Targeting cholesterol impairs cell invasion of all breast cancer types.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer clinical outcome relies on its intrinsic molecular subtype and mortality is almost exclusively due to metastasis, whose mechanism remains unclear. We recently revealed the specific contribution of plasma membrane cholesterol to the invasion of malignant MCF10CAIa but not premalignant MCF10AT and normal MCF10A cell lines in 2D, through invadopodia formation and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation. In the present study, we address the impact of breast cancer subtypes, mutations and aggressiveness on cholesterol implication in breast cancer cell invasion and 3D spheroid invasion and growth. METHODS: We used nine breast cancer cell lines grouped in four subtypes matching breast tumor classification. Four of these cell lines were also used to generate 3D spheroids. These cell lines were compared for cell invasion in 2D and 3D, spheroid growth in 3D, gelatin degradation, cortactin expression, activation and subcellular distribution as well as cell surface cholesterol distribution and lipid droplets. The effect of plasma membrane cholesterol depletion on all these parameters was determined in parallel and systematically compared with the impact of global matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibition. RESULTS: The six invasive cell lines in 2D were sensitive to partial cholesterol depletion, independently of their subtype, aggressiveness or mutation. Nevertheless, the effect was stronger in the three cell lines able to degrade gelatin. 3D spheroid invasion was also reduced after cholesterol depletion in all breast cancer subtypes tested. Notably, targeting cholesterol was more powerful than MMP inhibition in reducing invasion in both 2D and 3D culture models. Moreover, cholesterol depletion in the six invasive cell lines impaired cortactin distribution in the perinuclear region where invadopodia localized. Breast cancer cell line aggressiveness relied on cholesterol-enriched domains at the ECM-free side and intracellular lipid droplets. Furthermore, the three gelatin-degrading cell lines were characterized by increased cholesterol-enriched submicrometric domains at their ECM-contact side. CONCLUSION: Together, our data suggest cell surface cholesterol combined with lipid droplet labeling as a breast cancer cell aggressiveness marker. They also open the way to test other cholesterol-targeting drugs in more complex models to further evaluate whether cholesterol could represent a strategy in breast cancer therapy.

Piezo1 Is Required for Myoblast Migration and Involves Polarized Clustering in Association with Cholesterol and GM1 Ganglioside.

A specific plasma membrane distribution of the mechanosensitive ion channel Piezo1 is required for cell migration, but the mechanism remains elusive. Here, we addressed this question using WT and Piezo1-silenced C2C12 mouse myoblasts and WT and Piezo1-KO human kidney HEK293T cells. We showed that cell migration in a cell-free area and through a porous membrane decreased upon Piezo1 silencing or deletion, but increased upon Piezo1 activation by Yoda1, whereas migration towards a chemoattractant gradient was reduced by Yoda1. Piezo1 organized into clusters, which were preferentially enriched at the front. This polarization was stimulated by Yoda1, accompanied by Ca2+ polarization, and abrogated by partial cholesterol depletion. Piezo1 clusters partially colocalized with cholesterol- and GM1 ganglioside-enriched domains, the proportion of which was increased by Yoda1. Mechanistically, Piezo1 activation induced a differential mobile fraction of GM1 associated with domains and the bulk membrane. Conversely, cholesterol depletion abrogated the differential mobile fraction of Piezo1 associated with clusters and the bulk membrane. In conclusion, we revealed, for the first time, the differential implication of Piezo1 depending on the migration mode and the interplay between GM1/cholesterol-enriched domains at the front during migration in a cell-free area. These domains could provide the optimal biophysical properties for Piezo1 activity and/or spatial dissociation from the PMCA calcium efflux pump.

Corrigendum: Variability of extracellular vesicle release during storage of red blood cell concentrates is associated with differential membrane alterations, including loss of cholesterol-enriched domains.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1205493.].

Improvement of Lipid Detection in Mouse Brain and Human Uterine Tissue Sections Using In Situ Matrix Enhanced Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry.

