The Foxo1-YAP-Notch1 axis reprograms STING-mediated innate immunity in NASH progression.

Innate immune activation is critical for initiating hepatic inflammation during nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) progression. However, the mechanisms by which immunoregulatory molecules recognize lipogenic, fibrotic, and inflammatory signals remain unclear. Here, we show that high-fat diet (HFD)-induced oxidative stress activates Foxo1, YAP, and Notch1 signaling in hepatic macrophages. Macrophage Foxo1 deficiency (Foxo1M-KO) ameliorated hepatic inflammation, steatosis, and fibrosis, with reduced STING, TBK1, and NF-κB activation in HFD-challenged livers. However, Foxo1 and YAP double knockout (Foxo1/YAPM-DKO) or Foxo1 and Notch1 double knockout (Foxo1/Notch1M-DKO) promoted STING function and exacerbated HFD-induced liver injury. Interestingly, Foxo1M-KO strongly reduced TGF-ß1 release from palmitic acid (PA)- and oleic acid (OA)-stimulated Kupffer cells and decreased Col1α1, CCL2, and Timp1 expression but increased MMP1 expression in primary hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) after coculture with Kupffer cells. Notably, PA and OA challenge in Kupffer cells augmented LIMD1 and LATS1 colocalization and interaction, which induced YAP nuclear translocation. Foxo1M-KO activated PGC-1α and increased nuclear YAP activity, modulating mitochondrial biogenesis. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) coupled with massively parallel sequencing (ChIP-Seq) and in situ RNA hybridization, we found that NICD colocalizes with YAP and targets Mb21d1 (cGAS), while YAP functions as a novel coactivator of the NICD, which is crucial for reprogramming STING function in NASH progression. These findings highlight the importance of the macrophage Foxo1-YAP-Notch1 axis as a key molecular regulator that controls lipid metabolism, inflammation, and innate immunity in NASH.

Exploring the impact of gut microbiota on liver health in mice and patients with Wilson disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Distinctive gut microbial profiles have been observed between patients with Wilson disease (WD) and healthy individuals. Despite this, the exact relationship and influence of gut microbiota on the advancement of WD-related liver damage remain ambiguous. This research seeks to clarify the gut microbiota characteristics in both human patients and mouse models of WD, as well as their impact on liver injury. METHODS: Gut microbial features in healthy individuals, patients with WD, healthy mice and mice with early- and late-stage WD were analysed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Additionally, WD-afflicted mice underwent treatment with either an antibiotic cocktail (with normal saline as a control) or healthy microbiota (using disease microbiota as a control). The study assessed gut microbiota composition, hepatic transcriptome profiles, liver copper concentrations and hepatic pathological injuries. RESULTS: Patients with hepatic WD and mice with WD-related liver injury displayed altered gut microbiota composition, notably with a significant reduction in Lactobacillus abundance. Additionally, the abundances of several gut genera, including Lactobacillus, Veillonella and Eubacterium coprostanoligenes, showed significant correlations with the severity of liver injury in patients with WD. In WD mice, antibiotic treatment or transplantation of healthy microbiota altered the gut microbial structure, increased Lactobacillus abundance and modified the hepatic transcriptional profile. These interventions resulted in reduced hepatic copper concentration and alleviation of WD-related liver injury. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals and mice with pronounced WD-related liver injury exhibited shifts in gut microbial composition. Regulating gut microbiota through healthy microbiota transplantation emerges as a promising therapeutic approach for treating WD-related liver injury.

