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Ventromedial hypothalamus-specific Ptpn1 deletion exacerbates diet-induced obesity in female mice

Chiappini, Franck; Catalano, Karyn J; Lee, Jennifer; Peroni, Odile D; Lynch, Jacqueline; Dhaneshwar, Abha S; Wellenstein, Kerry; Sontheimer, Alexandra; Neel, Benjamin G; Kahn, Barbara B
Protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) regulates food intake (FI) and energy expenditure (EE) by inhibiting leptin signaling in the hypothalamus. In peripheral tissues, PTP1B regulates insulin signaling, but its effects on CNS insulin action are largely unknown. Mice harboring a whole-brain deletion of the gene encoding PTP1B (Ptpn1) are lean, leptin-hypersensitive, and resistant to high fat diet-induced (HFD-induced) obesity. Arcuate proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neuron-specific deletion of Ptpn1 causes a similar, but much milder, phenotype, suggesting that PTP1B also acts in other neurons to regulate metabolism. Steroidogenic factor-1-expressing (SF-1-expressing) neurons in the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) play an important role in regulating body weight, FI, and EE. Surprisingly, Ptpn1 deletion in SF-1 neurons caused an age-dependent increase in adiposity in HFD-fed female mice. Although leptin sensitivity was increased and FI was reduced in these mice, they had impaired sympathetic output and decreased EE. Immunohistochemical analysis showed enhanced leptin and insulin signaling in VMH neurons from mice lacking PTP1B in SF-1 neurons. Thus, in the VMH, leptin negatively regulates FI, promoting weight loss, whereas insulin suppresses EE, leading to weight gain. Our results establish a novel role for PTP1B in regulating insulin action in the VMH and suggest that increased insulin responsiveness in SF-1 neurons can overcome leptin hypersensitivity and enhance adiposity.
PMCID:4151212
PMID: 25083988
ISSN: 0021-9738
CID: 1363772

Next-generation sequencing identifies rare variants associated with Noonan syndrome

Chen, Peng-Chieh; Yin, Jiani; Yu, Hui-Wen; Yuan, Tao; Fernandez, Minerva; Yung, Christina K; Trinh, Quang M; Peltekova, Vanya D; Reid, Jeffrey G; Tworog-Dube, Erica; Morgan, Margaret B; Muzny, Donna M; Stein, Lincoln; McPherson, John D; Roberts, Amy E; Gibbs, Richard A; Neel, Benjamin G; Kucherlapati, Raju
Noonan syndrome (NS) is a relatively common genetic disorder, characterized by typical facies, short stature, developmental delay, and cardiac abnormalities. Known causative genes account for 70-80% of clinically diagnosed NS patients, but the genetic basis for the remaining 20-30% of cases is unknown. We performed next-generation sequencing on germ-line DNA from 27 NS patients lacking a mutation in the known NS genes. We identified gain-of-function alleles in Ras-like without CAAX 1 (RIT1) and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1 (MAP2K1) and previously unseen loss-of-function variants in RAS p21 protein activator 2 (RASA2) that are likely to cause NS in these patients. Expression of the mutant RASA2, MAP2K1, or RIT1 alleles in heterologous cells increased RAS-ERK pathway activation, supporting a causative role in NS pathogenesis. Two patients had more than one disease-associated variant. Moreover, the diagnosis of an individual initially thought to have NS was revised to neurofibromatosis type 1 based on an NF1 nonsense mutation detected in this patient. Another patient harbored a missense mutation in NF1 that resulted in decreased protein stability and impaired ability to suppress RAS-ERK activation; however, this patient continues to exhibit a NS-like phenotype. In addition, a nonsense mutation in RPS6KA3 was found in one patient initially diagnosed with NS whose diagnosis was later revised to Coffin-Lowry syndrome. Finally, we identified other potential candidates for new NS genes, as well as potential carrier alleles for unrelated syndromes. Taken together, our data suggest that next-generation sequencing can provide a useful adjunct to RASopathy diagnosis and emphasize that the standard clinical categories for RASopathies might not be adequate to describe all patients.
PMCID:4128129
PMID: 25049390
ISSN: 0027-8424
CID: 1363782

Hepatic oxidative stress promotes insulin-STAT-5 signaling and obesity by inactivating protein tyrosine phosphatase N2

