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Peng Z, Wei G, Huang P, Matta H, Gao W, An P, Zhao S, Lin Y, Tan L, Vaid K, Skelton-Badlani D, Nasser I, Budas G, Lopez D, Li L, Breckenridge D, Myers R, McHutchison J, Kuang M, Popov YV. ASK1/ p38 axis inhibition blocks the release of mitochondrial "danger signals" from hepatocytes and suppresses progression to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Hepatology 2024:01515467-990000000-00762. [PMID: 38377458 DOI: 10.1097/hep.0000000000000801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Apoptosis Signal-regulating Kinase 1 (ASK1) is activated by various pathological stimuli and induces cell apoptosis through downstream p38 activation. We studied the effect of pharmacological ASK1 inhibition on cirrhosis and its sequelae using comprehensive preclinical in vivo and in vitro systems. APPROACH AND RESULTS Short-term (4-6 wk) and long-term (24-44 wk) ASK1 inhibition using small molecule GS-444217 was tested in thioacetamide-induced and BALB/c. Mdr2-/- murine models of cirrhosis and HCC, and in vitro using primary hepatocyte cell death assays. Short-term GS-444217 therapy in both models strongly reduced phosphorylated p38, hepatocyte death, and fibrosis by up to 50%. Profibrogenic release of mitochondrial DAMP mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid from dying hepatocytes was blocked by ASK1 or p38 inhibition. Long-term (24 wk) therapy in BALBc.Mdr2 - / - model resulted in a moderate 25% reduction in bridging fibrosis, but not in net collagen deposition. Despite this, the development of cirrhosis was effectively prevented, with strongly reduced p21 + hepatocyte staining (by 72%), serum ammonia levels (by 46%), and portal pressure (average 6.07 vs. 8.53 mm Hg in controls). Extended ASK1 inhibition for 44 wk in aged BALB/c. Mdr2-/- mice resulted in markedly reduced tumor number and size by ~50% compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS ASK1 inhibition suppresses the profibrogenic release of mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid from dying hepatocytes in a p38-dependent manner and protects from liver fibrosis. Long-term ASK1 targeting resulted in diminished net antifibrotic effect, but the progression to liver cirrhosis and cancer in BALBc/ Mdr2- / - mice was effectively inhibited. These data support the clinical evaluation of ASK1 inhibitors in fibrotic liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenwei Peng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Guangyan Wei
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Pinzhu Huang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Heansika Matta
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Wen Gao
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ping An
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Shuangshuang Zhao
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yi Lin
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Li Tan
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Center of Hepatopbiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kahini Vaid
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Disha Skelton-Badlani
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Imad Nasser
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Grant Budas
- Gilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, California, USA
| | - David Lopez
- Gilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, California, USA
| | - Li Li
- Gilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, California, USA
| | | | - Rob Myers
- Gilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, California, USA
| | | | - Ming Kuang
- Center of Hepatopbiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Division of Interventional Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yury V Popov
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Fuchs CD, Sroda N, Scharnagl H, Gupta R, Minto W, Stojakovic T, Liles JT, Budas G, Hollenback D, Trauner M. Non-steroidal FXR agonist cilofexor improves cholestatic liver injury in the Mdr2-/- mouse model of sclerosing cholangitis. JHEP Rep 2023; 5:100874. [PMID: 37841639 PMCID: PMC10568427 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2023.100874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background & Aims The nuclear receptor farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is a key regulator of hepatic bile acid (BA) and lipid metabolism, inflammation and fibrosis. Here, we aimed to explore the potential of cilofexor (GS-9674), a non-steroidal FXR agonist, as a therapeutic approach for counteracting features of cholestatic liver injury by evaluating its efficacy and mechanisms in the Mdr2/Abcb4 knockout (-/-) mouse model of sclerosing cholangitis. Methods FVB/N wild-type and Mdr2-/- or BALB/c wild-type and Mdr2-/- mice were treated with 0, 10, 30 or 90 mg/kg cilofexor by gavage every 24 h for 10 weeks. Serum biochemistry, gene expression profile, hydroxyproline content, and picrosirius red and F4/80 immunostaining, were investigated. Bile flow, biliary bicarbonate and BA output, and hepatic BA profile, were assessed. Results Cilofexor treatment improved serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase as well as BAs in Mdr2-/- animals. Hepatic fibrosis was improved, as reflected by the reduced picrosirius red-positive area and hydroxyproline content in liver sections of cilofexor-treated Mdr2-/- mice. Intrahepatic BA concentrations were lowered in cilofexor-treated Mdr2-/- mice, while hepatobiliary bile flow and bicarbonate output were increased. Conclusion Collectively the current data show that cilofexor treatment improves cholestatic liver injury and decreases hepatic fibrosis in the Mdr2-/- mouse model of sclerosing cholangitis. Impact and implications Treatment with cilofexor, a non-steroidal farnesoid X receptor (FXR) agonist, improved histological features of sclerosing cholangitis, cholestasis and hepatic fibrosis in the Mdr2-/- mouse model. These findings indicate, that pharmacological stimulation of intestinal FXR-mediated gut-liver signaling, via fibroblast growth factor 15 (thereby reducing bile acid synthesis), may be sufficient to attenuate cholestatic liver injury in the Mdr2-/- mouse model of sclerosing cholangitis, thus arguing for potential therapeutic properties of cilofexor in cholestatic liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia D. Fuchs
- Hans Popper Laboratory of Molecular Hepatology, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Hubert Scharnagl
- Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Graz, Austria
| | | | | | - Tatjana Stojakovic
- Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, University Hospital Graz, Austria
| | | | | | | | - Michael Trauner
- Hans Popper Laboratory of Molecular Hepatology, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
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Banerjee P, Gaddam N, Chandler V, Chakraborty S. Oxidative Stress-Induced Liver Damage and Remodeling of the Liver Vasculature. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2023; 193:1400-1414. [PMID: 37355037 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2023.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
As an organ critically important for targeting and clearing viruses, bacteria, and other foreign material, the liver operates via immune-tolerant, anti-inflammatory mechanisms indispensable to the immune response. Stress and stress-induced factors disrupt the homeostatic balance in the liver, inflicting tissue damage, injury, and remodeling. These factors include oxidative stress (OS) induced by viral infections, environmental toxins, drugs, alcohol, and diet. A recurrent theme seen among stressors common to multiple liver diseases is the induction of mitochondrial dysfunction, increased reactive oxygen species expression, and depletion of ATP. Inflammatory signaling additionally exacerbates the condition, generating a proinflammatory, immunosuppressive microenvironment and activation of apoptotic and necrotic mechanisms that disrupt the integrity of liver morphology. These pathways initiate signaling pathways that significantly contribute to the development of liver steatosis, inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver cancers. In addition, hypoxia and OS directly enhance angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in chronic liver diseases. Late-stage consequences of these conditions often narrow the outcomes for liver transplantation or result in death. This review provides a detailed perspective on various stress-induced factors and the specific focus on role of OS in different liver diseases with special emphasis on different molecular mechanisms. It also highlights how resultant changes in the liver vasculature correlate with pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Banerjee
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas.
| | - Niyanshi Gaddam
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas
| | - Vanessa Chandler
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas
| | - Sanjukta Chakraborty
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas.
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Yilmaz K, Haeberle S, Kim YO, Fritzler MJ, Weng SY, Goeppert B, Raker VK, Steinbrink K, Schuppan D, Enk A, Hadaschik EN. Regulatory T-cell deficiency leads to features of autoimmune liver disease overlap syndrome in scurfy mice. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1253649. [PMID: 37818371 PMCID: PMC10561387 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1253649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Scurfy mice have a complete deficiency of functional regulatory T cells (Treg) due to a frameshift mutation in the Foxp3 gene. The impaired immune homeostasis results in a lethal lymphoproliferative disorder affecting multiple organs, including the liver. The autoimmune pathology in scurfy mice is in part accompanied by autoantibodies such as antinuclear antibodies (ANA). ANA are serological hallmarks of several autoimmune disorders including autoimmune liver diseases (AILD). However, the underlying pathogenesis and the role of Treg in AILD remain to be elucidated. The present study therefore aimed to characterize the liver disease in scurfy mice. Methods Sera from scurfy mice were screened for ANA by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and tested for a wide range of AILD-associated autoantibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, line immunoassay, and addressable laser bead immunoassay. CD4+ T cells of scurfy mice were transferred into T cell-deficient B6/nude mice. Monoclonal autoantibodies from scurfy mice and recipient B6/nude mice were tested for ANA by IFA. Liver tissue of scurfy mice was analyzed by conventional histology. Collagen deposition in scurfy liver was quantified via hepatic hydroxyproline content. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to determine fibrosis-related hepatic gene expression. Hepatic immune cells were differentiated by flow cytometry. Results All scurfy mice produced ANA. AILD-associated autoantibodies, predominantly antimitochondrial antibodies, were detected at significantly higher levels in scurfy sera. CD4+ T cells from scurfy mice were sufficient to induce anti-dsDNA autoantibodies and ANA with an AILD-related nuclear envelope staining pattern. Liver histology revealed portal inflammation with bile duct damage and proliferation, as in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), and interface hepatitis with portal-parenchymal necroinflammation, as found in autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). In scurfy liver, TNFα and fibrosis-related transcripts including Col1a1, Timp1, Acta2, Mmp2, and Mmp9 were upregulated. The level of proinflammatory monocytic macrophages (Ly-6Chi) was increased, while M2-type macrophages (CD206+) were downregulated compared to wildtype controls. Despite severe hepatic inflammation, fibrosis did not develop within 25 days, which is close to the lifespan of scurfy mice. Discussion Our findings suggest that Treg-deficient scurfy mice spontaneously develop clinical, serological, and immunopathological characteristics of AILD with overlapping features of PBC and AIH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaan Yilmaz
- Department of Dermatology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Stefanie Haeberle
- Department of Dermatology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yong Ook Kim
- Institute of Translational Immunology, University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Marvin J. Fritzler
- Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Shih-Yen Weng
- Institute of Translational Immunology, University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Smart Healthcare Interdisciplinary College, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Benjamin Goeppert
- Institute of Tissue Medicine and Pathology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Institute of Pathology and Neuropathology, RKH Klinikum Ludwigsburg, Ludwigsburg, Germany
| | - Verena K. Raker
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Kerstin Steinbrink
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Detlef Schuppan
- Institute of Translational Immunology, University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Division of Gastroenterology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Alexander Enk
- Department of Dermatology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Eva N. Hadaschik
- Department of Dermatology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Essen, Essen, Germany
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Zhang W, Kyritsi K, Isidan A, Park Y, Li P, Cross-Najafi AA, Lopez K, Kennedy L, Sato K, Glaser S, Francis H, Alpini G, Ekser B. Development of Scaffold-Free Three-Dimensional Cholangiocyte Organoids to Study the Progression of Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2023; 193:1156-1169. [PMID: 37263345 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2023.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Organoids are novel in vitro models to study intercellular cross talk between the different types of cells in disease pathophysiology. To better understand the underlying mechanisms driving the progression of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), scaffold-free multicellular three-dimensional cholangiocyte organoids (3D-CHOs) were developed using primary liver cells derived from normal subjects and patients with PSC. Human liver samples from healthy donors and patients with PSC were used to isolate primary cholangiocytes [epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCam)+/ cytokeratin-19+], liver endothelial cells (CD31+), and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs; CD31-/CD68-/desmin+/vitamin A+). 3D-CHOs were formed using cholangiocytes, HSCs, and liver endothelial cells, and kept viable for up to 1 month. Isolated primary cell lines and 3D-CHOs were further characterized by immunofluorescence, quantitative RT-PCR, and transmission electron microscopy. Transcription profiles for cholangiocytes (SOX9, CFTR, EpCAM, AE, SCT, and SCTR), fibrosis (ACTA2, COL1A1, DESMIN, and TGFβ1), angiogenesis (PECAM, VEGF, CDH5, and vWF), and inflammation (IL-6 and TNF-α) confirmed PSC phenotypes of 3D-CHOs. Because cholangiocytes develop a neuroendocrine phenotype and express neuromodulators, confocal immunofluorescence was used to demonstrate localization of the neurokinin-1 receptor within cytokeratin-19+ cholangiocytes and desmin+ HSCs. Moreover, 3D-CHOs from patients with PSC confirmed PSC phenotypes with up-regulated neurokinin-1 receptor, tachykinin precursor 1, and down-regulated membrane metalloendopeptidase. Scaffold-free multicellular 3D-CHOs showed superiority as an in vitro model in mimicking PSC in vivo phenotypes compared with two-dimensional cell culture, which can be used in PSC disease-related research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjun Zhang
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Konstantina Kyritsi
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana; Division of Research, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Abdulkadir Isidan
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Yujin Park
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Ping Li
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | | | - Kevin Lopez
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Lindsey Kennedy
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana; Division of Research, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Keisaku Sato
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana; Division of Research, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Shannon Glaser
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M University College of Medicine, Bryan, Texas
| | - Heather Francis
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana; Division of Research, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Gianfranco Alpini
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana; Division of Research, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Burcin Ekser
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Indianapolis, Indiana.
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Owen T, Carpino G, Chen L, Kundu D, Wills P, Ekser B, Onori P, Gaudio E, Alpini G, Francis H, Kennedy L. Endothelin Receptor-A Inhibition Decreases Ductular Reaction, Liver Fibrosis, and Angiogenesis in a Model of Cholangitis. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 16:513-540. [PMID: 37336290 PMCID: PMC10462792 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2023.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) leads to ductular reaction and fibrosis and is complicated by vascular dysfunction. Cholangiocyte and endothelial cell crosstalk modulates their proliferation in cholestatic models. Endothelin (ET)-1 and ET-2 bind to their receptor, ET-A, and cholangiocytes are a key source of ET-1 after bile duct ligation. We aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of ET-A inhibition in PSC and biliary-endothelial crosstalk mediated by this pathway. METHODS Wild-type and multidrug resistance 2 knockout (Mdr2-/-) mice at 12 weeks of age were treated with vehicle or Ambrisentan (ET-A antagonist) for 1 week by daily intraperitoneal injections. Human control and PSC samples were used. RESULTS Mdr2-/- mice at 4, 8, and 12 weeks displayed angiogenesis that peaked at 12 weeks. Mdr2-/- mice at 12 weeks had enhanced biliary ET-1/ET-2/ET-A expression and secretion, whereas human PSC had enhanced ET-1/ET-A expression and secretion. Ambrisentan reduced biliary damage, immune cell infiltration, and fibrosis in Mdr2-/- mice. Mdr2-/- mice had squamous cholangiocytes with blunted microvilli and dilated arterioles lacking cilia; however, Ambrisentan reversed these alterations. Ambrisentan decreased cholangiocyte expression of pro-angiogenic factors, specifically midkine, through the regulation of cFOS. In vitro, ET-1/ET-A caused cholangiocyte senescence, endothelial cell angiogenesis, and macrophage inflammation. In vitro, human PSC cholangiocyte supernatants increased endothelial cell migration, which was blocked with Ambrisentan treatment. CONCLUSIONS ET-A inhibition reduced biliary and liver damage in Mdr2-/- mice. ET-A promotes biliary angiocrine signaling that may, in turn, enhance angiogenesis. Targeting ET-A may prove therapeutic for PSC, specifically patients displaying vascular dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Travis Owen
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Guido Carpino
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Lixian Chen
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Debjyoti Kundu
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Payton Wills
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Burcin Ekser
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Paolo Onori
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Eugenio Gaudio
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Gianfranco Alpini
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana; Department of Research, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Heather Francis
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana; Department of Research, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Lindsey Kennedy
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana; Department of Research, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana.
