1
|
Xiang X, Bhowmick K, Shetty K, Ohshiro K, Yang X, Wong LL, Yu H, Latham PS, Satapathy SK, Brennan C, Dima RJ, Chambwe N, Sharifova G, Cacaj F, John S, Crawford JM, Huang H, Dasarathy S, Krainer AR, He AR, Amdur RL, Mishra L. Mechanistically based blood proteomic markers in the TGF-β pathway stratify risk of hepatocellular cancer in patients with cirrhosis. Genes Cancer 2024; 15:1-14. [PMID: 38323119 PMCID: PMC10843195 DOI: 10.18632/genesandcancer.234] [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: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of death from cancer worldwide but is often diagnosed at an advanced incurable stage. Yet, despite the urgent need for blood-based biomarkers for early detection, few studies capture ongoing biology to identify risk-stratifying biomarkers. We address this gap using the TGF-β pathway because of its biological role in liver disease and cancer, established through rigorous animal models and human studies. Using machine learning methods with blood levels of 108 proteomic markers in the TGF-β family, we found a pattern that differentiates HCC from non-HCC in a cohort of 216 patients with cirrhosis, which we refer to as TGF-β based Protein Markers for Early Detection of HCC (TPEARLE) comprising 31 markers. Notably, 20 of the patients with cirrhosis alone presented an HCC-like pattern, suggesting that they may be a group with as yet undetected HCC or at high risk for developing HCC. In addition, we found two other biologically relevant markers, Myostatin and Pyruvate Kinase M2 (PKM2), which were significantly associated with HCC. We tested these for risk stratification of HCC in multivariable models adjusted for demographic and clinical variables, as well as batch and site. These markers reflect ongoing biology in the liver. They potentially indicate the presence of HCC early in its evolution and before it is manifest as a detectable lesion, thereby providing a set of markers that may be able to stratify risk for HCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiyan Xiang
- The Institute for Bioelectronic Medicine, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Krishanu Bhowmick
- The Institute for Bioelectronic Medicine, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Kirti Shetty
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Kazufumi Ohshiro
- The Institute for Bioelectronic Medicine, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA
| | - Xiaochun Yang
- The Institute for Bioelectronic Medicine, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA
| | - Linda L. Wong
- Department of Surgery, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
| | - Herbert Yu
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
| | - Patricia S. Latham
- Department of Pathology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA
| | - Sanjaya K. Satapathy
- Department of Medicine, Sandra Atlas Bass Center for Liver Diseases and Transplantation, North Shore University Hospital/Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA
| | - Christina Brennan
- Office of Clinical Research, Northwell Health, Lake Success, NY 11042, USA
- The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA
| | - Richard J. Dima
- Office of Clinical Research, Northwell Health, Lake Success, NY 11042, USA
| | - Nyasha Chambwe
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA
| | - Gulru Sharifova
- Department of Medicine, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY 11549, USA
| | - Fellanza Cacaj
- The Institute for Bioelectronic Medicine, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA
| | - Sahara John
- The Institute for Bioelectronic Medicine, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA
| | | | - Hai Huang
- The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA
| | - Srinivasan Dasarathy
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | | | - Aiwu R. He
- Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Richard L. Amdur
- The Institute for Bioelectronic Medicine, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA
- Quantitative Intelligence, The Institutes for Health Systems Science, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA
| | - Lopa Mishra
- The Institute for Bioelectronic Medicine, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
- Department of Surgery, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Wang M, Hu Y, Cai F, Qiu J, Mao Y, Zhang Y. HIF‑1 and macrophage activation signalling pathways are potential biomarkers of invasive aspergillosis. Exp Ther Med 2024; 27:86. [PMID: 38274338 PMCID: PMC10809359 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2024.12375] [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: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a severe disease, the pathogenesis of which remains unclear. The present study aimed to determine the molecular mechanism of IA and to identify potential biomarkers using bioinformatics analysis. The GSE78000 dataset, which includes data from patients with IA and healthy individuals, was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the IA and control groups were identified with the 'affy' package in R software. The Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) databases were then used to analyse the function and pathway enrichment of DEGs. The protein-protein interaction network was analysed with the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) website. In addition, DEGs were confirmed using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting in samples with IA (n=6) and control samples (n=6) collected from the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine of the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology (Luoyang, China). The present study identified 735 DEGs, including 312 upregulated and 423 downregulated genes. Through GO and KEGG analyses of the DEGs, macrophage activation and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) signalling pathways were revealed to be significantly upregulated and downregulated, respectively, in patients with IA compared with that of the healthy individuals. Subsequently, correlation analysis of macrophage activation and HIF-1 signalling pathways was revealed using correlation as a distance metric for hierarchical clustering correlation analysis. However, there was no protein-protein interaction between the macrophage activity regulation and HIF-1 signalling pathways based on STRING analysis. In summary, the present study identified candidate genes and associated molecules that may be associated to IA and revealed potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for IA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Min Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital and College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan 471003, P.R. China
| | - Yuling Hu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital and College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan 471003, P.R. China
| | - Feng Cai
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226000, P.R. China
| | - Jiayong Qiu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital and College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan 471003, P.R. China
| | - Yimin Mao
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital and College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan 471003, P.R. China
