Medical & Molecular Genetics Department Theses & Dissertations
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Item Fgf23 Control of Hox Expression and Function and Implications for Chronic Kidney Disease(2023-08) Jennings, Kayleigh Nicole; White, Kenneth E.; Clinkenbeard, Erica; Wan, JunFGF23 is a hormone that controls metabolic phosphate and vitamin D synthesis in mammals and is overexpressed in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Previous studies have shown that FGF23 initiates transcriptional reprogramming within kidney cells, and therefore epigenetic changes may occur when FGF23 levels are high, revealing therapeutic target genes for patients with CKD and other FGF23-related diseases. In my research, I performed RNAseq and ATACseq on HEK-mKL cells treated with recombinant FGF23 to determine potential transcriptional and genomic reprogramming downstream of FGF23 bioactivity. My results showed significantly decreased chromatin accessibility at the promoters of sixteen HOX genes with a 40-70% expression decrease of HOXB5 and HOXD12 validated by qPCR. Testing kidney mRNA isolated from CKD mouse models showed increased Hox expression, suggesting that these genes are dysregulated during CKD. HOXD12 overexpression in HEK-mKL cells showed significant increase in CYP27B1 expression and in pEMT genes SNAI1 and MMP9. HOXB5 and HOXD12 protein products were tracked using immunofluorescence. Collectively, these data demonstrate that FGF23 suppresses HOX transcription, which is dysregulated in CKD and may contribute to increased CYP27B1 and pEMT phenotype. These results may better define the transcriptional landscape during CKD.Item A Mechanistic Approach to Identify Novel Therapeutic Drugs for Targeting FA-Disrupted Malignancies(2023-07) Sheth, Aditya Sukumar; Clapp, D. Wade; Vance, Gail; Angus, Steve; Herbert, Brittney-SheaThe Fanconi anemia (FA) signaling network plays a critical role in maintaining genomic integrity during interphase and mitosis. Biallelic germline mutation of any of the 22 genes that constitute this pathway (FANCA-FANCW) results in Fanconi Anemia, a cancer predisposition syndrome characterized by congenital malformations, bone marrow failure, and pediatric acute myeloid leukemias (AMLs). Among the general population, acquired genetic disruptions of the FA pathway are found in 30% of all sporadic cancers and over 15% of sporadic pediatric AMLs underscoring the importance of this pathway in the prevention of malignant transformation. Therefore, the identification of precision therapies for FA-deficient AML is a critical need. The canonical tumor suppressive role of FA proteins in the repair of DNA damage during interphase is well established. We and others have uncovered the roles of FA proteins in mitotic regulation, suggesting additional mechanisms by which the FA pathway prevents genomic instability. Mutation of FANCA is the most common cause of FA and is one of the most frequently disrupted FA pathway genes in sporadic AML. To identify synthetic lethal targets of FANCA, we previously identified mitotic phospho-signaling pathways required for the survival of FANCA-/- patient-derived fibroblasts through a kinome-wide shRNA screen. We identified mitotic kinases CHEK1, PLK1, SLK, and TTK as potential targets, which suggests a mitosis-specific vulnerability of FA-deficient cells. These findings corroborate work by others who have identified synthetic lethal interactions between PLK1 and the FA pathway members, FANCG and BRCA1, suggesting that inactivation of the FA pathway may sensitize cancers to PLK1 inhibition. A more thorough understanding of FA pathway function in mitosis provides new insight into AML pathogenesis and suggests that genetic disruptions of the FA pathway may be predictive of sensitivity to PLK1 inhibition, providing a preclinical rationale for the development of precision therapies.Item Nmp4 Suppresses Osteoanabolic Potency(2023-07) Heim, Crystal Noelle; Bidwell, Joseph; Wek, Ronald; White, Kenneth; Robling, Alexander; Plotkin, LilianTreating severe osteoporosis is limited to two strategies: 1. Stimulation of the parathyroid hormone receptor with analogs for parathyroid hormone (PTH) or parathyroid hormone related peptide, and 2. Stimulation of Wnt signaling via neutralization of sclerostin, a natural inhibitor of this pathway, with a monoclonal antibody (romosozumab-aqqg, Scl-mAb). Despite mobilizing distinct molecular and cellular pathways to stimulate bone gain, all their efficacies rapidly diminish. Identifying the barrier to enhancing potency is a