Association between estimated plasma volume status and acute kidney injury in patients who underwent coronary revascularization: A retrospective cohort study from the MIMIC-IV database.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) remains a common complication of coronary revascularization and increases poor outcomes in critically ill surgical patients. Compared to the plasma volume status (PVS), estimated plasma volume status (ePVS) has the advantages of being noninvasive and simple and has been shown to be associated with worse prognosis in patients undergoing coronary revascularization. This study was to evaluate the association of ePVS with the risk of AKI in patients who underwent coronary revascularization. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, data of patients who underwent coronary revascularization were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-IV database (2008-2019). The outcome was the occurrence of AKI after ICU admission. The covariates were screened via the LASSO regression method. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression models were performed to assess the association of ePVS and PVS and the odds of AKI in patients who underwent coronary revascularization, with results shown as odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup analyses of age, surgery, and anticoagulation agents and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score were performed to further explore the association of ePVS with AKI. RESULTS: A total of 3,961 patients who underwent coronary revascularization were included in this study, of whom 2,863 (72.28%) had AKI. The high ePVS was associated with the higher odds of AKI in patients who received coronary revascularization (OR = 1.06, 95%CI: 1.02-1.10), after adjusting for the covariates such as age, race, SAPS-II score, SOFA score, CCI, weight, heart rate, WBC, RDW-CV, PT, BUN, glucose, calcium, PH, PaO2, mechanical ventilation, vasopressors, and diuretic. Similar results were found in patients who underwent the CABG (OR = 1.07, 95%CI: 1.02-1.11), without anticoagulation agents use (OR = 1.07, 95%CI: 1.03-1.12) and with high SOFA score (OR = 1.10, 95%CI: 1.04-1.17). No relationship was found between PVS and the odds of AKI in patients who underwent the coronary revascularization. CONCLUSION: The ePVS may be a promising parameter to evaluate the risk of AKI in patients undergoing coronary revascularization, which provides a certain reference for the risk stratification management of ICU patients who underwent coronary revascularization.

Washed microbiota transplantation promotes homing of group 3 innate lymphoid cells to the liver via the CXCL16/CXCR6 axis: a potential treatment for metabolic-associated fatty liver disease.

Despite the observed decrease in liver fat associated with metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) in mice following fecal microbiota transplantation, the clinical effects and underlying mechanisms of washed microbiota transplantation (WMT), a refined method of fecal microbiota transplantation, for the treatment of MAFLD remain unclear. In this study, both patients and mice with MAFLD exhibit an altered gut microbiota composition. WMT increases the levels of beneficial bacteria, decreases the abundance of pathogenic bacteria, and reduces hepatic steatosis in MAFLD-affected patients and mice. Downregulation of the liver-homing chemokine receptor CXCR6 on ILC3s results in an atypical distribution of ILC3s in patients and mice with MAFLD, characterized by a significant reduction in ILC3s in the liver and an increase in ILC3s outside the liver. Moreover, disease severity is negatively correlated with the proportion of hepatic ILC3s. These hepatic ILC3s demonstrate a mitigating effect on hepatic steatosis through the release of IL-22. Mechanistically, WMT upregulates CXCR6 expression on ILC3s, thereby facilitating their migration to the liver of MAFLD mice via the CXCL16/CXCR6 axis, ultimately contributing to the amelioration of MAFLD. Overall, these findings highlight that WMT and targeting of liver-homing ILC3s could be promising strategies for the treatment of MAFLD.

Corrigendum: Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals the role of phosphorylation-related genes in hepatocellular carcinoma stem cells.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.734287.].

Anemia Is Associated with Disease Severity, Hepatic Complications, and Progression of Wilson Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Anemia is a common manifestation of chronic liver diseases. It is a predictor of severe disease, a high risk of complications, and poor outcomes in various liver diseases. However, it remains unclear whether anemia serves as a similar indicator in patients with Wilson disease (WD). Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between anemia and severity, hepatic complications, and the progression of WD. METHODS: Medical data were collected retrospectively from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2020. Univariate and multivariate analyses were carried out to investigate the relationship between anemia and liver-associated disease severity, hepatic complications, and the progression of WD. RESULTS: A total of 288 WD patients (48 with and 240 without anemia) were enrolled in the study. Multivariate linear regression revealed that WD patients with anemia had significantly higher levels of bilirubin, alanine transaminase, prothrombin time, international normalized ratio, type Ⅳ collagen, and hyaluronic acid and significantly lower levels of albumin, total cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (all p < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression showed that anemia was a risk factor for gastric varices and ascites (all p < 0.05). Fully adjusted Cox regression revealed that anemia was an independent risk factor for advanced Child-Pugh classification (p = 0.034). CONCLUSIONS: Anemia was common in WD patients and was associated with greater disease severity, a higher risk of hepatic complications, and a faster progression.

Novel role of macrophage TXNIP-mediated CYLD-NRF2-OASL1 axis in stress-induced liver inflammation and cell death.

