51
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Delangre E, Oppliger E, Berkcan S, Gjorgjieva M, Correia de Sousa M, Foti M. S100 Proteins in Fatty Liver Disease and Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911030. [PMID: 36232334 PMCID: PMC9570375 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a highly prevalent and slow progressing hepatic pathology characterized by different stages of increasing severity which can ultimately give rise to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Besides drastic lifestyle changes, few drugs are effective to some extent alleviate NAFLD and HCC remains a poorly curable cancer. Among the deregulated molecular mechanisms promoting NAFLD and HCC, several members of the S100 proteins family appear to play an important role in the development of hepatic steatosis, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and HCC. Specific members of this Ca2+-binding protein family are indeed significantly overexpressed in either parenchymal or non-parenchymal liver cells, where they exert pleiotropic pathological functions driving NAFLD/NASH to severe stages and/or cancer development. The aberrant activity of S100 specific isoforms has also been reported to drive malignancy in liver cancers. Herein, we discuss the implication of several key members of this family, e.g., S100A4, S100A6, S100A8, S100A9 and S100A11, in NAFLD and HCC, with a particular focus on their intracellular versus extracellular functions in different hepatic cell types. Their clinical relevance as non-invasive diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers for the different stages of NAFLD and HCC, or their pharmacological targeting for therapeutic purpose, is further debated.
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52
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Guilliams M, Scott CL. Liver macrophages in health and disease. Immunity 2022; 55:1515-1529. [PMID: 36103850 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2022.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Single-cell and spatial transcriptomic technologies have revealed an underappreciated heterogeneity of liver macrophages. This has led us to rethink the involvement of macrophages in liver homeostasis and disease. Identification of conserved gene signatures within these cells across species and diseases is enabling the correct identification of specific macrophage subsets and the generation of more specific tools to track and study the functions of these cells. Here, we discuss what is currently known about the definitions of these different macrophage populations, the markers that can be used to identify them, how they are wired within the liver, and their functional specializations in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Guilliams
- Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Homeostasis and Regeneration, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 9052, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Charlotte L Scott
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Damage and Inflammation, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, Ghent 9052, Belgium; Department of Chemical Sciences, Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Castletroy, County Limerick, Ireland.
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53
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Zhang P, Chen Z, Kuang H, Liu T, Zhu J, Zhou L, Wang Q, Xiong X, Meng Z, Qiu X, Jacks R, Liu L, Li S, Lumeng CN, Li Q, Zhou X, Lin JD. Neuregulin 4 suppresses NASH-HCC development by restraining tumor-prone liver microenvironment. Cell Metab 2022; 34:1359-1376.e7. [PMID: 35973424 PMCID: PMC9458631 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2022.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The mammalian liver comprises heterogeneous cell types within its tissue microenvironment that undergo pathophysiological reprogramming in disease states, such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Patients with NASH are at an increased risk for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the molecular and cellular nature of liver microenvironment remodeling that links NASH to liver carcinogenesis remains obscure. Here, we show that diet-induced NASH is characterized by the induction of tumor-associated macrophage (TAM)-like macrophages and exhaustion of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells in the liver. The adipocyte-derived endocrine factor Neuregulin 4 (NRG4) serves as a hormonal checkpoint that restrains this pathological reprogramming during NASH. NRG4 deficiency exacerbated the induction of tumor-prone liver immune microenvironment and NASH-related HCC, whereas transgenic NRG4 overexpression elicited protective effects in mice. In a therapeutic setting, recombinant NRG4-Fc fusion protein exhibited remarkable potency in suppressing HCC and prolonged survival in the treated mice. These findings pave the way for therapeutic intervention of liver cancer by targeting the NRG4 hormonal checkpoint.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Zhang
- Life Sciences Institute and Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Zhimin Chen
- Life Sciences Institute and Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Henry Kuang
- Life Sciences Institute and Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Tongyu Liu
- Life Sciences Institute and Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Jiaqiang Zhu
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Linkang Zhou
- Life Sciences Institute and Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Qiuyu Wang
- Life Sciences Institute and Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Xuelian Xiong
- Life Sciences Institute and Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Ziyi Meng
- Life Sciences Institute and Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Xiaoxue Qiu
- Life Sciences Institute and Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Ramiah Jacks
- Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Lu Liu
- Department of Internal Medicine and Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Siming Li
- Life Sciences Institute and Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Carey N Lumeng
- Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Qing Li
- Department of Internal Medicine and Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Xiang Zhou
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Center for Statistical Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Jiandie D Lin
- Life Sciences Institute and Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
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54
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Calcagno D, Chu A, Gaul S, Taghdiri N, Toomu A, Leszczynska A, Kaufmann B, Papouchado B, Wree A, Geisler L, Hoffman HM, Feldstein AE, King KR. NOD-like receptor protein 3 activation causes spontaneous inflammation and fibrosis that mimics human NASH. Hepatology 2022; 76:727-741. [PMID: 34997987 PMCID: PMC10176600 DOI: 10.1002/hep.32320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is a central contributor to human acute and chronic liver disease, yet the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which its activation precipitates injury remain incompletely understood. Here, we present single cell transcriptomic profiling of livers from a global transgenic tamoxifen-inducible constitutively activated Nlrp3A350V mutant mouse, and we investigate the changes in parenchymal and nonparenchymal liver cell gene expression that accompany inflammation and fibrosis. APPROACH AND RESULTS Our results demonstrate that NLRP3 activation causes chronic extramedullary myelopoiesis marked by myeloid progenitors that differentiate into proinflammatory neutrophils, monocytes, and monocyte-derived macrophages. We observed prominent neutrophil infiltrates with increased Ly6gHI and Ly6gINT cells exhibiting transcriptomic signatures of granulopoiesis typically found in the bone marrow. This was accompanied by a marked increase in Ly6cHI monocytes differentiating into monocyte-derived macrophages that express transcriptional programs similar to macrophages of NASH models. NLRP3 activation also down-regulated metabolic pathways in hepatocytes and shifted hepatic stellate cells toward an activated profibrotic state based on expression of collagen and extracellular matrix regulatory genes. CONCLUSIONS These results define the single cell transcriptomes underlying hepatic inflammation and fibrosis precipitated by NLRP3 activation. Clinically, our data support the notion that NLRP3-induced mechanisms should be explored as therapeutic target in NASH-like inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Calcagno
- University of California San Diego, Department of Bioengineering, San Diego, United States
| | - Angela Chu
- University of California San Diego, Department of Pediatrics, San Diego, United States
| | - Susanne Gaul
- University of California San Diego, Department of Pediatrics, San Diego, United States
- Leipzig University, Clinic and Polyclinic of Cardiology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nika Taghdiri
- University of California San Diego, Department of Bioengineering, San Diego, United States
| | - Avinash Toomu
- University of California San Diego, Department of Bioengineering, San Diego, United States
| | | | - Benedikt Kaufmann
- University of California San Diego, Department of Pediatrics, San Diego, United States
| | - Bettina Papouchado
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, USA
| | - Alexander Wree
- Charité University Medicine, Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lukas Geisler
- Charité University Medicine, Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hal M. Hoffman
- University of California San Diego, Department of Pediatrics, San Diego, United States
| | - Ariel E. Feldstein
- University of California San Diego, Department of Pediatrics, San Diego, United States
| | - Kevin R. King
- University of California San Diego, Department of Bioengineering, San Diego, United States
- University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, San Diego, United States
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55
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Elchaninov A, Vishnyakova P, Menyailo E, Sukhikh G, Fatkhudinov T. An Eye on Kupffer Cells: Development, Phenotype and the Macrophage Niche. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23179868. [PMID: 36077265 PMCID: PMC9456487 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23179868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Macrophages are key participants in the maintenance of tissue homeostasis under normal and pathological conditions, and implement a rich diversity of functions. The largest population of resident tissue macrophages is found in the liver. Hepatic macrophages, termed Kupffer cells, are involved in the regulation of multiple liver functionalities. Specific differentiation profiles and functional activities of tissue macrophages have been attributed to the shaping role of the so-called tissue niche microenvironments. The fundamental macrophage niche concept was lately shaken by a flood of new data, leading to a revision and substantial update of the concept, which constitutes the main focus of this review. The macrophage community discusses contemporary evidence on the developmental origins of resident macrophages, notably Kupffer cells and the issues of heterogeneity of the hepatic macrophage populations, as well as the roles of proliferation, cell death and migration processes in the maintenance of macrophage populations of the liver. Special consideration is given to interactions of Kupffer cells with other local cell lineages, including Ito cells, sinusoidal endothelium and hepatocytes, which participate in the maintenance of their phenotypical and functional identity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey Elchaninov
- Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine, National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology Named after Academician V.I. Kulakov of Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, 117997 Moscow, Russia
- Histology Department, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 117997 Moscow, Russia
- Correspondence:
| | - Polina Vishnyakova
- Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine, National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology Named after Academician V.I. Kulakov of Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, 117997 Moscow, Russia
- Histology Department, Medical Institute, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, 117198 Moscow, Russia
| | - Egor Menyailo
- Laboratory of Growth and Development, Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of FSBI “Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery”, 117418 Moscow, Russia
| | - Gennady Sukhikh
- Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine, National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology Named after Academician V.I. Kulakov of Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Timur Fatkhudinov
- Histology Department, Medical Institute, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, 117198 Moscow, Russia
- Laboratory of Growth and Development, Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of FSBI “Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery”, 117418 Moscow, Russia
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56
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Xu W, Wu M, Chen B, Wang H. Myeloid cells in alcoholic liver diseases: Mechanism and prospect. Front Immunol 2022; 13:971346. [PMID: 36032154 PMCID: PMC9399804 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.971346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a leading chronic liver disease in which immune cells play a vital role. Myeloid cells have been extensively studied in ALD, including granulocytes, macrophages, monocytes, and dendritic cells, which are involved in the occurrence and progression of steatosis, inflammation, fibrosis, and eventual cirrhosis. These cells can be popularly targeted and regulated by factors from different sources, including cytokines secreted by other cells, extracellular vesicles, and substances in serum—for example, infiltration of monocytes or neutrophils, activation of Kupffer cells, and polarization of macrophages. These processes can affect and change the function and phenotype of myeloid cells. Here we mainly review the key mediators that affect the infiltration and function of mainly myeloid cells in ALD as well as their regulatory mechanisms on target cells, which may provide novel immunotherapeutic approaches. The single-cell multimodal omics of myeloid cells is also discussed to help transform them into basic research or therapeutic strategy of ALD clinically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wentao Xu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Miaomiao Wu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, China
| | - Bangjie Chen
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Hua Wang
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, China
- *Correspondence: Hua Wang,
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57
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Single-cell transcriptome and cell type-specific molecular pathways of human non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Sci Rep 2022; 12:13484. [PMID: 35931712 PMCID: PMC9355943 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-16754-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study is to characterize cell type-specific transcriptional signatures in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) to improve our understanding of the disease. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing on liver biopsies from 10 patients with NASH. We applied weighted gene co-expression network analysis and validated our findings using a publicly available RNA sequencing data set derived from 160 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and 24 controls with normal liver histology. Our study provides a comprehensive single-cell analysis of NASH pathology in humans, describing 19,627 single-cell transcriptomes from biopsy-proven NASH patients. Our data suggest that the previous notion of ”NASH-associated macrophages” can be explained by an up-regulation of normally existing subpopulations of liver macrophages. Similarly, we describe two distinct populations of activated hepatic stellate cells, associated with the level of fibrosis. Finally, we find that the expression of several circulating markers of NAFLD are co-regulated in hepatocytes together with predicted effector genes from NAFLD genome-wide association studies (GWAS), coupled to abnormalities in the complement system. In sum, our single-cell transcriptomic data set provides insights into novel cell type-specific and general biological processes associated with inflammation and fibrosis, emphasizing the importance of studying cell type-specific biological processes in human NASH.
