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Gribben C, Galanakis V, Calderwood A, Williams EC, Chazarra-Gil R, Larraz M, Frau C, Puengel T, Guillot A, Rouhani FJ, Mahbubani K, Godfrey E, Davies SE, Athanasiadis E, Saeb-Parsy K, Tacke F, Allison M, Mohorianu I, Vallier L. Acquisition of epithelial plasticity in human chronic liver disease. Nature 2024; 630:166-173. [PMID: 38778114 PMCID: PMC11153150 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07465-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
For many adult human organs, tissue regeneration during chronic disease remains a controversial subject. Regenerative processes are easily observed in animal models, and their underlying mechanisms are becoming well characterized1-4, but technical challenges and ethical aspects are limiting the validation of these results in humans. We decided to address this difficulty with respect to the liver. This organ displays the remarkable ability to regenerate after acute injury, although liver regeneration in the context of recurring injury remains to be fully demonstrated. Here we performed single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) on 47 liver biopsies from patients with different stages of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease to establish a cellular map of the liver during disease progression. We then combined these single-cell-level data with advanced 3D imaging to reveal profound changes in the liver architecture. Hepatocytes lose their zonation and considerable reorganization of the biliary tree takes place. More importantly, our study uncovers transdifferentiation events that occur between hepatocytes and cholangiocytes without the presence of adult stem cells or developmental progenitor activation. Detailed analyses and functional validations using cholangiocyte organoids confirm the importance of the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway in this process, thereby connecting this acquisition of plasticity to insulin signalling. Together, our data indicate that chronic injury creates an environment that induces cellular plasticity in human organs, and understanding the underlying mechanisms of this process could open new therapeutic avenues in the management of chronic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Gribben
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Open Targets, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
| | - Vasileios Galanakis
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Open Targets, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
- Liver Unit, Department of Medicine, Cambridge NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - Alexander Calderwood
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Eleanor C Williams
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ruben Chazarra-Gil
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Miguel Larraz
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Carla Frau
- Berlin Institute of Health Centre for Regenerative Therapies, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tobias Puengel
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Adrien Guillot
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | - Edmund Godfrey
- Department of Radiology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Susan E Davies
- Department of Histopathology, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - Emmanouil Athanasiadis
- Greek Genome Centre, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Medical Image and Signal Processing Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Frank Tacke
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Allison
- Open Targets, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK.
- Liver Unit, Department of Medicine, Cambridge NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Irina Mohorianu
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Ludovic Vallier
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Open Targets, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK.
- Berlin Institute of Health Centre for Regenerative Therapies, Berlin, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany.
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2
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Hu P, Rychik J, Zhao J, Bai H, Bauer A, Yu W, Rand EB, Dodds KM, Goldberg DJ, Tan K, Wilkins BJ, Pei L. Single-cell multiomics guided mechanistic understanding of Fontan-associated liver disease. Sci Transl Med 2024; 16:eadk6213. [PMID: 38657025 PMCID: PMC11103255 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adk6213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The Fontan operation is the current standard of care for single-ventricle congenital heart disease. Individuals with a Fontan circulation (FC) exhibit central venous hypertension and face life-threatening complications of hepatic fibrosis, known as Fontan-associated liver disease (FALD). The fundamental biology and mechanisms of FALD are little understood. Here, we generated a transcriptomic and epigenomic atlas of human FALD at single-cell resolution using multiomic snRNA-ATAC-seq. We found profound cell type-specific transcriptomic and epigenomic changes in FC livers. Central hepatocytes (cHep) exhibited the most substantial changes, featuring profound metabolic reprogramming. These cHep changes preceded substantial activation of hepatic stellate cells and liver fibrosis, suggesting cHep as a potential first "responder" in the pathogenesis of FALD. We also identified a network of ligand-receptor pairs that transmit signals from cHep to hepatic stellate cells, which may promote their activation and liver fibrosis. We further experimentally demonstrated that activins A and B promote fibrotic activation in vitro and identified mechanisms of activin A's transcriptional activation in FALD. Together, our single-cell transcriptomic and epigenomic atlas revealed mechanistic insights into the pathogenesis of FALD and may aid identification of potential therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Po Hu
- Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Cardiovascular Institute, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jack Rychik
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Juanjuan Zhao
- Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Cardiovascular Institute, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Huajun Bai
- Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Cardiovascular Institute, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Aidan Bauer
- Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Cardiovascular Institute, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Wenbao Yu
- Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Elizabeth B. Rand
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kathryn M. Dodds
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- School of Nursing, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - David J. Goldberg
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kai Tan
- Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Benjamin J. Wilkins
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Liming Pei
- Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Cardiovascular Institute, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Institute for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Cardiovascular Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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3
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Chen G, Xu W, Long Z, Chong Y, Lin B, Jie Y. Single-cell Technologies Provide Novel Insights into Liver Physiology and Pathology. J Clin Transl Hepatol 2024; 12:79-90. [PMID: 38250462 PMCID: PMC10794276 DOI: 10.14218/jcth.2023.00224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The liver is the largest glandular organ in the body and has a unique distribution of cells and biomolecules. However, the treatment outcome of end-stage liver disease is extremely poor. Single-cell sequencing is a new advanced and powerful technique for identifying rare cell populations and biomolecules by analyzing the characteristics of gene expression between individual cells. These cells and biomolecules might be used as potential targets for immunotherapy of liver diseases and contribute to the development of precise individualized treatment. Compared to whole-tissue RNA sequencing, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) or other single-cell histological techniques have solved the problem of cell population heterogeneity and characterize molecular changes associated with liver diseases with higher accuracy and resolution. In this review, we comprehensively summarized single-cell approaches including transcriptomic, spatial transcriptomic, immunomic, proteomic, epigenomic, and multiomic technologies, and described their application in liver physiology and pathology. We also discussed advanced techniques and recent studies in the field of single-cell; our review might provide new insights into the pathophysiological mechanisms of the liver to achieve precise and individualized treatment of liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Zhicong Long
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yutian Chong
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Bingliang Lin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yusheng Jie
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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4
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Ni Y, Lu M, Li M, Hu X, Li F, Wang Y, Xue D. Unraveling the underlying pathogenic factors driving nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma: an in-depth analysis of prognostically relevant gene signatures in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Transl Med 2024; 22:72. [PMID: 38238845 PMCID: PMC10795264 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-04885-6] [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: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a progressive manifestation of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) that can lead to fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Despite the growing knowledge of NASH and HCC, the association between the two conditions remains to be fully explored. Bioinformatics has emerged as a valuable approach for identifying disease-specific feature genes, enabling advancements in disease prediction, prevention, and personalized treatment strategies. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this study, we utilized CellChat, copy number karyotyping of aneuploid tumors (CopyKAT), consensus Non-negative Matrix factorization (cNMF), Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), Gene set variation analysis (GSVA), Monocle, spatial co-localization, single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA), Slingshot, and the Scissor algorithm to analyze the cellular and immune landscape of NASH and HCC. Through the Scissor algorithm, we identified three cell types correlating with disease phenotypic features and subsequently developed a novel clinical prediction model using univariate, LASSO, and multifactor Cox regression. RESULTS Our results revealed that macrophages are a significant pathological factor in the development of NASH and HCC and that the macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) signaling pathway plays a crucial role in cellular crosstalk at the molecular level. We deduced three prognostic genes (YBX1, MED8, and KPNA2), demonstrating a strong diagnostic capability in both NASH and HCC. CONCLUSION These findings shed light on the pathological mechanisms shared between NASH and HCC, providing valuable insights for the development of novel clinical strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Ni
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Sciences), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Maoqing Lu
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Sciences), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Ming Li
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Sciences), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Xixi Hu
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Sciences), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Feng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Yan Wang
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Sciences), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.
| | - Dong Xue
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Sciences), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.
