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Puertas-Bartolomé M, Venegas-Bustos D, Acosta S, Rodríguez-Cabello JC. Contribution of the ELRs to the development of advanced in vitro models. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1363865. [PMID: 38650751 PMCID: PMC11033926 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1363865] [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: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Developing in vitro models that accurately mimic the microenvironment of biological structures or processes holds substantial promise for gaining insights into specific biological functions. In the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, in vitro models able to capture the precise structural, topographical, and functional complexity of living tissues, prove to be valuable tools for comprehending disease mechanisms, assessing drug responses, and serving as alternatives or complements to animal testing. The choice of the right biomaterial and fabrication technique for the development of these in vitro models plays an important role in their functionality. In this sense, elastin-like recombinamers (ELRs) have emerged as an important tool for the fabrication of in vitro models overcoming the challenges encountered in natural and synthetic materials due to their intrinsic properties, such as phase transition behavior, tunable biological properties, viscoelasticity, and easy processability. In this review article, we will delve into the use of ELRs for molecular models of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), as well as for the development of in vitro 3D models for regenerative medicine. The easy processability of the ELRs and their rational design has allowed their use for the development of spheroids and organoids, or bioinks for 3D bioprinting. Thus, incorporating ELRs into the toolkit of biomaterials used for the fabrication of in vitro models, represents a transformative step forward in improving the accuracy, efficiency, and functionality of these models, and opening up a wide range of possibilities in combination with advanced biofabrication techniques that remains to be explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Puertas-Bartolomé
- Technical Proteins Nanobiotechnology, S.L. (TPNBT), Valladolid, Spain
- Bioforge Lab (Group for Advanced Materials and Nanobiotechnology), CIBER's Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Edificio LUCIA, Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Desiré Venegas-Bustos
- Bioforge Lab (Group for Advanced Materials and Nanobiotechnology), CIBER's Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Edificio LUCIA, Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Sergio Acosta
- Bioforge Lab (Group for Advanced Materials and Nanobiotechnology), CIBER's Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Edificio LUCIA, Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - José Carlos Rodríguez-Cabello
- Bioforge Lab (Group for Advanced Materials and Nanobiotechnology), CIBER's Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Edificio LUCIA, Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
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Wu X, Zhang D, Qiao X, Zhang L, Cai X, Ji J, Ma JA, Zhao Y, Belperio JA, Boström KI, Yao Y. Regulating the cell shift of endothelial cell-like myofibroblasts in pulmonary fibrosis. Eur Respir J 2023; 61:2201799. [PMID: 36758986 PMCID: PMC10249020 DOI: 10.1183/13993003.01799-2022] [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: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Pulmonary fibrosis is a common and severe fibrotic lung disease with high morbidity and mortality. Recent studies have reported a large number of unwanted myofibroblasts appearing in pulmonary fibrosis, and shown that the sustained activation of myofibroblasts is essential for unremitting interstitial fibrogenesis. However, the origin of these myofibroblasts remains poorly understood. Here, we create new mouse models of pulmonary fibrosis and identify a previously unknown population of endothelial cell (EC)-like myofibroblasts in normal lung tissue. We show that these EC-like myofibroblasts significantly contribute myofibroblasts to pulmonary fibrosis, which is confirmed by single-cell RNA sequencing of human pulmonary fibrosis. Using the transcriptional profiles, we identified a small molecule that redirects the differentiation of EC-like myofibroblasts and reduces pulmonary fibrosis in our mouse models. Our study reveals the mechanistic underpinnings of the differentiation of EC-like myofibroblasts in pulmonary fibrosis and may provide new strategies for therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuju Wu
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Daoqin Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Xiaojing Qiao
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Li Zhang
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Xinjiang Cai
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jaden Ji
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jocelyn A Ma
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yan Zhao
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - John A Belperio
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Clinical Immunology, and Allergy, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kristina I Boström
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- The Molecular Biology Institute at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yucheng Yao
