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Blank V, Karlas T, Anderegg U, Wiegand J, Arnold J, Bundalian L, Le Duc GD, Körner C, Ebert T, Saalbach A. Thy-1 restricts steatosis and liver fibrosis in steatotic liver disease. Liver Int 2024. [PMID: 38702958 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Steatotic liver disease (SLD) is generally considered to represent a hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome and includes a disease spectrum comprising isolated steatosis, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, liver fibrosis and ultimately cirrhosis. A better understanding of the detailed underlying pathogenic mechanisms of this transition is crucial for the design of new and efficient therapeutic interventions. Thymocyte differentiation antigen (Thy-1, also known as CD90) expression on fibroblasts controls central functions relevant to fibrogenesis, including proliferation, apoptosis, cytokine responsiveness, and myofibroblast differentiation. METHODS The impact of Thy-1 on the development of SLD and progression to fibrosis was investigated in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced SLD wild-type and Thy-1-deficient mice. In addition, the serum soluble Thy-1 (sThy-1) concentration was analysed in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated SLD stratified according to steatosis, inflammation, or liver fibrosis using noninvasive markers. RESULTS We demonstrated that Thy-1 attenuates the development of fatty liver and the expression of profibrogenic genes in the livers of HFD-induced SLD mice. Mechanistically, Thy-1 directly inhibits the profibrotic activation of nonparenchymal liver cells. In addition, Thy-1 prevents palmitic acid-mediated amplification of the inflammatory response of myeloid cells, which might indirectly contribute to the pronounced development of liver fibrosis in Thy-1-deficient mice. Serum analysis of patients with metabolically associated steatotic liver disease syndrome revealed that sThy-1 expression is correlated with liver fibrosis status, as assessed by liver stiffness, the Fib4 score, and the NAFLD fibrosis score. CONCLUSION Our data strongly suggest that Thy-1 may function as a fibrosis-protective factor in mouse and human SLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentin Blank
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine II, Leipzig University Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
- Division of Interdisciplinary Ultrasound, Department of Internal Medicine I - Gastroenterology and Pneumology, University Hospital Halle, Halle, Germany
| | - Thomas Karlas
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine II, Leipzig University Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ulf Anderegg
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Johannes Wiegand
- Division of Hepatology, Department of Medicine II, Leipzig University Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Josi Arnold
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Linnaeus Bundalian
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Gabriela-Diana Le Duc
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christiane Körner
- Division of Hepatology, Clinic of Oncology, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Pneumology, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thomas Ebert
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine III - Endocrinology, Nephrology, Rheumatology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anja Saalbach
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
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2
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Geervliet E, Terstappen LWMM, Bansal R. Hepatocyte survival and proliferation by fibroblast growth factor 7 attenuates liver inflammation, and fibrogenesis during acute liver injury via paracrine mechanisms. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 167:115612. [PMID: 37797460 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocyte damage during liver injury instigates activation of macrophages and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) resulting in liver inflammation and fibrosis respectively. Improving hepatocyte survival and proliferation thereby ameliorating inflammation and fibrosis represents a promising approach for the treatment of liver injury. In the liver, fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) play a crucial role in promoting hepatocyte proliferation and tissue regeneration. Among 22 FGFs, FGF7 induces hepatocyte survival and liver regeneration as shown previously in mouse models of cholestatic liver injury and partial hepatectomy. We hypothesized that FGF7 promotes hepatocyte survival and proliferation by interacting with FGFR2b, expressed on hepatocytes, and ameliorates liver injury (inflammation and early fibrogenesis) via paracrine mechanisms. To prove this hypothesis and to study the effect of FGF7 on hepatocytes and liver injury, we administered FGF7 exogenously to mice with acute carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury. We thereafter studied the underlying mechanisms and the effect of exogenous FGF7 on hepatocyte survival and proliferation, and the consequent paracrine effects on macrophage-induced inflammation, and HSCs activation in vitro and in vivo. We observed that the expression of FGF7 as well as FGFR2 is upregulated during acute liver injury. Co-immunostaining of FGF7 and collagen-I confirmed that FGF7 is expressed by HSCs and is possibly captured by the secreted ECM. Immunohistochemical analysis of liver sections showed increased hepatocyte proliferation upon exogenous FGF7 treatment as determined by Ki67 expression. Mechanistically, exogenous FGF7 improved hepatocyte survival (and increased drug detoxification) via AKT and ERK pathways while maintaining hepatocyte quiescence restricting hepatocarcinogenesis via P27 pathways. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that improved hepatocyte survival and proliferation leads to a decrease in infiltrated monocytes-derived macrophages, as a result of reduced CCL2 (and CXCL8) expression by hepatocytes. Moreover, conditioned medium studies showed reduced collagen-I secretion by HSCs (indicative of HSCs activation) upon treatment with FGF7-treated hepatocytes conditioned medium. Altogether, we show that exogenous administration of FGF7 induces hepatocyte survival and proliferation and leads to amelioration of inflammatory response and fibrosis in acute liver injury via paracrine mechanisms. Our study further demonstrates that FGF7, FGF7 derivatives, or nano-engineered FGF7 may benefit patients with hepatic dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eline Geervliet
- Translational Liver Research, Department of Medical Cell BioPhysics, Technical Medical Centre, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, the Netherlands; Institute of Molecular Pathobiochemistry, Experimental Gene Therapy and Clinical Chemistry, RWTH University Hospital Aachen, Germany
| | - Leon W M M Terstappen
- Department of Medical Cell BioPhysics, Technical Medical Centre, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, the Netherlands
| | - Ruchi Bansal
- Translational Liver Research, Department of Medical Cell BioPhysics, Technical Medical Centre, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, the Netherlands.
