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Del Duca E, Dahabreh D, Kim M, Bar J, Da Rosa JC, Rabinowitz G, Facheris P, Gómez-Arias PJ, Chang A, Utti V, Chowdhury A, Liu Y, Estrada YD, Laculiceanu A, Agache I, Guttman-Yassky E. Transcriptomic evaluation of skin tape-strips in children with allergic asthma uncovers epidermal barrier dysfunction and asthma-associated biomarkers abnormalities. Allergy 2024; 79:1516-1530. [PMID: 38375886 DOI: 10.1111/all.16060] [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: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Tape-strips, a minimally invasive method validated for the evaluation of several skin diseases, may help identify asthma-specific biomarkers in the skin of children with allergic asthma. METHODS Skin tape-strips were obtained and analyzed with RNA-Seq from children with moderate allergic asthma (MAA) (n = 11, mean age 7.00; SD = 1.67), severe allergic asthma (SAA) (n = 9, mean age 9.11; SD = 2.37), and healthy controls (HCs) (n = 12, mean age 7.36; SD = 2.03). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by fold change ≥2 with a false discovery rate <0.05. Transcriptomic biomarkers were analyzed for their accuracy in distinguishing asthma from HCs, their relationships with asthma-related outcomes (exacerbation rate, lung function-FEV1, IOS-R5-20, and lung inflammation-FeNO), and their links to skin (barrier and immune response) and lung (remodeling, metabolism, aging) pathogenetic pathways. RESULTS RNA-Seq captured 1113 in MAA and 2117 DEGs in SAA. Epidermal transcriptomic biomarkers for terminal differentiation (FLG/filaggrin), cell adhesion (CDH19, JAM2), lipid biosynthesis/metabolism (ACOT2, LOXL2) were significantly downregulated. Gene set variation analysis revealed enrichment of Th1/IFNγ pathways (p < .01). MAA and SAA shared downregulation of G-protein-coupled receptor (OR4A16, TAS1R3), upregulation of TGF-β/ErbB signaling-related (ACVR1B, EGFR, ID1/2), and upregulation of mitochondrial-related (HIGD2A, VDAC3, NDUFB9) genes. Skin transcriptomic biomarkers correlated with the annualized exacerbation rate and with lung function parameters. A two-gene classifier (TSSC4-FAM212B) was able to differentiate asthma from HCs with 100% accuracy. CONCLUSION Tape-strips detected epithelial barrier and asthma-associated signatures in normal-appearing skin from children with allergic asthma and may serve as an alternative to invasive approaches for evaluating asthma endotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ester Del Duca
- Department of Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at the Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Dermatology Clinic, Department of Clinical Internal, Anesthesiological and Cardiovascular Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Dante Dahabreh
- Department of Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at the Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Madeline Kim
- Department of Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at the Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jonathan Bar
- Department of Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at the Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Joel Correa Da Rosa
- Department of Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at the Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Grace Rabinowitz
- Department of Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at the Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Paola Facheris
- Department of Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at the Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Dermatology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Pedro Jesús Gómez-Arias
- Department of Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at the Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Reina Sofía University Hospital, Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Cordoba, Spain
| | - Annie Chang
- Department of Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at the Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Vivian Utti
- Department of Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at the Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Amira Chowdhury
- Department of Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at the Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ying Liu
- Department of Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at the Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Yeriel D Estrada
- Department of Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at the Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Alexandru Laculiceanu
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Transylvania University, Brasov, Romania
| | - Ioana Agache
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Transylvania University, Brasov, Romania
| | - Emma Guttman-Yassky
- Department of Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at the Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
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Jie H, Jie W, Yingxue G, Xin Z, Runnan X, Wenjie H, Jianxiong M, Bodong L. Cldn4 overexpression promotes penile cavernous smooth muscle cell fibrotic response via the JNK signaling pathway. J Sex Med 2024; 21:511-521. [PMID: 38477100 DOI: 10.1093/jsxmed/qdae021] [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: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Erectile dysfunction (ED), defined as the inability to achieve or maintain a penile erection sufficient to satisfy sexual behavior, is prevalent worldwide. AIM Using previous research, bioinformatics, and experimental confirmation, we aimed to discover genes that contribute to ED through regulating hypoxia in corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells (CCSMCs). METHODS We used the Gene Expression Omnibus to acquire the sequencing data of the corpus cavernosum transcriptome for diabetic ED and nerve injury type ED rats. We intersected the common differentially expressed genes. Further verification was performed using single cell sequencing. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence were used to investigate whether the differentially expressed genes are found in the corpus cavernosum. We used induced hypoxia to assess cell viability changes, and we developed a lentivirus overexpressing Cldn4 for in vitro and in vivo experiments to measure changes in JNK signaling, fibrosis, hypoxia, and erectile function. OUTCOMES Our results indicate that targeting the JNK pathway and decreasing local hypoxia may be better options for therapeutic intervention to improve erectile function. RESULTS We identified Cldn4 and found its expression increased in the corpora cavernosa of the 2 datasets. In addition, we found that hypoxia can increase the expression of Cldn4, activate the JNK signaling pathway, and exacerbate fibrosis in CCSMCs. Cldn4 overexpression in CCSMCs activated the JNK signaling pathway and increased fibrotic protein expression. Last, rat corpus cavernosum overexpressing Cldn4 activated the JNK signaling pathway, increased local fibrosis, and impaired erectile function. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS Through bioinformatics and in vitro and in vivo experiments, we found that Cldn4 has a negative effect on ED, and targeting Cldn4 may provide new ideas for ED treatment. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS Although we have identified Cldn4 as a potential target for ED treatment, we have only conducted preliminary validation on CCMSCs, and we still need to further validate in other cell lines. CONCLUSION CCSMC hypoxia leads to increased Cldn4, in both nerve injury and diabetic ED rat models, and promotes fibrosis by activating the JNK signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huang Jie
- Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Wang Jie
- Department of Urology, Zhejiang Hospital, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Guo Yingxue
- Second Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Zhang Xin
- Second Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Xu Runnan
- Second Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Huang Wenjie
- Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Ma Jianxiong
- Second Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Lv Bodong
- Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Sexual Dysfunction, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou Zhejiang, China
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Liu D, Du J, Xie H, Tian H, Lu L, Zhang C, Xu GT, Zhang J. Wnt5a/β-catenin-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition: a key driver of subretinal fibrosis in neovascular age-related macular degeneration. J Neuroinflammation 2024; 21:75. [PMID: 38532410 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-024-03068-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: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), accounts for up to 90% of AMD-associated vision loss, ultimately resulting in the formation of fibrotic scar in the macular region. The pathogenesis of subretinal fibrosis in nAMD involves the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) occurring in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Here, we aim to investigate the underlying mechanisms involved in the Wnt signaling during the EMT of RPE cells and in the pathological process of subretinal fibrosis secondary to nAMD. METHODS In vivo, the induction of subretinal fibrosis was performed in male C57BL/6J mice through laser photocoagulation. Either FH535 (a β-catenin inhibitor) or Box5 (a Wnt5a inhibitor) was intravitreally administered on the same day or 14 days following laser induction. The RPE-Bruch's membrane-choriocapillaris complex (RBCC) tissues were collected and subjected to Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence to examine fibrovascular and Wnt-related markers. In vitro, transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1)-treated ARPE-19 cells were co-incubated with or without FH535, Foxy-5 (a Wnt5a-mimicking peptide), Box5, or Wnt5a shRNA, respectively. The changes in EMT- and Wnt-related signaling molecules, as well as cell functions were assessed using qRT-PCR, nuclear-cytoplasmic fractionation assay, Western blot, immunofluorescence, scratch assay or transwell migration assay. The cell viability of ARPE-19 cells was determined using Cell Counting Kit (CCK)-8. RESULTS The in vivo analysis demonstrated Wnt5a/ROR1, but not Wnt3a, was upregulated in the RBCCs of the laser-induced CNV mice compared to the normal control group. Intravitreal injection of FH535 effectively reduced Wnt5a protein expression. Both FH535 and Box5 effectively attenuated subretinal fibrosis and EMT, as well as the activation of β-catenin in laser-induced CNV mice, as evidenced by the significant reduction in areas positive for fibronectin, alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), collagen I, and active β-catenin labeling. In vitro, Wnt5a/ROR1, active β-catenin, and some other Wnt signaling molecules were upregulated in the TGFβ1-induced EMT cell model using ARPE-19 cells. Co-treatment with FH535, Box5, or Wnt5a shRNA markedly suppressed the activation of Wnt5a, nuclear translocation of active β-catenin, as well as the EMT in TGFβ1-treated ARPE-19 cells. Conversely, treatment with Foxy-5 independently resulted in the activation of abovementioned molecules and subsequent induction of EMT in ARPE-19 cells. CONCLUSIONS Our study reveals a reciprocal activation between Wnt5a and β-catenin to mediate EMT as a pivotal driver of subretinal fibrosis in nAMD. This positive feedback loop provides valuable insights into potential therapeutic strategies to treat subretinal fibrosis in nAMD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology of Tongji Hospital and Laboratory of Clinical and Visual Sciences of Tongji Eye Institute, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingxiao Du
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai Engineering Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Diseases, Shanghai Eye Research Institute, Shanghai, China
| | - Hai Xie
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai Engineering Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Diseases, Shanghai Eye Research Institute, Shanghai, China
| | - Haibin Tian
- Department of Ophthalmology of Tongji Hospital and Laboratory of Clinical and Visual Sciences of Tongji Eye Institute, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lixia Lu
- Department of Ophthalmology of Tongji Hospital and Laboratory of Clinical and Visual Sciences of Tongji Eye Institute, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chaoyang Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai Engineering Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Diseases, Shanghai Eye Research Institute, Shanghai, China.
| | - Guo-Tong Xu
- Department of Ophthalmology of Tongji Hospital and Laboratory of Clinical and Visual Sciences of Tongji Eye Institute, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jingfa Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai Engineering Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Diseases, Shanghai Eye Research Institute, Shanghai, China.
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Salminen A. AMPK signaling inhibits the differentiation of myofibroblasts: impact on age-related tissue fibrosis and degeneration. Biogerontology 2024; 25:83-106. [PMID: 37917219 PMCID: PMC10794430 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-023-10072-9] [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] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Disruption of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and an accumulation of fibrotic lesions within tissues are two of the distinctive hallmarks of the aging process. Tissue fibroblasts are mesenchymal cells which display an impressive plasticity in the regulation of ECM integrity and thus on tissue homeostasis. Single-cell transcriptome studies have revealed that tissue fibroblasts exhibit a remarkable heterogeneity with aging and in age-related diseases. Excessive stress and inflammatory insults induce the differentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts which are fusiform contractile cells and abundantly secrete the components of the ECM and proteolytic enzymes as well as many inflammatory mediators. Detrimental stresses can also induce the transdifferentiation of certain mesenchymal and myeloid cells into myofibroblasts. Interestingly, many age-related stresses, such as oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stresses, ECM stiffness, inflammatory mediators, telomere shortening, and several alarmins from damaged cells are potent inducers of myofibroblast differentiation. Intriguingly, there is convincing evidence that the signaling pathways stimulated by the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) are potent inhibitors of myofibroblast differentiation and accordingly AMPK signaling reduces fibrotic lesions within tissues, e.g., in age-related cardiac and pulmonary fibrosis. AMPK signaling is not only an important regulator of energy metabolism but it is also able to control cell fate determination and many functions of the immune system. It is known that AMPK signaling can delay the aging process via an integrated signaling network. AMPK signaling inhibits myofibroblast differentiation, e.g., by suppressing signaling through the TGF-β, NF-κB, STAT3, and YAP/TAZ pathways. It seems that AMPK signaling can alleviate age-related tissue fibrosis and degeneration by inhibiting the differentiation of myofibroblasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antero Salminen
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, 70211, Kuopio, Finland.
