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Xu C, Zhang H, Yang C, Wang Y, Wang K, Wang R, Zhang W, Li C, Tian C, Han C, Li M, Liu X, Wang Y, Li Y, Zhang J, Li Y, Luo L, Shang Y, Zhang L, Chen Y, Shen K, Hu D. miR-125b-5p delivered by adipose-derived stem cell exosomes alleviates hypertrophic scarring by suppressing Smad2. BURNS & TRAUMA 2024; 12:tkad064. [PMID: 38765787 PMCID: PMC11102599 DOI: 10.1093/burnst/tkad064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Background Hypertrophic scarring is the most serious and unmet challenge following burn and trauma injury and often leads to pain, itching and even loss of function. However, the demand for ideal scar prevention and treatment is difficult to satisfy. We aimed to discover the effects and mechanisms of adipose-derived stem cell (ADSC) exosomes in hypertrophic scarring. Methods ADSC exosomes were isolated from the culture supernatant of ADSCs and identified by nanoparticle tracking analysis, transmission electron microscopy and western blotting. The effect of ADSC exosomes on wound healing and scar formation was detected by the wound model of BALB/c mice. We isolated myofibroblasts from hypertrophic scar tissue and detected the cell viability, proliferation and migration of myofibroblasts. In addition, collagen formation and fibrosis-related molecules were also detected. To further disclose the mechanism of ADSC exosomes on fibrosis in myofibroblasts, we detected the expression of Smad2 in hypertrophic scar tissue and normal skin and the regulatory mechanism of ADSC exosomes on Smad2. Injection of bleomycin was performed in male BALB/c mice to establish an in vivo fibrosis model while ADSC exosomes were administered to observe their protective effect. The tissue injury of mice was observed via hematoxylin and eosin and Masson staining and related testing. Results In this study, we found that ADSC exosomes could not only speed up wound healing and improve healing quality but also prevent scar formation. ADSC exosomes inhibited expression of fibrosis-related molecules such as α-smooth muscle actin, collagen I (COL1) and COL3 and inhibited the transdifferentiation of myofibroblasts. In addition, we verified that Smad2 is highly expressed in both hypertrophic scar tissue and hypertrophic fibroblasts, while ADSC exosomes downregulated the expression of Smad2 in hypertrophic fibroblasts. Further regulatory mechanism analysis revealed that microRNA-125b-5p (miR-125b-5p) is highly expressed in ADSC exosomes and binds to the 3' untranslated region of Smad2, thus inhibiting its expression. In vivo experiments also revealed that ADSC exosomes could alleviate bleomycin-induced skin fibrosis and downregulate the expression of Smad2. Conclusions We found that ADSC exosomes could alleviate hypertrophic scars via the suppression of Smad2 by the specific delivery of miR-125b-5p.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaolei Xu
- Department of Burns and Cutaneous Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- Department of Burns and Cutaneous Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Chen Yang
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Burns and Cosmetology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Burns and Cutaneous Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Kejia Wang
- Department of Burns and Cutaneous Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Rui Wang
- Department of Aerospace Medical Training, School of Aerospace Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Burns and Cosmetology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Chao Li
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Burns and Cosmetology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Chenyang Tian
- Department of Burns and Cutaneous Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Chao Han
- Department of Burns and Cutaneous Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Mengyang Li
- Department of Burns and Cutaneous Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Xu Liu
- Department of Burns and Cutaneous Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Yunwei Wang
- Department of Burns and Cutaneous Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Burns and Cutaneous Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Department of Burns and Cutaneous Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Yu Li
- Department of Burns and Cutaneous Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Liang Luo
- Department of Burns and Cutaneous Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Yage Shang
- Department of Burns and Cutaneous Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Lixia Zhang
- Department of Burns and Cutaneous Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Yuxi Chen
- Department of Burns and Cutaneous Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Kuo Shen
- Department of Burns and Cutaneous Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Dahai Hu
- Department of Burns and Cutaneous Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
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Zhao S, Liu H, Wang H, He X, Tang J, Qi S, Yang R, Xie J. Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha by miR-203a-3p reduces hypertrophic scar formation via phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. BURNS & TRAUMA 2024; 12:tkad048. [PMID: 38179473 PMCID: PMC10762504 DOI: 10.1093/burnst/tkad048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Background Hypertrophic scar (HS) is a common fibroproliferative skin disease that currently has no truly effective therapy. Given the importance of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA) in hypertrophic scar formation, the development of therapeutic strategies for endogenous inhibitors against PIK3CA is of great interest. Here, we explored the molecular mechanisms underlying the protective effects of miR-203a-3p (PIK3CA inhibitor) against excessive scar. Methods Bioinformatic analysis, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, miRNA screening and fluorescence in situ hybridization assays were used to identify the possible pathways and target molecules mediating HS formation. A series of in vitro and in vivo experiments were used to clarify the role of PIK3CA and miR-203a-3p in HS. Mechanistically, transcriptomic sequencing, immunoblotting, dual-luciferase assay and rescue experiments were executed. Results Herein, we found that PIK3CA and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mTOR pathway were upregulated in scar tissues and positively correlated with fibrosis. We then identified miR-203a-3p as the most suitable endogenous inhibitor of PIK3CA. miR-203a-3p suppressed the proliferation, migration, collagen synthesis and contractility as well as the transdifferentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts in vitro, and improved the morphology and histology of scars in vivo. Mechanistically, miR-203a-3p attenuated fibrosis by inactivating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway by directly targeting PIK3CA. Conclusions PIK3CA and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway are actively involved in scar fibrosis and miR-203a-3p might serve as a potential strategy for hypertrophic scar therapy through targeting PIK3CA and inactivating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shixin Zhao
- Department of Burns, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan Second Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510062, China
