Clinical science最新文献

{"title":"Trbp inhibits cardiac fibrosis through TGF-β pathway mediated crosstalk between cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts.","authors":"Bo Pan, Di Hu, Yao Wei Lu, Jing Luo, Xiao Hui Hu, Haipeng Guo, Rui Deng, Zhuomin Liang, Yi Wang, Qing Ma, John David Mably, Jie Tian, Da-Zhi Wang","doi":"10.1042/CS20242397","DOIUrl":"10.1042/CS20242397","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cardiac remodeling in response to disease or tissue damage severely impairs heart function. Therefore, the description of the molecular mechanisms responsible is essential for the development of effective therapies. Trbp (Tarbp2) is a multi-functional RNA-binding protein (RBP) that is essential during heart development but its role in the adult heart and cardiac remodeling are unknown. We generated inducible conditional knockout mice to delete Trbp from cardiomyocytes in young adults (Trbp-cKOs). While Trbp-cKO mice did not display a detectable phenotype, under stress conditions induced by transverse aortic constriction (TAC) pressure overload, they rapidly developed severe heart failure; this was associated with maladaptive cardiac remodeling and increased interstitial fibrosis. RNA-seq revealed the induction of a fibrotic gene expression network and the TGF-β signaling pathway in Trbp-cKO hearts. In cultured neonatal rat ventricle cardiomyocytes (NRCMs), inhibition of Trbp resulted in an induction of the expression of both Tgfβ2 and Ltbp2; in contrast, Trbp overexpression repressed Tgfβ2 expression. Knockdown of Trbp in NRCMs that were co-cultured with neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts (NRCFs) resulted in an increase of fibrotic gene expression. However, knockdown of Trbp in NRCMs combined with knockdown of Tgfβ2 in NRCFs using the same co-culture system failed to induce the same change in fibrotic gene expression. These data provide evidence for a critical role for Trbp in regulating cardiac fibrosis during cardiac remodeling mediated by crosstalk between cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts. The link to TGF-β signaling also highlights its importance and reveals a novel approach to intervention through targeting of Trbp.</p>","PeriodicalId":10475,"journal":{"name":"Clinical science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143448509","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Harnessing 2D and 3D human endometrial cell culture models to investigate SARS-CoV-2 infection in early pregnancy.","authors":"Anna Liu, Natalia Ruetalo, Janet P Raja Xavier, Aditya Kumar Lankapalli, Jakob Admard, Miguel Camarena-Sainz, Sara Y Brucker, Yogesh Singh, Michael Schindler, Madhuri S Salker","doi":"10.1042/CS20241215","DOIUrl":"10.1042/CS20241215","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 during human pregnancy remains highly controversial as most studies have focused on the third trimester or the peripartum period. Given the lack of early trimester data, determining the prevalence of vertical transmission during early pregnancy and assessing the potential risks for fetal morbidity and mortality pose a challenge. Therefore, we analysed the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on an endometrial 3D spheroid model system. The 3D spheroids are capable of decidualization and express angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as well as transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2), rendering them susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Employing this 3D cell model, we identified that SARS-CoV-2 can infect both non-decidualized and decidualized endometrial spheroids. Infection significantly increased the chemokine Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) compared to non-infected spheroids. Decidualized spheroids exhibited upregulated Interleukin (IL)-8 levels. Furthermore, RNA sequencing revealed dysregulation of several genes involved in tissue-specific immune response, Fc receptor signalling, angiotensin-activated signalling and actin function. Gene expression changes varied between SARS-CoV-2 infected non-decidualized and decidualized spheroids and genes associated with the innate immune system (CD38, LCN2 and NR4A3) were dysregulated as a potential mechanism for immune evasion of SARS-CoV-2. Altogether, our study demonstrates that endometrial spheroids are a useful model to examine the clinical implications of SARS-CoV-2 vertical transmission, warranting further investigations.