Methods: We have employed high-throughput RNA-Seq technology to uncover the transcriptome changes of P. monodon hepatopancreas when challenged with VpAHPND. The shrimps were challenged with VpAHPND through immersion method with dissected hepatopancreas samples for the control group (APm-CTL) and treatment group at 3 (APm-T3), 6 (APm-T6), and 24 (APm-T24) hours post-AHPND infection sent for RNA-Seq. The transcriptome de novo assembly and Unigene expression determination were conducted using Trinity, Tgicl, Bowtie2, and RSEM software. The differentially expressed transcripts were functionally annotated mainly through COG, GO, and KEGG databases.
Results: The sequencing reads generated were filtered to obtain 312.77 Mb clean reads and assembled into 48662 Unigenes. Based on the DEGs pattern identified, it is inferred that the PAMPs carried by VpAHPND or associated toxins are capable of activating PRRs, which leads to subsequent pathway activation, transcriptional modification, and antibacterial responses (Phagocytosis, AMPs, proPO system). DAMPs are released in response to cell stress or damage to further activate the sequential immune responses. The comprehensive interactions between VpAHPND, chitin, GbpA, mucin, chitinase, and chitin deacetylase were postulated to be involved in bacterial colonization or antibacterial response.
Conclusions: The outcomes of this research correlate the different stages of P. monodon immune response to different time points of AHPND infection. This finding supports the development of biomarkers for the detection of early stages of VpAHPND colonization in P. monodon through host immune expression changes. The potential genes to be utilized as biomarkers include but not limited to C-type lectin, HMGB1, IMD, ALF, serine proteinase, and DSCAM.
METHODS: Various techniques including qRT-PCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry assays were utilized to examine gene expression patterns. Functional assays such as wound-healing assay, transwell invasion assay, 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assay, and metabolic assays were conducted to assess the impact of CEP55 on the behaviors of TNBC cells. CD163-positive macrophages were quantified by flow cytometry. The chromatin immunoprecipitation assay and dual-luciferase reporter assay were performed to assess the association of SPI1 with CEP55. A xenograft mouse model experiment was used to analyze the impact of SPI1 on tumor development in vivo.
RESULTS: CEP55 and SPI1 expression levels were significantly upregulated in TNBC tissues and cells. The depletion of CEP55 led to decreased TNBC cell migration, invasion, proliferation, glucose metabolism, and M2 macrophage polarization, indicating its crucial role in promoting TNBC progression. Moreover, SPI1 transcriptionally activated CEP55 in TNBC cells, and its overexpression was associated with accelerated tumor growth in vivo. Further, CEP55 overexpression relieved SPI1 silencing-induced inhibitory effects on TNBC cell migration, invasion, proliferation, glucose metabolism, and M2 macrophage polarization.
CONCLUSION: SPI1-mediated transcriptional activation of CEP55 plays a key role in enhancing TNBC cell migration, invasion, proliferation, glucose metabolism, and M2 macrophage polarization. These insights provide valuable information for potential targeted therapies to combat TNBC progression by modulating the SPI1-CEP55 axis.