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Wang L, Li D, Zhu Z, Liao Y, Wu J, Liu Y, Yang R, Dai H, Wu Z, Sun X. Knockout of Sema4D alleviates liver fibrosis by suppressing AOX1 expression. Pharmacol Res 2023; 195:106886. [PMID: 37591326 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis can occur in many chronic liver diseases, and no effective treatments are available due to the poorly characterized molecular pathogenesis. Semaphorin 4D (Sema4D) has immune functions and serves important roles in T cell priming. Here, we found that Sema4D was highly expressed in fibrotic liver, and the expression of Sema4D increased with hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) activation. Knockout of Sema4D alleviated liver fibrosis. Mechanistically, knockout of Sema4D alleviated liver fibrosis by suppressing the expression of AOX1 in retinol metabolism. Further investigation demonstrated that retinoic acid receptor α (RARA), an important nuclear receptor of retinoic acid, was reduced by Sema4D knockout during liver fibrogenesis. Sema4D knockout-mediated suppression of liver fibrosis was partly mediated by regulating the balance of Th1, Th2, Th17, and T-bet+Treg cells via inhibiting AOX1/RARA. Thus, targeting Sema4D may hold promise as a potential therapeutic approach for treating liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lifu Wang
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Clinical Rapid Diagnosis and Early Warning of Infectious Diseases, KingMed School of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China
| | - Dinghao Li
- Department of Parasitology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Biological Vector Control, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Zifeng Zhu
- Department of Parasitology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Biological Vector Control, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Yao Liao
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Clinical Rapid Diagnosis and Early Warning of Infectious Diseases, KingMed School of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China
| | - Ji Wu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Clinical Rapid Diagnosis and Early Warning of Infectious Diseases, KingMed School of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China
| | - Yuheng Liu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Clinical Rapid Diagnosis and Early Warning of Infectious Diseases, KingMed School of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China
| | - Ruibing Yang
- Guangzhou KingMed Diagnostic Laboratory Group Co Ltd, Guangzhou 510310, China
| | - Hanqiao Dai
- Department of Parasitology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Zhongdao Wu
- Department of Parasitology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Biological Vector Control, Guangzhou 510080, China.
| | - Xi Sun
- Department of Parasitology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Biological Vector Control, Guangzhou 510080, China.
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Guo M, Liu D, Jiang Y, Chen W, Zhao L, Bao D, Li Y, Distler JHW, Zhu H. Serum metabolomic profiling reveals potential biomarkers in systemic sclerosis. Metabolism 2023; 144:155587. [PMID: 37156409 DOI: 10.1016/j.metabol.2023.155587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic and systemic autoimmune disease marked by the skin and visceral fibrosis. Metabolic alterations have been found in SSc patients; however, serum metabolomic profiling has not been thoroughly conducted. Our study aimed to identify alterations in the metabolic profile in both SSc patients before and during treatment, as well as in mouse models of fibrosis. Furthermore, the associations between metabolites and clinical parameters and disease progression were explored. METHODS High-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-Q-TOF-MS)/MS was performed in the serum of 326 human samples and 33 mouse samples. Human samples were collected from 142 healthy controls (HC), 127 newly diagnosed SSc patients without treatment (SSc baseline), and 57 treated SSc patients (SSc treatment). Mouse serum samples were collected from 11 control mice (NaCl), 11 mice with bleomycin (BLM)-induced fibrosis and 11 mice with hypochlorous acid (HOCl)-induced fibrosis. Both univariate analysis and multivariate analysis (orthogonal partial least-squares discriminate analysis (OPLS-DA)) were conducted to unravel differently expressed metabolites. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis was performed to characterize the dysregulated metabolic pathways in SSc. Associations between metabolites and clinical parameters of SSc patients were identified by Pearson's or Spearman's correlation analysis. Machine learning (ML) algorithms were applied to identify the important metabolites that have the potential to predict the progression of skin fibrosis. RESULTS The newly diagnosed SSc patients without treatment showed a unique serum metabolic profile compared to HC. Treatment partially corrected the metabolic changes in SSc. Some metabolites (phloretin 2'-O-glucuronide, retinoyl b-glucuronide, all-trans-retinoic acid, and betaine) and metabolic pathways (starch and sucrose metabolism, proline metabolism, androgen and estrogen metabolism, and tryptophan metabolism) were dysregulated in new-onset SSc, but restored upon treatment. Some metabolic changes were associated with treatment response in SSc patients. Metabolic changes observed in SSc patients were mimicked in murine models of SSc, indicating that they may reflect general metabolic changes associated with fibrotic tissue remodeling. Several metabolic changes were associated with SSc clinical parameters. The levels of allysine and all-trans-retinoic acid were negatively correlated, while D-glucuronic acid and hexanoyl carnitine were positively correlated with modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS). In addition, a panel of metabolites including proline betaine, phloretin 2'-O-glucuronide, gamma-linolenic acid and L-cystathionine were associated with the presence of interstitial lung disease (ILD) in SSc. Specific metabolites identified by ML algorithms, such as medicagenic acid 3-O-b-D-glucuronide, 4'-O-methyl-(-)-epicatechin-3'-O-beta-glucuronide, valproic acid glucuronide, have the potential to predict the progression of skin fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS Serum of SSc patients demonstrates profound metabolic changes. Treatment partially restored the metabolic changes in SSc. Moreover, certain metabolic changes were associated with clinical manifestations such as skin fibrosis and ILD, and could predict the progression of skin fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muyao Guo