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Zhuravleva IY, Karpova EV, Dokuchaeva AA, Titov AT, Timchenko TP, Vasilieva MB. Calcification of Various Bioprosthetic Materials in Rats: Is It Really Different? Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087274. [PMID: 37108443 PMCID: PMC10139218 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087274] [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: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The causes of heart valve bioprosthetic calcification are still not clear. In this paper, we compared the calcification in the porcine aorta (Ao) and the bovine jugular vein (Ve) walls, as well as the bovine pericardium (Pe). Biomaterials were crosslinked with glutaraldehyde (GA) and diepoxide (DE), after which they were implanted subcutaneously in young rats for 10, 20, and 30 days. Collagen, elastin, and fibrillin were visualized in non-implanted samples. Atomic absorption spectroscopy, histological methods, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy were used to study the dynamics of calcification. By the 30th day, calcium accumulated most intensively in the collagen fibers of the GA-Pe. In elastin-rich materials, calcium deposits were associated with elastin fibers and localized differences in the walls of Ao and Ve. The DE-Pe did not calcify at all for 30 days. Alkaline phosphatase does not affect calcification since it was not found in the implant tissue. Fibrillin surrounds elastin fibers in the Ao and Ve, but its involvement in calcification is questionable. In the subcutaneous space of young rats, which are used to model the implants' calcification, the content of phosphorus was five times higher than in aging animals. We hypothesize that the centers of calcium phosphate nucleation are the positively charged nitrogen of the pyridinium rings, which is the main one in fresh elastin and appears in collagen as a result of GA preservation. Nucleation can be significantly accelerated at high concentrations of phosphorus in biological fluids. The hypothesis needs further experimental confirmation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Y Zhuravleva
- E. Meshalkin National Medical Research Center of the RF Ministry of Health, 15 Rechkunovskaya St., 630055 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Elena V Karpova
- N. Vorozhtsov Novosibirsk Institute of Organic Chemistry SB RAS, 9 Lavrentiev Avenue, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Anna A Dokuchaeva
- E. Meshalkin National Medical Research Center of the RF Ministry of Health, 15 Rechkunovskaya St., 630055 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Anatoly T Titov
- V. Sobolev Institute of Geology and Mineralogy SB RAS, 3 Academician Koptyug Avenue, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Tatiana P Timchenko
- E. Meshalkin National Medical Research Center of the RF Ministry of Health, 15 Rechkunovskaya St., 630055 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Maria B Vasilieva
- E. Meshalkin National Medical Research Center of the RF Ministry of Health, 15 Rechkunovskaya St., 630055 Novosibirsk, Russia
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Brigiano FS, Bazin D, Tielens F. Peculiar opportunities given by XPS spectroscopy for the clinician. CR CHIM 2022. [DOI: 10.5802/crchim.154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Parashar A, Bak K, Murshed M. Prevention of Arterial Elastocalcinosis: Differential Roles of the Conserved Glutamic Acid and Serine Residues of Matrix Gla Protein. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2022; 42:e155-e167. [PMID: 35418245 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.122.317518] [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] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inactivating mutations in matrix Gla protein (MGP) lead to Keutel syndrome, a rare disease hallmarked by ectopic calcification of cartilage and vascular tissues. Although MGP acts as a strong inhibitor of arterial elastic lamina calcification (elastocalcinosis), its mode of action is unknown. Two sets of conserved residues undergoing posttranslational modifications-4 glutamic acid residues, which are γ-carboxylated by gamma-glutamyl carboxylase; and 3 serine residues, which are phosphorylated by yet unknown kinase(s)-are thought to be essential for MGP's function. METHODS We pursued a genetic approach to study the roles of MGP's conserved residues. First, a transgenic line (SM22a-GlamutMgp) expressing a mutant form of MGP, in which the conserved glutamic acid residues were mutated to alanine, was generated. The transgene was introduced to Mgp-/- mice to generate a compound mutant, which produced the mutated MGP only in the vascular tissues. We generated a second mouse model (MgpS3mut/S3mut) to mutate MGP's conserved serine residues to alanine. The initiation and progression of vascular calcification in these models were analyzed by alizarin red staining, histology, and micro-computed tomography imaging. RESULTS On a regular diet, the arterial walls in the Mgp-/-; SM22α-GlamutMgp mice were not calcified. However, on a high phosphorus diet, these mice showed wide-spread arterial calcification. In contrast, MgpS3mut/S3mut mice on a regular diet recapitulated arterial calcification traits of Mgp-/- mice, although with lesser severity. CONCLUSIONS For the first time, we show here that MGP's conserved serine residues are indispensable for its antimineralization function in the arterial tissues. Although the conserved glutamic acid residues are not essential for this function on a regular diet, they are needed to prevent phosphate-induced arterial elastocalcinosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhinav Parashar
- Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences (A.P., M.M.), McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Kyoungmi Bak
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology (K.B., M.M.), McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Monzur Murshed
- Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences (A.P., M.M.), McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology (K.B., M.M.), McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
- Department of Medicine (M.M.), McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
- Shriners Hospital for Children, Montreal, Québec, Canada (M.M.)
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Tintut Y, Honda HM, Demer LL. Biomolecules Orchestrating Cardiovascular Calcification. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11101482. [PMID: 34680115 PMCID: PMC8533507 DOI: 10.3390/biom11101482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Vascular calcification, once considered a degenerative, end-stage, and inevitable condition, is now recognized as a complex process regulated in a manner similar to skeletal bone at the molecular and cellular levels. Since the initial discovery of bone morphogenetic protein in calcified human atherosclerotic lesions, decades of research have now led to the recognition that the regulatory mechanisms and the biomolecules that control cardiovascular calcification overlap with those controlling skeletal mineralization. In this review, we focus on key biomolecules driving the ectopic calcification in the circulation and their regulation by metabolic, hormonal, and inflammatory stimuli. Although calcium deposits in the vessel wall introduce rupture stress at their edges facing applied tensile stress, they simultaneously reduce rupture stress at the orthogonal edges, leaving the net risk of plaque rupture and consequent cardiac events depending on local material strength. A clinically important consequence of the shared mechanisms between the vascular and bone tissues is that therapeutic agents designed to inhibit vascular calcification may adversely affect skeletal mineralization and vice versa. Thus, it is essential to consider both systems when developing therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin Tintut
- Department of Medicine, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (Y.T.); (H.M.H.)
- Department of Physiology, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA 90073, USA
| | - Henry M. Honda
- Department of Medicine, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (Y.T.); (H.M.H.)
| | - Linda L. Demer
- Department of Medicine, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (Y.T.); (H.M.H.)
- Department of Physiology, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA 90073, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- The David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California-Los Angeles, 10833 Le Conte Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-(310)-206-2677
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Cancela ML, Laizé V, Conceição N, Kempf H, Murshed M. Keutel Syndrome, a Review of 50 Years of Literature. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:642136. [PMID: 33996798 PMCID: PMC8117146 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.642136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Keutel syndrome (KS) is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder that was first identified in the beginning of the 1970s and nearly 30 years later attributed to loss-of-function mutations in the gene coding for the matrix Gla protein (MGP). Patients with KS are usually diagnosed during childhood (early onset of the disease), and the major traits include abnormal calcification of cartilaginous tissues resulting in or associated with malformations of skeletal tissues (e.g., midface hypoplasia and brachytelephalangism) and cardiovascular defects (e.g., congenital heart defect, peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis, and, in some cases, arterial calcification), and also hearing loss and mild developmental delay. While studies on Mgp -/- mouse, a faithful model of KS, show that pathologic mineral deposition (ectopic calcification) in cartilaginous and vascular tissues is the primary cause underlying many of these abnormalities, the mechanisms explaining how MGP prevents abnormal calcification remain poorly understood. This has negative implication for the development of a cure for KS. Indeed, at present, only symptomatic treatments are available to treat hypertension and respiratory complications occurring in the KS patients. In this review, we summarize the results published in the last 50 years on Keutel syndrome and present the current status of the knowledge on this rare pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Leonor Cancela
- Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Vincent Laizé
- Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Natércia Conceição
- Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Hervé Kempf
- UMR 7365 CNRS-Université de Lorraine, IMoPA, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Monzur Murshed
- Department of Medicine and Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Shriners Hospital for Children, Montreal, QC, Canada
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