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Feng S, Cheng Y, Sheng C, Yang C, Li Y. Biliary atresia: the role of gut microbiome, and microbial metabolites. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1411843. [PMID: 39104854 PMCID: PMC11298464 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1411843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Biliary atresia (BA) is a progressive fibroinflammatory disease affecting both the extrahepatic and intrahepatic bile ducts, potentially leading to chronic cholestasis and biliary cirrhosis. Despite its prevalence, the exact mechanisms behind BA development remain incompletely understood. Recent research suggests that the gut microbiota and its metabolites may play significant roles in BA development. This paper offers a comprehensive review of the changing characteristics of gut microbiota and their metabolites at different stages of BA in children. It discusses their influence on the host's inflammatory response, immune system, and bile acid metabolism. The review also explores the potential of gut microbiota and metabolites as a therapeutic target for BA, with interventions like butyrate and gut microbiota preparations showing promise in alleviating BA symptoms. While progress has been made, further research is necessary to untangle the complex interactions between gut microbiota and BA, paving the way for more effective prevention and treatment strategies for this challenging condition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Yumei Li
- Department of pediatric intensive care unit, Children’s Medical Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
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Tam PKH, Wells RG, Tang CSM, Lui VCH, Hukkinen M, Luque CD, De Coppi P, Mack CL, Pakarinen M, Davenport M. Biliary atresia. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2024; 10:47. [PMID: 38992031 DOI: 10.1038/s41572-024-00533-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Biliary atresia (BA) is a progressive inflammatory fibrosclerosing disease of the biliary system and a major cause of neonatal cholestasis. It affects 1:5,000-20,000 live births, with the highest incidence in Asia. The pathogenesis is still unknown, but emerging research suggests a role for ciliary dysfunction, redox stress and hypoxia. The study of the underlying mechanisms can be conceptualized along the likely prenatal timing of an initial insult and the distinction between the injury and prenatal and postnatal responses to injury. Although still speculative, these emerging concepts, new diagnostic tools and early diagnosis might enable neoadjuvant therapy (possibly aimed at oxidative stress) before a Kasai portoenterostomy (KPE). This is particularly important, as timely KPE restores bile flow in only 50-75% of patients of whom many subsequently develop cholangitis, portal hypertension and progressive fibrosis; 60-75% of patients require liver transplantation by the age of 18 years. Early diagnosis, multidisciplinary management, centralization of surgery and optimized interventions for complications after KPE lead to better survival. Postoperative corticosteroid use has shown benefits, whereas the role of other adjuvant therapies remains to be evaluated. Continued research to better understand disease mechanisms is necessary to develop innovative treatments, including adjuvant therapies targeting the immune response, regenerative medicine approaches and new clinical tests to improve patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul K H Tam
- Medical Sciences Division, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China.
- Department of Surgery, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Rebecca G Wells
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Clara S M Tang
- Department of Surgery, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Dr. Li Dak-Sum Research Centre, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Vincent C H Lui
- Department of Surgery, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Dr. Li Dak-Sum Research Centre, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Maria Hukkinen
- Section of Paediatric Surgery, Paediatric Liver and Gut Research Group, New Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Carlos D Luque
- Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Paolo De Coppi
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust and Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Cara L Mack
- Department of Paediatrics, Division of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Medical College of Wisconsin, Children's Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Mikko Pakarinen
- Section of Paediatric Surgery, Paediatric Liver and Gut Research Group, New Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mark Davenport
- Department of Paediatric Surgery, King's College Hospital, London, UK
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de Jong IEM, Wells RG. In Utero Extrahepatic Bile Duct Damage and Repair: Implications for Biliary Atresia. Pediatr Dev Pathol 2024; 27:291-310. [PMID: 38762769 PMCID: PMC11340255 DOI: 10.1177/10935266241247479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Biliary atresia (BA) is a cholangiopathy affecting the extrahepatic bile duct (EHBD) of newborns. The etiology and pathophysiology of BA are not fully understood; however, multiple causes of damage and obstruction of the neonatal EHBD have been identified. Initial damage to the EHBD likely occurs before birth. We discuss how different developmental stages in utero and birth itself could influence the susceptibility of the fetal EHBD to damage and a damaging wound-healing response. We propose that a damage-repair response of the fetal and neonatal EHBD involving redox stress and a program of fetal wound healing could-regardless of the cause of the initial damage-lead to either obstruction and BA or repair of the duct and recovery. This overarching concept should guide future research targeted toward identification of factors that contribute to recovery as opposed to progression of injury and fibrosis. Viewing BA through the lens of an in utero damage-repair response could open up new avenues for research and suggests exciting new therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris E. M. de Jong
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Center for Engineering MechanoBiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Rebecca G. Wells
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Center for Engineering MechanoBiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Oita S, Saito T, Hashimoto R, Fumita T, Katsumata Y, Terui K, Komatsu S, Takenouchi A, Ikeda JI, Hishiki T. Frequency of infiltrating regulatory T-cells in the portal tract of biliary atresia. Pediatr Surg Int 2023; 39:259. [PMID: 37656274 DOI: 10.1007/s00383-023-05547-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Immunological abnormalities have been hypothesized as a pathogenesis of biliary atresia (BA). We previously investigated the frequency and function of circulating regulatory T-cells (Tregs) and reported no differences compared to controls. However, the local Treg profile remains uncertain. We aimed to investigate the frequency of Tregs in BA liver tissues. METHODS The number of lymphocytes, CD4+ cells, and CD4+FOXP3+ Tregs infiltrating the portal tract and the percentage of Tregs among CD4+ cells of BA and control patients were visually counted. The correlation between these data and clinical indicators was also examined. RESULTS The number of lymphocytes, CD4+ cells, and CD4+FOXP3+ Tregs was higher in the BA group. However, the percentage of Tregs among CD4+ cells was similar in both groups. Each parameter was correlated with serum γ-GTP, but there was no clear association with liver fibrosis, jaundice clearance, and native liver survival. CONCLUSION The number of Tregs infiltrating the portal tract was higher in BA patients. However, the infiltration of lymphocytes was also generally increased. Tregs appear to be unsuccessful in suppressing progressive inflammation in BA patients, despite recruitment to local sites. Investigation of Treg function in the local environment is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoru Oita
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, Chiba, 260-8677, Japan.
| | - Takeshi Saito
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, Chiba, 260-8677, Japan
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Chiba Children's Hospital, 579-1 Heda-cho, Midori-ku, Chiba City, Chiba, 260-8667, Japan
| | - Rei Hashimoto
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, Chiba, 260-8677, Japan
| | - Takashi Fumita
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, Chiba, 260-8677, Japan
| | - Yoshio Katsumata
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, Chiba, 260-8677, Japan
| | - Keita Terui
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, Chiba, 260-8677, Japan
| | - Shugo Komatsu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, Chiba, 260-8677, Japan
| | - Ayako Takenouchi
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, Chiba, 260-8677, Japan
| | - Jun-Ichiro Ikeda
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, Chiba, 260-8677, Japan
| | - Tomoro Hishiki
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, Chiba, 260-8677, Japan
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Janowska M, Bierła JB, Kaleta M, Wierzbicka-Rucińska A, Czubkowski P, Kanarek E, Cukrowska B, Pawłowska J, Cielecka-Kuszyk J. The Impact of a CMV Infection on the Expression of Selected Immunological Parameters in Liver Tissue in Children with Biliary Atresia. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11247269. [PMID: 36555887 PMCID: PMC9781492 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11247269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathogenesis of biliary atresia (BA) is still not clear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of selected immunological parameters in liver tissue in BA children based on CMV/EBV infection status. Eight of thirty-one children with newly diagnosed BA were included in this prospective study and assigned to two groups (I with active infection, II without active or past infection). All studies were performed on surgical liver biopsies. To visualize CD8+ T cells and CD56 expression, immunohistochemical staining was performed. The viral genetic material in the studied groups was not found, but CMV infection significantly affected the number of CD8+ lymphocytes in both the portal area and the bile ducts. The average number of CD8+ cells per mm2 of portal area in Groups I and II was 335 and 200 (p = 0.002). The average number of these cellsthat infiltrated the epithelium of the bile duct per mm2 in Group I and II was 0.73 and 0.37 (p = 0.0003), respectively. Expression of CD56 in the bile ducts corresponded to the intensity of the inflammatory infiltrate of CD8+ cells. Our results suggest that active CMV infection induces an increased infiltration of CD8+ lymphocytes, which could play a role in BA immunopathogenesis. Increased CD56 expression can be a sign of a newly formed bile structure often without lumen, suggesting inhibition of the maturation process in BA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Janowska
- Department of Pediatric Surgery and Organ Transplantation, The Children’s Memorial Health Institute, 04-730 Warsaw, Poland
- Correspondence:
| | - Joanna B. Bierła
- Department of Pathomorphology, The Children’s Memorial Health Institute, 04-730 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Magdalena Kaleta
- Department of Pathomorphology, The Children’s Memorial Health Institute, 04-730 Warsaw, Poland
- Teva Pharmaceuticals, 00-113 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Aldona Wierzbicka-Rucińska
- Department of Biochemistry, Radioimmunology and Experimental Medicine, The Children’s Memorial Health Institute, 04-730 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Czubkowski
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Nutritional Disorders and Pediatrics, The Children’s Memorial Health Institute, 04-730 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ewelina Kanarek
- Histocompatibility Laboratory, The Children’s Memorial Health Institute, 04-730 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Bożena Cukrowska
- Department of Pathomorphology, The Children’s Memorial Health Institute, 04-730 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Pawłowska
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Nutritional Disorders and Pediatrics, The Children’s Memorial Health Institute, 04-730 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Cielecka-Kuszyk
- Department of Pathomorphology, The Children’s Memorial Health Institute, 04-730 Warsaw, Poland
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Li Y, Li TY, Qi Q, Zhang MT, Tong MX, Su PJ, Zhang ZB. Human poliovirus receptor contributes to biliary atresia pathogenesis by exacerbating natural-killer-cell-mediated bile duct injury. Liver Int 2022; 42:2724-2742. [PMID: 36251580 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Natural killer (NK) cells play an important role in biliary atresia (BA) pathogenesis; human poliovirus receptor (PVR) is an important NK-cell modulator. Here, we explored the role of PVR in BA pathogenesis. METHODS Poliovirus receptor expression and NK cell-associated genes were detected in human BA samples and a rotavirus-induced BA mouse model using quantitative PCR and immunofluorescence staining. Chemically modified small interfering RNA silenced PVR expression in the BA model, and its effects on the population and function of intrahepatic NK cells were investigated using flow cytometry (FCM). The effects of PVR overexpression and knockdown on proliferation, apoptosis and NK-cell-mediated lysis of cultured human cholangiocytes were analysed using FCM and cell viability assays. Serum PVR, high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) levels were measured in a cohort of 50 patients using ELISA. RESULTS Poliovirus receptor expression was upregulated in the biliary epithelium of BA patients and BA model and was positively correlated with the population and activation of intrahepatic NK cells. Silencing of PVR expression impaired the cytotoxicity of NK cells, reduced inflammation and protected mice from rotavirus-induced BA. Activation of the TLR3-IRF3 signalling pathway induced PVR expression in cultured cholangiocytes. PVR overexpression promoted proliferation and inhibited the apoptosis of cholangiocytes but exacerbated NK cell-mediated cholangiocyte lysis. Serum PVR levels were elevated in BA patients and were positively correlated with HMGB1 and IL-1beta levels. CONCLUSIONS Poliovirus receptor contributes to BA pathogenesis by regulating NK cell-mediated bile duct injury; PVR has the value as a biomarker of BA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Li
