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Valente LC, Bacil GP, Riechelmann-Casarin L, Barbosa GC, Barbisan LF, Romualdo GR. Exploring in vitro modeling in hepatocarcinogenesis research: morphological and molecular features and similarities to the corresponding human disease. Life Sci 2024:122781. [PMID: 38848937 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
The hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) features a remarkable epidemiological burden, ranking as the third most lethal cancer worldwide. As the HCC-related molecular and cellular complexity unfolds as the disease progresses, the use of a myriad of in vitro models available is mandatory in translational preclinical research setups. In this review paper, we will compile cutting-edge information on the in vitro bioassays for HCC research, (A) emphasizing their morphological and molecular parallels with human HCC; (B) delineating the advantages and limitations of their application; and (C) offering perspectives on their prospective applications. While bidimensional (2D) (co) culture setups provide a rapid low-cost strategy for metabolism and drug screening investigations, tridimensional (3D) (co) culture bioassays - including patient-derived protocols as organoids and precision cut slices - surpass some of the 2D strategies limitations, mimicking the complex microarchitecture and cellular and non-cellular microenvironment observed in human HCC. 3D models have become invaluable tools to unveil HCC pathophysiology and targeted therapy. In both setups, the recapitulation of HCC in different etiologies/backgrounds (i.e., viral, fibrosis, and fatty liver) may be considered as a fundamental guide for obtaining translational findings. Therefore, a "multimodel" approach - encompassing the advantages of different in vitro bioassays - is encouraged to circumvent "model-biased" outcomes in preclinical HCC research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leticia Cardoso Valente
- São Paulo State University (UNESP), Medical School, Botucatu, Experimental Research Unit (UNIPEX), Brazil
| | - Gabriel Prata Bacil
- São Paulo State University (UNESP), Institute of Biosciences, Botucatu, Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Brazil
| | - Luana Riechelmann-Casarin
- São Paulo State University (UNESP), Medical School, Botucatu, Experimental Research Unit (UNIPEX), Brazil
| | | | - Luís Fernando Barbisan
- São Paulo State University (UNESP), Institute of Biosciences, Botucatu, Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Ribeiro Romualdo
- São Paulo State University (UNESP), Medical School, Botucatu, Experimental Research Unit (UNIPEX), Brazil.
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2
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Ran Q, Song D, Wang Q, Wang D, Chen X, Zhang A, Ma L. Resveratrol Alleviates Arsenic Exposure-Induced Liver Fibrosis in Rats by Inhibiting Hepatocyte Senescence. Biol Trace Elem Res 2024:10.1007/s12011-024-04255-9. [PMID: 38831176 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-024-04255-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Arsenic is an environmental pollutant that has garnered considerable attention from the World Health Organization. Liver fibrosis is an advanced pathological stage of liver injury that can be caused by chronic arsenic exposure and has the potential to be reversed to prevent cirrhosis and hepatic malignancies. However, effective treatment options are currently limited. Given the profibrogenic effect of hepatocyte senescence, we established a rat model of sub-chronic sodium arsenite exposure and investigated the ability of resveratrol (RSV), a potential anti-senescence agent, to ameliorate arsenic-induced liver fibrosis and elucidate the underlying mechanism from the perspective of hepatocyte senescence. The results demonstrated that RSV was capable of mitigating fibrosis phenotypes in rat livers, including the activation of hepatic stellate cell (HSC), the generation of extracellular matrix, and the deposition of collagen fibers in the liver vascular zone, which are all induced by arsenic exposure. Furthermore, as an activator of the longevity factor SIRT1, RSV antagonized the arsenic-induced inhibition of SIRT1 expression, thereby restoring the suppression of the senescence protein p16 by SIRT1. This prevented arsenic-induced hepatocyte senescence, manifesting as a decrease in telomere shortening and a reduction in the release of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP)-related proteins. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that RSV counteracts arsenic-induced hepatocyte senescence and the release of SASP-related proteins by restoring the inhibitory effect of SIRT1 on p16, thereby suppressing the activation of fibrotic phenotypes and mitigating liver fibrosis. These findings provide new insights for understanding the mechanism of arsenic-induced liver fibrosis, and more importantly, they reveal novel potential interventional approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiming Ran
- The Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention, Control of Endemic and Ethnic Regional Diseases Co-Constructed By the Province and Ministry, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, China
| | - Dingyi Song
- The Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention, Control of Endemic and Ethnic Regional Diseases Co-Constructed By the Province and Ministry, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, China
| | - Qi Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention, Control of Endemic and Ethnic Regional Diseases Co-Constructed By the Province and Ministry, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, China
| | - Dapeng Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention, Control of Endemic and Ethnic Regional Diseases Co-Constructed By the Province and Ministry, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, China
| | - Xiong Chen
- The Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention, Control of Endemic and Ethnic Regional Diseases Co-Constructed By the Province and Ministry, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, China
| | - Aihua Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, China.
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention, Control of Endemic and Ethnic Regional Diseases Co-Constructed By the Province and Ministry, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, China.
| | - Lu Ma
- The Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, China.
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention, Control of Endemic and Ethnic Regional Diseases Co-Constructed By the Province and Ministry, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, China.
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3
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Kim HY, Lee W, Liu X, Jang H, Sakane S, Carvalho-Gontijo Weber R, Diggle K, Kerk SA, Metallo CM, Kisseleva T, Brenner DA. Protocol to generate human liver spheroids to study liver fibrosis induced by metabolic stress. STAR Protoc 2024; 5:103111. [PMID: 38833372 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2024.103111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Currently, there is no effective treatment for obesity and alcohol-associated liver diseases, partially due to the lack of translational human models. Here, we present a protocol to generate 3D human liver spheroids that contain all the liver cell types and mimic "livers in a dish." We describe strategies to induce metabolic and alcohol-associated hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. We outline potential applications, including using human liver spheroids for experimental and translational research and drug screening to identify potential anti-fibrotic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun Young Kim
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Wonseok Lee
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Xiao Liu
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Haeum Jang
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Sadatsugu Sakane
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | | | - Karin Diggle
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Samuel A Kerk
- Molecular and Cell Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Christian M Metallo
- Molecular and Cell Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Tatiana Kisseleva
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
| | - David A Brenner
- Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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4
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Bonadio JD, Bashiri G, Halligan P, Kegel M, Ahmed F, Wang K. Delivery technologies for therapeutic targeting of fibronectin in autoimmunity and fibrosis applications. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2024; 209:115303. [PMID: 38588958 PMCID: PMC11111362 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2024.115303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Fibronectin (FN) is a critical component of the extracellular matrix (ECM) contributing to various physiological processes, including tissue repair and immune response regulation. FN regulates various cellular functions such as adhesion, proliferation, migration, differentiation, and cytokine release. Alterations in FN expression, deposition, and molecular structure can profoundly impact its interaction with other ECM proteins, growth factors, cells, and associated signaling pathways, thus influencing the progress of diseases such as fibrosis and autoimmune disorders. Therefore, developing therapeutics that directly target FN or its interaction with cells and other ECM components can be an intriguing approach to address autoimmune and fibrosis pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob D Bonadio
- Department of Bioengineering, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Ghazal Bashiri
- Department of Bioengineering, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Patrick Halligan
- Department of Bioengineering, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Michael Kegel
- Department of Bioengineering, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Fatima Ahmed
- Department of Bioengineering, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Karin Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
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Shen X, Mai R, Han X, Wang Q, Wang Y, Ji T, Tong Y, Chen P, Zhao J, He X, Wen T, Liang R, Lin Y, Luo X, Cai X. BTLA deficiency promotes HSC activation and protects against hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury. Hepatol Commun 2024; 8:e0449. [PMID: 38840336 PMCID: PMC11155569 DOI: 10.1097/hc9.0000000000000449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is unavoidable even despite the development of more effective surgical approaches. During hepatic IRI, activated HSC (aHSC) are involved in liver injury and recovery. APPROACH AND RESULT A proportion of aHSC increased significantly both in the mouse liver tissues with IRI and in the primary mouse HSCs and LX-2 cells during hypoxia-reoxygenation. "Loss-of-function" experiments revealed that depleting aHSC with gliotoxin exacerbated liver damage in IRI mice. Subsequently, we found that the transcription of mRNA and the expression of B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) protein were lower in aHSC compared with quiescent HSCs. Interestingly, overexpression or knockdown of BTLA resulted in opposite changes in the activation of specific markers for HSCs such as collagen type I alpha 1, α-smooth muscle actin, and Vimentin. Moreover, the upregulation of these markers was also observed in the liver tissues of global BLTA-deficient (BTLA-/-) mice and was higher after hepatic IRI. Compared with wild-type mice, aHSC were higher, and liver injury was lower in BTLA-/- mice following IRI. However, the depletion of aHSC reversed these effects. In addition, the depletion of aHSC significantly exacerbated liver damage in BTLA-/- mice with hepatic IRI. Furthermore, the TGF-β1 signaling pathway was identified as a potential mechanism for BTLA to negatively regulate the activation of HSCs in vivo and in vitro. CONCLUSIONS These novel findings revealed a critical role of BTLA. Particularly, the receptor inhibits HSC-activated signaling in acute IRI, implying that it is a potential immunotherapeutic target for decreasing the IRI risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyun Shen
- Key Laboratory of Endoscopic Technology Research, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Rongyun Mai
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi, P.R. China
| | - Xiao Han
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi, P.R. China
| | - Qi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Endoscopic Technology Research, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Yifan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Endoscopic Technology Research, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Tong Ji
- Key Laboratory of Endoscopic Technology Research, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Yifan Tong
- Key Laboratory of Endoscopic Technology Research, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Ping Chen
- Key Laboratory of Endoscopic Technology Research, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Jia Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Endoscopic Technology Research, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoyan He
- Key Laboratory of Endoscopic Technology Research, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Tong Wen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi, P.R. China
| | - Rong Liang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi, P.R. China
| | - Yan Lin
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoling Luo
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi, P.R. China
| | - Xiujun Cai
- Key Laboratory of Endoscopic Technology Research, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
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6
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Chu R, Wang Y, Kong J, Pan T, Yang Y, He J. Lipid nanoparticles as the drug carrier for targeted therapy of hepatic disorders. J Mater Chem B 2024; 12:4759-4784. [PMID: 38682294 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb02766j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
The liver, a complex and vital organ in the human body, is susceptible to various diseases, including metabolic disorders, acute hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. In recent decades, these diseases have significantly contributed to global morbidity and mortality. Currently, liver transplantation remains the most effective treatment for hepatic disorders. Nucleic acid therapeutics offer a selective approach to disease treatment through diverse mechanisms, enabling the regulation of relevant genes and providing a novel therapeutic avenue for hepatic disorders. It is expected that nucleic acid drugs will emerge as the third generation of pharmaceuticals, succeeding small molecule drugs and antibody drugs. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) represent a crucial technology in the field of drug delivery and constitute a significant advancement in gene therapies. Nucleic acids encapsulated in LNPs are shielded from the degradation of enzymes and effectively delivered to cells, where they are released and regulate specific genes. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the structure, composition, and applications of LNPs in the treatment of hepatic disorders and offers insights into prospects and challenges in the future development of LNPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runxuan Chu
- National Advanced Medical Engineering Research Center, China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, 285 Gebaini Road, Shanghai 201203, P. R. China.
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tung, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China.
| | - Jianglong Kong
- Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tung, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China.
| | - Ting Pan
- National Advanced Medical Engineering Research Center, China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, 285 Gebaini Road, Shanghai 201203, P. R. China.
- Department of Pharmaceutics School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Yani Yang
- National Advanced Medical Engineering Research Center, China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, 285 Gebaini Road, Shanghai 201203, P. R. China.
| | - Jun He
- National Advanced Medical Engineering Research Center, China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, 285 Gebaini Road, Shanghai 201203, P. R. China.
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7
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Li XJ, Fang C, Zhao RH, Zou L, Miao H, Zhao YY. Bile acid metabolism in health and ageing-related diseases. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 225:116313. [PMID: 38788963 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Revised: 05/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Bile acids (BAs) have surpassed their traditional roles as lipid solubilizers and regulators of BA homeostasis to emerge as important signalling molecules. Recent research has revealed a connection between microbial dysbiosis and metabolism disruption of BAs, which in turn impacts ageing-related diseases. The human BAs pool is primarily composed of primary BAs and their conjugates, with a smaller proportion consisting of secondary BAs. These different BAs exert complex effects on health and ageing-related diseases through several key nuclear receptors, such as farnesoid X receptor and Takeda G protein-coupled receptor 5. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of these effects are still debated. Therefore, the modulation of signalling pathways by regulating synthesis and composition of BAs represents an interesting and novel direction for potential therapies of ageing-related diseases. This review provides an overview of synthesis and transportion of BAs in the healthy body, emphasizing its dependence on microbial community metabolic capacity. Additionally, the review also explores how ageing and ageing-related diseases affect metabolism and composition of BAs. Understanding BA metabolism network and the impact of their nuclear receptors, such as farnesoid X receptor and G protein-coupled receptor 5 agonists, paves the way for developing therapeutic agents for targeting BA metabolism in various ageing-related diseases, such as metabolic disorder, hepatic injury, cardiovascular disease, renal damage and neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Jun Li
- School of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 548 Binwen Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310053, China; Southern Medical University Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Southern Medical University, No.13, Shi Liu Gang Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510315, China
| | - Chu Fang
- School of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 548 Binwen Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310053, China
| | - Rui-Hua Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 548 Binwen Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310053, China
| | - Liang Zou
- School of Food and Bioengineering, Chengdu University, No. 2025 Chengluo Avenue, Chengdu, Sichuan 610106, China
| | - Hua Miao
- School of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 548 Binwen Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310053, China.
| | - Ying-Yong Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 548 Binwen Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310053, China; National Key Laboratory of Kidney Diseases, First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, No. 28 Fuxing Road, Beijing 100853, China.
