101
|
Francis GA. The Greatly Under-Represented Role of Smooth Muscle Cells in Atherosclerosis. Curr Atheroscler Rep 2023; 25:741-749. [PMID: 37665492 PMCID: PMC10564813 DOI: 10.1007/s11883-023-01145-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This article summarizes previous and recent research on the fundamental role of arterial smooth muscle cells (SMCs) as drivers of initial and, along with macrophages, later stages of human atherosclerosis. RECENT FINDINGS Studies using human tissues and SMC lineage-tracing mice have reinforced earlier observations that SMCs drive initial atherogenesis in humans and contribute a multitude of phenotypes including foam cell formation hitherto attributed primarily to macrophages in atherosclerosis. Arterial smooth muscle cells (SMCs) are the primary cell type in human pre-atherosclerotic intima and are responsible for the retention of lipoproteins that drive the development of atherosclerosis. Despite this, images of atherogenesis still depict the process as initially devoid of SMCs, primarily macrophage driven, and indicate only relatively minor roles such as fibrous cap formation to intimal SMCs. This review summarizes historical and recent observations regarding the importance of SMCs in the formation of a pre-atherosclerotic intima, initial and later foam cell formation, and the phenotypic changes that give rise to multiple different roles for SMCs in human and mouse lesions. Potential SMC-specific therapies in atherosclerosis are presented.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gordon A Francis
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, Providence Research, St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
102
|
Diez Benavente E, Karnewar S, Buono M, Mili E, Hartman RJ, Kapteijn D, Slenders L, Daniels M, Aherrahrou R, Reinberger T, Mol BM, de Borst GJ, de Kleijn DP, Prange KH, Depuydt MA, de Winther MP, Kuiper J, Björkegren JL, Erdmann J, Civelek M, Mokry M, Owens GK, Pasterkamp G, den Ruijter HM. Female Gene Networks Are Expressed in Myofibroblast-Like Smooth Muscle Cells in Vulnerable Atherosclerotic Plaques. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2023; 43:1836-1850. [PMID: 37589136 PMCID: PMC10521798 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.123.319325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Women presenting with coronary artery disease more often present with fibrous atherosclerotic plaques, which are currently understudied. Phenotypically modulated smooth muscle cells (SMCs) contribute to atherosclerosis in women. How these phenotypically modulated SMCs shape female versus male plaques is unknown. METHODS Gene regulatory networks were created using RNAseq gene expression data from human carotid atherosclerotic plaques. The networks were prioritized based on sex bias, relevance for smooth muscle biology, and coronary artery disease genetic enrichment. Network expression was linked to histologically determined plaque phenotypes. In addition, their expression in plaque cell types was studied at single-cell resolution using single-cell RNAseq. Finally, their relevance for disease progression was studied in female and male Apoe-/- mice fed a Western diet for 18 and 30 weeks. RESULTS Here, we identify multiple sex-stratified gene regulatory networks from human carotid atherosclerotic plaques. Prioritization of the female networks identified 2 main SMC gene regulatory networks in late-stage atherosclerosis. Single-cell RNA sequencing mapped these female networks to 2 SMC phenotypes: a phenotypically modulated myofibroblast-like SMC network and a contractile SMC network. The myofibroblast-like network was mostly expressed in plaques that were vulnerable in women. Finally, the mice ortholog of key driver gene MFGE8 (milk fat globule EGF and factor V/VIII domain containing) showed retained expression in advanced plaques from female mice but was downregulated in male mice during atherosclerosis progression. CONCLUSIONS Female atherosclerosis is characterized by gene regulatory networks that are active in fibrous vulnerable plaques rich in myofibroblast-like SMCs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ernest Diez Benavente
- Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology (E.D.B., M.B., E.M., R.J.G.H., D.K., M.D., H.M.d.R.), University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| | - Santosh Karnewar
- Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center (S.K., G.K.O.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville
| | - Michele Buono
- Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology (E.D.B., M.B., E.M., R.J.G.H., D.K., M.D., H.M.d.R.), University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| | - Eloi Mili
- Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology (E.D.B., M.B., E.M., R.J.G.H., D.K., M.D., H.M.d.R.), University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| | - Robin J.G. Hartman
- Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology (E.D.B., M.B., E.M., R.J.G.H., D.K., M.D., H.M.d.R.), University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| | - Daniek Kapteijn
- Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology (E.D.B., M.B., E.M., R.J.G.H., D.K., M.D., H.M.d.R.), University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| | - Lotte Slenders
- Central Diagnostic Laboratory (L.S., M.M., G.P.), University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| | - Mark Daniels
- Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology (E.D.B., M.B., E.M., R.J.G.H., D.K., M.D., H.M.d.R.), University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| | - Redouane Aherrahrou
- Center for Public Health Genomics (R.A., M.C.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville
- Institute for Cardiogenetics, University of Lübeck, Germany (R.A., T.R., J.E.)
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland (R.A.)
| | - Tobias Reinberger
- Institute for Cardiogenetics, University of Lübeck, Germany (R.A., T.R., J.E.)
| | - Barend M. Mol
- Department of Vascular Surgery (B.M.M., G.J.d.B., D.P.V.d.K.), University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| | - Gert J. de Borst
- Department of Vascular Surgery (B.M.M., G.J.d.B., D.P.V.d.K.), University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| | - Dominique P.V. de Kleijn
- Department of Vascular Surgery (B.M.M., G.J.d.B., D.P.V.d.K.), University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| | - Koen H.M. Prange
- Experimental Vascular Biology, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Amsterdam University Medical Centers — location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands (K.H.M.P., M.P.J.d.W.)
| | - Marie A.C. Depuydt
- Division of BioTherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, the Netherlands (M.A.C.D., J.K.)
| | - Menno P.J. de Winther
- Experimental Vascular Biology, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Amsterdam University Medical Centers — location AMC, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands (K.H.M.P., M.P.J.d.W.)
| | - Johan Kuiper
- Division of BioTherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, the Netherlands (M.A.C.D., J.K.)
| | - Johan L.M. Björkegren
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York (J.L.M.B.)
- Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset, Huddinge, Sweden (J.L.M.B.)
| | - Jeanette Erdmann
- Institute for Cardiogenetics, University of Lübeck, Germany (R.A., T.R., J.E.)
| | - Mete Civelek
- Center for Public Health Genomics (R.A., M.C.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville
- Department of Biomedical Engineering (M.C.)
- University of Virginia, Charlottesville (M.C.)
| | - Michal Mokry
- Central Diagnostic Laboratory (L.S., M.M., G.P.), University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| | - Gary K. Owens
- Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center (S.K., G.K.O.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville
| | - Gerard Pasterkamp
- Central Diagnostic Laboratory (L.S., M.M., G.P.), University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| | - Hester M. den Ruijter
- Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology (E.D.B., M.B., E.M., R.J.G.H., D.K., M.D., H.M.d.R.), University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
103
|
Eberhardt N, Noval MG, Kaur R, Amadori L, Gildea M, Sajja S, Das D, Cilhoroz B, Stewart O, Fernandez DM, Shamailova R, Guillen AV, Jangra S, Schotsaert M, Newman JD, Faries P, Maldonado T, Rockman C, Rapkiewicz A, Stapleford KA, Narula N, Moore KJ, Giannarelli C. SARS-CoV-2 infection triggers pro-atherogenic inflammatory responses in human coronary vessels. NATURE CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH 2023; 2:899-916. [PMID: 38076343 PMCID: PMC10702930 DOI: 10.1038/s44161-023-00336-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) present increased risk for ischemic cardiovascular complications up to 1 year after infection. Although the systemic inflammatory response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection likely contributes to this increased cardiovascular risk, whether SARS-CoV-2 directly infects the coronary vasculature and attendant atherosclerotic plaques remains unknown. Here we report that SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA is detectable and replicates in coronary lesions taken at autopsy from severe COVID-19 cases. SARS-CoV-2 targeted plaque macrophages and exhibited a stronger tropism for arterial lesions than adjacent perivascular fat, correlating with macrophage infiltration levels. SARS-CoV-2 entry was increased in cholesterol-loaded primary macrophages and dependent, in part, on neuropilin-1. SARS-CoV-2 induced a robust inflammatory response in cultured macrophages and human atherosclerotic vascular explants with secretion of cytokines known to trigger cardiovascular events. Our data establish that SARS-CoV-2 infects coronary vessels, inducing plaque inflammation that could trigger acute cardiovascular complications and increase the long-term cardiovascular risk.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Eberhardt
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, NYU Cardiovascular Research Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Maria Gabriela Noval
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ravneet Kaur
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, NYU Cardiovascular Research Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Letizia Amadori
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, NYU Cardiovascular Research Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michael Gildea
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, NYU Cardiovascular Research Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Swathy Sajja
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, NYU Cardiovascular Research Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dayasagar Das
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, NYU Cardiovascular Research Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Burak Cilhoroz
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, NYU Cardiovascular Research Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - O’Jay Stewart
- Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dawn M. Fernandez
- Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Roza Shamailova
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, NYU Cardiovascular Research Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Andrea Vasquez Guillen
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, NYU Cardiovascular Research Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sonia Jangra
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michael Schotsaert
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jonathan D. Newman
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, NYU Cardiovascular Research Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Peter Faries
- Department of Surgery, Vascular Division, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Thomas Maldonado
- Department of Surgery, Vascular Division, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Caron Rockman
- Department of Surgery, Vascular Division, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Amy Rapkiewicz
- Department of Pathology, NYU Winthrop Hospital, Long Island School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kenneth A. Stapleford
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Navneet Narula
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kathryn J. Moore
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, NYU Cardiovascular Research Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chiara Giannarelli
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, NYU Cardiovascular Research Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
104
|
Kwartler CS, Pedroza AJ, Kaw A, Guan P, Ma S, Duan XY, Kernell C, Wang C, Pinelo JEE, Bowen MSB, Chen J, Zhong Y, Sinha S, Shen X, Fischbein MP, Milewicz DM. Nuclear Smooth Muscle α-actin Participates in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Differentiation. NATURE CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH 2023; 2:937-955. [PMID: 38919852 PMCID: PMC11198982 DOI: 10.1038/s44161-023-00337-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Missense variants throughout ACTA2, encoding smooth muscle α-actin (αSMA), predispose to adult-onset thoracic aortic disease, but variants disrupting arginine 179 (R179) lead to Smooth Muscle Dysfunction Syndrome (SMDS) characterized by diverse childhood-onset vascular diseases. Here we show that αSMA localizes to the nucleus in wildtype (WT) smooth muscle cells (SMCs), enriches in the nucleus with SMC differentiation, and associates with chromatin remodeling complexes and SMC contractile gene promotors. The ACTA2 p.R179 αSMA variant shows decreased nuclear localization. Primary SMCs from Acta2 SMC-R179C/+ mice are less differentiated than WT SMCs in vitro and in vivo and have global changes in chromatin accessibility. Induced pluripotent stem cells from patients with ACTA2 p.R179 variants fail to fully differentiate from neuroectodermal progenitor cells to SMCs, and single-cell transcriptomic analyses of an ACTA2 p.R179H patient's aortic tissue show increased SMC plasticity. Thus, nuclear αSMA participates in SMC differentiation, and loss of this nuclear activity occurs with ACTA2 p.R179 pathogenic variants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Callie S. Kwartler
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Albert J. Pedroza
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Anita Kaw
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Pujun Guan
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Shuangtao Ma
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030
- Current address: Department Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
| | - Xue-yan Duan
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Caroline Kernell
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Charis Wang
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Jose Emiliano Esparza Pinelo
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Mikayla S. Borthwick Bowen
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Jiyuan Chen
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Yuan Zhong
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Smithville, TX 78957
| | - Sanjay Sinha
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Xuetong Shen
- Institute of Cancer Research, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
| | | | - Dianna M. Milewicz
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030
| |
Collapse
|
105
|
Kavousi M, Bos MM, Barnes HJ, Lino Cardenas CL, Wong D, Lu H, Hodonsky CJ, Landsmeer LPL, Turner AW, Kho M, Hasbani NR, de Vries PS, Bowden DW, Chopade S, Deelen J, Benavente ED, Guo X, Hofer E, Hwang SJ, Lutz SM, Lyytikäinen LP, Slenders L, Smith AV, Stanislawski MA, van Setten J, Wong Q, Yanek LR, Becker DM, Beekman M, Budoff MJ, Feitosa MF, Finan C, Hilliard AT, Kardia SLR, Kovacic JC, Kral BG, Langefeld CD, Launer LJ, Malik S, Hoesein FAAM, Mokry M, Schmidt R, Smith JA, Taylor KD, Terry JG, van der Grond J, van Meurs J, Vliegenthart R, Xu J, Young KA, Zilhão NR, Zweiker R, Assimes TL, Becker LC, Bos D, Carr JJ, Cupples LA, de Kleijn DPV, de Winther M, den Ruijter HM, Fornage M, Freedman BI, Gudnason V, Hingorani AD, Hokanson JE, Ikram MA, Išgum I, Jacobs DR, Kähönen M, Lange LA, Lehtimäki T, Pasterkamp G, Raitakari OT, Schmidt H, Slagboom PE, Uitterlinden AG, Vernooij MW, Bis JC, Franceschini N, Psaty BM, Post WS, Rotter JI, Björkegren JLM, O'Donnell CJ, Bielak LF, Peyser PA, Malhotra R, van der Laan SW, Miller CL. Multi-ancestry genome-wide study identifies effector genes and druggable pathways for coronary artery calcification. Nat Genet 2023; 55:1651-1664. [PMID: 37770635 PMCID: PMC10601987 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-023-01518-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Coronary artery calcification (CAC), a measure of subclinical atherosclerosis, predicts future symptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD). Identifying genetic risk factors for CAC may point to new therapeutic avenues for prevention. Currently, there are only four known risk loci for CAC identified from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in the general population. Here we conducted the largest multi-ancestry GWAS meta-analysis of CAC to date, which comprised 26,909 individuals of European ancestry and 8,867 individuals of African ancestry. We identified 11 independent risk loci, of which eight were new for CAC and five had not been reported for CAD. These new CAC loci are related to bone mineralization, phosphate catabolism and hormone metabolic pathways. Several new loci harbor candidate causal genes supported by multiple lines of functional evidence and are regulators of smooth muscle cell-mediated calcification ex vivo and in vitro. Together, these findings help refine the genetic architecture of CAC and extend our understanding of the biological and potential druggable pathways underlying CAC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Kavousi
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Maxime M Bos
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hanna J Barnes
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Cardiology Division, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christian L Lino Cardenas
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Cardiology Division, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Doris Wong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Haojie Lu
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Chani J Hodonsky
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Lennart P L Landsmeer
- Central Diagnostics Laboratory, Division Laboratories, Pharmacy, and Biomedical Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Adam W Turner
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Minjung Kho
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Graduate School of Data Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Natalie R Hasbani
- Human Genetics Center, Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Paul S de Vries
- Human Genetics Center, Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Donald W Bowden
- Department of Biochemistry, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Sandesh Chopade
- Institute of Cardiovascular Science, Faculty of Population Health, University College London, London, UK
- University College London British Heart Foundation Research Accelerator Centre, London, UK
| | - Joris Deelen
- Biomedical Data Sciences, Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Aging, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ernest Diez Benavente
- Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology, Division of Heart and Lungs, University Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Xiuqing Guo
- The Institute for Translational Genomics and Population Sciences, Department of Pediatrics, The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation (formerly Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute) at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA
| | - Edith Hofer
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Division of Neurogeriatrics, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Documentation, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | | | - Sharon M Lutz
- Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Leo-Pekka Lyytikäinen
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Fimlab Laboratories and Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center-Tampere, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Lotte Slenders
- Central Diagnostics Laboratory, Division Laboratories, Pharmacy, and Biomedical Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Albert V Smith
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Icelandic Heart Association, Kopavogur, Iceland
| | - Maggie A Stanislawski
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jessica van Setten
- Department of Cardiology, Division of Heart and Lungs, University Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Quenna Wong
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lisa R Yanek
- GeneSTAR Research Program, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Diane M Becker
- GeneSTAR Research Program, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Marian Beekman
- Biomedical Data Sciences, Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Matthew J Budoff
- The Institute for Translational Genomics and Population Sciences, Department of Pediatrics, The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation (formerly Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute) at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA
| | - Mary F Feitosa
- Department of Genetics, Division of Statistical Genomics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Chris Finan
- Institute of Cardiovascular Science, Faculty of Population Health, University College London, London, UK
- University College London British Heart Foundation Research Accelerator Centre, London, UK
- Department of Cardiology, Division of Heart and Lungs, University Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Sharon L R Kardia
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jason C Kovacic
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- St Vincent's Clinical School, University of NSW, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- The Zena and Michael A. Wiener Cardiovascular Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Brian G Kral
- GeneSTAR Research Program, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Carl D Langefeld
- Department of Biostatistical Sciences and Data Science, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Lenore J Launer
- Laboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Shaista Malik
- Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute, Department of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | | | - Michal Mokry
- Central Diagnostics Laboratory, Division Laboratories, Pharmacy, and Biomedical Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology, Division of Heart and Lungs, University Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Reinhold Schmidt
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Division of Neurogeriatrics, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Jennifer A Smith
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Kent D Taylor
- The Institute for Translational Genomics and Population Sciences, Department of Pediatrics, The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation (formerly Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute) at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA
| | - James G Terry
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Jeroen van der Grond
- Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Joyce van Meurs
