1
|
Sun F, Zhang L, Shen L, Wang C. Network Pharmacology Analysis of the Therapeutic Potential of Colchicine in Acute Lung Injury. Int J Clin Pract 2024; 2024:9940182. [PMID: 38352962 PMCID: PMC10864054 DOI: 10.1155/2024/9940182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Background This study employed integrated network pharmacology approach to explore the mechanisms underlying the protective effect of colchicine against acute lung injury (ALI). Methods We analyzed the expression profiles from 13 patients with sepsis-related ALI and 21 controls to identify differentially expressed genes and key modules. ALI-related genes were curated using databases such as DisGeNET, Therapeutic Target, and Comparative Toxicogenomics Database to curate ALI-related genes. Drug target fishing for colchicine was conducted using the DrugBank, BATMAN-TCM, STITCH, and SwissTargetPrediction. Potential drug-disease interactions were determined by intersecting ALI-associated genes with colchicine target genes. We performed comprehensive pathway and process enrichment analyses on these genes. A protein-protein interaction network was constructed, and topological analysis was executed. Additionally, an ALI mouse model was established to evaluate the effect of colchicine on CXCL12 and CXCR4 levels through western blot analysis. Results Analysis revealed 23 potential colchicine-ALI interaction genes from the intersection of 253 ALI-associated genes and 389 colchicine targets. Functional enrichment analysis highlighted several inflammation-related pathways, such as cytokine-mediated signaling pathway, CXCR chemokine receptor binding, NF-kappa B signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, and IL-17 signaling pathway. The protein-protein interaction network demonstrated complex interactions for CXCL12 and CXCR4 among other candidate genes, with significant topological interaction degrees. In vivo studies showed that colchicine significantly reduced elevated CXCL12 and CXCR4 levels in ALI mice. Conclusion Our findings suggest that colchicine's therapeutic effect on ALI might derive from its anti-inflammatory properties. Further research is needed to explore the specific mechanisms of colchicine's interaction with sepsis-induced ALI.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fei Sun
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No. 72 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lijuan Zhang
- Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No. 72 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lulu Shen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Huai'an Second People's Hospital and the Affiliated Huai'an Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, No. 66 Huaihai South Road, Huai'an, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chunman Wang
- Pain Department, Hengshui People's Hospital, 180 People's East Road, Hengshui, Hebei, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Huang WC, Chuang CF, Huang YT, Chung IC, Chen ML, Chuang TY, Yang XL, Chou YY, Liu CH, Chen NY, Chen CJ, Yuan TT. Monoclonal enolase-1 blocking antibody ameliorates pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis. Respir Res 2023; 24:280. [PMID: 37964270 PMCID: PMC10647181 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-023-02583-3] [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: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic fatal disease with limited therapeutic options. The infiltration of monocytes and fibroblasts into the injured lungs is implicated in IPF. Enolase-1 (ENO1) is a cytosolic glycolytic enzyme which could translocate onto the cell surface and act as a plasminogen receptor to facilitate cell migration via plasmin activation. Our proprietary ENO1 antibody, HL217, was screened for its specific binding to ENO1 and significant inhibition of cell migration and plasmin activation (patent: US9382331B2). METHODS In this study, effects of HL217 were evaluated in vivo and in vitro for treating lung fibrosis. RESULTS Elevated ENO1 expression was found in fibrotic lungs in human and in bleomycin-treated mice. In the mouse model, HL217 reduced bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis, inflammation, body weight loss, lung weight gain, TGF-β upregulation in bronchial alveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and collagen deposition in lung. Moreover, HL217 reduced the migration of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and the recruitment of myeloid cells into the lungs. In vitro, HL217 significantly reduced cell-associated plasmin activation and cytokines secretion from primary human PBMC and endothelial cells. In primary human lung fibroblasts, HL217 also reduced cell migration and collagen secretion. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest multi-faceted roles of cell surface ENO1 and a potential therapeutic approach for pulmonary fibrosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Nai-Yu Chen
- Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, College of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Jen Chen
- Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, College of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ta-Tung Yuan
- HuniLife Biotechnology Inc, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Department of Research and Development, HuniLife Biotechnology Inc, Rm. 1, 6F., No. 308, Sec. 1, Neihu Rd., Neihu Dist, 114, Taipei City, Taiwan.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Garrison AT, Bignold RE, Wu X, Johnson JR. Pericytes: The lung-forgotten cell type. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1150028. [PMID: 37035669 PMCID: PMC10076600 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1150028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Pericytes are a heterogeneous population of mesenchymal cells located on the abluminal surface of microvessels, where they provide structural and biochemical support. Pericytes have been implicated in numerous lung diseases including pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and allergic asthma due to their ability to differentiate into scar-forming myofibroblasts, leading to collagen deposition and matrix remodelling and thus driving tissue fibrosis. Pericyte-extracellular matrix interactions as well as other biochemical cues play crucial roles in these processes. In this review, we give an overview of lung pericytes, the key pro-fibrotic mediators they interact with, and detail recent advances in preclinical studies on how pericytes are disrupted and contribute to lung diseases including PAH, allergic asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Several recent studies using mouse models of PAH have demonstrated that pericytes contribute to these pathological events; efforts are currently underway to mitigate pericyte