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Yombo DJK, Ghandikota S, Vemulapalli CP, Singh P, Jegga AG, Hardie WD, Madala SK. SEMA3B inhibits TGFβ-induced extracellular matrix protein production and its reduced levels are associated with a decline in lung function in IPF. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2024; 326:C1659-C1668. [PMID: 38646784 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00681.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is marked by the activation of fibroblasts, leading to excessive production and deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) within the lung parenchyma. Despite the pivotal role of ECM overexpression in IPF, potential negative regulators of ECM production in fibroblasts have yet to be identified. Semaphorin class 3B (SEMA3B), a secreted protein highly expressed in lung tissues, has established roles in axonal guidance and tumor suppression. However, the role of SEMA3B in ECM production by fibroblasts in the pathogenesis of IPF remains unexplored. Here, we show the downregulation of SEMA3B and its cognate binding receptor, neuropilin 1 (NRP1), in IPF lungs compared with healthy controls. Notably, the reduced expression of SEMA3B and NRP1 is associated with a decline in lung function in IPF. The downregulation of SEMA3B and NRP1 transcripts was validated in the lung tissues of patients with IPF, and two alternative mouse models of pulmonary fibrosis. In addition, we show that transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) functions as a negative regulator of SEMA3B and NRP1 expression in lung fibroblasts. Furthermore, we demonstrate the antifibrotic effects of SEMA3B against TGFβ-induced ECM production in IPF lung fibroblasts. Overall, our findings uncovered a novel role of SEMA3B in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis and provided novel insights into modulating the SEMA3B-NRP1 axis to attenuate pulmonary fibrosis.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The excessive production and secretion of collagens and other extracellular matrix proteins by fibroblasts lead to the scarring of the lung in severe fibrotic lung diseases. This study unveils an antifibrotic role for semaphorin class 3B (SEMA3B) in the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. SEMA3B functions as an inhibitor of transforming growth factor-β-driven fibroblast activation and reduced levels of SEMA3B and its receptor, neuropilin 1, are associated with decreased lung function in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan J K Yombo
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
| | - Sudhir Ghandikota
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
| | - Chanukya P Vemulapalli
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
| | - Priyanka Singh
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
| | - Anil G Jegga
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
| | - William D Hardie
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
| | - Satish K Madala
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
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2
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Yang J, Pan X, Xu M, Li Y, Liang C, Liu L, Li Z, Wang L, Yu G. Downregulation of HMGCS2 mediated AECIIs lipid metabolic alteration promotes pulmonary fibrosis by activating fibroblasts. Respir Res 2024; 25:176. [PMID: 38658970 PMCID: PMC11040761 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-024-02816-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Abnormal lipid metabolism has recently been reported as a crucial signature of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). However, the origin and biological function of the lipid and possible mechanisms of increased lipid content in the pathogenesis of IPF remains undetermined. METHODS Oil-red staining and immunofluorescence analysis were used to detect lipid accumulation in mouse lung fibrosis frozen sections, Bleomycin-treated human type II alveolar epithelial cells (AECIIs) and lung fibroblast. Untargeted Lipid omics analysis was applied to investigate differential lipid species and identified LysoPC was utilized to treat human lung fibroblasts and mice. Microarray and single-cell RNA expression data sets identified lipid metabolism-related differentially expressed genes. Gain of function experiment was used to study the function of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-Coa Synthase 2 (HMGCS2) in regulating AECIIs lipid metabolism. Mice with AECII-HMGCS2 high were established by intratracheally delivering HBAAV2/6-SFTPC- HMGCS2 adeno-associated virus. Western blot, Co-immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence, site-directed mutation and flow cytometry were utilized to investigate the mechanisms of HMGCS2-mediated lipid metabolism in AECIIs. RESULTS Injured AECIIs were the primary source of accumulated lipids in response to Bleomycin stimulation. LysoPCs released by injured AECIIs could activate lung fibroblasts, thus promoting the progression of pulmonary fibrosis. Mechanistically, HMGCS2 was decreased explicitly in AECIIs and ectopic expression of HMGCS2 in AECIIs using the AAV system significantly alleviated experimental mouse lung fibrosis progression via modulating lipid degradation in AECIIs through promoting CPT1A and CPT2 expression by interacting with PPARα. CONCLUSIONS These data unveiled a novel etiological mechanism of HMGCS2-mediated AECII lipid metabolism in the genesis and development of pulmonary fibrosis and provided a novel target for clinical intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juntang Yang
- State Key Laboratory Cell Differentiation and Regulation, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Pulmonary Fibrosis, Henan Center for Outstanding Overseas Scientists of Pulmonary Fibrosis, College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, Henan, China
| | - Xin Pan
- State Key Laboratory Cell Differentiation and Regulation, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Pulmonary Fibrosis, Henan Center for Outstanding Overseas Scientists of Pulmonary Fibrosis, College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, Henan, China
| | - Min Xu
- State Key Laboratory Cell Differentiation and Regulation, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Pulmonary Fibrosis, Henan Center for Outstanding Overseas Scientists of Pulmonary Fibrosis, College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, Henan, China
| | - Yingge Li
- State Key Laboratory Cell Differentiation and Regulation, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Pulmonary Fibrosis, Henan Center for Outstanding Overseas Scientists of Pulmonary Fibrosis, College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, Henan, China
| | - Chenxi Liang
- State Key Laboratory Cell Differentiation and Regulation, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Pulmonary Fibrosis, Henan Center for Outstanding Overseas Scientists of Pulmonary Fibrosis, College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, Henan, China
| | - Lulu Liu
- State Key Laboratory Cell Differentiation and Regulation, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Pulmonary Fibrosis, Henan Center for Outstanding Overseas Scientists of Pulmonary Fibrosis, College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, Henan, China
| | - Zhongzheng Li
- State Key Laboratory Cell Differentiation and Regulation, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Pulmonary Fibrosis, Henan Center for Outstanding Overseas Scientists of Pulmonary Fibrosis, College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, Henan, China
| | - Lan Wang
- State Key Laboratory Cell Differentiation and Regulation, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Pulmonary Fibrosis, Henan Center for Outstanding Overseas Scientists of Pulmonary Fibrosis, College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, Henan, China
| | - Guoying Yu
- State Key Laboratory Cell Differentiation and Regulation, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Pulmonary Fibrosis, Henan Center for Outstanding Overseas Scientists of Pulmonary Fibrosis, College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, Henan, China.