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58
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Wang Q, Zhou H, Bu Q, Wei S, Li L, Zhou J, Zhou S, Su W, Liu M, Liu Z, Wang M, Lu L. Role of XBP1 in regulating the progression of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. J Hepatol 2022; 77:312-325. [PMID: 35292349 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2022.02.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is associated with the dysregulation of lipid metabolism and hepatic inflammation, though the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We aimed to investigate the role of X-box binding protein-1 (XBP1) in the progression of NASH. METHODS Human liver tissues obtained from patients with NASH and controls were used to assess XBP1 expression. NASH models were developed in hepatocyte-specific Xbp1 knockout (Xbp1ΔHep), macrophage-specific Xbp1 knockout (Xbp1ΔMf), macrophage-specific Nlrp3 knockout, and wild-type (Xbp1FL/FL or Nlrp3FL/FL) mice fed with a high-fat diet for 26 weeks or a methionine/choline-deficient diet for 6 weeks. RESULTS The expression of XBP1 was significantly upregulated in liver samples from patients with NASH. Hepatocyte-specific Xbp1 deficiency inhibited the development of steatohepatitis in mice fed the high-fat or methionine/choline-deficient diets. Meanwhile, macrophage-specific Xbp1 knockout mice developed less severe steatohepatitis and fibrosis than wild-type Xbp1FL/FL mice in response to the high-fat or methionine/choline-deficient diets. Macrophage-specific Xbp1 knockout mice showed M2 anti-inflammatory polarization. Xbp1-deleted macrophages reduced steatohepatitis by decreasing the expression of NLRP3 and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which mediate M2 macrophage polarization in macrophage-specific Xbp1 knockout mice. Steatohepatitis was less severe in macrophage-specific Nlrp3 knockout mice than in wild-type Nlrp3FL/FL mice. Xbp1-deleted macrophages prevented hepatic stellate cell activation by decreasing expression of TGF-β1. Less fibrotic changes were observed in macrophage-specific Xbp1 knockout mice than in wild-type Xbp1FL/FL mice. Inhibition of XBP1 suppressed the development of NASH. CONCLUSION XBP1 regulates the development of NASH. XBP1 inhibitors protect against steatohepatitis. Thus, XBP1 is a potential target for the treatment of NASH. LAY SUMMARY XBP1 is a transcription factor that is upregulated in liver tissues of patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Conditional knockout of Xbp1 in hepatocytes resulted in decreased lipid accumulation in mice, while genetic deletion of Xbp1 in macrophages ameliorated nutritional steatohepatitis and fibrosis in mice. Pharmacological inhibition of XBP1 protects against steatohepatitis and fibrosis, highlighting a promising therapeutic strategy for NASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Wang
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University & Research Unit of Liver Transplantation and Transplant Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China; School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Haoming Zhou
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University & Research Unit of Liver Transplantation and Transplant Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Qingfa Bu
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University & Research Unit of Liver Transplantation and Transplant Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Song Wei
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University & Research Unit of Liver Transplantation and Transplant Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China; School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lei Li
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University & Research Unit of Liver Transplantation and Transplant Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Jinren Zhou
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University & Research Unit of Liver Transplantation and Transplant Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Shun Zhou
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University & Research Unit of Liver Transplantation and Transplant Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Wantong Su
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University & Research Unit of Liver Transplantation and Transplant Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Mu Liu
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University & Research Unit of Liver Transplantation and Transplant Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Zheng Liu
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University & Research Unit of Liver Transplantation and Transplant Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Mingming Wang
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University & Research Unit of Liver Transplantation and Transplant Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Ling Lu
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University & Research Unit of Liver Transplantation and Transplant Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China; School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
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59
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Barreby E, Chen P, Aouadi M. Macrophage functional diversity in NAFLD - more than inflammation. Nat Rev Endocrinol 2022; 18:461-472. [PMID: 35534573 DOI: 10.1038/s41574-022-00675-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Macrophages have diverse phenotypes and functions due to differences in their origin, location and pathophysiological context. Although their main role in the liver has been described as immunoregulatory and detoxifying, changes in macrophage phenotypes, diversity, dynamics and function have been reported during obesity-related complications such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD encompasses multiple disease states from hepatic steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocarcinoma. Obesity and insulin resistance are prominent risk factors for NASH, a disease with a high worldwide prevalence and no approved treatment. In this Review, we discuss the turnover and function of liver-resident macrophages (Kupffer cells) and monocyte-derived hepatic macrophages. We examine these populations in both steady state and during NAFLD, with an emphasis on NASH. The explosion in high-throughput gene expression analysis using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) within the last 5 years has revolutionized the study of macrophage heterogeneity, substantially increasing our understanding of the composition and diversity of tissue macrophages, including in the liver. Here, we highlight scRNA-seq findings from the last 5 years on the diversity of liver macrophages in homeostasis and metabolic disease, and reveal hepatic macrophage function beyond their classically described inflammatory role in the progression of NAFLD and NASH pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emelie Barreby
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ping Chen
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Myriam Aouadi
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
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60
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Abstract
The human liver is a complex organ made up of multiple specialized cell types that carry out key physiological functions. An incomplete understanding of liver biology limits our ability to develop therapeutics to prevent chronic liver diseases, liver cancers, and death as a result of organ failure. Recently, single-cell modalities have expanded our understanding of the cellular phenotypic heterogeneity and intercellular cross-talk in liver health and disease. This review summarizes these findings and looks forward to highlighting new avenues for the application of single-cell genomics to unravel unknown pathogenic pathways and disease mechanisms for the development of new therapeutics targeting liver pathology. As these technologies mature, their integration into clinical data analysis will aid in patient stratification and in developing treatment plans for patients suffering from liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jawairia Atif
- Ajmera Transplant Centre, Schwartz Reisman Liver Research Centre, Toronto General Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Medical Sciences Building, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Cornelia Thoeni
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gary D. Bader
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ian D. McGilvray
- Ajmera Transplant Centre, Schwartz Reisman Liver Research Centre, Toronto General Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sonya A. MacParland
- Ajmera Transplant Centre, Schwartz Reisman Liver Research Centre, Toronto General Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Medical Sciences Building, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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61
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Wallace SJ, Tacke F, Schwabe RF, Henderson NC. Understanding the cellular interactome of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. JHEP Rep 2022; 4:100524. [PMID: 35845296 PMCID: PMC9284456 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2022.100524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is reaching epidemic proportions, with a global prevalence of 25% in the adult population. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which can lead to cirrhosis, has become the leading indication for liver transplantation in both Europe and the USA. Liver fibrosis is the consequence of sustained, iterative liver injury, and the main determinant of outcomes in NASH. The liver possesses remarkable inherent plasticity, and liver fibrosis can regress when the injurious agent is removed, thus providing opportunities to alter long-term outcomes through therapeutic interventions. Although hepatocyte injury is a key driver of NASH, multiple other cell lineages within the hepatic fibrotic niche play major roles in the perpetuation of inflammation, mesenchymal cell activation, extracellular matrix accumulation as well as fibrosis resolution. The constituents of this cellular interactome, and how the various subpopulations within the fibrotic niche interact to drive fibrogenesis is an area of active research. Important cellular components of the fibrotic niche include endothelial cells, macrophages, passaging immune cell populations and myofibroblasts. In this review, we will describe how rapidly evolving technologies such as single-cell genomics, spatial transcriptomics and single-cell ligand-receptor analyses are transforming our understanding of the cellular interactome in NAFLD/NASH, and how this new, high-resolution information is being leveraged to develop rational new therapies for patients with NASH.
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Key Words
- BAs, bile acids
- CCL, C-C motif chemokine ligand
- CCR, C-C motif chemokine receptor
- CLD, chronic liver disease
- CTGF, connective tissue growth factor
- CXCL, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand
- CXCR, C-X-C motif chemokine receptor
- DAMP, damage-associated molecular pattern
- ECM, extracellular matrix
- ER, endoplasmic reticulum
- FGF, fibroblast growth factor
- FXR, farnesoid X receptor
- HSCs, hepatic stellate cells
- IL, interleukin
- ILC, innate lymphoid cell
- KCs, Kupffer cells
- LSECs, liver sinusoidal endothelial cells
- MAIT, mucosal-associated invariant T
- MAMPS, microbiota-associated molecular patterns
- NAFLD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- NASH, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
- NK(T), natural killer (T)
- NLR, Nod like receptors
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
- PDGF, platelet-derived growth factor
- PFs, portal fibroblasts
- SASP, senescence-associated secretory phenotype
- TGF, transforming growth factor
- TLR, Toll-like receptor
- TNF, tumour necrosis factor
- VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor
- antifibrotic therapies
- cellular interactome
- cirrhosis
- fibrosis
- single-cell genomics
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian J. Wallace
- Centre for Inflammation Research, The Queen’s Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh BioQuarter, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Frank Tacke
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Campus Virchow-Klinikum (CVK) and Campus Charité Mitte (CCM), Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert F. Schwabe
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Campus Virchow-Klinikum (CVK) and Campus Charité Mitte (CCM), Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Neil C. Henderson
- Centre for Inflammation Research, The Queen’s Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh BioQuarter, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Crewe Road South, Edinburgh, UK
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Chu Y, Yu F, Wu Y, Yang J, Shi J, Ye T, Han D, Wang X. Identification of genes and key pathways underlying the pathophysiological association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and atrial fibrillation. BMC Med Genomics 2022; 15:150. [PMID: 35790963 PMCID: PMC9258143 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-022-01300-1] [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: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most prevalent sustained cardiac arrhythmias. The latest studies have revealed a tight correlation between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and AF. However, the exact molecular mechanisms underlying the association between NAFLD and AF remain unclear. The current research aimed to expound the genes and signaling pathways that are related to the mechanisms underlying the association between these two diseases. Materials and methods NAFLD- and AF- related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified via bioinformatic analysis of the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets GSE63067 and GSE79768, respectively. Further enrichment analysis of Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), the construction of a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network, the identification of significant hub genes, and receiver operator characteristic curve analysis were conducted. The gene-disease interactions were analyzed using the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database. In addition, the hub genes were validated by quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR) in NAFLD cell model. Results A total of 45 co-expressed differentially expressed genes (co-DEGs) were identified between the NAFLD/AF and healthy control individuals. GO and KEGG pathway analyses revealed that the co-DEGs were mostly enriched in neutrophil activation involved in the immune response and cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions. Moreover, eight hub genes were selected owing to their high degree of connectivity and upregulation in both the NAFLD and AF datasets. These genes included CCR2, PTPRC, CXCR2, MNDA, S100A9, NCF2, S100A12, and S100A8. Conclusions In summary, we conducted the gene differential expression analysis, functional enrichment analysis, and PPI analysis of DEGs in AF and NAFLD, which provides novel insights into the identification of potential biomarkers and valuable therapeutic leads for AF and NAFLD. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12920-022-01300-1.
