{"title":"ASM is a therapeutic target in dermatomyositis by regulating the differentiation of naive CD4 + T cells into Th17 and Treg subsets.","authors":"Yuehong Chen, Huan Liu, Zhongling Luo, Jiaqian Zhang, Min Dong, Geng Yin, Qibing Xie","doi":"10.1186/s13395-024-00347-1","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This study aims to investigate the involvement of acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) in the pathology of dermatomyositis (DM), making it a potential therapeutic target for DM.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Patients with DM and healthy controls (HCs) were included to assess the serum level and activity of ASM, and to explore the associations between ASM and clinical indicators. Subsequently, a myositis mouse model was established using ASM gene knockout and wild-type mice to study the significant role of ASM in the pathology and to assess the treatment effect of amitriptyline, an ASM inhibitor. Additionally, we investigated the potential treatment mechanism by targeting ASM both in vivo and in vitro.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 58 DM patients along with 30 HCs were included. The ASM levels were found to be significantly higher in DM patients compared to HCs, with median (quartile) values of 2.63 (1.80-4.94) ng/mL and 1.64 (1.47-1.96) ng/mL respectively. The activity of ASM in the serum of DM patients was significantly higher than that in HCs. Furthermore, the serum levels of ASM showed correlations with disease activity and muscle enzyme levels. Knockout of ASM or treatment with amitriptyline improved the severity of the disease, rebalanced the CD4 T cell subsets Th17 and Treg, and reduced the production of their secreted cytokines. Subsequent investigations revealed that targeting ASM could regulate the expression of relevant transcription factors and key regulatory proteins.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>ASM is involved in the pathology of DM by regulating the differentiation of naive CD4 + T cells and can be a potential treatment target.</p>","PeriodicalId":21747,"journal":{"name":"Skeletal Muscle","volume":"14 1","pages":"16"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3000,"publicationDate":"2024-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11256435/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Skeletal Muscle","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13395-024-00347-1","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"CELL BIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: This study aims to investigate the involvement of acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) in the pathology of dermatomyositis (DM), making it a potential therapeutic target for DM.
Methods: Patients with DM and healthy controls (HCs) were included to assess the serum level and activity of ASM, and to explore the associations between ASM and clinical indicators. Subsequently, a myositis mouse model was established using ASM gene knockout and wild-type mice to study the significant role of ASM in the pathology and to assess the treatment effect of amitriptyline, an ASM inhibitor. Additionally, we investigated the potential treatment mechanism by targeting ASM both in vivo and in vitro.
Results: A total of 58 DM patients along with 30 HCs were included. The ASM levels were found to be significantly higher in DM patients compared to HCs, with median (quartile) values of 2.63 (1.80-4.94) ng/mL and 1.64 (1.47-1.96) ng/mL respectively. The activity of ASM in the serum of DM patients was significantly higher than that in HCs. Furthermore, the serum levels of ASM showed correlations with disease activity and muscle enzyme levels. Knockout of ASM or treatment with amitriptyline improved the severity of the disease, rebalanced the CD4 T cell subsets Th17 and Treg, and reduced the production of their secreted cytokines. Subsequent investigations revealed that targeting ASM could regulate the expression of relevant transcription factors and key regulatory proteins.
Conclusion: ASM is involved in the pathology of DM by regulating the differentiation of naive CD4 + T cells and can be a potential treatment target.
期刊介绍:
The only open access journal in its field, Skeletal Muscle publishes novel, cutting-edge research and technological advancements that investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the biology of skeletal muscle. Reflecting the breadth of research in this area, the journal welcomes manuscripts about the development, metabolism, the regulation of mass and function, aging, degeneration, dystrophy and regeneration of skeletal muscle, with an emphasis on understanding adult skeletal muscle, its maintenance, and its interactions with non-muscle cell types and regulatory modulators.
Main areas of interest include:
-differentiation of skeletal muscle-
atrophy and hypertrophy of skeletal muscle-
aging of skeletal muscle-
regeneration and degeneration of skeletal muscle-
biology of satellite and satellite-like cells-
dystrophic degeneration of skeletal muscle-
energy and glucose homeostasis in skeletal muscle-
non-dystrophic genetic diseases of skeletal muscle, such as Spinal Muscular Atrophy and myopathies-
maintenance of neuromuscular junctions-
roles of ryanodine receptors and calcium signaling in skeletal muscle-
roles of nuclear receptors in skeletal muscle-
roles of GPCRs and GPCR signaling in skeletal muscle-
other relevant aspects of skeletal muscle biology.
In addition, articles on translational clinical studies that address molecular and cellular mechanisms of skeletal muscle will be published. Case reports are also encouraged for submission.
Skeletal Muscle reflects the breadth of research on skeletal muscle and bridges gaps between diverse areas of science for example cardiac cell biology and neurobiology, which share common features with respect to cell differentiation, excitatory membranes, cell-cell communication, and maintenance. Suitable articles are model and mechanism-driven, and apply statistical principles where appropriate; purely descriptive studies are of lesser interest.