1
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Yombo DJK, Ghandikota S, Vemulapalli CP, Singh P, Jegga AG, Hardie WD, Madala SK. SEMA3B inhibits TGFβ-induced extracellular matrix protein production and its reduced levels are associated with a decline in lung function in IPF. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2024; 326:C1659-C1668. [PMID: 38646784 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00681.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is marked by the activation of fibroblasts, leading to excessive production and deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) within the lung parenchyma. Despite the pivotal role of ECM overexpression in IPF, potential negative regulators of ECM production in fibroblasts have yet to be identified. Semaphorin class 3B (SEMA3B), a secreted protein highly expressed in lung tissues, has established roles in axonal guidance and tumor suppression. However, the role of SEMA3B in ECM production by fibroblasts in the pathogenesis of IPF remains unexplored. Here, we show the downregulation of SEMA3B and its cognate binding receptor, neuropilin 1 (NRP1), in IPF lungs compared with healthy controls. Notably, the reduced expression of SEMA3B and NRP1 is associated with a decline in lung function in IPF. The downregulation of SEMA3B and NRP1 transcripts was validated in the lung tissues of patients with IPF, and two alternative mouse models of pulmonary fibrosis. In addition, we show that transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) functions as a negative regulator of SEMA3B and NRP1 expression in lung fibroblasts. Furthermore, we demonstrate the antifibrotic effects of SEMA3B against TGFβ-induced ECM production in IPF lung fibroblasts. Overall, our findings uncovered a novel role of SEMA3B in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis and provided novel insights into modulating the SEMA3B-NRP1 axis to attenuate pulmonary fibrosis.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The excessive production and secretion of collagens and other extracellular matrix proteins by fibroblasts lead to the scarring of the lung in severe fibrotic lung diseases. This study unveils an antifibrotic role for semaphorin class 3B (SEMA3B) in the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. SEMA3B functions as an inhibitor of transforming growth factor-β-driven fibroblast activation and reduced levels of SEMA3B and its receptor, neuropilin 1, are associated with decreased lung function in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan J K Yombo
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
| | - Sudhir Ghandikota
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
| | - Chanukya P Vemulapalli
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
| | - Priyanka Singh
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
| | - Anil G Jegga
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
| | - William D Hardie
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
| | - Satish K Madala
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
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2
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Keshava S, Owens S, Qin W, Jeffers A, Kyei P, Komatsu S, Kleam J, Ikebe M, Idell S, Tucker TA. The mTORC2/SGK1/NDRG1 Signaling Axis Is Critical for the Mesomesenchymal Transition of Pleural Mesothelial Cells and the Progression of Pleural Fibrosis. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2024; 70:50-62. [PMID: 37607215 PMCID: PMC10768834 DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2023-0131oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Progressive lung scarring because of persistent pleural organization often results in pleural fibrosis (PF). This process affects patients with complicated parapneumonic pleural effusions, empyema, and other pleural diseases prone to loculation. In PF, pleural mesothelial cells undergo mesomesenchymal transition (MesoMT) to become profibrotic, characterized by increased expression of α-smooth muscle actin and matrix proteins, including collagen-1. In our previous study, we showed that blocking PI3K/Akt signaling inhibits MesoMT induction in human pleural mesothelial cells (HPMCs) (1). However, the downstream signaling pathways leading to MesoMT induction remain obscure. Here, we investigated the role of mTOR complexes (mTORC1/2) in MesoMT induction. Our studies show that activation of the downstream mediator mTORC1/2 complex is, likewise, a critical component of MesoMT. Specific targeting of mTORC1/2 complex using pharmacological inhibitors such as INK128 and AZD8055 significantly inhibited transforming growth factor β (TGF-β)-induced MesoMT markers in HPMCs. We further identified the mTORC2/Rictor complex as the principal contributor to MesoMT progression induced by TGF-β. Knockdown of Rictor, but not Raptor, attenuated TGF-β-induced MesoMT in these cells. In these studies, we further show that concomitant activation of the SGK1/NDRG1 signaling cascade is essential for inducing MesoMT. Targeting SGK1 and NDRG1 with siRNA and small molecular inhibitors attenuated TGF-β-induced MesoMT in HPMCs. Additionally, preclinical studies in our Streptococcus pneumoniae-mediated mouse model of PF showed that inhibition of mTORC1/2 with INK128 significantly attenuated the progression of PF in subacute and chronic injury. In conclusion, our studies demonstrate that mTORC2/Rictor-mediated activation of SGK1/NDRG1 is critical for MesoMT induction and that targeting this pathway could inhibit or even reverse the progression of MesoMT and PF.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shuzi Owens
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, and
| | - Wenyi Qin
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, and
| | | | - Perpetual Kyei
- Biotechnology Graduate Program, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler, Tyler, Texas
| | | | - Joshua Kleam
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, and
| | - Mitsuo Ikebe
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, and
| | - Steven Idell
- Texas Lung Injury Institute
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, and
| | - Torry A. Tucker
- Texas Lung Injury Institute
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, and
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3
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Ediga HH, Hester P, Yepuri A, Reddy GB, Madala SK. Nε-Carboxymethyl-Lysine Modification of Extracellular Matrix Proteins Augments Fibroblast Activation. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15811. [PMID: 37958795 PMCID: PMC10650592 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242115811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a dynamic complex protein network that provides structural integrity and plays an active role in shaping fibroblast behavior both in health and disease. Despite its essential functions, the impact of age-associated post-translational modifications on ECM-driven fibroblast activities such as proliferation, survival, fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transformation (FMT), and extracellular matrix production remains largely unknown. Nε-carboxymethyl-lysine (CML) is one of the well-characterized advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) that can occur on lysine residues within ECM proteins through non-enzymatic glycation. In this study, we determined the accumulation and the effects of the CML-modified ECM (CML-ECM) on fibroblast activation. Immunostainings and immunoblot analysis demonstrated significant increases in CML-AGE content in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) compared to age-matched healthy lungs. Gene expression analysis and fibroblast activation assays collectively implicate the ECM as a negative regulator of fibroblast activation. Notably, the CML modification of the ECM resulted in a significant decrease in its anti-fibrotic effects including proliferation, FMT, apoptosis, and ECM production. Together, the results of this study revealed an unexplored pathological role played by the CML-ECM on fibroblast activation, which has wide implications in IPF and other fibrotic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harshavardhana H. Ediga
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0564, USA (P.H.)