Gurzov, Esteban N; Tran, Melanie; Fernandez-Rojo, Manuel A; Merry, Troy L; Zhang, Xinmei; Xu, Yang; Fukushima, Atsushi; Waters, Michael J; Watt, Matthew J; Andrikopoulos, Sofianos; Neel, Benjamin G; Tiganis, Tony
Hepatic insulin resistance is a key contributor to the pathogenesis of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Paradoxically, the development of insulin resistance in the liver is not universal, but pathway selective, such that insulin fails to suppress gluconeogenesis but promotes lipogenesis, contributing to the hyperglycemia, steatosis, and hypertriglyceridemia that underpin the deteriorating glucose control and microvascular complications in T2D. The molecular basis for the pathway-specific insulin resistance remains unknown. Here we report that oxidative stress accompanying obesity inactivates protein-tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) in the liver to activate select signaling pathways that exacerbate disease progression. In obese mice, hepatic PTPN2 (TCPTP) inactivation promoted lipogenesis and steatosis and insulin-STAT-5 signaling. The enhanced STAT-5 signaling increased hepatic IGF-1 production, which suppressed central growth hormone release and exacerbated the development of obesity and T2D. Our studies define a mechanism for the development of selective insulin resistance with wide-ranging implications for diseases characterized by oxidative stress.
PMCID:4335267
PMID: 24954415
ISSN: 1550-4131
CID: 1363792

PI3K p110delta uniquely promotes gain-of-function Shp2-induced GM-CSF hypersensitivity in a model of JMML

Goodwin, Charles B; Li, Xing Jun; Mali, Raghuveer S; Chan, Gordon; Kang, Michelle; Liu, Ziyue; Vanhaesebroeck, Bart; Neel, Benjamin G; Loh, Mignon L; Lannutti, Brian J; Kapur, Reuben; Chan, Rebecca J
Although hyperactivation of the Ras-Erk signaling pathway is known to underlie the pathogenesis of juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML), a fatal childhood disease, the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway is also dysregulated in this disease. Using genetic models, we demonstrate that inactivation of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) catalytic subunit p110delta, but not PI3K p110alpha, corrects gain-of-function (GOF) Shp2-induced granulocyte macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) hypersensitivity, Akt and Erk hyperactivation, and skewed hematopoietic progenitor distribution. Likewise, potent p110delta-specific inhibitors curtail the proliferation of GOF Shp2-expressing hematopoietic cells and cooperate with mitogen-activated or extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibition to reduce proliferation further and maximally block Erk and Akt activation. Furthermore, the PI3K p110delta-specific inhibitor, idelalisib, also demonstrates activity against primary leukemia cells from individuals with JMML. These findings suggest that selective inhibition of the PI3K catalytic subunit p110delta could provide an innovative approach for treatment of JMML, with the potential for limiting toxicity resulting from the hematopoietic-restricted expression of p110delta.
PMCID:4007610
PMID: 24553178
ISSN: 0006-4971
CID: 1363802

Hepatocyte-specific Ptpn6 deletion promotes hepatic lipid accretion, but reduces NAFLD in diet-induced obesity: potential role of PPARgamma

Xu, Elaine; Forest, Marie-Pier; Schwab, Michael; Avramoglu, Rita Kohen; St-Amand, Emmanuelle; Caron, Annabelle Z; Bellmann, Kerstin; Shum, Michael; Voisin, Gregory; Paquet, Marilene; Montoudis, Alain; Levy, Emile; Siminovitch, Katherine A; Neel, Benjamin G; Beauchemin, Nicole; Marette, Andre
Hepatocyte-specific Shp1 knockout mice (Ptpn6(H-KO)) are protected from hepatic insulin resistance evoked by high-fat diet (HFD) feeding for 8 weeks. Unexpectedly, we report herein that Ptpn6(H-KO) mice fed an HFD for up to 16 weeks are still protected from insulin resistance, but are more prone to hepatic steatosis, as compared with their HFD-fed Ptpn6(f/f) counterparts. The livers from HFD-fed Ptpn6(H-KO) mice displayed 1) augmented lipogenesis, marked by increased expression of several hepatic genes involved in fatty acid biosynthesis, 2) elevated postprandial fatty acid uptake, and 3) significantly reduced lipid export with enhanced degradation of apolipoprotein B (ApoB). Despite more extensive hepatic steatosis, the inflammatory profile of the HFD-fed Ptpn6(H-KO) liver was similar (8 weeks) or even improved (16 weeks) as compared to their HFD-fed Ptpn6(f/f) littermates, along with reduced hepatocellular damage as revealed by serum levels of hepatic enzymes. Interestingly, comparative microarray analysis revealed a significant up-regulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) gene expression, confirmed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Elevated PPARgamma nuclear activity also was observed and found to be directly regulated by Shp1 in a cell-autonomous manner. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight a novel role for hepatocyte Shp1 in the regulation of PPARgamma and hepatic lipid metabolism. Shp1 deficiency prevents the development of severe hepatic inflammation and hepatocellular damage in steatotic livers, presenting hepatocyte Shp1 as a potential novel mediator of nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases in obesity.
PMID: 24327268
ISSN: 0270-9139
CID: 1363812

