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Ye L, Huang J, Liang X, Guo W, Sun X, Shao C, He Y, Zhang J. Jiawei Taohe Chengqi Decoction attenuates CCl 4 induced hepatic fibrosis by inhibiting HSCs activation via TGF-β1/CUGBP1 and IFN-γ/Smad7 pathway. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 133:155916. [PMID: 39094440 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2024.155916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatic fibrosis (HF) is an essential stage in the progression of different chronic liver conditions to cirrhosis and even hepatocellular carcinoma. The activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) plays a crucial role in the progression of HF. IFN- γ/Smad7 pathway can inhibit HSCs activation, while TGF-β1/CUGBP1 pathway can inhibit IFN-γ/Smad7 pathway transduction and promote HSCs activation. Thus, inhibiting the TGF-β1/CUGBP1 pathway and activating the IFN-γ/Smad7 pathway reverses HSCs activation and inhibits HF. Jiawei Taohe Chengqi Decoction (JTCD) was derived from the Taohe Chengqi Tang in the ancient Chinese medical text titled "Treatise on Febrile Diseases". We found several anti-HF components in JTCD including ginsenoside Rb1 and others, but the specific mechanism of anti-HF in JTCD is not clear. PURPOSE To elucidate the specific mechanism by which JTCD reverses HF by inhibiting the activation of HSCs, and to establish a scientific foundation for treating HF with Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). METHODS We constructed a CCl4-induced mice HF model in vivo and activated human hepatic stellate cell line (LX-2) with TGF-β1 in vitro, after which they were treated with JTCD and the corresponding inhibitors. We examined the expression of pivotal molecules in the two pathways mentioned above by immunofluorescence staining, Western blotting and RT-PCR. RESULTS JTCD attenuated liver injury and reduced serum ALT and AST levels in mice. In addition, JTCD attenuated CCl4-induced HF by decreasing the expression of α-SMA, COL1A1 and other markers of HSCs activation in mice liver tissue. Moreover, JTCD effectively suppressed the levels of TGF-β1, p-Smad3, p-p38MAPK, p-ATF2, and CUGBP1 in vivo and in vitro and upregulated the levels of IFN-γ, p-STAT1, and Smad7. Mechanically, after using the inhibitors of both pathways in vitro, we found that JTCD inhibited the activation of HSCs by restoring the balance of the TGF-β1/CUGBP1 and IFN-γ/Smad7 pathways. CONCLUSION We demonstrated that JTCD inhibited HSCs activation and reversed HF by inhibiting the TGF-β1/CUGBP1 signalling pathway and upregulating the IFN-γ/Smad7 signalling pathway. Moreover, we have identified specific links where JTCD interferes with both pathways to inhibit HSCs activation. JTCD is an effective candidate for the clinical treatment of HF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linmao Ye
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 548 Binwen Road, Binjiang District, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Jiaxin Huang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 548 Binwen Road, Binjiang District, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Xiaofan Liang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 548 Binwen Road, Binjiang District, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Wenqin Guo
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 548 Binwen Road, Binjiang District, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Xiguang Sun
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 548 Binwen Road, Binjiang District, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Chang Shao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 548 Binwen Road, Binjiang District, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Yi He
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 548 Binwen Road, Binjiang District, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Junjie Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 548 Binwen Road, Binjiang District, Hangzhou 310053, China.
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Xu Y, Zheng C, Jiang P, Ji S, Ullah S, Zhao Y, Su D, Xu G, Zhang M, Zou X. Fraxinellone alleviates colitis-related intestinal fibrosis by blocking the circuit between PD-1 + Th17 cells and fibroblasts. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 135:112298. [PMID: 38776854 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.112298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2024] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Excessive activation of colonic fibroblasts and differentiation of T helper 17 (Th17) cells are the key steps for intestinal fibrogenesis in the process of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Although both transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β)/Mothers Against Decapentaplegic Homolog (SMAD) 3-induced fibroblasts activation and interleukin (IL)-6/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3-induced Th17 differentiation have been well studied, the crosstalk between fibroblasts and Th17 cells in the process of intestinal fibrogenesis needs to be unveiled. METHODS In this study, the activation of colonic fibroblasts was induced with dextran sulfate sodium salt (DSS) and TGF-β in vivo and in vitro respectively. P-SMAD3 and its downstream targets were quantified using RT-PCR, western blot and immunofluorescence. The differentiation of programmed death 1 (PD-1) + Th17 and activation of fibroblasts were quantified by FACS. PD-1+ Th17 cells and fibroblasts were co-cultured and cytokines in the supernatant were tested by ELISA. The anti-fibrosis effects of different chemical compounds were validated in vitro and further confirmed in vivo. RESULTS The colonic fibroblasts were successfully activated by DSS and TGF-β in vivo and in vitro respectively, as activation markers of fibroblasts (p-SMAD3 and its downstream targets such as Acta2, Col1a1 and Ctgf) were significantly increased. The activated fibroblasts produced more IL-6 compared with their inactivated counterparts in vivo and in vitro. The proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 induced PD-1+ Th17 differentiation and TGF-β that in return promoted the activation of colonic fibroblasts. Fraxinellone inhibited TGF-β+ PD-1+ Th17 cells via deactivating STAT3. CONCLUSIONS The reciprocal stimulation constructed a circuit of PD-1+ Th17 cells and fibroblasts that accelerated the fibrosis process. Fraxinellone was selected as the potential inhibitor of the circuit of PD-1+ Th17 cells and fibroblasts in vivo and in vitro. Inhibiting the circuit of PD-1+ Th17 cells and fibroblasts could be a promising strategy to alleviate intestinal fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuejie Xu
- Department of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210046, China
| | - Chang Zheng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Ping Jiang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Siqi Ji
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, NHC Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases, State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200001, China
| | - Shafi Ullah
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, NHC Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases, State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200001, China
| | - Yu Zhao
- University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, Chicago, IL, 60637, United States
| | - Dan Su
- FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, Watertown 02472, MA, United States
| | - Guifang Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
| | - Mingming Zhang
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, NHC Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases, State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200001, China.
| | - Xiaoping Zou
- Department of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210046, China; Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
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Zhang G, Shi L, Li J, Ren J, Wang D, Guo X, Guo Q, Li C. Antler thymosin β10 reduces liver fibrosis via inhibiting TGF-β1/SMAD pathway. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 264:130502. [PMID: 38428779 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.130502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation is a crucial step in the development of liver fibrosis. Previous studies have shown that antler stem cells (AnSCs) inhibited HSC activation, suggesting that this may be achieved through secreting or releasing peptides. This study aimed to investigate whether AnSC-derived peptides (AnSC-P) could reduce liver fibrosis. The results showed that AnSC-P effectively reduced liver fibrosis in rats. Furthermore, we found that thymosin β10 (Tβ-10) was rich in AnSC-P, which may be the main component of AnSC-P contributing to the reduction in liver fibrosis. A further study showed that Tβ-10 reduced liver fibrosis in rats, with a reduction in HYP and MDA levels in the liver tissues, a decrease in the serum levels of ALP, ALT, AST, and TBIL and an increase in TP and ALB. Moreover, Tβ-10 decreased the expression levels of the genes related to the TGF-β/SMAD signaling pathway in vivo. In addition, Tβ-10 also inhibited TGF-β1-induced HSC activation and decreased the expression levels of the TGF-β/SMAD signaling pathway-related genes in HSCs in vitro. In conclusion, antler Tβ-10 is a potential drug candidate for the treatment of liver fibrosis, the effect of which may be achieved via inhibition of the TGFβ/SMAD signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guokun Zhang
- Institute of Antler Science and Product Technology, Changchun Sci-Tech University; 130600 Changchun, China
| | - Liyan Shi
- The Third Hospital of Jilin University, 130033 Changchun, China
| | - Jiping Li
- Institute of Antler Science and Product Technology, Changchun Sci-Tech University; 130600 Changchun, China
| | - Jing Ren
- Institute of Antler Science and Product Technology, Changchun Sci-Tech University; 130600 Changchun, China; College of Chinese Medicinal Materials, Jilin Agricultural University, 130118 Changchun, China
| | - Dongxu Wang
- Institute of Antler Science and Product Technology, Changchun Sci-Tech University; 130600 Changchun, China
| | - Xin Guo
- Institute of Antler Science and Product Technology, Changchun Sci-Tech University; 130600 Changchun, China
| | - Qianqian Guo
- Institute of Antler Science and Product Technology, Changchun Sci-Tech University; 130600 Changchun, China.
| | - Chunyi Li
- Institute of Antler Science and Product Technology, Changchun Sci-Tech University; 130600 Changchun, China; College of Chinese Medicinal Materials, Jilin Agricultural University, 130118 Changchun, China.
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Qin WJ, Shi JJ, Chen RY, Li CY, Liu YJ, Lu JF, Yang GJ, Cao JF, Chen J. Curriculum vitae of CUG binding protein 1 (CELF1) in homeostasis and diseases: a systematic review. Cell Mol Biol Lett 2024; 29:32. [PMID: 38443798 PMCID: PMC10916161 DOI: 10.1186/s11658-024-00556-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are kinds of proteins with either singular or multiple RNA-binding domains (RBDs), and they can assembly into ribonucleic acid-protein complexes, which mediate transportation, editing, splicing, stabilization, translational efficiency, or epigenetic modifications of their binding RNA partners, and thereby modulate various physiological and pathological processes. CUG-BP, Elav-like family 1 (CELF1) is a member of the CELF family of RBPs with high affinity to the GU-rich elements in mRNA, and thus exerting control over critical processes including mRNA splicing, translation, and decay. Mounting studies support that CELF1 is correlated with occurrence, genesis and development and represents a potential therapeutical target for these malignant diseases. Herein, we present the structure and function of CELF1, outline its role and regulatory mechanisms in varieties of homeostasis and diseases, summarize the identified CELF1 regulators and their structure-activity relationships, and prospect the current challenges and their solutions during studies on CELF1 functions and corresponding drug discovery, which will facilitate the establishment of a targeted regulatory network for CELF1 in diseases and advance CELF1 as a potential drug target for disease therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan-Jia Qin
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, Zhejiang, China
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Jin-Jin Shi
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, Zhejiang, China
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Ru-Yi Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, Zhejiang, China
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Chang-Yun Li
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, Zhejiang, China
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Yan-Jun Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, Zhejiang, China
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Jian-Fei Lu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, Zhejiang, China
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Guan-Jun Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, Zhejiang, China.
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China.
| | - Jia-Feng Cao
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, Zhejiang, China.
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China.
| | - Jiong Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, Zhejiang, China.
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China.
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Lin G, Li W, Hong W, Zhu D, Hu H, Fu J, Gao Y, Chen S, Chai D, Zeng JZ. Spinosin inhibits activated hepatic stellate cell to attenuate liver fibrosis by targeting Nur77/ASK1/p38 MAPK signaling pathway. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 966:176270. [PMID: 38096970 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.176270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
AIM Liver fibrosis remains a great challenge in the world. Spinosin (SPI), a natural flavonoid-C-glycoside, possesses various pharmacological activities including anti-inflammatory and anti-myocardial fibrosis effects. In this study, we investigate whether SPI can be a potential lead for the treatment of liver fibrosis and explore whether the orphan nuclear receptor Nur77, a negative regulator of liver fibrosis development, plays a critical role in SPI's action. METHODS A dual luciferase reporter system of α-SMA was established to evaluate the effect of SPI on hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation in LX2 and HSC-T6 cells. A mouse model of CCl4-induced liver fibrosis was used to test the efficacy of SPI against liver fibrosis. The expression levels of Nur77, inflammatory cytokines and collagen were determined by Western blotting and qPCR. Potential kinase pathways involved were also analyzed. The affinity of Nur77 with SPI was documented by fluorescence titration. RESULTS SPI can strongly suppress TGF-β1-mediated activation of both LX2 and HSC-T6 cells in a dose-dependent manner. SPI increases the expression of Nur77 and reduces TGF-β1-mediated phosphorylation levels of ASK1 and p38 MAPK, which can be reversed by knocking out of Nur77. SPI strongly inhibits collagen deposition (COLA1) and reduces inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and IL-1β), which is followed by improved liver function in the CCl4-induced mouse model. SPI can directly bind to R515 and R563 in the Nur77-LBD pocket with a Kd of 2.14 μM. CONCLUSION Spinosin is the major pharmacological active component of Ziziphus jujuba Mill. var. spinosa which has been frequently prescribed in traditional Chinese medicine. We demonstrate here for the first time that spinosin is a new therapeutic lead for treatment of liver fibrosis by targeting Nur77 and blocking the ASK1/p38 MAPK signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Weibin Li
- Xiang'an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China; Department of Ultrasonic Medicine Affiliated Hospital, Xizang Minzu University, Xianyang, China
| | - Wenbin Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Desheng Zhu
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Jinhua Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, 321000, China
| | - Hongyu Hu
- Xingzhi College, Zhejiang Normal University, Lanxi, 321004, China
| | - Jiqiang Fu
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
| | - Yanfang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Shuaijie Chen
- Cardiovascular Department, The First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350005, China
| | - Dajun Chai
- Cardiovascular Department, The First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350005, China
| | - Jin-Zhang Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China.
