RIPK1 protects from TNF-α-mediated liver damage during hepatitis

Cell death of hepatocytes is a prominent characteristic in the pathogenesis of liver disease, while hepatolysis is a starting point of inflammation in hepatitis and loss of hepatic function. However, the precise molecular mechanisms of hepatocyte cell death, the role of the cytokines of hepatic microenvironment and the involvement of intracellular kinases, remain unclear. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) is a key cytokine involved in cell death or survival pathways and the role of RIPK1 has been associated to the TNF-alpha-dependent signaling pathway. We took advantage of two different deficient mouse lines, the RIPK1 kinase dead knock-in mice (Ripk1K45A) and the conditional knockout mice lacking RIPK1 only in liver parenchymal cells (Ripk1LPC-KO), to characterize the role of RIPK1 and TNF-alpha in hepatitis induced by concanavalin A (ConA). Our results show that RIPK1 is dispensable for liver homeostasis under steady-state conditions but in contrast, RIPK1 kinase activity contributes to caspase-independent cell death induction following ConA injection and RIPK1 also serves as a scaffold, protecting hepatocytes from massive apoptotic cell death in this model. In the Ripk1LPC-KO mice challenged with ConA, TNF-alpha triggers apoptosis, responsible for the observed severe hepatitis. Mechanism potentially involves both TNF-independent canonical NF-kappa B activation, as well as TNF-dependent, but canonical NF-kappa B-independent mechanisms. In conclusion, our results suggest that RIPK1 kinase activity is a pertinent therapeutic target to protect liver against excessive cell death in liver diseases

Study of hepatolysis induced by immune cells in murine hepatitis models : roles of RIPK1and PARP1/2

La mort des hépatocytes est un des éléments initiateurs de la progression des maladies hépatiques par l’induction de processus inflammatoires et de régénération. Ces événements, bénéfiques à court terme pour le rétablissement de l’homéostasie hépatique sont parfois dérégulés et peuvent conduire au développement de la fibrose, de la cirrhose, voire d’un carcinome hépatocellulaire. Ainsi, les voies conduisant à la mort des hépatocytes et leur blocage comme une potentielle approche thérapeutique sont aujourd’hui étudiées. Les cellules de l’immunité innée et acquise sont responsables de l’induction ou de l’amplification de cette hépatolyse, principalement via l’expression et la libération de ligands de mort appartenant à la superfamille du TNF-α, dont TNF-α, FasL et TRAIL. Des travaux suggèrent le rôle des protéines RIPK1 et PARP1/2 dans l’induction de l’hépatolyse dans l’hépatite induite par la Concanavaline A (ConA) chez la souris. Par l’utilisation de modèles chimiques et génétiques, nous avons étudié l’implication de ces protéines dans le processus de mort des hépatocytes.Tout d’abord, nous nous sommes intéressés au double rôle de la protéine RIPK1 dans le contrôle de la vie et la mort de l’hépatocyte. En bloquant son activité kinase nous avons confirmé son rôle dans l’induction de l’hépatolyse dans l’hépatite induite par la ConA. Cependant, en utilisant des souris conditionnellement déficientes pour RIPK1 dans les cellules parenchymateuses hépatiques (LPC) (Ripk1LPC-KO) nous avons révélé sa fonction nécessaire à la survie des hépatocytes et au maintien de l’homéostasie hépatique au cours de l’hépatite. Ces travaux démontrent que l’absence de RIPK1 sensibilise les hépatocytes à l’apoptose induite par le TNF-α en déstabilisant la protéine TRAF2. Ainsi RIPK1 joue un rôle clef dans la protection des hépatocytes au cours des hépatites induites par la ConA, le lipopolysaccharide (LPS), les motifs CpG ou induite par une co-administration d’IFN--γ et de TRAIL recombinantes. De plus, nous avons mis en évidence que RIPK1 protège partiellement de l’hépatolyse et de l’hépatite induite par l’activation de Fas. Enfin, nous avons montré que l’absence de la protéine PARP2 conduisait à une diminution du nombre de NKT invariants systémiques, dont hépatiques, conduisant à une inhibition de la mort des hépatocytes induite par l’administration de ConA. Ces travaux ont permis de préciser le rôle de RIPK1 et de PARP2 dans les hépatites aiguës. La capacité de RIPK1 à contrôler la mort et la survie de la cellule suggère son implication au cours des hépatites chroniques et ouvre la porte à son investigation dans les maladies hépatiques humaines.Hepatocyte death is a starting point of liver disease progression by promoting inflammatory and regenerative processes. These events are beneficial at the beginning of the pathology for the restoration of hepatic homeostasis. However when they are unregulated, they lead to the development of fibrosis, cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. Thus, it is important to study the signaling pathways leading to the hepatocyte death as their inhibition is a potential therapeutic approach to reduce liver diseases progression. Innate and acquired immune cells play key roles in the induction or amplification of hepatolysis, mainly mediated by expression and release of death ligands belonging to the TNF-superfamily including TNF-α, FasL and TRAIL. Some studies had already suggested the role of RIPK1 and PARP1/2 proteins in the induction of hepatocyte death during hepatitis induced by Concanavalin A (ConA) in mice. Through chemical and genetic approaches, we studied the role of these proteins in the hepatocyte death process during hepatitis. First, we were interested in the dual role of RIPK1 protein that controls the cell fate by promotingsurvival or death. By blocking its kinase activity, we confirme its role in the induction of liver injury induced by ConA. However, using specific conditional mice deficient in RIPK1 only in liver parenchymal cells (LPC) (Ripk1LPC-KO), we reveale its necessary function in the protection of hepatocyte during hepatitis. These works demonstrate that deletion of RIPK1 sensitizes hepatocytes to TNF-α-induced apoptosis by TRAF2 destabilization. Thus RIPK1 plays a key role in the protection of hepatocytes during hepatitis induced by ConA, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), DNA-CpG, or recombinant IFN-γ and TRAIL co-administration. In addition, we demonstrate that RIPK1 partially protects from hepatitis and hepatocyte death induced by the activation of Fas. Finally, we showe that PARP2 deficiency leads to a systemic decrease of the number of the invariant NKT-subpopulation of lymphocytes, including in the liver, which prevente hepatocyte death during ConA hepatitis. To conclude, this work helps to clarify the roles of RIPK1 and PARP2 during acute hepatitis. The ability of RIPK1 to control hepatocyte death and survival suggests its involvement during chronic hepatitis and opens the door to its investigation into human liver diseases

Etude de l’hépatolyse induite par les cellules immunitaires dans des modèles murins d’hépatites : rôles des protéines RIPK1 et PARP1/2

Hepatocyte death is a starting point of liver disease progression by promoting inflammatory and regenerative processes. These events are beneficial at the beginning of the pathology for the restoration of hepatic homeostasis. However when they are unregulated, they lead to the development of fibrosis, cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. Thus, it is important to study the signaling pathways leading to the hepatocyte death as their inhibition is a potential therapeutic approach to reduce liver diseases progression. Innate and acquired immune cells play key roles in the induction or amplification of hepatolysis, mainly mediated by expression and release of death ligands belonging to the TNF-superfamily including TNF-α, FasL and TRAIL. Some studies had already suggested the role of RIPK1 and PARP1/2 proteins in the induction of hepatocyte death during hepatitis induced by Concanavalin A (ConA) in mice. Through chemical and genetic approaches, we studied the role of these proteins in the hepatocyte death process during hepatitis. First, we were interested in the dual role of RIPK1 protein that controls the cell fate by promotingsurvival or death. By blocking its kinase activity, we confirme its role in the induction of liver injury induced by ConA. However, using specific conditional mice deficient in RIPK1 only in liver parenchymal cells (LPC) (Ripk1LPC-KO), we reveale its necessary function in the protection of hepatocyte during hepatitis. These works demonstrate that deletion of RIPK1 sensitizes hepatocytes to TNF-α-induced apoptosis by TRAF2 destabilization. Thus RIPK1 plays a key role in the protection of hepatocytes during hepatitis induced by ConA, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), DNA-CpG, or recombinant IFN-γ and TRAIL co-administration. In addition, we demonstrate that RIPK1 partially protects from hepatitis and hepatocyte death induced by the activation of Fas. Finally, we showe that PARP2 deficiency leads to a systemic decrease of the number of the invariant NKT-subpopulation of lymphocytes, including in the liver, which prevente hepatocyte death during ConA hepatitis. To conclude, this work helps to clarify the roles of RIPK1 and PARP2 during acute hepatitis. The ability of RIPK1 to control hepatocyte death and survival suggests its involvement during chronic hepatitis and opens the door to its investigation into human liver diseases.La mort des hépatocytes est un des éléments initiateurs de la progression des maladies hépatiques par l’induction de processus inflammatoires et de régénération. Ces événements, bénéfiques à court terme pour le rétablissement de l’homéostasie hépatique sont parfois dérégulés et peuvent conduire au développement de la fibrose, de la cirrhose, voire d’un carcinome hépatocellulaire. Ainsi, les voies conduisant à la mort des hépatocytes et leur blocage comme une potentielle approche thérapeutique sont aujourd’hui étudiées. Les cellules de l’immunité innée et acquise sont responsables de l’induction ou de l’amplification de cette hépatolyse, principalement via l’expression et la libération de ligands de mort appartenant à la superfamille du TNF-α, dont TNF-α, FasL et TRAIL. Des travaux suggèrent le rôle des protéines RIPK1 et PARP1/2 dans l’induction de l’hépatolyse dans l’hépatite induite par la Concanavaline A (ConA) chez la souris. Par l’utilisation de modèles chimiques et génétiques, nous avons étudié l’implication de ces protéines dans le processus de mort des hépatocytes.Tout d’abord, nous nous sommes intéressés au double rôle de la protéine RIPK1 dans le contrôle de la vie et la mort de l’hépatocyte. En bloquant son activité kinase nous avons confirmé son rôle dans l’induction de l’hépatolyse dans l’hépatite induite par la ConA. Cependant, en utilisant des souris conditionnellement déficientes pour RIPK1 dans les cellules parenchymateuses hépatiques (LPC) (Ripk1LPC-KO) nous avons révélé sa fonction nécessaire à la survie des hépatocytes et au maintien de l’homéostasie hépatique au cours de l’hépatite. Ces travaux démontrent que l’absence de RIPK1 sensibilise les hépatocytes à l’apoptose induite par le TNF-α en déstabilisant la protéine TRAF2. Ainsi RIPK1 joue un rôle clef dans la protection des hépatocytes au cours des hépatites induites par la ConA, le lipopolysaccharide (LPS), les motifs CpG ou induite par une co-administration d’IFN--γ et de TRAIL recombinantes. De plus, nous avons mis en évidence que RIPK1 protège partiellement de l’hépatolyse et de l’hépatite induite par l’activation de Fas. Enfin, nous avons montré que l’absence de la protéine PARP2 conduisait à une diminution du nombre de NKT invariants systémiques, dont hépatiques, conduisant à une inhibition de la mort des hépatocytes induite par l’administration de ConA. Ces travaux ont permis de préciser le rôle de RIPK1 et de PARP2 dans les hépatites aiguës. La capacité de RIPK1 à contrôler la mort et la survie de la cellule suggère son implication au cours des hépatites chroniques et ouvre la porte à son investigation dans les maladies hépatiques humaines

