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Di Ciaula A, Bonfrate L, Krawczyk M, Frühbeck G, Portincasa P. Synergistic and Detrimental Effects of Alcohol Intake on Progression of Liver Steatosis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23052636. [PMID: 35269779 PMCID: PMC8910376 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23052636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and alcoholic liver disease (ALD) are the most common liver disorders worldwide and the major causes of non-viral liver cirrhosis in the general population. In NAFLD, metabolic abnormalities, obesity, and metabolic syndrome are the driving factors for liver damage with no or minimal alcohol consumption. ALD refers to liver damage caused by excess alcohol intake in individuals drinking more than 5 to 10 daily units for years. Although NAFLD and ALD are nosologically considered two distinct entities, they show a continuum and exert synergistic effects on the progression toward liver cirrhosis. The current view is that low alcohol use might also increase the risk of advanced clinical liver disease in NAFLD, whereas metabolic factors increase the risk of cirrhosis among alcohol risk drinkers. Therefore, special interest is now addressed to individuals with metabolic abnormalities who consume small amounts of alcohol or who binge drink, for the role of light-to-moderate alcohol use in fibrosis progression and clinical severity of the liver disease. Evidence shows that in the presence of NAFLD, there is no liver-safe limit of alcohol intake. We discuss the epidemiological and clinical features of NAFLD/ALD, aspects of alcohol metabolism, and mechanisms of damage concerning steatosis, fibrosis, cumulative effects, and deleterious consequences which include hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agostino Di Ciaula
- Clinica Medica “Augusto Murri”, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari Medical School—Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; (A.D.C.); (L.B.)
| | - Leonilde Bonfrate
- Clinica Medica “Augusto Murri”, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari Medical School—Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; (A.D.C.); (L.B.)
| | - Marcin Krawczyk
- Department of Medicine II Saarland University Medical Center, Saarland University, 66424 Homburg, Germany;
- Laboratory of Metabolic Liver Diseases, Department of General, Transplant and Liver Surgery, Centre for Preclinical Research, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Gema Frühbeck
- Department of Endocrinology & Nutrition, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain;
- Metabolic Research Laboratory, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), ISCIII, 31009 Pamplona, Spain
- Obesity and Adipobiology Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), 31009 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Piero Portincasa
- Clinica Medica “Augusto Murri”, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari Medical School—Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; (A.D.C.); (L.B.)
- Correspondence:
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Jha AK, Gairola S, Kundu S, Doye P, Syed AM, Ram C, Kulhari U, Kumar N, Murty US, Sahu BD. Biological Activities, Pharmacokinetics and Toxicity of Nootkatone: A Review. Mini Rev Med Chem 2022; 22:2244-2259. [DOI: 10.2174/1389557522666220214092005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Abstract:
Plant-based drugs have a significant impact on modern therapeutics due to their vast array of pharmacological activities. The integration of herbal plants in the current healthcare system has emerged as a new field of research. It can be used for the identification of novel lead compound candidates for future drug development. Nootkatone is a sesquiterpene derivative and an isolate of grapefruit. Shreds of evidence illustrate that nootkatone targets few molecular mechanisms to exhibit its pharmacological activity and yet needs more exploration to be established. The current review is related to nootkatone, drafted through a literature search using research articles and books from different sources, including Science Direct, Google Scholar, Elsevier, PubMed, and Scopus. It has been reported to possess a wide range of pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antibacterial, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and cardioprotective. Although preclinical studies in experimental animal models suggest that nootkatone has therapeutic potential, it is further warranted to evaluate its toxicity and pharmacokinetic parameters before being applied to humans. Hence in the present review, we have summarized the scientific knowledge on nootkatone with a particular emphasis on its pharmacological properties to encourage researchers for further exploration in preclinical and clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankush Kumar Jha
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)-Guwahati, Changsari, PIN-781101, Assam, India
| | - Shobhit Gairola
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)-Guwahati, Changsari, PIN-781101, Assam, India
| | - Sourav Kundu
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)-Guwahati, Changsari, PIN-781101, Assam, India
| | - Pakpi Doye
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)-Guwahati, Changsari, PIN-781101, Assam, India
| | - Abu Mohammad Syed
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)-Guwahati, Changsari, PIN-781101, Assam, India
| | - Chetan Ram
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)-Guwahati, Changsari, PIN-781101, Assam, India
| | - Uttam Kulhari
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)-Guwahati, Changsari, PIN-781101, Assam, India
| | - Naresh Kumar
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)-Guwahati, Changsari, PIN-781101, Assam, India
| | - Upadhyayula Suryanarayana Murty
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)-Guwahati, Changsari, PIN-781101, Assam, India
| | - Bidya Dhar Sahu
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)-Guwahati, Changsari, PIN-781101, Assam, India
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Dysregulation of S-adenosylmethionine Metabolism in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Leads to Polyamine Flux and Oxidative Stress. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23041986. [PMID: 35216100 PMCID: PMC8878801 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23041986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the number one cause of chronic liver disease worldwide, with 25% of these patients developing nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NASH significantly increases the risk of cirrhosis and decompensated liver failure. Past studies in rodent models have shown that glycine-N-methyltransferase (GNMT) knockout results in rapid steatosis, fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma progression. However, the attenuation of GNMT in subjects with NASH and the molecular basis for its impact on the disease process is still unclear. To address this knowledge gap, we show the reduction of GNMT protein levels in the liver of NASH subjects compared to healthy controls. To gain insight into the impact of decreased GNMT in the disease process, we performed global label-free proteome studies on the livers from a murine modified amylin diet-based model of NASH. Histological and molecular characterization of the animal model demonstrate a high resemblance to human disease. We found that a reduction of GNMT leads to a significant increase in S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet), an essential metabolite for transmethylation reactions and a substrate for polyamine synthesis. Further targeted proteomic and metabolomic studies demonstrated a decrease in GNMT transmethylation, increased flux through the polyamine pathway, and increased oxidative stress production contributing to NASH pathogenesis.
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Polydatin: A Critical Promising Natural Agent for Liver Protection via Antioxidative Stress. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2022; 2022:9218738. [PMID: 35186191 PMCID: PMC8853764 DOI: 10.1155/2022/9218738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Polydatin, one of the natural active small molecules, was commonly applied in protecting and treating liver disorders in preclinical studies. Oxidative stress plays vital roles in liver injury caused by various factors, such as alcohol, viral infections, dietary components, drugs, and other chemical reagents. It is reported that oxidative stress might be one of the main reasons in the progressive development of alcohol liver diseases (ALDs), nonalcoholic liver diseases (NAFLDs), liver injury, fibrosis, hepatic failure (HF), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this paper, we comprehensively summarized the pharmacological effects and potential molecular mechanisms of polydatin for protecting and treating liver disorders via regulation of oxidative stress. According to the previous studies, polydatin is a versatile natural compound and exerts significantly protective and curative effects on oxidative stress-associated liver diseases via various molecular mechanisms, including amelioration of liver function and insulin resistance, inhibition of proinflammatory cytokines, lipid accumulation, endoplasmic reticulum stress and autophagy, regulation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR, and activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), as well as increase of antioxidant enzymes (such as catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1)). In addition, polydatin acts as a free radical scavenger against reactive oxygen species (ROS) by its phenolic and ethylenic bond structure. However, further clinical investigations are still needed to explore the comprehensive molecular mechanisms and confirm the clinical treatment effect of polydatin in liver diseases related to regulation of oxidative stress.
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El-Bassiouni N, Amin N, Rizk SH, El Azayem MKA, Madkour M, Garem H, Ibrahim R, El Nil OA. Role of Circulating Hematopoietic Fibrocytes in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients Induced Liver Fibrosis. Open Access Maced J Med Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.3889/oamjms.2022.8123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Bone marrow derived fibrocytes may play an important role in pathogenesis and resolution of liver fibrosis. These cells may offer new approaches for better understanding the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis.
Aim of the work: To define the proportion of circulating fibrocytes with hematopoietic progenitor origin as defined by CD45 and CD34 positivity and to assess whether they are increased in patients with chronic C hepatitis in correlation to the degree of liver fibrosis.
Subjects and Methods: Sixty HCV patients were classified according to METAVIR score into 4 stages of liver fibrosis, 15 age and sex-matched controls were included. Flowcytometric analysis for circulating levels of fibrocytes CD34+ve cells, CD45+ve cells, collagen type I+ve cells and CXCR4+ve cells was carried out using monoclonal antibodies (anti-CD34, CD45, collagen type I and CD184). GM-CSF, TGF-β and α-SMA were assessed using ELISA.
Results and Conclusions: A significant increase in the circulating levels of GM-CSF, TGF- β and α-SMA, with a significant increase in the percentage of cells express CXCR4and in the co expression of CD34, CD45 and collagen type I positive cells in different groups of patients compared to control group, denoting the presence of an increased proportion of circulating fibrocytes in peripheral blood of these patients. The percentage of fibrocytes that positively expression CD34, CD45, collagen type I and CXCR4, were increased in step wise fashion in conjunction with worsening severity of liver disease.
Liver fibrosis is associated with increased levels of circulating TGF-β1 and lipopolysaccharide, activation of myofibroblasts, and extensive deposition of extracellular matrix, mostly collagen Type I. TGF-β and LPS play a critical role in fibrogenesis and trigger fibrocyte recruitment to the injured liver promoting their differentiation into collagen type I producing myofibroblast, supporting that fibrocytes may become a novel target for anti fibrotic therapy.
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Mastoridou EM, Goussia AC, Glantzounis GK, Kanavaros P, Charchanti AV. Autophagy and Exosomes: Cross-Regulated Pathways Playing Major Roles in Hepatic Stellate Cells Activation and Liver Fibrosis. Front Physiol 2022; 12:801340. [PMID: 35185602 PMCID: PMC8850693 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.801340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic liver injury, regardless of the underlying disease, results in gradual alteration of the physiological hepatic architecture and in excessive production of extracellular matrix, eventually leading to cirrhosis Liver cellular architecture consists of different cell populations, among which hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) have been found to play a major role in the fibrotic process. Under normal conditions, HSCs serve as the main storage site for vitamin A, however, pathological stimuli lead to their transdifferentiation into myofibroblast cells, with autophagy being the key regulator of their activation, through lipophagy of their lipid droplets. Nevertheless, the role of autophagy in liver fibrosis is multifaceted, as increased autophagic levels have been associated with alleviation of the fibrotic process. In addition, it has been found that HSCs receive paracrine stimuli from neighboring cells, such as injured hepatocytes, Kupffer cells, sinusoidal endothelial cells, which promote liver fibrosis. These stimuli have been found to be transmitted via exosomes, which are incorporated by HSCs and can either be degraded through lysosomes or be secreted back into the extracellular space via fusion with the plasma membrane. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that autophagy and exosomes may be concomitantly or reciprocally regulated, depending on the cellular conditions. Given that increased levels of autophagy are required to activate HSCs, it is important to investigate whether autophagy levels decrease at later stages of hepatic stellate cell activation, leading to increased release of exosomes and further propagation of hepatic fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleftheria M. Mastoridou
- Department of Anatomy-Histology-Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Anna C. Goussia
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Georgios K. Glantzounis
- Hepato-Pancreatico-Biliary Unit, Department of Surgery, University General Hospital of Ioannina and School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Kanavaros
- Department of Anatomy-Histology-Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Antonia V. Charchanti
- Department of Anatomy-Histology-Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
- *Correspondence: Antonia V. Charchanti,
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Prolonged Inhalation Exposure to Coal Dust on Irradiated Rats and Consequences. ScientificWorldJournal 2022; 2022:8824275. [PMID: 35153629 PMCID: PMC8828334 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8824275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The purposes of this study were to research immune system changes and liver and lung tissues in irradiated rats after prolonged exposure to coal dust. A study was carried out on 30 male Wistar rats that were divided into 3 groups: group I, intact animals; group II, exposure to coal dust and 0.2 Gy γ-irradiation; and group III, combined exposure to 6 Gy γ-irradiation and coal dust. The combination of a low and sublethal dose of γ-irradiation with coal dust leads to a significant change in immunity at the remote period. Particularly, the increase in radioactivity at the combined effect causes weakening of phagocytosis, and reduction in T lymphocytes by a factor of 2, immunoglobulin imbalance, and cytokine dysfunction develop secondary immune failure. During prolonged inhalation with coal dust of irradiated animals with the dose of 0.2 Gy, fibrosis and perivascular sclerosis of the bronchial wall of the lungs are formed, and perivascular fibrosis is formed in the liver. The increase in exposure dose up to 6 Gy in combination with coal, in the distant period, caused pulmonary hypertension amid hypertrophy of light arterial vessels and fibrous changes in arteriole, and destructive changes and collection necrosis develop in liver parenchyma. In the case of dust radiation synergy, the increase in doses leads to a significant immune deficiency, which occurs according to the “dose effect” principle; increases damage to animal tissues; and leads to liver tissue necrosis, pulmonary fibrosis, and pulmonary hypertension.
