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Mendoza YP, Tsouka S, Semmler G, Seubnooch P, Freiburghaus K, Mandorfer M, Bosch J, Masoodi M, Berzigotti A. Metabolic phenotyping of patients with Advanced Chronic Liver Disease for better characterization of Cirrhosis Regression. J Hepatol 2024:S0168-8278(24)02334-1. [PMID: 38944391 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2024.06.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Regression of cirrhosis has been observed in patients with viral and non-viral etiologies of liver disease in whom the underlying cause of liver injury was effectively suppressed. However, the understanding of the factors contributing to reversibility of fibrosis and cirrhosis is limited. Our aims were to assess clinical factors, perform genotyping of known variants, and comprehensive metabolic phenotyping to characterize the regression of fibrosis in patients with compensated advanced chronic liver disease (cACLD). METHODS In a case-control pilot study with 81 cACLD patients, we compared individuals exhibiting histological or clinical evidence of cACLD regression ("regressors"; n=44) with those showing no improvement ("non-regressors"; n=37) after a minimum of 24 months of successful therapy of the cause of liver disease. Data were validated using an external validation cohort (n=30). RESULTS Regardless of the cause of cACLD, the presence of obesity (OR 0.267 95%CI:0.072-0.882; P=0.049), high liver stiffness (OR 0.960, 95%CI:0.925-0.995; P=0.032), and carriage of GCKR variant rs1260326 (OR 0.148, 95%CI:0.030-0.773; P=0.019) are associated with a reduced likelihood of fibrosis regression in a subgroup of 60 ACLD patients genotyped for known genetic variants. Using liver tissue transcriptomics, we identified metabolic pathways differentiating regressors from non-regressors, with top pathways associated to lipid metabolism -especially fatty acids, bile acids, phospholipids, triacylglycerides (biosynthesis), and the carnitine shuttle. In the entire discovery cohort, we further measured metabolites within the defined pathways, which led to identifying 33 circulating markers differentiating regressors from non-regressors after etiological therapy. The validation cohort confirmed 14 of the differentially expressed markers. CONCLUSIONS We identified and validated a group of lipid biomarkers associated with regression of fibrosis that could be used as non-invasive biomarker for detecting regression of fibrosis in cACLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuly P Mendoza
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland; Department for BioMedical Research, Visceral Surgery and Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland; Graduate School for Health Sciences (GHS), University of Bern
| | - Sofia Tsouka
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Georg Semmler
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Vienna Hepatic Hemodynamic Lab, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Patcharamon Seubnooch
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Katrin Freiburghaus
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Mattias Mandorfer
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Vienna Hepatic Hemodynamic Lab, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jaime Bosch
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland; Department for BioMedical Research, Visceral Surgery and Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Mojgan Masoodi
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Annalisa Berzigotti
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland; Department for BioMedical Research, Visceral Surgery and Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland.
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Popov J, Despot T, Avelar Rodriguez D, Khan I, Mech E, Khan M, Bojadzija M, Pai N. Implications of Microbiota and Immune System in Development and Progression of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease. Nutrients 2024; 16:1668. [PMID: 38892602 PMCID: PMC11175128 DOI: 10.3390/nu16111668] [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: 05/10/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the most prevalent type of liver disease worldwide. The exact pathophysiology behind MASLD remains unclear; however, it is thought that a combination of factors or "hits" act as precipitants for disease onset and progression. Abundant evidence supports the roles of diet, genes, metabolic dysregulation, and the intestinal microbiome in influencing the accumulation of lipids in hepatocytes and subsequent progression to inflammation and fibrosis. Currently, there is no cure for MASLD, but lifestyle changes have been the prevailing cornerstones of management. Research is now focusing on the intestinal microbiome as a potential therapeutic target for MASLD, with the spotlight shifting to probiotics, antibiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation. In this review, we provide an overview of how intestinal microbiota interact with the immune system to contribute to the pathogenesis of MASLD and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). We also summarize key microbial taxa implicated in the disease and discuss evidence supporting microbial-targeted therapies in its management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Popov
- Boston Combined Residency Program, Boston Children’s Hospital & Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
| | - Tijana Despot
- College of Medicine and Health, University College Cork, T12 YN60 Cork, Ireland; (T.D.); (I.K.)
| | - David Avelar Rodriguez
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1E8, Canada;
| | - Irfan Khan
- College of Medicine and Health, University College Cork, T12 YN60 Cork, Ireland; (T.D.); (I.K.)
| | - Eugene Mech
- School of Medicine, University College Dublin, D04 C1P1 Dublin, Ireland;
| | - Mahrukh Khan
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada;
- Department of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Milan Bojadzija
- Department of Internal Medicine, Subotica General Hospital, 24000 Subotica, Serbia;
| | - Nikhil Pai
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada;
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, McMaster Children’s Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Dekker SEI, Bierau J, Giera M, Blomberg N, Drenth JPH, Mayboroda OA, de Fijter JW, Soonawala D. Serum bile acids associate with liver volume in polycystic liver disease and decrease upon treatment with lanreotide. Eur J Clin Invest 2024; 54:e14147. [PMID: 38071418 DOI: 10.1111/eci.14147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Polycystic liver disease (PLD) is a common extrarenal manifestation of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). Bile acids may play a role in PLD pathogenesis. We performed a post-hoc exploratory analysis of bile acids in ADPKD patients, who had participated in a trial on the effect of a somatostatin analogue. Our hypothesis was that serum bile acid levels increase in PLD, and that lanreotide, which reduces liver growth, may also reduce bile acid levels. Furthermore, in PLD, urinary excretion of bile acids might contribute to renal disease. METHODS With liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, 11 bile acids in serum and 6 in urine were quantified in 105 PLD ADPKD patients and 52 age-, sex-, mutation- and eGFR-matched non-PLD ADPKD patients. Sampling was done at baseline and after 120 weeks of either lanreotide or standard care. RESULTS Baseline serum levels of taurine- and glycine-conjugated bile acids were higher in patients with larger livers. In PLD patients, multiple bile acids decreased upon treatment with lanreotide but remained stable in untreated subjects. Changes over time did not correlate with changes in liver volume. Urine bile acid levels did not change and did not correlate with renal disease progression. CONCLUSION In ADPKD patients with PLD, baseline serum bile acids were associated with liver volume. Lanreotide reduced bile acid levels and has previously been shown to reduce liver volume. However, in this study, the decrease in bile acids was not associated with the change in liver volume.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shosha E I Dekker
- Department of Nephrology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Jörgen Bierau
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Martin Giera
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Niek Blomberg
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Joost P H Drenth
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Oleg A Mayboroda
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Johan W de Fijter
- Department of Nephrology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Darius Soonawala
- Department of Nephrology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Department of Internal Medicine, Haga Teaching Hospital, The Hague, the Netherlands
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Kitsugi K, Noritake H, Matsumoto M, Hanaoka T, Umemura M, Yamashita M, Takatori S, Ito J, Ohta K, Chida T, Ulmasov B, Neuschwander-Tetri BA, Suda T, Kawata K. Inhibition of integrin binding to ligand arg-gly-asp motif induces AKT-mediated cellular senescence in hepatic stellate cells. Mol Cell Biochem 2023:10.1007/s11010-023-04883-0. [PMID: 37902885 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-023-04883-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) play an essential role in liver fibrogenesis. The induction of cellular senescence has been reported to inhibit HSC activation. Previously, we demonstrated that CWHM12, a small molecule arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) peptidomimetic compound, inhibits HSC activation. This study investigated whether the inhibitory effects of CWHM12 on HSCs affected cellular senescence. METHODS The immortalized human HSC lines, LX-2 and TWNT-1, were used to evaluate the effects of CWHM12 on cellular senescence via the disruption of RGD-mediated binding to integrins. RESULTS CWHM12 induces cell cycle arrest, senescence-associated beta-galactosidase activity, acquisition of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), and expression of senescence-associated proteins in HSCs. Further experiments revealed that the phosphorylation of AKT and murine double minute 2 (MDM2) was involved in the effects of CWHM12, and the inhibition of AKT phosphorylation reversed these effects of CWHM12 on HSCs. CONCLUSIONS Pharmacological inhibition of RGD-mediated integrin binding induces senescence in activated HSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kensuke Kitsugi
- Division of Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Hidenao Noritake
- Division of Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan.