dysfunction in PAH by targeting the TGF-β, CXCR7, and CXCR4 signalling pathways. In allergic asthma, the dissociation of pericytes from the endothelium of blood vessels and their migration towards inflamed areas of the airway contribute to the characteristic airway remodelling observed in allergic asthma. Although several factors have been suggested to influence this migration such as TGF-β, IL-4, IL-13, and periostin, recent evidence points to the CXCL12/CXCR4 pathway as a potential therapeutic target. Pericytes might also play an essential role in lung dysfunction in response to ageing, as they are responsive to environmental risk factors such as cigarette smoke and air pollutants, which are the main drivers of COPD. However, there is currently no direct evidence delineating the contribution of pericytes to COPD pathology. Although there is a lack of human clinical data, the recent available evidence derived from in vitro and animal-based models shows that pericytes play important roles in the initiation and maintenance of chronic lung diseases and are amenable to pharmacological interventions. Therefore, further studies in this field are required to elucidate if targeting pericytes can treat lung diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annelise T. Garrison
- School of Biosciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Rebecca E. Bignold
- School of Biosciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Xinhui Wu
- School of Biosciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
- Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Jill R. Johnson
- School of Biosciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Pita-Juarez Y, Karagkouni D, Kalavros N, Melms JC, Niezen S, Delorey TM, Essene AL, Brook OR, Pant D, Skelton-Badlani D, Naderi P, Huang P, Pan L, Hether T, Andrews TS, Ziegler CGK, Reeves J, Myloserdnyy A, Chen R, Nam A, Phelan S, Liang Y, Amin AD, Biermann J, Hibshoosh H, Veregge M, Kramer Z, Jacobs C, Yalcin Y, Phillips D, Slyper M, Subramanian A, Ashenberg O, Bloom-Ackermann Z, Tran VM, Gomez J, Sturm A, Zhang S, Fleming SJ, Warren S, Beechem J, Hung D, Babadi M, Padera RF, MacParland SA, Bader GD, Imad N, Solomon IH, Miller E, Riedel S, Porter CBM, Villani AC, Tsai LTY, Hide W, Szabo G, Hecht J, Rozenblatt-Rosen O, Shalek AK, Izar B, Regev A, Popov Y, Jiang ZG, Vlachos IS. A single-nucleus and spatial transcriptomic atlas of the COVID-19 liver reveals topological, functional, and regenerative organ disruption in patients. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2022:2022.10.27.514070. [PMID: 36324805 PMCID: PMC9628199 DOI: 10.1101/2022.10.27.514070] [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] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The molecular underpinnings of organ dysfunction in acute COVID-19 and its potential long-term sequelae are under intense investigation. To shed light on these in the context of liver function, we performed single-nucleus RNA-seq and spatial transcriptomic profiling of livers from 17 COVID-19 decedents. We identified hepatocytes positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA with an expression phenotype resembling infected lung epithelial cells. Integrated analysis and comparisons with healthy controls revealed extensive changes in the cellular composition and expression states in COVID-19 liver, reflecting hepatocellular injury, ductular reaction, pathologic vascular expansion, and fibrogenesis. We also observed Kupffer cell proliferation and erythrocyte progenitors for the first time in a human liver single-cell atlas, resembling similar responses in liver injury in mice and in sepsis, respectively. Despite the absence of a clinical acute liver injury phenotype, endothelial cell composition was dramatically impacted in COVID-19, concomitantly with extensive alterations and profibrogenic activation of reactive cholangiocytes and mesenchymal cells. Our atlas provides novel insights into liver physiology and pathology in COVID-19 and forms a foundational resource for its investigation and understanding.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yered Pita-Juarez
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Dimitra Karagkouni
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Nikolaos Kalavros
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Spatial Technologies Unit, HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine / Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Johannes C Melms
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sebastian Niezen
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, MA, USA
| | - Toni M Delorey
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Adam L Essene
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, MA, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston Nutrition and Obesity Research Center Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics Core, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Olga R Brook
- Department of Radiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Deepti Pant
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, MA, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston Nutrition and Obesity Research Center Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics Core, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Disha Skelton-Badlani
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, MA, USA
| | - Pourya Naderi
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Pinzhu Huang
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, MA, USA
| | - Liuliu Pan
- NanoString Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Tallulah S Andrews
- Ajmera Transplant Centre, Toronto General Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Carly G K Ziegler
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Program in Health Sciences & Technology, Harvard Medical School & Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, USA
- Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard Graduate Program in Biophysics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Program in Computational & Systems Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Program in Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Andriy Myloserdnyy
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, MA, USA
| | - Rachel Chen
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, MA, USA
| | - Andy Nam
- NanoString Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Yan Liang
- NanoString Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Amit Dipak Amin
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jana Biermann
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hanina Hibshoosh
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Molly Veregge
