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Wang C, Zhang S, Li Y, Gong L, Yao C, Fu K, Li Y. Phillygenin Inhibits TGF-β1-induced Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation and Inflammation: Regulation of the Bax/Bcl-2 and Wnt/β-catenin Pathways. Inflammation 2024:10.1007/s10753-024-01984-w. [PMID: 38393550 DOI: 10.1007/s10753-024-01984-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Hepatic fibrosis (HF), a precursor to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, is caused by abnormal proliferation of connective tissue and excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix in the liver. Notably, activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is a key link in the development of HF. Phillygenin (PHI, C21H24O6) is a lignan component extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine Forsythiae Fructus, which has various pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-tumour effects. However, whether PHI can directly inhibit HSC activation and ameliorate the mechanism of action of HF has not been fully elucidated. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the in vitro anti-HF effects of PHI and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-activated mouse HSCs (mHSCs) and human HSCs (LX-2 cells) were used as an in vitro model of HF and treated with different concentrations of PHI for 24 h. Subsequently, cell morphological changes were observed under the microscope, cell viability was analyzed by MTT assay, cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry, and the mechanism of anti-fibrotic effect of PHI was explored by immunofluorescence, ELISA, RT-qPCR and western blot. The results showed that PHI suppressed the proliferation of TGF-β1-activated mHSCs and LX-2 cells, arrested the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase, decreased the levels of α-SMA, Collagen I, TIMP1 and MMP2 genes and proteins, and promoted apoptosis in activated mHSCs and LX-2 cells. Besides, PHI reduced the expression of inflammatory factors in activated mHSCs and LX-2 cells, suggesting a potential anti-inflammatory effect. Mechanically, PHI inhibited TGF-β1-induced HSC activation and inflammation, at least in part through modulation of the Bax/Bcl-2 and Wnt/β-catenin pathways. Overall, PHI has significant anti-HF effects and may be a promising agent for the treatment of HF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, Sichuan, China
| | - Shenglin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanzhi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, Sichuan, China
| | - Lihong Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, Sichuan, China
| | - Chenhao Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, Sichuan, China
| | - Ke Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, Sichuan, China
| | - Yunxia Li
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Key Laboratory of Standardization for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, Sichuan, China.
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Liu W, Wu J, Cao H, Ma C, Wu Z, Tian Y, Ma C, Qiu H, Pan G. Human-Induced Hepatocytes-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Ameliorated Liver Fibrosis in Mice Via Suppression of TGF-β1/Smad Signaling and Activation of Nrf2/HO-1 Signaling. Stem Cells Dev 2023; 32:638-651. [PMID: 37345718 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2023.0110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a wound-healing response caused by persistent liver injury and often occurs in chronic liver diseases. Effective treatments for liver fibrosis are still pending. Recent studies have revealed that extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from primary hepatocytes (Hep-EVs) have therapeutic potential for multiple liver diseases. However, Hep-EVs are difficult to manufacture in bulk because of the limited sources of primary hepatocytes. Human-induced hepatocytes (hiHep) are hepatocyte-like cells that can expand in vitro, and their cell culture supernatant is thus an almost unlimited resource for EVs. This study aimed to investigate the potential therapeutic effects of EVs derived from hiHeps. hiHep-EVs inhibited the expression of inflammatory genes and the secretion of inflammation-related cytokines, and suppressed the activation of hepatic stellate cells by inhibiting the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1/Smad signaling pathway. The anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic effects of hiHep-EVs were similar to those of mesenchymal stem cell-EVs. Furthermore, the administration of hiHep-EVs ameliorated oxidative stress, inflammation, and fibrosis in a CCl4-induced liver fibrosis mouse model. The expression of α smooth muscle actin, collagen I, and collagen III was reduced, which may be attributed to the regulation of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-1, and TIMP-2 by hiHep-EVs, and the protein expression of Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1 was increased. Taken together, our results suggested that hiHep-EVs alleviated liver fibrosis by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway and inhibiting the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway. This study revealed the hepatoprotective effect of hiHep-EVs, and provided a new approach to treating liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Liu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiajun Wu
