iSciencePub Date : 2025-05-05DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.112286
Igor Martianov , Stephanie Le Gras , Guillaume Davidson , Irwin Davidson
{"title":"The transcription factor IID subunit Taf13 is dispensable for TATA binding protein promoter recruitment and RNA polymerase II transcription","authors":"Igor Martianov , Stephanie Le Gras , Guillaume Davidson , Irwin Davidson","doi":"10.1016/j.isci.2025.112286","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.isci.2025.112286","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The multiprotein complex TFIID, comprising the TATA binding protein (TBP) and 13 TBP-associated factors (TAFs), is an essential component of the RNA polymerase II (Pol II) preinitiation complex (PIC). Cryo-electron microscopy studies suggested a critical role of the TAF11-TAF13 heterodimer in TBP promoter deposition upstream of the transcription start site. To investigate this hypothesis, we inactivated the gene encoding Taf13 in mice and embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Taf13-null embryos implant and survive until E6.5, but fail to undergo gastrulation, while Taf13-null ESCs are viable, but fail to form embryoid bodies and differentiate. Taf13 loss had little effect on TFIID integrity and led to only a mild reduction of TBP promoter recruitment, but led to altered PIC formation and globally reduced Pol II recruitment. Thus, the Taf11-Taf13 heterodimer is not essential for TBP/TFIID recruitment, revealing plasticity in the pathways of PIC formation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":342,"journal":{"name":"iScience","volume":"28 6","pages":"Article 112286"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144107629","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
iSciencePub Date : 2025-05-05DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.112585
Irena J.J. Muffels , Theodore Carter , Holger Rehmann , Sebastiaan J. Vastert , Annemarie A. Verrijn Stuart , Andreas C. Blank , Aurore Garde , Bert van der Zwaag , Iris M. De Lange , Jacques C. Giltay , Koen L.I. van Gassen , Klaas Koop , Cedric S. Asensio , Peter M. van Hasselt
{"title":"LIMK1 variants are associated with divergent endocrinological phenotypes and altered exocytosis dynamics","authors":"Irena J.J. Muffels , Theodore Carter , Holger Rehmann , Sebastiaan J. Vastert , Annemarie A. Verrijn Stuart , Andreas C. Blank , Aurore Garde , Bert van der Zwaag , Iris M. De Lange , Jacques C. Giltay , Koen L.I. van Gassen , Klaas Koop , Cedric S. Asensio , Peter M. van Hasselt","doi":"10.1016/j.isci.2025.112585","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.isci.2025.112585","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>LIM kinase 1 (LIMK1) plays a pivotal role in dynamic actin remodeling through phosphorylation of cofilin, thereby regulating exocytosis. We report two individuals harboring <em>LIMK1 de novo</em> variants with dissimilar phenotypes: one exhibited epileptic encephalopathy and developmental delay, while the other showed common variable immune deficiency and glucose dysregulation. We suspected that the divergent phenotypic features arose from opposing effects on LIMK1 activity. Indeed, actin polymerization was significantly decreased in individual 1, whereas it was increased in individual 2. Insulin-secreting cell lines expressing the <em>LIMK1</em> variant of individual 1 exhibited significantly slower exocytosis, contrasting the rapid and uncontrolled exocytosis in individual 2. Intriguingly, both variants led to increased overall insulin secretion. This first report of two individuals with <em>LIMK1</em> variants with divergent effects on cofilin phosphorylation and actin polymerization, reveals that LIMK1 has an important role in tuned insulin exocytosis. These distinct exocytosis defects may underlie the glucose dysregulation observed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":342,"journal":{"name":"iScience","volume":"28 6","pages":"Article 112585"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144070275","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
iSciencePub Date : 2025-05-05DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.112588
Maximilian Kathofer , Claus Lamm , Helmut Leder , Julia Sophia Crone
{"title":"Aesthetic experiences across visual perception and mental imagery: Behaviorally indistinguishable, neurally distinct","authors":"Maximilian Kathofer , Claus Lamm , Helmut Leder , Julia Sophia Crone","doi":"10.1016/j.isci.2025.112588","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.isci.2025.112588","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Studies suggest that vivid mental imagery can blur the boundaries between reality and imagination in simple detection tasks by eliciting similar neural patterns. The question arises as to whether aesthetic experiences can similarly emerge through imagery or whether these complex experiences necessitate direct input into the sensory system. Alternating between visually perceiving and reimagining encountered stimuli, 34 participants rated faces and artworks across aesthetic dimensions. While slightly less potent, imagery is equally sufficient in evoking aesthetic experiences, and for highly vivid imaginations, evoked experiences even become behaviorally indistinguishable across conditions. Yet, representational similarity analysis reveals distinct neural patterns across conditions as the brain mainly encodes stimulus modality, even in areas canonically associated with aesthetic processing. Thus, although evoked experiences might be behaviorally identical across modalities during highly vivid trials, neural patterns differ substantially due to differences in modality, as evoked experiences are only marginally encoded.