1
|
Shao Y, Mei Y, Tan Y, Yang M, Wu H. The regulatory functions of G protein-coupled receptors signaling pathways in B cell differentiation and development contributing to autoimmune diseases. Cell Biosci 2025; 15:57. [PMID: 40307944 PMCID: PMC12042570 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-025-01398-7] [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: 10/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2025] [Indexed: 05/02/2025] Open
Abstract
Autoimmune diseases are characterized by a dysfunction of the immune system. Disruptions in the balance of B-cell dynamics and the increase in auto-antibody levels are pivotal in the triggering of several autoimmune disorders. All of this is inextricably linked to the differentiation, development, migration, and functional regulation of B cells in the human immune response. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) are recognized as crucial targets in drug development and play pivotal roles in both B cell differentiation and the underlying mechanisms of autoimmune diseases. However, there has been an inadequate comprehension of how GPCR intricately modulate B cell development and impact the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. Ligands and functions of GPCR-chemokine receptors including CXCR3, CXCR4, CXCR5 and CCR7, lipid receptors including S1PR1-5, cannabinoid receptor CB2 as well as orphan GPCR including GPR132, GPR183, GPR174, and P2RY8 in B cell differentiation and development, will be elaborated in this review. The roles these GPCR play in mediating B cells in several autoimmune diseases will also be discussed. The elucidation of the multifaceted mechanisms controlled by GPCR not only enriches our comprehension of immune responses but also provides a promising avenue for therapeutic interventions in the domain of autoimmune disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yongqi Shao
- Department of Dermatology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yang Mei
- Department of Dermatology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yixin Tan
- Department of Dermatology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Ming Yang
- Department of Dermatology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Haijing Wu
- Department of Dermatology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Thiran A, Vereecke L. New thoughts on the gut-immune axis of arthritis. Trends Immunol 2025; 46:206-218. [PMID: 40069048 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2025.01.006] [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: 11/20/2024] [Revised: 12/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2025] [Indexed: 03/21/2025]
Abstract
Arthritis is associated with varying degrees of intestinal inflammation and microbiota dysbiosis, leading to the 'gut-joint axis hypothesis' in which intestinal and joint inflammation are suggested to be interconnected through immune-microbiota interactions. While clinical observations support this, causality remains uncertain. Rodent models have provided insights into potential mechanisms by uncovering microbial influences and immune pathways that either connect or uncouple gut and joint inflammation. Based on recent findings, we propose the 'immune hypersensitivity hypothesis' whereby central immune hyper-reactivity can independently drive joint inflammation via local sterile triggers, and gut inflammation via microbial triggers. We argue that this suggests a more nuanced role of the microbiota in arthritis pathogenesis that varies according to the predominant immune mechanisms in disease subtypes. We explore gut-immune interactions in arthritis, highlight ongoing challenges, and propose future research directions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Thiran
- Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB)-University of Ghent (UGent) Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium; Ghent Gut Inflammation Group (GGIG), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lars Vereecke
- Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB)-University of Ghent (UGent) Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium; Ghent Gut Inflammation Group (GGIG), Ghent, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Koppejan H, Smith SAI, Hameetman M, Toes REM, van Gaalen FA. A small-scale preliminary study utilizing mass cytometry to distinguish two forms of arthritis. Clin Rheumatol 2025; 44:495-502. [PMID: 39589424 DOI: 10.1007/s10067-024-07233-7] [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: 10/02/2024] [Revised: 11/06/2024] [Accepted: 11/09/2024] [Indexed: 11/27/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Spondyloarthritis (SpA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are hallmarked by immune cell infiltration in