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Adesanya O, Das D, Kalsotra A. Emerging roles of RNA-binding proteins in fatty liver disease. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2024; 15:e1840. [PMID: 38613185 PMCID: PMC11018357 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
A rampant and urgent global health issue of the 21st century is the emergence and progression of fatty liver disease (FLD), including alcoholic fatty liver disease and the more heterogenous metabolism-associated (or non-alcoholic) fatty liver disease (MAFLD/NAFLD) phenotypes. These conditions manifest as disease spectra, progressing from benign hepatic steatosis to symptomatic steatohepatitis, cirrhosis, and, ultimately, hepatocellular carcinoma. With numerous intricately regulated molecular pathways implicated in its pathophysiology, recent data have emphasized the critical roles of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) in the onset and development of FLD. They regulate gene transcription and post-transcriptional processes, including pre-mRNA splicing, capping, and polyadenylation, as well as mature mRNA transport, stability, and translation. RBP dysfunction at every point along the mRNA life cycle has been associated with altered lipid metabolism and cellular stress response, resulting in hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. Here, we discuss the current understanding of the role of RBPs in the post-transcriptional processes associated with FLD and highlight the possible and emerging therapeutic strategies leveraging RBP function for FLD treatment. This article is categorized under: RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Diptatanu Das
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Auinash Kalsotra
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Cancer Center @ Illinois, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute of Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
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Sun YD, Zhang H, Li YM, Han JJ. Abnormal metabolism in hepatic stellate cells: Pandora's box of MAFLD related hepatocellular carcinoma. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2024; 1879:189086. [PMID: 38342420 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2024.189086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
Metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a significant risk factor for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), as key mediators in liver injury response, are believed to play a crucial role in the repair process of liver injury. However, in MAFLD patients, the normal metabolic and immunoregulatory mechanisms of HSCs become disrupted, leading to disturbances in the local microenvironment. Abnormally activated HSCs are heavily involved in the initiation and progression of HCC. The metabolic disorders and abnormal activation of HSCs not only initiate liver fibrosis but also contribute to carcinogenesis. In this review, we provide an overview of recent research progress on the relationship between the abnormal metabolism of HSCs and the local immune system in the liver, elucidating the mechanisms of immune imbalance caused by abnormally activated HSCs in MAFLD patients. Based on this understanding, we discuss the potential and challenges of metabolic-based and immunology-based mechanisms in the treatment of MAFLD-related HCC, with a specific focus on the role of HSCs in HCC progression and their potential as targets for anti-cancer therapy. This review aims to enhance researchers' understanding of the importance of HSCs in maintaining normal liver function and highlights the significance of HSCs in the progression of MAFLD-related HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan-Dong Sun
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute Affiliated Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute Affiliated Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, China
| | - Yuan-Min Li
- NHC Key Laboratory of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, China
| | - Jian-Jun Han
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute Affiliated Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, China.
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Wang F, Chen L, Kong D, Zhang X, Xia S, Liang B, Li Y, Zhou Y, Zhang Z, Shao J, Zheng S, Zhang F. Canonical Wnt signaling promotes HSC glycolysis and liver fibrosis through an LDH-A/HIF-1α transcriptional complex. Hepatology 2024; 79:606-623. [PMID: 37733267 PMCID: PMC10871634 DOI: 10.1097/hep.0000000000000569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Aerobic glycolysis reprogramming occurs during HSC activation, but how it is initiated and sustained remains unknown. We investigated the mechanisms by which canonical Wnt signaling regulated HSC glycolysis and the therapeutic implication for liver fibrosis. APPROACH AND RESULTS Glycolysis was examined in HSC-LX2 cells upon manipulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Nuclear translocation of lactate dehydrogenase A (LDH-A) and its interaction with hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) were investigated using molecular simulation and site-directed mutation assays. The pharmacological relevance of molecular discoveries was intensified in primary cultures, rodent models, and human samples. HSC glycolysis was enhanced by Wnt3a but reduced by β-catenin inhibitor or small interfering RNA (siRNA). Wnt3a-induced rapid transactivation and high expression of LDH-A dependent on TCF4. Wnt/β-catenin signaling also stimulated LDH-A nuclear translocation through importin β2 interplay with a noncanonical nuclear location signal of LDH-A. Mechanically, LDH-A bound to HIF-1α and enhanced its stability by obstructing hydroxylation-mediated proteasome degradation, leading to increased transactivation of glycolytic genes. The Gly28 residue of LDH-A was identified to be responsible for the formation of the LDH-A/HIF-1α transcription complex and stabilization of HIF-1α. Furthermore, LDH-A-mediated glycolysis was required for HSC activation in the presence of Wnt3a. Results in vivo showed that HSC activation and liver fibrosis were alleviated by HSC-specific knockdown of LDH-A in mice. β-catenin inhibitor XAV-939 mitigated HSC activation and liver fibrosis, which were abrogated by HSC-specific LDH-A overexpression in mice with fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS Inhibition of HSC glycolysis by targeting Wnt/β-catenin signaling and LDH-A had therapeutic promise for liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feixia Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Li Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Desong Kong
- Chinese Medicine Modernization and Big Data Research Center, Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaojin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, and Department of Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Siwei Xia
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Baoyu Liang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yang Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Ya Zhou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Zili Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiangjuan Shao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Shizhong Zheng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
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Kimura T, Iwadare T, Wakabayashi SI, Kuldeep S, Nakajima T, Yamazaki T, Aomura D, Zafar H, Iwaya M, Joshita S, Uehara T, Pydi SP, Tanaka N, Umemura T. Thrombospondin 2 is a key determinant of fibrogenesis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Liver Int 2024; 44:483-496. [PMID: 38010940 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Hepatic overexpression of the thrombospondin 2 gene (THBS2) and elevated levels of circulating thrombospondin 2 (TSP2) have been observed in patients with chronic liver disease. This study aimed to identify the specific cells expressing THBS2/TSP2 in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and investigate the underlying mechanism behind THBS2/TSP2 upregulation. DESIGN Comprehensive NAFLD liver gene datasets, including single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), in-house NAFLD liver tissue, and LX-2 cells derived from human hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), were analysed using a combination of computational biology, genetic, immunological, and pharmacological approaches. RESULTS Analysis of the genetic dataset revealed the presence of 1433 variable genes in patients with advanced fibrosis NAFLD, with THBS2 ranked among the top 2 genes. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) examination of NAFLD livers showed a significant correlation between THBS2 expression and fibrosis stage (r = .349, p < .001). In support of this, scRNA-seq data and in situ hybridization demonstrated that the THBS2 gene was highly expressed in HSCs of NAFLD patients with advanced fibrosis. Pathway analysis of the gene dataset revealed THBS2 expression to be associated with the transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) pathway and collagen gene activation. Moreover, the activation of LX-2 cells with TGFβ increased THBS2/TSP2 and collagen expression independently of the TGFβ-SMAD2/3 pathway. THBS2 gene knockdown significantly decreased collagen expression in LX-2 cells. CONCLUSIONS THBS2/TSP2 is highly expressed in HSCs and plays a role in regulating fibrogenesis in NAFLD patients. THBS2/TSP2 may therefore represent a potential target for anti-fibrotic therapy in NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takefumi Kimura
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
- Consultation Center for Liver Diseases, Shinshu University Hospital, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Takanobu Iwadare
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Shun-Ichi Wakabayashi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Seema Kuldeep
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India
| | - Tomoyuki Nakajima
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shinshu University School Hospital, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Tomoo Yamazaki
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, La Jolla, USA
| | - Daiki Aomura
- Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Hamim Zafar
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering and Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India
| | - Mai Iwaya
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shinshu University School Hospital, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Satoru Joshita
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Takeshi Uehara
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shinshu University School Hospital, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Sai P Pydi
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India
| | - Naoki Tanaka
- Department of Global Medical Research Promotion, Shinshu University Graduate School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
- International Relations Office, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
- Research Center for Social Systems, Shinshu University, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Takeji Umemura
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
- Consultation Center for Liver Diseases, Shinshu University Hospital, Matsumoto, Japan
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10
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Wang J, Liu Y, Guo Y, Liu C, Yang Y, Fan X, Yang H, Liu Y, Ma T. Function and inhibition of P38 MAP kinase signaling: Targeting multiple inflammation diseases. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 220:115973. [PMID: 38103797 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Inflammation is a natural host defense mechanism that protects the body from pathogenic microorganisms. A growing body of research suggests that inflammation is a key factor in triggering other diseases (lung injury, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.). However, there is no consensus on the complex mechanism of inflammatory response, which may include enzyme activation, mediator release, and tissue repair. In recent years, p38 MAPK, a member of the MAPKs family, has attracted much attention as a central target for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. However, many p38 MAPK inhibitors attempting to obtain marketing approval have failed at the clinical trial stage due to selectivity and/or toxicity issues. In this paper, we discuss the mechanism of p38 MAPK in regulating inflammatory response and its key role in major inflammatory diseases and summarize the synthetic or natural products targeting p38 MAPK to improve the inflammatory response in the last five years, which will provide ideas for the development of novel clinical anti-inflammatory drugs based on p38 MAPK inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahui Wang
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China
| | - Yongjian Liu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China
| | - Yushi Guo
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China
| | - Cen Liu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China
| | - Yuping Yang
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Fan
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China
| | - Hongliu Yang
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China
| | - Yonggang Liu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China.
| | - Tao Ma
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 102488, China.
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11
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Duan B, Liu Y, Li X, Han M, Yu H, Hong H, Zhang L, Xing L, Jiang H. An Autologous Macrophage-Based Phenotypic Transformation-Collagen Degradation System Treating Advanced Liver Fibrosis. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2306899. [PMID: 38064164 PMCID: PMC10870050 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202306899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
In advanced liver fibrosis (LF), macrophages maintain the inflammatory environment in the liver and accelerate LF deterioration by secreting proinflammatory cytokines. However, there is still no effective strategy to regulate macrophages because of the difficulty and complexity of macrophage inflammatory phenotypic modulation and the insufficient therapeutic efficacy caused by the extracellular matrix (ECM) barrier. Here, AC73 and siUSP1 dual drug-loaded lipid nanoparticle is designed to carry milk fat globule epidermal growth factor 8 (MFG-E8) (named MUA/Y) to effectively inhibit macrophage proinflammatory signals and degrade the ECM barrier. MFG-E8 is released in response to the high reactive oxygen species (ROS) environment in LF, transforming macrophages from a proinflammatory (M1) to an anti-inflammatory (M2) phenotype and inducing macrophages to phagocytose collagen. Collagen ablation increases AC73 and siUSP1 accumulation in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and inhibits HSCs overactivation. Interestingly, complete resolution of liver inflammation, significant collagen degradation, and HSCs deactivation are observed in methionine choline deficiency (MCD) and CCl4 models after tail vein injection of MUA/Y. Overall, this work reveals a macrophage-focused regulatory treatment strategy to eliminate LF progression at the source, providing a new perspective for the clinical treatment of advanced LF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo‐Wen Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Natural MedicinesChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjing210009China
| | - Yan‐Jun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural MedicinesChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjing210009China
| | - Xue‐Na Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural MedicinesChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjing210009China
| | - Meng‐Meng Han
- State Key Laboratory of Natural MedicinesChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjing210009China
| | - Hao‐Yuan Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural MedicinesChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjing210009China
| | - He‐Yuan Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Natural MedicinesChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjing210009China
| | - Ling‐Feng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural MedicinesChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjing210009China
| | - Lei Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Natural MedicinesChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjing210009China
| | - Hu‐Lin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural MedicinesChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjing210009China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Druggability of BiopharmaceuticalsChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjing210009China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Discovery for Metabolic DiseasesChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjing210009China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Pharmaceutical Preparations and ExcipientsChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjing210009China
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12
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Webster NJG, Kumar D, Wu P. Dysregulation of RNA splicing in early non-alcoholic fatty liver disease through hepatocellular carcinoma. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2500. [PMID: 38291075 PMCID: PMC10828381 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52237-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
While changes in RNA splicing have been extensively studied in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), no studies have systematically investigated changes in RNA splicing during earlier liver disease. Mouse studies have shown that disruption of RNA splicing can trigger liver disease and we have shown that the splicing factor SRSF3 is decreased in the diseased human liver, so we profiled RNA splicing in liver samples from twenty-nine individuals with no-history of liver disease or varying degrees of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We compared our results with three publicly available transcriptome datasets that we re-analyzed for splicing events (SEs). We found many changes in SEs occurred during early liver disease, with fewer events occurring with the onset of inflammation and fibrosis. Many of these early SEs were enriched for SRSF3-dependent events and were associated with SRSF3 binding sites. Mapping the early and late changes to gene ontologies and pathways showed that the genes harboring these early SEs were involved in normal liver metabolism, whereas those harboring late SEs were involved in inflammation, fibrosis and proliferation. We compared the SEs with HCC data from the TCGA and observed that many of these early disease SEs are found in HCC samples and, furthermore, are correlated with disease survival. Changes in splicing factor expression are also observed, which may be associated with distinct subsets of the SEs. The maintenance of these SEs through the multi-year oncogenic process suggests that they may be causative. Understanding the role of these splice variants in metabolic liver disease progression may shed light on the triggers of liver disease progression and the pathogenesis of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J G Webster
- Jennifer Moreno VA Medical Center, San Diego, CA, 92161, USA.
