The tryptophan derivative 6-formylindolo[3,2-b]carbazole, FICZ, a dynamic mediator of endogenous aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling, balances cell growth and differentiation

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is not essential to survival, but does act as a key regulator of many normal physiological events. The role of this receptor in toxicological processes has been studied extensively, primarily employing the high-affinity ligand 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). However, regulation of physiological responses by endogenous AHR ligands remains to be elucidated. Here, we review developments in this field, with a focus on 6-formylindolo[3,2-b]carbazole (FICZ), the endogenous ligand with the highest affinity to the receptor reported to date. The binding of FICZ to different isoforms of the AHR seems to be evolutionarily well conserved and there is a feedback loop that controls AHR activity through metabolic degradation of FICZ via the highly inducible cytochrome P450 1A1. Several investigations provide strong evidence that FICZ plays a critical role in normal physiological processes and can ameliorate immune diseases with remarkable efficiency. Low levels of FICZ are pro-inflammatory, providing resistance to pathogenic bacteria, stimulating the anti-tumor functions, and promoting the differentiation of cancer cells by repressing genes in cancer stem cells. In contrast, at high concentrations FICZ behaves in a manner similar to TCDD, exhibiting toxicity toward fish and bird embryos, immune suppression, and activation of cancer progression. The findings are indicative of a dual role for endogenously activated AHR in barrier tissues, aiding clearance of infections and suppressing immunity to terminate a vicious cycle that might otherwise lead to disease. There is not much support for the AHR ligand-specific immune responses proposed, the differences between FICZ and TCDD in this context appear to be explained by the rapid metabolism of FICZ.

An endogenous tryptophan photo-product, FICZ, is potentially involved in photo-aging by reducing TGF-β-regulated collagen homeostasis

BACKGROUND

Persistent ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the form of sunlight causes photo-aging of the skin by reducing the production of type I collagen, the major constituent of the extracellular matrix of the dermis. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β transforms dermal fibroblasts into α2-smooth muscle actin (ACTA2)-expressing myofibroblasts. Myofibroblasts produce a precursor form of type I collagen, type I procollagen (collagen I), consisting of pro-alpha1 (produced by the COL1A1 gene) and pro-alpha2 chains (produced by the COL1A2 gene). Smad2/3 is a key downstream molecule of TGF-β signaling. The mechanisms through which UV inhibits collagen I synthesis are not fully understood. 6-Formylindolo[3,2-b]carbazole (FICZ) is an endogenous tryptophan photo-metabolite generated by UV irradiation. FICZ is well known as a high-affinity ligand for aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR). However, the physiological roles of FICZ in photo-aging have yet to be addressed.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effects of FICZ on the TGF-β-mediated ACTA2 and collagen I expression in normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDFs).

METHODS

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis were performed to determine the expression of ACTA2, COL1A1, and COL1A2 in NHDFs with or without FICZ and TGF-β. The phosphorylated Smad2/3 (pSmad2/3) protein levels in cytoplasmic or nuclear portions were investigated by western blot analysis. Immunofluorescence staining was conducted to evaluate pSmad2/3 localization, and F-actin staining with phalloidin was performed to visualize actin polymerization in myofibroblasts. The actions of FICZ on the TGF-β-mediated collagen I expression and nuclear translocation of pSmad2/3 were analyzed in the presence of selective AHR antagonists or in AHR-knockdown NHDFs.

RESULTS

We found that FICZ significantly inhibited the TGF-β-induced upregulation of mRNA and protein levels of ACTA2 and collagen I and actin polymerization in myofibroblasts. FICZ did not disturb the phosphorylation of Smad2/3. Notably, FICZ reduced the expression of pSmad2/3 in the nucleus, while it increased that in the cytoplasm, suggesting that it inhibits the nuclear translocation of pSmad2/3 induced by TGF-β. The inhibitory actions of FICZ on the TGF-β-mediated collagen I expression and nuclear translocation of pSmad2/3 were independent of AHR signaling. Another endogenous AHR agonist, kynurenine, also inhibited the TGF-β-mediated ACTA2 and collagen I upregulation in NHDFs in an AHR-independent manner; however, its effects were insignificant in comparison with those of FICZ.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that the endogenous photo-product FICZ may be a key chromophore that involves in photo-aging. Downregulation of FICZ signaling is thus a potential strategy to protect against photo-aging.

