1
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Valenzi E, Bahudhanapati H, Tan J, Tabib T, Sullivan DI, Nouraie M, Sembrat J, Fan L, Chen K, Liu S, Rojas M, Lafargue A, Felsher DW, Tran PT, Kass DJ, Lafyatis R. Single-nucleus chromatin accessibility identifies a critical role for TWIST1 in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis myofibroblast activity. Eur Respir J 2023; 62:2200474. [PMID: 37142338 PMCID: PMC10411550 DOI: 10.1183/13993003.00474-2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), myofibroblasts are key effectors of fibrosis and architectural distortion by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix and their acquired contractile capacity. Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) has precisely defined the IPF myofibroblast transcriptome, but identifying critical transcription factor activity by this approach is imprecise. METHODS We performed single-nucleus assay for transposase-accessible chromatin sequencing on explanted lungs from patients with IPF (n=3) and donor controls (n=2) and integrated this with a larger scRNA-seq dataset (10 IPF, eight controls) to identify differentially accessible chromatin regions and enriched transcription factor motifs within lung cell populations. We performed RNA-sequencing on pulmonary fibroblasts of bleomycin-injured Twist1-overexpressing COL1A2 Cre-ER mice to examine alterations in fibrosis-relevant pathways following Twist1 overexpression in collagen-producing cells. RESULTS TWIST1, and other E-box transcription factor motifs, were significantly enriched in open chromatin of IPF myofibroblasts compared to both IPF nonmyogenic (log2 fold change (FC) 8.909, adjusted p-value 1.82×10-35) and control fibroblasts (log2FC 8.975, adjusted p-value 3.72×10-28). TWIST1 expression was selectively upregulated in IPF myofibroblasts (log2FC 3.136, adjusted p-value 1.41×10- 24), with two regions of TWIST1 having significantly increased accessibility in IPF myofibroblasts. Overexpression of Twist1 in COL1A2-expressing fibroblasts of bleomycin-injured mice resulted in increased collagen synthesis and upregulation of genes with enriched chromatin accessibility in IPF myofibroblasts. CONCLUSIONS Our studies utilising human multiomic single-cell analyses combined with in vivo murine disease models confirm a critical regulatory function for TWIST1 in IPF myofibroblast activity in the fibrotic lung. Understanding the global process of opening TWIST1 and other E-box transcription factor motifs that govern myofibroblast differentiation may identify new therapeutic interventions for fibrotic pulmonary diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor Valenzi
- Dorothy P. and Richard P. Simmons Center for Interstitial Lung Disease, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Harinath Bahudhanapati
- Dorothy P. and Richard P. Simmons Center for Interstitial Lung Disease, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Jiangning Tan
- Dorothy P. and Richard P. Simmons Center for Interstitial Lung Disease, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Tracy Tabib
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Daniel I Sullivan
- Dorothy P. and Richard P. Simmons Center for Interstitial Lung Disease, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Mehdi Nouraie
- Dorothy P. and Richard P. Simmons Center for Interstitial Lung Disease, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - John Sembrat
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Li Fan
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kong Chen
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Silvia Liu
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Mauricio Rojas
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Audrey Lafargue
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Dean W Felsher
- Division of Oncology, Departments of Medicine and Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Phuoc T Tran
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Daniel J Kass
- Dorothy P. and Richard P. Simmons Center for Interstitial Lung Disease, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Robert Lafyatis
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
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2
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Jost P, Klein F, Brand B, Wahl V, Wyatt A, Yildiz D, Boehm U, Niemeyer BA, Vaeth M, Alansary D. Acute Downregulation but Not Genetic Ablation of Murine MCU Impairs Suppressive Capacity of Regulatory CD4 T Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24097772. [PMID: 37175478 PMCID: PMC10178810 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24097772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