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA.
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA.
| | - Deepak Kumar
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Panyisha Wu
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA
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13
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Dan L, Hao Y, Song H, Wang T, Li J, He X, Su Y. Efficacy and potential mechanisms of the main active ingredients of astragalus mongholicus in animal models of liver fibrosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 319:117198. [PMID: 37722514 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Astragalus mongholicus (AM) is a Qi-tonifying and immune-regulating herb widely used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which is increasingly regarded as a profound complementary medication in the treatment of fibrosis disease. Astragaloside (AS), astragaloside flavonoids (AF) and astragaloside polysaccharides (APS) are the main active ingredients of Astragalus Mongholicus (AM) that have a significant therapeutic effect on liver fibrosis. AIM OF THE STUDY This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effects and possible mechanisms of the main active ingredients of AM including astragaloside (AS), astragalus flavone (AF) and astragalus polysaccharide (APS) in animal models of liver fibrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS We systematically searched ten databases PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL, ProQuest database, China National Knowledge Internet (CNKI), VIP Information Chinese Periodical Service Platform (VIP), WangFang database and China Biology Medicine Disc (CBM) to identify relevant animal studies from inception to November 2022. The SYRCLE's risk of bias tool was used to assess the methodological quality. The statistical analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software. RESULTS Twenty-three studies involving 482 animals were included. Studies quality scores ranged from 4 to 5. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (SMD, -3.87; 95% CI, -5.09 to -2.65; P < 0.00001) aminotransferase (AST) (SMD, -4.43; 95% CI, -5.77 to -3.08; P < 0.00001), hydroxyproline (HYP) (SMD, -2.94; 95% CI, -3.83 to -2.05; P < 0.00001) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) (SMD, -2.82; 95% CI, -3.57 to -2.06; P < 0.00001) were the main outcome measures to be analyzed. The meta-analysis revealed that the main active ingredients of AM lowered the levels of known risk factors including liver index (SMD, -1.25; 95% CI, -1.63 to -0.87; P < 0.00001), degree of liver fibrosis (SMD, -1.93; 95% CI, -2.57 to -1.28; P < 0.00001), collagen α type I (Col)-1 (SMD, -3.71; 95% CI, -5.63 to -1.79; P = 0.0001), hyaluronic acid (HA) (SMD, -2.65; 95% CI, -3.69 to -1.61; P < 0.00001), laminin (LN) (SMD, -2.06; 95% CI, -2.51 to -1.61; P < 0.00001), type IV collagen (CIV) (SMD, -3.04; 95% CI, -4.34 to -1.74; P < 0.00001), procollagen typeIII (PCIII) (SMD, -2.60; 95% CI, -3.15 to -2.05; P < 0.00001), albumin (ALB) (SMD, -1.19; 95% CI, -1.63 to -0.75; P < 0.00001), total bilirubin (TBiL) (SMD, -3.63; 95% CI, -5.39 to -1.88; P < 0.0001), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) (SMD, -5.27; 95% CI, -6.94 to -3.61; P < 0.00001) and Smad3 (SMD, -4.11; 95% CI, -7.17 to -1.05; P = 0.009) level. CONCLUSION Our meta-analysis demonstrates the effective role of the main active ingredients of AM in preclinical studies of liver fibrosis. The underlying mechanisms may be related to attenuation of oxidative stress, modulation of inflammatory response and inhibition of collagen production. However, due to the significant heterogeneity and poor quality of included studies, positive findings should be treated cautiously. REGISTRATION PROSPERO ID CRD42023382282.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Dan
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanwei Hao
- Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Hongfei Song
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Tianyuan Wang
- The Affiliated Chengdu 363 Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jia Li
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaoyan He
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yue Su
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
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14
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Wang J, Bai M, Zhang C, An N, Wan L, Wang XN, Du RH, Shen Y, Yuan ZY, Wu XD, Wu XF, Xu Q. Natural compound fraxinellone ameliorates intestinal fibrosis in mice via direct intervention of HSP47-collagen interaction in the epithelium. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2023; 44:2469-2478. [PMID: 37580493 PMCID: PMC10692176 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-023-01143-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Intestinal fibrosis is a common complication of inflammatory bowel disease. There is still a lack of effective drugs for the prevention or treatment of intestinal fibrosis. Heat shock protein 47 (HSP47) plays a key role in the development of intestinal fibrosis. In this study we investigated the therapeutic potential and underlying mechanisms of fraxinellone, a degraded limonoid isolated from the root bark of Dictamnus dasycarpus, in the treatment of intestinal fibrosis. Intestinal fibrosis was induced in mice by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) treatment. DDS-treated mice were administered fraxinellone (7.5, 15, 30 mg·kg-1·d-1, i.g.) for 45 days. We showed that fraxinellone administration dose-dependently alleviated DSS-induced intestinal impairments, and reduced the production of intestinal fibrosis biomarkers such as α-smooth muscle actin (SMA), collagen I, hydroxyproline, fibronectin and laminin, and cytokines such as TGF-β, TNF-α and IL-β. We then established in vitro intestinal fibrosis cell models in SW480 and HT-29 cells, and demonstrated that treatment with fraxinellone (3, 10, 30 μM) significantly relieved TGF-β-induced fibrosis responses by inhibiting the TGF-β/Smad2/3 signaling pathway. Molecular docking suggested that the fraxinellone might disrupt the interaction between HSP47 and collagen, which was confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation experiments. SPR analysis showed that fraxinellone had a high affinity for HSP47 with a Kd value of 3.542 × 10-5 M. This study provides a new example of HSP47-collagen intervention by a natural compound and has important implications for the clinical treatment of inflammation-induced issue fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210000, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210000, China
| | - Mei Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210000, China
| | - Cui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210000, China
| | - Ning An
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210000, China
| | - Li Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210000, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210000, China
| | - Xiao-Ning Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210000, China
| | - Rong-Hui Du
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210000, China
| | - Yan Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210000, China
| | - Zhi-Yao Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210000, China
- Department of Periodontology, Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210000, China
| | - Xu-Dong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210000, China.
| | - Xue-Feng Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210000, China.
| | - Qiang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210000, China.
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15
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Jing H, Ren Y, Zhou Y, Xu M, Krizkova S, Heger Z, Lu Q, Wang S, Liang X, Adam V, Li N. Remodeling of the liver fibrosis microenvironment based on nilotinib-loaded multicatalytic nanozymes with boosted antifibrogenic activity. Acta Pharm Sin B 2023; 13:5030-5047. [PMID: 38045041 PMCID: PMC10692490 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.08.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a reversible pathological process caused by chronic liver damage and a major risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation is considered the main target for liver fibrosis therapy. However, the efficiency of this strategy is limited due to the complex microenvironment of liver fibrosis, including excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition and hypoxia-induced imbalanced ECM metabolism. Herein, nilotinib (NIL)-loaded hyaluronic acid (HA)-coated Ag@Pt nanotriangular nanozymes (APNH NTs) were developed to inhibit HSCs activation and remodel the microenvironment of liver fibrosis. APNH NTs efficiently eliminated intrahepatic reactive oxygen species (ROS) due to their inherent superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, thereby downregulating the expression of NADPH oxidase-4 (NOX-4) and inhibiting HSCs activation. Simultaneously, the oxygen produced by the APNH NTs further alleviated the hypoxic microenvironment. Importantly, the released NIL promoted collagen depletion by suppressing the expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), thus synergistically remodeling the microenvironment of liver fibrosis. Notably, an in vivo study in CCl4-induced mice revealed that APNH NTs exhibited significant antifibrogenic effects without obvious long-term toxicity. Taken together, the data from this work suggest that treatment with the synthesized APNH NTs provides an enlightening strategy for remodeling the microenvironment of liver fibrosis with boosted antifibrogenic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaqing Jing
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Drug Delivery & High-Efficiency, School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yingzi Ren
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Drug Delivery & High-Efficiency, School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yue Zhou
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Drug Delivery & High-Efficiency, School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Min Xu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Drug Delivery & High-Efficiency, School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Sona Krizkova
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Brno 61300, Czech Republic
| | - Zbynek Heger
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Brno 61300, Czech Republic
| | - Qiang Lu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Drug Delivery & High-Efficiency, School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Siyu Wang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Drug Delivery & High-Efficiency, School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Xiaoyang Liang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Drug Delivery & High-Efficiency, School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Vojtech Adam
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Brno 61300, Czech Republic
| | - Nan Li
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Drug Delivery & High-Efficiency, School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
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16
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Xu X, Guo Y, Luo X, Shen Z, Sun Z, Shen B, Zhou C, Wang J, Lu J, Zhang Q, Ye Y, Luo Y, Qu Y, Cai X, Dong H, Lu L. Hydronidone ameliorates liver fibrosis by inhibiting activation of hepatic stellate cells via Smad7-mediated degradation of TGFβRI. Liver Int 2023; 43:2523-2537. [PMID: 37641479 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Liver fibrosis is a wound-healing reaction that eventually leads to cirrhosis. Hydronidone is a new pyridine derivative with the potential to treat liver fibrosis. In this study, we explored the antifibrotic effects of hydronidone and its potential mode of action. METHODS The anti-hepatic fibrosis effects of hydronidone were studied in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4 )- and 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC)- induced animal liver fibrosis. The antifibrotic mechanisms of hydronidone were investigated in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). The antifibrotic effect of hydronidone was further tested after Smad7 knockdown in HSCs in mouse models of fibrosis. RESULTS In animal models, hydronidone attenuated liver damage and collagen accumulation, and reduced the expression of fibrosis-related genes. Hydronidone decreased the expression of fibrotic genes in HSCs. Impressively, hydronidone significantly upregulated Smad7 expression and promoted the degradation of transforming growth factor β receptor I (TGFβRI) in HSCs and thus inhibited the TGFβ-Smad signalling pathway. Specific knockdown of Smad7 in HSCs in vivo blocked the antifibrotic effect of hydronidone. CONCLUSION Hydronidone ameliorates liver fibrosis by inhibiting HSCs activation via Smad7-mediated TGFβRI degradation. Hydronidone is a potential drug candidate for the treatment of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianjun Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuecheng Guo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Luo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhenyang Shen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhongshang Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology, Huaian First People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Huaian, China
| | - Bo Shen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Cui Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Junjun Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingyi Lu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qingqing Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanping Ye
- Continent Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Ying Luo
- Continent Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Ying Qu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaobo Cai
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Dong
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lungen Lu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Yu Z, Xu C, Song B, Zhang S, Chen C, Li C, Zhang S. Tissue fibrosis induced by radiotherapy: current understanding of the molecular mechanisms, diagnosis and therapeutic advances. J Transl Med 2023; 21:708. [PMID: 37814303 PMCID: PMC10563272 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04554-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer remains the leading cause of death around the world. In cancer treatment, over 50% of cancer patients receive radiotherapy alone or in multimodal combinations with other therapies. One of the adverse consequences after radiation exposure is the occurrence of radiation-induced tissue fibrosis (RIF), which is characterized by the abnormal activation of myofibroblasts and the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix. This phenotype can manifest in multiple organs, such as lung, skin, liver and kidney. In-depth studies on the mechanisms of radiation-induced fibrosis have shown that a variety of extracellular signals such as immune cells and abnormal release of cytokines, and intracellular signals such as cGAS/STING, oxidative stress response, metabolic reprogramming and proteasome pathway activation are involved in the activation of myofibroblasts. Tissue fibrosis is extremely harmful to patients' health and requires early diagnosis. In addition to traditional serum markers, histologic and imaging tests, the diagnostic potential of nuclear medicine techniques is emerging. Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant therapies are the traditional treatments for radiation-induced fibrosis. Recently, some promising therapeutic strategies have emerged, such as stem cell therapy and targeted therapies. However, incomplete knowledge of the mechanisms hinders the treatment of this disease. Here, we also highlight the potential mechanistic, diagnostic and therapeutic directions of radiation-induced fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuxiang Yu
- Laboratory of Radiation Medicine, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Chaoyu Xu
- Laboratory of Radiation Medicine, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Bin Song
- Laboratory of Radiation Medicine, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu, 610051, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Nuclear Technology Medical Transformation (Mianyang Central Hospital), Mianyang, 621099, China
| | - Shihao Zhang
- Laboratory of Radiation Medicine, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Chong Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First People's Hospital of Xuzhou, Xuzhou Municipal Hospital Affiliated to Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221200, China
| | - Changlong Li
- Laboratory of Radiation Medicine, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
| | - Shuyu Zhang
- Laboratory of Radiation Medicine, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu, 610051, China.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Nuclear Technology Medical Transformation (Mianyang Central Hospital), Mianyang, 621099, China.
