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Talluri B, Addya S, Terashvili M, Medda BK, Banerjee A, Shaker R, Sengupta JN, Banerjee B. Adult zymosan re-exposure exacerbates the molecular alterations in the brainstem rostral ventromedial medulla of rats with early life zymosan-induced cystitis. NEUROBIOLOGY OF PAIN (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2024; 16:100160. [PMID: 39252992 PMCID: PMC11381896 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynpai.2024.100160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2024] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
Recent evidence suggests that the descending modulatory pathways from the brainstem rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) are important for bladder inflammatory pain. This study aimed to identify the long-term molecular changes in RVM neurons due to early life cystitis during neuronal development and the effect of reexposure later in adulthood. RVM tissues from two treatment protocols were used: (1) neonatal zymosan exposures with acute adult rechallenge (RC) and (2) only neonatal zymosan exposures (NRC). RNAseq analysis showed upregulation of several genes associated with synaptic plasticity (Grin1, Grip2, Notch1, Arc, and Scn2b) in the cystitis groups compared to controls in both protocols. The RC protocol exhibited a stronger treatment effect with significantly higher fold differences between the groups compared to the NRC protocol (p < 0.001, fold differences RC vs NRC). In microarrays, miR-34a-5p showed cystitis-induced downregulation in both protocols. Bioinformatics analysis identified multiple 3'UTRs complementary binding sites for miR-34a-5p on Grin2b, Notch1, Grip2, Scn2b, and Arc genes. The enhanced response in the RC protocol indicates a possible priming effect of early life cystitis on rechallenge in adulthood. These long-term molecular alterations may play a critical role in the development of chronic bladder pain conditions as seen in patients with Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder pain syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhavana Talluri
- Gastroenterology & Hepatology Division, Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Sankar Addya
- Sydney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Maia Terashvili
- Gastroenterology & Hepatology Division, Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Bidyut K Medda
- Gastroenterology & Hepatology Division, Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Anjishnu Banerjee
- Division of Biostatistics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Reza Shaker
- Gastroenterology & Hepatology Division, Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Jyoti N Sengupta
- Gastroenterology & Hepatology Division, Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Banani Banerjee
- Gastroenterology & Hepatology Division, Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
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Hashemi Gheinani A, Kim J, You S, Adam RM. Bioinformatics in urology - molecular characterization of pathophysiology and response to treatment. Nat Rev Urol 2024; 21:214-242. [PMID: 37604982 DOI: 10.1038/s41585-023-00805-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
The application of bioinformatics has revolutionized the practice of medicine in the past 20 years. From early studies that uncovered subtypes of cancer to broad efforts spearheaded by the Cancer Genome Atlas initiative, the use of bioinformatics strategies to analyse high-dimensional data has provided unprecedented insights into the molecular basis of disease. In addition to the identification of disease subtypes - which enables risk stratification - informatics analysis has facilitated the identification of novel risk factors and drivers of disease, biomarkers of progression and treatment response, as well as possibilities for drug repurposing or repositioning; moreover, bioinformatics has guided research towards precision and personalized medicine. Implementation of specific computational approaches such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and molecular subtyping has yet to become widespread in urology clinical practice for reasons of cost, disruption of clinical workflow and need for prospective validation of informatics approaches in independent patient cohorts. Solving these challenges might accelerate routine integration of bioinformatics into clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Hashemi Gheinani
- Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Urology, Inselspital, Bern, Switzerland
- Department for BioMedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jina Kim
- Department of Urology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Computational Biomedicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sungyong You
- Department of Urology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Computational Biomedicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Rosalyn M Adam
- Department of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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3
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Akshay A, Besic M, Kuhn A, Burkhard FC, Bigger-Allen A, Adam RM, Monastyrskaya K, Hashemi Gheinani A. Machine Learning-Based Classification of Transcriptome Signatures of Non-Ulcerative Bladder Pain Syndrome. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1568. [PMID: 38338847 PMCID: PMC10855300 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031568] [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: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) presents a global health challenge with symptoms impacting a substantial percentage of the population. The absence of reliable biomarkers complicates the accurate classification of LUTD subtypes with shared symptoms such as non-ulcerative Bladder Pain Syndrome (BPS) and overactive bladder caused by bladder outlet obstruction with Detrusor Overactivity (DO). This study introduces a machine learning (ML)-based approach for the identification of mRNA signatures specific to non-ulcerative BPS. Using next-generation sequencing (NGS) transcriptome data from bladder biopsies of patients with BPS, benign prostatic obstruction with DO, and controls, our statistical approach successfully identified 13 candidate genes capable of discerning BPS from control and DO patients. This set was validated using Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (QPCR) in a larger patient cohort. To confirm our findings, we applied both supervised and unsupervised ML approaches to the QPCR dataset. A three-mRNA signature TPPP3, FAT1, and NCALD, emerged as a robust classifier for non-ulcerative BPS. The ML-based framework used to define BPS classifiers establishes a solid foundation for comprehending the gene expression changes in the bladder during BPS and serves as a valuable resource and methodology for advancing signature identification in other fields. The proposed ML pipeline demonstrates its efficacy in handling challenges associated with limited sample sizes, offering a promising avenue for applications in similar domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akshay Akshay
- Functional Urology Research Laboratory, Department for BioMedical Research DBMR, University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland; (A.A.); (M.B.); (F.C.B.)