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He J, Cheng X, Fang B, Shan S, Li Q. Mechanical stiffness promotes skin fibrosis via Piezo1-Wnt2/Wnt11-CCL24 positive feedback loop. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:84. [PMID: 38267432 PMCID: PMC10808102 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06466-3] [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: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Skin fibrosis is characterized by the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) caused by fibrotic disorders of the skin. In recent years, ECM stiffness has emerged as a prominent mechanical cue that precedes skin fibrosis and drives its progression by promoting fibroblasts activation. However, how stiffness influences fibroblasts activation for skin fibrosis progression remains unknown. Here, we report a positive feedback loop mediated by the mechanosensitive ion channel Piezo1 and aberrant tissue mechanics in driving skin fibrosis. Piezo1 is upregulated in fibrotic skin in both humans and mice. Piezo1 knockdown dermal fibroblasts lose their fibroproliferative phenotypes despite being grown on a stiffer substrate. We show that Piezo1 acts through the Wnt2/Wnt11 pathway to mechanically induce secretion of C-C motif chemokine ligand 24 (CCL24, also known as eotaxin-2), a potent cytokine associated with fibrotic disorders. Importantly, adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated Piezo1 knockdown ameliorated the progression of skin fibrosis and skin stiffness in mice. Overall, increased matrix stiffness promotes skin fibrosis through the inflammatory Piezo1-Wnt2/Wnt11-CCL24 pathway. In turn, a stiffer skin microenvironment increases Piezo1 expression to exacerbate skin fibrosis aggression. Therefore, targeting Piezo1 represents a strategy to break the positive feedback loop between fibroblasts mechanotransduction and aberrant tissue mechanics in skin fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahao He
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200011, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinwei Cheng
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200011, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Fang
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200011, Shanghai, China.
| | - Shengzhou Shan
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200011, Shanghai, China.
| | - Qingfeng Li
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200011, Shanghai, China.
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Hong YK, Hwang DY, Yang CC, Cheng SM, Chen PC, Aala WJ, I-Chen Harn H, Evans ST, Onoufriadis A, Liu SL, Lin YC, Chang YH, Lo TK, Hung KS, Lee YC, Tang MJ, Lu KQ, McGrath JA, Hsu CK. Profibrotic Subsets of SPP1 + Macrophages and POSTN + Fibroblasts Contribute to Fibrotic Scarring in Acne Keloidalis. J Invest Dermatol 2024:S0022-202X(24)00007-1. [PMID: 38218364 DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2023.12.014] [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: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Acne keloidalis is a primary scarring alopecia characterized by longstanding inflammation in the scalp causing keloid-like scar formation and hair loss. Histologically, acne keloidalis is characterized by mixed leukocytic infiltrates in the acute stage followed by a granulomatous reaction and extensive fibrosis in the later stages. To further explore its pathogenesis, bulk RNA sequencing, single-cell RNA sequencing, and spatial transcriptomics were applied to occipital scalp biopsy specimens of lesional and adjacent no-lesional skin in patients with clinically active disease. Unbiased clustering revealed 19 distinct cell populations, including 2 notable populations: POSTN+ fibroblasts with enriched extracellular matrix signatures and SPP1+ myeloid cells with an M2 macrophage phenotype. Cell communication analyses indicated that fibroblasts and myeloid cells communicated by SPP1 signaling networks in lesional skin. A reverse transcriptomics in silico approach identified corticosteroids as possessing the capability to reverse the gene expression signatures of SPP1+ myeloid cells and POSTN+ fibroblasts. Intralesional corticosteroid injection greatly reduced SPP1 and POSTN gene expression as well as acne keloidalis disease activity. Spatial transcriptomics and immunofluorescence staining verified microanatomic specificity of SPP1+ myeloid cells and POSTN+ fibroblasts with disease activity. In summary, the communication between POSTN+ fibroblasts and SPP1+ myeloid cells by SPP1 axis may contribute to the pathogenesis of acne keloidalis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Kai Hong
- Department of Dermatology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; International Center for Wound Repair and Regeneration, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Daw-Yang Hwang
- National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chao-Chun Yang
- Department of Dermatology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; International Center for Wound Repair and Regeneration, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Siao Muk Cheng
- National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Peng-Chieh Chen
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Wilson Jr Aala
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Hans I-Chen Harn
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Spencer T Evans
- Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Alexandros Onoufriadis
- St John's Institute of Dermatology, School of Basic & Medical Biosciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Si-Lin Liu
- Department of Dermatology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chen Lin
- Department of Dermatology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; International Center for Wound Repair and Regeneration, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Han Chang
- Department of Dermatology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Kun Lo
- Department of Dermatology, Tainan Municipal An-Nan Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Kuo-Shu Hung
- Department of Surgery, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chao Lee
- PhD Program for Neural Regenerative Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Jer Tang
- International Center for Wound Repair and Regeneration, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Kurt Q Lu
- Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - John A McGrath
- Department of Dermatology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; St John's Institute of Dermatology, School of Basic & Medical Biosciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Chao-Kai Hsu
- Department of Dermatology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; International Center for Wound Repair and Regeneration, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
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Zhang Z, Deng X, Gu W, Jiao Y, Su C, Liu H, Ma W, Zhang H, Xiang R, Wang D, Wang Y, Chunguo W, Meng F. Jianghu decoction and its active component polydatin inhibit inflammation and fibrotic lesions in the lungs of ILD mice via the AMPK signaling pathway. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 318:117003. [PMID: 37543150 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Recently, interstitial lung disease (ILD) morbidity and mortality have been increasing with insidious epidemiological characteristics. Jianghu decoction (JH) is an effective Chinese medicine for ILD. AIM OF THE STUDY We aimed to reveal the material basis and mechanism of action of JH in the treatment of ILD. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this study, an ILD mouse model was constructed with bleomycin. HE staining, transcriptome analysis, parallel reaction monitoring-mass spectrometry (PRM-MS), UPLC‒MS, and western blotting assays were conducted. RESULTS HE staining results showed that JH effectively reduced inflammation and fibrosis foci in the lungs of the ILD model. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis revealed that JH regulates a set of biological signaling pathways related to immune inflammation and fibrosis. PRM-MS combined with western blotting was applied to detect inflammation and fibrosis involving proteins in lung tissue. JH effectively reversed the aberrant expression of HMGB1, RAGE, SEPTIN4, ACTA2, and ITGAV proteins in the model group. AMPK was identified as the core upstream regulatory protein for JH-mediated ILD regulation. In addition, UHPLC‒MS technology was applied to determine the active ingredients of JH. A total of 80 components were identified from JH, and polydatin (PD) was identified as the active ingredient that effectively alleviated lung fibrosis and inflammatory injury in ILD mice. To illustrate the molecular regulatory network of JH and PD in alleviating lung fibrosis and inflammatory injury, we also examined inflammation and fibrosis-related molecules downstream of the AMPK pathway with RT‒qPCR and western blotting. CONCLUSIONS The results showed that both JH and its active component PD exert synergistic inhibition on pulmonary fibrosis and inflammation. Specifically, the AMPK/PGC1α/PPARγ signaling pathway was activated, and the AMPK/HMGB1/RAGE signaling pathway was inhibited in ILD lungs responding to JH or PD administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengju Zhang
- Dongfang Hospital of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xinqi Deng
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wen Gu
- Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Jiao
- Dongfang Hospital of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Canyu Su
- Beijing Research Institute of Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Hui Liu
- Dongfang Hospital of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Weiguo Ma
- Dongfang Hospital of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Honghong Zhang
- Shunyi Hospital, Beijing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Ruiyang Xiang
- Yongledian Health Service Center of Tongzhou District, Beijing, China
| | - Dali Wang
- Yanshan Community Health Service Center, Beijing, China
| | - Yanan Wang
- Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
| | - Wang Chunguo
- Beijing Research Institute of Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
| | - Fengxian Meng
- Dongfang Hospital of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
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Lang NJ, Gote-Schniering J, Porras-Gonzalez D, Yang L, De Sadeleer LJ, Jentzsch RC, Shitov VA, Zhou S, Ansari M, Agami A, Mayr CH, Hooshiar Kashani B, Chen Y, Heumos L, Pestoni JC, Molnar ES, Geeraerts E, Anquetil V, Saniere L, Wögrath M, Gerckens M, Lehmann M, Yildirim AÖ, Hatz R, Kneidinger N, Behr J, Wuyts WA, Stoleriu MG, Luecken MD, Theis FJ, Burgstaller G, Schiller HB. Ex vivo tissue perturbations coupled to single-cell RNA-seq reveal multilineage cell circuit dynamics in human lung fibrogenesis. Sci Transl Med 2023; 15:eadh0908. [PMID: 38055803 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adh0908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Pulmonary fibrosis develops as a consequence of failed regeneration after injury. Analyzing mechanisms of regeneration and fibrogenesis directly in human tissue has been hampered by the lack of organotypic models and analytical techniques. In this work, we coupled ex vivo cytokine and drug perturbations of human precision-cut lung slices (hPCLS) with single-cell RNA sequencing and induced a multilineage circuit of fibrogenic cell states in hPCLS. We showed that these cell states were highly similar to the in vivo cell circuit in a multicohort lung cell atlas from patients with pulmonary fibrosis. Using micro-CT-staged patient tissues, we characterized the appearance and interaction of myofibroblasts, an ectopic endothelial cell state, and basaloid epithelial cells in the thickened alveolar septum of early-stage lung fibrosis. Induction of these states in the hPCLS model provided evidence that the basaloid cell state was derived from alveolar type 2 cells, whereas the ectopic endothelial cell state emerged from capillary cell plasticity. Cell-cell communication routes in patients were largely conserved in hPCLS, and antifibrotic drug treatments showed highly cell type-specific effects. Our work provides an experimental framework for perturbational single-cell genomics directly in human lung tissue that enables analysis of tissue homeostasis, regeneration, and pathology. We further demonstrate that hPCLS offer an avenue for scalable, high-resolution drug testing to accelerate antifibrotic drug development and translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niklas J Lang
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) with the CPC-M bioArchive/Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Janine Gote-Schniering
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) with the CPC-M bioArchive/Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
- Lung Precision Medicine Program, Department for BioMedical Research, University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Diana Porras-Gonzalez
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) with the CPC-M bioArchive/Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Lin Yang
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) with the CPC-M bioArchive/Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Laurens J De Sadeleer
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) with the CPC-M bioArchive/Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
- Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases and Thoracic Surgery (BREATHE), Department CHROMETA, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - R Christoph Jentzsch
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) with the CPC-M bioArchive/Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Vladimir A Shitov
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) with the CPC-M bioArchive/Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 85764 Munich, Germany
| | - Shuhong Zhou
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) with the CPC-M bioArchive/Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Meshal Ansari
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) with the CPC-M bioArchive/Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 85764 Munich, Germany
| | - Ahmed Agami
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) with the CPC-M bioArchive/Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Christoph H Mayr
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) with the CPC-M bioArchive/Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Baharak Hooshiar Kashani
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) with the CPC-M bioArchive/Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Yuexin Chen
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) with the CPC-M bioArchive/Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Lukas Heumos
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) with the CPC-M bioArchive/Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 85764 Munich, Germany
| | - Jeanine C Pestoni
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) with the CPC-M bioArchive/Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Eszter Sarolta Molnar
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) with the CPC-M bioArchive/Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Melanie Wögrath
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) with the CPC-M bioArchive/Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Michael Gerckens
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) with the CPC-M bioArchive/Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
- Department of Medicine V, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Comprehensive Pneumology Center Munich (CPC-M), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Mareike Lehmann
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) with the CPC-M bioArchive/Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
- Institute for Lung Research, Philipps-University Marburg, Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Ali Önder Yildirim
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) with the CPC-M bioArchive/Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
- Institute of Experimental Pneumology, LMU University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians University, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Rudolf Hatz
- Center for Thoracic Surgery Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich (LMU) and Asklepios Medical Center, Munich-Gauting, 82131 Gauting, Germany
| | - Nikolaus Kneidinger
