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Wang Z, Zhu S, Jia Y, Wang Y, Kubota N, Fujiwara N, Gordillo R, Lewis C, Zhu M, Sharma T, Li L, Zeng Q, Lin YH, Hsieh MH, Gopal P, Wang T, Hoare M, Campbell P, Hoshida Y, Zhu H. Positive selection of somatically mutated clones identifies adaptive pathways in metabolic liver disease. Cell 2023; 186:1968-1984.e20. [PMID: 37040760 PMCID: PMC10321862 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Somatic mutations in nonmalignant tissues accumulate with age and injury, but whether these mutations are adaptive on the cellular or organismal levels is unclear. To interrogate genes in human metabolic disease, we performed lineage tracing in mice harboring somatic mosaicism subjected to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Proof-of-concept studies with mosaic loss of Mboat7, a membrane lipid acyltransferase, showed that increased steatosis accelerated clonal disappearance. Next, we induced pooled mosaicism in 63 known NASH genes, allowing us to trace mutant clones side by side. This in vivo tracing platform, which we coined MOSAICS, selected for mutations that ameliorate lipotoxicity, including mutant genes identified in human NASH. To prioritize new genes, additional screening of 472 candidates identified 23 somatic perturbations that promoted clonal expansion. In validation studies, liver-wide deletion of Tbx3, Bcl6, or Smyd2 resulted in protection against hepatic steatosis. Selection for clonal fitness in mouse and human livers identifies pathways that regulate metabolic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zixi Wang
- Children's Research Institute, Departments of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Children's Research Institute Mouse Genome Engineering Core, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Shijia Zhu
- Liver Tumor Translational Research Program, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Yuemeng Jia
- Children's Research Institute, Departments of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Children's Research Institute Mouse Genome Engineering Core, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Yunguan Wang
- Quantitative Biomedical Research Center, Department of Population and Data Sciences, Center for the Genetics of Host Defense, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Naoto Kubota
- Liver Tumor Translational Research Program, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Naoto Fujiwara
- Liver Tumor Translational Research Program, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Ruth Gordillo
- Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Cheryl Lewis
- Tissue Management Shared Resource, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Min Zhu
- Children's Research Institute, Departments of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Children's Research Institute Mouse Genome Engineering Core, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Tripti Sharma
- Children's Research Institute, Departments of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Children's Research Institute Mouse Genome Engineering Core, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Lin Li
- Children's Research Institute, Departments of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Children's Research Institute Mouse Genome Engineering Core, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Qiyu Zeng
- Children's Research Institute, Departments of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Children's Research Institute Mouse Genome Engineering Core, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Yu-Hsuan Lin
- Children's Research Institute, Departments of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Children's Research Institute Mouse Genome Engineering Core, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Meng-Hsiung Hsieh
- Children's Research Institute, Departments of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Children's Research Institute Mouse Genome Engineering Core, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Purva Gopal
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Tao Wang
- Quantitative Biomedical Research Center, Department of Population and Data Sciences, Center for the Genetics of Host Defense, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Matt Hoare
- University of Cambridge Department of Medicine, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK; University of Cambridge Early Cancer Institute, Hutchison Research Centre, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0XZ, UK
| | - Peter Campbell
- Cancer Genome Project, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Yujin Hoshida
- Liver Tumor Translational Research Program, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Hao Zhu
- Children's Research Institute, Departments of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Children's Research Institute Mouse Genome Engineering Core, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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Wang Z, Zhu S, Jia Y, Wang Y, Kubota N, Fujiwara N, Gordillo R, Lewis C, Zhu M, Sharma T, Li L, Zeng Q, Lin YH, Hsieh MH, Gopal P, Wang T, Hoare M, Campbell P, Hoshida Y, Zhu H. Positive selection of somatically mutated clones identifies adaptive pathways in metabolic liver disease. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.20.533505. [PMID: 36993727 PMCID: PMC10055219 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.20.533505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Somatic mutations in non-malignant tissues accumulate with age and insult, but whether these mutations are adaptive on the cellular or organismal levels is unclear. To interrogate mutations found in human metabolic disease, we performed lineage tracing in mice harboring somatic mosaicism subjected to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Proof-of-concept studies with mosaic loss of Mboat7 , a membrane lipid acyltransferase, showed that increased steatosis accelerated clonal disappearance. Next, we induced pooled mosaicism in 63 known NASH genes, allowing us to trace mutant clones side-by-side. This in vivo tracing platform, which we coined MOSAICS, selected for mutations that ameliorate lipotoxicity, including mutant genes identified in human NASH. To prioritize new genes, additional screening of 472 candidates identified 23 somatic perturbations that promoted clonal expansion. In validation studies, liver-wide deletion of Bcl6, Tbx3, or Smyd2 resulted in protection against NASH. Selection for clonal fitness in mouse and human livers identifies pathways that regulate metabolic disease. Highlights Mosaic Mboat7 mutations that increase lipotoxicity lead to clonal disappearance in NASH. In vivo screening can identify genes that alter hepatocyte fitness in NASH. Mosaic Gpam mutations are positively selected due to reduced lipogenesis. In vivo screening of transcription factors and epifactors identified new therapeutic targets in NASH.