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8
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Elmorsy EA, Saber S, Kira AY, Alghasham A, Abdel-Hamed MR, Amer MM, Mohamed EA, AlSalloom A. A, Alkhamiss AS, Hamad RS, Abdel-Reheim MA, Ellethy AT, Elsisi HA, Alsharidah M, Elghandour SR, Elnawawy T, Abdelhady R. Hedgehog signaling is a promising target for the treatment of hepatic fibrogenesis: a new management strategy using itraconazole-loaded nanoparticles. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1377980. [PMID: 38808257 PMCID: PMC11130383 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1377980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a disease with a great global health and economic burden. Existing data highlights itraconazole (ITRCZ) as a potentially effective anti-fibrotic therapy. However, ITRCZ effect is hindered by several limitations, such as poor solubility and bioavailability. This study aimed to formulate and optimize chitosan nanoparticles (Cht NPs) loaded with ITRCZ as a new strategy for managing liver fibrosis. ITRCZ-Cht NPs were optimized utilizing a developed 22 full factorial design. The optimized formula (F3) underwent comprehensive in vitro and in vivo characterization. In vitro assessments revealed that F3 exhibited an entrapment efficiency of 89.65% ± 0.57%, a 169.6 ± 1.77 nm particle size, and a zeta potential of +15.93 ± 0.21 mV. Furthermore, in vitro release studies indicated that the release of ITRCZ from F3 adhered closely to the first-order model, demonstrating a significant enhancement (p-value < 0.05) in cumulative release compared to plain ITRCZ suspension. This formula increased primary hepatocyte survival and decreased LDH activity in vitro. The in vivo evaluation of F3 in a rat model of liver fibrosis revealed improved liver function and structure. ITRCZ-Cht NPs displayed potent antifibrotic effects as revealed by the downregulation of TGF-β, PDGF-BB, and TIMP-1 as well as decreased hydroxyproline content and α-SMA immunoexpression. Anti-inflammatory potential was evident by reduced TNF-α and p65 nuclear translocation. These effects were likely ascribed to the modulation of Hedgehog components SMO, GLI1, and GLI2. These findings theorize ITRCZ-Cht NPs as a promising formulation for treating liver fibrosis. However, further investigations are deemed necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elsayed A. Elmorsy
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Sameh Saber
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Delta University for Science and Technology, Gamasa, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Y. Kira
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Delta University for Science and Technology, Gamasa, Egypt
| | - Abdullah Alghasham
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohamed R. Abdel-Hamed
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Maha M. Amer
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Enas A. Mohamed
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - A AlSalloom A.
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah S. Alkhamiss
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rabab S. Hamad
- Biological Sciences Department, College of Science, King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia
- Central Laboratory, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt
| | - Mustafa Ahmed Abdel-Reheim
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Shaqra University, Shaqra, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Beni Suef, Egypt
| | - Abousree T. Ellethy
- Department of Oral and Medical Basic Sciences, Biochemistry Division, College of Dentistry, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hossam A. Elsisi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Mansour Alsharidah
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sahar R. Elghandour
- Department of Anatomy and Histology, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tayseer Elnawawy
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Egyptian Drug Authority, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Rasha Abdelhady
- Pharmacology and Toxicology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt
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9
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Mao Y, Wu C, Wang X, Zhang F, Qi X, Li X, Li P, Tang B. Fluorescence imaging sheds light on the immune evasion mechanisms of hepatic stellate cells mediated by superoxide anion. Commun Biol 2024; 7:558. [PMID: 38730013 PMCID: PMC11087649 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06245-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Whether and how the reactive oxygen species generated by hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) promote immune evasion of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains mysterious. Therefore, investigating the function of superoxide anion (O2•-), the firstly generated reactive oxygen species, during the immune evasion become necessary. In this work, we establish a novel in situ imaging method for visualization of O2•- changes in HSCs based on a new two-photon fluorescence probe TPH. TPH comprises recognition group for O2•- and HSCs targeting peptides. We observe that O2•- in HSCs gradually rose, impairing the infiltration of CD8+ T cells in HCC mice. Further studies reveal that the cyclin-dependent kinase 4 is deactivated by O2•-, and then cause the up-regulation of PD-L1. Our work provides molecular insights into HSC-mediated immune evasion of HCC, which may represent potential targets for HCC immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuantao Mao
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Functionalized Probes for Chemical Imaging in Universities of Shandong, Key Laboratory of Molecular and Nano Probes, Ministry of Education, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, China
| | - Chuanchen Wu
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Functionalized Probes for Chemical Imaging in Universities of Shandong, Key Laboratory of Molecular and Nano Probes, Ministry of Education, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, China
| | - Xin Wang
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Functionalized Probes for Chemical Imaging in Universities of Shandong, Key Laboratory of Molecular and Nano Probes, Ministry of Education, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, China.
| | - Fanghui Zhang
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Functionalized Probes for Chemical Imaging in Universities of Shandong, Key Laboratory of Molecular and Nano Probes, Ministry of Education, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, China
| | - Xinru Qi
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Functionalized Probes for Chemical Imaging in Universities of Shandong, Key Laboratory of Molecular and Nano Probes, Ministry of Education, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, China
| | - Xia Li
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China.
| | - Ping Li
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Functionalized Probes for Chemical Imaging in Universities of Shandong, Key Laboratory of Molecular and Nano Probes, Ministry of Education, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, China.
| | - Bo Tang
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Functionalized Probes for Chemical Imaging in Universities of Shandong, Key Laboratory of Molecular and Nano Probes, Ministry of Education, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, China.
- Laoshan Laboratory, 168 Wenhai Middle Rd, Aoshanwei Jimo, Qingdao, 266237, Shandong, China.
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10
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Wang FR, Peng ML, Zhu QF, Yu LL, Zhang LJ, Xu SY, Wang Q, Li J, He X, Liao SG, Ao JL, Xu GB. Withanolides from the active extract of Physalis angulate and their anti-hepatic fibrosis effects. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 325:117830. [PMID: 38301983 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.117830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Physalis angulata L., a traditional Chinese medicine called "Kuzhi" in China, was used traditionally to treat liver diseases (eg. icterus, hepatitis) as well as malaria, asthma, and rheumatism. AIM OF THE STUDY Our study aimed to investigate the withanolides with anti-hepatic fibrosis effect from P. angulate. MATERIALS AND METHODS Withanolides were obtained from the EtOH extract of P. angulate by bioassay-molecular networking analysis-guided isolation using column chromatography and normal/reversed-phase semipreparative HPLC. The structures of new withanolides were elucidated by combinations of spectroscopic techniques with NMR and ECD calculations. MTT cell viability assay, AO/EB staining method, cell wound healing assay, ELISA and Western blot experiments were employed to evaluate the anti-hepatic fibrosis activity and to uncover related mechanism. Molecular docking analysis and cellular thermal shift assay were used to evaluate and verify the interaction between the active withanolides and their potential targets. RESULTS Eight unreported withanolides, withagulides A-H (1-8), along with twenty-eight known ones were obtained from P. angulate. Withanolides 6, 9, 10, 24, 27, and 29-32 showed marked anti-hepatic fibrosis effect with COL1A1 expression inhibition above 50 %. Physalin F (9), the main component in the active fraction, significantly decreased the TGF β1-stimulated expressions of collagen I and α-SMA in LX-2 cells. Mechanism study revealed that physalin F exerted its anti-hepatic fibrosis effect via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. CONCLUSION This study suggested that withanolides were an important class of natural products with marked anti-hepatic fibrosis effect. The main withanolide physalin F might be a promising candidate for hepatic fibrosis treatment. The work provided experimental foundation for the use of P. angulate to treat hepatic fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu-Rui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants & School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Gui-an New District, 550025, Guizhou, China; University Engineering Research Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Diseases by Authentic Medicinal Materials in Guizhou Province, Gui-an New District, 550025, Guizhou, China; Engineering Research Center for the Development and Application of Ethnic Medicine and TCM, Ministry of Education, Guiyang, 550004, Guizhou, China
| | - Mei-Lin Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants & School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Gui-an New District, 550025, Guizhou, China
| | - Qin-Feng Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants & School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Gui-an New District, 550025, Guizhou, China; Engineering Research Center for the Development and Application of Ethnic Medicine and TCM, Ministry of Education, Guiyang, 550004, Guizhou, China
| | - Ling-Ling Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants & School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Gui-an New District, 550025, Guizhou, China; Engineering Research Center for the Development and Application of Ethnic Medicine and TCM, Ministry of Education, Guiyang, 550004, Guizhou, China
| | - Li-Jie Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants & School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Gui-an New District, 550025, Guizhou, China; Engineering Research Center for the Development and Application of Ethnic Medicine and TCM, Ministry of Education, Guiyang, 550004, Guizhou, China
| | - Shi-Ying Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants & School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Gui-an New District, 550025, Guizhou, China
| | - Qian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants & School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Gui-an New District, 550025, Guizhou, China
| | - Jing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants & School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Gui-an New District, 550025, Guizhou, China; Engineering Research Center for the Development and Application of Ethnic Medicine and TCM, Ministry of Education, Guiyang, 550004, Guizhou, China
| | - Xun He
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants & School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Gui-an New District, 550025, Guizhou, China
| | - Shang-Gao Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants & School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Gui-an New District, 550025, Guizhou, China; University Engineering Research Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Diseases by Authentic Medicinal Materials in Guizhou Province, Gui-an New District, 550025, Guizhou, China; Engineering Research Center for the Development and Application of Ethnic Medicine and TCM, Ministry of Education, Guiyang, 550004, Guizhou, China.
| | - Jun-Li Ao
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants & School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Gui-an New District, 550025, Guizhou, China; Engineering Research Center for the Development and Application of Ethnic Medicine and TCM, Ministry of Education, Guiyang, 550004, Guizhou, China.
| | - Guo-Bo Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants & School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Gui-an New District, 550025, Guizhou, China; University Engineering Research Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Diseases by Authentic Medicinal Materials in Guizhou Province, Gui-an New District, 550025, Guizhou, China; Engineering Research Center for the Development and Application of Ethnic Medicine and TCM, Ministry of Education, Guiyang, 550004, Guizhou, China.
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11
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Gironacci MM, Bruna-Haupt E. Unraveling the crosstalk between renin-angiotensin system receptors. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2024; 240:e14134. [PMID: 38488216 DOI: 10.1111/apha.14134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/24/2024]
Abstract
The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays a key role in blood pressure regulation. The RAS is a complex interconnected system composed of two axes with opposite effects. The pressor arm, represented by angiotensin (Ang) II and the AT1 receptor (AT1R), mediates the vasoconstrictor, proliferative, hypertensive, oxidative, and pro-inflammatory effects of the RAS, while the depressor/protective arm, represented by Ang-(1-7), its Mas receptor (MasR) and the AT2 receptor (AT2R), opposes the actions elicited by the pressor arm. The AT1R, AT2R, and MasR belong to the G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family. GPCRs operate not only as monomers, but they can also function in dimeric (homo and hetero) or higher-order oligomeric states. Due to the interaction with other receptors, GPCR properties may change: receptor affinity, trafficking, signaling, and its biological function may be altered. Thus, heteromerization provides a newly recognized means of modulation of receptor function, as well as crosstalk between GPCRs. This review is focused on angiotensin receptors, and how their properties are influenced by crosstalk with other receptors, adding more complexity to an already complex system and potentially opening up new therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariela M Gironacci
- Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, IQUIFIB (UBA-CONICET), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ezequiel Bruna-Haupt
- INTEQUI (CONICET), Departamento de Química, Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de San Luis, San Luis, Argentina
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12
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Xia Y, Luo Q, Gao Q, Huang C, Chen P, Zou Y, Chen X, Liu W, Chen Z. SIRT1 activation ameliorates rhesus monkey liver fibrosis by inhibiting the TGF-β/smad signaling pathway. Chem Biol Interact 2024; 394:110979. [PMID: 38555046 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2024.110979] [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: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway plays an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of liver fibrosis. Silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) is a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) dependent enzyme and responsible for deacetylating the proteins. Increasing numbers of reports have shown that the molecular mechanism of SIRT1 as an effective therapeutic target for liver fibrosis but the transformation is not very clear. In the present study, liver fibrotic tissues were screened by staining with Masson, hematoxylin-eosin staining (H&E) and Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for histopathological observation from the liver biopsy of seventy-seven rhesus monkey, which fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde (PFA) after treatment with high-fat diet (HFD) for two years. And the liver function was further determined by serum biochemical tests. The mRNA levels and protein expression of rat hepatic stellate (HSC-T6) cells were determined after treatment with Resveratrol (RSV) and Nicotinamide (NAM), respectively. The results showed that with the increasing of hepatic fibrosis in rhesus monkeys, the liver function impaired, and the transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), p-Smad3 (p-Smad3) and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) was up-regulated, while SIRT1 and Smad7 were down-regulated. Moreover, when stimulated the HSC-T6 with RSV to activate SIRT1 for 6, 12, and 24 h, the results showed that RSV promoted the expression of smad7, while the expression of TGF-β1, p-Smad3 and α-SMA were inhibited. In contrast, when the cells stimulated with NAM to inhibit SIRT1 for 6, 12, and 24 h, the Smad7 expression was decreased, while TGF-β1, p-Smad3, and α-SMA expressions were increased. These results indicate that SIRT1 acts as an important protective factor for liver fibrosis, which may be attributed to inhibiting the signaling pathway of TGF-β/Smad in hepatic fibrosis of the rhesus monkey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Xia
- Laboratory of Animal Disease Model, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China; Animal Disease Prevention and Control and Healthy Breeding Engineering Technology, Research Centre, Mianyang Normal University, Mianyang, 621000, China
| | - Qihui Luo
- Laboratory of Animal Disease Model, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China; Sichuan Primed Bio-Tech Group Co., Ltd., Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Qi Gao
- Laboratory of Animal Disease Model, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Chao Huang
- Laboratory of Animal Disease Model, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Ping Chen
- Laboratory of Animal Disease Model, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Yao Zou
- Wanzhou District Livestock Industry Development Center, Chongqing, 404120, China
| | - Xiwen Chen
- Animal Disease Prevention and Control and Healthy Breeding Engineering Technology, Research Centre, Mianyang Normal University, Mianyang, 621000, China
| | - Wentao Liu
- Laboratory of Animal Disease Model, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Zhengli Chen
- Laboratory of Animal Disease Model, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China; Sichuan Primed Bio-Tech Group Co., Ltd., Chengdu, 610041, China.