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Aberrant cholesterol metabolic signaling impairs antitumor immunosurveillance through natural killer T cell dysfunction in obese liver. Cell Mol Immunol 2022; 19:834-847. [DOI: 10.1038/s41423-022-00872-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
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Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) includes a range of hepatic manifestations, starting with liver steatosis and potentially evolving towards non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cirrhosis or even hepatocellular carcinoma. NAFLD is a major health burden, and its incidence is increasing worldwide. Although it is primarily a disease of disturbed metabolism, NAFLD involves several immune cell-mediated inflammatory processes, particularly when reaching the stage of NASH, at which point inflammation becomes integral to the progression of the disease. The hepatic immune cell landscape is diverse at steady state and it further evolves during NASH with direct consequences for disease severity. In this Review, we discuss current concepts related to the role of immune cells in the onset and progression of NASH. A better understanding of the mechanisms by which immune cells contribute to NASH pathogenesis should aid the design of innovative drugs to target NASH, for which current therapeutic options are limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thierry Huby
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (Inserm, UMR-S 1166), Sorbonne Université, Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuel L Gautier
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (Inserm, UMR-S 1166), Sorbonne Université, Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.
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Heterogeneous population of macrophages in the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease☆. LIVER RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livres.2022.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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66
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Puengel T, Lefere S, Hundertmark J, Kohlhepp M, Penners C, Van de Velde F, Lapauw B, Hoorens A, Devisscher L, Geerts A, Boehm S, Zhao Q, Krupinski J, Charles ED, Zinker B, Tacke F. Combined Therapy with a CCR2/CCR5 Antagonist and FGF21 Analogue Synergizes in Ameliorating Steatohepatitis and Fibrosis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23126696. [PMID: 35743140 PMCID: PMC9224277 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Revised: 06/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: With new potential drug targets emerging, combination therapies appear attractive to treat non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and fibrosis. Chemokine receptor CCR2/5 antagonists can improve fibrosis by reducing monocyte infiltration and altering hepatic macrophage subsets. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) may improve NASH by modulating lipid and glucose metabolism. We compared effects of single drug to combination treatment as therapeutic strategies against NASH. (2) Methods: We analyzed serum samples and liver biopsies from 85 nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients. A CCR2/5 inhibitor (BMS-687681-02-020) and a pegylated FGF21 agonist (BMS-986171) were tested in male C57BL/6J mice subjected to dietary models of NASH and fibrosis (choline-deficient, L-amino acid-defined, high-fat diet (CDAHFD) up to 12 weeks; short- (2w) or long-term (6w) treatment). (3) Results: In NAFLD patients, chemokine CCL2 and FGF21 serum levels correlated with inflammatory serum markers, only CCL2 was significantly associated with advanced liver fibrosis. In rodent NASH, CCR2/5 inhibition significantly reduced circulating Ly6C+ monocytes and hepatic monocyte-derived macrophages, alongside reduced hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. FGF21 agonism decreased body weight, liver triglycerides and histological NASH activity. Combination treatment reflected aspects of both compounds upon short- and long-term application, thereby amplifying beneficial effects on all aspects of steatohepatitis and fibrosis. (4) Conclusions: CCR2/5 inhibition blocks hepatic infiltration of inflammatory monocytes, FGF21 agonism improves obesity-related metabolic disorders. Combined therapy ameliorates steatohepatitis and fibrosis more potently than single drug treatment in rodent NASH, corroborating the therapeutic potential of combining these two approaches in NASH patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Puengel
- Department of Hepatology & Gastroenterology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum (CVK) and Campus Charité Mitte (CCM), 13353 Berlin, Germany; (J.H.); (M.K.); (F.T.)
- Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), 10178 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Medicine III, RWTH-University Hospital Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany;
- Correspondence: (T.P.); (S.L.); Tel.: +49-30-450-630-057 (T.P.); +49-30-450-553-022 (S.L.)
| | - Sander Lefere
- Department of Medicine III, RWTH-University Hospital Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany;
- Hepatology Research Unit, Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Liver Research Center Ghent, Ghent University, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium;
- Correspondence: (T.P.); (S.L.); Tel.: +49-30-450-630-057 (T.P.); +49-30-450-553-022 (S.L.)
| | - Jana Hundertmark
- Department of Hepatology & Gastroenterology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum (CVK) and Campus Charité Mitte (CCM), 13353 Berlin, Germany; (J.H.); (M.K.); (F.T.)
| | - Marlene Kohlhepp
- Department of Hepatology & Gastroenterology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum (CVK) and Campus Charité Mitte (CCM), 13353 Berlin, Germany; (J.H.); (M.K.); (F.T.)
| | - Christian Penners
- Department of Medicine III, RWTH-University Hospital Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany;
| | | | - Bruno Lapauw
- Department of Endocrinology, Ghent University, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium; (F.V.d.V.); (B.L.)
| | - Anne Hoorens
- Department of Pathology, Ghent University Hospital, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium;
| | - Lindsey Devisscher
- Gut-Liver Immunopharmacology Unit, Department of Basic and Applied Medical Sciences, Liver Research Center Ghent, Ghent University, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium;
| | - Anja Geerts
- Hepatology Research Unit, Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Liver Research Center Ghent, Ghent University, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium;
| | - Stephanie Boehm
- Bristol-Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA; (S.B.); (Q.Z.); (J.K.); (E.D.C.); (B.Z.)
| | - Qihong Zhao
- Bristol-Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA; (S.B.); (Q.Z.); (J.K.); (E.D.C.); (B.Z.)
| | - John Krupinski
- Bristol-Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA; (S.B.); (Q.Z.); (J.K.); (E.D.C.); (B.Z.)
| | - Edgar D. Charles
- Bristol-Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA; (S.B.); (Q.Z.); (J.K.); (E.D.C.); (B.Z.)
| | - Bradley Zinker
- Bristol-Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA; (S.B.); (Q.Z.); (J.K.); (E.D.C.); (B.Z.)
| | - Frank Tacke
- Department of Hepatology & Gastroenterology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum (CVK) and Campus Charité Mitte (CCM), 13353 Berlin, Germany; (J.H.); (M.K.); (F.T.)
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Wang L, Dong J, Xu M, Li L, Yang N, Qian G. Association Between Monocyte to High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Ratio and Risk of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:898931. [PMID: 35665350 PMCID: PMC9161020 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.898931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a global health problem affecting more than a quarter of the entire adult population. Both monocytes and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were found to participate in the progression of hepatic inflammation and oxidative stress. We speculated that the monocyte-to-HDL-C ratio (MHR) may be associated with the risk of NAFLD. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017-2018. NAFLD was identified using a controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) of ≥274 dB/m. Degree of liver fibrosis were assessed by liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and LSM values≥8.0, ≥ 9.7, and ≥13.7 kPa were defined as significant fibrosis (≥F2), advanced fibrosis (≥F3) and cirrhosis (F4), respectively. The association between MHR and the risk of NAFLD and liver fibrosis was estimated using weighted multivariable logistic regression. The non-linear relationship between MHR and the risk of NAFLD was further described using smooth curve fittings and threshold effect analysis. Results Of 4,319 participants, a total of 1,703 (39.4%) participants were diagnosed with NAFLD. After complete adjustment for potential confounders, MHR was positively associated with the risk of NAFLD (OR = 2.87, 95% CI: 1.95-4.22). The risk of NAFLD increased progressively as the MHR quarter increased (P for trend < 0.001). In subgroup analysis stratified by sex, a positive association existed in both sexes; Women displayed higher risk (men: OR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.33-3.39; women: OR = 2.64, 95%CI: 1.40-4.97). MHR was positively associated with the risk of significant liver fibrosis (OR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.08-2.37) and cirrhosis (OR = 1.83, 95% CI: 1.08-3.13), but not with advanced liver fibrosis (OR = 1.53, 95% CI: 0.98-2.39) after full adjustment for potential confounders. In the subgroup analysis by sex, the association between MHR and different degrees of liver fibrosis was significantly positive in women. When analyzing the relationship between MHR and NAFLD risk, a reverse U-shaped curve with an inflection point of 0.36 for MHR was found in women. Conclusion Higher MHR was associated with increased odds of NAFLD among Americans of both sexes. However, an association between MHR and liver fibrosis was found mainly among women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Ningbo First Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Department of Hepatology, Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Research Center, Ningbo Hospital of Zhejiang University, Ningbo, China
| | - Jinzhong Dong
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Ningbo First Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Miao Xu
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Ningbo First Hospital, Ningbo University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Li Li
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Ningbo First Hospital, Ningbo University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Naibin Yang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Ningbo First Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Department of Hepatology, Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Research Center, Ningbo Hospital of Zhejiang University, Ningbo, China
| | - Guoqing Qian
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Ningbo First Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Department of Hepatology, Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Research Center, Ningbo Hospital of Zhejiang University, Ningbo, China
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Rui L, Lin JD. Reprogramming of Hepatic Metabolism and Microenvironment in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis. Annu Rev Nutr 2022; 42:91-113. [PMID: 35584814 PMCID: PMC10122183 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-nutr-062220-105200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a spectrum of metabolic liver disease associated with obesity, ranges from relatively benign hepatic steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The latter is characterized by persistent liver injury, inflammation, and liver fibrosis, which collectively increase the risk for end-stage liver diseases such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Recent work has shed new light on the pathophysiology of NAFLD/NASH, particularly the role of genetic, epigenetic, and dietary factors and metabolic dysfunctions in other tissues in driving excess hepatic fat accumulation and liver injury. In parallel, single-cell RNA sequencing studies have revealed unprecedented details of the molecular nature of liver cell heterogeneity, intrahepatic cross talk, and disease-associated reprogramming of the liver immune and stromal vascular microenvironment. This review covers the recent advances in these areas, the emerging concepts of NASH pathogenesis, and potential new therapeutic opportunities. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Nutrition, Volume 42 is August 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liangyou Rui
- Department of Molecular and Integrated Physiology and Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA;
| | - Jiandie D Lin
- Life Sciences Institute and Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA;
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Guillot A, Tacke F. Location, location, location - spatial insight into hepatic macrophage populations. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022; 19:281-282. [PMID: 35288701 DOI: 10.1038/s41575-022-00600-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Adrien Guillot
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum (CVK) and Campus Charité Mitte (CCM), Berlin, Germany
| | - Frank Tacke
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum (CVK) and Campus Charité Mitte (CCM), Berlin, Germany.
