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Wang J, Yang B, Chandra J, Ivanov A, Brown JM, Florian R. Preventing fibrosis in IBD: update on immune pathways and clinical strategies. Expert Rev Clin Immunol 2024; 20:727-734. [PMID: 38475672 PMCID: PMC11180587 DOI: 10.1080/1744666x.2024.2330604] [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: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Intestinal fibrosis is a common and serious complication of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) driving stricture formation in Crohn's disease patients and leading to submucosal damage in ulcerative colitis. Recent studies provided novel insights into the role of immune and nonimmune components in the pathogenesis of intestinal fibrosis. Those new findings may accelerate the development of anti-fibrotic treatment in IBD patients. AREAS COVERED This review is designed to cover the recent progress in mechanistic research and therapeutic developments on intestinal fibrosis in IBD patients, including new cell clusters, cytokines, proteins, microbiota, creeping fat, and anti-fibrotic therapies. EXPERT OPINION Due to the previously existing major obstacle of missing consensus on stricture definitions and the absence of clinical trial endpoints, testing of drugs with an anti-fibrotic mechanism is just starting in stricturing Crohn's disease (CD). A biomarker to stratify CD patients at diagnosis without any complications into at-risk populations for future strictures would be highly desirable. Further investigations are needed to identify novel mechanisms of fibrogenesis in the intestine that are targetable and ideally gut specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Wang
- Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Inflammation and Immunology, School of Medical Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, China
| | - Bo Yang
- Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Inflammation and Immunology, School of Medical Technology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, China
| | - Jyotsna Chandra
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Andrei Ivanov
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - J. Mark Brown
- Department of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Rieder Florian
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Digestive Diseases Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Program for Global Translational Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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Drygiannakis I, Kolios G, Filidou E, Bamias G, Valatas V. Intestinal Stromal Cells in the Turmoil of Inflammation and Defective Connective Tissue Remodeling in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Inflamm Bowel Dis 2024:izae066. [PMID: 38581412 DOI: 10.1093/ibd/izae066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
In steady state, intestinal subepithelial myofibroblasts form a thin layer below the basement membrane. Unlike the rest of the stromal cells in the lamina propria, they express tensile proteins, guide epithelial regeneration, and sense luminal microbiota. Upon inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), they express activation markers, accept trophic signaling by infiltrating neutrophils and macrophages, and are activated by cytokines from helper T cells to produce a narrow spectrum of cytokines and a wider spectrum of chemokines, attract cells of innate and adaptive immunity, orchestrate inflammatory responses, and qualitatively and quantitatively modify the extracellular matrix. Thus, beyond being structural tissue components, they assume active roles in the pathogenesis of complicated IBD. Discrimination between myofibroblasts and fibroblasts may be an oversimplification in light of single-cell sequencing data unveiling the complexity of multiple phenotypes of stromal cells with distinct roles and plasticity. Spatial transcriptomics revealed distinct phenotypes by histologic localization and, more intriguingly, the assembly of mucosal neighborhoods that support spatially distinct functions. Current IBD treatments target inflammation but fail in fibrostenotic or fistulizing disease. Baseline and recent findings on stromal cells, molecules, and pathways involved in disrupted extracellular matrix homeostasis are reviewed to provide relevant pharmacologic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Drygiannakis
- Gastroenterology Research Laboratory, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
- Gastroenterology Clinic, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion, Greece
| | - George Kolios
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Eirini Filidou
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Giorgos Bamias
- Gastrointestinal Unit, Third Academic Department of Internal Medicine, Sotiria Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Vassilis Valatas
- Gastroenterology Research Laboratory, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
- Gastroenterology Clinic, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion, Greece
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Hwang N, Kang D, Shin SJ, Yoon BK, Chun J, Kim JW, Fang S. Creeping fat exhibits distinct Inflammation-specific adipogenic preadipocytes in Crohn's disease. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1198905. [PMID: 38111581 PMCID: PMC10725931 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1198905] [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: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Creeping fat (CrF) is an extraintestinal manifestation observed in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). It is characterized by the accumulation of mesenteric adipose tissue (MAT) that wraps around the intestinal wall. Although the role of CrF in CD is still debated, multiple studies have highlighted a correlation between CrF and inflammation, as well as fibrostenosais of the intestine, which contributes to the worsening of CD symptoms. However, the mechanism underlying the potential role of CrF in the development of Crohn's fibrosis remains an enigma. This study aimed to analyze CrF comprehensively using single-cell RNA sequencing analysis. The data was compared with transcriptomic data from adipose tissue in other disease conditions, such as ulcerative colitis, lymphedema, and obesity. Our analysis classified two lineages of preadipocyte (PAC) clusters responsible for adipogenesis and fibrosis in CrF. Committed PACs in CrF showed increased cytokine expression in response to bacterial stimuli, potentially worsening inflammation in patients with CD. We also observed an increase in fibrotic activity in PAC clusters in CrF. Co-analyzing the data from patients with lymphedema, we found that pro-fibrotic PACs featured upregulated pentraxin-3 expression, suggesting a potential target for the treatment of fibrosis in CrF. Furthermore, PACs in CrF exhibited a distinct increase in cell-to-cell communication via cytokines related to inflammation and fibrosis, such as CCL, LIGHT, PDGF, MIF, and SEMA3. Interestingly, these interactions also increased in PACs of the lymphedema, whereas the increased MIF signal of PACs was found to be a distinct characteristic of CrF. In immune cell clusters in CrF, we observed high immune activity of pro-inflammatory macrophages, antigen-presenting macrophages, B cells, and IgG+ plasma cells. Finally, we have demonstrated elevated IgG+ plasma cell infiltration and increased pentraxin-3 protein levels in the fibrotic regions of CrF in CD patients when compared to MAT from both UC patients and healthy individuals. These findings provide new insights into the transcriptomic features related to the inflammation of cells in CrF and suggest potential targets for attenuating fibrosis in CD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nahee Hwang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Graduate School of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Chronic Intractable Disease for Systems Medicine Research Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Dongwoo Kang
- Department of Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Su-Jin Shin
- Department of Pathology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Bo Kyung Yoon
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Chronic Intractable Disease for Systems Medicine Research Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaeyoung Chun
- Department of Internal Medicine, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-woo Kim
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Chronic Intractable Disease for Systems Medicine Research Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungsoon Fang
- Graduate School of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Chronic Intractable Disease for Systems Medicine Research Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Yu H, Wu Y, Zhang B, Xiong M, Yi Y, Zhang Q, Wu M. Exosomes Derived from E2F1 -/- Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Promote Skin Wound Healing via miR-130b-5p/TGFBR3 Axis. Int J Nanomedicine 2023; 18:6275-6292. [PMID: 37941530 PMCID: PMC10629453 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s431725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Skin wound is a widespread health problem and brings extraordinary burdens to patients. Exosomes derived from adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC-Exos) are considered promising strategies for repairing skin wounds. E2F1 is a member of the E2F family of transcription factors involved in cell growth and apoptosis. E2F1 deficiency in mice enhances wound healing by improving collagen deposition and angiogenesis. Additionally, E2F1 can regulate the transcription and paracrine activity of multiple miRNAs, which will inevitably reshape the paracrine expression profile of ADSC-Exos. This study aimed to investigate the impact of transcription factor E2F1 deficiency on the functions of ADSC-Exos in promoting wound healing. Methods First, we obtained ADSCs from subcutaneous adipose tissues of WT and E2F1-/- C57BL/6 mice and separated their exosomes, denoted as ADSCWT-Exos and ADSCE2F1-/--Exos. The wound healing effects of ADSCWT-Exos and ADSCE2F1-/--Exos in full-thickness skin wound models were investigated by wound images, H&E staining, and immunohistochemical staining. For the in vitro study, the abilities of ADSCWT-Exos and ADSCE2F1-/--Exos to promote cell activities, collagen formation, and angiogenesis were evaluated. The potential mechanism by which ADSCE2F1-/--Exos promote wound healing was determined by miRNA sequencing, ChIP‒qPCR, and dual-luciferase assays. Results ADSCE2F1-/--Exos accelerated wound healing by promoting collagen formation and angiogenesis. As a result, compared with the lower wound healing rate of 30.5% within 7 days in the control group and 42.3% in the ADSCWT-Exo group, ADSCE2F1-/--Exos significantly increased the wound healing rate to 72.5%. In vitro, ADSCE2F1-/--Exos activated the function of fibroblasts and vascular endothelial cells. The loss of E2F1 promoted miR-130b-5p expression in ADSCE2F1-/--Exos through transcriptional regulation. MiRNA high-throughput sequencing identified 12 differently expressed miRNAs between ADSCE2F1-/- and ADSCWT. ADSCE2F1-/--Exos enhanced fibroblast activities via the miR-130b-5p/TGFBR3 axis and TGF-β activation. Conclusion Our results indicated that ADSCE2F1-/--Exos effectively promoted wound healing by regulating the miR-130b-5p/TGFBR3 axis, thus providing a novel strategy of gene-engineered stem cell exosomes for accelerating wound healing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honghao Yu
- Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yiping Wu
- Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People’s Republic of China
| | - Boyu Zhang
- Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People’s Republic of China
| | - Mingchen Xiong
- Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yi Yi
- Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People’s Republic of China
| | - Min Wu
- Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People’s Republic of China
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