CCR2 is a potential therapeutic target in peri-implantitis.

AIM: CCR2 (C-C chemokine receptor type 2) plays a crucial role in inflammatory and bone metabolic diseases; however, its role in peri-implantitis remains unclear. This study aimed to explore whether CCR2 contributes to peri-implantitis and the treatment effects of cenicriviroc (CVC) on peri-implant inflammation and bone resorption. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expression of CCR2 was studied using clinical tissue analysis and an in vivo peri-implantitis model. The role of CCR2 in promoting inflammation and bone resorption in peri-implantitis was evaluated in Ccr2-/- mice and wild-type mice. The effect of CVC on peri-implantitis was evaluated using systemic and local dosage forms. RESULTS: Human peri-implantitis tissues showed increased CCR2 and CCL2 levels, which were positively correlated with bone loss around the implants. Knocking out Ccr2 in an experimental model of peri-implantitis resulted in decreased monocyte and macrophage infiltration, reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine generation and impaired osteoclast activity, leading to reduced inflammation and bone loss around the implants. Treatment with CVC ameliorated bone loss in experimental peri-implantitis. CONCLUSIONS: CCR2 may be a potential target for peri-implantitis treatment by harnessing the immune-inflammatory response to modulate the local inflammation and osteoclast activity.

Dominant neoantigen verification in hepatocellular carcinoma by a single-plasmid system coexpressing patient HLA and antigen.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies confirmed that most neoantigens predicted by algorithms do not work in clinical practice, and experimental validations remain indispensable for confirming immunogenic neoantigens. In this study, we identified the potential neoantigens with tetramer staining, and established the Co-HA system, a single-plasmid system coexpressing patient human leukocyte antigen (HLA) and antigen, to detect the immunogenicity of neoantigens and verify new dominant hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) neoantigens. METHODS: First, we enrolled 14 patients with HCC for next-generation sequencing for variation calling and predicting potential neoantigens. Then, the Co-HA system was established. To test the feasibility of the system, we constructed target cells coexpressing HLA-A*11:01 and the reported KRAS G12D neoantigen as well as specific T-cell receptor (TCR)-T cells. The specific cytotoxicity generated by this neoantigen was shown using the Co-HA system. Moreover, potential HCC-dominant neoantigens were screened out by tetramer staining and validated by the Co-HA system using methods including flow cytometry, enzyme-linked immunospot assay and ELISA. Finally, antitumor test in mouse mode and TCR sequencing were performed to further evaluate the dominant neoantigen. RESULTS: First, 2875 somatic mutations in 14 patients with HCC were identified. The main base substitutions were C>T/G>A transitions, and the main mutational signatures were 4, 1 and 16. The high-frequency mutated genes included HMCN1, TTN and TP53. Then, 541 potential neoantigens were predicted. Importantly, 19 of the 23 potential neoantigens in tumor tissues also existed in portal vein tumor thrombi. Moreover, 37 predicted neoantigens restricted by HLA-A*11:01, HLA-A*24:02 or HLA-A*02:01 were performed by tetramer staining to screen out potential HCC-dominant neoantigens. HLA-A*24:02-restricted epitope 5'-FYAFSCYYDL-3' and HLA-A*02:01-restricted epitope 5'-WVWCMSPTI-3' demonstrated strong immunogenicity in HCC, as verified by the Co-HA system. Finally, the antitumor efficacy of 5'-FYAFSCYYDL-3'-specific T cells was verified in the B-NDG-B2mtm1Fcrntm1(mB2m) mouse and their specific TCRs were successfully identified. CONCLUSION: We found the dominant neoantigens with high immunogenicity in HCC, which were verified with the Co-HA system.

A signature based on NKG2D ligands to predict the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after radical resection.

INTRODUCTION: Due to the high recurrence, the HCC prognosis remains poor. Yet, the biomarkers for predicting the recurrence of high-risk patients are currently lacking. We aimed to develop a signature to predict the recurrence of HCC based on NKG2D ligands. METHODS: The multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression was used to select recurrence-related variables of NKG2D ligands in HCC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). HCC patients from the OEP000321 dataset and Guilin cohort were used to validate the predictive signature. The mRNA expression of NKG2D ligands was measured by QRT-PCR. Immunohistochemistry analysis of HCC tissue microarray samples was used to identify the expression of NKG2D ligands. RESULTS: In this study, NKG2D ligands expression in the mRNA and protein level was both abnormally expressed in HCC and associated with recurrence-free survival (RFS). Then, the recurrence-related variables of NKG2D ligands in HCC were selected by the multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression. Among the eight NKG2D ligands, MICA (HR = 1.347; 95% CI = 1.012-1.793; p = 0.041), ULBP3 (HR = 0.453; 95% CI = 0.231-0.889; p = 0.021) and ULBP5 (HR = 3.617; 95% CI = 1.819-7.194; p < 0.001) were significantly correlated with RFS in the TCGA-LIHC cohort. Then, the signature was constructed by the three NKG2D ligands. The predictive effectiveness of this signature was also validated in the OEP000321 dataset and Guilin cohort. Further, HCC patients were classified into low-risk and high-risk subgroups by the predictive score. Compared with the low-risk group, the high-risk group had poor RFS in both training and validation cohorts. Importantly, compared with the low-risk patients with the G1-G2 stage, the levels of infiltrated NK-activated cells and NKG2D expression were both lower in the high-risk patients. CONCLUSIONS: The signature based on MICA, ULBP3, and ULBP5 could predict HCC recurrence.