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, MA, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston Nutrition and Obesity Research Center Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics Core, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zachary Kramer
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, MA, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christopher Jacobs
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, MA, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston Nutrition and Obesity Research Center Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics Core, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yusuf Yalcin
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, MA, USA
| | - Devan Phillips
- Current address: Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Michal Slyper
- Current address: Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Orr Ashenberg
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Zohar Bloom-Ackermann
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Victoria M Tran
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - James Gomez
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Alexander Sturm
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Shuting Zhang
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Stephen J Fleming
- Data Sciences Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Precision Cardiology Laboratory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Deborah Hung
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology and Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mehrtash Babadi
- Data Sciences Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Precision Cardiology Laboratory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Robert F Padera
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sonya A MacParland
- Ajmera Transplant Centre, Toronto General Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Medical Sciences Building, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Gary D Bader
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- The Donnelly Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nasser Imad
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Isaac H Solomon
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eric Miller
- NanoString Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Stefan Riedel
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Caroline B M Porter
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Alexandra-Chloé Villani
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Linus T-Y Tsai
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, MA, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston Nutrition and Obesity Research Center Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics Core, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Winston Hide
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gyongyi Szabo
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, MA, USA
| | - Jonathan Hecht
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Orit Rozenblatt-Rosen
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Current address: Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Alex K Shalek
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Program in Health Sciences & Technology, Harvard Medical School & Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, USA
- Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard Graduate Program in Biophysics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Program in Computational & Systems Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Program in Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Benjamin Izar
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, New York, NY, USA
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Program for Mathematical Genomics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Aviv Regev
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Current address: Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Yury Popov
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Z Gordon Jiang
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, MA, USA
| | - Ioannis S Vlachos
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Spatial Technologies Unit, HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine / Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Research Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School Initiative for RNA Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Pita-Juarez Y, Karagkouni D, Kalavros N, Melms JC, Niezen S, Delorey TM, Essene AL, Brook OR, Pant D, Skelton-Badlani D, Naderi P, Huang P, Pan L, Hether T, Andrews TS, Ziegler CGK, Reeves J, Myloserdnyy A, Chen R, Nam A, Phelan S, Liang Y, Amin AD, Biermann J, Hibshoosh H, Veregge M, Kramer Z, Jacobs C, Yalcin Y, Phillips D, Slyper M, Subramanian A, Ashenberg O, Bloom-Ackermann Z, Tran VM, Gomez J, Sturm A, Zhang S, Fleming SJ, Warren S, Beechem J, Hung D, Babadi M, Padera RF, MacParland SA, Bader GD, Imad N, Solomon IH, Miller E, Riedel S, Porter CBM, Villani AC, Tsai LTY, Hide W, Szabo G, Hecht J, Rozenblatt-Rosen O, Shalek AK, Izar B, Regev A, Popov Y, Jiang ZG, Vlachos IS. A single-nucleus and spatial transcriptomic atlas of the COVID-19 liver reveals topological, functional, and regenerative organ disruption in patients. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2022. [PMID: 36324805 DOI: 10.1101/2022.08.06.503037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
The molecular underpinnings of organ dysfunction in acute COVID-19 and its potential long-term sequelae are under intense investigation. To shed light on these in the context of liver function, we performed single-nucleus RNA-seq and spatial transcriptomic profiling of livers from 17 COVID-19 decedents. We identified hepatocytes positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA with an expression phenotype resembling infected lung epithelial cells. Integrated analysis and comparisons with healthy controls revealed extensive changes in the cellular composition and expression states in COVID-19 liver, reflecting hepatocellular injury, ductular reaction, pathologic vascular expansion, and fibrogenesis. We also observed Kupffer cell proliferation and erythrocyte progenitors for the first time in a human liver single-cell atlas, resembling similar responses in liver injury in mice and in sepsis, respectively. Despite the absence of a clinical acute liver injury phenotype, endothelial cell composition was dramatically impacted in COVID-19, concomitantly with extensive alterations and profibrogenic activation of reactive cholangiocytes and mesenchymal cells. Our atlas provides novel insights into liver physiology and pathology in COVID-19 and forms a foundational resource for its investigation and understanding.