clinical priority. We recently reported that mice harboring the conditional loss of the transcription factor Nmp4 (Nuclear Matrix Protein 4) in mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells (MSPCs) exhibited no measurable baseline effect on the skeleton but showed a significantly enhanced increase in bone formation during PTH therapy. Remarkably, (and unexpectedly) skeletal response to PTH therapy was not improved when Nmp4 was conditionally disabled at the osteoblast or osteocyte stages. For the present study, we hypothesized that the potency of any osteoanabolic drug is pre-programmed (and can be re-programmed) in osteoprogenitors. To test this hypothesis, we treated our global Nmp4-/- mice, various conditional knockout mice, and their controls with Scl-mAb. We observed a similar pattern of improved bone response in our mouse models, which we previously observed with the PTH therapy. That is, removal of Nmp4 early in osteoblast differentiation (MSPC) was required for an exaggerated bone-formation response to Scl-mAb therapy. Disabling Nmp4 later in osteogenic differentiation did not increase the potency of Scl-mAb. These data suggest that Nmp4 is part of a common barrier to improving the efficacy of any osteoanabolic. Potential pathways and actors that comprise the re-programming of Nmp4-/- MSPCs to support the exaggerated osteoanabolic effect on the skeleton are discussed.Item FARP1/RAC1/STAT3 Axis Circumvents CD8+ T Cell-Mediated Immunosurveillance by Restricting Antigen Presentation in Colorectal Cancer(2023-06) Eyvani, Haniyeh; Zhang, Xinna; Lu, Xiongbin; White, Kenneth E.; Kaplan, Mark H.; Liu, YunlongColorectal cancer (CRC), the second deadliest cancer worldwide, shows increasing incidence and mortality rate among young individuals. Besides chemotherapy and targeted therapies, new agents targeting tumor microenvironment and immune cells are emerging. Particularly, immune checkpoint inhibitors (PD-1 and CTLA-4 mAbs) have successfully entered into CRC clinical care. However, only a relatively small population of CRC patients with DNA mismatch repair (MMR) defects harboring microsatellite instability (MSI) respond to the current therapies. Low mutation burden, leading to poor antigen presentation and CD8+ T cell cytotoxicity is a major culprit for immunotherapy resistance. Thus, the aim of this study was to harness a novel therapeutic target to render CRC cells more immunogenic. By applying the Inference of Cell Types and Deconvolution algorithm, we generated a gene library whose expression is negatively associated with relative cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells in the tumor microenvironment of CRC patients. Given the central role of antigen presentation in mediating cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells and its frequent downregulation in tumor cells, capacity of each gene to modulate antigen presentation was analyzed. Our findings identified that depletion of FARP1 significantly enhanced antigen presentation, promoted CD8+ T cell cytotoxicity, and profoundly suppressed tumor growth in preclinical models. Importantly, FARP1 is strongly upregulated in CRC patients. We showed that it restricts antigen presentation by activating RAC1 Rho GTPase and phosphorylating STAT3 to modulate transcription of antigen presentation and processing genes. Collectively, our findings suggest that FARP1/RAC1 axis is a potential therapeutic target for CRC immunotherapy.Item Development of Cancer-Genomics-Guided Precision Immunotherapy for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer(2023-05) Sun, Yifan; Lu, Xiongbin; Kaplan, Mark H.; Hopewell, Emily L.; Zhang, Chi; Yang, KaiTriple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), which accounts for 15-20% of all breast cancers, is highly aggressive and metastatic with the poorest overall rates. While surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy remain the main treatment options, TNBC represents an unmet medical need for better treatment strategies. Tremendous efforts have been made to develop effective therapies over the past years. However, TNBC treatment options are still very limited due to the lack of good drug targets and the low response rate of current therapies. In this study, we developed two different strategies to treat TNBC based on its cancer genomic features: 1) heterozygous loss of chromosome 17p (17p loss) and 2) high mutation load. 17p loss is one of the most frequent genomic events in breast cancer including TNBC, rendering cancer cells vulnerable to the inhibition of POLR2A