Tricyclic Antidepressants Induce Inactivation of Hepatic Stellate Cell (HSC) Myofibroblasts
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ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens
PROVIDER: GSE78853 | GEO | 2017/03/02
SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA314144
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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Project description:Liver fibrosis is characterized by the activation of perivascular hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), the release of fibrogenic nano-sized extracellular vesicles (EVs) and increased HSC glycolysis. Nevertheless, how glycolysis in HSCs coordinates fibrosis amplification through tissue zone-specific pathways remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate that HSC-specific genetic inhibition of glycolysis reduced liver fibrosis. Moreover, spatial transcriptomics revealed a fibrosis-mediated upregulation of EV-related pathways in the liver pericentral zone, which was abrogated by the glycolysis genetic inhibition. Mechanistically, glycolysis in HSCs upregulated the expression of EV-related genes such as RAB31 by enhancing histone-3-lysine-9 acetylation on the promoter region, which increased EV release. Functionally, these glycolysis-dependent EVs increased fibrotic gene expression in recipient HSC. Furthermore, EVs derived from glycolysis-deficient mice abrogated liver fibrosis amplification in contrast to glycolysis-competent mouse EVs. In summary, glycolysis in HSCs amplifies liver fibrosis by promoting fibrogenic EV release in the hepatic pericentral zone, which represents a potential therapeutic target.
2024-05-16 | PXD050337 | Pride
Project description:BACKGROUND AND AIM: We previously established that endoplasmic reticulum stress leads to unfolded protein response (UPR) that promotes liver fibrosis by activating hepatic stellate cell (HSC). We aimed to determine the role of X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1), one of three UPR effector pathways, in the fibrogenic HSC activation. METHODS: XBP1 expression was measured by qPCR in tunicamycin-treated human HSC lines (TWNT4 and LX2) and culture-activated human primary HSCs. XBP1 was overexpressed in primary human HSCs and the HSC lines, and fibrogenic genes (COL1A1, ACTA2, PDGFRB, MMP2, TIMP1) and encoded proteins were assessed by qPCR and Western blotting, respectively. Autophagy was inhibited by knockdown of ATG7. Genome-wide transcriptome profiling was performed to determine modulated molecular pathway by XBP1. In vivo XBP1 activation was assessed in transcriptome datasets of fibrotic mouse models and immunohistochemistry of human liver tissues. RESULTS: XBP1 overexpression accompanied both tunicamycin- and culture-based HSC activation. Ectopic overexpression of XBP1 induced fibrogenic gene expression in the HSC lines, which was inhibited by knockdown of ATG7. UPR pathway together with PDGFRB pathway, a hallmark of HSC activation, were induced in transcriptome profiles of XBP1-transduced HSC lines. Some known fibrogenic pathways such as transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta pathway were not induced, suggesting partial contribution of XBP1 to the entire fibrogenic HSC activation machinery. XBP1 target gene signature defined in our XBP1-overexpressing HSC lines was significantly induced in liver tissue transcriptome profiles of carbon tetrachloride-treated or bile duct-ligated mouse models, and XBP1 and alpha-smooth muscle actin (encoded by ACTA2, another hallmark of HSC activation) were co-localized in human fibrotic liver tissues, collectively supporting involvement of XBP1 in HSC activation and fibrogesis in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: XBP1-mediated UPR is at least partially responsible for fibrogenic HSC activation via autophagy.
