1
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Clark AT, Russo-Savage L, Ashton LA, Haghshenas N, Schulman IG. A Novel Mutation in LXRα Uncovers a Role for Cholesterol Sensing in Limiting Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH). BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.13.593869. [PMID: 38798597 PMCID: PMC11118525 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.13.593869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Liver x receptor alpha (LXRα, Nr1h3) functions as an important intracellular cholesterol sensor that regulates fat and cholesterol metabolism at the transcriptional level in response to the direct binding of cholesterol derivatives. We have generated mice with a mutation in LXRα that reduces activity in response to endogenous cholesterol derived LXR ligands while still allowing transcriptional activation by synthetic agonists. The mutant LXRα functions as a dominant negative that shuts down cholesterol sensing. When fed a high fat, high cholesterol diet LXRα mutant mice rapidly develop pathologies associated with Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH) including ballooning hepatocytes, liver inflammation, and fibrosis. Strikingly LXRα mutant mice have decreased liver triglycerides but increased liver cholesterol. Therefore, MASH-like phenotypes can arise in the absence of large increases in triglycerides. Reengaging LXR signaling by treatment with synthetic agonist reverses MASH suggesting that LXRα normally functions to impede the development of liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis T. Clark
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia
- These authors contributed equally to the work
| | - Lillian Russo-Savage
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia
- These authors contributed equally to the work
- Current address: Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
| | - Luke A. Ashton
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Niki Haghshenas
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Ira G. Schulman
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia
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Wiering L, Subramanian P, Hammerich L. Hepatic Stellate Cells: Dictating Outcome in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 15:1277-1292. [PMID: 36828280 PMCID: PMC10148161 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2023.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a fast growing, chronic liver disease affecting ∼25% of the global population. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease severity ranges from the less severe simple hepatic steatosis to the more advanced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The presence of NASH predisposes individuals to liver fibrosis, which can further progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. This makes hepatic fibrosis an important indicator of clinical outcomes in patients with NASH. Hepatic stellate cell activation dictates fibrosis development during NASH. Here, we discuss recent advances in the analysis of the profibrogenic pathways and mediators of hepatic stellate cell activation and inactivation, which ultimately determine the course of disease in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease/NASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leke Wiering
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Campus Virchow-Klinikum and Campus Charité Mitte, Berlin, Germany; Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, BIH Biomedical Innovation Academy, BIH Charité Junior Clinician Scientist Program, Berlin, Germany
| | - Pallavi Subramanian
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Linda Hammerich
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Campus Virchow-Klinikum and Campus Charité Mitte, Berlin, Germany.
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3
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Chowdhury K, Huang M, Kim HG, Dong XC. Sirtuin 6 protects against hepatic fibrogenesis by suppressing the YAP and TAZ function. FASEB J 2022; 36:e22529. [PMID: 36036554 PMCID: PMC9542050 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202200522r] [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: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Hepatic fibrosis occurs in response to prolonged tissue injury in the liver, which results in abnormal accumulation of extracellular matrix. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) have been suggested to play a major role in liver fibrosis. However, the molecular mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Sirtuin 6 (SIRT6), an NAD+ -dependent deacetylase, has been previously implicated in the regulation of the transforming growth factor β (TGFβ)-SMAD3 pathway that plays a significant role in liver fibrosis. In this work, we aimed to identify other important players during hepatic fibrogenesis, which are modulated by SIRT6. Yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ or WWTR1), key players in the Hippo pathway, have been implicated in the promotion of hepatic fibrosis. Our data show that HSC-specific Sirt6 knockout mice are more susceptible to high-fat-cholesterol-cholate diet-induced hepatic fibrosis than their wildtype counterparts. Our signaling analyses suggest that in addition to the TGFβ-SMAD3 pathway, YAP and TAZ are also highly activated in the SIRT6-deficient HSCs. As it is not clear how SIRT6 might regulate YAP and TAZ, we have decided to elucidate the mechanism underlying the regulation of YAP and TAZ by SIRT6 in HSCs. Overexpression or knockdown of SIRT6 corroborates the role of SIRT6 in the negative regulation of YAP and TAZ. Further biochemical analyses reveal that SIRT6 deacetylates YAP and TAZ and reprograms the composition of the TEA domain transcription factor complex to suppress their downstream target genes, particularly those involved in hepatic fibrosis. In conclusion, our data suggest that SIRT6 plays a critical role in the regulation of the Hippo pathway to protect against hepatic fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kushan Chowdhury
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Menghao Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Hyeong-Geug Kim
