Development of an In Vitro Human Liver System for Interrogating Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis
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ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens
PROVIDER: GSE89063 | GEO | 2017/08/24
SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA350203
REPOSITORIES: GEO
Similar Datasets
Project description:Liver fibrosis is a strong predictor of long-term mortality in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; yet the mechanisms underlying the progression from the comparatively benign fatty liver state to advanced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and liver fibrosis are incompletely under-stood. Using a cell type-resolved genomics approach, we show that comprehensive alterations in hepatocyte genomic and transcriptional settings during NASH progression, led to a partial loss of hepatocyte identity. The hepatocyte reprogramming was under tight cooperative control of a net-work of NASH-activated transcription factors (TFs), as exemplified by Elf3 and Glis2. Indeed, Elf3 and Glis2 controlled hepatocyte identity and fibrosis-dependent hepatokine genes targeting disease-associated hepatic stellate cell (HSC) gene programs. Thus, interconnected TF networks not only promoted hepatocyte dysfunction, but also directed the intra-hepatic crosstalk with HSCs necessary for NASH and fibrosis progression implying molecular “hub-centered” targeting strategies to be superior to existing mono-target approaches as currently used in NASH therapy.
2021-07-13 | PXD025691 | Pride
Project description:Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its progressive form, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), are the hepatic manifestations of metabolic syndrome. Histological assessment of liver biopsies is the gold standard for diagnosis of NASH. A Liver biopsy is resource heavy and can lead to complications such as bleeding and, moreover, does not fully capture the tissue heterogeneity of the fibrotic liver. Therefore, non-invasive biomarkers that can reflect an integrated state of the liver is highly needed to improve diagnosis and sampling bias. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are central in development of hepatic fibrosis, a hallmark of NASH. Secreted HSC-specific proteins may, therefore, reflect disease state in the NASH liver and thereby serve as non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers. We performed RNA-sequencing on liver biopsies from a discovery cohort (n = 30) of histological characterised obese patients (body mass index > 35 kg/m2) to identify and evaluate HSC-specific genes encoding secreted proteins. Bioinformatical analysis was used to identify potential biomarkers and their expression at single-cell resolution. We validated our findings by single-molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization (smFISH) and ELISA to detect mRNA in liver tissue and protein levels in plasma, respectively. Hepatic expression of SPARC-related modular calcium-binding protein 2 (SMOC2) was increased in NASH (steatosis ≥ 1, lobular inflammation ≥ 1, and hepatocyte ballooning ≥ 1) compared no-NAFLD (p.adj < 0.001). Single-cell RNA-sequencing data indicated SMOC2 expression by HSCs, which was validated using smFISH. Moreover, plasma SMOC2 was elevated in NASH compared to no-NAFLD (p < 0.001) with a predictive accuracy of AUROC 0.88. In conclusion, we propose increased SMOC2 in plasma reflects HSC activation, a key cellular event associated with NASH progression, and may serve as a non-invasive biomarker of NASH.
2022-11-02 | GSE207310 | GEO
Project description:Necroptosis contributes to hepatocyte death (HC) in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), but the fate and roles of necroptotic hepatocytes (necHCs) in NASH remain unknown. We show here that the accumulation of necHCs is associated with worsening NASH in humans and in mice with diet-induced NASH and that NASH liver showed evidence of impaired necHC clearance by liver macrophages. Further, the "don't-eat-me" ligand CD47 on HCs and its receptor, SIRPα, on liver macrophages, were markedly upregulated in human and mouse NASH. In vitro, anti-CD47 or anti-SIRPα promoted necHC engulfment by primary liver macrophages. In a proof-of-concept mouse model of inducible HC necroptosis, anti-CD47 increased necHC uptake by liver macrophages and inhibited hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation, which is responsible for liver fibrogenesis. Most importantly, treatment of two mouse models of diet-induced NASH with anti-CD47 or anti-SIRPα increased the uptake of necHC by liver macrophages and decreased HSC activation and liver fibrosis. These findings provide evidence that impaired clearance of necHCs by liver macrophages due to CD47-SIRPα upregulation contributes to fibrotic NASH and suggest therapeutic blockade of the CD47-SIRPα axis as a strategy to decrease the accumulation of necHCs in NASH liver and dampen the progression of hepatic fibrosis.
