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Gu Y, Yu S, Gu W, Li B, Xue J, Liu J, Zhang Q, Yin Y, Zhang H, Guo Q, Yuan M, Lyu Z, Mu Y, Cheng Y. M2 macrophage infusion ameliorates diabetic glomerulopathy via the JAK2/STAT3 pathway in db/db mice. Ren Fail 2024; 46:2378210. [PMID: 39090966 PMCID: PMC11299449 DOI: 10.1080/0886022x.2024.2378210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Objectives: To explore the therapeutic effects of M2 macrophages in diabetic nephropathy (DN) and their mechanism.Methods: We infused M2 macrophages stimulated with IL-4 into 10-week-old db/db mice once a week for 4 weeks through the tail vein as M2 group. Then we investigated the role of M2 macrophages in alleviating the infammation of DN and explored the mechanism.Results: M2 macrophages hindered the progression of DN, reduced the levels of IL-1β (DN group was 34%, M2 group was 13%, p < 0.01) and MCP-1 (DN group was 49%, M2 group was 16%, p < 0.01) in the glomeruli. It was also proven that M2 macrophages alleviate mesangial cell injury caused by a high glucose environment. M2 macrophage tracking showed that the infused M2 macrophages migrated to the kidney, and the number of M2 macrophages in the kidney reached a maximum on day 3. Moreover, the ratio of M2 to M1 macrophages was 2.3 in the M2 infusion group, while 0.4 in the DN group (p < 0.01). Mechanistically, M2 macrophages downregulated Janus kinase (JAK) 2 and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3 in mesangial cells.Conclusions: Multiple infusions of M2 macrophages significantly alleviated inflammation in the kidney and hindered the progression of DN at least partially by abrogating the M1/M2 homeostasis disturbances and suppressing the JAK2/STAT3 pathway in glomerular mesangial cells. M2 macrophage infusion may be a new therapeutic strategy for DN treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulin Gu
- Department of Endocrinology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Songyan Yu
- Department of Endocrinology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Weijun Gu
- Department of Endocrinology, Medical School of Chinese PLA, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Bing Li
- Department of Endocrinology, Medical School of Chinese PLA, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Xue
- Department of Endocrinology, Medical School of Chinese PLA, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jiejie Liu
- Department of Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medicine, School of Life Science, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Department of Endocrinology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yaqi Yin
- Department of Endocrinology, Medical School of Chinese PLA, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Haixia Zhang
- Department of Endocrinology, Medical School of Chinese PLA, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Qinghua Guo
- Department of Endocrinology, Medical School of Chinese PLA, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Mingxia Yuan
- Department of Endocrinology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaohui Lyu
- Department of Endocrinology, Medical School of Chinese PLA, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yiming Mu
- Department of Endocrinology, Medical School of Chinese PLA, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Cheng
- Department of Endocrinology, Medical School of Chinese PLA, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
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Zhou KY, Ye Q, Fang S. Nodular scleroderma partially controlled with tofacitinib. An Bras Dermatol 2024:S0365-0596(24)00155-7. [PMID: 39107196 DOI: 10.1016/j.abd.2024.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/09/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kai-Yi Zhou
- Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qian Ye
- Department of Dermatology, Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Sheng Fang
- Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
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Feng TM, Wei JM, Tan S, Chen LX, Liu GN. Involvement of PD-1 +CD4 + T cells in the development of traumatic tracheal stenosis by regulating the IL-17/STAT3 pathway. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:167216. [PMID: 38718843 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2024.167216] [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: 10/14/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Studies have highlighted an upregulation of PD-1 expression in CD4+ T cells, which accelerates lung fibrosis by activating the IL-17/STAT3 pathway, leading to IL-17A and TGF-β1 secretion. However, the relation with traumatic tracheal stenosis (TS) remains unexplored. Our analysis found significant increases in PD-1+CD4+ T cells, IL-17A, and TGF-β1 in the TS patients (n = 10). The cellular model used CD4+ T cells co-cultured with bronchial fibroblasts while the animal model used a nylon brush to scrape the damaged tracheal mucosa. Interventions with PD-1 and STAT3 inhibitors both in vitro (n = 5) and in vivo (n = 6) showed decreased expression of TGF-β1 and IL-17A in CD4+ T cells, decreased collagen I synthesis in vitro, and reduced tractal fibrosis in vivo. Furthermore, PD-1's modulation of the STAT3 was evident. This research unveils PD-1+CD4+ T cells' role in TS, thus suggesting a novel immunotherapeutic strategy to counteract tracheal fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- T M Feng
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - J M Wei
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - S Tan
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - L X Chen
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - G N Liu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
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Okamoto Y, Kitakaze K, Takenouchi Y, Matsui R, Koga D, Miyashima R, Ishimaru H, Tsuboi K. GPR176 promotes fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition in organ fibrosis progression. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2024; 1871:119798. [PMID: 39047914 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2024.119798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Fibrosis is characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix proteins, particularly collagen, caused by myofibroblasts in response to chronic inflammation. Although G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are among the targets of current antifibrotic drugs, no drug has yet been approved to stop fibrosis progression. Herein, we aimed to identify GPCRs with profibrotic effects. In gene expression analysis of mouse lungs with induced fibrosis, eight GPCRs were identified, showing a >2-fold increase in mRNA expression after fibrosis induction. Among them, we focused on Gpr176 owing to its significant correlation with a myofibroblast marker α-smooth muscle actin (αSMA), the profibrotic factor transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1), and collagen in a human lung gene expression database. Similar to the lung fibrosis model, increased Gpr176 expression was also observed in other organs affected by fibrosis, including the kidney, liver, and heart, suggesting its role in fibrosis across various organs. Furthermore, fibroblasts abundantly expressed Gpr176 compared to alveolar epithelial cells, endothelial cells, and macrophages in the fibrotic lung. GPR176 expression was unaffected by TGFβ1 stimulation in rat renal fibroblast NRK-49 cells, whereas knockdown of Gpr176 by siRNA reduced TGFβ1-induced expression of αSMA, fibronectin, and collagen as well as Smad2 phosphorylation. This suggested that Gpr176 regulates fibroblast activation. Consequently, Gpr176 acts in a profibrotic manner, and inhibiting its activity could potentially prevent myofibroblast differentiation and improve fibrosis. Developing a GPR176 inverse agonist or allosteric modulator is a promising therapeutic approach for fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuo Okamoto
- Department of Pharmacology, Kawasaki Medical School, 577 Matsushima, Kurashiki, Okayama 701-0192, Japan.
| | - Keisuke Kitakaze
- Department of Pharmacology, Kawasaki Medical School, 577 Matsushima, Kurashiki, Okayama 701-0192, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Takenouchi
- Department of Pharmacology, Kawasaki Medical School, 577 Matsushima, Kurashiki, Okayama 701-0192, Japan
| | - Rena Matsui
- Department of Medical Technology, Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare, Kurashiki, Okayama 701-0192, Japan
| | - Daisuke Koga
- Department of Pharmacology, Kawasaki Medical School, 577 Matsushima, Kurashiki, Okayama 701-0192, Japan
| | - Ryo Miyashima
- Department of Pharmacology, Kawasaki Medical School, 577 Matsushima, Kurashiki, Okayama 701-0192, Japan
| | - Hironobu Ishimaru
- Department of Pharmacology, Kawasaki Medical School, 577 Matsushima, Kurashiki, Okayama 701-0192, Japan
| | - Kazuhito Tsuboi
- Department of Pharmacology, Kawasaki Medical School, 577 Matsushima, Kurashiki, Okayama 701-0192, Japan
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Meesilpavikkai K, Zhou Z, Kaikaew K, Phakham S, van der Spek PJ, Swagemakers S, Venter DJ, de Bie M, Schrijver B, Schliehe C, Kaiser F, Dalm VASH, van Hagen PM, Hirankarn N, IJspeert H, Dik WA. A patient-based murine model recapitulates human STAT3 gain-of-function syndrome. Clin Immunol 2024; 266:110312. [PMID: 39019339 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2024.110312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
STAT3 gain-of-function (GOF) variants results in a heterogeneous clinical syndrome characterized by early onset immunodeficiency, multi-organ autoimmunity, and lymphoproliferation. While 191 documented cases with STAT3 GOF variants have been reported, the impact of individual variants on immune regulation and the broad clinical spectrum remains unclear. We developed a Stat3p.L387R mouse model, mirroring a variant identified in a family exhibiting common STAT3 GOF symptoms, and rare phenotypes including pulmonary hypertension and retinal vasculitis. In vitro experiments revealed increased STAT3 phosphorylation, nuclear migration, and DNA binding of the variant. Our Stat3p.L387R model displayed similar traits from previous Stat3GOF strains, such as splenomegaly and lymphadenopathy. Notably, Stat3p.L387R/+ mice exhibited heightened embryonic lethality compared to prior Stat3GOF/+ models and ocular abnormalities were observed. This research underscores the variant-specific pathology in Stat3p.L387R/+ mice, highlighting the ability to recapitulate human STAT3 GOF syndrome in patient-specific transgenic murine models. Additionally, such models could facilitate tailored treatment development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kornvalee Meesilpavikkai
- Laboratory Medical Immunology, Department of Immunology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Zijun Zhou
- Laboratory Medical Immunology, Department of Immunology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Allergy & Clinical Immunology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Kasiphak Kaikaew
- Center of Excellence in Alternative and Complementary Medicine of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Suphattra Phakham
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Peter J van der Spek
- Department of Pathology and Clinical Bioinformatics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Sigrid Swagemakers
- Department of Pathology and Clinical Bioinformatics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Deon J Venter
- Department of Pathology, Mater Health Services, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Maaike de Bie
- Laboratory Medical Immunology, Department of Immunology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Benjamin Schrijver
- Laboratory Medical Immunology, Department of Immunology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Allergy & Clinical Immunology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Christopher Schliehe
- Department of Immunology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Fabian Kaiser
- Department of Immunology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Virgil A S H Dalm
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Allergy & Clinical Immunology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Immunology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - P Martin van Hagen
- Laboratory Medical Immunology, Department of Immunology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Allergy & Clinical Immunology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Nattiya Hirankarn
- Center of Excellence in Immunology and Immune-mediated Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
| | - Hanna IJspeert
- Laboratory Medical Immunology, Department of Immunology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Willem A Dik
- Laboratory Medical Immunology, Department of Immunology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
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Distler JHW, Hallén J. Reply. Arthritis Rheumatol 2024; 76:1165. [PMID: 38351441 DOI: 10.1002/art.42823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
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7
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Chen X, Wu Y, Jia S, Zhao M. Fibroblast: A Novel Target for Autoimmune and Inflammatory Skin Diseases Therapeutics. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol 2024:10.1007/s12016-024-08997-1. [PMID: 38940997 DOI: 10.1007/s12016-024-08997-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Fibroblasts are crucial components of the skin structure. They were traditionally believed to maintain the skin's structure by producing extracellular matrix and other elements. Recent research illuminated that fibroblasts can respond to external stimuli and exhibit diverse functions, such as the secretion of pro-inflammatory factors, adipogenesis, and antigen presentation, exhibiting remarkable heterogeneity and plasticity. This revelation positions fibroblasts as active contributors to the pathogenesis of skin diseases, challenging the traditional perspective that views fibroblasts solely as structural entities. Based on their diverse functions, fibroblasts can be categorized into six subtypes: pro-inflammatory fibroblasts, myofibroblasts, adipogenic fibroblasts, angiogenic fibroblasts, mesenchymal fibroblasts, and antigen-presenting fibroblasts. Cytokines, metabolism, and epigenetics regulate functional abnormalities in fibroblasts. The dynamic changes fibroblasts exhibit in different diseases and disease states warrant a comprehensive discussion. We focus on dermal fibroblasts' aberrant manifestations and pivotal roles in inflammatory and autoimmune skin diseases, including psoriasis, vitiligo, lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, and atopic dermatitis, and propose targeting aberrantly activated fibroblasts as a potential therapeutic strategy for inflammatory and autoimmune skin diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyun Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, China
| | - Yutong Wu
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, China
| | - Sujie Jia
- Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, 210042, China.
- Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research on Immune-Mediated Skin Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China.
| | - Ming Zhao
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, China.
- Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, 210042, China.
- Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research on Immune-Mediated Skin Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China.
