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PUS7-dependent Ψ reshapes specific synaptic gene exons to facilitate fear extinction memory formation.

RNA modifications serve as dynamic regulators of neural plasticity through their ability to fine-tune transcript stability and splicing. Pseudouridine (Ψ), an evolutionarily conserved RNA modification catalyzed by pseudouridine synthases, plays established roles in neurodevelopment, yet its functional significance in activity-dependent behavioral adaptation remains poorly defined. Here, we investigate Ψ-mediated epitranscriptomic regulation within the infralimbic prefrontal cortex (ILPFC), a brain region requiring precise synaptic remodeling for the clinically relevant form of fear extinction memory. Combining transcriptome-wide pseudouridylation profiling with behavioral analysis in mice, we identified selective Ψ enrichment at exons of synaptic regulatory genes within ILPFC during fear extinction learning. Fear extinction in the ILPFC drives concomitant exonic Ψ deposition and upregulation of synaptogenic transcripts, processes that involve pseudouridine synthase PUS7. Crucially, PUS7 knockdown in the ILPFC selectively impaired fear extinction memory formation without altering baseline fear expression, establishing a causal link between Ψ-dependent RNA processing and activity-dependent synaptic structural remodeling in this microcircuit. Our findings demonstrate that PUS7-mediated Ψ modification spatiotemporally regulates activity-dependent RNA dynamics in the ILPFC, providing the evidence that epitranscriptomic mechanisms precisely coordinate synaptic gene expression within behaviorally defined brain sub-region. This work bridges molecular RNA biology with systems neuroscience, revealing a novel mechanism for activity-dependent regulation of fear extinction in ILPFC.

Animals

Unraveling cadaverine toxicity effect to guide the engineering of robust strain.

End-product inhibition represents a major challenge in the microbial synthesis of various value-added chemicals. Cadaverine, a key monomer for polyamide synthesis, exhibits severe cytotoxicity, limiting its high-titer biosynthesis. Here, transcriptomic analysis and genome-wide library screening were integrated to systematically elucidate the cytotoxic mechanisms of cadaverine in Escherichia coli (E. coli) and identify beneficial genes for enhanced tolerance and overproduction. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that high concentrations of cadaverine disrupted cell membrane integrity and impaired oxidative phosphorylation, leading to redox imbalance and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. Subsequent genome-wide screening further confirmed these toxicity mechanisms and uncovered crucial cellular defense strategies. Functional validation highlighted the important role of NikR, UbiE, and YcbX in enhancing membrane integrity, restoring respiratory function and ROS homeostasis, or scavenging 6-N-hydroxylaminopurine (6-HAP) to prevent DNA damage. Among these, YcbX emerged as the most effective target for improving production. Consequently, we constructed a robust E. coli strain by implementing a dynamic regulation system for YcbX expression under cadaverine-responsive promoters, which significantly enhanced cadaverine biosynthesis to 87.2 g/L (a 46.8% enhancement). This work provides an in-depth understanding of cadaverine toxicity and tolerance, offering valuable targets and strategies for the rational design of high-performance microbial cell factories for diamines.

6-HAP clearance

Dissociation of actin polymerization and enzyme inactivation in the hormonal regulation of type II iodothyronine 5'-deiodinase activity in astrocytes.

