Dynamics of hepatic glycosaminoglycan accumulation in murine Schistosoma japonicum infection

Comparative Study of Transcriptome Profiles of Mouse Livers and Skins Infected by Fork-Tailed or Non-Fork-Tailed Schistosoma japonicum

Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum) is a worldwide spread pathogen which penetrates host skin and then induces several diseases in infected host, such as fibrosis, formation of granulomas, hepatocirrhosis, and hepatomegaly. In present study, for the first time, transcriptomic profiles of mouse livers and skins infected by fork-tailed S. japonicum cercaria or non-fork-tailed S. japonicum cercaria were analyzed by using RNA-seq. The present findings demonstrated that transcriptomic landscapes of livers and skins infected by fork-tailed S. japonicum cercaria or non-fork-tailed S. japonicum cercaria were different. S. japonicum has great influence on hepatic metabolic processes. Fork-tailed S. japonicum cercaria upregulated hepatic metabolic processes, while non-fork-tailed S. japonicum cercaria downregulated hepatic metabolic processes. For the metabolism process or the metabolism enzyme expressional change, the pharmacokinetics of host could be changed during S. japonicum infection, regardless the biotypes of S. japonicum cercariae. The changes of infected skins focused on upregulation of immune response. During the S. japonicum skin infection period, fork-tailed S. japonicum cercaria infection induced stronger immune response comparing with that immune response triggered by non-fork-tailed S. japonicum cercaria. The transcription factor enrichment analysis showed that Irf7, Stat1 and Stat2 could play important roles in gene regulation during fork-tailed S. japonicum cercaria infection.

Biglycan and decorin gene expression in normal and fibrotic rat liver: cellular localization and regulatory factors

The expression of genes encoding the core proteins of the novel small chondroitin/dermatan sulfate proteoglycans decorin and biglycan was studied in the livers of normal rats and in liver tissue during fibrogenesis induced by prolonged bile-duct ligation and thioacetamide poisoning. The cell types responsible for the expression of these transcripts and some key regulatory factors were identified. Both biglycan and decorin messenger RNAs were detected in normal liver tissue. Their relative abundance increased strongly during liver fibrogenesis, reaching highest levels in cirrhotic tissue 8 wk after common bile-duct ligation and after 12 wk of peroral thioacetamide administration, respectively. Specific proteoglycan transcripts were almost absent in hepatocytes from normal and regenerating liver, and only trace amounts were observed in freshly isolated and cultured Kupffer cells. Fat-storing cells clearly expressed both biglycan and decorin transcripts. The steady-state levels of their messenger RNAs increased threefold (biglycan) and fourfold (decorin) during primary culture. Myofibroblastlike cells (transformed fat-storing cells after the second passage) contained dramatically reduced levels of decorin messenger RNA and also lower levels of biglycan messenger RNA compared with primary cultures. These changes of core protein messenger RNA expression were not reflected by the synthesis rates of medium proteoglycans labeled with 35S as Na2SO4, in particular that of medium chondroitin sulfate. Transiently acidified (but not native) conditioned media from Kupffer cells and myofibroblastlike cells and transforming growth factor-beta 1 enhanced the relative abundances of biglycan and decorin messenger RNAs up to five times in primary-cultured fat-storing cells. Biglycan and decorin in myofibroblastlike cells did not respond to these stimuli.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

In vivo regulation of S. japonica granuloma formation by an IL-2 antagonist

The present study shows an in vivo role for interleukin-2 in the formation of hepatic granulomatous inflammation in murine Schistosoma japonicum infection. Mice which had been administered an inhibitor to interleukin-2 function during acute infection were noted to have reduced cell-mediated immune responses to ConA and S. japonicum soluble egg antigen (SEA). Lymphoid tissue from these treated mice also have reduced numbers of cells which could be activated by ConA to produce interleukin-2 mRNA as shown by in situ hybridization studies. Mice with less activated lymphocytes had, on the average, a 70% reduction in the granulomatous inflammation surrounding eggs deposited in hepatic tissues of acutely infected mice. The data demonstrate that IL-2 is a key factor in the generation of granulomatous inflammation in S. japonicum infection and suggest that a potential anti-pathology vaccine could be generated based on limiting the presence of IL-2 generated during acute infection.

The synthesis of glycosaminoglycans in isolated hepatocytes during experimental liver fibrogenesis

During human and experimental liver fibrogenesis, the pattern of glycosaminoglycans in fibrotic liver matrix is greatly changed by severalfold increases of hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate, and dermatan sulfate, respectively. The present study aimed to determine whether hepatocytes take part during fibrogenesis in the alteration of the glycosaminoglycan profile in liver matrix. Rats received thioacetamide orally for 2 and 10 weeks, respectively. After 10 weeks a typical micronodular cirrhosis had developed. Hepatocytes isolated at these time points were characterized by light and electron microscopy and incubated for up to 4 h in suspension cultures in [35S]-sulfate and [3H]-glucosamine containing medium to study the synthesis and intra-/extracellular distribution of total and specific types of glycosaminoglycans. A biphasic change of glycosaminoglycan synthesis in hepatocytes was found. After 2 weeks of TAA-treatment parenchymal cells synthesized about 25% more labeled glycosaminoglycans than control liver cells, but at 10 weeks the synthesis was reduced by more than 40%. Thus, between 2 and 10 weeks of TAA-treatment hepatocellular glycosaminoglycan synthesis decreased by more than 50%. The major portion of newly synthesized glycosaminoglycans was nitrous acid labile and, hence, identified as heparan sulfate. Its fractional synthesis decreased from 0.90 in control cells to 0.84 (2 weeks TAA) and 0.76 (10 weeks TAA), respectively. Thus, the absolute synthesis of heparan sulfate was reduced by 50% in hepatocytes from cirrhosis liver. Eighty to 90% of labeled glycosaminoglycans remained cell-associated. Hyaluronic acid was detected neither in normal hepatocytes nor in hepatocytes from injured liver. We conclude from these data that parenchymal liver cells will not contribute actively to the accumulation of galactosaminoglycans (chondroitin sulfate, dermatan sulfate) and hyaluronic acid in the extracellular matrix during fibrogenesis. The diminished rate of synthesis of heparan sulfate in hepatocytes from cirrhotic liver might explain its fractional decrease in cirrhotic liver matrix.