| | - Yingmin Zhang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital and College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan 471003, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wei L, Li X, Yao Y, Wang S, Ai X, Liu S. Study on the molecular mechanism of dihydromyricetin in alleviating liver cirrhosis based on network pharmacology. Chem Biol Drug Des 2024; 103:e14421. [PMID: 38230771 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.14421] [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: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Dihydromyricetin (DHM) is a bioactive flavonoid extracted from Hovenia dulcis, which has various activities. In the present study, the molecular mechanism of dihydromyricetin (DHM) in relieving liver cirrhosis was investigated through network pharmacology and experimental verification. The cell model was induced by TGF-β1 activating the human hepatic stellate cell line (HSC; LX-2). The protein levels of α-SMA, collagen I, and collagen III and pathway-related proteins within LX-2 cells were detected using Western blot. EdU staining was conducted to detect cell proliferation. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to detect the expression levels of α-SMA and collagen I. Next, the drug targets of DHM were screened from the PubChem database. The differentially expressed genes in the liver cirrhosis dataset GSE14323 were identified. The expression of the identified drug targets in LX-2 cells was verified using qRT-PCR. The results showed that TGF-β1 treatment notably increased LX-2 cell viability, promoted cell proliferation, and elevated α-SMA, collagen I, and collagen III protein contents. DHM treatment could partially eliminate TGF-β1 effects, as evidenced by the inhibited cell viability and proliferation and reduced α-SMA, collagen I, and collagen III contents. After network pharmacology analysis, nine differentially expressed target genes (MMP2, PDGFRB, PARP1, BCL2L2, ABCB1, TYR, CYP2E1, SQSTM1, and IL6) in liver cirrhosis were identified. According to qRT-PCR verification, DHM could inhibit the expression of MMP2, PDGFRB, PARP1, CYP2E1, SQSTM1, and IL6, and enhance ABCB1 expression levels within LX-2 cells. Moreover, DHM inhibited mTOR and MAPK signaling pathways in TGF-β1-induced HSCs. In conclusion, DHM could inhibit HSC activation, which may be achieved via acting on MMP2, PDGFRB, PARP1, CYP2E1, SQSTM1, IL6, and ABCB1 genes and their downstream signaling pathways, including mTOR and MAPK signaling pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lin Wei
- College of Basic Medicine, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, Hunan, China
| | - Xiaoying Li
- Key Laboratory of Research and Utilization of Ethnomedicinal Plant Resources of Hunan Province, College of biology and food engineering, Huaihua University, Huaihua, Hunan, China
| | - Yuanzhi Yao
- Key Laboratory of Research and Utilization of Ethnomedicinal Plant Resources of Hunan Province, College of biology and food engineering, Huaihua University, Huaihua, Hunan, China
| | - Siqi Wang
- College of Basic Medicine, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, Hunan, China
| | - Xinghui Ai
- College of Basic Medicine, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, Hunan, China
| | - Shenggui Liu
- Key Laboratory of Research and Utilization of Ethnomedicinal Plant Resources of Hunan Province, College of biology and food engineering, Huaihua University, Huaihua, Hunan, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Zahran RF, El-Sayed LM, Hoye TR, Ayyad SEN. The Dual Therapeutic Potential of Ottelione A on Carbon Tetrachloride-induced Hepatic Toxicity in Mice. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 2023; 195:5966-5979. [PMID: 36729297 PMCID: PMC10511377 DOI: 10.1007/s12010-023-04346-8] [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] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Some herbal natural products play an important role in protecting organisms from the toxic effect of some xenobiotics. The present study was designed to evaluate the potential therapeutic effects of Ottelione A (OTTE) against carbon tetrachloride(CCl4)-induced toxicity in mice. METHODS Adult male Swiss albino mice were divided into six groups: group I was used as a normal control received olive oil; group II received DMSO; group III received OTTE; group IV received CCl4 in olive oil, (injected i.p) 3 times/week for 6 weeks; group V received the same CCl4 regimen as group IV followed by OTTE injected for 15 days, and group VI first received OTTE injected for 15 days followed by the same CCl4 regimen as group IV. Some biochemical and histological parameters were investigated. RESULTS Our results showed that the administration of CCl4 caused hepatotoxicity, as monitored by the significant increase in biochemical parameters concerning the olive oil group. Treatment with OTTE appeare d to be effective against hepatotoxic and liver changes induced by CCl4, as evidenced by the improvement of the same parameters. CONCLUSION Ottelione A (OTTE) has good antioxidant and therapeutic properties, which can help in preventing CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in both pre-treatment and post-treatment modes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rasha Fekry Zahran
- Biochemistry division, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Damietta University, 34517, Damietta, New-Damietta, Egypt.
| | - Lina Mahmoud El-Sayed
- Biochemistry division, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Damietta University, 34517, Damietta, New-Damietta, Egypt
| | - Thomas Robert Hoye
- Departments of Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 55455, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Seif-Eldin Nasr Ayyad
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Damietta University, New Damietta, Egypt
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Hazari Y, Urra H, Garcia Lopez VA, Diaz J, Tamburini G, Milani M, Pihan P, Durand S, Aprahamia F, Baxter R, Huang M, Dong XC, Vihinen H, Batista-Gonzalez A, Godoy P, Criollo A, Ratziu V, Foufelle F, Hengstler JG, Jokitalo E, Bailly-Maitre B, Maiers JL, Plate L, Kroemer G, Hetz C. The endoplasmic reticulum stress sensor IRE1 regulates collagen secretion through the enforcement of the proteostasis factor P4HB/PDIA1 contributing to liver damage and fibrosis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.02.538835. [PMID: 37205565 PMCID: PMC10187203 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.02.538835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Collagen is one the most abundant proteins and the main cargo of the secretory pathway, contributing to hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis due to excessive deposition of extracellular matrix. Here we investigated the possible contribution of the unfolded protein response, the main adaptive pathway that monitors and adjusts the protein production capacity at the endoplasmic reticulum, to collagen biogenesis and liver disease. Genetic ablation of the ER stress sensor IRE1 reduced liver damage and diminished collagen deposition in models of liver fibrosis triggered by carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) administration or by high fat diet. Proteomic and transcriptomic profiling identified the prolyl 4-hydroxylase (P4HB, also known as PDIA1), which is known to be critical for collagen maturation, as a major IRE1-induced gene. Cell culture studies demonstrated that IRE1 deficiency results in collagen retention at the ER and altered secretion, a phenotype rescued by P4HB overexpression. Taken together, our results collectively establish a role of the IRE1/P4HB axis in the regulation of collagen production and its significance in the pathogenesis of various disease states.