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Wang S, Friedman SL. Found in translation-Fibrosis in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). Sci Transl Med 2023; 15:eadi0759. [PMID: 37792957 PMCID: PMC10671253 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adi0759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is a severe form of liver disease that poses a global health threat because of its potential to progress to advanced fibrosis, leading to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Recent advances in single-cell methodologies, refined disease models, and genetic and epigenetic insights have provided a nuanced understanding of MASH fibrogenesis, with substantial cellular heterogeneity in MASH livers providing potentially targetable cell-cell interactions and behavior. Unlike fibrogenesis, mechanisms underlying fibrosis regression in MASH are still inadequately understood, although antifibrotic targets have been recently identified. A refined antifibrotic treatment framework could lead to noninvasive assessment and targeted therapies that preserve hepatocellular function and restore the liver's architectural integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Wang
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Scott L. Friedman
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
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4
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Cogliati B, Yashaswini CN, Wang S, Sia D, Friedman SL. Friend or foe? The elusive role of hepatic stellate cells in liver cancer. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 20:647-661. [PMID: 37550577 PMCID: PMC10671228 DOI: 10.1038/s41575-023-00821-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a substantial risk factor for the development and progression of liver cancer, which includes hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA). Studies utilizing cell fate mapping and single-cell transcriptomics techniques have identified quiescent perisinusoidal hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) as the primary source of activated collagen-producing HSCs and liver cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in HCC and liver metastasis, complemented in iCCA by contributions from portal fibroblasts. At the same time, integrative computational analysis of single-cell, single-nucleus and spatial RNA sequencing data have revealed marked heterogeneity among HSCs and CAFs, with distinct subpopulations displaying unique gene expression signatures and functions. Some of these subpopulations have divergent roles in promoting or inhibiting liver fibrogenesis and carcinogenesis. In this Review, we discuss the dual roles of HSC subpopulations in liver fibrogenesis and their contribution to liver cancer promotion, progression and metastasis. We review the transcriptomic and functional similarities between HSC and CAF subpopulations, highlighting the pathways that either promote or prevent fibrosis and cancer, and the immunological landscape from which these pathways emerge. Insights from ongoing studies will yield novel strategies for developing biomarkers, assessing prognosis and generating new therapies for both HCC and iCCA prevention and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Cogliati
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Shuang Wang
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Daniela Sia
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Scott L Friedman
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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5
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Borkham-Kamphorst E, Meurer SK, Weiskirchen R. Expression and biological function of the cellular communication network factor 5 (CCN5) in primary liver cells. J Cell Commun Signal 2023:10.1007/s12079-023-00757-8. [PMID: 37166689 DOI: 10.1007/s12079-023-00757-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The cellular (centralized) communication network (CCN) factor protein family contains six small secreted cysteine-rich proteins sharing high structural similarity. These matricellular proteins have vital biological functions in cell adhesion, migration, cell cycle progression, and control of production and degradation of extracellular matrix. However, in liver the biological functions of CCN proteins become most visible during hepatic injury, disease, and remodeling. In particular, most of the hepatic functions of CCN proteins were derived from CCN2/CTGF, which becomes highly expressed in damaged hepatocytes and acts as a profibrogenic molecule. On the contrary, CCN1/CYR61 seems to have opposite effects, while the biological activity during hepatic fibrosis is somewhat controversially discussed for other CCN family members. In the present study, we analyzed the expression of CCN5/WISP2 in cultures of different types of primary liver cells and in an experimental model of hepatic fibrosis. We found that CCN5 is expressed in hepatic stellate cells, myofibroblasts and portal myofibroblasts, while CCN5 expression is virtually absent in hepatocytes. During hepatic fibrogenesis, CCN5 is significantly upregulated. Overexpression of CCN5 in portal myofibroblasts reduced expression of transforming growth factor-β receptor I (ALK5) and concomitant Smad2 activation, whereas JunB expression is upregulated. Moreover, elevated expression of CCN5 induces endoplasmic reticulum stress, unfolded protein response and apoptosis in portal myofibroblasts. We suggest that upregulated expression of CCN5 might be an intrinsic control mechanism that counteracts overshooting fibrotic responses in profibrogenic liver cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erawan Borkham-Kamphorst
- Institute of Molecular Pathobiochemistry, Experimental Gene Therapy and Clinical Chemistry (IFMPEGKC), RWTH University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Steffen K Meurer
- Institute of Molecular Pathobiochemistry, Experimental Gene Therapy and Clinical Chemistry (IFMPEGKC), RWTH University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ralf Weiskirchen
- Institute of Molecular Pathobiochemistry, Experimental Gene Therapy and Clinical Chemistry (IFMPEGKC), RWTH University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
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Hamberger F, Mederacke YS, Mederacke I. An inducible model for genetic manipulation and fate-tracing of PDGFRβ-expressing fibrogenic cells in the liver. Sci Rep 2023; 13:7322. [PMID: 37147343 PMCID: PMC10162963 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34353-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Myofibroblasts are the source of extracellular matrix protein during liver fibrogenesis. Fibroblasts, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and vascular smooth muscle cells are mesenchymal subpopulations in the liver that are characterized by the expression of PDGFRβ and contribute to the pool of these myofibroblasts. Conditional knockout models are important to better understand the function of specific liver cell populations including mesenchymal cells. While there is a limited number of constitutive mouse models for liver mesenchymal cell specific transgene expression, there is no established model for inducible gene targeting in HSCs or PDGFRβ-expressing mesenchymal cell populations in the liver. To address this, we investigated whether the tamoxifen inducible PDGFRβ-P2A-CreERT2 mouse can be used as a reliable tool to specifically express transgens in liver mesenchymal cells. Our data demonstrate, that PDGFRβ-P2A-CreERT2 specifically and efficiently marks over 90% of retinoid positive HSCs in healthy and fibrotic liver in mice upon tamoxifen injection, and that those cells give rise to Col1a1-expressing myofibroblasts in different models of liver fibrosis. Together with a negligible background recombination of only about 0.33%, this confirms that the PDGFRβ-P2A-CreERT2 mouse is nearly as efficient as established constitutive LratCre and PDGFRβ-Cre mouse models for recombination in HSCs, and that it is a powerful model for mesenchymal liver cell studies that require an inducible Cre approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Hamberger
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany
| | - Young-Seon Mederacke
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ingmar Mederacke
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany.
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7
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Wang J, Du M, Meng L, Yang Y, He S, Zhu Y, Ren X, Wei M, Dong R, Zheng S, Chen G. Integrative analysis implicates the significance of m6A in the liver fibrosis of biliary atresia by regulating THY1. Hepatol Commun 2023; 7:e0004. [PMID: 36633486 PMCID: PMC9827977 DOI: 10.1097/hc9.0000000000000004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Whether N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is involved in biliary atresia (BA) remains undefined. Herein, we comprehensively evaluated the m6A profile in BA. When compared with normal controls, BA had an elevated m6A level with upregulated m6A writers. The m6A level was correlated with liver function, stage of fibrosis and jaundice clearance in BA. Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-seq) demonstrated an altered m6A topology in BA. MeRIP-seq and RNA sequencing filtered out 130 m6A-modified genes, which were enriched in fibrogenetic pathways. MeRIP-qPCR in vivo and interventions of LX-2 and primary HSCs in vitro validated the regulatory role of m6A on COL1A1 and THY1. THY1+ myofibroblasts expanded in portal area of BA, and highly expressed profibrogenic genes (COL1A1, MMP2, PDGFRA, and DCN). THY1 was correlated with liver fibrosis and jaundice clearance in BA. Bulk array (GSE46960, GSE15235), single-cell RNA sequencing (GSE136103), primary HSC interventions, and co-immunoprecipitation revealed that THY1 was correlated with extracellular matrix organization, promoted HSC activation, showed higher interactions with integrins on myeloid cells in cholestatic fibrosis, and was correlated with native liver survival in BA. Our study highlights the significance of m6A in BA-induced liver fibrogenesis by regulating THY1, shedding new light on the novel therapies to alleviate liver fibrosis by targeting m6A/THY1 axis in BA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junfeng Wang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal Disease, Ministry of Health, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Min Du