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Liedtke C, Nevzorova YA, Luedde T, Zimmermann H, Kroy D, Strnad P, Berres ML, Bernhagen J, Tacke F, Nattermann J, Spengler U, Sauerbruch T, Wree A, Abdullah Z, Tolba RH, Trebicka J, Lammers T, Trautwein C, Weiskirchen R. Liver Fibrosis-From Mechanisms of Injury to Modulation of Disease. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 8:814496. [PMID: 35087852 PMCID: PMC8787129 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.814496] [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: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Transregional Collaborative Research Center "Organ Fibrosis: From Mechanisms of Injury to Modulation of Disease" (referred to as SFB/TRR57) was funded for 13 years (2009-2021) by the German Research Council (DFG). This consortium was hosted by the Medical Schools of the RWTH Aachen University and Bonn University in Germany. The SFB/TRR57 implemented combined basic and clinical research to achieve detailed knowledge in three selected key questions: (i) What are the relevant mechanisms and signal pathways required for initiating organ fibrosis? (ii) Which immunological mechanisms and molecules contribute to organ fibrosis? and (iii) How can organ fibrosis be modulated, e.g., by interventional strategies including imaging and pharmacological approaches? In this review we will summarize the liver-related key findings of this consortium gained within the last 12 years on these three aspects of liver fibrogenesis. We will highlight the role of cell death and cell cycle pathways as well as nutritional and iron-related mechanisms for liver fibrosis initiation. Moreover, we will define and characterize the major immune cell compartments relevant for liver fibrogenesis, and finally point to potential signaling pathways and pharmacological targets that turned out to be suitable to develop novel approaches for improved therapy and diagnosis of liver fibrosis. In summary, this review will provide a comprehensive overview about the knowledge on liver fibrogenesis and its potential therapy gained by the SFB/TRR57 consortium within the last decade. The kidney-related research results obtained by the same consortium are highlighted in an article published back-to-back in Frontiers in Medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Liedtke
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Yulia A Nevzorova
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.,Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, Complutense University Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Tom Luedde
- Medical Faculty, Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Henning Zimmermann
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Daniela Kroy
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Pavel Strnad
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Marie-Luise Berres
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jürgen Bernhagen
- Chair of Vascular Biology, Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), Klinikum der Universität München (KUM), Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), Munich, Germany
| | - Frank Tacke
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum and Campus Charité Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jacob Nattermann
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Ulrich Spengler
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Tilman Sauerbruch
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Alexander Wree
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum and Campus Charité Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - Zeinab Abdullah
- Institute for Molecular Medicine and Experimental Immunology, University Hospital of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - René H Tolba
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science and Experimental Surgery, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jonel Trebicka
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Twan Lammers
- Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Christian Trautwein
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ralf Weiskirchen
- Institute of Molecular Pathobiochemistry, Experimental Gene Therapy and Clinical Chemistry (IFMPEGKC), University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
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Guigas B, Jourdan T, Stienstra R. Editorial: Immune Regulation of Metabolic Homeostasis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:929460. [PMID: 35712253 PMCID: PMC9195164 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.929460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Guigas
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
- *Correspondence: Bruno Guigas,
| | - Tony Jourdan
- INSERM Lipids, Nutrition, Cancer (LNC) UMR1231, Team PADYS, University of Burgundy and Franche-Comté, Dijon, France
| | - Rinke Stienstra
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Nutrition, Metabolism and Genomics Group, Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
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Abstract
Single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) allows to uncover cellular heterogeneity and the identification of novel subpopulations. In non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), scRNA-seq is particularly powerful to understand non-parenchymal cell heterogeneity in the liver, e.g. for inflammatory cells. Myeloid immune cells, particularly macrophages, play a critical role in response of the innate immune system and significantly contribute to the progression of fatty liver disease. Due to their high heterogeneity and complex phenotypes, their functional role in health and disease is difficult to analyze. Here, we describe the isolation and analysis of myeloid cell populations from mouse liver using microdroplet-based scRNA-seq. This approach allows the identification and characterization of different hepatic cell types, exemplified here by hepatic macrophage populations, as well as analyses of differentially expressed genes between samples (e.g., cells from healthy or NASH livers).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Hundertmark
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hilmar Berger
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Frank Tacke
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
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Papachristoforou E, Ramachandran P. Macrophages as key regulators of liver health and disease. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 368:143-212. [PMID: 35636927 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2022.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Macrophages are a heterogeneous population of innate immune cells and key cellular components of the liver. Hepatic macrophages consist of embryologically-derived resident Kupffer cells (KC), recruited monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) and capsular macrophages. Both the diversity and plasticity of hepatic macrophage subsets explain their different functions in the maintenance of hepatic homeostasis and in injury processes in acute and chronic liver diseases. In this review, we assess the evidence for macrophage involvement in regulating both liver health and injury responses in liver diseases including acute liver injury (ALI), chronic liver disease (CLD) (including liver fibrosis) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In healthy livers, KC display critical functions such as phagocytosis, danger signal recognition, cytokine release, antigen processing and the ability to orchestrate immune responses and maintain immunological tolerance. However, in most liver diseases there is a striking hepatic MDM expansion, which orchestrate both disease progression and regression. Single-cell approaches have transformed our understanding of liver macrophage heterogeneity, dynamics, and functions in both human samples and preclinical models. We will further discuss the new insights provided by these approaches and how they are enabling high-fidelity work to specifically identify pathogenic macrophage subpopulations. Given the important role of macrophages in regulating injury responses in a broad range of settings, there is now a huge interest in developing new therapeutic strategies aimed at targeting macrophages. Therefore, we also review the current approaches being used to modulate macrophage function in liver diseases and discuss the therapeutic potential of targeting macrophage subpopulations as a novel treatment strategy for patients with liver disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Papachristoforou
- University of Edinburgh Centre for Inflammation Research, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Prakash Ramachandran
- University of Edinburgh Centre for Inflammation Research, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
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Torre P, Motta BM, Sciorio R, Masarone M, Persico M. Inflammation and Fibrogenesis in MAFLD: Role of the Hepatic Immune System. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:781567. [PMID: 34957156 PMCID: PMC8695879 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.781567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolic (dysfunction)-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is the definition recently proposed to better circumscribe the spectrum of conditions long known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) that range from simple steatosis without inflammation to more advanced liver diseases. The progression of MAFLD, as well as other chronic liver diseases, toward cirrhosis, is driven by hepatic inflammation and fibrogenesis. The latter, result of a “chronic wound healing reaction,” is a dynamic process, and the understanding of its underlying pathophysiological events has increased in recent years. Fibrosis progresses in a microenvironment where it takes part an interplay between fibrogenic cells and many other elements, including some cells of the immune system with an underexplored or still unclear role in liver diseases. Some therapeutic approaches, also acting on the immune system, have been probed over time to evaluate their ability to improve inflammation and fibrosis in NAFLD, but to date no drug has been approved to treat this condition. In this review, we will focus on the contribution of the liver immune system in the progression of NAFLD, and on therapies under study that aim to counter the immune substrate of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pietro Torre
- Internal Medicine and Hepatology Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | - Benedetta Maria Motta
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Roberta Sciorio
- Internal Medicine and Hepatology Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | - Mario Masarone
- Internal Medicine and Hepatology Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | - Marcello Persico
- Internal Medicine and Hepatology Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
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Xu L, Liu W, Bai F, Xu Y, Liang X, Ma C, Gao L. Hepatic Macrophage as a Key Player in Fatty Liver Disease. Front Immunol 2021; 12:708978. [PMID: 34956171 PMCID: PMC8696173 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.708978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fatty liver disease, characterized by excessive inflammation and lipid deposition, is becoming one of the most prevalent liver metabolic diseases worldwide owing to the increasing global incidence of obesity. However, the underlying mechanisms of fatty liver disease are poorly understood. Accumulating evidence suggests that hepatic macrophages, specifically Kupffer cells (KCs), act as key players in the progression of fatty liver disease. Thus, it is essential to examine the current evidence of the roles of hepatic macrophages (both KCs and monocyte-derived macrophages). In this review, we primarily address the heterogeneities and multiple patterns of hepatic macrophages participating in the pathogenesis of fatty liver disease, including Toll-like receptors (TLRs), NLRP3 inflammasome, lipotoxicity, glucotoxicity, metabolic reprogramming, interaction with surrounding cells in the liver, and iron poisoning. A better understanding of the diverse roles of hepatic macrophages in the development of fatty liver disease may provide a more specific and promising macrophage-targeting therapeutic strategy for inflammatory liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liyun Xu
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of Ministry of Education, Shandong Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity and Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.,Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Zhoushan Hospital, Zhoushan, China
| | - Wen Liu
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of Ministry of Education, Shandong Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity and Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.,Institute of Basic Medicine Sciences, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Fuxiang Bai
- Laboratory for Tissue Engineering and Regeneration, School of Stomatology, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Yong Xu
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of Ministry of Education, Shandong Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity and Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.,Department of Laboratory, Yueyang Hospital, Hunan Normal University, Yueyang, China
| | - Xiaohong Liang
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of Ministry of Education, Shandong Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity and Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Chunhong Ma