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Huiying Cao
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chen Ma
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhitao Wu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Youxi Tian
- School of Pharmacy, Guang Dong Medical University, Dongguan, China
| | - Chenhui Ma
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo, China
| | - Hong Qiu
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Carbohydrate-Based Drug Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Guoyu Pan
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Pan Y, You B, Zhao X, Li W. MicroRNA-30a depresses hepatic stellate cell activation against liver fibrosis through blockade of the TGF-β1/Smad2/3 pathway. Biotechnol Genet Eng Rev 2023:1-15. [PMID: 37018431 DOI: 10.1080/02648725.2023.2197714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
This study explored the mechanism of microRNA (miR)-30a in the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) to deepen the understanding of the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis. Subsequent to knockdown and ectopic experiments, HSCs were induced with 10 ng/mL transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 to inspect the role of the miR-30a/TGF-β receptor 1 (TGFBR1) axis in HSC proliferation and activation. qRT-PCR was utilized to examine TGFBR1 mRNA and miR-30a expression and western blot to test TGFBR1, alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), Collagen I and mothers against DPP homolog 2/3 (Smad2/3) protein expression. The fluorescence intensity of α-SMA was measured with immunofluorescence staining. The interaction of TGFBR1 with miR-30a was tested with a dual-luciferase reporter assay. TGF-β1 treated HSCs had upregulated expressions of α-SMA and Collagen I. In addition, downregulated miR-30a, upregulated TGFBR1 and activated TGF-β1/Smad2/3 pathway were found in activated HSCs. Upregulation of miR-30a or downregulation of TGFBR1 suppressed the activation and growth of HSCs. miR-30a repression activated the TGF-β1/Smad2/3 pathway and promoted HSC proliferation and activation, while suppression of TGFBR1 revered these effects. miR-30a was an upstream regulatory factor of TGFBR1. miR-30a blocks the TGF-β1/Smad2/3 pathway to inhibit HSC activation against liver fibrosis by targeting TGFBR1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yipeng Pan
- Department of Transplantation, Hainan General Hospital, Haikou, China
| | - Bo You
- Department of Transplantation, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Xue Zhao
- Department of Transplantation, Hainan General Hospital, Haikou, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Transplantation, Hainan General Hospital, Haikou, China
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Zhao Y, Liu X, Ding C, Gu Y, Liu W. Dihydromyricetin Reverses Thioacetamide-Induced Liver Fibrosis Through Inhibiting NF-κB-Mediated Inflammation and TGF-β1-Regulated of PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:783886. [PMID: 34867416 PMCID: PMC8634482 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.783886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
As a natural active substance, dihydromyricetin (DHM) has been proven to have good hepatoprotective activity. However, the therapeutic effect of DHM on liver fibrosis, which has become a liver disease threatening the health of people around the world, has not been studied to date. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of DHM as a new nutritional supplement on thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver fibrosis. The liver fibrosis model was established by intraperitoneal injection of TAA (200 mg/kg, every 3 days) for 8 weeks, and oral administration of DHM (20 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg, daily) after 4 weeks of TAA-induced liver fibrosis. The results showed that DHM treatment significantly inhibited the activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (37.81 ± 7.62 U/L) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (55.18 ± 10.94 U/L) in serum of liver fibrosis mice, and increased the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) while reversed the level of malondialdehyde (MDA). In addition, histopathological examination illustrated that TAA induced the inflammatory infiltration, apoptosis and fibroatherosclerotic deposition in liver, which was further confirmed by western-blot and immunofluorescence staining. Moreover, DHM inhibited hepatocyte apoptosis by regulating the phosphorylation level of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase-B (AKT) and its downstream apoptotic protein family. Interestingly, immunofluorescence staining showed that DHM treatment significantly inhibited alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), which was a marker of hepatic stellate cell activation, and regulated the expression of transforming growth factor (TGF-β1). Importantly, supplementation with DHM significantly inhibited the release of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) signaling pathway and pro-inflammatory factors in liver tissue induced by TAA, and improved liver fiber diseases, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and recombinant rat IL-1β (IL-1β). In conclusion, the evidence of this study revealed that DHM is a potential hepatoprotective and health factor, and which also provides the possibility for the treatment of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingchun Zhao