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Mustafa Besic
- Functional Urology Research Laboratory, Department for BioMedical Research DBMR, University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland; (A.A.); (M.B.); (F.C.B.)
| | - Annette Kuhn
- Department of Gynaecology, Inselspital University Hospital, 3010 Bern, Switzerland;
| | - Fiona C. Burkhard
- Functional Urology Research Laboratory, Department for BioMedical Research DBMR, University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland; (A.A.); (M.B.); (F.C.B.)
- Department of Urology, Inselspital University Hospital, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Alex Bigger-Allen
- Urological Diseases Research Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (A.B.-A.); (R.M.A.)
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Rosalyn M. Adam
- Urological Diseases Research Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (A.B.-A.); (R.M.A.)
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Katia Monastyrskaya
- Functional Urology Research Laboratory, Department for BioMedical Research DBMR, University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland; (A.A.); (M.B.); (F.C.B.)
- Department of Urology, Inselspital University Hospital, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ali Hashemi Gheinani
- Functional Urology Research Laboratory, Department for BioMedical Research DBMR, University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland; (A.A.); (M.B.); (F.C.B.)
- Department of Urology, Inselspital University Hospital, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
- Urological Diseases Research Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (A.B.-A.); (R.M.A.)
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
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Akshay A, Besic M, Kuhn A, Burkhard FC, Bigger-Allen A, Adam RM, Monastyrskaya K, Gheinani AH. Machine Learning-based Classification of transcriptome Signatures of non-ulcerative Bladder Pain Syndrome. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.08.574189. [PMID: 38260635 PMCID: PMC10802429 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.08.574189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) presents a global health challenge with symptoms impacting a substantial percentage of the population. The absence of reliable biomarkers complicates the accurate classification of LUTD subtypes with shared symptoms such as non-ulcerative Bladder Pain Syndrome (BPS) and overactive bladder caused by bladder outlet obstruction with Detrusor Overactivity (DO). This study introduces a machine learning (ML)-based approach for the identification of mRNA signatures specific to non-ulcerative BPS. Using next-generation sequencing (NGS) transcriptome data from bladder biopsies of patients with BPS, benign prostatic obstruction with DO and controls, our statistical approach successfully identified 13 candidate genes capable of discerning BPS from control and DO patients. This set was subsequently validated using Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (QPCR) in a larger patient cohort. To confirm our findings, we applied both supervised and unsupervised ML approaches to the QPCR dataset. Notably, a three-mRNA signature TPPP3, FAT1, and NCALD, emerged as a robust classifier, effectively distinguishing patients with non-ulcerative BPS from controls and patients with DO. This signature was universally selected by both supervised and unsupervised approaches. The ML-based framework used to define BPS classifiers not only establishes a solid foundation for comprehending the specific gene expression changes in the bladder of the patients with BPS but also serves as a valuable resource and methodology for advancing signature identification in other fields. The proposed ML pipeline demonstrates its efficacy in handling challenges associated with limited sample sizes, offering a promising avenue for applications in similar domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akshay Akshay
- Functional Urology Research Group, Department for BioMedical Research DBMR, University of Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Mustafa Besic
- Functional Urology Research Group, Department for BioMedical Research DBMR, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Annette Kuhn
- Department of Gynaecology, Inselspital University Hospital, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Fiona C. Burkhard
- Functional Urology Research Group, Department for BioMedical Research DBMR, University of Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Urology, Inselspital University Hospital, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Alex Bigger-Allen
- Urological Diseases Research Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Department of Surgery MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Rosalyn M. Adam
- Urological Diseases Research Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Department of Surgery MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Katia Monastyrskaya
- Functional Urology Research Group, Department for BioMedical Research DBMR, University of Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Urology, Inselspital University Hospital, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ali Hashemi Gheinani
- Functional Urology Research Group, Department for BioMedical Research DBMR, University of Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Urology, Inselspital University Hospital, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
