TGR5-dependent hepatoprotection through the regulation of biliary epithelium barrier function.

OBJECTIVE: We explored the hypothesis that TGR5, the bile acid (BA) G-protein-coupled receptor highly expressed in biliary epithelial cells, protects the liver against BA overload through the regulation of biliary epithelium permeability. DESIGN: Experiments were performed under basal and TGR5 agonist treatment. In vitro transepithelial electric resistance (TER) and FITC-dextran diffusion were measured in different cell lines. In vivo FITC-dextran was injected in the gallbladder (GB) lumen and traced in plasma. Tight junction proteins and TGR5-induced signalling were investigated in vitro and in vivo (wild-type [WT] and TGR5-KO livers and GB). WT and TGR5-KO mice were submitted to bile duct ligation or alpha-naphtylisothiocyanate intoxication under vehicle or TGR5 agonist treatment, and liver injury was studied. RESULTS: In vitro TGR5 stimulation increased TER and reduced paracellular permeability for dextran. In vivo dextran diffusion after GB injection was increased in TGR5-knock-out (KO) as compared with WT mice and decreased on TGR5 stimulation. In TGR5-KO bile ducts and GB, junctional adhesion molecule A (JAM-A) was hypophosphorylated and selectively downregulated among TJP analysed. TGR5 stimulation induced JAM-A phosphorylation and stabilisation both in vitro and in vivo, associated with protein kinase C-ζ activation. TGR5 agonist-induced TER increase as well as JAM-A protein stabilisation was dependent on JAM-A Ser285 phosphorylation. TGR5 agonist-treated mice were protected from cholestasis-induced liver injury, and this protection was significantly impaired in JAM-A-KO mice. CONCLUSION: The BA receptor TGR5 regulates biliary epithelial barrier function in vitro and in vivo through an impact on JAM-A expression and phosphorylation, thereby protecting liver parenchyma against bile leakage.

Thyroid hormone receptor ß1 stimulates ABCB4 to increase biliary phosphatidylcholine excretion in mice.

The ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCB4/MDR3 is critical for biliary phosphatidylcholine (PC) excretion at the canalicular membrane of hepatocytes. Defective ABCB4 gene expression and protein function result in various cholestatic liver and bile duct injuries. Thyroid hormone receptor (THR) is a major regulator of hepatic lipid metabolism; we explored its potential role in ABCB4 regulation. Thyroid hormone T3 stimulation to human hepatocyte models showed direct transcriptional activation of ABCB4 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. To determine whether THRß1 (the main THR isoform of the liver) is involved in regulation, we tested THRß1-specific agonists (e.g., GC-1, KB-141); these agonists resulted in greater stimulation than the native hormone. KB-141 activated hepatic ABCB44 expression in mice, which enhanced biliary PC secretion in vivo. We also identified THR response elements 6 kb upstream of the ABCB4 locus that were conserved in humans and mice. Thus, T3-via THRß1 as a novel transcriptional activator regulates ABCB4 to increase ABCB4 protein levels at the canalicular membrane and promote PC secretion into bile. These findings may have important implications for understanding thyroid hormone function as a potential modifier of bile duct homeostasis and provide pharmacologic opportunities to improve liver function in hepatobiliary diseases caused by low ABCB4 expression.

The P2X4 purinergic receptor impacts liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in mice through the regulation of biliary homeostasis.

UNLABELLED: Many regulatory pathways are involved in liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy (PH), to initiate growth, protect liver cells, and sustain remnant liver functions. Extracellular adenosine triphosphate rises in blood and bile after PH and contributes to liver regeneration, although purinergic receptors and mechanisms remain to be precisely explored. In this work we analyzed during regeneration after PH the involvement of P2X4 purinergic receptors, highly expressed in the liver. P2X4 receptor expression in the liver, liver histology, hepatocyte proliferation, plasma bile acid concentration, bile flow and composition, and lysosome distribution in hepatocytes were studied in wild-type and P2X4 knockout (KO) mice, before and after PH. P2X4 receptors were expressed in hepatocytes and Kupffer cells; in hepatocytes, P2X4 was concentrated in subcanalicular areas closely costained with lysosomal markers. After PH, delayed regeneration, hepatocyte necrosis, and cholestasis were observed in P2X4-KO mice. In P2X4-KO mice, post-PH biliary adaptation was impaired with a smaller increase in bile flow and HCO3 (-) biliary output, as well as altered biliary composition with reduced adenosine triphosphate and lysosomal enzyme release. In line with these data, lysosome distribution and biogenesis were altered in P2X4-KO compared with wild-type mice. CONCLUSION: During liver regeneration after PH, P2X4 contributes to the complex control of biliary homeostasis through mechanisms involving pericanalicular lysosomes, with a resulting impact on hepatocyte protection and proliferation. (Hepatology 2016;64:941-953).