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3
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Lee HY, Jang HR, Li H, Samuel VT, Dudek KD, Osipovich AB, Magnuson MA, Sklar J, Shulman GI. Deletion of Jazf1 gene causes early growth retardation and insulin resistance in mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2213628119. [PMID: 36442127 PMCID: PMC9894197 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2213628119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the human juxtaposed with another zinc finger protein 1 (JAZF1) gene have repeatedly been associated with both type 2 diabetes (T2D) and height in multiple genome-wide association studies (GWAS); however, the mechanism by which JAZF1 causes these traits is not yet known. To investigate the possible functional role of JAZF1 in growth and glucose metabolism in vivo, we generated Jazf1 knockout (KO) mice and examined body composition and insulin sensitivity both in young and adult mice by using 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance and hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp techniques. Plasma concentrations of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) were reduced in both young and adult Jazf1 KO mice, and young Jazf1 KO mice were shorter in stature than age-matched wild-type mice. Young Jazf1 KO mice manifested reduced fat mass, whereas adult Jazf1 KO mice manifested increased fat mass and reductions in lean body mass associated with increased plasma growth hormone (GH) concentrations. Adult Jazf1 KO manifested muscle insulin resistance that was further exacerbated by high-fat diet feeding. Gene set enrichment analysis in Jazf1 KO liver identified the hepatocyte hepatic nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4α), which was decreased in Jazf1 KO liver and in JAZF1 knockdown cells. Moreover, GH-induced IGF-1 expression was inhibited by JAZF1 knockdown in human hepatocytes. Taken together these results demonstrate that reduction of JAZF1 leads to early growth retardation and late onset insulin resistance in vivo which may be mediated through alterations in the GH-IGF-1 axis and HNF4α.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Young Lee
- aLaboratory of Mitochondria and Metabolic Diseases, School of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon21999, Korea
- bDepartment of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon21999, Korea
- cKorea Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Center, Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, Gachon University, Incheon21999, Korea
| | - Hye Rim Jang
- aLaboratory of Mitochondria and Metabolic Diseases, School of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon21999, Korea
- bDepartment of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon21999, Korea
| | - Hui Li
- dDepartment of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA22908
| | - Varman T. Samuel
- eDepartment of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT06510
- fWest Haven Veterans Affairs Medical Center, West Haven, CT06516
| | - Karrie D. Dudek
- gDepartment of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, NashvilleTN37232
| | - Anna B. Osipovich
- hDepartment of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN37232
| | - Mark A. Magnuson
- hDepartment of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN37232
- 1To whom correspondence may be addressed. , , or
| | - Jeffrey Sklar
- iDepartment of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New HavenCT06510
- 1To whom correspondence may be addressed. , , or
| | - Gerald I. Shulman
- eDepartment of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT06510
- jDepartment of Cellular & Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT06510
- 1To whom correspondence may be addressed. , , or
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Kamiya A, Ida K. Liver Injury and Cell Survival in Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis Regulated by Sex-Based Difference through B Cell Lymphoma 6. Cells 2022; 11:cells11233751. [PMID: 36497010 PMCID: PMC9737870 DOI: 10.3390/cells11233751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The liver is a crucial organ for maintaining homeostasis in living organisms and is the center of various metabolic functions. Therefore, abnormal metabolic activity, as in metabolic syndrome, leads to pathological conditions, such as abnormal accumulation of lipids in the liver. Inflammation and cell death are induced by several stresses in the fatty liver, namely steatohepatitis. In recent years, an increase in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is not dependent on excessive alcohol intake, has become an issue as a major cause of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. There are several recent findings on functional sex-based differences, NASH, and cell stress and death in the liver. In particular, NASH-induced liver injury and tumorigeneses were suppressed by B cell lymphoma 6, the transcriptional factor regulating sex-based liver functional gene expression. In this review, we discuss cell response to stress and lipotoxicity in NASH and its regulatory mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akihide Kamiya
