Macrophage miR-4524a-5p/TBP promotes β-TrCP -TIM3 complex activation and TGFβ release and aggravates NAFLD-associated fibrosis.

作者信息

Li Chunming, Fang Lei, Su Xingxing, Zhang Jie, Xiong Haojun, Yu Hongqiang, Zhu Zhu, Lin Xiaotong, Min Ke, Wu Di, Chen Zhiyu, Gong Jianping, Xie Chuan-Ming

机构信息

Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China.

Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.

出版信息

Cell Death Dis. 2025 Apr 19;16(1):315. doi: 10.1038/s41419-025-07574-4.

Abstract

Macrophages hold a critical position in maintenance of hepatic homeostasis and in injury and repair processes in acute and chronic liver diseases. TIM3 is a promising protector in MCD-induced steatohepatitis in acute liver injury. However, we recently find TIM3 as a driver of fibrosis in MCD/HFD-induced chronic liver injury. This study aims to explore how macrophage TIM3 drivers NAFLD-associated chronic liver injury as well as identify a subtype of fibrotic patients suitable for anti-TIM3 immunotherapy. Here, we found that TIM3 was highly expressed in liver macrophages in a long-term MCD- or HFD-fed mice with fibrotic NASH. Elevated β-TrCP in macrophages promoted TIM3 polyubiquitination and membrane translocation. The ubiquitinated TIM3 then bound with PI3K and followed by inhibition of mTOR and activation of macrophage M2 polarization and TGF-β release, leading to HSC activation and liver fibrosis. Furthermore, elevated TIM3 was attributed to the transcriptional TBP upregulation and miR-4524a-5p downregulation. Targeting of TIM3 significantly attenuated liver fibrosis in mice. In clinical NASH patients, elevated macrophage TIM3 is positively correlated with TBP expression and negatively associated with miR-4524a-5p. Decreased miR-4524a-5p in plasma was a biomarker for the NASH fibrosis patients suitable for anti-TIM3 therapy. In conclusion, this study reveals that miR-4524a-5p/TBP promotes β-TrCP/TIM3 complex activation in macrophages and aggravates chronic NASH fibrosis, providing miR-4524a-5p as an effective blood biomarker for a subtype of chronic NASH patients with fibrosis suitable for anti-TIM3 treatment.

摘要
https://cdn.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/blobs/ab82/12008196/406dccad351a/41419_2025_7574_Fig1_HTML.jpg

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