Simultaneous Pore Detection and Morphological Features Extraction in Laser Powder Bed Fusion with Image Processing.

Internal pore defects are inevitable during laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), which have a significant impact on the mechanical properties of the parts. Therefore, detecting pores and obtaining their morphology will contribute to the quality of LPBF parts. Currently, supervised models are used for defect image detection, which requires a large amount of LPBF sample data, image labeling, and computing power equipment during the training process, resulting in high detection costs. This study extensively collected LPBF sample data and proposed a method for pore defect classification by obtaining its morphological features while detecting pore defects in optical microscopy (OM) images under various conditions. Compared with other advanced models, the proposed method achieves better detection accuracy on pore defect datasets with limited data. In addition, quickly detecting pore defects in a large number of labeling ground truth images will also contribute to the development of deep learning. In terms of image segmentation, the average accuracy scores of this method in the test images exceed 85%. The research results indicate that the algorithm proposed in this paper is suitable for quickly and accurately identifying pore defects from optical microscopy images.

Novel molecular classification and prognosis of papillary renal cell carcinoma based on a large-scale CRISPR-Cas9 screening and machine learning.

Papillary renal cell carcinoma (PRCC) is a highly heterogeneous cancer, and PRCC patients with advanced/metastatic subgroup showed obviously shorter survival compared to other kinds of renal cell carcinomas. However, the molecular mechanism and prognostic predictors of PRCC remain unclear and are worth deep studying. The aim of this study is to identify novel molecular classification and construct a reliable prognostic model for PRCC. The expression data were retrieved from TCGA, GEO, GTEx and TARGET databases. CRISPR data was obtained from Depmap database. The key genes were selected by the intersection of CRISPR-Cas9 screening genes, differentially expressed genes, and genes with prognostic capacity in PRCC. The molecular classification was identified based on the key genes. Drug sensitivity, tumor microenvironment, somatic mutation, and survival were compared among the novel classification. A prognostic model utilizing multiple machine learning algorithms based on the key genes was developed and tested by independent external validation set. Our study identified three clusters (C1, C2 and C3) in PRCC based on 41 key genes. C2 had obviously higher expression of the key genes and lower survival than C1 and C3. Significant differences in drug sensitivity, tumor microenvironment, and mutation landscape have been observed among the three clusters. By utilizing 21 combinations of 9 machine learning algorithms, 9 out of 41 genes were chosen to construct a robust prognostic signature, which exhibited good prognostic ability. SERPINH1 was identified as a critical gene for its strong prognostic ability in PRCC by univariate and multiple Cox regression analyses. Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot demonstrated that SERPINH1 mRNA and protein were highly expressed in PRCC cells compared with normal human renal cells. This study exhibited a new molecular classification and prognostic signature for PRCC, which may provide a potential biomarker and therapy target for PRCC patients.

Application of nanotechnology in the treatment of glomerulonephritis: current status and future perspectives.

Glomerulonephritis (GN) is the most common cause of end-stage renal failure worldwide; in most cases, it cannot be cured and can only delay the progression of the disease. At present, the main treatment methods include symptomatic therapy, immunosuppressive therapy, and renal replacement therapy. However, effective treatment of GN is hindered by issues such as steroid resistance, serious side effects, low bioavailability, and lack of precise targeting. With the widespread application of nanoparticles in medical treatment, novel methods have emerged for the treatment of kidney diseases. Targeted transportation of drugs, nucleic acids, and other substances to kidney tissues and even kidney cells through nanodrug delivery systems can reduce the systemic effects and adverse reactions of drugs and improve treatment effectiveness. The high specificity of nanoparticles enables them to bind to ion channels and block or enhance channel gating, thus improving inflammation. This review briefly introduces the characteristics of GN, describes the treatment status of GN, systematically summarizes the research achievements of nanoparticles in the treatment of primary GN, diabetic nephropathy and lupus nephritis, analyzes recent therapeutic developments, and outlines promising research directions, such as gas signaling molecule nanodrug delivery systems and ultrasmall nanoparticles. The current application of nanoparticles in GN is summarized to provide a reference for better treatment of GN in the future.

Printing, Debinding and Sintering of 15-5PH Stainless Steel Components by Fused Deposition Modeling Additive Manufacturing.

