scholarly journals Microengineered 3D pulmonary interstitial mimetics highlight a critical role for matrix degradation in myofibroblast differentiation

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (37) ◽  
pp. eabb5069
Author(s):  
Daniel L. Matera ◽  
Katarina M. DiLillo ◽  
Makenzee R. Smith ◽  
Christopher D. Davidson ◽  
Ritika Parikh ◽  
...  

Fibrosis, characterized by aberrant tissue scarring from activated myofibroblasts, is often untreatable. Although the extracellular matrix becomes increasingly stiff and fibrous during disease progression, how these physical cues affect myofibroblast differentiation in 3D is poorly understood. Here, we describe a multicomponent hydrogel that recapitulates the 3D fibrous structure of interstitial tissue regions where idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) initiates. In contrast to findings on 2D hydrogels, myofibroblast differentiation in 3D was inversely correlated with hydrogel stiffness but positively correlated with matrix fibers. Using a multistep bioinformatics analysis of IPF patient transcriptomes and in vitro pharmacologic screening, we identify matrix metalloproteinase activity to be essential for 3D but not 2D myofibroblast differentiation. Given our observation that compliant degradable 3D matrices amply support fibrogenesis, these studies demonstrate a departure from the established relationship between stiffness and myofibroblast differentiation in 2D, and provide a new 3D model for studying fibrosis and identifying antifibrotic therapeutics.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel L. Matera ◽  
Katarina M. DiLillo ◽  
Makenzee R. Smith ◽  
Christopher D. Davidson ◽  
Ritika Parikh ◽  
...  

AbstractFibrosis is often untreatable and is characterized by aberrant tissue scarring from activated myofibroblasts. Although the extracellular matrix becomes increasingly stiff and fibrous during disease progression, how these physical cues impact myofibroblast differentiation in 3D is poorly understood. Here we describe a multicomponent hydrogel that recapitulates the 3D fibrous structure hallmark to the interstitial tissue regions where idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) initiates. In contrast to findings on 2D hydrogels, myofibroblast differentiation in 3D was inversely correlated with hydrogel stiffness, but positively correlated with matrix fiber density. Employing a multi-step bioinformatics analysis of IPF patient transcriptomes and in vitro pharmacologic screening, we identify matrix-metalloprotease activity to be essential for 3D but not 2D myofibroblast differentiation. Given our observation that compliant degradable 3D matrices amply support fibrogenesis, these studies demonstrate a departure from the established relationship between stiffness and myofibroblast differentiation in 2D, and provide a new 3D model for studying fibrosis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Caixia Zhang ◽  
Mengjiao Zhu ◽  
Huijuan Wang ◽  
Juan Wen ◽  
Ziwei Huang ◽  
...  

AbstractTemporomandibular joint OA (TMJOA) is a common degenerative joint disease, leads to structural damage and ultimately loss of function. Matrix degradation is one of the first pathogenesis during the progression of OA, it was effective to inhibit matrix degradation to block the development of OA. In this study, an in vivo model (compressive mechanical force) and an in vitro model (IL-1β) were used to induce OA-like changes in TMJ cartilage and chondrocytes. We revealed lysyl oxidase like-2 (LOXL2) play a critical role in TMJOA. LOXL2 expression decreased in mechanical stress/IL-β induced TMJOA-like lesions in both in vivo models and in vitro models. Furthermore, recombinant LOXL2 (rhLOXL2) treatment ameliorated the degenerative changes induced by mechanical stress in vivo, including the thinning cartilage, down-expression of collagen II and proteoglycan, and over-expression of TNF-a, while LOXL2 antibody (anti-LOXL2) treatment exacerbated these changes. Mechanistically, the protection of LOXL2 in chondrocytes was induced partly through activation of the Integrin/FAK pathway. The inhibition of the Integrin/FAK pathway could neutralized the effects caused by rhLOXL2. Collectively, our study suggests that the LOXL2 plays a protective role in mechanical stress induced TMJOA-like changes, and the Integrin/FAK pathway may be a key downstream pathway in this process.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Menglin Zou ◽  
Jingfeng Zou ◽  
Xingxing Hu ◽  
Weishuai Zheng ◽  
Mingyang Zhang ◽  
...  