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-463-93-1121 (ext. 2783); Fax: +81-463-95-3522
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Du M, Li X, Xiao F, Fu Y, Shi Y, Guo S, Chen L, Shen L, Wang L, Cheng H, Li H, Xie A, Zhou Y, Yang K, Fang H, Lyu J, Zhao Q. Serine active site containing protein 1 depletion alters lipid metabolism and protects against high fat diet-induced obesity in mice. Metabolism 2022; 134:155244. [PMID: 35760118 DOI: 10.1016/j.metabol.2022.155244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Although the serine active site containing 1 (SERAC1) protein is essential for cardiolipin remodeling and cholesterol transfer, its physiological role in whole-body energy metabolism remains unclear. Thus, we investigated the role of SERAC1 in lipid distribution and metabolism in mice. METHODS CRISPR/Cas9 was used to create homozygous Serac1 knockout mice. A range of methods, including electron microscopy, histological analysis, DNA sequencing, glucose and insulin tolerance tests, and biochemical analysis of serum lipid levels, were used to assess lipid distribution and rates of lipid synthesis in mice. RESULTS We found that Serac1 depletion in mice prevented high-fat diet-induced obesity but did not affect energy expenditure. The liver was affected by Serac1 depletion, but adipose tissues were not. Serac1 depletion was shown to impair cholesterol transfer from the liver to the serum and led to an imbalance in cholesterol distribution. The livers from mice with Serac1 depletion showed increased cholesterol synthesis because the levels of cholesterol synthesis enzymes were upregulated. Moreover, the accumulation of hepatic lipid droplets in mice with Serac1 depletion were decreased, suggesting that SERAC1 depletion may decrease the risk for hepatic steatosis in high fat diet-induced mice. CONCLUSION Our findings demonstrate that SERAC1 can serve as a potential target for the treatment or prevention of diet-induced hepatic lipid metabolic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaomiao Du
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Bioengineering, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311399, China; Key Laboratory of Biomarkers and In Vitro Diagnosis Translation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310063, China; Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, College of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325035, China
| | - Xueyun Li
- Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Taizhou, Zhejiang 318000, China
| | - Fangyi Xiao
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325015, China
| | - Yinxu Fu
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, College of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325035, China
| | - Yu Shi
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, College of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325035, China
| | - Sihan Guo
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, College of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325035, China
| | - Lifang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, College of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325035, China
| | - Lu Shen
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, College of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325035, China
| | - Lan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, College of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325035, China
| | - Huang Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, College of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325035, China
| | - Hao Li
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, College of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325035, China
| | - Anran Xie
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, College of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325035, China
| | - Yaping Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, College of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325035, China
| | - Kaiqiang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, College of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325035, China
| | - Hezhi Fang
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, College of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325035, China.
| | - Jianxin Lyu
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, College of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325035, China; Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China.
| | - Qiongya Zhao
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Bioengineering, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311399, China; Key Laboratory of Biomarkers and In Vitro Diagnosis Translation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310063, China; Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, College of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325035, China.