2016-12-21 | GSE78070 | GEO
Project description:Liver injury causes “transdifferentiation” of quiescent hepatic stellate cells (Q-HSCs) into wound repairing myofibroblasts (MF-HSCs), whose uncontrolled activation leads ultimately to liver fibrosis. Although this process is triggered by deep metabolic and transcriptional reprogramming, functional links between these two key events are not yet understood. Here, using a compendium of in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo models of fibrogenic liver injuries in addition to human liver samples, we report that O-linked β D N acetylglucosaminylation (O GlcNAcylation), a post-translational modification (PTM) considered as nutritional sensor, is increased during myofibroblastic activation of HSCs and is required for their pro-fibrotic activities. Mechanistically, a multi omics approach combining proteomic, epigenomic and transcriptomic data mining revealed that O GlcNAcylation controls the transcriptional program of MF-HSCs by targeting the key fibrogenic transcription factors Basonuclin 2 (BNC2) and TEA domain transcription factor 4 (TEAD4) together with the Yes associated protein 1 (YAP1) co-activator. Indeed, inhibition of protein O GlcNAcylation impedes their stability leading to decreased functionality of the BNC2/TEAD4/YAP1 complex towards promoting activation of fibrogenic transcriptional regulatory elements. Altogether, this study unravels the fibrogenic role of protein O-GlcNAcylation identifying a vulnerable regulatory process in activated HSCs.
2024-05-21 | PXD045860 | Pride
Project description:Liver fibrosis is characterized by the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and the release of fibrogenic nano-sized extracellular vesicles (EVs). Activated HSCs increase their glucose metabolism via glycolysis to satisfy high energy demands. Nevertheless, the mechanism of how glycolysis in HSCs coordinates fibrosis amplification in the fibrogenic zones in the liver is elusive and is the scope of this study. Single cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) and bulk RNAseq demonstrated that several glycolysis enzymes, including hexokinase 2 (HK2), were upregulated in activated HSCs. HSC-selective glycolysis-deficient mice (HK2ΔHSC) showed abrogated CCl4-mediated fibrosis as compared to littermate controls (HK2fl/fl). Spatial transcriptomics revealed an upregulation of several EV-related pathways in the fibrotic pericentral zone during liver fibrosis in control HK2fl/fl mice. However, glycolysis-deficient HK2ΔHSC mice showed downregulation of these EV-related pathways in the pericentral zone. Consistently, induction of glycolysis in HSCs in vitro, either by glucose or platelet-derived growth factor B (PDGF), upregulated the expression of several extracellular vesicle (EV)-related genes, including RAB31. Glycolysis in HSCs epigenetically enhanced RAB31 expression through histone-3 lysine-9 acetylation (H3K9ac) on the promoter region, leading to increased EV release. Functionally, glycolysis-dependent EVs were enriched with fibrogenic molecules and increased the expression of fibrotic markers in recipient HSCs. Finally, EVs derived from glycolysis-deficient HK2ΔHSC mice abrogated liver fibrosis amplification as compared to EVs derived from littermate control HK2fl/fl mice. In summary, glycolysis in HSCs amplifies liver fibrosis by promoting fibrogenic EV release in the pericentral fibrotic regions in the liver.
2024-03-20 | GSE259363 | GEO
Project description:Background and aims: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) progresses from steatosis (Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver, MASL) to Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) with fibrosis. Activation of Hepatic Stellate Cells (HSCs) into fibrogenic myofibroblasts plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of MASH liver fibrosis. Here we compared gene expression and chromatin accessibility profiles of human HSCs in NORMAL, MASL, and MASH livers at single cell resolution. Methods: 18 human livers were profiled using single-nucleus (sn) RNA-seq and snATAC-seq. High priority targets were identified and then tested in 2D human HSCs, 3D human liver spheroids, and HSC-specific gene knockout mice. Results: This study identified novel gene regulatory mechanisms underlying MASL- and MASH-associated HSC heterogeneity and outlined potential strategies for anti-fibrotic therapy. Specifically, MASH-enriched HSC-subcluster hA1, represented by highly fibrogenic population of myofibroblasts, served as a critical source of extracellular matrix protein (ECM) in MASH, and its activation was regulated via a cross-talk between lineage-specific (JUNB/AP1), cluster-specific (RUNX1/2) and signal-specific (FOXA1/2) transcription factors (TFs). Additionally, we identified a set of core genes (GAS7, SPON1, SERPINE1, LTBP2, KLF9, EFEMP1) that drive ECM production in hA1 HSCs. The pathological relevance of the selected hA1 targets, such as SERPINE1 and others, was demonstrated using siRNA-based HSC-specific gene knockdown or pharmacological inhibitor of SERPINE1 in 3D human MASH liver spheroids, and HSC-specific Serpine1 knockout mice with MASH. Conclusion: We identified potential targets for anti-fibrotic therapy of MASH in patients.