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) with the CPC-M bioArchive/Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
- Department of Medicine V, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Comprehensive Pneumology Center Munich (CPC-M), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Jürgen Behr
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) with the CPC-M bioArchive/Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
- Department of Medicine V, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Comprehensive Pneumology Center Munich (CPC-M), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Wim A Wuyts
- Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases and Thoracic Surgery (BREATHE), Department CHROMETA, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mircea-Gabriel Stoleriu
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) with the CPC-M bioArchive/Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
- Center for Thoracic Surgery Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich (LMU) and Asklepios Medical Center, Munich-Gauting, 82131 Gauting, Germany
| | - Malte D Luecken
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) with the CPC-M bioArchive/Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 85764 Munich, Germany
| | - Fabian J Theis
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 85764 Munich, Germany
- Department of Mathematics, Technische Universität München, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany
| | - Gerald Burgstaller
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) with the CPC-M bioArchive/Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Herbert B Schiller
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) with the CPC-M bioArchive/Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany
- Institute of Experimental Pneumology, LMU University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians University, 81377 Munich, Germany
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9
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Luo W, Gu Y, Fu S, Wang J, Zhang J, Wang Y. Emerging opportunities to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: Design, discovery, and optimizations of small-molecule drugs targeting fibrogenic pathways. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 260:115762. [PMID: 37683364 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115762] [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: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is the most common fibrotic form of idiopathic diffuse lung disease. Due to limited treatment options, IPF patients suffer from poor survival. About ten years ago, Pirfenidone (Shionogi, 2008; InterMune, 2011) and Nintedanib (Boehringer Ingelheim, 2014) were approved, greatly changing the direction of IPF drug design. However, limited efficacy and side effects indicate that neither can reverse the process of IPF. With insights into the occurrence of IPF, novel targets and agents have been proposed, which have fundamentally changed the treatment of IPF. With the next-generation agents, targeting pro-fibrotic pathways in the epithelial-injury model offers a promising approach. Besides, several next-generation IPF drugs have entered phase II/III clinical trials with encouraging results. Due to the rising IPF treatment requirements, there is an urgent need to completely summarize the mechanisms, targets, problems, and drug design strategies over the past ten years. In this review, we summarize known mechanisms, target types, drug design, and novel technologies of IPF drug discovery, aiming to provide insights into the future development and clinical application of next-generation IPF drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxin Luo
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, Precision Medicine Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province & Precision Medicine Research Center, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yilin Gu
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, Precision Medicine Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province & Precision Medicine Research Center, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Siyu Fu
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, Precision Medicine Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province & Precision Medicine Research Center, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiaxing Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, 38163, Tennessee, United States
| | - Jifa Zhang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, Precision Medicine Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province & Precision Medicine Research Center, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China; Frontiers Medical Center, Tianfu Jincheng Laboratory, Chengdu, 610212, Sichuan, China.
| | - Yuxi Wang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, Precision Medicine Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province & Precision Medicine Research Center, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China; Frontiers Medical Center, Tianfu Jincheng Laboratory, Chengdu, 610212, Sichuan, China.
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10
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Zeng Q, Zhou TT, Huang WJ, Huang XT, Huang L, Zhang XH, Sang XX, Luo YY, Tian YM, Wu B, Liu L, Luo ZQ, He B, Liu W, Tang SY. Asarinin attenuates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis by activating PPARγ. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14706. [PMID: 37679587 PMCID: PMC10485066 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41933-5] [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: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic progressive interstitial lung disease that lacks effective treatment modalities. Once patients are diagnosed with IPF, their median survival is approximately 3-5 years. PPARγ is an important target for the prevention and treatment of pulmonary fibrosis. Asarinin is a lignan compound that can be extracted from food plant Asarum heterotropoides. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effects of asarinin in a pulmonary fibrosis model constructed using bleomycin in mice and explored the underlying mechanisms. Intraperitoneal administration of asarinin to mice with pulmonary fibrosis showed that asarinin effectively attenuated pulmonary fibrosis, and this effect was significantly inhibited by the PPARγ inhibitor GW9662. Asarinin inhibited TGF-β1-induced fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition in vitro, while GW9662 and PPARγ gene silencing significantly inhibited this effect. In addition, asarinin inhibited not only the canonical Smad pathway of TGF-β but also the non-canonical AKT and MAPK pathways by activating PPARγ. Our study demonstrates that asarinin can be used as a therapeutic agent for pulmonary fibrosis, and that PPARγ is its key target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Zeng
- Xiangya Nursing School, Central South University, 172 Tongzipo Road, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Ting-Ting Zhou
- Xiangya Nursing School, Central South University, 172 Tongzipo Road, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Wen-Jie Huang
- School of Nursing, Hunan University of Medicine, Huaihua, Hunan, China
| | - Xiao-Ting Huang
- Xiangya Nursing School, Central South University, 172 Tongzipo Road, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Lei Huang
- Hunan Prevention and Treatment Institute for Occupational Diseases, Changsha, China
| | - Xiao-Hua Zhang
- Hunan Prevention and Treatment Institute for Occupational Diseases, Changsha, China
| | - Xiao-Xue Sang
- Xiangya Nursing School, Central South University, 172 Tongzipo Road, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Yu-Yang Luo
- Xiangya Nursing School, Central South University, 172 Tongzipo Road, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Yu-Mei Tian
- School of Nursing, Hunan University of Medicine, Huaihua, Hunan, China
| | - Bin Wu
- School of Nursing, Hunan University of Medicine, Huaihua, Hunan, China
| | - Lin Liu
- School of Nursing, Hunan University of Medicine, Huaihua, Hunan, China
| | - Zi-Qiang Luo
- Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Bin He
- School of Nursing, Hunan University of Medicine, Huaihua, Hunan, China.
