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Ouyang H, Miao H, Li Z, Wu D, Gao SC, Dai YY, Gao XD, Chai HS, Hu WY, Zhu JF. Yinhuang granule alleviates carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis in mice and its mechanism. World J Hepatol 2024; 16:264-278. [PMID: 38495271 PMCID: PMC10941736 DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v16.i2.264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Liver fibrosis is a formidable global medical challenge, with no effective clinical treatment currently available. Yinhuang granule (YHG) is a proprietary Chinese medicine comprising Scutellariae Radix and Lonicerae Japonicae Flos. It is frequently used for upper respiratory tract infections, pharyngitis, as well as acute and chronic tonsillitis. AIM To investigate the potential of YHG in alleviating carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver fibrosis in mice. METHODS To induce a hepatic fibrosis model in mice, this study involved intraperitoneal injections of 2 mL/kg of CCl4 twice a week for 4 wk. Meanwhile, liver fibrosis mice in the low dose of YHG (0.4 g/kg) and high dose of YHG (0.8 g/kg) groups were orally administered YHG once a day for 4 wk. Serum alanine/aspartate aminotransferase (ALT/AST) activity and liver hydroxyproline content were detected. Sirius red and Masson's trichrome staining assay were conducted. Real-time polymerase chain reaction, western-blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were conducted. Liver glutathione content, superoxide dismutase activity level, reactive oxygen species and protein carbonylation amount were detected. RESULTS The administration of YHG ameliorated hepatocellular injury in CCl4-treated mice, as reflected by decreased serum ALT/AST activity and improved liver histological evaluation. YHG also attenuated liver fibrosis, evident through reduced liver hydroxyproline content, improvements in Sirius red and Masson's trichrome staining, and lowered serum hyaluronic acid levels. Furthermore, YHG hindered the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and ameliorated oxidative stress injury and inflammation in liver from CCl4-treated mice. YHG prompted the nuclear accumulation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and upregulated the expression of Nrf2-dependent downstream antioxidant genes. In addition, YHG promoted mitochondrial biogenesis in liver from CCl4-treated mice, as demonstrated by increased liver adenosine triphosphate content, mitochondrial DNA levels, and the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha and nuclear respiratory factor 1. CONCLUSION YHG effectively attenuates CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in mice by inhibiting the activation of HSCs, reducing inflammation, alleviating liver oxidative stress damage through Nrf2 activation, and promoting liver mitochondrial biogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Ouyang
- Department of Liver, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Hui Miao
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Zhen Li
- Department of Liver, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Duan Wu
- Department of Liver, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Si-Cheng Gao
- Department of Liver, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yao-Yao Dai
- Department of Liver, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xiao-Di Gao
- Department of Liver, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Hai-Sheng Chai
- Department of Liver, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Wei-Ye Hu
- Department of Liver, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Jun-Feng Zhu
- Department of Liver, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China.
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Ferreira J, Bicho M, Serejo F. Effects of HCV Clearance with Direct-Acting Antivirals (DAAs) on Liver Stiffness, Liver Fibrosis Stage and Metabolic/Cellular Parameters. Viruses 2024; 16:371. [PMID: 38543737 PMCID: PMC10974411 DOI: 10.3390/v16030371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is a clinical and pathological syndrome with various causes and is characterized by varying degrees of hepatocellular necrosis and inflammation. It is a significant cause of liver transplantation and liver-related death worldwide. The hepatic manifestations of CHC are typically characterized by slowly progressing liver fibrosis, which is a non-specific and often disproportionate response to tissue damage. A large majority of HCV patients have extrahepatic manifestations with varying degrees of severity. HCV infection is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus, which increases insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and iron overload and causes chronic systemic inflammation. HCV infection is treated using direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) with cure rates of over 95 percent, minimal side effects, and shorter therapeutic courses. Despite the effective elimination of the virus, it seemed pertinent to understand to what extent HCV clearance eliminates or attenuates all the systemic alterations already induced by the virus during infection and chronicity. OBJECTIVES Our study aimed to determine whether eliminating HCV with DAAs alters the severity of liver disease (liver stiffness and liver fibrosis stage by TE) and the metabolic/cellular profile of patients with CHC. MATERIALS AND METHODS A group of 329 CHC patients from a Gastroenterology and Hepatology outpatient department were prospectively studied. Of these, 134 were also studied with DAAs. The liver fibrosis stage was evaluated by transient elastography (TE) using a FibroScan® device, and two groups were established for the analysis of liver stiffness (LS): mild and moderate stiffness (fibrosis F1 and F2; F1/2) and severe stiffness (fibrosis and cirrhosis F3 and F4; F3/4). Metabolic/cellular parameters were evaluated before and after antiviral treatment using standard methods: alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), γ-glutamyl-transpeptidase (γ-GT), haptoglobin (Hp), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides (TG), free iron (Fe), transferrin saturation (TS), total iron binding capacity (TIBC), ferritin (Ft), glycemia, insulin, Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) and platelets count. The results were statistically analyzed using SPSS 24.0 for Windows. RESULTS Comparing the fibrosis stage before and after DAAs treatment, we verify a reduction in LS in 85.7% of patients and an improvement in liver fibrosis stage in 22.2% of them after DAAs treatment. Before DAAs treatment, patients showed a 2.410 risk for higher fibrosis stages (F3/4). Comparing metabolic/cellular parameters before and after DAAs treatment, patients showed lower ALP, AST, ALT, γGT, TG, Fe, TIBC, and Ft values and higher TC, LDL, and Hp values after treatment. As such, HCV elimination reduces iron overload and insulin resistance. On the other hand, it caused dyslipidemia, raising total cholesterol and LDL to levels outside the reference values. The improvement in the liver fibrosis stage by TE was mainly associated with higher baseline platelet count and HDL values and lower insulin resistance. CONCLUSIONS With this study, we were able to contribute to the knowledge of the effects of HCV elimination with DAAs on liver disease and metabolic profile to improve the quality of treatment and follow-up of these patients after HCV elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Ferreira
- Institute for Scientific Research Bento Rocha Cabral, 1250-047 Lisbon, Portugal;
- TERRA, ISAMB, Genetics Laboratory, Lisbon Medical School, University of Lisbon, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal;
| | - Manuel Bicho
- Institute for Scientific Research Bento Rocha Cabral, 1250-047 Lisbon, Portugal;
- TERRA, ISAMB, Genetics Laboratory, Lisbon Medical School, University of Lisbon, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal;
| | - Fátima Serejo
- TERRA, ISAMB, Genetics Laboratory, Lisbon Medical School, University of Lisbon, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal;
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Hospital de Santa Maria, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal
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103
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Pessino G, Scotti C, Maggi M, Immuno-Hub Consortium. Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Old and Emerging Therapeutic Targets. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:901. [PMID: 38473265 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16050901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer, predominantly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), globally ranks sixth in incidence and third in cancer-related deaths. HCC risk factors include non-viral hepatitis, alcohol abuse, environmental exposures, and genetic factors. No specific genetic alterations are unequivocally linked to HCC tumorigenesis. Current standard therapies include surgical options, systemic chemotherapy, and kinase inhibitors, like sorafenib and regorafenib. Immunotherapy, targeting immune checkpoints, represents a promising avenue. FDA-approved checkpoint inhibitors, such as atezolizumab and pembrolizumab, show efficacy, and combination therapies enhance clinical responses. Despite this, the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a challenge, as the complex tumor ecosystem and the immunosuppressive microenvironment associated with it hamper the efficacy of the available therapeutic approaches. This review explores current and advanced approaches to treat HCC, considering both known and new potential targets, especially derived from proteomic analysis, which is today considered as the most promising approach. Exploring novel strategies, this review discusses antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T), and engineered antibodies. It then reports a systematic analysis of the main ligand/receptor pairs and molecular pathways reported to be overexpressed in tumor cells, highlighting their potential and limitations. Finally, it discusses TGFβ, one of the most promising targets of the HCC microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta Pessino
- Unit of Immunology and General Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Claudia Scotti
- Unit of Immunology and General Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Maristella Maggi
- Unit of Immunology and General Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Immuno-Hub Consortium
- Unit of Immunology and General Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
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104
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Zhang F, Pei S, Xiao M. Identification of functional genes in liver fibrosis based on bioinformatics analysis of a lncRNA-mediated ceRNA network. BMC Med Genomics 2024; 17:56. [PMID: 38378545 PMCID: PMC10877760 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-024-01813-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Liver fibrosis is a major global healths problem; nevertheless, its molecular mechanism are not completely clear. This study aimed to build a lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network, identify potentially related lncRNAs, and explore the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS We used the Gene Expression Omnibus databases and bioinformatics analysis to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between liver fibrosis and normal tissues. The ceRNA network was constructed according to the interactions between DElncRNA, miRNA, and DEmRNA. Then, these DEGs were identified using functional enrichment analysis, and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was established. The critical lncRNAs were verified using the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). RESULTS The ceRNA network was composed of three lncRNAs, five miRNAs, and 93 mRNAs. Gene Ontology functional enrichment analysis revealed significant enhancement in cell components, molecular function, and biological process. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis revealed pathways associated with transcriptional misregulation in cancer, including the Rap1 signaling pathway, proteoglycans in cancer, mineral absorption, HTLV-l infection, and central carbon metabolism in cancer. According to the PPI network and the GSE84044 database, seven hub genes associated with liver fibrosis were identified. In addition, qRT-PCR revealed that lncRNA AC100861 (lncRNA TNFRSF10A-DT) was explicitly decreased in liver fibrosis tissues and activated hepatic stellate cells. CONCLUSIONS In summary, this study preliminarily found that lncRNA TNFRSF10A-DT may be a biomarker for the diagnosis and outcome of liver fibrosis. We uncovered a novel lncRNA-mediated ceRNA regulatory mechanism in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Zhang
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Siya Pei
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China
- Department of Infection Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Meifang Xiao
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Health Management Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China.
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105
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Minayoshi Y, Maeda H, Hamasaki K, Nagasaki T, Takano M, Fukuda R, Mizuta Y, Tanaka M, Sasaki Y, Otagiri M, Watanabe H, Maruyama T. Mouse Type-I Interferon-Mannosylated Albumin Fusion Protein for the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:260. [PMID: 38399475 PMCID: PMC10893114 DOI: 10.3390/ph17020260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Although a lot of effort has been put into creating drugs and combination therapies against chronic hepatitis, no effective treatment has been established. Type-I interferon is a promising therapeutic for chronic hepatitis due to its excellent anti-inflammatory effects through interferon receptors on hepatic macrophages. To develop a type-I IFN equipped with the ability to target hepatic macrophages through the macrophage mannose receptor, the present study designed a mouse type-I interferon-mannosylated albumin fusion protein using site-specific mutagenesis and albumin fusion technology. This fusion protein exhibited the induction of anti-inflammatory molecules, such as IL-10, IL-1Ra, and PD-1, in RAW264.7 cells, or hepatoprotective effects on carbon tetrachloride-induced chronic hepatitis mice. As expected, such biological and hepatoprotective actions were significantly superior to those of human fusion proteins. Furthermore, the repeated administration of mouse fusion protein to carbon tetrachloride-induced chronic hepatitis mice clearly suppressed the area of liver fibrosis and hepatic hydroxyproline contents, not only with a reduction in the levels of inflammatory cytokine (TNF-α) and fibrosis-related genes (TGF-β, Fibronectin, Snail, and Collagen 1α2), but also with a shift in the hepatic macrophage phenotype from inflammatory to anti-inflammatory. Therefore, type-I interferon-mannosylated albumin fusion protein has the potential as a new therapeutic agent for chronic hepatitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Minayoshi
- Department of Biopharmaceutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 5-1 Oe-Honmachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan; (Y.M.); (K.H.); (T.N.); (M.T.); (R.F.); (Y.M.); (H.W.)
| | - Hitoshi Maeda
- Department of Biopharmaceutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 5-1 Oe-Honmachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan; (Y.M.); (K.H.); (T.N.); (M.T.); (R.F.); (Y.M.); (H.W.)
| | - Keisuke Hamasaki
- Department of Biopharmaceutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 5-1 Oe-Honmachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan; (Y.M.); (K.H.); (T.N.); (M.T.); (R.F.); (Y.M.); (H.W.)
| | - Taisei Nagasaki
- Department of Biopharmaceutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 5-1 Oe-Honmachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan; (Y.M.); (K.H.); (T.N.); (M.T.); (R.F.); (Y.M.); (H.W.)
| | - Mei Takano
- Department of Biopharmaceutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 5-1 Oe-Honmachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan; (Y.M.); (K.H.); (T.N.); (M.T.); (R.F.); (Y.M.); (H.W.)
| | - Ryo Fukuda
- Department of Biopharmaceutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 5-1 Oe-Honmachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan; (Y.M.); (K.H.); (T.N.); (M.T.); (R.F.); (Y.M.); (H.W.)
| | - Yuki Mizuta
- Department of Biopharmaceutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 5-1 Oe-Honmachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan; (Y.M.); (K.H.); (T.N.); (M.T.); (R.F.); (Y.M.); (H.W.)
| | - Motohiko Tanaka
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan; (M.T.); (Y.S.)
- Public Health and Welfare Bureau, 5-1-1 Oe, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 862-0971, Japan
| | - Yutaka Sasaki
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan; (M.T.); (Y.S.)
- Osaka Central Hospital, 3-3-30 Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka 530-0001, Japan
| | - Masaki Otagiri
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sojo University, 4-22-1 Ikeda, Nishi-ku, Kumamoto 860-0082, Japan;
- DDS Research Institute, Sojo University, 4-22-1 Ikeda, Nishi-ku, Kumamoto 860-0082, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Watanabe
- Department of Biopharmaceutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 5-1 Oe-Honmachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan; (Y.M.); (K.H.); (T.N.); (M.T.); (R.F.); (Y.M.); (H.W.)
| | - Toru Maruyama
- Department of Biopharmaceutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 5-1 Oe-Honmachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan; (Y.M.); (K.H.); (T.N.); (M.T.); (R.F.); (Y.M.); (H.W.)
