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Männistö VT, Hakkarainen K, Jula A, Lundqvist A, Vihervaara T, Erlund I, Åberg F. Serum ferritin level is associated with liver fibrosis and incident liver-related outcomes independent of HFE genotype in the general population. Scand J Gastroenterol 2024; 59:592-599. [PMID: 38329447 DOI: 10.1080/00365521.2024.2314707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Hyperferritinemia reflects iron accumulation in the body and has been associated with metabolic disturbances and alcohol use, and is also a common finding in individuals diagnosed with liver disease. The major genetic regulator of iron metabolism is the HFE gene. METHODS The aim of this this study was to investigate the association between serum ferritin and liver fibrosis using the enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF) test, and the association between ferritin and liver-related outcomes in a Finnish population-based cohort of 6194 individuals (45% male, mean [± standard deviation] age, 52.9 ± 14.9 years; body mass index 26.9 ± 4.7 kg/m2). The effects of HFE variants on these associations were also evaluated. RESULTS Serum ferritin levels were significantly associated with liver fibrosis, as estimated by enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF) test in weighted linear regression analysis. Serum ferritin was significantly associated with both all liver-related outcomes (n = 92) and severe liver-related outcomes (n = 54) in weighted Cox regression analysis (hazard ratio [HR] per 1 SD, 1.11 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02-1.21]; p = 0.012 and HR 1.11 [95% CI 1.02-1.21]; p = 0.013, respectively). However, there was association neither between HFE risk variants and ELF test nor between HFE risk variants and liver-related outcomes. CONCLUSION Serum ferritin levels were associated with liver fibrosis and incident liver disease, independent of HFE genotype in the general population. Furthermore, data demonstrated that metabolic disturbances and alcohol use were major risk factors for hyperferritinemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ville T Männistö
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Internal Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
- Department of Medicine, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
| | | | - Antti Jula
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Finland
| | | | | | - Iris Erlund
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Finland
| | - Fredrik Åberg
- Transplantation and Liver Surgery Clinic, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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2
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Hu P, Rychik J, Zhao J, Bai H, Bauer A, Yu W, Rand EB, Dodds KM, Goldberg DJ, Tan K, Wilkins BJ, Pei L. Single-cell multiomics guided mechanistic understanding of Fontan-associated liver disease. Sci Transl Med 2024; 16:eadk6213. [PMID: 38657025 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adk6213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The Fontan operation is the current standard of care for single-ventricle congenital heart disease. Individuals with a Fontan circulation (FC) exhibit central venous hypertension and face life-threatening complications of hepatic fibrosis, known as Fontan-associated liver disease (FALD). The fundamental biology and mechanisms of FALD are little understood. Here, we generated a transcriptomic and epigenomic atlas of human FALD at single-cell resolution using multiomic snRNA-ATAC-seq. We found profound cell type-specific transcriptomic and epigenomic changes in FC livers. Central hepatocytes (cHep) exhibited the most substantial changes, featuring profound metabolic reprogramming. These cHep changes preceded substantial activation of hepatic stellate cells and liver fibrosis, suggesting cHep as a potential first "responder" in the pathogenesis of FALD. We also identified a network of ligand-receptor pairs that transmit signals from cHep to hepatic stellate cells, which may promote their activation and liver fibrosis. We further experimentally demonstrated that activins A and B promote fibrotic activation in vitro and identified mechanisms of activin A's transcriptional activation in FALD. Together, our single-cell transcriptomic and epigenomic atlas revealed mechanistic insights into the pathogenesis of FALD and may aid identification of potential therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Po Hu
- Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Cardiovascular Institute, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jack Rychik
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Juanjuan Zhao
- Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Cardiovascular Institute, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Huajun Bai
- Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Cardiovascular Institute, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Aidan Bauer
- Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Cardiovascular Institute, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Wenbao Yu
- Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Elizabeth B Rand
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kathryn M Dodds
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - David J Goldberg
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kai Tan
- Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Benjamin J Wilkins
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Liming Pei
- Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Cardiovascular Institute, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Institute for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Cardiovascular Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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3
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Dinarvand N, Afarin R, Shakerian E, Bavarsad SS, Mohammadtaghvaei N. The effect of saraglitazar on TGF-β-induced smad3 phosphorylation and expression of genes related to liver fibrosis in LX2 cell line. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:541. [PMID: 38642208 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09443-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Liver fibrosis is a reversible liver injury that occurs as a result of many chronic inflammatory diseases and can lead to cirrhosis, which is irreversible and fatal. So, we studied the anti-fibrotic effects of saroglitazar on LX-2 cell lines, as a dual PPARα/γ agonist. METHODS Cells, after 80% confluence, were treated with TGF-β (2 ng/mL) for 24 h. Then cells were treated with saroglitazar at different doses (2.5, 5, 10 µM) for 24 h. After same incubation, the cells of control group, TGF-β group, and TGF-β + saroglitazar group were harvested for RNA and protein extraction to determine the effects of saroglitazar. RT-PCR and western blot methods were used to express genes related to fibrosis. RESULTS Our results show that the relative expression of α-SMA, collagen1α, N-cadherin, NOX (1, 2, and 4), and phosphorylated Smad3 protein was significantly higher in TGF-β-treated cells compared with the normal group, and E-cadherin expression was decreased in TGF-β-treated cells. After TGF-β-treated cells were exposed to saroglitazar, the expression of these genes was significantly reversed (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Our results clearly show the short-term inhibitory role of saroglitazar in the expression of fibrotic factors using the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway. These results suggest that saroglitazar can be considered as a suitable therapeutic strategy for fibrotic patients. Although more studies are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Negar Dinarvand
- Hyperlipidemia Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Reza Afarin
- Hyperlipidemia Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Elham Shakerian
- Hyperlipidemia Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | | | - Narges Mohammadtaghvaei
- Department of Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Paramedicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
- Hyperlipidemia Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
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Zibigu R, Abidan A, Adilai D, Li Y, Kang X, Yu Q, Deng B, Zheng X, Wang M, Li J, Wang H, Zhang C. [Effect of LAG3 deficiency on natural killer cell function and hepatic fibrosis in mice infected with Echinococcus multilocularis]. Zhongguo Xue Xi Chong Bing Fang Zhi Za Zhi 2024; 36:59-66. [PMID: 38604686 DOI: 10.16250/j.32.1374.2024013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of LAG-3 deficiency (LAG3-/-) on natural killer (NK) cell function and hepatic fibrosis in mice infected with Echinococcus multilocularis. METHODS C57BL/6 mice, each weighing (20 ± 2) g, were divided into the LAG3-/- and wild type (WT) groups, and each mouse in both groups was inoculated with 3 000 E. multilocularis protoscoleces via the hepatic portal vein. Mouse liver and spleen specimens were collected 12 weeks post-infection, sectioned and stained with sirius red, and the hepatic lesions and fibrosis were observed. Mouse hepatic and splenic lymphocytes were isolated, and flow cytometry was performed to detect the proportions of hepatic and splenic NK cells, the expression of CD44, CD25 and CD69 molecules on NK cell surface, and the secretion of interferon γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10 and IL-17A. RESULTS Sirius red staining showed widening of inflammatory cell bands and hyperplasia of fibrotic connective tissues around mouse hepatic lesions, as well as increased deposition of collagen fibers in the LAG3-/-group relative to the WT group. Flow cytometry revealed lower proportions of mouse hepatic (6.29% ± 1.06% vs. 11.91% ± 1.85%, P < 0.000 1) and splenic NK cells (4.44% ± 1.22% vs. 5.85% ± 1.10%, P > 0.05) in the LAG3-/- group than in the WT group, and the mean fluorescence intensity of CD44 was higher on the surface of mouse hepatic NK cells in the LAG3-/- group than in the WT group (t = -3.234, P < 0.01), while no significant differences were found in the mean fluorescence intensity of CD25 or CD69 on the surface of mouse hepaticNK cells between the LAG3-/- and WT groups (both P values > 0.05). There were significant differences between the LAG3-/- and WT groups in terms of the percentages of IFN-γ (t = -0.723, P > 0.05), TNF-α (t = -0.659, P > 0.05), IL-4 (t = -0.263, P > 0.05), IL-10 (t = -0.455, P > 0.05) or IL-17A secreted by mouse hepatic NK cells (t = 0.091, P > 0.05), and the percentage of IFN-γ secreted by mouse splenic NK cells was higher in the LAG3-/- group than in the WT group (58.40% ± 1.64% vs. 50.40% ± 4.13%; t = -4.042, P < 0.01); however, there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of the proportions of TNF-α (t = -1.902, P > 0.05), IL-4 (t = -1.333, P > 0.05), IL-10 (t = -1.356, P > 0.05) or IL-17A secreted by mouse splenic NK cells (t = 0.529, P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS During the course of E. multilocularis infections, LAG3-/- promotes high-level secretion of IFN-γ by splenic NK cells, which may participate in the reversal the immune function of NK cells, resulting in aggravation of hepatic fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Zibigu
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830017, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830054, China
- Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Endemic Diseases, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830054, China
| | - A Abidan
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830017, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830054, China
| | - D Adilai
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830017, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830054, China
| | - Y Li
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830017, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830054, China
| | - X Kang
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830017, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830054, China
| | - Q Yu
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830017, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830054, China
| | - B Deng
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830017, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830054, China
| | - X Zheng
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830017, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830054, China
| | - M Wang
- Center for Digestive and Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830054, China
| | - J Li
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830017, China
- Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Endemic Diseases, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830054, China
| | - H Wang
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830017, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830054, China
| | - C Zhang
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830017, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830054, China
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5
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Blázquez-García I, Guerrero L, Cacho-Navas C, Djouder N, Millan J, Paradela A, Carmona-Rodríguez L, Corrales FJ. Molecular Insights of Cholestasis in MDR2 Knockout Murine Liver Organoids. J Proteome Res 2024; 23:1433-1442. [PMID: 38488493 PMCID: PMC11002922 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
MDR3 (multidrug resistance 3) deficiency in humans (MDR2 in mice) causes progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 3 (PFIC3). PFIC3 is a lethal disease characterized by an early onset of intrahepatic cholestasis progressing to liver cirrhosis, a preneoplastic condition, putting individuals at risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Hepatocyte-like organoids from MDR2-deficient mice (MDR2KO) were used in this work to study the molecular alterations caused by the deficiency of this transporter. Proteomic analysis by mass spectrometry allowed characterization of 279 proteins that were differentially expressed in MDR2KO compared with wild-type organoids. Functional enrichment analysis indicated alterations in three main cellular functions: (1) interaction with the extracellular matrix, (2) remodeling intermediary metabolism, and (3) cell proliferation and differentiation. The affected cellular processes were validated by orthogonal molecular biology techniques. Our results point to molecular mechanisms associated with PFIC3 that may drive the progression to liver cirrhosis and HCC and suggest proteins and cellular processes that could be targeted for the development of early detection strategies for these severe liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Blázquez-García
- Functional
Proteomics Laboratory, Centro Nacional de
Biotecnología (CSIC), Madrid 28049, Spain
| | - Laura Guerrero
- Functional
Proteomics Laboratory, Centro Nacional de
Biotecnología (CSIC), Madrid 28049, Spain
| | | | - Nabil Djouder
- Centro
Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Madrid 28029, Spain
| | - Jaime Millan
- Centro
de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CBMSO), Madrid 28049, Spain
| | - Alberto Paradela
- Functional
Proteomics Laboratory, Centro Nacional de
Biotecnología (CSIC), Madrid 28049, Spain
| | | | - Fernando J. Corrales
- Functional
Proteomics Laboratory, Centro Nacional de
Biotecnología (CSIC), Madrid 28049, Spain
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6
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Guo C, Lai L, Ma B, Huang Q, Wang Z. Notoginsenoside R1 targets PPAR-γ to inhibit hepatic stellate cell activation and ameliorates liver fibrosis. Exp Cell Res 2024; 437:113992. [PMID: 38492634 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2024.113992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatic fibrosis, a common pathological process that occurs in end-stage liver diseases, is a serious public health problem and lacks effective therapy. Notoginsenoside R1 (NR1) is a small molecule derived from the traditional Chinese medicine Sanqi, exhibiting great potential in treating diverse metabolie disorders. Here we aimed to enquired the role of NR1 in liver fibrosis and its underlying mechanism in hepatoprotective effects. METHODS We investigated the anti-fibrosis effect of NR1 using CCl4-induced mouse mode of liver fibrosis as well as TGF-β1-activated JS-1, LX-2 cells and primary hepatic stellate cell. Cell samples treated by NR1 were collected for transcriptomic profiling analysis. PPAR-γ mediated TGF-β1/Smads signaling was examined using PPAR-γ selective inhibitors and agonists intervention, immunofluorescence staining and western blot analysis. Additionally, we designed and studied the binding of NR1 to PPAR-γ using molecular docking. RESULTS NR1 obviously attenuated liver histological damage, reduced serum ALT, AST levels, and decreased liver fibrogenesis markers in mouse mode. Mechanistically, NR1 elevated PPAR-γ and decreased TGF-β1, p-Smad2/3 expression. The TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway and fibrotic phenotype were altered in JS-1 cells after using PPAR-γ selective inhibitors and agonists respectively, confirming PPAR-γ played a pivotal protection role inNR1 treating liver fibrosis. Further molecular docking indicated NR1 had a strong binding tendency to PPAR-γ with minimum free energy. CONCLUSIONS NR1 attenuates hepatic stellate cell activation and hepatic fibrosis by elevating PPAR-γ to inhibit TGF-β1/Smads signalling. NR1 may be a potential candidate compound for reliving liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Guo
- Endoscopy Center, Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Linying Lai
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Boyu Ma
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Qian Huang
- Shanghai Pudong Weifang Community Health Center, Shanghai, 200120, China.
| | - Zhirong Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China.