| | - Moe Matsumoto
- Division of Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Tomohiko Hanaoka
- Division of Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Masahiro Umemura
- Division of Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Maho Yamashita
- Division of Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Shingo Takatori
- Division of Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Jun Ito
- Division of Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Kazuyoshi Ohta
- Division of Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Takeshi Chida
- Division of Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Barbara Ulmasov
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | | | - Takafumi Suda
- Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Kazuhito Kawata
- Division of Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
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Hoebinger C, Rajcic D, Silva B, Hendrikx T. Chronic-binge ethanol feeding aggravates systemic dyslipidemia in Ldlr-/- mice, thereby accelerating hepatic fibrosis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1148827. [PMID: 37560305 PMCID: PMC10407564 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1148827] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Chronic ethanol consumption is known to cause alcohol-associated liver disease, which poses a global health concern as almost a quarter of heavy drinkers develop severe liver damage. Alcohol-induced liver disease ranges from a mild, reversible steatotic liver to alcoholic steatohepatitis and irreversible liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, ultimately requiring liver transplantation. While ethanol consumption is associated with dysregulated lipid metabolism and altered cholesterol homeostasis, the impact of dyslipidemia and pre-existing hypercholesterolemia on the development of alcohol-associated liver disease remains to be elucidated. Design To address the influence of systemic dyslipidemia on ethanol-induced liver disease, chronic-binge ethanol feeding was applied to female C57BL/6J (wild type) mice and mice deficient for the low-density lipoprotein receptor (Ldlr-/-), which display a human-like lipoprotein profile with elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels in circulation. Respective control groups were pair-fed an isocaloric diet. Results Chronic-binge ethanol feeding did not alter systemic lipid levels in wild type mice. While increased systemic cholesterol levels in Ldlr-/- mice were not affected by ethanol feeding, chronic-binge ethanol diet aggravated elevated plasma triglyceride levels in Ldlr-/- mice. Despite higher circulatory triglyceride levels in Ldlr-/- mice, hepatic lipid levels and the development of hepatic steatosis were not different from wild type mice after ethanol diet, while hepatic expression of genes related to lipid metabolism (Lpl) and transport (Cd36) showed minor changes. Immunohistochemical assessment indicated a lower induction of infiltrating neutrophils in the livers of ethanol-fed Ldlr-/- mice compared to wild type mice. In line, hepatic mRNA levels of the pro-inflammatory genes Ly6g, Cd11b, Ccr2, Cxcl1 and F4/80 were reduced, indicating less inflammation in the livers of Ldlr-/- mice which was associated with reduced Tlr9 induction. While systemic ALT and hepatic MDA levels were not different, Ldlr-deficient mice showed accelerated liver fibrosis development after chronic-binge ethanol diet than wild type mice, as indicated by increased levels of Sirius Red staining and higher expression of pro-fibrotic genes Tgfb, Col1a1 and Col3a1. Ldlr-/- and wild type mice had similar plasma ethanol levels and did not show differences in the hepatic mRNA levels of Adh1 and Cyp2e1, important for ethanol metabolism. Conclusion Our results highlight that chronic-binge ethanol feeding enhances systemic dyslipidemia in Ldlr-/- mice which might accelerate the development of hepatic fibrosis, independent of hepatic lipid levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constanze Hoebinger
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Dragana Rajcic
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Beatriz Silva
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry Institute, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Tim Hendrikx
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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6
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Yuan Z, Wang J, Zhang H, Chai Y, Xu Y, Miao Y, Yuan Z, Zhang L, Jiang Z, Yu Q. Glycocholic acid aggravates liver fibrosis by promoting the up-regulation of connective tissue growth factor in hepatocytes. Cell Signal 2023; 101:110508. [PMID: 36341984 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2022.110508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
AIMS The precise role of bile acid in the progression of liver fibrosis has yet to be elucidated. In this study, common bile duct ligation was used as an in vivo mouse model for the evaluation of bile acids that promote liver connective tissue growth factor expression. MAIN METHODS Primary rat and mice hepatocytes, as well as primary rat hepatic stellate and HepaRG cells were evaluated as in vitro models for promoting the expression of connective tissue growth factor by bile acids. KEY FINDINGS Compared with taurochenodeoxycholic acid, glycochenodeoxycholic acid, and taurocholic acid, glycocholic acid (GCA) most strongly promoted the secretion of connective tissue growth factor in mouse primary hepatocytes, rat primary hepatocytes and HepaRGs. GCA did not directly promote the activation of hepatic stellate cells. The administration of GCA in mice with ligated bile ducts promotes the progression of liver fibrosis, which may promote the yes-associated protein of hepatocytes into the nucleus, resulting in the hepatocytes secreting more connective tissue growth factor for hepatic stellate cell activation. In conclusion, our data showed that GCA can induce the expression of connective tissue growth factor in hepatocytes by promoting the nuclear translocation of yes-associated protein, thereby activating hepatic stellate cells. SIGNIFICANCE Our findings help to elucidate the contribution of GCA to the progression of hepatic fibrosis in cholestatic disease and aid the clinical monitoring of cholestatic liver fibrosis development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihang Yuan
- New drug screening center, Jiangsu Center for Pharmacodynamics Research and Evaluation, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Jie Wang
- New drug screening center, Jiangsu Center for Pharmacodynamics Research and Evaluation, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Haoran Zhang
- New drug screening center, Jiangsu Center for Pharmacodynamics Research and Evaluation, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yuanyuan Chai
- New drug screening center, Jiangsu Center for Pharmacodynamics Research and Evaluation, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yunxia Xu
- New drug screening center, Jiangsu Center for Pharmacodynamics Research and Evaluation, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yingying Miao
- New drug screening center, Jiangsu Center for Pharmacodynamics Research and Evaluation, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Ziqiao Yuan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Luyong Zhang
- New drug screening center, Jiangsu Center for Pharmacodynamics Research and Evaluation, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; Center for Drug Research and Development, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhenzhou Jiang
- New drug screening center, Jiangsu Center for Pharmacodynamics Research and Evaluation, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, Ministry of Education, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Qinwei Yu