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of Ministry of Education, Shandong Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity and Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Lifen Gao
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of Ministry of Education, Shandong Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity and Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
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76
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Lauszus JS, Eriksen PL, Hansen MM, Eriksen LL, Shawcross DL, Vilstrup H, Thomsen KL, Stoy S. Activation and Functional Priming of Blood Neutrophils in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Increases in Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis. Clin Exp Gastroenterol 2021; 14:441-449. [PMID: 34803389 PMCID: PMC8597922 DOI: 10.2147/ceg.s329424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction In non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), neutrophils in liver infiltrates are activated, which may contribute to disease progression towards non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). However, the functional status of the blood neutrophils remains unknown and their role in the disease mechanisms is thus uncertain. We therefore characterized activation and function of blood neutrophils in patients with NAFLD in relation to clinical disease markers and the NAFLD plasma milieu. Methods We studied 20 patients with NAFLD, among these 6 patients with NASH, and 14 healthy persons. Neutrophil activation, interleukin (IL)-8 production and oxidative burst were measured by flow cytometry on participants´ neutrophils and on healthy neutrophils exposed in vitro to plasma from the study participants. Results Blood neutrophils from the NASH patients showed a doubling in their expression of the activation marker CD62L. Also, all NAFLD patients had 50–100% increased expression of CD11b. Functionally, NASH neutrophils had 30% elevated IL-8 production and more than doubled spontaneous oxidative burst. In all NAFLD patients, higher spontaneous oxidative burst was associated with worse liver function. Incubation of healthy neutrophils with NAFLD plasma paradoxically slightly reduced CD62L and CD11b expression, and NASH plasma also reduced the frequency of IL-8-producing neutrophils. Conclusion In NAFLD, blood neutrophils are activated, and in NASH also functionally primed. This suggests a progressive neutrophil aggressiveness already present with liver fat infiltration. However, NAFLD plasma in vitro, if anything, had the opposite effect on the healthy neutrophils so the NAFLD-related neutrophil activation cannot be attributed to humoral factors and remains unexplained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanne Sloth Lauszus
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Peter Lykke Eriksen
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Mette Mejlby Hansen
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Debbie Lindsay Shawcross
- Institute of Liver Studies, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK.,Institute of Liver Studies, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Hendrik Vilstrup
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Karen Louise Thomsen
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Sidsel Stoy
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
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Su Q, Kim SY, Adewale F, Zhou Y, Aldler C, Ni M, Wei Y, Burczynski ME, Atwal GS, Sleeman MW, Murphy AJ, Xin Y, Cheng X. Single-cell RNA transcriptome landscape of hepatocytes and non-parenchymal cells in healthy and NAFLD mouse liver. iScience 2021; 24:103233. [PMID: 34755088 PMCID: PMC8560975 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a global health-care problem with limited therapeutic options. To obtain a cellular resolution of pathogenesis, 82,168 single-cell transcriptomes (scRNA-seq) across different NAFLD stages were profiled, identifying hepatocytes and 12 other non-parenchymal cell (NPC) types. scRNA-seq revealed insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms of the disease. We discovered a dual role for hepatic stellate cells in gene expression regulation and in the potential to trans-differentiate into myofibroblasts. We uncovered distinct expression profiles of Kupffer cells versus monocyte-derived macrophages during NAFLD progression. Kupffer cells showed stronger immune responses, while monocyte-derived macrophages demonstrated a capability for differentiation. Three chimeric NPCs were identified including endothelial-chimeric stellate cells, hepatocyte-chimeric endothelial cells, and endothelial-chimeric Kupffer cells. Our work identified unanticipated aspects of mouse with NAFLD at the single-cell level and advanced the understanding of cellular heterogeneity in NAFLD livers. Of all, 82,168 single-cell transcriptomes across different NAFLD stages were profiled Hepatocytes and 12 non-parenchymal cell types were identified in mouse liver Three chimeric NPCs were identified in mouse liver
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Su
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, New York 10591, USA
| | - Sun Y Kim
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, New York 10591, USA
| | - Funmi Adewale
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, New York 10591, USA
| | - Ye Zhou
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, New York 10591, USA
| | - Christina Aldler
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, New York 10591, USA
| | - Min Ni
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, New York 10591, USA
| | - Yi Wei
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, New York 10591, USA
| | - Michael E Burczynski
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, New York 10591, USA
| | - Gurinder S Atwal
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, New York 10591, USA
| | - Mark W Sleeman
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, New York 10591, USA
| | - Andrew J Murphy
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, New York 10591, USA
| | - Yurong Xin
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, New York 10591, USA
| | - Xiping Cheng
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, New York 10591, USA
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Arrese M, Arab JP, Barrera F, Kaufmann B, Valenti L, Feldstein AE. Insights into Nonalcoholic Fatty-Liver Disease Heterogeneity. Semin Liver Dis 2021; 41:421-434. [PMID: 34233370 PMCID: PMC8492194 DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1730927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The acronym nonalcoholic fatty-liver disease (NAFLD) groups a heterogeneous patient population. Although in many patients the primary driver is metabolic dysfunction, a complex and dynamic interaction of different factors (i.e., sex, presence of one or more genetic variants, coexistence of different comorbidities, diverse microbiota composition, and various degrees of alcohol consumption among others) takes place to determine disease subphenotypes with distinct natural history and prognosis and, eventually, different response to therapy. This review aims to address this topic through the analysis of existing data on the differential contribution of known factors to the pathogenesis and clinical expression of NAFLD, thus determining the different clinical subphenotypes observed in practice. To improve our understanding of NAFLD heterogeneity and the dominant drivers of disease in patient subgroups would predictably impact on the development of more precision-targeted therapies for NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Arrese
- Department of Gastroenterology, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile,Centro de Envejecimiento y Regeneración (CARE), Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile,Address for correspondence Marco Arrese, MD Department of Gastroenterology, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de ChileDiagonal Paraguay #362, 8330077 SantiagoChile
| | - Juan P. Arab
- Department of Gastroenterology, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile,Centro de Envejecimiento y Regeneración (CARE), Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Francisco Barrera
- Department of Gastroenterology, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile,Centro de Envejecimiento y Regeneración (CARE), Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Benedikt Kaufmann
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Rady Children's Hospital, University of California San Diego, California
| | - Luca Valenti
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Universita degli Studi di Milano, Translational Medicine, Department of Transfusion, Medicine and Hematology, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Pad Marangoni, Milan, Italy
| | - Ariel E. Feldstein
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Rady Children's Hospital, University of California San Diego, California,Ariel E. Feldstein, MD Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and NutritionUCSD 3020 Children’s Way, MC 5030, San Diego, CA 92103-8450
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De Muynck K, Vanderborght B, Van Vlierberghe H, Devisscher L. The Gut-Liver Axis in Chronic Liver Disease: A Macrophage Perspective. Cells 2021; 10:2959. [PMID: 34831182 PMCID: PMC8616442 DOI: 10.3390/cells10112959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic liver disease (CLD) is a growing health concern which accounts for two million deaths per year. Obesity, alcohol overconsumption, and progressive cholestasis are commonly characterized by persistent low-grade inflammation and advancing fibrosis, which form the basis for development of end-stage liver disease complications, including hepatocellular carcinoma. CLD pathophysiology extends to the intestinal tract and is characterized by intestinal dysbiosis, bile acid dysregulation, and gut barrier disruption. In addition, macrophages are key players in CLD progression and intestinal barrier breakdown. Emerging studies are unveiling macrophage heterogeneity and driving factors of their plasticity in health and disease. To date, in-depth investigation of how gut-liver axis disruption impacts the hepatic and intestinal macrophage pool in CLD pathogenesis is scarce. In this review, we give an overview of the role of intestinal and hepatic macrophages in homeostasis and gut-liver axis disruption in progressive stages of CLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin De Muynck
- Gut-Liver Immunopharmacology Unit, Department of Basic and Applied Medical Sciences, Liver Research Center Ghent, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; (K.D.M.); (B.V.)
- Hepatology Research Unit, Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Liver Research Center Ghent, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium;
| | - Bart Vanderborght
- Gut-Liver Immunopharmacology Unit, Department of Basic and Applied Medical Sciences, Liver Research Center Ghent, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; (K.D.M.); (B.V.)
- Hepatology Research Unit, Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Liver Research Center Ghent, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium;
| | - Hans Van Vlierberghe
- Hepatology Research Unit, Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Liver Research Center Ghent, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium;
| | - Lindsey Devisscher
- Gut-Liver Immunopharmacology Unit, Department of Basic and Applied Medical Sciences, Liver Research Center Ghent, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; (K.D.M.); (B.V.)
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80
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Yang X, Lu D, Wang R, Lian Z, Lin Z, Zhuo J, Chen H, Yang M, Tan W, Yang M, Wei X, Wei Q, Zheng S, Xu X. Single-cell profiling reveals distinct immune phenotypes that contribute to ischaemia-reperfusion injury after steatotic liver transplantation. Cell Prolif 2021; 54:e13116. [PMID: 34469018 PMCID: PMC8488562 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The discrepancy between supply and demand of organ has led to an increased utilization of steatotic liver for liver transplantation (LT). Hepatic steatosis, however, is a major risk factor for graft failure due to increased susceptibility to ischaemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury during transplantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS To assess the plasticity and phenotype of immune cells within the microenvironment of steatotic liver graft at single-cell level, single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-Seq) was carried out on 23 675 cells from transplanted rat livers. Bioinformatic analyses and multiplex immunohistochemistry were performed to assess the functional properties, transcriptional regulation, phenotypic switching and cell-cell interactions of different cell subtypes. RESULTS We have identified 11 different cell types in transplanted livers and found that the highly complex ecosystem was shaped by myeloid-derived cell subsets that transit between different states and interact mutually. Notably, a pro-inflammatory phenotype of Kupffer cells (KCs) with high expression of colony-stimulating factor 3 (CSF3) that was enriched in transplanted steatotic livers was potentially participated in fatty graft injury. We have also detected a subset of dendritic cells (DCs) with highly expressing XCR1 that was correlated with CD8+ T cells, mediating the severer steatotic liver damage by I/R injury. CONCLUSIONS The findings of our study provide new insight into the mechanisms by which steatosis exacerbates liver damage from I/R injury. Interventions based on these observations create opportunities in attenuating fatty liver graft injury and expanding the donor pool.