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3
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Al-Mutairy EA, Al Qattan S, Khalid M, Al-Enazi AA, Al-Saif MM, Imtiaz F, Ramzan K, Raveendran V, Alaiya A, Meyer BF, Atamas SP, Collison KS, Khabar KS, Hasday JD, Al-Mohanna F. Wild-type S100A3 and S100A13 restore calcium homeostasis and mitigate mitochondrial dysregulation in pulmonary fibrosis patient-derived cells. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1282868. [PMID: 38099297 PMCID: PMC10720433 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1282868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients with digenic S100A3 and S100A13 mutations exhibited an atypical and progressive interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, with impaired intracellular calcium homeostasis and mitochondrial dysfunction. Here we provide direct evidence of a causative effect of the mutation on receptor mediated calcium signaling and calcium store responses in control cells transfected with mutant S100A3 and mutant S100A13. We demonstrate that the mutations lead to increased mitochondrial mass and hyperpolarization, both of which were reversed by transfecting patient-derived cells with the wild type S100A3 and S100A13, or extracellular treatment with the recombinant proteins. In addition, we demonstrate increased secretion of inflammatory mediators in patient-derived cells and in control cells transfected with the mutant-encoding constructs. These findings indicate that treatment of patients' cells with recombinant S100A3 and S100A13 proteins is sufficient to normalize most of cellular responses, and may therefore suggest the use of these recombinant proteins in the treatment of this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eid A. Al-Mutairy
- Department of Cell Biology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Somaya Al Qattan
- Department of Cell Biology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Khalid
- Department of Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Azizah A. Al-Enazi
- Department of Cell Biology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Maher M. Al-Saif
- BioMolecular Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Faiqa Imtiaz
- Clinical Genomics, Center of Genomic Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khushnooda Ramzan
- Clinical Genomics, Center of Genomic Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Vineesh Raveendran
- Department of Cell Biology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ayodele Alaiya
- Stem Cell Therapy Program, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Brian F. Meyer
- Clinical Genomics, Center of Genomic Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sergei P. Atamas
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Baltimore VA Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Kate S. Collison
- Department of Cell Biology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khalid S. Khabar
- BioMolecular Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jeffrey D. Hasday
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Baltimore VA Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Futwan Al-Mohanna
- Department of Cell Biology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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4
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Klay D, Kazemier KM, van der Vis JJ, Smits HM, Grutters JC, van Moorsel CHM. New Insights via RNA Profiling of Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Lung Tissue of Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16748. [PMID: 38069069 PMCID: PMC10706203 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242316748] [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: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
In sporadic idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (sIPF) and pulmonary fibrosis caused by a mutation in telomere (TRG-PF) or surfactant related genes (SRG-PF), there are a number of aberrant cellular processes known that can lead to fibrogenesis. We investigated whether RNA expression of genes involved in these processes differed between sIPF, TRG-PF, and SRG-PF and whether expression levels were associated with survival. RNA expression of 28 genes was measured in lung biopsies of 26 sIPF, 17 TRG-PF, and 6 SRG-PF patients. Significant differences in RNA expression of TGFBR2 (p = 0.02) and SFTPA2 (p = 0.02) were found between sIPF, TRG-PF, and SRG-PF. Patients with low (
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Affiliation(s)
- Dymph Klay
- Interstitial Lung Diseases Center of Excellence, Department of Pulmonology, St. Antonius Hospital, 3435 CM Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
| | - Karin M. Kazemier
- Center of Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Division of Heart and Lungs, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Joanne J. van der Vis
- Interstitial Lung Diseases Center of Excellence, Department of Pulmonology, St. Antonius Hospital, 3435 CM Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, ILD Center of Excellence, St. Antonius Hospital, 3435 CM Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
| | - Hidde M. Smits
- Center of Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jan C. Grutters
- Interstitial Lung Diseases Center of Excellence, Department of Pulmonology, St. Antonius Hospital, 3435 CM Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
- Division of Heart and Lungs, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Coline H. M. van Moorsel
- Interstitial Lung Diseases Center of Excellence, Department of Pulmonology, St. Antonius Hospital, 3435 CM Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
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5
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Mattoo H, Bangari DS, Cummings S, Humulock Z, Habiel D, Xu EY, Pate N, Resnick R, Savova V, Qian G, Beil C, Rao E, Nestle FO, Bryce PJ, Subramaniam A. Molecular Features and Stages of Pulmonary Fibrosis Driven by Type 2 Inflammation. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2023; 69:404-421. [PMID: 37369139 DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2022-0301oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a progressive, multiorgan disease with limited treatment options. Although a recent proof-of-concept study using romilkimab or SAR156597, a bispecific IL-4/IL-13 antibody, suggests a direct role of these cytokines in the pathophysiology of SSc, their contributions to the balance between inflammation and fibrosis are unclear. Here, we determine the roles of type 2 inflammation in fibrogenesis using FRA2-Tg (Fos-related antigen 2-overexpressing transgenic) mice, which develop spontaneous, age-dependent progressive lung fibrosis. We defined the molecular signatures of inflammation and fibrosis at three key stages in disease progression, corresponding to preonset, inflammatory dominant, and fibrosis dominant biology, and revealed an early increase in cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions and antigen-processing and presentation pathways followed by enhanced Th2- and M2 macrophage-driven type 2 responses. This type 2 inflammation progressed to extensive fibrotic pathology by 14-18 weeks of age, with these gene signatures overlapping significantly with those seen in the lungs of patients with SSc with interstitial lung disease (ILD). These changes were also evident in the histopathology, which showed perivascular and peribronchiolar inflammation with prominent eosinophilia and accumulation of profibrotic M2-like macrophages followed by rapid progression to fibrosis with thickened alveolar walls with multifocal fibrotic bands and signs of interstitial pneumonia. Critically, treatment with a bispecific antibody targeting IL-4 and IL-13 during the inflammatory phase abrogated the Th2 and M2 responses and led to near-complete abrogation of lung fibrosis. These data recapitulate important features of fibrotic progression in the lungs of patients with SSc-ILD and enhance our understanding of the progressive pathobiology of SSc. This study also further establishes FRA2-Tg mice as a valuable tool for testing future therapeutic agents in SSc-ILD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sheila Cummings
- Discovery Pathology, Translational In Vivo Models Platform, and
| | | | - David Habiel
- Immunology and Inflammation Research Therapeutic Area
| | - Ethan Y Xu
- Precision Medicine and Computational Biology
- Aspen Neuroscience, San Diego, California
| | - Nathan Pate
- Discovery Pathology, Translational In Vivo Models Platform, and
| | | | | | - George Qian
- Immunology and Inflammation Research Therapeutic Area
| | | | - Ercole Rao
- Biologics Research, Sanofi, Frankfurt, Germany; and
| | | | - Paul J Bryce
- Immunology and Inflammation Research Therapeutic Area
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6
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Kraven LM, Taylor AR, Molyneaux PL, Maher TM, McDonough JE, Mura M, Yang IV, Schwartz DA, Huang Y, Noth I, Ma SF, Yeo AJ, Fahy WA, Jenkins RG, Wain LV. Cluster analysis of transcriptomic datasets to identify endotypes of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Thorax 2023; 78:551-558. [PMID: 35534152 PMCID: PMC9643664 DOI: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2021-218563] [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: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Considerable clinical heterogeneity in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) suggests the existence of multiple disease endotypes. Identifying these endotypes would improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of IPF and could allow for a biomarker-driven personalised medicine approach. We aimed to identify clinically distinct groups of patients with IPF that could represent distinct disease endotypes. METHODS We co-normalised, pooled and clustered three publicly available blood transcriptomic datasets (total 220 IPF cases). We compared clinical traits across clusters and used gene enrichment analysis to identify biological pathways and processes that were over-represented among the genes that were differentially expressed across clusters. A gene-based classifier was developed and validated using three additional independent datasets (total 194 IPF cases). FINDINGS We identified three clusters of patients with IPF with statistically significant differences in lung function (p=0.009) and mortality (p=0.009) between groups. Gene enrichment analysis implicated mitochondrial homeostasis, apoptosis, cell cycle and innate and adaptive immunity in the pathogenesis underlying these groups. We developed and validated a 13-gene cluster classifier that predicted mortality in IPF (high-risk clusters vs low-risk cluster: HR 4.25, 95% CI 2.14 to 8.46, p=3.7×10-5). INTERPRETATION We have identified blood gene expression signatures capable of discerning groups of patients with IPF with significant differences in survival. These clusters could be representative of distinct pathophysiological states, which would support the theory of multiple endotypes of IPF. Although more work must be done to confirm the existence of these endotypes, our classifier could be a useful tool in patient stratification and outcome prediction in IPF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke M Kraven
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
- Research & Development, GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage, UK
| | - Adam R Taylor
- Research & Development, GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage, UK
| | - Philip L Molyneaux
- Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, London, UK
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Toby M Maher
- Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, London, UK
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - John E McDonough
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Marco Mura
- Division of Respirology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ivana V Yang
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, USA
| | - David A Schwartz
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, USA
| | - Yong Huang
- Division of Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Imre Noth
- Division of Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Shwu Fan Ma
- Division of Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Astrid J Yeo
- Research & Development, GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage, UK
| | | | - R Gisli Jenkins
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
- National Institute for Health Research Respiratory Clinical Research Facility, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK
| | - Louise V Wain
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
- National Institute for Health Research, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, UK
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7
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Gajjala PR, Singh P, Odayar V, Ediga HH, McCormack FX, Madala SK. Wilms Tumor 1-Driven Fibroblast Activation and Subpleural Thickening in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032850. [PMID: 36769178 PMCID: PMC9918078 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032850] [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: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive fibrotic lung disease that is often fatal due to the formation of irreversible scar tissue in the distal areas of the lung. Although the pathological and radiological features of IPF lungs are well defined, the lack of insight into the fibrogenic role of fibroblasts that accumulate in distinct anatomical regions of the lungs is a critical knowledge gap. Fibrotic lesions have been shown to originate in the subpleural areas and extend into the lung parenchyma through processes of dysregulated fibroproliferation, migration, fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transformation, and extracellular matrix production. Identifying the molecular targets underlying subpleural thickening at the early and late stages of fibrosis could facilitate the development of new therapies to attenuate fibroblast activation and improve the survival of patients with IPF. Here, we discuss the key cellular and molecular events that contribute to (myo)fibroblast activation and subpleural thickening in IPF. In particular, we highlight the transcriptional programs involved in mesothelial to mesenchymal transformation and fibroblast dysfunction that can be targeted to alter the course of the progressive expansion of fibrotic lesions in the distal areas of IPF lungs.
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8
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Towards Treatable Traits for Pulmonary Fibrosis. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12081275. [PMID: 36013224 PMCID: PMC9410230 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12081275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Interstitial lung diseases (ILD) are a heterogeneous group of disorders, of which many have the potential to lead to progressive pulmonary fibrosis. A distinction is usually made between primarily inflammatory ILD and primarily fibrotic ILD. As recent studies show that anti-fibrotic drugs can be beneficial in patients with primarily inflammatory ILD that is characterized by progressive pulmonary fibrosis, treatment decisions have become more complicated. In this perspective, we propose that the ‘treatable trait’ concept, which is based on the recognition of relevant exposures, various treatable phenotypes (disease manifestations) or endotypes (shared molecular mechanisms) within a group of diseases, can be applied to progressive pulmonary fibrosis. These targets for medical intervention can be identified through validated biomarkers and are not necessarily related to specific diagnostic labels. Proposed treatable traits are: cigarette smoking, occupational, allergen or drug exposures, excessive (profibrotic) auto- or alloimmunity, progressive pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, tuberculosis, exercise intolerance, exertional hypoxia, and anxiety and depression. There are also several potential traits that have not been associated with relevant outcomes or for which no effective treatment is available at present: air pollution, mechanical stress, viral infections, bacterial burden in the lungs, surfactant-related pulmonary fibrosis, telomere-related pulmonary fibrosis, the rs35705950 MUC5B promoter polymorphism, acute exacerbations, gastro-esophageal reflux, dyspnea, and nocturnal hypoxia. The ‘treatable traits’ concept can be applied in new clinical trials for patients with progressive pulmonary fibrosis and could be used for developing new treatment strategies.