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":342,"journal":{"name":"iScience","volume":"28 6","pages":"Article 112588"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144107550","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
iSciencePub Date : 2025-05-05DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.112589
Emil Colstrup , Rie Nakajima , Jelte M.M. Krol , Olivia A.C. Lamers , Rafael R. de Assis , Aarti Jain , Algis Jasinskas , Eva Iliopoulou , Helena M. de Bes-Roeleveld , Blandine M.D. Franke-Fayard , Meta Roestenberg , Philip L. Felgner , Rajagopal Murugan
{"title":"Correlative humoral and cellular immunity to genetically attenuated malaria parasites in humans","authors":"Emil Colstrup , Rie Nakajima , Jelte M.M. Krol , Olivia A.C. Lamers , Rafael R. de Assis , Aarti Jain , Algis Jasinskas , Eva Iliopoulou , Helena M. de Bes-Roeleveld , Blandine M.D. Franke-Fayard , Meta Roestenberg , Philip L. Felgner , Rajagopal Murugan","doi":"10.1016/j.isci.2025.112589","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.isci.2025.112589","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Malaria caused by <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em> remains one of the major infectious diseases with a high burden in Sub-Saharan Africa. In spite of the advancements made in vaccine development and implementation in endemic countries, sterile and durable protection has not been achieved. Recently, we have shown the superior protective capacity of whole sporozoites attenuated to arrest late (GA2) but not early (GA1) during the liver stage development in a controlled human malaria infection study. Here we report the breadth of antigens targeted by hitherto understudied parasite liver stage immunity and convey the coherence between humoral and cellular immunity observed in our clinical study. Our findings uncover the underlying immunogenic differences between early- and late-liver stage arresting parasites and identify key liver stage antigens for future vaccine development focused on inducing sterile immunity to malaria.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":342,"journal":{"name":"iScience","volume":"28 6","pages":"Article 112589"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144069024","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
iSciencePub Date : 2025-05-03DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.112551
Sisi Zhou , Huaer Wu , Yun Chen , Jiawei Lv , Shufang Chen , Hua Yu , Tiezhu Shi , Xiongjun Wang , Lingyun Xiao
{"title":"Lifting the veil on tumor metabolism: A GDH1-focused perspective","authors":"Sisi Zhou , Huaer Wu , Yun Chen , Jiawei Lv , Shufang Chen , Hua Yu , Tiezhu Shi , Xiongjun Wang , Lingyun Xiao","doi":"10.1016/j.isci.2025.112551","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.isci.2025.112551","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Tumors depend on glutamine for energy production, biosynthesis, and redox homeostasis. Glutamate dehydrogenase 1 (GDH1) primarily catalyzes the oxidative deamination of glutamate to α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) and ammonia, utilizing NAD<sup>+</sup> or NADP<sup>+</sup> as cofactors. α-KG is a tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediate at the nexus of multiple metabolic pathways, fueling the TCA cycle for energy production or providing intermediates essential for lipid, amino acid, and nucleotide synthesis. Its derivatives, succinate and fumarate, function as oncometabolites that promote tumor progression through diverse mechanisms. Additionally, α-KG is an essential cofactor for α-KG-dependent dioxygenases (2-OGDDs), regulating epigenetic modifications that drive tumorigenesis. GDH1 may also catalyze the reductive amination of α-KG to glutamate under glutamine deprivation or hypoxic conditions. The roles of GDH1 in tumors are context-dependent, influencing progression through metabolic and epigenetic mechanisms. This review discusses GDH1’s multifaceted functions and advances in targeting it for cancer therapy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":342,"journal":{"name":"iScience","volume":"28 6","pages":"Article 112551"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144069016","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
iSciencePub Date : 2025-05-03DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.112549
Mengying Liu , Xuesheng Wu , Martijn D.B. van de Garde , Yoshiki Narimatsu , Frank J.M. van Kuppeveld , Henrik Clausen , Cornelis A.M. de Haan , Erik de Vries
{"title":"Cell-based sialoglycan arrays for directly comparing influenza A virus receptor requirements for binding and infection","authors":"Mengying Liu , Xuesheng Wu , Martijn D.B. van de Garde , Yoshiki Narimatsu , Frank J.M. van Kuppeveld , Henrik Clausen , Cornelis A.M. de Haan , Erik de Vries","doi":"10.1016/j.isci.2025.112549","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.isci.2025.112549","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Influenza A viruses multivalently engages sialoglycan attachment factors. Synthetic glycan arrays provide meticulous insight into primary binding specificity but do not capture dynamic post-binding virus-receptor interactions leading to cell entry. Establishing an HEK293 cell-based array of genetically dissected sialoglycan assemblies enabled screening of the complete interaction cascade from binding to infection, at physiologically relevant low virus doses. Screening forty years of H3N2 receptor binding evolution showed that besides N-glycans, deemed as principal receptors for primary attachment, specific O-glycans or glycosphingolipids independently supported all steps from primary binding to entry. For all three glycoconjugate classes, receptor preferences gradually evolved toward utilization of human-type α2-6-linked sialic acid receptors, followed by regaining use of avian-type α2-3-linked receptors after 1995. The screen identified a lack of quantitative correlation between binding and infection efficiency, suggesting specific receptor requirements beyond attachment. Virus-glycan interactions and other sialoglycan-dependent interactions with cells can be functionally analyzed using this system.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":342,"journal":{"name":"iScience","volume":"28 6","pages":"Article 112549"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144068936","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Repurposing HFC-125 to tetrafluoroethylene: A step toward a more sustainable fluoropolymer feedstock strategy","authors":"Hiroto Iwasaki , Naoyuki Hoshiya , Yosuke Kishikawa , Jorge Escorihuela , Norio Shibata","doi":"10.1016/j.isci.2025.112580","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.isci.2025.112580","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The urgency to reduce hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) emissions, particularly HFC-125 (pentafluoroethane, CF<sub>3</sub>CF<sub>2</sub>H), has driven efforts to develop sustainable alternatives. Herein, we present a method for converting HFC-125 into tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), an industrially valuable monomer for fluoropolymer production. Our approach uses potassium hexamethyldisilazide (KHMDS), optimizing reaction conditions at −50°C to achieve high TFE yields without any observable byproducts. This low-temperature method offers a safer and more sustainable alternative to traditional high-temperature processes for TFE production, which involve hazardous byproducts and complex handling. We also demonstrated that various chemical reactions using freshly generated TFE, including thiol addition, trifluorovinylation, radical addition, amination, alcohol addition, and polymerization, can be performed, extending the utility of this approach. Moreover, a continuous flow process for the conversion of HFC-125 to TFE at room temperature was achieved without cryogenic equipment. This dual-purpose solution addresses both environmental sustainability of fluorochemicals and the growing demand for fluoropolymers in various industries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":342,"journal":{"name":"iScience","volume":"28 6","pages":"Article 112580"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144107628","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
iSciencePub Date : 2025-05-03DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.112575
Maurice A.G.M. Kroon , Hanneke W.M. van Laarhoven , Eleonora L. Swart , Olaf van Tellingen , E. Marleen Kemper
{"title":"A pharmacokinetic study and critical reappraisal of curcumin formulations enhancing bioavailability","authors":"Maurice A.G.M. Kroon , Hanneke W.M. van Laarhoven , Eleonora L. Swart , Olaf van Tellingen , E. Marleen Kemper","doi":"10.1016/j.isci.2025.112575","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.isci.2025.112575","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This independent crossover study assessed curcumin bioavailability and excretion in nine healthy males receiving three formulations (AOV, Longvida, and NovaSOL) at about 570 mg, while AOV was also tested at 2280 mg, with and without piperine. Plasma levels of unconjugated curcumin remained below 2 nM in most cases, including high-dose AOV and piperine combinations. NovaSOL achieved the highest levels (6.7–38 nM at 30 min), but these rapidly declined and were still 100-fold lower than concentrations used <em>in vitro</em> to show biological