Kupffer cells control neonatal hepatic glucose metabolism via Igf1 signaling
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
PROVIDER: GSE283799 | GEO | 2025/12/23
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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Project description:During perinatal development, liver metabolism is tightly regulated to ensure energy supply for the newborn. Before birth, glycogen is stored in hepatocytes and later metabolized to glucose, meeting the energy demands of the neonate. Shortly after birth, lipogenesis begins, driven by the transcriptional activation of enzymes involved in fatty acid oxidation. These processes are thought to be largely regulated by systemic insulin and glucagon levels. However, the role of liver-derived local factors in neonatal hepatocyte metabolism remains unexplored. Kupffer cells (KCs), the liver’s resident macrophages, colonize the fetal liver early in embryogenesis and support liver metabolism in adulthood. Yet, whether KCs influence neonatal hepatocyte metabolism is unknown. Here, using conditional knockout mouse models targeting macrophages, we demonstrate that yolk sac-derived KCs play a critical role in hepatocyte glycogen storage and function by regulating the TCA cycle - a role that monocyte-derived KC-like cells cannot substitute. Newborn pups lacking KCs mobilize glycogen more rapidly, a process regulated by insulin-like growth factor 1 (Igf1) production. Our findings reveal that macrophages are a major source of Igf1 at birth and that local Igf1 production by KCs is essential for balanced hepatocyte metabolism.
2025-12-23 | GSE285047 | GEO
Project description:Signalling via the colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) controls the survival, differentiation and proliferation of macrophages which are a source of the somatic growth factor insulin growth factor 1 (IGF1). Treatment of newborn mice with CSF1 has previously been shown to produce an increase in somatic growth rate and we hypothesised that treatment of neonatal low birth weight (LBW) rats with CSF1 would do the same. Growth rates were not affected, yet CSF1 treatment caused an unexpectedly large, but reversible increase in liver size and hepatic fat deposition in both normal and LBW rats. By transcriptional profiling, we have highlighted numerous CSF1-regulated genes known to be involved in lipid droplet formation in the liver and novel candidate genes for further investigation. In contrast to mice and weaner pigs, CSF1 treatment did not increase hepatocyte proliferation in neonatal rats, rather the data were consistent with increased macrophage proliferation instead. This suggests that Kupffer cells promote lipid accumulation in neonates and treatment to ablate CSF1R signalling may reverse lipid accumulation in the liver. Conclusion: Treatment of neonatal rats with CSF1 caused an increase in liver size and hepatic lipid accumulation, due to Kupffer cell expansion and/or activation rather than hepatocyte proliferation Livers were harvested from neonatal rats on Day 6, following 5 days treatment with 1 ug/g porcine CSF1-Fc or PBS by subcutaneous injection. Bone marrow derived macrophages were generated in vitro by culture in CSF1.
2018-01-01 | GSE104584 | GEO
Project description:A reduction in hepatocyte growth hormone (GH)-signaling promotes non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, debate remains as to the relative contribution of the direct effects of GH on hepatocyte function vs indirect effects, via alterations in insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1). To isolate the role of hepatocyte GH receptor (GHR) signaling, independent of changes in IGF1, mice with adult-onset, hepatocyte-specific GHR knockdown (aHepGHRkd) were treated with a vector expressing rat IGF1 targeted specifically to hepatocytes. Compared to GHR-intact mice, aHepGHRkd reduced circulating IGF1 and elevated GH. In male aHepGHRkd, the shift in IGF1/GH did not alter plasma glucose or non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), but was associated with increased insulin, enhanced systemic lipid oxidation and reduced white adipose tissue (WAT) mass. Livers of male aHepGHRkd exhibited steatosis associated with increased de novo lipogenesis, hepatocyte ballooning and inflammation. In female aHepGHRkd, hepatic GHR protein levels were not detectable, but moderate levels of IGF1 were maintained, with minimal alterations in systemic metabolism and no evidence of steatosis. Reconstitution of hepatocyte IGF1 in male aHepGHRkd lowered GH and normalized insulin, whole body lipid utilization and WAT mass. However, IGF1 reconstitution did not reduce steatosis or eliminate liver injury. RNAseq analysis showed IGF1 reconstitution did not impact aHepGHRkd-induced changes in liver gene expression, despite changes in systemic metabolism. These results demonstrate the impact of aHepGHRkd is sexually dimorphic and the steatosis and liver injury observed in male aHepGHRkd mice is autonomous of IGF1, suggesting GH acts directly on the adult hepatocyte to control NAFLD progression.
