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Machi JF, Altilio I, Qi Y, Morales AA, Silvestre DH, Hernandez DR, Da Costa-Santos N, Santana AG, Neghabi M, Nategh P, Castro TL, Werneck-de-Castro JP, Ranji M, Evangelista FS, Vazquez-Padron RI, Bernal-Mizrachi E, Rodrigues CO. Endothelial c-Myc knockout disrupts metabolic homeostasis and triggers the development of obesity. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1407097. [PMID: 39100099 PMCID: PMC11294153 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1407097] [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: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Obesity is a major risk factor associated with multiple pathological conditions including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Endothelial dysfunction is an early predictor of obesity. However, little is known regarding how early endothelial changes trigger obesity. In the present work we report a novel endothelial-mediated mechanism essential for regulation of metabolic homeostasis, driven by c-Myc. Methods: We used conditional knockout (EC-Myc KO) and overexpression (EC-Myc OE) mouse models to investigate the endothelial-specific role of c-Myc in metabolic homeostasis during aging and high-fat diet exposure. Body weight and metabolic parameters were collected over time and tissue samples collected at endpoint for biochemical, pathology and RNA-sequencing analysis. Animals exposed to high-fat diet were also evaluated for cardiac dysfunction. Results: In the present study we demonstrate that EC-Myc KO triggers endothelial dysfunction, which precedes progressive increase in body weight during aging, under normal dietary conditions. At endpoint, EC-Myc KO animals showed significant increase in white adipose tissue mass relative to control littermates, which was associated with sex-specific changes in whole body metabolism and increase in systemic leptin. Overexpression of endothelial c-Myc attenuated diet-induced obesity and visceral fat accumulation and prevented the development of glucose intolerance and cardiac dysfunction. Transcriptome analysis of skeletal muscle suggests that the protective effects promoted by endothelial c-Myc overexpression are associated with the expression of genes known to increase weight loss, energy expenditure and glucose tolerance. Conclusion: Our results show a novel important role for endothelial c-Myc in regulating metabolic homeostasis and suggests its potential targeting in preventing obesity and associated complications such as diabetes type-2 and cardiovascular dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline F. Machi
- Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
- Department of Biomedical Science, Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
| | - Isabella Altilio
- Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Yue Qi
- Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Alejo A. Morales
- Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Diego H. Silvestre
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Diana R. Hernandez
- DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Nicolas Da Costa-Santos
- Department of Biomedical Science, Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
| | - Aline G. Santana
- Department of Biomedical Science, Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
| | - Mehrnoosh Neghabi
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
| | - Parisa Nategh
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
| | - Thiago L. Castro
- School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - João P. Werneck-de-Castro
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Mahsa Ranji
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
| | | | - Roberto I. Vazquez-Padron
- DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Ernesto Bernal-Mizrachi
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Claudia O. Rodrigues
- Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
- Department of Biomedical Science, Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
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Falero-Diaz G, Barboza CDA, Vazquez-Padron RI, Velazquez OC, Lassance-Soares RM. Loss of c-Kit in Endothelial Cells Protects against Hindlimb Ischemia. Biomedicines 2024; 12:1358. [PMID: 38927565 PMCID: PMC11201387 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12061358] [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: 04/13/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is the end stage of peripheral artery disease (PAD), and around 30% of CLI patients are ineligible for current treatments. The angiogenic benefits of c-Kit have been reported in the ischemia scenario; however, the present study demonstrates the effects of specific endothelial c-Kit signaling in arteriogenesis during hindlimb ischemia. METHODS We created conditional knockout mouse models that decrease c-Kit (c-Kit VE-Cadherin CreERT2-c-Kit) or its ligand (SCF VE-Cadherin CreERT2-SCF) specifically in endothelial cells (ECs) after tamoxifen treatment. These mice and a control group (wild-type VE-Cadherin CreERT2-WT) were subjected to hindlimb ischemia or aortic crush to evaluate perfusion/arteriogenesis and endothelial barrier permeability, respectively. RESULTS Our data confirmed the lower gene expression of c-Kit and SCF in the ECs of c-Kit and SCF mice, respectively. In addition, we confirmed the lower percentage of ECs positive for c-Kit in c-Kit mice. Further, we found that c-Kit and SCF mice had better limb perfusion and arteriogenesis compared to WT mice. We also demonstrated that c-Kit and SCF mice had a preserved endothelial barrier after aortic crush compared to WT. CONCLUSIONS Our data demonstrate the deleterious effects of endothelial SCF/c-Kit signaling on arteriogenesis and endothelial barrier integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Falero-Diaz
- Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1600 NW 10th Ave, RMSB, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (G.F.-D.); (R.I.V.-P.); (O.C.V.)
| | - Catarina de A. Barboza
- Department of Medicine, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1580 NW 10th Ave, Batchelor Building, Miami, FL 33136, USA;
| | - Roberto I. Vazquez-Padron
- Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1600 NW 10th Ave, RMSB, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (G.F.-D.); (R.I.V.-P.); (O.C.V.)
| | - Omaida C. Velazquez
- Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1600 NW 10th Ave, RMSB, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (G.F.-D.); (R.I.V.-P.); (O.C.V.)
| | - Roberta M. Lassance-Soares
- Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1600 NW 10th Ave, RMSB, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (G.F.-D.); (R.I.V.-P.); (O.C.V.)
