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Guo C, Cui Y, Jiao M, Yao J, Zhao J, Tian Y, Dong J, Liao L. Crosstalk between proximal tubular epithelial cells and other interstitial cells in tubulointerstitial fibrosis after renal injury. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 14:1256375. [PMID: 38260142 PMCID: PMC10801024 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1256375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The energy needs of tubular epithelial components, especially proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTECs), are high and they heavily depend on aerobic metabolism. As a result, they are particularly vulnerable to various injuries caused by factors such as ischemia, proteinuria, toxins, and elevated glucose levels. Initial metabolic and phenotypic changes in PTECs after injury are likely an attempt at survival and repair. Nevertheless, in cases of recurrent or prolonged injury, PTECs have the potential to undergo a transition to a secretory state, leading to the generation and discharge of diverse bioactive substances, including transforming growth factor-β, Wnt ligands, hepatocyte growth factor, interleukin (IL)-1β, lactic acid, exosomes, and extracellular vesicles. By promoting fibroblast activation, macrophage recruitment, and endothelial cell loss, these bioactive compounds stimulate communication between epithelial cells and other interstitial cells, ultimately worsening renal damage. This review provides a summary of the latest findings on bioactive compounds that facilitate the communication between these cellular categories, ultimately leading to the advancement of tubulointerstitial fibrosis (TIF).
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Affiliation(s)
- Congcong Guo
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Rheumatic Disease and Translational Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Institute of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Yuying Cui
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Rheumatic Disease and Translational Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Institute of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
- First Clinical Medical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicin, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Mingwen Jiao
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Jinming Yao
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Rheumatic Disease and Translational Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Institute of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Junyu Zhao
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Rheumatic Disease and Translational Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Institute of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Yutian Tian
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Rheumatic Disease and Translational Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Institute of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Jianjun Dong
- Department of Endocrinology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Lin Liao
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Rheumatic Disease and Translational Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Shandong Institute of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
- First Clinical Medical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicin, Jinan, Shandong, China
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Ma X, Guo Z, Zhao W, Chen L. Sweroside plays a role in mitigating high glucose-induced damage in human renal tubular epithelial HK-2 cells by regulating the SIRT1/NF-κB signaling pathway. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY & PHARMACOLOGY : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSIOLOGICAL SOCIETY AND THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF PHARMACOLOGY 2023; 27:533-540. [PMID: 37884285 PMCID: PMC10613573 DOI: 10.4196/kjpp.2023.27.6.533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Sweroside is a natural monoterpene derived from Swertia pseudochinensis Hara. Recently, studies have shown that sweroside exhibits a variety of biological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and hypoglycemic effects. However, its role and mechanisms in high glucose (HG)-induced renal injury remain unclear. Herein, we established a renal injury model in vitro by inducing human renal tubular epithelial cell (HK-2 cells) injury by HG. Then, the effects of sweroside on HK-2 cell activity, inflammation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) were observed. As a result, sweroside treatment ameliorated the viability, inhibited the secretion of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and VCAM-1), reduced the generation of ROS, and inhibited EMT in HK-2 cells. Moreover, the protein expression of SIRT1 was increased and the acetylation of p65 NF-kB was decreased in HK-2 cells with sweroside treatment. More importantly, EX527, an inhibitor of SIRT1, that inactivated SIRT1, abolished the improvement effects of sweroside on HK-2 cells. Our findings suggested that sweroside may mitigate HG-caused injury in HK-2 cells by promoting SIRT1-mediated deacetylation of p65 NF-kB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodan Ma
- Department of Endocrinology, Second Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China
- Department of Endocrinology, Changzhi People’s Hospital Affiliated to Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, Shanxi 046000, China
| | - Zhixin Guo
- Department of Endocrinology, Second Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, China
| | - Wenhua Zhao
- Department of Endocrinology, Changzhi People’s Hospital Affiliated to Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, Shanxi 046000, China
| | - Li Chen
- Department of Endocrinology, Changzhi People’s Hospital Affiliated to Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, Shanxi 046000, China