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rozemarijn Vliegenthart
- Department of Radiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jianzhao Xu
- Department of Biochemistry, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Kendra A Young
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, CO, USA
| | | | - Robert Zweiker
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Themistocles L Assimes
- VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Lewis C Becker
- GeneSTAR Research Program, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Daniel Bos
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - J Jeffrey Carr
- Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - L Adrienne Cupples
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dominique P V de Kleijn
- Department of Vascular Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Menno de Winther
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Experimental Vascular Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences: Atherosclerosis and Ischemic syndromes, Amsterdam Infection and Immunity: Inflammatory diseases, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hester M den Ruijter
- Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology, Division of Heart and Lungs, University Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Myriam Fornage
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Barry I Freedman
- Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Vilmundur Gudnason
- Icelandic Heart Association, Kopavogur, Iceland
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Aroon D Hingorani
- Institute of Cardiovascular Science, Faculty of Population Health, University College London, London, UK
- University College London British Heart Foundation Research Accelerator Centre, London, UK
| | - John E Hokanson
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - M Arfan Ikram
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ivana Išgum
- Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - David R Jacobs
- Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Mika Kähönen
- Department of Clinical Physiology, Tampere University Hospital and Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center-Tampere, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Leslie A Lange
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Terho Lehtimäki
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Fimlab Laboratories and Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center-Tampere, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Gerard Pasterkamp
- Central Diagnostics Laboratory, Division Laboratories, Pharmacy, and Biomedical Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Olli T Raitakari
- Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
- Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Helena Schmidt
- Gottfried Schatz Research Center (for Cell Signaling, Metabolism and Aging), Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - P Eline Slagboom
- Biomedical Data Sciences, Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - André G Uitterlinden
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Meike W Vernooij
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Vascular Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Joshua C Bis
- Cardiovascular Health Research Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nora Franceschini
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Bruce M Psaty
- Cardiovascular Health Research Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Departments of Epidemiology, and Health Systems and Population Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Wendy S Post
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jerome I Rotter
- The Institute for Translational Genomics and Population Sciences, Department of Pediatrics, The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation (formerly Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute) at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA
| | - Johan L M Björkegren
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Integrated Cardio Metabolic Centre, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Christopher J O'Donnell
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Cardiology Section, Department of Medicine, Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lawrence F Bielak
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Patricia A Peyser
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Rajeev Malhotra
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Cardiology Division, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sander W van der Laan
- Central Diagnostics Laboratory, Division Laboratories, Pharmacy, and Biomedical Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Clint L Miller
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
106
|
Pineda-Castillo SA, Acar H, Detamore MS, Holzapfel GA, Lee CH. Modulation of Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotype for Translation of Tissue-Engineered Vascular Grafts. TISSUE ENGINEERING. PART B, REVIEWS 2023; 29:574-588. [PMID: 37166394 PMCID: PMC10618830 DOI: 10.1089/ten.teb.2023.0006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Translation of small-diameter tissue-engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs) for the treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD) remains an unfulfilled promise. This is largely due to the limited integration of TEVGs into the native vascular wall-a process hampered by the insufficient smooth muscle cell (SMC) infiltration and extracellular matrix deposition, and low vasoactivity. These processes can be promoted through the judicious modulation of the SMC toward a synthetic phenotype to promote remodeling and vascular integration; however, the expression of synthetic markers is often accompanied by a decrease in the expression of contractile proteins. Therefore, techniques that can precisely modulate the SMC phenotypical behavior could have the potential to advance the translation of TEVGs. In this review, we describe the phenotypic diversity of SMCs and the different environmental cues that allow the modulation of SMC gene expression. Furthermore, we describe the emerging biomaterial approaches to modulate the SMC phenotype in TEVG design and discuss the limitations of current techniques. In addition, we found that current studies in tissue engineering limit the analysis of the SMC phenotype to a few markers, which are often the characteristic of early differentiation only. This limited scope has reduced the potential of tissue engineering to modulate the SMC toward specific behaviors and applications. Therefore, we recommend using the techniques presented in this review, in addition to modern single-cell proteomics analysis techniques to comprehensively characterize the phenotypic modulation of SMCs. Expanding the holistic potential of SMC modulation presents a great opportunity to advance the translation of living conduits for CAD therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sergio A. Pineda-Castillo
- Biomechanics and Biomaterials Design Laboratory, School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Handan Acar
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Michael S. Detamore
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Gerhard A. Holzapfel
- Institute of Biomechanics, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
- Department of Structural Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Chung-Hao Lee
- Biomechanics and Biomaterials Design Laboratory, School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| |
Collapse
|
107
|
Iqneibi S, Saigusa R, Khan A, Oliaeimotlagh M, Armstrong Suthahar SS, Kumar S, Alimadadi A, Durant CP, Ghosheh Y, McNamara CA, Hedrick CC, Ley K. Single cell transcriptomics reveals recent CD8T cell receptor signaling in patients with coronary artery disease. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1239148. [PMID: 37828989 PMCID: PMC10565000 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1239148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a major cause of death worldwide. The role of CD8+ T cells in CAD is unknown. Recent studies suggest a breakdown of tolerance in atherosclerosis, resulting in active T cell receptor (TCR) engagement with self-antigens. We hypothesized that TCR engagement would leave characteristic gene expression signatures. In a single cell RNA-sequencing analysis of CD8+ T cells from 30 patients with CAD and 30 controls we found significant enrichment of TCR signaling pathways in CAD+ subjects, suggesting recent TCR engagement. We also found significant enrichment of cytotoxic and exhaustion pathways in CAD cases compared to controls. Highly significant upregulation of TCR signaling in CAD indicates that CD8 T cells reactive to atherosclerosis antigens are prominent in the blood of CAD cases compared to controls.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shahad Iqneibi
- Immunology Center of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - Ryosuke Saigusa
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Amir Khan
- Immunology Center of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | | | | | - Sunil Kumar
- Immunology Center of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - Ahmad Alimadadi
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | | | - Yanal Ghosheh
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Coleen A. McNamara
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Catherine C. Hedrick
- Immunology Center of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Klaus Ley
- Immunology Center of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Physiology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
108
|
Kurt Z, Cheng J, McQuillen CN, Saleem Z, Hsu N, Jiang N, Barrere-Cain R, Pan C, Franzen O, Koplev S, Wang S, Bjorkegren J, Lusis AJ, Blencowe M, Yang X. Shared and distinct pathways and networks genetically linked to coronary artery disease between human and mouse. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.08.544148. [PMID: 37333408 PMCID: PMC10274918 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.08.544148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Mouse models have been used extensively to study human coronary artery disease (CAD) or atherosclerosis and to test therapeutic targets. However, whether mouse and human share similar genetic factors and pathogenic mechanisms of atherosclerosis has not been thoroughly investigated in a data-driven manner. We conducted a cross-species comparison study to better understand atherosclerosis pathogenesis between species by leveraging multiomics data. Specifically, we compared genetically driven and thus CAD-causal gene networks and pathways, by using human GWAS of CAD from the CARDIoGRAMplusC4D consortium and mouse GWAS of atherosclerosis from the Hybrid Mouse Diversity Panel (HMDP) followed by integration with functional multiomics human (STARNET and GTEx) and mouse (HMDP) databases. We found that mouse and human shared >75% of CAD causal pathways. Based on network topology, we then predicted key regulatory genes for both the shared pathways and species-specific pathways, which were further validated through the use of single cell data and the latest CAD GWAS. In sum, our results should serve as a much-needed guidance for which human CAD-causal pathways can or cannot be further evaluated for novel CAD therapies using mouse models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zeyneb Kurt
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Computer and Information Sciences, University of Northumbria, Ellison Pl, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK
| | - Jenny Cheng
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Interdepartmental Program of Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Caden N. McQuillen
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Zara Saleem
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Neil Hsu
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Nuoya Jiang
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Rio Barrere-Cain
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Calvin Pan
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of California, Los Angeles, 650 Charles E Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1679, USA
| | - Oscar Franzen
- Department of Genetics & Genomic Sciences, Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029-6574, US
| | - Simon Koplev
- Department of Genetics & Genomic Sciences, Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029-6574, US
| | - Susanna Wang
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Johan Bjorkegren
- Department of Genetics & Genomic Sciences, Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029-6574, US
- Department of Medicine, (Huddinge), Karolinska Institutet, 141 57 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Aldons J. Lusis
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of California, Los Angeles, 650 Charles E Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1679, USA
- Departments of Human Genetics & Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, UCLA, CA 90095, USA
- Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, CA 90095
| | - Montgomery Blencowe
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Interdepartmental Program of Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Xia Yang
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Interdepartmental Program of Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Interdepartmental Program of Bioinformatics, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| |
Collapse
|
109
|
Chakraborty A, Li Y, Zhang C, Li Y, Rebello KR, Li S, Xu S, Vasquez HG, Zhang L, Luo W, Wang G, Chen K, Coselli JS, LeMaire SA, Shen YH. Epigenetic Induction of Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotypic Alterations in Aortic Aneurysms and Dissections. Circulation 2023; 148:959-977. [PMID: 37555319 PMCID: PMC10529114 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.123.063332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Smooth muscle cell (SMC) phenotypic switching has been increasingly detected in aortic aneurysm and dissection (AAD) tissues. However, the diverse SMC phenotypes in AAD tissues and the mechanisms driving SMC phenotypic alterations remain to be identified. METHODS We examined the transcriptomic and epigenomic dynamics of aortic SMC phenotypic changes in mice with angiotensin II-induced AAD by using single-cell RNA sequencing and single-cell sequencing assay for transposase-accessible chromatin. SMC phenotypic alteration in aortas from patients with ascending thoracic AAD was examined by using single-cell RNA sequencing analysis. RESULTS Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis revealed that aortic stress induced the transition of SMCs from a primary contractile phenotype to proliferative, extracellular matrix-producing, and inflammatory phenotypes. Lineage tracing showed the complete transformation of SMCs to fibroblasts and macrophages. Single-cell sequencing assay for transposase-accessible chromatin analysis indicated that these phenotypic alterations were controlled by chromatin remodeling marked by the reduced chromatin accessibility of contractile genes and the induced chromatin accessibility of genes involved in proliferation, extracellular matrix, and inflammation. IRF3 (interferon regulatory factor 3), a proinflammatory transcription factor activated by cytosolic DNA, was identified as a key driver of the transition of aortic SMCs from a contractile phenotype to an inflammatory phenotype. In cultured SMCs, cytosolic DNA signaled through its sensor STING (stimulator of interferon genes)-TBK1 (tank-binding kinase 1) to activate IRF3, which bound and recruited EZH2 (enhancer of zeste homolog 2) to contractile genes to induce repressive H3K27me3 modification and gene suppression. In contrast, double-stranded DNA-STING-IRF3 signaling induced inflammatory gene expression in SMCs. In Sting-/- mice, the aortic stress-induced transition of SMCs into an inflammatory phenotype was prevented, and SMC populations were preserved. Finally, profound SMC phenotypic alterations toward diverse directions were detected in human ascending thoracic AAD tissues. CONCLUSIONS Our study reveals the dynamic epigenetic induction of SMC phenotypic alterations in AAD. DNA damage and cytosolic leakage drive SMCs from a contractile phenotype to an inflammatory phenotype.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abhijit Chakraborty
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., S.X., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Texas Heart Institute, Houston (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L.)
| | - Yanming Li
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., S.X., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Texas Heart Institute, Houston (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L.)
| | - Chen Zhang
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., S.X., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Texas Heart Institute, Houston (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L.)
| | - Yang Li
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., S.X., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Texas Heart Institute, Houston (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L.)
| | - Kimberly R Rebello
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., S.X., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Texas Heart Institute, Houston (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L.)
| | - Shengyu Li
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, TX (S.L., G.W.)
| | - Samantha Xu
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., S.X., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Hernan G Vasquez
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., S.X., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Texas Heart Institute, Houston (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L.)
| | - Lin Zhang
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., S.X., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Texas Heart Institute, Houston (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L.)
| | - Wei Luo
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., S.X., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Texas Heart Institute, Houston (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L.)
| | - Guangyu Wang
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, TX (S.L., G.W.)
| | - Kaifu Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (K.C.)
| | - Joseph S Coselli
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., S.X., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Cardiovascular Research Institute (J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Texas Heart Institute, Houston (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L.)
| | - Scott A LeMaire
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., S.X., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Cardiovascular Research Institute (J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Texas Heart Institute, Houston (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L.)
| | - Ying H Shen
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., S.X., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Cardiovascular Research Institute (J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| |
Collapse
|
110
|
Ouyang JF, Mishra K, Xie Y, Park H, Huang KY, Petretto E, Behmoaras J. Systems level identification of a matrisome-associated macrophage polarisation state in multi-organ fibrosis. eLife 2023; 12:e85530. [PMID: 37706477 PMCID: PMC10547479 DOI: 10.7554/elife.85530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Tissue fibrosis affects multiple organs and involves a master-regulatory role of macrophages which respond to an initial inflammatory insult common in all forms of fibrosis. The recently unravelled multi-organ heterogeneity of macrophages in healthy and fibrotic human disease suggests that macrophages expressing osteopontin (SPP1) associate with lung and liver fibrosis. However, the conservation of this SPP1+ macrophage population across different tissues and its specificity to fibrotic diseases with different etiologies remain unclear. Integrating 15 single-cell RNA-sequencing datasets to profile 235,930 tissue macrophages from healthy and fibrotic heart, lung, liver, kidney, skin, and endometrium, we extended the association of SPP1+ macrophages with fibrosis to all these tissues. We also identified a subpopulation expressing matrisome-associated genes (e.g., matrix metalloproteinases and their tissue inhibitors), functionally enriched for ECM remodelling and cell metabolism, representative of a matrisome-associated macrophage (MAM) polarisation state within SPP1+ macrophages. Importantly, the MAM polarisation state follows a differentiation trajectory from SPP1+ macrophages and is associated with a core set of regulon activity. SPP1+ macrophages without the MAM polarisation state (SPP1+MAM-) show a positive association with ageing lung in mice and humans. These results suggest an advanced and conserved polarisation state of SPP1+ macrophages in fibrotic tissues resulting from prolonged inflammatory cues within each tissue microenvironment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John F Ouyang
- Centre for Computational Biology, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
- Programme in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
| | - Kunal Mishra
- Centre for Computational Biology, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
- Programme in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
| | - Yi Xie
- Centre for Computational Biology, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
- Programme in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
| | - Harry Park
- Centre for Computational Biology, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
- Programme in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
| | - Kevin Y Huang
- Centre for Computational Biology, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
- Programme in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
| | - Enrico Petretto
- Centre for Computational Biology, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
- Programme in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
- Institute for Big Data and Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University (CPU)NanjingChina
| | - Jacques Behmoaras
- Centre for Computational Biology, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
- Programme in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
- Department of Immunology and Inflammation, Centre for Inflammatory Disease, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
111
|
Quaye LNK, Dalzell CE, Deloukas P, Smith AJP. The Genetics of Coronary Artery Disease: A Vascular Perspective. Cells 2023; 12:2232. [PMID: 37759455 PMCID: PMC10527262 DOI: 10.3390/cells12182232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified a large number of genetic loci for coronary artery disease (CAD), with many located close to genes associated with traditional CAD risk pathways, such as lipid metabolism and inflammation. It is becoming evident with recent CAD GWAS meta-analyses that vascular pathways are also highly enriched and present an opportunity for novel therapeutics. This review examines GWAS-enriched vascular gene loci, the pathways involved and their potential role in CAD pathogenesis. The functionality of variants is explored from expression quantitative trait loci, massively parallel reporter assays and CRISPR-based gene-editing tools. We discuss how this research may lead to novel therapeutic tools to treat cardiovascular disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Panos Deloukas
- William Harvey Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK; (L.N.K.Q.); (C.E.D.); (A.J.P.S.)