Critical roles for CCR2 and the therapeutic potential of cenicriviroc in periodontitis: A pre-clinical study.

AIM: CCR2 plays important roles in many inflammatory and bone metabolic diseases, but its specific role in periodontitis is unknown. In the present study, we aimed to explore the role of CCR2 in the progression of periodontitis and evaluate the effect of cenicriviroc (CVC) on periodontitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expression of CCR2 was studied in patients with periodontitis and in ligation-induced murine model of periodontitis. The role of CCR2 in promoting inflammation and bone resorption in periodontitis was evaluated in Ccr2-/- mice and wild-type mice. The effect of CVC in the prevention and treatment of periodontitis was evaluated by systemic and local medication. Microcomputed tomography, haematoxylin and eosin staining, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and flow cytometry were used for histomorphology, molecular biology, and cytology analysis, respectively. RESULTS: In this study, we demonstrated that CCR2 was highly expressed in human and murine periodontitis and that CCR2 deficiency was associated with decreased inflammatory monocyte and macrophage infiltration and inflammatory mediators, osteoclast number and alveolar bone resorption. Prevention and treatment with CVC significantly reduced the severity of periodontitis, regardless of whether it was administered systemically or locally. CONCLUSIONS: CCR2 plays an important role in the development and progression of periodontitis, and CVC is a potential drug for the prevention and treatment of periodontitis.

Functional Roles of Chemokine Receptor CCR2 and Its Ligands in Liver Disease.

Chemokines are a family of cytokines that orchestrate the migration and positioning of immune cells within tissues and are critical for the function of the immune system. CCR2 participates in liver pathology, including acute liver injury, chronic hepatitis, fibrosis/cirrhosis, and tumor progression, by mediating the recruitment of immune cells to inflammation and tumor sites. Although a variety of chemokines have been well studied in various diseases, there is no comprehensive review presenting the roles of all known chemokine ligands of CCR2 (CCL2, CCL7, CCL8, CCL12, CCL13, CCL16, and PSMP) in liver disease, and this review aims to fill this gap. The introduction of each chemokine includes its discovery, its corresponding chemotactic receptors, physiological functions and roles in inflammation and tumors, and its impact on different immune cell subgroups.

FAM19A5/TAFA5, a novel neurokine, plays a crucial role in depressive-like and spatial memory-related behaviors in mice.

FAM19A5/TAFA5 is a member of the family with sequence similarity 19 with unknown function in emotional and cognitive regulation. Here, we reported that FAM19A5 was highly expressed in the embryonic and postnatal mouse brain, especially in the hippocampus. Behaviorally, genetic deletion of Fam19a5 resulted in increased depressive-like behaviors and impaired hippocampus-dependent spatial memory. These behavioral alterations were associated with the decreased expression of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors and N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptors, as well as significantly reduced glutamate release and neuronal activity in the hippocampus. Subsequently, these changes led to the decreased density of dendritic spines. In recent years, the roles of chronic stress participating in the development of depression have become increasingly clear, but the mechanism remains to be elucidated. We found that the levels of FAM19A5 in plasma and hippocampus of chronic stress-treated mice were significantly decreased whereas overexpression of human FAM19A5 selectively in the hippocampus could attenuate chronic stress-induced depressive-like behaviors. Taken together, our results revealed for the first time that FAM19A5 plays a key role in the regulation of depression and spatial cognition in the hippocampus. Furthermore, our study provided a new mechanism for chronic stress-induced depression, and also provided a potential biomarker for the diagnosis and a new strategy for the treatment of depression.

FAM3D is essential for colon homeostasis and host defense against inflammation associated carcinogenesis.