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Zhang H, Li Y, Zhang C, Huang K, Zhao J, Le S, Jiang L, Liu H, Yang P, Xiao X, Yu J, Wu J, Ye P, Xia J. B-cell lymphoma 6 alleviates nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in mice through suppression of fatty acid transporter CD36. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:359. [PMID: 35436984 PMCID: PMC9016081 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-04812-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an ubiquitous disease that exists across a wide spectrum ranging from steatosis, steatohepatitis, advanced fibrosis, and liver cirrhosis. Hallmarks of NAFLD are lipid accumulation, insulin resistance, and chronic low-grade inflammation. However, there currently are no medications approved for NAFLD. B-cell lymphoma 6 (BCL6) is a transcriptional inhibitor that is vital for germinal center B-cell formation. Our study identified BCL6 as a critical modulator of hepatic lipid metabolism and appears to contribute to the initiation and progression of NAFLD. In our research, we induced hepatic BCL6 overexpression using adeno-associated virus (AAV), as well as conditional liver-specific BCL6 knockout mice (BCL6-CKO). With these models, we noted that BCL6 overexpression improved insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis in mice models maintained on a HFD diet. Conversely, these parameters worsened in the livers of mice with downregulated BCL6 levels. Mechanistically, the translocase fatty acid CD36 was determined to be a transcriptional target of BCL6 that influences its role in hepatic steatosis. BCL6 bound directly to the CD36 promoter region, restraining CD36 transcription under physiological conditions. We conclude that the hepatocyte BCL6 inhibits the NAFLD progression in mice, including deranged lipid accumulation and glucose metabolism, through a CD36-dependent manner. These results indicate that BCL6 may potentially be targeted in NAFLD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yue Li
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- Institute of Pathology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Kun Huang
- Department of Cardiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jing Zhao
- Department of Cardiology, The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Sheng Le
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Lang Jiang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Hao Liu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Peiwen Yang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoyue Xiao
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jizhang Yu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jie Wu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
| | - Ping Ye
- Department of Cardiology, The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
| | - Jiahong Xia
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
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Nalkurthi C, Schroder WA, Melino M, Irvine KM, Nyuydzefe M, Chen W, Liu J, Teng MWL, Hill GR, Bertolino P, Blazar BR, Miller GC, Clouston AD, Zanin-Zhorov A, MacDonald KPA. ROCK2 inhibition attenuates profibrogenic immune cell function to reverse thioacetamide-induced liver fibrosis. JHEP REPORTS : INNOVATION IN HEPATOLOGY 2021; 4:100386. [PMID: 34917911 PMCID: PMC8645924 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2021.100386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Background & Aims Fibrosis, the primary cause of morbidity in chronic liver disease, is induced by pro-inflammatory cytokines, immune cell infiltrates, and tissue resident cells that drive excessive myofibroblast activation, collagen production, and tissue scarring. Rho-associated kinase 2 (ROCK2) regulates key pro-fibrotic pathways involved in both inflammatory reactions and altered extracellular matrix remodelling, implicating this pathway as a potential therapeutic target. Methods We used the thioacetamide-induced liver fibrosis model to examine the efficacy of administration of the selective ROCK2 inhibitor KD025 to prevent or treat liver fibrosis and its impact on immune composition and function. Results Prophylactic and therapeutic administration of KD025 effectively attenuated thioacetamide-induced liver fibrosis and promoted fibrotic regression. KD025 treatment inhibited liver macrophage tumour necrosis factor production and disrupted the macrophage niche within fibrotic septae. ROCK2 targeting in vitro directly regulated macrophage function through disruption of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3)/cofilin signalling pathways leading to the inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokine production and macrophage migration. In vivo, KDO25 administration significantly reduced STAT3 phosphorylation and cofilin levels in the liver. Additionally, livers exhibited robust downregulation of immune cell infiltrates and diminished levels of retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor gamma (RORγt) and B-cell lymphoma 6 (Bcl6) transcription factors that correlated with a significant reduction in liver IL-17, splenic germinal centre numbers and serum IgG. Conclusions As IL-17 and IgG–Fc binding promote pathogenic macrophage differentiation, together our data demonstrate that ROCK2 inhibition prevents and reverses liver fibrosis through direct and indirect effects on macrophage function and highlight the therapeutic potential of ROCK2 inhibition in liver fibrosis. Lay summary By using a clinic-ready small-molecule inhibitor, we demonstrate that selective ROCK2 inhibition prevents and reverses hepatic fibrosis through its pleiotropic effects on pro-inflammatory immune cell function. We show that ROCK2 mediates increased IL-17 production, antibody production, and macrophage dysregulation, which together drive fibrogenesis in a model of chemical-induced liver fibrosis. Therefore, in this study, we not only highlight the therapeutic potential of ROCK2 targeting in chronic liver disease but also provide previously undocumented insights into our understanding of cellular and molecular pathways driving the liver fibrosis pathology. ROCK2 inhibition with the small-molecule inhibitor KD025 prevents and reverses hepatoxin-induced liver fibrosis. ROCK2 inhibition attenuates profibrogenic immune function. KD025 exerts direct effects on liver macrophages resulting in decreased TNF secretion and impeded migration. KD025 administration attenuates T cell IL-17 production and B-cell IgG production, which indirectly contributes to downregulation of profibrogenic macrophage function.