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9
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Consensus Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis Identifies Novel Genes Associated with Severity of Fibrotic Lung Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23105447. [PMID: 35628257 PMCID: PMC9141193 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a severe fibrotic lung disease characterized by irreversible scarring of the lung parenchyma leading to dyspnea, progressive decline in lung function, and respiratory failure. We analyzed lung transcriptomic data from independent IPF cohorts using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify gene modules based on their preservation status in these cohorts. The consensus gene modules were characterized by leveraging existing clinical and molecular data such as lung function, biological processes, pathways, and lung cell types. From a total of 32 consensus gene modules identified, two modules were found to be significantly correlated with the disease, lung function, and preserved in other IPF datasets. The upregulated gene module was enriched for extracellular matrix, collagen metabolic process, and BMP signaling while the downregulated module consisted of genes associated with tube morphogenesis, blood vessel development, and cell migration. Using a combination of connectivity-based and trait-based significance measures, we identified and prioritized 103 "hub" genes (including 25 secretory candidate biomarkers) by their similarity to known IPF genetic markers. Our validation studies demonstrate the dysregulated expression of CRABP2, a retinol-binding protein, in multiple lung cells of IPF, and its correlation with the decline in lung function.
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10
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Filidou E, Kandilogiannakis L, Tarapatzi G, Spathakis M, Steiropoulos P, Mikroulis D, Arvanitidis K, Paspaliaris V, Kolios G. Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Fibrotic Effect of Immortalized Mesenchymal-Stem-Cell-Derived Conditioned Medium on Human Lung Myofibroblasts and Epithelial Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23094570. [PMID: 35562961 PMCID: PMC9102072 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23094570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is caused by progressive lung tissue impairment due to extended chronic fibrosis, and it has no known effective treatment. The use of conditioned media (CM) from an immortalized human adipose mesenchymal stem cell line could be a promising therapeutic strategy, as it can reduce both fibrotic and inflammatory responses. We aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effect of CM on human pulmonary subepithelial myofibroblasts (hPSM) and on A549 pulmonary epithelial cells, treated with pro-inflammatory or pro-fibrotic mediators. CM inhibited the proinflammatory cytokine-induced mRNA and protein production of various chemokines in both hPSMs and A549 cells. It also downregulated the mRNA expression of IL-1α, but upregulated IL-1β and IL-6 mRNA production in both cell types. CM downregulated the pro-fibrotic-induced mRNA expression of collagen Type III and the migration rate of hPSMs, but upregulated fibronectin mRNA production and the total protein collagen secretion. CM's direct effect on the chemotaxis and cell recruitment of immune-associated cells, and its indirect effect on fibrosis through the significant decrease in the migration capacity of hPSMs, makes it a plausible candidate for further development towards a therapeutic treatment for IPF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eirini Filidou
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (E.F.); (L.K.); (G.T.); (M.S.); (K.A.); (G.K.)
| | - Leonidas Kandilogiannakis
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (E.F.); (L.K.); (G.T.); (M.S.); (K.A.); (G.K.)
| | - Gesthimani Tarapatzi
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (E.F.); (L.K.); (G.T.); (M.S.); (K.A.); (G.K.)
| | - Michail Spathakis
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (E.F.); (L.K.); (G.T.); (M.S.); (K.A.); (G.K.)
| | - Paschalis Steiropoulos
- Department of Pneumonology, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece;
| | - Dimitrios Mikroulis
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Democritus University of Thrace, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece;
| | - Konstantinos Arvanitidis
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (E.F.); (L.K.); (G.T.); (M.S.); (K.A.); (G.K.)
| | - Vasilis Paspaliaris
- Vasilis Paspaliaris, Tithon Biotech Inc., 11440 West Bernardo Court, Suite 300, San Diego, CA 92127, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel./Fax: +1-88-8780-2639
| | - George Kolios
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (E.F.); (L.K.); (G.T.); (M.S.); (K.A.); (G.K.)
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11
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Gajjala PR, Kasam RK, Soundararajan D, Sinner D, Huang SK, Jegga AG, Madala SK. Dysregulated overexpression of Sox9 induces fibroblast activation in pulmonary fibrosis. JCI Insight 2021; 6:e152503. [PMID: 34520400 PMCID: PMC8564901 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.152503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fatal fibrotic lung disease associated with unremitting fibroblast activation including fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transformation (FMT), migration, resistance to apoptotic clearance, and excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins in the distal lung parenchyma. Aberrant activation of lung-developmental pathways is associated with severe fibrotic lung disease; however, the mechanisms through which these pathways activate fibroblasts in IPF remain unclear. Sry-box transcription factor 9 (Sox9) is a member of the high-mobility group box family of DNA-binding transcription factors that are selectively expressed by epithelial cell progenitors to modulate branching morphogenesis during lung development. We demonstrate that Sox9 is upregulated via MAPK/PI3K-dependent signaling and by the transcription factor Wilms' tumor 1 in distal lung-resident fibroblasts in IPF. Mechanistically, using fibroblast activation assays, we demonstrate that Sox9 functions as a positive regulator of FMT, migration, survival, and ECM production. Importantly, our in vivo studies demonstrate that fibroblast-specific deletion of Sox9 is sufficient to attenuate collagen deposition and improve lung function during TGF-α-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Using a mouse model of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis, we show that myofibroblast-specific Sox9 overexpression augments fibroblast activation and pulmonary fibrosis. Thus, Sox9 functions as a profibrotic transcription factor in activating fibroblasts, illustrating the potential utility of targeting Sox9 in IPF treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prathibha R Gajjala
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Division of Pulmonary Medicine and
| | - Rajesh K Kasam
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Division of Pulmonary Medicine and
| | - Divyalakshmi Soundararajan
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Division of Pulmonary Medicine and
| | - Debora Sinner
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Divisions of Neonatology and Pulmonary Biology, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Steven K Huang
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Anil G Jegga
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Satish K Madala
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Division of Pulmonary Medicine and
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12
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Wan H, Huang X, Cong P, He M, Chen A, Wu T, Dai D, Li W, Gao X, Tian L, Liang H, Xiong L. Identification of Hub Genes and Pathways Associated With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis via Bioinformatics Analysis. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:711239. [PMID: 34476240 PMCID: PMC8406749 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.711239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive disease whose etiology remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to explore hub genes and pathways related to IPF development and prognosis. Multiple gene expression datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was performed and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified to investigate Hub modules and genes correlated with IPF. Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis were performed on selected key genes. In the PPI network and cytoHubba plugin, 11 hub genes were identified, including ASPN, CDH2, COL1A1, COL1A2, COL3A1, COL14A1, CTSK, MMP1, MMP7, POSTN, and SPP1. Correlation between hub genes was displayed and validated. Expression levels of hub genes were verified using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Dysregulated expression of these genes and their crosstalk might impact the development of IPF through modulating IPF-related biological processes and signaling pathways. Among these genes, expression levels of COL1A1, COL3A1, CTSK, MMP1, MMP7, POSTN, and SPP1 were positively correlated with IPF prognosis. The present study provides further insights into individualized treatment and prognosis for IPF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanxi Wan