A functional classification of ABCB4 variations causing progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 3.

UNLABELLED: Progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 3 is caused by biallelic variations of ABCB4, most often (≥70%) missense. In this study, we examined the effects of 12 missense variations identified in progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 3 patients. We classified these variations on the basis of the defects thus identified and explored potential rescue of trafficking-defective mutants by pharmacological means. Variations were reproduced in the ABCB4 complementary DNA and the mutants, thus obtained, expressed in HepG2 and HEK293 cells. Three mutants were either fully (I541F and L556R) or largely (Q855L) retained in the endoplasmic reticulum, in an immature form. Rescue of the defect, i.e., increase in the mature form at the bile canaliculi, was obtained by cell treatments with cyclosporin A or C and, to a lesser extent, B, D, or H. Five mutations with little or no effect on ABCB4 expression at the bile canaliculi caused a decrease (F357L, T775M, and G954S) or almost absence (S346I and P726L) of phosphatidylcholine secretion. Two mutants (T424A and N510S) were normally processed and expressed at the bile canaliculi, but their stability was reduced. We found no defect of the T175A mutant or of R652G, previously described as a polymorphism. In patients, the most severe phenotypes appreciated by the duration of transplant-free survival were caused by ABCB4 variants that were markedly retained in the endoplasmic reticulum and expressed in a homozygous status. CONCLUSION: ABCB4 variations can be classified as follows: nonsense variations (I) and, on the basis of current findings, missense variations that primarily affect the maturation (II), activity (III), or stability (IV) of the protein or have no detectable effect (V); this classification provides a strong basis for the development of genotype-based therapies.

Phosphorylation of ABCB4 impacts its function: insights from disease-causing mutations.

UNLABELLED: The ABCB4 transporter mediates phosphatidylcholine (PC) secretion at the canalicular membrane of hepatocytes and its genetic defects cause biliary diseases. Whereas ABCB4 shares high sequence identity with the multidrug transporter, ABCB1, its N-terminal domain is poorly conserved, leading us to hypothesize a functional specificity of this domain. A database of ABCB4 genotyping in a large series of patients was screened for variations altering residues of the N-terminal domain. Identified variants were then expressed in cell models to investigate their biological consequences. Two missense variations, T34M and R47G, were identified in patients with low-phospholipid-associated cholelithiasis or intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. The T34M and R47G mutated proteins showed no or minor defect, respectively, in maturation and targeting to the apical membrane, in polarized Madin-Darby Canine Kidney and HepG2 cells, whereas their stability was similar to that of wild-type (WT) ABCB4. By contrast, the PC secretion activity of both mutants was markedly decreased. In silico analysis indicated that the identified variants were likely to affect ABCB4 phosphorylation. Mass spectrometry analyses confirmed that the N-terminal domain of WT ABCB4 could undergo phosphorylation in vitro and revealed that the T34M and R47G mutations impaired such phosphorylation. ABCB4-mediated PC secretion was also increased by pharmacological activation of protein kinases A or C and decreased by inhibition of these kinases. Furthermore, secretion activity of the T34M and R47G mutants was less responsive than that of WT ABCB4 to protein kinase modulators. CONCLUSION: We identified disease-associated variants of ABCB4 involved in the phosphorylation of its N-terminal domain and leading to decreased PC secretion. Our results also indicate that ABCB4 activity is regulated by phosphorylation, in particular, of N-terminal residues.

The role of canalicular ABC transporters in cholestasis.

Cholestasis, a hallmark feature of hepatobiliary disease, is characterized by the retention of biliary constituents. Some of these constituents, such as bile acids, inflict damage to hepatocytes and bile duct cells. This damage may lead to inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and eventually carcinogenesis, sequelae that aggravate the underlying disease and deteriorate clinical outcome. Canalicular ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, which mediate the excretion of individual bile constituents, play a key role in bile formation and cholestasis. The study of these transporters and their regulatory nuclear receptors has revolutionized our understanding of cholestatic disease. This knowledge has served as a template to develop novel treatment strategies, some of which are currently already undergoing phase III clinical trials. In this review we aim to provide an overview of the structure, function, and regulation of canalicular ABC transporters. In addition, we will focus on the role of these transporters in the pathogenesis and treatment of cholestatic bile duct and liver diseases.

Effects of cellular, chemical, and pharmacological chaperones on the rescue of a trafficking-defective mutant of the ATP-binding cassette transporter proteins ABCB1/ABCB4.

The ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCB4 is a phosphatidylcholine translocator specifically expressed at the bile canalicular membrane in hepatocytes, highly homologous to the multidrug transporter ABCB1. Variations in the ABCB4 gene sequence cause progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 3. We have shown previously that the I541F mutation, when reproduced either in ABCB1 or in ABCB4, led to retention in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)/Golgi. Here, Madin-Darby canine kidney cells expressing ABCB1-GFP were used as a model to investigate this mutant. We show that ABCB1-I541F is not properly folded and is more susceptible to in situ protease degradation. It colocalizes and coprecipitates with the ER chaperone calnexin and coprecipitates with the cytosolic chaperone Hsc/Hsp70. Silencing of calnexin or overexpression of Hsp70 have no effect on maturation of the mutant. We also tested potential rescue by chemical and pharmacological chaperones. Thapsigargin and sodium 4-phenyl butyrate were inefficient. Glycerol improved maturation and exit of the mutant from the ER. Cyclosporin A, a competitive substrate for ABCB1, restored maturation, plasma membrane expression, and activity of ABCB1-I541F. Cyclosporin A also improved maturation of ABCB4-I541F in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. In HepG(2) cells transfected with ABCB4-I541F cDNA, cyclosporin A allowed a significant amount of the mutant protein to reach the membrane of bile canaliculi. These results show that the best strategy to rescue conformation-defective ABCB4 mutants is provided by pharmacological chaperones that specifically target the protein. They identify cyclosporin A as a potential novel therapeutic tool for progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 3 patients.

A missense mutation in ABCB4 gene involved in progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 3 leads to a folding defect that can be rescued by low temperature.

UNLABELLED: Progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 3 (PFIC3) is a rare liver disease characterized by early onset of cholestasis that leads to cirrhosis and liver failure before adulthood. PFIC3 may be improved by chronic administration of ursodeoxycholic acid, although in many cases liver transplantation is the only therapy. The disease is caused by mutations of the adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-binding cassette, sub-family B, member 4 (ABCB4) [multidrug resistance 3 (MDR3)] gene encoding a specific hepatocellular canalicular transporter involved in biliary phosphatidylcholine secretion. Several mutations have been reported; however, the effect of individual mutations has not been investigated. ABCB4 is highly homologous to ATP-binding cassette, sub-family B, member 1 (ABCB1) (MDR1), the multidrug transporter responsible for drug resistance of cancer cells. We have studied the effect of mutation I541F localized to the first nucleotide-binding domain, which is highly conserved between ABCB4 and ABCB1. Plasmids encoding the wild-type human ABCB4 or rat ABCB1-green fluorescing protein (GFP) construct, and corresponding I541F-mutants, were expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma, human (HepG2) and Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. Expression studies showed that ABCB4 was localized at the bile canalicular membrane in HepG2 cells and at the apical surface in MDCK cells, whereas the I541F mutant was intracellular. In MDCK cells, ABCB1-I541F also accumulated intracellularly in compartments, which were identified as the endoplasmic reticulum and cis-Golgi, and remained partially endoH-sensitive. After shifting cells to 27 degrees C, ABCB1-I541F was expressed at the apical cell surface in a mature and active form. Similarly, ABCB4 was significantly trafficked to the membrane of bile canaliculi in HepG2 cells. CONCLUSION: Mutation I541F causes mislocalization of both ABCB4 and ABCB1. Intracellular retention of ABCB4-I541F can explain the disease in PFIC3 patients bearing this mutation. The observation that plasma membrane expression and activity can be rescued by low temperature opens perspectives to develop novel therapies for the treatment of PFIC3.

Inactivation of the RRB1-Pescadillo pathway involved in ribosome biogenesis induces chromosomal instability.

Since chromosomal instability (CIN) is a hallmark of most cancer cells, it is essential to identify genes whose alteration results into this genetic instability. Using a yeast CIN indicator strain, we show that inactivation of the YMR131c/RRB1 gene, which is involved in early ribosome assembly and whose expression is induced when the spindle checkpoint is activated, alters chromosome segregation and blocks mitosis at the metaphase/anaphase transition. We demonstrate that RRB1 interacts with YPH1 (yeast pescadillo homologue 1) and other members of the Yph1 complex, RPL3, ERB1 and ORC6, involved in ribosome biogenesis and DNA replication. Transient depletion of the human homologues GRWD, Pescadillo, Rpl3, Bop1 and Orc6L resulted in an increase of abnormal mitoses with appearance of binucleate or hyperploid cells, of cells with multipolar spindles and of aberrant metaphase plates. If deregulation of proteins involved in ribosome biogenesis, commonly observed in malignant tumors, could contribute to cancer through an aberrant protein synthesis, our study demonstrates that alteration of proteins linking ribosome biogenesis and DNA replication may directly cause CIN.