| | | |
Collapse
|
112
|
Sánchez Marrero G, Villa-Roel N, Li F, Park C, Kang DW, Hekman KE, Jo H, Brewster LP. Single-Cell RNA sequencing investigation of female-male differences under PAD conditions. Front Cardiovasc Med 2023; 10:1251141. [PMID: 37745110 PMCID: PMC10512722 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1251141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is an age-related medical condition affecting mostly muscular arteries of the limb. It is the 3rd leading cause of atherosclerotic morbidity. The mechanical environment of endothelial cells (ECs) in PAD is characterized by disturbed blood flow (d-flow) and stiff extracellular matrices. In PAD, the stiffness of arteries is due to decreased elastin function and increased collagen content. These flow and stiffness parameters are largely missing from current models of PAD. It has been previously proven that ECs exposed to d-flow or stiff substrates lead to proatherogenic pathways, but the effect of both, d-flow and stiffness, on EC phenotype has not been fully investigated. In this study, we sought to explore the effect of sex on proatherogenic pathways that could result from exposing endothelial cells to a d-flow and stiff environment. We utilized the scRNA-seq tool to analyze the gene expression of ECs exposed to the different mechanical conditions both in vitro and in vivo. We found that male ECs exposed to different mechanical stimuli presented higher expression of genes related to fibrosis and d-flow in vitro. We validated our findings in vivo by exposing murine carotid arteries to d-flow via partial carotid artery ligation. Since women have delayed onset of arterial stiffening and subsequent PAD, this work may provide a framework for some of the pathways in which biological sex interacts with sex-based differences in PAD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gloriani Sánchez Marrero
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Nicolas Villa-Roel
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Feifei Li
- Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Christian Park
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Dong-Won Kang
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Katherine E. Hekman
- Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Surgical and Research Services, Atlanta Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Decatur, GA, United States
| | - Hanjoong Jo
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Luke P. Brewster
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Surgical and Research Services, Atlanta Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Decatur, GA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
113
|
Lei C, Kan H, Xian X, Chen W, Xiang W, Song X, Wu J, Yang D, Zheng Y. FAM3A reshapes VSMC fate specification in abdominal aortic aneurysm by regulating KLF4 ubiquitination. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5360. [PMID: 37660071 PMCID: PMC10475135 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41177-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Reprogramming of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) differentiation plays an essential role in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). However, the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. We explore the expression of FAM3A, a newly identified metabolic cytokine, and whether and how FAM3A regulates VSMC differentiation in AAA. We discover that FAM3A is decreased in the aortas and plasma in AAA patients and murine models. Overexpression or supplementation of FAM3A significantly attenuate the AAA formation, manifested by maintenance of the well-differentiated VSMC status and inhibition of VSMC transformation toward macrophage-, chondrocyte-, osteogenic-, mesenchymal-, and fibroblast-like cell subpopulations. Importantly, FAM3A induces KLF4 ubiquitination and reduces its phosphorylation and nuclear localization. Here, we report FAM3A as a VSMC fate-shaping regulator in AAA and reveal the underlying mechanism associated with KLF4 ubiquitination and stability, which may lead to the development of strategies based on FAM3A to restore VSMC homeostasis in AAA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chuxiang Lei
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Haoxuan Kan
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Xiangyu Xian
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Wenlin Chen
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Wenxuan Xiang
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Xiaohong Song
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100730, China
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Jianqiang Wu
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100730, China
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Dan Yang
- Department of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Haidian District, Beijing, 100193, China.
| | - Yuehong Zheng
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100730, China.
| |
Collapse
|
114
|
Widlansky ME, Liu Y, Tumusiime S, Hofeld B, Khan N, Aljadah M, Wang J, Anger A, Qiu Q, Therani B, Liu P, Liang M. Coronary Plaque Sampling Reveals Molecular Insights Into Coronary Artery Disease. Circ Res 2023; 133:532-534. [PMID: 37539553 PMCID: PMC10467803 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.123.323022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael E. Widlansky
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine (M.E.W., B.H., N.K., M.A., J.W., A.A.), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
| | - Yong Liu
- Center of Systems Molecular Medicine, Department of Physiology (Y.L., S.T., Q.Q., B.T., P.L., M.L.), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
- Department of Physiology, University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson (Y.L., Q.Q., B.T., P.L., M.L.)
| | - Shakirah Tumusiime
- Center of Systems Molecular Medicine, Department of Physiology (Y.L., S.T., Q.Q., B.T., P.L., M.L.), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
| | - Benjamin Hofeld
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine (M.E.W., B.H., N.K., M.A., J.W., A.A.), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
| | - Nabeel Khan
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine (M.E.W., B.H., N.K., M.A., J.W., A.A.), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
| | - Michael Aljadah
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine (M.E.W., B.H., N.K., M.A., J.W., A.A.), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
| | - Jingli Wang
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine (M.E.W., B.H., N.K., M.A., J.W., A.A.), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
| | - Amberly Anger
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine (M.E.W., B.H., N.K., M.A., J.W., A.A.), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
| | - Qiongzi Qiu
- Center of Systems Molecular Medicine, Department of Physiology (Y.L., S.T., Q.Q., B.T., P.L., M.L.), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
- Department of Physiology, University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson (Y.L., Q.Q., B.T., P.L., M.L.)
| | - Bhavika Therani
- Center of Systems Molecular Medicine, Department of Physiology (Y.L., S.T., Q.Q., B.T., P.L., M.L.), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
- Department of Physiology, University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson (Y.L., Q.Q., B.T., P.L., M.L.)
| | - Pengyuan Liu
- Center of Systems Molecular Medicine, Department of Physiology (Y.L., S.T., Q.Q., B.T., P.L., M.L.), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
- Department of Physiology, University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson (Y.L., Q.Q., B.T., P.L., M.L.)
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China (P.L.)
- Cancer center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China (P.L.)
| | - Mingyu Liang
- Center of Systems Molecular Medicine, Department of Physiology (Y.L., S.T., Q.Q., B.T., P.L., M.L.), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
- Department of Physiology, University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson (Y.L., Q.Q., B.T., P.L., M.L.)
| |
Collapse
|
115
|
Xu X, Zhang DD, Kong P, Gao YK, Huang XF, Song Y, Zhang WD, Guo RJ, Li CL, Chen BW, Sun Y, Zhao YB, Jia FY, Wang X, Zhang F, Han M. Sox10 escalates vascular inflammation by mediating vascular smooth muscle cell transdifferentiation and pyroptosis in neointimal hyperplasia. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112869. [PMID: 37481722 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) can transdifferentiate into macrophage-like cells in the context of sustained inflammatory injury, which drives vascular hyperplasia and atherosclerotic complications. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we identify that macrophage-like VSMCs are the key cell population in mouse neointimal hyperplasia. Sex-determining region Y (SRY)-related HMG-box gene 10 (Sox10) upregulation is associated with macrophage-like VSMC accumulation and pyroptosis in vitro and in the neointimal hyperplasia of mice. Tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α)-induced Sox10 lactylation in a phosphorylation-dependent manner by PI3K/AKT signaling drives transcriptional programs of VSMC transdifferentiation, contributing to pyroptosis. The regulator of G protein signaling 5 (RGS5) interacts with AKT and blocks PI3K/AKT signaling and Sox10 phosphorylation at S24. Sox10 silencing mitigates vascular inflammation and forestalls neointimal hyperplasia in RGS5 knockout mice. Collectively, this study shows that Sox10 is a regulator of vascular inflammation and a potential control point in inflammation-related vascular disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xin Xu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China; Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology of Ministry of Education, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Biotechnology of Hebei Province, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China
| | - Dan-Dan Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China; Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology of Ministry of Education, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Biotechnology of Hebei Province, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China
| | - Peng Kong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China; Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology of Ministry of Education, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Biotechnology of Hebei Province, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China
| | - Ya-Kun Gao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China; Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology of Ministry of Education, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Biotechnology of Hebei Province, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China
| | - Xiao-Fu Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China; Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology of Ministry of Education, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Biotechnology of Hebei Province, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China
| | - Yu Song
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China; Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology of Ministry of Education, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Biotechnology of Hebei Province, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China
| | - Wen-Di Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China; Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology of Ministry of Education, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Biotechnology of Hebei Province, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China
| | - Rui-Juan Guo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China; Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology of Ministry of Education, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Biotechnology of Hebei Province, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China
| | - Chang-Lin Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China; Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology of Ministry of Education, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Biotechnology of Hebei Province, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China
| | - Bo-Wen Chen
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China
| | - Yue Sun
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China
| | - Yong-Bo Zhao
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China
| | - Fang-Yue Jia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China; Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology of Ministry of Education, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Biotechnology of Hebei Province, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China; Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology of Ministry of Education, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Biotechnology of Hebei Province, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China
| | - Fan Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China; Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology of Ministry of Education, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Biotechnology of Hebei Province, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China.
| | - Mei Han
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China; Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology of Ministry of Education, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Biotechnology of Hebei Province, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China.
| |
Collapse
|
116
|
Alonso-Herranz L, Albarrán-Juárez J, Bentzon JF. Mechanisms of fibrous cap formation in atherosclerosis. Front Cardiovasc Med 2023; 10:1254114. [PMID: 37671141 PMCID: PMC10475556 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1254114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The fibrous cap is formed by smooth muscle cells that accumulate beneath the plaque endothelium. Cap rupture is the main cause of coronary thrombosis, leading to infarction and sudden cardiac death. Therefore, the qualities of the cap are primary determinants of the clinical outcome of coronary and carotid atherosclerosis. In this mini-review, we discuss current knowledge about the formation of the fibrous cap, including cell recruitment, clonal expansion, and central molecular signaling pathways. We also examine the differences between mouse and human fibrous caps and explore the impact of anti-atherosclerotic therapies on the state of the fibrous cap. We propose that the cap should be understood as a neo-media to substitute for the original media that becomes separated from the surface endothelium during atherogenesis and that embryonic pathways involved in the development of the arteria media contribute to cap formation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Alonso-Herranz
- Atherosclerosis Research Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Julián Albarrán-Juárez
- Atherosclerosis Research Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jacob Fog Bentzon
- Atherosclerosis Research Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus and Department of Cardiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
117
|
Eberhardt N, Noval MG, Kaur R, Sajja S, Amadori L, Das D, Cilhoroz B, Stewart O, Fernandez DM, Shamailova R, Guillen AV, Jangra S, Schotsaert M, Gildea M, Newman JD, Faries P, Maldonado T, Rockman C, Rapkiewicz A, Stapleford KA, Narula N, Moore KJ, Giannarelli C. SARS-CoV-2 infection triggers pro-atherogenic inflammatory responses in human coronary vessels. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.14.553245. [PMID: 37645908 PMCID: PMC10461985 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.14.553245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 patients present higher risk for myocardial infarction (MI), acute coronary syndrome, and stroke for up to 1 year after SARS-CoV-2 infection. While the systemic inflammatory response to SARS-CoV-2 infection likely contributes to this increased cardiovascular risk, whether SARS-CoV-2 directly infects the coronary vasculature and attendant atherosclerotic plaques to locally promote inflammation remains unknown. Here, we report that SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA (vRNA) is detectable and replicates in coronary atherosclerotic lesions taken at autopsy from patients with severe COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 localizes to plaque macrophages and shows a stronger tropism for arterial lesions compared to corresponding perivascular fat, correlating with the degree of macrophage infiltration. In vitro infection of human primary macrophages highlights that SARS-CoV-2 entry is increased in cholesterol-loaded macrophages (foam cells) and is dependent, in part, on neuropilin-1 (NRP-1). Furthermore, although viral replication is abortive, SARS-CoV-2 induces a robust inflammatory response that includes interleukins IL-6 and IL-1β, key cytokines known to trigger ischemic cardiovascular events. SARS-CoV-2 infection of human atherosclerotic vascular explants recapitulates the immune response seen in cultured macrophages, including pro-atherogenic cytokine secretion. Collectively, our data establish that SARS-CoV-2 infects macrophages in coronary atherosclerotic lesions, resulting in plaque inflammation that may promote acute CV complications and long-term risk for CV events.
Collapse
|
118
|
Zhang TT, Lei QQ, He J, Guan X, Zhang X, Huang Y, Zhou ZY, Fan RX, Wang T, Li CX, Shang JY, Lin ZM, Peng WL, Xia LK, He YL, Hong CY, Ou JS, Pang RP, Fan XP, Huang H, Zhou JG. Bestrophin3 Deficiency in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Activates MEKK2/3-MAPK Signaling to Trigger Spontaneous Aortic Dissection. Circulation 2023; 148:589-606. [PMID: 37203562 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.122.063029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aortic dissection (AD) is a fatal cardiovascular disorder without effective medications due to unclear pathogenic mechanisms. Bestrophin3 (Best3), the predominant isoform of bestrophin family in vessels, has emerged as critical for vascular pathological processes. However, the contribution of Best3 to vascular diseases remains elusive. METHODS Smooth muscle cell-specific and endothelial cell-specific Best3 knockout mice (Best3SMKO and Best3ECKO, respectively) were engineered to investigate the role of Best3 in vascular pathophysiology. Functional studies, single-cell RNA sequencing, proteomics analysis, and coimmunoprecipitation coupled with mass spectrometry were performed to evaluate the function of Best3 in vessels. RESULTS Best3 expression in aortas of human AD samples and mouse AD models was decreased. Best3SMKO but not Best3ECKO mice spontaneously developed AD with age, and the incidence reached 48% at 72 weeks of age. Reanalysis of single-cell transcriptome data revealed that reduction of fibromyocytes, a fibroblast-like smooth muscle cell cluster, was a typical feature of human ascending AD and aneurysm. Consistently, Best3 deficiency in smooth muscle cells decreased the number of fibromyocytes. Mechanistically, Best3 interacted with both MEKK2 and MEKK3, and this interaction inhibited phosphorylation of MEKK2 at serine153 and MEKK3 at serine61. Best3 deficiency induced phosphorylation-dependent inhibition of ubiquitination and protein turnover of MEKK2/3, thereby activating the downstream mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascade. Furthermore, restoration of Best3 or inhibition of MEKK2/3 prevented AD progression in angiotensin II-infused Best3SMKO and ApoE-/- mice. CONCLUSIONS These findings unveil a critical role of Best3 in regulating smooth muscle cell phenotypic switch and aortic structural integrity through controlling MEKK2/3 degradation. Best3-MEKK2/3 signaling represents a novel therapeutic target for AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ting-Ting Zhang
- Program of Cardiovascular Research, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital (T.-T.Z., H.H., J.-G.Z.), Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Department of Pharmacology, Cardiac and Cerebrovascular Research Center (T.-T.Z., Q.-Q.L., X.G., X.Z., Z.-Y.Z., T.W., J.-Y.S., Z.-M.L., W.-L.P., L.-K.X., Y.-L.H., Z.-G.Z.), Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Department of Cardiology, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China (T.-T.Z., Y.H., H.H.)
| | - Qing-Qing Lei
- Department of Pharmacology, Cardiac and Cerebrovascular Research Center (T.-T.Z., Q.-Q.L., X.G., X.Z., Z.-Y.Z., T.W., J.-Y.S., Z.-M.L., W.-L.P., L.-K.X., Y.-L.H., Z.-G.Z.), Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jie He
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong, China (J.H., X.-P.F.)