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, School of Medcine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.,Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, School of Medcine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinwei Huang
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, School of Medcine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Peilin Cong
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, School of Medcine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.,Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, School of Medcine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengfan He
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, School of Medcine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.,Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, School of Medcine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Aiwen Chen
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, School of Medcine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tingmei Wu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, School of Medcine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.,Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, School of Medcine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Danqing Dai
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, School of Medcine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.,Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, School of Medcine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wanrong Li
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, School of Medcine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.,Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, School of Medcine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaofei Gao
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, School of Medcine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.,Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, School of Medcine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Li Tian
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, School of Medcine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.,Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, School of Medcine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.,Clinical Research Center for Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Huazheng Liang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, School of Medcine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.,Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, School of Medcine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lize Xiong
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, School of Medcine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.,Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, School of Medcine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.,Clinical Research Center for Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
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13
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LncRNA CTD-2528L19.6 prevents the progression of IPF by alleviating fibroblast activation. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:600. [PMID: 34112765 PMCID: PMC8192779 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-03884-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as critical factors for regulating multiple biological processes during organ fibrosis. However, the mechanism of lncRNAs in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) remains incompletely understood. In the present study, two sets of lncRNAs were defined: IPF pathogenic lncRNAs and IPF progression lncRNAs. IPF pathogenic and progression lncRNAs-mRNAs co-expression networks were constructed to identify essential lncRNAs. Network analysis revealed a key lncRNA CTD-2528L19.6, which was up-regulated in early-stage IPF compared to normal lung tissue, and subsequently down-regulated during advanced-stage IPF. CTD-2528L19.6 was indicated to regulate fibroblast activation in IPF progression by mediating the expression of fibrosis related genes LRRC8C, DDIT4, THBS1, S100A8 and TLR7 et al. Further studies showed that silencing of CTD-2528L19.6 increases the expression of Fn1 and Collagen I both at mRNA and protein levels, promoted the transition of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts and accelerated the migration and proliferation of MRC-5 cells. In contrast, CTD-2528L19.6 overexpression alleviated fibroblast activation in MRC-5 cells induced by TGF-β1. LncRNA CTD-2528L19.6 inhibited fibroblast activation through regulating the expression of LRRC8C in vitro assays. Our results suggest that CTD-2528L19.6 may prevent the progression of IPF from early-stage and alleviate fibroblast activation during the advanced-stage of IPF. Thus, exploring the regulatory effect of lncRNA CTD-2528L19.6 may provide new sights for the prevention and treatment of IPF.
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14
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Rostami MR, Bradic M. The derepression of transposable elements in lung cells is associated with the inflammatory response and gene activation in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Mob DNA 2021; 12:14. [PMID: 34108012 PMCID: PMC8191028 DOI: 10.1186/s13100-021-00241-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transposable elements (TEs) are repetitive sequences of viral origin that compose almost half of the human genome. These elements are tightly controlled within cells, and if activated, they can cause changes in both gene regulation and immune viral responses that have been associated with several chronic inflammatory diseases in humans. As oxidants are potent activators of TEs, and because oxidative injury is a major risk factor in relation to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), we hypothesized that TEs might be involved in the regulation of gene expression and so contribute to inflammation in cases of IPF. IPF is a fatal lung disease that involves the gradual replacement of the alveolar tissue with fibrotic scars as well as the accumulation of inflammatory cells in the lower respiratory tract. Although IPF is known to occur as a result of the complex interaction between age, environmental risk factors (i.e., oxidative stress) and genetics, the relative contributions of these factors to the disease remain unclear. To determine whether TEs are associated with IPF, we compared the transcriptional profiles of the genes and TEs of lung cells obtained from both healthy donors and IPF patients. RESULTS We quantified TE and gene expression levels using a published bulk RNA-seq dataset containing 24 subjects (16 donors and eight IPF patients), including three lung-cell types per subject, as well as an scRNA-seq dataset concerning 16 subjects (eight donors and eight IPF patients). We found evidence of TE dysregulation in the alveolar type II lung cells and alveolar macrophages of the IPF patients. In addition, the activation of the LINE1 family of elements in IPF is associated with the increased expression of TE cellular regulators (MOV10, IFI16, SAMHD1, and APOBECG3), interferon-stimulating genes (ISG15, IFI6, IFI27, IFI44, and OAS1), chemokines (CX3CL1 and CXCL9), and interleukins (IL15RA). We also propose that TE derepression might be involved in the regulation of previously reported IPF candidate genes (MUC5B, CHL1, SPP1, and MMP7). CONCLUSION Based on our findings, we propose that TE derepression plays an important role in the regulation of gene expression and can also prompt both the recruitment of inflammatory processes and the disruption of the immunological balance, which can lead to chronic inflammation in IPF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahboubeh R Rostami
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, Box 164, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Martina Bradic
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, Box 164, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
- Marie-Josee and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
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15
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Wang Y, Yella JK, Ghandikota S, Cherukuri TC, Ediga HH, Madala SK, Jegga AG. Pan-transcriptome-based candidate therapeutic discovery for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Ther Adv Respir Dis 2020; 14:1753466620971143. [PMID: 33167785 PMCID: PMC7659024 DOI: 10.1177/1753466620971143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There are two US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs, pirfenidone and nintedanib, for treatment of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). However, neither of these drugs provide a cure. In addition, both are associated with several drug-related adverse events. Hence, the pursuit for newer IPF therapeutics continues. Recent studies show that joint analysis of systems-biology-level information with drug-disease connectivity are effective in discovery of biologically relevant candidate therapeutics. METHODS Publicly available gene expression signatures from patients with IPF were used to query a large-scale perturbagen signature library to discover compounds that can potentially reverse dysregulated gene expression in IPF. Two methods were used to calculate IPF-compound connectivity: gene expression-based connectivity and feature-based connectivity. Identified compounds were further prioritized if their shared mechanism(s) of action were IPF-related. RESULTS We found 77 compounds as potential candidate therapeutics for IPF. Of these, 39 compounds are either FDA-approved for other diseases or are currently in phase II/III clinical trials suggesting their repurposing potential for IPF. Among these compounds are multiple receptor kinase inhibitors (e.g. nintedanib, currently approved for IPF, and sunitinib), aurora kinase inhibitor (barasertib), epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (erlotinib, gefitinib), calcium channel blocker (verapamil), phosphodiesterase inhibitors (roflumilast, sildenafil), PPAR agonists (pioglitazone), histone deacetylase inhibitors (entinostat), and opioid receptor antagonists (nalbuphine). As a proof of concept, we performed in vitro validations with verapamil using lung fibroblasts from IPF and show its potential benefits in pulmonary fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS As about half of the candidates discovered in this study are either FDA-approved or are currently in clinical trials for other diseases, rapid translation of these compounds as potential IPF therapeutics is possible. Further, the integrative connectivity analysis framework in this study can be adapted in early phase drug discovery for other common and rare diseases with transcriptomic profiles.The reviews of this paper are available via the supplemental material section.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunguan Wang
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Jaswanth K. Yella
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Computer Science, University of Cincinnati College of Engineering, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Sudhir Ghandikota
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Computer Science, University of Cincinnati College of Engineering, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Tejaswini C. Cherukuri
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Harshavardhana H. Ediga
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Satish K. Madala
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Anil G. Jegga
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, 240 Albert Sabin Way, MLC 7024, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Department of Computer Science, University of Cincinnati College of Engineering, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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16
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Luo Z, Shivakumar P, Mourya R, Gutta S, Bezerra JA. Gene Expression Signatures Associated With Survival Times of Pediatric Patients With Biliary Atresia Identify Potential Therapeutic Agents. Gastroenterology 2019; 157:1138-1152.e14. [PMID: 31228442 PMCID: PMC6756963 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2019.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 06/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Little is known about the factors that affect outcomes of patients with biliary atresia and there are no medical therapies that increase biliary drainage. METHODS Liver biopsies and clinical data were obtained from infants with cholestasis and from children without liver disease (controls); messenger RNA (mRNA) was isolated, randomly assigned to discovery (n = 121) and validation sets (n = 50), and analyzed by RNA sequencing. Using the Superpc R package followed by Cox regression analysis, we sought to identify gene expression profiles that correlated with survival without liver transplantation at 24 months of age. We also searched for combinations of gene expression patterns, clinical factors, and laboratory results obtained at diagnosis and at 1 and 3 months after surgery that associated with transplant-free survival for 24 months of age. We induced biliary atresia in BALB/c mice by intraperitoneal administration of Rhesus rotavirus type A. Mice were given injections of the antioxidants N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) or manganese (III) tetrakis-(4-benzoic acid)porphyrin. Blood and liver tissues were collected and analyzed by histology and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS We identified a gene expression pattern of 14 mRNAs associated with shorter vs longer survival times in the discovery and validation sets (P < .001). This gene expression signature, combined with level of bilirubin 3 months after hepatoportoenterostomy, identified children who survived for 24 months with an area under the curve value of 0.948 in the discovery set and 0.813 in the validation set (P < .001). Computer models correlated a cirrhosis-associated transcriptome with decreased times of transplant-free survival; this transcriptome included activation of genes that regulate the extracellular matrix and numbers of activated stellate cells and portal fibroblasts. Many mRNAs expressed at high levels in liver tissues from patients with 2-year transplant-free survival had enriched scores for glutathione metabolism. Among mice with biliary atresia given injections of antioxidants, only NAC reduced histologic features of liver damage and serum levels of aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, and bilirubin. NAC also reduced bile duct obstruction and liver fibrosis and increased survival times. CONCLUSIONS In studies of liver tissues from infants with cholestasis, we identified a 14-gene expression pattern that associated with transplant-free survival for 2 years. mRNAs encoding proteins that regulate fibrosis genes were increased in liver tissues from infants who did not survive for 2 years, whereas mRNAs that encoded proteins that regulate glutathione metabolism were increased in infants who survived for 2 years. NAC reduced liver injury and fibrosis in mice with biliary atresia, and increased survival times. Agents such as NAC that promote glutathione metabolism might be developed for treatment of biliary atresia.
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17
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Rossi G, Cavazza A. Critical reappraisal of underlying histological patterns in patients with suspected idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Curr Opin Pulm Med 2019; 25:434-441. [PMID: 31365377 DOI: 10.1097/mcp.0000000000000595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern is the histologic marker of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), but usefulness of ancillary histologic findings may discriminate idiopathic from secondary UIP. RECENT FINDINGS Alternative less invasive procedures may identify UIP pattern preventing conventional surgical lung biopsy, whereas genomic analysis may recognize UIP pattern from otherwise poorly diagnostic samples. SUMMARY High-resolution computed tomography identifies a 'definite' UIP pattern in about half of cases, failing to recognize UIP in the absence of honeycombing or in limited disease. Although radiologic criteria for UIP need redefinition to improve their diagnostic yield, histologic features of UIP did not significantly change from the 1960s but continue to represent a major diagnostic tool, particularly in challenging interstitial lung diseases. A careful recognition of some histologic ancillary findings in UIP (e.g., cellular/follicular bronchiolitis with germinal centers, chronic pleuritis, interstitial granulomas/giant cells, bridging fibrosis) may be helpful in supporting secondary forms (e.g., connective tissue disease, chronic hypersensitivity pneumonia) from IPF. Cryobiopsy and awake-biopsy are promising approaches to obtain representative lung tissue preventing conventional surgical lung biopsy. Genomic techniques have recently demonstrated good-to-high sensitivity and specificity to disclose UIP pattern starting from RNA obtained in transbronchial biopsy, possibly replacing and/or flanking soon traditional histology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulio Rossi
