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Wahid RM, Hassan NH, Samy W, Abdelhadi AA, Saadawy SF, Elsayed SF, Seada SG, Mohamed SRA. Unraveling the hepatic stellate cells mediated mechanisms in aging's influence on liver fibrosis. Sci Rep 2024; 14:13473. [PMID: 38866800 PMCID: PMC11169484 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63644-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Aging enhances numerous processes that compromise homeostasis and pathophysiological processes. Among these, activated HSCs play a pivotal role in advancing liver fibrosis. This research delved into how aging impacts liver fibrosis mechanisms. The study involved 32 albino rats categorized into four groups: Group I (young controls), Group II (young with liver fibrosis), Group III (old controls), and Group IV (old with liver fibrosis). Various parameters including serum ALT, adiponectin, leptin, and cholesterol levels were evaluated. Histopathological analysis was performed, alongside assessments of TGF-β, FOXP3, and CD133 gene expressions. Markers of fibrosis and apoptosis were the highest in group IV. Adiponectin levels significantly decreased in Group IV compared to all other groups except Group II, while cholesterol levels were significantly higher in liver fibrosis groups than their respective control groups. Group III displayed high hepatic expression of desmin, α-SMA, GFAP and TGF- β and in contrast to Group I. Increased TGF-β and FOXP3 gene expressions were observed in Group IV relative to Group II, while CD133 gene expression decreased in Group IV compared to Group II. In conclusion, aging modulates immune responses, impairs regenerative capacities via HSC activation, and influences adipokine and cholesterol levels, elevating the susceptibility to liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reham M Wahid
- Medical Physiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Nancy Husseiny Hassan
- Human Anatomy and Embryology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Walaa Samy
- Medical Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Amina A Abdelhadi
- Medical Microbiology and Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.
| | - Sara F Saadawy
- Medical Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Sherein F Elsayed
- Medical Physiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Sara G Seada
- Medical Physiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
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Liu W, Zeng X, Wang X, Hu Y, Chen L, Luo N, Ouyang D, Rao T. 2,3,5,4'- tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-D- glucopyranoside (TSG)-Driven immune response in the hepatotoxicity of Polygonum multiflorum. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 326:117865. [PMID: 38369066 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.117865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (TSG) as the primary constituent of Polygonum multiflorum Thumb. (PM) possesses anti-oxidative, antihypercholesterolemic, anti-tumor and many more biological activities. The root of PM has been used as a tonic medicine for thousands of years. However, cases of PM-induced liver injury are occasionally reported, and considered to be related to the host immune status. AIM OF THE STUDY The primary toxic elements and specific mechanisms PM causing liver damage are still not thoroughly clear. Our study aimed to investigate the influences of TSG on the immune response in idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity of PM. MATERIALS AND METHODS The male C57BL/6 mice were treated with different doses of TSG and the alterations in liver histology, serum liver enzyme levels, proportions of T cells and cytokines secretion were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin (HE), RNA sequencing, quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), Flow cytometry (FCM), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Then, primary spleen cells from drug-naive mice were isolated and cultured with TSG in vitro. T cell subsets proliferation and cytokines secretion after treated with TSG were assessed by CCK8, FCM and ELISA. In addition, mice were pre-treated with anti-CD25 for depleting regulatory T cells (Tregs), and then administered with TSG. Liver functions and immunological alterations were analyzed to evaluate liver injury. RESULTS Data showed that TSG induced liver damage, and immune cells infiltration in the liver tissues. FCM results showed that TSG could activate CD4+T and CD8+T in the liver. Results further confirmed that TSG notably up-regulated the levels of inflammatory cytokines including TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-18, perforin and granzyme B in the liver tissues. Furthermore, based on transcriptomics profiles, some immune system-related pathways including leukocyte activation involved in inflammatory response, leukocyte cell-cell adhesion, regulation of interleukin-1 beta production, mononuclear cell migration, antigen processing and presentation were altered in TSG treated mice. CD8+T/CD4+T cells were also stimulated by TSG in vitro. Interestingly, increased proportion of Tregs was observed after TSG treatment in vitro and in vivo. Foxp3 and TGF-β1 mRNA expressions were up-regulated in the liver tissues. Depletion of Tregs moderately enhanced TSG induced the secretion of inflammatory cytokines in serum. CONCLUSIONS Our findings showed that TSG could trigger CD4+T and CD8+T cells proliferation, promote cytokines secretion, which revealed that adaptive immune response associated with the mild liver injury cause by TSG administration. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) mainly sustain immunological tolerance, and in this study, the progression of TSG induced liver injury was limited by Tregs. The results of our investigations allow us to preliminarily understand the mechanisms of PM related idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhui Liu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410008, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Central South University, Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410078, China; Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi Province, 541001, China; Engineering Research Center of Applied Technology of Pharmacogenomics, Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410078, China
| | - Xiangchang Zeng
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410008, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Central South University, Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410078, China; Engineering Research Center of Applied Technology of Pharmacogenomics, Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410078, China; Hunan Key Laboratory for Bioanalysis of Complex Matrix Samples, Changsha Duxact Biotech Co., Ltd., Changsha, Hunan Province, 410221, China
| | - Xinfeng Wang
- Department of Human Anatomy, College of Basic Medicine, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi Province, 541199, China
| | - Yuwei Hu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410008, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Central South University, Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410078, China; Engineering Research Center of Applied Technology of Pharmacogenomics, Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410078, China
| | - Lulu Chen
- Hunan Key Laboratory for Bioanalysis of Complex Matrix Samples, Changsha Duxact Biotech Co., Ltd., Changsha, Hunan Province, 410221, China
| | - Naixiang Luo
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi Province, 541199, China.
