Department of Biochemistry, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology Research Center, Pediatrics Center of Excellence, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran.
Arch Microbiol. 2024 Jun 4;206(7):287. doi: 10.1007/s00203-024-04007-2.
Hepcidin is a crucial regulator of iron homeostasis with protective effects on liver fibrosis. Additionally, gut microbiota can also affect liver fibrosis and iron metabolism. Although the hepatoprotective potential of Akkermansia muciniphila and Faecalibacterium duncaniae, formerly known as F. prausnitzii, has been reported, however, their effects on hepcidin expression remain unknown. We investigated the direct and macrophage stimulation-mediated effects of active, heat-inactivated, and cell-free supernatant (CFS) forms of A. muciniphila and F. duncaniae on hepcidin expression in HepG2 cells by RT-qPCR analysis. Following stimulation of phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) -differentiated THP-1 cells with A. muciniphila and F. duncaniae, IL-6 concentration was assessed via ELISA. Additionally, the resulting supernatant was treated with HepG2 cells to evaluate the effect of macrophage stimulation on hepcidin gene expression. The expression of genes mediating iron absorption and export was also examined in HepG2 and Caco-2 cells via RT-qPCR. All forms of F. duncaniae increased hepcidin expression while active and heat-inactivated/CFS forms of A. muciniphila upregulated and downregulated its expression, respectively. Active, heat-inactivated, and CFS forms of A. muciniphila and F. duncaniae upregulated hepcidin expression, consistent with the elevation of IL-6 released from THP-1-stimulated cells as a macrophage stimulation effect in HepG2 cells. A. muciniphila and F. duncaniae in active, inactive, and CFS forms altered the expression of hepatocyte and intestinal iron-mediated absorption /exporter genes, namely dcytb and dmt1, and fpn in HepG2 and Caco-2 cells, respectively. In conclusion, A. muciniphila and F. duncaniae affect not only directly but also through macrophage stimulation the expression of hepcidin gene in HepG2 cells. These findings underscore the potential of A. muciniphila and F. duncaniae as a potential therapeutic target for liver fibrosis by modulating hepcidin and intestinal and hepatocyte iron metabolism mediated gene expression.
亚铁调素是铁稳态的关键调节剂,对肝纤维化具有保护作用。此外,肠道微生物群也会影响肝纤维化和铁代谢。虽然阿克曼氏菌(Akkermansia muciniphila)和粪真杆菌(Faecalibacterium duncaniae)(以前称为 F. prausnitzii)的肝保护作用已被报道,但它们对亚铁调素表达的影响尚不清楚。我们通过 RT-qPCR 分析研究了阿克曼氏菌和粪真杆菌的活性、热失活和无细胞上清液(CFS)形式对 HepG2 细胞中铁调素表达的直接和巨噬细胞刺激介导作用。用佛波醇 12-肉豆蔻酸 13-乙酸酯(PMA)分化 THP-1 细胞刺激后,通过 ELISA 评估 IL-6 浓度。此外,将所得上清液用 HepG2 细胞处理,以评估巨噬细胞刺激对铁调素基因表达的影响。还通过 RT-qPCR 检查了调节铁吸收和输出的基因在 HepG2 和 Caco-2 细胞中的表达。所有形式的粪真杆菌均增加了铁调素的表达,而活性和热失活/CFS 形式的阿克曼氏菌分别上调和下调了其表达。阿克曼氏菌和粪真杆菌的活性、热失活和 CFS 形式均上调了 HepG2 细胞中铁调素的表达,与作为巨噬细胞刺激作用从 THP-1 刺激细胞中释放的 IL-6 升高一致。阿克曼氏菌和粪真杆菌的活性、非活性和 CFS 形式改变了 HepG2 和 Caco-2 细胞中铁介导的吸收/出口基因、即 dcytb 和 dmt1 和 fpn 的表达。总之,阿克曼氏菌和粪真杆菌不仅直接影响,而且通过巨噬细胞刺激调节 HepG2 细胞中铁调素基因的表达。这些发现强调了阿克曼氏菌和粪真杆菌通过调节铁调素和肠道及肝细胞铁代谢介导的基因表达作为肝纤维化潜在治疗靶点的潜力。