The potential of mass spectrometry imaging, and especially ToF-SIMS 2D and 3D imaging, for submicrometer-scale, label-free molecular localization in biological tissues is undisputable. Nevertheless, sensitivity issues remain, especially when one wants to achieve the best lateral and vertical (nanometer-scale) resolution. In this study, the interest of in situ matrix transfer for tissue analysis with cluster ion beams (Bin+, Arn+) is explored in detail, using a series of six low molecular weight acidic (MALDI) matrices. After estimating the sensitivity enhancements for phosphatidylcholine (PC), an abundant lipid type present in almost any kind of cell membrane, the most promising matrices were softly transferred in situ on mouse brain and human uterine tissue samples using a 10 keV Ar3000+ cluster beam. Signal enhancements up to 1 order of magnitude for intact lipid signals were observed in both tissues under Bi5+ and Ar3000+ bombardment. The main findings of this study lie in the in-depth characterization of uterine tissue samples, the demonstration that the transferred matrices also improve signal efficiency in the negative ion polarity and that they perform as well when using Bin+ and Arn+ primary ions for analysis and imaging.

Variability of extracellular vesicle release during storage of red blood cell concentrates is associated with differential membrane alterations, including loss of cholesterol-enriched domains.

Transfusion of red blood cell concentrates is the most common medical procedure to treat anaemia. However, their storage is associated with development of storage lesions, including the release of extracellular vesicles. These vesicles affect in vivo viability and functionality of transfused red blood cells and appear responsible for adverse post-transfusional complications. However, the biogenesis and release mechanisms are not fully understood. We here addressed this issue by comparing the kinetics and extents of extracellular vesicle release as well as red blood cell metabolic, oxidative and membrane alterations upon storage in 38 concentrates. We showed that extracellular vesicle abundance increased exponentially during storage. The 38 concentrates contained on average 7 × 1012 extracellular vesicles at 6 weeks (w) but displayed a ∼40-fold variability. These concentrates were subsequently classified into 3 cohorts based on their vesiculation rate. The variability in extracellular vesicle release was not associated with a differential red blood cell ATP content or with increased oxidative stress (in the form of reactive oxygen species, methaemoglobin and band3 integrity) but rather with red blood cell membrane modifications, i.e., cytoskeleton membrane occupancy, lateral heterogeneity in lipid domains and transversal asymmetry. Indeed, no changes were noticed in the low vesiculation group until 6w while the medium and the high vesiculation groups exhibited a decrease in spectrin membrane occupancy between 3 and 6w and an increase of sphingomyelin-enriched domain abundance from 5w and of phosphatidylserine surface exposure from 8w. Moreover, each vesiculation group showed a decrease of cholesterol-enriched domains associated with a cholesterol content increase in extracellular vesicles but at different storage time points. This observation suggested that cholesterol-enriched domains could represent a starting point for vesiculation. Altogether, our data reveal for the first time that the differential extent of extracellular vesicle release in red blood cell concentrates did not simply result from preparation method, storage conditions or technical issues but was linked to membrane alterations.

Effects of estradiol, progesterone or cAMP on expression of PGRMC1 and progesterone receptor in a xenograft model of human endometrium and in endometrial cell culture.

Estradiol and progesterone are key regulators of the menstrual cycle. In the human endometrium, progesterone induces morphological changes required for blastocyst implantation. Dysregulated response to progesterone can lead to endometrial pathologies including uterine bleeding and endometriosis. Besides the canonical nuclear progesterone receptor (encoded by the PGR gene), alternative response pathways include Progesterone Receptor Membrane Component 1 (PGRMC1), suspected to be involved in pathogenesis of endometrial diseases. We previously reported the spatiotemporal profile of PGRMC1 expression in the human endometrium along the menstrual cycle, highlighting progressive increase and decrease during the proliferative and secretory phases, respectively. Here we directly addressed its regulation by estradiol and progesterone, with systematic comparison with regulation of PGR expression. We found a direct correlation between expression of both genes during the proliferative and secretory phases in the cycling endometrium, but not during the menstrual phase. In a xenograft model mimicking the cycle phases, estradiol significantly increased and progesterone significantly decreased PGR expression but changes were not significant for PGRMC1. Finally, we did not find any significant effect of the ovarian steroids on expression of PGR or PGRMC1 in primary culture of endometrial stromal cells, except for a small increase in PGR expression by estradiol. Altogether, our experiments do not allow a major advance in our understanding of the mechanisms of cyclic variation of PGRMC1 expression, in particular regarding potential regulation by the ovarian steroids.