</p>","PeriodicalId":10475,"journal":{"name":"Clinical science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12204006/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142817511","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Renal damage-induced hepcidin accumulation contributes to anemia in angiotensinogen-deficient mice.","authors":"André F Rodrigues, Laura Boreggio, Tetiana Lahuta, Fatimunnisa Qadri, Natalia Alenina, Carlos C Barros, Mihail Todiras, Michael Bader","doi":"10.1042/CS20241789","DOIUrl":"10.1042/CS20241789","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Angiotensin II (Ang II) is the most active peptide hormone produced by the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). Genetic deletion of genes that ultimately restrict Ang II formation has been shown to result in marked anemia in mice. In this study, adult mice with a genetic deletion of the RAS precursor protein angiotensinogen (Agt-KO) were used. Experimental analyses included capillary hematocrit, hemogram, plasma and tissue iron quantifications, expression analyses of genes encoding relevant proteins for body iron homeostasis in different organs, as well as plasma and urine hepcidin quantifications. As previously reported, Agt-KO were anemic with reduced red blood cell counts. Interestingly, we found that they presented microcytic anemia based on the reduced red blood cell volume. In agreement, plasma quantification of iron revealed lower levels of circulating iron in Agt-KO. The major body iron stores, namely in the liver and spleen, were also depleted in the RAS-deficient line. Hepatic hepcidin expression was reduced, as well as one of its major regulators, BMP6, as a result of the iron deficiency. However, plasma hepcidin levels were unexpectedly increased in Agt-KO. We confirm the typical morphological alterations and impaired renal function of Agt-KO and conclude that hepcidin accumulates in the circulation due to the reduced glomerular filtration in Agt-KO, and therefore identified the culprit of iron deficiency in Agt-KO. Collectively, the data demonstrated that the severe anemia developed in RAS-deficient mice is exacerbated by iron deficiency which is secondary to the renal damage-induced hepcidin accumulation in the circulation.</p>","PeriodicalId":10475,"journal":{"name":"Clinical science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12203995/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143051952","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Blockade of neddylation through targeted inhibition of DCN1 alleviates renal fibrosis.","authors":"Jin-Ling Huo, Wenjia Fu, Qi Feng, Shaokang Pan, Dongwei Liu, Zhangsuo Liu","doi":"10.1042/CS20243221","DOIUrl":"10.1042/CS20243221","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Neddylation is a process of attaching neuronal precursor cell-expressed developmentally down-regulated protein 8 (NEDD8) to substrates for the protein function modulation via enzymatic cascades involving NEDD8-activating enzyme (E1), NEDD8-conjugating enzyme (E2), and NEDD8 ligase (E3). Defective in cullin neddylation 1 (DCN1) serves as a co-E3 ligase, which can simultaneously bind E2 UBE2M and cullin proteins to stabilize the catalytic center of the Cullin-Ring E3 ligase complex, thereby promoting cullin neddylation. Neddylation is reported to be activated in diverse human diseases, and inhibition of protein neddylation has been regarded as a promising anticancer therapy. However, whether neddylation participates in renal fibrosis and whether blockade of neddylation through targeted inhibition of DCN1 play effects on renal fibrosis remains unknown. In the present study, an NEDD8 overexpressed plasmid, DCN1 small interfering RNAs, DCN1-specific inhibitor NAcM-OPT, human renal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2), rat kidney fibroblasts (NRK-49F), RNA sequencing, unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO), and unilateral ischemia-reperfusion injury (UIRI) mouse renal fibrosis models were used. Herein, we first showed that neddylation was activated in renal fibrosis. Neddylation blockade through DCN1 deficiency alleviated TGFβ1-induced up-regulation of fibronectin and α-SMA in HK-2 and NRK-49F cells. Importantly, DCN1 inhibition attenuated UUO- and UIRI-induced mouse renal fibrosis. Further studies revealed that DCN1 loss selectively inhibited cullin3 neddylation and induced its substrate NRF2 accumulation, thereby inhibiting TGFβ-Smad2/3 signaling pathway. Overall, blockade of neddylation through targeted inhibition of DCN1 contributes to alleviating renal fibrosis in vitro and in vivo, which may constitute a novel therapeutic strategy for renal fibrosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":10475,"journal":{"name":"Clinical science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12203994/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143045735","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Restoring lung renin-angiotensin system balance through blood pressure control.","authors":"Gabriela Catão D Braga, Joao Carlos Ribeiro-Silva, Andreia Boaro, Flavia Leticia Martins, Thais Mauad, Caio A M Tavares, Lisete Ribeiro Teixeira, Bruno Caramelli, Adriana C C Girardi","doi":"10.1042/CS20241155","DOIUrl":"10.1042/CS20241155","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Dysregulated renin-angiotensin system (RAS) signaling contributes to elevated blood pressure (BP), inflammation, and organ damage in systemic arterial hypertension (HTN). We have