| | - Dongsheng Ouyang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410008, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Central South University, Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410078, China; Engineering Research Center of Applied Technology of Pharmacogenomics, Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410078, China; Hunan Key Laboratory for Bioanalysis of Complex Matrix Samples, Changsha Duxact Biotech Co., Ltd., Changsha, Hunan Province, 410221, China.
| | - Tai Rao
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410008, China; Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Central South University, Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410078, China; Engineering Research Center of Applied Technology of Pharmacogenomics, Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410078, China.
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Sirbe C, Simu G, Szabo I, Grama A, Pop TL. Pathogenesis of Autoimmune Hepatitis-Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:13578. [PMID: 34948375 PMCID: PMC8703580 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Pediatric autoimmune liver disorders include autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), autoimmune sclerosing cholangitis (ASC), and de novo AIH after liver transplantation. AIH is an idiopathic disease characterized by immune-mediated hepatocyte injury associated with the destruction of liver cells, causing inflammation, liver failure, and fibrosis, typically associated with autoantibodies. The etiology of AIH is not entirely unraveled, but evidence supports an intricate interaction among genetic variants, environmental factors, and epigenetic modifications. The pathogenesis of AIH comprises the interaction between specific genetic traits and molecular mimicry for disease development, impaired immunoregulatory mechanisms, including CD4+ T cell population and Treg cells, alongside other contributory roles played by CD8+ cytotoxicity and autoantibody production by B cells. These findings delineate an intricate pathway that includes gene to gene and gene to environment interactions with various drugs, viral infections, and the complex microbiome. Epigenetics emphasizes gene expression through hereditary and reversible modifications of the chromatin architecture without interfering with the DNA sequence. These alterations comprise DNA methylation, histone transformations, and non-coding small (miRNA) and long (lncRNA) RNA transcriptions. The current first-line therapy comprises prednisolone plus azathioprine to induce clinical and biochemical remission. Further understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms encountered in AIH may depict their impact on clinical aspects, detect biomarkers, and guide toward novel, effective, and better-targeted therapies with fewer side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Sirbe
- 2nd Pediatric Discipline, Department of Mother and Child, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (C.S.); (T.L.P.)
- 2nd Pediatric Clinic, Emergency Clinical Hospital for Children, 400177 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Gelu Simu
- Cardiology Department, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
- Cardiology Department, Rehabilitation Hospital, 400066 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Iulia Szabo
- Department of Rheumatology, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
| | - Alina Grama
- 2nd Pediatric Discipline, Department of Mother and Child, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (C.S.); (T.L.P.)
- 2nd Pediatric Clinic, Emergency Clinical Hospital for Children, 400177 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Tudor Lucian Pop
- 2nd Pediatric Discipline, Department of Mother and Child, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (C.S.); (T.L.P.)