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Zhang S, Fan L, Wang Y, Xu J, Shen Q, Xie J, Zeng Z, Zhou T. Dihydromyricetin ameliorates osteogenic differentiation of human aortic valve interstitial cells by targeting c-KIT/interleukin-6 signaling pathway. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:932092. [PMID: 36003494 PMCID: PMC9393384 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.932092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Aims: Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is a chronic cardiovascular disease with high morbidity that lacks effective pharmacotherapeutics. As a natural flavonoid extracted from Ampelopsis grossedentata, dihydromyricetin (DHM) has been shown to be effective in protecting against atherosclerosis; yet, the therapeutic role of DHM in CAVD remains poorly understood. Herein, we aimed to clarify the therapeutic implications of DHM in CAVD and the underlying molecular mechanisms in human valvular interstitial cells (hVICs). Methods and Results: The protein levels of two known osteogenesis-specific genes (alkaline phosphatase, ALP; runt-related transcription factor 2, Runx2) and calcified nodule formation in hVICs were detected by Western blot and Alizarin Red staining, respectively. The results showed that DHM markedly ameliorated osteogenic induction medium (OM)–induced osteogenic differentiation of hVICs, as evidenced by downregulation of ALP and Runx2 expression and decreased calcium deposition. The SwissTargetPrediction database was used to identify the potential AVC-associated direct protein target of DHM. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) analysis revealed that c-KIT, a tyrosine-protein kinase, can act as a credible protein target of DHM, as evidenced by molecular docking. Mechanistically, DHM-mediated inhibition of c-KIT phosphorylation drove interleukin-6 (IL-6) downregulation in CAVD, thereby ameliorating OM-induced osteogenic differentiation of hVICs and aortic valve calcification progression. Conclusion: DHM ameliorates osteogenic differentiation of hVICs by blocking the phosphorylation of c-KIT, thus reducing IL-6 expression in CAVD. DHM could be a viable therapeutic supplement to impede CAVD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoshao Zhang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Department of Cardiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Leilei Fan
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Central Hospital of Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Enshi, China
| | - Yongjun Wang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jianjun Xu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Qiang Shen
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jianhua Xie
- Department of Cardiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Jianhua Xie, ; Zhipeng Zeng, ; Tingwen Zhou,
| | - Zhipeng Zeng
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Jianhua Xie, ; Zhipeng Zeng, ; Tingwen Zhou,
| | - Tingwen Zhou
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Jianhua Xie, ; Zhipeng Zeng, ; Tingwen Zhou,
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Suzuki K, Yamada H, Fujii R, Munetsuna E, Ando Y, Ohashi K, Ishikawa H, Yamazaki M, Maeda K, Hashimoto S, Hamajima N. Association between circulating vascular-related microRNAs and an increase in blood pressure: a 5-year longitudinal population-based study. J Hypertens 2021; 39:84-89. [PMID: 32740403 DOI: 10.1097/hjh.0000000000002606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression and play essential roles in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Previous cross-sectional studies showed that the levels of several circulating miRNA are associated with hypertension, but there are no prospective longitudinal studies using a general population. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of circulating vascular-related miRNA (miR-126, miR-221, and miR-222) on changes in blood pressure and new-onset hypertension in a Japanese population. METHODS We conducted a 5-year longitudinal study using 192 health examination participants (87 men and 105 women). Serum miRNAs were measured using quantitative reverse transcription-PCR. Information regarding lifestyle and health condition was obtained using a self-administered questionnaire. Logistic regression analyses were performed to calculate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for new-onset hypertension in the 5-year period between the low and high group of serum miRNAs. RESULTS Serum levels of miR-126, miR-221, and miR-222 were significantly and negatively associated with changes in SBP and the rate of change of SBP. Serum miR-126, miR-221, and miR-222 levels were significantly lower in new-onset hypertensive patients compared with normotensive individuals. The confounding factors adjusted odds ratios of each 1 increment in serum miR-126, miR-221, and miR-222 levels were 0.82 (95% confidence interval: 0.69-0.98), 0.79 (0.68-0.91), and 0.61 (0.46-0.81) for new-onset hypertension, respectively. CONCLUSION Low serum levels of miR-126, miR-221, and miR-222 were associated with increased blood pressure and new-onset of hypertension. These circulating miRNAs are potential candidate biomarkers for the prediction of hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koji Suzuki
- Department of Preventive Medical Sciences, Fujita Health University School of Medical Sciences
| | | | - Ryosuke Fujii
- Department of Preventive Medical Sciences, Fujita Health University School of Medical Sciences
| | - Eiji Munetsuna
- Department of Biochemistry, Fujita Health University School of Medicine
| | - Yoshitaka Ando
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Fujita Health University School of Medical Sciences, Toyoake
| | - Koji Ohashi
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Fujita Health University School of Medical Sciences, Toyoake
| | - Hiroaki Ishikawa
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Fujita Health University School of Medical Sciences, Toyoake
| | - Mirai Yamazaki
- Department of Medical Technology, Kagawa Prefectural University of Health Sciences, Takamatsu
| | - Keisuke Maeda
- Department of Preventive Medical Sciences, Fujita Health University School of Medical Sciences
| | | | - Nobuyuki Hamajima
- Department of Healthcare Administration, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
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