1
|
Peng W, Kepsch A, Kracht TO, Hasan H, Wijayarathna R, Wahle E, Pleuger C, Bhushan S, Günther S, Kauerhof AC, Planinić A, Fietz D, Schuppe HC, Wygrecka M, Loveland KL, Ježek D, Meinhardt A, Hedger MP, Fijak M. Activin A and CCR2 regulate macrophage function in testicular fibrosis caused by experimental autoimmune orchitis. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:602. [PMID: 36434305 PMCID: PMC9700630 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04632-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Experimental autoimmune-orchitis (EAO), a rodent model of chronic testicular inflammation and fibrosis, replicates pathogenic changes seen in some cases of human spermatogenic disturbances. During EAO, increased levels of pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic mediators such as TNF, CCL2, and activin A are accompanied by infiltration of leukocytes into the testicular parenchyma. Activin A levels correlate with EAO severity, while elevated CCL2 acting through its receptor CCR2 mediates leukocyte trafficking and recruits macrophages. CCR2 + CXCR4 + macrophages producing extracellular matrix proteins contribute widely to fibrogenesis. Furthermore, testicular macrophages (TMs) play a critical role in organ homeostasis. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the role of the activin A/CCL2-CCR2/macrophage axis in the development of testicular fibrosis. Following EAO induction, we observed lower levels of organ damage, collagen deposition, and leukocyte infiltration (including fibronectin+, collagen I+ and CXCR4+ TMs) in Ccr2-/- mice than in WT mice. Furthermore, levels of Il-10, Ccl2, and the activin A subunit Inhba mRNAs were lower in Ccr2-/- EAO testes. Notably, fibronectin+ TMs were also present in biopsies from patients with impaired spermatogenesis and fibrotic alterations. Overexpression of the activin A antagonist follistatin reduced tissue damage and collagen I+ TM accumulation in WT EAO testes, while treating macrophages with activin A in vitro increased the expression of Ccr2, Fn1, Cxcr4, and Mmp2 and enhanced migration along a CCL2 gradient; these effects were abolished by follistatin. Taken together, our data indicate that CCR2 and activin A promote fibrosis during testicular inflammation by regulating macrophage function. Inhibition of CCR2 or activin A protects against damage progression, offering a promising avenue for therapeutic intervention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Peng
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Aulweg 123, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Artem Kepsch
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Aulweg 123, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Till O Kracht
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Aulweg 123, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Hiba Hasan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Aulweg 123, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Rukmali Wijayarathna
- Centre for Reproductive Health, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Department of Molecular and Translational Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Eva Wahle
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Aulweg 123, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Christiane Pleuger
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Aulweg 123, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Sudhanshu Bhushan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Aulweg 123, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Stefan Günther
- ECCPS Bioinformatics and Deep Sequencing Platform, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - A Christine Kauerhof
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Aulweg 123, 35392, Giessen, Germany
- Centre for Reproductive Health, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Ana Planinić
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Centre of Excellence for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Daniela Fietz
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Hans-Christian Schuppe
- Department of Urology, Paediatric Urology and Andrology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Małgorzata Wygrecka
- Center for Infection and Genomics of the Lung, German Center for Lung Research, University of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center, Giessen, Germany
| | - Kate L Loveland
- Centre for Reproductive Health, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Department of Molecular and Translational Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Davor Ježek
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Centre of Excellence for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Andreas Meinhardt
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Aulweg 123, 35392, Giessen, Germany
- Department of Molecular and Translational Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Mark P Hedger
- Centre for Reproductive Health, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Department of Molecular and Translational Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Monika Fijak
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Aulweg 123, 35392, Giessen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|