sphingosine-1-phosphate and Cholestasis

Pancreatic cancer (PC) has an extremely high mortality rate, where obstructive jaundice due to cholestasis is a classic symptom. Conjugated bile acids (CBAs) such as taurocholic acid (TCA) have been reported to activate both the ERK1/2 and AKT signaling pathways via S1P receptor 2 (S1PR2) and promote growth of cholangiocarcinoma. Thus, we hypothesize that CBAs, which accumulate in cholestasis, accelerate PC progression via S1PR2.. Murine Panc02-luc and human AsPC-1, MIA PaCa2, and BxPC-3 cells were treated with TCA, S1PR2 agonist CYM5520, S1PR2 antagonist JTE-013, sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), and functional S1P receptor antagonist (except S1PR2) FTY720. Bile duct ligation (BDL) was performed on liver implantation or intraperitoneal injection of Panc02-luc cells.. Panc02-luc and AsPC-1 cells predominantly expressed S1PR2, and their growth and migration were stimulated by TCA or CYM5520 in dose-dependent manner, which was blocked by JTE-013. This finding was not seen in PC cell lines expressing other S1P receptors than S1PR2. Panc02-luc growth stimulation by S1P was not blocked by FTY720. BDL significantly increased PC liver metastasis compared with sham. PC peritoneal carcinomatosis was significantly worsened by BDL, confirmed by number of nodules, tumor weight, bioluminescence, Ki-67 stain, ascites, and worse survival compared with sham. CYM5520 significantly worsened PC carcinomatosis, whereas treatment with anti-S1P antibody or FTY720 also worsened progression.. CBAs accelerated growth of S1PR2 predominant PC both in vitro and in vivo. This finding implicates S1PR2 as a potential therapeutic target in metastatic S1PR2 predominant pancreatic cancer.

Topics: Animals; Bile Acids and Salts; Bile Duct Neoplasms; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic; Cholestasis; Fingolimod Hydrochloride; Humans; Liver Neoplasms; Mice; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Receptors, Lysosphingolipid; Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptors; Steroids

Bile duct obstruction is a potent stimulus for cholangiocyte proliferation, especially for large cholangiocytes. Our previous studies reported that conjugated bile acids (CBAs) activate the protein kinase B (AKT) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) signaling pathways through sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor (S1PR) 2 in hepatocytes and cholangiocarcinoma cells. It also has been reported that taurocholate (TCA) promotes large cholangiocyte proliferation and protects cholangiocytes from bile duct ligation (BDL)-induced apoptosis. However, the role of S1PR2 in bile-acid-mediated cholangiocyte proliferation and cholestatic liver injury has not been elucidated. Here, we report that S1PR2 is the predominant S1PR expressed in cholangiocytes. Both TCA- and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P)-induced activation of ERK1/2 and AKT were inhibited by JTE-013, a specific antagonist of S1PR2, in cholangiocytes. In addition, TCA- and S1P-induced cell proliferation and migration were inhibited by JTE-013 and a specific short hairpin RNA of S1PR2, as well as chemical inhibitors of ERK1/2 and AKT in mouse cholangiocytes. In BDL mice, expression of S1PR2 was up-regulated in whole liver and cholangiocytes. S1PR2 deficiency significantly reduced BDL-induced cholangiocyte proliferation and cholestatic injury, as indicated by significant reductions in inflammation and liver fibrosis in S1PR2 knockout mice. Treatment of BDL mice with JTE-013 significantly reduced total bile acid levels in serum and cholestatic liver injury.. This study suggests that CBA-induced activation of S1PR2-mediated signaling pathways plays a critical role in obstructive cholestasis and may represent a novel therapeutic target for cholestatic liver diseases. (Hepatology 2017;65:2005-2018).

Topics: Analysis of Variance; Animals; Bile Acids and Salts; Bile Duct Neoplasms; Bile Ducts; Cell Proliferation; Cholangiocarcinoma; Cholangitis, Sclerosing; Cholestasis; Disease Models, Animal; Ligation; Liver; Liver Cirrhosis; Lysophospholipids; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred CBA; Mice, Knockout; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; Random Allocation; Receptors, Lysosphingolipid; Role; Signal Transduction; Sphingosine; Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptors; Up-Regulation

Bioactive sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) and S1P receptors (S1PRs) have been implicated in many critical cellular events, including inflammation, cancer, and angiogenesis. However, the role of S1P/S1PR signaling in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis has not been well documented. In this study, we found that S1P levels and S1P(3) receptor expression in liver tissue were markedly up-regulated in a mouse model of cholestasis-induced liver fibrosis. In addition, the S1P(3) receptor was also expressed in green fluorescent protein transgenic bone marrow (BM)-derived cells found in the damaged liver of transplanted chimeric mice that underwent bile duct ligation. Silencing of S1P(3) expression significantly inhibited S1P-induced BM cell migration in vitro. Furthermore, a selective S1P(3) receptor antagonist, suramin, markedly reduced the number of BM-derived cells during cholestasis. Interestingly, suramin administration clearly ameliorated bile duct ligation-induced hepatic fibrosis, as demonstrated by attenuated deposition of collagen type I and III, reduced smooth muscle alpha-actin expression, and decreased total hydroxyproline content. In conclusion, our data suggest that S1P/S1P(3) signaling plays an important role in cholestasis-induced liver fibrosis through mediating the homing of BM cells. Modulation of S1PR activity may therefore represent a new antifibrotic strategy.

Topics: Animals; Bone Marrow Cells; Cell Movement; Cholestasis; Liver Cirrhosis; Lysophospholipids; Mice; Receptors, Lysosphingolipid; Signal Transduction; Sphingosine; Suramin