Biology subjects

Corbi, A. L.

Publications and source records attributed to Corbi, A. L..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Understanding the mechanisms underlying the lack of response to Janus kinase inhibition in ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the colon. About one-third of UC patients failed to respond to available drugs, including tofacitinib, a broad Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor. However, the mechanisms underlying patient response or resistance to oral JAK inhibitors remain unknown. To elucidate the molecular and cellular pathways activated by tofacitinib in responder and non-responder patients, we generated a longitudinal single-cell RNA sequence dataset profiling both immune and non-immune cell populations from colonic biopsies of UC patients. Our analysis revealed that responders exhibited higher baseline JAK-STAT activity, while non-responders had increased baseline NF-kB pathway activation. Longitudinal comparisons showed that disease progression in non-responders was associated with increased abundance and enhanced activation of macrophages and fibroblasts. Our data suggest that resistance to tofacitinib is mediated by the hyperactivation of myeloid cells, and we identified IL-10-dependent macrophages as a cellular subset contributing to this resistance.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2024

Re-programming of GM-CSF-dependent alveolar macrophages through GSK3 activity modulation

Monocyte-derived macrophages recruited into inflamed tissues can acquire an array of functional states depending on the extracellular environment. Since the anti-inflammatory/pro-fibrotic macrophage profile is determined by MAFB, whose activity/protein levels are regulated by GSK3, we addressed the macrophage re-programming potential of GSK3 modulation. GM-CSF-dependent (GM-MO) and M-CSF-dependent monocyte-derived macrophages (M-MO) exhibited distinct levels of inactive GSK3, and inhibiting GSK3 in GM-MO led to acquisition of transcriptional, phenotypic and functional properties characteristic of M-MO (enhanced expression of IL-10 and monocyte-recruiting factors, and higher efferocytosis). These re-programming effects were also observed upon GSK3/{beta} knockdown, and through GSK3 inhibition in ex vivo isolated human alveolar macrophages (AMO). Notably, GSK3 downmodulation potentiated the transcriptional signature of Interstitial Macrophages (IMO) while suppressed the AMO-specific gene profile. Indeed, heightened levels of inactive GSK3 and MAFB-dependent proteins were observed in severe COVID-19 patients lung macrophages, highlighting the GSK3-MAFB axis as a therapeutic target for macrophage re-programming.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2019

5-HT2B serotonin receptor agonist BW723C86 shapes the macrophage gene profile via AhR and impairs monocyte-to-osteoclast differentiation

Peripheral serotonin (5-HT) exacerbates or limits inflammatory pathologies through interaction with seven types of 5-HT receptors (5-HT1-7). As central regulators of inflammation, macrophages are critical targets of 5-HT, which promotes their anti-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic polarization primarily via the 5-HT7-Protein Kinase A (PKA) axis. However, anti-inflammatory human macrophages are also characterized by the expression of 5-HT2B, an off-target of anesthetics, anti-parkinsonian drugs and Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) that contributes to 5-HT-mediated pathologies. Since 5-HT2B prevents mononuclear phagocyte degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and modulates motility of murine microglial processes, we sought to determine the functional and transcriptional consequences of 5-HT2B activation in human macrophages. Ligation of 5-HT2B by the 5-HT2B-specific agonist BW723C86, which exhibits antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects in animal models, significantly modified the cytokine profile and the transcriptional signature in macrophages. Importantly, 5-HT2B agonist-induced transcriptional changes were partly mediated through activation of the Aryl hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR), a ligand-dependent transcription factor that regulates immune responses and the biological responses to xenobiotics. Besides, BW723C86 triggered transcriptional effects that could not be abrogated by 5-HT2B antagonists and impaired monocyte-to-osteoclast differentiation by affecting the expression of negative (IRF8) and positive (PRDM1) regulators of osteoclastogenesis. Therefore, our results demonstrate the existence of a functional 5-HT2B-AhR axis in human macrophages and indicate that the commonly used 5-HT2B agonist BW723C86 exhibits 5-HT2B-independent effects. The 5-HT2B-AhR link extends the range of signaling pathways initiated upon 5-HT receptor engagement and identifies a point of convergence for endogenous and exogenous agents with ability to modulate inflammatory responses.\n\nKEY POINTS- The serotonin receptor 5-HT2B modifies the human macrophage transcriptome through activation of the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor.\n- BW723C86, an agonist used for 5-HT2B activation in vivo, exerts 5-HT2B-independent effects and limits monocyte osteoclastogenic potential.

immunology↗