T4 dynamically regulates the levels of type II iodothyronine 5'-deiodinase in the brain. Using an astrocyte cell culture model, we have shown that thyroxine increases inactivation of this enzyme through a mechanism using the actin cytoskeleton. In the absence of T4, the filamentous actin (F-actin) stress fibers are absent, and deiodinase inactivation is relatively slow. T4 increases inactivation of type II 5'-deiodinase by 1) restoring the F-actin stress fibers, 2) promoting the binding of the enzyme to F-actin, and 3) stimulating enzyme internalization. To determine whether inactivation of the deiodinase is due solely to the restoration of stress fibers by T4 or also involves direct thyroxine-mediated enzyme-F-actin interactions, we examined the effects of retinoids on both actin polymerization and type II 5'-deiodinase activity in cultured astrocytes, as these hormones have been shown to alter cytoskeletal organization in other tissues. In thyroid hormone-deficient astrocytes, retinoic acid increased F-actin levels, with no change in total cell actin. The F-actin content increased approximately 40% within 30 min after the addition of retinoic acid. After a plateau of 6-8 h, the F-actin content increased further to approximately 90% of the total cell actin and was associated with the reappearance of stress fibers. Only this latter retinoid-stimulated increase in F-actin content was blocked by actinomycin-D. Restoration of the F-actin stress fibers by retinoids did not increase the turnover of the type II 5'-deiodinase (t1/2, 1.99 h-1) or promote binding of the enzyme to F-actin in the absence of T4. Similarly, retinoids did not affect the rapid T4-mediated turnover (t1/2, 0.18 h-1) of type II 5'-deiodinase. These data show that an intact F-actin cytoskeleton in the absence of T4 is inadequate to alter the inactivation of type II 5'-deiodinase and that specific T4-enzyme-F-actin interactions are necessary to initiate the rapid inactivation/internalization of this enzyme.

Actins

Analysis and validation of abnormal signaling pathways and immune cell infiltration characteristics in digestive system cancers based on peroxisome-related genes.

BACKGROUND: Although emerging evidence suggests a role for peroxisomes in tumorigenesis, their functions in digestive cancers remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the association between peroxisomes and digestive tract tumors. METHODS: To systematically investigate peroxisomal functions in digestive cancers, we first constructed and validated tumor-specific prognostic signatures based on peroxisome-related genes (PRGs) through univariate Cox, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and multivariate Cox regression analyses. We then characterized the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) with CIBERSORT, X-CELL, and EPIC algorithms, and identified tumor-specific and common signalings via Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Focusing on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we experimentally validated peroxisome-related therapeutic responses by profiling signature genes in radioresistant cells and an orthotopic transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) rat model. PEX13 knockdown further assessed peroxisomal role in radiosensitivity and targeted therapy response. Clinical relevance of PEX13 was evaluated in HCC cohort. Single-cell RNA sequencing dataset and lipidomics further revealed peroxisomal mechanisms in HCC progression. Finally, peroxisomal function in colorectal cancer (CRC) was validated in vitro. RESULTS: Novel peroxisome-related prognostic signatures demonstrated strong predictive power in HCC, colon adenocarcinoma, rectal adenocarcinoma, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, gastric adenocarcinoma, esophageal adenocarcinoma, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and cholangiocarcinoma. High-risk patients displayed an immunosuppressive microenvironment, characterized by increased infiltration of regulatory T cells, M2 macrophages, Th2 cells, or cancer-associated fibroblasts, or Th1 cells' reduction. Peroxisomes engaged in several distinct yet convergent pathways, most notably "positive regulation of response to stimuli". HCC prognostic genes were dynamically regulated in response to therapeutic stimuli, including radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and TACE. Clinically, the expression of PEX13 was markedly upregulated in tumor tissues from therapy-resistant HCC patients. Mechanistically, peroxisomal dysfunction induced by silencing PEX13 in HCC or UBE2D2 in CRC may overcome therapeutic resistance (radiotherapy/ lenvatinib resistance in HCC, radioresistance in CRC) through reprogramming lipid metabolism. CONCLUSIONS: Peroxisomes act as pivotal regulators of digestive cancer progression by modulating signaling pathways, the TIME, therapeutic resistance, and lipid metabolism. Targeting peroxisomal function, particularly in high-risk subgroups of HCC and CRC, warrants further exploration as a promising therapeutic strategy.

Peroxisomes

The alarmin interleukin-33 modulates platelet proteome, function, and biogenesis.

Platelets, traditionally recognized for their involvement in hemostasis and wound healing, also play a central role in immune regulation and inflammation. Their function and production adapt in response to inflammatory cues such as cytokines and danger-associated molecular patterns. Interleukin-33 (IL-33), an alarmin released during tissue damage, particularly in lung inflammation, has been implicated in influencing platelet biology, though its exact effects remain poorly understood. To clarify IL-33's role, we examined its impact on platelet production, proteome, adhesion, secretion, and aggregation using platelets from IL-33-deficient (IL-33 knockout [IL-33KO]) mice and IL-33 stimulation in vivo. Our results reveal that although platelets themselves do not express IL-33, platelets isolated from IL-33KO mice display altered proteomic signatures and reduced adhesion to fibrinogen, podoplanin, and laminin, alongside impaired thrombus formation under shear stress. IL-33 administration in vivo led to proteomic remodeling characterized by increased expression of inflammatory proteins, as well as changes in platelet morphology, including increased size, typically associated with de novo production. Using lung intravital microscopy, we visualized platelet fragmentation within the lung vasculature in real time, and observed enhanced fragmentation following IL-33 stimulation. Interestingly, ST2, the receptor for IL-33, is expressed in subsets of mouse and human megakaryocytes and hematopoietic progenitors, particularly those involved in a noncanonical pathway of thrombopoiesis that enables the rapid replenishment of platelets during inflammation, infection, and aging. Together, these findings identify IL-33 as a pivotal regulator of platelet function and production, linking inflammatory signaling to the dynamic regulation of thrombopoiesis.

Interleukin-33

The immune response evokes up- and down-modulation of beta 2-adrenergic receptor messenger RNA concentration in the male rat thymus.

Important alterations of noradrenergic activity are known to occur in specific brain regions and in different lymphoid tissues during the course of an immune response. Our recent characterization of the beta 2-adrenergic receptor (beta 2AR)-cAMP system of the rat thymus gland, the identification of a thymic beta 2AR gene expression, and the marked modulation of receptor mRNA concentration after castration and replacement with estrogen prompted us to study the ability of products of immune axis activation to modulate beta 2AR number, distribution, and expression in the male rat thymus. Moreover, the effect of adrenergic stimulation of adenylyl cyclase activity on thymus gland membrane preparations was measured. The beta 2AR present in the rat thymus undergoes marked changes in both number and distribution during the course of an immune response. At 3 days after antigenic challenge (injection of BSA in complete Freund's adjuvant), a sharp decrease of receptor number coupled with a significant loss of the autoradiographic reaction in the medullary compartment of the rat thymus gland were observed. These effects were followed by a significant increase in receptor density and number without changes in receptor affinity at 7 and 15 days post immunization, corresponding to the pick of the immune response. Parallel alterations in adenylyl cyclase activity were measured. Northern blot analysis, using a human beta 2AR cDNA as a probe, revealed dramatic alterations of the beta 2AR mRNA in the thymus, characterized by an approximately 75% decrease of mRNA level 3 days after immunization, and by a progressive increase at 7 and 15 days, with beta 2AR mRNA concentration rising to levels even higher than those found in control animals. These results suggest that the immune response evokes marked alterations of the thymic beta 2AR-cAMP signaling pathway. Moreover, antigenic stimulation triggers a down- and up-modulation of beta 2AR gene expression. Although it is presently unknown whether factor(s) released by immune axis activation act at the level of gene transcription to modulate adrenergic receptor function in the rat thymus, such down- and up-regulation of beta 2AR mRNA may play a role in the dynamic regulation of the immune response.

Adenylyl Cyclases

[Giant anterior communicating artery aneurysm (author's transl)].

A case of giant aneurysm arising from the anterior communicating artery, 24 X 28 X 30 mm in diameter was found in a 30 year old man. About ten years ago he became blind and recently developed right anosmia and diencephalic seizures. No subarachnoid hemorrhage, however, was found. Radiograms and tomograms of the cranium showed a ring-like calcification, but by angiography it couldn't be recognized as a giant aneurysm. The right frontal craniotomy and partial resection, therefore, was performed. A histological study of the resected material revealed that it was a spontaneously thrombosed giant aneurysm. The inner layer of its wall had neither endothelium nor elastic lamina, but had deposits of calcium salt. The outer layer was composed of collagen fibers without cell infiltration. The aneurysm was thrombosed except for its neck but its organization occurred incompletely. We want to emphasize the importance of a correct preoperative diagnosis, as an erroneous operative procedure can result in disaster. Volume, viscosity and tension of flowing blood into the aneurysm as well as the size of its neck and dome regulate dynamic properties. These properties may determine the enlargement rate or growth of the aneurysm. The dynamic characteristics and features of the inner surface of the aneurysmal wall may regulate the formation of thrombosis in the aneurysm. The intraluminal thrombosis and strength of aneurysmal wall, for example, calcium deposits, may prohibit aneurysm from its rupture.

