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Fukasawa T, Yoshizaki-Ogawa A, Enomoto A, Yamashita T, Miyagawa K, Sato S, Yoshizaki A. Single cell analysis in systemic sclerosis - A systematic review. Immunol Med 2024; 47:118-129. [PMID: 38818750 DOI: 10.1080/25785826.2024.2360690] [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: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
In recent years, rapid advances in research methods have made single cell analysis possible. Systemic sclerosis (SSc), a disease characterized by the triad of immune abnormalities, fibrosis, and vasculopathy, has also been the subject of various analyses. To summarize the results of single cell analysis in SSc accumulated to date and to deepen our understanding of SSc. Four databases were used to perform a database search on 23rd June 2023. Assessed Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation certainty of evidence were performed according to PRISMA guidelines. The analysis was completed on July 2023. 17 studies with 358 SSc patients were included. Three studies used PBMCs, six used skin, nine used lung with SSc-interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), and one used lung with SSc-pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The cells studied included immune cells such as T cells, natural killer cells, monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells, as well as endothelial cells, fibroblasts, keratinocytes, alveolar type I cells, basal epithelial cells, smooth muscle cells, mesothelial cells, etc. This systematic review revealed the results of single cell analysis, suggesting that PBMCs, skin, SSc-ILD, and SSc-PAH show activation and dysfunction of cells associated with immune-abnormalities, fibrosis, and vasculopathy, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takemichi Fukasawa
- Department of Dermatology, Systemic sclerosis center, The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Clinical Cannabinoid Research, The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Asako Yoshizaki-Ogawa
- Department of Dermatology, Systemic sclerosis center, The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsushi Enomoto
- Laboratory of Molecular Radiology, Center for Disease Biology and Integrative Medicine, The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takashi Yamashita
- Department of Dermatology, Systemic sclerosis center, The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kiyoshi Miyagawa
- Laboratory of Molecular Radiology, Center for Disease Biology and Integrative Medicine, The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinichi Sato
- Department of Dermatology, Systemic sclerosis center, The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ayumi Yoshizaki
- Department of Dermatology, Systemic sclerosis center, The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Clinical Cannabinoid Research, The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
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2
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Yang L, Wei X, Sun P, Wang J, Zhou X, Zhang X, Luo W, Zhou Y, Zhang W, Fang S, Chao J. Deciphering the spatial organization of fibrotic microenvironment in silica particles-induced pulmonary fibrosis. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 478:135540. [PMID: 39178783 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2024] [Revised: 07/24/2024] [Accepted: 08/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/26/2024]
Abstract
Silicosis represents a form of interstitial lung disease induced by the inhalation of silica particles in production environments. A key pathological characteristic of silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis is its localized tissue heterogeneity, which presents significant challenges in analyzing transcriptomic data due to the loss of important spatial context. To address this, we integrate spatial gene expression data with single-cell analyses and achieve a detailed mapping of cell types within and surrounding fibrotic regions, revealing significant shifts in cell populations in normal and diseased states. Additionally, we explore cell interactions within fibrotic zones using ligand-receptor mapping, deepening our understanding of cellular dynamics in these areas. We identify a subset of fibroblasts, termed Inmt fibroblasts, that play a suppressive role in the fibrotic microenvironment. Validating our findings through a comprehensive suite of bioinformatics, histological, and cell culture studies highlights the role of monocyte-derived macrophages in shifting Inmt fibroblast populations into profibrotic Grem1 fibroblast, potentially disrupting lung homeostasis in response to external challenges. Hence, the spatially detailed deconvolution offered by our research markedly advances the comprehension of cell dynamics and environmental interactions pivotal in the development of pulmonary fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliang Yang
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China
| | - Xinyan Wei
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China
| | - Piaopiao Sun
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China
| | - Xinbei Zhou
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China
| | - Xinxin Zhang
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China
| | - Wei Luo
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China; School of Medicine, Xizang Minzu University, Xianyang, Shanxi 712082, China
| | - Yun Zhou
- Department of Health Management, School of Health Science, West Yunnan University of Applied Sciences, Dali, Yunnan 671000 China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China
| | - Shencun Fang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Nanjing Chest hospital, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, China.
| | - Jie Chao
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China; School of Medicine, Xizang Minzu University, Xianyang, Shanxi 712082, China.
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3
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Yang Y, Chen X, Pan J, Ning H, Zhang Y, Bo Y, Ren X, Li J, Qin S, Wang D, Chen MM, Zhang Z. Pan-cancer single-cell dissection reveals phenotypically distinct B cell subtypes. Cell 2024; 187:4790-4811.e22. [PMID: 39047727 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.06.038] [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: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Characterizing the compositional and phenotypic characteristics of tumor-infiltrating B cells (TIBs) is important for advancing our understanding of their role in cancer development. Here, we establish a comprehensive resource of human B cells by integrating single-cell RNA sequencing data of B cells from 649 patients across 19 major cancer types. We demonstrate substantial heterogeneity in their total abundance and subtype composition and observe immunoglobulin G (IgG)-skewness of antibody-secreting cell isotypes. Moreover, we identify stress-response memory B cells and tumor-associated atypical B cells (TAABs), two tumor-enriched subpopulations with prognostic potential, shared in a pan-cancer manner. In particular, TAABs, characterized by a high clonal expansion level and proliferative capacity as well as by close interactions with activated CD4 T cells in tumors, are predictive of immunotherapy response. Our integrative resource depicts distinct clinically relevant TIB subsets, laying a foundation for further exploration of functional commonality and diversity of B cells in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Yang
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, and School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xueyan Chen
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, and School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jieying Pan
- Institute of Cancer Research, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518132, China
| | - Huiheng Ning
- Institute of Cancer Research, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518132, China
| | - Yaojun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Yufei Bo
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, and School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xianwen Ren
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, and School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jiesheng Li
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, and School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Shishang Qin
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, and School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Dongfang Wang
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, and School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| | - Min-Min Chen
- Institute of Cancer Research, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518132, China.
| | - Zemin Zhang
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, and School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
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4
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Rudman-Melnick V, Vanhoutte D, Stowers K, Sargent M, Adam M, Ma Q, Perl AKT, Miethke AG, Burg A, Shi T, Hildeman DA, Woodle ESS, Kofron JM, Devarajan P. Gucy1α1 specifically marks kidney, heart, lung and liver fibroblasts. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4746078. [PMID: 39184103 PMCID: PMC11343171 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4746078/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
Fibrosis is a common outcome of numerous pathologies, including chronic kidney disease (CKD), a progressive renal function deterioration. Current approaches to target activated fibroblasts, key effector contributors to fibrotic tissue remodeling, lack specificity. Here, we report Gucy1α1 as a specific kidney fibroblast marker. Gucy1α1 levels significantly increased over the course of two clinically relevant murine CKD models and directly correlated with established fibrosis markers. Immunofluorescent (IF) imaging showed that Gucy1α1 comprehensively labelled cortical and medullary quiescent and activated fibroblasts in the control kidney and throughout injury progression, respectively. Unlike traditionally used markers platelet derived growth factor receptor beta (Pdgfrβ) and vimentin (Vim), Gucy1α1 did not overlap with off-target populations such as podocytes. Notably, Gucy1α1 labelled kidney fibroblasts in both male and female mice. Furthermore, we observed elevated GUCY1α1 expression in the human fibrotic kidney and lung. Studies in the murine models of cardiac and liver fibrosis revealed Gucy1α1 elevation in activated Pdgfrβ-, Vim- and alpha smooth muscle actin (αSma)-expressing fibroblasts paralleling injury progression and resolution. Overall, we demonstrate Gucy1α1 as an exclusive fibroblast marker in both sexes. Due to its multiorgan translational potential, GUCY1α1 might provide a novel promising strategy to specifically target and mechanistically examine fibroblasts.
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5
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Adegunsoye A, Kropski JA, Behr J, Blackwell TS, Corte TJ, Cottin V, Glanville AR, Glassberg MK, Griese M, Hunninghake GM, Johannson KA, Keane MP, Kim JS, Kolb M, Maher TM, Oldham JM, Podolanczuk AJ, Rosas IO, Martinez FJ, Noth I, Schwartz DA. Genetics and Genomics of Pulmonary Fibrosis: Charting the Molecular Landscape and Shaping Precision Medicine. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2024; 210:401-423. [PMID: 38573068 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202401-0238so] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent genetic and genomic advancements have elucidated the complex etiology of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and other progressive fibrotic interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), emphasizing the contribution of heritable factors. This state-of-the-art review synthesizes evidence on significant genetic contributors to pulmonary fibrosis (PF), including rare genetic variants and common SNPs. The MUC5B promoter variant is unusual, a common SNP that markedly elevates the risk of early and established PF. We address the utility of genetic variation in enhancing understanding of disease pathogenesis and clinical phenotypes, improving disease definitions, and informing prognosis and treatment response. Critical research gaps are highlighted, particularly the underrepresentation of non-European ancestries in PF genetic studies and the exploration of PF phenotypes beyond usual interstitial pneumonia/IPF. We discuss the role of telomere length, often critically short in PF, and its link to progression and mortality, underscoring the genetic complexity involving telomere biology genes (TERT, TERC) and others like SFTPC and MUC5B. In addition, we address the potential of gene-by-environment interactions to modulate disease manifestation, advocating for precision medicine in PF. Insights from gene expression profiling studies and multiomic analyses highlight the promise for understanding disease pathogenesis and offer new approaches to clinical care, therapeutic drug development, and biomarker discovery. Finally, we discuss the ethical, legal, and social implications of genomic research and therapies in PF, stressing the need for sound practices and informed clinical genetic discussions. Looking forward, we advocate for comprehensive genetic testing panels and polygenic risk scores to improve the management of PF and related ILDs across diverse populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayodeji Adegunsoye
- Pulmonary/Critical Care, and
- Committee on Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacogenomics, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Jonathan A Kropski
- Division of Allergy, Pulmonary, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Juergen Behr
- Department of Medicine V, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center Munich, member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Munich, Germany
| | - Timothy S Blackwell
- Division of Allergy, Pulmonary, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Tamera J Corte
- Centre of Research Excellence in Pulmonary Fibrosis, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
- Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
- University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Vincent Cottin
- National Reference Center for Rare Pulmonary Diseases (OrphaLung), Louis Pradel Hospital, Hospices Civils de Lyon, ERN-LUNG (European Reference Network on Rare Respiratory Diseases), Lyon, France
- Claude Bernard University Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Allan R Glanville
- Lung Transplant Unit, St. Vincent's Hospital Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Marilyn K Glassberg
- Department of Medicine, Loyola Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Matthias Griese
- Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, German Center for Lung Research, Munich, Germany
| | - Gary M Hunninghake
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kerri A Johannson
- Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Michael P Keane
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, St. Vincent's University Hospital and School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - John S Kim
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, and
| | - Martin Kolb
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Toby M Maher
- Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Justin M Oldham
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Anna J Podolanczuk
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York
| | | | - Fernando J Martinez
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York; and
| | - Imre Noth
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - David A Schwartz
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado
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6
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Mayr CH, Santacruz D, Jarosch S, Bleck M, Dalton J, McNabola A, Lempp C, Neubert L, Rath B, Kamp JC, Jonigk D, Kühnel M, Schlüter H, Klimowicz A, Doerr J, Dick A, Ramirez F, Thomas MJ. Spatial transcriptomic characterization of pathologic niches in IPF. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadl5473. [PMID: 39121212 PMCID: PMC11313858 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adl5473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/11/2024]
Abstract
Despite advancements in antifibrotic therapy, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) remains a medical condition with unmet needs. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has enhanced our understanding of IPF but lacks the cellular tissue context and gene expression localization that spatial transcriptomics provides. To bridge this gap, we profiled IPF and control patient lung tissue using spatial transcriptomics, integrating the data with an IPF scRNA-seq atlas. We identified three disease-associated niches with unique cellular compositions and localizations. These include a fibrotic niche, consisting of myofibroblasts and aberrant basaloid cells, located around airways and adjacent to an airway macrophage niche in the lumen, containing SPP1+ macrophages. In addition, we identified an immune niche, characterized by distinct lymphoid cell foci in fibrotic tissue, surrounded by remodeled endothelial vessels. This spatial characterization of IPF niches will facilitate the identification of drug targets that disrupt disease-driving niches and aid in the development of disease relevant in vitro models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph H. Mayr
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Department Immunology and Respiratory Disease research, Birkendorfer Straße 65, 88397 Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Diana Santacruz
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Global Computational Biology and Digital Sciences, Birkendorfer Straße 65, 88397 Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Sebastian Jarosch
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Department Drug Discovery Sciences, Birkendorfer Straße 65, 88397 Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Marina Bleck
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc., Department of Immunology and Respiratory Diseases Research, 900 Ridgebury Road, Ridgefield, CT 06877 USA
| | - John Dalton
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc., Department of Immunology and Respiratory Diseases Research, 900 Ridgebury Road, Ridgefield, CT 06877 USA
| | - Angela McNabola
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc., Department of Immunology and Respiratory Diseases Research, 900 Ridgebury Road, Ridgefield, CT 06877 USA
| | - Charlotte Lempp
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Department Drug Discovery Sciences, Birkendorfer Straße 65, 88397 Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Lavinia Neubert
- Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany
- Institute of Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Berenice Rath
- Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany
- Institute of Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Jan C. Kamp
- Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Danny Jonigk
- Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany
- Institute of Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center RWTH University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Mark Kühnel
- Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center RWTH University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Holger Schlüter
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Department Immunology and Respiratory Disease research, Birkendorfer Straße 65, 88397 Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Alexander Klimowicz
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc., Department of Immunology and Respiratory Diseases Research, 900 Ridgebury Road, Ridgefield, CT 06877 USA
| | - Jonas Doerr
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Department Drug Discovery Sciences, Birkendorfer Straße 65, 88397 Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Alec Dick
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Global Computational Biology and Digital Sciences, Birkendorfer Straße 65, 88397 Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Fidel Ramirez
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Global Computational Biology and Digital Sciences, Birkendorfer Straße 65, 88397 Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Matthew J. Thomas
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Department Immunology and Respiratory Disease research, Birkendorfer Straße 65, 88397 Biberach an der Riß, Germany
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7
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Sun Y, Xu Z, You W, Zhou Y, Nong Q, Chen W, Shan T. Lipidomics and single-cell RNA sequencing reveal lipid and cell dynamics of porcine glycerol-injured skeletal muscle regeneration model. Life Sci 2024; 350:122742. [PMID: 38797365 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 05/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
AIMS Intramuscular fat (IMF) infiltration and extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition are characteristic features of muscle dysfunction, such as muscular dystrophy and severe muscle injuries. However, the underlying mechanisms of cellular origin, adipocyte formation and fibrosis in skeletal muscle are still unclear. MAIN METHODS Pigs were injected with 50 % glycerol (GLY) to induce skeletal muscle injury and regeneration. The acyl chain composition was analyzed by lipidomics, and the cell atlas and molecular signatures were revealed via single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). Adipogenesis analysis was performed on fibroblast/fibro-adipogenic progenitors (FAPs) isolated from pigs. KEY FINDINGS The porcine GLY-injured skeletal muscle regeneration model was characterized by IMF infiltration and ECM deposition. Skeletal muscle stem cells (MuSCs) and FAP clusters were analyzed to explore the potential mechanisms of adipogenesis and fibrosis, and it was found that the TGF-β signaling pathway might be a key switch that regulates differentiation. Consistently, activation of the TGF-β signaling pathway increased SMAD2/3 phosphorylation and inhibited adipogenesis in FAPs, while inhibition of the TGF-β signaling pathway increased the expression of PPARγ and promoted adipogenesis. SIGNIFICANCE GLY-induced muscle injury and regeneration provides comprehensive insights for the development of therapies for human skeletal muscle dysfunction and fatty infiltration-related diseases in which the TGF-β/SMAD signaling pathway might play a primary regulatory role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Sun
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; The Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Laboratory of Feed and Animal Nutrition, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ziye Xu
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; The Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Laboratory of Feed and Animal Nutrition, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wenjing You
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; The Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Laboratory of Feed and Animal Nutrition, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yanbing Zhou
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; The Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Laboratory of Feed and Animal Nutrition, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiuyun Nong
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; The Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Laboratory of Feed and Animal Nutrition, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wentao Chen
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; The Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Laboratory of Feed and Animal Nutrition, Hangzhou, China
| | - Tizhong Shan
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; The Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Provincial Laboratory of Feed and Animal Nutrition, Hangzhou, China.
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8
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Fernandez Davila JG, Singh AK, Moore DW, Kim J, Khan JA, Lemma M, King CS, Nathan SD, Rodriguez LR, Grant GM, Moran JL. Pulmonary matrix-derived hydrogels from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis induce a proinflammatory state in lung fibroblasts in vitro. Mol Biol Cell 2024; 35:ar114. [PMID: 38985514 PMCID: PMC11321034 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e23-11-0428] [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: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), one of the most common forms of interstitial lung disease, is a poorly understood, chronic, and often fatal fibroproliferative condition with only two FDA-approved medications. Understanding the pathobiology of the fibroblast in IPF is critical to evaluating and discovering novel therapeutics. Using a decellularized lung matrix derived from patients with IPF, we generate three-dimensional hydrogels as in vitro models of lung physiology and characterize the phenotype of fibroblasts seeded into the hydrogels. When cultured in IPF extracellular matrix hydrogels, IPF fibroblasts display differential contractility compared with their normal counterparts, lose the classical myofibroblast marker α-smooth muscle actin, and increase expression of proinflammatory cytokines compared with fibroblasts seeded two-dimensionally on tissue culture dishes. We validate this proinflammatory state in fibroblast-conditioned media studies with monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages. These findings add to a growing understanding of the lung microenvironment effect on fibroblast phenotypes, shed light on the potential role of fibroblasts as immune signaling hubs during lung fibrosis, and suggest intervention in fibroblast-immune cell cross-talk as a possible novel therapeutic avenue.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amit K. Singh
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, George Mason University, Manassas, VA 20110
| | - Durwood W. Moore
- Department of Biology, George Mason University, Manassas, VA 20110
| | - Joseph Kim
- Department of Biology, George Mason University, Manassas, VA 20110
| | - Jawad A. Khan
- Department of Biology, George Mason University, Manassas, VA 20110
| | - Merte Lemma
- Inova Advanced Lung Disease and Transplant Program, Inova Fairfax Hospital, Falls Church, VA 22042
| | - Christopher S. King
- Inova Advanced Lung Disease and Transplant Program, Inova Fairfax Hospital, Falls Church, VA 22042
| | - Steven D. Nathan
- Inova Advanced Lung Disease and Transplant Program, Inova Fairfax Hospital, Falls Church, VA 22042
| | | | | | - Jeffrey L. Moran
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, George Mason University, Manassas, VA 20110
- Department of Bioengineering, George Mason University, Manassas, VA 20110
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9
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Younesi FS, Miller AE, Barker TH, Rossi FMV, Hinz B. Fibroblast and myofibroblast activation in normal tissue repair and fibrosis. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2024; 25:617-638. [PMID: 38589640 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-024-00716-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
The term 'fibroblast' often serves as a catch-all for a diverse array of mesenchymal cells, including perivascular cells, stromal progenitor cells and bona fide fibroblasts. Although phenotypically similar, these subpopulations are functionally distinct, maintaining tissue integrity and serving as local progenitor reservoirs. In response to tissue injury, these cells undergo a dynamic fibroblast-myofibroblast transition, marked by extracellular matrix secretion and contraction of actomyosin-based stress fibres. Importantly, whereas transient activation into myofibroblasts aids in tissue repair, persistent activation triggers pathological fibrosis. In this Review, we discuss the roles of mechanical cues, such as tissue stiffness and strain, alongside cell signalling pathways and extracellular matrix ligands in modulating myofibroblast activation and survival. We also highlight the role of epigenetic modifications and myofibroblast memory in physiological and pathological processes. Finally, we discuss potential strategies for therapeutically interfering with these factors and the associated signal transduction pathways to improve the outcome of dysregulated healing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fereshteh Sadat Younesi
- Keenan Research Institute for Biomedical Science of the St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrew E Miller
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Thomas H Barker
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Fabio M V Rossi
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Boris Hinz
- Keenan Research Institute for Biomedical Science of the St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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10
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Liang J, Huang G, Liu X, Zhang X, Rabata A, Liu N, Fang K, Taghavifar F, Dai K, Kulur V, Jiang D, Noble PW. Lipid Deficiency Contributes to Impaired Alveolar Progenitor Cell Function in Aging and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2024; 71:242-253. [PMID: 38657143 PMCID: PMC11299087 DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2023-0290oc] [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: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an aging-associated interstitial lung disease resulting from repeated epithelial injury and inadequate epithelial repair. Alveolar type II cells (AEC2s) are progenitor cells that maintain epithelial homeostasis and repair the lung after injury. In the current study, we assessed lipid metabolism in AEC2s from human lungs of patients with IPF and healthy donors, as well as AEC2s from bleomycin-injured young and old mice. Through single-cell RNA sequencing, we observed that lipid metabolism-related genes were downregulated in IPF AEC2s and bleomycin-injured mouse AEC2s. Aging aggravated this decrease and hindered recovery of lipid metabolism gene expression in AEC2s after bleomycin injury. Pathway analyses revealed downregulation of genes related to lipid biosynthesis and fatty acid β-oxidation in AEC2s from IPF lungs and bleomycin-injured, old mouse lungs compared with the respective controls. We confirmed decreased cellular lipid content in AEC2s from IPF lungs and bleomycin-injured, old mouse lungs using immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry. Futhermore, we show that lipid metabolism was associated with AEC2 progenitor function. Lipid supplementation and PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ) activation promoted progenitor renewal capacity of both human and mouse AEC2s in three-dimensional organoid cultures. Lipid supplementation also increased AEC2 proliferation and expression of SFTPC in AEC2s. In summary, we identified a lipid metabolism deficiency in AEC2s from lungs of patients with IPF and bleomycin-injured old mice. Restoration of lipid metabolism homeostasis in AEC2s might promote AEC2 progenitor function and offer new opportunities for therapeutic approaches to IPF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiurong Liang
- Department of Medicine and Women’s Guild Lung Institute, and
| | - Guanling Huang
- Department of Medicine and Women’s Guild Lung Institute, and
| | - Xue Liu
- Department of Medicine and Women’s Guild Lung Institute, and
| | - Xuexi Zhang
- Department of Medicine and Women’s Guild Lung Institute, and
| | - Anas Rabata
- Department of Medicine and Women’s Guild Lung Institute, and
| | - Ningshan Liu
- Department of Medicine and Women’s Guild Lung Institute, and
| | - Kai Fang
- Department of Medicine and Women’s Guild Lung Institute, and
| | | | - Kristy Dai
- Department of Medicine and Women’s Guild Lung Institute, and
| | - Vrishika Kulur
- Department of Medicine and Women’s Guild Lung Institute, and
| | - Dianhua Jiang
- Department of Medicine and Women’s Guild Lung Institute, and
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Paul W. Noble
- Department of Medicine and Women’s Guild Lung Institute, and
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11
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Liu X, Zhang X, Yao C, Liang J, Noble PW, Jiang D. Transcriptomics Analysis Identifies the Decline in the Alveolar Type II Stem Cell Niche in Aged Human Lungs. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2024; 71:229-241. [PMID: 38635761 PMCID: PMC11299088 DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2023-0363oc] [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: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Aging poses a global public health challenge, which is linked to the rise of age-related lung diseases. The precise understanding of the molecular and genetic changes in the aging lung that elevate the risk of acute and chronic lung diseases remains incomplete. Alveolar type II (AT2) cells are stem cells that maintain epithelial homeostasis and repair the lung after injury. AT2 progenitor function decreases with aging. The maintenance of AT2 function requires niche support from other cell types, but little has been done to characterize alveolar alterations with aging in the AT2 niche. To systematically profile the genetic changes associated with age, we present a single-cell transcriptional atlas comprising nearly half a million cells from the healthy lungs of human subjects spanning various ages, sexes, and smoking statuses. Most annotated cell lineages in aged lungs exhibit dysregulated genetic programs. Specifically, the aged AT2 cells demonstrate loss of epithelial identities, heightened inflammaging characterized by increased expression of AP-1 (Activator Protein-1) transcription factor and chemokine genes, and significantly increased cellular senescence. Furthermore, the aged mesenchymal cells display a remarkable decrease in collagen and elastin transcription and a loss of support to epithelial cell stemness. The decline of the AT2 niche is further exacerbated by a dysregulated genetic program in macrophages and dysregulated communications between AT2 and macrophages in aged human lungs. These findings highlight the dysregulations observed in both AT2 stem cells and their supportive niche cells, potentially contributing to the increased susceptibility of aged populations to lung diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Liu
- Department of Medicine and Women’s Guild Lung Institute and
| | - Xuexi Zhang
- Department of Medicine and Women’s Guild Lung Institute and
| | - Changfu Yao
- Department of Medicine and Women’s Guild Lung Institute and
| | - Jiurong Liang
- Department of Medicine and Women’s Guild Lung Institute and
| | - Paul W. Noble
- Department of Medicine and Women’s Guild Lung Institute and
| | - Dianhua Jiang
- Department of Medicine and Women’s Guild Lung Institute and
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
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12
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Liao Y, Peng X, Yang Y, Zhou G, Chen L, Yang Y, Li H, Chen X, Guo S, Zuo Q, Zou J. Exploring ABHD5 as a Lipid-Related Biomarker in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: Integrating Machine Learning, Bioinformatics, and In Vitro Experiments. Inflammation 2024:10.1007/s10753-024-02107-1. [PMID: 39046603 DOI: 10.1007/s10753-024-02107-1] [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] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 07/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024]
Abstract
Recent studies increasingly suggest a connection between lipids and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). This study was aimed at exploring potential lipid-related biomarkers for IPF and uncovering the mechanisms underlying pulmonary fibrosis. IPF-related datasets were retrieved from the GEO database, and the ComBat algorithm was used to merge multiple datasets and eliminate batch effects. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was utilized to identify modules and genes associated with IPF. Potential hub genes were determined by intersecting these genes with lipid-related genes from the GeneCards database. A machine learning-based integrative approach was developed to construct diagnostic and prognostic signatures, which were validated across several datasets. Additionally, single-cell sequencing data was used to validate the expression differences of core IPF-related genes across various cell types. The effect of ABHD5 on fibroblasts was assessed using the cell counting kit-8, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine, and cell scratch assays. The expression levels of fibrotic factors were measured using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. WGCNA identified a red module potentially related to IPF, and the intersection with lipid-related genes yielded 51 hub genes. These genes were used to build diagnostic and prognostic models that demonstrated robust validation capabilities across multiple datasets. Single-cell sequencing analysis revealed low expression of ABHD5 in the lung tissues of IPF patients, with a higher proportion of fibroblasts exhibiting low ABHD5 expression. Cell experiments showed that under the influence of TGF-β1, knockdown of ABHD5 slightly promoted fibroblast proliferation. Additionally, fibroblasts with low ABHD5 expression exhibited enhanced migratory capabilities and secreted more fibrotic factors. Lipid-related diagnostic and prognostic models for IPF were developed, and ABHD5 may serve as a potential biomarker. Low ABHD5 expression could potentially accelerate the progression of pulmonary fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Liao
