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Sihali-Beloui O, Aroune D, Bellahreche Z, Haniche N, Termeche A, Semiane N, Mallek A, Marco S. Metabolic disorders induced the changes in the expressions of TNFα, E-cadherin and ultrastructural alteration of liver cells in a typical animal model of type 2 diabetes: Psammomys obesus. Tissue Cell 2024; 88:102396. [PMID: 38703582 DOI: 10.1016/j.tice.2024.102396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Revised: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
By using a unique animal model of type 2 diabetes mellitus, Psammomys obesus induced by a high-calorie diet (HCD) for nine months, we showed for the first time, in the liver, the impact of inflammation on the remodeling of intercellular junction molecules E-cadherins during the progression of steatohepatitis. Under the effect of HCD, the expressions of immunohistochemical markers, Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNFα) and E-cadherins were inversely correlated. Ultrastructural examination revealed the involvement of destabilization and loss of E-cadherins in the process of hepatic pathogenesis. This mechanical maintenance stress was favored by the recruitment of immune cells which contributed to the triggering and progression of fibrosis by the enlargement of the intercellular space and the invasion of collagen fibers. Furthermore to escape cell death, loss of E-cadherins played a major role in mediating fibrosis. Psammomys obesus is a promising model for experimental research, enabling the extrapolation of observed structural and functional alterations in humans, the objective to find new therapeutic targets. The physiological resemblance between Psammomys obesus and humans enhances the precision and relevance of biomedical research efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ouahiba Sihali-Beloui
- LBPO/ Tamayouz/ Nutrition & Metabolism, Department of Biology and Physiology of Organisms, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene (USTHB), BP 32, El Alia Bab Ezzouar, 16111, Algiers, Algeria.
| | - Djamila Aroune
- LBPO/ Tamayouz/ Nutrition & Metabolism, Department of Biology and Physiology of Organisms, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene (USTHB), BP 32, El Alia Bab Ezzouar, 16111, Algiers, Algeria
| | - Zineb Bellahreche
- LBPO/ Tamayouz/ Nutrition & Metabolism, Department of Biology and Physiology of Organisms, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene (USTHB), BP 32, El Alia Bab Ezzouar, 16111, Algiers, Algeria
| | - Nadia Haniche
- LBPO/ Tamayouz/ Neurobiology, Department of Biology and Physiology of Organisms, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene (USTHB), BP 32, El Alia Bab Ezzouar, 16111, Algiers, Algeria
| | - Amel Termeche
- LBPO/ Tamayouz/ Nutrition & Metabolism, Department of Biology and Physiology of Organisms, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene (USTHB), BP 32, El Alia Bab Ezzouar, 16111, Algiers, Algeria
| | - Nesrine Semiane
- LBPO/ Tamayouz/ Nutrition & Metabolism, Department of Biology and Physiology of Organisms, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene (USTHB), BP 32, El Alia Bab Ezzouar, 16111, Algiers, Algeria
| | - Aicha Mallek
- LBPO/ Tamayouz/ Nutrition & Metabolism, Department of Biology and Physiology of Organisms, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene (USTHB), BP 32, El Alia Bab Ezzouar, 16111, Algiers, Algeria
| | - Sergio Marco
- French Institute of Health and Medical Research | Inserm, France
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Rai B, Srivastava J, Saxena P. The Functional Role of microRNAs and mRNAs in Diabetic Kidney Disease: A Review. Curr Diabetes Rev 2024; 20:e201023222412. [PMID: 37867275 DOI: 10.2174/0115733998270983231009094216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Diabetes is a group of diseases marked by poor control of blood glucose levels. Diabetes mellitus (DM) occurs when pancreatic cells fail to make insulin, which is required to keep blood glucose levels stable, disorders, and so on. High glucose levels in the blood induce diabetic effects, which can cause catastrophic damage to bodily organs such as the eyes and lower extremities. Diabetes is classified into many forms, one of which is controlled by hyperglycemia or Diabetic Kidney Disease (DKD), and another that is not controlled by hyperglycemia (nondiabetic kidney disease or NDKD) and is caused by other factors such as hypertension, hereditary. DKD is associated with diabetic nephropathy (DN), a leading cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal failure. The disease is characterized by glomerular basement membrane thickening, glomerular sclerosis, and mesangial expansion, resulting in a progressive decrease in glomerular filtration rate, glomerular hypertension, and renal failure or nephrotic syndrome. It is also represented by some microvascular complications such as nerve ischemia produced by intracellular metabolic changes, microvascular illness, and the direct impact of excessive blood glucose on neuronal activity. Therefore, DKD-induced nephrotic failure is worse than NDKD. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important in the development and progression of several diseases, including diabetic kidney disease (DKD). These dysregulated miRNAs can impact various cellular processes, including inflammation, fibrosis, oxidative stress, and apoptosis, all of which are implicated during DKD. MiRNAs can alter the course of DKD by targeting several essential mechanisms. Understanding the miRNAs implicated in DKD and their involvement in disease development might lead to identifying possible therapeutic targets for DKD prevention and therapy. Therefore, this review focuses specifically on DKD-associated DN, as well as how in-silico approaches may aid in improving the management of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhuvnesh Rai
- Stem Cell Research Center, Department of Hematology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India
| | - Jyotika Srivastava
- Stem Cell Research Center, Department of Hematology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India
| | - Pragati Saxena
- Stem Cell Research Center, Department of Hematology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India
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3
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Zhang Y, Fu J, Han Y, Feng D, Yue S, Zhou Y, Luo Z. Two-Pore-Domain Potassium Channel TREK-1 Mediates Pulmonary Fibrosis through Macrophage M2 Polarization and by Direct Promotion of Fibroblast Differentiation. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11051279. [PMID: 37238950 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11051279] [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: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a devastating disease characterized by myofibroblast proliferation and abnormal accumulation of extracellular matrix in the lungs. After lung injury, M2 macrophages mediate the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis by secreting fibrotic cytokines that promote myofibroblast activation. The TWIK-related potassium channel (TREK-1, also known as KCNK2) is a K2P channel that is highly expressed in cardiac, lung, and other tissues; it worsens various tumors, such as ovarian cancer and prostate cancer, and mediates cardiac fibrosis. However, the role of TREK-1 in lung fibrosis remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the effects of TREK-1 on bleomycin (BLM)-induced lung fibrosis. The results show that TREK-1 knockdown, mediated by the adenovirus or pharmacological inhibition of TREK-1 with fluoxetine, resulted in diminished BLM-induced lung fibrosis. TREK-1 overexpression in macrophages remarkably increased the M2 phenotype, resulting in fibroblast activation. Furthermore, TREK-1 knockdown and fluoxetine administration directly reduced the differentiation of fibroblasts to myofibroblasts by inhibiting the focal adhesion kinase (FAK)/p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (p38)/Yes-associated protein (YAP) signaling pathway. In conclusion, TREK-1 plays a central role in the pathogenesis of BLM-induced lung fibrosis, which serves as a theoretical basis for the inhibition of TREK-1 as a potential therapy protocol for lung fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunna Zhang
- Department of Physiology, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha 410013, China
| | - Jiafeng Fu
- Department of Physiology, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha 410013, China
| | - Yang Han
- Department of Physiology, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha 410013, China
| | - Dandan Feng
- Department of Physiology, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha 410013, China
| | - Shaojie Yue
- Department of Pediatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410013, China
| | - Yan Zhou
- Department of Physiology, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha 410013, China
| | - Ziqiang Luo
- Department of Physiology, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha 410013, China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Organ Fibrosis, Changsha 410013, China
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4
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Yang W, Pan L, Cheng Y, Wu X, Tang B, Zhu H, Zhang M, Zhang Y. Nintedanib alleviates pulmonary fibrosis in vitro and in vivo by inhibiting the FAK/ERK/S100A4 signalling pathway. Int Immunopharmacol 2022; 113:109409. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2022.109409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Hepatocyte phosphatase DUSP22 mitigates NASH-HCC progression by targeting FAK. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5945. [PMID: 36209205 PMCID: PMC9547917 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33493-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a common clinical disease, is becoming a leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Dual specificity phosphatase 22 (DUSP22, also known as JKAP or JSP-1) expressed in numerous tissues plays essential biological functions in immune responses and tumor growth. However, the effects of DUSP22 on NASH still remain unknown. Here, we find a significant decrease of DUSP22 expression in human and murine fatty liver, which is mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Hepatic-specific DUSP22 deletion particularly exacerbates lipid deposition, inflammatory response and fibrosis in liver, facilitating NASH and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)-associated HCC progression. In contrast, transgenic over-expression, lentivirus or adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated DUSP22 gene therapy substantially inhibit NASH-related phenotypes and HCC development in mice. We provide mechanistic evidence that DUSP22 directly interacts with focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and restrains its phosphorylation at Tyr397 (Y397) and Y576 + Y577 residues, subsequently prohibiting downstream activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) cascades. The binding of DUSP22 to FAK and the dephosphorylation of FAK are indispensable for DUSP22-meliorated NASH progression. Collectively, our findings identify DUSP22 as a key suppressor of NASH-HCC, and underscore the DUSP22-FAK axis as a promising therapeutic target for treatment of the disease.
