1
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Ahmed AA, Said D, Sami MM. Growth arrest-specific protein 6 as a marker of nephritis in systemic sclerosis and juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus patients. Lupus 2024; 33:910-917. [PMID: 38809681 DOI: 10.1177/09612033241257321] [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] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Background: Renal impairments commonly occur as a complication of autoimmune connective tissue diseases (CTDs). Therefore, early nephritis prediction is vital for patient outcomes. Growth Arrest-Specific Protein 6 (GAS6) was found to be upregulated in many types of inflammatory renal disease, including diabetic nephropathy.Aim: To evaluate GAS6 as a predictor of renal impairment in adults with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and children with systemic lupus Erythematosus (SLE).Methods: The study included 60 patients with SSc and 40 children with SLE. The serum level of GAS6 was measured using the ELISA technique. In adults with SSc, total proteins in 24-h urine concentration of >300 mg/24 h indicated renal inflammation, while in children with SLE, nephritis was diagnosed by abnormal renal pathology.Results: In SSc patients, GAS6 significantly increased in patients with proteinuria. GAS6 is an independent predictor of nephritis with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.06 and a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.0-1.1. at cutoff 12.2 ng/mL GAS6 predicted proteinuria with sensitivity 86.7% (95% CI: 59.5% to 98.3%), specificity 57.8% (95% CI: 42.1% to 72.3%), positive predictive value 40.6% (95% CI: 31.5% to 50.4%), negative predictive value 92.9% (95% CI: 77.7% to 97.73%), and accuracy 65.0% (95% CI: 51.6% to 76.9%). In SLE patients, Serum GAS6 did not differ significantly between children with and without lupus nephritis.Conclusion: GAS6 is an independent predictor of nephritis in patients with SSc. However, there is no association between GAS6 and nephritis in juvenile patients with SLE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alshymaa A Ahmed
- Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Dina Said
- Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - May M Sami
- Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
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2
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Chen CC, Chen CY, Yeh CT, Liu YT, Leu YL, Chuang WY, Shih YH, Chou LF, Shieh TM, Wang TH. Corylin Attenuates CCl 4-Induced Liver Fibrosis in Mice by Regulating the GAS6/AXL Signaling Pathway in Hepatic Stellate Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16936. [PMID: 38069259 PMCID: PMC10707553 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242316936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is reversible when treated in its early stages and when liver inflammatory factors are inhibited. Limited studies have investigated the therapeutic effects of corylin, a flavonoid extracted from Psoralea corylifolia L. (Fabaceae), on liver fibrosis. Therefore, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory activity of corylin and investigated its efficacy and mechanism of action in ameliorating liver fibrosis. Corylin significantly inhibited inflammatory responses by inhibiting the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways and the expression of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in human THP-1 and mouse RAW264.7 macrophages. Furthermore, corylin inhibited the expression of growth arrest-specific gene 6 in human hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and the activation of the downstream phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B pathway. This inhibited the activation of HSCs and the expression of extracellular matrix proteins, including α-smooth muscle actin and type I collagen. Additionally, corylin induced caspase 9 and caspase 3 activation, which promoted apoptosis in HSCs. Moreover, in vivo experiments confirmed the regulatory effects of corylin on these proteins, and corylin alleviated the symptoms of carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis in mice. These findings revealed that corylin has anti-inflammatory activity and inhibits HSC activation; thus, it presents as a potential adjuvant in the treatment of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chin-Chuan Chen
- Biobank, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Tao-Yuan 33305, Taiwan; (C.-C.C.); (C.-Y.C.); (Y.-T.L.); (Y.-L.L.)
- Graduate Institute of Natural Products, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan 33303, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Yuan Chen
- Biobank, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Tao-Yuan 33305, Taiwan; (C.-C.C.); (C.-Y.C.); (Y.-T.L.); (Y.-L.L.)
- Graduate Institute of Health Industry and Technology, Research Center for Chinese Herbal Medicine and Research Center for Food and Cosmetic Safety, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Tao-Yuan 33303, Taiwan
| | - Chau-Ting Yeh
- Liver Research Center, Department of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Tao-Yuan 33305, Taiwan;
| | - Yi-Tsen Liu
- Biobank, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Tao-Yuan 33305, Taiwan; (C.-C.C.); (C.-Y.C.); (Y.-T.L.); (Y.-L.L.)
| | - Yann-Lii Leu
- Biobank, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Tao-Yuan 33305, Taiwan; (C.-C.C.); (C.-Y.C.); (Y.-T.L.); (Y.-L.L.)
- Graduate Institute of Natural Products, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan 33303, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Yu Chuang
- Department of Anatomic Pathology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Tao-Yuan 33305, Taiwan;
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan 33303, Taiwan
| | - Yin-Hwa Shih
- Department of Healthcare Administration, Asia University, Taichung 41354, Taiwan;
| | - Li-Fang Chou
- Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Tao-Yuan 33305, Taiwan;
| | - Tzong-Ming Shieh
- School of Dentistry, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
| | - Tong-Hong Wang
- Biobank, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Tao-Yuan 33305, Taiwan; (C.-C.C.); (C.-Y.C.); (Y.-T.L.); (Y.-L.L.)
- Graduate Institute of Natural Products, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan 33303, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Health Industry and Technology, Research Center for Chinese Herbal Medicine and Research Center for Food and Cosmetic Safety, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Tao-Yuan 33303, Taiwan
- Liver Research Center, Department of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Tao-Yuan 33305, Taiwan;
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3
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Axl regulated survival/proliferation network and its therapeutic intervention in mouse models of glomerulonephritis. Arthritis Res Ther 2022; 24:284. [PMID: 36578056 PMCID: PMC9795606 DOI: 10.1186/s13075-022-02965-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lupus nephritis (LN) is the most common and serious complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). LN pathogenesis is not fully understood. Axl receptor tyrosine kinase is upregulated and contributes to the pathogenic progress in LN. We have reported that Axl disruption attenuates nephritis development in mice. METHODS In this study, we analyzed the gene expression profiles with RNA-seq using renal cortical samples from nephritic mice. Axl-KO mice were bred onto a B6.lpr spontaneous lupus background, and renal disease development was followed and compared to the Axl-sufficient B6.lpr mice. Finally, anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) Ab-induced nephritic mice were treated with Axl small molecule inhibitor, R428, at different stages of nephritis development. Blood urine nitrogen levels and renal pathologies were evaluated. RESULTS Transcriptome analysis revealed that renal Axl activation contributed to cell proliferation, survival, and motility through regulation of the Akt, c-Jun, and actin pathways. Spontaneous lupus-prone B6.lpr mice with Axl deficiency showed significantly reduced kidney damages and decreased T cell infiltration compared to the renal damage and T cell infiltration in Axl-sufficient B6.lpr mice. The improved kidney function was independent of autoAb production. Moreover, R428 significantly reduced anti-GBM glomerulonephritis at different stages of GN development compared to the untreated nephritic control mice. R428 administration reduced inflammatory cytokine (IL-6) production, T cell infiltration, and nephritis disease activity. CONCLUSIONS Results from this study emphasize the important role of Axl signaling in LN and highlight Axl as an attractive target in LN.
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4
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Bus K, Szterk A. Relationship between Structure and Biological Activity of Various Vitamin K Forms. Foods 2021; 10:foods10123136. [PMID: 34945687 PMCID: PMC8701896 DOI: 10.3390/foods10123136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Vitamin K is involved many biological processes, such as the regulation of blood coagulation, prevention of vascular calcification, bone metabolism and modulation of cell proliferation. Menaquinones (MK) and phylloquinone vary in biological activity, showing different bioavailability, half-life and transport mechanisms. Vitamin K1 and MK-4 remain present in the plasma for 8–24 h, whereas long-chain menaquinones can be detected up to 96 h after administration. Geometric structure is also an important factor that conditions their properties. Cis-phylloquinone shows nearly no biological activity. An equivalent study for menaquinone is not available. The effective dose to decrease uncarboxylated osteocalcin was six times lower for MK-7 than for MK-4. Similarly, MK-7 affected blood coagulation system at dose three to four times lower than vitamin K1. Both vitamin K1 and MK-7 inhibited the decline in bone mineral density, however benefits for the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases have been observed only for long-chain menaquinones. There are currently no guidelines for the recommended doses and forms of vitamin K in the prevention of osteoporosis, atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular disorders. Due to the presence of isomers with unknown biological properties in some dietary supplements, quality and safety of that products may be questioned.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Bus
- Department of Spectrometric Methods, National Medicines Institute, 30/34 Chełmska, 00-725 Warsaw, Poland
- Correspondence:
| | - Arkadiusz Szterk
- Center for Translational Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 100, 02-797 Warsaw, Poland;
- Transfer of Science Sp. z o.o., Strzygłowska 15, 04-866 Warsaw, Poland
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5
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Ke S, Wu L, Wang M, Liu D, Shi G, Zhu J, Qian X. Ginsenoside Rb1 attenuates age-associated vascular impairment by modulating the Gas6 pathway. PHARMACEUTICAL BIOLOGY 2021; 59:1369-1377. [PMID: 34629012 PMCID: PMC8510614 DOI: 10.1080/13880209.2021.1986076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2021] [Revised: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Ginsenoside Rb1 (Rb1) exerts many beneficial effects and protects against cardiovascular disease. OBJECTIVE To investigate whether Rb1 could attenuate age-related vascular impairment and identify the mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS Female C57BL/6J mice aged 2 and 18 months, randomly assigned to Young, Young + 20 mg/kg Rb1, Old + vehicle, Old + 10 mg/kg Rb1 and Old + 20 mg/kg Rb1 groups, were daily intraperitoneal injected with vehicle or Rb1 for 3 months. The thoracic aorta segments were used to inspect the endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation. Left thoracic aorta tissues were collected for histological or molecular expression analyses, including ageing-related proteins, markers relevant to calcification and fibrosis, and expression of Gas6/Axl. RESULTS We found that in Old + vehicle group, the expression of senescence proteins and cellular adhesion molecules were significantly increased, with worse endothelium-dependent thoracic aorta relaxation (58.35% ± 2.50%) than in Young group (88.84% ± 1.20%). However, Rb1 treatment significantly decreased the expression levels of these proteins and preserved endothelium-dependent relaxation in aged mice. Moreover, Rb1 treatment also reduced calcium deposition, collagen deposition, and the protein expression levels of collagen I and collagen III in aged mice. Furthermore, we found that the downregulation of Gas6 protein expression by 41.72% and mRNA expression by 52.73% in aged mice compared with young mice was abrogated by Rb1 treatment. But there was no significant difference on Axl expression among the groups. CONCLUSIONS Our study confirms that Rb1 could ameliorate vascular injury, suggesting that Rb1 might be a potential anti-ageing related vascular impairment agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiye Ke
- Department of Cardiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Cardiology, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lin Wu
- Department of Cardiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Min Wang
- Department of Cardiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dinghui Liu
- Department of Cardiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guangyao Shi
- Department of Cardiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jieming Zhu
- Department of Cardiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoxian Qian
- Department of Cardiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
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6
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Geng K. Post-translational modifications of the ligands: Requirement for TAM receptor activation. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 357:35-55. [PMID: 33234244 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2020.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The Tyro3, Axl, and MerTK (TAM) receptors are three homologous Type I Receptor Tyrosine Kinases that have important homeostatic functions in multicellular organisms by regulating the clearance of apoptotic cells (efferocytosis). Pathologically, TAM receptors are overexpressed in a wide array of human cancers, and often associated with aggressive tumor grade and poor overall survival. In addition to their expression on tumor cells, TAMs are also expressed on infiltrating myeloid-derived cells in the tumor microenvironment, where they appear to act akin to negative immune checkpoints that impair host anti-tumor immunity. The ligands for TAMs are two endogenous proteins, Growth Arrest-Specific 6 (Gas6) and Protein S (Pros1), that function as bridging molecules between externalized phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) on apoptotic cells and the TAM ectodomains. One interesting feature of TAMs biology is that their ligand proteins require specific post-translational modifications to acquire activities. This chapter summarized these important modifications and explained the molecular mechanisms behind such phenomenon. Current evidences suggest that these modifications help Gas6/Pros1 to achieve optimal PtdSer-binding capacities. In addition, this chapter included recent discovery of regulating machineries of PtdSer dynamic across the plasma membrane, as well as their potential impacts in the tumor microenvironment. Taken together, this review highlights the importance of the upstream PtdSer and Gas6 in regulating TAMs' function and hope to provide researchers with new perspectives to inspire future studies of TAM receptors in human disease models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Geng
- Public Health Research Institute, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, United States.