BRAIN INVASION BY MOUSE HEPATITIS VIRUS DEPENDS ON IMPAIRMENT OF TIGHT JUNCTIONS AND INTERFERON-β PRODUCTION IN BRAIN MICROVASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL CELLS

International audienceUnlabelled - Coronaviruses (CoVs) have shown neuroinvasive properties in humans and animals secondary to replication in peripheral organs, but the mechanism of neuroinvasion is unknown. The major aim of our work was to evaluate the ability of CoVs to enter the central nervous system (CNS) through the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Using the highly hepatotropic mouse hepatitis virus type 3 (MHV3), its attenuated variant, 51.6-MHV3, which shows low tropism for endothelial cells, and the weakly hepatotropic MHV-A59 strain from the murine coronavirus group, we investigated the virus-induced dysfunctions of BBB in vivo and in brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) in vitro. We report here a MHV strain-specific ability to cross the BBB during acute infection according to their virulence for liver. Brain invasion was observed only in MHV3-infected mice and correlated with enhanced BBB permeability associated with decreased expression of zona occludens protein 1 (ZO-1), VE-cadherin, and occludin, but not claudin-5, in the brain or in cultured BMECs. BBB breakdown in MHV3 infection was not related to production of barrier-dysregulating inflammatory cytokines or chemokines by infected BMECs but rather to a downregulation of barrier protective beta interferon (IFN-β) production. Our findings highlight the importance of IFN-β production by infected BMECs in preserving BBB function and preventing access of blood-borne infectious viruses to the brain. Importance - Coronaviruses (CoVs) infect several mammals, including humans, and are associated with respiratory, gastrointestinal, and/or neurological diseases. There is some evidence that suggest that human respiratory CoVs may show neuroinvasive properties. Indeed, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), causing severe acute respiratory syndrome, and the CoVs OC43 and 229E were found in the brains of SARS patients and multiple sclerosis patients, respectively. These findings suggest that hematogenously spread CoVs may gain access to the CNS at the BBB level. Herein we report for the first time that CoVs exhibit the ability to cross the BBB according to strain virulence. BBB invasion by CoVs correlates with virus-induced disruption of tight junctions on BMECs, leading to BBB dysfunction and enhanced permeability. We provide evidence that production of IFN-β by BMECs during CoV infection may prevent BBB breakdown and brain viral invasion

PARP2 deficiency affects invariant-NKT,-cell maturation and protects mice from ,Concanavalin A-induced liver injury.

