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Mocci G, Sukhavasi K, Örd T, Bankier S, Singha P, Arasu UT, Agbabiaje OO, Mäkinen P, Ma L, Hodonsky CJ, Aherrahrou R, Muhl L, Liu J, Gustafsson S, Byandelger B, Wang Y, Koplev S, Lendahl U, Owens GK, Leeper NJ, Pasterkamp G, Vanlandewijck M, Michoel T, Ruusalepp A, Hao K, Ylä-Herttuala S, Väli M, Järve H, Mokry M, Civelek M, Miller CJ, Kovacic JC, Kaikkonen MU, Betsholtz C, Björkegren JL. Single-Cell Gene-Regulatory Networks of Advanced Symptomatic Atherosclerosis. Circ Res 2024; 134:1405-1423. [PMID: 38639096 PMCID: PMC11122742 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.123.323184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While our understanding of the single-cell gene expression patterns underlying the transformation of vascular cell types during the progression of atherosclerosis is rapidly improving, the clinical and pathophysiological relevance of these changes remains poorly understood. METHODS Single-cell RNA sequencing data generated with SmartSeq2 (≈8000 genes/cell) in 16 588 single cells isolated during atherosclerosis progression in Ldlr-/-Apob100/100 mice with human-like plasma lipoproteins and from humans with asymptomatic and symptomatic carotid plaques was clustered into multiple subtypes. For clinical and pathophysiological context, the advanced-stage and symptomatic subtype clusters were integrated with 135 tissue-specific (atherosclerotic aortic wall, mammary artery, liver, skeletal muscle, and visceral and subcutaneous, fat) gene-regulatory networks (GRNs) inferred from 600 coronary artery disease patients in the STARNET (Stockholm-Tartu Atherosclerosis Reverse Network Engineering Task) study. RESULTS Advanced stages of atherosclerosis progression and symptomatic carotid plaques were largely characterized by 3 smooth muscle cells (SMCs), and 3 macrophage subtype clusters with extracellular matrix organization/osteogenic (SMC), and M1-type proinflammatory/Trem2-high lipid-associated (macrophage) phenotypes. Integrative analysis of these 6 clusters with STARNET revealed significant enrichments of 3 arterial wall GRNs: GRN33 (macrophage), GRN39 (SMC), and GRN122 (macrophage) with major contributions to coronary artery disease heritability and strong associations with clinical scores of coronary atherosclerosis severity. The presence and pathophysiological relevance of GRN39 were verified in 5 independent RNAseq data sets obtained from the human coronary and aortic artery, and primary SMCs and by targeting its top-key drivers, FRZB and ALCAM in cultured human coronary artery SMCs. CONCLUSIONS By identifying and integrating the most gene-rich single-cell subclusters of atherosclerosis to date with a coronary artery disease framework of GRNs, GRN39 was identified and independently validated as being critical for the transformation of contractile SMCs into an osteogenic phenotype promoting advanced, symptomatic atherosclerosis.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- Single-Cell Analysis
- Animals
- Gene Regulatory Networks
- Atherosclerosis/genetics
- Atherosclerosis/metabolism
- Atherosclerosis/pathology
- Mice
- Myocytes, Smooth Muscle/metabolism
- Myocytes, Smooth Muscle/pathology
- Male
- Plaque, Atherosclerotic
- Disease Progression
- Female
- Macrophages/metabolism
- Macrophages/pathology
- Mice, Knockout
- Receptors, LDL/genetics
- Receptors, LDL/metabolism
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/metabolism
- Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/pathology
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Mocci
- Department of Medicine (Huddinge), Karolinska Institutet, Sweden (G.M., L. Muhl, J.L., S.G., B.B., U.L., M.V., C.B., J.L.M.B.)
| | - Katyayani Sukhavasi
- Department of Cardiac Surgery and The Heart Clinic, Tartu University Hospital and Department of Cardiology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Tartu University, Estonia (K.S., A.R., H.J.)
| | - Tiit Örd
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (T.O., P.S., U.T.A., O.O.A., P.M., S.Y.-H., M.U.K.)