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7
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Zhen Y, McGaha TL, Finkelman FD, Shao WH. The Akt-mTORC1 pathway mediates Axl receptor tyrosine kinase-induced mesangial cell proliferation. J Leukoc Biol 2021; 111:563-571. [PMID: 34218441 DOI: 10.1002/jlb.2a1220-850rrr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Glomerulonephritis (GN), an important pathologic feature of many renal diseases, is frequently characterized by mesangial cell proliferation. We and others have previously shown that the TAM family receptor tyrosine kinases Axl, Mer, and Tyro-3 contribute to cell survival, proliferation, migration, and clearance of apoptotic cells (ACs); that Axl contributes to GN by promoting mesangial cell proliferation; and that small molecule inhibition of Axl ameliorates nephrotoxic serum-induced GN in mice. We now show that stimulation of renal mesangial cell Axl causes a modest increase in intracellular Ca2+ and activates NF-κB, mTOR, and the mTOR-containing mTORC1 complex, which phosphorylates the ribosomal protein S6. Axl-induction of Akt activation is upstream of NF-κB and mTOR activation, which are mutually codependent. Axl-induced NF-κB activation leads to Bcl-xl up-regulation. Axl is more important than Mer at mediating AC phagocytosis by mesangial cells, but less important than Mer at mediating phagocytosis of ACs by peritoneal macrophages. Taken together, our data suggest the possibility that Axl mediates mesangial cell phagocytosis of ACs and promotes mesangial cell proliferation by activating NF-κB and mTORC1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxuan Zhen
- Division of Immunology, Allergy and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Tracy L McGaha
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, Tumor Immunotherapy Program, University Health Network, Toronto, ONT, M5G 2M9, Canada.,Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Fred D Finkelman
- Division of Immunology, Allergy and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Division of Immunobiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Wen-Hai Shao
- Division of Immunology, Allergy and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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8
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Arrhythmia Recurrence After Atrial Fibrillation Ablation: Impact of Warfarin vs. Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulants. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther 2021; 36:891-901. [PMID: 34003404 DOI: 10.1007/s10557-021-07200-3] [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: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Both warfarin and non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have pleiotropic effects including anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties. This study aims to explore whether arrhythmia recurrence after AF ablation is influenced by the choice of oral anticoagulant. METHODS We retrospectively studied all patients who underwent primary AF ablation between 2011 and 2017 and divided them into two groups according to the anticoagulant used: Warfarin vs. NOACs. The primary endpoint was atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence after ablation. RESULTS Of the 1106 patients who underwent AF ablation in the study period (median age 62.5 years; 71.5% males, 48.2% persistent AF), 697 (63%) received warfarin and 409 (37%) received NOACs. After a median of 26.4 months follow-up, arrhythmia recurrence was noted in 368 patients in warfarin group and 173 patients in NOACs group, with a 1-year recurrence probability of 35% vs. 36% (log rank P = 0.81) and 5-year recurrence probability of 62% vs. 63% (Log rank P = 0.32). However, NOACs use was associated with a higher probability of recurrence (46% for 1 year, 68% for 5 years) in patients with persistent AF compared with those taking warfarin (34% for 1 year, 63% for 5 years; log rank P = 0.01 and P = 0.02 respectively). Multivariate analysis indicated that in patients with persistent AF, use of NOACs was an independent risk factor of atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence after ablation (HR 1.39, 95% CI 1.07-1.81, P = 0.013). CONCLUSION In this large contemporary cohort, overall AF recurrence after ablation was similar with NOACs or warfarin use. However, in patients with persistent AF, NOACs use was associated with a higher probability of arrhythmia recurrence and was an independent risk factor of recurrence at long-term follow-up.
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9
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Landolt L, Spagnoli GC, Hertig A, Brocheriou I, Marti HP. Fibrosis and cancer: shared features and mechanisms suggest common targeted therapeutic approaches. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2020; 37:1024-1032. [PMID: 33280031 DOI: 10.1093/ndt/gfaa301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological studies support a strong link between organ fibrosis and epithelial cancers. Moreover, clinical and experimental investigations consistently indicate that these diseases intertwine and share strikingly overlapping features. As a deregulated response to injury occurring in all body tissues, fibrosis is characterized by activation of fibroblasts and immune cells, contributing to progressive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) and inflammation. Cancers are driven by genetic alterations resulting in dysregulated cell survival, proliferation and dissemination. However, non-cancerous components of tumour tissues including fibroblasts, inflammatory cells and ECM play key roles in oncogenesis and cancer progression by providing a pro-mutagenic environment where cancer cells can develop, favouring their survival, expansion and invasiveness. Additional commonalities of fibrosis and cancer are also represented by overproduction of growth factors, like transforming growth factor β, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, high oxidative stress, Hippo pathway dysfunctions and enhanced cellular senescence. Here, we review advances in the analysis of cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of both organ fibrosis and cancer, with particular reference to chronic kidney diseases and renal cell cancers. Most importantly, improved understanding of common features is contributing to the development of innovative treatment strategies targeting shared mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lea Landolt
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Giulio C Spagnoli
- National Research Council, Institute of Translational Pharmacology, Rome, Italy
| | - Alexandre Hertig
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM UMR S1155, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, APHP6, Paris, France and
| | - Isabelle Brocheriou
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM UMR S1155, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, APHP6, Paris, France and.,Department of Pathology, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Hans-Peter Marti
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
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DuBois JC, Ray AK, Davies P, Shafit-Zagardo B. Anti-Axl antibody treatment reduces the severity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. J Neuroinflammation 2020; 17:324. [PMID: 33121494 PMCID: PMC7599105 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-020-01982-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple sclerosis is an immune-mediated disease of the central nervous system (CNS) characterized by inflammation, oligodendrocytes loss, demyelination, and damaged axons. Tyro3, Axl, and MerTK belong to a family of receptor tyrosine kinases that regulate innate immune responses and CNS homeostasis. During experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), the mRNA expression of MerTK, Gas6, and Axl significantly increase, whereas Tyro3 and ProS1 remain unchanged. We have shown that Gas6 is neuroprotective during EAE, and since Gas6 activation of Axl may be necessary for conferring neuroprotection, we sought to determine whether α-Axl or α-MerTK antibodies, shown by others to activate their respective receptors in vivo, could effectively reduce inflammation and neurodegeneration. METHODS Mice received either α-Axl, α-MerTK, IgG isotype control, or PBS before the onset of EAE symptoms. EAE clinical course, axonal damage, demyelination, cytokine production, and immune cell activation in the CNS were used to determine the severity of EAE. RESULTS α-Axl antibody treatment significantly decreased the EAE clinical indices of female mice during chronic EAE and of male mice during both acute and chronic phases. The number of days mice were severely paralyzed also significantly decreased with α-Axl treatment. Inflammatory macrophages/microglia and the extent of demyelination significantly decreased in the spinal cords of α-Axl-treated mice during chronic EAE, with no differences in the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. α-MerTK antibody did not influence EAE induction or progression. CONCLUSION Our data suggests that the beneficial effect of Gas6/Axl signaling observed in mice administered with Gas6 can be partially preserved by administering an activating α-Axl antibody, but not α-MerTK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juwen C. DuBois
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, NY 10461 USA
| | - Alex K. Ray
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY USA
| | - Peter Davies
- North Shore-LIJ Health System, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY USA
| | - Bridget Shafit-Zagardo
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, NY 10461 USA
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11
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Kurata A, Tachibana Y, Takahashi T, Horiba N. Novel AXL-specific inhibitor ameliorates kidney dysfunction through the inhibition of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of renal tubular cells. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0232055. [PMID: 32324796 PMCID: PMC7179907 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic kidney diseases affect more than 800 million people globally and remain a high unmet need. Various therapeutic targets are currently under evaluation in pre-clinical and clinical studies. Because the growth arrest specific gene 6 (Gas6)/AXL pathway has been implicated in the pathogenesis of kidney diseases, we generated a novel selective and potent AXL inhibitor, CH5451098, and we evaluated its efficacy and elucidated its mechanism in an NEP25 mouse model that follows the clinical course of glomerular nephritis. In this model, CH5451098 significantly ameliorated the excretion of urinary albumin and elevation of serum creatinine. Additionally, it also inhibited tubulointerstitial fibrosis and tubular damage. To elucidate the mechanism behind these changes, we analyzed the effect of CH5451098 against transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) and Gas6, which is a ligand of AXL receptor, in NRK-52E renal tubular epithelial cells. CH5451098 inhibited epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) caused by the synergistic effects of TGFβ1 and Gas6 in NRK-52E cells. This inhibition was also observed in NEP25 mice. Taken together, these results suggest that CH5451098 could ameliorate kidney dysfunction in glomerular nephritis by inhibiting EMT in tubular cells. These results reveal that AXL strongly contributes to the disease progression of glomerular nephritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsuo Kurata
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Gotemba, Shizuoka, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Yukako Tachibana
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Gotemba, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Tadakatsu Takahashi
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Gotemba, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Naoshi Horiba
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Gotemba, Shizuoka, Japan
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12
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Tormoen GW, Blair TC, Bambina S, Kramer G, Baird J, Rahmani R, Holland JM, McCarty OJT, Baine MJ, Verma V, Nabavizadeh N, Gough MJ, Crittenden M. Targeting MerTK Enhances Adaptive Immune Responses After Radiation Therapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2020; 108:93-103. [PMID: 32311417 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2020.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The role of MerTK, a member of the Tyro3-Axl-MerTK family of receptor tyrosine kinase, in the immune response to radiation therapy (RT) is unclear. We investigated immune-mediated tumor control after RT in murine models of colorectal and pancreatic adenocarcinoma using MerTK wild-type and knock-out hosts and whether inhibition of MerTK signaling with warfarin could replicate MerTK knock-out phenotypes. METHODS AND MATERIALS Wild-type and MerTK-/- BALB/c mice were grafted in the flanks with CT26 tumors and treated with computed tomography guided RT. The role of macrophages and CD8 T cells in the response to radiation were demonstrated with cell depletion studies. The role of MerTK in priming immune responses after RT alone and with agonist antibodies to the T cell costimulatory molecule OX40 was evaluated in a Panc02-SIY model antigen system. The effect of warfarin therapy on the in-field and abscopal response to RT was demonstrated in murine models of colorectal adenocarcinoma. The association between warfarin and progression-free survival for patients treated with SABR for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer was evaluated in a multi-institutional retrospective study. RESULTS MerTK-/- hosts had better tumor control after RT compared with wild-type mice in a macrophage and CD8 T cell-dependent manner. MerTK-/- mice showed increased counts of tumor antigen-specific CD8 T cells in the peripheral blood after tumor-directed RT alone and in combination with agonist anti-OX40. Warfarin therapy phenocopied MerTK-/- for single-flank tumors treated with RT and improved abscopal responses for RT combined with anti-CTLA4. Patients on warfarin therapy when treated with SABR for non-small cell lung cancer had higher progression-free survival rates compared with non-warfarin users. CONCLUSIONS MerTK inhibits adaptive immune responses after SABR. Because warfarin inhibits MerTK signaling and phenocopies genetic deletion of MerTK in mice, warfarin therapy may have beneficial effects in combination with SABR and immune therapy in patients with cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garth W Tormoen
- Department of Radiation Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR.