- 2nd Pediatric Clinic, Emergency Clinical Hospital for Children, 400177 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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Hann A, Oo YH, Perera MTPR. Regulatory T-Cell Therapy in Liver Transplantation and Chronic Liver Disease. Front Immunol 2021; 12:719954. [PMID: 34721383 PMCID: PMC8552037 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.719954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The constant exposure of the liver to gut derived foreign antigens has resulted in this organ attaining unique immunological characteristics, however it remains susceptible to immune mediated injury. Our understanding of this type of injury, in both the native and transplanted liver, has improved significantly in recent decades. This includes a greater awareness of the tolerance inducing CD4+ CD25+ CD127low T-cell lineage with the transcription factor FoxP3, known as regulatory T-Cells (Tregs). These cells comprise 5-10% of CD4+ T cells and are known to function as an immunological "braking" mechanism, thereby preventing immune mediated tissue damage. Therapies that aim to increase Treg frequency and function have proved beneficial in the setting of both autoimmune diseases and solid organ transplantations. The safety and efficacy of Treg therapy in liver disease is an area of intense research at present and has huge potential. Due to these cells possessing significant plasticity, and the potential for conversion towards a T-helper 1 (Th1) and 17 (Th17) subsets in the hepatic microenvironment, it is pre-requisite to modify the microenvironment to a Treg favourable atmosphere to maintain these cells' function. In addition, implementation of therapies that effectively increase Treg functional activity in the liver may result in the suppression of immune responses and will hinder those that destroy tumour cells. Thus, fine adjustment is crucial to achieve this immunological balance. This review will describe the hepatic microenvironment with relevance to Treg function, and the role these cells have in both native diseased and transplanted livers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angus Hann
- The Liver Unit, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Centre for Liver and Gastrointestinal Research and National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Ye H Oo
- The Liver Unit, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Centre for Liver and Gastrointestinal Research and National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Centre for Rare Disease (ERN-Rare Liver Centre), University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - M Thamara P R Perera
- The Liver Unit, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Centre for Liver and Gastrointestinal Research and National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
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Ikeno Y, Ohara D, Takeuchi Y, Watanabe H, Kondoh G, Taura K, Uemoto S, Hirota K. Foxp3+ Regulatory T Cells Inhibit CCl 4-Induced Liver Inflammation and Fibrosis by Regulating Tissue Cellular Immunity. Front Immunol 2020; 11:584048. [PMID: 33178216 PMCID: PMC7593684 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.584048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Foxp3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells are pivotal in maintaining immunological self-tolerance and tissue homeostasis; however, it remains unclear how tissue Treg cells respond to liver injury and regulate chronic inflammation, which can cause liver fibrosis. We report here that hepatic Treg cells play a critical role in preventing liver pathology by suppressing inflammatory cellular immunity that can promote liver damage and fibrosis. Chronic liver inflammation induced by injections of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) led to preferential expansion of hepatic Treg cells that prevented liver fibrosis. In contrast, depletion of Treg cells in the CCl4-induced liver fibrosis model exacerbated the severity of liver pathology. Treg depletion unleashed tissue cellular immunity and drove the activation and expansion of the pro-fibrotic IL-4-producing T helper 2 cells, as well as CCR2high Ly-6Chigh inflammatory monocytes/macrophages in the inflamed liver. Although Treg expression of amphiregulin plays a key role in tissue remodeling and repair in various inflammation models, amphiregulin from hepatic Treg cells, the largest producer among liver immune cells, was dispensable for maintaining liver homeostasis and preventing liver fibrosis during CCl4-induced chronic inflammation. Our results indicate that Treg cells control chronic liver inflammation and fibrosis by regulating the aberrant activation and functions of immune effector cells. Harnessing Treg functions, which effectively regulate tissue cellular immunity, may be a therapeutic strategy for preventing and treating liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshinobu Ikeno
- Department of Hepatobiliary, Pancreas and Transplant Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Daiya Ohara
- Laboratory of Integrative Biological Science, Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yusuke Takeuchi
- Laboratory of Integrative Biological Science, Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hitomi Watanabe
- Laboratory of Integrative Biological Science, Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Gen Kondoh
- Laboratory of Integrative Biological Science, Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kojiro Taura
- Department of Hepatobiliary, Pancreas and Transplant Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shinji Uemoto
- Department of Hepatobiliary, Pancreas and Transplant Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Keiji Hirota