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Chen K, Henn D, Januszyk M, Barrera JA, Noishiki C, Bonham CA, Griffin M, Tevlin R, Carlomagno T, Shannon T, Fehlmann T, Trotsyuk AA, Padmanabhan J, Sivaraj D, Perrault DP, Zamaleeva AI, Mays CJ, Greco AH, Kwon SH, Leeolou MC, Huskins SL, Steele SR, Fischer KS, Kussie HC, Mittal S, Mermin-Bunnell AM, Diaz Deleon NM, Lavin C, Keller A, Longaker MT, Gurtner GC. Disrupting mechanotransduction decreases fibrosis and contracture in split-thickness skin grafting. Sci Transl Med 2022; 14:eabj9152. [PMID: 35584231 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abj9152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Burns and other traumatic injuries represent a substantial biomedical burden. The current standard of care for deep injuries is autologous split-thickness skin grafting (STSG), which frequently results in contractures, abnormal pigmentation, and loss of biomechanical function. Currently, there are no effective therapies that can prevent fibrosis and contracture after STSG. Here, we have developed a clinically relevant porcine model of STSG and comprehensively characterized porcine cell populations involved in healing with single-cell resolution. We identified an up-regulation of proinflammatory and mechanotransduction signaling pathways in standard STSGs. Blocking mechanotransduction with a small-molecule focal adhesion kinase (FAK) inhibitor promoted healing, reduced contracture, mitigated scar formation, restored collagen architecture, and ultimately improved graft biomechanical properties. Acute mechanotransduction blockade up-regulated myeloid CXCL10-mediated anti-inflammation with decreased CXCL14-mediated myeloid and fibroblast recruitment. At later time points, mechanical signaling shifted fibroblasts toward profibrotic differentiation fates, and disruption of mechanotransduction modulated mesenchymal fibroblast differentiation states to block those responses, instead driving fibroblasts toward proregenerative, adipogenic states similar to unwounded skin. We then confirmed these two diverging fibroblast transcriptional trajectories in human skin, human scar, and a three-dimensional organotypic model of human skin. Together, pharmacological blockade of mechanotransduction markedly improved large animal healing after STSG by promoting both early, anti-inflammatory and late, regenerative transcriptional programs, resulting in healed tissue similar to unwounded skin. FAK inhibition could therefore supplement the current standard of care for traumatic and burn injuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kellen Chen
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA
| | - Dominic Henn
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Michael Januszyk
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Janos A Barrera
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Chikage Noishiki
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Clark A Bonham
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Michelle Griffin
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Ruth Tevlin
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Theresa Carlomagno
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Tara Shannon
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Tobias Fehlmann
- Chair for Clinical Bioinformatics, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Artem A Trotsyuk
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jagannath Padmanabhan
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Dharshan Sivaraj
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - David P Perrault
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Alsu I Zamaleeva
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Chyna J Mays
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Autumn H Greco
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Sun Hyung Kwon
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Melissa C Leeolou
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Savana L Huskins
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Sydney R Steele
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Katharina S Fischer
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Hudson C Kussie
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Smiti Mittal
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Alana M Mermin-Bunnell
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Nestor M Diaz Deleon
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Christopher Lavin
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Andreas Keller
- Chair for Clinical Bioinformatics, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.,Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Michael T Longaker
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Geoffrey C Gurtner
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA
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Wang J, Hu K, Cai X, Yang B, He Q, Wang J, Weng Q. Targeting PI3K/AKT signaling for treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Acta Pharm Sin B 2022; 12:18-32. [PMID: 35127370 PMCID: PMC8799876 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2021.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 52.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic progressive fibrotic interstitial pneumonia with unknown causes. The incidence rate increases year by year and the prognosis is poor without cure. Recently, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (PKB/AKT) signaling pathway can be considered as a master regulator for IPF. The contribution of the PI3K/AKT in fibrotic processes is increasingly prominent, with PI3K/AKT inhibitors currently under clinical evaluation in IPF. Therefore, PI3K/AKT represents a critical signaling node during fibrogenesis with potential implications for the development of novel anti-fibrotic strategies. This review epitomizes the progress that is being made in understanding the complex interpretation of the cause of IPF, and demonstrates that PI3K/AKT can directly participate to the greatest extent in the formation of IPF or cooperate with other pathways to promote the development of fibrosis. We further summarize promising PI3K/AKT inhibitors with IPF treatment benefits, including inhibitors in clinical trials and pre-clinical studies and natural products, and discuss how these inhibitors mitigate fibrotic progression to explore possible potential agents, which will help to develop effective treatment strategies for IPF in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jincheng Wang
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Kaili Hu
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xuanyan Cai
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Bo Yang
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Qiaojun He
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jiajia Wang
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Qinjie Weng
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
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FAK Inhibition Attenuates Corneal Fibroblast Differentiation In Vitro. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11111682. [PMID: 34827680 PMCID: PMC8616004 DOI: 10.3390/biom11111682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Corneal fibrosis (or scarring) occurs in response to ocular trauma or infection, and by reducing corneal transparency, it can lead to visual impairment and blindness. Studies highlight important roles for transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 and -β3 as modulators in corneal wound healing and fibrosis, leading to increased extracellular matrix (ECM) components and expression of α-smooth muscle actin (αSMA), a myofibroblast marker. In this study, human corneal fibroblasts (hCF) were cultured as a monolayer culture (2D) or on poly-transwell membranes to generate corneal stromal constructs (3D) that were treated with TGF-β1, TGF-β3, or TGF-β1 + FAK inhibitor (FAKi). Results show that hCF 3D constructs treated with TGF-β1 or TGF-β3 impart distinct effects on genes involved in wound healing and fibrosis—ITGAV, ITGB1, SRC and ACTA2. Notably, in the 3D construct model, TGF-β1 enhanced αSMA and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) protein expression, whereas TGF-β3 did not. In addition, in both the hCF 2D cell and 3D construct models, we found that TGF-β1 + FAKi attenuated TGF-β1-mediated myofibroblast differentiation, as shown by abrogated αSMA expression. This study concludes that FAK signaling is important for the onset of TGF-β1-mediated myofibroblast differentiation, and FAK inhibition may provide a novel beneficial therapeutic avenue to reduce corneal scarring.
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Titanium Substratum Roughness as a Determinant of Human Gingival Fibroblast Fibronectin and α-Smooth Muscle Actin Expression. MATERIALS 2021; 14:ma14216447. [PMID: 34771975 PMCID: PMC8585270 DOI: 10.3390/ma14216447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The most appropriate surface treatment to enhance gingival connective tissue formation on the abutment of dental implants remains undefined, with healing associated with a scar-like response. We have previously shown that topographies with an arithmetic average of the absolute profile height deviations (Ra) = 4.0 induces an anti-fibrotic phenotype in human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) by causing nascent adhesion formation. With bacterial colonization considerations, we hypothesized that a lower Ra could be identified that would alter adhesion stability and promote a matrix remodeling phenotype. Focal adhesions (FAs) area decreased with increasing roughness, although no differences in cell attachment or proliferation were observed. Alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) protein levels were significantly reduced on Ra = 3.0 and 4.0 vs. 0.1 (p < 0.05), with incorporation of α-SMA into stress fibers most prominent on Ra = 0.1. Fibronectin protein levels were reduced on 3.0 and 4.0 vs. 0.1 (p < 0.05), and Ra = 1.5 and deeper significantly altered fibronectin deposition. Addition of exogenous TGF-β3 increased HGF adhesion size on 0.1 surfaces, but not on any other topography. We conclude that Ra = 1.5 is sufficient to reduce adhesion size and inhibit α-SMA incorporation into stress fibers in HGFs, but 3.0 is required in the presence of exogenous TGF-β3. Our findings have implications for inhibiting fibrotic tissue formation surrounding percutaneous devices such as dental implants.
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Maintenance of Ligament Homeostasis of Spheroid-Colonized Embroidered and Functionalized Scaffolds after 3D Stretch. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22158204. [PMID: 34360970 PMCID: PMC8348491 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22158204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures are usually treated with autograft implantation to prevent knee instability. Tissue engineered ACL reconstruction is becoming promising to circumvent autograft limitations. The aim was to evaluate the influence of cyclic stretch on lapine (L) ACL fibroblasts on embroidered scaffolds with respect to adhesion, DNA and sulphated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) contents, gene expression of ligament-associated extracellular matrix genes, such as type I collagen, decorin, tenascin C, tenomodulin, gap junctional connexin 43 and the transcription factor Mohawk. Control scaffolds and those functionalized by gas phase fluorination and cross-linked collagen foam were either pre-cultured with a suspension or with spheroids of LACL cells before being subjected to cyclic stretch (4%, 0.11 Hz, 3 days). Stretch increased significantly the scaffold area colonized with cells but impaired sGAGs and decorin gene expression (functionalized scaffolds seeded with cell suspension). Stretching increased tenascin C, connexin 43 and Mohawk but decreased decorin gene expression (control scaffolds seeded with cell suspension). Pre-cultivation of functionalized scaffolds with spheroids might be the more suitable method for maintaining ligamentogenesis in 3D scaffolds compared to using a cell suspension due to a significantly higher sGAG content in response to stretching and type I collagen gene expression in functionalized scaffolds.
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11
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Mechanical and Immunological Regulation in Wound Healing and Skin Reconstruction. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22115474. [PMID: 34067386 PMCID: PMC8197020 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In the past decade, a new frontier in scarless wound healing has arisen because of significant advances in the field of wound healing realised by incorporating emerging concepts from mechanobiology and immunology. The complete integumentary organ system (IOS) regeneration and scarless wound healing mechanism, which occurs in specific species, body sites and developmental stages, clearly shows that mechanical stress signals and immune responses play important roles in determining the wound healing mode. Advances in tissue engineering technology have led to the production of novel human skin equivalents and organoids that reproduce cell–cell interactions with tissue-scale tensional homeostasis, and enable us to evaluate skin tissue morphology, functionality, drug response and wound healing. This breakthrough in tissue engineering has the potential to accelerate the understanding of wound healing control mechanisms through complex mechanobiological and immunological interactions. In this review, we present an overview of recent studies of biomechanical and immunological wound healing and tissue remodelling mechanisms through comparisons of species- and developmental stage-dependent wound healing mechanisms. We also discuss the possibility of elucidating the control mechanism of wound healing involving mechanobiological and immunological interaction by using next-generation human skin equivalents.
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12
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Ding Y, Hou Y, Liu Y, Xie X, Cui Y, Nie H. Prospects for miR-21 as a Target in the Treatment of Lung Diseases. Curr Pharm Des 2021; 27:415-422. [PMID: 32867648 DOI: 10.2174/1381612826999200820160608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNA (miRNA/miR) is a class of small evolutionarily conserved non-coding RNA, which can inhibit the target gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and serve as significant roles in cell differentiation, proliferation, migration and apoptosis. Of note, the aberrant miR-21 has been involved in the generation and development of multiple lung diseases, and identified as a candidate of biomarker, therapeutic target, or indicator of prognosis. MiR-21 relieves acute lung injury via depressing the PTEN/Foxo1-TLR4/NF-κB signaling cascade, whereas promotes lung cancer cell growth, metastasis, and chemo/radio-resistance by decreasing the expression of PTEN and PDCD4 and promoting the PI3K/AKT transduction. The purpose of this review is to elucidate the potential mechanisms of miR-21 associated lung diseases, with an emphasis on its dual regulating effects, which will trigger novel paradigms in molecular therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Ding
- Department of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yapeng Hou
- Department of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yanhong Liu
- Department of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiaoyong Xie
- Department of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yong Cui
- Department of Anesthesiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Hongguang Nie
- Department of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
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13
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Che P, Wang M, Larson-Casey JL, Hu RH, Cheng Y, El Hamdaoui M, Zhao XK, Grytz R, Brent Carter A, Ding Q. A novel tree shrew model of pulmonary fibrosis. J Transl Med 2021; 101:116-124. [PMID: 32773774 DOI: 10.1038/s41374-020-00476-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive fibrotic lung disease without effective therapy. Animal models effectively reproducing IPF disease features are needed to study the underlying molecular mechanisms. Tree shrews are genetically, anatomically, and metabolically closer to humans than rodents or dogs; therefore, the tree shrew model presents a unique opportunity for translational research in lung fibrosis. Here we demonstrate that tree shrews have in vivo and in vitro fibrotic responses induced by bleomycin and pro-fibrotic mediators. Bleomycin exposure induced lung fibrosis evidenced by histological and biochemical fibrotic changes. In primary tree shrew lung fibroblasts, transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) induced myofibroblast differentiation, increased extracellular matrix (ECM) protein production, and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activation. Tree shrew lung fibroblasts showed enhanced migration and increased matrix invasion in response to platelet derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB). Inhibition of FAK significantly attenuated pro-fibrotic responses in lung fibroblasts. The data demonstrate that tree shrews have in vivo and in vitro fibrotic responses similar to that observed in IPF. The data, for the first time, support that the tree shrew model of lung fibrosis is a new and promising experimental animal model for studying the pathophysiology and therapeutics of lung fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pulin Che
- Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, Division of Molecular and Translational Biomedicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Meimei Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, Division of Molecular and Translational Biomedicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Jennifer L Larson-Casey
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Rui-Han Hu
- Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, Division of Molecular and Translational Biomedicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Yiju Cheng
- Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, Division of Molecular and Translational Biomedicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Mustapha El Hamdaoui
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Xue-Ke Zhao
- Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, Division of Molecular and Translational Biomedicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Rafael Grytz
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - A Brent Carter
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
- Birmingham VAMC, Birmingham, AL, USA.
| | - Qiang Ding
- Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, Division of Molecular and Translational Biomedicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
- Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 901 19th Street South, BMR II, Rm#336, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.