Biological effects of 6-formylindolo[3,2-b]carbazole (FICZ) in vivo are enhanced by loss of CYP1A function in an Ahr2-dependent manner

6-Formylindolo[3,2-b]carbazole (FICZ) is a potent aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) agonist that is efficiently metabolized by AHR-regulated cytochrome P4501 enzymes. FICZ is a proposed physiological AHR ligand that induces its own degradation as part of a regulatory negative feedback loop. In vitro studies in cells show that CYP1 inhibition in the presence of FICZ results in enhanced AHR activation, suggesting that FICZ accumulates in the cell when its metabolism is blocked. We used zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos to investigate the in vivo effects of FICZ when CYP1A is knocked down or inhibited. Embryos were injected with morpholino antisense oligonucleotides targeting CYP1A (CYP1A-MO), Ahr2, or a combination of both. FICZ exposure of non-injected embryos or embryos injected with control morpholino had little effect. In CYP1A-MO-injected embryos, however, FICZ dramatically increased mortality, incidence and severity of pericardial edema and circulation failure, reduced hatching frequency, blocked swim bladder inflation, and strongly potentiated expression of Ahr2-regulated genes. These effects were substantially reduced in embryos with a combined knockdown of Ahr2 and CYP1A, indicating that the toxicity was mediated at least partly by Ahr2. Co-exposure to the CYP1 inhibitor alpha-naphthoflavone (αNF) and FICZ had similar effects as the combination of CYP1A-MO and FICZ. HPLC analysis of FICZ-exposed embryos showed increased levels of FICZ after concomitant CYP1A-MO injection or αNF co-exposure. Together, these results show that a functioning CYP1/AHR feedback loop is crucial for regulation of AHR signaling by a potential physiological ligand in vivo and further highlights the role of CYP1 enzymes in regulating biological effects of FICZ.

Combination effects of AHR agonists and Wnt/β-catenin modulators in zebrafish embryos: Implications for physiological and toxicological AHR functions

Wnt/β-catenin signaling regulates essential biological functions and acts in developmental toxicity of some chemicals. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is well-known to mediate developmental toxicity of persistent dioxin-like compounds (DLCs). Recent studies indicate a crosstalk between β-catenin and the AHR in some tissues. However the nature of this crosstalk in embryos is poorly known. We observed that zebrafish embryos exposed to the β-catenin inhibitor XAV939 display effects phenocopying those of the dioxin-like 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB126). This led us to investigate the AHR interaction with β-catenin during development and ask whether developmental toxicity of DLCs involves antagonism of β-catenin signaling. We examined phenotypes and transcriptional responses in zebrafish embryos exposed to XAV939 or to a β-catenin activator, 1-azakenpaullone, alone or with AHR agonists, either PCB126 or 6-formylindolo[3,2-b]carbazole (FICZ). Alone 1-azakenpaullone and XAV939 both were embryo-toxic, and we found that in the presence of FICZ, the toxicity of 1-azakenpaullone decreased while the toxicity of XAV939 increased. This rescue of 1-azakenpaullone effects occurred in the time window of Ahr2-mediated toxicity and was reversed by morpholino-oligonucleotide knockdown of Ahr2. Regarding PCB126, addition of either 1-azakenpaullone or XAV939 led to lower mortality than with PCB126 alone but surviving embryos showed severe edemas. 1-Azakenpaullone induced transcription of β-catenin-associated genes, while PCB126 and FICZ blocked this induction. The data indicate a stage-dependent antagonism of β-catenin by Ahr2 in zebrafish embryos. We propose that the AHR has a physiological role in regulating β-catenin during development, and that this is one point of intersection linking toxicological and physiological AHR-governed processes.