Background & Aims: The stimulator of interferon genes (STING)/TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) pathway is vital in mediating innate immune and inflammatory responses during oxidative/endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. However, it remains unknown whether macrophage thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) may regulate TBK1 function and cell death pathways during oxidative/ER stress. Methods: A mouse model of hepatic ischaemia/reperfusion injury (IRI), the primary hepatocytes, and bone marrow-derived macrophages were used in the myeloid-specific TXNIP knockout (TXNIPM-KO) and TXNIP-proficient (TXNIPFL/FL) mice. Results: The TXNIPM-KO mice were resistant to ischaemia/reperfusion (IR) stress-induced liver damage with reduced serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT)/aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels, macrophage/neutrophil infiltration, and pro-inflammatory mediators compared with the TXNIPFL/FL controls. IR stress increased TXNIP, p-STING, and p-TBK1 expression in ischaemic livers. However, TXNIPM-KO inhibited STING, TBK1, interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), and NF-κB activation with interferon-ß (IFN-ß) expression. Interestingly, TXNIPM-KO augmented nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (NRF2) activity, increased antioxidant gene expression, and reduced macrophage reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and hepatic apoptosis/necroptosis in IR-stressed livers. Mechanistically, macrophage TXNIP deficiency promoted cylindromatosis (CYLD), which colocalised and interacted with NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) to enhance NRF2 activity by deubiquitinating NOX4. Disruption of macrophage NRF2 or its target gene 2',5' oligoadenylate synthetase-like 1 (OASL1) enhanced Ras GTPase-activating protein-binding protein 1 (G3BP1) and TBK1-mediated inflammatory response. Notably, macrophage OASL1 deficiency induced hepatocyte apoptotic peptidase activating factor 1 (APAF1), cytochrome c, and caspase-9 activation, leading to increased caspase-3-initiated apoptosis and receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 3 (RIPK3)-mediated necroptosis. Conclusions: Macrophage TXNIP deficiency enhances CYLD activity and activates the NRF2-OASL1 signalling, controlling IR stress-induced liver injury. The target gene OASL1 regulated by NRF2 is crucial for modulating STING-mediated TBK1 activation and Apaf1/cytochrome c/caspase-9-triggered apoptotic/necroptotic cell death pathway. Our findings underscore a novel role of macrophage TXNIP-mediated CYLD-NRF2-OASL1 axis in stress-induced liver inflammation and cell death, implying the potential therapeutic targets in liver inflammatory diseases. Lay summary: Liver inflammation and injury induced by ischaemia and reperfusion (the absence of blood flow to the liver tissue followed by the resupply of blood) is a significant cause of hepatic dysfunction and failure following liver transplantation, resection, and haemorrhagic shock. Herein, we uncover an underlying mechanism that contributes to liver inflammation and cell death in this setting and could be a therapeutic target in stress-induced liver inflammatory injury.

Current Topics of Relevance to the Xenotransplantation of Free Pig Islets.

Pig islet xenotransplantation is a potential treatment for patients with type 1 diabetes. Current efforts are focused on identifying the optimal pig islet source and overcoming the immunological barrier. The optimal age of the pig donors remains controversial since both adult and neonatal pig islets have advantages. Isolation of adult islets using GMP grade collagenase has significantly improved the quantity and quality of adult islets, but neonatal islets can be isolated at a much lower cost. Certain culture media and coculture with mesenchymal stromal cells facilitate neonatal islet maturation and function. Genetic modification in pigs affords a promising strategy to prevent rejection. Deletion of expression of the three known carbohydrate xenoantigens (Gal, Neu5Gc, Sda) will certainly be beneficial in pig organ transplantation in humans, but this is not yet proven in islet transplantation, though the challenge of the '4th xenoantigen' may prove problematic in nonhuman primate models. Blockade of the CD40/CD154 costimulation pathway leads to long-term islet graft survival (of up to 965 days). Anti-CD40mAbs have already been applied in phase II clinical trials of islet allotransplantation. Fc region-modified anti-CD154mAbs successfully prevent the thrombotic complications reported previously. In this review, we discuss (I) the optimal age of the islet-source pig, (ii) progress in genetic modification of pigs, (iii) the immunosuppressive regimen for pig islet xenotransplantation, and (iv) the reduction in the instant blood-mediated inflammatory reaction.

LncRNAs Target Ferroptosis-Related Genes and Impair Activation of CD4+ T Cell in Gastric Cancer.

