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Berkowitz JS, Tabib T, Xiao H, Sadej GM, Khanna D, Fuschiotti P, Lafyatis RA, Das J. Cell Type-Specific Biomarkers of Systemic Sclerosis Disease Severity Capture Cell-Intrinsic and Cell-Extrinsic Circuits. Arthritis Rheumatol 2023; 75:1819-1830. [PMID: 37096444 PMCID: PMC10543405 DOI: 10.1002/art.42536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a multifactorial autoimmune fibrotic disorder involving complex rewiring of cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic signaling coexpression networks involving a range of cell types. However, the rewired circuits as well as corresponding cell-cell interactions remain poorly understood. To address this, we used a predictive machine learning framework to analyze single-cell RNA-sequencing data from 24 SSc patients across the severity spectrum as quantified by the modified Rodnan skin score (MRSS). METHODS We used a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO)-based predictive machine learning approach on the single-cell RNA-sequencing data set to identify predictive biomarkers of SSc severity, both across and within cell types. The use of L1 regularization helps prevent overfitting on high-dimensional data. Correlation network analyses were coupled to the LASSO model to identify cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic co-correlates of the identified biomarkers of SSc severity. RESULTS We found that the uncovered cell type-specific predictive biomarkers of MRSS included previously implicated genes in fibroblast and myeloid cell subsets (e.g., SFPR2+ fibroblasts and monocytes), as well as novel gene biomarkers of MRSS, especially in keratinocytes. Correlation network analyses revealed novel cross-talk between immune pathways and implicated keratinocytes in addition to fibroblast and myeloid cells as key cell types involved in SSc pathogenesis. We then validated the uncovered association of key gene expression and protein markers in keratinocytes, KRT6A and S100A8, with SSc skin disease severity. CONCLUSION Our global systems analyses reveal previously uncharacterized cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic signaling coexpression networks underlying SSc severity that involve keratinocytes, myeloid cells, and fibroblasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob S Berkowitz
- Center for Systems Immunology, Departments of Immunology and Computational & Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Tracy Tabib
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Hanxi Xiao
- Center for Systems Immunology, Departments of Immunology and Computational & Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Gabrielle M. Sadej
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Dinesh Khanna
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Patrizia Fuschiotti
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Robert A. Lafyatis
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jishnu Das
- Center for Systems Immunology, Departments of Immunology and Computational & Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Arriaza K, Brito J, Siques P, Flores K, Ordenes S, Aguayo D, López MDR, Arribas SM. Effects of Zinc on the Right Cardiovascular Circuit in Long-Term Hypobaric Hypoxia in Wistar Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119567. [PMID: 37298516 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypobaric hypoxia under chromic conditions triggers hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) and right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH). The role of zinc (Zn) under hypoxia is controversial and remains unclear. We evaluated the effect of Zn supplementation in prolonged hypobaric hypoxia on HIF2α/MTF-1/MT/ZIP12/PKCε pathway in the lung and RVH. Wistar rats were exposed to hypobaric hypoxia for 30 days and randomly allocated into three groups: chronic hypoxia (CH); intermittent hypoxia (2 days hypoxia/2 days normoxia; CIH); and normoxia (sea level control; NX). Each group was subdivided (n = 8) to receive either 1% Zn sulfate solution (z) or saline (s) intraperitoneally. Body weight, hemoglobin, and RVH were measured. Zn levels were evaluated in plasma and lung tissue. Additionally, the lipid peroxidation levels, HIF2α/MTF-1/MT/ZIP12/PKCε protein expression and pulmonary artery remodeling were measured in the lung. The CIH and CH groups showed decreased plasma Zn and body weight and increased hemoglobin, RVH, and vascular remodeling; the CH group also showed increased lipid peroxidation. Zn administration under hypobaric hypoxia upregulated the HIF2α/MTF-1/MT/ZIP12/PKCε pathway and increased RVH in the intermittent zinc group. Under intermittent hypobaric hypoxia, Zn dysregulation could participate in RVH development through alterations in the pulmonary HIF2α/MTF1/MT/ZIP12/PKCε pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karem Arriaza
- Institute of Health Studies, University Arturo Prat, Av. Arturo Prat 2120, Iquique 1110939, Chile
- Institute DECIPHER, German-Chilean Institute for Research on Pulmonary Hypoxia and Its Health Sequelae, Hamburg (Germany) and Iquique (Chile), Avenida Arturo Prat 2120, Iquique 1110939, Chile
| | - Julio Brito
- Institute of Health Studies, University Arturo Prat, Av. Arturo Prat 2120, Iquique 1110939, Chile
- Institute DECIPHER, German-Chilean Institute for Research on Pulmonary Hypoxia and Its Health Sequelae, Hamburg (Germany) and Iquique (Chile), Avenida Arturo Prat 2120, Iquique 1110939, Chile
