SummaryAging and obesity induce ectopic adipocyte accumulation in bone marrow cavities. This process is thought to impair osteogenic and hematopoietic regeneration. Here we specify the cellular identities of the adipogenic and osteogenic lineages of the bone. While aging impairs the osteogenic lineage, high-fat diet feeding activates expansion of the adipogenic lineage, an effect that is significantly enhanced in aged animals. We further describe a mesenchymal sub-population with stem cell-like characteristics that gives rise to both lineages and, at the same time, acts as a principal component of the hematopoietic niche by promoting competitive repopulation following lethal irradiation. Conversely, bone-resident cells committed to the adipocytic lineage inhibit hematopoiesis and bone healing, potentially by producing excessive amounts of Dipeptidyl peptidase-4, a protease that is a target of diabetes therapies. These studies delineate the molecular identity of the bone-resident adipocytic lineage, and they establish its involvement in age-dependent dysfunction of bone and hematopoietic regeneration.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which is comprised mainly of adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), is the cause of 80% of all lung cancer deaths in the United States. NSCLC is also associated with a high rate of relapse after clinical treatment and, therefore, requires robust prognostic markers to better manage therapy options. The aim of this study was to identify microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles in SCC of the lung that would better predict prognosis. Total RNA from 61 SCC samples and 10 matched normal lung samples was processed for small RNA species and profiled on MirVana miRNA Bioarrays (version 2, Ambion). We identified 15 miRNAs that were differentially expressed between normal lung and SCC, including members of the miR-17-92 cluster and its paralogues. We also identified miRNAs, including miR-155 and let-7, which had previously been shown to have prognostic value in adenocarcinoma. Based on cross-fold validation analyses, miR-146b alone was found to have the strongest prediction accuracy for stratifying prognostic groups at f78%. The miRNA signatures were superior in predicting overall survival than a previously described 50-gene prognostic signature. Whereas there was no overlap between the mRNAs targeted by the prognostic miRNAs and the 50-gene expression signature, there was a significant overlap in the corresponding biological pathways, including fibroblast growth factor and interleukin-6 signaling. Our data indicate that miRNAs may have greater clinical utility in predicting the prognosis of patients with squamous cell lung carcinomas than mRNA-based signatures.

G-Protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are intensely studied as drug targets and for their role in signaling. With the determination of the first crystal structures, interest in structure-based ligand discovery has increased. Unfortunately, most GPCRs lack experimental structures. The determination of the D3 receptor structure, and a community challenge to predict it, enabled a fully prospective comparison of ligand discovery from a modeled structure versus that of the subsequently released crystal structure. Over 3.3 million molecules were docked against a homology model, and 26 of the highest ranking were tested for binding. Six had affinities from 0.2 to 3.1μM. Subsequently, the crystal structure was released and the docking screen repeated. Of the 25 compounds selected, five had affinities from 0.3 to 3.0μM. One of the novel ligands from the homology model screen was optimized for affinity to 81nM. The feasibility of docking screens against modeled GPCRs more generally is considered.

The Large-neutral Amino Acid Transporter 1 (LAT-1)-a sodiumindependent exchanger of amino acids, thyroid hormones, and prescription drugs-is highly expressed in the blood-brain barrier and various types of cancer. LAT-1 plays an important role in cancer development as well as in mediating drug and nutrient delivery across the blood-brain barrier, making it a key drug target. Here, we identify four LAT-1 ligands, including one chemically novel substrate, by comparative modeling, virtual screening, and experimental validation. These results may rationalize the enhanced brain permeability of two drugs, including the anticancer agent acivicin. Finally, two of our hits inhibited proliferation of a cancer cell line by distinct mechanisms, providing useful chemical tools to characterize the role of LAT-1 in cancer metabolism.arge-neutral Amino Acid Transporter 1 (LAT-1) is a sodiumindependent exchanger found in the brain, testis, and placenta, where it mediates transport of large-neutral amino acids (e.g., tyrosine) and thyroid hormones (e.g., triiodothyronine) across the cell membrane (1). More specifically, LAT-1 is highly expressed in the blood-and brain-facing membranes of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to supply the central nervous system (CNS) with essential nutrients and to help maintain the neural microenvironment (2). LAT-1 is also an important drug target because it transports several prescription drugs, such as the antiparkinsonian drug L-dopa and the anticonvulsant gabapentin, across the BBB, thereby enabling their pharmacologic effects (3,4). This function at the BBB has made LAT-1 a target for drug delivery by modifying CNS-impermeable drugs such that they become LAT-1 substrates and have enhanced BBB penetration (5, 6).In addition, LAT-1 expression levels are increased in many types of cancer, including non-small-cell lung cancer and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) (7,8). LAT-1 expression increases as cancers progress, leading to higher expression levels in highgrade tumors and metastases (9). In particular, LAT-1 plays a key role in cancer-associated reprogrammed metabolic networks by supplying growing tumor cells with essential amino acids that are used as nutrients to build biomass and signaling molecules to enhance proliferation by activating progrowth pathways such as the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway (10). Furthermore, inhibiting LAT-1 function reduces tumor cell proliferation, indicating that it may be a viable target for novel anticancer therapies (11-13). A cancer drug targeting LAT-1 can therefore be a LAT-1 inhibitor that deprives the cancer cells of nutrients or a cytotoxic LAT-1 substrate with an intracellular target (e.g., a metabolic enzyme).LAT-1 is a large protein with 12 putative membrane-spanning helices (14). To transport solutes across the membrane, LAT-1 binds SLC3A2, a glycoprotein with a single membrane-spanning helix that serves as a chaperone for LAT-1 (14). The atomic structure of human LAT-1 is not known, but LAT-1 exhibits significant sequence similarity to prokar...