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何 珊, 陈 炘, 程 琦, 朱 灵, 张 培, 童 淑, 薛 静, 杜 燕. [Tofacitinib inhibits the transformation of lung fibroblasts into myofibroblasts through JAK/STAT3 pathway]. BEIJING DA XUE XUE BAO. YI XUE BAN = JOURNAL OF PEKING UNIVERSITY. HEALTH SCIENCES 2024; 56:505-511. [PMID: 38864137 PMCID: PMC11167539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of tofacitinib, a pan-Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, on transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1)-induced fibroblast to myofibroblast transition (FMT) and to explore its mechanism. To provide a theoretical basis for the clinical treatment of connective tissue disease-related interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD). METHODS (1) Human fetal lung fibroblast 1 (HFL-1) were cultured in vitro, and 6 groups were established: DMSO blank control group, TGF-β1 induction group, and TGF-β1 with different concentrations of tofacitinib (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 5.0 μmol/L) drug intervention experimental groups. CCK-8 was used to measure the cell viability, and wound-healing assay was performed to measure cell migration ability. After 48 h of combined treatment, quantitative real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and Western blotting were used to detect the gene and protein expression levels of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), fibronectin (FN), and collagen type Ⅰ (COL1). (2) RT-PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbnent assay (ELISA) were used to detect the interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene and protein expression changes, respectively. (3) DMSO carrier controls, 1.0 μmol/L and 5.0 μmol/L tofacitinib were added to the cell culture media of different groups for pre-incubation for 30 min, and then TGF-β1 was added to treat for 1 h, 6 h and 24 h. The phosphorylation levels of Smad2/3 and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) protein were detected by Western blotting. RESULTS (1) Tofacitinib inhibited the viability and migration ability of HFL-1 cells after TGF-β1 induction. (2) The expression of α-SMA, COL1A1 and FN1 genes of HFL-1 in the TGF-β1-induced groups was significantly up-regulated compared with the blank control group (P < 0.05). Compared with the TGF-β1 induction group, α-SMA expression in the 5.0 μmol/L tofacitinib intervention group was significantly inhi-bited (P < 0.05). Compared with the TGF-β1-induced group, FN1 gene was significantly inhibited in each intervention group at a concentration of 0.5-5.0 μmol/L (P < 0.05). Compared with the TGF-β1-induced group, the COL1A1 gene expression in each intervention group did not change significantly. (3) Western blotting results showed that the protein levels of α-SMA and FN1 in the TGF-β1-induced group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05), and there was no significant difference in the expression of COL1A1. Compared with the TGF-β1-induced group, the α-SMA protein level in the intervention groups with different concentrations decreased. And the differences between the TGF-β1-induced group and 2.0 μmol/L or 5.0 μmol/L intervention groups were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Compared with the TGF-β1-induced group, the FN1 protein levels in the intervention groups with different concentrations showed a downward trend, but the difference was not statistically significant. There was no difference in COL1A1 protein expression between the intervention groups compared with the TGF-β1-induced group. (4) After TGF-β1 acted on HFL-1 cells for 48 h, the gene expression of the IL-6 was up-regulated and IL-6 in culture supernatant was increased, the intervention with tofacitinib partly inhibited the TGF-β1-induced IL-6 gene expression and IL-6 in culture supernatant. TGF-β1 induced the increase of Smad2/3 protein phosphorylation in HFL-1 cells for 1 h and 6 h, STAT3 protein phosphorylation increased at 1 h, 6 h and 24 h, the pre-intervention with tofacitinib inhibited the TGF-β1-induced Smad2/3 phosphorylation at 6 h and inhibited TGF-β1-induced STAT3 phosphorylation at 1 h, 6 h and 24 h. CONCLUSION Tofacitinib can inhibit the transformation of HFL-1 cells into myofibroblasts induced by TGF-β1, and the mechanism may be through inhibiting the classic Smad2/3 pathway as well as the phosphorylation of STAT3 induced by TGF-β1, thereby protecting the disease progression of pulmonary fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- 珊 何
- 浙江大学医学院附属第二医院风湿免疫科, 杭州 310009Department of Rheumatology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
- 浙江大学医学院附属金华医院风湿免疫科, 浙江金华 321000Department of Rheumatology, the Affiliated Jinhua Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, 321000, Zhejiang, China
| | - 炘 陈
- 浙江大学医学院附属第二医院风湿免疫科, 杭州 310009Department of Rheumatology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
- 浙江大学医学院附属金华医院风湿免疫科, 浙江金华 321000Department of Rheumatology, the Affiliated Jinhua Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, 321000, Zhejiang, China
| | - 琦 程
- 浙江大学医学院附属第二医院风湿免疫科, 杭州 310009Department of Rheumatology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - 灵江 朱
- 浙江大学医学院附属第二医院风湿免疫科, 杭州 310009Department of Rheumatology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - 培玉 张
- 浙江大学医学院附属第二医院风湿免疫科, 杭州 310009Department of Rheumatology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - 淑婷 童
- 浙江大学医学院附属第二医院风湿免疫科, 杭州 310009Department of Rheumatology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - 静 薛
- 浙江大学医学院附属第二医院风湿免疫科, 杭州 310009Department of Rheumatology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - 燕 杜
- 浙江大学医学院附属第二医院风湿免疫科, 杭州 310009Department of Rheumatology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
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Jeong HJ, Koo S, Kang YH, Kim TW, Kim HK, Park YJ. Hepatoprotective effects of paeonol by suppressing hepatic stellate cell activation via inhibition of SMAD2/3 and STAT3 pathways. Food Sci Biotechnol 2024; 33:1939-1946. [PMID: 38752108 PMCID: PMC11091017 DOI: 10.1007/s10068-023-01440-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation is a key event in extracellular matrix accumulation, causing hepatic fibrosis. Therefore, identifying chemicals that inhibit HSC activation is an important therapeutic strategy for hepatic fibrosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of paeonol on HSC activation. In LX-2 cells, paeonol inhibited the expression of collagen and decreased the expression of HSC activation markers. In mice with thioacetamide-induced liver fibrosis, paeonol treatment decreased the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine transaminase and mRNA expression of α-smooth muscle actin, platelet-derived growth factor-β, and connective-tissue growth factor. Investigation of the underlying molecular mechanism of paeonol showed that paeonol inhibits the SMAD2/3 and STAT3 signaling pathways that are important for HSC activation. On the basis of these results, paeonol should be investigated and developed further for hepatic fibrosis treatment. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-023-01440-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye-Jin Jeong
- College of Pharmacy, Kyungsung University, Busan, 48434 Republic of Korea
| | - Sooyeon Koo
- College of Pharmacy, Kyungsung University, Busan, 48434 Republic of Korea
| | - Yeon-Ho Kang
- College of Pharmacy, Kyungsung University, Busan, 48434 Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Won Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Kyungsung University, Busan, 48434 Republic of Korea
- Brain Busan 21 plus Research Project Group, Kyungsung University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye Kyung Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Kyungsung University, Busan, 48434 Republic of Korea
- Brain Busan 21 plus Research Project Group, Kyungsung University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Joo Park
- College of Pharmacy, Kyungsung University, Busan, 48434 Republic of Korea
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10
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Gumkowska-Sroka O, Kotyla K, Kotyla P. Immunogenetics of Systemic Sclerosis. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:586. [PMID: 38790215 PMCID: PMC11121022 DOI: 10.3390/genes15050586] [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: 04/07/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare autoimmune connective tissue disorder characterized by massive fibrosis, vascular damage, and immune imbalance. Advances in rheumatology and immunology over the past two decades have led to a redefinition of systemic sclerosis, shifting from its initial perception as primarily a "hyperfibrotic" state towards a recognition of systemic sclerosis as an immune-mediated disease. Consequently, the search for genetic markers has transitioned from focusing on fibrotic mechanisms to exploring immune regulatory pathways. Immunogenetics, an emerging field at the intersection of immunology, molecular biology, and genetics has provided valuable insights into inherited factors that influence immunity. Data from genetic studies conducted thus far indicate that alterations in genetic messages can significantly impact disease risk and progression. While certain genetic variations may confer protective effects, others may exacerbate disease susceptibility. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the most relevant genetic changes that influence both the risk and course of systemic sclerosis. Special emphasis is placed on factors regulating the immune response, recognizing their pivotal role in the pathogenesis of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Przemysław Kotyla
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Silesia, Voivodeship Hospital No. 5, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland; (O.G.-S.); (K.K.)
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Song Q, Li H, Yan H, Yu Z, Li Z, Yuan J, Jiang N, Ni Z, Gu L, Fang W. Inhibition of STAT3 by S3I-201 suppress peritoneal fibroblast phenotype conversion and alleviate peritoneal fibrosis. J Cell Mol Med 2024; 28:e18381. [PMID: 38780509 PMCID: PMC11114217 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.18381] [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: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Peritoneal fibrosis is a common pathological response to long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD) and a major cause for PD discontinuation. Understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the induction and progression of peritoneal fibrosis is of great interest. In our study, in vitro study revealed that signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a key factor in fibroblast activation and extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis. Furthermore, STAT3 induced by IL-6 trans-signalling pathway mediate the fibroblasts of the peritoneal stroma contributed to peritoneal fibrosis. Inhibition of STAT3 exerts an antifibrotic effect by attenuating fibroblast activation and ECM production with an in vitro co-culture model. Moreover, STAT3 plays an important role in the peritoneal fibrosis in an animal model of peritoneal fibrosis developed in mice. Blocking STAT3 can reduce the peritoneal morphological changes induced by chlorhexidine gluconate. In conclusion, our findings suggested STAT3 signalling played an important role in peritoneal fibrosis. Therefore, blocking STAT3 might become a potential treatment strategy in peritoneal fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianhui Song
- Department of Nephrology, Renji Hospital, School of MedicineShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
- Shanghai Center for Peritoneal Dialysis ResearchShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Han Li
- Department of Nephrology, Renji Hospital, School of MedicineShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
- Shanghai Center for Peritoneal Dialysis ResearchShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Hao Yan
- Department of Nephrology, Renji Hospital, School of MedicineShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
- Shanghai Center for Peritoneal Dialysis ResearchShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Zanzhe Yu
- Department of Nephrology, Renji Hospital, School of MedicineShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
- Shanghai Center for Peritoneal Dialysis ResearchShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Zhenyuan Li
- Department of Nephrology, Renji Hospital, School of MedicineShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
- Shanghai Center for Peritoneal Dialysis ResearchShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Jiangzi Yuan
- Department of Nephrology, Renji Hospital, School of MedicineShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
- Shanghai Center for Peritoneal Dialysis ResearchShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Na Jiang
- Department of Nephrology, Renji Hospital, School of MedicineShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
- Shanghai Center for Peritoneal Dialysis ResearchShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Zhaohui Ni
- Department of Nephrology, Renji Hospital, School of MedicineShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
- Shanghai Center for Peritoneal Dialysis ResearchShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Leyi Gu
- Department of Nephrology, Renji Hospital, School of MedicineShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
- Shanghai Center for Peritoneal Dialysis ResearchShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Wei Fang
- Department of Nephrology, Renji Hospital, School of MedicineShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
- Shanghai Center for Peritoneal Dialysis ResearchShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
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12
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Trinh-Minh T, Györfi AH, Tomcik M, Tran-Manh C, Zhou X, Dickel N, Tümerdem BS, Kreuter A, Burmann SN, Borchert SV, Hussain RI, Hallén J, Klingelhöfer J, Kunz M, Distler JHW. Effect of Anti-S100A4 Monoclonal Antibody Treatment on Experimental Skin Fibrosis and Systemic Sclerosis-Specific Transcriptional Signatures in Human Skin. Arthritis Rheumatol 2024; 76:783-795. [PMID: 38108109 DOI: 10.1002/art.42781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE S100A4 is a DAMP protein. S100A4 is overexpressed in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), and levels correlate with organ involvement and disease activity. S100A4-/- mice are protected from fibrosis. The aim of this study was to assess the antifibrotic effects of anti-S100A4 monoclonal antibody (mAb) in murine models of SSc and in precision cut skin slices of patients with SSc. METHODS The effects of anti-S100A4 mAbs were evaluated in a bleomycin-induced skin fibrosis model and in Tsk-1 mice with a therapeutic dosing regimen. In addition, the effects of anti-S100A4 mAbs on precision cut SSc skin slices were analyzed by RNA sequencing. RESULTS Inhibition of S100A4 was effective in the treatment of pre-established bleomycin-induced skin fibrosis and in regression of pre-established fibrosis with reduced dermal thickening, myofibroblast counts, and collagen accumulation. Transcriptional profiling demonstrated targeting of multiple profibrotic and proinflammatory processes relevant to the pathogenesis of SSc on targeted S100A4 inhibition in a bleomycin-induced skin fibrosis model. Moreover, targeted S100A4 inhibition also modulated inflammation- and fibrosis-relevant gene sets in precision cut SSc skin slices in an ex vivo trial approach. Selected downstream targets of S100A4, such as AMP-activated protein kinase, calsequestrin-1, and phosphorylated STAT3, were validated on the protein level, and STAT3 inhibition was shown to prevent the profibrotic effects of S100A4 on fibroblasts in human skin. CONCLUSION Inhibition of S100A4 confers dual targeting of inflammatory and fibrotic pathways in complementary mouse models of fibrosis and in SSc skin. These effects support the further development of anti-S100A4 mAbs as disease-modifying targeted therapies for SSc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thuong Trinh-Minh
- University Hospital Düsseldorf and Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | | | | | - Cuong Tran-Manh
- University Hospital Düsseldorf and Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Xiang Zhou
- University Hospital Düsseldorf and Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Nicholas Dickel
- Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | | | - Alexander Kreuter
- Helios St. Elisabeth Klinik Oberhausen, University Witten-Herdecke, Oberhausen, and Helios St. Johannes Klinik Duisburg, Duisburg, Germany
| | - Sven-Niklas Burmann
- Helios St. Elisabeth Klinik Oberhausen, University Witten-Herdecke, Oberhausen, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Meik Kunz
- Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jörg H W Distler
- University Hospital Düsseldorf and Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
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13
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Chen B, Guo J, Ye H, Wang X, Feng Y. Role and molecular mechanisms of SGLT2 inhibitors in pathological cardiac remodeling (Review). Mol Med Rep 2024; 29:73. [PMID: 38488029 PMCID: PMC10955520 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2024.13197] [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: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases are caused by pathological cardiac remodeling, which involves fibrosis, inflammation and cell dysfunction. This includes autophagy, apoptosis, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, changes in energy metabolism, angiogenesis and dysregulation of signaling pathways. These changes in heart structure and/or function ultimately result in heart failure. In an effort to prevent this, multiple cardiovascular outcome trials have demonstrated the cardiac benefits of sodium‑glucose cotransporter type 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is), hypoglycemic drugs initially designed to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus. SGLT2is include empagliflozin and dapagliflozin, which are listed as guideline drugs in the 2021 European Guidelines for Heart Failure and the 2022 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology/Heart Failure Society of America Guidelines for Heart Failure Management. In recent years, multiple studies using animal models have explored the mechanisms by which SGLT2is prevent cardiac remodeling. This article reviews the role of SGLT2is in cardiac remodeling induced by different etiologies to provide a guideline for further evaluation of the mechanisms underlying the inhibition of pathological cardiac remodeling by SGLT2is, as well as the development of novel drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bixian Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100044, P.R. China