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Gao Y, Zheng B, Xu S, Zhao Z, Liu W, Wang T, Yuan M, Sun X, Tan Y, Xu Q, Wu X. Mitochondrial folate metabolism-mediated α-linolenic acid exhaustion masks liver fibrosis resolution. J Biol Chem 2023:104909. [PMID: 37307917 PMCID: PMC10344950 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Sustainable TGF-β1 signaling drives organ fibrogenesis. However, the cellular adaptation to maintain TGF-β1 signaling remains unclear. In this study, we revealed that dietary folate restriction promoted the resolution of liver fibrosis in mice with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). In activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), folate shifted toward mitochondrial metabolism to sustain TGF-β1 signaling. Mechanistically, nontargeted metabolomics screening identified that α-linolenic acid (ALA) is exhausted by mitochondrial folate metabolism in activated HSCs. Knocking down serine hydroxymethyltransferase 2 (SHMT2) increases the bioconversion of ALA to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which inhibits TGF-β1 signaling. Finally, blocking mitochondrial folate metabolism promoted liver fibrosis resolution in NASH mice. In conclusion, mitochondrial folate metabolism/ALA exhaustion/TGF-βR1 reproduction is a feedforward signaling to sustain profibrotic TGF-β1 signaling and targeting mitochondrial folate metabolism is a promising strategy to enforce liver fibrosis resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanjie Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Bingfeng Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Shuaiqi Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Zhibo Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Wanyue Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Tingyu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Manman Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Xueqing Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Yang Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Qiang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
| | - Xingxin Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
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19
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Guo M, Wang Z, Dai J, Fan H, Yuan N, Gao L, Peng H, Cheng X. Glycyrrhizic acid alleviates liver fibrosis in vitro and in vivo via activating CUGBP1-mediated IFN-γ/STAT1/Smad7 pathway. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 112:154587. [PMID: 36805480 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2022.154587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatic fibrosis, a common pathological feature of chronic liver injuries, is a serious public health problem and lacks effective therapy. Glycyrrhizic acid (GA) is a bioactive ingredient in the root of traditional Chinese medicine licorice, and exhibits remarkable anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective actions. PURPOSE Here we aimed to investigated whether GA provided a therapeutic efficacy in hepatic fibrosis and uncover its molecular mechanisms. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS We investigated the anti-fibrosis effects of GA using CCl4-induced mouse mode of liver fibrosis as well as TGF-β1-activated human LX-2 cells and primary hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). CUGBP1-mediated IFN-γ/STAT1/Smad7 signaling was examined with immunofluorescence staining and western blot analysis. We designed and studied the binding of GA to CUGBP1 using in silico docking, and validated by microscale thermophoresis (MST) assay. RESULTS GA obviously attenuated CCl4-induced liver histological damage, and reduced serum ALT and AST levels. Meanwhile, GA decreased liver fibrogenesis markers such as α-SMA, collagen α1, HA, COL-III, and LN in the hepatic tissues. Mechanistically, GA remarkably elevated the levels of IFN-γ, p-STAT1, Smad7, and decreased CUGBP1 in vivo and in vitro. Over-expression of CUGBP1 completely abolished the anti-fibrotic effect of GA and regulation on IFN-γ/STAT1/Smad7 pathway in LX-2 cells and primary HSCs, confirming CUGBP1 played a pivotal role in the protection by GA from liver fibrosis. Further molecular docking and MST assay indicated that GA had a good binding affinity with the CUGBP1 protein. The dissociation constant (Kd) of GA and CUGBP1 was 0.293 μM. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrated for the first time that GA attenuated liver fibrosis and hepatic stellate cell activation by promoting CUGBP1-mediated IFN-γ/STAT1/Smad7 signalling pathways. GA may be a potential candidate compound for preventing or reliving liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manman Guo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China; Department of Gastroenterology, Kunshan Hospital affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Kunshan, 215300, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhongda Wang
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210028, China
| | - Jinya Dai
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210028, China
| | - Haizhen Fan
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210028, China
| | - Ningning Yuan
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210028, China
| | - Liming Gao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Kunshan Hospital affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Kunshan, 215300, Jiangsu, China
| | - Huiping Peng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Kunshan Hospital affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Kunshan, 215300, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaolan Cheng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China; School of Chinese Medicine & School of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China.
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20
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Butti R, Khaladkar A, Bhardwaj P, Prakasam G. Heterotypic signaling of cancer-associated fibroblasts in shaping the cancer cell drug resistance. CANCER DRUG RESISTANCE (ALHAMBRA, CALIF.) 2023; 6:182-204. [PMID: 37065872 PMCID: PMC10099601 DOI: 10.20517/cdr.2022.72] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
The context-dependent reciprocal interaction between the cancer cells and surrounding fibroblasts is imperative for regulating malignant potential, metabolic reprogramming, immunosuppression, and ECM deposition. However, recent evidence also suggests that cancer-associated fibroblasts induce chemoresistance in cancer cells to various anticancer regimens. Because of the protumorigenic function of cancer-associated fibroblasts, these stromal cell types have emerged as fascinating therapeutic targets for cancer. However, this notion was recently challenged by studies that targeted cancer-associated fibroblasts and highlighted the underlying heterogeneity by identifying a subset of these cells with tumor-restricting functions. Hence, it is imperative to understand the heterogeneity and heterotypic signaling of cancer-associated fibroblasts to target tumor-promoting signaling processes by sparing tumor-restricting ones. In this review, we discuss the heterogeneity and heterotypic signaling of cancer-associated fibroblasts in shaping drug resistance and also list the cancer-associated fibroblast-targeting therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramesh Butti
- Kidney Cancer Program, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75235, USA
| | - Ashwini Khaladkar
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Bombay 400076, India
- Authors contributed equally
| | - Priya Bhardwaj
- Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India
- Authors contributed equally
| | - Gopinath Prakasam
- Kidney Cancer Program, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75235, USA
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21
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Xu J, Liu X, Wu S, Zhang D, Liu X, Xia P, Ling J, Zheng K, Xu M, Shen Y, Zhang J, Yu P. RNA-binding proteins in metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD): From mechanism to therapy. Biosci Trends 2023; 17:21-37. [PMID: 36682800 DOI: 10.5582/bst.2022.01473] [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: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease globally and seriously increases the public health burden, affecting approximately one quarter of the world population. Recently, RNA binding proteins (RBPs)-related pathogenesis of MAFLD has received increasing attention. RBPs, vividly called the gate keepers of MAFLD, play an important role in the development of MAFLD through transcription regulation, alternative splicing, alternative polyadenylation, stability and subcellular localization. In this review, we describe the mechanisms of different RBPs in the occurrence and development of MAFLD, as well as list some drugs that can improve MAFLD by targeting RBPs. Considering the important role of RBPs in the development of MAFLD, elucidating the RNA regulatory networks involved in RBPs will facilitate the design of new drugs and biomarkers discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawei Xu
- The Second Clinical Medical College / The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Xingyu Liu
- The Second Clinical Medical College / The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Shuqin Wu
- The Second Clinical Medical College / The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Deju Zhang
- Food and Nutritional Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiao Liu
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Panpan Xia
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Jitao Ling
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Kai Zheng
- Medical Care Strategic Customer Department, China Merchants Bank Shenzhen Branch, Shenzhen, Guangdong, Guangdong, China
| | - Minxuan Xu
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yunfeng Shen
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- The Second Clinical Medical College / The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Peng Yu
- The Second Clinical Medical College / The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
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22
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Wang Y, Gao J, Yu Y, Zhou L, Wang M, Xue W, Liu B, Wu X, Wu X, Gao H, Shen Y, Xu Q. A plant-derived glucocorticoid receptor modulator with potency to attenuate the side effects of glucocorticoid therapy. Br J Pharmacol 2023; 180:194-213. [PMID: 36165414 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Continuous efforts have been made to move towards maintaining the beneficial anti-inflammatory functions of glucocorticoids (GCs) while minimizing side effects. Here, we investigated the selective glucocorticoid receptor (GR) modulator-like properties of a plant-derived compound caesaldekarin e (CA-e). EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH The therapeutic efficacy of CA-e was evaluated in several mouse models, including dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis, ovalbumin-induced lung allergic inflammation, imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like skin inflammation and skin atrophy. The action of CA-e targeting the GR was analysed using molecular docking, cellular thermal shift assays and microscale thermophoresis. Other methods included DNA-protein pull-down assays and mass spectrometry. KEY RESULTS CA-e selectively inhibited positive GC response element ((+) GRE)-mediated direct transactivation while maintaining and even enhancing the anti-inflammatory effects of treatment with dexamethasone. CA-e, alone and in combination with dexamethasone, efficiently alleviated inflammation in several mouse models with milder side effects compared with dexamethasone alone. Mechanistically, CA-e inhibited the formation of dimers by binding to the dimerization interface located in the ligand-binding domain of GR and facilitated embryonic ectoderm development that is involved in the regulation of transcriptional repression to compete for binding to (+) GRE, eventually leading to the repression of (+) GRE-regulated genes. In addition, CA-e repressed NF-κB-dependent genes by enhancing the interaction between GR and p65. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Our results reveal that CA-e is a novel GR modulator with strong potency to attenuate the side effects of GC therapy and can be used as a potential molecular tool for deciphering GR signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jian Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ying Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Miao Wang
- School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Wenwen Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Bo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Xudong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xuefeng Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Huiyuan Gao
- School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yan Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qiang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
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23
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XU B, ZHENG J, TIAN X, YUAN F, LIU Z, YANG Z, DING X. Antihepatofibrotic effect of Guizhifuling pill on carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis in mice. J TRADIT CHIN MED 2022; 42:715-722. [PMID: 36083478 PMCID: PMC9924718 DOI: 10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.20220707.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the protective effects and the underlying mechanism of Guizhifuling pill (, GZFL) on carbon tetrachloride (CCl)-induced hepatic fibrosis in mice. METHODS Male ICR mice by intraperitoneally administered with 20% CCl (mixed 1∶4 in soybean oil) to induce liver fibrosis. Mice that underwent CCl were orally with GZFL. Using hematoxylin and eosin and Masson staining to examine the pathological changes in liver tissue. Serum biochemical parameters, antioxidant enzyme activity and proinflammatory cytokines was assessed. Nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) pathway and nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) family members were evaluated by Western blotting. RESULTS Our findings indicated that GZFL could effectively suppress the progression of liver fibrosis in mice, which was determined based on the improvement in liver function and reduction of collagen deposition. GZFL treatment also decreased the level of cytokines and increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes in liver tissue. Moreover, GZFL exerted anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects through regulating the Nrf2-mediated antioxidant system and inhibiting the NF-κB pathway. CONCLUSIONS GZFL may prevent the progression of liver fibrosis by regulating the Nrf2/ heme oxygenase-1 and NF-κB signaling pathways, thereby highlighting its role in the management of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baogui XU
- 1 School of Food and Pharmacy, Zhejiang Ocean University; Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Marine Biomedical Products, Zhoushan 316022, China
| | - Jiawen ZHENG
- 1 School of Food and Pharmacy, Zhejiang Ocean University; Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Marine Biomedical Products, Zhoushan 316022, China
| | - Xiaoxiao TIAN
- 1 School of Food and Pharmacy, Zhejiang Ocean University; Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Marine Biomedical Products, Zhoushan 316022, China
| | - Falei YUAN
- 1 School of Food and Pharmacy, Zhejiang Ocean University; Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Marine Biomedical Products, Zhoushan 316022, China
| | - Zhongliang LIU
- 2 Department of Oncology, Zhoushan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhoushan 316000, China
| | - Zuisu YANG
- 1 School of Food and Pharmacy, Zhejiang Ocean University; Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Marine Biomedical Products, Zhoushan 316022, China
- Prof. YANG Zuisu, School of Food and Pharmacy, Zhejiang Ocean University; Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Marine Biomedical Products, Zhoushan 316022, China.