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7
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Yan T, Yan N, Xia Y, Sawaswong V, Zhu X, Dias HB, Aibara D, Takahashi S, Hamada K, Saito Y, Li G, Liu H, Yan H, Velenosi TJ, Krausz KW, Huang J, Kimura S, Rotman Y, Qu A, Hao H, Gonzalez FJ. Hepatocyte-specific CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α restricts liver fibrosis progression. J Clin Invest 2024; 134:e166731. [PMID: 38557493 PMCID: PMC10977981 DOI: 10.1172/jci166731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) - previously described as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) - is a major driver of liver fibrosis in humans, while liver fibrosis is a key determinant of all-cause mortality in liver disease independent of MASH occurrence. CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (CEBPA), as a versatile ligand-independent transcriptional factor, has an important function in myeloid cells, and is under clinical evaluation for cancer therapy. CEBPA is also expressed in hepatocytes and regulates glucolipid homeostasis; however, the role of hepatocyte-specific CEBPA in modulating liver fibrosis progression is largely unknown. Here, hepatic CEBPA expression was found to be decreased during MASH progression both in humans and mice, and hepatic CEBPA mRNA was negatively correlated with MASH fibrosis in the human liver. CebpaΔHep mice had markedly enhanced liver fibrosis induced by a high-fat, high-cholesterol, high-fructose diet or carbon tetrachloride. Temporal and spatial hepatocyte-specific CEBPA loss at the progressive stage of MASH in CebpaΔHep,ERT2 mice functionally promoted liver fibrosis. Mechanistically, hepatocyte CEBPA directly repressed Spp1 transactivation to reduce the secretion of osteopontin, a fibrogenesis inducer of hepatic stellate cells. Forced hepatocyte-specific CEBPA expression reduced MASH-associated liver fibrosis. These results demonstrate an important role for hepatocyte-specific CEBPA in liver fibrosis progression, and may help guide the therapeutic discoveries targeting hepatocyte CEBPA for the treatment of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Yan
- Cancer Innovation Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Laboratory of Metabolic Regulation and Drug Target Discovery, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Nana Yan
- Cancer Innovation Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Laboratory of Metabolic Regulation and Drug Target Discovery, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yangliu Xia
- Cancer Innovation Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Vorthon Sawaswong
- Cancer Innovation Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Xinxin Zhu
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Key Laboratory of Remodeling-Related Cardiovascular Diseases, Ministry of Education, and Beijing Key Laboratory of Metabolic Disorder-Related Cardiovascular Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Henrique Bregolin Dias
- Cancer Innovation Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Daisuke Aibara
- Cancer Innovation Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Shogo Takahashi
- Cancer Innovation Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Keisuke Hamada
- Cancer Innovation Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Yoshifumi Saito
- Cancer Innovation Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Hui Liu
- Department of Pathology, Beijing YouAn Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Hualong Yan
- Cancer and Stem Cell Epigenetics, Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute and
| | - Thomas J. Velenosi
- Cancer Innovation Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Kristopher W. Krausz
- Cancer Innovation Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jing Huang
- Cancer and Stem Cell Epigenetics, Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute and
| | - Shioko Kimura
- Cancer Innovation Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Yaron Rotman
- Liver and Energy Metabolism Section, Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Aijuan Qu
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Key Laboratory of Remodeling-Related Cardiovascular Diseases, Ministry of Education, and Beijing Key Laboratory of Metabolic Disorder-Related Cardiovascular Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Haiping Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Laboratory of Metabolic Regulation and Drug Target Discovery, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Frank J. Gonzalez
- Cancer Innovation Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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8
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Jing H, Lin L, Xu J, Zhang H, Cao L, Fan Y. Letter: Association of polymorphic variant of SerpinB3 and faster cirrhosis decompensation in patients with cirrhosis-More evidence needed. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2024; 59:911-912. [PMID: 38462691 DOI: 10.1111/apt.17901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
LINKED CONTENTThis article is linked to Martini et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17804 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17916
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Affiliation(s)
- Haibo Jing
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Lin Lin
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shenzhen Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Juan Xu
- Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Huifeng Zhang
- Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Lin Cao
- Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yaofu Fan
- Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
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Lavrado NC, Salles GF, Cardoso CRL, de França PHC, Melo MFDGG, Leite NC, Villela-Nogueira CA. Impact of PNPLA3 and TM6SF2 polymorphisms on the prognosis of patients with MASLD and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Liver Int 2024; 44:1042-1050. [PMID: 38293718 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS Longitudinal studies assessing the impact of genetic polymorphisms on outcomes in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) are scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of PNPLA3 and TM6SF2 risk alleles on hepatic and extrahepatic outcomes in T2DM-MASLD individuals. METHODS Patients' polymorphisms were analysed as follows: PNPLA3 CC, CG and GG; TM6SF2 CC and CT + TT; combined comparing no mutant allele, one allele G or T or ≥2 alleles G or T. Hierarchical models were built to assess associations between polymorphisms and outcomes, independently of confounding factors. Multivariate logistic regression was used for cirrhosis and its complications and extrahepatic cancer, and Cox regression for cardiovascular events (CVEs) and all-cause mortality. RESULTS In total, 407 T2DM-MASLD patients (62.1 ± 10.5 years, 67.6% women) were followed for 11 (6-13) years. Having at least one G or T allele independently increased the risk of cirrhosis in the separate analysis of PNPLA3 and TM6SF2. Combined polymorphism analysis demonstrated an even higher risk of cirrhosis if two or more risk alleles were present (OR 18.48; 95% CI 6.15-55.58; p < .001). Regarding cirrhosis complications, the risk was higher in PNPLA3 GG and TM6SF2 CT + TT, also with an even higher risk when two or more risk alleles were present in the combined evaluation (OR 27.20; 95% CI 5.26-140.62; p < .001). There were no associations with CVEs or mortality outcomes. CONCLUSION In T2DM, PNPLA3 and TM6SF2 polymorphisms, individually and additively, impact MASLD severity, with an increased risk of cirrhosis and its complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natália Coelho Lavrado
- Internal Medicine Post Graduate Program, Medical School, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gil Fernando Salles
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Nathalie Carvalho Leite
- Division of Hepatology, Clementino Fraga Filho University Hospital, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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10
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Gellert-Kristensen H, Bojesen SE, Tybjærg Hansen A, Stender S. Telomere length and risk of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and cholangiocarcinoma in 63,272 individuals from the general population. Hepatology 2024; 79:857-868. [PMID: 37732945 DOI: 10.1097/hep.0000000000000608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Inherited short telomeres are associated with a risk of liver disease, whereas longer telomeres predispose to cancer. The association between telomere length and risk of HCC and cholangiocarcinoma remains unknown. APPROACH AND RESULTS We measured leukocyte telomere length using multiplex PCR in 63,272 individuals from the Danish general population. Telomere length and plasma ALT concentration were not associated (β = 4 ×10 -6 , p -value = 0.06) in a linear regression model, without any signs of a nonlinear relationship. We tested the association between telomere length and risk of cirrhosis, HCC, and cholangiocarcinoma using Cox regression. During a median follow-up of 11 years, 241, 76, and 112 individuals developed cirrhosis, HCC, and cholangiocarcinoma, respectively. Telomere length and risk of cirrhosis were inversely and linearly associated ( p -value = 0.004, p for nonlinearity = 0.27). Individuals with telomeres in the shortest vs. longest quartile had a 2.25-fold higher risk of cirrhosis. Telomere length and risk of HCC were nonlinearly associated ( p -value = 0.009, p -value for nonlinearity = 0.01). This relationship resembled an inverted J-shape, with the highest risk observed in individuals with short telomeres. Individuals with telomeres in the shortest versus longest quartile had a 2.29-fold higher risk of HCC. Telomere length was inversely and linearly associated with the risk of cholangiocarcinoma. Individuals with telomeres in the shortest versus longest quartile had a 1.86-fold higher risk of cholangiocarcinoma. CONCLUSIONS Shorter telomere length is associated with a higher risk of cirrhosis, HCC, and cholangiocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helene Gellert-Kristensen
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Rigshospitalet, Denmark
- Copenhagen University Hospitals and Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Stig E Bojesen
- Copenhagen University Hospitals and Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Denmark
| | - Anne Tybjærg Hansen
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Rigshospitalet, Denmark
- Copenhagen University Hospitals and Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Stefan Stender
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Rigshospitalet, Denmark
- Copenhagen University Hospitals and Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
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11
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Martini A, Pontisso P. Letter: Association of polymorphic variant of SerpinB3 and faster cirrhosis decompensation in patients with cirrhosis-More evidence needed. Authors' reply. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2024; 59:913-914. [PMID: 38462679 DOI: 10.1111/apt.17916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
LINKED CONTENTThis article is linked to Martini et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17804 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17901
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Martini
- Unit of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
- European Reference Network - ERN RARE-LIVER, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
| | - Patrizia Pontisso
- Unit of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
- European Reference Network - ERN RARE-LIVER, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
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12
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Saleh RO, Alkhafaji AT, Mohammed JS, Bansal P, Kaur H, Ahmad I, Hjazi A, Mohammed IH, Jawad MA, Zwamel AH. LncRNA NEAT1 in the pathogenesis of liver-related diseases. Cell Biochem Funct 2024; 42:e4006. [PMID: 38622913 DOI: 10.1002/cbf.4006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1) is a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) that is widely expressed in a variety of mammalian cell types. Altered expression levels of the lncRNA NEAT1 have been reported in liver-related disorders including cancer, fatty liver disease, liver fibrosis, viral hepatitis, and hepatic ischemia. lncRNA NEAT1 mostly acts as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to sponge various miRNAs (miRs) to regulate different functions. In regard to hepatic cancers, the elevated expression of NEAT1 has been reported to have a relation with the proliferation, migration, angiogenesis, apoptosis, as well as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of cancer cells. Furthermore, NEAT1 upregulation has contributed to the pathogenesis of other liver diseases such as fibrosis. In this review, we summarize and discuss the molecular mechanisms by which NEAT1 contributes to liver-related disorders including acute liver failure, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), liver fibrosis, and liver carcinoma, providing novel insights and introducing NEAT1 as a potential therapeutic target in these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raed Obaid Saleh
- Department of Medical Laboratory Techniques, Al-Maarif University College, Al-Anbar, Iraq
| | | | | | - Pooja Bansal
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetics, Jain (Deemed-to-be) University, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
- Department of Allied Healthcare and Sciences, Vivekananda Global University, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Harpreet Kaur
- School of Basic & Applied Sciences, Shobhit University, Gangoh, Uttar Pradesh, India
- Department of Health & Allied Sciences, Arka Jain University, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, India
| | - Irfan Ahmad
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Science, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed Hjazi
- Department of Medical Laboratory, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Mohammed Abed Jawad
- Department of Medical Laboratories Technology, Al-Nisour University College, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Ahmed Hussein Zwamel
- Medical laboratory technique college, the Islamic University, Najaf, Iraq
- Medical laboratory technique college, the Islamic University of Al Diwaniyah, Al Diwaniyah, Iraq
- Medical laboratory technique college, the Islamic University of Babylon, Babylon, Iraq
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13
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Li D, Yang W, Pang J, Yu G. Differential DNA methylation landscape of miRNAs genes in mice liver fibrosis. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:475. [PMID: 38553662 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09416-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with chronic liver disease were found nearly all to have liver fibrosis, which is characterized by excess accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. While ECM accumulation can prevent liver infection and injury, it can destroy normal liver function and architecture. miRNA's own regulation was involved in DNA methylation change. The purpose of this study is to detect DNA methylation landscape of miRNAs genes in mice liver fibrosis tissues. METHODS Male mice (10-12 weeks) were injected CCl4 from abdominal cavity to induced liver fibrosis. 850 K BeadChips were used to examine DNA methylation change in whole genome. The methylation change of 16 CpG dinucleotides located in promoter regions of 4 miRNA genes were detected by bisulfite sequencing polymerase chain reaction (BSP) to verify chip data accuracy, and these 4 miRNA genes' expressions were detected by RT-qPCR methods. RESULTS There are 769 differential methylation sites (DMS) in total between fibrotic liver tissue and normal mice liver tissue, which were related with 148 different miRNA genes. Chips array data were confirmed by bisulfite sequencing polymerase chain reaction (R = 0.953; P < 0.01). GO analysis of the target genes of 2 miRNA revealed that protein binding, cytoplasm and chromatin binding activity were commonly enriched; KEGG pathway enrichment analysis displayed that TGF-beta signaling pathway was commonly enriched. CONCLUSION The DNA of 148 miRNA genes was found to have methylation change in liver fibrosis tissue. These discoveries in miRNA genes are beneficial to future miRNA function research in liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deming Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Regulation, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Pulmonary Fibrosis, Henan Center for Outstanding Overseas Scientists of Pulmonary Fibrosis, Overseas Expertise Introduction Center for Discipline Innovation of Pulmonary Fibrosis (111 Project), College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan, China
| | - Wentong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Regulation, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Pulmonary Fibrosis, Henan Center for Outstanding Overseas Scientists of Pulmonary Fibrosis, Overseas Expertise Introduction Center for Discipline Innovation of Pulmonary Fibrosis (111 Project), College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan, China
| | - Jiaojiao Pang
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Regulation, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Pulmonary Fibrosis, Henan Center for Outstanding Overseas Scientists of Pulmonary Fibrosis, Overseas Expertise Introduction Center for Discipline Innovation of Pulmonary Fibrosis (111 Project), College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan, China
| | - Guoying Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Regulation, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Pulmonary Fibrosis, Henan Center for Outstanding Overseas Scientists of Pulmonary Fibrosis, Overseas Expertise Introduction Center for Discipline Innovation of Pulmonary Fibrosis (111 Project), College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan, China.
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14
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Dare A, King SD, Chen SY. Surfactant protein A promotes western diet-induced hepatic steatosis and fibrosis in mice. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7464. [PMID: 38553537 PMCID: PMC10980756 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58291-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) remains the most common cause of liver disease in the United States due to the increased incidence of metabolic dysfunction and obesity. Surfactant protein A (SPA) regulates macrophage function, strongly binds to lipids, and is implicated in renal and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). However, the role of SPA in lipid accumulation, inflammation, and hepatic fibrosis that characterize MASLD remains unknown. SPA deficient (SPA-/-) and age-matched wild-type (WT) control mice were fed a Western diet for 8 weeks to induce MASLD. Blood and liver samples were collected and used to analyze pathological features associated with MASLD. SPA expression was significantly upregulated in livers of mice with MASLD. SPA deficiency attenuated lipid accumulation along with downregulation of genes involved in fatty acid uptake and reduction of hepatic inflammation as evidenced by the diminished macrophage activation, decreased monocyte infiltration, and reduced production of inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, SPA-/- inhibited stellate cell activation, collagen deposit, and liver fibrosis. These results highlight the novel role of SPA in promoting fatty acid uptake into hepatocytes, causing excessive lipid accumulation, inflammation, and fibrosis implicated in the pathogenesis of MASLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayobami Dare
- Department of Surgery, University of Missouri School of Medicine, 1 Hospital Drive, Columbia, MO, 65212, USA
| | - Skylar D King
- Department of Surgery, University of Missouri School of Medicine, 1 Hospital Drive, Columbia, MO, 65212, USA
| | - Shi-You Chen
- Department of Surgery, University of Missouri School of Medicine, 1 Hospital Drive, Columbia, MO, 65212, USA.
- The Research Service, Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital, Columbia, MO, 65201, USA.
