1
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Schaub JR, Chen JY, Turner SM. Integrins in biliary injury and fibrosis. Curr Opin Gastroenterol 2024; 40:85-91. [PMID: 38190346 DOI: 10.1097/mog.0000000000000995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Current treatment options for cholangiopathies are severely limited and there is thus a critical need to identify and develop therapies. This review discusses the role of integrins in biliary injury and fibrosis and their potential as therapeutic targets. RECENT FINDINGS There are a diverse set of roles that integrins play in biliary injury and fibrosis. Some integrins activate TGF-β signaling or are involved in sensing of the extracellular matrix, making them attractive targets for biliary fibrosis. In recent work, autoantibodies to α v β 6 were identified in patients with PSC, supporting the relevance of this integrin in the disease. In addition, a role for α 2 β 1 in cyst formation was identified in a mouse model of polycystic liver disease. Leukocyte integrins (e.g. α E β 7 and α 4 β 7 ) contribute to lymphocyte trafficking, making them potential targets for biliary inflammation; however, this has not yet translated to the clinic. SUMMARY While all members of the same family of proteins, integrins have diverse roles in the pathogenesis of biliary disease. Targeting one or multiple of these integrins may slow or halt the progression of biliary injury and fibrosis by simultaneously impacting different pathologic cells and processes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jennifer Y Chen
- Department of Medicine
- The Liver Center, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
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2
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Karri K, Waxman DJ. Dysregulation of murine long noncoding single-cell transcriptome in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2023; 29:977-1006. [PMID: 37015806 DOI: 10.1261/rna.079580.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
LncRNAs comprise a heterogeneous class of RNA-encoding genes typified by low expression, nuclear enrichment, high tissue-specificity, and functional diversity, but the vast majority remain uncharacterized. Here, we assembled the mouse liver noncoding transcriptome from >2000 bulk RNA-seq samples and discovered 48,261 liver-expressed lncRNAs, a majority novel. Using these lncRNAs as a single-cell transcriptomic reference set, we elucidated lncRNA dysregulation in mouse models of high fat diet-induced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis. Trajectory inference analysis revealed lncRNA zonation patterns across the liver lobule in each major liver cell population. Perturbations in lncRNA expression and zonation were common in several disease-associated liver cell types, including nonalcoholic steatohepatitis-associated macrophages, a hallmark of fatty liver disease progression, and collagen-producing myofibroblasts, a central feature of liver fibrosis. Single-cell-based gene regulatory network analysis using bigSCale2 linked individual lncRNAs to specific biological pathways, and network-essential regulatory lncRNAs with disease-associated functions were identified by their high network centrality metrics. For a subset of these lncRNAs, promoter sequences of the network-defined lncRNA target genes were significantly enriched for lncRNA triplex formation, providing independent mechanistic support for the lncRNA-target gene linkages predicted by the gene regulatory networks. These findings elucidate liver lncRNA cell-type specificities, spatial zonation patterns, associated regulatory networks, and temporal patterns of dysregulation during hepatic disease progression. A subset of the liver disease-associated regulatory lncRNAs identified have human orthologs and are promising candidates for biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kritika Karri
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
- Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | - David J Waxman
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
- Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
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3
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Lebedeva EI, Babenka AS, Shchastniy AT. literammp-9 mRNA Expression and Bridging Fibrosis Progression in Toxic Liver Injury. Acta Naturae 2023; 15:50-58. [PMID: 37538808 PMCID: PMC10395773 DOI: 10.32607/actanaturae.17856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Developing liver disease treatments, in which fibrosis is a key pathogenetic link, still remains an urgent problem in hepatology. In the present study, the level of mmp-9 mRNA expression and the number of FAP+, α-SMA+, CD45+ cells were analyzed at nine time points of fibrosis and cirrhosis. It was found that in the case of liver fibrosis, the choice of the optimal reference gene depended on the stage of fibrogenesis. When studying the specific stages rather than the entire process in a long-term experiment, it was shown that choosing an optimal reference gene has to be done additionally. In this case, the mmp-9 mRNA expression level should be considered as a marker of liver fibrosis initiation and development but not as that of cirrhosis progression. In the liver, two morphologically heterogeneous populations of myofibroblasts were simultaneously identified as able to synthesize various types of immunohistochemical markers. It was found that the FAP+ cells were the main contributor to the development of portal fibrosis and the initial stages of bridging fibrosis. In the selected experimental model, fibrosis initiation and the development stages preceding parenchyma restructuring were accompanied by a low level of inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. I. Lebedeva