Gastric cancer (GC) is a malignant disease of the digestive tract and a life-threatening disease worldwide. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent cell death caused by lipid peroxidation, is reported to be highly correlated with gastric tumorigenesis and immune cell activity. However, the underlying relationship between ferroptosis and the tumor microenvironment in GC and potential intervention strategies have not been unveiled. In this study, we profiled the transcriptome and prognosis data of ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) in GC samples of the TCGA-STAD dataset. The infiltrating immune cells in GC were estimated using the CIBERSORT and XCELL algorithms. We found that the high expression of the hub FRGs (MYB, PSAT1, TP53, and LONP1) was positively correlated with poor overall survival in GC patients. The results were validated in an external GC cohort (GSE62254). Further immune cell infiltration analysis revealed that CD4+ T cells were the major infiltrated cells in the tumor microenvironment of GC. Moreover, the hub FRGs were significantly positively correlated with activated CD4+ T cell infiltration, especially Th cells. The gene features in the high-FRG score group were enriched in cell division, DNA repair, protein folding, T cell receptor, Wnt and NIK/NF-kappaB signaling pathways, indicating that the hub FRGs may mediate CD4+ T cell activation by these pathways. In addition, an upstream transcriptional regulation network of the hub FRGs by lncRNAs was also developed. Three lncRNAs (A2M-AS1, C2orf27A, and ZNF667-AS1) were identified to be related to the expression of the hub FRGs. Collectively, these results showed that lncRNA A2M-AS1, C2orf27A, and ZNF667-AS1 may target the hub FRGs and impair CD4+ T cell activation, which finally leads to poor prognosis of GC. Effective interventions for the above lncRNAs and the hub FRGs can help promote CD4+ T cell activation in GC patients and improve the efficacy of immunotherapy. These findings provide a novel idea of GC immunotherapy and hold promise for future clinical application.

Adult Pig Islet Isolation.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is caused by autoimmune destruction of pancreatic ß cells, which results in little or no insulin production. Islet transplantation plays an important role in the treatment of T1DM, with the improved glycometabolic control, the reduced progression of complications, the reduction of hypoglycemic episodes when compared with traditional insulin therapy. The results of phase III clinical trial also demonstrated the safety and efficacy of islet allotransplantation in T1DM. However, the shortage of pancreas donors limits its widespread use. Animals as a source of islets such as the pig offer an alternative choice. Because the architecture of the pig pancreas is different from the islets of mice or humans, the pig islet isolation procedure is still challenging. Since the translation of alternative porcine islet sources (xenogeneic) to the clinical setting for treating T1DM through cellular transplantation is of great importance, a cost-effective, standardized, and reproducible protocol for isolating porcine islets is urgently needed. This manuscript describes a simplified and cost-effective method to isolate and purify adult porcine islets based on the previous protocols that have successfully transplanted porcine islets to non-human primates. This will be a beginners guide without the use of specialized equipment such as a COBE 2991 Cell Processor.

Improving Outcomes of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: New Data and Ongoing Trials.

Targeted therapies such as oral tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are the main therapeutic strategy effective for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Currently six tyrosine kinase inhibitors for HCC therapy have been approved. The newly approved first-line drug donafenib represent the major milestones in HCC therapeutics in recent years. However, drug resistance in HCC remains challenging due to random mutations in target receptors as well as downstream pathways. TKIs-based combinatorial therapies with immune checkpoint inhibitors such as PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies afford a promising strategy to further clinical application. Recent developments of nanoparticle-based TKI delivery techniques improve drug absorption and bioavailability, enhance efficient targeting delivery, prolonged circulation time, and reduce harmful side effects on normal tissues, which may improve the therapeutic efficacy of the TKIs. In this review, we summarize the milestones and recent progress in clinical trials of TKIs for HCC therapy. We also provide an overview of the novel nanoparticle-based TKI delivery techniques that enable efficient therapy.

MicroRNA-135a expression is upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma and targets long non-coding RNA TONSL-AS1 to suppress cell proliferation.