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13
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Chen CC, Hsu LW, Chen KD, Chiu KW, Kung CP, Li SR, Chen CL, Huang KT. Calreticulin regulates hepatic stellate cell activation through modulating TGF-beta-induced Smad signaling. Cell Calcium 2024; 121:102895. [PMID: 38703416 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceca.2024.102895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) as a wound healing process. Activated hepatic stellate cells (HpSCs) are the major producer of the ECM and play a central role in liver fibrogenesis. It has been widely accepted that elimination of activated HpSCs or reversion to a quiescent state can be a feasible strategy for resolving the disease, further highlighting the urgent need for novel therapeutic targets. Calreticulin (CRT) is a molecular chaperone that normally resides in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), important in protein folding and trafficking through the secretory pathway. CRT also plays a critical role in calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis, with its Ca2+ storage capacity. In the current study, we aimed to demonstrate its function in directing HpSC activation. In a mouse liver injury model, CRT was up-regulated in HpSCs. In cellular experiments, we further showed that this activation was through modulating the canonical TGF-β signaling. As down-regulation of CRT in HpSCs elevated intracellular Ca2+ levels through a form of Ca2+ influx, named store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE), we examined whether moderating SOCE affected TGF-β signaling. Interestingly, blocking SOCE had little effect on TGF-β-induced gene expression. In contrast, inhibition of ER Ca2+ release using the inositol trisphosphate receptor inhibitor 2-APB increased TGF-β signaling. Treatment with 2-APB did not alter SOCE but decreased intracellular Ca2+ at the basal level. Indeed, adjusting Ca2+ concentrations by EGTA or BAPTA-AM chelation further enhanced TGF-β-induced signaling. Our results suggest a crucial role of CRT in the liver fibrogenic process through modulating Ca2+ concentrations and TGF-β signaling in HpSCs, which may provide new information and help advance the current discoveries for liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chien-Chih Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; School of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Li-Wen Hsu
- Liver Transplantation Center, Department of General Surgery, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Kuang-Den Chen
- Liver Transplantation Center, Department of General Surgery, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Institute for Translational Research in Biomedicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - King-Wah Chiu
- Liver Transplantation Center, Department of General Surgery, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Division of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Chao-Pin Kung
- Liver Transplantation Center, Department of General Surgery, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Institute for Translational Research in Biomedicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Shu-Rong Li
- Liver Transplantation Center, Department of General Surgery, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Chao-Long Chen
- Liver Transplantation Center, Department of General Surgery, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Kuang-Tzu Huang
- Liver Transplantation Center, Department of General Surgery, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Institute for Translational Research in Biomedicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
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14
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Han J, Lee C, Jung Y. Current Evidence and Perspectives of Cluster of Differentiation 44 in the Liver's Physiology and Pathology. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4749. [PMID: 38731968 PMCID: PMC11084344 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2024] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44), a multi-functional cell surface receptor, has several variants and is ubiquitously expressed in various cells and tissues. CD44 is well known for its function in cell adhesion and is also involved in diverse cellular responses, such as proliferation, migration, differentiation, and activation. To date, CD44 has been extensively studied in the field of cancer biology and has been proposed as a marker for cancer stem cells. Recently, growing evidence suggests that CD44 is also relevant in non-cancer diseases. In liver disease, it has been shown that CD44 expression is significantly elevated and associated with pathogenesis by impacting cellular responses, such as metabolism, proliferation, differentiation, and activation, in different cells. However, the mechanisms underlying CD44's function in liver diseases other than liver cancer are still poorly understood. Hence, to help to expand our knowledge of the role of CD44 in liver disease and highlight the need for further research, this review provides evidence of CD44's effects on liver physiology and its involvement in the pathogenesis of liver disease, excluding cancer. In addition, we discuss the potential role of CD44 as a key regulator of cell physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinsol Han
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, College of Natural Science, Pusan National University, Pusan 46241, Republic of Korea;
| | - Chanbin Lee
- Institute of Systems Biology, College of Natural Science, Pusan National University, Pusan 46241, Republic of Korea;
| | - Youngmi Jung
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, College of Natural Science, Pusan National University, Pusan 46241, Republic of Korea;
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Science, Pusan National University, Pusan 46241, Republic of Korea
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15
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Czuba LC, Isoherranen N. LX-2 Stellate Cells Are a Model System for Investigating the Regulation of Hepatic Vitamin A Metabolism and Respond to Tumor Necrosis Factor α and Interleukin 1 β. Drug Metab Dispos 2024; 52:442-454. [PMID: 38485281 PMCID: PMC11023816 DOI: 10.1124/dmd.124.001679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the major site of vitamin A (retinol) esterification and subsequent storage as retinyl esters within lipid droplets. However, retinyl esters become depleted in many pathophysiological states, including acute and chronic liver injuries. Recently, using a liver slice culture system as a model of acute liver injury and fibrogenesis, a time-dependent increase and decrease in the apparent formation of the bioactive retinoid all-trans-retinoic acid (atRA) and retinyl palmitate was measured, respectively. This coincided with temporal changes in the gene expression of retinoid-metabolizing enzymes and binding proteins, that preceded HSC activation. However, the underlying mechanisms that promote early changes in retinoid metabolism remain unresolved. We hypothesized that LX-2 cells could be applied to investigate differences in quiescent and activated HSC retinoid metabolism. We demonstrate that the hypermetabolic state of activated stellate cells relative to quiescent stellate cells may be attributed to induction of STRA6, RBP4, and CYP26A1, thereby reducing intracellular concentrations of atRA. We further hypothesized that paracrine and autocrine cytokine signaling regulates HSC vitamin A metabolism in both quiescent and activated cells. In quiescent cells, tumor necrosis factor α dose-dependently downregulated LRAT and CRBP1 mRNA, with EC50 values of 30-50 pg/mL. Likewise, interleukin-1β decreased LRAT and CRBP1 gene expression but with less potency. In activated stellate cells, multiple enzymes were downregulated, suggesting that the full effects of altered hepatic vitamin A metabolism in chronic conditions require both paracrine and autocrine signaling events. Further, this study suggests the potential for cell type-specific autocrine effects in hepatic retinoid signaling. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: HSCs are the major site of vitamin A storage and important determinants of retinol metabolism during liver fibrogenesis. Here, two LX-2 culture methods were applied as models of hepatic retinoid metabolism to demonstrate the effects of activation status and dose-dependent cytokine exposure on the expression of genes involved in retinoid metabolism. This study suggests that compared to quiescent cells, activated HSCs are hypermetabolic and have reduced apparent formation of retinoic acid, which may alter downstream retinoic acid signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay C Czuba
- Department of Pharmaceutics, University of Washington School of Pharmacy, Seattle, Washington (L.C.C., N.I.) and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kentucky, College of Pharmacy, Lexington, Kentucky (L.C.C.)
| | - Nina Isoherranen
- Department of Pharmaceutics, University of Washington School of Pharmacy, Seattle, Washington (L.C.C., N.I.) and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kentucky, College of Pharmacy, Lexington, Kentucky (L.C.C.)
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16
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Song J, Liu L, Wang Z, Xie D, Azami NLB, Lu L, Huang Y, Ye W, Zhang Q, Sun M. CCL20 and CD8A as potential diagnostic biomarkers for HBV-induced liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B. Heliyon 2024; 10:e28329. [PMID: 38596115 PMCID: PMC11002547 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The main cause of the liver fibrosis (LF) remains hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, especially in China. Histologically, liver fibrosis still occurs progressively in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, even if HBV-DNA is negative or undetectable. The diagnosis of LF is beneficial to control the development of it, also it may promote the reversal of LF. Although liver biopsy is the gold standard of diagnosis in LF at present, it isa traumatic diagnosis. There are no diagnostic biomarkers as yet for the condition. It is badly in need of biomarkers clinically, which is simple to test, minimally invasive, highly specific, and sensitive. Early detection of HBV-LF development is crucial in the prevention, treatment, and prognosis prediction of HBV-LF. Cytokines are closely associated with both immune regulation and inflammation in the progression of hepatitis B virus associated-liver fibrosis (HBV-LF). In this bioinformatic study, we not only analyzed the relationship between HBV-LF and immune infiltration, but also identified key genes to uncover new therapeutic targets. Objectives To find potential biomarkers for liver fibrosis in the development of chronic hepatic B patients. Materials and methods We obtained two sets of data including CHB/healthy control and CHB/HBV-LF from the Integrated Gene Expression (GEO) database to select for differential expression analysis. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was also generated, while key genes and important gene modules involved in the occurrence and development of HBV-LF were identified. These key genes were analyzed by functional enrichment analysis, module analysis, and survival analysis. Furthermore, the relationship between these two diseases and immune infiltration was explored. Results Among the identified genes, 150 were individually associated with CHB and healthy control in the differential gene expression (DGE) analysis. While 14 with CHB and HBV-LF. It was also analyzed in the Robust rank aggregation (RRA) analysis, 34 differential genes were further identified by Cytohubba. Among 34 differential genes, two core genes were determined: CCL20 and CD8A. CCL20 was able to predict CHB positivity (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC-ROC] = 0.883, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.786-0.963), while HBV-LF positivity ([AUC-ROC] = 0.687, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.592-0.779). And CD8A was able to predict CHB positivity ([AUC-ROC] = 0.960, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.915-0.992), while HBV-LF positivity ([AUC-ROC] = 0.773, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.680-0.856). Relationship between CCL20 gene expression and LF grades was P < 0.05, as well as CD8A. Conclusion CCL20 and CD8A were found to be potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for HBV-LF. It is instructive for research on the progression of LF in HBV patients, suppression of chronic inflammation, and development of molecularly targeted-therapy for HBV-LF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingru Song
- Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
- Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
- Hangzhou TCM Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310007, China
| | - Lu Liu
- Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
- Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Zheng Wang
- Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Dong Xie
- Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
- Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Nisma Lena Bahaji Azami
- Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
- Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Lu Lu
- Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yanping Huang
- Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
- Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
- Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200336, China
| | - Wei Ye
- Hangzhou TCM Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310007, China
| | - Qin Zhang
- Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200336, China
| | - Mingyu Sun
- Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
- Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
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Jeong M, Cortopassi F, See JX, De La Torre C, Cerwenka A, Stojanovic A. Vitamin A-treated natural killer cells reduce interferon-gamma production and support regulatory T-cell differentiation. Eur J Immunol 2024:e2250342. [PMID: 38593338 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202250342] [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: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are innate cytotoxic lymphocytes that contribute to immune responses against stressed, transformed, or infected cells. NK cell effector functions are regulated by microenvironmental factors, including cytokines, metabolites, and nutrients. Vitamin A is an essential micronutrient that plays an indispensable role in embryogenesis and development, but was also reported to regulate immune responses. However, the role of vitamin A in regulating NK cell functions remains poorly understood. Here, we show that the most prevalent vitamin A metabolite, all-trans retinoic acid (atRA), induces transcriptional and functional changes in NK cells leading to altered metabolism and reduced IFN-γ production in response to a wide range of stimuli. atRA-exposed NK cells display a reduced ability to support dendritic cell (DC) maturation and to eliminate immature DCs. Moreover, they support the polarization and proliferation of regulatory T cells. These results imply that in vitamin A-enriched environments, NK cells can acquire functions that might promote tolerogenic immunity and/or immunosuppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingeum Jeong
- Department of Immunobiochemistry, Mannheim Institute of Innate Immunosciences (MI3), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Francesco Cortopassi
- Department of Immunobiochemistry, Mannheim Institute of Innate Immunosciences (MI3), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jia-Xiang See
- Department of Immunobiochemistry, Mannheim Institute of Innate Immunosciences (MI3), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- European Center for Angioscience (ECAS), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Carolina De La Torre
- NGS Core Facility, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Adelheid Cerwenka
- Department of Immunobiochemistry, Mannheim Institute of Innate Immunosciences (MI3), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- European Center for Angioscience (ECAS), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Ana Stojanovic
- Department of Immunobiochemistry, Mannheim Institute of Innate Immunosciences (MI3), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
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Min K, Yenilmez B, Kelly M, Echeverria D, Elleby M, Lifshitz LM, Raymond N, Tsagkaraki E, Harney SM, DiMarzio C, Wang H, McHugh N, Bramato B, Morrison B, Rothstein JD, Khvorova A, Czech MP. Lactate transporter MCT1 in hepatic stellate cells promotes fibrotic collagen expression in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. eLife 2024; 12:RP89136. [PMID: 38564479 PMCID: PMC10987092 DOI: 10.7554/elife.89136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Circulating lactate is a fuel source for liver metabolism but may exacerbate metabolic diseases such as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Indeed, haploinsufficiency of lactate transporter monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) in mice reportedly promotes resistance to hepatic steatosis and inflammation. Here, we used adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors to deliver thyroxin binding globulin (TBG)-Cre or lecithin-retinol acyltransferase (Lrat)-Cre to MCT1fl/fl mice on a choline-deficient, high-fat NASH diet to deplete hepatocyte or stellate cell MCT1, respectively. Stellate cell MCT1KO (AAV-Lrat-Cre) attenuated liver type 1 collagen protein expression and caused a downward trend in trichrome staining. MCT1 depletion in cultured human LX2 stellate cells also diminished collagen 1 protein expression. Tetra-ethylenglycol-cholesterol (Chol)-conjugated siRNAs, which enter all hepatic cell types, and hepatocyte-selective tri-N-acetyl galactosamine (GN)-conjugated siRNAs were then used to evaluate MCT1 function in a genetically obese NASH mouse model. MCT1 silencing by Chol-siRNA decreased liver collagen 1 levels, while hepatocyte-selective MCT1 depletion by AAV-TBG-Cre or by GN-siRNA unexpectedly increased collagen 1 and total fibrosis without effect on triglyceride accumulation. These findings demonstrate that stellate cell lactate transporter MCT1 significantly contributes to liver fibrosis through increased collagen 1 protein expression in vitro and in vivo, while hepatocyte MCT1 appears not to be an attractive therapeutic target for NASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyounghee Min
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, United States
| | - Batuhan Yenilmez
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, United States
| | - Mark Kelly
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, United States
| | - Dimas Echeverria
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, United States
| | - Michael Elleby
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, United States
| | - Lawrence M Lifshitz
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, United States
| | - Naideline Raymond
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, United States
| | - Emmanouela Tsagkaraki
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, United States
| | - Shauna M Harney
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, United States
| | - Chloe DiMarzio
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, United States
| | - Hui Wang
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, United States
| | - Nicholas McHugh
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, United States
| | - Brianna Bramato
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, United States
| | - Brett Morrison
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
| | - Jeffery D Rothstein
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
| | - Anastasia Khvorova
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, United States
| | - Michael P Czech
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, United States
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19
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Guo C, Lai L, Ma B, Huang Q, Wang Z. Notoginsenoside R1 targets PPAR-γ to inhibit hepatic stellate cell activation and ameliorates liver fibrosis. Exp Cell Res 2024; 437:113992. [PMID: 38492634 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2024.113992] [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: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatic fibrosis, a common pathological process that occurs in end-stage liver diseases, is a serious public health problem and lacks effective therapy. Notoginsenoside R1 (NR1) is a small molecule derived from the traditional Chinese medicine Sanqi, exhibiting great potential in treating diverse metabolie disorders. Here we aimed to enquired the role of NR1 in liver fibrosis and its underlying mechanism in hepatoprotective effects. METHODS We investigated the anti-fibrosis effect of NR1 using CCl4-induced mouse mode of liver fibrosis as well as TGF-β1-activated JS-1, LX-2 cells and primary hepatic stellate cell. Cell samples treated by NR1 were collected for transcriptomic profiling analysis. PPAR-γ mediated TGF-β1/Smads signaling was examined using PPAR-γ selective inhibitors and agonists intervention, immunofluorescence staining and western blot analysis. Additionally, we designed and studied the binding of NR1 to PPAR-γ using molecular docking. RESULTS NR1 obviously attenuated liver histological damage, reduced serum ALT, AST levels, and decreased liver fibrogenesis markers in mouse mode. Mechanistically, NR1 elevated PPAR-γ and decreased TGF-β1, p-Smad2/3 expression. The TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway and fibrotic phenotype were altered in JS-1 cells after using PPAR-γ selective inhibitors and agonists respectively, confirming PPAR-γ played a pivotal protection role inNR1 treating liver fibrosis. Further molecular docking indicated NR1 had a strong binding tendency to PPAR-γ with minimum free energy. CONCLUSIONS NR1 attenuates hepatic stellate cell activation and hepatic fibrosis by elevating PPAR-γ to inhibit TGF-β1/Smads signalling. NR1 may be a potential candidate compound for reliving liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Guo
- Endoscopy Center, Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Linying Lai
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Boyu Ma
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Qian Huang
- Shanghai Pudong Weifang Community Health Center, Shanghai, 200120, China.