- Vitebsk State Order of Peoples’ Friendship Medical University, Vitebsk, 210009 Republic of Belarus
| | - A. S. Babenka
- Belarussian State Medical University, Minsk, 220116 Republic of Belarus
| | - A. T. Shchastniy
- Vitebsk State Order of Peoples’ Friendship Medical University, Vitebsk, 210009 Republic of Belarus
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4
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Nishio T, Koyama Y, Fuji H, Ishizuka K, Iwaisako K, Taura K, Hatano E, Brenner DA, Kisseleva T. The Role of Mesothelin in Activation of Portal Fibroblasts in Cholestatic Liver Injury. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:1589. [PMID: 36358290 PMCID: PMC9687690 DOI: 10.3390/biology11111589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Fibrosis is a common consequence of abnormal wound healing, which is characterized by infiltration of myofibroblasts and formation of fibrous scar. In liver fibrosis, activated Hepatic Stellate Cells (aHSCs) and activated Portal Fibroblasts (aPFs) are the major contributors to the origin of hepatic myofibroblasts. aPFs are significantly involved in the pathogenesis of cholestatic fibrosis, suggesting that aPFs may be a primary target for anti-fibrotic therapy in cholestatic injury. aPFs are distinguishable from aHSCs by specific markers including mesothelin (Msln), Mucin 16 (Muc16), and Thymus cell antigen 1 (Thy1, CD90) as well as fibulin 2, elastin, Gremlin 1, ecto-ATPase nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 2. Msln plays a critical role in activation of PFs, via formation of Msln-Muc16-Thy1 complex that regulates TGFβ1/TGFβRI-mediated fibrogenic signaling. The opposing pro- and anti-fibrogenic effects of Msln and Thy1 are key components of the TGFβ1-induced activation pathway in aPFs. In addition, aPFs and activated lung and kidney fibroblasts share similarities across different organs with expression of common markers and activation cascade including Msln-Thy1 interaction. Here, we summarize the potential function of Msln in activation of PFs and development of cholestatic fibrosis, offering a novel perspective for anti-fibrotic therapy targeting Msln.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Nishio
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, #0063, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, #0063, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Kawaharacho Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Yukinori Koyama
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, #0063, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Kawaharacho Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Fuji
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, #0063, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, #0063, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Kei Ishizuka
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, #0063, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, #0063, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Keiko Iwaisako
- Department of Medical Life Systems, Faculty of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University, 1-3 Tataramiyakodani, Kyotanabe 610-0394, Japan
| | - Kojiro Taura
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Kawaharacho Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery and Oncology, Kitano Hospital Medical Research Institute, 2-4-20 Ogimachi, Kita-ku, Osaka 530-8480, Japan
| | - Etsuro Hatano
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Kawaharacho Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - David A. Brenner
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, #0063, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Tatiana Kisseleva
- Department of Surgery, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, #0063, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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5
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Xue F, Lu J, Buchl SC, Sun L, Shah VH, Malhi H, Maiers JL. Coordinated signaling of activating transcription factor 6α and inositol-requiring enzyme 1α regulates hepatic stellate cell-mediated fibrogenesis in mice. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2021; 320:G864-G879. [PMID: 33728997 PMCID: PMC8202196 DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00453.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Liver injury and the unfolded protein response (UPR) are tightly linked, but their relationship differs with cell type and injurious stimuli. UPR initiation promotes hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation and fibrogenesis, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Despite the complexity and overlap downstream of UPR transducers inositol-requiring protein 1α (IRE1α), activating transcription factor 6α (ATF6α), and protein kinase RNA-like ER kinase (PERK), previous research in HSCs primarily focused on IRE1α. Here, we investigated the fibrogenic role of ATF6α or PERK in vitro and HSC-specific UPR signaling in vivo. Overexpression of ATF6α, but not the PERK effector activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), promoted HSC activation and fibrogenic gene transcription in immortalized HSCs. Furthermore, ATF6α inhibition through Ceapin-A7, or Atf6a deletion, disrupted transforming growth factor β (TGFβ)-mediated activation of primary human hepatic stellate cells (hHSCs) or murine hepatic stellate cells (mHSCs), respectively. We investigated the fibrogenic role of ATF6α in vivo through conditional HSC-specific Atf6a deletion. Atf6aHSCΔ/Δ mice displayed reduced fibrosis and HSC activation following bile duct ligation (BDL) or carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced injury. The Atf6aHSCΔ/Δ phenotype differed from HSC-specific Ire1a deletion, as