- Pathology Unit, AUSL Romagna, St. Maria delle Croci Hospital, Ravenna, Italy
- 'Degli Infermi' Hospital, Rimini, Italy
| | - Alberto Cavazza
- Pathology Unit, AUSL/IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio, Emilia, Italy
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18
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Gazerani P. Identification of novel analgesics through a drug repurposing strategy. Pain Manag 2019; 9:399-415. [DOI: 10.2217/pmt-2018-0091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The identification of new indications for approved or failed drugs is a process called drug repositioning or drug repurposing. The motivation includes overcoming the productivity gap that exists in drug development, which is a high-cost–high-risk process. Repositioning also includes rescuing drugs that have safely entered the market but have failed to demonstrate sufficient efficiency for the initial clinical indication. Considering the high prevalence of chronic pain, the lack of sufficient efficacy and the safety issues of current analgesics, repositioning seems to be an attractive approach. This review presents example of drugs that already have been repositioned and highlights new technologies that are available for the identification of additional compounds to stimulate the curiosity of readers for further exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parisa Gazerani
- Biomedicine, Department of Health Science & Technology, Aalborg University, Frederik Bajers Vej 3 B, 9220 Aalborg East, Denmark
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19
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Weng T, Ko J, Masamha CP, Xia Z, Xiang Y, Chen NY, Molina JG, Collum S, Mertens TC, Luo F, Philip K, Davies J, Huang J, Wilson C, Thandavarayan RA, Bruckner BA, Jyothula SS, Volcik KA, Li L, Han L, Li W, Assassi S, Karmouty-Quintana H, Wagner EJ, Blackburn MR. Cleavage factor 25 deregulation contributes to pulmonary fibrosis through alternative polyadenylation. J Clin Invest 2019; 129:1984-1999. [PMID: 30830875 DOI: 10.1172/jci122106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and deadly disease with a poor prognosis and few treatment options. Pathological remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) by myofibroblasts is a key factor that drives disease pathogenesis, although the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Alternative polyadenylation (APA) has recently been shown to play a major role in cellular responses to stress by driving the expression of fibrotic factors and ECMs through altering microRNA sensitivity, but a connection to IPF has not been established. Here, we demonstrate that CFIm25, a global regulator of APA, is down-regulated in the lungs of patients with IPF and mice with pulmonary fibrosis, with its expression selectively reduced in alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) positive fibroblasts. Following the knockdown of CFIm25 in normal human lung fibroblasts, we identified 808 genes with shortened 3'UTRs, including those involved in the transforming growth factor-β signaling pathway, the Wnt signaling pathway, and cancer pathways. The expression of key pro-fibrotic factors can be suppressed by CFIm25 overexpression in IPF fibroblasts. Finally, we demonstrate that deletion of CFIm25 in fibroblasts or myofibroblast precursors using either the Col1a1 or the Foxd1 promoter enhances pulmonary fibrosis after bleomycin exposure in mice. Taken together, our results identified CFIm25 down-regulation as a novel mechanism to elevate pro-fibrotic gene expression in pulmonary fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Weng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Junsuk Ko
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Chioniso P Masamha
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Zheng Xia
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Yu Xiang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Ning-Yuan Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jose G Molina
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Scott Collum
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Tinne C Mertens
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Fayong Luo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Kemly Philip
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jonathan Davies
- Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jingjing Huang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Cory Wilson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | - Brian A Bruckner
- Houston Methodist DeBakey Transplant Center, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Soma Sk Jyothula
- Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Kelly A Volcik
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Lei Li
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Leng Han
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Wei Li
- Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Shervin Assassi
- Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Harry Karmouty-Quintana
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Eric J Wagner
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Michael R Blackburn
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, Houston, Texas, USA
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20
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Sala MA, Balderas-Martínez YI, Buendía-Roldan I, Abdala-Valencia H, Nam K, Jain M, Bhorade S, Bharat A, Reyfman PA, Ridge KM, Pardo A, Sznajder JI, Budinger GRS, Misharin AV, Selman M. Inflammatory pathways are upregulated in the nasal epithelium in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Respir Res 2018; 19:233. [PMID: 30477498 PMCID: PMC6257973 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-018-0932-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is characterized by progressive scarring of the lung parenchyma, leading to respiratory failure and death. High resolution computed tomography of the chest is often diagnostic for IPF, but its cost and the risk of radiation exposure limit its use as a screening tool even in patients at high risk for the disease. In patients with lung cancer, investigators have detected transcriptional signatures of disease in airway and nasal epithelial cells distal to the site of disease that are clinically useful as screening tools. Here we assessed the feasibility of distinguishing patients with IPF from age-matched controls through transcriptomic profiling of nasal epithelial curettage samples, which can be safely and repeatedly sampled over the course of a patient's illness. We recruited 10 patients with IPF and 23 age-matched healthy control subjects. Using 3' messenger RNA sequencing (mRNA-seq), we identified 224 differentially expressed genes, most of which were upregulated in patients with IPF compared with controls. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed upregulation of pathways related to immune response and inflammatory signaling in IPF patients compared with controls. These findings support the concept that fibrosis is associated with upregulation of inflammatory pathways across the respiratory epithelium with possible implications for disease detection and pathobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc A Sala
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Ivette Buendía-Roldan
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias Ismael Cosío Villegas, Tlalpan 4502, CP 14080, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Hiam Abdala-Valencia
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Kiwon Nam
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Manu Jain
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Sangeeta Bhorade
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ankit Bharat
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Paul A Reyfman
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.,CONACYT-Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias Ismael Cosío Villegas, Mexico City, Mexico.,Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias Ismael Cosío Villegas, Tlalpan 4502, CP 14080, Mexico City, Mexico.,Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Karen M Ridge
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Annie Pardo
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Jacob I Sznajder
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - G R Scott Budinger
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Alexander V Misharin
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Moises Selman
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias Ismael Cosío Villegas, Tlalpan 4502, CP 14080, Mexico City, Mexico.