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Biopharmaceuticals, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, P.R. China
| | - Jing Guo
- Department of Pharmacy, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100044, P.R. China
| | - Hongmei Ye
- Department of Pharmacy, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100044, P.R. China
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Biopharmaceuticals, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, P.R. China
| | - Xinyu Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100044, P.R. China
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Biopharmaceuticals, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, P.R. China
| | - Yufei Feng
- Clinical Trial Institution, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100044, P.R. China
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Huang C, Yu X, Shi C, Wang M, Li A, Wang F. Pyrroloquinoline quinone supplementation attenuates inflammatory liver injury by STAT3/TGF-β1 pathway in weaned piglets challenged with lipopolysaccharide. Br J Nutr 2024; 131:1352-1361. [PMID: 38155410 DOI: 10.1017/s0007114523002970] [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: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
This study is aimed to evaluate the effect and underling mechanism of dietary supplementation with pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) disodium on improving inflammatory liver injury in piglets challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). A total of seventy-two crossbred barrows were allotted into four groups as follows: the CTRL group (basal diet + saline injection); the PQQ group (3 mg/kg PQQ diet + saline injection); the CTRL + LPS group (basal diet + LPS injection) and the PQQ + LPS group (3 mg/kg PQQ diet + LPS injection). On days 7, 11 and 14, piglets were challenged with LPS or saline. Blood was sampled at 4 h after the last LPS injection (day 14), and then the piglets were slaughtered and liver tissue was harvested. The results showed that the hepatic morphology was improved in the PQQ + LPS group compared with the CTRL + LPS group. PQQ supplementation decreased the level of serum inflammatory factors, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine transaminase, and increased the HDL-cholesterol concentration in piglets challenged with LPS; piglets in the PQQ + LPS group had lower liver mRNA level of inflammatory factors and protein level of α-smooth muscle actin than in the CTRL + LPS group. Besides, mRNA expression of STAT3/TGF-β1 pathway and protein level of p-STAT3(Tyr 705) were decreased, and mRNA level of PPARα and protein expression of p-AMPK in liver were increased in the PQQ + LPS group compared with the CTRL + LPS group (P < 0·05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation with PQQ alleviated inflammatory liver injury might partly via inhibition of the STAT3/TGF-β1 pathway in piglets challenged with LPS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caiyun Huang
- College of Animal Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou350002, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuanci Yu
- College of Animal Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou350002, People's Republic of China
| | - Chenyu Shi
- State Key Lab of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science & Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengshi Wang
- College of Animal Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou350002, People's Republic of China
| | - Ang Li
- College of Animal Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou350002, People's Republic of China
| | - Fenglai Wang
- State Key Lab of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science & Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing100193, People's Republic of China
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15
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Kim HY, Charton C, Shim JH, Lim SY, Kim J, Lee S, Ohn JH, Kim BK, Heo CY. Patient-Derived Organoids Recapitulate Pathological Intrinsic and Phenotypic Features of Fibrous Dysplasia. Cells 2024; 13:729. [PMID: 38727265 PMCID: PMC11083396 DOI: 10.3390/cells13090729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Fibrous dysplasia (FD) is a rare bone disorder characterized by the replacement of normal bone with benign fibro-osseous tissue. Developments in our understanding of the pathophysiology and treatment options are impeded by the lack of suitable research models. In this study, we developed an in vitro organotypic model capable of recapitulating key intrinsic and phenotypic properties of FD. Initially, transcriptomic profiling of individual cells isolated from patient lesional tissues unveiled intralesional molecular and cellular heterogeneity. Leveraging these insights, we established patient-derived organoids (PDOs) using primary cells obtained from patient FD lesions. Evaluation of PDOs demonstrated preservation of fibrosis-associated constituent cell types and transcriptional signatures observed in FD lesions. Additionally, PDOs retained distinct constellations of genomic and metabolic alterations characteristic of FD. Histological evaluation further corroborated the fidelity of PDOs in recapitulating important phenotypic features of FD that underscore their pathophysiological relevance. Our findings represent meaningful progress in the field, as they open up the possibility for in vitro modeling of rare bone lesions in a three-dimensional context and may signify the first step towards creating a personalized platform for research and therapeutic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ha-Young Kim
- Interdisciplinary Program in Bioengineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea;
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Clémentine Charton
- Precision Medicine Center, Future Innovation Research Division, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam 13605, Republic of Korea; (C.C.); (J.K.); (S.L.)
| | - Jung Hee Shim
- Department of Research Administration Team, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam 13620, Republic of Korea;
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam 13620, Republic of Korea;
| | - So Young Lim
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Republic of Korea;
| | - Jinho Kim
- Precision Medicine Center, Future Innovation Research Division, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam 13605, Republic of Korea; (C.C.); (J.K.); (S.L.)
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam 13620, Republic of Korea
| | - Sejoon Lee
- Precision Medicine Center, Future Innovation Research Division, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam 13605, Republic of Korea; (C.C.); (J.K.); (S.L.)
- Department of Pathology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam 13620, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Hun Ohn
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam 13620, Republic of Korea;
| | - Baek Kyu Kim
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam 13620, Republic of Korea;
| | - Chan Yeong Heo
- Interdisciplinary Program in Bioengineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea;
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam 13620, Republic of Korea;
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16
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Luo F, Zhang Y, Wang P. Tofacitinib for the treatment of severe rare skin diseases: a narrative review. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2024; 80:481-492. [PMID: 38231227 DOI: 10.1007/s00228-024-03621-9] [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: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Autoimmune bullous diseases, connective tissue diseases, and vasculitis represent a group of severe rare skin diseases. While glucocorticoids and immunosuppressive agents serve as standard treatments for these diseases, their efficacy is limited due to adverse side effects, indicating the need for alternative approaches. Biologics have been used in the management of some rare skin diseases. However, the use of biologics is associated with concerns, such as infection risk and high costs, prompting the quest for efficacious and cost-effective alternatives. This study discusses the safety issues associated with tofacitinib and its potential in treating rare skin diseases. METHODS This narrative review focuses on the pharmacodynamic properties of tofacitinib and its impact on the JAK/STAT pathway. In addition, we present a comprehensive discussion of the effects and mechanism of action of tofacitinib for each severe rare skin disease. RESULTS This role of tofacitinib in treating severe rare skin diseases has been discussed, shedding light on its promising prospects as a treatment modality. Few reports of serious adverse events are available in patients treated with tofacitinib. CONCLUSION We explored the mechanism of action, efficacy, and safety considerations of tofacitinib and found that it can be used as a treatment option for rare skin diseases. However, multicenter clinical studies are needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of JAK inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenglin Luo
- Department of Dermatology, Hangzhou Third People's Hospital, Hangzhou, 310000, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, Hangzhou Third People's Hospital, Hangzhou, 310000, China
| | - Ping Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Hangzhou Third People's Hospital, Hangzhou, 310000, China.
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17
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Park JS, Kim C, Choi J, Jeong HY, Moon YM, Kang H, Lee EK, Cho ML, Park SH. MicroRNA-21a-5p inhibition alleviates systemic sclerosis by targeting STAT3 signaling. J Transl Med 2024; 22:323. [PMID: 38561750 PMCID: PMC10983659 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05056-3] [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: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND MicroRNA (miRNA)-21-5p participates in various biological processes, including cancer and autoimmune diseases. However, its role in the development of fibrosis in the in vivo model of systemic sclerosis (SSc) has not been reported. This study investigated the effects of miRNA-21a-5p overexpression and inhibition on SSc fibrosis using a bleomycin-induced SSc mouse model. METHODS A murine SSc model was induced by subcutaneously injecting 100 μg bleomycin dissolved in 0.9% NaCl into C57BL/6 mice daily for 5 weeks. On days 14, 21, and 28 from the start of bleomycin injection, 100 μg pre-miRNA-21a-5p or anti-miRNA-21a-5p in 1 mL saline was hydrodynamically injected into the mice. Fibrosis analysis was conducted in lung and skin tissues of SSc mice using hematoxylin and eosin as well as Masson's trichrome staining. Immunohistochemistry was used to examine the expression of inflammatory cytokines, phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3) at Y705 or S727, and phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome-10 (PTEN) in skin tissues of SSc mice. RESULTS MiRNA-21a-5p overexpression promoted lung fibrosis in bleomycin-induced SSc mice, inducing infiltration of cells expressing TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, or IL-17, along with STAT3 phosphorylated cells in the lesional skin. Conversely, anti-miRNA-21a-5p injection improved fibrosis in the lung and skin tissues of SSc mice, reducing the infiltration of cells secreting inflammatory cytokines in the skin tissue. In particular, it decreased STAT3-phosphorylated cell infiltration at Y705 and increased the infiltration of PTEN-expressing cells in the skin tissue of SSc mice. CONCLUSION MiRNA-21a-5p promotes fibrosis in an in vivo murine SSc model, suggesting that its inhibition may be a therapeutic strategy for improving fibrosis in SSc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Sil Park
- The Rheumatism Research Center, Catholic Research Institute of Medical Science, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-Daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 06591, South Korea
- Lab of Translational ImmunoMedicine, Catholic Research Institute of Medical Science, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-Daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 06591, South Korea
| | - Chongtae Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-Daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 06591, South Korea
| | - JeongWon Choi
- The Rheumatism Research Center, Catholic Research Institute of Medical Science, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-Daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 06591, South Korea
- Lab of Translational ImmunoMedicine, Catholic Research Institute of Medical Science, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-Daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 06591, South Korea
| | - Ha Yeon Jeong
- The Rheumatism Research Center, Catholic Research Institute of Medical Science, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-Daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 06591, South Korea
- Lab of Translational ImmunoMedicine, Catholic Research Institute of Medical Science, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-Daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 06591, South Korea
| | - Young-Mee Moon
- The Rheumatism Research Center, Catholic Research Institute of Medical Science, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-Daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 06591, South Korea
| | - Hoin Kang
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-Daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 06591, South Korea
| | - Eun Kyung Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-Daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 06591, South Korea.
| | - Mi-La Cho
- The Rheumatism Research Center, Catholic Research Institute of Medical Science, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-Daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 06591, South Korea.
- Department of Medical Lifescience, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea.
- Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea.
- Lab of Translational ImmunoMedicine, Catholic Research Institute of Medical Science, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-Daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 06591, South Korea.
| | - Sung-Hwan Park
- The Rheumatism Research Center, Catholic Research Institute of Medical Science, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-Daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 06591, South Korea.
- Divison of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-Daero, Seocho-Gu, Seoul, 06591, South Korea.
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18
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Yun QS, Bao YX, Jiang JB, Guo Q. Mechanisms of norcantharidin against renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Pharmacol Rep 2024; 76:263-272. [PMID: 38472637 DOI: 10.1007/s43440-024-00578-5] [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: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis (RTIF) is a common feature and inevitable consequence of all progressive chronic kidney diseases, leading to end-stage renal failure regardless of the initial cause. Although research over the past few decades has greatly improved our understanding of the pathophysiology of RTIF, until now there has been no specific treatment available that can halt the progression of RTIF. Norcantharidin (NCTD) is a demethylated analogue of cantharidin, a natural compound isolated from 1500 species of medicinal insect, the blister beetle (Mylabris phalerata Pallas), traditionally used for medicinal purposes. Many studies have found that NCTD can attenuate RTIF and has the potential to be an anti-RTIF drug. This article reviews the recent progress of NCTD in the treatment of RTIF, with emphasis on the pharmacological mechanism of NCTD against RTIF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin-Su Yun
- Department of Pharmacy, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou and the 3rd Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 185 Juqian Street, Changzhou, 213003, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yu-Xin Bao
- Research Center for Medicine and Biology, Zunyi Medical University, 6 West Xuefu Road, Zunyi, 563000, Guizhou, China.
| | - Jie-Bing Jiang
- Department of Pharmacology, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Qian Guo
- Institute of Geriatrics (Shanghai University), Affiliated Nantong Hospital of Shanghai University (The Sixth People's Hospital of Nantong), School of Medicine, Shanghai University, 881 Yonghe Road, Nantong, 226001 , Jiangsu, China.
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Organ Repair, School of Medicine, Shanghai University, 99 Shangda Road, Shanghai, 200444, China.
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19
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O'Reilly S. Emerging therapeutic targets in systemic sclerosis. J Mol Med (Berl) 2024; 102:465-478. [PMID: 38386070 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-024-02424-w] [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: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis is an autoimmune connective tissue disease which is characterised by vascular perturbations, inflammation, and fibrosis. Although huge progress recently into the underlying molecular pathways that are perturbed in the disease, currently no therapy exists that targets the fibrosis element of the disease and consequently there is a huge unmet medical need. Emerging studies reveal new dimensions of complexity, and multiple aberrant pathways have been uncovered that have shed light on disturbed signalling in the disease, primarily in inflammatory pathways that can be targeted with repurposed drugs. Pre-clinical animal models using these inhibitors have yielded proof of concept for targeting these signalling systems and progressing to clinical trials. This review will examine the recent evidence of new perturbed pathways in SSc and how these can be targeted with new or repurposed drugs to target a currently intractable disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven O'Reilly
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, South Road, Durham, UK.