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5
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Chan MM, Daemen S, Beals JW, Terekhova M, Yang BQ, Fu CF, He L, Park AC, Smith GI, Razani B, Byrnes K, Beatty WL, Eckhouse SR, Eagon JC, Ferguson D, Finck BN, Klein S, Artyomov MN, Schilling JD. Steatosis drives monocyte-derived macrophage accumulation in human metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease. JHEP Rep 2023; 5:100877. [PMID: 37869071 PMCID: PMC10585307 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2023.100877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background & Aims Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a common complication of obesity with a hallmark feature of hepatic steatosis. Recent data from animal models of MAFLD have demonstrated substantial changes in macrophage composition in the fatty liver. In humans, the relationship between liver macrophage heterogeneity and liver steatosis is less clear. Methods Liver tissue from 21 participants was collected at time of bariatric surgery and analysed using flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, and H&E microscopy. Single-cell RNA sequencing was also conducted on a subset of samples (n = 3). Intrahepatic triglyceride content was assessed via MRI and tissue histology. Mouse models of hepatic steatosis were used to investigate observations made from human liver tissue. Results We observed variable degrees of liver steatosis with minimal fibrosis in our participants. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed four macrophage clusters that exist in the human fatty liver encompassing Kupffer cells and monocyte-derived macrophages (MdMs). The genes expressed in these macrophage subsets were similar to those observed in mouse models of MAFLD. Hepatic CD14+ monocyte/macrophage number correlated with the degree of steatosis. Using mouse models of early liver steatosis, we demonstrate that recruitment of MdMs precedes Kupffer cell loss and liver damage. Electron microscopy of isolated macrophages revealed increased lipid accumulation in MdMs, and ex vivo lipid transfer experiments suggested that MdMs may serve a distinct role in lipid uptake during MAFLD. Conclusions The human liver in MAFLD contains macrophage subsets that align well with those that appear in mouse models of fatty liver disease. Recruited myeloid cells correlate well with the degree of liver steatosis in humans. MdMs appear to participate in lipid uptake during early stages of MALFD. Impact and implications Metabolic dysfunction associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is extremely common; however, the early inflammatory responses that occur in human disease are not well understood. In this study, we investigated macrophage heterogeneity in human livers during early MAFLD and demonstrated that similar shifts in macrophage subsets occur in human disease that are similar to those seen in preclinical models. These findings are important as they establish a translational link between mouse and human models of disease, which is important for the development and testing of new therapeutic approaches for MAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandy M. Chan
- Diabetes Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Sabine Daemen
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Joseph W. Beals
- Center for Human Nutrition, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Marina Terekhova
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Bin Q. Yang
- Division of Cardiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christina F. Fu
- Diabetes Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Li He
- Diabetes Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Arick C. Park
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Gordon I. Smith
- Center for Human Nutrition, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Babak Razani
- Vascular Medicine Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Cardiology, Pittsburgh VA Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kathleen Byrnes
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Wandy L. Beatty
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Shaina R. Eckhouse
- Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - J. Christopher Eagon
- Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Daniel Ferguson
- Center for Human Nutrition, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Brian N. Finck
- Center for Human Nutrition, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Samuel Klein
- Center for Human Nutrition, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Maxim N. Artyomov
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Joel D. Schilling
- Diabetes Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
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6
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Liu M, Liu L, Guo H, Fan X, Liu T, Xu C, He Z, Song Y, Gao L, Shao S, Zhao J, Lu P. Dominant-negative HNF1α mutant promotes liver steatosis and inflammation by regulating hepatic complement factor D. iScience 2023; 26:108018. [PMID: 37841581 PMCID: PMC10568430 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients with HNF1A variants may develop liver steatosis, while the underlying mechanism is still unclear. Here, we established a mouse model carrying the dominant-negative HNF1α P291fsinsC mutation (hHNF1Amut/-) and found that the mutant mice developed liver steatosis spontaneously under the normal chow diet. Transcriptome analysis showed significant upregulation of Cfd and other genes related to innate immune response in the liver of hHNF1Amut/- mice. The changes in lipid metabolism and complement pathways were also confirmed by proteomics. We demonstrated that HNF1α inhibited CFD expression in hepatocytes, and the P291fsinsC mutant could reverse this inhibitory effect. Furthermore, the suppression of CFD with specific inhibitor or siRNAs reduced triglyceride levels in hepatocytes, suggesting that CFD regulated hepatocyte lipid deposition. Our results demonstrate that the HNF1α P291fsinsC mutant promotes hepatic steatosis and inflammation by upregulating CFD expression, and targeting CFD may delay the progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moke Liu
- Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250021, China
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose & Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education, Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan 250021, China
- Shandong Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan 250021, China
- Shandong Engineering Research Center of Stem Cell and Gene Therapy for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan 250021, China
| | - Luna Liu
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose & Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education, Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan 250021, China
- Shandong Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan 250021, China
- Shandong Engineering Research Center of Stem Cell and Gene Therapy for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan 250021, China
| | - Honglin Guo
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose & Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education, Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China
| | - Xiude Fan
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose & Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education, Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan 250021, China
- Shandong Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan 250021, China
- Shandong Engineering Research Center of Stem Cell and Gene Therapy for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan 250021, China
| | - Tianbao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose & Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education, Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan 250021, China
- Shandong Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan 250021, China
- Shandong Engineering Research Center of Stem Cell and Gene Therapy for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan 250021, China
| | - Chao Xu
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose & Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education, Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan 250021, China
- Shandong Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan 250021, China
- Shandong Engineering Research Center of Stem Cell and Gene Therapy for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan 250021, China
| | - Zhao He
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose & Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education, Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan 250021, China
- Shandong Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan 250021, China
- Shandong Engineering Research Center of Stem Cell and Gene Therapy for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan 250021, China
| | - Yongfeng Song
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose & Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education, Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan 250021, China
- Shandong Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan 250021, China
- Shandong Engineering Research Center of Stem Cell and Gene Therapy for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan 250021, China
| | - Ling Gao
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose & Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education, Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan 250021, China
- Shandong Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan 250021, China
- Shandong Engineering Research Center of Stem Cell and Gene Therapy for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan 250021, China
| | - Shanshan Shao
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose & Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education, Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan 250021, China
- Shandong Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan 250021, China
- Shandong Engineering Research Center of Stem Cell and Gene Therapy for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan 250021, China
| | - Jiajun Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose & Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education, Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan 250021, China
- Shandong Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan 250021, China
- Shandong Engineering Research Center of Stem Cell and Gene Therapy for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan 250021, China
| | - Peng Lu
- Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250021, China
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose & Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education, Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan 250021, China
- Shandong Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan 250021, China
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7
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Wang S, Friedman SL. Found in translation-Fibrosis in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). Sci Transl Med 2023; 15:eadi0759. [PMID: 37792957 PMCID: PMC10671253 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adi0759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is a severe form of liver disease that poses a global health threat because of its potential to progress to advanced fibrosis, leading to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Recent advances in single-cell methodologies, refined disease models, and genetic and epigenetic insights have provided a nuanced understanding of MASH fibrogenesis, with substantial cellular heterogeneity in MASH livers providing potentially targetable cell-cell interactions and behavior. Unlike fibrogenesis, mechanisms underlying fibrosis regression in MASH are still inadequately understood, although antifibrotic targets have been recently identified. A refined antifibrotic treatment framework could lead to noninvasive assessment and targeted therapies that preserve hepatocellular function and restore the liver's architectural integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Wang
