BACKGROUND The transforming growth factor β(TGFβ) signaling pathway plays a crucial role in the development of liver fibrosis by activating TGFβ type Ⅱ receptor(TGFβR2), followed by the recruitment of TGFβR1 fin...BACKGROUND The transforming growth factor β(TGFβ) signaling pathway plays a crucial role in the development of liver fibrosis by activating TGFβ type Ⅱ receptor(TGFβR2), followed by the recruitment of TGFβR1 finally triggering downstream signaling pathway.AIM To find drugs targeting TGFβR2 that inhibit TGFβR1/TGFβR2 complex formation, theoretically inhibit TGFβ signaling pathway, and thereby ameliorate liver fibrosis.METHODS Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs were screened for binding affinity with TGFβR2 by virtual molecular docking. We identified 6 candidates and further explored their potential by Cell Counting Kit-8(CCK-8) cell cytotoxic experiment to validate toxicity and titrated the best cellular working concentrations. Next, we further demonstrated the detailed molecular working mechanisms using mutagenesis analysis. Finally, we used a mouse model to investigate its potential anti-liver fibrosis effect.RESULTS We identified 6 drug candidates. Among these 6 drugs, dihydroergotamine(DHE) shows great ability in reducing fibrotic gene expressions such as collagen, p-SMAD3, and α-SMA in TGFβ induced cellular model of liver fibrosis in LX-2 cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated that DHE binds to TGFβR2. Moreover, mutation of Leu27, Phe30, Thr51, Ser52, Ile53, and Glu55 of TGFβR2 disrupted the binding of TGFβR2 with DHE. In addition, DHE significantly improved liver fibrosis, as evidenced by Masson’s trichrome staining of liver sections. This is further supported by the width and the velocity of the portal vein, and serum markers of liver function. In line with those observations, DHE also decreased macrophages infiltration and extracellular matrix deposition in the liver.CONCLUSION DHE alleviates liver fibrosis by binding to TGFβR2 thereby suppressing TGFβ signaling pathway. We show here that as far as drug repurposing, DHE has great potential to treat liver fibrosis.展开更多
BACKGROUND The role of transforming growth factor beta(TGF-β)signaling,including both the cytokine and their receptors,in the etiology of colorectal cancer(CRC)has been of particular interest lately.AIM To investigat...BACKGROUND The role of transforming growth factor beta(TGF-β)signaling,including both the cytokine and their receptors,in the etiology of colorectal cancer(CRC)has been of particular interest lately.AIM To investigate the association between promoter polymorphism in TGF-β receptor 2 TGF-BR2G^([-875])A with a CRC risk in a cohort of Bulgarian patients using a casecontrol gene association study approach,as well as the protein levels of TGF-β1 in the peripheral blood.METHODS A cohort of 184 CRC patients and 307 sex and age-matched healthy subjects were recruited in the study.A genotyping of the TGF-BR2G^([-875])A(rs3087465)polymorphism was performed by primer-introduced restriction analysespolymerase chain reaction approaches.RESULTS The frequency of TGF-BR2G^([-875])A genotype was decreased in male patients with CRC than in healthy men(31.3%vs 44.8%;P=0.058).Among males,the TGF-BR2G[-509]G genotype was related to a significantly increased risk of CRC development(OR=1.820,95%CI:0.985-3.362,P=0.055)than the GA+AA genotype.Also,TGF-BR2^([-875])*A-allele itself was rarer in men with CRC than healthy men(19.1%vs 26.9%,P=0.086)and was associated with a protective effect(OR=0.644;95%CI:0.389-1.066;P=0.086).Regarding the genotypes,we found that TGF-β1 serum levels were higher in GG genotype in healthy persons above 50 years than the CRC patients[36.3 ng/mL interquartile range(IQR)19.9-56.5 vs 22.4 ng/mL IQR 14.8-29.7,P=0.014].We found significant differences between higher levels of TGF-β1 serum levels in healthy controls above 50 years(GG genotype)and CRC patients(GG genotype)at the early stage(36.3 ng/mL IQR 19.9-56.5 vs 22.8 ng/mL IQR 14.6-28.6,P=0.037)and advanced CRC(36.3 ng/mL IQR 19.9-56.5 vs 21.6 ng/mL IQR 15.9-33.9,P=0.039).CONCLUSION In summary,our results demonstrated that TGF-BR2 AG and AA genotypes were associated with a reduced risk of CRC,as well as circulating levels of TGF-βcould prevent CRC development in a gender-specific manner.Notably,male carriers of TGF-BR2-875A allele genotypes had a lower ris展开更多
基金Supported by the Special Research Project for Capital Health Development,No.2022-2-2174the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission,No.Z191100007619037.