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20
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Gülle S, Çelik A, Birlik M, Yılmaz O. Skin and lung fibrosis induced by bleomycin in mice: a systematic review. Reumatismo 2024; 76. [PMID: 38523580 DOI: 10.4081/reumatismo.2024.1642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Scleroderma, or systemic sclerosis (SSc), is a chronic autoimmune connective disease with an unknown etiology and poorly understood pathogenesis. The striking array of autoimmune, vascular, and fibrotic changes that develop in almost all patients makes SSc unique among connective tissue diseases. Although no animal model developed for SSc to date fully represents all features of human disease, some animal models that demonstrate features of SSc may help to better understand the pathogenesis of the disease and to develop new therapeutic options. In this review, we aimed to evaluate skin fibrosis and lung involvement in a bleomycin (BLM)-induced mouse model and to evaluate the differences between studies. METHODS A systematic literature review (PRISMA guideline) on PubMed and EMBASE (until May 2023, without limits) was performed. A primary literature search was conducted using the PubMed and EMBASE databases for all articles published from 1990 to May 2023. Review articles, human studies, and non-dermatological studies were excluded. Of the 38 non-duplicated studies, 20 articles were included. RESULTS Among inducible animal models, the BLM-induced SSc is still the most widely used. In recent years, the measurement of tissue thickness between the epidermal-dermal junction and the dermal-adipose tissue junction (dermal layer) has become more widely accepted. CONCLUSIONS In animal studies, it is important to simultaneously evaluate lung tissues in addition to skin fibrosis induced in mice by subcutaneous BLM application, following the 3R (replacement, reduction, and refinement) principle to avoid cruelty to animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Gülle
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University School of Medicine, Izmir; Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Dokuz Eylul University School of Medicine, Izmir.
| | - A Çelik
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Dokuz Eylul University School of Medicine, Izmir.
| | - M Birlik
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University School of Medicine, Izmir.
| | - O Yılmaz
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Dokuz Eylul University School of Medicine, Izmir.
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Shen J, Liang J, Rejiepu M, Ma Z, Zhao J, Li J, Zhang L, Yuan P, Wang J, Tang B. Analysis of immunoinfiltration and EndoMT based on TGF-β signaling pathway-related genes in acute myocardial infarction. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5183. [PMID: 38431730 PMCID: PMC10908777 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55613-5] [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: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI), a critical manifestation of coronary heart disease, presents a complex and not entirely understood etiology. This study investigates the potential role of immune infiltration and endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT) in AMI pathogenesis. We conducted an analysis of the GSE24519 and MSigDB datasets to identify differentially expressed genes associated with the TGF-β signaling pathway (DE-TSRGs) and carried out a functional enrichment analysis. Additionally, we evaluated immune infiltration in AMI and its possible link to myocardial fibrosis. Key genes were identified using machine learning and LASSO logistic regression. The expression of MEOX1 in the ventricular muscles and endothelial cells of Sprague-Dawley rats was assessed through RT-qPCR, immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence assays, and the effect of MEOX1 overexpression on EndoMT was investigated. Our study identified five DE-TSRGs, among which MEOX1, SMURF1, and SPTBN1 exhibited the most significant associations with AMI. Notably, we detected substantial immune infiltration in AMI specimens, with a marked increase in neutrophils and macrophages. MEOX1 demonstrated consistent expression patterns in rat ventricular muscle tissue and endothelial cells, and its overexpression induced EndoMT. Our findings suggest that the TGF-β signaling pathway may contribute to AMI progression by activating the immune response. MEOX1, linked to the TGF-β signaling pathway, appears to facilitate myocardial fibrosis via EndoMT following AMI. These novel insights into the mechanisms of AMI pathogenesis could offer promising therapeutic targets for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Shen
- Cardiac Pacing and Electrophysiology Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China.
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China.
| | - Junqing Liang
- Cardiac Pacing and Electrophysiology Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China
| | - Manzeremu Rejiepu
- Cardiac Pacing and Electrophysiology Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China
| | - Zhiqin Ma
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Jixian Zhao
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Jia Li
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Ling Zhang
- Cardiac Pacing and Electrophysiology Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China.
| | - Ping Yuan
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China.
| | - Jianing Wang
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China.
| | - Baopeng Tang
- Cardiac Pacing and Electrophysiology Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China.
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Švec X, Štorkánová H, Trinh-Minh T, Tran MC, Štorkánová L, Hulejová H, Oreská S, Heřmánková B, Bečvář R, Pavelka K, Vencovský J, Klingelhöfer J, Hussain RI, Hallén J, Šenolt L, Distler JHW, Tomčík M. S100A4-neutralizing monoclonal antibody 6B12 counteracts the established experimental skin fibrosis induced by bleomycin. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2024; 63:817-825. [PMID: 37314987 PMCID: PMC10907816 DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/kead295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Our previous studies have demonstrated that the Damage Associated Molecular Pattern (DAMP) protein, S100A4, is overexpressed in the involved skin and peripheral blood of patients with SSc. It is associated with skin and lung involvement, and disease activity. By contrast, lack of S100A4 prevented the development of experimental dermal fibrosis. Herein we aimed to evaluate the effect of murine anti-S100A4 mAb 6B12 in the treatment of preestablished experimental dermal fibrosis. METHODS The effects of 6B12 were assessed at therapeutic dosages in a modified bleomycin-induced dermal fibrosis mouse model by evaluating fibrotic (dermal thickness, proliferation of myofibroblasts, hydroxyproline content, phosphorylated Smad3-positive cell count) and inflammatory (leukocytes infiltrating the lesional skin, systemic levels of selected cytokines and chemokines) outcomes, and transcriptional profiling (RNA sequencing). RESULTS Treatment with 7.5 mg/kg 6B12 attenuated and might even reduce pre-existing dermal fibrosis induced by bleomycin as evidenced by reduction in dermal thickness, myofibroblast count and collagen content. These antifibrotic effects were mediated by the downregulation of TGF-β/Smad signalling and partially by reducing the number of leukocytes infiltrating the lesional skin and decrease in the systemic levels of IL-1α, eotaxin, CCL2 and CCL5. Moreover, transcriptional profiling demonstrated that 7.5 mg/kg 6B12 also modulated several profibrotic and proinflammatory processes relevant to the pathogenesis of SSc. CONCLUSION Targeting S100A4 by the 6B12 mAb demonstrated potent antifibrotic and anti-inflammatory effects on bleomycin-induced dermal fibrosis and provided further evidence for the vital role of S100A4 in the pathophysiology of SSc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Švec
- Institute of Rheumatology, Prague, Czech Republic
- 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Štorkánová
- Institute of Rheumatology, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Rheumatology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Thuong Trinh-Minh
- Clinic for Rheumatology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty of Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Hiller Research Center, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty of Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Manh Cuong Tran
- Clinic for Rheumatology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty of Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Hiller Research Center, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty of Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | | | | | - Sabína Oreská
- Institute of Rheumatology, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Rheumatology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Heřmánková
- Institute of Rheumatology, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Radim Bečvář
- Institute of Rheumatology, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Rheumatology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Pavelka
- Institute of Rheumatology, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Rheumatology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Vencovský
- Institute of Rheumatology, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Rheumatology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Rizwan I Hussain
- Arxx Therapeutics, Oslo, Norway
- Agiana Pharmaceuticals, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Ladislav Šenolt
- Institute of Rheumatology, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Rheumatology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jörg H W Distler
- Clinic for Rheumatology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty of Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Hiller Research Center, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty of Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Michal Tomčík
- Institute of Rheumatology, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Rheumatology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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23
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Jiang H, Yang J, Li T, Wang X, Fan Z, Ye Q, Du Y. JAK/STAT3 signaling in cardiac fibrosis: a promising therapeutic target. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1336102. [PMID: 38495094 PMCID: PMC10940489 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1336102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Cardiac fibrosis is a serious health problem because it is a common pathological change in almost all forms of cardiovascular diseases. Cardiac fibrosis is characterized by the transdifferentiation of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) into cardiac myofibroblasts and the excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) components produced by activated myofibroblasts, which leads to fibrotic scar formation and subsequent cardiac dysfunction. However, there are currently few effective therapeutic strategies protecting against fibrogenesis. This lack is largely because the molecular mechanisms of cardiac fibrosis remain unclear despite extensive research. The Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling cascade is an extensively present intracellular signal transduction pathway and can regulate a wide range of biological processes, including cell proliferation, migration, differentiation, apoptosis, and immune response. Various upstream mediators such as cytokines, growth factors and hormones can initiate signal transmission via this pathway and play corresponding regulatory roles. STAT3 is a crucial player of the JAK/STAT pathway and its activation is related to inflammation, malignant tumors and autoimmune illnesses. Recently, the JAK/STAT3 signaling has been in the spotlight for its role in the occurrence and development of cardiac fibrosis and its activation can promote the proliferation and activation of CFs and the production of ECM proteins, thus leading to cardiac fibrosis. In this manuscript, we discuss the structure, transactivation and regulation of the JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway and review recent progress on the role of this pathway in cardiac fibrosis. Moreover, we summarize the current challenges and opportunities of targeting the JAK/STAT3 signaling for the treatment of fibrosis. In summary, the information presented in this article is critical for comprehending the role of the JAK/STAT3 pathway in cardiac fibrosis, and will also contribute to future research aimed at the development of effective anti-fibrotic therapeutic strategies targeting the JAK/STAT3 signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Jiang
- Department of Cardiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Junjie Yang
- Department of Cardiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Tao Li
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, Ministry of Education and Medical Electrophysiological Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Xinyu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, Ministry of Education and Medical Electrophysiological Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Zhongcai Fan
- Department of Cardiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Qiang Ye
- Department of Cardiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanfei Du
- Department of Cardiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, Ministry of Education and Medical Electrophysiological Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
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24
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Li M, Zhou Y, Zhu H, Xu LM, Ping J. Danhongqing formula alleviates cholestatic liver fibrosis by downregulating long non-coding RNA H19 derived from cholangiocytes and inhibiting hepatic stellate cell activation. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE 2024; 22:188-198. [PMID: 38472011 DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2024.03.006] [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: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study explores the mechanism of action of Danhongqing formula (DHQ), a compound-based Chinese medicine formula, in the treatment of cholestatic liver fibrosis. METHODS In vivo experiments were conducted using 8-week-old multidrug resistance protein 2 knockout (Mdr2-/-) mice as an animal model of cholestatic liver fibrosis. DHQ was administered orally for 8 weeks, and its impact on cholestatic liver fibrosis was evaluated by assessing liver function, liver histopathology, and the expression of liver fibrosis-related proteins. Real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, immunohistochemistry and other methods were used to observe the effects of DHQ on long non-coding RNA H19 (H19) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation in the liver tissue of Mdr2-/- mice. In addition, cholangiocytes and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) were cultured in vitro to measure the effects of bile acids on cholangiocyte injury and H19 expression. Cholangiocytes overexpressing H19 were constructed, and a conditioned medium containing H19 was collected to measure its effects on STAT3 protein expression and cell activation. The intervention effect of DHQ on these processes was also investigated. HSCs overexpressing H19 were constructed to measure the impact of H19 on cell activation and assess the intervention effect of DHQ. RESULTS DHQ alleviated liver injury, ductular reaction, and fibrosis in Mdr2-/- mice, and inhibited H19 expression, STAT3 expression and STAT3 phosphorylation. This formula also reduced hydrophobic bile acid-induced cholangiocyte injury and the upregulation of H19, inhibited the activation of HSCs induced by cholangiocyte-derived conditioned medium, and decreased the expression of activation markers in HSCs. The overexpression of H19 in a human HSC line confirmed that H19 promoted STAT3 phosphorylation and HSC activation, and DHQ was able to successfully inhibit these effects. CONCLUSION DHQ effectively alleviated spontaneous cholestatic liver fibrosis in Mdr2-/- mice by inhibiting H19 upregulation in cholangiocytes and preventing the inhibition of STAT3 phosphorylation in HSC, thereby suppressing cell activation. Please cite this article as: Li M, Zhou Y, Zhu H, Xu LM, Ping J. Danhongqing formula alleviates cholestatic liver fibrosis by downregulating long non-coding RNA H19 derived from cholangiocytes and inhibiting hepatic stellate cell activation. J Integr Med. 2024; 22(2): 188-198.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Li
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yang Zhou
- Preventive Treatment Center, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China
| | - Hui Zhu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Suzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Suzhou 215000, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Lie-Ming Xu
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China; Key Laboratory of Liver and Kidney Diseases (Ministry of Education), Shanghai 201203, China.
| | - Jian Ping
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China; Key Laboratory of Liver and Kidney Diseases (Ministry of Education), Shanghai 201203, China.
