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Leask A, Nguyen J, Naik A, Chitturi P, Riser BL. The role of yes activated protein (YAP) in melanoma metastasis. iScience 2024; 27:109864. [PMID: 38770136 PMCID: PMC11103372 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Hippo was first identified in a genetic screen as a protein that suppressed proliferation and cell growth. Subsequently, it was shown that hippo acted in a so-called canonical cascade to suppress Yorkie, the Drosophila equivalent of Yes-activated protein (YAP), a mechanosensitive transcriptional cofactor that enhances the activity of the TEAD family of transcription factors. YAP promotes fibrosis, activation of cancer-associated fibroblasts, angiogenesis and cancer cell invasion. YAP activates the expression of the matricellular proteins CCN1 (cyr61) and CCN2 (ctgf), themselves mediators of fibrogenesis and oncogenesis, and coordination of matrix deposition and angiogenesis. This review discusses how therapeutically targeting YAP through YAP inhibitors verteporfin and celastrol and its downstream mediators CCN1 and CCN2 might be useful in treating melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Leask
- College of Dentistry, University of Saskatchewan, 105 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E4, Canada
| | - John Nguyen
- College of Dentistry, University of Saskatchewan, 105 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E4, Canada
| | - Angha Naik
- College of Dentistry, University of Saskatchewan, 105 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E4, Canada
| | - Pratyusha Chitturi
- College of Dentistry, University of Saskatchewan, 105 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E4, Canada
| | - Bruce L. Riser
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Center for Cancer Cell Biology, Immunology & Infection, Rosalind Franklin University, 3333 N. Green Bay Road, Chicago, IL 60064, USA
- BLR Bio, LLC, Kenosha, WI 53140, USA
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Hutchenreuther J, Nguyen J, Quesnel K, Vincent KM, Petitjean L, Bourgeois S, Boyd M, Bou-Gharios G, Postovit LM, Leask A. Cancer-associated Fibroblast-specific Expression of the Matricellular Protein CCN1 Coordinates Neovascularization and Stroma Deposition in Melanoma Metastasis. CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:556-570. [PMID: 38363129 PMCID: PMC10898341 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-23-0571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Melanoma is the leading cause of skin cancer-related death. As prognosis of patients with melanoma remains problematic, identification of new therapeutic targets remains essential. Matricellular proteins are nonstructural extracellular matrix proteins. They are secreted into the tumor microenvironment to coordinate behavior among different cell types, yet their contribution to melanoma is underinvestigated. Examples of matricellular proteins include those comprising the CCN family. The CCN family member, CCN1, is highly proangiogenic. Herein, we show that, in human patients with melanoma, although found in several tumor cell types, CCN1 is highly expressed by a subset of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) in patients with melanoma and this expression correlates positively with expression of proangiogenic genes and progressive disease/resistance to anti-PD1 checkpoint inhibitors. Consistent with these observations, in a syngeneic C57BL6 mouse model of melanoma, loss of CCN1 expression from Col1A2-Cre-, herein identified as "universal," fibroblasts, impaired metastasis of subcutaneously injected B16F10 tumor cells to lung, concomitant with disrupted neovascularization and collagen organization. Disruption of the extracellular matrix in the loss of CCN1 was validated using a novel artificial intelligence-based image analysis platform that revealed significantly decreased phenotypic fibrosis and composite morphometric collagen scores. As drug resistance is linked to matrix deposition and neoangiogenesis, these data suggest that CCN1, due to its multifaceted role, may represent a novel therapeutic target for drug-resistant melanoma. Our data further emphasize the essential role that cancer-associated, (universal) Col1A2-Cre-fibroblasts and extracellular matrix remodeling play in coordinating behavior among different cell types within the tumor microenvironment. SIGNIFICANCE In human patients, the expression of proangiogenic matricellular protein CCN1 in CAFs correlates positively with expression of stroma and angiogenic markers and progressive disease/resistance to checkpoint inhibitor therapy. In an animal model, loss of CCN1 from CAFs impaired metastasis of melanoma cells, neovascularization, and collagen deposition, emphasizing that CAFs coordinate cellular behavior in a tumor microenvironment and that CCN1 may be a novel target.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Hutchenreuther
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - John Nguyen
- College of Dentistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Katherine Quesnel
- Department of Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Krista M. Vincent
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Sophia Bourgeois
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mark Boyd
- Office of the Vice President of Research, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - George Bou-Gharios
- Department of Musculoskeletal and Ageing Science, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Lynne-Marie Postovit
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrew Leask
