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Zhou X, Shen K, Cao S, Li P, Xiao J, Dong J, Cheng Q, Hu L, Xu Z, Yang L. Polymorphism rs2327430 in TCF21 predicts the risk and prognosis of gastric cancer by affecting the binding between TFAP2A and TCF21. Cancer Cell Int 2024; 24:159. [PMID: 38714991 PMCID: PMC11075239 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-024-03343-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Single nuclear polymorphisms (SNPs) have been published to be correlated with multiple diseases. Transcription Factor 21 (TCF21) is a critical transcription factor involved in various types of cancers. However, the association of TCF21 genetic polymorphisms with gastric cancer (GC) susceptibility and prognosis remains unclear. METHODS A case-control study comprising 890 patients diagnosed with GC and an equal number of cancer-free controls was conducted. After rigorous statistical analysis, molecular experiments were carried out to elucidate the functional significance of the SNPs in the context of GC. RESULTS TCF21 rs2327430 (OR = 0.78, P = 0.026) provides protection against GC, while rs4896011 (OR = 1.39, P = 0.005) exhibit significant associations with GC risk. Furthermore, patients with the (TC + CC) genotype of rs2327430 demonstrate a relatively favorable prognosis (OR = 0.47, P = 0.012). Mechanistically, chromatin immunoprecipitation assay and luciferase reporter assay revealed that the C allele of rs2327430 disrupts the binding of Transcription Factor AP-2 Alpha (TFAP2A) to the promoter region of TCF21, resulting in increased expression of TCF21 and inhibition of malignant behaviors in GC cells. CONCLUSION Our findings highlight the significant role of TCF21 SNPs in both the risk and prognosis of GC and provide valuable insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms. Specifically, the disruptive effect of rs2327430 on TCF21 expression and its ability to modulate malignant cell behaviors suggest that rs2327430 may serve as a potential predictive marker for GC risk and prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Zhou
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, China
| | - Kuan Shen
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, China
| | - Shuqing Cao
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, China
| | - Pengyu Li
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, China
| | - Jian Xiao
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, China
| | - Jiacheng Dong
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, China
| | - Quan Cheng
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, China
| | - Li Hu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, China
| | - Zekuan Xu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, China
| | - Li Yang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, China.
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Pipitone RM, Calvaruso V, Di Marco L, Di Salvo F, Gaggianesi M, Lupo G, Zito R, La Mantia C, Ramazzotti M, Petta S, Di Marco V, Craxì A, Grimaudo S. Mer Tyrosine Kinase (MERTK) modulates liver fibrosis progression and hepatocellular carcinoma development. Front Immunol 2022; 13:926236. [PMID: 36003399 PMCID: PMC9394453 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.926236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundMerTK is a tyrosine kinase receptor that belongs to the TAM (Tyro3/Axl/Mer) receptor family. It is involved in different processes including cellular proliferation/survival, cellular adhesion/migration, and release of the inflammatory/anti-inflammatory cytokines. Although it is reported that MERTK polymorphisms affect the severity of viral and metabolic liver diseases, being able to influence fibrosis progression and hepatocellular carcinoma development, the mechanisms remain unknown. Methods: using a microarray approach, we evaluated the liver expression of genes involved in fibrogenesis and hepatocarcinogenesis in patient with chronic hepatitis C (CHC), stratified for MERTK genotype and MERTK expression. Results: we found that the rs 4374383 AA homozygosity is associated with lower MERTK expression in CHC patients and that, depending on MERTK genotype, Matrix Metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9), Matrix Metallopeptidase 7 (MMP7), Secreted Frizzled Related Protein 1 (SFRP1) and WNT gene family 11(WNT11) show differential expression in patients with CHC with or without neoplastic progression. Conclusions: our results confirm that MERTK represents a genetic biomarker for progression of liver disease and are suggestive of translational relevance for the study of downstream pathways involved in fibrogenesis and hepatocarcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosaria Maria Pipitone
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
- *Correspondence: Rosaria Maria Pipitone, ; Stefania Grimaudo,
| | - Vincenza Calvaruso
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Lorenza Di Marco
- Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Medical Specialties, University of Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Francesca Di Salvo
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Miriam Gaggianesi
- Department of Surgical Oncological and Stomatological Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giulia Lupo
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Rossella Zito
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Claudia La Mantia
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Matteo Ramazzotti
- Department of Biochemical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Salvatore Petta
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Vito Di Marco
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonio Craxì
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Stefania Grimaudo
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
- *Correspondence: Rosaria Maria Pipitone, ; Stefania Grimaudo,
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Liu Y, Lan L, Li Y, Lu J, He L, Deng Y, Fei M, Lu JW, Shangguan F, Lu JP, Wang J, Wu L, Huang K, Lu B. N-glycosylation stabilizes MerTK and promotes hepatocellular carcinoma tumor growth. Redox Biol 2022; 54:102366. [PMID: 35728303 PMCID: PMC9214875 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2022.102366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the evidences of elevated expression of Mer tyrosine kinase (MerTK) in multiple human cancers, mechanisms underlying the oncogenic roles of MerTK in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains undefined. We explored the functional effects of MerTK and N-Glycosylated MerTK on HCC cell survival and tumor growth. Here, we show that MerTK ablation increases reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and promotes the switching from glycolytic metabolism to oxidative phosphorylation in HCC cells, thus suppressing HCC cell proliferation and tumor growth. MerTK is N-glycosylated in HCC cells at asparagine 294 and 454 that stabilizes MerTK to promote oncogenic transformation. Moreover, we observed that nuclear located non-glycosylated MerTK is indispensable for survival of HCC cells under stress. Pathologically, tissue microarray (TMA) data indicate that MerTK is a pivotal prognostic factor for HCC. Our data strongly support the roles of MerTK N-glycosylation in HCC tumorigenesis and suggesting N-glycosylation inhibition as a potential HCC therapeutic strategy. MerTK promotes the switching from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolytic metabolism in HCC cells. MerTK is N-glycosylated in HCC cells at asparagine 294 and 454 that stabilizes MerTK to promote HCC tumor growth. The nuclear located non-glycosylated MerTK is indispensable for survival of HCC cells under stress. MerTK is a pivotal prognostic factor for HCC and its N-glycosylation inhibition is a potential HCC therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongzhang Liu
- Protein Quality Control and Diseases Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Linhua Lan
- Protein Quality Control and Diseases Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China; Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, China
| | - Yujie Li
- Protein Quality Control and Diseases Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Jing Lu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First People's Hospital of Jingzhou, The First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, 434000, China
| | - Lipeng He
- Protein Quality Control and Diseases Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Yao Deng
- Protein Quality Control and Diseases Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Mingming Fei
- Protein Quality Control and Diseases Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Jun-Wan Lu
- Protein Quality Control and Diseases Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Fugen Shangguan
- Protein Quality Control and Diseases Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China; Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, China
| | - Ju-Ping Lu
- Protein Quality Control and Diseases Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Jiaxin Wang
- Protein Quality Control and Diseases Laboratory, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Liang Wu
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, China
| | - Kate Huang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, China
| | - Bin Lu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China; Attardi Institute of Mitochondrial Biomedicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325035, China.
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Alsheikh AJ, Wollenhaupt S, King EA, Reeb J, Ghosh S, Stolzenburg LR, Tamim S, Lazar J, Davis JW, Jacob HJ. The landscape of GWAS validation; systematic review identifying 309 validated non-coding variants across 130 human diseases. BMC Med Genomics 2022; 15:74. [PMID: 35365203 PMCID: PMC8973751 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-022-01216-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The remarkable growth of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) has created a critical need to experimentally validate the disease-associated variants, 90% of which involve non-coding variants. Methods To determine how the field is addressing this urgent need, we performed a comprehensive literature review identifying 36,676 articles. These were reduced to 1454 articles through a set of filters using natural language processing and ontology-based text-mining. This was followed by manual curation and cross-referencing against the GWAS catalog, yielding a final set of 286 articles. Results We identified 309 experimentally validated non-coding GWAS variants, regulating 252 genes across 130 human disease traits. These variants covered a variety of regulatory mechanisms. Interestingly, 70% (215/309) acted through cis-regulatory elements, with the remaining through promoters (22%, 70/309) or non-coding RNAs (8%, 24/309). Several validation approaches were utilized in these studies, including gene expression (n = 272), transcription factor binding (n = 175), reporter assays (n = 171), in vivo models (n = 104), genome editing (n = 96) and chromatin interaction (n = 33). Conclusions This review of the literature is the first to systematically evaluate the status and the landscape of experimentation being used to validate non-coding GWAS-identified variants. Our results clearly underscore the multifaceted approach needed for experimental validation, have practical implications on variant prioritization and considerations of target gene nomination. While the field has a long way to go to validate the thousands of GWAS associations, we show that progress is being made and provide exemplars of validation studies covering a wide variety of mechanisms, target genes, and disease areas. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12920-022-01216-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ammar J Alsheikh
- Genomics Research Center, AbbVie Inc, North Chicago, Illinois, 60064, USA.
