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Akca MN, Kasavi C. Identifying new molecular signatures and potential therapeutics for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a network medicine approach. Mamm Genome 2024:10.1007/s00335-024-10069-w. [PMID: 39254743 DOI: 10.1007/s00335-024-10069-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2024] [Accepted: 08/31/2024] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive and fatal lung disease characterized by excessive collagen deposition and fibrosis of the lung parenchyma, leading to respiratory failure. The molecular mechanisms underlying IPF pathogenesis remain incompletely understood, hindering the development of effective therapeutic strategies. We have used a network medicine approach to comprehensively analyze molecular interactions and identify novel molecular signatures and potential therapeutics associated with IPF progression. Our integrative analysis revealed dysregulated molecular networks that are central to IPF pathophysiology. We have highlighted key molecular players and signaling pathways that are implicated in aberrant fibrotic processes. This systems-level understanding enables the identification of new biomarkers and therapeutic targets for IPF, providing potential avenues for precision medicine. Drug repurposing analysis revealed several drug candidates with anti-fibrotic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer activities that could potentially slow fibrotic progression and improve patient outcomes. This study offers new insights into the molecular underpinnings of IPF and highlights network medicine approaches in uncovering complex disease mechanisms. The molecular signatures and therapeutic targets identified hold promise for developing precision therapies tailored to individual patients, ultimately advancing the management of this debilitating lung disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mecbure Nur Akca
- Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Marmara University, İstanbul, Türkiye
| | - Ceyda Kasavi
- Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Marmara University, İstanbul, Türkiye.
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Xu J, Abdulsalam Khaleel R, Zaidan HK, Faisal Mutee A, Fahmi Fawy K, Gehlot A, Abbas AH, Arias Gonzáles JL, Amin AH, Ruiz-Balvin MC, Imannezhad S, Bahrami A, Akhavan-Sigari R. Discovery of common molecular signatures and drug repurposing for COVID-19/Asthma comorbidity: ACE2 and multi-partite networks. Cell Cycle 2024; 23:405-434. [PMID: 38640424 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2024.2340859] [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: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is identified as the functional receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of the ongoing global coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aimed to elucidate potential therapeutic avenues by scrutinizing approved drugs through the identification of the genetic signature associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in individuals with asthma. This exploration was conducted through an integrated analysis, encompassing interaction networks between the ACE2 receptor and common host (co-host) factors implicated in COVID-19/asthma comorbidity. The comprehensive analysis involved the identification of common differentially expressed genes (cDEGs) and hub-cDEGs, functional annotations, interaction networks, gene set variation analysis (GSVA), gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), and module construction. Interaction networks were used to identify overlapping disease modules and potential drug targets. Computational biology and molecular docking analyzes were utilized to discern functional drug modules. Subsequently, the impact of the identified drugs on the expression of hub-cDEGs was experimentally validated using a mouse model. A total of 153 cDEGs or co-host factors associated with ACE2 were identified in the COVID-19 and asthma comorbidity. Among these, seven significant cDEGs and proteins - namely, HRAS, IFNG, JUN, CDH1, TLR4, ICAM1, and SCD-were recognized as pivotal host factors linked to ACE2. Regulatory network analysis of hub-cDEGs revealed eight top-ranked transcription factors (TFs) proteins and nine microRNAs as key regulatory factors operating at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels, respectively. Molecular docking simulations led to the proposal of 10 top-ranked repurposable drug molecules (Rapamycin, Ivermectin, Everolimus, Quercetin, Estradiol, Entrectinib, Nilotinib, Conivaptan, Radotinib, and Venetoclax) as potential treatment options for COVID-19 in individuals with comorbid asthma. Validation analysis demonstrated that Rapamycin effectively inhibited ICAM1 expression in the HDM-stimulated mice group (p < 0.01). This study unveils the common pathogenesis and genetic signature underlying asthma and SARS-CoV-2 infection, delineated by the interaction networks of ACE2-related host factors. These findings provide valuable insights for the design and discovery of drugs aimed at more effective therapeutics within the context of lung disease comorbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajun Xu
- College of Veterinary & Life Sciences, the University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | | | | | | | - Khaled Fahmi Fawy
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Anita Gehlot
- Uttaranchal Institute of Technology, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, India