Structural insights into Noonan/LEOPARD syndrome-related mutants of protein-tyrosine phosphatase SHP2 (PTPN11)

Qiu, Wei; Wang, Xiaonan; Romanov, Vladimir; Hutchinson, Ashley; Lin, Andres; Ruzanov, Maxim; Battaile, Kevin P; Pai, Emil F; Neel, Benjamin G; Chirgadze, Nickolay Y
BACKGROUND: The ubiquitous non-receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP2 (encoded by PTPN11) plays a key role in RAS/ERK signaling downstream of most, if not all growth factors, cytokines and integrins, although its major substrates remain controversial. Mutations in PTPN11 lead to several distinct human diseases. Germ-line PTPN11 mutations cause about 50% of Noonan Syndrome (NS), which is among the most common autosomal dominant disorders. LEOPARD Syndrome (LS) is an acronym for its major syndromic manifestations: multiple Lentigines, Electrocardiographic abnormalities, Ocular hypertelorism, Pulmonary stenosis, Abnormalities of genitalia, Retardation of growth, and sensorineural Deafness. Frequently, LS patients have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and they might also have an increased risk of neuroblastoma (NS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Consistent with the distinct pathogenesis of NS and LS, different types of PTPN11 mutations cause these disorders. RESULTS: Although multiple studies have reported the biochemical and biological consequences of NS- and LS-associated PTPN11 mutations, their structural consequences have not been analyzed fully. Here we report the crystal structures of WT SHP2 and five NS/LS-associated SHP2 mutants. These findings enable direct structural comparisons of the local conformational changes caused by each mutation. CONCLUSIONS: Our structural analysis agrees with, and provides additional mechanistic insight into, the previously reported catalytic properties of these mutants. The results of our research provide new information regarding the structure-function relationship of this medically important target, and should serve as a solid foundation for structure-based drug discovery programs.
PMCID:4007598
PMID: 24628801
ISSN: 1472-6807
CID: 1363822

The RhoGEF GEF-H1 is required for oncogenic RAS signaling via KSR-1

Cullis, Jane; Meiri, David; Sandi, Maria Jose; Radulovich, Nikolina; Kent, Oliver A; Medrano, Mauricio; Mokady, Daphna; Normand, Josee; Larose, Jose; Marcotte, Richard; Marshall, Christopher B; Ikura, Mitsuhiko; Ketela, Troy; Moffat, Jason; Neel, Benjamin G; Gingras, Anne-Claude; Tsao, Ming-Sound; Rottapel, Robert
Cellular transformation by oncogenic RAS engages the MAPK pathway under strict regulation by the scaffold protein KSR-1. Here, we report that the guanine nucleotide exchange factor GEF-H1 plays a critical role in a positive feedback loop for the RAS/MAPK pathway independent of its RhoGEF activity. GEF-H1 acts as an adaptor protein linking the PP2A B' subunits to KSR-1, thereby mediating the dephosphorylation of KSR-1 S392 and activation of MAPK signaling. GEF-H1 is important for the growth and survival of HRAS(V12)-transformed cells and pancreatic tumor xenografts. GEF-H1 expression is induced by oncogenic RAS and is correlated with pancreatic neoplastic progression. Our results, therefore, identify GEF-H1 as an amplifier of MAPK signaling and provide mechanistic insight into the progression of RAS mutant tumors.
PMID: 24525234
ISSN: 1535-6108
CID: 1363832

Diverse levels of sequence selectivity and catalytic efficiency of protein-tyrosine phosphatases

Selner, Nicholas G; Luechapanichkul, Rinrada; Chen, Xianwen; Neel, Benjamin G; Zhang, Zhong-Yin; Knapp, Stefan; Bell, Charles E; Pei, Dehua
The sequence selectivity of 14 classical protein-tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) (PTPRA, PTPRB, PTPRC, PTPRD, PTPRO, PTP1B, SHP-1, SHP-2, HePTP, PTP-PEST, TCPTP, PTPH1, PTPD1, and PTPD2) was systematically profiled by screening their catalytic domains against combinatorial peptide libraries. All of the PTPs exhibit similar preference for pY peptides rich in acidic amino acids and disfavor positively charged sequences but differ vastly in their degrees of preference/disfavor. Some PTPs (PTP-PEST, SHP-1, and SHP-2) are highly selective for acidic over basic (or neutral) peptides (by >10(5)-fold), whereas others (PTPRA and PTPRD) show no to little sequence selectivity. PTPs also have diverse intrinsic catalytic efficiencies (kcat/KM values against optimal substrates), which differ by >10(5)-fold due to different kcat and/or KM values. Moreover, PTPs show little positional preference for the acidic residues relative to the pY residue. Mutation of Arg47 of PTP1B, which is located near the pY-1 and pY-2 residues of a bound substrate, decreased the enzymatic activity by 3-18-fold toward all pY substrates containing acidic residues anywhere within the pY-6 to pY+5 region. Similarly, mutation of Arg24, which is situated near the C-terminus of a bound substrate, adversely affected the kinetic activity of all acidic substrates. A cocrystal structure of PTP1B bound with a nephrin pY(1193) peptide suggests that Arg24 engages in electrostatic interactions with acidic residues at the pY+1, pY+2, and likely other positions. These results suggest that long-range electrostatic interactions between positively charged residues near the PTP active site and acidic residues on pY substrates allow a PTP to bind acidic substrates with similar affinities, and the varying levels of preference for acidic sequences by different PTPs are likely caused by the different electrostatic potentials near their active sites. The implications of the varying sequence selectivity and intrinsic catalytic activities with respect to PTP in vivo substrate specificity and biological functions are discussed.
PMCID:3954597
PMID: 24359314
ISSN: 0006-2960
CID: 1363842

