SUMMARY Translational readthrough, observed primarily in less complex organisms from viruses to Drosophila, expands the proteome by translating select transcripts beyond the canonical stop codon. Here we show that vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGFA) mRNA in mammalian endothelial cells undergoes programmed translational readthrough (PTR) generating VEGF-Ax, an isoform containing a unique 22-amino acid C-terminus extension. A cis-acting element in the VEGFA 3′UTR serves a dual function, not only encoding the appended peptide, but also directing the PTR by decoding the UGA stop codon as serine. Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) A2/B1 binds this element and promotes readthrough. Remarkably, VEGF-Ax exhibits anti-angiogenic activity in contrast to the pro-angiogenic activity of VEGF-A. Pathophysiological significance of VEGF-Ax is indicated by robust expression in multiple human tissues, but depletion in colon adenocarcinoma. Furthermore, genome-wide analysis revealed AGO1 and MTCH2 as authentic readthrough targets. Overall, our studies reveal a novel protein-regulated PTR event in a vertebrate system.
A fused hexacyclic electron acceptor, IHIC, based on strong electron-donating group dithienocyclopentathieno[3,2-b]thiophene flanked by strong electron-withdrawing group 1,1-dicyanomethylene-3-indanone, is designed, synthesized, and applied in semitransparent organic solar cells (ST-OSCs). IHIC exhibits strong near-infrared absorption with extinction coefficients of up to 1.6 × 10 m cm , a narrow optical bandgap of 1.38 eV, and a high electron mobility of 2.4 × 10 cm V s . The ST-OSCs based on blends of a narrow-bandgap polymer donor PTB7-Th and narrow-bandgap IHIC acceptor exhibit a champion power conversion efficiency of 9.77% with an average visible transmittance of 36% and excellent device stability; this efficiency is much higher than any single-junction and tandem ST-OSCs reported in the literature.
Abstract. Exposure of mammalian cells to UV irradiation induces rapid and transient expression of early growth response-1 gene (Egr-1) encoding a transcription factor that plays a role in cell survival. These signals from the irradiated cell surface fire likely to involve more than one pathway, and we show here that an essential pathway involves activation of several growth factor receptors by reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI). UVC irradiation causes the tyrosine phosphorylation of EGF receptor (EGFR) in mouse NIH 3T3 fibroblasts and HC11 mouse mammary cells. EGFR activation by irradiation of cells is abrogated by suramin, by antioxidants, and by the presence of a dominant negative EGFR. UV induces the formation of complexes between activated EGFR and SOS, Grb2, PLC% and SHC that can be precipitated with antibodies to EGFR. The activation of EGFR by UV is mimicked by H202, suggesting that ROI may function upstream of EGFR activation. Our observations support the hypothesis that ROI and growth factor receptors operate in the early steps of the UV signal that lead to the enhanced expression and activity of Egr-1.
Spatiotemporal regulation of tumor immunity remains largely unexplored. Here we identify a vascular niche that controls alternative macrophage activation in glioblastoma (GBM). We show that tumor-promoting macrophages are spatially proximate to GBM-associated endothelial cells (ECs), permissive for angiocrine-induced macrophage polarization. We identify ECs as one of the major sources for interleukin-6 (IL-6) expression in GBM microenvironment. Furthermore, we reveal that colony-stimulating factor-1 and angiocrine IL-6 induce robust arginase-1 expression and macrophage alternative activation, mediated through peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ-dependent transcriptional activation of hypoxia-inducible factor-2α. Finally, utilizing a genetic murine GBM model, we show that EC-specific knockout of IL-6 inhibits macrophage alternative activation and improves survival in the GBM-bearing mice. These findings illustrate a vascular niche-dependent mechanism for alternative macrophage activation and cancer progression, and suggest that targeting endothelial IL-6 may offer a selective and efficient therapeutic strategy for GBM, and possibly other solid malignant tumors.
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