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.,The Key Laboratory of Health Ministry for Congenital Malformation, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Tian-Yu Li
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.,The Key Laboratory of Health Ministry for Congenital Malformation, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiao Qi
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Min-Ting Zhang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.,The Key Laboratory of Health Ministry for Congenital Malformation, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Ming-Xin Tong
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng-Jun Su
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhi-Bo Zhang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.,The Key Laboratory of Health Ministry for Congenital Malformation, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
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7
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Björkström NK. Immunobiology of the biliary tract system. J Hepatol 2022; 77:1657-1669. [PMID: 36116989 PMCID: PMC7615184 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2022.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
The biliary tract is a complex tubular organ system spanning from the liver to the duodenum. It is the site of numerous acute and chronic disorders, many of unknown origin, that are often associated with cancer development and for which there are limited treatment options. Cholangiocytes with proinflammatory capacities line the lumen and specialised types of immune cells reside in close proximity. Recent technological breakthroughs now permit spatiotemporal assessments of immune cells within distinct niches and have increased our understanding of immune cell tissue residency. In this review, a comprehensive overview of emerging knowledge on the immunobiology of the biliary tract system is provided, with a particular emphasis on the role of distinct immune cells in biliary disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niklas K Björkström
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Frequency and function of circulating regulatory T-cells in biliary atresia. Pediatr Surg Int 2022; 39:23. [PMID: 36449184 DOI: 10.1007/s00383-022-05307-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Although the impairment of regulatory T-cells (Tregs) has been shown in the liver or portal area of biliary atresia (BA) the frequency and function of circulating Tregs in BA patients is poorly understood. We aimed to investigate the frequency and function of circulating Tregs in BA patients. METHODS Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were collected from 25 BA patients and 24 controls. Treg frequency was measured by flow cytometry; function was determined by T-cell proliferation assay. We also assessed the association between Treg frequency/function and clinical parameters in BA cases. RESULTS There was no significant difference between the two groups in both frequency (BA: 3.4%; control: 3.2%; p = 0.97) and function (BA: 22.0%; control: 7.5%; p = 0.23) of Tregs. We further focused on 13 preoperative BA patients and 14 age-matched controls. Neither Treg frequency nor function were significantly different (frequency: BA: 4.6%; control: 3.4%; p = 0.38, function: BA: 2.7%; control: 7.6%; p = 0.89). There was no association between Treg frequency/function and clinical parameters. CONCLUSION Neither the frequency nor function of circulating Tregs was affected in BA patients, suggesting the negative role of circulating Tregs in the pathogenesis of BA. Further investigation of local Treg profiles is warranted.
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Ye C, Zhu J, Wang J, Chen D, Meng L, Zhan Y, Yang R, He S, Li Z, Dai S, Li Y, Sun S, Shen Z, Huang Y, Dong R, Chen G, Zheng S. Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics reveal the fibrosis-related immune landscape of biliary atresia. Clin Transl Med 2022; 12:e1070. [PMID: 36333281 PMCID: PMC9636046 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Biliary atresia (BA) is a devastating inflammatory and fibrosing cholangiopathy of neonates with unknown aetiology. We aim to investigate the relationship between these two main characteristics. METHODS Single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics were performed on liver samples from a cohort of 14 objects (BA: n = 6; control: n = 8). We conducted data integration and cell-type annotation based on gene expression profiling. Furthermore, we identified fibrosis-related immune cells according to their spatial locations, GO and KEGG analysis. Finally, SPOTlight and CIBERSORTx were used to deconvolute ST data and microarray data of the GSE46960 cohorts, respectively. RESULTS Immune subpopulations inhabiting the 'fibrotic niche' (areas of scarring), comprising 'intermediate' CD14++ CD16+ monocytes, scar-associated macrophages, natural killer T cells, transitional B cells and FCN3+ neutrophils were identified. GO and KEGG analyses showed that pathways including 'positive regulation of smooth muscle cell/fibroblast proliferation' and 'positive regulation of/response to VEGFR/VEGF/EGFR/FGF' were enriched in these cell types. Interactions analysis showed that communication among 'FGF_FGFR', 'RPS19-C5AR1', 'CD74_COPA/MIF/APP' and 'TNFRSF1A/B_GRN' was extensive. Finally, the results of deconvolution for ST data and microarray data validated that the proportions of certain identified fibrosis-related cell types we identified were increased in BA. DISCUSSION Fibrosis is an important feature of BA, in which the immune system plays an important role. Our work reveals the subpopulations of immune cells enriched in the fibrotic niche of BA liver, as well as key related pathways and molecules; some are highlighted for the first time in liver fibrosis. These newly identified interactions might partly explain why the rate of liver fibrosis occurs much faster in BA than in other liver diseases. CONCLUSION Our study revealed the molecular, cellular and spatial immune microenvironment of the fibrotic niche of BA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunjing Ye
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryChildren's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal DiseaseMinistry of HealthShanghaiChina
| | - Jiajie Zhu
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryChildren's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal DiseaseMinistry of HealthShanghaiChina
| | - Junfeng Wang
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryChildren's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal DiseaseMinistry of HealthShanghaiChina
| | - Deqian Chen
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryChildren's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal DiseaseMinistry of HealthShanghaiChina
| | - Lingdu Meng
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryChildren's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal DiseaseMinistry of HealthShanghaiChina
| | - Yong Zhan
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryChildren's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal DiseaseMinistry of HealthShanghaiChina
| | - Ran Yang
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryChildren's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal DiseaseMinistry of HealthShanghaiChina
| | - Shiwei He
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryChildren's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal DiseaseMinistry of HealthShanghaiChina
| | - Zifeng Li
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryChildren's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal DiseaseMinistry of HealthShanghaiChina
| | - Shuyang Dai
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryChildren's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal DiseaseMinistry of HealthShanghaiChina
| | - Yi Li
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryChildren's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal DiseaseMinistry of HealthShanghaiChina
| | - Song Sun
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryChildren's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal DiseaseMinistry of HealthShanghaiChina
| | - Zhen Shen
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryChildren's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal DiseaseMinistry of HealthShanghaiChina
| | - Yanlei Huang
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryChildren's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal DiseaseMinistry of HealthShanghaiChina
| | - Rui Dong
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryChildren's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal DiseaseMinistry of HealthShanghaiChina
| | - Gong Chen
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryChildren's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal DiseaseMinistry of HealthShanghaiChina
| | - Shan Zheng
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryChildren's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal DiseaseMinistry of HealthShanghaiChina
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Luo Y, Bednarek J, Chaidez A, Atif S, Wang D, Mack CL. Regulatory T Cell (Treg) Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte-associated Antigen-4 Deficits in Biliary Atresia (BA) and Disease Rescue With Treg Augmentation in Murine BA. GASTRO HEP ADVANCES 2022; 1:461-470. [PMID: 39131670 PMCID: PMC11307853 DOI: 10.1016/j.gastha.2021.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
Background and Aims Biliary atresia (BA) entails an inflammatory injury of the biliary tree, leading to fibrosis of the extrahepatic and intrahepatic bile ducts. The chronic inflammatory biliary injury may be due to lack of appropriate regulatory T cell (Treg) suppression of inflammation. The aims of the study were to characterize Treg deficits in human BA and to determine if Treg augmentation therapy improved outcomes in the rhesus rotavirus (RRV)-induced mouse model of BA. Methods Immunophenotyping of human peripheral blood and liver Tregs was performed with flow cytometry, Vectra-6 multicolor immunohistochemistry (IHC), and real-time polymerase chain reaction. Measured outcomes of Treg augmentation with the interleukin-2 monoclonal antibody JES6-1/interleukin-2 in the RRV-induced mouse model of BA included survival, direct bilirubin, IHC, and liver flow cytometry. Results Patients with BA had decreased peripheral blood Treg frequency and lack of cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) upregulation despite a highly activated, effector Treg phenotype. IHC revealed decreased liver Treg frequency and Treg CTLA-4 expression. Treg augmentation in the murine model led to increased survival, decreased direct bilirubin levels and liver inflammation, and expansion of resident macrophages. In addition to the M2 phenotype of resident macrophages, these cells adopted an inflammatory M1 phenotype in response to RRV infection, which was inhibited with Treg augmentation. Conclusion Patients with BA have Treg deficiencies associated with lack of sufficient CTLA-4 expression that is necessary for cell-cell contact inhibition of inflammatory responses. Treg augmentation therapy in murine BA protected from disease. Future treatment trials for BA should include agents that enhance Treg number or function, mimic CTLA-4 function, and promote anti-inflammatory M2 macrophage phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhuan Luo
- Section of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine. Aurora, Colorado
| | - Joseph Bednarek
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah. Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Alexander Chaidez
- Section of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine. Aurora, Colorado
| | - Shaikh Atif
- Division of Allergy & Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine. Aurora, Colorado
| | - Dong Wang
- University of Colorado School of Medicine. Aurora, Colorado
| | - Cara L. Mack
- Section of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine. Aurora, Colorado
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11
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Quelhas P, Cerski C, Dos Santos JL. Update on Etiology and Pathogenesis of Biliary Atresia. Curr Pediatr Rev 2022; 19:48-67. [PMID: 35538816 DOI: 10.2174/1573396318666220510130259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Biliary atresia is a rare inflammatory sclerosing obstructive cholangiopathy that initiates in infancy as complete choledochal blockage and progresses to the involvement of intrahepatic biliary epithelium. Growing evidence shows that biliary atresia is not a single entity with a single etiology but a phenotype resulting from multifactorial events whose common path is obliterative cholangiopathy. The etiology of biliary atresia has been explained as resulting from genetic variants, toxins, viral infection, chronic inflammation or bile duct lesions mediated by autoimmunity, abnormalities in the development of the bile ducts, and defects in embryogenesis, abnormal fetal or prenatal circulation and susceptibility factors. It is increasingly evident that the genetic and epigenetic predisposition combined with the environmental factors to which the mother is exposed are potential triggers for biliary atresia. There is also an indication that a progressive thickening of the arterial middle layer occurs in this disease, suggestive of vascular remodeling and disappearance of the interlobular bile ducts. It is suggested that the hypoxia/ischemia process can affect portal structures in biliary atresia and is associated with both the extent of biliary proliferation and the thickening of the medial layer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Quelhas