Dysregulation of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) results in development of human diseases, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). lncRNA TONSL-AS1 has been reported to act as a tumor suppressor in gastric cancer. The present study aimed to investigate the role of TONSL-AS1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR analysis was performed to detect the expression levels of TONSL-AS1 and microRNA (miRNA/miR)-135a in HCC tissues and paired adjacent normal tissues. A 5-year follow-up study was performed to determine the prognostic value of TONSL-AS1 in HCC. The association between miR-135a and TONSL-AS1 was assessed via overexpression experiments. The Cell Counting Kit-8 assay was performed to assess cell proliferation. The results demonstrated that TONSL-AS1 expression was downregulated in HCC tissues, which was associated with a lower survival rate in patients with HCC. TONSL-AS1 and miR-135a were predicted to interact with each other, whereby overexpression of miR-135a downregulated TONSL-AS1 expression. The results demonstrated that TONSL-AS1 and miR-135a were inversely correlated with each other. Notably, overexpression of TONSL-AS1 inhibited HCC cell proliferation, while overexpression of miR-135a promoted HCC cell proliferation and decreased the effect of overexpression of TONSL-AS1 on cell proliferation. Taken together, the results of the present study suggest that miR-135a expression is upregulated in HCC and targets lncRNA TONSL-AS1 to suppress cell proliferation.

CD47-Mediated Hedgehog/SMO/GLI1 Signaling Promotes Mesenchymal Stem Cell Immunomodulation in Mouse Liver Inflammation.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The cluster of differentiation 47 (CD47)-signal regulatory protein alpha (SIRPα) signaling pathway plays important roles in immune homeostasis and tissue inflammatory response. Activation of the Hedgehog/smoothened (SMO)/GLI family zinc finger 1 (Gli1) pathway regulates cell growth, differentiation, and immune function. However, it remains unknown whether and how the CD47-SIRPα interaction may regulate Hedgehog/SMO/Gli1 signaling in mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-mediated immune regulation during sterile inflammatory liver injury. APPROACH AND RESULTS: In a mouse model of ischemia/reperfusion (IR)-induced sterile inflammatory liver injury, we found that adoptive transfer of MSCs increased CD47 expression and ameliorated liver IR injury. However, deletion of CD47 in MSCs exacerbated IR-induced liver damage, with increased serum ALT levels, macrophage/neutrophil infiltration, and pro-inflammatory mediators. MSC treatment augmented SIRPα, Hedgehog/SMO/Gli1, and Notch1 intracellular domain (NICD), whereas CD47-deficient MSC treatment reduced these gene expressions in IR-stressed livers. Moreover, disruption of myeloid SMO or Notch1 increased IR-triggered liver inflammation with diminished Gli1 and NICD, but enhanced NIMA related kinase 7 (NEK7) and NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) activation in MSC-transferred mice. Using a MSC/macrophage co-culture system, we found that MSC CD47 and macrophage SIRPα expression were increased after LPS stimulation. The CD47-SIRPα interaction increased macrophage Gli1 and NICD nuclear translocation, whereby NICD interacted with Gli1 and regulated its target gene Dvl2 (dishevelled segment polarity protein 2), which in turn inhibited NEK7/NLRP3 activity. CONCLUSIONS: The CD47-SIRPα signaling activates the Hedgehog/SMO/Gli1 pathway, which controls NEK7/NLRP3 activity through a direct interaction between Gli1 and NICD. NICD is a coactivator of Gli1, and the target gene Dvl2 regulated by the NICD-Gli1 complex is crucial for the modulation of NLRP3-driven inflammatory response in MSC-mediated immune regulation. Our findings provide potential therapeutic targets in MSC-mediated immunotherapy of sterile inflammatory liver injury.

Analysis of Differentially Expressed Proteins Involved in miR-449a for Hepatocellular Carcinoma by iTRAQ Proteomics.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the relationship between down-regulation of miR-449a and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to elucidate the potential target proteins of miR-449a. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The expression of miR-449a in 142 HCC tissues was detected by RT-PCR. The correlation between down-regulation of miR-449a and prognosis of HCC was statistically analyzed during clinical follow-up. The Bel-7042 HCC cell line in miR-449a-mimic and miR-449a-inhihbitor model was used, and the potential target protein of miR-449a was screened by isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) technology. RESULTS: miR-449a was significantly down-regulated in HCC tissues, which was significantly associated with post-operative metastasis (p < 0.0001) and recurrence (p < 0.0001). The median overall survival time in the low-expression group of miR-449a was significantly lower than that of the high-expression group (19 months vs. 37 months, p = 0.001). In addition, the tumor-free survival time of the low-expression group was significantly lower than that of the high-expression group (14 months vs. 24 months, p = 0.001). iTRAQ analysis screened out 137 differential proteins, among which 88 were up-regulated and 49 were down-regulated. GO clustering, KEGG pathway, and STRING analysis were performed, suggesting that these differential proteins have complicated functions, such as ATP binding, metal ion binding, RNA binding, human papillomavirus infection, and Epstein-Barr virus infection. CONCLUSIONS: miR-449a was negatively correlated with HCC prognosis. The differential proteins screened by iTRAQ can provide the basis for studying the target proteins regulated by miR-449a and understanding the pathogenesis of HCC.

