The direct profibrotic and indirect immune antifibrotic balance of blocking the cannabinoid 2 receptor

2012 ◽  
Vol 302 (12) ◽  
pp. G1364-G1372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yosefa Avraham ◽  
Johnny Amer ◽  
Sarit Doron ◽  
Lina Abu-Tair ◽  
Mahmud Mahamid ◽  
...  

Cannabinoid 2 (CB2) receptors expressed on immune cells are considered to be antifibrogenic. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) directly interact with phagocytosis lymphocytes, but the nature of this interaction is obscure. We aimed to study the effects of CB2 receptors on hepatic fibrosis via their role in mediating immunity. Hepatic fibrosis was induced by carbon-tetrachloride (CCl4) administration in C57BL/6 wild-type (WT) and CB2 knockout (CB2−/−) mice. Irradiated animals were reconstituted with WT or CB2−/−lymphocytes. Lymphocytes from naïve/fibrotic WT animals and healthy/cirrhotic hepatitis C virus were preincubated in vitro with or without CB2 antagonist, evaluated for proliferation and apoptosis, and then cocultured with primary mouse HSCs or a human HSC line (LX2), respectively. Lymphocyte phagocytosis was then evaluated. Following CCl4-administration, CB2−/−mice developed significant hepatic fibrosis but less necroinflammation. WT mice harbored decreased liver CD4+and NK+cells but increased CD8+subsets. Naïve CB2−/−mice had significantly decreased T cell subsets. Adoptive transfer of CB2−/−lymphocytes led to decreased fibrosis in the irradiated WT recipient compared with animals receiving WT lymphocytes. Moreover, necroinflammation also tended to decrease. In vitro, a CB2-antagonist directly increased human HSC activation and increased apoptosis and decreased proliferation of mice/human T cells (healthy/fibrotic) and their phagocytosis. We concluded that CB2−/−lymphocytes exert an antifibrotic activity, whereas lack of CB2 receptor in HSCs promotes fibrosis. These findings broaden our understanding of cannabinoid signaling in hepatic fibrosis beyond their activity solely in HSCs.

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Yang Hu ◽  
Nian Fu ◽  
Li Xian Chen ◽  
Jian Hua Xiao ◽  
Xue Feng Yang

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is an important rate-limiting enzyme in the synthesis of prostaglandins (PGs), which can be upregulated by various stimuli. COX-2 has been shown to be involved in the occurrence and development of hepatic fibrosis by regulating the proliferation and apoptosis of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in previous studies. The aims of the study are to study the mechanism of how COX-2 regulates the proliferation and apoptosis of HSCs and to provide new targets for the prevention and treatment of hepatic fibrosis. A short hairpin RNA targeting COX-2 was constructed, and the changes in proliferation and apoptosis of liver tissue cells and HSCs were observed, respectively. COX-2-shRNA-1 significantly suppressed the proliferation of HSCs in vivo. Moreover, knockdown of COX-2 significantly suppressed cell proliferation and accelerated cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in vitro. Among those differential genes related to cell proliferation and apoptosis, CDC27 and Sh3kbp1 were upregulated, but Plcd4 was suppressed. Mechanistically, the influence of COX-2 on HSCs partly depends on upregulating CDC27. Our results demonstrated that COX-2 regulates the proliferation and apoptosis of activated hepatic stellate cells through the CDC27 pathway. This study contributes to our understanding of the effect of COX-2 for the treatment of hepatic fibrosis.


1999 ◽  
Vol 73 (12) ◽  
pp. 10551-10555 ◽  
Author(s):  
Armin Ensser ◽  
André Pfinder ◽  
Ingrid Müller-Fleckenstein ◽  
Bernhard Fleckenstein

ABSTRACT The herpesvirus saimiri strain C488 genome contains five genes for small nuclear RNAs, termed herpesvirus saimiri URNAs (or HSURs). Using a cosmid-based approach, all HSURs were precisely deleted from the genome. The mutant virus replicated at levels that were similar to those of wild-type viruses in OMK cells. Although the HSURs are expressed in wild-type virus-transformed human T-cell lines, the deletion does not affect viral transformation in cell culture.


2011 ◽  
Vol 440 (3) ◽  
pp. 385-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey A. Handy ◽  
Ping P. Fu ◽  
Pradeep Kumar ◽  
Jamie E. Mells ◽  
Shvetank Sharma ◽  
...  