The physiological homeostasis of gut mucosal barrier is maintained by both genetic and environmental factors and its impairment leads to pathogenesis such as inflammatory bowel disease. A cytokine like molecule, FAM3D (mouse Fam3D), is highly expressed in mouse gastrointestinal tract. Here, we demonstrate that deficiency in Fam3D is associated with impaired integrity of colonic mucosa, increased epithelial hyper-proliferation, reduced anti-microbial peptide production and increased sensitivity to chemically induced colitis associated with high incidence of cancer. Pretreatment of Fam3D-/- mice with antibiotics significantly reduces the severity of chemically induced colitis and wild type (WT) mice co-housed with Fam3D-/- mice phenocopy Fam3D-deficiency showing increased sensitivity to colitis and skewed composition of fecal microbiota. An initial equilibrium of microbiota in cohoused WT and Fam3D-/- mice is followed by an increasing divergence of the bacterial composition after separation. These results demonstrate the essential role of Fam3D in colon homeostasis, protection against inflammation associated cancer and normal microbiota composition.

PSMP/MSMP promotes hepatic fibrosis through CCR2 and represents a novel therapeutic target.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: C-C motif chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) has been recognized as a promising target for the treatment of liver fibrosis. PC3-secreted microprotein (PSMP)/microseminoprotein (MSMP) is a novel chemotactic cytokine and its receptor is CCR2. In the present study we investigated the expression and role of PSMP in liver fibrosis/cirrhosis. METHODS: PSMP expression was studied in patients with fibrosis/cirrhosis and in 3 murine models of liver fibrosis, including mice treated with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), bile-duct ligation, or a 5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine diet. The role of PSMP was evaluated in Psmp-/- mice and after treatment with a PSMP antibody in wild-type mice. The direct effects of PSMP on macrophages and hepatic stellate cells were studied in vitro. RESULTS: In this study, we found that PSMP was highly expressed in fibrotic/cirrhotic tissues from patients with different etiologies of liver disease and in the 3 experimental mouse models of fibrosis. Damage-associated molecular pattern molecules HMGB-1 and IL-33 induced hepatocytes to produce PSMP. PSMP deficiency resulted in a marked amelioration of hepatic injury and fibrosis. In CCl4-induced hepatic injury, the infiltration of macrophages and CCR2+ monocytes into the liver was significantly decreased in Psmp-/- mice. Consistent with the decreased levels of intrahepatic macrophages, proinflammatory cytokines were significantly reduced. Moreover, adeno-associated virus-8 vectors successfully overexpressing human PSMP in Psmp-/- mouse livers could reverse the attenuation of liver injury and fibrosis induced by CCl4 in a CCR2-dependent manner. Treatment with a specific PSMP-neutralizing antibody, 3D5, prevented liver injury and fibrosis induced by CCl4 in mice. At the cellular level, PSMP directly promoted M1 polarization of macrophages and activation of LX-2 cells. CONCLUSION: PSMP enhances liver fibrosis through its receptor, CCR2. PSMP is a potentially attractive therapeutic target for the treatment of patients with liver fibrosis. LAY SUMMARY: Our present study identifies the essential role of the protein PSMP for the development and progression of liver fibrosis in humans and mice. PSMP promotes liver fibrosis through inflammatory macrophage infiltration, polarization and production of proinflammatory cytokines, as well as direct activation of hepatic stellate cells via its receptor CCR2. A PSMP antibody can significantly reduce liver fibrosis development in vivo. These findings indicate that PSMP is a potential therapeutic target and its antibody is a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of liver fibrosis.

Elevated Expression Levels of PC3-Secreted Microprotein (PSMP) in Prostate Cancer Associated With Increased Xenograft Growth and Modification of Immune-Related Microenvironment.

Prostate cancer (PCa), especially metastatic PCa, is one of the main cancer types accounting for male mortality worldwide. Over decades, researchers have tried to search for effective curative methods for PCa, but many attempts have failed. The therapeutic failure of PCa is usually due to off-target or side effects; thus, finding a key molecule that could prevent PCa metastatic progression has become the most important goal for curing aggressive PCa. In this study, we collected hundreds of PCa tissues and serum and urine samples from patients to verify the upregulated expression of PC3-secreted microprotein (PSMP) in PCa tumor tissues with high Gleason scores. According to biopsy results, PSMP expression was found related to extraprostatic extension (EPE), contributing to PCa metastasis. Mechanistically, recombinant PSMP protein could promote the proliferation both in vitro and in vivo, and rhPSMP could promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of PC3 in vitro. Additionally, PSMP could also influence cytokine production in the xenograft model and monocyte migration and macrophage polarization in vitro. Our most important finding was that neutralizing antibodies against PSMP could suppress xenograft PC3 growth and promote the survival of PC3 metastatic mice model, providing an effective option to cure human PCa.