Collapse
|
6
|
Chen X, Lv X, Han M, Hu Y, Zheng W, Xue H, Li Z, Li K, Tan W. EMP1 as a Potential Biomarker in Liver Fibrosis: A Bioinformatics Analysis. Gastroenterol Res Pract 2023; 2023:2479192. [PMID: 37008256 PMCID: PMC10060069 DOI: 10.1155/2023/2479192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 04/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a wound-healing response to chronic injury, which may result in cirrhosis and liver failure. Studies have been carried on the mechanisms and pathogenesis of liver fibrosis. However, the potential cell-specific expressed marker genes involved in fibrotic processes remain unknown. In this study, we combined a publicly accessible single-cell transcriptome of human liver with microarray datasets to evaluate the cell-specific expression patterns of differentially expressed genes in the liver. We noticed that EMP1 (epithelial membrane protein 1) is significantly active not only in CCl4 (carbon tetrachloride)-treated mouse liver fibrosis but also in BDL (bile duct ligation)-induced liver fibrosis and even in human fibrotic liver tissues such as alcoholic hepatitis, NASH (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis), and advanced stage liver fibrosis. Furthermore, we demonstrated that EMP1 is a specific fibrotic gene expressed in HSCs (hepatic stellate cells) and endothelial cells using the Protein Atlas single-cell transcriptome RNA-sequencing clustering. Its expression was significantly elevated in fibrotic HSCs or CCl4 and NASH-induced fibroblasts. Previous research revealed that EMP1 plays a role in proliferation, migration, metastasis, and tumorigeneses in different cancers via a variety of mechanisms. Because HSC activation and proliferation are two important steps following liver injury, it would be interesting to investigate the role of EMP1 in these processes. All of this information suggested that EMP1 could be used as a novel fibrotic liver marker and a possible target in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xuchen Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Wenzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xinliang Lv
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Lishui Municipal Central Hospital, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University Lishui, Zhejiang, China
| | - Manman Han
- Department of General Surgery, Wenzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yexiao Hu
- Department of General Surgery, Wenzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wanqiong Zheng
- Department of General Surgery, Wenzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Haibo Xue
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhuokai Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Lishui Municipal Central Hospital, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University Lishui, Zhejiang, China
| | - Kui Li
- Department of Blood Transfusion, Lishui Central Hospital, Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College Lishui, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wei Tan
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Lishui Municipal Central Hospital, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University Lishui, Zhejiang, China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Ivermectin Attenuates CCl 4-Induced Liver Fibrosis in Mice by Suppressing Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232416043. [PMID: 36555680 PMCID: PMC9782196 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232416043] [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: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver fibrosis, a common liver dysfunction with high morbidity and mortality rates, is the leading cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, for which there are no effective therapies. Ivermectin is an antiparasitic drug that also has been showing therapeutic actions in many other diseases, including antiviral and anticancer actions, as well as treating metabolic diseases. Herein, we evaluated the function of ivermectin in regulating liver fibrosis. Firstly, carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-injected Balb/c mice were used to assess the antifibrosis effects of ivermectin in vivo. Further, CFSC, a rat hepatic stellate cell (HSC) line, was used to explore the function of ivermectin in HSC activation in vitro. The in vivo data showed that ivermectin administration alleviated histopathological changes, improved liver function, reduced collagen deposition, and downregulated the expression of profibrotic genes. Mechanistically, the ivermectin treatment inhibited intrahepatic macrophage accumulation and suppressed the production of proinflammatory factors. Importantly, the ivermectin administration significantly decreased the protein levels of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) both in vivo and in vitro, suggesting that the antifibrotic effects of ivermectin are mainly due to the promotion of HSC deactivation. The present study demonstrates that ivermectin may be a potential therapeutic agent for the prevention of hepatic fibrosis.
Collapse
|
8
|
Trotsyuk AA, Chen K, Hyung S, Ma KC, Henn D, Mermin-Bunnell AM, Mittal S, Padmanabhan J, Larson MR, Steele SR, Sivaraj D, Bonham CA, Noishiki C, Rodrigues M, Jiang Y, Jing S, Niu S, Chattopadhyay A, Perrault DP, Leeolou MC, Fischer KS, Gurusankar G, Choi Kussie H, Wan DC, Januszyk M, Longaker MT, Gurtner GC. Inhibiting Fibroblast Mechanotransduction Modulates Severity of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. Adv Wound Care (New Rochelle) 2022; 11:511-523. [PMID: 34544267 DOI: 10.1089/wound.2021.0077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive fibrotic lung disease that affects 63 in every 100,000 Americans. Its etiology remains unknown, although inflammatory pathways appear to be important. Given the dynamic environment of the lung, we examined the significance of mechanotransduction on both inflammatory and fibrotic signaling during IPF. Innovation: Mechanotransduction pathways have not been thoroughly examined in the context of lung disease, and pharmacologic approaches for IPF do not currently target these pathways. The interplay between mechanical strain and inflammation in pulmonary fibrosis remains incompletely understood. Approach: In this study, we used conditional KO mice to block mechanotransduction by knocking out Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) expression in fibroblasts, followed by induction of pulmonary fibrosis using bleomycin. We examined both normal human and human IPF fibroblasts and used immunohistochemistry, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and Western Blot to evaluate the effects of FAK inhibitor (FAK-I) on modulating fibrotic and inflammatory genes. Results: Our data indicate that the deletion of FAK in mice reduces expression of fibrotic and inflammatory genes in lungs. Similarly, mechanical straining in normal human lung fibroblasts activates inflammatory and fibrotic pathways. The FAK inhibition decreases these signals but has a less effect on IPF fibroblasts as compared with normal human fibroblasts. Conclusion: Administering FAK-I at early stages of fibrosis may attenuate the FAK-mediated fibrotic response pathway in IPF, potentially mediating disease progression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Artem A Trotsyuk
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Kellen Chen
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Sun Hyung
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Kun Cathy Ma
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Dominic Henn
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Alana M Mermin-Bunnell
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Smiti Mittal
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Jagannath Padmanabhan
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Madelyn R Larson
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Sydney R Steele
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Dharshan Sivaraj
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Clark A Bonham
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Chikage Noishiki
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Melanie Rodrigues
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Yuanwen Jiang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Serena Jing
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Simiao Niu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Arhana Chattopadhyay
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - David P Perrault
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Melissa C Leeolou
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Katharina S Fischer
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | | | - Hudson Choi Kussie
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Derrick C Wan
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Michael Januszyk
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Michael T Longaker
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.,Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Geoffrey C Gurtner
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Identification and Experimental Validation of Marker Genes between Diabetes and Alzheimer’s Disease. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2022; 2022:8122532. [PMID: 35996379 PMCID: PMC9391608 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8122532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Currently, Alzheimer's disease (AD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are widely prevalent in the elderly population, and accumulating evidence implies a strong link between them. For example, patients with T2DM have a higher risk of developing neurocognitive disorders, including AD, but the exact mechanisms are still unclear. This time, by combining bioinformatics analysis and in vivo experimental validation, we attempted to find a common biological link between AD and T2DM. We firstly downloaded the gene expression profiling (AD: GSE122063; T2DM: GSE161355) derived from the temporal cortex. To find the associations, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of the two datasets were filtered and intersected. Based on them, enrichment analysis was carried out, and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression and support vector machine-recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) algorithms were used to identify the specific genes. After verifying in the external dataset and in the samples from the AD and type 2 diabetes animals, the shared targets of the two diseases were finally determined. Based on them, the ceRNA networks were constructed. Besides, the logistic regression and single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) were performed. As a result, 62 DEGs were totally identified between AD and T2DM, and the enrichment analysis indicated that they were much related to the function of synaptic vesicle and MAPK signaling pathway. Based on the evidence from external dataset and RT-qPCR, CARTPT, EPHA5, and SERPINA3 were identified as the marker genes in both diseases, and their clinical significance and biological functions were further analyzed. In conclusion, discovering and exploring the marker genes that are dysregulated in both 2 diseases could help us better comprehend the intrinsic relationship between T2DM and AD, which may inspire us to develop new strategies for facing the dilemmas of clinical or basic research in cognitive dysfunction.
Collapse
|
10
|
Application of alkaline phosphatase‑to‑platelet ratio as a novel noninvasive index predicts liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Exp Ther Med 2022; 24:619. [PMID: 36160889 PMCID: PMC9468833 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2022.11556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Assessment of the extent of liver fibrosis is a crucial requirement for the design of antiviral treatments for patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Several non-invasive predictive indices have been developed as potential alternatives to liver biopsy for fibrosis assessment. The present study aimed to establish a novel non-invasive method for predicting liver fibrosis in patients with CHB. A total of 382 patients with CHB who underwent liver biopsy and pathological examination at The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University (Hefei, China) were enrolled into the present study. Liver fibrosis was assessed according to the meta-analysis of histological data in viral hepatitis scoring system. Logistic regression analyses were performed to explore possibly significant characteristics associated with liver fibrosis. In addition, potential correlations between the alkaline phosphatase (AKP)-to-platelet count (PLT) ratio (APPR) and the aspartate transaminase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI), fibrosis index based on four factors (FIB-4) and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase-to-platelet ratio (GPR) were assessed using Spearman's correlation analysis. Subsequently, the performance of APPR was compared with APRI, FIB-4 and GPR using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Logistic regression analysis identified AKP and PLT to be significant independent predictors of fibrosis. Therefore, an index was then constructed for predicting the degree of fibrosis, which was expressed using the formula APPR=AKP (IU/ml)/PLT (1x109/l). APPR was found to be positively associated with the fibrotic stage of the liver in addition to being positively correlated with APRI, FIB-4 and GPR. The area under the ROC curve (AUROC) values of APPR were also significantly higher compared with those of APRI and FIB-4 in predicting significant fibrosis but were equal to those of GPR. However, for advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis, the AUROC value of APPR was shown to be higher compared with that of APRI, FIB-4 and GPR. In conclusion, these observations suggest that APPR is a viable marker that can be used to assess liver fibrosis in patients with CHB.