By virtue of mitochondrial control of energy production, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and maintenance of Ca2+ homeostasis, mitochondria play an essential role in modulating T cell function. The mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (MCU) is the pore-forming unit in the main protein complex mediating mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake. Recently, MCU has been shown to modulate Ca2+ signals at subcellular organellar interfaces, thus fine-tuning NFAT translocation and T cell activation. The mechanisms underlying this modulation and whether MCU has additional T cell subpopulation-specific effects remain elusive. However, mice with germline or tissue-specific ablation of Mcu did not show impaired T cell responses in vitro or in vivo, indicating that 'chronic' loss of MCU can be functionally compensated in lymphocytes. The current work aimed to specifically investigate whether and how MCU influences the suppressive potential of regulatory CD4 T cells (Treg). We show that, in contrast to genetic ablation, acute siRNA-mediated downregulation of Mcu in murine Tregs results in a significant reduction both in mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake and in the suppressive capacity of Tregs, while the ratios of Treg subpopulations and the expression of hallmark transcription factors were not affected. These findings suggest that permanent genetic inactivation of MCU may result in compensatory adaptive mechanisms, masking the effects on the suppressive capacity of Tregs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priska Jost
- Molecular Biophysics, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany
| | - Franziska Klein
- Molecular Biophysics, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany
| | - Benjamin Brand
- Würzburg Institute of Systems Immunology, Max Planck Research Group at Julius-Maximilians University of Würzburg, 97078 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Vanessa Wahl
- Experimental Pharmacology, Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), School of Medicine, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany
| | - Amanda Wyatt
- Experimental Pharmacology, Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), School of Medicine, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany
| | - Daniela Yildiz
- Experimental Pharmacology, Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), School of Medicine, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany
| | - Ulrich Boehm
- Experimental Pharmacology, Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), School of Medicine, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany
| | | | - Martin Vaeth
- Würzburg Institute of Systems Immunology, Max Planck Research Group at Julius-Maximilians University of Würzburg, 97078 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Dalia Alansary
- Molecular Biophysics, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany
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3
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Justet A, Ghanem M, Boghanim T, Hachem M, Vasarmidi E, Jaillet M, Vadel A, Joannes A, Mordant P, Bonniaud P, Kolb M, Ling L, Cazes A, Mal H, Mailleux A, Crestani B. FGF19 is Downregulated in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and Inhibits Lung Fibrosis in Mice. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2022; 67:173-187. [PMID: 35549849 DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2021-0246oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
IPF is a devastating lung disease with limited therapeutic possibilities. FGF19, an endocrine FGF, was recently shown to decrease liver fibrosis. To ask whether FGF19 had anti-fibrotic properties in the lung and decipher its effects on common features associated with lung fibrogenesis. We assessed, by Elisa, FGF19 levels in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF)obtained from controls and IPF patients. In vivo, using an intravenously administered adeno11 associated virus (AAV), we overexpressed FGF19 at the fibrotic phase of two experimental models of murine lung fibrosis and assessed its effect on lung morphology, lung collagen content, fibrosis markers and pro fibrotic mediator expression, at mRNA and protein levels. In vitro, we investigated whether FGF19 could modulate the TGFβ-induced differentiation of primary human lung fibroblast into myofibroblast and the apoptosis of murine alveolar type II cell. While FGF19 was not detected in BALF, FGF19 concentration was decreased in the plasma of IPF patients compared to controls. In vivo, the overexpression of FGF19 was associated with a marked decrease of lung fibrosis and fibrosis markers, with a decrease of pro fibrotic mediator expression and lung collagen content. In vitro, FGF19 decreased alveolar type 2 epithelial cell apoptosis through the decrease of the proapoptotic BIM protein expression and prevented TGF-ß induced myofibroblast differentiation through the inhibition of JNK phosphorylation. Altogether these data identify FGF19 as an anti-fibrotic molecule with a potential therapeutic interest in fibrotic lung disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Audrey Joannes
- INSERM U1085, IRSET Institut de Recherche sur la Santé, l'Environnement et le Travail, Université de Rennes-1, Rennes, France
| | - Pierre Mordant