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81
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Pantano L, Agyapong G, Shen Y, Zhuo Z, Fernandez-Albert F, Rust W, Knebel D, Hill J, Boustany-Kari CM, Doerner JF, Rippmann JF, Chung RT, Ho Sui SJ, Simon E, Corey KE. Molecular characterization and cell type composition deconvolution of fibrosis in NAFLD. Sci Rep 2021; 11:18045. [PMID: 34508113 PMCID: PMC8433177 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-96966-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of liver disease worldwide. In adults with NAFLD, fibrosis can develop and progress to liver cirrhosis and liver failure. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of fibrosis progression are not fully understood. Using total RNA-Seq, we investigated the molecular mechanisms of NAFLD and fibrosis. We sequenced liver tissue from 143 adults across the full spectrum of fibrosis stage including those with stage 4 fibrosis (cirrhosis). We identified gene expression clusters that strongly correlate with fibrosis stage including four genes that have been found consistently across previously published transcriptomic studies on NASH i.e. COL1A2, EFEMP2, FBLN5 and THBS2. Using cell type deconvolution, we estimated the loss of hepatocytes versus gain of hepatic stellate cells, macrophages and cholangiocytes with advancing fibrosis stage. Hepatocyte-specific functional analysis indicated increase of pro-apoptotic pathways and markers of bipotent hepatocyte/cholangiocyte precursors. Regression modelling was used to derive predictors of fibrosis stage. This study elucidated molecular and cell composition changes associated with increasing fibrosis stage in NAFLD and defined informative gene signatures for the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorena Pantano
- Harvard Chan Bioinformatics Core, Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 401 Park Dr, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - George Agyapong
- Liver Center, Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yang Shen
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorfer Str. 65, 88937, Biberach Riss, Germany
| | - Zhu Zhuo
- Harvard Chan Bioinformatics Core, Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 401 Park Dr, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | | | - Werner Rust
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorfer Str. 65, 88937, Biberach Riss, Germany
| | - Dagmar Knebel
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorfer Str. 65, 88937, Biberach Riss, Germany
| | - Jon Hill
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Ridgefield, CT, USA
| | | | - Julia F Doerner
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorfer Str. 65, 88937, Biberach Riss, Germany
| | - Jörg F Rippmann
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorfer Str. 65, 88937, Biberach Riss, Germany
| | - Raymond T Chung
- Liver Center, Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA, 02114, USA. .,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Shannan J Ho Sui
- Harvard Chan Bioinformatics Core, Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 401 Park Dr, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
| | - Eric Simon
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorfer Str. 65, 88937, Biberach Riss, Germany.
| | - Kathleen E Corey
- Liver Center, Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA, 02114, USA. .,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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82
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Li X, Ramadori P, Pfister D, Seehawer M, Zender L, Heikenwalder M. The immunological and metabolic landscape in primary and metastatic liver cancer. Nat Rev Cancer 2021; 21:541-557. [PMID: 34326518 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-021-00383-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 207] [Impact Index Per Article: 69.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The liver is the sixth most common site of primary cancer in humans, and generally arises in a background of cirrhosis and inflammation. Moreover, the liver is frequently colonized by metastases from cancers of other organs (particularly the colon) because of its anatomical location and organization, as well as its unique metabolic and immunosuppressive environment. In this Review, we discuss how the hepatic microenvironment adapts to pathologies characterized by chronic inflammation and metabolic alterations. We illustrate how these immunological or metabolic changes alter immunosurveillance and thus hinder or promote the development of primary liver cancer. In addition, we describe how inflammatory and metabolic niches affect the spreading of cancer metastases into or within the liver. Finally, we review the current therapeutic options in this context and the resulting challenges that must be surmounted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Pierluigi Ramadori
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dominik Pfister
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marco Seehawer
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology (Internal Medicine VIII), University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lars Zender
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology (Internal Medicine VIII), University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- German Cancer Research Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Tübingen, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mathias Heikenwalder
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
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83
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Cao S, Liu M, Sehrawat TS, Shah VH. Regulation and functional roles of chemokines in liver diseases. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2021; 18:630-647. [PMID: 33976393 PMCID: PMC9036964 DOI: 10.1038/s41575-021-00444-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Inflammation is a major contributor to the pathogenesis of almost all liver diseases. Low-molecular-weight proteins called chemokines are the main drivers of liver infiltration by immune cells such as macrophages, neutrophils and others during an inflammatory response. During the past 25 years, tremendous progress has been made in understanding the regulation and functions of chemokines in the liver. This Review summarizes three main aspects of the latest advances in the study of chemokine function in liver diseases. First, we provide an overview of chemokine biology, with a particular focus on the genetic and epigenetic regulation of chemokine transcription as well as on the cell type-specific production of chemokines by liver cells and liver-associated immune cells. Second, we highlight the functional roles of chemokines in liver homeostasis and their involvement in progression to disease in both human and animal models. Third, we discuss the therapeutic opportunities targeting chemokine production and signalling in the treatment of liver diseases, such as alcohol-associated liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, including the relevant preclinical studies and ongoing clinical trials.
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84
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Nati M, Chung KJ, Chavakis T. The Role of Innate Immune Cells in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. J Innate Immun 2021; 14:31-41. [PMID: 34515137 DOI: 10.1159/000518407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a very common hepatic pathology featuring steatosis and is linked to obesity and related conditions, such as the metabolic syndrome. When hepatic steatosis is accompanied by inflammation, the disorder is defined as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which in turn can progress toward fibrosis development that can ultimately result in cirrhosis. Cells of innate immunity, such as neutrophils or macrophages, are central regulators of NASH-related inflammation. Recent studies utilizing new experimental technologies, such as single-cell RNA sequencing, have revealed substantial heterogeneity within the macrophage populations of the liver, suggesting distinct functions of liver-resident Kupffer cells and recruited monocyte-derived macrophages with regards to regulation of liver inflammation and progression of NASH pathogenesis. Herein, we discuss recent developments concerning the function of innate immune cell subsets in NAFLD and NASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Nati
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden of Helmholtz Center Munich at the University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus of TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Kyoung-Jin Chung
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Triantafyllos Chavakis
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden of Helmholtz Center Munich at the University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus of TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
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85
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Liver-fibrosis-activated transcriptional networks govern hepatocyte reprogramming and intra-hepatic communication. Cell Metab 2021; 33:1685-1700.e9. [PMID: 34237252 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2021.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a strong predictor of long-term mortality in individuals with metabolic-associated fatty liver disease; yet, the mechanisms underlying the progression from the comparatively benign fatty liver state to advanced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and liver fibrosis are incompletely understood. Using cell-type-resolved genomics, we show that comprehensive alterations in hepatocyte genomic and transcriptional settings during NASH progression, led to a loss of hepatocyte identity. The hepatocyte reprogramming was under tight cooperative control of a network of fibrosis-activated transcription factors, as exemplified by the transcription factor Elf-3 (ELF3) and zinc finger protein GLIS2 (GLIS2). Indeed, ELF3- and GLIS2-controlled fibrosis-dependent hepatokine genes targeting disease-associated hepatic stellate cell gene programs. Thus, interconnected transcription factor networks not only promoted hepatocyte dysfunction but also directed the intra-hepatic crosstalk necessary for NASH and fibrosis progression, implying that molecular "hub-centered" targeting strategies are superior to existing mono-target approaches as currently used in NASH therapy.
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86
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Roohani S, Tacke F. Liver Injury and the Macrophage Issue: Molecular and Mechanistic Facts and Their Clinical Relevance. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22147249. [PMID: 34298870 PMCID: PMC8306699 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The liver is an essential immunological organ due to its gatekeeper position to bypassing antigens from the intestinal blood flow and microbial products from the intestinal commensals. The tissue-resident liver macrophages, termed Kupffer cells, represent key phagocytes that closely interact with local parenchymal, interstitial and other immunological cells in the liver to maintain homeostasis and tolerance against harmless antigens. Upon liver injury, the pool of hepatic macrophages expands dramatically by infiltrating bone marrow-/monocyte-derived macrophages. The interplay of the injured microenvironment and altered macrophage pool skews the subsequent course of liver injuries. It may range from complete recovery to chronic inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis and eventually hepatocellular cancer. This review summarizes current knowledge on the classification and role of hepatic macrophages in the healthy and injured liver.
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87
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Zwicker C, Bujko A, Scott CL. Hepatic Macrophage Responses in Inflammation, a Function of Plasticity, Heterogeneity or Both? Front Immunol 2021; 12:690813. [PMID: 34177948 PMCID: PMC8220199 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.690813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
With the increasing availability and accessibility of single cell technologies, much attention has been given to delineating the specific populations of cells present in any given tissue. In recent years, hepatic macrophage heterogeneity has also begun to be examined using these strategies. While previously any macrophage in the liver was considered to be a Kupffer cell (KC), several studies have recently revealed the presence of distinct subsets of hepatic macrophages, including those distinct from KCs both under homeostatic and non-homeostatic conditions. This heterogeneity has brought the concept of macrophage plasticity into question. Are KCs really as plastic as once thought, being capable of responding efficiently and specifically to any given stimuli? Or are the differential responses observed from hepatic macrophages in distinct settings due to the presence of multiple subsets of these cells? With these questions in mind, here we examine what is currently understood regarding hepatic macrophage heterogeneity in mouse and human and examine the role of heterogeneity vs plasticity in regards to hepatic macrophage responses in settings of both pathogen-induced and sterile inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Zwicker
- Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Damage and Inflammation, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Anna Bujko
- Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Damage and Inflammation, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Charlotte L. Scott
- Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Biology in Tissue Damage and Inflammation, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
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88
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Deczkowska A, David E, Ramadori P, Pfister D, Safran M, Li B, Giladi A, Jaitin DA, Barboy O, Cohen M, Yofe I, Gur C, Shlomi-Loubaton S, Henri S, Suhail Y, Qiu M, Kam S, Hermon H, Lahat E, Ben Yakov G, Cohen-Ezra O, Davidov Y, Likhter M, Goitein D, Roth S, Weber A, Malissen B, Weiner A, Ben-Ari Z, Heikenwälder M, Elinav E, Amit I. XCR1 + type 1 conventional dendritic cells drive liver pathology in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Nat Med 2021; 27:1043-1054. [PMID: 34017133 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-021-01344-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are prevalent liver conditions that underlie the development of life-threatening cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer. Chronic necro-inflammation is a critical factor in development of NASH, yet the cellular and molecular mechanisms of immune dysregulation in this disease are poorly understood. Here, using single-cell transcriptomic analysis, we comprehensively profiled the immune composition of the mouse liver during NASH. We identified a significant pathology-associated increase in hepatic conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) and further defined their source as NASH-induced boost in cycling of cDC progenitors in the bone marrow. Analysis of blood and liver from patients on the NAFLD/NASH spectrum showed that type 1 cDCs (cDC1) were more abundant and activated in disease. Sequencing of physically interacting cDC-T cell pairs from liver-draining lymph nodes revealed that cDCs in NASH promote inflammatory T cell reprogramming, previously associated with NASH worsening. Finally, depletion of cDC1 in XCR1DTA mice or using anti-XCL1-blocking antibody attenuated liver pathology in NASH mouse models. Overall, our study provides a comprehensive characterization of cDC biology in NASH and identifies XCR1+ cDC1 as an important driver of liver pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Deczkowska
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel. .,Departments of Immunology and Neuroscience, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
| | - Eyal David
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Pierluigi Ramadori
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center Heidelberg (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dominik Pfister
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center Heidelberg (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michal Safran
- Liver Disease Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Baoguo Li