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LIU L, GUO H, SHAO C, WANG L, XU Y, ZHOU Y. Shugan Huoxue Huayu Fang attenuates carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats by inhibiting transforming growth factor-β1/Smad signaling. J TRADIT CHIN MED 2022; 42:65-72. [PMID: 35294124 PMCID: PMC10164635 DOI: 10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.20210624.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the potential mechanism by which Shugan Huoxue Huayu Fang (SGHXHYF) ameliorates liver fibrosis. METHODS Liver fibrosis was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injection of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in peanut oil solution (40%, 3 mL/kg body weight) twice a week for 8 weeks. A normal control group received the same volume of peanut oil alone. During weeks 5-8, the CCl4-injected rat groups were administered saline (vehicle control), colchicine (0.1 mg/mL, 1 mg/kg, positive control), or SGHXHYF (0.1 mg/mL; 0.3, 0.6 and 1.2 mg/kg) once daily by oral gavage. Rats were sacrificed 24 h after the last treatment. Blood samples were collected for measurement of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), albumin (ALB), collagen Ⅰ and collagen Ⅲ levels. Liver samples were analyzed by histopathological staining, Masson's staining of extracellular matrix proteins, and immune-ohistochemical staining of αsmooth muscle actin (α-SMA). TGF-β1/Smad protein and mRNA levels were analyzed by Western blot and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis, respectively. In vitro experiments were also performed using rat hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). RESULTS Compared with the control animals, CCl4-exposed rats exhibited elevated serum levels of ALT, AST, ALP, collagen I, and collagen III; reduced serum levels of ALB; and increased collagen deposition and αSMA expression in liver sections, reflecting liver fibrosis. CCl4 also increased expression of TGF-β1 and the activated (phosphorylated) forms of Smad2 and Smad3 but reduced expression of the negative regulator Smad7 in the liver. Notably, concomitant administration of SGHXHYF to CCl4-exposed rats was found to significantly reverse or abolish the pro-fibrotic effects of CCl4 in the liver and reduced serum transferase levels. Analysis of HSCs in vitro confirmed that, mechanistically, SGHXHYF inhibited activation of the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway by downregulating phosphorylated Smad2 and Smad3 and upregulating Smad7 levels. CONCLUSION SGHXHYF ameliorated CCl4-induced liver fibrosis by inhibiting the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway. These findings suggest that SGHXHYF may have clinical utility for the treatment or prevention of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei LIU
- 1 Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, China
| | - Hanbin GUO
- 1 Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, China
| | - Cuiping SHAO
- 1 Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, China
| | - Lin WANG
- 1 Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, China
| | - Youqing XU
- 1 Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, China
| | - Yiming ZHOU
- 2 Department of Hepatology, the seventh medical center of the People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing 100700, China
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LIU L, GUO H, SHAO C, WANG L, XU Y, ZHOU Y. Shugan Huoxue Huayu Fang attenuates carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats by inhibiting transforming growth factor-β1/Smad signaling. J TRADIT CHIN MED 2022; 42:65-72. [PMID: 35294124 PMCID: PMC10164635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the potential mechanism by which Shugan Huoxue Huayu Fang (SGHXHYF) ameliorates liver fibrosis. METHODS Liver fibrosis was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injection of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in peanut oil solution (40%, 3 mL/kg body weight) twice a week for 8 weeks. A normal control group received the same volume of peanut oil alone. During weeks 5-8, the CCl4-injected rat groups were administered saline (vehicle control), colchicine (0.1 mg/mL, 1 mg/kg, positive control), or SGHXHYF (0.1 mg/mL; 0.3, 0.6 and 1.2 mg/kg) once daily by oral gavage. Rats were sacrificed 24 h after the last treatment. Blood samples were collected for measurement of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), albumin (ALB), collagen Ⅰ and collagen Ⅲ levels. Liver samples were analyzed by histopathological staining, Masson's staining of extracellular matrix proteins, and immune-ohistochemical staining of αsmooth muscle actin (α-SMA). TGF-β1/Smad protein and mRNA levels were analyzed by Western blot and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis, respectively. In vitro experiments were also performed using rat hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). RESULTS Compared with the control animals, CCl4-exposed rats exhibited elevated serum levels of ALT, AST, ALP, collagen I, and collagen III; reduced serum levels of ALB; and increased collagen deposition and αSMA expression in liver sections, reflecting liver fibrosis. CCl4 also increased expression of TGF-β1 and the activated (phosphorylated) forms of Smad2 and Smad3 but reduced expression of the negative regulator Smad7 in the liver. Notably, concomitant administration of SGHXHYF to CCl4-exposed rats was found to significantly reverse or abolish the pro-fibrotic effects of CCl4 in the liver and reduced serum transferase levels. Analysis of HSCs in vitro confirmed that, mechanistically, SGHXHYF inhibited activation of the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway by downregulating phosphorylated Smad2 and Smad3 and upregulating Smad7 levels. CONCLUSION SGHXHYF ameliorated CCl4-induced liver fibrosis by inhibiting the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway. These findings suggest that SGHXHYF may have clinical utility for the treatment or prevention of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei LIU
- 1 Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, China
| | - Hanbin GUO
- 1 Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, China
| | - Cuiping SHAO
- 1 Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, China
| | - Lin WANG
- 1 Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, China
| | - Youqing XU
- 1 Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, China
| | - Yiming ZHOU
- 2 Department of Hepatology, the seventh medical center of the People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing 100700, China
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Arwinda R, Liem IK, Fatril AE, Oktorina F, Husna FA, Kodariah R, Wuyung PE. CK19 and OV6 Expressions in the Liver of 2-AAF/CCl4 Rat Model. Open Access Maced J Med Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.3889/oamjms.2022.7923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Liver regeneration on a chronic liver injury with rat model research is urgent to study the pathology of human chronic diseases. 2-Acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) and Carbon Tetrachloride (CCl4) can be applied to study about liver regeneration by liver stem cells, known as oval cells. The use of 2-AAF and CCl4 (2-AAF/CCl4) to induce chronic liver injury can lead severe hepatocyte damages and extensive fibrosis.
AIM: to observed the OV6 and CK19 expression in the liver of 2AAF/CCl4 rat model.
METHODS: In this research, a high dose of 2-AAF (10mg/kg) was applied and combined repeatedly with CCl4 (2ml/kg) for 12 weeks. An immunohistochemistry (IHC) procedure by using OV6 and CK19 antibodies was also applied to examine the regeneration of oval cells. Both antibodies expressions were then examined semi-quantitatively according to the expressions percentage of each sample based on the liver zone. We have observed the OV6 and CK19 expressions in every zone, including in portae hepatis area.
RESULTS: The results showed that OV6 and CK19 with the highest expression in the zone I. A significant difference between OV6 and CK19 expressions was revealed in healthy (control group) and 2-AAF/CCl4 groups (both indicating p=0.045). Moreover, a ductular reaction was also found in Zone I and II of the 2-AAF/CCl4.
CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that 2-AAF/CCl4 induced chronic rat liver injury model, could be utilized to investigate the oval cells with OV6 and CK19 expression.
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Liedtke C, Nevzorova YA, Luedde T, Zimmermann H, Kroy D, Strnad P, Berres ML, Bernhagen J, Tacke F, Nattermann J, Spengler U, Sauerbruch T, Wree A, Abdullah Z, Tolba RH, Trebicka J, Lammers T, Trautwein C, Weiskirchen R. Liver Fibrosis-From Mechanisms of Injury to Modulation of Disease. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 8:814496. [PMID: 35087852 PMCID: PMC8787129 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.814496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Transregional Collaborative Research Center "Organ Fibrosis: From Mechanisms of Injury to Modulation of Disease" (referred to as SFB/TRR57) was funded for 13 years (2009-2021) by the German Research Council (DFG). This consortium was hosted by the Medical Schools of the RWTH Aachen University and Bonn University in Germany. The SFB/TRR57 implemented combined basic and clinical research to achieve detailed knowledge in three selected key questions: (i) What are the relevant mechanisms and signal pathways required for initiating organ fibrosis? (ii) Which immunological mechanisms and molecules contribute to organ fibrosis? and (iii) How can organ fibrosis be modulated, e.g., by interventional strategies including imaging and pharmacological approaches? In this review we will summarize the liver-related key findings of this consortium gained within the last 12 years on these three aspects of liver fibrogenesis. We will highlight the role of cell death and cell cycle pathways as well as nutritional and iron-related mechanisms for liver fibrosis initiation. Moreover, we will define and characterize the major immune cell compartments relevant for liver fibrogenesis, and finally point to potential signaling pathways and pharmacological targets that turned out to be suitable to develop novel approaches for improved therapy and diagnosis of liver fibrosis. In summary, this review will provide a comprehensive overview about the knowledge on liver fibrogenesis and its potential therapy gained by the SFB/TRR57 consortium within the last decade. The kidney-related research results obtained by the same consortium are highlighted in an article published back-to-back in Frontiers in Medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Liedtke
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Yulia A Nevzorova
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.,Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, Complutense University Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Tom Luedde
- Medical Faculty, Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Henning Zimmermann
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Daniela Kroy
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Pavel Strnad
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Marie-Luise Berres
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jürgen Bernhagen
- Chair of Vascular Biology, Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), Klinikum der Universität München (KUM), Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), Munich, Germany
| | - Frank Tacke
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum and Campus Charité Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jacob Nattermann
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Ulrich Spengler
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Tilman Sauerbruch
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Alexander Wree
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum and Campus Charité Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - Zeinab Abdullah
- Institute for Molecular Medicine and Experimental Immunology, University Hospital of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - René H Tolba
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science and Experimental Surgery, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jonel Trebicka
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Twan Lammers
- Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Christian Trautwein
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ralf Weiskirchen
- Institute of Molecular Pathobiochemistry, Experimental Gene Therapy and Clinical Chemistry (IFMPEGKC), University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
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212
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Zuñiga-Aguilar E, Ramírez-Fernández O. Fibrosis and hepatic regeneration mechanism. Transl Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022; 7:9. [PMID: 35243118 PMCID: PMC8826211 DOI: 10.21037/tgh.2020.02.21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver cirrhosis is the final stage of continuous hepatic inflammatory activity derived by viral, metabolic or autoimmune origin. In the last years, cirrhosis was considered a unique and static condition; recently was accepted some patients subgroups with different liver injury degrees that coexist under the same diagnosis, with implications about the natural disease history. The liver growth factor (LGF) is a potent in vivo and in vitro mitogenic agent and an inducer of hepatic regeneration (HR) through the hepatocytes DNA synthesis. The clinical implications of the LGF levels in cirrhosis, are not clear and even with having a fundamental role in the liver regeneration processes, the studies suggest that it could be a cirrhosis severity marker, in acute liver failure and in chronic hepatitis. Its role as predictor of mortality in fulminant hepatic insufficiency patients has been suggested. HR is one of the most enigmatic and fascinating biological phenomena. The rapid volume and liver function restoration after a major hepatectomy (>70%) or severe hepatocellular damage and its strict regulation of tissue damage response after the cessation, is an exclusive property of the liver. HR is the clinical applications fundament, such as extensive hepatic resections (>70% of the liver parenchyma), segmental transplantation or living donor transplantation, sequential hepatectomies, isolated portal embolization or associated with in situ hepatic transection, temporary artificial support in acute liver failure and the possible cell therapy clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esmeralda Zuñiga-Aguilar
- Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juárez, Depto de Ingeniería Eléctrica y Computación, Ciudad Juárez, Chih., México
| | - Odin Ramírez-Fernández
- Tecnologico Nacional de Mexico, Depto. De Ciencias Basicas, Tlalnepantla de Baz, Mexico
- Facultad de Medicina, HIPAM, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Ciudad de México, Mexico
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213
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Shakerian E, Afarin R, Akbari R, Mohammadtaghvaei N. Effect of Quercetin on the fructose-activated human hepatic stellate cells, LX-2, an in-vitro study. Mol Biol Rep 2022; 49:2839-2845. [PMID: 35067813 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-021-07097-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatic fibrosis is one of the main reasons for mortality in the world. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) activate during chronic liver injury, express more Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), Collagen1α (COLA1) and actin-alpha smooth muscle (αSMA) that lead to hepatic fibrosis. Quercetin is a flavonoid in vegetables and fruits that has shown hepatoprotective potential, but little is known about its effects on HSCs activation. In this study, we investigated the antifibrotic activity of Quercetin on fructose-activated human HSCs and its underlying mechanism in vitro. METHODS First, the human HSCs were treated with fructose (25 mM) for 48 h and then with Quercetin for 24 h. Total RNAs were extracted, reversely transcribed into cDNA, Quantitative Real-time PCR and western blot were performed. RESULTS The results showed that the levels of mRNA expression of TGF-β, αSMA, Collagen1 genes, and phosphorylated smad3 protein were significantly reduced in fructose-activated HSCs after treatment with Quercetin compared to fructose-activated HSCs. CONCLUSION Quercetin is effective in reducing the expression of fibrogenic genes in fructose-activated human HSCs through downregulation of the TGF-β/smad3 signaling pathway. Therefore, Quercetin possesses significant antifibrotic properties in hepatic fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elham Shakerian
- Hyperlipidemia Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.,Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Reza Afarin
- Hyperlipidemia Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.,Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Rasoul Akbari
- Hyperlipidemia Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.,Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Narges Mohammadtaghvaei
- Hyperlipidemia Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran. .,Department of Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Paramedicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
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214
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Cioarca-Nedelcu R, Atanasiu V, Stoian I. Alcoholic liver disease-from steatosis to cirrhosis - a biochemistry approach. J Med Life 2022; 14:594-599. [PMID: 35027961 PMCID: PMC8742892 DOI: 10.25122/jml-2021-0081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Nowadays, chronic alcoholism and its health implications represent a global concern. Over three million deaths are linked to chronic alcohol intake every year. This article aims to spread awareness about the negative impact ethanol can have on almost every organ in the body, especially the liver. Understanding ethanol metabolism and the cellular pathways through which alcohol increases liver oxidative stress may prevent a broad spectrum of hepatic lesions such as steatosis, steatohepatitis, and, ultimately, cirrhosis. After a short review of ethanol metabolism and liver oxidative stress, each hepatic lesion will be individually discussed regarding the mechanism of apparition, treatment, and future targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Valeriu Atanasiu
- Biochemistry Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Carol Davila, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Irina Stoian
- Biochemistry Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Carol Davila, Bucharest, Romania
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215
