Behind the Scenes of Extracellular Vesicle Therapy for Skin Injuries and Disorders.

Skin wounds and disorders compromise the protective functions of skin and patient quality of life. Although accessible on the surface, they are challenging to address due to paucity of effective therapies. Exogenous extracellular vesicles (EVs) and cell-free derivatives of adult multipotent stromal cells (MSCs) are developing as a treatment modality.

The Contribution of MicroRNAs to the Inflammatory and Neoplastic Characteristics of Erdheim-Chester Disease.

The pathogenesis of histiocytic neoplasms is driven by mutations activating the MAPK/ERK pathway, but little is known about the transcriptional and post-transcriptional alterations involved in these neoplasms. We analyzed microRNA (miRNA) expression in plasma samples and tissue biopsies of Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD) and Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) patients. In silico analysis revealed a potential role of miRNAs in regulating gene expression in these neoplasms as compared with healthy controls (HC).

Mutant SF3B1 promotes AKT- and NF-κB-driven mammary tumorigenesis.

Mutations in the core RNA splicing factor SF3B1 are prevalent in leukemias and uveal melanoma, but hotspot SF3B1 mutations are also seen in epithelial malignancies such as breast cancer. Although hotspot mutations in SF3B1 alter hematopoietic differentiation, whether SF3B1 mutations contribute to epithelial cancer development and progression is unknown. Here, we identify that SF3B1 mutations in mammary epithelial and breast cancer cells induce a recurrent pattern of aberrant splicing leading to activation of AKT and NF-κB, enhanced cell migration, and accelerated tumorigenesis.

DNA methylation disruption reshapes the hematopoietic differentiation landscape.

Mutations in genes involved in DNA methylation (DNAme; for example, TET2 and DNMT3A) are frequently observed in hematological malignancies and clonal hematopoiesis. Applying single-cell sequencing to murine hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, we observed that these mutations disrupt hematopoietic differentiation, causing opposite shifts in the frequencies of erythroid versus myelomonocytic progenitors following Tet2 or Dnmt3a loss. Notably, these shifts trace back to transcriptional priming skews in uncommitted hematopoietic stem cells.

Mutations in the RNA Splicing Factor SF3B1 Promote Tumorigenesis through MYC Stabilization.

Although mutations in the gene encoding the RNA splicing factor SF3B1 are frequent in multiple cancers, their functional effects and therapeutic dependencies are poorly understood. Here, we characterize 98 tumors and 12 isogenic cell lines harboring hotspot mutations, identifying hundreds of cryptic 3' splice sites common and specific to different cancer types. Regulatory network analysis revealed that the most common mutation activates MYC via effects conserved across human and mouse cells.

Therapeutic Targeting of RNA Splicing Catalysis through Inhibition of Protein Arginine Methylation.

Cancer-associated mutations in genes encoding RNA splicing factors (SFs) commonly occur in leukemias, as well as in a variety of solid tumors, and confer dependence on wild-type splicing. These observations have led to clinical efforts to directly inhibit the spliceosome in patients with refractory leukemias. Here, we identify that inhibiting symmetric or asymmetric dimethylation of arginine, mediated by PRMT5 and type I protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs), respectively, reduces splicing fidelity and results in preferential killing of SF-mutant leukemias over wild-type counterparts.

Efficacy of MEK inhibition in patients with histiocytic neoplasms.

Histiocytic neoplasms are a heterogeneous group of clonal haematopoietic disorders that are marked by diverse mutations in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. For the 50% of patients with histiocytosis who have BRAF mutations, RAF inhibition is highly efficacious and has markedly altered the natural history of the disease. However, no standard therapy exists for the remaining 50% of patients who lack BRAF mutations.

Targeting an RNA-Binding Protein Network in Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are essential modulators of transcription and translation frequently dysregulated in cancer. We systematically interrogated RBP dependencies in human cancers using a comprehensive CRISPR/Cas9 domain-focused screen targeting RNA-binding domains of 490 classical RBPs. This uncovered a network of physically interacting RBPs upregulated in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and crucial for maintaining RNA splicing and AML survival.

Synthetic Lethal and Convergent Biological Effects of Cancer-Associated Spliceosomal Gene Mutations.

Mutations affecting RNA splicing factors are the most common genetic alterations in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients and occur in a mutually exclusive manner. The basis for the mutual exclusivity of these mutations and how they contribute to MDS is not well understood. Here we report that although different spliceosome gene mutations impart distinct effects on splicing, they are negatively selected for when co-expressed due to aberrant splicing and downregulation of regulators of hematopoietic stem cell survival and quiescence.