via α-amanitin (POLR2A-specific inhibitor). Here, we developed a new drug T-Ama (α-amanitin-conjugated trastuzumab) targeting HER2-low TNBC with 17p loss by combining the effects of α-amanitin and trastuzumab (HER2+ breast cancer therapy). Our results showed that T-Ama exhibited superior efficacy in treating HER2-low TNBC with 17p loss in vitro and in vivo, and surprisingly induced immunogenic cell death (ICD) which further enhanced T cell infiltration and cytotoxicity levels and delivered greater efficacy in combination with immune checkpoint blockade therapy. Collectively, the therapeutic window created by 17p loss and HER2 expression will make HER2-low TNBC clinically feasible targets of T-Ama. As another genetic feature of TNBC, the higher genomic instability and mutational burden results in more neoantigens presented on MHC-I, along with the higher level of tumor-infiltrating T cells, making TNBC a perfect model for immunotherapy compared to the other breast cancer subtypes. Here, we designed a deconvolution-algorithm-derived library screening to find new therapeutic targets and identified PIK3C2α as a key player that determines MHC-I turnover and reduces the MHC-I-restricted antigen presentation on tumor cells. In preclinical models, inhibition of PIK3C2α profoundly suppressed breast tumor growth, increased tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells, and showed high potential enhancing the efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapy, suggesting that PIK3C2α is a potential therapeutic target for TNBC immunotherapy.Item APOE4 Drives Impairment in Astrocyte-Neuron Coupling in Alzheimer's Disease and Works Through Mechanisms in Early Disease to Influence Pathology(2023-05) Brink, Danika Marie Tumbleson; Lamb, Bruce; Bissel, Stephanie; Herbert, Brittney-Shea; Landreth, Gary; Puntambekar, Shweta; Saykin, Andrew; Zhang, ChiAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder resulting in progressive memory loss, brain atrophy, and eventual death. AD pathology is characterized by the accumulation of neurotoxic amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques, synapse loss, neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), and neurodegeneration. The APOE4 allele is associated with a 3-fold increased risk for AD and results in increased Aβ plaque deposition, reduced Aβ clearance, and reduced synaptic plasticity. Although APOE expression is upregulated in microglia in AD, APOE is expressed primarily by astrocytes in the CNS. It is not well understood how astrocytic APOE drives the mechanisms that result in worsened AD outcomes. Here, digital spatial profiling and bioinformatics data suggest that APOE4 causes transcriptional dysregulation in early AD and may disrupt neuronal processes via astrocytes. Whole transcriptome data from plaque and non-plaque regions in the cortices and hippocampus of 4- and 8-month-old AD model mice expressing humanized APOE4/4 or APOE3/3 (control) were analyzed. Transcriptional dysregulation was increased in APOE4/4 AD mice compared to that in APOE3/3 at 4 but not 8 months of age, suggesting that early dysregulation of APOE4-driven disease mechanisms may shape degenerative outcomes in late-stage AD. Additionally, APOE4/4 potentially functions via plaque-independent mechanisms to influence neuronal function in early AD before the onset of pathology. Single-nuclei RNA sequencing data were obtained from human post-mortem astrocytes and the bioinformatic analyses revealed a novel astrocyte subtype that highly expresses several top genes involved in functional alterations associated with APOE4, including neuronal generation, development, and differentiation, and synaptic transmission and organization. Overall, our findings indicate that APOE4 may drive degenerative outcomes through the presented astrocyte candidate pathways. These pathways represent potential targets for investigations into early intervention strategies for APOE4/4 patients.Item Modulation of Splicing Factor Function and Alternative Splicing Outcomes(2022-06) Chen, Steven Xiwei; Liu, Yunlong; Lu, Xiongbin; Schneider, Bryan P.; Wek, Ronald C.Alternative RNA splicing is an important means of genetic control and transcriptome diversity. Alternative splicing events are frequently studied independently, and coordinated splicing controlled by common factors is often overlooked: The molecular mechanisms by which splicing regulators promote or repress specific pre-mRNA processing are still not yet well understood. It is well known that splicing factors can regulate splicing