- College of Chinese Medicinal Materials, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Xinglong Liu
- College of Chinese Medicinal Materials, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Chuanbo Ding
- College of Chinese Medicinal Materials, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Yan Gu
- College of Agriculture, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Wencong Liu
- College of Chinese Medicinal Materials, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China.,National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Ginseng Breeding and Development, Changchun, China
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5
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Ji D, Zhao Q, Qin Y, Tong H, Wang Q, Yu M, Mao C, Lu T, Qiu J, Jiang C. Germacrone improves liver fibrosis by regulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling pathway. Cell Biol Int 2021; 45:1866-1875. [PMID: 33835632 DOI: 10.1002/cbin.11607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a primary threat to public health, owing to limited therapeutic options. Germacrone (GM) has been shown to exert various curative effects against human diseases, including liver injury. The aim of this study was to investigate the pharmacological effects of GM in the pathophysiology of hepatic fibrosis and determine its potential mechanisms of action. A liver fibrosis rat model was established via carbon tetrachloride (CCl4 ) treatment, and LX-2 cells were stimulated with TGF-β1. The effects of GM on liver fibrosis and its relationship with the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathway were investigated. In the CCl4 fibrosis-induced rat model, GM improved histological damage, inhibited the activity of hepatic α-smooth muscle actin and improved serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels in a dose-dependent manner. GM potently inhibited hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) growth and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) progression, as reflected by the altered expression of proliferative (Ki-67, PCNA and cleaved caspase-3) and EMT-related (E-cadherin and vimentin) proteins. In TGF-β1-stimulated LX-2 cells, GM significantly inhibited the survival and activation of HSCs and induced cell apoptosis. GM also suppressed the migration ability and reversed the EMT process in HSCs. Following GM treatment, the phosphorylation of the PI3K, AKT and mTOR proteins was reduced in the liver of CCl4 -treated rats and TGF-β1-stimulated LX-2 cells, indicating that GM may attenuate hepatic fibrosis via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling pathway. These outcomes highlight the anti-fibrotic effects of GM and suggest that it is a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- De Ji
- Department of Chinese Medicinal Processing, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.,Molecular Pharmacology Research Center, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qi Zhao
- Molecular Pharmacology Research Center, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Department of Chinese Medicinal Resources, Biomedical Collaborative Innovation Center of Zhejiang, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yuwen Qin
- Molecular Pharmacology Research Center, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Department of Chinese Medicinal Resources, Biomedical Collaborative Innovation Center of Zhejiang, Wenzhou, China
| | - Huangjin Tong
- Department of Chinese Medicinal Processing, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.,Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Qiaohan Wang
- Department of Chinese Medicinal Processing, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Mengting Yu
- Department of Chinese Medicinal Processing, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Chunqin Mao
- Department of Chinese Medicinal Processing, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Tulin Lu
- Department of Chinese Medicinal Processing, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Jinchun Qiu
- Department of Pharmacy, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chengxi Jiang
- Molecular Pharmacology Research Center, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Department of Chinese Medicinal Resources, Biomedical Collaborative Innovation Center of Zhejiang, Wenzhou, China
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Sun YL, Bai T, Zhou L, Zhu RT, Wang WJ, Liang RP, Li J, Zhang CX, Gou JJ. SOD3 deficiency induces liver fibrosis by promoting hepatic stellate cell activation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. J Cell Physiol 2021; 236:4313-4329. [PMID: 33230845 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.30174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is suggested to potentially promote HSC activation. Superoxide dismutase 3 (SOD3) is an extracellular antioxidant defense against oxidative damage. Here, we found downregulation of SOD3 in a mouse model of liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4 ). SOD3 deficiency induced spontaneous liver injury and fibrosis with increased collagen deposition, and further aggravated CCl4 -induced liver injury in mice. Depletion of SOD3 enhanced HSC activation marked by increased α-smooth muscle actin and subsequent collagen synthesis