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Wu S, Li J, Zhan Y. H3K18 lactylation accelerates liver fibrosis progression through facilitating SOX9 transcription. Exp Cell Res 2024; 440:114135. [PMID: 38901791 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2024.114135] [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: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a significant health concern globally due to its association with severe liver conditions like cirrhosis and liver cancer. Histone lactylation has been implicated in the progression of hepatic fibrosis, but its specific role in liver fibrosis, particularly regarding H3K18 lactylation, remained unclear. To investigate this, we established in vivo and in vitro models of liver fibrosis using carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) injection in rats and stimulation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) with TGF-β1, respectively. We found that histone lactylation, particularly H3K18 lactylation, was upregulated in both CCl4-induced rats and TGF-β1-activated HSCs, indicating its potential involvement in liver fibrosis. Further experiments revealed that lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) knockdown inhibited H3K18 lactylation and had a beneficial effect on liver fibrosis by suppressing HSC proliferation, migration, and extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition. This suggests that H3K18 lactylation promotes liver fibrosis progression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that H3K18 lactylation facilitated the transcription of SOX9, a transcription factor associated with fibrosis. Importantly, overexpression of SOX9 counteracted the effects of LDHA silencing on activated HSCs, indicating that SOX9 is downstream of H3K18 lactylation in promoting liver fibrosis. In summary, this study uncovers a novel mechanism by which H3K18 lactylation contributes to liver fibrosis by activating SOX9 transcription. This finding opens avenues for exploring new therapeutic strategies for hepatic fibrosis targeting histone lactylation pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shujun Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi province 030001, China.
| | - Jianhong Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi province 030001, China
| | - Yanfei Zhan
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi province 030001, China
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Nyholm I, Sjöblom N, Pihlajoki M, Hukkinen M, Lohi J, Heikkilä P, Mutka A, Jahnukainen T, Davenport M, Heikinheimo M, Arola J, Pakarinen MP. Deep learning quantification reveals a fundamental prognostic role for ductular reaction in biliary atresia. Hepatol Commun 2023; 7:e0333. [PMID: 38051554 PMCID: PMC10697619 DOI: 10.1097/hc9.0000000000000333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We aimed to quantify ductular reaction (DR) in biliary atresia using a neural network in relation to underlying pathophysiology and prognosis. METHODS Image-processing neural network model was applied to 259 cytokeratin-7-stained native liver biopsies of patients with biliary atresia and 43 controls. The model quantified total proportional DR (DR%) composed of portal biliary epithelium (BE%) and parenchymal intermediate hepatocytes (PIH%). The results were related to clinical data, Sirius Red-quantified liver fibrosis, serum biomarkers, and bile acids. RESULTS In total, 2 biliary atresia biopsies were obtained preoperatively, 116 at Kasai portoenterostomy (KPE) and 141 during post-KPE follow-up. DR% (8.3% vs. 5.9%, p=0.045) and PIH% (1.3% vs. 0.6%, p=0.004) were increased at KPE in patients remaining cholestatic postoperatively. After KPE, patients with subsequent liver transplantation or death showed an increase in DR% (7.9%-9.9%, p = 0.04) and PIH% (1.6%-2.4%, p = 0.009), whereas patients with native liver survival (NLS) showed decreasing BE% (5.5%-3.0%, p = 0.03) and persistently low PIH% (0.9% vs. 1.3%, p = 0.11). In Cox regression, high DR predicted inferior NLS both at KPE [DR% (HR = 1.05, p = 0.01), BE% (HR = 1.05, p = 0.03), and PIH% (HR = 1.13, p = 0.005)] and during follow-up [DR% (HR = 1.08, p<0.0001), BE% (HR = 1.58, p = 0.001), and PIH% (HR = 1.04, p = 0.008)]. DR% correlated with Sirius red-quantified liver fibrosis at KPE (R = 0.47, p<0.0001) and follow-up (R = 0.27, p = 0.004). A close association between DR% and serum bile acids was observed at follow-up (R = 0.61, p<0.001). Liver fibrosis was not prognostic for NLS at KPE (HR = 1.00, p = 0.96) or follow-up (HR = 1.01, p = 0.29). CONCLUSIONS DR predicted NLS in different disease stages before transplantation while associating with serum bile acids after KPE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iiris Nyholm
- Section of Pediatric Surgery, Pediatric Liver and Gut Research Group, Children and Adolescent Department, New Children’s Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
- Pediatric Research Center, Children and Adolescent Department, New Children’s Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Nelli Sjöblom
- Department of Pathology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Marjut Pihlajoki
- Pediatric Research Center, Children and Adolescent Department, New Children’s Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Maria Hukkinen
- Section of Pediatric Surgery, Pediatric Liver and Gut Research Group, Children and Adolescent Department, New Children’s Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jouko Lohi
- Department of Pathology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Päivi Heikkilä
- Department of Pathology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Aino Mutka
- Department of Pathology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Timo Jahnukainen
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology and Transplantation, New Children’s Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mark Davenport
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, King’s College Hospital, London, UK
| | - Markku Heikinheimo
- Pediatric Research Center, Children and Adolescent Department, New Children’s Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Child, Adolescent, and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Johanna Arola
- Department of Pathology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mikko P. Pakarinen
- Section of Pediatric Surgery, Pediatric Liver and Gut Research Group, Children and Adolescent Department, New Children’s Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
- Pediatric Research Center, Children and Adolescent Department, New Children’s Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
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Suominen S, Hyypijev T, Venäläinen M, Yrjänäinen A, Vuorenpää H, Lehti-Polojärvi M, Räsänen M, Seppänen A, Hyttinen J, Miettinen S, Aalto-Setälä K, Viiri LE. Improvements in Maturity and Stability of 3D iPSC-Derived Hepatocyte-like Cell Cultures. Cells 2023; 12:2368. [PMID: 37830581 PMCID: PMC10571736 DOI: 10.3390/cells12192368] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology enables differentiation of human hepatocytes or hepatocyte-like cells (iPSC-HLCs). Advances in 3D culturing platforms enable the development of more in vivo-like liver models that recapitulate the complex liver architecture and functionality better than traditional 2D monocultures. Moreover, within the liver, non-parenchymal cells (NPCs) are critically involved in the regulation and maintenance of hepatocyte metabolic function. Thus, models combining 3D culture and co-culturing of various cell types potentially create more functional in vitro liver models than 2D monocultures. Here, we report the establishment of 3D cultures of iPSC-HLCs alone and in co-culture with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (hASCs). The 3D cultures were performed as spheroids or on microfluidic chips utilizing various biomaterials. Our results show that both 3D spheroid and on-chip culture enhance the expression of mature liver marker genes and proteins compared to 2D. Among the spheroid models, we saw the best functionality in iPSC-HLC monoculture spheroids. On the contrary, in the chip system, the multilineage model outperformed the monoculture chip model. Additionally, the optical projection tomography (OPT) and electrical impedance tomography (EIT) system revealed changes in spheroid size and electrical conductivity during spheroid culture, suggesting changes in cell-cell connections. Altogether, the present study demonstrates that iPSC-HLCs can successfully be cultured in 3D as spheroids and on microfluidic chips, and co-culturing iPSC-HLCs with NPCs enhances their functionality. These 3D in vitro liver systems are promising human-derived platforms usable in various liver-related studies, specifically when using patient-specific iPSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siiri Suominen
- Heart Group, Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center and Science Mimicking Life Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland (L.E.V.)
| | - Tinja Hyypijev
- Heart Group, Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center and Science Mimicking Life Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland (L.E.V.)
| | - Mari Venäläinen
- Heart Group, Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center and Science Mimicking Life Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland (L.E.V.)
| | - Alma Yrjänäinen
- Adult Stem Cell Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland
- Research, Development and Innovation Centre, Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Hanna Vuorenpää
- Adult Stem Cell Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland
- Research, Development and Innovation Centre, Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Mari Lehti-Polojärvi
- Computational Biophysics and Imaging Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Mikko Räsänen
- Department of Technical Physics, University of Eastern Finland, 70210 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Aku Seppänen
- Department of Technical Physics, University of Eastern Finland, 70210 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jari Hyttinen
- Computational Biophysics and Imaging Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Susanna Miettinen
- Adult Stem Cell Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland
- Research, Development and Innovation Centre, Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Katriina Aalto-Setälä
- Heart Group, Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center and Science Mimicking Life Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland (L.E.V.)
- Heart Hospital, Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Leena E. Viiri
- Heart Group, Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center and Science Mimicking Life Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland (L.E.V.)
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