- Urological Diseases Research Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Department of Surgery MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
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Yang SQ, Peng L, Lin LD, Chen YZ, Liu MZ, Zhang C, Chen JW, Luo DY. Identification of circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network as biomarkers for interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:12155-12170. [PMID: 37925174 PMCID: PMC10683623 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205170] [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: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is a long-lasting and incapacitating disease, and the exact factors that affect its onset and advancement are still uncertain. Thus, the main aim was to explore new biomarkers and possible therapeutic targets for IC/BPS. Next-generation high-throughput sequencing experiments were performed on bladder tissues. Based on the interactions between circRNA and miRNA, as well as miRNA and mRNA, candidates were selected to build a network of circRNA-miRNA-mRNA. The STRING database and Cytoscape software were utilized to build a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network to pinpoint the hub genes associated with IC/BPS. The expression levels of circRNA and miRNA in the network were confirmed through quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Western blot was applied to confirm the stability of the lipopolysaccharide-induced IC/BPS model, and the effect of overexpression of circ.5863 by lentivirus on inflammation. Ten circRNA-miRNA interactions involving three circRNAs and six miRNAs were identified, and IFIT3 and RSAD2 were identified as hub genes in the resulting PPI network with 19 nodes. Circ.5863 showed a statistically significant decrease in the constructed model, which is consistent with the sequencing results, and overexpression via lentiviral transfection of circ.5863 was found to alleviate inflammation damage. In this study, a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network was successfully constructed, and IFIT3 and RSAD2 were identified as hub genes. Our findings suggest that circ.5863 can mitigate inflammation damage in IC/BPS. The identified marker genes may serve as valuable targets for future research aimed at developing diagnostic tools and more effective therapies for IC/BPS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Qin Yang
- Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Liao Peng
- Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Le-De Lin
- Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Yuan-Zhuo Chen
- Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Meng-Zhu Liu
- Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Chi Zhang
- Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Jia-Wei Chen
- Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - De-Yi Luo
- Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
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6
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Sandberg M, Whitman W, Rong A, Andres-Robusto B, Badlani G, Evans R, Walker SJ. Postsurgery Opiate Use Is Significantly Lower in Patients With Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome Following Cystectomy With Urinary Diversion. Urology 2023; 180:86-92. [PMID: 37482104 DOI: 10.1016/j.urology.2023.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare pre-and post-operative opiate use in a large cohort of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) patients who underwent cystectomy with urinary diversion (CWUD). METHODS A retrospective analysis was completed using a database of IC/BPS patients who underwent CWUD at a single institution from 2014 to 2022. In addition to demographic information, bladder capacity and Hunner lesion status were documented for each patient. Opiate use (milligram morphine equivalents [MME]) was calculated for each patient and change in MME (ΔMME) was calculated by subtracting pre-CWUD MME from post-CWUD MME. Paired t test was used to compare ΔMME for all parameters except age, where a Pearson's correlation was used. RESULTS The analysis included 82 patients (17 M; 65 F) that underwent CWUD as follows: 53 ileal conduit diversions, 11 neobladders, and 18 Indiana Pouches. Mean pre-CWUD MME use was 4509.57 and mean post-CWUD MME was 1788.48 with a ΔMME of - 2721.09 (P < .001). ΔMME was not significantly different based on gender (P = .597), bladder capacity (P = .754), age (P = .561), or Hunner lesion status (P = .085). CONCLUSION IC/BPS patients using opiates primarily for relief of pain directly related to their condition show a significant decrease in opiate use following CWUD, which likely represents significant pain reduction and implicates the bladder as the primary source of that pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxwell Sandberg
- Department of Urology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Wyatt Whitman
- Department of Urology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Anita Rong
- Department of Urology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Brian Andres-Robusto
- Department of Urology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Gopal Badlani
- Department of Urology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC; Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Robert Evans
- Department of Urology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Stephen J Walker
- Department of Urology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC; Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC.