Adult

A proteomics-based survey reveals thrombospondin-4 as a ligand regulated by the mannose receptor in the injured lung.

Receptor-mediated cellular uptake of specific ligands constitutes an important step in the dynamic regulation of individual protein levels in extracellular fluids. With a focus on the inflammatory lung, we here performed a proteomics-based search for novel ligands regulated by the mannose receptor (MR), a macrophage-expressed endocytic receptor. WT and MR-deficient mice were exposed to lipopolysaccharide, after which the protein content in their lung epithelial lining fluid was compared by tandem mass tag-based mass spectrometry. More than 1200 proteins were identified in the epithelial lining fluid using this unbiased approach, but only six showed a statistically different abundance. Among these, an unexpected potential new ligand, thrombospondin-4 (TSP-4), displayed a striking 17-fold increased abundance in the MR-deficient mice. Experiments using exogenous addition of TSP-4 to MR-transfected CHO cells or MR-positive alveolar macrophages confirmed that TSP-4 is a ligand for MR-dependent endocytosis. Similar studies revealed that the molecular interaction with TSP-4 depends on both the lectin activity and the fibronectin type-II domain of MR and that a closely related member of the TSP family, TSP-5, is also efficiently internalized by the receptor. This was unlike the other members of this protein family, including TSPs -1 and -2, which are ligands for a close MR homologue known as urokinase plasminogen activator receptor-associated protein. Our study shows that MR takes part in the regulation of TSP-4, an important inflammatory component in the injured lung, and that two closely related endocytic receptors, expressed on different cell types, undertake the selective endocytosis of distinct members of the TSP family.

Animals

Functions and mechanisms of BRCA1 in early embryonic development.

Breast Cancer Gene 1 (BRCA1) is a critical regulator of genome integrity whose dysfunction greatly increases lifetime risk of breast and ovarian cancers. While BRCA1 has been extensively studied in the contexts of adult biology and cancer, its diverse functions, including homologous recombination-mediated DNA repair, cell cycle checkpoint activation, protein ubiquitination, and transcriptional regulation, have many underexplored implications. In early embryonic development, the maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT) and subsequent developmental processes place extraordinary demands on DNA replication fidelity, cell cycle regulation, transcriptional activation, and chromatin remodeling. These critical processes overlap strikingly with canonical functions of BRCA1, yet its function in early development is poorly characterized. In this review, we investigate BRCA1 conservation across species and connect its well-established functions to findings from developmental studies to assess its role in development. We highlight evidence of BRCA1 mitigating genome integrity loss from diverse sources, maintaining the proliferative activity needed for successful germ layer formation and early tissue morphogenesis, and regulating transcription and epigenetic modifications. Together, this synthesis supports a model where BRCA1 acts as a multi-functional and dynamic regulator of early embryogenesis. Building on this, we propose outstanding questions that could further illuminate these developmental roles. Characterization of BRCA1 in early development may not only provide important insight into the origin and progression of cancer susceptibility but may also elucidate fundamental mechanisms shaping early development.

BRCA1 Protein

Conflict-dependent gain control in area VIP during visual-vestibular self-motion processing.