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14
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Li N, Wang Z, Gao F, Lei Y, Li Z. Melatonin ameliorates renal fibroblast-myofibroblast transdifferentiation and renal fibrosis through miR-21-5p regulation. J Cell Mol Med 2020; 24:5615-5628. [PMID: 32243691 PMCID: PMC7214152 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.15221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Revised: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibroblast‐myofibroblast transdifferentiation (FMT) is widely recognized as the major pathological feature of renal fibrosis. Although melatonin has exerted antifibrogenic activity in many diseases, its role in renal FMT remains unclear. In the present study, the aim was to explore the effect of melatonin on renal FMT and the underlying mechanisms. We established the transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β1 stimulated rat renal fibroblast cells (NRK‐49F) model in vitro and unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) mice model in vivo. We assessed levels of α‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA), col1a1 and fibronectin, STAT3 and AP‐1, as well as miR‐21‐5p and its target genes (Spry1, PTEN, Smurf2 and PDCD4). We found that melatonin reduced the expression of α‐SMA, col1a1 and fibronectin, as well as the formation of α‐SMA filament in TGF‐β1‐treated NRK‐49F cells. Meanwhile, melatonin inhibited STAT3 phosphorylation, down‐regulated miR‐21‐5p expression, and up‐regulated Spry1 and PTEN expression. Moreover, miR‐21‐5p mimics partially antagonized the anti‐fibrotic effect of melatonin. For animal experiments, the results revealed that melatonin remarkably ameliorated UUO‐induced renal fibrosis, attenuated the expression of miR‐21‐5p and pro‐fibrotic proteins and elevated Spry1 and PTEN expression. Nevertheless, agomir of miR‐21‐5p blocked the renoprotective effect of melatonin in UUO mice. These results indicated that melatonin could alleviate TGF‐β1‐induced renal FMT and UUO‐induced renal fibrosis through down‐regulation of miR‐21‐5p. Regulation of miR‐21‐5p/PTEN and/or miR‐21‐5p/Spry1 signal might be involved in the anti‐fibrotic effect of melatonin in the kidneys of UUO mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ningning Li
- Department of Pathology, Henan Medical College, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhan Wang
- Department of Surgery, Henan Medical College, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Fenglan Gao
- Department of Pathology, Henan Medical College, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yanfei Lei
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Henan Medical College, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhenzhen Li
- Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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15
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Du G, Wang J, Zhang T, Ding Q, Jia X, Zhao X, Dong J, Yang X, Lu S, Zhang C, Liu Z, Zeng Z, Safadi R, Qi R, Zhao X, Hong Z, Lu Y. Targeting Src family kinase member Fyn by Saracatinib attenuated liver fibrosis in vitro and in vivo. Cell Death Dis 2020; 11:118. [PMID: 32051399 PMCID: PMC7016006 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-2229-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2019] [Revised: 12/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies suggest that Src family kinase (SFK) plays important roles in systemic sclerosis and pulmonary fibrosis. However, how SFKs contributed to the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis remains largely unknown. Here, we investigated the role of Fyn, a member of SFK, in hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation and liver fibrosis, and evaluated the anti-fibrotic effects of Saracatinib, a clinically proven safe Fyn inhibitor. Fyn activation was examined in human normal and fibrotic liver tissues. The roles of Fyn in HSC activation and liver fibrosis were evaluated in HSC cell lines by using Fyn siRNA and in Fyn knockout mice. The effects of Saracatinib on HSC activation and liver fibrosis were determined in primary HSCs and CCl4 induced liver fibrosis model. We showed that the Fyn was activated in the liver of human fibrosis patients. TGF-β induced the activation of Fyn in HSC cell lines. Knockdown of Fyn significantly blocked HSC activation, proliferation, and migration. Fyn deficient mice were resistant to CCl4 induced liver fibrosis. Saracatinib treatment abolished the activation of Fyn, downregulated the Fyn/FAK/N-WASP signaling in HSCs, and subsequently prevented the activation of HSCs. Saracatinib treatment significantly reduced the severity liver fibrosis induced by CCl4 in mice. In conclusions, our findings supported the critical role of Fyn in HSC activation and development of liver fibrosis. Fyn could serve as a promising drug target for liver fibrosis treatment. Fyn inhibitor Saracatinib significantly inhibited HSC activation and attenuated liver fibrosis in mouse model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guifang Du
- Comprehensive Liver Cancer Centre, the Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- Comprehensive Liver Cancer Centre, the Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Qiang Ding
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Xiaodong Jia
- Comprehensive Liver Cancer Centre, the Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xueke Zhao
- Guizhou Medical University, Guizhou, China
| | - Jinke Dong
- Comprehensive Liver Cancer Centre, the Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.,Guizhou Medical University, Guizhou, China
| | - Xinrui Yang
- Comprehensive Liver Cancer Centre, the Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Shanshan Lu
- Comprehensive Liver Cancer Centre, the Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Cuihong Zhang
- Comprehensive Liver Cancer Centre, the Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Ze Liu
- Comprehensive Liver Cancer Centre, the Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhen Zeng
- Comprehensive Liver Cancer Centre, the Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Rifaat Safadi
- Hadassah Medical Organization, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ruizhao Qi
- Department of Hepatobiliary surgery, the Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Zhao
- Department of Hepatobiliary surgery, the Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhixian Hong
- Department of Hepatobiliary surgery, the Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yinying Lu
- Comprehensive Liver Cancer Centre, the Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China. .,Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
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16
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Che P, Wagener BM, Zhao X, Brandon AP, Evans CA, Cai GQ, Zhao R, Xu ZX, Han X, Pittet JF, Ding Q. Neuronal Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein regulates Pseudomonas aeruginosa-induced lung vascular permeability through the modulation of actin cytoskeletal dynamics. FASEB J 2020; 34:3305-3317. [PMID: 31916311 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201902915r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Pulmonary edema associated with increased vascular permeability is a severe complication of Pseudomonas (P.) aeruginosa-induced acute lung injury. The mechanisms underlying P aeruginosa-induced vascular permeability are not well understood. In the present study, we investigated the role of neuronal Wiskott Aldrich syndrome protein (N-WASP) in modulating P aeruginosa-induced vascular permeability. Using lung microvascular endothelial and alveolar epithelial cells, we demonstrated that N-WASP downregulation attenuated P aeruginosa-induced actin stress fiber formation and prevented paracellular permeability. P aeruginosa-induced dissociation between VE-cadherin and β-catenin, but increased association between N-WASP and VE-cadherin, suggesting a role for N-WASP in promoting P aeruginosa-induced adherens junction rupture. P aeruginosa increased N-WASP-Y256 phosphorylation, which required the activation of Rho GTPase and focal adhesion kinase. Increased N-WASP-Y256 phosphorylation promotes N-WASP and integrin αVβ6 association as well as TGF-β-mediated permeability across alveolar epithelial cells. Inhibition of N-WASP-Y256 phosphorylation by N-WASP-Y256F overexpression blocked N-WASP effects in P aeruginosa-induced actin stress fiber formation and increased paracellular permeability. In vivo, N-WASP knockdown attenuated the development of pulmonary edema and improved survival in a mouse model of P aeruginosa pneumonia. Together, our data demonstrate that N-WASP plays an essential role in P aeruginosa-induced vascular permeability and pulmonary edema through the modulation of actin cytoskeleton dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pulin Che
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.,Molecular and Translational Biomedicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Brant M Wagener
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.,Molecular and Translational Biomedicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.,Divisions of Critical Care, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.,Center for Free Radical Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Xueke Zhao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Angela P Brandon
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Cilina A Evans
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Guo-Qiang Cai
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Rui Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Zhi-Xiang Xu
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Xiaosi Han
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Jean-Francois Pittet
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.,Divisions of Critical Care, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Qiang Ding
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.,Molecular and Translational Biomedicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
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17
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Zheng W, Gu X, Sun X, Wu Q, Dan H. FAK mediates BMP9-induced osteogenic differentiation via Wnt and MAPK signaling pathway in synovial mesenchymal stem cells. ARTIFICIAL CELLS NANOMEDICINE AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 2019; 47:2641-2649. [PMID: 31240956 DOI: 10.1080/21691401.2019.1631838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Objective: Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) has critical functions in proliferation and differentiation of many cell types, however, the role of FAK on BMP9-induced osteogenic differentiation in SMSCs has not been characted. The purpose of current study is to explore the mechanism of FAK on the BMP9-induced osteogenesis of SMSCs in vitro and in vivo. Methods: The optimal dose of BMP9 was determined by incubation in different BMP9 concentrations, then cells were transfected with siRNA-induced FAK knockdown in BMP9-induced osteogenesis. Cell proliferation, migration, the osteogenic capacity, and the underlying mechanism were further detected in vitro. Imaging and pathological examination were conducted to observe the bone formation in vivo. Results: Our findings suggested that BMP9 could obviously promote FAK phosphorylation in osteogenic conditions. In contrast, FAK knockdown significantly decreased the cell proliferation, migration, the osteogenic capacity of SMSCs. To be specific, FAK knockdown could markedly inhibit the Wnt and MAPK signal pathway of SMSCs induced by BMP9. Besides, FAK knockdown could also effectively inhibit BMP-9-induced bone formation in vivo. Conclusion: FAK plays a pivotal role in promoting BMP9-induced osteogenesis of SMSCs, which is probably via activating Wnt and MAPK pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Zheng
- a Department of Orthopaedics, Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University , Suzhou , PR China
| | - Xueping Gu
- a Department of Orthopaedics, Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University , Suzhou , PR China
| | - Xingwei Sun
- b Department of Intervention, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University , Suzhou , PR China
| | - Qin Wu
- c Department of Ultrasonography, Suzhou Science and Technology Town Hospital, Suzhou Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University , Suzhou , PR China.,d Department of Ultrasound, Suzhou Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University , Suzhou , China
| | - Hu Dan
- a Department of Orthopaedics, Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University , Suzhou , PR China
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18
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Kwon A, Chae IH, You E, Kim SH, Ahn SY, Lee OJ, Park ZY, Rhee S, Huh YH, Song WK. Extra domain A-containing fibronectin expression in Spin90-deficient fibroblasts mediates cancer-stroma interaction and promotes breast cancer progression. J Cell Physiol 2019; 235:4494-4507. [PMID: 31637720 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.29326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in the tumor microenvironment play major roles in supporting cancer progression. A previous report showed that SPIN90 downregulation is correlated with CAF activation and that SPIN90-deficient CAFs promote breast cancer progression. However, the mechanisms that mediate cancer-stroma interaction and how such interactions regulate cancer progression are not well understood. Here, we show that extra domain A (EDA)-containing fibronectin (FN), FN(+)EDA, produced by mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) derived from Spin90-knockout (KO) mice increases their own myofibroblast differentiation, which facilitates breast cancer progression. Increased FN(+)EDA in Spin90-KO MEFs promoted fibril formation in the extracellular matrix (ECM) and specifically interacted with integrin α4β1 as the mediating receptor. Moreover, FN(+)EDA expression by Spin90-KO MEFs increased proliferation, migration, and invasion of breast cancer cells. Irigenin, a specific inhibitor of the interaction between integrin α4β1 and FN(+)EDA, significantly blocked the effects of FN(+)EDA, such as fibril formation by Spin90-KO MEFs and proliferation, migration, and invasion of breast cancer cells. In orthotopic breast cancer mouse models, irigenin injection remarkably reduced tumor growth and lung metastases. It was supported by that FN(+)EDA in assembled fibrils was accumulated in cancer stroma of human breast cancer patients in which SPIN90 expression was downregulated. Our data suggest that SPIN90 downregulation increases FN(+)EDA and promotes ECM stiffening in breast cancer stroma through an assembly of long FN(+)EDA-rich fibrils; moreover, engagement of the Integrin α4β1 receptor facilitates breast cancer progression. Inhibitory effects of irigenin on tumor growth and metastasis suggest the potential of this agent as an anticancer therapeutic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahreum Kwon