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - X Charlie Dong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.,Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.,Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
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4
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Duan Y, Gong K, Xu S, Zhang F, Meng X, Han J. Regulation of cholesterol homeostasis in health and diseases: from mechanisms to targeted therapeutics. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:265. [PMID: 35918332 PMCID: PMC9344793 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-01125-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Disturbed cholesterol homeostasis plays critical roles in the development of multiple diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases (CVD), neurodegenerative diseases and cancers, particularly the CVD in which the accumulation of lipids (mainly the cholesteryl esters) within macrophage/foam cells underneath the endothelial layer drives the formation of atherosclerotic lesions eventually. More and more studies have shown that lowering cholesterol level, especially low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level, protects cardiovascular system and prevents cardiovascular events effectively. Maintaining cholesterol homeostasis is determined by cholesterol biosynthesis, uptake, efflux, transport, storage, utilization, and/or excretion. All the processes should be precisely controlled by the multiple regulatory pathways. Based on the regulation of cholesterol homeostasis, many interventions have been developed to lower cholesterol by inhibiting cholesterol biosynthesis and uptake or enhancing cholesterol utilization and excretion. Herein, we summarize the historical review and research events, the current understandings of the molecular pathways playing key roles in regulating cholesterol homeostasis, and the cholesterol-lowering interventions in clinics or in preclinical studies as well as new cholesterol-lowering targets and their clinical advances. More importantly, we review and discuss the benefits of those interventions for the treatment of multiple diseases including atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, osteoporosis and virus infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajun Duan
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, College of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China
| | - Ke Gong
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, College of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China
| | - Suowen Xu
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, College of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China
| | - Xianshe Meng
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, College of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China
| | - Jihong Han
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, College of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China. .,College of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
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5
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Fibrogenic Pathways in Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD). Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23136996. [PMID: 35805998 PMCID: PMC9266719 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23136996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), recently also re-defined as metabolic dysfunction associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), is rapidly increasing, affecting ~25% of the world population. MALFD/NAFLD represents a spectrum of liver pathologies including the more benign hepatic steatosis and the more advanced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NASH is associated with enhanced risk for liver fibrosis and progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatic stellate cells (HSC) activation underlies NASH-related fibrosis. Here, we discuss the profibrogenic pathways, which lead to HSC activation and fibrogenesis, with a particular focus on the intercellular hepatocyte–HSC and macrophage–HSC crosstalk.
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Ott F, Körner C, Werner K, Gericke M, Liebscher I, Lobsien D, Radrezza S, Shevchenko A, Hofmann U, Kratzsch J, Gebhardt R, Berg T, Matz-Soja M. Hepatic Hedgehog Signaling Participates in the Crosstalk between Liver and Adipose Tissue in Mice by Regulating FGF21. Cells 2022; 11:cells11101680. [PMID: 35626717 PMCID: PMC9139566 DOI: 10.3390/cells11101680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The Hedgehog signaling pathway regulates many processes during embryogenesis and the homeostasis of adult organs. Recent data suggest that central metabolic processes and signaling cascades in the liver are controlled by the Hedgehog pathway and that changes in hepatic Hedgehog activity also affect peripheral tissues, such as the reproductive organs in females. Here, we show that hepatocyte-specific deletion of the Hedgehog pathway is associated with the dramatic expansion of adipose tissue in mice, the overall phenotype of which does not correspond to the classical outcome of insulin resistance-associated diabetes type 2 obesity. Rather, we show that alterations in the Hedgehog signaling pathway in the liver lead to a metabolic phenotype that is resembling metabolically healthy obesity. Mechanistically, we identified an indirect influence on the hepatic secretion of the fibroblast growth factor 21, which is regulated by a series of signaling cascades that are directly transcriptionally linked to the activity of the Hedgehog transcription factor GLI1. The results of this study impressively show that the metabolic balance of the entire organism is maintained via the activity of morphogenic signaling pathways, such as the Hedgehog cascade. Obviously, several pathways are orchestrated to facilitate liver metabolic status to peripheral organs, such as adipose tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fritzi Ott
- Rudolf-Schönheimer Institute for Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (F.O.); (C.K.); (K.W.); (I.L.); (R.G.)