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal Disease, Ministry of Health, Shanghai, P.R. China
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Chengdu Women’s and Children’s Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Lingdu Meng
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal Disease, Ministry of Health, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Yifan Yang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal Disease, Ministry of Health, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Shiwei He
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal Disease, Ministry of Health, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Ye Zhu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal Disease, Ministry of Health, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Xue Ren
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal Disease, Ministry of Health, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Meng Wei
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal Disease, Ministry of Health, Shanghai, P.R. China
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Shanghai Children’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Rui Dong
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal Disease, Ministry of Health, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Shan Zheng
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal Disease, Ministry of Health, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Gong Chen
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal Disease, Ministry of Health, Shanghai, P.R. China
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Lei L, Bruneau A, El Mourabit H, Guégan J, Folseraas T, Lemoinne S, Karlsen TH, Hoareau B, Morichon R, Gonzalez-Sanchez E, Goumard C, Ratziu V, Charbord P, Gautheron J, Tacke F, Jaffredo T, Cadoret A, Housset C. Portal fibroblasts with mesenchymal stem cell features form a reservoir of proliferative myofibroblasts in liver fibrosis. Hepatology 2022; 76:1360-1375. [PMID: 35278227 DOI: 10.1002/hep.32456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS In liver fibrosis, myofibroblasts derive from HSCs and as yet undefined mesenchymal cells. We aimed to identify portal mesenchymal progenitors of myofibroblasts. APPROACH AND RESULTS Portal mesenchymal cells were isolated from mouse bilio-vascular tree and analyzed by single-cell RNA-sequencing. Thereby, we uncovered the landscape of portal mesenchymal cells in homeostatic mouse liver. Trajectory analysis enabled inferring a small cell population further defined by surface markers used to isolate it. This population consisted of portal fibroblasts with mesenchymal stem cell features (PMSCs), i.e., high clonogenicity and trilineage differentiation potential, that generated proliferative myofibroblasts, contrasting with nonproliferative HSC-derived myofibroblasts (-MF). Using bulk RNA-sequencing, we built oligogene signatures of the two cell populations that remained discriminant across myofibroblastic differentiation. SLIT2, a prototypical gene of PMSC/PMSC-MF signature, mediated profibrotic and angiogenic effects of these cells, which conditioned medium promoted HSC survival and endothelial cell tubulogenesis. Using PMSC/PMSC-MF 7-gene signature and slit guidance ligand 2 fluorescent in situ hybridization, we showed that PMSCs display a perivascular portal distribution in homeostatic liver and largely expand with fibrosis progression, contributing to the myofibroblast populations that form fibrotic septa, preferentially along neovessels, in murine and human liver disorders, irrespective of etiology. We also unraveled a 6-gene expression signature of HSCs/HSC-MFs that did not vary in these disorders, consistent with their low proliferation rate. CONCLUSIONS PMSCs form a small reservoir of expansive myofibroblasts, which, in interaction with neovessels and HSC-MFs that mainly arise through differentiation from a preexisting pool, underlie the formation of fibrotic septa in all types of liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Lei
- Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Paris, France
| | - Alix Bruneau
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Haquima El Mourabit
- Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Paris, France
| | - Justine Guégan
- Institut du Cerveau (ICM), Bioinformatics/Biostatistics iCONICS Facility, Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Paris, France
| | - Trine Folseraas
- Division of Surgery, Inflammatory Medicine and Transplantation, Research Institute of Internal Medicine, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Norwegian PSC Research Center, Oslo, Norway
| | - Sara Lemoinne
- Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Paris, France.,Department of Hepatology, Reference Center for Inflammatory Biliary Diseases and Autoimmune Hepatitis (CRMR MIVB-H, ERN RARE-LIVER), Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Saint-Antoine Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Tom Hemming Karlsen
- Division of Surgery, Inflammatory Medicine and Transplantation, Research Institute of Internal Medicine, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Norwegian PSC Research Center, Oslo, Norway
| | - Bénédicte Hoareau
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, UMS Production et Analyse de Données en Sciences de la Vie et en Santé (PASS), Cytométrie Pitié-Salpêtrière (CyPS), Paris, France
| | - Romain Morichon
- Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Paris, France
| | - Ester Gonzalez-Sanchez
- Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Paris, France
| | - Claire Goumard
- Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Paris, France.,Departments of Hepatology, Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, AP-HP, Sorbonne Université, ICAN, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Vlad Ratziu
- Departments of Hepatology, Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, AP-HP, Sorbonne Université, ICAN, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Pierre Charbord
- Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS), Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, INSERM, Paris, France
| | - Jérémie Gautheron
- Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Paris, France
| | - Frank Tacke
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thierry Jaffredo
- Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS), Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, INSERM, Paris, France
| | - Axelle Cadoret
- Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Paris, France
| | - Chantal Housset
- Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Paris, France.,Department of Hepatology, Reference Center for Inflammatory Biliary Diseases and Autoimmune Hepatitis (CRMR MIVB-H, ERN RARE-LIVER), Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Saint-Antoine Hospital, Paris, France
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9
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Wallace SJ, Tacke F, Schwabe RF, Henderson NC. Understanding the cellular interactome of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. JHEP Rep 2022; 4:100524. [PMID: 35845296 PMCID: PMC9284456 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2022.100524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is reaching epidemic proportions, with a global prevalence of 25% in the adult population. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which can lead to cirrhosis, has become the leading indication for liver transplantation in both Europe and the USA. Liver fibrosis is the consequence of sustained, iterative liver injury, and the main determinant of outcomes in NASH. The liver possesses remarkable inherent plasticity, and liver fibrosis can regress when the injurious agent is removed, thus providing opportunities to alter long-term outcomes through therapeutic interventions. Although hepatocyte injury is a key driver of NASH, multiple other cell lineages within the hepatic fibrotic niche play major roles in the perpetuation of inflammation, mesenchymal cell activation, extracellular matrix accumulation as well as fibrosis resolution. The constituents of this cellular interactome, and how the various subpopulations within the fibrotic niche interact to drive fibrogenesis is an area of active research. Important cellular components of the fibrotic niche include endothelial cells, macrophages, passaging immune cell populations and myofibroblasts. In this review, we will describe how rapidly evolving technologies such as single-cell genomics, spatial transcriptomics and single-cell ligand-receptor analyses are transforming our understanding of the cellular interactome in NAFLD/NASH, and how this new, high-resolution information is being leveraged to develop rational new therapies for patients with NASH.