effects. Curcumin conjugates exceeded 10 nM with all formulations, particularly NovaSOL, which showed 100-fold higher levels. Fecal recovery mainly included unconjugated curcuminoids and was high, except for NovaSOL, suggesting better intestinal absorption. However, even when using a formulation with enhanced uptake, plasma levels of unconjugated curcumin remained minimal. Piperine addition provided no benefit. The findings underscore that bioavailability claims should be based on unconjugated curcumin and not on its poorly membrane permeable conjugates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":342,"journal":{"name":"iScience","volume":"28 6","pages":"Article 112575"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144069029","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
iSciencePub Date : 2025-05-03DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.112582
Yi Zhong , Yuhao Peng , Hao Gu , Shan Zhang , Feng Ryan Wang , Wei Xiao , Hulei Yu , Dong Gu
{"title":"Enhanced dry reforming of methane over nickel catalysts supported on zirconia coated mesoporous silica","authors":"Yi Zhong , Yuhao Peng , Hao Gu , Shan Zhang , Feng Ryan Wang , Wei Xiao , Hulei Yu , Dong Gu","doi":"10.1016/j.isci.2025.112582","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.isci.2025.112582","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dry reforming of methane (DRM) offers a sustainable route to convert CH<sub>4</sub> and CO<sub>2</sub> into syngas, addressing both greenhouse gas emissions and energy demand. However, catalyst deactivation due to sintering and coking limits practical applications. In this work, we developed a mesoporous Ni-based catalyst (Ni/ZrSBA-15-OH) featuring abundant Ni-ZrO<sub>2</sub> interfaces and small Ni nanoparticles (5.6 nm) confined within a stable silica framework. This catalyst showed excellent performance, achieving 80% CH<sub>4</sub> and 87% CO<sub>2</sub> conversions at 750°C, with minimal coke formation (0.4 mg g<sub>cat</sub><sup>−1</sup> h<sup>−1</sup>) and high durability (1.3% CH<sub>4</sub> conversion loss over 20 h). Advanced characterizations (X-ray absorption spectroscopy [XAS], transmission electron microscopy [TEM], H<sub>2</sub>-temperature programmed reduction [H<sub>2</sub>-TPR], and temperature-programmed surface reaction [TPSR]) revealed that the metal-oxide interface enhances the activation of reactants and stabilizes active sites. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirmed that the Ni-ZrO<sub>2</sub> interface increases the energy barrier for CH∗ dehydrogenation, effectively suppressing carbon deposition. This study provides a rational strategy for designing structurally robust and coke-resistant Ni-based catalysts for efficient DRM.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":342,"journal":{"name":"iScience","volume":"28 6","pages":"Article 112582"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144069148","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
iSciencePub Date : 2025-05-03DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.112576
Huazhen Liu , Jingjing Wang , Chenyang Zhao , Rui Zhang , Ming Wang , Yuxin Jiang , Desheng Sun , Yanglong Hou , Meng Yang
{"title":"Mesoporous polydopamine@CeO2 nanoparticles for photoacoustic-guided photothermal therapy in suppressing arthritis","authors":"Huazhen Liu , Jingjing Wang , Chenyang Zhao , Rui Zhang , Ming Wang , Yuxin Jiang , Desheng Sun , Yanglong Hou , Meng Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.isci.2025.112576","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.isci.2025.112576","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by poor oxygen supply and overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), thereby exacerbating synovial inflammation. We synthesized MPDA@CeO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles (NPs) by incorporating mesoporous polydopamine (MPDA) NPs and CeO<sub>2</sub> for photoacoustic imaging (PAI)-guided synergistic light-controlled PTT/oxygen-boosting/ROS-eliminating therapy. Upon irradiation with a near-infrared (NIR) laser, MPDA@CeO<sub>2</sub> NPs trigger photothermal conversion to eradicate inflammatory cells and release CeO<sub>2</sub>, which have a catalytic activity to eliminate ROS and release oxygen. The oxygen-release and ROS-depleting efficiency was simultaneously augmented by heat to further combat the harmful environment of inflammation. We validated the therapeutic effect of MPDA@CeO<sub>2</sub> <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em>. We further applied multiwavelength PAI to observe the distribution of NPs and the change in oxygen saturation during the treatment process <em>in vivo</em>. The study highlights the therapeutic value of MPDA@CeO<sub>2</sub> in inhibiting arthritis in RA through imaging-guided synergistic therapy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":342,"journal":{"name":"iScience","volume":"28 6","pages":"Article 112576"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144069150","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}