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Jin Y, Cai Q, Wang L, Ji J, Sun Y, Jiang J, Wang C, Wu J, Zhang B, Zhao L, Qi F, Yu B, Zhang J. Paracrine activin B-NF-κB signaling shapes an inflammatory tumor microenvironment in gastric cancer via fibroblast reprogramming. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:269. [PMID: 37858201 PMCID: PMC10585924 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02861-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Important roles of INHBB in various malignancies are increasingly identified. The underlying mechanisms in gastric cancer (GC) microenvironment are still greatly unexplored. METHODS The clinical significance of INHBB and the correlation between INHBB and p-p65 in GC were assessed through analyzing publicly available databases and human paraffin embedded GC tissues. The biological crosstalk of INHBB between GC cells and fibroblasts was explored both in vitro and in vivo. RNA-seq analyses were performed to determine the mechanisms which regulating fibroblasts reprogramming. Luciferase reporter assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation (CHIP) assay were used to verify the binding relationship of p65 and INHBB in GC cells. RESULTS Our study showed that INHBB level was significantly higher in GC, and that increased INHBB was associated with poor survival. INHBB positively regulates the proliferation, migration, and invasion of GC cells in vitro. Also, activin B promotes the occurrence of GC by reprogramming fibroblasts into cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). The high expression of INHBB in GC cells activates the NF-κB pathway of normal gastric fibroblasts by secreting activin B, and promotes fibroblasts proliferation, migration, and invasion. In addition, activin B activates NF-κB pathway by controlling TRAF6 autoubiquitination to induce TAK1 phosphorylation in fibroblasts. Fibroblasts activated by activin B can induce the activation of p65 phosphorylation of GC cells by releasing pro-inflammatory factors IL-1β. p65 can directly bind to the INHBB promoter and increase the INHBB transcription of GC cells, thus establishing a positive regulatory feedback loop to promote the progression of GC. CONCLUSIONS GC cells p65/INHBB/activin B and fibroblasts p65/IL-1β signal loop led to the formation of a whole tumor-promoting inflammatory microenvironment, which might be a promising therapeutic target for GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangbing Jin
- Department of Oncology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 197 Ruijin er Road, 200025, Shanghai, China
| | - Qu Cai
- Department of Oncology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 197 Ruijin er Road, 200025, Shanghai, China
| | - Lingquan Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 197 Ruijin er Road, 200025, Shanghai, China
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 197 Ruijin er Road, 200025, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Ji
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 197 Ruijin er Road, 200025, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Sun
- Department of Oncology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 197 Ruijin er Road, 200025, Shanghai, China
| | - Jinling Jiang
- Department of Oncology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 197 Ruijin er Road, 200025, Shanghai, China
| | - Chao Wang
- Department of Oncology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 197 Ruijin er Road, 200025, Shanghai, China
| | - Junwei Wu
- Department of Oncology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 197 Ruijin er Road, 200025, Shanghai, China
| | - Benyan Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 197 Ruijin er Road, 200025, Shanghai, China
| | - Liqin Zhao
- Department of Oncology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 197 Ruijin er Road, 200025, Shanghai, China
| | - Feng Qi
- Department of Oncology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 197 Ruijin er Road, 200025, Shanghai, China
| | - Beiqin Yu
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 197 Ruijin er Road, 200025, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jun Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 197 Ruijin er Road, 200025, Shanghai, China.
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Schlosser P, Zhang J, Liu H, Surapaneni AL, Rhee EP, Arking DE, Yu B, Boerwinkle E, Welling PA, Chatterjee N, Susztak K, Coresh J, Grams ME. Transcriptome- and proteome-wide association studies nominate determinants of kidney function and damage. Genome Biol 2023; 24:150. [PMID: 37365616 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-02993-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pathophysiological causes of kidney disease are not fully understood. Here we show that the integration of genome-wide genetic, transcriptomic, and proteomic association studies can nominate causal determinants of kidney function and damage. RESULTS Through transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) in kidney cortex, kidney tubule, liver, and whole blood and proteome-wide association studies (PWAS) in plasma, we assess for effects of 12,893 genes and 1342 proteins on kidney filtration (glomerular filtration rate (GFR) estimated by creatinine; GFR estimated by cystatin C; and blood urea nitrogen) and kidney damage (albuminuria). We find 1561 associations distributed among 260 genomic regions that are supported as putatively causal. We then prioritize 153 of these genomic regions using additional colocalization analyses. Our genome-wide findings are supported by existing knowledge (animal models for MANBA, DACH1, SH3YL1, INHBB), exceed the underlying GWAS signals (28 region-trait combinations without significant GWAS hit), identify independent gene/protein-trait associations within the same genomic region (INHBC, SPRYD4), nominate tissues underlying the associations (tubule expression of NRBP1), and distinguish markers of kidney filtration from those with a role in creatinine and cystatin C metabolism. Furthermore, we follow up on members of the TGF-beta superfamily of proteins and find a prognostic value of INHBC for kidney disease progression even after adjustment for measured glomerular filtration rate (GFR). CONCLUSION In summary, this study combines multimodal, genome-wide association studies to generate a catalog of putatively causal target genes and proteins relevant to kidney function and damage which can guide follow-up studies in physiology, basic science, and clinical medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Schlosser
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Jingning Zhang
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Hongbo Liu
- Department of Medicine and Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Aditya L Surapaneni
- Welch Center for Prevention Epidemiology and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Division of Precision Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eugene P Rhee