Metal FDM technology overcomes the problems of high cost, high energy consumption and high material requirements of traditional metal additive manufacturing by combining FDM and powder metallurgy and realizes the low-cost manufacturing of complex metal parts. In this work, 15-5PH stainless steel granules with a powder content of 90% and suitable for metal FDM were developed. The flowability and formability of the feedstock were investigated and the parts were printed. A two-step (solvent and thermal) debinding process is used to remove the binder from the green part. After being kept at 75 °C in cyclohexane for 24 h, the solvent debinding rate reached 98.7%. Following thermal debinding, the material's weight decreased by slightly more than 10%. Sintering was conducted at 1300 °C, 1375 °C and 1390 °C in a hydrogen atmosphere. The results show that the shrinkage of the sintered components in the X-Y-Z direction remains quite consistent, with values ranging from 13.26% to 19.58% between 1300 °C and 1390 °C. After sintering at 1390 °C, the material exhibited a relative density of 95.83%, a hardness of 101.63 HRBW and a remarkable tensile strength of 770 MPa. This work realizes the production of metal parts using 15-5PH granules' extrusion additive manufacturing, providing a method for the low-cost preparation of metal parts. And it provides a useful reference for the debinding and sintering process settings of metal FDM. In addition, it also enriches the selection range of materials for metal FDM.

Application of integrated problem-based learning combined with lecture-based classroom teaching in undergraduate medical education: An effective teaching model in a Medical School in China.

The problem-based learning (PBL) is increasingly used in undergraduate education. However, the application of integrated PBL to medical undergraduate education has not been well assessed. An observational study was designed to compare integrated PBL combined with lecture-based classroom (LBC) with traditional LBC teaching in 2 semesters of a Medical School in China. This study was conducted from March 2021 to July 2022. A total of 118 undergraduates majoring in clinical medicine were randomly allocated in 2 groups, 1 group receiving the integrated PBL + LBC teaching (experimental group, n = 60) and another group receiving LBC teaching (control group, n = 58). The experimental group attended the integrated PBL courses for the basic and clinical medicine conducted in the 6th and 8th semesters, respectively, as well as taking the LBC courses. The experimental group was required to preview the course materials before class, make presentations in class and take online feedback questionnaires after class, while the control group was required to preview the textbooks and listen to the traditional LBC courses. The students' scores of these 2 groups were compared, and feedback questionnaires were performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the experimental group over the control group. Results showed that the experimental group scored significantly higher than the control group in Clinical Skills (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.19-5.89), Internal Medicine I (95% CI: 1.85-9.93), Internal Medicine II (95% CI: 8.07-15.90), Introduction to Surgery (95% CI: 5.08-10.25), Surgery (General Surgery) (95% CI: 7.82-12.72), Surgery (Specialty) (95% CI: 6.47-9.97), and Clinical Medical Level Test (95% CI: 1.60-5.15) (all P < .01). In the feedback questionnaires of integrated PBL, up to 80% and 90% of students were satisfied with the teaching methods and lecturers, respectively. More than 80% of students agreed that the integrated PBL improved their abilities to learn independently, understand knowledge, and to raise, analyze and solve problems. In terms of stress in and out of class, a small number of students, <36.7%, felt stressed. The integrated PBL combined with LBC is an effective teaching approach, which may provide new ideas for teaching research and reform on undergraduate medical education in clinical medicine specialty and other medical majors.

Dimethyl fumarate attenuates cholestatic liver injury by activating the NRF2 and FXR pathways and suppressing NLRP3/GSDMD signaling in mice.

The progression of cholestasis is characterized by excessive accumulation of bile acids (BAs) in the liver, which leads to oxidative stress (OS), inflammation and liver injury. There are currently limited treatments for cholestasis. Therefore, appropriate drugs for cholestasis treatment need to be developed. Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) has been widely used in the treatment of various diseases and exerts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, but its effect on cholestatic liver disease remains unclarified. We fed mice 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine or cholic acid to induce cholestatic liver injury and treated these mice with DMF to evaluate its protective ability. Alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and total liver BAs were assessed as indicators of liver function. The levels of OS, liver inflammation, transporters and metabolic enzymes were also measured. DMF markedly altered the relative ALT and AST levels and enhanced the liver antioxidant capacity. DMF regulated the MST/NRF2 signaling pathway to protect against OS and reduced liver inflammation through the NLRP3/GSDMD signaling pathway. DMF also regulated the levels of BA transporters by promoting FXR protein expression. These findings provide new strategies for the treatment of cholestatic liver disorders.

Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptide (OATP) 1B3 is a Significant Transporter for Hepatic Uptake of Conjugated Bile Acids in Humans.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: OATP1B3/SLCO1B3 is a human liver-specific transporter for the clearance of endogenous compounds (eg, bile acid [BA]) and xenobiotics. The functional role of OATP1B3 in humans has not been characterized, as SLCO1B3 is poorly conserved among species without mouse orthologs. METHODS: Slc10a1-knockout (Slc10a1-/-), Slc10a1hSLCO1B3 (endogenous mouse Slc10a1 promoter-driven human-SLCO1B3 expression in Slc10a1-/- mice), and human SLCO1B3 liver-specific transgenic (hSLCO1B3-LTG) mice were generated and challenged with 0.1% ursodeoxycholic-acid (UDCA), 1% cholic-acid (CA) diet, or bile duct ligation (BDL) for functional studies. Primary hepatocytes and hepatoma-PLC/RPF/5 cells were used for mechanistic studies. RESULTS: Serum BA levels in Slc10a1-/- mice were substantially increased with or without 0.1% UDCA feeding compared with wild-type (WT) mice. This increase was attenuated in Slc10a1hSLCO1B3-mice, indicating that OATP1B3 functions as a significant hepatic BA uptake transporter. In vitro assay using primary hepatocytes from WT, Slc10a1-/-, and Slc10a1hSLCO1B3-mice indicated that OATP1B3 has a similar capacity in taking up taurocholate/TCA as Ntcp. Furthermore, TCA-induced bile flow was significantly impaired in Slc10a1-/- mice but partially recovered in Slc10a1hSLC01B3-mice, indicating that OATP1B3 can partially compensate the NTCP function in vivo. Liver-specific overexpression of OATP1B3 markedly increased the level of hepatic conjugated BA and cholestatic liver injury in 1% CA-fed and BDL mice. Mechanistic studies revealed that conjugated BAs stimulated Ccl2 and Cxcl2 in hepatocytes to increase hepatic neutrophil infiltration and proinflammatory cytokine production (eg, IL-6), which activated STAT3 to repress OATP1B3 expression by binding to its promoter. CONCLUSIONS: Human OATP1B3 is a significant BA uptake transporter and can partially compensate Ntcp for conjugated BA uptake in mice. Its downregulation in cholestasis is an adaptive protective response.

Melatonin attenuates cholestatic liver injury via inhibition of the inflammatory response.

Melatonin, an indole neurohormone secreted mainly by the pineal gland, has been found to be involved in a variety of liver diseases. However, the underlying mechanism by which melatonin ameliorates cholestatic liver injury is not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the mechanism by which melatonin attenuates cholestatic liver injury via inhibition of the inflammatory response. We measured the levels of serum melatonin in patients with obstructive cholestasis (n = 9), patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) (n = 11), and control patients (n = 7). We performed experiments with C57BL/6 J mice treated with 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC) and melatonin to verify the role of melatonin in the mouse model of cholestasis. Primary mouse hepatocytes were used for in vitro studies to study the mechanisms of action of melatonin in cholestasis. The levels of serum melatonin were markedly increased and negatively correlated with serum markers of liver injury in cholestatic patients. As expected, oral administration of melatonin significantly attenuated cholestasis-induced liver inflammation and fibrosis in 0.1% DDC diet-fed mice. Further mechanistic studies in cholestatic mice and primary hepatocytes revealed that melatonin reduced the conjugate BA-stimulated expression of cytokines (e.g. Ccl2, Tnfα, and Il6) through the ERK/Egr1 signalling pathway in these models. The levels of serum melatonin are significantly elevated in cholestatic patients. Melatonin treatment ameliorates cholestatic liver injury by suppressing the inflammatory response in vivo and in vitro. Therefore, melatonin is a promising novel therapeutic strategy for cholestasis.