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaying Peng
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Yan Yang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Guanghong Zhou
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Lijuan Chen
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Hongyan Li
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Xianxia Chen
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Shujin Guo
- Department of Health Management &, Institute of Health Management, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Qiunan Zuo
- Department of Geriatric Respiratory, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Jun Zou
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
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13
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Qiu C, Zhao Z, Xu C, Yuan R, Ha Y, Tu Q, Zhang H, Mu Z, Xin Q, Tian Y, Wang A, Wang H, Shi Y. Nebulized milk exosomes loaded with siTGF-β1 ameliorate pulmonary fibrosis by inhibiting EMT pathway and enhancing collagen permeability. J Nanobiotechnology 2024; 22:434. [PMID: 39044233 PMCID: PMC11267965 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-024-02721-z] [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: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF) is a fatal disease in the interstitial lung associated with high mortality, morbidity, and poor prognosis. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is a fibroblast-activating protein that promotes fibrous diseases. Herein, an inhalable system was first developed using milk exosomes (M-Exos) encapsulating siRNA against TGF-β1 (MsiTGF-β1), and their therapeutic potential for bleomycin (BLM)-induced PF was investigated. M-siTGF-β1 was introduced into the lungs of mice with PF through nebulization. The collagen penetration effect and lysosomal escape ability were verified in vitro. Inhaled MsiTGF-β1 notably alleviated inflammatory infiltration, attenuated extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, and increased the survival rate of PF mice by 4.7-fold. M-siTGF-β1 protected lung tissue from BLM toxicity by efficiently delivering specific siRNA to the lungs, leading to TGF-β1 mRNA silencing and epithelial mesenchymal transition pathway inhibition. Therefore, M-siTGF-β1 offers a promising avenue for therapeutic intervention in fibrosis-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chong Qiu
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Ministry of Education, Yantai University, Yantai, 264005, PR China
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Zhenyu Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Ministry of Education, Yantai University, Yantai, 264005, PR China
| | - Chenglin Xu
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Ministry of Education, Yantai University, Yantai, 264005, PR China
| | - Ranran Yuan
- College of Life Science, Yantai University, Yantai, 264005, P.R. China
| | - Yuxuan Ha
- Ontario Virtual School, 4789 Yonge Street, Unit 705, Toronto, ON, M2N 0G3, Canada
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Qingchao Tu
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Houqian Zhang
- College of Life Science, Yantai University, Yantai, 264005, P.R. China
| | - Zhen Mu
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Ministry of Education, Yantai University, Yantai, 264005, PR China
| | - Quanlin Xin
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Ministry of Education, Yantai University, Yantai, 264005, PR China
| | - Yu Tian
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Ministry of Education, Yantai University, Yantai, 264005, PR China
| | - Aiping Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Ministry of Education, Yantai University, Yantai, 264005, PR China
| | - Hongbo Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Ministry of Education, Yantai University, Yantai, 264005, PR China.
| | - Yanan Shi
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Ministry of Education, Yantai University, Yantai, 264005, PR China.
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14
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Kuhn NF, Zaleta-Linares I, Nyberg WA, Eyquem J, Krummel MF. Localized in vivo gene editing of murine cancer-associated fibroblasts. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.11.603114. [PMID: 39071432 PMCID: PMC11275728 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.11.603114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Discovering the role of fibroblasts residing in the tumor microenvironment (TME) requires controlled, localized perturbations because fibroblasts play critical roles in regulating immunity and tumor biology at multiple sites. Systemic perturbations can lead to unintended, confounding secondary effects, and methods to locally genetically engineer fibroblasts are lacking. To specifically investigate murine stromal cell perturbations restricted to the TME, we developed an adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based method to target any gene-of-interest in fibroblasts at high efficiency (>80%). As proof of concept, we generated single (sKO) and double gene KOs (dKO) of Osmr, Tgfbr2, and Il1r1 in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and investigated how their cell states and those of other cells of the TME subsequently change in mouse models of melanoma and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Furthermore, we developed an in vivo knockin-knockout (KIKO) strategy to achieve long-term tracking of CAFs with target gene KO via knocked-in reporter gene expression. This validated in vivo gene editing toolbox is fast, affordable, and modular, and thus holds great potential for further exploration of gene function in stromal cells residing in tumors and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas F. Kuhn
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- ImmunoX Initiative, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Itzia Zaleta-Linares
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- ImmunoX Initiative, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - William A. Nyberg
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Justin Eyquem
- ImmunoX Initiative, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Matthew F. Krummel
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- ImmunoX Initiative, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
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15
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Direder M, Laggner M, Copic D, Klas K, Bormann D, Schweiger T, Hoetzenecker K, Aigner C, Ankersmit HJ, Mildner M. Transcriptional profiling sheds light on the fibrotic aspects of idiopathic subglottic tracheal stenosis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1380902. [PMID: 39071799 PMCID: PMC11272577 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1380902] [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: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic subglottic stenosis (ISGS) is a rare fibrotic disease of the upper trachea with an unknown pathomechanism. It typically affects adult Caucasian female patients, leading to severe airway constrictions caused by progressive scar formation and inflammation with clinical symptoms of dyspnoea, stridor and potential changes to the voice. Endoscopic treatment frequently leads to recurrence, whereas surgical resection and reconstruction provides excellent long-term functional outcome. This study aimed to identify so far unrecognized pathologic aspects of ISGS using single cell RNA sequencing. Our scRNAseq analysis uncovered the cellular composition of the subglottic scar tissue, including the presence of a pathologic, profibrotic fibroblast subtype and the presence of Schwann cells in a profibrotic state. In addition, a pathology-associated increase of plasma cells was identified. Using extended bioinformatics analyses, we decoded pathology-associated changes of factors of the extracellular matrix. Our data identified ongoing fibrotic processes in ISGS and provide novel insights on the contribution of fibroblasts, Schwann cells and plasma cells to the pathogenesis of ISGS. This knowledge could impact the development of novel approaches for diagnosis and therapy of ISGS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Direder
- Laboratory for Cardiac and Thoracic Diagnosis, Regeneration and Applied Immunology, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Aposcience AG, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Orthopedics and Trauma-Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Maria Laggner
- Laboratory for Cardiac and Thoracic Diagnosis, Regeneration and Applied Immunology, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Aposcience AG, Vienna, Austria
| | - Dragan Copic
- Laboratory for Cardiac and Thoracic Diagnosis, Regeneration and Applied Immunology, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Aposcience AG, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Katharina Klas
- Laboratory for Cardiac and Thoracic Diagnosis, Regeneration and Applied Immunology, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Aposcience AG, Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniel Bormann
- Laboratory for Cardiac and Thoracic Diagnosis, Regeneration and Applied Immunology, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Aposcience AG, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Schweiger
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Konrad Hoetzenecker
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Clemens Aigner
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Hendrik Jan Ankersmit
- Laboratory for Cardiac and Thoracic Diagnosis, Regeneration and Applied Immunology, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Aposcience AG, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Mildner
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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16
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Jin C, Chen Y, Wang Y, Li J, Liang J, Zheng S, Zhang L, Li Q, Wang Y, Ling F, Li Y, Zheng Y, Nie Q, Feng Q, Wang J, Yang H. Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals special basal cells and fibroblasts in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Sci Rep 2024; 14:15778. [PMID: 38982264 PMCID: PMC11233624 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66947-5] [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: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is the most predominant type of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia and has an increasing incidence, poor prognosis, and unclear pathogenesis. In order to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying IPF further, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing analysis on three healthy controls and five IPF lung tissue samples. The results revealed a significant shift in epithelial cells (ECs) phenotypes in IPF, which may be attributed to the differentiation of alveolar type 2 cells to basal cells. In addition, several previously unrecognized basal cell subtypes were preliminarily identified, including extracellular matrix basal cells, which were increased in the IPF group. We identified a special population of fibroblasts that highly expressed extracellular matrix-related genes, POSTN, CTHRC1, COL3A1, COL5A2, and COL12A1. We propose that the close interaction between ECs and fibroblasts through ligand-receptor pairs may have a critical function in IPF development. Collectively, these outcomes provide innovative perspectives on the complexity and diversity of basal cells and fibroblasts in IPF and contribute to the understanding of possible mechanisms in pathological lung fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengji Jin
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570100, China
| | - Yahong Chen
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570100, China
| | - Yujie Wang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570100, China
| | - Jia Li
- The Second Affiliated Clinical College, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570100, China
| | - Jin Liang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570100, China
| | - Shaomao Zheng
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570100, China
| | - Lipeng Zhang
- The Second Affiliated Clinical College, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570100, China
| | - Qiaoyu Li
- The Second Affiliated Clinical College, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570100, China
| | - Yongchao Wang
- Singleron Biotechnologies, Yaogu Avenue 11, Nanjing, 211800, China
| | - Fayu Ling
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570100, China
| | - Yongjie Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570100, China
| | - Yu Zheng
- The Second Affiliated Clinical College, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570100, China
| | - Qiuli Nie
- The Second Affiliated Clinical College, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570100, China
| | - Qiong Feng
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570100, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570100, China.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 571199, China.
| | - Huiling Yang
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, 523808, China.
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17
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McCartney EE, Chung Y, Buechler MB. Life of Pi: Exploring functions of Pi16+ fibroblasts. F1000Res 2024; 13:126. [PMID: 38919948 PMCID: PMC11196929 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.143511.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Fibroblasts are mesenchymal cells that are responsible for creating and maintaining tissue architecture through the production of extracellular matrix. These cells also play critical roles in processes such as wound repair and immune modulation in normal tissues and various disease states including fibrosis, autoimmunity, and cancer. Fibroblasts have a complex repertoire of functions that vary by organ, inflammatory state, and the developmental stage of an organism. How fibroblasts manage so many functions in such a context-dependent manner represents a gap in our understanding of these cells. One possibility is that a tissue-resident precursor cell state exists that provides the fibroblast lineage with flexibility during growth, inflammation, or other contexts that require dynamic tissue changes. Recent work has suggested that a precursor fibroblast cell state is marked by expression of Peptidase inhibitor 16 ( Pi16). This review aims to concatenate and compare studies on fibroblasts that express Pi16 to clarify the roles of this cell state in fibroblast lineage development and other functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika E. McCartney
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S1A8, Canada
| | - Yein Chung
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S1A8, Canada
| | - Matthew B. Buechler
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S1A8, Canada
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18
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Baldassarro VA, Alastra G, Cescatti M, Quadalti C, Lorenzini L, Giardino L, Calzà L. SARS-CoV-2-related peptides induce endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition in endothelial capillary cells derived from different body districts: focus on membrane (M) protein. Cell Tissue Res 2024:10.1007/s00441-024-03900-y. [PMID: 38953987 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-024-03900-y] [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: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), responsible for the COVID-19, may lead to multiple organ dysfunctions and long-term complications. The induction of microvascular dysfunction is regarded as a main player in these pathological processes. To investigate the possible impact of SARS-CoV-2-induced endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) on fibrosis in "long-COVID" syndrome, we used primary cultures of human microvascular cells derived from the lungs, as the main infection target, compared to cells derived from different organs (dermis, heart, kidney, liver, brain) and to the HUVEC cell line. To mimic the virus action, we used mixed SARS-CoV-2 peptide fragments (PepTivator®) of spike (S), nucleocapsid (N), and membrane (M) proteins. TGFβ2 and cytokine mix (IL-1β, IL-6, TNFα) were used as positive controls. The percentage of cells positive to mesenchymal and endothelial markers was quantified by high content screening. We demonstrated that S+N+M mix induces irreversible EndMT in all analyzed endothelial cells via the TGFβ pathway, as demonstrated by ApoA1 treatment. We then tested the contribution of single peptides in lung and brain cells, demonstrating that EndMT is triggered by M peptide. This was confirmed by transfection experiment, inducing the endogenous expression of the glycoprotein M in lung-derived cells. In conclusion, we demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 peptides induce EndMT in microvascular endothelial cells from multiple body districts. The different peptides play different roles in the induction and maintenance of the virus-mediated effects, which are organ-specific. These results corroborate the hypothesis of the SARS-CoV-2-mediated microvascular damage underlying the multiple organ dysfunctions and the long-COVID syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vito Antonio Baldassarro
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences (DIMEVET), University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
- Interdepartmental Centre for Industrial Research in Health Sciences and Technology ICIR-HST, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Alastra
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences (DIMEVET), University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Corinne Quadalti
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Luca Lorenzini
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences (DIMEVET), University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
- Interdepartmental Centre for Industrial Research in Health Sciences and Technology ICIR-HST, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Luciana Giardino
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences (DIMEVET), University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
- Interdepartmental Centre for Industrial Research in Health Sciences and Technology ICIR-HST, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Laura Calzà
- Interdepartmental Centre for Industrial Research in Health Sciences and Technology ICIR-HST, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
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19
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Bellani S, Molyneaux PL, Maher TM, Spagnolo P. Potential of αvβ6 and αvβ1 integrin inhibition for treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2024; 28:575-585. [PMID: 38949181 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2024.2375375] [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: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic progressive interstitial lung disease of unknown cause with a dismal prognosis. Nintedanib and Pirfenidone are approved worldwide for the treatment of IPF, but they only slow the rate of functional decline and disease progression. Therefore, there is an urgent need for more efficacious and better tolerated drugs. AREAS COVERED αvβ6 and αvβ1 are two integrins overexpressed in fibrotic tissue, which play a critical role in the development of lung fibrosis. They act by converting transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, one of the most important profibrotic cytokine, in its active form. Here, we summarize and critically discuss the potential of a dual αvβ6/αvβ1 integrin inhibitor for the treatment of IPF. EXPERT OPINION Bexotegrast, a dual αvβ6/αvβ1 integrin inhibitor, has the potential to slow or even halt disease progression in IPF. Indeed, the strong pre-clinical rationale and promising early phase clinical trial data have raised expectations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Bellani
- Respiratory Disease Unit, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Philip L Molyneaux
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, London, UK
- Interstitial Lung Disease Unit, Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, London, UK
| | - Toby M Maher
- Hastings Centre for Pulmonary Research and Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Paolo Spagnolo
- Respiratory Disease Unit, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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20
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Wellmerling JH, Dresler SR, Meridew JA, Choi KM, Tschumperlin DJ, Tan Q. RNA-sequencing reveals differential fibroblast responses to bleomycin and pneumonectomy. Physiol Rep 2024; 12:e16148. [PMID: 38991987 PMCID: PMC11239319 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.16148] [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: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary fibrosis is characterized by pathological accumulation of scar tissue in the lung parenchyma. Many of the processes that are implicated in fibrosis, including increased extracellular matrix synthesis, also occur following pneumonectomy (PNX), but PNX instead results in regenerative compensatory growth of the lung. As fibroblasts are the major cell type responsible for extracellular matrix production, we hypothesized that comparing fibroblast responses to PNX and bleomycin (BLM) would unveil key differences in the role they play during regenerative versus fibrotic lung responses. RNA-sequencing was performed on flow-sorted fibroblasts freshly isolated from mouse lungs 14 days after BLM, PNX, or sham controls. RNA-sequencing analysis revealed highly similar biological processes to be involved in fibroblast responses to both BLM and PNX, including TGF-β1 and TNF-α. Interestingly, we observed smaller changes in gene expression after PNX than BLM at Day 14, suggesting that the fibroblast response to PNX may be muted by expression of transcripts that moderate pro-fibrotic pathways. Itpkc, encoding inositol triphosphate kinase C, was a gene uniquely up-regulated by PNX and not BLM. ITPKC overexpression in lung fibroblasts antagonized the pro-fibrotic effect of TGF-β1. RNA-sequencing analysis has identified considerable overlap in transcriptional changes between fibroblasts following PNX and those overexpressing ITPKC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack H. Wellmerling
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical EngineeringMayo Clinic College of Medicine and ScienceRochesterMinnesotaUSA
| | - Sara R. Dresler
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical EngineeringMayo Clinic College of Medicine and ScienceRochesterMinnesotaUSA
| | - Jeffrey A. Meridew
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical EngineeringMayo Clinic College of Medicine and ScienceRochesterMinnesotaUSA
| | - Kyoung M. Choi
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical EngineeringMayo Clinic College of Medicine and ScienceRochesterMinnesotaUSA
| | - Daniel J. Tschumperlin
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical EngineeringMayo Clinic College of Medicine and ScienceRochesterMinnesotaUSA
| | - Qi Tan
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical EngineeringMayo Clinic College of Medicine and ScienceRochesterMinnesotaUSA
- The Hormel Institute, University of MinnesotaAustinMinnesotaUSA
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21
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Tsukui T, Wolters PJ, Sheppard D. Alveolar fibroblast lineage orchestrates lung inflammation and fibrosis. Nature 2024; 631:627-634. [PMID: 38987592 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07660-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Fibroblasts are present throughout the body and function to maintain tissue homeostasis. Recent studies have identified diverse fibroblast subsets in healthy and injured tissues1,2, but the origins and functional roles of injury-induced fibroblast lineages remain unclear. Here we show that lung-specialized alveolar fibroblasts take on multiple molecular states with distinct roles in facilitating responses to fibrotic lung injury. We generate a genetic tool that uniquely targets alveolar fibroblasts to demonstrate their role in providing niches for alveolar stem cells in homeostasis and show that loss of this niche leads to exaggerated responses to acute lung injury. Lineage tracing identifies alveolar fibroblasts as the dominant origin for multiple emergent fibroblast subsets sequentially driven by inflammatory and pro-fibrotic signals after injury. We identify similar, but not completely identical, fibroblast lineages in human pulmonary fibrosis. TGFβ negatively regulates an inflammatory fibroblast subset that emerges early after injury and stimulates the differentiation into fibrotic fibroblasts to elicit intra-alveolar fibrosis. Blocking the induction of fibrotic fibroblasts in the alveolar fibroblast lineage abrogates fibrosis but exacerbates lung inflammation. These results demonstrate the multifaceted roles of the alveolar fibroblast lineage in maintaining normal alveolar homeostasis and orchestrating sequential responses to lung injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatsuya Tsukui
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Paul J Wolters
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Dean Sheppard
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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22
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Melo-Narváez MC, Bramey N, See F, Heinzelmann K, Ballester B, Steinchen C, Jain E, Federl K, Hu Q, Dhakad D, Behr J, Eickelberg O, Yildirim AÖ, Königshoff M, Lehmann M. Stimuli-Specific Senescence of Primary Human Lung Fibroblasts Modulates Alveolar Stem Cell Function. Cells 2024; 13:1129. [PMID: 38994981 PMCID: PMC11240317 DOI: 10.3390/cells13131129] [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: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 06/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Aging is the main risk factor for chronic lung diseases (CLDs) including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Accordingly, hallmarks of aging like cellular senescence are increased in these patients in different lung cell types including fibroblasts. However, little is known about the different triggers that induce a senescence phenotype in different disease backgrounds and its role in CLD pathogenesis. Therefore, we characterized senescence in primary human lung fibroblasts (phLF) from control, IPF, or COPD patients at baseline and after exposure to disease-relevant insults (H2O2, bleomycin, TGF-β1) and studied their capacity to support progenitor cell potential in a lung organoid model. Bulk-RNA sequencing revealed that phLF from IPF and COPD activate different transcriptional programs but share a similar senescence phenotype at baseline. Moreover, H2O2 and bleomycin but not TGF-β1 induced senescence in phLF from different disease origins. Exposure to different triggers resulted in distinct senescence programs in phLF characterized by different SASP profiles. Finally, co-culture with bleomycin- and H2O2-treated phLF reduced the progenitor cell potential of alveolar epithelial progenitor cells. In conclusion, phLF from COPD and IPF share a conserved senescence response that varies depending on the insult and impairs alveolar epithelial progenitor capacity ex vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Camila Melo-Narváez
- Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC-M), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany; (M.C.M.-N.); (F.S.); (C.S.); (E.J.); (D.D.); (A.Ö.Y.)
- Institute for Lung Research, Philipps-University Marburg, German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Nora Bramey
- Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC-M), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany; (M.C.M.-N.); (F.S.); (C.S.); (E.J.); (D.D.); (A.Ö.Y.)
| | - Fenja See
- Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC-M), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany; (M.C.M.-N.); (F.S.); (C.S.); (E.J.); (D.D.); (A.Ö.Y.)
| | - Katharina Heinzelmann
- Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC-M), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany; (M.C.M.-N.); (F.S.); (C.S.); (E.J.); (D.D.); (A.Ö.Y.)
| | - Beatriz Ballester
- Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC-M), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany; (M.C.M.-N.); (F.S.); (C.S.); (E.J.); (D.D.); (A.Ö.Y.)
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Cardenal Herrera—CEU, CEU Universities, 46115 Valencia, Spain
| | - Carina Steinchen
- Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC-M), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany; (M.C.M.-N.); (F.S.); (C.S.); (E.J.); (D.D.); (A.Ö.Y.)
| | - Eshita Jain
- Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC-M), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany; (M.C.M.-N.); (F.S.); (C.S.); (E.J.); (D.D.); (A.Ö.Y.)
| | - Kathrin Federl
- Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC-M), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany; (M.C.M.-N.); (F.S.); (C.S.); (E.J.); (D.D.); (A.Ö.Y.)
| | - Qianjiang Hu
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy & Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; (Q.H.); (O.E.); (M.K.)
| | - Deepesh Dhakad
- Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC-M), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany; (M.C.M.-N.); (F.S.); (C.S.); (E.J.); (D.D.); (A.Ö.Y.)
| | - Jürgen Behr
- Department of Medicine V, University Hospital Munich, Medical Faculty of the LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany;
| | - Oliver Eickelberg
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy & Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; (Q.H.); (O.E.); (M.K.)
| | - Ali Önder Yildirim
- Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC-M), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany; (M.C.M.-N.); (F.S.); (C.S.); (E.J.); (D.D.); (A.Ö.Y.)
- Institute of Experimental Pneumology, University Hospital Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians University, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Melanie Königshoff
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy & Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; (Q.H.); (O.E.); (M.K.)
| | - Mareike Lehmann
- Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich, Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC-M), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 81377 Munich, Germany; (M.C.M.-N.); (F.S.); (C.S.); (E.J.); (D.D.); (A.Ö.Y.)
- Institute for Lung Research, Philipps-University Marburg, German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 35043 Marburg, Germany
- Lung Aging and Regeneration, Institute for Lung Health (ILH), 35392 Giessen, Germany
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23
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Spina JS, Carr TL, Phillips LA, Knight HL, Crosbie NE, Lloyd SM, Jhala MA, Lam TJ, Karman J, Clements ME, Day TA, Crane JD, Housley WJ. Modulating in vitro lung fibroblast activation via senolysis of senescent human alveolar epithelial cells. Aging (Albany NY) 2024; 16:10694-10723. [PMID: 38976646 PMCID: PMC11272128 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205994] [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: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an age-related disease with poor prognosis and limited therapeutic options. Activation of lung fibroblasts and differentiation to myofibroblasts are the principal effectors of disease pathology, but damage and senescence of alveolar epithelial cells, specifically type II (ATII) cells, has recently been identified as a potential trigger event for the progressive disease cycle. Targeting ATII senescence and the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) is an attractive therapeutic strategy; however, translatable primary human cell models that enable mechanistic studies and drug development are lacking. Here, we describe a novel system of conditioned medium (CM) transfer from bleomycin-induced senescent primary alveolar epithelial cells (AEC) onto normal human lung fibroblasts (NHLF) that demonstrates an enhanced fibrotic transcriptional and secretory phenotype compared to non-senescent AEC CM treatment or direct bleomycin damage of the NHLFs. In this system, the bleomycin-treated AECs exhibit classical hallmarks of cellular senescence, including SASP and a gene expression profile that resembles aberrant epithelial cells of the IPF lung. Fibroblast activation by CM transfer is attenuated by pre-treatment of senescent AECs with the senolytic Navitoclax and AD80, but not with the standard of care agent Nintedanib or senomorphic JAK-targeting drugs (e.g., ABT-317, ruxolitinib). This model provides a relevant human system for profiling novel senescence-targeting therapeutics for IPF drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph S. Spina
- AbbVie Bioresearch Center, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jozsef Karman
- AbbVie Bioresearch Center, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Current address: Merck, Cambridge, MA 02141, USA
| | | | - Tovah A. Day
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Justin D. Crane
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Current address: Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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24
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Zhang M, Zhang J, Hu H, Zhou Y, Lin Z, Jing H, Sun B. Multiomic analysis of monocyte-derived alveolar macrophages in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. J Transl Med 2024; 22:598. [PMID: 38937806 PMCID: PMC11209973 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05398-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Monocyte-derived alveolar macrophages (Mo_AMs) are increasingly recognised as potential pathogenic factors for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). While scRNAseq analysis has proven valuable in the transcriptome profiling of Mo_AMs, the integration analysis of multi-omics may provide additional dimensions of understanding of these cellular populations. METHODS We performed multi-omics analysis on 116 scRNAseq, 119 bulkseq and five scATACseq lung tissue samples from IPF. We built a large-scale IPF scRNAseq atlas and conducted the Monocle 2/3 as well as the Cellchat to explore the developmental path and intercellular communication on Mo_AMs. We also reported the difference in metabolisms, tissue repair and phagocytosis between Mo_AMs and tissue-resident alveolar macrophages (TRMs). To determine whether Mo_AMs affected pulmonary function, we projected clinical phenotypes (FVC%pred) from the bulkseq dataset onto the scRNAseq atlas. Finally, we used scATATCseq to uncover the upstream regulatory mechanisms and determine key drivers in Mo_AMs. RESULTS We identified three Mo_AMs clusters and the trajectory analysis further validated the origin of these clusters. Moreover, via the Cellchat analysis, the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis was found to be involved in the molecular basis of reciprocal interactions between Mo_AMs and fibroblasts through the activation of the ERK pathway in Mo_AMs. SPP1_RecMacs (RecMacs, recruited macrophages) were higher in the low-FVC group than in the high-FVC group. Specifically, compared with TRMs, the functions of lipid and energetic metabolism as well as tissue repair were higher in Mo_AMs than TRMs. But, TRMs may have higher level of phagocytosis than TRMs. SPIB (PU.1), JUNB, JUND, BACH2, FOSL2, and SMARCC1 showed stronger association with open chromatin of Mo_AMs than TRMs. Significant upregulated expression and deep chromatin accessibility of APOE were observed in both SPP1_RecMacs and TRMs. CONCLUSION Through trajectory analysis, it was confirmed that SPP1_RecMacs derived from Monocytes. Besides, Mo_AMs may influence FVC% pred and aggravate pulmonary fibrosis through the communication with fibroblasts. Furthermore, distinctive transcriptional regulators between Mo_AMs and TRMs implied that they may depend on different upstream regulatory mechanisms. Overall, this work provides a global overview of how Mo_AMs govern IPF and also helps determine better approaches and intervention therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaomiao Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Bonn, Section of Pneumology, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jinghao Zhang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou, China
| | - Haisheng Hu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuan Zhou
- Department of Medicine II, Heart Center Bonn, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - ZhiWei Lin
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hui Jing
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou, China
| | - Baoqing Sun
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou, 510005, China.
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25
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Raslan AA, Pham TX, Lee J, Kontodimas K, Tilston-Lunel A, Schmottlach J, Hong J, Dinc T, Bujor AM, Caporarello N, Thiriot A, von Andrian UH, Huang SK, Nicosia RF, Trojanowska M, Varelas X, Ligresti G. Lung injury-induced activated endothelial cell states persist in aging-associated progressive fibrosis. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5449. [PMID: 38937456 PMCID: PMC11211333 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49545-x] [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: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Progressive lung fibrosis is associated with poorly understood aging-related endothelial cell dysfunction. To gain insight into endothelial cell alterations in lung fibrosis we performed single cell RNA-sequencing of bleomycin-injured lungs from young and aged mice. Analysis reveals activated cell states enriched for hypoxia, glycolysis and YAP/TAZ activity in ACKR1+ venous and TrkB+ capillary endothelial cells. Endothelial cell activation is prevalent in lungs of aged mice and can also be detected in human fibrotic lungs. Longitudinal single cell RNA-sequencing combined with lineage tracing demonstrate that endothelial activation resolves in young mouse lungs but persists in aged ones, indicating a failure of the aged vasculature to return to quiescence. Genes associated with activated lung endothelial cells states in vivo can be induced in vitro by activating YAP/TAZ. YAP/TAZ also cooperate with BDNF, a TrkB ligand that is reduced in fibrotic lungs, to promote capillary morphogenesis. These findings offer insights into aging-related lung endothelial cell dysfunction that may contribute to defective lung injury repair and persistent fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed A Raslan
- Arthritis and Autoimmune Diseases Center, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Pulmonary Center, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Tho X Pham
- Arthritis and Autoimmune Diseases Center, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Pulmonary Center, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jisu Lee
- Arthritis and Autoimmune Diseases Center, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Konstantinos Kontodimas
- Pulmonary Center, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andrew Tilston-Lunel
- Pulmonary Center, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jillian Schmottlach
- Arthritis and Autoimmune Diseases Center, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jeongmin Hong
- Arthritis and Autoimmune Diseases Center, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Pulmonary Center, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Taha Dinc
- Arthritis and Autoimmune Diseases Center, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andreea M Bujor
- Arthritis and Autoimmune Diseases Center, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Aude Thiriot
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ulrich H von Andrian
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Steven K Huang
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Roberto F Nicosia
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Maria Trojanowska
- Arthritis and Autoimmune Diseases Center, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Pulmonary Center, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xaralabos Varelas
- Pulmonary Center, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Giovanni Ligresti
- Arthritis and Autoimmune Diseases Center, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
- Pulmonary Center, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
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Amargant F, Vieira C, Pritchard MT, Duncan FE. Systemic low-dose anti-fibrotic treatment attenuates ovarian aging in the mouse. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.21.600035. [PMID: 38979191 PMCID: PMC11230292 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.21.600035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
The female reproductive system is one of the first to age in humans, resulting in infertility and endocrine disruptions. The aging ovary assumes a fibro-inflammatory milieu which negatively impacts gamete quantity and quality as well as ovulation. Here we tested whether the systemic delivery of anti-inflammatory (Etanercept) or anti-fibrotic (Pirfenidone) drugs attenuates ovarian aging in mice. We first evaluated the ability of these drugs to decrease the expression of fibro-inflammatory genes in primary ovarian stromal cells. Whereas Etanercept did not block Tnf expression in ovarian stromal cells, Pirfenidone significantly reduced Col1a1 expression. We then tested Pirfenidone in vivo where the drug was delivered systemically via mini-osmotic pumps for 6-weeks. Pirfenidone mitigated the age-dependent increase in ovarian fibrosis without impacting overall health parameters. Ovarian function was improved in Pirfenidone-treated mice as evidenced by increased follicle and corpora lutea number, AMH levels, and improved estrous cyclicity. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that Pirfenidone treatment resulted in an upregulation of reproductive function-related genes at 8.5 months and a downregulation of inflammatory genes at 12 months of age. These findings demonstrate that reducing the fibroinflammatory ovarian microenvironment improves ovarian function, thereby supporting modulating the ovarian environment as a therapeutic avenue to extend reproductive longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farners Amargant
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Carol Vieira
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Michele T Pritchard
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics and Institute for Reproductive and Developmental Sciences University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Francesca E Duncan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
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Nishide M, Shimagami H, Kumanogoh A. Single-cell analysis in rheumatic and allergic diseases: insights for clinical practice. Nat Rev Immunol 2024:10.1038/s41577-024-01043-3. [PMID: 38914790 DOI: 10.1038/s41577-024-01043-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Since the advent of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) methodology, single-cell analysis has become a powerful tool for exploration of cellular networks and dysregulated immune responses in disease pathogenesis. Advanced bioinformatics tools have enabled the combined analysis of scRNA-seq data and information on various cell properties, such as cell surface molecular profiles, chromatin accessibility and spatial information, leading to a deeper understanding of pathology. This Review provides an overview of the achievements in single-cell analysis applied to clinical samples of rheumatic and allergic diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, allergic airway diseases and atopic dermatitis, with an expanded scope beyond peripheral blood cells to include local diseased tissues. Despite the valuable insights that single-cell analysis has provided into disease pathogenesis, challenges remain in translating single-cell findings into clinical practice and developing personalized treatment strategies. Beyond understanding the atlas of cellular diversity, we discuss the application of data obtained in each study to clinical practice, with a focus on identifying biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masayuki Nishide
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Clinical Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
- Department of Immunopathology, World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI), Immunology Frontier Research Center (IFReC), Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
- Department of Advanced Clinical and Translational Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
| | - Hiroshi Shimagami
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Clinical Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Immunopathology, World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI), Immunology Frontier Research Center (IFReC), Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Advanced Clinical and Translational Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Atsushi Kumanogoh
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Clinical Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
- Department of Immunopathology, World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI), Immunology Frontier Research Center (IFReC), Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
- Integrated Frontier Research for Medical Science Division, Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives (OTRI), Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
- Center for Infectious Diseases for Education and Research (CiDER), Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
- Center for Advanced Modalities and DDS (CAMaD), Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
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Zhang C, Ma J, Zhang X, Zhou D, Cao Z, Qiao L, Chen G, Yang L, Ding BS. Processing of angiocrine alarmin IL-1α in endothelial cells promotes lung and liver fibrosis. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 134:112176. [PMID: 38723369 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.112176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fibrosis results from excessive scar formation after tissue injury. Injured cells release alarmins such as interleukin 1 (IL-1) α and β as primary mediators initiating tissue repair. However, how alarmins from different cell types differentially regulate fibrosis remains to be explored. METHODS Here, we used tissue specific knockout strategy to illustrate a unique contribution of endothelial cell-derived IL-1α to lung and liver fibrosis. The two fibrotic animal model triggered by bleomycin and CCl4 were used to study the effects of endothelial paracrine/angiocrine IL-1α in fibrotic progression. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were performed to explore the production of angiocrine IL-1α at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels in vitro. RESULTS We found that endothelial paracrine/angiocrine IL-1α primarily promotes lung and liver fibrosis during the early phase of organ repair. By contrast, myeloid cell-specific ablation of IL-1α in mice resulted in little influence on fibrosis, suggesting the specific pro-fibrotic role of IL-1α from endothelial cell but not macrophage. In vitro study revealed a coordinated regulation of IL-1α production in human primary endothelial cells at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Specifically, the transcription of IL-1α is regulated by RIPK1, and after caspase-8 (CASP8) cleaves the precursor form of IL-1α, its secretion is triggered by ion channel Pannexin 1 upon CASP8 cleavage. CONCLUSIONS Endothelial cell-produced IL-1α plays a unique role in promoting organ fibrosis. Furthermore, the release of this angiocrine alarmin relies on a unique molecular mechanism involving RIPK1, CASP8, and ion channel Pannexin 1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunxue Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects of MOE, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Second Hospital, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jie Ma
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects of MOE, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Second Hospital, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xu Zhang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Dengcheng Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects of MOE, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Second Hospital, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Zhongwei Cao
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects of MOE, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Second Hospital, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Lina Qiao
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects of MOE, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Second Hospital, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Guo Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Research Units of West China(2018RU012)-Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, China.
| | - Liming Yang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China.
