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Ni YH, Wang R, Wang W, Li DZ, Liu G, Jiang CS, Wang Y, Lin X, Zeng XP. Tcf21 Alleviates Pancreatic Fibrosis by Regulating the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transformation of Pancreatic Stellate Cells. Dig Dis Sci 2023:10.1007/s10620-023-07849-w. [PMID: 36943591 DOI: 10.1007/s10620-023-07849-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The activation of pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) plays a key role in the occurrence and development of chronic pancreatitis (CP) and pancreatic fibrosis, which is related to the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). This study was designed to investigate the effect and mechanism of Tcf21 (one of tumor suppressor genes) on pancreatic inflammation and fibrosis in vivo and in vitro. METHODS C57BL/6 male mice were intraperitoneally injected with caerulein for 6 weeks to establish CP animal model. Fixed pancreatic tissue paraffin-embedded sections were used for immunohistochemistry staining of Tcf21, fibrosis-related markers (α-SMA), interstitial markers (Vimentin) and epithelial markers (E-cadherin). Western blotting and qRT-PCR assay were performed to analyze the change of expression of the above markers after stimulation of TGF-β1 or overexpressed Tcf21 lentivirus transfection in human pancreatic stellate cells (HPSCs). RESULTS The pancreatic expression of α-SMA and Vimentin of CP mice significantly increased, while the expression of Tcf21 and E-cadherin significantly decreased. TGF-β1 could promote activation and EMT process of HPSCs, and inhibited the expression of Tcf21. Overexpression of Tcf21 could significantly down-regulate the expression of α-SMA, Fibronectin and Vimentin, and up-regulated the expression of ZO-1 of HPSCs. Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and scratch wound-healing assay results showed that overexpression of Tcf21 could significantly inhibit the cell migration and proliferation of HPSCs. CONCLUSIONS Overexpression of Tcf21 could significantly alleviate the activation, proliferation, migration of PSCs by regulating the EMT process. Tcf21 had a potential prospect of a new target for CP therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Hong Ni
- Department of Digestive Diseases, 900TH Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
- College of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Rong Wang
- Department of Digestive Diseases, 900TH Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
- College of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Fuzong Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, 156 North Road of West No.2 Ring, Fuzhou, 350025, China
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Dongfang Hospital, Xiamen University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Wen Wang
- Department of Digestive Diseases, 900TH Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
- College of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Fuzong Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, 156 North Road of West No.2 Ring, Fuzhou, 350025, China
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Dongfang Hospital, Xiamen University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Da-Zhou Li
- Department of Digestive Diseases, 900TH Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
- College of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Fuzong Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, 156 North Road of West No.2 Ring, Fuzhou, 350025, China
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Dongfang Hospital, Xiamen University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Gang Liu
- Department of Digestive Diseases, 900TH Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
- College of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Fuzong Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, 156 North Road of West No.2 Ring, Fuzhou, 350025, China
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Dongfang Hospital, Xiamen University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Chuan-Shen Jiang
- Department of Digestive Diseases, 900TH Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
- College of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Fuzong Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, 156 North Road of West No.2 Ring, Fuzhou, 350025, China
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Dongfang Hospital, Xiamen University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Digestive Diseases, 900TH Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
- College of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xia Lin
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Fuzong Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, 156 North Road of West No.2 Ring, Fuzhou, 350025, China
| | - Xiang-Peng Zeng
- Department of Digestive Diseases, 900TH Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.
- College of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Fuzong Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, 156 North Road of West No.2 Ring, Fuzhou, 350025, China.
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Dongfang Hospital, Xiamen University, Fuzhou, China.