In-Depth Analysis of the Pancreatic Extracellular Matrix during Development for Next-Generation Tissue Engineering.

The pancreas is a complex organ consisting of differentiated cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) organized adequately to enable its endocrine and exocrine functions. Although much is known about the intrinsic factors that control pancreas development, very few studies have focused on the microenvironment surrounding pancreatic cells. This environment is composed of various cells and ECM components, which play a critical role in maintaining tissue organization and homeostasis. In this study, we applied mass spectrometry to identify and quantify the ECM composition of the developing pancreas at the embryonic (E) day 14.5 and postnatal (P) day 1 stages. Our proteomic analysis identified 160 ECM proteins that displayed a dynamic expression profile with a shift in collagens and proteoglycans. Furthermore, we used atomic force microscopy to measure the biomechanical properties and found that the pancreatic ECM was soft (≤400 Pa) with no significant change during pancreas maturation. Lastly, we optimized a decellularization protocol for P1 pancreatic tissues, incorporating a preliminary crosslinking step, which effectively preserved the 3D organization of the ECM. The resulting ECM scaffold proved suitable for recellularization studies. Our findings provide insights into the composition and biomechanics of the pancreatic embryonic and perinatal ECM, offering a foundation for future studies investigating the dynamic interactions between the ECM and pancreatic cells.

Splenectomy improves erythrocyte functionality in spherocytosis based on septin abundance, but not maturation defects.

Splenectomy improves the clinical parameters of patients with hereditary spherocytosis, but its potential benefit to red blood cell (RBC) functionality and the mechanism behind this benefit remain largely overlooked. Here, we compared 7 nonsplenectomized and 13 splenectomized patients with mutations in the ß-spectrin or the ankyrin gene. We showed that hematological parameters, spherocyte abundance, osmotic fragility, intracellular calcium, and extracellular vesicle release were largely but not completely restored by splenectomy, whereas cryohemolysis was not. Affected RBCs exhibited decreases in ß-spectrin and/or ankyrin contents and slight alterations in spectrin membrane distribution, depending on the mutation. These modifications were found in both splenectomized and nonsplenectomized patients and poorly correlated with RBC functionality alteration, suggesting additional impairments. Accordingly, we found an increased abundance of septins, small guanosine triphosphate-binding cytoskeletal proteins. Septins-2, -7, and -8 but not -11 were less abundant upon splenectomy and correlated with the disease severity. Septin-2 membrane association was confirmed by immunolabeling. Except for cryohemolysis, all parameters of RBC morphology and functionality correlated with septin abundance. The increased septin content might result from RBC maturation defects, as evidenced by (1) the decreased protein 4.2 and Rh-associated glycoprotein content in all patient RBCs, (2) increased endoplasmic reticulum remnants and endocytosis proteins in nonsplenectomized patients, and (3) increased lysosomal and mitochondrial remnants in splenectomized patients. Our study paves the way for a better understanding of the involvement of septins in RBC membrane biophysical properties. In addition, the lack of restoration of septin-independent cryohemolysis by splenectomy may call into question its recommendation in specific cases.

Cholesterol and Sphingomyelin Polarize at the Leading Edge of Migrating Myoblasts and Involve Their Clustering in Submicrometric Domains.

Myoblast migration is crucial for myogenesis and muscular tissue homeostasis. However, its spatiotemporal control remains elusive. Here, we explored the involvement of plasma membrane cholesterol and sphingolipids in this process. In resting C2C12 mouse myoblasts, those lipids clustered in sphingomyelin/cholesterol/GM1 ganglioside (SM/chol/GM1)- and cholesterol (chol)-enriched domains, which presented a lower stiffness than the bulk membrane. Upon migration, cholesterol and sphingomyelin polarized at the front, forming cholesterol (chol)- and sphingomyelin/cholesterol (SM/chol)-enriched domains, while GM1-enriched domains polarized at the rear. A comparison of domain proportion suggested that SM/chol- and GM1-enriched domains originated from the SM/chol/GM1-coenriched domains found at resting state. Modulation of domain proportion (through cholesterol depletion, combined or not with actin polymerization inhibition, or sphingolipid synthesis inhibition) revealed that the higher the chol- and SM/chol-enriched domains, the higher the myoblast migration. At the front, chol- and SM/chol-enriched domains were found in proximity with F-actin fibers and the lateral mobility of sphingomyelin in domains was specifically restricted in a cholesterol- and cytoskeleton-dependent manner while domain abrogation impaired F-actin and focal adhesion polarization. Altogether, we showed the polarization of cholesterol and sphingomyelin and their clustering in chol- and SM/chol-enriched domains with differential properties and roles, providing a mechanism for the spatial and functional control of myoblast migration.

Piezo1 Regulation Involves Lipid Domains and the Cytoskeleton and Is Favored by the Stomatocyte-Discocyte-Echinocyte Transformation.

Piezo1 is a mechanosensitive ion channel required for various biological processes, but its regulation remains poorly understood. Here, we used erythrocytes to address this question since they display Piezo1 clusters, a strong and dynamic cytoskeleton and three types of submicrometric lipid domains, respectively enriched in cholesterol, GM1 ganglioside/cholesterol and sphingomyelin/cholesterol. We revealed that Piezo1 clusters were present in both the rim and the dimple erythrocyte regions. Upon Piezo1 chemical activation by Yoda1, the Piezo1 cluster proportion mainly increased in the dimple area. This increase was accompanied by Ca2+ influx and a rise in echinocytes, in GM1/cholesterol-enriched domains in the dimple and in cholesterol-enriched domains in the rim. Conversely, the effects of Piezo1 activation were abrogated upon membrane cholesterol depletion. Furthermore, upon Piezo1-independent Ca2+ influx, the above changes were not observed. In healthy donors with a high echinocyte proportion, Ca2+ influx, lipid domains and Piezo1 fluorescence were high even at resting state, whereas the cytoskeleton membrane occupancy was lower. Accordingly, upon decreases in cytoskeleton membrane occupancy and stiffness in erythrocytes from patients with hereditary spherocytosis, Piezo1 fluorescence was increased. Altogether, we showed that Piezo1 was differentially controlled by lipid domains and the cytoskeleton and was favored by the stomatocyte-discocyte-echinocyte transformation.

BRAFV600E Expression in Thyrocytes Causes Recruitment of Immunosuppressive STABILIN-1 Macrophages.

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most frequent histological subtype of thyroid cancers (TC), and BRAFV600E genetic alteration is found in 60% of this endocrine cancer. This oncogene is associated with poor prognosis, resistance to radioiodine therapy, and tumor progression. Histological follow-up by anatomo-pathologists revealed that two-thirds of surgically-removed thyroids do not present malignant lesions. Thus, continued fundamental research into the molecular mechanisms of TC downstream of BRAFV600E remains central to better understanding the clinical behavior of these tumors. To study PTC, we used a mouse model in which expression of BRAFV600E was specifically switched on in thyrocytes by doxycycline administration. Upon daily intraperitoneal doxycycline injection, thyroid tissue rapidly acquired histological features mimicking human PTC. Transcriptomic analysis revealed major changes in immune signaling pathways upon BRAFV600E induction. Multiplex immunofluorescence confirmed the abundant recruitment of macrophages, among which a population of LYVE-1+/CD206+/STABILIN-1+ was dramatically increased. By genetically inactivating the gene coding for the scavenger receptor STABILIN-1, we showed an increase of CD8+ T cells in this in situ BRAFV600E-dependent TC. Lastly, we demonstrated the presence of CD206+/STABILIN-1+ macrophages in human thyroid pathologies. Altogether, we revealed the recruitment of immunosuppressive STABILIN-1 macrophages in a PTC mouse model and the interest to further study this macrophage subpopulation in human thyroid tissues.

