Ex-vivo expanded CD34+ cell transplantation alleviates fibrotic liver injury via innate immune modulation in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis mice.
Cytotherapy
; 26(8): 899-909, 2024 Aug.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38678462
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
In drug-induced liver injury, vascular endothelial progenitor cells, specifically the CD34+ cell fractions, have been found to decrease liver fibrosis and promote regeneration. However, it is unclear whether CD34+ cell transplantation has anti-fibrogenic effects on MASH, which has previously been treated effectively with anti-angiogenic therapy. We investigated the efficacy of ex vivo-expanded CD34+ cells in treating MASH livers. MATERIALS ANDMETHODS:
Diet-induced MASH mice were fed a choline-deficient, L-amino acid-defined, high-fat diet for 12 or 20 weeks, and were designated as a mild and a severe fibrosis model, respectively. Mouse bone marrow CD34+ cells were expanded for 7 days, transplanted into each mouse once or twice 2 weeks later, and sacrificed at 4 weeks after the first transplantation.RESULTS:
Expanded CD34+ cell transplantation ameliorated liver fibrosis, regardless of fibrosis degree, as indicated by the decrease in α-smooth muscle actin-positive cells, hydroxyproline concentration, and fibrogenic gene expression of Col1a1 and Timp1. Furthermore, engrafted CD34+ cells reduced alanine transaminase levels, the number of TUNEL+ hepatocytes, and 8-OHdG concentration. RNA-sequencing data showed that "defense response to virus" was the most down-regulated category in the Gene Ontology analysis and subsequent analysis revealed the suppression of RIG-I-like receptors/Irf7/Stat1/Cxcl10 axis in expanded CD34+ cell-transplanted livers. Finally, the downregulation of CXCL10 expression inhibits the mobilization of inflammatory immune cells, macrophages, T cells, and natural killer cells to the MASH liver.CONCLUSIONS:
These findings suggest that transplanted expanded CD34+ cells alleviate fibrotic liver injury in MASH mouse models through possible modulation of the innate immune response, which is abnormally activated by hepatocyte lipotoxicity.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Antigens, CD34
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Immunity, Innate
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Liver Cirrhosis
Limits:
Animals
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Humans
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Male
Language:
En
Journal:
Cytotherapy
Journal subject:
TERAPEUTICA
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country: