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Peripheral blood CD8 T cells in chronic HCV infection with cirrhosis exhibit lasting alterations in gene expression changes, with insights into the role of Hedgehog signaling

ABSTRACT: The impact of chronic hepatic infection on antigen non-specific immune cells, especially in association with liver fibrosis severity, remains poorly described. We previously reported lasting hyperfunction of bulk peripheral blood CD8 T cells in HCV-infected individuals with cirrhosis. RNA sequencing of blood CD8 T cells from HCV-infected individuals with minimal (Metavir F0-1, Fibroscan liver stiffness ≤ 7.0 kPa) or advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis (F4 ≥ 12.5 kPa), before and after direct-acting antiviral therapy, was performed. Principal component analyses determined robust differences in 362 genes expressed by CD8 T cells from HCV-infected individuals with minimal or advanced fibrosis and data suggests this remains relatively stable after viral clearance. Gene ontology analyses identified differential gene expression related to cellular metabolism, including upregulated phospholipase, phosphatidyl-choline/inositol activity and second-messenger-mediated signaling, while genes in pathways associated with nuclear processes, RNA transport and cytoskeletal dynamics were reduced. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis identified decreased expression of genes regulated by the cMyc and E2F transcription factors in cirrhotics, compared to the minimal fibrosis group, as well as reduced expression of genes linked to oxidative phosphorylation, mTOR signaling, and more. Upregulated gene sets in cirrhotics included IFN-α, -γ, TGF-β response genes, apoptosis, and apical surface pathways, among others. The Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway was the top featured gene set upregulated in cirrhotics, wherein hallmark genes GLI1 and PTCH1 ranked highly. This analysis of bulk CD8 T cell gene expression in chronic HCV infection suggests considerable reprogramming of the CD8 T cell pool in liver cirrhosis. Increased Hh signaling in cirrhosis may contribute to generalized CD8 T cell hyperfunction observed in chronic HCV infection. Understanding the lasting nature of immune cell dysfunction may help mitigate remaining clinical challenges after HCV clearance and more generally, improve long term outcomes for individuals with severe liver disease.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE253673 | GEO | 2024/05/01

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Background & Aims: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is complicated by hepatic fibrosis. Hypothesizing that fibrogenic signals may originate in cells susceptible to HCV infection, gene expression of hepatocytes was analyzed from persons with chronic HCV at different stages of liver fibrosis. Methods: HCV-infected subjects with significant liver fibrosis (Ishak fibrosis M-bM-^IM-%3) were matched for age, race, and gender to subjects with minimal fibrosis (Ishak fibrosis 0-1). RNA from portal tracts and hepatic parenchyma was isolated from biopsies by laser capture and transcriptome profiling was performed using hybridization arrays. Results: Portal tracts from both groups were enriched for immune related genes when compared to hepatocytes but high fibrosis subjects showed a loss of this enrichment. Hepatocytes from persons with high fibrosis were depleted for genes involved in small molecule and drug metabolism, especially butyrylcholinesterase (BCHE), a gene involved in the metabolism of drugs of abuse. Differential expression of BCHE was validated in the same tissues using qPCR. Cross-sectional and longitudinal testing in an expanded cohort of HCV-infected individuals showed that serum BCHE activity decreased in advance of progression to fibrosis. Conclusion: Chronic HCV infection is associated with a loss of hepatocyte metabolic function, decreased enrichment of immune-related genes in portal tracts and downregulation of BCHE in hepatocytes. Our results indicate that BCHE may be involved in the progression of fibrosis during HCV infection among injection drug users and may serve as a useful marker for fibrosis progression. Liver tissues were chosen from five subjects with chronic HCV infection and Ishak fibrosis stage 3-5 who had sufficient tissue stored in OCT and no HIV infection. Tissues that were stored in TrizolM-BM-. or other lysis buffers were excluded to avoid homogenization of transcriptomes between cellular constituents. Five control tissues were selected from persons of the same race and gender with chronic HCV infection estimated to be of similar duration (by age matching) but whose baseline Ishak fibrosis score was 0-1. One high fibrosis case was later excluded because the subject was found to be HBsAg positive, leaving a total of nine subjects.