- Cell Logistics and Silver Health Research Center, School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - In Hee Chae
- Cell Logistics and Silver Health Research Center, School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunae You
- Department of Life Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - So Hee Kim
- Cell Logistics and Silver Health Research Center, School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Su-Yeon Ahn
- Cell Logistics and Silver Health Research Center, School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Ok-Jun Lee
- Department of Pathology, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Zee-Yong Park
- Cell Logistics and Silver Health Research Center, School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangmyung Rhee
- Department of Life Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun Hyun Huh
- Cell Logistics and Silver Health Research Center, School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Woo Keun Song
- Cell Logistics and Silver Health Research Center, School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
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19
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Zhan S, Che P, Zhao XK, Li N, Ding Y, Liu J, Li S, Ding K, Han L, Huang Z, Wu L, Wang Y, Hu M, Han X, Ding Q. Molecular mechanism of tumour necrosis factor alpha regulates hypocretin (orexin) expression, sleep and behaviour. J Cell Mol Med 2019; 23:6822-6834. [PMID: 31386303 PMCID: PMC6787512 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.14566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 06/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypocretin 1 and hypocretin 2 (orexin A and B) regulate sleep, wakefulness and emotion. Tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is an important neuroinflammation mediator. Here, we examined the effects of TNF-α treatment on hypocretin expression in vivo and behaviour in mice. TNF-α decreased hypocretin 1 and hypocretin 2 expression in a dose-dependent manner in cultured hypothalamic neurons. TNF-α decreased mRNA stability of prepro-hypocretin, the single precursor of hypocretin 1 and hypocretin 2. Mice challenged with TNF-α demonstrated decreased expression of prepro-hypocretin, hypocretin 1 and hypocretin 2 in hypothalamus. In response to TNF-α, prepro-hypocretin mRNA decay was increased in hypothalamus. TNF-α neutralizing antibody restored the expression of prepro-hypocretin, hypocretin 1 and hypocretin 2 in vivo in TNF-α challenged mice, supporting hypocretin system can be impaired by increased TNF-α through decreasing hypocretin expression. Repeated TNF-α challenge induced muscle activity during rapid eye movement sleep and sleep fragmentation, but decreased learning, cognition and memory in mice. TNF-α neutralizing antibody blocked the effects of TNF-α; in contrast, hypocretin receptor antagonist enhanced the effects of TNF-α. The data support that TNF-α is involved in the regulation of hypocretin expression, sleep and cognition. The findings shed some lights on the role of neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuqin Zhan
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuromodulation, Beijing, China
| | - Pulin Che
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.,Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Xue-Ke Zhao
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Ning Li
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuromodulation, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Ding
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuromodulation, Beijing, China
| | - Jianghong Liu
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuromodulation, Beijing, China
| | - Spring Li
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Karyn Ding
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Lynn Han
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Zhaoyang Huang
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuromodulation, Beijing, China
| | - Liyong Wu
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuping Wang
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuromodulation, Beijing, China
| | - Meng Hu
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaosi Han
- Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Qiang Ding
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
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20
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Rodrigues M, Kosaric N, Bonham CA, Gurtner GC. Wound Healing: A Cellular Perspective. Physiol Rev 2019; 99:665-706. [PMID: 30475656 PMCID: PMC6442927 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00067.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1135] [Impact Index Per Article: 227.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2017] [Revised: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Wound healing is one of the most complex processes in the human body. It involves the spatial and temporal synchronization of a variety of cell types with distinct roles in the phases of hemostasis, inflammation, growth, re-epithelialization, and remodeling. With the evolution of single cell technologies, it has been possible to uncover phenotypic and functional heterogeneity within several of these cell types. There have also been discoveries of rare, stem cell subsets within the skin, which are unipotent in the uninjured state, but become multipotent following skin injury. Unraveling the roles of each of these cell types and their interactions with each other is important in understanding the mechanisms of normal wound closure. Changes in the microenvironment including alterations in mechanical forces, oxygen levels, chemokines, extracellular matrix and growth factor synthesis directly impact cellular recruitment and activation, leading to impaired states of wound healing. Single cell technologies can be used to decipher these cellular alterations in diseased states such as in chronic wounds and hypertrophic scarring so that effective therapeutic solutions for healing wounds can be developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Rodrigues
- Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine , Stanford, California
| | - Nina Kosaric
- Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine , Stanford, California
| | - Clark A Bonham
- Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine , Stanford, California
| | - Geoffrey C Gurtner
- Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine , Stanford, California
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21
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Cui X, Sun X, Lu F, Jiang X. Baicalein represses TGF-β1-induced fibroblast differentiation through the inhibition of miR-21. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2018; 358:35-42. [DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2018.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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22
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The Role of Focal Adhesion Kinase in Keratinocyte Fibrogenic Gene Expression. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18091915. [PMID: 28880199 PMCID: PMC5618564 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18091915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Revised: 08/31/2017] [Accepted: 09/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal skin scarring causes functional impairment, psychological stress, and high socioeconomic cost. Evidence shows that altered mechanotransduction pathways have been linked to both inflammation and fibrosis, and that focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a key mediator of these processes. We investigated the importance of keratinocyte FAK at the single cell level in key fibrogenic pathways critical for scar formation. Keratinocytes were isolated from wildtype and keratinocyte-specific FAK-deleted mice, cultured, and sorted into single cells. Keratinocytes were evaluated using a microfluidic-based platform for high-resolution transcriptional analysis. Partitive clustering, gene enrichment analysis, and network modeling were applied to characterize the significance of FAK on regulating keratinocyte subpopulations and fibrogenic pathways important for scar formation. Considerable transcriptional heterogeneity was observed within the keratinocyte populations. FAK-deleted keratinocytes demonstrated increased expression of genes integral to mechanotransduction and extracellular matrix production, including Igtbl, Mmpla, and Col4a1. Transcriptional activities upon FAK deletion were not identical across all single keratinocytes, resulting in higher frequency of a minor subpopulation characterized by a matrix-remodeling profile compared to wildtype keratinocyte population. The importance of keratinocyte FAK signaling gene expression was revealed. A minor subpopulation of keratinocytes characterized by a matrix-modulating profile may be a keratinocyte subset important for mechanotransduction and scar formation.
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Wang Y, Terrell AM, Riggio BA, Anand D, Lachke SA, Duncan MK. β1-Integrin Deletion From the Lens Activates Cellular Stress Responses Leading to Apoptosis and Fibrosis. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2017; 58:3896-3922. [PMID: 28763805 PMCID: PMC5539801 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.17-21721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Previous research showed that the absence of β1-integrin from the mouse lens after embryonic day (E) 13.5 (β1MLR10) leads to the perinatal apoptosis of lens epithelial cells (LECs) resulting in severe microphthalmia. This study focuses on elucidating the molecular connections between β1-integrin deletion and this phenotype. Methods RNA sequencing was performed to identify differentially regulated genes (DRGs) in β1MLR10 lenses at E15.5. By using bioinformatics analysis and literature searching, Egr1 (early growth response 1) was selected for further study. The activation status of certain signaling pathways (focal adhesion kinase [FAK]/Erk, TGF-β, and Akt signaling) was studied via Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Mice lacking both β1-integrin and Egr1 genes from the lenses were created (β1MLR10/Egr1−/−) to study their relationship. Results RNA sequencing identified 120 DRGs that include candidates involved in the cellular stress response, fibrosis, and/or apoptosis. Egr1 was investigated in detail, as it mediates cellular stress responses in various cell types, and is recognized as an upstream regulator of numerous other β1MLR10 lens DRGs. In β1MLR10 mice, Egr1 levels are elevated shortly after β1-integrin loss from the lens. Further, pErk1/2 and pAkt are elevated in β1MLR10 LECs, thus providing the potential signaling mechanism that causes Egr1 upregulation in the mutant. Indeed, deletion of Egr1 from β1MLR10 lenses partially rescues the microphthalmia phenotype. Conclusions β1-integrin regulates the appropriate levels of Erk1/2 and Akt phosphorylation in LECs, whereas its deficiency results in the overexpression of Egr1, culminating in reduced cell survival. These findings provide insight into the molecular mechanism underlying the microphthalmia observed in β1MLR10 mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichen Wang
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, United States
| | - Anne M Terrell
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, United States
| | - Brittany A Riggio
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, United States
| | - Deepti Anand
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, United States
| | - Salil A Lachke
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, United States
| | - Melinda K Duncan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, United States
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Abstract
Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms of liver fibrosis is important to develop effective therapy. Herein, we show that focal-adhesion-kinse (FAK) plays a key role in promoting hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) activation in vitro and liver fibrosis progression in vivo. FAK activation is associated with increased expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and collagen in fibrotic live tissues. Transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) induces FAK activation in a time and dose dependent manner. FAK activation precedes the α-SMA expression in HSCs. Inhibition of FAK activation blocks the α-SMA and collagen expression, and inhibits the formation of stress fibers in TGF-β1 treated HSCs. Furthermore, inhibition of FAK activation significantly reduces HSC migration and small GTPase activation, and induces apoptotic signaling in TGF-β1 treated HSCs. Importantly, FAK inhibitor attenuates liver fibrosis in vivo and significantly reduces collagen and α-SMA expression in an animal model of liver fibrosis. These data demonstrate that FAK plays an essential role in HSC activation and liver fibrosis progression, and FAK signaling pathway could be a potential target for liver fibrosis.