- New drug screening center, Jiangsu Center for Pharmacodynamics Research and Evaluation, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
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Smirnova E, Muthiah MD, Narayan N, Siddiqui MS, Puri P, Luketic VA, Contos MJ, Idowu M, Chuang JC, Billin AN, Huss RS, Myers RP, Boyett S, Seneshaw M, Min HK, Mirshahi F, Sanyal AJ. Metabolic reprogramming of the intestinal microbiome with functional bile acid changes underlie the development of NAFLD. Hepatology 2022; 76:1811-1824. [PMID: 35561146 PMCID: PMC9653520 DOI: 10.1002/hep.32568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Bile acids are hepatic metabolites and have many properties considered to be relevant to the pathophysiology of NAFLD. Circulating levels of the intestinal microbiome-modified bile acid deoxycholate are increased in cirrhosis. APPROACH AND RESULTS To further elucidate the role of bile acids and intestinal microbiota linked to bile acids in progressively severe NAFLD, a multiomic study of feces including 16S rRNA sequencing, microbial transcriptomics and metabolomics was performed in a cohort with varying phenotypes of NAFLD. Several bile acids of microbial origin derived from deoxycholic acid (DCA) (glycodeoxycholate, 7-ketodeoxycholic acid, dehydrocholic acid) increased with disease activity and fibrosis stage. These were linked to increased expression of microbial bile salt hydrolase, bile acid operon (BaiCD) and hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (hdhA) required for DCA and downstream metabolite synthesis providing a mechanistic basis for altered bile acid profiles with disease progression. Bacteroidetes and several genera of Lachnospiraceae family containing DCA generating genes increased with increasing disease severity, whereas several potentially beneficial microbes sensitive to antibacterial effects of DCA e.g., Ruminococcaceae were decreased. The clinical relevance of these data was confirmed in an independent cohort enrolled in a clinical trial for NASH where at entry DCA and its conjugates were associated with advanced fibrosis. In patients treated with placebo, DCA declined in those with fibrosis regression and increased in those with fibrosis progression. DCA rose further in those with compensated cirrhosis when they experienced decompensation. CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate a role for bile acids and the bile acid dependent microbiome in the development and progression of NAFLD and set the stage to leverage these findings for NASH biomarker development and for therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Smirnova
- Department of BiostatisticsVirginia Commonwealth University School of MedicineRichmondVirginiaUSA
| | - Mark D Muthiah
- Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyNational University Health SystemSingapore.,Yong Loo Lin School of MedicineNational University of SingaporeSingapore
| | | | - Mohamad S Siddiqui
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and NutritionDepartment of Internal MedicineVirginia Commonwealth University School of MedicineRichmondVirginiaUSA
| | - Puneet Puri
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and NutritionDepartment of Internal MedicineVirginia Commonwealth University School of MedicineRichmondVirginiaUSA
| | - Velimir A Luketic
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and NutritionDepartment of Internal MedicineVirginia Commonwealth University School of MedicineRichmondVirginiaUSA
| | - Melissa J Contos
- Department of PathologyVirginia Commonwealth University School of MedicineRichmondVirginiaUSA
| | - Michael Idowu
- Department of PathologyVirginia Commonwealth University School of MedicineRichmondVirginiaUSA
| | | | | | - Ryan S Huss
- Gilead Sciences Inc.Foster CityCaliforniaUSA
| | | | - Sherry Boyett
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and NutritionDepartment of Internal MedicineVirginia Commonwealth University School of MedicineRichmondVirginiaUSA
| | - Mulugeta Seneshaw
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and NutritionDepartment of Internal MedicineVirginia Commonwealth University School of MedicineRichmondVirginiaUSA
| | - Hae-Ki Min
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and NutritionDepartment of Internal MedicineVirginia Commonwealth University School of MedicineRichmondVirginiaUSA
| | - Faridodin Mirshahi
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and NutritionDepartment of Internal MedicineVirginia Commonwealth University School of MedicineRichmondVirginiaUSA
| | - Arun J Sanyal
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and NutritionDepartment of Internal MedicineVirginia Commonwealth University School of MedicineRichmondVirginiaUSA
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GRP94 Inhabits the Immortalized Porcine Hepatic Stellate Cells Apoptosis under Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress through Modulating the Expression of IGF-1 and Ubiquitin. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232214059. [PMID: 36430538 PMCID: PMC9694842 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232214059] [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: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) is closely related to the occurrence and progression of metabolic liver disease. The treatment targeting glucose-regulated protein 94 (GRP94) for liver disease has gotten much attention, but the specific effect of GRP94 on hepatocyte apoptosis is still unclear. So far, all the studies on GRP94 have been conducted in mice or rats, and little study has been reported on pigs, which share more similarities with humans. In this study, we used low-dose (LD) and high-dose (HD) tunicamycin (TM) to establish ERS models on piglet livers and immortalized porcine hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). On the piglet ERS model we found that ERS could significantly (p < 0.01) stimulate the secretion and synthesis of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R), and IGF-binding protein (IGFBP)-1 and IGFBP-3; however, with the increase in ERS degree, the effect of promoting secretion and synthesis significantly (p < 0.01) decreased. In addition, the ubiquitin protein and ubiquitination-related gene were significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the LD group compared with the vehicle group. The protein level of Active-caspase 3 was significantly increased (p < 0.01) in the HD group, however, the TUNEL staining showed there was no significant apoptosis in the piglet liver ERS model. To explore the biofunction of ER chaperone GRP94, we used shRNA to knock down the expression of GRP94 in porcine HSCs. Interestingly, on porcine HSCs, the knockdown of GRP94 significantly (p < 0.05) decreased the secretion of IGF-1, IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-3 under ERS, but had no significant effect on these under normal condition, and knockdown GRP94 had a significant (p < 0.01) effect on the UBE2E gene and ubiquitin protein from the analysis of two-way ANOVA. On porcine HSCs apoptosis, the knockdown of GRP94 increased the cell apoptosis in TUNEL staining, and the two-way ANOVA analysis shows that knockdown GRP94 had a significant (p < 0.01) effect on the protein levels of Bcl-2 and Caspase-3. For CCK-8 assay, ERS had a significant inhibitory(p < 0.05) effect on cell proliferation when treated with ERS for 24 h, and both knockdown GRP94 and ERS had a significant inhibitory(p < 0.05) effect on cell proliferation when treated with ERS for 36 h and 48 h. We concluded that GRP94 can protect the cell from ERS-induced apoptosis by promoting the IGF-1 system and ubiquitin. These results provide valuable information on the adaptive mechanisms of the liver under ERS, and could help identify vital functional genes to be applied as possible diagnostic biomarkers and treatments for diseases induced by ERS in the future.
