass spectrometric method, SNOTRAP. We found changes of the SNO-proteome in the mutant compared to WT in both ages. Pathway analysis showed enrichment of processes affected in ASD. SNO-Calcineurin in mutant led to a significant increase of phosphorylated Synapsin1 and CREB, which affect synaptic vesicle mobilization and gene transcription, respectively. A significant increase of 3-nitrotyrosine was found in the cortical regions of the adult mutant, signaling both oxidative and nitrosative stress. Neuronal NO Synthase (nNOS) was examined for levels and localization in neurons and no significant difference was found in WT vs. mutant. S-nitrosoglutathione concentrations were higher in mutant mice compared to WT. This is the first study on NO-related molecular changes and SNO-signaling in the brain of an ASD mouse model that allows the characterization and identification of key proteins, cellular pathways, and neurobiological mechanisms that might be affected in ASD.

[1] The presence of snow over broad land surface regions has been shown to not only suppress local surface temperatures, but also influence various remote climate phenomena. However, the specific mechanisms and snow anomaly characteristics which produce this response are still not well understood. In this study, large-ensemble general circulation model (GCM) experiments are performed to investigate the sensitivity of the atmospheric response to snow cover vs. snow depth anomalies, and the relevant surface thermodynamic processes involved. Realistic, observation-based, autumn-winter snow forcings over Siberia are developed and applied as model boundary conditions, to evaluate the climate response to (1) comprehensive snow forcings including snow cover and snow depth components, (2) snow cover only forcings, and (3) snow forcings in the absence of a surface albedo response. Results indicate that snow cover extent anomalies are not the only significant contributor to the local temperature response; snow depth anomalies are shown to have a comparable effect. Furthermore, the albedo effect is not the predominant thermodynamic mechanism; processes related to the insulative properties of the snowpack (e.g., thermal conductivity and latent heat flux) are also involved. Lastly, we find that realistic snow cover and snow depth anomalies acting in conjunction are required to produce a local temperature response which is strong enough to distinctly modulate the winter Arctic Oscillation (AO) mode as shown in previous studies. Such a detailed understanding of the atmospheric sensitivity to snow anomaly characteristics is beneficial for effectively utilizing any potential climate predictability contained in snow anomaly signals.