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Burn and Wound Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment Key Technology and Series of Products, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan Second Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510062, China
| | - Hengdeng Liu
- Department of Burns, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan Second Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510062, China
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Burn and Wound Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment Key Technology and Series of Products, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan Second Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510062, China
| | - Hanwen Wang
- Department of Burns, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan Second Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510062, China
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Burn and Wound Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment Key Technology and Series of Products, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan Second Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510062, China
| | - Xuefeng He
- Department of Burns, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan Second Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510062, China
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Burn and Wound Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment Key Technology and Series of Products, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan Second Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510062, China
| | - Jinming Tang
- Department of Burns, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan Second Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510062, China
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Burn and Wound Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment Key Technology and Series of Products, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan Second Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510062, China
| | - Shaohai Qi
- Department of Burns, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan Second Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510062, China
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Burn and Wound Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment Key Technology and Series of Products, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan Second Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510062, China
| | - Ronghua Yang
- Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, South China University of technology, No. 1 Panfu Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510062, China
| | - Julin Xie
- Department of Burns, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan Second Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510062, China
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Burn and Wound Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment Key Technology and Series of Products, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan Second Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510062, China
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Yu Y, Liang C, Wang X, Shi Y, Shen L. The potential role of RNA modification in skin diseases, as well as the recent advances in its detection methods and therapeutic agents. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 167:115524. [PMID: 37722194 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115524] [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: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA modification is considered as an epigenetic modification that plays an indispensable role in biological processes such as gene expression and genome editing without altering nucleotide sequence, but the molecular mechanism of RNA modification has not been discussed systematically in the development of skin diseases. This article mainly presents the whole picture of theoretical achievements on the potential role of RNA modification in dermatology. Furthermore, this article summarizes the latest advances in clinical practice related with RNA modification, including its detection methods and drug development. Based on this comprehensive review, we aim to illustrate the current blind spots and future directions of RNA modification, which may provide new insights for researchers in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Yu
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China; Institute of Psoriasis, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chen Liang
- Department of Dermatology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China; Institute of Psoriasis, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuling Shi
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China; Institute of Psoriasis, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Liangliang Shen
- Department of Dermatology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
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Huang X, Zhao Y, Liu D, Gu S, Liu Y, Khoong Y, Luo S, Zhang Z, Xia W, Wang M, Liang H, Li M, Li Q, Zan T. ALKBH5-mediated m 6A demethylation fuels cutaneous wound re-epithelialization by enhancing PELI2 mRNA stability. Inflamm Regen 2023; 43:36. [PMID: 37452367 PMCID: PMC10347733 DOI: 10.1186/s41232-023-00288-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Impaired wound re-epithelialization contributes to cutaneous barrier reconstruction dysfunction. Recently, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification has been shown to participate in the determination of RNA fate, and its aberration triggers the pathogenesis of numerous diseases. Howbeit, the function of m6A in wound re-epithelialization remains enigmatic. METHODS Alkbh5‒/‒ mouse was constructed to study the rate of wound re-epithelialization after ALKBH5 ablation. Integrated high-throughput analysis combining methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-seq) and RNA-seq was used to identify the downstream target of ALKBH5. In vitro and in vivo rescue experiments were conducted to verify the role of the downstream target on the functional phenotype of ALKBH5-deficient cells or animals. Furthermore, the interacting reader protein and regulatory mechanisms were determined through RIP-qPCR, RNA pull-down, and RNA stability assays. RESULTS ALKBH5 was specifically upregulated in the wound edge epidermis. Ablation of ALKBH5 suppressed keratinocyte migration and resulted in delayed wound re-epithelialization in Alkbh5‒/‒ mouse. Integrated high-throughput analysis revealed that PELI2, an E3 ubiquitin protein ligase, serves as the downstream target of ALKBH5. Concordantly, exogenous PELI2 supplementation partially rescued keratinocyte migration and accelerated re-epithelialization in ALKBH5-deficient cells, both in vitro and in vivo. In terms of its mechanism, ALKBH5 promoted PELI2 expression by removing the m6A modification from PELI2 mRNA and enhancing its stability in a YTHDF2-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS This study identifies ALKBH5 as an endogenous accelerator of wound re-epithelialization, thereby benefiting the development of a reprogrammed m6A targeted therapy for refractory wounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Huang
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
| | - Yixuan Zhao
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China.