primarily collagen type I in vivo, and promoted transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-induced HSC activation in vitro. SOD3 deficiency accelerated EMT process in the liver and TGF-β1-induced EMT of AML12 hepatocytes, as evidenced by loss of E-cadherin and gain of N-cadherin and vimentin. Notably, SOD3 expression and its pro-fibrogenic effect were positively associated with sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) expression. SOD3 deficiency inhibited adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling to downregulate SIRT1 expression and thus involving in liver fibrosis. Enforced expression of SIRT1 inhibited SOD3 deficiency-induced HSC activation and EMT, whereas depletion of SIRT1 counteracted the inhibitory effect of SOD3 in vitro. These findings demonstrate that SOD3 deficiency contributes to liver fibrogenesis by promoting HSC activation and EMT process, and suggest a possibility that SOD3 may function through modulating SIRT1 via the AMPK pathway in liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ling Sun
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Institute of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Key Lab of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Tao Bai
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Institute of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Key Lab of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases, Zhengzhou, China
- Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Lin Zhou
- Institute of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Key Lab of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases, Zhengzhou, China
- Department of Digestive, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Rong-Tao Zhu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Institute of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Key Lab of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wei-Jie Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Institute of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Key Lab of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ruo-Peng Liang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Institute of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Key Lab of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jian Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Institute of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Key Lab of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Chi-Xian Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Institute of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Key Lab of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jian-Jun Gou
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Institute of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Key Lab of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases, Zhengzhou, China
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Adhikari R, Shah R, Reyes-Gordillo K, Arellanes-Robledo J, Cheng Y, Ibrahim J, Tuma PL. Spermidine Prevents Ethanol and Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Hepatic Injury in Mice. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26061786. [PMID: 33810101 PMCID: PMC8004654 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26061786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
To date, there is no effective treatment for alcoholic liver disease, despite its prevalence world-wide. Because alcohol consumption is associated with oxidative stress-induced liver injury and pro-inflammatory responses, naturally occurring antioxidants and/or anti-inflammatories may be potential therapeutics. Spermidine is an abundant, ubiquitous polyamine that has been found to display strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. To further investigate whether spermidine is an effective intervention for alcohol-induced liver disease, we examined its hepatoprotective properties using a two-hit, chronic ethanol and acute lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mouse model of liver injury. We determined that spermidine administration prevented ethanol and LPS-induced increases in liver injury using plasma ALT as a readout. Furthermore, histological analysis of tissue from control and treated animals revealed that the pathology associated with ethanol and LPS treatment was prevented in mice additionally treated with spermidine. As predicted, spermidine also prevented ethanol and LPS-induced oxidative stress by decreasing the levels of both reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation. We further determined that spermidine treatment prevented the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor κB (NFκB) by blocking the phosphorylation of the inhibitory protein, IκB, thereby preventing expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Finally, by measuring expression of known markers of hepatic stellate cell activation and monitoring collagen deposition, we observed that spermidine also prevented alcohol and LPS-induced hepatic fibrosis. Together, our results indicate that spermidine is an antioxidant thereby conferring anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects associated with alcoholic liver injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raghabendra Adhikari
- Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington DC 20064, USA;
| | - Ruchi Shah