| | - Zhirong Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China.
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20
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Liu G, Li B, Qin S, Nice EC, Yang J, Yang L, Huang C. Redox signaling-mediated tumor extracellular matrix remodeling: pleiotropic regulatory mechanisms. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2024; 47:429-445. [PMID: 37792154 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-023-00884-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The extracellular matrix (ECM), a fundamental constituent of all tissues and organs, is crucial for shaping the tumor microenvironment. Dysregulation of ECM remodeling has been closely linked to tumor initiation and progression, where specific signaling pathways, including redox signaling, play essential roles. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are risk factors for carcinogenesis whose excess can facilitate the oxidative damage of biomacromolecules, such as DNA and proteins. Emerging evidence suggests that redox effects can aid the modification, stimulation, and degradation of ECM, thus affecting ECM remodeling. These alterations in both the density and components of the ECM subsequently act as critical drivers for tumorigenesis. In this review, we provide an overview of the functions and primary traits of the ECM, and it delves into our current understanding of how redox reactions participate in ECM remodeling during cancer progression. We also discuss the opportunities and challenges presented by clinical strategies targeting redox-controlled ECM remodeling to overcome cancer. CONCLUSIONS The redox-mediated ECM remodeling contributes importantly to tumor survival, progression, metastasis, and poor prognosis. A comprehensive investigation of the concrete mechanism of redox-mediated tumor ECM remodeling and the combination usage of redox-targeted drugs with existing treatment means may reveal new therapeutic strategy for future antitumor therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guowen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and , Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Bowen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and , Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Siyuan Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and , Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Edouard C Nice
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Jinlin Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Sichuan Province, No.37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu, 610041, China.
- Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Sichuan University-Oxford University Huaxi Gastrointestinal Cancer Centre, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
| | - Li Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Sichuan Province, No.37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu, 610041, China.
- Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Sichuan University-Oxford University Huaxi Gastrointestinal Cancer Centre, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
| | - Canhua Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and , Chengdu, 610041, China.
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21
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Zheng Q, Lu C, Yu L, Zhan Y, Chen Z. Exploring the metastasis-related biomarker and carcinogenic mechanism in liver cancer based on single cell technology. Heliyon 2024; 10:e27473. [PMID: 38509894 PMCID: PMC10950590 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a fatal primary malignancy characterized by high invasion and migration. We aimed to explore the underlying metastasis-related mechanism supporting the development of HCC. Methods The dataset of single cell RNA-seq (GSE149614) were collected for cell clustering by using the Seurat R package, the FindAllMarkers function was used to find the highly expression and defined the cell cluster. The WebGestaltR package was used for the GO and KEGG function analysis of shared genes, the Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSVA) was performed by clusterProfiler R package, the hTFtarget database was used to identify the crucial transcription factors (TFs), the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer (GDSC) database was used for the drug sensitivity analysis. Finally, the overexpression and trans-well assay was used for gene function analysis. Results We obtained 9 cell clusters from the scRNA-seq data, including the nature killer (NK)/T cells, Myeloid cells, Hepatocytes, Epithelial cells, Endothelial cells, Plasma B cells, Smooth muscle cells, B cells, Liver bud hepatic cells. Further cell ecological analysis indicated that the Hepatocytes and Endothelial cell cluster were closely related to the cancer metastasis. Subsequently, the NDUFA4L2-Hepatocyte, GTSE1-Hepatocyte, ENTPD1-Endothelial and NDUFA4L2-Endothelial were defined as metastasis-supporting cell clusters, in which the NDUFA4L2-Hepatocyte cells was closely related to angiogenesis, while the NDUFA4L2-Endothelial was related with the inflammatory response and complement response. The overexpression and trans-well assay displayed that NDUFA4L2 exhibited clearly metastasis-promoting role in HCC progression. Conclusion We identified and defined 4 metastasis-supporting cell clusters by using the single cell technology, the specify shared gene was observed and played crucial role in promoting cancer progression, our findings were expected to provide new insight in control cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuxiang Zheng
- Department of Oncology, Longyan First Hospital, Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Longyan, 364000, China
| | - Cuiping Lu
- Department of Oncology, Longyan First Hospital, Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Longyan, 364000, China
| | - Lian Yu
- Department of Hematology, Longyan First Hospital, Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Longyan, 364000, China
| | - Ying Zhan
- Department of Oncology, Longyan First Hospital, Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Longyan, 364000, China
| | - Zhiyong Chen
- Department of Oncology, Longyan First Hospital, Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Longyan, 364000, China
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22
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Yang Y, Yuan W, He K, Lin C, Du S, Kou Y, Nie B. Inhibition of ACOX1 enhances the therapeutic efficacy of obeticholic acid in treating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and mitigates its lipotoxicity. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1366479. [PMID: 38595921 PMCID: PMC11003388 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1366479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Background and aims High-dose Obeticholic acid exhibits promise for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) treatment but can induce lipotoxicity. Our study sought to understand this mechanism and propose a solution. Approach and Results In a non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) model induced by a high-fat diet in FXR-/- mice, we pinpointed that FXR regulated the expression of ACOX1 through RNA-Seq analysis. In the livers of FXR-/- mice, both ACOX1 mRNA and protein expression notably decreased. In both HL-7702 and HEP-G2 cells, the silencing of FXR through shRNA plasmids decreased ACOX1 expression, while FXR activation with GW4064 increased it. These effects were reversible with the ACOX1-specific inhibitor, 10,12-Tricosadiynoic acid. In the NAFLD model of FXR-/- mice, The activation of ACOX1 is correlated with elevated serum LDL, triglycerides, and aggravated hepatic steatosis. However, the combination of 10,12-Tricosadiynoic acid with low-dose obeticholic acid effectively treated hepatic steatosis, reducing LDL levels in the NAFLD model of wild-type mice. This combination therapy demonstrated efficacy comparable to high-dose obeticholic acid alone. Notably, the combined drug regimen treats hepatic steatosis by inhibiting the IL-1β and α-SMA pathways in NAFLD. Conclusion Combining ACOX1-specific inhibitors with low-dose obeticholic acid effectively treats high-fat diet-induced hepatic steatosis and reduces serum LDL. This approach enhances the therapeutic effects of obeticholic acid and mitigates its lipotoxicity by inhibiting the IL-1β and α-SMA pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuping Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Weinan Yuan
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Kun He
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chuangzhen Lin
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Research Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Shenshen Du
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yanqi Kou
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Biao Nie
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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23
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Diwan R, Gaytan SL, Bhatt HN, Pena-Zacarias J, Nurunnabi M. Liver fibrosis pathologies and potentials of RNA based therapeutics modalities. Drug Deliv Transl Res 2024:10.1007/s13346-024-01551-8. [PMID: 38446352 DOI: 10.1007/s13346-024-01551-8] [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] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis (LF) occurs when the liver tissue responds to injury or inflammation by producing excessive amounts of scar tissue, known as the extracellular matrix. This buildup stiffens the liver tissue, hinders blood flow, and ultimately impairs liver function. Various factors can trigger this process, including bloodborne pathogens, genetic predisposition, alcohol abuse, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. While some existing small-molecule therapies offer limited benefits, there is a pressing need for more effective treatments that can truly cure LF. RNA therapeutics have emerged as a promising approach, as they can potentially downregulate cytokine levels in cells responsible for liver fibrosis. Researchers are actively exploring various RNA-based therapeutics, such as mRNA, siRNA, miRNA, lncRNA, and oligonucleotides, to assess their efficacy in animal models. Furthermore, targeted drug delivery systems hold immense potential in this field. By utilizing lipid nanoparticles, exosomes, nanocomplexes, micelles, and polymeric nanoparticles, researchers aim to deliver therapeutic agents directly to specific biomarkers or cytokines within the fibrotic liver, increasing their effectiveness and reducing side effects. In conclusion, this review highlights the complex nature of liver fibrosis, its underlying causes, and the promising potential of RNA-based therapeutics and targeted delivery systems. Continued research in these areas could lead to the development of more effective and personalized treatment options for LF patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rimpy Diwan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, The University of Texas El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79902, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Texas El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA
| | - Samantha Lynn Gaytan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, The University of Texas El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79902, USA
- Department of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, The University of Texas El Paso, El Paso, Texas, 79968, USA
| | - Himanshu Narendrakumar Bhatt
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, The University of Texas El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79902, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Texas El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA
| | - Jacqueline Pena-Zacarias
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, The University of Texas El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79902, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, The University of Texas El Paso, El Paso, Texas, 79968, USA
| | - Md Nurunnabi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, The University of Texas El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79902, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Texas El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA.
- Department of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, The University of Texas El Paso, El Paso, Texas, 79968, USA.
- Border Biomedical Research Center, The University of Texas El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA.
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24
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Chen Z, Zhang D, Zheng R, Yang L, Huo Y, Zhang D, Fang X, Li Y, Xu G, Li D, Geng H. In vivo base editing rescues primary hyperoxaluria type 1 in rats. Kidney Int 2024; 105:496-507. [PMID: 38142039 DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2023.11.029] [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: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
Primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1) is a childhood-onset autosomal recessive disease, characterized by nephrocalcinosis, multiple recurrent urinary calcium oxalate stones, and a high risk of progressive kidney damage. PH1 is caused by inherent genetic defects of the alanine glyoxylate aminotransferase (AGXT) gene. The in vivo repair of disease-causing genes was exceedingly inefficient before the invention of base editors which can efficiently introduce precisely targeted base alterations without double-strand DNA breaks. Adenine base editor (ABE) can precisely convert A·T to G·C with the assistance of specific guide RNA. Here, we demonstrated that systemic delivery of dual adeno-associated virus encoding a split-ABE8e could artificially repair 13% of the pathogenic allele in AgxtQ84X rats, a model of PH1, alleviating the disease phenotype. Specifically, ABE treatment partially restored the expression of alanine-glyoxylate-aminotransferase (AGT), reduced endogenous oxalate synthesis and alleviated calcium oxalate crystal deposition. Western blot and immunohistochemistry confirmed that ABE8e treatment restored AGT protein expression in hepatocytes. Moreover, the precise editing efficiency in the liver remained stable six months after treatment. Thus, our findings provided a prospect of in vivo base editing as a personalized and precise medicine for PH1 by directly correcting the mutant Agxt gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhoutong Chen
- Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dexin Zhang
- Department of Urology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Rui Zheng
- Departmentof Pediatric Urology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Yang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanan Huo
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dan Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoliang Fang
- Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yueyan Li
- Departmentof Pediatric Urology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Guofeng Xu
- Departmentof Pediatric Urology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Dali Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Hongquan Geng
- Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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25
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Liu B, Xie X, Yang X, Dou C, Tang H, Liu J. The miR-3074/BMP7 axis regulates TGF-β-caused activation of hepatic stellate cells in vitro and CCl 4-caused murine liver fibrosis in vivo. Hum Cell 2024; 37:435-450. [PMID: 38218754 DOI: 10.1007/s13577-023-01017-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Continuously progressive hepatic fibrosis might cause chronic liver diseases, resulting in hepatic failure. The activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) residing in the liver might induce and influence hepatic fibrosis. In the present study, microRNA 3074 (miR-3074) was found increased within transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-activated HSCs and enriched within the TGF-β signaling. In activated HSCs by TGF-β, miR-3074 overexpression aggravated TGF-β-induced fibrotic changes, whereas miR-3074 inhibition exerted opposite effects. miR-3074 directly targeted bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7) and inhibited BMP7 expression. Under TGF-β induction, overexpressed BMP7 notably attenuated the promotive roles of miR-3074 overexpression in TGF-β-activated HSCs. Within carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-caused liver fibrosis murine model, miR-3074 agomir administration promoted, while LV-BMP7 administration alleviated CCl4-induced fibrotic changes; LV-BMP7 significantly attenuated the effects of miR-3074 agomir. Lastly, mmu-miR-3074 also targeted mouse BMP7 and inhibited mouse BMP7 expression. In conclusion, the miR-3074/BMP7 axis regulates TGF-β-caused activation of HSCs in vitro and CCl4-caused murine liver fibrosis in vivo. BMP7-mediated Smad1/5/8 activation might be involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingjie Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China
| | - Xia Xie
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China
| | - Xin Yang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China
| | - Chengyun Dou
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China
| | - Haibo Tang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China.