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106
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Zhang SN, Liu Q, Li XZ, Yang WD, Zhou Y. Liver protein and metabolite biolabels reveal hepatoprotective effects and active compounds of Eucommiae folium: Exploration of new application of herb based on multi-omics and bioinformatics. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2024; 239:115870. [PMID: 38008044 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2023.115870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
A biolabel-led research based on multi-omics and bioinformatics was applied to analyze the application value of Eucommiae folium (EF) in liver cirrhosis, as well as the mechanism of action and material basis. Multi-omics were used to analyze the biolabels and key pathways of EF intervention in liver tissue. Subsequently, based on the information, bioinformatics was used to analyze the application value of EF in liver disease, as well the mechanism of action and material basis. Finally, histopathological and target expression analyses in an animal model were used to verify biolabels analysis results. Multi-omics showed that 18 proteins and 10 metabolites involved in five key pathways were screened as biolabels. Bioinformatics suggested that the application value of EF for liver cirrhosis may be the highest among the liver diseases that it may treat. Additionally, EF and five active compounds (curcumol, eucalyptol, (+)-catechin, naringenin, and quercetin) may protect the cirrhotic liver against the excessive energy expenditure and hepatic stellate cells activation through suppressing the oxidative phosphorylation pathway in a CCl4-induced mouse model. This study provides reference and evidence for the application value of EF in liver diseases, especially liver cirrhosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai-Nan Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guian New Area 550025, PR China
| | - Qi Liu
- The Research Institute of Medicine and Pharmacy, Qiqihar Medical University, Qiqihar 161006, PR China
| | - Xu-Zhao Li
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guian New Area 550025, PR China.
| | - Wu-De Yang
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guian New Area 550025, PR China.
| | - Ying Zhou
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guian New Area 550025, PR China.
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Wang X, Tian H, Chen J, Huang D, Ding F, Ma T, Xi J, Wu C, Zhang Y. Isobavachalcone attenuates liver fibrosis via activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in rats. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 128:111398. [PMID: 38171054 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.111398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis, a progression of chronic liver disease, is a significant concern worldwide due to the lack of effective treatment modalities. Recent studies have shown that natural products play a crucial role in preventing and treating liver fibrosis. Isobavachalcone (IBC) is a chalcone compound with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties. However, its potential antifibrotic effects remain to be elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the antifibrotic effects of IBC on liver fibrosis and its underlying mechanisms in rats. The results showed that IBC significantly ameliorated the pathological damage and collagen deposition in liver tissues; it also reduced the levels of hydroxyproline (HYP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). In addition, IBC activated Nuclear factor E2-associated factor 2/Hemeoxygenase-1 (Nrf2/HO-1) signaling, leading to the nuclear translocation of Nrf2. This translocation subsequently increased the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) and decreased the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), thereby alleviating oxidative stress-induced damage. Moreover, it inhibited the expression of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), which further reduced the levels of downstream inflammatory factors, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IL-1 beta (IL-1β), thereby suppressing the activation of HSCs and weakening liver fibrosis. In HSC-T6 cell experiments, changes observed in inflammatory responses, oxidative stress indicators, and protein expression were consistent with the in vivo results. Furthermore, the Nrf2 inhibitor (ML385) attenuated the effect of IBC on inhibiting the activation of quiescent HSCs. Consequently, IBC could alleviate liver fibrosis by activating Nrf2/ HO-1 signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangshu Wang
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui Province, China; Anhui Key Laboratory of Tissue Transplantation at Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui Province, China
| | - Haozhe Tian
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui Province, China; Anhui Key Laboratory of Tissue Transplantation at Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui Province, China
| | - Jie Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui Province, China
| | - Di Huang
- School of Pharmacy, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui Province, China
| | - Feng Ding
- School of Pharmacy, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui Province, China; Anhui Engineering Technology Research Center of Biochemical Pharmaceutical, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui Province, China
| | - Tao Ma
- School of Pharmacy, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui Province, China; Anhui Engineering Technology Research Center of Biochemical Pharmaceutical, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui Province, China
| | - Jin Xi
- Anhui Key Laboratory of Tissue Transplantation at Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui Province, China
| | - Chengzhu Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui Province, China; Anhui Engineering Technology Research Center of Biochemical Pharmaceutical, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui Province, China.
| | - Yuxin Zhang
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui Province, China; Anhui Key Laboratory of Tissue Transplantation at Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui Province, China.
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108
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Dai X, Du Z, Jin C, Tang B, Chen X, Jing X, Shen Y, He F, Wang S, Li J, Ding K, Zang Y. Inulin-like polysaccharide ABWW may impede CCl 4 induced hepatic stellate cell activation through mediating the FAK/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in vitro & in vivo. Carbohydr Polym 2024; 326:121637. [PMID: 38142102 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2023.121637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
Studies have shown that terrestrial acidic polysaccharides containing carboxyl groups and seaweed sulfated polysaccharides have strong potential in anti-liver fibrosis. However, there is no investigation on the anti-liver fibrosis of fructan, a ubiquitous natural polysaccharide. The present study aimed to understand the effect of fructan in ameliorating carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver fibrosis in mice. Here, an inulin-like fructan ABWW from Achyranthes bidentata Bl. was characterized by fructose enzymatic hydrolysis, methylation analysis, ESI-MS, and NMR. It was composed of →2)-β-d-Fruf-(1→ and →2)-β-d-Fruf-(1, 6→, terminated with →1)-α-d-Glcp and →2)-β-d-Fruf residues. The biological studies showed that ABWW could improve liver damage and liver fibrosis induced by CCl4in vivo and inhibit hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation and migration in vitro. We further demonstrated that ABWW inhibited LX2 activation via suppressing the FAK/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Hence, ABWW might be a potential novel active compound for anti-fibrosis new drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolan Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhenyun Du
- Glycochemistry and Glycobiology Lab, Carbohydrate Drug Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Can Jin
- Glycochemistry and Glycobiology Lab, Carbohydrate Drug Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 563003, China
| | - Bixi Tang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xia Chen
- Glycochemistry and Glycobiology Lab, Carbohydrate Drug Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xiaoqi Jing
- Glycochemistry and Glycobiology Lab, Carbohydrate Drug Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yumei Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Fei He
- Glycochemistry and Glycobiology Lab, Carbohydrate Drug Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Shunchun Wang
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China.
| | - Jia Li
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China; ZhongShan Institute for Drug Discovery, Zhongshan Tsuihang New District, Guangdong 528400, China.
| | - Kan Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Glycochemistry and Glycobiology Lab, Carbohydrate Drug Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; ZhongShan Institute for Drug Discovery, Zhongshan Tsuihang New District, Guangdong 528400, China.
| | - Yi Zang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai 201203, China; School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China.
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109
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Chen L, Guo W, Mao C, Shen J, Wan M. Liver fibrosis: pathological features, clinical treatment and application of therapeutic nanoagents. J Mater Chem B 2024; 12:1446-1466. [PMID: 38265305 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb02790b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a reversible damage-repair response, the pathological features of which mainly include damage to hepatocytes, sinusoid capillarization, hepatic stellate cells activation, excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix and inflammatory response. Although some treatments (including drugs and stem cell therapy) for these pathological features have been shown to be effective, more clinical trials are needed to confirm their effectiveness. In recent years, nanomaterials-based therapies have emerged as an innovative and promising alternative to traditional drugs, being explored for the treatment of liver fibrosis diseases. Natural nanomaterials (including extracellular vesicles) and synthetic nanomaterials (including inorganic nanomaterials and organic nanomaterials) are developed to facilitate drug targeting delivery and combination therapy. In this review, the pathological features of liver fibrosis and the current anti-fibrosis drugs in clinical trials are briefly introduced, followed by a detailed introduction of the therapeutic nanoagents for the precise delivery of anti-fibrosis drugs. Finally, the future development trend in this field is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Chen
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Wenyan Guo
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Chun Mao
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Jian Shen
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Mimi Wan
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China.
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110
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Ahmadi Badi S, Bereimipour A, Rohani P, Khatami S, Siadat SD. Interplay between gut microbiota and the master iron regulator, hepcidin, in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis. Pathog Dis 2024; 82:ftae005. [PMID: 38555503 PMCID: PMC10990161 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftae005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION There is a proven role for hepcidin and the composition of gut microbiota and its derivatives in the pathophysiology of liver fibrosis. AREA COVERED This review focuses on the literature search regarding the effect of hepcidin and gut microbiota on regulating liver physiology. We presented the regulating mechanisms of hepcidin expression and discussed the possible interaction between gut microbiota and hepcidin regulation. Furthermore, we investigated the importance of the hepcidin gene in biological processes and bacterial interactions using bioinformatics analysis. EXPERT OPINION One of the main features of liver fibrosis is iron accumulation in hepatic cells, including hepatocytes. This accumulation can induce an oxidative stress response, inflammation, and activation of hepatic stellate cells. Hepcidin is a crucial regulator of iron by targeting ferroportin expressed on hepatocytes, macrophages, and enterocytes. Various stimuli, such as iron load and inflammatory signals, control hepcidin regulation. Furthermore, a bidirectional relationship exists between iron and the composition and metabolic activity of gut microbiota. We explored the potential of gut microbiota to influence hepcidin expression and potentially manage liver fibrosis, as the regulation of iron metabolism plays a crucial role in this context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Ahmadi Badi
- Biochemistry Department, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, 1963737611, Iran
- Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology Research Center, Pediatrics Center of Excellence, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, 1416753955, Iran
| | - Ahmad Bereimipour
- Department of Biological Sciences and BioDiscovery Institute, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, USA
| | - Pejman Rohani
- Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology Research Center, Pediatrics Center of Excellence, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, 1416753955, Iran
| | - Shohreh Khatami
- Biochemistry Department, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, 1963737611, Iran
| | - Seyed Davar Siadat
- Microbiology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, 1963737611, Iran
- Department of Mycobacteriology and Pulmonary Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran,1963737611, Iran
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111
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Inoue N, Morikawa S, Ogane T, Hiramatsu T, Murohara T. Clinical value of the fibrosis-4 index in predicting mortality in patients with right ventricular pacing. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0294221. [PMID: 38315703 PMCID: PMC10843135 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index has attracted attention as a predictive factor for cardiovascular events and mortality in patients with heart disease. However, its clinical value in patients with implanted pacemakers remains unclear. METHODS This study included patients who underwent pacemaker implantation. The FIB-4 index was calculated based on blood tests performed during the procedure. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality, and the secondary outcomes included cardiovascular death, non-cardiovascular death, and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE; composite of cardiovascular death, heart failure hospitalization, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and non-fatal stroke). The FIB-4 index was stratified into tertiles. Between-group comparisons were performed using log-rank tests and multivariate analysis using Cox proportional hazards. The predictive accuracy and cut-off value of the FIB-4 index were calculated from the receiver operating characteristic curve for all-cause mortality. Finally, based on the calculated cut-off values, the patients were divided into two groups for outcome validation and subgroup analysis. RESULTS This study included 201 participants, of whom 38 experienced death during the observation period (median: 1097 days). All-cause mortality, non-cardiovascular death, and MACE differed significantly between groups stratified by the FIB-4 index tertiles (log-rank test: P<0.001, P<0.001, and P = 0.045, respectively). Using Cox proportional hazards analysis, the unadjusted hazard ratio was 4.75 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.05-11.0, P<0.001) for Tertile 3 compared to Tertile 1. After adjustment for confounding factors, including sex, the presence or absence of left bundle branch block at baseline, QRS duration during pacing, and pacing rate at the last check, the hazard ratio was 4.79 (95% CI: 2.04-11.2, P<0.001). The cut-off value of the FIB-4 index was 3.75 (area under the curve: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.62-0.82). CONCLUSIONS In patients with pacemakers, the FIB-4 index may be a predictor of early all-cause mortality, with a cut-off value of 3.75.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoya Inoue
- Department of Cardiology, Chutoen General Medical Center, Kakegawa, Shizuoka, Japan
- Department of Cardiology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Shuji Morikawa
- Department of Cardiology, Chutoen General Medical Center, Kakegawa, Shizuoka, Japan
- Department of Cardiology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Takashi Ogane
- Department of Cardiology, Chutoen General Medical Center, Kakegawa, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Takehiro Hiramatsu
- Department of Cardiology, Chutoen General Medical Center, Kakegawa, Shizuoka, Japan
- Department of Cardiology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Toyoaki Murohara
- Department of Cardiology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
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Pydyn N, Ferenc A, Trzos K, Pospiech E, Wilamowski M, Mucha O, Major P, Kadluczka J, Rodrigues PM, Banales JM, Herranz JM, Avila MA, Hutsch T, Malczak P, Radkowiak D, Budzynski A, Jura J, Kotlinowski J. MCPIP1 Inhibits Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation in Autocrine and Paracrine Manners, Preventing Liver Fibrosis. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2024; 17:887-906. [PMID: 38311169 PMCID: PMC11026697 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2024.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Hepatic fibrosis is characterized by enhanced deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM), which results from the wound healing response to chronic, repeated injury of any etiology. Upon injury, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) activate and secrete ECM proteins, forming scar tissue, which leads to liver dysfunction. Monocyte-chemoattractant protein-induced protein 1 (MCPIP1) possesses anti-inflammatory activity, and its overexpression reduces liver injury in septic mice. In addition, mice with liver-specific deletion of Zc3h12a develop features of primary biliary cholangitis. In this study, we investigated the role of MCPIP1 in liver fibrosis and HSC activation. METHODS We analyzed MCPIP1 levels in patients' fibrotic livers and hepatic cells isolated from fibrotic murine livers. In vitro experiments were conducted on primary HSCs, cholangiocytes, hepatocytes, and LX-2 cells with MCPIP1 overexpression or silencing. RESULTS MCPIP1 levels are induced in patients' fibrotic livers compared with their nonfibrotic counterparts. Murine models of fibrosis revealed that its level is increased in HSCs and hepatocytes. Moreover, hepatocytes with Mcpip1 deletion trigger HSC activation via the release of connective tissue growth factor. Overexpression of MCPIP1 in LX-2 cells inhibits their activation through the regulation of TGFB1 expression, and this phenotype is reversed upon MCPIP1 silencing. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated that MCPIP1 is induced in human fibrotic livers and regulates the activation of HSCs in both autocrine and paracrine manners. Our results indicate that MCPIP1 could have a potential role in the development of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Pydyn
- Jagiellonian University, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Department of General Biochemistry, Krakow, Poland.