| | - Bi-Sen Ding
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects of MOE, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Second Hospital, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
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Ke D, Cao M, Ni J, Yuan Y, Deng J, Chen S, Dai X, Zhou H. Macrophage and fibroblast trajectory inference and crosstalk analysis during myocardial infarction using integrated single-cell transcriptomic datasets. J Transl Med 2024; 22:560. [PMID: 38867219 PMCID: PMC11167890 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05353-x] [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: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cardiac fibrosis after myocardial infarction (MI) has been considered an important part of cardiac pathological remodeling. Immune cells, especially macrophages, are thought to be involved in the process of fibrosis and constitute a niche with fibroblasts to promote fibrosis. However, the diversity and variability of fibroblasts and macrophages make it difficult to accurately depict interconnections. METHODS We collected and reanalyzed scRNA-seq and snRNA-seq datasets from 12 different studies. Differentiation trajectories of these subpopulations after MI injury were analyzed by using scVelo, PAGA and Slingshot. We used CellphoneDB and NicheNet to infer fibroblast-macrophage interactions. Tissue immunofluorescence staining and in vitro experiments were used to validate our findings. RESULTS We discovered two subsets of ECM-producing fibroblasts, reparative cardiac fibroblasts (RCFs) and matrifibrocytes, which appeared at different times after MI and exhibited different transcriptional profiles. We also observed that CTHRC1+ fibroblasts represent an activated fibroblast in chronic disease states. We identified a macrophage subset expressing the genes signature of SAMs conserved in both human and mouse hearts. Meanwhile, the SPP1hi macrophages were predominantly found in the early stages after MI, and cell communication analysis indicated that SPP1hi macrophage-RCFs interactions are mainly involved in collagen deposition and scar formation. CONCLUSIONS Overall, this study comprehensively analyzed the dynamics of fibroblast and macrophage subsets after MI and identified specific subsets of fibroblasts and macrophages involved in scar formation and collagen deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da Ke
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Road 238, Wuhan, 430060, People's Republic of China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Metabolic and Chronic Diseases, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingzhen Cao
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Road 238, Wuhan, 430060, People's Republic of China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Metabolic and Chronic Diseases, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian Ni
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Road 238, Wuhan, 430060, People's Republic of China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Metabolic and Chronic Diseases, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuan Yuan
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Road 238, Wuhan, 430060, People's Republic of China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Metabolic and Chronic Diseases, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiangyang Deng
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Road 238, Wuhan, 430060, People's Republic of China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Metabolic and Chronic Diseases, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Si Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Metabolic and Chronic Diseases, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiujun Dai
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Metabolic and Chronic Diseases, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Heng Zhou
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Road 238, Wuhan, 430060, People's Republic of China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Metabolic and Chronic Diseases, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
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Chen Q, Hirai H, Chan M, Zhang J, Cho M, Randell SH, Kadur Lakshminarasimha Murthy P, Rehman J, Liu Y. Characterization of perivascular alveolar epithelial stem cells and their niche in lung homeostasis and cancer. Stem Cell Reports 2024; 19:890-905. [PMID: 38759645 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2024.04.009] [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: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Lung alveolar structure and function are maintained by subsets of alveolar type II stem cells (AT2s), but there is a need for characterization of these subsets and their associated niches. Here, we report a CD44high subpopulation of AT2s characterized by increased expression of genes that regulate immune signaling even during steady-state homeostasis. Disruption of one of these immune regulatory transcription factor STAT1 impaired the stem cell function of AT2s. CD44high cells were preferentially located near macro- blood vessels and a supportive niche constituted by LYVE1+ endothelial cells, adventitial fibroblasts, and accumulated hyaluronan. In this microenvironment, CD44high AT2 cells were more responsive to transformation by KRAS than general AT2 cells. Moreover, after bacterial lung injury, there was a significant increase of CD44high AT2s and niche components distributed throughout the lung parenchyma. Taken together, CD44high AT2 cells and their perivascular niche regulate tissue homeostasis and tumor formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Chen
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Hiroyuki Hirai
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Manwai Chan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Jilei Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Minsu Cho
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Scott H Randell
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | | | - Jalees Rehman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60607, USA; University of Illinois Cancer Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Yuru Liu
- Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA; University of Illinois Cancer Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
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31
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Xie T, Liang J, Stripp B, Noble PW. Cell-cell interactions and communication dynamics in lung fibrosis. CHINESE MEDICAL JOURNAL PULMONARY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE 2024; 2:63-71. [PMID: 39169931 PMCID: PMC11332853 DOI: 10.1016/j.pccm.2024.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
Cell-cell interactions are essential components of coordinated cell function in lung homeostasis. Lung diseases involve altered cell-cell interactions and communication between different cell types, as well as between subsets of cells of the same type. The identification and understanding of intercellular signaling in lung fibrosis offer insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying these interactions and their implications in the development and progression of lung fibrosis. A comprehensive cell atlas of the human lung, established with the facilitation of single-cell RNA transcriptomic analysis, has enabled the inference of intercellular communications using ligand-receptor databases. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the modified cell-cell communications in lung fibrosis. We highlight the intricate interactions among the major cell types within the lung and their contributions to fibrogenesis. The insights presented in this review will contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying lung fibrosis and may guide future research efforts in developing targeted therapies for this debilitating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Xie
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Women's Guild Lung Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Jiurong Liang
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Women's Guild Lung Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Barry Stripp
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Women's Guild Lung Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Paul W. Noble
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Women's Guild Lung Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
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Mukhatayev Z, Adilbayeva A, Kunz J. CTHRC1: An Emerging Hallmark of Pathogenic Fibroblasts in Lung Fibrosis. Cells 2024; 13:946. [PMID: 38891078 PMCID: PMC11171484 DOI: 10.3390/cells13110946] [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: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic, progressive, irreversible lung disease characterized by fibrotic scarring in the lung parenchyma. This condition involves the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) due to the aberrant activation of myofibroblasts in the alveolar environment. Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signaling is a crucial driver of fibrogenesis because it promotes excessive ECM deposition, thereby leading to scar formation and lung damage. A primary target of TGF-β signaling in fibrosis is Collagen Triple Helix Repeat Containing 1 (CTHRC1), a secreted glycoprotein that plays a pivotal role in ECM deposition and wound repair. TGF-β transcriptionally regulates CTHRC1 in response to tissue injury and controls the wound healing response through functional activity. CTHRC1 may also play an essential role in re-establishing and maintaining tissue homeostasis after wound closure by modulating both the TGF-β and canonical Wnt signaling pathways. This dual function suggests that CTHRC1 regulates tissue remodeling and homeostasis. However, deregulated CTHRC1 expression in pathogenic fibroblasts has recently emerged as a hallmark of fibrosis in multiple organs and tissues. This review highlights recent studies suggesting that CTHRC1 can serve as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for fibrosis in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, systemic sclerosis, and post-COVID-19 lung fibrosis. Notably, CTHRC1 expression is responsive to antifibrotic drugs that target the TGF-β pathway, such as pirfenidone and bexotegrast, indicating its potential as a biomarker of treatment success. These findings suggest that CTHRC1 may present new opportunities for diagnosing and treating patients with lung fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jeannette Kunz
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Nazarbayev University, 5/1 Kerey and Zhanibek Khans St., 020000 Astana, Kazakhstan; (Z.M.); (A.A.)
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Zhou T, Lin L, Zhan Y, Zhang Z, Jiang Y, Wu M, Xue D, Chen L, Weng X, Huang Z. Bortezomib restrains M2 polarization and reduces CXCL16-associated CXCR6 +CD4 T cell chemotaxis in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Mol Med 2024; 30:70. [PMID: 38789926 PMCID: PMC11127379 DOI: 10.1186/s10020-024-00836-5] [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: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The development of pulmonary fibrosis involves a cascade of events, in which inflammation mediated by immune cells plays a pivotal role. Chemotherapeutic drugs have been shown to have dual effects on fibrosis, with bleomycin exacerbating pulmonary fibrosis and bortezomib alleviating tissue fibrotic processes. Understanding the intricate interplay between chemotherapeutic drugs, immune responses, and pulmonary fibrosis is likely to serve as the foundation for crafting tailored therapeutic strategies. METHODS A model of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis was established, followed by treatment with bortezomib. Tissue samples were collected for analysis of immune cell subsets and functional assessment by flow cytometry and in vitro cell experiments. Additionally, multi-omics analysis was conducted to further elucidate the expression of chemokines and chemokine receptors, as well as the characteristics of cell populations. RESULTS Here, we observed that the expression of CXCL16 and CXCR6 was elevated in the lung tissue of a pulmonary fibrosis model. In the context of pulmonary fibrosis or TGF-β1 stimulation in vitro, macrophages exhibited an M2-polarized phenotype and secreted more CXCL16 than those of the control group. Moreover, flow cytometry revealed increased expression levels of CD69 and CXCR6 in pulmonary CD4 T cells during fibrosis progression. The administration of bortezomib alleviated bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis, accompanied by reduced ratio of M2-polarized macrophages and decreased accumulation of CD4 T cells expressing CXCR6. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide insights into the key immune players involved in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis and offer preclinical evidence supporting the repurposing strategy and combination approaches to reduce lung fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Zhou
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Lan Lin
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, 350001, China
| | - Yawen Zhan
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Ziyao Zhang
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Ying Jiang
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Mi Wu
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Dan Xue
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, 350001, China
| | - Limin Chen
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, 350001, China
| | - Xiufang Weng
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Zhenghui Huang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, 350001, China.
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Zhang Y, Chen S, Tian Y, Fu X. Host factors of SARS-CoV-2 in infection, pathogenesis, and long-term effects. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1407261. [PMID: 38846354 PMCID: PMC11155306 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1407261] [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: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is the causative virus of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic that results in an unparalleled global health and economic crisis. Despite unprecedented scientific efforts and therapeutic interventions, the fight against COVID-19 continues as the rapid emergence of different SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and the increasing challenge of long COVID-19, raising a vast demand to understand the pathomechanisms of COVID-19 and its long-term sequelae and develop therapeutic strategies beyond the virus per se. Notably, in addition to the virus itself, the replication cycle of SARS-CoV-2 and clinical severity of COVID-19 is also governed by host factors. In this review, we therefore comprehensively overview the replication cycle and pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 from the perspective of host factors and host-virus interactions. We sequentially outline the pathological implications of molecular interactions between host factors and SARS-CoV-2 in multi-organ and multi-system long COVID-19, and summarize current therapeutic strategies and agents targeting host factors for treating these diseases. This knowledge would be key for the identification of new pathophysiological aspects and mechanisms, and the development of actionable therapeutic targets and strategies for tackling COVID-19 and its sequelae.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yan Tian
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Medical School, West China Hospital and Cancer Center, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Sichuan, Chengdu, China
| | - Xianghui Fu
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Medical School, West China Hospital and Cancer Center, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Sichuan, Chengdu, China
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Rudman-Melnick V, Vanhoutte D, Stowers K, Sargent M, Adam M, Ma Q, Perl AKT, Miethke AG, Burg A, Shi T, Hildeman DA, Woodle ESS, Kofron JM, Devarajan P. Gucy1α1 specifically marks kidney, heart, lung and liver fibroblasts. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.15.594404. [PMID: 38798483 PMCID: PMC11118280 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.15.594404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Fibrosis is a common outcome of numerous pathologies, including chronic kidney disease (CKD), a progressive renal function deterioration. Current approaches to target activated fibroblasts, key effector contributors to fibrotic tissue remodeling, lack specificity. Here, we report Gucy1α1 as a specific kidney fibroblast marker. Gucy1α1 levels significantly increased over the course of two clinically relevant murine CKD models and directly correlated with established fibrosis markers. Immunofluorescent (IF) imaging showed that Gucy1α1 comprehensively labelled cortical and medullary quiescent and activated fibroblasts in the control kidney and throughout injury progression, respectively. Unlike traditionally used markers platelet derived growth factor receptor beta (Pdgfrβ) and vimentin (Vim), Gucy1α1 did not overlap with off-target populations such as podocytes. Notably, Gucy1α1 labelled kidney fibroblasts in both male and female mice. Furthermore, we observed elevated GUCY1α1 expression in the human fibrotic kidney and lung. Studies in the murine models of cardiac and liver fibrosis revealed Gucy1α1 elevation in activated Pdgfrβ-, Vim- and alpha smooth muscle actin (αSma)-expressing fibroblasts paralleling injury progression and resolution. Overall, we demonstrate Gucy1α1 as an exclusive fibroblast marker in both sexes. Due to its multiorgan translational potential, GUCY1α1 might provide a novel promising strategy to specifically target and mechanistically examine fibroblasts.