- Department of Biochemistry, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad 500007, India;
| | - Patrick Hester
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0564, USA (P.H.)
| | - Adithi Yepuri
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0564, USA (P.H.)
| | | | - Satish K. Madala
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0564, USA (P.H.)
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4
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Yang HW, Sun YH, Fang CY, Ohiro Y, Liao HY, Liao YW, Kao YH, Yu CC. Downregulation of histone deacetylase 8 (HDAC8) alleviated the progression of oral submucous fibrosis. J Dent Sci 2023; 18:652-658. [PMID: 37021220 PMCID: PMC10068366 DOI: 10.1016/j.jds.2022.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background/purpose Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a premalignant disorder that is associated with betel nut chewing. The purpose of the study was to establish the role of histone deacetylase (HDAC) 8, one of histone deacetylases, in the regulation of fibrotic conditions to provide a therapeutic potential for OSF. Materials and methods First, we examined the expression of HDAC8 in fibrotic buccal mucosal fibroblasts (fBMFs) and OSF tissues. Markers of myofibroblasts and TGF-β signaling were conducted in fBMFs with HDAC8 knockdown were examined. Furthermore, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, collagen gel contraction and migration ability were also examined in fBMFs transfected with sh-HDAC8. HDAC8 inhibitor was used to analyze the collagen gel contraction and wound healing ability in fBMFs. Results We observed the mRNA expression of HDAC8 was significantly increased in fBMFs. Compared to normal tissues, the protein level of HDAC8 was upregulated in OSF. Next, mRNA and protein expression of HDAC8 was significantly decreased, accompanying downregulation of α-SMA and COL1A1 in fBMFs infected with sh-HDAC8. To determine the critical role of HDAC8 in OSF fibrogenesis, results revealed that TGF-β secretion and the expression of EMT transcription factor SNAIL and p-Smad were significantly decreased in HDAC8-knockdown fBMFs. We further demonstrated that collagen gel contraction and migration ability were significantly decreased in fBMFs transfected with sh-HDAC8. Last, results revealed that significantly reduced collagen gel contraction and wound healing ability in fBMFs with HDAC8 inhibitor treatment. Conclusion We concluded that downregulation of HDAC8 alleviated the activities of myofibroblasts and TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway in OSF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Wen Yang
- School of Dentistry, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Dentistry, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hwa Sun
- Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Dentistry, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Yuan Fang
- Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Dentistry, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- School of Dentistry, College of Oral Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yoichi Ohiro
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Division of Oral Pathobiological Science, Faculty of Dental Medicine and Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Heng-Yi Liao
- School of Dentistry, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Wen Liao
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- Institute of Oral Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Hsun Kao
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Education and Research, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Corresponding author. Department of Medical Education and Research, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 116, Taiwan.
| | - Cheng-Chia Yu
- School of Dentistry, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Dentistry, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- Institute of Oral Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Corresponding author. Institute of Oral Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, No. 110, Sec. 1, Jianguo N. Rd., Taichung 40201, Taiwan. Fax: +886 4 24759065.