synovial joints. Although, in general, different sites are affected, misclassification or delayed diagnosis due to overlapping clinical manifestations is not uncommon. Here, we investigated the diagnostic potential of mass cytometry (MC) in early peripheral SpA (pSpA) and RA patients in a small pilot study. METHODS Peripheral blood and synovial fluid mononuclear cells (PBMC and SFMC) of 4 pSpA, 7 RA, and 1 undifferentiated arthritis (UA) patient(s) were evaluated using a 37-marker MC panel. Data were analyzed through Visualyte services, including dimension reduction, clustering, and Cytofast workflow. RESULTS PBMC data indicated naive CD4 T cell, B cell, and monocyte subsets to be differentially present in RA as compared with SpA. CD4 + Tem cell and NK cell subsets appeared more prominently present in pSpA SFMC. Merged PBMC and SFMC data showed overlapping immune profiles of an UA patient with pSpA patients. These results were in accordance with the formal clinical pSpA diagnosis the UA patient received after this study. CONCLUSIONS Utilizing MC, several differences in immune cell composition in both SFMC and PBMC between RA and pSpA patients were observed. Combining PBMC and SFMC data in an unsupervised analysis resulted in the correct classification of the UA patient as pSpA patient prior to formal clinical pSpA diagnosis. This pilot study provides an example of how deep phenotyping with MC aids in differentiating arthritis patients and offers a rationale to further explore these findings. KEY POINTS •Due to overlapping symptoms and the absence of disease-specific biomarkers, the clinical diagnosis of peripheral spondyloarthritis (pSpA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can be difficult. •Visualizing immune cell profiles of peripheral blood (PB) and synovial fluid (SF) by mass cytometry (MC) suggests differences in immune cell composition between pSpA and RA patients. •Based on immune profiles of combined PB and SF data, we could correctly predict the formal clinical pSpA diagnosis of an undifferentiated arthritis (UA) patient received later. •This pilot study gives an example of how MC might contribute to faster clinical diagnosis of pSpA patients in the absence of biomarkers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hester Koppejan
- Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2233 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Sophie-Anne I Smith
- Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2233 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Marjolijn Hameetman
- Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2233 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Flow Cytometry Core Facility, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - René E M Toes
- Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2233 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Floris A van Gaalen
- Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2233 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Andrade LJDO, de Oliveira GCM, de Oliveira LCM, Bittencourt AMV, Baumgarth Y, de Oliveira LM. Decoding the relationship between cow's milk proteins and development of type 1 diabetes mellitus. ARCHIVES OF ENDOCRINOLOGY AND METABOLISM 2024; 68:e230248. [PMID: 39420935 PMCID: PMC11460975 DOI: 10.20945/2359-4292-2023-0248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 10/19/2024]
Abstract
Objective To analyze in silico the evidence of molecular mimicry between human beta-cell autoantigens and cow's milk proteins as a potential type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) trigger. Materials and methods The in silico analysis was performed using bioinformatics tools to compare the amino acid sequences of cow's milk proteins (bovine serum albumin [BSA] and beta-lactoglobulin [BLG]) and human beta-cell autoantigens (glutamic acid decarboxylase-65 [GAD-65], insulin, and zinc transporter 8 [ZnT8]). The structural and functional characteristics of the proteins were analyzed to identify potential molecular mimicry mechanisms. Results The results of the in silico analysis showed significant sequence similarity between BSA/BLG and GAD-65/human insulin/ZnT8, ranging from 19.64% to 27.27%. The cow's milk proteins evaluated shared structural features with the beta-cell antigens selected for comparison, indicating a potential for molecular mimicry between these proteins. Conclusion The findings of this study provide further evidence for a potential role of cow's milk proteins in triggering T1DM. The in silico analysis suggests that molecular mimicry mechanisms between cow's milk proteins and human beta-cell antigens may contribute to the autoimmune response leading to T1DM.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luís Jesuino de Oliveira Andrade
