1
|
Li X, Xu H, Li C, Guan Y, Liu Y, Zhang T, Meng F, Cheng H, Song X, Jia Z, He R, Zhao J, Chen S, Guan C, Yan S, Wang J, Wei Y, Zhang J, Tang J, Peng J, Wang Y. Biological characteristics of tissue engineered-nerve grafts enhancing peripheral nerve regeneration. Stem Cell Res Ther 2024; 15:215. [PMID: 39020413 PMCID: PMC11256578 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-024-03827-9] [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: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A favorable regenerative microenvironment is essential for peripheral nerve regeneration. Neural tissue-specific extracellular matrix (ECM) is a natural material that helps direct cell behavior and promote axon regeneration. Both bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) transplantation are effective in repairing peripheral nerve injury (PNI). However, there is no study that characterizes the in vivo microenvironmental characteristics of these two MSCs for the early repair of PNI when combined with neural tissue-derived ECM materials, i.e., acellular nerve allograft (ANA). METHODS In order to investigate biological characteristics, molecular mechanisms of early stage, and effectiveness of ADSCs- or BMSCs-injected into ANA for repairing PNI in vivo, a rat 10 mm long sciatic nerve defect model was used. We isolated primary BMSCs and ADSCs from bone marrow and adipose tissue, respectively. First, to investigate the in vivo response characteristics and underlying molecular mechanisms of ANA combined with BMSCs or ADSCs, eighty-four rats were randomly divided into three groups: ANA group, ANA+BMSC group, and ANA+ADSC group. We performed flow cytometry, RT-PCR, and immunofluorescence staining up to 4 weeks postoperatively. To further elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms, changes in long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) were systematically investigated using whole transcriptome sequencing. We then constructed protein-protein interaction networks to find 10 top ranked hub genes among differentially expressed mRNAs. Second, in order to explore the effectiveness of BMSCs and ADSCs on neural tissue-derived ECM materials for repairing PNI, sixty-eight rats were randomized into four groups: ANA group, ANA+BMSC group, ANA+ADSC group, and AUTO group. In the ANA+BMSC and ANA+ADSC groups, ADSCs/BMSCs were equally injected along the long axis of the 10-mm ANA. Then, we performed histological and functional assessments up to 12 weeks postoperatively. RESULTS The results of flow cytometry and RT-PCR showed that ANA combined with BMSCs exhibited more significant immunomodulatory effects, as evidenced by the up-regulation of interleukin (IL)-10, down-regulation of IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) expression, promotion of M1-type macrophage polarization to M2-type, and a significant increase in the number of regulatory T cells (Tregs). ANA combined with ADSCs exhibited more pronounced features of pro-myelination and angiogenesis, as evidenced by the up-regulation of myelin-associated protein gene (MBP and MPZ) and angiogenesis-related factors (TGF-β, VEGF). Moreover, differentially expressed genes from whole transcriptome sequencing results further indicated that ANA loaded with BMSCs exhibited notable immunomodulatory effects and ANA loaded with ADSCs was more associated with angiogenesis, axonal growth, and myelin formation. Notably, ANA infused with BMSCs or ADSCs enhanced peripheral nerve regeneration and motor function recovery with no statistically significant differences. CONCLUSIONS This study revealed that both ANA combined with BMSCs and ADSCs enhance peripheral nerve regeneration and motor function recovery, but their biological characteristics (mainly including immunomodulatory effects, pro-vascular regenerative effects, and pro-myelin regenerative effects) and underlying molecular mechanisms in the process of repairing PNI in vivo are different, providing new insights into MSC therapy for peripheral nerve injury and its clinical translation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiangling Li
- The Fourth Medical Center of the General Hospital of People's Liberation Army, Beijing, 100853, China
- Department of Rehabilitation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Hang Xu
- Department of General Surgery, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Chaochao Li
- Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Yanjun Guan
- Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Yuli Liu
- Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Tieyuan Zhang
- Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, 100853, China
- Shandong University Center for Orthopaedics, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Fanqi Meng
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China
| | - Haofeng Cheng
- Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, 100853, China
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Xiangyu Song
- Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, 100853, China
- School of Medicine, Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, 075132, China
| | - Zhibo Jia
- Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, 100853, China
- School of Medicine, Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, 075132, China
| | - Ruichao He
- Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, 100853, China
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Jinjuan Zhao
- The Fourth Medical Center of the General Hospital of People's Liberation Army, Beijing, 100853, China
- Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Shengfeng Chen
- Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Congcong Guan
- Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, 100853, China
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Shi Yan
- Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, 100853, China
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Jinpeng Wang
- Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Yu Wei
- Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Jinshu Tang
- The Fourth Medical Center of the General Hospital of People's Liberation Army, Beijing, 100853, China.
| | - Jiang Peng
- The Fourth Medical Center of the General Hospital of People's Liberation Army, Beijing, 100853, China.
- Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, 100853, China.
| | - Yu Wang
- The Fourth Medical Center of the General Hospital of People's Liberation Army, Beijing, 100853, China.
- Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, 100853, China.
- Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Wu W, Zhang W, Alexandar JS, Booth JL, Miller CA, Xu C, Metcalf JP. RIG-I agonist SLR10 promotes macrophage M1 polarization during influenza virus infection. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1177624. [PMID: 37475869 PMCID: PMC10354434 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1177624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale A family of short synthetic, triphosphorylated stem-loop RNAs (SLRs) have been designed to activate the retinoic-acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) pathway and induce a potent interferon (IFN) response, which may have therapeutic potential. We investigated immune response modulation by SLR10. We addressed whether RIG-I pathway activation with SLR10 leads to protection of nonsmoking (NS) and cigarette smoke (CS)-exposed mice after influenza A virus (IAV) infection. Methods Mice were given 25 µg of SLR10 1 day before IAV infection. We compared the survival rates and host immune responses of NS and CS-exposed mice following challenge with IAV. Results SLR10 significantly decreased weight loss and increased survival rates in both NS and CS-exposed mice during IAV infection. SLR10 administration repaired the impaired proinflammatory response in CS-exposed mice without causing more lung injury in NS mice as assessed by physiologic measurements. Although histopathologic study revealed that SLR10 administration was likely to result in higher pathological scores than untreated groups in both NS and CS mice, this change was not enough to increase lung injury evaluated by lung-to-body weight ratio. Both qRT-PCR on lung tissues and multiplex immunoassay on bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALFs) showed that most IFNs and proinflammatory cytokines were expressed at lower levels in SLR10-treated NS mice than control-treaded NS mice at day 5 post infection (p.i.). Remarkably, proinflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-12, and GM-CSF were increased in CS-exposed mice by SLR10 at day 5 p.i. Significantly, SLR10 elevated the ratio of the two chemokines (CXCL9 and CCL17) in BALFs, suggesting macrophages were polarized to classically activated (M1) status. In vitro testing also found that SLR10 not only stimulated human alveolar macrophage polarization to an M1 phenotype, but also reversed cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-induced M2 to M1 polarization. Conclusions Our data show that SLR10 administration in mice is protective for both NS and CS-exposed IAV-infected mice. Mechanistically, SLR10 treatment promoted M1 macrophage polarization in the lung during influenza infection. The protective effects by SLR10 may be a promising intervention for therapy for infections with viruses, particularly those with CS-enhanced susceptibility to adverse outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenxin Wu
- Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Wei Zhang
- Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Jeremy S. Alexandar
- Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - J. Leland Booth
- Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Craig A. Miller
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
| | - Chao Xu
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Jordan P. Metcalf
- Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
- Pulmonary Section, Medicine Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Baris A, Fraile-Bethencourt E, Eubanks J, Khou S, Anand S. Thymidine phosphorylase facilitates retinoic acid inducible gene-I induced endothelial dysfunction. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:294. [PMID: 37100811 PMCID: PMC10131517 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-05821-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Activation of nucleic acid sensors in endothelial cells (ECs) has been shown to drive inflammation across pathologies including cancer, atherosclerosis and obesity. We previously showed that enhancing cytosolic DNA sensing by inhibiting three prime exonuclease 1 (TREX1) in ECs led to EC dysfunction and impaired angiogenesis. Here we show that activation of a cytosolic RNA sensor, Retinoic acid Induced Gene 1 (RIG-I) diminishes EC survival, angiogenesis and triggers tissue specific gene expression programs. We discovered a RIG-I dependent 7 gene signature that affects angiogenesis, inflammation and coagulation. Among these, we identified the thymidine phosphorylase TYMP as a key mediator of RIG-I induced EC dysfunction via its regulation of a subset of interferon stimulated genes. Our RIG-I induced gene signature was also conserved in the context of human diseases - in lung cancer vasculature and herpesvirus infection of lung endothelial cells. Pharmacological or genetic inhibition of TYMP rescues RIG-I induced EC death, migration arrest and restores sprouting angiogenesis. Interestingly, using RNAseq we identified a gene expression program that was RIG-I induced but TYMP dependent. Analysis of this dataset indicated that IRF1 and IRF8 dependent transcription is diminished in RIG-I activated cells when TYMP is inhibited. Functional RNAi screen of our TYMP dependent EC genes, we found that a group of 5 genes - Flot1, Ccl5, Vars2, Samd9l and Ube2l6 are critical for endothelial cell death mediated by RIG-I activation. Our observations identify mechanisms by which RIG-I drives EC dysfunction and define pathways that can be pharmacologically targeted to ameliorate RIG-I induced vascular inflammation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Baris
- Department of Cell, Developmental & Cancer Biology, Knight Cancer Institute, 2720 S Moody Avenue, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97201, USA
| | - Eugenia Fraile-Bethencourt
- Department of Cell, Developmental & Cancer Biology, Knight Cancer Institute, 2720 S Moody Avenue, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97201, USA
| | - Jaiden Eubanks
- Department of Cell, Developmental & Cancer Biology, Knight Cancer Institute, 2720 S Moody Avenue, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97201, USA
| | - Sokchea Khou
- Department of Cell, Developmental & Cancer Biology, Knight Cancer Institute, 2720 S Moody Avenue, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97201, USA
| | - Sudarshan Anand
- Department of Cell, Developmental & Cancer Biology, Knight Cancer Institute, 2720 S Moody Avenue, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97201, USA.