2022-11-25 | GSE197111 | GEO
Project description:Background: Senescent hepatocytes accumulate in parallel with fibrosis progression during NASH. The mechanisms that enable progressive expansion of nonreplicating cell populations and the significance of that process in determining NASH outcomes are unclear. Many types of senescing cells upregulate the THBD-PAR-1 signaling axis to remain viable. Vorapaxar, an FDA-approved PAR-1 inhibitor, blocks the activity of that pathway. We used vorapaxar to determine if and how THBD-PAR1 signaling promotes fibrosis progression in NASH. Methods: We evaluated the THBD-PAR1 pathway in liver biopsies from NAFLD patient cohorts with a spectrum of liver fibrosis. Chow fed mice were treated with viral vectors to over-express p16 specifically in hepatocytes and induce replicative senescence. Effects on the THBD-PAR-1 axis and regenerative capacity were assessed; the transcriptome of p16 over-expressing hepatocytes was characterized and we examined how conditioned medium from senescent but viable (dubbed ‘undead’) hepatocytes reprograms hepatic stellate cells. A genetically obese mouse model of NASH with little liver fibrosis, and a diet-induced mouse model of NASH with advanced fibrosis were treated with vorapaxar to determine effects on hepatocyte senescence and liver damage. Results: Inducing senescence up-regulates the THBD-PAR1 signaling axis in hepatocytes and induces their expression of fibrogenic factors, including hedgehog ligands. Hepatocyte THBD-PAR1 signaling increases in NAFLD and supports sustained hepatocyte senescence that limits effective liver regeneration and promotes maladaptive repair. Inhibiting PAR-1 signaling with vorapaxar interrupts this process, reduces the burden of ‘undead’ senescent cells, and safely improves NASH and fibrosis despite ongoing lipotoxic stress Conclusion: The THBD-PAR1 signaling axis is a novel therapeutic target for NASH because blocking this pathway prevents accumulation of senescing but viable hepatocytes that generate factors that promote maladaptive liver repair.
2023-03-01 | GSE204901 | GEO
Project description:Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease. Persistent NAFLD can progress to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with inflammation and fibrosis, which predisposes patients to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (CEBPA) is a transcription factor that modulates glycolipid homeostasis, cell differentiation and tumor progression. MTL-CEBPA, a first-in-human small activating RNA therapeutic, has been used to overexpress CEBPA and treat hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting myeloid cells in clinical trials. However, whether and how hepatocyte-specific CEBPA modulates NASH are unknown. Here we found that CEBPA expression was inhibited in the livers of high-fat, high-cholesterol, and high-fructose diet (HFCFD)-fed mice, NASH patients and palmitic/oleic acid-treated primary hepatocytes. Liver-specific Cebpa knockout mice (Cebpa-dLiv) and liver-specific tamoxifen-inducible ERT2-Cre mice (Cebpa-dLiv-ERT2) were then generated. Both Cebpa-dLiv and Cebpa-dLiv-ERT2 mice (treated with tamoxifen) developed enhanced NASH and fibrosis compared to control mice. Global transcriptome analyses demonstrated hepatic secreted phosphoprotein 1 (Spp1) encoding the fibrosis-promoting factor SPP1, was markedly induced by hepatocyte CEBPA knockout in HFCFD-fed mice. Consistently, hepatic SPP1 was upregulated by NASH and negatively correlated with CEBPA expression in humans. Hepatocyte loss of CEBPA enhanced hepatic SPP1 expression and serum SPP1 levels both at the early and late stage of NASH in mice. CEBPA-knockout primary hepatocytes released more SPP1 to the culture medium than wild-type mouse hepatocytes, resulting in enhanced fibrogenesis of hepatic stellate cells, a phenotype that was rescued by the Spp1 shRNA. Hepatocyte-directed AAV8-deliverey of Spp1 shRNA rescued the fibrosis in HFCFD-fed Cebpa-dLiv mice. Mechanistically, CEBPA overexpression reduced, while CEBPA knockout enhanced, SPP1 expression in primary hepatocytes in vitro. The Spp1 promoter had functional CEBPA response elements, while CEBPA modulated histone acetylation to restrict SPP1 expression in a novel feedback loop. Furthermore, overexpression of CEBPA in hepatocytes with AAV8-TBG-CEBPA, inhibited hepatic SPP1 expression and reduced fibrosis in HFCFD-fed wild-type mice. This study demonstrates a novel hepatocyte CEBPA-SPP1 axis involved in modulating NASH fibrosis that supports hepatocyte CEBPA as an anti-NASH target.
2024-03-08 | GSE214615 | GEO
Project description:Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease. Persistent NAFLD can progress to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with inflammation and fibrosis, which predisposes patients to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (CEBPA) is a transcription factor that modulates glycolipid homeostasis, cell differentiation and tumor progression. MTL-CEBPA, a first-in-human small activating RNA therapeutic, has been used to overexpress CEBPA and treat hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting myeloid cells in clinical trials. However, whether and how hepatocyte-specific CEBPA modulates NASH are unknown. Here we found that CEBPA expression was inhibited in the livers of high-fat, high-cholesterol, and high-fructose diet (HFCFD)-fed mice, NASH patients and palmitic/oleic acid-treated primary hepatocytes. Liver-specific Cebpa knockout mice (Cebpa-dLiv) and liver-specific tamoxifen-inducible ERT2-Cre mice (Cebpa-dLiv-ERT2) were then generated. Both Cebpa-dLiv and Cebpa-dLiv-ERT2 mice (treated with tamoxifen) developed enhanced NASH and fibrosis compared to control mice. Global transcriptome analyses demonstrated hepatic secreted phosphoprotein 1 (Spp1) encoding the fibrosis-promoting factor SPP1, was markedly induced by hepatocyte CEBPA knockout in HFCFD-fed mice. Consistently, hepatic SPP1 was upregulated by NASH and negatively correlated with CEBPA expression in humans. Hepatocyte loss of CEBPA enhanced hepatic SPP1 expression and serum SPP1 levels both at the early and late stage of NASH in mice. CEBPA-knockout primary hepatocytes released more SPP1 to the culture medium than wild-type mouse hepatocytes, resulting in enhanced fibrogenesis of hepatic stellate cells, a phenotype that was rescued by the Spp1 shRNA. Hepatocyte-directed AAV8-deliverey of Spp1 shRNA rescued the fibrosis in HFCFD-fed Cebpa-dLiv mice. Mechanistically, CEBPA overexpression reduced, while CEBPA knockout enhanced, SPP1 expression in primary hepatocytes in vitro. The Spp1 promoter had functional CEBPA response elements, while CEBPA modulated histone acetylation to restrict SPP1 expression in a novel feedback loop. Furthermore, overexpression of CEBPA in hepatocytes with AAV8-TBG-CEBPA, inhibited hepatic SPP1 expression and reduced fibrosis in HFCFD-fed wild-type mice. This study demonstrates a novel hepatocyte CEBPA-SPP1 axis involved in modulating NASH fibrosis that supports hepatocyte CEBPA as an anti-NASH target.
2024-03-08 | GSE248340 | GEO
Project description:Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease. Persistent NAFLD can progress to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with inflammation and fibrosis, which predisposes patients to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (CEBPA) is a transcription factor that modulates glycolipid homeostasis, cell differentiation and tumor progression. MTL-CEBPA, a first-in-human small activating RNA therapeutic, has been used to overexpress CEBPA and treat hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting myeloid cells in clinical trials. However, whether and how hepatocyte-specific CEBPA modulates NASH are unknown. Here we found that CEBPA expression was inhibited in the livers of high-fat, high-cholesterol, and high-fructose diet (HFCFD)-fed mice, NASH patients and palmitic/oleic acid-treated primary hepatocytes. Liver-specific Cebpa knockout mice (Cebpa-dLiv) and liver-specific tamoxifen-inducible ERT2-Cre mice (Cebpa-dLiv-ERT2) were then generated. Both Cebpa-dLiv and Cebpa-dLiv-ERT2 mice (treated with tamoxifen) developed enhanced NASH and fibrosis compared to control mice. Global transcriptome analyses demonstrated hepatic secreted phosphoprotein 1 (Spp1) encoding the fibrosis-promoting factor SPP1, was markedly induced by hepatocyte CEBPA knockout in HFCFD-fed mice. Consistently, hepatic SPP1 was upregulated by NASH and negatively correlated with CEBPA expression in humans. Hepatocyte loss of CEBPA enhanced hepatic SPP1 expression and serum SPP1 levels both at the early and late stage of NASH in mice. CEBPA-knockout primary hepatocytes released more SPP1 to the culture medium than wild-type mouse hepatocytes, resulting in enhanced fibrogenesis of hepatic stellate cells, a phenotype that was rescued by the Spp1 shRNA. Hepatocyte-directed AAV8-deliverey of Spp1 shRNA rescued the fibrosis in HFCFD-fed Cebpa-dLiv mice. Mechanistically, CEBPA overexpression reduced, while CEBPA knockout enhanced, SPP1 expression in primary hepatocytes in vitro. The Spp1 promoter had functional CEBPA response elements, while CEBPA modulated histone acetylation to restrict SPP1 expression in a novel feedback loop. Furthermore, overexpression of CEBPA in hepatocytes with AAV8-TBG-CEBPA, inhibited hepatic SPP1 expression and reduced fibrosis in HFCFD-fed wild-type mice. This study demonstrates a novel hepatocyte CEBPA-SPP1 axis involved in modulating NASH fibrosis that supports hepatocyte CEBPA as an anti-NASH target.