- Laboratory of Integrative Biological Science, Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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Thapa M, Tedesco D, Gumber S, Elrod EJ, Han JH, Kitchens WH, Magliocca JF, Adams AB, Grakoui A. Blockade of BAFF Reshapes the Hepatic B Cell Receptor Repertoire and Attenuates Autoantibody Production in Cholestatic Liver Disease. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2020; 204:3117-3128. [PMID: 32332110 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1900391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Defects in biliary transport proteins, MDR3 in humans and Mdr2 in mice, can lead to a spectrum of cholestatic liver disorders. Although B cell disorders and the aberrant Ab production are the leading extrahepatic manifestations of cholestatic liver diseases, the mechanism underlying this phenomenon is incompletely understood. Using mice with deficiency of Mdr2 that progressively develop cholestatic liver disease, we investigated the contributions of BAFF to aberrant IgG autoantibody production and hepatic fibrosis. In Mdr2-/- mice, hepatic B lymphocytes constitutively produced IgG during fibrosis progression, which correlated with elevated serum levels of BAFF, antinuclear Abs (ANA) and immune complexes. The elevated BAFF and ANA titers were also detected in human patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis and hepatobiliary cholangiopathies. Consistent with the higher BAFF levels, liver-specific selection of the focused BCR IgH repertoire was found on hepatic B cells in Mdr2-/- mice. Interestingly, the administration of anti-BAFF mAb in Mdr2-/- mice altered the BCR repertoire on hepatic B lymphocytes and resulted in reduced ANA and immune complex titers. However, anti-BAFF treatment did not attenuate hepatic fibrosis as measured by collagen deposition, hepatic expressions of collagen-1a, α-smooth muscle actin, and mononuclear cell infiltration (CD11b+ Ly-6chi monocytes and CD11b+ Gr1+ neutrophils). Importantly, depletion of B cells by anti-CD20 mAb reduced both hepatic fibrosis and serum levels of ANA and immune complexes. Our findings implicate B cells as the potential therapeutic targets for hepatic fibrosis and targeting BAFF specifically for attenuating the autoantibody production associated with cholestatic liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoj Thapa
- Emory Vaccine Center, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329;
| | - Dana Tedesco
- Emory Vaccine Center, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329
| | - Sanjeev Gumber
- Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Yerkes Research Primate Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329
| | - Elizabeth J Elrod
- Emory Vaccine Center, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329
| | - Jin-Hwan Han
- Emory Vaccine Center, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329
| | - William H Kitchens
- Division of Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329; and
| | - Joseph F Magliocca
- Division of Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329; and
| | - Andrew B Adams
- Division of Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329; and
| | - Arash Grakoui
- Emory Vaccine Center, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329; .,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329
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7
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Keenan BP, Fong L, Kelley RK. Immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma: the complex interface between inflammation, fibrosis, and the immune response. J Immunother Cancer 2019; 7:267. [PMID: 31627733 PMCID: PMC6798343 DOI: 10.1186/s40425-019-0749-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide and confers a poor prognosis. Beyond standard systemic therapy with multikinase inhibitors, recent studies demonstrate the potential for robust and durable responses from immune checkpoint inhibition in subsets of HCC patients across disease etiologies. The majority of HCC arises in the context of chronic inflammation and from within a fibrotic liver, with many cases associated with hepatitis virus infections, toxins, and fatty liver disease. Many patients also have concomitant cirrhosis which is associated with both local and systemic immune deficiency. Furthermore, the liver is an immunologic organ in itself, which may enhance or suppress the immune response to cancer arising within it. Here, we explore the immunobiology of the liver from its native state to chronic inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis and then to cancer, and summarize how this unique microenvironment may affect the response to immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridget P Keenan
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, Room M1286, 505 Parnassus Ave., San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA. .,Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Lawrence Fong
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, Room M1286, 505 Parnassus Ave., San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.,Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Robin K Kelley
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, Room M1286, 505 Parnassus Ave., San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.,Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Webb GJ, Hirschfield GM, Krawitt EL, Gershwin ME. Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Autoimmune Hepatitis. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PATHOLOGY-MECHANISMS OF DISEASE 2019; 13:247-292. [PMID: 29140756 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pathol-020117-043534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Autoimmune hepatitis is an uncommon idiopathic syndrome of immune-mediated destruction of hepatocytes, typically associated with autoantibodies. The disease etiology is incompletely understood but includes a clear association with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) variants and other non-HLA gene variants, female sex, and the environment. Pathologically, there is a CD4+ T cell-rich lymphocytic inflammatory infiltrate with variable hepatocyte necrosis and subsequent hepatic fibrosis. Attempts to understand pathogenesis are informed by several monogenetic syndromes that may include autoimmune liver injury, by several drug and environmental agents that have been identified as triggers in a minority of cases, by human studies that point toward a central role for CD4+ effector and regulatory T cells, and by animal models of the disease. Nonspecific immunosuppression is the current standard therapy. Further understanding of the disease's cellular and molecular mechanisms may assist in the design of better-targeted therapies, aid the limitation of adverse effects from therapy, and inform individualized risk assessment and prognostication.