| | - Sabrina Wollenhaupt
- Information Research, AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, 67061, Knollstrasse, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Emily A King
- Genomics Research Center, AbbVie Inc, North Chicago, Illinois, 60064, USA
| | - Jonas Reeb
- Information Research, AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, 67061, Knollstrasse, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Sujana Ghosh
- Genomics Research Center, AbbVie Inc, North Chicago, Illinois, 60064, USA
| | | | - Saleh Tamim
- Genomics Research Center, AbbVie Inc, North Chicago, Illinois, 60064, USA
| | - Jozef Lazar
- Genomics Research Center, AbbVie Inc, North Chicago, Illinois, 60064, USA
| | - J Wade Davis
- Genomics Research Center, AbbVie Inc, North Chicago, Illinois, 60064, USA
| | - Howard J Jacob
- Genomics Research Center, AbbVie Inc, North Chicago, Illinois, 60064, USA
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Pastore M, Caligiuri A, Raggi C, Navari N, Piombanti B, Di Maira G, Rovida E, Piccinni MP, Lombardelli L, Logiodice F, Rombouts K, Petta S, Marra F. Macrophage MerTK promotes profibrogenic cross-talk with hepatic stellate cells via soluble mediators. JHEP Rep 2022; 4:100444. [PMID: 35252828 PMCID: PMC8891698 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2022.100444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background & Aims Activation of Kupffer cells and recruitment of monocytes are key events in fibrogenesis. These cells release soluble mediators which induce the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), the main fibrogenic cell type within the liver. Mer tyrosine kinase (MerTK) signaling regulates multiple processes in macrophages and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis-related fibrosis. In this study, we explored if MerTK activation in macrophages influences the profibrogenic phenotype of HSCs. Methods Macrophages were derived from THP-1 cells or differentiated from peripheral blood monocytes towards MerTK+/CD206+/CD163+/CD209- macrophages. The role of MerTK was assessed by pharmacologic and genetic inhibition. HSC migration was determined in Boyden chambers, viability was measured by the MTT assay, and proliferation was evaluated by the BrdU incorporation assay. Results Gas-6 induced MerTK phosphorylation and Akt activation in macrophages, and these effects were inhibited by UNC569. During polarization, MerTK+/CD206+/CD163+/CD209- macrophages exhibited activation of STAT3, ERK1/2, p38 and increased expression of VEGF-A. Activation of MerTK in THP-1 macrophages induced a secretome which promoted a significant increase in migration, proliferation, viability and expression of profibrogenic factors in HSCs. Similarly, conditioned medium from MerTK+ macrophages induced a significant increase in cell migration, proliferation, STAT3 and p38 phosphorylation and upregulation of IL-8 expression in HSCs. Moreover, conditioned medium from Gas-6-stimulated Kupffer cells induced a significant increase in HSC proliferation. These effects were specifically related to MerTK expression and activity in macrophages, as indicated by pharmacologic inhibition and knockdown experiments. Conclusions MerTK activation in macrophages modifies the secretome to promote profibrogenic features in HSCs, implicating this receptor in the pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis. Lay summary Fibrosis represents the process of scarring occurring in patients with chronic liver diseases. This process depends on production of scar tissue components by a specific cell type, named hepatic stellate cells, and is regulated by interaction with other cells. Herein, we show that activation of MerTK, a receptor present in a population of macrophages, causes the production of factors that act on hepatic stellate cells, increasing their ability to produce scar tissue. MerTK, a member of the TAM family of proteins, is highly expressed in MerTK+/CD206+/CD163+/CD209- macrophages. In these macrophages, activation of MerTK induces phosphorylation of Akt, STAT3, ERK1/2, p38 and increased expression of VEGF-A. MerTK activation in macrophages modulates the secretome to promote the profibrogenic phenotype of human HSCs. Profibrogenic effects of macrophages expressing high levels of MerTK were blocked by knockdown or inhibition of MerTK.