- Departamento de Saúde Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz IlhéusBA Brasil Departamento de Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, BA, Brasil
| | | | | | - Alcina Maria Vinhaes Bittencourt
- Faculdade de Medicina Universidade Federal da Bahia SalvadorBA Brasil Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brasil
| | - Yvana Baumgarth
- Departamento de Saúde Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz IlhéusBA Brasil Departamento de Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, BA, Brasil
| | - Luís Matos de Oliveira
- Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública SalvadorBA Brasil Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública, Salvador, BA, Brasil
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
He J, Lin X, Gao X, Luan H, Guo Y, Wang X, Tao C, Wang Q, Chen J. Novel artesunate and isatin hybrid CT3-1 suppresses collagen-induced arthritis through abrogating dendritic cell chemotaxis-induced by CCR5. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 136:112264. [PMID: 38810308 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.112264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chemotaxis and trafficking of dendritic cells (DCs) induced by cytokine receptors are crucial steps in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis. C-C chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5) plays a key role in DC movement and has been implicated in multitudinous inflammatory and immunology diseases. Thus, targeting CCR5 to suppress DC chemotaxis is considered as a potential strategy for the management of RA. METHODS Herein, we first synthesized a new hybrid named CT3-1 which based on artesunate and isatin. Besides, we studied the regulating effectiveness of CT3-1 on bone marrow-derived DCs (BMDCs) and on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) through RNA-seq analysis, cell function experiments in vitro and mice model in vivo. RESULTS The results shown that CT3-1 mainly reduced CCR5 expression of immature BMDCs and importantly inhibited immature BMDC migration induced by CCR5 in vitro, with no or minor influence on other functions of DCs, such as phagocytosis and maturation. In the mouse model, CT3-1 relieved arthritis severity and inhibited CIA development. Furthermore, CT3-1 intervention decreased the expression of CCR5 in DCs and reduced the proportion of DCs in the peripheral blood of CIA mice. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that CCR5-induced chemotaxis and trafficking of immature DCs are important in RA. Targeting CCR5 and inhibiting immature DC chemotaxis may provide a novel choice for the treatment of RA and other similar autoimmune diseases. Moreover, we synthesized a new hybrid compound CT3-1 that could inhibit immature DC trafficking and effectively relieve RA by directly reducing the CCR5 expression of immature DCs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juan He
- Department of Rheumatism and Immunology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Peking University-The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Inflammatory and Immunology Diseases, Shenzhen 518036, China
| | - Xian Lin
- Department of Rheumatism and Immunology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Peking University-The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Inflammatory and Immunology Diseases, Shenzhen 518036, China
| | - Xu Gao
- Department of Rheumatism and Immunology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Peking University-The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Inflammatory and Immunology Diseases, Shenzhen 518036, China
| | - Huijie Luan
- Department of Rheumatism and Immunology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Peking University-The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Inflammatory and Immunology Diseases, Shenzhen 518036, China
| | - Yishan Guo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research and Development of Natural Drugs; The First Dongguan Affiliated Hospital and School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Xiaocheng Wang
- Department of Rheumatism and Immunology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Peking University-The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Inflammatory and Immunology Diseases, Shenzhen 518036, China
| | - Cheng Tao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research and Development of Natural Drugs; The First Dongguan Affiliated Hospital and School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China.
| | - Qingwen Wang
- Department of Rheumatism and Immunology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Peking University-The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Inflammatory and Immunology Diseases, Shenzhen 518036, China.