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Wu N, Zhou T, Carpino G, Baiocchi L, Kyritsi K, Kennedy L, Ceci L, Chen L, Wu C, Kundu D, Barupala N, Franchitto A, Onori P, Ekser B, Gaudio E, Francis H, Glaser S, Alpini G. Prolonged administration of a secretin receptor antagonist inhibits biliary senescence and liver fibrosis in Mdr2 -/- mice. Hepatology 2023; 77:1849-1865. [PMID: 36799446 DOI: 10.1097/hep.0000000000000310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Secretin (SCT) and secretin receptor (SR, only expressed on cholangiocytes within the liver) play key roles in modulating liver phenotypes. Forkhead box A2 (FoxA2) is required for normal bile duct homeostasis by preventing the excess of cholangiocyte proliferation. Short-term administration of the SR antagonist (SCT 5-27) decreased ductular reaction and liver fibrosis in bile duct ligated and Mdr2 -/- [primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), model] mice. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and risks of long-term SCT 5-27 treatment in Mdr2 -/- mice. APPROACH AND RESULTS In vivo studies were performed in male wild-type and Mdr2 -/- mice treated with saline or SCT 5-27 for 3 months and human samples from late-stage PSC patients and healthy controls. Compared with controls, biliary SCT/SR expression and SCT serum levels increased in Mdr2 -/- mice and late-stage PSC patients. There was a significant increase in ductular reaction, biliary senescence, liver inflammation, angiogenesis, fibrosis, biliary expression of TGF-β1/VEGF-A axis, and biliary phosphorylation of protein kinase A and ERK1/2 in Mdr2 -/- mice. The biliary expression of miR-125b and FoxA2 decreased in Mdr2 -/- compared with wild-type mice, which was reversed by long-term SCT 5-27 treatment. In vitro , SCT 5-27 treatment of a human biliary PSC cell line decreased proliferation and senescence and SR/TGF-β1/VEGF-A axis but increased the expression of miR-125b and FoxA2. Downregulation of FoxA2 prevented SCT 5-27-induced reduction in biliary damage, whereas overexpression of FoxA2 reduced proliferation and senescence in the human PSC cell line. CONCLUSIONS Modulating the SCT/SR axis may be critical for managing PSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Wu
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Tianhao Zhou
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Guido Carpino
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopaedics Sciences, University Sapienza of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Konstantina Kyritsi
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Lindsey Kennedy
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
- Research, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Ludovica Ceci
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopaedics Sciences, University Sapienza of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Lixian Chen
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Chaodong Wu
- Department of Nutrition, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Debjyoti Kundu
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Nipuni Barupala
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Antonio Franchitto
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Onori
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopaedics Sciences, University Sapienza of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Burcin Ekser
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Eugenio Gaudio
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopaedics Sciences, University Sapienza of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Heather Francis
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
- Research, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Shannon Glaser
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Gianfranco Alpini
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
- Research, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
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Lee YS, Seki E. In Vivo and In Vitro Models to Study Liver Fibrosis: Mechanisms and Limitations. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 16:355-367. [PMID: 37270060 PMCID: PMC10444957 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2023.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a common result of liver injury owing to various kinds of chronic liver diseases. A deeper understanding of the pathophysiology of liver fibrosis and identifying potential therapeutic targets of liver fibrosis is important because liver fibrosis may progress to advanced liver diseases, such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Despite numerous studies, the underlying mechanisms of liver fibrosis remain unclear. Mechanisms of the development and progression of liver fibrosis differ according to etiologies. Therefore, appropriate liver fibrosis models should be selected according to the purpose of the study and the type of underlying disease. Many in vivo animal and in vitro models have been developed to study liver fibrosis. However, there are no perfect preclinical models for liver fibrosis. In this review, we summarize the current in vivo and in vitro models for studying liver fibrosis and highlight emerging in vitro models, including organoids and liver-on-a-chip models. In addition, we discuss the mechanisms and limitations of each model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young-Sun Lee
- Karsh Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California; Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ekihiro Seki
- Karsh Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.
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Kolaric TO, Kuna L, Covic M, Roguljic H, Matic A, Sikora R, Hefer M, Petrovic A, Mihaljevic V, Smolic R, Bilic-Curcic I, Vcev A, Smolic M. Preclinical Models and Promising Pharmacotherapeutic Strategies in Liver Fibrosis: An Update. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2023; 45:4246-4260. [PMID: 37232739 DOI: 10.3390/cimb45050270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver fibrosis represents one of the greatest challenges in medicine. The fact that it develops with the progression of numerous diseases with high prevalence (NAFLD, viral hepatitis, etc.) makes liver fibrosis an even greater global health problem. Accordingly, it has received much attention from numerous researchers who have developed various in vitro and in vivo models to better understand the mechanisms underlying fibrosis development. All these efforts led to the discovery of numerous agents with antifibrotic properties, with hepatic stellate cells and the extracellular matrix at the center of these pharmacotherapeutic strategies. This review focuses on the current data on numerous in vivo and in vitro models of liver fibrosis and on various pharmacotherapeutic targets in the treatment of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tea Omanovic Kolaric
- Department of Pharmacology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Lucija Kuna
- Department of Pharmacology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Marina Covic
- Department of Pharmacology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Hrvoje Roguljic
- Department of Pharmacology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Anita Matic
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
- Department of Pathophysiology and Physiology with Immunology, Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Renata Sikora
- Department of Dental Medicine, Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Marija Hefer
- Department of Physics, Biophysics, and Chemistry, Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Ana Petrovic
- Department of Pharmacology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Vjera Mihaljevic
- Department of Pharmacology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Robert Smolic
- Department of Pharmacology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Ines Bilic-Curcic
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
- Department of Endocrinology, University Hospital Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Aleksandar Vcev
- Department of Pathophysiology and Physiology with Immunology, Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Martina Smolic
- Department of Pharmacology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
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10
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Awoniyi M, Wang J, Ngo B, Meadows V, Tam J, Viswanathan A, Lai Y, Montgomery S, Farmer M, Kummen M, Thingholm L, Schramm C, Bang C, Franke A, Lu K, Zhou H, Bajaj JS, Hylemon PB, Ting J, Popov YV, Hov JR, Francis HL, Sartor RB. Protective and aggressive bacterial subsets and metabolites modify hepatobiliary inflammation and fibrosis in a murine model of PSC. Gut 2023; 72:671-685. [PMID: 35705368 PMCID: PMC9751228 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2021-326500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Conflicting microbiota data exist for primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and experimental models. GOAL define the function of complex resident microbes and their association relevant to PSC patients by studying germ-free (GF) and antibiotic-treated specific pathogen-free (SPF) multidrug-resistant 2 deficient (mdr2-/- ) mice and microbial profiles in PSC patient cohorts. DESIGN We measured weights, liver enzymes, RNA expression, histological, immunohistochemical and fibrotic biochemical parameters, faecal 16S rRNA gene profiling and metabolomic endpoints in gnotobiotic and antibiotic-treated SPF mdr2-/- mice and targeted metagenomic analysis in PSC patients. RESULTS GF mdr2-/- mice had 100% mortality by 8 weeks with increasing hepatic bile acid (BA) accumulation and cholestasis. Early SPF autologous stool transplantation rescued liver-related mortality. Inhibition of ileal BA transport attenuated antibiotic-accelerated liver disease and decreased total serum and hepatic BAs. Depletion of vancomycin-sensitive microbiota exaggerated hepatobiliary disease. Vancomycin selectively decreased Lachnospiraceae and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) but expanded Enterococcus and Enterobacteriaceae. Antibiotics increased Enterococcus faecalis and Escherichia coli liver translocation. Colonisation of GF mdr2-/- mice with translocated E. faecalis and E. coli strains accelerated hepatobiliary inflammation and mortality. Lachnospiraceae colonisation of antibiotic pretreated mdr2-/- mice reduced liver fibrosis, inflammation and translocation of pathobionts, and SCFA-producing Lachnospiraceae and purified SCFA decreased fibrosis. Faecal Lachnospiraceae negatively associated, and E. faecalis/ Enterobacteriaceae positively associated, with PSC patients' clinical severity by Mayo risk scores. CONCLUSIONS We identified novel functionally protective and detrimental resident bacterial species in mdr2-/- mice and PSC patients with associated clinical risk score. These insights may guide personalised targeted therapeutic interventions in PSC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muyiwa Awoniyi
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of North Carolina System, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina System, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jeremy Wang
- Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina System, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina System, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Billy Ngo
- Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina System, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Vik Meadows
- Department of Gastroenterology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Jason Tam
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina System, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Amba Viswanathan
- Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina System, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Yunjia Lai
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global School of Public Health, University of North Carolina System, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Stephanie Montgomery
- Department of Pathology, Division of Comparative Medicine, and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina System, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Morgan Farmer
- Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina System, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Martin Kummen
- Norwegian PSC Research Center, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Louise Thingholm
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Zentrums für Molekulare Biowissenschaften, Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
| | | | - Corinna Bang
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Andre Franke
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Kun Lu
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global School of Public Health, University of North Carolina System, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Huiping Zhou
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- Department of Research, McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Cente, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Jasmohan S Bajaj
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- Department of Research, McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Cente, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Phillip B Hylemon
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- Department of Research, McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Cente, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Jenny Ting
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina System, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Center for Translational Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Yury V Popov
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Johannes Roksund Hov
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Norwegian PSC Research Center, Department of Transplantation Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Heather L Francis
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
- Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Ryan Balfour Sartor
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of North Carolina System, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina System, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina System, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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11
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Wang J, Sun Z, Xie J, Ji W, Cui Y, Ai Z, Liang G. Inflammasome and pyroptosis in autoimmune liver diseases. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1150879. [PMID: 36969233 PMCID: PMC10030845 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1150879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), and IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis (IgG4-SC) are the four main forms of autoimmune liver diseases (AILDs), which are all defined by an aberrant immune system attack on the liver. Most previous studies have shown that apoptosis and necrosis are the two major modes of hepatocyte death in AILDs. Recent studies have reported that inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis is critical for the inflammatory response and severity of liver injury in AILDs. This review summarizes our present understanding of inflammasome activation and function, as well as the connections among inflammasomes, pyroptosis, and AILDs, thus highlighting the shared features across the four disease models and gaps in our knowledge. In addition, we summarize the correlation among NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the liver-gut axis, liver injury, and intestinal barrier disruption in PBC and PSC. We summarize the differences in microbial and metabolic characteristics between PSC and IgG4-SC, and highlight the uniqueness of IgG4-SC. We explore the different roles of NLRP3 in acute and chronic cholestatic liver injury, as well as the complex and controversial crosstalk between various types of cell death in AILDs. We also discuss the most up-to-date developments in inflammasome- and pyroptosis-targeted medicines for autoimmune liver disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jixuan Wang
- School of First Clinical Medicine, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Zhiwen Sun
- Department of Liver, Spleen and Stomach Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Jingri Xie
- Department of Liver, Spleen and Stomach Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Wanli Ji
- School of First Clinical Medicine, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Yang Cui
- School of First Clinical Medicine, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Zongxiong Ai
- School of First Clinical Medicine, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
- *Correspondence: Guoying Liang, ; Zongxiong Ai,
| | - Guoying Liang
- Department of Liver, Spleen and Stomach Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
- *Correspondence: Guoying Liang, ; Zongxiong Ai,
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Abstract
Autoimmune liver diseases (AILD) are a group of immune-mediated liver inflammatory diseases with three major forms including autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Interaction of both genetic and environmental factors leads to the breakdown of self-tolerance, hence resulting in hyper-responsive of autoantibodies and aggressive autoreactive immune cells. Genetic studies have identified dozens of risk loci associated with initiation and development of AILD. However, the role of exogenous factors remains unclear. Recently, both infectious and inflammatory diseases have been associated with microbiota, which colonizes multiple mucosal surfaces and participates in human physiological process and function in immune system, particularly influencing liver, and biliary system via gut-liver axis. Emerging evidence on the role of gut microbiota has expanded our knowledge of AILD in both pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets, along with putative diagnosis biomarkers. Herein we review the relationship between host and gut microbiota, discuss their potential roles in disease onset and progression, and summarize the compositional and functional alterations of the microbiota in AILD. We also highlighted the microbiota-based therapeutics such as antibiotics and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT).
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiwei Qian
- School of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei He
- School of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ruqi Tang
- School of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiong Ma
- School of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China -
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13
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Banerjee P, Kumaravel S, Roy S, Gaddam N, Odeh J, Bayless KJ, Glaser S, Chakraborty S. Conjugated Bile Acids Promote Lymphangiogenesis by Modulation of the Reactive Oxygen Species-p90RSK-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 3 Pathway. Cells 2023; 12:526. [PMID: 36831193 PMCID: PMC9953922 DOI: 10.3390/cells12040526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Conjugated bile acids (BA) are significantly elevated in several liver pathologies and in the metastatic lymph node (LN). However, the effects of BAs on pathological lymphangiogenesis remains unknown. The current study explores the effects of BAs on lymphangiogenesis. BA levels were elevated in the LN and serum of Mdr2-/- mice (model of sclerosing cholangitis) compared to control mice. Liver and LN tissue sections showed a clear expansion of the lymphatic network in Mdr2-/- mice, indicating activated lymphangiogenic pathways. Human lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) expressed BA receptors and a direct treatment with conjugated BAs enhanced invasion, migration, and tube formation. BAs also altered the LEC metabolism and upregulated key metabolic genes. Further, BAs induced the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), that in turn phosphorylated the redox-sensitive kinase p90RSK, an essential regulator of endothelial cell dysfunction and oxidative stress. Activated p90RSK increased the SUMOylation of the Prox1 transcription factor and enhanced VEGFR3 expression and 3-D LEC invasion. BA-induced ROS in the LECs, which led to increased levels of Yes-associated protein (YAP), a lymphangiogenesis regulator. The suppression of cellular YAP inhibited BA-induced VEGFR3 upregulation and lymphangiogenic mechanism. Overall, our data shows the expansion of the lymphatic network in presclerotic liver disease and establishes a novel mechanism whereby BAs promote lymphangiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Banerjee
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Subhashree Kumaravel
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Sukanya Roy
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Niyanshi Gaddam
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Johnny Odeh
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Kayla J. Bayless
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Shannon Glaser
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Sanjukta Chakraborty
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
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14
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Rosenberg N, Van Haele M, Lanton T, Brashi N, Bromberg Z, Adler H, Giladi H, Peled A, Goldenberg DS, Axelrod JH, Simerzin A, Chai C, Paldor M, Markezana A, Yaish D, Shemulian Z, Gross D, Barnoy S, Gefen M, Amran O, Claerhout S, Fernández-Vaquero M, García-Beccaria M, Heide D, Shoshkes-Carmel M, Schmidt Arras D, Elgavish S, Nevo Y, Benyamini H, Tirnitz-Parker JEE, Sanchez A, Herrera B, Safadi R, Kaestner KH, Rose-John S, Roskams T, Heikenwalder M, Galun E. Combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma derives from liver progenitor cells and depends on senescence and IL-6 trans-signaling. J Hepatol 2022; 77:1631-1641. [PMID: 35988690 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2022.07.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Primary liver cancers include hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) and combined HCC-CCA tumors (cHCC-CCA). It has been suggested, but not unequivocally proven, that hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs) can contribute to hepatocarcinogenesis. We aimed to determine whether HPCs contribute to HCC, cHCC-CCA or both types of tumors. METHODS To trace progenitor cells during hepatocarcinogenesis, we generated Mdr2-KO mice that harbor a yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) reporter gene driven by the Foxl1 promoter which is expressed specifically in progenitor cells. These mice (Mdr2-KOFoxl1-CRE;RosaYFP) develop chronic inflammation and HCCs by the age of 14-16 months, followed by cHCC-CCA tumors at the age of 18 months. RESULTS In this Mdr2-KOFoxl1-CRE;RosaYFP mouse model, liver progenitor cells are the source of cHCC-CCA tumors, but not the source of HCC. Ablating the progenitors, caused reduction of cHCC-CCA tumors but did not affect HCCs. RNA-sequencing revealed enrichment of the IL-6 signaling pathway in cHCC-CCA tumors compared to HCC tumors. Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis revealed that IL-6 is expressed by immune and parenchymal cells during senescence, and that IL-6 is part of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype. Administration of an anti-IL-6 antibody to Mdr2-KOFoxl1-CRE;RosaYFP mice inhibited the development of cHCC-CCA tumors. Blocking IL-6 trans-signaling led to a decrease in the number and size of cHCC-CCA tumors, indicating their dependence on this pathway. Furthermore, the administration of a senolytic agent inhibited IL-6 and the development of cHCC-CCA tumors. CONCLUSION Our results demonstrate that cHCC-CCA, but not HCC tumors, originate from HPCs, and that IL-6, which derives in part from cells in senescence, plays an important role in this process via IL-6 trans-signaling. These findings could be applied to develop new therapeutic approaches for cHCC-CCA tumors. LAY SUMMARY Combined hepatocellular carcinoma-cholangiocarcinoma is the third most prevalent type of primary liver cancer (i.e. a cancer that originates in the liver). Herein, we show that this type of cancer originates in stem cells in the liver and that it depends on inflammatory signaling. Specifically, we identify a cytokine called IL-6 that appears to be important in the development of these tumors. Our results could be used for the development of novel treatments for these aggressive tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nofar Rosenberg
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene and Cell Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Matthias Van Haele
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, Translational Cell and Tissue Research, KU Leuven and University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Pathology, GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Tali Lanton
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene and Cell Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Neta Brashi
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene and Cell Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Zohar Bromberg
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene and Cell Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Hanan Adler
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene and Cell Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Hilla Giladi
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene and Cell Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Amnon Peled
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene and Cell Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Daniel S Goldenberg
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene and Cell Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Jonathan H Axelrod
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene and Cell Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Alina Simerzin
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene and Cell Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Chofit Chai
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene and Cell Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Mor Paldor
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene and Cell Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Auerlia Markezana
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene and Cell Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Dayana Yaish
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene and Cell Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Zohar Shemulian
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene and Cell Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Dvora Gross
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene and Cell Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Shanny Barnoy
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene and Cell Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Maytal Gefen
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene and Cell Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Osher Amran
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene and Cell Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Sofie Claerhout
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, Translational Cell and Tissue Research, KU Leuven and University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mirian Fernández-Vaquero
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - María García-Beccaria
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Danijela Heide
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michal Shoshkes-Carmel
- Department of Genetics and Institute for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Center for Translational Research, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Dirk Schmidt Arras
- Institut für Biochemie, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany; Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Sharona Elgavish
- Bioinformatics Unit, The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yuval Nevo
- Bioinformatics Unit, The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Hadar Benyamini
- Bioinformatics Unit, The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Janina E E Tirnitz-Parker
- Centre for Medical Research, University of Western Australia & Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Crawley, Australia
| | - Aranzazu Sanchez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain
| | - Blanca Herrera
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain
| | - Rifaat Safadi
- The Liver Institute, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Klaus H Kaestner
- Department of Genetics and Institute for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Center for Translational Research, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Stefan Rose-John
- Institut für Biochemie, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Tania Roskams
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, Translational Cell and Tissue Research, KU Leuven and University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mathias Heikenwalder
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; The M3 Research Institute, Rosenauer Weg 30, Medical Faculty Tuebingen (MFT), 72076 Tuebingen, Germany.