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5
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Li J, Wang Y, Wang R, Wu MY, Shan J, Zhang YC, Xu HM. Study on the molecular mechanisms of tetrandrine against pulmonary fibrosis based on network pharmacology, molecular docking and experimental verification. Heliyon 2022; 8:e10201. [PMID: 36046534 PMCID: PMC9421403 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Revised: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aims This study aims to screen the potential targets of tetrandrine (Tet) against pulmonary fibrosis (PF) based on network pharmacological analysis, molecular docking and experimental verification. Main methods The network pharmacology methods were employed to predict targets, construct Tet-PF-intersection target-pathway networks, and screen the candidate targets. The molecular docking was performed using AutoDockTools1.5.6. TGF-β1-induced human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells were used as an in vitro experimental verification model, taking dexamethasone (Dex) as the positive control, to verify the effects of Tet on the mRNA expression of the candidate targets. Key findings Six candidate targets were predicted based on network pharmacology and molecular docking, namely PIK3CA, PDPK1, RAC1, PTK2, KDR, and RPS6KB1. The experimental verification results showed that Dex and Tet presented quite different pharmacological effects. Specifically, compared with the model group, both Dex and Tet (5 μΜ) significantly increased the mRNA expression of PIK3CA and KDR (P < 0.001). Dex up-regulated the mRNA expression of PDPK1 and RAC1, while Tet (1.25 μΜ) down-regulated (P < 0.001). Dex up-regulated the mRNA expression of PTK2, but Tet had no effect. Dex down-regulated RPS6KB1 mRNA expression, while Tet (5 μΜ) up-regulated (P < 0.01). Significance Combined with the results of theoretical calculation and experimental verification, and considering the roles of these targets in the pathogenesis of PF, Tet might antagonize PF by acting on PDPK1 and RAC1. The results of this study will provide scientific reference for the prevention and clinical diagnosis and treatment of PF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Li
- School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, Ningxia, China.,The Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Chronic Disease Control of Ningxia, No. 1160, Shengli Street, Xingqing District, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China
| | - Yi Wang
- School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, Ningxia, China.,The Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Chronic Disease Control of Ningxia, No. 1160, Shengli Street, Xingqing District, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China
| | - Rui Wang
- School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, Ningxia, China.,The Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Chronic Disease Control of Ningxia, No. 1160, Shengli Street, Xingqing District, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China
| | - Meng-Yu Wu
- School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, Ningxia, China.,The Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Chronic Disease Control of Ningxia, No. 1160, Shengli Street, Xingqing District, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China
| | - Jing Shan
- School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, Ningxia, China.,The Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Chronic Disease Control of Ningxia, No. 1160, Shengli Street, Xingqing District, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China
| | - Ying-Chi Zhang
- School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, Ningxia, China.,The Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Chronic Disease Control of Ningxia, No. 1160, Shengli Street, Xingqing District, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China
| | - Hai-Ming Xu
- School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, Ningxia, China.,The Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Chronic Disease Control of Ningxia, No. 1160, Shengli Street, Xingqing District, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China
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6
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Lluch A, Veiga SR, Latorre J, Moreno-Navarrete JM, Bonifaci N, Nguyen VD, Zhou Y, Horing M, Liebisch G, Olkkonen VM, Llobet-Navas D, Thomas G, Rodriguez-Barrueco R, Fernández-Real JM, Kozma SC, Ortega FJ. A compound directed against S6K1 hampers fat mass expansion and mitigates diet-induced hepatosteatosis. JCI Insight 2022; 7:150461. [PMID: 35737463 PMCID: PMC9431684 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.150461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (S6K1) is a relevant effector downstream of the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), best known for its role in the control of lipid homeostasis. Consistent with this, mice lacking the S6k1 gene have a defect in their ability to induce the commitment of fat precursor cells to the adipogenic lineage, which contributes to a significant reduction of fat mass. Here, we assess the therapeutic blockage of S6K1 in diet-induced obese mice challenged with LY2584702 tosylate, a specific oral S6K1 inhibitor initially developed for the treatment of solid tumors. We show that diminished S6K1 activity hampers fat mass expansion and ameliorates dyslipidemia and hepatic steatosis, while modifying transcriptome-wide gene expression programs relevant for adipose and liver function. Accordingly, decreased mTORC1 signaling in fat (but increased in the liver) segregated with defective epithelial-mesenchymal transition and the impaired expression of Cd36 (coding for a fatty acid translocase) and Lgals1 (Galectin 1) in both tissues. All these factors combined align with reduced adipocyte size and improved lipidomic signatures in the liver, while hepatic steatosis and hypertriglyceridemia were improved in treatments lasting either 3 months or 6 weeks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aina Lluch
- Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Nutrition (UDEN), Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
| | - Sonia R Veiga
- Department of Aging & Metabolism, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Jèssica Latorre
- Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Nutrition (UDEN), Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
| | | | - Núria Bonifaci
- Breast Cancer and Systems Biology Unit, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Van Dien Nguyen
- Division of Infection and Immunity, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Systems Immunity Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - You Zhou
- Systems Immunity Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Marcus Horing
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Regensburg University Hospital, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Gerhard Liebisch
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Regensburg University Hospital, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Vesa M Olkkonen
- Biomedicum, Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research, Helsinki, Finland