Visual and vestibular signals are continuously integrated to estimate self-motion, yet these sensory cues are often inconsistent under natural conditions. How cortical circuits regulate multisensory interactions under cue conflict while preserving stable heading representations remains poorly understood. Here, we recorded neurons in male macaque ventral intraparietal area (VIP) during passive movement stimulation while systematically varying visual-vestibular heading offsets. VIP neurons exhibited strong conflict-sensitive gain modulation: congruent cues enhanced neuronal responses, whereas increasing cue offsets progressively suppressed response gain. This effect was observed not only in multisensory neurons but also in neurons classified as predominantly visual or vestibular, indicating widespread cross-modal interactions across the population. In contrast, preferred-heading shifts remain modest, suggesting that cue conflict primarily modulated response gain rather than altering heading tuning. Despite substantial suppression at the single-neuron level under large cue offsets, population Fisher information was largely preserved, indicating robust heading discriminability. Further analyses revealed flexible sensory weighting in VIP, with visual and vestibular contributions shifting as cue conflict increased. Finally, a feedforward-gated normalization model substantially improved the characterization of VIP responses by allowing cue conflict to dynamically regulate the effective normalization pool, thereby capturing both multisensory enhancement at small visual-vestibular heading offset and suppression under large cue conflict. Together, these findings show that VIP exhibits conflict-dependent regulation of multisensory gain, preserving robust self-motion representations under sensory conflict.Significance statement Visual and vestibular cues are often misaligned in natural environments, creating a challenge for accurate self-motion perception. We demonstrate that neurons in the macaque ventral intraparietal area (VIP) dynamically adjust multisensory gain according to the degree of visual-vestibular conflict. As the visual-vestibular heading offset increases, neuronal responses are progressively enhanced or suppressed, while population coding of heading direction remains largely preserved. A conflict-sensitive normalization model accounts for these response dynamics and outperforms traditional multisensory integration models, suggesting that VIP implements adaptive gain-control computations to regulate interactions between visual and vestibular signals. These results identify a cortical mechanism that links sensory conflict detection to robust perceptual coding, advancing our understanding of multisensory processing in the brain.

Journal Article

Characterization and chemoproteomic profiling of protein O-GlcNAcylation in SOD1-G93A mouse model.

BACKGROUND: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating motor neuron disease. Protein O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modification has been found to affect the processing of several important proteins implicated in ALS. However, the overall level and cellular localization of O-GlcNAc during ALS progression are incompletely understood, and large-scale profiling of O-GlcNAcylation sites in this context remains unexplored. METHODS: By using immunostaining analysis and chemoenzymatic labeling-based quantitative chemoproteomics, we assayed O-GlcNAcylation dynamics of lumbar spinal cords from SOD-G93A mice and their non-transgenic (NTG) littermates, the most widely used animal model for studying ALS pathogenesis. RESULTS: We discovered that the global O-GlcNAcylation was significantly reduced at the disease end stage. Correlatively, a great increase of OGA was observed. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence analysis showed a higher proportion of O-GlcNAc-positive neurons in the NTG group, while O-GlcNAc colocalization with astrocytes/microglia was elevated in SOD1-G93A mice. Moreover, we reported the identification of 568 high-confidence O-GlcNAc sites from end-stage SOD1-G93A and NTG mice. Of the 568 sites, 226-many of which occurred on neuronal function and structure-related proteins-were found to be dynamically regulated. CONCLUSION: These data provide a valuable resource for dissecting the functional role of O-GlcNAcylation in ALS and shed light on promising therapeutic avenues for ALS. The chemoenzymatic labeling-based chemoproteomic approach is applicable for probing O-GlcNAc dynamics in various pathological processes.

Animals

Chronic elevation of cAMP levels induces changes in the adenylate cyclase system, opiate receptor sensitivity and levels of Gs-mRNA in cultured neurons.

Neurons in primary culture were treated (5 days) with the adenylate cyclase stimulator 10(-5) M forskolin. The basal adenylate cyclase was decreased by 57%. The acute stimulatory effect of forskolin was down-regulated by 48%. The inhibitory effects of the 3 opiate receptor agonists (mu, delta and kappa) were partly abolished. The abundance of mRNA encoding the stimulatory G-protein (Gs) was decreased prominently. The data indicate that the cAMP system in neuronal cells in primary culture is under dynamic regulation, possibly including altered Gs-protein gene expression. Furthermore, long-term forskolin treatment might induce increased proliferation in susceptible neural blast cells.