| | - Wei Liu
- Xiangya Nursing School, Central South University, 172 Tongzipo Road, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.
| | - Si-Yuan Tang
- Xiangya Nursing School, Central South University, 172 Tongzipo Road, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.
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11
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Liu D, Zhang C, Zhang J, Xu GT, Zhang J. Molecular pathogenesis of subretinal fibrosis in neovascular AMD focusing on epithelial-mesenchymal transformation of retinal pigment epithelium. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 185:106250. [PMID: 37536385 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106250] [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: 04/15/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of vision loss among elderly people in developed countries. Neovascular AMD (nAMD) accounts for more than 90% of AMD-related vision loss. At present, intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) is widely used as the first-line therapy to decrease the choroidal and retinal neovascularizations, and thus to improve or maintain the visual acuity of the patients with nAMD. However, about 1/3 patients still progress to irreversible visual impairment due to subretinal fibrosis even with adequate anti-VEGF treatment. Extensive literatures support the critical role of epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in the pathogenesis of subretinal fibrosis in nAMD, but the underlying mechanisms still remain largely unknown. This review summarized the molecular pathogenesis of subretinal fibrosis in nAMD, especially focusing on the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-induced EMT pathways. It was also discussed how these pathways crosstalk and respond to signals from the microenvironment to mediate EMT and contribute to the progression of nAMD-related subretinal fibrosis. Targeting EMT signaling pathways might provide a promising and effective therapeutic strategy to treat subretinal fibrosis secondary to nAMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology of Tongji Hospital and Laboratory of Clinical and Visual Sciences of Tongji Eye Institute, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chaoyang Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai Engineering Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingting Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai Engineering Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Guo-Tong Xu
- Department of Ophthalmology of Tongji Hospital and Laboratory of Clinical and Visual Sciences of Tongji Eye Institute, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jingfa Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai Engineering Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Diseases, Shanghai, China.
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12
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Shaikh TB, Kuncha M, Andugulapati SB, Sistla R. Dehydrozingerone alleviates pulmonary fibrosis via inhibition of inflammation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition by regulating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Eur J Pharmacol 2023:175820. [PMID: 37245857 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.175820] [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: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
In idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), excessive collagen deposition predisposes to irreversible lung function decline, respiratory failure, and ultimately death. Due to the limited therapeutic efficacy of FDA-approved medications, novel drugs are warranted for better treatment outcomes. Dehydrozingerone (DHZ) is an analogue of curcumin that has been investigated against pulmonary fibrosis using a bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis model in rats. In in vitro, TGF-β-induced differentiation models (NHLF, LL29, DHLF and A549 cells) were adopted to assess fibrotic markers expression and explored the mechanism of action. DHZ administration attenuated the bleomycin-induced elevation of lung index, inflammatory cell infiltrations, and hydroxyproline levels in lung tissues. Furthermore, treatment with DHZ mitigated the bleomycin-mediated elevation of extracellular matrix (ECM), epithelial-to-mesenchymal-transition (EMT), and collagen deposition markers and improved lung mechanics. In addition, treatment with DHZ significantly suppressed the BLM-induced apoptosis and rescued the BLM-induced pathological abnormalities in lung tissues. In-vitro assays revealed that DHZ suppressed the expression of TGF-β-elevated collagen deposition, EMT and ECM markers in both mRNA/protein levels. Our findings showed that DHZ has anti-fibrotic effect against pulmonary fibrosis by modulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling, suggesting that DHZ may serve as a potential treatment option for IPF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taslim B Shaikh
- Division of Applied Biology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, 500 007, Telangana, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201 002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Madhusudhana Kuncha
- Division of Applied Biology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, 500 007, Telangana, India
| | - Sai Balaji Andugulapati
- Division of Applied Biology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, 500 007, Telangana, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201 002, Uttar Pradesh, India.
| | - Ramakrishna Sistla
- Division of Applied Biology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, 500 007, Telangana, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201 002, Uttar Pradesh, India.
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13
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Wang H, Wu J, Ma L, Bai Y, Liu J. Theroleofinterleukin-1familyinfibroticdiseases. Cytokine 2023; 165:156161. [PMID: 36921509 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2023.156161] [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: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
Abstract
Fibrosis refers to the phenomenon that fibrous connective tissues are increased and parenchymal cells are decreased in organs or tissues such as lung, heart, liver, kidney, skin and so on. It usually occurs at the late stage of repair of chronic or recurrent tissue damage. Fibrotic disease is the main factor for the morbidity and mortality of all tissues and organ systems. Long-term fibrosis can lead to organ and tissue dysfunction and even failure. Interleukin -1 family cytokines are a series of classical inflammatory factors and involved in the occurrence and development process of multiple fibrotic diseases, its biological function, relationship with diseases and application are more and more favored by scientists from various countries. So far, 11 cytokines and 10 receptors of IL-1 family have been identified. In this paper, the cytokines, receptors, signaling pathways and biological functions of IL-1 family are summarized, and the correlation with fibrosis diseases is analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoran Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210011, China.
| | - Ji Wu
- Department of Orthopaedics, Sir Run Run Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Li Ma
- Cancer Medical Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210011 Jiangsu, China.
| | - Yunfeng Bai
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210011, China.
