Dataset Information

Epigenetic Changes during Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Hepatic stellate cells (HSC), which can participate in liver regeneration and fibrogenesis, have recently been identified as liver-resident mesenchymal stem cells. During their activation HSC adopt a myofibroblast-like phenotype accompanied by profound changes in the gene expression profile. DNA methylation changes at single genes have been reported during HSC activation and may participate in the regulation of this process, but comprehensive DNA methylation analyses are still missing. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the role of DNA methylation during in vitro activation of HSC.

Methods and results

The analysis of DNA methylation changes by antibody-based assays revealed a strong decrease in the global DNA methylation level during culture-induced activation of HSC. To identify genes which may be regulated by DNA methylation, we performed a genome-wide Methyl-MiniSeq EpiQuest sequencing comparing quiescent and early culture-activated HSC. Approximately 400 differentially methylated regions with a methylation change of at least 20% were identified, showing either hypo- or hypermethylation during activation. Further analysis of selected genes for DNA methylation and expression were performed revealing a good correlation between DNA methylation changes and gene expression. Furthermore, global DNA demethylation during HSC activation was investigated by 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine assay and L-mimosine treatment showing that demethylation was independent of DNA synthesis and thereby excluding a passive DNA demethylation mechanism.

Conclusions

In summary, in vitro activation of HSC initiated strong DNA methylation changes, which were associated with gene regulation. These results indicate that epigenetic mechanisms are important for the control of early HSC activation. Furthermore, the data show that global DNA demethylation during activation is based on an active DNA demethylation mechanism.

SUBMITTER: Gotze S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4466775 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Epigenetic Changes during Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation.

Götze Silke S Schumacher Eva C EC Kordes Claus C Häussinger Dieter D

PloS one 20150612 6

<h4>Background and aims</h4>Hepatic stellate cells (HSC), which can participate in liver regeneration and fibrogenesis, have recently been identified as liver-resident mesenchymal stem cells. During their activation HSC adopt a myofibroblast-like phenotype accompanied by profound changes in the gene expression profile. DNA methylation changes at single genes have been reported during HSC activation and may participate in the regulation of this process, but comprehensive DNA methylation analyses ...[more]

PMID: 26065684

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Project description:Hepatic stellate cells activate upon liver injury and help at restoring damaged tissue by producing extracellular matrix proteins. A drastic increase in matrix proteins results in liver fibrosis and we hypothesize that this sudden increase leads to accumulation of proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum and its compensatory mechanism, the unfolded protein response. We indeed observe a very early, but transient induction of unfolded protein response genes during activation of primary mouse hepatic stellate cells in vitro and in vivo, prior to induction of classical stellate cell activation genes. This unfolded protein response does not seem sufficient to drive stellate cell activation on its own, as chemical induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress with tunicamycin in 3D cultured, quiescent stellate cells is not able to induce stellate cell activation. Inhibition of Jnk is important for the transduction of the unfolded protein response. Stellate cells isolated from Jnk knockout mice do not activate as much as their wild-type counterparts and do not have an induced expression of unfolded protein response genes. A timely termination of the unfolded protein response is essential to prevent endoplasmic reticulum stress-related apoptosis. A pathway known to be involved in this termination is the non-sense-mediated decay pathway. Non-sense-mediated decay inhibitors influence the unfolded protein response at early time points during stellate cell activation. Our data suggest that UPR in HSCs is differentially regulated between acute and chronic stages of the activation process. In conclusion, our data demonstrates that the unfolded protein response is a JNK1-dependent early event during hepatic stellate cell activation, which is counteracted by non-sense-mediated decay and is not sufficient to drive the stellate cell activation process. Therapeutic strategies based on UPR or NMD modulation might interfere with fibrosis, but will remain challenging because of the feedback mechanisms between the stress pathways.

Dataset Information

Epigenetic Changes during Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation.

Background and aims

Methods and results

Conclusions

Publications

Epigenetic Changes during Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation.

Similar Datasets

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