2020-07-11 | GSE154217 | GEO
Project description:There is an evident, unmet need to develop a commercially available in vitro system that can model inflammatory states of the liver and predict immune-mediated hepatotoxicity of drugs and xenobiotics taken under inflamed conditions. Hepatocyte-Kupffer cell co-cultures can model inflammation-mediated hepatotoxicity; however, Kupffer cell (KC) source remains an important bottleneck for the development of such models. Primary human Kupffer cells (PHKCs) are costly, limited in availability and exhibit donor variability. An alternative cell source for KCs has not been reported. Important paradigm shift from the classical dogma of adult blood-circulating monocyte-derived macrophages to intrahepatic precursor/fetal monocyte-derived macrophages has shed new light into the origin of KCs in vivo. Based on these recent findings, we report here, a novel method to generate human KCs in vitro from stem cells (hPSC-KCs) via fetal monocytes. hPSC-KCs expressed macrophage markers, CD11, CD14, CD68, CD163 and CD32 at gene and protein level and exhibited functional properties such as phagocytosis and Interleukin-6 and Tumor Necrosis Factor-4alpha production upon activation. Importantly, molecular signature, liver-macrophage specific CLEC-4F expression and cytokines production levels of hPSC-KCs were similar to PHKCs but different from non-liver macrophages. We used an inflammatory liver co-culture model to demonstrate that activated hPSC-KCs, but not non-liver macrophages, were able to recapitulate effects of PHKCs when stimulated with paradigm hepatotoxicants. hPSC-KCs developed in this study offer a renewable human cell source for liver-specific macrophages which can be used to develop in vitro systems for modelling the inflammatory state of the liver. Gene expression profiles of 9 samples were determined using Human Gene 2.0 ST Array. These 9 samples included three replicates each of PHKCs (primary human Kupffer cells), human pluripotent stem cell-dervied Kupffer cells (hPSC-KCs) and non-liver macrophages (NL-Mφ).
2019-01-07 | GSE99734 | GEO
Project description:Kupffer cells (KCs) are tissue-resident macrophages which colonize the liver early during embryogenesis. KCs start to acquire a tissue-specific transcriptional signature immediately after colonizing the liver, mature together with the tissue, and adapt to the tissue?s functions. Throughout development and adulthood, KCs have distinct core functions that are essential for liver and organismal homeostasis, such as supporting fetal erythropoiesis as well as postnatal erythrocyte recycling and liver metabolism. However, whether perturbations of macrophage core functions during development contribute to or cause disease at postnatal stages is poorly understood. Here, we utilize a mouse model of maternal obesity to perturb KC functions during gestation. We show that offspring exposed to maternal obesity develop fatty liver disease, driven by aberrant developmental programming of KCs that persists into adulthood. Programmed KCs mediate lipid uptake by hepatocytes through apolipoprotein secretion. KC depletion in neonates born to obese mothers, followed by replenishment with exogenous monocytes, rescues the fatty liver disease. The transcriptional programming of KCs and the fatty liver disease phenotype are also rescued by genetic depletion of hypoxia-inducible factor alpha (Hif1?) in macrophages during gestation. These results establish developmental perturbation of KC functions as a cause for the development of fatty liver disease in adult life and, thereby, place fetal-derived macrophages as intergenerational messengers within the concept of developmental origins of health and diseases.