- Division of Vascular Surgery, National-Guangdong Joint Engineering Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Vascular Diseases (J.H.), NHC Key Laboratory of Assisted Circulation (Sun Yat-Sen University), The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xin Guan
- Department of Pharmacology, Cardiac and Cerebrovascular Research Center (T.-T.Z., Q.-Q.L., X.G., X.Z., Z.-Y.Z., T.W., J.-Y.S., Z.-M.L., W.-L.P., L.-K.X., Y.-L.H., Z.-G.Z.), Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Cardiac and Cerebrovascular Research Center (T.-T.Z., Q.-Q.L., X.G., X.Z., Z.-Y.Z., T.W., J.-Y.S., Z.-M.L., W.-L.P., L.-K.X., Y.-L.H., Z.-G.Z.), Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Ying Huang
- Department of Cardiology, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China (T.-T.Z., Y.H., H.H.)
| | - Zi-Yue Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, Cardiac and Cerebrovascular Research Center (T.-T.Z., Q.-Q.L., X.G., X.Z., Z.-Y.Z., T.W., J.-Y.S., Z.-M.L., W.-L.P., L.-K.X., Y.-L.H., Z.-G.Z.), Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Rui-Xin Fan
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China (R.-X.F., C.-X.L.)
| | - Ting Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Cardiac and Cerebrovascular Research Center (T.-T.Z., Q.-Q.L., X.G., X.Z., Z.-Y.Z., T.W., J.-Y.S., Z.-M.L., W.-L.P., L.-K.X., Y.-L.H., Z.-G.Z.), Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chen-Xi Li
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China (R.-X.F., C.-X.L.)
| | - Jin-Yan Shang
- Department of Pharmacology, Cardiac and Cerebrovascular Research Center (T.-T.Z., Q.-Q.L., X.G., X.Z., Z.-Y.Z., T.W., J.-Y.S., Z.-M.L., W.-L.P., L.-K.X., Y.-L.H., Z.-G.Z.), Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhuo-Miao Lin
- Department of Pharmacology, Cardiac and Cerebrovascular Research Center (T.-T.Z., Q.-Q.L., X.G., X.Z., Z.-Y.Z., T.W., J.-Y.S., Z.-M.L., W.-L.P., L.-K.X., Y.-L.H., Z.-G.Z.), Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Wan-Li Peng
- Department of Pharmacology, Cardiac and Cerebrovascular Research Center (T.-T.Z., Q.-Q.L., X.G., X.Z., Z.-Y.Z., T.W., J.-Y.S., Z.-M.L., W.-L.P., L.-K.X., Y.-L.H., Z.-G.Z.), Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Li-Kai Xia
- Department of Pharmacology, Cardiac and Cerebrovascular Research Center (T.-T.Z., Q.-Q.L., X.G., X.Z., Z.-Y.Z., T.W., J.-Y.S., Z.-M.L., W.-L.P., L.-K.X., Y.-L.H., Z.-G.Z.), Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yu-Ling He
- Department of Pharmacology, Cardiac and Cerebrovascular Research Center (T.-T.Z., Q.-Q.L., X.G., X.Z., Z.-Y.Z., T.W., J.-Y.S., Z.-M.L., W.-L.P., L.-K.X., Y.-L.H., Z.-G.Z.), Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chuan-Ying Hong
- Department of Physiology, Pain Research Center, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China (C.-Y.H., R.-P.P.)
| | - Jing-Song Ou
- Division of Cardiac Surgery, National-Guangdong Joint Engineering Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Vascular Diseases (J.-S.O.) NHC Key Laboratory of Assisted Circulation (Sun Yat-Sen University), The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Rui-Ping Pang
- Department of Physiology, Pain Research Center, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China (C.-Y.H., R.-P.P.)
| | - Xiao-Ping Fan
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong, China (J.H., X.-P.F.)
| | - Hui Huang
- Program of Cardiovascular Research, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital (T.-T.Z., H.H., J.-G.Z.), Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Department of Cardiology, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China (T.-T.Z., Y.H., H.H.)
| | - Jia-Guo Zhou
- Program of Cardiovascular Research, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital (T.-T.Z., H.H., J.-G.Z.), Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease (J.-G.Z.), Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Program of Kidney and Cardiovascular Disease, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital (J.-G.Z.), Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangzhou Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Affiliated Guangzhou Women and Children's Hospital, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangdong, China (J.-G.Z.)
| |
Collapse
|
119
|
Jin Y, Ren W, Liu J, Tang X, Shi X, Pan D, Hou L, Yang L. Identification and validation of potential hypoxia-related genes associated with coronary artery disease. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1181510. [PMID: 37637145 PMCID: PMC10447898 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1181510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the most life-threatening cardiovascular emergencies with high mortality and morbidity. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that the degree of hypoxia is closely associated with the development and survival outcomes of CAD patients. However, the role of hypoxia in CAD has not been elucidated. Methods: Based on the GSE113079 microarray dataset and the hypoxia-associated gene collection, differential analysis, machine learning, and validation of the screened hub genes were carried out. Results: In this study, 54 differentially expressed hypoxia-related genes (DE-HRGs), and then 4 hub signature genes (ADM, PPFIA4, FAM162A, and TPBG) were identified based on microarray datasets GSE113079 which including of 93 CAD patients and 48 healthy controls and hypoxia-related gene set. Then, 4 hub genes were also validated in other three CAD related microarray datasets. Through GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses, we found three upregulated hub genes (ADM, PPFIA4, TPBG) were strongly correlated with differentially expressed metabolic genes and all the 4 hub genes were mainly enriched in many immune-related biological processes and pathways in CAD. Additionally, 10 immune cell types were found significantly different between the CAD and control groups, especially CD8 T cells, which were apparently essential in cardiovascular disease by immune cell infiltration analysis. Furthermore, we compared the expression of 4 hub genes in 15 cell subtypes in CAD coronary lesions and found that ADM, FAM162A and TPBG were all expressed at higher levels in endothelial cells by single-cell sequencing analysis. Discussion: The study identified four hypoxia genes associated with coronary heart disease. The findings provide more insights into the hypoxia landscape and, potentially, the therapeutic targets of CAD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Jin
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Weiyan Ren
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Jiayi Liu
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xuejiao Tang
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xinrui Shi
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Dongchen Pan
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Lianguo Hou
- Biochemistry Research Laboratory, School of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Lei Yang
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| |
Collapse
|
120
|
Kiss MG, Papac-Miličević N, Porsch F, Tsiantoulas D, Hendrikx T, Takaoka M, Dinh HQ, Narzt MS, Göderle L, Ozsvár-Kozma M, Schuster M, Fortelny N, Hladik A, Knapp S, Gruber F, Pickering MC, Bock C, Swirski FK, Ley K, Zernecke A, Cochain C, Kemper C, Mallat Z, Binder CJ. Cell-autonomous regulation of complement C3 by factor H limits macrophage efferocytosis and exacerbates atherosclerosis. Immunity 2023; 56:1809-1824.e10. [PMID: 37499656 PMCID: PMC10529786 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2023.06.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Complement factor H (CFH) negatively regulates consumption of complement component 3 (C3), thereby restricting complement activation. Genetic variants in CFH predispose to chronic inflammatory disease. Here, we examined the impact of CFH on atherosclerosis development. In a mouse model of atherosclerosis, CFH deficiency limited plaque necrosis in a C3-dependent manner. Deletion of CFH in monocyte-derived inflammatory macrophages propagated uncontrolled cell-autonomous C3 consumption without downstream C5 activation and heightened efferocytotic capacity. Among leukocytes, Cfh expression was restricted to monocytes and macrophages, increased during inflammation, and coincided with the accumulation of intracellular C3. Macrophage-derived CFH was sufficient to dampen resolution of inflammation, and hematopoietic deletion of CFH in atherosclerosis-prone mice promoted lesional efferocytosis and reduced plaque size. Furthermore, we identified monocyte-derived inflammatory macrophages expressing C3 and CFH in human atherosclerotic plaques. Our findings reveal a regulatory axis wherein CFH controls intracellular C3 levels of macrophages in a cell-autonomous manner, evidencing the importance of on-site complement regulation in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Máté G Kiss
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria.
| | | | - Florentina Porsch
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Dimitrios Tsiantoulas
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Tim Hendrikx
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Minoru Takaoka
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Huy Q Dinh
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Marie-Sophie Narzt
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Laura Göderle
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mária Ozsvár-Kozma
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Schuster
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Nikolaus Fortelny
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria; Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Anastasiya Hladik
- Department of Medicine I, Laboratory of Infection Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sylvia Knapp
- Department of Medicine I, Laboratory of Infection Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Florian Gruber
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Christoph Bock
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria; Medical University of Vienna, Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Center for Medical Data Science, Vienna, Austria
| | - Filip K Swirski
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Klaus Ley
- Immunology Center of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Alma Zernecke
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Clément Cochain
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany; Comprehensive Heart Failure Center Würzburg, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Claudia Kemper
- Inflammation Research Section, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Ziad Mallat
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, Paris, France
| | - Christoph J Binder
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria.
| |
Collapse
|
121
|
Tang C, Chen G, Wu F, Cao Y, Yang F, You T, Liu C, Li M, Hu S, Ren L, Lu Q, Deng W, Xu Y, Wang G, Jo H, Zhang Y, Wu Y, Zabel BA, Zhu L. Endothelial CCRL2 induced by disturbed flow promotes atherosclerosis via chemerin-dependent β2 integrin activation in monocytes. Cardiovasc Res 2023; 119:1811-1824. [PMID: 37279540 PMCID: PMC10405567 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvad085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS Chemoattractants and their cognate receptors are essential for leucocyte recruitment during atherogenesis, and atherosclerotic plaques preferentially occur at predilection sites of the arterial wall with disturbed flow (d-flow). In profiling the endothelial expression of atypical chemoattractant receptors (ACKRs), we found that Ackr5 (CCRL2) was up-regulated in an endothelial subpopulation by atherosclerotic stimulation. We therefore investigated the role of CCRL2 and its ligand chemerin in atherosclerosis and the underlying mechanism. METHODS AND RESULTS By analysing scRNA-seq data of the left carotid artery under d-flow and scRNA-seq datasets GSE131776 of ApoE-/- mice from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, we found that CCRL2 was up-regulated in one subpopulation of endothelial cells in response to d-flow stimulation and atherosclerosis. Using CCRL2-/-ApoE-/- mice, we showed that CCRL2 deficiency protected against plaque formation primarily in the d-flow areas of the aortic arch in ApoE-/- mice fed high-fat diet. Disturbed flow induced the expression of vascular endothelial CCRL2, recruiting chemerin, which caused leucocyte adhesion to the endothelium. Surprisingly, instead of binding to monocytic CMKLR1, chemerin was found to activate β2 integrin, enhancing ERK1/2 phosphorylation and monocyte adhesion. Moreover, chemerin was found to have protein disulfide isomerase-like enzymatic activity, which was responsible for the interaction of chemerin with β2 integrin, as identified by a Di-E-GSSG assay and a proximity ligation assay. For clinical relevance, relatively high serum levels of chemerin were found in patients with acute atherothrombotic stroke compared to healthy individuals. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that d-flow-induced CCRL2 promotes atherosclerotic plaque formation via a novel CCRL2-chemerin-β2 integrin axis, providing potential targets for the prevention or therapeutic intervention of atherosclerosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chaojun Tang
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology of Jiangsu Province, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
- Suzhou Key Laboratory of Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- JinFeng Laboratory, Chongqing, China
| | - Guona Chen
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Fan Wu
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
- Cambridge-Suda Genomic Resource Center, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Yiren Cao
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Fei Yang
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Tao You
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
- Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Chu Liu
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Menglu Li
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Shuhong Hu
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Lijie Ren
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
- Suzhou Key Laboratory of Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Qiongyu Lu
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
- Suzhou Key Laboratory of Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Wei Deng
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Ying Xu
- Suzhou Key Laboratory of Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
- Cambridge-Suda Genomic Resource Center, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Guixue Wang
- JinFeng Laboratory, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological and Technology of Ministry of Education, State and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Vascular Implants, Bioengineering College of Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hanjoong Jo
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Yonghong Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology School of Public Health, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Geriatric Diseases, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Yi Wu
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology of Jiangsu Province, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
- Suzhou Key Laboratory of Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Geriatric Diseases, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Brian A Zabel
- Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research (PAVIR), Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS), Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Li Zhu
- Cyrus Tang Medical Institute, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology of Jiangsu Province, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
- Suzhou Key Laboratory of Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Geriatric Diseases, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
- The Ninth Affiliated Hospital, Soochow University, Rm 509, Bldg 703, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- JinFeng Laboratory, Chongqing, China
| |
Collapse
|
122
|
Kaw K, Chattopadhyay A, Guan P, Chen J, Majumder S, Duan XY, Ma S, Zhang C, Kwartler CS, Milewicz DM. Smooth muscle α-actin missense variant promotes atherosclerosis through modulation of intracellular cholesterol in smooth muscle cells. Eur Heart J 2023; 44:2713-2726. [PMID: 37377039 PMCID: PMC10393072 DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehad373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS The variant p.Arg149Cys in ACTA2, which encodes smooth muscle cell (SMC)-specific α-actin, predisposes to thoracic aortic disease and early onset coronary artery disease in individuals without cardiovascular risk factors. This study investigated how this variant drives increased atherosclerosis. METHODS AND RESULTS Apoe-/- mice with and without the variant were fed a high-fat diet for 12 weeks, followed by evaluation of atherosclerotic plaque formation and single-cell transcriptomics analysis. SMCs explanted from Acta2R149C/+ and wildtype (WT) ascending aortas were used to investigate atherosclerosis-associated SMC phenotypic modulation. Hyperlipidemic Acta2R149C/+Apoe-/- mice have a 2.5-fold increase in atherosclerotic plaque burden compared to Apoe-/- mice with no differences in serum lipid levels. At the cellular level, misfolding of the R149C α-actin activates heat shock factor 1, which increases endogenous cholesterol biosynthesis and intracellular cholesterol levels through increased HMG-CoA reductase (HMG-CoAR) expression and activity. The increased cellular cholesterol in Acta2R149C/+ SMCs induces endoplasmic reticulum stress and activates PERK-ATF4-KLF4 signaling to drive atherosclerosis-associated phenotypic modulation in the absence of exogenous cholesterol, while WT cells require higher levels of exogenous cholesterol to drive phenotypic modulation. Treatment with the HMG-CoAR inhibitor pravastatin successfully reverses the increased atherosclerotic plaque burden in Acta2R149C/+Apoe-/- mice. CONCLUSION These data establish a novel mechanism by which a pathogenic missense variant in a smooth muscle-specific contractile protein predisposes to atherosclerosis in individuals without hypercholesterolemia or other risk factors. The results emphasize the role of increased intracellular cholesterol levels in driving SMC phenotypic modulation and atherosclerotic plaque burden.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kaveeta Kaw
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Abhijnan Chattopadhyay
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Pujun Guan
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jiyuan Chen
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Suravi Majumder
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xue-yan Duan
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Shuangtao Ma
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Medicine, Michigan State University, 1355 Bogue St, B226B Life Sciences, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Chen Zhang
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, and Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Texas Heart Institute, 6770 Bertner Avenue, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Callie S Kwartler
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Dianna M Milewicz
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| |
Collapse
|
123
|
Zhang Y, Vandestienne M, Lavillegrand JR, Joffre J, Santos-Zas I, Lavelle A, Zhong X, Le Goff W, Guérin M, Al-Rifai R, Laurans L, Bruneval P, Guérin C, Diedisheim M, Migaud M, Puel A, Lanternier F, Casanova JL, Cochain C, Zernecke A, Saliba AE, Mokry M, Silvestre JS, Tedgui A, Mallat Z, Taleb S, Lenoir O, Vindis C, Camus SM, Sokol H, Ait-Oufella H. Genetic inhibition of CARD9 accelerates the development of atherosclerosis in mice through CD36 dependent-defective autophagy. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4622. [PMID: 37528097 PMCID: PMC10394049 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40216-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Caspase recruitment-domain containing protein 9 (CARD9) is a key signaling pathway in macrophages but its role in atherosclerosis is still poorly understood. Global deletion of Card9 in Apoe-/- mice as well as hematopoietic deletion in Ldlr-/- mice increases atherosclerosis. The acceleration of atherosclerosis is also observed in Apoe-/-Rag2-/-Card9-/- mice, ruling out a role for the adaptive immune system in the vascular phenotype of Card9 deficient mice. Card9 deficiency alters macrophage phenotype through CD36 overexpression with increased IL-1β production, increased lipid uptake, higher cell death susceptibility and defective autophagy. Rapamycin or metformin, two autophagy inducers, abolish intracellular lipid overload, restore macrophage survival and autophagy flux in vitro and finally abolish the pro-atherogenic effects of Card9 deficiency in vivo. Transcriptomic analysis of human CARD9-deficient monocytes confirms the pathogenic signature identified in murine models. In summary, CARD9 is a key protective pathway in atherosclerosis, modulating macrophage CD36-dependent inflammatory responses, lipid uptake and autophagy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yujiao Zhang
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM U970, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, Paris, France
| | - Marie Vandestienne
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM U970, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, Paris, France
| | | | - Jeremie Joffre
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM U970, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Icia Santos-Zas
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM U970, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, Paris, France
| | - Aonghus Lavelle
- Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine, CRSA, AP-HP, Saint Antoine Hospital, Gastroenterology department, Paris, France
| | - Xiaodan Zhong
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM U970, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, Paris, France
| | - Wilfried Le Goff
- Inserm UMRS1166, ICAN, Institute of CardioMetabolism and Nutrition, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière (AP-HP), Paris, France
| | - Maryse Guérin
- Inserm UMRS1166, ICAN, Institute of CardioMetabolism and Nutrition, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière (AP-HP), Paris, France
| | - Rida Al-Rifai
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM U970, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, Paris, France
| | - Ludivine Laurans
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM U970, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, Paris, France
| | - Patrick Bruneval
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM U970, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, Paris, France
- Department of Anatomopathology, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Coralie Guérin
- Institut Curie, Cytometry Platform, 75006, Paris, France
| | - Marc Diedisheim
- Clinique Saint Gatien Alliance (NCT+), 37540 Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire, France; Institut Necker-Enfants Malades (INEM), Université Paris Cité, INSERM UMR-S1151, CNRS UMR-S8253, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Melanie Migaud
- Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Necker Branch, INSERM U1163, Imagine Institute, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Anne Puel
- Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Necker Branch, INSERM U1163, Imagine Institute, 75015, Paris, France
- St. Giles Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Rockefeller Branch, Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Fanny Lanternier
- Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Necker Branch, INSERM U1163, Imagine Institute, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Laurent Casanova
- Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Necker Branch, INSERM U1163, Imagine Institute, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Clément Cochain
- Comprehensive Heart Failure Center Wuerzburg, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Alma Zernecke
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Antoine-Emmanuel Saliba
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz-Center for Infection Research (HZI), Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Michal Mokry
- Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology, Department of Cardiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, University Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | | | - Alain Tedgui
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM U970, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, Paris, France
| | - Ziad Mallat
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM U970, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, Paris, France
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, CB2 2QQ, UK
| | - Soraya Taleb
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM U970, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, Paris, France
| | - Olivia Lenoir
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM U970, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, Paris, France
| | | | - Stéphane M Camus
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM U970, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, Paris, France
| | - Harry Sokol
- Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine, CRSA, AP-HP, Saint Antoine Hospital, Gastroenterology department, Paris, France
- University Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
- Paris Center for Microbiome Medicine (PaCeMM) FHU, Paris, France
| | - Hafid Ait-Oufella
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM U970, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, Paris, France.