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Abstract
TAM receptors (Tyro3, Axl and MerTK) are a family of tyrosine kinase receptors that are expressed in a variety of cell populations, including liver parenchymal and non-parenchymal cells. These receptors are vital for immune homeostasis, as they regulate the innate immune response by suppressing inflammation via toll-like receptor inhibition and by promoting tissue resolution through efferocytosis. However, there is increasing evidence indicating that aberrant TAM receptor signaling may play a role in pathophysiological processes in the context of liver disease. This review will explore the roles of TAM receptors and their ligands in liver homeostasis as well as a variety of disease settings, including acute liver injury, steatosis, fibrosis, cirrhosis-associated immune dysfunction and hepatocellular carcinoma. A better understanding of our current knowledge of TAM receptors in liver disease may identify new opportunities for disease monitoring as well as novel therapeutic targets. Nonetheless, this review also aims to highlight areas where further research on TAM receptor biology in liver disease is required.
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Exploring the Gamut of Receptor Tyrosine Kinases for Their Promise in the Management of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9121776. [PMID: 34944593 PMCID: PMC8698495 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9121776] [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: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as a predominant health concern affecting approximately a quarter of the world’s population. NAFLD is a spectrum of liver ailments arising from nascent lipid accumulation and leading to inflammation, fibrosis or even carcinogenesis. Despite its prevalence and severity, no targeted pharmacological intervention is approved to date. Thus, it is imperative to identify suitable drug targets critical to the development and progression of NAFLD. In this quest, a ray of hope is nestled within a group of proteins, receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), as targets to contain or even reverse NAFLD. RTKs control numerous vital biological processes and their selective expression and activity in specific diseases have rendered them useful as drug targets. In this review, we discuss the recent advancements in characterizing the role of RTKs in NAFLD progression and qualify their suitability as pharmacological targets. Available data suggests inhibition of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor, AXL, Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 4 and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor, and activation of cellular mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor and Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 1 could pave the way for novel NAFLD therapeutics. Thus, it is important to characterize these RTKs for target validation and proof-of-concept through clinical trials.
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Khanam A, Saleeb PG, Kottilil S. Pathophysiology and Treatment Options for Hepatic Fibrosis: Can It Be Completely Cured? Cells 2021; 10:cells10051097. [PMID: 34064375 PMCID: PMC8147843 DOI: 10.3390/cells10051097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatic fibrosis is a dynamic process that occurs as a wound healing response against liver injury. During fibrosis, crosstalk between parenchymal and non-parenchymal cells, activation of different immune cells and signaling pathways, as well as a release of several inflammatory mediators take place, resulting in inflammation. Excessive inflammation drives hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation, which then encounters various morphological and functional changes before transforming into proliferative and extracellular matrix (ECM)-producing myofibroblasts. Finally, enormous ECM accumulation interferes with hepatic function and leads to liver failure. To overcome this condition, several therapeutic approaches have been developed to inhibit inflammatory responses, HSC proliferation and activation. Preclinical studies also suggest several targets for the development of anti-fibrotic therapies; however, very few advanced to clinical trials. The pathophysiology of hepatic fibrosis is extremely complex and requires comprehensive understanding to identify effective therapeutic targets; therefore, in this review, we focus on the various cellular and molecular mechanisms associated with the pathophysiology of hepatic fibrosis and discuss potential strategies to control or reverse the fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arshi Khanam
- Division of Clinical Care and Research, Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA;
| | - Paul G. Saleeb
- Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA;
| | - Shyam Kottilil
- Division of Clinical Care and Research, Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-410-706-4872
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Zagórska A, Través PG, Jiménez-García L, Strickland JD, Oh J, Tapia FJ, Mayoral R, Burrola P, Copple BL, Lemke G. Differential regulation of hepatic physiology and injury by the TAM receptors Axl and Mer. Life Sci Alliance 2020; 3:e202000694. [PMID: 32571802 PMCID: PMC7335405 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202000694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies have implicated the TAM receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) Mer in liver disease, yet our understanding of the role that Mer and its related RTKs Tyro3 and Axl play in liver homeostasis and the response to acute injury is limited. We find that Mer and Axl are most prominently expressed in hepatic Kupffer and endothelial cells and that as mice lacking these RTKs age, they develop profound liver disease characterized by apoptotic cell accumulation and immune activation. We further find that Mer is critical to the phagocytosis of apoptotic hepatocytes generated in settings of acute hepatic injury, and that Mer and Axl act in concert to inhibit cytokine production in these settings. In contrast, we find that Axl is uniquely important in mitigating liver damage during acetaminophen intoxication. Although Mer and Axl are protective in acute injury models, we find that Axl exacerbates fibrosis in a model of chronic injury. These divergent effects have important implications for the design and implementation of TAM-directed therapeutics that might target these RTKs in the liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Zagórska