Spatiotemporal expression pattern of Progesterone Receptor Component (PGRMC) 1 in endometrium from patients with or without endometriosis or adenomyosis.

The endometrium plays a crucial role in reproduction and, in humans, is cyclically remodeled under hormonal control. Estradiol favors tissue proliferation whereas progesterone inhibits tissue growth and induces morphological changes. Endometriosis is often associated with fertility issues and with exacerbated estrogen and reduced progesterone concentration or response in the eutopic endometrium. However, underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Progesterone Receptor Membrane Component (PGRMC) 1 is a protein able to modulate progesterone response and its murine knockout reduced fertility. However, the precise spatiotemporal pattern of PGRMC1 expression in the human endometrium is still poorly characterized. We investigated variations of eutopic endometrial PGRMC1 expression by combining RT-qPCR, immunofluorescence and in situ hybridization. We found that PGRMC1 expression progressively increases during the proliferative phase and decreases during the secretory phase. However, immunolabeling and identification of mRNA-containing cells were regularly heterogeneous in samples, according to tissue depth, with a gradient extending from the surface epithelium towards the basalis. There was no significant difference in PGRMC1 mRNA amounts between patients with or without endometriosis or adenomyosis, for any phase of the menstrual cycle, but cells with strong or moderate PGRMC1 immunolabeling were reduced during the proliferative phase in endometriotic patients. In conclusion, although the cyclical variation of PGRMC1 expression globally follows fluctuation of ovarian steroids, further work is required to precisely characterize hormonal control and identify the additional levels of regulation responsible for local adjustment of PGRMC1 concentration. This is particularly important in the light of recent studies emphasizing the correlation between adequate PGRMC1 amounts and fertility.

Identification and implication of tissue-enriched ligands in epithelial-endothelial crosstalk during pancreas development.

Development of the pancreas is driven by an intrinsic program coordinated with signals from other cell types in the epithelial environment. These intercellular communications have been so far challenging to study because of the low concentration, localized production and diversity of the signals released. Here, we combined scRNAseq data with a computational interactomic approach to identify signals involved in the reciprocal interactions between the various cell types of the developing pancreas. This in silico approach yielded 40,607 potential ligand-target interactions between the different main pancreatic cell types. Among this vast network of interactions, we focused on three ligands potentially involved in communications between epithelial and endothelial cells. BMP7 and WNT7B, expressed by pancreatic epithelial cells and predicted to target endothelial cells, and SEMA6D, involved in the reverse interaction. In situ hybridization confirmed the localized expression of Bmp7 in the pancreatic epithelial tip cells and of Wnt7b in the trunk cells. On the contrary, Sema6d was enriched in endothelial cells. Functional experiments on ex vivo cultured pancreatic explants indicated that tip cell-produced BMP7 limited development of endothelial cells. This work identified ligands with a restricted tissular and cellular distribution and highlighted the role of BMP7 in the intercellular communications contributing to vessel development and organization during pancreas organogenesis.

AG-205 Upregulates Enzymes Involved in Cholesterol Biosynthesis and Steroidogenesis in Human Endometrial Cells Independently of PGRMC1 and Related MAPR Proteins.