| | - Anna Ferenc
- Jagiellonian University, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Department of General Biochemistry, Krakow, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Trzos
- Jagiellonian University, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Department of General Biochemistry, Krakow, Poland; Jagiellonian University, Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Ewelina Pospiech
- Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Mateusz Wilamowski
- Jagiellonian University, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Department of General Biochemistry, Krakow, Poland
| | - Olga Mucha
- Jagiellonian University, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Department of General Biochemistry, Krakow, Poland
| | - Piotr Major
- Jagiellonian University Medical College, 2nd Department of General Surgery, Krakow, Poland
| | - Justyna Kadluczka
- Jagiellonian University, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Department of General Biochemistry, Krakow, Poland; Jagiellonian University, Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Pedro M Rodrigues
- Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Health Research Institute-Donostia University Hospital, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), San Sebastian, Spain; National Institute for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd, "Instituto de Salud Carlos III"), San Sebastian-Donostia, Spain; IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Jesus M Banales
- Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Health Research Institute-Donostia University Hospital, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), San Sebastian, Spain; National Institute for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd, "Instituto de Salud Carlos III"), San Sebastian-Donostia, Spain; IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain; Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, School of Sciences, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Jose M Herranz
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain; Hepatology Program, Liver Unit, Instituto de Investigación de Navarra (IdisNA), Clínica Universidad de Navarra and Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada (CIMA), Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Matias A Avila
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain; Hepatology Program, Liver Unit, Instituto de Investigación de Navarra (IdisNA), Clínica Universidad de Navarra and Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada (CIMA), Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Tomasz Hutsch
- Department of Pathology and Veterinary Diagnostics, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, Poland; Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory ALAB Bioscience, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Malczak
- Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Dorota Radkowiak
- Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Andrzej Budzynski
- Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Jolanta Jura
- Jagiellonian University, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Department of General Biochemistry, Krakow, Poland
| | - Jerzy Kotlinowski
- Jagiellonian University, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Department of General Biochemistry, Krakow, Poland.
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Halimani N, Nesterchuk M, Tsitrina AA, Sabirov M, Andreichenko IN, Dashenkova NO, Petrova E, Kulikov AM, Zatsepin TS, Romanov RA, Mikaelyan AS, Kotelevtsev YV. Knockdown of Hyaluronan synthase 2 suppresses liver fibrosis in mice via induction of transcriptomic changes similar to 4MU treatment. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2797. [PMID: 38307876 PMCID: PMC10837461 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53089-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatic fibrosis remains a significant clinical challenge due to ineffective treatments. 4-methylumbelliferone (4MU), a hyaluronic acid (HA) synthesis inhibitor, has proven safe in phase one clinical trials. In this study, we aimed to ameliorate liver fibrosis by inhibiting HA synthesis. We compared two groups of mice with CCl4-induced fibrosis, treated with 4-methylumbelliferone (4MU) and hyaluronan synthase 2 (HAS2) targeting siRNA (siHAS2). The administration of 4MU and siHAS2 significantly reduced collagen and HA deposition, as well as biochemical markers of hepatic damage induced by repeated CCl4 injections. The transcriptomic analysis revealed converging pathways associated with downstream HA signalling. 4MU- and siHAS2-treated fibrotic livers shared 405 upregulated and 628 downregulated genes. These genes were associated with xenobiotic and cholesterol metabolism, mitosis, endoplasmic reticulum stress, RNA processing, and myeloid cell migration. The functional annotation of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in siHAS2-treated mice revealed attenuation of extracellular matrix-associated pathways. In comparison, in the 4MU-treated group, DEGs were related to lipid and bile metabolism pathways and cell cycle. These findings confirm that HAS2 is an important pharmacological target for suppressing hepatic fibrosis using siRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noreen Halimani
- Vladimir Zelman Center for Neurobiology and Brain Rehabilitation and Center of Life Sciences, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, 143025, Russia.
| | - Mikhail Nesterchuk
- Vladimir Zelman Center for Neurobiology and Brain Rehabilitation and Center of Life Sciences, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, 143025, Russia
| | - Alexandra A Tsitrina
- IKI-Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology, Nem Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel
| | - Marat Sabirov
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, 26 Vavilov Street, Moscow, 119334, Russia
| | - Irina N Andreichenko
- AO Reproduction Head Centre of Agricultural Animals, Tsentralnaya Street, 3., Podolsk, Moscow Region, 142143, Russia
| | - Nataliya O Dashenkova
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, 26 Vavilov Street, Moscow, 119334, Russia
| | - Elizaveta Petrova
- Vladimir Zelman Center for Neurobiology and Brain Rehabilitation and Center of Life Sciences, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, 143025, Russia
| | - Alexey M Kulikov
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, 26 Vavilov Street, Moscow, 119334, Russia
| | - Timofei S Zatsepin
- Department of Chemistry, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Roman A Romanov
- Department of Molecular Neurosciences, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Arsen S Mikaelyan
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, 26 Vavilov Street, Moscow, 119334, Russia
| | - Yuri V Kotelevtsev
- Vladimir Zelman Center for Neurobiology and Brain Rehabilitation and Center of Life Sciences, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, 143025, Russia
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Ye L, Ziesch A, Schneider JS, Ofner A, Nieß H, Denk G, Hohenester S, Mayr D, Mahajan UM, Munker S, Khaled NB, Wimmer R, Gerbes AL, Mayerle J, He Y, Geier A, Toni END, Zhang C, Reiter FP. The inhibition of YAP Signaling Prevents Chronic Biliary Fibrosis in the Abcb4 -/- Model by Modulation of Hepatic Stellate Cell and Bile Duct Epithelium Cell Pathophysiology. Aging Dis 2024; 15:338-356. [PMID: 37307826 PMCID: PMC10796084 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2023.0602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) represents a chronic liver disease characterized by poor prognosis and lacking causal treatment options. Yes-associated protein (YAP) functions as a critical mediator of fibrogenesis; however, its therapeutic potential in chronic biliary diseases such as PSC remains unestablished. The objective of this study is to elucidate the possible significance of YAP inhibition in biliary fibrosis by examining the pathophysiology of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and biliary epithelial cells (BEC). Human liver tissue samples from PSC patients were analyzed to assess the expression of YAP/connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) relative to non-fibrotic control samples. The pathophysiological relevance of YAP/CTGF in HSC and BEC was investigated in primary human HSC (phHSC), LX-2, H69, and TFK-1 cell lines through siRNA or pharmacological inhibition utilizing verteporfin (VP) and metformin (MF). The Abcb4-/- mouse model was employed to evaluate the protective effects of pharmacological YAP inhibition. Hanging droplet and 3D matrigel culture techniques were utilized to investigate YAP expression and activation status of phHSC under various physical conditions. YAP/CTGF upregulation was observed in PSC patients. Silencing YAP/CTGF led to inhibition of phHSC activation and reduced contractility of LX-2 cells, as well as suppression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in H69 cells and proliferation of TFK-1 cells. Pharmacological inhibition of YAP mitigated chronic liver fibrosis in vivo and diminished ductular reaction and EMT. YAP expression in phHSC was effectively modulated by altering extracellular stiffness, highlighting YAP's role as a mechanotransducer. In conclusion, YAP regulates the activation of HSC and EMT in BEC, thereby functioning as a checkpoint of fibrogenesis in chronic cholestasis. Both VP and MF demonstrate effectiveness as YAP inhibitors, capable of inhibiting biliary fibrosis. These findings suggest that VP and MF warrant further investigation as potential therapeutic options for the treatment of PSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liangtao Ye
- Digestive Diseases Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China.
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany.
| | - Andreas Ziesch
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany.
| | | | - Andrea Ofner
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany.
| | - Hanno Nieß
- Biobank of the Department of General, Visceral and Transplantion Surgery, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany.
| | - Gerald Denk
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany.
| | - Simon Hohenester
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany.
| | - Doris Mayr
- Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Germany.
| | - Ujjwal M. Mahajan
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany.
| | - Stefan Munker
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany.
| | - Najib Ben Khaled
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany.
| | - Ralf Wimmer
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany.
| | | | - Julia Mayerle
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany.
| | - Yulong He
- Digestive Diseases Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Andreas Geier
- Division of Hepatology, Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
| | - Enrico N. De Toni
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany.
| | - Changhua Zhang
- Digestive Diseases Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Florian P. Reiter
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany.
- Division of Hepatology, Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
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Seino K, Nakano T, Tanaka T, Hozumi Y, Topham MK, Goto K, Iseki K. Ablation of DGKα facilitates α-smooth muscle actin expression via the Smad and PKCδ signaling pathways during the acute phase of CCl 4 -induced hepatic injury. FEBS Open Bio 2024; 14:300-308. [PMID: 38105414 PMCID: PMC10839370 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Expression of α-smooth muscle actin (αSMA) is constitutive in vascular smooth muscle cells, but is induced in nonmuscle cells such as hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). HSCs play important roles in both physiological homeostasis and pathological response. HSC activation is characterized by αSMA expression, which is regulated by the TGFβ-induced Smad pathway. Recently, protein kinase C (PKC) was identified to regulate αSMA expression. Diacylglycerol kinase (DGK) metabolizes a second-messenger DG, thereby controlling components of DG-mediated signaling, such as PKC. In the present study we aimed to investigate the putative role of DGKα in αSMA expression. Use of a cellular model indicated that the DGK inhibitor R59949 promotes αSMA expression and PKCδ phosphorylation. It also facilitates Smad2 phosphorylation after 30 min of TGFβ stimulation. Furthermore, immunocytochemical analysis revealed that DGK inhibitor pretreatment without TGFβ stimulation engenders αSMA expression in a granular pattern, whereas DGK inhibitor pretreatment plus TGFβ stimulation significantly induces αSMA incorporation in stress fibers. Through animal model experiments, we observed that DGKα-knockout mice exhibit increased expression of αSMA in the liver after 48 h of carbon tetrachloride injection, together with enhanced phosphorylation levels of Smad2 and PKCδ. Together, these findings suggest that DGKα negatively regulates αSMA expression by acting on the Smad and PKCδ signaling pathways, which differentially regulate stress fiber incorporation and protein expression of αSMA, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keiko Seino
- Department of Anatomy and Cell BiologyYamagata University School of MedicineJapan
| | - Tomoyuki Nakano
- Department of Anatomy and Cell BiologyYamagata University School of MedicineJapan
| | - Toshiaki Tanaka
- Department of Anatomy and Cell BiologyYamagata University School of MedicineJapan
| | - Yasukazu Hozumi
- Department of Cell Biology and MorphologyAkita University Graduate School of MedicineJapan
| | | | - Kaoru Goto
- Department of Anatomy and Cell BiologyYamagata University School of MedicineJapan
| | - Ken Iseki
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, School of MedicineFukushima Medical UniversityFukushimaJapan
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Ding FF, Li M, Wang T, Zhou NN, Qiao F, Du ZY, Zhang ML. Influence of dietary sodium taurocholate on the growth performance and liver health of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2024; 50:319-330. [PMID: 36044098 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-022-01116-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Bile acids (BAs) are a class of cholesterol-derived amphipathic molecules approved as new animal feed additives. However, the functional researches mainly focused on BAs mixture, and the influence of the individual BA on fishes was still limited. In the present study, Nile tilapia were fed basal diet with three levels of sodium taurocholate at 0 mg/kg (CON), 300 mg/kg (TCAL), and 600 mg/kg (TCAH) for 8 weeks. The results indicated that addition of sodium taurocholate did not significantly influence the growth performance. Instead, TCAH group had higher cholesterol accumulation with liver fibrosis. In TCAH group, the level of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (nrf2) signaling-associated oxidative stress factors significantly increased in the liver. Additionally, fish in TCAH group had the highest expression level of genes encoding endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and inflammatory cytokines in the liver. In conclusion, 300 mg/kg of sodium taurocholate did not significantly influence the growth performance of fish, while 600 mg/kg of sodium taurocholate markedly induced cholesterol accumulation and liver injury, suggesting that the application of taurocholic acid in aquafeed should be re-evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei-Fei Ding
- LANEH, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Miao Li
- LANEH, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tong Wang
- LANEH, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Nan-Nan Zhou
- LANEH, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fang Qiao
- LANEH, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhen-Yu Du
- LANEH, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mei-Ling Zhang
- LANEH, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
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Hao Y, Feng D, Ye H, Liao W. Nobiletin Alleviated Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Hepatocytes in Liver Fibrosis Based on Autophagy-Hippo/YAP Pathway. Mol Nutr Food Res 2024; 68:e2300529. [PMID: 38044268 DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.202300529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