- Division of Hepatology, Clinic and Polyclinic for Oncology, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases, and Pneumology, University Hospital Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany;
| | - Christiane Körner
- Rudolf-Schönheimer Institute for Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (F.O.); (C.K.); (K.W.); (I.L.); (R.G.)
- Division of Hepatology, Clinic and Polyclinic for Oncology, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases, and Pneumology, University Hospital Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany;
| | - Kim Werner
- Rudolf-Schönheimer Institute for Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (F.O.); (C.K.); (K.W.); (I.L.); (R.G.)
| | - Martin Gericke
- Institute for Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany;
| | - Ines Liebscher
- Rudolf-Schönheimer Institute for Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (F.O.); (C.K.); (K.W.); (I.L.); (R.G.)
| | - Donald Lobsien
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, Helios Clinic Erfurt, 99089 Erfurt, Germany;
- Institute for Neuroradiology, University Hospital Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Silvia Radrezza
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (S.R.); (A.S.)
| | - Andrej Shevchenko
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (S.R.); (A.S.)
| | - Ute Hofmann
- Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Tübingen, 70376 Stuttgart, Germany;
| | - Jürgen Kratzsch
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany;
| | - Rolf Gebhardt
- Rudolf-Schönheimer Institute for Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (F.O.); (C.K.); (K.W.); (I.L.); (R.G.)
| | - Thomas Berg
- Division of Hepatology, Clinic and Polyclinic for Oncology, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases, and Pneumology, University Hospital Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany;
| | - Madlen Matz-Soja
- Rudolf-Schönheimer Institute for Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (F.O.); (C.K.); (K.W.); (I.L.); (R.G.)
- Division of Hepatology, Clinic and Polyclinic for Oncology, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases, and Pneumology, University Hospital Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany;
- Correspondence:
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7
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Wang X, Zeldin S, Shi H, Zhu C, Saito Y, Corey KE, Osganian SA, Remotti HE, Verna EC, Pajvani UB, Schwabe RF, Tabas I. TAZ-induced Cybb contributes to liver tumor formation in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. J Hepatol 2022; 76:910-920. [PMID: 34902531 PMCID: PMC8934258 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2021.11.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but mechanisms linking NASH to eventual tumor formation remain poorly understood. Herein, we investigate the role of TAZ/WWTR1, which is induced in hepatocytes in NASH, in the progression of NASH to HCC. METHODS The roles of hepatocyte TAZ and its downstream targets were investigated in diet-induced and genetic models of NASH-HCC using gene-targeting, adeno-associated virus 8 (AAV8)-H1-mediated gene silencing, or AAV8-TBG-mediated gene expression. The biochemical signature of the newly elucidated pathway was probed in liver specimens from humans with NASH-HCC. RESULTS When hepatocyte-TAZ was silenced in mice with pre-tumor NASH using AAV8-H1-shTaz (short-hairpin Taz), subsequent HCC tumor development was suppressed. In this setting, the tumor-suppressing effect of shTaz was not dependent of TAZ silencing in the tumors themselves and could be dissociated from the NASH-suppressing effects of shTaz. The mechanism linking pre-tumor hepatocyte-TAZ to eventual tumor formation involved TAZ-mediated induction of the NOX2-encoding gene Cybb, which led to NADPH-mediated oxidative DNA damage. As evidence, DNA damage and tumor formation could be suppressed by treatment of pre-tumor NASH mice with AAV8-H1-shCybb; AAV8-TBG-OGG1, encoding the oxidative DNA-repair enzyme 8-oxoguanine glycosylase; or AAV8-TBG-NHEJ1, encoding the dsDNA repair enzyme non-homologous end-joining factor 1. In surrounding non-tumor tissue from human