Potential roles of mesenchymal stromal cells in islet allo- and xenotransplantation for type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Islet transplantation is poised to play an important role in the treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). However, there are several challenges limiting its widespread use, including the instant blood-mediated inflammatory reaction, hypoxic/ischemic injury, and the immune response. Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are known to exert regenerative, immunoregulatory, angiogenic, and metabolic properties. Here, we review recent reports on the application of MSCs in islet allo- and xenotransplantation. We also document the clinical trials that have been undertaken or are currently underway, relating to the co-transplantation of islets and MSCs. Increasing evidence indicates that co-transplantation of MSCs prolongs islet graft survival by locally secreted protective factors that reduce immune reactivity and promote vascularization, cell survival, and regeneration. MSC therapy may be a promising option for islet transplantation in patients with T1DM.

Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Reveals the Role of Phosphorylation-Related Genes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Stem Cells.

Abnormal activation of protein kinases and phosphatases is implicated in various tumorigenesis, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Advanced HCC patients are treated with systemic therapy, including tyrosine kinase inhibitors, which extend overall survival. Investigation of the underlying mechanism of protein kinase signaling will help to improve the efficacy of HCC therapy. Combining single-cell RNA sequencing data and TCGA RNA-seq data, we profiled the protein kinases, phosphatases, and other phosphorylation-related genes (PRGs) of HCC patients in this study. We found nine protein kinases and PRGs with high expression levels that were mainly detected in HCC cancer stem cells, including POLR2G, PPP2R1A, POLR2L, PRC1, ITBG1BP1, MARCKSL1, EZH2, DTYMK, and AURKA. Survival analysis with the TCGA dataset showed that these genes were associated with poor prognosis of HCC patients. Further correlation analysis showed that these genes were involved in cell cycle-related pathways that may contribute to the development of HCC. Among them, AURKA and EZH2 were identified as two hub genes by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Treatment with an AURKA inhibitor (alisertib) and an EZH2 inhibitor (gambogenic) inhibited HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. We also found that both AURKA and EZH2 were highly expressed in TP53-mutant HCC samples. Our comprehensive analysis of PRGs contributes to illustrating the mechanisms underlying HCC progression and identifying potential therapeutic targets for future clinical trials.

Functional crosstalk between myeloid Foxo1-ß-catenin axis and Hedgehog/Gli1 signaling in oxidative stress response.

Foxo1 transcription factor is an evolutionarily conserved regulator of cell metabolism, oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. Activation of Hedgehog/Gli signaling is known to regulate cell growth, differentiation, and immune function. However, the molecular mechanisms by which interactive cell signaling networks restrain oxidative stress response and necroptosis are still poorly understood. Here, we report that myeloid-specific Foxo1 knockout (Foxo1M-KO) mice were resistant to oxidative stress-induced hepatocellular damage with reduced macrophage/neutrophil infiltration, and proinflammatory mediators in liver ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI). Foxo1M-KO enhanced ß-catenin-mediated Gli1/Snail activity, and reduced receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3) and NIMA-related kinase 7 (NEK7)/NLRP3 expression in IR-stressed livers. Disruption of Gli1 in Foxo1M-KO livers deteriorated liver function, diminished Snail, and augmented RIPK3 and NEK7/NLRP3. Mechanistically, macrophage Foxo1 and ß-catenin colocalized in the nucleus, whereby the Foxo1 competed with T-cell factor (TCF) for interaction with ß-catenin under inflammatory conditions. Disruption of the Foxo1-ß-catenin axis by Foxo1 deletion enhanced ß-catenin/TCF binding, activated Gli1/Snail signaling, leading to inhibited RIPK3 and NEK7/NLRP3. Furthermore, macrophage Gli1 or Snail knockout activated RIPK3 and increased hepatocyte necroptosis, while macrophage RIPK3 ablation diminished NEK7/NLRP3-driven inflammatory response. Our findings underscore a novel molecular mechanism of the myeloid Foxo1-ß-catenin axis in regulating Hedgehog/Gli1 function that is key in oxidative stress-induced liver inflammation and necroptosis.