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15
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Wang P, Kang Q, Wu WS, Rui L. Hepatic Snai1 and Snai2 promote liver regeneration and suppress liver fibrosis in mice. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113875. [PMID: 38451818 PMCID: PMC11025633 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Liver injury stimulates hepatocyte replication and hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation, thereby driving liver regeneration. Aberrant HSC activation induces liver fibrosis. However, mechanisms underlying liver regeneration and fibrosis remain poorly understood. Here, we identify hepatic Snai1 and Snai2 as important transcriptional regulators for liver regeneration and fibrosis. Partial hepatectomy or CCl4 treatment increases occupancies of Snai1 and Snai2 on cyclin A2 and D1 promoters in the liver. Snai1 and Snai2 in turn increase promoter H3K27 acetylation and cyclin A2/D1 expressions. Hepatocyte-specific deletion of both Snai1 and Snai2, but not one alone, suppresses liver cyclin A2/D1 expression and regenerative hepatocyte proliferation after hepatectomy or CCl4 treatments but augments CCl4-stimulated HSC activation and liver fibrosis. Conversely, Snai2 overexpression in the liver enhances hepatocyte replication and suppresses liver fibrosis after CCl4 treatment. These results suggest that hepatic Snai1 and Snai2 directly promote, via histone modifications, reparative hepatocyte replication and indirectly inhibit liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pingping Wang
- Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, 381 Wushan Road, Guangzhou 510640, China; School of Chemical Engineering and Light Insulation, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Qianqian Kang
- Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Wen-Shu Wu
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, UI Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Liangyou Rui
- Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Elizabeth Weiser Caswell Diabetes Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
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16
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Kuo YR, Tsai CY, Lin WS, Chang CI, Lai CS, Pan MH. Trans-2-nonadecyl-4-(hydroxymethyl)-1,3-dioxolane (TNHD) purified from freshwater clams markedly alleviates dimethylnitrosamine-induced hepatic fibrosis. J Food Drug Anal 2024; 32:1-20. [PMID: 38526593 PMCID: PMC10962651 DOI: 10.38212/2224-6614.3491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Liver fibrosis occurs due to injury or inflammation, which results in the excessive production of collagen and the formation of fibrotic scar tissue that impairs liver function. Despite the limited treatment options available, freshwater clams may hold promise in the treatment of liver fibrosis. In this study, we demonstrated the effects of ethanol extract of freshwater clam (FCE), ethyl acetate extract of FCE (EA-FCE), and trans-2-nonadecyl-4-(hydroxymethyl)-1,3-dioxolane (TNHD) on liver fibrosis induced by dimethylnitrosamine (DMN). Administration of FCE and TNHD alleviated liver injury, including tissue damage, necrosis, inflammation scores, fibrosis scores, serum enzymes, and triglyceride levels. Furthermore, we analyzed the expression of fibrosis-related proteins, such as α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and transforming growth factor (TGF-β), as well as the hydroxyproline content, which decreased after treatment with FCE and TNHD. Animal experiments revealed that FCE and TNHD can reduce liver fibrosis by inhibiting cytokines that activate stellate cells and decreasing extracellular matrix (ECM) secretion. Cell experiments have shown that TNHD inhibits the MAPK/Smad signaling pathway and TGF-β1 activation, resulting in a reduction in the expression of fibrosis-related proteins. Therefore, freshwater clam extracts, particularly TNHD, may have potential therapeutic and preventive effects for the amelioration of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Ru Kuo
- Institute of Food Sciences and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617,
Taiwan
| | - Chen-Yu Tsai
- Department of Seafood Science, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung 81157,
Taiwan
| | - Wei-Sheng Lin
- Institute of Food Sciences and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617,
Taiwan
| | - Chi-I Chang
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 91201,
Taiwan
| | - Ching-Shu Lai
- Department of Seafood Science, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung 81157,
Taiwan
| | - Min-Hsiung Pan
- Institute of Food Sciences and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617,
Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40402,
Taiwan
- Department of Health and Nutrition Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung 41354,
Taiwan
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17
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Yoshida M, Matsuzaki J, Fujita K, Kimura M, Umezu T, Tokuda N, Yamaguchi T, Kuroda M, Ochiya T, Saito Y, Kimura K. Plasma extracellular vesicle microRNAs reflecting the therapeutic effect of the CBP/β-catenin inhibitor PRI-724 in patients with liver cirrhosis. Sci Rep 2024; 14:6266. [PMID: 38491114 PMCID: PMC10943077 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56942-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
There is an unmet need for antifibrotic therapies to prevent the progression of liver cirrhosis. Previously, we conducted an exploratory trial to assess the safety and antifibrotic efficacy of PRI-724, a selective CBP/β-catenin inhibitor, in patients with liver cirrhosis. PRI-724 was well tolerated and exerted a potential antifibrotic effect. Here, we investigated whether the profiles of circulating microRNAs packaged in extracellular vesicles (EV-miRNAs) are associated with responses to liver fibrosis treatments. Eighteen patients who received PRI-724 for 12 weeks in a phase 1/2a study were classified as responders (n = 10) or non-responders (n = 8) based on changes in liver stiffness. Plasma samples were obtained before and after PRI-724 administration and the levels of EV-miRNAs were analyzed. Three miRNAs (miR-6510-5p, miR-6772-5p, and miR-4261) were identified as predictors of response or non-response to PRI-724, and the levels of three other miRNAs (miR-939-3p, miR-887-3p, and miR-7112-5p) correlated with the efficacy of treatment. Expression of miR-887-3p was detected in hepatocytes and was decreased significantly in liver tissue following PRI-724 treatment. In addition, transfection of a miR-887-3p mimic activated hepatic stellate cells. Thus, decreases in the miR-887-3p level in blood may reflect recovery from liver fibroses in patients with liver cirrhosis treated with PRI-724, although further validation studies are warranted to confirm this.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayu Yoshida
- Division of Pharmacotherapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Keio University, 1-5-30 Shibakoen, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-8512, Japan
| | - Juntaro Matsuzaki
- Division of Pharmacotherapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Keio University, 1-5-30 Shibakoen, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-8512, Japan.
| | - Koji Fujita
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Tokyo Medical University, 6-1-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8402, Japan
| | - Masamichi Kimura
- Department of Hepatology, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Center, Komagome Hospital, 3-18-22 Honkomagome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8677, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Umezu
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Tokyo Medical University, 6-1-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8402, Japan
| | - Noi Tokuda
- Division of Pharmacotherapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Keio University, 1-5-30 Shibakoen, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-8512, Japan
| | - Tomoko Yamaguchi
- Division of Pharmacotherapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Keio University, 1-5-30 Shibakoen, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-8512, Japan
| | - Masahiko Kuroda
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Tokyo Medical University, 6-1-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8402, Japan
| | - Takahiro Ochiya
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo Medical University, 6-7-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0023, Japan
| | - Yoshimasa Saito
- Division of Pharmacotherapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Keio University, 1-5-30 Shibakoen, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-8512, Japan
| | - Kiminori Kimura
- Department of Hepatology, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Center, Komagome Hospital, 3-18-22 Honkomagome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8677, Japan
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18
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Kim JI, Cheon HG. Melatonin ameliorates hepatic fibrosis via the melatonin receptor 2-mediated upregulation of BMAL1 and anti-oxidative enzymes. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 966:176337. [PMID: 38246330 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Hepatic fibrosis, when left untreated, causes serious health problems that progress to cirrhosis and, in some cases, liver cancer. Activation of hepatic stellate cells may be a key characteristic in the development of hepatic fibrosis. Melatonin, a pineal hormone, exerts anti-fibrotic effects; however, the exact mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, the beneficial effects of melatonin against hepatic fibrosis and the underlying mechanisms were investigated using the human hepatic stellate cell line, LX-2, and in vivo murine animal models. The results showed that melatonin suppressed the expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1-induced fibrosis markers and production of reactive oxygen species in LX-2 cells. Either 4-phenyl-2-propionamidotetralin, a melatonin receptor 2 selective antagonist, or melatonin receptor 2 small interfering RNA abolished the suppressive effects of melatonin, suggesting the involvement of melatonin receptor 2 in melatonin-induced anti-fibrotic and anti-oxidative actions. Melatonin increased the expression of the brain and muscle aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-like 1 (BMAL1), a positive circadian clock gene. BMAL1 knockdown reduced the anti-fibrotic and anti-oxidative effects of melatonin, demonstrating the protective effects of melatonin against TGF-β1-induced hepatic stellate cell activation by exhibiting melatonin receptor 2-BMAL1-anti-oxidative effects. In high-fat diet-induced and carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic fibrosis models, oral melatonin administration decreased the expression of hepatic fibrosis markers and increased the expression of messenger RNA and levels of proteins of BMAL1 and melatonin receptor 2. Thus, melatonin exerted protective effects against hepatic fibrosis through melatonin receptor 2 activation, followed by an upregulation of the BMAL1-anti-oxidative enzyme pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jea Il Kim
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Gachon Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyae Gyeong Cheon
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Gachon Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, Republic of Korea; Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon, 21999, Republic of Korea.
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19
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Zhou Y, Yan J, Huang H, Liu L, Ren L, Hu J, Jiang X, Zheng Y, Xu L, Zhong F, Li X. The m 6A reader IGF2BP2 regulates glycolytic metabolism and mediates histone lactylation to enhance hepatic stellate cell activation and liver fibrosis. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:189. [PMID: 38443347 PMCID: PMC10914723 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06509-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Evidence for the involvement of N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) modification in the etiology and progression of liver fibrosis has emerged and holds promise as a therapeutic target. Insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) mRNA-binding protein 2 (IGF2BP2) is a newly identified m6A-binding protein that functions to enhance mRNA stability and translation. However, its role as an m6A-binding protein in liver fibrosis remains elusive. Here, we observed that IGF2BP2 is highly expressed in liver fibrosis and activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), and inhibition of IGF2BP2 protects against HSCs activation and liver fibrogenesis. Mechanistically, as an m6A-binding protein, IGF2BP2 regulates the expression of Aldolase A (ALDOA), a key target in the glycolytic metabolic pathway, which in turn regulates HSCs activation. Furthermore, we observed that active glycolytic metabolism in activated HSCs generates large amounts of lactate as a substrate for histone lactylation. Importantly, histone lactylation transforms the activation phenotype of HSCs. In conclusion, our findings reveal the essential role of IGF2BP2 in liver fibrosis by regulating glycolytic metabolism and highlight the potential of targeting IGF2BP2 as a therapeutic for liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongqiang Zhou
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jiexi Yan
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- Precision Medicine Center, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - He Huang
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Lu Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Longfei Ren
- Department of General Surgery, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jinjing Hu
- Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Regenerative Medicine of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiaoxu Jiang
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yan Zheng
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Lingcong Xu
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Fupeng Zhong
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xun Li
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
- Precision Medicine Center, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
- Department of General Surgery, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
- Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Regenerative Medicine of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China.
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20
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Zhang R, Zhan Y, Lang Z, Li Y, Zhang W, Zheng J. LncRNA-SNHG5 mediates activation of hepatic stellate cells by regulating NF2 and Hippo pathway. Commun Biol 2024; 7:266. [PMID: 38438584 PMCID: PMC10912598 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05971-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Long noncoding RNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 5 (SNHG5) is an oncogene found in various human cancers. However, it is unclear what role SNHG5 plays in activating hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and liver fibrosis. In this study, SNHG5 was found to be upregulated in activated HSCs in vitro and in primary HSCs isolated from fibrotic liver in vivo, and inhibition of SNHG5 suppressed HSC activation. Notably, Neurofibromin 2 (NF2), the main activator for Hippo signalling, was involved in the effects of SNHG5 on HSC activation. The interaction between SNHG5 and NF2 protein was further confirmed, and preventing the combination of the two could effectively block the effects of SNHG5 inhibition on EMT process and Hippo signaling. Additionally, higher SNHG5 was found in chronic hepatitis B patients and associated with the fibrosis stage. Altogether, we demonstrate that SNHG5 could serve as an activated HSCs regulator via regulating NF2 and Hippo pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongrong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China
| | - Yating Zhan
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China
| | - Zhichao Lang
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China
| | - Yifei Li
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China
| | - Weizhi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China
| | - Jianjian Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China.
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21
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Liu B, Xie X, Yang X, Dou C, Tang H, Liu J. The miR-3074/BMP7 axis regulates TGF-β-caused activation of hepatic stellate cells in vitro and CCl 4-caused murine liver fibrosis in vivo. Hum Cell 2024; 37:435-450. [PMID: 38218754 DOI: 10.1007/s13577-023-01017-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Continuously progressive hepatic fibrosis might cause chronic liver diseases, resulting in hepatic failure. The activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) residing in the liver might induce and influence hepatic fibrosis. In the present study, microRNA 3074 (miR-3074) was found increased within transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-activated HSCs and enriched within the TGF-β signaling. In activated HSCs by TGF-β, miR-3074 overexpression aggravated TGF-β-induced fibrotic changes, whereas miR-3074 inhibition exerted opposite effects. miR-3074 directly targeted bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7) and inhibited BMP7 expression. Under TGF-β induction, overexpressed BMP7 notably attenuated the promotive roles of miR-3074 overexpression in TGF-β-activated HSCs. Within carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-caused liver fibrosis murine model, miR-3074 agomir administration promoted, while LV-BMP7 administration alleviated CCl4-induced fibrotic changes; LV-BMP7 significantly attenuated the effects of miR-3074 agomir. Lastly, mmu-miR-3074 also targeted mouse BMP7 and inhibited mouse BMP7 expression. In conclusion, the miR-3074/BMP7 axis regulates TGF-β-caused activation of HSCs in vitro and CCl4-caused murine liver fibrosis in vivo. BMP7-mediated Smad1/5/8 activation might be involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingjie Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China
| | - Xia Xie
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China
| | - Xin Yang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China
| | - Chengyun Dou
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China
| | - Haibo Tang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China.
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22
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Ma Y, Cai H, Smith J, Chu CH, Mercer SE, Boehm S, Mcdonald I, Zinker B, Cheng D. Evaluation of antisense oligonucleotide therapy targeting Hsd17b13 in a fibrosis mice model. J Lipid Res 2024; 65:100514. [PMID: 38309418 PMCID: PMC10911849 DOI: 10.1016/j.jlr.2024.100514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Human genetic evidence suggests a protective role of loss-of-function variants in 17-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 13 (HSD17B13) for liver fibrotic diseases. Although there is limited preclinical experimental data on Hsd17b13 antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) or siRNA in a fibrosis model, several ASO and siRNA approaches are being tested clinically as potential therapies for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The aim of this study was to assess the therapeutic potential of Hsd17b13 ASO in a preclinical advanced NASH-like hepatic fibrosis in vivo model. In vitro testing on primary hepatocytes demonstrated that Hsd17b13 ASO exhibited strong efficacy and specificity for knockdown of the Hsd17b13 gene. In choline-deficient, L-amino acid-defined, HFD (CDAHFD)-induced steatotic and fibrotic mice, therapeutic administration of Hsd17b13 ASO resulted in a significant and dose-dependent reduction of hepatic Hsd17b13 gene expression. The CDAHFD group exhibited considerably elevated liver enzyme levels, hepatic steatosis score, hepatic fibrosis, and increased fibrotic and inflammatory gene expression, indicating an advanced NASH-like hepatic fibrosis phenotype. Although Hsd17b13 ASO therapy significantly affected hepatic steatosis, it had no effect on hepatic fibrosis. Our findings demonstrate, for the first time, that Hsd17b13 ASO effectively suppressed Hsd17b13 gene expression both in vitro and in vivo, and had a modulatory effect on hepatic steatosis in mice, but did not affect fibrosis in the CDAHFD mouse model of NASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanling Ma
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Lawrence Township, NJ, USA.
| | - Hong Cai
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Lawrence Township, NJ, USA
| | - Julia Smith
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Lawrence Township, NJ, USA
| | | | | | | | - Ivar Mcdonald
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Lawrence Township, NJ, USA
| | - Bradley Zinker
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Lawrence Township, NJ, USA
| | - Dong Cheng
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Lawrence Township, NJ, USA.