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Key Words
- BAs, bile acids
- CCL, C-C motif chemokine ligand
- CCR, C-C motif chemokine receptor
- CLD, chronic liver disease
- CTGF, connective tissue growth factor
- CXCL, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand
- CXCR, C-X-C motif chemokine receptor
- DAMP, damage-associated molecular pattern
- ECM, extracellular matrix
- ER, endoplasmic reticulum
- FGF, fibroblast growth factor
- FXR, farnesoid X receptor
- HSCs, hepatic stellate cells
- IL, interleukin
- ILC, innate lymphoid cell
- KCs, Kupffer cells
- LSECs, liver sinusoidal endothelial cells
- MAIT, mucosal-associated invariant T
- MAMPS, microbiota-associated molecular patterns
- NAFLD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- NASH, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
- NK(T), natural killer (T)
- NLR, Nod like receptors
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
- PDGF, platelet-derived growth factor
- PFs, portal fibroblasts
- SASP, senescence-associated secretory phenotype
- TGF, transforming growth factor
- TLR, Toll-like receptor
- TNF, tumour necrosis factor
- VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor
- antifibrotic therapies
- cellular interactome
- cirrhosis
- fibrosis
- single-cell genomics
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian J. Wallace
- Centre for Inflammation Research, The Queen’s Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh BioQuarter, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Frank Tacke
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Campus Virchow-Klinikum (CVK) and Campus Charité Mitte (CCM), Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert F. Schwabe
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Campus Virchow-Klinikum (CVK) and Campus Charité Mitte (CCM), Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Neil C. Henderson
- Centre for Inflammation Research, The Queen’s Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh BioQuarter, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Crewe Road South, Edinburgh, UK
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10
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Wang Z, Zhao Z, Xia Y, Cai Z, Wang C, Shen Y, Liu R, Qin H, Jia J, Yuan G. Potential biomarkers in the fibrosis progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). J Endocrinol Invest 2022; 45:1379-1392. [PMID: 35226336 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-022-01773-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Fibrosis is the only histological feature reflecting the severity and prognosis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). We aim to explore novel genes associated with fibrosis progression in NASH. METHODS Two human RNA-seq datasets were downloaded from the public database. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify their co-expressed modules and further bioinformatics analysis was performed to identify hub genes within the modules. Finally, based on two single-cell RNA-seq datasets from mice and one microarray dataset from human, we further observed the expression of hub genes in different cell clusters and liver tissues. RESULTS 7 hub genes (SPP1, PROM1, SOX9, EPCAM, THY1, CD34 and MCAM) associated with fibrosis progression were identified. Single-cell RNA-seq analysis revealed that those hub genes were expressed by different cell clusters such as cholangiocytes, natural killer (NK) cells, and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). We also found that SPP1 and CD34 serve as markers of different HSCs clusters, which are associated with inflammatory response and fibrogenesis, respectively. Further study suggested that SPP1, SOX9, MCAM and THY1 might be related to NASH-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that the high expression of these genes could well predict the occurrence of HCC. At the same time, there were significant differences in metabolism-related pathway changes between different HCC subtypes, and SOX9 may be involved in these changes. CONCLUSIONS The present study identified novel genes associated with NASH fibrosis and explored their effects on fibrosis from a single-cell perspective that might provide new ideas for the early diagnosis, monitoring, evaluation, and prediction of fibrosis progression in NASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z Wang
- Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Z Zhao
- Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Y Xia
- Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Z Cai
- Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212001, Jiangsu, China
| | - C Wang
- Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Y Shen
- Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212001, Jiangsu, China
| | - R Liu
- Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212001, Jiangsu, China
| | - H Qin
- Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212001, Jiangsu, China
| | - J Jia
- Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212001, Jiangsu, China.
| | - G Yuan
- Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212001, Jiangsu, China.
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11
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Shi S, Bonaccorsi-Riani E, Schurink I, van den Bosch T, Doukas M, Lila KA, Roest HP, Xhema D, Gianello P, de Jonge J, Verstegen MMA, van der Laan LJW. Liver Ischemia and Reperfusion Induce Periportal Expression of Necroptosis Executor pMLKL Which Is Associated With Early Allograft Dysfunction After Transplantation. Front Immunol 2022; 13:890353. [PMID: 35655777 PMCID: PMC9152120 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.890353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Early allograft dysfunction (EAD) following liver transplantation (LT) remains a major threat to the survival of liver grafts and recipients. In animal models, it is shown that hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) triggers phosphorylation of Mixed Lineage Kinase domain-like protein (pMLKL) inducing necroptotic cell death. However, the clinical implication of pMLKL-mediated cell death in human hepatic IRI remains largely unexplored. In this study, we aimed to investigate the expression of pMLKL in human liver grafts and its association with EAD after LT. Methods The expression of pMLKL was determined by immunohistochemistry in liver biopsies obtained from both human and rat LT. Human liver biopsies were obtained at the end of preservation (T0) and ~1 hour after reperfusion (T1). The positivity of pMLKL was quantified electronically and compared in rat and human livers and post-LT outcomes. Multiplex immunofluorescence staining was performed to characterize the pMLKL-expressing cells. Results In the rat LT model, significant pMLKL expression was observed in livers after IRI as compared to livers of sham-operation animals. Similarly, the pMLKL score was highest after IRI in human liver grafts (in T1 biopsies). Both in rats and humans, the pMLKL expression is mostly observed in the portal triads. In grafts who developed EAD after LT (n=24), the pMLKL score at T1 was significantly higher as compared to non-EAD grafts (n=40). ROC curve revealed a high predictive value of pMLKL score at T1 (AUC 0.70) and the ratio of pMLKL score at T1 and T0 (pMLKL-index, AUC 0.82) for EAD. Liver grafts with a high pMLKL index (>1.64) had significantly higher levels of serum ALT, AST, and LDH 24 hours after LT compared to grafts with a low pMLKL index. Multivariate logistical regression analysis identified the pMLKL-index (Odds ratio=1.3, 95% CI 1.1-1.7) as a predictor of EAD development. Immunohistochemistry on serial sections and multiplex staining identified the periportal pMLKL-positive cells as portal fibroblasts, fibrocytes, and a minority of cholangiocytes. Conclusion Periportal pMLKL expression increased significantly after IRI in both rat and human LT. The histological score of pMLKL is predictive of post-transplant EAD and is associated with early liver injury after LT. Periportal non-parenchymal cells (i.e. fibroblasts) appear most susceptible to pMLKL-mediated cell death during hepatic IRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaojun Shi
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC Transplant Institute, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Eliano Bonaccorsi-Riani
- Abdominal Transplant Unit, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.,Pôle de Chirurgie Expérimentale et Transplantation Institute de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ivo Schurink
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC Transplant Institute, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Thierry van den Bosch
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Michael Doukas
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Karishma A Lila
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Henk P Roest
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC Transplant Institute, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Daela Xhema
- Pôle de Chirurgie Expérimentale et Transplantation Institute de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pierre Gianello
- Pôle de Chirurgie Expérimentale et Transplantation Institute de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jeroen de Jonge
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC Transplant Institute, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Monique M A Verstegen
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC Transplant Institute, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Luc J W van der Laan
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC Transplant Institute, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
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12
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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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13
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Koui Y, Himeno M, Mori Y, Nakano Y, Saijou E, Tanimizu N, Kamiya Y, Anzai H, Maeda N, Wang L, Yamada T, Sakai Y, Nakato R, Miyajima A, Kido T. Development of human iPSC-derived quiescent hepatic stellate cell-like cells for drug discovery and in vitro disease modeling. Stem Cell Reports 2021; 16:3050-3063. [PMID: 34861166 PMCID: PMC8693663 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2021.11.002] [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: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) play a central role in the progression of liver fibrosis by producing extracellular matrices. The development of drugs to suppress liver fibrosis has been hampered by the lack of human quiescent HSCs (qHSCs) and an appropriate in vitro model that faithfully recapitulates HSC activation. In the present study, we developed a culture system to generate qHSC-like cells from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) that can be converted into activated HSCs in culture. To monitor the activation process, a red fluorescent protein (RFP) gene was inserted in hiPSCs downstream of the activation marker gene actin alpha 2 smooth muscle (ACTA2). Using qHSC-like cells derived from RFP reporter iPSCs, we screened a repurposing chemical library and identified therapeutic candidates that prevent liver fibrosis. Hence, hiPSC-derived qHSC-like cells will be a useful tool to study the mechanism of HSC activation and to identify therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuta Koui
- Laboratory of Cell Growth and Differentiation, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Misao Himeno
- Laboratory of Cell Growth and Differentiation, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Yusuke Mori
- Bio Science & Engineering Laboratory, Research & Development Management Headquarters, FUJIFILM Corporation, 577 Ushijima, Kaisei-machi, Ashigarakami-gun, Kanagawa 258-8577, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Nakano
- Laboratory of Cell Growth and Differentiation, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Eiko Saijou
- Laboratory of Computational Genomics, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Naoki Tanimizu
- Department of Tissue Development and Regeneration, Research Institute for Frontier Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, S-1, W-17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan
| | - Yoshiko Kamiya
- Laboratory of Cell Growth and Differentiation, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Hiroko Anzai
- Laboratory of Cell Growth and Differentiation, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Natsuki Maeda
- Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Luyao Wang
- Laboratory of Cell Growth and Differentiation, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Tadanori Yamada
- Bio Science & Engineering Laboratory, Research & Development Management Headquarters, FUJIFILM Corporation, 577 Ushijima, Kaisei-machi, Ashigarakami-gun, Kanagawa 258-8577, Japan
| | - Yasuyuki Sakai
- Department of Chemical System Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Ryuichiro Nakato
- Laboratory of Computational Genomics, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Atsushi Miyajima
- Laboratory of Cell Growth and Differentiation, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| | - Taketomo Kido
- Laboratory of Cell Growth and Differentiation, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan.
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14
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Yang W, He H, Wang T, Su N, Zhang F, Jiang K, Zhu J, Zhang C, Niu K, Wang L, Yuan X, Liu N, Li L, Wei W, Hu J. Single-Cell Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals a Hepatic Stellate Cell-Activation Roadmap and Myofibroblast Origin During Liver Fibrosis in Mice. Hepatology 2021; 74:2774-2790. [PMID: 34089528 PMCID: PMC8597108 DOI: 10.1002/hep.31987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS HSCs and portal fibroblasts (PFs) are the major sources of collagen-producing myofibroblasts during liver fibrosis, depending on different etiologies. However, the mechanisms by which their dynamic gene expression directs the transition from the quiescent to the activated state-as well as their contributions to fibrotic myofibroblasts-remain unclear. Here, we analyze the activation of HSCs and PFs in CCL4 -induced and bile duct ligation-induced fibrosis mouse models, using single-cell RNA sequencing and lineage tracing. APPROACH AND RESULTS We demonstrate that HSCs, rather than PFs, undergo dramatic transcriptomic changes, with the sequential activation of inflammatory, migrative, and extracellular matrix-producing programs. The data also reveal that HSCs are the exclusive source of myofibroblasts in CCL4 -treated liver, while PFs are the major source of myofibroblasts in early cholestatic liver fibrosis. Single-cell and lineage-tracing analysis also uncovers differential gene-expression features between HSCs and PFs; for example, nitric oxide receptor soluble guanylate cyclase is exclusively expressed in HSCs, but not in PFs. The soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator Riociguat potently reduced liver fibrosis in CCL4 -treated livers but showed no therapeutic efficacy in bile duct ligation livers. CONCLUSIONS This study provides a transcriptional roadmap for the activation of HSCs during liver fibrosis and yields comprehensive evidence that the differential transcriptomic features of HSCs and PFs, along with their relative contributions to liver fibrosis of different etiologies, should be considered in developing effective antifibrotic therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wu Yang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and ChemistryShanghai Institute of Organic ChemistryChinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina,University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Hao He
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and ChemistryShanghai Institute of Organic ChemistryChinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina,University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Tongtong Wang
- Laboratory of Translational Nutritional BiologyDepartment Health Sciences and TechnologySwiss Federal Institute of Technology ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Nan Su
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and ChemistryShanghai Institute of Organic ChemistryChinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina,University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Feng Zhang
- Department of Histoembryology, Genetics and Developmental BiologyShanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineShanghai JiaoTong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Kai Jiang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and ChemistryShanghai Institute of Organic ChemistryChinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
| | - Jing Zhu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and ChemistryShanghai Institute of Organic ChemistryChinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina,University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Chonghe Zhang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and ChemistryShanghai Institute of Organic ChemistryChinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina,University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Kongyan Niu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and ChemistryShanghai Institute of Organic ChemistryChinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
| | - Luyue Wang
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina,CAS Key Laboratory of Computational BiologyShanghai Institute of Nutrition and HealthChinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
| | - Xiaodong Yuan
- Division of Life Sciences and MedicineDepartment of Organ Transplantation CenterTransplant & Immunology Laboratorythe First Affiliated Hospital of USTCUniversity of Science and Technology of ChinaHefeiChina
| | - Nan Liu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and ChemistryShanghai Institute of Organic ChemistryChinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina,University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Lingjie Li
- Department of Histoembryology, Genetics and Developmental BiologyShanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineShanghai JiaoTong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Wu Wei
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina,CAS Key Laboratory of Computational BiologyShanghai Institute of Nutrition and HealthChinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
| | - Junhao Hu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and ChemistryShanghai Institute of Organic ChemistryChinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina,University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
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15
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Cordero-Espinoza L, Dowbaj AM, Kohler TN, Strauss B, Sarlidou O, Belenguer G, Pacini C, Martins NP, Dobie R, Wilson-Kanamori JR, Butler R, Prior N, Serup P, Jug F, Henderson NC, Hollfelder F, Huch M. Dynamic cell contacts between periportal mesenchyme and ductal epithelium act as a rheostat for liver cell proliferation. Cell Stem Cell 2021; 28:1907-1921.e8. [PMID: 34343491 PMCID: PMC8577825 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2021.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
In the liver, ductal cells rarely proliferate during homeostasis but do so transiently after tissue injury. These cells can be expanded as organoids that recapitulate several of the cell-autonomous mechanisms of regeneration but lack the stromal interactions of the native tissue. Here, using organoid co-cultures that recapitulate the ductal-to-mesenchymal cell architecture of the portal tract, we demonstrate that a subpopulation of mouse periportal mesenchymal cells exerts dual control on proliferation of the epithelium. Ductal cell proliferation is either induced and sustained or, conversely, completely abolished, depending on the number of direct mesenchymal cell contacts, through a mechanism mediated, at least in part, by Notch signaling. Our findings expand the concept of the cellular niche in epithelial tissues, whereby not only soluble factors but also cell-cell contacts are the key regulatory cues involved in the control of cellular behaviors, suggesting a critical role for cell-cell contacts during regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucía Cordero-Espinoza
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK; Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK; Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Anna M Dowbaj
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden 01307, Germany
| | - Timo N Kohler
- Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK; Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK
| | - Bernhard Strauss
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Olga Sarlidou
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - German Belenguer
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden 01307, Germany
| | - Clare Pacini
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Nuno P Martins
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden 01307, Germany
| | - Ross Dobie
- Centre for Inflammation Research, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - John R Wilson-Kanamori
- Centre for Inflammation Research, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Richard Butler
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Nicole Prior
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden 01307, Germany
| | - Palle Serup
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology (DanStem), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2200, Denmark
| | - Florian Jug
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden 01307, Germany
| | - Neil C Henderson
- Centre for Inflammation Research, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK; MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Florian Hollfelder
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK
| | - Meritxell Huch
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK; Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK; Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK; Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden 01307, Germany.