Ire1aHSCΔ/Δ mice showed reduced fibrogenic gene transcription but no changes in fibrosis compared with Ire1afl/fl mice following BDL. Interestingly, ATF6α signaling increased in Ire1aΔ/Δ HSCs, whereas IRE1α signaling was upregulated in Atf6aΔ/Δ HSCs. Finally, we asked whether co-deletion of Atf6a and Ire1a additively limits fibrosis. Unexpectedly, fibrosis worsened in Atf6aHSCΔ/ΔIre1aHSCΔ/Δ mice following BDL, and Atf6aΔ/ΔIre1aΔ/Δ mHSCs showed increased fibrogenic gene transcription. ATF6α and IRE1α individually promote fibrogenic transcription in HSCs, and ATF6α drives fibrogenesis in vivo. Unexpectedly, disruption of both pathways sensitizes the liver to fibrogenesis, suggesting that fine-tuned UPR signaling is critical for regulating HSC activation and fibrogenesis.NEW & NOTEWORTHY ATF6α is a critical driver of hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation in vitro. HSC-specific deletion of Atf6a limits fibrogenesis in vivo despite increased IRE1α signaling. Conditional deletion of Ire1α from HSCs limits fibrogenic gene transcription without impacting overall fibrosis. This could be due in part to observed upregulation of the ATF6α pathway. Dual loss of Atf6a and Ire1a from HSCs worsens fibrosis in vivo through enhanced HSC activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Xue
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Jianwen Lu
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Samuel C. Buchl
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Liankang Sun
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Vijay H. Shah
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Harmeet Malhi
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Jessica L. Maiers
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
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6
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Min J, Ningappa M, So J, Shin D, Sindhi R, Subramaniam S. Systems Analysis of Biliary Atresia Through Integration of High-Throughput Biological Data. Front Physiol 2020; 11:966. [PMID: 32848883 PMCID: PMC7426509 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Biliary atresia (BA), blockage of the proper bile flow due to loss of extrahepatic bile ducts, is a rare, complex disease of the liver and the bile ducts with unknown etiology. Despite ongoing investigations to understand its complex pathogenesis, BA remains the most common cause of liver failure requiring liver transplantation in children. To elucidate underlying mechanisms, we analyzed the different types of high-throughput genomic and transcriptomic data collected from the blood and liver tissue samples of children suffering from BA. Through use of a novel integrative approach, we identified potential biomarkers and over-represented biological functions and pathways to derive a comprehensive network showing the dysfunctional mechanisms associated with BA. One of the pathways highlighted in the integrative network was hypoxia signaling. Perturbation with hypoxia inducible factor activator, dimethyloxalylglycine, induced the biliary defects of BA in a zebrafish model, serving as a validation for our studies. Our approach enables a systems-level understanding of human BA biology that is highlighted by the interaction between key biological functions such as fibrosis, inflammation, immunity, hypoxia, and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Min
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Mylarappa Ningappa
- Hillman Center for Pediatric Transplantation, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Juhoon So
- Department of Developmental Biology, McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Donghun Shin
- Department of Developmental Biology, McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Rakesh Sindhi
- Hillman Center for Pediatric Transplantation, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Shankar Subramaniam
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.,Departments of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and Computer Science and Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
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7
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Maehara J, Masugi Y, Abe T, Tsujikawa H, Kurebayashi Y, Ueno A, Ojima H, Okuda S, Jinzaki M, Shinoda M, Kitagawa Y, Oda Y, Honda H, Sakamoto M. Quantification of intratumoral collagen and elastin fibers within hepatocellular carcinoma tissues finds correlations with clinico-patho-radiological features. Hepatol Res 2020; 50:607-619. [PMID: 31886596 DOI: 10.1111/hepr.13484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Revised: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 12/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
AIM Emerging evidence suggests a promising role for tumor stromal factors in characterizing patients with various types of malignancies, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We quantified the amount of collagen and elastin fibers in HCC samples with the aim of clarifying the clinico-patho-radiological significance of fiber deposition in HCC. METHODS We computed the amount of collagen and elastin fibers using digital image analysis of whole-slide images of Elastica van Gieson-stained tissues from 156 surgically resected HCCs. Furthermore, we assessed the correlations between the fiber content of HCC samples and clinical, pathological, and radiological features, including immunohistochemistry-based molecular subtypes and immunosubtypes. RESULTS The intratumoral area ratio of collagen in HCC tissues (median 3.4%, range 0.1-22.2%) was more than threefold that of elastin (median 0.9%, range 0.1-9.0%); there was a strong positive correlation between the amounts of collagen and elastin. Higher levels of combined collagen and elastin were significantly