| | - Eithan Galun
- Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene and Cell Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
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15
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Study protocol of Phase 2 open-label multicenter randomized controlled trial for granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (GCSF) in post-Kasai Type 3 biliary atresia. Pediatr Surg Int 2022; 38:1019-1030. [PMID: 35391541 DOI: 10.1007/s00383-022-05115-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022]
Abstract
Animal studies support RCT findings of improved liver function and short-term benefits using repurposed Granulocyte Colonic Stimulating Factor GCSF in adults with decompensated cirrhosis. We describe the protocol for phase 2 RCT of sequential Kasai-GCSF under an FDA-approved IND to test that GCSF improves early bile flow and post-Kasai biliary atresia BA clinical outcome. Immediate post-Kasai neonates, age 15-180 days, with biopsy-confirmed type 3 BA, without access to early liver transplantation, will be randomized 1:1 to standard of care SOC + GCSF at 10 ug/kg in 3 daily doses within 4 days of Kasai vs SOC + NO-GCSF (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT0437391). They will be recruited from children's hospitals in Vietnam, Pakistan and one US center. The primary objective is to demonstrate that GCSF decreases the proportion of subjects with a 3-month post-Kasai serum Total Bilirubin ≥ 34 umol/L by 20%, (for a = 0.05, b = 0.80, i.e., calculated sample size of 218 subjects). The secondary objectives are to demonstrate that the frequency of post-Kasai cholangitis at 6-month and 24-month transplant-free survival are improved. The benefits are that GCSF is an affordable BA adjunct therapy, especially in developing countries, to improve biliary complications, enhance quality of liver and survival while diminishing costly liver transplantation.Clinical trial registration: A phase 1 for GCSF dose and safety determination under ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03395028 was completed in 2019. The current Phase 2 trial was registered under NCT04373941.
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Huang Y, Zhang S, Weng JF, Huang D, Gu WL. Recent discoveries in microbiota dysbiosis, cholangiocytic factors, and models for studying the pathogenesis of primary sclerosing cholangitis. Open Med (Wars) 2022; 17:915-929. [PMID: 35647306 PMCID: PMC9106112 DOI: 10.1515/med-2022-0481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a cholangiopathy caused by genetic and microenvironmental changes, such as bile homeostasis disorders and microbiota dysbiosis. Therapeutic options are limited, and proven surveillance strategies are currently lacking. Clinically, PSC presents as alternating strictures and dilatations of biliary ducts, resulting in the typical “beaded” appearance seen on cholangiography. The pathogenesis of PSC is still unclear, but cholangiocytes play an essential role in disease development, wherein a reactive phenotype is caused by the secretion of neuroendocrine factors. The liver–gut axis is implicated in the pathogenesis of PSC owing to the dysbiosis of microbiota, but the underlying mechanism is still poorly understood. Alterations in cholangiocyte responses and related signalling pathways during PSC progression were elucidated by recent research, providing novel therapeutic targets. In this review, we summarise the currently known underlying mechanisms of PSC pathogenesis caused by the dysbiosis of microbiota and newly reported information regarding cholangiocytes in PSC. We also summarise recently reported in vitro and in vivo models for studying the pathogenesis of PSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Huang
- Department of Surgery, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, No. 1 Panfu Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510180, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuai Zhang
- Department of Surgery, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangdong 510180, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie-Feng Weng
- Department of Surgery, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangdong 510180, People's Republic of China
| | - Di Huang
- Department of Surgery, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangdong 510180, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei-Li Gu
- Department of Surgery, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, No. 1 Panfu Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510180, People's Republic of China
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Martínez-García J, Molina M, Odriozola L, Molina A, González-Aseguinolaza G, Weber ND, Smerdou C. A minimal bile salt excretory pump promoter allows bile acid-driven physiological regulation of transgene expression from a gene therapy vector. Cell Biosci 2022; 12:79. [PMID: 35641984 PMCID: PMC9158313 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-022-00803-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Bile acid (BA) homeostasis is mainly regulated by bile salt excretory pump (BSEP), a hepatocyte transporter that transfers BAs to the bile. BSEP expression is regulated by BA levels through activation of farnesoid X receptor transcription factor, which binds to the inverted repeat (IR-1) element in the BSEP promoter. Gene therapy of cholestatic diseases could benefit from using vectors carrying endogenous promoters physiologically regulated by BAs, however their large size limits this approach, especially when using adeno-associated viral vector (AAV) vectors. Results We evaluated the functionality and BA-mediated regulation of minimal versions of human and mouse BSEP promoters containing IR-1 using AAV vectors expressing luciferase. Unexpectedly, a minimal mouse BSEP promoter (imPr) showed higher BA-mediated expression and inducibility than a minimal human promoter (ihPr) or than full-length BSEP promoters in human hepatic cells. In addition, in mice receiving an AAV8 vector carrying imPr promoter-driven luciferase expression was efficiently regulated by administration of a BA-enriched diet. Interestingly, this vector also expressed significantly higher luciferase levels in Abcb4−/− mice, which have high levels of BAs, compared to wild type mice, or to mice receiving a vector containing the luciferase gene downstream of the constitutive alpha-1 antitrypsin promoter. In contrast, the AAV vector containing ihPr showed very low luciferase expression with no inducibility. Finally, we optimized imPr by adding three IR-1 repeats at its 5′ end. This new promoter provided higher levels of luciferase than imPr both in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions The imPr could represent a useful tool for gene therapy approaches in which physiological BA regulation is desired.
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13578-022-00803-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Martínez-García
- Division of Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression, Cima Universidad de Navarra, Av. Pio XII 55, 31008, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Manuela Molina
- Division of Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression, Cima Universidad de Navarra, Av. Pio XII 55, 31008, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Leticia Odriozola
- Division of Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression, Cima Universidad de Navarra, Av. Pio XII 55, 31008, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Angie Molina
- Division of Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression, Cima Universidad de Navarra, Av. Pio XII 55, 31008, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Gloria González-Aseguinolaza
- Division of Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression, Cima Universidad de Navarra, Av. Pio XII 55, 31008, Pamplona, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdISNA), Pamplona, Spain.,Vivet Therapeutics S.L., Calle Arcadio María Larraona, 1 - 2ª planta, 31008, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Nicholas D Weber
- Vivet Therapeutics S.L., Calle Arcadio María Larraona, 1 - 2ª planta, 31008, Pamplona, Spain.
| | - Cristian Smerdou
- Division of Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression, Cima Universidad de Navarra, Av. Pio XII 55, 31008, Pamplona, Spain. .,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdISNA), Pamplona, Spain.
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18
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Martínez-García J, Molina A, González-Aseguinolaza G, Weber ND, Smerdou C. Gene Therapy for Acquired and Genetic Cholestasis. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10061238. [PMID: 35740260 PMCID: PMC9220166 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10061238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholestatic diseases can be caused by the dysfunction of transporters involved in hepatobiliary circulation. Although pharmacological treatments constitute the current standard of care for these diseases, none are curative, with liver transplantation being the only long-term solution for severe cholestasis, albeit with many disadvantages. Liver-directed gene therapy has shown promising results in clinical trials for genetic diseases, and it could constitute a potential new therapeutic approach for cholestatic diseases. Many preclinical gene therapy studies have shown positive results in animal models of both acquired and genetic cholestasis. The delivery of genes that reduce apoptosis or fibrosis or improve bile flow has shown therapeutic effects in rodents in which cholestasis was induced by drugs or bile duct ligation. Most studies targeting inherited cholestasis, such as progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC), have focused on supplementing a correct version of a mutated gene to the liver using viral or non-viral vectors in order to achieve expression of the therapeutic protein. These strategies have generated promising results in treating PFIC3 in mouse models of the disease. However, important challenges remain in translating this therapy to the clinic, as well as in developing gene therapy strategies for other types of acquired and genetic cholestasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Martínez-García
- Division of Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression, Cima Universidad de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (J.M.-G.); (A.M.); (G.G.-A.)
| | - Angie Molina
- Division of Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression, Cima Universidad de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (J.M.-G.); (A.M.); (G.G.-A.)
| | - Gloria González-Aseguinolaza
- Division of Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression, Cima Universidad de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (J.M.-G.); (A.M.); (G.G.-A.)
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdISNA), 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Vivet Therapeutics S.L., 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Nicholas D. Weber
- Vivet Therapeutics S.L., 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Correspondence: (N.D.W.); (C.S.); Tel.: +34-948194700 (N.D.W. & C.S.)
| | - Cristian Smerdou
- Division of Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression, Cima Universidad de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (J.M.-G.); (A.M.); (G.G.-A.)
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdISNA), 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Correspondence: (N.D.W.); (C.S.); Tel.: +34-948194700 (N.D.W. & C.S.)
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19
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Scott J, Jones AM, Piper Hanley K, Athwal VS. Review article: epidemiology, pathogenesis and management of liver disease in adults with cystic fibrosis. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2022; 55:389-400. [PMID: 35048397 DOI: 10.1111/apt.16749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cystic fibrosis-related liver disease (CFLD) is the leading cause of death in cystic fibrosis (CF), after pulmonary disease. To improve identification and management of this condition requires an understanding of the underlying disease mechanism. AIMS This review summarises the current understanding of CFLD epidemiology, pathology, diagnosis and management. METHODS Relevant reports on cystic fibrosis liver disease were identified using a literature search and summarised. RESULTS CFLD is a heterogeneous condition with several different co-existent pathologies, including environmental and genetic factors. Incidence of clinically significant CFLD continues at a linear rate into early adulthood and has been described in up to 25% of CF patients. Diagnosis strategies lack precision and patient risk stratification needs to look beyond Childs-Pugh scoring. Efficacious therapies are lacking and, at present, newer modulator therapies lack data in CFLD and carry an increased risk of hepatotoxicity. Outcomes of liver transplant are comparable to non-CF transplant indications. CONCLUSIONS The incidence of CFLD increases with age and hence is increasingly important to adult patients with CF. Effective therapies are lacking. For progress to be made a better understanding of pathogenesis and disease detection are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Scott
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Andrew M Jones
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Manchester Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust UK, Manchester, UK
| | - Karen Piper Hanley
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Varinder S Athwal
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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20
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Schneider KM, Candels LS, Hov JR, Myllys M, Hassan R, Schneider CV, Wahlström A, Mohs A, Zühlke S, Liao L, Elfers C, Kilic K, Henricsson M, Molinaro A, Hatting M, Zaza A, Drasdo D, Frissen M, Devlin AS, Gálvez EJC, Strowig T, Karlsen TH, Hengstler JG, Marschall HU, Ghallab A, Trautwein C. Gut microbiota depletion exacerbates cholestatic liver injury via loss of FXR signalling. Nat Metab 2021; 3:1228-1241. [PMID: 34552267 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-021-00452-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease of unknown aetiology for which there are no approved therapeutic options. Patients with PSC display changes in gut microbiota and in bile acid (BA) composition; however, the contribution of these alterations to disease pathogenesis remains controversial. Here we identify a role for microbiota-dependent changes in BA synthesis that modulates PSC pathophysiology. In a genetic mouse model of PSC, we show that loss of microbiota-mediated negative feedback control of BA synthesis results in increased hepatic BA concentrations, disruption of bile duct barrier function and, consequently, fatal liver injury. We further show that these changes are dependent on decreased BA signalling to the farnesoid X receptor, which modulates the activity of the rate-limiting enzyme in BA synthesis, CYP7A1. Moreover, patients with advanced stages of PSC show suppressed BA synthesis as measured by serum C4 levels, which is associated with poor disease prognosis. Our preclinical data highlight the microbiota-dependent dynamics of BA metabolism in cholestatic liver disease, which could be important for future therapies targeting BA and gut microbiome interactions, and identify C4 as a potential biomarker to functionally stratify patients with PSC and predict disease outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Markus Schneider
- Department of Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Johannes R Hov
- Norwegian PSC Research Center, Section of Gastroenterology and Research Institute of Internal Medicine, Division of Surgery, Inflammatory Diseases and Transplantation, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Maiju Myllys
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors at the Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Reham Hassan
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors at the Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt
| | | | - Annika Wahlström
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine/Wallenberg Laboratory, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Antje Mohs
- Department of Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Sebastian Zühlke
- Center for Mass Spectrometry (CMS), Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Lijun Liao
- Department of Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Carsten Elfers
- Department of Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Konrad Kilic
- Department of Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Marcus Henricsson
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine/Wallenberg Laboratory, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Antonio Molinaro
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine/Wallenberg Laboratory, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Maximilian Hatting
- Department of Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ayham Zaza
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors at the Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Dirk Drasdo
- Institute National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (INRIA), Le Chesnay, France
| | - Mick Frissen
- Department of Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - A Sloan Devlin
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eric J C Gálvez
- Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany and Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Till Strowig
- Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany and Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Tom H Karlsen
- Norwegian PSC Research Center, Section of Gastroenterology and Research Institute of Internal Medicine, Division of Surgery, Inflammatory Diseases and Transplantation, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jan G Hengstler
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors at the Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Hanns-Ulrich Marschall
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine/Wallenberg Laboratory, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ahmed Ghallab
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors at the Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt
| | - Christian Trautwein
- Department of Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
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Sato K, Baiocchi L, Kennedy L, Zhang W, Ekser B, Glaser S, Francis H, Alpini G. Current Advances in Basic and Translational Research of Cholangiocarcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13133307. [PMID: 34282753 PMCID: PMC8269372 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13133307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is highly malignant biliary tract cancer, which is characterized by limited treatment options and poor prognosis. Basic science studies to seek therapies for CCA are also limited due to lack of gold-standard experimental models and heterogeneity of CCA resulting in various genetic alterations and origins of tumor cells. Recent studies have developed new experimental models and techniques that may facilitate CCA studies leading to the development of novel treatments. This review summarizes the update in current basic studies of CCA. Abstract Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a type of biliary tract cancer emerging from the biliary tree. CCA is the second most common primary liver cancer after hepatocellular carcinoma and is highly aggressive resulting in poor prognosis and patient survival. Treatment options for CCA patients are limited since early diagnosis is challenging, and the efficacy of chemotherapy or radiotherapy is also limited because CCA is a heterogeneous malignancy. Basic research is important for CCA to establish novel diagnostic testing and more effective therapies. Previous studies have introduced new techniques and methodologies for animal models, in vitro models, and biomarkers. Recent experimental strategies include patient-derived xenograft, syngeneic mouse models, and CCA organoids to mimic heterogeneous CCA characteristics of each patient or three-dimensional cellular architecture in vitro. Recent studies have identified various novel CCA biomarkers, especially non-coding RNAs that were associated with poor prognosis or metastases in CCA patients. This review summarizes current advances and limitations in basic and translational studies of CCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keisaku Sato
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (L.K.); (H.F.); (G.A.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-317-278-4227
| | - Leonardo Baiocchi
- Hepatology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy;
| | - Lindsey Kennedy
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (L.K.); (H.F.); (G.A.)