| | - Patricia Siques
- Institute of Health Studies, University Arturo Prat, Av. Arturo Prat 2120, Iquique 1110939, Chile
- Institute DECIPHER, German-Chilean Institute for Research on Pulmonary Hypoxia and Its Health Sequelae, Hamburg (Germany) and Iquique (Chile), Avenida Arturo Prat 2120, Iquique 1110939, Chile
| | - Karen Flores
- Institute of Health Studies, University Arturo Prat, Av. Arturo Prat 2120, Iquique 1110939, Chile
- Institute DECIPHER, German-Chilean Institute for Research on Pulmonary Hypoxia and Its Health Sequelae, Hamburg (Germany) and Iquique (Chile), Avenida Arturo Prat 2120, Iquique 1110939, Chile
| | - Stefany Ordenes
- Institute of Health Studies, University Arturo Prat, Av. Arturo Prat 2120, Iquique 1110939, Chile
- Institute DECIPHER, German-Chilean Institute for Research on Pulmonary Hypoxia and Its Health Sequelae, Hamburg (Germany) and Iquique (Chile), Avenida Arturo Prat 2120, Iquique 1110939, Chile
| | - Daniel Aguayo
- Institute of Health Studies, University Arturo Prat, Av. Arturo Prat 2120, Iquique 1110939, Chile
- Institute DECIPHER, German-Chilean Institute for Research on Pulmonary Hypoxia and Its Health Sequelae, Hamburg (Germany) and Iquique (Chile), Avenida Arturo Prat 2120, Iquique 1110939, Chile
| | - María Del Rosario López
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University Autónoma of Madrid, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Silvia M Arribas
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University Autónoma of Madrid, 28029 Madrid, Spain
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Chen A, Gao G, Lian G, Gong J, Luo L, Liu J, Chen W, Xu C, Wang H, Xie L. Zinc promotes cell proliferation via regulating metal-regulatory transcription factor 1 expression and transcriptional activity in pulmonary arterial hypertension. Cell Cycle 2023; 22:1284-1301. [PMID: 37128643 PMCID: PMC10193901 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2023.2205209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Metal responsive transcription factor 1 (MTF-1) is a zinc-dependent transcription factor involved in the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), which is a life-threatening disease characterized by elevated pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular remodeling. However, little is known about the role and regulatory signaling of MTF-1 in PAH. This study aimed to investigate the effect and mechanism of MTF-1 on the proliferation of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). Several techniques including intracellular-free zinc detected by fluorescent indicator-fluozinc-3-AM, western blot, luciferase reporter, and cell proliferation assay were conducted to perform a comprehensive analysis of MTF-1 in proliferation of PASMCs in PAH. Increased cytosolic zinc was shown in monocrotaline (MCT)-PASMCs and ZnSO₄-treated PASMCs, which led to overexpression and overactivation of MTF-1, followed by the up-regulation of placental growth factor (PlGF). Elevated MTF-1 and PlGF were observed in western blot, and high transcriptional activity of MTF-1 was confirmed by luciferase reporter in ZnSO4-treated cells. Further investigation of cell proliferation revealed a favorable impact of zinc ions on PASMCs proliferation, with the deletion of Mtf-1/Plgf attenuating ZnSO4-induced proliferation. Flow cytometry analysis showed that blockade of PKC signaling inhibited the cell cycle of MCT-PASMCs and ZnSO4-treated PASMCs. The Zinc/PKC/MTF-1/PlGF pathway is involved in the up-regulatory effect on the PASMCs proliferation in the process of PAH. This study provided novel insight into zinc homeostasis in the pathogenesis of PAHs, and the regulation of MTF-1 might be a potential target for therapeutic intervention in PAH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ai Chen
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Fujian Hypertension Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Hypertension Disease of Fujian province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Geriatrics, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Gufeng Gao
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Fujian Hypertension Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Hypertension Disease of Fujian province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Geriatrics, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Guili Lian
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Fujian Hypertension Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Hypertension Disease of Fujian province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Geriatrics, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jin Gong
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Fujian Hypertension Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Hypertension Disease of Fujian province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Geriatrics, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Li Luo
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Fujian Hypertension Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Hypertension Disease of Fujian province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Geriatrics, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Junping Liu
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Fujian Hypertension Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Hypertension Disease of Fujian province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Geriatrics, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Weixiao Chen