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Ding Q, Subramanian I, Luckhardt TR, Che P, Waghray M, Zhao XK, Bone N, Kurundkar AR, Hecker L, Hu M, Zhou Y, Horowitz JC, Vittal R, Thannickal VJ. Focal adhesion kinase signaling determines the fate of lung epithelial cells in response to TGF-β. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2017; 312:L926-L935. [PMID: 28360109 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00121.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2016] [Revised: 03/15/2017] [Accepted: 03/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Alveolar epithelial cell (AEC) injury and apoptosis are prominent pathological features of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). There is evidence of AEC plasticity in lung injury repair response and in IPF. In this report, we explore the role of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) signaling in determining the fate of lung epithelial cells in response to transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). Rat type II alveolar epithelial cells (RLE-6TN) were treated with or without TGF-β1, and the expressions of mesenchymal markers, phenotype, and function were analyzed. Pharmacological protein kinase inhibitors were utilized to screen for SMAD-dependent and -independent pathways. SMAD and FAK signaling was analyzed using siRNA knockdown, inhibitors, and expression of a mutant construct of FAK. Apoptosis was measured using cleaved caspase-3 and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. TGF-β1 induced the acquisition of mesenchymal markers, including α-smooth muscle actin, in RLE-6TN cells and enhanced the contraction of three-dimensional collagen gels. This phenotypical transition or plasticity, epithelial-myofibroblast plasticity (EMP), is dependent on SMAD3 and FAK signaling. FAK activation was found to be dependent on ALK5/SMAD3 signaling. We observed that TGF-β1 induces both EMP and apoptosis in the same cell culture system but not in the same cell. While blockade of SMAD signaling inhibited EMP, it had a minimal effect on apoptosis; in contrast, inhibition of FAK signaling markedly shifted to an apoptotic fate. The data support that FAK activation determines whether AECs undergo EMP vs. apoptosis in response to TGF-β1 stimulation. TGF-β1-induced EMP is FAK- dependent, whereas TGF-β1-induced apoptosis is favored when FAK signaling is inhibited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Ding
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama;
| | - Indhu Subramanian
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Alameda Health System, Oakland, California
| | - Tracy R Luckhardt
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Pulin Che
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Meghna Waghray
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Xue-Ke Zhao
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Affiliated to Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China; and
| | - Nathaniel Bone
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Ashish R Kurundkar
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Louise Hecker
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Meng Hu
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Yong Zhou
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Jeffrey C Horowitz
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Ragini Vittal
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Victor J Thannickal
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
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Zhao XK, Che P, Cheng ML, Zhang Q, Mu M, Li H, Luo Y, Liang YD, Luo XH, Gao CQ, Jackson PL, Wells JM, Zhou Y, Hu M, Cai G, Thannickal VJ, Steele C, Blalock JE, Han X, Chen CY, Ding Q. Tristetraprolin Down-Regulation Contributes to Persistent TNF-Alpha Expression Induced by Cigarette Smoke Extract through a Post-Transcriptional Mechanism. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0167451. [PMID: 27911957 PMCID: PMC5135108 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0167451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2016] [Accepted: 11/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Rationale Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is a potent pro-inflammatory mediator and its expression is up-regulated in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Tristetraprolin (TTP) is implicated in regulation of TNF-α expression; however, whether TTP is involved in cigarette smoke-induced TNF-α expression has not been determined. Methods TTP expression was examined by western blot analysis in murine alveolar macrophages and alveolar epithelial cells challenged without or with cigarette smoke extract (CSE). TNF-α mRNA stability, and the decay of TNF-α mRNA, were determined by real-time quantitative RT-PCR. TNF-α protein levels were examined at the same time in these cells. To identify the molecular mechanism involved, a construct expressing the human beta-globin reporter mRNA containing the TNF-α 3’-untranslated region was generated to characterize the TTP targeted site within TNF-α mRNA. Results CSE induced TTP down-regulation in alveolar macrophages and alveolar epithelial cells. Reduced TTP expression resulted in significantly increased TNF-α mRNA stability. Importantly, increased TNF-α mRNA stability due to impaired TTP function resulted in significantly increased TNF-α levels in these cells. Forced TTP expression abrogated the increased TNF-α mRNA stability and expression induced by CSE. By using the globin reporter construct containing TNF-α mRNA 3’-untranslated region, the data indicate that TTP directly targets the adenine- and uridine-rich region (ARE) of TNF-α mRNA and negatively regulates TNF-α expression at the post-transcriptional level. Conclusion The data demonstrate that cigarette smoke exposure reduces TTP expression and impairs TTP function, resulting in significantly increased TNF-α mRNA stability and excessive TNF-α expression in alveolar macrophages and epithelial cells. The data suggest that TTP is a novel post-transcriptional regulator and limits excessive TNF-α expression and inflammatory response induced by cigarette smoke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Ke Zhao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Hospital Affiliated to Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Pulin Che
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Ming-Liang Cheng
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Hospital Affiliated to Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
- * E-mail: (MLC); (QD)
| | - Quan Zhang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Hospital Affiliated to Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Mao Mu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Hospital Affiliated to Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Hong Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Hospital Affiliated to Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Yuan Luo
- Department of Oral Surgery, Shanghai Stomatology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yue-Dong Liang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Public Health Center of Guiyang, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Xin-Hua Luo
- Department of Infectious Diseases, People's Hospital of Guizhou Province, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Chang-Qing Gao
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Patricia L. Jackson
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - J. Michael Wells
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Yong Zhou
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Meng Hu
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Guoqiang Cai
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Victor J. Thannickal
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Chad Steele
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - J. Edwin Blalock
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Xiaosi Han
- Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Ching-Yi Chen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Qiang Ding
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
- * E-mail: (MLC); (QD)
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Rybinski K, Imtiyaz HZ, Mittica B, Drozdowski B, Fulmer J, Furuuchi K, Fernando S, Henry M, Chao Q, Kline B, Albone E, Wustner J, Lin J, Nicolaides NC, Grasso L, Zhou Y. Targeting endosialin/CD248 through antibody-mediated internalization results in impaired pericyte maturation and dysfunctional tumor microvasculature. Oncotarget 2016; 6:25429-40. [PMID: 26327620 PMCID: PMC4694842 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.4559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2015] [Accepted: 06/22/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Over-expression of endosialin/CD248 (herein referred to as CD248) has been associated with increased tumor microvasculature in various tissue origins which makes it an attractive anti-angiogenic target. In an effort to target CD248, we have generated a human CD248 knock-in mouse line and MORAb-004, the humanized version of the mouse anti-human CD248 antibody Fb5. Here, we report that MORAb-004 treatment significantly impacted syngeneic tumor growth and tumor metastasis in the human CD248 knock-in mice. In comparison with untreated tumors, MORAb-004 treated tumors displayed overall shortened and distorted blood vessels. Immunofluorescent staining of tumor sections revealed drastically more small and dysfunctional vessels in the treated tumors. The CD248 levels on cell surfaces of neovasculature pericytes were significantly reduced due to its internalization. This reduction of CD248 was also accompanied by reduced α-SMA expression, depolarization of pericytes and endothelium, and ultimately dysfunctional microvessels. These results suggest that MORAb-004 reduced CD248 on pericytes, impaired tumor microvasculature maturation and ultimately suppressed tumor development.
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Dowson C, O'Reilly S. DNA methylation in fibrosis. Eur J Cell Biol 2016; 95:323-30. [PMID: 27346523 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2016.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2016] [Revised: 05/10/2016] [Accepted: 06/12/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Fibrosis is characterised by an exuberant wound healing response and the major cell type responsible is the myofibroblast. The myofibroblast is typified by excessive ECM production and contractile activity and is demarcated by alpha-smooth muscle actin expression. What has recently come to light is that the activation of the fibroblast to myofibroblast may be under epigenetic control, specifically methylation. Methylation of DNA is a conserved mechanism to precisely regulate gene expression in a specific context. Hypermethylation leads to gene repression and hypomethylation results in gene induction. Methylation abnormalities have recently been uncovered in fibrosis, both organ specific and widespread fibrosis. The fact that these methylation changes are rapid and reversible lends themselves amenable to therapeutic intervention. This review considers the role of methylation in fibrosis and the activation of the myofibroblasts and how this could be targeted for fibrosis. Fibrosis is of course currently intractable to therapeutics and is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality and is an urgent unmet clinical need.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Dowson
- Cell Biology Group, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Ellison Building, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 3HY, United Kingdom
| | - Steven O'Reilly
- Cell Biology Group, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Ellison Building, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 3HY, United Kingdom.
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Abstract
Diabetes and diabetic kidney diseases have continually exerted a great burden on our society. Although the recent advances in medical research have led to a much better understanding of diabetic kidney diseases, there is still no successful strategy for effective treatments for diabetic kidney diseases. Recently, treatment of diabetic kidney diseases relies either on drugs that reduce the progression of renal injury or on renal replacement therapies, such as dialysis and kidney transplantation. On the other hand, searching for biomarkers for early diagnosis and effective therapy is also urgent. Discovery of microRNAs has opened to a novel field for posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression. Results from cell culture experiments, experimental animal models, and patients under diabetic conditions reveal the critical role of microRNAs during the progression of diabetic kidney diseases. Functional studies demonstrate not only the capability of microRNAs to regulate expression of target genes, but also their therapeutic potential to diabetic kidney diseases. The existence of microRNAs in plasma, serum, and urine suggests their possibility to be biomarkers in diabetic kidney diseases. Thus, identification of the functional role of microRNAs provides an essentially clinical impact in terms of prevention and treatment of progression in diabetic kidney diseases as it enables us to develop novel, specific therapies and diagnostic tools for diabetic kidney diseases.
