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Xu R, Huang F, Liu Q, Lv Y, Hu L, Zhang Q. USP25 attenuates anti-GBM nephritis in mice by negative feedback regulation of Th17 cell differentiation. Ren Fail 2024; 46:2338932. [PMID: 38616174 PMCID: PMC11018034 DOI: 10.1080/0886022x.2024.2338932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE This study aimed to elucidate the role of USP25 in a mouse model of anti-glomerular basement membrane glomerulonephritis (anti-GBM GN). METHODS USP25-deficient anti-GBM GN mice were generated, and their nephritis progression was monitored. Naïve CD4+ T cells were isolated from spleen lymphocytes and stimulated to differentiate into Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells. This approach was used to investigate the impact of USP25 on CD4+ T lymphocyte differentiation in vitro. Furthermore, changes in USP25 expression were monitored during Th17 differentiation, both in vivo and in vitro. RESULTS USP25-/- mice with anti-GBM GN exhibited accelerated renal function deterioration, increased infiltration of Th1 and Th17 cells, and elevated RORγt transcription. In vitro experiments demonstrated that USP25-/- CD4+ T lymphocytes had a higher proportion for Th17 cell differentiation and exhibited higher RORγt levels upon stimulation. Wild-type mice with anti-GBM GN showed higher USP25 levels compared to healthy mice, and a positive correlation was observed between USP25 levels and Th17 cell counts. Similar trends were observed in vitro. CONCLUSION USP25 plays a crucial role in mitigating renal histopathological and functional damage during anti-GBM GN in mice. This protective effect is primarily attributed to USP25's ability to inhibit the differentiation of naïve CD4+ T cells into Th17 cells. The underlying mechanism may involve the downregulation of RORγt. Additionally, during increased inflammatory responses or Th17 cell differentiation, USP25 expression is activated, forming a negative feedback regulatory loop that attenuates immune activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranran Xu
- Department of Geriatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Fei Huang
- Department of General Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Qingquan Liu
- Department of Nephrology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Yongman Lv
- Department of Nephrology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P. R. China
- Health Management Centre, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Liu Hu
- Health Management Centre, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Qian Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P. R. China
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Shao KM, Shao WH. Transcription Factors in the Pathogenesis of Lupus Nephritis and Their Targeted Therapy. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1084. [PMID: 38256157 PMCID: PMC10816397 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25021084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a prototype inflammatory autoimmune disease, characterized by breakdown of immunotolerance to self-antigens. Renal involvement, known as lupus nephritis (LN), is one of the leading causes of morbidity and a significant contributor to mortality in SLE. Despite current pathophysiological advances, further studies are needed to fully understand complex mechanisms underlying the development and progression of LN. Transcription factors (TFs) are proteins that regulate the expression of genes and play a crucial role in the development and progression of LN. The mechanisms of TF promoting or inhibiting gene expression are complex, and studies have just begun to reveal the pathological roles of TFs in LN. Understanding TFs in the pathogenesis of LN can provide valuable insights into this disease's mechanisms and potentially lead to the development of targeted therapies for its management. This review will focus on recent findings on TFs in the pathogenesis of LN and newly developed TF-targeted therapy in renal inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasey M. Shao
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Wen-Hai Shao
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
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Yang L, Zhang T, Wang P, Chen W, Liu W, He X, Zhang Y, Jin S, Luo Z, Zhang Z, Wang X, Liu J. Imatinib and M351-0056 enhance the function of VISTA and ameliorate the development of SLE via IFN-I and noncanonical NF-κB pathway. Cell Biol Toxicol 2023; 39:3287-3304. [PMID: 37804401 DOI: 10.1007/s10565-023-09833-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
V-domain immunoglobulin suppressor of T-cell activation (VISTA), an important negative checkpoint protein, participates in immunoregulation. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease in which patients exhibit high levels of autoantibodies and multi-organ tissue injury, primarily involving the kidney and skin. In wild-type (WT) mice and Vsir-/- mice with pristane-induced lupus-like disease, we found that VISTA deficiency exacerbated the lupus-like disease in mice, possibly through aberrant activation of type I interferon (IFN-I) signaling, CD4+ T cell, and noncanonical nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway. Surface plasmon resonance results showed that imatinib, an FDA-approved tyrosine kinase inhibitor, may have a high affinity for human VISTA-ECD with a KD value of 0.2009 μM. The biological activities of imatinib and VISTA agonist M351-0056 were studied in monocytes and T cells and in lupus-like disease murine model of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) and lupus-prone MRL/lpr mice. VISTA small-molecule agonist reduced the cytokine production of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and