- Department of Research, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Wenjun Zhang
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (W.Z.); (B.E.)
| | - Burcin Ekser
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (W.Z.); (B.E.)
| | - Shannon Glaser
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M University College of Medicine, Bryan, TX 77807, USA;
| | - Heather Francis
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (L.K.); (H.F.); (G.A.)
- Department of Research, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Gianfranco Alpini
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (L.K.); (H.F.); (G.A.)
- Department of Research, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
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22
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Wei G, Cao J, Huang P, An P, Badlani D, Vaid KA, Zhao S, Wang DQH, Zhuo J, Yin L, Frassetto A, Markel A, Presnyak V, Gandham S, Hua S, Lukacs C, Finn PF, Giangrande PH, Martini PGV, Popov YV. Synthetic human ABCB4 mRNA therapy rescues severe liver disease phenotype in a BALB/c.Abcb4 -/- mouse model of PFIC3. J Hepatol 2021; 74:1416-1428. [PMID: 33340584 PMCID: PMC8188846 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2020.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 3 (PFIC3) is a rare lethal autosomal recessive liver disorder caused by loss-of-function variations of the ABCB4 gene, encoding a phosphatidylcholine transporter (ABCB4/MDR3). Currently, no effective treatment exists for PFIC3 outside of liver transplantation. METHODS We have produced and screened chemically and genetically modified mRNA variants encoding human ABCB4 (hABCB4 mRNA) encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). We examined their pharmacological effects in a cell-based model and in a new in vivo mouse model resembling human PFIC3 as a result of homozygous disruption of the Abcb4 gene in fibrosis-susceptible BALB/c.Abcb4-/- mice. RESULTS We show that treatment with liver-targeted hABCB4 mRNA resulted in de novo expression of functional hABCB4 protein and restored phospholipid transport in cultured cells and in PFIC3 mouse livers. Importantly, repeated injections of the hABCB4 mRNA effectively rescued the severe disease phenotype in young Abcb4-/- mice, with rapid and dramatic normalisation of all clinically relevant parameters such as inflammation, ductular reaction, and liver fibrosis. Synthetic mRNA therapy also promoted favourable hepatocyte-driven liver regeneration to restore normal homeostasis, including liver weight, body weight, liver enzymes, and portal vein blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS Our data provide strong preclinical proof-of-concept for hABCB4 mRNA therapy as a potential treatment option for patients with PFIC3. LAY SUMMARY This report describes the development of an innovative mRNA therapy as a potential treatment for PFIC3, a devastating rare paediatric liver disease with no treatment options except liver transplantation. We show that administration of our mRNA construct completely rescues severe liver disease in a genetic model of PFIC3 in mice.
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MESH Headings
- ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B/administration & dosage
- ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B/deficiency
- ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B/genetics
- ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B/metabolism
- Animals
- Cholestasis, Intrahepatic/drug therapy
- Cholestasis, Intrahepatic/genetics
- Cholestasis, Intrahepatic/metabolism
- Disease Models, Animal
- Gene Deletion
- HEK293 Cells
- Homozygote
- Humans
- Liposomes/chemistry
- Liver/metabolism
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Mice, Knockout
- Nanoparticle Drug Delivery System/chemistry
- Nanoparticles/chemistry
- Phenotype
- RNA, Messenger/administration & dosage
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- Transfection
- Treatment Outcome
- ATP-Binding Cassette Sub-Family B Member 4
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangyan Wei
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | | | - Pinzhu Huang
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ping An
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Disha Badlani
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kahini A Vaid
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shuangshuang Zhao
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David Q-H Wang
- Department of Medicine and Genetics, Division of Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Marion Bessin Liver Research Center, Einstein-Mount Sinai Diabetes Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Jenny Zhuo
- Rare Diseases, Moderna Inc, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ling Yin
- Rare Diseases, Moderna Inc, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Arianna Markel
- Rare Diseases, Moderna Inc, Cambridge, MA, USA; Stem Cell Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Serenus Hua
- Analytical Development, Moderna Inc, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Yury V Popov
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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23
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Bao YL, Wang L, Pan HT, Zhang TR, Chen YH, Xu SJ, Mao XL, Li SW. Animal and Organoid Models of Liver Fibrosis. Front Physiol 2021; 12:666138. [PMID: 34122138 PMCID: PMC8187919 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.666138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver fibrosis refers to the process underlying the development of chronic liver diseases, wherein liver cells are repeatedly destroyed and regenerated, which leads to an excessive deposition and abnormal distribution of the extracellular matrix such as collagen, glycoprotein and proteoglycan in the liver. Liver fibrosis thus constitutes the pathological repair response of the liver to chronic injury. Hepatic fibrosis is a key step in the progression of chronic liver disease to cirrhosis and an important factor affecting the prognosis of chronic liver disease. Further development of liver fibrosis may lead to structural disorders of the liver, nodular regeneration of hepatocytes and the formation of cirrhosis. Hepatic fibrosis is histologically reversible if treated aggressively during this period, but when fibrosis progresses to the stage of cirrhosis, reversal is very difficult, resulting in a poor prognosis. There are many causes of liver fibrosis, including liver injury caused by drugs, viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver, fatty liver and autoimmune disease. The mechanism underlying hepatic fibrosis differs among etiologies. The establishment of an appropriate animal model of liver fibrosis is not only an important basis for the in-depth study of the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis but also an important means for clinical experts to select drugs for the prevention and treatment of liver fibrosis. The present study focused on the modeling methods and fibrosis characteristics of different animal models of liver fibrosis, such as a chemical-induced liver fibrosis model, autoimmune liver fibrosis model, cholestatic liver fibrosis model, alcoholic liver fibrosis model and non-alcoholic liver fibrosis model. In addition, we also summarize the research and application prospects concerning new organoids in liver fibrosis models proposed in recent years. A suitable animal model of liver fibrosis and organoid fibrosis model that closely resemble the physiological state of the human body will provide bases for the in-depth study of the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis and the development of therapeutic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Long Bao
- College of Basic Medicine, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, China
| | - Li Wang
- College of Basic Medicine, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, China
| | - Hai-Ting Pan
- College of Basic Medicine, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, China
| | - Tai-Ran Zhang
- College of Basic Medicine, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, China
| | - Ya-Hong Chen
- Health Management Center, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, China
| | - Shan-Jing Xu
- School of Medicine, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, Chian
| | - Xin-Li Mao
- School of Medicine, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, Chian.,Key Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Techniques & Rapid Rehabilitation of Digestive System Tumor, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, China.,Department of Gastroenterology, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, China
| | - Shao-Wei Li
- Key Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Techniques & Rapid Rehabilitation of Digestive System Tumor, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, China.,Department of Gastroenterology, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, China
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24
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Behary J, Raposo AE, Amorim NML, Zheng H, Gong L, McGovern E, Chen J, Liu K, Beretov J, Theocharous C, Jackson MT, Seet-Lee J, McCaughan GW, El-Omar EM, Zekry A. Defining the temporal evolution of gut dysbiosis and inflammatory responses leading to hepatocellular carcinoma in Mdr2 -/- mouse model. BMC Microbiol 2021; 21:113. [PMID: 33858327 PMCID: PMC8048083 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-021-02171-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emerging evidence implicates the gut microbiome in liver inflammation and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development. We aimed to characterize the temporal evolution of gut dysbiosis, in relation to the phenotype of systemic and hepatic inflammatory responses leading to HCC development. In the present study, Mdr2 -/- mice were used as a model of inflammation-based HCC. Gut microbiome composition and function, in addition to serum LPS, serum cytokines/chemokines and intrahepatic inflammatory genes were measured throughout the course of liver injury until HCC development. RESULTS Early stages of liver injury, inflammation and cirrhosis, were characterized by dysbiosis. Microbiome functional pathways pertaining to gut barrier dysfunction were enriched during the initial phase of liver inflammation and cirrhosis, whilst those supporting lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biosynthesis increased as cirrhosis and HCC ensued. In parallel, serum LPS progressively increased during the course of liver injury, corresponding to a shift towards a systemic Th1/Th17 proinflammatory phenotype. Alongside, the intrahepatic inflammatory gene profile transitioned from a proinflammatory phenotype in the initial phases of liver injury to an immunosuppressed one in HCC. In established HCC, a switch in microbiome function from carbohydrate to amino acid metabolism occurred. CONCLUSION In Mdr2 -/- mice, dysbiosis precedes HCC development, with temporal evolution of microbiome function to support gut barrier dysfunction, LPS biosynthesis, and redirection of energy source utilization. A corresponding shift in systemic and intrahepatic inflammatory responses occurred supporting HCC development. These findings support the notion that gut based therapeutic interventions could be beneficial early in the course of liver disease to halt HCC development.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Behary
- St George and Sutherland Clinical School, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
- Microbiome Research Centre, St George and Sutherland Clinical School, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, St George Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - A E Raposo
- St George and Sutherland Clinical School, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
- Microbiome Research Centre, St George and Sutherland Clinical School, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
| | - N M L Amorim
- St George and Sutherland Clinical School, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
- Microbiome Research Centre, St George and Sutherland Clinical School, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
| | - H Zheng
- St George and Sutherland Clinical School, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
- Microbiome Research Centre, St George and Sutherland Clinical School, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
| | - L Gong
- St George and Sutherland Clinical School, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
- Microbiome Research Centre, St George and Sutherland Clinical School, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
| | - E McGovern
- St George and Sutherland Clinical School, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
- Microbiome Research Centre, St George and Sutherland Clinical School, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
| | - J Chen
- Liver Injury and Cancer, Centenary Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - K Liu
- Liver Injury and Cancer, Centenary Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- AW Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - J Beretov
- St George and Sutherland Clinical School, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, St George Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - C Theocharous
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, St George Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - M T Jackson
- St George and Sutherland Clinical School, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
- Microbiome Research Centre, St George and Sutherland Clinical School, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
| | - J Seet-Lee
- St George and Sutherland Clinical School, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
- Microbiome Research Centre, St George and Sutherland Clinical School, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
| | - G W McCaughan
- Liver Injury and Cancer, Centenary Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- AW Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - E M El-Omar
- St George and Sutherland Clinical School, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
- Microbiome Research Centre, St George and Sutherland Clinical School, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, St George Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - A Zekry
- St George and Sutherland Clinical School, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
- Microbiome Research Centre, St George and Sutherland Clinical School, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, St George Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
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25
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Han B, Tang H, Liang Q, Zhu M, Xie Y, Chen J, Li Q, Jia J, Li Y, Ren Z, Cong D, Yu X, Sui D, Pei J. Preparation of long-acting microspheres loaded with octreotide for the treatment of portal hypertensive. Drug Deliv 2021; 28:719-732. [PMID: 33825592 PMCID: PMC8032347 DOI: 10.1080/10717544.2021.1898702] [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] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to optimize the preparation method of injectable Octreotide microspheres. To explore the correlation between the solvent system and the general properties of microspheres to reduce burst release and enable them to be used for portal hypertension. Octreotide microspheres were prepared by modified double emulsion solution evaporation method after optimizing preparation conditions. The results showed that Octreotide microspheres had a particle size of 57.48 ± 15.24 μm, and the initial release was significantly reduced. In vitro release and in vivo pharmacokinetic data indicated that Octreotide was released stably within 1200 h. The effects on portal vein pressure, liver tissue morphology and other related indexes were observed after administration. As obvious results, injection of Octreotide microspheres could significantly reduce portal vein pressure and reduce the portal vein lumen area in experimental cirrhotic portal hypertensive rats. The optimized Octreotide PLGA microsphere preparation has been proved to have a good effect on PHT in vivo after detecting aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity, liver tissue hydroxyproline (Hyp) content, serum and liver tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, plasma prostacyclin (PGI2) levels, and liver tissue tumor necrosis factor (TNFα) content. In addition, serum and liver tissue superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and liver tissue glutathione (GSH) content, plasma thromboxane (TXA2), serum nitric oxide (NO), liver tissue nitric oxide synthase (NOS), and plasma and liver tissue endothelin (ET) were significantly increased.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Han
- School of Pharmaceutical sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, P.R. China
| | - Huan Tang
- School of Pharmaceutical sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, P.R. China
| | - Qiming Liang
- School of Pharmaceutical sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, P.R. China
| | - Ming Zhu
- School of Pharmaceutical sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, P.R. China
| | - Yizhuo Xie
- School of Pharmaceutical sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, P.R. China
| | - Jinglin Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, P.R. China
| | - Qianwen Li
- School of Pharmaceutical sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, P.R. China
| | - Juan Jia
- School of Pharmaceutical sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, P.R. China
| | - Yan Li
- School of Pharmaceutical sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, P.R. China
| | - Zhihui Ren
- School of Pharmaceutical sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, P.R. China
| | - Dengli Cong
- School of Pharmaceutical sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, P.R. China
| | - Xiaofeng Yu
- School of Pharmaceutical sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, P.R. China
| | - Dayun Sui
- School of Pharmaceutical sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, P.R. China
| | - Jin Pei
- School of Pharmaceutical sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, P.R. China
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Yang Z, Zhang T, Han S, Kusumanchi P, Huda N, Jiang Y, Liangpunsakul S. Long noncoding RNA H19 - a new player in the pathogenesis of liver diseases. Transl Res 2021; 230:139-150. [PMID: 33227504 PMCID: PMC9330166 DOI: 10.1016/j.trsl.2020.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The liver is a vital organ that controls glucose and lipid metabolism, hormone regulation, and bile secretion. Liver injury can occur from various insults such as viruses, metabolic diseases, and alcohol, which lead to acute and chronic liver diseases. Recent studies have demonstrated the implications of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the pathogenesis of liver diseases. These newly discovered lncRNAs have various functions attributing to many cellular biological processes via distinct and diverse mechanisms. LncRNA H19, one of the first lncRNAs being identified, is highly expressed in fetal liver but not in adult normal liver. Its expression, however, is increased in liver diseases with various etiologies. In this review, we focused on the roles of H19 in the pathogenesis of liver diseases. This comprehensive review is aimed to provide useful perspectives and translational applications of H19 as a potential therapeutic target of liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihong Yang
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana.