Despite past extensive studies, the mechanisms underlying pulmonary fibrosis (PF) still remain poorly understood. The aberrantly activated lung myofibroblasts, predominantly emerging through fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation, are considered to be the key cells in PF, resulting in excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM). Latent transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) binding protein-2 (LTBP2) has been suggested as playing a critical role in modulating the structural integrity of the ECM. However, its function in PF remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated that lungs originating from different types of patients with PF, including idiopathic PF and rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease, and from mice following bleomycin (BLM)-induced PF were characterized by increased LTBP2 expression in activated lung fibroblasts/myofibroblasts. Moreover, serum LTBP2 was also elevated in patients with COVID-19-related PF. LTBP2 silencing by lentiviral shRNA transfection protected against BLM-induced PF and suppressed fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation in vivo and in vitro. More importantly, LTBP2 overexpression was able to induce differentiation of lung fibroblasts to myofibroblasts in vitro, even in the absence of TGFβ1. By further mechanistic analysis, we demonstrated that LTBP2 silencing prevented fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation and subsequent PF by suppressing the phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of NF-κB signaling. LTBP2 overexpression-induced fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation depended on the activation of NF-κB signaling in vitro. Therefore, our data indicate that intervention to silence LTBP2 may represent a promising therapy for PF.


2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (12) ◽  
pp. 1343-1404
Author(s):  
LS Spitzhorn ◽  
MA Kawala ◽  
J Adjaye
Keyword(s):  

1995 ◽  
Vol 73 (03) ◽  
pp. 349-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre Toulon ◽  
Elyane Frere ◽  
Claude Bachmeyer ◽  
Nathalie Candia ◽  
Philippe Blanche ◽  
...  

SummaryThrombin clotting time (TCT) and reptilase clotting time (RCT) were found significantly prolonged in a series of 72 HIV-infected patients drawn for routine coagulation testing. Both TCT and RCT were highly significantly correlated with albumin (r = -0.64, and r = -0.73 respectively, p<0.0001). TCT and RCT were significantly higher (p<0.0001) in a series of 30 other HIV-infected patients selected on their albumin level below 30.0 g/l (group l) than in 30 HIV-infected patients with albumin level above 40.0 g/l or in 30 HIV-negative controls; the two latter groups were not different. In vitro supplementation of plasma from group 1 patients with purified human albumin up to 45.0 g/l (final concentration) lead to a dramatic shortening effect on both TCT and RCT, which reached normal values. The TCT and RCT of the purified fibrinogen solutions (2.0 g/l final concentration) were not different in the three groups, and normal polymerization curves were obtained in all cases. This further ruled out the presence of any dysfibrinogenemia in the plasma from group 1 patients. Using purified proteins, highly significant correlations were demonstrated between the albumin concentration and the prolongations of both TCT and RCT, which were of the same magnitude order than those found in the patients plasma. These results suggest that hypo-albuminemia is responsible for the acquired fibrin polymerization defect reported in HIV-infected patients. The pathophysiological implication of the low albumin levels was suggested by the finding of decreased albumin levels (associated with prolonged TCT and RCT) in a small series of the eight HIV-infected patients who developed thrombotic complications.


2007 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 77
Author(s):  
Derek Cool ◽  
Shi Sherebrin ◽  
Jonathan Izawa ◽  
Joseph Chin ◽  
Aaron Fenster

Introduction: Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) prostate biopsy (Bx) is currently confined to 2D information to both target and record 3D Bx locations. Accurate placement of Bx needles cannot be verified without 3D information, and recording Bx sites in 2D does not provide sufficient information to accurately guide the high incidence of repeat Bx. We have designed a 3D TRUS prostate Bx system that augments the current 2D TRUS system and provides tools for biopsy-planning, needle guidance, and recording of the biopsy core locations entirely in 3D. Methods: Our Bx system displays a 3D model of the patient’s prostate, which is generated intra-procedure from a collection of 2D TRUS images, representative of the particular prostate shape. Bx targets are selected, needle guidance is facilitated, and 3D Bx sites are recorded within the 3D context of the prostate model. The complete 3D Bx system was validated, in vitro, by performing standard ten-core Bx on anatomical phantoms of two patient’s prostates. The accuracy of the needle-guidance, Bx location recording, and 3D model volume and surface topology were validated against a CT gold standard. Results: The Bx system successfully reconstructed the 3D patient prostate models with a mean volume error of 3.2 ± 7.6%. Using the 3D system, needles were accurately guided to the pre-determined targets with a mean error of 2.26 ± 1.03 mm and the 3D locations of the Bx cores were accurately recorded with a mean distance error of 1.47 ± 0.79 mm. Conclusion: We have successfully developed a 3D TRUS prostate biopsy system and validated the system in vitro. A pilot study has been initiated to apply the system clinically.


2011 ◽  
Vol 50 (06) ◽  
pp. 234-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Guo ◽  
Y. Ma ◽  
R. Zhang ◽  
S. Liang ◽  
H. Shen ◽  
...  