- Assistance Publique - Hopitaux de Paris, 26930, Bichat Hospital, Department of Vascular and Thoracic Sugery, Paris, France.,INSERM, U1152, Paris, France.,Universite Paris Diderot UFR de Medecine Site Xavier-Bichat, 60152, Paris, France
| | - Philippe Bonniaud
- CHU Dijon-Bourgogne, Service de Pneumologie et Soins Intensifs Respiratoires, Dijon, France
| | - Martin Kolb
- McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lei Ling
- NGM Biopharmaceuticals Inc, 200841, San Francisco, California, United States
| | | | | | - Arnaud Mailleux
- Inserm U700, Faculté de Médecine Paris 7, site X. Bichat, Paris, France
| | - Bruno Crestani
- AP-HP, Hôpital Bichat, Service de Pneumologie A, DHU FIRE, Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France;
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4
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The cytokines interleukin-6 and interferon-α induce distinct microglia phenotypes. J Neuroinflammation 2022; 19:96. [PMID: 35429976 PMCID: PMC9013466 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-022-02441-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Elevated production of the cytokines interleukin (IL)-6 or interferon (IFN)-α in the central nervous system (CNS) is implicated in the pathogenesis of neurological diseases such as neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders or cerebral interferonopathies, respectively. Transgenic mice with CNS-targeted chronic production of IL-6 (GFAP-IL6) or IFN-α (GFAP-IFN) recapitulate important clinical and pathological features of these human diseases. The activation of microglia is a prominent manifestation found both in the human diseases and in the transgenic mice, yet little is known about how this contributes to disease pathology. Methods Here, we used a combination of ex vivo and in situ techniques to characterize the molecular, cellular and transcriptomic phenotypes of microglia in GFAP-IL6 versus GFAP-IFN mice. In addition, a transcriptomic meta-analysis was performed to compare the microglia response from GFAP-IL6 and GFAP-IFN mice to the response of microglia in a range of neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory disorders. Results We demonstrated that microglia show stimulus-specific responses to IL-6 versus IFN-α in the brain resulting in unique and extensive molecular and cellular adaptations. In GFAP-IL6 mice, microglia proliferated, had shortened, less branched processes and elicited transcriptomic and molecular changes associated with phagocytosis and lipid processing. In comparison, microglia in the brain of GFAP-IFN mice exhibited increased proliferation and apoptosis, had larger, hyper-ramified processes and showed transcriptomic and surface marker changes associated with antigen presentation and antiviral response. Further, a transcriptomic meta-analysis revealed that IL-6 and IFN-α both contribute to the formation of a core microglia response in animal models of neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, tauopathy, multiple sclerosis and lipopolysaccharide-induced endotoxemia. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that microglia responses to IL-6 and IFN-α are highly stimulus-specific, wide-ranging and give rise to divergent phenotypes that modulate microglia responses in neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12974-022-02441-x.
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5
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Serum Epiplakin Might Be a Potential Serodiagnostic Biomarker for Bladder Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13205150. [PMID: 34680299 PMCID: PMC8534213 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13205150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor markers that can be detected at an early stage are needed. Here, we evaluated the epiplakin expression levels in sera from patients with bladder cancer (BC). Using a micro-dot blot array, we evaluated epiplakin expression levels in 60 patients with BC, 20 patients with stone disease, and 28 healthy volunteers. The area under the curve (AUC) and best cut-off point were calculated using receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Serum epiplakin levels were significantly higher in patients with BC than in those with stone disease (p = 0.0013) and in healthy volunteers (p < 0.0001). The AUC-ROC level for BC was 0.78 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.69-0.87). Using a cut-off point of 873, epiplakin expression levels exhibited 68.3% sensitivity and 79.2% specificity for BC. However, the serum epiplakin levels did not significantly differ by sex, age, pathological stage and grade, or urine cytology. We performed immunohistochemical staining using the same antibody on another cohort of 127 patients who underwent radical cystectomy. Univariate and multivariate analysis results showed no significant differences between epiplakin expression, clinicopathological findings, and patient prognoses. Our results showed that serum epiplakin might be a potential serodiagnostic biomarker in patients with BC.
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6
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Schamschula E, Lahnsteiner A, Assenov Y, Hagmann W, Zaborsky N, Wiederstein M, Strobl A, Stanke F, Muley T, Plass C, Tümmler B, Risch A. Disease-related blood-based differential methylation in cystic fibrosis and its representation in lung cancer revealed a regulatory locus in PKP3 in lung epithelial cells. Epigenetics 2021; 17:837-860. [PMID: 34415821 PMCID: PMC9423854 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2021.1959976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a monogenic disease, characterized by massive chronic lung inflammation. The observed variability in clinical phenotypes in monozygotic CF twins is likely associated with the extent of inflammation. This study sought to investigate inflammation-related aberrant DNA methylation in CF twins and to determine to what extent acquired methylation changes may be associated with lung cancer. Blood-based genome-wide DNA methylation analysis was performed to compare the DNA methylomes of monozygotic twins, from the European CF Twin and Sibling Study with various degrees of disease severity. Putatively inflammation-related and differentially methylated positions were selected from a large lung cancer case-control study and investigated in blood by targeted bisulphite next-generation-sequencing. An inflammation-related locus located in the Plakophilin-3 (PKP3) gene was functionally analysed regarding promoter and enhancer activity in presence and absence of methylation using luciferase reporter assays. We confirmed in a unique cohort that monozygotic twins, even if clinically discordant, have only minor differences in global DNA methylation patterns and blood cell composition. Further, we determined the most differentially methylated positions, a high proportion of which are blood cell-type-specific, whereas others may be acquired and thus have potential relevance in the context of inflammation as lung cancer risk factors. We identified a sequence in the gene body of PKP3 which is hypermethylated in blood from CF twins with severe phenotype and highly variably methylated in lung cancer patients and controls, independent of known clinical parameters, and showed that this region exhibits methylation-dependent promoter activity in lung epithelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yassen Assenov
- Division of Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Hagmann
- Division of Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nadja Zaborsky
- Department of Internal Medicine III with Haematology, Medical Oncology, Haemostaseology, Infectiology and Rheumatology, Oncologic Center, Salzburg Cancer Research Institute - Laboratory for Immunological and Molecular Cancer Research (SCRI-LIMCR), Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria.,Cancer Cluster Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | | | - Anna Strobl
- Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Frauke Stanke
- Clinical Research Group, Clinic for Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology and NeonatologyClinic for Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology and Neonatology, Hannover, Germany.,Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), German Center for Lung Research, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Thomas Muley
- Translational Research Unit, Thoraxklinik Heidelberg, University of Heidelberg, Germany.,Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg (TLRC-H), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christoph Plass
- Division of Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg (TLRC-H), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Burkhard Tümmler
- Clinical Research Group, Clinic for Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology and NeonatologyClinic for Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology and Neonatology, Hannover, Germany.,Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), German Center for Lung Research, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Angela Risch
- Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.,Division of Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Cancer Cluster Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.,Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg (TLRC-H), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Heidelberg, Germany
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7
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Planté-Bordeneuve T, Pilette C, Froidure A. The Epithelial-Immune Crosstalk in Pulmonary Fibrosis. Front Immunol 2021; 12:631235. [PMID: 34093523 PMCID: PMC8170303 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.631235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Interactions between the lung epithelium and the immune system involve a tight regulation to prevent inappropriate reactions and have been connected to several pulmonary diseases. Although the distal lung epithelium and local immunity have been implicated in the pathogenesis and disease course of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), consequences of their abnormal interplay remain less well known. Recent data suggests a two-way process, as illustrated by the influence of epithelial-derived periplakin on the immune landscape or the effect of macrophage-derived IL-17B on epithelial cells. Additionally, damage associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), released by damaged or dying (epithelial) cells, are augmented in IPF. Next to “sterile inflammation”, pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) are increased in IPF and have been linked with lung fibrosis, while outer membrane vesicles from bacteria are able to influence epithelial-macrophage crosstalk. Finally, the advent of high-throughput technologies such as microbiome-sequencing has allowed for the identification of a disease-specific microbial environment. In this review, we propose to discuss how the interplays between the altered distal airway and alveolar epithelium, the lung microbiome and immune cells may shape a pro-fibrotic environment. More specifically, it will highlight DAMPs-PAMPs pathways and the specificities of the IPF lung microbiome while discussing recent elements suggesting abnormal mucosal immunity in pulmonary fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Planté-Bordeneuve
- Pôle de pneumologie, O.R.L. et dermatologie, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université catholique de Louvain, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Charles Pilette
- Pôle de pneumologie, O.R.L. et dermatologie, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université catholique de Louvain, Bruxelles, Belgium.,Service de pneumologie, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Antoine Froidure
- Pôle de pneumologie, O.R.L. et dermatologie, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université catholique de Louvain, Bruxelles, Belgium.,Service de pneumologie, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Bruxelles, Belgium
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8
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Wesley T, Berzins S, Kannourakis G, Ahmed N. The attributes of plakins in cancer and disease: perspectives on ovarian cancer progression, chemoresistance and recurrence. Cell Commun Signal 2021; 19:55. [PMID: 34001250 PMCID: PMC8127266 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-021-00726-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The plakin family of cytoskeletal proteins play an important role in cancer progression yet are under-studied in cancer, especially ovarian cancer. These large cytoskeletal proteins have primary roles in the maintenance of cytoskeletal integrity but are also associated with scaffolds of intermediate filaments and hemidesmosomal adhesion complexes mediating signalling pathways that regulate cellular growth, migration, invasion and differentiation as well as stress response. Abnormalities of plakins, and the closely related spectraplakins, result in diseases of the skin, striated muscle and nervous tissue. Their prevalence in epithelial cells suggests that plakins may play a role in epithelial ovarian cancer progression and recurrence. In this review article, we explore the roles of plakins, particularly plectin, periplakin and envoplakin in disease-states and cancers with emphasis on ovarian cancer. We discuss the potential role the plakin family of proteins play in regulating cancer cell growth, survival, migration, invasion and drug resistance. We highlight potential relationships between plakins, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer stem cells (CSCs) and discuss how interaction of these processes may affect ovarian cancer progression, chemoresistance and ultimately recurrence. We propose that molecular changes in the expression of plakins leads to the transition of benign ovarian tumours to carcinomas, as well as floating cellular aggregates (commonly known as spheroids) in the ascites microenvironment, which may contribute to the sustenance and progression of the disease. In this review, attempts have been made to understand the crucial changes in plakin expression in relation to progression and recurrence of ovarian cancer. Video Abstract
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamsin Wesley
- Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute, Ballarat Technology Central Park, Suites 23-26, 106-110 Lydiard Street South, Ballarat, VIC, 3353, Australia.,School of Science, Psychology and Sport, Federation University Australia, Ballarat, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Stuart Berzins
- Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute, Ballarat Technology Central Park, Suites 23-26, 106-110 Lydiard Street South, Ballarat, VIC, 3353, Australia.,School of Science, Psychology and Sport, Federation University Australia, Ballarat, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - George Kannourakis
- Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute, Ballarat Technology Central Park, Suites 23-26, 106-110 Lydiard Street South, Ballarat, VIC, 3353, Australia.,School of Science, Psychology and Sport, Federation University Australia, Ballarat, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Nuzhat Ahmed
- Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute, Ballarat Technology Central Park, Suites 23-26, 106-110 Lydiard Street South, Ballarat, VIC, 3353, Australia. .,School of Science, Psychology and Sport, Federation University Australia, Ballarat, VIC, 3010, Australia. .,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3052, Australia. .,Centre for Reproductive Health, The Hudson Institute of Medical Research and Department of Translational Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3168, Australia.