Collapse
|
11
|
Brozat JF, Brandt EF, Stark M, Fischer P, Wirtz TH, Flaßhove A, Rodenhausen AN, Vajen T, Heinzmann ACA, Schmitz SMT, Abu Jhaisha S, Röth AA, Koenen RR, Sahin H, Trautwein C, Berres ML. JAM-A is a multifaceted regulator in hepatic fibrogenesis, supporting LSEC integrity and stellate cell quiescence. Liver Int 2022; 42:1185-1203. [PMID: 35129269 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Leukocyte infiltration is a hallmark of hepatic inflammation. The Junctional Adhesion Molecule A (JAM-A) is a crucial regulator of leukocyte extravasation and is upregulated in human viral fibrosis. Reduced shear stress within hepatic sinusoids and the specific phenotype of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC) cumulate in differing adhesion characteristics during liver fibrosis. The aim of this study was to define the functional role of cell-specific adhesion molecule JAM-A during hepatic fibrogenesis. METHODS Complete, conditional (intestinal epithelial; endothelial) and bone marrow chimeric Jam-a knockout animals and corresponding C57Bl/6 wild-type animals were treated with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4 , 6 weeks). For functional analyses of JAM-A, comprehensive in vivo studies, co-culture models and flow-based adhesion assays were performed. RESULTS Complete and bone marrow-derived Jam-a-/- animals showed aggravated fibrosis with increased non-sinusoidal, perivascular accumulation of CD11b+ F4/80+ monocyte-derived macrophages in contrast to wild-type mice. Despite being associated with disturbed epithelial barrier function, an intestinal epithelial Jam-a knockout did not affect fibrogenesis. In endothelial-specific Jam-a-/- animals, liver fibrosis was aggravated alongside sinusoid capillarization and hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation. HSC activation is induced via Jam-a-/- LSEC-derived secretion of soluble factors. Sinusoid CD31 expression and hedgehog gene signalling were increased, but leukocyte infiltration and adhesion to LSECs remained unaffected. CONCLUSIONS Our models decipher cell-specific JAM-A to exert crucial functions during hepatic fibrogenesis. JAM-A on bone marrow-derived cells regulates non-sinusoidal vascular immune cell recruitment, while endothelial JAM-A controls liver sinusoid capillarization and HSC quiescence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan F Brozat
- Department of Internal Medicine III, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Elisa F Brandt
- Department of Internal Medicine III, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Myriam Stark
- Department of Internal Medicine III, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Petra Fischer
- Department of Internal Medicine III, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Theresa H Wirtz
- Department of Internal Medicine III, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Alexander Flaßhove
- Department of Internal Medicine III, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Aaron N Rodenhausen
- Department of Internal Medicine III, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Tanja Vajen
- Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, Division of Cardiology, Pulmonology and Vascular Medicine, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Alexandra C A Heinzmann
- Department of Biochemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Sophia M-T Schmitz
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Samira Abu Jhaisha
- Department of Internal Medicine III, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Anjali A Röth
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Rory R Koenen
- Department of Biochemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Hacer Sahin
- Department of Internal Medicine III, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Christian Trautwein
- Department of Internal Medicine III, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Marie-Luise Berres
- Department of Internal Medicine III, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Databases, Knowledgebases, and Software Tools for Virus Informatics. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1368:1-19. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-16-8969-7_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
|
13
|
Heinrich L, Booijink R, Khurana A, Weiskirchen R, Bansal R. Lipoxygenases in chronic liver diseases: current insights and future perspectives. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2021; 43:188-205. [PMID: 34961619 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2021.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Chronic liver diseases (CLDs) caused by viral infections, alcohol/drug abuse, or metabolic disorders affect millions of people globally and have increased mortality owing to the lack of approved therapies. Lipoxygenases (LOXs) are a family of multifaceted enzymes that are responsible for the oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and are implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple disorders including liver diseases. This review describes the three main LOX signaling pathways - 5-, 12-, and 15-LOX - and their involvement in CLDs. We also provide recent insights and future perspectives on LOX-related hepatic pathophysiology, and discuss the potential of LOXs and LOX-derived metabolites as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in CLDs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lena Heinrich
- Translational Liver Research, Department of Medical Cell BioPhysics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Technical Medical Center, University of Twente, Enschede 7500 AE, The Netherlands
| | - Richell Booijink
- Translational Liver Research, Department of Medical Cell BioPhysics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Technical Medical Center, University of Twente, Enschede 7500 AE, The Netherlands
| | - Amit Khurana
- Translational Liver Research, Department of Medical Cell BioPhysics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Technical Medical Center, University of Twente, Enschede 7500 AE, The Netherlands; Institute of Molecular Pathobiochemistry, Experimental Gene Therapy and Clinical Chemistry (IFMPEGKC), Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) University Hospital Aachen, Aachen 52074, Germany; Centre for Biomedical Engineering (CBME), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Ralf Weiskirchen
- Institute of Molecular Pathobiochemistry, Experimental Gene Therapy and Clinical Chemistry (IFMPEGKC), Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) University Hospital Aachen, Aachen 52074, Germany
| | - Ruchi Bansal
- Translational Liver Research, Department of Medical Cell BioPhysics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Technical Medical Center, University of Twente, Enschede 7500 AE, The Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Primary Human Hepatocyte Spheroids as Tools to Study the Hepatotoxic Potential of Non-Pharmaceutical Chemicals. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222011005. [PMID: 34681664 PMCID: PMC8537720 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222011005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug-induced liver injury, including cholestasis, is an important clinical issue and economic burden for pharmaceutical industry and healthcare systems. However, human-relevant in vitro information on the ability of other types of chemicals to induce cholestatic hepatotoxicity is lacking. This work aimed at investigating the cholestatic potential of non-pharmaceutical chemicals using primary human hepatocytes cultured in 3D spheroids. Spheroid cultures were repeatedly (co-) exposed to drugs (cyclosporine-A, bosentan, macitentan) or non-pharmaceutical chemicals (paraquat, tartrazine, triclosan) and a concentrated mixture of bile acids for 4 weeks. Cell viability (adenosine triphosphate content) was checked every week and used to calculate the cholestatic index, an indicator of cholestatic liability. Microarray analysis was performed at specific time-points to verify the deregulation of genes related to cholestasis, steatosis and fibrosis. Despite the evident inter-donor variability, shorter exposures to cyclosporine-A consistently produced cholestatic index values below 0.80 with transcriptomic data partially supporting its cholestatic burden. Bosentan confirmed to be hepatotoxic, while macitentan was not toxic in the tested concentrations. Prolonged exposure to paraquat suggested fibrotic potential, while triclosan markedly deregulated genes involved in different types of hepatotoxicity. These results support the applicability of primary human hepatocyte spheroids to study hepatotoxicity of non-pharmaceutical chemicals in vitro.