- CICS-UBI - Centro de Investigação em Ciências da Saúde, University of Beira Interior, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Carlos Cerski
- Department of Pathology, University Federal Rio Grande do Sul, 90040-060, Porto Alegre, Brasil
| | - Jorge Luiz Dos Santos
- CICS-UBI - Centro de Investigação em Ciências da Saúde, University of Beira Interior, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal
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12
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Lendahl U, Lui VCH, Chung PHY, Tam PKH. Biliary Atresia - emerging diagnostic and therapy opportunities. EBioMedicine 2021; 74:103689. [PMID: 34781099 PMCID: PMC8604670 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Biliary Atresia is a devastating pediatric cholangiopathy affecting the bile ducts of the liver. In this review, we describe recent progress in the understanding of liver development with a focus on cholangiocyte differentiation and how use of technical platforms, including rodent, zebrafish and organoid models, advances our understanding of Biliary Atresia. This is followed by a description of potential pathomechanisms, such as autoimmune responses, inflammation, disturbed apical-basal cell polarity, primary cilia dysfunction as well as beta-amyloid accumulation. Finally, we describe current and emerging diagnostic opportunities and recent translation breakthroughs for Biliary Atresia in the area of emerging therapy development, including immunomodulation and organoid-based systems for liver and bile duct repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urban Lendahl
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Dr. Li Dak-Sum Research Centre, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
| | - Vincent C H Lui
- Dr. Li Dak-Sum Research Centre, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Department of Surgery, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Patrick H Y Chung
- Department of Surgery, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Paul K H Tam
- Dr. Li Dak-Sum Research Centre, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Department of Surgery, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
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13
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RRV-induced biliary atresia in neonatal mice involves CD8 + T lymphocyte killer cells and the Notch signaling pathway. Genes Genomics 2021; 43:1289-1299. [PMID: 34410624 DOI: 10.1007/s13258-021-01153-5] [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: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Persistent inflammation induced by viral infection may contribute to the pathogenesis of biliary atresia (BA). Moreover, CD4+ helper cells and CD8+ killer cells are the main effector cells involved in BA and intrahepatic bile duct injuries. OBJECTIVE Thus, we aimed to explore the dynamics of inflammatory cell infiltration and inflammation-regulated pathways in liver-specific inflammatory responses. METHODS Neonatal Balb/C mice were intraperitoneally infected with 1 × 106 PFU rhesus rotavirus (RRV; BA + group), 1 × 105 PFU RRV (BA- group), or DMEM (control group). Mice were sacrificed 7 or 14 days post-infection and their bile ducts, livers, and spleen-derived tissues were examined via H & E staining. The number of CD4+T lymphocytes helper cells (CD4+Th), CD8+T lymphocytes killer cells (CD8+Tc), natural killer (NK) cells, and macrophages (Mac) in the liver and spleen were quantified by flow cytometry. The expression of inflammatory genes was analyzed via a PCR-array. Western blotting was conducted to quantify the protein expression of Notch receptor active fragments (NICD). Finally, some mice were injected with DAPT (a γ-secretase inhibitor) 12 h post-infection followed by analysis of liver and bile duct tissues after 14 days. RESULTS The numbers of CD4+Th cells were increased in the livers of BA- mice after 14 days (P < 0.05). After RRV infection, the number of CD8+Tc, CD4+Th, NK, and Mac were increased in the livers of BA + mice after 7 and 14 days. Notably, NK cell numbers remained elevated in the BA + group, but the number of Mac first increased and then decreased in both the treatment groups. PCR-array analyses indicated that the expression of many genes related to T cell proliferation and differentiation significantly increased in the livers of BA. The most upregulated gene was Jagged2 (20.34-fold). Increased NICD (Notch receptor active fragments) protein expression was found in the BA + group. Finally, DAPT injection could reduce inflammation, CD8+Tc infiltration, NICD expression, and bile duct damage after RRV infection. We found that CD8+Tc played the most important role in damaging bile ducts and promoting BA. CONCLUSION The DAPT-based intervention could reduce expression of CD8+Tc and bile duct damage in BA mouse livers post-RRV infection. We believe that the Notch signaling pathway regulates CD8+Tc functions and inflammatory dynamics in BA mouse livers.
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14
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Zhang J, Luo Y, Feng M, Xia Q. Identification of Liver Immune Microenvironment-Related Hub Genes in Liver of Biliary Atresia. Front Pediatr 2021; 9:786422. [PMID: 35111704 PMCID: PMC8802228 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2021.786422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Biliary atresia (BA) is one of the most common and fatal abnormalities of newborns. Increasing evidences indicated that immunology was the critical part of the etiology. This research used a public gene expression database to explore the immune microenvironment of BA liver. Methods: The gene expression profiles GSE46960, GSE159720, and GSE15235, containing BA and normal liver gene expression data, were obtained from the Expression Omnibus Gene. We applied CIBERSORTx to quantify 22 subsets of immune cells in BA liver. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and immune cells were used to further explore their relationship with liver fibrosis and the inflammation status of BA. Results: The expression of immune-related genes CXCL6, CXCL8, CXCL10, CCL20, IL32, TGFB2, SPP1, and SLIT2 was significantly different between BA and normal liver, among which CXCL8 was the hub gene. Six of 22 immune cell proportions were significantly different between BA and normal liver. Specifically, M0 macrophages and resting memory CD4+ T cells were upregulated in BA liver compared with normal liver. Meanwhile, monocytes, resting natural killer (NK) cells, plasma cells, and regulatory T (Treg) cells were downregulated. A further correlation analysis revealed that SLIT2 and CXCL6 owned high positive correlation coefficients with fibrosis grade, while the proportion of resting NK cells was negatively correlated. Proportions of resting CD4+ memory T cells were strongly related to the inflammation grade of BA liver. Conclusion: Biliary atresia is a disease strongly correlated with immune response. Our results might provide a clue for further exploration of BA etiology, which may promote a potential prediction model based on immune infiltration features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxu Zhang
- Department of Liver Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Luo
- Department of Liver Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Institute of Transplantation, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingxuan Feng
- Department of Liver Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Institute of Transplantation, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiang Xia
- Department of Liver Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Institute of Transplantation, Shanghai, China
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15
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Zhang Y, Zhou L, Gu G, Feng M, Ding X, Xia Q, Lu L. CXCL8
high
inflammatory B cells in the peripheral blood of patients with biliary atresia are involved in disease progression. Immunol Cell Biol 2020; 98:682-692. [PMID: 32506479 DOI: 10.1111/imcb.12366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- Department of Liver Surgery Ren Ji Hospital School of Medicine Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai China
| | - Lin Zhou
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai China
| | - Guangxiang Gu
- Department of Liver Surgery Ren Ji Hospital School of Medicine Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai China
| | - Mingxuan Feng
- Department of Liver Surgery Ren Ji Hospital School of Medicine Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai China
| | - Xuping Ding
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai China
| | - Qiang Xia
- Department of Liver Surgery Ren Ji Hospital School of Medicine Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai China
| | - Liming Lu
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai China
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16
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Yang L, Shivakumar P, Kinder J, Way SS, Donnelly B, Mourya R, Luo Z, Bezerra JA. Regulation of bile duct epithelial injury by hepatic CD71+ erythroid cells. JCI Insight 2020; 5:135751. [PMID: 32407296 PMCID: PMC7308060 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.135751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Extramedullary hematopoietic cells are present in the liver of normal neonates in the first few days of life and persist in infants with biliary atresia. Based on a previous report that liver genes are enriched by erythroid pathways, we examined the liver gene expression pattern at diagnosis and found the top 5 enriched pathways are related to erythrocyte pathobiology in children who survived with the native liver beyond 2 years of age. Using immunostaining, anti-CD71 antibodies identified CD71+ erythroid cells among extramedullary hematopoietic cells in the livers at the time of diagnosis. In mechanistic experiments, the preemptive antibody depletion of hepatic CD71+ erythroid cells in neonatal mice rendered them resistant to rhesus rotavirus-induced (RRV-induced) biliary atresia. The depletion of CD71+ erythroid cells increased the number of effector lymphocytes and delayed the RRV infection of livers and extrahepatic bile ducts. In coculture experiments, CD71+ erythroid cells suppressed the activation of hepatic mononuclear cells. These data uncover an immunoregulatory role for CD71+ erythroid cells in the neonatal liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Yang
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) and Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Pranavkumar Shivakumar
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) and Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Jeremy Kinder
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Perinatal Institute and
| | - Sing Sing Way
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Perinatal Institute and
| | - Bryan Donnelly
- Division of Pediatric and Thoracic Surgery, CCHMC, Ohio, USA
| | - Reena Mourya
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) and Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Zhenhua Luo
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) and Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou City, Guangdong, China
| | - Jorge A. Bezerra
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) and Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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17
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Ge W, Gao Y, Zhao Y, Yang Y, Sun Q, Yang X, Xu X, Zhang J. Decreased T-cell mediated hepatic injury in concanavalin A-treated PLRP2-deficient mice. Int Immunopharmacol 2020; 85:106604. [PMID: 32428799 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2020.106604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Concanavalin A (Con A) activates innate immunity and causes liver damage mediated by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in mice. The Pancreatic lipase-related protein 2 (PLRP2) is induced by interleukin (IL)-4 in vitro in CTLs and associated with CTL functions. We examined the role of PLRP2 in a mouse model of Con A-induced T cell-mediated hepatitis. PLRP2-knockout and wild-type (WT) mice were inoculated with 20 mg/kg Con A. Mice lacking PLRP2 reduced Con A-induced hepatitis, which was manifested by a decrease in serum aminotransferase and histopathological assessment. The expression and secretion of cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interferon (IFN)-γ, IL-6, and IL-1β were suppressed in Con A-treated PLRP2-knockout mice. In PLRP2 knockout mice, Con A-induced liver chemokines and adhesion molecules (such as MIP-1α, MIP-1β, ICAM-1 and MCP-1) were also down regulated. In the WT liver treated with Con A, the number of T cells (CD4+ and CD8+) and macrophages (CD11b+ F4/80+) increased significantly, while the lack of PLRP2 reduced the number of T cells in the liver, but had no effect on macrophages. The shift of the metabolic profiles was impaired in Con A-treated PLRP2-knockout mice compared to WT mice. In conclusion, these results indicate that PLRP2 deficiency reduces T-cell mediated Con A-induced hepatitis, and suggest PLRP2 is a potential target of anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory drugs to treat immune-mediated hepatitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhao Ge
- Center for Molecular Metabolism, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan Gao
- Center for Molecular Metabolism, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, Nanjing, China
| | - Yang Zhao
- Center for Molecular Metabolism, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, Nanjing, China
| | - Yunxia Yang
- Center for Molecular Metabolism, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, Nanjing, China
| | - Qi Sun
- Center for Molecular Metabolism, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiao Yang
- Center for Molecular Metabolism, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, Nanjing, China
| | - Xi Xu
- Center for Molecular Metabolism, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, Nanjing, China
| | - Jianfa Zhang
- Center for Molecular Metabolism, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, Nanjing, China.