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26
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El‐Ayoubi A, Arakelyan A, Klawitter M, Merk L, Hakobyan S, Gonzalez‐Menendez I, Quintanilla Fend L, Holm PS, Mikulits W, Schwab M, Danielyan L, Naumann U. Development of an optimized, non-stem cell line for intranasal delivery of therapeutic cargo to the central nervous system. Mol Oncol 2024; 18:528-546. [PMID: 38115217 PMCID: PMC10920084 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Neural stem cells (NSCs) are considered to be valuable candidates for delivering a variety of anti-cancer agents, including oncolytic viruses, to brain tumors. However, owing to the previously reported tumorigenic potential of NSC cell lines after intranasal administration (INA), here we identified the human hepatic stellate cell line LX-2 as a cell type capable of longer resistance to replication of oncolytic adenoviruses (OAVs) as a therapeutic cargo, and that is non-tumorigenic after INA. Our data show that LX-2 cells can longer withstand the OAV XVir-N-31 replication and oncolysis than NSCs. By selecting the highly migratory cell population out of LX-2, an offspring cell line with a higher and more stable capability to migrate was generated. Additionally, as a safety backup, we applied genomic herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-TK) integration into LX-2, leading to high vulnerability to ganciclovir (GCV). Histopathological analyses confirmed the absence of neoplasia in the respiratory tracts and brains of immuno-compromised mice 3 months after INA of LX-2 cells. Our data suggest that LX-2 is a novel, robust, and safe cell line for delivering anti-cancer and other therapeutic agents to the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali El‐Ayoubi
- Molecular Neurooncology, Department of Vascular Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research and Center NeurologyUniversity Hospital of TübingenGermany
| | - Arsen Arakelyan
- Research Group of BioinformaticsInstitute of Molecular Biology NAS RAYerevanArmenia
| | - Moritz Klawitter
- Molecular Neurooncology, Department of Vascular Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research and Center NeurologyUniversity Hospital of TübingenGermany
| | - Luisa Merk
- Molecular Neurooncology, Department of Vascular Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research and Center NeurologyUniversity Hospital of TübingenGermany
| | - Siras Hakobyan
- Research Group of BioinformaticsInstitute of Molecular Biology NAS RAYerevanArmenia
- Armenian Institute of BioinformaticsYerevanArmenia
| | - Irene Gonzalez‐Menendez
- Institute for Pathology, Department of General and Molecular PathologyUniversity Hospital TübingenGermany
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) "Image‐Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies"Eberhard Karls University of TübingenGermany
| | - Leticia Quintanilla Fend
- Institute for Pathology, Department of General and Molecular PathologyUniversity Hospital TübingenGermany
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) "Image‐Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies"Eberhard Karls University of TübingenGermany
| | - Per Sonne Holm
- Department of Urology, Klinikum rechts der IsarTechnical University of MunichGermany
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial SurgeryMedical University InnsbruckAustria
- XVir Therapeutics GmbHMunichGermany
| | - Wolfgang Mikulits
- Center for Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer CenterMedical University of ViennaAustria
| | - Matthias Schwab
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) "Image‐Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies"Eberhard Karls University of TübingenGermany
- Dr. Margarete Fischer‐Bosch Institute of Clinical PharmacologyStuttgartGermany
- Department of Pharmacy and BiochemistryUniversity of TübingenGermany
- Department of Clinical PharmacologyUniversity Hospital TübingenGermany
- Neuroscience Laboratory and Departments of Biochemistry and Clinical PharmacologyYerevan State Medical UniversityArmenia
| | - Lusine Danielyan
- Department of Pharmacy and BiochemistryUniversity of TübingenGermany
- Department of Clinical PharmacologyUniversity Hospital TübingenGermany
- Neuroscience Laboratory and Departments of Biochemistry and Clinical PharmacologyYerevan State Medical UniversityArmenia
| | - Ulrike Naumann
- Molecular Neurooncology, Department of Vascular Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research and Center NeurologyUniversity Hospital of TübingenGermany
- Gene and RNA Therapy Center (GRTC)Faculty of Medicine University TübingenGermany
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Wang J, Zhang H, Chen L, Fu K, Yan Y, Liu Z. CircDCBLD2 alleviates liver fibrosis by regulating ferroptosis via facilitating STUB1-mediated PARK7 ubiquitination degradation. J Gastroenterol 2024; 59:229-249. [PMID: 38310161 DOI: 10.1007/s00535-023-02068-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Liver fibrosis can progress to cirrhosis and hepatic carcinoma without treatment. CircDCBLD2 was found to be downregulated in liver fibrosis. However, the precise underlying mechanism requires further investigation. METHODS qRT-PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry assays were used to detect the related molecule levels. HE, Masson's trichrome, and Sirius Red staining were used to assess the pathological changes in mice's liver tissues. Flow cytometric analysis and commercial kit were used to assess the levels of lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS), malonaldehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and iron. Cell viability was assessed by MTT. Immunoprecipitation was used to study the ubiquitination of PARK7. Mitophagy was determined by immunostaining and confocal imaging. RIP and Co-IP assays were used to assess the interactions of circDCBLD2/HuR, HuR/STUB1, and STUB1/PARK7. Fluorescence in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence staining were used to assess the co-localization of circDCBLD2 and HuR. RESULTS CircDCBLD2 was downregulated, whereas PARK7 was upregulated in liver fibrosis. Ferroptosis activators increased circDCBLD2 while decreasing PARK7 in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and mice with liver fibrosis. CircDCBLD2 overexpression reduced cell viability and GSH, PARK7, and GPX4 expression in erastin-treated HSCs while increasing MDA and iron levels, whereas circDCBLD2 knockdown had the opposite effect. CircDCBLD2 overexpression increased STUB1-mediated PARK7 ubiquitination by promoting HuR-STUB1 binding and thus increasing STUB1 mRNA stability. PARK7 overexpression or HuR knockdown reversed the effects of circDCBLD2 overexpression on HSC activation and ferroptosis. CircDCBLD2 reduced liver fibrosis in mice by inhibiting PARK7. CONCLUSION CircDCBLD2 overexpression increased PARK7 ubiquitination degradation by upregulating STUB1 through its interaction with HuR, inhibiting HSC activation and promoting HSC ferroptosis, ultimately enhancing liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Wang
- Department of Infectious Disease, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, 410013, China
| | - Haoye Zhang
- Department of Infectious Disease, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, 410013, China
| | - Limin Chen
- Department of Infectious Disease, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, 410013, China
| | - Kangkang Fu
- Department of Infectious Disease, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, 410013, China
| | - Yu Yan
- Department of Infectious Disease, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, 410013, China
| | - Zhenguo Liu
- Department of Infectious Disease, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, 410013, China.
- Changsha & Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, 410008, China.
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28
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Lin Y, Li Y, Liang G, Yang X, Yang J, Hu Q, Sun J, Zhang C, Fang H, Liu A. Single-cell transcriptome analysis of aging mouse liver. FASEB J 2024; 38:e23473. [PMID: 38334462 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202302282r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Aging has a great impact on the liver, which causes a loss of physiological integrity and an increase in susceptibility to injury, but many of the underlying molecular and cellular processes remain unclear. Here, we performed a comprehensive single-cell transcriptional profiling of the liver during aging. Our data showed that aging affected the cellular composition of the liver. The increase in inflammatory cells including neutrophils and monocyte-derived macrophages, as well as in inflammatory cytokines, could indicate an inflammatory tissue microenvironment in aged livers. Moreover, aging drove a distinct transcriptional course in each cell type. The commonly significant up-regulated genes were S100a8, S100a9, and RNA-binding motif protein 3 across all cell types. Aging-related pathways such as biosynthesis, metabolism, and oxidative stress were up-regulated in aged livers. Additionally, key ligand-receptor pairs for intercellular communication, primarily linked to macrophage migration inhibitory factor, transforming growth factor-β, and complement signaling, were also elevated. Furthermore, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) serve as the prominent hub for intrahepatic signaling. HSCs acquired an "activated" phenotype, which may be involved in the increased intrahepatic vascular tone and fibrosis with aging. Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells derived from aged livers were pseudocapillarized and procontractile, and exhibited down-regulation of genes involved in vascular development and homeostasis. Moreover, the aging-related changes in cellular composition and gene expression were reversed by caloric restriction. Collectively, the present study suggests liver aging is linked to a significant liver sinusoidal deregulation and a moderate pro-inflammatory state, providing a potential concept for understanding the mechanism of liver aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Lin
- Experimental Medicine Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Vascular Aging, Ministry of Education, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Ying Li
- Wuhan Fourth Hospital, Wuhan, China
| | - Guangyu Liang
- Experimental Medicine Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Vascular Aging, Ministry of Education, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Xiao Yang
- Experimental Medicine Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Vascular Aging, Ministry of Education, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Jiankun Yang
- Experimental Medicine Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Vascular Aging, Ministry of Education, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Qi Hu
- Department of Geriatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jian Sun
- Department of Biliopancreatic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cuntai Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Vascular Aging, Ministry of Education, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China
- Department of Geriatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Haoshu Fang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Anding Liu
- Experimental Medicine Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Vascular Aging, Ministry of Education, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China
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29
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García-Topete DA, Álvarez-Lee LA, Carballo-López GI, Uriostegui-Campos MA, Guzmán-Uribe C, Castro-Ceseña AB. Antifibrotic activity of carbon quantum dots in a human in vitro model of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis using hepatic stellate cells. Biomater Sci 2024; 12:1307-1319. [PMID: 38263852 DOI: 10.1039/d3bm01710a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Around 33% of the global population suffers from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). From these patients, 30% of them progress into non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the critical point where lack of treatment leads to cirrhosis and hepatic failure. Moreover, to date, there are no approved therapeutic options available for NASH. It is known that hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation contributes the most to hepatic disfunction, leading to reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and chronic inflammation, and that the use of nanomaterials to deliver antioxidants may have potential to reduce the activity of activated HSCs. Therefore, we implemented a human in vitro co-culture model in which we take into consideration two factors related to NASH and fibrosis: human hepatic stellate cells from a NASH diagnosed donor (HHSC-N) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), particularly lymphocytes. The co-cultures were treated with: (1) carbon quantum dots (CD) or (2) lactoferrin conjugated CD (CD-LF) for 24 h or 72 h. CD and CD-LF treatments significantly downregulated profibrotic genes' expression levels of ACTA2, COL1A1, and TIMP1 in co-cultured HHSC-N at 72 h. Also, we assayed the inflammatory response by quantifying the concentrations of cytokines IL-22, IL-10, IFN-γ and IL-4 present in the co-culture's conditioned media whose concentrations may suggest a resolution-associated response in progress. Our findings may serve as a starting point for the development of a NASH treatment using bio-nanotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A García-Topete
- Departamento de Innovación Biomédica, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Baja California (CICESE), Carretera Ensenada-Tijuana No. 3918, Zona Playitas, C.P. 22860, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.
| | - Laura A Álvarez-Lee
- Departamento de Innovación Biomédica, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Baja California (CICESE), Carretera Ensenada-Tijuana No. 3918, Zona Playitas, C.P. 22860, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.
- CONAHCYT-Departamento de Biotecnología Marina, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Baja California (CICESE), Carretera Ensenada-Tijuana No. 3918, Zona Playitas, C.P. 22860, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
| | - Gabriela I Carballo-López
- Departamento de Innovación Biomédica, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Baja California (CICESE), Carretera Ensenada-Tijuana No. 3918, Zona Playitas, C.P. 22860, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.
| | - Marco A Uriostegui-Campos
- Departamento de Innovación Biomédica, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Baja California (CICESE), Carretera Ensenada-Tijuana No. 3918, Zona Playitas, C.P. 22860, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.
| | - Carlos Guzmán-Uribe
- Departamento de Innovación Biomédica, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Baja California (CICESE), Carretera Ensenada-Tijuana No. 3918, Zona Playitas, C.P. 22860, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.
- Centro de Nanociencias y Nanotecnología, UNAM. Km 107, Carretera Tijuana-Ensenada, C.P. 22800, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
| | - Ana B Castro-Ceseña
- Departamento de Innovación Biomédica, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Baja California (CICESE), Carretera Ensenada-Tijuana No. 3918, Zona Playitas, C.P. 22860, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.
- CONAHCYT-Departamento de Innovación Biomédica, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Baja California (CICESE), Carretera Ensenada-Tijuana No. 3918, Zona Playitas, C.P. 22860, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
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30
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Wang C, Zhang S, Li Y, Gong L, Yao C, Fu K, Li Y. Phillygenin Inhibits TGF-β1-induced Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation and Inflammation: Regulation of the Bax/Bcl-2 and Wnt/β-catenin Pathways. Inflammation 2024:10.1007/s10753-024-01984-w. [PMID: 38393550 DOI: 10.1007/s10753-024-01984-w] [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: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Hepatic fibrosis (HF), a precursor to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, is caused by abnormal proliferation of connective tissue and excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix in the liver. Notably, activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is a key link in the development of HF. Phillygenin (PHI, C21H24O6) is a lignan component extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine Forsythiae Fructus, which has various pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-tumour effects. However, whether PHI can directly inhibit HSC activation and ameliorate the mechanism of action of HF has not been fully elucidated. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the in vitro anti-HF effects of PHI and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-activated mouse HSCs (mHSCs) and human HSCs (LX-2 cells) were used as an in vitro model of HF and treated with different concentrations of PHI for 24 h. Subsequently, cell morphological changes were observed under the microscope, cell viability was analyzed by MTT assay, cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry, and the mechanism of anti-fibrotic effect of PHI was explored by immunofluorescence, ELISA, RT-qPCR and western blot. The results showed that PHI suppressed the proliferation of TGF-β1-activated mHSCs and LX-2 cells, arrested the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase, decreased the levels of α-SMA, Collagen I, TIMP1 and MMP2 genes and proteins, and promoted apoptosis in activated mHSCs and LX-2 cells. Besides, PHI reduced the expression of inflammatory factors in activated mHSCs and LX-2 cells, suggesting a potential anti-inflammatory effect. Mechanically, PHI inhibited TGF-β1-induced HSC activation and inflammation, at least in part through modulation of the Bax/Bcl-2 and Wnt/β-catenin pathways. Overall, PHI has significant anti-HF effects and may be a promising agent for the treatment of HF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, Sichuan, China
| | - Shenglin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanzhi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, Sichuan, China
| | - Lihong Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, Sichuan, China
| | - Chenhao Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, Sichuan, China
| | - Ke Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, Sichuan, China
| | - Yunxia Li
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, Sichuan, China.
