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Zhang S, Liu Z, Xia T, Hao W, Yang R, Li J, Du G, Xu Q, Jiang Z, Liu M, Liu K, Jin B. Ginkgolic acid inhibits the expression of SAE1 and induces ferroptosis to exert an anti-hepatic fibrosis effect. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 126:155148. [PMID: 38387271 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.155148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Finding a drug for early intervention in the hepatic fibrosis process has important clinical significance. Previous studies have suggested SUMOylation as a potential target for intervention in hepatic fibrosis. However, the role of SAE1, a marker of SUMOylation, in hepatic fibrosis is unknown. Additionally, whether ginkgolic acid (GA), a SUMOylation inhibitor, inhibits hepatic fibrosis by inhibiting SUMO1-activating enzyme subunit 1 (SAE1) should be further investigated. METHODS Liver tissues of patients with hepatic cirrhosis and a rat model of hepatic fibrosis constructed with CCl4 (400 mg/kg, twice weekly) or TAA (200 mg/kg, twice weekly) were selected, and the degree of hepatic fibrosis was then evaluated using H&E, Sirius red, and Masson's trichrome staining. After knockdown or overexpression of SAE1 in hepatic stellate cells, the expression levels of ferroptosis and hepatic fibrosis markers were measured in vitro. After intervention with a ferroptosis inhibitor, the expression levels were again measured in vivo and in vitro. RESULTS We first demonstrated that SAE1 increased in patients with hepatic cirrhosis. Subsequently, testing of the rat hepatic fibrosis model confirmed that GA reduced the expression of SAE1 and improved hepatic fibrosis in rats. Then, we used hepatic stellate cell lines to confirm in vitro that GA inhibited SAE1 expression and induced ferroptosis, and that overexpression of SAE1 or inhibition of ferroptosis reversed this process. Finally, we confirmed in vivo that GA induced ferroptosis and alleviated the progression of hepatic fibrosis, while inhibiting ferroptosis also reversed the progression of hepatic fibrosis in rats. CONCLUSION SAE1 is a potential anti-fibrotic target protein, and GA induces ferroptosis of hepatic stellate cells by targeting SAE1 to exert an anti-hepatic fibrosis effect, which lays an experimental foundation for the future clinical application of its anti-hepatic fibrosis effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sai Zhang
- Department of Organ Transplantation, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China; Key Laboratory of Transplant Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin 300192, China
| | - Zeyang Liu
- Department of Organ Transplantation, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Tong Xia
- Department of Organ Transplantation, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Wenjuan Hao
- Department of Organ Transplantation, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Ruining Yang
- Key Laboratory of Transplant Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin 300192, China; First Central Clinic Institute, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300192, China
| | - Jianghong Li
- Key Laboratory of Transplant Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin 300192, China; First Central Clinic Institute, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300192, China
| | - Gang Du
- Department of Organ Transplantation, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Qianqian Xu
- Department of Organ Transplantation, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Zhaochen Jiang
- Department of Organ Transplantation, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Mingkun Liu
- Department of Organ Transplantation, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Kao Liu
- Department of Organ Transplantation, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.
| | - Bin Jin
- Department of Organ Transplantation, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.
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Aghagolzadeh P, Plaisance I, Bernasconi R, Treibel TA, Pulido Quetglas C, Wyss T, Wigger L, Nemir M, Sarre A, Chouvardas P, Johnson R, González A, Pedrazzini T. Assessment of the Cardiac Noncoding Transcriptome by Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Identifies FIXER, a Conserved Profibrogenic Long Noncoding RNA. Circulation 2023; 148:778-797. [PMID: 37427428 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.122.062601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cardiac fibroblasts have crucial roles in the heart. In particular, fibroblasts differentiate into myofibroblasts in the damaged myocardium, contributing to scar formation and interstitial fibrosis. Fibrosis is associated with heart dysfunction and failure. Myofibroblasts therefore represent attractive therapeutic targets. However, the lack of myofibroblast-specific markers has precluded the development of targeted therapies. In this context, most of the noncoding genome is transcribed into long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). A number of lncRNAs have pivotal functions in the cardiovascular system. lncRNAs are globally more cell-specific than protein-coding genes, supporting their importance as key determinants of cell identity. METHODS In this study, we evaluated the value of the lncRNA transcriptome in very deep single-cell RNA sequencing. We profiled the lncRNA transcriptome in cardiac nonmyocyte cells after infarction and probed heterogeneity in the fibroblast and myofibroblast populations. In addition, we searched for subpopulation-specific markers that can constitute novel targets in therapy for heart disease. RESULTS We demonstrated that cardiac cell identity can be defined by the sole expression of lncRNAs in single-cell experiments. In this analysis, we identified lncRNAs enriched in relevant myofibroblast subpopulations. Selecting 1 candidate we named FIXER (fibrogenic LOX-locus enhancer RNA), we showed that its silencing limits fibrosis and improves heart function after infarction. Mechanitically, FIXER interacts with CBX4, an E3 SUMO protein ligase and transcription factor, guiding CBX4 to the promoter of the transcription factor RUNX1 to control its expression and, consequently, the expression of a fibrogenic gene program.. FIXER is conserved in humans, supporting its translational value. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrated that lncRNA expression is sufficient to identify the various cell types composing the mammalian heart. Focusing on cardiac fibroblasts and their derivatives, we identified lncRNAs uniquely expressed in myofibroblasts. In particular, the lncRNA FIXER represents a novel therapeutic target for cardiac fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parisa Aghagolzadeh
- Experimental Cardiology Unit, Division of Cardiology, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Lausanne Medical School, Switzerland (P.A., I.P., R.B., M.N., T.P.)
| | - Isabelle Plaisance
- Experimental Cardiology Unit, Division of Cardiology, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Lausanne Medical School, Switzerland (P.A., I.P., R.B., M.N., T.P.)
| | - Riccardo Bernasconi
- Experimental Cardiology Unit, Division of Cardiology, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Lausanne Medical School, Switzerland (P.A., I.P., R.B., M.N., T.P.)
| | - Thomas A Treibel
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom (T.A.T.)
| | - Carlos Pulido Quetglas
- Department for BioMedical Research, University of Bern, Switzerland (C.P.Q., P.C., R.J.)
| | - Tania Wyss
- Department of Oncology, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland (T.W.)
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland (T.W., L.W.)
| | - Leonore Wigger
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland (T.W., L.W.)
| | - Mohamed Nemir
- Experimental Cardiology Unit, Division of Cardiology, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Lausanne Medical School, Switzerland (P.A., I.P., R.B., M.N., T.P.)
| | - Alexandre Sarre
- Cardiovascular Assessment Facility, University of Lausanne, Switzerland (A.S.)
| | - Panagiotis Chouvardas
- Department for BioMedical Research, University of Bern, Switzerland (C.P.Q., P.C., R.J.)
| | - Rory Johnson
- Department for BioMedical Research, University of Bern, Switzerland (C.P.Q., P.C., R.J.)
| | - Arantxa González
- Program of Cardiovascular Diseases, CIMA Universidad de Navarra and IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain (A.G.)
- CIBERCV, Madrid, Spain (A.G.)
| | - Thierry Pedrazzini
- Experimental Cardiology Unit, Division of Cardiology, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Lausanne Medical School, Switzerland (P.A., I.P., R.B., M.N., T.P.)
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