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Paqui G Través
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Alberto Sols (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Jenna D Strickland
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Joanne Oh
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Francisco J Tapia
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Rafael Mayoral
- Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Patrick Burrola
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Bryan L Copple
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Greg Lemke
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis Laboratory, The Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
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Cai B, Dongiovanni P, Corey KE, Wang X, Shmarakov IO, Zheng Z, Kasikara C, Davra V, Meroni M, Chung RT, Rothlin CV, Schwabe RF, Blaner WS, Birge RB, Valenti L, Tabas I. Macrophage MerTK Promotes Liver Fibrosis in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis. Cell Metab 2020; 31:406-421.e7. [PMID: 31839486 PMCID: PMC7004886 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2019.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is emerging as a leading cause of chronic liver disease. However, therapeutic options are limited by incomplete understanding of the mechanisms of NASH fibrosis, which is mediated by activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). In humans, human genetic studies have shown that hypomorphic variations in MERTK, encoding the macrophage c-mer tyrosine kinase (MerTK) receptor, provide protection against liver fibrosis, but the mechanisms remain unknown. We now show that holo- or myeloid-specific Mertk targeting in NASH mice decreases liver fibrosis, congruent with the human genetic data. Furthermore, ADAM metallopeptidase domain 17 (ADAM17)-mediated MerTK cleavage in liver macrophages decreases during steatosis to NASH transition, and mice with a cleavage-resistant MerTK mutant have increased NASH fibrosis. Macrophage MerTK promotes an ERK-TGFβ1 pathway that activates HSCs and induces liver fibrosis. These data provide insights into the role of liver macrophages in NASH fibrosis and provide a plausible mechanism underlying MERTK as a genetic risk factor for NASH fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bishuang Cai
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
| | - Paola Dongiovanni
- General Medicine and Metabolic Diseases, Fondazione Ca' Granda IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano 20122, Italy
| | - Kathleen E Corey
- Liver Center, Gastrointestinal Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xiaobo Wang
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Igor O Shmarakov
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Ze Zheng
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Canan Kasikara
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Viralkumar Davra
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School Cancer Center, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Marica Meroni
- General Medicine and Metabolic Diseases, Fondazione Ca' Granda IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano 20122, Italy
| | - Raymond T Chung
- Liver Center, Gastrointestinal Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Carla V Rothlin
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine and Department of Pharmacology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Robert F Schwabe
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - William S Blaner
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Raymond B Birge
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School Cancer Center, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Luca Valenti
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano 20122, Italy; Translational Medicine - Transfusion Medicine and Hematology, Fondazione Ca' Granda IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano 20122, Italy
| | - Ira Tabas
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Departments of Pathology & Cell Biology and Physiology & Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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11
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Gas6/TAM Signaling Components as Novel Biomarkers of Liver Fibrosis. DISEASE MARKERS 2019; 2019:2304931. [PMID: 31583026 PMCID: PMC6754881 DOI: 10.1155/2019/2304931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Revised: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis consists in the accumulation of extracellular matrix components mainly derived from activated hepatic stellate cells. This is commonly the result of chronic liver injury repair and represents an important health concern. As liver biopsy is burdened with many drawbacks, not surprisingly there is great interest to find new reliable noninvasive methods. Among the many are new potential fibrosis biomarkers under study, some of the most promising represented by the growth arrest-specific gene 6 (Gas6) serum protein and its family of tyrosine kinase receptors, namely, Tyro3, Axl, and MERTK (TAM). Gas6/TAM system (mainly, Axl and MERTK) has in fact recently emerged as an important player in the progression of liver fibrosis. This review is aimed at giving an overall perspective of the roles played by these molecules in major chronic liver diseases. The most promising findings up to date acknowledge that both Gas6 and its receptor serum levels (such as sAxl and, probably, sMERTK) have been shown to potentially allow for easy and accurate measurement of hepatic fibrosis progression, also providing indicative parameters of hepatic dysfunction. Although most of the current scientific evidence is still preliminary and there are no in vivo validation studies on large patient series, it still looks very promising to imagine a possible future prognostic role for these biomarkers in the multidimensional assessment of a liver patient. One may also speculate on a potential role for this system targeting (e.g., with small molecule inhibitors against Axl) as a therapeutic strategy for liver fibrosis management, always bearing in mind that any such therapeutic approach might face toxicity.