| | - Xianjun DING
- 3 Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhoushan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhoushan 316000, China
- Dr. DING Xianjun, Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhoushan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhoushan 316000, China. Telephone: +86-580-2260600
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Ferroportin-dependent ferroptosis induced by ellagic acid retards liver fibrosis by impairing the SNARE complexes formation. Redox Biol 2022; 56:102435. [PMID: 36029649 PMCID: PMC9425030 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2022.102435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic liver injury causing liver fibrosis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Targeting the suppression of hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation is recognized as an effective strategy for the treatment of liver fibrosis. Ellagic acid (EA), a natural polyphenol product isolated from fruits and vegetables, possesses many biological functions. Here, EA exerts its antifibrotic activity by inducing ferroptotic cell death of activated HSCs, which is accompanied by redox-active iron accumulation, lipid peroxidation, and GSH depletion in CCl4 mice and human LX-2 cells. The specific ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1 prevented EA-induced ferroptotic cell death. Mechanistically, EA impairs the formation of vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 (VAMP2)/syntaxin 4 and VAMP2/synaptosome-associated protein 23 complexes by suppressing VAMP2 expression by enhancing its degradation in a proteasome-dependent pathway. This leads to the impairment of ferroportin (FPN, an iron exporter) translocation and intracellular iron extrusion. Interestingly, VAMP2 overexpression inhibits the role of EA in blocking FPN translocation and increasing intracellular ferritin content (an iron storage marker). In contrast, VAMP2 knockdown shows a synergistic effect on EA-mediated ferroptotic events in both HSCs. Additionally, HSC-specific overexpression of VAMP2 impaired EA-induced HSC ferroptosis in mouse liver fibrosis, and HSC-specific VAMP2 knockdown increased the inhibitory effect of EA on fibrosis. Taken together, our data suggest that the natural product EA exerts its antifibrotic effects by inducing FPN-dependent ferroptosis of HSCs by disrupting the formation of SNARE complexes, and EA will hopefully serve as a prospective compound for liver fibrosis treatment. EA exerts its antifibrotic activity by inducing ferroptotic cell death of activated HSCs in CCl4/BDL mice. EA blocks the SNARE complexes formation by suppressing VAMP2by enhancing its degradation in a proteasome-dependent pathway. Impairment SNARE complexes suppress FPN translocation, which in turn prevents intracellular iron extrusion. EA induces ferroptosis of HSCs resulting from intracellular excessive iron accumulation.
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25
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Mahdinloo S, Hemmati S, Valizadeh H, Mahmoudian M, Mahmoudi J, Roshangar L, Sarfraz M, Zakeri-Milani P. Synthesis and preparation of vitamin A coupled butein-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles for liver fibrosis therapy in rats. Int J Pharm 2022; 625:122063. [PMID: 35964827 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2022.122063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The development of a therapeutic system for hepatic fibrosis has become a research hotspot to date. Butein, a simple chalcone derivative, displays anti-fibrotic effects through different pathways. However, impurities, low solubility, and low concentration in the target tissue hinder therapy with herbal ingredients. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), the vitamin A (VA) storage cells, as the main contributors to liver fibrogenesis, are not readily accessible to drugs owing to their anatomical location. Targeted delivery of therapeutics to the activated HSCs is therefore critical for successful treatment. For these reasons, the current study aimed at increasing butein delivery to the liver. Hence, high purity butein was synthesized in three steps. A novel VA-Myrj52 ester conjugate was also synthesized using all-trans retinoic acid and a hydrophilic emulsifier (Myrj52) as a targeting agent. Next, butein was encapsulated inside the novel VA-modified solid lipid nanoparticles (VA-SLNs) and studied in vitro and in vivo. According to our evaluations, negatively charged SLNs with a mean diameter of 150 nm and entrapment efficacy of 75 % were successful in liver fibrosis amelioration. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of VA-SLNs in fibrotic rats, for four weeks long, reduced serum AST and ALT by 58% (P, 0.001) and 72% (P, 0.05), respectively, concerning the CCl4 group. Additionally, histologic damage score decline and normalization of tissue oxidative stress markers collectively confirmed the efficacy of formulations in hepatic fibrosis and kidney damage amelioration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somayeh Mahdinloo
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz 5166616471, Iran
| | - Salar Hemmati
- Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 5166616471, Iran
| | - Hadi Valizadeh
- Drug Applied Research Center and Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 5166616471, Iran.
| | - Mohammad Mahmoudian
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz 5166616471, Iran
| | - Javad Mahmoudi
- Neurosciences Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical sciences, Tabriz 5166614756, Iran
| | - Leyla Roshangar
- Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 5166616471, Iran
| | - Muhammad Sarfraz
- College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Al Ain 64141, United Arab Emirates.
| | - Parvin Zakeri-Milani
- Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Center and Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 5166616471, Iran.
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26
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Sun R, Tian X, Li Y, Zhao Y, Wang Z, Hu Y, Zhang L, Wang Y, Gao D, Zheng S, Yao J. The m6A reader YTHDF3-mediated PRDX3 translation alleviates liver fibrosis. Redox Biol 2022; 54:102378. [PMID: 35779442 PMCID: PMC9287738 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2022.102378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ruimin Sun
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China; Institute of Integrative Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Xinyao Tian
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Liver Transplantation, Shulan (Hangzhou) Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Zhecheng Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Yan Hu
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Lijun Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Yue Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Dongyan Gao
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Shusen Zheng
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Liver Transplantation, Shulan (Hangzhou) Hospital, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Jihong Yao
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China.
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27
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Liu Z, Xu B, Ding Y, Ding X, Yang Z. Guizhi Fuling pill attenuates liver fibrosis in vitro and in vivo via inhibiting TGF-β1/Smad2/3 and activating IFN-γ/Smad7 signaling pathways. Bioengineered 2022; 13:9357-9368. [PMID: 35387552 PMCID: PMC9161976 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2022.2054224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver fibrosis resulting from chronic liver injuries (CLI) is a common health problem globally. Guizhi Fuling pill (GZFL), a modern preparation from traditional Chinese medicine, exhibited anti-dysmenorrhea, anti-inflammatory, and immune-regulative effects. However, the effect of GZFL on liver fibrosis remains unknown. In this research, LX-2 cells were stimulated with acetaldehyde for mimicking liver fibrosis progression in vitro. In addition, carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced mouse model of liver fibrosis was established as well. The data revealed GZFL obviously suppressed the proliferation and triggered the apoptosis of acetaldehyde-stimulated LX-2 cells. In addition, GZFL prevented acetaldehyde-induced activation of LX-2 cells via downregulation of TGF-β1, p-Smad2, p-Smad3, CUGBP1, and upregulation of p-STAT1 and Smad7. Meanwhile, GZFL significantly alleviated CCl4‑induced liver fibrosis, as evidenced by the decrease of ALT and AST levels. Moreover, GZFL downregulated the expressions of TGF-β1, p-Smad2, p-Smad3, and CUGBP1 in CCl4-treated mice. Furthermore, GZFL remarkably elevated the levels of IFN-γ, p-STAT1, and Smad7 in CCl4-treated mice. To sum up, GZFL was able to inhibit liver fibrosis in vitro and in vivo through suppressing TGF-β1/Smad2/3-CUGBP1 signaling and activating IFN-γ/STAT1/Smad7 signaling. Thus, GZFL might have a potential to act as a therapeutic agent for anti-fibrotic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongliang Liu
- Department of Oncology, Zhoushan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Affiliated to Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Zhoushan, P.R. China
| | - Baogui Xu
- School of Food and Pharmacy, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, China
| | - Yaping Ding
- Department of Nutrition, Zhoushan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Affiliated to Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Zhoushan, P.R. China
| | - Xianjun Ding
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhoushan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Affiliated to Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Zhoushan, P.R. China.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhoushan Hospital, P.R. China
| | - Zuisu Yang
- School of Food and Pharmacy, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, China
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28
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Tan Y, Sun X, Xu Y, Tang B, Xu S, Lu D, Ye Y, Luo X, Diao X, Li F, Wang T, Chen J, Xu Q, Wu X. Small molecule targeting CELF1 RNA-binding activity to control HSC activation and liver fibrosis. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:2440-2451. [PMID: 35234905 PMCID: PMC8934652 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
CUGBP Elav-like family member 1 (CELF1), an RNA-binding protein (RBP), plays important roles in the pathogenesis of diseases such as myotonic dystrophy, liver fibrosis and cancers. However, targeting CELF1 is still a challenge, as RBPs are considered largely undruggable. Here, we discovered that compound 27 disrupted CELF1-RNA binding via structure-based virtual screening and biochemical assays. Compound 27 binds directly to CELF1 and competes with RNA for binding to CELF1. Compound 27 promotes IFN-γ secretion and suppresses TGF-β1-induced hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation by inhibiting CELF1-mediated IFN-γ mRNA decay. In vivo, compound 27 attenuates CCl4-induced murine liver fibrosis. Furthermore, the structure-activity relationship analysis was performed and compound 841, a derivative of compound 27, was identified as a selective CELF1 inhibitor. In conclusion, targeting CELF1 RNA-binding activity with small molecules was achieved, which provides a novel strategy for treating liver fibrosis and other CELF1-mediated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Xueqing Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Yizhu Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Bingjie Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Shuaiqi Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Dong Lu
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yan Ye
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xiaomin Luo
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xu Diao
- Department of Pharmacology, Jiangsu Simovay Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Nanjing, Jiangsu 210042, China
| | - Fulong Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Jiangsu Simovay Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Nanjing, Jiangsu 210042, China
| | - Tianyi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Jiayu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing210023, China
| | - Qiang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Xingxin Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
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29
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Natural Compounds Targeting Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts against Digestive System Tumor Progression: Therapeutic Insights. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10030713. [PMID: 35327514 PMCID: PMC8945097 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10030713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are critical for cancer occurrence and progression in the tumor microenvironment (TME), due to their versatile roles in extracellular matrix remodeling, tumor–stroma crosstalk, immunomodulation, and angiogenesis. CAFs are the most abundant stromal component in the TME and undergo epigenetic modification and abnormal signaling cascade activation, such as transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and Wnt pathways that maintain the distinct phenotype of CAFs, which differs from normal fibroblasts. CAFs have been considered therapeutic targets due to their putative oncogenic functions. Current digestive system cancer treatment strategies often result in lower survival outcomes and fail to prevent cancer progression; therefore, comprehensive characterization of the tumor-promoting and -restraining CAF activities might facilitate the design of new therapeutic approaches. In this review, we summarize the enormous literature on natural compounds that mediate the crosstalk of CAFs with digestive system cancer cells, discuss how the biology and the multifaceted functions of CAFs contribute to cancer progression, and finally, pave the way for CAF-related antitumor therapies.
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30
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Shen M, Guo M, Li Y, Wang Y, Qiu Y, Shao J, Zhang F, Xu X, Yin G, Wang S, Chen A, Zhang Z, Zheng S. m 6A methylation is required for dihydroartemisinin to alleviate liver fibrosis by inducing ferroptosis in hepatic stellate cells. Free Radic Biol Med 2022; 182:246-259. [PMID: 35248719 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2022.02.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is a central event in the development of liver fibrosis, and the elimination of activated HSCs is considered to be an effective anti-fibrotic strategy. Here, we report that dihydroartemisinin (DHA) prevented the activation of HSCs via ferroptosis pathway. Importantly, DHA treatment increased the level of autophagy in HSCs. The inhibition of autophagy by 3-MA dramatically abolished the DHA-induced ferroptosis in HSCs. Mechanistically, the up-regulated m6A modification is essential for the activation of autophagy by DHA through the reduction of fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO). Down-regulation of m6A modification by FTO overexpression could impair autophagy and the classical ferroptotic events. Interestingly, the m6A modification of BECN1 mRNA was evidently up-regulated compared with other autophagy-related genes. More importantly, YTHDF1 was identified as a key m6A reader protein for BECN1 mRNA stability, and knockdown of YTHDF1 could prevent DHA-induced HSC ferroptosis. Noteworthy, YTH domain was essential for YTHDF1 to prolong the half-life of BECN1 mRNA in DHA-induced HSC ferroptosis. In mice, DHA treatment alleviated liver fibrosis by triggering HSC ferroptosis. HSC-specific inhibition of m6A modification and autophagy could impair DHA-induced HSC ferroptosis in murine liver fibrosis. Overall, these results provided novel implications to reveal the molecular mechanism of DHA-induced ferroptosis, by which pointed to m6A modification-dependent ferroptosis as a potential target for the treatment of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Shen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Mei Guo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yujia Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yingqian Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yangling Qiu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Jiangjuan Shao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Material of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Xuefen Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Guoping Yin
- Department of Anesthesiology, Nanjing Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Shijun Wang
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250035, China
| | - Anping Chen
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, 63104, USA
| | - Zili Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Material of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China.
| | - Shizhong Zheng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Material of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China.