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9
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Wang T, Rong X, Zhao C. Circadian Rhythms Coordinated With Gut Microbiota Partially Account for Individual Differences in Hepatitis B-Related Cirrhosis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:936815. [PMID: 35846774 PMCID: PMC9283756 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.936815] [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: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cirrhosis is the end stage of chronic liver diseases like chronic hepatitis B. In China, hepatitis B accounts for around 60% of cases of cirrhosis. So far, clinical and laboratory indexes for the early diagnosis of cirrhosis are far from satisfactory. Nevertheless, there haven’t been specific drugs for cirrhosis. Thus, it is quite necessary to uncover more specific factors which play their roles in cirrhosis and figure out the possible therapeutic targets. Among emerging factors taking part in the initiation and progression of cirrhosis, gut microbiota might be a pivot of systemic factors like metabolism and immune and different organs like gut and liver. Discovery of detailed molecular mechanism in gut microbiota and gut liver axis leads to a more promising prospect of developing new drugs intervening in these pathways. Time-based medication regimen has been proofed to be helpful in hormonotherapy, especially in the use of glucocorticoid. Thus, circadian rhythms, though haven’t been strongly linked to hepatitis B and its complications, are still pivotal to various pathophysiological progresses. Gut microbiota as a potential effective factor of circadian rhythms has also received increasing attentions. Here, our work, restricting cirrhosis to the post-hepatitis B one, is aimed to summarize how circadian rhythms and hepatitis B-related cirrhosis can intersect via gut microbiota, and to throw new insights on the development of new and time-based therapies for hepatitis B-related cirrhosis and other cirrhosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongyao Wang
- Ministry of Education (MOE)/National Health Commission (NHC)/Chinese Academy of Medical Science (CAMS) Key Lab of Medical Molecular Virology, School of Basic Medical Sciences & National Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xingyu Rong
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Chao Zhao
- Ministry of Education (MOE)/National Health Commission (NHC)/Chinese Academy of Medical Science (CAMS) Key Lab of Medical Molecular Virology, School of Basic Medical Sciences & National Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microbes and Infection, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Chao Zhao,
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10
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Pan PH, Wang YY, Lin SY, Liao SL, Chen YF, Huang WC, Chen CJ, Chen WY. Plumbagin ameliorates bile duct ligation-induced cholestatic liver injury in rats. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 151:113133. [PMID: 35594710 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113133] [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: 04/02/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Plumbagin, a natural bicyclic naphthoquinone, has diverse pharmacological properties and biological benefits against a number of disorders, including liver disease. Though plumbagin's hepatoprotective potential attracts attention, currently no experimental evidence exists on its effectiveness against cholestatic liver injury. The present study investigated its hepatoprotection in the rat model of extrahepatic cholestasis using Bile Duct Ligation (BDL). We found that daily plumbagin supplementation protected the liver from cholestatic damage. Hepatoprotective actions of plumbagin were accompanied by reduction of Transforming Growth Factor β1 (TGF-β1)/Smad, High Mobility Group Box-1 (HMGB1)/Toll-Like Receptor-4 (TLR4), Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α (HIF-1α), Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR), Heat Shock Protein 90 (HSP90), caveolin-1, NF-κB/AP-1, Dynamin Related Protein-1 (Drp1), malondialdehyde level, Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), p62/SQSTM1, and caspase 3 as well as increase of Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR), bile acid efflux transporters, glutathione, LC3-II, Beclin1, and nuclear NF-E2-Related Factor-2 (Nrf2) and Transcription Factor EB (TFEB). The activation of nuclear Nrf2 caused by plumbagin correlated well with the improvement in bile acid retention, liver histology, serum biochemical, ductular reaction, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, impaired autophagy, and fibrosis, involving interplay of multiple intracellular signaling pathways. Plumbagin is likely a candidate drug to protect the liver from cholestatic damages. Despite the promising findings from this study, translational implication of plumbagin on cholestatic liver injury warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pin-Ho Pan
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City 402, Taiwan; Department of Pediatrics, Tungs' Taichung MetroHarbor Hospital, Taichung City 435, Taiwan.
| | - Ya-Yu Wang
- Department of Family Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung City 407, Taiwan.
| | - Shih-Yi Lin
- Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung City 407, Taiwan; Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei City 112, Taiwan.
| | - Su-Lan Liao
- Department of Medical Research, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung City 407, Taiwan.
| | - Yu-Fang Chen
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung City 840, Taiwan.
| | - Wei-Chi Huang
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City 402, Taiwan.
| | - Chun-Jung Chen
- Department of Medical Research, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung City 407, Taiwan; Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, China Medical University, Taichung City 404, Taiwan.
| | - Wen-Ying Chen
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City 402, Taiwan.