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Zeng XP, Zeng JH, Lin X, Ni YH, Jiang CS, Li DZ, He XJ, Wang R, Wang W. Puerarin Ameliorates Caerulein-Induced Chronic Pancreatitis via Inhibition of MAPK Signaling Pathway. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:686992. [PMID: 34149430 PMCID: PMC8207514 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.686992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic fibrosis is one of the most important pathological features of chronic pancreatitis (CP), and pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) are considered to be the key cells. Puerarin is the most important flavonoid active component in Chinese herb Radix Puerariae, and it exhibited anti-fibrotic effect in various fibrous diseases recently. However, the impact and molecular mechanism of puerarin on CP and pancreatic fibrosis remain unknown. This study systematically investigated the effect of puerarin on CP and pancreatic fibrosis in vivo and in vitro. H&E staining, Sirius Red staining, qRT-PCR and Western blotting analysis of fibrosis and inflammation related genes of pancreatic tissues showed that puerarin notably ameliorated pancreatic atrophy, inflammation and fibrosis in a model of caerulein-induced murine CP. Western blotting analysis of pancreatic tissues showed the phosphorylation level of MAPK family proteins (JNK1/2, ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK) significantly increased after modeling of cerulein, while puerarin could inhibit their phosphorylation levels to a certain extent. We found that puerarin exerted a marked inhibition on the proliferation, migration and activation of PSCs, determined by CCK-8 assay, transwell migration assay, scratch wound-healing assay and expression levels of α-SMA, Fibronectin, Col1α1 and GFAP. Western blotting result demonstrated that puerarin markedly inhibited the phosphorylation of MAPK family proteins (JNK1/2, ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK) of PSCs in a dose-dependent manner whether or not stimulated by platelet-activating factor. In conclusion, the present study showed that puerarin could be a potential therapeutic candidate in the treatment of CP, and the MAPK pathway might be its important target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang-Peng Zeng
- Department of Digestive Diseases, 900TH Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force, Fuzhou General Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Oriental Hospital Affiliated to Xiamen University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jing-Hui Zeng
- Department of Digestive Diseases, 900TH Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force, Fuzhou General Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Oriental Hospital Affiliated to Xiamen University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xia Lin
- Department of Digestive Diseases, 900TH Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force, Fuzhou General Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Oriental Hospital Affiliated to Xiamen University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yan-Hong Ni
- Department of Digestive Diseases, 900TH Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force, Fuzhou General Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Oriental Hospital Affiliated to Xiamen University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Chuan-Shen Jiang
- Department of Digestive Diseases, 900TH Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force, Fuzhou General Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Oriental Hospital Affiliated to Xiamen University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Da-Zhou Li
- Department of Digestive Diseases, 900TH Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force, Fuzhou General Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Oriental Hospital Affiliated to Xiamen University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Jian He
- Department of Digestive Diseases, 900TH Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force, Fuzhou General Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Oriental Hospital Affiliated to Xiamen University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Rong Wang
- Department of Digestive Diseases, 900TH Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force, Fuzhou General Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Oriental Hospital Affiliated to Xiamen University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Wen Wang
- Department of Digestive Diseases, 900TH Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force, Fuzhou General Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Oriental Hospital Affiliated to Xiamen University, Fuzhou, China
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Huang C, Iovanna J, Santofimia-Castaño P. Targeting Fibrosis: The Bridge That Connects Pancreatitis and Pancreatic Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:4970. [PMID: 34067040 PMCID: PMC8124541 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic fibrosis is caused by the excessive deposits of extracellular matrix (ECM) and collagen fibers during repeated necrosis to repair damaged pancreatic tissue. Pancreatic fibrosis is frequently present in chronic pancreatitis (CP) and pancreatic cancer (PC). Clinically, pancreatic fibrosis is a pathological feature of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. However, many new studies have found that pancreatic fibrosis is involved in the transformation from pancreatitis to pancreatic cancer. Thus, the role of fibrosis in the crosstalk between pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer is critical and still elusive; therefore, it deserves more attention. Here, we review the development of pancreatic fibrosis in inflammation and cancer, and we discuss the therapeutic strategies for alleviating pancreatic fibrosis. We further propose that cellular stress response might be a key driver that links fibrosis to cancer initiation and progression. Therefore, targeting stress proteins, such as nuclear protein 1 (NUPR1), could be an interesting strategy for pancreatic fibrosis and PC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Patricia Santofimia-Castaño
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille (CRCM), INSERM U1068, CNRS UMR 7258, Aix-Marseille Université and Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13288 Marseille, France; (C.H.); (J.I.)
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