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210011, China.
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14
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The Molecular Mechanisms of Systemic Sclerosis-Associated Lung Fibrosis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032963. [PMID: 36769282 PMCID: PMC9917655 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis (SSc), also known as scleroderma, is an autoimmune disorder that affects the connective tissues and has the highest mortality rate among the rheumatic diseases. One of the hallmarks of SSc is fibrosis, which may develop systemically, affecting the skin and virtually any visceral organ in the body. Fibrosis of the lungs leads to interstitial lung disease (ILD), which is currently the leading cause of death in SSc. The identification of effective treatments to stop or reverse lung fibrosis has been the main challenge in reducing SSc mortality and improving patient outcomes and quality of life. Thus, understanding the molecular mechanisms, altered pathways, and their potential interactions in SSc lung fibrosis is key to developing potential therapies. In this review, we discuss the diverse molecular mechanisms involved in SSc-related lung fibrosis to provide insights into the altered homeostasis state inherent to this fatal disease complication.
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15
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Tan W, Wang K, Yang X, Wang K, Wang N, Jiang TB. LncRNA HOTAIR promotes myocardial fibrosis in atrial fibrillation through binding with PTBP1 to increase the stability of Wnt5a. Int J Cardiol 2022; 369:21-28. [PMID: 35787431 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2022.06.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common arrhythmia in clinical practice, and atrial fibrosis is the important mediator in AF. LncRNA HOTAIR was reported to be up-regulated in AF, while the underlying mechanism of HOTAIR in AF remains unclear. METHODS In vitro and in vivo AF model was established. qRT-PCR and Western blotting were used to assess the mRNA expression (HOTAIR, Wnt5a and PTBP1) and protein levels (Wnt5a, collagen I/III, α-SMA, CTGF, p-ERK, ERK, p-JNK, and JNK), respectively. MTT, CCK8, transwell assay was used to test cell viability, proliferation and migration, respectively. RIP assay assessed the correlation among HOTAIR, PTBP1 and Wnt5a. The level of α-SMA was detected by immunofluorescence. HE and Masson staining detected the histological changes and fibrosis in mouse heart tissues. RESULTS Ang II significantly increased the viability of atrial fibroblasts. The levels of HOTAIR and Wnt5a in fibroblasts were up-regulated by Ang II. HOTAIR silencing or Wnt5a significantly inhibited Ang II-induced proliferation, migration and fibrosis in fibroblasts. HOTAIR silencing repressed Wnt5a-mediated ERK and JNK signaling pathway, and Wnt5a partially abolished the effect of HOTAIR silencing on cell proliferation, migration and fibrosis. Meanwhile, HOTAIR could increase the mRNA stability of Wnt5a via recruiting PTBP1. Furthermore, HOTAIR knockdown notably inhibited the fibrosis in heart tissues of AF mice via regulation of Wnt signaling. CONCLUSION HOTAIR could promote atrial fibrosis in AF through binding with PTBP1 to increase Wnt5a stability. Our study might shed new insights on exploring new strategies against AF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Tan
- Department of Cardiovascular, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215000, Jiangsu Province, PR China; Department of Cardiovascular, Suqian First Hospital, Suqian 223800, Jiangsu Province, PR China
| | - Kun Wang
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery, Suqian First Hospital, Suqian 223800, Jiangsu Province, PR China
| | - Xue Yang
- Department of Cardiovascular, Suqian First Hospital, Suqian 223800, Jiangsu Province, PR China
| | - Kun Wang
- Department of Cardiovascular, Suqian First Hospital, Suqian 223800, Jiangsu Province, PR China
| | - Ning Wang
- Department of Cardiovascular, Suqian First Hospital, Suqian 223800, Jiangsu Province, PR China
| | - Ting-Bo Jiang
- Department of Cardiovascular, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215000, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
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Lian N, Jin H, Zhu W, Zhang C, Qi Y, Jiang M, Mao J, Lu X, Zhao F, Xi B, Qi X, Li Y. Inhibition of glutamine transporter ASCT2 mitigates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. Acta Histochem 2022; 124:151961. [DOI: 10.1016/j.acthis.2022.151961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Revised: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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Signaling pathways involved in paraquat-induced pulmonary toxicity: Molecular mechanisms and potential therapeutic drugs. Int Immunopharmacol 2022; 113:109301. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2022.109301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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Grivas A, Grigoriou M, Malissovas N, Sentis G, Filia A, Flouda S, Katsimpri P, Verginis P, Boumpas DT. Combined – whole blood and skin fibroblasts- transcriptomic analysis in Psoriatic Arthritis reveals molecular signatures of activity, resistance and early response to treatment. Front Immunol 2022; 13:964274. [PMID: 36159832 PMCID: PMC9493103 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.964274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundAn interplay between immune cells and resident skin and joint stromal cells is implicated in psoriatic arthritis (PsA), yet the mechanisms remain elusive with a paucity of molecular biomarkers for activity and response. Combined transcriptomic and immunophenotypic analysis of whole blood and skin fibroblasts could provide further insights.MethodsWhole blood RNA-seq was performed longitudinally in 30 subjects with PsA at the beginning, one and six months after treatment, with response defined at six months. As control groups, 10 healthy individuals and 10 subjects with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were recruited combined with public datasets from patients with psoriasis (PsO) and systemic lupus erythematous (SLE). Differential expression analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis were performed to identify gene expression signatures, while deconvolution and flow cytometry to characterize the peripheral blood immune cell profile. In a subset of affected and healthy individuals, RNA-seq of skin fibroblasts was performed and subjected to CellChat analysis to identify the blood-skin fibroblast interaction network.ResultsPsA demonstrated a distinct “activity” gene signature in the peripheral blood dominated by TNF- and IFN-driven inflammation, deregulated cholesterol and fatty acid metabolism and expansion of pro-inflammatory non-classical monocytes. Comparison with the blood transcriptome of RA, PsO, and SLE revealed a “PsA-specific signature” enriched in extracellular matrix remodeling. This was further supported by the skin fibroblast gene expression profile, displaying an activated, proliferating phenotype, and by skin-blood interactome analysis revealing interactions with circulating immune cells through WNT, PDGF and immune-related semaphorins. Of note, resistance to treatment was associated with upregulation of genes involved in TGFβ signaling and angiogenesis and persistent increase of non-classical monocytes. Differentially expressed genes related to platelet activation and hippo signaling discriminated responders and non-responders as early as one month after treatment initiation.ConclusionTranscriptome analysis of peripheral blood and skin fibroblasts in PsA reveals a distinct disease activity signature and supports the involvement of skin fibroblasts through their activation and interaction with circulating immune cells. Aberrant TGFβ signaling and persistently increased non-classical monocytes characterize treatment-resistant PsA, with pro-inflammatory pathways related to platelet activation and Hippo signaling predicting early response to treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandros Grivas