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Kang X, Chen H, Zhou Z, Tu S, Cui B, Li Y, Dong S, Zhang Q, Xu Y. Targeting Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 1 Induces Apoptosis and Cell Cycle Arrest of Activated Hepatic Stellate Cells. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2024; 8:e2300403. [PMID: 38103005 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202300403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is the integral process of chronic liver diseases caused by multiple etiologies and characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM). During liver fibrosis, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) transform into a highly proliferative, activated state, producing various cytokines, chemokines, and ECM. However, the precise mechanisms that license HSCs into the highly proliferative state remain unclear. Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) is a requisite event for the transition of the G1/S and G2/M phases in eukaryotic cells. In this study, it is demonstrated that CDK1 and its activating partners, Cyclin A2 and Cyclin B1, are upregulated in both liver fibrosis/cirrhosis patient specimens and the murine hepatic fibrosis models, especially in activated HSCs. In vitro, CDK1 is upregulated in spontaneously activated HSCs, and inhibiting CDK1 with specific small-molecule inhibitors (CGP74514A, RO-3306, or Purvalanol A) orshort hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) resulted in HSC apoptosis and cell cycle arrest by regulating Survivin expression. Above all, it is illustrated that increased CDK1 expression licenses the HSCs into a highly proliferative state and can serve as a potential therapeutic target in liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinmei Kang
- Biotherapy Centre, the Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 600# Tianhe Road, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Huaxin Chen
- Biotherapy Centre, the Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 600# Tianhe Road, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Zhuowei Zhou
- Biotherapy Centre, the Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 600# Tianhe Road, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Silin Tu
- Biotherapy Centre, the Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 600# Tianhe Road, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Bo Cui
- Biotherapy Centre, the Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 600# Tianhe Road, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Yanli Li
- Biotherapy Centre, the Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 600# Tianhe Road, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Shuai Dong
- Biotherapy Centre, the Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 600# Tianhe Road, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Biotherapy Centre, the Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 600# Tianhe Road, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Cell-gene Therapy Translational Medicine Research Centre, the Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 600# Tianhe Road, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, the Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 600# Tianhe Road, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Yan Xu
- Biotherapy Centre, the Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 600# Tianhe Road, Guangzhou, 510630, China
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Ying K, Zeng Y, Xu J, Wu X, Ying H, Cai W, Zhou R, Xu Q, Zhang X, Yu F. LncRNA SNHG11 reprograms glutaminolysis in hepatic stellate cells via Wnt/β-catenin/GLS axis. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 221:116044. [PMID: 38336157 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as decisive regulators of liver fibrosis. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), major hepatic cells contributing to liver fibrosis, undergo metabolic reprogramming for transdifferentiation and activation maintenance. As a crucial part of metabolic reprogramming, glutaminolysis fuels the tricyclic acid (TCA) cycle that renders HSCs addicted to glutamine. However, how lncRNAs reprogram glutamine metabolism in HSCs is unknown. For this research, we characterized the pro-fibrogenic function of small nucleolar host gene 11 (SNHG11). Our data showed that in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4, 7 μL/g, intraperitoneally) treated C57BL/6J mice, SNHG11 expression was highly up-regulated in fibrotic livers and activated primary HSCs. SNHG11 knockdown attenuated the accumulation of fibrotic markers α-SMA and Col1A1 in liver fibrosis tissues and activated HSCs. Western blot and qRT-PCR assays demonstrated that glutaminase (GLS), the rate-limiting enzyme for glutaminolysis, was a downstream target of SNHG11. Furthermore, SNHG11 upregulated glutaminolysis in HSCs through the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. The results highlighted that SNHG11 is a glutaminolysis-regulated lncRNA that promotes liver fibrosis. A novel insight into the metabolic mechanism that reprograms glutaminolysis in HSCs could be exploited as anti-fibrotic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanglei Ying
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yuan Zeng
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jun Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiao Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Huiya Ying
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Weimin Cai
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ruoru Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qian Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiangting Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Fujun Yu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
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25
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Li M, Zhou Y, Zhu H, Xu LM, Ping J. Danhongqing formula alleviates cholestatic liver fibrosis by downregulating long non-coding RNA H19 derived from cholangiocytes and inhibiting hepatic stellate cell activation. J Integr Med 2024; 22:188-198. [PMID: 38472011 DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2024.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study explores the mechanism of action of Danhongqing formula (DHQ), a compound-based Chinese medicine formula, in the treatment of cholestatic liver fibrosis. METHODS In vivo experiments were conducted using 8-week-old multidrug resistance protein 2 knockout (Mdr2-/-) mice as an animal model of cholestatic liver fibrosis. DHQ was administered orally for 8 weeks, and its impact on cholestatic liver fibrosis was evaluated by assessing liver function, liver histopathology, and the expression of liver fibrosis-related proteins. Real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, immunohistochemistry and other methods were used to observe the effects of DHQ on long non-coding RNA H19 (H19) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation in the liver tissue of Mdr2-/- mice. In addition, cholangiocytes and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) were cultured in vitro to measure the effects of bile acids on cholangiocyte injury and H19 expression. Cholangiocytes overexpressing H19 were constructed, and a conditioned medium containing H19 was collected to measure its effects on STAT3 protein expression and cell activation. The intervention effect of DHQ on these processes was also investigated. HSCs overexpressing H19 were constructed to measure the impact of H19 on cell activation and assess the intervention effect of DHQ. RESULTS DHQ alleviated liver injury, ductular reaction, and fibrosis in Mdr2-/- mice, and inhibited H19 expression, STAT3 expression and STAT3 phosphorylation. This formula also reduced hydrophobic bile acid-induced cholangiocyte injury and the upregulation of H19, inhibited the activation of HSCs induced by cholangiocyte-derived conditioned medium, and decreased the expression of activation markers in HSCs. The overexpression of H19 in a human HSC line confirmed that H19 promoted STAT3 phosphorylation and HSC activation, and DHQ was able to successfully inhibit these effects. CONCLUSION DHQ effectively alleviated spontaneous cholestatic liver fibrosis in Mdr2-/- mice by inhibiting H19 upregulation in cholangiocytes and preventing the inhibition of STAT3 phosphorylation in HSC, thereby suppressing cell activation. Please cite this article as: Li M, Zhou Y, Zhu H, Xu LM, Ping J. Danhongqing formula alleviates cholestatic liver fibrosis by downregulating long non-coding RNA H19 derived from cholangiocytes and inhibiting hepatic stellate cell activation. J Integr Med. 2024; 22(2): 188-198.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Li
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yang Zhou
- Preventive Treatment Center, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China
| | - Hui Zhu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Suzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Suzhou 215000, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Lie-Ming Xu
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China; Key Laboratory of Liver and Kidney Diseases (Ministry of Education), Shanghai 201203, China.
| | - Jian Ping
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China; Key Laboratory of Liver and Kidney Diseases (Ministry of Education), Shanghai 201203, China.
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26
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Fu S, Karim D, Prieto J, Balderramo D, Ferrer JD, Mattos AZ, Arrese M, Carrera E, Oliveira J, Debes JD, Boonstra A. Assessment of TLL1 variant and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in Latin Americans and Europeans. Ann Hepatol 2024; 29:101181. [PMID: 37981236 DOI: 10.1016/j.aohep.2023.101181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Tolloid like protein 1 (TLL1) rs17047200 has been reported to be associated with HCC development and liver fibrosis. However, to our knowledge, no studies have been performed on Latin Americans and comparative differences between TLL1 rs17047200 in HCC patients from Latin America and Europe are undefined. MATERIALS AND METHODS Cross-sectional analysis was performed on Latin American and European individuals. We analyzed TLL1 rs17047200 on DNA from 1194 individuals, including 420 patients with HCC (86.0 % cirrhotics) and 774 without HCC (65.9 % cirrhotics). RESULTS TLL1 rs17047200 genotype AT/TT was not associated with HCC development in Latin Americans (OR: 0.699, 95 %CI 0.456-1.072, p = 0.101) or Europeans (OR: 0.736, 95 %CI 0.447-1.211, p = 0.228). TLL1 AT/TT was not correlated with fibrosis stages among metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) patients from Latin America (OR: 0.975, 95 %CI 0.496-1.918, p = 0.941). Among Europeans, alcohol-related HCC had lower TLL1 AT/TT frequencies than cirrhosis (18.3 % versus 42.3 %, OR: 0.273, 95 %CI 0.096-0.773, p = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS We found no evidence that the TLL1 rs17047200 AT/TT genotype is a risk factor for HCC development in Latin Americans or Europeans. A larger study integrating ethnic and etiology backgrounds is needed to determine the importance of the TLL1 SNP in HCC development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyu Fu
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dhamina Karim
- School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Jhon Prieto
- Centro de Enfermedades Hepaticas y Digestivas, Bogota, Distrito Capital de Bogota, Colombia
| | - Domingo Balderramo
- Hospital Privado Universitario de Córdoba, Instituto Universitario de Ciencias Biomédicas de Córdoba, Cordoba, Argentina
| | | | - Angelo Z Mattos
- Graduate Program in Medicine: Hepatology, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Marco Arrese
- Departamento de Gastroenterología, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Enrique Carrera
- Hospital Especialidades Eugenio Espejo, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Jeffrey Oliveira
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jose D Debes
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Andre Boonstra
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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Tong M, Luo S, Gu L, Wang X, Zhang Z, Liang C, Huang H, Lin Y, Huang J. SIMarker: Cellular similarity detection and its application to diagnosis and prognosis of liver cancer. Comput Biol Med 2024; 171:108113. [PMID: 38368754 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2024.108113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The emergence of single-cell technology offers a unique opportunity to explore cellular similarity and heterogeneity between precancerous diseases and solid tumors. However, there is lacking a systematic study for identifying and characterizing similarities at single-cell resolution. METHODS We developed SIMarker, a computational framework to detect cellular similarities between precancerous diseases and solid tumors based on gene expression at single-cell resolution. Taking hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as a case study, we quantified the cellular and molecular connections between HCC and cirrhosis. Core analysis modules of SIMarker is publicly available at https://github.com/xmuhuanglab/SIMarker ("SIM" means "similarity" and "Marker" means "biomarkers). RESULTS We found PGA5+ hepatocytes in HCC showed cirrhosis-like characteristics, including similar transcriptional programs and gene regulatory networks. Consequently, the genes constituting the gene expression program of these cirrhosis-like subpopulations were designated as cirrhosis-like signatures (CLS). Strikingly, our utilization of CLS enabled the development of diagnosis and prognosis biomarkers based on within-sample relative expression orderings of gene pairs. These biomarkers achieved high precision and concordance compared with previous studies. CONCLUSIONS Our work provides a systematic method to investigate the clinical translational significance of cellular similarities between HCC and cirrhosis, which opens avenues for identifying similar paradigms in other categories of cancers and diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengsha Tong
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China; National Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 316005, China.
| | - Shijie Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China; National Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 316005, China
| | - Lin Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Xinkang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China; National Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 316005, China
| | - Zheyang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China; National Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 316005, China
| | - Chenyu Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China; National Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 316005, China
| | - Huaqiang Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Yuxiang Lin
- National Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 316005, China
| | - Jialiang Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China; National Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 316005, China.
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Zhou C, Zhang Y, Ye Z, He P, Zhang Y, Gan X, Yang S, Liu M, Wu Q, Qin X. Relationship among serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, fibrosis stage, genetic susceptibility, and risk of severe liver disease. Nutrition 2024; 119:112320. [PMID: 38185094 DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2023.112320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The prospective association between vitamin D and new-onset severe liver disease is still uncertain. The aim of this study was to assess the association of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) with new-onset severe liver disease and to evaluate whether fibrosis stage, as assessed by the fibrosis- 4 (FIB-4) scores and genetic risk for liver cirrhosis may modify this association. METHODS The study included 439 807 participants without liver diseases at baseline from the UK Biobank. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were measured using the chemiluminescent immunoassay method. The primary outcome was new-onset severe liver disease, a composite definition of compensated or decompensated liver cirrhosis, liver failure, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver-related death. RESULTS During a median follow-up of 12 y, 4510 participants developed new-onset severe liver disease. Overall, there was an inverse association of serum 25(OH)D with new-onset severe liver disease (per SD increment, adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.84-0.91). Similarly, serum 25(OH)D (per SD increment) was significantly and inversely associated with new-onset compensated cirrhosis, decompensated cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver-related death, respectively, with HRs ranging from 0.75 to 0.87. No significant association was found for hepatocellular carcinoma. Furthermore, there was a stronger inverse association between serum 25(OH)D and severe liver disease among those with a higher FIB-4 score (≥2.67, 1.3 to <2.67, and <1.3; Pinteraction < 0.001). However, the genetic risks for liver cirrhosis, calculated using 12 related single nucleotide polymorphisms, did not significantly modify the association between serum 25(OH)D and severe liver disease (Pinteraction = 0.216). CONCLUSIONS Lower serum 25(OH)D concentrations were significantly associated with a greater risk for new-onset severe liver disease, especially in participants with higher FIB-4 scores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun Zhou
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, Guangzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanjun Zhang
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, Guangzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ziliang Ye
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, Guangzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Panpan He
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, Guangzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, Guangzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoqin Gan
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, Guangzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sisi Yang
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, Guangzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mengyi Liu
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, Guangzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qimeng Wu
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, Guangzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xianhui Qin
- Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Disease, Guangzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Institute of Nephrology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Renal Failure Research, Guangzhou, China.