- College of Dentistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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Sawant M, Wang F, Koester J, Niehoff A, Nava MM, Lundgren-Akerlund E, Gullberg D, Leitinger B, Wickström S, Eckes B, Krieg T. Ablation of integrin-mediated cell-collagen communication alleviates fibrosis. Ann Rheum Dis 2023; 82:1474-1486. [PMID: 37479494 DOI: 10.1136/ard-2023-224129] [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: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Activation of fibroblasts is a hallmark of fibrotic processes. Besides cytokines and growth factors, fibroblasts are regulated by the extracellular matrix environment through receptors such as integrins, which transduce biochemical and mechanical signals enabling cells to mount appropriate responses according to biological demands. The aim of this work was to investigate the in vivo role of collagen-fibroblast interactions for regulating fibroblast functions and fibrosis. METHODS Triple knockout (tKO) mice with a combined ablation of integrins α1β1, α2β1 and α11β1 were created to address the significance of integrin-mediated cell-collagen communication. Properties of primary dermal fibroblasts lacking collagen-binding integrins were delineated in vitro. Response of the tKO mice skin to bleomycin induced fibrotic challenge was assessed. RESULTS Triple integrin-deficient mice develop normally, are transiently smaller and reveal mild alterations in mechanoresilience of the skin. Fibroblasts from these mice in culture show defects in cytoskeletal architecture, traction stress generation, matrix production and organisation. Ablation of the three integrins leads to increased levels of discoidin domain receptor 2, an alternative receptor recognising collagens in vivo and in vitro. However, this overexpression fails to compensate adhesion and spreading defects on collagen substrates in vitro. Mice lacking collagen-binding integrins show a severely attenuated fibrotic response with impaired mechanotransduction, reduced collagen production and matrix organisation. CONCLUSIONS The data provide evidence for a crucial role of collagen-binding integrins in fibroblast force generation and differentiation in vitro and for matrix deposition and tissue remodelling in vivo. Targeting fibroblast-collagen interactions might represent a promising therapeutic approach to regulate connective tissue deposition in fibrotic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mugdha Sawant
- Translational Matrix Biology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Fang Wang
- Translational Matrix Biology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Janis Koester
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
| | - Anja Niehoff
- Institute of Biomechanics and Orthopaedics, German Sport University, Cologne, Germany
- Cologne Center for Musculoskeletal Biomechanics (CCMB), University of Cologne, Medical Faculty, Cologne, Germany
| | - Michele M Nava
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
- Wihuri Research Institute, Biomedicum Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | | | | | - Sara Wickström
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
- Wihuri Research Institute, Biomedicum Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Ageing-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science, Biomedicum Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Beate Eckes
- Translational Matrix Biology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Thomas Krieg
- Translational Matrix Biology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Ageing-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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Leask A, Naik A, Stratton RJ. Back to the future: targeting the extracellular matrix to treat systemic sclerosis. Nat Rev Rheumatol 2023; 19:713-723. [PMID: 37789119 DOI: 10.1038/s41584-023-01032-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Fibrosis is the excessive deposition of a stable extracellular matrix (ECM); fibrotic tissue is composed principally of highly crosslinked type I collagen and highly contractile myofibroblasts. Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a multisystem autoimmune connective tissue disease characterized by skin and organ fibrosis. The fibrotic process has been recognized in SSc for >40 years, but drugs with demonstrable efficacy against SSc fibrosis in ameliorating the lung involvement have only recently been identified. Unfortunately, these treatments are ineffective at improving the skin score in patients with SSc. Previous clinical trials in SSc have largely focused on the cross-purposing of anti-inflammatory drugs and the use of immunosuppressive drugs from the transplantation field, which address inflammatory and/or autoimmune processes. Limited examination has taken place of specific anti-fibrotic agents developed through their ability to directly target the ECM in SSc by, for example, alleviating the persistent matrix stiffness and mechanotransduction that might be required for both the initiation and maintenance of fibrosis, including in SSc. However, because of the importance of the ECM in the SSc phenotype, attempts have now been made to identify drugs that specifically target the ECM, including some drugs that are currently under consideration for the treatment of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Leask
- College of Dentistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
| | - Angha Naik
- College of Dentistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Richard J Stratton
- Centre for Rheumatology and Connective Tissue Diseases, UCL Division of Medicine, London, UK
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5