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18
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Ortiz-Perez A, Donnelly B, Temple H, Tiao G, Bansal R, Mohanty SK. Innate Immunity and Pathogenesis of Biliary Atresia. Front Immunol 2020; 11:329. [PMID: 32161597 PMCID: PMC7052372 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Biliary atresia (BA) is a devastating fibro-inflammatory disease characterized by the obstruction of extrahepatic and intrahepatic bile ducts in infants that can have fatal consequences, when not treated in a timely manner. It is the most common indication of pediatric liver transplantation worldwide and the development of new therapies, to alleviate the need of surgical intervention, has been hindered due to its complexity and lack of understanding of the disease pathogenesis. For that reason, significant efforts have been made toward the development of experimental models and strategies to understand the etiology and disease mechanisms and to identify novel therapeutic targets. The only characterized model of BA, using a Rhesus Rotavirus Type A infection of newborn BALB/c mice, has enabled the identification of key cellular and molecular targets involved in epithelial injury and duct obstruction. However, the establishment of an unleashed chronic inflammation followed by a progressive pathological wound healing process remains poorly understood. Like T cells, macrophages can adopt different functional programs [pro-inflammatory (M1) and resolutive (M2) macrophages] and influence the surrounding cytokine environment and the cell response to injury. In this review, we provide an overview of the immunopathogenesis of BA, discuss the implication of innate immunity in the disease pathogenesis and highlight their suitability as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Ortiz-Perez
- Department of Biomaterials Science and Technology, Technical Medical Centre, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands
| | - Bryan Donnelly
- Department of Pediatric and Thoracic Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Haley Temple
- Department of Pediatric and Thoracic Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Greg Tiao
- Department of Pediatric and Thoracic Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Ruchi Bansal
- Department of Biomaterials Science and Technology, Technical Medical Centre, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands
| | - Sujit Kumar Mohanty
- Department of Pediatric and Thoracic Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
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Abstract
Birch pollen allergy is a common cause of spring pollinosis in China. However, there is little research on birch pollen allergen in China and only the major allergen (Bet v 1) has been fully characterized. Chinese birch pollen-induced airway inflammation models in BALB/c mice were developed and administered subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT). BALB/c mice were sensitized subcutaneously on days 1, 8, and 15 with 25 μg/μL birch pollen extract. On days 24-26, the mice were challenged with 0.1% birch pollen aerosol. To investigate the efficacy of SCIT, mice were subcutaneously injected 0.3 mg birch pollen extract (BPE) with or without being adsorbed to alum. Airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR) to methacholine and immunological parameters was detected. Western blot analysis was applied with mice serum and mass spectrometry was used to identify the IgE-binding bands in birch pollen. Compared with PBS group, birch pollen sensitization and challenge BALB/c mice developed AHR, and IL4, IL5, IL6, IL10, and IL17 were significantly higher. Mice sensitized by birch pollen showed increased plasma levels of anti-BPE IgE, IgG1, and IgG2a. Histologic analyses showed that mice had peribranchial infiltration of inflammatory cells and mucosal hyperplasia. After SCIT, allergic symptoms effectively alleviated and kept for a long time. Interestingly, mice serum pool showed strong reactions to 70-kDa proteins. Mass spectrometry data suggests that the 70-kDa protein belongs to the HSP 70 family. SCIT inhibited the inflammatory response in the long term and a 70-kDa protein potentially belonging to the HSP 70 family plays a significant role in Chinese birch pollen-induced mice model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijuan Xie
- Department of Allergy, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Shuai Fu Yuan, Wang Fu Jing Street, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Jia Yin
- Department of Allergy, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Shuai Fu Yuan, Wang Fu Jing Street, Beijing, 100730, China.
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20
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A Phase I/IIa Trial of Intravenous Immunoglobulin Following Portoenterostomy in Biliary Atresia. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2019; 68:495-501. [PMID: 30664564 PMCID: PMC6428610 DOI: 10.1097/mpg.0000000000002256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Biliary atresia (BA) is a progressive neonatal fibroinflammatory cholangiopathy. We hypothesized that intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) would be safe, feasible, acceptable, and efficacious for the treatment of BA. The primary objective of this study was to establish the feasibility, acceptability, and safety profile of IVIg administration after hepatoportoenterostomy (HPE) in BA. The secondary objective was to determine the treatment efficacy of IVIg based on good bile drainage and survival with the native liver. METHODS A multicenter, prospective, open-labeled, phase I/IIA trial of IVIg was conducted, with 1 g/kg/dose of IVIg infused at 3-5, 30, and 60 days post-HPE, and subjects followed for 360 days post-HPE. Twenty-nine participants completed the study. RESULTS Administration of IVIg infusions was feasible and acceptable in 79%. None of the serious adverse events (SAEs) were directly related to IVIg infusions; however, 90% of participants had an SAE. Compared with a historical placebo-arm group, there was no significant increase in the proportion of IVIg participants with a serum total bilirubin <1.5 mg/dL at 90, 180, or 360 days post-HPE. Survival with the native liver in the IVIg participants showed no significant benefit over the historical placebo arm, with a difference at 360 days of -11.9% (IVIg: 58.6%, placebo: 70.5%; 90% UCB: 2.1%; P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Although IVIg infusions in infants with BA post-HPE were feasible, acceptable and safe, there was no trend to lower bilirubin levels or improved 360-day survival with the native liver. CLINICAL TRIAL Safety Study of Intravenous Immunoglobulin Post-Portoenterostomy in Biliary Atresia; #NCT01854827.
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21
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Kim S, Moore J, Alonso E, Bednarek J, Bezerra JA, Goodhue C, Karpen SJ, Loomes KM, Magee JC, Ng VL, Sherker AH, Smith C, Spino C, Venkat V, Wang K, Sokol RJ, Mack CL. Correlation of Immune Markers With Outcomes in Biliary Atresia Following Intravenous Immunoglobulin Therapy. Hepatol Commun 2019; 3:685-696. [PMID: 31061956 PMCID: PMC6492477 DOI: 10.1002/hep4.1332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Biliary atresia is a progressive fibroinflammatory cholangiopathy of infancy that is associated with activation of innate and adaptive immune responses targeting bile ducts. A recently completed multicenter phase I/IIA trial of intravenous immunoglobulin in biliary atresia did not improve serum total bilirubin levels at 90 days after hepatoportoenterostomy or survival with the native liver at 1 year. A mechanistic aim of this trial was to determine if the peripheral blood immunophenotype was associated with clinical outcomes. Flow cytometry of peripheral blood cell markers (natural killer [NK], macrophage subsets, T‐ and B‐cell subsets, regulatory T cells), neutrophils, and activation markers (clusters of differentiation [CD]38, CD69, CD86, human leukocyte antigen‐DR isotype [HLA‐DR]) was performed on 29 patients with biliary atresia at baseline and at 60, 90, 180, and 360 days after hepatoportoenterostomy. Plasma cytokines and neutrophil products were also measured. Spearman correlations of change of an immune marker from baseline to day 90 with change in serum bilirubin revealed that an increase in total bilirubin correlated with 1) increased percentage of HLA‐DR+CD38+ NK cells and expression of NK cell activation markers CD69 and HLA‐DR, 2) decreased percentage of regulatory T cells, and 3) increased interleukin (IL)‐8 and associated neutrophil products (elastase and neutrophil extracellular traps). Cox modeling revealed that the change from baseline to day 60 of the percentage of HLA‐DR+CD38+ NK cells and plasma IL‐8 levels was associated with an increased risk of transplant or death by day 360. Conclusion: Poor outcomes in biliary atresia correlated with higher peripheral blood NK cells and IL‐8 and lower regulatory T cells. Future studies should include immunotherapies targeting these pathways in order to protect the biliary tree from ongoing damage.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Estella Alonso
- Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago Chicago IL
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Vicky L Ng
- The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto Toronto Canada
| | - Averell H Sherker
- National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Bethesda MD
| | | | | | | | - Kasper Wang
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles CA
| | - Ronald J Sokol
- Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine Aurora CO
| | - Cara L Mack
- Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine Aurora CO
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22
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Fu M, Lin Z, Lin H, Tong Y, Wang H, Chen H, Chen Y, Zhang R. A Silver Nanoparticle Method for Ameliorating Biliary Atresia Syndrome in Mice. J Vis Exp 2018. [PMID: 30371664 DOI: 10.3791/58158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Biliary atresia (BA) is a severe type of cholangitis with high mortality in children of which the etiology is still not fully understood. Viral infections may be one possible cause. The typical animal model used for studying BA is established by inoculating a neonatal mouse with a rhesus rotavirus. Silver nanoparticles have been shown to exert antibacterial and antiviral effects; their function in the BA mouse model is evaluated in this study. Currently, in BA animal experiments, the methods used to improve the symptoms of BA mice are generally symptomatic treatments given via food or other drugs. The aim of this study is to demonstrate a new method for ameliorating BA syndrome in mice by the intraperitoneal injection of silver nanoparticles and to provide detailed methods for preparing the silver nanoparticle gel formulation. This method is simple and widely applicable and can be used to research the mechanism of BA, as well as in clinical treatments. Based on the BA mouse model, when the mice exhibit jaundice, the prepared silver nanoparticle gel is injected intraperitoneally to the surface of the lower liver. The survival status is observed, and biochemical indicators and liver histopathology are examined. This method allows a more intuitive understanding of both the establishment of the BA model and novel BA treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Fu
- First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University
| | - Zefeng Lin
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Guangzhou Women & Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University
| | - Huiting Lin
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Guangzhou Women & Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University
| | - Yanlu Tong
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Guangzhou Women & Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University
| | - Hezhen Wang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Guangzhou Women & Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University
| | - Hongjiao Chen
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Guangzhou Women & Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University
| | - Yan Chen
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Guangzhou Women & Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University
| | - Ruizhong Zhang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Guangzhou Women & Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University;
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23
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Hosseinzadeh F, Verdi J, Ai J, Hajighasemlou S, Seyhoun I, Parvizpour F, Hosseinzadeh F, Iranikhah A, Shirian S. Combinational immune-cell therapy of natural killer cells and sorafenib for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a review. Cancer Cell Int 2018; 18:133. [PMID: 30214375 PMCID: PMC6131874 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-018-0624-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background High prevalence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and typically poor prognosis of this disease that lead to late stage diagnosis when potentially curative therapies are least effective; therefore, development of an effective and systematic treatment is an urgent requirement. Main body In this review, several current treatments for HCC patients and their advantages or disadvantages were summarized. Moreover, various recent preclinical and clinical studies about the performances of "two efficient agents, sorafenib or natural killer (NK) cells", against HCC cells were investigated. In addition, the focus this review was on the chemo-immunotherapy approach, correlation between sorafenib and NK cells and their effects on the performance of each other for better suppression of HCC. Conclusion It was concluded that combinational therapy with sorafenib and NK cells might improve the outcome of applied therapeutic approaches for HCC patients. Finally, it was also concluded that interaction between sorafenib and NK cells is dose and time dependent, therefore, a careful dose and time optimizing is necessary for development of a combinational immune-cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faezeh Hosseinzadeh
- 1Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Javad Verdi
- 1Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Jafar Ai
- 1Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Saieh Hajighasemlou
- 1Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Iran Food and Drug Administration, Tehran, Iran
| | - Iman Seyhoun
- 1Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Frzad Parvizpour
- 1Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Abolfazl Iranikhah
- 4Department of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran
| | - Sadegh Shirian
- 5Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran.,6Shiraz Molecular Pathology Research Center, Dr. Daneshbod Lab, Shiraz, Iran
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24