| | | | - José Luis Arias Gonzáles
- Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Studies, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Ali H Amin
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | | | - Shima Imannezhad
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Abolfazl Bahrami
- Biomedical Center for Systems Biology Science Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
- Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
| | - Reza Akhavan-Sigari
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Department of Health Care Management and Clinical Research, Collegium Humanum, Warsaw, Poland
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Zheng P, Sun S, Wang J, Cheng ZJ, Lei KC, Xue M, Zhang T, Huang H, Zhang XD, Sun B. Integrative omics analysis identifies biomarkers of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:66. [PMID: 35015148 PMCID: PMC11075137 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-04094-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an interstitial lung disease characterized by chronic progressive pulmonary fibrosis and a poor prognosis. Genetic studies, including transcriptomic and proteomics, have provided new insight into revealing mechanisms of IPF. Herein we provided a novel strategy to identify biomarkers by integrative analysis of transcriptomic and proteomic profiles of IPF patients. We examined the landscape of IPF patients' gene expression in the transcription and translation phases and investigated the expression and functions of two new potential biomarkers. Differentially expressed (DE) mRNAs were mainly enriched in pathways associated with immune system activities and inflammatory responses, while DE proteins are related to extracellular matrix production and wound repair. The upregulated genes in both phases are associated with wound repair and cell differentiation, while the downregulated genes in both phases are associated with reduced immune activities and the damage of the alveolar tissues. On this basis, we identified thirteen potential marker genes. Among them, we validated the expression changes of butyrophilin-like 9 (BTNL9) and plasmolipin (PLLP) and investigated their functional pathways in the IPF mechanism. Both genes are downregulated in the tissues of IPF patients and Bleomycin-induced mice, and co-expression analysis indicates that they have a protective effect by inhibiting extracellular matrix production and promoting wound repair in alveolar epithelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiyan Zheng
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Centre for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Shixue Sun
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Centre for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Jingxian Wang
- National Joint Local Engineering Laboratory for Cell Engineering and Biomedicine Technique, Guizhou Province Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine, Key Laboratory of Adult Stem Cell Translational Research (Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences), Guizhou Medical University, Guizhou, 550025, China
| | - Zhangkai Jason Cheng
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Centre for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Kuan Cheok Lei
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Mingshan Xue
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Centre for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Teng Zhang
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Huimin Huang
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Centre for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | | | - Baoqing Sun
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Centre for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China.
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IPF-Fibroblast Erk1/2 Activity Is Independent from microRNA Cluster 17-92 but Can Be Inhibited by Treprostinil through DUSP1. Cells 2021; 10:cells10112836. [PMID: 34831059 PMCID: PMC8616195 DOI: 10.3390/cells10112836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive terminal lung disease, and therapies aim to block fibrosis. Fibroblast proliferation is controlled by C/EBP-β, microRNA cluster 17-92 (miR17-92), and Erk1/2 mitogen-activated protein kinase. This study assessed the role of miR17-92 in IPF-fibroblast proliferation and its modification by treprostinil. Fibroblasts were isolated from eight IPF patients, five interstitial lung fibrosis patients, and seven control lungs. Fibroblasts were stimulated with TGF-β1 over 24 h. The miR17-92 expression was analyzed by RT-qPCR, and protein expression by Western blotting. TGF-β1 upregulated C/EBP-β in all fibroblasts, which was reduced by treprostinil in control-fibroblasts, but not in IPF-fibroblasts. Compared to controls, the guide strands miR-19a-3p, miR-19b-3p, miR-20a-5p, and miR-92a-3p, as well as the passenger strands miR-17-3p, miR-18-3p, miR-19a-1-5p, and miR-92a-5p were significantly increased in IPF-fibroblasts. In controls, TGF-β1 and treprostinil significantly reduced specific miR17-92 members. IPF-fibroblast proliferation was inhibited by treprostinil through increased expression of the Erk1/2 inhibitor DUSP1. These data suggest that proliferation control via miR17-92 and C/EBP-β is disrupted in IPF-fibroblasts. Therefore, the inhibition of early stages of signaling cascades or specific mitogen receptors might be less effective. However, the increased proliferation is sensitive to Erk1/2 inhibition by treprostinil-induced DUSP1.
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Identification and Validation of Potential Biomarkers and Pathways for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis by Comprehensive Bioinformatics Analysis. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 2021:5545312. [PMID: 34285914 PMCID: PMC8275392 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5545312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Objective Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive, irreversible, high-mortality lung disease, but its pathogenesis is still unclear. Our purpose was to explore potential genes and molecular mechanisms underlying IPF. Methods IPF-related data were obtained from the GSE99621 dataset. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between IPF and controls. Their biological functions were analyzed. The relationships between DEGs and microRNAs (miRNAs) were predicted. DEGs and pathways were validated in a microarray dataset. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed based on these common DEGs. Western blot was used to validate hub genes in IPF cell models by western blot. Results DEGs were identified for IPF than controls in the RNA-seq dataset. Functional enrichment analysis showed that these DEGs were mainly enriched in immune and inflammatory response, chemokine-mediated signaling pathway, cell adhesion, and other biological processes. In the miRNA-target network based on RNA-seq dataset, we found several miRNA targets among all DEGs, like RAB11FIP1, TGFBR3, and SPP1. We identified 304 upregulated genes and 282 downregulated genes in IPF compared to controls both in the microarray and RNA-seq datasets. These common DEGs were mainly involved in cell adhesion, extracellular matrix organization, oxidation-reduction process, and lung vasculature development. In the PPI network, 3 upregulated and 4 downregulated genes could be considered hub genes, which were confirmed in the IPF cell models. Conclusion Our study identified several IPF-related DEGs that could become potential biomarkers for IPF. Large-scale multicentric studies are eagerly needed to confirm the utility of these biomarkers.
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The Potential Effects of Curcumin on Pulmonary Fibroblasts of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF)-Approaching with Next-Generation Sequencing and Bioinformatics. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25225458. [PMID: 33233354 PMCID: PMC7700625 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25225458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and progressive interstitial lung disease. Currently, therapeutic options are limited for this fatal disease. Curcumin, with its pleiotropic effects, has been studied for its potential therapeutic utilities in various diseases, including pulmonary fibrosis. However, the detailed mechanisms have not been studied comprehensively. We conducted a next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics study to investigate changes in the profiles of mRNA and microRNA after curcumin treatment in IPF fibroblasts. We identified 23 downregulated and 8 upregulated protein-coding genes in curcumin-treated IPF fibroblasts. Using STRING and IPA, we identified that suppression of cell cycle progression was the main cellular function associated with these differentially expressed genes. We also identified 13 downregulated and 57 upregulated microRNAs in curcumin-treated IPF fibroblasts. Further analysis identified a potential microRNA-mediated gene expression alteration in curcumin-treated IPF fibroblasts, namely, downregulated hsa-miR-6724-5p and upregulated KLF10. Therefore, curcumin might decrease the level of hsa-miR-6724-5p, leading to increased KLF10 expression, resulting in cell cycle arrest in curcumin-treated IPF fibroblasts. In conclusion, our findings might support the potential role of curcumin in the treatment of IPF, but further in-depth study is warranted to confirm our findings.
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Liu X, Liu H, Jia X, He R, Zhang X, Zhang W. Changing Expression Profiles of Messenger RNA, MicroRNA, Long Non-coding RNA, and Circular RNA Reveal the Key Regulators and Interaction Networks of Competing Endogenous RNA in Pulmonary Fibrosis. Front Genet 2020; 11:558095. [PMID: 33193637 PMCID: PMC7541945 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.558095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary fibrosis is a kind of interstitial lung disease with architectural remodeling of tissues and excessive matrix deposition. Apart from messenger RNA (mRNA), microRNA (miRNA), long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), and circular RNA (circRNA) could also play important roles in the regulatory processes of occurrence and progression of pulmonary fibrosis. In the present study, the pulmonary fibrosis model was administered with bleomycin. Whole transcriptome sequencing analysis was applied to investigate the expression profiles of mRNAs, lncRNAs, circRNAs, and miRNAs. After comparing bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis model lung samples and controls, 286 lncRNAs, 192 mRNAs, 605 circRNAs, and 32 miRNAs were found to be differentially expressed. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were performed to investigate the potential functions of these differentially expressed (DE) mRNAs and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). The terms related to inflammatory response and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway were enriched, implying potential roles in regulatory process. In addition, two co-expression networks were also constructed to understand the internal regulating relationships of these mRNAs and ncRNAs. Our study provides a systematic perspective on the potential functions of these DE mRNAs and ncRNAs during PF process and could help pave the way for effective therapeutics for this devastating and complex disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Liu