2024-11-13 | GSE244832 | GEO
Project description:Background/Aims: Sept4, a subunit of the septin cytoskeleton specifically expressed in quiescent hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), is downregulated through transdifferentiation to fibrogenic and contractile myofibroblastic cells. Since Sept4?/? mice are prone to liver fibrosis, we examined the unknown molecular network underlying liver fibrosis by probing the association between loss of Sept4 and accelerated transdifferentiation of HSCs. Methods: We compared the transcriptomes of Sept4+/+ and Sept4?/? HSCs by differential DNA microarray analysis and quantitative RT-PCR. Based on reduced dickkopf2 (Dkk2) gene expression in Sept4?/? HSCs, we tested whether supplementing Dkk2 could suppress myofibroblastic transformation of Sept4?/? HSCs. We used a lymphoid enhancer-binding factor/transcription factor-luciferase reporter assay to test whether Dkk2 can exert anti-fibrotic effects by interfering with the canonical Wnt pathway. Results: We observed consistent upregulation of Dkk2 in primary cultured HSCs and in a carbon tetrachloride hepatitis model in mice, which decreased with loss of Sept4. Supplementing Dkk2 suppressed the induction of pro-fibrotic genes (?-smooth muscle actin and 2 collagen genes) and induced an anti-fibrotic gene (Smad7) in Sept4?/? HSCs. In human liver specimens with inflammation and fibrosis, Dkk2 immunoreactivity appeared to be positively correlated with the degree of fibrotic changes. Conclusions: Pro-fibrotic transformation of HSCs through the loss of Sept4 is partly due to reduced expression of Dkk2 and its homologues, and the resulting disinhibition of the canonical Wnt pathway. We induced Liver Cirrhosis to SEPT4-KO or wild type mouse by CCl4, and examined mRNA expression profiling in hepatic stellate cell of these mouse.
2012-06-02 | E-GEOD-24588 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the major driving factor in liver fibrosis. Upon liver inflammation caused by alcohol abuse and/or a fatty liver, HSCs transform from a quiescent- into a proliferating, fibrotic phenotype. We study this transformation termed “activation”, using state of the art TIMS-TOF mass spectrometry proteomics, as well as phenotype analysis of the immortalized LX-2 HSC cell line. In our work we employ a simple, yet reliable model of HSC activation via an in-crease in growth media serum concentration (serum activation). Protein network analysis of ac-tivated LX 2 cells reveals an increase in the production of ribosomal proteins and proteins related to migration. Interestingly, we could also observe a decrease in the expression of lipogenic pro-teins and a loss of cytosolic lipid droplets during activation. Especially the downregulation of proteins associated with cholesterol biosynthesis might be a promising target for further study. This work provides an update on HSC activation characteristics using contemporary proteomic and bioinformatic analysis and presents an accessible model for HSC activation.