| | - Daiming Liu
- Department of Wound Repair, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hunan, China
| | - Shuchen Gu
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
| | - Yunhan Liu
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
| | - Yimin Khoong
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
| | - Shenying Luo
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
| | - Zewei Zhang
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenzheng Xia
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
| | - Meng Wang
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
| | - Hsin Liang
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
| | - Minxiong Li
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingfeng Li
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China.
| | - Tao Zan
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China.
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Luo X, Zhu S, Li J, Zeng N, Wang H, Wu Y, Wang L, Liu Z. Potential genetic therapies based on m6A methylation for skin regeneration: Wound healing and scars/keloids. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1143866. [PMID: 37122849 PMCID: PMC10133496 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1143866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Skin wound healing is a complex and multistage process, where any abnormalities at any stage can result in the accumulation of non-functional fibrotic tissue, leading to the formation of skin scars. Epigenetic modifications play a crucial role in regulating gene expression, inhibiting cell fate determination, and responding to environmental stimuli. m6A methylation is the most common post-transcriptional modification of eukaryotic mRNAs and long non-coding RNAs. However, it remains unclear how RNA methylation controls cell fate in different physiological environments. This review aims to discuss the current understanding of the regulatory pathways of RNA methylation in skin wound healing and their therapeutic implications with a focus on the specific mechanisms involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Luo
- Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shu Zhu
- Department of Medical Ultrasound, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jia Li
- Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ning Zeng
- Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Haiping Wang
- Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yiping Wu
- Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Le Wang
- Department of Nephrology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- *Correspondence: Le Wang, ; Zeming Liu,
| | - Zeming Liu
- Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Le Wang, ; Zeming Liu,
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The m 6A methyltransferase Mettl3 deficiency attenuates hepatic stellate cell activation and liver fibrosis. Mol Ther 2022; 30:3714-3728. [PMID: 35923112 PMCID: PMC9734030 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.07.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is a central driver of liver fibrosis. Previous investigations have identified various altered epigenetic landscapes during the cellular progression of HSC activation. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant internal RNA modification in eukaryotic cells and is dynamically regulated under various physiological and pathophysiological conditions. However, the functional role of Mettl3-mediated m6A in liver fibrosis remains elusive. Here, we found that the HSC-specific knockout of m6A methyltransferase Mettl3 suppressed HSC activation and significantly alleviated liver fibrosis. Multi-omics analysis of HSCs showed that Mettl3 depletion reduced m6A deposition on mRNA transcripts of Lats2 (a central player of the Hippo/YAP signaling pathway) and slowed down their degradation. Elevated Lats2 increased phosphorylation of the downstream transcription factor YAP, suppressed YAP nuclear translocation, and decreased pro-fibrotic gene expression. Overexpressing YAP mutant resistant to phosphorylation by Lats2 partially rescued the activation and pro-fibrotic gene expression of Mettl3-deficient HSCs. Our study revealed that disruption of Mettl3 in HSCs mitigated liver fibrosis by controlling the Hippo/YAP signaling pathway, providing potential therapeutic strategies to alleviate liver fibrosis by targeting epitranscriptomic machinery.