in a context-dependent manner, and the search for modulation of splicing factor activity via direct or indirect mechanisms is a worthwhile pursuit towards explaining context-dependent activity. We hypothesized that the combined analysis of hundreds of consortium RNA-seq datasets could identify trans-acting “modulators” whose expression is correlated with differential effects of a splicing factor on its target splice events in mRNAs. We first tested a genome-wide approach to identify relationships between RNA-binding proteins and their inferred modulators in kidney cancer. We then applied a more targeted approach to identify novel modulators of splicing factor SRSF1 function over dozens of its intron retention splicing targets in a neurological context using hundreds of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex samples. Our hypothesized model was further strengthened with the incorporation of genetic variants to impute gene expression in a Mendelian randomization-based approach. The modulators of intron retention splicing we identified may be associated with risk variants linked to Alzheimer’s Disease, among other neurological disorders, to explain disease-causing splicing mechanisms. Our strategy can be widely used to identify modulators of RNA-binding proteins involved in tissue-specific alternative splicing.Item The Genetic Architecture of Alzheimer's Disease Endophenotypes(2022-05) Jacobson, Tanner Young; Saykin, Andrew J.; Nho, Kwangsik; Foroud, Tatiana; Zhang, Chi; Cao, ShaAlzheimer’s Disease (AD) is one of the most common forms of dementia and is known to have a strong genetic component, but known genetic loci do not fully account for the observed genetic heritability of late onset AD. This genetic complexity is further complicated by disease heterogeneity, with non-uniform presentation and progression of AD neuropathology. Endophenotypes lie upstream of observed AD clinical outcomes and downstream of genetic contributors, allowing for a biological understanding of genetic effects. Understanding the genetic architecture of AD endophenotypes can aid in breaking down AD genetic complexity and heterogeneity. In this study we utilized a variety of models to evaluate the genetic contributors to pathological change and heterogeneity in the top markers of AD pathology: amyloid, tau, neurodegeneration, and cerebrovascular (A/T/N/V framework). Additional composite quantitative measures of cognitive performance were used to relate to downstream AD presentation. These biomarkers allow the investigation of genetic effects contributing to the disease over the stages of disease progression from amyloid deposition to neurofibrillary tangle formation, disruption of metabolism, brain atrophy, and finally to clinical outcomes. First, we performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for AD endophenotypes at baseline using a cross-sectional regression model. This method identified sixteen novel or replicated loci, with six (SRSF10, MAPT, XKR3, KIAA1671, ZNF826P, and LOC100507506) associated across multiple A/T/N biomarkers. Cross-sectional data was further utilized to identify three genetic loci (BACH2, EP300, PACRG-AS1) that showed disease stage specific interaction effects. We built upon those results by performing a longitudinal association analysis with linear-mixed effects modeling. Gene enrichment analysis of these results identified 19 significant genetic regions associated with linear longitudinal change in AD endophenotypes. To further break down longitudinal heterogeneity, a latent class mixed model approach was utilized to identify subgroups of longitudinal progression within cognitive and MRI measures, with 16 genetic loci associated with membership in different classes. The genetic patterns of these subgroups show biological relevance in AD. The methods and results from this study provide insight into the complex genetic architecture of AD endophenotypes and a foundation to build upon for future studies into AD genetic architecture.Item Linking Osteocyte Oxygen Sensing and Biomineralization via FGG23: Implications for Chronic Kidney Disease(2022-05) Noonan, Megan L.; White, Kenneth E.; Kota, Janaiah; Graham, Brett H.; Thompson, William R.FGF23 is an osteocyte produced hormone necessary for maintaining systemic phosphate handling, and thus bone structure and function in both rare and common disorders such as chronic kidney disease (CKD). FGF23 is a critical factor in CKD, with elevated levels causing alterations in mineral metabolism and increased odds for mortality. However, the