Novel urinary protein panels for the non-invasive diagnosis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and fibrosis stages.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: There is an unmet clinical need for non-invasive tests to diagnose non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and individual fibrosis stages. We aimed to test whether urine protein panels could be used to identify NAFLD, NAFLD with fibrosis (stage F ≥ 1) and NAFLD with significant fibrosis (stage F ≥ 2). METHODS: We collected urine samples from 100 patients with biopsy-confirmed NAFLD and 40 healthy volunteers, and proteomics and bioinformatics analyses were performed in this derivation cohort. Diagnostic models were developed for detecting NAFLD (UPNAFLD model), NAFLD with fibrosis (UPfibrosis model), or NAFLD with significant fibrosis (UPsignificant fibrosis model). Subsequently, the derivation cohort was divided into training and testing sets to evaluate the efficacy of these diagnostic models. Finally, in a separate independent validation cohort of 100 patients with biopsy-confirmed NAFLD and 45 healthy controls, urinary enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analyses were undertaken to validate the accuracy of these new diagnostic models. RESULTS: The UPfibrosis model and the UPsignificant fibrosis model showed an AUROC of .863 (95% CI: .725-1.000) and 0.858 (95% CI: .712-1.000) in the training set; and .837 (95% CI: .711-.963) and .916 (95% CI: .825-1.000) in the testing set respectively. The UPNAFLD model showed an excellent diagnostic performance and the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUROC) exceeded .90 in the derivation cohort. In the independent validation cohort, the AUROC for all three of the above diagnostic models exceeded .80. CONCLUSIONS: Our newly developed models constructed from urine protein biomarkers have good accuracy for non-invasively diagnosing liver fibrosis in NAFLD.

Gut Microbiota Deficiency Exacerbates Liver Injury in Bile Duct Ligated Mice via Inflammation and Lipid Metabolism.

Bile components play a critical role in maintaining gut microbiota homeostasis. In cholestasis, bile secretion is impaired, leading to liver injury. However, it remains to be elucidated whether gut microbiota plays a role in cholestatic liver injury. Here, we performed a sham operation and bile duct ligation (BDL) in antibiotic-induced microbiome depleted (AIMD) mice and assessed liver injury and fecal microbiota composition in these mice. Significant reductions in gut microbiota richness and diversity were found in AIMD-sham mice when compared to sham controls. Three-day BDL leads to great elevation of plasma ALT, ALP, total bile acids, and bilirubin where reduced diversity of the gut microbiota was also found. AIMD further aggravated cholestatic liver injury evidenced by significantly higher levels of plasma ALT and ALP, associated with further reduced diversity and increased Gram-negative bacteria in gut microbiota. Further analyses revealed increased levels of LPS in the plasma of AIMD-BDL mice where elevated expression of inflammatory genes and decreased expression of hepatic detoxification enzymes were also found in liver when compared to the BDL group. These findings indicate that gut microbiota plays a critical role in cholestatic liver injury. Maintaining its homeostasis may alleviate liver injury in patients with cholestasis.

Unique DUOX2+ACE2+ small cholangiocytes are pathogenic targets for primary biliary cholangitis.

Cholangiocytes play a crucial role in bile formation. Cholangiocyte injury causes cholestasis, including primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). However, the etiology of PBC remains unclear despite being characterized as an autoimmune disease. Using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), fluorescence-activated-cell-sorting, multiplex immunofluorescence (IF) and RNAscope analyses, we identified unique DUOX2+ACE2+ small cholangiocytes in human and mouse livers. Their selective decrease in PBC patients was associated with the severity of disease. Moreover, proteomics, scRNA-seq, and qPCR analyses indicated that polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) was highly expressed in DUOX2+ACE2+ cholangiocytes. Serum anti-pIgR autoantibody levels were significantly increased in PBC patients, regardless of positive and negative AMA-M2. Spatial transcriptomics and multiplex IF revealed that CD27+ memory B and plasma cells accumulated in the hepatic portal tracts of PBC patients. Collectively, DUOX2+ACE2+ small cholangiocytes are pathogenic targets in PBC, and preservation of DUOX2+ACE2+ cholangiocytes and targeting anti-pIgR autoantibodies may be valuable strategies for therapeutic interventions in PBC.

