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Mesenchymal stem cells alleviate systemic sclerosis by inhibiting the recruitment of pathogenic macrophages. Cell Death Dis 2022; 8:466. [DOI: 10.1038/s41420-022-01264-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AbstractSystemic sclerosis (SSc) is a recalcitrant autoimmune disease for which there is no cure. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based treatment has emerged as a promising therapeutic option for several autoimmune diseases. Previously, we found that the immunoregulatory potential of MSCs can be greatly enhanced by IFN-γ and TNF-α. Here, we found that IFN-γ- and TNF-α-pretreated MSCs significantly alleviated skin fibrosis in a bleomycin (BLM)-induced SSc model. Macrophages were found to be the predominant profibrotic immune cell population in the pathogenesis of SSc. The accumulation of macrophages was significantly decreased by MSC treatment. Importantly, MSCs primarily reduced the population of maturing macrophages with high CCR2 expression by inhibiting the generation of CCL2 from fibroblasts and macrophages. This finding may help to improve MSC-based clinical treatments for SSc patients.
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Guggino G, Lo Pizzo M, Di Liberto D, Rizzo A, Cipriani P, Ruscitti P, Candore G, Gambino CM, Sireci G, Dieli F, Giacomelli R, Triolo G, Ciccia F. Interleukin-9 over-expression and T helper 9 polarization in systemic sclerosis patients. Clin Exp Immunol 2017; 190:208-216. [PMID: 28681919 DOI: 10.1111/cei.13009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
T helper 9 (Th9) cells and interleukin (IL)-9 are involved in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases. The exact role of IL-9 and Th9 cells in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) have not yet been studied adequately. IL-9, IL-9R, transcription factor PU.1 (PU.1), IL-4, thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β expression were assessed in skin and kidney biopsies of SSc patients and healthy controls (HC) by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The cellular source of IL-9 was also analysed by confocal microscopy analysis. Peripheral IL-9-producing cells were also studied by flow cytometry. The functional relevance of IL-9 increased expression in SSc was also investigated. Our results demonstrated a strong expression of IL-9, IL-9R, IL-4, TSLP and TGF-β in skin tissues of patients with both limited and diffuse SSc. IL-9 expression was observed mainly in the context of skin infiltrating mononuclear cells and keratinizing squamous epithelium. IL-9 over-expression was also observed in renal biopsies of patients with SSc. IL-9 producing cells in the skin were identified as Th9 cells. Similarly, Th9 cells were expanded and were the major source of IL-9 among SSc peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), their percentage being correlated directly with the modified Rodnan skin score. Infiltrating mononuclear cells, mast cells and neutrophils expressed IL-9R. In in-vitro studies stimulation with rIL-9 significantly induced NET (neutrophil extracellular traps) release by dying cells (NETosis) in neutrophils, expansion of mast cells and increase of anti-systemic scleroderma 70 (Scl70) production by B cells. Our findings suggest that Th9 cells and IL-9 could be implicated in the pathogenesis of SSc.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Guggino
- Dipartimento Biomedico di Medicina Interna e Specialistica, Sezione di Reumatologia, Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - M Lo Pizzo
- Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy.,Central Laboratory of Advanced Diagnosis and Biomedical Research (CLADIBIOR), Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - D Di Liberto
- Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy.,Central Laboratory of Advanced Diagnosis and Biomedical Research (CLADIBIOR), Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - A Rizzo
- Azienda Ospedaliera Ospedali riuniti Villa Sofia-Cervello, Anatomia Patologica, Palermo, Italy
| | - P Cipriani
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Science, School of Medicine, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - P Ruscitti
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Science, School of Medicine, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - G Candore
- Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - C M Gambino
- Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - G Sireci
- Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy.,Central Laboratory of Advanced Diagnosis and Biomedical Research (CLADIBIOR), Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - F Dieli
- Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy.,Central Laboratory of Advanced Diagnosis and Biomedical Research (CLADIBIOR), Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - R Giacomelli
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Science, School of Medicine, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - G Triolo
- Dipartimento Biomedico di Medicina Interna e Specialistica, Sezione di Reumatologia, Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - F Ciccia
- Dipartimento Biomedico di Medicina Interna e Specialistica, Sezione di Reumatologia, Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy
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Mastocytosis and systemic sclerosis: a clinical association. Clin Mol Allergy 2016; 14:13. [PMID: 27752240 PMCID: PMC5059924 DOI: 10.1186/s12948-016-0050-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2016] [Accepted: 10/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a complex autoimmune disease characterized by vascular alterations and autoimmune activation leading to widespread organ fibrosis. At the early stage of disease when organ involvement and extent of disease are emerging, mast cells may have some role, as implied by both symptoms and histologic evidence. CASE PRESENTATION A female patient diagnosed with cutaneous mastocytosis experienced the onset of systemic sclerosis after 15 years followed by the switch of mastocytosis to the systemic phenotype. A literature review on the evidences related to mast-cells activation in systemic sclerosis is presented below. CONCLUSIONS For clinicians, more attention must be paid to the potential association between systemic sclerosis and cancer. This case suggests that a proliferative disease in the mast cell compartment-though representing a rare association-may not be completely unexpected in SSc and perhaps excess mast cell activity can serve a pathogenic role in promoting fibrotic disease.
