Endothelial c-Myc knockout enhances diet-induced liver inflammation and fibrosis.

Endothelial cells play an essential role in inflammation through synthesis and secretion of chemoattractant cytokines and expression of adhesion molecules required for inflammatory cell attachment and infiltration. The mechanisms by which endothelial cells control the pro-inflammatory response depend on the type of inflammatory stimuli, endothelial cell origin, and tissue involved. In the present study, we investigated the role of the transcription factor c-Myc in inflammation using a conditional knockout mouse model in which Myc is specifically deleted in the endothelium. At a systemic level, circulating monocytes, the chemokine CCL7, and the extracellular-matrix protein osteopontin were significantly increased in endothelial c-Myc knockout (EC-Myc KO) mice, whereas the cytokine TNFSF11 was downregulated. Using an experimental model of steatohepatitis, we investigated the involvement of endothelial c-Myc in diet-induced inflammation. EC-Myc KO animals displayed enhanced pro-inflammatory response, characterized by increased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and leukocyte infiltration, and worsened liver fibrosis. Transcriptome analysis identified enhanced expression of genes associated with inflammation, fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma in EC-Myc KO mice relative to control (CT) animals after short-exposure to high-fat diet. Analysis of a single-cell RNA-sequencing dataset of human cirrhotic livers indicated downregulation of MYC in endothelial cells relative to healthy controls. In summary, our results suggest a protective role of endothelial c-Myc in diet-induced liver inflammation and fibrosis. Targeting c-Myc and its downstream pathways in the endothelium may constitute a potential strategy for the treatment of inflammatory disease.

Erythropoiesis in vertebrates: from ontogeny to clinical relevance.

Erythropoiesis is a complex process that starts in the course of embryo formation and it is maintained throughout the life of an organism. During the fetal development, erythropoiesis arises from different body sites and erythroblast maturation occurs in the fetal liver. After birth, erythropoiesis and erythroblast maturation take place exclusively in the bone marrow, generating a lifetime reservoir of red blood cells (RBCs), which are responsible for transporting oxygen through the bloodstream to tissues and organs. Several transcription factors and cytokines, such as GATA-1, GATA-2, FOG-1 and erythropoietin (EPO), constitute an elaborated molecular network that regulates erythropoiesis as they are involved in the differentiation and maturation of RBCs. The profound understanding of erythropoiesis is fundamental to avoid, treat or even soften the effects of erythropoietic clinical disorders and may be useful to improve patients' well-being.