Collapse
|
15
|
Ji D, Zhao Q, Qin Y, Tong H, Wang Q, Yu M, Mao C, Lu T, Qiu J, Jiang C. Germacrone improves liver fibrosis by regulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling pathway. Cell Biol Int 2021; 45:1866-1875. [PMID: 33835632 DOI: 10.1002/cbin.11607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a primary threat to public health, owing to limited therapeutic options. Germacrone (GM) has been shown to exert various curative effects against human diseases, including liver injury. The aim of this study was to investigate the pharmacological effects of GM in the pathophysiology of hepatic fibrosis and determine its potential mechanisms of action. A liver fibrosis rat model was established via carbon tetrachloride (CCl4 ) treatment, and LX-2 cells were stimulated with TGF-β1. The effects of GM on liver fibrosis and its relationship with the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathway were investigated. In the CCl4 fibrosis-induced rat model, GM improved histological damage, inhibited the activity of hepatic α-smooth muscle actin and improved serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels in a dose-dependent manner. GM potently inhibited hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) growth and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) progression, as reflected by the altered expression of proliferative (Ki-67, PCNA and cleaved caspase-3) and EMT-related (E-cadherin and vimentin) proteins. In TGF-β1-stimulated LX-2 cells, GM significantly inhibited the survival and activation of HSCs and induced cell apoptosis. GM also suppressed the migration ability and reversed the EMT process in HSCs. Following GM treatment, the phosphorylation of the PI3K, AKT and mTOR proteins was reduced in the liver of CCl4 -treated rats and TGF-β1-stimulated LX-2 cells, indicating that GM may attenuate hepatic fibrosis via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling pathway. These outcomes highlight the anti-fibrotic effects of GM and suggest that it is a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of liver fibrosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- De Ji
- Department of Chinese Medicinal Processing, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.,Molecular Pharmacology Research Center, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qi Zhao
- Molecular Pharmacology Research Center, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Department of Chinese Medicinal Resources, Biomedical Collaborative Innovation Center of Zhejiang, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yuwen Qin
- Molecular Pharmacology Research Center, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Department of Chinese Medicinal Resources, Biomedical Collaborative Innovation Center of Zhejiang, Wenzhou, China
| | - Huangjin Tong
- Department of Chinese Medicinal Processing, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.,Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Qiaohan Wang
- Department of Chinese Medicinal Processing, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Mengting Yu
- Department of Chinese Medicinal Processing, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Chunqin Mao
- Department of Chinese Medicinal Processing, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Tulin Lu
- Department of Chinese Medicinal Processing, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Jinchun Qiu
- Department of Pharmacy, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chengxi Jiang
- Molecular Pharmacology Research Center, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Department of Chinese Medicinal Resources, Biomedical Collaborative Innovation Center of Zhejiang, Wenzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Hao L, Li S, Peng Q, Guo Y, Ji J, Zhang Z, Xue Y, Liu Y, Shi X. Anti-malarial drug dihydroartemisinin downregulates the expression levels of CDK1 and CCNB1 in liver cancer. Oncol Lett 2021; 22:653. [PMID: 34386075 PMCID: PMC8299009 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2021.12914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-associated mortality worldwide. By the time liver cancer is diagnosed, it is already in the advanced stage. Therefore, novel therapeutic strategies need to be identified to improve the prognosis of patients with liver cancer. In the present study, the profiles of GSE84402, GSE19665 and GSE121248 were used to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Subsequently, Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses for DEGs were conducted using the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery. The protein-protein interaction network was established to screen the hub genes associated with liver cancer. Additionally, the expression levels of hub genes were validated using the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis and Oncomine databases. In addition, the prognostic value of hub genes in patients with liver cancer was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier Plotter. It was demonstrated that 132 and 246 genes were upregulated and downregulated, respectively, in patients with liver cancer. Among these DEGs, 10 hub genes with high connected node values were identified, which were AURKA, BIRC5, BUB1B, CCNA2, CCNB1, CCNB2, CDC20, CDK1, DLGAP5 and MAD2L1. CDK1 and CCNB1 had the most connection nodes and the highest score and were therefore, the most significantly expressed. In addition, it was demonstrated that high expression levels of CDK1 and CCNB1 were associated with poor overall survival time of patients with liver cancer. Dihydroartemisinin (DHA) is a Food and Drug Administration-approved drug, which is derived from the traditional Chinese medicine Artemisia annua Linn. DHA inhibits cell proliferation in numerous cancer types, including liver cancer. In our previous study, it was revealed that DHA inhibited the proliferation of HepG2215 cells. In the present study, it was further demonstrated that DHA reduced the expression levels of CDK1 and CCNB1 in liver cancer. Overall, CDK1 and CCNB1 were the potential therapeutic targets of liver cancer, and DHA reduced the expression levels of CDK1 and CCNB1, and inhibited the proliferation of liver cancer cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liyuan Hao