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Chitturi P, Xu S, Ahmed Abdi B, Nguyen J, Carter DE, Sinha S, Arora R, Biernaskie J, Stratton RJ, Leask A. Tripterygium wilfordii derivative celastrol, a YAP inhibitor, has antifibrotic effects in systemic sclerosis. Ann Rheum Dis 2023; 82:1191-1204. [PMID: 37328193 DOI: 10.1136/ard-2023-223859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is characterised by extensive tissue fibrosis maintained by mechanotranductive/proadhesive signalling. Drugs targeting this pathway are therefore of likely therapeutic benefit. The mechanosensitive transcriptional co-activator, yes activated protein-1 (YAP1), is activated in SSc fibroblasts. The terpenoid celastrol is a YAP1 inhibitor; however, if celastrol can alleviate SSc fibrosis is unknown. Moreover, the cell niches required for skin fibrosis are unknown. METHODS Human dermal fibroblasts from healthy individuals and patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc were treated with or without transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1), with or without celastrol. Mice were subjected to the bleomycin-induced model of skin SSc, in the presence or absence of celastrol. Fibrosis was assessed using RNA Sequencing, real-time PCR, spatial transcriptomic analyses, Western blot, ELISA and histological analyses. RESULTS In dermal fibroblasts, celastrol impaired the ability of TGFβ1 to induce an SSc-like pattern of gene expression, including that of cellular communication network factor 2, collagen I and TGFβ1. Celastrol alleviated the persistent fibrotic phenotype of dermal fibroblasts cultured from lesions of SSc patients. In the bleomycin-induced model of skin SSc, increased expression of genes associated with reticular fibroblast and hippo/YAP clusters was observed; conversely, celastrol inhibited these bleomycin-induced changes and blocked nuclear localisation of YAP. CONCLUSIONS Our data clarify niches within the skin activated in fibrosis and suggest that compounds, such as celastrol, that antagonise the YAP pathway may be potential treatments for SSc skin fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pratyusha Chitturi
- College of Dentistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Shiwen Xu
- Centre for Rheumatology and Connective Tissue Diseases, UCL Medical School, Royal Free Campus, London, UK
| | - Bahja Ahmed Abdi
- Centre for Rheumatology and Connective Tissue Diseases, UCL Medical School, Royal Free Campus, London, UK
| | - John Nguyen
- College of Dentistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | | | - Sartak Sinha
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Rohit Arora
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jeff Biernaskie
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Richard J Stratton
- Centre for Rheumatology and Connective Tissue Diseases, UCL Medical School, Royal Free Campus, London, UK
| | - Andrew Leask
- College of Dentistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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6
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Schuster R, Younesi F, Ezzo M, Hinz B. The Role of Myofibroblasts in Physiological and Pathological Tissue Repair. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2023; 15:cshperspect.a041231. [PMID: 36123034 PMCID: PMC9808581 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Myofibroblasts are the construction workers of wound healing and repair damaged tissues by producing and organizing collagen/extracellular matrix (ECM) into scar tissue. Scar tissue effectively and quickly restores the mechanical integrity of lost tissue architecture but comes at the price of lost tissue functionality. Fibrotic diseases caused by excessive or persistent myofibroblast activity can lead to organ failure. This review defines myofibroblast terminology, phenotypic characteristics, and functions. We will focus on the central role of the cell, ECM, and tissue mechanics in regulating tissue repair by controlling myofibroblast action. Additionally, we will discuss how therapies based on mechanical intervention potentially ameliorate wound healing outcomes. Although myofibroblast physiology and pathology affect all organs, we will emphasize cutaneous wound healing and hypertrophic scarring as paradigms for normal tissue repair versus fibrosis. A central message of this review is that myofibroblasts can be activated from multiple cell sources, varying with local environment and type of injury, to either restore tissue integrity and organ function or create an inappropriate mechanical environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronen Schuster
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3E2 Ontario, Canada
| | - Fereshteh Younesi
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3E2 Ontario, Canada.,Laboratory of Tissue Repair and Regeneration, Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science of the St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1T8, Canada
| | - Maya Ezzo
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3E2 Ontario, Canada.,Laboratory of Tissue Repair and Regeneration, Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science of the St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1T8, Canada
| | - Boris Hinz
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3E2 Ontario, Canada.,Laboratory of Tissue Repair and Regeneration, Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science of the St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1T8, Canada
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7
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Peidl A, Nguyen J, Chitturi P, Riser BL, Leask A. Using the Bleomycin-Induced Model of Fibrosis to Study the Contribution of CCN Proteins to Scleroderma Fibrosis. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2582:309-321. [PMID: 36370359 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2744-0_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Approximately 45% of the deaths in the developed world result from conditions with a fibrotic component. Although no specific, focused anti-fibrotic therapies have been approved for clinical use, a long-standing concept is that targeting CCN proteins may be useful to treat fibrosis. Herein, we summarize current data supporting the concept that targeting CCN2 may be a viable anti-fibrotic approach to treat scleroderma. Testing this hypothesis has been made possible by using a mouse model of inflammation-driven skin and lung fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Peidl