- Nephrology Division and Endocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dan E Arking
- McKusick-Nathans Institute, Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Bing Yu
- Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Eric Boerwinkle
- Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Paul A Welling
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Nilanjan Chatterjee
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Katalin Susztak
- Department of Medicine and Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Josef Coresh
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Morgan E Grams
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Division of Precision Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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Huang R, Fu P, Ma L. Kidney fibrosis: from mechanisms to therapeutic medicines. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:129. [PMID: 36932062 PMCID: PMC10023808 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01379-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 71.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is estimated to affect 10-14% of global population. Kidney fibrosis, characterized by excessive extracellular matrix deposition leading to scarring, is a hallmark manifestation in different progressive CKD; However, at present no antifibrotic therapies against CKD exist. Kidney fibrosis is identified by tubule atrophy, interstitial chronic inflammation and fibrogenesis, glomerulosclerosis, and vascular rarefaction. Fibrotic niche, where organ fibrosis initiates, is a complex interplay between injured parenchyma (like tubular cells) and multiple non-parenchymal cell lineages (immune and mesenchymal cells) located spatially within scarring areas. Although the mechanisms of kidney fibrosis are complicated due to the kinds of cells involved, with the help of single-cell technology, many key questions have been explored, such as what kind of renal tubules are profibrotic, where myofibroblasts originate, which immune cells are involved, and how cells communicate with each other. In addition, genetics and epigenetics are deeper mechanisms that regulate kidney fibrosis. And the reversible nature of epigenetic changes including DNA methylation, RNA interference, and chromatin remodeling, gives an opportunity to stop or reverse kidney fibrosis by therapeutic strategies. More marketed (e.g., RAS blockage, SGLT2 inhibitors) have been developed to delay CKD progression in recent years. Furthermore, a better understanding of renal fibrosis is also favored to discover biomarkers of fibrotic injury. In the review, we update recent advances in the mechanism of renal fibrosis and summarize novel biomarkers and antifibrotic treatment for CKD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongshuang Huang
- Kidney Research Institute, Division of Nephrology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Ping Fu
- Kidney Research Institute, Division of Nephrology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Liang Ma
- Kidney Research Institute, Division of Nephrology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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Soomro A, Khajehei M, Li R, O’Neil K, Zhang D, Gao B, MacDonald M, Kakoki M, Krepinsky JC. A therapeutic target for CKD: activin A facilitates TGFβ1 profibrotic signaling. Cell Mol Biol Lett 2023; 28:10. [PMID: 36717814 PMCID: PMC9885651 DOI: 10.1186/s11658-023-00424-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND TGFβ1 is a major profibrotic mediator in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Its direct inhibition, however, is limited by adverse effects. Inhibition of activins, also members of the TGFβ superfamily, blocks TGFβ1 profibrotic effects, but the mechanism underlying this and the specific activin(s) involved are unknown. METHODS Cells were treated with TGFβ1 or activins A/B. Activins were inhibited generally with follistatin, or specifically with neutralizing antibodies or type I receptor downregulation. Cytokine levels, signaling and profibrotic responses were assessed with ELISA, immunofluorescence, immunoblotting and promoter luciferase reporters. Wild-type or TGFβ1-overexpressing mice with unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) were treated with an activin A neutralizing antibody. RESULTS In primary mesangial cells, TGFβ1 induces secretion primarily of activin A, which enables longer-term profibrotic effects by enhancing Smad3 phosphorylation and transcriptional activity. This results from lack of cell refractoriness to activin A, unlike that for TGFβ1, and promotion of TGFβ type II receptor expression. Activin A also supports transcription through regulating non-canonical MRTF-A activation. TGFβ1 additionally induces secretion of activin A, but not B, from tubular cells, and activin A neutralization prevents the TGFβ1 profibrotic response in renal fibroblasts. Fibrosis induced by UUO is inhibited by activin A neutralization in wild-type mice. Worsened fibrosis in TGFβ1-overexpressing mice is associated with increased renal activin A expression and is inhibited to wild-type levels with activin A neutralization. CONCLUSIONS Activin A facilitates TGFβ1 profibrotic effects through regulation of both canonical (Smad3) and non-canonical (MRTF-A) signaling, suggesting it may be a novel therapeutic target for preventing fibrosis in CKD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asfia Soomro
- grid.25073.330000 0004 1936 8227Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Mohammad Khajehei
- grid.25073.330000 0004 1936 8227Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Renzhong Li
- grid.25073.330000 0004 1936 8227Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Kian O’Neil
- grid.25073.330000 0004 1936 8227Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Dan Zhang
- grid.25073.330000 0004 1936 8227Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Bo Gao
- grid.25073.330000 0004 1936 8227Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Melissa MacDonald
- grid.25073.330000 0004 1936 8227Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Masao Kakoki
- grid.410711.20000 0001 1034 1720Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC USA
| | - Joan C. Krepinsky
- grid.25073.330000 0004 1936 8227Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada ,grid.416721.70000 0001 0742 7355St. Joseph’s Hospital, 50 Charlton Ave East, Rm T3311, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6 Canada