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050200, P.R. China
| | - Shenghao Li
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050200, P.R. China
| | - Qing Peng
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050200, P.R. China
| | - Yinglin Guo
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050200, P.R. China
| | - Jingmin Ji
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050200, P.R. China
| | - Zhiqin Zhang
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050200, P.R. China
| | - Yu Xue
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050200, P.R. China
| | - Yiwei Liu
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050200, P.R. China
| | - Xinli Shi
- Department of Pathobiology and Immunology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050200, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
He Y, Zhou Y, Wang H, Yin J, Chang Y, Hu P, Ren H, Xu H. Identifying potential biomarkers in hepatitis B virus infection and its response to the antiviral therapy by integrated bioinformatic analysis. J Cell Mol Med 2021; 25:6558-6572. [PMID: 34041839 PMCID: PMC8278120 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.16655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The antiviral treatment efficacy varies among chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and the underlying mechanism is unclear. An integrated bioinformatics analysis was performed to investigate the host factors that affect the therapeutic responsiveness in CHB patients. Four GEO data sets (GSE54747, GSE27555, GSE66698 and GSE66699) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and analysed to identify differentially expressed genes(DEGs). Enrichment analyses of the DEGs were conducted using the DAVID database. Immune cell infiltration characteristics were analysed by CIBERSORT. Upstream miRNAs and lncRNAs of hub DEGs were identified by miRWalk 3.0 and miRNet in combination with the MNDR platform. As a result, seventy‐seven overlapping DEGs and 15 hub genes were identified including CCL5, CXCL9, MYH2, CXCR4, CD74, CCL4, HLA‐DRB1, ACTA1, CD69, CXCL10, HLA‐DRB5, HLA‐DQB1, CXCL13, STAT1 and CKM. The enrichment analyses revealed that the DEGs were mainly enriched in immune response and chemokine signalling pathways. Investigation of immune cell infiltration in liver samples suggested significantly different infiltration between responders and non‐responders, mainly characterized by higher proportions of CD8+ T cells and activated NK cells in non‐responders. The prediction of upstream miRNAs and lncRNAs led to the identification of a potential mRNA‐miRNA‐lncRNA regulatory network composed of 2 lncRNAs (H19 and GAS5) and 5 miRNAs (hsa‐mir‐106b‐5p, hsa‐mir‐17‐5p, hsa‐mir‐20a‐5p, hsa‐mir‐6720‐5p and hsa‐mir‐93‐5p) targeting CCL5 mRNA. In conclusion, our study suggested that host genetic factors could affect therapeutic responsiveness in CHB patients. The antiviral process might be associated with the chemokine‐mediated immune response and immune cell infiltration in the liver microenvironment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yi He
- Department of infection, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Infection and Immunity, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yingzhi Zhou
- Department of infection, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Infection and Immunity, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Huimin Wang
- Department of infection, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Infection and Immunity, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jingyang Yin
- Chongqing People's Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yunan Chang
- Department of infection, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Infection and Immunity, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Peng Hu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hong Ren
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hongmei Xu
- Department of infection, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Infection and Immunity, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Yan L, Messner CJ, Zhang X, Suter-Dick L. Assessment of fibrotic pathways induced by environmental chemicals using 3D-human liver microtissue model. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 194:110679. [PMID: 33387535 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to environmental chemicals, particularly those with persistent and bioaccumulative properties have been linked to liver diseases. Induction of fibrotic pathways is considered as a pre-requirement of chemical induced liver fibrosis. Here, we applied 3D in vitro human liver microtissues (MTs) composed of HepaRG, THP-1 and hTERT-HSC that express relevant hepatic pathways (bile acid, sterol, and xenobiotic metabolism) and can recapitulate key events of liver fibrosis (e.g. extracellular matrix-deposition). The liver MTs were exposed to a known profibrotic chemical, thioacetamide (TAA) and three representative environmental chemicals (TCDD, benzo [a] pyrene (BaP) and PCB126). Both TAA and BaP triggered fibrotic pathway related events such as hepatocellular damage (cytotoxicity and decreased albumin release), hepatic stellate cell activation (transcriptional upregulation of α-SMA and Col1α1) and extracellular matrix remodelling. TCDD or PCB126 at measured concentrations did not elicit these responses in the 3D liver MTs system, though they caused cytotoxicity in HepaRG monoculture at high concentrations. Reduced human transcriptome (RHT) analysis captured molecular responses involved in liver fibrosis when MTs were treated with TAA and BaP. The results suggest that 3D, multicellular, human liver microtissues represent an alternative, human-relevant, in vitro liver model for assessing fibrotic pathways induced by environmental chemicals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lu Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, PR China
| | - Catherine Jane Messner
- School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz, 4132, Switzerland; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, 4003, Switzerland; Swiss Centre for Applied Human Toxicology (SCAHT), 4056, Switzerland
| | - Xiaowei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, PR China.
