Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Department of Gastroenterology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
J Hepatol. 2021 Dec;75(6):1271-1283. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2021.07.032. Epub 2021 Aug 4.
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Regulatory T-cells (Tregs) impair cancer immunosurveillance by creating an immunosuppressive environment that fosters tumor cell survival. Our previous findings demonstrated that neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which are involved both in innate and adaptive immunity, are abundant in livers affected by non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). However, how NETs interact with Tregs in the development of NASH-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (NASH-HCC) is not known. METHODS: A choline-deficient, high-fat diet+diethylnitrosamine mouse model and the stelic animal model were utilized for NASH-HCC and a western diet mouse model was used for NASH development. Treg depletion was achieved using FoxP3-DTR mice. RNA sequencing was used to explore the mechanism by which NETs could regulate Treg differentiation. Bioenergetic analyses of naïve CD4 T-cells were assessed by Seahorse. RESULTS: Although the absolute number of CD4 T-cells is lower in NASH livers, the Treg subpopulation is selectively increased. Depleting Tregs dramatically inhibits HCC initiation and progression in NASH. There is a positive correlation between increased NET and hepatic Treg levels. RNA sequencing data reveals that NETs impact gene expression profiles in naïve CD4 T-cells, with the most differentially expressed genes being those involved in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. By facilitating mitochondrial respiration, NETs can promote Treg differentiation. Metabolic reprogramming of naïve CD4 T-cells by NETs requires toll-like receptor 4. Blockade of NETs in vivo using Pad4 mice or DNase I treatment reduces the activity of Tregs. CONCLUSIONS: Tregs can suppress immunosurveillance in the premalignant stages of NASH. NETs facilitate the crosstalk between innate and adaptive immunity in NASH by promoting Treg activity through metabolic reprogramming. Therapies targeting NETs and Treg interactions could offer a potential strategy for preventing HCC in patients with NASH. LAY SUMMARY: Regulatory T-cells (Tregs) can promote tumor development by suppressing cancer immunosurveillance, but their role in carcinogenesis during non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) progression is unknown. Herein, we discovered that selectively increased intrahepatic Tregs can promote an immunosuppressive environment in NASH livers. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) link innate and adaptive immunity by promoting Treg differentiation via metabolic reprogramming of naïve CD4 T-cells. This mechanism could be targeted to prevent liver cancer in patients with NASH.
背景与目的:调节性 T 细胞(Tregs)通过创造促进肿瘤细胞存活的免疫抑制环境来损害癌症免疫监视。我们之前的研究结果表明,中性粒细胞胞外诱捕网(NETs)在固有免疫和适应性免疫中都有参与,在非酒精性脂肪性肝炎(NASH)影响的肝脏中大量存在。然而,NETs 如何在非酒精性脂肪性肝炎相关肝细胞癌(NASH-HCC)的发展中与 Tregs 相互作用尚不清楚。
方法:利用胆碱缺乏、高脂肪饮食+二乙基亚硝胺小鼠模型和 stelic 动物模型建立 NASH-HCC 模型,利用西方饮食小鼠模型建立 NASH 发展模型。使用 FoxP3-DTR 小鼠来耗尽 Treg。利用 RNA 测序来探讨 NET 调节 Treg 分化的机制。利用 Seahorse 检测对幼稚 CD4 T 细胞的生物能量进行分析。
结果:尽管 NASH 肝脏中的 CD4 T 细胞绝对数量较低,但 Treg 亚群选择性增加。耗尽 Tregs 可显著抑制 NASH 中的 HCC 起始和进展。NET 增加与肝内 Treg 水平呈正相关。RNA 测序数据显示,NETs 影响幼稚 CD4 T 细胞的基因表达谱,差异表达最明显的基因是参与线粒体氧化磷酸化的基因。NETs 通过促进线粒体呼吸来促进 Treg 分化。NETs 对幼稚 CD4 T 细胞的代谢重编程需要 Toll 样受体 4。在体内使用 Pad4 小鼠或 DNase I 治疗来阻断 NETs,可降低 Tregs 的活性。
结论:Tregs 可以抑制 NASH 癌前阶段的免疫监视。NETs 通过代谢重编程促进 Treg 活性,从而促进 NASH 中固有免疫和适应性免疫之间的串扰。针对 NETs 和 Treg 相互作用的治疗方法可能为预防 NASH 患者的 HCC 提供一种潜在策略。
平铺直叙:调节性 T 细胞(Tregs)可通过抑制癌症免疫监视促进肿瘤发展,但它们在非酒精性脂肪性肝炎(NASH)进展过程中的致癌作用尚不清楚。在此,我们发现选择性增加的肝内 Tregs 可促进 NASH 肝脏中的免疫抑制环境。中性粒细胞胞外诱捕网(NETs)通过代谢重编程促进幼稚 CD4 T 细胞的分化,从而将固有免疫和适应性免疫联系起来。这种机制可以作为预防 NASH 患者肝癌的靶点。
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