Summary Aim: Angiogenesis plays a critical role in tumour formation and metastasis. Suitable radiolabeled angiogenesis inhibitor can be used for noninvasive imaging of angiogenesis and radionuclide therapy. Here we prepare rhenium-188 labeled recombinant human plasminogen kringle5 (188Re-rhk5) in a convenient manner than evaluate its properties in A549 lung adenocarcinoma. Methods: 188Rerhk5 was obtained by conjugating His group at the C end of rhk5 with fac- [188Re(H2O)3(CO)3]+. Chelating efficiency of fac-[188Re(H2O)3(CO)3]+ and radiolabeling efficiency of 188Re-rhk5 were measured by radio thin-layer chromatography (RTLC). In vitro stability of 188Re-rhk5 was determined in human serum at 37°C and analyzed by RTLC. Competition test was also performed to verify the specificity of binding. A biodistribution study was carried out in nude mice bearing A549 lung adenocarcinoma. Results: 188Rerhk5 was obtained with a radiolabel efficiency of 66.1%, the radiochemical purity (RCP) can marreach 95.2% after purification. 188Re-rhk5 showed high stability in human serum, the RCP was more than 80% even 12 h after incubation. Competition test showed a high binding specificity. Furthermore, this radio-complex was excreted mainly through kidneys and showed specific tumour uptake in mice bearing A549 tumours. Conclusion: 188Re-rhk5 was prepared by a simple method. Preliminary biodistribution results showed its potential as an agent for possible tumour imaging, therapy and encouraged further investigation.


Oncogene ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiuna Zhang ◽  
Xiaoyu Jiang ◽  
Jie Yin ◽  
Shiying Dou ◽  
Xiaoli Xie ◽  
...  

AbstractRING finger proteins (RNFs) play a critical role in cancer initiation and progression. RNF141 is a member of RNFs family; however, its clinical significance, roles, and mechanism in colorectal cancer (CRC) remain poorly understood. Here, we examined the expression of RNF141 in 64 pairs of CRC and adjacent normal tissues by real-time PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemical analysis. We found that there was more expression of RNF141 in CRC tissue compared with its adjacent normal tissue and high RNF141 expression associated with T stage. In vivo and in vitro functional experiments were conducted and revealed the oncogenic role of RNF141 in CRC. RNF141 knockdown suppressed proliferation, arrested the cell cycle in the G1 phase, inhibited migration, invasion and HUVEC tube formation but promoted apoptosis, whereas RNF141 overexpression exerted the opposite effects in CRC cells. The subcutaneous xenograft models showed that RNF141 knockdown reduced tumor growth, but its overexpression promoted tumor growth. Mechanistically, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry indicated RNF141 interacted with KRAS, which was confirmed by Co-immunoprecipitation, Immunofluorescence assay. Further analysis with bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) and Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) pull-down assays showed that RNF141 could directly bind to KRAS. Importantly, the upregulation of RNF141 increased GTP-bound KRAS, but its knockdown resulted in a reduction accordingly. Next, we demonstrated that RNF141 induced KRAS activation via increasing its enrichment on the plasma membrane not altering total KRAS expression, which was facilitated by the interaction with LYPLA1. Moreover, KRAS silencing partially abolished the effect of RNF141 on cell proliferation and apoptosis. In addition, our findings presented that RNF141 functioned as an oncogene by upregulating KRAS activity in a manner of promoting KRAS enrichment on the plasma membrane in CRC.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 2999
Author(s):  
Deborah Reynaud ◽  
Roland Abi Nahed ◽  
Nicolas Lemaitre ◽  
Pierre-Adrien Bolze ◽  
Wael Traboulsi ◽  
...  

The inflammatory gene NLRP7 is the major gene responsible for recurrent complete hydatidiform moles (CHM), an abnormal pregnancy that can develop into gestational choriocarcinoma (CC). However, the role of NLRP7 in the development and immune tolerance of CC has not been investigated. Three approaches were employed to define the role of NLRP7 in CC development: (i) a clinical study that analyzed human placenta and sera collected from women with normal pregnancies, CHM or CC; (ii) an in vitro study that investigated the impact of NLRP7 knockdown on tumor growth and organization; and (iii) an in vivo study that used two CC mouse models, including an orthotopic model. NLRP7 and circulating inflammatory cytokines were upregulated in tumor cells and in CHM and CC. In tumor cells, NLRP7 functions in an inflammasome-independent manner and promoted their proliferation and 3D organization. Gravid mice placentas injected with CC cells invalidated for NLRP7, exhibited higher maternal immune response, developed smaller tumors, and displayed less metastases. Our data characterized the critical role of NLRP7 in CC and provided evidence of its contribution to the development of an immunosuppressive maternal microenvironment that not only downregulates the maternal immune response but also fosters the growth and progression of CC.


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