associated with the confluent multinodular macroscopic tumor type, the absence of a fibrous capsule, intratumoral steatosis, scirrhous tumor stroma, dense inflammatory-cell infiltrates, and the biliary/stem cell markers-positive HCC subtype. The associations of higher collagen levels with radiological findings, including heterogeneous enhancement and persistent enhancement on dynamic computed tomography, were significant. In contrast, the associations of radiological findings with elastin fibers were not significant. Intratumoral fibrous stroma in HCC comprised septum-like and perisinusoidal fibrosis; these two forms represented distinct distribution patterns of fibers and fibroblasts. CONCLUSION Quantitative analysis suggested that stromal fiber-rich HCCs likely represent a distinct clinico-patho-radiological entity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junki Maehara
- Department of Pathology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Anatomic Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.,Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yohei Masugi
- Department of Pathology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tokiya Abe
- Department of Pathology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hanako Tsujikawa
- Department of Pathology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yutaka Kurebayashi
- Department of Pathology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akihisa Ueno
- Department of Pathology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hidenori Ojima
- Department of Pathology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shigeo Okuda
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masahiro Jinzaki
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masahiro Shinoda
- Department of Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuko Kitagawa
- Department of Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshinao Oda
- Department of Anatomic Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Honda
- Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Michiie Sakamoto
- Department of Pathology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
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8
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Yasui Y, Abe T, Kurosaki M, Matsunaga K, Higuchi M, Tamaki N, Watakabe K, Okada M, Wang W, Shimizu T, Takaura K, Masugi Y, Nakanishi H, Tsuchiya K, Takahashi Y, Itakura J, Sakurai U, Hashiguchi A, Sakamoto M, Izumi N. Non-invasive liver fibrosis assessment correlates with collagen and elastic fiber quantity in patients with hepatitis C virus infection. Hepatol Res 2019; 49:33-41. [PMID: 30419152 DOI: 10.1111/hepr.13286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Revised: 10/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
AIM Elastic fiber deposition is a cause of irreversibility of liver fibrosis. However, to date, its relevance to clinical features has not yet been clarified. This study aimed to clarify the correlation between non-invasive markers of fibrosis and fiber quantity, including elastic fiber, obtained from computational analysis. METHODS This retrospective study included 270 patients evaluated by non-invasive liver fibrosis assessment prior to liver biopsy. Of these patients, 95 underwent magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) and 244 were assessed with Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive Mac-2 binding protein (WFA+ -M2BP). Using whole-slide imaging of Elastica van Gieson-stained liver biopsy sections, the quantity of collagen, elastin, and total fiber (elastin + collagen) was determined. RESULTS The total fiber quantity showed significant linear correlation with fibrosis stage F0-F4. Collagen fiber quantity increased from stage F0 to F4, whereas elastic fiber quantity increased significantly only from stage F2 to F3. Spearman's rank correlation test revealed that non-invasive liver fibrosis assessment significantly correlates with each fiber quantity, including correlation between total fiber quantity and the Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index (r = 0.361, P < 0.001), WFA+ -M2BP values (r = 0.404, P < 0.001), and liver stiffness value by MRE (r = 0.615, P < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses revealed that the area under ROC for predicting higher elastic fiber (>3.6%) is 0.731 by FIB-4 index, 0.716 by WFA+ -M2BP, and 0.822 by liver stiffness by MRE. CONCLUSION Liver fibrosis correlates with fiber quantity through non-invasive assessment regardless of fiber type, including elastic fiber. Moreover, MRE is useful for predicting high amounts of elastic fiber.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutaka Yasui
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Musashino Red Cross Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tokiya Abe
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masayuki Kurosaki
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Musashino Red Cross Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kotaro Matsunaga
- Department of Pathology, Musashino Red Cross Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, School of Medicine, Saint Marianna University, Kawasaki, Japan
| | - Mayu Higuchi
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Musashino Red Cross Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nobuharu Tamaki
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Musashino Red Cross Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Keiya Watakabe
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Musashino Red Cross Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mao Okada
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Musashino Red Cross Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Wan Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Musashino Red Cross Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takao Shimizu
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Musashino Red Cross Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kenta Takaura
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Musashino Red Cross Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yohei Masugi
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Nakanishi
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Musashino Red Cross Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kaoru Tsuchiya
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Musashino Red Cross Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuka Takahashi
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Musashino Red Cross Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Jun Itakura
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Musashino Red Cross Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Urara Sakurai
- Department of Pathology, Musashino Red Cross Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akinori Hashiguchi
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Michiie Sakamoto
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Namiki Izumi
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Musashino Red Cross Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
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9
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Abstract
Extracellular adenosine nucleoside is a potent, endogenous mediator that signals through specific G protein-coupled receptors, and exerts pleiotropic effects on liver physiology, in health and disease. Particularly, adenosinergic or adenosine-mediated signaling pathways impact the progression of hepatic fibrosis, a common feature of chronic liver diseases, through regulation of matrix deposition by liver myofibroblasts. This review examines the current lines of evidence on adenosinergic regulation of liver fibrosis and myofibroblasts, identifies unanswered research questions, and proposes important future areas of investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Fausther
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences , Little Rock, Arkansas
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10
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Hintermann E, Bayer M, Conti CB, Fuchs S, Fausther M, Leung PS, Aurrand-Lions M, Taubert R, Pfeilschifter JM, Friedrich-Rust M, Schuppan D, Dranoff JA, Gershwin ME, Manns MP, Imhof BA, Christen U. Junctional adhesion molecules JAM-B and JAM-C promote autoimmune-mediated liver fibrosis in mice. J Autoimmun 2018; 91:83-96. [PMID: 29753567 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2018.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Revised: 04/26/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Fibrosis remains a serious health concern in patients with chronic liver disease. We recently reported that chemically induced chronic murine liver injury triggers increased expression of junctional adhesion molecules (JAMs) JAM-B and JAM-C by endothelial cells and de novo synthesis of JAM-C by hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Here, we demonstrate that biopsies of patients suffering from primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) or autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) display elevated levels of JAM-C on portal fibroblasts (PFs), HSCs, endothelial cells and cholangiocytes, whereas smooth muscle cells expressed JAM-C constitutively. Therefore, localization and function of JAM-B and JAM-C were investigated in three mouse models of autoimmune-driven liver inflammation. A PBC-like disease was induced by immunization with 2-octynoic acid-BSA conjugate, which resulted in the upregulation of both JAMs in fibrotic portal triads. Analysis of a murine model of PSC revealed a role of JAM-C in PF cell-cell adhesion and contractility. In mice suffering from AIH, endothelial cells increased JAM-B level and HSCs and capsular fibroblasts became JAM-C-positive. Most importantly, AIH-mediated liver fibrosis was reduced in JAM-B-/- mice or when JAM-C was blocked by soluble recombinant JAM-C. Interestingly, loss of JAM-B/JAM-C function had no effect on leukocyte infiltration, suggesting that the well-documented function of JAMs in leukocyte recruitment to inflamed tissue was not effective in the tested chronic models. This might be different in patients and may even be complicated by the fact that human leukocytes express JAM-C. Our findings delineate JAM-C as a mediator of myofibroblast-operated contraction of the liver capsule, intrahepatic vasoconstriction and bile duct stricture. Due to its potential to interact heterophilically with endothelial JAM-B, JAM-C supports also HSC/PF mural cell function. Together, these properties allow JAM-B and JAM-C to actively participate in vascular remodeling associated with liver/biliary fibrosis and suggest them as valuable targets for anti-fibrosis therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edith Hintermann
- Pharmazentrum Frankfurt, ZAFES, Goethe University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Monika Bayer
- Pharmazentrum Frankfurt, ZAFES, Goethe University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Clara Benedetta Conti
- Department of Internal Medicine 1, Goethe University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Fondazione IRCCS Cà, Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Department of Pathophysiology and Organ Transplantation, Milan, Italy.
| | - Sina Fuchs
- Pharmazentrum Frankfurt, ZAFES, Goethe University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Michel Fausther
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Arkansas, Little Rock, AR, USA.