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25
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Komura M, Wang C, Ito S, Kato S, Ueki A, Ebi M, Ogasawara N, Tsuzuki T, Kasai K, Kasugai K, Takiguchi S, Takahashi S, Inaguma S. Simultaneous Expression of CD70 and POSTN in Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Predicts Worse Survival of Colorectal Cancer Patients. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2537. [PMID: 38473788 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common gastrointestinal cancers worldwide, with high morbidity and mortality rates. The evidence for the tumor-supporting capacities of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) that modulate cancer cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and tumor immunity, including in CRC, has been attracting attention. The present study examined the expression status of CD70 and POSTN in CRC and analyzed their association with clinicopathological features and clinical outcomes. In the present study, in total 15% (40/269) and 44% (119/269) of cases exhibited CD70 and POSTN expression on CAFs, respectively. Co-expression of CD70 and POSTN was detected in 8% (21/269) of patients. Fluorescent immunohistochemistry identified the co-expression of CD70 and POSTN with FAP and PDPN, respectively. ACTA2 was not co-expressed with CD70 or POSTN in CRC CAFs. CRC with CD70+/POSTN+ status in CAFs was significantly associated with distant organ metastasis (p = 0.0020) or incomplete resection status (p = 0.0011). CD70+/POSTN+ status tended to associate with advanced pT stage (p = 0.032) or peritoneal metastasis (p = 0.0059). Multivariate Cox hazards regression analysis identified CD70+/POSTN+ status in CAFs [hazard ratio (HR) = 3.78] as a potential independent risk factor. In vitro experiments revealed the activated phenotypes of colonic fibroblasts induced by CD70 and POSTN, while migration and invasion assays identified enhanced migration and invasion of CRC cells co-cultured with CD70- and POSTN-expressing colonic fibroblasts. On the basis of our observations, CD70 and POSTN immunohistochemistry can be used in the prognostication of CRC patients. CRC CAFs may be a promising target in the treatment of CRC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masayuki Komura
- Department of Experimental Pathology and Tumor Biology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan
| | - Chengbo Wang
- Department of Experimental Pathology and Tumor Biology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan
| | - Sunao Ito
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Kato
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute 480-1195, Japan
| | - Akane Ueki
- Department of Experimental Pathology and Tumor Biology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan
| | - Masahide Ebi
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute 480-1195, Japan
| | - Naotaka Ogasawara
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute 480-1195, Japan
| | - Toyonori Tsuzuki
- Surgical Pathology, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute 480-1195, Japan
| | - Kenji Kasai
- Department of Pathology, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute 480-1195, Japan
| | - Kunio Kasugai
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute 480-1195, Japan
| | - Shuji Takiguchi
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan
| | - Satoru Takahashi
- Department of Experimental Pathology and Tumor Biology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan
| | - Shingo Inaguma
- Department of Experimental Pathology and Tumor Biology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan
- Department of Pathology, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute 480-1195, Japan
- Department of Pathology, Nagoya City University East Medical Center, Nagoya 464-8547, Japan
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26
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Saad EE, Michel R, Borahay MA. Immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and uterine fibroids: Role in collagen synthesis. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2024; 75:93-100. [PMID: 37839993 PMCID: PMC10922281 DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2023.10.002] [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: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Uterine fibroids (UF), also called uterine leiomyoma, is one of the most prevalent uterine tumors. UF represents a serious women's health global problem with a significant physical, emotional, and socioeconomic impact. Risk factors for UF include racial disparities, age, race, hormonal factors, obesity, and lifestyle (diet, physical activity, and stress. There are several biological contributors to UF pathogenesis such as cellular proliferation, angiogenesis, and extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation. This review addresses tumor immune microenvironment as a novel mediator of ECM deposition. Polarization of immune microenvironment towards the immunosuppressive phenotype has been associated with ECM deposition. Immunosuppressive cells include M2 macrophage, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and Th17 cells, and their secretomes include interleukin 4 (IL-4), IL-10, IL-13, IL-17, IL-22, arginase 1, and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β1). The change in the immune microenvironment not only increase tumor growth but also aids in collagen synthesis and ECM disposition, which is one of the main hallmarks of UF pathogenesis. This review invites further investigations on the change in the UF immune microenvironment as well as a novel targeting approach instead of the traditional UF hormonal and supportive treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eslam E Saad
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Rachel Michel
- Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, MD 21205, USA
| | - Mostafa A Borahay
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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Salminen A. AMPK signaling inhibits the differentiation of myofibroblasts: impact on age-related tissue fibrosis and degeneration. Biogerontology 2024; 25:83-106. [PMID: 37917219 PMCID: PMC10794430 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-023-10072-9] [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: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Disruption of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and an accumulation of fibrotic lesions within tissues are two of the distinctive hallmarks of the aging process. Tissue fibroblasts are mesenchymal cells which display an impressive plasticity in the regulation of ECM integrity and thus on tissue homeostasis. Single-cell transcriptome studies have revealed that tissue fibroblasts exhibit a remarkable heterogeneity with aging and in age-related diseases. Excessive stress and inflammatory insults induce the differentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts which are fusiform contractile cells and abundantly secrete the components of the ECM and proteolytic enzymes as well as many inflammatory mediators. Detrimental stresses can also induce the transdifferentiation of certain mesenchymal and myeloid cells into myofibroblasts. Interestingly, many age-related stresses, such as oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stresses, ECM stiffness, inflammatory mediators, telomere shortening, and several alarmins from damaged cells are potent inducers of myofibroblast differentiation. Intriguingly, there is convincing evidence that the signaling pathways stimulated by the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) are potent inhibitors of myofibroblast differentiation and accordingly AMPK signaling reduces fibrotic lesions within tissues, e.g., in age-related cardiac and pulmonary fibrosis. AMPK signaling is not only an important regulator of energy metabolism but it is also able to control cell fate determination and many functions of the immune system. It is known that AMPK signaling can delay the aging process via an integrated signaling network. AMPK signaling inhibits myofibroblast differentiation, e.g., by suppressing signaling through the TGF-β, NF-κB, STAT3, and YAP/TAZ pathways. It seems that AMPK signaling can alleviate age-related tissue fibrosis and degeneration by inhibiting the differentiation of myofibroblasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antero Salminen
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, 70211, Kuopio, Finland.
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28
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Nelson AR, Christiansen SL, Naegle KM, Saucerman JJ. Logic-based mechanistic machine learning on high-content images reveals how drugs differentially regulate cardiac fibroblasts. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2303513121. [PMID: 38266046 PMCID: PMC10835125 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2303513121] [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: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Fibroblasts are essential regulators of extracellular matrix deposition following cardiac injury. These cells exhibit highly plastic responses in phenotype during fibrosis in response to environmental stimuli. Here, we test whether and how candidate anti-fibrotic drugs differentially regulate measures of cardiac fibroblast phenotype, which may help identify treatments for cardiac fibrosis. We conducted a high-content microscopy screen of human cardiac fibroblasts treated with 13 clinically relevant drugs in the context of TGFβ and/or IL-1β, measuring phenotype across 137 single-cell features. We used the phenotypic data from our high-content imaging to train a logic-based mechanistic machine learning model (LogiMML) for fibroblast signaling. The model predicted how pirfenidone and Src inhibitor WH-4-023 reduce actin filament assembly and actin-myosin stress fiber formation, respectively. Validating the LogiMML model prediction that PI3K partially mediates the effects of Src inhibition, we found that PI3K inhibition reduces actin-myosin stress fiber formation and procollagen I production in human cardiac fibroblasts. In this study, we establish a modeling approach combining the strengths of logic-based network models and regularized regression models. We apply this approach to predict mechanisms that mediate the differential effects of drugs on fibroblasts, revealing Src inhibition acting via PI3K as a potential therapy for cardiac fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders R. Nelson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA22903
| | - Steven L. Christiansen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA22903
- Department of Biochemistry, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT84602
| | - Kristen M. Naegle
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA22903
| | - Jeffrey J. Saucerman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA22903
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29
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Yang H, Cheong S, He Y, Lu F. Mesenchymal stem cell-based therapy for autoimmune-related fibrotic skin diseases-systemic sclerosis and sclerodermatous graft-versus-host disease. Stem Cell Res Ther 2023; 14:372. [PMID: 38111001 PMCID: PMC10729330 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-023-03543-w] [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: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Systemic sclerosis (SSc) and sclerodermatous graft-versus-host disease (Scl-GVHD)-characterized by similar developmental fibrosis, vascular abnormalities, and innate and adaptive immune response, resulting in severe skin fibrosis at the late stage-are chronic autoimmune diseases of connective tissue. The significant immune system dysfunction, distinguishing autoimmune-related fibrosis from mere skin fibrosis, should be a particular focus of treating autoimmune-related fibrosis. Recent research shows that innovative mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapy, with the capacities of immune regulation, inflammation suppression, oxidation inhibition, and fibrosis restraint, shows great promise in overcoming the disease. MAIN BODY This review of recent studies aims to summarize the therapeutic effect and theoretical mechanisms of MSC-based therapy in treating autoimmune-related fibrotic skin diseases, SSc and Scl-GVHD, providing novel insights and references for further clinical applications. It is noteworthy that the efficacy of MSCs is not reliant on their migration into the skin. Working on the immune system, MSCs can inhibit the chemotaxis and infiltration of immune cells to the skin by down-regulating the expression of skin chemokines and chemokine receptors and reducing the inflammatory and pro-fibrotic mediators. Furthermore, to reduce levels of oxidative stress, MSCs may improve vascular abnormalities, and enhance the antioxidant defenses through inducible nitric oxide synthase, thioredoxin 1, as well as other mediators. The oxidative stress environment does not weaken MSCs and may even strengthen certain functions. Regarding fibrosis, MSCs primarily target the transforming growth factor-β signaling pathway to inhibit fibroblast activation. Here, miRNAs may play a critical role in ECM remodeling. Clinical studies have demonstrated the safety of these approaches, though outcomes have varied, possibly owing to the heterogeneity of MSCs, the disorders themselves, and other factors. Nevertheless, the research clearly reveals the immense potential of MSCs in treating autoimmune-related fibrotic skin diseases. CONCLUSION The application of MSCs presents a promising approach for treating autoimmune-related fibrotic skin diseases: SSc and Scl-GVHD. Therapies involving MSCs and MSC extracellular vesicles have been found to operate through three primary mechanisms: rebalancing the immune and inflammatory disorders, resisting oxidant stress, and inhibiting overactivated fibrosis (including fibroblast activation and ECM remodeling). However, the effectiveness of these interventions requires further validation through extensive clinical investigations, particularly randomized control trials and phase III/IV clinical trials. Additionally, the hypothetical mechanism underlying these therapies could be elucidated through further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Yang
- The Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou North Road, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Sousan Cheong
- The Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou North Road, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Yunfan He
- The Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou North Road, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China.
| | - Feng Lu
- The Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou North Road, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China.
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Park E, Park S, Lee SJ, Jeong D, Jin H, Moon H, Cha B, Kim D, Ma S, Seo W, Han SH, Lee YS, Kang S. Identification and Biological Evaluation of a Potent and Selective JAK1 Inhibitor for the Treatment of Pulmonary Fibrosis. J Med Chem 2023; 66:16342-16363. [PMID: 38031930 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) plays a pivotal role in regulating inflammation and fibrosis via the JAK/STAT signaling pathway, making it a promising target for associated diseases. In this study, we explored the modification of an N-methyl 1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine-5-carboxylate core, leading to the identification of 4-(((2S,4S)-1-(4-trifluoromethyl)-2-methylpiperidin-4-yl)amino)-N-methyl-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine-5-carboxamide (36b) as a highly potent and selective JAK1 inhibitor. Compound 36b exhibited an impressive IC50 value of 0.044 nM for JAK1 and demonstrated remarkable selectivity of 382-fold, 210-fold, and 1325-fold specificity over JAK2, JAK3, and TYK2, respectively. The kinase panel assays further confirmed its specificity, and cell-based experiments established its efficacy in inhibiting JAK1-STAT phosphorylation in human L-132 or SK-MES-1 cells. Pharmacokinetic studies revealed that compound 36b boasts an oral bioavailability exceeding 36%. In a bleomycin-induced fibrosis mouse model, compound 36b significantly reduced STAT3 phosphorylation, resulting in improvement in body weight and reduced collagen deposition, all achieved without significant side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunsun Park
- College of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Seolhee Park
- College of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun Joo Lee
- New Drug Development Center, Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation (DGMIF), Daegu 41061, Republic of Korea
| | - Dayeon Jeong
- College of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee Jin
- College of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Heegyum Moon
- New Drug Development Center, Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation (DGMIF), Daegu 41061, Republic of Korea
| | - Boksik Cha
- New Drug Development Center, Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation (DGMIF), Daegu 41061, Republic of Korea
| | - Dayea Kim
- New Drug Development Center, Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation (DGMIF), Daegu 41061, Republic of Korea
| | - Seonghee Ma
- College of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Wonhyo Seo
- College of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Hee Han
- Central Research Laboratory, KOREA PHARMA Co. Ltd., Jeyakgongdan 3-gil, Hyangnam-eup, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do 16630, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun-Sil Lee
- College of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Soosung Kang
- College of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
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Chen XY, Dong YC, Yu YY, Jiang M, Bu WJ, Li P, Sun ZJ, Dong DL. Anthelmintic nitazoxanide protects against experimental pulmonary fibrosis. Br J Pharmacol 2023; 180:3008-3023. [PMID: 37428102 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Nitazoxanide is a therapeutic anthelmintic drug. Our previous studies found that nitazoxanide and its metabolite tizoxanide activated adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and inhibited signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signals. As AMPK activation and/or STAT3 inhibition are targets for treating pulmonary fibrosis, we hypothesized that nitazoxanide would be effective in experimental pulmonary fibrosis. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH The mitochondrial oxygen consumption rate of cells was measured by using the high-resolution respirometry system Oxygraph-2K. The mitochondrial membrane potential of cells was evaluated by tetramethyl rhodamine methyl ester (TMRM) staining. The target protein levels were measured by using western blotting. The mice pulmonary fibrosis model was established through intratracheal instillation of bleomycin. The examination of the lung tissues changes were carried out using haematoxylin and eosin (H&E), and Masson staining. KEY RESULTS Nitazoxanide and tizoxanide activated AMPK and inhibited STAT3 signalling in human lung fibroblast cells (MRC-5 cells). Nitazoxanide and tizoxanide inhibited transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-induced proliferation and migration of MRC-5 cells, collagen-I and α-smooth muscle cell actin (α-SMA) expression, and collagen-I secretion from MRC-5 cells. Nitazoxanide and tizoxanide inhibited epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and inhibited TGF-β1-induced Smad2/3 activation in mouse lung epithelial cells (MLE-12 cells). Oral administration of nitazoxanide reduced the bleomycin-induced mice pulmonary fibrosis and, in the established bleomycin-induced mice, pulmonary fibrosis. Delayed nitazoxanide treatment attenuated the fibrosis progression. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Nitazoxanide improves the bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice, suggesting a potential application of nitazoxanide for pulmonary fibrosis treatment in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu-Yang Chen