An inappropriate response to progestogens in the human endometrium can result in fertility issues and jeopardize progestin-based treatments against pathologies such as endometriosis. PGRMC1 can mediate progesterone response in the breast and ovaries but its endometrial functions remain unknown. AG-205 is an alleged PGRMC1 inhibitor but its specificity was recently questioned. We added AG-205 in the cultures of two endometrial cell lines and performed a transcriptomic comparison. AG-205 significantly increased expression of genes coding enzymes of the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway or of steroidogenesis. However, these observations were not reproduced with cells transfected with siRNA against PGRMC1 or its related proteins (MAPRs). Furthermore, AG-205 retained its ability to increase expression of selected target genes even when expression of PGRMC1 or all MAPRs was concomitantly downregulated, indicating that neither PGRMC1 nor any MAPR is required to mediate AG-205 effect. In conclusion, although AG-205 has attractive effects encouraging its use to develop therapeutic strategies, for instance against breast cancer, our study delivers two important warning messages. First, AG-205 is not specific for PGRMC1 or other MAPRs and its mechanisms of action remain unclear. Second, due to its effects on genes involved in steroidogenesis, its use may increase the risk for endometrial pathologies resulting from imbalanced hormones concentrations.

Matrix metalloproteinase-2: Not (just) a "hero" of the past.

The 72-kDa type IV collagenase or gelatinase A is the second member of the matrix metalloproteinase family, MMP-2. Since the discovery of its first two substrates within components of the extracellular matrix, denatured interstitial type I collagen and native type IV collagen, the roles and various levels of regulation of MMP-2 have been intensively studied, mainly in vitro. Its (over)expression in most if not all tumors was considered a hallmark of cancer aggressiveness and boosted investigations aiming at its inhibition. Unfortunately, the enthusiasm subsided like a soufflé after clinical trial failures, mostly because of insufficient knowledge of in vivo MMP-2 activities and detrimental side effects of broad-spectrum MMP inhibition. Nowadays, MMP-2 remains a major topic of interest in research, the second in the MMP family after MMP-9. This review presents a broad overview of the major features of this protease. This knowledge is crucial to identify diagnostic or therapeutic strategies focusing on MMP-2. In this sense, recent publications and clinical trials underline the potential value of measuring circulating or tissular MMP-2 levels as diagnostic or prognostic tools, or as a useful secondary outcome for therapies against other primary targets. Direct MMP-2 inhibition has benefited from substantial progress in the design of more specific inhibitors but their in vivo application remains challenging but certainly worth the efforts it receives.

High-resolution mapping and recognition of lipid domains using AFM with toxin-derivatized probes.

Cellular membrane lateral organization, in particular the assembly of lipids in domains, is difficult to evaluate at high resolution. Here, we used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to investigate at high-resolution lipid membranes containing variable amounts of sphingomyelin (SM) and cholesterol (Chol), two abundant membrane lipids. To this end, we developed new AFM tip functionalization strategies to specifically probe SM and Chol. Multiparametric AFM imaging allowed us to highlight the lateral submicrometric organization of these two lipids within lipid bilayers through the simultaneous topographic evidence of different phase regimes together with the extraction of their nanomechanical properties and the specific detection of lipid moieties by functionalized AFM probes. The combination of AFM topography and nanomechanical mapping with specific probes for molecular recognition of lipids represents a novel approach to identify lipid-enriched domains in supported bilayers and offers a unique perspective to directly observe lipid assemblies in living cells.

Chronic liver injury promotes hepatocarcinoma cell seeding and growth, associated with infiltration by macrophages.

Ninety percent of hepatocarcinoma (HCC) develops in a chronically damaged liver. Interactions between non-tumor stromal components, especially macrophages, and cancer cells are still incompletely understood. Our aim was to determine whether a chronically injured liver represents a favorable environment for the seeding and growth of HCC cells, and to evaluate the potential roles of macrophages infiltrated within the tumor. HCC cells were injected into the liver in healthy mice (healthy liver group [HL]) and in mice chronically treated with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4 ) for 7 weeks (CCl4 7w group). Livers were examined for the presence of tumor 2 weeks post-injection. Tumor and non-tumor tissues were analyzed for macrophage infiltration, origin (monocytes-derived vs resident macrophages) and polarization state, and MMP production. Fifty-three percent of mice developed neoplastic lesion in the HL group whereas a tumor lesion was found in all livers in the CCl4 7w group. Macrophages infiltrated more deeply the tumors of the CCl4 7w group. Evaluation of factors involved in the recruitment of macrophages and of markers of their polarization state was in favor of prominent infiltration of M2 pro-tumor monocyte-derived macrophages inside the tumors developing in a chronically injured liver. MMP-2 and -9 production, attributed to M2 pro-tumor macrophages, was significantly higher in the tumors of the CCl4 7w group. In our model, chronic liver damage promotes cancer development. Our results suggest that an injured background favors the infiltration of M2 pro-tumor monocyte-derived macrophages. These secrete MMP-2 and MMP-9 that promote tumor progression.

Matrix Metalloproteinase Activity Correlates With Uterine Myoma Volume Reduction After Ulipristal Acetate Treatment.

Context: Ulipristal acetate (UPA), a selective progesterone receptor modulator, clinically reduces uterine myoma size in 80% of cases. However, the molecular mechanism of action is still poorly understood, as is the reason why 20% of myomas do not respond to treatment. Objective: To elucidate whether matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) are associated with myoma volume shrinkage after UPA therapy. Design: Prospective study. Setting: Academic research unit of a university hospital. Patients: Uterine biopsies were obtained from 59 patients with symptomatic myomas undergoing myomectomy, 45 of whom were treated preoperatively with either one or greater than or equal to two, 3-month courses of UPA and 14 not given any hormone therapy to serve as controls. Myoma volume was individually monitored during UPA therapy to determine any substantial clinical response (defined as a reduction in volume of >25%). Three groups were established based on the response to treatment: responsive (R) after one course (n = 12); R after two to four courses (n = 15); and nonresponsive (NR; n = 18). Interventions: UPA treatment given as preoperative management for symptomatic myomas. Main Outcome Measures: MMP and TIMP expression assessed by zymography and immunohistochemistry. Results: Compared with controls and NR myomas, responders showed significantly higher expression levels for MMP-1 (P < 0.0001) and MMP-2 (P = 0.009) and significantly lower expression levels for TIMP-1 (P = 0.040). Conclusions: The correlation found between MMP expression and volume fold change supports the notion that MMPs play a key role in UPA-induced myoma shrinkage.

Human liver mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells inhibit hepatic stellate cell activation: in vitro and in vivo evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Progressive liver fibrosis leads to cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease. This disease is a consequence of strong interactions between matrix-producing hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and resident and infiltrating immune cell populations. Accumulated experimental evidence supports the involvement of adult-derived human liver mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells (ADHLSCs) in liver regeneration. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of ADHLSCs on HSCs, both in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: Activated human HSCs were co-cultured with ADHLSCs or ADHLSC-conditioned culture medium. The characteristics of the activated human HSCs were assessed by microscopy and biochemical assays, whereas proliferation was analyzed using flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry. The secretion profile of activated HSCs was evaluated by ELISA and Luminex. ADHLSCs were transplanted into a juvenile rat model of fibrosis established after co-administration of phenobarbital and CCl4. RESULTS: When co-cultured with ADHLSCs or conditioned medium, the proliferation of HSCs was inhibited, beginning at 24 h and for up to 7 days. The HSCs were blocked in G0/G1 phase, and showed decreased Ki-67 positivity. Pro-collagen I production was reduced, while secretion of HGF, IL-6, MMP1, and MMP2 was enhanced. Neutralization of HGF partially blocked the inhibitory effect of ADHLSCs on the proliferation and secretion profile of HSCs. Repeated intrahepatic transplantation of cryopreserved/thawed ADHLSCs without immunosuppression inhibited the expression of markers of liver fibrosis in 6 out of 11 rats, as compared to their expression in the vehicle-transplanted group. CONCLUSIONS: These data provide evidence for a direct inhibitory effect of ADHLSCs on activated HSCs, which supports their development for the treatment of liver fibrosis.