| | - Patrick S Leung
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
| | - Michel Aurrand-Lions
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, CRCM, Marseille, France.
| | - Richard Taubert
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
| | - Josef M Pfeilschifter
- Pharmazentrum Frankfurt, ZAFES, Goethe University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Mireen Friedrich-Rust
- Department of Internal Medicine 1, Goethe University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Detlef Schuppan
- Institute of Translational Immunology and Research Center for Immune Therapy, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.
| | - Jonathan A Dranoff
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Arkansas, Little Rock, AR, USA.
| | - M Eric Gershwin
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
| | - Michael P Manns
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
| | - Beat A Imhof
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Centre Médical Universitaire, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Urs Christen
- Pharmazentrum Frankfurt, ZAFES, Goethe University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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11
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Eulenberg VM, Lidbury JA. Hepatic Fibrosis in Dogs. J Vet Intern Med 2017; 32:26-41. [PMID: 29194760 PMCID: PMC5787209 DOI: 10.1111/jvim.14891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Revised: 10/17/2017] [Accepted: 10/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatic fibrosis is commonly diagnosed in dogs, often as a sequela to chronic hepatitis (CH). The development of fibrosis is a crucial event in the progression of hepatic disease that is of prognostic value. The pathophysiology of hepatic fibrosis in human patients and rodent models has been studied extensively. Although less is known about this process in dogs, evidence suggests that fibrogenic mechanisms are similar between species and that activation of hepatic stellate cells is a key step. Diagnosis and staging of hepatic fibrosis in dogs requires histopathological examination of a liver biopsy specimen. However, performing a liver biopsy is invasive and assessment of fibrotic stage is complicated by the absence of a universally accepted staging scheme in veterinary medicine. Serum biomarkers that can discriminate among different fibrosis stages are used in human patients, but such markers must be more completely evaluated in dogs before clinical use. When successful treatment of its underlying cause is feasible, reversal of hepatic fibrosis has been shown to be possible in rodent models and human patients. Reversal of fibrosis has not been well documented in dogs, but successful treatment of CH is possible. In human medicine, better understanding of the pathomechanisms of hepatic fibrosis is leading to the development of novel treatment strategies. In time, these may be applied to dogs. This article comparatively reviews the pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis, its diagnosis, and its treatment in dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- V M Eulenberg
- Gastrointestinal Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
| | - J A Lidbury
- Gastrointestinal Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
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12
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The roles of Toll-like receptor 4 in the pathogenesis of pathogen-associated biliary fibrosis caused by Clonorchis sinensis. Sci Rep 2017. [PMID: 28634394 PMCID: PMC5478609 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-04018-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogen-associated biliary fibrosis (PABF) is a type of liver fibrosis characterized by injuries of cholangiocytes and extra cellular matrix (ECM) deposition around bile ducts caused by various bacteria, fungi, virus and parasites. Recent studies show that TLR4 plays an important role in several other types of liver fibrosis, but the mechanism of TLR4 in PABF is yet really unclear. In the present study, a PABF mouse model was established by a trematode infection-Clonorchis sinensis which dwells in the bile ducts and causes severe biliary fibrosis of mice. The results showed that the levels of collagen depositions, α-SMA and hydroxyproline (Hyp) contents in TLR4mut mice infected by C. sinensis were significantly lower than in those of TLR4wild ones. Furthermore, we found that the activation of TGF-β signaling was impaired in the TLR4mut mice, compared with wild mice when they were challenged to the same dose of C. sinensis metacercariae. Moreover, the mice with TLR4 mutation showed a decreased activation of hepatic stellate cells indicated by the expression of α-SMA, when compared with TLR4wild mice. These data demonstrate that TLR4 contributes to PABF caused by C. sinensis and TLR4 signaling may be a potential medical target for treatment of PABF.
