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Combined systemic disruption of MET and EGFR signaling causes liver failure in normal mice

ABSTRACT: MET and EGFR receptor tyrosine kinases are crucial for liver regeneration and normal hepatocyte function. Recently we demonstrated that in mice, combined inhibition of these two signaling pathways abolished liver regeneration following hepatectomy, with subsequent hepatic failure and death at 15-18 days post-resection. Morbidity was associated with distinct and specific alterations in important downstream signaling pathways that led to a decrease in hepatocyte volume, reduced proliferation, and shutdown of many essential hepatocyte functions such as fatty acid synthesis, urea cycle, and mitochondrial functions. In the present study we explore the role of MET and EGFR signaling in resting mouse livers that are not subjected to hepatectomy. Mice with combined disruption of MET and EGFR signaling (Delta MET + EGFRi) were noticeably sick by 10 day and died at 12-14 days. Delta MET + EGFRi mice showed decreased liver to body weight ratios, increased apoptosis in non-parenchymal cells, impaired liver metabolic functions, and activation of distinct, downstream signaling pathways related to inflammation, cell death, and survival. Conclusion: The present study demonstrates that in addition to controlling the regenerative response, MET and EGFR synergistically control baseline liver homeostasis in normal mice in such a way that their combined disruption leads to liver failure and death. We used microarrays to detail the global programme of gene expression in Delta MET + EGFRi mice liver vs control mice liver

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

PROVIDER: GSE116307 | GEO | 2018/07/09

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:TCPOBOP (1,4-Bis [2-(3,5-Dichloropyridyloxy)] benzene) is a constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) agonist that induces robust hepatocyte proliferation and hepatomegaly without any liver injury or tissue loss. TCPOBOP-induced direct hyperplasia has been considered to be CAR-dependent with no evidence of involvement of cytokines or growth factor signaling. Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), MET and EGFR, are known to play a critical role in liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy, but their role in TCPOBOP-induced direct hyperplasia, not yet explored, is investigated in the current study. Disruption of the RTK-mediated signaling was achieved utilizing MET KO mice along with Canertinib treatment for EGFR inhibition. Combined elimination of MET and EGFR signaling [MET KO + EGFRi], but not individual disruption, dramatically reduced TCPOBOP-induced hepatomegaly and hepatocyte proliferation. TCPOBOP-driven CAR activation was not altered in [MET KO + EGFRi] mice, as measured by nuclear CAR translocation and analysis of typical CAR target genes. However, TCPOBOP induced cell cycle activation was impaired in [MET KO + EGFRi] mice due to defective induction of cyclins, which regulate cell cycle initiation and progression. TCPOBOP-driven induction of FOXM1, a key transcriptional regulator of cell cycle progression during TCPOBOP-mediated hepatocyte proliferation, was greatly attenuated in [MET KO + EGFRi] mice. Interestingly, TCPOBOP treatment caused transient decline in HNF4α expression concomitant to proliferative response; this was not seen in [MET KO + EGFRi] mice. Transcriptomic profiling revealed vast majority (~40%) of TCPOBOP-dependent genes mainly related to proliferative response, but not to drug metabolism, were differentially expressed in [MET KO + EGFRi] mice. Conclusion: Taken together, combined disruption of EGFR and MET signaling lead to dramatic impairment of TCPOBOP-induced proliferative response without altering CAR activation. We used microarrays to detail the global programme of gene expression in [METKO + EGFRi] mice liver following TCPOBOP treatment

