Bagchi, A. | bioRxiv Science

bioRxiv2020

A JAK/STAT-Mediated Inflammatory Signaling Cascade Drives Oncogenesis In AF10-Rearranged AML

Leukemias bearing fusions of the AF10/MLLT10 gene are associated with poor prognosis, and therapies targeting these fusion proteins are lacking. To understand mechanisms underlying AF10 fusion-mediated leukemogenesis, we generated inducible mouse models of AML driven by the most common AF10 fusion proteins, PICALM/CALM-AF10 and KMT2A/MLL-AF10, and performed comprehensive characterization of the disease using transcriptomic, epigenomic, proteomic, and functional genomic approaches. Our studies provide a comprehensive map of gene networks and protein interactors associated with key AF10 fusions involved in leukemia. Specifically, we report that AF10 fusions activate a cascade of JAK/STAT-mediated inflammatory signaling through direct recruitment of JAK1 kinase. Inhibition of the JAK/STAT signaling by genetic Jak1 deletion or through pharmacological JAK/STAT inhibition elicited potent anti-oncogenic effects in mouse and human models of AF10 fusion AML. Collectively, our study identifies JAK1 as a tractable therapeutic target in AF10-rearranged leukemias. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCEGene fusions of AF10/MLLT10 are recurrent in acute myeloid and lymphoid leukemia and are associated with extremely poor survival outcomes. We show that the JAK1 kinase is required for activation of the AF10 fusion oncotranscriptome and for leukemogenesis. Since a number of JAK/STAT pathways inhibitors are in clinical development or approved for use, our studies may help develop a therapeutic strategy for AF10-rearranged leukemias.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Comparative analysis of the molecular mechanism of heat shock proteins from pathogenic and non-pathogenic E.coli

Cells can withstand the effects of temperature stress by activating small heat shock proteins IbpA and IbpB. Lon protease employing Ser679 - Lys722 catalytic dyad proteolyze IbpA and IbpB in their free forms, at physiological temperature i.e. without any temperature stress. However, the proteolytic activity of IbpA and IbpB is affected when the catalytic dyad residue of Lon protease is mutated. The mutation S679A in Lon protease brings about some changes so that the proteolytic interactions between the small heat shock proteins with that of the mutant Lon protease are lost which makes a difference in the interaction pattern of mutant Lon protease with their substrates. In the present study, we made an attempt through in-silico approach to figure out the underlying aspects of the interactions between the small heat shock proteins IbpA and IbpB with mutant Lon protease in Escherichia coli. We have tried to decipher the molecular details of the mechanism of interaction of proteolytic machinery of small heat shock proteins and mutant Lon protease with S679A mutation at physiological temperature in absence cellular temperature stress. Our study may therefore be helpful to decode the mechanistic details of the correlation with IbpA, IbpB and S679A mutant Lon protease in E. coli.

bioinformatics↗