| | - Tiffany C Blair
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
| | - Shelly Bambina
- Earl A. Chiles Research Institute, Providence Medical Center, Portland, OR
| | - Gwen Kramer
- Earl A. Chiles Research Institute, Providence Medical Center, Portland, OR
| | - Jason Baird
- Earl A. Chiles Research Institute, Providence Medical Center, Portland, OR
| | - Ramtin Rahmani
- Department of Radiation Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
| | - John M Holland
- Department of Radiation Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
| | - Owen J T McCarty
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Sciences University, Portland, OR; Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Sciences University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Michael J Baine
- Department of Radiation Oncology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Vivek Verma
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Alleghany General Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Nima Nabavizadeh
- Department of Radiation Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
| | - Michael J Gough
- Earl A. Chiles Research Institute, Providence Medical Center, Portland, OR
| | - Marka Crittenden
- Earl A. Chiles Research Institute, Providence Medical Center, Portland, OR; The Oregon Clinic, Portland, Oregon
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Novitskiy SV, Zaynagetdinov R, Vasiukov G, Gutor S, Han W, Serezani A, Matafonov A, Gleaves LA, Sherrill TP, Polosukhin VV, Blackwell TS. Gas6/MerTK signaling is negatively regulated by NF-κB and supports lung carcinogenesis. Oncotarget 2019; 10:7031-7042. [PMID: 31903163 PMCID: PMC6925028 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.27345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Growth arrest-specific 6 (Gas6) has been implicated in carcinogenesis through activation of its receptors, particularly MerTK. To investigate whether Gas6 plays a role in resistance to NF-κB inhibitors, which have not proven to be effective agents for lung cancer therapy, we studied lung cancer models induced by urethane injection or expression of mutant Kras (KrasG12D). We found that Gas6 is primarily produced by macrophages during tumorigenesis and that Gas6 is negatively regulated by NF-κB. Since Gas6 is a vitamin K dependent protein, we used low-dose warfarin to block Gas6 production and showed that this treatment inhibited tumorigenesis in both the urethane and KrasG12D models, most prominently in mice with targeted deletion of IKKβ in myeloid cells (IKKβΔMye mice). In addition, MerTK deficient mice had reduced urethane-induced tumorigenesis. Inhibition of the Gas6-MerTK pathway in all these models reduced macrophages and neutrophils in the lungs of tumor-bearing mice. Analysis of mouse lung tumors revealed MerTK staining on tumor cells and in vitro studies showed that Gas6 increased proliferation of human lung cancer cell lines. To assess the therapeutic potential for combination treatment targeting NF-κB and Gas6-MerTK, we injected Lewis Lung Carcinoma cells subcutaneously and treated mice with Bay 11-70852 (NF-κB inhibitor) and/or Foretinib (MerTK inhibitor). While individual treatments were ineffective, combination therapy markedly reduced tumor growth, blocked tumor cell proliferation, reduced tumor-associated macrophages, and increased CD4+ T cells. Together, our studies unmask a role for Gas6-MerTK signaling in lung carcinogenesis and indicate that up-regulation of Gas6 production in macrophages could be a major mechanism of resistance to NF-κB inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergey V Novitskiy
- Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Rinat Zaynagetdinov
- Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Georgii Vasiukov
- Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Sergey Gutor
- Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Wei Han
- Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Ana Serezani
- Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Anton Matafonov
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Linda A Gleaves
- Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Taylor P Sherrill
- Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Vasiliy V Polosukhin
- Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Timothy S Blackwell
- Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA.,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, USA.,Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
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14
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Increased sMer, but not sAxl, sTyro3, and Gas6 relate with active disease in juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus. Clin Rheumatol 2019; 39:509-514. [PMID: 31655933 DOI: 10.1007/s10067-019-04799-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVES Tyro3, Axl, and Mer (TAM) receptors and ligands mediate apoptotic bodies engulfment which alteration has been related with juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (JSLE) pathogenesis. Thus, the aim was to determine their soluble levels. METHODS Serum sTyro3, sAxl, sMer, and Gas6 levels were measured using ELISA in 67 JSLE patients, 12 juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) inflammatory and 20 healthy controls and related with SLEDAI-2K score, anti-dsDNA antibody, ESR, CRP, C3, C4 levels, and nephritis. RESULTS JSLE patients with active disease (SLEDAI-2K> 4) had significantly increased sMer levels compared with healthy controls (median 8.4 vs. 6.0 ng/mL, p = 0.009) and inactive disease patients (5.2 ng/mL, p = 0.0003). sMer levels correlated with SLEDAI-2K (r = 0.44; p = 0.0004) and ESR (r = 0.24; p = 0.04), while sAxl correlated with SLEDAI-2K (r = 0.33; p = 0.008) and C4 levels (r = - 0.24; p = 0.04). JSLE patients taking glucocorticoid had increased sAxl and sMer levels. Moreover, sAxl correlated with sMer and sTyro3 levels. Patients with nephritis and those with focal or diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis had these protein levels similar to healthy controls and patients without renal involvement. sTyro3 levels of JSLE patients taking glucocorticoid were decreased, and correlated with Gas6 and sAxl, while Gas6 levels correlated with age upon enrollment. JIA controls had protein levels similar to healthy controls and JSLE patients. CONCLUSIONS This study reinforces that sMer is increased in active JSLE patients, yet sMer and sAxl correlates with disease activity parameters, and their alterations are disease-specific. However, further studies are needed to determine exact roles of sTyro3 and Gas6 in disease pathogenesis. Key Points • sMer and sAxl serum levels are related with active disease in JSLE patients • sMer correlated with SLEDAI-2K score in JSLE • sTyro3, sAxl, sMer and Gas6 levels did not related with nephritis in JSLE patients • sTyro3 and Gas6 exact roles in JSLE are not established and further studies are needed.
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15
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TAM Receptor Pathways at the Crossroads of Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration. DISEASE MARKERS 2019; 2019:2387614. [PMID: 31636733 PMCID: PMC6766163 DOI: 10.1155/2019/2387614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Revised: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that pathogenic mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration are strongly linked with neuroinflammatory responses. Tyro3, Axl, and Mertk (TAM receptors) constitute a subgroup of the receptor tyrosine kinase family, cell surface receptors which transmit signals from the extracellular space to the cytoplasm and nucleus. TAM receptors and the corresponding ligands, Growth Arrest Specific 6 and Protein S, are expressed in different tissues, including the nervous system, playing complex roles in tissue repair, inflammation and cell survival, proliferation, and migration. In the nervous system, TAM receptor signalling modulates neurogenesis and neuronal migration, synaptic plasticity, microglial activation, phagocytosis, myelination, and peripheral nerve repair, resulting in potential interest in neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Multiple Sclerosis. In Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases, a role of TAM receptors in neuronal survival and pathological protein aggregate clearance has been suggested, while in Multiple Sclerosis TAM receptors are involved in myelination and demyelination processes. To better clarify roles and pathways involving TAM receptors may have important therapeutic implications, given the fine modulation of multiple molecular processes which could be reached. In this review, we summarise the roles of TAM receptors in the central nervous system, focusing on the regulation of immune responses and microglial activities and analysing in vitro and in vivo studies regarding TAM signalling involvement in neurodegeneration.
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16
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Gas6/TAM Receptors in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. DISEASE MARKERS 2019; 2019:7838195. [PMID: 31360267 PMCID: PMC6652053 DOI: 10.1155/2019/7838195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multiorgan autoimmune disease associated with impaired immune system regulation. The exact mechanisms of SLE development remain to be elucidated. TAM receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are important for apoptotic cell clearance, immune homeostasis, and resolution of immune responses. TAM deficiency leads to lupus-like autoimmune diseases. Activation of TAM receptors leads to proteolytic cleavage of the receptors, generating soluble forms of TAM. Circulating TAM receptors have an immunoregulatory function and may also serve as biomarkers for disease prognosis. Here, we review the biological function and signaling of TAM RTKs in the development and pathogenesis of lupus and lupus nephritis. Targeting Gas6/TAM pathways may be of therapeutic benefit. A discussion of potential TAM activation and inhibition in the treatment of lupus and lupus nephritis is included.
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17
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Jung J, Lee YJ, Choi YH, Park EM, Kim HS, Kang JL. Gas6 Prevents Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Alveolar Epithelial Cells via Production of PGE 2, PGD 2 and Their Receptors. Cells 2019; 8:cells8070643. [PMID: 31247991 PMCID: PMC6678614 DOI: 10.3390/cells8070643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Revised: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is important in organ fibrosis. We hypothesized that growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6) and its underlying mechanisms play roles in the prevention of EMT in alveolar epithelial cells (ECs). In this study, to determine whether Gas6 prevents TGF-β1-induced EMT in LA-4 and primary alveolar type II ECs, real-time PCR and immunoblotting in cell lysates and ELISA in culture supernatants were performed. Migration and invasion assays were performed using Transwell chambers. Pretreatment of ECs with Gas6 inhibited TGF-β1-induced EMT based on cell morphology, changes in EMT marker expression, and induction of EMT-activating transcription factors. Gas6 enhanced the levels of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)-derived prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and PGD2 as well as of their receptors. COX-2 inhibitors and antagonists of PGE2 and PGD2 receptors reversed the inhibition of TGF-β1-induced EMT, migration, and invasion by Gas6. Moreover, knockdown of Axl or Mer reversed the enhancement of PGE2 and PGD2 and suppression of EMT, migration and invasion by Gas6. Our data suggest Gas6-Axl or -Mer signalling events may reprogram ECs to resist EMT via the production of PGE2, PGD2, and their receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihye Jung
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 07804, Korea.
- Tissue Injury Defense Research Center, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 07804, Korea.
| | - Ye-Ji Lee
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 07804, Korea.
- Tissue Injury Defense Research Center, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 07804, Korea.
| | - Youn-Hee Choi
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 07804, Korea.
- Tissue Injury Defense Research Center, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 07804, Korea.
| | - Eun-Mi Park
- Tissue Injury Defense Research Center, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 07804, Korea.
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 07804, Korea.
| | - Hee-Sun Kim
- Tissue Injury Defense Research Center, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 07804, Korea.
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 07804, Korea.
| | - Jihee L Kang
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 07804, Korea.
- Tissue Injury Defense Research Center, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 07804, Korea.
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18
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Gong S, Xu Z, Liu Y, Xing L, Ma J, Yu C, Liu X, Jia X, Xie R, Sui M. Plasma sMer, sAxl and GAS6 levels correlate with disease activity and severity in lupus nephritis. Eur J Clin Invest 2019; 49:e13064. [PMID: 30588607 DOI: 10.1111/eci.13064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to determine whether TAM receptors and ligands associated with the activity and severity of lupus nephritis. METHODS Clinical data were statistically analysed and studied in 122 SLE patients, diagnosed from 2013 to 2016 in First Hospital Affiliated to Harbin Medical University. Levels of TAM receptors and ligands in the plasma of 122 SLE patients were measured by ELISA. Renal biopsies were performed to confirm lupus nephritis (LN) by histopathology in 68 patients. The associations of TAM receptors and ligands with clinical and serological parameters were analysed in 68 LN patients. RESULTS Amongst patients with SLE, those with LN had significantly higher plasma sMer, sAxl and GAS6 levels than those without renal involvement (P < 0.01 for all comparisons). Additional comparisons on the renal function-associated clinical parameters confirmed an indicative role of the sMer, sAXL and GAS6 levels in the cohort of patients with more severe nephritis. Patients with higher sMer, sAXL and GAS6 levels of LN patients tended to suffer from proliferative glomerulonephritis. The sAXL and GAS6 levels had a strong positive correlation with activity index (AI) in LN patients. Furthermore, there was a significant drop of the sMer, sAXL and GAS6 concentrations from the time of the biopsy to month t6, but no further decrease from months t6 to t12. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that plasma sMer, sAxl and GAS6 can be an additional clinical marker related to the disease activity and severity in LN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siwen Gong
- Department of Nephrology, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Zhaozhen Xu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Nephrology, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Li Xing
- Department of Nephrology, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Jing Ma
- Department of Nephrology, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Chengyuan Yu
- Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Xiaogang Liu
- Department of Nephrology, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Xibei Jia
- Department of Nephrology, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Rujuan Xie
- Department of Nephrology, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Manshu Sui
- Department of Nephrology, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
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19
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Serum Axl predicts histology-based response to induction therapy and long-term renal outcome in lupus nephritis. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0212068. [PMID: 30742665 PMCID: PMC6370217 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Axl is a receptor tyrosine kinase with important functions in immune regulation. We investigated serum levels of soluble (s)Axl in lupus nephritis (LN) in association with renal disease activity, tissue damage and treatment response. We surveyed 52 patients with International Society of Nephrology/Renal Pathology Society (ISN/RPS) class III/IV LN and 20 healthy controls. Renal biopsies were performed at the time of active LN and post-treatment. Patients were classified as clinical responders (CRs) or clinical non-responders based on the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria. Improvement by ≥50% in renal activity index scores defined histological responders (HRs). sAxl levels were elevated in patients compared to controls (median: 18.9 ng/mL), both at baseline (median: 45.7; P<0.001) and post-treatment (median: 41.2 ng/mL; P<0.001). Baseline sAxl levels were higher in patients with class IV (median: 47.7 ng/mL) versus class III (median: 37.5 ng/mL) nephritis (P = 0.008), and showed moderate correlations with albuminuria (r = 0.30, P = 0.030) and creatinine (r = 0.35, P = 0.010). Baseline sAxl levels decreased in CRs (P = 0.002) and HRs (P<0.001), but not in non-responders; levels ≥36.6 ng/mL yielded a >5 times higher probability of histology-based response (odds ratio, OR: 5.5; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.2-25.1). High post-treatment sAxl levels were associated with worsening in chronicity index scores (P = 0.025); low levels predicted favourable renal outcome (creatinine ≤88.4 μmol/L) 10 years after the baseline renal biopsy (area under the curve: 0.71; 95% CI: 0.54-0.89). In conclusion, sAxl may prove useful as a marker of renal activity, histological response to immunosuppression, and renal damage progression in LN. Persistently high sAxl levels after completion of treatment may be indicative of a need for treatment intensification.
