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Li X, Souilhol C, Canham L, Jia X, Diagbouga M, Ayllon BT, Serbanovic-Canic J, Evans PC. DLL4 promotes partial endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition at atherosclerosis-prone regions of arteries. Vascul Pharmacol 2023; 150:107178. [PMID: 37137436 DOI: 10.1016/j.vph.2023.107178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Flowing blood regulates vascular development, homeostasis and disease by generating wall shear stress which has major effects on endothelial cell (EC) physiology. Low oscillatory shear stress (LOSS) induces a form of cell plasticity called endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT). This process has divergent effects; in embryos LOSS-induced EndMT drives the development of atrioventricular valves, whereas in adult arteries it is associated with inflammation and atherosclerosis. The Notch ligand DLL4 is essential for LOSS-dependent valve development; here we investigated whether DLL4 is required for responses to LOSS in adult arteries. Analysis of cultured human coronary artery EC revealed that DLL4 regulates the transcriptome to induce markers of EndMT and inflammation under LOSS conditions. Consistently, genetic deletion of Dll4 from murine EC reduced SNAIL (EndMT marker) and VCAM-1 (inflammation marker) at a LOSS region of the murine aorta. We hypothesized that endothelial Dll4 is pro-atherogenic but this analysis was confounded because endothelial Dll4 negatively regulated plasma cholesterol levels in hyperlipidemic mice. We conclude that endothelial DLL4 is required for LOSS-induction of EndMT and inflammation regulators at atheroprone regions of arteries, and is also a regulator of plasma cholesterol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuying Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, PR China; School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, LuZhou, Sichuan 646000, PR China; Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, INSIGNEO Institute, Bateson Centre, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Celine Souilhol
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, INSIGNEO Institute, Bateson Centre, University of Sheffield, UK.
| | - Lindsay Canham
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, INSIGNEO Institute, Bateson Centre, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Xueqi Jia
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, INSIGNEO Institute, Bateson Centre, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Mannekomba Diagbouga
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, INSIGNEO Institute, Bateson Centre, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Blanca Tardajos Ayllon
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, INSIGNEO Institute, Bateson Centre, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Jovana Serbanovic-Canic
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, INSIGNEO Institute, Bateson Centre, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Paul C Evans
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, INSIGNEO Institute, Bateson Centre, University of Sheffield, UK; Centre for Biochemical Pharmacology, William Harvey Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Barts and The London, Queen Mary University of London Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UK.
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Angiopoietin-like 2 is essential to aortic valve development in mice. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1277. [PMID: 36414704 PMCID: PMC9681843 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04243-6] [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: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Aortic valve (AoV) abnormalities during embryogenesis are a major risk for the development of aortic valve stenosis (AVS) and cardiac events later in life. Here, we identify an unexpected role for Angiopoietin-like 2 (ANGPTL2), a pro-inflammatory protein secreted by senescent cells, in valvulogenesis. At late embryonic stage, mice knocked-down for Angptl2 (Angptl2-KD) exhibit a premature thickening of AoV leaflets associated with a dysregulation of the fine balance between cell apoptosis, senescence and proliferation during AoV remodeling and a decrease in the crucial Notch signalling. These structural and molecular abnormalities lead toward spontaneous AVS with elevated trans-aortic gradient in adult mice of both sexes. Consistently, ANGPTL2 expression is detected in human fetal semilunar valves and associated with pathways involved in cell cycle and senescence. Altogether, these findings suggest that Angptl2 is essential for valvulogenesis, and identify Angptl2-KD mice as an animal model to study spontaneous AVS, a disease with unmet medical need.
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Flow-Mediated Factors in the Pathogenesis of Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2022; 9:jcdd9050154. [PMID: 35621865 PMCID: PMC9144087 DOI: 10.3390/jcdd9050154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is a life-threatening congenital heart disease that is characterized by severe underdevelopment of left heart structures. Currently, there is no cure, and affected individuals require surgical palliation or cardiac transplantation to survive. Despite these resource-intensive measures, only about half of individuals reach adulthood, often with significant comorbidities such as liver disease and neurodevelopmental disorders. A major barrier in developing effective treatments is that the etiology of HLHS is largely unknown. Here, we discuss how intracardiac blood flow disturbances are an important causal factor in the pathogenesis of impaired left heart growth. Specifically, we highlight results from a recently developed mouse model in which surgically reducing blood flow through the mitral valve after cardiogenesis led to the development of HLHS. In addition, we discuss the role of interventional procedures that are based on improving blood flow through the left heart, such as fetal aortic valvuloplasty. Lastly, using the surgically-induced mouse model, we suggest investigations that can be undertaken to identify the currently unknown biological pathways in left heart growth failure and their associated therapeutic targets.
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