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16
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Huang X, Khoong Y, Han C, Su D, Ma H, Gu S, Li Q, Zan T. Targeting Dermal Fibroblast Subtypes in Antifibrotic Therapy: Surface Marker as a Cellular Identity or a Functional Entity? Front Physiol 2021; 12:694605. [PMID: 34335301 PMCID: PMC8319956 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.694605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Fibroblasts are the chief effector cells in fibrotic diseases and have been discovered to be highly heterogeneous. Recently, fibroblast heterogeneity in human skin has been studied extensively and several surface markers for dermal fibroblast subtypes have been identified, holding promise for future antifibrotic therapies. However, it has yet to be confirmed whether surface markers should be looked upon as merely lineage landmarks or as functional entities of fibroblast subtypes, which may further complicate the interpretation of cellular function of these fibroblast subtypes. This review aims to provide an update on current evidence on fibroblast surface markers in fibrotic disorders of skin as well as of other organ systems. Specifically, studies where surface markers were treated as lineage markers and manipulated as functional membrane proteins are both evaluated in parallel, hoping to reveal the underlying mechanism behind the pathogenesis of tissue fibrosis contributed by various fibroblast subtypes from multiple angles, shedding lights on future translational researches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Huang
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yimin Khoong
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chengyao Han
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dai Su
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hao Ma
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuchen Gu
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qingfeng Li
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tao Zan
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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17
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Schuster R, Rockel JS, Kapoor M, Hinz B. The inflammatory speech of fibroblasts. Immunol Rev 2021; 302:126-146. [PMID: 33987902 DOI: 10.1111/imr.12971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Activation of fibroblasts is a key event during normal tissue repair after injury and the dysregulated repair processes that result in organ fibrosis. To most researchers, fibroblasts are rather unremarkable spindle-shaped cells embedded in the fibrous collagen matrix of connective tissues and/or deemed useful to perform mechanistic studies with adherent cells in culture. For more than a century, fibroblasts escaped thorough classification due to the lack of specific markers and were treated as the leftovers after all other cells have been identified from a tissue sample. With novel cell lineage tracing and single cell transcriptomics tools, bona fide fibroblasts emerge as only one heterogeneous sub-population of a much larger group of partly overlapping cell types, including mesenchymal stromal cells, fibro-adipogenic progenitor cells, pericytes, and/or perivascular cells. All these cells are activated to contribute to tissue repair after injury and/or chronic inflammation. "Activation" can entail various functions, such as enhanced proliferation, migration, instruction of inflammatory cells, secretion of extracellular matrix proteins and organizing enzymes, and acquisition of a contractile myofibroblast phenotype. We provide our view on the fibroblastic cell types and activation states playing a role during physiological and pathological repair and their crosstalk with inflammatory macrophages. Inflammation and fibrosis of the articular synovium during rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis are used as specific examples to discuss inflammatory fibroblast phenotypes. Ultimately, delineating the precursors and functional roles of activated fibroblastic cells will contribute to better and more specific intervention strategies to treat fibroproliferative and fibrocontractive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronen Schuster
- Laboratory of Tissue Repair and Regeneration, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,PhenomicAI, MaRS Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jason S Rockel
- Schroeder Arthritis Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mohit Kapoor
- Schroeder Arthritis Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Boris Hinz
- Laboratory of Tissue Repair and Regeneration, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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18
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Xue F, Lu J, Buchl SC, Sun L, Shah VH, Malhi H, Maiers JL. Coordinated signaling of activating transcription factor 6α and inositol-requiring enzyme 1α regulates hepatic stellate cell-mediated fibrogenesis in mice. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2021; 320:G864-G879. [PMID: 33728997 PMCID: PMC8202196 DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00453.2020] [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] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Liver injury and the unfolded protein response (UPR) are tightly linked, but their relationship differs with cell type and injurious stimuli. UPR initiation promotes hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation and fibrogenesis, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Despite the complexity and overlap downstream of UPR transducers inositol-requiring protein 1α (IRE1α), activating transcription factor 6α (ATF6α), and protein kinase RNA-like ER kinase (PERK), previous research in HSCs primarily focused on IRE1α. Here, we investigated the fibrogenic role of ATF6α or PERK in vitro and HSC-specific UPR signaling in vivo. Overexpression of ATF6α, but not the PERK effector activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), promoted HSC activation and fibrogenic gene transcription in immortalized HSCs. Furthermore, ATF6α inhibition through Ceapin-A7, or Atf6a deletion, disrupted transforming growth factor β (TGFβ)-mediated activation of primary human hepatic stellate cells (hHSCs) or murine hepatic stellate cells (mHSCs), respectively. We investigated the fibrogenic role of ATF6α in vivo through conditional HSC-specific Atf6a deletion. Atf6aHSCΔ/Δ mice displayed reduced fibrosis and HSC activation following bile duct ligation (BDL) or carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced injury. The Atf6aHSCΔ/Δ phenotype differed from HSC-specific Ire1a deletion, as Ire1aHSCΔ/Δ mice showed reduced fibrogenic gene transcription but no changes in fibrosis compared with Ire1afl/fl mice following BDL. Interestingly, ATF6α signaling increased in Ire1aΔ/Δ HSCs, whereas IRE1α signaling was upregulated in Atf6aΔ/Δ HSCs. Finally, we asked whether co-deletion of Atf6a and Ire1a additively limits fibrosis. Unexpectedly, fibrosis worsened in Atf6aHSCΔ/ΔIre1aHSCΔ/Δ mice following BDL, and Atf6aΔ/ΔIre1aΔ/Δ mHSCs showed increased fibrogenic gene transcription. ATF6α and IRE1α individually promote fibrogenic transcription in HSCs, and ATF6α drives fibrogenesis in vivo. Unexpectedly, disruption of both pathways sensitizes the liver to fibrogenesis, suggesting that fine-tuned UPR signaling is critical for regulating HSC activation and fibrogenesis.NEW & NOTEWORTHY ATF6α is a critical driver of hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation in vitro. HSC-specific deletion of Atf6a limits fibrogenesis in vivo despite increased IRE1α signaling. Conditional deletion of Ire1α from HSCs limits fibrogenic gene transcription without impacting overall fibrosis. This could be due in part to observed upregulation of the ATF6α pathway. Dual loss of Atf6a and Ire1a from HSCs worsens fibrosis in vivo through enhanced HSC activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Xue
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Jianwen Lu
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Samuel C. Buchl
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Liankang Sun
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Vijay H. Shah
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Harmeet Malhi
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Jessica L. Maiers
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
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19
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Sirica AE, Strazzabosco M, Cadamuro M. Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: Morpho-molecular pathology, tumor reactive microenvironment, and malignant progression. Adv Cancer Res 2020; 149:321-387. [PMID: 33579427 PMCID: PMC8800451 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2020.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is a relatively rare, but highly lethal and biologically complex primary biliary epithelial cancer arising within liver. After hepatocellular carcinoma, iCCA is the second most common primary liver cancer, accounting for approximately 10-20% of all primary hepatic malignancies. Over the last 10-20 years, iCCA has become the focus of increasing concern largely due to its rising incidence and high mortality rates in various parts of the world, including the United States. The challenges posed by iCCA are daunting and despite recent progress in the standard of care and management options for iCCA, the prognosis for this cancer continues to be dismal. In an effort to provide a framework for advancing our understanding of iCCA malignant aggressiveness and therapy resistance, this review will highlight key etiological, biological, molecular, and microenvironmental factors hindering more effective management of this hepatobiliary cancer. Particular focus will be on critically reviewing the cell origins and morpho-molecular heterogeneity of iCCAs, providing mechanistic insights into high risk fibroinflammatory cholangiopathies associated with iCCA development, and notably discussing the deleterious role played by the tumor reactive desmoplastic stroma in regulating iCCA malignant progression, lymphangiogenesis, and tumor immunobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alphonse E Sirica
- Department of Pathology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States.