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Alegre F, Martí-Rodrigo A, Polo M, Ortiz-Masiá D, Bañuls C, Pinti M, Álvarez Á, Apostolova N, Esplugues JV, Blas-García A. Macrophages Modulate Hepatic Injury Involving NLRP3 Inflammasome: The Example of Efavirenz. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10010109. [PMID: 35052789 PMCID: PMC8772956 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10010109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) constitutes a clinical challenge due to the incomplete characterization of the mechanisms involved and potential risk factors. Efavirenz, an anti-HIV drug, induces deleterious actions in hepatocytes that could underlie induction of the NLRP3 inflammasome, an important regulator of inflammatory responses during liver injury. We assessed the potential of efavirenz to modulate the inflammatory and fibrogenic responses of major liver cell types involved in DILI. The effects of efavirenz were evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. Efavirenz triggered inflammation in hepatocytes, in a process that involved NF-κB and the NLRP3 inflammasome, and activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), thereby enhancing expression of inflammatory and fibrogenic markers. The NLRP3 inflammasome was not altered in efavirenz-treated macrophages, but these cells polarized towards the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype and displayed upregulated anti-inflammatory mediators. Conversely, no evidence of damage was observed in efavirenz-treated animals, except when macrophages were depleted, which resulted in the in vivo manifestation of the deleterious effects detected in hepatocytes and HSCs. Efavirenz elicits a cell-specific activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in hepatocytes and HSCs, but macrophages appear to counteract efavirenz-induced liver injury. Our results highlight the dynamic nature of the interaction among liver cell populations and emphasize the potential of targeting macrophage polarization as a strategy to treat NLRP3 inflammasome-induced liver injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Alegre
- Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
- Servicio de Endocrinología, FISABIO-Hospital Universitario Dr. Peset, 46017 Valencia, Spain
| | - Alberto Martí-Rodrigo
- Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Miriam Polo
- Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
- Servicio de Endocrinología, FISABIO-Hospital Universitario Dr. Peset, 46017 Valencia, Spain
| | - Dolores Ortiz-Masiá
- Departamento de Medicina, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Celia Bañuls
- Servicio de Endocrinología, FISABIO-Hospital Universitario Dr. Peset, 46017 Valencia, Spain
| | - Marcello Pinti
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41121 Modena, Italy
| | - Ángeles Álvarez
- Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Nadezda Apostolova
- Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
- Servicio de Endocrinología, FISABIO-Hospital Universitario Dr. Peset, 46017 Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Juan V Esplugues
- Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
- Servicio de Endocrinología, FISABIO-Hospital Universitario Dr. Peset, 46017 Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Ana Blas-García
- Servicio de Endocrinología, FISABIO-Hospital Universitario Dr. Peset, 46017 Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), 46010 Valencia, Spain
- Departamento de Fisiología, Universidad de Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
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216
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Liu M, Zhang H, Zhang L, Liu X, Zhou S, Wang X, Zhong W, Zhang J, Wang B, Zhao J, Zhou L. RIP3 blockade prevents immune-mediated hepatitis through a myeloid-derived suppressor cell dependent mechanism. Int J Biol Sci 2022; 18:199-213. [PMID: 34975327 PMCID: PMC8692153 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.65402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is an immune-mediated chronic inflammatory liver disease, and its pathogenesis is not fully understood. Our previous study discovered that receptor interacting protein kinase 3 (RIP3) is correlated with serum transaminase levels in AIH patients. However, its role and underlying mechanism in AIH are poorly understood. Here, we detected the increased expression and activation of RIP3 in livers of patients and animal models with AIH. The inhibition of RIP3 kinase by GSK872 prevented concanavalin A (ConA)-induced immune-mediated hepatitis (IMH) by reduced hepatic proinflammatory cytokines and immune cells including Th17 cells and macrophages. Further experiments revealed that RIP3 inhibition resulted in an increase in CD11b+Gr1+ myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) with immunoregulatory properties in the liver, spleen, and peripheral blood. Moreover, the depletion of Gr-1+ MDSCs abrogated the protective effect and immune suppression function of GSK872 in ConA-induced IMH. Altogether, our data demonstrate that RIP3 blockade prevents ConA-induced IMH through promoting MDSCs infiltration. Inhibition of RIP3 kinase may be a novel therapeutic avenue for AIH treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.,Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Hongxia Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Lu Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xin Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Simin Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiaoyi Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Weilong Zhong
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Bangmao Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jingwen Zhao
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Lu Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, People's Hospital of Hetian District, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China
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217
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He ZQ, Yuan XW, Lu ZB, Li YH, Li YF, Liu X, Wang L, Zhang Y, Zhou Q, Li W. Pharmacological regulation of tissue fibrosis by targeting the mechanical contraction of myofibroblasts. FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 2:37-47. [PMID: 38933917 PMCID: PMC11197686 DOI: 10.1016/j.fmre.2021.11.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibrosis can occur in almost all tissues and organs and affects normal physiological function, which may have serious consequences, such as organ failure. However, there are currently no effective, broad-spectrum drugs suitable for clinical application. Revealing the process of fibrosis is an important prerequisite for the development of new therapeutic targets and drugs. Studies have shown that the limiting of myofibroblast activation or the promoting of their elimination can ameliorate fibrosis. However, it has not been reported whether a direct decrease in cell contraction can inhibit fibrosis in vivo. Here, we have shown that (-)-blebbistatin (Ble), a non-muscle myosin Ⅱ inhibitor, displayed significant inhibition of liver fibrosis in different chronic injury mouse models in vivo. We found that Ble reduced the stiffness of fibrotic tissues from the early stage, which reduced the extent of myofibroblast activation induced by a stiffer extracellular matrix (ECM). Moreover, Ble also reduced the activation of myofibroblasts induced by TGF-β1, which is the most potent pro-fibrotic cytokine. Mechanistically, Ble reduced mechanical contraction, which inhibited the assembly of stress fibers, decreased the F/G-actin ratio, and led to the exnucleation of YAP1 and MRTF-A. Finally, we verified its broad-spectrum antifibrotic effect in multiple models of organ fibrosis. Our results highlighted the important role of mechanical contraction in myofibroblast activation and maintenance, rather than just a characteristic of activation, suggesting that it may be a potential target to explore broad-spectrum drugs for the treatment of fibrotic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng-Quan He
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xue-Wei Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Zong-Bao Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yu-Huan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun Jilin 130021, China
| | - Yu-Fei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Liu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Qi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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218
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Dias BV, Gomes SV, da Cruz Castro ML, Carvalho LCF, Breguez GS, de Souza DMS, de Oliveira Ramos C, Sant'Ana MR, Nakandakari SCBR, Araujo CM, Grabe-Guimarães A, Talvani A, Carneiro CM, Cintra DEC, Costa DC. EPA/DHA AND LINSEED OIL HAVE DIFFERENT EFFECTS ON LIVER AND ADIPOSE TISSUE IN RATS FED WITH A HIGH-FAT DIET. Prostaglandins Other Lipid Mediat 2022; 159:106622. [DOI: 10.1016/j.prostaglandins.2022.106622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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219
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Fuji H, Miller G, Nishio T, Koyama Y, Lam K, Zhang V, Loomba R, Brenner D, Kisseleva T. The role of Mesothelin signaling in Portal Fibroblasts in the pathogenesis of cholestatic liver fibrosis. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:790032. [PMID: 34966784 PMCID: PMC8710774 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.790032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver fibrosis develops in response to chronic toxic or cholestatic injury, and is characterized by apoptosis of damaged hepatocytes, development of inflammatory responses, and activation of Collagen Type I producing myofibroblasts that make liver fibrotic. Two major cell types, Hepatic Stellate Cells (HSCs) and Portal Fibroblasts (PFs) are the major source of hepatic myofibroblasts. Hepatotoxic liver injury activates Hepatic Stellate Cells (aHSCs) to become myofibroblasts, while cholestatic liver injury activates both aHSCs and Portal Fibroblasts (aPFs). aPFs comprise the major population of myofibroblasts at the onset of cholestatic injury, while aHSCs are increasingly activated with fibrosis progression. Here we summarize our current understanding of the role of aPFs in the pathogenesis of cholestatic fibrosis, their unique features, and outline the potential mechanism of targeting aPFs in fibrotic liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroaki Fuji
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.,Department of Surgery, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Grant Miller
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.,Department of Surgery, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Takahiro Nishio
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yukinori Koyama
- Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kevin Lam
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.,Department of Surgery, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Vivian Zhang
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.,Department of Surgery, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Rohit Loomba
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - David Brenner
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Tatiana Kisseleva
- Department of Surgery, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
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220
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Yuan S, Wu Q, Wang Z, Che Y, Zheng S, Chen Y, Zhong X, Shi F. miR-223: An Immune Regulator in Infectious Disorders. Front Immunol 2021; 12:781815. [PMID: 34956210 PMCID: PMC8702553 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.781815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are diminutive noncoding RNAs that can influence disease development and progression by post-transcriptionally regulating gene expression. The anti-inflammatory miRNA, miR-223, was first identified as a regulator of myelopoietic differentiation in 2003. This miR-223 exhibits multiple regulatory functions in the immune response, and abnormal expression of miR-223 is shown to be associated with multiple infectious diseases, including viral hepatitis, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), and tuberculosis (TB) by influencing neutrophil infiltration, macrophage function, dendritic cell (DC) maturation and inflammasome activation. This review summarizes the current understanding of miR-223 physiopathology and highlights the molecular mechanism by which miR-223 regulates immune responses to infectious diseases and how it may be targeted for diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shun Yuan
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Qi Wu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhiwei Wang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yanjia Che
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Sihao Zheng
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuanyang Chen
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaohan Zhong
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Feng Shi
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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221
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Xiong Y, Hu J, Xuan C, Tian J, Tan K, Chen Z, Luo Y, Du X, Cheng J, Zhang L, Cao W. Transcriptome analysis reveals the molecular mechanism of Yiqi Rougan decoction in reducing CCl 4-induced liver fibrosis in rats. Chin Med 2021; 16:142. [PMID: 34952623 PMCID: PMC8709947 DOI: 10.1186/s13020-021-00552-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Liver fibrosis develops from various chronic liver diseases, and there is currently a lack of specific treatment strategies. Yiqi Rougan decoction (YQRG) is a traditional Chinese medicine that has shown durative effects in the treatment of liver fibrosis; however, the mechanism associated with YQRG-related improvements in liver fibrosis remains to be experimentally determined. This study evaluated the therapeutic effect of YQRG on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver fibrosis in rats and its molecular mechanism. Methods We used low-, medium-, and high-dose YQRG to treat CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in rats, followed by assessment of liver injury and fibrosis according to liver appearance, body weight, liver mass index, histopathologic examination, and serum testing. Additionally, we performed transcriptome analysis using RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) technology, including cluster, Gene Ontology (GO), and pathway analyses, to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and protein and gene expression were detected by immunofluorescence (IFC), western blot and real-time quantitative PCR. Results The results showed that YQRG effectively alleviated CCl4-induced liver injury and fibrosis in rats, including observations of improved liver function, decreased activity of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), and decreased extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition. Moreover, we identified downregulated and upregulated DEGs in the model group relative to the control and YQRG-treated groups, with GO analysis revealing their enrichment in biological processes, such as endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), apoptosis, and autophagy. Furthermore, pathway analysis showed that YQRG treatment downregulated the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt (PI3K/AKT) signalling pathways and upregulated other signalling pathways, including those related to peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors(PPAR) and AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK), with these findings subsequently verified experimentally. Conclusion These findings showed that YQRG improved CCl4-induced liver fibrosis through multiple mechanisms and pathways, offering critical insight into the YQRG-related therapeutic mechanism and promoting further research into its potential application. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13020-021-00552-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Xiong
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 Medical College Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China.,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Cure of Metabolic Diseases, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Jinyuan Hu
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 Medical College Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China.,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Cure of Metabolic Diseases, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Chen Xuan
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 Medical College Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China.,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Cure of Metabolic Diseases, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Jiayu Tian
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 Medical College Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China.,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Cure of Metabolic Diseases, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Kaiyue Tan
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 Medical College Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China.,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Cure of Metabolic Diseases, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Zhiwei Chen
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 Medical College Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China.,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Cure of Metabolic Diseases, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Yan Luo
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 Medical College Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China.,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Cure of Metabolic Diseases, Chongqing, 400016, China.,Department of Kidney Disease, Chongqing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Chongqing, 400021, China
| | - Xuqin Du
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 Medical College Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China.,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Cure of Metabolic Diseases, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Junxiong Cheng
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 Medical College Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China.,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Cure of Metabolic Diseases, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Lanyue Zhang
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 Medical College Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China.,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Cure of Metabolic Diseases, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Wenfu Cao
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 Medical College Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China. .,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Cure of Metabolic Diseases, Chongqing, 400016, China. .,Department of Combination of Chinese and Western Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China.