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Lin CX, Chen ZJ, Peng QL, Xiang KR, Xiao DQ, Chen RX, Cui T, Huang YS, Liu HW. The m 6A-methylated mRNA pattern and the activation of the Wnt signaling pathway under the hyper-m 6A-modifying condition in the keloid. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:947337. [PMID: 36263010 PMCID: PMC9574062 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.947337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: The present study was carried out to investigate the global m6A-modified RNA pattern and possible mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of keloid. Method: In total, 14 normal skin and 14 keloid tissue samples were first collected on clinics. Then, three samples from each group were randomly selected to be verified with the Western blotting to determine the level of methyltransferase and demethylase. The total RNA of all samples in each group was isolated and subjected to the analysis of MeRIP sequencing and RNA sequencing. Using software of MeTDiff and htseq-count, the m6A peaks and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were determined within the fold change >2 and p-value < 0.05. The top 10 pathways of m6A-modified genes in each group and the differentially expressed genes were enriched by the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes signaling pathways. Finally, the closely associated pathway was determined using the Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. Results: There was a higher protein level of WTAP and Mettl3 in the keloid than in the normal tissue. In the keloid samples, 21,020 unique m6A peaks with 6,573 unique m6A-associated genetic transcripts appeared. In the normal tissue, 4,028 unique m6A peaks with 779 m6A-associated modified genes appeared. In the RNA sequencing, there were 847 genes significantly changed between these groups, transcriptionally. The genes with m6A-methylated modification and the upregulated differentially expressed genes between two tissues were both mainly related to the Wnt signaling pathway. Moreover, the hyper-m6A-modified Wnt/β-catenin pathway in keloid was verified with Western blotting. From the immunofluorescence staining results, we found that the accumulated fibroblasts were under a hyper-m6A condition in the keloid, and the Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway was mainly activated in the fibroblasts. Conclusion: The fibroblasts in the keloid were under a cellular hyper-m6A-methylated condition, and the hyper-m6A-modified highly expressed Wnt/β-catenin pathway in the dermal fibroblasts might promote the pathogenesis of keloid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Can-Xiang Lin
- Department of Plastic Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Institute of New Technology of Plastic Surgery of Jinan University, Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhi-Jing Chen
- Department of Plastic Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Institute of New Technology of Plastic Surgery of Jinan University, Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qi-Lin Peng
- The Research Center of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ke-Rong Xiang
- Department of Plastic Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Institute of New Technology of Plastic Surgery of Jinan University, Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
| | - Du-Qing Xiao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ruo-Xi Chen
- Department of Plastic Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Institute of New Technology of Plastic Surgery of Jinan University, Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
| | - Taixing Cui
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States,*Correspondence: Taixing Cui, ; Yue-Sheng Huang, ; Hong-Wei Liu,
| | - Yue-Sheng Huang
- Department of Wound Repair, Institute of Wound Repair and Regeneration Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology School of Medicine, Shenzhen, China,*Correspondence: Taixing Cui, ; Yue-Sheng Huang, ; Hong-Wei Liu,
| | - Hong-Wei Liu
- Department of Plastic Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Institute of New Technology of Plastic Surgery of Jinan University, Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China,*Correspondence: Taixing Cui, ; Yue-Sheng Huang, ; Hong-Wei Liu,
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Abstract
Fibroblasts play an important role in the pathogenic mechanisms of several socially significant diseases, including pulmonary and cardiovascular fibrosis, liver cirrhosis, systemic sclerosis, progressive kidney disease. The alterations of the epitranscriptome, including more than 170 distinct post-transcriptional RNA modifications or editing events, justified their investigation as an important modulator of fibrosis. Recent development of high-throughput methods allows the identification of RNA modification sites and their mechanistic aspect in the fibrosis development. The most common RNA modification is methylation of N6-adenosine deposited by the m6A methyltransferase complex (METTL3/14/16, WTAP, KIAA1429, and RBM15/15B), erased by demethylases (FTO and ALKBH5), and recognized by binding proteins (e.g., YTHDF1/2/3, YTHDC1/2, IGF2BP1/2/3, etc.). Adenosine to inosine (A-to-I) RNA editing is another abundant editing event converting adenosine to inosine in double-stranded RNA regions through the action of the adenosine deaminase (ADAR) proteins. Last, but not least, 5-methylcytosine (m5C) regulates the stability and translation of mRNAs. All those RNA modifications have been observed in mRNA as well as the non-coding regions of pre-mRNA and ncRNAs, and demonstrate to be involved in fibrosis in different cellular and animal models. This Mini-Review focuses on the latest research on epitranscriptomic marks related to fibroblast biology and fibrosis as well as elucidates the future research directions in this context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirolyuba Ilieva
- Center for RNA Medicine, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Copenhagen SV, Denmark
| | - Shizuka Uchida
- Center for RNA Medicine, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Copenhagen SV, Denmark
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