2025-09-01 | PXD058285 | Pride
Project description:Nafion byproduct 2 (NBP2; CAS: 749836-20-2; Product #: 6164-3-3J; Lot: 512400; SynQuest Laboratories Alachua, FL, USA) is a polyfluoroalkyl ether sulfonic acid that was recently detected in surface water, drinking water, and human serum samples from monitoring studies in North Carolina, USA. We orally exposed pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats to NBP2 from gestation day (GD) 14–18 (0.1–30 mg/kg/d), GD17-21, and GD8 to postnatal day (PND) 2 (0.3–30 mg/kg/d) to characterize maternal, fetal, and postnatal effects. GD14-18 exposures were also conducted with perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) for comparison to NBP2, as well as data previously published for hexafluoropropylene oxide-dimer acid (HFPO-DA or GenX). NBP2 produced stillbirth (30 mg/kg), reduced pup survival shortly after birth (10 mg/kg), and reduced pup body weight (10 mg/kg). Histopathological evaluation identified reduced glycogen stores in newborn pup livers and hepatocyte hypertrophy in maternal livers at ≥ 10 mg/kg. Exposure to NBP2 from GD14-18 reduced maternal serum total T3 and cholesterol concentrations (30 mg/kg). Maternal, fetal, and neonatal liver gene expression was investigated using RT-qPCR pathway arrays, while maternal and fetal livers were also analyzed using TempO-Seq transcriptomic profiling. Overall, there was limited alteration of genes in maternal or F1 livers from NBP2 exposure with significant changes mostly occurring in the top dose group (30 mg/kg) associated with lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. Metabolomic profiling indicated elevated maternal bile acids for NBP2, but not HFPO-DA or PFOS, while all three reduced 3-indolepropionic acid. Maternal and fetal serum and liver NBP2 concentrations were similar to PFOS, but ∼10–30-fold greater than HFPO-DA concentrations at a given maternal oral dose. NBP2 is a developmental toxicant in the rat, producing neonatal mortality, reduced pup body weight, reduced pup liver glycogen, reduced maternal thyroid hormones, and altered maternal and offspring lipid and carbohydrate metabolism similar to other studied PFAS, with oral toxicity for pup loss that is slightly less potent than PFOS but more potent than HFPO-DA.
2022-01-10 | GSE192589 | GEO
Project description:Background & Aims: Liver macrophages are heterogeneous and play an important role in alcohol_x0002_associated liver disease (ALD) but there is limited understanding of the functions of specific macrophage subsets in the disease. We used a Western Diet Alcohol (WDA) mouse model of ALD to examine the hepatic myeloid cell compartment by scRNA seq and targeted Kupffer cell (KC) ablation to understand the diversity and function of liver macrophages in ALD. Approach and Results: In the WDA liver, KCs and infiltrating monocytes/macrophages (IMs) each represented about 50% of the myeloid pool. Five major KC clusters all expressed genes associated with receptor mediated endocytosis and lipid metabolism, but most were predicted to be non_x0002_inflammatory and antifibrotic with one minor KC cluster having a pro-inflammatory and extracellular matrix degradation gene signature. IM clusters, in contrast, were predicted to be pro_x0002_inflammatory and pro-fibrotic. In vivo diphtheria toxin based selective KC ablation during alcohol exposure resulted in a liver failure phenotype with increases in PT/INR and bilirubin, loss of differentiated hepatocyte gene expression, and an increase in expression of hepatocyte progenitor markers such as EpCAM, CK-7 and Igf2bp3. Gene set enrichment analysis of whole liver RNAseq from the KC ablated WDA mice showed a similar pattern as seen in human alcoholic hepatitis. Conclusions: In this ALD model, KCs are anti-inflammatory and are critical for maintenance of hepatocyte differentiation. IMs are largely pro-inflammatory and contribute more to liver fibrosis. Future targeting of specific macrophage subsets may provide new approaches to treatment of liver failure and fibrosis in ALD.