Runt-related transcription factor-1 ameliorates bile acid-induced hepatic inflammation in cholestasis through JAK/STAT3 signaling.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Bile acids trigger a hepatic inflammatory response, causing cholestatic liver injury. Runt-related transcription factor-1 (RUNX1), primarily known as a master modulator in hematopoiesis, plays a pivotal role in mediating inflammatory responses. However, RUNX1 in hepatocytes is poorly characterized, and its role in cholestasis is unclear. Herein, we aimed to investigate the role of hepatic RUNX1 and its underlying mechanisms in cholestasis. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Hepatic expression of RUNX1 was examined in cholestatic patients and mouse models. Mice with liver-specific ablation of Runx1 were generated. Bile duct ligation and 1% cholic acid diet were used to induce cholestasis in mice. Primary mouse hepatocytes and the human hepatoma PLC/RPF/5- ASBT cell line were used for mechanistic studies. Hepatic RUNX1 mRNA and protein levels were markedly increased in cholestatic patients and mice. Liver-specific deletion of Runx1 aggravated inflammation and liver injury in cholestatic mice induced by bile duct ligation or 1% cholic acid feeding. Mechanistic studies indicated that elevated bile acids stimulated RUNX1 expression by activating the RUNX1 -P2 promoter through JAK/STAT3 signaling. Increased RUNX1 is directly bound to the promotor region of inflammatory chemokines, including CCL2 and CXCL2 , and transcriptionally repressed their expression in hepatocytes, leading to attenuation of liver inflammatory response. Blocking the JAK signaling or STAT3 phosphorylation completely abolished RUNX1 repression of bile acid-induced CCL2 and CXCL2 in hepatocytes. CONCLUSIONS: This study has gained initial evidence establishing the functional role of hepatocyte RUNX1 in alleviating liver inflammation during cholestasis through JAK/STAT3 signaling. Modulating hepatic RUNX1 activity could be a new therapeutic target for cholestasis.

Hepatic TNFRSF12A promotes bile acid-induced hepatocyte pyroptosis through NFκB/Caspase-1/GSDMD signaling in cholestasis.

Tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member-12A (TNFRSF12A) plays a critical role in inflammation and cell death. It is expressed in multiple tissues yet extremely low in normal liver. To date, little is known about its role in cholestasis. Therefore, we sought to delineate the role of TNFRSF12A in cholestasis and its underlying mechanisms. Human liver tissues were collected from patients with obstructive cholestasis (OC) or primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). Tnfrsf12a knockout (KO) mice were generated. Cholestasis was induced by bile-duct ligation (BDL) or 0.1% 5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC)-feeding. Human hepatoma PLC/PRF/5-ASBT and THP1 cell lines or primary mouse hepatocytes were used for mechanistic studies. Hepatic TNFRSF12A expression was markedly increased in OC or PBC patients. Genetic ablation of Tnfrsf12a in BDL- and 0.1%DDC-induced cholestatic mice significantly attenuated cholestatic liver injury with remarkable reduction of hepatocyte pyroptosis but without changing scores of necroptosis and apoptosis. Morphological features of hepatocyte pyroptosis and increased levels of pyroptosis-related proteins, NLRP3, cleaved-Caspase-1, and cleaved-GSDMD in OC patients and BDL-mice confirmed this observation. Further mechanistic studies revealed that bile acids (BAs) induced TNFRSF12A expression by enhancing the transcription factor c-JUN binding to the TNFRSF12A promoter and subsequently initiated hepatocyte pyroptosis by the NFκB/Caspase-1/GSDMD signaling. Interestingly, TWEAK, a typical ligand of TNFRSF12A, secreted by infiltrated macrophages in cholestatic livers, enhanced TNFRSF12A-induced hepatocyte pyroptosis. Taken together, we report, for the first time, that hepatic TNFRSF12A is dramatically increased in human cholestasis. Deletion of TNFRSF12A inhibits BAs-induced hepatocyte pyroptosis through the NFκB/Caspase-1/GSDMD signaling and thereby ameliorates cholestatic liver injury. As such, targeting TNFRSF12A could be a promising approach to treating cholestasis.

Semaphorin 7A interacts with nuclear factor NF-kappa-B p105 via integrin ß1 and mediates inflammation.

Semaphorin7a (SEMA7A), a membrane-anchored member of the semaphorin protein family, could be involved in a diverse range of immune responses via its receptor integrin ß1. Recently, we reported that the SEMA7AR148W mutation (a gain-of-function mutation, Sema7aR145W in mice) is a risk factor for progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease via upregulated membrane localization. In this study, we demonstrated that integrin ß1 is a membrane receptor for nuclear factor NF-kappa-B p105 (NF-κB p105) and a critical mediator of inflammation. Integrin ß1 could interact with the C-terminal domain of NF-κB p105 to promote p50 generation and stimulate the NF-κB p50/p65 signalling pathway, upregulate TNF-α and IL-1ß levels, and subsequently render hepatocytes more susceptible to inflammation. The induction of integrin ß1 depends on elevated Sema7a membrane localization. Moreover, we revealed elevated levels of Sema7aWT (SEMA7AWT) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients and an HCC mouse model. In line with our findings, the NF-κB p50/p65 pathway could also be activated by high Sema7a expression and repressed by integrin ß1 silencing. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the Sema7aR145W (SEMA7AR148W) mutation and high Sema7aWT (SEMA7AWT) expression both activate the NF-κB p50/p65 pathway via integrin ß1 and play a crucial role in inflammatory responses. Video Abstract.