- Sorbonne Université, Paris, France.
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, Hôpital Saint-Antoine, AP-HP, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France.
| |
Collapse
|
124
|
Perry RN, Albarracin D, Aherrahrou R, Civelek M. Network Preservation Analysis Reveals Dysregulated Metabolic Pathways in Human Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotypic Switching. CIRCULATION. GENOMIC AND PRECISION MEDICINE 2023; 16:372-381. [PMID: 37387208 PMCID: PMC10434832 DOI: 10.1161/circgen.122.003781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vascular smooth muscle cells are key players involved in atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of coronary artery disease. They can play either beneficial or detrimental roles in lesion pathogenesis, depending on the nature of their phenotypic changes. An in-depth characterization of their gene regulatory networks can help better understand how their dysfunction may impact disease progression. METHODS We conducted a gene expression network preservation analysis in aortic smooth muscle cells isolated from 151 multiethnic heart transplant donors cultured under quiescent or proliferative conditions. RESULTS We identified 86 groups of coexpressed genes (modules) across the 2 conditions and focused on the 18 modules that are least preserved between the phenotypic conditions. Three of these modules were significantly enriched for genes belonging to proliferation, migration, cell adhesion, and cell differentiation pathways, characteristic of phenotypically modulated proliferative vascular smooth muscle cells. The majority of the modules, however, were enriched for metabolic pathways consisting of both nitrogen-related and glycolysis-related processes. Therefore, we explored correlations between nitrogen metabolism-related genes and coronary artery disease-associated genes and found significant correlations, suggesting the involvement of the nitrogen metabolism pathway in coronary artery disease pathogenesis. We also created gene regulatory networks enriched for genes in glycolysis and predicted key regulatory genes driving glycolysis dysregulation. CONCLUSIONS Our work suggests that dysregulation of vascular smooth muscle cell metabolism participates in phenotypic transitioning, which may contribute to disease progression, and suggests that AMT (aminomethyltransferase) and MPI (mannose phosphate isomerase) may play an important role in regulating nitrogen and glycolysis-related metabolism in smooth muscle cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R. Noah Perry
- Center for Public Health Genomics (R.N.P., R.A., M.C.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville
- Department of Biomedical Engineering (R.N.P., D.A., M.C.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville
| | - Diana Albarracin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering (R.N.P., D.A., M.C.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville
| | - Redouane Aherrahrou
- Center for Public Health Genomics (R.N.P., R.A., M.C.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville
| | - Mete Civelek
- Center for Public Health Genomics (R.N.P., R.A., M.C.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville
- Department of Biomedical Engineering (R.N.P., D.A., M.C.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville
| |
Collapse
|
125
|
Zhao XK, Zhu MM, Wang SN, Zhang TT, Wei XN, Wang CY, Zheng J, Zhu WY, Jiang MX, Xu SW, Yang XX, Duan YJ, Zhang BC, Han JH, Miao QR, Hu H, Chen YL. Transcription factor 21 accelerates vascular calcification in mice by activating the IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway and the interplay between VSMCs and ECs. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2023; 44:1625-1636. [PMID: 36997664 PMCID: PMC10374894 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-023-01077-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Vascular calcification is caused by the deposition of calcium salts in the intimal or tunica media layer of the aorta, which increases the risk of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. However, the mechanisms underlying vascular calcification are not fully clarified. Recently it has been shown that transcription factor 21 (TCF21) is highly expressed in human and mouse atherosclerotic plaques. In this study we investigated the role of TCF21 in vascular calcification and the underlying mechanisms. In carotid artery atherosclerotic plaques collected from 6 patients, we found that TCF21 expression was upregulated in calcific areas. We further demonstrated TCF21 expression was increased in an in vitro vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) osteogenesis model. TCF21 overexpression promoted osteogenic differentiation of VSMC, whereas TCF21 knockdown in VSMC attenuated the calcification. Similar results were observed in ex vivo mouse thoracic aorta rings. Previous reports showed that TCF21 bound to myocardin (MYOCD) to inhibit the transcriptional activity of serum response factor (SRF)-MYOCD complex. We found that SRF overexpression significantly attenuated TCF21-induced VSMC and aortic ring calcification. Overexpression of SRF, but not MYOCD, reversed TCF21-inhibited expression of contractile genes SMA and SM22. More importantly, under high inorganic phosphate (3 mM) condition, SRF overexpression reduced TCF21-induced expression of calcification-related genes (BMP2 and RUNX2) as well as vascular calcification. Moreover, TCF21 overexpression enhanced IL-6 expression and downstream STAT3 activation to facilitate vascular calcification. Both LPS and STAT3 could induce TCF21 expression, suggesting that the inflammation and TCF21 might form a positive feedback loop to amplify the activation of IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway. On the other hand, TCF21 induced production of inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-6 in endothelial cells (ECs) to promote VSMC osteogenesis. In EC-specific TCF21 knockout (TCF21ECKO) mice, VD3 and nicotine-induced vascular calcification was significantly reduced. Our results suggest that TCF21 aggravates vascular calcification by activating IL-6/STAT3 signaling and interplay between VSMC and EC, which provides new insights into the pathogenesis of vascular calcification. TCF21 enhances vascular calcification by activating the IL-6-STAT3 signaling pathway. TCF21 inhibition may be a new potential therapeutic strategy for the prevention and treatment of vascular calcification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Kang Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Meng-Meng Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Sheng-Nan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Ting-Ting Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Xiao-Ning Wei
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Cheng-Yi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Juan Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Wen-Ya Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Mei-Xiu Jiang
- The Institute of Translational Medicine, the National Engineering Research Center for Bioengineering Drugs and the Technologies, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Suo-Wen Xu
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230036, China
- School of Pharmacy, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, 233000, China
| | - Xiao-Xiao Yang
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Ya-Jun Duan
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230036, China
| | - Bu-Chun Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230036, China
| | - Ji-Hong Han
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
- College of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials of Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Qing R Miao
- Diabetes and Obesity Research Center, New York University Long Island School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hao Hu
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230036, China.
| | - Yuan-Li Chen
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China.
| |
Collapse
|
126
|
Hu Y, Cai Z, He B. Smooth Muscle Heterogeneity and Plasticity in Health and Aortic Aneurysmal Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11701. [PMID: 37511460 PMCID: PMC10380637 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are the predominant cell type in the medial layer of the aorta, which plays a critical role in the maintenance of aortic wall integrity. VSMCs have been suggested to have contractile and synthetic phenotypes and undergo phenotypic switching to contribute to the deteriorating aortic wall structure. Recently, the unprecedented heterogeneity and diversity of VSMCs and their complex relationship to aortic aneurysms (AAs) have been revealed by high-resolution research methods, such as lineage tracing and single-cell RNA sequencing. The aortic wall consists of VSMCs from different embryonic origins that respond unevenly to genetic defects that directly or indirectly regulate VSMC contractile phenotype. This difference predisposes to hereditary AAs in the aortic root and ascending aorta. Several VSMC phenotypes with different functions, for example, secreting VSMCs, proliferative VSMCs, mesenchymal stem cell-like VSMCs, immune-related VSMCs, proinflammatory VSMCs, senescent VSMCs, and stressed VSMCs are identified in non-hereditary AAs. The transformation of VSMCs into different phenotypes is an adaptive response to deleterious stimuli but can also trigger pathological remodeling that exacerbates the pathogenesis and development of AAs. This review is intended to contribute to the understanding of VSMC diversity in health and aneurysmal diseases. Papers that give an update on VSMC phenotype diversity in health and aneurysmal disease are summarized and recent insights on the role of VSMCs in AAs are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yunwen Hu
- Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Zhaohua Cai
- Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Ben He
- Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China
| |
Collapse
|
127
|
Dubner AM, Lu S, Jolly AJ, Strand KA, Mutryn MF, Hinthorn T, Noble T, Nemenoff RA, Moulton KS, Majesky MW, Weiser-Evans MCM. Smooth muscle-derived adventitial progenitor cells promote key cell type transitions controlling plaque stability in atherosclerosis in a Klf4-dependent manner. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.18.549539. [PMID: 37503181 PMCID: PMC10370085 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.18.549539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
We previously established that vascular smooth muscle-derived adventitial progenitor cells (AdvSca1-SM) preferentially differentiate into myofibroblasts and contribute to fibrosis in response to acute vascular injury. However, the role of these progenitor cells in chronic atherosclerosis has not been defined. Using an AdvSca1-SM lineage tracing model, scRNA-Seq, flow cytometry, and histological approaches, we confirmed that AdvSca1-SM cells localize throughout the vessel wall and atherosclerotic plaques, where they primarily differentiate into fibroblasts, SMCs, or remain in a stem-like state. Klf4 knockout specifically in AdvSca1-SM cells induced transition to a more collagen-enriched myofibroblast phenotype compared to WT mice. Additionally, Klf4 depletion drastically modified the phenotypes of non-AdvSca1-SM-derived cells, resulting in more contractile SMCs and atheroprotective macrophages. Functionally, overall plaque burden was not altered with Klf4 depletion, but multiple indices of plaque vulnerability were reduced. Collectively, these data support that modulating the AdvSca1-SM population confers increased protection from the development of unstable atherosclerotic plaques.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Allison M Dubner
- Department of Medicine, Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Integrated Physiology PhD Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Sizhao Lu
- Department of Medicine, Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- School of Medicine, Consortium for Fibrosis Research and Translation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Austin J Jolly
- Department of Medicine, Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Keith A Strand
- Department of Medicine, Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Marie F Mutryn
- Department of Medicine, Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Tyler Hinthorn
- Department of Medicine, Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnology MS program, University of Colorado Graduate School, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Tysen Noble
- Department of Medicine, Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnology MS program, University of Colorado Graduate School, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Raphael A Nemenoff
- Department of Medicine, Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- School of Medicine, Consortium for Fibrosis Research and Translation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Karen S Moulton
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Mark W Majesky
- Center for Developmental Biology & Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98101
- Departments of Pediatrics, Laboratory Medicine & and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195
| | - Mary CM Weiser-Evans
- Department of Medicine, Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Integrated Physiology PhD Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- School of Medicine, Consortium for Fibrosis Research and Translation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Cardiovascular Pulmonary Research Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| |
Collapse
|
128
|
Bashore AC, Yan H, Xue C, Zhu LY, Kim E, Mawson T, Coronel J, Chung A, Ho S, Ross LS, Kissner M, Passegué E, Bauer RC, Maegdefessel L, Li M, Reilly MP. High-Dimensional Single-Cell Multimodal Landscape of Human Carotid Atherosclerosis. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.07.13.23292633. [PMID: 37502836 PMCID: PMC10370238 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.13.23292633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Background Atherosclerotic plaques are complex tissues composed of a heterogeneous mixture of cells. However, we have limited understanding of the comprehensive transcriptional and phenotypical landscape of the cells within these lesions. Methods To characterize the landscape of human carotid atherosclerosis in greater detail, we combined cellular indexing of transcriptomes and epitopes by sequencing (CITE-seq) and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to classify all cell types within lesions (n=21; 13 symptomatic) to achieve a comprehensive multimodal understanding of the cellular identities of atherosclerosis and their association with clinical pathophysiology. Results We identified 25 distinct cell populations each having a unique multi-omic signature, including macrophages, T cells, NK cells, mast cells, B cells, plasma cells, neutrophils, dendritic cells, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Within the macrophage populations, we identified 2 proinflammatory subsets that were enriched in IL1B or C1Q expression, 2 distinct TREM2 positive foam cell subsets, one of which also expressed inflammatory genes, as well as subpopulations displaying a proliferative gene expression signature and one expressing SMC-specific genes and upregulation of fibrotic pathways. An in-depth characterization uncovered several subsets of SMCs and fibroblasts, including a SMC-derived foam cell. We localized this foamy SMC to the deep intima of coronary atherosclerotic lesions. Using CITE-seq data, we also developed the first flow cytometry panel, using cell surface proteins CD29, CD142, and CD90, to isolate SMC-derived cells from lesions. Last, we found that the proportion of efferocytotic macrophages, classically activated endothelial cells, contractile and modulated SMC-derived cell types were reduced, and inflammatory SMCs were enriched in plaques of clinically symptomatic vs. asymptomatic patients. Conclusions Our multimodal atlas of cell populations within atherosclerosis provides novel insights into the diversity, phenotype, location, isolation, and clinical relevance of the unique cellular composition of human carotid atherosclerosis. This facilitates both the mapping of cardiovascular disease susceptibility loci to specific cell types as well as the identification of novel molecular and cellular therapeutic targets for treatment of the disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander C Bashore
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York
| | - Hanying Yan
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Chenyi Xue
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York
| | - Lucie Y Zhu
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York
| | - Eunyoung Kim
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York
| | - Thomas Mawson
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York
| | - Johana Coronel
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York
| | - Allen Chung
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York
| | - Sebastian Ho
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York
| | - Leila S Ross
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York
| | - Michael Kissner
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York
| | - Emmanuelle Passegué
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York
| | - Robert C Bauer
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York
| | - Lars Maegdefessel
- Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Technical University Munich, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), partner site Munich Heart Alliance
- Karolinksa Institute, Department of Medicine
| | - Mingyao Li
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Muredach P Reilly
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York
- Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY
| |
Collapse
|
129
|
Karnewar S, Karnewar V, Shankman LS, Owens GK. Treatment of advanced atherosclerotic mice with the senolytic agent ABT-263 is associated with reduced indices of plaque stability and increased mortality. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.12.548696. [PMID: 37502944 PMCID: PMC10369968 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.12.548696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
The use of senolytic agents to remove senescent cells from atherosclerotic lesions is controversial. A common limitation of previous studies is the failure to rigorously define the effects of senolytic agent ABT-263 (Navitoclax) on smooth muscle cells (SMC) despite studies claiming that they are the major source of senescent cells. Moreover, there are no studies of the effect of ABT-263 on endothelial cells (EC), which along with SMC comprise 90% of α-SMA+ myofibroblast-like cells in the protective fibrous cap. Here we tested the hypothesis that treatment of advanced atherosclerotic mice with the ABT-263 will reduce lesion size and increase plaque stability. SMC (Myh11-CreERT2-eYFP) and EC (Cdh5-CreERT2-eYFP) lineage tracing Apoe-/- mice were fed a WD for 18 weeks, followed by ABT-263 100mg/kg/bw for six weeks or 50mg/kg/bw for nine weeks. ABT-263 treatment did not change lesion size or lumen area of the brachiocephalic artery (BCA). However, ABT-263 treatment reduced SMC by 90% and increased EC-contributions to lesions via EC-to-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT) by 60%. ABT-263 treatment also reduced α-SMA+ fibrous cap thickness by 60% and increased mortality by >50%. Contrary to expectations, treatment of WD-fed Apoe-/- mice with the senolytic agent ABT-263 resulted in multiple detrimental changes including reduced indices of stability, and increased mortality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Santosh Karnewar
- Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia-School of Medicine, 415 Lane Road, Suite 1010, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Vaishnavi Karnewar
- Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia-School of Medicine, 415 Lane Road, Suite 1010, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Laura S Shankman
- Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia-School of Medicine, 415 Lane Road, Suite 1010, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Gary K Owens
- Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia-School of Medicine, 415 Lane Road, Suite 1010, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| |
Collapse
|
130
|
Zernecke A, Erhard F, Weinberger T, Schulz C, Ley K, Saliba AE, Cochain C. Integrated single-cell analysis-based classification of vascular mononuclear phagocytes in mouse and human atherosclerosis. Cardiovasc Res 2023; 119:1676-1689. [PMID: 36190844 PMCID: PMC10325698 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvac161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS Accumulation of mononuclear phagocytes [monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells (DCs)] in the vessel wall is a hallmark of atherosclerosis. Using integrated single-cell analysis of mouse and human atherosclerosis, we here aimed to refine the nomenclature of mononuclear phagocytes in atherosclerotic vessels and to compare their transcriptomic profiles in mouse and human disease. METHODS AND RESULTS We integrated 12 single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) datasets of immune cells isolated from healthy or atherosclerotic mouse aortas, and data from 11 patients (n = 4 coronary vessels, n = 7 carotid endarterectomy specimens) from two studies. Integration of mouse data identified subpopulations with discrete transcriptomic signatures within previously described populations of aortic resident (Lyve1), inflammatory (Il1b), as well as foamy (Trem2hi) macrophages. We identified unique transcriptomic features distinguishing aortic intimal resident macrophages from atherosclerosis-associated Trem2hi macrophages. Also, populations of Xcr1+ Type 1 classical DCs (cDC1), Cd209a+ cDC2, and mature DCs (Ccr7, Fscn1) with a 'mreg-DC' signature were detected. In humans, we uncovered macrophage and DC populations with gene expression patterns similar to those observed in mice. In particular, core transcripts of the foamy/Trem2hi signature (TREM2, SPP1, GPNMB, CD9) mapped to a specific population of macrophages in human lesions. Comparison of mouse and human data and direct cross-species data integration suggested transcriptionally similar macrophage and DC populations in mice and humans. CONCLUSIONS We refined the nomenclature of mononuclear phagocytes in mouse atherosclerotic vessels, and show conserved transcriptomic features of macrophages and DCs in atherosclerosis in mice and humans, emphasizing the relevance of mouse models to study mononuclear phagocytes in atherosclerosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alma Zernecke
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital Würzburg, Josef Schneider Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Florian Erhard
- Institute for Virology and Immunobiology, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Versbacher Straße 7, 97078 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Weinberger
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik I, Klinikum der Universität, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Campus Großhadern Marchioninistraße 15, 81377 Munich, Germany
- DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany
| | - Christian Schulz
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik I, Klinikum der Universität, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Campus Großhadern Marchioninistraße 15, 81377 Munich, Germany
- DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany
| | - Klaus Ley
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, 9420 Athena Circle La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Immunology Center of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Antoine-Emmanuel Saliba
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz-Center for Infection Research (HZI), Josef Schneider Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Clément Cochain
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital Würzburg, Josef Schneider Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
- Comprehensive Heart Failure Center Würzburg, University Hospital Würzburg, Am Schwarzenberg 15, 97078 Würzburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
131
|
