Suppression of SUN2 by DNA methylation is associated with HSCs activation and hepatic fibrosis

Cell Death Dis. 2018 Oct 3;9(10):1021. doi: 10.1038/s41419-018-1032-9.

Abstract

Hepatic myofibroblasts, activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), are the main cell type of extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition during hepatic fibrosis. Aberrant DNA methylation-regulated HSCs activation in liver fibrogenesis has been reported, but the functional roles and mechanisms of DNA methylation in hepatic fibrosis remain to be elucidated. In the present study, reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) analysis of primary HSCs revealed hypermethylation patterns in hepatic fibrosis. Interestingly, we found SAD1/UNC84 domain protein-2 (SUN2) gene hypermethylation at CpG sites during liver fibrogenesis in mice with CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis, which was accompanied by low expression of SUN2. In vivo overexpression of SUN2 following adeno-associated virus-9 (AAV9) administration inhibited CCl4-induced liver injury and reduced fibrogenesis marker expression. Consistently, in vitro experiments showed that enforced expression of SUN2 suppressed HSCs activation and exerted anti-fibrogenesis effects in TGF-β1-activated HSC-T6 cells. In addition, the signaling mechanisms related to SUN2 expression were investigated in vivo and in vitro. Methyltransferase-3b (DNMT3b) is the principal regulator of SUN2 expression. Mechanistically, inhibition of protein kinase B (AKT) phosphorylation may be a crucial pathway for SUN2-mediated HSCs activation. In conclusion, these findings provide substantial new insights into SUN2 in hepatic fibrosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carbon Tetrachloride / pharmacology
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / metabolism
  • DNA Methylation / drug effects
  • DNA Methylation / physiology*
  • DNA Methyltransferase 3B
  • Hepatic Stellate Cells / drug effects
  • Hepatic Stellate Cells / metabolism*
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Liver / metabolism*
  • Liver Cirrhosis / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Signal Transduction / physiology
  • Telomere-Binding Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Membrane Proteins
  • Sun2 protein, mouse
  • Telomere-Binding Proteins
  • Carbon Tetrachloride
  • DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt