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Cao M, Ke D, Zhou H. The role and molecular mechanism of CTHRC1 in fibrosis. Life Sci 2024; 350:122745. [PMID: 38834096 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122745] [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: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Fibrosis, a pathological state characterized by the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix components, is primarily driven by the overactivation of fibroblasts. This condition becomes particularly pronounced under chronic inflammatory conditions. Fibrosis can occur in several tissues throughout the body. Among the notable discoveries in the study of fibrosis is the role of Collagen Triple Helix Repeat Containing-1 (CTHRC1), a protein that has emerged as a critical regulator in the fibrotic process. CTHRC1 is rapidly expressed on the outer membrane of fibroblasts and intimal smooth muscle cells following vascular injury, such as that induced by balloon angioplasty. This expression denotes the organism efforts to repair and restructure compromised tissue, signifying a critical component of the tissue repair mechanism in reaction to fibrosis. It plays a pivotal role in promoting cell migration and aiding tissue repair post-injury, contributing significantly to various pathophysiological processes including revascularization, bone formation, developmental morphological changes, inflammatory arthritis, and the progression of cancer. Significantly, researchers have observed marked expression of CTHRC1 across a variety of fibrotic conditions, closely associating it with the progression of the disease. Intervention with CTHRC1 can affect the occurrence and progression of fibrosis. This review aims to comprehensively explore the role and underlying mechanisms of CTHRC1 in fibrotic diseases, highlighting its potential as a key target for therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingzhen Cao
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Hubei Key Laboratory of Metabolic and Chronic Diseases, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China
| | - Da Ke
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Hubei Key Laboratory of Metabolic and Chronic Diseases, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China
| | - Heng Zhou
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Hubei Key Laboratory of Metabolic and Chronic Diseases, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China.
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Li E, Cheung HCZ, Ma S. CTHRC1 + fibroblasts and SPP1 + macrophages synergistically contribute to pro-tumorigenic tumor microenvironment in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Sci Rep 2024; 14:17412. [PMID: 39075108 PMCID: PMC11286765 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-68109-z] [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: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an extremely lethal cancer that accounts for over 90% of all pancreatic cancer cases. With a 5-year survival rate of only 13%, PDAC has proven to be extremely desmoplastic and immunosuppressive to most current therapies, including chemotherapy and surgical resection. In recent years, focus has shifted to understanding the tumor microenvironment (TME) around PDAC, enabling a greater understanding of biological pathways and intercellular interactions that can ultimately lead to potential for future drug targets. In this study, we leverage a combination of single-cell and spatial transcriptomics to further identify cellular populations and interactions within the highly heterogeneous TME. We demonstrate that SPP1+APOE+ tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) and CTHRC1+GREM1+ cancer-associated myofibroblasts (myCAF) not only act synergistically to promote an immune-suppressive TME through active extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT), but are spatially colocalized and correlated, leading to worse prognosis. Our results highlight the crosstalk between stromal and myeloid cells as a significant area of study for future therapeutic targets to treat cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan Li
- Worcester Academy, Worcester, MA, USA.
| | | | - Shuangge Ma
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
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Ding Z, Zhang R, Zhu W, Lu Y, Zhu Z, Xie H, Tang W. CTHRC1 serves as an indicator in biliary atresia for evaluating the stage of liver fibrosis and predicting prognosis. Dig Liver Dis 2024:S1590-8658(24)00869-7. [PMID: 39043537 DOI: 10.1016/j.dld.2024.07.004] [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: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Liver fibrosis is a pathological feature of biliary atresia (BA). However, both histological fibrosis stage and existing biomarkers fail to predict prognosis at the time of hepatoportonterostomy (HPE). AIMS To explore the role of collagen triple- helix repeat containing-1 (CTHRC1) in BA. METHODS CTHRC1 expression levels were detected and its association with liver fibrosis stage was analyzed in patients with BA. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescent analyses were performed to detect the expression and localization of CTHRC1. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and proliferation were analyzed in cholangiocytes treated with recombinant human CTHRC1 protein. Survival analyses were performed to assess the prognostic value of CTHRC1 in patients with BA. RESULTS CTHRC1 was upregulated in BA, and its expression level was positively correlated with fibrosis-related markers and the severity of liver fibrosis. In liver tissue CTHRC1 was co-localized with CK19 and highly expressed in patients with severe liver fibrosis. Further experiments revealed that CTHRC1 promoted cholangiocyte EMT and proliferation. Additionally, CTHRC1 expression levels at HPE could predict the 2-year native liver survival (NLS). CONCLUSIONS CTHRC1 promotes the EMT and proliferation of cholangiocytes and indicate the stage of liver fibrosis. The CTHRC1 expression levels can predict outcomes of BA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zequan Ding
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 72 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210000, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Ruyi Zhang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 72 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210000, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Wei Zhu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 72 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210000, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yao Lu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 72 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210000, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zhongxian Zhu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 72 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210000, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Hua Xie
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 72 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210000, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Weibing Tang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 72 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210000, Jiangsu Province, China.
