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Novel aspects of sepsis pathophysiology: NETs, plasma glycoproteins, endotheliopathy and COVID-19. J Pharmacol Sci 2022; 150:9-20. [PMID: 35926948 PMCID: PMC9197787 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphs.2022.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In 2016, sepsis was newly defined as life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. Sepsis remains one of the crucial medical problems to be solved worldwide. Although the world health organization has made sepsis a global health priority, there remain no specific and effective therapy for sepsis so far. Indeed, over the previous decades almost all attempts to develop novel drugs have failed. This may be partly ascribable to the multifactorial complexity of the septic cascade and the resultant difficulties of identifying drug targets. In addition, there might still be missing links among dysregulated host responses in vital organs. In this review article, recent advances in understanding of the complex pathophysiology of sepsis are summarized, with a focus on neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), the significant role of NETs in thrombosis/embolism, and the functional roles of plasma proteins, histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG) and inter-alpha-inhibitor proteins (IAIPs). The specific plasma proteins that are markedly decreased in the acute phase of sepsis may play important roles in the regulation of blood cells, vascular endothelial cells and coagulation. The accumulating evidence may provide us with insights into a novel aspect of the pathophysiology of sepsis and septic ARDS, including that in COVID-19.
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Pan Y, Deng L, Wang H, He K, Xia Q. Histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRGP): Pleiotropic and paradoxical effects on macrophage, tumor microenvironment, angiogenesis, and other physiological and pathological processes. Genes Dis 2022; 9:381-392. [PMID: 35224154 PMCID: PMC8843877 DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2020.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRGP) is a relatively less known glycoprotein, but it is abundant in plasma with a multidomain structure, which allows it to interact with many ligands and regulate various biological processes. HRGP ligands includes heme, Zn2+, thrombospondin, plasmin/plasminogen, heparin/heparan sulfate, fibrinogen, tropomyosin, IgG, FcγR, C1q. In many conditions, the histidine-rich region of HRGP strengthens ligand binding following interaction with Zn2+ or exposure to low pH, such as sites of tissue injury or tumor growth. The multidomain structure and diverse ligand binding attributes of HRGP indicates that it can act as an extracellular adaptor protein, connecting with different ligands, especially on cell surfaces. Also, HRGP can selectively target IgG, which blocks the production of soluble immune complexes. The most common cell surface ligand of HRGP is heparan sulfate proteoglycan, and the interaction is also potentiated by elevated Zn2+ concentration and low pH. Recent reports have shown that HRGP can modulate macrophage polarization and possibly regulate other physiological processes such as angiogenesis, anti-tumor immune response, fibrinolysis and coagulation, soluble immune complex clearance and phagocytosis of apoptotic/necrosis cells. In addition, it has also been reported that HRGP has antibacterial and anti-HIV infection effects and may be used as a novel clinical biomarker accordingly. This review outlines the molecular, structural and biological properties of HRGP as well as presenting an update on the function of HRGP in various physiological processes.
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Li X, Wang L, Wang L, Feng Z, Peng C. Single-Cell Sequencing of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Reveals Cell Interactions and Cell Heterogeneity in the Microenvironment. Int J Gen Med 2021; 14:10141-10153. [PMID: 34992435 PMCID: PMC8711111 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s338090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the main histological subtype of liver cancer, which has the characteristics of poor prognosis and high fatality rate. Single-cell sequencing can provide quantitative and unbiased characterization of cell heterogeneity by analyzing the molecular profile of the whole genome of thousands of single cells. Thus, the purpose of this study was to identify novel prognostic markers for HCC based on single-cell sequencing data. METHODS Single-cell sequencing of 21 HCC samples and 256 normal liver tissue samples in the GSE124395 dataset was collected from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The quality-controlled cells were grouped by unsupervised cluster analysis and identified the marker genes of each cell cluster. Hereafter, these cell clusters were annotated by singleR and CellMarker according to the expression patterns of the marker genes. Pseudotime analysis was performed to construct the trajectory of cell evolution and to define hub genes in the evolution process. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were used to explore the potential regulatory mechanism of hub genes in HCC. Next, the differential expression of hub genes and the correlation of the expression of these genes with patients' survival and diagnosis were investigated in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. RESULTS A total of 9 clusters corresponding to 9 cell types, including NKT cells, hepatocytes, endothelial cells, Kupffer cells, EPCAM+ cells, cancer cells, plasma cells (B cells), immature B cells, and myofibroblasts were identified. We screened 63 key genes related to cell differentiation through trajectory analysis, which were enriched in the process of coagulation. Ultimately, we identified 10 survival-related hub genes in the TCGA database, namely ALDOB, APOC3, APOH, CYP2E1, CYP3A4, GC, HRG, LINC01554, PDK4, and TXN. CONCLUSION In conclusion, ALDOB, APOC3, APOH, CYP2E1, CYP3A4, GC, HRG, LINC01554, PDK4, and TXN may serve as hub genes in the diagnosis and prognosis for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyao Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, People’s Republic of China
| | - Liusong Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zanjie Feng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, People’s Republic of China
| | - Cijun Peng
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, People’s Republic of China