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222
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New advances of DNA/RNA methylation modification in liver fibrosis. Cell Signal 2021; 92:110224. [PMID: 34954394 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2021.110224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a complex pathological process caused by multiple pathogenic factors,such as ethanol, viruses, toxins, drugs or cholestasis, and it can eventually develop into liver cirrhosis without effective treatment. Activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is a pivotal cellular event in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis. However, the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis has not been fully elucidated. DNA/RNA methylation can regulate gene expression without alteration in its sequence, and numerous studies have shown the involvement of DNA methylation in the activation of HSCs and then promote the progression of liver fibrosis. In addition, RNA methylation has recently been reported to play a regulatory role in this process. In this review, we focus on the aberrant DNA/RNA methylation of selected genes and explore their functional mechanism in regulating HSCs activation and liver fibrogenesis. All of these findings will enhance our understanding of DNA/RNA methylation and their roles in liver fibrosis and provide the basis to identify effective therapeutic targets.
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223
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Wang Y, Li N, Zheng Y, Wang A, Yu C, Song Z, Wang S, Sun Y, Zheng L, Wang G, Liu L, Yi J, Huang Y, Zhang M, Bao Y, Sun L. KIAA1217 Promotes Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Metastasis by Interacting with and Activating STAT3. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 23:ijms23010104. [PMID: 35008530 PMCID: PMC8745027 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23010104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The survival and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are poor, mainly due to metastasis. Therefore, insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying HCC invasion and metastasis are urgently needed to develop a more effective antimetastatic therapy. Here, we report that KIAA1217, a functionally unknown macromolecular protein, plays a crucial role in HCC metastasis. KIAA1217 expression was frequently upregulated in HCC cell lines and tissues, and high KIAA1217 expression was closely associated with shorter survival of patients with HCC. Overexpression and knockdown experiments revealed that KIAA1217 significantly promoted cell migration and invasion by inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vitro. Consistently, HCC cells overexpressing KIAA1217 exhibited markedly enhanced lung metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, KIAA1217 enhanced EMT and accordingly promoted HCC metastasis by interacting with and activating JAK1/2 and STAT3. Interestingly, KIAA1217-activated p-STAT3 was retained in the cytoplasm instead of translocating into the nucleus, where p-STAT3 subsequently activated the Notch and Wnt/β-catenin pathways to facilitate EMT induction and HCC metastasis. Collectively, KIAA1217 may function as an adaptor protein or scaffold protein in the cytoplasm and coordinate multiple pathways to promote EMT-induced HCC metastasis, indicating its potential as a therapeutic target for curbing HCC metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanhong Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Druggable Gene and Protein Screening, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (Y.W.); (N.L.); (Y.Z.); (A.W.); (C.Y.); (Y.S.); (Y.H.); (Y.B.)
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality of Cell and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (Z.S.); (S.W.); (L.Z.); (G.W.); (L.L.); (J.Y.)
| | - Na Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Druggable Gene and Protein Screening, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (Y.W.); (N.L.); (Y.Z.); (A.W.); (C.Y.); (Y.S.); (Y.H.); (Y.B.)
| | - Yanping Zheng
- National Engineering Laboratory for Druggable Gene and Protein Screening, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (Y.W.); (N.L.); (Y.Z.); (A.W.); (C.Y.); (Y.S.); (Y.H.); (Y.B.)
| | - Anqing Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Druggable Gene and Protein Screening, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (Y.W.); (N.L.); (Y.Z.); (A.W.); (C.Y.); (Y.S.); (Y.H.); (Y.B.)
| | - Chunlei Yu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Druggable Gene and Protein Screening, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (Y.W.); (N.L.); (Y.Z.); (A.W.); (C.Y.); (Y.S.); (Y.H.); (Y.B.)
| | - Zhenbo Song
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality of Cell and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (Z.S.); (S.W.); (L.Z.); (G.W.); (L.L.); (J.Y.)
| | - Shuyue Wang
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality of Cell and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (Z.S.); (S.W.); (L.Z.); (G.W.); (L.L.); (J.Y.)
| | - Ying Sun
- National Engineering Laboratory for Druggable Gene and Protein Screening, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (Y.W.); (N.L.); (Y.Z.); (A.W.); (C.Y.); (Y.S.); (Y.H.); (Y.B.)
| | - Lihua Zheng
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality of Cell and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (Z.S.); (S.W.); (L.Z.); (G.W.); (L.L.); (J.Y.)
| | - Guannan Wang
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality of Cell and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (Z.S.); (S.W.); (L.Z.); (G.W.); (L.L.); (J.Y.)
| | - Lei Liu
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality of Cell and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (Z.S.); (S.W.); (L.Z.); (G.W.); (L.L.); (J.Y.)
| | - Jingwen Yi
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality of Cell and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (Z.S.); (S.W.); (L.Z.); (G.W.); (L.L.); (J.Y.)
| | - Yanxin Huang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Druggable Gene and Protein Screening, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (Y.W.); (N.L.); (Y.Z.); (A.W.); (C.Y.); (Y.S.); (Y.H.); (Y.B.)
| | - Muqing Zhang
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA;
| | - Yongli Bao
- National Engineering Laboratory for Druggable Gene and Protein Screening, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (Y.W.); (N.L.); (Y.Z.); (A.W.); (C.Y.); (Y.S.); (Y.H.); (Y.B.)
| | - Luguo Sun
- National Engineering Laboratory for Druggable Gene and Protein Screening, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; (Y.W.); (N.L.); (Y.Z.); (A.W.); (C.Y.); (Y.S.); (Y.H.); (Y.B.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-0431-8916-5922
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Recovery from Liver Failure and Fibrosis in a Rat Portacaval Anastomosis Model after Neurointermediate Pituitary Lobectomy. J Immunol Res 2021; 2021:5529784. [PMID: 34926704 PMCID: PMC8677405 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5529784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver diseases, including cirrhosis, viral hepatitis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, account for approximately two million annual deaths worldwide. They place a huge burden on the global healthcare systems, compelling researchers to find effective treatment for liver fibrosis-cirrhosis. Portacaval anastomosis (PCA) is a model of liver damage and fibrosis. Arginine vasopressin (AVP) has been implicated as a proinflammatory-profibrotic hormone. In rats, neurointermediate pituitary lobectomy (NIL) induces a permanent drop (80%) in AVP serum levels. We hypothesized that AVP deficiency (NIL-induced) may decrease liver damage and fibrosis in a rat PCA model. Male Wistar rats were divided into intact control (IC), NIL, PCA, and PCA+NIL groups. Liver function tests, liver gene relative expressions (IL-1, IL-10, TGF-β, COLL-I, MMP-9, and MMP-13), and histopathological assessments were performed. In comparison with those in the IC and PCA groups, bilirubin, protein serum, and liver glycogen levels were restored in the PCA+NIL group. NIL in the PCA animals also decreased the gene expression levels of IL-1 and COLL-I, while increasing those of IL-10, TGF-β, and MMP-13. Histopathology of this group also showed significantly decreased signs of liver damage with lower extent of collagen deposition and fibrosis. Low AVP serum levels were not enough to fully activate the AVP receptors resulting in the decreased activation of cell signaling pathways associated with proinflammatory-profibrotic responses, while activating cell molecular signaling pathways associated with an anti-inflammatory-fibrotic state. Thus, partial reversion of liver damage and fibrosis was observed. The study supports the crucial role of AVP in the inflammatory-fibrotic processes and maintenance of immune competence. The success of the AVP deficiency strategy suggests that blocking AVP receptors may be therapeutically useful to treat inflammatory-fibrotic liver diseases.
