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Tian M, Wu N, Xie X, Liu T, You Y, Ma S, Bian H, Cao H, Wang L, Liu C, Qi J. Phosphorylation of RGS16 at Tyr168 promote HBeAg-mediated macrophage activation by ERK pathway to accelerate liver injury. J Mol Med (Berl) 2024; 102:257-272. [PMID: 38141114 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-023-02405-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Liver injury is closely associated with macrophage activation following HBV infection. Our previous study showed that only HBeAg, but not HBsAg and HBcAg, stably enhances inflammatory cytokine production in macrophages. And we also indicated that HBeAg could induce macrophage activation via TLR2 and thus aggravate the progression of liver fibrosis. However, the specific molecular mechanism of HBeAg in macrophage activation is not clear. We screened significantly overexpressed RGS16 from RNASeq results of HBeAg-stimulated macrophages and validated them with cellular assays, GSE83148 microarray dataset, and in clinical samples. Meanwhile, small interference, plasmid, and lentivirus transfection assays were used to establish cell models for knockdown and overexpression of RGS16, and q-PCR, ELISA, Transwell, and CCK-8 assays were used to analyze the role of RGS16 in HBeAg-induced macrophage activation. In addition, the upstream and downstream mechanisms of RGS16 in HBeAg-treated macrophage activation were explored using inhibitors, phostag gels, and RGS16 phosphorylation mutant plasmids. Finally, the effect of RGS16 on hepatic inflammation in murine tissues was evaluated by H&E staining, liver enzyme assay and immunofluorescence. RGS16 was significantly upregulated in HBeAg-induced macrophage activation, and its expression was enhanced with increasing HBeAg content and treatment time. Functional experiments showed that overexpression of RGS16 promoted the production of inflammatory factors TNF-α and IL-6 and boosted macrophage proliferation and migration, while knockdown of RGS16 exhibited the opposite effect. Mechanistically, we discovered that RGS16 is regulated by the TLR2/P38/STAT5 signaling pathway. Meanwhile, RGS16 enhanced ERK phosphorylation via its own Tyr168 phosphorylation to contribute to macrophage activation, thereby accelerating liver injury. Finally, in mice, overexpression of RGS16 markedly strengthened liver inflammation. HBeAg upregulates RGS16 expression through the TLR2-P38-STAT5 axis, and the upregulated expression of RGS16 enhances macrophage activation and accelerates liver injury by promoting ERK phosphorylation. In this process, phosphorylation of Tyr168 is necessary for RGS16 to function. KEY MESSAGES: RGS16 boosted HBeAg-induced macrophage inflammation, proliferation, and migration. Tyr168 phosphorylation of RGS16 affected by ERK promoted macrophage activation. HBeAg upregulated the expression of RGS16 through TLR2/P38/STAT5 signal pathway. RGS16 promoted liver injury by regulating macrophage functions in mouse model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaomiao Tian
- Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, 324 Jingwu Road, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People's Republic of China
| | - Nijin Wu
- Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, 324 Jingwu Road, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoyu Xie
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, People's Republic of China
| | - Tiantian Liu
- Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People's Republic of China
| | - Yajing You
- Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People's Republic of China
| | - Shujun Ma
- Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, 324 Jingwu Road, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongjun Bian
- Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, 324 Jingwu Road, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People's Republic of China
| | - Huiling Cao
- Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, 324 Jingwu Road, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People's Republic of China
| | - Le Wang
- Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, 324 Jingwu Road, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People's Republic of China
| | - Chenxi Liu
- Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, 324 Jingwu Road, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People's Republic of China.
- Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technological Research Center for Liver Diseases Prevention and Control, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jianni Qi
- Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, 324 Jingwu Road, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People's Republic of China.
- Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technological Research Center for Liver Diseases Prevention and Control, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, People's Republic of China.
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Fasouli ES, Katsantoni E. JAK-STAT in Early Hematopoiesis and Leukemia. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:669363. [PMID: 34055801 PMCID: PMC8160090 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.669363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) produce all the terminally differentiated blood cells and are controlled by extracellular signals from the microenvironment, the bone marrow (BM) niche, as well as intrinsic cell signals. Intrinsic signals include the tightly controlled action of signaling pathways, as the Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) pathway. Activation of JAK-STAT leads to phosphorylation of members of the STAT family to regulate proliferation, survival, and self-renewal of HSCs. Mutations in components of the JAK-STAT pathway are linked with defects in HSCs and hematologic malignancies. Accumulating mutations in HSCs and aging contribute to leukemia transformation. Here an overview of hematopoiesis, and the role of the JAK-STAT pathway in HSCs and in the promotion of leukemic transformation is presented. Therapeutic targeting of JAK-STAT and clinical implications of the existing research findings are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eirini Sofia Fasouli
- Basic Research Center, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Eleni Katsantoni
- Basic Research Center, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
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