Adenylyl Cyclases

Lipidomic profiling of mouse brain and human neuron cultures reveals a role for Mboat7 in mTOR-dependent neuronal migration.

Mutations in lipid regulator genes are a frequent cause of autism spectrum disorder, including those regulating phosphatidylinositol (PI) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase signaling. MBOAT7 encodes a key acyltransferase in PI synthesis and is mutated in an autism-related condition with neurodevelopmental delay and epilepsy. Using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, we analyzed the PI-associated glycerolipidome in mice and humans during neurodevelopment and found dynamic regulation at times corresponding to neural apoptosis in the brains of Mboat7 knockout mice. Mboat7 function was necessary for polyunsaturated lipid synthesis and cortical neural migration, and loss resulted in massive accumulation of the precursor lysophosphatidylinositol and hyperactive mTOR signaling. Inhibiting mTOR signaling rescued migration defects. Our findings demonstrate roles for lipid remodeling during neurodevelopment and implicate lipid regulation in neuronal migration, revealing potential paths to treatment for MBOAT7 deficiency.

Animals

Pioneer in Molecular Biology: Conformational Ensembles in Molecular Recognition, Allostery, and Cell Function.

In 1978, for my PhD, I developed the efficient O(n3) dynamic programming algorithm for the-then open problem of RNA secondary structure prediction. This algorithm, now dubbed the "Nussinov algorithm", "Nussinov plots", and "Nussinov diagrams", is still taught across Europe and the U.S. As sequences started coming out in the 1980s, I started seeking genome-encoded functional signals, later becoming a bioinformatics trend. In the early 1990s I transited to proteins, co-developing a powerful computer vision-based docking algorithm. In the late 1990s, I proposed the foundational role of conformational ensembles in molecular recognition and allostery. At the time, conformational ensembles and free energy landscapes were viewed as physical properties of proteins but were not associated with function. The classical view of molecular recognition and binding was based on only two conformations captured by crystallography: open and closed. I proposed that all conformational states preexist. Proteins always have not one folded form-nor two-but many folded forms. Thus, rather than inducing fit, binding can work by shifting the ensembles between states, and this shifting, or redistributing the ensembles to maintain equilibrium, is the origin of the allosteric effect and protein, thus cell, function. This transformative paradigm impacted community views in allosteric drug design, catalysis, and regulation. Dynamic conformational ensemble shifts are now acknowledged as the origin of recognition, allostery, and signaling, underscoring that conformational ensembles-not proteins-are the workhorses of the cell, pioneering the fundamental idea that dynamic ensembles are the driving force behind cellular processes. Nussinov was recognized as pioneer in molecular biology by JMB.

Molecular Biology

Mass spectrometry-based mapping of the ubiquitin chaperone code.

Maintenance of proteome integrity is essential for cellular homeostasis and organismal health. This integrity depends on proteostasis, a coordinated network of protein quality control systems that regulate protein folding, stabilization, and degradation. Molecular chaperones, together with proteolytic pathways such as the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and the autophagy-lysosomal pathway, prevent the accumulation of misfolded and aggregation-prone proteins. Perturbations, including genetic mutations, environmental stress, and aging challenge protein folding fidelity, leading to proteotoxic stress and contributing to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. Among the chaperone machinery, the HSP70 and HSP90 families play central roles in maintaining protein conformational homeostasis and directing damaged or misfolded substrates toward refolding or degradation pathways. Recent studies show that chaperone activity is dynamically regulated by diverse post-translational modifications (PTMs), including phosphorylation, acetylation, and ubiquitination, collectively termed the "chaperone code." These modifications modulate chaperone-client interactions, enzymatic activity, localization, and coordination with protein degradation systems. Mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics has emerged as a powerful approach for mapping ubiquitination sites and quantifying ubiquitin signaling dynamics. This chapter outlines experimental and computational strategies for MS-based analysis of the ubiquitin chaperone code, including di-glycine peptide enrichment, site identification, quantitative analysis, and validation.