Li K, Li B, Zhang D, Du T, Zhou H, Dai G, Yan Y, Gao N, Zhuang X, Liao X, Liu C, Dong Y, Chen D, Qu LH, Ou J, Yang JH, Huang ZP. The translational landscape of human vascular smooth muscle cells identifies novel short open reading frame-encoded peptide regulators for phenotype alteration. Cardiovasc Res 2023; 119:1763-1779. [PMID: 36943764 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvad044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS The plasticity of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) enables them to alter phenotypes under various physiological and pathological stimuli. The alteration of VSMC phenotype is a key step in vascular diseases, including atherosclerosis. Although the transcriptome shift during VSMC phenotype alteration has been intensively investigated, uncovering multiple key regulatory signalling pathways, the translatome dynamics in this cellular process, remain largely unknown. Here, we explored the genome-wide regulation at the translational level of human VSMCs during phenotype alteration. METHODS AND RESULTS We generated nucleotide-resolution translatome and transcriptome data from human VSMCs undergoing phenotype alteration. Deep sequencing of ribosome-protected fragments (Ribo-seq) revealed alterations in protein synthesis independent of changes in messenger ribonucleicacid levels. Increased translational efficiency of many translational machinery components, including ribosomal proteins, eukaryotic translation elongation factors and initiation factors were observed during the phenotype alteration of VSMCs. In addition, hundreds of candidates for short open reading frame-encoded polypeptides (SEPs), a class of peptides containing 200 amino acids or less, were identified in a combined analysis of translatome and transcriptome data with a high positive rate in validating their coding capability. Three evolutionarily conserved SEPs were further detected endogenously by customized antibodies and suggested to participate in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis by analysing the transcriptome and single cell RNA-seq data from patient atherosclerotic artery samples. Gain- and loss-of-function studies in human VSMCs and genetically engineered mice showed that these SEPs modulate the alteration of VSMC phenotype through different signalling pathways, including the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway and p53 pathway. CONCLUSION Our study indicates that an increase in the capacity of translation, which is attributable to an increased quantity of translational machinery components, mainly controls alterations of VSMC phenotype at the level of translational regulation. In addition, SEPs could function as important regulators in the phenotype alteration of human VSMCs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kang Li
- 1Department of Cardiology, Center for Translational Medicine, Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Assisted Circulation (Sun Yat-sen University), 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Bin Li
- Key Laboratory of Gene Engineering of the Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, 135 Xingang Xi Road, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Dihua Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Tailai Du
- 1Department of Cardiology, Center for Translational Medicine, Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Assisted Circulation (Sun Yat-sen University), 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Huimin Zhou
- 1Department of Cardiology, Center for Translational Medicine, Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Assisted Circulation (Sun Yat-sen University), 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Gang Dai
- NHC Key Laboratory of Assisted Circulation (Sun Yat-sen University), 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Youchen Yan
- 1Department of Cardiology, Center for Translational Medicine, Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Assisted Circulation (Sun Yat-sen University), 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Nailin Gao
- 1Department of Cardiology, Center for Translational Medicine, Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Xiaodong Zhuang
- 1Department of Cardiology, Center for Translational Medicine, Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Assisted Circulation (Sun Yat-sen University), 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Xinxue Liao
- 1Department of Cardiology, Center for Translational Medicine, Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Assisted Circulation (Sun Yat-sen University), 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Chen Liu
- 1Department of Cardiology, Center for Translational Medicine, Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Assisted Circulation (Sun Yat-sen University), 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Yugang Dong
- 1Department of Cardiology, Center for Translational Medicine, Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Assisted Circulation (Sun Yat-sen University), 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Demeng Chen
- 1Department of Cardiology, Center for Translational Medicine, Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Liang-Hu Qu
- Key Laboratory of Gene Engineering of the Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, 135 Xingang Xi Road, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Jingsong Ou
- 1Department of Cardiology, Center for Translational Medicine, Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Assisted Circulation (Sun Yat-sen University), 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
- National-Guangdong Joint Engineering Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Vascular Diseases (Sun Yat-sen University), 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Jian-Hua Yang
- Key Laboratory of Gene Engineering of the Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, 135 Xingang Xi Road, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Zhan-Peng Huang
- 1Department of Cardiology, Center for Translational Medicine, Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Assisted Circulation (Sun Yat-sen University), 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
- National-Guangdong Joint Engineering Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Vascular Diseases (Sun Yat-sen University), 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou 510080, China
| |
Collapse
|
132
|
Monaco C, Dib L. Breaking the macrophage code in atherosclerosis. Cardiovasc Res 2023; 119:1622-1623. [PMID: 37226046 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvad072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Monaco
- Kennedy Institute, Nuffield Department of Orthopedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7FY, UK
| | - Lea Dib
- Kennedy Institute, Nuffield Department of Orthopedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7FY, UK
| |
Collapse
|
133
|
Zhang W, Zhao J, Deng L, Ishimwe N, Pauli J, Wu W, Shan S, Kempf W, Ballantyne MD, Kim D, Lyu Q, Bennett M, Rodor J, Turner AW, Lu YW, Gao P, Choi M, Warthi G, Kim HW, Barroso MM, Bryant WB, Miller CL, Weintraub NL, Maegdefessel L, Miano JM, Baker AH, Long X. INKILN is a Novel Long Noncoding RNA Promoting Vascular Smooth Muscle Inflammation via Scaffolding MKL1 and USP10. Circulation 2023; 148:47-67. [PMID: 37199168 PMCID: PMC10330325 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.123.063760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Activation of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) inflammation is vital to initiate vascular disease. The role of human-specific long noncoding RNAs in VSMC inflammation is poorly understood. METHODS Bulk RNA sequencing in differentiated human VSMCs revealed a novel human-specific long noncoding RNA called inflammatory MKL1 (megakaryoblastic leukemia 1) interacting long noncoding RNA (INKILN). INKILN expression was assessed in multiple in vitro and ex vivo models of VSMC phenotypic modulation as well as human atherosclerosis and abdominal aortic aneurysm. The transcriptional regulation of INKILN was verified through luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Loss-of-function and gain-of-function studies and multiple RNA-protein and protein-protein interaction assays were used to uncover a mechanistic role of INKILN in the VSMC proinflammatory gene program. Bacterial artificial chromosome transgenic mice were used to study INKILN expression and function in ligation injury-induced neointimal formation. RESULTS INKILN expression is downregulated in contractile VSMCs and induced in human atherosclerosis and abdominal aortic aneurysm. INKILN is transcriptionally activated by the p65 pathway, partially through a predicted NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa B) site within its proximal promoter. INKILN activates proinflammatory gene expression in cultured human VSMCs and ex vivo cultured vessels. INKILN physically interacts with and stabilizes MKL1, a key activator of VSMC inflammation through the p65/NF-κB pathway. INKILN depletion blocks interleukin-1β-induced nuclear localization of both p65 and MKL1. Knockdown of INKILN abolishes the physical interaction between p65 and MKL1 and the luciferase activity of an NF-κB reporter. Furthermore, INKILN knockdown enhances MKL1 ubiquitination through reduced physical interaction with the deubiquitinating enzyme USP10 (ubiquitin-specific peptidase 10). INKILN is induced in injured carotid arteries and exacerbates ligation injury-induced neointimal formation in bacterial artificial chromosome transgenic mice. CONCLUSIONS These findings elucidate an important pathway of VSMC inflammation involving an INKILN/MKL1/USP10 regulatory axis. Human bacterial artificial chromosome transgenic mice offer a novel and physiologically relevant approach for investigating human-specific long noncoding RNAs under vascular disease conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhang
- Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Jinjing Zhao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Lin Deng
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
| | - Nestor Ishimwe
- Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Jessica Pauli
- Department for Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Germany
| | - Wen Wu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Shengshuai Shan
- Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Wolfgang Kempf
- Department for Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Germany
| | | | - David Kim
- Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Qing Lyu
- Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Matthew Bennett
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
| | - Julie Rodor
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
| | - Adam W. Turner
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Yao Wei Lu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Ping Gao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Mihyun Choi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Ganesh Warthi
- Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Ha Won Kim
- Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Margarida M Barroso
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA
| | - William B. Bryant
- Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Clint L. Miller
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Neal L. Weintraub
- Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Lars Maegdefessel
- Department for Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK, partner site Munich), Germany
- Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Joseph M. Miano
- Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Andrew H Baker
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
| | - Xiaochun Long
- Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
134
|
van Kuijk K, McCracken IR, Tillie RJHA, Asselberghs SEJ, Kheder DA, Muitjens S, Jin H, Taylor RS, Wichers Schreur R, Kuppe C, Dobie R, Ramachandran P, Gijbels MJ, Temmerman L, Kirkwoord PM, Luyten J, Li Y, Noels H, Goossens P, Wilson-Kanamori JR, Schurgers LJ, Shen YH, Mees BME, Biessen EAL, Henderson NC, Kramann R, Baker AH, Sluimer JC. Human and murine fibroblast single-cell transcriptomics reveals fibroblast clusters are differentially affected by ageing and serum cholesterol. Cardiovasc Res 2023; 119:1509-1523. [PMID: 36718802 PMCID: PMC10318398 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvad016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS Specific fibroblast markers and in-depth heterogeneity analysis are currently lacking, hindering functional studies in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Here, we established cell-type markers and heterogeneity in murine and human arteries and studied the adventitial fibroblast response to CVD and its risk factors hypercholesterolaemia and ageing. METHODS AND RESULTS Murine aorta single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis of adventitial mesenchymal cells identified fibroblast-specific markers. Immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry validated platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) and dipeptidase 1 (DPEP1) across human and murine aorta, carotid, and femoral arteries, whereas traditional markers such as the cluster of differentiation (CD)90 and vimentin also marked transgelin+ vascular smooth muscle cells. Next, pseudotime analysis showed multiple fibroblast clusters differentiating along trajectories. Three trajectories, marked by CD55 (Cd55+), Cxcl chemokine 14 (Cxcl14+), and lysyl oxidase (Lox+), were reproduced in an independent RNA-seq dataset. Gene ontology (GO) analysis showed divergent functional profiles of the three trajectories, related to vascular development, antigen presentation, and/or collagen fibril organization, respectively. Trajectory-specific genes included significantly more genes with known genome-wide associations (GWAS) to CVD than expected by chance, implying a role in CVD. Indeed, differential regulation of fibroblast clusters by CVD risk factors was shown in the adventitia of aged C57BL/6J mice, and mildly hypercholesterolaemic LDLR KO mice on chow by flow cytometry. The expansion of collagen-related CXCL14+ and LOX+ fibroblasts in aged and hypercholesterolaemic aortic adventitia, respectively, coincided with increased adventitial collagen. Immunohistochemistry, bulk, and single-cell transcriptomics of human carotid and aorta specimens emphasized translational value as CD55+, CXCL14+ and LOX+ fibroblasts were observed in healthy and atherosclerotic specimens. Also, trajectory-specific gene sets are differentially correlated with human atherosclerotic plaque traits. CONCLUSION We provide two adventitial fibroblast-specific markers, PDGFRA and DPEP1, and demonstrate fibroblast heterogeneity in health and CVD in humans and mice. Biological relevance is evident from the regulation of fibroblast clusters by age and hypercholesterolaemia in vivo, associations with human atherosclerotic plaque traits, and enrichment of genes with a GWAS for CVD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kim van Kuijk
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Center, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Institute of Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ian R McCracken
- BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Sciences (CVS), Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Renée J H A Tillie
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Center, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Sebastiaan E J Asselberghs
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Center, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Dlzar A Kheder
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Center, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Stan Muitjens
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Center, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Han Jin
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Center, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Richard S Taylor
- BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Sciences (CVS), Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Ruud Wichers Schreur
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Center, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Christoph Kuppe
- Institute of Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Division of Nephrology and Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ross Dobie
- Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Prakesh Ramachandran
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Experimental Vascular Biology, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marion J Gijbels
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Center, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Experimental Vascular Biology, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- GROW, School for Oncology and Development Biology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Lieve Temmerman
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Center, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Phoebe M Kirkwoord
- Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Joris Luyten
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Center, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Yanming Li
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Texas Heart Institute, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Heidi Noels
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Center, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Pieter Goossens
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Center, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - John R Wilson-Kanamori
- Division of Nephrology and Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Leon J Schurgers
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Center, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Institute of Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ying H Shen
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Texas Heart Institute, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Barend M E Mees
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Center, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Erik A L Biessen
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Center, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Institute for Molecular Cardiovascular Research, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Neil C Henderson
- Division of Nephrology and Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Rafael Kramann
- Institute of Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Andrew H Baker
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Center, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
- BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Sciences (CVS), Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Judith C Sluimer
- Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Center, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
- BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Sciences (CVS), Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| |
Collapse
|
135
|
Nakamura K, Dalal AR, Yokoyama N, Pedroza AJ, Kusadokoro S, Mitchel O, Gilles C, Masoudian B, Leipzig M, Casey KM, Hiesinger W, Uchida T, Fischbein MP. Lineage-Specific Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Smooth Muscle Cell Modeling Predicts Integrin Alpha-V Antagonism Reduces Aortic Root Aneurysm Formation in Marfan Syndrome Mice. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2023; 43:1134-1153. [PMID: 37078287 PMCID: PMC10330156 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.122.318448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The role of increased smooth muscle cell (SMC) integrin αv signaling in Marfan syndrome (MFS) aortic aneurysm remains unclear. Herein, we examine the mechanism and potential efficacy of integrin αv blockade as a therapeutic strategy to reduce aneurysm progression in MFS. METHODS Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were differentiated into aortic SMCs of the second heart field (SHF) and neural crest (NC) lineages, enabling in vitro modeling of MFS thoracic aortic aneurysms. The pathological role of integrin αv during aneurysm formation was confirmed by blockade of integrin αv with GLPG0187 in Fbn1C1039G/+ MFS mice. RESULTS iPSC-derived MFS SHF SMCs overexpress integrin αv relative to MFS NC and healthy control SHF cells. Furthermore, integrin αv downstream targets (FAK [focal adhesion kinase]/AktThr308/mTORC1 [mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1]) were activated, especially in MFS SHF. Treatment of MFS SHF SMCs with GLPG0187 reduced p-FAK/p-AktThr308/mTORC1 activity back to control SHF levels. Functionally, MFS SHF SMCs had increased proliferation and migration compared to MFS NC SMCs and control SMCs, which normalized with GLPG0187 treatment. In the Fbn1C1039G/+ MFS mouse model, integrin αv, p-AktThr308, and downstream targets of mTORC1 proteins were elevated in the aortic root/ascending segment compared to littermate wild-type control. Mice treated with GLPG0187 (age 6-14 weeks) had reduced aneurysm growth, elastin fragmentation, and reduction of the FAK/AktThr308/mTORC1 pathway. GLPG0187 treatment reduced the amount and severity of SMC modulation assessed by single-cell RNA sequencing. CONCLUSIONS The integrin αv-FAK-AktThr308 signaling pathway is activated in iPSC SMCs from MFS patients, specifically from the SHF lineage. Mechanistically, this signaling pathway promotes SMC proliferation and migration in vitro. As biological proof of concept, GLPG0187 treatment slowed aneurysm growth and p-AktThr308 signaling in Fbn1C1039G/+ mice. Integrin αv blockade via GLPG0187 may be a promising therapeutic approach to inhibit MFS aneurysmal growth.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ken Nakamura
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford CA, USA
| | - Alex R. Dalal
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford CA, USA
| | - Nobu Yokoyama
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford CA, USA
| | - Albert J. Pedroza
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford CA, USA
| | - Sho Kusadokoro
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford CA, USA
| | - Olivia Mitchel
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford CA, USA
| | - Casey Gilles
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford CA, USA
| | - Bahar Masoudian
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford CA, USA
| | - Matthew Leipzig
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford CA, USA
| | - Kerriann M. Casey
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford CA, USA
| | - William Hiesinger
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford CA, USA
| | - Tetsuro Uchida
- Second Department of Surgery, Yamagata University Faculty of Medicine. Yamagata, Japan
| | - Michael P. Fischbein
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine. Stanford CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
136
|
Dib L, Koneva LA, Edsfeldt A, Zurke YX, Sun J, Nitulescu M, Attar M, Lutgens E, Schmidt S, Lindholm MW, Choudhury RP, Cassimjee I, Lee R, Handa A, Goncalves I, Sansom SN, Monaco C. Lipid-associated macrophages transition to an inflammatory state in human atherosclerosis increasing the risk of cerebrovascular complications. NATURE CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH 2023; 2:656-672. [PMID: 38362263 PMCID: PMC7615632 DOI: 10.1038/s44161-023-00295-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
The immune system is integral to cardiovascular health and disease. Targeting inflammation ameliorates adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Atherosclerosis, a major underlying cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD), is conceptualised as a lipid-driven inflammation where macrophages play a non-redundant role. However, evidence emerging so far from single cell atlases suggests a dichotomy between lipid associated and inflammatory macrophage states. Here, we present an inclusive reference atlas of human intraplaque immune cell communities. Combining scRNASeq of human surgical carotid endarterectomies in a discovery cohort with bulk RNASeq and immunohistochemistry in a validation cohort (the Carotid Plaque Imaging Project-CPIP), we reveal the existence of PLIN2hi/TREM1hi macrophages as a toll-like receptor-dependent inflammatory lipid-associated macrophage state linked to cerebrovascular events. Our study shifts the current paradigm of lipid-driven inflammation by providing biological evidence for a pathogenic macrophage transition to an inflammatory lipid-associated phenotype and for its targeting as a new treatment strategy for CVD.