- Laboratory of Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
- 4th Department of Internal Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Grigoriou
- Laboratory of Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Immunohematology Laboratory, Democritus University of Thrace (DUTH), Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Nikos Malissovas
- Laboratory of Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - George Sentis
- Laboratory of Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Anastasia Filia
- Laboratory of Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Sofia Flouda
- 4th Department of Internal Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece
| | - Pelagia Katsimpri
- 4th Department of Internal Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece
| | - Panayotis Verginis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology, Heraklion, Greece
- Laboratory of Immune Regulation and Tolerance, Division of Basic Sciences, University of Crete Medical School, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Dimitrios T. Boumpas
- Laboratory of Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
- 4th Department of Internal Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece
- *Correspondence: Dimitrios T. Boumpas,
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Liu H, Pang Q, Cao F, Liu Z, Wei W, Li Z, Long Q, Jiao Y. Number 2 Feibi Recipe Ameliorates Pulmonary Fibrosis by Inducing Autophagy Through the GSK-3β/mTOR Pathway. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:921209. [PMID: 35903328 PMCID: PMC9315309 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.921209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Number 2 Feibi Recipe (N2FBR) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula for treating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. N2FBR inhibits H2O2-mediated oxidative stress damage in alveolar epithelial cells by increasing autophagy, as we previously demonstrated. However, it is unknown if similar mechanisms occur in vivo. We established a pulmonary fibrosis model by instilling bleomycin (BLM) from the airway to examine the effects of N2FBR on pulmonary fibrosis and investigate its probable mechanism in this work. We discovered that N2FBR treatment effectively alleviated interstitial fibrosis as well as collagen deposition, primarily in upregulating SOD, GSH-Px, T-AOC and downregulating MDA content. N2FBR also increased the expression of LC3B, Beclin-1, LAMP1, TFEB and downregulated the expression of p62, legumain. N2FBR treatment boosted the production of autophagosomes, according to the results of the TEM observation. Furthermore, we explored that N2FBR exerted its anti-oxidative stress and pro-autophagy effects via GSK-3β/mTOR signalling pathway. Therefore, these results provide further evidence for the protective effect of N2FBR in pulmonary fibrosis. Our findings could have ramifications for the development of antifibrosis therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoge Liu
- Graduate School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Qinglu Pang
- Graduate School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Fang Cao
- Dongfang Hospital Affiliated to Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaoheng Liu
- Graduate School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Wan Wei
- Dongfang Hospital Affiliated to Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Zhipeng Li
- Graduate School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Long
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Chongqing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Qi Long, ; Yang Jiao,
| | - Yang Jiao
- Dongfang Hospital Affiliated to Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Qi Long, ; Yang Jiao,
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Min J, Li Q, Liu S, Wang Q, Yin M, Zhang Y, Yan J, Cui B, Liu S. TRAF6 Suppresses the Development of Pulmonary Fibrosis by Attenuating the Activation of Fibroblasts. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:911945. [PMID: 35668944 PMCID: PMC9163739 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.911945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) has a high mortality rate, and its pathogenesis is unknown. TNF receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6), a signal transducer for inflammatory signaling, plays crucial roles in the pathogenesis of immune diseases. However, its function in PF remains unknown. Herein, we demonstrated that lungs from mice with bleomycin (BLM)-induced PF were characterized by decreased expression of TRAF6 in lung fibroblasts. Enhancing TRAF6 expression protected mice from BLM-induced PF coupled with a significant reduction in fibroblast differentiation. Furthermore, we demonstrated that overexpression of TRAF6 reversed the activation of myofibroblasts from PF mice by reducing the expression of Wnt3a and subsequently suppressing Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Additionally, the abundance of Tribbles pseudokinase 3 (TRIB3), a stress sensor, was negatively correlated with the abundance of TRAF6 in lung fibroblasts. TRIB3 overexpression decreased TRAF6 abundance by reducing TRAF6 stability in lung fibroblasts during PF. Mechanistic studies revealed that TRIB3 bound to TRAF6 and accelerated basal TRAF6 ubiquitination and degradation. Collectively, our data indicate that reduced TRAF6 expression in fibroblasts is essential for the progression of PF, and therefore, genetically increasing TRAF6 expression or disrupting the TRIB3-TRAF6 interaction could be potential therapeutic strategies for fibroproliferative lung diseases in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiali Min
- National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology, Ministry of Education, Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Qiao Li
- National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology, Ministry of Education, Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Suosi Liu
- National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology, Ministry of Education, Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Qianrong Wang
- National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology, Ministry of Education, Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Min Yin
- National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology, Ministry of Education, Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology, Ministry of Education, Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jun Yan
- Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Bing Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Shanshan Liu
- National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology, Ministry of Education, Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
- *Correspondence: Shanshan Liu,
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