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Summary The existence of adult pancreatic progenitor cells has been debated. While some favor the concept of facultative progenitors involved in homeostasis and repair, neither a location nor markers for such cells have been defined. Using genetic lineage tracing, we show that Doublecortin like kinase-1 (Dclk1) labels a rare population of long-lived, quiescent pancreatic cells. In vitro, Dclk1+ cells proliferate readily and sustain pancreatic organoid growth. In vivo, Dclk1+ cells are necessary for pancreatic regeneration following injury and chronic inflammation. Accordingly, their loss has detrimental effects after cerulein-induced pancreatitis. Expression of mutant Kras in Dclk1+ cells does not affect their quiescence or longevity. However, experimental pancreatitis converts Kras mutant Dclk1+ cells into potent cancer initiating cells. As a potential effector of Kras, Dclk1 contributes functionally to the pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer. Taken together, Dclk1 marks quiescent pancreatic progenitors that are candidates for the origin of pancreatic cancer.

SUMMARY Resistin is a cytokine that induces low-grade inflammation by stimulating monocytes in human. Resistin-mediated chronic inflammation can lead to obesity, atherosclerosis and other cardiometabolic disease. Nevertheless, the receptor for human resistin has not yet been clarified. Here, we identified adenylyl cyclase-associated protein 1(CAP1) as a functional receptor for human resistin and clarified its intracellular signaling pathway to modulate inflammatory action of monocytes. We found that human resistin directly binds to CAP1 in monocytes and up-regulates intracellular cAMP concentration, PKA activity and NF-kB-related transcription of inflammatory cytokines. Over-expression of CAP1 in monocytes enhanced resistin-induced increased activity of cAMP-dependent signaling pathway. Moreover, CAP1-over-expressed monocytes aggravated adipose tissue inflammation in transgenic mice that express human resistin from their monocytes. In contrast, suppression of CAP1 expression abrogated the resistin-mediated inflammatory activity both in vitro and in vivo. Our results highlight CAP1 as the bona fide receptor for resistin leading to inflammation in human.

ConspectusSignificant levels of the 1,N 2 -γ-hydroxypropano-dG adducts of the α,β-unsaturated aldehydes acrolein, crotonaldehyde, and 4-hydroxy-2E-nonenal (HNE) have been identified in human DNA, arising from both exogenous and endogenous exposure. They yield interstrand DNA cross-links between guanines in the neighboring C•G and G•C base pairs located in 5′-CpG-3′ sequences, as a result of opening of the 1,N 2 -γ-hydroxypropano-dG adducts to form reactive aldehydes that are positioned within the minor groove of duplex DNA. Using a combination of chemical, spectroscopic, and computational methods, we have elucidated the chemistry of cross-link formation in duplex DNA. NMR spectroscopy revealed that, at equilibrium, the acrolein and crotonaldehyde cross-links consist primarily of interstrand carbinolamine linkages between the exocyclic amines of the two guanines located in the neighboring C•G and G•C base pairs located in 5′-CpG-3′ sequences, that maintain the Watson-Crick hydrogen bonding of the cross-linked base pairs. The ability of crotonaldehyde and HNE to form interstrand cross-links depends upon their common relative stereochemistry at the C6 position of the 1,N 2 -γ-hydroxypropano-dG adduct. The stereochemistry at this center modulates the orientation of the reactive aldehyde within the minor groove of the doublestranded DNA, either facilitating or hindering the cross-linking reactions; it also affects the stabilities of the resulting diastereoisomeric cross-links. The presence of these cross-links in vivo is anticipated to interfere with DNA replication and transcription, thereby contributing to the etiology of human disease. Reduced derivatives of these cross-links are useful tools for studying their biological processing. IntroductionThe α,β-unsaturated aldehydes (enals) acrolein, crotonaldehyde, and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) (Scheme 1) are endogenous byproducts of lipid peroxidation, arising as a consequence of oxidative stress. [1][2][3][4] Acrolein and crotonaldehyde exposures also occur from exogenous sources, e.g., cigarette smoke 5 and automobile exhaust. 6 Enals react with DNA nucleobases to give exocyclic adducts; they also react with proteins. 7 Addition of enals to dG involves Michael addition of the N 2 -amine to give N 2 -(3-oxopropyl)-dG adducts (1, 3-8), followed by * Michael P. Stone telephone, 615-322-2589; fax, 615-322-7591; michael.p The lipid peroxidation product 4-HNE afforded related dGadducts (13-16). 14 Identification of acrolein adducts of other nucleosides followed. 15,16 The principal acrolein adduct is γ-OH-PdG (9), 10,12 although the regioisomeric 6-hydroxypyrimido[1,2-a]purin-10(3H)-one (α-OH-PdG, 10) has also been observed. 12,17 The γ-OH-PdG adduct (9) exists as a mixture of C8-OH epimers. With crotonaldehyde, addition at N 2 -dG creates a stereocenter at C6. Of four possible products, the two with the trans relative configurations at C6 and C8 (11,12) are observed. 12,18 These are also formed through the reaction of dG with two equivalents of acetaldehyde. 5,19,20 The cor...