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Amir Giladi
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Oren Barboy
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Merav Cohen
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.,Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ido Yofe
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Chamutal Gur
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.,Department of Medicine, Hadassah-Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | | | - Sandrine Henri
- Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Aix Marseille Université, INSERM, CNRS, Marseille, France
| | - Yousuf Suhail
- Chirurgische Klinik, Allgemein, Viszeral und Transplantationschirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mengjie Qiu
- Chirurgische Klinik, Allgemein, Viszeral und Transplantationschirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Shing Kam
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center Heidelberg (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hila Hermon
- Department of Surgery C, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Eylon Lahat
- Department of Surgery B, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Gil Ben Yakov
- Liver Disease Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | | | - Yana Davidov
- Liver Disease Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Mariya Likhter
- Liver Disease Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - David Goitein
- Department of Surgery C, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel.,Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Susanne Roth
- Chirurgische Klinik, Allgemein, Viszeral und Transplantationschirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Achim Weber
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Bernard Malissen
- Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Aix Marseille Université, INSERM, CNRS, Marseille, France.,Centre d'Immunophénomique, Aix Marseille Université, INSERM, CNRS, Marseille, France
| | - Assaf Weiner
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ziv Ben-Ari
- Liver Disease Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel.,Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Mathias Heikenwälder
- Division of Chronic Inflammation and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center Heidelberg (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Eran Elinav
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel. .,Division of Microbiome and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center Heidelberg (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Ido Amit
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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89
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Loomba R, Friedman SL, Shulman GI. Mechanisms and disease consequences of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Cell 2021; 184:2537-2564. [PMID: 33989548 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 785] [Impact Index Per Article: 261.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the leading chronic liver disease worldwide. Its more advanced subtype, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), connotes progressive liver injury that can lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Here we provide an in-depth discussion of the underlying pathogenetic mechanisms that lead to progressive liver injury, including the metabolic origins of NAFLD, the effect of NAFLD on hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism, bile acid toxicity, macrophage dysfunction, and hepatic stellate cell activation, and consider the role of genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors that promote fibrosis progression and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in NASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohit Loomba
- NAFLD Research Center, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
| | - Scott L Friedman
- Division of Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
| | - Gerald I Shulman
- Departments of Internal Medicine and Cellular & Molecular Physiology, Yale Diabetes Research Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
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90
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Thibaut R, Gage MC, Pineda-Torra I, Chabrier G, Venteclef N, Alzaid F. Liver macrophages and inflammation in physiology and physiopathology of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. FEBS J 2021; 289:3024-3057. [PMID: 33860630 PMCID: PMC9290065 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome, being a common comorbidity of type 2 diabetes and with important links to inflammation and insulin resistance. NAFLD represents a spectrum of liver conditions ranging from steatosis in the form of ectopic lipid storage, to inflammation and fibrosis in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Macrophages that populate the liver play important roles in maintaining liver homeostasis under normal physiology and in promoting inflammation and mediating fibrosis in the progression of NAFLD toward to NASH. Liver macrophages are a heterogenous group of innate immune cells, originating from the yolk sac or from circulating monocytes, that are required to maintain immune tolerance while being exposed portal and pancreatic blood flow rich in nutrients and hormones. Yet, liver macrophages retain a limited capacity to raise the alarm in response to danger signals. We now know that macrophages in the liver play both inflammatory and noninflammatory roles throughout the progression of NAFLD. Macrophage responses are mediated first at the level of cell surface receptors that integrate environmental stimuli, signals are transduced through multiple levels of regulation in the cell, and specific transcriptional programmes dictate effector functions. These effector functions play paramount roles in determining the course of disease in NAFLD and even more so in the progression towards NASH. The current review covers recent reports in the physiological and pathophysiological roles of liver macrophages in NAFLD. We emphasise the responses of liver macrophages to insulin resistance and the transcriptional machinery that dictates liver macrophage function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronan Thibaut
- Cordeliers Research Centre, INSERM, IMMEDIAB Laboratory, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, France
| | - Matthew C Gage
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, UK
| | - Inès Pineda-Torra
- Department of Medicine, Centre for Cardiometabolic and Vascular Science, University College London, UK
| | - Gwladys Chabrier
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, UK
| | - Nicolas Venteclef
- Cordeliers Research Centre, INSERM, IMMEDIAB Laboratory, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, France
| | - Fawaz Alzaid
- Cordeliers Research Centre, INSERM, IMMEDIAB Laboratory, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, France
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91
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Sellau J, Puengel T, Hoenow S, Groneberg M, Tacke F, Lotter H. Monocyte dysregulation: consequences for hepatic infections. Semin Immunopathol 2021; 43:493-506. [PMID: 33829283 PMCID: PMC8025899 DOI: 10.1007/s00281-021-00852-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Liver disorders due to infections are a substantial health concern in underdeveloped and industrialized countries. This includes not only hepatotropic viruses (e.g., hepatitis B, hepatitis C) but also bacterial and parasitic infections such as amebiasis, leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis, or echinococcosis. Recent studies of the immune mechanisms underlying liver disease show that monocytes play an essential role in determining patient outcomes. Monocytes are derived from the mononuclear phagocyte lineage in the bone marrow and are present in nearly all tissues of the body; these cells function as part of the early innate immune response that reacts to challenge by external pathogens. Due to their special ability to develop into tissue macrophages and dendritic cells and to change from an inflammatory to an anti-inflammatory phenotype, monocytes play a pivotal role in infectious and non-infectious liver diseases: they can maintain inflammation and support resolution of inflammation. Therefore, tight regulation of monocyte recruitment and termination of monocyte-driven immune responses in the liver is prerequisite to appropriate healing of organ damage. In this review, we discuss monocyte-dependent immune mechanisms underlying hepatic infectious disorders. Better understanding of these immune mechanisms may lead to development of new interventions to treat acute liver disease and prevent progression to organ failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Sellau
- Department of Molecular Biology and Immunology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Puengel
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum and Campus Charité Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Hoenow
- Department of Molecular Biology and Immunology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marie Groneberg
- Department of Molecular Biology and Immunology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Frank Tacke
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum and Campus Charité Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hannelore Lotter
- Department of Molecular Biology and Immunology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.
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92
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Tacke F, Weiskirchen R. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)-related liver fibrosis: mechanisms, treatment and prevention. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2021; 9:729. [PMID: 33987427 PMCID: PMC8106094 DOI: 10.21037/atm-20-4354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is the excessive expression and accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins in the liver. Fibrotic scarring occurs as the consequence of chronic injury and inflammation. While the successful treatment of hepatitis B and C reduced the burden of liver disease related to viral hepatitis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are nowadays the leading causes of hepatic fibrosis worldwide. Although basic research activities have significantly advanced our understanding of the molecular disease pathogenesis, the present therapeutic options for fibrosis are still limited. In advanced disease stages, liver transplantation often remains the only curative treatment. This highlights the necessity of preventive strategies to avoid complications of fibrosis, particularly cirrhosis, portal hypertension and liver cancer. Lifestyle modifications (weight loss, exercise, healthy diet) are the basis for prevention and treatment of NAFLD-associated fibrosis. In the present review, we discuss recent advances in antifibrotic prevention and therapy. In particular, we review the current concepts for antifibrotic drug candidates in the treatment of NAFLD and NASH. While some compounds aim at reverting pathogenic liver metabolism, an alternative approach is to disconnect the injury (e.g., NAFLD) from inflammation and/or fibrosis. Investigational drugs typically target metabolic pathways, insulin resistance, hepatocyte death, inflammatory cell recruitment or activation, the gut-liver axis, matrix expression or matrix turnover. While several promising drug candidates failed in phase 2 or 3 clinical trials (including elafibranor, emricasan and selonsertib), promising results with the farnesoid X receptor agonist obeticholic acid, the pan-PPAR agonist lanifibranor and the chemokine receptor CCR2/CCR5 inhibitor cenicriviroc support the expectation of an effective pharmacological therapy for liver fibrosis in the near future. Tackling NAFLD-associated fibrosis from different directions by combinatorial drug treatment and effective lifestyle changes hold the greatest prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Tacke
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ralf Weiskirchen
- Institute of Molecular Pathobiochemistry, Experimental Gene Therapy and Clinical Chemistry (IFMPEGKC), RWTH University Hospital Aachen, Aachen, Germany
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93
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Characterization of the inflammatory microenvironment and hepatic macrophage subsets in experimental hepatocellular carcinoma models. Oncotarget 2021; 12:562-577. [PMID: 33796224 PMCID: PMC7984829 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.27906] [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: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. HCC typically develops on a background of chronic inflammation and fibrosis with tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) playing an important role in chronic inflammation-induced HCC and progression. However, the liver harbors unique macrophages, resident liver Kupffer cells (KCs) and monocyte-derived macrophages (Mo-Mφ), and their contribution to HCC and to the population of TAMs is incompletely known. Here, we characterized the tumor microenvironment and the proportion and transcriptional profile of hepatic macrophages (Mφ) in two commonly used HCC mouse models. A gradually increased expression of inflammatory, immune regulatory, fibrotic and cell proliferation pathways and markers was observed during diethylnitrosamine (DEN)- and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)-induced HCC development. The transcriptional phenotypes of isolated hepatic Mφ subsets were clearly distinct and shifted during HCC development, with mixed pro-inflammatory and tumor-promoting expression profiles. There were marked differences between the models as well, with Mφ in NASH-HCC exhibiting a more immunomodulatory phenotype, in conjunction with an upregulation of lipid metabolism genes. Our data show that at least some infiltrated macrophages display expression of pro-tumoral markers, and that Kupffer cells are part of the population of TAMs and enhance tumor progression. These insights are useful to further unravel sequential pathogenic events during hepatocarcinogenesis and direct future development of new treatment strategies for HCC.
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94
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Integrative analysis of liver-specific non-coding regulatory SNPs associated with the risk of coronary artery disease. Am J Hum Genet 2021; 108:411-430. [PMID: 33626337 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2021.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic factors underlying coronary artery disease (CAD) have been widely studied using genome-wide association studies (GWASs). However, the functional understanding of the CAD loci has been limited by the fact that a majority of GWAS variants are located within non-coding regions with no functional role. High cholesterol and dysregulation of the liver metabolism such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease confer an increased risk of CAD. Here, we studied the function of non-coding single-nucleotide polymorphisms in CAD GWAS loci located within liver-specific enhancer elements by identifying their potential target genes using liver cis-eQTL analysis and promoter Capture Hi-C in HepG2 cells. Altogether, 734 target genes were identified of which 121 exhibited correlations to liver-related traits. To identify potentially causal regulatory SNPs, the allele-specific enhancer activity was analyzed by (1) sequence-based computational predictions, (2) quantification of allele-specific transcription factor binding, and (3) STARR-seq massively parallel reporter assay. Altogether, our analysis identified 1,277 unique SNPs that display allele-specific regulatory activity. Among these, susceptibility enhancers near important cholesterol homeostasis genes (APOB, APOC1, APOE, and LIPA) were identified, suggesting that altered gene regulatory activity could represent another way by which genetic variation regulates serum lipoprotein levels. Using CRISPR-based perturbation, we demonstrate how the deletion/activation of a single enhancer leads to changes in the expression of many target genes located in a shared chromatin interaction domain. Our integrative genomics approach represents a comprehensive effort in identifying putative causal regulatory regions and target genes that could predispose to clinical manifestation of CAD by affecting liver function.