demonstrated that hypertensive humans and rats exhibit higher expression of classic RAS components and lower expression of counterregulatory RAS components in the lungs compared with normotensive counterparts. Here, we investigated whether BP control could restore the balance between classic [angiotensin I-converting enzyme 2 (ACE)/angiotensin II (Ang II)] and counterregulatory [angiotensin I-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)/Ang (1-7)] RAS, thereby mitigating lung inflammation. Male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were treated with either losartan or amlodipine, both of which effectively reduced BP. These interventions up-regulated lung Ace2 and down-regulated Ace gene expression. Pulmonary membrane ACE2 abundance and activity were higher in losartan- and amlodipine-treated SHRs than in vehicle-treated SHRs, whereas ACE protein and function remained unchanged. Drug-treated SHRs exhibited lower levels of lung Ang II and higher levels of Ang (1-7) than vehicle-treated SHRs. Rebalancing the pulmonary RAS remarkably reduced macrophage number and down-regulated pro-inflammatory genes in SHR lungs, with lower expression of lung pro-inflammatory genes correlating with lower circulating levels of ACE2. Serum analysis in healthy and hypertensive individuals supported these findings, showing higher ACE2 levels in uncontrolled compared with controlled hypertension and normotension. Collectively, these findings suggest that high blood pressure may induce lung inflammation via an ACE/ACE2 imbalance. BP control with either an RAS inhibitor or a calcium channel blocker rebalances RAS in SHR lungs and alleviates inflammation. Furthermore, this study provides a mechanistic link between inflammatory lung diseases (such as COVID-19) and hypertension as a major risk factor.</p>","PeriodicalId":10475,"journal":{"name":"Clinical science","volume":"139 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12204020/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143188549","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"PDCD10/CCM3, a potential target for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma?","authors":"Hendrik Ungefroren","doi":"10.1042/CS20241916","DOIUrl":"10.1042/CS20241916","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Malignant progression of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is driven by transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 through extensive cross-talk with other signalling pathways. Prompted by the observation that the ubiquitous protein programmed cell death 10 (PDCD10) is more abundantly expressed in PDAC tumour tissue compared with normal pancreas and highly correlated with reduced patient survival, authors examined its function as a modulator of TGF-β signalling in PDAC. Cytotoxicity assays with PDAC-derived tumour cell lines, PaTu8902 (DPC4+/+) and PaTu8988t (DPC4-/-) engineered to homozygously lack PDCD10 showed that PDCD10 renders cells more chemoresistant to anticancer drugs. Moreover, PDCD10 promoted TGF-β1-dependent proliferation by inactivating the retinoblastoma 1 protein (pRb) via a SMAD4-dependent pathway, and TGF-β1-driven EMT by increasing ERK1/2 activation via a non-SMAD4 pathway. Phosphorylation of pRB and ERK by PDCD10 is facilitated by binding of PDCD10 to MST4. Targeting PDCD10 in PDAC patients may represent a promising new strategy to improve TGF-β targeted therapies.</p>","PeriodicalId":10475,"journal":{"name":"Clinical science","volume":"139 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12204003/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143381808","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Therapeutic strategies to ameliorate mitochondrial oxidative stress in ischaemia-reperfusion injury: A narrative review.","authors":"Khalid Alotaibi, Nishkantha Arulkumaran, Alex Dyson, Mervyn Singer","doi":"10.1042/CS20242074","DOIUrl":"10.1042/CS20242074","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mROS) play a crucial physiological role in intracellular signalling. However, high levels of ROS can overwhelm antioxidant defences and lead to detrimental modifications in protein, lipid and DNA structure and function. Ischaemia-reperfusion injury is a multifaceted pathological state characterised by excessive production of mROS. There is a significant clinical need for therapies mitigating mitochondrial oxidative stress. To date, a variety of strategies have been investigated, ranging from enhancing antioxidant reserve capacity to metabolism reduction. While success has been achieved in non-clinical models, no intervention has yet successfully transitioned into routine clinical practice. In this article, we explore the different strategies investigated and discuss the possible reasons for the lack of translation.