We elucidate the molecular mechanisms of two distinct activation strategies (autophosphorylation and TPX2-mediated activation) in human Aurora A kinase. Classic allosteric activation is in play where either activation loop phosphorylation or TPX2 binding to a conserved hydrophobic groove shifts the equilibrium far towards the active conformation. We resolve the controversy about the mechanism of autophosphorylation by demonstrating intermolecular autophosphorylation in a long-lived dimer by combining X-ray crystallography with functional assays. We then address the allosteric activation by TPX2 through activity assays and the crystal structure of a domain-swapped dimer of dephosphorylated Aurora A and TPX21−25. While autophosphorylation is the key regulatory mechanism in the centrosomes in the early stages of mitosis, allosteric activation by TPX2 of dephosphorylated Aurora A could be at play in the spindle microtubules. The mechanistic insights into autophosphorylation and allosteric activation by TPX2 binding proposed here, may have implications for understanding regulation of other protein kinases.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.02667.001

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Fluorine-free, amphiphilic, nonionic surface active block copolymers (SABCs) were synthesized through chemical modification of a polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene-ran-butylene)-block-polyisoprene triblock copolymer precursor with selected amphiphilic nonionic Brij and other surfactants. Amphiphilicity was imparted by a hydrophobic aliphatic group combined with a hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) group-containing moiety. The surfaces were characterized by dynamic water contact angle, atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) analysis. In biofouling assays, settlement (attachment) of both spores of the green alga Ulva and cells of the diatom Navicula on SABCs modified with Brij nonionic side chains was significantly reduced relative to a PDMS standard, with a nonionic surfactant combining a PEG group and an aliphatic moiety demonstrating the best performance. Additionally, a fouling-release assay using sporelings (young plants) of Ulva and Navicula suggested that the SABC derived from nonionic Brij side chains also out-performed PDMS as a fouling-release material. Good antifouling and fouling-release properties were not demonstrated for the other two amphiphilic surfaces derived from silicone and aromatic group containing nonionic surfactants included in this study. The results suggest that small differences in chemical surface functionality impart more significant changes with respect to the antifouling settlement and fouling-release performance of materials than overall wettability behavior.

A monoclonal antibody (Mab) against ochratoxin A (OTA) was produced from the hybridoma cell line C7G25, which was established by the fusion of Sp2/0-Ag14 myeloma cells with spleen cells isolated from a BALB/c mouse immunized with the OTA-bovine serum albumin conjugate. This Mab belongs to the IgG(2a) heavy-chain subclass with a kappa-type light chain. The level of 50% inhibition concentration was 1.20 ng/mL in a competitive direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cdELISA), and the detection limit was 0.12 ng/mL. This antibody is specific for OTA but also shows cross-reactivity with ochratoxin B (31.7%) in a cdELISA. On the basis of the sandwich format using the produced Mab against OTA, a rapid immunochromatographic assay was developed to efficiently detect OTA. This method was able to detect up to 500 ng/mL of OTA in <10 min.