Fluorofenidone ameliorates cholestasis and fibrosis by inhibiting hepatic Erk/-Egr-1 signaling and Tgfß1/Smad pathway in mice.

Cholestasis is characterized by intrahepatic accumulation of bile acids (BAs), resulting in liver injury, fibrosis, and liver failure. To date, only ursodeoxycholic acid and obeticholic acid have been approved for the treatment of cholestasis. As fluorofenidone (AKF-PD) was previously reported to play significant anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory roles in various diseases, we investigated whether AKF-PD ameliorates cholestasis. A mouse model of cholestasis was constructed by administering a 0.1 % 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydroxychollidine (DDC) diet for 14 days. Male C57BL/6 J mice were treated with either AKF-PD or pirfenidone (PD) orally in addition to the DDC diet. Serum and liver tissues were subsequently collected and analyzed. We found that AKF-PD significantly reduced the levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bile salts (TBA), as well as hepatic bile acids (BAs) levels. Hepatic histological analyses demonstrated that AKF-PD markedly attenuated hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. Further mechanistic analyses revealed that AKF-PD markedly inhibited expression of Cyp7a1, an enzyme key to BAs synthesis, by increasing Fxr nuclear translocation, and decreased hepatic inflammation by attenuating Erk/-Egr-1-mediated expression of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines Tnfα, Il-1ß, Il-6, Ccl2, Ccl5 and Cxcl10. Moreover, AKF-PD was found to substantially reduce liver fibrosis via inhibition of Tgfß1/Smad pathway in our mouse model. Here, we found that AKF-PD effectively attenuates cholestasis and hepatic fibrosis in the mouse model of DDC-induced cholestasis. As such, AKF-PD warrants further investigation as a candidate drug for treatment of cholestasis.

SEMA7AR148W mutation promotes lipid accumulation and NAFLD progression via increased localization on the hepatocyte surface.

Genetic polymorphisms are associated with the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Semaphorin7a (Sema7a) deficiency in mouse peritoneal macrophages reduces fatty acid (FA) oxidation. Here, we identified 17 individuals with SEMA7A heterozygous mutations in 470 patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD. SEMA7A heterozygous mutations increased susceptibility to NAFLD, steatosis severity, and NAFLD activity scores in humans and mice. The Sema7aR145W mutation (equivalent to human SEMA7AR148W) significantly induced small lipid droplet accumulation in mouse livers compared with WT mouse livers. Mechanistically, the Sema7aR145W mutation increased N-glycosylated Sema7a and its receptor integrin ß1 proteins in the cell membranes of hepatocytes. Furthermore, Sema7aR145W mutation enhanced its protein interaction with integrin ß1 and PKC-α and increased PKC-α phosphorylation, which were both abrogated by integrin ß1 silencing. Induction of PKCα_WT, but not PKCα_dominant negative, overexpression induced transcriptional factors Srebp1, Chrebp, and Lxr expression and their downstream Acc1, Fasn, and Cd36 expression in primary mouse hepatocytes. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that the SEMA7AR148W mutation is a potentially new strong genetic determinant of NAFLD and promotes intrahepatic lipid accumulation and NAFLD in mice by enhancing PKC-α-stimulated FA and triglyceride synthesis and FA uptake. The inhibition of hepatic PKC-α signaling may lead to novel NAFLD therapies.

Tumor necrosis factor α upregulates the bile acid efflux transporter OATP3A1 via multiple signaling pathways in cholestasis.