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31
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Wang J, Zhang Y, Ma Y, Zhao S, Wang J, Chen H, Zhang J, Liu J. TET1 inhibits liver fibrosis by blocking hepatic stellate cell activation. J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2024. [PMID: 38369780 DOI: 10.1111/jgh.16443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are critical regulator contributing to the onset and progression of liver fibrosis. Chronic liver injury triggers HSCs to undergo vast changes and trans-differentiation into a myofibroblast HSCs, the mechanism remains to be elucidated. This study investigated that the involvement of hydroxymethylase TET1 (ten-eleven translocation 1) in HSC activation and liver fibrosis. It is revealed that TET1 levels were downregulated in the livers in mouse models of liver fibrosis and patients with cirrhosis, as well as activated HSCs in comparison to quiescent HSCs. In vitro data showed that the inhibition of TET1 promoted the activation HSC, whereas TET1 overexpression inhibited HSC activation. Moreover, TET1 could regulate KLF2 (Kruppel-like transcription factors) transcription by promoting hydroxymethylation of its promoter, which in turn suppressed the activation of HSCs. In vivo, it is confirmed that liver fibrosis was aggravated in Tet1 knockout mice after CCl4 injection, accompanied by excessive activation of primary stellate cells, in contrast to wild-type mice. In conclusion, we suggested that TET1 plays a significant role in HSC activation and liver fibrosis, which provides a promising target for anti-fibrotic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjie Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yitong Zhang
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanyun Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Six-sector Industrial Research Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Suhan Zhao
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiucun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongtan Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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32
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Wang X, Zhang L, Dong B. Molecular mechanisms in MASLD/MASH-related HCC. Hepatology 2024:01515467-990000000-00739. [PMID: 38349726 DOI: 10.1097/hep.0000000000000786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths and ranks as the sixth most prevalent cancer type globally. NAFLD or metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, and its more severe manifestation, NASH or metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), pose a significant global health concern, affecting approximately 20%-25% of the population. The increased prevalence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and MASH is parallel to the increasing rates of obesity-associated metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and fatty liver diseases. MASH can progress to MASH-related HCC (MASH-HCC) in about 2% of cases each year, influenced by various factors such as genetic mutations, carcinogen exposure, immune microenvironment, and microbiome. MASH-HCC exhibits distinct molecular and immune characteristics compared to other causes of HCC and affects both men and women equally. The management of early to intermediate-stage MASH-HCC typically involves surgery and locoregional therapies, while advanced HCC is treated with systemic therapies, including anti-angiogenic therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors. In this comprehensive review, we consolidate previous research findings while also providing the most current insights into the intricate molecular processes underlying MASH-HCC development. We delve into MASH-HCC-associated genetic variations and somatic mutations, disease progression and research models, multiomics analysis, immunological and microenvironmental impacts, and discuss targeted/combined therapies to overcome immune evasion and the biomarkers to recognize treatment responders. By furthering our comprehension of the molecular mechanisms underlying MASH-HCC, our goal is to catalyze the advancement of more potent treatment strategies, ultimately leading to enhanced patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobo Wang
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Liang Zhang
- Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Bingning Dong
- Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
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Chen L, Guo W, Mao C, Shen J, Wan M. Liver fibrosis: pathological features, clinical treatment and application of therapeutic nanoagents. J Mater Chem B 2024; 12:1446-1466. [PMID: 38265305 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb02790b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a reversible damage-repair response, the pathological features of which mainly include damage to hepatocytes, sinusoid capillarization, hepatic stellate cells activation, excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix and inflammatory response. Although some treatments (including drugs and stem cell therapy) for these pathological features have been shown to be effective, more clinical trials are needed to confirm their effectiveness. In recent years, nanomaterials-based therapies have emerged as an innovative and promising alternative to traditional drugs, being explored for the treatment of liver fibrosis diseases. Natural nanomaterials (including extracellular vesicles) and synthetic nanomaterials (including inorganic nanomaterials and organic nanomaterials) are developed to facilitate drug targeting delivery and combination therapy. In this review, the pathological features of liver fibrosis and the current anti-fibrosis drugs in clinical trials are briefly introduced, followed by a detailed introduction of the therapeutic nanoagents for the precise delivery of anti-fibrosis drugs. Finally, the future development trend in this field is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Chen
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Wenyan Guo
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Chun Mao
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Jian Shen
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Mimi Wan
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China.
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Zhang X, Zhang M, Sun H, Wang X, Wang X, Sheng W, Xu M. The role of transcription factors in the crosstalk between cancer-associated fibroblasts and tumor cells. J Adv Res 2024:S2090-1232(24)00046-8. [PMID: 38309692 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2024.01.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transcription factors (TFs) fulfill a critical role in the formation and maintenance of different cell types during the developmental process as well as disease. It is believed that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are activation status of tissue-resident fibroblasts or derived from form other cell types via transdifferentiation or dedifferentiation. Despite a subgroup of CAFs exhibit anti-cancer effects, most of them are reported to exert effects on tumor progression, further indicating their heterogeneous origin. AIM OF REVIEW This review aimed to summarize and review the roles of TFs in the reciprocal crosstalk between CAFs and tumor cells, discuss the emerging mechanisms, and their roles in cell-fate decision, cellular reprogramming and advancing our understanding of the gene regulatory networks over the period of cancer initiation and progression. KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW This manuscript delves into the key contributory factors of TFs that are involved in activating CAFs and maintaining their unique states. Additionally, it explores how TFs play a pivotal and multifaceted role in the reciprocal crosstalk between CAFs and tumor cells. This includes their involvement in processes such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), proliferation, invasion, and metastasis, as well as metabolic reprogramming. TFs also have a role in constructing an immunosuppressive microenvironment, inducing resistance to radiation and chemotherapy, facilitating angiogenesis, and even 'educating' CAFs to support the malignancies of tumor cells. Furthermore, this manuscript delves into the current status of TF-targeted therapy and considers the future directions of TFs in conjunction with anti-CAFs therapies to address the challenges in clinical cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Meng Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Hui Sun
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Weiqi Sheng
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Midie Xu
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
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Calixto-Tlacomulco S, Luna-Reyes I, Delgado-Coello B, Gutiérrez-Vidal R, Reyes-Grajeda JP, Mas-Oliva J. CETP-derived Peptide Seq-1, the Key Component of HB-ATV-8 Vaccine Prevents Stress Responses, and Promotes Downregulation of Pro-Fibrotic Genes in Hepatocytes and Stellate Cells. Arch Med Res 2024; 55:102937. [PMID: 38301446 DOI: 10.1016/j.arcmed.2023.102937] [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: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The nasal vaccine HB-ATV-8 has emerged as a promising approach for NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) and atherosclerosis prevention. HB-ATV-8 contains peptide seq-1 derived from the carboxy-end of the Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein (CETP), shown to reduce liver fibrosis, inflammation, and atherosclerotic plaque formation in animal models. Beyond the fact that this vaccine induces B-cell lymphocytes to code for antibodies against the seq-1 sequence, inhibiting CETP's cholesterol transfer activity, we have hypothesized that beyond the modulation of CETP activity carried out by neutralizing antibodies, the observed molecular effects may also correspond to the direct action of peptide seq-1 on diverse cellular systems and molecular features involved in the development of liver fibrosis. METHODS The HepG2 hepatoma-derived cell line was employed to establish an in vitro steatosis model. To obtain a conditioned cell medium to be used with hepatic stellate cell (HSC) cultures, HepG2 cells were exposed to fatty acids or fatty acids plus peptide seq-1, and the culture medium was collected. Gene regulation of COL1A1, ACTA2, TGF-β, and the expression of proteins COL1A1, MMP-2, and TIMP-2 were studied. AIM To establish an in vitro steatosis model employing HepG2 cells that mimics molecular processes observed in vivo during the onset of liver fibrosis. To evaluate the effect of peptide Seq-1 on lipid accumulation and pro-fibrotic responses. To study the effect of Seq-1-treated steatotic HepG2 cell supernatants on lipid accumulation, oxidative stress, and pro-fibrotic responses in HSC. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION Peptide seq-1-treated HepG2 cells show a downregulation of COLIA1, ACTA2, and TGF-β genes, and a decreased expression of proteins such as COL1A1, MMP-2, and TIMP-2, associated with the remodeling of extracellular matrix components. The same results are observed when HSCs are incubated with peptide Seq-1-treated steatotic HepG2 cell supernatants. The present study consolidates the nasal vaccine HB-ATV-8 as a new prospect in the treatment of NASH directly associated with the development of cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ismael Luna-Reyes
- Cellular Physiology Institute, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Blanca Delgado-Coello
- Cellular Physiology Institute, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Roxana Gutiérrez-Vidal
- Researchers Program for Mexico CONAHCYT, Mexico City, Mexico; Laboratory of Metabolic Diseases, Cinvestav Unidad Monterey, Apodaca, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | | | - Jaime Mas-Oliva
- Cellular Physiology Institute, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.
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Yan J, Xiao G, Yang C, Liu Q, Lv C, Yu X, Zhou Z, Lin S, Bai Z, Lin H, Zhang R, Liu C. Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Promote Lymphatic Metastasis in Cholangiocarcinoma via the PDGF-BB/PDGFR-β Mediated Paracrine Signaling Network. Aging Dis 2024; 15:369-389. [PMID: 37307823 PMCID: PMC10796099 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2023.0420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients with cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) with lymph node metastasis (LNM) have the worst prognosis, even after complete resection; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we established CAF-derived PDGF-BB as a regulator of LMN in CCA. Proteomics analysis revealed upregulation of PDGF-BB in CAFs derived from patients with CCA with LMN (LN+CAFs). Clinically, the expression of CAF-PDGF-BB correlated with poor prognosis and increased LMN in patients with CCA, while CAF-secreted PDGF-BB enhanced lymphatic endothelial cell (LEC)-mediated lymphangiogenesis and promoted the trans-LEC migration ability of tumor cells. Co-injection of LN+CAFs and cancer cells increased tumor growth and LMN in vivo. Mechanistically, CAF-derived PDGF-BB activated its receptor PDGFR-β and its downstream ERK1/2-JNK signaling pathways in LECs to promote lymphoangiogenesis, while it also upregulated the PDGFR-β-GSK-P65-mediated tumor cell migration. Finally, targeting PDGF-BB/PDGFR-β or the GSK-P65 signaling axis prohibited CAF-mediated popliteal lymphatic metastasis (PLM) in vivo. Overall, our findings revealed that CAFs promote tumor growth and LMN via a paracrine network, identifying a promising therapeutic target for patients with advanced CCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Yan
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Gang Xiao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China.
- Center for Medical Research on Innovation and Translation, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Caini Yang
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Qinqin Liu
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Cui Lv
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA medicine, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
- Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xianhuan Yu
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Ziyu Zhou
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Shusheng Lin
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Zhenhua Bai
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Haoming Lin
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Chao Liu
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
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Martini A, Turato C, Cannito S, Quarta S, Biasiolo A, Ruvoletto M, Novo E, Marafatto F, Guerra P, Tonon M, Clemente N, Bocca C, Piano SS, Guido M, Gregori D, Parola M, Angeli P, Pontisso P. The polymorphic variant of SerpinB3 (SerpinB3-PD) is associated with faster cirrhosis decompensation. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2024; 59:380-392. [PMID: 37990490 DOI: 10.1111/apt.17804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND SerpinB3 is a cysteine protease inhibitor involved in liver disease progression due to its proinflammatory and profibrogenic properties. The polymorphic variant SerpinB3-PD (SB3-PD), presents a substitution in its reactive centre loop, determining the gain of function. AIMS To disclose the clinical characteristics of a cohort of patients with cirrhosis in relation to the presence of SB3-PD and to assess the effect of this genetic variant on fibrogenic and inflammatory cytokines in vitro. METHODS We assessed SB3 polymorphism in 90 patients with cirrhosis, prospectively followed up in our referral centre. We used HepG2 and HuH-7 cells transfected to overexpress either wild-type SB3 (SB3-WT) or SB3-PD to assess their endogenous effect, while LX2 and THP-1 cells were treated with exogenous SB3-WT or SB3-PD proteins. RESULTS Patients carrying SB3-PD had more severe portal hypertension and higher MELD scores, than patients carrying SB3-WT. In multivariate analysis, SB3-PD was an independent predictor of cirrhosis complications. Patients with SB3-PD polymorphism presented with more severe liver fibrosis and inflammatory features. Hepatoma cells overexpressing SB3-PD showed higher TGF-β1 expression than controls. The addition of recombinant SB3-PD induced an up-regulation of TGF-β1 in LX2 cells and a more prominent inflammatory profile in THP-1 cells, compared to the effect of SB3-WT protein. CONCLUSIONS The polymorphic variant SB3-PD is highly effective in determining activation of TGF-β1 and inflammation in vitro. Patients with cirrhosis who carry SB3-PD polymorphism may be more prone to develop severe liver disease progression. However, further validation studies are warranted to support the in vivo relevance of this polymorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Martini
- Unit of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
- European Reference Network - ERN RARE-LIVER, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
| | - Cristian Turato
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Stefania Cannito
- Unit of Experimental Medicine and Clinical Pathology, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Santina Quarta
- Unit of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
- European Reference Network - ERN RARE-LIVER, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
| | - Alessandra Biasiolo
- Unit of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
- European Reference Network - ERN RARE-LIVER, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
| | - Mariagrazia Ruvoletto
- Unit of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
- European Reference Network - ERN RARE-LIVER, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
| | - Erica Novo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Filippo Marafatto
- Unit of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
- European Reference Network - ERN RARE-LIVER, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
| | - Pietro Guerra
- Unit of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
- European Reference Network - ERN RARE-LIVER, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
| | - Marta Tonon
- Unit of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
- European Reference Network - ERN RARE-LIVER, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
| | - Nausicaa Clemente
- Department of Health Science, Interdisciplinary Research Center of Autoimmune Diseases (IRCAD), University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Claudia Bocca
- Unit of Experimental Medicine and Clinical Pathology, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Salvatore Silvio Piano
- Unit of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
- European Reference Network - ERN RARE-LIVER, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
| | - Maria Guido
- Unit of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
- European Reference Network - ERN RARE-LIVER, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
| | - Dario Gregori
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Maurizio Parola
- Unit of Experimental Medicine and Clinical Pathology, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Paolo Angeli
- Unit of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
- European Reference Network - ERN RARE-LIVER, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
| | - Patrizia Pontisso
- Unit of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
- European Reference Network - ERN RARE-LIVER, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
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Yao Y, Yang K, Wang Q, Zhu Z, Li S, Li B, Feng B, Tang C. Prediction of CAF-related genes in immunotherapy and drug sensitivity in hepatocellular carcinoma: a multi-database analysis. Genes Immun 2024; 25:55-65. [PMID: 38233508 PMCID: PMC10873201 DOI: 10.1038/s41435-024-00252-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
This study aims to identify the cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF)-related genes that can affect immunotherapy and drug sensitivity in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Expression data and survival data associated with HCC were obtained in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. Weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) analysis was performed to obtain CAF-related genes. Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression was used for regression analysis and risk models. Subsequently, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) analysis, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA) analysis, Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) analysis and drug sensitivity analysis were performed on the risk models. Survival analysis of CAF scores showed that the survival rate was lower in samples with high CAF scores than those with low scores. However, this difference was not significant, suggesting CAF may not directly influence the prognosis of HCC patients. Further screening of CAF-related genes yielded 33 CAF-related genes. Seven risk models constructed based on CDR2L, SPRED1, PFKP, ENG, KLF2, FSCN1 and VCAN, showed significant differences in immunotherapy and partial drug sensitivity in HCC. Seven CAF-related genes may have important roles in immunotherapy, drug sensitivity and prognostic survival in HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Yao
- Division 1, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhuzhou Central Hospital, Zhuzhou, Hunan, China
| | - KaiQing Yang
- Division 1, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhuzhou Central Hospital, Zhuzhou, Hunan, China
| | - Qiang Wang
- Division 1, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhuzhou Central Hospital, Zhuzhou, Hunan, China
| | - Zeming Zhu
- Division 2, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhuzhou Central Hospital, Zhuzhou, Hunan, China
| | - Sheng Li
- Division 1, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhuzhou Central Hospital, Zhuzhou, Hunan, China
| | - Bin Li
- Division 1, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhuzhou Central Hospital, Zhuzhou, Hunan, China
| | - Bin Feng
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhuzhou Central Hospital, Zhuzhou, Hunan, China.