NASH-HCC livers, there were strong correlations between TAZ, NOX2, and oxidative DNA damage. CONCLUSIONS TAZ in pre-tumor NASH-hepatocytes, via induction of Cybb and NOX2-mediated DNA damage, contributes to subsequent HCC tumor development. These findings illustrate how NASH provides a unique window into the early molecular events that can lead to tumor formation and suggest that NASH therapies targeting TAZ might also prevent NASH-HCC. LAY SUMMARY Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is emerging as the leading cause of a type of liver cancer called hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but molecular events in pre-tumor NASH hepatocytes leading to HCC remain largely unknown. Our study shows that a protein called TAZ in pre-tumor NASH-hepatocytes promotes damage to the DNA of hepatocytes and thereby contributes to eventual HCC. This study reveals a very early event in HCC that is induced in pre-tumor NASH, and the findings suggest that NASH therapies targeting TAZ might also prevent NASH-HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobo Wang
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
| | - Sharon Zeldin
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Hongxue Shi
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Changyu Zhu
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Yoshinobu Saito
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Kathleen E. Corey
- Gastrointestinal Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA;,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | | | - Helen E. Remotti
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Elizabeth C. Verna
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Utpal B. Pajvani
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA;,Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Robert F. Schwabe
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA;,Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Ira Tabas
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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8
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Ghassemi H, Hashemnia M, Mousavibahar SH, Mahmoodzadeh Hosseini H, Mirhosseini SA. Positive Association of Matrix Proteins Alteration with TAZ and The Progression of High-Grade Bladder Cancer. CELL JOURNAL 2021; 23:742-749. [PMID: 34979063 PMCID: PMC8753103 DOI: 10.22074/cellj.2021.7661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Objective Bladder cancer is the 9th cause of human urologic malignancy and the 13th of death worldwide.
Increased collagen cross-linking, NIDOGEN1 expression and consequently stiffness of extracellular matrix (ECM) may
be responsible for the mechanotransduction and regulation of transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ)
and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) signaling pathways, resulting in progression of tumorigenesis. The present
study aimed to assess whether type 1 collagen expression is associated with TAZ nuclear localization. Materials and Methods In this case-control study, real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain
reaction (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemical analysis were performed to evaluate the activation of the TAZ pathway
in patients with bladder cancer (n=40) and healthy individuals (n=20). The ELISA method was also conducted to
measure the serum concentrations of TGF-β1. Masson’s trichrome staining was carried out to histologically evaluate
the density of type 1 collagen.
Results Our findings that the expression levels of COL1A1, COL1A2, NIDOGEN1, TAZ, and TGF-β1 genes were
overexpressed in patients with bladder cancer, and their expression levels were positively associated with the grade
of bladder cancer. The immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that the nuclear localization of TAZ was markedly
correlated with high-grade bladder cancer. We also found that TAZ nuclear localization was substantially higher in
cancerous tissues as compared with normal bladder tissues. Masson's trichrome staining showed that the tissue density
of type I collagen was considerably increased in patients with bladder cancer as compared with healthy subjects.