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20
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Chen FF, Song FQ, Chen YQ, Wang ZH, Li YH, Liu MH, Li Y, Song M, Zhang W, Zhao J, Zhong M. Exogenous testosterone alleviates cardiac fibrosis and apoptosis via Gas6/Axl pathway in the senescent mice. Exp Gerontol 2019; 119:128-137. [PMID: 30710682 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2019.01.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2018] [Revised: 01/27/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Androgen has been implicated in aging-related cardiac remodeling, but its precise role in aging heart remains controversial. We aimed to investigate the role of testosterone in the development of aging-related cardiac remodeling and the mechanisms involved. METHODS Wild type and Axl knockout mice (Axl-/-) were randomized into three groups: the young group (n = 30, 3 months old), the aging group (n = 30, 18 months old), the testosterone undecanoate treatment group (TU, n = 30, 18 months old). Mice in the TU group were given testosterone undecanoate (39 mg/kg) by subcutaneous injection on the back at fifteen-months-old, once a month, a total of three times. The old group received solvent reagent (corn oil) by the same method. RESULTS The aging mice exhibited a decrease in serum testosterone, and Gas6 levels and an increase in apoptosis, and manifested cardiac fibrosis. Testosterone injection to wild type mice increased the levels of testosterone and Gas6 in serum and decreased cardiac apoptosis and fibrosis. Axl-/-mice receiving testosterone injection exhibited no obvious improvement in cardiac remodeling although the levels of testosterone and Gas6 in serum elevated. CONCLUSIONS These data indicated that testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) alleviates cardiac fibrosis and apoptosis, at least in part by enhancing Gas6 expression. Moreover, deletion of Axl disables testosterone, which indicated that Axl is an important downstream regulator of testosterone. TRT would improve aging-related cardiac remolding via Gas6/Axl signaling pathway, implicating its therapeutic potential to treat aging-related heart disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang-Fang Chen
- The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education, Chinese Ministry of Health and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, The State and Shandong Province Joint Key Laboratory of Translational Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Fang-Qiang Song
- The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education, Chinese Ministry of Health and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, The State and Shandong Province Joint Key Laboratory of Translational Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China; Department of Critical Care Medicine, Tengzhou Central People's Hospital, Tengzhou, Shandong, China
| | - Yan-Qing Chen
- The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education, Chinese Ministry of Health and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, The State and Shandong Province Joint Key Laboratory of Translational Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China; Department of Gerontology, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Zhi-Hao Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education, Chinese Ministry of Health and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, The State and Shandong Province Joint Key Laboratory of Translational Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China; Department of Geriatric Medicine, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University; Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Proteomics of Shandong Province, Jinan, China
| | - Yi-Hui Li
- The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education, Chinese Ministry of Health and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, The State and Shandong Province Joint Key Laboratory of Translational Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China; Department of Critical Care Medicine, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Ming-Hao Liu
- The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education, Chinese Ministry of Health and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, The State and Shandong Province Joint Key Laboratory of Translational Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China; Department of Cardiology, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing, China
| | - Ya Li
- The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education, Chinese Ministry of Health and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, The State and Shandong Province Joint Key Laboratory of Translational Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Ming Song
- The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education, Chinese Ministry of Health and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, The State and Shandong Province Joint Key Laboratory of Translational Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education, Chinese Ministry of Health and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, The State and Shandong Province Joint Key Laboratory of Translational Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Jing Zhao
- The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education, Chinese Ministry of Health and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, The State and Shandong Province Joint Key Laboratory of Translational Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China.
| | - Ming Zhong
- The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education, Chinese Ministry of Health and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, The State and Shandong Province Joint Key Laboratory of Translational Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China.
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Zhen Y, Lee IJ, Finkelman FD, Shao WH. Targeted inhibition of Axl receptor tyrosine kinase ameliorates anti-GBM-induced lupus-like nephritis. J Autoimmun 2018; 93:37-44. [PMID: 29895432 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2018.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2018] [Revised: 06/03/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Glomerulonephritis (GN) is a typical lesion in autoantibody and immune complex disorders, including SLE. Because the Gas6/Axl pathway has been implicated in the pathogenesis of many types of GN, targeting this pathway might ameliorate GN. Consequently, we have studied the efficacy and mechanism of R428, a potent selective Axl inhibitor, in the prevention of experimental anti-GBM nephritis. Axl upregulation was investigated with Sp1/3 siRNA in the SV40-transformed mesangial cells. For Axl inhibition, a daily dose of R428 (125 mg/kg) or vehicle was administered orally. GN was induced with anti-GBM sera. Renal disease development was followed by serial blood urine nitrogen (BUN) determinations and by evaluation of kidney histology at the time of sacrifice. Axl-associated signaling proteins were analyzed by Western blotting and inflammatory cytokine secretion was analyzed by Proteome array. SiRNA data revealed the transcription factor Sp1 to be an important regulator of mesangial Axl expression. Anti-GBM serum induced severe nephritis with azotemia, protein casts and necrotic cell death. R428 treatment diminished renal Axl expression and improved kidney function, with significantly decreased BUN and glomerular proliferation. R428 treatment inhibited Axl and significantly decreased Akt phosphorylation and renal inflammatory cytokine and chemokine expression; similar effects were observed in anti-GBM antiserum-treated Axl-KO mice. These studies support a role for Axl inhibition in glomerulonephritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxuan Zhen
- Division of Immunology, Allergy and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267 USA
| | - Iris J Lee
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140 USA
| | - Fred D Finkelman
- Division of Immunology, Allergy and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267 USA; Division of Immunobiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati OH 45229 USA
| | - Wen-Hai Shao
- Division of Immunology, Allergy and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267 USA.
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Increased Circulating and Urinary Levels of Soluble TAM Receptors in Diabetic Nephropathy. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2017; 187:1971-1983. [PMID: 28668213 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2017.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2017] [Revised: 04/29/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
TAM receptors (Tyro3, Axl, and Mer) have been implicated in innate immunity. Circulating TAM receptor soluble forms (sTyro3, sAxl, sMer) are related to autoimmune disorders. We investigated TAM and their ligand protein S in patients with diabetes. Urinary and plasma levels of protein S, sTyro3, sAxl, and sMer were determined in 126 patients with diabetes assigned to a normoalbuminuric or macroalbuminuric (urinary albumin excretion <30 mg/24 hours and >300 mg/24 hours, respectively) study group and 18 healthy volunteers. TAM and protein S immunostaining was performed on kidney biopsy specimens from patients with diabetic nephropathy (n = 9) and controls (n = 6). TAM expression and shedding by tubular epithelial cells were investigated by PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in an in vitro diabetes model. Patients with macroalbuminuria diabetes had higher circulating levels of sMer and more urinary sTyro3 and sMer than normoalbuminuric diabetics. Increased clearance of sTyro3 and sMer was associated with loss of tubular Tyro3 and Mer expression in diabetic nephropathy tissue and glomerular depositions of protein S. During in vitro diabetes, human kidney cells had down-regulation of Tyro3 and Mer mRNA and increased shedding of sTyro3 and sMer. Renal injury in diabetes is associated with elevated systemic and urine levels of sMer and sTyro3. This is the first study reporting excretion of sTAM receptors in urine, identifying the kidney as a source of sTAM.
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Li S, Guo Q, Zhu H, Li Z, Su Y, Dong B. Increased Mer and Axl receptor tyrosine kinase expression on glomeruli in lupus nephritis. Clin Rheumatol 2017; 36:1063-1070. [PMID: 28127639 DOI: 10.1007/s10067-017-3550-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2016] [Revised: 01/03/2017] [Accepted: 01/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Mer and Axl receptor tyrosine kinases (MerTK and AxlTK) play important roles in the clearance of apoptotic cells and the inhibition of inflammatory responses. Previous studies demonstrated that they might participate in glomerular injury in mice model. This study aimed to elucidate the expression of MerTK and AxlTK on glomeruli and analyze their clinical significance in lupus nephritis (LN) patients. Twenty-nine LN and 10 primary nephrotic syndrome (NS) patients were recruited. The expression of MerTK and AxlTK on glomeruli was measured by immunohistochemistry. Correlations between the levels of MerTK and AxlTK and clinical data were investigated. Statistical differences in each group were calculated by one-way analysis of variance, t test, or Mann-Whitney U test. Correlations were evaluated with Pearson's or Spearman's correlation tests. Both MerTK and AxlTK were expressed mainly on mesangial cells. LN patients demonstrated more expression of MerTK and AxlTK than primary NS patients (1.19 ± 1.01 × 10-2 vs 0.21 ± 0.29 × 10-2, 7.25 ± 2.69 × 10-2 vs 3.10 ± 1.22 × 10-2, p < 0.01). In LN patients, MerTK expression correlated with AxlTK (r = 0.529, p < 0.01). LN patients with class IV expressed more MerTK and AxlTK (1.50 ± 1.03 × 10-2 and 7.56 ± 2.93 × 10-2). The expression of MerTK and AxlTK varied according to the deposition of immunoglobulin and complements on glomeruli. Both MerTK and AxlTK expressions were increased on glomeruli and varied according to pathological classifications. Thus, we assumed that both two subsets might participate in the pathogenesis of LN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Li
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, People's Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Department of Rheumatology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Qianyu Guo
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Shanxi DaYi Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Science, Taiyuan, China
| | - Huaqun Zhu
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, People's Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhanguo Li
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, People's Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yin Su
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, People's Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
| | - Bao Dong
- Department of Nephrology, People's Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
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Protective Effects of Growth Arrest-Specific Protein 6 (Gas6) on Sepsis-Induced Acute Kidney Injury. Inflammation 2017; 39:575-82. [PMID: 26552404 DOI: 10.1007/s10753-015-0282-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious complication of sepsis, which has a high mortality rate. Growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6), the protein product of the growth arrest specific gene 6, has been shown to have an anti-apoptotic effect as well as pro-survival capability. Here, we investigated the effects of Gas6 on sepsis-associated AKI in mice subjected to cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). We found that the administration of rmGas6 significantly reduced serum urea nitrogen and creatinine and improved the survival of septic mice. Furthermore, the renal pathological damage induced by CLP was attenuated by rmGas6 treatment. Finally, rmGas6 reduced the renal tissue apoptotic index and the expression of Bax, while it upregulated the expression of Bcl-2. The data suggest that rmGas6 might be used as a potential therapeutic agent for sepsis-induced AKI.