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Janbandhu V, Tallapragada V, Li JV, Shewale B, Ghazanfar S, Patrick R, Cox CD, Harvey RP. Novel Mouse Model for Selective Tagging, Purification, and Manipulation of Cardiac Myofibroblasts. Circulation 2024; 149:1931-1934. [PMID: 38857329 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.123.067754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Vaibhao Janbandhu
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia (V.J., V.T., J.V.L., B.S., C.D.C., R.P.H.)
- School of Clinical Medicine (V.J., J.V.L., R.P.H.), UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Vikram Tallapragada
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia (V.J., V.T., J.V.L., B.S., C.D.C., R.P.H.)
| | - Jinyuan Vero Li
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia (V.J., V.T., J.V.L., B.S., C.D.C., R.P.H.)
- School of Clinical Medicine (V.J., J.V.L., R.P.H.), UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Bharti Shewale
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia (V.J., V.T., J.V.L., B.S., C.D.C., R.P.H.)
| | - Shila Ghazanfar
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Charles Perkins Centre, and Sydney Precision Data Science Centre, University of Sydney, Camperdown 2006, Australia (S.G.)
| | - Ralph Patrick
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia 4072, QLD, Australia (R.P.)
| | - Charles D Cox
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia (V.J., V.T., J.V.L., B.S., C.D.C., R.P.H.)
- School of Biomedical Sciences (C.D.C), UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Richard P Harvey
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia (V.J., V.T., J.V.L., B.S., C.D.C., R.P.H.)
- School of Clinical Medicine (V.J., J.V.L., R.P.H.), UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Science, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia (R.P.H.)
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Singh CK, Fernandez S, Chhabra G, Zaemisch GR, Nihal A, Swanlund J, Ansari N, Said Z, Chang H, Ahmad N. The role of collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1) in cancer development and progression. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2024; 28:419-435. [PMID: 38686865 PMCID: PMC11189736 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2024.2349686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1) is a protein that has been implicated in pro-migratory pathways, arterial tissue-repair processes, and inhibition of collagen deposition via the regulation of multiple signaling cascades. Studies have also demonstrated an upregulation of CTHRC1 in multiple cancers where it has been linked to enhanced proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. However, the understanding of the exact role and mechanisms of CTHRC1 in cancer is far from complete. AREAS COVERED This review focuses on analyzing the role of CTHRC1 in cancer as well as its associations with clinicopathologies and cancer-related processes and signaling. We have also summarized the available literature information regarding the role of CTHRC1 in tumor microenvironment and immune signaling. Finally, we have discussed the mechanisms associated with CTHRC1 regulations, and opportunities and challenges regarding the development of CTHRC1 as a potential target for cancer management. EXPERT OPINION CTHRC1 is a multifaceted protein with critical roles in cancer progression and other pathological conditions. Its association with lower overall survival in various cancers, and impact on the tumor immune microenvironment make it an intriguing target for further research and potential therapeutic interventions in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandra K. Singh
- Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Sofia Fernandez
- Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Gagan Chhabra
- Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | - Ayaan Nihal
- Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Jenna Swanlund
- Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Naveed Ansari
- Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Zan Said
- Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Hao Chang
- Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- William S. Middleton VA Medical Center, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Nihal Ahmad
- Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- William S. Middleton VA Medical Center, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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Goncharov AP, Vashakidze N, Kharaishvili G. Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition: A Fundamental Cellular and Microenvironmental Process in Benign and Malignant Prostate Pathologies. Biomedicines 2024; 12:418. [PMID: 38398019 PMCID: PMC10886988 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12020418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a crucial and fundamental mechanism in many cellular processes, beginning with embryogenesis via tissue remodulation and wound healing, and plays a vital role in tumorigenesis and metastasis formation. EMT is a complex process that involves many transcription factors and genes that enable the tumor cell to leave the primary location, invade the basement membrane, and send metastasis to other tissues. Moreover, it may help the tumor avoid the immune system and establish radioresistance and chemoresistance. It may also change the normal microenvironment, thus promoting other key factors for tumor survival, such as hypoxia-induced factor-1 (HIF-1) and promoting neoangiogenesis. In this review, we will focus mainly on the role of EMT in benign prostate disease and especially in the process of establishment of malignant prostate tumors, their invasiveness, and aggressive behavior. We will discuss relevant study methods for EMT evaluation and possible clinical implications. We will also introduce clinical trials conducted according to CONSORT 2010 that try to harness EMT properties in the form of circulating tumor cells to predict aggressive patterns of prostate cancer. This review will provide the most up-to-date information to establish a keen understanding of the cellular and microenvironmental processes for developing novel treatment lines by modifying or blocking the pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aviv Philip Goncharov
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Pathology, Palacky University, University Hospital, 779 00 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (A.P.G.); (N.V.)
| | - Nino Vashakidze
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Pathology, Palacky University, University Hospital, 779 00 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (A.P.G.); (N.V.)
| | - Gvantsa Kharaishvili
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Pathology, Palacky University, University Hospital, 779 00 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (A.P.G.); (N.V.)
- Department of Human Morphology and Pathology, Medical Faculty, David Tvildiani Medical University, Tbilisi 0159, Georgia
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Wang X, Kulik K, Wan TC, Lough JW, Auchampach JA. Evidence of Histone H2A.Z Deacetylation and Cardiomyocyte Dedifferentiation in Infarcted/Tip60-depleted Hearts. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.11.575312. [PMID: 38260622 PMCID: PMC10802610 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.11.575312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Myocardial infarction (MI) in the human heart causes death of billions of cardiomyocytes (CMs), resulting in cardiac dysfunction that is incompatible with life or lifestyle. In order to re-muscularize injured myocardium, replacement CMs must be generated via renewed proliferation of surviving CMs. Approaches designed to induce proliferation of CMs after injury have been insufficient. Toward this end, we are targeting the Tip60 acetyltransferase, based on the rationale that its pleiotropic functions conspire to block the CM cell-cycle at several checkpoints. We previously reported that genetic depletion of Tip60 in a mouse model after MI reduces scarring, retains cardiac function, and activates the CM cell-cycle, although it is unclear whether this culminates in the generation of daughter CMs. For pre-existing CMs in the adult heart to resume proliferation, it is becoming widely accepted that they must first dedifferentiate, a process highlighted by loss of maturity, epithelial to mesenchymal transitioning (EMT), and reversion from fatty acid oxidation to glycolytic metabolism, accompanied by softening of the myocardial extracellular matrix. Findings in hematopoietic stem cells, and more recently in neural progenitor cells, have shown that Tip60 induces and maintains the differentiated state via site-specific acetylation of the histone variant H2A.Z. Here, we report that genetic depletion of Tip60 from naïve or infarcted hearts results in the near-complete absence of acetylated H2A.Z in CM nuclei, and that this is accordingly accompanied by altered gene expressions indicative of EMT induction, ECM softening, decreased fatty acid oxidation, and depressed expression of genes that regulate the TCA cycle. These findings, combined with our previous work, support the notion that because Tip60 has multiple targets that combinatorially maintain the differentiated state and inhibit proliferation, its transient therapeutic targeting to ameliorate the effects of cardiac injury should be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinrui Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI 53226
- Cardiovascular Center, Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI 53226
| | - Katherine Kulik
- Department of Cell Biology Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI 53226
- Cardiovascular Center, Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI 53226
| | - Tina C. Wan
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI 53226
- Cardiovascular Center, Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI 53226
| | - John W. Lough
- Department of Cell Biology Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI 53226
- Cardiovascular Center, Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI 53226
| | - John A. Auchampach
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI 53226
- Cardiovascular Center, Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI 53226
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