Periostin-An inducer of pro-fibrotic phenotype in monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages in systemic sclerosis

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 18; no. 8; p. e0281881
• Main Authors: Suzuki, Mao, Ototake, Yasushi, Akita, Asami, Asami, Miho, Ikeda, Noriko, Watanabe, Tomoya, Kanaoka, Miwa, Yamaguchi, Yukie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 02.08.2023
• Subjects: Analysis; Biology and Life Sciences; Blood circulation; Care and treatment; CD80 antigen; Chemokines; Comparative analysis; Data analysis; Diagnosis; Disease; Extracellular matrix; Fibroblasts; Fibrosis; Flow cytometry; Gene expression; Genetic aspects; Health aspects; Humans; Immune system; Lungs; Macrophages; Macrophages - metabolism; Medicine and Health Sciences; Monocytes; Monocytes - metabolism; Pathogenesis; Patients; Penicillin; Phenotype; Phenotypes; Polymerase chain reaction; Proteins; Research and analysis methods; RNA; Scientific equipment and supplies industry; Scleroderma; Scleroderma (Disease); Scleroderma, Systemic - pathology; Software; Somatotropin; Systemic scleroderma; Systemic sclerosis; Variance analysis; Japan; United States; United States > US
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281881

Enhanced circulating blood periostin levels positively correlate with disease severity in　patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Monocytes/macrophages are predominantly associated with the pathogenesis of SSc, but the effect of periostin on immune cells, particularly monocytes and macrophages, still remains to be elucidated. We examined the effect of periostin on monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) in the pathogenesis of SSc. The modified Rodnan total skin thickness score in patients with dcSSc was positively correlated with the proportion of CD80-CD206+ M2 cells. The proportion of M2 macrophages was significantly reduced in rPn-stimulated MDMs of HCs compared to that of SSc patients. The mRNA expression of pro-fibrotic cytokines, chemokines, and ECM proteins was significantly upregulated in rPn-stimulated monocytes and MDMs as compared to that of control monocytes and MDMs. A similar trend was observed for protein expression in the respective MDMs. In addition, the ratio of migrated cells was significantly higher in rPn-stimulated as compared to control monocytes. These results suggest that periostin promotes inflammation and fibrosis in the pathogenesis of SSc by possible modulation of monocytes/macrophages.