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25
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Bellan M, Pogliani G, Marconi C, Minisini R, Franzosi L, Alciato F, Magri A, Avanzi GC, Pirisi M, Sainaghi PP. Gas6 as a putative noninvasive biomarker of hepatic fibrosis. Biomark Med 2016; 10:1241-1249. [PMID: 27924629 DOI: 10.2217/bmm-2016-0210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM To evaluate serum growth arrest-specific gene 6 (Gas6) concentration as a biomarker of liver fibrosis progression. MATERIALS & METHODS One hundred and thirteen consecutive patients affected by chronic liver disease underwent transient elastography, Gas6 measurement and, if clinically indicated, liver biopsy. RESULTS Gas6 concentration was directly correlated to liver stiffness (r = 0.67; p < 0.0001) and was significantly higher in patients with advanced fibrosis (Ishak 4-5; p < 0.001). A plasma concentration <30 ng/ml Gas6 ruled out fibrosis with 84% sensitivity and 56% specificity, while values >42 ng/ml identified severe fibrosis with a sensitivity of 64% and a specificity of 95%; the diagnostic accuracy was comparable to that of transient elastography. CONCLUSION Gas6 is a novel biomarker of liver fibrosis, with a potential clinical and pathophysiological relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattia Bellan
- Department of Translational Medicine, Università del Piemonte Orientale UPO, via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy.,Division of Internal Medicine, "AOU Maggiore della Carità", Corso Mazzini 18, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Gabriele Pogliani
- Department of Translational Medicine, Università del Piemonte Orientale UPO, via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy.,Division of Internal Medicine, "AOU Maggiore della Carità", Corso Mazzini 18, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Cecilia Marconi
- Department of Translational Medicine, Università del Piemonte Orientale UPO, via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy.,Division of Internal Medicine, "AOU Maggiore della Carità", Corso Mazzini 18, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Rosalba Minisini
- Department of Translational Medicine, Università del Piemonte Orientale UPO, via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy.,Division of Internal Medicine, "AOU Maggiore della Carità", Corso Mazzini 18, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Lisa Franzosi
- Department of Translational Medicine, Università del Piemonte Orientale UPO, via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy.,Division of Internal Medicine, "AOU Maggiore della Carità", Corso Mazzini 18, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Federica Alciato
- Department of Translational Medicine, Università del Piemonte Orientale UPO, via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Andrea Magri
- Department of Translational Medicine, Università del Piemonte Orientale UPO, via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy.,Division of Internal Medicine, "AOU Maggiore della Carità", Corso Mazzini 18, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Gian Carlo Avanzi
- Department of Translational Medicine, Università del Piemonte Orientale UPO, via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy.,Emergency Medicine Department, "AOU Maggiore della Carità", Corso Mazzini 18, Novara, Italy
| | - Mario Pirisi
- Department of Translational Medicine, Università del Piemonte Orientale UPO, via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy.,Division of Internal Medicine, "AOU Maggiore della Carità", Corso Mazzini 18, 28100 Novara, Italy.,IRCAD, Interdisciplinary Research Center of Autoimmune Diseases, via Solaroli 17, Novara, Italy
| | - Pier Paolo Sainaghi
- Division of Internal Medicine, "AOU Maggiore della Carità", Corso Mazzini 18, 28100 Novara, Italy.,IRCAD, Interdisciplinary Research Center of Autoimmune Diseases, via Solaroli 17, Novara, Italy
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26
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The Gas6/TAM System and Multiple Sclerosis. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:ijms17111807. [PMID: 27801848 PMCID: PMC5133808 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17111807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2016] [Revised: 10/22/2016] [Accepted: 10/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Growth arrest specific 6 (Gas6) is a multimodular circulating protein, the biological actions of which are mediated by the interaction with three transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptors: Tyro3, Axl, and MerTK, collectively named TAM. Over the last few decades, many progresses have been done in the understanding of the biological activities of this highly pleiotropic system, which plays a role in the regulation of immune response, inflammation, coagulation, cell growth, and clearance of apoptotic bodies. Recent findings have further related Gas6 and TAM receptors to neuroinflammation in general and, specifically, to multiple sclerosis (MS). In this paper, we review the biology of the Gas6/TAM system and the current evidence supporting its potential role in the pathogenesis of MS.
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27
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The Role of TAM Family Receptors in Immune Cell Function: Implications for Cancer Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2016; 8:cancers8100097. [PMID: 27775650 PMCID: PMC5082387 DOI: 10.3390/cancers8100097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2016] [Revised: 10/13/2016] [Accepted: 10/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The TAM receptor protein tyrosine kinases-Tyro3, Axl, and Mer-are essential regulators of immune homeostasis. Guided by their cognate ligands Growth arrest-specific gene 6 (Gas6) and Protein S (Pros1), these receptors ensure the resolution of inflammation by dampening the activation of innate cells as well as by restoring tissue function through promotion of tissue repair and clearance of apoptotic cells. Their central role as negative immune regulators is highlighted by the fact that deregulation of TAM signaling has been linked to the pathogenesis of autoimmune, inflammatory, and infectious diseases. Importantly, TAM receptors have also been associated with cancer development and progression. In a cancer setting, TAM receptors have a dual regulatory role, controlling the initiation and progression of tumor development and, at the same time, the associated anti-tumor responses of diverse immune cells. Thus, modulation of TAM receptors has emerged as a potential novel strategy for cancer treatment. In this review, we discuss our current understanding of how TAM receptors control immunity, with a particular focus on the regulation of anti-tumor responses and its implications for cancer immunotherapy.
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Zhen Y, Priest SO, Shao WH. Opposing Roles of Tyrosine Kinase Receptors Mer and Axl Determine Clinical Outcomes in Experimental Immune-Mediated Nephritis. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2016; 197:2187-94. [PMID: 27527599 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1600793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Glomerulonephritis is one of the most severe manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus, with considerable morbidity and mortality. There remains a major unmet need for successful management of lupus nephritis. TAM family receptor tyrosine kinases (Mer and Axl) play an important role in the maintenance of immune homeostasis in the kidney. Mer is constitutively expressed in the glomeruli; Axl expression is inducible in glomeruli under inflammatory conditions. To investigate the distinct functions of Axl and Mer in lupus nephritis, we compared the severity of nephrotoxic serum glomerulonephritis in wild-type (WT), Axl-knockout (KO), Mer-KO, and Axl/Mer-KO mice. Mer-KO mice developed severe glomerulonephritis, with significantly decreased survival and increased blood urea nitrogen levels compared with WT mice given the same treatment. However, nephrotoxic serum-treated Axl-KO mice had significantly increased survival rates and improved renal function compared with similarly treated WT, Mer-KO, and Axl/Mer-KO mice. Interestingly, mice lacking both Axl and Mer developed kidney inflammation comparable to WT mice. Western blot analysis revealed significantly increased Stat3 phosphorylation and caspase-1 activation in the kidneys of nephritic Mer-KO mice. In contrast, Axl-deficient nephrotoxic serum-injected mice showed decreased Akt phosphorylation and Bcl-xL upregulation. Thus, the reciprocal activation of Axl and Mer receptor tyrosine kinases has a major impact on the outcome of renal inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxuan Zhen
- Section of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140
| | - Stephen O Priest
- Section of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140
| | - Wen-Hai Shao
- Section of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140
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29
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Orme JJ, Du Y, Vanarsa K, Mayeux J, Li L, Mutwally A, Arriens C, Min S, Hutcheson J, Davis LS, Chong BF, Satterthwaite AB, Wu T, Mohan C. Heightened cleavage of Axl receptor tyrosine kinase by ADAM metalloproteases may contribute to disease pathogenesis in SLE. Clin Immunol 2016; 169:58-68. [PMID: 27237127 PMCID: PMC5193537 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2016.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2015] [Revised: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterized by antibody-mediated chronic inflammation in the kidney, lung, skin, and other organs to cause inflammation and damage. Several inflammatory pathways are dysregulated in SLE, and understanding these pathways may improve diagnosis and treatment. In one such pathway, Axl tyrosine kinase receptor responds to Gas6 ligand to block inflammation in leukocytes. A soluble form of the Axl receptor ectodomain (sAxl) is elevated in serum from patients with SLE and lupus-prone mice. We hypothesized that sAxl in SLE serum originates from the surface of leukocytes and that the loss of leukocyte Axl contributes to the disease. We determined that macrophages and B cells are a source of sAxl in SLE and in lupus-prone mice. Shedding of the Axl ectodomain from the leukocytes of lupus-prone mice is mediated by the matrix metalloproteases ADAM10 and TACE (ADAM17). Loss of Axl from lupus-prone macrophages renders them unresponsive to Gas6-induced anti-inflammatory signaling in vitro. This phenotype is rescued by combined ADAM10/TACE inhibition. Mice with Axl-deficient macrophages develop worse disease than controls when challenged with anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) sera in an induced model of nephritis. ADAM10 and TACE also mediate human SLE PBMC Axl cleavage. Collectively, these studies indicate that increased metalloprotease-mediated cleavage of leukocyte Axl may contribute to end organ disease in lupus. They further suggest dual ADAM10/TACE inhibition as a potential therapeutic modality in SLE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob J Orme
- The Department of Internal Medicine, Rheumatic Diseases Division, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
| | - Yong Du
- The Department of Internal Medicine, Rheumatic Diseases Division, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States; The Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204-5060, United States
| | - Kamala Vanarsa
- The Department of Internal Medicine, Rheumatic Diseases Division, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States; The Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204-5060, United States
| | - Jessica Mayeux
- The Department of Internal Medicine, Rheumatic Diseases Division, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
| | - Li Li
- The Department of Internal Medicine, Rheumatic Diseases Division, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
| | - Azza Mutwally
- The Department of Internal Medicine, Rheumatic Diseases Division, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
| | - Cristina Arriens
- The Department of Internal Medicine, Rheumatic Diseases Division, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
| | - Soyoun Min
- The Department of Internal Medicine, Rheumatic Diseases Division, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
| | - Jack Hutcheson
- The Department of Internal Medicine, Rheumatic Diseases Division, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
| | - Laurie S Davis
- The Department of Internal Medicine, Rheumatic Diseases Division, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
| | - Benjamin F Chong
- The Department of Dermatology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
| | - Anne B Satterthwaite
- The Department of Internal Medicine, Rheumatic Diseases Division, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
| | - Tianfu Wu
- The Department of Internal Medicine, Rheumatic Diseases Division, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States; The Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204-5060, United States
| | - Chandra Mohan
- The Department of Internal Medicine, Rheumatic Diseases Division, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States; The Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204-5060, United States.
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30
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Cui L, Bai Y, Zhang J, Zhang S, Xu J. Effects of extracellular acid stimulation on rat vascular smooth muscle cell in Gas6/Axl or PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Clin Exp Hypertens 2016; 38:451-6. [PMID: 27362907 DOI: 10.3109/10641963.2016.1163366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have indicated that extracellular acid stimulation inhibited the calcification of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Cell apoptosis played an important role in the occurrence and development of vascular calcification. We further explored the effects of Gas6/Axl or PI3K/Akt signaling pathway on the inhibition of rat VSMCs calcification in response to extracellular acid stimulation. Our study demonstrated that a high concentration of phosphorus induced apoptosis and calcification of VSMCs, decreased expression of Axl, and reduced phosphorylation of Akt. Stimulation of extracellular acid counteracted the effects as above by increasing the expression of Axl and Akt phosphorylation and decreasing the expression of activated Caspase3, which thereby decreased cell apoptosis and calcification. Moreover, the effects can be attenuated by PI3K inhibitor. Our study proved that extracellular acid stimulation played a vital role in the inhibition of rat VSMCs calcification and apoptosis in Gas6/Axl or PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liwen Cui
- a Department of Nephrology , The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University , Shijiazhuang City , Hebei Province , China
| | - Yaling Bai
- a Department of Nephrology , The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University , Shijiazhuang City , Hebei Province , China
| | - Junxia Zhang
- a Department of Nephrology , The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University , Shijiazhuang City , Hebei Province , China
| | - Shenglei Zhang
- a Department of Nephrology , The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University , Shijiazhuang City , Hebei Province , China
| | - Jinsheng Xu
- a Department of Nephrology , The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University , Shijiazhuang City , Hebei Province , China
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Abstract
The control of cellular growth and proliferation is key to the maintenance of homeostasis. Survival, proliferation, and arrest are regulated, in part, by Growth Arrest Specific 6 (Gas6) through binding to members of the TAM receptor tyrosine kinase family. Activation of the TAM receptors leads to downstream signaling through common kinases, but the exact mechanism within each cellular context varies and remains to be completely elucidated. Deregulation of the TAM family, due to its central role in mediating cellular proliferation, has been implicated in multiple diseases. Axl was cloned as the first TAM receptor in a search for genes involved in the progression of chronic to acute-phase leukemia, and has since been established as playing a critical role in the progression of cancer. The oncogenic nature of Axl is demonstrated through its activation of signaling pathways involved in proliferation, migration, inhibition of apoptosis, and therapeutic resistance. Despite its recent discovery, significant progress has been made in the development of effective clinical therapeutics targeting Axl. In order to accurately define the role of Axl in normal and diseased processes, it must be analyzed in a cell type-specific context.