| | - Sean Bankier
- Computational Biology Unit, Department of Informatics, University of Bergen, Norway (S.B., T.M.)
| | - Prosanta Singha
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (T.O., P.S., U.T.A., O.O.A., P.M., S.Y.-H., M.U.K.)
| | - Uma Thanigai Arasu
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (T.O., P.S., U.T.A., O.O.A., P.M., S.Y.-H., M.U.K.)
| | - Olayinka Oluwasegun Agbabiaje
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (T.O., P.S., U.T.A., O.O.A., P.M., S.Y.-H., M.U.K.)
| | - Petri Mäkinen
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (T.O., P.S., U.T.A., O.O.A., P.M., S.Y.-H., M.U.K.)
| | - Lijiang Ma
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York (L. Ma, S.K., K.H., J.L.M.B.)
| | - Chani J. Hodonsky
- Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center (C.J.H., G.K.O., C.J.M.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville
- Center for Public Health Genomics (C.J.H., R.A., M.C.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville
| | - Redouane Aherrahrou
- Center for Public Health Genomics (C.J.H., R.A., M.C.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville
- Department of Biomedical Engineering (R.A., M.C.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville
| | - Lars Muhl
- Department of Medicine (Huddinge), Karolinska Institutet, Sweden (G.M., L. Muhl, J.L., S.G., B.B., U.L., M.V., C.B., J.L.M.B.)
| | - Jianping Liu
- Department of Medicine (Huddinge), Karolinska Institutet, Sweden (G.M., L. Muhl, J.L., S.G., B.B., U.L., M.V., C.B., J.L.M.B.)
| | - Sonja Gustafsson
- Department of Medicine (Huddinge), Karolinska Institutet, Sweden (G.M., L. Muhl, J.L., S.G., B.B., U.L., M.V., C.B., J.L.M.B.)
| | - Byambajav Byandelger
- Department of Medicine (Huddinge), Karolinska Institutet, Sweden (G.M., L. Muhl, J.L., S.G., B.B., U.L., M.V., C.B., J.L.M.B.)
| | - Ying Wang
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA (Y.W., N.J.L.)
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University, CA (Y.W., N.J.L.)
| | - Simon Koplev
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York (L. Ma, S.K., K.H., J.L.M.B.)
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, United Kingdom (S.K.)
| | - Urban Lendahl
- Department of Medicine (Huddinge), Karolinska Institutet, Sweden (G.M., L. Muhl, J.L., S.G., B.B., U.L., M.V., C.B., J.L.M.B.)
| | - Gary K. Owens
- Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center (C.J.H., G.K.O., C.J.M.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville
| | - Nicholas J. Leeper
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA (Y.W., N.J.L.)
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University, CA (Y.W., N.J.L.)
| | - Gerard Pasterkamp
- Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology (G.P., M.M.), University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Central Diagnostics Laboratory (G.P., M.M.), University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Michael Vanlandewijck
- Department of Medicine (Huddinge), Karolinska Institutet, Sweden (G.M., L. Muhl, J.L., S.G., B.B., U.L., M.V., C.B., J.L.M.B.)
| | - Tom Michoel
- Computational Biology Unit, Department of Informatics, University of Bergen, Norway (S.B., T.M.)
| | - Arno Ruusalepp
- Department of Cardiac Surgery and The Heart Clinic, Tartu University Hospital and Department of Cardiology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Tartu University, Estonia (K.S., A.R., H.J.)
| | - Ke Hao
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York (L. Ma, S.K., K.H., J.L.M.B.)
| | - Seppo Ylä-Herttuala
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (T.O., P.S., U.T.A., O.O.A., P.M., S.Y.-H., M.U.K.)
| | - Marika Väli
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Sweden (M.V., C.B.)
- Department of Pathological anatomy and Forensic medicine, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Estonia (M.V.)
| | - Heli Järve
- Department of Cardiac Surgery and The Heart Clinic, Tartu University Hospital and Department of Cardiology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Tartu University, Estonia (K.S., A.R., H.J.)
| | - Michal Mokry
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (T.O., P.S., U.T.A., O.O.A., P.M., S.Y.-H., M.U.K.)
- Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology (G.P., M.M.), University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Mete Civelek
- Center for Public Health Genomics (C.J.H., R.A., M.C.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville
- Department of Biomedical Engineering (R.A., M.C.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville
| | - Clint J. Miller
- Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center (C.J.H., G.K.O., C.J.M.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville
| | - Jason C. Kovacic
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York (J.C.K.)
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, Australia (J.C.K.)
- St. Vincent’s Clinical School, University of NSW, Sydney, Australia (J.C.K.)
| | - Minna U. Kaikkonen
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (T.O., P.S., U.T.A., O.O.A., P.M., S.Y.-H., M.U.K.)
| | - Christer Betsholtz
- Department of Medicine (Huddinge), Karolinska Institutet, Sweden (G.M., L. Muhl, J.L., S.G., B.B., U.L., M.V., C.B., J.L.M.B.)
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Sweden (M.V., C.B.)
| | - Johan L.M. Björkegren
- Department of Medicine (Huddinge), Karolinska Institutet, Sweden (G.M., L. Muhl, J.L., S.G., B.B., U.L., M.V., C.B., J.L.M.B.)
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York (L. Ma, S.K., K.H., J.L.M.B.)
- Clinical Gene Networks AB, Stockholm, Sweden (J.L.M.B.)
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Rega S, Farina F, Bouhuis S, de Donato S, Chiesa M, Poggio P, Cavallotti L, Bonalumi G, Giambuzzi I, Pompilio G, Perrucci GL. Multi-omics in thoracic aortic aneurysm: the complex road to the simplification. Cell Biosci 2023; 13:131. [PMID: 37475058 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-023-01080-w] [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: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) is a serious condition that affects the aorta, characterized by the dilation of its first segment. The causes of TAA (e.g., age, hypertension, genetic syndromes) are heterogeneous and contribute to the weakening of the aortic wall. This complexity makes treating this life-threatening aortopathy challenging, as there are currently no etiological therapy available, and pharmacological strategies, aimed at avoiding surgical aortic replacement, are merely palliative. Recent studies on novel therapies for TAA have focused on identifying biological targets and etiological mechanisms of the disease by using advanced -omics techniques, including epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics approaches. METHODS This review presents the latest findings from -omics approaches and underscores the importance of integrating multi-omics data to gain more comprehensive understanding of TAA. RESULTS Literature suggests that the alterations in TAA mediators frequently involve members of pro-fibrotic process (i.e., TGF-β signaling pathways) or proteins associated with cell/extracellular structures (e.g., aggrecans). Further analyses often reported the importance in TAA of processes as inflammation (PCR, CD3, leukotriene compounds), oxidative stress (chromatin OXPHOS, fatty acids), mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis (e.g., PPARs and HIF1a). Of note, more recent metabolomics studies added novel molecular markers to the list of TAA-specific detrimental mediators (proteoglycans). CONCLUSION It is increasingly clear that integrating data from different -omics branches, along with clinical data, is essential as well as complicated both to reveal hidden relevant information and to address complex diseases such as TAA. Importantly, recent progresses in metabolomics highlighted novel potential and unprecedented marks in TAA diagnosis and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Rega
- Unit of Vascular Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Unit for the Study of Aortic, Valvular and Coronary Pathologies, Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Floriana Farina
- Institute for Cardiovascular Prevention (IPEK), Ludwig-Maximillians-Universität (LMU) München, Munich, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany
| | - Silvia Bouhuis
- Unit of Vascular Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia de Donato
- Unit of Vascular Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Mattia Chiesa
- Bioinformatics and Artificial Intelligence Facility, Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Department of Electronics, Information and Biomedical Engineering, Politecnico Di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Poggio
- Unit for the Study of Aortic, Valvular and Coronary Pathologies, Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Cavallotti
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgia Bonalumi
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Ilaria Giambuzzi
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Giulio Pompilio
- Unit of Vascular Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Gianluca L Perrucci
- Unit of Vascular Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan, Italy.