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Petersen C, Madadi-Sanjani O. Role of viruses in biliary atresia: news from mice and men. Innov Surg Sci 2018; 3:101-106. [PMID: 31579773 PMCID: PMC6604572 DOI: 10.1515/iss-2018-0009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Biliary atresia (BA) is still an enigmatic disease of unknown etiology and cryptic pathomechanism. Despite the fact that BA is rated among rare diseases, it represents the most frequent indication for pediatric liver transplantation. Although every effort is made to elucidate the origin of the ongoing deterioration of liver function, no breakthrough has so far been achieved, which switches the surgical but symptomatic therapy to a cause-oriented approach. The nowadays leading hypothesis focuses on hepatotropic virus as a triggering agent for an autoimmunological self-limiting inflammatory process along the entire biliary tree. The present review highlights the current state of research on the factor "viruses in biliary atresia" in both patients undergoing the Kasai procedure and the virus-induced BA mouse model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claus Petersen
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, Hannover 30625, Germany, Phone: +49 511 532 9240, Fax: +49 511 532 9059
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25
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Liu J, Yang Y, Dong R, Zheng C, Pei J, Chen G, Shen Z, Huang Y, Zheng S. Cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 gene polymorphisms and biliary atresia susceptibility in Chinese children. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PATHOLOGY 2018; 11:2846-2851. [PMID: 31938405 PMCID: PMC6958283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2016] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Biliary atresia (BA) is a devastating liver disease of complex pathogenesis in neonates, characterized by an inflammatory and fibrosing obstruction of extrahepatic bile ducts. Cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA4) is expressed on the surface of a subset of regulatory T cells (Treg) and down regulates the human immune response. To investigate the possible association between CTLA4 gene polymorphisms and BA susceptibility, we conducted a case-control study in the Chinese children. Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CLTA4 gene (rs231725, rs231775 and rs3087243) were genotyped in 113 BA patients and 133 healthy controls. The statistical analysis revealed no significant difference between BA patients and healthy controls in allele or genotype frequencies (rs231725, P = 0.2718, OR = 0.814, 95% CI = 0.564-1.175; rs231775, P = 0.1599, OR = 1.316, 95% CI = 0.897-1.931; rs3087243, P = 0.0572, OR = 1.582, 95% CI = 0.984-2.543), neither in the distribution of haplotypes of these CTLA4 gene SNPs. The result of our study is the first one to provide the evidence that there is no significant association between CLTA4 gene polymorphisms and BA susceptibility in Chinese children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Liu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal Disease, Ministry of Health Shanghai, China
| | - Yifan Yang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal Disease, Ministry of Health Shanghai, China
| | - Rui Dong
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal Disease, Ministry of Health Shanghai, China
| | - Chao Zheng
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal Disease, Ministry of Health Shanghai, China
| | - Jiahao Pei
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal Disease, Ministry of Health Shanghai, China
| | - Gong Chen
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal Disease, Ministry of Health Shanghai, China
| | - Zhen Shen
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal Disease, Ministry of Health Shanghai, China
| | - Yanlei Huang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal Disease, Ministry of Health Shanghai, China
| | - Shan Zheng
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, and Key Laboratory of Neonatal Disease, Ministry of Health Shanghai, China
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26
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Luo Z, Jegga AG, Bezerra JA. Gene-disease associations identify a connectome with shared molecular pathways in human cholangiopathies. Hepatology 2018; 67:676-689. [PMID: 28865156 PMCID: PMC5834359 DOI: 10.1002/hep.29504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2017] [Revised: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Cholangiopathies are a diverse group of progressive diseases whose primary cell targets are cholangiocytes. To identify shared pathogenesis and molecular connectivity among the three main human cholangiopathies (biliary atresia [BA], primary biliary cholangitis [PBC], and primary sclerosing cholangitis [PSC]), we built a comprehensive platform of published data on gene variants, gene expression, and functional studies and applied network-based analytics in the search for shared molecular circuits. Mining the data platform with largest connected component and interactome analyses, we validated previously reported associations and identified essential and hub genes. In addition to disease-specific modules, we found a substantial overlap of disease neighborhoods and uncovered a group of 34 core genes that are enriched for immune processes and abnormal intestine/hepatobiliary mouse phenotypes. Within this core, we identified a gene subcore containing signal transduction and activator of transcription 3, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor, and forkhead box P3 prominently placed in a regulatory connectome of genes related to cellular immunity and fibrosis. We also found substantial gene enrichment in the advanced glycation endproduct/receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE) pathway and showed that RAGE activation induced cholangiocyte proliferation. Conclusion: Human cholangiopathies share pathways enriched by immunity genes and a molecular connectome that links different pathogenic features of BA, PBC, and PSC. (Hepatology 2018;67:676-689).
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenhua Luo
- The Liver Care Center and Divisions of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
| | - Anil G Jegga
- Biomedical Informatics of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the Department of Pediatrics of the University Of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Jorge A Bezerra
- The Liver Care Center and Divisions of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
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27
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Kilgore A, Mack CL. Update on investigations pertaining to the pathogenesis of biliary atresia. Pediatr Surg Int 2017; 33:1233-1241. [PMID: 29063959 PMCID: PMC5894874 DOI: 10.1007/s00383-017-4172-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Biliary atresia is a devastating biliary disease of neonates that results in liver transplantation for the vast majority. The etiology of biliary atresia is unknown and is likely multifactorial, with components of genetic predisposition, environmental trigger and autoimmunity contributing to disease pathogenesis. This review highlights recent work related to investigations of disease pathogenesis in biliary atresia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Kilgore
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Digestive Health Institute, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Cara L. Mack
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Digestive Health Institute, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
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28
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Wang PL, Wang J, Zhou Y, Chen XS, Zhou KJ, Wen J, Zhang JJ, Cai W. Expression of programmed death-1 and its ligands in the liver of biliary atresia. World J Pediatr 2017; 13:604-610. [PMID: 28332100 DOI: 10.1007/s12519-017-0018-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2016] [Accepted: 05/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND An aberrant immune response is the predominant pathogenetic factor in biliary atresia (BA). Programmed death-1 (PD-1) and its two ligands, programmed death ligand-1 and programmed death ligand-2 (PD-L1 and PD-L2, respectively) play an important inhibitory role in immune reactions. We aimed to illustrate the expression of these molecules in BA. METHODS Liver specimens were obtained from infants with BA during the Kasai procedure (early BA) and liver transplantation (late BA). Intrahepatic expression of PD- 1, PD-L1, and PD-L2 were examined by immunostaining and compared with that in patients with neonatal hepatitis syndrome and normal controls. The correlation between the expression levels of these molecules in the liver and clinicopathological parameters was analyzed for each group. RESULTS Enhanced expression of PD-1 and its ligands occurred in the livers with early BA. In the BA-affected livers, PD-1 was correlated with the degree of peri-biliary inflammation, while PD-L2 was linked more directly with portal fibrosis. None of the three molecules was correlated with the prognosis of the Kasai procedure in patients with early BA. CONCLUSIONS Only PD-1 and PD-L1 are involved in the immune reactions of early BA. Elucidation of the detailed role of PD-L2 in BA requires further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan-Liang Wang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, No. 1665 Kongjiang Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, No. 1665 Kongjiang Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Ying Zhou
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, No. 1665 Kongjiang Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Xiao-Song Chen
- Department of Transplantation and Hepatic Surgery, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ke-Jun Zhou
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Wen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian-Jun Zhang
- Department of Transplantation and Hepatic Surgery, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Cai
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, No. 1665 Kongjiang Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200092, China. .,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Shanghai, China. .,Shanghai Institute of Pediatric Research, Shanghai, China.
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29
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Cui K, Yan G, Zheng X, Bai L, Wei H, Sun R, Tian Z. Suppression of Natural Killer Cell Activity by Regulatory NKT10 Cells Aggravates Alcoholic Hepatosteatosis. Front Immunol 2017; 8:1414. [PMID: 29163491 PMCID: PMC5670109 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.01414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2017] [Accepted: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
We and others have found that the functions of hepatic natural killer (NK) cells are inhibited but invariant NKT (iNKT) cells become activated after alcohol drinking, leaving a possibility that there exists interplay between NK cells and iNKT cells during alcoholic liver disease. Here, in a chronic plus single-binge ethanol consumption mouse model, we observed that NK cells and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) protected against ethanol-induced liver steatosis, as both wild-type (WT) mice treated with anti-asialo GM1 antibody and IFN-γ-deficient GKO mice developed more severe alcoholic fatty livers. As expected, IFN-γ could directly downregulate lipogenesis in primary hepatocytes in vitro. On the contrary, iNKT cell-deficient Jα18-/- or interleukin-10 (IL-10)-/- mice showed fewer alcoholic steatosis, along with the recovered number and IFN-γ release of hepatic NK cells, and exogenous IL-10 injection was sufficient to compensate for iNKT cell deficiency. Furthermore, NK cell depletion in Jα18-/- or IL-10-/- mice caused more severe hepatosteatosis, implying NK cells are the direct effector cells to inhibit liver steatosis. Importantly, adoptive transfer of iNKT cells purified from normal but not IL-10-/- mice resulted in suppression of the number and functions of NK cells and aggravated alcoholic liver injury in Jα18-/- mice, indicating that IL-10-producing iNKT (NKT10) cells are the regulators on NK cells. Conclusion: Ethanol exposure-triggered NKT10 cells antagonize the protective roles of NK cells in alcoholic hepatosteatosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kele Cui
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease and Institute of Immunology, School of Life Sciences and Medical Center, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Anhui Province Hospital Affiliated Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Guoxiu Yan
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease and Institute of Immunology, School of Life Sciences and Medical Center, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Xiaodong Zheng
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease and Institute of Immunology, School of Life Sciences and Medical Center, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Li Bai
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease and Institute of Immunology, School of Life Sciences and Medical Center, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Haiming Wei
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease and Institute of Immunology, School of Life Sciences and Medical Center, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Rui Sun
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease and Institute of Immunology, School of Life Sciences and Medical Center, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhigang Tian
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease and Institute of Immunology, School of Life Sciences and Medical Center, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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30
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Salecan protected against concanavalin A-induced acute liver injury by modulating T cell immune responses and NMR-based metabolic profiles. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2017; 317:63-72. [PMID: 28109817 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2017.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2016] [Revised: 01/07/2017] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Salecan, a water-soluble extracellular β-glucan produced by Agrobacterium sp. ZX09, has been reported to exhibit a wide range of biological effects. The aims of the present study were to investigate the protective effect of salecan against Concanavalin A (ConA)-induced hepatitis, a well-established animal model of immune-mediated liver injury, and to search for possible mechanisms. C57BL/6 mice were pretreated with salecan followed by ConA injection. Salecan treatment significantly reduced ConA-induced acute liver injury, and suppressed the expression and secretion of inflammatory cytokines including interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β in ConA-induced liver injury model. The high expression levels of chemokines and adhesion molecules such as MIP-1α, MIP-1β, ICAM-1, MCP-1 and RANTES in the liver induced by ConA were also down-regulated after salecan treatment. Salecan inhibited the infiltration and activation of inflammatory cells, especially T cells, in the liver induced by ConA. Moreover, salecan reversed the metabolic profiles of ConA-treated mice towards the control group by partly recovering the metabolic perturbations induced by ConA. Our results suggest the preventive and therapeutic potential of salecan in immune-mediated hepatitis.
