scholarly journals Integrative analysis of lung molecular signatures reveals key drivers of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sung Kyoung Kim ◽  
Seung Min Jung ◽  
Kyung-Su Park ◽  
Ki-Jo Kim

Abstract Background Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a devastating disease with a high clinical burden. The molecular signatures of IPF were analyzed to distinguish molecular subgroups and identify key driver genes and therapeutic targets. Methods Thirteen datasets of lung tissue transcriptomics including 585 IPF patients and 362 normal controls were obtained from the databases and subjected to filtration of differentially expressed genes (DEGs). A functional enrichment analysis, agglomerative hierarchical clustering, network-based key driver analysis, and diffusion scoring were performed, and the association of enriched pathways and clinical parameters was evaluated. Results A total of 2,967 upregulated DEGs was filtered during the comparison of gene expression profiles of lung tissues between IPF patients and healthy controls. The core molecular network of IPF featured p53 signaling pathway and cellular senescence. IPF patients were classified into two molecular subgroups (C1, C2) via unsupervised clustering. C1 was more enriched in the p53 signaling pathway and ciliated cells and presented a worse prognostic score, while C2 was more enriched for cellular senescence, profibrosing pathways, and alveolar epithelial cells. The p53 signaling pathway was closely correlated with a decline in forced vital capacity and carbon monoxide diffusion capacity and with the activation of cellular senescence. CDK1/2, CKDNA1A, CSNK1A1, HDAC1/2, FN1, VCAM1, and ITGA4 were the key regulators as evidence by high diffusion scores in the disease module. Currently available and investigational drugs showed differential diffusion scores in terms of their target molecules. Conclusions An integrative molecular analysis of IPF lungs identified two molecular subgroups with distinct pathobiological characteristics and clinical prognostic scores. Inhibition against CDKs or HDACs showed great promise for controlling lung fibrosis. This approach provided molecular insights to support the prediction of clinical outcomes and the selection of therapeutic targets in IPF patients.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Linli Shi ◽  
Qian Han ◽  
Yimei Hong ◽  
Weifeng Li ◽  
Gencheng Gong ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an age-related disease with no cure. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapy has emerged as a novel strategy for IPF treatment. Nevertheless, MSCs derived from patients with IPF (IPF-MSCs) become senescent, thereby reducing their beneficial effects in IPF. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) mediate the senescence of MSCs, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. We investigated the mechanisms by which miR-199a-5p regulates IPF-MSC senescence and whether its inhibition could rejuvenate IPF-MSCs and enhance their therapeutic efficacy. Methods Control-MSCs and IPF-MSCs were isolated from the adipose tissue of age-matched healthy and IPF donors, respectively. Cell senescence was examined by senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) staining. The level of miR-199a-5p was measured by RT-PCR. Autophagy was determined using a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The therapeutic efficacy of anti-miR-199a-5p-IPF-MSCs was assessed using a mouse model of bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis. Results Despite similar surface makers, IPF-MSCs exhibited increased cellular senescence and decreased proliferative capacity compared with control-MSCs. The expression of miR-199a-5p was significantly enhanced in the serum of IPF patients and IPF-MSCs compared with that of healthy donors and control-MSCs. The upregulation of miR-199a-5p induced senescence of control-MSCs, whereas the downregulation rescued IPF-MSC senescence. Mechanistically, miR-155-5p suppressed autophagy of MSCs via the AMPK signaling pathway by downregulating the expression of Sirtuin 1(Sirt1), resulting in cellular senescence. Accordingly, miR-155-5p inhibition promoted autophagy and ameliorated IPF-MSC senescence by activating the Sirt1/AMPK signaling pathway. Compared with IPF-MSCs, the transplantation of anti-miR-199a-5p-IPF-MSCs increased the ability to prevent progression of pulmonary fibrosis in bleomycin-treated mice. Conclusions Our study shows that miR-199a-5p regulates MSC senescence in patients with IPF by regulating the Sirt1/AMPK signaling pathway and miR-199a-5p is a novel target to rejuvenate IPF-MSCs and enhance their beneficial effects.


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 154-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ijaz Muhammad ◽  
Noor Rahman ◽  
Gul E. Nayab ◽  
Sadaf Niaz ◽  
Mohibullah Shah ◽  
...  

Background: Cancer is characterized by overexpression of p53 associated proteins, which down-regulate P53 signaling pathway. In cancer therapy, p53 activity can be restored by inhibiting the interaction of MDMX (2N0W) and MDM2 (4JGR) proteins with P53 protein. Objective: In the current, study in silico approaches were adapted to use a natural product as a source of cancer therapy. Methods: In the current study in silico approaches were adapted to use a natural product as a source of cancer therapy. For in silico studies, Chemdraw and Molecular Operating Environment were used for structure drawing and molecular docking, respectively. Flavonoids isolated from D. carota were docked with cancerous proteins. Result: Based on the docking score analysis, we found that compound 7 was the potent inhibitor of both cancerous proteins and can be used as a potent molecule for inhibition of 2N0W and 4JGR interaction with p53. Conclusion: Thus the compound 7 can be used for the revival of p53 signaling pathway function however, intensive in vitro and in vivo experiments are required to prove the in silico analysis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ke Huang ◽  
Wei Zhao ◽  
Xuqiao Wang ◽  
Yingfei Qiu ◽  
Zelin Liu ◽  
...  

BackgroundGlioma has one of the highest mortality rates of all tumors of the nervous system and commonly used treatments almost always fail to achieve tumor control. Low-dose carbon-ion radiation can effectively target cancer and tumor cells, but the mechanisms of growth inhibition induced by heavy-ion radiation via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway are unknown, and inhibition by heavy-ion radiation is minor in C6 cells.MethodsCarbon-ion radiation was used to investigate the effects of heavy-ion radiation on C6 cells, and suppression of Akt was performed using perifosine. MTT assays were used to investigate optimal perifosine treatment concentrations. Clone formation assays were used to investigate the growth inhibition effects of carbon-ion radiation and the effects of radiation with Akt inhibition. Lactate dehydrogenase release, superoxide dismutase activity, and malondialdehyde content were assessed to investigate oxidative stress levels. Expression levels of proteins in the PI3K/Akt/p53 signaling pathway were assessed via western blotting.ResultsThe 10% maximum inhibitory concentration of perifosine was 19.95 μM. In clone formation assays there was no significant inhibition of cell growth after treatment with heavy-ion irradiation, whereas perifosine enhanced inhibition. Heavy-ion radiation induced lactate dehydrogenase release, increased the level of malondialdehyde, and reduced superoxide dismutase activity. Akt inhibition promoted these processes. Heavy-ion radiation treatment downregulated Akt expression, and upregulated B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) expression. p53 and Bcl-2 expression were significantly upregulated, and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) expression was downregulated. The expression profiles of pAkt, Bcl-2, and Bax were reversed by perifosine treatment. Caspase 3 expression was upregulated in all radiation groups.ConclusionsThe growth inhibition effects of low-dose heavy-ion irradiation were not substantial in C6 cells, and Akt inhibition induced by perifosine enhanced the growth inhibition effects via proliferation inhibition, apoptosis, and oxidative stress. Akt inhibition enhanced the effects of heavy-ion radiation, and the PI3K/Akt/p53 signaling pathway may be a critical component involved in the process.


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