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - John Nguyen
- College of Dentistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | | | - Bruce L Riser
- BLR Bio LLC, Kenosha, WI, USA
- Center for Cancer Cell Biology, Immunology and Infection, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, and Department of Medicine Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Andrew Leask
- College of Dentistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
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8
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Canadian Contributions in Fibroblast Biology. Cells 2022; 11:cells11152272. [PMID: 35892569 PMCID: PMC9331635 DOI: 10.3390/cells11152272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Fibroblasts are stromal cells found in virtually every tissue and organ of the body. For many years, these cells were often considered to be secondary in functional importance to parenchymal cells. Over the past 2 decades, focused research into the roles of fibroblasts has revealed important roles for these cells in the homeostasis of healthy tissue, and has demonstrated that activation of fibroblasts to myofibroblasts is a key step in disease initiation and progression in many tissues, with fibrosis now recognized as not only an outcome of disease, but also a central contributor to tissue dysfunction, particularly in the heart and lungs. With a growing understanding of both fibroblast and myofibroblast heterogeneity, and the deciphering of the humoral and mechanical cues that impact the phenotype of these cells, fibroblast biology is rapidly becoming a major focus in biomedical research. In this review, we provide an overview of fibroblast and myofibroblast biology, particularly in the heart, and including a discussion of pathophysiological processes such as fibrosis and scarring. We then discuss the central role of Canadian researchers in moving this field forwards, particularly in cardiac fibrosis, and highlight some of the major contributions of these individuals to our understanding of fibroblast and myofibroblast biology in health and disease.
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9
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Suppression of the fibrotic encapsulation of silicone implants by inhibiting the mechanical activation of pro-fibrotic TGF-β. Nat Biomed Eng 2021; 5:1437-1456. [PMID: 34031559 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-021-00722-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The fibrotic encapsulation of implants involves the mechanical activation of myofibroblasts and of pro-fibrotic transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1). Here, we show that both softening of the implant surfaces and inhibition of the activation of TGF-β1 reduce the fibrotic encapsulation of subcutaneous silicone implants in mice. Conventionally stiff silicones (elastic modulus, ~2 MPa) coated with a soft silicone layer (elastic modulus, ~2 kPa) reduced collagen deposition as well as myofibroblast activation without affecting the numbers of macrophages and their polarization states. Instead, fibroblasts around stiff implants exhibited enhanced intracellular stress, increased the recruitment of αv and β1 integrins, and activated TGF-β1 signalling. In vitro, the recruitment of αv integrin to focal adhesions and the activation of β1 integrin and of TGF-β were higher in myofibroblasts grown on latency-associated peptide (LAP)-coated stiff silicones than on soft silicones. Antagonizing αv integrin binding to LAP through the small-molecule inhibitor CWHM-12 suppressed active TGF-β signalling, myofibroblast activation and the fibrotic encapsulation of stiff subcutaneous implants in mice.
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10
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Verteporfin inhibits the persistent fibrotic phenotype of lesional scleroderma dermal fibroblasts. J Cell Commun Signal 2021; 15:71-80. [PMID: 33398723 DOI: 10.1007/s12079-020-00596-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Fibrosis is perpetuated by an autocrine, pro-adhesive signaling loop maintained by the synthetic and contractile abilities of myofibroblasts and the stiff, highly-crosslinked extracellular matrix. Transcriptional complexes that are exquisitely responsive to mechanotransduction include the co-activator YAP1, which regulates the expression of members of the CCN family of matricellular proteins such as CCN2 and CCN1. Although selective YAP1 inhibitors exist, the effect of these inhibitors on profibrotic gene expression in fibroblasts is largely unknown, and is the subject of our current study. Herein, we use genome-wide expression profiling, real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses, cell migration and collagen gel contraction assays to assess the ability of a selective YAP inhibitor verteporfin (VP) to block fibrogenic activities in dermal fibroblasts from healthy individual human controls and those from isolated from fibrotic lesions of patients with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc). In control fibroblasts, VP selectively reduced expression of fibrogenic genes and also blocked the ability of TGFbeta to induce actin stress fibers in dermal fibroblasts. VP also reduced the persistent profibrotic phenotype of dermal fibroblasts cultured from fibrotic lesions of patients with dcSSc. Our results are consistent with the notion that, in the future, YAP1 inhibitors may represent a novel, valuable method of treating fibrosis as seen in dcSSc.