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31
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Lages CS, Simmons J, Maddox A, Jones K, Karns R, Sheridan R, Shanmukhappa SK, Mohanty S, Kofron M, Russo P, Wang YH, Chougnet C, Miethke AG. The dendritic cell-T helper 17-macrophage axis controls cholangiocyte injury and disease progression in murine and human biliary atresia. Hepatology 2017; 65:174-188. [PMID: 27641439 PMCID: PMC5191928 DOI: 10.1002/hep.28851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2016] [Revised: 08/23/2016] [Accepted: 09/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Biliary atresia (BA) is a fibroinflammatory obstruction of the extrahepatic biliary tree in neonates. While intrahepatic bile duct proliferation is universal at diagnosis, bile duct paucity develops later. We hypothesized that polarized T helper lymphocyte responses orchestrate progression of intrahepatic biliary injury in this disease. Interleukin 17A (IL-17A)-green fluorescent protein, cluster of differentiation 11c (CD11c)/diphtheria toxin receptor, and IL-17 receptor A-/- mice were used to examine T-lymphocyte polarization, inflammatory leukocyte recruitment, and biliary injury in rhesus rotavirus-induced BA. Multiparameter flow cytometry and automated image analysis of immunostaining were applied to liver tissue samples from infants with BA. In the mouse model, activated CD4+ lymphocytes started to emerge in the liver on day 8 after viral challenge, while innate immune responses were waning. Plasma IL-17A levels rose concomitantly with hepatic accumulation of T helper 17 lymphocytes and myeloid dendritic cells. Targeted depletion of CD11c+ dendritic cells diminished hepatic IL-17A production and ameliorated intrahepatic bile duct injury. Recombinant IL-17A induced expression of chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 in neonatal cholangiocytes in vitro, and blockade of the corresponding chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 2 reduced recruitment of inflammatory macrophages to the liver in vivo. Genetic disruption of IL-17A signaling was associated with down-regulation of hepatic Ccl2/Ccr2 messenger RNA expression, reduced infiltration of the liver with inflammatory Ly6Chi macrophages, and improved survival. In the liver of infants with BA, cholangiocytes were found to express IL-17 receptor A, and the prevalence of IL-17A+ cells was positively correlated with the degree of CD68+ macrophage infiltration at diagnosis. Hepatic CD4+ lymphocytes were chief producers of IL-17A in patients with progressive disease undergoing liver transplantation. CONCLUSION These findings identify the dendritic cell-T helper 17-macrophage axis as a target for the development of strategies to block progression of intrahepatic bile duct injury in patients with BA. (Hepatology 2017;65:174-188).
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Affiliation(s)
- Celine S Lages
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Julia Simmons
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Avery Maddox
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Keaton Jones
- University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Internal Medicine Residency Program, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Rebekah Karns
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Rachel Sheridan
- Division of Pathology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | | | - Sujit Mohanty
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Matthew Kofron
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Pierre Russo
- Division of Pathology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Yui-Hsi Wang
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Claire Chougnet
- Division of Immunobiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Alexander G Miethke
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Li K, Zhang X, Yang L, Wang XX, Yang DH, Cao GQ, Li S, Mao YZ, Tang ST. Foxp3 promoter methylation impairs suppressive function of regulatory T cells in biliary atresia. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2016; 311:G989-G997. [PMID: 27659419 DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00032.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2016] [Accepted: 08/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Biliary atresia (BA) is characterized by progressive inflammation of the biliary system leading to liver cirrhosis, necessitating liver transplantation in pediatric patients. Various cell types have been reported to participate in the proinflammatory response in rhesus rotavirus (RRV)-induced BA mouse models, including T helper (Th) 1, Th2, Th17, CD8+ T cells, and natural killer cells. The immune suppressive regulatory T (Treg) cells, on the contrary, were reported not to function properly. The underlying mechanism is largely unknown. Focusing on the impaired suppressive function of Treg, we found methylation status of CpG islands within the Foxp3 promoter region of Treg cells in BA patients and murine models were both increased. Moreover, by injecting 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (Aza) as DNA-methylation inhibitor to RRV-infected mice, BA phenotypes were alleviated. Furthermore, Treg cells isolated from "RRV+Aza"-injected mice had better suppressive function than Treg cells from mice injected with RRV only, both in vivo and ex vivo. Thus we concluded that aberrant increased methylation status of "Foxp3 promoter" in Treg cells leads to impaired Treg suppressive function, exacerbating inflammatory injury in BA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang Li
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xi Zhang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Li Yang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xin-Xing Wang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - De-Hua Yang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Guo-Qing Cao
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuai Li
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yong-Zhong Mao
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shao-Tao Tang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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33
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Lakshminarayanan B, Davenport M. Biliary atresia: A comprehensive review. J Autoimmun 2016; 73:1-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2016.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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34
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Palomo J, Mastelic-Gavillet B, Woldt E, Troccaz S, Rodriguez E, Palmer G, Siegrist CA, Gabay C. IL-36–Induced Toxicity in Neonatal Mice Involves TNF-α Production by Liver Myeloid Cells. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2016; 197:2239-49. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1600700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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35
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Hwang JY, Randall TD, Silva-Sanchez A. Inducible Bronchus-Associated Lymphoid Tissue: Taming Inflammation in the Lung. Front Immunol 2016; 7:258. [PMID: 27446088 PMCID: PMC4928648 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2016.00258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2016] [Accepted: 06/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Following pulmonary inflammation, leukocytes that infiltrate the lung often assemble into structures known as inducible Bronchus-Associated Lymphoid Tissue (iBALT). Like conventional lymphoid organs, areas of iBALT have segregated B and T cell areas, specialized stromal cells, high endothelial venules, and lymphatic vessels. After inflammation is resolved, iBALT is maintained for months, independently of inflammation. Once iBALT is formed, it participates in immune responses to pulmonary antigens, including those that are unrelated to the iBALT-initiating antigen, and often alters the clinical course of disease. However, the mechanisms that govern immune responses in iBALT and determine how iBALT impacts local and systemic immunity are poorly understood. Here, we review our current understanding of iBALT formation and discuss how iBALT participates in pulmonary immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Young Hwang
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham , Birmingham, AL , USA
| | - Troy D Randall
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham , Birmingham, AL , USA
| | - Aaron Silva-Sanchez
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham , Birmingham, AL , USA
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Li K, Zhang X, Tang ST, Yang L, Cao GQ, Li S, Yang DH. γδ T cells and Foxp3(+) Treg cells infiltration in children with biliary atresia and its significance. Int J Clin Exp Med 2015; 8:18512-18517. [PMID: 26770461 PMCID: PMC4694361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2015] [Accepted: 10/13/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
To investigate the changes in the proportion of γδ T cells and Foxp3(+) Treg cells in children with BA (biliary atresia). The distribution of γδ T cells in the liver tissues and the proportion of γδ T cells and Foxp3(+) Treg cells were observed and detected in BA Group (32 cases) and control group (CG) (12 cases) by using immunohistochemical methods and flow cytometry. The periportal bile duct of liver in BA Group was surrounded by a large number of γδ T cells and a certain degree of Foxp3(+) Treg cells infiltration. Additionally, the proportion of γδ T cells and Foxp3(+) Treg cells was significantly higher than that in CG (P<0.05). And significantly negative correlation was revealed in the proportion of γδ T cells and Foxp3(+) Treg cells (P<0.05). The increase of γδ T cells or inhibition of Foxp3(+) Treg cell proliferation in liver tissues of patients with biliary atresia exacerbated the progressive inflammatory injury of bile ducts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang Li
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Xi Zhang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Shao-Tao Tang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Li Yang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Guo-Qing Cao
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Shuai Li
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430022, China
| | - De-Hua Yang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430022, China
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Liu YJ, Li K, Yang L, Tang ST, Wang XX, Cao GQ, Li S, Lei HY, Zhang X. Dendritic Cells Regulate Treg-Th17 Axis in Obstructive Phase of Bile Duct Injury in Murine Biliary Atresia. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0136214. [PMID: 26325187 PMCID: PMC4556529 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0136214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2015] [Accepted: 07/31/2015] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Several cell types are considered to be effector cells in bile duct injury in rhesus rotavirus (RRV)-induced experimental biliary atresia (BA). Here, we identified an increased T helper 17 (Th17) cell population in a BA mode. By depleting the Th17 cells, the BA symptoms (onset of jaundice, acholic stools and retarded growth) were attenuated and the survival rate was improved. Furthermore, we found that in mice with BA, the percentage of CD4+CD25highFoxp3+ T regulatory (Treg) cells decreased along with the increased percentage of Th17 cells. However, the absolute numbers of Treg and Th17 cells were both increased in liver of RRV-injected mice compared to saline-injected mice. The proportion of Th17 cells at 7 days post-infection was decreased if Treg cells isolated from normal adult mice, but not Treg cells from the livers of mice with BA, were intraperitoneally transferred on day 5 of life. In vitro experiments also showed that Treg cells from mice with BA had a diminished suppressive effect on Th17 cell generation. To determine the mechanisms, we investigated the production of cytokines in the liver. The level of IL-6, which has been shown to be abundantly secreted by activated dendritic cells (DCs), was remarkably elevated. Importantly, in a Treg/Th17 cell suppression assay, IL-6 was demonstrated to paralyze the Treg cells’ suppressive effect on Th17 cells and eventually the unrestrained increase of Th17 cells contributed to bile duct injury. In conclusion, the DC-regulated Treg-Th17 axis, probably in conjunction with other effector T cells, aggravates progressive inflammatory injury at the time of ductal obstruction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-jun Liu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Kang Li
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Li Yang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shao-tao Tang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- * E-mail:
| | - Xin-xing Wang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Guo-qing Cao
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuai Li
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Hai-yan Lei