Jurkat cells and inhibited PBMCs proliferation. Moreover, they attenuated the levels of autoantibodies, renal injury, inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and immune cell expansion in the cGVHD mouse model and MRL/lpr mice. Our findings also demonstrated that VISTA small-molecule agonist ameliorated the development of SLE through improving aberrantly activated IFN-I signaling and noncanonical NF-κB pathway. In conclusion, VISTA has a protective effect on the development and progression of SLE. VISTA agonist M351-0056 and imatinib have been firstly demonstrated to attenuate SLE, suggesting interventions to enhance VISTA function may be effective in treating SLE. VISTA deficiency exacerbates pristane-induced lupus-like disease in mice by promoting activation of the IFN-I and noncanonical NF-κB pathway. Imatinib was screened as a small-molecule VISTA agonist by molecular docking, SPR, and cellular level experiments. VISTA agonists (M351-0056 and imatinib) alleviated lupus-like disease progression in the cGVHD mouse model and MRL/lpr mice by inhibiting activation of IFN-I and noncanonical NF-κB pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Yang
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Penglu Wang
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Wenting Chen
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Wanmei Liu
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Xiaoyu He
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yuxin Zhang
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Shasha Jin
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Zhijie Luo
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Zunjian Zhang
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| | - Xinzhi Wang
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| | - Jun Liu
- New Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
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Wang M, Rajkumar S, Lai Y, Liu X, He J, Ishikawa T, Nallapothula D, Singh RR. Tertiary lymphoid structures as local perpetuators of organ-specific immune injury: implication for lupus nephritis. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1204777. [PMID: 38022566 PMCID: PMC10644380 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1204777] [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: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In response to inflammatory stimuli in conditions such as autoimmune disorders, infections and cancers, immune cells organize in nonlymphoid tissues, which resemble secondary lymphoid organs. Such immune cell clusters are called tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS). Here, we describe the potential role of TLS in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease, focusing on lupus nephritis, a condition that incurs major morbidity and mortality. In the kidneys of patients and animals with lupus nephritis, the presence of immune cell aggregates with similar cell composition, structure, and gene signature as lymph nodes and of lymphoid tissue-inducer and -organizer cells, along with evidence of communication between stromal and immune cells are indicative of the formation of TLS. TLS formation in kidneys affected by lupus may be instigated by local increases in lymphorganogenic chemokines such as CXCL13, and in molecules associated with leukocyte migration and vascularization. Importantly, the presence of TLS in kidneys is associated with severe tubulointerstitial inflammation, higher disease activity and chronicity indices, and poor response to treatment in patients with lupus nephritis. TLS may contribute to the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis by increasing local IFN-I production, facilitating the recruitment and supporting survival of autoreactive B cells, maintaining local production of systemic autoantibodies such as anti-dsDNA and anti-Sm/RNP autoantibodies, and initiating epitope spreading to local autoantigens. Resolution of TLS, along with improvement in lupus, by treating animals with soluble BAFF receptor, docosahexaenoic acid, complement inhibitor C4BP(β-), S1P1 receptor modulator Cenerimod, dexamethasone, and anti-CXCL13 further emphasizes a role of TLS in the pathogenesis of lupus. However, the mechanisms underlying TLS formation and their roles in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis are not fully comprehended. Furthermore, the lack of non-invasive methods to visualize/quantify TLS in kidneys is also a major hurdle; however, recent success in visualizing TLS in lupus-prone mice by photon emission computed tomography provides hope for early detection and manipulation of TLS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meiying Wang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Peking University Shenzhen Hosiptal, Shenzhen, China
- Autoimmunity and Tolerance Laboratory, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Snehin Rajkumar
- Autoimmunity and Tolerance Laboratory, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Yupeng Lai
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xingjiao Liu
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jing He
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Nephrology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Tatsuya Ishikawa
- Autoimmunity and Tolerance Laboratory, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Dhiraj Nallapothula
- Autoimmunity and Tolerance Laboratory, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Ram Raj Singh
- Autoimmunity and Tolerance Laboratory, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Molecular Toxicology Interdepartmental Program, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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