Collapse
|
6
|
Sun Q, Tao X, Li B, Cao H, Chen H, Zou Y, Tao H, Mu M, Wang W, Xu K. C-X-C-Chemokine-Receptor-Type-4 Inhibitor AMD3100 Attenuates Pulmonary Inflammation and Fibrosis in Silicotic Mice. J Inflamm Res 2022; 15:5827-5843. [PMID: 36238768 PMCID: PMC9553317 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s372751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Silicosis is a severe pulmonary disease caused by inhaling dust containing crystalline silica. The progression of silicosis to pulmonary fibrosis is usually unavoidable. Recent studies have revealed positivity for the overexpression of C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) in pulmonary fibrosis and shown that the CXCR4 inhibitor AMD3100 attenuated pulmonary fibrosis after bleomycin challenge and paraquat exposure. However, it is unclear whether AMD3100 reduces crystalline silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Methods C57BL/6 male mice were instilled intranasally with a single dose of crystalline silica (12 mg/60 μL) to establish an acute silicosis mouse model. Twelve hours later, the mice were injected intraperitoneally with 5 mg/kg AMD3100 or control solution. Then, the mice were weighed daily and sacrificed on day 7, 14, or 28 to collect lung tissue and peripheral blood. Western blotting was also applied to determine the level of CXCR4, while different histological techniques were used to assess pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis. In addition, the level of B cells in peripheral blood was measured by flow cytometry. Results CXCR4 and its ligand CXCL12 were upregulated in the lung tissues of crystalline silica-exposed mice. Blocking CXCR4 with AMD3100 suppressed the upregulation of CXCR4/CXCL12, reduced the severity of lung injury, and prevented weight loss. It also inhibited neutrophil infiltration at inflammatory sites and neutrophil extracellular trap formation, as well as reduced B-lymphocyte aggregates in the lung. Additionally, it decreased the recruitment of circulating fibrocytes (CD45+collagen I+CXCR4+) to the lung and the deposition of collagen I and α-smooth muscle actin in lung tissue. AMD3100 also increased the level of B cells in peripheral blood, preventing circulating B cells from migrating to the injured lungs. Conclusion Blocking CXCR4 with AMD3100 delays pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis in a silicosis mouse model, suggesting the potential of AMD3100 as a drug for treating silicosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qixian Sun
- Center for Medical Research, Medical School, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xinrong Tao
- Center for Medical Research, Medical School, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People’s Republic of China,Key Laboratory of Industrial Dust Control and Occupational Health, Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People’s Republic of China,Key Laboratory of Industrial Dust Deep Reduction and Occupational Health and Safety, Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People’s Republic of China,Engineering Laboratory of Occupational Safety and Health, Anhui Province, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People’s Republic of China,Correspondence: Xinrong Tao, Medical School, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People’s Republic of China, Email
| | - Bing Li
- Center for Medical Research, Medical School, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hangbing Cao
- Center for Medical Research, Medical School, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Haoming Chen
- Center for Medical Research, Medical School, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuanjie Zou
- Center for Medical Research, Medical School, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huihui Tao
- Center for Medical Research, Medical School, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People’s Republic of China,Key Laboratory of Industrial Dust Control and Occupational Health, Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People’s Republic of China,Key Laboratory of Industrial Dust Deep Reduction and Occupational Health and Safety, Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People’s Republic of China,Engineering Laboratory of Occupational Safety and Health, Anhui Province, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Min Mu
- Center for Medical Research, Medical School, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People’s Republic of China,Key Laboratory of Industrial Dust Control and Occupational Health, Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People’s Republic of China,Key Laboratory of Industrial Dust Deep Reduction and Occupational Health and Safety, Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People’s Republic of China,Engineering Laboratory of Occupational Safety and Health, Anhui Province, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wenyang Wang
- Center for Medical Research, Medical School, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Keyi Xu
- Center for Medical Research, Medical School, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People’s Republic of China,Key Laboratory of Industrial Dust Control and Occupational Health, Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People’s Republic of China,Key Laboratory of Industrial Dust Deep Reduction and Occupational Health and Safety, Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People’s Republic of China,Engineering Laboratory of Occupational Safety and Health, Anhui Province, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People’s Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
CXC Chemokines in the Pathogenesis of Pulmonary Disease and Pharmacological Relevance. Int J Inflam 2022; 2022:4558159. [PMID: 36164329 PMCID: PMC9509283 DOI: 10.1155/2022/4558159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemokines and their receptors play important roles in the pathophysiology of many diseases by regulating the cellular migration of major inflammatory and immune players. The CXC motif chemokine subfamily is the second largest family, and it is further subdivided into ELR motif CXC (ELR+) and non-ELR motif (ELR-) CXC chemokines, which are effective chemoattractants for neutrophils and lymphocytes/monocytes, respectively. These chemokines and their receptors are expected to have a significant impact on a wide range of lung diseases, many of which have inflammatory or immunological underpinnings. As a result, manipulations of this subfamily of chemokines and their receptors using small molecular agents and other means have been explored for potential therapeutic benefit in the setting of several lung pathologies. Furthermore, encouraging preclinical data has necessitated the progression of a few of these drugs into clinical trials in order to make the most effective use of interventions in the development of viable targeted therapeutics. The current review presents the understanding of the roles of CXC ligands (CXCLs) and their cognate receptors (CXCRs) in the pathogenesis of several lung diseases such as allergic rhinitis, COPD, lung fibrosis, lung cancer, pneumonia, and tuberculosis. The potential therapeutic benefits of pharmacological or other CXCL/CXCR axis manipulations are also discussed.
Collapse
|
8
|
Human Cytomegalovirus and Human Herpesvirus 6 Coinfection of Dermal Fibroblasts Enhances the Pro-Inflammatory Pathway Predisposing to Fibrosis: The Possible Impact on Systemic Sclerosis. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10081600. [PMID: 36014018 PMCID: PMC9415275 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10081600] [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: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a severe autoimmune disease likely triggered by genetic and environmental factors, including viral infections. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and human herpesvirus 6A species (HHV-6A) have been associated with SSc, based on in vivo and in vitro evidence, but the data are still inconclusive. Furthermore, despite both viruses being highly prevalent in humans and able to exacerbate each other’s effects, no data are available on their joint effects. Hence, we aimed to study their simultaneous impact on the expression of cell factors correlated with fibrosis and apoptosis in in vitro coinfected fibroblasts, representing the main target cell type in SSc. The results, obtained by a microarray detecting 84 fibrosis/apoptosis-associated factors, indicated that coinfected cells underwent higher and more sustained expression of fibrosis-associated parameters compared with single-infected cells. Thus, the data, for the first time, suggest that HCMV and HHV-6A may cooperate in inducing alterations potentially leading to cell fibrosis, thus further supporting their joint role in SSc. However, further work is required to definitively answer whether β-herpesviruses are causally linked to the disease and to enable the possible use of targeted antiviral treatments to improve clinical outcomes.
