1. Redox-sensitive high-mobility group box-1 isoforms contribute to liver fibrosis progression and resolution in mice.
- Author
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Ge, Xiaodong, Desert, Romain, Magdaleno, Fernando, Han, Hui, Song, Zhuolun, Das, Sukanta, Athavale, Dipti, Chen, Wei, Barahona, Ines, Lantvit, Daniel, Chen, Hui, Hwang, Sunil, and Nieto, Natalia
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HEPATIC fibrosis , *POST-translational modification , *LIVER cells , *KNOCKOUT mice - Abstract
High-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) significantly increases and undergoes post-translational modifications (PTMs) in response to liver injury. Since oxidative stress plays a major role in liver fibrosis and induces PTMs in proteins, we hypothesized that redox-sensitive HMGB1 isoforms contribute to liver fibrosis progression and resolution. We used ESI-LC-MS (electrospray ionization-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry) to study PTMs of HMGB1 during fibrosis progression and resolution. Conditional knockout mice were used for functional analyses. We identified that disulfide ([O]) and sulfonated ([SO 3 ]) HMGB1 increase during carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis progression, however, while [O] HMGB1 declines, [SO 3 ] HMGB1 drops but remains, during fibrosis resolution. Conditional knockout of Hmgb1 revealed that production of [O] and [SO 3 ] HMGB1 occurs mostly in hepatocytes. Co-injection of [O] HMGB1 worsens carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis more than co-injection of [H] HMGB1. Conversely, ablation of [O] Hmgb1 in hepatocytes reduces liver fibrosis. Moreover, ablation of the receptor for advanced-glycation end-products (Rage) reveals that the profibrogenic effect of [O] HMGB1 is mediated by RAGE signaling in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Notably, injection of [SO 3 ] HMGB1 accelerates fibrosis resolution due to RAGE-dependent stimulation of HSC apoptosis. Importantly, gene signatures activated by redox-sensitive HMGB1 isoforms in mice, classify patients with fibrosis according to fibrosis and inflammation scores. Dynamic changes in hepatocyte-derived [O] and [SO 3 ] HMGB1 signal through RAGE-dependent mechanisms on HSCs to drive their profibrogenic phenotype and fate, contributing to progression and resolution of liver fibrosis. Since oxidative stress plays a major role in liver fibrosis and induces post-translational modifications of proteins, we hypothesized that redox-sensitive HMGB1 isoforms contribute to liver fibrosis progression and resolution. This study is significant because a rise in [H] HMGB1 could flag 'patient at risk', the presence of [O] HMGB1 could suggest 'disease in progress or active scarring', while the appearance of [SO 3 ] HMGB1 could point at 'resolution under way'. The latter could be used as a readout for response to pharmacological intervention with anti-fibrotic agents. [Display omitted] • We identified post-translational modifications of HMGB1 during liver fibrosis progression ([O] and [SO 3 ] HMGB1) and resolution ([SO 3 ] HMGB1). • The pro-fibrogenic effect of [O] HMGB1 is mediated by RAGE signaling in hepatic stellate cells. • [SO 3 ] HMGB1 accelerates fibrosis resolution via RAGE-dependent stimulation of hepatic stellate cell apoptosis. • Gene signatures, activated by redox-sensitive HMGB1 isoforms in mice, classify patients according to fibrosis and inflammation scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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