2024-10-25 | GSE269059 | GEO
Project description:Background & Aims: Liver macrophages are heterogeneous and play an important role in alcohol_x0002_associated liver disease (ALD) but there is limited understanding of the functions of specific macrophage subsets in the disease. We used a Western Diet Alcohol (WDA) mouse model of ALD to examine the hepatic myeloid cell compartment by scRNA seq and targeted Kupffer cell (KC) ablation to understand the diversity and function of liver macrophages in ALD. Approach and Results: In the WDA liver, KCs and infiltrating monocytes/macrophages (IMs) each represented about 50% of the myeloid pool. Five major KC clusters all expressed genes associated with receptor mediated endocytosis and lipid metabolism, but most were predicted to be non_x0002_inflammatory and antifibrotic with one minor KC cluster having a pro-inflammatory and extracellular matrix degradation gene signature. IM clusters, in contrast, were predicted to be pro_x0002_inflammatory and pro-fibrotic. In vivo diphtheria toxin based selective KC ablation during alcohol exposure resulted in a liver failure phenotype with increases in PT/INR and bilirubin, loss of differentiated hepatocyte gene expression, and an increase in expression of hepatocyte progenitor markers such as EpCAM, CK-7 and Igf2bp3. Gene set enrichment analysis of whole liver RNAseq from the KC ablated WDA mice showed a similar pattern as seen in human alcoholic hepatitis. Conclusions: In this ALD model, KCs are anti-inflammatory and are critical for maintenance of hepatocyte differentiation. IMs are largely pro-inflammatory and contribute more to liver fibrosis. Future targeting of specific macrophage subsets may provide new approaches to treatment of liver failure and fibrosis in ALD.
2024-10-25 | GSE269058 | GEO
Project description:Kupffer cells (KCs) are tissue-resident macrophages which colonize the developing liver early during embryogenesis1. Throughout development and adulthood, KCs have distinct core functions that are essential for liver and organismal homeostasis, such as supporting fetal erythropoiesis as well as postnatal erythrocyte recycling and liver metabolism2. KCs acquire their tissue-specific transcriptional signature immediately after colonizing the liver, mature together with the tissue, and adapt to the tissue’s function1,3,4. However, whether perturbation of macrophage core functions during development may contribute to or cause disease at postnatal stages is poorly understood. Here, we utilize a maternal obesity model to disturb KC functions during gestation. We show that offspring born to obese mothers develop fatty liver disease that is accompanied by a local pro-inflammatory response, a phenotype that is augmented if the offspring is kept on control diet after birth. Further, transcriptional analyses reveal that KCs undergo developmental programming through the maternal high-fat diet, which lasts until adulthood. The offspring’s KC developmental programming is irreversible despite the switch to control diet and leads to increased lipid uptake in hepatocytes mediated via paracrine factors stemming from KCs. The transcriptional programming of KCs and the fatty liver disease phenotype are rescued by genetic depletion of hypoxia-inducible factor alpha (Hif1a) in macrophages during gestation. These results demonstrate that macrophages rely on an undisturbed development to fulfil their core functions and support organ homeostasis during adulthood, and establish developmental programming of KCs as a therapeutic strategy for metabolic disorders, such as fatty liver disease.
2023-08-22 | GSE237405 | GEO
Project description:Kupffer cells (KCs) are tissue-resident macrophages which colonize the developing liver early during embryogenesis1. Throughout development and adulthood, KCs have distinct core functions that are essential for liver and organismal homeostasis, such as supporting fetal erythropoiesis as well as postnatal erythrocyte recycling and liver metabolism2. KCs acquire their tissue-specific transcriptional signature immediately after colonizing the liver, mature together with the tissue, and adapt to the tissue’s function1,3,4. However, whether perturbation of macrophage core functions during development may contribute to or cause disease at postnatal stages is poorly understood. Here, we utilize a maternal obesity model to disturb KC functions during gestation. We show that offspring born to obese mothers develop fatty liver disease that is accompanied by a local pro-inflammatory response, a phenotype that is augmented if the offspring is kept on control diet after birth. Further, transcriptional analyses reveal that KCs undergo developmental programming through the maternal high-fat diet, which lasts until adulthood. The offspring’s KC developmental programming is irreversible despite the switch to control diet and leads to increased lipid uptake in hepatocytes mediated via paracrine factors stemming from KCs. The transcriptional programming of KCs and the fatty liver disease phenotype are rescued by genetic depletion of hypoxia-inducible factor alpha (Hif1a) in macrophages during gestation. These results demonstrate that macrophages rely on an undisturbed development to fulfil their core functions and support organ homeostasis during adulthood, and establish developmental programming of KCs as a therapeutic strategy for metabolic disorders, such as fatty liver disease.
2023-08-22 | GSE237393 | GEO