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Scott L. Friedman
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
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Cogliati B, Yashaswini CN, Wang S, Sia D, Friedman SL. Friend or foe? The elusive role of hepatic stellate cells in liver cancer. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 20:647-661. [PMID: 37550577 PMCID: PMC10671228 DOI: 10.1038/s41575-023-00821-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a substantial risk factor for the development and progression of liver cancer, which includes hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA). Studies utilizing cell fate mapping and single-cell transcriptomics techniques have identified quiescent perisinusoidal hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) as the primary source of activated collagen-producing HSCs and liver cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in HCC and liver metastasis, complemented in iCCA by contributions from portal fibroblasts. At the same time, integrative computational analysis of single-cell, single-nucleus and spatial RNA sequencing data have revealed marked heterogeneity among HSCs and CAFs, with distinct subpopulations displaying unique gene expression signatures and functions. Some of these subpopulations have divergent roles in promoting or inhibiting liver fibrogenesis and carcinogenesis. In this Review, we discuss the dual roles of HSC subpopulations in liver fibrogenesis and their contribution to liver cancer promotion, progression and metastasis. We review the transcriptomic and functional similarities between HSC and CAF subpopulations, highlighting the pathways that either promote or prevent fibrosis and cancer, and the immunological landscape from which these pathways emerge. Insights from ongoing studies will yield novel strategies for developing biomarkers, assessing prognosis and generating new therapies for both HCC and iCCA prevention and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Cogliati
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Shuang Wang
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Daniela Sia
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Scott L Friedman
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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9
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Ouyang JF, Mishra K, Xie Y, Park H, Huang KY, Petretto E, Behmoaras J. Systems level identification of a matrisome-associated macrophage polarisation state in multi-organ fibrosis. eLife 2023; 12:e85530. [PMID: 37706477 PMCID: PMC10547479 DOI: 10.7554/elife.85530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Tissue fibrosis affects multiple organs and involves a master-regulatory role of macrophages which respond to an initial inflammatory insult common in all forms of fibrosis. The recently unravelled multi-organ heterogeneity of macrophages in healthy and fibrotic human disease suggests that macrophages expressing osteopontin (SPP1) associate with lung and liver fibrosis. However, the conservation of this SPP1+ macrophage population across different tissues and its specificity to fibrotic diseases with different etiologies remain unclear. Integrating 15 single-cell RNA-sequencing datasets to profile 235,930 tissue macrophages from healthy and fibrotic heart, lung, liver, kidney, skin, and endometrium, we extended the association of SPP1+ macrophages with fibrosis to all these tissues. We also identified a subpopulation expressing matrisome-associated genes (e.g., matrix metalloproteinases and their tissue inhibitors), functionally enriched for ECM remodelling and cell metabolism, representative of a matrisome-associated macrophage (MAM) polarisation state within SPP1+ macrophages. Importantly, the MAM polarisation state follows a differentiation trajectory from SPP1+ macrophages and is associated with a core set of regulon activity. SPP1+ macrophages without the MAM polarisation state (SPP1+MAM-) show a positive association with ageing lung in mice and humans. These results suggest an advanced and conserved polarisation state of SPP1+ macrophages in fibrotic tissues resulting from prolonged inflammatory cues within each tissue microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- John F Ouyang
- Centre for Computational Biology, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
- Programme in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
| | - Kunal Mishra
- Centre for Computational Biology, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
- Programme in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
| | - Yi Xie
- Centre for Computational Biology, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
- Programme in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
| | - Harry Park
- Centre for Computational Biology, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
- Programme in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
| | - Kevin Y Huang
- Centre for Computational Biology, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
- Programme in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
| | - Enrico Petretto
- Centre for Computational Biology, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
- Programme in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
- Institute for Big Data and Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University (CPU)NanjingChina
| | - Jacques Behmoaras
- Centre for Computational Biology, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
- Programme in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
- Department of Immunology and Inflammation, Centre for Inflammatory Disease, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