Project description:Background & aims: The role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in Alcoholic Hepatitis (AH) and their potential as therapeutic targets in liver disease has not been explored yet. This study aims at profiling miRNA in AH and identifying dysregulated miRNAs involved in AH pathophysiology. Methods: miRNA expression arrays were performed in 13 AH, 5 alcohol liver disease-induced cirrhosis (ALD-CH), 5 nonalcoholic steatohepatitis induced cirrhosis (NASH-CH), 4 HCV-induced cirrhosis (HCV-CH) and 6 non-injured liver control samples. Genome wide expression profile was retrieved for 12 paired AH and control samples. MiRNA and mRNA expression data was integrated and identified miRNAs were validated in AH samples and in animal models of liver injury. Results:Â The miRNA array showed 111 upregulated and 66 downregulated miRNAs in AH versus healthy subjects. The comparison of miRNA profile in liver samples from AH among ALD-CH, HCV-CH and NASH-CH identified 18 miRNAs specifically dysregulated in AH. Integrative miRNA and mRNA analysis in AH identified dysregulated miRNAs for which their target genes were also dysregulated. A functional analysis of identified miRNAs and their targets revealed their involvement in the regulation of canonical pathways related to apoptosis, fatty acid metabolism and cell cycle among others. miRNAs expression (miR-182, miR-21, miR-155, miR-214, miR-432, miR-422a) was validated in an independent cohort of AH. MiR-182 expression correlated with cholestasis, disease severity and short-term mortality. Moreover, miR-182 expression is associated to cholestasis with ductular reaction but not to fibrosis and inflammation in animal models of liver injury. Conclusions:Â AH is characterized by an important dysregulation of miRNA expression with a unique miRNA profile. MiRNAs specifically expressed in AH are associated to cholestasisâ¦ Uncovered miRNAs are involved in important pathophysiological features in AH suggesting ta regulation of he role of miRNAs in the regulation of AH, and highlight miR-182 as a potential regulator of its pathophysiology. miRNA expression arrays were performed in 13 AH(Alcoholic hepatitis), 5 alcohol liver disease-induced cirrhosis (ALD-CH), 5 nonalcoholic steatohepatitis induced cirrhosis (NASH-CH), 4 HCV-induced cirrhosis (HCV-CH) and 6 non-injured liver control samples(CTRL).

Project description:OBJECTIVE: The number of patients with HCV-related cirrhosis is increasing, leading to a rising risk of complications and death. Prognostic stratification in patients with early-stage cirrhosis is still challenging. We aimed to develop and validate a clinically useful prognostic index based on genomic and clinical variables to identify patients at high risk of disease progression. DESIGN: We developed a prognostic index, comprised of a 186-gene signature validated in our previous genome-wide profiling study, bilirubin (>1 mg/dL) and platelet count (<100 000/mm3), in an Italian HCV cirrhosis cohort (training cohort, n=216, median follow-up 10 years). The gene signature test was implemented using a digital transcript counting (nCounter) assay specifically developed for clinical use and the prognostic index was evaluated using archived specimens from an independent cohort of HCV-related cirrhosis in the USA (validation cohort, n=145, median follow-up 8 years). RESULTS: In the training cohort, the prognostic index was associated with hepatic decompensation (HR=2.71, p=0.003), overall death (HR=6.00, p<0.001), hepatocellular carcinoma (HR=3.31, p=0.001) and progression of Child-Turcotte-Pugh class (HR=6.70, p<0.001). The patients in the validation cohort were stratified into high-risk (16%), intermediate-risk (42%) or low-risk (42%) groups by the prognostic index. The high-risk group had a significantly increased risk of hepatic decompensation (HR=7.36, p<0.001), overall death (HR=3.57, p=0.002), liver-related death (HR=6.49, p<0.001) and all liver-related adverse events (HR=4.98, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A genomic and clinical prognostic index readily available for clinical use was successfully validated, warranting further clinical evaluation for prognostic prediction and clinical trial stratification and enrichment for preventive interventions. Paired core needle liver biopsy specimens obtained with time interval ranging from 1 month to 7.5 years from three individuals, and liver tissues from right and left lobes of explanted liver with chronic HCV infection from one individual.

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Peripheral blood CD8 T cells in chronic HCV infection with cirrhosis exhibit lasting alterations in gene expression changes, with insights into the role of Hedgehog signaling

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