- Department of Radiation Medicine, Knight Cancer Institute, 2720 S Moody Avenue, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97201, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Drury NL, Mustapha T, Shore RA, Zhao J, Wright GA, Hoffmann AR, Talcott SU, Regan A, Tighe RM, Zhang R, Johnson NM. Maternal exposure to ultrafine particles enhances influenza infection during pregnancy. Part Fibre Toxicol 2023; 20:11. [PMID: 37069680 PMCID: PMC10106898 DOI: 10.1186/s12989-023-00521-1] [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: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Interactions between air pollution and infectious agents are increasingly recognized and critical to identify, especially to protect vulnerable populations. Pregnancy represents a vulnerable period for influenza infection and air pollution exposure, yet interactions during pregnancy remain unclear. Maternal exposure to ultrafine particles (UFPs, [Formula: see text] 100 nm diameter), a class of particulate matter ubiquitous in urban environments, elicits unique pulmonary immune responses. We hypothesized that UFP exposure during pregnancy would lead to aberrant immune responses to influenza enhancing infection severity. RESULTS Building from our well-characterized C57Bl/6N mouse model employing daily gestational UFP exposure from gestational day (GD) 0.5-13.5, we carried out a pilot study wherein pregnant dams were subsequently infected with Influenza A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 (PR8) on GD14.5. Findings indicate that PR8 infection caused decreased weight gain in filtered air (FA) and UFP-exposed groups. Co-exposure to UFPs and viral infection led to pronounced elevation in PR8 viral titer and reduced pulmonary inflammation, signifying potential suppression of innate and adaptive immune defenses. Pulmonary expression of the pro-viral factor sphingosine kinase 1 (Sphk1) and pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β (IL-1 [Formula: see text]) was significantly increased in pregnant mice exposed to UFPs and infected with PR8; expression correlated with higher viral titer. CONCLUSIONS Results from our model provide initial insight into how maternal UFP exposure during pregnancy enhances respiratory viral infection risk. This model is an important first step in establishing future regulatory and clinical strategies for protecting pregnant women exposed to UFPs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas L Drury
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Texas A&M University, 212 Adriance Lab Rd, 1266 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
- Department of Nutrition, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Toriq Mustapha
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Texas A&M University, 212 Adriance Lab Rd, 1266 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Ross A Shore
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Texas A&M University, 212 Adriance Lab Rd, 1266 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Jiayun Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Gus A Wright
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Aline Rodrigues Hoffmann
- Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32653, USA
| | - Susanne U Talcott
- Department of Nutrition, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Annette Regan
- School of Nursing and Health Professions, University of San Francisco, Orange County, CA, 92868, USA
| | - Robert M Tighe
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Renyi Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Natalie M Johnson
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Texas A&M University, 212 Adriance Lab Rd, 1266 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Smith MR, Costa G. RNA-binding proteins and translation control in angiogenesis. FEBS J 2022; 289:7788-7809. [PMID: 34796614 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Tissue vascularization through the process of angiogenesis ensures adequate oxygen and nutrient supply during development and regeneration. The complex morphogenetic events involved in new blood vessel formation are orchestrated by a tightly regulated crosstalk between extra and intracellular factors. In this context, RNA-binding protein (RBP) activity and protein translation play fundamental roles during the cellular responses triggered by particular environmental cues. A solid body of work has demonstrated that key RBPs (such as HuR, TIS11 proteins, hnRNPs, NF90, QKIs and YB1) are implicated in both physiological and pathological angiogenesis. These RBPs are critical for the metabolism of messenger (m)RNAs encoding angiogenic modulators and, importantly, strong evidence suggests that RBP-mRNA interactions can be altered in disease. Lesser known, but not less important, the mechanistic aspects of protein synthesis can also regulate the generation of new vessels. In this review, we outline the key findings demonstrating the implications of RBP-mediated RNA regulation and translation control in angiogenesis. Furthermore, we highlight how these mechanisms of post-transcriptional control of gene expression have led to promising therapeutic strategies aimed at targeting undesired blood vessel formation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine R Smith
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University, Belfast, UK
| | - Guilherme Costa
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University, Belfast, UK
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Xu S, Jin T, Weng J. Endothelial Cells as a Key Cell Type for Innate Immunity: A Focused Review on RIG-I Signaling Pathway. Front Immunol 2022; 13:951614. [PMID: 35865527 PMCID: PMC9294349 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.951614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The vascular endothelium consists of a highly heterogeneous monolayer of endothelial cells (ECs) which are the primary target for bacterial and viral infections due to EC’s constant and close contact with the bloodstream. Emerging evidence has shown that ECs are a key cell type for innate immunity. Like macrophages, ECs serve as sentinels when sensing invading pathogens or microbial infection caused by viruses and bacteria. It remains elusive how ECs senses danger signals, transduce the signal and fulfil immune functions. Retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I, gene name also known as DDX58) is an important member of RIG-I-like receptor (RLR) family that functions as an important pathogen recognition receptor (PRR) to execute immune surveillance and confer host antiviral response. Recent studies have demonstrated that virus infection, dsRNA, dsDNA, interferons, LPS, and 25-hydroxycholesterol (25-HC) can increase RIG-1 expression in ECs and propagate anti-viral response. Of translational significance, RIG-I activation can be inhibited by Panax notoginseng saponins, endogenous PPARγ ligand 15-PGJ2, tryptanthrin and 2-animopurine. Considering the pivotal role of inflammation and innate immunity in regulating endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis, here we provided a concise review of the role of RIG-I in endothelial cell function and highlight future direction to elucidate the potential role of RIG-I in regulating cardiovascular diseases as well as virus infectious disease, including COVID-19. Furthered understanding of RIG-I-mediated signaling pathways is important to control disorders associated with altered immunity and inflammation in ECs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Suowen Xu