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Sanchez JI, Parra ER, Jiao J, Solis Soto LM, Ledesma DA, Saldarriaga OA, Stevenson HL, Beretta L. Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Liver Fibrosis in Patients with NAFLD. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:2871. [PMID: 37296834 PMCID: PMC10252068 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15112871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The expression of immune- and cancer-related genes was measured in liver biopsies from 107 NAFLD patients. The strongest difference in overall gene expression was between liver fibrosis stages F3 and F4, with 162 cirrhosis-associated genes identified. Strong correlations with fibrosis progression from F1 to F4 were observed for 91 genes, including CCL21, CCL2, CXCL6, and CCL19. In addition, the expression of 21 genes was associated with fast progression to F3/F4 in an independent group of eight NAFLD patients. These included the four chemokines, SPP1, HAMP, CXCL2, and IL-8. A six-gene signature including SOX9, THY-1, and CD3D had the highest performance detecting the progressors among F1/F2 NAFLD patients. We also characterized immune cell changes using multiplex immunofluorescence platforms. Fibrotic areas were strongly enriched in CD3+ T cells compared to CD68+ macrophages. While the number of CD68+ macrophages increased with fibrosis severity, the increase in CD3+ T-cell density was more substantial and progressive from F1 to F4. The strongest correlation with fibrosis progression was observed for CD3+CD45R0+ memory T cells, while the most significant increase in density between F1/F2 and F3/F4 was for CD3+CD45RO+FOXP3+CD8- and CD3+CD45RO-FOXP3+CD8- regulatory T cells. A specific increase in the density of CD68+CD11b+ Kupffer cells with liver fibrosis progression was also observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica I. Sanchez
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Edwin R. Parra
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jingjing Jiao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Luisa M. Solis Soto
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Debora A. Ledesma
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Omar A. Saldarriaga
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Heather L. Stevenson
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Laura Beretta
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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11
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Zhang JJ, Shen Y, Chen XY, Jiang ML, Yuan FH, Xie SL, Zhang J, Xu F. Integrative network-based analysis on multiple Gene Expression Omnibus datasets identifies novel immune molecular markers implicated in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1115890. [PMID: 37008925 PMCID: PMC10061151 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1115890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), an advanced subtype of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), has becoming the most important aetiology for end-stage liver disease, such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. This study were designed to explore novel genes associated with NASH. METHODS Here, five independent Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets were combined into a single cohort and analyzed using network biology approaches. RESULTS 11 modules identified by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) showed significant association with the status of NASH. Further characterization of four gene modules of interest demonstrated that molecular pathology of NASH involves the upregulation of hub genes related to immune response, cholesterol and lipid metabolic process, extracellular matrix organization, and the downregulation of hub genes related to cellular amino acid catabolic, respectively. After DEGs enrichment analysis and module preservation analysis, the Turquoise module associated with immune response displayed a remarkably correlation with NASH status. Hub genes with high degree of connectivity in the module, including CD53, LCP1, LAPTM5, NCKAP1L, C3AR1, PLEK, FCER1G, HLA-DRA and SRGN were further verified in clinical samples and mouse model of NASH. Moreover, single-cell RNA-seq analysis showed that those key genes were expressed by distinct immune cells such as microphages, natural killer, dendritic, T and B cells. Finally, the potential transcription factors of Turquoise module were characterized, including NFKB1, STAT3, RFX5, ILF3, ELF1, SPI1, ETS1 and CEBPA, the expression of which increased with NASH progression. DISCUSSION In conclusion, our integrative analysis will contribute to the understanding of NASH and may enable the development of potential biomarkers for NASH therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-jie Zhang
- Center for Molecular Pathology, Department of Basic Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Jun-jie Zhang, ; Fei Xu,
| | - Yan Shen
- Department of Publication Health and Health Management, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
| | - Xiao-yuan Chen
- Department of Publication Health and Health Management, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
| | - Man-lei Jiang
- Department of Hepatology, The Affiliated Fifth People’s Hospital of Ganzhou, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
| | - Feng-hua Yuan
- Center for Molecular Pathology, Department of Basic Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
| | - Shui-lian Xie
- Center for Molecular Pathology, Department of Basic Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Department of Hepatology, The Affiliated Fifth People’s Hospital of Ganzhou, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
| | - Fei Xu
- Department of Hepatology, The Affiliated Fifth People’s Hospital of Ganzhou, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Jun-jie Zhang, ; Fei Xu,
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