Collapse
|
9
|
Pun FW, Leung GHD, Leung HW, Liu BHM, Long X, Ozerov IV, Wang J, Ren F, Aliper A, Izumchenko E, Moskalev A, de Magalhães JP, Zhavoronkov A. Hallmarks of aging-based dual-purpose disease and age-associated targets predicted using PandaOmics AI-powered discovery engine. Aging (Albany NY) 2022; 14:2475-2506. [PMID: 35347083 PMCID: PMC9004567 DOI: 10.18632/aging.203960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Aging biology is a promising and burgeoning research area that can yield dual-purpose pathways and protein targets that may impact multiple diseases, while retarding or possibly even reversing age-associated processes. One widely used approach to classify a multiplicity of mechanisms driving the aging process is the hallmarks of aging. In addition to the classic nine hallmarks of aging, processes such as extracellular matrix stiffness, chronic inflammation and activation of retrotransposons are also often considered, given their strong association with aging. In this study, we used a variety of target identification and prioritization techniques offered by the AI-powered PandaOmics platform, to propose a list of promising novel aging-associated targets that may be used for drug discovery. We also propose a list of more classical targets that may be used for drug repurposing within each hallmark of aging. Most of the top targets generated by this comprehensive analysis play a role in inflammation and extracellular matrix stiffness, highlighting the relevance of these processes as therapeutic targets in aging and age-related diseases. Overall, our study reveals both high confidence and novel targets associated with multiple hallmarks of aging and demonstrates application of the PandaOmics platform to target discovery across multiple disease areas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frank W Pun
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, New Territories, Hong Kong, China
| | - Geoffrey Ho Duen Leung
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, New Territories, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hoi Wing Leung
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, New Territories, Hong Kong, China
| | - Bonnie Hei Man Liu
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, New Territories, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xi Long
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, New Territories, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ivan V Ozerov
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, New Territories, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ju Wang
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, New Territories, Hong Kong, China
| | - Feng Ren
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, New Territories, Hong Kong, China
| | - Alexander Aliper
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, New Territories, Hong Kong, China
| | - Evgeny Izumchenko
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Alexey Moskalev
- School of Systems Biology, George Mason University (GMU), Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
| | - João Pedro de Magalhães
- Integrative Genomics of Ageing Group, Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L7 8TX, UK
| | - Alex Zhavoronkov
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, New Territories, Hong Kong, China.,Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA 94945, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Li X, Zhang Q, Wang Z, Zhuang Q, Zhao M. Immune and Metabolic Alterations in Liver Fibrosis: A Disruption of Oxygen Homeostasis? Front Mol Biosci 2022; 8:802251. [PMID: 35187072 PMCID: PMC8850363 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.802251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/06/2022] Open
Abstract
According to the WHO, “cirrhosis of the liver” was the 11th leading cause of death globally in 2019. Many kinds of liver diseases can develop into liver cirrhosis, and liver fibrosis is the main pathological presentation of different aetiologies, including toxic damage, viral infection, and metabolic and genetic diseases. It is characterized by excessive synthesis and decreased decomposition of extracellular matrix (ECM). Hepatocyte cell death, hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation, and inflammation are crucial incidences of liver fibrosis. The process of fibrosis is also closely related to metabolic and immune disorders, which are usually induced by the destruction of oxygen homeostasis, including mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and hypoxia pathway activation. Mitochondria are important organelles in energy generation and metabolism. Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) are key factors activated when hypoxia occurs. Both are considered essential factors of liver fibrosis. In this review, the authors highlight the impact of oxygen imbalance on metabolism and immunity in liver fibrosis as well as potential novel targets for antifibrotic therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Li
- Department of Pediatrics, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Quyan Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zeyu Wang
- Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Quan Zhuang
- Transplantation Center, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- *Correspondence: Quan Zhuang, ; Mingyi Zhao,
| | - Mingyi Zhao
- Department of Pediatrics, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- *Correspondence: Quan Zhuang, ; Mingyi Zhao,
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Identification of Impacted Pathways and Transcriptomic Markers as Potential Mediators of Pulmonary Fibrosis in Transgenic Mice Expressing Human IGFBP5. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222212609. [PMID: 34830489 PMCID: PMC8619832 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212609] [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: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary fibrosis is a serious disease characterized by extracellular matrix (ECM) component overproduction and remodeling. Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 5 (IGFBP5) is a conserved member of the IGFBP family of proteins that is overexpressed in fibrotic tissues and promotes fibrosis. We used RNA sequencing (RNAseq) to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between primary lung fibroblasts (pFBs) of homozygous (HOMO) transgenic mice expressing human IGFBP5 (hIGFBP5) and wild type mice (WT). The results of the differential expression analysis showed 2819 DEGs in hIGFBP5 pFBs. Functional enrichment analysis confirmed the pro-fibrotic character of IGFBP5 and revealed its impact on fundamental signaling pathways, including cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction, focal adhesion, AGE-RAGE signaling, calcium signaling, and neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions, to name a few. Noticeably, 7% of the DEGs in hIGFBP5-expressing pFBs are receptors and integrins. Furthermore, hub gene analysis revealed 12 hub genes including Fpr1, Bdkrb2, Mchr1, Nmur1, Cnr2, P2ry14, and Ptger3. Validation assays were performed to complement the RNAseq data. They confirmed significant differences in the levels of the corresponding proteins in cultured pFBs. Our study provides new insights into the molecular mechanism(s) of IGFBP5-associated pulmonary fibrosis through possible receptor interactions that drive fibrosis and tissue remodeling.