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Ningyan G, Xu Y, Hongfei S, Jingjing C, Min C. The role of macrophage migration inhibitory factor in mast cell-stimulated fibroblast proliferation and collagen production. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0122482. [PMID: 25826375 PMCID: PMC4380314 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0122482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2014] [Accepted: 02/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Current clinical and translational studies have shown that mast cell plays a pivotal role in multiple fibrotic diseases including scleroderma. However, the lack of mature human mast cell culture model exhibits a major obstacle for further dissection of cytokines and signaling molecules required for mast cell mediated fibrosis in various diseases. Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor is a mast cell released pro-inflammatory cytokine which is deregulated in scleroderma patients and is also involved in non-scleroderma related fibrosis. In the current study, we successfully generated a practical and reliable human mast cell culture system with bone marrow CD34+ hematopietic precursors. The derivative mast cell is normal in terms of both morphology and function as manifested by normal degranulation. More importantly, we were able to show mast cell conditioned medium as well as MIF supplementation augments fibroblast proliferation and collagen synthesis. This positive regulatory effect of mast cell conditioned medium can be dampened by MIF antibody. In addition, MIF-knockdown significantly inhibits pro-fibrotic activities of CD34+ hematopietic precursor derived mast cells. These data strongly suggest that mast cell released MIF is required for mast cell mediated fibrogenic activities. The current manuscript seems to be the first mechanistic report showing the significance of MIF in mast cell mediated fibrosis, which may pave the way for the development of potential MIF-targeted therapy for fibrotic diseases to a further extent. Moreover, we strongly believe mast cell culture and differentiation model as well as corresponding genetic manipulation methodology will be helpful in characterizing novel mast cell based therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gu Ningyan
- Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, China
| | - Yao Xu
- Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, China
| | - Shi Hongfei
- Department of Orthopedics, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chen Jingjing
- Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, China
| | - Chen Min
- Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, China
- * E-mail:
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Ho YY, Lagares D, Tager AM, Kapoor M. Fibrosis--a lethal component of systemic sclerosis. Nat Rev Rheumatol 2014; 10:390-402. [PMID: 24752182 DOI: 10.1038/nrrheum.2014.53] [Citation(s) in RCA: 221] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Fibrosis is a pathological process characterized by excessive accumulation of connective tissue components in an organ or tissue. Fibrosis is produced by deregulated wound healing in response to chronic tissue injury or chronic inflammation, the hallmarks of rheumatic diseases. Progressive fibrosis, which distorts tissue architecture and results in progressive loss of organ function, is now recognized to be one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in individuals with one of the most lethal rheumatic disease, systemic sclerosis (SSc). In this Review, we discuss the pathological role of fibrosis in SSc. We discuss the involvement of endothelium and pericyte activation, aberrant immune responses, endoplasmic reticulum stress and chronic tissue injury in the initiation of fibrosis in SSc. We then discuss fibroblast activation and myofibroblast differentiation that occurs in response to these initiating processes and is responsible for excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix. Finally, we discuss the chemical and mechanical signals that drive fibroblast activation and myofibroblast differentiation, which could serve as targets for new therapies for fibrosis in SSc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuen Yee Ho
- Shriners Hospital for Children, Division of Surgical Research, McGill University, 1529 Cedar Avenue, Montreal, QC H3G1A6, Canada
| | - David Lagares
- Pulmonary and Critical Care Unit and Centre for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 149 13th Street, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Andrew M Tager
- Pulmonary and Critical Care Unit and Centre for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 149 13th Street, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Mohit Kapoor
- The Toronto Western Research Institute, Division of Orthopaedics, Toronto Western Hospital, The University Health Network, 60 Leonard Avenue, Toronto, ON M5T 2S8, Canada
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