Collapse
Grants
- FS/18/63/34184 British Heart Foundation
- Novo Nordisk Fonden (Novo Nordisk Foundation)
- British Heart Foundation (BHF)
- Fondation Leducq
- European Commission (EC)
- Kennedy Trust for Rheumatology Research (KENN161701, KENN202101, KENN192004), Oxford NIHR Biomedical Research Centre.
- Vetenskapsrådet (Swedish Research Council)
- The Swedish Society for Medical Research, Crafoord foundation; The Swedish Society of Medicine, the Swedish Heart and Lung Foundation, Diabetes foundation, SUS foundation, Lund University Diabetes Center, The Knut and Alice Wallenberg foundation, the Medical Faculty at Lund University and Region Skåne.
- Kennedy Trust for Rheumatology Research (KENN161701, KENN202101, KENN192004)
- Netcare-Physicians-Partnership trust
- Stiftelsen för Strategisk Forskning (Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research)
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lea Dib
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Lada A. Koneva
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Andreas Edsfeldt
- Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Clinical Research Center, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
- Department of Cardiology, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden
- Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Yasemin-Xiomara Zurke
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jiangming Sun
- Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Clinical Research Center, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Mihaela Nitulescu
- Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Clinical Research Center, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Moustafa Attar
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Esther Lutgens
- Cardiovascular Medicine and Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN USA
| | - Steffen Schmidt
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, RNA Therapeutics Research, Roche Innovation Center Copenhagen, Hørsholm, Denmark
| | - Marie W. Lindholm
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, RNA Therapeutics Research, Roche Innovation Center Copenhagen, Hørsholm, Denmark
| | | | - Ismail Cassimjee
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Regent Lee
- Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Ashok Handa
- Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Isabel Goncalves
- Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Clinical Research Center, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
- Department of Cardiology, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Stephen N. Sansom
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Claudia Monaco
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| |
Collapse
|
137
|
Liu C, Yang F, Su X, Zhang Z, Xing Y. ScRNA-seq and spatial transcriptomics: exploring the occurrence and treatment of coronary-related diseases starting from development. Front Cardiovasc Med 2023; 10:1064949. [PMID: 37416923 PMCID: PMC10319627 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1064949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is a new technology that can be used to explore molecular changes in complex cell clusters at the single-cell level. Single-cell spatial transcriptomic technology complements the cell-space location information lost during single-cell sequencing. Coronary artery disease is an important cardiovascular disease with high mortality rates. Many studies have explored the physiological development and pathological changes in coronary arteries from the perspective of single cells using single-cell spatial transcriptomic technology. This article reviews the molecular mechanisms underlying coronary artery development and diseases as revealed by scRNA-seq combined with spatial transcriptomic technology. Based on these mechanisms, we discuss the possible new treatments for coronary diseases.
Collapse
|
138
|
Schneider MK, Wang J, Kare A, Adkar SS, Salmi D, Bell CF, Alsaigh T, Wagh D, Coller J, Mayer A, Snyder SJ, Borowsky AD, Long SR, Lansberg MG, Steinberg GK, Heit JJ, Leeper NJ, Ferrara KW. Combined near infrared photoacoustic imaging and ultrasound detects vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.06.11.23291099. [PMID: 37398016 PMCID: PMC10312879 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.11.23291099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory process resulting in the deposition of cholesterol and cellular debris, narrowing of the vessel lumen and clot formation. Characterization of the morphology and vulnerability of the lesion is essential for effective clinical management. Photoacoustic imaging has sufficient penetration and sensitivity to map and characterize human atherosclerotic plaque. Here, near infrared photoacoustic imaging is shown to detect plaque components and, when combined with ultrasound imaging, to differentiate stable and vulnerable plaque. In an ex vivo study of photoacoustic imaging of excised plaque from 25 patients, 88.2% sensitivity and 71.4% specificity were achieved using a clinically-relevant protocol. In order to determine the origin of the near-infrared auto-photoacoustic (NIRAPA) signal, immunohistochemistry, spatial transcriptomics and proteomics were applied to adjacent sections of the plaque. The highest NIRAPA signal was spatially correlated with bilirubin and associated blood-based residue and inflammatory macrophages bearing CD74, HLA-DR, CD14 and CD163 markers. In summary, we establish the potential to apply the NIRAPA-ultrasound imaging combination to detect vulnerable carotid plaque.
Collapse
|
139
|
Chen PY, Qin L, Simons M. TGFβ signaling pathways in human health and disease. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1113061. [PMID: 37325472 PMCID: PMC10267471 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1113061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) is named for the function it was originally discovered to perform-transformation of normal cells into aggressively growing malignant cells. It became apparent after more than 30 years of research, however, that TGFβ is a multifaceted molecule with a myriad of different activities. TGFβs are widely expressed with almost every cell in the human body producing one or another TGFβ family member and expressing its receptors. Importantly, specific effects of this growth factor family differ in different cell types and under different physiologic and pathologic conditions. One of the more important and critical TGFβ activities is the regulation of cell fate, especially in the vasculature, that will be the focus of this review.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Yu Chen
- Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Lingfeng Qin
- Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Michael Simons
- Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| |
Collapse
|
140
|
Wu M, Wu Y, Tang S, Huang J, Wu Y. Single-cell RNA-seq uncovers distinct pathways and genes in endothelial cells during atherosclerosis progression. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1176267. [PMID: 37325477 PMCID: PMC10266549 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1176267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease involving various cell types, cytokines, and adhesion molecules. Herein, we aimed to uncover its key molecular mechanisms by single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) analysis. Methods: ScRNA-seq data of cells from atherosclerotic human coronary arteries were analyzed using the Seurat package. Cell types were clustered, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened. GSVA (Gene Set Variation Analysis) scores of hub pathways were compared among different cell clusters. DEGs in endothelial cells between apolipoprotein-E (ApoE)-/- mice and specific TGFbR1/2 KO ApoE-/- mice fed with high-fat diet were overlapped with those from human AS coronary arteries. In fluid shear stress and AS, hub genes were determined based on the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, which were verified in ApoE-/- mice. Finally, hub genes were validated in three pairs of AS coronary arteries and normal tissues by histopathological examination. Results: ScRNA-seq identified nine cell clusters in human coronary arteries, namely, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, macrophages, B cells, adipocytes, HSCs, NK cells, CD8+ T cells, and monocytes. Among them, endothelial cells had the lowest fluid shear stress and AS and TGF-beta signaling pathway scores. Compared to ApoE-/- mice fed with normal diet, fluid shear stress and AS and TGF-beta scores were both significantly lower in endothelial cells from TGFbR1/2 KO ApoE-/- mice fed with normal or high-fat diet. Furthermore, the two hub pathways had a positive correlation. Three hub genes (ICAM1, KLF2, and VCAM1) were identified, and their expression was distinctly downregulated in endothelial cells from TGFbR1/2 KO ApoE-/- mice fed with normal or high-fat diet than in those from ApoE-/- mice fed with a normal diet, which were confirmed in human AS coronary artery. Conclusion: Our findings clarified the pivotal impacts of pathways (fluid shear stress and AS and TGF-beta) and genes (ICAM1, KLF2, and VCAM1) in endothelial cells on AS progression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Min Wu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, China
| | - Yijin Wu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, China
| | - Shulin Tang
- Medical Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, China
| | - Jinsong Huang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, China
| | - Yueheng Wu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, China
| |
Collapse
|
141
|
Dai C, Lin Y. Comprehensive analysis of the diagnostic and therapeutic value of the hypoxia-related gene PLAUR in the progression of atherosclerosis. Sci Rep 2023; 13:8533. [PMID: 37237021 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35548-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Atherosclerosis (AS) is a major contributor to a variety of negative clinical outcomes, including stroke and myocardial infarction. However, the role and therapeutic value of hypoxia-related genes in AS development has been less discussed. In this study, Plasminogen activator, urokinase receptor (PLAUR) was identified as an effective diagnostic marker for AS lesion progression by combining WGCNA and random forest algorithm. We validated the stability of the diagnostic value on multiple external datasets including humans and mice. We identified a significant correlation between PLAUR expression and lesion progression. We mined multiple single cell-RNA sequencing (sc-RNA seq) data to nominate macrophage as the key cell cluster for PLAUR mediated lesion progression. We combined cross-validation results from multiple databases to predict that HCG17-hsa-miR-424-5p-HIF1A, a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network, may regulate hypoxia inducible factor 1 subunit alpha (HIF1A) expression. The DrugMatrix database was used to predict alprazolam, valsartan, biotin A, lignocaine, and curcumin as potential drugs to delay lesion progression by antagonizing PLAUR, and AutoDock was used to verify the binding ability of drugs and PLAUR. Overall, this study provides the first systematic identification of the diagnostic and therapeutic value of PLAUR in AS and offers multiple treatment options with potential applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chengyi Dai
- The First People's Hospital of Xiaoshan District, Xiaoshan First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Hangzhou, 311200, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Yuhang Lin
- Department of Neurology, Wenling First People's Hospital, The Affiliated Wenling Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenling, 317500, Zhejiang, China
| |
Collapse
|
142
|
Rocha VZ, Rached FH, Miname MH. Insights into the Role of Inflammation in the Management of Atherosclerosis. J Inflamm Res 2023; 16:2223-2239. [PMID: 37250107 PMCID: PMC10225146 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s276982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Atherosclerosis is the biological basis of ischemic heart disease and ischemic stroke, the leading causes of death in the world. After decades of studies, the understanding of atherosclerosis has evolved dramatically, and inflammation has been recognized as one of the most relevant pillars in all phases of atherosclerotic disease. Nevertheless, only recently, the trial CANTOS, and subsequent outcome studies with colchicine, finally provided proof-of-concept evidence that anti-inflammatory therapies were able to reduce cardiovascular events with no influence on lipid levels. These landmark studies inaugurated an era of clinical and pre-clinical studies of immunomodulatory strategies focused on reduction of cardiovascular risk. Although there are promising results in the field, selection of the most appropriate immunomodulatory therapy and identification of patients who could benefit the most, are still enormous challenges. Further research is imperative before we can finally advance towards regular use of anti-inflammatory agents to reduce atherosclerotic events in our clinical practice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Viviane Zorzanelli Rocha
- Cardiopneumology Department at the Heart Institute (InCor), University of São Paulo Medical School Hospital (FMUSP), Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Fleury Medicina e Saúde, Grupo Fleury, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Fabiana Hanna Rached
- Cardiopneumology Department at the Heart Institute (InCor), University of São Paulo Medical School Hospital (FMUSP), Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Cardiology, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcio Hiroshi Miname
- Cardiopneumology Department at the Heart Institute (InCor), University of São Paulo Medical School Hospital (FMUSP), Sao Paulo, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
143
|
Worssam MD, Lambert J, Oc S, Taylor JCK, Taylor AL, Dobnikar L, Chappell J, Harman JL, Figg NL, Finigan A, Foote K, Uryga AK, Bennett MR, Spivakov M, Jørgensen HF. Cellular mechanisms of oligoclonal vascular smooth muscle cell expansion in cardiovascular disease. Cardiovasc Res 2023; 119:1279-1294. [PMID: 35994249 PMCID: PMC10202649 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvac138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS Quiescent, differentiated adult vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) can be induced to proliferate and switch phenotype. Such plasticity underlies blood vessel homeostasis and contributes to vascular disease development. Oligoclonal VSMC contribution is a hallmark of end-stage vascular disease. Here, we aim to understand cellular mechanisms underpinning generation of this VSMC oligoclonality. METHODS AND RESULTS We investigate the dynamics of VSMC clone formation using confocal microscopy and single-cell transcriptomics in VSMC-lineage-traced animal models. We find that activation of medial VSMC proliferation occurs at low frequency after vascular injury and that only a subset of expanding clones migrate, which together drives formation of oligoclonal neointimal lesions. VSMC contribution in small atherosclerotic lesions is typically from one or two clones, similar to observations in mature lesions. Low frequency (<0.1%) of clonal VSMC proliferation is also observed in vitro. Single-cell RNA-sequencing revealed progressive cell state changes across a contiguous VSMC population at onset of injury-induced proliferation. Proliferating VSMCs mapped selectively to one of two distinct trajectories and were associated with cells showing extensive phenotypic switching. A proliferation-associated transitory state shared pronounced similarities with atypical SCA1+ VSMCs from uninjured mouse arteries and VSMCs in healthy human aorta. We show functionally that clonal expansion of SCA1+ VSMCs from healthy arteries occurs at higher rate and frequency compared with SCA1- cells. CONCLUSION Our data suggest that activation of proliferation at low frequency is a general, cell-intrinsic feature of VSMCs. We show that rare VSMCs in healthy arteries display VSMC phenotypic switching akin to that observed in pathological vessel remodelling and that this is a conserved feature of mouse and human healthy arteries. The increased proliferation of modulated VSMCs from healthy arteries suggests that these cells respond more readily to disease-inducing cues and could drive oligoclonal VSMC expansion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matt D Worssam
- Section of Cardiorespiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Papworth Road, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0BB, UK
| | - Jordi Lambert
- Section of Cardiorespiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Papworth Road, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0BB, UK
| | - Sebnem Oc
- Section of Cardiorespiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Papworth Road, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0BB, UK
| | - James C K Taylor
- Section of Cardiorespiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Papworth Road, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0BB, UK
| | - Annabel L Taylor
- Section of Cardiorespiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Papworth Road, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0BB, UK
| | - Lina Dobnikar
- Section of Cardiorespiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Papworth Road, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0BB, UK
- Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | - Joel Chappell
- Section of Cardiorespiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Papworth Road, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0BB, UK
| | - Jennifer L Harman
- Section of Cardiorespiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Papworth Road, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0BB, UK
| | - Nichola L Figg
- Section of Cardiorespiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Papworth Road, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0BB, UK
| | - Alison Finigan
- Section of Cardiorespiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Papworth Road, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0BB, UK
| | - Kirsty Foote
- Section of Cardiorespiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Papworth Road, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0BB, UK
| | - Anna K Uryga
- Section of Cardiorespiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Papworth Road, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0BB, UK
| | - Martin R Bennett
- Section of Cardiorespiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Papworth Road, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0BB, UK
| | - Mikhail Spivakov
- Functional Gene Control Group, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, London, UK
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Helle F Jørgensen
- Section of Cardiorespiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Papworth Road, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0BB, UK
| |
Collapse
|
144
|
Li Z, Zhu H, Liu H, Liu D, Liu J, Jiang J, Zhang Y, Qin Z, Xu Y, Peng Y, Liu B, Long Y. Evolocumab loaded Bio-Liposomes for efficient atherosclerosis therapy. J Nanobiotechnology 2023; 21:158. [PMID: 37208681 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-023-01904-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
PCSK9, which is closely related to atherosclerosis, is significantly expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Moreover, Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin type 9 (PCSK9) mediated phenotypic transformation, abnormal proliferation, and migration of VSMCs play key roles in accelerating atherosclerosis. In this study, by utilizing the significant advantages of nano-materials, a biomimetic nanoliposome loading with Evolocumab (Evol), a PCSK9 inhibitor, was designed to alleviate atherosclerosis. In vitro results showed that (Lipo + M)@E NPs up-regulated the levels of α-SMA and Vimentin, while inhibiting the expression of OPN, which finally result in the inhibition of the phenotypic transition, excessive proliferation, and migration of VSMCs. In addition, the long circulation, excellent targeting, and accumulation performance of (Lipo + M)@E NPs significantly decreased the expression of PCSK9 in serum and VSMCs within the plaque of ApoE-/- mice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhenxian Li
- Department of Cardiology, The First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Cardiology, Changsha, 410007, China
| | - Haimei Zhu
- Department of Pain, The First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410007, China
| | - Hao Liu
- Department of Rehabilitation, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, China
| | - Dayue Liu
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, NHC Key Laboratory of Metabolic Cardiovascular Diseases Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Jianhe Liu
- Department of Cardiology, The First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Cardiology, Changsha, 410007, China
| | - Jiazheng Jiang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Cardiology, Changsha, 410007, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Cardiology, Changsha, 410007, China
| | - Zhang Qin
- Department of Cardiology, The First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Cardiology, Changsha, 410007, China
| | - Yijia Xu
- Department of Cardiology, The First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Cardiology, Changsha, 410007, China
| | - Yuan Peng
- Department of Cardiology, The First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Cardiology, Changsha, 410007, China
| | - Bin Liu
- College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, China.