| | - Jian Chen
- Department of Rheumatism and Immunology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Peking University-The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Inflammatory and Immunology Diseases, Shenzhen 518036, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Li Q, Zhou L, Xia D, Wang J. Rheumatoid arthritis reduces the risk of colorectal cancer through immune inflammation mediation. J Cell Mol Med 2024; 28:e18515. [PMID: 38961677 PMCID: PMC11222658 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.18515] [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: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
There is a close relationship between immune-mediated inflammation and cancer, and there is still controversy over whether rheumatoid arthritis (RA) increases the risk of malignancy. We first used Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to explore the potential causal relationship between RA and pan-cancer. And verify the effect of immune-mediated inflammation on cancer through intermediate MR analysis. Then we extracted the standardized incidence rate of malignancy in RA patients relative to the general population through large-scale meta-analysis. Finally, we performed pan-cancer analysis on the RA related genes obtained from MR analysis. And perform immune related analysis on key genes to reveal the association between RA and malignancy. The MR analysis demonstrated a negative correlation between RA and pan-cancer (p = 0.008). Autoimmune traits were the main mediating variable for the causal relationship between RA and pan-cancer. Based on the results of the meta-analysis, we validated that RA reduces the risk of developing colorectal cancer (SIR = 0.69, 95% CI 0.53-0.85). Pan-cancer analysis also showed that high expression of RA related genes was negatively correlated with colon adenocarcinoma. IL6R was the gene with the highest correlation among them, and its correlation with immune cells was higher in colorectal cancer than in other malignancy. Our MR study provides evidence that RA was associated with reduced risk of colorectal cancer. This effect is caused by immune-mediated inflammation, with IL6R being a key regulatory gene.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qifan Li
- Department of OrthopaedicsThe Affiliated Suqian First People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversitySuqianChina
| | - Liang Zhou
- Department of OrthopaedicLianshui county People's HospitalHuai'anChina
| | - Dan Xia
- Department of RespiratoryThe Affiliated Wuxi Fifth Hospital of Jiangnan UniversityWuxiChina
| | - Jiaqian Wang
- Department of OrthopaedicZhongshan Hospital, Fudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Wang J, Xue Y, Zhou L. New Classification of Rheumatoid Arthritis Based on Immune Cells and Clinical Characteristics. J Inflamm Res 2024; 17:3293-3305. [PMID: 38800595 PMCID: PMC11128232 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s395566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic immune disease characterized by joint synovitis, but there are differences in clinical manifestations and serum test results among different patients. Methods This is a bioinformatics study. We first obtained the gene expression profile of RA and normal synovium from the database, and screened the differentially expressed immune related genes for enrichment analysis. Subsequently, we classified RA into three subtypes by unsupervised clustering of serum gene expression profiles based on immune enrichment scores. Then, the enrichment and clinical characteristics of different subtypes were analyzed. Finally, according to the infiltration of different subtypes of immune cells, diagnostic markers were screened and verified by qRT-PCR. Results C1 subtype is related to the increase of neutrophils, C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and joint pain is more significant in patients. C2 subtype is related to the expression of CD8+T cells and Tregs, and patients have mild joint pain symptoms. The RF value of C3 subtype is higher, and the expression of various immune cells is increased. CD4 T cells, NK cells activated, macrophages M1 and neutrophils are immune cells significantly infiltrated in synovium and serum of RA patients. IFNGR1, TRAC, IFITM1 can be used as diagnostic markers of different subtypes. Conclusion In this study, RA patients were divided into different immune molecular subtypes based on gene expression profile, and immune diagnostic markers were screened, which provided a new idea for the diagnosis and treatment of RA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqian Wang
- Department of Orthopaedic, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuan Xue
- Department of Orthopaedic, Wuxi Ninth People’s Hospital of Soochow University, Wuxi, 214000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Liang Zhou
