Project description:Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is the most serious type of pancreatitis with high morbidity and mortality. The underlying pathophysiological mechanism of SAP is complicated and lacking in effective therapeutic options in clinic. In recent years, circular RNAs (circRNAs) are found to be N6-methyladenosine (m6A)-modified and m6A modification of circRNAs plays important roles in physiological and pathological processes. However, the role of m6A modification of circRNAs in SAP remains unknown. Here, we aim to identify differentially expressed m6A circRNAs in SAP and to determine their biological significance and potential mechanisms in SAP. Firstly, we identified 903 m6A peaks that distribute on 781 circRNAs in SAP and control groups. Among them, 57 circRNAs with differentially expressed m6A peaks were identified, of which 32 were upregulated and 25 were downregulated. The total m6A level of circRNAs was reduced compared with control group. Moreover, the function analysis of these m6A circRNAs in SAP found that some important pathways involved in the pathogenesis of SAP, such as protein digestion and regulation of autophagy. In m6A circRNA-microRNA networks, several important miRNAs involved in the occurrence and development of SAP were found to bind to these m6A circRNAs potentially, such as miR-24-3p, miR-26a, miR-92b, miR-216b, miR-324-5p and miR-762. Notably, ALKBH5 was found to be upregulated in SAP. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that m6A modification of circRNAs was widely existed and may play important roles in the pathogenesis of SAP. Our findings provide novel insights regarding understanding the pathophysiological mechanism of SAP and seeking new therapeutic targets for SAP.
Project description:Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is the most serious type of pancreatitis with high morbidity and mortality. The underlying mechanism behind SAP pathogenesis is complex and remains elusive. In the present study, next-generation RNA sequencing was utilized to identify circRNA transcripts in the pancreatic tissues from three SAP mice and three matched normal tissues. Our results discovered that 56 circRNAs were differently expressed in SAP compared with normal control. Our findings may provide novel insights for pathophysiological mechanism of SAP and offer novel targets for SAP.
Project description:Serum amyloid P component (SAP; APCS gene, also known as Pentraxin 2, PTX2), is a component of the humoral arm of innate immunity involved in resistance to bacterial infection and regulation of tissue remodeling. The present study was designed to investigate the role of SAP/PTX2 in antifungal resistance. SAP-deficient Apcs-/- mice showed a dramatic increase in susceptibility to A. fumigatus infection. The defective anti-fungal resistance of gene targeted mice was rescued by in vitro opsonization of A. fumigatus conidia and in vivo administration of murine SAP. Mouse and human SAP bound conidia, activated the complement cascade and increased phagocytosis by mouse and human neutrophils. Defective resistance of Apcs-/- SAP-deficient mice was associated with defective in vivo recruitment of neutrophils and phagocytosis in the lungs. The opsonic activity of SAP was dependent on the classical pathway of complement activation. In immunosuppressed mice, SAP administration protected hosts against A. fumigatus infection and death. In the context of a study of hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation, genetic variation in the human APCS gene was associated with susceptibility to invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Thus, SAP is a fluid phase pattern recognition molecule essential for resistance against A. fumigatus. The results reported here also suggest that SAP has therapeutic potential against an infectious agent which represents a formidable clinical challenge.
Project description:Analysis of germinal center B cells derived from WT and SAP-deficient mice revealed that SAP-deficient mice have reduced Myc signature