- Fujian Hypertension Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Changsheng Xu
- Fujian Hypertension Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huajun Wang
- Fujian Hypertension Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Liangdi Xie
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Fujian Hypertension Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Hypertension Disease of Fujian province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Geriatrics, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China
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Aggarwal V, Sahoo S, Donnenberg VS, Chakraborty P, Jolly MK, Sant S. P4HA2: A link between tumor-intrinsic hypoxia, partial EMT and collective migration. ADVANCES IN CANCER BIOLOGY - METASTASIS 2022; 5:100057. [PMID: 36187341 PMCID: PMC9517480 DOI: 10.1016/j.adcanc.2022.100057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a well-established phenomenon studied across pan-cancer types, has long been known to be a major player in driving tumor invasion and metastasis. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of partial EMT phenotypes in metastasis. Initially thought as a transitional state between epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypic states, partial EMT state is now widely recognized as a key driver of intra-tumoral heterogeneity and phenotypic plasticity, further accelerating tumor metastasis and therapeutic resistance. However, how tumor microenvironment regulates partial EMT phenotypes remains unclear. We have developed unique size-controlled three-dimensional microtumor models that recapitulate tumor-intrinsic hypoxia and the emergence of collectively migrating cells. In this study, we further interrogate these microtumor models to understand how tumor-intrinsic hypoxia regulates partial EMT and collective migration in hypoxic large microtumors fabricated from T47D breast cancer cells. We compared global gene expression profiles of hypoxic, migratory microtumors to that of non-hypoxic, non-migratory microtumors at early and late time-points. Using our microtumor models, we identified unique gene signatures for tumor-intrinsic hypoxia (early versus late), partial EMT and migration (pre-migratory versus migratory phenotype). Through differential gene expression analysis between the microtumor models with an overlap of hypoxia, partial EMT and migration signatures, we identified prolyl 4-hydroxylase subunit 2 (P4HA2), a hypoxia responsive gene, as a central regulator common to hypoxia, partial EMT and collective migration. Further, the inhibition of P4HA2 significantly blocked collective migration in hypoxic microtumors. Thus, using the integrated computational-experimental analysis, we identify the key role of P4HA2 in tumor-intrinsic hypoxia-driven partial EMT and collective migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaishali Aggarwal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Sarthak Sahoo
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | - Vera S. Donnenberg
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- UPMC-Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Priyanka Chakraborty
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | - Shilpa Sant
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- UPMC-Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Corresponding author. University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Department of Bioengineering UPMC-Hillman Cancer Center McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, 7408 Salk Hall, 3501 Terrace Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA. (S. Sant)
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Impact of Zinc on Oxidative Signaling Pathways in the Development of Pulmonary Vasoconstriction Induced by Hypobaric Hypoxia. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23136974. [PMID: 35805984 PMCID: PMC9266543 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23136974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypobaric hypoxia is a condition that occurs at high altitudes (>2500 m) where the partial pressure of gases, particularly oxygen (PO2), decreases. This condition triggers several physiological and molecular responses. One of the principal responses is pulmonary vascular contraction, which seeks to optimize gas exchange under this condition, known as hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV); however, when this physiological response is exacerbated, it contributes to the development of high-altitude pulmonary hypertension (HAPH). Increased levels of zinc (Zn2+) and oxidative stress (known as the “ROS hypothesis”) have been demonstrated in the vasoconstriction process. Therefore, the aim of this review is to determine the relationship between molecular pathways associated with altered Zn2+ levels and oxidative stress in HPV in hypobaric hypoxic conditions. The results indicate an increased level of Zn2+, which is related to increasing mitochondrial ROS (mtROS), alterations in nitric oxide (NO), metallothionein (MT), zinc-regulated, iron-regulated transporter-like protein (ZIP), and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase-induced protein kinase C epsilon (PKCε) activation in the development of HPV. In conclusion, there is an association between elevated Zn2+ levels and oxidative stress in HPV under different models of hypoxia, which contribute to understanding the molecular mechanism involved in HPV to prevent the development of HAPH.