International audienceExcessive or persistent inflammation and hepatocyte death are the key triggers of liver diseases. The poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) proteins induce cell death and inflammation. Chemical inhibition of PARP activity protects against liver injury during concanavalin A (ConA)-induced hepatitis. In this mice model, ConA activates immune cells, which promote inflammation and induce hepatocyte death, mediated by the activated invariant natural killer T (iNKT) lymphocyte population. We analyzed immune cell populations in the liver and several lymphoid organs, such as the spleen, thymus, and bone marrow in Parp2-deficient mice to better define the role of PARP proteins in liver immunity and inflammation at steady state and during ConA-induced hepatitis. We show that 1) the genetic inactivation of Parp2, but not Parp1, protected mice from ConA hepatitis without deregulating cytokine expression and leucocyte recruitment; 2) cellularity was lower in the thymus, but not in spleen, liver, or bone marrow of Parp2-/- mice; 3) spleen and liver iNKT lymphocytes, as well as thymic T and NKT lymphocytes were reduced in Parp2 knockout mice. In conclusion, our results suggest that the defect of T-lymphocyte maturation in Parp2 knockout mice leads to a systemic reduction of iNKT cells, reducing hepatocyte death during ConA-mediated liver damage, thus protecting the mice from hepatitis.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The genetic inactivation of Parp2, but not Parp1, protects mice from concanavalin A hepatitis. Immune cell populations are lower in the thymus, but not in the spleen, liver, or bone marrow of Parp2-deficient mice compared with wild-type mice. Spleen and liver invariant natural killer T (NKT) lymphocytes, as well as thymic T and NKT lymphocytes, are reduced in Parp2-deficient mic

The chemical inhibitors of cellular death, PJ34 and Necrostatin-1, down-regulate IL-33 expression in liver.

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Endogenous IL-33 has no effect on the progression of fibrosis during experimental steatohepatitis

International audienceInterleukin (IL)-33 has been recently reported to be strongly pro-fibrogenic in various models of liver disease. Our aim was to study the role of endogenous IL-33 in a diet-induced model of steatohepatitis. IL-33 deficient mice and wild type (WT) littermates received a high-fat diet (HFD), or a standard diet for 12 weeks. The HFD-induced steatohepatitis was associated with an upregulation of IL-33 transcripts and protein. An insulin tolerance test revealed lower systemic insulin sensitivity in IL33-/-HFD mice than in WT-HFD mice. Nevertheless, IL-33 deficiency did not affect the severity of liver inflammation by histological and transcriptomic analyses, nor the quantity of liver fibrosis. Livers from HFD mice had more myeloid populations, markedly fewer NKT cells and higher proportion of ST2+ Treg cells and ST2+ type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2), all unaffected by IL-33 deficiency. In conclusion, deficiency of endogenous IL-33 does not affect the evolution of experimental diet-induced steatohepatitis towards liver fibrosis

RIPK1 protects hepatocytes from death in Fas-induced hepatitis

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Ablation of interaction between IL-33 and ST2(+) regulatory T cells increases immune cell-mediated hepatitis and activated NK cell liver infiltration

International audienceThe IL-33/ST2 axis plays a protective role in T-cell-mediated hepatitis, but little is known about the functional impact of endogenous IL-33 on liver immunopathology. We used IL-33-deficient mice to investigate the functional effect of endogenous IL-33 in concanavalin A (Con A)-hepatitis. IL-33(-/-) mice displayed more severe Con A liver injury than wild-type (WT) mice, consistent with a hepatoprotective effect of IL-33. The more severe hepatic injury in IL-33(-/-) mice was associated with significantly higher levels of TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta and a larger number of NK cells infiltrating the liver. The expression of Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-10) and IL-17 was not significantly varied between WT and IL-33(-/-) mice following Con A-hepatitis. The percentage of CD25(+) NK cells was significantly higher in the livers of IL-33(-/-) mice than in WT mice in association with upregulated expression of CXCR3 in the liver. Regulatory T cells (Treg cells) strongly infiltrated the liver in both WT and IL-33(-/-) mice, but Con A treatment increased their membrane expression of ST2 and CD25 only in WT mice. In vitro, IL-33 had a significant survival effect, increasing the total number of splenocytes, including B cells, CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, and the frequency of ST2(+) Treg cells. In conclusion, IL-33 acts as a potent immune modulator protecting the liver through activation of ST2(+) Treg cells and control of NK cells