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225
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Mohamad MI, Desoky IA, Ahmed Zaki K, Sadek DR, Kamal Kassim S, Abdel-Wahab Mohamed D. Pterostilbene ameliorates the disrupted Adars expression and improves liver fibrosis in DEN-induced liver injury in Wistar rats: A novel potential effect. Gene 2021; 813:146124. [PMID: 34921950 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2021.146124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The knowledge of RNA editing modifications and its subsequent proteomic diversity in is still limited and represents only the tip of the iceberg. Adenosine to inosine (A-to-I) RNA editing is the most prevalent in RNA editome with a rising role for ADARgene family as a major regulator of the dynamic landscape of RNA editing. This study aimed at evaluating the potential chemopreventive effects of the epigenetic regulator "pterostilbene" in diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-exposedrat model. Consequently, the hepatic Adars expression was investigated as a possible mechanism for mediation of the putative pterostilbene-induced chemopreventive effect. The effects of administration of pterostilbene were investigated on the structural changes, immunohistochemical staining, liver function test, serum alpha feto-protein (AFP), IL-6, and hepatic Adar1 and Adar2 relative gene expression at the beginning and at the 6th week of the study. Pterostilbene attenuated DEN-induced liver injury, improves hepatocyte parrafin-1 (Hep Par-1), decreases heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), improved AFP, serum albumin, transaminases, IL-6 with alleviation of disturbed hepatic Adar1 and Adar2 expression. This study spotlights the role of pterostilbene in attenuation of DEN-induced liver injury which could be mediated, at least partially, through the alleviation of the aberrant expression of Adar enzymes. Yet, more in-depth studies are needed to further elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of pterostilbene on RNA editing enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magda I Mohamad
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Islam A Desoky
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Misr University for Science and Technology, Giza, Egypt
| | - Kamelia Ahmed Zaki
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Misr University for Science and Technology, Giza, Egypt
| | - Doaa R Sadek
- Department of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Samar Kamal Kassim
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Dalia Abdel-Wahab Mohamed
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
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Isaac A, El Sakaty TM, Hussein SH, Rasmy HS. Angiopoietin-2 as a predictor of fibrosis regression in chronic hepatitis C virus patients after direct-acting antiviral drugs. THE EGYPTIAN JOURNAL OF INTERNAL MEDICINE 2021. [DOI: 10.1186/s43162-021-00086-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
HCV infection is a major health concern. Disease progression to fibrosis, cirrhosis, and HCC is aided by the persistence of inflammatory reactions and cellular damage. Moreover, angiogenesis was found to have a substantial pathogenic role in disease progression. Serum Angiopoietin-2 appears to be correlated with liver stiffness in chronic HCV and its elevation is linked to disease progression from chronic hepatitis to cirrhosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of serum Angiopoietin-2 in the prediction of regression of fibrosis in chronic HCV patients receiving direct-acting antiviral agents. Forty Egyptian chronic HCV patients for whom direct-acting antiviral agent (DAA) therapy was planned were included. All patients underwent assessment twice, at baseline and at SVR12, for standard laboratory tests, measurement of fibrosis using FibroScan, FIB-4 and APRI scores, and Angiopoietin-2 level.
Results
Statistically significantly higher levels of baseline Ang-2 were detected with the progression of fibrosis stages with a p-value of <0.001. The best cutoff value of baseline Ang-2 in discrimination of liver cirrhosis (F4) from F0-F3 was > 630 pg/ml with 85.71% sensitivity and 84.85% specificity. A statistically significant decline of Ang-2 (from 464.3±237.2 pg/ml to 401.3±277.1 pg/ml) was noted after the achievement of SVR12 with a p-value < 0.001. Regression of liver fibrosis in this study is defined as a decrease of more than or equal to one stage in liver fibrosis. Lower baseline fibrosis stages and other non-invasive scoring systems (FIB-4 and APRI scores) were associated with regression of fibrosis following successful DAAs treatment. However, higher baseline Ang-2 levels were significantly associated with non-regression of fibrosis, and at a cutoff of >680 pg/ml, it might predict non-regression of fibrosis after successful eradication of HCV with DAAs with 93.33% sensitivity and 70% specificity.
Conclusions
Angiopoietin-2 can be a useful predictor of fibrosis regression in chronic HCV patients receiving direct-acting antiviral agents. Elevated baseline Angiopoietin-2 and advanced fibrosis stages may predict non-regression of liver fibrosis.
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227
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Zhou H, Yan ZH, Yuan Y, Xing C, Jiang N. The Role of Exosomes in Viral Hepatitis and Its Associated Liver Diseases. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:782485. [PMID: 34881274 PMCID: PMC8645545 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.782485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Exosomes, the important carriers between cells, can carry proteins, micro ribonucleic acids (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and other molecules to mediate cellular information transduction. They also play an important role in the pathogenesis, prognosis and treatment of viral hepatitis and its associated liver diseases. Several studies have reported that viral hepatitis and its associated liver diseases, including hepatitis A, B, C and E; hepatic fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, were closely associated with exosomes. Exploring the role of exosomes in viral hepatitis and associated liver diseases will enhance our understanding of these diseases. Therefore, this review mainly summarised the role of exosomes in viral hepatitis and its associated liver diseases to identify new strategies for liver diseases in clinical practise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Zhou
- Affiliated Hangzhou Chest Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhi-Han Yan
- Department of Hepatology, Wuxi Fifth People's Hospital, Wuxi, China
| | - Yuan Yuan
- Affiliated Hangzhou Chest Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chen Xing
- Department of Oncology, The Second People's Hospital of Yancheng City, Yancheng, China
| | - Nan Jiang
- Department of Urology, People's Hospital of Dongtai City, Dongtai, China
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Therapeutic potential of Saccharomyces boulardii in liver diseases: from passive bystander to protective performer? Pharmacol Res 2021; 175:106022. [PMID: 34883213 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.106022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Saccharomyces boulardii (S. boulardii) is a probiotic yeast that has been elucidated to be efficacious in fighting various gastrointestinal diseases in preclinical as well as clinical studies. Its general mechanisms of probiotic action in the treatment of gastrointestinal conditions cover multifaceted aspects, including immune regulation, production of antimicrobial substances, pathogen competitive elimination, gut barrier integrity maintenance, intestinal trophic effect and antioxidant potency. In this review, basic knowledge with regard to the gut-liver axis, available probiotics remedies and mechanistic insights of S. boulardii as probiotics will be elucidated. In addition, we summarize the therapeutic potential of S. boulardii in several liver diseases evident from both bench and bedside information, such as acute liver injury/failure, fibrosis, hepatic damages due to metabolic disturbance or infection and obstructive jaundice. Future prospects in relation to medicinal effects of S. boulardii are also exploited and discussed on the basis of novel and attractive therapeutic concept in the latest scientific literature.
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229
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Satilmis B, Sahin TT, Cicek E, Akbulut S, Yilmaz S. Hepatocellular Carcinoma Tumor Microenvironment and Its Implications in Terms of Anti-tumor Immunity: Future Perspectives for New Therapeutics. J Gastrointest Cancer 2021; 52:1198-1205. [PMID: 34625923 DOI: 10.1007/s12029-021-00725-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Hepatocellular cancer is an insidious tumor that is often diagnosed in a later stage of life. The tumor microenvironment is the key to tumorigenesis and progression. Many cellular and non-cellular components orchestrate the intricate process of hepatocarcinogenesis. The most important feature of hepatocellular cancer is the immune evasion process. The present review aims to summarize the key components of the tumor microenvironment in the immune evasion process. METHODS Google Scholar and PubMed databases have been searched for the mesh terms "Hepatocellular carcinoma" or "Liver Cancer" and "microenvironment." The articles were reviewed and the components of the tumor microenvironment were summarized. RESULTS The tumor microenvironment is composed of tumor cells and non-tumoral stromal and immune cells. HCC tumor microenvironment supports aggressive tumor behavior, provides immune evasion, and is an obstacle for current immunotherapeutic strategies. The components of the tumor microenvironment are intratumoral macrophages (tumor-associated macrophages (TAM)), bone marrow-derived suppressor cells, tumor-associated neutrophils (TAN), fibroblasts in the tumor microenvironment, and the activated hepatic stellate cells. CONCLUSION There are intricate mechanisms that drive hepatocarcinogenesis. The tumor microenvironment is at the center of all the complex and diverse mechanisms. Effective and multistep immunotherapies should be developed to target different components of the tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basri Satilmis
- Liver Transplant Institute and Faculty of Medicine Department of Surgery, Inonu University, Battalgazi, 44000, Malatya, Turkey
| | - Tevfik Tolga Sahin
- Liver Transplant Institute and Faculty of Medicine Department of Surgery, Inonu University, Battalgazi, 44000, Malatya, Turkey.
| | - Egemen Cicek
- Liver Transplant Institute and Faculty of Medicine Department of Surgery, Inonu University, Battalgazi, 44000, Malatya, Turkey
| | - Sami Akbulut
- Liver Transplant Institute and Faculty of Medicine Department of Surgery, Inonu University, Battalgazi, 44000, Malatya, Turkey
| | - Sezai Yilmaz
- Liver Transplant Institute and Faculty of Medicine Department of Surgery, Inonu University, Battalgazi, 44000, Malatya, Turkey
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Wu TH, Wang PW, Lin TY, Yang PM, Li WT, Yeh CT, Pan TL. Antioxidant properties of red raspberry extract alleviate hepatic fibrosis via inducing apoptosis and transdifferentiation of activated hepatic stellate cells. Biomed Pharmacother 2021; 144:112284. [PMID: 34626932 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.112284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatic fibrosis is a wound-healing process caused by prolonged liver damage and often occurs due to hepatic stellate cell activation in response to reactive oxygen species (ROS). Red raspberry has been found to attenuate oxidative stress, mainly because it is rich in bioactive components. In the current study, we investigated the inhibitory effects and associated molecular mechanisms of red raspberry extract (RBE) upon activated hepatic stellate cell (aHSC) in cellular and rat models. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were increased in the dimethylnitrosamine (DMN)-applied samples, whereas treatment of RBE significantly suppressed the activities of these enzymes. In addition, a histopathological analysis demonstrated that RBE could substantially diminish the hepatic collagen content and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression induced by DMN. Administration of 250 μg/mL RBE could also arrest the growth and enhance the apoptosis of activated HSC-T6 cells, which was accompanied with elevated levels of activated caspases and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage. Particularly, RBE application remarkably abolished oxidative damage within the cells and reduced the carbonylation of proteins, which was attributed to the upregulation of catalase, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Moreover, the knockdown of Nrf2 together with the RBE treatment synergistically abrogated the expression of α-SMA and promoted the level of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ), suggesting that RBE could mitigate the transdifferentiation of HSC in a Nrf2-independent manner. These findings implied that the application of RBE could effectively remove oxidative stress and relieve the activation of HSC via modulating the caspase/PARP, Nrf2/HO-1 and PPAR-γ pathways, which may allow the development of novel therapeutic strategies against chemical-caused liver fibrogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tung-Ho Wu
- Surgical Critical Care division of Critical care department, Cardiovascular division of Surgical department, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Wen Wang
- Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Tung-Yi Lin
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Keelung, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Ming Yang
- TMU Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Tai Li
- National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chau-Ting Yeh
- Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Tai-Long Pan
- Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan; School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Research Center for Chinese Herbal Medicine and Research Center for Food and Cosmetic Safety, College of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