- Department of Endocrinology, Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Clinical Research Hospital of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Hefei), University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Laboratory of Metabolics and Cardiovascular Diseases, Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province , University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- *Correspondence: Suowen Xu, ; Jianping Weng,
| | - Tengchuan Jin
- Laboratory of Structural Immunology, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Jianping Weng
- Department of Endocrinology, Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Clinical Research Hospital of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Hefei), University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Laboratory of Metabolics and Cardiovascular Diseases, Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province , University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- *Correspondence: Suowen Xu, ; Jianping Weng,
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Ding M, Tyrchan C, Bäck E, Östling J, Schubert S, McCrae C. Combined siRNA and Small-Molecule Phenotypic Screening Identifies Targets Regulating Rhinovirus Replication in Primary Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells. SLAS DISCOVERY 2020; 25:634-645. [PMID: 32189556 DOI: 10.1177/2472555220909726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Human rhinovirus (RV) is the most common cause of acute upper respiratory tract infections and has recently been shown to play a significant role in exacerbations of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). There is a significant unmet medical need for agents for the prevention and/or treatment of exacerbations triggered by human RV infection. Phenotypic drug discovery programs using different perturbation modalities, for example, siRNA, small-molecule compounds, and CRISPR, hold significant value for identifying novel drug targets. We have previously reported the identification of lanosterol synthase as a novel regulator of RV2 replication through a phenotypic screen of a library of siRNAs against druggable genes in normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells. Here, we describe a follow-up phenotypic screen of small-molecule compounds that are annotated to be pharmacological regulators of target genes that were identified to significantly affect RV2 replication in the siRNA primary screen of 10,500 druggable genes. Two hundred seventy small-molecule compounds selected for interacting with 122 target gene hits were screened in the primary RV2 assay in NHBE cells by quantifying viral replication via in situ hybridization followed by secondary quantitative PCR-based assays for RV2, RV14, and RV16. The described follow-up phenotypic screening allowed us to identify Fms-related tyrosine kinase 4 (FLT4) as a novel target regulating RV replication. We demonstrate that a combination of siRNA and small-molecule compound screening models is a useful phenotypic drug discovery approach for the identification of novel drug targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mei Ding
- Discovery Sciences, Research and Early Development, R&D BioPharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Christian Tyrchan
- Medicinal Chemistry, Research and Early Development, Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmune (RIA), R&D BioPharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Elisabeth Bäck
- Discovery Sciences, Research and Early Development, R&D BioPharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jörgen Östling
- Bioscience, Research and Early Development, Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmune (RIA), R&D BioPharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | | | - Christopher McCrae
- Translational Science and Experimental Medicine, Research and Early Development, Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmune (RIA), R&D BioPharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Rawling DC, Jagdmann GE, Potapova O, Pyle AM. Small-Molecule Antagonists of the RIG-I Innate Immune Receptor. ACS Chem Biol 2020; 15:311-317. [PMID: 31944652 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.9b00810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The RIG-I receptor plays a key role in the vertebrate innate immune system, where it functions as a sensor for detecting infection by RNA viruses. Although agonists of RIG-I show great potential as antitumor and antimicrobial therapies, antagonists of RIG-I remain undeveloped, despite the role of RIG-I hyperstimulation in a range of diseases, including COPD and autoimmune disorders. There is now a wealth of information on RIG-I structure, enzymatic function, and signaling mechanism that can drive new drug design strategies. Here, we used the enzymatic activity of RIG-I to develop assays for high-throughput screening, SAR, and downstream optimization of RIG-I antagonists. Using this approach, we have developed potent RIG-I antagonists that interact directly with the receptor and which inhibit RIG-I signaling and interferon response in living cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David C Rawling
- Inflammatix, Inc , Burlingame , California 94010 , United States
| | - G Erik Jagdmann
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology , Yale University , New Haven , Connecticut 06520 , United States
| | - Olga Potapova
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology , Yale University , New Haven , Connecticut 06520 , United States
| | - Anna Marie Pyle
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology , Yale University , New Haven , Connecticut 06520 , United States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute , New Haven , Connecticut 06520 , United States
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
FPX-113 attenuates inflammatory responses by deteriorating cytokines, neutrophil activity and mast cell degranulation via Akt/ NF- κB pathway. Biologia (Bratisl) 2019. [DOI: 10.2478/s11756-019-00367-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
|
10
|
Zhao R, Zhang J, Wang Y, Jin J, Zhou H, Chen J, Su SB. Activation of Toll-like receptor 3 promotes pathological corneal neovascularization by enhancement of SDF-1-mediated endothelial progenitor cell recruitment. Exp Eye Res 2018; 178:177-185. [PMID: 30321512 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2018.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2018] [Revised: 09/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in inflammatory and immunological responses, which are intimately related to neovascularization. However, the precise mode of action of TLR3 in neovascularization still remains ambiguous. In this study, we sought to investigate the role of TLR3 in pathological corneal neovascularization (CNV) using a mouse model of alkali-induced CNV. CNV was attenuated in TLR3-deficient mice, and the absence of TLR3 led to decreased production of stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1), a well-characterized cytokine that regulates the recruitment of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) to the sites of neo-angiogenic niches in the injured tissues. Topical administration of polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid [poly (I:C)], a synthetic ligand for TLR3, to the injured cornea promoted CNV in wild type (WT) mice but not in TLR3-deficient mice. In addition, the effect of poly (I:C) on WT mice was abolished by addition of SDF-1 receptor antagonist AMD 3100. Furthermore, poly (I:C) treatment in vitro enhanced the migration of EPCs, whereas the enhanced migration was abolished by AMD 3100. These results indicate an essential role of TLR3 signalling in CNV that involves upregulating SDF-1 production and recruiting EPCs to the sites of injury for neovascularization. Thus, targeting the TLR3 signalling cascade may constitute a novel therapeutic approach for treating neovascularization-related diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruijuan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Guangdong Science and Technology Library (Guangdong Institute of Scientific and Technical Information and Development Strategy), China