Patterns of sulfated glycosaminoglycan synthesis and accumulation in hepatic granulomas induced by schistosomal infection

We have characterized sulfated glycosaminoglycans of periovular granulomas induced in mouse liver by experimental infection with Schistosoma mansoni and determined parameters of their synthesis and accumulation by metabolic incorporation of 35S. The major component of glycosaminoglycans isolated from granulomas was dermatan sulfate and the minor component was heparan sulfate. A similar proportion was observed among newly synthesized 35S-labeled glycosaminoglycans, with a slight increase in the relative amount of heparan sulfate. Neither qualitative nor quantitative differences were observed between glycosaminoglycans isolated from granulomas of the acute and the chronic phase of the disease. In contrast, collagen content of granulomas increased eightfold during evolution of the disease from the acute to the chronic phase. It may be concluded that different mechanisms control glycosaminoglycan and collagen synthesis in schistosomal granulomas, as well as the ratio between these components in the extracellular matrix. This is consistent with the loose organization of the extracellular matrix in acute inflammatory reactions and its dense organization in the chronic reactions.

Dynamics of hepatic connective tissue matrix constituents during murine Schistosoma mansoni infection

Hepatic fibrosis is the major clinical sequela of infection with the helminth Schistosoma mansoni. However, little is known regarding its dynamics and regulation in schistosomiasis. The present study presents the dynamics of deposition and resorption of two major extracellular matrix components of fibrosis, glycosaminoglycans and collagens, during the course of experimental S. mansoni infection. Early in infection (6 weeks), glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis was markedly elevated, as was collagen biosynthesis. This led to significant accumulations of these two molecules at a glycosaminoglycan/collagen ratio similar to that observed in livers of uninfected mice (uronic acid/hydroxyproline ratio of 1.10 at 6 weeks compared to normal value of 1.25). During maximal hepatic fibrosis (12 to 18 weeks), both collagen and glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis continued to increase but the extracellular matrix shifted to a lower glycosaminoglycan/collagen ratio of 0.42, suggesting enhanced glycosaminoglycan breakdown. In addition, during this acute stage of infection, Type I collagen was the predominant isotype synthesized, whereas total collagenolytic activity degrading Type I collagen was maximal. During chronic infection, a decrease in the content of both hepatic glycosaminoglycans and collagens were noted, with a glycosaminoglycan/collagen ratio of 0.63. Decreased glycosaminoglycan content paralleled diminished biosynthetic rates. On the other hand, an over 50% reduction in collagen content (from 18 to 24 weeks) appeared not to result from diminished biosynthesis but from a switch in the predominant collagen isotype synthesized (from Type I to Type III), matched by an enhanced constitutive collagenolytic activity directed toward this type of collagen.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Primary hepatocellular carcinoma in idiopathic hemochromatosis after reversal of cirrhosis

Previous reports have emphasized the association of primary hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with idiopathic hemochromatosis with cirrhosis. In contrast, patients with idiopathic hemochromatosis without cirrhosis have no increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. Phlebotomy therapy, by preventing the accumulation of parenchymal iron and subsequent cirrhosis, is believed to prevent hepatocellular carcinoma in the precirrhotic stage of the disease. We report the case of a 67-yr-old man with a 32-yr history of idiopathic hemochromatosis complicated by cirrhosis, who had reversal of cirrhosis with phlebotomy therapy, yet developed hepatocellular carcinoma. There was no serologic or tissue evidence of hepatitis B infection.

Effect of chemotherapy on hepatic collagen and glycosaminoglycan metabolism in Schistosoma mansoni-infected mice

The dynamics of biosynthesis and accumulation of collagenous proteins and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in liver granulomas induced by eggs of Schistosoma mansoni were studied in mice following eradication of adult worms by chemotherapy. The relatively synchronous granulomas around parasite eggs were isolated from the livers at ensuing 2-week intervals; the number of recoverable granulomas per liver gradually decreased and was 7% of initial values at 20 weeks. Hepatic or granuloma-associated extracellular matrix components increased for 4 weeks after treatment despite cessation of ova deposition. At 12 weeks after chemotherapy the rate of GAG biosynthesis per total liver granuloma fraction, measured by 3H-glucosamine incorporation, decreased dramatically; this was followed by a decrease in the amount of GAGs present. The rate of collagen biosynthesis per total liver granuloma fraction, measured by 3H-proline incorporation, began to decline at 14 weeks and a decrease in the amount of collagen present was noted at 16 weeks. Our results demonstrated that liver granulomas induced by S. mansoni eggs synthesize collagens and GAGs for about 4-6 weeks following parasitological cure. The subsequent resolution of granulomas proceeds first by a reduction in GAG biosynthesis followed 4-8 weeks later by decreased collagen biosynthesis, followed by accelerated resolution of both collagen and GAGs.