| | - Laura Suter-Dick
- School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz, 4132, Switzerland; Swiss Centre for Applied Human Toxicology (SCAHT), 4056, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Dewhurst MR, Ow JR, Zafer G, van Hul NKM, Wollmann H, Bisteau X, Brough D, Choi H, Kaldis P. Loss of hepatocyte cell division leads to liver inflammation and fibrosis. PLoS Genet 2020; 16:e1009084. [PMID: 33147210 PMCID: PMC7641358 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The liver possesses a remarkable regenerative capacity based partly on the ability of hepatocytes to re-enter the cell cycle and divide to replace damaged cells. This capability is substantially reduced upon chronic damage, but it is not clear if this is a cause or consequence of liver disease. Here, we investigate whether blocking hepatocyte division using two different mouse models affects physiology as well as clinical liver manifestations like fibrosis and inflammation. We find that in P14 Cdk1Liv-/- mice, where the division of hepatocytes is abolished, polyploidy, DNA damage, and increased p53 signaling are prevalent. Cdk1Liv-/- mice display classical markers of liver damage two weeks after birth, including elevated ALT, ALP, and bilirubin levels, despite the lack of exogenous liver injury. Inflammation was further studied using cytokine arrays, unveiling elevated levels of CCL2, TIMP1, CXCL10, and IL1-Rn in Cdk1Liv-/- liver, which resulted in increased numbers of monocytes. Ablation of CDK2-dependent DNA re-replication and polyploidy in Cdk1Liv-/- mice reversed most of these phenotypes. Overall, our data indicate that blocking hepatocyte division induces biological processes driving the onset of the disease phenotype. It suggests that the decrease in hepatocyte division observed in liver disease may not only be a consequence of fibrosis and inflammation, but also a pathological cue.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R. Dewhurst
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Singapore
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation; and Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Jin Rong Ow
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Singapore
| | - Gözde Zafer
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore
| | - Noémi K. M. van Hul
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Singapore
| | - Heike Wollmann
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Singapore
| | - Xavier Bisteau
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Singapore
| | - David Brough
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation; and Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Hyungwon Choi
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Singapore
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Philipp Kaldis
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Clinical Research Centre (CRC), Sweden
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Li X, Chen R, Kemper S, Brigstock DR. Extracellular Vesicles From Hepatocytes Are Therapeutic for Toxin-Mediated Fibrosis and Gene Expression in the Liver. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 7:368. [PMID: 31998720 PMCID: PMC6966099 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2019.00368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nano-sized membrane-limited organelles that are liberated from their producer cells, traverse the intercellular space, and may interact with other cells resulting in the uptake of the EV molecular payload by the recipient cells which may become functionally reprogramed as a result. Previous in vitro studies showed that EVs purified from normal mouse AML12 hepatocytes ("EVNorm") attenuate the pro-fibrogenic activities of activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), a principal fibrosis-producing cell type in the liver. In a 10-day CCl4 injury model, liver fibrogenesis, expression of hepatic cellular communication network factor 2 [CCN2, also known as connective tissue growth factor (CTGF)] or alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA) was dose-dependently blocked during concurrent administration of EVNorm. Hepatic inflammation and expression of inflammatory cytokines were also reduced by EVNorm. In a 5-week CCl4 fibrosis model in mice, interstitial collagen deposition and mRNA and/or protein for collagen 1a1, αSMA or CCN2 were suppressed following administration of EVNorm over the last 2 weeks. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) revealed that EVNorm therapy of mice receiving CCl4 for 5 weeks resulted in significant differences [false discovery rate (FDR) <0.05] in expression of 233 CCl4-regulated hepatic genes and these were principally associated with fibrosis, cell cycle, cell division, signal transduction, extracellular matrix (ECM), heat shock, cytochromes, drug detoxification, adaptive immunity, and membrane trafficking. Selected gene candidates from these groups were verified by qRT-PCR as targets of EVNorm in CCl4-injured livers. Additionally, EVNorm administration resulted in reduced activation of p53, a predicted upstream regulator of 40% of the genes for which expression was altered by EVNorm following CCl4 liver injury. In vitro, EVs from human HepG2 hepatocytes suppressed fibrogenic gene expression in activated mouse HSC and reversed the reduced viability or proliferation of HepG2 cells or AML12 cells exposed to CCl4. Similarly, EVs produced by primary human hepatocytes (PHH) protected PHH or human LX2 HSC from CCl4-mediated changes in cell number or gene expression in vitro. These findings show that EVs from human or mouse hepatocytes regulate toxin-associated gene expression leading to therapeutic outcomes including suppression of fibrogenesis, hepatocyte damage, and/or inflammation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xinlei Li
- Center for Clinical and Translational Research, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Ruju Chen
- Center for Clinical and Translational Research, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Sherri Kemper
- Center for Clinical and Translational Research, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - David R. Brigstock
- Center for Clinical and Translational Research, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States
- Department of Surgery, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Blencowe M, Karunanayake T, Wier J, Hsu N, Yang X. Network Modeling Approaches and Applications to Unravelling Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:E966. [PMID: 31771247 PMCID: PMC6947017 DOI: 10.3390/genes10120966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Revised: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a progressive condition of the liver encompassing a range of pathologies including steatosis, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Research into this disease is imperative due to its rapid growth in prevalence, economic burden, and current lack of FDA approved therapies. NAFLD involves a highly complex etiology that calls for multi-tissue multi-omics network approaches to uncover the pathogenic genes and processes, diagnostic biomarkers, and potential therapeutic strategies. In this review, we first present a basic overview of disease pathogenesis, risk factors, and remaining knowledge gaps, followed by discussions of the need and concepts of multi-tissue multi-omics approaches, various network methodologies and application examples in NAFLD research. We highlight the findings that have been uncovered thus far including novel biomarkers, genes, and biological pathways involved in different stages of NAFLD, molecular connections between NAFLD and its comorbidities, mechanisms underpinning sex differences, and druggable targets. Lastly, we outline the future directions of implementing network approaches to further improve our understanding of NAFLD in order to guide diagnosis and therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Montgomery Blencowe
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (M.B.); (T.K.); (J.W.); (N.H.)
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Tilan Karunanayake
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (M.B.); (T.K.); (J.W.); (N.H.)
| | - Julian Wier
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (M.B.); (T.K.); (J.W.); (N.H.)
| | - Neil Hsu
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (M.B.); (T.K.); (J.W.); (N.H.)
| | - Xia Yang
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (M.B.); (T.K.); (J.W.); (N.H.)
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Interdepartmental Program of Bioinformatics, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Hou-Pan S, Mei-Yan Z, Xiao-Juan C, Xin-Yi C, Yi-Jing Y, Ya-Sha Z, Ye T, Xiao-Qing L, Xiong C, Qing-Hua P, Jun P. A Network Pharmacology Approach to Uncover the Molecular Targets and Associated Potential Pathways of Lycii Fructus for the Treatment of Retinitis Pigmentosa. DIGITAL CHINESE MEDICINE 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.dcmed.2019.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
|