| | - David Llobet-Navas
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newastle, United Kingdom
| | - George Thomas
- Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | | | - José M Fernández-Real
- Department of Endocrinology, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
| | - Sara C Kozma
- Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Francisco J Ortega
- Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Nutrition (UDEN), Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain
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7
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Li H, Li K, Zhu Q, Tang Z, Wang Z. Transcriptomic analysis of bladder tissue in a rat model of ketamine-induced bladder fibrosis. Neurourol Urodyn 2022; 41:765-776. [PMID: 35170809 DOI: 10.1002/nau.24892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Ketamine-induced cystitis (KIC) is a disease caused by ketamine that can cause lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Its end-stage is bladder contracture, which is related to bladder fibrosis and poses a serious burden to patient lives. METHODS We established a KIC model in female Sprague Dawley rats and verified bladder fibrosis in the model by Masson trichrome staining and western blot analysis. The bladders of the rats from the ketamine and control groups were used to perform transcriptome analysis. In particular, association analysis with metabolomics was also used to determine the potential mechanisms of ketamine-induced bladder fibrosis. RESULTS A total of 685 differentially expressed messenger RNAs, 71 differentially expressed long noncoding RNAs, 23 differentially expressed microRNAs, and 68 differentially expressed circular RNAs were identified. We found that ribosome, Wnt signaling, vascular endothelial growth factor signaling, cytoskeleton organization, and cytoskeletal protein binding may be potential pathways in ketamine-induced bladder fibrosis as identified by Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses. In addition, the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway appeared to be closely related to the development of ketamine-induced bladder fibrosis according to association analysis. CONCLUSIONS In this study, using transcriptomic and correlation analyses of metabolomics, we identified pathways that may be potential targets for the prevention and treatment of ketamine-induced bladder fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haozhen Li
- Department of Urology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Department of Urology, The second hospital of Dalian medical university, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Kaixuan Li
- Department of Urology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Provincial Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Genitourinary System Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Quan Zhu
- Department of Urology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Provincial Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Genitourinary System Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhengyan Tang
- Department of Urology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Provincial Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Genitourinary System Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhao Wang
- Department of Urology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Provincial Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Genitourinary System Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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8
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p70 S6 kinase as a therapeutic target in cancers: More than just an mTOR effector. Cancer Lett 2022; 535:215593. [PMID: 35176419 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2022.215593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
p70 S6 kinase (p70S6K) is best-known for its regulatory roles in protein synthesis and cell growth by phosphorylating its primary substrate, ribosomal protein S6, upon mitogen stimulation. The enhanced expression/activation of p70S6K has been correlated with poor prognosis in some cancer types, suggesting that it may serve as a biomarker for disease monitoring. p70S6K is a critical downstream effector of the oncogenic PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway and its activation is tightly regulated by an ordered cascade of Ser/Thr phosphorylation events. Nonetheless, it should be noted that other upstream mechanisms regulating p70S6K at both the post-translational and post-transcriptional levels also exist. Activated p70S6K could promote various aspects of cancer progression such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition, cancer stemness and drug resistance. Importantly, novel evidence showing that p70S6K may also regulate different cellular components in the tumor microenvironment will be discussed. Therapeutic targeting of p70S6K alone or in combination with traditional chemotherapies or other microenvironmental-based drugs such as immunotherapy may represent promising approaches against cancers with aberrant p70S6K signaling. Currently, the only clinically available p70S6K inhibitors are rapamycin analogs (rapalogs) which target mTOR. However, there are emerging p70S6K-selective drugs which are going through active preclinical or clinical trial phases. Moreover, various screening strategies have been used for the discovery of novel p70S6K inhibitors, hence bringing new insights for p70S6K-targeted therapy.
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9
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Gajjala PR, Kasam RK, Soundararajan D, Sinner D, Huang SK, Jegga AG, Madala SK. Dysregulated overexpression of Sox9 induces fibroblast activation in pulmonary fibrosis. JCI Insight 2021; 6:e152503. [PMID: 34520400 PMCID: PMC8564901 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.152503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fatal fibrotic lung disease associated with unremitting fibroblast activation including fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transformation (FMT), migration, resistance to apoptotic clearance, and excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins in the distal lung parenchyma. Aberrant activation of lung-developmental pathways is associated with severe fibrotic lung disease; however, the mechanisms through which these pathways activate fibroblasts in IPF remain unclear. Sry-box transcription factor 9 (Sox9) is a member of the high-mobility group box family of DNA-binding transcription factors that are selectively expressed by epithelial cell progenitors to modulate branching morphogenesis during lung development. We demonstrate that Sox9 is upregulated via MAPK/PI3K-dependent signaling and by the transcription factor Wilms' tumor 1 in distal lung-resident fibroblasts in IPF. Mechanistically, using fibroblast activation assays, we demonstrate that Sox9 functions as a positive regulator of FMT, migration, survival, and ECM production. Importantly, our in vivo studies demonstrate that fibroblast-specific deletion of Sox9 is sufficient to attenuate collagen deposition and improve lung function during TGF-α-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Using a mouse model of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis, we show that myofibroblast-specific Sox9 overexpression augments fibroblast activation and pulmonary fibrosis. Thus, Sox9 functions as a profibrotic transcription factor in activating fibroblasts, illustrating the potential utility of targeting Sox9 in IPF treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prathibha R Gajjala