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xi Zhang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Hill R, Quaglia A, Hussain M, Hadzic N, Mieli-Vergani G, Vergani D, Davenport M. Th-17 cells infiltrate the liver in human biliary atresia and are related to surgical outcome. J Pediatr Surg 2015; 50:1297-303. [PMID: 25783388 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2015.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2014] [Revised: 01/14/2015] [Accepted: 02/08/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Biliary atresia (BA), a cholangiopathy of unknown etiology is associated with intrahepatic mononuclear cell infiltrate. An abnormal reaction to viral exposure has been hypothesized in some cases. We aimed to investigate the nature of the CD4+ hepatic infiltrate in defined clinical variants of BA by quantification of inflammatory cell components. METHODS Liver biopsies of infants obtained at Kasai portoenterostomy (KPE) were stained immunohistochemically using monoclonal antibodies to Tbet, GATA-3, FOXP3 and interleukin (IL) 17, identifying Th-1, Th-2, Tregs and Th-17 cells respectively. T cells were counted with the aid of a graticule. Data are reported as median (range) of cells per high-power-field (×400) and compared using nonparametric statistical tests with P≤0.05 regarded as significant. RESULTS Liver biopsies from BA (n=37) and age-matched cholestatic controls (e.g. alpha-1-anti trypsin deficiency, Alagilles syndrome, n=12) were investigated. BA infants were divided into three groups: cytomegalovirus IgM +ve (CMV; n=9); BA splenic malformation (BASM; n=9) and isolated BA (IBA; n=19). All T-cell subsets were present in the portal tracts, with an overrepresentation of Th-1 (P<0.001) and Th-17 (P<0.03), but not Th-2 (P=0.94) or Tregs (P=0.15), compared to controls. Th-1 cells predominated in the CMV group; (18 [7-37] vs. 3 [0-14] [BASM] and vs. 5 [3-23] [IBA]; P<0.01 both), while no subgroup differences were seen for Th-17 cells. The degree of Th-1 cell infiltrate inversely correlated with platelet count (rS=-0.49; P<0.01). Th-17 cells were fewer (6 [2-11] vs. 11 [8-20]; P=0.02) in infants who cleared their jaundice (n=15, <20μmol/L) although this did not translate to improved native liver survival (P=0.17). CONCLUSIONS Th-17 cells infiltrate the liver in BA and are associated with a worse surgical outcome; a Th-1 profile predominates in CMV-associated BA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Hill
- Department of Paediatric Surgery, King's College Hospital, London SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Alberto Quaglia
- Institute of Liver Studies, GI & Nutrition Centre, King's College London School of Medicine at King's College Hospital, London SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Munther Hussain
- Institute of Liver Studies, GI & Nutrition Centre, King's College London School of Medicine at King's College Hospital, London SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Nedim Hadzic
- Paediatric Liver, GI & Nutrition Centre, King's College London School of Medicine at King's College Hospital, London SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Giorgina Mieli-Vergani
- Paediatric Liver, GI & Nutrition Centre, King's College London School of Medicine at King's College Hospital, London SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Diego Vergani
- Institute of Liver Studies, GI & Nutrition Centre, King's College London School of Medicine at King's College Hospital, London SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Mark Davenport
- Department of Paediatric Surgery, King's College Hospital, London SE5 9RS, UK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Zhao
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xi-Dai Long
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiang Xia
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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Chen Y, Sun R, Wu X, Cheng M, Wei H, Tian Z. CD4+CD25+ Regulatory T Cells Inhibit Natural Killer Cell Hepatocytotoxicity of Hepatitis B Virus Transgenic Mice via Membrane-Bound TGF-β and OX40. J Innate Immun 2015; 8:30-42. [PMID: 26067079 DOI: 10.1159/000431150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2014] [Accepted: 05/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) are involved in the regulation of physiological and pathological hepatic immune responses, but the roles are not well explored in natural killer (NK) cell-mediated liver diseases. In this study, using the NK cell-mediated oversensitive liver injury model of hepatitis B virus transgenic (HBs-Tg) mice triggered by a low dose of concanavalin A, it was observed that an increased number of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Tregs were accumulated in the liver, along with the recovery of liver injury. Adoptive transfer of hepatic Tregs from HBs-Tg mice but not wild B6 mice could significantly attenuate the oversensitive liver injury via inhibiting liver accumulation and decreasing NK cell group 2D-mediated activation of NK cells in the recipient HBs-Tg mice. Furthermore, upregulated expression of membrane-bound TGF-β (mTGF-β) and OX40 on hepatic Tregs were demonstrated to account for inhibiting the NK cell-mediated hepatic injury in HBs-Tg mice through cell-cell contact, confirmed by antibody blockade and cell Transwell experiments in vivo and in vitro. Our findings for the first time indicated that CD4+CD25+ Tregs directly suppressed NK cell-mediated hepatocytotoxicity through mTGF-β and OX40/OX40L interaction in a cell-cell contact manner in HBV-associated liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongyan Chen
- Department of Immunology, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, PR China
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Abstract
Cholangiocytes (ie, the epithelial cells that line the bile ducts) are an important subset of liver cells. They are actively involved in the modification of bile volume and composition, are activated by interactions with endogenous and exogenous stimuli (eg, microorganisms, drugs), and participate in liver injury and repair. The term cholangiopathies refers to a category of chronic liver diseases that share a central target: the cholangiocyte. The cholangiopathies account for substantial morbidity and mortality given their progressive nature, the challenges associated with clinical management, and the lack of effective medical therapies. Thus, cholangiopathies usually result in end-stage liver disease requiring liver transplant to extend survival. Approximately 16% of all liver transplants performed in the United States between 1988 and 2014 were for cholangiopathies. For all these reasons, cholangiopathies are an economic burden on patients, their families, and society. This review offers a concise summary of the biology of cholangiocytes and describes a conceptual framework for development of the cholangiopathies. We also present the recent progress made in understanding the pathogenesis of and how this knowledge has influenced therapies for the 6 common cholangiopathies-primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, cystic fibrosis involving the liver, biliary atresia, polycystic liver disease, and cholangiocarcinoma-because the latest scientific progress in the field concerns these conditions. We performed a search of the literature in PubMed for published papers using the following terms: cholangiocytes, biliary epithelia, cholestasis, cholangiopathy, and biliary disease. Studies had to be published in the past 5 years (from June 1, 2009, through May 31, 2014), and non-English studies were excluded.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicholas F LaRusso
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN.
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Abstract
Biliary atresia is a severe cholangiopathy of early infancy that destroys extrahepatic bile ducts and disrupts bile flow. With a poorly defined disease pathogenesis, treatment consists of the surgical removal of duct remnants followed by hepatoportoenterostomy. Although this approach can improve the short-term outcome, the liver disease progresses to end-stage cirrhosis in most children. Further improvement in outcome will require a greater understanding of the mechanisms of biliary injury and fibrosis. Here, we review progress in the field, which has been fuelled by collaborative studies in larger patient cohorts and the development of cell culture and animal model systems to directly test hypotheses. Advances include the identification of phenotypic subgroups and stages of disease based on clinical, pathological and molecular features. Stronger evidence exists for viruses, toxins and gene sequence variations in the aetiology of biliary atresia, triggering a proinflammatory response that injures the duct epithelium and produces a rapidly progressive cholangiopathy. The immune response also activates the expression of type 2 cytokines that promote epithelial cell proliferation and extracellular matrix production by nonparenchymal cells. These advances provide insight into phenotype variability and might be relevant to the design of personalized trials to block progression of liver disease.
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Squires JE, Shivakumar P, Mourya R, Bessho K, Walters S, Bezerra JA. Natural killer cells promote long-term hepatobiliary inflammation in a low-dose rotavirus model of experimental biliary atresia. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0127191. [PMID: 25992581 PMCID: PMC4437784 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0127191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2014] [Accepted: 04/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Biliary atresia is a rapidly progressive obstructive cholangiopathy of infants. Mechanistic studies in the mouse model of Rhesus rotavirus (RRV)-induced biliary atresia have linked the importance of effector lymphocytes to the pathogenesis of extrahepatic bile duct (EHBD) injury and obstruction in experimental biliary atresia; however, studies of the progressive liver injury have been limited by early death of newborn mice. Here, we aimed to determine 1) if a lower inoculum of RRV induces obstruction of EHBDs while allowing for ongoing liver inflammation, and 2) if NK cells regulate intrahepatic injury. The administration of 0.25x106 fluorescence forming units of RRV induced an obstructive extrahepatic cholangiopathy, but allowed for restoration of the duct epithelium, increased survival, and the development of a progressive intrahepatic inflammatory injury with molecular and cellular signatures equivalent to the traditional infectious model. Investigating the mechanisms of liver injury, we found that NK cell depletion at the onset of jaundice decreased liver inflammation, suppressed the expression of fibrosis and inflammation/immunity genes, lowered plasma ALT and bilirubin and improved survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- James E. Squires
- Department of Pediatrics of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition and the Pediatric Liver Care Center of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center; Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Pranavkumar Shivakumar
- Department of Pediatrics of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition and the Pediatric Liver Care Center of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center; Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Reena Mourya
- Department of Pediatrics of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition and the Pediatric Liver Care Center of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center; Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | | | - Stephanie Walters
- Department of Pediatrics of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition and the Pediatric Liver Care Center of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center; Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Jorge A. Bezerra
- Department of Pediatrics of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition and the Pediatric Liver Care Center of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center; Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Mack CL. What Causes Biliary Atresia? Unique Aspects of the Neonatal Immune System Provide Clues to Disease Pathogenesis. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2015; 1:267-274. [PMID: 26090510 PMCID: PMC4467898 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2015.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Biliary atresia (BA) is the most frequent identifiable cause of neonatal cholestasis and the majority of patients will need liver transplantation for survival. Despite surgical intervention with the Kasai portoenterostomy, significant fibrosis and cirrhosis develops early in life. An increased understanding of what causes this inflammatory fibrosing cholangiopathy will lead to therapies aimed at protecting the intrahepatic biliary system from immune-mediated damage. This review focuses on studies pertaining to the role of the adaptive immune response in bile duct injury in BA, including cellular and humoral immunity. The neonatal presentation of BA begs the question of what are potential modifications of unique aspects of the neonatal immune system that "sets the stage" for the progressive biliary disease? Throughout this article, characteristics of the neonatal immune response are outlined and theories as to how alterations of this response could contribute to the pathogenesis of BA are discussed. These include aberrant Th1 and Th17 responses, deficiencies in regulatory T cells, activation of humoral immunity and autoimmunity. In order to advance our understanding of the etiology of BA, future studies should focus on those unique aspects of the neonatal immune system that have gone awry, as detailed throughout this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara L. Mack
- Correspondence Address correspondence to: Cara L. Mack, MD, Section of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Children’s Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 13123 East 16th Avenue, Mailstop B290, Aurora, Colorado 80045. fax: (720) 777-7277.