- Department of Pharmacology (The State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Yan-Chao Dong
- Department of Pharmacology (The State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Yuan-Yuan Yu
- Department of Pharmacology (The State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Man Jiang
- Department of Pharmacology (The State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Wen-Jie Bu
- Department of Pharmacology (The State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Ping Li
- Department of Pharmacology (The State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Zhi-Jie Sun
- Department of Pharmacology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - De-Li Dong
- Department of Pharmacology (The State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
- Department of Pharmacology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
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Liang NE, Griffin MF, Berry CE, Parker JB, Downer MA, Wan DC, Longaker MT. Attenuating Chronic Fibrosis: Decreasing Foreign Body Response with Acellular Dermal Matrix. TISSUE ENGINEERING. PART B, REVIEWS 2023; 29:671-680. [PMID: 37212342 DOI: 10.1089/ten.teb.2023.0060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Surgical implants are increasingly used across multiple medical disciplines, with applications ranging from tissue reconstruction to improving compromised organ and limb function. Despite their significant potential for improving health and quality of life, biomaterial implant function is severely limited by the body's immune response to its presence: this is known as the foreign body response (FBR) and is characterized by chronic inflammation and fibrotic capsule formation. This response can result in life-threatening sequelae such as implant malfunction, superimposed infection, and associated vessel thrombosis, in addition to soft tissue disfigurement. Patients may require frequent medical visits, as well as repeated invasive procedures, increasing the burden on an already strained health care system. Currently, the FBR and the cells and molecular mechanisms that mediate it are poorly understood. With applications across a wide array of surgical specialties, acellular dermal matrix (ADM) has emerged as a potential solution to the fibrotic reaction seen with FBR. Although the mechanisms by which ADM decreases chronic fibrosis remain to be clearly characterized, animal studies across diverse surgical models point to its biomimetic properties that facilitate decreased periprosthetic inflammation and improved host cell incorporation. Impact Statement Foreign body response (FBR) is a significant limitation to the use of implantable biomaterials. Acellular dermal matrix (ADM) has been observed to decrease the fibrotic reaction seen with FBR, although its mechanistic details are poorly understood. This review is dedicated to summarizing the primary literature on the biology of FBR in the context of ADM use, using surgical models in breast reconstruction, abdominal and chest wall repair, and pelvic reconstruction. This article will provide readers with an overarching review of shared mechanisms for ADM across multiple surgical models and diverse anatomical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norah E Liang
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Michelle F Griffin
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Charlotte E Berry
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Jennifer B Parker
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Mauricio A Downer
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Derrick C Wan
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Michael T Longaker
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
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Tan M, Wu D, Zhou Y, Duan B. Centella triterpenes cream as a potential drug for the treatment of hypertrophic scar through inhibiting the phosphorylation of STAT3: A network pharmacology analysis and in vitro experiments. J Cosmet Dermatol 2023; 22:3511-3519. [PMID: 37563868 DOI: 10.1111/jocd.15883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hypertrophic scars (HS) often affect the normal function and appearance of the skin and bring adverse effects to the body and mind of patients, being a challenge in the fields of burns and plastic surgery as well as rehabilitation. Despite significant efficacy of centella triterpenes cream for treating HS clinically, its pharmacodynamics and molecular targets are still unclear. Therefore, the network pharmacology analysis combined with in vitro cell molecular biology experiments was used to explore the mechanism and targets of centella triterpenes cream treating HS in this study. METHODS First, target genes of asiaticoside (AC) were obtained from the databases including the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database, similarity ensemble approach, SwissTargetPrediction and TargetNet, and HS targets were acquired from the databases like Disgenet, GeneCards, and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man. The common targets of AC-HS were obtained through plotting a Venn diagram. Subsequently, STRING 11.0 was employed for analyzing the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of the common targets, and cytoscape 3.9.0 for analyzing the connectivity of PPI and plotting the network diagram of "drug-component-target". Additionally, a modified tissue culture method was applied to separate primary normal fibroblasts (NFs) in human skin and hypertrophic scar fibroblasts (HSFs). HSFs after 24-h AC treatment were subjected to MTT assay to detect cell viability, scratch assay to assess cell migration ability, and western blot to test the protein expression levels of STAT3, p-STAT3, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), collagen I (COL 1), fibronectin 1 (FN1), and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). RESULTS In network pharmacology analysis, 134 pharmacodynamic targets of AC and 2333 HS targets were obtained after retrieving the database, 50 AC-HS common targets were obtained by a Venn diagram, and a total of 178 edges and 13 core genes such as JUN and STAT3 were acquired by PPI analysis. In vitro experiments showed that the phosphorylation level of STAT3 (p-STAT3) was increased in HSFs. In addition to reducing p-STAT3 in HSFs, AC significantly inhibited the cell viability and migration of HSFs and downregulated the protein levels of TGF-β1, COL 1, FN 1, and α-SMA. CONCLUSION STAT3 can be activated in HS. AC may exert its pharmacological effects of inhibiting TGF-β1 signal transduction and regulating extracellular matrix remodeling in HS by inhibiting STAT3 phosphorylation. However, the specific molecular mechanism of AC remains to be verified through further experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Tan
- Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei Province, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Dan Wu
- Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei Province, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yanshijing Zhou
- Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei Province, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Bo Duan
- Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei Province, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Arce M, Rodriguez-Peña M, Espinoza-Arrue J, Godoy RA, Reyes M, Kajikawa T, Greenwell-Wild T, Hajishengallis G, Abusleme L, Moutsopoulos N, Dutzan N. Increased STAT3 Activation in Periodontitis Drives Inflammatory Bone Loss. J Dent Res 2023; 102:1366-1375. [PMID: 37697911 DOI: 10.1177/00220345231192381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Periodontitis is one of the most prevalent human inflammatory diseases. It is characterized by periodontal tissue destruction, progressively driven by the host response. In this regard, cytokines associated with tissue destruction, such as interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-23, use a common signaling pathway mediated by STAT3. This transcription factor is also needed for IL-17A production, a key mediator in periodontitis pathogenesis. Although several studies have reported increased activation of STAT3 in experimental periodontitis, a detailed characterization of STAT3 activation in human gingival tissues and its involvement in alveolar bone loss has yet to be explored. Using a cross-sectional study design, we detected increased proportions of pSTAT3-positive cells during periodontitis compared with health, particularly in epithelial cells and T cells. Other cell types of hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic origin also display STAT3 activation in gingival tissues. We detected increased STAT3 phosphorylation and expression of STAT3-related genes during experimental periodontitis. Next, we evaluated the role of STAT3 in alveolar bone destruction using a mouse model of STAT3 loss of function (mut-Stat3 mice). Compared with controls, mut-Stat3 mice had reduced alveolar bone loss following ligature-induced periodontitis. We also evaluated pharmacologic inhibition of STAT3 in ligature-induced periodontitis. Like mut-Stat3 mice, mice treated with STAT3 small-molecule inhibitor had reduced bone loss compared with controls. Our results demonstrate that STAT3 activation is increased in epithelial and T cells during periodontitis and indicate a pathogenic role of STAT3 in inflammatory alveolar bone loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Arce
- Department of Conservative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Laboratory of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - M Rodriguez-Peña
- Laboratory of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - J Espinoza-Arrue
- Laboratory of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - R A Godoy
- Laboratory of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - M Reyes
- Department of Pathology and Oral Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - T Kajikawa
- Department of Periodontology and Endodontology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai, Japan
| | - T Greenwell-Wild
- Oral Immunity and Infection Section, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - G Hajishengallis
- Department of Basic and Translational Sciences, Penn Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - L Abusleme
- Laboratory of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Department of Pathology and Oral Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - N Moutsopoulos
- Oral Immunity and Infection Section, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - N Dutzan
- Department of Conservative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Laboratory of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
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Nelson AR, Christiansen SL, Naegle KM, Saucerman JJ. Logic-based mechanistic machine learning on high-content images reveals how drugs differentially regulate cardiac fibroblasts. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.01.530599. [PMID: 36909540 PMCID: PMC10002757 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.01.530599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Fibroblasts are essential regulators of extracellular matrix deposition following cardiac injury. These cells exhibit highly plastic responses in phenotype during fibrosis in response to environmental stimuli. Here, we test whether and how candidate anti-fibrotic drugs differentially regulate measures of cardiac fibroblast phenotype, which may help identify treatments for cardiac fibrosis. We conducted a high content microscopy screen of human cardiac fibroblasts treated with 13 clinically relevant drugs in the context of TGFβ and/or IL-1β, measuring phenotype across 137 single-cell features. We used the phenotypic data from our high content imaging to train a logic-based mechanistic machine learning model (LogiMML) for fibroblast signaling. The model predicted how pirfenidone and Src inhibitor WH-4-023 reduce actin filament assembly and actin-myosin stress fiber formation, respectively. Validating the LogiMML model prediction that PI3K partially mediates the effects of Src inhibition, we found that PI3K inhibition reduces actin-myosin stress fiber formation and procollagen I production in human cardiac fibroblasts. In this study, we establish a modeling approach combining the strengths of logic-based network models and regularized regression models, apply this approach to predict mechanisms that mediate the differential effects of drugs on fibroblasts, revealing Src inhibition acting via PI3K as a potential therapy for cardiac fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders R. Nelson
- University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22903
| | - Steven L. Christiansen
- University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22903
- Brigham Young University Department of Biochemistry, Provo, UT 84602
| | - Kristen M. Naegle
- University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22903
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Yang H, Cheng H, Dai R, Shang L, Zhang X, Wen H. Macrophage polarization in tissue fibrosis. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16092. [PMID: 37849830 PMCID: PMC10578305 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Fibrosis can occur in all major organs with relentless progress, ultimately leading to organ failure and potentially death. Unfortunately, current clinical treatments cannot prevent or reverse tissue fibrosis. Thus, new and effective antifibrotic therapeutics are urgently needed. In recent years, a growing body of research shows that macrophages are involved in fibrosis. Macrophages are highly heterogeneous, polarizing into different phenotypes. Some studies have found that regulating macrophage polarization can inhibit the development of inflammation and cancer. However, the exact mechanism of macrophage polarization in different tissue fibrosis has not been fully elucidated. This review will discuss the major signaling pathways relevant to macrophage-driven fibrosis and profibrotic macrophage polarization, the role of macrophage polarization in fibrosis of lung, kidney, liver, skin, and heart, potential therapeutics targets, and investigational drugs currently in development, and hopefully, provide a useful review for the future treatment of fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huidan Yang
- Department of Rheumatology, Shanxi Medical University Second Affiliated Hospital, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Hao Cheng
- Department of Rheumatology, Shanxi Medical University Second Affiliated Hospital, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Rongrong Dai
- Department of Rheumatology, Shanxi Medical University Second Affiliated Hospital, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Lili Shang
- Department of Rheumatology, Shanxi Medical University Second Affiliated Hospital, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Xiaoying Zhang
- Department of Rheumatology, Shanxi Medical University Second Affiliated Hospital, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Hongyan Wen
- Department of Rheumatology, Shanxi Medical University Second Affiliated Hospital, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China
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Liu J, Li T, Zhang S, Lu E, Qiao W, Chen H, Liu P, Tang X, Cheng T, Chen H. Proteomic and single-cell analysis shed new light on the anti-inflammatory role of interferonβ in chronic periodontitis. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1232539. [PMID: 37876725 PMCID: PMC10590904 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1232539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Periodontitis, a condition that results in periodontal attachment loss and alveolar bone resorption, contributes to the global burden of oral disease. The underlying mechanism of periodontitis involves the dysbiosis and dyshomeostasis between host and oral microbes, among which the macrophage is one of the major innate immune cell players, producing interferon β (IFNβ) in response to bacterial infection. The objective of this research was to examine the interaction of macrophages with periodontitis and the role and mechanism of IFNβ on macrophages. IFNβ has been shown to have the potential to induce the differentiation of M1 to M2 macrophages, which are stimulated by low levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Additionally, IFNβ has been demonstrated to promote the production of ISG15 by macrophages, which leads to the inhibition of the innate immune response. Moreover, our investigation revealed that IFNβ has the potential to augment the secretion of ISG15 and its downstream cytokine, IL10, in LPS-stimulated macrophages. Single-cell analysis was conducted on the gingival tissues of patients with periodontitis, which revealed a higher proportion of macrophages in the periodontitis-diseased tissue and increased expression of IFNβ, ISG15, and IL10. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis indicated that bacterial infection was associated with upregulation of IFNβ, ISG15, and IL10. Notably, only IL10 has been linked to immunosuppression, indicating that the IFNβ-ISG15-IL10 axis might promote an anti-inflammatory response in periodontitis through IL10 expression. It is also found that macrophage phenotype transitions in periodontitis involve the release of higher levels of IFNβ, ISG15, and IL10 by the anti-inflammatory M2 macrophage phenotype compared to the pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). This implies that the IFNβ-induced production of IL10 might be linked to the M2 macrophage phenotype. Furthermore, cell communication analysis demonstrated that IL10 can promote fibroblast proliferation in periodontal tissues via STAT3 signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jieying Liu
- Department of Medical Research Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Tianle Li
- Faculty of Dentistry, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, China
| | - Shunhao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Eryi Lu
- Department of Stomatology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Qiao
- Faculty of Dentistry, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, China
| | - Huimin Chen
- Faculty of Dentistry, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, China
| | - Peng Liu
- Department of Medical Research Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyue Tang
- Department of Medical Research Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Tianfan Cheng
- Faculty of Dentistry, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, China
