Cardiorenal fibrosis and dysfunction in aging: Imbalance in mediators and regulators of collagen

Cardiorenal fibrosis is a biological process that increases with age and contributes to dysfunction of the heart and kidney. While numerous circulating and tissue hormones, cytokines and enzymes have been identified in the development of cardiorenal fibrosis, several reports have suggested that the anti-fibrotic natriuretic peptide system (NPS), pro-fibrotic renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS), transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1), matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) are fundamental regulators and mediators of this process. However, the simultaneous assessment of these components in the development of age-mediated cardiorenal fibrotic remodeling is not completely understood. Thus, we assessed cardiorenal structure and function, the circulating NPS and RAAS and the cardiorenal tissue gene expression of collagen (Col) I, Col III, TGF-β1, MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in 2 and 20 month old Fischer rats. Our studies determined that aging was characterized by an increase in cardiorenal fibrosis that was accompanied with cardiorenal dysfunction. These alterations were associated with lower circulating atrial and C-type natriuretic peptides and higher angiotensin II and aldosterone levels in the aged rats. Moreover, we observed a decrease in Col I and III and an increase in TIMP- mRNA expressions in the aged heart and kidney, while TGF-β1 expression increased and MMP-9 decreased only in the aged kidney. We conclude that the age-mediated alterations in these fibrotic regulator and mediator profiles favors collagen accumulation due to an imbalance between the NPS and RAAS as well as a decline in the degradative pathway, thus suggesting a therapeutic opportunity to target these components.     

中性粒细胞胞外诱捕网在矽肺中的作用研究

目的:通过构建二氧化硅诱导动物矽肺模型,探讨中性粒细胞胞外诱捕网(neutrophil nxtracellular traps,NETs)在矽肺中可能的作用。方法:将C57BL/6J雄性小鼠完全随机分为磷酸盐缓冲液(phosphate buffered solution,PBS)组、脱氧核糖核酸酶Ⅰ(deoxyribonuclease Ⅰ, DNase Ⅰ)组、二氧化硅+PBS组、二氧化硅+DNase Ⅰ组。通过气管内滴注二氧化硅(0.2 g/kg)混悬液构建小鼠矽肺模型,PBS组与DNase Ⅰ组注入等体积的PBS。在二氧化硅(silicon dioxide,SiO_2)混悬液注入后的第0小时、10小时小鼠气管内注入DNase Ⅰ(5 mg/kg),以后DNase Ⅰ持续给药:5 mg/kg/day,直到SiO_2混悬液注入后的28天。二氧化硅(SiO_2)干预28天后,取各组小鼠肺组织与肺泡灌洗液,通过PicoGreen荧光染料检测支气管肺泡灌洗液(bronchoalveolar lavage fluid,BALF)中NETs水平,酶联免疫吸附实验(enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, ELISA)检测BALF中转化生长因子β1 (transforming growth factor-β1,TGF-β1)与炎症因子白细胞介素6(interleukin-6,IL-6)、白细胞介素1β(interleukin-1β,IL-1β)、肿瘤坏死因子α(tumor necrosis factor-α,TNF-α)水平,HE染色和Masson染色观察肺组织的病理学变化,Western Blot检测肺组织中NETs特异性组分瓜氨酸化组蛋白3(citrullinated-histone3,Cit-H3)表达。结果:SiO_2干预28天后,与PBS组相比,二氧化硅+PBS组小鼠肺组织炎症损伤加重,BALF中促炎介质IL-1β、IL-6、TNF-α水平上升;肺组织发生纤维化,大量硅结节形成;肺组织中Cit-H3蛋白表达量增加,BALF中NETs水平显著升高。予以NETs抑制剂DNase Ⅰ进行干预后,肺组织NETs水平显著下降,二氧化硅诱导的肺部炎症损伤、纤维化显著减轻。结论:NETs水平升高可能介导了二氧化硅诱导的小鼠矽肺模型肺部炎症损伤与纤维化。     