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3
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Steffen BT, Pankow JS, Norby FL, Lutsey PL, Demmer RT, Guan W, Pankratz N, Li A, Liu G, Matsushita K, Tin A, Tang W. Proteomics Analysis of Genetic Liability of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Identifies Plasma Neogenin and Kit Ligand: The ARIC Study. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2023; 43:367-378. [PMID: 36579647 PMCID: PMC9995137 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.122.317984] [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: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genome-wide association studies have reported 23 gene loci related to abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA)-a potentially lethal condition characterized by a weakened dilated vessel wall. This study aimed to identify proteomic signatures and pathways related to these risk loci to better characterize AAA genetic susceptibility. METHODS Plasma concentrations of 4870 proteins were determined using a DNA aptamer-based array. Linear regression analysis estimated the associations between the 23 risk alleles and plasma protein levels with adjustments for potential confounders in a race-stratified analysis of 1671 Black and 7241 White participants. Significant proteins were then evaluated for their prediction of clinical AAA (454 AAA events in 11 064 individuals), and those significantly associated with AAA were further interrogated using Mendelian randomization analysis. RESULTS Risk variants proximal to PSRC1-CELSR2-SORT1, PCIF1-ZNF335-MMP9, RP11-136O12.2/TRIB1, ZNF259/APOA5, IL6R, PCSK9, LPA, and APOE were associated with 118 plasma proteins in Whites and 59 were replicated in Black participants. Novel associations with clinical AAA incidence were observed for kit ligand (HR, 0.59 [95% CI, 0.42-0.82] for top versus first quintiles) and neogenin (HR, 0.64 [95% CI, 0.46-0.88]) over a median 21.2-year follow-up; neogenin was also associated with ultrasound-detected asymptomatic AAA (N=4295; 57 asymptomatic AAA cases). Mendelian randomization inverse variance weighted estimates suggested that AAA risk is promoted by lower levels of kit ligand (OR per SD=0.67; P=1.4×10-5) and neogenin (OR per SD=0.50; P=0.03). CONCLUSIONS Low levels of neogenin and kit ligand may be novel risk factors for AAA development in potentially causal pathways. These findings provide insights and potential targets to reduce AAA susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian T. Steffen
- Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, MN 55454
- Division of Health Data Science, Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - James S. Pankow
- Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, MN 55454
| | - Faye L. Norby
- Department of Cardiology, Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Health System, Los Angeles, CA 90048
| | - Pamela L. Lutsey
- Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, MN 55454
| | - Ryan T. Demmer
- Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, MN 55454
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032
| | - Weihua Guan
- Division of Biostatistics, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, MN, 55455
| | - Nathan Pankratz
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - Aixin Li
- Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, MN 55454
| | - Guning Liu
- Division of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center, School of Public Health, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Kunihiro Matsushita
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205
- Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology and Clinical Research, Baltimore, MD 21205
| | - Adrienne Tin
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216
| | - Weihong Tang
- Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, MN 55454
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Rodrigues Bento J, Meester J, Luyckx I, Peeters S, Verstraeten A, Loeys B. The Genetics and Typical Traits of Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm and Dissection. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet 2022; 23:223-253. [PMID: 36044906 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genom-111521-104455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Genetic predisposition and risk factors such as hypertension and smoking can instigate the development of thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA), which can lead to highly lethal aortic wall dissection and/or rupture. Monogenic defects in multiple genes involved in the elastin-contractile unit and the TGFβ signaling pathway have been associated with TAA in recent years, along with several genetic modifiers and risk-conferring polymorphisms. Advances in omics technology have also provided significant insights into the processes behind aortic wall degeneration: inflammation, epigenetics, vascular smooth muscle phenotype change and depletion, reactive oxygen species generation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and angiotensin signaling dysregulation. These recent advances and findings might pave the way for a therapy that is capable of stopping and perhaps even reversing aneurysm progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jotte Rodrigues Bento
- Centre of Medical Genetics, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium;
| | - Josephina Meester
- Centre of Medical Genetics, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium;
| | - Ilse Luyckx
- Centre of Medical Genetics, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; .,Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Silke Peeters
- Centre of Medical Genetics, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium;
| | - Aline Verstraeten
- Centre of Medical Genetics, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium;
| | - Bart Loeys
- Centre of Medical Genetics, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; .,Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Rode M, Nenoff K, Wirkner K, Horn K, Teren A, Regenthal R, Loeffler M, Thiery J, Aigner A, Pott J, Kirsten H, Scholz M. Impact of medication on blood transcriptome reveals off-target regulations of beta-blockers. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0266897. [PMID: 35446883 PMCID: PMC9022833 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
For many drugs, mechanisms of action with regard to desired effects and/or unwanted side effects are only incompletely understood. To investigate possible pleiotropic effects and respective molecular mechanisms, we describe here a catalogue of commonly used drugs and their impact on the blood transcriptome.
Methods and results
From a population-based cohort in Germany (LIFE-Adult), we collected genome-wide gene-expression data in whole blood using in Illumina HT12v4 micro-arrays (n = 3,378; 19,974 gene expression probes per individual). Expression profiles were correlated with the intake of active substances as assessed by participants’ medication. This resulted in a catalogue of fourteen substances that were identified as associated with differential gene expression for a total of 534 genes. As an independent replication cohort, an observational study of patients with suspected or confirmed stable coronary artery disease (CAD) or myocardial infarction (LIFE-Heart, n = 3,008, 19,966 gene expression probes per individual) was employed. Notably, we were able to replicate differential gene expression for three active substances affecting 80 genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (carvedilol: 25; prednisolone: 17; timolol: 38). Additionally, using gene ontology enrichment analysis, we demonstrated for timolol a significant enrichment in 23 pathways, 19 of them including either GPER1 or PDE4B. In the case of carvedilol, we showed that, beside genes with well-established association with hypertension (GPER1, PDE4B and TNFAIP3), the drug also affects genes that are only indirectly linked to hypertension due to their effects on artery walls or their role in lipid biosynthesis.
Conclusions
Our developed catalogue of blood gene expressions profiles affected by medication can be used to support both, drug repurposing and the identification of possible off-target effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Rode
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kolja Nenoff
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kerstin Wirkner
- LIFE Research Center for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Katrin Horn
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- LIFE Research Center for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Andrej Teren
- LIFE Research Center for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Intensive Care, Klinikum Lippe, Detmold, Germany
| | - Ralf Regenthal
- Rudolf-Boehm-Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Clinical Pharmacology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Markus Loeffler
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- LIFE Research Center for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Joachim Thiery
- LIFE Research Center for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Medical Campus Kiel, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Achim Aigner
- Rudolf-Boehm-Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Clinical Pharmacology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Janne Pott
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- LIFE Research Center for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Holger Kirsten
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- LIFE Research Center for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Markus Scholz
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- LIFE Research Center for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- * E-mail:
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6
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Zhang X, Yang Z, Li X, Liu X, Wang X, Qiu T, Wang Y, Li T, Li Q. Bioinformatics Analysis Reveals Cell Cycle-Related Gene Upregulation in Ascending Aortic Tissues From Murine Models. Front Genet 2022; 13:823769. [PMID: 35356426 PMCID: PMC8959095 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.823769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD) is a high-risk aortic disease. Mouse models are usually used to explore the pathological progression of TAAD. In our studies, we performed bioinformatics analysis on a microarray dataset (GSE36778) and verified experiments to define the integrated hub genes of TAAD in three different mouse models. Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analyses, and histological and quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) experiments were used in our study. First, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, and twelve common differentially expressed genes were found. Second, genes related to the cell cycle and inflammation were enriched by using GO and PPI. We focused on filtering and validating eighteen hub genes that were upregulated. Then, expression data from human ascending aortic tissues in the GSE153434 dataset were also used to verify our findings. These results indicated that cell cycle-related genes participate in the pathological mechanism of TAAD and provide new insight into the molecular mechanisms of TAAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoping Zhang
- Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Disease, Beijing, China
| | - Zuozhen Yang
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystem Homeostasis and Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyan Li
- Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Disease, Beijing, China
| | - Xuxia Liu
- Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Disease, Beijing, China
| | - Xipeng Wang