Conclusion According to our findings, it seems the alterations in the expression of type I collagen and NIDOGEN1,
as well as TAZ nuclear localization influence the progression of bladder cancer. The significance of TGF-β1 and TAZ
expression in tumorigenesis and progression to high-grade bladder cancer was also highlighted. However, a possible
relationship between TGF-β1 expression and the Hippo pathway needs further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadi Ghassemi
- Applied Microbiology Research Center, Systems Biology and Poisonings Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hashemnia
- Department of Pathobiology, Veterinary Medicine Faculty Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran
| | | | - Hamideh Mahmoodzadeh Hosseini
- Applied Microbiology Research Center, Systems Biology and Poisonings Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Seyed Ali Mirhosseini
- Applied Microbiology Research Center, Systems Biology and Poisonings Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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9
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Wang X, Cai B, Yang X, Sonubi OO, Zheng Z, Ramakrishnan R, Shi H, Valenti L, Pajvani UB, Sandhu J, Infante RE, Radhakrishnan A, Covey DF, Guan KL, Buck J, Levin LR, Tontonoz P, Schwabe RF, Tabas I. Cholesterol Stabilizes TAZ in Hepatocytes to Promote Experimental Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis. Cell Metab 2020; 31:969-986.e7. [PMID: 32259482 PMCID: PMC7313619 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2020.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2019] [Revised: 01/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Incomplete understanding of how hepatosteatosis transitions to fibrotic non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has limited therapeutic options. Two molecules that are elevated in hepatocytes in human NASH liver are cholesterol, whose mechanistic link to NASH remains incompletely understood, and TAZ, a transcriptional regulator that promotes fibrosis but whose mechanism of increase in NASH is unknown. We now show that increased hepatocyte cholesterol upregulates TAZ and promotes fibrotic NASH. ASTER-B/C-mediated internalization of plasma membrane cholesterol activates soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC; ADCY10), triggering a calcium-RhoA-mediated pathway that suppresses β-TrCP/proteasome-mediated TAZ degradation. In mice fed with a cholesterol-rich NASH-inducing diet, hepatocyte-specific silencing of ASTER-B/C, sAC, or RhoA decreased TAZ and ameliorated fibrotic NASH. The cholesterol-TAZ pathway is present in primary human hepatocytes, and associations among liver cholesterol, TAZ, and RhoA in human NASH liver are consistent with the pathway. Thus, hepatocyte cholesterol contributes to fibrotic NASH by increasing TAZ, suggesting new targets for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobo Wang
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
| | - Bishuang Cai
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Xiaoming Yang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, PRC
| | - Oluwatoni O Sonubi
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Ze Zheng
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Rajasekhar Ramakrishnan
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Hongxue Shi
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Luca Valenti
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano 20122, Italy; Translational Medicine - Transfusion Medicine and Hematology, Fondazione Ca' Granda IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano 20122, Italy
| | - Utpal B Pajvani
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Jaspreet Sandhu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Molecular Biology Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90272, USA
| | - Rodney E Infante
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Arun Radhakrishnan
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Douglas F Covey
- Department of Developmental Biology and Taylor Family Institute for Innovative Psychiatric Research, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Kun-Liang Guan
- Department of Pharmacology and Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Jochen Buck
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Lonny R Levin
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Peter Tontonoz
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Molecular Biology Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90272, USA
| | - Robert F Schwabe
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Ira Tabas
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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Schwabe RF, Tabas I, Pajvani UB. Mechanisms of Fibrosis Development in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis. Gastroenterology 2020; 158:1913-1928. [PMID: 32044315 PMCID: PMC7682538 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2019.11.311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 318] [Impact Index Per Article: 79.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Revised: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is the most prevalent liver disease worldwide, affecting 20%-25% of the adult population. In 25% of patients, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease progresses to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which increases the risk for the development of cirrhosis, liver failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma. In patients with NASH, liver fibrosis is the main determinant of mortality. Here, we review how interactions between different liver cells culminate in fibrosis development in NASH, focusing on triggers and consequences of hepatocyte-macrophage-hepatic stellate cell (HSC) crosstalk. We discuss pathways through which stressed and dead hepatocytes instigate the profibrogenic crosstalk with HSC and macrophages, including the reactivation of developmental pathways such as TAZ, Notch, and hedgehog; how clearance of dead cells in NASH via efferocytosis may affect inflammation and fibrogenesis; and insights into HSC and macrophage heterogeneity revealed by single-cell RNA sequencing. Finally, we summarize options to therapeutically interrupt this profibrogenic hepatocyte-macrophage-HSC network in NASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert F Schwabe
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, New York; Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University, New York, New York.