2024-03-08 | GSE212646 | GEO
Project description:Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the fourth leading cause of cancer mortality, develops almost exclusively in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) and advanced fibrosis. Here we interrogated functions of hepatic stellate cells (HSC), the main source of liver fibroblasts, during hepatocarcinogenPesis. Genetic depletion, activation or inhibition established HSC as tumour-promoting in mouse models of HCC. HSC were enriched in the preneoplastic environment, where they closely interacted with hepatocytes and modulated hepatocarcinogenesis by regulating hepatocyte proliferation and death. Analysis of mouse and human HSC subpopulations and their associated mediators by single cell RNA-sequencing in conjunction with genetic ablation revealed dual functions of HSC in hepatocarcinogenesis. Hepatocyte growth factor, enriched in quiescent and cytokine-producing HSC (cyHSC), protected from hepatocyte death and HCC development. In contrast, type I collagen, enriched in activated myofibroblastic HSC (myHSC), promoted proliferation and tumour development via increased stiffness and TAZ activation in pretumoural hepatocytes and via activation of discoidin domain receptor 1 in established tumours. An increasing HSC dysbalance between cyHSC and myHSC during liver disease progression was associated with elevated HCC risk in patients. In summary, the dynamic shift of HSC subpopulations and their mediators during CLD is associated with a switch from HCC protection to HCC promotion.
2022-08-12 | GSE206409 | GEO
Project description:Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the fourth leading cause of cancer mortality, develops almost exclusively in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) and advanced fibrosis. Here we interrogated functions of hepatic stellate cells (HSC), the main source of liver fibroblasts, during hepatocarcinogenPesis. Genetic depletion, activation or inhibition established HSC as tumour-promoting in mouse models of HCC. HSC were enriched in the preneoplastic environment, where they closely interacted with hepatocytes and modulated hepatocarcinogenesis by regulating hepatocyte proliferation and death. Analysis of mouse and human HSC subpopulations and their associated mediators by single cell RNA-sequencing in conjunction with genetic ablation revealed dual functions of HSC in hepatocarcinogenesis. Hepatocyte growth factor, enriched in quiescent and cytokine-producing HSC (cyHSC), protected from hepatocyte death and HCC development. In contrast, type I collagen, enriched in activated myofibroblastic HSC (myHSC), promoted proliferation and tumour development via increased stiffness and TAZ activation in pretumoural hepatocytes and via activation of discoidin domain receptor 1 in established tumours. An increasing HSC dysbalance between cyHSC and myHSC during liver disease progression was associated with elevated HCC risk in patients. In summary, the dynamic shift of HSC subpopulations and their mediators during CLD is associated with a switch from HCC protection to HCC promotion. This SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
2022-08-26 | GSE212047 | GEO
Project description:Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the fourth leading cause of cancer mortality, develops almost exclusively in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) and advanced fibrosis. Here we interrogated functions of hepatic stellate cells (HSC), the main source of liver fibroblasts, during hepatocarcinogenPesis. Genetic depletion, activation or inhibition established HSC as tumour-promoting in mouse models of HCC. HSC were enriched in the preneoplastic environment, where they closely interacted with hepatocytes and modulated hepatocarcinogenesis by regulating hepatocyte proliferation and death. Analysis of mouse and human HSC subpopulations and their associated mediators by single cell RNA-sequencing in conjunction with genetic ablation revealed dual functions of HSC in hepatocarcinogenesis. Hepatocyte growth factor, enriched in quiescent and cytokine-producing HSC (cyHSC), protected from hepatocyte death and HCC development. In contrast, type I collagen, enriched in activated myofibroblastic HSC (myHSC), promoted proliferation and tumour development via increased stiffness and TAZ activation in pretumoural hepatocytes and via activation of discoidin domain receptor 1 in established tumours. An increasing HSC dysbalance between cyHSC and myHSC during liver disease progression was associated with elevated HCC risk in patients. In summary, the dynamic shift of HSC subpopulations and their mediators during CLD is associated with a switch from HCC protection to HCC promotion.
2022-08-26 | GSE212046 | GEO