| | - Hui Chen
- Faculty of Dentistry, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, China
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Yang C, Lu C, Pan J, Zhao C, Chen Z, Qin F, Wen J, Wei W, Lei L. The role of iTr35 cells in the inflammatory response and fibrosis progression of systemic sclerosis. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2023; 62:3439-3447. [PMID: 36734529 DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/kead053] [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: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the role of induced immunosuppressive T regulatory (iTr) 35 cells in SSc-related inflammation and fibrosis. METHODS Sixty-eight SSc patients were enrolled in this study. Subsets of iTr35 and Tr1 were measured by flow cytometry. IL-35 and IL-10 levels were measured using ELISA. Expressions of iTr35, Tr1, fibrosis-related genes and proteins associated with signalling pathways were determined using immunofluorescence, western blot and immunohistochemistry assays. RESULTS In peripheral blood, the proportions of the iTr35 cells were higher and Tr1 cells were lower than the control group. Similarly, IL-35 expression was increased, while IL-10 levels were decreased. In fibroblasts from skin tissue, the expression levels of EBI3, IL-12Ap35, Foxp3 and IL-10 were decreased, but collagen I, TGF-β, alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and fibronectin levels were increased. Phosphorylated STAT3/6 were increased, but iTr35 and Tr1 cell levels were significantly decreased. When CD4+ cells were incubated with both recombinant human (rh)IL-35 and rhIL-10, the cell numbers of iTr35 and Tr1 were greater than the same type of cells treated with rhIL-35 or rhIL-10 alone. However, the viability of conventional CD4+ T cells was decreased by gradually increasing iTr35 cells. Moreover, iTr35 cells affected α-SMA expression through the STAT3/6 signalling pathway. CONCLUSION Both iTr35 and Tr1 cells are involved in SSc-related inflammation and fibrosis. IL-35 can induce iTr35 cells, showing a synergistic effect with IL-10. We also found that iTr35 cells can inhibit T cell proliferation and differentiation via the STAT3/6 signalling pathway, thereby causing fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenxi Yang
- The Department of Rheumatology, Guangxi Medical University First Affiliated Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi Province, China
| | - Chunxiu Lu
- The Department of Rheumatology, Guangxi Medical University First Affiliated Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi Province, China
| | - Jie Pan
- The Department of Rheumatology, Guangxi Medical University First Affiliated Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi Province, China
| | - Cheng Zhao
- The Department of Rheumatology, Guangxi Medical University First Affiliated Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi Province, China
| | - Zhanrui Chen
- The Department of Rheumatology, Guangxi Medical University First Affiliated Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi Province, China
| | - Fang Qin
- The Department of Rheumatology, Guangxi Medical University First Affiliated Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi Province, China
| | - Jing Wen
- The Department of Rheumatology, Guangxi Medical University First Affiliated Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi Province, China
| | - Wanling Wei
- The Department of Rheumatology, Guangxi Medical University First Affiliated Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi Province, China
| | - Ling Lei
- The Department of Rheumatology, Guangxi Medical University First Affiliated Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi Province, China
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Kim Y, Yang HI, Kim KS. Etiology and Pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis-Interstitial Lung Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14509. [PMID: 37833957 PMCID: PMC10572849 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914509] [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: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is one of the most serious extra-articular complications of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which increases the mortality of RA. Because the pathogenesis of RA-ILD remains poorly understood, appropriate therapeutic strategies and biomarkers have not yet been identified. Thus, the goal of this review was to summarize and analyze the reported data on the etiology and pathogenesis of RA-ILD. The incidence of RA-ILD increases with age, and is also generally higher in men than in women and in patients with specific genetic variations and ethnicity. Lifestyle factors associated with an increased risk of RA-ILD include smoking and exposure to pollutants. The presence of an anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody, high RA disease activity, and rheumatoid factor positivity also increase the risk of RA-ILD. We also explored the roles of biological processes (e.g., fibroblast-myofibroblast transition, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and immunological processes), signaling pathways (e.g., JAK/STAT and PI3K/Akt), and the histopathology of RA involved in RA-ILD pathogenesis based on published preclinical and clinical models of RA-ILD in animal and human studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yerin Kim
- Department of Medicine, Catholic Kwandong University College of Medicine, Gangneung 25601, Republic of Korea;
| | - Hyung-In Yang
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Seoul 05278, Republic of Korea;
| | - Kyoung-Soo Kim
- East-West Bone & Joint Disease Research Institute, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Seoul 05278, Republic of Korea
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
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Bala S, Zhuang Y, Nagesh PT, Catalano D, Zivny A, Wang Y, Xie J, Gao G, Szabo G. Therapeutic inhibition of miR-155 attenuates liver fibrosis via STAT3 signaling. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2023; 33:413-427. [PMID: 37547286 PMCID: PMC10403732 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2023.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Most chronic liver diseases progress to liver fibrosis, which, when left untreated, can lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. MicroRNA (miRNA)-targeted therapeutics have become attractive approaches to treat diseases. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effect of miR-155 inhibition in the bile duct ligation (BDL) mouse model of liver fibrosis and evaluated the role of miR-155 in chronic liver fibrosis using miR-155-deficient (miR-155 knockout [KO]) mice. We found increased hepatic miR-155 expression in patients with cirrhosis and in the BDL- and CCl4-induced mouse models of liver fibrosis. Liver fibrosis was significantly reduced in miR-155 KO mice after CCl4 administration or BDL. To assess the therapeutic potential of miR-155 inhibition, we administered an rAAV8-anti-miR-155 tough decoy in vivo that significantly reduced liver damage and fibrosis in BDL. BDL-induced protein levels of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), p-SMAD2/3, and p-STAT3 were attenuated in anti-miR-155-treated compared with control mice. Hepatic stellate cells from miR-155 KO mice showed attenuation in activation and mesenchymal marker expression. In vitro, miR-155 gain- and loss-of-function studies revealed that miR-155 regulates activation of stellate cells partly via STAT3 signaling. Our study suggests that miR-155 is the key regulator of liver fibrosis and might be a potential therapeutic target to attenuate fibrosis progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shashi Bala
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Yuan Zhuang
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | | | - Donna Catalano
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Adam Zivny
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Yanbo Wang
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Jun Xie
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 368 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Guangping Gao
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 368 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Gyongyi Szabo
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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Steffen D, Avey A, Mienaltowski MJ, Baar K. The rat Achilles and patellar tendons have similar increases in mechanical properties but become transcriptionally divergent during postnatal development. J Physiol 2023; 601:3869-3884. [PMID: 37493407 DOI: 10.1113/jp284393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The molecular events that drive post-natal tendon development are poorly characterized. In this study, we profiled morphological, mechanical, and transcriptional changes in the rat Achilles and patellar tendon before walking (P7), shortly after onset of walking (P14), and at motor maturity (P28). The Achilles and patellar tendons increased collagen content and mechanical strength similarly throughout post-natal development. However, at P28 the patellar tendon tended to display a higher maximal tensile load (MTL) (P = 0.0524) than the Achilles tendon, but a similar ultimate tensile strength (UTS; load relative to cross-sectional area) probably due to its increased cross-sectional area during development. The tendons started transcriptionally similar, with overlapping PCA clusters at P7 and P14, before becoming transcriptionally distinct at P28. In both tendons, there was an increase in extracellular matrix (ECM) gene expression and a concomitant decrease in cell cycle and mitochondrial gene expression. The transcriptional divergence at P28 suggested that STAT signalling was lower in the patellar tendon where MTL increased the most. Treating engineered human ligaments with the STAT inhibitor itacitinib increased collagen content and MTL. Our results suggest that during post-natal development, cellular resources are initially allocated towards cell proliferation before shifting towards extracellular matrix development following the onset of mechanical load and provide potential targets for improving tendon function. KEY POINTS: Little is known about mechanisms of post-natal tendon growth. We characterized morphological, mechanical, and transcriptional changes that occur before (P7), and early (P14) and late after (P28) rats begin to walk. From P7 to P28, the Achilles tendon increased in length, whereas the patellar tendon increased in cross-sectional area. Mechanical and material properties of the Achilles and patellar tendon increased from P7 to P28. From P7 to P28, the Achilles and patellar tendons increased expression of ECM genes and decreased mitochondrial and cell cycle gene expression. Ribosomal gene expression also significantly decreased in the Achilles and tended to decrease in the patellar tendon. At P28, STAT1 signalling tended to be lower in the patellar tendon which had grown by increasing cross-sectional area and inhibiting STAT activation in vitro improved mechanical properties in engineered human ligaments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Steffen
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology & Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Alec Avey
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology & Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | - Keith Baar
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology & Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- VA Northern California Health Care System, Mather, CA, USA
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Oh K, Yoo YJ, Torre-Healy LA, Rao M, Fassler D, Wang P, Caponegro M, Gao M, Kim J, Sasson A, Georgakis G, Powers S, Moffitt RA. Coordinated single-cell tumor microenvironment dynamics reinforce pancreatic cancer subtype. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5226. [PMID: 37633924 PMCID: PMC10460409 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40895-6] [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: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Bulk analyses of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) samples are complicated by the tumor microenvironment (TME), i.e. signals from fibroblasts, endocrine, exocrine, and immune cells. Despite this, we and others have established tumor and stroma subtypes with prognostic significance. However, understanding of underlying signals driving distinct immune and stromal landscapes is still incomplete. Here we integrate 92 single cell RNA-seq samples from seven independent studies to build a reproducible PDAC atlas with a focus on tumor-TME interdependence. Patients with activated stroma are synonymous with higher myofibroblastic and immunogenic fibroblasts, and furthermore show increased M2-like macrophages and regulatory T-cells. Contrastingly, patients with 'normal' stroma show M1-like recruitment, elevated effector and exhausted T-cells. To aid interoperability of future studies, we provide a pretrained cell type classifier and an atlas of subtype-based signaling factors that we also validate in mouse data. Ultimately, this work leverages the heterogeneity among single-cell studies to create a comprehensive view of the orchestra of signaling interactions governing PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ki Oh
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Yun Jae Yoo
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Luke A Torre-Healy
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Manisha Rao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
- Department of Pathology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Danielle Fassler
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Pei Wang
- Department of Cell Systems & Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Michael Caponegro
- Department of Pharmacology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Mei Gao
- Department of Surgery, University of Kentucky and Markey Cancer Center, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Joseph Kim
- Department of Surgery, University of Kentucky and Markey Cancer Center, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Aaron Sasson
- Department of Surgery, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
- Stony Brook Cancer Center, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Georgios Georgakis
- Department of Surgery, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
- Stony Brook Cancer Center, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Scott Powers
- Department of Pathology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
- Stony Brook Cancer Center, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Richard A Moffitt
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA.
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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Li Y, Zhao J, Yin Y, Zhang C, Zhang Z, Zheng Y. The Role of STAT3 Signaling Pathway Activation in Subconjunctival Scar Formation after Glaucoma Filtration Surgery. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12210. [PMID: 37569586 PMCID: PMC10419097 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241512210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Scar formation resulting from overly active wound healing is a critical factor in the success rate of glaucoma filtration surgery (GFS). IL-6 and TGF-β have been implicated in the pathogenesis of fibrogenesis. In addition, the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) can be activated by numerous cytokines and growth factors, including IL-6 and TGF-β1. Thus, STAT3 activation may integrate common profibrotic pathways to promote fibrosis. In this study, an increase in p-STAT3 was observed in activated HTFs. Inhibiting STAT3 in cultured HTFs by pharmacological inactivation reversed the fibrotic responses, such as fibroblast migration, the differentiation of resting fibroblasts into myofibroblasts and the deposition of ECM, mediated by IL-6 and TGF-β1. Moreover, the expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) was decreased in HTFs cultured with IL-6 and TGF-β1, and SOCS3 overexpression rescued ECM deposition, α-SMA expression and migration in IL-6- and TGF-β1-stimulated HTFs by inactivating STAT3. Finally, S3I-201 treatment inhibited profibrotic gene expression and subconjunctival fibrosis in a rat model of GFS. In conclusion, our data suggests that STAT3 plays a central role in fibrosis induced by different profibrotic pathways and that STAT3 is a potential target for antifibrotic therapies following GFS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Yajuan Zheng
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun 130041, China; (Y.L.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (C.Z.); (Z.Z.)
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Kore RA, Jenkins SV, Jamshidi-Parsian A, Tackett AJ, Griffin RJ, Ayyadevara S, Mehta JL. Proteomic analysis of transcription factors involved in the alteration of ischemic mouse heart as modulated by MSC exosomes. Biochem Biophys Rep 2023; 34:101463. [PMID: 37125076 PMCID: PMC10130341 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2023.101463] [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: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) exosomes have been found to attenuate cardiac systolic and diastolic dysfunction in animal models of ischemia. Exosomes carry a plethora of active and inactive proteins as their cargo, which are readily available to the recipient cell for use in intracellular signaling pathways-depending on the stresses, such as ischemia or hypoxia. Among the exosomal proteins are the often-overlooked cargo of transcriptional regulators. These transcriptional regulators influence the transcriptome and subsequently the proteome of recipient cell. Here, we report the transcriptional factors and regulators differentially modulated and their potential role in modulating cardiac function in MSC exosome treated ischemic mice hearts. Our analysis shows ischemic stress modulating transcriptional regulators and factors such as HSF1 and HIF1A in the infarct and peri-infarct areas of ischemic hearts which is mitigated by MSC exosomes. Similarly, STAT3 and SMAD3 are also modulated by MSC exosomes. Interestingly, NOTCH1 and β-catenin were detected in the ischemic hearts. The differential expression of these regulators and factors drives changes in various biological process governed in the ischemic cardiac cells. We believe these studies will advance our understanding of cardiac dysfunction occurring in the ischemic hearts and lay the groundwork for further studies on the modulation of cardiac function during ischemia by MSC exosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajshekhar A. Kore
- Division of Cardiology, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA
- Corresponding author.
| | - Samir V. Jenkins
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA
| | - Azemat Jamshidi-Parsian
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA
| | - Alan J. Tackett
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA
| | - Robert J. Griffin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA
| | - Srinivas Ayyadevara
- Department of Geriatrics, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA
| | - Jawahar L. Mehta
- Division of Cardiology, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA
- Corresponding author.