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Li YS, Xia YG, Liu YL, Jiang WR, Qiu HN, Wu F, Li JB, Lin JN. Metabolic-dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease-related diseases, cognition and dementia: A two-sample mendelian randomization study. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0297883. [PMID: 38422093 PMCID: PMC10903857 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The results of current studies on metabolic-dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)-related diseases, cognition and dementia are inconsistent. This study aimed to elucidate the effects of MASLD-related diseases on cognition and dementia. METHODS By using single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with different traits of NAFLD (chronically elevated serum alanine aminotransferase levels [cALT], imaging-accessed and biopsy-proven NAFLD), metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, and liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, we employed three methods of mendelian randomization (MR) analysis (inverse-variance weighted [IVW], weighted median, and MR-Egger) to determine the causal relationships between MASLD-related diseases and cognition and dementia. We used Cochran's Q test to examine the heterogeneity, and MR-PRESSO was used to identify outliers (NbDistribution = 10000). The horizontal pleiotropy was evaluated using the MR-Egger intercept test. A leave-one-out analysis was used to assess the impact of individual SNP on the overall MR results. We also repeated the MR analysis after excluding SNPs associated with confounding factors. RESULTS The results of MR analysis suggested positive causal associations between MASLD confirmed by liver biopsy (p of IVW = 0.020, OR = 1.660, 95%CI = 1.082-2.546) and liver fibrosis and cirrhosis (p of IVW = 0.009, OR = 1.849, 95%CI = 1.169-2.922) with vascular dementia (VD). However, there was no evidence of a causal link between MASLD-related diseases and cognitive performance and other types of dementia (any dementia, Alzheimer's disease, dementia with lewy bodies, and frontotemporal dementia). Sensitivity tests supported the robustness of the results. CONCLUSIONS This two-sample MR analysis suggests that genetically predicted MASLD and liver fibrosis and cirrhosis may increase the VD risk. Nonetheless, the causal effects of NAFLD-related diseases on VD need more in-depth research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao-Shuang Li
- Tianjin Union Medical Center, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
- Department of Endocrinology, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Nankai University Affiliated Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yu-Ge Xia
- Geriatric Department, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Yan-Lan Liu
- Department of Endocrinology, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Nankai University Affiliated Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Wei-Ran Jiang
- Eastman Institute for Oral Health, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Hui-Na Qiu
- Department of Endocrinology, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Nankai University Affiliated Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Fan Wu
- Department of Endocrinology, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Nankai University Affiliated Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Jing-Bo Li
- Department of Endocrinology, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Nankai University Affiliated Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Jing-Na Lin
- Department of Endocrinology, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Nankai University Affiliated Hospital, Tianjin, China
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Liu JP, Song SH, Shi PM, Qin XY, Zheng BN, Liu SQ, Ding CH, Zhang X, Xie WF, Shi YH, Xu WP. miR-541 is associated with the prognosis of liver cirrhosis and directly targets JAG2 to inhibit the activation of hepatic stellate cells. BMC Gastroenterol 2024; 24:84. [PMID: 38395762 PMCID: PMC10893617 DOI: 10.1186/s12876-024-03174-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) has been emphasized as a leading event of the pathogenesis of liver cirrhosis, while the exact mechanism of its activation is largely unknown. Furthermore, the novel non-invasive predictors of prognosis in cirrhotic patients warrant more exploration. miR-541 has been identified as a tumor suppressor in hepatocellular carcinoma and a regulator of fibrotic disease, such as lung fibrosis and renal fibrosis. However, its role in liver cirrhosis has not been reported. METHODS Real-time PCR was used to detect miR-541 expression in the liver tissues and sera of liver cirrhosis patients and in the human LX-2. Gain- and loss-of-function assays were performed to evaluate the effects of miR-541 on the activation of LX-2. Bioinformatics analysis and a luciferase reporter assay were conducted to investigate the target gene of miR-541. RESULTS miR-541 was downregulated in the tissues and sera of patients with liver cirrhosis, which was exacerbated by deteriorating disease severity. Importantly, the lower expression of miR-541 was associated with more episodes of complications including ascites and hepatic encephalopathy, a shorter overall lifespan, and decompensation-free survival. Moreover, multivariate Cox's regression analysis verified lower serum miR-541 as an independent risk factor for liver-related death in cirrhotic patients (HR = 0.394; 95% CI: 0.164-0.947; P = 0.037). miR-541 was also decreased in LX-2 cells activated by TGF-β and the overexpression of miR-541 inhibited the proliferation, activation and hydroxyproline secretion of LX-2 cells. JAG2 is an important ligand of Notch signaling and was identified as a direct target gene of miR-541. The expression of JAG2 was upregulated in the liver tissues of cirrhotic patients and was inversely correlated with miR-541 levels. A rescue assay further confirmed that JAG2 was involved in the function of miR-541 when regulating LX-2 activation and Notch signaling. CONCLUSIONS Dysregulation of miR-541/JAG2 axis might be a as a new mechanism of liver fibrosis, and miR-541 could serve as a novel non-invasive biomarker and therapeutic targets for liver cirrhosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Pei Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gongli Hospital of Shanghai Pudong New Area, 219 Miaopu Road, 200135, Shanghai, China
| | - Shao-Hua Song
- Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 200025, Shanghai, China
| | - Pei-Mei Shi
- Department of Gastroenterology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, 415 Fengyang Road, 200003, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao-Yu Qin
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gongli Hospital of Shanghai Pudong New Area, 219 Miaopu Road, 200135, Shanghai, China
| | - Bai-Nan Zheng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, 415 Fengyang Road, 200003, Shanghai, China
| | - Shu-Qing Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, 415 Fengyang Road, 200003, Shanghai, China
| | - Chen-Hong Ding
- Department of Gastroenterology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, 415 Fengyang Road, 200003, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, 415 Fengyang Road, 200003, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei-Fen Xie
- Department of Gastroenterology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, 415 Fengyang Road, 200003, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yi-Hai Shi
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gongli Hospital of Shanghai Pudong New Area, 219 Miaopu Road, 200135, Shanghai, China.
| | - Wen-Ping Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, 415 Fengyang Road, 200003, Shanghai, China.
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Zhang F, Pei S, Xiao M. Identification of functional genes in liver fibrosis based on bioinformatics analysis of a lncRNA-mediated ceRNA network. BMC Med Genomics 2024; 17:56. [PMID: 38378545 PMCID: PMC10877760 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-024-01813-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Liver fibrosis is a major global healths problem; nevertheless, its molecular mechanism are not completely clear. This study aimed to build a lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network, identify potentially related lncRNAs, and explore the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS We used the Gene Expression Omnibus databases and bioinformatics analysis to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between liver fibrosis and normal tissues. The ceRNA network was constructed according to the interactions between DElncRNA, miRNA, and DEmRNA. Then, these DEGs were identified using functional enrichment analysis, and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was established. The critical lncRNAs were verified using the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). RESULTS The ceRNA network was composed of three lncRNAs, five miRNAs, and 93 mRNAs. Gene Ontology functional enrichment analysis revealed significant enhancement in cell components, molecular function, and biological process. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis revealed pathways associated with transcriptional misregulation in cancer, including the Rap1 signaling pathway, proteoglycans in cancer, mineral absorption, HTLV-l infection, and central carbon metabolism in cancer. According to the PPI network and the GSE84044 database, seven hub genes associated with liver fibrosis were identified. In addition, qRT-PCR revealed that lncRNA AC100861 (lncRNA TNFRSF10A-DT) was explicitly decreased in liver fibrosis tissues and activated hepatic stellate cells. CONCLUSIONS In summary, this study preliminarily found that lncRNA TNFRSF10A-DT may be a biomarker for the diagnosis and outcome of liver fibrosis. We uncovered a novel lncRNA-mediated ceRNA regulatory mechanism in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Zhang
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Siya Pei
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China
- Department of Infection Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Meifang Xiao
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Health Management Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China.
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32
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Fondevila MF, Novoa E, Gonzalez-Rellan MJ, Fernandez U, Heras V, Porteiro B, Parracho T, Dorta V, Riobello C, da Silva Lima N, Seoane S, Garcia-Vence M, Chantada-Vazquez MP, Bravo SB, Senra A, Leiva M, Marcos M, Sabio G, Perez-Fernandez R, Dieguez C, Prevot V, Schwaninger M, Woodhoo A, Martinez-Chantar ML, Schwabe R, Cubero FJ, Varela-Rey M, Crespo J, Iruzubieta P, Nogueiras R. p63 controls metabolic activation of hepatic stellate cells and fibrosis via an HER2-ACC1 pathway. Cell Rep Med 2024; 5:101401. [PMID: 38340725 PMCID: PMC10897550 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2024.101401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
The p63 protein has pleiotropic functions and, in the liver, participates in the progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, its functions in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) have not yet been explored. TAp63 is induced in HSCs from animal models and patients with liver fibrosis and its levels positively correlate with NAFLD activity score and fibrosis stage. In mice, genetic depletion of TAp63 in HSCs reduces the diet-induced liver fibrosis. In vitro silencing of p63 blunts TGF-β1-induced HSCs activation by reducing mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis, as well as decreasing acetyl CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1). Ectopic expression of TAp63 induces the activation of HSCs and increases the expression and activity of ACC1 by promoting the transcriptional activity of HER2. Genetic inhibition of both HER2 and ACC1 blunt TAp63-induced activation of HSCs. Thus, TAp63 induces HSC activation by stimulating the HER2-ACC1 axis and participates in the development of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos F Fondevila
- Department of Physiology, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; CIBER Fisiopatologia de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
| | - Eva Novoa
- Department of Physiology, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; CIBER Fisiopatologia de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Maria J Gonzalez-Rellan
- Department of Physiology, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Uxia Fernandez
- Department of Physiology, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; CIBER Fisiopatologia de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Violeta Heras
- Department of Physiology, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Begoña Porteiro
- Department of Physiology, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Tamara Parracho
- Department of Physiology, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Valentina Dorta
- Department of Physiology, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Cristina Riobello
- Gene Regulatory Control in Disease Laboratory, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CIMUS), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Natalia da Silva Lima
- Department of Physiology, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Samuel Seoane
- Department of Physiology, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Maria Garcia-Vence
- Proteomic Unit, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), 15705 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Maria P Chantada-Vazquez
- Proteomic Unit, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), 15705 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Susana B Bravo
- Proteomic Unit, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), 15705 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Ana Senra
- Department of Physiology, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Magdalena Leiva
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology, & ENT, Complutense University School of Medicine, 28040 Madrid, Spain; Health Research Institute Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), 28007 Madrid, Spain; CIBER Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel Marcos
- University of Salamanca, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Salamanca-IBSAL, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Guadalupe Sabio
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Roman Perez-Fernandez
- Department of Physiology, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Carlos Dieguez
- Department of Physiology, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Vincent Prevot
- University Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Laboratory of Development and Plasticity of the Neuroendocrine Brain, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, European Genomic Institute for Diabetes (EGID), 59000 Lille, France
| | - Markus Schwaninger
- University of Lübeck, Institute for Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Ashwin Woodhoo
- Gene Regulatory Control in Disease Laboratory, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CIMUS), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Maria L Martinez-Chantar
- Liver Disease Lab, Center for Cooperative Research in Biosciences (CIC bioGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 48160 Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Robert Schwabe
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Francisco J Cubero
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology, & ENT, Complutense University School of Medicine, 28040 Madrid, Spain; Health Research Institute Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), 28007 Madrid, Spain; CIBER Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Varela-Rey
- Gene Regulatory Control in Disease Laboratory, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CIMUS), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Javier Crespo
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, Clinical and Translational Digestive Research Group, IDIVAL, 39008 Santander, Spain
| | - Paula Iruzubieta
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, Clinical and Translational Digestive Research Group, IDIVAL, 39008 Santander, Spain
| | - Ruben Nogueiras
- Department of Physiology, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; CIBER Fisiopatologia de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Galicia Agency of Innovation (GAIN), Xunta de Galicia, 15702 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
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Bravo-Jaimes K, Wu X, Reardon LC, Lluri G, Lin JP, Moore JP, van Arsdell G, Biniwale R, Si MS, Naini BV, Venick R, Saab S, Wray CL, Ponder R, Rosenthal C, Klomhaus A, Böstrom KI, Aboulhosn JA, Kaldas FM. Intrahepatic Transcriptomics Differentiate Advanced Fibrosis and Clinical Outcomes in Adults With Fontan Circulation. J Am Coll Cardiol 2024; 83:726-738. [PMID: 38355242 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2023.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The molecular mechanisms underlying Fontan-associated liver disease (FALD) remain largely unknown. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to assess intrahepatic transcriptomic differences among patients with FALD according to the degree of liver fibrosis and clinical outcomes. METHODS This retrospective cohort study included adults with the Fontan circulation. Baseline clinical, laboratory, imaging, and hemodynamic data as well as a composite clinical outcome (CCO) were extracted from medical records. Patients were classified into early or advanced fibrosis. RNA was isolated from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded liver biopsy samples; RNA libraries were constructed with the use of an rRNA depletion method and sequenced on an Illumina Novaseq 6000. Differential gene expression and gene ontology analyses were performed with the use of DESeq2 and Metascape. RESULTS A total of 106 patients (48% male, median age 31 years [IQR: 11.3 years]) were included. Those with advanced fibrosis had higher B-type natriuretic peptide levels and Fontan, mean pulmonary artery, and capillary wedge pressures. The CCO was present in 23 patients (22%) and was not predicted by advanced liver fibrosis, right ventricular morphology, presence of aortopulmonary collaterals, or Fontan pressures on multivariable analysis. Samples with advanced fibrosis had 228 upregulated genes compared with early fibrosis. Samples with the CCO had 894 upregulated genes compared with those without the CCO. A total of 136 upregulated genes were identified in both comparisons and were enriched in cellular response to cytokine stimulus or oxidative stress, VEGFA-VEGFR2 signaling pathway, TGF-β signaling pathway, and vasculature development. CONCLUSIONS Patients with FALD and advanced fibrosis or the CCO exhibited upregulated genes related to inflammation, congestion, and angiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katia Bravo-Jaimes
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Ahmanson/UCLA Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Xiuju Wu
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Leigh C Reardon
- Ahmanson/UCLA Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA; Department of Pediatric Cardiology, University of California, Los Angeles Mattel Children's Hospital, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Gentian Lluri
- Ahmanson/UCLA Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA; Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jeannette P Lin
- Ahmanson/UCLA Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA; Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jeremy P Moore
- Ahmanson/UCLA Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA; Department of Pediatric Cardiology, University of California, Los Angeles Mattel Children's Hospital, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Glen van Arsdell
- Ahmanson/UCLA Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA; Division of Congenital Cardiovascular Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles Mattel Children's Hospital, Los Angeles, California USA; Department of Surgery, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Reshma Biniwale
- Ahmanson/UCLA Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA; Division of Congenital Cardiovascular Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles Mattel Children's Hospital, Los Angeles, California USA; Department of Surgery, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Ming-Sing Si
- Ahmanson/UCLA Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA; Division of Congenital Cardiovascular Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles Mattel Children's Hospital, Los Angeles, California USA; Department of Surgery, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Bita V Naini
- Department of Pathology and Lab Services, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Robert Venick
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, University of California, Los Angeles Mattel Children's Hospital, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Sammy Saab
- Pfleger Liver Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Christopher L Wray
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Reid Ponder
- Ahmanson/UCLA Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Carl Rosenthal
- Dumont-UCLA Liver Transplant Center, Department of Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Alexandra Klomhaus
- Department of Medicine Statistics Core, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Kristina I Böstrom
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jamil A Aboulhosn
- Ahmanson/UCLA Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA; Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Fady M Kaldas
- Dumont-UCLA Liver Transplant Center, Department of Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
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Zenlander R, Salter H, Gilg S, Eggertsen G, Stål P. MicroRNAs as Plasma Biomarkers of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis-A Cross-Sectional Study. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2414. [PMID: 38397091 PMCID: PMC10888674 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25042414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Ultrasound screening for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with liver cirrhosis has a poor sensitivity for small tumors. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have been explored as HCC biomarkers, but results are diverging. Here, we evaluate if miRNAs up-regulated in HCC tissue can be detected in plasma and used as screening biomarkers for HCC. In this cross-sectional study, plasma, HCC tissue and surrounding non-tumorous liver tissue were collected from liver resections. Tissue miRNAs were identified and quantitated by RNA-sequencing analysis, and the fold-changes between HCC and surrounding liver tissue were calculated. The miRNAs up-regulated in HCCs were then re-analyzed in plasma from the same patients, and the miRNAs with the highest plasma levels were subsequently measured in plasma from an independent cohort of patients with cirrhosis or HCC. In tissues from 84 resected patients, RNA-sequencing detected 197 differentially expressed miRNAs, 40 of which had a raw count above 200 and were analyzed in plasma from the same cohort. Thirty-one miRNAs were selected for further analysis in 200 patients with HCC or cirrhosis. Of these, eleven miRNAs were significantly increased in HCC as compared to cirrhosis patients. Only miR-93-5p and miR-151a-3p were significantly associated with HCC, with an AUC of 0.662. In comparison, alpha-fetoprotein and des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin yielded an AUC of 0.816, which increased to 0.832 if miR-93-5p and miR-151a-3p were added. When including sex and age, the addition of miR-93-5p and miR-151a-3p did not further improve the AUC (from 0.910 to 0.911). In conclusion, micro-RNAs up-regulated in HCCs are detectable in plasma but have a poor performance as screening biomarkers of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Zenlander
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Karolinska University Hospital, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 141 52 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Medicine, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden (P.S.)