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Mohammed RA, Shawky HM, Rashed LA, Elhanbuli HM, Abdelhafez DN, Said ES, Shamardan RM, Mahmoud RH. Combined effect of hydrogen sulfide and mesenchymal stem cells on mitigating liver fibrosis induced by bile duct ligation: Role of anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic, and anti-fibrotic biomarkers. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF BASIC MEDICAL SCIENCES 2021; 24:1753-1762. [PMID: 35432809 PMCID: PMC8976911 DOI: 10.22038/ijbms.2021.56477.12604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Liver fibrosis eventually develops into cirrhosis and hepatic failure, which can only be treated with liver transplantation. We aimed to assess the potential role of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) alone and combined with bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) on hepatic fibrosis induced by bile-duct ligation (BDL) and to compare their effects to silymarin. MATERIALS AND METHODS Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TB), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were investigated in serum. Gene expression levels of CBS (cystathionine β-synthase), CSE (cystathionine γ-lyase), and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α- SMA) were measured in liver tissues using RT-PCR. Hepatic protein kinase (Akt) was assessed by Western blot assay. Liver oxidative stress markers, malondialdehyde (MDA), and reduced glutathione (GSH) were analyzed by the colorimetric method. Lipocalin-2 (LCN2) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) were measured using ELIZA. Liver tissues were examined by H&E and Masson trichome staining for detection of liver necrosis or fibrosis. Caspase 3 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS H2S and BM-MSCs ameliorated liver function and inhibited inflammation and oxidative stress detected by significantly decreased serum ALT, AST, ALP, TB, and hepatic MDA, Akt, TGF-β, LCN2, and α-SMA expression and significantly increased CBS and CSE gene expression levels. They attenuated hepatic apoptosis evidenced by decreased hepatic caspase expression. CONCLUSION Combined treatment with H2S and BM-MSCs could attenuate liver fibrosis induced by BDL through mechanisms such as anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, anti-apoptosis, anti-fibrosis, and regenerative properties indicating that using H2S and MSCs may represent a promising approach for management of cholestatic liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Laila Ahmed Rashed
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt
| | | | | | - Eman Sayed Said
- Departments of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Fayoum University, Egypt,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Buraydah 52571, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Rania Hosny Mahmoud
- Departments of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Fayoum University, Egypt,Corresponding author: Rania Hosny Mahmoud. Saad Zaghloul Street, Fayoum, Egypt. Postal code: 63511.Email address: ;
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Karkampouna S, van der Helm D, Scarpa M, van Hoek B, Verspaget HW, Goumans MJ, Coenraad MJ, Kruithof BP, Kruithof-de Julio M. Oncofetal Protein CRIPTO Is Involved in Wound Healing and Fibrogenesis in the Regenerating Liver and Is Associated with the Initial Stages of Cardiac Fibrosis. Cells 2021; 10:3325. [PMID: 34943832 PMCID: PMC8699799 DOI: 10.3390/cells10123325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Oncofetal protein, CRIPTO, is silenced during homeostatic postnatal life and often re-expressed in different neoplastic processes, such as hepatocellular carcinoma. Given the reactivation of CRIPTO in pathological conditions reported in various adult tissues, the aim of this study was to explore whether CRIPTO is expressed during liver fibrogenesis and whether this is related to the disease severity and pathogenesis of fibrogenesis. Furthermore, we aimed to identify the impact of CRIPTO expression on fibrogenesis in organs with high versus low regenerative capacity, represented by murine liver fibrogenesis and adult murine heart fibrogenesis. Circulating CRIPTO levels were measured in plasma samples of patients with cirrhosis registered at the waitlist for liver transplantation (LT) and 1 year after LT. The expression of CRIPTO and fibrotic markers (αSMA, collagen type I) was determined in human liver tissues of patients with cirrhosis (on a basis of viral hepatitis or alcoholic disease), in cardiac tissue samples of patients with end-stage heart failure, and in mice with experimental liver and heart fibrosis using immuno-histochemical stainings and qPCR. Mouse models with experimental chronic liver fibrosis, induced with multiple shots of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and acute liver fibrosis (one shot of CCl4), were evaluated for CRIPTO expression and fibrotic markers. CRIPTO was overexpressed in vivo (Adenoviral delivery) or functionally sequestered by ALK4Fc ligand trap in the acute liver fibrosis mouse model. Murine heart tissues were evaluated for CRIPTO and fibrotic markers in three models of heart injury following myocardial infarction, pressure overload, and ex vivo induced fibrosis. Patients with end-stage liver cirrhosis showed elevated CRIPTO levels in plasma, which decreased 1 year after LT. Cripto expression was observed in fibrotic tissues of patients with end-stage liver cirrhosis and in patients with heart failure. The expression of CRIPTO in the liver was found specifically in the hepatocytes and was positively correlated with the Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score for end-stage liver disease. CRIPTO expression in the samples of cardiac fibrosis was limited and mostly observed in the interstitial cells. In the chronic and acute mouse models of liver fibrosis, CRIPTO-positive cells were observed in damaged liver areas around the central vein, which preceded the expression of αSMA-positive stellate cells, i.e., mediators of fibrosis. In the chronic mouse models, the fibrosis and CRIPTO expression were still present after 11 weeks, whereas in the acute model the liver regenerated and the fibrosis and CRIPTO expression resolved. In vivo overexpression of CRIPTO in this model led to an increase in fibrotic markers, while blockage of CRIPTO secreted function inhibited the extent of fibrotic areas and marker expression (αSMA, Collagen type I and III) and induced higher proliferation of residual healthy hepatocytes. CRIPTO expression was also upregulated in several mouse models of cardiac fibrosis. During myocardial infarction CRIPTO is upregulated initially in cardiac interstitial cells, followed by expression in αSMA-positive myofibroblasts throughout the infarct area. After the scar formation, CRIPTO expression decreased concomitantly with the αSMA expression. Temporal expression of CRIPTO in αSMA-positive myofibroblasts was also observed surrounding the coronary arteries in the pressure overload model of cardiac fibrosis. Furthermore, CRIPTO expression was upregulated in interstitial myofibroblasts in hearts cultured in an ex vivo model for cardiac fibrosis. Our results are indicative for a functional role of CRIPTO in the induction of fibrogenesis as well as a potential target in the antifibrotic treatments and stimulation of tissue regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Karkampouna
- Department for Biomedical Research, Urology Research Laboratory, Bern University, 3008 Bern, Switzerland; (S.K.); (M.S.)
| | - Danny van der Helm
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands; (D.v.d.H.); (B.v.H.); (H.W.V.); (M.J.C.)
| | - Mario Scarpa
- Department for Biomedical Research, Urology Research Laboratory, Bern University, 3008 Bern, Switzerland; (S.K.); (M.S.)
| | - Bart van Hoek
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands; (D.v.d.H.); (B.v.H.); (H.W.V.); (M.J.C.)
| | - Hein W. Verspaget
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands; (D.v.d.H.); (B.v.H.); (H.W.V.); (M.J.C.)
| | - Marie-Jose Goumans
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands; (M.-J.G.); (B.P.T.K.)
| | - Minneke J. Coenraad
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands; (D.v.d.H.); (B.v.H.); (H.W.V.); (M.J.C.)
| | - Boudewijn P.T. Kruithof
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands; (M.-J.G.); (B.P.T.K.)
- Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marianna Kruithof-de Julio
- Department for Biomedical Research, Urology Research Laboratory, Bern University, 3008 Bern, Switzerland; (S.K.); (M.S.)
- Department of Urology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
- Translational Organoid Resource Core, Department for BioMedical Research, Bern University, 3008 Bern, Switzerland
- Bern Center for Precision Medicine, Inselspital, University Hospital of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
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Li T, Liu J, Wang Y, Zhou C, Shi Q, Huang S, Yang C, Chen Y, Bai Y, Xiong B. Liver fibrosis promotes immunity escape but limits the size of liver tumor in a rat orthotopic transplantation model. Sci Rep 2021; 11:22846. [PMID: 34819565 PMCID: PMC8613241 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02155-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver fibrosis plays a crucial role in promoting tumor immune escape and tumor aggressiveness for liver cancer. However, an interesting phenomenon is that the tumor size of liver cancer patients with liver fibrosis is smaller than that of patients without liver fibrosis. In this study, 16 SD rats were used to establish orthotopic liver tumor transplantation models with Walker-256 cell lines, respectively on the fibrotic liver (n = 8, LF group) and normal liver (n = 8, control group). MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) was used to monitor the size of the tumors. All rats were executed at the third week after modeling, and the immunohistochemical staining was used to reflect the changes in the tumor microenvironment. The results showed that, compared to the control group, the PD-L1 (programmed cell death protein receptor-L1) expression was higher, and the neutrophil infiltration increased while the effector (CD8+) T cell infiltration decreased in the LF group. Additionally, the expression of MMP-9 (matrix metalloproteinase-9) of tumor tissue in the LF group increased. Three weeks after modeling, the size of tumors in the LF group was significantly smaller than that in the control group (382.47 ± 195.06 mm3 vs. 1736.21 ± 657.25 mm3, P < 0.001). Taken together, we concluded that liver fibrosis facilitated tumor immunity escape but limited the expansion of tumor size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongqiang Li
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Avenue #1277, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Jiacheng Liu
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Avenue #1277, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Yingliang Wang
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Avenue #1277, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Chen Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Avenue #1277, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Qin Shi
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Avenue #1277, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Songjiang Huang
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Avenue #1277, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Chongtu Yang
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Avenue #1277, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Yang Chen
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Avenue #1277, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Yaowei Bai
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Avenue #1277, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Bin Xiong
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Avenue #1277, Wuhan, 430022, China.
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China.
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Zhang J, Liu Q, He J, Li Y. Novel Therapeutic Targets in Liver Fibrosis. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:766855. [PMID: 34805276 PMCID: PMC8602792 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.766855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is end-stage liver disease that can be rescued. If irritation continues due to viral infection, schistosomiasis and alcoholism, liver fibrosis can progress to liver cirrhosis and even cancer. The US Food and Drug Administration has not approved any drugs that act directly against liver fibrosis. The only treatments currently available are drugs that eliminate pathogenic factors, which show poor efficacy; and liver transplantation, which is expensive. This highlights the importance of clarifying the mechanism of liver fibrosis and searching for new treatments against it. This review summarizes how parenchymal, nonparenchymal cells, inflammatory cells and various processes (liver fibrosis, hepatic stellate cell activation, cell death and proliferation, deposition of extracellular matrix, cell metabolism, inflammation and epigenetics) contribute to liver fibrosis. We highlight discoveries of novel therapeutic targets, which may provide new insights into potential treatments for liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinhang Zhang
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy and Adverse Drug Reaction, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan, China
| | - Qinhui Liu
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy and Adverse Drug Reaction, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan, China
| | - Jinhan He
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy and Adverse Drug Reaction, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan, China.,Department of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanping Li
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy and Adverse Drug Reaction, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan, China
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The Effects of Freshwater Clam ( Corbicula fluminea) Extract on Activated Hepatic Stellate Cells. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2021; 2021:6065168. [PMID: 34804181 PMCID: PMC8604581 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6065168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Background The extract of freshwater clams has been used to protect the body against liver diseases in traditional folk medicine. This study aims at investigating the effects of freshwater clam extract on activated hepatic stellate cells (aHSCs), which are critical contributors to liver fibrosis. Methods The aHSCs used in this study were derived from hepatic stellate cells that were isolated and purified from the livers of male Wistar rats and then transformed into the activated phenotype by culturing on uncoated plastic dishes. Freshwater clam extract (CE) was collected after the outflow from the live freshwater clams in a water bath at 100°C for 60 min. The effects of CE on aHSCs were analyzed by MTT assay, flow cytometry, Oil Red O (ORO) staining, western blot, and real-time RT-PCR. Results The results indicated that CE suppressed the proliferation of aHSCs through G0/G1 cell cycle arrest by downregulating cyclin D1 and upregulating p27. The expression levels of a-SMA, collagen I, TGF-β, and TNF-α were inhibited in the CE-treated aHSCs. In addition, the CE treatment increased the lipid contents in aHSCs by promoting PPARγ expression. Furthermore, CE modulated the expression of ECM-related genes, i.e., by upregulating MMP-9 and downregulating TIMP-II. Conclusions These data revealed that CE could induce the deactivation of aHSCs. We therefore suggest that CE has potential as an adjuvant therapeutic agent against hepatic fibrosis.