SCOPE The current researches indicated that the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of hepatocytes plays a crucial role in the development of liver fibrosis. To date, there is a paucity of literature regarding the impact of nobiletin (NOB) on liver fibrosis. This study investigates the inhibitory effect of NOB on EMT in hepatocytes during the progression of liver fibrosis and its underlying mechanism. METHODS AND RESULTS The findings demonstrated that NOB significantly suppresses liver fibrosis in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4 )-induced mice by reducing inflammation and fiber deposition in the liver. Moreover, NOB mitigates EMT in hepatocytes, concurrently alleviating inflammatory status and reducing the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. The comprehensive investigation reveals that the hepatoprotective effect of NOB in liver fibrosis is attributed to autophagy activation, as evidenced by a significant increase in LC3 II expression and p62 degradation upon NOB treatment. Additionally, NOB activates the Hippo/YAP pathway by downregulating YAP and its downstream targets in liver fibrosis, which is regulated by autophagy based on experiments with chloroquine (CQ), 3-methyladenine (3-MA), and siYAP intervention. CONCLUSION Therefore, this study provides evidences that NOB can protect hepatocytes from undergoing EMT during liver fibrosis by inducing autophagy and subsequently modulating the Hippo/YAP pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Hao
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Dongliang Feng
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Huarui Ye
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Wenzhen Liao
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
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Chen W, Lin F, Feng X, Yao Q, Yu Y, Gao F, Zhou J, Pan Q, Wu J, Yang J, Yu J, Cao H, Li L. MSC-derived exosomes attenuate hepatic fibrosis in primary sclerosing cholangitis through inhibition of Th17 differentiation. Asian J Pharm Sci 2024; 19:100889. [PMID: 38419761 PMCID: PMC10900800 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajps.2024.100889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is an autoimmune cholangiopathy characterized by chronic inflammation of the biliary epithelium and periductal fibrosis, with no curative treatment available, and liver transplantation is inevitable for end-stage patients. Human placental mesenchymal stem cell (hpMSC)-derived exosomes have demonstrated the ability to prevent fibrosis, inhibit collagen production and possess immunomodulatory properties in autoimmune liver disease. Here, we prepared hpMSC-derived exosomes (ExoMSC) and further investigated the anti-fibrotic effects and detailed mechanism on PSC based on Mdr2-/- mice and multicellular organoids established from PSC patients. The results showed that ExoMSC ameliorated liver fibrosis in Mdr2-/- mice with significant collagen reduction in the preductal area where Th17 differentiation was inhibited as demonstrated by RNAseq analysis, and the percentage of CD4+IL-17A+T cells was reduced both in ExoMSC-treated Mdr2-/- mice (Mdr2-/--Exo) in vivo and ExoMSC-treated Th17 differentiation progressed in vitro. Furthermore, ExoMSC improved the hypersecretory phenotype and intercellular interactions in the hepatic Th17 microenvironment by regulating PERK/CHOP signaling as supported by multicellular organoids. Thus, our data demonstrate the anti-fibrosis effect of ExoMSC in PSC disease by inhibiting Th17 differentiation, and ameliorating the Th17-induced microenvironment, indicating the promising potential therapeutic role of ExoMSC in liver fibrosis of PSC or Th17-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyi Chen
- State Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Feiyan Lin
- State Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Xudong Feng
- State Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Qigu Yao
- State Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Yingduo Yu
- State Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Feiqiong Gao
- State Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Jiahang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Qiaoling Pan
- State Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Jian Wu
- State Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Jinfeng Yang
- State Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Jiong Yu
- State Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Hongcui Cao
- State Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
- Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Aging and Physic-chemical Injury Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Lanjuan Li
- State Key Laboratory for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan 250117, China
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Hu Y, Lang Z, Li X, Lin L, Li Y, Zhang R, Zheng J, Yu Z. Ginsenoside Rg3 promotes hepatic stellate cell ferroptosis by epigenetically regulating ACSL4 to suppress liver fibrosis progression. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 124:155289. [PMID: 38176269 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.155289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ginsenoside Rg3 (G-Rg3), extracted from Panax notoginseng, possesses hepatoprotective properties. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) activation is responsible for liver fibrosis. Recent studies have reported the suppressive effects of G-Rg3 on HSC activation and proliferation. Ferroptosis is a novel iron regulated cell death. ACSL4, a key indicator of ferroptosis, is commonly methylated in various diseases. PURPOSE However, the role of ACSL4 methylation-mediated HSC ferroptosis in G-Rg3 inhibition of hepatic fibrosis needs to be explored. METHODS Effects of G-Rg3 on inhibiting fibrosis were evaluated in vivo and in vitro. The impact of G-Rg3 on HSC ferroptosis was assessed in vitro. Furthermore, the expression of ACSL4, ACSL4 methylation and microRNA-6945-3p (miR-6945-3p) levels were determined. RESULTS G-Rg3 significantly alleviated CCl4-induced liver fibrosis, accompanied by collagen downregulation. In vitro, G-Rg3 contributed to HSC inactivation, leading to decreased collagen production. G-Rg3 induced HSC ferroptosis, characterized by increased iron accumulation, depletion of glutathione, malondialdehyde levels, and generation of lipid reactive oxygen species. Moreover, G-Rg3 promoted ACSL4 demethylation and restored its expression. Notably, DNMT3B counteracted the effect of G-Rg3-mediated inhibition of ACSL4 methylation and was targeted by miR-6945-3p. Further investigations revealed that G-Rg3 suppressed ACSL4 methylation through miR-6945-3p-mediated DNMT3B inhibition. Consistent with this, miR-6945-3p inhibition reversed G-Rg3-induced ACSL4 expression and HSC ferroptosis. CONCLUSION G-Rg3 inhibits ACSL4 methylation by miR-6945-3p-mediated DNMT3B inhibition, thereby promoting HSC ferroptosis and mitigating liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhang Hu
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, No.2 Fuxue Lane, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang, PR China; Cixi Biomedical Research Institute, Wenzhou Medical University, Ningbo 315300, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Zhichao Lang
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, No.2 Fuxue Lane, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Xinmiao Li
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, No.2 Fuxue Lane, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Lifan Lin
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, No.2 Fuxue Lane, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Yifei Li
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, No.2 Fuxue Lane, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Rongrong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, No.2 Fuxue Lane, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Jianjian Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, No.2 Fuxue Lane, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang, PR China.
| | - Zhengping Yu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, No.2 Fuxue Lane, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang, PR China.
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Zhu L, Gou W, Ou L, Liu B, Liu M, Feng H. Role and new insights of microfibrillar-associated protein 4 in fibrotic diseases. APMIS 2024; 132:55-67. [PMID: 37957836 DOI: 10.1111/apm.13358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Fibrosis is one of the most worrisome complications of chronic inflammatory diseases, leading to tissue damage, organ failure, and ultimately, death. The most notable pathological characteristic of fibrosis is the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) components such as collagen and fibronectin adjacent to foci of inflammation or damage. The human microfibrillar-associated protein 4 (MFAP4), an important member of the superfamily of fibrinogen-related proteins, is considered to have an extremely important role in ECM transformation of fibrogenesis. This review summarizes the structure, characteristics, and physiological functions of MFAP4 and the importance of MFAP4 in various fibrotic diseases. Meanwhile, we elaborated the underlying actions and mechanisms of MFAP4 in the development of fibrosis, suggesting that a better understand of MFAP4 broadens novel perspective for early screening, diagnosis, prognostic risk assessment, and treatment of fibrotic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Zhu
- Hunan Clinical Research Center of Oral Major Diseases and Oral Health, Changsha, China
- Xiangya Stomatological Hospital, Changsha, China
- Xiangya School of Stomatology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Wenqun Gou
- Hunan Clinical Research Center of Oral Major Diseases and Oral Health, Changsha, China
- Xiangya Stomatological Hospital, Changsha, China
- Xiangya School of Stomatology, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Changsha Stomatological Hospital, Changsha, China
| | - Lijia Ou
- Hunan Clinical Research Center of Oral Major Diseases and Oral Health, Changsha, China
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Binjie Liu
- Hunan Clinical Research Center of Oral Major Diseases and Oral Health, Changsha, China
- Xiangya Stomatological Hospital, Changsha, China
- Xiangya School of Stomatology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Manyi Liu
- Xiangya Stomatological Hospital, Changsha, China
- Xiangya School of Stomatology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Hui Feng
- Hunan Clinical Research Center of Oral Major Diseases and Oral Health, Changsha, China
- Xiangya Stomatological Hospital, Changsha, China
- Xiangya School of Stomatology, Central South University, Changsha, China
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Wang X, Zhang W, Zeng S, Wang L, Wang B. Collagenase Type I and Probucol-Loaded Nanoparticles Penetrate the Extracellular Matrix to Target Hepatic Stellate Cells for Hepatic Fibrosis Therapy. Acta Biomater 2024; 175:262-278. [PMID: 38141933 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.12.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
Hepatic fibrosis is a common pathological process in chronic liver diseases, characterized by excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS), activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), and massive synthesis of extracellular matrix (ECM), which are important factors in the development of liver cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer. During the development of hepatic fibrosis, ECM collagen produced by activated HSCs significantly hinders medication delivery to targeted cells and reduces the efficiency of pharmacological therapy. In this study, we designed a multifunctional hyaluronic acid polymeric nanoparticle (HA@PRB/COL NPs) based on autophagy inhibitor probucol (PRB) and collagenase type I (COL) modification, which could enhance ECM degradation and accurately target HSCs through specificity binding CD44 receptor in hepatic fibrosis therapy. Upon encountering excessive collagen I-deposition formed barrier, HA@PRB/COL NPs performed the nanodrill-like function to effectively degrade pericellular collagen I, leading to greater ECM penetration and prominent HSCs internalization capacity of delivered PRB. In mouse hepatic fibrosis model, HA@PRB/COL NPs were efficiently delivered to HSCs through binding CD44 receptor to achieve efficient accumulation in fibrotic liver. Further, we showed that HA@PRB/COL NPs executed the optimal anti-fibrotic activity by inhibiting autophagy and activation of HSCs. In conclusion, our novel dual-functional co-delivery system with degrading fibrotic ECM collagen and targeting activated HSCs exhibits great potentials in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis in clinic. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The excess release of extracellular matrix (ECM) such as collagen in hepatic fibrosis hinders medication delivery and decreases the efficiency of pharmacological drugs. We aimed to develop a nano-delivery carrier system with protein hydrolyzed surfaces and further encapsulated an autophagy inhibitor (PRB) to enhance fibrosis-related ECM degradation-penetration and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) targeting in hepatic fibrosis niche (HA@PRB/COL NPs). The COL of HA@PRB/COL NPs successfully worked as a scavenger to promote the digestion of the ECM collagen I barrier for deeper penetration into fibroid liver tissue. It also accurately targeted HSCs through specifically binding to the CD44 receptor and subsequently released PRB to inhibit autolysosome and ROS generation, thus preventing HSCs activation. Our HA@PRB/COL NPs system provided a promising therapeutic strategy for hepatic fibrosis in a clinic setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowei Wang
- Department of Biobank, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wenjun Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Sheng Zeng
- Clinical Stem Cell Center, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Liudi Wang
- Clinical Stem Cell Center, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Bin Wang
- Clinical Stem Cell Center, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
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Chen H, Jin C, Xie L, Wu J. Succinate as a signaling molecule in the mediation of liver diseases. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:166935. [PMID: 37976628 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2023.166935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Succinate, one of the intermediates of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, plays an essential role in the metabolism of mitochondria and the production of energy, and is considered as a signaling molecule in metabolism as well as in initiation and progression of hepatic diseases. Of note, succinate activates a downstream signaling pathway through GPR91, and elicits a variety of intracellular responses, such as succinylation, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), stabilization of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), and significant impact in cellular metabolism because of the pivotal role in the TCA cycle. Therefore, it is intriguing to deeply elucidate signaling mechanisms of succinate in hepatic fibrosis, metabolic reprogramming in inflammatory or immune responses, as well as carcinogenesis. This manuscript intends to review current understanding of succinate in mediating metabolism, inflammatory and immunologic reactions in liver diseases in order to establish molecular basis for the development of therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Chen
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Parasitology, MOE/NHC/CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Cheng Jin
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Parasitology, MOE/NHC/CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai 200032, China; College of Clinical College, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Li Xie
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Parasitology, MOE/NHC/CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jian Wu
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Parasitology, MOE/NHC/CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Shanghai Institute of Liver Diseases, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai 200032, China.