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Varese A, Dantas E, Paletta A, Fitzgerald W, Di Diego García F, Cabrerizo G, Erra Diaz F, Defelipe LA, Pallares H, Dodes Traian M, Gamarnik A, Geffner J, Remes Lenicov F, Margolis L, Ceballos A. Extracellular acidosis enhances Zika virus infection both in human cells and ex-vivo tissue cultures from female reproductive tract. Emerg Microbes Infect 2021; 10:1169-1179. [PMID: 34013833 PMCID: PMC8205022 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2021.1932606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) is a flavivirus transmitted by mosquitoes of the genus Aedes, but unlike other flaviviruses, ZIKV can be sexually transmitted by vaginal intercourse. The healthy vaginal pH ranges from 4.0 to 6.0, reaching values of 6.0-7.0 after semen deposition. Here, we report that low extracellular pH values (range 6.2-6.6) dramatically increase ZIKV infection on cell lines of different origin including some derived from the female genital tract and monocyte-derived macrophages. Furthermore, low pH significantly increased ZIKV infection of human ectocervix and endocervix cultured ex-vivo. Enhancement of infection by low pH was also observed using different ZIKV strains and distinct methods to evaluate viral infection, i.e. plaque assays, RT-PCR, flow cytometry, and fluorescence microscopy. Analysis of the mechanisms involved revealed that the enhancement of ZIKV infection induced by low pH was associated with increased binding of the viral particles to the heparan sulphate expressed on the target cell surface. Acidosis represents a critical but generally overlooked feature of the female genital tract, with major implications for sexual transmission diseases. Our results suggest that low vaginal pH might promote male-to-female transmission of ZIKV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Varese
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA) and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - E Dantas
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA) and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - A Paletta
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA) and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - W Fitzgerald
- Section on Intercellular Interaction, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - F Di Diego García
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA) and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - G Cabrerizo
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA) and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - F Erra Diaz
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA) and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - L A Defelipe
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, IQUIBICEN-CONICET, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - H Pallares
- Fundación Instituto Leloir-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - M Dodes Traian
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, IQUIBICEN-CONICET, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - A Gamarnik
- Fundación Instituto Leloir-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - J Geffner
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA) and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - F Remes Lenicov
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA) and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - L Margolis
- Section on Intercellular Interaction, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - A Ceballos
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA) and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Zhang X, Liu X, Su G, Li M, Liu J, Wang C, Xu D. pH-dependent and dynamic interactions of cystatin C with heparan sulfate. Commun Biol 2021; 4:198. [PMID: 33580179 PMCID: PMC7881039 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-01737-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cystatin C (Cst-3) is a potent inhibitor of cysteine proteases with diverse biological functions. As a secreted protein, the potential interaction between Cst-3 and extracellular matrix components has not been well studied. Here we investigated the interaction between Cst-3 and heparan sulfate (HS), a major component of extracellular matrix. We discovered that Cst-3 is a HS-binding protein only at acidic pH. By NMR and site-directed mutagenesis, we identified two HS binding regions in Cst-3: the highly dynamic N-terminal segment and a flexible region located between residue 70-94. The composition of the HS-binding site by two highly dynamic halves is unique in known HS-binding proteins. We further discovered that HS-binding severely impairs the inhibitory activity of Cst-3 towards papain, suggesting the interaction could actively regulate Cst-3 activity. Using murine bone tissues, we showed that Cst-3 interacts with bone matrix HS at low pH, again highlighting the physiological relevance of our discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxiao Zhang
- Department of Oral Biology, The University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Xinyue Liu
- Department of Biology, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA
| | - Guowei Su
- Division of Chemical Biology and Natural Product, School of Pharmacy, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Miaomiao Li
- Department of Oral Biology, The University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Jian Liu
- Division of Chemical Biology and Natural Product, School of Pharmacy, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Chunyu Wang
- Department of Biology, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA.
| | - Ding Xu
- Department of Oral Biology, The University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA.
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Santoro AM, Zimbone S, Magrì A, La Mendola D, Grasso G. The Role of Copper (II) on Kininogen Binding to Tropomyosin in the Presence of a Histidine-Proline-Rich Peptide. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21249343. [PMID: 33302425 PMCID: PMC7762548 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The antiangiogenic activity of the H/P domain of histidine-proline-rich glycoprotein is mediated by its binding with tropomyosin, a protein exposed on endothelial cell-surface during the angiogenic switch, in presence of zinc ions. Although it is known that copper ion serum concentration is significantly increased in cancer patients, its role in the interaction of H/P domain with tropomyosin, has not yet been studied. In this paper, by using ELISA assay, we determined the modulating effect of TetraHPRG peptide, a sequence of 20 aa belonging to H/P domain, on the binding of Kininogen (HKa) with tropomyosin, both in absence and presence of copper and zinc ions. A potentiometric study was carried out to characterize the binding mode adopted by metal ions with TetraHPRG, showing the formation of complex species involving imidazole amide nitrogen atoms in metal binding. Moreover, circular dichroism showed a conformational modification of ternary systems formed by TetraHPRG, HKa and copper or zinc. Interestingly, slight pH variation influenced the HKa-TetraHPRG-tropomyosin binding. All these results indicate that both metal ions are crucial in the interaction between TetraHPRG, tropomyosin and HKa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Maria Santoro
- CNR Istituto di Cristallografia Sede Secondaria di Catania, Via Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (A.M.S.); (S.Z.); (A.M.)
| | - Stefania Zimbone
- CNR Istituto di Cristallografia Sede Secondaria di Catania, Via Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (A.M.S.); (S.Z.); (A.M.)
| | - Antonio Magrì
- CNR Istituto di Cristallografia Sede Secondaria di Catania, Via Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (A.M.S.); (S.Z.); (A.M.)
| | - Diego La Mendola
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università di Pisa, Via Bonanno Pisano 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence: (D.L.M.); (G.G.)
| | - Giulia Grasso
- CNR Istituto di Cristallografia Sede Secondaria di Catania, Via Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (A.M.S.); (S.Z.); (A.M.)
- Correspondence: (D.L.M.); (G.G.)
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