Abstract
Background & Aims: Plectin, a highly versatile cytolinker protein, controls intermediate filament cytoarchitecture and cellular stress response. In the present study, we investigate the role of plectin in the liver under basal conditions and in experimental cholestasis.
Methods: We generated liver-specific plectin knockout (Ple(Delta alb)) mice and analyzed them using two cholestatic liver injury models: bile duct ligation (BDL) and 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC) feeding. Primary hepatocytes and a cholangiocyte cell line were used to address the impact of plectin on keratin filament organization and stability in vitro.
Results: Plectin deficiency in hepatocytes and biliary epithelial cells led to aberrant keratin filament network organization, biliary tree malformations, and collapse of bile ducts and ductules. Further, plectin ablation significantly aggravated biliary damage upon cholestatic challenge.
Coincidently, we observed a significant expansion of A6-positive progenitor cells in Ple(Delta alb) livers. After BDL, plectin-deficient bile ducts were prominently dilated with more frequent ruptures corresponding to an increased number of bile infarcts.
In addition, more abundant keratin aggregates indicated less stable keratin filaments in Ple(Delta alb) hepatocytes. A transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed a compromised tight junction formation in plectin-deficient biliary epithelial cells.
In addition, protein profiling showed increased expression of the adherens junction protein E-Cadherin, and inefficient upregulation of the desmosomal protein desmoplakin in response to BDL. In vitro analyses revealed a higher susceptibility of plectin-deficient keratin networks to stress-induced collapse, paralleled by elevated activation of p38 MAP kinase.
Conclusion: Our study shows that by maintaining proper keratin network cytoarchitecture and biliary epithelial stability, plectin plays a critical role in protecting the liver from stress elicited by cholestasis.