</p>","PeriodicalId":10475,"journal":{"name":"Clinical science","volume":"139 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12204024/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143078791","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Metabolically stable apelin analogs: development and functional role in water balance and cardiovascular function.","authors":"Pierre Couvineau, Catherine Llorens-Cortes","doi":"10.1042/CS20240955","DOIUrl":"10.1042/CS20240955","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Apelin, a (neuro) vasoactive peptide, plays a prominent role in controlling water balance and cardiovascular functions. Apelin and its receptor co-localize with vasopressin in magnocellular vasopressinergic neurons. Apelin receptors (Apelin-Rs) are also expressed in the collecting ducts of the kidney, where vasopressin type 2 receptors are also present. Apelin and vasopressin interact at the brain and renal levels to maintain body fluid homeostasis by regulating diuresis in opposite directions. Apelin and angiotensin II have opposite effects on the regulation of blood pressure (BP). Angiotensin II, by binding to AT1 receptors present in VSMCs, induces intracellular calcium mobilization and vasoconstriction, while apelin, by binding to Apelin-R present on vascular endothelium, increases nitric oxide production and induces vasodilation. Apelin also plays a crucial role in the regulation of cardiac function. Apelin-deficient and Apelin-R-deficient mice develop progressive myocardial dysfunction with ageing and are susceptible to heart failure in response to pressure overload. Since the half-life of apelin is very short in vivo (in the minute range), several metabolically stable apelin analogs and non-peptidic Apelin-R agonists have been developed, with potential applications in diverse diseases. In this review, we highlight the interaction between apelin and vasopressin in the regulation of water balance and that between apelin and angiotensin II in the regulation of BP. Additionally, we underline the protective effects of apelin in cardiac function. Lastly, we discuss the beneficial effects of Apelin-R activation in different pathological states such as hyponatremia, hypertension, and heart failure.</p>","PeriodicalId":10475,"journal":{"name":"Clinical science","volume":"139 2","pages":"131-149"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12204018/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143058271","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Retraction: Down-regulation of lncRNA XIST inhibits cell proliferation via regulating miR-744/RING1 axis in non-small cell lung cancer.","authors":"","doi":"10.1042/CS20190519_RET","DOIUrl":"10.1042/CS20190519_RET","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":10475,"journal":{"name":"Clinical science","volume":"139 2","pages":"213"},"PeriodicalIF":7.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12225295/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143058291","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A new mechanism of arterial calcification in diabetes: interaction between H3K18 lactylation and CHI3L1.","authors":"Yi Zhu, Jing-Cheng Chen, Jia-Li Zhang, Fang-Fang Wang, Rui-Ping Liu","doi":"10.1042/CS20243122","DOIUrl":"10.1042/CS20243122","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Metabolic changes are an important characteristic of vascular complications in diabetes. The accumulation of lactate in the microenvironment can promote vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) calcification in diabetes, although the specific mechanism remains to be fully elucidated. In this study, we explored the characteristics of lactylation in diabetic arterial calcification and the underlying molecular mechanism. We found that in high-glucose calcified VSMC, the overall lactylation level was significantly increased. Mass spectrometry analysis revealed a significant up-regulation of H3 histone lactylation. After site-specific point-mutation at K18 to simulate the delactylation modification, VSMC calcification was significantly reduced. Through a combination of H3K18la ChIP-seq, RNA-seq, H3K18la ChIP-qPCR, and point-mutation experiments, we confirmed that H3K18la can up-regulate CHI3L1. CHI3L1 knockout significantly alleviated VSMC osteogenic phenotype transformation and mouse arterial calcification. RNA-seq analysis of the downstream molecular signaling showed that CHI3L1 activates the IL-13-IL-13Ra2-JAK1-STAT3 pathway. Targeted inhibition of IL-13Ra2 reduced VSMC calcification. We conclude that in a diabetic calcification environment, the H3 histone K18 site undergoes lactylation modification in VSMCs, upregulating CHI3L1, which, in turn, regulates the IL-13-IL-13Ra2-JAK1-STAT3 signaling pathway, ultimately exacerbating arterial calcification. Our study elucidates the epigenetic mechanism by which lactate promotes arterial calcification in diabetes.</p>","PeriodicalId":10475,"journal":{"name":"Clinical science","volume":" ","pages":"115-130"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12203998/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143001441","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}