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Wagener BM, Hu M, Zheng A, Zhao X, Che P, Brandon A, Anjum N, Snapper S, Creighton J, Guan JL, Han Q, Cai GQ, Han X, Pittet JF, Ding Q. Neuronal Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein regulates TGF-β1-mediated lung vascular permeability. FASEB J 2016; 30:2557-69. [PMID: 27025963 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201600102r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
TGF-β1 induces an increase in paracellular permeability and actin stress fiber formation in lung microvascular endothelial and alveolar epithelial cells via small Rho GTPase. The molecular mechanism involved is not fully understood. Neuronal Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (N-WASP) has an essential role in actin structure dynamics. We hypothesized that N-WASP plays a critical role in these TGF-β1-induced responses. In these cell monolayers, we demonstrated that N-WASP down-regulation by short hairpin RNA prevented TGF-β1-mediated disruption of the cortical actin structure, actin stress filament formation, and increased permeability. Furthermore, N-WASP down-regulation blocked TGF-β1 activation mediated by IL-1β in alveolar epithelial cells, which requires actin stress fiber formation. Control short hairpin RNA had no effect on these TGF-β1-induced responses. TGF-β1-induced phosphorylation of Y256 of N-WASP via activation of small Rho GTPase and focal adhesion kinase mediates TGF-β1-induced paracellular permeability and actin cytoskeleton dynamics. In vivo, compared with controls, N-WASP down-regulation increases survival and prevents lung edema in mice induced by bleomycin exposure-a lung injury model in which TGF-β1 plays a critical role. Our data indicate that N-WASP plays a crucial role in the development of TGF-β1-mediated acute lung injury by promoting pulmonary edema via regulation of actin cytoskeleton dynamics.-Wagener, B. M., Hu, M., Zheng, A., Zhao, X., Che, P., Brandon, A., Anjum, N., Snapper, S., Creighton, J., Guan, J.-L., Han, Q., Cai, G.-Q., Han, X., Pittet, J.-F., Ding, Q. Neuronal Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein regulates TGF-β1-mediated lung vascular permeability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brant M Wagener
- Division of Critical Care, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA; Division of Molecular and Translational Biomedicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Meng Hu
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Anni Zheng
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Xueke Zhao
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA; Department of Infectious Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Pulin Che
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Angela Brandon
- Division of Molecular and Translational Biomedicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Naseem Anjum
- Division of Molecular and Translational Biomedicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Scott Snapper
- Department of Pathology, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Judy Creighton
- Division of Molecular and Translational Biomedicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Jun-Lin Guan
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Qimei Han
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Guo-Qiang Cai
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Xiaosi Han
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Jean-Francois Pittet
- Division of Critical Care, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA; Division of Molecular and Translational Biomedicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA; Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA; Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Qiang Ding
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA; Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
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Southern BD, Grove LM, Rahaman SO, Abraham S, Scheraga RG, Niese KA, Sun H, Herzog EL, Liu F, Tschumperlin DJ, Egelhoff TT, Rosenfeld SS, Olman MA. Matrix-driven Myosin II Mediates the Pro-fibrotic Fibroblast Phenotype. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:6083-95. [PMID: 26763235 PMCID: PMC4813589 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.712380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Revised: 01/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pro-fibrotic mesenchymal cells are known to be the key effector cells of fibroproliferative disease, but the specific matrix signals and the induced cellular responses that drive the fibrogenic phenotype remain to be elucidated. The key mediators of the fibroblast fibrogenic phenotype were characterized using a novel assay system that measures fibroblast behavior in response to actual normal and fibrotic lung tissue. Using this system, we demonstrate that normal lung promotes fibroblast motility and polarization, while fibrotic lung immobilizes the fibroblast and promotes myofibroblast differentiation. These context-specific phenotypes are surprisingly both mediated by myosin II. The role of myosin II is supported by the observation of an increase in myosin phosphorylation and a change in intracellular distribution in fibroblasts on fibrotic lung, as compared with normal lung. Moreover, loss of myosin II activity has opposing effects on protrusive activity in fibroblasts on normal and fibrotic lung. Loss of myosin II also selectively inhibits myofibroblast differentiation in fibroblasts on fibrotic lung. Importantly, these findings are recapitulated by varying the matrix stiffness of polyacrylamide gels in the range of normal and fibrotic lung tissue. Comparison of the effects of myosin inhibition on lung tissue with that of polyacrylamide gels suggests that matrix fiber organization drives the fibroblast phenotype under conditions of normal/soft lung, while matrix stiffness drives the phenotype under conditions of fibrotic/stiff lung. This work defines novel roles for myosin II as a key regulatory effector molecule of the pro-fibrotic phenotype, in response to biophysical properties of the matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Huanxing Sun
- Yale ILD Center of Excellence, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520
| | - Erica L Herzog
- Yale ILD Center of Excellence, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, and
| | - Daniel J Tschumperlin
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905
| | | | - Steven S Rosenfeld
- Department of Cancer Biology, Cleveland Clinic, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland, Ohio 44195
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Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous short non-coding RNAs that regulate most of important cellular processes by inhibiting gene expression through the post-transcriptional repression of their target mRNAs. In kidneys, miRNAs have been associated in renal development, homeostasis, and physiological functions. Results from clinical and experimental animal studies demonstrate that miRNAs play essential roles in the pathogenesis of various renal diseases. Chronic kidney diseases (CKD) is characterized by renal fibrosis. Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) is recognized as a major mediator of renal fibrosis because it is able to stimulate the accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins to impair normal kidney function. Recently, emerging evidence demonstrate the relationship between TGF-β signaling and miRNAs expression during renal diseases. TGF-β regulates expression of several microRNAs, such as miR-21, miR-192, miR-200, miR-433, and miR-29. MiR-21, miR-192, and miR-433 which are positively induced by TGF-β signaling play a pathological role in kidney diseases. In contrast, members in both miR-29 and miR-200 families which are inhibited by TGF-β signaling protect kidneys from renal fibrosis by suppressing the deposition of ECM and preventing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, respectively. Clinically, the presence of miRNAs in blood and urine has been examined to be early biomarkers for detecting renal diseases. From experimental animal studies of CKD, targeting microRNAs also provides evidence about therapeutic potential of miRNAs during renal diseases. Now, it comes to the stage to examine the exact mechanisms of miRNAs during the initiation and progression of renal diseases. Therefore, determining the function of miRNAs in renal fibrosis may facilitate the development of both early diagnosis and treatment of renal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur C-K Chung
- Partner State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University Hong Kong, China ; HKBU Institute for Research and Continuing Education Shenzhen, China
| | - Hui Y Lan
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, China
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Che P, Yang Y, Han X, Hu M, Sellers JC, Londono-Joshi AI, Cai GQ, Buchsbaum DJ, Christein JD, Tang Q, Chen D, Li Q, Grizzle WE, Lu YY, Ding Q. S100A4 promotes pancreatic cancer progression through a dual signaling pathway mediated by Src and focal adhesion kinase. Sci Rep 2015; 5:8453. [PMID: 25677816 PMCID: PMC4326725 DOI: 10.1038/srep08453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2014] [Accepted: 01/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
S100A4 expression is associated with poor clinical outcomes of patients with pancreatic cancer. The effects of loss or gain of S100A4 were examined in pancreatic cancer cell lines. S100A4 downregulation remarkably reduces cell migration and invasion, inhibits proliferation, and induces apoptosis in pancreatic tumor cells. S100A4 downregulation results in significant cell growth inhibition and apoptosis in response to TGF-β1, supporting a non-canonical role of S100A4 in pancreatic cancer. The role of S100A4 in tumor progression was studied by using an orthotopic human pancreatic cancer xenograft mouse model. Tumor mass is remarkably decreased in animals injected with S100A4-deficient pancreatic tumor cells. P27Kip1 expression and cleaved caspase-3 are increased, while cyclin E expression is decreased, in S100A4-deficient pancreatic tumors in vivo. S100A4-deficient tumors have lower expression of vascular endothelial growth factor, suggesting reduced angiogenesis. Biochemical assays revealed that S100A4 activates Src and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) signaling events, and inhibition of both kinases is required to maximally block the tumorigenic potential of pancreatic cancer cells. These findings support that S100A4 plays an important role in pancreatic cancer progression in vivo and S100A4 promotes tumorigenic phenotypes of pancreatic cancer cells through the Src-FAK mediated dual signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pulin Che
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Youfeng Yang
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Xiaosi Han
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Meng Hu
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Jeffery C Sellers
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | | | - Guo-Qiang Cai
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Donald J Buchsbaum
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - John D Christein
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | | | - Dongquan Chen
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Qianjun Li
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - William E Grizzle
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Yin Ying Lu
- Center of Therapeutic Research for Hepatocellular Carcinoma, 302 hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Qiang Ding
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
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Ferulic acid suppresses activation of hepatic stellate cells through ERK1/2 and Smad signaling pathways in vitro. Biochem Pharmacol 2015; 93:49-58. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2014.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2014] [Revised: 10/30/2014] [Accepted: 10/30/2014] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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Gray AL, Stephens CA, Bigelow RLH, Coleman DT, Cardelli JA. The polyphenols (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate and luteolin synergistically inhibit TGF-β-induced myofibroblast phenotypes through RhoA and ERK inhibition. PLoS One 2014; 9:e109208. [PMID: 25272043 PMCID: PMC4182889 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2014] [Accepted: 09/09/2014] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The presence of reactive stroma, predominantly composed of myofibroblasts, is directly associated with and drives prostate cancer progression. We have previously shown that (−)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), in the form of Polyphenon E, significantly decreases serum levels of HGF and VEGF in prostate cancer patients. Given that HGF and VEGF are secreted from surrounding tumor myofibroblasts, these observations suggested that EGCG may inhibit prostate cancer-associated myofibroblast differentiation. Herein, we demonstrate that micromolar combinations of EGCG and a second polyphenol, luteolin, synergistically inhibit TGF-β-induced myofibroblast phenotypes in prostate fibroblast cell lines, as observed primarily by potentiation of fibronectin expression. Functionally, EGCG and luteolin inhibited TGF-β-induced extracellular matrix contraction, an enhancer of tumor cell invasion. EGCG and luteolin inhibited downstream TGF-β-induced signaling, including activation of ERK and AKT, respectively, but mechanistically, only ERK appeared to be necessary for TGF-β-induced fibronectin expression. Furthermore, neither EGCG nor luteolin affected Smad signaling or nuclear translocation. Rho signaling was found to be necessary for TGF-β-induced fibronectin expression and EGCG and luteolin each reduced RhoA activation. Finally, EGCG and luteolin were shown to reverse TGF-β-induced fibronectin expression, implicating that these natural compounds may be useful not only in preventing but also in treating already activated myofibroblasts and the diseases they cause, including cancer. The ability of EGCG and luteolin to synergistically target myofibroblasts suggests that combined clinical use of these compounds could prevent or reverse cancer progression through targeting the tumor microenvironment, in addition to the tumor itself.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alana L. Gray
- Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center – Shreveport, Shreveport, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Charles A. Stephens
- Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center – Shreveport, Shreveport, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Rebecca L. H. Bigelow
- Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center – Shreveport, Shreveport, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - David T. Coleman
- Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center – Shreveport, Shreveport, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - James A. Cardelli
- Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center – Shreveport, Shreveport, Louisiana, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Hu M, Che P, Han X, Cai GQ, Liu G, Antony V, Luckhardt T, Siegal GP, Zhou Y, Liu RM, Desai LP, O'Reilly PJ, Thannickal VJ, Ding Q. Therapeutic targeting of SRC kinase in myofibroblast differentiation and pulmonary fibrosis. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2014; 351:87-95. [PMID: 25047515 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.114.216044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Myofibroblasts are effector cells in fibrotic disorders that synthesize and remodel the extracellular matrix (ECM). This study investigated the role of the Src kinase pathway in myofibroblast activation in vitro and fibrogenesis in vivo. The profibrotic cytokine, transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), induced rapid activation of Src kinase, which led to myofibroblast differentiation of human lung fibroblasts. The Src kinase inhibitor AZD0530 (saracatinib) blocked TGF-β1-induced Src kinase activation in a dose-dependent manner. Inhibition of Src kinase significantly reduced α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression, a marker of myofibroblast differentiation, in TGF-β1-treated lung fibroblasts. In addition, the induced expression of collagen and fibronectin and three-dimensional collagen gel contraction were also significantly inhibited in AZD0530-treated fibroblasts. The therapeutic efficiency of Src kinase inhibition in vivo was tested in the bleomycin murine lung fibrosis model. Src kinase activation and collagen accumulation were significantly reduced in the lungs of AZD0530-treated mice when compared with controls. Furthermore, the total fibrotic area and expression of α-SMA and ECM proteins were significantly decreased in lungs of AZD0530-treated mice. These results indicate that Src kinase promotes myofibroblast differentiation and activation of lung fibroblasts. Additionally, these studies provide proof-of-concept for targeting the noncanonical TGF-β signaling pathway involving Src kinase as an effective therapeutic strategy for lung fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Hu
- Departments of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine (M.H., G.Q.-C., G.L., V.A., T.L., Y.Z., R.L., L.P.D., P.J.O., V.J.T., Q.D.), Cell, Development, and Integrative Biology (P.C.), Neurology (X.H.), and Pathology (G.P.S.), University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Pulin Che
- Departments of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine (M.H., G.Q.-C., G.L., V.A., T.L., Y.Z., R.L., L.P.D., P.J.O., V.J.T., Q.D.), Cell, Development, and Integrative Biology (P.C.), Neurology (X.H.), and Pathology (G.P.S.), University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Xiaosi Han
- Departments of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine (M.H., G.Q.-C., G.L., V.A., T.L., Y.Z., R.L., L.P.D., P.J.O., V.J.T., Q.D.), Cell, Development, and Integrative Biology (P.C.), Neurology (X.H.), and Pathology (G.P.S.), University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Guo-Qiang Cai
- Departments of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine (M.H., G.Q.-C., G.L., V.A., T.L., Y.Z., R.L., L.P.D., P.J.O., V.J.T., Q.D.), Cell, Development, and Integrative Biology (P.C.), Neurology (X.H.), and Pathology (G.P.S.), University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Gang Liu
- Departments of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine (M.H., G.Q.-C., G.L., V.A., T.L., Y.Z., R.L., L.P.D., P.J.O., V.J.T., Q.D.), Cell, Development, and Integrative Biology (P.C.), Neurology (X.H.), and Pathology (G.P.S.), University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Veena Antony
- Departments of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine (M.H., G.Q.-C., G.L., V.A., T.L., Y.Z., R.L., L.P.D., P.J.O., V.J.T., Q.D.), Cell, Development, and Integrative Biology (P.C.), Neurology (X.H.), and Pathology (G.P.S.), University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Tracy Luckhardt
- Departments of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine (M.H., G.Q.-C., G.L., V.A., T.L., Y.Z., R.L., L.P.D., P.J.O., V.J.T., Q.D.), Cell, Development, and Integrative Biology (P.C.), Neurology (X.H.), and Pathology (G.P.S.), University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Gene P Siegal
- Departments of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine (M.H., G.Q.-C., G.L., V.A., T.L., Y.Z., R.L., L.P.D., P.J.O., V.J.T., Q.D.), Cell, Development, and Integrative Biology (P.C.), Neurology (X.H.), and Pathology (G.P.S.), University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Yong Zhou
- Departments of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine (M.H., G.Q.-C., G.L., V.A., T.L., Y.Z., R.L., L.P.D., P.J.O., V.J.T., Q.D.), Cell, Development, and Integrative Biology (P.C.), Neurology (X.H.), and Pathology (G.P.S.), University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Rui-ming Liu
- Departments of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine (M.H., G.Q.-C., G.L., V.A., T.L., Y.Z., R.L., L.P.D., P.J.O., V.J.T., Q.D.), Cell, Development, and Integrative Biology (P.C.), Neurology (X.H.), and Pathology (G.P.S.), University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Leena P Desai
- Departments of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine (M.H., G.Q.-C., G.L., V.A., T.L., Y.Z., R.L., L.P.D., P.J.O., V.J.T., Q.D.), Cell, Development, and Integrative Biology (P.C.), Neurology (X.H.), and Pathology (G.P.S.), University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Philip J O'Reilly
- Departments of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine (M.H., G.Q.-C., G.L., V.A., T.L., Y.Z., R.L., L.P.D., P.J.O., V.J.T., Q.D.), Cell, Development, and Integrative Biology (P.C.), Neurology (X.H.), and Pathology (G.P.S.), University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Victor J Thannickal
- Departments of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine (M.H., G.Q.-C., G.L., V.A., T.L., Y.Z., R.L., L.P.D., P.J.O., V.J.T., Q.D.), Cell, Development, and Integrative Biology (P.C.), Neurology (X.H.), and Pathology (G.P.S.), University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Qiang Ding
- Departments of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine (M.H., G.Q.-C., G.L., V.A., T.L., Y.Z., R.L., L.P.D., P.J.O., V.J.T., Q.D.), Cell, Development, and Integrative Biology (P.C.), Neurology (X.H.), and Pathology (G.P.S.), University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
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Schroer AK, Ryzhova LM, Merryman WD. Network Modeling Approach to Predict Myofibroblast Differentiation. Cell Mol Bioeng 2014; 7:446-459. [PMID: 33072223 DOI: 10.1007/s12195-014-0344-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Fibrotic disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality and is characterized by the transition of resident fibroblast cells into active myofibroblasts, identified by their expression of alpha smooth muscle actin. Myofibroblast differentiation is regulated by growth factor signaling and mechanical signals transduced through integrins, which converge at focal adhesion proteins (Src and FAK) and MAPK signaling, but lead to divergent outcomes. While details are known about individual pathways, little is known about their interactions. To this end, an ODE-based model of this cell signaling network was developed in parallel with in vitro experiments to analyze potential mechanisms of crosstalk and regulation of αSMA production. We found that cells lacking Src or FAK produce significantly less or more αSMA than wild type cells, respectively. Transforming growth factor beta 1 and fibroblast growth factor signal through ERK and MAPK p38 with different dynamic profiles to increase or decrease αSMA expression, respectively. Our model effectively recreated αSMA expression levels across a set of 22 experimental conditions and matched some features of transient phosphorylation of ERK and p38. These results support a potential mechanism for regulation of fibroblast differentiation: αSMA production is promoted by active p38 and Src and opposed by ERK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison K Schroer
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Room 9445D, MRB4 2213 Garland Ave, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Larisa M Ryzhova
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Room 9445D, MRB4 2213 Garland Ave, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - W David Merryman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Room 9445D, MRB4 2213 Garland Ave, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
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Grove LM, Southern BD, Jin TH, White KE, Paruchuri S, Harel E, Wei Y, Rahaman SO, Gladson CL, Ding Q, Craik CS, Chapman HA, Olman MA. Urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) ligation induces a raft-localized integrin signaling switch that mediates the hypermotile phenotype of fibrotic fibroblasts. J Biol Chem 2014; 289:12791-804. [PMID: 24644284 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.498576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-linked membrane protein with no cytosolic domain that localizes to lipid raft microdomains. Our laboratory and others have documented that lung fibroblasts from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) exhibit a hypermotile phenotype. This study was undertaken to elucidate the molecular mechanism whereby uPAR ligation with its cognate ligand, urokinase, induces a motile phenotype in human lung fibroblasts. We found that uPAR ligation with the urokinase receptor binding domain (amino-terminal fragment) leads to enhanced migration of fibroblasts on fibronectin in a protease-independent, lipid raft-dependent manner. Ligation of uPAR with the amino-terminal fragment recruited α5β1 integrin and the acylated form of the Src family kinase, Fyn, to lipid rafts. The biological consequences of this translocation were an increase in fibroblast motility and a switch of the integrin-initiated signal pathway for migration away from the lipid raft-independent focal adhesion kinase pathway and toward a lipid raft-dependent caveolin-Fyn-Shc pathway. Furthermore, an integrin homologous peptide as well as an antibody that competes with β1 for uPAR binding have the ability to block this effect. In addition, its relative insensitivity to cholesterol depletion suggests that the interactions of α5β1 integrin and uPAR drive the translocation of α5β1 integrin-acylated Fyn signaling complexes into lipid rafts upon uPAR ligation through protein-protein interactions. This signal switch is a novel pathway leading to the hypermotile phenotype of IPF patient-derived fibroblasts, seen with uPAR ligation. This uPAR dependent, fibrotic matrix-selective, and profibrotic fibroblast phenotype may be amenable to targeted therapeutics designed to ameliorate IPF.
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40
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Hartwell R, Lai A, Ghahary A. Modulation of extracellular matrix through keratinocyte–fibroblast crosstalk. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.1586/edm.09.55] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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41
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Li R, Chung ACK, Yu X, Lan HY. MicroRNAs in Diabetic Kidney Disease. Int J Endocrinol 2014; 2014:593956. [PMID: 24550986 PMCID: PMC3914440 DOI: 10.1155/2014/593956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2013] [Accepted: 12/22/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Rapid growth of diabetes and diabetic kidney disease exerts a great burden on society. Owing to the lack of effective treatments for diabetic kidney disease, treatment relies on drugs that either reduces its progression or involve renal replacement therapies, such as dialysis and kidney transplantation. It is urgent to search for biomarkers for early diagnosis and effective therapy. The discovery of microRNAs had lead to a new era of post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression. Studies from cells, experimental animal models and patients under diabetic conditions demonstrate that expression patterns of microRNAs are altered during the progression of diabetic kidney disease. Functional studies indicate that the ability of microRNAs to bind 3' untranslated region of messenger RNA not only shows their capability to regulate expression of target genes, but also their therapeutic potential to diabetic kidney disease. The presence of microRNAs in plasma, serum, and urine has been shown to be possible biomarkers in diabetic kidney disease. Therefore, identification of the pathogenic role of microRNAs possesses an important clinical impact in terms of prevention and treatment of progression in diabetic kidney disease because it allows us to design novel and specific therapies and diagnostic tools for diabetic kidney disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Li
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
- Department of Chemical Pathology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Department of Nephrology, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Yunnan, China
| | - Arthur C. K. Chung
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
- Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
- *Arthur C. K. Chung:
| | - Xueqing Yu
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hui Y. Lan
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
- Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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Focal adhesion kinase mediates atrial fibrosis via the AKT/S6K signaling pathway in chronic atrial fibrillation patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease. Int J Cardiol 2013; 168:3200-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2013.04.113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2012] [Revised: 03/22/2013] [Accepted: 04/02/2013] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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Abstract