Adiponectin is protective against hepatic fibrosis, whereas leptin promotes fibrosis. In HSCs (hepatic stellate cells), leptin signals via a JAK2 (Janus kinase 2)/STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) pathway, producing effects that enhance ECM (extracellular matrix) deposition. SOCS-3 (suppressor of cytokine signalling-3) and PTP1B (protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B) are both negative regulators of JAK/STAT signalling, and recent studies have demonstrated a role for adiponectin in regulating SOCS-3 expression. In the present study we investigate mechanisms whereby adiponectin dampens leptin signalling and prevents excess ECM production. We treated culture-activated rat HSCs with recombinant adiponectin, leptin, both or neither, and also treated adiponectin knockout (Ad−/−) and wild-type mice with leptin and/or carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) or saline. We analyse JAK2 and Ob-Rb (long form of the leptin receptor) phosphorylation, and PTP1B expression and activity. We also explore potential mechanisms through which adiponectin regulates SOCS-3–Ob-Rb association. Adiponectin inhibits leptin-stimulated JAK2 activation and Ob-Rb phosphorylation in HSCs, whereas both were increased in Ad−/− mice. Adiponectin stimulates PTP1B expression and activity in vitro, whereas PTP1B expression was lower in Ad−/−mice than in wild-type mice. Adiponectin also promotes SOCS-3–Ob-R association and blocks leptin-stimulated formation of extracellular TIMP-1 (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1)–MMP-1 (matrix metalloproteinase-1) complexes in vitro. These results suggest two novel mechanisms whereby adiponectin inhibits hepatic fibrosis: (i) by promoting binding of SOCS-3 to Ob-Rb, and (ii) by stimulating PTP1B expression and activity, thus inhibiting JAK2/STAT3 signalling at multiple points.


2009 ◽  
Vol 296 (6) ◽  
pp. G1248-G1257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Azuma Watanabe ◽  
Muhammad Adnan Sohail ◽  
Dawidson Assis Gomes ◽  
Ardeshir Hashmi ◽  
Jun Nagata ◽  
...  

The inflammasome is a cytoplasmic multiprotein complex that has recently been identified in immune cells as an important sensor of signals released by cellular injury and death. Analogous to immune cells, hepatic stellate cells (HSC) also respond to cellular injury and death. Our aim was to establish whether inflammasome components were present in HSC and could regulate HSC functionality. Monosodium urate (MSU) crystals (100 μg/ml) were used to experimentally induce inflammasome activation in LX-2 and primary mouse HSC. Twenty-four hours later primary mouse HSC were stained with α-smooth muscle actin and visualized by confocal microscopy, and TGF-β and collagen1 mRNA expression was quantified. LX-2 cells were further cultured with or without MSU crystals for 24 h in a transwell chemotaxis assay with PDGF as the chemoattractant. We also examined inhibition of calcium (Ca2+) signaling in LX-2 cells treated with or without MSU crystals using caged inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3). Finally, we confirmed an important role of the inflammasome in experimental liver fibrosis by the injection of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) or thioacetamide (TAA) in wild-type mice and mice lacking components of the inflammasome. Components of the inflammasome are expressed in LX-2 cells and primary HSC. MSU crystals induced upregulation of TGF-β and collagen1 mRNA and actin reorganization in HSCs from wild-type mice but not mice lacking inflammasome components. MSU crystals inhibited the release of Ca2+ via IP3 in LX-2 cells and also inhibited PDGF-induced chemotaxis. Mice lacking the inflammasome-sensing and adaptor molecules, NLRP3 and apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing CARD, had reduced CCl4 and TAA-induced liver fibrosis. We concluded that inflammasome components are present in HSC, can regulate a variety of HSC functions, and are required for the development of liver fibrosis.


2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (7_suppl) ◽  
pp. 150-150
Author(s):  
Sergei Kusmartsev ◽  
Johaness Vieweg ◽  
Victor Prima

150 Background: NKG2D is a lectin-like type 2 transmembrane receptor that expressed by natural killer cells and some T cell subsets. Stimulation of NKG2D receptor with specific agonistic ligands produces activating signals through signaling adaptor protein DAP10 leading to the enhanced cytokine production, proliferation, and cytotoxicity against tumor cells. There is strong evidence that NKG2D ligands are expressed in many human tumors, including melanoma, leukemia, myeloma, glioma, and carcinomas of the prostate, breast, lung, and colon. Recent studies also demonstrated that T cells bearing chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) NKG2D linked to CD3ζ (zeta) chain produce marked in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor effects. The aim of current study was to determine whether human T cells bearing chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) NKGD2 linked to CD3ε (epsilon) chain could be activated by the NKG2D-specific stimulation and able to kill human cancer cells. Given the important role of CD3ε in activation and survival of T cells, we hypothesized that NKG2D-CDε-bearing T cells could exert strong in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor effects. Methods: NKG2D CAR was produced by linking human NKG2D to DAP10 and the cytoplasmic portion of the CD3ε chain. Original full-length human cDNA clones were obtained from NIH Mammalian Gene Collection (MGC). Functional domain analysis and oligonucleotide design in the in-Fusion system of DNA cloning (Clontech) was used to generate the retroviral expression constructs. Results: Human PBMC-derived T cells were retrovirally transduced with newly generated NKG2D-CD3ε CAR DNA construct. These NKG2D CAR-expressing human T cells responded to NKG2D-specific activation by producing IFN-γ and exhibited significant cellular cytotoxicity against human tumor cells in vitro. In vivo studies demonstrated that NKG2D-CD3ε-bearing cells are capable of inhibiting growth of DU-145 human prostate cancer in the immunodeficient mice. Conclusions: Collectively, our data indicate the feasibility of developing chimeric antigen receptor NKG2D-CD3ε for T cells and suggest that adoptive transfer of T cells bearing NKG2D-CD3ε CAR could be potentially effective for immunotherapy of cancer patients.


Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 450-450
Author(s):  
Rozemarijn S. van Rijn ◽  
Elles R. Simonetti ◽  
Gert Storm ◽  
Mark Bonyhadi ◽  
Anton Hagenbeek ◽  
...  

Abstract T cells retrovirally modified to express therapeutic genes encoding cytokines, exogenous TCRs or suicide molecules represent a novel class of immune therapeutics of great potency. However, recent clinical trials using retrovirally-modified T cells have indicated that T cells exhibit a diminished reactivity upon ex vivo manipulation. In addition, virus-specific memory T cells seem to be lost during gene transfer. In a BNML rat model we have shown that the culture procedure is one of the critical parameters. To preserve T cell reactivity, reliable models are required which permit readout of human T cell activity. We recently developed a huPBMC-RAG2−/−γc−/− mouse model for xenogeneic graft-versus-host disease (xGVHD), in which iv injection of 15 x 106 human T cells into RAG2−/−γc−/− mice consistently leads to high level engraftment and lethal xGVHD within 3 weeks in 80% of mice (van Rijn et al, Blood 2003). We have now used this model to analyze in vivo functionality of human T cells following different ex vivo culture procedures. For this, we cultured human T cells for 7 days with either of the two currently available clinically applicable stimulation conditions: 1) via CD3 and 2) via CD3/CD28. In addition, we included CD3/CD28/4-1BB stimulation to explore the effect of extensive costimulation. Mice were injected with escalating doses T cells. HuCD45+ cells in peripheral blood were measured by FACS. Lethal xGVHD occurred at only 6 times (90.106) the dose of fresh cells for CD3-stimulated T cells and 3 times for CD3/28- or CD3/28/4-1BB-stimulated cells. About 20% of surviving mice developed chronic xGVHD, independent of culture method. While lethal xGVHD was always associated with very high levels of engraftment (up to 95%) engraftment levels in chronic mice ranged from 1–75%. To compare the impact of the different culture conditions on in vivo T cell function, we analyzed engraftment potential. The fraction of huCD45+ cells was plotted against the time and the areas under the curves were compared. Based on a total of 68 mice, statistical analysis showed a 2-fold improvement of engraftment potential for C28-costimulated human T cells compared to CD3-stimulated cells (P<0.0001). Additional ligation of 4-1BB did not increase engraftment potential. In addition, different T cell subsets (naïve, memory, effector) were monitored based on the combined expression of CD45RA, CD27 and CCR7. For all primary T cells and variably cultured T cells, a strikingly similar pattern was observed in vivo. After 3 weeks mainly effector and memory effector T cells (both CD4+ and CD8+) could be detected, suggesting a (xeno-)antigen-driven survival and expansion. This was a very consistent observation independent of donor, culture condition, engraftment level or severity of disease. In conclusion, in vitro costimulation preserves in vivo functionality of human T cells and should therefore be included in future clinical protocols for ex vivo manipulation of T cells. These data show the feasibility to use the huPBMC-RAG2−/−γc−/− model for in vivo evaluation of in vitro effects on human T cells. This model is the most sensitive to date for in vivo evaluation of human T cells and will be a promising new tool for the study of human T cells in, for instance, autoimmune disease, cancer and infectious diseases like AIDS.


2014 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. S275
Author(s):  
R. Liebe ◽  
K. Breitkopf-Heinlein ◽  
U. Albrecht ◽  
M. Thomas ◽  
V. Costina ◽  
...  

PLoS ONE ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. e53988 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li-Jen Su ◽  
Chia-Chuan Chang ◽  
Chih-Hsueh Yang ◽  
Shur-Jong Hsieh ◽  
Yi-Chin Wu ◽  
...  

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