- Department of Orthopaedic, Lianshui County People’s Hospital, Huai‘an, People’s Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Qiu M, Shen H, Ji W, Fan Q. Assessing the causal role of immune traits in rheumatoid arthritis by bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis. Aging (Albany NY) 2024; 16:8687-8696. [PMID: 38761178 PMCID: PMC11164524 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205833] [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: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the most common autoimmune joint disorders that leads to cartilage degradation. However, its specific correlation with immune cells has not been thoroughly clarified. Based on the two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, the association between RA and 731 immune phenotypes which include morphological parameters (MP), relative cell (RC), median fluorescence intensities (MFI), and absolute cells (AC) was comprehensively determined. After false discovery rate correction, RA and immunophenotypes were statistically associated with each other. It was observed that four immune phenotypes, including 1 MPs, 8 RCs, 15 MFIs, and 10 ACs were causally associated with the risk of RA. Meanwhile, several identified immune traits could serve as independent factors for RA and be robust against pleiotropy. While considering the role of RA in immune traits, the involvement of RA in multiple immunophenotypes including CD62L- myeloid DC AC, CD3 on secreting Treg, CD3 on activated and secreting Treg, and CD3 on CD4 Treg was revealed. This study is the first comprehensive evaluation of the interaction between immune response and RA risk, thus providing therapeutic strategies for RA from an immunological perspective.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mingrui Qiu
- Department of Emergency Surgery, Linping Campus, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 311199, China
| | - Huiyun Shen
- Department of Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery, The People’s Hospital of Lishui, Lishui 323000, China
| | - Weiping Ji
- Department of Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery, The People’s Hospital of Lishui, Lishui 323000, China
| | - Qiuping Fan
- Department of Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery, The People’s Hospital of Lishui, Lishui 323000, China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Hu J, Jiang J, Xu B, Li Y, Wang B, He S, Ren X, Shi B, Zhang X, Zheng H, Hua B, Liu R. Bioinformatics analyses of infiltrating immune cell participation on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma progression and in vivo experiment of the therapeutic effect of Shuangshen granules. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 322:117590. [PMID: 38113986 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117590] [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: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Shuangshen granules (SSG), a nationally patented Chinese medicinal formula, including Panax quinquefolium L., Panax notoginseng (Burkill) F. H. Chen, and Cordyceps sinensis (Berk.) Sacc., has demonstrated remarkable therapeutic effects on pancreatic cancer in clinical treatment for nearly 10 years. Previous pharmacological researches have found that its main components, including ginsenosides and cordycepin have anticancer or preventive effects on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which may be associated with immune metabolism. However, the underlying pharmacological mechanism of SSG in the truncation effect of PDAC progression is still unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY To comprehensively understand the infiltrating immune cells during the different stages of the PDAC development chain and search for immune-related biomarkers that could potentially serve as drug targets through bioinformatic analysis. Meanwhile, the truncation effect of SSG on PDAC progression was also investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS The gene expression profiles at different PDAC developmental stages, including normal pancreas, pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN), and PDAC, were retrieved from the GEO database. The GEO2R tool was used to identify differentially expressed genes among the three groups. Functional enrichment analysis was performed with the GSEA software and Metascape platform. The CIBERSORT algorithm evaluated immune cell infiltration in the three groups, and immune-related biomarkers were identified. Correlation analysis was employed to examine the association between immune cells and the biomarkers. One of these biomarkers was selected for immunohistochemistry validation in human samples. Lastly, the effectiveness of SSG against PDAC progression and the influence on the selected biomarker were validated in vivo. The underlying pharmacological mechanisms were also explored. RESULTS One dataset was obtained, where the functional enrichment of DEGs primarily involved immune effector processes and cytokine production of immune cells. The differential immune cells reflected during the progression from PanIN to PDAC were B memory cells, monocytes, M2 macrophages, and activated dendritic cells. The upregulation of ACTA2 was closely associated with M2 macrophage regulation. The immunohistochemistry on human samples validated significant differences in ACTA2 expression levels as the PDAC progressed. Moreover, animal experiments revealed that the national patented drug SSG ameliorated the pathological changes, decreased the expression of ACTA2 and its functional protein α-smooth muscle actin during PDAC progression. The underlying pharmacological mechanism was related to the regulation of macrophage polarization and downregulation of TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS The immunosuppressive environment changes during the PDAC progression. ACTA2 is a potential immuned-target for drug prevention of PDAC, while SSG could be a promising drug candidate.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqi Hu
- Department of Oncology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China; Graduate School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Juling Jiang
- Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bowen Xu
- Department of Oncology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Li
- Department of Oncology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bei Wang
- China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Shulin He
- Department of Oncology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China; Graduate School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoling Ren
- Department of Oncology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bolun Shi
- Department of Oncology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xing Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Honggang Zheng
- Department of Oncology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Baojin Hua
- Department of Oncology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Rui Liu
- Department of Oncology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Xue Y, Zhou L, Wang J. Classification of distinct osteoarthritis subtypes with different knee joint tissues by gene expression profiles. Bone Joint Res 2023; 12:702-711. [PMID: 38035595 PMCID: PMC10689063 DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.1212.bjr-2023-0021.r2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Aims Knee osteoarthritis (OA) involves a variety of tissues in the joint. Gene expression profiles in different tissues are of great importance in order to understand OA. Methods First, we obtained gene expression profiles of cartilage, synovium, subchondral bone, and meniscus from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Several datasets were standardized by merging and removing batch effects. Then, we used unsupervised clustering to divide OA into three subtypes. The gene ontology and pathway enrichment of three subtypes were analyzed. CIBERSORT was used to evaluate the infiltration of immune cells in different subtypes. Finally, OA-related genes were obtained from the Molecular Signatures Database for validation, and diagnostic markers were screened according to clinical characteristics. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to verify the effectiveness of markers. Results C1 subtype is mainly concentrated in the development of skeletal muscle organs, C2 lies in metabolic process and immune response, and C3 in pyroptosis and cell death process. Therefore, we divided OA into three subtypes: bone remodelling subtype (C1), immune metabolism subtype (C2), and cartilage degradation subtype (C3). The number of macrophage M0 and activated mast cells of C2 subtype was significantly higher than those of the other two subtypes. COL2A1 has significant differences in different subtypes. The expression of COL2A1 is related to age, and trafficking protein particle complex subunit 2 is related to the sex of OA patients. Conclusion This study linked different tissues with gene expression profiles, revealing different molecular subtypes of patients with knee OA. The relationship between clinical characteristics and OA-related genes was also studied, which provides a new concept for the diagnosis and treatment of OA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Xue
- Department of Orthopaedic, Wuxi Ninth People’s Hospital of Soochow University, Wuxi, China
| | - Liang Zhou
- Department of Orthopaedic, Lianshui County People’s Hospital, Huai‘an, China
| | - Jiaqian Wang
- Department of Orthopaedic, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Li Z, Wang J, Lin Y, Fang J, Xie K, Guan Z, Ma H, Yuan L. Newly discovered circRNAs in rheumatoid arthritis, with special emphasis on functional roles in inflammatory immunity. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:983744. [PMID: 36278188 PMCID: PMC9585171 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.983744] [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: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Circular RNA (circRNA) is a unique type of endogenous RNA. It does not have free 3 ′or 5′ ends, but forms covalently closed continuous rings. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common chronic autoimmune joint disease, characterized by chronic inflammation of the joint synovial membrane, joint destruction, and the formation of pannus. Although the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis remains incompletely understood, a growing amount of research shows that circRNA has a close relationship with RA. Researchers have found that abnormally expressed circRNAs may be associated with the occurrence and development of RA. This article reviews the inflammatory immune, functions, mechanisms, and values of the circRNAs in RA to provide new ideas and novel biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of RA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jianpeng Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yudong Lin
- Department of Pediatric Orthopedics, Anhui Provincial Children’s Hospital, Hefei, China
| | - Jihong Fang
- Department of Pediatric Orthopedics, Anhui Provincial Children’s Hospital, Hefei, China
| | - Kang Xie
- Department of Pediatric Orthopedics, Anhui Provincial Children’s Hospital, Hefei, China
| | - Zhiye Guan
- Department of Pediatric Orthopedics, Anhui Provincial Children’s Hospital, Hefei, China
| | - Hailong Ma
- Department of Pediatric Orthopedics, Anhui Provincial Children’s Hospital, Hefei, China
| | - Liang Yuan
- Department of Pediatric Orthopedics, Anhui Provincial Children’s Hospital, Hefei, China
- *Correspondence: Liang Yuan,
| |
Collapse
|