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Human Cytomegalovirus and Human Herpesvirus 6 Coinfection of Dermal Fibroblasts Enhances the Pro-Inflammatory Pathway Predisposing to Fibrosis: The Possible Impact on Systemic Sclerosis. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10081600. [PMID: 36014018 PMCID: PMC9415275 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10081600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a severe autoimmune disease likely triggered by genetic and environmental factors, including viral infections. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and human herpesvirus 6A species (HHV-6A) have been associated with SSc, based on in vivo and in vitro evidence, but the data are still inconclusive. Furthermore, despite both viruses being highly prevalent in humans and able to exacerbate each other’s effects, no data are available on their joint effects. Hence, we aimed to study their simultaneous impact on the expression of cell factors correlated with fibrosis and apoptosis in in vitro coinfected fibroblasts, representing the main target cell type in SSc. The results, obtained by a microarray detecting 84 fibrosis/apoptosis-associated factors, indicated that coinfected cells underwent higher and more sustained expression of fibrosis-associated parameters compared with single-infected cells. Thus, the data, for the first time, suggest that HCMV and HHV-6A may cooperate in inducing alterations potentially leading to cell fibrosis, thus further supporting their joint role in SSc. However, further work is required to definitively answer whether β-herpesviruses are causally linked to the disease and to enable the possible use of targeted antiviral treatments to improve clinical outcomes.
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Chen Y, Zhou J, Wei Z, Cheng Y, Tian G, Quan Y, Kong Q, Wu W, Liu X. Identification of circular RNAs in cardiac hypertrophy and cardiac fibrosis. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:940768. [PMID: 36003513 PMCID: PMC9393479 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.940768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiac hypertrophy initially serves as an adaptive response to physiological and pathological stimuli. Sustained hypertrophy progress to pathological cardiac hypertrophy, cardiac fibrosis and ultimately lead to heart failure, one of the leading medical causes of mortality worldwide. Intervention of pathological cardiac hypertrophy can effectively reduce the occurrence of heart failure. Abundant factors, such as adrenergic, angiotensin, and endothelin (ET-1) receptors, have been shown to participate in the regulation of pathological cardiac hypertrophy. Recently, an increasing number of studies have indicated that circRNA and circRNA-miRNA–mRNA network regulation is indispensable for the posttranscriptional regulation of mRNA in cardiac hypertrophy. In our study, the morphological, cardiac function and pathological changes during cardiac hypertrophy were investigated. RNA sequencing identified 93 circRNAs that were differentially expressed in the TAC_2w group, and 55 circRNAs in the TAC_4w group compared with the sham group. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses identified several significant pathways, including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interaction and focal adhesion. Coexpression analyses were performed for differentially expressed circRNAs and differentially expressed mRNAs. Based on gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), 8 circRNAs (mmu-Nfkb1_0001, mmu-Smad4_0007, mmu-Hecw2_0009, mmu-Itgbl1_0002, mmu-Lrrc2_0005, mmu-Cpeb3_0007, mmu-Ryr2_0040, and mmu-Rtn4_0001) involved in cardiac hypertrophy and cardiac fibrosis were identified. We validated some key circRNAs by qPCR. The crucial coexpression of circRNA–mRNA and its interaction with miRNA showed the possible mechanism of circRNAs in the process of cardiac dysfunction. Our results may provide promising targets for the treatment of pathological cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Chen
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases, Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Junteng Zhou
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases, Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Health Management Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zisong Wei
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases, Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yue Cheng
- Department of Cardiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Geer Tian
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases, Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yue Quan
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases, Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qihang Kong
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases, Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wenchao Wu
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases, Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaojing Liu
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases, Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Cardiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaojing Liu,
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Krepinsky JC. Activin B, a new player in kidney fibrosis? †. J Pathol 2021; 256:363-365. [PMID: 34882799 DOI: 10.1002/path.5847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Interest has been growing in the role of activin A in both acute and chronic kidney disease. The role of other activins, however, remains relatively unexplored. In a recent issue of the Journal of Pathology, an elegant study by Sun et al. identified upregulation of INHBB, the subunit of activin B, in three different models of kidney fibrosis, as well as in human kidneys with fibrosis. This increase was shown to be mediated by upregulation of the transcription factor Sox9. Using overexpression and inhibition strategies, the importance of INHBB to kidney interstitial fibroblast activation and kidney fibrosis was clearly shown. Importantly, INHBB and Sox9 are not appreciably expressed in normal tissue. These studies lay important groundwork for the further investigation of activin B targeting as a potential therapeutic approach to attenuate kidney fibrosis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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