Elevated interleukin-8 expression by skin fibroblasts as a potential contributor to pain in women with Fabry disease.

Fabry disease (FD) is a lysosomal storage disorder of X-linked inheritance. Mutations in the α-galactosidase A gene lead to cellular globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) depositions and triggerable acral burning pain in both sexes as an early FD symptom of unknown pathophysiology. We aimed at elucidating the...

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Main Authors: Lukas Hofmann, Julia Grüner, Katharina Klug, Maximilian Breyer, Thomas Klein, Vanessa Hochheimer, Laura Wagenhäuser, Erhard Wischmeyer, Nurcan Üçeyler
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2024-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0300687&type=printable
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author Lukas Hofmann
Julia Grüner
Katharina Klug
Maximilian Breyer
Thomas Klein
Vanessa Hochheimer
Laura Wagenhäuser
Erhard Wischmeyer
Nurcan Üçeyler
author_facet Lukas Hofmann
Julia Grüner
Katharina Klug
Maximilian Breyer
Thomas Klein
Vanessa Hochheimer
Laura Wagenhäuser
Erhard Wischmeyer
Nurcan Üçeyler
author_sort Lukas Hofmann
collection DOAJ
description Fabry disease (FD) is a lysosomal storage disorder of X-linked inheritance. Mutations in the α-galactosidase A gene lead to cellular globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) depositions and triggerable acral burning pain in both sexes as an early FD symptom of unknown pathophysiology. We aimed at elucidating the link between skin cells and nociceptor sensitization contributing to FD pain in a sex-associated manner. We used cultured keratinocytes and fibroblasts of 27 adult FD patients and 20 healthy controls. Epidermal keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts were cultured and immunoreacted to evaluate Gb3 load. Gene expression analysis of pain-related ion channels and pro-inflammatory cytokines was performed in dermal fibroblasts. We further investigated electrophysiological properties of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) derived sensory-like neurons of a man with FD and a healthy man and incubated the cells with interleukin 8 (IL-8) or fibroblast supernatant as an in vitro model system. Keratinocytes displayed no intracellular, but membrane-bound Gb3 deposits. In contrast, fibroblasts showed intracellular Gb3 and revealed higher gene expression of potassium intermediate/small conductance calcium-activated potassium channel 3.1 (KCa 3.1, KCNN4) in both, men and women with FD compared to controls. Additionally, cytokine expression analysis showed increased IL-8 RNA levels only in female FD fibroblasts. Patch-clamp studies revealed reduced rheobase currents for both iPSC neuron cell lines incubated with IL-8 or fibroblast supernatant of women with FD. We conclude that Gb3 deposition in female FD patient skin fibroblasts may lead to increased KCa3.1 activity and IL-8 secretion. This may result in cutaneous nociceptor sensitization as a potential mechanism contributing to a sex-associated FD pain phenotype.
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spelling doaj-art-60593bf875544e08831933c10d66e8ea2025-08-20T02:33:35ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032024-01-01194e030068710.1371/journal.pone.0300687Elevated interleukin-8 expression by skin fibroblasts as a potential contributor to pain in women with Fabry disease.Lukas HofmannJulia GrünerKatharina KlugMaximilian BreyerThomas KleinVanessa HochheimerLaura WagenhäuserErhard WischmeyerNurcan ÜçeylerFabry disease (FD) is a lysosomal storage disorder of X-linked inheritance. Mutations in the α-galactosidase A gene lead to cellular globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) depositions and triggerable acral burning pain in both sexes as an early FD symptom of unknown pathophysiology. We aimed at elucidating the link between skin cells and nociceptor sensitization contributing to FD pain in a sex-associated manner. We used cultured keratinocytes and fibroblasts of 27 adult FD patients and 20 healthy controls. Epidermal keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts were cultured and immunoreacted to evaluate Gb3 load. Gene expression analysis of pain-related ion channels and pro-inflammatory cytokines was performed in dermal fibroblasts. We further investigated electrophysiological properties of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) derived sensory-like neurons of a man with FD and a healthy man and incubated the cells with interleukin 8 (IL-8) or fibroblast supernatant as an in vitro model system. Keratinocytes displayed no intracellular, but membrane-bound Gb3 deposits. In contrast, fibroblasts showed intracellular Gb3 and revealed higher gene expression of potassium intermediate/small conductance calcium-activated potassium channel 3.1 (KCa 3.1, KCNN4) in both, men and women with FD compared to controls. Additionally, cytokine expression analysis showed increased IL-8 RNA levels only in female FD fibroblasts. Patch-clamp studies revealed reduced rheobase currents for both iPSC neuron cell lines incubated with IL-8 or fibroblast supernatant of women with FD. We conclude that Gb3 deposition in female FD patient skin fibroblasts may lead to increased KCa3.1 activity and IL-8 secretion. This may result in cutaneous nociceptor sensitization as a potential mechanism contributing to a sex-associated FD pain phenotype.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0300687&type=printable
spellingShingle Lukas Hofmann
Julia Grüner
Katharina Klug
Maximilian Breyer
Thomas Klein
Vanessa Hochheimer
Laura Wagenhäuser
Erhard Wischmeyer
Nurcan Üçeyler
Elevated interleukin-8 expression by skin fibroblasts as a potential contributor to pain in women with Fabry disease.
PLoS ONE
title Elevated interleukin-8 expression by skin fibroblasts as a potential contributor to pain in women with Fabry disease.
title_full Elevated interleukin-8 expression by skin fibroblasts as a potential contributor to pain in women with Fabry disease.
title_fullStr Elevated interleukin-8 expression by skin fibroblasts as a potential contributor to pain in women with Fabry disease.
title_full_unstemmed Elevated interleukin-8 expression by skin fibroblasts as a potential contributor to pain in women with Fabry disease.
title_short Elevated interleukin-8 expression by skin fibroblasts as a potential contributor to pain in women with Fabry disease.
title_sort elevated interleukin 8 expression by skin fibroblasts as a potential contributor to pain in women with fabry disease
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0300687&type=printable
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