Collapse
|
12
|
Harms M, Habib MM, Nemska S, Nicolò A, Gilg A, Preising N, Sokkar P, Carmignani S, Raasholm M, Weidinger G, Kizilsavas G, Wagner M, Ständker L, Abadi AH, Jumaa H, Kirchhoff F, Frossard N, Sanchez-Garcia E, Münch J. An optimized derivative of an endogenous CXCR4 antagonist prevents atopic dermatitis and airway inflammation. Acta Pharm Sin B 2021; 11:2694-2708. [PMID: 34589390 PMCID: PMC8463264 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2020.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Aberrant CXCR4/CXCL12 signaling is involved in many pathophysiological processes such as cancer and inflammatory diseases. A natural fragment of serum albumin, named EPI-X4, has previously been identified as endogenous peptide antagonist and inverse agonist of CXCR4 and is a promising compound for the development of improved analogues for the therapy of CXCR4-associated diseases. To generate optimized EPI-X4 derivatives we here performed molecular docking analysis to identify key interaction motifs of EPI-X4/CXCR4. Subsequent rational drug design allowed to increase the anti-CXCR4 activity of EPI-X4. The EPI-X4 derivative JM#21 bound CXCR4 and suppressed CXCR4-tropic HIV-1 infection more efficiently than the clinically approved small molecule CXCR4 antagonist AMD3100. EPI-X4 JM#21 did not exert toxic effects in zebrafish embryos and suppressed allergen-induced infiltration of eosinophils and other immune cells into the airways of animals in an asthma mouse model. Moreover, topical administration of the optimized EPI-X4 derivative efficiently prevented inflammation of the skin in a mouse model of atopic dermatitis. Thus, rationally designed EPI-X4 JM#21 is a novel potent antagonist of CXCR4 and the first CXCR4 inhibitor with therapeutic efficacy in atopic dermatitis. Further clinical development of this new class of CXCR4 antagonists for the therapy of atopic dermatitis, asthma and other CXCR4-associated diseases is highly warranted.
Collapse
|
13
|
Cutolo M, Gotelli E, Montagna P, Tardito S, Paolino S, Pizzorni C, Sulli A, Smith V, Soldano S. Nintedanib downregulates the transition of cultured systemic sclerosis fibrocytes into myofibroblasts and their pro-fibrotic activity. Arthritis Res Ther 2021; 23:205. [PMID: 34344444 PMCID: PMC8330043 DOI: 10.1186/s13075-021-02555-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Circulating fibrocytes are an important source of fibroblasts and myofibroblasts, which are involved in fibrotic processes, including systemic sclerosis (SSc). The study aimed to investigate the effect of nintedanib (a tyrosine kinase inhibitor) in inhibiting the in vitro transition of circulating SSc fibrocytes into myofibroblasts and their pro-fibrotic activity. Methods Circulating fibrocytes were obtained from 18 SSc patients and 5 healthy subjects (HSs). Cultured SSc fibrocytes were maintained in growth medium (untreated cells) or treated with nintedanib 0.1 and 1 μM for 3 and 24 h. Fibroblast-specific protein-1 (S100A4) and α-smooth muscle actin (αSMA), as markers of fibroblast/myofibroblast phenotype, together with type I collagen (COL1) and fibronectin (FN), were investigated by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. Non-parametric tests were used for statistical analysis. Results Significantly elevated gene and protein expressions of αSMA, S100A4, COL1, and FN were observed in SSc fibrocytes compared to HS fibrocytes (gene: αSMA p < 0.001; others p < 0.0001; protein: all p < 0.05). Interestingly, an increased gene and protein expression of αSMA and S100A4 was found in fibrocytes from SSc patients positive for anti-Scl70 and with interstitial lung disease (ILD) (Scl70+ILD+) compared to Scl70−ILD− patients (S100A4: gene: p < 0.01; protein: p < 0.05), whereas no differences were observed for COL1 and FN. Nintedanib reduced gene and protein expression of αSMA, S100A4, COL1, and FN in SSc fibrocytes compared to untreated ones with different statistical significance. Noteworthy, nintedanib significantly downregulated gene and protein expression of αSMA, S100A4, COL1, and FN in Scl70+ILD+ fibrocytes (all p < 0.05), whereas only that of S100A4 and FN was significantly downregulated (p < 0.05) in Scl70−ILD− fibrocytes compared to the related untreated cells. Conclusions Nintedanib seems to downregulate in vitro the transition of fibrocytes into myofibroblasts and their pro-fibrotic activity, particularly in cells isolated from Scl70+ILD+ SSc patients. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13075-021-02555-2.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Cutolo
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, Genoa, Italy.