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11
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Li J, Li S, Wang Y, Shang A. Functional, morphological and molecular characteristics in a novel rat model of spinal sacral nerve injury-surgical approach, pathological process and clinical relevance. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10026. [PMID: 35705577 PMCID: PMC9200741 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13254-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinal sacral nerve injury represents one of the most serious conditions associated with many diseases such as sacral fracture, tethered cord syndrome and sacral canal tumor. Spinal sacral nerve injury could cause bladder denervation and detrusor underactivity. There is limited clinical experience resolving spinal sacral nerve injury associated detrusor underactivity patients, and thus the treatment options are also scarce. In this study, we established a spinal sacral nerve injury animal model for deeper understanding and further researching of this disease. Forty 8 w (week) old Sprague Dawley rats were included and equally divided into sham (n = 20) and crush group (n = 20). Bilateral spinal sacral nerves of rats were crushed in crush group, and sham group received same procedure without nerve crush. Comprehensive evaluations at three time points (1 w, 4 w and 6 w) were performed to comprehend the nature process of this disease. According to urodynamic test, ultrasonography and retrograde urography, we could demonstrate severe bladder dysfunction after spinal sacral nerve injury along the observation period compared with sham group. These functional changes were further reflected by histological examination (hematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome staining) of microstructure of nerves and bladders. Immunostaining of nerve/bladder revealed schwann cell death, axon degeneration and collagen remodeling of bladder. Polymerase Chain Reaction results revealed vigorous nerve inflammation and bladder fibrosis 1 week after injury and inflammation/fibrosis returned to normal at 4 w. The CatWalk gait analysis was performed and there was no obvious difference between two groups. In conclusion, we established a reliable and reproducible model for spinal sacral nerve injury, this model provided an approach to evaluate the treatment strategies and to understand the pathological process of spinal sacral nerve injuries. It allowed us to understand how nerve degeneration and bladder fibrosis changed following spinal sacral nerve injury and how recovery could be facilitated by therapeutic options for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyang Li
- grid.216938.70000 0000 9878 7032The School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071 China ,grid.414252.40000 0004 1761 8894Department of Neurosurgery, General Hospital of Chinese People Liberty Army, No. 28 Fuxing Road, Beijing, 100853 China
| | - Shiqiang Li
- The 80Th Group Army Hospital of Chinese People Liberty Army, Shandong, 261021 China
| | - Yu Wang
- grid.414252.40000 0004 1761 8894Institute of Orthopedics, 4th, Chinese People Liberty Army General Hospital, Beijing, China ,grid.260483.b0000 0000 9530 8833Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226007 People’s Republic of China
| | - Aijia Shang
- grid.216938.70000 0000 9878 7032The School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071 China ,grid.414252.40000 0004 1761 8894Department of Neurosurgery, General Hospital of Chinese People Liberty Army, No. 28 Fuxing Road, Beijing, 100853 China ,grid.260483.b0000 0000 9530 8833Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226007 People’s Republic of China
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12
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Senescence in HBV-, HCV- and NAFLD- Mediated Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Senotherapeutics: Current Evidence and Future Perspective. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13184732. [PMID: 34572959 PMCID: PMC8468315 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13184732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell senescence constitutes a physiological process that serves as protection from malignant transformation of cells. However, recent scientific discoveries also identify cell senescence as pivotal in hepatocellular cancer (HCC) biology. The review herein aimed to accumulate evidence on senescence as a mediator of HCC occurrence in hepatitis B (HBV), C (HCV) virus infections, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In HBV infection, the carcinogenic HBV X protein frequently mutates during chronic infection, and subsequently exhibits different effects on senescence. In HCV infection, senescent non-functional T-cells do not effectively clear pre-malignant hepatocytes. Furthermore, the HCV Core protein inhibits the occurrence of normal stress-induced hepatocyte senescence, allowing damaged cells to maintain their proliferative potential. In NAFLD-mediated HCC, current data point towards the gut microbiome and hepatic stellate cell senescence. Additionally, senescence contributes in the development of resistance in targeted therapies, such as sorafenib. Finally, the promising role of senotherapeutics in HCC was also explored. Overall, although we may still be at a primitive stage in fully unraveling the role of senescence in cancer, it seems that understanding and harnessing senescence may have the potential to revolutionize the way we treat hepatocellular cancer.
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13
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Xie G, Jiang R, Wang X, Liu P, Zhao A, Wu Y, Huang F, Liu Z, Rajani C, Zheng X, Qiu J, Zhang X, Zhao S, Bian H, Gao X, Sun B, Jia W. Conjugated secondary 12α-hydroxylated bile acids promote liver fibrogenesis. EBioMedicine 2021; 66:103290. [PMID: 33752128 PMCID: PMC8010625 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2020] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Significantly elevated serum and hepatic bile acid (BA) concentrations have been known to occur in patients with liver fibrosis. However, the roles of different BA species in liver fibrogenesis are not fully understood. METHODS We quantitatively measured blood BA concentrations in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) patients with liver fibrosis and healthy controls. We characterized BA composition in three mouse models induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), streptozotocin-high fat diet (STZ-HFD), and long term HFD, respectively. The molecular mechanisms underlying the fibrosis-promoting effects of BAs were investigated in cell line models, a 3D co-culture system, and a Tgr5 (HSC-specific) KO mouse model. FINDINGS We found that a group of conjugated 12α-hydroxylated (12α-OH) BAs, such as taurodeoxycholate (TDCA) and glycodeoxycholate (GDCA), significantly increased in NASH patients and liver fibrosis mouse models. 12α-OH BAs significantly increased HSC proliferation and protein expression of fibrosis-related markers. Administration of TDCA and GDCA directly activated HSCs and promoted liver fibrogenesis in mouse models. Blockade of BA binding to TGR5 or inhibition of ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK signaling both significantly attenuated the BA-induced fibrogenesis. Liver fibrosis was attenuated in mice with Tgr5 depletion. INTERPRETATION Increased hepatic concentrations of conjugated 12α-OH BAs significantly contributed to liver fibrosis via TGR5 mediated p38MAPK and ERK1/2 signaling. Strategies to antagonize TGR5 or inhibit ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK signaling may effectively prevent or reverse liver fibrosis. FUNDINGS This study was supported by the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute Grant 1U01CA188387-01A1, the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2017YFC0906800); the State Key Program of National Natural Science Foundation (81430062); the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81974073, 81774196), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation funded project, China (2016T90381), and E-institutes of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, China (E03008).
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoxiang Xie
- Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai 200233, China; Human Metabolomics Institute, Inc., Shenzhen, Guangdong 518109, China
| | - Runqiu Jiang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Drum Tower Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China
| | - Xiaoning Wang
- E-institute of Shanghai Municipal Education Committee, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Ping Liu
- E-institute of Shanghai Municipal Education Committee, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Aihua Zhao
- Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Yiran Wu
- The iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Fengjie Huang
- Human Metabolomics Institute, Inc., Shenzhen, Guangdong 518109, China
| | - Zhipeng Liu
- Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210096, China
| | - Cynthia Rajani
- University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
| | - Xiaojiao Zheng
- Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Jiannan Qiu
- E-institute of Shanghai Municipal Education Committee, Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xiaoling Zhang
- Department of Hygienic Analysis and Detection, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China
| | - Suwen Zhao
- The iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Hua Bian
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xin Gao
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Beicheng Sun
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Drum Tower Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China
| | - Wei Jia
- Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai 200233, China; University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA; Hong Kong Traditional Chinese Medicine Phenome Research Centre, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong 999077, China; Lead contact.
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14
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Sanyal AJ, Ling L, Beuers U, DePaoli AM, Lieu HD, Harrison SA, Hirschfield GM. Potent suppression of hydrophobic bile acids by aldafermin, an FGF19 analogue, across metabolic and cholestatic liver diseases. JHEP Rep 2021; 3:100255. [PMID: 33898959 PMCID: PMC8056274 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2021.100255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background & Aims Higher serum bile acid levels are associated with an increased risk of cirrhosis and liver-related morbidity and mortality. Herein, we report secondary analyses of aldafermin, an engineered analogue of the gut hormone fibroblast growth factor 19, on the circulating bile acid profile in prospective, phase II studies in patients with metabolic or cholestatic liver disease. Methods One hundred and seventy-six patients with biopsy-confirmed non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and fibrosis and elevated liver fat content (≥8% by magnetic resonance imaging-proton density fat fraction) received 0.3 mg (n = 23), 1 mg (n = 49), 3 mg (n = 49), 6 mg (n = 28) aldafermin or placebo (n = 27) for 12 weeks. Sixty-two patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and elevated alkaline phosphatase (>1.5× upper limit of normal) received 1 mg (n = 21), 3 mg (n = 21) aldafermin or placebo (n = 20) for 12 weeks. Serum samples were collected on day 1 and week 12 for determination of bile acid profile and neoepitope-specific N-terminal pro-peptide of type III collagen (Pro-C3), a direct measure of fibrogenesis. Results Treatment with aldafermin resulted in significant dose-dependent reductions in serum bile acids. In particular, bile acids with higher hydrophobicity indices, such as deoxycholic acid, lithocholic acid, glycodeoxycholic acid, glycochenodeoxycholic acid, and glycocholic acid, were markedly lowered by aldafermin in both NASH and PSC populations. Moreover, aldafermin predominantly suppressed the glycine-conjugated bile acids, rather than the taurine-conjugated bile acids. Changes in levels of bile acids correlated with changes in the novel fibrogenesis marker Pro-C3, which detects a neo-epitope of the type III collagen during its formation, in the pooled NASH and PSC populations. Conclusions Aldafermin markedly reduced major hydrophobic bile acids that have greater detergent activity and cytotoxicity. Our data provide evidence that bile acids may contribute to sustaining a pro-fibrogenic microenvironment in the liver across metabolic and cholestatic liver diseases. Lay summary Aldafermin is an analogue of a gut hormone, which is in development as a treatment for patients with chronic liver disease. Herein, we show that aldafermin can potently and robustly suppress the toxic, hydrophobic bile acids irrespective of disease aetiology. The therapeutic strategy utilising aldafermin may be broadly applicable to other chronic gastrointestinal and liver disorders. Clinical Trials Registration The study is registered at Clinicaltrials.govNCT02443116 and NCT02704364. Higher serum bile acid levels are associated with an increased risk of liver-related morbidity and mortality. Aldafermin produces significant dose-dependent reductions in toxic hydrophobic bile acids in NASH and PSC. Changes in bile acids correlate with changes in the novel fibrogenesis marker Pro-C3. Bile acids may contribute to a pro-fibrogenic microenvironment in the liver.
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Key Words
- ALP, alkaline phosphatase
- ALT, alanine aminotransferase
- AST, aspartate aminotransferase
- BAAT, bile acid-CoA:amino acid N-acyltransferase
- Bile acid synthesis
- CA, cholic acid
- CDCA, chenodeoxycholic acid
- DCA, deoxycholic acid
- ELF test, Enhanced Liver Fibrosis test
- FGF19, fibroblast growth factor 19
- FXR, farnesoid X receptor
- Fibroblast growth factor
- Fibrogenesis
- G/T ratio, ratio of glycine to taurine conjugates of bile acids
- GCA, glycocholic acid
- GCDCA, glycochenodeoxycholic acid
- GDCA, glycodeoxycholic acid
- GLCA, glycolithocholic acid
- LCA, lithocholic acid
- MRI-PDFF, magnetic resonance imaging-proton density fat fraction
- NAFLD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- NAS, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease activity score
- NASH CRN, NASH Clinical Research Network
- NASH, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
- Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
- PSC, primary sclerosing cholangitis
- Primary sclerosing cholangitis
- Pro-C3
- Pro-C3, neoepitope-specific N-terminal pro-peptide of type III collagen
- TCA, taurocholic acid
- TCDCA, taurochenodeoxycholic acid
- TDCA, taurodeoxycholic acid
- TLCA, taurolithocholic acid
- UDCA, ursodeoxycholic acid
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lei Ling
- NGM Biopharmaceuticals, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ulrich Beuers
- Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Hsiao D Lieu
- NGM Biopharmaceuticals, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Stephen A Harrison
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Pinnacle Clinical Research, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Gideon M Hirschfield
- Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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15
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Elobixibat, an ileal bile acid transporter inhibitor, ameliorates non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in mice. Hepatol Int 2021; 15:392-404. [PMID: 33398776 DOI: 10.1007/s12072-020-10107-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent studies have suggested that several types of toxic bile acids (BAs) are involved in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). In the present study, we aimed to determine whether elobixibat, an ileal bile acid transporter (IBAT) inhibitor, would ameliorate NASH in mice. METHODS C57BL/6N mice were fed a methionine and choline-deficient (MCD) to induce NASH or standard diet as control for 8 weeks (n = 5 per group). The MCD diet-fed mice were administered elobixibat 5 days a week for 4 weeks by gavage (n = 5). The effects of the treatments on liver histopathology, proinflammatory cytokine concentrations, intestinal epithelial tight junctions, and the intestinal microbial composition were then assessed. RESULTS In MCD-fed mice, hepatic fibrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration developed, and the serum aspartate transaminase activity and BA concentration were higher than the control. In addition, the proinflammatory cytokine concentrations were high in the liver and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), and the expression of intestinal epithelium tight junction proteins, claudin1, was increased. In the intestinal microbial composition, the abundance of the Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaeae were decreased, whereas that of the Enterobacteriaceae was increased. Treatment with elobixibat reduced the serum BA and increased the fecal BA concentration, and ameliorated the liver inflammation and fibrosis. It also reduced the expression of proinflammatory cytokines in the liver and MLNs, and transforming growth factor-β expression in the liver. Finally, elobixibat normalized intestinal tight junction protein level and the composition of the intestinal microbiota. CONCLUSION Elobixibat ameliorates NASH-related histopathology, reduces cytokine expression, and normalizes the intestinal microbial composition in MCD-fed mice, which suggests that it may represent a promising candidate for the therapy of NASH.
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16
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Nguyen PT, Kanno K, Pham QT, Kikuchi Y, Kakimoto M, Kobayashi T, Otani Y, Kishikawa N, Miyauchi M, Arihiro K, Ito M, Tazuma S. Senescent hepatic stellate cells caused by deoxycholic acid modulates malignant behavior of hepatocellular carcinoma. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2020; 146:3255-3268. [PMID: 32870388 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-020-03374-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Deoxycholic acid (DCA), a secondary bile acid, is reportedly increased in the serum of patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and animals with experimentally induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but its contribution to malignant behaviors of HCC has not been precisely clarified. This study aimed to examine the effect of DCA on hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), a major component of nonparenchymal cells in the liver, and its subsequent indirect effect on HCC cells. METHODS LX2 cells, a human HSC line, were treated with DCA in vitro. Then, HuH7 cells, a human hepatoma cell line, were incubated in conditioned media of DCA-treated LX2 to investigate the subsequent effect focusing on malignant behaviors. RESULTS DCA resulted in cellular senescence in LX2 with the decreased cell proliferation via cell cycle arrest at G0/1 phase, together with the induction of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors. To investigate the influence of SASP factors secreted by HSCs in response to DCA, HCC cells were treated with conditioned media that promoted cell migration and invasion via induction of epithelial mesenchymal transition. These changes were attenuated in the presence of neutralizing antibody against IL8 or TGFβ. Pathological analysis of surgical specimens from HCC patients revealed that senescent HSCs were detected in the stroma surrounding HCC. CONCLUSION Our data suggest an important role of HSC senescence caused by DCA for the malignant biological behaviors of HCC via induction of SASP factors, particularly IL8 and TGFβ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phuong Thao Nguyen
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Hiroshima University Hospital, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan
| | - Keishi Kanno
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Hiroshima University Hospital, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan.
| | - Quoc Thang Pham
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Hiroshima University Hospital, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan
- Department of Pathology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - Yuka Kikuchi
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Hiroshima University Hospital, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan
| | - Masaki Kakimoto
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Hiroshima University Hospital, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan
| | - Tomoki Kobayashi
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Hiroshima University Hospital, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan
| | - Yuichiro Otani
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Hiroshima University Hospital, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan
| | - Nobusuke Kishikawa
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Hiroshima University Hospital, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan
| | - Mutsumi Miyauchi
- Department of Oral Maxillo-Pathobiology, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Koji Arihiro
- Department of Pathology, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Masanori Ito
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Hiroshima University Hospital, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan
| | - Susumu Tazuma
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Hiroshima University Hospital, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan
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17
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Schumacher JD, Kong B, Wu J, Rizzolo D, Armstrong LE, Chow MD, Goedken M, Lee YH, Guo GL. Direct and Indirect Effects of Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) 15 and FGF19 on Liver Fibrosis Development. Hepatology 2020; 71:670-685. [PMID: 31206730 PMCID: PMC6918008 DOI: 10.1002/hep.30810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) induces fibroblast growth factor 15 (FGF15; human ortholog FGF19) in the gut to potently inhibit bile acid (BA) synthesis in the liver. FXR activation in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) reduces liver fibrosis (LF). Fgf15-/- mice develop attenuated LF, but the underlying mechanisms for this protection are unclear. We hypothesized that FGF15/19 functions as a profibrotic mediator or mitogen to HSCs and increased BAs in Fgf15-/- mice leads to enhanced FXR activation in HSCs, subsequently reducing fibrogenesis. In this study, complimentary in vivo and in vitro approaches were used: (1) CCl4 -induced LF model in wild type (WT), Fgf15-/- , and Fgf15 transgenic (TG) mice with BA levels modulated by feeding cholestyramine- or cholic acid-containing diets; (2) analysis of primary HSCs isolated from WT and Fgf15-/- mice; and (3) treatment of a human HSC line, LX-2, with FXR activators and/or recombinant FGF19 protein. The results showed that Fgf15-/- mice had lower basal collagen expression, which was increased by BA sequestration. CCl4 induced fibrosis with similar severity in all genotypes; however, cholestyramine increased fibrosis severity only in Fgf15-/- mice. HSCs from Fgf15-/- mice showed increased FXR activity and reduced expression of profibrotic mediators. In LX-2 cells, FXR activation increased peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma activity and reduced proliferation. FGF19 activated both signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase pathways and reduced nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells signaling without increasing fibrogenic gene expression or cell proliferation. Conclusion: FGF15/19 does not act as a direct profibrotic mediator or mitogen to HSCs in our models, and the protection against fibrosis by FGF15 deficiency may be mediated through increased BA activation of FXR in HSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- JD Schumacher
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ
| | - B Kong
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ
| | - J Wu
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ
| | - D Rizzolo
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ
| | - LE Armstrong
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ
| | - MD Chow
- Department of Surgery, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ
| | - M Goedken
- Research pathology services, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ
| | - YH Lee
- Department of Surgery, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ
| | - GL Guo
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ.,Environmental and Occupational Health Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ.,VA New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, NJ,Corresponding author: Grace L. Guo, MBBS, PhD, 170 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854; ; phone - 848-445-8186
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18
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Hohenester S, Kanitz V, Kremer AE, Paulusma CC, Wimmer R, Kuehn H, Denk G, Horst D, Oude Elferink R, Beuers U. Glycochenodeoxycholate Promotes Liver Fibrosis in Mice with Hepatocellular Cholestasis. Cells 2020; 9:cells9020281. [PMID: 31979271 PMCID: PMC7072501 DOI: 10.3390/cells9020281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hydrophobic bile salts are considered to promote liver fibrosis in cholestasis. However, evidence for this widely accepted hypothesis remains scarce. In established animal models of cholestasis, e.g., by Mdr2 knockout, cholestasis and fibrosis are both secondary to biliary damage. Therefore, to test the specific contribution of accumulating bile salts to liver fibrosis in cholestatic disease, we applied the unique model of inducible hepatocellular cholestasis in cholate-fed Atp8b1G308V/G308V mice. Glycochenodeoxycholate (GCDCA) was supplemented to humanize the murine bile salt pool, as confirmed by HPLC. Biomarkers of cholestasis and liver fibrosis were quantified. Hepatic stellate cells (HSC) isolated from wild-type mice were stimulated with bile salts. Proliferation, cell accumulation, and collagen deposition of HSC were determined. In cholestatic Atp8b1G308V/G308V mice, increased hepatic expression of αSMA and collagen1a mRNA and excess hepatic collagen deposition indicated development of liver fibrosis only upon GCDCA supplementation. In vitro, numbers of myofibroblasts and deposition of collagen were increased after incubation with hydrophobic but not hydrophilic bile salts, and associated with EGFR and MEK1/2 activation. We concluded that chronic hepatocellular cholestasis alone, independently of biliary damage, induces liver fibrosis in mice in presence of the human bile salt GCDCA. Bile salts may have direct pro-fibrotic effects on HSC, putatively involving EGFR and MEK1/2 signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Hohenester
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany; (R.W.); (G.D.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Veronika Kanitz
- Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, 80337 Munich, Germany;
| | - Andreas E. Kremer
- Department of Medicine I, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (A.E.K.); (H.K.)