不同能量CO2点阵激光对博来霉素诱导的小鼠增生性瘢痕的作用及Hedgehog信号通路的影响

目的:探讨不同能量CO_2点阵激光对博莱霉素诱导的小鼠增生性瘢痕模型的作用及其对瘢痕组织中Hedgehog信号通路的影响。方法:于雄性C57BL/6J小鼠背部皮肤注射博来霉素(1 mg/d,4周)制作增生性瘢痕模型,另取4只小鼠背部注射PBS缓冲液作为对照。造模成功之后,随机将小鼠分为瘢痕对照组(模型组),10 mj激光治疗组(10 mj组)和20 mj激光治疗组(20 mj组),每组6只小鼠。10 mj组小鼠给予10 mj激光治疗(共3次,每次间隔2周);20 mj组小鼠给予20 mj激光治疗(共3次,每次间隔2周)。治疗结束后,处死小鼠,取瘢痕全层标本进行病理组织学染色观察(HE、Masson染色)以及α-平滑肌肌动蛋白(α-SMA)、GLi1免疫荧光观察。结果:①我们成功复制出小鼠增生性瘢痕模型;②20 mj CO_2点阵激光治疗可有效修复瘢痕组织,经治疗后皮肤瘢痕程度显著减轻,同时可降低真皮层厚度和减轻瘢痕组织的纤维化程度;③免疫荧光染色结果提示,CO_2点阵激光可显著减少小鼠皮肤增生性瘢痕中α-SMA、GLi1表达。结论:于小鼠的背部皮肤注射博莱霉素可建立增生性瘢痕模型。CO_2点阵激光为治疗增生性瘢一种有效的治疗方式,其作用可能与其对Hedgehog信号通路的抑制有关。     

丁基苯酞对心力衰竭大鼠心房颤动的影响及作用机制

为探讨丁基苯酞(DL-3-N-butylphthalide,NBP)对心肌梗死诱导的心力衰竭(heart failure,HF)大鼠心房结构重塑和心房颤动形成的影响,本研究将心力衰竭模型大鼠随机分为丁基苯酞组(NBP)、模型组(Model)和假手术组(Sham)。将丁基苯酞用大豆油溶解,制成10 mg/mL的丁基苯酞溶液。丁基苯酞组按照80 mg/kg体重对SD大鼠进行灌胃,模型组和假手术组用等量的大豆油灌胃。假手术组大鼠接受相同手术但未结扎左前降支冠状动脉。分别检测大鼠的超声心动图、心房颤动诱导性试验及心房纤维化,并检测TNF-α、TGF-β1、NF-κB、Nrf2和HO-1的蛋白表达。研究显示,应用丁基苯酞治疗4周后,NBP组大鼠心功能显著改善(p<0.05);NBP组大鼠心房颤动诱导能力和持续时间显著降低(p<0.05);NBP组大鼠心房纤维化程度显著减轻(p<0.05)。丁基苯酞显著抑制TNF-α,NF-κB和TGF-β1的蛋白表达,并上调Nrf2和HO-1的蛋白表达。并且,NBP对TNF-α/NF-κB/TGF-β1和纤维化的抑制作用可能与Nrf2/HO-1信号通路的激活有关。因此,丁基苯酞有望成为预防房颤的上游治疗中的有效药物。     

Antifibrotic effect of methylated quercetin derivatives on TGFβ-induced hepatic stellate cells

Quercetin (QCT) and isorhamnetin (ISO), natural flavonoids, were both shown to possess antifibrotic activity in in vivo and in vitro models of hepatic fibrosis. Although ISO is a direct metabolite of QCT differing by a methyl group, it has been reported to be absorbed more adequately and eliminated slower than QCT after oral administration. Our aim of the study was to investigate biological effect of mono-methylated QCT derivatives against fibrosis using rat hepatic stellate cells (HSC-T6). All test derivatives were synthesized from QCT. HSC-T6 cells were induced by TGFβ and treated with derivatives followed by cell proliferation assay, immunofluorescence staining of αSMA, and gene expression analysis of fibrosis markers. All compounds showed a dose- and time-dependent antiproliferation effect. ISO, 3-O-methylquercetin (3MQ), and rhamnetin (RHA) reduced αSMA mRNA; 3MQ prevented the augmentation of collagen I mRNA; and compounds, except azaleatin and 3MQ, reduced Timp1 mRNA expression in TGFβ-induced HSCs. In conclusion, each compound had singular effect against different features of fibrosis depending on the position of methyl group although the further mechanism of action of compounds during fibrosis development remains to be investigated. These findings suggest that antifibrotic effect of quercetin can be enhanced by adding methyl group on functionally important position.     