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Hepatic Homeostasis of Metal Ions Following Acute Repeated Stress Exposure in Rats. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 11:antiox11010085. [PMID: 35052588 PMCID: PMC8773239 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11010085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Essential metals such as copper, iron, and zinc are cofactors in various biological processes including oxygen utilisation, cell growth, and biomolecular synthesis. The homeostasis of these essential metals is carefully controlled through a system of protein transporters involved in the uptake, storage, and secretion. Some metal ions can be transformed by processes including reduction/oxidation (redox) reactions, and correspondingly, the breakdown of metal ion homeostasis can lead to formation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. We have previously demonstrated rapid biochemical responses to stress involving alterations in the redox state to generate free radicals and the resultant oxidative stress. However, the effects of stress on redox-active metals including iron and copper and redox-inert zinc have not been well characterised. Therefore, this study aims to examine the changes in these essential metals following exposure to short-term repeated stress, and to further elucidate the alterations in metal homeostasis through expression analysis of different metal transporters. Outbred male Wistar rats were exposed to unrestrained (control), 1 day, or 3 days of 6 h restraint stress (n = 8 per group). After the respective stress treatment, blood and liver samples were collected for the analysis of biometal concentrations and relative gene expression of metal transporter and binding proteins. Exposure to repeated restraint stress was highly effective in causing hepatic redox imbalance. Stress was also shown to induce hepatic metal redistribution, while modulating the mRNA levels of key metal transporters. Overall, this study is the first to characterise the gene expression profile of metal homeostasis following stress and provide insight into the changes occurring prior to the onset of chronic stress conditions.
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Zhang Y, Ali A, Jin Z, Pei Y, Yang G. Induction of cystathionine gamma-lyase expression and metallothionein-1 S-sulfhydration alleviate cadmium-induced cell death in myoblast cells. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2019; 179:222-231. [PMID: 31048218 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.04.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2019] [Revised: 04/14/2019] [Accepted: 04/21/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a multifunctional gasotransmitter, participates in a wide range of cellular signal transduction and pathophysiological processes. Cystathionine gamma-lyase (CSE) acts as a major H2S-generating enzyme in peripheral organs and tissues. As a cysteine-rich and heavy metal-binding protein, metallothionein-1 (MT-1) is known to protect cells from various environmental stresses. Here we demonstrated that exposure of cadmium (Cd) induced oxidative stress, depleted intracellular thiols, and stimulated apoptotic cell death in mouse myoblast cells. CSE expression and H2S production were significantly enhanced by Cd treatment. NaHS, a well-known H2S donor, at physiologically relevant concentration significantly alleviated Cd-induced damage in both myoblasts and mouse skeletal muscles. In contrast, down-regulation of CSE/H2S system deteriorated Cd-stimulated oxidative stress and cell death. Exposure of the cells to Cd lead to increased expressions of metal regulatory transcription factor 1 and MT-1, while siRNA-mediated MT-1 knockdown alleviated Cd-induced CSE expression and caused more oxidative stress and cell death. In addition, H2S post-translationally modified MT-1 by S-sulfhydration and stabilized zinc-protein complex. Taken together, these data suggest that CSE/H2S system would protect myoblasts and skeletal muscles from Cd-induced damage by S-sufhydrating MT-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanjie Zhang
- School of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Canada; Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research Unit, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Canada
| | - Amr Ali
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Canada; Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research Unit, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Canada
| | - Zhuping Jin
- School of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China; Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research Unit, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Canada
| | - Yanxi Pei
- School of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China.
| | - Guangdong Yang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Canada; Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research Unit, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Canada.
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Fujie T, Takenaka F, Yoshida E, Yasuike S, Fujiwara Y, Shinkai Y, Kumagai Y, Yamamoto C, Kaji T. Possible mechanisms underlying transcriptional induction of metallothionein isoforms by tris(pentafluorophenyl)stibane, tris(pentafluorophenyl)arsane, and tris(pentafluorophenyl)phosphane in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells. J Toxicol Sci 2019; 44:327-333. [PMID: 31068538 DOI: 10.2131/jts.44.327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Metallothionein (MT) is a low-molecular-weight, cysteine-rich, and metal-binding protein that protects cells from the cytotoxic effects of heavy metals and reactive oxygen species. Previously, we found that transcriptional induction of endothelial MT-1A was mediated by not only the metal-regulatory transcription factor 1 (MTF-1)-metal responsive element (MRE) pathway but also the nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-antioxidant response element/electrophile responsive element (ARE) pathway, whereas that of MT-2A was mediated only by the MTF-1-MRE pathway, using the organopnictogen compounds tris(pentafluorophenyl)stibane, tris(pentafluorophenyl)arsane, and tris(pentafluorophenyl)phosphane as molecular probes in vascular endothelial cells. In the present study, we investigated the binding sites of MTF-1 and Nrf2 in the promoter regions of MTs in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells treated with these organopnictogen compounds. We propose potential mechanisms underlying transcriptional induction of endothelial MT isoforms. Specifically, both MRE activation by MTF-1 and that of ARE in the promoter region of the MT-2A gene by Nrf2 are involved in transcriptional induction of MT-1A, whereas only MRE activation by MTF-1 or other transcriptional factor(s) is required for transcriptional induction of MT-2A in vascular endothelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoya Fujie
- Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toho University
| | - Fukuta Takenaka
- Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science
| | - Eiko Yoshida
- Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science
| | - Shuji Yasuike
- Laboratory of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Aichi Gakuin University
| | - Yasuyuki Fujiwara
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Pharmacy, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences
| | - Yasuhiro Shinkai
- Environmental Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba
| | - Yoshito Kumagai
- Environmental Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba
| | - Chika Yamamoto
- Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toho University
| | - Toshiyuki Kaji
- Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science
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Pulmonary arterial hypertension and the potential roles of metallothioneins: A focused review. Life Sci 2018; 214:77-83. [PMID: 30355531 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2018.10.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Revised: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The pathophysiology of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is underlined by cell proliferation and vasoconstriction of pulmonary arterioles this involves multiple molecular factors or proteins, but it is not clear what the exact roles of these factors/proteins are. In addition, there may be other factors/proteins that have not been identified that contribute to PAH pathophysiology. Therefore, research has focused on investigating novel role players, in order to facilitate a better understanding of how PAH develop. Evidence suggest that mitochondrial regulators are key role players in PAH pathophysiology, but regulators that have not received sufficient attention in PAH are metallothioneins (MTs). In PAH patients, MT expression is elevated compared to healthy individuals, suggesting that MTs may be possible biomarkers. In other disease-models, MTs have been shown to regulate cell proliferation and vasoconstriction, processes that are instrumental in PAH pathophysiology. Due to the involvement of these processes in PAH pathophysiology and the ability of MTs to modulate them, this paper propose that cellular MTs may also play a role in PAH development. This paper suggests that PAH-research should perhaps begin to investigate the involvement of cellular MTs in the development of PAH.
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Gao M, Li C, Xu M, Liu Y, Cong M, Liu S. LncRNA MT1DP Aggravates Cadmium-Induced Oxidative Stress by Repressing the Function of Nrf2 and is Dependent on Interaction with miR-365. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2018; 5:1800087. [PMID: 30027041 PMCID: PMC6051394 DOI: 10.1002/advs.201800087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Revised: 03/16/2018] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Although cadmium (Cd)-induced hepatoxicity is well established, pronounced knowledge gaps remain existed regarding the inherent cellular signaling that dictates Cd toxicity. Specifically, the molecular basis for determining the equilibrium between prosurvival and proapoptotic signaling remains poorly understood. Thus, it is recently revealed that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) MT1DP, a pseudogene in the metallothionein (MT) family, promoted Cd-induced cell death through activating the RhoC-CCN1/2-AKT pathway and modulating MT1H induction. Here, first the dependency of MT1DP induction on MTF1, an important transcriptional factor in driving the mRNA expression of MT1 members is defined. Additionally, a bridge molecule between MT1DP and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is established: miR-365. Mechanistically, MT1DP induction under Cd stress decreases the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) level to evoke oxidative stress through the elevation of miR-365, which acted to repress the Nrf2 level via direct binding to its 3'UTR. In contrast to the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) mechanism, a new mechanism is proposed: MT1DP elevated the miR-365 level though stabilizing its RNA via direct binding. Collectively, the combined data demonstrate a crucial role of MT1DP in reducing the Nrf2-mediated protection of cells, and this is dependent on the interplay with miR-365. Hence, the study further expands the knowledge of inducible endogenous lncRNA in modulating oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and EcotoxicologyResearch Center for Eco‐Environmental SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100085China
- College of Resources and Environment University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Changying Li
- Liver Research CenterBeijing Friendship HospitalCapital Medical UniversityBeijing100050China
| | - Ming Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and EcotoxicologyResearch Center for Eco‐Environmental SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100085China
- College of Resources and Environment University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Yun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and EcotoxicologyResearch Center for Eco‐Environmental SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100085China
- Key Labora tory of Ion Beam BioengineeringHefei Institutes of Physical ScienceChinese Academy of Sciences and Anhui ProvinceHefeiAnhui230031China
| | - Min Cong
- Liver Research CenterBeijing Friendship HospitalCapital Medical UniversityBeijing100050China
| | - Sijin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and EcotoxicologyResearch Center for Eco‐Environmental SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100085China
- College of Resources and Environment University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
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11
