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Su Y, Xing H, Kang J, Bai L, Zhang L. Role of the hedgehog signaling pathway in rheumatic diseases: An overview. Front Immunol 2022; 13:940455. [PMID: 36105801 PMCID: PMC9466598 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.940455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway is an evolutionarily conserved signal transduction pathway that plays an important regulatory role during embryonic development, cell proliferation, and differentiation of vertebrates, and it is often inhibited in adult tissues. Recent evidence has shown that Hh signaling also plays a key role in rheumatic diseases, as alterations in their number or function have been identified in rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, systemic sclerosis, and Sjogren's Syndrome. As a result, emerging studies have focused on the blockade of this pathogenic axis as a promising therapeutic target in several autoimmune disorders; nevertheless, a greater understanding of its contribution still requires further investigation. This review aims to elucidate the most recent studies and literature data on the pathogenetic role of Hh signaling in rheumatic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Liyun Zhang
- Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
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Zhu S, Ye Y, Shi Y, Dang J, Feng X, Chen Y, Liu F, Olsen N, Huang J, Zheng SG. Sonic Hedgehog Regulates Proliferation, Migration and Invasion of Synoviocytes in Rheumatoid Arthritis via JNK Signaling. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1300. [PMID: 32670287 PMCID: PMC7326768 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Activated fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) play a central role in the formation of synovial pannus and joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Targeting FLSs could be a potential therapeutic strategy. The objective of this study is to explore the role of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in proliferation, migration and invasion of FLSs promoted by the sonic hedeghog (SHH) signaling pathway in patients with RA. Activation of SHH signaling was evaluated by real-time PCR and Western Blot. Levels of phosphorylation of JNK and c-Jun were detected by Western Blot. FLSs proliferation was quantified by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and flow cytometry. Cell migration and invasion were assessed by wound healing assay and Transwell chamber assay. Invasiveness of FLSs in vivo was evaluated using a humanized synovitis animal model. We observed that treatment of SHH agonist (SAG) significantly increased the levels of phosphorylation of JNK and c-Jun, while SHH antagonist (cyclopamine) significantly decreased the expression of phospho-JNK and phospho-c-Jun in FLSs. The elevated level of phospho-c-Jun stimulated by SAG was decreased in the presence of JNK inhibitor (SP600125) (P < 0.001). FLSs proliferation, migration and invasion were promoted by SHH agonist (P < 0.05). However, the enhanced aggressiveness of FLSs was abolished in the presence of JNK inhibitor (P < 0.05). In vivo study showed that the invasion of FLSs into cartilage was increased by SHH overexpression and the excessive invasiveness was inhibited by blockade of JNK signaling (P < 0.01). These results suggest that JNK is one of the downstream molecules mediating the effect of SHH signaling in FLSs. These findings indicate that SHH-JNK signaling could be a potential therapeutic target to suppress the aggressiveness of FLSs and prevent articular damage of RA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shangling Zhu
- Department of Rheumatology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuanmei Ye
- Department of Rheumatology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yiming Shi
- Department of Internal Care Unit, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junlong Dang
- Department of Clinical Immunology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoxue Feng
- Department of Rheumatology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yingdi Chen
- Department of Rheumatology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fang Liu
- Department of Rheumatology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Nancy Olsen
- Department of Medicine, Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA, United States
| | - Jianlin Huang
- Department of Rheumatology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Song Guo Zheng
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ohio State University College of Medicine and Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
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He S, Ma C, Zhang L, Bai J, Wang X, Zheng X, Zhang J, Xin W, Li Y, Jiang Y, Wang S, Zhu D. GLI1-mediated pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell pyroptosis contributes to hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2019; 318:L472-L482. [PMID: 31868509 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00405.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a clinically common malignant cardiovascular disease. Pyroptosis is a new form of inflammatory cell death that is involved in many disease processes. Glioma-associated oncogene family zinc finger 1 (GLI1) is a transcriptional activator that participates in many diseases, but its role has never been explored in inducing pyroptosis and the progress of PH. In this study, we used an animal model and cell molecular biology to determine the effect of GLI1 on chronic hypoxia-mediated PH progression and pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (PASMC) pyroptosis. The major findings of the present study are as follows: Hypoxia induced aberrant expression of GLI1. The inhibition of GLI1 attenuated hypoxia-induced PH and PASMC pyroptosis. Meanwhile, GLI1 enhanced apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC) expression by binding with its promoter. GLI1 may promote PASMC pyroptosis through ASC to affect the progression of PH. These findings may identify novel targets for molecular therapy of PH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyu He
- Central Laboratory of Harbin Medical University (Daqing), Daqing, People's Republic of China.,College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China
| | - Cui Ma
- Central Laboratory of Harbin Medical University (Daqing), Daqing, People's Republic of China.,College of Medical Laboratory Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University (Daqing), Daqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Lixin Zhang
- Central Laboratory of Harbin Medical University (Daqing), Daqing, People's Republic of China.,College of Medical Laboratory Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University (Daqing), Daqing, People's Republic of China
| | - June Bai
- Central Laboratory of Harbin Medical University (Daqing), Daqing, People's Republic of China.,College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoying Wang
- College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaodong Zheng
- Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, Harbin Medical University (Daqing), Daqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Junting Zhang
- Central Laboratory of Harbin Medical University (Daqing), Daqing, People's Republic of China.,College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Xin
- Central Laboratory of Harbin Medical University (Daqing), Daqing, People's Republic of China.,College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China
| | - Yiying Li
- Central Laboratory of Harbin Medical University (Daqing), Daqing, People's Republic of China.,College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuan Jiang
- Central Laboratory of Harbin Medical University (Daqing), Daqing, People's Republic of China.,College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China
| | - Sen Wang
- College of Medical Laboratory Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University (Daqing), Daqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Daling Zhu
- Central Laboratory of Harbin Medical University (Daqing), Daqing, People's Republic of China.,College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China.,State Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Daqing, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Medicine Research, Ministry of Education, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China
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Regulation of fibroblast-like synoviocyte transformation by transcription factors in arthritic diseases. Biochem Pharmacol 2019; 165:145-151. [PMID: 30878552 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2019.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Inflammation in the synovium is known to mediate joint destruction in several forms of arthritis. Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) are cells that reside in the synovial lining of joints and are known to be key contributors to inflammation associated with arthritis. FLS are a major source of inflammatory cytokines and catabolic enzymes that promote joint degeneration. We now know that there exists a direct correlation between the signaling pathways that are activated by the pro-inflammatory molecules produced by the FLS, and the severity of joint degeneration in arthritis. Research focused on understanding the signaling pathways that are activated by these pro-inflammatory molecules has led to major advancements in the understanding of the joint pathology in arthritis. Transcription factors (TFs) that act as downstream mediators of the pro-inflammatory signaling cascades in various cell types have been reported to play an important role in inducing the deleterious transformation of the FLS. Interestingly, recent studies have started uncovering that several TFs that were previously reported to play role in embryonic development and cancer, but not known to have pronounced roles in tissue inflammation, can actually play crucial roles in the regulation of the pathological properties of the FLS. In this review, we will discuss reports that have been able to impart novel arthritogenic roles to TFs that are specialized in embryonic development. We also discuss the therapeutic potential of targeting these newly identified regulators of FLS transformation in the treatment of arthritis.
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