| | - Ira Tabas
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, New York; Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University, New York, New York; Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Utpal B Pajvani
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, New York; Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University, New York, New York
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Khajehahmadi Z, Mohagheghi S, Nikeghbalian S, Geramizadeh B, Khodadadi I, Karimi J, Tavilani H. Liver stiffness correlates with serum osteopontin and TAZ expression in human liver cirrhosis. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2019; 1465:117-131. [PMID: 31696937 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The pivotal role of the extracellular matrix (ECM) as both a cause and consequence of liver fibrosis is striking. However, mechanotransducer molecules and profibrogenic factors induced by liver stiffness are still unclear. The current study aimed to investigate liver stiffness and its correlation with the expression of the transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) and serum osteopontin (OPN) in human cirrhosis. In this case-control study, liver tissue stiffness was determined using atomic force microscopy in cirrhotic livers (n = 38) of different etiologies and in controls (n = 10). Immunohistochemical and qRT-PCR analyses were performed to analyze TAZ expression. Besides, western blotting and ELISA were performed to assess liver Indian hedgehog and serum OPN levels, respectively. Liver stiffness, TAZ expression, and hepatic gene expression and serum protein levels of OPN were significantly increased in patients with cirrhosis compared with the control groups (all P < 0.001), specifically in autoimmune- and alcohol-related cirrhosis. In cirrhotic patients, liver stiffness was significantly associated with the expression of nuclear TAZ and OPN. The correlation between matrix stiffness as a mechanical property, TAZ as a potential mechanotransducer, and OPN as a matricellular factor suggests possible effects of mechanical features of the ECM on the expression of the aforementioned profibrogenic markers, which is predominant in autoimmune- and alcohol-related cirrhosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zohreh Khajehahmadi
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Sina Mohagheghi
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Saman Nikeghbalian
- Shiraz Transplant Center, Namazi Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Bita Geramizadeh
- Transplant Research Center, Pathology Department, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Iraj Khodadadi
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Jamshid Karimi
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Heidar Tavilani
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
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Overview of the Pathogenesis, Genetic, and Non-Invasive Clinical, Biochemical, and Scoring Methods in the Assessment of NAFLD. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16193570. [PMID: 31554274 PMCID: PMC6801903 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16193570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent chronic liver disease worldwide. It represents a range of disorders, including simple steatosis, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and liver cirrhosis, and its prevalence continues to rise. In some cases, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may develop. The develop;ment of non-invasive diagnostic and screening tools is needed, in order to reduce the frequency of liver biopsies. The most promising methods are those able to exclude advanced fibrosis and quantify steatosis. In this study, new perspective markers for inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and fibrogenesis; emerging scoring models for detecting hepatic steatosis and fibrosis; and new genetic, epigenetic, and multiomic studies are discussed. As isolated biochemical parameters are not specific or sensitive enough to predict the presence of NASH and fibrosis, there is a tendency to use various markers and combine them into mathematical algorithms. Several predictive models and scoring systems have been developed. Current data suggests that panels of markers (NAFLD fibrosis score, Fib-4 score, BARD score, and others) are useful diagnostic modalities to minimize the number of liver biopsies. The review unveils pathophysiological aspects related to new trends in current non-invasive biochemical, genetic, and scoring methods, and provides insight into their diagnostic accuracies and suitability in clinical practice.
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Mohagheghi S, Khajehahmadi Z, Tavilani H. Signaling in Simple Steatosis and Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis Cirrhosis: TGF-β1, YAP/TAZ, and Hedgehog Pathway Activity. AVICENNA JOURNAL OF MEDICAL BIOCHEMISTRY 2018. [DOI: 10.15171/ajmb.2018.07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) refers to the accumulation of fat in the liver tissue that is usually associated with metabolic disorders. Traditionally, the disease is regarded as a spectrum of pathological conditions ranging from simple steatosis (SS) to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and hepatic fibrosis with progression to cirrhosis. However, so far, there is no available explanation for the disease progression. Several signaling pathways such as transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, hedgehog (HH), and yes-associated protein 1 (YAP)/transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) signaling are attributed to the NAFLD pathogenesis. TGF-β1 pathway component expression aligns with HH pathway ligands expression elevate in NASH cirrhosis while they decrease in SS. YAP and TAZ are two transcriptional co-activators from the Hippo signaling pathway. Similarly, the TAZ level (but not YAP1) is higher in NASH cirrhosis compared to SS. In addition, these three signaling pathways have little molecular similarity but their changes are totally similar in SS and NASH cirrhosis. The present review discusses the main changes in the expression of TGF-β, HH, and YAP/TAZ pathway components in SS and NASH cirrhosis. It is hoped that these data provide a better understanding of the mechanisms that underlie the pathophysiology of NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sina Mohagheghi
- Student Research Committee, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Zohreh Khajehahmadi
- Student Research Committee, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Heidar Tavilani
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
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