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Hosseinzadeh A, Pourhanifeh MH, Amiri S, Sheibani M, Irilouzadian R, Reiter RJ, Mehrzadi S. Therapeutic potential of melatonin in targeting molecular pathways of organ fibrosis. Pharmacol Rep 2024; 76:25-50. [PMID: 37995089 DOI: 10.1007/s43440-023-00554-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Revised: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Fibrosis, the excessive deposition of fibrous connective tissue in an organ in response to injury, is a pathological condition affecting many individuals worldwide. Fibrosis causes the failure of tissue function and is largely irreversible as the disease progresses. Pharmacologic treatment options for organ fibrosis are limited, but studies suggest that antioxidants, particularly melatonin, can aid in preventing and controlling fibrotic damage to the organs. Melatonin, an indole nocturnally released from the pineal gland, is commonly used to regulate circadian and seasonal biological rhythms and is indicated for treating sleep disorders. While it is often effective in treating sleep disorders, melatonin's anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties also make it a promising molecule for treating other disorders such as organ fibrosis. Melatonin ameliorates the necrotic and apoptotic changes that lead to fibrosis in various organs including the heart, liver, lung, and kidney. Moreover, melatonin reduces the infiltration of inflammatory cells during fibrosis development. This article outlines the protective effects of melatonin against fibrosis, including its safety and potential therapeutic effects. The goal of this article is to provide a summary of data accumulated to date and to encourage further experimentation with melatonin and increase its use as an anti-fibrotic agent in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azam Hosseinzadeh
- Razi Drug Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hossein Pourhanifeh
- Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Institute for Basic Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| | - Shiva Amiri
- Pharmaceutics Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Mohammad Sheibani
- Razi Drug Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Rana Irilouzadian
- Clinical Research Development Unit of Shohada-e Tajrish Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Russel J Reiter
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Saeed Mehrzadi
- Razi Drug Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Ren H, Yang D, Xu H, Tong X, Zhao X, Wang Q, Sun Y, Ou X, Jia J, You H, Wang Z, Yang Z. The staging of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease fibrosis: A comparative study of MR elastography and the quantitative DCE-MRI exchange model. Heliyon 2024; 10:e24558. [PMID: 38312594 PMCID: PMC10835329 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Objectives To evaluate the efficacy and image processing time of the dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) exchange model in liver fibrosis staging and compare it to the efficacy of magnetic resonance elastography (MRE). Methods The subjects were 45 patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) who underwent MRE and DCE-MRI in our hospital. Liver biopsy results were available for all patients. Spearman rank correlation coefficients were used to compare the correlations among MRE, DCE-MRI and liver fibrosis parameters. Quantitative DCE-MRI parameters, MRE-derived liver stiffness measurement (LSM), and the results of a combined DCE-MRI + MRE logistic regression model were compared in terms of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). We also compared the scanning and postprocessing times of the MRE and DCE-MRI techniques. Results The correlation coefficients between the following parameters of interest and liver fibrosis were as follows: capillary permeability-surface area product (PS; DCE-MRI parameter), -0.761; portal blood flow (Fp; DCE-MRI parameter), -0.754; MRE-LSM, 0.835. Some DCE-MRI parameters (PS, Fp) had slightly greater AUC values than MRE-LSM for diagnosing the presence or absence of liver fibrosis, and the combined model had the highest AUC value for all stages except F4, but there was no significant difference in the diagnostic efficacy of the DCE-MRI, MRE, and combined models for any stage of fibrosis. The average scanning times for MRE and DCE-MRI were 17 s and 330 s, respectively, and the average postprocessing times were 45.5 s and 342.7 s, respectively. Conclusions In the absence of MRE equipment, DCE-MRI represents an alternative technique. However, MRE is a quicker and simpler method for assessing fibrosis than DCE-MRI in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Ren
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Yongan Road 95, West District, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Dawei Yang
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Yongan Road 95, West District, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Hui Xu
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Yongan Road 95, West District, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Xiaofei Tong
- Liver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 95 Yongan Road, West District, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Xinyan Zhao
- Liver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 95 Yongan Road, West District, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Qianyi Wang
- Liver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 95 Yongan Road, West District, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Yameng Sun
- Liver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 95 Yongan Road, West District, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Xiaojuan Ou
- Liver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 95 Yongan Road, West District, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Jidong Jia
- Liver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 95 Yongan Road, West District, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Hong You
- Liver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 95 Yongan Road, West District, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Zhenchang Wang
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Yongan Road 95, West District, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Zhenghan Yang
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Yongan Road 95, West District, Beijing, 100050, China
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Xie G, Xiao H, Liu Q, Chen T, Chen F, Zhou K, Wang X, Liu P, Jia Z, Chen L, Deng X, Meng F, Zhang Z, Chi X, Jia W. LiveBoost: A GB-based prediction system for liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B patients in China - A multi-center retrospective study. Heliyon 2024; 10:e24161. [PMID: 38293489 PMCID: PMC10825336 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of LiveBoost™, a gradient boosting (GB)-based prediction system based on standard biochemical values (AST, ALT, platelet count) and age, in Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and compare its performance with FIB-4 (fibrosis-4 score) and APRI (the aspartate transaminase to platelet ratio index). Methods This retrospective trial enrolled 454 participants, including 279 CHB patients who underwent liver biopsy and 175 normal controls from 3 centers in China. All participants underwent laboratory blood testing. LiveBoost was constructed using GB and FIB-4 and APRI were calculated from laboratory data. Results LiveBoost outperformed APRI and FIB-4 in predicting hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis. The GB model had an AUROC of 0.977 for CHB diagnosis, 0.804 for early and advanced fibrosis, and 0.836 for non-cirrhosis and cirrhosis, compared to AUROC of 0.554, 0.673 and 0.720 for FIB-4, AUROC of 0.977, 0.652 and 0.654 for APRI. Conclusions LiveBoost is a more reliable and cost-effective method than APRI and FIB-4 for assessing liver fibrosis in Chinese patients with CHB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoxiang Xie
- Human Metabolomics Institute Inc., Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Huanming Xiao
- Hepatology Department, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Quan Liu
- Human Metabolomics Institute Inc., Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Tianlu Chen
- Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Fengyan Chen
- Human Metabolomics Institute Inc., Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Kejun Zhou
- Human Metabolomics Institute Inc., Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaoning Wang
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Key Laboratory of Liver and Kidney Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital, Department of Pharmacology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ping Liu
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Key Laboratory of Liver and Kidney Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital, Department of Pharmacology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhifeng Jia
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Lei Chen
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xin Deng
- Hepatology Department, The Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Fankun Meng
- Ultrasound and Functional Diagnosis Center, Beijing Youan Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenhua Zhang
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Institute of Clinical Virology, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Xiaoling Chi
- Hepatology Department, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Wei Jia
- Human Metabolomics Institute Inc., Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
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126
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Tanaka Y. Metabolomics in liver diseases: A novel alternative for liver biopsy? World J Hepatol 2024; 16:12-16. [PMID: 38313246 PMCID: PMC10835480 DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v16.i1.12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a significant public health problem as it can cause acute and chronic hepatitis. Chronic HCV infection is a major cause of liver fibrosis, and evaluation of liver fibrosis is essential because the prognosis of patients with chronic HCV infection is closely related to the stage of fibrosis. Liver fibrosis is traditionally evaluated based on pathological analysis of biopsy specimens, which is considered the gold standard. Nevertheless, liver biopsy is invasive and susceptible to sampling error and inter- and intraobserver variation in pathological interpretation; it is also costly. Therefore, noninvasive diagnostic investigations have been developed, including the use of fibrotic markers, scoring systems based on routine blood tests, and transient elastography with magnetic resonance imaging or ultrasonography. Recently, metabolomics, an emerging technology, has been used to detect the fibrosis stage. In this editorial, I comment on the article titled "Metabolomics in chronic hepatitis C: Decoding fibrosis grading and underlying pathways" by Ferrasi et al published in the recent issue of the World Journal of Hepatology. I discuss previous studies on the use of metabolome analysis for the diagnosis of HCV-related liver fibrosis and the potential development of biopsy-free diagnostic techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuo Tanaka
- Department of Gastroenterology, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo 162-8655, Japan.
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127
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Choi HJ, Kim YA, Ryu J, Park KK, Lee SJ, Kim BS, Song JE, Kim JD. STAT3 Decoy Oligodeoxynucleotides Suppress Liver Inflammation and Fibrosis in Liver Cancer Cells and a DDC-Induced Liver Injury Mouse Model. Molecules 2024; 29:593. [PMID: 38338338 PMCID: PMC10856653 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29030593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Liver damage caused by various factors results in fibrosis and inflammation, leading to cirrhosis and cancer. Fibrosis results in the accumulation of extracellular matrix components. The role of STAT proteins in mediating liver inflammation and fibrosis has been well documented; however, approved therapies targeting STAT3 inhibition against liver disease are lacking. This study investigated the anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory effects of STAT3 decoy oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) in hepatocytes and liver fibrosis mouse models. STAT3 decoy ODN were delivered into cells using liposomes and hydrodynamic tail vein injection into 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC)-fed mice in which liver injury was induced. STAT3 target gene expression changes were verified using qPCR and Western blotting. Liver tissue fibrosis and bile duct proliferation were assessed in animal experiments using staining techniques, and macrophage and inflammatory cytokine distribution was verified using immunohistochemistry. STAT3 decoy ODN reduced fibrosis and inflammatory factors in liver cancer cell lines and DDC-induced liver injury mouse model. These results suggest that STAT3 decoy ODN may effectively treat liver fibrosis and must be clinically investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye Jin Choi
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Daegu Catholic University, Daegu 42472, Republic of Korea;
| | - Young-Ah Kim
- Seoul Clinical Laboratories of Daegu, Daegu 41238, Republic of Korea
| | - Junghwa Ryu
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Daegu Catholic University, Daegu 42472, Republic of Korea;
| | - Kwan-Kyu Park
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Daegu Catholic University, Daegu 42472, Republic of Korea; (K.-K.P.)
| | - Sun-Jae Lee
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Daegu Catholic University, Daegu 42472, Republic of Korea; (K.-K.P.)
| | - Byung Seok Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Daegu Catholic University, Daegu 42472, Republic of Korea; (B.S.K.)
| | - Jeong-En Song
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Daegu Catholic University, Daegu 42472, Republic of Korea; (B.S.K.)
| | - Joo Dong Kim
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Daegu Catholic University, Daegu 42472, Republic of Korea;
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128
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Yao S, Li W, Cai C, Wang C, Kang J, Hu H, Wu P, Cao X, Ye Y. Comparative Study on the Effects of Four Plant Protein Sources on the Liver and Intestinal Health of Largemouth Bass, Micropterus salmoides. AQUACULTURE NUTRITION 2024; 2024:6337005. [PMID: 38298207 PMCID: PMC10830314 DOI: 10.1155/2024/6337005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
The effects of plant protein sources (PPSs) on the health of the liver and intestine of the largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, were compared to verify the potential damaging effects of dietary fiber (DF). A diet containing 55% fish meal (FM) was used as the control. The test diets contained 25% soybean meal (SBM), rapeseed meal (RSM), cottonseed meal, or peanut meal, and the FM content was decreased to 30%. The protein and lipid contents of these five diets were balanced by casein and oil. Fish were raised for 8 weeks. The fish fed the diet containing PPS showed a trend of decreasing growth and apparent digestibility coefficients. The contents of total bile acid, lipid, and collagen in the liver were increased, and the mRNA expression levels of genes encoding inflammatory factors and enzymes involved in de novo fatty acid synthesis and bile acid synthesis were upregulated. Both the lipid and collagen contents in the liver were positively correlated with the DF content in the diet significantly. Morphology and histology showed reduced liver size, hepatic steatosis, and fibrosis in fish fed diets containing PPS. The lowest hepatosomatic index was observed in fish fed the SBM diet, and the most severe damage was observed in fish fed the RSM diet. No obvious histological abnormalities were observed in the hindgut. The bile acid profile in the liver could be used to distinguish the types of PPS very well by Fisher discriminant analysis. These results indicated that 25% of each of the four PPSs in the diet exceeded the tolerance range of largemouth bass and caused liver damage, which might be mediated by bile acid. DF in PPS might be an important agent contributing to liver damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shibin Yao
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Nutrition of Jiangsu, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Wenjian Li
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Nutrition of Jiangsu, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Chunfang Cai
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Nutrition of Jiangsu, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Chengrui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Nutrition of Jiangsu, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Jia Kang
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Nutrition of Jiangsu, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Honglin Hu
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Nutrition of Jiangsu, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Ping Wu
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Nutrition of Jiangsu, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Xiamin Cao
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Nutrition of Jiangsu, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Yuantu Ye
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Nutrition of Jiangsu, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
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Xia Y, Wang Y, Xiong Q, He J, Wang H, Islam M, Zhou X, Kim A, Zhang H, Huang H, Tsung A. Neutrophil extracellular traps promote MASH fibrosis by metabolic reprogramming of HSC. Hepatology 2024:01515467-990000000-00728. [PMID: 38266270 DOI: 10.1097/hep.0000000000000762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) fibrosis is a reversible stage of liver disease accompanied by inflammatory cell infiltration. Neutrophils extrude a meshwork of chromatin fibers to establish neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which play important roles in inflammatory response regulation. Our previous work demonstrated that NETs promote HCC in MASH. However, it is still unknown if NETs play a role in the molecular mechanisms of liver fibrosis. APPROACH AND RESULTS Following 12 weeks of Western diet/carbon tetrachloride, MASH fibrosis was identified in C57BL/6 mice with increased NET formation. However, NET depletion using DNase I treatment or mice knocked out for peptidyl arginine deaminase type IV significantly attenuated the development of MASH fibrosis. NETs were demonstrated to induce HSCs activation, proliferation, and migration through augmented mitochondrial and aerobic glycolysis to provide additional bioenergetic and biosynthetic supplies. Metabolomic analysis revealed markedly an altered metabolic profile upon NET stimulation of HSCs that were dependent on arachidonic acid metabolism. Mechanistically, NET stimulation of toll-like receptor 3 induced cyclooxygenase-2 activation and prostaglandin E2 production with subsequent HSC activation and liver fibrosis. Inhibiting cyclooxygenase-2 with celecoxib reduced fibrosis in our MASH model. CONCLUSIONS Our findings implicate NETs playing a critical role in the development of MASH hepatic fibrosis by inducing metabolic reprogramming of HSCs through the toll-like receptor 3/cyclooxygenase-2/cyclooxygenase-2 pathway. Therefore, NET inhibition may represent an attractive treatment target for MASH liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujia Xia