| | - Ting Zhang
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Sen Han
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Praveen Kusumanchi
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Nazmul Huda
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Yanchao Jiang
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Suthat Liangpunsakul
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana; Roudebush Veterans Administration Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
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27
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Gijbels E, Pieters A, De Muynck K, Vinken M, Devisscher L. Rodent models of cholestatic liver disease: A practical guide for translational research. Liver Int 2021; 41:656-682. [PMID: 33486884 PMCID: PMC8048655 DOI: 10.1111/liv.14800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Cholestatic liver disease denotes any situation associated with impaired bile flow concomitant with a noxious bile acid accumulation in the liver and/or systemic circulation. Cholestatic liver disease can be subdivided into different types according to its clinical phenotype, such as biliary atresia, drug-induced cholestasis, gallstone liver disease, intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, primary biliary cholangitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis. Considerable effort has been devoted to elucidating underlying mechanisms of cholestatic liver injuries and explore novel therapeutic and diagnostic strategies using animal models. Animal models employed according to their appropriate applicability domain herein play a crucial role. This review provides an overview of currently available in vivo animal models, fit-for-purpose in modelling different types of cholestatic liver diseases. Moreover, a practical guide and workflow is provided which can be used for translational research purposes, including all advantages and disadvantages of currently available in vivo animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Gijbels
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato‐CosmetologyVrije Universiteit BrusselBrusselsBelgium,Gut‐Liver Immunopharmacology Unit, Basic and Applied Medical SciencesLiver Research Center GhentFaculty of Medicine and Health SciencesGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
| | - Alanah Pieters
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato‐CosmetologyVrije Universiteit BrusselBrusselsBelgium
| | - Kevin De Muynck
- Gut‐Liver Immunopharmacology Unit, Basic and Applied Medical SciencesLiver Research Center GhentFaculty of Medicine and Health SciencesGhent UniversityGhentBelgium,Hepatology Research UnitInternal Medicine and PaediatricsLiver Research Center GhentFaculty of Medicine and Health SciencesGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
| | - Mathieu Vinken
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato‐CosmetologyVrije Universiteit BrusselBrusselsBelgium
| | - Lindsey Devisscher
- Gut‐Liver Immunopharmacology Unit, Basic and Applied Medical SciencesLiver Research Center GhentFaculty of Medicine and Health SciencesGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
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28
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Gonzalez-Sanchez E, El Mourabit H, Jager M, Clavel M, Moog S, Vaquero J, Ledent T, Cadoret A, Gautheron J, Fouassier L, Wendum D, Chignard N, Housset C. Cholangiopathy aggravation is caused by VDR ablation and alleviated by VDR-independent vitamin D signaling in ABCB4 knockout mice. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2021; 1867:166067. [PMID: 33418034 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2020.166067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Cholangiopathies are chronic liver diseases in which damaged cholangiocytes trigger a proinflammatory and profibrotic reaction. The nuclear vitamin D receptor (VDR) is highly expressed in cholangiocytes and exerts immune-regulatory functions in these cells. In the present study, we examined the protective function of VDR and other vitamin D signaling pathways in chronic cholangiopathy and cholangiocytes. METHODS Vdr was invalidated in Abcb4 knockout mice, a widely used animal model of chronic cholangiopathy. The impact of vitamin D signaling on cholangiopathy features was examined in vivo and in cholangiocytes (primary and cell lines). RESULTS Cholangiopathy features (i.e, cholestasis, ductular reaction and fibrosis) were aggravated in Vdr;Abcb4 double knockout mice compared to the Abcb4 simple knockout, and associated with an overexpression of proinflammatory factors. The proinflammatory phenotype of cholangiocytes was also exacerbated following VDR silencing in vitro. The expression of proinflammatory factors and the severity of cholangiopathy were reduced in the double knockout mice treated with the vitamin D analog calcipotriol or with vitamin D. In vitro, the inflammatory response to TNFα was significantly reduced by calcipotriol in biliary cells silenced for VDR, and this effect was abolished by co-silencing the plasma membrane receptor of vitamin D, protein disulfide-isomerase A3 (PDIA3). CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate an anti-inflammatory role of VDR signaling in cholangiocytes and cholangiopathy. They also provide evidence for PDIA3-mediated anti-inflammatory effects of vitamin D and vitamin D analog in these settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ester Gonzalez-Sanchez
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Paris, France; Inovarion, Paris, France; Oncology Program, CIBEREHD, National Biomedical Research Institute on Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; TGF-β and Cancer Group, Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Haquima El Mourabit
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Paris, France.
| | - Marion Jager
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Paris, France
| | - Marie Clavel
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Paris, France; Inovarion, Paris, France
| | - Sophie Moog
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Paris, France; Inovarion, Paris, France.
| | - Javier Vaquero
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Paris, France; Oncology Program, CIBEREHD, National Biomedical Research Institute on Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; TGF-β and Cancer Group, Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain; LPP (Laboratoire de Physique des Plasmas, UMR 7648), Sorbonne Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Ecole Polytechnique, 75005 Paris, France.
| | - Tatiana Ledent
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Paris, France.
| | - Axelle Cadoret
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Paris, France.
| | - Jérémie Gautheron
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Paris, France.
| | - Laura Fouassier
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Paris, France.
| | - Dominique Wendum
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Paris, France; Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP) Sorbonne Université, Hôpital St Antoine, Paris, France.
| | | | - Chantal Housset
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Paris, France; AP-HP, Reference Center for Inflammatory Biliary Diseases and Autoimmune Hepatitis (CRMR, MIVB-H), Department of Hepatology, Saint-Antoine Hospital, Paris, France.
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Nathwani R, Mullish BH, Kockerling D, Forlano R, Manousou P, Dhar A. A Review of Liver Fibrosis and Emerging Therapies. EUROPEAN MEDICAL JOURNAL 2020. [DOI: 10.33590/emj/10310892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
With the increasing burden of liver cirrhosis, the most advanced stage of hepatic fibrosis, there is a need to better understand the pathological processes and mechanisms to target specific treatments to reverse or cease fibrosis progression. Antiviral therapy for hepatitis B and C has effectively treated underlying causes of chronic liver disease and has induced fibrosis reversal in some; however, this has not been targeted for the majority of aetiologies for cirrhosis including alcohol or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Fibrosis, characterised by the accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins, is caused by chronic injury from toxic, infectious, or metabolic causes. The primary event of fibrogenesis is increased matrix production and scar formation mediated by the hepatic stellate cell, which is the principal cell type involved. Experimental models using rodent and human cell lines of liver injury have assisted in better understanding of fibrogenesis, especially in recognising the role of procoagulant factors. This has led to interventional studies using anticoagulants in animal models with reversal of fibrosis as the primary endpoint. Though these trials have been encouraging, no antifibrotic therapies are currently licenced for human use. This literature review discusses current knowledge in the pathophysiology of hepatic fibrosis, including characteristics of the extracellular matrix, signalling pathways, and hepatic stellate cells. Current types of experimental models used to induce fibrosis, as well as up-to-date anticoagulant therapies and agents targeting the hepatic stellate cell that have been trialled in animal and human studies with antifibrotic properties, are also reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rooshi Nathwani
- Integrative Systems Medicine and Digestive Disease, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Benjamin H. Mullish
- Integrative Systems Medicine and Digestive Disease, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - David Kockerling
- Integrative Systems Medicine and Digestive Disease, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Roberta Forlano
- Integrative Systems Medicine and Digestive Disease, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Pinelopi Manousou
- Integrative Systems Medicine and Digestive Disease, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Ameet Dhar
- Integrative Systems Medicine and Digestive Disease, Imperial College London, London, UK
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30
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Ceci L, Francis H, Zhou T, Giang T, Yang Z, Meng F, Wu N, Kennedy L, Kyritsi K, Meadows V, Wu C, Liangpunsakul S, Franchitto A, Sybenga A, Ekser B, Mancinelli R, Onori P, Gaudio E, Glaser S, Alpini G. Knockout of the Tachykinin Receptor 1 in the Mdr2 -/- (Abcb4 -/-) Mouse Model of Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis Reduces Biliary Damage and Liver Fibrosis. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2020; 190:2251-2266. [PMID: 32712019 PMCID: PMC7592721 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2020.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Activation of the substance P (SP)/neurokinin 1 receptor (NK1R) axis triggers biliary damage/senescence and liver fibrosis in bile duct ligated and Mdr2-/- (alias Abcb4-/-) mice through enhanced transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) biliary secretion. Recent evidence indicates a role for miR-31 (MIR31) in TGF-β1-induced liver fibrosis. We aimed to define the role of the SP/NK1R/TGF-β1/miR-31 axis in regulating biliary proliferation and liver fibrosis during cholestasis. Thus, we generated a novel model with double knockout of Mdr2-/- and NK1R-/ (alias Tacr1-/-) to further address the role of the SP/NK1R axis during chronic cholestasis. In vivo studies were performed in the following 12-week-old male mice: (i) NK1R-/-; (ii) Mdr2-/-; and (iii) NK1R-/-/Mdr2-/- (Tacr1-/-/Abcb4-/-) and their corresponding wild-type controls. Liver tissues and cholangiocytes were collected, and liver damage, changes in biliary mass/senescence, and inflammation as well as liver fibrosis were evaluated by both immunohistochemistry in liver sections and real-time PCR. miR-31 expression was measured by real-time PCR in isolated cholangiocytes. Decreased ductular reaction, liver fibrosis, biliary senescence, and biliary inflammation were observed in NK1R-/-/Mdr2-/- mice compared with Mdr2-/- mice. Elevated expression of miR-31 was observed in Mdr2-/- mice, which was reduced in NK1R-/-/Mdr2-/- mice. Targeting the SP/NK1R and/or miR-31 may be a potential approach in treating human cholangiopathies, including primary sclerosing cholangitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludovica Ceci
- Division of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Heather Francis
- Division of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana; Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Tianhao Zhou
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas
| | - Thao Giang
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas
| | - Zhihong Yang
- Division of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Fanyin Meng
- Division of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana; Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Nan Wu
- Division of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Lindsey Kennedy
- Division of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Konstantina Kyritsi
- Division of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Vik Meadows
- Division of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Chaodong Wu
- Department of Nutrition, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Suthat Liangpunsakul
- Division of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana; Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | | | - Amelia Sybenga
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington, Vermont
| | - Burcin Ekser
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Romina Mancinelli
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Onori
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Eugenio Gaudio
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Shannon Glaser
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas
| | - Gianfranco Alpini
- Division of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana; Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana.
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Irungbam K, Roderfeld M, Glimm H, Hempel F, Schneider F, Hehr L, Glebe D, Churin Y, Morlock G, Yüce I, Roeb E. Cholestasis impairs hepatic lipid storage via AMPK and CREB signaling in hepatitis B virus surface protein transgenic mice. J Transl Med 2020; 100:1411-1424. [PMID: 32612285 PMCID: PMC7572243 DOI: 10.1038/s41374-020-0457-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Clinical studies demonstrated that nonalcoholic steatohepatitis is associated with liver-related outcomes in chronic hepatitis B. Furthermore, primary biliary fibrosis and biliary atresia occurred in patients with HBV infection. Interestingly, hepatitis B virus surface protein (HBs) transgenic mice spontaneously develop hepatic steatosis. Our aim is to investigate the effect of Abcb4 knockout-induced cholestasis on liver steatosis in HBs transgenic mice. Hybrids of HBs transgenic and Abcb4-/- mice were bred on the BALB/c genetic background. Lipid synthesis, storage, and catabolism as well as proteins and genes that control lipid metabolism were analyzed using HPTLC, qPCR, western blot, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), lipid staining, and immunohistochemistry. Hepatic neutral lipid depots were increased in HBs transgenic mice and remarkably reduced in Abcb4-/- and HBs/Abcb4-/- mice. Similarly, HPTLC-based quantification analyses of total hepatic lipid extracts revealed a significant reduction in the amount of triacylglycerols (TAG), while the amount of free fatty acids (FFA) was increased in Abcb4-/- and HBs/Abcb4-/- in comparison to wild-type and HBs mice. PLIN2, a lipid droplet-associated protein, was less expressed in Abcb4-/- and HBs/Abcb4-/-. The expression of genes-encoding proteins involved in TAG synthesis and de novo lipogenesis (Agpat1, Gpat1, Mgat1, Dgat1, Dgat2, Fasn, Hmgcs1, Acc1, Srebp1-c, and Pparγ) was suppressed, and AMPK and CREB were activated in Abcb4-/- and HBs/Abcb4-/- compared to wild-type and HBs mice. Simulating cholestatic conditions in cell culture resulted in AMPK and CREB activation while FASN and PLIN2 were reduced. A concurrent inhibition of AMPK signaling revealed normal expression level of FASN and PLIN2, suggesting that activation of AMPK-CREB signaling regulates hepatic lipid metabolism, i.e. synthesis and storage, under cholestatic condition. In conclusions, in vivo and mechanistic in vitro data suggest that cholestasis reduces hepatic lipid storage via AMPK and CREB signaling. The results of the current study could be the basis for novel therapeutic strategies as NASH is a crucial factor that can aggravate chronic liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karuna Irungbam
- Department of Gastroenterology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Martin Roderfeld
- Department of Gastroenterology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Hannah Glimm
- Department of Gastroenterology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Felix Hempel
- Department of Gastroenterology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Franziska Schneider
- Department of Gastroenterology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Laura Hehr
- Department of Gastroenterology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Dieter Glebe
- Institute of Medical Virology, National Reference Centre for Hepatitis B Viruses and Hepatitis D Viruses, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Yuri Churin
- Department of Gastroenterology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Gertrud Morlock
- Institute of Nutritional Science, Chair of Food Science, and TransMIT Center for Effect-Directed Analysis, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Imanuel Yüce
- Institute of Nutritional Science, Chair of Food Science, and TransMIT Center for Effect-Directed Analysis, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Elke Roeb
- Department of Gastroenterology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
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Saveleva EE, Tyutrina ES, Nakanishi T, Tamai I, Salmina AB. [The inhibitors of the apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter (ASBT) as promising drugs]. BIOMEDIT︠S︡INSKAI︠A︡ KHIMII︠A︡ 2020; 66:185-195. [PMID: 32588824 DOI: 10.18097/pbmc20206603185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Inhibition of the apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter (ASBT, also known as IBAT - ileal bile acid transporter, SLC10A2) leads to disruption of the enterohepatic circulation of bile acids and their excretion with fecal masses. This is accompanied by cholesterol utilization for synthesis of new bile acids. ASBT inhibitors are promising drugs for the treatment of such diseases as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, type 2 diabetes mellitus, necrotic enterocolitis, chronic constipation, atherosclerosis. To date the most known chemically synthesized inhibitors are: A3309, SHP626, A4250, 264W94, GSK2330672, SC-435. All of them are at different stages of clinical trials, which confirm the high efficacy and good tolerance of these inhibitors. Current trends in this field also include directed chemical synthesis of ASBT inhibitors, as well as their search among substances of plant origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- E E Saveleva
- Prof. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - E S Tyutrina
- Prof. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - T Nakanishi
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Takasaki University of Health and Welfare, Gunma, Japan
| | - I Tamai
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - A B Salmina
- Prof. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
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Liu SP, Bian ZH, Zhao ZB, Wang J, Zhang W, Leung PSC, Li L, Lian ZX. Animal Models of Autoimmune Liver Diseases: a Comprehensive Review. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol 2020; 58:252-271. [PMID: 32076943 DOI: 10.1007/s12016-020-08778-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Autoimmune liver diseases (AILDs) are potentially life-threatening chronic liver diseases which include autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and recently characterized IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis. They are caused by immune attack on hepatocytes or bile ducts, with different mechanisms and clinical manifestations. The etiologies of AILDs include a susceptible genetic background, environment insults, infections, and changes of commensal microbiota, but remain complicated. Understanding of the underlying mechanisms of AILDs is mandatory for early diagnosis and intervention, which is of great importance for better prognosis. Thus, animal models are developed to mimic the pathogenesis, find biomarkers for early diagnosis, and for therapeutic attempts of AILDs. However, no animal models can fully recapitulate features of certain AILD, especially the late stages of diseases. Certain limitations include different living condition, cell composition, and time frame of disease development and resolution. Moreover, there is no IgG4 in rodents which exists in human. Nevertheless, the understanding and therapy of AILDs have been greatly advanced by the development and mechanistic investigation of animal models. This review will provide a comprehensive overview of traditional and new animal models that recapitulate different features and etiologies of distinct AILDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shou-Pei Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Guangzhou Digestive Disease Center, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510180, Guangdong, China.,Chronic Disease Laboratory, Institutes for Life Sciences and School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Zhen-Hua Bian
- Department of General Surgery, Guangzhou Digestive Disease Center, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510180, Guangdong, China.,Chronic Disease Laboratory, Institutes for Life Sciences and School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.,School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhi-Bin Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, Guangzhou Digestive Disease Center, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510180, Guangdong, China.,Chronic Disease Laboratory, Institutes for Life Sciences and School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Jinjun Wang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225127, Jiangsu, China
| | - Weici Zhang
- Division of Rheumatology/Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Patrick S C Leung
- Division of Rheumatology/Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Liang Li
- Department of General Surgery, Guangzhou Digestive Disease Center, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510180, Guangdong, China. .,Chronic Disease Laboratory, Institutes for Life Sciences and School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Zhe-Xiong Lian
- Department of General Surgery, Guangzhou Digestive Disease Center, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510180, Guangdong, China. .,Chronic Disease Laboratory, Institutes for Life Sciences and School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
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Stofan M, Guo GL. Bile Acids and FXR: Novel Targets for Liver Diseases. Front Med (Lausanne) 2020; 7:544. [PMID: 33015098 PMCID: PMC7516013 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2020.00544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bile acids (BAs) are evolutionally conserved molecules synthesized in the liver from cholesterol and have been shown to be essential for lipid homeostasis. BAs regulate a variety of metabolic functions via modulating nuclear and membrane receptors. Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is the most important nuclear receptor for maintaining BA homeostasis. FXR plays a tissue-specific role in suppressing BA synthesis and promoting BA enterohepatic circulation. Disruption of FXR in mice have been implicated in liver diseases commonly occurring in humans, including cholestasis, non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Strategically targeting FXR activity has been rapidly used to develop novel therapies for the prevention and/or treatment of cholestasis and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. This review provides an updated literature review on BA homeostasis and FXR modulator development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Stofan
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States
| | - Grace L Guo
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States.,Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, United States.,VA New Jersey Health Care System, Veterans Administration Medical Center, East Orange, NJ, United States
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Dropmann A, Dooley S, Dewidar B, Hammad S, Dediulia T, Werle J, Hartwig V, Ghafoory S, Woelfl S, Korhonen H, Janicot M, Wosikowski K, Itzel T, Teufel A, Schuppan D, Stojanovic A, Cerwenka A, Nittka S, Piiper A, Gaiser T, Beraza N, Milkiewicz M, Milkiewicz P, Brain JG, Jones DEJ, Weiss TS, Zanger UM, Ebert M, Meindl-Beinker NM. TGF-β2 silencing to target biliary-derived liver diseases. Gut 2020; 69:1677-1690. [PMID: 31992593 PMCID: PMC7456737 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2019-319091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Revised: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE TGF-β2 (TGF-β, transforming growth factor beta), the less-investigated sibling of TGF-β1, is deregulated in rodent and human liver diseases. Former data from bile duct ligated and MDR2 knockout (KO) mouse models for human cholestatic liver disease suggested an involvement of TGF-β2 in biliary-derived liver diseases. DESIGN As we also found upregulated TGFB2 in liver tissue of patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), we now fathomed the positive prospects of targeting TGF-β2 in early stage biliary liver disease using the MDR2-KO mice. Specifically, the influence of TgfB2 silencing on the fibrotic and inflammatory niche was analysed on molecular, cellular and tissue levels. RESULTS TgfB2-induced expression of fibrotic genes in cholangiocytes and hepatic stellate cellswas detected. TgfB2 expression in MDR2-KO mice was blunted using TgfB2-directed antisense oligonucleotides (AON). Upon AON treatment, reduced collagen deposition, hydroxyproline content and αSMA expression as well as induced PparG expression reflected a significant reduction of fibrogenesis without adverse effects on healthy livers. Expression analyses of fibrotic and inflammatory genes revealed AON-specific regulatory effects on Ccl3, Ccl4, Ccl5, Mki67 and Notch3 expression. Further, AON treatment of MDR2-KO mice increased tissue infiltration by F4/80-positive cells including eosinophils, whereas the number of CD45-positive inflammatory cells decreased. In line, TGFB2 and CD45 expression correlated positively in PSC/PBC patients and localised in similar areas of the diseased liver tissue. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, our data suggest a new mechanistic explanation for amelioration of fibrogenesis by TGF-β2 silencing and provide a direct rationale for TGF-β2-directed drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Dropmann
- Molecular Hepatology-Alcohol Associated Diseases, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Steven Dooley
- Molecular Hepatology-Alcohol Associated Diseases, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Bedair Dewidar
- Molecular Hepatology-Alcohol Associated Diseases, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
| | - Seddik Hammad
- Molecular Hepatology-Alcohol Associated Diseases, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt
| | - Tatjana Dediulia
- Molecular Hepatology-Alcohol Associated Diseases, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Julia Werle
- Molecular Hepatology-Alcohol Associated Diseases, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Vanessa Hartwig
- Molecular Hepatology-Alcohol Associated Diseases, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Shahrouz Ghafoory
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan Woelfl
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Timo Itzel
- Hepatology and Clinical Bioinformatics, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Andreas Teufel
- Hepatology and Clinical Bioinformatics, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Detlef Schuppan
- Research Center for Immunotherapy, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
- Institute of Translational Immunology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Division of Gastroenterology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ana Stojanovic
- Department of Immunobiochemistry, Centre for Biomedicine and Medical Technology (CBTM) and European Center for Angioscience (ECAS), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Adelheid Cerwenka
- Department of Immunobiochemistry, Centre for Biomedicine and Medical Technology (CBTM) and European Center for Angioscience (ECAS), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Stefanie Nittka
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry, Medical Faculty Mannheim of the University of Heidelberg, University Hospital Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Albrecht Piiper
- Medizinische Klinik 1, Klinikum der Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Timo Gaiser
- Institute of Pathology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Naiara Beraza
- Gut Microbes and Health Institute Strategic Programme, Quadram Institute, Norwich, UK
- CIC bioGUNE, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Derio, Spain
| | | | - Piotr Milkiewicz
- Liver and Internal Medicine Unit, Department of General, Transplant and Liver Surgery, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - John G Brain
- NIHR Applied Immunobiology and Transplant Research Group, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - David E J Jones
- NIHR Applied Immunobiology and Transplant Research Group, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Thomas S Weiss
- Department of Pediatrics and Juvenile Medicine, Center for Liver Cell Research, University of Regensburg Hospital, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Ulrich M Zanger
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Dr Margarete Fischer-Bosch-Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart, Germany
- Eberhard-Karls-University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Matthias Ebert
- Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Nadja M Meindl-Beinker
- Molecular Hepatology-Alcohol Associated Diseases, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
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Nevzorova YA, Boyer-Diaz Z, Cubero FJ, Gracia-Sancho J. Animal models for liver disease - A practical approach for translational research. J Hepatol 2020; 73:423-440. [PMID: 32330604 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2020.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Animal models are crucial for improving our understanding of human pathogenesis, enabling researchers to identify therapeutic targets and test novel drugs. In the current review, we provide a comprehensive summary of the most widely used experimental models of chronic liver disease, starting from early stages of fatty liver disease (non-alcoholic and alcoholic) to steatohepatitis, advanced cirrhosis and end-stage primary liver cancer. We focus on aspects such as reproducibility and practicality, discussing the advantages and weaknesses of available models for researchers who are planning to perform animal studies in the near future. Additionally, we summarise current and prospective models based on human tissue bioengineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulia A Nevzorova
- Department of Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain; 12 de Octubre Health Research Institute (imas12), Madrid, Spain; Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Zoe Boyer-Diaz
- Liver Vascular Biology Research Group, Barcelona Hepatic Hemodynamic Unit, IDIBAPS Biomedical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Liver Bioservices, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francisco Javier Cubero
- 12 de Octubre Health Research Institute (imas12), Madrid, Spain; Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology & ENT, Complutense University School of Medicine, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Jordi Gracia-Sancho
- Liver Vascular Biology Research Group, Barcelona Hepatic Hemodynamic Unit, IDIBAPS Biomedical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Liver Bioservices, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, Spain; Hepatology, Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
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An P, Wei G, Huang P, Li W, Qi X, Lin Y, Vaid KA, Wang J, Zhang S, Li Y, Or YS, Jiang L, Popov YV. A novel non-bile acid FXR agonist EDP-305 potently suppresses liver injury and fibrosis without worsening of ductular reaction. Liver Int 2020; 40:1655-1669. [PMID: 32329946 PMCID: PMC7384094 DOI: 10.1111/liv.14490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND EDP-305 is a novel and potent farnesoid X receptor (FXR) agonist, with no/minimal cross-reactivity to TGR5 or other nuclear receptors. Herein we report therapeutic efficacy of EDP-305, in direct comparison with the first-in-class FXR agonist obeticholic acid (OCA), in mouse models of liver disease. METHODS EDP-305 (10 and 30 mg/kg/day) or OCA (30mg/kg/day) was tested in mouse models of pre-established biliary fibrosis (BALBc.Mdr2-/-, n = 9-12/group) and steatohepatitis induced by methionine/choline-deficient diet (MCD, n = 7-12/group). Effects on biliary epithelium were evaluated in vivo and in primary EpCAM + hepatic progenitor cell (HPC) cultures. RESULTS In a BALBc.Mdr2-/- model, EDP-305 reduced serum transaminases by up to 53% and decreased portal pressure, compared to untreated controls. Periportal bridging fibrosis was suppressed by EDP-305 at both doses, with up to a 39% decrease in collagen deposition in high-dose EDP-305. In MCD-fed mice, EDP-305 treatment reduced serum ALT by 62% compared to controls, and profoundly inhibited perisinusoidal 'chicken wire' fibrosis, with over 80% reduction in collagen deposition. In both models, treatment with 30mg/kg OCA reduced serum transaminases up to 30%, but did not improve fibrosis. The limited impact on fibrosis was mediated by cholestasis-independent worsening of ductular reaction by OCA in both disease models; OCA but not EDP-305 at therapeutic doses promoted ductular proliferation in healthy mice and favoured differentiation of primary HPC towards cholangiocyte lineage in vitro. CONCLUSIONS EDP-305 potently improved pre-established liver injury and hepatic fibrosis in murine biliary and metabolic models of liver disease, supporting the clinical evaluation of EDP-305 in fibrotic liver diseases including cholangiopathies and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping An
- Divison of Gastroenterology and HepatologyBeth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMAUSA,Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyRenmin HospitalWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Guangyan Wei
- Divison of Gastroenterology and HepatologyBeth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMAUSA,Department of Radiation OncologyThe First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Pinzhu Huang
- Divison of Gastroenterology and HepatologyBeth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMAUSA,Department of Colon and Rectum SurgeryThe Sixth Affiliated HospitalSun Yat-sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Wenda Li
- Divison of Gastroenterology and HepatologyBeth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMAUSA,Department of Hepatobiliary SurgerSun Yat-sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Xiaolong Qi
- Divison of Gastroenterology and HepatologyBeth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMAUSA,Institute of Portal HypertensionThe First Hospital of Lanzhou UniversityLanzhouChina
| | - Yi Lin
- Divison of Gastroenterology and HepatologyBeth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMAUSA
| | - Kahini A. Vaid
- Divison of Gastroenterology and HepatologyBeth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMAUSA
| | - Jun Wang
- Division of NeurosurgeryRenmin HospitalWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | | | - Yang Li
- Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Inc.WatertownMAUSA
| | - Yat Sun Or
- Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Inc.WatertownMAUSA
| | | | - Yury V. Popov
- Divison of Gastroenterology and HepatologyBeth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMAUSA
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Krishnan A, Katsumi T, Guicciardi ME, Azad AI, Ozturk NB, Trussoni CE, Gores GJ. Tumor Necrosis Factor-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand Receptor Deficiency Promotes the Ductular Reaction, Macrophage Accumulation, and Hepatic Fibrosis in the Abcb4 -/- Mouse. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2020; 190:1284-1297. [PMID: 32240619 PMCID: PMC7280758 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2020.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL; TNFSF10) receptor (TR) is a pro-apoptotic receptor whose contribution to chronic cholestatic liver disease is unclear. Herein, we examined TRAIL receptor signaling in a mouse model of cholestatic liver injury. TRAIL receptor-deficient (Tnsf10 or Tr-/-) mice were crossbred with ATP binding cassette subfamily B member 4-deficient (Abcb4-/-, alias Mdr2-/-) mice. Male and female wild-type, Tr-/-, Mdr2-/-, and Tr-/-Mdr2-/- mice were assessed for liver injury, fibrosis, and ductular reactive (DR) cells. Macrophage subsets were examined by high-dimensional mass cytometry (time-of-flight mass cytometry). Mdr2-/- and Tr-/-Mdr2-/- mice had elevated liver weights and serum alanine transferase values. However, fibrosis was primarily periductular in Mdr2-/- mice, compared with extensive bridging fibrosis in Tr-/-Mdr2-/- mice. DR cell population was greatly expanded in the Tr-/-Mdr2-/- versus Mdr2-/- mice. The expanded DR cell population in Tr-/-Mdr2-/- mice was due to decreased cell loss by apoptosis and not enhanced proliferation. As assessed by time-of-flight mass cytometry, total macrophages were more abundant in Tr-/-Mdr2-/- versus Mdr2-/- mice, suggesting the DR cell population promotes macrophage-associated hepatic inflammation. Inhibition of monocyte-derived recruited macrophages using the CCR2/CCR5 antagonist cenicriviroc in the Mdr2-/- mice resulted in further expansion of the DR cell population. In conclusion, genetic deletion of TRAIL receptor increased the DR cell population, macrophage accumulation, and hepatic fibrosis in the Mdr2-/- model of cholestasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anuradha Krishnan
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Tomohiro Katsumi
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Maria E Guicciardi
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Adiba I Azad
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Nazli B Ozturk
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Christy E Trussoni
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Gregory J Gores
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
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An P, Wei LL, Zhao S, Sverdlov DY, Vaid KA, Miyamoto M, Kuramitsu K, Lai M, Popov YV. Hepatocyte mitochondria-derived danger signals directly activate hepatic stellate cells and drive progression of liver fibrosis. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2362. [PMID: 32398673 PMCID: PMC7217909 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16092-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to their bacterial ancestry, many components of mitochondria share structural similarities with bacteria. Release of molecular danger signals from injured cell mitochondria (mitochondria-derived damage-associated molecular patterns, mito-DAMPs) triggers a potent inflammatory response, but their role in fibrosis is unknown. Using liver fibrosis resistant/susceptible mouse strain system, we demonstrate that mito-DAMPs released from injured hepatocyte mitochondria (with mtDNA as major active component) directly activate hepatic stellate cells, the fibrogenic cell in the liver, and drive liver scarring. The release of mito-DAMPs is controlled by efferocytosis of dying hepatocytes by phagocytic resident liver macrophages and infiltrating Gr-1(+) myeloid cells. Circulating mito-DAMPs are markedly increased in human patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and significant liver fibrosis. Our study identifies specific pathway driving liver fibrosis, with important diagnostic and therapeutic implications. Targeting mito-DAMP release from hepatocytes and/or modulating the phagocytic function of macrophages represents a promising antifibrotic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping An
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.,Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei, China
| | - Lin-Lin Wei
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.,Beijing YouAn Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 8, Xitoutiao, Youanmenwai, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Shuangshuang Zhao
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.,The Joint Program in Infection and Immunity, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou, 510623, China.,Institute Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Science, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Deanna Y Sverdlov
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Kahini A Vaid
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Makoto Miyamoto
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Kaori Kuramitsu
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Michelle Lai
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Yury V Popov
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
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40
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Hohenester S, Kanitz V, Kremer AE, Paulusma CC, Wimmer R, Kuehn H, Denk G, Horst D, Oude Elferink R, Beuers U. Glycochenodeoxycholate Promotes Liver Fibrosis in Mice with Hepatocellular Cholestasis. Cells 2020; 9:cells9020281. [PMID: 31979271 PMCID: PMC7072501 DOI: 10.3390/cells9020281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hydrophobic bile salts are considered to promote liver fibrosis in cholestasis. However, evidence for this widely accepted hypothesis remains scarce. In established animal models of cholestasis, e.g., by Mdr2 knockout, cholestasis and fibrosis are both secondary to biliary damage. Therefore, to test the specific contribution of accumulating bile salts to liver fibrosis in cholestatic disease, we applied the unique model of inducible hepatocellular cholestasis in cholate-fed Atp8b1G308V/G308V mice. Glycochenodeoxycholate (GCDCA) was supplemented to humanize the murine bile salt pool, as confirmed by HPLC. Biomarkers of cholestasis and liver fibrosis were quantified. Hepatic stellate cells (HSC) isolated from wild-type mice were stimulated with bile salts. Proliferation, cell accumulation, and collagen deposition of HSC were determined. In cholestatic Atp8b1G308V/G308V mice, increased hepatic expression of αSMA and collagen1a mRNA and excess hepatic collagen deposition indicated development of liver fibrosis only upon GCDCA supplementation. In vitro, numbers of myofibroblasts and deposition of collagen were increased after incubation with hydrophobic but not hydrophilic bile salts, and associated with EGFR and MEK1/2 activation. We concluded that chronic hepatocellular cholestasis alone, independently of biliary damage, induces liver fibrosis in mice in presence of the human bile salt GCDCA. Bile salts may have direct pro-fibrotic effects on HSC, putatively involving EGFR and MEK1/2 signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Hohenester
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany; (R.W.); (G.D.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Veronika Kanitz
- Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, 80337 Munich, Germany;
| | - Andreas E. Kremer
- Department of Medicine I, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (A.E.K.); (H.K.)
| | - Coen C. Paulusma
- Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Amsterdam Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1018 TV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (C.C.P.); (R.O.E.); (U.B.)
| | - Ralf Wimmer
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany; (R.W.); (G.D.)
| | - Helen Kuehn
- Department of Medicine I, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (A.E.K.); (H.K.)
| | - Gerald Denk
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany; (R.W.); (G.D.)
| | - David Horst
- Department of Pathology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin, 10117 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Ronald Oude Elferink
- Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Amsterdam Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1018 TV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (C.C.P.); (R.O.E.); (U.B.)
| | - Ulrich Beuers
- Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Amsterdam Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1018 TV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (C.C.P.); (R.O.E.); (U.B.)
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Wei G, An P, Vaid KA, Nasser I, Huang P, Tan L, Zhao S, Schuppan D, Popov YV. Comparison of murine steatohepatitis models identifies a dietary intervention with robust fibrosis, ductular reaction, and rapid progression to cirrhosis and cancer. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2020; 318:G174-G188. [PMID: 31630534 PMCID: PMC6985845 DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00041.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Progressive fibrosis, functional liver failure, and cancer are the central liver-related outcomes of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) but notoriously difficult to achieve in mouse models. We performed a direct, quantitative comparison of hepatic fibrosis progression in well-defined methionine- and choline-deficient (MCD) and choline-deficient, amino-acid defined (CDAA) diets with increasing fat content (10-60% by calories) in C57Bl/6J and BALB/cAnNCrl mice. In C57Bl/6J mice, MCD feeding resulted in moderate fibrosis at week 8 (up to twofold increase in total hepatic collagen content) and progressive weight loss irrespective of dietary fat. In contrast, CDAA-fed mice did not lose weight and developed progressive fibrosis starting from week 4. High dietary fat in the CDAA diet model induced the lipid metabolism genes for sterol regulatory element-binding protein and stearoyl-CoA desaturase-2 and increased ductular reaction and fibrosis in a dose-dependent manner. Longitudinal analysis of CDAA with 60% fat (HF-CDAA) feeding revealed pronounced ductular reaction and perisinusoidal bridging fibrosis, with a sevenfold increase of hepatic collagen at week 12, which showed limited spontaneous reversibility. At 24 wk, HF-CDAA mice developed signs of cirrhosis with pan-lobular "chicken wire" fibrosis, 10-fold hydroxyproline increase, regenerative nodules, portal hypertension and elevated serum bilirubin and ammonia levels; 80% of mice (8/10) developed multiple glypican-3- and/or glutamine synthetase-positive hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). High-fat (60%) supplementation of MCD in C57Bl/6J or feeding the HF-CDAA diet fibrosis-prone BALB/cAnNCrl strain failed to result in increased fibrosis. In conclusion, HF-CDAA feeding in C57Bl/6J mice was identified as an optimal model of steatohepatitis with robust fibrosis and ductular proliferations that progress to cirrhosis and HCC within 24 wk. This robust model will aid the testing of interventions and drugs for severe NASH.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Via quantitative comparison of several dietary models, we report HF-CDAA feeding in C57Bl/6 mice as an excellent model recapitulating several key aspects of fibrotic NASH: 1) robust, poorly reversible liver fibrosis, 2) prominent ductular reaction, and 3) progression to cirrhosis, portal hypertension, and liver cancer within 24 wk. High fat dose-dependently activates SREBP2/SCD2 genes and drives liver fibrosis in e HF-CDAA model. These features qualify the model as a robust and practical tool to study mechanisms and novel treatments addressing severe human NASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangyan Wei
- 1Department of Liver Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,2Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ping An
- 2Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts,3Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Kahini A. Vaid
- 2Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Imad Nasser
- 4Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Pinzhu Huang
- 2Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts,5Department of Colorectal Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Li Tan
- 1Department of Liver Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China,2Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Shuangshuang Zhao
- 2Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Detlef Schuppan
- 2Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts,6Institute of Translational Immunology, University Medical Center, Mainz, Germany
| | - Yury V. Popov
- 2Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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Weber ND, Odriozola L, Martínez-García J, Ferrer V, Douar A, Bénichou B, González-Aseguinolaza G, Smerdou C. Gene therapy for progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 3 in a clinically relevant mouse model. Nat Commun 2019; 10:5694. [PMID: 31836711 PMCID: PMC6910969 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13614-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 3 (PFIC3) is a rare monogenic disease caused by mutations in the ABCB4 gene, resulting in a reduction in biliary phosphatidylcholine. Reduced biliary phosphatidylcholine cannot counteract the detergent effects of bile salts, leading to cholestasis, cholangitis, cirrhosis and ultimately liver failure. Here, we report results from treating two- or five-week-old Abcb4-/- mice with an AAV vector expressing human ABCB4, resulting in significant decreases of PFIC3 disease biomarkers. All male mice achieved a sustained therapeutic effect up through 12 weeks, but the effect was achieved in only 50% of females. However, two-week-old females receiving a second inoculation three weeks later maintained the therapeutic effect. Upon sacrifice, markers of PFIC3 disease such as, hepatosplenomegaly, biliary phosphatidylcholine and liver histology were significantly improved. Thus, AAV-mediated gene therapy successfully prevented PFIC3 symptoms in a clinically relevant mouse model, representing a step forward in improving potential therapy options for PFIC3 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Leticia Odriozola
- Division of Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression, Cima Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Javier Martínez-García
- Division of Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression, Cima Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | | | - Anne Douar
- Vivet Therapeutics S.A.S., Paris, France
| | | | - Gloria González-Aseguinolaza
- Vivet Therapeutics S.L., Pamplona, Spain. .,Division of Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression, Cima Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain. .,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdISNA), Pamplona, Spain.
| | - Cristian Smerdou
- Division of Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression, Cima Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain. .,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdISNA), Pamplona, Spain.
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Fuchs S, Bayer M, Taubert R, Manns MP, Pfeilschifter JM, Christen U, Hintermann E. Effects of adenovirus-induced hepatocyte damage on chronic bile duct inflammation in a sclerosing cholangitis mouse model. Liver Int 2019; 39:2330-2340. [PMID: 31225929 DOI: 10.1111/liv.14183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Revised: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Four major autoimmune diseases target the liver. They develop because of bile duct destruction, leading to chronic cholestasis or result from hepatocyte damage like autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). Interestingly, some patients simultaneously show features of both cholangitis and AIH. Our goal was to mimic such concurrent characteristics in a mouse model that would help deciphering mechanisms possibly involved in an inflammatory crosstalk between cholestatic disease and hepatitis. METHODS Mdr2-/- mice, which spontaneously develop sclerosing cholangitis because of accumulation of toxic bile salts, were infected with adenovirus (Ad) encoding human Cytochrome P4502D6 (hCYP2D6), the major target autoantigen in type-2 AIH, to trigger hepatocyte injury. Wild type FVB mice were controls. RESULTS Resulting Ad-Mdr2-/- mice presented with cholangitis, fibrosis and cellular infiltrations that were higher than in Mdr2-/- or Ad-FVB mice. Increased levels of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies but similar anti-hCYP2D6 antibody titres were detected in Ad-Mdr2-/- compared to Mdr2-/- and Ad-FVB mice respectively. IFNγ-expressing hCYP2D6-specific CD4 T cells declined, whereas hCYP2D6-specific CD8 T cells increased in Ad-Mdr2-/- compared to Ad-FVB mice. The overall T cell balance in Ad-Mdr2-/- mice was a combination of a type 17 T cell response typically found in Mdr2-/- mice with a type 1 dominated T cell response characteristic for Ad-FVB mice. Simultaneously, the type 2 T cell compartment was markedly reduced. CONCLUSIONS Experimental hepatitis induction in a mouse with sclerosing cholangitis results in a disorder which represents not simply the sum of the individual characteristics but depicts a more complex entity which urges on further analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sina Fuchs
- Pharmazentrum Frankfurt / ZAFES, Goethe University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Monika Bayer
- Pharmazentrum Frankfurt / ZAFES, Goethe University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Richard Taubert
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael P Manns
- 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
| | - Urs Christen
- Pharmazentrum Frankfurt / ZAFES, Goethe University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Edith Hintermann
- Pharmazentrum Frankfurt / ZAFES, Goethe University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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44
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Hartwig V, Dewidar B, Lin T, Dropmann A, Ganss C, Kluth MA, Tappenbeck N, Tietze L, Christ B, Frank M, Vogelmann R, Ebert MPA, Dooley S. Human skin-derived ABCB5 + stem cell injection improves liver disease parameters in Mdr2KO mice. Arch Toxicol 2019; 93:2645-2660. [PMID: 31435712 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-019-02533-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Although liver transplantation is a potential effective cure for patients with end-stage liver diseases, this strategy has several drawbacks including high cost, long waiting list, and limited availability of liver organs. Therefore, stem cell-based therapy is presented as an alternative option, which showed promising results in animal models of acute and chronic liver injuries. ABCB5+ cells isolated from skin dermis represent an easy accessible and expandable source of homogenous stem cell populations. In addition, ABCB5+ cells showed already promising results in the treatment of corneal and skin injury. To date, the effect of these cells on liver injury is still unknown. In the current study, sixteen weeks old Mdr2KO mice were i.v. injected with 500,000 ABCB5+ cells using different experimental setups. The effects of cellular therapy on inflammation, fibrosis, apoptosis, and proliferation were analyzed in the collected liver tissues. Toxicity of ABCB5+ cells was additionally investigated in mice with partial liver resection. In vitro, the fibrosis- and inflammatory-modulating effects of supernatant from ABCB5+ cells were examined in the human hepatic stellate cell line (LX-2). Cell injections into fibrotic Mdr2KO mice as well as into mice upon partial liver resection have no signs of toxicity with regard to cell transformation, cellular damage, fibrosis or inflammation as compared to controls. We next investigated the effects of ABCB5+ cells on established biliary liver fibrosis in the Mdr2KO mice. ABCB5+ cells to some extent influenced the shape of the liver inflammatory response and significantly reduced the amount of collagen deposition, as estimated from quantification of sirius red staining. Furthermore, reduced apoptosis and enhanced death compensatory proliferation resulted from ABCB5+ cell transformation. The stem cells secreted several trophic factors that activated TGF-β family signaling in cultured LX-2 hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), therewith shaping cell fate to an αSMAhigh, Vimentinlow phenotype. Taken together, ABCB5+ cells can represent a safe and feasible strategy to support liver regeneration and to reduce liver fibrosis in chronic liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Hartwig
- Section Molecular Hepatology, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Bedair Dewidar
- Section Molecular Hepatology, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt
| | - Tao Lin
- Section Molecular Hepatology, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Anne Dropmann
- Section Molecular Hepatology, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Christoph Ganss
- RHEACELL GmbH and Co. KG, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- TICEBA GmbH, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mark Andreas Kluth
- RHEACELL GmbH and Co. KG, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- TICEBA GmbH, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Lysann Tietze
- Applied Molecular Hepatology, Department of Visceral Transplantation, Thoracic und Vascular Surgery, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Bruno Christ
- Applied Molecular Hepatology, Department of Visceral Transplantation, Thoracic und Vascular Surgery, Leipzig University, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Markus Frank
- Department of Pediatrics and Dermatology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Roger Vogelmann
- Section Molecular Hepatology, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Matthias Philip Alexander Ebert
- Section Molecular Hepatology, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Steven Dooley
- Section Molecular Hepatology, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany.
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Schmidt T, Schwinge D, Rolvien T, Jeschke A, Schmidt C, Neven M, Butscheidt S, Kriz M, Kunzmann L, Mussawy H, Hubert J, Hawellek T, Rüther W, Oheim R, Barvencik F, Lohse AW, Schramm C, Schinke T, Amling M. Th17 cell frequency is associated with low bone mass in primary sclerosing cholangitis. J Hepatol 2019; 70:941-953. [PMID: 30641095 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2018.12.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Revised: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Osteoporotic fractures are a major cause of morbidity and reduced quality of life in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), a progressive bile duct disease of unknown origin. Although it is generally assumed that this pathology is a consequence of impaired calcium homeostasis and malabsorption, the cellular and molecular causes of PSC-associated osteoporosis are unknown. METHODS We determined bone mineral density by dual-X-ray absorptiometry and assessed bone microstructure by high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography in patients with PSC. Laboratory markers of liver and bone metabolism were measured, and liver stiffness was assessed by FibroScan. We determined the frequency of Th17 cells by the ex vivo stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in a subgroup of 40 patients with PSC. To investigate the potential involvement of IL-17 in PSC-associated bone loss, we analyzed the skeletal phenotype of mice lacking Abcb4 and/or Il-17. RESULTS Unlike in patients with primary biliary cholangitis, bone loss in patients with PSC was not associated with disease duration or liver fibrosis. However, we observed a significant negative correlation between the bone resorption biomarker deoxypyridinoline and bone mineral density in the PSC cohort, indicating increased bone resorption. Importantly, the frequency of Th17 cells in peripheral blood was positively correlated with the urinary deoxypyridinoline level and negatively correlated with bone mass. We observed that Abcb4-deficient mice displayed a low-bone-mass phenotype, which was corrected by an additional Il-17 deficiency or anti-IL-17 treatment, whereas the liver pathology was unaffected. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate that an increased frequency of Th17 cells is associated with bone resorption in PSC. Whether antibody-based IL-17 blockade is beneficial against bone loss in patients with PSC should be addressed in future studies. LAY SUMMARY Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a cholestatic liver disease characterized by progressive bile duct destruction. One serious complication of PSC is reduced bone mass resulting in increased fracture risk. Herein, we demonstrate that Th17 cells mediate bone loss in PSC by inducing bone resorption, which suggests that antibody-based IL-17 blockade might be beneficial for the treatment of bone loss in affected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Schmidt
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; Department of Orthopedics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dorothee Schwinge
- First Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tim Rolvien
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; Department of Orthopedics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anke Jeschke
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Constantin Schmidt
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mona Neven
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Butscheidt
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marvin Kriz
- First Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lilly Kunzmann
- First Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Haider Mussawy
- Department of Orthopedics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jan Hubert
- Department of Orthopedics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Thelonius Hawellek
- Department of Orthopedics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Rüther
- Department of Orthopedics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ralf Oheim
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; Martin Zeitz Center for Rare Diseases, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Florian Barvencik
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; Martin Zeitz Center for Rare Diseases, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ansgar W Lohse
- First Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; Martin Zeitz Center for Rare Diseases, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christoph Schramm
- First Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; Martin Zeitz Center for Rare Diseases, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Thorsten Schinke
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Amling
- Department of Osteology and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; Martin Zeitz Center for Rare Diseases, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.