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9
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Sanchez-Solares J, Sanchez L, Pablo-Torres C, Diaz-Fernandez C, Sørensen P, Barber D, Gomez-Casado C. Celiac Disease Causes Epithelial Disruption and Regulatory T Cell Recruitment in the Oral Mucosa. Front Immunol 2021; 12:623805. [PMID: 33717129 PMCID: PMC7947325 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.623805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by an immune-triggered enteropathy upon gluten intake. The only current treatment available is lifelong Gluten Free Diet (GFD). Several extraintestinal manifestations have been described in CD, some affecting the oral mucosa. Thus, we hypothesized that oral mucosa could potentially be a target for novel biomarkers and an administration route for CD treatment. Six de novo diagnosed and seven CD patients under GFD for at least 1 year were recruited. Non-celiac subjects (n = 8) were recruited as control group. Two biopsies of the cheek lining were taken from each subject for mRNA analysis and immunohistochemical characterization. We observed a significant decrease in the expression of epithelial junction proteins in all CD patients, indicating that oral mucosa barrier integrity is compromised. FoxP3+ population was greatly increased in CD patients, suggesting that Tregs are recruited to the damaged mucosa, even after avoidance of gluten. Amphiregulin mRNA levels from Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) and epithelial damage in the oral mucosa correlated with Treg infiltration in all the experimental groups, suggesting that recruited Tregs might display a “repair” phenotype. Based on these results, we propose that oral mucosa is altered in CD and, as such, might have diagnostic potential. Furthermore, due to its tolerogenic nature, it could be an important target for oral immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Sanchez-Solares
- Institute of Applied Molecular Medicine, Hospitals Madrid (HM) Group, San Pablo-CEU University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Sanchez
- Service of Gastroenterology, University Hospital San Agustin (HUSA), Aviles, Spain
| | - Carmela Pablo-Torres
- Institute of Applied Molecular Medicine, Hospitals Madrid (HM) Group, San Pablo-CEU University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Celso Diaz-Fernandez
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital San Agustin (HUSA), Aviels, Spain
| | - Poul Sørensen
- Allero Therapeutics BV, Rotterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Domingo Barber
- Institute of Applied Molecular Medicine, Hospitals Madrid (HM) Group, San Pablo-CEU University, Madrid, Spain.,ARADyAL-RD16/0006/0015, Thematic Network and Cooperative Research Centers, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Gomez-Casado
- Institute of Applied Molecular Medicine, Hospitals Madrid (HM) Group, San Pablo-CEU University, Madrid, Spain.,ARADyAL-RD16/0006/0015, Thematic Network and Cooperative Research Centers, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
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10
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Rana T, Ahmad A, Zafar I, Mariappan N, Chandrashekar DS, Hamid T, Husain M, Varambally S, Ahmad S, Ahmad A. MicroRNA-mediated inflammation and coagulation effects in rats exposed to an inhaled analog of sulfur mustard. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2020; 1479:148-158. [PMID: 32602122 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Exposure of rats to 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES), an analog of sulfur mustard, can cause acute lung injury (ALI), resulting in increased inflammation and coagulation and altered levels of plasma microRNAs (miRNAs). Rats were exposed to aerosolized CEES and euthanized 12 h later for collection of tissue and plasma. Profiling of miRNAs in plasma, using a TaqMan-based RT-PCR array, revealed 14 differentially expressed miRNAs. Target gene prediction and pathway analysis revealed miRNA-mediated regulation of organismal injury, inflammation, and respiratory diseases. miR-140-5p, a marker of ALI, was downregulated in the plasma, lung, liver, and kidney of CEES-exposed rats, with a concomitant increase in the expression of the inflammation markers IL-6 and IL-1α and the coagulation marker tissue factor (F3). Exposure of rat airway epithelial cells (RL-65) to CEES (0.5 mM) caused cell death and a decrease in miR-140-5p both in cells and media supernatant. This was accompanied by an increase in cellular mRNA levels of IL-6, IL-1α, and F3, as well as FGF9 and EGR2, putative targets of miR-140. Knockdown of miR-140 by specific oligos in RL-65 cells mimicked the in vivo CEES-mediated effects, leading to significantly increased mRNA levels of IL-6, IL-1α, F3, FGF9, and EGR2. Our study identifies miR-140-5p as a mediator of CEES-induced ALI, which could potentially be targeted for therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tapasi Rana
- Division of Molecular and Translational Biomedicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Aamir Ahmad
- Division of Molecular and Translational Biomedicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Iram Zafar
- Division of Molecular and Translational Biomedicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Nithya Mariappan
- Division of Molecular and Translational Biomedicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | | | - Tariq Hamid
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Maroof Husain
- Division of Molecular and Translational Biomedicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | | | - Shama Ahmad
- Division of Molecular and Translational Biomedicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Aftab Ahmad
- Division of Molecular and Translational Biomedicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
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Tzouvelekis A, Karampitsakos T, Bouros E, Tzilas V, Liossis SN, Bouros D. Autoimmune Biomarkers, Antibodies, and Immunologic Evaluation of the Patient with Fibrotic Lung Disease. Clin Chest Med 2019; 40:679-691. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ccm.2019.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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