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Institute of Pathology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Qi Xiong
- Institute of Pathology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jiayi He
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Han Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Mozaffarul Islam
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Xinyu Zhou
- Department of Surgery, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Alex Kim
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Hongji Zhang
- Department of Surgery, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Hai Huang
- Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, New York, USA
| | - Allan Tsung
- Department of Surgery, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
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130
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Huang X, Zhang L, Luo W, Zeng Y, Li X, Yang N, Huang W, Ding BS. Endothelial anthrax toxin receptor 2 plays a protective role in liver fibrosis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 11:1278968. [PMID: 38322497 PMCID: PMC10844529 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1278968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the leading cancers worldwide and is a potential consequence of fibrosis. Therefore, the identification of key cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in liver fibrosis is an important goal for the development of new strategies to control liver-related diseases. Here, single-cell RNA sequencing data (GSE136103 and GES181483) of clinical liver non-parenchymal cells were analyzed to identify cellular and molecular mechanisms of liver fibrosis. The proportion of endothelial subpopulations in cirrhotic livers was significantly higher than that in healthy livers. Gene ontology and gene set enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes in the endothelial subgroups revealed that extracellular matrix (ECM)-related pathways were significantly enriched. Since anthrax toxin receptor 2 (ANTXR2) interacts with the ECM, the expression of ANTXR2 in the liver endothelium was analyzed. ANTXR2 expression in the liver endothelium of wild-type (WT) mice significantly decreased after a 4-time sequential injection of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) to induce liver fibrosis. Next, conditional knockout mice selectively lacking Antxr2 in endothelial cells were generated. After endothelial-specific Antxr2 knockout mice were subjected to the CCl4 model, the degree of liver fibrosis in the knockout group was significantly more severe than that in the control group. In addition, ANTXR2 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells promoted matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) activation to degrade the ECM in vitro. Finally, endothelial-specific overexpression of Antxr2 alleviated the development of liver fibrosis following adeno-associated virus treatment. Collectively, these results suggested that endothelial ANTXR2 plays a protective role in liver fibrosis. This function of ANTXR2 may be achieved by promoting MMP2 activation to degrade the ECM.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Bi-Sen Ding
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of MOE, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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131
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Zhang Z, Fu X, Zhou F, Zhang D, Xu Y, Fan Z, Wen S, Shao Y, Yao Z, He Y. Huaju Xiaoji Formula Regulates ERS-lncMGC/miRNA to Enhance the Renal Function of Hypertensive Diabetic Mice with Nephropathy. J Diabetes Res 2024; 2024:6942156. [PMID: 38282657 PMCID: PMC10821808 DOI: 10.1155/2024/6942156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Better therapeutic drugs are required for treating hypertensive diabetic nephropathy. In our previous study, the Huaju Xiaoji (HJXJ) formula promoted the renal function of patients with diabetes and hypertensive nephropathy. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effect and regulation mechanism of HJXJ in hypertensive diabetic mice with nephropathy. Methods We constructed a mouse hypertensive diabetic nephropathy (HDN) model by treating mice with streptozotocin (STZ) and nomega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (LNAME). We also constructed a human glomerular mesangial cell (HGMC) model that was induced by high doses of sugar (30 mmol/mL) and TGFβ1 (5 ng/mL). Pathological changes were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, periodic acid Schiff (PAS) staining, and Masson staining. The fibrosis-related molecules (TGFβ1, fibronectin, laminin, COL I, COL IV, α-SMA, and p-smad2/3) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mRNA levels and protein expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress, fibrosis molecules, and their downstream molecules were assessed using qPCR and Western blotting assays. Results Administering HJXJ promoted the renal function of HDN mice. HJXJ reduced the expression of ER stress makers (CHOP and GRP78) and lncMGC, miR379, miR494, miR495, miR377, CUGBP2, CPEB4, EDEM3, and ATF3 in HDN mice and model HGMCs. The positive control drugs (dapagliflozin and valsartan) also showed similar effects after treatment with HJXJ. Additionally, in model HGMCs, the overexpression of CHOP or lncMGC decreased the effects of HJXJ-M on the level of fibrosis molecules and downstream target molecules. Conclusion In this study, we showed that the HJXJ formula may regulate ERS-lncMGC/miRNA to enhance renal function in hypertensive diabetic mice with nephropathy. This study may act as a reference for further investigating whether combining HJXJ with other drugs can enhance its therapeutic effect. The findings of this study might provide new insights into the clinical treatment of hypertensive diabetic nephropathy with HJXJ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeng Zhang
- Department of Endocrinology, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China
| | - Xiaodong Fu
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Fengzhu Zhou
- Department of Endocrinology, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China
| | - Duanchun Zhang
- Department of Endocrinology, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China
| | - Yanqiu Xu
- Department of Endocrinology, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China
| | - Zhaohua Fan
- Department of Endocrinology, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China
| | - Shimei Wen
- Department of Endocrinology, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China
| | - Yanting Shao
- Department of Endocrinology, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China
| | - Zheng Yao
- Department of Endocrinology, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China
| | - Yanming He
- Department of Endocrinology, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China
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Sorour A, Aly RG, Ragab HM, Wahid A. Structure Modification Converts the Hepatotoxic Tacrine into Novel Hepatoprotective Analogs. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:2491-2503. [PMID: 38250371 PMCID: PMC10795119 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c07126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
The liver is responsible for critical functions such as metabolism, secretion, storage, detoxification, and the excretion of various compounds. However, there is currently no approved drug treatment for liver fibrosis. Hence, this study aimed to explore the potential hepatoprotective effects of chlorinated and nonchlorinated 4-phenyl-tetrahydroquinoline derivatives. Originally developed as tacrine analogs with reduced hepatotoxicity, these compounds not only lacked hepatotoxicity but also displayed a remarkable hepatoprotective effect. Treatment with these derivatives notably prevented the chemically induced elevation of hepatic indicators associated with liver injury. Additionally, the compounds restored the activities of defense antioxidant enzymes as well as levels of inflammatory markers (TNF-α and IL-6), apoptotic proteins (Bax and Bcl2), and fibrogenic mediators (α-SMA and TGF-β) to normal levels. Histopathologic analysis confirmed the hepatoprotective activity of tetrahydroquinolines. Furthermore, computer-assisted simulation docking results were highly consistent with those of the observed in vivo activities. In conclusion, the designed tacrine analogs exhibited a hepatoprotective role in acute liver damage, possibly through their antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antifibrotic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amani
A. Sorour
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21521, Egypt
| | - Rania G. Aly
- Department
of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria
University, Alexandria 21521, Egypt
| | - Hanan M. Ragab
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21521, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Wahid
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21521, Egypt
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Aksoy-Ozer ZB, Bitirim CV, Turan B, Akcali KC. The Role of Zinc on Liver Fibrosis by Modulating ZIP14 Expression Throughout Epigenetic Regulatory Mechanisms. Biol Trace Elem Res 2024:10.1007/s12011-023-04057-5. [PMID: 38221603 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-023-04057-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Zinc plays a pivotal role in tissue regeneration and maintenance being as a central cofactor in a plethora of enzymatic activities. Hypozincemia is commonly seen with chronic liver disease and is associated with an increased risk of liver fibrosis development and hepatocellular carcinoma. Previously favorable effects of zinc supplementation on liver fibrosis have been shown. However, the underlying mechanism of this effect is not elucidated. Liver fibrosis was induced in mice by using CCl4 injection, followed by treatment with zinc chloride (ZnCl2) both at fibrotic and sham groups, and their hepatocytes were isolated. Our results showed that the administration of ZnCl2 restored the depleted cytosolic zinc levels in the hepatocytes isolated from the fibrotic group. Also, alpha-smooth muscle actin (αSMA) expression in hepatocytes was decreased, indicating a reversal of the fibrotic process. Notably, ZIP14 expression significantly increased in the fibrotic group following ZnCl2 treatment, whereas in the sham group ZIP14 expression decreased. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) experiments revealed an increased binding percentage of Metal-regulatory transcription factor 1 (MTF1) on ZIP14 promoter in the hepatocytes isolated from fibrotic mice compared to the sham group after ZnCl2 administration. In the same group, the binding percentage of the histone deacetylase HDAC4 on ZIP14 promoter decreased. Our results suggest that the ZnCl2 treatment ameliorates liver fibrosis by elevating intracellular zinc levels through MTF1-mediated regulation of ZIP14 expression and the reduction of ZIP14 deacetylation via HDAC4. The restoration of intracellular zinc concentrations and the modulation of ZIP14 expression by zinc orchestrated through MTF1 and HDAC4, appear to be essential determinants of the therapeutic response in hepatic fibrosis. These findings pave the way for potential novel interventions targeting zinc-related pathways for the treatment of liver fibrosis and associated conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Belma Turan
- Biophysics Department, Lokman Hekim University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Kamil Can Akcali
- Ankara University Stem Cell Institute, Ankara, Turkey.
- Biophysics Department, Ankara University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey.
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134
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Salama YA, Hassan HM, El-Gayar AM, Abdel-Rahman N. Combined quercetin and simvastatin attenuate hepatic fibrosis in rats by modulating SphK1/NLRP3 pathways. Life Sci 2024; 337:122349. [PMID: 38128755 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.122349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis involves several signalling pathways working in concert regulating the deposition of extracellular matrix. In this study, we evaluated the effect of quercetin and simvastatin alone and their combination on the treatment of experimentally induced hepatic fibrosis in rats. To decipher the potential mechanisms involved, liver fibrosis was induced in rats by administration of 40 % carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) (1 μl/g rat, i.p., twice weekly) for 6 weeks. Quercetin (50 mg/kg, orally), simvastatin (40 mg/kg, orally) either individually or combined were administered for another 4 weeks. The three treatment groups ameliorated hepatic dysfunction and altered parameters of sphingolipid and pyroptosis pathways. Yet, the combined group showed a more pronounced effect. Treatments lowered serum levels of GOT, GPT, ALP and elevated albumin and total protein levels. Histopathological and electron microscope examination of liver tissue revealed diminished fibrosis and inflammation. Protein expression levels of α-SMA, IL-1β, PPAR-γ, TGF-β1, caspase-1 and caspase-3 expression in liver tissues were reduced. Additionally, hepatic mRNA levels of SphK1 and NLRP3 decreased after treatment. Furthermore, the three groups lowered MDA levels and elevated total antioxidant capacity, GSH and Nrf2 expression levels. Treatments downregulated sphingolipid pathway and NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis and stimulated an anti-apoptotic, anti-proliferative and antioxidant activity. This suggests that targeting the SphK1/NLRP3 pathway could be a prospective therapeutic strategy against liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin A Salama
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, 35516, Egypt; Department of Pharmacology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Delta University for Science and Technology, Gamasa 11152, Egypt
| | - Hanan M Hassan
- Department of Pharmacology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Delta University for Science and Technology, Gamasa 11152, Egypt
| | - Amal M El-Gayar
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, 35516, Egypt
| | - Noha Abdel-Rahman
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, 35516, Egypt.
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135
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Theillier X, Rivet S, Dubreuil M, Le Grand Y. Swept-wavelength null polarimetry for highly sensitive birefringence laser scanning microscopy. OPTICS LETTERS 2024; 49:387-390. [PMID: 38194575 DOI: 10.1364/ol.507576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
We have recently demonstrated a high-speed null polarimeter [Opt. Express30, 18889 (2022)10.1364/OE.454193OPEXFF1094-4087] based on passive polarization optics and using a fast swept-wavelength laser source. We report here its implementation in a laser-scanning microscope setup, enabling highly sensitive linear retardance imaging with a pixel dwell time of 10 μs. The instrument is also able to measure light depolarization induced by the sample. Images of biological samples, including cancerous tissue and cells, illustrate its performances.
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Chen J, Li G, Sun D, Li H, Chen L. Research progress of hexokinase 2 in inflammatory-related diseases and its inhibitors. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 264:115986. [PMID: 38011767 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Hexokinase 2 (HK2) is a crucial enzyme involved in glycolysis, which converts glucose into glucose-6-phosphate and plays a significant role in glucose metabolism. HK2 can mediate glycolysis, which is linked to the release of inflammatory factors. The over-expression of HK2 increases the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, exacerbating the inflammatory reaction. Consequently, HK2 is closely linked to various inflammatory-related diseases affecting multiple systems, including the digestive, nervous, circulatory, respiratory, reproductive systems, as well as rheumatoid arthritis. HK2 is regarded as a novel therapeutic target for inflammatory-related diseases, and this article provides a comprehensive review of its roles in these conditions. Furthermore, the development of potent HK2 inhibitors has garnered significant attention in recent years. Therefore, this review also presents a summary of potential HK2 inhibitors, offering promising prospects for the treatment of inflammatory-related diseases in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinxia Chen
- Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Guirong Li
- Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Dejuan Sun
- Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China.
| | - Hua Li
- Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China; Institute of Structural Pharmacology & TCM Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350122, China.
| | - Lixia Chen
- Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China.
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Wan S, Liu X, Sun R, Liu H, Jiang J, Wu B. Activated hepatic stellate cell-derived Bmp-1 induces liver fibrosis via mediating hepatocyte epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:41. [PMID: 38216590 PMCID: PMC10786946 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06437-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a reparative response to injury that arises from various etiologies, characterized by activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Periostin, a secreted matricellular protein, has been reported to participate in tissue development and regeneration. However, its involvement in liver fibrosis remains unknown. This study investigated the roles and mechanisms of Periostin in phenotypic transition of HSCs and relevant abnormal cellular crosstalk during liver fibrosis. The fate of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) during liver fibrogenesis was investigated using single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing profiles, which revealed a significant proliferation of activated HSCs (aHSCs) in fibrotic livers of both humans and mice. αSMA-TK mice were used to demonstrate that depletion of proliferative aHSCs attenuates liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride and 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine. Through integrating data from single-cell and bulk sequencing, Periostin was identified as a distinctive hallmark of proliferative aHSC subpopulation. Elevated levels of Periostin were detected in fibrotic livers of both humans and mice, primarily within aHSCs. However, hepatic Periostin levels were decreased along with depletion of proliferative aHSCs. Deficiency of Periostin led to reduced liver fibrosis and suppressed hepatocyte epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Periostin-overexpressing HSCs, exhibiting a proliferative aHSC phenotype, release bone morphogenetic protein-1 (Bmp-1), which activates EGFR signaling, inducing hepatocyte EMT and contributing to liver fibrosis. In conclusion, Periostin in aHSCs drives their acquisition of a proliferative phenotype and the release of Bmp-1. Proliferative aHSC subpopulation-derived Bmp-1 induces hepatocyte EMT via EGFR signaling, promoting liver fibrogenesis. Bmp-1 and Periostin should be potential therapeutic targets for liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sizhe Wan
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xianzhi Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ruonan Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huiling Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jie Jiang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bin Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, China.