- Department of Respiration, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Huaman Liu
- Department of Respiration, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Xinhua Jia
- Department of Respiration, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Rong He
- Department of Respiration, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Xinyue Zhang
- Department of Respiration, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Respiration, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
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Tang FH, Chang WA, Tsai EM, Tsai MJ, Kuo PL. Investigating Novel Genes Potentially Involved in Endometrial Adenocarcinoma using Next-Generation Sequencing and Bioinformatic Approaches. Int J Med Sci 2019; 16:1338-1348. [PMID: 31692912 PMCID: PMC6818189 DOI: 10.7150/ijms.38219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Endometrial cancer is one of the most common cancers in women worldwide, affecting more than 300,000 women annually. Dysregulated gene expression, especially those mediated by microRNAs, play important role in the development and progression of cancer. This study aimed to investigate differentially expressed genes in endometrial adenocarcinoma using next generation sequencing (NGS) and bioinformatics. The gene expression profiles and microRNA profiles of endometrial adenocarcinoma (cancer part) and normal endometrial tissue (non-cancer part) were assessed with NGS. We identified 56 significantly dysregulated genes, including 47 upregulated and 9 downregulated genes, in endometrial adenocarcinoma. Most of these genes were associated with defense response, response to stimulus, and immune system process, and further pathway analysis showed that human papillomavirus infection was the most significant pathway in endometrial adenocarcinoma. In addition, these genes were also associated with decreased cell death and survival as well as increased cellular movement. The analyses using Human Protein Atlas, identified 6 genes (PEG10, CLDN1, ASS1, WNT7A, GLDC, and RSAD2) significantly associated with poorer prognosis and 3 genes (SFN, PIGR, and CDKN1A) significantly associated with better prognosis. Combining with the data of microRNA profiles using microRNA target predicting tools, two significantly dysregulated microRNA-mediated gene expression changes in endometrial adenocarcinoma were identified: downregulated hsa-miR-127-5p with upregulated CSTB and upregulated hsa-miR-218-5p with downregulated HPGD. These findings may contribute important new insights into possible novel diagnostic or therapeutic strategies for endometrial adenocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng-Hsiang Tang
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kaohsiung Municipal Ta-Tung Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Wei-An Chang
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Eing-Mei Tsai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Ju Tsai
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Department of Respiratory Therapy, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Po-Lin Kuo
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Institute of Medical Science and Technology, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan
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Tsai MJ, Chang WA, Liao SH, Chang KF, Sheu CC, Kuo PL. The Effects of Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) on Pulmonary Fibroblasts of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF)-A Next-Generation Sequencing and Bioinformatic Approach. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E1958. [PMID: 31013581 PMCID: PMC6514693 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20081958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Revised: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a disabling and lethal chronic progressive pulmonary disease. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is a polyphenol, which is the major biological component of green tea. The anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fibrotic effects of EGCG have been shown in some studies, whereas its effects in altering gene expression in pulmonary fibroblasts have not been systematically investigated. This study aimed to explore the effect of EGCG on gene expression profiles in fibroblasts of IPF. The pulmonary fibroblasts from an IPF patient were treated with either EGCG or water, and the expression profiles of mRNAs and microRNAs were determined by next-generation sequencing (NGS) and analyzed with the bioinformatics approach. A total of 61 differentially expressed genes and 56 differentially expressed microRNAs were found in EGCG-treated IPF fibroblasts. Gene ontology analyses revealed that the differentially expressed genes were mainly involved in the biosynthetic and metabolic processes of cholesterol. In addition, five potential altered microRNA-mRNA interactions were found, including hsa-miR-939-5p-PLXNA4, hsa-miR-3918-CTIF, hsa-miR-4768-5p-PDE5A, hsa-miR-1273g-3p-VPS53, and hsa-miR-1972-PCSK9. In summary, differentially expressed genes and microRNAs in response to EGCG treatment in IPF fibroblasts were identified in the current study. Our findings provide a scientific basis to evaluate the potential benefits of EGCG in IPF treatment, and warrant future studies to understand the role of molecular pathways underlying cholesterol homeostasis in the pathogenesis of IPF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Ju Tsai
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
- Department of Respiratory Therapy, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
| | - Wei-An Chang
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
| | - Ssu-Hui Liao
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
| | | | - Chau-Chyun Sheu
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
- Department of Respiratory Therapy, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
| | - Po-Lin Kuo
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
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