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Provincial Clinical Research Center for Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Di Liu
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yu Jiang
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Emergency and Critical Care Metabonomics, Institute of Emergency Medicine, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital/The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Weilin Chen
- Department of Nephrology and Rheumatology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Lijuan Zhao
- Department of Nephrology and Rheumatology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Ding Bao
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Provincial Clinical Research Center for Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yisha Li
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Provincial Clinical Research Center for Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jörg H W Distler
- Clinic for Rheumatology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty of Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; Hiller Research Center, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty of Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Honglin Zhu
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Provincial Clinical Research Center for Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
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He X, Shi Y, Zeng Z, Tang B, Xiao X, Yu J, Zou P, Liu J, Xiao Y, Luo Y, Xiao R. Intimate intertwining of the pathogenesis of hypoxia and systemic sclerosis: A transcriptome integration analysis. Front Immunol 2022; 13:929289. [PMID: 36389675 PMCID: PMC9660309 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.929289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 03/30/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease caused by various pathogenic factors, including hypoxia. Hypoxia stimulates the production of the extracellular matrix to promote fibrosis. However, the integrated function and the underlying mechanism of hypoxia in SSc are unclear. METHODS In the present study, we used Agilent SurePrint G3 Human Gene Expression v3 for the transcriptional sequencing of fibroblasts with and without hypoxia to detect differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in hypoxia. We analyzed the results with the transcriptome data of SSc lesions (GSE95065) to select the co-DEGs. Then, Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses were performed on the basis of the co-DEGs using the R package ClusterProfiler, which showed that hypoxia and cross talk of hypoxia with other pathogenic factors are involved in the pathogenesis of SSc. Furthermore, we constructed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of co-DEGs and screened two significant functional expression modules. RESULTS We identified nine hub genes (ALDH1A1, EGF, NOX4, LYN, DNTT, PTGS2, TKT, ACAA2, and ALDH3A1). These genes affect the pentose phosphate pathway, oxidative stress, and lipolysis. CONCLUSION Our study provides insights into the mechanisms underlying the effects of hypoxia on SSc pathogenesis, which will help to better understand SSc pathogenesis and develop new therapeutic strategies for SSc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinglan He
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yaqian Shi
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhuotong Zeng
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Bingsi Tang
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xuan Xiao
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jiangfan Yu
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Puyu Zou
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jiani Liu
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yangfan Xiao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Clinical Nursing Teaching and Research Section, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yangyang Luo
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Children's Hospital, Changsha, China
| | - Rong Xiao
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
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The Role of T Cells in Systemic Sclerosis: An Update. IMMUNO 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/immuno2030034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic disease characterized by microvasculopathy, autoantibodies (autoAbs), and fibrosis. The pathogenesis of the disease is incompletely understood. Microvasculopathy and autoAbs appear very early in the disease process. AutoAbs, such as those directed against DNA topoisomerase I (Topo I), are disease specific and associated with disease manifestations, and indicate activation of the adaptive immune system. B cells are involved in fibrosis in SSc. T cells are also involved in disease pathogenesis. T cells show signs of antigen-induced activation; T cells of TH2 type are increased and produce profibrotic cytokines interleukin (IL)-4, IL-13, and IL-31; CD4+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes are increased in skin lesions, and cause fibrosis and endothelial cell apoptosis; circulating T follicular helper (TFH) cells are increased in SSc produce IL-21 and promote plasmablast antibody production. On the other hand, regulatory T cells are impaired in SSc. These findings provide strong circumstantial evidence for T cell implication in SSc pathogenesis and encourage new T cell-directed therapeutic strategies for the disease.
