Liu, Mengfei

Background: Alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH) is a severe inflammatory liver condition driven by dysregulated immune responses. CD8 T cells accumulate in the liver during AH, yet their functional role remains poorly defined. Methods: A murine NIAAA chronic-binge model with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge was used. Single-cell RNA sequencing of liver and blood immune cells defined CD8 T cell subsets, followed by pathway analysis and reanalysis of human AH datasets. Spatial relationships were validated by immunohistochemistry of human AH liver tissue with CD8 T RM and liver sinusoidal endothelial cell (LSEC) co-staining. LSEC–CD8 T cell interactions were examined using in vitro co-culture, and signaling pathways were assessed by bulk RNA sequencing and phospho-protein analyses. IL15 function was evaluated by in vivo neutralization. Results: Single-cell RNA sequencing in the murine AH model revealed a distinct population of CD8 tissue-resident memory T cells (T RM ) with heightened activation and proinflammatory cytokine production. Analysis of human AH liver single-cell RNA sequencing data, along with immunohistochemistry validation, supported CD8 T RM enrichment in diseased tissue. IL15 emerged as a prominent pathway linked to T RM activation, and IL15 blockade reduced T RM abundance and attenuated EtOH/ lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury. Mechanistically, LSECs not only provided a structural niche for T RM retention but also amplified IL15 signalling. In vitro, coculture experiments demonstrated that LSECs intensified activation in pre-stimulated CD8 T cells in a stimulus-dependent manner: under IL15 stimulation, LSECs boosted effector function without inducing cell death, whereas under T-cell receptor stimulation, LSECs drove hyperactivation and activation-induced cell death. Bulk RNA-seq and phospho-protein analysis identified the PI3K-AKT pathway as a shared pathway enhanced by LSEC coculture in activated CD8 T cells. These findings define a context-dependent mechanism in which LSECs promote IL15-driven signaling through AKT pathway amplification, promoting T RM persistence and inflammatory activity in AH. Conclusions: IL15-associated signaling within the hepatic microenvironment, shaped by LSEC-CD8 T-cell interactions, promotes activation and persistence of CD8 T RM cells in AH. Targeting the IL15-LSEC-AKT axis may disrupt pathogenic T RM niches and represent a promising therapeutic strategy for severe AH.

Abstract Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and rheumatoid arthritis‐associated interstitial lung disease (RA‐ILD) are two fibrotic interstitial lung diseases that share the usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) injury pattern. Here, we report that RNA sequencing of lung biopsies from patients with RA‐ILD and IPF revealed shared and distinct disease‐causing pathways. Analysis of transcriptomic data identified a JAK2 related JAK/STAT signaling pathway gene signature that distinguishes RA‐UIP from idiopathic UIP. This was further confirmed by immunohistostaining, which identified JAK2 phosphorylation with two distinct forms of activation: a cytoplasmic form of JAK2 activation in most IPF cases (13/20) and a nuclear form of p‐JAK2 in RA‐UIP (5/5) and a minority of IPF (6/20) cases. Further immunohistostaining identified STAT5A&B as the downstream transcriptional activator for JAK2‐mediated canonical signal transduction and phosphorylation of Tyr41 on histone H3 (H3Y41ph) as the downstream epigenetic regulation site for JAK2‐mediated noncanonical signal transduction. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) of the RNA‐Seq data further supported this shared pathogenic mechanism for the two diseases with the enrichment of STAT5A&B target gene sets as well as the JAK2 regulated H3Y41ph target gene set. This regulatory role of JAK2 in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis was further demonstrated by the attenuation of bleomycin‐induced murine pulmonary fibrosis using a JAK2‐selective pharmacological inhibitor CEP33779. In vitro studies with normal and IPF derived lung fibroblasts revealed a central role for JAK2 as an essential intermediary molecule in TGF‐β‐mediated myofibroblast trans‐differentiation, proliferation, and extracellular matrix protein production. These observations support a crucial role for JAK2 as an intermediary molecule in fibrotic lung disease development.