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Qiu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yueli Wang
- Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Tongxun Li
- Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Qingle Li
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
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7
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Jin H, Mees B, Biessen EA, Sluimer JC. Transcriptional Sex Dimorphism in Human Atherosclerosis Relates to Plaque Type. Circ Res 2021; 129:1175-1177. [PMID: 34661425 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.121.320099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Han Jin
- Pathology, Maastricht University Medical Center, NETHERLANDS
| | - Barend Mees
- Vascular Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Center, NETHERLANDS
| | - Erik Al Biessen
- Pathology, Maastricht University Medical Center, NETHERLANDS
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8
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Gäbel G, Northoff BH, Balboa A, Becirovic-Agic M, Petri M, Busch A, Maegdefessel L, Mahlmann A, Ludwig S, Teupser D, de Waard V, Golledge J, Wanhainen A, Wågsäter D, Holdt LM, Lindeman JHN. Parallel Murine and Human Aortic Wall Genomics Reveals Metabolic Reprogramming as Key Driver of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Progression. J Am Heart Assoc 2021; 10:e020231. [PMID: 34420357 PMCID: PMC8649280 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.120.020231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Background While numerous interventions effectively interfered with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) formation/progression in preclinical models, none of the successes translated into clinical success. Hence, a systematic exploration of parallel and divergent processes in clinical AAA disease and its 2 primary models (the porcine pancreatic elastase and angiotensin-II infusion [AngII] murine model) was performed to identify mechanisms relevant for aneurysm disease. Methods and Results This study combines Movat staining and pathway analysis for histological and genomic comparisons between clinical disease and its models. The impact of a notable genomic signal for metabolic reprogramming was tested in a rescue trial (AngII model) evaluating the impact of 1-(4-pyridinyl)-3-(2-quinolinyl)-2-propen-1-one (PFK15)-mediated interference with main glycolytic switch PFKFB3. Histological evaluation characterized the AngII model as a dissection model that is accompanied by adventitial fibrosis. The porcine pancreatic elastase model showed a transient inflammatory response and aortic dilatation, followed by stabilization and fibrosis. Normalization of the genomic responses at day 14 confirmed the self-limiting nature of the porcine pancreatic elastase model. Clear parallel genomic responses with activated adaptive immune responses, and particularly strong signals for metabolic switching were observed in human AAA and the AngII model. Rescue intervention with the glycolysis inhibitor PFK15 in the AngII model showed that interference with the glycolytic switching quenches aneurysm formation. Conclusions Despite clear morphological contrasts, remarkable genomic parallels exist for clinical AAA disease and the AngII model. The metabolic response appears causatively involved in AAA progression and provides a novel therapeutic target. The clear transient genomic response classifies the porcine pancreatic elastase model as a disease initiation model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabor Gäbel
- Department of Vascular Surgery HELIOS Klinikum Krefeld Krefeld Germany
| | - Bernd H Northoff
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich Munich Germany
| | - Amanda Balboa
- Department of Medical Cell Biology Uppsala University Uppsala Sweden
| | | | - Marcelo Petri
- Department of Medical Cell Biology Uppsala University Uppsala Sweden
| | - Albert Busch
- Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Technical University Munich Munich Germany
| | - Lars Maegdefessel
- Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Technical University Munich Munich Germany
| | - Adrian Mahlmann
- University Centre for Vascular Medicine University Hospital Carl Gustav CarusTechnical University Dresden Dresden Germany
| | - Stefan Ludwig
- University Centre for Vascular Medicine University Hospital Carl Gustav CarusTechnical University Dresden Dresden Germany
| | - Daniel Teupser
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich Munich Germany
| | - Vivian de Waard
- Department Medical Biochemistry Amsterdam University Medical CentersAmsterdam Cardiovascular SciencesUniversity of Amsterdam Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - Jonathan Golledge
- Queensland Research Centre for Peripheral Vascular Disease College of Medicine and Dentistry James Cook University Townsville Qld. Australia
| | - Anders Wanhainen
- Department of Surgical Sciences Section of Vascular Surgery Uppsala University Uppsala Sweden
| | - Dick Wågsäter
- Department of Medical Cell Biology Uppsala University Uppsala Sweden
| | - Lesca M Holdt
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich Munich Germany
| | - Jan H N Lindeman