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Exploring breath biomarkers in BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis mice with associative ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Talanta 2021; 239:123120. [PMID: 34864537 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2021.123120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Revised: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a common but fatal disease that threatens human health worldwide. Developing effective diagnostic methods is of great importance for the early detection of PF in patients. In this study, bleomycin (BLM) was used in mice to mimic idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The exhaled breath of BLM-induced PF, PF plus DDAH1 overexpression, and healthy control mice were analyzed in real-time using a newly developed associative ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry method (AI-TOFMS), which is uniquely sensitive, especially to oxygenated volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Multivariate data analyses and discriminant modeling analyses revealed that four exhaled compounds, i.e., acrolein, ethanol, nitric oxide, and ammonia, had a strong correlation with PF symptoms. An Orthogonal Partial Least Square Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA) score plot showed an excellent separation between these three groups. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for these four compounds distinguished PF mice from healthy controls at 0.989. In addition, the degrees of acute inflammation and fibrosis were assessed with Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining and Masson's Trichrome staining. Finally, combined with pathological characteristics and mRNA expression levels, the formation of the above-mentioned volatile compounds was explored. The obtained experimental results indicated that these four breath compounds, acrolein, ethanol, nitric oxide, and ammonia, were potential exhaled biomarkers for pulmonary fibrosis.
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Miura S, Watanabe Y, Saigusa R, Yamashita T, Nakamura K, Hirabayashi M, Miyagawa T, Yoshizaki A, Trojanowska M, Sato S, Asano Y. Fli1 deficiency suppresses RALDH1 activity of dermal dendritic cells and related induction of regulatory T cells: a possible role in scleroderma. Arthritis Res Ther 2021; 23:137. [PMID: 33964960 PMCID: PMC8106158 DOI: 10.1186/s13075-021-02520-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family member A1 (RALDH1)-producing dermal dendritic cells (DCs), a conventional DC subset regulating skin fibrosis, are decreased in the involved skin of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). In this study, we investigated the contribution of Fli1 deficiency, a potential predisposing factor of SSc, to the phenotypical alteration of RALDH1-producing dermal DCs by using SSc model mice and SSc skin samples. METHODS Bleomycin (BLM)-induced skin fibrosis was generated with Fli1+/- and wild-type mice. The proportions of DC and CD4+ T cell subsets were determined by flow cytometry in the dermis of BLM-treated mice. Fli1 expression in dermal DCs was evaluated by immunofluorescence with skin samples of SSc and healthy control subjects. RESULTS RALDH activity of dermal DCs was significantly decreased in BLM-treated Fli1+/- mice compared with BLM-treated wild-type mice, whereas the proportion of CD103-CD11b- dermal DCs, a major DC subset producing RALDH1 in response to BLM injection, was comparable between groups. Relevant to this finding, the proportion of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the dermis was decreased in BLM-treated Fli1+/- mice relative to BLM-treated wild-type mice, while the proportions of Th1, Th2 and Th17 cells were unaltered. In the involved skin of SSc patients, Fli1 was downregulated in CD11c+ cells, including dermal DCs. CONCLUSIONS Fli1 deficiency inhibits RALDH1 activity of CD103-CD11b- dermal DCs and related induction of Tregs in BLM-treated mice. Considering Fli1 reduction in SSc dermal DCs, Fli1deficiency may impair the dermal DC-Treg system, contributing to the development of skin fibrosis in SSc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunsuke Miura
- Department of Dermatology, University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Yusuke Watanabe
- Department of Dermatology, University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Saigusa
- Department of Dermatology, University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Takashi Yamashita
- Department of Dermatology, University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Kouki Nakamura
- Department of Dermatology, University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Megumi Hirabayashi
- Department of Dermatology, University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Takuya Miyagawa
- Department of Dermatology, University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Ayumi Yoshizaki
- Department of Dermatology, University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Maria Trojanowska
- Arthritis Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shinichi Sato
- Department of Dermatology, University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Yoshihide Asano
- Department of Dermatology, University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan.
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Understanding Fibrosis in Systemic Sclerosis: Novel and Emerging Treatment Approaches. Curr Rheumatol Rep 2020; 22:77. [DOI: 10.1007/s11926-020-00953-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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