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Affiliation(s)
- G J Webb
- National Institute for Health Research Liver Biomedical Research Centre, Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom; ,
| | - G M Hirschfield
- National Institute for Health Research Liver Biomedical Research Centre, Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom; ,
| | - E L Krawitt
- Department of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405, USA; .,Department of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, USA
| | - M E Gershwin
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Clinical Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, California 95817, USA;
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Fabre T, Molina MF, Soucy G, Goulet JP, Willems B, Villeneuve JP, Bilodeau M, Shoukry NH. Type 3 cytokines IL-17A and IL-22 drive TGF-β-dependent liver fibrosis. Sci Immunol 2018; 3:eaar7754. [PMID: 30366940 DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.aar7754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2017] [Revised: 05/04/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Inflammatory immune cells can modulate activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and progression of liver fibrosis. Type 3 inflammation characterized by production of interleukin-17A (IL-17) and IL-22 by innate and adaptive immune cells is implicated in many inflammatory conditions of the gut and can be counteracted by regulatory T cells (Tregs), but its contribution to liver fibrosis is still poorly understood. Here, we evaluated the contribution of type 3 inflammation in liver fibrosis using clinical liver biopsies, in vitro stimulation of primary HSCs, and in vivo mouse models. We report dysregulated type 3 responses in fibrotic lesions with increased IL-17+CD4+/FOXP3hiCD4+ ratio and increased IL-17 and IL-22 production in advanced liver fibrosis. Neutrophils and mast cells were the main sources of IL-17 in situ in humans. In addition, we demonstrate a new profibrotic function of IL-22 through enhancement of transforming growth factor-β signaling in HSCs in a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent manner. In vivo, IL-22RA1 knockout mice exhibited reduced fibrosis in response to thioacetamide and carbon tetrachloride. Blocking either IL-22 or IL-17 production using aryl hydrocarbon receptor or RAR-related orphan receptor gamma-t antagonists resulted in reduced fibrosis. Together, these data have identified a pathogenic role for type 3 immune response mediated by IL-22 in driving liver fibrosis during chronic liver injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Fabre
- Centre de Recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Département de microbiologie, infectiologie et immunologie, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Manuel Flores Molina
- Centre de Recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Département de microbiologie, infectiologie et immunologie, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Geneviève Soucy
- Centre de Recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Département de pathologie et biologie cellulaire, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | | | - Bernard Willems
- Centre de Recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Département de médecine, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Jean-Pierre Villeneuve
- Centre de Recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Département de médecine, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Marc Bilodeau
- Centre de Recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Département de médecine, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Naglaa H Shoukry
- Centre de Recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montréal, Québec, Canada.
- Département de médecine, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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Tedesco D, Grakoui A. Environmental peer pressure: CD4 + T cell help in tolerance and transplantation. Liver Transpl 2018; 24:89-97. [PMID: 28926189 PMCID: PMC5739992 DOI: 10.1002/lt.24873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2017] [Revised: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The liver participates in a multitude of metabolic functions that are critical for sustaining human life. Despite constant encounters with antigenic-rich intestinal blood, oxidative stress, and metabolic intermediates, there is no appreciable immune response. Interestingly, patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation benefit from a high rate of graft acceptance in comparison to other solid organ transplant recipients. In fact, cotransplantation of a donor liver in tandem with a rejection-prone graft increases the likelihood of graft acceptance. A variety of players may account for this phenomenon including the interaction of intrahepatic antigen-presenting cells with CD4+ T cells and the preferential induction of forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) expression on CD4+ T cells following injurious stimuli. Ineffective insult management can cause chronic liver disease, which manifests systemically as the following: antibody-mediated disorders, ineffective antiviral and antibacterial immunity, and gastrointestinal disorders. These sequelae sharing the requirement of CD4+ T cell help to coordinate aberrant immune responses. In this review, we will focus on CD4+ T cell help due to the shared requirements in hepatic tolerance and coordination of extrahepatic immune responses. Overall, intrahepatic deviations from steady state can have deleterious systemic immune outcomes and highlight the liver's remarkable capacity to maintain a balance between tolerance and inflammatory response while simultaneously being inundated with a panoply of antigenic stimuli. Liver Transplantation 24 89-97 2018 AASLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Tedesco
- Emory Vaccine Center, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University
| | - Arash Grakoui
- Emory Vaccine Center, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University,Division of Infectious Disease, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA,Corresponding Author: Arash Grakoui, Division of Infectious diseases, Emory Vaccine Center, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, Telephone: (404) 727-9368;
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