Tumor necrosis factor-α signaling in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and targeted therapies

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), an inflammatory subtype of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, is featured by significantly elevated levels of various proinflammatory cytokines. Among numerous proinflammatory factors that contribute to NASH pathogenesis, the secreted protein, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), plays an essential role in multiple facets of NASH progression and is therefore considered as a potential therapeutic target. In this review, we will first systematically describe the preclinical studies on the biochemical function of TNF-α and its intracellular downstream signaling mechanisms through its receptors. Moreover, we extensively discuss its functions in regulating inflammation, cell death, and fibrosis of liver cells in the pathogenesis of NASH, and the molecular mechanism that TNF-α expression is regulated by NF-κB and other upstream master regulators during NASH progression. As TNF-α is one of the causal factors that remarkably contributes to NASH progression, combination of therapeutic modalities, including TNF-α-based therapies may lead to the resolution of NASH via multiple pathways and thus generate clinical benefits. For translational studies, we summarize recent advances in strategies targeting TNF-α and its signaling pathway, which paves the way for potential therapeutic treatments for NASH in the future.     

Phenotyping Mouse Pulmonary Function In Vivo with the Lung Diffusing Capacity

The mouse is now the primary animal used to model a variety of lung diseases. To study the mechanisms that underlie such pathologies, phenotypic methods are needed that can quantify the pathologic changes. Furthermore, to provide translational relevance to the mouse models, such measurements should be tests that can easily be done in both humans and mice. Unfortunately, in the present literature few phenotypic measurements of lung function have direct application to humans. One exception is the diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide, which is a measurement that is routinely done in humans. In the present report, we describe a means to quickly and simply measure this diffusing capacity in mice. The procedure involves brief lung inflation with tracer gases in an anesthetized mouse, followed by a 1 min gas analysis time. We have tested the ability of this method to detect several lung pathologies, including emphysema, fibrosis, acute lung injury, and influenza and fungal lung infections, as well as monitoring lung maturation in young pups. Results show significant decreases in all the lung pathologies, as well as an increase in the diffusing capacity with lung maturation. This measurement of lung diffusing capacity thus provides a pulmonary function test that has broad application with its ability to detect phenotypic structural changes with most of the existing pathologic lung models.     

Human Dupuytren's Ex Vivo Culture for the Study of Myofibroblasts and Extracellular Matrix Interactions

Organ fibrosis or “scarring” is known to account for a high death toll due to the extensive amount of disorders and organs affected (from cirrhosis to cardiovascular diseases). There is no effective treatment and the in vitro tools available do not mimic the in vivo situation rendering the progress of the out of control wound healing process still enigmatic.To date, 2D and 3D cultures of fibroblasts derived from DD patients are the main experimental models available. Primary cell cultures have many limitations; the fibroblasts derived from DD are altered by the culture conditions, lack cellular context and interactions, which are crucial for the development of fibrosis and weakly represent the derived tissue. Real-time PCR analysis of fibroblasts derived from control and DD samples show that little difference is detectable. 3D cultures of fibroblasts include addition of extracellular matrix that alters the native conditions of these cells. As a way to characterize the fibrotic, proliferative properties of these resection specimens we have developed a 3D culture system, using intact human resections of the nodule part of the cord. The system is based on transwell plates with an attached nitrocellulose membrane that allows contact of the tissue with the medium but not with the plastic, thus, preventing the alteration of the tissue. No collagen gel or other extracellular matrix protein substrate is required. The tissue resection specimens maintain their viability and proliferative properties for 7 days. This is the first “organ” culture system that allows human resection specimens from DD patients to be grown ex vivo and functionally tested, recapitulating the in vivo situation.     

肝素结合性表皮生长因子在心肌重塑中的作用

肝素结合性表皮生长因子（HB-EGF）是表皮生长因子家族成员之一。HB-EGF是多种细胞的有丝分裂原,参与一系列生理和病理过程,包括心肌细胞肥大,成纤维细胞增生,胶原纤维表达增多,是心肌重塑发生发展过程中的一个重要生长因子。本文综述了HB-EGF在心肌重塑过程中的研究进展。