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Elßner C, Goeppert B, Longerich T, Scherr AL, Stindt J, Nanduri LK, Rupp C, Kather JN, Schmitt N, Kautz N, Breuhahn K, Ismail L, Heide D, Hetzer J, García-Beccaria M, Hövelmeyer N, Waisman A, Urbanik T, Mueller S, Gdynia G, Banales JM, Roessler S, Schirmacher P, Jäger D, Schölch S, Keitel V, Heikenwalder M, Schulze-Bergkamen H, Köhler BC. Nuclear Translocation of RELB Is Increased in Diseased Human Liver and Promotes Ductular Reaction and Biliary Fibrosis in Mice. Gastroenterology 2019; 156:1190-1205.e14. [PMID: 30445013 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2018.11.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2017] [Revised: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Cholangiocyte proliferation and ductular reaction contribute to the onset and progression of liver diseases. Little is known about the role of the transcription factor nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in this process. We investigated the activities of the RELB proto-oncogene NF-κB subunit in human cholangiocytes and in mouse models of liver disease characterized by a ductular reaction. METHODS We obtained liver tissue samples from patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis, primary biliary cholangitis, hepatitis B or C virus infection, autoimmune hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, or without these diseases (controls) from a tissue bank in Germany. Tissues were analyzed by immunohistochemistry for levels of RELB and lymphotoxin β (LTB). We studied mice with liver parenchymal cell (LPC)-specific disruption of the cylindromatosis (CYLD) lysine 63 deubiquitinase gene (Cyld), with or without disruption of Relb (CyldΔLPC mice and Cyld/RelbΔLPC mice) and compared them with C57BL/6 mice (controls). Mice were fed 5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC) or standard chow diets to induce biliary injury or were given injections of CCl4 to induce non-cholestatic liver fibrosis. Liver tissues were analyzed by histology, immunohistochemistry, immunoblots, in situ hybridization, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Cholangiocytes were isolated from normal human liver, incubated with LTB receptor agonist, and transfected with small interfering RNAs to knock down RELB. RESULTS In liver tissues from patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis, primary biliary cholangitis, chronic infection with hepatitis B or C virus, autoimmune hepatitis, or alcoholic liver disease, we detected increased nuclear translocation of RELB and increased levels of LTB in cholangiocytes that formed reactive bile ducts compared with control liver tissues. Human cholangiocytes, but not those with RELB knockdown, proliferated with exposure to LTB. The phenotype of CyldΔLPC mice, which included ductular reaction, oval cell activation, and biliary fibrosis, was completely lost from Cyld/RelbΔLPC mice. Compared with livers from control mice, livers from CyldΔLPC mice (but not Cyld/RelbΔLPC mice) had increased levels of mRNAs encoding cytokines (LTB; CD40; and tumor necrosis factor superfamily [TNFSF] members TNFSF11 [RANKL], TNFSF13B [BAFF], and TNFSF14 [LIGHT]) produced by reactive cholangiocytes. However, these strains of mice developed similar levels of liver fibrosis in response to CCl4 exposure. CyldΔLPC mice and Cyld/RelbΔLPC mice had improved liver function on the DDC diet compared with control mice fed the DDC diet. CONCLUSION Reactive bile ducts in patients with chronic liver diseases have increased levels of LTB and nuclear translocation of RELB. RELB is required for the ductular reaction and development of biliary fibrosis in CyldΔLPC mice. Deletion of RELB and CYLD from LPCs protects mice from DDC-induced cholestatic liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christin Elßner
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Liver Cancer Center Heidelberg, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Benjamin Goeppert
- Liver Cancer Center Heidelberg, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Longerich
- Liver Cancer Center Heidelberg, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anna-Lena Scherr
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jan Stindt
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Lahiri Kanth Nanduri
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Medical Faculty, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Christian Rupp
- Department of Internal Medicine IV, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jakob Nikolas Kather
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nathalie Schmitt
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nicole Kautz
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kai Breuhahn
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lars Ismail
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Danijela Heide
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jenny Hetzer
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - María García-Beccaria
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nadine Hövelmeyer
- Institute for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Ari Waisman
- Institute for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Toni Urbanik
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Mueller
- Department of Medicine, Salem Medical Center and Center for Alcohol Research and Liver Disease, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Georg Gdynia
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jesus M Banales
- Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Health Research Institute-Donostia University Hospital, University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU) CIBERehd, IKERBASQUE, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Stephanie Roessler
- Liver Cancer Center Heidelberg, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Peter Schirmacher
- Liver Cancer Center Heidelberg, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dirk Jäger
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Liver Cancer Center Heidelberg, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Schölch
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Medical Faculty, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Department of Surgery, Universitätsmedizin Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Verena Keitel
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Mathias Heikenwalder
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Bruno Christian Köhler
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Liver Cancer Center Heidelberg, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
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Wang R, Sheps JA, Liu L, Han J, Chen PSK, Lamontagne J, Wilson PD, Welch I, Borchers CH, Ling V. Hydrophilic bile acids prevent liver damage caused by lack of biliary phospholipid in Mdr2-/- mice. J Lipid Res 2019; 60:85-97. [PMID: 30416103 PMCID: PMC6314265 DOI: 10.1194/jlr.m088070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Revised: 11/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Bile acid imbalance causes progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 2 (PFIC2) or type 3 (PFIC3), severe liver diseases associated with genetic defects in the biliary bile acid transporter bile salt export pump (BSEP; ABCB11) or phosphatidylcholine transporter multidrug resistance protein 3 (MDR3; ABCB4), respectively. Mdr2-/- mice (a PFIC3 model) develop progressive cholangitis, ductular proliferation, periportal fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) because the nonmicelle-bound bile acids in the bile of these mice are toxic. We asked whether the highly hydrophilic bile acids generated by Bsep-/- mice could protect Mdr2-/- mice from progressive liver damage. We generated double-KO (DKO: Bsep-/- and Mdr2-/- ) mice. Their bile acid composition resembles that of Bsep-/- mice, with increased hydrophilic muricholic acids, tetrahydroxylated bile acids (THBAs), and reduced hydrophobic cholic acid. These mice lack the liver pathology of their Mdr2-/- littermates. The livers of DKO mice have gene expression profiles very similar to Bsep-/- mice, with 4,410 of 6,134 gene expression changes associated with the Mdr2-/- mutation being suppressed. Feeding with THBAs partially alleviates liver damage in the Mdr2-/- mice. Hydrophilic changes to biliary bile acid composition, including introduction of THBA, can prevent the progressive liver pathology associated with the Mdr2-/- (PFIC3) mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renxue Wang
- BC Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Lin Liu
- BC Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jun Han
- University of Victoria-Genome BC Proteomics Centre University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Patrick S K Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jason Lamontagne
- Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Peter D Wilson
- Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ian Welch
- Department of Pathology University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Centre for Comparative Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Christoph H Borchers
- University of Victoria-Genome BC Proteomics Centre University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
- Proteomics Centre, Segal Cancer Centre, Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Victor Ling
- BC Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Pathology University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Fibroinflammatory Liver Injuries as Preneoplastic Condition in Cholangiopathies. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19123875. [PMID: 30518128 PMCID: PMC6321547 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19123875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Revised: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/01/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The cholangipathies are a class of liver diseases that specifically affects the biliary tree. These pathologies may have different etiologies (genetic, autoimmune, viral, or toxic) but all of them are characterized by a stark inflammatory infiltrate, increasing overtime, accompanied by an excess of periportal fibrosis. The cellular types that mount the regenerative/reparative hepatic response to the damage belong to different lineages, including cholagiocytes, mesenchymal and inflammatory cells, which dynamically interact with each other, exchanging different signals acting in autocrine and paracrine fashion. Those messengers may be proinflammatory cytokines and profibrotic chemokines (IL-1, and 6; CXCL1, 10 and 12, or MCP-1), morphogens (Notch, Hedgehog, and WNT/β-catenin signal pathways) and finally growth factors (VEGF, PDGF, and TGFβ, among others). In this review we will focus on the main molecular mechanisms mediating the establishment of a fibroinflammatory liver response that, if perpetuated, can lead not only to organ dysfunction but also to neoplastic transformation. Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis and Congenital Hepatic Fibrosis/Caroli’s disease, two chronic cholangiopathies, known to be prodrome of cholangiocarcinoma, for which several murine models are also available, were also used to further dissect the mechanisms of fibroinflammation leading to tumor development.
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49
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Zhou T, Wu N, Meng F, Venter J, Giang TK, Francis H, Kyritsi K, Wu C, Franchitto A, Alvaro D, Marzioni M, Onori P, Mancinelli R, Gaudio E, Glaser S, Alpini G. Knockout of secretin receptor reduces biliary damage and liver fibrosis in Mdr2 -/- mice by diminishing senescence of cholangiocytes. J Transl Med 2018; 98:1449-1464. [PMID: 29977037 PMCID: PMC6214714 DOI: 10.1038/s41374-018-0093-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Revised: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Secretin receptor (SR), only expressed by cholangiocytes, plays a key role in the regulation of biliary damage and liver fibrosis. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of genetic depletion of SR in Mdr2-/- mice on intrahepatic biliary mass, liver fibrosis, senescence, and angiogenesis. 12 wk SR-/-, Mdr2-/-, and SR-/-/Mdr2-/- mice with corresponding wild-type mice were used for the in vivo studies. Immunohistochemistry or immunofluorescence was performed in liver sections for (i) biliary expression of SR; (ii) hematoxylin and eosin; (iii) intrahepatic biliary mass by CK-19; (iv) fibrosis by Col1a1 and α-SMA; (v) senescence by SA-β-gal and p16; and (vi) angiogenesis by VEGF-A and CD31. Secretin (Sct) and TGF-β1 levels were measured in serum and cholangiocyte supernatant by ELISA. In total liver, isolated cholangiocytes or HSCs, we evaluated the expression of fibrosis markers (FN-1 and Col1a1); senescence markers (p16 and CCL2); microRNA 125b and angiogenesis markers (VEGF-A, VEGFR-2, CD31, and vWF) by immunoblots and/or qPCR. In vitro, we measured the paracrine effect of cholangiocyte supernatant on the expression of senescent and fibrosis markers in human hepatic stellate cells (HHSteCs). The increased level of ductular reaction, fibrosis, and angiogenesis in Mdr2-/- mice was reduced in SR-/-/Mdr2-/- mice. Enhanced senescence levels in cholangiocytes from Mdr2-/- mice were reversed to normal in SR-/-/Mdr2-/- mice. However, senescence was decreased in HSCs from Mdr2-/- mice but returned to normal values in SR-/-/Mdr2-/- mice. In vitro treatment of HHSteCs with supernatant from cholangiocyte lacking SR (containing lower biliary levels of Sct-dependent TGF-β1) have decreased fibrotic reaction and increased cellular senescence. Sct-induced TGF-β1 secretion was mediated by microRNA 125b. Our data suggest that differential modulation of angiogenesis-dependent senescence of cholangiocytes and HSCs may be important for the treatment of liver fibrosis in cholangiopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianhao Zhou
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M University College of Medicine, Temple, TX, 76504, USA
| | - Nan Wu
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M University College of Medicine, Temple, TX, 76504, USA
| | - Fanyin Meng
- Research, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX, 76504, USA
- Baylor Scott & White Digestive Disease Research Center, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, TX, 76504, USA
- Academic Research Integration, Baylor Scott & White Healthcare, Temple, TX, 76504, USA
| | - Julie Venter
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M University College of Medicine, Temple, TX, 76504, USA
| | - Thao K Giang
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M University College of Medicine, Temple, TX, 76504, USA
| | - Heather Francis
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M University College of Medicine, Temple, TX, 76504, USA
- Research, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX, 76504, USA
- Baylor Scott & White Digestive Disease Research Center, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, TX, 76504, USA
| | - Konstantina Kyritsi
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M University College of Medicine, Temple, TX, 76504, USA
| | - Chaodong Wu
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77840, USA
| | - Antonio Franchitto
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopaedics Sciences, Sapienza, Rome, Italy
- Eleonora Lorillard Spencer Cenci Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Domenico Alvaro
- Department of Medicine, Gastroenterology, Sapienza, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Marzioni
- Clinic of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ospedali Riuniti - University Hospital, Ancona, Italy
| | - Paolo Onori
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopaedics Sciences, Sapienza, Rome, Italy
| | - Romina Mancinelli
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopaedics Sciences, Sapienza, Rome, Italy
| | - Eugenio Gaudio
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopaedics Sciences, Sapienza, Rome, Italy
| | - Shannon Glaser
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M University College of Medicine, Temple, TX, 76504, USA.
- Research, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX, 76504, USA.
- Baylor Scott & White Digestive Disease Research Center, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, TX, 76504, USA.
| | - Gianfranco Alpini
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M University College of Medicine, Temple, TX, 76504, USA.
- Research, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX, 76504, USA.
- Baylor Scott & White Digestive Disease Research Center, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, TX, 76504, USA.
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50
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Taylor AE, Carey AN, Kudira R, Lages CS, Shi T, Lam S, Karns R, Simmons J, Shanmukhappa K, Almanan M, Chougnet CA, Miethke AG. Interleukin 2 Promotes Hepatic Regulatory T Cell Responses and Protects From Biliary Fibrosis in Murine Sclerosing Cholangitis. Hepatology 2018; 68:1905-1921. [PMID: 29698570 PMCID: PMC6203671 DOI: 10.1002/hep.30061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Accepted: 04/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
In the multidrug resistance protein 2 (Mdr2)-/- mouse model, low phospholipid bile instigates biliary epithelial injury, sterile inflammation, and fibrosis, thereby recapitulating disease mechanisms implicated in biliary atresia (BA) and primary sclerosing cholangitis. We hypothesize that T lymphocytes contribute to the biliary injury and fibrosis in murine sclerosing cholangitis (SC) and that they are susceptible to suppression by regulatory T cells (Tregs). In juvenile Mdr2-/- mice, intrahepatic CD8+ lymphocytes were expanded, and contraction of intrahepatic Tregs coincided with rising serum alanine transferase and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels between days 14-30 of life. Antibody-mediated depletion of intrahepatic CD8+ lymphocytes during that time reduced ALP levels and the expression of osteopontin (Opn), a pro-fibrogenic cytokine. Depletion of intrahepatic Tregs with anti-CD25 antibody between days 7-30 increased intrahepatic CD8+ T cells, Opn expression, and fibrosis. Conversely, expansion of intrahepatic Tregs with interleukin 2/anti-interleukin 2 immune complexes (IL-2c) downregulated hepatic expression of Opn and Tnf, reduced frequency of intrahepatic CD8+ lymphocytes, and diminished biliary injury and fibrosis. Treatment with IL-2c upregulated hepatic Treg expression of CD39, an ectonucleotidase capable of hydrolyzing pro-inflammatory adenosine triphosphate. In vitro, Tregs expressing CD39 suppressed the proliferation of hepatic CD8+ lymphocytes from Mdr2-/- mice more efficiently than those lacking CD39. In infants with BA, infiltration of interlobular bile ducts with CD8+ cells was associated with biliary expression of Opn and its transcription was negatively correlated with mRNA expression of Treg-associated genes. Conclusion: Hepatic CD8+ T lymphocytes drive biliary injury and fibrosis in murine SC. Their proliferation is controlled by hepatic Tregs through the purinergic pathway, which is responsive to IL-2c, suggesting that Treg-directed low-dose Il-2 treatment may be considered as therapy for SC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy E. Taylor
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Alexandra N. Carey
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Ramesh Kudira
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Celine S. Lages
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Tiffany Shi
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Simon Lam
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH,Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB
| | - Rebekah Karns
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Julia Simmons
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Kumar Shanmukhappa
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Maha Almanan
- Division of Immunobiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Claire A. Chougnet
- Division of Immunobiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Alexander G. Miethke
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH,Corresponding author: Alexander G Miethke, MD, Mail location 2010, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45229-3026, Tel: 1-513-636-9078, Fax: 1-513-636-7805;
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