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The implications of a lung malignancy in a lung transplant recipient are poorly understood. Here, we linked national transplant and cancer databases to determine how lung cancer impacted prognosis in lung transplant recipients with incidentally explanted lung cancers (IELCs). Records from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients and National Cancer Database were linked to identify 186 patients who received a lung transplant and were subsequently diagnosed with lung cancer. These patients were determined to have IELC and were compared to control patients who received a lung transplant but were not diagnosed with IELC. Of the 186 patients, 144 had non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), 6 had small cell lung cancer, and 36 had a neuroendocrine cancer. Patients with stage I/II NSCLC or any stage neuroendocrine cancer had comparable overall survival and rates of cancer-related mortality compared to controls. Conversely, patients with stage III/IV NSCLC had worse overall survival, higher rates of cancer-related mortality, and infrequently received cancer-specific non-operative treatment. Taken together, stage I/II NSCLC and neuroendocrine cancers should be reconsidered as an absolute contraindication to transplant. Conversely, patients with stage III/IV NSCLC had worse outcomes, and strategies are needed to increase the use of adjuvant therapy., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Loss of the tumor suppressive activity of the protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is associated with cancer, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are unclear. PP2A holoenzyme comprises a heterodimeric core, a scaffolding A subunit and a catalytic C subunit, and one of over 20 distinct substrate-directing regulatory B subunits. Methylation of the C subunit regulates PP2A heterotrimerization, affecting B subunit binding and substrate specificity. Here, we report that the leucine carboxy methyltransferase (LCMT1), which methylates the L309 residue of the C subunit, acts as a suppressor of androgen receptor (AR) addicted prostate cancer (PCa). Decreased methyl-PP2A-C levels in prostate tumors is associated with biochemical recurrence and metastasis. Silencing LCMT1 increases AR activity and promotes castration-resistant prostate cancer growth. LCMT1-dependent methyl-sensitive AB56αCme heterotrimers target AR and its critical coactivator MED1 for dephosphorylation, resulting in the eviction of the AR-MED1 complex from chromatin and loss of target gene expression. Mechanistically, LCMT1 is regulated by S6K1-mediated phosphorylation-induced degradation requiring the β-TRCP, leading to acquired resistance to anti-androgens. Finally, feedforward stabilization of LCMT1 by small molecule activator of phosphatase (SMAP) results in attenuation of AR-signaling and tumor growth inhibition in anti-androgen refractory PCa. These findings highlight methyl-PP2A-C as a prognostic marker and that the loss of LCMT1 is a major determinant in AR-addicted PCa, suggesting therapeutic potential for AR degraders or PP2A modulators in prostate cancer treatment., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)

Reducing perioperative morbidity and mortality following esophagectomy remains central to surgeons' intraoperative decision-making. There remains wide variation in the technical approaches to esophagectomy and the employment of prophylactic strategies to reduce postoperative complications. In this article, we discuss the ongoing controversies related to feeding tube placement, pyloroplasty, and thoracic duct clipping and the evidence regarding these procedures., Competing Interests: Disclosure Dr. Sidra Bonner is funded by an NIH T32 grant (T32HL007749)., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Aging-associated functional decline is accompanied by alterations in the epigenome. To explore DNA modifications that could influence visual function with age, we perform whole-genome bisulfite sequencing of purified mouse rod photoreceptors at four ages and identify 2,054 differentially methylated regions (DMRs). We detect many DMRs during early stages of aging and in rod regulatory regions, and some of these cluster at chromosomal hotspots, especially on chromosome 10, which includes a longevity interactome. Integration of methylome to age-related transcriptome changes, chromatin signatures, and first-order protein-protein interactions uncover an enrichment of DMRs in altered pathways that are associated with rod function, aging, and energy metabolism. In concordance, we detect reduced basal mitochondrial respiration and increased fatty acid dependency with retinal age in ex vivo assays. Our study reveals age-dependent genomic and chromatin features susceptible to DNA methylation changes in rod photoreceptors and identifies a link between DNA methylation and energy metabolism in aging., Competing Interests: Declaration of Interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Autoantibodies against citrullinated proteins are a hallmark of rheumatoid arthritis, a destructive inflammatory arthritis. Peptidylarginine deiminase 4 (PAD4) has been hypothesized to contribute to rheumatoid arthritis by citrullinating histones to induce neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which display citrullinated proteins that are targeted by autoantibodies to drive inflammation and arthritis. Consistent with this theory, PAD4-deficient mice have reduced NETs, autoantibodies, and arthritis. However, PAD4's role in human rheumatoid arthritis is less clear. Here, we determine if single nucleotide polymorphism rs2240335 in PADI4 , whose G allele is associated with reduced PAD4 in neutrophils, correlates with NETs, anti-histone antibodies, and rheumatoid arthritis susceptibility in North Americans. Control and rheumatoid arthritis subjects, divided into anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibody positive and negative groups, were genotyped at rs2240335. In homozygotes, in vitro NETosis was quantified in immunofluorescent images and circulating NET and anti-histone antibody levels by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results were compared by t -test and correlation of rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis with rs2240335 by Armitage trend test. NET levels did not significantly correlate with genotype. G allele homozygotes in the CCP - rheumatoid arthritis group had reduced anti-native and anti-citrullinated histone antibodies. However, the G allele conferred increased risk for rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis, suggesting a complex role for PAD4 in human rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), extracellular structures composed of decondensed chromatin and antimicrobial molecules, are released in a process called NETosis. NETs, which are part of normal host defense, have also been implicated in multiple human diseases. Unfortunately, methods for quantifying NETs have limitations which constrain the study of NETs in disease. Establishing optimal methods for NET quantification holds the potential to further elucidate the role of NETs in normal and pathologic processes., Results: To better quantify NETs and NET-like structures, we created DNA Area and NETosis Analysis (DANA), a novel ImageJ/Java based program which provides a simple, semi-automated approach to quantify NET-like structures and DNA area. DANA can analyze many fluorescent microscope images at once and provides data on a per cell, per image, and per sample basis. Using fluorescent microscope images of Sytox-stained human neutrophils, DANA quantified a similar frequency of NET-like structures to the frequency determined by two different individuals counting by eye, and in a fraction of the time. As expected, DANA also detected increased DNA area and frequency of NET-like structures in neutrophils from subjects with rheumatoid arthritis as compared to control subjects. Using images of DAPI-stained murine neutrophils, DANA (installed by an individual with no programming background) gave similar frequencies of NET-like structures as the frequency of NETs determined by two individuals counting by eye. Further, DANA quantified more NETs in stimulated murine neutrophils compared to unstimulated, as expected., Conclusions: DANA provides a means to quantify DNA decondensation and the frequency of NET-like structures using a variety of different fluorescent markers in a rapid, reliable, simple, high-throughput, and cost-effective manner making it optimal to assess NETosis in a variety of conditions., Competing Interests: Informed consent was obtained from all human subjects after the nature and possible consequences of the studies had been fully explained as approved by the University of Wisconsin Institutional Review Board. All animal experiments were approved by the University of Wisconsin Animal Care and Use Committee.Not applicable.The authors declare that they have no competing interests.Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Citrullination, the post-translational conversion of arginines to citrullines, may contribute to rheumatoid arthritis development given the generation of anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs). However, it is not known which peptidylarginine deiminase (PAD) catalyzes the citrullination seen in inflammation. PAD4 exacerbates inflammatory arthritis and is critical for neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). NETs display citrullinated antigens targeted by ACPAs and thus may be a source of citrullinated protein. However, PAD4 is not required for citrullination in inflamed lungs. PAD2 is important for citrullination in healthy tissues and is present in NETs, but its role in citrullination in the inflamed joint, NETosis and inflammatory arthritis is unknown. Here we use mice with TNFα-induced inflammatory arthritis, a model of rheumatoid arthritis, to identify the roles of PAD2 and PAD4 in citrullination, NETosis, and arthritis. In mice with TNFα-induced arthritis, citrullination in the inflamed ankle was increased as determined by western blot. This increase was unchanged in the ankles of mice that lack PAD4. In contrast, citrullination was nearly absent in the ankles of PAD2-deficient mice. Interestingly, PAD2 was not required for NET formation as assessed by immunofluorescence or for killing of Candida albicans as determined by viability assay. Finally, plasma cell numbers as assessed by flow cytometry, IgG levels quantified by ELISA, and inflammatory arthritis as determined by clinical and pathological scoring were all reduced in the absence of PAD2. Thus, PAD2 contributes to TNFα-induced citrullination and arthritis, but is not required for NETosis. In contrast, PAD4, which is critical for NETosis, is dispensable for generalized citrullination supporting the possibility that NETs may not be a major source of citrullinated protein in arthritis., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: The relationship between lung and joint inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis is poorly understood. Lung inflammation with resultant protein citrullination may trigger anti-citrullinated protein antibodies, inflammation, and arthritis. Alternatively, lung and joint inflammation may be two manifestations of a single underlying pathology. The lung has increased citrullination and TNF-α levels are high in rheumatoid arthritis; however, it is unknown if TNF-α can induce lung protein citrullination. The citrullinating enzyme peptidylarginine deiminase 4 (PAD4) exacerbates TNF-α-induced arthritis, but a role for PAD4 in lung citrullination and TNF-α-induced lung inflammation has not been explored. Our aim was to use TNF-α-overexpressing mice to clarify the intersection of TNF-α, citrullination, PAD4, arthritis, and lung inflammation., Methods: Lung protein citrullination in wild-type mice, mice that overexpress TNF-α systemically (TNF(+)), TNF(+)PAD4(+/+), and TNF(+)PAD4(-/-) mice was quantified by both gel electrophoresis using a citrulline probe and western blot. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained lung sections from TNF(+)PAD4(+/+) and TNF(+)PAD4(-/-) mice were scored for lung inflammation. H&E-stained ankle joint sections from mice that overexpress TNF-α only in the lungs were assessed for arthritis., Results: TNF(+) mice have increased lung protein citrullination. TNF(+)PAD4(-/-) mice do not have significantly reduced lung protein citrullination, but do have decreased lung inflammation compared to TNF(+)PAD4(+/+) mice. Mice that overexpress TNF-α only in the lungs do not develop arthritis., Conclusions: PAD4 exacerbates lung inflammation downstream of TNF-α without having a major role in generalized protein citrullination in inflamed lungs. Also, TNF-α-induced lung inflammation is not sufficient to drive murine arthritis.