The TRIM28/miR133a/CD47 axis acts as a potential therapeutic target in pancreatic necrosis by impairing efferocytosis

Efferocytosis, the clearance of apoptotic cells by macrophages, plays a crucial role in inflammatory responses and effectively prevents secondary necrosis. However, the mechanisms underlying efferocytosis in acute pancreatitis remain unclear. In this study, we demonstrated the presence of efferocytosis in injured human and mouse pancreatic tissues. We also observed significant upregulation of CD47, an efferocytosis-related "do not eat me" molecule, in injured acinar cells. Subsequently, we used CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, anti-adeno-associated virus gene modification, and anti-CD47 antibody to investigate the potential therapeutic role of acute pancreatitis. CD47 expression was negatively regulated by upstream miR133a, which is controlled by the transcription factor TRIM28. To further investigate the regulation of efferocytosis and reduction of pancreatic necrosis in acute pancreatitis, we used miR-133a-agomir and pancreas-specific AAV-shTRIM28 to modulate CD47 expression. Our findings confirmed that CD47-mediated efferocytosis is critical for preventing pancreatic necrosis and suggest that targeting the TRIM28-miR133a-CD47 axis is clinically relevant for the treatment of acute pancreatitis.