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95
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Wernberg CW, Ravnskjaer K, Lauridsen MM, Thiele M. The Role of Diagnostic Biomarkers, Omics Strategies, and Single-Cell Sequencing for Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Severely Obese Patients. J Clin Med 2021; 10:930. [PMID: 33804302 PMCID: PMC7957539 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10050930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver disease due to metabolic dysfunction constitute a worldwide growing health issue. Severe obesity is a particularly strong risk factor for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which affects up to 93% of these patients. Current diagnostic markers focus on the detection of advanced fibrosis as the major predictor of liver-related morbidity and mortality. The most accurate diagnostic tools use elastography to measure liver stiffness, with diagnostic accuracies similar in normal-weight and severely obese patients. The effectiveness of elastography tools are however hampered by limitations to equipment and measurement quality in patients with very large abdominal circumference and subcutaneous fat. Blood-based biomarkers are therefore attractive, but those available to date have only moderate diagnostic accuracy. Ongoing technological advances in omics technologies such as genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics hold great promise for discovery of biomarkers and increased pathophysiological understanding of non-alcoholic liver disease and steatohepatitis. Very recent developments have allowed for single-cell sequencing and cell-type resolution of gene expression and function. In the near future, we will therefore likely see a multitude of breakthrough biomarkers, developed from a deepened understanding of the biological function of individual cell types in the healthy and injured liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte W. Wernberg
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hospital Southwest of Jutland, 6700 Esbjerg, Denmark; (C.W.W.); (M.M.L.)
- Center for Functional Genomics and Tissue Plasticity (ATLAS), University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark;
| | - Kim Ravnskjaer
- Center for Functional Genomics and Tissue Plasticity (ATLAS), University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark;
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Mette M. Lauridsen
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hospital Southwest of Jutland, 6700 Esbjerg, Denmark; (C.W.W.); (M.M.L.)
- Center for Functional Genomics and Tissue Plasticity (ATLAS), University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark;
| | - Maja Thiele
- Center for Functional Genomics and Tissue Plasticity (ATLAS), University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark;
- Center for Liver Research, Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense, Denmark
- Institute for Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark
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96
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Peiseler M, Tacke F. Inflammatory Mechanisms Underlying Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis and the Transition to Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:730. [PMID: 33578800 PMCID: PMC7916589 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13040730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a rising chronic liver disease and comprises a spectrum from simple steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) to end-stage cirrhosis and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The pathogenesis of NAFLD is multifactorial, but inflammation is considered the key element of disease progression. The liver harbors an abundance of resident immune cells, that in concert with recruited immune cells, orchestrate steatohepatitis. While inflammatory processes drive fibrosis and disease progression in NASH, fueling the ground for HCC development, immunity also exerts antitumor activities. Furthermore, immunotherapy is a promising new treatment of HCC, warranting a more detailed understanding of inflammatory mechanisms underlying the progression of NASH and transition to HCC. Novel methodologies such as single-cell sequencing, genetic fate mapping, and intravital microscopy have unraveled complex mechanisms behind immune-mediated liver injury. In this review, we highlight some of the emerging paradigms, including macrophage heterogeneity, contributions of nonclassical immune cells, the role of the adaptive immune system, interorgan crosstalk with adipose tissue and gut microbiota. Furthermore, we summarize recent advances in preclinical and clinical studies aimed at modulating the inflammatory cascade and discuss how these novel therapeutic avenues may help in preventing or combating NAFLD-associated HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moritz Peiseler
- Department of Hepatology & Gastroenterology, Charité University Medicine Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany;
- Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Frank Tacke
- Department of Hepatology & Gastroenterology, Charité University Medicine Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany;
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97
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Bennett H, Troutman TD, Sakai M, Glass CK. Epigenetic Regulation of Kupffer Cell Function in Health and Disease. Front Immunol 2021; 11:609618. [PMID: 33574817 PMCID: PMC7870864 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.609618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Kupffer cells, the resident macrophages of the liver, comprise the largest pool of tissue macrophages in the body. Within the liver sinusoids Kupffer cells perform functions common across many tissue macrophages including response to tissue damage and antigen presentation. They also engage in specialized activities including iron scavenging and the uptake of opsonized particles from the portal blood. Here, we review recent studies of the epigenetic pathways that establish Kupffer cell identity and function. We describe a model by which liver-environment specific signals induce lineage determining transcription factors necessary for differentiation of Kupffer cells from bone-marrow derived monocytes. We conclude by discussing how these lineage determining transcription factors (LDTFs) drive Kupffer cell behavior during both homeostasis and disease, with particular focus on the relevance of Kupffer cell LDTF pathways in the setting of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hunter Bennett
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Ty D Troutman
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Mashito Sakai
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.,Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Christopher K Glass
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.,Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
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98
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Ma C, Zhang Q, Greten TF. MDSCs in liver cancer: A critical tumor-promoting player and a potential therapeutic target. Cell Immunol 2021; 361:104295. [PMID: 33508529 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2021.104295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Liver cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Hepatocellular carcinoma (~75-85%) and cholangiocarcinoma (~10-15%) account for the majority of primary liver malignancies. Patients with primary liver cancer are often diagnosed with unresectable diseases and do not respond well to current therapies. The liver is also a common site of metastasis. Liver metastasis is difficult to treat, and the prognosis is poor. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are a heterogeneous population of immature myeloid cells with immunosuppressive activity. MDSCs are an important component of the tumor microenvironment and promote tumor progression through various mechanisms. MDSCs expand in both liver cancer patients and mouse liver cancer models. Importantly, MDSCs correlate with poor clinical outcomes for liver cancer patients. The tumor-promoting functions of MDSCs have also been shown in mouse liver cancer models. All these studies suggest that targeting MDSCs can potentially benefit liver cancer treatment. This review summarizes the current findings of MDSC regulation in liver cancer and related disease conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Ma
- Gastrointestinal Malignancy Section, Thoracic and GI Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Qianfei Zhang
- Gastrointestinal Malignancy Section, Thoracic and GI Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Tim F Greten
- Gastrointestinal Malignancy Section, Thoracic and GI Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; NCI-CCR Liver Cancer Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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99
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Cortes-Selva D, Gibbs L, Maschek JA, Nascimento M, Van Ry T, Cox JE, Amiel E, Fairfax KC. Metabolic reprogramming of the myeloid lineage by Schistosoma mansoni infection persists independently of antigen exposure. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009198. [PMID: 33417618 PMCID: PMC7819610 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Macrophages have a defined role in the pathogenesis of metabolic disease and cholesterol metabolism where alternative activation of macrophages is thought to be beneficial to both glucose and cholesterol metabolism during high fat diet induced disease. It is well established that helminth infection protects from metabolic disease, but the mechanisms underlying protection are not well understood. Here, we investigated the effects of Schistosoma mansoni infection and cytokine activation in the metabolic signatures of bone marrow derived macrophages using an approach that integrated transcriptomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics in a metabolic disease prone mouse model. We demonstrate that bone marrow derived macrophages (BMDM) from S. mansoni infected male ApoE-/- mice have dramatically increased mitochondrial respiration compared to those from uninfected mice. This change is associated with increased glucose and palmitate shuttling into TCA cycle intermediates, increased accumulation of free fatty acids, and decreased accumulation of cellular cholesterol esters, tri and diglycerides, and is dependent on mgll activity. Systemic injection of IL-4 complexes is unable to recapitulate either reductions in systemic glucose AUC or the re-programing of BMDM mitochondrial respiration seen in infected males. Importantly, the metabolic reprogramming of male myeloid cells is transferrable via bone marrow transplantation to an uninfected host, indicating maintenance of reprogramming in the absence of sustained antigen exposure. Finally, schistosome induced metabolic and bone marrow modulation is sex-dependent, with infection protecting male, but not female mice from glucose intolerance and obesity. Our findings identify a transferable, long-lasting sex-dependent reprograming of the metabolic signature of macrophages by helminth infection, providing key mechanistic insight into the factors regulating the beneficial roles of helminth infection in metabolic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Cortes-Selva
- Department of Pathology, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City Utah, United States of America.,Department of Comparative Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette Indiana, United States of America
| | - Lisa Gibbs
- Department of Pathology, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City Utah, United States of America
| | - J Alan Maschek
- Metabolomics, Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry Cores, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America.,Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology and the Diabetes and Metabolism Research Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Marcia Nascimento
- Department of Pathology, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City Utah, United States of America
| | - Tyler Van Ry
- Metabolomics, Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry Cores, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City Utah, United States of America
| | - James E Cox
- Metabolomics, Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry Cores, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City Utah, United States of America
| | - Eyal Amiel
- Department of Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Keke C Fairfax
- Department of Pathology, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City Utah, United States of America.,Department of Comparative Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette Indiana, United States of America
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100
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Daemen S, Gainullina A, Kalugotla G, He L, Chan MM, Beals JW, Liss KH, Klein S, Feldstein AE, Finck BN, Artyomov MN, Schilling JD. Dynamic Shifts in the Composition of Resident and Recruited Macrophages Influence Tissue Remodeling in NASH. Cell Rep 2021; 34:108626. [PMID: 33440159 PMCID: PMC7877246 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 158] [Impact Index Per Article: 52.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Macrophage-mediated inflammation is critical in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Here, we describe that, with high-fat, high-sucrose-diet feeding, mature TIM4pos Kupffer cells (KCs) decrease in number, while monocyte-derived Tim4neg macrophages accumulate. In concert, monocyte-derived infiltrating macrophages enter the liver and consist of a transitional subset that expresses Cx3cr1/Ccr2 and a second subset characterized by expression of Trem2, Cd63, Cd9, and Gpmnb; markers ascribed to lipid-associated macrophages (LAMs). The Cx3cr1/Ccr2-expressing macrophages, referred to as C-LAMs, localize to macrophage aggregates and hepatic crown-like structures (hCLSs) in the steatotic liver. In C-motif chemokine receptor 2 (Ccr2)-deficient mice, C-LAMs fail to appear in the liver, and this prevents hCLS formation, reduces LAM numbers, and increases liver fibrosis. Taken together, our data reveal dynamic changes in liver macrophage subsets during the pathogenesis of NASH and link these shifts to pathologic tissue remodeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Daemen
- Diabetes Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Anastasiia Gainullina
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; ITMO University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Gowri Kalugotla
- Diabetes Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Li He
- Diabetes Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Mandy M Chan
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Joseph W Beals
- Center for Human Nutrition, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Kim H Liss
- Diabetes Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Human Nutrition, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Samuel Klein
- Center for Human Nutrition, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ariel E Feldstein
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Brian N Finck
- Diabetes Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Human Nutrition, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Maxim N Artyomov
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Joel D Schilling
- Diabetes Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Human Nutrition, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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