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31
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Wang F, Li Z, Chen L, Yang T, Liang B, Zhang Z, Shao J, Xu X, Yin G, Wang S, Ding H, Zhang F, Zheng S. Inhibition of ASCT2 induces hepatic stellate cell senescence with modified proinflammatory secretome through an IL-1α/NF-κB feedback pathway to inhibit liver fibrosis. Acta Pharm Sin B 2022; 12:3618-3638. [PMID: 36176909 PMCID: PMC9513497 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Senescence of activated hepatic stellate cells (aHSCs) is a stable growth arrest that is implicated in liver fibrosis regression. Senescent cells often accompanied by a multi-faceted senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). But little is known about how alanine-serine-cysteine transporter type-2 (ASCT2), a high affinity glutamine transporter, affects HSC senescence and SASP during liver fibrosis. Here, we identified ASCT2 is mainly elevated in aHSCs and positively correlated with liver fibrosis in human and mouse fibrotic livers. We first discovered ASCT2 inhibition induced HSCs to senescence in vitro and in vivo. The proinflammatory SASP were restricted by ASCT2 inhibition at senescence initiation to prevent paracrine migration. Mechanically, ASCT2 was a direct target of glutaminolysis-dependent proinflammatory SASP, interfering IL-1α/NF-κB feedback loop via interacting with precursor IL-1α at Lys82. From a translational perspective, atractylenolide III is identified as ASCT2 inhibitor through directly bound to Asn230 of ASCT2. The presence of –OH group in atractylenolide III is suggested to be favorable for the inhibition of ASCT2. Importantly, atractylenolide III could be utilized to treat liver fibrosis mice. Taken together, ASCT2 controlled HSC senescence while modifying the proinflammatory SASP. Targeting ASCT2 by atractylenolide III could be a therapeutic candidate for liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feixia Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Zhanghao Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Li Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Ting Yang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Baoyu Liang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Zili Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jiangjuan Shao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Xuefen Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Guoping Yin
- Department of Anesthesiology, Nanjing Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210003, China
| | - Shijun Wang
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250035, China
| | - Hai Ding
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210003, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
- Corresponding authors.
| | - Shizhong Zheng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
- Corresponding authors.
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32
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Xu Y, Chen J, Jiang W, Zhao Y, Yang C, Wu Y, Li Q, Zhu C. Multiplexing Nanodrug Ameliorates Liver Fibrosis via ROS Elimination and Inflammation Suppression. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2102848. [PMID: 34758098 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202102848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is the leading risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma. Both oxidative stress and inflammation promote the progression of liver fibrosis, but existing therapeutic strategies tend to focus solely on one issue. Additionally, targeting of pathological microstructures is often neglected. Herein, an esterase-responsive carbon quantum dot-dexamethasone (CD-Dex) is developed for liver fibrosis therapy to simultaneously target pathological microstructures, scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS), and suppress inflammation. Hepatocyte-targeting CD-Dex can efficiently eliminate the intrahepatic ROS, thereby inhibiting the activation of Kupffer cells, preventing further inflammation progression. Moreover, released dexamethasone (Dex) also suppresses inflammatory response by inhibiting the infiltration of inflammatory cells. Antifibrotic experiments demonstrate that CD-Dex significantly alleviates liver injury and collagen deposition, consequently preventing the progression of liver fibrosis. Taken together, these findings suggest that via ROS elimination and inflammation suppression, the newly developed multiplexing nanodrug exhibits great potential in liver fibrosis therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youcui Xu
- Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Intelligent Nanomedicine Institute, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, P. R. China
| | - Jing Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Hefei Normal University, Hefei, 230601, P. R. China
| | - Wei Jiang
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, P. R. China
| | - Yangyang Zhao
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, P. R. China
| | - Chen Yang
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, P. R. China
| | - Yi Wu
- Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Intelligent Nanomedicine Institute, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, P. R. China
| | - Qianming Li
- Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Intelligent Nanomedicine Institute, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, P. R. China
| | - Chen Zhu
- Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, Intelligent Nanomedicine Institute, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, P. R. China
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33
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Dai W, Qin Q, Li Z, Lin L, Li R, Fang Z, Han Y, Mu W, Ren L, Liu T, Zhan X, Xiao X, Bai Z. Curdione and Schisandrin C Synergistically Reverse Hepatic Fibrosis via Modulating the TGF-β Pathway and Inhibiting Oxidative Stress. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:763864. [PMID: 34858986 PMCID: PMC8631446 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.763864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatic fibrosis is the final pathway of several chronic liver diseases, which is characterized by the accumulation of extracellular matrix due to chronic hepatocyte damage. Activation of hepatic stellate cells and oxidative stress (OS) play an important role in mediating liver damage and initiating hepatic fibrosis. Hence, hepatic fibrosis can be reversed by inhibiting multiple channels such as oxidative stress, liver cell damage, or activation of hepatic stellate cells. Liuwei Wuling Tablets is a traditional Chinese medicine formula with the effect of anti- hepatic fibrosis, but the composition and mechanism of reversing hepatic fibrosis are still unclear. Our study demonstrated that one of the main active components of the Chinese medicine Schisandra chinensis, schisandrin C (Sin C), significantly inhibited oxidative stress and prevented hepatocyte injury. Meanwhile one of the main active components of the Chinese medicine Curdione inhibited hepatic stellate cell activation by targeting the TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway. The further in vivo experiments showed that Sin C, Curdione and the combination of both have the effect of reversing liver fibrosis in mice, and the combined effect of inhibiting hepatic fibrosis is superior to treatment with Sin C or Curdione alone. Our study provides a potential candidate for multi-molecular or multi-pathway combination therapies for the treatment of hepatic fibrosis and demonstrates that combined pharmacotherapy holds great promise in the prevention and treatment of hepatic fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenzhang Dai
- Senior Department of Hepatology, The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.,School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Qin Qin
- Senior Department of Hepatology, The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiyong Li
- Senior Department of Hepatology, The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Li Lin
- Senior Department of Hepatology, The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Ruisheng Li
- Senior Department of Hepatology, The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhie Fang
- Senior Department of Hepatology, The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yanzhong Han
- Senior Department of Hepatology, The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Wenqing Mu
- Senior Department of Hepatology, The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Lutong Ren
- Senior Department of Hepatology, The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Tingting Liu
- Senior Department of Hepatology, The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyan Zhan
- Senior Department of Hepatology, The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.,China Military Institute of Chinese Materia, The Fifth Medical Centre, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaohe Xiao
- Senior Department of Hepatology, The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.,School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China.,China Military Institute of Chinese Materia, The Fifth Medical Centre, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaofang Bai
- Senior Department of Hepatology, The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.,China Military Institute of Chinese Materia, The Fifth Medical Centre, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
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34
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Li J, Feng T, Yang W, Xu Y, Wang S, Cai H, Liu Z, Qiang H, Zhang J. Rational formulation engineering of fraxinellone utilizing 6-O-α-D-maltosyl-β-cyclodextrin for enhanced oral bioavailability and hepatic fibrosis therapy. Drug Deliv 2021; 28:1890-1902. [PMID: 34519225 PMCID: PMC8451604 DOI: 10.1080/10717544.2021.1976310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Although Fraxinellone (Frax) isolated from Dictamnus albus L. possessed excellent anti-hepatic fibrosis activity, oral administration of Frax suffered from the inefficient therapeutic outcome in vivo due to negligible oral absorption. At present, the oral formulation of Frax is rarely exploited. For rational formulation design, we evaluated preabsorption risks of Frax and found that Frax was rather stable while poorly dissolved in the gastrointestinal tract (78.88 μg/mL), which predominantly limited its oral absorption. Further solubility test revealed the outstanding capacity of cyclodextrin derivatives (CDs) to solubilize Frax (6.8-12.8 mg/mL). This led us to study the inclusion complexes of Frax with a series of CDs and holistically explore their drug delivery performance. Characterization techniques involving 1H-NMR, FT-IR, DSC, PXRD, and molecular docking confirmed the most stable binding interactions when Frax complexed with 6-O-α-D-maltosyl-β-cyclodextrin (G2-β-CD-Frax). Notably, G2-β-CD-Frax exhibited the highest solubilizing capacity, fast dissolution rate, and superior Caco-2 cell internalization with no obvious toxicity. Pharmacokinetic studies demonstrated markedly higher oral bioavailability of G2-β-CD-Frax (5.8-fold that of free drug) than other Frax-CDs. Further, long-term administration of G2-β-CD-Frax (5 mg/kg) efficiently inhibited CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis in the mouse without inducing any toxicity. Our results will inspire the continued advancement of optimal oral Frax formulations for anti-fibrotic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianbo Li
- Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Tiange Feng
- Henan Key Laboratory of Targeting Therapy and Diagnosis for Critical Diseases, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Weijing Yang
- Henan Key Laboratory of Targeting Therapy and Diagnosis for Critical Diseases, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Yaru Xu
- Henan Key Laboratory of Targeting Therapy and Diagnosis for Critical Diseases, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Shuaishuai Wang
- Henan Key Laboratory of Targeting Therapy and Diagnosis for Critical Diseases, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Huijie Cai
- Henan Key Laboratory of Targeting Therapy and Diagnosis for Critical Diseases, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Zhilei Liu
- Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Hong Qiang
- Henan Key Laboratory of Targeting Therapy and Diagnosis for Critical Diseases, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Jinjie Zhang
- Henan Key Laboratory of Targeting Therapy and Diagnosis for Critical Diseases, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
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Kudo M, Yamagishi Y, Suguro S, Nishihara M, Yoshitomi H, Hayashi M, Gao M. L-citrulline inhibits body weight gain and hepatic fat accumulation by improving lipid metabolism in a rat nonalcoholic fatty liver disease model. Food Sci Nutr 2021; 9:4893-4904. [PMID: 34532001 PMCID: PMC8441368 DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.2439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Body weight gain is a social issue all over the world. When body weight increased, hepatic fat accumulation also increased and it causes fatty liver disease. Therefore, developing a new treatment method and elucidating its mechanism is necessary. L-citrulline (L-Cit) is a free amino acid found mainly in watermelon. No reports regarding its effects on the improvement of hepatic steatosis and fibrogenesis are currently available. The aim of this study was to clarify the effect and the mechanism of L-Cit on inhibition of body weight gain and hepatic fat accumulation in high-fat and high-cholesterol fed SHRSP5/Dmcr rats. METHODS L-Cit or water (controls) was administered to six-week-old male SHRSP5/Dmcr rats by gavage for nine weeks. We recorded the level of body weight and food intake while performing the administration and sacrificed rats. After that, the blood and lipid metabolism-related organs and tissues were collected and analyzed. RESULTS L-Cit treatment reduced body weight gain and hepatic TC and TG levels, and serum levels of AST and ALT. L-Cit enhanced AMPK, LKB1, PKA, and hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) protein phosphorylation levels in the epididymal fat. L-Cit treatment improved steatosis as revealed by HE staining of liver tissues and enhanced AMPK and LKB1 phosphorylation levels. Moreover, activation of Sirt1 was higher, while the liver fatty acid synthase (FAS) level was lower. Azan staining of liver sections revealed a reduction in fibrogenesis following L-Cit treatment. Further, the liver levels of TGF-β, Smad2/3, and α-SMA, fibrogenesis-related proteins and genes, were lower in the L-Cit-treated group. CONCLUSIONS From the results of analysis of the epididymal fat and the liver, L-Cit inhibits body weight gain and hepatic fat accumulation by activating lipid metabolism and promoting fatty acid β-oxidation in SHRSP5/Dmcr rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Kudo
- School of Pharmaceutical ScienceMukogawa Women’s UniversityNishinomiyaJapan
| | | | | | | | - Hisae Yoshitomi
- School of Pharmaceutical ScienceMukogawa Women’s UniversityNishinomiyaJapan
| | - Misa Hayashi
- School of Pharmaceutical ScienceMukogawa Women’s UniversityNishinomiyaJapan
| | - Ming Gao
- School of Pharmaceutical ScienceMukogawa Women’s UniversityNishinomiyaJapan
- Institute for BiosciencesMukogawa Women’s UniversityNishinomiyaJapan
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36
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Cranberry (Vacinium macrocarpon) phytochemicals inhibit hepatic stellate cell activation and liver fibrosis. FOOD BIOSCI 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fbio.2021.101176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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37
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White Button Mushroom Extracts Modulate Hepatic Fibrosis Progression, Inflammation, and Oxidative Stress In Vitro and in LDLR-/- Mice. Foods 2021; 10:foods10081788. [PMID: 34441565 PMCID: PMC8392037 DOI: 10.3390/foods10081788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver fibrosis can be caused by non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), among other conditions. We performed a study to analyze the effects of a nontoxic, water-soluble extract of the edible mushroom Agaricus bisporus (AB) as a potential inhibitor of fibrosis progression in vitro using human hepatic stellate cell (LX2) cultures and in vivo in LDLR-/- mice. Treatment of LX2 cells with the AB extract reduced the levels of fibrotic and oxidative-related markers and increased the levels of GATA4 expression. In LDLR-/- mice with high-fat diet (HFD)-induced liver fibrosis and inflammation, the progression of fibrosis, oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis were prevented by AB extract treatment. Moreover, in the mouse model, AB extract could exert an antiatherogenic effect. These data suggest that AB mushroom extract seems to exert protective effects by alleviating inflammation and oxidative stress during the progression of liver fibrosis, possibly due to a decrease in Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) expression and a reduction in Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation. In addition, we observed a potential atheroprotective effect in our mouse model.