| | - Caixi Tang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhuzhou Central Hospital, Zhuzhou, Hunan, China.
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Parola M, Pinzani M. Liver fibrosis in NAFLD/NASH: from pathophysiology towards diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Mol Aspects Med 2024; 95:101231. [PMID: 38056058 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2023.101231] [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: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis, as an excess deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) components, results from chronic liver injury as well as persistent activation of inflammatory response and of fibrogenesis. Liver fibrosis is a major determinant for chronic liver disease (CLD) progression and in the last two decades our understanding on the major molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the fibrogenic progression of CLD has dramatically improved, boosting pre-clinical studies and clinical trials designed to find novel therapeutic approaches. From these studies several critical concepts have emerged, starting to reveal the complexity of the pro-fibrotic microenvironment which involves very complex, dynamic and interrelated interactions between different hepatic and extrahepatic cell populations. This review will offer first a recapitulation of established and novel pathophysiological basic principles and concepts by intentionally focus the attention on NAFLD/NASH, a metabolic-related form of CLD with a high impact on the general population and emerging as a leading cause of CLD worldwide. NAFLD/NASH-related pro-inflammatory and profibrogenic mechanisms will be analysed as well as novel information on cells, mediators and signalling pathways which have taken advantage from novel methodological approaches and techniques (single cell genomics, imaging mass cytometry, novel in vitro two- and three-dimensional models, etc.). We will next offer an overview on recent advancement in diagnostic and prognostic tools, including serum biomarkers and polygenic scores, to support the analysis of liver biopsies. Finally, this review will provide an analysis of current and emerging therapies for the treatment of NAFLD/NASH patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Parola
- Dept. Clinical and Biological Sciences, Unit of Experimental Medicine and Clinical Pathology, University of Torino, Corso Raffaello 30, 10125, Torino, Italy.
| | - Massimo Pinzani
- UCL Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, Division of Medicine - Royal Free Hospital, London, NW32PF, United Kingdom.
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Mansouri M, Lamichhane A, Das D, Aucejo F, Tavana H, Leipzig ND. Comparison of Engineered Liver 3D Models and the Role of Oxygenation for Patient-Derived Tumor Cells and Immortalized Cell Lines Cocultured with Tumor Stroma in the Detection of Hepatotoxins. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2024; 8:e2300386. [PMID: 37845003 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202300386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
In metabolically active tumors, responses of cells to drugs are heavily influenced by oxygen availability via the surrounding vasculature alongside the extracellular matrix signaling. The objective of this study is to investigate hepatotoxicity by replicating critical features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This includes replicating 3D structures, metabolic activities, and tumor-specific markers. The internal environment of spheroids comprised of cancerous human patient-derived hepatocytes using microparticles is modulated to enhance the oxygenation state and recreate cell-extracellular matrix interactions. Furthermore, the role of hepatic stellate cells in maintaining hepatocyte survival and function is explored and hepatocytes from two cellular sources (immortalized and patient-derived) to create four formulations with and without microparticles are utilized. To investigate drug-induced changes in metabolism and apoptosis in liver cells, coculture spheroids with and without microparticles are exposed to three hepatotoxic drugs. The use of microparticles increases levels of apoptotic markers in both liver models under drug treatments. This coincides with reduced levels of anti-apoptotic proteins and increased levels of pro-apoptotic proteins. Moreover, cells from different origins undergo apoptosis through distinct apoptotic pathways in response to identical drugs. This 3D microphysiological system offers a viable tool for liver cancer research to investigate mechanisms of apoptosis under different microenvironmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Mansouri
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA
| | - Astha Lamichhane
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA
| | - Dola Das
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Federico Aucejo
- Lerner College of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Hossein Tavana
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA
| | - Nic D Leipzig
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA
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Dan L, Hao Y, Song H, Wang T, Li J, He X, Su Y. Efficacy and potential mechanisms of the main active ingredients of astragalus mongholicus in animal models of liver fibrosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 319:117198. [PMID: 37722514 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Astragalus mongholicus (AM) is a Qi-tonifying and immune-regulating herb widely used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which is increasingly regarded as a profound complementary medication in the treatment of fibrosis disease. Astragaloside (AS), astragaloside flavonoids (AF) and astragaloside polysaccharides (APS) are the main active ingredients of Astragalus Mongholicus (AM) that have a significant therapeutic effect on liver fibrosis. AIM OF THE STUDY This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effects and possible mechanisms of the main active ingredients of AM including astragaloside (AS), astragalus flavone (AF) and astragalus polysaccharide (APS) in animal models of liver fibrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS We systematically searched ten databases PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL, ProQuest database, China National Knowledge Internet (CNKI), VIP Information Chinese Periodical Service Platform (VIP), WangFang database and China Biology Medicine Disc (CBM) to identify relevant animal studies from inception to November 2022. The SYRCLE's risk of bias tool was used to assess the methodological quality. The statistical analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software. RESULTS Twenty-three studies involving 482 animals were included. Studies quality scores ranged from 4 to 5. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (SMD, -3.87; 95% CI, -5.09 to -2.65; P < 0.00001) aminotransferase (AST) (SMD, -4.43; 95% CI, -5.77 to -3.08; P < 0.00001), hydroxyproline (HYP) (SMD, -2.94; 95% CI, -3.83 to -2.05; P < 0.00001) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) (SMD, -2.82; 95% CI, -3.57 to -2.06; P < 0.00001) were the main outcome measures to be analyzed. The meta-analysis revealed that the main active ingredients of AM lowered the levels of known risk factors including liver index (SMD, -1.25; 95% CI, -1.63 to -0.87; P < 0.00001), degree of liver fibrosis (SMD, -1.93; 95% CI, -2.57 to -1.28; P < 0.00001), collagen α type I (Col)-1 (SMD, -3.71; 95% CI, -5.63 to -1.79; P = 0.0001), hyaluronic acid (HA) (SMD, -2.65; 95% CI, -3.69 to -1.61; P < 0.00001), laminin (LN) (SMD, -2.06; 95% CI, -2.51 to -1.61; P < 0.00001), type IV collagen (CIV) (SMD, -3.04; 95% CI, -4.34 to -1.74; P < 0.00001), procollagen typeIII (PCIII) (SMD, -2.60; 95% CI, -3.15 to -2.05; P < 0.00001), albumin (ALB) (SMD, -1.19; 95% CI, -1.63 to -0.75; P < 0.00001), total bilirubin (TBiL) (SMD, -3.63; 95% CI, -5.39 to -1.88; P < 0.0001), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) (SMD, -5.27; 95% CI, -6.94 to -3.61; P < 0.00001) and Smad3 (SMD, -4.11; 95% CI, -7.17 to -1.05; P = 0.009) level. CONCLUSION Our meta-analysis demonstrates the effective role of the main active ingredients of AM in preclinical studies of liver fibrosis. The underlying mechanisms may be related to attenuation of oxidative stress, modulation of inflammatory response and inhibition of collagen production. However, due to the significant heterogeneity and poor quality of included studies, positive findings should be treated cautiously. REGISTRATION PROSPERO ID CRD42023382282.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Dan
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanwei Hao
- Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Hongfei Song
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Tianyuan Wang
- The Affiliated Chengdu 363 Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jia Li
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaoyan He
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yue Su
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
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Madir A, Grgurevic I, Tsochatzis EA, Pinzani M. Portal hypertension in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: Current knowledge and challenges. World J Gastroenterol 2024; 30:290-307. [PMID: 38313235 PMCID: PMC10835535 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v30.i4.290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Portal hypertension (PH) has traditionally been observed as a consequence of significant fibrosis and cirrhosis in advanced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, recent studies have provided evidence that PH may develop in earlier stages of NAFLD, suggesting that there are additional pathogenetic mechanisms at work in addition to liver fibrosis. The early development of PH in NAFLD is associated with hepatocellular lipid accumulation and ballooning, leading to the compression of liver sinusoids. External compression and intra-luminal obstacles cause mechanical forces such as strain, shear stress and elevated hydrostatic pressure that in turn activate mechanotransduction pathways, resulting in endothelial dysfunction and the development of fibrosis. The spatial distribution of histological and functional changes in the periportal and perisinusoidal areas of the liver lobule are considered responsible for the pre-sinusoidal component of PH in patients with NAFLD. Thus, current diagnostic methods such as hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) measurement tend to underestimate portal pressure (PP) in NAFLD patients, who might decompensate below the HVPG threshold of 10 mmHg, which is traditionally considered the most relevant indicator of clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH). This creates further challenges in finding a reliable diagnostic method to stratify the prognostic risk in this population of patients. In theory, the measurement of the portal pressure gradient guided by endoscopic ultrasound might overcome the limitations of HVPG measurement by avoiding the influence of the pre-sinusoidal component, but more investigations are needed to test its clinical utility for this indication. Liver and spleen stiffness measurement in combination with platelet count is currently the best-validated non-invasive approach for diagnosing CSPH and varices needing treatment. Lifestyle change remains the cornerstone of the treatment of PH in NAFLD, together with correcting the components of metabolic syndrome, using nonselective beta blockers, whereas emerging candidate drugs require more robust confirmation from clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Madir
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Clinical Nutrition, University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
| | - Ivica Grgurevic
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Clinical Nutrition, University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
- School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
| | - Emmanuel A Tsochatzis
- UCL Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, Royal Free Hospital and University College London, London NW3 2PF, United Kingdom
| | - Massimo Pinzani
- UCL Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, Royal Free Hospital and University College London, London NW3 2PF, United Kingdom
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Haji Begli N, Freund C, Weiss KH, Gotthardt D, Wannhoff A. Comparative proteomics reveals different protein expression in platelets in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis. Proteome Sci 2024; 22:3. [PMID: 38279183 PMCID: PMC10811856 DOI: 10.1186/s12953-024-00227-y] [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: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The role of platelets in disease progression as well as the function of platelets as part of the haemostatic and immunological system in patients with liver cirrhosis is only incompletely understood. This is partly due to difficulties in assessing platelet function. Proteome analyses of platelets have been used to further investigate the role of platelets in other diseases. AIM To assess possible changes in the platelet proteome during different stages of alcohol induced liver cirrhosis compared to healthy donors. PATIENTS AND METHODS A 45 ml blood sample was drawn from 18 participants aged 18-80 years evenly divided into three groups of healthy donors, patients with less advanced alcohol induced liver cirrhosis (Child-Pugh < 7) and patients with advanced liver cirrhosis (Child-Pugh > 10). The blood was processed to isolate platelets and perform subsequent two-dimensional gel-electrophoresis using a SYPRO™ Ruby dye. After computational analysation significantly in- or decreased protein spots (defined as a two-fold abundance change between different study cohorts and ANOVA < 0.05) were identified via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS) and searching against human protein databases. RESULTS The comparative analysis identified four platelet proteins with progressively decreased protein expression in patients with liver cirrhosis. More specifically Ras-related protein Rab-7a (Rab-7a), Ran-specific binding protein 1 (RANBP1), Rho GDP-dissociation inhibitor 1 (RhoGDI1), and 14-3-3 gamma. CONCLUSION There is significant change in protein expression in the platelet proteome throughout the disease progression of alcohol induced liver cirrhosis. The identified proteins are possibly involved in haemostatic and immunoregulatory function of platelets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nima Haji Begli
- Department of Internal Medicine IV, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Cora Freund
- Department of Internal Medicine IV, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Karl-Heinz Weiss
- Salem Medical Center, Zeppelinstr. 11-33, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Daniel Gotthardt
- Department of Internal Medicine IV, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andreas Wannhoff
- Department of Internal Medicine IV, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
- Department of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, Hospital Ludwigsburg, Posilipostrasse 4, 71640, Ludwigsburg, Germany.