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12
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Jiménez-Sousa MÁ, Gómez-Moreno AZ, Pineda-Tenor D, Brochado-Kith O, Sánchez-Ruano JJ, Artaza-Varasa T, Gómez-Sanz A, Fernández-Rodríguez A, Resino S. The Myeloid-Epithelial-Reproductive Tyrosine Kinase (MERTK) rs4374383 Polymorphism Predicts Progression of Liver Fibrosis in Hepatitis C Virus-Infected Patients: A Longitudinal Study. J Clin Med 2018; 7:jcm7120473. [PMID: 30477195 PMCID: PMC6306820 DOI: 10.3390/jcm7120473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The myeloid-epithelial-reproductive tyrosine kinase (MERTK) is involved in hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and liver fibrosis. Here we evaluated the association between the MERTK rs4374383 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and liver fibrosis progression in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients. Methods: We performed a retrospective study (repeated measures design) in 208 patients who had liver stiffness measurement (LSM), which was assessed using transient elastography. No patient had cirrhosis at baseline (LSM ≥ 12.5 kPa). Results: At baseline, 53.8% were male, the median age was 47.1 years, 13.5% reported a high intake of alcohol, 10.1% were prior injection drug users, 85.3% were infected with HCV genotype 1, and 22.6% had previously failed antiviral therapy (pegylated-interferon-alpha/ribavirin). During a median follow-up of 46.6 months, 26 patients developed cirrhosis. The rs4374383 G carriers had a higher risk of increasing LSM (adjusted arithmetic mean ratio (aAMR) = 1.14; p = 0.006) and a higher likelihood of having an increase in LSM greater than 5 kPa (ΔLSM ≥ 5 kPa) (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.37; p = 0.029), and greater than 7 kPa (ΔLSM ≥ 7 kPa) (aOR = 3.24; p = 0.032), after controlling for confounding. The SNP’s association with cirrhosis progression was close to statistical significance (aOR = 2.18; p = 0.070). Conclusions: MERTK rs4374383 A carriers had a lower risk of liver fibrosis progression than G carriers, supporting the hypothesis that this SNP seems to have a critical role in the pathogenesis of liver disease in HCV-infected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Ángeles Jiménez-Sousa
- Unidad de Infección Viral e Inmunidad, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Carretera Majadahonda-Pozuelo, Km 2.2; 28220 Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain.
| | | | - Daniel Pineda-Tenor
- Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Laboratorio, Hospital de Antequera, 29200 Málaga, Spain.
| | - Oscar Brochado-Kith
- Unidad de Infección Viral e Inmunidad, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Carretera Majadahonda-Pozuelo, Km 2.2; 28220 Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain.
| | | | | | - Alicia Gómez-Sanz
- Unidad de Infección Viral e Inmunidad, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Carretera Majadahonda-Pozuelo, Km 2.2; 28220 Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Amanda Fernández-Rodríguez
- Unidad de Infección Viral e Inmunidad, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Carretera Majadahonda-Pozuelo, Km 2.2; 28220 Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Salvador Resino
- Unidad de Infección Viral e Inmunidad, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Carretera Majadahonda-Pozuelo, Km 2.2; 28220 Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain.