- Lipid Research Laboratory, VA Medical Center, Washington, DC 20422, USA; (R.S.); (K.R.-G.); (J.A.-R.); (Y.C.); (J.I.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, The George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20037, USA
| | - Karina Reyes-Gordillo
- Lipid Research Laboratory, VA Medical Center, Washington, DC 20422, USA; (R.S.); (K.R.-G.); (J.A.-R.); (Y.C.); (J.I.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, The George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20037, USA
- Division of Microbiology, Office of Regulatory Science, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, College Park, MD 20740, USA
| | - Jaime Arellanes-Robledo
- Lipid Research Laboratory, VA Medical Center, Washington, DC 20422, USA; (R.S.); (K.R.-G.); (J.A.-R.); (Y.C.); (J.I.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, The George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20037, USA
- Laboratory of Hepatic Diseases; Catedras-CONACYT–National Institute of Genomic Medicine (INMEGEN), Mexico City 14610, Mexico
| | - Ying Cheng
- Lipid Research Laboratory, VA Medical Center, Washington, DC 20422, USA; (R.S.); (K.R.-G.); (J.A.-R.); (Y.C.); (J.I.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, The George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20037, USA
| | - Joseph Ibrahim
- Lipid Research Laboratory, VA Medical Center, Washington, DC 20422, USA; (R.S.); (K.R.-G.); (J.A.-R.); (Y.C.); (J.I.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, The George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20037, USA
| | - Pamela L. Tuma
- Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington DC 20064, USA;
- Correspondence:
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Liu Q, Zhang Y, Yang S, Wu Y, Wang J, Yu W, Liu Y. PU.1-deficient mice are resistant to thioacetamide-induced hepatic fibrosis: PU.1 finely regulates Sirt1 expression via transcriptional promotion of miR-34a and miR-29c in hepatic stellate cells. Biosci Rep 2017; 37:BSR20170926. [PMID: 29162670 DOI: 10.1042/BSR20170926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2017] [Revised: 11/18/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
PU box binding protein (PU.1) is a critical transcription factor involved in many pathological processes. However, its exact role in activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and liver fibrosis was rarely reported. Here, we found that, in HSCs of PU.1+/− mice, Sirt1 mRNA expression was not changed but Sirt1 protein was significantly increased, suggesting its promoting role in Sirt1 translation. We then isolated HSCs from wild-type (WT) and PU.1+/− mice, and the pcDNA-PU.1 expression vector was transfected into PU.1+/− HSCs. We checked the levels of miR-34a and miR-29c, two Sirt1-targetting miRNAs, and protein levels of PU.1 and Sirt1. The results showed that miR-34a/-29c were significantly reduced and Sirt1 protein was increased in PU.1+/− HSCs, compared with WT HSCs. Besides, PU.1 overexpression inversed the reduction in miR-34a/-29c levels and the increase in Sirt1 protein in both PU.1+/- HSCs and WT HSCs. Additionally, ChIP-quantitive real-time PCR (qPCR) assay comfirmed that PU.1 was directly bound to both the promoter regions of miR-34a and miR-29c. Importantly, PU.1 overexpression promoted the proliferation, migration, activation, oxidative stress and inflammatory response in WT HSCs, while the promotion could be inversed by either overexpression of Sirt1 or inhibition of miR-34a/-29c. Moreover, animal model of liver fibrosis was established by intraperitoneal injections of thioacetamide (TAA) in WT and PU.1+/− mice, respectively. Compared with the WT mice, PU.1+/− mice displayed a lower fibrotic score, less collagen content, better liver function, and lower levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory response. In conclusion, PU.1 suppresses Sirt1 translation via transcriptional promotion of miR-34a/-29c, thus promoting Sirt1-mediated HSC activation and TAA-induced hepatic fibrosis.
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Chen Q, Zhang H, Cao Y, Li Y, Sun S, Zhang J, Zhang G. Schisandrin B attenuates CCl 4-induced liver fibrosis in rats by regulation of Nrf2-ARE and TGF-β/Smad signaling pathways. Drug Des Devel Ther 2017; 11:2179-2191. [PMID: 28794616 PMCID: PMC5538685 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s137507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a major pathological feature of chronic liver diseases and there is no effective therapy program at present. Schisandrin B (Sch B) is the major bioactive ingredient of Schisandra chinensis, with antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and hepatoprotective properties. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect and related molecular mechanism of Sch B against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver fibrosis in rats. The in vivo therapeutic effect of Sch B on liver fibrosis induced by CCl4 was examined in rats. In vitro, rat hepatic stellate cells (HSC-T6) were used to assess the effect of Sch B on the activation of HSCs. Sch B effectively attenuated liver damage and progression of liver fibrosis in rats, as evidenced by improved liver function and decreased collagen deposition. The effects of Sch B were associated with attenuating oxidative stress by activating nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-mediated antioxidant signaling and suppressing HSC activation by inhibiting the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)/Smad signaling pathway. In an in vitro study, it was shown that Sch B inhibited TGF-β-induced HSC activation. Finally, Sch B significantly inhibited TGF-β1-stimulated phosphorylation of Smad and signaling of mitogen-activated protein kinases. This study demonstrates that Sch B prevents the progression of liver fibrosis by the regulation of Nrf2-ARE and TGF-β/Smad signaling pathways, and indicates that Sch B can be used for the treatment of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingshan Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hai Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Cao