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, NHC Key Laboratory of Metabolic Cardiovascular Diseases Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China.
| | - Yun Long
- Department of Cardiology, The First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Cardiology, Changsha, 410007, China.
| |
Collapse
|
145
|
Viswanathan G, Kirshner HF, Nazo N, Ali S, Ganapathi A, Cumming I, Zhuang Y, Choi I, Warman A, Jassal C, Almeida-Peters S, Haney J, Corcoran D, Yu YR, Rajagopal S. Single-Cell Analysis Reveals Distinct Immune and Smooth Muscle Cell Populations that Contribute to Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2023; 207:1358-1375. [PMID: 36803741 PMCID: PMC10595445 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202203-0441oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a sequela of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) in which the PE remodels into a chronic scar in the pulmonary arteries. This results in vascular obstruction, pulmonary microvasculopathy, and pulmonary hypertension. Objectives: Our current understanding of CTEPH pathobiology is primarily derived from cell-based studies limited by the use of specific cell markers or phenotypic modulation in cell culture. Therefore, our main objective was to identify the multiple cell types that constitute CTEPH thrombusy and to study their dysfunction. Methods: Here we used single-cell RNA sequencing of tissue removed at the time of pulmonary endarterectomy surgery from five patients to identify the multiple cell types. Using in vitro assays, we analyzed differences in phenotype between CTEPH thrombus and healthy pulmonary vascular cells. We studied potential therapeutic targets in cells isolated from CTEPH thrombus. Measurements and Main Results: Single-cell RNA sequencing identified multiple cell types, including macrophages, T cells, and smooth muscle cells (SMCs), that constitute CTEPH thrombus. Notably, multiple macrophage subclusters were identified but broadly split into two categories, with the larger group characterized by an upregulation of inflammatory signaling predicted to promote pulmonary vascular remodeling. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were identified and likely contribute to chronic inflammation in CTEPH. SMCs were a heterogeneous population, with a cluster of myofibroblasts that express markers of fibrosis and are predicted to arise from other SMC clusters based on pseudotime analysis. Additionally, cultured endothelial, smooth muscle, and myofibroblast cells isolated from CTEPH fibrothrombotic material have distinct phenotypes from control cells with regard to angiogenic potential and rates of proliferation and apoptosis. Last, our analysis identified PAR1 (protease-activated receptor 1) as a potential therapeutic target that links thrombosis to chronic PE in CTEPH, with PAR1 inhibition decreasing SMC and myofibroblast proliferation and migration. Conclusions: These findings suggest a model for CTEPH similar to atherosclerosis, with chronic inflammation promoted by macrophages and T cells driving vascular remodeling through SMC modulation, and suggest new approaches for pharmacologically targeting this disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nour Nazo
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine
| | - Saba Ali
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine
| | | | - Ian Cumming
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, and
| | - Yonghua Zhuang
- Biostatistics Shared Resource, University of Colorado Cancer Center
- Department of Pediatrics, and
| | - Issac Choi
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine
| | | | | | - Susana Almeida-Peters
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, and
| | - John Haney
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery
| | | | - Yen-Rei Yu
- Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Sudarshan Rajagopal
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina; and
| |
Collapse
|
146
|
Zhu D, Liu S, Huang K, Li J, Mei X, Li Z, Cheng K. Intrapericardial long non-coding RNA-Tcf21 antisense RNA inducing demethylation administration promotes cardiac repair. Eur Heart J 2023; 44:1748-1760. [PMID: 36916305 PMCID: PMC10411945 DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehad114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS Epicardium and epicardium-derived cells are critical players in myocardial fibrosis. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been studied for cardiac repair to improve cardiac remodelling, but the actual mechanisms remain elusive. The aim of this study is to investigate the mechanisms of EV therapy for improving cardiac remodelling and develop a promising treatment addressing myocardial fibrosis. METHODS AND RESULTS Extracellular vesicles were intrapericardially injected for mice myocardial infarction treatment. RNA-seq, in vitro gain- and loss-of-function experiments, and in vivo studies were performed to identify targets that can be used for myocardial fibrosis treatment. Afterward, a lipid nanoparticle-based long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) therapy was prepared for mouse and porcine models of myocardial infarction treatment. Intrapericardial injection of EVs improved adverse myocardial remodelling in mouse models of myocardial infarction. Mechanistically, Tcf21 was identified as a potential target to improve cardiac remodelling. Loss of Tcf21 function in epicardium-derived cells caused increased myofibroblast differentiation, whereas forced Tcf21 overexpression suppressed transforming growth factor-β signalling and myofibroblast differentiation. LncRNA-Tcf21 antisense RNA inducing demethylation (TARID) that enriched in EVs was identified to up-regulate Tcf21 expression. Formulated lncRNA-TARID-laden lipid nanoparticles up-regulated Tcf21 expression in epicardium-derived cells and improved cardiac function and histology in mouse and porcine models of myocardial infarction. CONCLUSION This study identified Tcf21 as a critical target for improving cardiac fibrosis. Up-regulating Tcf21 by using lncRNA-TARID-laden lipid nanoparticles could be a promising way to treat myocardial fibrosis. This study established novel mechanisms underlying EV therapy for improving adverse remodelling and proposed a lncRNA therapy for cardiac fibrosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dashuai Zhu
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University & University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1001 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina State University, 1001 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Shuo Liu
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University & University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1001 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina State University, 1001 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Ke Huang
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University & University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1001 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina State University, 1001 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Junlang Li
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University & University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1001 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina State University, 1001 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Xuan Mei
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University & University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1001 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina State University, 1001 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Zhenhua Li
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University & University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1001 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina State University, 1001 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Ke Cheng
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University & University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1001 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina State University, 1001 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| |
Collapse
|
147
|
Woo SH, Kim DY, Choi JH. Roles of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells in Atherosclerotic Calcification. J Lipid Atheroscler 2023; 12:106-118. [PMID: 37265849 PMCID: PMC10232217 DOI: 10.12997/jla.2023.12.2.106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The accumulation of calcium in atherosclerotic plaques is a prominent feature of advanced atherosclerosis, and it has a strong positive correlation with the total burden of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerotic calcification usually appears first at the necrotic core, indicating that cell death and inflammatory processes are involved in calcification. During atherosclerotic inflammation, various cell types, such as vascular smooth muscle cells, nascent resident pericytes, circulating stem cells, or adventitial cells, have been assumed to differentiate into osteoblastic cells, which lead to vascular calcification. Among these cell types, vascular smooth muscle cells are considered a major contributor to osteochondrogenic cells in the atherosclerotic milieu. In this review, we summarize the molecular mechanisms underlying the osteochondrogenic switch of vascular smooth muscle cells in atherosclerotic plaques.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sang-Ho Woo
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Dae-Yong Kim
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jae-Hoon Choi
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Sciences, Research Institute of Natural Sciences, Research Institute for Convergence of Basic Sciences, Hanyang Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
| |
Collapse
|
148
|
Safabakhsh S, Ma WF, Miller CL, Laksman Z. Cardiovascular utility of single cell RNA-Seq. Curr Opin Cardiol 2023; 38:193-200. [PMID: 36728943 DOI: 10.1097/hco.0000000000001014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading causes of morbidity and mortality globally. Single-cell RNA sequencing has the potential to improve diagnostics, risk stratification, and provide novel therapeutic targets that have the potential to improve patient outcomes. RECENT FINDINGS Here, we provide an overview of the basic processes underlying single-cell RNA sequencing, including library preparation, data processing, and downstream analyses. We briefly discuss how the technique has been adapted to related medical disciplines, including hematology and oncology, with short term translational impact. We discuss potential applications of this technology within cardiology as well as recent innovative research within the field. We also discuss future directions to translate this technology to other high impact clinical areas. SUMMARY The use of single-cell RNA sequencing technology has made significant advancements in the field of cardiology, with ongoing growth in terms of applications and uptake. Most of the current research has focused on structural or atherosclerotic heart disease. Future areas that stand to benefit from this technology include cardiac electrophysiology and cardio-oncology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sina Safabakhsh
- Division of Cardiology
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation
- Centre for Cardiovascular Innovation, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Wei Feng Ma
- Center for Public Health Genomics, Department of Public Health Sciences
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Clint L Miller
- Center for Public Health Genomics, Department of Public Health Sciences
| | - Zachary Laksman
- Division of Cardiology
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation
- Centre for Cardiovascular Innovation, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
149
|
Miranda AMA, Janbandhu V, Maatz H, Kanemaru K, Cranley J, Teichmann SA, Hübner N, Schneider MD, Harvey RP, Noseda M. Single-cell transcriptomics for the assessment of cardiac disease. Nat Rev Cardiol 2023; 20:289-308. [PMID: 36539452 DOI: 10.1038/s41569-022-00805-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally. An advanced understanding of cardiovascular disease mechanisms is required to improve therapeutic strategies and patient risk stratification. State-of-the-art, large-scale, single-cell and single-nucleus transcriptomics facilitate the exploration of the cardiac cellular landscape at an unprecedented level, beyond its descriptive features, and can further our understanding of the mechanisms of disease and guide functional studies. In this Review, we provide an overview of the technical challenges in the experimental design of single-cell and single-nucleus transcriptomics studies, as well as a discussion of the type of inferences that can be made from the data derived from these studies. Furthermore, we describe novel findings derived from transcriptomics studies for each major cardiac cell type in both health and disease, and from development to adulthood. This Review also provides a guide to interpreting the exhaustive list of newly identified cardiac cell types and states, and highlights the consensus and discordances in annotation, indicating an urgent need for standardization. We describe advanced applications such as integration of single-cell data with spatial transcriptomics to map genes and cells on tissue and define cellular microenvironments that regulate homeostasis and disease progression. Finally, we discuss current and future translational and clinical implications of novel transcriptomics approaches, and provide an outlook of how these technologies will change the way we diagnose and treat heart disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Vaibhao Janbandhu
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Henrike Maatz
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kazumasa Kanemaru
- Cellular Genetics Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
| | - James Cranley
- Cellular Genetics Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
| | - Sarah A Teichmann
- Cellular Genetics Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
- Deptartment of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Norbert Hübner
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
- Charite-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Richard P Harvey
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Michela Noseda
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
150
|
Wong D, Auguste G, Cardenas CLL, Turner AW, Chen Y, Song Y, Ma L, Perry RN, Aherrahrou R, Kuppusamy M, Yang C, Mosquera JV, Dube CJ, Khan MD, Palmore M, Kalra JK, Kavousi M, Peyser PA, Matic L, Hedin U, Manichaikul A, Sonkusare SK, Civelek M, Kovacic JC, Björkegren JL, Malhotra R, Miller CL. FHL5 Controls Vascular Disease-Associated Gene Programs in Smooth Muscle Cells. Circ Res 2023; 132:1144-1161. [PMID: 37017084 PMCID: PMC10147587 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.122.321692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genome-wide association studies have identified hundreds of loci associated with common vascular diseases, such as coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, and hypertension. However, the lack of mechanistic insights for many GWAS loci limits their translation into the clinic. Among these loci with unknown functions is UFL1-four-and-a-half LIM (LIN-11, Isl-1, MEC-3) domain 5 (FHL5; chr6q16.1), which reached genome-wide significance in a recent coronary artery disease/ myocardial infarction GWAS meta-analysis. UFL1-FHL5 is also associated with several vascular diseases, consistent with the widespread pleiotropy observed for GWAS loci. METHODS We apply a multimodal approach leveraging statistical fine-mapping, epigenomic profiling, and ex vivo analysis of human coronary artery tissues to implicate FHL5 as the top candidate causal gene. We unravel the molecular mechanisms of the cross-phenotype genetic associations through in vitro functional analyses and epigenomic profiling experiments in coronary artery smooth muscle cells. RESULTS We prioritized FHL5 as the top candidate causal gene at the UFL1-FHL5 locus through expression quantitative trait locus colocalization methods. FHL5 gene expression was enriched in the smooth muscle cells and pericyte population in human artery tissues with coexpression network analyses supporting a functional role in regulating smooth muscle cell contraction. Unexpectedly, under procalcifying conditions, FHL5 overexpression promoted vascular calcification and dysregulated processes related to extracellular matrix organization and calcium handling. Lastly, by mapping FHL5 binding sites and inferring FHL5 target gene function using artery tissue gene regulatory network analyses, we highlight regulatory interactions between FHL5 and downstream coronary artery disease/myocardial infarction loci, such as FOXL1 and FN1 that have roles in vascular remodeling. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these studies provide mechanistic insights into the pleiotropic genetic associations of UFL1-FHL5. We show that FHL5 mediates vascular disease risk through transcriptional regulation of downstream vascular remodeling gene programs. These transacting mechanisms may explain a portion of the heritable risk for complex vascular diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Doris Wong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Gaëlle Auguste
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Christian L. Lino Cardenas
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Cardiology Division, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Adam W. Turner
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Yixuan Chen
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Yipei Song
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Lijiang Ma
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - R. Noah Perry
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Redouane Aherrahrou
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Maniselvan Kuppusamy
- Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Chaojie Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Jose Verdezoto Mosquera
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Collin J. Dube
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Mohammad Daud Khan
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Meredith Palmore
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Jaspreet K. Kalra
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Maryam Kavousi
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, The Netherlands
| | | | - Ljubica Matic
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ulf Hedin
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ani Manichaikul
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Swapnil K. Sonkusare
- Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Mete Civelek
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Jason C. Kovacic
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- St. Vincent’s Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Johan L.M. Björkegren
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
- Integrated Cardio Metabolic Centre, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Rajeev Malhotra
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Cardiology Division, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Clint L. Miller
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|