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Division of Pulmonary Medicine and
| | - Rajesh K Kasam
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Division of Pulmonary Medicine and
| | - Divyalakshmi Soundararajan
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Division of Pulmonary Medicine and
| | - Debora Sinner
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Divisions of Neonatology and Pulmonary Biology, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Steven K Huang
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Anil G Jegga
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Satish K Madala
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Division of Pulmonary Medicine and
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10
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Kasam RK, Ghandikota S, Soundararajan D, Reddy GB, Huang SK, Jegga AG, Madala SK. Inhibition of Aurora Kinase B attenuates fibroblast activation and pulmonary fibrosis. EMBO Mol Med 2020; 12:e12131. [PMID: 32761869 PMCID: PMC7507328 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202012131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibroblast activation including proliferation, survival, and ECM production is central to initiation and maintenance of fibrotic lesions in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). However, druggable molecules that target fibroblast activation remain limited. In this study, we show that multiple pro‐fibrotic growth factors, including TGFα, CTGF, and IGF1, increase aurora kinase B (AURKB) expression and activity in fibroblasts. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that Wilms tumor 1 (WT1) is a key transcription factor that mediates TGFα‐driven AURKB upregulation in fibroblasts. Importantly, we found that inhibition of AURKB expression or activity is sufficient to attenuate fibroblast activation. We show that fibrosis induced by TGFα is highly dependent on AURKB expression and treating TGFα mice with barasertib, an AURKB inhibitor, reverses fibroblast activation, and pulmonary fibrosis. Barasertib similarly attenuated fibrosis in the bleomycin model of pulmonary fibrosis. Together, our preclinical studies provide important proof‐of‐concept that demonstrate barasertib as a possible intervention therapy for IPF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh K Kasam
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, India
| | - Sudhir Ghandikota
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Department of Computer Science, University of Cincinnati College of Engineering, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | | | - Geereddy B Reddy
- Department of Biochemistry, National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, India
| | - Steven K Huang
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Anil G Jegga
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Department of Computer Science, University of Cincinnati College of Engineering, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Satish K Madala
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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11
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Xu Q, Ge Q, Zhou Y, Yang B, Yang Q, Jiang S, Jiang R, Ai Z, Zhang Z, Teng Y. MELK promotes Endometrial carcinoma progression via activating mTOR signaling pathway. EBioMedicine 2020; 51:102609. [PMID: 31915116 PMCID: PMC7000338 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2019.102609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Revised: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Endometrial carcinoma (EC) is one of the most common gynecological malignancies among women. Maternal embryonic leucine Zipper Kinase (MELK) is upregulated in a variety of human tumors, where it contributes to malignant phenotype and correlates with a poor prognosis. However, the biological function of MELK in EC progression remains largely unknown. Methods We explored the MELK expression in EC using TCGA and GEO databases and verified it using clinical samples by IHC methods. CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, cell cycle assay, wound healing assay and subcutaneous xenograft mouse model were generated to estimate the functions of MELK and its inhibitor OTSSP167. qRT-PCR, western blotting, co-immunoprecipitation, chromatin immunoprecipitation and luciferase reporter assay were performed to uncover the underlying mechanism concerning MELK during the progression of EC. Findings MELK was significantly elevated in patients with EC, and high expression of MELK was associated with serous EC, high histological grade, advanced clinical stage and reduced overall survival and disease-free survival. MELK knockdown decreased the ability of cell proliferation and migration in vitro and subcutaneous tumorigenesis in vivo. In addition, high expression of MELK could be regulated by transcription factor E2F1. Moreover, we found that MELK had a direct interaction with MLST8 and then activated mTORC1 and mTORC2 signaling pathway for EC progression. Furthermore, OTSSP167, an effective inhibitor, could inhibit cell proliferation driven by MELK in vivo and vitro assays. Interpretation We have explored the crucial role of the E2F1/MELK/mTORC1/2 axis in the progression of EC, which could be served as potential therapeutic targets for treatment of EC. Funding This research was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No:81672565), the Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai (Grant NO:17ZR1421400 to Dr. Zhihong Ai) and the fundamental research funds for central universities (No: 22120180595).
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinyang Xu
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, No.600 Yishan Road, Shanghai 200233, PR China
| | - Qiulin Ge
- Centre of assisted reproduction, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200120, PR China
| | - Yang Zhou
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, No.600 Yishan Road, Shanghai 200233, PR China
| | - Bikang Yang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, No.600 Yishan Road, Shanghai 200233, PR China
| | - Qin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China
| | - Shuheng Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China
| | - Rongzhen Jiang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, No.600 Yishan Road, Shanghai 200233, PR China
| | - Zhihong Ai
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, No.600 Yishan Road, Shanghai 200233, PR China
| | - Zhigang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China.
| | - Yincheng Teng
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, No.600 Yishan Road, Shanghai 200233, PR China.