- Department of Biochemical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Sen Sun
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Junping Zhang
- Department of Biochemical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guoqing Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
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Geng Y, Wang J, Sun Q, Xie M, Lu ZM, Xu HY, Shi JS, Xu ZH. Identification of antrodin B from Antrodia camphorata as a new anti-hepatofibrotic compound using a rapid cell screening method and biological evaluation. Hepatol Res 2016; 46:E15-25. [PMID: 25753357 DOI: 10.1111/hepr.12516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2014] [Revised: 02/28/2015] [Accepted: 03/02/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
AIM Liver fibrosis is the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) resulting from chronic liver diseases. Efficient and well-tolerated drugs for its treatment are urgently needed. This study aims to identify the active ingredients of Antrodia camphorata by a bioassay-guided fractionation approach and explore the acting mechanism by using a hepatic stellate cell (HSC) line CFSC-8B stimulated by transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). METHODS The accumulation of collagens was evaluated using chromogenic precipitation reaction with picro-sirius red (PSR) dye solution and quantified by spectrophotometric analysis of the dissolved stain. MTT assay, cell migration assay, quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting analysis were used to determine the cell viability, cell migration and gene expression. RESULTS We established a rapid colorimetric assay suitable for screening of anti-hepatofibrotic reagents. Stimulation with 10 ng/mL TGF-β1 for 48 h and 200 μL PSR dye solution were optimal for the colorimetric assay in CFSC-8B cells. We used SB431542, silybin and another 11 antifibrotic reagents to verify the cellular model. Within the safe doses, they attenuated ECM production induced by TGF-β1. Bioactivity-guided fractionation led to the identification of antrodin B from A. camphorata. Antrodin B significantly ameliorated cell proliferation, cell migration, suppressed HSC activation marker α-smooth muscle actin expression and ECM components Col1, Col3 and Fn expression, and blocked the phosphorylation of Smad2/3 induced by TGF-β1 in CFSC-8B cells in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION We developed a simple assay based on TGF-β1-induced total collagen accumulation in CFSC-8B cells and identified antrodin B which may serve as a potential candidate for treatment of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Geng
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Jing Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Qing Sun
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Minfeng Xie
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Zhen-Ming Lu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Hong-Yu Xu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Jin-Song Shi
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Zheng-Hong Xu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.,Tianjin Key Laboratory for Industrial Biological Systems and Bioprocessing Engineering, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
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Shajari S, Laliena A, Heegsma J, Tuñón MJ, Moshage H, Faber KN. Melatonin suppresses activation of hepatic stellate cells through RORα-mediated inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase. J Pineal Res 2015; 59:391-401. [PMID: 26308880 DOI: 10.1111/jpi.12271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2015] [Accepted: 08/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is scar tissue resulting from an uncontrolled wound-healing process in response to chronic liver injury. Liver damage generates an inflammatory reaction that activates hepatic stellate cells (HSC) that transdifferentiate from quiescent cells that control retinol metabolism to proliferative and migratory myofibroblasts that produce excessive amounts of extracellular matrix proteins, in particular collagen 1a1 (COL1A1). Although liver fibrosis is reversible, no effective drug therapy is available to prevent or reverse HSC activation. Melatonin has potent hepatoprotective properties in a variety of acute and chronic liver injury models and suppresses liver fibrosis. However, it remains unclear whether melatonin acts indirectly or directly on HSC to prevent liver fibrosis. Here, we studied the effect of melatonin on culture-activated rat HSC. Melatonin dose-dependently suppressed the expression of HSC activation markers Col1a1 and alpha-smooth muscle actin (αSMA, Acta2), as well as HSC