| | - Emanuele Gotelli
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, Genoa, Italy
| | - Paola Montagna
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, Genoa, Italy
| | - Samuele Tardito
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, Genoa, Italy
| | - Sabrina Paolino
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, Genoa, Italy
| | - Carmen Pizzorni
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alberto Sulli
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, Genoa, Italy
| | - Vanessa Smith
- Department of Rheumatology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Unit for Molecular Immunology and Inflammation, VIB Inflammation Research Center (IRC), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Stefano Soldano
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, Genoa, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Pang J, Luo Y, Wei D, Cao Z, Qi X, Song M, Liu Y, Li Z, Zhang J, Li B, Chen J, Wang J, Wang C. Comparative Transcriptome Analyses Reveal a Transcriptional Landscape of Human Silicosis Lungs and Provide Potential Strategies for Silicosis Treatment. Front Genet 2021; 12:652901. [PMID: 34149803 PMCID: PMC8210851 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.652901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Silicosis is a fatal occupational lung disease which currently has no effective clinical cure. Recent studies examining the underlying mechanism of silicosis have primarily examined experimental models, which may not perfectly reflect the nature of human silicosis progression. A comprehensive profiling of the molecular changes in human silicosis lungs is urgently needed. Here, we conducted RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) on the lung tissues of 10 silicosis patients and 7 non-diseased donors. A total of 2,605 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and critical pathway changes were identified in human silicosis lungs. Further, the DEGs in silicosis were compared with those in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), to extend current knowledge about the disease mechanisms and develop potential drugs. This analysis revealed both common and specific regulations in silicosis, along with several critical genes (e.g., MUC5AC and FGF10), which are potential drug targets for silicosis treatment. Drugs including Plerixafor and Retinoic acid were predicted as potential candidates in treating silicosis. Overall, this study provides the first transcriptomic fingerprint of human silicosis lungs. The comparative transcriptome analyses comprehensively characterize pathological regulations resulting from silicosis, and provide valuable cues for silicosis treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Junling Pang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Pathophysiology, Peking Union Medical College, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ya Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Pathophysiology, Peking Union Medical College, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Dong Wei
- Transplant Center, Wuxi People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Zhujie Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Pathophysiology, Peking Union Medical College, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xianmei Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Pathophysiology, Peking Union Medical College, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Meiyue Song
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine/Others, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Pathophysiology, Peking Union Medical College, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaoguo Li
- Department of Respiratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Lung Transplantation, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Baicun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Physiology, Peking Union Medical College, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jingyu Chen
- Transplant Center, Wuxi People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China.,Department of Thoracic Surgery and Lung Transplantation, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Pathophysiology, Peking Union Medical College, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Physiology, Peking Union Medical College, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Ghosh MC, Zhang DL, Ollivierre WH, Noguchi A, Springer DA, Linehan WM, Rouault TA. Therapeutic inhibition of HIF-2α reverses polycythemia and pulmonary hypertension in murine models of human diseases. Blood 2021; 137:2509-2519. [PMID: 33512384 PMCID: PMC8109019 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2020009138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Polycythemia and pulmonary hypertension are 2 human diseases for which better therapies are needed. Upregulation of hypoxia-inducible factor-2α (HIF-2α) and its target genes, erythropoietin (EPO) and endothelin-1, causes polycythemia and pulmonary hypertension in patients with Chuvash polycythemia who are homozygous for the R200W mutation in the von Hippel Lindau (VHL) gene and in a murine mouse model of Chuvash polycythemia that bears the same homozygous VhlR200W mutation. Moreover, the aged VhlR200W mice developed pulmonary fibrosis, most likely due to the increased expression of Cxcl-12, another Hif-2α target. Patients with mutations in iron regulatory protein 1 (IRP1) also develop polycythemia, and Irp1-knockout (Irp1-KO) mice exhibit polycythemia, pulmonary hypertension, and cardiac fibrosis attributable to translational derepression of Hif-2α, and the resultant high expression of the Hif-2α targets EPO, endothelin-1, and Cxcl-12. In this study, we inactivated Hif-2α with the second-generation allosteric HIF-2α inhibitor MK-6482 in VhlR200W, Irp1-KO, and double-mutant VhlR200W;Irp1-KO mice. MK-6482 treatment decreased EPO production and reversed polycythemia in all 3 mouse models. Drug treatment also decreased right ventricular pressure and mitigated pulmonary hypertension in VhlR200W, Irp1-KO, and VhlR200W;Irp1-KO mice to near normal wild-type levels and normalized the movement of the cardiac interventricular septum in VhlR200Wmice. MK-6482 treatment reduced the increased expression of Cxcl-12, which, in association with CXCR4, mediates fibrocyte influx into the lungs, potentially causing pulmonary fibrosis. Our results suggest that oral intake of MK-6482 could represent a new approach to treatment of patients with polycythemia, pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary fibrosis, and complications caused by elevated expression of HIF-2α.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manik C Ghosh