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McGrath-Morrow SA, Lee S, Gibbs K, Lopez A, Collaco JM, Neptune E, Soloski MJ, Scott A, D'Alessio F. Immune response to intrapharyngeal LPS in neonatal and juvenile mice. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2015; 52:323-31. [PMID: 25068533 DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2014-0100oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Neonates and infants have a higher morbidity and mortality associated with lower respiratory tract illnesses compared with older children. To identify age-related and longitudinal differences in the cellular immune response to acute lung injury (ALI), neonatal and juvenile mice were given Escherichia coli LPS using a novel, minimally invasive aspiration technique. Neonatal and juvenile mice received between 3.75 and 7.5 mg/kg LPS by intrapharyngeal aspiration. Airway and lung cells were isolated and characterized by flow cytometry, cytokine/chemokine mRNA expression from lung homogenates was quantified, and lung morphometry and injury scores were performed. LPS-treated neonatal mice underwent adoptive transfer with adult T regulatory cells (Tregs). After LPS aspiration, lung monocytes isolated from neonatal mice had a predominant M2 phenotype, whereas lung monocytes from juvenile mice displayed a mixed M1/M2 phenotype. At 72 hours after LPS exposure, neonatal lungs were slower to resolve inflammation and expressed lower mRNA levels of CCL2, CCL5, CXCL10, and IL-10. Juvenile, but not neonatal, mice demonstrated a significant increase in airway Tregs after LPS exposure. Adoptive transfer of adult Tregs into LPS-challenged neonatal mice resulted in reduced lung inflammation and improved weight gain. These findings underscore several vulnerabilities in the neonatal immune response to LPS-induced ALI. Most striking was the deficiency in airway Tregs after LPS aspiration. Adoptive transfer of adult Tregs mitigated LPS-induced ALI in neonatal mice, highlighting the importance of age-related differences in Tregs and their response to ALI during early postnatal development.
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46
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Low doses of CMV induce autoimmune-mediated and inflammatory responses in bile duct epithelia of regulatory T cell-depleted neonatal mice. J Transl Med 2015; 95:180-92. [PMID: 25531565 DOI: 10.1038/labinvest.2014.148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2014] [Revised: 09/21/2014] [Accepted: 10/31/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have indicated that perinatal infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV) may promote bile duct damage in biliary atresia (BA) and that the decreased regulatory T cell (Treg) percentage associated with BA may further amplify the bile duct damage. Although a majority of BA patients have had previous CMV infections and lower percentages of Tregs, it is unknown whether an initial exposure to a low dose of CMV could induce exaggerated and progressive biliary injury. A Treg-depleted neonatal mouse was infected with low-dose CMV (LD-CMV) as a model to study BA patients. LD-CMV infection in Treg-depleted mice induced extensive inflammation in both the intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts, accompanied with injury to and atresia of intrahepatic bile ducts and partial obstruction of the extrahepatic bile ducts. Serum total and direct bilirubin amounts were also elevated. Evidence for the involvement of cellular and humoral autoimmune responses in LD-CMV-infection of Treg-depleted mice was also obtained through detection of increased percentages of CD3 and CD8 mononuclear cells and serum autoantibodies reactive to bile duct epithelial proteins, one of which was identified as α-enolase. Depletion of Tregs that can lead to the decreased inhibition of aberrantly activated hepatic T-lymphocytes and generation of autoantibodies may lead to further injury. Increased hepatic expression of Th1-related genes (TNF-α), IFN-γ-activated genes (STAT-1) and Th1 cytokines (TNF-α, lymphotactin, IL-12p40 and MIP -1γ) were also identified. In conclusion, autoimmune-mediated and inflammatory responses induced by LD-CMV infection in Treg-depleted mice results in increased intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile duct injury and contributed to disease progression.
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Arva NC, Russo PA, Erlichman J, Hancock WW, Haber BA, Bhatti TR. The inflammatory phenotype of the fibrous plate is distinct from the liver and correlates with clinical outcome in biliary atresia. Pathol Res Pract 2015; 211:252-60. [PMID: 25624184 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2014.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2014] [Revised: 11/18/2014] [Accepted: 12/05/2014] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Biliary atresia is an inflammatory cholangiopathy of still undetermined etiology. Correlations between histologic findings and clinical outcome in this disease have largely been based on evaluation of liver parenchyma. This study aimed to characterize the pattern of inflammation within the biliary remnant and identify associations between the type and degree of inflammation and clinical outcome as reflected by the transplant-free interval. The inflammation within the fibrous plates and livers of 41 patients with biliary atresia was characterized using immunohistochemical markers and the cell populations were digitally quantified. The type and quantity of cells within the infiltrate were then correlated with length of time from Kasai portoenterostomy until transplant. Histologic and immunohistochemical features of the biliary remnant allowed stratification of patients into "inflammatory plate" and "fibrotic plate" groups. Overall there was no significant difference in transplant-free interval between the two cohorts; however, there was a trend towards a longer time to transplant among patients in the "fibrotic plate" group. In addition, the composition of the inflammatory infiltrate in the fibrous plate was distinctly different from that present in the liver and only the characteristics of the inflammation in the fibrous plate, in particular the number of Foxp3+ T regulatory lymphocytes correlated with clinical outcome. The results of this study support the view of the extra-hepatic biliary tree as the primary site of injury in BA with the changes seen in the liver as secondary manifestations of outflow obstruction. The association between specific inflammatory cell subtypes within the fibrous plate and the length of transplant-free interval also supports the role of the immune system in the initial process of bile duct damage in biliary atresia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicoleta C Arva
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Pierre A Russo
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Perelman School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jessi Erlichman
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Wayne W Hancock
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Perelman School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Tricia R Bhatti
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Qiu Y, Yang J, Wang W, Zhao W, Peng F, Xiang Y, Chen G, Chen T, Chai C, Zheng S, Watkins DJ, Feng J. HMGB1-promoted and TLR2/4-dependent NK cell maturation and activation take part in rotavirus-induced murine biliary atresia. PLoS Pathog 2014; 10:e1004011. [PMID: 24651485 PMCID: PMC3961347 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2013] [Accepted: 02/04/2014] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies show that NK cells play important roles in murine biliary atresia (BA), and a temporary immunological gap exists in this disease. In this study, we found high-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) and TLRs were overexpressed in human and rotavirus-induced murine BA. The overexpressed HMGB1 released from the nuclei of rotavirus-infected cholangiocytes, as well as macrophages, activated hepatic NK cells via HMGB1-TLRs-MAPK signaling pathways. Immature NK cells had low cytotoxicity on rotavirus-injured cholangiocytes due to low expression of TLRs, which caused persistent rotavirus infection in bile ducts. HMGB1 up-regulated the levels of TLRs of NK cells and promoted NK cell activation in an age-dependent fashion. As NK cells gained increasing activation as mice aged, they gained increasing cytotoxicity on rotavirus-infected cholangiocytes, which finally caused BA. Adult NK cells eliminated rotavirus-infected cholangiocytes shortly after infection, which prevented persistent rotavirus infection in bile ducts. Moreover, adoptive transfer of mature NK cells prior to rotavirus infection decreased the incidence of BA in newborn mice. Thus, the dysfunction of newborn NK cells may, in part, participate in the immunological gap in the development of rotavirus induced murine BA. Biliary atresia (BA) is the most common precipitating factor for liver transplantation in infants. BA is caused by the obstruction of hepatic bile ducts, leading to progressive obstructive jaundice and liver fibrosis. A well-recognized theory is that rotavirus injures biliary epithelia in a mouse model of BA, followed by attack of immunocytes, such as NK cells. We performed this research to investigate whether maturation and activation of NK cells take part in the development of BA. We identified that rotavirus induced HMGB1 release from injured bile ducts. HMGB1 induced NK cell activation in an age-dependent fashion via HMGB1-TLRs-MAPK signaling pathways. Newborn NK cells were unable to eliminate rotavirus-infected cholangiocytes, which caused persistent biliary infection; maturated NK cells were activated gradually and caused persistent biliary injury, which finally led to BA. We identify HMGB1 as an important pro-inflammatory initiator and a critical inducer for maturation of NK cells in the development of BA. HMGB1-induced activation of NK cells may, in part, plays crucial roles in the development of murine BA. Novel therapies targeting HMGB1 or TLRs in patients with BA may be applied in the future to decrease the activity of NK cells in order to inhibit the progression of BA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinrong Qiu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jixin Yang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wenmei Wang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wentao Zhao
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Fei Peng
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ying Xiang
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Gang Chen
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Tao Chen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chengwei Chai
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuaiyu Zheng
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Daniel J. Watkins
- Department of Surgery, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Jiexiong Feng
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- * E-mail:
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Yang Y, Liu YJ, Tang ST, Yang L, Yang J, Cao GQ, Zhang JH, Wang XX, Mao YZ. Elevated Th17 cells accompanied by decreased regulatory T cells and cytokine environment in infants with biliary atresia. Pediatr Surg Int 2013; 29:1249-60. [PMID: 24122073 DOI: 10.1007/s00383-013-3421-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/25/2013] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Th17 and T reg cells in biliary atresia (BA) and to assess the liver cytokine environment in BA patients. METHODS The percentages of Th17 and T reg cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of BA patients and healthy controls (HC) were evaluated. The serum concentrations of IL-17a and IL-23 as well as Foxp3, IL-17a, ROR-γt, IL-6, IL-1β and TGF-β1 m-RNA and protein expressions in liver tissues and the number of Foxp3, IL-17a, ROR-γt, CD4 expressing cells which infiltrated the hepatic tissues were determined. RESULTS The Th17/T reg cell ratio (P < 0.001) and blood concentrations of IL-17a and IL-23 (P < 0.05) were increased in the BA as compared to the HC group. Expressions of Foxp3, ROR-γt, IL-17a, IL-1β, IL-6 as well as TGF-β1 mRNA and proteins were significantly increased in BA as compared to HC livers (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). High levels of IL-17a/ROR-γt-positive and moderate levels of Foxp3-positive cells infiltrated damaged BA bile ducts and the ratio of FoxP3+ T to CD4+ T cells was significantly lower in BA than in HC samples (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION Cytokine-induced imbalance between Th17 and T reg cells in BA livers may be involved in bile duct damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Alvarez
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, CHU Sainte-Justine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Montreal, Canada.
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