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Evans AL, Blackburn JWD, Taruc K, Kipp A, Dirk BS, Hunt NR, Barr SD, Dikeakos JD, Heit B. Antagonistic Coevolution of MER Tyrosine Kinase Expression and Function. Mol Biol Evol 2017; 34:1613-1628. [PMID: 28369510 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msx102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
TYRO3, AXL, and MERTK (TAM) receptors are a family of receptor tyrosine kinases that maintain homeostasis through the clearance of apoptotic cells, and when defective, contribute to chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases such as atherosclerosis, multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and Crohn's disease. In addition, certain enveloped viruses utilize TAM receptors for immune evasion and entry into host cells, with several viruses preferentially hijacking MERTK for these purposes. Despite the biological importance of TAM receptors, little is understood of their recent evolution and its impact on their function. Using evolutionary analysis of primate TAM receptor sequences, we identified strong, recent positive selection in MERTK's signal peptide and transmembrane domain that was absent from TYRO3 and AXL. Reconstruction of hominid and primate ancestral MERTK sequences revealed three nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms in the human MERTK signal peptide, with a G14C mutation resulting in a predicted non-B DNA cruciform motif, producing a significant decrease in MERTK expression with no significant effect on MERTK trafficking or half-life. Reconstruction of MERTK's transmembrane domain identified three amino acid substitutions and four amino acid insertions in humans, which led to significantly higher levels of self-clustering through the creation of a new interaction motif. This clustering counteracted the effect of the signal peptide mutations through enhancing MERTK avidity, whereas the lower MERTK expression led to reduced binding of Ebola virus-like particles. The decreased MERTK expression counterbalanced by increased avidity is consistent with antagonistic coevolution to evade viral hijacking of MERTK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda L Evans
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Centre for Human Immunology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - Jack W D Blackburn
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Centre for Human Immunology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - Kyle Taruc
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Centre for Human Immunology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - Angela Kipp
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Centre for Human Immunology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - Brennan S Dirk
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Centre for Human Immunology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - Nina R Hunt
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Centre for Human Immunology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - Stephen D Barr
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Centre for Human Immunology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - Jimmy D Dikeakos
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Centre for Human Immunology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - Bryan Heit
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Centre for Human Immunology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
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14
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Bioinformatics Techniques used in Hepatitis C Virus Research. JOURNAL OF PURE AND APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.22207/jpam.11.2.32] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
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15
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Wang F, Chang Y, Li J, Wang H, Zhou R, Qi J, Liu J, Zhao Q. Strong correlation between ASPM gene expression and HCV cirrhosis progression identified by co-expression analysis. Dig Liver Dis 2017; 49:70-76. [PMID: 27876500 DOI: 10.1016/j.dld.2016.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2016] [Revised: 10/26/2016] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) cirrhosis is at a high risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and its progression is influenced by a complex network of gene interactions. A weighted gene co-expression network was constructed to identify gene modules associated with the seven-stage disease progression from HCV cirrhosis to HCV-related HCC (n=65). In the significant module (R2=0.86), a total of 25 network hub genes were identified, half of which were also hub nodes in the protein-protein interaction network of the module genes. In validation, most hub genes showed a moderate correlation with the disease progression, and only ASPM was highly correlated (R2=0.801). In the test set (n=63), ASPM was also more highly expressed in HCV cirrhosis with concomitant HCC than in those without HCC (P=0.0054). Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) demonstrated that the gene set of "regulation of protein amino acid phosphorylation" (n=20) was enriched in HCV cirrhosis samples with ASPM highly expressed (false discovery rate (FDR)=0.049). In gene ontology (GO) analysis, genes in the enriched set were associated with liver neoplasms and other neoplastic diseases. In conclusion, through co-expression analysis, ASPM was identified and validated in association with the progression of HCV cirrhosis probably by regulating tumor-related phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China; Hubei Clinical Center & Key Lab of Intestinal & Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, China
| | - Ying Chang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China; Hubei Clinical Center & Key Lab of Intestinal & Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, China
| | - Jin Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China; Hubei Clinical Center & Key Lab of Intestinal & Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, China
| | - Hongling Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China; Hubei Clinical Center & Key Lab of Intestinal & Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, China
| | - Rui Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China; Hubei Clinical Center & Key Lab of Intestinal & Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, China
| | - Jian Qi
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China; Hubei Clinical Center & Key Lab of Intestinal & Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China; Hubei Clinical Center & Key Lab of Intestinal & Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, China.
| | - Qiu Zhao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China; Hubei Clinical Center & Key Lab of Intestinal & Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, China.
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