Micro ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) are short noncoding RNAs that inhibit gene expression through the post-transcriptional repression of their target mRNAs. Increasing evidence shows that miRNAs have emerged as key players in diverse biologic processes. Aberrant miRNA expression is also closely related to various human diseases, including kidney diseases. From clinical and experimental animal studies, emerging evidence demonstrates a critical role for miRNAs in renal pathophysiology. Renal fibrosis is the hallmark of various chronic kidney diseases and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) is recognized as a vital mediator of renal fibrosis because it can induce production of extracellular matrix proteins resulting in dysfunction of the kidneys. The relationship between TGF-β signaling and miRNAs expression during renal diseases has been recently established. TGF-β positively or negatively regulates expression of several miRNAs, such as miR-21, miR-192, miR-200, and miR-29. Both miR-192 and miR-21 are positively regulated by TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling and play a pathological role in kidney diseases. Conversely, members of both miR-29 and miR-200 families are negatively regulated by TGF-β/Smad3 and play a protective role in renal fibrosis by inhibiting the deposition of extracellular matrix and preventing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, respectively. Clinically, levels of miRNAs in circulation and urine may be potential biomarkers for detecting early stages of renal diseases and targeting miRNAs also provides promising therapeutic effects in rodent models of chronic kidney disease. However, mechanisms and roles of miRNAs under disease conditions remain to be explored. Thus, understanding the function of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of kidney diseases may offer an innovative approach for both early diagnosis and treatment of renal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Ck Chung
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China ; CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
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Kim JJ, Bae WJ, Kim JM, Kim JJ, Lee EJ, Kim HW, Kim EC. Mineralized polycaprolactone nanofibrous matrix for odontogenesis of human dental pulp cells. J Biomater Appl 2013; 28:1069-78. [PMID: 23839784 DOI: 10.1177/0885328213495903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to fabricate mineralized polycaprolactone nanofibrous scaffold and investigate its ability to elicit odontogenic differentiation of human dental pulp cells, compared to the pure polycaprolactone scaffold. Polycaprolactone nanofibrous scaffold was produced by electrospinning, and the surface was mineralized with apatite. Cellular behaviors on the mineralized polycaprolactone scaffold were assessed in terms of cell adhesion, growth, and odontoblastic differentiation. To evaluate the signal transduction of human dental pulp cells, mRNA expression was analyzed and Western blotting was performed. Mineralized polycaprolactone showed improved cell proliferation, mineralized nodule formation, and expression of odontoblastic marker genes including alkaline phosphatase, osteopontin, osteocalcin, dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP), and dentin matrix protein-1, as compared with pure polycaprolactone. Although the cell adhesion on the mineralized polycaprolactone was similar to that of the polycaprolactone, the expression level of proteins including collagen type I and the key adhesion receptor (integrin components α1, α2, and β1) was upregulated in mineralized polycaprolactone compared to polycaprolactone. Especially, cells seeded onto mineralized polycaprolactone scaffolds showed significantly increased levels of phosphorylated focal adhesion kinase, a marker of integrin activation, and downstream pathways, such as phosphor (p)-Akt, p-extracellular signal regulated kinase, p-c Jun N-terminal kinase, nuclear factor-kappa B, c-fos, and c-jun, compared with pure polycaprolactone. The mineralized polycaprolactone scaffold is attractive for dentin tissue engineering by promoting growth and odontogenic differentiation of human dental pulp cells through the integrin-mediated signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jong-Jin Kim
- 1Department of Maxillofacial Tissue Regeneration, School of Dentistry and Research Center for Tooth and Periodontal Regeneration (MRC), Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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FAK-related nonkinase is a multifunctional negative regulator of pulmonary fibrosis. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2013; 182:1572-84. [PMID: 23499373 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2013.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2012] [Revised: 12/07/2012] [Accepted: 01/14/2013] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive fibrotic lung disease whose underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. Herein, we show that focal adhesion kinase-related nonkinase (FRNK) plays a key role in limiting the development of lung fibrosis. Loss of FRNK function in vivo leads to increased lung fibrosis in an experimental mouse model. The increase in lung fibrosis is confirmed at the histological, biochemical, and physiological levels. Concordantly, loss of FRNK function results in increased fibroblast migration and myofibroblast differentiation and activation of signaling proteins that drive these phenotypes. FRNK-deficient murine lung fibroblasts also have an increased capacity to produce and contract matrix proteins. Restoration of FRNK expression in vivo and in vitro reverses these profibrotic phenotypes. These data demonstrate the multiple antifibrotic actions of FRNK. More important, FRNK expression is down-regulated in human IPF, and down-regulation of FRNK in normal human lung fibroblasts recapitulates the profibrotic phenotype seen in FRNK-deficient cells. The effect of loss and gain of FRNK in the experimental model, when taken together with its down-regulation in human IPF, suggests that FRNK acts as an endogenous negative regulator of lung fibrosis by repressing multiple profibrotic responses.
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Adapala RK, Thoppil RJ, Luther DJ, Paruchuri S, Meszaros JG, Chilian WM, Thodeti CK. TRPV4 channels mediate cardiac fibroblast differentiation by integrating mechanical and soluble signals. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2012; 54:45-52. [PMID: 23142541 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2012.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2012] [Revised: 10/30/2012] [Accepted: 10/31/2012] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The phenotypic switch underlying the differentiation of cardiac fibroblasts into hypersecretory myofibroblasts is critical for cardiac remodeling following myocardial infarction. Myofibroblasts facilitate wound repair in the myocardium by secreting and organizing extracellular matrix (ECM) during the wound healing process. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in myofibroblast differentiation are not well known. TGF-β has been shown to promote differentiation and this, combined with the robust mechanical environment in the heart, lead us to hypothesize that the mechanotransduction and TGF-β signaling pathways play active roles in the differentiation of cardiac fibroblasts to myofibroblasts. Here, we show that the mechanosensitve ion channel TRPV4 is required for TGF-β1-induced differentiation of cardiac fibroblasts into myofibroblasts. We found that the TRPV4-specific antagonist AB159908 and siRNA knockdown of TRPV4 significantly inhibited TGFβ1-induced differentiation as measured by incorporation of α-SMA into stress fibers. Further, we found that TGF-β1-induced myofibroblast differentiation was dependent on ECM stiffness, a response that was attenuated by TRPV4 blockade. Finally, TGF-β1 treated fibroblasts exhibited enhanced TRPV4 expression and TRPV4-mediated calcium influx compared to untreated controls. Taken together these results suggest for the first time that the mechanosensitive ion channel, TRPV4, regulates cardiac fibroblast differentiation to myofibroblasts by integrating signals from TGF-β1 and mechanical factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravi K Adapala
- Department of Integrative Medical Sciences, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH 44272, USA
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Lim JA, Hwang SH, Kim MJ, Kim SS, Kim HS. N-terminal cleavage fragment of focal adhesion kinase is required to activate the survival signalling pathway in cultured myoblasts under oxidative stress. FEBS J 2012; 279:3573-3583. [PMID: 22809424 DOI: 10.1111/j.1742-4658.2012.08715.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
We have previously shown that the cultured L6 myoblasts are susceptible to menadione-induced oxidative stress. Damaged cells were detached from the culture dishes. In the present study, we focused on focal adhesion kinase (FAK), which plays pivotal roles in maintaining focal adhesion function and cell survival. FAK, normally localized at the focal adhesion regions of the myoblasts, was not observed at the regions under oxidative stress induced by menadione and H(2) O(2) . Two cleavage products, 80-kDa N-terminal FAK and 35-kDa C-terminal FAK fragments, as well as full-length FAK (125 kDa) were detected in myoblasts cultured under normal conditions by western blotting with anti-N-terminal FAK or anti-C-terminal FAK sera. Of interest was the finding that the cleavage products of FAK (but not full-length FAK) disappeared under oxidative stress. The cleavage of full-length FAK to N-terminal FAK and C-terminal FAK was inhibited by calpeptin, a specific calpain inhibitor. In addition, pre-incubation of cells with calpeptin resulted in a sharp decrease in survival signals, such as Akt phosphorylation and the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax, under stress conditions. By contrast, not only relative viability, but also Akt phosphorylation and the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax was significantly improved when cells were transfected with a DNA construct of N-terminal FAK-Myc. These results suggest that the N-terminal FAK positively regulates survival signalling in early phases of oxidative stress in the cultured myoblasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong A Lim
- Department of Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences, Ajou University, Suwon, KoreaRadiation Medicine Branch, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea
| | - Sung Ho Hwang
- Department of Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences, Ajou University, Suwon, KoreaRadiation Medicine Branch, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea
| | - Min Jeong Kim
- Department of Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences, Ajou University, Suwon, KoreaRadiation Medicine Branch, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea
| | - Sang Soo Kim
- Department of Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences, Ajou University, Suwon, KoreaRadiation Medicine Branch, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea
| | - Hye Sun Kim
- Department of Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences, Ajou University, Suwon, KoreaRadiation Medicine Branch, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea
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Cai GQ, Chou CF, Hu M, Zheng A, Reichardt LF, Guan JL, Fang H, Luckhardt TR, Zhou Y, Thannickal VJ, Ding Q. Neuronal Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (N-WASP) is critical for formation of α-smooth muscle actin filaments during myofibroblast differentiation. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2012; 303:L692-702. [PMID: 22886502 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00390.2011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Myofibroblasts are implicated in pathological stromal responses associated with lung fibrosis. One prominent phenotypic marker of fully differentiated myofibroblasts is the polymerized, thick cytoplasmic filaments containing newly synthesized α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). These α-SMA-containing cytoplasmic filaments are important for myofibroblast contractility during tissue remodeling. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating the formation and maturation of α-SMA-containing filaments have not been defined. This study demonstrates a critical role for neuronal Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (N-WASP) in regulating the formation of α-SMA-containing cytoplasmic filaments during myofibroblast differentiation and in myofibroblast contractility. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is activated by transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and is required for phosphorylation of tyrosine residue 256 (Y256) of N-WASP. Phosphorylation of Y256 of N-WASP is essential for TGF-β1-induced formation of α-SMA-containing cytoplasmic filaments in primary human lung fibroblasts. In addition, we demonstrate that actin-related protein (Arp) 2/3 complex is downstream of N-WASP and mediates the maturation of α-SMA-containing cytoplasmic filaments. Together, this study supports a critical role of N-WASP in integrating FAK and Arp2/3 signaling to mediate formation of α-SMA-containing cytoplasmic filaments during myofibroblast differentiation and maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guo-Qiang Cai
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
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Lagares D, Busnadiego O, García-Fernández RA, Kapoor M, Liu S, Carter DE, Abraham D, Shi-Wen X, Carreira P, Fontaine BA, Shea BS, Tager AM, Leask A, Lamas S, Rodríguez-Pascual F. Inhibition of focal adhesion kinase prevents experimental lung fibrosis and myofibroblast formation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 64:1653-64. [PMID: 22492165 DOI: 10.1002/art.33482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Enhanced adhesive signaling, including activation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), is a hallmark of fibroblasts from lung fibrosis patients, and FAK has therefore been hypothesized to be a key mediator of this disease. This study was undertaken to characterize the contribution of FAK to the development of pulmonary fibrosis both in vivo and in vitro. METHODS FAK expression and activity were analyzed in lung tissue samples from lung fibrosis patients by immunohistochemistry. Mice orally treated with the FAK inhibitor PF-562,271, or with small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated silencing of FAK were exposed to intratracheally instilled bleomycin to induce lung fibrosis, and lungs were harvested for histologic and biochemical analysis. Using endothelin 1 (ET-1) as a stimulus, cell adhesion and contraction, as well as profibrotic gene expression, were studied in fibroblasts isolated from wild-type and FAK-deficient mouse embryos. ET-1-mediated FAK activation and gene expression were studied in primary mouse lung fibroblasts, as well as in wild-type and β1 integrin-deficient mouse fibroblasts. RESULTS FAK expression and activity were up-regulated in fibroblast foci and remodeled vessels from lung fibrosis patients. Pharmacologic or siRNA-mediated targeting of FAK resulted in marked abrogation of bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis in mice. Loss of FAK impaired the acquisition of a profibrotic phenotype in response to ET-1. Profibrotic gene expression leading to myofibroblast differentiation required cell adhesion, and was driven by JNK activation through β1 integrin/FAK signaling. CONCLUSION These results implicate FAK as a central mediator of fibrogenesis, and highlight this kinase as a potential therapeutic target in fibrotic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Lagares
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC and Fundación Renal Iñigo Alvarez de Toledo, Madrid, Spain
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