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Chiu YH, Yang MR, Wang LJ, Chen MH, Chang GD, Chen H. New insights into the regulation of placental growth factor gene expression by the transcription factors GCM1 and DLX3 in human placenta. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:9801-9811. [PMID: 29743241 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra117.001384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2017] [Revised: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Expression of placental growth factor (PGF) is closely associated with placental perfusion in early pregnancy. PGF is primarily expressed in placental trophoblasts, and its expression decreases in preeclampsia, associated with placental hypoxia. The transcription factors glial cells missing 1 (GCM1) and metal-regulatory transcription factor 1 (MTF1) have been implicated in the regulation of PGF gene expression through regulatory elements upstream and downstream of the PGF transcription start site, respectively. Here, we clarified the mechanism underlying placenta-specific PGF expression. We demonstrate that GCM1 up-regulates PGF expression through three downstream GCM1-binding sites (GBSs) but not a previously reported upstream GBS. Interestingly, we also found that these downstream GBSs also harbor metal-response elements for MTF1. Surprisingly, however, we observed that MTF1 is unlikely to regulate PGF expression in the placenta because knockdown or overexpression of GCM1, but not MTF1, dramatically decreased PGF expression or reversed the suppression of PGF expression under hypoxia, respectively. We also demonstrate that another transcription factor, Distal-less homeobox 3 (DLX3), interacts with the DNA-binding domain and the first transactivation domain of GCM1 and that this interaction inhibits GCM1-mediated PGF expression. Moreover, the GCM1-DLX3 interaction interfered with CREB-binding protein-mediated GCM1 acetylation and activation. In summary, we have identified several GBSs in the PGF promoter that are highly responsive to GCM1, have demonstrated that MTF1 does not significantly regulate PGF expression in placental cells, and provide evidence that DLX3 inhibits GCM1-mediated PGF expression. Our findings revise the mechanism for GCM1- and DLX3-mediated regulation of PGF gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueh-Ho Chiu
- From the Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Nankang, Taipei 115, Taiwan and
| | - Ming-Ren Yang
- Graduate Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan
| | - Liang-Jie Wang
- From the Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Nankang, Taipei 115, Taiwan and
| | - Ming-Hon Chen
- Graduate Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan
| | - Geen-Dong Chang
- Graduate Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan
| | - Hungwen Chen
- From the Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Nankang, Taipei 115, Taiwan and .,Graduate Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan
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12
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Andéol Y, Bonneau J, M Gagné L, Jacquet K, Rivest V, Huot MÉ, Séguin C. The phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathway and glycogen synthase kinase-3 positively regulate the activity of metal-responsive transcription factor-1 in response to zinc ions. Biochem Cell Biol 2018; 96:1-8. [PMID: 29707960 DOI: 10.1139/bcb-2018-0073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Metal-responsive transcription factor-1 (MTF-1) is a metal-regulatory transcription factor essential for induction of the genes encoding metallothioneins (MTs) in response to transition metal ions. Activation of MTF-1 is dependent on the interaction of zinc with the zinc fingers of the protein. In addition, phosphorylation is essential for MTF-1 transactivation. We previously showed that inhibition of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) abrogated Mt expression and metal-induced MTF-1 activation in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) HepG2 and mouse L cells, thus showing that the PI3K signaling pathway positively regulates MTF-1 activity and Mt gene expression. However, it has also been reported that inhibition of PI3K has no significant effects on Mt expression in immortalized epithelial cells and increases Mt expression in HCC cells. To further characterize the role of the PI3K pathway on the activity of MTF-1, transfection experiments were performed in HEK293 and HepG2 cells in presence of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3), mTOR-C1, and mTOR-C2 inhibitors, as well as of siRNAs targeting Phosphatase and TENsin homolog (PTEN). We showed that inhibition of the mTOR-C2 complex inhibits the activity of MTF-1 in HepG2 and HEK293 cells, while inhibition of the mTOR-C1 complex or of PTEN stimulates MTF-1 activity in HEK293 cells. These results confirm that the PI3K pathway positively regulates MTF-1 activity. Finally, we showed that GSK-3 is required for MTF-1 activation in response to zinc ions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick Andéol
- a Équipe Enzymologie de l'ARN, ER6, 9 quai St Bernard, Faculté des Sciences et Technologies, Sorbonne-Université, 75252 Paris, Cedex 05, France
| | - Jessica Bonneau
- b Département de biologie moléculaire, de biochimie médicale et de pathologie, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval and Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Oncologie, Hôtel Dieu de Québec, 9 rue McMahon, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Laurence M Gagné
- b Département de biologie moléculaire, de biochimie médicale et de pathologie, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval and Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Oncologie, Hôtel Dieu de Québec, 9 rue McMahon, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Kevin Jacquet
- b Département de biologie moléculaire, de biochimie médicale et de pathologie, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval and Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Oncologie, Hôtel Dieu de Québec, 9 rue McMahon, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Véronique Rivest
- b Département de biologie moléculaire, de biochimie médicale et de pathologie, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval and Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Oncologie, Hôtel Dieu de Québec, 9 rue McMahon, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Marc-Étienne Huot