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Waizenegger JS, Ben-Batalla I, Weinhold N, Meissner T, Wroblewski M, Janning M, Riecken K, Binder M, Atanackovic D, Taipaleenmaeki H, Schewe D, Sawall S, Gensch V, Cubas-Cordova M, Seckinger A, Fiedler W, Hesse E, Kröger N, Fehse B, Hose D, Klein B, Raab MS, Pantel K, Bokemeyer C, Loges S. Role of Growth arrest-specific gene 6-Mer axis in multiple myeloma. Leukemia 2014; 29:696-704. [PMID: 25102945 DOI: 10.1038/leu.2014.236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2014] [Revised: 07/11/2014] [Accepted: 07/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Multiple myeloma is a mostly incurable malignancy characterized by the expansion of a malignant plasma cell (PC) clone in the human bone marrow (BM). Myeloma cells closely interact with the BM stroma, which secretes soluble factors that foster myeloma progression and therapy resistance. Growth arrest-specific gene 6 (Gas6) is produced by BM-derived stroma cells and can promote malignancy. However, the role of Gas6 and its receptors Axl, Tyro3 and Mer (TAM receptors) in myeloma is unknown. We therefore investigated their expression in myeloma cell lines and in the BM of myeloma patients and healthy donors. Gas6 showed increased expression in sorted BMPCs of myeloma patients compared with healthy controls. The fraction of Mer(+) BMPCs was increased in myeloma patients in comparison with healthy controls whereas Axl and Tyro3 were not expressed by BMPCs in the majority of patients. Downregulation of Gas6 and Mer inhibited the proliferation of different myeloma cell lines, whereas knocking down Axl or Tyro3 had no effect. Inhibition of the Gas6 receptor Mer or therapeutic targeting of Gas6 by warfarin reduced myeloma burden and improved survival in a systemic model of myeloma. Thus, the Gas6-Mer axis represents a novel candidate for therapeutic intervention in this incurable malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- J S Waizenegger
- 1] Department of Hematology and Oncology, BMT with Section of Pneumology, Hubertus Wald Tumorzentrum, University Comprehensive Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany [2] Department of Tumor Biology, Center of Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - I Ben-Batalla
- 1] Department of Hematology and Oncology, BMT with Section of Pneumology, Hubertus Wald Tumorzentrum, University Comprehensive Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany [2] Department of Tumor Biology, Center of Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - N Weinhold
- Department of Internal Medicine V, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - T Meissner
- Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - M Wroblewski
- 1] Department of Hematology and Oncology, BMT with Section of Pneumology, Hubertus Wald Tumorzentrum, University Comprehensive Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany [2] Department of Tumor Biology, Center of Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - M Janning
- 1] Department of Hematology and Oncology, BMT with Section of Pneumology, Hubertus Wald Tumorzentrum, University Comprehensive Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany [2] Department of Tumor Biology, Center of Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - K Riecken
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - M Binder
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, BMT with Section of Pneumology, Hubertus Wald Tumorzentrum, University Comprehensive Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - D Atanackovic
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, BMT with Section of Pneumology, Hubertus Wald Tumorzentrum, University Comprehensive Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - H Taipaleenmaeki
- Heisenberg-Group for Molecular Skeletal Biology, Department of Trauma, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - D Schewe
- Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - S Sawall
- 1] Department of Hematology and Oncology, BMT with Section of Pneumology, Hubertus Wald Tumorzentrum, University Comprehensive Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany [2] Department of Tumor Biology, Center of Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - V Gensch
- 1] Department of Hematology and Oncology, BMT with Section of Pneumology, Hubertus Wald Tumorzentrum, University Comprehensive Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany [2] Department of Tumor Biology, Center of Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - M Cubas-Cordova
- 1] Department of Hematology and Oncology, BMT with Section of Pneumology, Hubertus Wald Tumorzentrum, University Comprehensive Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany [2] Department of Tumor Biology, Center of Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - A Seckinger
- Department of Internal Medicine V, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - W Fiedler
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, BMT with Section of Pneumology, Hubertus Wald Tumorzentrum, University Comprehensive Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - E Hesse
- Heisenberg-Group for Molecular Skeletal Biology, Department of Trauma, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - N Kröger
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - B Fehse
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - D Hose
- Department of Internal Medicine V, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - B Klein
- Institute of Research in Biotherapy, University Hospital of Montpellier (CHU), Montpellier, France
| | - M S Raab
- Department of Internal Medicine V, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - K Pantel
- Department of Tumor Biology, Center of Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - C Bokemeyer
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, BMT with Section of Pneumology, Hubertus Wald Tumorzentrum, University Comprehensive Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - S Loges
- 1] Department of Hematology and Oncology, BMT with Section of Pneumology, Hubertus Wald Tumorzentrum, University Comprehensive Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany [2] Department of Tumor Biology, Center of Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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Hyde GD, Taylor RF, Ashton N, Borland SJ, Wu HSG, Gilmore AP, Canfield AE. Axl tyrosine kinase protects against tubulo-interstitial apoptosis and progression of renal failure in a murine model of chronic kidney disease and hyperphosphataemia. PLoS One 2014; 9:e102096. [PMID: 25019319 PMCID: PMC4096921 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0102096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2014] [Accepted: 06/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is defined as the progressive loss of renal function often involving glomerular, tubulo-interstitial and vascular pathology. CKD is associated with vascular calcification; the extent of which predicts morbidity and mortality. However, the molecular regulation of these events and the progression of chronic kidney disease are not fully elucidated. To investigate the function of Axl receptor tyrosine kinase in CKD we performed a sub-total nephrectomy and fed high phosphate (1%) diet to Axl+/+ and Axl−/− mice. Plasma Gas6 (Axl' ligand), renal Axl expression and downstream Akt signalling were all significantly up-regulated in Axl+/+ mice following renal mass reduction and high phosphate diet, compared to age-matched controls. Axl−/− mice had significantly enhanced uraemia, reduced bodyweight and significantly reduced survival following sub-total nephrectomy and high phosphate diet compared to Axl+/+ mice; only 45% of Axl−/− mice survived to 14 weeks post-surgery compared to 87% of Axl+/+ mice. Histological analysis of kidney remnants revealed no effect of loss of Axl on glomerular hypertrophy, calcification or renal sclerosis but identified significantly increased tubulo-interstitial apoptosis in Axl−/− mice. Vascular calcification was not induced in Axl+/+ or Axl−/− mice in the time frame we were able to examine. In conclusion, we identify the up-regulation of Gas6/Axl signalling as a protective mechanism which reduces tubulo-interstitial apoptosis and slows progression to end-stage renal failure in the murine nephrectomy and high phosphate diet model of CKD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gareth D. Hyde
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Rebecca F. Taylor
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Nick Ashton
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Samantha J. Borland
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | | | - Andrew P. Gilmore
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Ann E. Canfield
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Yu W, Zheng H, Lin W, Tajima A, Zhang Y, Zhang X, Zhang H, Wu J, Han D, Rahman NA, Korach KS, Gao GF, Inoue I, Li X. Estrogen promotes Leydig cell engulfment by macrophages in male infertility. J Clin Invest 2014; 124:2709-21. [PMID: 24762434 DOI: 10.1172/jci59901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Male infertility accounts for almost half of infertility cases worldwide. A subset of infertile men exhibit reduced testosterone and enhanced levels of estradiol (E2), though it is unclear how increased E2 promotes deterioration of male fertility. Here, we utilized a transgenic mouse strain that overexpresses human CYP19, which encodes aromatase (AROM+ mice), and mice with knockout of Esr1, encoding estrogen receptor α (ERαKO mice), to analyze interactions between viable Leydig cells (LCs) and testicular macrophages that may lead to male infertility. In AROM+ males, enhanced E2 promoted LC hyperplasia and macrophage activation via ERα signaling. E2 stimulated LCs to produce growth arrest-specific 6 (GAS6), which mediates phagocytosis of apoptotic cells by bridging cells with surface exposed phosphatidylserine (PS) to macrophage receptors, including the tyrosine kinases TYRO3, AXL, and MER. Overproduction of E2 increased apoptosis-independent extrusion of PS on LCs, which in turn promoted engulfment by E2/ERα-activated macrophages that was mediated by AXL-GAS6-PS interaction. We further confirmed E2-dependant engulfment of LCs by real-time 3D imaging. Furthermore, evaluation of molecular markers in the testes of patients with nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) revealed enhanced expression of CYP19, GAS6, and AXL, which suggests that the AROM+ mouse model reflects human infertility. Together, these results suggest that GAS6 has a potential as a clinical biomarker and therapeutic target for male infertility.
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Effects of warfarin and L-carnitine on hemostatic function and oxidative stress in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. J Physiol Biochem 2014; 70:535-46. [PMID: 24671746 DOI: 10.1007/s13105-014-0333-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2014] [Accepted: 03/12/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a complex progressive disease characterized by hyperglycemia and a high risk of atherothrombotic disorders affecting the coronary, cerebral, and peripheral arterial trees. Oxidative stress is reported in diabetic patients. We investigated the hemostatic functions and oxidative stress in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats and the effects of warfarin and L-carnitine on those parameters. Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: control, DM, and DM received warfarin or L-carnitine. In all rats, blood glucose, insulin, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fibrinogen, factor VII (FVII), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), fibrin degradation products (FDP), protein C, antithrombin III (ATIII), malondialdehydes (MDA), and antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione) were measured. Also, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), coagulation time, and platelet aggregation were evaluated. In diabetic rats, plasma glucose, HbA1c, MDA, fibrinogen, FVII, FDP, PAI-1, and platelet aggregation increased while insulin, PT, aPTT, coagulation time, protein C, ATIII, and antioxidants decreased. Warfarin administration to diabetic rats decreased FVII and FDP and increased PT, aPTT, and coagulation time with no effect on MDA, antioxidants, PAI-1, protein C, ATIII, and platelet aggregation. On the other hand, L-carnitine decreased fibrinogen, FVII, FDP, PAI-1, MDA, and platelet aggregation and increased PT, aPTT, coagulation time, protein C, ATIII, and antioxidants in diabetic rats. Therefore, we concluded that hyperglycemia plays an important role in hypercoagulation state and oxidative stress in STZ-induced DM. While L-carnitine improves oxidative stress and decreases the hypercoagulation state in DM, warfarin normalizes the hypercoagulation state with no effect on oxidative stress.