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12
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Kasam RK, Reddy GB, Jegga AG, Madala SK. Dysregulation of Mesenchymal Cell Survival Pathways in Severe Fibrotic Lung Disease: The Effect of Nintedanib Therapy. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:532. [PMID: 31156440 PMCID: PMC6533541 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.00532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Impaired apoptotic clearance of myofibroblasts can result in the continuous expansion of scar tissue during the persistent injury in the lung. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the apoptotic clearance of multiple mesenchymal cells including fibrocytes, fibroblasts and myofibroblasts in severe fibrotic lung diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) remain largely unknown. We analyzed the apoptotic pathways activated in mesenchymal cells of IPF and in a mouse model of TGFα-induced pulmonary fibrosis. We found that fibrocytes and myofibroblasts in fibrotic lung lesions have acquired resistance to Fas-induced apoptosis, and an FDA-approved anti-fibrotic agent, nintedanib, effectively induced apoptotic cell death in both. In support, comparative gene expression analyses suggest that apoptosis-linked gene networks similarly dysregulated in both IPF and a mouse model of TGFα-induced pulmonary fibrosis. TGFα mice treated with nintedanib show increased active caspase 3-positive cells in fibrotic lesions and reduced fibroproliferation and collagen production. Further, the long-term nintedanib therapy attenuated fibrocyte accumulation, collagen deposition, and lung function decline during TGFα-induced pulmonary fibrosis. These results highlight the importance of inhibiting survival pathways and other pro-fibrotic processes in the various types of mesenchymal cells and suggest that the TGFα mouse model is relevant for testing of anti-fibrotic drugs either alone or in combination with nintedanib.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh K Kasam
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States.,Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States.,Department of Biochemistry, National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, India
| | - Geereddy B Reddy
- Department of Biochemistry, National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, India
| | - Anil G Jegga
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States.,Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Satish K Madala
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States.,Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
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13
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Sontake V, Gajjala PR, Kasam RK, Madala SK. New therapeutics based on emerging concepts in pulmonary fibrosis. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2018; 23:69-81. [PMID: 30468628 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2019.1552262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Fibrosis is an irreversible pathological endpoint in many chronic diseases, including pulmonary fibrosis. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive and often fatal condition characterized by (myo)fibroblast proliferation and transformation in the lung, expansion of the extracellular matrix, and extensive remodeling of the lung parenchyma. Recent evidence indicates that IPF prevalence and mortality rates are growing in the United States and elsewhere. Despite decades of research on the pathogenic mechanisms of pulmonary fibrosis, few therapeutics have succeeded in the clinic, and they have failed to improve IPF patient survival. Areas covered: Based on a literature search and our own results, we discuss the key cellular and molecular responses that contribute to (myo)fibroblast actions and pulmonary fibrosis pathogenesis; this includes signaling pathways in various cells that aberrantly and persistently activate (myo)fibroblasts in fibrotic lesions and promote scar tissue formation in the lung. Expert opinion: Lessons learned from recent failures and successes with new therapeutics point toward approaches that can target multiple pro-fibrotic processes in IPF. Advances in preclinical modeling and single-cell genomics will also accelerate novel discoveries for effective treatment of IPF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishwaraj Sontake
- a Department of Pediatrics , University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine , Cincinnati , OH , USA.,b Division of Pulmonary Medicine , Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati , OH , USA
| | - Prathibha R Gajjala
- a Department of Pediatrics , University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine , Cincinnati , OH , USA.,b Division of Pulmonary Medicine , Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati , OH , USA
| | - Rajesh K Kasam
- a Department of Pediatrics , University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine , Cincinnati , OH , USA.,b Division of Pulmonary Medicine , Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati , OH , USA
| | - Satish K Madala
- a Department of Pediatrics , University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine , Cincinnati , OH , USA.,b Division of Pulmonary Medicine , Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati , OH , USA
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14
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Zhao XR, Zhang MC, Xie HT, Ji N, Sun LT. p70S6K activation promotes the transdifferentiation of fibroblasts to myofibroblasts in pterygium tissue growth on the cornea. Biotechnol Lett 2017; 40:437-444. [DOI: 10.1007/s10529-017-2488-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 11/23/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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15
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Hao X, Du Y, Qian L, Li D, Liu X. Upregulation of long noncoding RNA AP003419.16 predicts high risk of aging‑associated idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Mol Med Rep 2017; 16:8085-8091. [PMID: 28944926 PMCID: PMC5779893 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2017.7607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 07/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are able to regulate adjacent genes and thus participate in the incidence in the present study has identified lncRNA AP003419.16, adjacent to the protein-coding gene ribosomal protein S6 kinase B-2 (RPS6KB2). RPS6KB2 is believed to be involved in the process of aging and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), due to its activation by growth factors and regulation by the protein kinase mTOR signaling pathway. The results of the present study indicated that the expression of AP003419.16 increased significantly in patients with IPF, whereas its adjacent gene ribosomal protein S6 kinase B-2 increased simultaneously. AP003419.16 expression may be used to predict an increased risk of aging-associated IPF. The present study provided a molecular hypothesis of IPF occurrence in the aging process, in addition to novel molecular targets for the clinical treatment of IPF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Hao