proliferation and loss of lipid droplets. The nuclear melatonin sensor retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor-alpha (RORα/Nr1f1) was expressed in quiescent and activated HSC, while the membranous melatonin receptors (Mtrn1a and Mtrn1b) were not. The synthetic RORα agonist SR1078 more potently suppressed Col1a1 and αSma expression, HSC proliferation, and lipid droplet loss, while the RORα antagonist SR1001 blocked the antifibrotic features of melatonin. Melatonin and SR1078 inhibited the expression of Alox5, encoding 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO). The pharmacological 5-LO inhibitor AA861 reduced Acta2 and Col1a1 expression in activated HSC. We conclude that melatonin directly suppresses HSC activation via RORα-mediated inhibition of Alox5 expression, which provides novel drug targets to treat liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiva Shajari
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Almudena Laliena
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Institute of Biomedicine (IBIOMED), University of León, León, Spain
| | - Janette Heegsma
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - María Jesús Tuñón
- Institute of Biomedicine (IBIOMED), University of León, León, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), León, Spain
| | - Han Moshage
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Klaas Nico Faber
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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Xie G, Karaca G, Swiderska-Syn M, Michelotti GA, Krüger L, Chen Y, Premont RT, Choi SS, Diehl AM. Cross-talk between Notch and Hedgehog regulates hepatic stellate cell fate in mice. Hepatology 2013; 58:1801-13. [PMID: 23703657 PMCID: PMC3758784 DOI: 10.1002/hep.26511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2012] [Accepted: 04/28/2013] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Liver repair involves phenotypic changes in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and reactivation of morphogenic signaling pathways that modulate epithelial-to-mesenchymal/mesenchymal-to-epithelial transitions, such as Notch and Hedgehog (Hh). Hh stimulates HSCs to become myofibroblasts (MFs). Recent lineage tracing studies in adult mice with injured livers showed that some MFs became multipotent progenitors to regenerate hepatocytes, cholangiocytes, and HSCs. We studied primary HSC cultures and two different animal models of fibrosis to evaluate the hypothesis that activating the Notch pathway in HSCs stimulates them to become (and remain) MFs through a mechanism that involves an epithelial-to-mesenchymal-like transition and requires cross-talk with the canonical Hh pathway. We found that when cultured HSCs transitioned into MFs, they activated Hh signaling, underwent an epithelial-to-mesenchymal-like transition, and increased Notch signaling. Blocking Notch signaling in MFs/HSCs suppressed Hh activity and caused a mesenchymal-to-epithelial-like transition. Inhibiting the Hh pathway suppressed Notch signaling and also induced a mesenchymal-to-epithelial-like transition. Manipulating Hh and Notch signaling in a mouse multipotent progenitor cell line evoked similar responses. In mice, liver injury increased Notch activity in MFs and Hh-responsive MF progeny (i.e., HSCs and ductular cells). Conditionally disrupting Hh signaling in MFs of bile-duct-ligated mice inhibited Notch signaling and blocked accumulation of both MF and ductular cells. CONCLUSIONS The Notch and Hedgehog pathways interact to control the fate of key cell types involved in adult liver repair by modulating epithelial-to-mesenchymal-like/mesenchymal-to-epithelial-like transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanhua Xie
- Division of Gastroenterology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Gamze Karaca
- Division of Gastroenterology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | | | | | - Leandi Krüger
- Division of Gastroenterology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Yuping Chen
- Division of Gastroenterology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Richard T. Premont
- Division of Gastroenterology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Steve S. Choi
- Division of Gastroenterology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC,Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Durham Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Anna Mae Diehl
- Division of Gastroenterology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
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Abstract
The hepatic stellate cell (HSC) is now well established as the key cellular element involved in the development of hepatic fibrosis and because of this there is considerable interest in establishing the molecular events that trigger and perpetuate HSC activation. HSC activation at the level of gene transcription requires the coordinated activity of several key transcriptional regulators of the HSC genome. The considerable advances that have been made in the past five years into the mechanisms by which specific families of transcription factors regulate the profibrogenic characteristics of the activated HSC are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- D A Mann
- Liver Group, Division of Infection, Inflammation, and Repair, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
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