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Key Words
- ALT, alanine aminotransferase
- AST, aspartate aminotransferase
- B cells
- BMDM, bone marrow-derived macrophages
- Bcl6, B-cell lymphoma 6
- CLD, chronic liver disease
- Col1a2, collagen type α1
- DR, ductular reaction
- ECM, extracellular matrix
- GC, germinal centre
- HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma
- HSC, hepatic stellate cell
- IHC, immunohistochemical
- IL-17
- Inflammation
- LPS, lipopolysaccharide
- Liver fibrosis
- MMP, matrix metalloproteinase
- Macrophages
- NASH, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
- RAR, retinoic acid receptor
- ROCK, Rho-associated coiled-coil forming protein kinases
- ROCK2
- ROCK2, Rho-associated kinase 2
- RORγt, RAR-related orphan receptor gamma
- SR, Sirius red
- STAT3, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3
- TAA, thioacetamide
- TGF-β, transforming growth factor-beta
- TNF, tumour necrosis factor
- Tfh, T follicular helper
- Th17, T helper 17
- Therapy
- cGVHD, chronic graft-vs-host disease
- pCofilin, phosphorylated cofilin
- pMac, peritoneal macrophages
- pSTAT3, phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription
- qRT-PCR, quantitative real-time PCR
- α-SMA, alpha smooth muscle actin
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Nalkurthi
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia.,The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Michelle Melino
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Katharine M Irvine
- Mater Research, Translational Research Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | | | - Wei Chen
- Kadmon Corporation LLC, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jing Liu
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | | | - Geoffrey R Hill
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Bruce R Blazar
- Masonic Cancer Center and Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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8
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Du C, Shen L, Ma Z, Du J, Jin S. Bioinformatic Analysis of Crosstalk Between circRNA, miRNA, and Target Gene Network in NAFLD. Front Genet 2021; 12:671523. [PMID: 33995497 PMCID: PMC8116737 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.671523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The majority of chronic liver disease is caused by non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is one of the highly prevalent diseases worldwide. The current studies have found that non-coding RNA (ncRNA) plays an important role in the NAFLD, but few studies on circRNA. In this study, genes, microRNA (miRNA), and circular RNA (circRNA) associated with NAFLD were found by bioinformatic methods, bringing a novel perspective for the prevention and treatment of NAFLD. Methods: Expression data of GSE63067 was acquired from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The liver samples were collected from the people diagnosed with NAFLD or not. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained from the steatosis vs. the control group and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) vs. the control group using the GEO2R online tool. The overlapping genes remained for further functional enrichment analysis and protein-protein interaction network analysis. MiRNAs and circRNAs targeting these overlapping DEGs were predicted from the databases. Finally, the GSE134146 dataset was used to verify the expression of circRNA. Results: In summary, 228 upregulated and 63 downregulated differential genes were selected. The top 10 biological processes and relative signaling pathways of the upregulated differential genes were obtained. Also, ten hub genes were performed in the Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. One hundred thirty-nine miRNAs and 902 circRNAs were forecast for the differential genes by the database. Ultimately, the crosstalk between hsa_circ_0000313, miR-6512-3p, and PEG10 was constructed. Conclusion: The crosstalk of hsa_circ_0000313-hsa-miR-6512-3p-PEG10 and some related non-coding RNAs may take part in NAFLD’s pathogenesis, which could be the potential biomarkers of NAFLD in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cen Du
- The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Lan Shen
- Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhuoqi Ma
- The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Jian Du
- The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Shi Jin
- The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
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