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de Souza Basso B, Haute GV, Ortega-Ribera M, Luft C, Antunes GL, Bastos MS, Carlessi LP, Levorse VG, Cassel E, Donadio MVF, Santarém ER, Gracia-Sancho J, Rodrigues de Oliveira J. Methoxyeugenol deactivates hepatic stellate cells and attenuates liver fibrosis and inflammation through a PPAR-ɣ and NF-kB mechanism. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2021; 280:114433. [PMID: 34280502 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Studies have shown interest in nutraceuticals for the prevention of liver diseases. Methoxyeugenol, is a molecule found in foods, such as nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt.) and Brazilian red propolis. These two sources of methoxyeugenol, propolis and nutmeg, are used in folk medicine for the treatment of hepatic and gastrointestinal disorders, although little is known about their effects on the prevention of liver fibrosis. Natural PPAR (Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor) agonists would represent unique molecules for therapy, considering the lack of therapeutics to treat liver fibrosis in chronic liver disease. Thus, investigation on new alternatives are necessary, including the search for natural compounds from renewable and sustainable sources. Liver fibrosis is a pathological process characterized by an exacerbated cicatricial response in the hepatic tissue, which compromises liver function. Therefore, inhibition of HSC (hepatic stellate cell) activation and hepatocyte damage are considered major strategies for the development of new anti-fibrotic treatments. AIM OF THE STUDY This study aimed to investigate the effects of methoxyeugenol treatment on HSC phenotype modulation in human and murine cells, hepatocyte damage prevention, and protective effects in vivo, in order to evaluate its therapeutic potential for liver fibrosis prevention. METHODS We investigated the effects of methoxyeugenol in (i) in vitro models using human and murine HSC and hepatocytes, and (ii) in vivo models of CCl4 (carbon tetrachloride) -induced liver fibrosis in mice. RESULTS We herein report that methoxyeugenol decreases HSC activation through the activation of PPAR-ɣ, ultimately inducing a quiescent phenotype highlighted by an increase in lipid droplets, loss of contraction ability, and a decrease in the proliferative rate and mRNA expression of fibroblast markers. In addition, methoxyeugenol prevented hepatocytes from oxidative stress damage. Moreover, in mice submitted to chronic liver disease through CCl4 administration, methoxyeugenol decreased the inflammatory profile, liver fibrosis, mRNA expression of fibrotic genes, and the inflammatory pathway signaled by NF-kB (Nuclear factor kappa B). CONCLUSION We propose methoxyeugenol as a novel and potential therapeutic approach to treat chronic liver disease and fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno de Souza Basso
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | - Gabriela Viegas Haute
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Martí Ortega-Ribera
- Liver Vascular Biology Research Group, Barcelona Hepatic Hemodynamic Lab, IDIBAPS Biomedical Research Institute - CIBEREHD, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carolina Luft
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Géssica Luana Antunes
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Matheus Scherer Bastos
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Pfeiff Carlessi
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Vitor Giancarlo Levorse
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Cassel
- School of Technology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul - PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Márcio Vinícius Fagundes Donadio
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Eliane Romanato Santarém
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Jordi Gracia-Sancho
- Liver Vascular Biology Research Group, Barcelona Hepatic Hemodynamic Lab, IDIBAPS Biomedical Research Institute - CIBEREHD, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jarbas Rodrigues de Oliveira
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
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Conte E. Targeting monocytes/macrophages in fibrosis and cancer diseases: Therapeutic approaches. Pharmacol Ther 2021; 234:108031. [PMID: 34774879 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2021.108031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Over almost 140 years since their identification, the knowledge about macrophages has unbelievably evolved. The 'big eaters' from being thought of as simple phagocytic cells have been recognized as master regulators in immunity, homeostasis, healing/repair and organ development. Long considered to originate exclusively from bone marrow-derived circulating monocytes, macrophages have been also demonstrated to be the first immune cells colonizing tissues in the developing embryo and persisting in adult life by self-renewal, as long-lived tissue resident macrophages. Therefore, heterogeneous populations of macrophages with different ontogeny and functions co-exist in tissues. Macrophages act as sentinels of homeostasis and are intrinsically programmed to lead the wound healing and repair processes that occur after injury. However, in certain pathological circumstances macrophages get dysfunctional, and impaired or aberrant macrophage activities become key features of diseases. For instance, in both fibrosis and cancer, that have been defined 'wounds that do not heal', dysfunctional monocyte-derived macrophages overall play a key detrimental role. On the other hand, due to their plasticity these cells can be 're-educated' and exert anti-fibrotic and anti-cancer functions. Therefore macrophages represent an important therapeutic target in both fibrosis and cancer diseases. The current review will illustrate new insights into the role of monocytes/macrophages in these devastating diseases and summarize new therapeutic strategies and applications of macrophage-targeted drug development in their clinical setting.
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Mesenchymal Stem Cells Influence Activation of Hepatic Stellate Cells, and Constitute a Promising Therapy for Liver Fibrosis. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9111598. [PMID: 34829827 PMCID: PMC8615475 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9111598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a common feature of chronic liver disease. Activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the main drivers of extracellular matrix accumulation in liver fibrosis. Hence, a strategy for regulating HSC activation is crucial in treating liver fibrosis. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent stem cells derived from various post-natal organs. Therapeutic approaches involving MSCs have been studied extensively in various diseases, including liver disease. MSCs modulate hepatic inflammation and fibrosis and/or differentiate into hepatocytes by interacting directly with immune cells, HSCs, and hepatocytes and secreting modulators, thereby contributing to reduced liver fibrosis. Cell-free therapy including MSC-released secretomes and extracellular vesicles has elicited extensive attention because they could overcome MSC transplantation limitations. Herein, we provide basic information on hepatic fibrogenesis and the therapeutic potential of MSCs. We also review findings presenting the effects of MSC itself and MSC-based cell-free treatments in liver fibrosis, focusing on HSC activation. Growing evidence supports the anti-fibrotic function of either MSC itself or MSC modulators, although the mechanism underpinning their effects on liver fibrosis has not been established. Further studies are required to investigate the detailed mechanism explaining their functions to expand MSC therapies using the cell itself and cell-free treatments for liver fibrosis.
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Getachew A, Hussain M, Huang X, Li Y. Toll-like receptor 2 signaling in liver pathophysiology. Life Sci 2021; 284:119941. [PMID: 34508761 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Chronic liver diseases (CLD) are among the major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Despite current achievements in the area of hepatitis virus, chronic alcohol abuse and high-fat diet are still fueling an epidemic of severe liver disease, for which, an effective therapy has yet not been discovered. In particular, the therapeutic regimens that could prevent the progression of fibrosis and, in turn, aid cirrhotic liver to develop a robust regenerative capability are intensively needed. To this context, a better understanding of the signaling pathways regulating hepatic disease development may be of critical value. In general, the liver responds to various insults with an orchestrated healing process involving variety of signaling pathways. One such pathway is the TLR2 signaling pathway, which essentially regulates adult liver pathogenesis and thus has emerged as an attractive target to treat liver disease. TLR2 is expressed by different liver cells, including Kupffer cells (KCs), hepatocytes, and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). From a pathologic perspective, the crosstalk between antigens and TLR2 may preferentially trigger a distinctive set of signaling mechanisms in these liver cells and, thereby, induce the production of inflammatory and fibrogenic cytokines that can initiate and prolong liver inflammation, ultimately leading to fibrosis. In this review, we summarize the currently available evidence regarding the role of TLR2 signaling in hepatic disease progression. We first elaborate its pathological involvement in liver-disease states, such as inflammation, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. We then discuss how therapeutic targeting of this pathway may help to alleviate its disease-related functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anteneh Getachew
- Institute of Public Health, Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biocomputing, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Muzammal Hussain
- Center for Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Xinping Huang
- Institute of Public Health, Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biocomputing, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Yinxiong Li
- Institute of Public Health, Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biocomputing, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou 510005, China.
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240
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Abstract
Interleukin 17A (IL-17A)-producing T helper 17 (Th17) cells were identified as a subset of T helper cells that play a critical role in host defense against bacterial and fungal pathogens. Th17 cells differentiate from Th0 naïve T-cells in response to transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) and IL-6, the cytokines which also drive development of liver fibrosis, require activation of transcription factor retinoic acid receptor-related orphan nuclear receptor gamma t (RORγt). IL-17A signals through the ubiquitously expressed receptor IL-17RA. Expression of IL-17RA is upregulated in patients with hepatitis B virus/hepatitis C virus (HBV/HCV) infections, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), alcohol-associated liver disease (AALD), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and experimental models of chronic toxic liver injury. The role of IL-17 signaling in the pathogenesis of NASH- and AALD-induced metabolic liver injury and HCC will be the focus of this review. The role of IL-17A-IL-17RA axis in mediation of the cross-talk between metabolically injured hepatic macrophages, hepatocytes, and fibrogenic myofibroblasts will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Li
- Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences, Shanghai, P.R. China.,Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Gen Yamamoto
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Hiroaki Fuji
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA.,Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Tatiana Kisseleva
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
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241
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Luo N, Li J, Wei Y, Lu J, Dong R. Hepatic Stellate Cell: A Double-Edged Sword in the Liver. Physiol Res 2021; 70:821-829. [PMID: 34717063 DOI: 10.33549/physiolres.934755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are located in the space of Disse, between liver sinusoidal endothelia cells (LSECs) and hepatocytes. They have surprised and excited hepatologists for their biological characteristics. Under physiological quiescent conditions, HSCs are the major vitamin A-storing cells of the liver, playing crucial roles in the liver development, regeneration, and tissue homeostasis. Upon injury-induced activation, HSCs convert to a pro-fibrotic state, producing the excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) and promoting angiogenesis in the liver fibrogenesis. Activated HSCs significantly contribute to liver fibrosis progression and inactivated HSCs are key to liver fibrosis regression. In this review, we summarize the comprehensive understanding of HSCs features, including their roles in normal liver and liver fibrosis in hopes of advancing the development of emerging diagnosis and treatment for hepatic fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nianan Luo
- Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China. ,
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242
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Chen Y, Que R, Zhang N, Lin L, Zhou M, Li Y. Saikosaponin-d alleviates hepatic fibrosis through regulating GPER1/autophagy signaling. Mol Biol Rep 2021; 48:7853-7863. [PMID: 34714484 PMCID: PMC8604865 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-021-06807-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatic fibrosis is the final pathway of chronic liver disease characterized by excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM), which eventually develop into cirrhosis and liver cancer. Emerging studies demonstrated that Saikosaponin-d (SSd) exhibits a protective role in liver fibrosis. However, the mechanism underlying anti-liver fibrosis of SSd in vivo and in vitro remains unclear. METHODS AND RESULTS Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) were used for creating liver fibrosis model in vitro and in vivo, respectively. The role of SSd in regulating liver fibrosis was assessed through Sirius red and Masson staining, and IHC assay. We found that SSd attenuated remarkably CCl4-induced liver fibrosis as evidenced by decreased collagen level, and decreased expression of fibrotic markers Col 1 and α-SMA. Meanwhile, SSd repressed autophagy activation as suggested by decreased BECN1 expression and increased p62 expression. Compared with HSCs from CCl4-treated group, the primary HSCs from SSd-treated mice exhibited a marked inactivation of autophagy. Mechanistically, SSd treatment enhanced the expression of GPER1 in primary HSCs and in TGF-β-treated LX-2 cells. GPER1 agonist G1 repressed autophagy activation, whereas GPER1 antagonist G15 activated autophagy and G15 also damaged the function of SSd on suppressing autophagy, leading to subsequent increased levels of fibrotic marker level in LX-2 cells. CONCLUSIONS Our findings highlight that SSd alleviates hepatic fibrosis by regulating GPER1/autophagy pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yirong Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 274 Zhijiang Road, Shanghai, 200071, China
| | - Renye Que
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai TCM Integrated Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200082, China
| | - Na Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 274 Zhijiang Road, Shanghai, 200071, China
| | - Liubing Lin
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 274 Zhijiang Road, Shanghai, 200071, China
| | - Mengen Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 274 Zhijiang Road, Shanghai, 200071, China
| | - Yong Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 274 Zhijiang Road, Shanghai, 200071, China.
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243
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Lee SY, Kim D, Lee SH, Sung JH. Microtechnology-based in vitro models: Mimicking liver function and pathophysiology. APL Bioeng 2021; 5:041505. [PMID: 34703969 PMCID: PMC8520487 DOI: 10.1063/5.0061896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The liver plays important roles in drug metabolism and homeostasis. The metabolism and biotransformation can not only affect the efficacy of drugs but also result in hepatotoxicity and drug-induced liver injury. Understanding the complex physiology of the liver and the pathogenetic mechanisms of liver diseases is essential for drug development. Conventional in vitro models have limitations in the ability to predict drug effects, due to the lack of physiological relevance. Recently, the liver-on-a-chip platform has been developed to reproduce the microarchitecture and in vivo environment of the liver. These efforts have improved the physiological relevance of the liver tissue used in the platform and have demonstrated its applicability to drug screening and disease models. In this review, we summarize the recent development of liver-on-a-chip models that closely mimic the in vivo liver environments and liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Yeon Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Hongik University, Seoul 04066, South Korea
| | - Donghyun Kim
- School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, South Korea
| | - Seung Hwan Lee
- Department of Bionano Engineering, Center for Bionano Intelligence Education and Research, Hanyang University, Ansan 15588, South Korea
| | - Jong Hwan Sung
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Hongik University, Seoul 04066, South Korea
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244
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Resveratrol Inhibits Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation via the Hippo Pathway. Mediators Inflamm 2021; 2021:3399357. [PMID: 34690551 PMCID: PMC8528611 DOI: 10.1155/2021/3399357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Revised: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver fibrosis, which results from chronic liver injury due to factors such as chronic alcohol consumption, hepatitis virus infections, and immune attacks, is marked by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM). Resveratrol (Res), a polyphenol phytoalexin, has been demonstrated to show anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, antiproliferative, and chemopreventive activities. In recent years, Res has been found to inhibit liver fibrosis. Enhanced Hippo pathway activation has also been reported to inhibit tumor progression and liver fibrosis. In the present study, the role of the Hippo pathway in mediating the effects of Res on hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) was examined. We found that Res significantly suppresses HSC proliferation, reducing the cell index. Res induced HSC inactivation, reducing collagen deposition and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression. In addition, Res contributed to HSC apoptosis, upregulating Bax and downregulating Bcl-2 expression. Notably, the Hippo pathway was involved in the Res-mediated suppression of HSC activation. Res enhanced the activation of the Hippo pathway and reduced yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional coactivator with the PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) expression. Interestingly, the YAP overexpression inhibited Res-induced HSC inactivation and apoptosis. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that Res inhibits HSC activation, at least in part, via the Hippo pathway. The present study indicates a new antifibrotic mechanism of Res and provides novel insights into Hippo-mediated HSC apoptosis and HSC activation in liver fibrosis.