| | - Jiayi Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Hongyan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Jianping Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Shao Bo Su
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
RIG-like Helicase Regulation of Chitinase 3-like 1 Axis and Pulmonary Metastasis. Sci Rep 2016; 6:26299. [PMID: 27198666 PMCID: PMC4873814 DOI: 10.1038/srep26299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Accepted: 04/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chi3l1 is induced by a variety of cancers where it portends a poor prognosis and plays a key role in the generation of metastasis. However, the mechanisms that Chi3l1 uses to mediate these responses and the pathways that control Chi3l1-induced tumor responses are poorly understood. We characterized the mechanisms that Chi3l1 uses to foster tumor progression and the ability of the RIG-like helicase (RLH) innate immune response to control Chi3l1 elaboration and pulmonary metastasis. Here we demonstrate that RLH activation inhibits tumor induction of Chi3l1 and the expression of receptor IL-13Rα2 and pulmonary metastasis while restoring NK cell accumulation and activation, augmenting the expression of IFN-α/β, chemerin and its receptor ChemR23, p-cofilin, LIMK2 and PTEN and inhibiting BRAF and NLRX1 in a MAVS-dependent manner. These studies demonstrate that Chi3l1 is a multifaceted immune stimulator of tumor progression and metastasis whose elaboration and tissue effects are abrogated by RLH innate immune responses.
Collapse
|
12
|
Zhang Q, Wan H, Huang S, Zhang Y, Wang Y, Guo X, He P, Zhou M. Critical role of RIG-I-like receptors in inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. THE CLINICAL RESPIRATORY JOURNAL 2016; 10:22-31. [PMID: 24992168 PMCID: PMC7162323 DOI: 10.1111/crj.12177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2013] [Revised: 06/10/2014] [Accepted: 06/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Viral infection is a significant cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and acute exacerbation of COPD. Retinoic acid inducible gene I (RIG-I)-like receptors (RLRs), including RIG-I and melanoma differentiation associated gene 5 (MDA-5), are important pattern recognition receptors for viral elimination. OBJECTIVE The study aims to investigate the role of RIG-I and MDA-5 in COPD pathogenesis. METHODS We examined the expression of RIG-I and MDA-5 by immunohistochemistry, real-time PCR and Western blots in COPD patients and control subjects. RESULTS Our results showed that MDA-5 expression was upregulated in lung tissues and peripheral blood mononuclear cells of COPD patients and there was a negative correlation between MDA-5 mRNA levels and forced expiratory volume in 1 s %pred. COPD patients had higher interleukin (IL)-1 and IL-8 mRNA expression levels, and these inflammatory cytokines positively correlate with MDA-5 levels. However, there was no difference in the expression of RIG-I between COPD patients and control subjects. CONCLUSION Our results suggested that MDA-5, but not RIG-I, may play a critical role in airway inflammation in COPD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiurui Zhang
- Department of Respiratory MedicineRuijin HospitalShanghai Jiaotong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Huanying Wan
- Department of Respiratory MedicineRuijin HospitalShanghai Jiaotong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Shaoguang Huang
- Department of Respiratory MedicineRuijin HospitalShanghai Jiaotong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and ParasitologyInstitutes of Medical SciencesShanghai Jiaotong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Yanchun Wang
- Department of Microbiology and ParasitologyInstitutes of Medical SciencesShanghai Jiaotong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Xiaokui Guo
- Department of Microbiology and ParasitologyInstitutes of Medical SciencesShanghai Jiaotong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Ping He
- Department of Microbiology and ParasitologyInstitutes of Medical SciencesShanghai Jiaotong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Min Zhou
- Department of Respiratory MedicineRuijin HospitalShanghai Jiaotong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonists upregulate VEGF secretion from bronchial epithelial cells. J Mol Med (Berl) 2015; 93:1257-69. [PMID: 26076680 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-015-1304-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2015] [Revised: 05/06/2015] [Accepted: 05/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Chronic airway diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, are characterized by airway remodeling. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a critical regulator of angiogenesis and vascular remodeling, important components of airway remodeling. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is the principle receptor for many environmental toxicants, such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), which may contribute to the pathogenesis of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, the regulatory role of AhR on the expression of VEGF in bronchial epithelial cells (BECs) remains elusive. This study was conducted to determine the role of AhR in regulating bronchial epithelial VEGF expression, which might contribute to angiogenesis of airway remodeling. The plasma VEGF levels of asthmatic patients and healthy subjects were compared. By treating HBE-135, Beas-2B, and primary human BECs with AhR agonists, the mechanisms through which AhR modulated VEGF expression in human BECs were investigated. The plasma VEGF level was significantly higher in asthmatic patients than in healthy subjects. AhR agonists significantly upregulated VEGF secretion from human BECs, which promoted the migratory and tube-forming ability of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The secretion of VEGF was increased via a canonical AhR pathway, followed by the 15-LOX/15-HETE/STAT3 pathway. C57BL/6JNarl mice treated with TCDD intratracheally also showed increased VEGF expression in BECs. This hitherto unrecognized pathway may provide a potential target for the treatment of airway remodeling in many pulmonary diseases, especially those related to environmental toxicants. KEY MESSAGE AhR agonists increase VEGF secretion from bronchial epithelial cells. The mechanism involves the canonical AhR pathway and 15-LOX/15-HETE/STAT3 pathway. Asthmatic patients have higher plasma VEGF level. Mice treated with intratracheal TCDD show increased VEGF expression in BECs. This novel regulatory pathway is a potential target for treating asthma and COPD.