Cholestasis is a common condition in which the flow of bile from the liver to the intestines is inhibited. It has been shown that organic anion-transporting polypeptide 3A1 (OATP3A1) is upregulated in cholestasis to promote bile acid efflux transport. We have previously shown that the growth factor fibroblast growth factor 19 and inflammatory mediator tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) increased OATP3A1 mRNA levels in hepatoma peritoneal lavage cell/PRF/5 cell lines. However, the mechanism underlying TNFα-stimulated OATP3A1 expression in cholestasis is unknown. To address this, we collected plasma samples from control and obstructive cholestasis patients and used ELISA to detect TNFα levels. We found that the TNFα levels of plasma and hepatic mRNA transcripts were significantly increased in obstructive cholestatic patients relative to control patients. A significant positive correlation was also observed between plasma TNFα and liver OATP3A1 mRNA transcripts in patients with obstructive cholestasis. Further mechanism analysis revealed that recombinant TNFα induced OATP3A1 expression and activated NF-κB and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathways as well as expression of related transcription factors p65 and specificity protein 1 (SP1). Dual-luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays showed that recombinant TNFα upregulated the binding activities of NF-κB p65 and SP1 to the OATP3A1 promoter in peritoneal lavage cell/PRF/5 cells. These effects were diminished following the application of NF-κB and ERK inhibitors BAY11-7082 and PD98059. We conclude that TNFα stimulates hepatic OATP3A1 expression in human obstructive cholestasis by activating NF-κB p65 and ERK-SP1 signaling. These results suggest that TNFα-activated NF-κB p65 and ERK-SP1 signaling may be a potential target to ameliorate cholestasis-associated liver injury.

A homozygous R148W mutation in Semaphorin 7A causes progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis.

Semaphorin 7A (SEMA7A) is a membrane-bound protein that involves axon growth and other biological processes. SEMA7A mutations are associated with vertebral fracture and Kallmann syndrome. Here, we report a case with a mutation in SEMA7A that displays familial cholestasis. WGS reveals a SEMA7AR148W homozygous mutation in a female child with elevated levels of serum ALT, AST, and total bile acid (TBA) of unknown etiology. This patient also carried a SLC10A1S267F allele, but Slc10a1S267F homozygous mice exhibited normal liver function. Similar to the child, Sema7aR145W homozygous mice displayed elevated levels of serum ALT, AST, and TBA. Remarkably, liver histology and LC-MS/MS analyses exhibited hepatocyte hydropic degeneration and increased liver bile acid (BA) levels in Sema7aR145W homozygous mice. Further mechanistic studies demonstrated that Sema7aR145W mutation reduced the expression of canalicular membrane BA transporters, bile salt export pump (Bsep), and multidrug resistance-associated protein-2 (Mrp2), causing intrahepatic cholestasis in mice. Administration with ursodeoxycholic acid and a dietary supplement glutathione improved liver function in the child. Therefore, Sema7aR145W homozygous mutation causes intrahepatic cholestasis by reducing hepatic Bsep and Mrp2 expression.

HHQ-4, a quinoline derivate, preferentially inhibits proliferation of glucose-deprived breast cancer cells as a GRP78 down-regulator.

As a central regulator for endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), controls the activation of ER-transmembrane signaling mechanisms by inducing unfolded protein response (UPR) in response to ER stress. Although limited glucose availability often occurs in poorly vascularized solid cancers, cancer cells often initiate the UPR to support cellular homeostasis and survival under stress conditions. Therefore, targeting GRP78 expression and UPR pathway activation may provide a new strategy for anticancer therapy. Based on this premise, we investigated the molecular mechanisms of a synthetic quinolone derivative, 2-hexyl-3-methyl-4(1H)-quinolinone (HHQ-4), in regulating the GRP78 expression and UPR transcriptional program under glucose deprivation or 2-deoxy-d-glucose (2-DG)-stressed conditions. We found that HHQ-4 suppressed the transcriptional and translational expression of GRP78 gene in glucose-deprived breast cancer cells. HHQ-4 also showed selective antiproliferative activity against glucose-deprived breast cancer cells. Constitutive expression of GRP78 completely prevented breast cancer cells from HHQ-4-mediated proliferation inhibition during glucose starvation, stressing the important role of suppression of the GRP78 in HHQ-4-mediated cell proliferation inhibition. HHQ-4 was also found to exert inhibitory activity against breast cancer cell proliferation by suppressing three survival arms of the UPR, including PERK/eIF2α/ATF4, IRE1/XBP1, and ATF6, which orchestrate an intricate signaling network to modulate GRP78 gene transcription under glucose-deprived stress. Furthermore, HHQ-4 combined with 2-DG synergistically inhibited breast cancer cell proliferation. Our findings show HHQ-4 could be a promising candidate, alone or in combination with 2-DG, for selectively inhibiting breast cancer cell proliferation by down-regulating the transcription and expression of GRP78 under stressful microenvironments.