| | - Mario Strazzabosco
- Liver Center and Section of Digestive Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Digestive Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
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20
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Gupta V, Gupta I, Park J, Bram Y, Schwartz RE. Hedgehog Signaling Demarcates a Niche of Fibrogenic Peribiliary Mesenchymal Cells. Gastroenterology 2020; 159:624-638.e9. [PMID: 32289375 PMCID: PMC8204800 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2020.03.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS In response to tissue injury, stromal cells secrete extracellular matrix (ECM) components that remodel the tissue and lead to fibrosis. Parenchymal stellate cells are the primary contributors to fibrosis in models of hepatocellular and cholestatic injury. The liver comprises different, heterogenous compartments; stromal cells within those compartments might have unique identities and regional functions. The portal tract contains the bile duct, which is surrounded by stromal cells often called portal fibroblasts. We investigated the contributions of these cells to hepatic injury. METHODS We performed studies with Gli1:CreERT2;Rosa26:lox-STOP-lox-tdTomato mice. Mice underwent bile duct ligation or were fed 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine to induce cholestatic injury or were given carbon tetrachloride to induce liver fibrosis. Liver tissues were collected and analyzed by histology and immunofluorescence, and mesenchymal cells were isolated. We performed lineage tracing experiments to determine the fates of peribiliary mesenchymal cells (PMCs) that surround the bile duct after cholestatic and hepatocellular injury. We used cell sorting combined with RNA sequencing to isolate stellate cells and PMCs, and we identified determinants of cell identity within each population. Liver tissues were obtained from patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis, alcoholic liver disease, or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or individuals without disease and were analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS Gli1 was a marker of mesenchymal cells that surround the biliary tree but not epithelial cells of the canals of Hering. Lineage-traced Gli1+ PMCs proliferated and acquired a myofibroblast phenotype after cholestatic injury; Gli1+ PMCs were found only surrounding the main duct of a portal tract but not the epithelial cells of the ductular reaction, which were instead encased by stellate cells. Compared with stellate cells, Gli1+ PMCs expressed a different subset of genes, including genes that are markers of active hedgehog signaling, Osr1 (encodes a transcription factor), and ECM-related genes. Loss of hedgehog signaling reduced expression of Osr1 and PMC-specific ECM genes. Liver tissues from patients with liver disease had increased expression of genes that define PMC identity compared with control liver tissues. CONCLUSIONS In lineage-tracing studies of mice, we found that Gli1+ PMCs are a subset of stromal cells characterized by active hedgehog signaling that proliferate, acquire a myofibroblast phenotype, and surround the biliary tree in response to cholestatic injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikas Gupta
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York.
| | - Ishaan Gupta
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi – 110 016, India
| | - Jiwoon Park
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Yaron Bram
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Robert E. Schwartz
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
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21
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Matsuda M, Seki E. The liver fibrosis niche: Novel insights into the interplay between fibrosis-composing mesenchymal cells, immune cells, endothelial cells, and extracellular matrix. Food Chem Toxicol 2020; 143:111556. [PMID: 32640349 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2020.111556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2019] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a hepatic wound-healing response caused by chronic liver diseases that include viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, and cholestatic liver disease. Liver fibrosis eventually progresses to cirrhosis that is histologically characterized by an abnormal liver architecture that includes distortion of liver parenchyma, formation of regenerative nodules, and a massive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM). Despite intensive investigations into the underlying mechanisms of liver fibrosis, developments of anti-fibrotic therapies for liver fibrosis are still unsatisfactory. Recent novel experimental approaches, such as single-cell RNA sequencing and proteomics, have revealed the heterogeneity of ECM-producing cells (mesenchymal cells) and ECM-regulating cells (immune cells and endothelial cells). These approaches have accelerated the identification of fibrosis-specific subpopulations among these cell types. The ECM also consists of heterogenous components. Their production, degradation, deposition, and remodeling are dynamically regulated in liver fibrosis, further affecting the functions of cells responsible for fibrosis. These cellular and ECM elements cooperatively form a unique microenvironment: a fibrotic niche. Understanding the complex interplay between these elements could lead to a better understanding of underlying fibrosis mechanisms and to the development of effective therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michitaka Matsuda
- Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Ekihiro Seki
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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22
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Fenlon M, Short C, Xu J, Malkoff N, Mahdi E, Hough M, Glazier A, Lee C, Asahina K, Wang KS. Prominin-1-expressing hepatic progenitor cells induce fibrogenesis in murine cholestatic liver injury. Physiol Rep 2020; 8:e14508. [PMID: 32686913 PMCID: PMC7370750 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.14508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Cholestatic liver injury is associated with intrahepatic biliary fibrosis, which can progress to cirrhosis. Resident hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs) expressing Prominin-1 (Prom1 or CD133) become activated and participate in the expansion of cholangiocytes known as the ductular reaction. Previously, we demonstrated that in biliary atresia, Prom1(+) HPCs are present within developing fibrosis and that null mutation of Prom1 significantly abrogates fibrogenesis. Here, we hypothesized that these activated Prom1-expressing HPCs promote fibrogenesis in cholestatic liver injury. Using Prom1CreERT2-nLacZ/+ ;Rosa26Lsl-GFP/+ mice, we traced the fate of Prom1-expressing HPCs in the growth of the neonatal and adult livers and in biliary fibrosis induced by bile duct ligation (BDL). Prom1-expressing cell lineage labeling with Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) on postnatal day 1 exhibited an expanded population as well as bipotent differentiation potential toward both hepatocytes and cholangiocytes at postnatal day 35. However, in the adult liver, they lost hepatocyte differentiation potential. Upon cholestatic liver injury, adult Prom1-expressing HPCs gave rise to both PROM1(+) and PROM1(-) cholangiocytes contributing to ductular reaction without hepatocyte or myofibroblast differentiation. RNA-sequencing analysis of GFP(+) Prom1-expressing HPC lineage revealed a persistent cholangiocyte phenotype and evidence of Transforming Growth Factor-β pathway activation. When Prom1-expressing cells were ablated with induced Diphtheria toxin in Prom1CreERT-nLacZ/+ ;Rosa26DTA/+ mice, we observed a decrease in ductular reactions and biliary fibrosis typically present in BDL as well as decreased expression of numerous fibrogenic gene markers. Our data indicate that Prom1-expressing HPCs promote biliary fibrosis associated with activation of myofibroblasts in cholestatic liver injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Fenlon
- Developmental Biology, Regenerative Medicine, and Stem Cell ProgramThe Saban Research InstituteChildren’s Hospital of Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Celia Short
- Developmental Biology, Regenerative Medicine, and Stem Cell ProgramThe Saban Research InstituteChildren’s Hospital of Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Jiabo Xu
- Developmental Biology, Regenerative Medicine, and Stem Cell ProgramThe Saban Research InstituteChildren’s Hospital of Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Nicolas Malkoff
- Developmental Biology, Regenerative Medicine, and Stem Cell ProgramThe Saban Research InstituteChildren’s Hospital of Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Elaa Mahdi
- Developmental Biology, Regenerative Medicine, and Stem Cell ProgramThe Saban Research InstituteChildren’s Hospital of Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Michelle Hough
- Developmental Biology, Regenerative Medicine, and Stem Cell ProgramThe Saban Research InstituteChildren’s Hospital of Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Alison Glazier