Collapse
|
14
|
Andrade D, Kim M, Blanco LP, Karumanchi SA, Koo GC, Redecha P, Kirou K, Alvarez AM, Mulla MJ, Crow MK, Abrahams VM, Kaplan MJ, Salmon JE. Interferon-α and angiogenic dysregulation in pregnant lupus patients who develop preeclampsia. Arthritis Rheumatol 2015; 67:977-87. [PMID: 25603823 DOI: 10.1002/art.39029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2014] [Accepted: 01/08/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate whether an elevated interferon-α (IFNα) level early in pregnancy is associated with poor pregnancy outcomes and to examine the relationship of an elevated IFNα level to angiogenic imbalance. METHODS Women were enrolled in a longitudinal case-control study of pregnant patients with lupus. Serum samples obtained monthly throughout pregnancy were assayed for IFNα and for the antiangiogenic factor soluble Flt-1 and the proangiogenic factor placenta growth factor (PlGF). Each of 28 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with a poor pregnancy outcome was matched to an SLE patient with an uncomplicated pregnancy and to a pregnant healthy control. The effects of IFNα and/or soluble Flt-1 on human endothelial cells and endothelial cell-trophoblast interactions were assessed. RESULTS Compared to SLE patients with uncomplicated pregnancies, patients with preeclampsia had increased IFNα levels before clinical symptoms. Patients without autoimmune disease who developed preeclampsia did not have increased IFNα levels. In SLE patients with low IFNα levels, marked angiogenic imbalance (higher soluble Flt-1, lower PlGF, and higher soluble Flt-1:PlGF ratios) preceded maternal manifestations of preeclampsia, whereas in SLE patients with high IFNα levels, preeclampsia occurred without evidence of systemic angiogenic imbalance. Treatment of human endothelial cells with soluble Flt-1 induced expression of sFLT1 messenger RNA, and IFNα dramatically amplified responses to soluble Flt-1. In a model of spiral artery transformation, only the combination of IFNα and soluble Flt-1 disrupted the ability of trophoblast cells to remodel endothelial tube structures. CONCLUSION Our findings identify a new mechanism by which IFNα induces an antiangiogenic milieu and increases the sensitivity of endothelial cells to soluble Flt-1, and suggest that elevated IFNα levels may contribute to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia in some pregnant patients with SLE.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Danieli Andrade
- Hospital for Special Surgery and Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Wu J, Cui H, Dick AD, Liu L. TLR9 agonist regulates angiogenesis and inhibits corneal neovascularization. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2014; 184:1900-10. [PMID: 24726642 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2014.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2013] [Revised: 02/26/2014] [Accepted: 03/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Myeloid cells are highly adaptable and may positively or negatively regulate angiogenesis dependent on the cognate and soluble signals they receive. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) initiate immune responses, orchestrate adaptive immune responses, and regulate vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-mediated angiogenesis during wound healing. We investigated the possible role of TLR ligands in attenuation of new vessel growth via regulation of expression of VEGF or soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) in both an aortic ring assay and a model of suture-induced corneal angiogenesis. The TLR3 ligand [poly(I:C)] markedly suppressed VEGF secretion and stimulated sFlt-1 release from macrophages. The aortic ring assay demonstrated that new vessels were promoted by the TLR2 ligand (heat killed Listeria monocytogenes) and the TLR4 ligand (lipopolysaccharide), concomitant with increased VEGF and matrix metalloproteinase 9 secretion. In contrast, the TLR9 ligand [oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN)1826] stimulated sFlt-1 secretion from macrophages and reduced the number of aortic ring vessel sprouts. ODN1826 also significantly reduced the length and volume of both hemangiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in the suture-induced corneal angiogenesis model. Furthermore, 53 angiogenic factors were examined via protein array and compared between ODN1826- and water-treated corneas to interrogate the pathway of ODN1826 inhibition, demonstrating an up-regulation of Serpin E1 signal. Further clinical and IHC analyses of the aortic ring assay indicated that TLR9 suppressed tip cell migration and recruitment of mural cells and adventitial macrophages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiahui Wu
- Academic Unit of Ophthalmology, School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Hongping Cui
- Department of Ophthalmology, Tongji University Affiliated Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Andrew D Dick
- Academic Unit of Ophthalmology, School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Lei Liu
- Academic Unit of Ophthalmology, School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Zhang Y, Wang X, Yang H, Liu H, Lu Y, Han L, Liu G. Kinase AKT controls innate immune cell development and function. Immunology 2013; 140:143-52. [PMID: 23692658 DOI: 10.1111/imm.12123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2013] [Revised: 05/13/2013] [Accepted: 05/16/2013] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The critical roles of kinase AKT in tumour cell proliferation, apoptosis and protein synthesis have been widely recognized. But AKT also plays an important role in immune modulation. Recent studies have confirmed that kinase AKT can regulate the development and functions of innate immune cells (neutrophil, macrophage and dendritic cell). Studies have shown that different isoforms of kinase AKT have different effects in regulating immunity-related diseases, mainly through the mammalian target of rapamycin-dependent or -independent pathways. The purpose of this review is to illustrate the immune modulating effects of kinase AKT on innate immune cell development, survival and function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhang
- Department of Immunology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shenyang Agriculture University, Shenyang, China
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Fang F, Ooka K, Sun X, Shah R, Bhattacharyya S, Wei J, Varga J. A synthetic TLR3 ligand mitigates profibrotic fibroblast responses by inducing autocrine IFN signaling. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2013; 191:2956-66. [PMID: 23956427 PMCID: PMC3924580 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1300376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Activation of TLR3 by exogenous microbial ligands or endogenous injury-associated ligands leads to production of type I IFN. Scleroderma patients with progressive skin fibrosis display an IFN-regulated gene signature, implicating TLR3 signaling in the disease. In this study, we show that TLR3 expression was detected on foreskin, adult skin, and lung fibroblasts, and TLR3 levels were significantly elevated in a subset of scleroderma skin biopsies. In explanted skin and lung fibroblasts, the synthetic TLR3 ligand polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)), a dsRNA analog, caused dose- and time-dependent stimulation of IFN-β production and generation of an IFN-response gene signature that was accompanied by substantial downregulation of collagen and α-smooth muscle actin gene expression. Furthermore, poly(I:C) abrogated TGF-β-induced fibrotic responses and blocked canonical Smad signaling via upregulation of inhibitory Smad7. Surprisingly, the inhibitory effects of poly(I:C) in fibroblasts were independent of TLR3 and were mediated by the cytosolic receptors retinoic acid-inducible gene 1 and melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5, and involved signaling via the IFN receptor. Taken together, these results demonstrate that induction of a fibroblast IFN response gene signature triggered by dsRNA is associated with potent TLR3-independent anti-fibrotic effects. The characteristic IFN response gene signature seen in scleroderma lesions might therefore signify a tissue-autonomous protective attempt to restrict fibroblast activation during injury.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Feng Fang
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Kohtaro Ooka
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Xiaoyong Sun
- McDermott Center for Human Growth & Development, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390
| | - Ruchi Shah
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | | | - Jun Wei
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - John Varga
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Nakajima Y, Nakamura Y, Shigeeda W, Tomoyasu M, Deguchi H, Tanita T, Yamauchi K. The role of tumor necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ in regulating angiomotin-like protein 1 expression in lung microvascular endothelial cells. Allergol Int 2013; 62:309-22. [PMID: 23793505 DOI: 10.2332/allergolint.12-oa-0528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2012] [Accepted: 02/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Angiogenesis in the alveolar septa is thought be a critical factor in pulmonary emphysema. Angiomotin-like protein 1 (AmotL1) is involved in angiogenesis via regulating endothelial cell function. However, the role of AmotL1 in the pathogenesis of pulmonary emphysema has not been elucidated. The objective of this study is to evaluate the expression of AmotL1 in lung tissues from a murine model with emphysema, as well as from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Furthermore, we analyzed the regulation of AmotL1 expression by TNF-α and IFN-γ in endothelial cells in vitro. METHODS Nrf2 knockout mice were exposed to cigarette smoke (CS) for 4 weeks, and the down-regulated genes affecting vascularity in the whole lung were identified by microarray analysis. This analysis revealed that the mRNA expression of AmotL1 decreased in response to CS when compared with air exposure. To confirm the protein levels that were indicated in the microarray data, we determined the expression of AmotL1 in lung tissues obtained from patients with COPD and also determined the expression of AmotL1, NFκB and IκBα in cultured normal human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HLMVECs) that were stimulated by TNF-α and IFN-γ. RESULTS We found that the number of AmotL1-positive vessels decreased in the emphysema lungs compared with the normal and bronchial asthmatic lungs. IFN-γ pretreatment diminished the TNF-α-induced AmotL1 in the cultured HLMVECs by blocking the degradation of IκBα. CONCLUSIONS These results suggested that IFN-γ exhibits anti-angiogenesis effects by regulating the expression of TNF-α-induced AmotL1 via NFκB in emphysema lungs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yoshio Nakajima
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Allergy, and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Iwate Medical University School of Medicine, Iwate 020-8505, Japan