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Liu X, Yang M, Li J, Liu H, Dong Y, Zheng J, Huang Y. Identification of CFH and FHL2 as biomarkers for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Front Med (Lausanne) 2024; 11:1363643. [PMID: 38784225 PMCID: PMC11111937 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1363643] [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: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fatal disease of unknown etiology with a poor prognosis, characterized by a lack of effective diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. The role of immunity in the pathogenesis of IPF is significant, yet remains inadequately understood. This study aimed to identify potential key genes in IPF and their relationship with immune cells by integrated bioinformatics analysis and verify by in vivo and in vitro experiments. Methods Gene microarray data were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) for differential expression analysis. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified and subjected to functional enrichment analysis. By utilizing a combination of three machine learning algorithms, specific genes associated with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) were pinpointed. Then their diagnostic significance and potential co-regulators were elucidated. We further analyzed the correlation between key genes and immune infiltrating cells via single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA). Subsequently, a single-cell RNA sequencing data (scRNA-seq) was used to explore which cell types expressed key genes in IPF samples. Finally, a series of in vivo and in vitro experiments were conducted to validate the expression of candidate genes by western blot (WB), quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis. Results A total of 647 DEGs of IPF were identified based on two datasets, including 225 downregulated genes and 422 upregulated genes. They are closely related to biological functions such as cell migration, structural organization, immune cell chemotaxis, and extracellular matrix. CFH and FHL2 were identified as key genes with diagnostic accuracy for IPF by three machine learning algorithms. Analysis using ssGSEA revealed a significant association of both CFH and FHL2 with diverse immune cells, such as B cells and NK cells. Further scRNA-seq analysis indicated CFH and FHL2 were specifically upregulated in human IPF tissues, which was confirmed by in vitro and in vivo experiments. Conclusion In this study, CFH and FHL2 have been identified as novel potential biomarkers for IPF, with potential diagnostic utility in future clinical applications. Subsequent investigations into the functions of these genes in IPF and their interactions with immune cells may enhance comprehension of the disease's pathogenesis and facilitate the identification of therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingchen Liu
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Navy Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Meng Yang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Navy Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiayu Li
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Navy Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hangxu Liu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Navy Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuchao Dong
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Navy Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianming Zheng
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Navy Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Huang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Navy Medical University, Shanghai, China
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Tomizawa Y, Wali KH, Surti M, Suhail Y, Kshitiz, Hoshino K. Lightsheet microscopy integrates single-cell optical visco-elastography and fluorescence cytometry of 3D live tissues. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.20.590392. [PMID: 38766194 PMCID: PMC11100606 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.20.590392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Most common cytometry methods, including flow cytometry, observe suspended or fixed cells and cannot evaluate their structural roles in 3D tissues. However, cellular physical interactions are critical in physiological, developmental, and pathological processes. Here, we present a novel optical visco-elastography that characterizes single-cellular physical interactions by applying in-situ micro-mechanical perturbation to live microtissues under 3D lightsheet microscopy. The 4D digital image correlation (DIC) analysis of ~20,000 nodes tracked the compressive deformation of 3D tissues containing ~500 cells. The computational 3D image segmentation allowed cell-by-cell qualitative observation and statistical analysis, directly correlating multi-channel fluorescence and viscoelasticity. To represent epithelia-stroma interactions, we used a 3D organoid model of maternal-fetal interface and visualized solid-like, well-aligned displacement and liquid-like random motion between individual cells. The statistical analysis through our unique cytometry confirmed that endometrial stromal fibroblasts stiffen in response to decidualization. Moreover, we demonstrated in the 3D model that interaction with placental extravillous trophoblasts partially reverses the attained stiffness, which was supported by the gene expression analysis. Placentation shares critical cellular and molecular significance with various fundamental biological events such as cancer metastasis, wound healing, and gastrulation. Our analysis confirmed existing beliefs and discovered new insights, proving the broad applicability of our method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuji Tomizawa
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, CT
| | - Khadija H Wali
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, CT
| | - Manav Surti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, CT
| | - Yasir Suhail
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, CT
| | - Kshitiz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, CT
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT
| | - Kazunori Hoshino
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, CT
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Wong IG, Stark J, Ya V, Moye AL, Vazquez AB, Dang SM, Shehaj A, Rouhani MJ, Bronson R, Janes SM, Rowbotham SP, Paschini M, Franklin RA, Kim CF. Airway injury induces alveolar epithelial and mesenchymal responses mediated by macrophages. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.02.587596. [PMID: 38617297 PMCID: PMC11014629 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.02.587596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Acute injury in the airways or the lung activates local progenitors and stimulates changes in cell-cell interactions to restore homeostasis, but it is not appreciated how more distant niches are impacted. We utilized mouse models of airway-specific epithelial injury to examine secondary tissue-wide alveolar, immune, and mesenchymal responses. Single-cell transcriptomics and in vivo validation revealed transient, tissue-wide proliferation of alveolar type 2 (AT2) progenitor cells after club cell-specific ablation. The AT2 cell proliferative response was reliant on alveolar macrophages (AMs) via upregulation of Spp1 which encodes the secreted factor Osteopontin. A previously uncharacterized mesenchymal population we termed Mesenchymal Airway/Adventitial Niche Cell 2 (MANC2) also exhibited dynamic changes in abundance and a pro-fibrotic transcriptional signature after club cell ablation in an AM-dependent manner. Overall, these results demonstrate that acute airway damage can trigger distal lung responses including altered cell-cell interactions that may contribute to potential vulnerabilities for further dysregulation and disease.
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Yin Y, Koenitzer JR, Patra D, Dietmann S, Bayguinov P, Hagan AS, Ornitz DM. Identification of a myofibroblast differentiation program during neonatal lung development. Development 2024; 151:dev202659. [PMID: 38602479 PMCID: PMC11165721 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Alveologenesis is the final stage of lung development in which the internal surface area of the lung is increased to facilitate efficient gas exchange in the mature organism. The first phase of alveologenesis involves the formation of septal ridges (secondary septae) and the second phase involves thinning of the alveolar septa. Within secondary septa, mesenchymal cells include a transient population of alveolar myofibroblasts (MyoFBs) and a stable but poorly described population of lipid-rich cells that have been referred to as lipofibroblasts or matrix fibroblasts (MatFBs). Using a unique Fgf18CreER lineage trace mouse line, cell sorting, single-cell RNA sequencing and primary cell culture, we have identified multiple subtypes of mesenchymal cells in the neonatal lung, including an immature progenitor cell that gives rise to mature MyoFB. We also show that the endogenous and targeted ROSA26 locus serves as a sensitive reporter for MyoFB maturation. These studies identify a MyoFB differentiation program that is distinct from other mesenchymal cell types and increases the known repertoire of mesenchymal cell types in the neonatal lung.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjun Yin
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Jeffrey R. Koenitzer
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Debabrata Patra
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Sabine Dietmann
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Institute for Informatics, Data Science and Biostatistics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Peter Bayguinov
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Andrew S. Hagan
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - David M. Ornitz
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
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40
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Selman M, Pardo A. Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: From Common Microscopy to Single-Cell Biology and Precision Medicine. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2024; 209:1074-1081. [PMID: 38289233 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202309-1573pp] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Moisés Selman
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias "Ismael Cosío Villegas", Mexico City, Mexico; and
| | - Annie Pardo
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
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41
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Liu X, Zhang X, Liang J, Noble PW, Jiang D. The concept of Sfrp1 + transitional fibroblasts: the key to dissociating lineage heterogeneity and fate of invasive fibroblasts in pulmonary fibrosis? Eur Respir J 2024; 63:2400498. [PMID: 38724178 PMCID: PMC11079327 DOI: 10.1183/13993003.00498-2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
One of the significant advances in the biology of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) has been the recognition of fibroblast heterogeneity in the lung. Fibroblast heterogeneity can be interpreted as fibroblast subtypes, probably derived from distinct mesenchymal lineages, as well as various activation states, such as proliferation, matrix production and invasiveness. With great interest, we read the original work by Mayr et al. [1] presenting a concept that the Sfrp1+ transitional fibroblasts with low invasive capacity emerge early after bleomycin-induced injury and ultimately transit to Spp1/Cthrc1+ matrix-producing (myo)fibroblasts with the driving force of transforming growth factor (TGF)β1 signalling from myeloid and epithelial lineages. This study largely aligns with our recent publication proposing that multiple fibroblast subtypes from IPF lungs contribute to the invasive phenotype of fibroblasts and the matrix deposition in pulmonary fibrosis [2]. The novel concept of Sfrp1+ transitional fibroblasts has sparked novel points of interest: the mechanisms under which the Sfrp1+ transitional fibroblasts emerge and the in vivo functions of Sfrp1 and Sfrp1+ transitional fibroblasts in pulmonary fibrosis https://bit.ly/4aq6iAI
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Liu
- Department of Medicine and Women's Guild Lung Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Xuexi Zhang
- Department of Medicine and Women's Guild Lung Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jiurong Liang
- Department of Medicine and Women's Guild Lung Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Paul W Noble
- Department of Medicine and Women's Guild Lung Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Dianhua Jiang
- Department of Medicine and Women's Guild Lung Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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42
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Wang Y, Wang L, Ma S, Cheng L, Yu G. Repair and regeneration of the alveolar epithelium in lung injury. FASEB J 2024; 38:e23612. [PMID: 38648494 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202400088r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Considerable progress has been made in understanding the function of alveolar epithelial cells in a quiescent state and regeneration mechanism after lung injury. Lung injury occurs commonly from severe viral and bacterial infections, inhalation lung injury, and indirect injury sepsis. A series of pathological mechanisms caused by excessive injury, such as apoptosis, autophagy, senescence, and ferroptosis, have been studied. Recovery from lung injury requires the integrity of the alveolar epithelial cell barrier and the realization of gas exchange function. Regeneration mechanisms include the participation of epithelial progenitor cells and various niche cells involving several signaling pathways and proteins. While alveoli are damaged, alveolar type II (AT2) cells proliferate and differentiate into alveolar type I (AT1) cells to repair the damaged alveolar epithelial layer. Alveolar epithelial cells are surrounded by various cells, such as fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and various immune cells, which affect the proliferation and differentiation of AT2 cells through paracrine during alveolar regeneration. Besides, airway epithelial cells also contribute to the repair and regeneration process of alveolar epithelium. In this review, we mainly discuss the participation of epithelial progenitor cells and various niche cells involving several signaling pathways and transcription factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaxuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Regulation, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Pulmonary Fibrosis, Henan Center for Outstanding Overseas Scientists of Organ Fibrosis, Pingyuan Laboratory, College of Life Science, Henan Normal university, Xinxiang, China
| | - Lan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Regulation, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Pulmonary Fibrosis, Henan Center for Outstanding Overseas Scientists of Organ Fibrosis, Pingyuan Laboratory, College of Life Science, Henan Normal university, Xinxiang, China
| | - Shuaichen Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Regulation, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Pulmonary Fibrosis, Henan Center for Outstanding Overseas Scientists of Organ Fibrosis, Pingyuan Laboratory, College of Life Science, Henan Normal university, Xinxiang, China
| | - Lianhui Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Regulation, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Pulmonary Fibrosis, Henan Center for Outstanding Overseas Scientists of Organ Fibrosis, Pingyuan Laboratory, College of Life Science, Henan Normal university, Xinxiang, China
| | - Guoying Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Regulation, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Pulmonary Fibrosis, Henan Center for Outstanding Overseas Scientists of Organ Fibrosis, Pingyuan Laboratory, College of Life Science, Henan Normal university, Xinxiang, China
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Yokokawa T, Nishiura K, Katahira M, Sato Y, Miura S, Sato A, Shimizu T, Misaka T, Sato T, Kaneshiro T, Oikawa M, Yoshihisa A, Sugimoto K, Fukushima K, Nakazato K, Takeishi Y. Collagen Triple Helix Repeat-Containing Protein 1 Is a Novel Biomarker of Right Ventricular Involvement in Pulmonary Hypertension. Can J Cardiol 2024:S0828-282X(24)00337-4. [PMID: 38692430 DOI: 10.1016/j.cjca.2024.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pulmonary hypertension leads to right ventricular failure, which is a major determinant of prognosis. Circulating biomarkers for right ventricular function are poorly explored in pulmonary hypertension. This study aimed to clarify the significance of collagen triple helix repeat-containing protein 1 (CTHRC1) as a biomarker of right ventricular failure in pulmonary hypertension. METHODS A monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension rat model was used to evaluate right ventricular CTHRC1 expression and its relationship with fibrosis. Next, human plasma CTHRC1 levels were measured in controls (n = 20), pulmonary arterial hypertension (n = 46), and patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) (n = 64) before the first and after the final balloon pulmonary angioplasty. RESULTS CTHRC1 expression was higher in the right ventricles of rats with monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension than in those of controls. CTHRC1 was colocalized with vimentin and associated with fibrosis in the right ventricles. Plasma CTHRC1 levels were higher in human patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (P = 0.006) and CTEPH (P = 0.011) than in controls. Plasma CTHRC levels were correlated with B-type natriuretic peptide (R = 0.355, P < 0.001), tricuspid lateral annular peak systolic velocity (R = -0.213, P = 0.029), and right ventricular fractional area change (R = -0.225, P = 0.017). Finally, plasma CTHRC1 levels were decreased after the final balloon pulmonary angioplasty (P < 0.001) in CTEPH. CONCLUSIONS CTHRC1 can be a circulating biomarker associated with right ventricular function and fibrosis in pulmonary hypertension and might reflect the therapeutic efficacy of balloon pulmonary angioplasty in CTEPH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetsuro Yokokawa
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
| | - Kazuto Nishiura
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Masataka Katahira
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Yu Sato
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Miura
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Akihiko Sato
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Takeshi Shimizu
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Tomofumi Misaka
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan; Department of Community Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Takamasa Sato
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Takashi Kaneshiro
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Masayoshi Oikawa
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Akiomi Yoshihisa
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan; Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Fukushima Medical University, ukushima, Japan
| | - Koichi Sugimoto
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Kenji Fukushima
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Nakazato
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Yasuchika Takeishi
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
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44
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Loffredo LF, Surpur A, Ringham OR, Li F, de Los Santos-Alexis K, Arpaia N. Heparan sulfate regulates amphiregulin signaling towards reparative lung mesenchymal cells during influenza A infection. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.25.591175. [PMID: 38712053 PMCID: PMC11071614 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.25.591175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Amphiregulin (Areg), a growth factor produced by regulatory T (Treg) cells to facilitate tissue repair/regeneration, contains a heparan sulfate (HS) binding domain. How HS, a highly sulfated glycan subtype that alters growth factor signaling, influences Areg repair/regeneration functions is unclear. Here we report that inhibition of HS in various cell lines and primary lung mesenchymal cells (LMC) qualitatively alters downstream signaling and highlights the existence of HS-dependent vs. -independent Areg transcriptional signatures. Utilizing a panel of cell lines with targeted deletions in HS synthesis-related genes, we found that the presence of the glypican family of heparan sulfate proteoglycans is critical for Areg signaling and confirmed this dependency in primary LMC by siRNA-mediated knockdown. Furthermore, in the context of influenza A (IAV) infection in vivo , we found that an Areg-responsive subset of reparative LMC upregulate glypican-4 and HS. Conditional deletion of HS primarily within this LMC subset resulted in reduced blood oxygen saturation following infection with IAV, with no changes in viral load. Finally, we found that co-culture of HS-knockout LMC with IAV-induced Treg cells results in reduced LMC responses. Collectively, this study reveals the essentiality of HS on a specific lung mesenchymal population as a mediator of Treg cell-derived Areg reparative signaling during IAV infection.