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38
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Zheng B, Yuan M, Wang S, Tan Y, Xu Y, Ye J, Gao Y, Sun X, Wang T, Kong L, Wu X, Xu Q. Fraxinellone alleviates kidney fibrosis by inhibiting CUG-binding protein 1-mediated fibroblast activation. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2021; 420:115530. [PMID: 33845055 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2021.115530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a serious threat to human health. In addition, kidney fibrosis is a key pathogenic intermediate for the progression of CDK. Moreover, excessive activation of fibroblasts is key to the development of kidney fibrosis and this process is difficult to control. Notably, fraxinellone is a natural compound isolated from Dictamnus dasycarpus and has a variety of pharmacological activities, including hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects. However, the effect of fraxinellone on kidney fibrosis is largely unknown. The present study showed that fraxinellone could alleviate folic acid-induced kidney fibrosis in mice in a dose dependent manner. Additionally, the results revealed that fraxinellone could effectively down-regulate the expression of CUGBP1, which was highly up-regulated in human and murine fibrotic renal tissues. Furthermore, expression of CUGBP1 was selectively induced by the Transforming Growth Factor-beta (TGF-β) through p38 and JNK signaling in kidney fibroblasts. On the other hand, downregulating the expression of CUGBP1 significantly inhibited the activation of kidney fibroblasts. In conclusion, these findings demonstrated that fraxinellone might be a new drug candidate and CUGBP1 could be a promising target for the treatment of kidney fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingfeng Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Manman Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Shenglan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yang Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yizhu Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jing Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yanjie Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Xueqing Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Tianyi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Lingdong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Xingxin Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Qiang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.
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39
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Ye Z, Zhang X, Huang Q, Zhang W, Ye M. Synergistic hepatoprotective effect of combined administration of Lachnum polysaccharide with silymarin. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2021; 46:128159. [PMID: 34077772 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2021.128159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, combination therapy has gradually become one of the hot spots. As a new therapy strategy, we investigated the combination treatment of polysaccharide from Lachnum sp. (LEP-2b) with silymarin and compared the effects with mono-therapy. In this study, combining high-dose LEP-2b with silymarin (CH) significantly reduced serum biochemistry indexes (ALT, AST, AKP, LDH), hepatic inflammation (TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β) and improved the antioxidant status (SOD, CAT, GSH-Px, GSH, MDA and T-AOC), in which its effect on TNF-α was very significant (P < 0.001). Therefore, the expressions of related proteins in the JNK/p38 signaling pathway associated with TNF-α were examined. The result showed that CH treatment markedly increased the expression of p-p38 and inhibited the JNK phosphorylation. TUNEL staining, immunohistochemical staining and western blot assays demonstrated that the hepatoprotective effect of CH treatment was probably related with inhibiting hepatocyte apoptosis. In summary, combination of high dose LEP-2b with silymarin would be a more effective method to protect liver injury than mono-therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyang Ye
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Xinmiao Zhang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Qianli Huang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Wenqing Zhang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China.
| | - Ming Ye
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China.
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40
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Zhu X, Ye S, Yu D, Zhang Y, Li J, Zhang M, Leng Y, Yang T, Luo J, Chen X, Zhang H, Kong L. Physalin B attenuates liver fibrosis via suppressing LAP2α-HDAC1-mediated deacetylation of the transcription factor GLI1 and hepatic stellate cell activation. Br J Pharmacol 2021; 178:3428-3447. [PMID: 33864382 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Liver fibrosis is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide but lacks any acceptable therapy. The transcription factor glioma-associated oncogene homologue 1 (GLI1) is a potentially important therapeutic target in liver fibrosis. This study investigates the anti-fibrotic activities and potential mechanisms of the phytochemical, physalin B. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Two mouse models (CCl4 challenge and bile duct ligation) were used to assess antifibrotic effects of physalin B in vivo. Mouse primary hepatic stellate cells (pHSCs) and human HSC line LX-2 also served as in vitro liver fibrosis models. Liver fibrogenic genes, GLI1 and GLI1 downstream genes were examined using Western blot and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). GLI1 acetylation and LAP2α-HDAC1 interaction were analysed by co-immunoprecipitation. KEY RESULTS In vivo, physalin B administration attenuated hepatic histopathological injury and collagen accumulation and decreased expression of fibrogenic genes. Physalin B dose-dependently suppressed fibrotic marker expression in LX-2 cells and mouse pHSCs. Mechanistic studies showed that physalin B inhibited GLI activity by non-canonical Hedgehog signalling. Physalin B blocked formation of lamina-associated polypeptide 2α (LAP2α)/histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) complexes, thus inhibiting HDAC1-mediated GLI1 deacetylation. Physalin B up-regulated acetylation of GLI1, down-regulated expression of GLI1 and subsequently inhibited HSC activation. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS Physalin B exerted potent antifibrotic effects in vitro and in vivo by disrupting LAP2α/HDAC1 complexes, increasing GLI1 acetylation and inactivating GLI1. This indicates that the phytochemical physalin B may be a potential therapeutic candidate for the treatment of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyun Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shengtao Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Dongke Yu
- Personalized Drug Therapy Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Pharmacy, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Yanqiu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jie Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Meihui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yingrong Leng
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ting Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jianguang Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xinlin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lingyi Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
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41
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Tang M, Yang M, He K, Li R, Chen X, Wang Y, Zhang X, Qiu T. Glycyrrhetinic acid remodels the tumor microenvironment and synergizes with doxorubicin for breast cancer treatment in a murine model. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2021; 32:185702. [PMID: 33503591 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/abe076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We aimed to combine glycyrrhetinic acid with doxorubicin to prepare, characterize and evaluate a drug delivery nano-system with REDOX sensitivity for the treatment of breast cancer. M-DOX-GA NPs prepared by nano sedimentation were spherical, with a particle size of 181 nm. And the maximum encapsulation efficiency and drug loading in M-DOX-GA NPs were 89.28% and 18.22%, respectively. Cytotoxicity and cellular uptake experiments of nanoparticles to KC cells, Cal-27 cells and 4T1 cells were studied by the CCK-8 method. The result indicated that M-DOX-GA NPs could accurately release the drug into the tumor cells, thus achieving the targeted release of the drug. Comparing the survival rate of the above three cells, it was found that M-DOX-GA NPs had a good tumor selectivity and had a more significant therapeutic effect on breast cancer. A 4T1-bearing mouse model was established, and the tumor inhibition rate was 77.37% after injection of nanoparticle solution for 14 d. Normal tissue H&E stained sections and TUNEL assay were verified M-DOX-GA NPs have excellent tumor suppressive effect, and can efficiently reduce the toxic side effects on normal organisms, and effectively avoided 4T1 cells metastasis. Immunofluorescence detection and Western-blot analysis figured a decline in both CUGBP1 and α-SMA, which verifying the TME remodeling induced by glycyrrhetinic acid. Collectively, the combination of doxorubicin and glycyrrhetinic acid is an effective and safe strategy for remodeling fibrotic TME by improving the therapeutic outcome for breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingxiu Tang
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Sciences, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengjia Yang
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Sciences, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Kaiyong He
- Hubei Institute for Drug Control, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, People's Republic of China
| | - Ran Li
- China Tobacco Hubei Industrial Co., Ltd, Wuhan 430040, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaojie Chen
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) and Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, People's Republic of China
| | - Yaowen Wang
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Sciences, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Xueqiong Zhang
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Sciences, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Tong Qiu
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Sciences, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
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42
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Zhang F, Wang F, He J, Lian N, Wang Z, Shao J, Ding H, Tan S, Chen A, Zhang Z, Wang S, Zheng S. Regulation of hepatic stellate cell contraction and cirrhotic portal hypertension by Wnt/β-catenin signalling via interaction with Gli1. Br J Pharmacol 2021; 178:2246-2265. [PMID: 33085791 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 09/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Portal hypertension is a lethal complication of cirrhosis. Its mechanism and therapeutic targets remain largely unknown. Hepatic stellate cell (HSC) contraction increases intrahepatic vascular resistance contributing to portal hypertension. We investigated how HSC contraction was regulated by Wnt signalling and the therapeutic implications. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Liver tissues from cirrhotic patients were examined. Cirrhotic mice with genetic or pharmacological treatments were used for in vivo assessments, and their primary cells were isolated. Cellular functions and signalling pathways were analysed in human HSC-LX2 cells using real-time PCR, Western blotting, siRNA, luciferase reporter assay, chromatin immunoprecipitation, co-immunoprecipitation and site-directed mutagenesis. KEY RESULTS Wnt/β-catenin correlated with HSC contraction in human cirrhotic liver. Wnt3a stimulated Smo-independent Gli1 nuclear translocation followed by LARG-mediated RhoA activation leading to HSC contraction. Suppressor of fused (Sufu) negatively mediated Wnt3a-induced Gli1 nuclear translocation. Wnt/β-catenin repressed transcription of Sufu dependent on β-catenin/TCF4 interaction and TCF4 binding to Sufu promoter. Molecular simulation and site-directed mutagenesis identified the β-catenin residues Lys312 and Lys435 critically involved in this interaction. TCF4 binding to the sequence CACACCTTCC at Sufu promoter was required for transrepression of Sufu. In cirrhotic mice, short-term liver-targeting β-catenin deficiency or acute treatment with β-catenin inhibitors reduced portal pressure via restriction of HSC contraction rather than inhibiting HSC activation. Long-term deficiency or treatments also ameliorated liver injury, fibrosis and inflammation. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS Interaction between Wnt/β-catenin and Smo-independent Gli1 pathways promoted HSC contraction via TCF4-dependent transrepression of Sufu. HSC-specific inhibition of β-catenin may have therapeutic benefits for cirrhotic portal hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Feixia Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Jianlin He
- The Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, China
| | - Naqi Lian
- School of Medicine and Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhenyi Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiangjuan Shao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Hai Ding
- Department of Integrated TCM & Western Medicine in Hepatology, The Nanjing Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Shanzhong Tan
- Department of Integrated TCM & Western Medicine in Hepatology, The Nanjing Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Anping Chen
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Zili Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Shijun Wang
- Shandong Co-innovation Center of TCM Formula, College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Shizhong Zheng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
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43
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Canovas B, Nebreda AR. Diversity and versatility of p38 kinase signalling in health and disease. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2021; 22:346-366. [PMID: 33504982 PMCID: PMC7838852 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-020-00322-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 253] [Impact Index Per Article: 84.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The ability of cells to deal with different types of stressful situations in a precise and coordinated manner is key for survival and involves various signalling networks. Over the past 25 years, p38 kinases — in particular, p38α — have been implicated in the cellular response to stress at many levels. These span from environmental and intracellular stresses, such as hyperosmolarity, oxidative stress or DNA damage, to physiological situations that involve important cellular changes such as differentiation. Given that p38α controls a plethora of functions, dysregulation of this pathway has been linked to diseases such as inflammation, immune disorders or cancer, suggesting the possibility that targeting p38α could be of therapeutic interest. In this Review, we discuss the organization of this signalling pathway focusing on the diversity of p38α substrates, their mechanisms and their links to particular cellular functions. We then address how the different cellular responses can be generated depending on the signal received and the cell type, and highlight the roles of this kinase in human physiology and in pathological contexts. p38α — the best-characterized member of the p38 kinase family — is a key mediator of cellular stress responses. p38α is activated by a plethora of signals and functions through a multitude of substrates to regulate different cellular behaviours. Understanding context-dependent p38α signalling provides important insights into p38α roles in physiology and pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Begoña Canovas
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Angel R Nebreda
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain. .,ICREA, Barcelona, Spain.