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Paolino M, Choidas A, Wallner S, Pranjic B, Uribesalgo I, Loeser S, Jamieson AM, Langdon WY, Ikeda F, Fededa JP, Cronin SJ, Nitsch R, Schultz-Fademrecht C, Eickhoff J, Menninger S, Unger A, Torka R, Gruber T, Hinterleitner R, Baier G, Wolf D, Ullrich A, Klebl BM, Penninger JM. The E3 ligase Cbl-b and TAM receptors regulate cancer metastasis via natural killer cells. Nature 2014; 507:508-12. [PMID: 24553136 DOI: 10.1038/nature12998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 337] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2012] [Accepted: 01/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Tumour metastasis is the primary cause of mortality in cancer patients and remains the key challenge for cancer therapy. New therapeutic approaches to block inhibitory pathways of the immune system have renewed hopes for the utility of such therapies. Here we show that genetic deletion of the E3 ubiquitin ligase Cbl-b (casitas B-lineage lymphoma-b) or targeted inactivation of its E3 ligase activity licenses natural killer (NK) cells to spontaneously reject metastatic tumours. The TAM tyrosine kinase receptors Tyro3, Axl and Mer (also known as Mertk) were identified as ubiquitylation substrates for Cbl-b. Treatment of wild-type NK cells with a newly developed small molecule TAM kinase inhibitor conferred therapeutic potential, efficiently enhancing anti-metastatic NK cell activity in vivo. Oral or intraperitoneal administration using this TAM inhibitor markedly reduced murine mammary cancer and melanoma metastases dependent on NK cells. We further report that the anticoagulant warfarin exerts anti-metastatic activity in mice via Cbl-b/TAM receptors in NK cells, providing a molecular explanation for a 50-year-old puzzle in cancer biology. This novel TAM/Cbl-b inhibitory pathway shows that it might be possible to develop a 'pill' that awakens the innate immune system to kill cancer metastases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Paolino
- IMBA, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Axel Choidas
- Lead Discovery Center GmbH, D-44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | | | - Blanka Pranjic
- IMBA, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Iris Uribesalgo
- IMBA, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefanie Loeser
- IMBA, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Amanda M Jamieson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA
| | - Wallace Y Langdon
- School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Perth, Australia
| | - Fumiyo Ikeda
- IMBA, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Juan Pablo Fededa
- IMBA, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Shane J Cronin
- IMBA, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Roberto Nitsch
- IMBA, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Jan Eickhoff
- Lead Discovery Center GmbH, D-44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | | | - Anke Unger
- Lead Discovery Center GmbH, D-44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Robert Torka
- Max-Planck, Institute for Biochemistry, Department of Molecular Biology, D-82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Thomas Gruber
- Medical University Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | | | | | - Dominik Wolf
- 1] Medical University Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria [2] Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Axel Ullrich
- Max-Planck, Institute for Biochemistry, Department of Molecular Biology, D-82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Bert M Klebl
- Lead Discovery Center GmbH, D-44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Josef M Penninger
- IMBA, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1030 Vienna, Austria
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Laurance S, Aghourian MN, Jiva Lila Z, Lemarié CA, Blostein MD. Gas6-induced tissue factor expression in endothelial cells is mediated through caveolin-1-enriched microdomains. J Thromb Haemost 2014; 12:395-408. [PMID: 24354620 DOI: 10.1111/jth.12481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gas6 has been shown to interact with Axl in endothelial cells and to induce several signaling pathways involved in cell survival and proliferation. However, the interaction of Gas6/Axl with lipid raft/caveolin-1 in endothelial cells and its role in thrombosis are unknown. OBJECTIVES We tested whether Axl and/or caveolin-1 is involved in Gas6-induced Akt, ERK1/2, and c-Src activation leading to altered tissue factor expression in endothelial cells. METHODS Gas6-treated endothelial cells were transfected with small interfering RNA (siRNA) for Axl, caveolin-1, c-Src, and Akt or treated with pharmacological inhibitors of c-Src and ERK1/2. Sucrose gradient centrifugation and confocal microscopy were used to study lipid raft/caveolin-1-enriched fractions. Akt, ERK1/2, p38, and c-Src activation was analyzed by Western blot analysis. Tissue factor expression was assessed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION Gas6 induced Axl and c-Src localization into lipid raft/caveolin-1-enriched fractions. Gas6 increased the phosphorylation of Akt, ERK1/2, and c-Src but not p38. Using siRNA, we demonstrated that Axl is required for Akt, ERK1/2, and c-Src activation after Gas6 stimulation. siRNA for caveolin-1 blocked Gas6-induced phosphorylation of Akt, ERK1/2, and c-Src. c-Src downregulation inhibited Gas6-induced Akt but not ERK1/2 phosphorylation. Finally, Gas6 increased tissue factor mRNA and protein expression in endothelial cells. Tissue factor expression was blocked by siRNA for Axl, caveolin-1, or Akt as well as c-Src inhibition. These data demonstrate that the signaling pathway Gas6/Axl/caveolin-1/c-Src/Akt is required for tissue factor expression in endothelial cells, providing mechanistic insight into how Gas6 exerts its prothrombotic role in the vasculature.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Laurance
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Tomita M, Asada M, Asada N, Nakamura J, Oguchi A, Higashi AY, Endo S, Robertson E, Kimura T, Kita T, Economides AN, Kreidberg J, Yanagita M. Bmp7 maintains undifferentiated kidney progenitor population and determines nephron numbers at birth. PLoS One 2013; 8:e73554. [PMID: 23991197 PMCID: PMC3753328 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0073554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2012] [Accepted: 07/29/2013] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The number of nephrons, the functional units of the kidney, varies among individuals. A low nephron number at birth is associated with a risk of hypertension and the progression of renal insufficiency. The molecular mechanisms determining nephron number during embryogenesis have not yet been clarified. Germline knockout of bone morphogenetic protein 7 (Bmp7) results in massive apoptosis of the kidney progenitor cells and defects in early stages of nephrogenesis. This phenotype has precluded analysis of Bmp7 function in the later stage of nephrogenesis. In this study, utilization of conditional null allele of Bmp7 in combination with systemic inducible Cre deleter mice enabled us to analyze Bmp7 function at desired time points during kidney development, and to discover the novel function of Bmp7 to inhibit the precocious differentiation of the progenitor cells to nephron. Systemic knockout of Bmp7 in vivo after the initiation of kidney development results in the precocious differentiation of the kidney progenitor cells to nephron, in addition to the prominent apoptosis of progenitor cells. We also confirmed that in vitro knockout of Bmp7 in kidney explant culture results in the accelerated differentiation of progenitor population. Finally we utilized colony-forming assays and demonstrated that Bmp7 inhibits epithelialization and differentiation of the kidney progenitor cells. These results indicate that the function of Bmp7 to inhibit the precocious differentiation of the progenitor cells together with its anti-apoptotic effect on progenitor cells coordinately maintains renal progenitor pool in undifferentiated status, and determines the nephron number at birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayumi Tomita
- Department of Nephrology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto-city, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Misako Asada
- Department of Nephrology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto-city, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Nariaki Asada
- Department of Nephrology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto-city, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Jin Nakamura
- Department of Nephrology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto-city, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Akiko Oguchi
- Department of Nephrology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto-city, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Atsuko Y. Higashi
- Department of Pharmacology, Kansai Medical University, Moriguchi-city, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shuichiro Endo
- Department of Nephrology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto-city, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Elizabeth Robertson
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Takeshi Kimura
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto-city, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Toru Kita
- Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital, Kobe-city, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Aris N. Economides
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Tarrytown, New York, United States of America
| | - Jordan Kreidberg
- Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusettes, United States of America
| | - Motoko Yanagita
- Department of Nephrology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto-city, Kyoto, Japan
- * E-mail:
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Dual involvement of growth arrest-specific gene 6 in the early phase of human IgA nephropathy. PLoS One 2013; 8:e66759. [PMID: 23826128 PMCID: PMC3691258 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0066759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2013] [Accepted: 05/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Gas6 is a growth factor that causes proliferation of mesangial cells in the development of glomerulonephritis. Gas6 can bind to three kinds of receptors; Axl, Dtk, and Mer. However, their expression and functions are not entirely clear in the different glomerular cell types. Meanwhile, representative cell cycle regulatory protein p27 has been reported to be expressed in podocytes in normal glomeruli with decreased expression in proliferating glomeruli, which inversely correlated with mesangial proliferation in human IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Methods The aim of this study is to clarify Gas6 involvement in the progression of IgAN. Expression of Gas6/Axl/Dtk was examined in 31 biopsy proven IgAN cases. We compared the expression levels with histological severity or clinical data. Moreover, we investigated the expression of Gas6 and its receptors in cultured podocytes. Results In 28 of 31 cases, Gas6 was upregulated mainly in podocytes. In the other 3 cases, Gas6 expression was induced in endothelial and mesangial cells, which was similar to animal nephritis models. Among 28 podocyte type cases, the expression level of Gas6 correlated with the mesangial hypercellularity score of IgAN Oxford classification and urine protein excretion. It also inversely correlated with p27 expression in glomeruli. As for the receptors, Axl was mainly expressed in endothelial and mesangial cells, while Dtk was expressed in podocytes. In vitro, Dtk was expressed in cultured murine podocytes, and the expression of p27 was decreased by Gas6 stimulation. Conclusions Gas6 was uniquely upregulated in either endothelial/mesangial cells or podocytes in IgAN. The expression pattern can be used as a marker to classify IgAN. Gas6 has a possibility to be involved in not only mesangial proliferation via Axl, but also podocyte injury via Dtk in IgAN.
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Batchu SN, Hughson A, Gerloff J, Fowell DJ, Korshunov VA. Role of Axl in early kidney inflammation and progression of salt-dependent hypertension. Hypertension 2013; 62:302-9. [PMID: 23774230 PMCID: PMC3822523 DOI: 10.1161/hypertensionaha.113.01382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The Gas6/Axl pathway regulates many cell functions and is implicated in hypertension. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of Axl in immune cells on initiation and progression of salt-dependent hypertension. Deoxycorticosterone acetate (75 mg/60 days release)-salt hypertension was induced for 1 week or 6 weeks in Axl chimeras generated by bone marrow transplant to restrict Axl deficiency to hematopoietic or nonhematopoietic compartments. Depletion of Axl in hematopoietic cells (Axl(-/-) →Axl(+/+)) reduced (133 ± 2 mm Hg) increase in systolic blood pressure compared with other Axl chimeras (≈150 mm Hg) 1 week after deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt. Urine protein and renal oxidative stress were lowest in Axl(-/-) →Axl(+/+) at 1 week after deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt. Compensatory increase in Gas6 in kidneys of recipient Axl(-/-) may affect kidney function and blood pressure in early phase of hypertension. Flow cytometry on kidneys from Axl(-/-) →Axl(+/+) showed increase in total leukocytes, B, and dendritic cells and decrease in macrophages compared with Axl(+/+) →Axl(+/+). These immune changes were associated with decrease in proinflammatory gene expression, in particular interferon γ. Systolic blood pressure returned to baseline in Axl(-/-) →Axl(+/+) and Axl(-/-) →Axl(-/-) but remained increased in Axl(+/+) →Axl(+/+) and Axl(+/+) →Axl(-/-) chimeras after 6 weeks of deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt. Vascular apoptosis was increased in the global Axl(-/-) chimeras in the late phase of hypertension. In summary, we found that expression of Axl in hematopoietic cells is critical for kidney pathology in early phase of salt-dependent hypertension. However, Axl in both hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic lineages contributes to the late phase of hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sri N Batchu
- Department of Medicine and Aab Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
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Kim YS, Jung DH, Sohn E, Kim J, Kim JS. Glycoxidised LDL induced the upregulation of Axl receptor tyrosine kinase and its ligand in mouse mesangial cells. PLoS One 2012; 7:e50297. [PMID: 23226259 PMCID: PMC3511478 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2012] [Accepted: 10/17/2012] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim/Hypothesis Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is subjected to glycoxidation in diabetes, and a novel signalling mechanism by which glycoxidised LDL functions in glomerular mesangial cells remains to be ascertained. Methods We performed gene expression analysis in mouse glomerular mesangial cells treated with LDL modified by glycation and oxidation (GO-LDL, 100 µg/ml) for 48 h by using DNA microarray analysis and quantitative real-time PCR. We examined the GO-LDL-specific changes in gene and protein expression in mesangial cells and glomeruli of type 2 diabetic Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats. Results By microarray profiling, we noted that GO-LDL treatment increased Axl receptor tyrosine kinase (Axl) mRNA expression (∼2.5-fold, p<0.05) compared with normal LDL (N-LDL) treatment in mesangial cells. Treatment with GO-LDL also increased the protein levels of Axl and its ligand Gas6 as measured by Western blotting. These increases were inhibited by neutralising Axl receptor-specific antibody. Silencing Gas6 by siRNA inhibited GO-LDL-induced Axl expression in mesangial cells. Axl and Gas6 protein were also increased in cells cultured in high glucose (30 mM) or methylglyoxal (200 µM). Gas6 treatment increased the expression and secretion of TGF-β1 protein, a key regulator of extracellular matrix expression in the glomeruli of diabetic kidneys. Immunohistochemical analyses of glomeruli from 20-week-old ZDF rats exhibited increased Axl protein expression. Rottlerin, a selective PKC-δ inhibitor, completely blocked Gas6-induced TGF-β1 expression. Conclusions/Interpretation These data suggest that LDL modified by glycoxidation may mediate Axl/Gas6 pathway activation, and this mechanism may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Sook Kim
- Korean Medicine-Based Herbal Drug Research Group, Herbal Medicine Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Ho Jung
- Korean Medicine-Based Herbal Drug Research Group, Herbal Medicine Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunjin Sohn
- Korean Medicine-Based Herbal Drug Research Group, Herbal Medicine Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Junghyun Kim
- Korean Medicine-Based Herbal Drug Research Group, Herbal Medicine Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Sook Kim
- Korean Medicine-Based Herbal Drug Research Group, Herbal Medicine Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- * E-mail:
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Serum growth arrest-specific protein 6 levels are a reliable biomarker of disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus. J Clin Immunol 2012; 33:143-50. [PMID: 22914895 DOI: 10.1007/s10875-012-9765-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2012] [Accepted: 08/09/2012] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6) has been suggested to be a biomarker of disease activity in patients with systemic lupus erthematosus (SLE). We investigated the clinical significance of this protein in Korean SLE. METHODS Blood samples were collected from 150 SLE patients and 50 normal controls (NC). In addition, follow-up samples were collected from 50 SLE patients. RESULTS Serum Gas6 levels of SLE patients (43.01 ± 28.02 ng/mL) were higher than those of NC (20.15 ± 9.23 ng/mL, p<0.001). When evaluated sensitivity and specificity of the Gas6 for diagnosing SLE using ROC curves, the sensitivity and specificity were 72.7 % and 84 % with a cut-off value of 25.3 ng/mL. In the ROC analysis of Gas6, anti-dsDNA antibody, ESR, complement 3 and complement 4 to identify patients with active lupus, area under the curve (AUC) of Gas6 was highest with 0.763. Serum Gas6 levels were significantly higher in the patients with serositis (70.04 ± 30.85 ng/mL) and renal disorder (65.66 ± 32.28 ng/mL) compared to those without (41.88 ± 27.44 ng/mL, p=0.033, 40.3 ± 26.33 ng/mL, p=0.001, respectively). Gas6 levels were correlated positively with anti-dsDNA antibody (r=0.199, p=0.015), ESR (r=0.204, p=0.013) and SLEDAI (r=0.512, p<0.001). In addition, serum Gas6 levels were correlated negatively with hemoglobin (r= -0.165, p=0.043), lymphocyte count (r= -0.165, p=0.043), complement 3 (r= -0.343, p<0.001) and complement 4 (r= -0.316, p<0.001). Furthermore, change in serum Gas6 levels was correlated with change in SLEDAI levels in the SLE patients that were followed up (r=0.524, p<0.001). CONCLUSION These results suggest that serum Gas6 can be a reliable clinical marker for monitoring disease activity and treatment response in SLE.