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7
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Botter SM, Kessler TM. Neuro-Urology and Biobanking: An Integrated Approach for Advancing Research and Improving Patient Care. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14281. [PMID: 37762582 PMCID: PMC10531693 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814281] [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: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying neuro-urological disorders is crucial for the development of targeted therapeutic interventions. Through the establishment of comprehensive biobanks, researchers can collect and store various biological specimens, including urine, blood, tissue, and DNA samples, to study these mechanisms. In the context of neuro-urology, biobanking facilitates the identification of genetic variations, epigenetic modifications, and gene expression patterns associated with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction. These conditions often present as symptoms of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury, and many others. Biobanking of tissue specimens from such patients is essential to understand why these diseases cause the respective symptoms and what can be done to alleviate them. The utilization of high-throughput technologies, such as next-generation sequencing and gene expression profiling, enables researchers to explore the molecular landscape of these conditions in an unprecedented manner. The development of specific and reliable biomarkers resulting from these efforts may help in early detection, accurate diagnosis, and effective monitoring of neuro-urological conditions, leading to improved patient care and management. Furthermore, these biomarkers could potentially facilitate the monitoring of novel therapies currently under investigation in neuro-urological clinical trials. This comprehensive review explores the synergistic integration of neuro-urology and biobanking, with particular emphasis on the translation of biobanking approaches in molecular research in neuro-urology. We discuss the advantages of biobanking in neuro-urological studies, the types of specimens collected and their applications in translational research. Furthermore, we highlight the importance of standardization and quality assurance when collecting samples and discuss challenges that may compromise sample quality and impose limitations on their subsequent utilization. Finally, we give recommendations for sampling in multicenter studies, examine sustainability issues associated with biobanking, and provide future directions for this dynamic field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sander M. Botter
- Swiss Center for Musculoskeletal Biobanking, Balgrist Campus AG, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Thomas M. Kessler
- Department of Neuro-Urology, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zürich, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland;
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Peskar D, Kuret T, Lakota K, Erman A. Molecular Profiling of Inflammatory Processes in a Mouse Model of IC/BPS: From the Complete Transcriptome to Major Sex-Related Histological Features of the Urinary Bladder. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065758. [PMID: 36982831 PMCID: PMC10058956 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065758] [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: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal models are invaluable in the research of the pathophysiology of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), a chronic aseptic urinary bladder disease of unknown etiology that primarily affects women. Here, a mouse model of IC/BPS was induced with multiple low-dose cyclophosphamide (CYP) applications and thoroughly characterized by RNA sequencing, qPCR, Western blot, and immunolabeling to elucidate key inflammatory processes and sex-dependent differences in the bladder inflammatory response. CYP treatment resulted in the upregulation of inflammatory transcripts such as Ccl8, Eda2r, and Vegfd, which are predominantly involved in innate immunity pathways, recapitulating the crucial findings in the bladder transcriptome of IC/BPS patients. The JAK/STAT signaling pathway was analyzed in detail, and the JAK3/STAT3 interaction was found to be most activated in cells of the bladder urothelium and lamina propria. Sex-based data analysis revealed that cell proliferation was more pronounced in male bladders, while innate immunity and tissue remodeling processes were the most distinctive responses of female bladders to CYP treatment. These processes were also reflected in prominent histological changes in the bladder. The study provides an invaluable reference dataset for preclinical research on IC/BPS and an insight into the sex-specific mechanisms involved in the development of IC/BPS pathology, which may explain the more frequent occurrence of this disease in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominika Peskar
- Institute of Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tadeja Kuret
- Institute of Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Katja Lakota
- Department of Rheumatology, University Medical Center Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Andreja Erman
- Institute of Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
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von Siebenthal M, Akshay A, Besic M, Schneider MP, Hashemi Gheinani A, Burkhard FC, Monastyrskaya K. Molecular Characterization of Non-Neurogenic and Neurogenic Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction (LUTD) in SCI-Induced and Partial Bladder Outlet Obstruction Mouse Models. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032451. [PMID: 36768773 PMCID: PMC9916488 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032451] [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: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