mechanisms directing the production of key modulators of skeletal homeostasis and biomineralization within osteocytes, and how this is altered in chronic kidney disease, remain unclear. The experimental focus of this dissertation was to dissect the molecular systems and role of oxygen sensing in the regulated production of FGF23. In CKD, up to 75% of patients have anemia and concomitant marked elevations in FGF23, increasing mortality odds. Anemia is a potent driver of FGF23 secretion, therefore, current and emerging therapies, including recombinant EPO and the hypoxia inducible factorprolyl hydroxylase inhibitors (HIF-PHI) FG-4592 and BAY 85-3934, were used to improve anemia in the adenine diet-induced mouse model of CKD. In the mice with CKD, iFGF23 was markedly elevated in control mice but was attenuated by 65-85% after delivery of EPO or HIF-PHI, with no changes in serum phosphate. This was associated with improved systemic iron utilization and reductions in mRNA markers of renal fibrosis. In osteocyte-like cell cultures treated with HIF-PHI, integrative RNAseq and ATACseq analysis identified candidate genes upregulated in response to mimicked hypoxia, concomitant with elevated Fgf23 expression. These genes were found to be downregulated in CKD bone, therefore, knock-out cells were generated using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. These cells were found to be functionally similar to in vivo conditional knockout models that have enhanced bone mass and elevated FGF23. Taken together, these results further define novel factors involved in the regulation of FGF23 and identify new therapeutic targets.Item Identifying Racial/Ethnic Differences in Clinical Trial Enrollment, Drug Response, and Genetic Biomarkers of Taxane Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in African American Breast Cancer Patients(2021-08) Shah, Ebony; Skaar, Todd C.; Radovich, Milan; Quinney, Sara; Liu, YunlongMy first aim identified enrollment patterns and variables that predict enrollment in a diverse underserved population and evaluated barriers to enrollment. We analyzed data from the INGENIOUS, (Indiana GENomics Implementation and Opportunity for the UnderServed), pharmacogenomics implementation clinical trial conducted at a community hospital for underserved subjects and a statewide healthcare system. Our main finding revealed, African-Americans were less likely to refuse the study than non-Hispanic Whites (Safety net, OR =0.68, p<0.002; Academic hospital, OR=0.64, p<0.001), using a logistic regression model. The most frequent barriers to enrollment included not being interested, being too busy, transportation, and illness in African-American and non-Hispanic White subjects. In conclusion, improving research awareness, widening the inclusion criteria, and hiring recruiters who represent potential enrollees, should improve enrollment in African-Americans and other diverse populations. My 2nd research aim evaluated racial/ethnic differences in pharmacokinetics, safety, efficacy, and pharmacogenetics in 213 new molecular entities (NMEs). The current approved drug label for NMEs between 2014 to 2018 was updated in the FDA database. A qualitative analysis revealed ~ 9% (n=20/213) of NMEs reported racial/ethnic differences in the approved product label for PK, safety, efficacy, and/or pharmacogenetics. In conclusion, evaluating racial/ethnic differences in drug exposure and response early in the drug development program is essential to providing recommendations for different racial/ethnic subpopulations. My final aim 3, identified genetic biomarkers of Taxane Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (TIPN) in African-American breast cancer patients. We used an innovative computational tool, ALDY, to identify genetic variants in CYP2C8, CYP3A4, and CYP3A5 in 207 breast cancer subjects. TaqMan SNP genotyping for SNP, rs776746 (T>C) was performed in 160 subjects. Subjects were collapsed into three metabolizer groups; normal, intermediate, and poor metabolizer to test the association of peripheral neuropathy, dose reductions and CYP2C8/CYP3A5 metabolizer status. A logistic regression revealed CYP2C8 metabolizer status is associated with grades 3-4 peripheral neuropathy (p=0.04, OR= 2.21). CYP2C8*2 was modestly associated with dose reductions. In conclusion, evaluating pharmacogenetic and pharmacokinetic studies of paclitaxel and CYP2C8 is important. These studies may lead to clinical actionable prescribing of paclitaxel and improve the tolerance and efficacy in African-American breast cancer patients.