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Kratzer A, Salys J, Nold-Petry C, Cool C, Zamora M, Bowler R, Koczulla AR, Janciauskiene S, Edwards MG, Dinarello CA, Taraseviciene-Stewart L. Role of IL-18 in second-hand smoke-induced emphysema. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2013; 48:725-32. [PMID: 23392573 DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2012-0173oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure comprises the main risk factor for nonsmokers to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the mechanisms behind the chronic inflammation and lung destruction remain incompletely understood. In this study, we show that chronic exposure of Sprague-Dawley rats to SHS results in a significant increase of proinflammatory cytokine IL-18 and chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 5 in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and a significant decrease of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the lung tissue. SHS exposure resulted in progressive alveolar airspace enlargement, cell death, pulmonary vessel loss, vessel muscularization, collagen deposition, and right ventricular hypertrophy. Alveolar macrophages displayed a foamy phenotype and a decreased expression of the natural inhibitor of IL-18, namely, IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP). Moreover, IL-18 down-regulated the expression of VEGF receptor-1 and VEGFR receptor-2, and induced apoptosis in pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells in vitro. We also observed a trend toward increased concentrations of IL-18 in the BALF of patients with COPD. Our findings suggest that IL-18-mediated endothelial cell death may contribute to vascular destruction and disappearance in SHS-induced COPD. Moreover, IL-18 and IL-18BP are potential new targets for therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adelheid Kratzer
- Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado at Denver, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Gatti G, Nuñez NG, Nocera DA, Dejager L, Libert C, Giraudo C, Maccioni M. Direct effect of dsRNA mimetics on cancer cells induces endogenous IFN-β production capable of improving dendritic cell function. Eur J Immunol 2013; 43:1849-61. [PMID: 23636788 DOI: 10.1002/eji.201242902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2012] [Revised: 03/13/2013] [Accepted: 04/25/2013] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Viral double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) mimetics have been explored in cancer immunotherapy to promote antitumoral immune response. Polyinosine-polycytidylic acid (poly I:C) and polyadenylic-polyuridylic acid (poly A:U) are synthetic analogs of viral dsRNA and strong inducers of type I interferon (IFN). We describe here a novel effect of dsRNA analogs on cancer cells: besides their potential to induce cancer cell apoptosis through an IFN-β autocrine loop, dsRNA-elicited IFN-β production improves dendritic cell (DC) functionality. Human A549 lung and DU145 prostate carcinoma cells significantly responded to poly I:C stimulation, producing IFN-β at levels that were capable of activating STAT1 and enhancing CXCL10, CD40, and CD86 expression on human monocyte-derived DCs. IFN-β produced by poly I:C-activated human cancer cells increased the capacity of monocyte-derived DCs to stimulate IFN-γ production in an allogeneic stimulatory culture in vitro. When melanoma murine B16 cells were stimulated in vitro with poly A:U and then inoculated into TLR3(-/-) mice, smaller tumors were elicited. This tumor growth inhibition was abrogated in IFNAR1(-/-) mice. Thus, dsRNA compounds are effective adjuvants not only because they activate DCs and promote strong adaptive immunity, but also because they can directly act on cancer cells to induce endogenous IFN-β production and contribute to the antitumoral response.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gerardo Gatti
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología (CIBICI-CONICET), Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Agustí A, Barnes PJ. Update in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2011. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2012; 185:1171-6. [PMID: 22661523 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201203-0505up] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alvar Agustí
- Institut del Torax, Hospital Clinic, Villarroel 170, Barcelona, Spain.
| | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Studies of vascular endothelial growth factor in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Ann Am Thorac Soc 2012; 8:512-5. [PMID: 22052929 DOI: 10.1513/pats.201102-018mw] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent stimulator of vascular angiogenesis, permeability, and remodeling that also plays important roles in wound healing and tissue cytoprotection. To begin to define the roles of VEGF in diseases like asthma and COPD, we characterized the effects of lung-targeted transgenic VEGF(165) and defined the innate immune pathways that regulate VEGF tissue responses. The former studies demonstrated that VEGF plays an important role in Th2 inflammation because, in addition to stimulating angiogenesis and edema, VEGF induced eosinophilic inflammation, mucus metaplasia, subepithelial fibrosis, myocyte hyperplasia, dendritic cell activation, and airways hyperresponsiveness via IL-13-dependent and -independent mechanisms. VEGF was also produced at sites of aeroallergen-induced Th2 inflammation, and VEGF receptor blockade ameliorated adaptive Th2 inflammation and Th2 cytokine elaboration. The latter studies demonstrated that activation of the RIG-like helicase (RLH) innate immune pathway using viral pathogen-associated molecular patterns such as Poly(I:C) or viruses ameliorated VEGF-induced tissue responses. In accord with these findings, Poly(I:C)-induced RLH activation also abrogated aeroallergen-induced Th2 inflammation. When viewed in combination, these studies suggest that VEGF excess can contribute to the pathogenesis of Th2 inflammatory disorders such as asthma and that abrogation of VEGF signaling via RLH activation can contribute to the pathogenesis of viral disorders such as virus-induced COPD exacerbations. They also suggest that RLH activation may be a useful therapeutic strategy in asthma and related disorders.
Collapse
|
23
|
Taraseviciene-Stewart L, Voelkel NF. VEGF, Poly(i:C), and Innate Immune Response. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2012; 185:462-3. [DOI: 10.1164/ajrccm.185.4.462a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
|