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21
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McDonough JE, Kaminski N, Thienpont B, Hogg JC, Vanaudenaerde BM, Wuyts WA. Gene correlation network analysis to identify regulatory factors in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Thorax 2018; 74:132-140. [PMID: 30366970 PMCID: PMC6467239 DOI: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2018-211929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Revised: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a severe lung disease characterised by extensive pathological changes. The objective for this study was to identify the gene network and regulators underlying disease pathology in IPF and its association with lung function. METHODS Lung Tissue Research Consortium dataset with 262 IPF and control subjects (GSE47460) was randomly divided into two non-overlapping groups for cross-validated differential gene expression analysis. Consensus weighted gene coexpression network analysis identified overlapping coexpressed gene modules between both IPF groups. Modules were correlated with lung function (diffusion capacity, DLCO; forced expiratory volume in 1 s, FEV1; forced vital capacity, FVC) and enrichment analyses used to identify biological function and transcription factors. Module correlation with miRNA data (GSE72967) identified associated regulators. Clinical relevance in IPF was assessed in a peripheral blood gene expression dataset (GSE93606) to identify modules related to survival. RESULTS Correlation network analysis identified 16 modules in IPF. Upregulated modules were associated with cilia, DNA replication and repair, contractile fibres, B-cell and unfolded protein response, and extracellular matrix. Downregulated modules were associated with blood vessels, T-cell and interferon responses, leucocyte activation and degranulation, surfactant metabolism, and cellular metabolic and catabolic processes. Lung function correlated with nine modules (eight with DLCO, five with FVC). Intermodular network of transcription factors and miRNA showed clustering of fibrosis, immune response and contractile modules. The cilia-associated module was able to predict survival (p=0.0097) in an independent peripheral blood IPF cohort. CONCLUSIONS We identified a correlation gene expression network with associated regulators in IPF that provides novel insight into the pathological process of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- John E McDonough
- Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, Department of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism, and Ageing, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Naftali Kaminski
- Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Bernard Thienpont
- Laboratory for Functional Epigenetics, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - James C Hogg
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Bart M Vanaudenaerde
- Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, Department of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism, and Ageing, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Wim A Wuyts
- Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, Department of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism, and Ageing, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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22
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Chambers DM, Moretti L, Zhang JJ, Cooper SW, Chambers DM, Santangelo PJ, Barker TH. LEM domain-containing protein 3 antagonizes TGFβ-SMAD2/3 signaling in a stiffness-dependent manner in both the nucleus and cytosol. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:15867-15886. [PMID: 30108174 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.003658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Revised: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) signaling through SMAD2/3 is an important driver of pathological fibrosis in multiple organ systems. TGFβ signaling and extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness form an unvirtuous pathological circuit in which matrix stiffness drives activation of latent TGFβ, and TGFβ signaling then drives cellular stress and ECM synthesis. Moreover, ECM stiffness also appears to sensitize cells to exogenously activated TGFβ through unknown mechanisms. Here, using human fibroblasts, we explored the effect of ECM stiffness on a putative inner nuclear membrane protein, LEM domain-containing protein 3 (LEMD3), which is physically connected to the cell's actin cytoskeleton and inhibits TGFβ signaling. We showed that LEMD3-SMAD2/3 interactions are inversely correlated with ECM stiffness and TGFβ-driven luciferase activity and that LEMD3 expression is correlated with the mechanical response of the TGFβ-driven luciferase reporter. We found that actin polymerization but not cellular stress or LEMD3-nuclear-cytoplasmic couplings were necessary for LEMD3-SMAD2/3 interactions. Intriguingly, LEMD3 and SMAD2/3 frequently interacted in the cytosol, and we discovered LEMD3 was proteolytically cleaved into protein fragments. We confirmed that a consensus C-terminal LEMD3 fragment binds SMAD2/3 in a stiffness-dependent manner throughout the cell and is sufficient for antagonizing SMAD2/3 signaling. Using human lung biopsies, we observed that these nuclear and cytosolic interactions are also present in tissue and found that fibrotic tissues exhibit locally diminished and cytoplasmically shifted LEMD3-SMAD2/3 interactions, as noted in vitro Our work reveals novel LEMD3 biology and stiffness-dependent regulation of TGFβ by LEMD3, providing a novel target to antagonize pathological TGFβ signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dwight M Chambers
- From the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30332
| | - Leandro Moretti
- Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, and
| | - Jennifer J Zhang
- From the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30332
| | - Spencer W Cooper
- From the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30332
| | - Davis M Chambers
- the College of Arts and Sciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30303
| | - Philip J Santangelo
- From the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30332
| | - Thomas H Barker
- Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, and
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23
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Yella JK, Yaddanapudi S, Wang Y, Jegga AG. Changing Trends in Computational Drug Repositioning. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2018; 11:E57. [PMID: 29874824 PMCID: PMC6027196 DOI: 10.3390/ph11020057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Revised: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Efforts to maximize the indications potential and revenue from drugs that are already marketed are largely motivated by what Sir James Black, a Nobel Prize-winning pharmacologist advocated-"The most fruitful basis for the discovery of a new drug is to start with an old drug". However, rational design of drug mixtures poses formidable challenges because of the lack of or limited information about in vivo cell regulation, mechanisms of genetic pathway activation, and in vivo pathway interactions. Hence, most of the successfully repositioned drugs are the result of "serendipity", discovered during late phase clinical studies of unexpected but beneficial findings. The connections between drug candidates and their potential adverse drug reactions or new applications are often difficult to foresee because the underlying mechanism associating them is largely unknown, complex, or dispersed and buried in silos of information. Discovery of such multi-domain pharmacomodules-pharmacologically relevant sub-networks of biomolecules and/or pathways-from collection of databases by independent/simultaneous mining of multiple datasets is an active area of research. Here, while presenting some of the promising bioinformatics approaches and pipelines, we summarize and discuss the current and evolving landscape of computational drug repositioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaswanth K Yella
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 240 Albert Sabin Way MLC 7024, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
| | - Suryanarayana Yaddanapudi
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 240 Albert Sabin Way MLC 7024, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
| | - Yunguan Wang
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 240 Albert Sabin Way MLC 7024, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
| | - Anil G Jegga
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 240 Albert Sabin Way MLC 7024, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA.
- Department of Computer Science, University of Cincinnati College of Engineering, Cincinnati, OH 45219, USA.
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24
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Habiel DM, Espindola MS, Coelho AL, Hogaboam CM. Modeling Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis in Humanized Severe Combined Immunodeficient Mice. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2018; 188:891-903. [PMID: 29378172 PMCID: PMC5954978 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2017.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2017] [Revised: 12/11/2017] [Accepted: 12/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fibrotic lung disease of unknown etiopathogenesis with limited therapeutic options. IPF is characterized by an abundance of fibroblasts and loss of epithelial progenitors, which cumulates in unrelenting fibrotic lung remodeling and loss of normal oxygenation. IPF has been challenging to model in rodents; nonetheless, mouse models of lung fibrosis provide clues as to the natural progression of lung injury and remodeling, but many have not been useful in predicting efficacy of therapeutics in clinical IPF. We provide a detailed methodologic description of various iterations of humanized mouse models, initiated by the i.v. injection of cells from IPF lung biopsy or explants specimens into severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID)/beige or nonobese diabetic SCID γ mice. Unlike cells from normal lung samples, IPF cells promote persistent, nonresolving lung remodeling in SCID mice. Finally, we provide examples and discuss potential advantages and pitfalls of human-specific targeting approaches in a humanized SCID model of pulmonary fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Habiel
- Women's Guild Lung Institute, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.
| | - Milena S Espindola
- Women's Guild Lung Institute, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Ana L Coelho
- Women's Guild Lung Institute, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Cory M Hogaboam
- Women's Guild Lung Institute, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.
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