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Dong J, Chen L, Ye F, Tang J, Liu B, Lin J, Zhou PH, Lu B, Wu M, Lu JH, He JJ, Engelender S, Meng Q, Song Z, He H. Mic19 depletion impairs endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondrial contacts and mitochondrial lipid metabolism and triggers liver disease. Nat Commun 2024; 15:168. [PMID: 38168065 PMCID: PMC10762189 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44057-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-mitochondria contacts are critical for the regulation of lipid transport, synthesis, and metabolism. However, the molecular mechanism and physiological function of endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondrial contacts remain unclear. Here, we show that Mic19, a key subunit of MICOS (mitochondrial contact site and cristae organizing system) complex, regulates ER-mitochondria contacts by the EMC2-SLC25A46-Mic19 axis. Mic19 liver specific knockout (LKO) leads to the reduction of ER-mitochondrial contacts, mitochondrial lipid metabolism disorder, disorganization of mitochondrial cristae and mitochondrial unfolded protein stress response in mouse hepatocytes, impairing liver mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation and lipid metabolism, which may spontaneously trigger nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and liver fibrosis in mice. Whereas, the re-expression of Mic19 in Mic19 LKO hepatocytes blocks the development of liver disease in mice. In addition, Mic19 overexpression suppresses MCD-induced fatty liver disease. Thus, our findings uncover the EMC2-SLC25A46-Mic19 axis as a pathway regulating ER-mitochondria contacts, and reveal that impairment of ER-mitochondria contacts may be a mechanism associated with the development of NASH and liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Dong
- College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Department of Anesthesiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Li Chen
- College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Department of Anesthesiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Department of pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College and State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Fei Ye
- College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Department of Anesthesiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Junhui Tang
- College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Department of Anesthesiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Bing Liu
- College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Department of Anesthesiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jiacheng Lin
- College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Department of Anesthesiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Pang-Hu Zhou
- College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Department of Anesthesiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Bin Lu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Min Wu
- College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Department of Anesthesiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jia-Hong Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Jing-Jing He
- Department of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Anhui Provincial Children's Hospital, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Simone Engelender
- Department of Biochemistry, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Qingtao Meng
- College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Department of Anesthesiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zhiyin Song
- College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Department of Anesthesiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
- Department of pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College and State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
| | - He He
- College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Department of Anesthesiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
- Department of pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College and State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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van Keulen AM, Olthof PB, Buettner S, Bednarsch J, Verheij J, Erdmann JI, Nooijen LE, Porte RJ, Minnee RC, Murad SD, Neumann UP, Heij L, Groot Koerkamp B, Doukas M. The Influence of Hepatic Steatosis and Fibrosis on Postoperative Outcomes After Major Liver Resection of Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma. Ann Surg Oncol 2024; 31:133-141. [PMID: 37899413 PMCID: PMC10695871 DOI: 10.1245/s10434-023-14419-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Surgical resection for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (pCCA) is associated with high operative risks. Impaired liver regeneration in patients with pre-existing liver disease may contribute to posthepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) and postoperative mortality. This study aimed to determine the incidence of hepatic steatosis and fibrosis and their association with PHLF and 90-day postoperative mortality in pCCA patients. METHODS Patients who underwent a major liver resection for pCCA were included in the study between 2000 and 2021 from three tertiary referral hospitals. Histopathologic assessment of hepatic steatosis and fibrosis was performed. The primary outcomes were PHLF and 90-day mortality. RESULTS Of the 401 included patients, steatosis was absent in 334 patients (83.3%), mild in 58 patients (14.5%) and moderate to severe in 9 patients (2.2%). There was no fibrosis in 92 patients (23.1%), periportal fibrosis in 150 patients (37.6%), septal fibrosis in 123 patients (30.8%), and biliary cirrhosis in 34 patients (8.5%). Steatosis (≥ 5%) was not associated with PHLF (odds ratio [OR] 1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.69-2.68) or 90-day mortality (OR 1.22; 95% CI 0.62-2.39). Neither was fibrosis (i.e., periportal, septal, or biliary cirrhosis) associated with PHLF (OR 0.76; 95% CI 0.41-1.41) or 90-day mortality (OR 0.60; 95% CI 0.33-1.06). The independent risk factors for PHLF were preoperative cholangitis (OR 2.38; 95% CI 1. 36-4.17) and future liver remnant smaller than 40% (OR 2.40; 95% CI 1.31-4.38). The independent risk factors for 90-day mortality were age of 65 years or older (OR 2.40; 95% CI 1.36-4.23) and preoperative cholangitis (OR 2.25; 95% CI 1.30-3.87). CONCLUSION In this study, no association could be demonstrated between hepatic steatosis or fibrosis and postoperative outcomes after resection of pCCA.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pim B Olthof
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Stefan Buettner
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Bednarsch
- Department of Surgery and Transplantation, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Joanne Verheij
- Department of Pathology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joris I Erdmann
- Department of Surgery, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lynn E Nooijen
- Department of Surgery, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Robert J Porte
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Robert C Minnee
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sarwa Darwish Murad
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ulf P Neumann
- Department of Surgery and Transplantation, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC), Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Lara Heij
- Department of Surgery and Transplantation, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC), Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bas Groot Koerkamp
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michail Doukas
- Department of Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC), Maastricht, The Netherlands.
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140
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Wang J, Wu Z, Chen X, Sun Y, Ma S, Weng J, Zhang Y, Dong K, Shao J, Zheng S. Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking Analysis and Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Scutellaria baicalensis in the Treatment of Liver Fibrosis. Curr Pharm Des 2024; 30:1326-1340. [PMID: 38616754 DOI: 10.2174/0113816128297074240327090020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Traditional Chinese medicine Scutellaria Baicalensis (SB), one of the clinical firstline heat-clearing drugs, has obvious symptomatic advantages for hepatic fibrosis with dampness-heat stasis as its syndrome. We aim to predict and validate the potential mechanism of Scutellaria baicalensis active ingredients against liver fibrosis more scientifically and effectively. METHODS The underlying mechanism of Scutellaria baicalensis in inhibiting hepatic fibrosis was studied by applying network pharmacology, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation. Expression levels of markers in activated Hepatic Stellate Cells (HSC) after administration of three Scutellaria baicalensis extracts were determined by Western blot and Real-time PCR, respectively, in order to verify the anti-fibrosis effect of the active ingredients Results: There are 164 common targets of drugs and diseases screened and 115 signaling pathways obtained, which were mainly associated with protein phosphorylation, senescence and negative regulation of the apoptotic process. Western blot and Real-time PCR showed that Scutellaria baicalensis extracts could reduce the expression of HSC activation markers, and Oroxylin A had the strongest inhibitory effect on it. Molecular docking results showed that Oroxylin A had high binding activity to target proteins. Molecular dynamics simulation demonstrates promising stability of the Oroxylin A-AKT1 complex over the simulated MD time of 200 ns. CONCLUSION Scutellaria baicalensis active ingredients may inhibit HSC proliferation, reduce the generation of pro-inflammatory factors and block the anti-inflammatory effect of inflammatory signal transduction by inducing HSC apoptosis and senescence, thus achieving the effect of anti-fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junrui Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhuoqing Wu
- Nanjing Foreign Language School, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaolei Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Ying Sun
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Shuyao Ma
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Jingdan Weng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuxin Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Keke Dong
- PharmaBlock Sciences (Nanjing), Inc, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiangjuan Shao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Shizhong Zheng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
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Shakour N, Karami S, Iranshahi M, Butler AE, Sahebkar A. Antifibrotic effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors: A comprehensive review. Diabetes Metab Syndr 2024; 18:102934. [PMID: 38154403 DOI: 10.1016/j.dsx.2023.102934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Scar tissue accumulation in organs is the underlying cause of many fibrotic diseases. Due to the extensive array of organs affected, the long-term nature of fibrotic processes and the large number of people who suffer from the negative impact of these diseases, they constitute a serious health problem for modern medicine and a huge economic burden on society. Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) are a relatively new class of anti-diabetic pharmaceuticals that offer additional benefits over and above their glucose-lowering properties; these medications modulate a variety of diseases, including fibrosis. Herein, we have collated and analyzed all available research on SGLT2is and their effects on organ fibrosis, together with providing a proposed explanation as to the underlying mechanisms. METHODS PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar and Scopus were searched spanning the period from 2012 until April 2023 to find relevant articles describing the antifibrotic effects of SGLT2is. RESULTS The majority of reports have shown that SGLT2is are protective against lung, liver, heart and kidney fibrosis as well as arterial stiffness. According to the results of clinical trials and animal studies, many SGLT2 inhibitors are promising candidates for the treatment of fibrosis. Recent studies have demonstrated that SGLT2is affect an array of cellular processes, including hypoxia, inflammation, oxidative stress, the renin-angiotensin system and metabolic activities, all of which have been linked to fibrosis. CONCLUSION Extensive evidence indicates that SGLT2is are promising treatments for fibrosis, demonstrating protective effects in various organs and influencing key cellular processes linked to fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neda Shakour
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Shima Karami
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mehrdad Iranshahi
- Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Alexandra E Butler
- Research Department, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Adliya, Bahrain
| | - Amirhossein Sahebkar
- Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Applied Biomedical Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
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Ghafouri‐Fard S, Askari A, Shoorei H, Seify M, Koohestanidehaghi Y, Hussen BM, Taheri M, Samsami M. Antioxidant therapy against TGF-β/SMAD pathway involved in organ fibrosis. J Cell Mol Med 2024; 28:e18052. [PMID: 38041559 PMCID: PMC10826439 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.18052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Fibrosis refers to excessive build-up of scar tissue and extracellular matrix components in different organs. In recent years, it has been revealed that different cytokines and chemokines, especially Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) is involved in the pathogenesis of fibrosis. It has been shown that TGF-β is upregulated in fibrotic tissues, and contributes to fibrosis by mediating pathways that are related to matrix preservation and fibroblasts differentiation. There is no doubt that antioxidants protect against different inflammatory conditions by reversing the effects of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur-based reactive elements. Oxidative stress has a direct impact on chronic inflammation, and as results, prolonged inflammation ultimately results in fibrosis. Different types of antioxidants, in the forms of vitamins, natural compounds or synthetic ones, have been proven to be beneficial in the protection against fibrotic conditions both in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we reviewed the role of different compounds with antioxidant activity in induction or inhibition of TGF-β/SMAD signalling pathway, with regard to different fibrotic conditions such as gastro-intestinal fibrosis, cardiac fibrosis, pulmonary fibrosis, skin fibrosis, renal fibrosis and also some rare cases of fibrosis, both in animal models and cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soudeh Ghafouri‐Fard
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of MedicineShahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesTehranIran
| | - Arian Askari
- Phytochemistry Research CenterShahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesTehranIran
| | - Hamed Shoorei
- Cellular and Molecular Research CenterBirjand University of Medical SciencesBirjandIran
- Clinical Research Development Unit of Tabriz Valiasr HospitalTabriz University of Medical SciencesTabrizIran
| | - Mohammad Seify
- Research and Clinical Center for Infertility, Yazd Reproductive Sciences InstituteShahid Sadoughi University of Medical SciencesYazdIran
| | - Yeganeh Koohestanidehaghi
- Research and Clinical Center for Infertility, Yazd Reproductive Sciences InstituteShahid Sadoughi University of Medical SciencesYazdIran
| | - Bashdar Mahmud Hussen
- Department of Clinical Analysis, College of PharmacyHawler Medical UniversityErbilIraq
| | - Mohammad Taheri
- Institute of Human GeneticsJena University HospitalJenaGermany
- Urology and Nephrology Research CenterShahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesTehranIran
| | - Majid Samsami
- Cancer Research Center, Loghman Hakim HospitalShahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesTehranIran
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Jiang Y, Li S, Shi R, Yin W, Lv W, Tian T, Lin Y. A Novel Bioswitchable miRNA Mimic Delivery System: Therapeutic Strategies Upgraded from Tetrahedral Framework Nucleic Acid System for Fibrotic Disease Treatment and Pyroptosis Pathway Inhibition. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2305622. [PMID: 37984862 PMCID: PMC10767442 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202305622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
There has been considerable interest in gene vectors and their role in regulating cellular activities and treating diseases since the advent of nucleic acid drugs. MicroRNA (miR) therapeutic strategies are research hotspots as they regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally and treat a range of diseases. An original tetrahedral framework nucleic acid (tFNA) analog, a bioswitchable miR inhibitor delivery system (BiRDS) carrying miR inhibitors, is previously established; however, it remains unknown whether BiRDS can be equipped with miR mimics. Taking advantage of the transport capacity of tetrahedral framework nucleic acid (tFNA) and upgrading it further, the treatment outcomes of a traditional tFNA and BiRDS at different concentrations on TGF-β- and bleomycin-induced fibrosis simultaneously in vitro and in vivo are compared. An upgraded traditional tFNA is designed by successfully synthesizing a novel BiRDS, carrying a miR mimic, miR-27a, for treating skin fibrosis and inhibiting the pyroptosis pathway, which exhibits stability and biocompatibility. BiRDS has three times higher efficiency in delivering miRNAs than the conventional tFNA with sticky ends. Moreover, BiRDS is more potent against fibrosis and pyroptosis-related diseases than tFNAs. These findings indicate that the BiRDS can be applied as a drug delivery system for disease treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueying Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral DiseasesNational Center for StomatologyNational Clinical Research Center for Oral DiseasesWest China Hospital of StomatologySichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Songhang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral DiseasesNational Center for StomatologyNational Clinical Research Center for Oral DiseasesWest China Hospital of StomatologySichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Ruijianghan Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Oral DiseasesNational Center for StomatologyNational Clinical Research Center for Oral DiseasesWest China Hospital of StomatologySichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Wumeng Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Oral DiseasesNational Center for StomatologyNational Clinical Research Center for Oral DiseasesWest China Hospital of StomatologySichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Weitong Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Oral DiseasesNational Center for StomatologyNational Clinical Research Center for Oral DiseasesWest China Hospital of StomatologySichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Taoran Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Oral DiseasesNational Center for StomatologyNational Clinical Research Center for Oral DiseasesWest China Hospital of StomatologySichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Yunfeng Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Oral DiseasesNational Center for StomatologyNational Clinical Research Center for Oral DiseasesWest China Hospital of StomatologySichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