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13
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Mehal W, To U. New approaches for fibrosis regression in alcoholic cirrhosis. Hepatol Int 2016; 10:773-8. [PMID: 27460408 DOI: 10.1007/s12072-016-9752-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2016] [Accepted: 06/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a dynamic process of fibrinogenesis and fibrinolysis. It is sequelae of recurrent injury and inflammation to the liver. Only recently has there been significant progress in understanding the pathophysiology behind liver fibrosis. This has allowed for the development of identifiable targets for potential therapies. In this article we will discuss the underlying general cellular mechanisms that play a key role in the pathway of fibrinogenesis and fibrinolysis and then focus on the mechanisms that are key in alcohol-induced liver fibrosis. Challenges in formulating potential fibrosis therapies as well as current potential targets for liver fibrosis will be reviewed as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wajahat Mehal
- Section of Digestive Diseases, Department of Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA. .,Section of Digestive Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
| | - Uyen To
- Section of Digestive Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
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14
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Abstract
Significant progress has been made in understanding the principles underlying the development of liver fibrosis. This includes appreciating its dynamic nature, the importance of active fibrolysis in fibrosis regression, and the plasticity of cell populations endowing them with fibrogenic or fibrolytic properties. This is complemented by an increasing array of therapeutic targets with known roles in the progression or regression of fibrosis. With a key role for fibrosis in determining clinical outcomes and encouraging data from recently Food and Drug Administration-approved antifibrotics for pulmonary fibrosis, the development and validation of antifibrotic therapies has taken center stage in translational hepatology. In addition to summarizing the recent progress in antifibrotic therapies, the authors discuss some of the challenges ahead, such as achieving a better understanding of the interindividual heterogeneity of the fibrotic response, how to match interventions with the ideal patient population, and the development of better noninvasive methods to assess the dynamics of fibrogenesis and fibrolysis. Together, these advances will permit a better targeting and dose titration of individualized therapies. Finally, the authors discuss combination therapy with different antifibrotics as possibly the most potent approach for treating fibrosis in the liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- W. Z. Mehal
- Section of Digestive Diseases, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut,West Haven Veterans Medical Center, West Haven, Connecticut
| | - D. Schuppan
- Department of Medicine, Institute of Translational Immunology and Research Center for Immunotherapy, University of Mainz Medical Center, Mainz, Germany,Division of Gastroenterology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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15
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Fausther M, Goree JR, Lavoie ÉG, Graham AL, Sévigny J, Dranoff JA. Establishment and characterization of rat portal myofibroblast cell lines. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0121161. [PMID: 25822334 PMCID: PMC4378927 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0121161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2014] [Accepted: 02/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The major sources of scar-forming myofibroblasts during liver fibrosis are activated hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and portal fibroblasts (PF). In contrast to well-characterized HSC, PF remain understudied and poorly defined. This is largely due to the facts that isolation of rodent PF for functional studies is technically challenging and that PF cell lines had not been established. To address this, we have generated two polyclonal portal myofibroblast cell lines, RGF and RGF-N2. RGF and RGF-N2 were established from primary PF isolated from adult rat livers that underwent culture activation and subsequent SV40-mediated immortalization. Specifically, Ntpdase2/Cd39l1-sorted primary PF were used to generate the RGF-N2 cell line. Both cell lines were functionally characterized by RT-PCR, immunofluorescence, immunoblot and bromodeoxyuridine-based proliferation assay. First, immortalized RGF and RGF-N2 cells are positive for phenotypic myofibroblast markers alpha smooth muscle actin, type I collagen alpha-1, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1, PF-specific markers elastin, type XV collagen alpha-1 and Ntpdase2/Cd39l1, and mesenchymal cell marker ecto-5’-nucleotidase/Cd73, while negative for HSC-specific markers desmin and lecithin retinol acyltransferase. Second, both RGF and RGF-N2 cell lines are readily transfectable using standard methods. Finally, RGF and RGF-N2 cells attenuate the growth of Mz-ChA-1 cholangiocarcinoma cells in co-culture, as previously demonstrated for primary PF. Immortalized rat portal myofibroblast RGF and RGF-N2 cell lines express typical markers of activated PF-derived myofibroblasts, are suitable for DNA transfection, and can effectively inhibit cholangiocyte proliferation. Both RGF and RGF-N2 cell lines represent novel in vitro cellular models for the functional studies of portal (myo)fibroblasts and their contribution to the progression of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Fausther
- Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
- Research Service, Central Arkansas VA Healthcare System, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Jessica R. Goree
- Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
- Research Service, Central Arkansas VA Healthcare System, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
| | - Élise G. Lavoie
- Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
- Research Service, Central Arkansas VA Healthcare System, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
| | - Alicia L. Graham
- Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
| | - Jean Sévigny
- Département de Microbiologie-Infectiologie et d'Immunologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, QC, Canada
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Jonathan A. Dranoff
- Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
- Research Service, Central Arkansas VA Healthcare System, Little Rock, AR, United States of America
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