| | - Hugh Salter
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 141 52 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Stefan Gilg
- Department of Medicine, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden (P.S.)
| | - Gösta Eggertsen
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Karolinska University Hospital, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Medicine, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden (P.S.)
| | - Per Stål
- Department of Medicine, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden (P.S.)
- Division of Hepatology, Department of Upper GI Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden
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Zhang H, Xia T, Xia Z, Zhou H, Li Z, Wang W, Zhai X, Jin B. KIF18A inactivates hepatic stellate cells and alleviates liver fibrosis through the TTC3/Akt/mTOR pathway. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:96. [PMID: 38372748 PMCID: PMC10876760 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05114-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) has been demonstrated to play a pivotal role in the process of liver fibrogenesis. In this study, we observed a decrease in the expression of KIF18A in fibrotic liver tissues compared to healthy liver tissues, which exhibited a negative correlation with the activation of HSCs. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the involvement of KIF18A, we performed in vitro proliferation experiments and established a CCl4-induced liver fibrosis model. Our results revealed that KIF18A knockdown enhanced HSCs proliferation and reduced HSCs apoptosis in vitro. Mouse liver fibrosis grade was evaluated with Masson's trichrome and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) staining. In addition, the expression of fibrosis markers Col1A1, Stat1, and Timp1 were detected. Animal experiments demonstrated that knockdown of KIF18A could promote liver fibrosis, whereas overexpression of KIF18A alleviated liver fibrosis in a CCl4-induced mouse model. Mechanistically, we found that KIF18A suppressed the AKT/mTOR pathway and exhibited direct binding to TTC3. Moreover, TTC3 was found to interact with p-AKT and could promote its ubiquitination and degradation. Our findings provide compelling evidence that KIF18A enhances the protein binding between TTC3 and p-AKT, promoting TTC3-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of p-AKT. These results refine the current understanding of the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis and may offer new targets for treating this patient population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Zhang
- Organ Transplant Department, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Tong Xia
- Organ Transplant Department, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Zhijia Xia
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Huaxin Zhou
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Zhipeng Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Medical Integration and Practice Center, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
| | - Xiangyu Zhai
- Organ Transplant Department, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China.
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China.
| | - Bin Jin
- Organ Transplant Department, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China.
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China.
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Rocque B, Guion K, Singh P, Bangerth S, Pickard L, Bhattacharjee J, Eguizabal S, Weaver C, Chopra S, Zhou S, Kohli R, Sher L, Akbari O, Ekser B, Emamaullee JA. Technical optimization of spatially resolved single-cell transcriptomic datasets to study clinical liver disease. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3612. [PMID: 38351241 PMCID: PMC10864257 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53993-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Single cell and spatially resolved 'omic' techniques have enabled deep characterization of clinical pathologies that remain poorly understood, providing unprecedented insights into molecular mechanisms of disease. However, transcriptomic platforms are costly, limiting sample size, which increases the possibility of pre-analytical variables such as tissue processing and storage procedures impacting RNA quality and downstream analyses. Furthermore, spatial transcriptomics have not yet reached single cell resolution, leading to the development of multiple deconvolution methods to predict individual cell types within each transcriptome 'spot' on tissue sections. In this study, we performed spatial transcriptomics and single nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNAseq) on matched specimens from patients with either histologically normal or advanced fibrosis to establish important aspects of tissue handling, data processing, and downstream analyses of biobanked liver samples. We observed that tissue preservation technique impacts transcriptomic data, especially in fibrotic liver. Single cell mapping of the spatial transcriptome using paired snRNAseq data generated a spatially resolved, single cell dataset with 24 unique liver cell phenotypes. We determined that cell-cell interactions predicted using ligand-receptor analysis of snRNAseq data poorly correlated with cellular relationships identified using spatial transcriptomics. Our study provides a framework for generating spatially resolved, single cell datasets to study gene expression and cell-cell interactions in biobanked clinical samples with advanced liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany Rocque
- Division of Abdominal Organ Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1510 San Pablo Street, Suite 412, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Kate Guion
- Division of Abdominal Organ Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1510 San Pablo Street, Suite 412, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Pranay Singh
- Division of Abdominal Organ Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1510 San Pablo Street, Suite 412, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Sarah Bangerth
- Division of Abdominal Organ Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1510 San Pablo Street, Suite 412, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Lauren Pickard
- Division of Abdominal Organ Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1510 San Pablo Street, Suite 412, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Jashdeep Bhattacharjee
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sofia Eguizabal
- Division of Abdominal Organ Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1510 San Pablo Street, Suite 412, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Carly Weaver
- Division of Abdominal Organ Transplantation, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Shefali Chopra
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Shengmei Zhou
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Rohit Kohli
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Linda Sher
- Division of Abdominal Organ Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1510 San Pablo Street, Suite 412, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Omid Akbari
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Burcin Ekser
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Juliet A Emamaullee
- Division of Abdominal Organ Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1510 San Pablo Street, Suite 412, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA.
- Division of Abdominal Organ Transplantation, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Chen G, Zhou G, Zhai L, Bao X, Tiwari N, Li J, Mottillo E, Wang J. SHMT2 reduces fatty liver but is necessary for liver inflammation and fibrosis in mice. Commun Biol 2024; 7:173. [PMID: 38347107 PMCID: PMC10861579 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05861-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with an irregular serine metabolism. Serine hydroxymethyltransferase 2 (SHMT2) is a liver enzyme that breaks down serine into glycine and one-carbon (1C) units critical for liver methylation reactions and overall health. However, the contribution of SHMT2 to hepatic 1C homeostasis and biological functions has yet to be defined in genetically modified animal models. We created a mouse strain with targeted SHMT2 knockout in hepatocytes to investigate this. The absence of SHMT2 increased serine and glycine levels in circulation, decreased liver methylation potential, and increased susceptibility to fatty liver disease. Interestingly, SHMT2-deficient mice developed simultaneous fatty liver, but when fed a diet high in fat, fructose, and cholesterol, they had significantly less inflammation and fibrosis. This study highlights the critical role of SHMT2 in maintaining hepatic 1C homeostasis and its stage-specific functions in the pathogenesis of NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guohua Chen
- Department of Pathology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - Guoli Zhou
- Biomedical Research Informatics Core, Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Lidong Zhai
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Xun Bao
- Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - Nivedita Tiwari
- Hypertension and Vascular Research Division, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - Jing Li
- Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - Emilio Mottillo
- Hypertension and Vascular Research Division, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
- Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Pathology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA.
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Dai X, Zheng HL, Ma YX, Wang YY, Wang MQ, Cai HY, Hu ZH, Wan J, Zhang L. Single-Cell Transcriptome Analysis Identified Core Genes and Transcription Factors in Mesenchymal Cell Differentiation during Liver Cirrhosis. FRONT BIOSCI-LANDMRK 2024; 29:62. [PMID: 38420807 DOI: 10.31083/j.fbl2902062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mesenchymal cells, including hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), fibroblasts (FBs), myofibroblasts (MFBs), and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), are the main cells that affect liver fibrosis and play crucial roles in maintaining tissue homeostasis. The dynamic evolution of mesenchymal cells is very important but remains to be explored for researching the reversible mechanism of hepatic fibrosis and its evolution mechanism of hepatic fibrosis to cirrhosis. METHODS Here, we analysed the transcriptomes of more than 50,000 human single cells from three cirrhotic and three healthy liver tissue samples and the mouse hepatic mesenchymal cells of two healthy and two fibrotic livers to reconstruct the evolutionary trajectory of hepatic mesenchymal cells from a healthy to a cirrhotic state, and a subsequent integrative analysis of bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data of HSCs from quiescent to active (using transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) to stimulate LX-2) to inactive states. RESULTS We identified core genes and transcription factors (TFs) involved in mesenchymal cell differentiation. In healthy human and mouse livers, the expression of NR1H4 and members of the ZEB families (ZEB1 and ZEB2) changed significantly with the differentiation of FB into HSC and VSMC. In cirrhotic human livers, VSMCs transformed into HSCs with downregulation of MYH11, ACTA2, and JUNB and upregulation of PDGFRB, RGS5, IGFBP5, CD36, A2M, SOX5, and MEF2C. Following HSCs differentiation into MFBs with the upregulation of COL1A1, TIMP1, and NR1H4, a small number of MFBs reverted to inactivated HSCs (iHSCs). The differentiation trajectory of mouse hepatic mesenchymal cells was similar to that in humans; however, the evolution trajectory and proportion of cell subpopulations that reverted from MFBs to iHSCs suggest that the mouse model may not accurately reflect disease progression and outcome in humans. CONCLUSIONS Our analysis elucidates primary genes and TFs involved in mesenchymal cell differentiation during liver fibrosis using scRNA-seq data, and demonstrated the core genes and TFs in process of HSC activation to MFB and MFB reversal to iHSC using bulk RNA-seq data of human fibrosis induced by TGF-β1. Furthermore, our findings suggest promising targets for the treatment of liver fibrosis and provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying its onset and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Dai
- College of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, 310023 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hui-Lin Zheng
- College of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, 310023 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ya-Xin Ma
- College of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, 310023 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yun-Yan Wang
- College of Information and Electronic Engineering, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, 310023 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Mai-Qiu Wang
- College of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, 310023 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hai-Ying Cai
- College of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, 310023 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhen-Hua Hu
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 322000 Yiwu, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jian Wan
- College of Information and Electronic Engineering, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, 310023 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- College of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, 310023 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- College of Information and Electronic Engineering, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, 310023 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Van Melkebeke L, Verbeek J, Bihary D, Boesch M, Boeckx B, Feio-Azevedo R, Smets L, Wallays M, Claus E, Bonne L, Maleux G, Govaere O, Korf H, Lambrechts D, van der Merwe S. Comparison of the single-cell and single-nucleus hepatic myeloid landscape within decompensated cirrhosis patients. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1346520. [PMID: 38380322 PMCID: PMC10878168 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1346520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Background and aims A complete understanding of disease pathophysiology in advanced liver disease is hampered by the challenges posed by clinical specimen collection. Notably, in these patients, a transjugular liver biopsy (TJB) is the only safe way to obtain liver tissue. However, it remains unclear whether successful sequencing of this extremely small and fragile tissue can be achieved for downstream characterization of the hepatic landscape. Methods Here we leveraged in-house available single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) and single-nucleus (snRNA-seq) technologies and accompanying tissue processing protocols and performed an in-patient comparison on TJB's from decompensated cirrhosis patients (n = 3). Results We confirmed a high concordance between nuclear and whole cell transcriptomes and captured 31,410 single nuclei and 6,152 single cells, respectively. The two platforms revealed similar diversity since all 8 major cell types could be identified, albeit with different cellular proportions thereof. Most importantly, hepatocytes were most abundant in snRNA-seq, while lymphocyte frequencies were elevated in scRNA-seq. We next focused our attention on hepatic myeloid cells due to their key role in injury and repair during chronic liver disease. Comparison of their transcriptional signatures indicated that these were largely overlapping between the two platforms. However, the scRNA-seq platform failed to recover sufficient Kupffer cell numbers, and other monocytes/macrophages featured elevated expression of stress-related parameters. Conclusion Our results indicate that single-nucleus transcriptome sequencing provides an effective means to overcome complications associated with clinical specimen collection and could sufficiently profile all major hepatic cell types including all myeloid cell subsets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Van Melkebeke
- Laboratory of Hepatology, Department of Chronic Diseases and Metabolism, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jef Verbeek
- Laboratory of Hepatology, Department of Chronic Diseases and Metabolism, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dora Bihary
- Laboratory for Translational Genetics, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- VIB Center for Cancer Biology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Markus Boesch
- Laboratory of Hepatology, Department of Chronic Diseases and Metabolism, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bram Boeckx
- Laboratory for Translational Genetics, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- VIB Center for Cancer Biology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rita Feio-Azevedo
- Laboratory of Hepatology, Department of Chronic Diseases and Metabolism, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lena Smets
- Laboratory of Hepatology, Department of Chronic Diseases and Metabolism, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Marie Wallays
- Laboratory of Hepatology, Department of Chronic Diseases and Metabolism, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Eveline Claus
- Department of Interventional Radiology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lawrence Bonne
- Department of Interventional Radiology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Geert Maleux
- Department of Interventional Radiology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Olivier Govaere
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, Translational Cell and Tissue Research, KU Leuven and University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hannelie Korf
- Laboratory of Hepatology, Department of Chronic Diseases and Metabolism, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Diether Lambrechts
- Laboratory for Translational Genetics, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- VIB Center for Cancer Biology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Schalk van der Merwe
- Laboratory of Hepatology, Department of Chronic Diseases and Metabolism, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Halimani N, Nesterchuk M, Tsitrina AA, Sabirov M, Andreichenko IN, Dashenkova NO, Petrova E, Kulikov AM, Zatsepin TS, Romanov RA, Mikaelyan AS, Kotelevtsev YV. Knockdown of Hyaluronan synthase 2 suppresses liver fibrosis in mice via induction of transcriptomic changes similar to 4MU treatment. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2797. [PMID: 38307876 PMCID: PMC10837461 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53089-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatic fibrosis remains a significant clinical challenge due to ineffective treatments. 4-methylumbelliferone (4MU), a hyaluronic acid (HA) synthesis inhibitor, has proven safe in phase one clinical trials. In this study, we aimed to ameliorate liver fibrosis by inhibiting HA synthesis. We compared two groups of mice with CCl4-induced fibrosis, treated with 4-methylumbelliferone (4MU) and hyaluronan synthase 2 (HAS2) targeting siRNA (siHAS2). The administration of 4MU and siHAS2 significantly reduced collagen and HA deposition, as well as biochemical markers of hepatic damage induced by repeated CCl4 injections. The transcriptomic analysis revealed converging pathways associated with downstream HA signalling. 4MU- and siHAS2-treated fibrotic livers shared 405 upregulated and 628 downregulated genes. These genes were associated with xenobiotic and cholesterol metabolism, mitosis, endoplasmic reticulum stress, RNA processing, and myeloid cell migration. The functional annotation of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in siHAS2-treated mice revealed attenuation of extracellular matrix-associated pathways. In comparison, in the 4MU-treated group, DEGs were related to lipid and bile metabolism pathways and cell cycle. These findings confirm that HAS2 is an important pharmacological target for suppressing hepatic fibrosis using siRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noreen Halimani
- Vladimir Zelman Center for Neurobiology and Brain Rehabilitation and Center of Life Sciences, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, 143025, Russia.