2022-02-14 | PXD029121 | Pride
Project description:BACKGROUND & AIMS: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a chronic liver disease characterized by hepatic lipid accumulation, inflammation, and progressive fibrosis. Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) catalyzes the rate-limiting step of de novo lipogenesis and regulates fatty-acid beta-oxidation in hepatocytes. ACC inhibition reduces hepatic fat content and markers of liver injury in NASH patients; however, the effect of ACC inhibition on liver fibrosis has not been reported. METHODS: A direct role for ACC in fibrosis was evaluated by measuring de novo lipogenesis, procollagen production, gene expression, glycolysis, and mitochondrial respiration in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in the absence or presence of small-molecule inhibitors of ACC. ACC inhibitors were evaluated in rodent models of liver fibrosis induced by diet or the hepatotoxin, DEN. Fibrosis and hepatic steatosis were evaluated by histological and biochemical assessments. RESULTS: In TGF-beta-stimulated HSCs, ACC inhibition reduced activation and collagen production independent of mitochondrial beta-oxidation by blocking de novo lipogenesis. ACC inhibition prevented a metabolic switch necessary for induction of glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation during HSC activation. Consistent with this direct anti-fibrotic mechanism in HSCs, ACC inhibition reduced liver fibrosis in a rat CDHFD model and in response to chronic DEN-induced liver injury that lacked hepatic lipid accumulation. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to reducing lipid accumulation in hepatocytes, ACC inhibition also directly impairs the pro-fibrogenic activity of HSCs. Small molecule inhibitors of ACC may reduce liver fibrosis by both reducing lipotoxicity in hepatocytes and directly reducing HSC activation, providing a mechanistic rationale for the treatment of patients with advanced liver fibrosis due to NASH.
2020-04-24 | GSE148849 | GEO
Project description:Unveiling the regulatory pathways maintaining hepatic stellate cells (HSC) in a quiescent (q) phenotype is essential to develop new therapeutic strategies to treat fibrogenic diseases. To uncover the miRNA-mRNAs regulatory interactions in qHSCs, HSCs were FACS-sorted from healthy livers and activated HSCs were generated in vitro. MiRNA Taqman array analysis showed HSCs expressed a low number of miRNA, from which 46 were down-regulated and 212 up-regulated upon activation. Computational integration of miRNA and gene expression profiles revealed that 66% of qHSCs miRNAs correlated with more than 6 altered targeted mRNAs (17,28±10,7 targets/miRNA), whereas aHSC-associated miRNAs had an average of 1,49 targeted genes. Interestingly, interaction networks generated by miRNA-targeted genes in qHSCs were associated with key HSCs activation processes. Next, selected miRNAs were validated in healthy and cirrhotic human livers and miR-192 was chosen for functional analysis. Down-regulation of miR-192 in HSC was found to be an early event during fibrosis progression in mouse models of liver injury. Moreover, mimic assays for miR-192 in HSCs revealed its role in HSC activation, proliferation and migration. Together, these results uncover the importance of miRNAs in the maintenance of qHSC phenotype and form the basis for understanding the regulatory networks in HSCs. Transcriptomic profile derived from four quiescent hepatic stellate (QHSC), four activated hepatic stellate (AHSC), three liver sinusoidal endothelial (LSEC) and two hepatocytes cells (HEP).
2015-11-23 | E-GEOD-67664 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Liver fibrosis, a consequence of chronic liver damage or inflammation, is characterized by the excessive buildup of extracellular matrix components. This progressive condition significantly raises the risk of severe liver diseases like cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The lack of approved therapeutics underscores the urgent need for novel anti-fibrotic drugs. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), key players in fibrogenesis, are promising targets for drug discovery. This study investigated the anti-fibrotic potential of Citrus hystrix DC. (KL) and its bioactive compound, β-citronellol (β-CIT), in a human HSC cell line (LX-2). Cells exposed to TGF-β1 to induce fibro-genesis were co-treated with crude KL extract and β-CIT. Gene expression was analyzed by Re-al-Time qRT-PCR to assess fibrosis-associated genes (ACTA2, COL1A1, TIMP1, SMAD2). The re-leasing of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) was measured by ELISA. Proteomic analysis and molecular docking identified potential signaling proteins and modeled protein-ligand interac-tions. Results showed that both crude KL extract and β-CIT suppressed HSC activation genes and MMP-9 levels. The MAPK signaling pathway emerged as a potential target of β-CIT. This study demonstrates the potential of KL extract and β-CIT to inhibit HSC activation during TGF-β1-induced fibrogenesis, suggesting the promising role of β-CIT in anti-hepatic fibrosis therapies.
2024-08-06 | PXD052806 | Pride