- Sichuan Provincial Engineering Research Center of Oral BiomaterialsSichuan UniversityChengduSichuan610041China
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Punn NS, Patel B, Banerjee I. Liver fibrosis classification from ultrasound using machine learning: a systematic literature review. Abdom Radiol (NY) 2024; 49:69-80. [PMID: 37950068 DOI: 10.1007/s00261-023-04081-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Liver biopsy was considered the gold standard for diagnosing liver fibrosis; however, with advancements in medical technology and increasing awareness of potential complications, the reliance on liver biopsy has diminished. Ultrasound is gaining popularity due to its wider availability and cost-effectiveness. This study examined the machine learning / deep learning (ML/DL) models for non-invasive liver fibrosis classification from ultrasound. METHODS Following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) protocol, we searched five academic databases using the query. We defined population, intervention, comparison, outcomes, and study design (PICOS) framework for the inclusion. Furthermore, Joana Briggs Institute (JBI) checklist for analytical cross-sectional studies is used for quality assessment. RESULTS Among the 188 screened studies, 17 studies are selected. The methods are categorized as off-the-shelf (OTS), attention, generative, and ensemble classifiers. Most studies used OTS classifiers that combined pre-trained ML/DL methods with radiomics features to determine fibrosis staging. Although machine learning shows potential for fibrosis classification, there are limited external comparisons of interventions and prospective clinical trials, which limits their applicability. CONCLUSION With the recent success of ML/DL toward biomedical image analysis, automated solutions using ultrasound are developed for predicting liver diseases. However, their applicability is bounded by the limited and imbalanced retrospective studies having high heterogeneity. This challenge could be addressed by generating a standard protocol for study design by selecting appropriate population, interventions, outcomes, and comparison.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bhavik Patel
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Imon Banerjee
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, AZ, USA
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145
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Barmoudeh Z, Fouani MH, Moslemi Z, Azizi M, Doustimotlagh AH, Bardania H. Melatonin and metformin co-loaded nanoliposomes efficiently attenuate liver damage induced by bile duct ligation in rats. NAUNYN-SCHMIEDEBERG'S ARCHIVES OF PHARMACOLOGY 2024; 397:395-410. [PMID: 37452836 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-023-02613-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
In the current study, the therapeutic effectiveness of the metformin (Met) and melatonin (Mel) co-loaded liposomes was investigated on cholestasis induced by bile duct ligation (BDL) in male rats. Histopathological analysis, biochemical analysis, and oxidative stress markers were assayed to determine the therapeutic effect of Met and Mel co-loaded liposomes on cholestasis. Histopathological analysis revealed that the simultaneous administration of Met and Mel, whether in the free (C-Mel-Met) or liposomal (C-Lipo-Mel-Met) forms, reduced inflammation as well as proliferation of bile ducts; however, results were more prominent in the liposomal form of Mel and Met. Additionaly, serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were significantly (p < 0.001) higher in (C-Mel-Met) treated rats compared with (BDL) rats; however, (C-Lipo-Mel-Met) treated rats exhibited significant (p < 0.05) lower AST rates in comparison to (BDL) rats. Moreover, a significant (p < 0.0001) drop in bilirubin levels was detected in (C-Lipo-Mel-Met) treated rats in comparison to (BDL) rats; it is noteworthy mentioning that bilirubin levels in (C-Lipo-Mel-Met) treated rats were insignificant in comparison to sham-control (SC) rats. Furthermore, rats concomitantly administered Met and Mel, exhibited significant downregulation in the expression levels of inflammatory cytokine genes such as TNF-α and IL-1 gene expression, where the downregulation was more prominent in the liposomal from. Our findings demonestrate that the concomitant administration of metformin and melatonin in the liposomal form had more therapeutic effect on liver injury than their free forms through improving histological changes, reducing biochemical markers and favoring oxidant- antioxidant balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Barmoudeh
- Student Research Committee, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran
| | - Mohamad Hassan Fouani
- Department of Nanobiotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Moslemi
- Student Research Committee, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran
| | - Mahdokht Azizi
- Clinical Research Development Unit, Imamsajad Hospital, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran
| | - Amir Hossein Doustimotlagh
- Medicinal Plants Research Center, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran.
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran.
| | - Hassan Bardania
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran.
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146
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Verma S, Ishteyaque S, Washimkar KR, Verma S, Nilakanth Mugale M. Mitochondrial-mediated nuclear remodeling and macrophage polarizations: A key switch from liver fibrosis to HCC progression. Exp Cell Res 2024; 434:113878. [PMID: 38086504 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2023.113878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a significant health burden worldwide and has emerged as the leading cause of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence. Mitochondria are the dynamic organelles that regulate the differentiation, survival, and polarization of macrophages. Nuclear-DNA-associated proteins, micro-RNAs, as well as macrophage polarization are essential for maintaining intracellular and extra-cellular homeostasis in the liver parenchyma. Dysregulated mitochondrial coding genes (ETS complexes I, II, III, IV, and V), non-coding RNAs (mitomiRs), and nuclear alteration lead to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammation which are implicated in the transition of liver fibrosis into HCC. Recent findings indicated the protecting effect of E74-like factor 3/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (Elf-3/PPAR-γ). HDAR-y inhibits the deacetylation of PPAR-y and maintains the PPAR-y pathway. Elf-3 plays a tumor suppressive role through epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related gene and zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 2 (ZEB-2) domain. Additionally, the development of HCC includes the PI3K/Akt/mTOR and transforming Growth Factor β (TGF-β) pathway that promotes the Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) through Smad/Snail/Slug signaling cascade. In contrast, the TLR2/NOX2/autophagy axis promotes M2 polarization in HCC. Thus, a thorough understanding of the mitochondrial and nuclear reciprocal relationship related to macrophage polarization could provide new research opportunities concerning diseases with a significant impact on liver parenchyma towards developing liver fibrosis or liver cancer. Moreover, this knowledge can be used to develop new therapeutic strategies to treat liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shobhit Verma
- Division of Toxicology and Experimental Medicine, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CSIR-CDRI), Lucknow, 226031, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Sharmeen Ishteyaque
- Division of Toxicology and Experimental Medicine, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CSIR-CDRI), Lucknow, 226031, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Kaveri R Washimkar
- Division of Toxicology and Experimental Medicine, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CSIR-CDRI), Lucknow, 226031, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Smriti Verma
- Division of Toxicology and Experimental Medicine, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CSIR-CDRI), Lucknow, 226031, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Madhav Nilakanth Mugale
- Division of Toxicology and Experimental Medicine, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CSIR-CDRI), Lucknow, 226031, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India.
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147
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Bellanti F, Mangieri D, Vendemiale G. Redox Biology and Liver Fibrosis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:410. [PMID: 38203581 PMCID: PMC10778611 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatic fibrosis is a complex process that develops in chronic liver diseases. Even though the initiation and progression of fibrosis rely on the underlying etiology, mutual mechanisms can be recognized and targeted for therapeutic purposes. Irrespective of the primary cause of liver disease, persistent damage to parenchymal cells triggers the overproduction of reactive species, with the consequent disruption of redox balance. Reactive species are important mediators for the homeostasis of both hepatocytes and non-parenchymal liver cells. Indeed, other than acting as cytotoxic agents, reactive species are able to modulate specific signaling pathways that may be relevant to hepatic fibrogenesis. After a brief introduction to redox biology and the mechanisms of fibrogenesis, this review aims to summarize the current evidence of the involvement of redox-dependent pathways in liver fibrosis and focuses on possible therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Bellanti
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy;
| | - Domenica Mangieri
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy;
| | - Gianluigi Vendemiale
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy;
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148
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Kayesh MEH, Kohara M, Tsukiyama-Kohara K. Effects of neddylation on viral infection: an overview. Arch Virol 2023; 169:6. [PMID: 38081982 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-023-05930-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Neddylation is a post-translational modification that plays an important role not only in cancer development but also in regulating viral infection and replication. Upregulation of neddylation occurs in viral infections, and inhibition of neddylation can suppress viral replication. Neddylation is thought to enhance viral protein stability and replication. Neddylation has been reported to enhance the stability of the regulatory hepatitis B virus (HBV) X protein, modulate viral replication, and enhance hepatocarcinogenesis. Inhibition of neddylation using the NEDD8-activating enzyme E1 inhibitor MLN4924 inhibits viral replication, including that of HBV. Understanding of the role of neddylation in viral infections is critical for developing new therapeutic targets and potential treatment strategies. In this review, we discuss recent progress in the understanding of the effects of neddylation during viral infection, particularly in HBV infection, and strategies for curing viral infection by targeting the neddylation pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Enamul Hoque Kayesh
- Department of Microbiology and Public Health, Faculty of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Barishal, 8210, Bangladesh.
| | - Michinori Kohara
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, 156-8506, Japan
| | - Kyoko Tsukiyama-Kohara
- Transboundary Animal Diseases Centre, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, 890-0065, Japan.
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149
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Zhao Y, Dai E, Dong L, Yuan J, Zhao Y, Wu T, Kong R, Li M, Wang S, Zhou L, Yang Y, Kong H, Zhao Y, Qu H. Available and novel plant-based carbon dots derived from Vaccaria Semen carbonisata alleviates liver fibrosis. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1282929. [PMID: 38116381 PMCID: PMC10729316 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1282929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Liver fibrosis represents an intermediate stage in the progression of liver disease, and as of now, there exists no established clinical therapy for effective antifibrotic treatment. Purpose: Our aim is to explore the impact of Carbon dots derived from Vaccaria Semen Carbonisata (VSC-CDs) on carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis in mice. Methods: VSC-CDs were synthesized employing a modified pyrolysis process. Comprehensive characterization was performed utilizing various techniques, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), multiple spectroscopies, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A hepatic fibrosis model induced by carbon tetrachloride was utilized to evaluate the anti-hepatic fibrosis effects of VSC-CDs. Results: VSC-CDs, exhibiting a quantum yield (QY) of approximately 2.08%, were nearly spherical with diameters ranging from 1.0 to 5.5 nm. The VSC-CDs prepared in this study featured a negative charge and abundant chemical functional groups. Furthermore, these particles demonstrated outstanding dispersibility in the aqueous phase and high biocompatibility. Moreover, VSC-CDs not only enhanced liver function and alleviated liver damage in pathomorphology but also mitigated the extent of liver fibrosis. Additionally, this study marks the inaugural demonstration of the pronounced activity of VSC-CDs in inhibiting inflammatory reactions, reducing oxidative damage, and modulating the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway. Conclusion: VSC-CDs exerted significant potential for application in nanodrugs aimed at treating liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yafang Zhao
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Ertong Dai
- Qingdao Eighth People’s Hospital, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Liyang Dong
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jinye Yuan
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yusheng Zhao
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Tong Wu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Ruolan Kong
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Menghan Li
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Shuxian Wang
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Long Zhou
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yingxin Yang
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Hui Kong
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Huihua Qu
- Center of Scientific Experiment, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
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150
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Liu Y, Yuan S, Zuo J, Liu S, Tang X, Li X, Yao D, Jin Y. A J-shaped relationship between body mass index and the risk of elevated liver stiffness: a cross-sectional study. Eur J Med Res 2023; 28:557. [PMID: 38049896 PMCID: PMC10696772 DOI: 10.1186/s40001-023-01543-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Liver stiffness (LS) is regarded as an indicator of the stages of liver fibrosis and liver cirrhosis. Numerous studies have investigated the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and LS; however, the conclusions remain controversial. In the current study, we utilized transient elastography (TE) technique, which could measure LS in a non-painful and noninvasive way, to explore the relationship between BMI and the risk of elevated LS in common community residents. METHODS 5791 participants were included in the present study. To calculate BMI value, height and weight of the participants were carefully measured. Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) > 9.1 kPa was considered as a cutoff suggesting elevated LS. The relationship of BMI and risk of elevated LS was derived using generalized linear regression models, and the threshold effect was then analyzed by smooth curve fitting and segmented regression model. RESULTS Elevated LS was detected in 230 participants (3.97%) using the TE technique. After potential confounders were adjusted according to the individual's demographic variables, underlying comorbidities and blood biochemical test results, we observed a J-shaped relationship between BMI and the risk of elevated LS, with the inflection point at 23.05 kg/m2. The effect size (and confidence interval) was 0.84 (0.71, 0.98) on the left side of the inflection point, and 1.32 (1.24, 1.41) on the right side of it. CONCLUSIONS Our study found a novel J-shaped relationship between BMI and the risk of elevated LS assessed by TE technique. Abnormal BMI, either higher or lower, was associated with an increased risk of elevated LS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuwei Liu
- Department of General Practice, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Sheng Yuan
- Department of General Practice, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Jing Zuo
- Physical Examination Center, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Sha Liu
- Department of General Practice, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaoyan Tang
- Department of General Practice, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Xia Li
- Department of General Practice, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China
| | - Dongai Yao
- Physical Examination Center, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China.
| | - Yalei Jin
- Department of General Practice, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China.
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