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Laurance S, Lemarié CA, Blostein MD. Growth arrest-specific gene 6 (gas6) and vascular hemostasis. Adv Nutr 2012; 3:196-203. [PMID: 22516727 PMCID: PMC3648720 DOI: 10.3945/an.111.001826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Gas6 (growth arrest-specific 6) belongs structurally to the family of plasma vitamin K-dependent proteins. Gas6 has a high structural homology with the natural anticoagulant protein S, sharing the same modular composition. Interestingly, despite the presence of a γ-carboxyglutamic acid domain in its structure, no role in the coagulation cascade has been identified for gas6. Gas6 has been shown to be involved in vascular homeostasis and more precisely is involved in proliferation, apoptosis, efferocytosis, leukocyte migration, and sequestration and platelet aggregation. It is also involved in the activation of different cell types, from platelets to endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells. Thus, it has been shown to play a role in several pathophysiological processes such as atherosclerosis, cancer, and thrombosis. Interestingly, studies using gas6 null mice highlighted that gas6 may represent a novel potential target for anticoagulant therapy, because these animals are protected from lethal venous thromboembolism without excessive bleeding. However, the mechanism in thrombus occurrence remains to be further explored. In the present review, we will focus on the role of gas6 in innate immunity, atherosclerosis, thrombosis, and cancer-related events.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mark D. Blostein
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, and,To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
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UCHIDA M, SAKAGUCHI Y, MIYAMOTO Y. A Novel Vitamin K 1 2,3-Epoxide Reductase (VKOR) Inhibitor, 3-Acetyl-5-Methyltetronic Acid, Reduces Experimental Glomerulonephritis. J Vet Med Sci 2012; 74:863-9. [DOI: 10.1292/jvms.11-0530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Masashi UCHIDA
- Toxicology and Pharmacokinetics Laboratories, Pharmaceutical Research Laboratories, Toray Industries, Inc., 6–10–1 Tebiro, Kamakura, Kanagawa 248–8555, Japan
| | - Yuka SAKAGUCHI
- Toxicology and Pharmacokinetics Laboratories, Pharmaceutical Research Laboratories, Toray Industries, Inc., 6–10–1 Tebiro, Kamakura, Kanagawa 248–8555, Japan
| | - Yohei MIYAMOTO
- Toxicology and Pharmacokinetics Laboratories, Pharmaceutical Research Laboratories, Toray Industries, Inc., 6–10–1 Tebiro, Kamakura, Kanagawa 248–8555, Japan
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Ekman C, Jönsen A, Sturfelt G, Bengtsson AA, Dahlbäck B. Plasma concentrations of Gas6 and sAxl correlate with disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2011; 50:1064-9. [PMID: 21278074 PMCID: PMC3093930 DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/keq459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES SLE is a systemic autoimmune disease with an annual incidence of 3.8 per 100,000. Several pathogenic mechanisms are believed to be operating in SLE, including an impaired clearance of apoptotic cells, activation of the type I IFN pathway and generation of autoimmune leucocytes. Growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6) and its receptor Axl are known to regulate inflammation and may be implicated in lupus pathogenesis. We have recently developed immunological methods to quantify the vitamin-K-dependent protein Gas6 and its soluble receptor sAxl in human plasma, which we have used to investigate the role of Gas6 and soluble Axl in SLE. METHODS We have investigated the relation between the plasma concentrations of Gas6 and sAxl and disease activity and specific symptoms in 96 SLE patients. RESULTS Gas6 and sAxl concentrations correlated with SLEDAI (r = 0.48, P < 0.001 and r = 0.39, P < 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, concentrations of Gas6 and sAxl correlated with ESR and CRP and inversely with haemoglobin levels. Gas6 and sAxl concentrations were significantly higher in patients with anti-DNA antibodies, leucopenia and GN. CONCLUSION The plasma concentrations of Gas6 and sAxl vary with disease activity in SLE, in particular GN, and may have a role in lupus pathogenesis. Furthermore, Gas6 and sAxl may be of use as biomarkers of disease activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl Ekman
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Chemistry, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö and and Department of Clinical Sciences, Section of Rheumatology, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Andreas Jönsen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Chemistry, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö and and Department of Clinical Sciences, Section of Rheumatology, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Gunnar Sturfelt
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Chemistry, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö and and Department of Clinical Sciences, Section of Rheumatology, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Anders A. Bengtsson
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Chemistry, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö and and Department of Clinical Sciences, Section of Rheumatology, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Björn Dahlbäck
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Chemistry, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö and and Department of Clinical Sciences, Section of Rheumatology, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
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Smolock EM, Korshunov VA. Pharmacological inhibition of Axl affects smooth muscle cell functions under oxidative stress. Vascul Pharmacol 2010; 53:185-92. [PMID: 20643227 DOI: 10.1016/j.vph.2010.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2010] [Revised: 06/17/2010] [Accepted: 07/13/2010] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
We previously demonstrated that reactive oxygen species (ROS) activate Axl, a receptor tyrosine kinase, resulting in increased survival of rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RASMs). Our experiments in Axl knockout mice showed significant reduction in vascular pathologies. We hypothesize that selective pharmacological inhibitors of Axl could prove beneficial in treating vascular diseases associated with oxidative stress. We investigated a role for two novel compounds specific for Axl (R428 and R572) on ligand independent activation of Axl mediated cell survival and migration. Stimulation of RASMs with H(2)O(2) for 5 min significantly increased Akt phosphorylation (p-Akt). Inhibition at 50% (IC(50)) of p-Akt was calculated at lower concentrations in R428 (100 nM) and R572 (10 nM) compared to Fc-Axl (2 microg/mL). Flow cytometry staining with Annexin V showed a 2-fold increase in apoptosis with R428 and R572 compared to Fc-Axl after H(2)O(2), which was validated by concomitant increases in cleaved caspase-3. Pretreatment with R428 and R572 decreased cell migration by approximately 50% in response to 20% serum (similar to that after Fc-Axl). R428 and R572 decreased intracellular production of ROS in comparison to Fc-Axl. In conclusion, R428 and R572 are more potent inhibitors of ligand independent mediated Axl signaling compared to Fc-Axl in RASMs under oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- E M Smolock
- Aab Cardiovascular Research Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
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Shao WH, Zhen Y, Rosenbaum J, Eisenberg RA, McGaha TL, Birkenbach M, Cohen PL. A protective role of Mer receptor tyrosine kinase in nephrotoxic serum-induced nephritis. Clin Immunol 2010; 136:236-44. [PMID: 20444650 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2010.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2010] [Revised: 03/29/2010] [Accepted: 04/01/2010] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The Mer receptor tyrosine kinase is strongly expressed in the glomerulus. We wondered if this molecule might modify immune-mediated glomerular disease through its functions as a receptor for apoptotic cells and immunoregulatory molecule. Mer-knockout (KO) mice showed decreased survival rate and greatly increased proteinuria and serum urea levels compared to wild type (WT) mice by day 3 after injection of NTS. Their glomeruli were hyperplastic and later became necrotic. In the glomerulus of WT mice, a significant increase of Mer expression was observed. Apoptotic bodies were evident in NTS-treated Mer-KO kidneys, but not in normal controls. NTS-treated Mer-KO mice had massive neutrophil infiltration and inflammatory cytokine expression. Mer thus has a critical role in attenuating renal inflammation, both as a receptor for apoptotic cells and as a molecule that downregulates inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Hai Shao
- Department of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
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Tanaka M, Asada M, Higashi AY, Nakamura J, Oguchi A, Tomita M, Yamada S, Asada N, Takase M, Okuda T, Kawachi H, Economides AN, Robertson E, Takahashi S, Sakurai T, Goldschmeding R, Muso E, Fukatsu A, Kita T, Yanagita M. Loss of the BMP antagonist USAG-1 ameliorates disease in a mouse model of the progressive hereditary kidney disease Alport syndrome. J Clin Invest 2010; 120:768-77. [PMID: 20197625 DOI: 10.1172/jci39569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The glomerular basement membrane (GBM) is a key component of the filtering unit in the kidney. Mutations involving any of the collagen IV genes (COL4A3, COL4A4, and COL4A5) affect GBM assembly and cause Alport syndrome, a progressive hereditary kidney disease with no definitive therapy. Previously, we have demonstrated that the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) antagonist uterine sensitization-associated gene-1 (USAG-1) negatively regulates the renoprotective action of BMP-7 in a mouse model of tubular injury during acute renal failure. Here, we investigated the role of USAG-1 in renal function in Col4a3-/- mice, which model Alport syndrome. Ablation of Usag1 in Col4a3-/- mice led to substantial attenuation of disease progression, normalization of GBM ultrastructure, preservation of renal function, and extension of life span. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that USAG-1 and BMP-7 colocalized in the macula densa in the distal tubules, lying in direct contact with glomerular mesangial cells. Furthermore, in cultured mesangial cells, BMP-7 attenuated and USAG-1 enhanced the expression of MMP-12, a protease that may contribute to GBM degradation. These data suggest that the pathogenetic role of USAG-1 in Col4a3-/- mice might involve crosstalk between kidney tubules and the glomerulus and that inhibition of USAG-1 may be a promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of Alport syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari Tanaka
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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Gas6 and the receptor tyrosine kinase Axl in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. PLoS One 2009; 4:e7575. [PMID: 19888345 PMCID: PMC2766033 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0007575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2009] [Accepted: 10/05/2009] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The molecular biology of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is complex and not fully understood. We have recently found that the expression of the receptor tyrosine kinase Axl in the RCC tumors independently correlates with survival of the patients. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Here, we have investigated the role of Axl and its ligand Gas6, the vitamin-K dependent protein product of the growth arrest-specific gene 6, in clear cell RCC (ccRCC) derived cells. The Axl protein was highly expressed in ccRCC cells deficient in functional von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) protein, a tumor suppressor gene often inactivated in ccRCC. VHL reconstituted cells expressed decreased levels of Axl protein, but not Axl mRNA, suggesting VHL to regulate Axl expression. Gas6-mediated activation of Axl in ccRCC cells resulted in Axl phosphorylation, receptor down-regulation, decreased cell-viability and migratory capacity. No effects of the Gas6/Axl system could be detected on invasion. Moreover, in ccRCC tumor tissues, Axl was phosphorylated and Gas6 gamma-carboxylated, suggesting these molecules to be active in vivo. SIGNIFICANCE These results provide novel information regarding the complex function of the Gas6/Axl system in ccRCC.
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Lafdil F, Chobert MN, Deveaux V, Zafrani ES, Mavier P, Nakano T, Laperche Y, Brouillet A. Growth arrest-specific protein 6 deficiency impairs liver tissue repair after acute toxic hepatitis in mice. J Hepatol 2009; 51:55-66. [PMID: 19443073 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2009.02.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2008] [Revised: 02/02/2009] [Accepted: 02/04/2009] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS Resident macrophages and myofibroblasts derived from hepatic stellate cells play a key role in liver wound healing. We previously reported that these sinusoidal cells secrete the growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6) and express Axl, one of its receptors. Here we address the role of Gas6 in the healing process during acute liver injury. METHODS Toxic hepatitis was induced by a single carbon tetrachloride injection in Gas6 deficient (Gas6(-/-)) mice and liver recovery was compared with wild-type animals. RESULTS Gas6 deficiency did not cause any change in CCl(4)-induced liver damage. At 72 h, an efficient tissue repair was observed in wild-type animals whereas in Gas6(-/-) mice, we noticed a defective wound healing accounted by reduced Kupffer cell activation revealed by a decrease in the induction of CD14, TNF-alpha, IL6 and MCP-1. Gas6-deficiency, by limiting cytokine/chemokine release, prevents hepatocyte proliferation, recruitment of circulating monocytes and accumulation of myofibroblasts in healing areas. We also report a direct chemotactic effect of Gas6 on circulating monocytes which might explain defective macrophage infiltration in liver necrotic areas of Gas6(-/-) mice. Interestingly in Gas6(-/-) mice, we observed a high and constitutive expression of Axl and an induction of the suppressor of cytokine signaling SOCS1 after CCl(4) treatment. CONCLUSIONS The lower level of cytokines/chemokines in Gas6(-/-) mice after CCl(4) injury, is the consequence of an inhibitory signal arising from Axl receptor overexpression, leading to delayed liver repair in deficient mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fouad Lafdil
- INSERM, U955, Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale, 94010 Créteil, France
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