| | - Coen C. Paulusma
- Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Amsterdam Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1018 TV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (C.C.P.); (R.O.E.); (U.B.)
| | - Ralf Wimmer
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany; (R.W.); (G.D.)
| | - Helen Kuehn
- Department of Medicine I, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (A.E.K.); (H.K.)
| | - Gerald Denk
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany; (R.W.); (G.D.)
| | - David Horst
- Department of Pathology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin, 10117 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Ronald Oude Elferink
- Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Amsterdam Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1018 TV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (C.C.P.); (R.O.E.); (U.B.)
| | - Ulrich Beuers
- Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Amsterdam Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1018 TV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (C.C.P.); (R.O.E.); (U.B.)
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19
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Delgado GE, Krämer BK, Scharnagl H, Fauler G, Stojakovic T, März W, Kleber ME, Lammert A. Bile Acids in Patients with Uncontrolled Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus - The Effect of Two Days of Oatmeal Treatment. Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2020; 128:624-630. [PMID: 31896155 DOI: 10.1055/a-1069-7330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Beta-glucans are effective in binding bile acids (BA) thereby lowering cholesterol concentration. This might contribute to the beneficial effects of the consumption of β-glucan-rich foods like oatmeal on glucose homeostasis. OBJECTIVE We measured BA serum concentrations in patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes (T2DM) to investigate the effect of two days of oatmeal treatment on BA concentration as compared to a conventional T2DM-adapted diet. METHODS The OatMeal And Insulin Resistance study was performed as a randomized, open label crossover dietary intervention study with consecutive inclusion of 15 patients in an inpatient clinical setting. Bile acids were measured by high-resolution mass spectrometry. For statistical analysis, the differences in the concentration of serum BA and laboratory parameters between the fifth day and the third day of each inpatient stay were calculated and the effect compared between both phases by using the Wilcoxon test. RESULTS Whereas there was a mean decrease in total BA following oatmeal treatment (-0.82±1.14 µmol/l), there was no decrease following the control treatment. Glycocholic acid was lower after oatmeal treatment but higher following control treatment (-0.09±0.17 vs. 0.05±0.11 µmol/l). The reduction in total BA was directly correlated with a decrease in proinsulin during the oatmeal phase. Decreases in blood lipids or apolipoproteins were mostly greater after oatmeal treatment, but these differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION Two days of oatmeal diet led to significant reductions in total BA as compared to a diabetes-adapted control diet. The magnitude of BA reduction was directly correlated with a decrease in proinsulin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graciela E Delgado
- Fifth Department of Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Bernhard K Krämer
- Fifth Department of Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Hubert Scharnagl
- Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Günther Fauler
- Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Tatjana Stojakovic
- Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, University Hospital Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Winfried März
- Fifth Department of Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.,Synlab Academy, Synlab Holding Deutschland GmbH, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Marcus Edi Kleber
- Fifth Department of Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Alexander Lammert
- Fifth Department of Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,Praxis für Diabetes, Stoffwechsel-und Nierenerkrankungen, Grünstadt, Germany
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20
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Suga T, Yamaguchi H, Ogura J, Shoji S, Maekawa M, Mano N. Altered bile acid composition and disposition in a mouse model of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2019; 379:114664. [PMID: 31306673 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2019.114664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a progressive inflammatory and fibrotic disease. However, the progression mechanism of NASH is not well understood. Bile acids are endogenous molecules that regulate cholesterol homeostasis, lipid solubilization in the intestinal lumen, and metabolic signaling via several receptors. In this study, we investigated the relationship between bile acid composition and NASH-associated fibrosis using a mouse model fed choline-deficient, L-amino-acid-defined, high-fat diet with 0.1% methionine (CDAHFD). C57BL/6 J mice fed CDAHFD developed NASH and fibrosis within few weeks. With the progress of NASH-associated liver fibrosis, altered bile acid composition was observed in the liver, bile, and peripheral plasma. Decreased mRNA levels of bile acid metabolizing enzymes such as Cyp7a1 and Baat were observed in contrast to increased Sult2a1 level in the liver. Increased mRNA levels of Ostβ and Abcc4 and decreased in mRNA levels of Bsep, Abcc2, Ntcp, and Oatp1b2, suggesting that bile acids efflux from hepatocytes into the peripheral plasma rather than into bile. In conclusion, the changes in bile acid metabolizing enzymes and transporters expression, resulting in increasing the total bile acid concentration in the plasma, signify a protection mechanism by the hepatocyte to reduce hepatotoxicity during disease progression to NASH but may promote liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Suga
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8574, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Yamaguchi
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8574, Japan; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University Hospital, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8574, Japan; Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8574, Japan.
| | - Jiro Ogura
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University Hospital, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8574, Japan
| | - Saori Shoji
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8574, Japan
| | - Masamitsu Maekawa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University Hospital, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8574, Japan
| | - Nariyasu Mano
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8574, Japan; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University Hospital, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8574, Japan; Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8574, Japan.
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