Cell surface profiling using high-throughput flow cytometry: a platform for biomarker discovery and analysis of cellular heterogeneity

Gedye, Craig A; Hussain, Ali; Paterson, Joshua; Smrke, Alannah; Saini, Harleen; Sirskyj, Danylo; Pereira, Keira; Lobo, Nazleen; Stewart, Jocelyn; Go, Christopher; Ho, Jenny; Medrano, Mauricio; Hyatt, Elzbieta; Yuan, Julie; Lauriault, Stevan; Kondratyev, Maria; van den Beucken, Twan; Jewett, Michael; Dirks, Peter; Guidos, Cynthia J; Danska, Jayne; Wang, Jean; Wouters, Bradly; Neel, Benjamin; Rottapel, Robert; Ailles, Laurie E
Cell surface proteins have a wide range of biological functions, and are often used as lineage-specific markers. Antibodies that recognize cell surface antigens are widely used as research tools, diagnostic markers, and even therapeutic agents. The ability to obtain broad cell surface protein profiles would thus be of great value in a wide range of fields. There are however currently few available methods for high-throughput analysis of large numbers of cell surface proteins. We describe here a high-throughput flow cytometry (HT-FC) platform for rapid analysis of 363 cell surface antigens. Here we demonstrate that HT-FC provides reproducible results, and use the platform to identify cell surface antigens that are influenced by common cell preparation methods. We show that multiple populations within complex samples such as primary tumors can be simultaneously analyzed by co-staining of cells with lineage-specific antibodies, allowing unprecedented depth of analysis of heterogeneous cell populations. Furthermore, standard informatics methods can be used to visualize, cluster and downsample HT-FC data to reveal novel signatures and biomarkers. We show that the cell surface profile provides sufficient molecular information to classify samples from different cancers and tissue types into biologically relevant clusters using unsupervised hierarchical clustering. Finally, we describe the identification of a candidate lineage marker and its subsequent validation. In summary, HT-FC combines the advantages of a high-throughput screen with a detection method that is sensitive, quantitative, highly reproducible, and allows in-depth analysis of heterogeneous samples. The use of commercially available antibodies means that high quality reagents are immediately available for follow-up studies. HT-FC has a wide range of applications, including biomarker discovery, molecular classification of cancers, or identification of novel lineage specific or stem cell markers.
PMCID:4149490
PMID: 25170899
ISSN: 1932-6203
CID: 1365062

Leukemogenic Ptpn11 allele causes defective erythropoiesis in mice

Usenko, Tatiana; Chan, Gordon; Torlakovic, Emina; Klingmuller, Ursula; Neel, Benjamin G
Src homology 2 (SH2) domain-containing phosphatase 2 (SHP2), encoded by PTPN11, regulates signaling networks and cell fate in many tissues. Expression of oncogenic PTPN11 in the hematopoietic compartment causes myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) in humans and mice. However, the stage-specific effect(s) of mutant Ptpn11 on erythroid development have remained unknown. We found that expression of an activated, leukemogenic Ptpn11 allele, Ptpn11D61Y, specifically in the erythroid lineage causes dyserythropoiesis in mice. Ptpn11D61Y progenitors produce excess cKIT+ CD71+ Ter119- cells and aberrant numbers of cKITl degrees CD71+ erythroblasts. Mutant erythroblasts show elevated activation of ERK, AKT and STAT3 in response to EPO stimulation, and MEK inhibitor treatment blocks Ptpn11D61Y-evoked erythroid hyperproliferation in vitro. Thus, the expression of oncogenic Ptpn11 causes dyserythropoiesis in a cell-autonomous manner in vivo.
PMCID:4188809
PMID: 25289670
ISSN: 1932-6203
CID: 1363852