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Hong SY, Lu YT, Chen SY, Hsu CF, Lu YC, Wang CY, Huang KL. Targeting pathogenic macrophages by the application of SHP-1 agonists reduces inflammation and alleviates pulmonary fibrosis. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:352. [PMID: 37291088 PMCID: PMC10249559 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-05876-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive fibrotic disorder with no cure that is characterized by deterioration of lung function. Current FDA-approved drugs for IPF delay the decline in lung function, but neither reverse fibrosis nor significantly improve overall survival. SHP-1 deficiency results in hyperactive alveolar macrophages accumulating in the lung, which contribute to the induction of pulmonary fibrosis. Herein, we investigated whether employing a SHP-1 agonist ameliorates pulmonary fibrosis in a bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis murine model. Histological examination and micro-computed tomography images showed that SHP-1 agonist treatment alleviates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Reduced alveolar hemorrhage, lung inflammation, and collagen deposition, as well as enhanced alveolar space, lung capacity, and improved overall survival were observed in mice administered the SHP-1 agonist. The percentage of macrophages collected from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and circulating monocytes in bleomycin-instilled mice were also significantly reduced by SHP-1 agonist treatment, suggesting that the SHP-1 agonist may alleviate pulmonary fibrosis by targeting macrophages and reshaping the immunofibrotic niche. In human monocyte-derived macrophages, SHP-1 agonist treatment downregulated CSF1R expression and inactivated STAT3/NFκB signaling, culminating in inhibited macrophage survival and perturbed macrophage polarization. The expression of pro-fibrotic markers (e.g., MRC1, CD200R1, and FN1) by IL4/IL13-induced M2 macrophages that rely on CSF1R signaling for their fate-determination was restricted by SHP-1 agonist treatment. While M2-derived medium promoted the expression of fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition markers (e.g., ACTA2 and COL3A1), the application of SHP-1 agonist reversed the transition in a dose-dependent manner. Our report indicates that pharmacological activation of SHP-1 ameliorates pulmonary fibrosis via suppression of CSF1R signaling in macrophages, reduction of pathogenic macrophages, and the inhibition of fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition. Our study thus identifies SHP-1 as a druggable target for the treatment of IPF, and suggests that the SHP-1 agonist may be developed as an anti-pulmonary fibrosis medication that both suppresses inflammation and restrains fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiao-Ya Hong
- Department of Biotechnology and Laboratory Science in Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, 11221, Taiwan
- Medical Research Center, Cardinal Tien Hospital, New Taipei, 23148, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Ting Lu
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Yu Chen
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan
| | - Chiung-Fang Hsu
- Department of Biotechnology and Laboratory Science in Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, 11221, Taiwan
- Medical Research Center, Cardinal Tien Hospital, New Taipei, 23148, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chun Lu
- Medical Research Center, Cardinal Tien Hospital, New Taipei, 23148, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Yi Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cardinal Tien Hospital and School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei, 23148, Taiwan.
| | - Kun-Lun Huang
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, 11490, Taiwan.
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, 11490, Taiwan.
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Bonente D, Bianchi L, De Salvo R, Nicoletti C, De Benedetto E, Bacci T, Bini L, Inzalaco G, Franci L, Chiariello M, Tosi GM, Bertelli E, Barone V. Co-Expression of Podoplanin and CD44 in Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy Epiretinal Membranes. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119728. [PMID: 37298679 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Epiretinal membranes (ERMs) are sheets of tissue that pathologically develop in the vitreoretinal interface leading to progressive vision loss. They are formed by different cell types and by an exuberant deposition of extracellular matrix proteins. Recently, we reviewed ERMs' extracellular matrix components to better understand molecular dysfunctions that trigger and fuel the onset and development of this disease. The bioinformatics approach we applied delineated a comprehensive overview on this fibrocellular tissue and on critical proteins that could really impact ERM physiopathology. Our interactomic analysis proposed the hyaluronic-acid-receptor cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) as a central regulator of ERM aberrant dynamics and progression. Interestingly, the interaction between CD44 and podoplanin (PDPN) was shown to promote directional migration in epithelial cells. PDPN is a glycoprotein overexpressed in various cancers and a growing body of evidence indicates its relevant function in several fibrotic and inflammatory pathologies. The binding of PDPN to partner proteins and/or its ligand results in the modulation of signaling pathways regulating proliferation, contractility, migration, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and extracellular matrix remodeling, all processes that are vital in ERM formation. In this context, the understanding of the PDPN role can help to modulate signaling during fibrosis, hence opening a new line of therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Bonente
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via A. Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Via A. Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Laura Bianchi
- Section of Functional Proteomics, Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via A. Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Rossana De Salvo
- Section of Functional Proteomics, Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via A. Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Claudio Nicoletti
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Via A. Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Elena De Benedetto
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Viale Mario Bracci 16, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Tommaso Bacci
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Viale Mario Bracci 16, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Luca Bini
- Section of Functional Proteomics, Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via A. Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Giovanni Inzalaco
- Core Research Laboratory (CRL), Istituto per lo Studio, la Prevenzione e la Rete Oncologica (ISPRO), Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy
- Istituto di Fisiologia Clinica (IFC), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Viale Mario Bracci 16, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Franci
- Core Research Laboratory (CRL), Istituto per lo Studio, la Prevenzione e la Rete Oncologica (ISPRO), Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy
- Istituto di Fisiologia Clinica (IFC), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Mario Chiariello
- Core Research Laboratory (CRL), Istituto per lo Studio, la Prevenzione e la Rete Oncologica (ISPRO), Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy
- Istituto di Fisiologia Clinica (IFC), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Gian Marco Tosi
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Viale Mario Bracci 16, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Eugenio Bertelli
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Via A. Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Virginia Barone
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Via A. Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
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Lescoat A, Roofeh D, Kuwana M, Lafyatis R, Allanore Y, Khanna D. Therapeutic Approaches to Systemic Sclerosis: Recent Approvals and Future Candidate Therapies. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol 2023; 64:239-261. [PMID: 34468946 PMCID: PMC9034469 DOI: 10.1007/s12016-021-08891-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis is the rheumatic disease with the highest individual mortality. The severity of the disease is determined by the extent of fibrotic changes to cutaneous and internal organ tissues, the most life-threatening visceral manifestations being interstitial lung disease, SSc-associated-pulmonary arterial hypertension and myocardial involvement. The heterogeneity of the disease has initially hindered the design of successful clinical trials, but considerations on classification criteria have improved patient selection in trials, allowing the identification of more homogeneous groups of patients based on progressive visceral manifestations or the extent of skin involvement with a focus of patients with early disease. Two major subsets of systemic sclerosis are classically described: limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis characterized by distal skin fibrosis and the diffuse subset with distal and proximal skin thickening. Beyond this dichotomic subgrouping of systemic sclerosis, new phenotypic considerations based on antibody subtypes have provided a better understanding of the heterogeneity of the disease, anti-Scl70 antibodies being associated with progressive interstitial lung disease regardless of cutaneous involvement. Two targeted therapies, tocilizumab (a monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-6 receptors (IL-6R)) and nintedanib (a tyrosine kinase inhibitor), have recently been approved by the American Food & Drug Administration to limit the decline of lung function in patients with SSc-associated interstitial lung disease, demonstrating that such better understanding of the disease pathogenesis with the identification of key targets can lead to therapeutic advances in the management of some visceral manifestations of the disease. This review will provide a brief overview of the pathogenesis of SSc and will present a selection of therapies recently approved or evaluated in this context. Therapies evaluated and approved in SSc-ILD will be emphasized and a review of recent phase II trials in diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis will be proposed. We will also discuss selected therapeutic pathways currently under investigation in systemic sclerosis that still lack clinical data in this context but that may show promising results in the future based on preclinical data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alain Lescoat
- Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Immunology, Rennes University Hospital, Rennes, France
- Univ Rennes, CHU Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail) - UMR_S 1085, Rennes, France
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Michigan Scleroderma Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - David Roofeh
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Michigan Scleroderma Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Masataka Kuwana
- Department of Allergy and Rheumatology, Nippon Medical School Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Robert Lafyatis
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Yannick Allanore
- INSERM U1016 and CNRS UMR8104, Institut Cochin, Paris, France
- Université de Paris, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France
- Service de Rhumatologie, Hôpital Cochin, AP-HP.CUP, Paris, France
| | - Dinesh Khanna
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
- Michigan Scleroderma Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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Oliveira-Santos A, Dagda M, Wittmann J, Smalley R, Burkin DJ. Vemurafenib improves muscle histopathology in a mouse model of LAMA2-related congenital muscular dystrophy. Dis Model Mech 2023; 16:dmm049916. [PMID: 37021539 PMCID: PMC10184677 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Laminin-α2-related congenital muscular dystrophy (LAMA2-CMD) is a neuromuscular disease affecting around 1-9 in 1,000,000 children. LAMA2-CMD is caused by mutations in the LAMA2 gene resulting in the loss of laminin-211/221 heterotrimers in skeletal muscle. LAMA2-CMD patients exhibit severe hypotonia and progressive muscle weakness. Currently, there is no effective treatment for LAMA2-CMD and patients die prematurely. The loss of laminin-α2 results in muscle degeneration, defective muscle repair and dysregulation of multiple signaling pathways. Signaling pathways that regulate muscle metabolism, survival and fibrosis have been shown to be dysregulated in LAMA2-CMD. As vemurafenib is a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved serine/threonine kinase inhibitor, we investigated whether vemurafenib could restore some of the serine/threonine kinase-related signaling pathways and prevent disease progression in the dyW-/- mouse model of LAMA2-CMD. Our results show that vemurafenib reduced muscle fibrosis, increased myofiber size and reduced the percentage of fibers with centrally located nuclei in dyW-/- mouse hindlimbs. These studies show that treatment with vemurafenib restored the TGF-β/SMAD3 and mTORC1/p70S6K signaling pathways in skeletal muscle. Together, our results indicate that vemurafenib partially improves histopathology but does not improve muscle function in a mouse model of LAMA2-CMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariany Oliveira-Santos
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Nevada Reno, School of Medicine, Center for Molecular Medicine, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Marisela Dagda
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Nevada Reno, School of Medicine, Center for Molecular Medicine, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Jennifer Wittmann
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Nevada Reno, School of Medicine, Center for Molecular Medicine, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Robert Smalley
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Nevada Reno, School of Medicine, Center for Molecular Medicine, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Dean J. Burkin
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Nevada Reno, School of Medicine, Center for Molecular Medicine, Reno, NV 89557, USA
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Li JM, Chang WH, Li L, Yang DC, Hsu SW, Kenyon NJ, Chen CH. Inositol possesses antifibrotic activity and mitigates pulmonary fibrosis. Respir Res 2023; 24:132. [PMID: 37194070 PMCID: PMC10189934 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-023-02421-6] [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: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Myo-inositol (or inositol) and its derivatives not only function as important metabolites for multiple cellular processes but also act as co-factors and second messengers in signaling pathways. Although inositol supplementation has been widely studied in various clinical trials, little is known about its effect on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Recent studies have demonstrated that IPF lung fibroblasts display arginine dependency due to loss of argininosuccinate synthase 1 (ASS1). However, the metabolic mechanisms underlying ASS1 deficiency and its functional consequence in fibrogenic processes are yet to be elucidated. METHODS Metabolites extracted from primary lung fibroblasts with different ASS1 status were subjected to untargeted metabolomics analysis. An association of ASS1 deficiency with inositol and its signaling in lung fibroblasts was assessed using molecular biology assays. The therapeutic potential of inositol supplementation in fibroblast phenotypes and lung fibrosis was evaluated in cell-based studies and a bleomycin animal model, respectively. RESULTS Our metabolomics studies showed that ASS1-deficient lung fibroblasts derived from IPF patients had significantly altered inositol phosphate metabolism. We observed that decreased inositol-4-monophosphate abundance and increased inositol abundance were associated with ASS1 expression in fibroblasts. Furthermore, genetic knockdown of ASS1 expression in primary normal lung fibroblasts led to the activation of inositol-mediated signalosomes, including EGFR and PKC signaling. Treatment with inositol significantly downregulated ASS1 deficiency-mediated signaling pathways and reduced cell invasiveness in IPF lung fibroblasts. Notably, inositol supplementation also mitigated bleomycin-induced fibrotic lesions and collagen deposition in mice. CONCLUSION These findings taken together demonstrate a novel function of inositol in fibrometabolism and pulmonary fibrosis. Our study provides new evidence for the antifibrotic activity of this metabolite and suggests that inositol supplementation may be a promising therapeutic strategy for IPF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Min Li
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Wen-Hsin Chang
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Linhui Li
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - David C Yang
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Ssu-Wei Hsu
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Nicholas J Kenyon
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Ching-Hsien Chen
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
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Niknam B, Baghaei K, Mahmoud Hashemi S, Hatami B, Reza Zali M, Amani D. Human Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells derived-exosomes enriched by miR-124 promote an anti-fibrotic response in an experimental model of liver fibrosis. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 119:110294. [PMID: 37167639 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110294] [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: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Liver fibrosis is a significant challenge to global health that results in organ failure through inflammation and the release of fibrotic biomarkers. Due to the lack of effective treatments for liver fibrosis, anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory therapies are being developed. Since there has been an association between aberrant expression of miR-124 and liver disease progression, we investigated whether delivery of miR-124 through human Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells derived-exosomes (hWJMSC-Exo) can improve liver fibrosis. METHODS We established a 6-week carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced mouse model of liver fibrosis, then we administered hWJMSC-Exo and miR-124-3p-enriched exosomes (ExomiR-124) for three weeks. The extent of fibrosis and inflammation was assessed by histology, biochemistry, Real-time PCR, immunohistochemistry, and Enzyme-linked immunoassays (ELISA). The inflammatory status of the spleen was also investigated using flow cytometry. RESULTS Based on the gene and protein expression measurement of IL-6, IL-17, TGF-β, STAT3, α-SMA, and COL1, In vivo administration of Exo and ExomiR-124 effectively reduce collagen accumulation and inhibition of inflammation. Regarding histopathology findings, the therapeutic effect of ExomiR-124 against liver fibrosis was significantly greater than hWJMSC-Exo. In addition, we found that Exo and ExomiR-124 was capable of phenotype switching of splenic monocytes from inflammatory Ly6Chi to restorative Ly6Clo. CONCLUSIONS MSC-derived exosomes demonstrated anti-inflammatory effect via different aspects. Aside from the therapeutic approach, enrichment of exosomes as a nanocarrier by miR-124 revealed the down-regulation of STAT3, which plays a crucial role in liver fibrosis. The anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties of ExomiR-124 could be a promising option in liver fibrosis combination therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bahare Niknam
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kaveh Baghaei
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Basic and Molecular Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Mahmoud Hashemi
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Medical Nanotechnology and Tissue Engineering Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Behzad Hatami
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Zali
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Davar Amani
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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