- Molecular Medicine Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
| | - De-Liang Zhang
- Molecular Medicine Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
| | - Wade H Ollivierre
- Molecular Medicine Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
| | - Audrey Noguchi
- Murine Phenotyping Core, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and
| | | | - W Marston Linehan
- Urologic Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Tracey A Rouault
- Molecular Medicine Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Sivakumar P, Ammar R, Thompson JR, Luo Y, Streltsov D, Porteous M, McCoubrey C, Cantu E, Beers MF, Jarai G, Christie JD. Integrated plasma proteomics and lung transcriptomics reveal novel biomarkers in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Respir Res 2021; 22:273. [PMID: 34689792 PMCID: PMC8543878 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-021-01860-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fatal lung disease with a significant unmet medical need. Development of transformational therapies for IPF is challenging in part to due to lack of robust predictive biomarkers of prognosis and treatment response. Importantly, circulating biomarkers of IPF are limited and none are in clinical use. METHODS We previously reported dysregulated pathways and new disease biomarkers in advanced IPF through RNA sequencing of lung tissues from a cohort of transplant-stage IPF patients (n = 36) in comparison to normal healthy donors (n = 19) and patients with acute lung injury (n = 11). Here we performed proteomic profiling of matching plasma samples from these cohorts through the Somascan-1300 SomaLogics platform. RESULTS Comparative analyses of lung transcriptomic and plasma proteomic signatures identified a set of 34 differentially expressed analytes (fold change (FC) ≥ ± 1.5, false discovery ratio (FDR) ≤ 0.1) in IPF samples compared to healthy controls. IPF samples showed strong enrichment of chemotaxis, tumor infiltration and mast cell migration pathways and downregulated extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation. Mucosal (CCL25 and CCL28) and Th2 (CCL17 and CCL22) chemokines were markedly upregulated in IPF and highly correlated within the subjects. The mast cell maturation chemokine, CXCL12, was also upregulated in IPF plasma (fold change 1.92, FDR 0.006) and significantly correlated (Pearson r = - 0.38, p = 0.022) to lung function (%predicted FVC), with a concomitant increase in the mast cell Tryptase, TPSB2. Markers of collagen III and VI degradation (C3M and C6M) were significantly downregulated (C3M p < 0.001 and C6M p < 0.0001 IPF vs control) and correlated, Pearson r = 0.77) in advanced IPF consistent with altered ECM homeostasis. CONCLUSIONS Our study identifies a panel of tissue and circulating biomarkers with clinical utility in IPF that can be validated in future studies across larger cohorts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pitchumani Sivakumar
- grid.419971.30000 0004 0374 8313Translational Early Development, Bristol-Myers Squibb Research and Development, 3551 Lawrenceville Road, Princeton, NJ 08540 USA
| | - Ron Ammar
- grid.419971.30000 0004 0374 8313Informatics and Predictive Sciences, Bristol-Myers Squibb Research and Development, Princeton, NJ USA
| | - John Ryan Thompson
- grid.419971.30000 0004 0374 8313Informatics and Predictive Sciences, Bristol-Myers Squibb Research and Development, Princeton, NJ USA
| | - Yi Luo
- grid.419971.30000 0004 0374 8313Translational Medicine, Bristol-Myers Squibb Research and Development, Princeton, NJ USA
| | - Denis Streltsov
- grid.419971.30000 0004 0374 8313Fibrosis Discovery Biology, Bristol-Myers Squibb Research and Development, Princeton, NJ USA
| | - Mary Porteous
- grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Carly McCoubrey
- grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Edward Cantu
- grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Michael F. Beers
- grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA ,grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972PENN Lung Biology Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Gabor Jarai
- grid.419971.30000 0004 0374 8313Fibrosis Discovery Biology, Bristol-Myers Squibb Research and Development, Princeton, NJ USA
| | - Jason D. Christie
- grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA ,grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972PENN Lung Biology Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Impact of Human Cytomegalovirus and Human Herpesvirus 6 Infection on the Expression of Factors Associated with Cell Fibrosis and Apoptosis: Clues for Implication in Systemic Sclerosis Development. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21176397. [PMID: 32899126 PMCID: PMC7504027 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a severe autoimmune disorder characterized by vasculopathy and multi-organ fibrosis; its etiology and pathogenesis are still largely unknown. Herpesvirus infections, particularly by human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), have been suggested among triggers of the disease based on virological and immunological observations. However, the direct impact of HCMV and/or HHV-6 infection on cell fibrosis and apoptosis at the cell microenvironment level has not yet been clarified. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effects of HCMV and HHV-6 infection on the induction of pro-fibrosis or pro-apoptosis conditions in primary human dermal fibroblasts, one of the relevant SSc target cells. The analysis, performed by microarray in in vitro HCMV- or HHV-6-infected vs. uninfected cells, using specific panels for the detection of the main cellular factors associated with fibrosis or apoptosis, showed that both viruses significantly modified the expression of at least 30 pro-fibrotic and 20 pro-apoptotic factors. Notably, several recognized pro-fibrotic factors were highly induced, and most of them were reported to be involved in vivo in the multifactorial and multistep pathogenic process of SSc, thus suggesting a potential role of both HCMV and HHV-6.
Collapse
|