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Blokland K, Pouwels S, Schuliga M, Knight D, Burgess J. Regulation of cellular senescence by extracellular matrix during chronic fibrotic diseases. Clin Sci (Lond) 2020; 134:2681-2706. [PMID: 33084883 PMCID: PMC7578566 DOI: 10.1042/cs20190893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a complex network of macromolecules surrounding cells providing structural support and stability to tissues. The understanding of the ECM and the diverse roles it plays in development, homoeostasis and injury have greatly advanced in the last three decades. The ECM is crucial for maintaining tissue homoeostasis but also many pathological conditions arise from aberrant matrix remodelling during ageing. Ageing is characterised as functional decline of tissue over time ultimately leading to tissue dysfunction, and is a risk factor in many diseases including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, dementia, glaucoma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and fibrosis. ECM changes are recognised as a major driver of aberrant cell responses. Mesenchymal cells in aged tissue show signs of growth arrest and resistance to apoptosis, which are indicative of cellular senescence. It was recently postulated that cellular senescence contributes to the pathogenesis of chronic fibrotic diseases in the heart, kidney, liver and lung. Senescent cells negatively impact tissue regeneration while creating a pro-inflammatory environment as part of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) favouring disease progression. In this review, we explore and summarise the current knowledge around how aberrant ECM potentially influences the senescent phenotype in chronic fibrotic diseases. Lastly, we will explore the possibility for interventions in the ECM-senescence regulatory pathways for therapeutic potential in chronic fibrotic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaj E.C. Blokland
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, Groningen, The Netherlands
- University of Newcastle, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- National Health and Medical Research Council Centre of Research Excellence in Pulmonary Fibrosis, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Simon D. Pouwels
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Lung Diseases, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Michael Schuliga
- University of Newcastle, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Darryl A. Knight
- University of Newcastle, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- National Health and Medical Research Council Centre of Research Excellence in Pulmonary Fibrosis, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Providence Health Care Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Janette K. Burgess
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, Groningen, The Netherlands
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Abstract
The CCN family of matricellular proteins are recognized bona fide targets for therapeutically targeting so-called chronic inflammatory diseases, including fibrosis and cancers. The majority of the work supporting this contention has been derived from examining CCN2, formerly, and unhelpfully, termed "connective tissue growth factor." Both CCN2, and its related protein, CCN1, formerly termed "cysteine-rich protein 61", are positively regulated by not only TGFbeta, but also by the hippo/YAP/TAZ mechanotransduction pathway that appears to drive these pathologies. Indeed, increasing evidence indicates that CCN1 also contributes to these fibrosis and cancers and, consequently, targeting both CCN2 and CCN1 simultaneously could be of therapeutic value. This commentary focuses on a recent, exciting paper (Ju et al., 2020, Scientific Reports, 10, 3201) suggesting that CCN1 is a target for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Leask
- School of Dentistry, 105 Wiggins Rd, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
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13
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Feng D, Gerarduzzi C. Emerging Roles of Matricellular Proteins in Systemic Sclerosis. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E4776. [PMID: 32640520 PMCID: PMC7369781 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21134776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis is a rare chronic heterogenous disease that involves inflammation and vasculopathy, and converges in end-stage development of multisystem tissue fibrosis. The loss of tight spatial distribution and temporal expression of proteins in the extracellular matrix (ECM) leads to progressive organ stiffening, which is a hallmark of fibrotic disease. A group of nonstructural matrix proteins, known as matricellular proteins (MCPs) are implicated in dysregulated processes that drive fibrosis such as ECM remodeling and various cellular behaviors. Accordingly, MCPs have been described in the context of fibrosis in sclerosis (SSc) as predictive disease biomarkers and regulators of ECM synthesis, with promising therapeutic potential. In this present review, an informative summary of major MCPs is presented highlighting their clear correlations to SSc- fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Feng
- Département de Pharmacologie et Physiologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada;
- Centre de recherche de l’Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, Faculté de Médecine, Centre affilié à l’Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H1T 2M4, Canada
| | - Casimiro Gerarduzzi
- Département de Pharmacologie et Physiologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada;
- Centre de recherche de l’Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, Faculté de Médecine, Centre affilié à l’Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H1T 2M4, Canada