| | - Mikhail Nesterchuk
- Vladimir Zelman Center for Neurobiology and Brain Rehabilitation and Center of Life Sciences, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, 143025, Russia
| | - Alexandra A Tsitrina
- IKI-Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology, Nem Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel
| | - Marat Sabirov
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, 26 Vavilov Street, Moscow, 119334, Russia
| | - Irina N Andreichenko
- AO Reproduction Head Centre of Agricultural Animals, Tsentralnaya Street, 3., Podolsk, Moscow Region, 142143, Russia
| | - Nataliya O Dashenkova
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, 26 Vavilov Street, Moscow, 119334, Russia
| | - Elizaveta Petrova
- Vladimir Zelman Center for Neurobiology and Brain Rehabilitation and Center of Life Sciences, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, 143025, Russia
| | - Alexey M Kulikov
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, 26 Vavilov Street, Moscow, 119334, Russia
| | - Timofei S Zatsepin
- Department of Chemistry, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Roman A Romanov
- Department of Molecular Neurosciences, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Arsen S Mikaelyan
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, 26 Vavilov Street, Moscow, 119334, Russia
| | - Yuri V Kotelevtsev
- Vladimir Zelman Center for Neurobiology and Brain Rehabilitation and Center of Life Sciences, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, 143025, Russia
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Shi L, Feng G, Yang X, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Cheng J, Lin S. Potential of PAQosome as a therapeutic target for hepatic fibrosis. J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2024; 39:381-391. [PMID: 38016755 DOI: 10.1111/jgh.16427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM The condition of hepatic fibrosis is hazardous. Therefore, it is vital that we investigate the mechanism of hepatic fibrosis to provide new targets for treatment. METHODS Preliminary screening and research was carried out based on our prior results and our speculated role of the particle with quaternary structure arrangement (PAQosome) in hepatic fibrosis. The experiments were conducted using LX-2 or HepG2 cell lines by western blotting, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, luciferase assays, and co-immunoprecipitation and were further validated in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. RESULTS We screened and proved that several subunits of the PAQosome regulate the development of liver fibrosis, including the asparagine synthetase domain-containing 1 upstream open reading frame (ASDURF), prefoldin subunit 4 (PFDN4), prefoldin subunit 5 (PFDN5), unconventional prefoldin RNA polymerase II subunit 5 interactor (URI1), and ubiquitously expressed prefoldin-like chaperone (UXT). ASDURF promotes hepatic fibrosis through the transforming growth factor-β1 (TGFβ1)/Sekelsky mothers against decapentaplegic homologue 3 (Smad3) and NF-κB signaling pathways. ASDURF regulates the expression of asparagine synthetase domain-containing 1 (ASNSD1). PFDN4, PFDN5, URI1, and UXT regulate cell proliferation through the PI3K/AKT pathway, and thus regulate liver fibrosis. A hepatic fibrosis score ≥ F2 was selected as the diagnostic criteria for hepatic fibrosis in the GSE96971 database. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of PFDN4, PFDN5, UXT, and ASNSD1 were 0.862 (confidence interval [CI]: 0.6588-1.000), 0.538 (CI: 0.224-0.853), 0.708 (CI: 0.449-0.966), and 0.831 (CI: 0.638-1.000), respectively. CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate that the PAQosome is a brand new target for hepatic fibrosis therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liu Shi
- Department of Infectious Disease Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Gong Feng
- Department of Infectious Disease Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
- Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xueliang Yang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Institute of Infectious Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Institute of Infectious Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Cheng
- Institute of Infectious Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Shumei Lin
- Department of Infectious Disease Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
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Bilson J, Oquendo CJ, Read J, Scorletti E, Afolabi PR, Lord J, Bindels LB, Targher G, Mahajan S, Baralle D, Calder PC, Byrne CD, Sethi JK. Markers of adipose tissue fibrogenesis associate with clinically significant liver fibrosis and are unchanged by synbiotic treatment in patients with NAFLD. Metabolism 2024; 151:155759. [PMID: 38101770 DOI: 10.1016/j.metabol.2023.155759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) dysfunction contributes to NAFLD pathogenesis and may be influenced by the gut microbiota. Whether transcript profiles of SAT are associated with liver fibrosis and are influenced by synbiotic treatment (that changes the gut microbiome) is unknown. We investigated: (a) whether the presence of clinically significant, ≥F2 liver fibrosis associated with adipose tissue (AT) dysfunction, differential gene expression in SAT, and/or a marker of tissue fibrosis (Composite collagen gene expression (CCGE)); and (b) whether synbiotic treatment modified markers of AT dysfunction and the SAT transcriptome. METHODS Sixty-two patients with NAFLD (60 % men) were studied before and after 12 months of treatment with synbiotic or placebo and provided SAT samples. Vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE)-validated thresholds were used to assess liver fibrosis. RNA-sequencing and histological analysis of SAT were performed to determine differential gene expression, CCGE and the presence of collagen fibres. Regression modelling and receiver operator characteristic curve analysis were used to test associations with, and risk prediction for, ≥F2 liver fibrosis. RESULTS Patients with ≥F2 liver fibrosis (n = 24) had altered markers of AT dysfunction and a SAT gene expression signature characterised by enrichment of inflammatory and extracellular matrix-associated genes, compared to those with CONCLUSION A differential gene expression signature in SAT associates with ≥F2 liver fibrosis is explained by a measure of systemic insulin resistance and is not changed by synbiotic treatment. SAT CCGE values are a good predictor of ≥F2 liver fibrosis in NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josh Bilson
- School of Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK; National Institute for Health Research Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton National Health Service Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK
| | - Carolina J Oquendo
- School of Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - James Read
- School of Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering and Physical sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK; Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Eleonora Scorletti
- School of Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK; National Institute for Health Research Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton National Health Service Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK; Division of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Paul R Afolabi
- School of Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK; National Institute for Health Research Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton National Health Service Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK
| | - Jenny Lord
- School of Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Laure B Bindels
- Metabolism and Nutrition Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute, UC Louvain, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium; Welbio department, WEL Research Institute, Wavre, Belgium
| | - Giovanni Targher
- Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Italy; Metabolic Diseases Unit, IRCCS Sacro Cuore - Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar di Valpolicella, Italy
| | - Sumeet Mahajan
- School of Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering and Physical sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK; Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Diana Baralle
- School of Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Philip C Calder
- School of Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK; National Institute for Health Research Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton National Health Service Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK; Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Christopher D Byrne
- School of Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK; National Institute for Health Research Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton National Health Service Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
| | - Jaswinder K Sethi
- School of Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK; National Institute for Health Research Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton National Health Service Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK; Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
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Suresh D, Li A, Miller MJ, Wijarnpreecha K, Chen VL. Associations between metabolic hyperferritinaemia, fibrosis-promoting alleles and clinical outcomes in steatotic liver disease. Liver Int 2024; 44:389-398. [PMID: 37971775 PMCID: PMC10872664 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Ferritin has been investigated as a biomarker for liver fibrosis and iron in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). However, whether metabolic hyperferritinaemia predicts progression of liver disease remains unknown. In this study, we sought to understand associations between hyperferritinaemia and (1) adverse clinical outcomes and (2) common genetic variants related to iron metabolism and liver fibrosis. METHODS This was a retrospective analysis of adults with MASLD seen at the University of Michigan Health System, where MASLD was defined by hepatic steatosis on imaging, biopsy or vibration-controlled transient elastography, plus metabolic risk factors in the absence of chronic liver diseases other than hemochromatosis. The primary predictor was serum ferritin level, which was dichotomized based on a cut-off of 300 or 450 mcg/L for women or men. Primary outcomes included (1) incident cirrhosis, liver-related events, congestive heart failure (CHF), and mortality and (2) distribution of common genetic variants associated with hepatic fibrosis and hereditary hemochromatosis. RESULTS Of 7333 patients with MASLD, 1468 (20%) had elevated ferritin. In multivariate analysis, ferritinaemia was associated with increased mortality (HR 1.68 [1.35-2.09], p < .001) and incident liver-related events (HR 1.92 [1.11-3.32], p = .019). Furthermore, elevated ferritin was associated with carriage of cirrhosis-promoting alleles including PNPLA3-rs738409-G allele (p = .0068) and TM6SF2-rs58542926-T allele (p = 0.0083) but not with common HFE mutations. CONCLUSIONS In MASLD patients, metabolic hyperferritinaemia was associated with increased mortality and higher incidence of liver-related events, and cirrhosis-promoting alleles but not with iron overload-promoting HFE mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepika Suresh
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Ashley Li
- School of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Matthew J Miller
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Karn Wijarnpreecha
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Vincent L Chen
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Martini A, Turato C, Cannito S, Quarta S, Biasiolo A, Ruvoletto M, Novo E, Marafatto F, Guerra P, Tonon M, Clemente N, Bocca C, Piano SS, Guido M, Gregori D, Parola M, Angeli P, Pontisso P. The polymorphic variant of SerpinB3 (SerpinB3-PD) is associated with faster cirrhosis decompensation. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2024; 59:380-392. [PMID: 37990490 DOI: 10.1111/apt.17804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND SerpinB3 is a cysteine protease inhibitor involved in liver disease progression due to its proinflammatory and profibrogenic properties. The polymorphic variant SerpinB3-PD (SB3-PD), presents a substitution in its reactive centre loop, determining the gain of function. AIMS To disclose the clinical characteristics of a cohort of patients with cirrhosis in relation to the presence of SB3-PD and to assess the effect of this genetic variant on fibrogenic and inflammatory cytokines in vitro. METHODS We assessed SB3 polymorphism in 90 patients with cirrhosis, prospectively followed up in our referral centre. We used HepG2 and HuH-7 cells transfected to overexpress either wild-type SB3 (SB3-WT) or SB3-PD to assess their endogenous effect, while LX2 and THP-1 cells were treated with exogenous SB3-WT or SB3-PD proteins. RESULTS Patients carrying SB3-PD had more severe portal hypertension and higher MELD scores, than patients carrying SB3-WT. In multivariate analysis, SB3-PD was an independent predictor of cirrhosis complications. Patients with SB3-PD polymorphism presented with more severe liver fibrosis and inflammatory features. Hepatoma cells overexpressing SB3-PD showed higher TGF-β1 expression than controls. The addition of recombinant SB3-PD induced an up-regulation of TGF-β1 in LX2 cells and a more prominent inflammatory profile in THP-1 cells, compared to the effect of SB3-WT protein. CONCLUSIONS The polymorphic variant SB3-PD is highly effective in determining activation of TGF-β1 and inflammation in vitro. Patients with cirrhosis who carry SB3-PD polymorphism may be more prone to develop severe liver disease progression. However, further validation studies are warranted to support the in vivo relevance of this polymorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Martini
- Unit of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
- European Reference Network - ERN RARE-LIVER, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
| | - Cristian Turato
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Stefania Cannito
- Unit of Experimental Medicine and Clinical Pathology, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Santina Quarta
- Unit of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
- European Reference Network - ERN RARE-LIVER, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
| | - Alessandra Biasiolo
- Unit of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
- European Reference Network - ERN RARE-LIVER, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
| | - Mariagrazia Ruvoletto
- Unit of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
- European Reference Network - ERN RARE-LIVER, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
| | - Erica Novo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Filippo Marafatto
- Unit of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
- European Reference Network - ERN RARE-LIVER, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
| | - Pietro Guerra
- Unit of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
- European Reference Network - ERN RARE-LIVER, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
| | - Marta Tonon
- Unit of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
- European Reference Network - ERN RARE-LIVER, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
| | - Nausicaa Clemente
- Department of Health Science, Interdisciplinary Research Center of Autoimmune Diseases (IRCAD), University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Claudia Bocca
- Unit of Experimental Medicine and Clinical Pathology, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Salvatore Silvio Piano
- Unit of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
- European Reference Network - ERN RARE-LIVER, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
| | - Maria Guido
- Unit of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
- European Reference Network - ERN RARE-LIVER, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
| | - Dario Gregori
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Maurizio Parola
- Unit of Experimental Medicine and Clinical Pathology, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Paolo Angeli
- Unit of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
- European Reference Network - ERN RARE-LIVER, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
| | - Patrizia Pontisso
- Unit of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
- European Reference Network - ERN RARE-LIVER, Department of Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Padova, Italy
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Changsri K, Duangchanda T, Soimanee T, Fuckpo W, Pipatsatitpong D, Akekawatchai C. Distribution and Clinical Significance of Hepatitis B virus A1762T/G1764A Double Mutation in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2024; 25:371-377. [PMID: 38415521 DOI: 10.31557/apjcp.2024.25.2.371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is well-known as a major risk for liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The A1762T/G1764A double mutation in the hepatitis B virus genome affects the production of HBe antigen and is established as a predictive marker for progression to HCC. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence and clinical significance of the mutation in Thai CHB patients. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted in 78 Thai CHB patients who were assessed for hepatitis B profiles, HBsAg, HBeAg and anti-HBeAg, transaminitis, liver fibrosis defined by FIB-4 (FIB-4) score and AST to platelet ratio index (APRI), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and active hepatitis B status. HBV A1762T/G1764A mutation was examined by SYBR Green I Real-time PCR. Chi-square and Mann-Whiney U tests were performed to determine the association between the mutation and variables. RESULTS The prevalence of patients infected with the A1762T/G1764A mutation was 44.9%. The mutation was associated with HBeAg status (p=0.027) and HBsAg levels (p=0.008), transaminitis (p=0.011), and active hepatitis B (p=0.037), but not liver fibrosis markers, FIB-4 score and APRI, and AFP. Binary logistic regression identified the mutation as a predictive factor of active hepatitis B (OR 3.5, 95%CI, 1.1-11.3, p=0.037). Patients infected with the mutant exhibited significantly higher levels of HBsAg (p=0.011) and HBV viral load (p=0.047), but lower levels of HBeAg (p=0.12) than those infected with the wild-type HBV. CONCLUSION The data indicate the high prevalence of the A1762T/G1764A mutation and its significant association with the severity of Thai CHB patients and the HBV mutation is proposed as a predictive marker of active hepatitis B status in CHB patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khaimuk Changsri
- Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand
- Thammasat University Research Unit in Diagnostic Molecular Biology of Chronic Diseases related to Cancer (DMB-CDC), Thailand
| | - Thitimonrat Duangchanda
- Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand
- Thammasat University Research Unit in Diagnostic Molecular Biology of Chronic Diseases related to Cancer (DMB-CDC), Thailand
| | - Thanawan Soimanee
- Thammasat University Research Unit in Diagnostic Molecular Biology of Chronic Diseases related to Cancer (DMB-CDC), Thailand
| | - Waraporn Fuckpo
- Medical Technology laboratory section, Thammasat University Hospital, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Duangnate Pipatsatitpong
- Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Chareeporn Akekawatchai
- Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand
- Thammasat University Research Unit in Diagnostic Molecular Biology of Chronic Diseases related to Cancer (DMB-CDC), Thailand
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Beaufrère A, Paisley S, Ba I, Laouirem S, Priori V, Cazier H, Favre L, Cauchy F, Lesurtel M, Calderaro J, Kannengiesser C, Paradis V. Differential diagnosis of small hepatocellular nodules in cirrhosis: surrogate histological criteria of TERT promoter mutations. Histopathology 2024; 84:473-481. [PMID: 37903649 DOI: 10.1111/his.15086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
AIMS The differential diagnosis of small hepatocellular nodules in cirrhosis between dysplastic nodules and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains challenging on biopsy. As TERT promoter (pTERT) mutations may indicate the nodules already engaged in the malignant process, the aim of this study was to identify histological criteria associated with pTERT mutations by detecting these mutations by ddPCR in small formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) hepatocellular nodules arising in cirrhosis. METHODS AND RESULTS We built a bicentric cohort data set of 339 hepatocellular nodules < 2 cm from cirrhotic samples, divided into a test cohort of 299 resected samples and a validation cohort of 40 biopsies. Pathological review, based on the evaluation of 14 histological criteria, classified all nodules. pTERT mutations were identified by ddPCR in FFPE samples. Among the 339 nodules, ddPCR revealed pTERT mutations in 105 cases (31%), including 90 and 15 cases in the test and validation cohorts, respectively. On multivariate analysis, three histological criteria were associated with pTERT mutations in the test cohort: increased cell density (P = 0.003), stromal invasion (P = 0.036) and plate-thickening anomalies (P < 0.001). With the combination of at least two of these major criteria, the AUC for predicting pTERT mutations was 0.84 in the test cohort (sensitivity: 86%, specificity: 83%) and 0.81 in the validation cohort (sensitivity: 87%, specificity: 76%). CONCLUSIONS We identified three histological criteria as surrogate markers of pTERT mutations that may be used in routine biopsy to more clearly classify small hepatocellular nodules arising in cirrhosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Beaufrère
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- AP-HP.Nord, Department of Pathology, FHU MOSAIC, Beaujon Hospital, Clichy, France
- Centre de Recherche sur l'Inflammation, INSERM UMR 1149, Paris, France
| | - Sarah Paisley
- AP-HP.Nord, Department of Pathology, FHU MOSAIC, Beaujon Hospital, Clichy, France
- Centre de Recherche sur l'Inflammation, INSERM UMR 1149, Paris, France
| | - Ibrahima Ba
- AP-HP.Nord, Department of Molecular Genetics, Bichat Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Samira Laouirem
- Centre de Recherche sur l'Inflammation, INSERM UMR 1149, Paris, France
| | - Victoria Priori
- Centre de Recherche sur l'Inflammation, INSERM UMR 1149, Paris, France
| | - Hélène Cazier
- Centre de Recherche sur l'Inflammation, INSERM UMR 1149, Paris, France
| | - Loëtitia Favre
- AP-HP, Department of Pathology, Henri Mondor Hospital, Créteil, France
| | - François Cauchy
- Centre de Recherche sur l'Inflammation, INSERM UMR 1149, Paris, France
| | - Mickael Lesurtel
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- AP-HP.Nord, Department of HPB Surgery an d Liver Transplantation, Beaujon Hospital, Clichy, France
| | - Julien Calderaro
- AP-HP, Department of Pathology, Henri Mondor Hospital, Créteil, France
| | | | - Valérie Paradis
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- AP-HP.Nord, Department of Pathology, FHU MOSAIC, Beaujon Hospital, Clichy, France
- Centre de Recherche sur l'Inflammation, INSERM UMR 1149, Paris, France
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Tai J, Hsu C, Chen W, Yang S, Chiu C, Chien R, Chang M. Association of liver fibrosis with extrahepatic cancer in steatotic liver disease patients with PNPLA3 I148M GG genotype. Cancer Sci 2024; 115:564-574. [PMID: 38083881 PMCID: PMC10859614 DOI: 10.1111/cas.16042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The impacts of patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing protein 3 (PNPLA3) I148M-rs738409, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) Ala222Val-rs1801133, and aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) Glu504Lys-rs671 on the outcomes of Taiwanese patients with steatotic liver disease (SLD) have remained elusive. An 8-year prospective cohort study of patients with (n = 546) and without (n = 580) SLD (controls) was undertaken in a Taiwanese tertiary care center. The 546 SLD patients comprised 306 (56.0%) men and 240 (44.0%) women with mean ages of 53.3 and 56.4 years, respectively. Compared with the controls, SLD patients had an increased frequency of the PNPLA3 I148M-rs738409 GG genotype (25.5 vs. 5.9%, p = 0.001). Among the SLD patients, 236 (43.1%) suffered cardiovascular events, 52 (9.5%) showed extrahepatic cancers, 13 (2.38%) experienced hepatic events, including hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 3, 0.5%) and liver cirrhosis (n = 8, 1.47%), and none died. The Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) scores were associated with extrahepatic cancer (hazard ratio [HR] 1.325; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.038-1.691) and cirrhosis development (HR 1.532; 95% CI, 1.055-2.224), and the PNPLA3 I148M-rs738409 G allele (β = 0.158, 95% CI, 0.054-0.325) was associated with the FIB-4 score. Stratified analyses showed that the impact of the FIB-4 score on extrahepatic cancer development was evident only in SLD patients with the PNPLA3 I148M-rs738409 GG genotype (HR 1.543; 95% CI, 1.195-1.993) and not in patients with the GC or CC genotype. Moreover, the ALDH2 Glu504Lys-rs671 G allele had a dose-dependent effect on alcoholism, and the MTHFR and ALDH2 genotypes were not significantly associated with SLD patient outcomes. In conclusion, special vigilance should be exercised for emerging extrahepatic cancer in SLD patients with the PNPLA3 I148M-rs738409 GG genotype and high FIB-4 scores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Tai
- Department of Medicine, College of MedicineChang Gung UniversityTaoyuanTaiwan
- Department of Gastroenterology and HepatologyChang Gung Memorial HospitalLinkouTaiwan
| | - Chao‐Wei Hsu
- Department of Medicine, College of MedicineChang Gung UniversityTaoyuanTaiwan
- Department of Gastroenterology and HepatologyChang Gung Memorial HospitalLinkouTaiwan
| | - Wei‐Ting Chen
- Department of Medicine, College of MedicineChang Gung UniversityTaoyuanTaiwan
- Department of Gastroenterology and HepatologyChang Gung Memorial HospitalLinkouTaiwan
| | - Sien‐Sing Yang
- Liver Center, Cathay General Hospital Medical CenterTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Cheng‐Hsun Chiu
- Molecular Infectious Disease Research CenterChang Gung Memorial Hospital at LinkouTaoyuanTaiwan
- Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of PediatricsChang Gung Memorial Hospital at LinkouTaoyuanTaiwan
| | - Rong‐Nan Chien
- Department of Medicine, College of MedicineChang Gung UniversityTaoyuanTaiwan
- Department of Gastroenterology and HepatologyChang Gung Memorial HospitalLinkouTaiwan
| | - Ming‐Ling Chang
- Department of Medicine, College of MedicineChang Gung UniversityTaoyuanTaiwan
- Department of Gastroenterology and HepatologyChang Gung Memorial HospitalLinkouTaiwan
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Gu L, Zhao C, Wang Y, Wang C, Yin X, Ye Q, Liu Y, Zou X, Wang L, Zhuge Y, Wu J, Zhang F. Senescence of Hepatic Stellate Cells by Specific Delivery of Manganese for Limiting Liver Fibrosis. Nano Lett 2024; 24:1062-1073. [PMID: 38164915 PMCID: PMC10836362 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c03689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Senescence of activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is crucial for the regression of liver fibrosis. However, impaired immune clearance can result in the accumulation of senescent HSCs, exacerbating liver fibrosis. The activation of the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS-STING) pathway is essential for both senescence and the innate immune response. Additionally, the specific delivery to activated HSCs is hindered by their inaccessible anatomical location, capillarization of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs), and loss of substance exchange. Herein, we propose an antifibrotic strategy that combines prosenescence with enhanced immune clearance through targeted delivery of manganese (a cGAS-STING stimulator) via albumin-mediated transcytosis, specifically aimed at inducing senescence and eliminating activated HSCs in liver fibrosis. Our findings demonstrate that only albumin efficiently transfers manganese to activated HSCs from LSECs via transcytosis compared to liposomes, resulting in significant antifibrotic effects in vivo while exhibiting negligible toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihong Gu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Nano Technology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, People's Republic of China
- Wuxi No. 2 People's Hospital, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214002, People's Republic of China
| | - Chenxuan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Nano Technology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, People's Republic of China
| | - Yixuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Nano Technology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, People's Republic of China
| | - Chao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Nano Technology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaochun Yin
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingsong Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Nano Technology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoping Zou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuzheng Zhuge
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinhui Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Nano Technology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, People's Republic of China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, People's Republic of China
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Chen C, Cai H, Shen J, Zhang X, Peng W, Li C, Lv H, Wen T. Exploration of a hypoxia-immune-related microenvironment gene signature and prediction model for hepatitis C-induced early-stage fibrosis. J Transl Med 2024; 22:116. [PMID: 38287425 PMCID: PMC10826039 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-04912-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Liver fibrosis contributes to significant morbidity and mortality in Western nations, primarily attributed to chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Hypoxia and immune status have been reported to be significantly correlated with the progression of liver fibrosis. The current research aimed to investigate the gene signature related to the hypoxia-immune-related microenvironment and identify potential targets for liver fibrosis. METHOD Sequencing data obtained from GEO were employed to assess the hypoxia and immune status of the discovery set utilizing UMAP and ESTIMATE methods. The prognostic genes were screened utilizing the LASSO model. The infiltration level of 22 types of immune cells was quantified utilizing CIBERSORT, and a prognosis-predictive model was established based on the selected genes. The model was also verified using qRT-PCR with surgical resection samples and liver failure samples RNA-sequencing data. RESULTS Elevated hypoxia and immune status were linked to an unfavorable prognosis in HCV-induced early-stage liver fibrosis. Increased plasma and resting NK cell infiltration were identified as a risk factor for liver fibrosis progression. Additionally, CYP1A2, CBS, GSTZ1, FOXA1, WDR72 and UHMK1 were determined as hypoxia-immune-related protective genes. The combined model effectively predicted patient prognosis. Furthermore, the preliminary validation of clinical samples supported most of the conclusions drawn from this study. CONCLUSION The prognosis-predictive model developed using six hypoxia-immune-related genes effectively predicts the prognosis and progression of liver fibrosis. The current study opens new avenues for the future prediction and treatment of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuwen Chen
- Division of Liver Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Si Chuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Haozheng Cai
- Division of Liver Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Si Chuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Junyi Shen
- Division of Liver Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Si Chuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xiaoyun Zhang
- Division of Liver Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Si Chuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Wei Peng
- Division of Liver Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Si Chuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Chuan Li
- Division of Liver Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Si Chuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Haopeng Lv
- Department of General Surgery, ChengDu Shi Xinjin Qu Renmin Yiyuan: People's Hospital of Xinjin District, Chengdu, China
| | - Tianfu Wen
- Division of Liver Surgery, Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Si Chuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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Willett RA, Tryndyak VP, Beland FA, Pogribny IP. Cellular and molecular alterations in a human hepatocellular in vitro model of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease development and stratification. J Environ Sci Health C Toxicol Carcinog 2024; 42:74-92. [PMID: 38105681 DOI: 10.1080/26896583.2023.2293493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The rapidly increasing incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a growing health crisis worldwide. If not detected early, NAFLD progression can lead to irreversible pathological states, including liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. Using in vitro models to understand the molecular pathogenesis has been extremely beneficial; however, most studies have utilized only short-term exposures, highlighting a limitation in current research to model extended fat-induced liver injury. We treated Hep3B cells continuously with a low dose of oleic and palmitic free fatty acids (FFAs) for 7 or 28 days. Transcriptomic analysis identified dysregulated molecular pathways and differential expression of 984 and 917 genes after FFA treatment for 7 and 28 days respectively. DNA methylation analysis of altered DNA methylated regions (DMRs) found 7 DMRs in common. Pathway analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) revealed transcriptomic changes primarily involved in lipid metabolism, small molecule biochemistry, and molecular transport. Western blot analysis revealed changes in PDK4 and CPT1A protein levels, indicative of mitochondrial stress. In line with this, there was mitochondrial morphological change demonstrating breakdown of the mitochondrial network. This in vitro model of human NAFL mimics results observed in human patients and may be used as a pre-clinical model for drug intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rose A Willett
- Division of Biochemical Toxicology, FDA-National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson, Arkansas, USA
| | - Volodymyr P Tryndyak
- Division of Biochemical Toxicology, FDA-National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson, Arkansas, USA
| | - Frederick A Beland
- Division of Biochemical Toxicology, FDA-National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson, Arkansas, USA
| | - Igor P Pogribny
- Division of Biochemical Toxicology, FDA-National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson, Arkansas, USA
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