Quantification of Circulating Pig-Specific DNA in the Blood of a Xenotransplantation Model.

Xenotransplantation is a feasible method to treat organ failure. However, how to effectively monitor the immune rejection of xenotransplantation is a problem for physicians and researchers. This manuscript describes a simple and effective method to monitor immune rejection in pig-to-mouse cell transplantation models and pig-to-monkey artery patch transplantation models. Circulating DNA is a potentially non-invasive biomarker for organ damage. In this study, circulating pig-specific DNA (cpsDNA) was monitored during xenograft rejection by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). In this protocol, porcine specific primers were designed, plasmids-containing porcine specific DNA fragments were constructed, and standard curves for quantitation were established. Species-specific primers were then used to quantify cpsDNA by qPCR in pig-to-mouse cell transplantation models and pig-to-monkey artery patch transplantation models. The value of this method suggests that it can be used as a simple, convenient, low cost, and less invasive method to monitor the immune rejection of xenotransplantation.

Transcriptomic profiling of long non-coding RNAs in non-virus associated hepatocellular carcinoma.

Due to falling prevalence of viral hepatitis (VH), obesity, alcoholism and related liver diseases have become increasingly frequent and important as causes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, mechanisms underlying hepatocarcinogenesis and tumor progression in VH-negative HCC remain poorly understood. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in pathogenesis of human diseases, including HCC. Here, by analyzing 20 clinical samples' RNA-sequencing data generated from 8 VH-negative and 2 VH-positive HCC patients, we have identified and characterized 1,514 candidate lncRNAs. For differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between tumor tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues (P < 0.05, |FC| > 2), the upregulated genes were mainly involved in the cell proliferation, and the downregulated genes mediated the metabolic processes and responses to oxidative stress, inflammation and toxic substances. Furthermore, the lncRNA-mRNA co-expression network was constructed, by which two genetic aberrations with high frequency in HCC, SPATA46 and TMEM78, were identified. In addition, we identified 16 DEGs between tumor issues from VH-negative and VH-positive HCC patients with aim to explore gene expression differences that could be involved in the pathogenesis of HCC with varying etiology. In conclusion, we performed the comprehensive analysis of lncRNA and mRNA expression profiles, which could provide valuable insights into the underlying genetic alteration in non-virus associated HCC.

Selective inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 protects porcine aortic endothelial cells from human antibody-mediated complement-dependent cytotoxicity.

BACKGROUND: Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is an inducible enzyme with catalytic activity for biosynthesis of prostaglandins which are the key mediators of inflammation. COX-2 is also the therapeutic target for widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). However, the involvement of COX-2 in xenotransplantation (eg, pig-to-non-human primate) remains poorly recognized. METHODS: We investigated the mechanisms that regulate COX-2 expression and the effects of COX-2 on porcine aortic endothelial cell (PAEC) viability using in vitro pig-to-primate xenotransplantation model and in vivo pig-to-mouse cellular transplant model. Regulation of COX-2 expression was assessed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and Western blotting. The effects of inhibition or downregulation of COX-2 on PAEC viability were assessed by propidium iodide (PI)-Annexin V staining and Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. RESULTS: Human serum triggered robust COX-2 expression in PAECs in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Induction of COX-2 expression by human serum was partially through activation of both canonical and non-canonical nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κb) signaling and increasing intracellular calcium. Cytokines like tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1ß), IL-17, were able to induce COX-2 expression. Selective inhibition of COX-2 by celecoxib dramatically decreased PAEC death in vitro and in vivo as defined by propidium iodide (PI)-Annexin V staining. Consistently, downregulation of COX-2 expression by NF-κb inhibitors or calcium chelator BAPTA decreased human serum-induced PAEC death as well. Silencing of COX-2 expression by small interfering RNA (siRNA) protected PAEC viability when transplanted under kidney capsule of C57BL/6 mice. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our data suggest that COX-2 is highly induced in PAECs by xenogenic serum and associated with human antibody-mediated complement-dependent cytotoxicity. COX-2 might be a potential therapeutic target to improve xenotransplantation.