文摘BACKGROUND The transforming growth factor β(TGFβ) signaling pathway plays a crucial role in the development of liver fibrosis by activating TGFβ type Ⅱ receptor(TGFβR2), followed by the recruitment of TGFβR1 finally triggering downstream signaling pathway.AIM To find drugs targeting TGFβR2 that inhibit TGFβR1/TGFβR2 complex formation, theoretically inhibit TGFβ signaling pathway, and thereby ameliorate liver fibrosis.METHODS Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs were screened for binding affinity with TGFβR2 by virtual molecular docking. We identified 6 candidates and further explored their potential by Cell Counting Kit-8(CCK-8) cell cytotoxic experiment to validate toxicity and titrated the best cellular working concentrations. Next, we further demonstrated the detailed molecular working mechanisms using mutagenesis analysis. Finally, we used a mouse model to investigate its potential anti-liver fibrosis effect.RESULTS We identified 6 drug candidates. Among these 6 drugs, dihydroergotamine(DHE) shows great ability in reducing fibrotic gene expressions such as collagen, p-SMAD3, and α-SMA in TGFβ induced cellular model of liver fibrosis in LX-2 cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated that DHE binds to TGFβR2. Moreover, mutation of Leu27, Phe30, Thr51, Ser52, Ile53, and Glu55 of TGFβR2 disrupted the binding of TGFβR2 with DHE. In addition, DHE significantly improved liver fibrosis, as evidenced by Masson’s trichrome staining of liver sections. This is further supported by the width and the velocity of the portal vein, and serum markers of liver function. In line with those observations, DHE also decreased macrophages infiltration and extracellular matrix deposition in the liver.CONCLUSION DHE alleviates liver fibrosis by binding to TGFβR2 thereby suppressing TGFβ signaling pathway. We show here that as far as drug repurposing, DHE has great potential to treat liver fibrosis.
基金Supported by the Research Grants from Trakia University,Medical Faculty,Stara Zagora,Bulgaria,No.1/2017 and 2/2019.
文摘BACKGROUND The role of transforming growth factor beta(TGF-β)signaling,including both the cytokine and their receptors,in the etiology of colorectal cancer(CRC)has been of particular interest lately.AIM To investigate the association between promoter polymorphism in TGF-β receptor 2 TGF-BR2G^([-875])A with a CRC risk in a cohort of Bulgarian patients using a casecontrol gene association study approach,as well as the protein levels of TGF-β1 in the peripheral blood.METHODS A cohort of 184 CRC patients and 307 sex and age-matched healthy subjects were recruited in the study.A genotyping of the TGF-BR2G^([-875])A(rs3087465)polymorphism was performed by primer-introduced restriction analysespolymerase chain reaction approaches.RESULTS The frequency of TGF-BR2G^([-875])A genotype was decreased in male patients with CRC than in healthy men(31.3%vs 44.8%;P=0.058).Among males,the TGF-BR2G[-509]G genotype was related to a significantly increased risk of CRC development(OR=1.820,95%CI:0.985-3.362,P=0.055)than the GA+AA genotype.Also,TGF-BR2^([-875])*A-allele itself was rarer in men with CRC than healthy men(19.1%vs 26.9%,P=0.086)and was associated with a protective effect(OR=0.644;95%CI:0.389-1.066;P=0.086).Regarding the genotypes,we found that TGF-β1 serum levels were higher in GG genotype in healthy persons above 50 years than the CRC patients[36.3 ng/mL interquartile range(IQR)19.9-56.5 vs 22.4 ng/mL IQR 14.8-29.7,P=0.014].We found significant differences between higher levels of TGF-β1 serum levels in healthy controls above 50 years(GG genotype)and CRC patients(GG genotype)at the early stage(36.3 ng/mL IQR 19.9-56.5 vs 22.8 ng/mL IQR 14.6-28.6,P=0.037)and advanced CRC(36.3 ng/mL IQR 19.9-56.5 vs 21.6 ng/mL IQR 15.9-33.9,P=0.039).CONCLUSION In summary,our results demonstrated that TGF-BR2 AG and AA genotypes were associated with a reduced risk of CRC,as well as circulating levels of TGF-βcould prevent CRC development in a gender-specific manner.Notably,male carriers of TGF-BR2-875A allele genotypes had a lower ris