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245
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Chen L, Huang Y, Duan Z, Huang P, Yao H, Zhou Y, Ji Q, Liu X. Exosomal miR-500 Derived From Lipopolysaccharide-Treated Macrophage Accelerates Liver Fibrosis by Suppressing MFN2. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:716209. [PMID: 34676206 PMCID: PMC8525629 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.716209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is an outcome of chronic hepatic injury, which can eventually result in cirrhosis, liver failure, and even liver cancer. The activation of hepatic stellate cell (HSC) is a prominent driver of liver fibrosis. Recently, it has been found that the crosstalk between HSCs and immune cells, including hepatic macrophages, plays an important role in the initiation and development of liver fibrosis. As a vital vehicle of intercellular communication, exosomes transfer specific cargos into HSCs from macrophages. Here, we show that exosomes derived from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated macrophages has higher expression level of miR-500. And overexpression or inhibition of miR-500 in macrophage exosomes could promote or suppress HSC proliferation and activation. Treatment of exosomes with miR-500 overexpression can accelerate liver fibrosis in CCl4-induced liver fibrosis mouse model. miR-500 promotes HSC activation and liver fibrosis via suppressing MFN2. Moreover, miR-500 in serum exosomes could be a biomarker for liver fibrosis. Taken together, exosomal miR-500 derived from LPS-activated macrophages promotes HSC proliferation and activation by targeting MFN2 in liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisha Chen
- Central Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yan Huang
- Affiliated Changsha Hospital of Hunan Normal University, The Fourth Hospital of Changsha, Institute of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine of Changsha, Changsha, China
| | - Zhixi Duan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Trauma Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Peiqi Huang
- Affiliated Changsha Hospital of Hunan Normal University, The Fourth Hospital of Changsha, Institute of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine of Changsha, Changsha, China
| | - Hongbing Yao
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Trauma Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Qin Ji
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Trauma Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiangfeng Liu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Trauma Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
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246
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Quenum AJI, Shukla A, Rexhepi F, Cloutier M, Ghosh A, Kufer TA, Ramanathan S, Ilangumaran S. NLRC5 Deficiency Deregulates Hepatic Inflammatory Response but Does Not Aggravate Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Liver Fibrosis. Front Immunol 2021; 12:749646. [PMID: 34712238 PMCID: PMC8546206 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.749646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat-containing receptor (NLR) family protein-5 (NLRC5) controls NF-κB activation and production of inflammatory cytokines in certain cell types. NLRC5 is considered a potential regulator of hepatic fibrogenic response due to its ability to inhibit hepatic stellate activation in vitro. To test whether NLRC5 is critical to control liver fibrosis, we treated wildtype and NLRC5-deficient mice with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and assessed pathological changes in the liver. Serum alanine transaminase levels and histopathology examination of liver sections revealed that NLRC5 deficiency did not exacerbate CCl4-induced liver damage or inflammatory cell infiltration. Sirius red staining of collagen fibers and hydroxyproline content showed comparable levels of liver fibrosis in CCl4-treated NLRC5-deficient and control mice. Myofibroblast differentiation and induction of collagen genes were similarly increased in both groups. Strikingly, the fibrotic livers of NLRC5-deficient mice showed reduced expression of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (Mmp3) and tissue inhibitor of MMPs-1 (Timp1) but not Mmp2 or Timp2. Fibrotic livers of NLRC5-deficient mice had increased expression of TNF but similar induction of TGFβ compared to wildtype mice. CCl4-treated control and NLRC5-deficient mice displayed similar upregulation of Cx3cr1, a monocyte chemoattractant receptor gene, and the Cd68 macrophage marker. However, the fibrotic livers of NLRC5-deficient mice showed increased expression of F4/80 (Adgre1), a marker of tissue-resident macrophages. NLRC5-deficient livers showed increased phosphorylation of the NF-κB subunit p65 that remained elevated following fibrosis induction. Taken together, NLRC5 deficiency deregulates hepatic inflammatory response following chemical injury but does not significantly aggravate the fibrogenic response, showing that NLRC5 is not a critical regulator of liver fibrosis pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akouavi Julite I. Quenum
- Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
| | - Akhil Shukla
- Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
| | - Fjolla Rexhepi
- Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
| | - Maryse Cloutier
- Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
| | - Amit Ghosh
- Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
| | - Thomas A. Kufer
- Department of Immunology (180b), Institute of Nutritional Medicine, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Sheela Ramanathan
- Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke (CR-CHUS), Sherbrooke, Canada
| | - Subburaj Ilangumaran
- Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke (CR-CHUS), Sherbrooke, Canada
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247
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Wiśniewska J, Sadowska A, Wójtowicz A, Słyszewska M, Szóstek-Mioduchowska A. Perspective on Stem Cell Therapy in Organ Fibrosis: Animal Models and Human Studies. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11101068. [PMID: 34685439 PMCID: PMC8538998 DOI: 10.3390/life11101068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Tissue fibrosis is characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) components that result from the disruption of regulatory processes responsible for ECM synthesis, deposition, and remodeling. Fibrosis develops in response to a trigger or injury and can occur in nearly all organs of the body. Thus, fibrosis leads to severe pathological conditions that disrupt organ architecture and cause loss of function. It has been estimated that severe fibrotic disorders are responsible for up to one-third of deaths worldwide. Although intensive research on the development of new strategies for fibrosis treatment has been carried out, therapeutic approaches remain limited. Since stem cells, especially mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), show remarkable self-renewal, differentiation, and immunomodulatory capacity, they have been intensively tested in preclinical studies and clinical trials as a potential tool to slow down the progression of fibrosis and improve the quality of life of patients with fibrotic disorders. In this review, we summarize in vitro studies, preclinical studies performed on animal models of human fibrotic diseases, and recent clinical trials on the efficacy of allogeneic and autologous stem cell applications in severe types of fibrosis that develop in lungs, liver, heart, kidney, uterus, and skin. Although the results of the studies seem to be encouraging, there are many aspects of cell-based therapy, including the cell source, dose, administration route and frequency, timing of delivery, and long-term safety, that remain open areas for future investigation. We also discuss the contemporary status, challenges, and future perspectives of stem cell transplantation for therapeutic options in fibrotic diseases as well as we present recent patents for stem cell-based therapies in organ fibrosis.
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248
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Label-free functional and structural imaging of liver microvascular complex in mice by Jones matrix optical coherence tomography. Sci Rep 2021; 11:20054. [PMID: 34625574 PMCID: PMC8501041 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-98909-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
We demonstrate label-free imaging of the functional and structural properties of microvascular complex in mice liver. The imaging was performed by a custom-built Jones-matrix based polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (JM-OCT), which is capable of measuring tissue's attenuation coefficient, birefringence, and tiny tissue dynamics. Two longitudinal studies comprising a healthy liver and an early fibrotic liver model were performed. In the healthy liver, we observed distinctive high dynamics beneath the vessel at the initial time point (0 h) and reappearance of high dynamics at 32-h time point. In the early fibrotic liver model, we observed high dynamics signal that reveals a clear network vascular structure by volume rendering. Longitudinal time-course imaging showed that these high dynamics signals faded and decreased over time.
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249
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Gu Z, Fang L, Ma P. The angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, captopril, suppressed hepatic stellate cell activation via NF-kappaB or wnt3α/β-catenin pathway. Bioengineered 2021; 12:8370-8377. [PMID: 34607529 PMCID: PMC8806896 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2021.1987091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) is associated with hepatic fibrogenesis, which is one of complications of diabetes mellitus. Captopril possesses potent anti-inflammation, oxidative stress and fibrosis effects. However, the specific molecular mechanism of captopril in high glucose (HG)-induced hepatic stellate cells has not been elucidated. Following the treatment of HG or captopril treatment for rat hepatic stellate cells (HSC-T6), cell activities were detected by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) assay. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were determined by ROS staining. The expression of inflammation-related proteins (Interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and IL-8) and fibrosis-related proteins (fibronectin (FN), collagen I, collagen III, collagen IV, matrix metallopeptidase (MMP-2 and MMP-9) were determined by Western blot. Captopril significantly decreased HSC-T6 cell viability induced by HG in a dose-dependent manner, as well as decreased levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), ROS, pro-inflammatory markers and fibrosis-related proteins, while upregulated superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities. We further found that captopril decreased the ratio of p-IκBα/IκBα and the ratio of p-p65/p65. Intriguing, phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) or LiCl was able to significantly reverse the captopril-induced alteration of oxidative stress-, inflammation- and fibrosis-marker levels. In conclusion, in HG-stimulated HSC-T6 cells, captopril displayed a potent ability to inhibit oxidative stress, inflammation and hepatic fibrogenesis via NF-kappaB or wnt3α/β-catenin. These results demonstrated the mechanism of captopril as well as the role of the NF-kappaB or wnt3α/β-catenin on HSC-T6 activation induced by HG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaodi Gu
- Internal Medicine Department, Shaoxing Yuecheng People's Hospital, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Linjun Fang
- Internal Medicine Department, Shaoxing Yuecheng People's Hospital, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Peijun Ma
- Internal Medicine Department, Shaoxing Yuecheng People's Hospital, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province, China
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250
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Zhong X, Zhang Z, Shen H, Xiong Y, Shah YM, Liu Y, Fan X, Rui L. Hepatic NF-κB-Inducing Kinase and Inhibitor of NF-κB Kinase Subunit α Promote Liver Oxidative Stress, Ferroptosis, and Liver Injury. Hepatol Commun 2021; 5:1704-1720. [PMID: 34558831 PMCID: PMC8485893 DOI: 10.1002/hep4.1757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug-induced hepatotoxicity limits development of new effective medications. Drugs and numerous endogenous/exogenous agents are metabolized/detoxified by hepatocytes, during which reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated as a by-product. ROS has broad adverse effects on liver function and integrity, including damaging hepatocyte proteins, lipids, and DNA and promoting liver inflammation and fibrosis. ROS in concert with iron overload drives ferroptosis. Hepatic nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB)-inducing kinase (NIK) is aberrantly activated in a broad spectrum of liver disease. NIK phosphorylates and activates inhibitor of NF-κB kinase subunit alpha (IKKα), and the hepatic NIK/IKKα cascade suppresses liver regeneration. However, the NIK/IKKα pathway has not been explored in drug-induced liver injury. Here, we identify hepatic NIK as a previously unrecognized mediator for acetaminophen (APAP)-induced acute liver failure. APAP treatment increased both NIK transcription and NIK protein stability in primary hepatocytes as well as in liver in mice. Hepatocyte-specific overexpression of NIK augmented APAP-induced liver oxidative stress in mice and increased hepatocyte death and mortality in a ROS-dependent manner. Conversely, hepatocyte-specific ablation of NIK or IKKα mitigated APAP-elicited hepatotoxicity and mortality. NIK increased lipid peroxidation and cell death in APAP-stimulated primary hepatocytes. Pretreatment with antioxidants or ferroptosis inhibitors blocked NIK/APAP-induced hepatocyte death. Conclusion: We unravel a previously unrecognized NIK/IKKα/ROS/ferroptosis axis engaged in liver disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Zhong
- Department of Molecular and Integrative PhysiologyUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMIUSA
- Department of Infectious DiseasesHunan Key Laboratory of Viral HepatitisXiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Zhiguo Zhang
- Department of Molecular and Integrative PhysiologyUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMIUSA
| | - Hong Shen
- Department of Molecular and Integrative PhysiologyUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMIUSA
| | - Yi Xiong
- Department of Molecular and Integrative PhysiologyUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMIUSA
| | - Yatrik M. Shah
- Department of Molecular and Integrative PhysiologyUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMIUSA
| | - Yong Liu
- College of Life SciencesInstitute for Advanced StudiesWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Xue‐Gong Fan
- Department of Infectious DiseasesHunan Key Laboratory of Viral HepatitisXiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Liangyou Rui
- Department of Molecular and Integrative PhysiologyUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMIUSA
- Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyDepartment of Internal MedicineUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMIUSA
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