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44
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Li S, Zhu Z, Xue M, Pan X, Tong G, Yi X, Fan J, Li Y, Li W, Dong Y, Shen E, Gong W, Wang X, Yu Y, Maeng YJ, Li X, Lee KY, Jin L, Cong W. The protective effects of fibroblast growth factor 10 against hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice. Redox Biol 2021; 40:101859. [PMID: 33445067 PMCID: PMC7806526 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2021.101859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 01/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a major complication of liver surgery and transplantation. IRI leads to hepatic parenchymal cell death, resulting in liver failure, and lacks effective therapeutic approaches. Fibroblast growth factor 10 (FGF10) is a paracrine factor which is well-characterized with respect to its pro-proliferative effects during embryonic liver development and liver regeneration, but its role in hepatic IRI remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of FGF10 in liver IRI and identified signaling pathways regulated by FGF10. In a mouse model of warm liver IRI, FGF10 was highly expressed during the reperfusion phase. In vitro experiments demonstrated that FGF10 was primarily secreted by hepatic stellate cells and acted on hepatocytes. The role of FGF10 in liver IRI was further examined using adeno-associated virus-mediated gene silencing and overexpression. Overexpression of FGF10 alleviated liver dysfunction, reduced necrosis and inflammation, and protected hepatocytes from apoptosis in the early acute injury phase of IRI. Furthermore, in the late phase of IRI, FGF10 overexpression also promoted hepatocyte proliferation. Meanwhile, gene silencing of FGF10 had the opposite effect. Further studies revealed that overexpression of FGF10 activated nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and decreased oxidative stress, mainly through activation of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/AKT pathway, and the protective effects of FGF10 overexpression were largely abrogated in NRF2 knockout mice. These results demonstrate the protective effects of FGF10 in liver IRI, and reveal the important role of NRF2 in FGF10-mediated hepatic protection during IRI. FGF10 is markedly upregulated in the early phase of liver IRI. FGF10 overexpression exerts great potential in ameliorating hepatic IRI. FGF10 knockdown significantly aggravates hepatic IRI. FGF10 overexpression activates PI3K/AKT-NRF2 signaling and thus ameliorates hepatic IRI. NRF2 knockout abrogates the protective effects of FGF10 overexpression during liver IRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santie Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, PR China; College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Drug Development, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Zhongxin Zhu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, PR China
| | - Mei Xue
- Central Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, PR China
| | - Xuebo Pan
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, PR China
| | - Gaozan Tong
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, PR China
| | - Xinchu Yi
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, PR China
| | - Junfu Fan
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, PR China
| | - Yuankuan Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, PR China
| | - Wanqian Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, PR China
| | - Yetong Dong
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, PR China
| | - Enzhao Shen
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, PR China
| | - Wenjie Gong
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, PR China
| | - Xuejiao Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, PR China
| | - Ying Yu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, PR China
| | - Yoo Jae Maeng
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, PR China
| | - Xiaokun Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, PR China
| | - Kwang Youl Lee
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Drug Development, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
| | - Litai Jin
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, PR China.
| | - Weitao Cong
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, PR China.
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45
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Shi Z, Zhang K, Chen T, Zhang Y, Du X, Zhao Y, Shao S, Zheng L, Han T, Hong W. Transcriptional factor ATF3 promotes liver fibrosis via activating hepatic stellate cells. Cell Death Dis 2020; 11:1066. [PMID: 33311456 PMCID: PMC7734065 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-03271-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) is a key feature of liver fibrosis and the activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the major producer of ECM proteins. However, the precise mechanisms and target molecules that are involved in liver fibrosis remain unclear. In this study, we reported that activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) was over-expressed in mice and human fibrotic livers, in activated HSCs and injured hepatocytes (HCs). Both in vivo and in vitro study have revealed that silencing ATF3 reduced the expression of pro-fibrotic genes and inhibited the activation of HSCs, thus alleviating the extent of liver fibrosis, indicating a potential protective role of ATF3 knockdown. However, ATF3 was not involved in either the apoptosis or proliferation of HCs. In addition, our data illustrated that increased nuclear localization of ATF3 promoted the transcription of fibrogenic genes and lnc-SCARNA10, which functioned as a novel positive regulator of TGF-β signaling in liver fibrogenesis by recruiting SMAD3 to the promoter of these genes. Interestingly, further study also demonstrated that lnc-SCARNA10 promoted the expression of ATF3 in a TGF-β/SMAD3-dependent manner, revealing a TGF-β/ATF3/lnc-SCARNA10 axis that contributed to liver fibrosis by activating HSCs. Taken together, our data provide a molecular mechanism implicating induced ATF3 in liver fibrosis, suggesting that ATF3 may represent a useful target in the development of therapeutic strategies for liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhemin Shi
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Kun Zhang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Ting Chen
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, The Third Central Clinical College of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Du
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yanmian Zhao
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Shuai Shao
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Tianjin Third Central Hospital Affiliated to Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Lina Zheng
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Tao Han
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, The Third Central Clinical College of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China. .,Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Tianjin Third Central Hospital Affiliated to Nankai University, Tianjin, China. .,Tianjin Key Laboratory of Artificial Cells, Artificial Cell Engineering Technology Research Center of Public Health Ministry, Tianjin, China.
| | - Wei Hong
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
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46
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Chen R, Huang L, Hu K. Natural products remodel cancer-associated fibroblasts in desmoplastic tumors. Acta Pharm Sin B 2020; 10:2140-2155. [PMID: 33304782 PMCID: PMC7714988 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2020.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Desmoplastic tumors have an abundance of stromal cells and the extracellular matrix which usually result in therapeutic resistance. Current treatment prescriptions for desmoplastic tumors are usually not sufficient to eliminate the malignancy. Recently, through modulating cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) which are the most abundant cell type among all stromal cells, natural products have improved chemotherapies and the delivery of nanomedicines to the tumor cells, showing promising ability to improve treatment effects on desmoplastic tumors. In this review, we discussed the latest advances in inhibiting desmoplastic tumors by modeling CAFs using natural products, highlighting the potential therapeutic abilities of natural products in targeting CAFs for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rujing Chen
- Murad Research Center for Modernized Chinese Medicine, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Leaf Huang
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Center for Nanotechnology in Drug Delivery, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Kaili Hu
- Murad Research Center for Modernized Chinese Medicine, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
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47
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Bailly C, Vergoten G. Fraxinellone: From pesticidal control to cancer treatment. PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 168:104624. [PMID: 32711764 DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2020.104624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Fraxinellone (FRA) is a degraded limonoid isolated from the root bark of Dictamnus plants. The potent insecticidal activity of FRA has led to the synthesis of numerous derivatives (presented here with the structure-activity relationships) active against the oriental armyworm Mythimna separata Walker. In addition to its pesticidal activity, the natural product displays potent anti-inflammatory and immuno-modulatory effects at the origin of hepatoprotective and anticancer properties. This mini-review provides an update of the mechanism of action of FRA to highlight the recently discovered capacity of the compound to deactivate cancer-associated fibroblasts and thus to limit the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. The anticancer mode of action of FRA raises new ideas to better understand its primary insecticidal activity. The relationship between drug-induced cancer cell death and insect cell death is discussed. A drug interaction with the insect cytokine growth-blocking peptide (GBP), a member of the large EGF family, is proposed, supported by preliminary molecular modeling data. Altogether, the review shed light on the pharmacological properties of fraxinellone as an antitumor agent and a natural insecticide.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gérard Vergoten
- University of Lille, Inserm, U995 - LIRIC - Lille Inflammation Research International Center, ICPAL, 3 rue du Professeur Laguesse, BP-83, F-59006 Lille, France
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48
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Luo J, Gong T, Ma L. Chondroitin-modified lipid nanoparticles target the Golgi to degrade extracellular matrix for liver cancer management. Carbohydr Polym 2020; 249:116887. [PMID: 32933700 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.116887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 08/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Liver cancer is a serious liver disease in which hepatoma cells and activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) overproduce extracellular matrix (ECM), which involves the Golgi apparatus. Here chondroitin-modified lipid nanoparticles (CSNs) were prepared and loaded with doxorubicin (DOX) and retinoic acid (RA) using a thin-film hydration-high pressure homogenization method. The resulting DOX + RA-CSNs were efficiently taken up by SMMC-7721 hepatoma cells and HSCs in culture, where they accumulated in the Golgi apparatus and destroyed it, inhibiting ECM production. Injecting DOX + RA-CSNs into mice with primary liver cancer or H22 allografts led to significantly higher tumor penetration by DOX and RA, greater antitumor efficacy, and lower DOX-related toxicity than injecting a solution of the two drugs. Immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry of liver tissues showed that DOX + RA-CSNs dramatically reduced expression of the ECM components. These results suggest that CSNs show potential for targeting drugs to the Golgi apparatus of liver cancer cells and potentially other types of tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwen Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology and Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-resources, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China
| | - Tao Gong
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drugs and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Lixin Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology and Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-resources, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China.
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49
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Mukherjee M, Goswami S. Global cataloguing of variations in untranslated regions of viral genome and prediction of key host RNA binding protein-microRNA interactions modulating genome stability in SARS-CoV-2. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0237559. [PMID: 32780783 PMCID: PMC7418985 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The world is going through the critical phase of COVID-19 pandemic, caused by human coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. Worldwide concerted effort to identify viral genomic changes across different sub-types has identified several strong changes in the coding region. However, there have not been many studies focusing on the variations in the 5' and 3' untranslated regions and their consequences. Considering the possible importance of these regions in host mediated regulation of viral RNA genome, we wanted to explore the phenomenon. METHODS To have an idea of the global changes in 5' and 3'-UTR sequences, we downloaded 8595 complete and high-coverage SARS-CoV-2 genome sequence information from human host in FASTA format from Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) from 15 different geographical regions. Next, we aligned them using Clustal Omega software and investigated the UTR variants. We also looked at the putative host RNA binding protein (RBP) and microRNA binding sites in these regions by 'RBPmap' and 'RNA22 v2' respectively. Expression status of selected RBPs and microRNAs were checked in lungs tissue. RESULTS We identified 28 unique variants in SARS-CoV-2 UTR region based on a minimum variant percentage cut-off of 0.5. Along with 241C>T change the important 5'-UTR change identified was 187A>G, while 29734G>C, 29742G>A/T and 29774C>T were the most familiar variants of 3'UTR among most of the continents. Furthermore, we found that despite the variations in the UTR regions, binding of host RBP to them remains mostly unaltered, which further influenced the functioning of specific miRNAs. CONCLUSION Our results, shows for the first time in SARS-Cov-2 infection, a possible cross-talk between host RBPs-miRNAs and viral UTR variants, which ultimately could explain the mechanism of escaping host RNA decay machinery by the virus. The knowledge might be helpful in developing anti-viral compounds in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moumita Mukherjee
- National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, Kalyani, West Bengal, India
| | - Srikanta Goswami
- National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, Kalyani, West Bengal, India
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50
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Curcumin reduces methionine adenosyltransferase 2B expression by interrupting phosphorylation of p38 MAPK in hepatic stellate cells. Eur J Pharmacol 2020; 886:173424. [PMID: 32738342 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2020.173424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 07/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The active polyphenol curcumin demonstrates therapeutic effects against various different diseases. Researches revealed the inhibitory roles of curcumin in hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation and fibrogenesis. HSC activation, a key step in liver fibrogenesis, requires the remodeling of DNA methylation, which is associated with methionine adenosyltransferase II (MATII) composed of catalytic subunit MAT2A and regulatory subunit MAT2B. MATII is essential for HSC activation in vitro. The present researches aimed to investigate the effect of curcumin on MAT2B expression in HSCs in vivo and in vitro. Results demonstrated that curcumin could reduce MAT2B expression in HSCs at multiple levels. The activation of p38 MAPK pathway promoted MAT2B expression in HSCs. The effect of curcumin on MAT2B was through its interruption of p38 MAPK signaling pathway. Knockdown of MAT2B inhibited HSC activation and reduced collagen level in the model of liver fibrosis. Curcumin down-regulation of MAT2B contributed to the inhibitory role of curcumin on HSC activation and collagen expression in mouse livers. This study provided evidences for the effect of curcumin on the expression of MAT2B, an enzyme for the biosynthesis of methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine, in HSCs and demonstrated the function significance of curcumin-induced downregulation of MAT2B in curcumin inhibition of liver fibrosis.
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