We examined bladder function following spinal cord injury (SCI) by repeated urodynamic investigation (UDI), including external urethral sphincter (EUS) electromyography (EMG) in awake restrained mice and correlated micturition parameters to gene expression and morphological changes in the bladder. A partial bladder outlet obstruction (pBOO) model was used for comparison to elucidate both the common and specific features of obstructive and neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD). Thirty female C57Bl/6J mice in each group received an implanted bladder catheter with additional electrodes placed next to the EUS in the SCI group. UDI assessments were performed weekly for 7 weeks (pBOO group) or 8 weeks (SCI group), after which bladders were harvested for histological and transcriptome analysis. SCI mice developed detrusor sphincter dyssynergia (DSD) one week after injury with high-pressure oscillations and a significantly increased maximal bladder pressure Pmax and were unable to void spontaneously during the whole observation period. They showed an increased bladder-to-bodyweight ratio, bladder fibrosis, and transcriptome changes indicative of extracellular matrix remodeling and alterations of neuronal signaling and muscle contraction. In contrast, pBOO led to a significantly increased Pmax after one week, which normalized at later time points. Increased bladder-to-bodyweight ratio and pronounced gene expression changes involving immune and inflammatory pathways were observed 7 weeks after pBOO. Comparative transcriptome analysis of SCI and pBOO bladders revealed the activation of Wnt and TGF-beta signaling in both the neurogenic and obstructive LUTD and highlighted FGF2 as a major upregulated transcription factor during organ remodeling. We conclude that SCI-induced DSD in mice leads to profound changes in neuronal signaling and muscle contractility, leading to bladder fibrosis. In a similar time frame, significant bladder remodeling following pBOO allowed for functional compensation, preserving normal micturition parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle von Siebenthal
- Functional Urology Research Laboratory, Department for BioMedical Research DBMR, University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Akshay Akshay
- Functional Urology Research Laboratory, Department for BioMedical Research DBMR, University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Mustafa Besic
- Functional Urology Research Laboratory, Department for BioMedical Research DBMR, University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marc P. Schneider
- Functional Urology Research Laboratory, Department for BioMedical Research DBMR, University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ali Hashemi Gheinani
- Functional Urology Research Laboratory, Department for BioMedical Research DBMR, University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Fiona C. Burkhard
- Functional Urology Research Laboratory, Department for BioMedical Research DBMR, University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Urology, Inselspital University Hospital, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Katia Monastyrskaya
- Functional Urology Research Laboratory, Department for BioMedical Research DBMR, University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Urology, Inselspital University Hospital, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +41-316328776
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10
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Kuret T, Peskar D, Kreft ME, Erman A, Veranič P. Comprehensive transcriptome profiling of urothelial cells following TNFα stimulation in an in vitro interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome model. Front Immunol 2022; 13:960667. [PMID: 36045687 PMCID: PMC9421144 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.960667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Urothelial cells of the urinary bladder play a critical role in the development and progression of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), a chronic and debilitating inflammatory disease. Given the lack of data on the exact phenotype and function of urothelial cells in an inflammatory setting (as in IC/BPS), we performed the first in-depth characterization of these cells using RNA sequencing, qPCR, ELISA, Western blot, and immunofluorescence. After TNFα stimulation, urothelial cells in the in vitro model of IC/BPS showed marked upregulation of several proinflammatory mediators, such as SAA, C3, IFNGR1, IL1α, IL1β, IL8, IL23A, IL32, CXCL1, CXCL5, CXCL10, CXCL11, TNFAIPR, TNFRSF1B, and BIRC3, involved in processes and pathways of innate immunity, including granulocyte migration and chemotaxis, inflammatory response, and complement activation, as well as TLR-, NOD-like receptor- and NFkB-signaling pathways, suggesting their active role in shaping the local immune response of the bladder. Our study demonstrates that the TNFα-stimulated urothelial cells recapitulate key observations found in the bladders of patients with IC/BPS, underpinning their utility as a suitable in vitro model for understanding IC/BPS mechanisms and confirming the role of TNFα signaling as an important component of the associated pathology. The present study also identifies novel upregulated gene targets of TNFα in urothelial cells, including genes encoding the acute phase protein SAA, complement component C3, and the cytokine receptor IFNGR1, which could be exploited as therapeutic targets of IC/BPS. Altogether, our study provides a reference database of the phenotype of urothelial cells in an inflammatory environment that will not only increase our knowledge of their role in IC/BPS, but also advance our understanding of how urothelial cells shape tissue immunity in the bladder.
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