Background and Aims During liver fibrosis, liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) release angiocrine signals to recruit inflammatory cells into the liver. p300, a master regulator of gene transcription, is associated with pathological inflammatory response. Therefore, we examined how endothelial p300 regulates angiocrine signaling and inflammation related to portal hypertension and fibrogenesis. Approach and Results CCl4 or partial inferior vena cava ligation (pIVCL) was used to induce liver injury. Mice with LSEC‐specific p300 deletion (p300 LSECΔ/Δ) or C‐C motif chemokine ligand 2 (Ccl2) deficiency, nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB)–p50 knockout mice, and bromodomain containing 4 (BRD4) inhibitors in wild‐type mice were used to investigate mechanisms of inflammation regulation. Leukocytes were analyzed by mass cytometry by time‐of‐flight. Epigenetic histone marks were modified by CRISPR endonuclease‐deficient CRISPR‐associated 9‐fused with the Krüppel associated box domain (CRISPR‐dCas9‐KRAB)–mediated epigenome editing. Portal pressure and liver fibrosis were reduced in p300 LSECΔ/Δ mice compared to p300 fl/fl mice following liver injury. Accumulation of macrophages was also reduced in p300 LSECΔ/Δ mouse livers. Ccl2 was the most up‐regulated chemokine in injured LSECs, but its increase was abrogated in p300 LSECΔ/Δ mice. While the macrophage accumulation was increased in NFκB‐p50 knockout mice with enhanced NFκB activity, it was reduced in mice with LSEC‐specific Ccl2 deficiency and mice treated with specific BRD4 inhibitors. In vitro, epigenome editing of CCL2 enhancer and promoter regions by CRISPR‐dCas9‐KRAB technology repressed TNFα‐induced CCL2 transcription through H3K9 trimethylation. In contrast, TNFα activated CCL2 transcription by promoting p300 interaction with NFκB and BRD4, leading to histone H3 lysine 27 acetylation at CCL2 enhancer and promoter regions. Conclusions In summary, endothelial p300 interaction with NFκB and BRD4 increases CCL2 expression, leading to macrophage accumulation, portal hypertension, and liver fibrosis. Inhibition of p300 and its binding partners might serve as therapy in the treatment of liver diseases.

Background and Aims Alcoholic hepatitis (AH) is diagnosed by clinical criteria, although several objective scores facilitate risk stratification. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as biomarkers for many diseases and are also implicated in the pathogenesis of AH. Therefore, we investigated whether plasma EV concentration and sphingolipid cargo could serve as diagnostic biomarkers for AH and inform prognosis to permit dynamic risk profiling of AH subjects. Approach and Results EVs were isolated and quantified from plasma samples from healthy controls, heavy drinkers, and subjects with end‐stage liver disease (ESLD) attributed to cholestatic liver diseases and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, decompensated alcohol‐associated cirrhosis (AC), and AH. Sphingolipids were quantified by tandem mass spectroscopy. The median plasma EV concentration was significantly higher in AH subjects (5.38 × 1011/mL) compared to healthy controls (4.38 × 1010/mL; P < 0.0001), heavy drinkers (1.28 × 1011/mL; P < 0.0001), ESLD (5.35 × 1010/mL; P < 0.0001), and decompensated AC (9.2 × 1010/mL; P < 0.0001) disease controls. Among AH subjects, EV concentration correlated with Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease score. When EV counts were dichotomized at the median, survival probability for AH subjects at 90 days was 63.0% in the high‐EV group and 90.0% in the low‐EV group (log‐rank P value = 0.015). Interestingly, EV sphingolipid cargo was significantly enriched in AH when compared to healthy controls, heavy drinkers, ESLD, and decompensated AC (P = 0.0001). Multiple sphingolipids demonstrated good diagnostic and prognostic performance as biomarkers for AH. Conclusions Circulating EV concentration and sphingolipid cargo signature can be used in the diagnosis and differentiation of AH from heavy drinkers, decompensated AC, and other etiologies of ESLD and predict 90‐day survival permitting dynamic risk profiling.

INTRODUCTION: Double balloon enteroscopy (DBE) is an important tool for evaluation of obscure GI bleeding but is a limited resource given time and expertise required. Patient selection is important to help optimize diagnostic yield and subsequent successful management of small bowel bleeding. To maximize the efficiency of DBE performed, our endoscopy group established a screening protocol (Figure) prior to approval of any procedure. We developed a quality improvement project to assess the efficacy of this screening protocol and to evaluate which components of screening were most predictive for procedural success. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed on all patients who underwent anterograde or retrograde double balloon enteroscopy for suspected GI bleeding from January 2016 to December 2017. Our screening protocol was implemented on February 1 st , 2017. Data was obtained on patient demographics, clinical presentation, laboratory evaluation, and prior investigation for bleeding evaluation. Endoscopy outcomes were separated into procedural success, defined as lesion identified, and clinical success, defined as resolution of bleeding. Success rates were compared pre and post intervention. Regression analysis was performed to evaluate which components best predicted a successful procedure. RESULTS: We reviewed 114 DBE procedures in 89 patients, 53.5% male (n = 61) with a mean age of 62.8 + 13.3 years. Of these, 86% (n = 98) were performed prior to initiation of the screening protocol. Overall, there was no significant difference in procedural success pre and post intervention as defined by presence of recurrent bleeding, persistent anemia, or transfusion need (Table 1). On univariate analysis of clinical success, defined as lack of recurrent bleeding, gender, anticoagulation use, and presence of lesion on CE were significant (Table 2). Identification and intervention on a lesion during the balloon endoscopy did not impact future anemia, bleeding, or transfusion requirements. CONCLUSION: The patient screening protocol was successful in decreasing the number of procedures performed but did not improve our lesion detection rate on endoscopy and did not improve clinical outcomes as measured by rebleeding. Patients on anticoagulation and those who had prior lesions identified on capsule endoscopy had higher odds of rebleeding, indicating clinical failure. This data may help modify patient selection to maximize success of DBE procedures in the future.