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, P.R. China
| | - Yufeng Du
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, P.R. China
| | - Li Qian
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, P.R. China
| | - Dan Li
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, P.R. China
| | - Xuejun Liu
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030001, P.R. China
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16
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Singh B, Kasam RK, Sontake V, Wynn TA, Madala SK. Repetitive intradermal bleomycin injections evoke T-helper cell 2 cytokine-driven pulmonary fibrosis. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2017; 313:L796-L806. [PMID: 28775096 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00184.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2017] [Revised: 07/11/2017] [Accepted: 07/28/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
IL-4 and IL-13 are major T-helper cell (Th) 2 cytokines implicated in the pathogenesis of several lung diseases, including pulmonary fibrosis. In this study, using a novel repetitive intradermal bleomycin model in which mice develop extensive lung fibrosis and a progressive decline in lung function compared with saline-treated control mice, we investigated profibrotic functions of Th2 cytokines. To determine the role of IL-13 signaling in the pathogenesis of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis, wild-type, IL-13, and IL-4Rα-deficient mice were treated with bleomycin, and lungs were assessed for changes in lung function and pulmonary fibrosis. Histological staining and lung function measurements demonstrated that collagen deposition and lung function decline were attenuated in mice deficient in either IL-13 or IL-4Rα-driven signaling compared with wild-type mice treated with bleomycin. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that IL-13 and IL-4Rα-driven signaling are involved in excessive migration of macrophages and fibroblasts. Notably, our findings demonstrated that IL-13-driven migration involves increased phospho-focal adhesion kinase signaling and F-actin polymerization. Importantly, in vivo findings demonstrated that IL-13 augments matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP9 activity that has also been shown to increase migration and invasiveness of fibroblasts in the lungs during bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Together, our findings demonstrate a pathogenic role for Th2-cytokine signaling that includes excessive migration and protease activity involved in severe fibrotic lung disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brijendra Singh
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Rajesh K Kasam
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio.,Department of Biochemistry, National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, Telangana, India; and
| | - Vishwaraj Sontake
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio.,Department of Biochemistry, National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, Telangana, India; and
| | - Thomas A Wynn
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Satish K Madala
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio;
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17
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Abstract
Mechanistic target of rapamycin controls cell growth, metabolism, and aging in response to nutrients, cellular energy stage, and growth factors. In cancers including breast cancer, mechanistic target of rapamycin is frequently upregulated. Blocking mechanistic target of rapamycin with rapamycin, first-generation and second-generation mechanistic target of rapamycin inhibitors, called rapalogs, have shown potent reduction of breast cancer tumor growth in preclinical models and clinical trials. In this review, we summarize the fundamental role of the mechanistic target of rapamycin pathway in driving breast tumors. Moreover, we also review key molecules involved with aberrant mechanistic target of rapamycin pathway activation in breast cancer and current efforts to target these components for therapeutic gain. Further development of predictive biomarkers will be useful in the selection of patients who will benefit from inhibition of the mechanistic target of rapamycin pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Liu
- Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Qinhuangdao, Qinhuangdao, P.R. China
| | - Hui-Qing Li
- Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Qinhuangdao, Qinhuangdao, P.R. China
| | - Fu-Xia Zhou
- Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Qinhuangdao, Qinhuangdao, P.R. China
| | - Jie-Wen Yu
- Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Qinhuangdao, Qinhuangdao, P.R. China
| | - Ling Sun
- Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Qinhuangdao, Qinhuangdao, P.R. China
| | - Zhong-Hou Han
- Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Qinhuangdao, Qinhuangdao, P.R. China
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18
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Madala SK, Sontake V, Edukulla R, Davidson CR, Schmidt S, Hardie WD. Unique and Redundant Functions of p70 Ribosomal S6 Kinase Isoforms Regulate Mesenchymal Cell Proliferation and Migration in Pulmonary Fibrosis. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2017; 55:792-803. [PMID: 27438654 DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2016-0090oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The p70 ribosomal S6 kinase (p70S6K) is a downstream substrate that is phosphorylated and activated by the mammalian target of rapamycin complex and regulates multiple cellular processes associated with pulmonary fibrogenesis. Two isoforms of the p70S6K have been identified (S6K1 and S6K2), but their relative contributions in mediating pulmonary fibrosis are unknown. To interrogate the roles of the p70S6K isoforms, we overexpressed transforming growth factor (TGF)-α in mice deficient for the S6K1 or S6K2 genes and measured changes in lung histology, morphometry, total lung collagen, lung function, and proliferation between wild-type and isoform-deficient mice. Deficiency of S6K1, but not S6K2, had a significant effect on reducing proliferation in subpleural fibrotic lesions during TGF-α-induced fibrosis. Migration was significantly decreased in mesenchymal cells isolated from the lungs of S6K1 knockout mice compared with wild-type or S6K2 knockout mice. Conversely, increases in subpleural thickening were significantly decreased in S6K2-deficient mice compared with wild type. Deficiency of S6K2 significantly reduced phosphorylation of the downstream S6 ribosomal protein in lung homogenates and isolated mesenchymal cells after TGF-α expression. However, deficiency of neither isoform alone significantly altered TGF-α-induced collagen accumulation or lung function decline in vivo. Furthermore, deficiency in neither isoform prevented changes in collagen accumulation or lung compliance decline after administration of intradermal bleomycin. Together, these findings demonstrate that the p70S6K isoforms have unique and redundant functions in mediating fibrogenic processes, including proliferation, migration, and S6 phosphorylation, signifying that both isoforms must be targeted to modulate p70S6K-mediated pulmonary fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satish K Madala
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Vishwaraj Sontake
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Ramakrishna Edukulla
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Cynthia R Davidson
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Stephanie Schmidt
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - William D Hardie
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
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19
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Sontake V, Wang Y, Kasam RK, Sinner D, Reddy GB, Naren AP, McCormack FX, White ES, Jegga AG, Madala SK. Hsp90 regulation of fibroblast activation in pulmonary fibrosis. JCI Insight 2017; 2:e91454. [PMID: 28239659 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.91454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a severe fibrotic lung disease associated with fibroblast activation that includes excessive proliferation, tissue invasiveness, myofibroblast transformation, and extracellular matrix (ECM) production. To identify inhibitors that can attenuate fibroblast activation, we queried IPF gene signatures against a library of small-molecule-induced gene-expression profiles and identified Hsp90 inhibitors as potential therapeutic agents that can suppress fibroblast activation in IPF. Although Hsp90 is a molecular chaperone that regulates multiple processes involved in fibroblast activation, it has not been previously proposed as a molecular target in IPF. Here, we found elevated Hsp90 staining in lung biopsies of patients with IPF. Notably, fibroblasts isolated from fibrotic lesions showed heightened Hsp90 ATPase activity compared with normal fibroblasts. 17-N-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG), a small-molecule inhibitor of Hsp90 ATPase activity, attenuated fibroblast activation and also TGF-β-driven effects on fibroblast to myofibroblast transformation. The loss of the Hsp90AB, but not the Hsp90AA isoform, resulted in reduced fibroblast proliferation, myofibroblast transformation, and ECM production. Finally, in vivo therapy with 17-AAG attenuated progression of established and ongoing fibrosis in a mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis, suggesting that targeting Hsp90 represents an effective strategy for the treatment of fibrotic lung disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishwaraj Sontake
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine.,Department of Biochemistry, National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | | | - Rajesh K Kasam
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine.,Department of Biochemistry, National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Debora Sinner
- Division of Neonatology and Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio USA
| | - Geereddy B Reddy
- Department of Biochemistry, National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | | | - Francis X McCormack
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio USA
| | - Eric S White
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, AnnArbor, Michigan, USA
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20
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Singh B, Jegga AG, Shanmukhappa KS, Edukulla R, Khurana GH, Medvedovic M, Dillon SR, Madala SK. IL-31-Driven Skin Remodeling Involves Epidermal Cell Proliferation and Thickening That Lead to Impaired Skin-Barrier Function. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0161877. [PMID: 27556734 PMCID: PMC4996532 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2016] [Accepted: 08/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Interleukin-31 (IL-31) is a type 2 helper T-cell-derived cytokine that has recently been shown to cause severe inflammation and tissue remodeling in multiple chronic diseases of the skin and lungs. IL-31 is upregulated in allergic and inflammatory diseases, including atopic dermatitis, asthma, cutaneous T-cell lymphomas, and allergic rhinitis, as well as autoimmune diseases such as systemic erythematosus. Overexpression of IL-31 in T cells causes severe inflammation, with histological features similar to skin lesions of patients with atopic dermatitis. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in IL31-driven pathological remodeling in skin diseases remain largely unknown. Here, we studied the role of IL-31 in skin damage as a result of intradermal administration of recombinant IL-31 into mice. Notably, IL-31 was sufficient to increase epidermal basal-cell proliferation and thickening of the epidermal skin layer. Our findings demonstrate a progressive increase in transepidermal water loss with chronic administration of IL-31 into the skin. Further, analysis of the skin transcriptome indicates a significant increase in the transcripts involved in epidermal-cell proliferation, epidermal thickening, and mechanical integrity. In summary, our findings demonstrate an important role for IL-31 signaling in epidermal cell proliferation and thickening that together may lead to impaired skin-barrier function in pathological remodeling of the skin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brijendra Singh
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Anil G. Jegga
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Kumar S. Shanmukhappa
- Division of Pathology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Ramakrishna Edukulla
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Gurjit H. Khurana
- Division of Asthma Research, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Mario Medvedovic
- Laboratory for Statistical Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Stacey R. Dillon
- Discovery Biology Group, ZymoGenetics, Inc. (a Bristol-Myers Squibb Company), Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Satish K. Madala
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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