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Xia Y, Wang Y, Xiong Q, He J, Wang H, Islam M, Zhou X, Kim A, Zhang H, Huang H, Tsung A. Neutrophil extracellular traps promote MASH fibrosis by metabolic reprogramming of HSC. Hepatology 2024:01515467-990000000-00728. [PMID: 38266270 DOI: 10.1097/hep.0000000000000762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) fibrosis is a reversible stage of liver disease accompanied by inflammatory cell infiltration. Neutrophils extrude a meshwork of chromatin fibers to establish neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which play important roles in inflammatory response regulation. Our previous work demonstrated that NETs promote HCC in MASH. However, it is still unknown if NETs play a role in the molecular mechanisms of liver fibrosis. APPROACH AND RESULTS Following 12 weeks of Western diet/carbon tetrachloride, MASH fibrosis was identified in C57BL/6 mice with increased NET formation. However, NET depletion using DNase I treatment or mice knocked out for peptidyl arginine deaminase type IV significantly attenuated the development of MASH fibrosis. NETs were demonstrated to induce HSCs activation, proliferation, and migration through augmented mitochondrial and aerobic glycolysis to provide additional bioenergetic and biosynthetic supplies. Metabolomic analysis revealed markedly an altered metabolic profile upon NET stimulation of HSCs that were dependent on arachidonic acid metabolism. Mechanistically, NET stimulation of toll-like receptor 3 induced cyclooxygenase-2 activation and prostaglandin E2 production with subsequent HSC activation and liver fibrosis. Inhibiting cyclooxygenase-2 with celecoxib reduced fibrosis in our MASH model. CONCLUSIONS Our findings implicate NETs playing a critical role in the development of MASH hepatic fibrosis by inducing metabolic reprogramming of HSCs through the toll-like receptor 3/cyclooxygenase-2/cyclooxygenase-2 pathway. Therefore, NET inhibition may represent an attractive treatment target for MASH liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujia Xia
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Institute of Pathology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Qi Xiong
- Institute of Pathology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jiayi He
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Han Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Mozaffarul Islam
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Xinyu Zhou
- Department of Surgery, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Alex Kim
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Hongji Zhang
- Department of Surgery, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Hai Huang
- Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, New York, USA
| | - Allan Tsung
- Department of Surgery, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
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Marani M, Madan V, Le TK, Deng J, Lee KK, Ma EZ, Kwatra SG. Dysregulation of the Skin-Liver Axis in Prurigo Nodularis: An Integrated Genomic, Transcriptomic, and Population-Based Analysis. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:146. [PMID: 38397136 PMCID: PMC10887737 DOI: 10.3390/genes15020146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Pruritus has long been linked to hepatic dysfunction; however, there are limited data characterizing the association between liver disease and prurigo nodularis (PN), a chronic inflammatory skin disease featuring severe pruritis. We thus conducted a cross-sectional analysis of hepatic comorbidities in PN patients using TriNetX, a large global health research network. This analysis revealed that PN patients had a higher risk (p < 0.001) of developing liver cirrhosis, acute and subacute hepatic failure, inflammatory liver disease, chronic hepatitis, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, portal hypertension, fatty liver, chronic passive congestion of the liver, and hepatocellular carcinoma compared with healthy controls. The cumulative incidence of liver disease was about three times higher in PN patients compared with healthy controls. These findings provided the basis for translational studies to investigate a genetic mechanism for this association. Cutaneous transcriptomic analysis performed on PN patients revealed the dysregulation of genes related to hepatic failure in lesional PN compared with both nonlesional PN and control skin. Similarly, gene set variation analysis (GSVA) revealed a significantly increased (p < 0.05) activation of liver metabolism, chronic hepatic failure, acute hepatic failure, cholestatic liver disease, polycystic liver disease, and hepatocellular carcinoma pathways in lesional PN compared with control skin. A subsequent genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified shared single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the genes AR, EDIL3, MACROD2, PCSK5, RUNX1T1, TENM4, and ZEB2 between PN and liver disease from the FinnGen cohort. Significant dysregulation of the skin-liver axis in PN patients may explain the increased incidence and severity of hepatic comorbidities and help identify future therapeutic targets for PN.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Shawn G. Kwatra
- Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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Zhou Z, Zhang R, Li X, Zhang W, Zhan Y, Lang Z, Tao Q, Yu J, Yu S, Yu Z, Zheng J. Circular RNA cVIM promotes hepatic stellate cell activation in liver fibrosis via miR-122-5p/miR-9-5p-mediated TGF-β signaling cascade. Commun Biol 2024; 7:113. [PMID: 38243118 PMCID: PMC10798957 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05797-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation is considered as a central driver of liver fibrosis and effective suppression of HSC activation contributes to the treatment of liver fibrosis. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been reported to be important in tumor progression. However, the contributions of circRNAs in liver fibrosis remain largely unclear. The liver fibrosis-specific circRNA was explored by a circRNA microarray and cVIM (a circRNA derived from exons 4 to 8 of the vimentin gene mmu_circ_32994) was selected as the research object. Further studies revealed that cVIM, mainly expressed in the cytoplasm, may act as a sponge for miR-122-5p and miR-9-5p to enhance expression of type I TGF-β receptor (TGFBR1) and TGFBR2 and promotes activation of the TGF-β/Smad pathway, thereby accelerating the progression of liver fibrosis. Our results demonstrate a vital role for cVIM in promoting liver fibrosis progression and provide a fresh perspective on circRNAs in liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenxu Zhou
- Department of Hernia and Abdominal Wall Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China
| | - Rongrong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China
| | - Xinmiao Li
- Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China
| | - Weizhi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China
| | - Yating Zhan
- Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China
| | - Zhichao Lang
- Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China
| | - Qiqi Tao
- Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China
| | - Jinglu Yu
- Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China
| | - Suhui Yu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China
| | - Zhengping Yu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China
| | - Jianjian Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China.
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Wan S, Liu X, Sun R, Liu H, Jiang J, Wu B. Activated hepatic stellate cell-derived Bmp-1 induces liver fibrosis via mediating hepatocyte epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:41. [PMID: 38216590 PMCID: PMC10786946 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06437-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a reparative response to injury that arises from various etiologies, characterized by activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Periostin, a secreted matricellular protein, has been reported to participate in tissue development and regeneration. However, its involvement in liver fibrosis remains unknown. This study investigated the roles and mechanisms of Periostin in phenotypic transition of HSCs and relevant abnormal cellular crosstalk during liver fibrosis. The fate of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) during liver fibrogenesis was investigated using single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing profiles, which revealed a significant proliferation of activated HSCs (aHSCs) in fibrotic livers of both humans and mice. αSMA-TK mice were used to demonstrate that depletion of proliferative aHSCs attenuates liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride and 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine. Through integrating data from single-cell and bulk sequencing, Periostin was identified as a distinctive hallmark of proliferative aHSC subpopulation. Elevated levels of Periostin were detected in fibrotic livers of both humans and mice, primarily within aHSCs. However, hepatic Periostin levels were decreased along with depletion of proliferative aHSCs. Deficiency of Periostin led to reduced liver fibrosis and suppressed hepatocyte epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Periostin-overexpressing HSCs, exhibiting a proliferative aHSC phenotype, release bone morphogenetic protein-1 (Bmp-1), which activates EGFR signaling, inducing hepatocyte EMT and contributing to liver fibrosis. In conclusion, Periostin in aHSCs drives their acquisition of a proliferative phenotype and the release of Bmp-1. Proliferative aHSC subpopulation-derived Bmp-1 induces hepatocyte EMT via EGFR signaling, promoting liver fibrogenesis. Bmp-1 and Periostin should be potential therapeutic targets for liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sizhe Wan
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xianzhi Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ruonan Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huiling Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jie Jiang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bin Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, China.
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An Y, Xu C, Liu W, Jiang J, Ye P, Yang M, Zhu W, Yu J, Yu M, Sun W, Hong J, Qiu H, Wei W, Zhang S. Angiotensin II type-2 receptor attenuates liver fibrosis progression by suppressing IRE1α-XBP1 pathway. Cell Signal 2024; 113:110935. [PMID: 37866666 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2023.110935] [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: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has been recognized as a crucial contributor to the development of liver fibrosis, and AT2R, an essential component of RAS, is involved in the progression of liver fibrosis. However, the underlying mechanisms by which AT2R modulates liver fibrosis remain elusive. Here, we report that AT2R was induced to be highly expressed during the progression of liver fibrosis, and the elevated AT2R attenuates liver fibrosis by suppressing IRE1α-XBP1 pathway. In this study, we found that AT2R is not expressed in the no cirrhotic adult liver, but is induced expression during liver fibrosis in both cirrhotic patients and fibrotic mice models. Upregulated AT2R inhibits the activation and proliferation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). In addition, our study showed that during liver fibrosis, AT2R deletion increased the dimerization activation of IRE1α and promoted XBP1 splicing, and the spliced XBP1s could promote their transcription by binding to the AT2R promoter and repress the IRE1α-XBP1 axis, forming an AT2R-IRE1α-XBP1 negative feedback loop. Importantly, the combination treatment of an AT2R agonist and an endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress) alleviator significantly attenuated liver fibrosis in a mouse model of liver fibrosis. Therefore, we conclude that the AT2R-IRE1α signaling pathway can regulate the progression of liver fibrosis, and AT2R is a new potential therapeutic target for treating liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue An
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University; Key Laboratory of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Collaborative Innovation Centre of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Changyong Xu
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University; Key Laboratory of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Collaborative Innovation Centre of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Wenmin Liu
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University; Key Laboratory of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Collaborative Innovation Centre of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Ji Jiang
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University; Key Laboratory of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Collaborative Innovation Centre of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Pengfei Ye
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University; Key Laboratory of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Collaborative Innovation Centre of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Mei Yang
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University; Key Laboratory of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Collaborative Innovation Centre of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Weihua Zhu
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University; Key Laboratory of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Collaborative Innovation Centre of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Jingjing Yu
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University; Key Laboratory of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Collaborative Innovation Centre of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Manman Yu
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University; Key Laboratory of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Collaborative Innovation Centre of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Wuyi Sun
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University; Key Laboratory of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Collaborative Innovation Centre of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Jian Hong
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Huan Qiu
- School of Nursing, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China.
| | - Wei Wei
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University; Key Laboratory of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Collaborative Innovation Centre of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Hefei 230032, China.
| | - Shihao Zhang
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University; Key Laboratory of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Collaborative Innovation Centre of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Hefei 230032, China.
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Li M, Huang F, Zhu W, Peng Y, Xu F, Li W, Zhao Q, Liu L. Dynamic regulation of EXO1 promotes the progression from liver fibrosis to HCC through TGF-β1/Smad signaling feedback loop. Hepatol Commun 2024; 8:e0342. [PMID: 38126949 PMCID: PMC10749710 DOI: 10.1097/hc9.0000000000000342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND HSCs are the main stromal cells in the process of liver fibrosis and accelerate HCC progression. Previous studies determined that highly expressed exonuclease 1 (EXO1) increases the malignant behavior of HCC cells and is closely related to liver cirrhosis. This study aimed to explore the roles and mechanisms of EXO1 in the development of liver cirrhosis and HCC. METHODS We fully demonstrated that EXO1 expression was positively correlated with liver fibrosis and cirrhotic HCC by combining bioinformatics, hepatic fibrosis mouse models, and human HCC tissues. The role of EXO1 in a murine HCC model induced by activated forms of AKT and Ras oncogenes (AKT/Ras) was investigated by employing an adeno-associated virus-mediated EXO1 knockdown technique. RESULTS The knockdown of EXO1 promoted a regression of HCC in AKT/Ras mice and reduced the degree of liver fibrosis. Downregulated EXO1 inhibited LX-2 cell activation and inhibited the proliferation and migration of HCC cells. Moreover, conditioned medium of LX-2 cells with EXO1 overexpression increased the proliferation and migration of HCC cells, which was attenuated after EXO1 knockout in LX-2 cells. EXO1 knockdown attenuated the role of LX-2 in promoting HepG2 xenograft growth in vivo. Mechanistically, EXO1 promotes the activation of the downstream TGF-β-smad2/3 signaling in LX-2 and HCC cells. Interestingly, increased TGF-β-smad2/3 signaling had a feedback effect on EXO1, which sustains EXO1 expression and continuously stimulates the activation of HSCs. CONCLUSIONS EXO1 forms a positive feedback circuit with TGF-β-Smad2/3 signaling and promotes the activation of HSCs, which accelerates HCC progression. Those findings indicate EXO1 may be a promising target for the diagnosis and treatment of cirrhotic HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengting Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Clinical Center and Key Lab of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, China
| | - Fengxing Huang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Clinical Center and Key Lab of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, China
| | - Weining Zhu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Clinical Center and Key Lab of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, China
| | - Yanan Peng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Clinical Center and Key Lab of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, China
| | - Fei Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Clinical Center and Key Lab of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, China
| | - Wenjie Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Clinical Center and Key Lab of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, China
| | - Qiu Zhao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Clinical Center and Key Lab of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, China
| | - Lan Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Clinical Center and Key Lab of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, China
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50
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Das T, Khatun S, Jha T, Gayen S. HDAC9 as a Privileged Target: Reviewing its Role in Different Diseases and Structure-activity Relationships (SARs) of its Inhibitors. Mini Rev Med Chem 2024; 24:767-784. [PMID: 37818566 DOI: 10.2174/0113895575267301230919165827] [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: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
HDAC9 is a histone deacetylase enzyme belonging to the class IIa of HDACs which catalyses histone deacetylation. HDAC9 inhibit cell proliferation by repairing DNA, arresting the cell cycle, inducing apoptosis, and altering genetic expression. HDAC9 plays a significant part in human physiological system and are involved in various type of diseases like cancer, diabetes, atherosclerosis and CVD, autoimmune response, inflammatory disease, osteoporosis and liver fibrosis. This review discusses the role of HDAC9 in different diseases and structure-activity relationships (SARs) of various hydroxamate and non-hydroxamate-based inhibitors. SAR of compounds containing several scaffolds have been discussed in detail. Moreover, structural requirements regarding the various components of HDAC9 inhibitor (cap group, linker and zinc-binding group) has been highlighted in this review. Though, HDAC9 is a promising target for the treatment of a number of diseases including cancer, a very few research are available. Thus, this review may provide useful information for designing novel HDAC9 inhibitors to fight against different diseases in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Totan Das
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Laboratory of Drug Design and Discovery, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, 700032, India
| | - Samima Khatun
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Laboratory of Drug Design and Discovery, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, 700032, India
| | - Tarun Jha
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Natural Science Laboratory, Division of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, 700032, India
| | - Shovanlal Gayen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Laboratory of Drug Design and Discovery, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, 700032, India
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