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45
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Wang Y, Xue F, Cheng W, Zhao Q, Song N, Shi Z, Liu H, Li Y, Tang Q, Liu Q, Wang Y, Zhang F, Jiang X. Design and Synthesis of Novel Ultralong-Acting Peptides as EDP-EBP Interaction Inhibitors for Pulmonary Fibrosis Treatment. J Med Chem 2024; 67:6624-6637. [PMID: 38588467 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00067] [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: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
The increased remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in pulmonary fibrosis (PF) generates bioactive ECM fragments called matricryptins, which include elastin-derived peptides (EDPs). The interaction between EDPs and their receptors, including elastin-binding protein (EBP), plays a crucial role in exacerbating fibrosis. Here, we present LXJ-02 for the first time, a novel ultralong-acting inhibitor that disrupts the EDPs/EBP peptide-protein interaction, promoting macrophages to secrete matrix metalloproteinase-12 (MMP-12), and showing great promise as a stable peptide. MMP-12 has traditionally been implicated in promoting inflammation and fibrosis in various acute and chronic diseases. However, we reveal a novel role of LXJ-02 that activates the macrophage-MMP-12 axis to increase MMP-12 expression and degrade ECM components like elastin. This leads to the preventing of PF while also improving EDP-EBP interaction. LXJ-02 effectively reverses PF in mouse models with minimal side effects, holding great promise as an excellent therapeutic agent for lung fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixiang Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China
- The First School of Clinical Medicine & The First Hospital, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
| | - Fanghan Xue
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China
| | - Wei Cheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China
| | - Qian Zhao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China
| | - Nazi Song
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China
| | - Zihan Shi
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China
| | - Han Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China
| | - Yu Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China
| | - Qinglin Tang
- Shenzhen Turier Biotech. Co. Ltd, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Qi Liu
- Shenzhen Turier Biotech. Co. Ltd, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Yiqing Wang
- The First School of Clinical Medicine & The First Hospital, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
- Gansu International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Reproductive Medicine Transformation Application & Key Laboratory for Reproductive Medicine and Embryo of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
| | - Fangfang Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
| | - Xianxing Jiang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China
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Deng Y, Xia L, Zhang J, Deng S, Wang M, Wei S, Li K, Lai H, Yang Y, Bai Y, Liu Y, Luo L, Yang Z, Chen Y, Kang R, Gan F, Pu Q, Mei J, Ma L, Lin F, Guo C, Liao H, Zhu Y, Liu Z, Liu C, Hu Y, Yuan Y, Zha Z, Yuan G, Zhang G, Chen L, Cheng Q, Shen S, Liu L. Multicellular ecotypes shape progression of lung adenocarcinoma from ground-glass opacity toward advanced stages. Cell Rep Med 2024; 5:101489. [PMID: 38554705 PMCID: PMC11031428 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2024.101489] [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: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Lung adenocarcinoma is a type of cancer that exhibits a wide range of clinical radiological manifestations, from ground-glass opacity (GGO) to pure solid nodules, which vary greatly in terms of their biological characteristics. Our current understanding of this heterogeneity is limited. To address this gap, we analyze 58 lung adenocarcinoma patients via machine learning, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), and whole-exome sequencing, and we identify six lung multicellular ecotypes (LMEs) correlating with distinct radiological patterns and cancer cell states. Notably, GGO-associated neoantigens in early-stage cancers are recognized by CD8+ T cells, indicating an immune-active environment, while solid nodules feature an immune-suppressive LME with exhausted CD8+ T cells, driven by specific stromal cells such as CTHCR1+ fibroblasts. This study also highlights EGFR(L858R) neoantigens in GGO samples, suggesting potential CD8+ T cell activation. Our findings offer valuable insights into lung adenocarcinoma heterogeneity, suggesting avenues for targeted therapies in early-stage disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulan Deng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Liang Xia
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Senyi Deng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Mengyao Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, China
| | - Shiyou Wei
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Kaixiu Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hongjin Lai
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yunhao Yang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yuquan Bai
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yongcheng Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Lanzhi Luo
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Zhenyu Yang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yaohui Chen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Ran Kang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Fanyi Gan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Qiang Pu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jiandong Mei
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Lin Ma
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Feng Lin
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Chenglin Guo
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Hu Liao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yunke Zhu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Zheng Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Chengwu Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yang Hu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yong Yuan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Zhengyu Zha
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Gang Yuan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Gao Zhang
- Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, China
| | - Luonan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China; Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China; Key Laboratory of Systems Biology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qing Cheng
- Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Shensi Shen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Lunxu Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Western China Collaborative Innovation Center for Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Therapy of Lung Cancer, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
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Chaudhry FN, Michki NS, Shirmer DL, McGrath-Morrow S, Young LR, Frank DB, Zepp JA. Dynamic Hippo pathway activity underlies mesenchymal differentiation during lung alveolar morphogenesis. Development 2024; 151:dev202430. [PMID: 38602485 PMCID: PMC11112347 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202430] [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: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Alveologenesis, the final stage in lung development, substantially remodels the distal lung, expanding the alveolar surface area for efficient gas exchange. Secondary crest myofibroblasts (SCMF) exist transiently in the neonatal distal lung and are crucial for alveologenesis. However, the pathways that regulate SCMF function, proliferation and temporal identity remain poorly understood. To address this, we purified SCMFs from reporter mice, performed bulk RNA-seq and found dynamic changes in Hippo-signaling components during alveologenesis. We deleted the Hippo effectors Yap/Taz from Acta2-expressing cells at the onset of alveologenesis, causing a significant arrest in alveolar development. Using single cell RNA-seq, we identified a distinct cluster of cells in mutant lungs with altered expression of marker genes associated with proximal mesenchymal cell types, airway smooth muscle and alveolar duct myofibroblasts. In vitro studies confirmed that Yap/Taz regulates myofibroblast-associated gene signature and contractility. Together, our findings show that Yap/Taz is essential for maintaining functional myofibroblast identity during postnatal alveologenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatima N. Chaudhry
- Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Nigel S. Michki
- Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Dain L. Shirmer
- Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sharon McGrath-Morrow
- Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Lisa R. Young
- Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - David B. Frank
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jarod A. Zepp
- Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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48
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Vang S, Helton ES, Guo Y, Burpee B, Rose E, Easter M, Bollenbecker S, Hirsch MJ, Matthews EL, Jones LI, Howze PH, Rajasekaran V, Denson R, Cochran P, Attah IK, Olson H, Clair G, Melkani G, Krick S, Barnes JW. O-GlcNAc transferase regulates collagen deposition and fibrosis resolution in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1387197. [PMID: 38665916 PMCID: PMC11043510 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1387197] [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: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic pulmonary disease that is characterized by an excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins (e.g. collagens) in the parenchyma, which ultimately leads to respiratory failure and death. While current therapies exist to slow the progression, no therapies are available to resolve fibrosis. Methods We characterized the O-linked N-Acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) transferase (OGT)/O-GlcNAc axis in IPF using single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) data and human lung sections and isolated fibroblasts from IPF and non-IPF donors. The underlying mechanism(s) of IPF were further investigated using multiple experimental models to modulate collagen expression and accumulation by genetically and pharmacologically targeting OGT. Furthermore, we hone in on the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) effector molecule, Smad3, by co-expressing it with OGT to determine if it is modified and its subsequent effect on Smad3 activation. Results We found that OGT and O-GlcNAc levels are upregulated in patients with IPF compared to non-IPF. We report that the OGT regulates collagen deposition and fibrosis resolution, which is an evolutionarily conserved process demonstrated across multiple species. Co-expression of OGT and Smad3 showed that Smad3 is O-GlcNAc modified. Blocking OGT activity resulted in decreased phosphorylation at Ser-423/425 of Smad3 attenuating the effects of TGF-β1 induced collagen expression/deposition. Conclusion OGT inhibition or knockdown successfully blocked and reversed collagen expression and accumulation, respectively. Smad3 is discovered to be a substrate of OGT and its O-GlcNAc modification(s) directly affects its phosphorylation state. These data identify OGT as a potential target in pulmonary fibrosis resolution, as well as other diseases that might have aberrant ECM/collagen accumulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shia Vang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Eric Scott Helton
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Yiming Guo
- Department of Pathology, Division of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Bailey Burpee
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Elex Rose
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Molly Easter
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Seth Bollenbecker
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Meghan June Hirsch
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Emma Lea Matthews
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Luke Isaac Jones
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Patrick Henry Howze
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Vasanthi Rajasekaran
- Department of Pathology, Division of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Rebecca Denson
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Phillip Cochran
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Isaac Kwame Attah
- Biological Science Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
| | - Heather Olson
- Biological Science Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
| | - Geremy Clair
- Biological Science Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
| | - Girish Melkani
- Department of Pathology, Division of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Stefanie Krick
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Jarrod Wesley Barnes
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
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Rieder F, Mukherjee PK, Massey WJ, Wang Y, Fiocchi C. Fibrosis in IBD: from pathogenesis to therapeutic targets. Gut 2024; 73:854-866. [PMID: 38233198 PMCID: PMC10997492 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2023-329963] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intestinal fibrosis resulting in stricture formation and obstruction in Crohn's disease (CD) and increased wall stiffness leading to symptoms in ulcerative colitis (UC) is among the largest unmet needs in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Fibrosis is caused by a multifactorial and complex process involving immune and non-immune cells, their soluble mediators and exposure to luminal contents, such as microbiota and environmental factors. To date, no antifibrotic therapy is available. Some progress has been made in creating consensus definitions and measurements to quantify stricture morphology for clinical practice and trials, but approaches to determine the degree of fibrosis within a stricture are still lacking. OBJECTIVE We herein describe the current state of stricture pathogenesis, measuring tools and clinical trial endpoints development. DESIGN Data presented and discussed in this review derive from the past and recent literature and the authors' own research and experience. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Significant progress has been made in better understanding the pathogenesis of fibrosis, but additional studies and preclinical developments are needed to define specific therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Rieder
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Pranab K Mukherjee
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - William J Massey
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Claudio Fiocchi
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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50
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Caballero-Sánchez N, Alonso-Alonso S, Nagy L. Regenerative inflammation: When immune cells help to re-build tissues. FEBS J 2024; 291:1597-1614. [PMID: 36440547 PMCID: PMC10225019 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16693] [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: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Inflammation is an essential immune response critical for responding to infection, injury and maintenance of tissue homeostasis. Upon injury, regenerative inflammation promotes tissue repair by a timed and coordinated infiltration of diverse cell types and the secretion of growth factors, cytokines and lipids mediators. Remarkably, throughout evolution as well as mammalian development, this type of physiological inflammation is highly associated with immunosuppression. For instance, regenerative inflammation is the consequence of an in situ macrophage polarization resulting in a transition from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory/pro-regenerative response. Immune cells are the first responders upon injury, infiltrating the damaged tissue and initiating a pro-inflammatory response depleting cell debris and necrotic cells. After phagocytosis, macrophages undergo multiple coordinated metabolic and transcriptional changes allowing the transition and dictating the initiation of the regenerative phase. Differences between a highly efficient, complete ad integrum tissue repair, such as, acute skeletal muscle injury, and insufficient regenerative inflammation, as the one developing in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), highlight the importance of a coordinated response orchestrated by immune cells. During regenerative inflammation, these cells interact with others and alter the niche, affecting the character of inflammation itself and, therefore, the progression of tissue repair. Comparing acute muscle injury and chronic inflammation in DMD, we review how the same cells and molecules in different numbers, concentration and timing contribute to very different outcomes. Thus, it is important to understand and identify the distinct functions and secreted molecules of macrophages, and potentially other immune cells, during tissue repair, and the contributors to the macrophage switch leveraging this knowledge in treating diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noemí Caballero-Sánchez
- Doctoral School of Molecular Cell and Immunobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Hungary
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Nuclear Receptor Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Sergio Alonso-Alonso
- Instituto Oftalmológico Fernández-Vega, Oviedo, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain
| | - Laszlo Nagy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Nuclear Receptor Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Hungary
- Departments Medicine and Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, St Petersburg, Florida, USA
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