- b Département de biologie moléculaire, de biochimie médicale et de pathologie, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval and Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Oncologie, Hôtel Dieu de Québec, 9 rue McMahon, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Carl Séguin
- b Département de biologie moléculaire, de biochimie médicale et de pathologie, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval and Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Oncologie, Hôtel Dieu de Québec, 9 rue McMahon, Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
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13
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Gerber PA, Rutter GA. The Role of Oxidative Stress and Hypoxia in Pancreatic Beta-Cell Dysfunction in Diabetes Mellitus. Antioxid Redox Signal 2017; 26:501-518. [PMID: 27225690 PMCID: PMC5372767 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2016.6755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 385] [Impact Index Per Article: 55.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE Metabolic syndrome is a frequent precursor of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), a disease that currently affects ∼8% of the adult population worldwide. Pancreatic beta-cell dysfunction and loss are central to the disease process, although understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms is still fragmentary. Recent Advances: Oversupply of nutrients, including glucose and fatty acids, and the subsequent overstimulation of beta cells, are believed to be an important contributor to insulin secretory failure in T2D. Hypoxia has also recently been implicated in beta-cell damage. Accumulating evidence points to a role for oxidative stress in both processes. Although the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) results from enhanced mitochondrial respiration during stimulation with glucose and other fuels, the expression of antioxidant defense genes is unusually low (or disallowed) in beta cells. CRITICAL ISSUES Not all subjects with metabolic syndrome and hyperglycemia go on to develop full-blown diabetes, implying an important role in disease risk for gene-environment interactions. Possession of common risk alleles at the SLC30A8 locus, encoding the beta-cell granule zinc transporter ZnT8, may affect cytosolic Zn2+ concentrations and thus susceptibility to hypoxia and oxidative stress. FUTURE DIRECTIONS Loss of normal beta-cell function, rather than total mass, is increasingly considered to be the major driver for impaired insulin secretion in diabetes. Better understanding of the role of oxidative changes, its modulation by genes involved in disease risk, and effects on beta-cell identity may facilitate the development of new therapeutic strategies to this disease. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 26, 501-518.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp A. Gerber
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Clinical Nutrition, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Guy A. Rutter
- Section of Cell Biology and Functional Genomics, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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14
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Yin X, Zhou S, Zheng Y, Tan Y, Kong M, Wang B, Feng W, Epstein PN, Cai J, Cai L. Metallothionein as a compensatory component prevents intermittent hypoxia-induced cardiomyopathy in mice. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2014; 277:58-66. [PMID: 24657099 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2014.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2013] [Revised: 03/03/2014] [Accepted: 03/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) causes chronic intermittent hypoxia (IH) to induce cardiovascular disease, which may be related to oxidative damage. Metallothionein (MT) has been extensively proved to be an endogenous and highly inducible antioxidant protein expressed in the heart. Therefore, we tested the hypotheses that oxidative stress plays a critical role in OSA induced cardiac damage and MT protects the heart from OSA-induced cardiomyopathy. To mimic hypoxia/reoxygenation events that occur in adult OSA patients, mice were exposed to IH for 3 days to 8 weeks. The IH paradigm consisted of alternating cycles of 20.9% O₂/8% O₂ F(I)O₂ (30 episodes per hour) with 20s at the nadir F(I)O₂ for 12 h a day during daylight. IH significantly increased the ratio of heart weight to tibia length at 4 weeks with a decrease in cardiac function from 4 to 8 weeks. Cardiac oxidative damage and fibrosis were observed after 4 and 8 weeks of IH exposures. Endogenous MT expression was up-regulated in response to 3-day IH, but significantly decreased at 4 and 8 weeks of IH. In support of MT as a major compensatory component, mice with cardiac overexpression of MT gene and mice with global MT gene deletion were completely resistant, and highly sensitive, respectively, to chronic IH induced cardiac effects. These findings suggest that chronic IH induces cardiomyopathy characterized by oxidative stress-mediated cardiac damage and the antioxidant MT protects the heart from such pathological and functional changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Yin
- The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China; KCHRI at the Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, 40202, USA
| | - Shanshan Zhou
- The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China; KCHRI at the Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, 40202, USA
| | - Yang Zheng
- The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China.
| | - Yi Tan
- KCHRI at the Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, 40202, USA; Chinese-American Research Institute for Diabetic Complications, Wenzhou Medical College School of Pharmacy, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| | - Maiying Kong
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Information Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
| | - Bo Wang
- KCHRI at the Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, 40202, USA; Department of Pathology, Inner Mongolia Forestry General Hospital, Yakeshi, 022150, China
| | - Wenke Feng
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, 40202, USA
| | - Paul N Epstein
- KCHRI at the Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, 40202, USA
| | - Jun Cai
- KCHRI at the Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, 40202, USA.