FAM19A1 is a new ligand for GPR1 that modulates neural stem-cell proliferation and differentiation.

FAM19A1 is a member of the family with sequence similarity 19 with unknown function. FAM19A1 mRNA expression is restricted to the CNS. Here, we report that FAM19A1 is a classic secretory protein, and expression levels correlate with brain development, increasing from embryonic d 12.5, peaking between postnatal d (P)1 and P7 and decreasing at wk 8. The adult hippocampus is a region of FAM19A1 high expression. Recombinant FAM19A1 suppressed the proliferation and self-renewal of neural stem cells (NSCs) and altered the lineage progression of NSCs with promoted neuron differentiation and suppressed astrocyte differentiation. Although GPCR 1 (GPR1) has been reported to be expressed in the CNS, its functions in the brain remain unclear. We identified GPR1 to be a functional receptor for FAM19A1. FAM19A1 interacted with GPR1 via the N-terminal domain (GPR1-ND), and its NSC modulatory functions required the Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) /ERK1/2 and ROCK/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signaling pathways. GPR1-ND that selectively bound to FAM19A1 neutralized the effects of FAM19A1 on NSC functions. Taken together, our results show, for the first time to our knowledge, that FAM19A1 is a novel regulatory factor of the proliferation and differentiation of NSCs, and identified a novel mechanism by which GPCR mediates the effects of FAM19A1 on NSC functions that may be important for brain development and neurogenesis. Additional exploration of the functions of FAM19A1 and GPR1 in the CNS may broaden the range of therapeutic options available for major brain disorders.-Zheng, C., Chen, D., Zhang, Y., Bai, Y., Huang, S., Zheng, D., Liang, W., She, S., Peng, X., Wang, P., Mo, X., Song, Q., Lv, P., Huang, J., Ye, R. D., Wang, Y. FAM19A1 is a new ligand for GPR1 that modulates neural stem-cell proliferation and differentiation.

The PSMP-CCR2 interactions trigger monocyte/macrophage-dependent colitis.

Monocytes/macrophages have been found to be an important component of colitis. However, the key chemokine that initiates the CCR2+ monocytes migration from circulation to colitis tissue remains to be undiscovered. PC3-secreted microprotein (PSMP) is a novel chemokine whose receptor is CCR2. The physiological and pathological functions of PSMP have not yet been reported. In this study, PSMP was found to be expressed in colitis and colonic tumor tissues from patients and significantly up-regulated in mouse DSS-induced colitis tissues. PSMP overexpression in the colon aggravated the DSS-induced colitis and the anti-PSMP neutralizing antibody mollified the colitis by reducing macrophage infiltration and inhibiting the expression of IL-6, TNF-α and CCL2. Furthermore, we demonstrated that lipopolysaccharide and muramyl dipeptide induced PSMP expression in the colonic epithelial cells. PSMP was up-regulated in the initial stage prior to IL-6, TNF-α and CCL2 up-regulated expression in DSS colitis and promoted the M1 macrophages to produce CCL2. PSMP chemo-attracted Ly6Chi monocytes in a CCR2 dependent manner via in situ chemotaxis and adoptive transfer assays. Our data identify PSMP as a key molecule in ulcerative colitis, which provides a novel mechanism of monocyte/macrophage migration that affects gut innate immunity and makes PSMP a potential target for controlling colitis.

Identification of FAM3D as a new endogenous chemotaxis agonist for the formyl peptide receptors.

The family with sequence similarity 3 (FAM3) gene family is a cytokine-like gene family with four members FAM3A, FAM3B, FAM3C and FAM3D. In this study, we found that FAM3D strongly chemoattracted human peripheral blood neutrophils and monocytes. To identify the FAM3D receptor, we used chemotaxis, receptor internalization, Ca(2+) flux and radioligand-binding assays in FAM3D-stimulated HEK293 cells that transiently expressed formyl peptide receptor (FPR)1 or FPR2 to show that FAM3D was a high affinity ligand of these receptors, both of which were highly expressed on the surface of neutrophils, and monocytes and macrophages. After being injected into the mouse peritoneal cavity, FAM3D chemoattracted CD11b+ Ly6G+ neutrophils in a short time. In response to FAM3D stimulation, phosphorylated ERK1/2 and phosphorylated p38 MAPK family proteins were upregulated in the mouse neutrophils, and this increase was inhibited upon treatment with an inhibitor of FPR1 or FPR2. FAM3D has been reported to be constitutively expressed in the gastrointestinal tract. We found that FAM3D expression increased significantly during colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium. Taken together, we propose that FAM3D plays a role in gastrointestinal homeostasis and inflammation through its receptors FPR1 and FPR2.