- Developmental Biology, Regenerative Medicine, and Stem Cell ProgramThe Saban Research InstituteChildren’s Hospital of Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Calvin Lee
- Developmental Biology, Regenerative Medicine, and Stem Cell ProgramThe Saban Research InstituteChildren’s Hospital of Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Kinji Asahina
- Southern California Research Center for ALPD & CirrhosisDepartment of PathologyKeck School of MedicineUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Kasper S. Wang
- Developmental Biology, Regenerative Medicine, and Stem Cell ProgramThe Saban Research InstituteChildren’s Hospital of Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
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23
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Miyaji T, Takami T, Fujisawa K, Matsumoto T, Yamamoto N, Sakaida I. Bone marrow-derived humoral factors suppress oxidative phosphorylation, upregulate TSG-6, and improve therapeutic effects on liver injury of mesenchymal stem cells. J Clin Biochem Nutr 2020; 66:213-223. [PMID: 32523248 DOI: 10.3164/jcbn.19-125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mesenchymal stem cells, which have the potential to be used in regenerative medicine, require improvements in quality for patient use. To maintain stemness of cultured bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells, we focused on the bone marrow microenvironment, generated a conditioned medium of whole bone marrow cells (BMC-CM), and assessed its effects on bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells. BMC-CM suppressed morphological deterioration and proliferative decline in cultured bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells, suppressed mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation activity, a stemness indicator, and upregulated suppressors of oxidative phosphorylation such as hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha, Sirtuin 3, 4, and 5. Furthermore, BMC-CM upregulated TNF-stimulated gene 6 and ameliorated the therapeutic effects of cells on liver injury in carbon tetrachloride-administered rats. Since the elimination of 20-220-nm particles attenuated the effects of BMC-CM, we further analyzed exosomal microRNAs produced by whole bone marrow cells. Among the 49 microRNAs observed to be upregulated during the preparation of BMC-CM, several were identified that were associated with suppression of oxidative phosphorylation, upregulation of TNF-stimulated gene 6, and the pathogenesis of liver diseases. Thus, bone marrow-derived humoral factors including exosomal microRNAs may help to improve the therapeutic quality of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells for liver regenerative therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Miyaji
- Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Minamikogushi 1-1-1, Ube, Yamaguchi 755-0046, Japan
| | - Taro Takami
- Department of Liver Regenerative Medicine, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Minamikogushi 1-1-1, Ube, Yamaguchi 755-0046, Japan.,Center for Regenerative and Cell Therapy, Yamaguchi University Organization for Research Initiatives, Minamikogushi 1-1-1, Ube, Yamaguchi 755-0046, Japan
| | - Koichi Fujisawa
- Department of Liver Regenerative Medicine, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Minamikogushi 1-1-1, Ube, Yamaguchi 755-0046, Japan
| | - Toshihiko Matsumoto
- Department of Oncology and Laboratory Medicine, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Minamikogushi 1-1-1, Ube, Yamaguchi 755-0046, Japan
| | - Naoki Yamamoto
- Health Administration Center, Yamaguchi University, Minamikogushi 1-1-1, Ube, Yamaguchi 755-0046, Japan
| | - Isao Sakaida
- Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Minamikogushi 1-1-1, Ube, Yamaguchi 755-0046, Japan.,Center for Regenerative and Cell Therapy, Yamaguchi University Organization for Research Initiatives, Minamikogushi 1-1-1, Ube, Yamaguchi 755-0046, Japan
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24
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Manzano-Núñez F, Arámbul-Anthony MJ, Galán Albiñana A, Leal Tassias A, Acosta Umanzor C, Borreda Gascó I, Herrera A, Forteza Vila J, Burks DJ, Noon LA. Insulin resistance disrupts epithelial repair and niche-progenitor Fgf signaling during chronic liver injury. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e2006972. [PMID: 30695023 PMCID: PMC6368328 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2006972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Insulin provides important information to tissues about feeding behavior and energy status. Defective insulin signaling is associated with ageing, tissue dysfunction, and impaired wound healing. In the liver, insulin resistance leads to chronic damage and fibrosis, but it is unclear how tissue-repair mechanisms integrate insulin signals to coordinate an appropriate injury response or how they are affected by insulin resistance. In this study, we demonstrate that insulin resistance impairs local cellular crosstalk between the fibrotic stroma and bipotent adult liver progenitor cells (LPCs), whose paracrine interactions promote epithelial repair and tissue remodeling. Using insulin-resistant mice deficient for insulin receptor substrate 2 (Irs2), we highlight dramatic impairment of proregenerative fibroblast growth factor 7 (Fgf7) signaling between stromal niche cells and LPCs during chronic injury. We provide a detailed account of the role played by IRS2 in promoting Fgf7 ligand and receptor (Fgfr2-IIIb) expression by the two cell compartments, and we describe an insulin/IRS2-dependent feed-forward loop capable of sustaining hepatic re-epithelialization by driving FGFR2-IIIb expression. Finally, we shed light on the regulation of IRS2 and FGF7 within the fibrotic stroma and show—using a human coculture system—that IRS2 silencing shifts the equilibrium away from paracrine epithelial repair in favor of fibrogenesis. Hence, we offer a compelling insight into the contribution of insulin resistance to the pathogenesis of chronic liver disease and propose IRS2 as a positive regulator of communication between cell types and the transition between phases of stromal to epithelial repair. “Insulin resistance” is a chronic state of reduced sensitivity to the effects of circulating insulin. It is one of the hallmarks of metabolic disease and a consequence of ageing, but insulin resistance is also observed in otherwise healthy individuals after severe trauma/hemorrhage/sepsis, suggesting that it plays a physiological role in modulating the response to injury. Defective insulin signals are linked to impaired wound healing, yet it remains unclear how systemic changes affect locally the cells that coordinate tissue repair. In this study, we used the liver to assess how insulin resistance impacts the injury response in mice. We provide proof of concept that insulin signals are locally integrated by the fibrotic microenvironment surrounding the adult liver stem cells during chronic injury, resulting in the increased expression of epithelial repair signals. Insulin also simultaneously primes stem cells to respond to these stromal growth factors, leading to an increased participation in epithelial repair. Insulin resistance disrupts this local paracrine circuit, resulting in a blunted epithelial response to chronic injury that exacerbates tissue damage. Our model highlights a potential role for insulin in switching the hepatic injury response from a stromal repair process to an epithelial repair process. To our knowledge, our data provide a new perspective from which to reassess how insulin resistance influences fibrosis, wound healing, and tissue remodeling during injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fátima Manzano-Núñez
- CIBERDEM (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, Valencia, Spain
| | - María José Arámbul-Anthony
- CIBERDEM (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, Valencia, Spain
| | | | | | - Carlos Acosta Umanzor
- CIBERDEM (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Irene Borreda Gascó
- Instituto Valenciano de Patología, Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Màrtir, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Jerónimo Forteza Vila
- Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, Valencia, Spain
- Instituto Valenciano de Patología, Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Màrtir, Valencia, Spain
| | - Deborah J. Burks
- CIBERDEM (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Luke A. Noon
- CIBERDEM (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, Valencia, Spain
- * E-mail:
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25
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Jiang D, Rinkevich Y. Defining Skin Fibroblastic Cell Types Beyond CD90. Front Cell Dev Biol 2018; 6:133. [PMID: 30406099 PMCID: PMC6204438 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2018.00133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Yuval Rinkevich
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center, Institute of Lung Biology and Disease, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Munich, Germany
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