| | - Lu Cai
- KCHRI at the Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, 40202, USA; Chinese-American Research Institute for Diabetic Complications, Wenzhou Medical College School of Pharmacy, Wenzhou, 325035, China; Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, 40202, USA
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15
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Hayes KS, Hager R, Grencis RK. Sex-dependent genetic effects on immune responses to a parasitic nematode. BMC Genomics 2014; 15:193. [PMID: 24628794 PMCID: PMC4022179 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-15-193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2014] [Accepted: 03/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many disease aetiologies have sex specific effects, which have important implications for disease management. It is now becoming increasingly evident that such effects are the result of the differential expression of autosomal genes rather than sex-specific genes. Such sex-specific variation in the response to Trichuris muris, a murine parasitic nematode infection and model for the human parasitic nematode T. trichiura, has been well documented, however, the underlying genetic causes of these differences have been largely neglected. We used the BXD mouse set of recombinant inbred strains to identify sex-specific loci that contribute to immune phenotypes in T. muris infection. RESULTS Response phenotypes to T. muris infection were found to be highly variable between different lines of BXD mice. A significant QTL on chromosome 5 (TM5) associated with IFN-γ production was found in male mice but not in female mice. This QTL was in the same location as a suggestive QTL for TNF-α and IL-6 production in male mice suggesting a common control of these pro-inflammatory cytokines. A second QTL was identified on chromosome 4 (TM4) affecting worm burden in both male and female cohorts. We have identified several genes as potential candidates for modifying responses to T. muris infection. CONCLUSIONS We have used the largest mammalian genetic model system, the BXD mouse population, to identify candidate genes with sex-specific effects in immune responses to T. muris infection. Some of these genes may be differentially expressed in male and female mice leading to the difference in immune response between the sexes reported in previous studies. Our study further highlights the importance of considering sex as an important factor in investigations of immune response at the genome-wide level, in particular the bias that can be introduced when generalizing results obtained from only one sex or a mixed sex population. Rather, analyses of interaction effects between sex and genotype should be part of future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Reinmar Hager
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK.
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16
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Wang N, Dong CR, Jiang R, Tang C, Yang L, Jiang QF, Chen GG, Liu ZM. Overexpression of HIF-1α, metallothionein and SLUG is associated with high TNM stage and lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PATHOLOGY 2013; 7:322-330. [PMID: 24427353 PMCID: PMC3885487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2013] [Accepted: 11/27/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is upregulated by hypoxia, and involved in tumor growth and metastasis in many malignant tumors including papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Metallothionein (MT) is a group of small molecular weight cysteine-rich proteins with a broad variety of functions. SLUG is a member of SNAIL superfamily of zinc finger transcriptional factors implicated in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The purpose of this study was to examine HIF-1α, MT and SLUG expression in PTC and assess association of their expression with clinicopathological indicators. HIF-1α, MT and SLUG protein expression in 129 PTCs, 61 nodular hyperplasia and 118 normal thyroid tissue specimens were analyzed using immunohistochemistry. The protein expression levels of these three molecules were up-regulated in PTCs. High protein expression of HIF-1α, MT and SLUG was significantly correlated with high TNM stage (P=0.003, 0.002, 0.024, respectively) and lymph node metastasis (LNM) (P<0.001 for all three molecules). Furthermore, HIF-1α, MT and SLUG protein expression were correlated with one another. Concomitant high expression of any two of these three molecules had stronger correlation with high TNM stage (P≤0.001 for HIF-1α/MT, MT/SLUG and HIF-1α/SLUG) and LNM (P=0.008, 0.002, 0.019 for HIF-1α/MT, MT/SLUG and HIF-1α/SLUG, respectively) than did each alone, and concomitant high expression of all these three molecules is significantly associated with high TNM stage and LNM as compared with cases not showing such expression (P<0.001). These results demonstrated that the evaluation of HIF-1α, MT and SLUG expression in PTC may be useful in predicting the risk of LNM and high TNM stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ni Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Center, Chongqing Medical UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Chao-Ran Dong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Center, Chongqing Medical UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Rong Jiang
- Department of Pathology, Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Center, Chongqing Medical UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Cui Tang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Center, Chongqing Medical UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Lei Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Center, Chongqing Medical UniversityChongqing, China
| | - Qi-Feng Jiang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Center, Chongqing Medical UniversityChongqing, China
| | - George G Chen
- Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales HospitalShatin, N.T., Hong Kong, China
| | - Zhi-Min Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Center, Chongqing Medical UniversityChongqing, China
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