- Département de Médecine, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
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Leask A. Conjunction junction, what's the function? CCN proteins as targets in fibrosis and cancers. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2020; 318:C1046-C1054. [PMID: 32130070 PMCID: PMC7311738 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00028.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Cellular communication network (CCN) proteins are matricellular proteins that coordinate signaling among extracellular matrix, secreted proteins, and cell surface receptors. Their specific in vivo function is context-dependent, but they play profound roles in pathological conditions, such as fibrosis and cancers. Anti-CCN therapies are in clinical consideration. Only recently, however, has the function of these complex molecules begun to emerge. This review summarizes and interprets our current knowledge regarding these fascinating molecules and provides experimental evidence for their utility as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Leask
- School of Dentistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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Gerarduzzi C, Hartmann U, Leask A, Drobetsky E. The Matrix Revolution: Matricellular Proteins and Restructuring of the Cancer Microenvironment. Cancer Res 2020; 80:2705-2717. [PMID: 32193287 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-18-2098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Revised: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) surrounding cells is indispensable for regulating their behavior. The dynamics of ECM signaling are tightly controlled throughout growth and development. During tissue remodeling, matricellular proteins (MCP) are secreted into the ECM. These factors do not serve classical structural roles, but rather regulate matrix proteins and cell-matrix interactions to influence normal cellular functions. In the tumor microenvironment, it is becoming increasingly clear that aberrantly expressed MCPs can support multiple hallmarks of carcinogenesis by interacting with various cellular components that are coupled to an array of downstream signals. Moreover, MCPs also reorganize the biomechanical properties of the ECM to accommodate metastasis and tumor colonization. This realization is stimulating new research on MCPs as reliable and accessible biomarkers in cancer, as well as effective and selective therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casimiro Gerarduzzi
- Centre de Recherche de l'Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, Montréal, Québec, Canada. .,Département de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Ursula Hartmann
- Center for Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Andrew Leask
- College of Dentistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Elliot Drobetsky
- Centre de Recherche de l'Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Département de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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Tsang M, Quesnel K, Vincent K, Hutchenreuther J, Postovit LM, Leask A. Insights into Fibroblast Plasticity: Cellular Communication Network 2 Is Required for Activation of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in a Murine Model of Melanoma. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2019; 190:206-221. [PMID: 31610176 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2019.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Tumor stroma resembles a fibrotic microenvironment, being characterized by the presence of myofibroblast-like cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). In wild-type mice injected with melanoma cells, we show that the stem cell transcription factor Sox2 is expressed by tumor cells and induced in CAFs derived from synthetic fibroblasts. These fibroblasts were labeled postnatally with green fluorescent protein using mice expressing a tamoxifen-dependent Cre recombinase under the control of a fibroblast-specific promoter/enhancer. Conversely, fibroblast activation was impaired in mice with a fibroblast-specific deletion of cellular communication network 2 (Ccn2), associated with reduced expression of α-smooth muscle actin and Sox2. Multipotent Sox2-expressing skin-derived precursor (SKP) spheroids were cultured from murine back skin. Using lineage tracing and flow cytometry, approximately 40% of SKPs were found to be derived from type I collagen-lineage cells and acquired multipotency in culture. Inhibition of mechanotransduction pathways prevented myofibroblast differentiation of SKPs and expression of Ccn2. In SKPs deleted for Ccn2, differentiation into a myofibroblast, but not an adipocyte or neuronal phenotype, was also impaired. In human melanoma, CCN2 expression was associated with a profibrotic integrin alpha (ITGA) 11-expressing subset of CAFs that negatively associated with survival. These results suggest that synthetic dermal fibroblasts are plastic, and that CCN2 is required for the differentiation of dermal progenitor cells into a myofibroblast/CAF phenotype and is, therefore, a therapeutic target in melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Tsang
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Katherine Quesnel
- Department of Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Krista Vincent
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Department of Genetics, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - James Hutchenreuther
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Andrew Leask
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
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