Humans

A novel feedback loop between DYRK2 and USP28 regulates cancer homeostasis and DNA damage signaling.

Posttranslational modifications, such as ubiquitination and phosphorylation, play pivotal roles in regulating protein stability in response to cellular stress. Dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinase 2 (DYRK2) and ubiquitin-specific peptidase 28 (USP28) are critical regulators of cell cycle progression, DNA damage response, and oncogenic signaling. However, their functional interplay remains largely unexplored. Here, we describe a novel bidirectional regulatory mechanism between DYRK2 and USP28 that integrates DNA damage response and ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation. We demonstrate that DYRK2 phosphorylates USP28, promoting its ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation in a kinase activity-independent manner, thereby contributing to the maintenance of oncogenic protein homeostasis. Conversely, USP28 functions as a deubiquitinase for DYRK2, stabilizing its protein levels and enhancing its kinase activity. Notably, we show that DYRK2 interacts and co-localizes with USP28, with the 521-541 DYRK2 region, particularly residue T525, playing a crucial role in USP28-mediated DYRK2 stabilization. Functionally, this reciprocal regulation modulates p53 signaling, influencing apoptotic responses to DNA damage. DYRK2-mediated phosphorylation of p53 at S46 is significantly reduced upon USP28 depletion, suggesting that USP28 facilitates DYRK2-dependent apoptosis. Additionally, our results highlight a complex regulatory axis involving USP28 and DYRK2, with implications for oncogenic cell death and genomic stability. Overall, our findings uncover a novel feedback loop in which DYRK2 and USP28 dynamically regulate each other to control proto-oncoprotein homeostasis and DNA damage signaling. This interplay offers potential therapeutic opportunities for targeting cancers with dysregulated ubiquitination and genomic instability.

Dyrk Kinases

Copper-Containing Surface Engineering for Soft-Tissue Biomedical Devices: Structure-Function Relationships and Ion Release-Driven Biological Performance, A Systematic Review.

Copper and copper-based materials have gained increasing attention for the functional modification of implantable medical devices intended for prolonged soft-tissue contact, including vascular stents, catheters, and intrauterine devices. Owing to their broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, redox reactivity, and involvement in angiogenesis and cellular signaling, copper-based systems offer significant potential for multifunctional surface engineering. However, achieving a balance between antibacterial efficacy, corrosion behavior, controlled ion release, and cytocompatibility remains a critical challenge. This PRISMA-compliant systematic review analyzes copper-containing materials and surface modification strategies for soft-tissue biomedical applications. A structured search of Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed (2015-2025) identified 65 eligible studies. The review encompasses bulk copper-containing alloys, electrochemical and chemical surface modification techniques, physical vapor deposition approaches, and advanced hybrid systems integrating copper with polymers, hydrogels, or metal-phenolic networks. Across the reviewed literature, antibacterial performance was strongly dependent on copper concentration, microstructural distribution, and spatiotemporal ion release profiles. Moderate, well-controlled copper incorporation frequently improved antibacterial efficacy while maintaining acceptable hemocompatibility and cytocompatibility, particularly in vascular and blood-contacting devices. In contrast, excessive copper loading often accelerated corrosion and induced adverse cellular responses. Emerging multifunctional architectures demonstrated improved regulation of biological interactions, enabling simultaneous antibacterial, antithrombotic, and proendothelial effects. Overall, copper-based surface technologies represent a versatile platform for soft-tissue implant modification. Future translational progress will require precise control of copper release kinetics and comprehensive long-term in vivo validation to ensure safety and sustained therapeutic performance. From the authors' perspective, the most promising future direction involves multifunctional copper-based hybrid coatings capable of dynamically regulating ion release, host tissue integration, and antibacterial performance simultaneously. Strategies integrating hierarchical architectures, stimulus-responsive release systems, and clinically scalable fabrication methods are expected to play a key role in translating copper-containing surfaces from experimental concepts toward commercially viable soft-tissue biomedical devices.

Copper