Project description:EGFR is a critical regulator of hepatocyte proliferation and liver regeneration. Our recent work indicated EGFR can also regulate lipid metabolism during liver regeneration after partial-hepatectomy. Based on these findings, we investigated role of EGFR in a mouse model of NAFLD utilizing a pharmacological inhibition strategy. C57BL6/J mice were fed chow-diet, or fast-food diet with/without EGFR inhibitor (Canertinib) for 2-months. EGFR inhibition completely prevented development of steatosis and liver injury in this model. In order to study if EGFR inhibition can reverse NAFLD progression, mice were fed fast-food diet for 5-months, with/without Canertinib-treatment for the last 5-weeks of the study. EGFR-inhibition remarkably decreased steatosis, liver injury, fibrosis and improved glucose tolerance. Microarray analysis revealed ~40% of genes altered by fast-food diet were differentially expressed after EGFR-inhibition, and thus, are potentially regulated by EGFR. Several genes and enzymes related to lipid metabolism (particularly fatty-acid synthesis and lipolysis), which were disrupted by fast-food diet, were found to be modulated by EGFR. Several crucial transcription factors that play a central role in regulating these lipid metabolism genes during NAFLD, including PPARγ, SREBF1, ChREBP and HNF4α, were also found to be modulated by EGFR. In fact, ChIP-analysis revealed PPARγ binding to several crucial lipid metabolisms genes (Fasn, Scd1 and Plin2) was drastically reduced by EGFR inhibition. Further upstream, EGFR-inhibition suppressed AKT signaling, which is known to control these transcription factors, including PPARγ and SREBF1, in NAFLD models. Lastly, the effect of EGFR in FFD-induced fatty-liver phenotype was not shared by receptor-tyrosine-kinase MET, as investigated using MET-KO mice. In-conclusion, our study revealed a role of EGFR in NAFLD and the potential of EGFR-inhibition as a treatment strategy for NAFLD. We used microarrays to detail the global programme of gene expression in liver of C57BL6/J mice fed fast-food diet mice treated with EGFR inhibitor (canertinib)

Project description:Background: HGF/c-Met signaling plays a pivotal role in hepatocyte survival and tissue remodeling during liver regeneration. Treatment with HGF has been shown to accelerate resolution of fibrotic liver lesions in experimental animal models. To formally address the importance of c-Met signaling in hepatocytes in the context of chronic liver injury, we have used hepatocyte-specific Metfl/fl;Alb-Cre+/- conditional knockout mice (KO) and a model of liver fibrosis. Methods: CCl4 was administrated biweekly over a period of 4 weeks (injury phase), and the animals were followed over the next 4 weeks (healing phase). Macroscopic and microscopic changes during the injury and healing phases were monitored by IHC. Deposition of ECM was assessed by Sirius red staining and hydroxiproline content. Activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) was estimated by a-SMA using WB and IHC. Expression levels of the selected key fibrotic molecules were evaluated by RT-qPCR and WB. Time-dependent global transcriptomic changes from whole livers and isolated hepatocytes were examined using gene expression microarrays. Results: Loss of HGF/c-Met signaling in hepatocytes altered the hepatic microenvironment and dramatically aggravated hepatic fibrogenesis. Increased liver damage was associated with decreased hepatocyte proliferation, progressive accumulation of HSCs, and delayed fibrinolysis causing increased collagen deposit. Dystrophic calcification of necrotic areas impaired phagocytosis, resulting in sustained inflammatory and fibrogenic signaling further augmenting severity of fibrogenesis. Global gene-expression analysis demonstrated upregulation of key fibrogenic molecules, such as Tgf-Ã¢ and Pdgf-Ã¢, paralleled by a decreased expression of genes important for cell cycle, stress response and regeneration, which could be attributed to the c-Met deficiency in hepatocytes. Additionally, key chemotactic and inflammatory cytokines, including Ccl2, SDF1/Cxcr4 and Spp1, were upregulated in Metfl/fl;Alb-Cre+/- hepatocytes. However, the major pro-fibrotic signaling originated from the non-parenchymal cell compartments, as revealed by cell type-specific gene expression signatures. Conclusion: These results indicate that lack of c-Met signaling in hepatocytes disrupts the balance between extracellular matrix production and degradation and establish a protective role for c-Met against adverse microenvironment leading to the development of fibrotic liver disease. In the present study, we reported a detailed and comprehensive dynamic characterization of the cellular and molecular alterations involved in fibrosis in the liver of c-Met transgenic mice. Liver samples from female animals were collected at various time-points after fibrosis induction using CCL4 ranging from 0 weeks to 3 weeks. Tissue samples were divided into two parts; one was fixed in 10% formalin for histological evaluation and the other was used for RNA analysis.

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Combined systemic disruption of MET and EGFR signaling causes liver failure in normal mice

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