- Department of Vascular Surgery Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) Leiden The Netherlands
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9
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Zhong A, Ding N, Zhou Y, Yang G, Peng Z, Zhang H, Chai X. Identification of Hub Genes Associated with the Pathogenesis of Intracranial Aneurysm via Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis. Int J Gen Med 2021; 14:4039-4050. [PMID: 34354366 PMCID: PMC8331219 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s320396] [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: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND At present, the pathogenesis of intracranial aneurysms (IA) remains unclear, which significantly hinders the development of novel strategies for the clinical treatment. In this study, bioinformatics methods were used to identify the potential hub genes and pathways associated with the pathogenesis of IA. METHODS The gene expression datasets of patients with intracranial aneurysm were downloaded from the Gene Expression Database (GEO), and the different data sets were integrated by the robust rank aggregation (RRA) method to identify the differentially expressed genes between patients with intracranial aneurysm and the controls. The functional enrichment analyses of the significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were performed and the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed; thereafter, the hub genes were screened by cytoHubba plug-in of Cytoscape, and finally sequencing dataset GSE122897 was used to verify the hub genes. RESULTS The GSE15629, GSE75436, GSE26969, and GSE6551 expression profiles have been included in this study, including 34 intracranial aneurysm samples and 26 control samples. The four datasets obtained 136 significant DEGs (45 up-regulated, 91 down-regulated). Enrichment analysis showed that the extracellular matrix structural constituent and the ECM-receptor interaction were closely related to the occurrence of IA. It was finally determined that eight hub genes associated with the development of IA, including VCAN, COL1A1, COL11A1, COL5A1, COL5A2, POSTN, THBS2, and CDH2. CONCLUSION The discovery of potential hub genes and pathways could enhance the understanding of the molecular mechanisms associated with the development of IA. These hub genes may be potential therapeutic targets for the management and new biomarker for the diagnosis of IA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aifang Zhong
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
- Trauma center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ning Ding
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
- Trauma center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yang Zhou
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
- Trauma center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Guifang Yang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
- Trauma center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhenyu Peng
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
- Emergency Medicine and Difficult Disease Institute, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hongliang Zhang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
- Emergency Medicine and Difficult Disease Institute, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiangping Chai
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
- Trauma center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
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10
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Liu P, Zhang J, Du D, Zhang D, Jin Z, Qiu W, Zhou X, Dong S, Zhou M, Zhao H, Zhang W, Ma J, Sun S, Fu W, Liu Y, Wang L. Altered DNA methylation pattern reveals epigenetic regulation of Hox genes in thoracic aortic dissection and serves as a biomarker in disease diagnosis. Clin Epigenetics 2021; 13:124. [PMID: 34103071 PMCID: PMC8186232 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-021-01110-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Thoracic aortic dissection (TAD) is a severe disease with limited understandings in its pathogenesis. Altered DNA methylation has been revealed to be involved in many diseases etiology. Few studies have examined the role of DNA methylation in the development of TAD. This study explored alterations of the DNA methylation landscape in TAD and examined the potential role of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) methylation as a biomarker in TAD diagnosis. RESULTS Ascending aortic tissues from TAD patients (Stanford type A; n = 6) and healthy controls (n = 6) were first examined via whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS). While no obvious global methylation shift was observed, numerous differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were identified, with associated genes enriched in the areas of vasculature and heart development. We further confirmed the methylation and expression changes in homeobox (Hox) clusters with 10 independent samples using bisulfite pyrosequencing and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Among these, HOXA5, HOXB6 and HOXC6 were significantly down-regulated in TAD samples relative to controls. To evaluate cfDNA methylation pattern as a biomarker in TAD diagnosis, cfDNA from TAD patients (Stanford type A; n = 7) and healthy controls (n = 4) were examined by WGBS. A prediction model was built using DMRs identified previously from aortic tissues on methylation data from cfDNA. Both high sensitivity (86%) and specificity (75%) were achieved in patient classification (AUC = 0.96). CONCLUSIONS These findings showed an altered epigenetic regulation in TAD patients. This altered epigenetic regulation and subsequent altered expression of genes associated with vasculature and heart development, such as Hox family genes, may contribute to the loss of aortic integrity and TAD pathogenesis. Additionally, the cfDNA methylation in TAD was highly disease specific, which can be used as a non-invasive biomarker for disease prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiru Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Vascular Surgery Department, Zhongshan Xiamen Hospital, Fudan University, Xiamen, People's Republic of China.,Vascular Surgery Department, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.,Department of Cardiac Surgery, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Duo Du
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Dandan Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Zelin Jin
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenqing Qiu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiushi Zhou
- Vascular Surgery Department, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Shulong Dong
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengyu Zhou
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Heyu Zhao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Vascular Surgery Department, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiakang Ma
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Shaoyang Sun
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Weiguo Fu
- Vascular Surgery Department, Zhongshan Xiamen Hospital, Fudan University, Xiamen, People's Republic of China. .,Vascular Surgery Department, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yun Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. .,State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
| | - Lixin Wang
- Vascular Surgery Department, Zhongshan Xiamen Hospital, Fudan University, Xiamen, People's Republic of China. .,Vascular Surgery Department, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
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11
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Long X, You G, Wu Q, Zhou Y, Xiao Y, Yu F, Deng S, Mo R, Song F, Huang J, Tian M. HomeoboxC6 affects the apoptosis of human vascular endothelial cells and is involved in atherosclerosis. J Cell Physiol 2021; 236:1913-1925. [PMID: 32740941 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.29974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells (VECs) is highly important in the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis (AS). HomeboxC6 (HOXC6) is expressed in higher levels in multiple malignant tissues, and it influences the malignant biological behavior of the cancer cells. However, the effects of HOXC6 on AS and the apoptosis of VECs have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we demonstrated that HOXC6 expression was increased in aortic wall of AS rats and peripheral blood monocytes of patients with coronary heart disease. Furthermore, it was uncovered that BAX expression was upregulated, while BCL-2 expression was downregulated in the aortic wall of AS rats. The apoptosis of human VECs (HVECs) cultured normally or treated with oxidized low-density lipoprotein in vitro was decreased after transfection with HOXC6-siRNA. Moreover, the results of Western blot analysis unveiled that the expressions of proapoptotic proteins, such as BAX, caspase-3, cleaved-caspase-3, and caspase-9 were reduced, while the expression of antiapoptotic protein, BCL-2, was elevated. Meanwhile, mRNA and protein expressions of phospholipase C beta (PLCβ) were decreased, the phosphorylation levels of protein kinase C zeta (PKCζ) and nuclear transcription factor-κB-p65 (NF-κBp65) and the membrane translocation of PKCζ were reduced as well. Besides, the expression of interleukin-18 (IL-18) protein was downregulated. However, after overexpression of HOXC6, the opposite trends of the abovementioned indices were observed. Furthermore, the inhibition of apoptosis induced by HOXC6-siRNA was reversed by lysophosphatidylcholine, an activator of PKCζ. Taken together, our results indicated that HOXC6 can promote the apoptosis of HVECs and may be involved in the occurrence and development of AS, which may be partially associated with the activation of PLCβ/PKCζ/NF-κBp65/IL-18 signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangshu Long
- Medical College, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
- Department of Cardiology, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
- People's Hospital of Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Ganhua You
- Department of Cardiology, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
- People's Hospital of Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Qiang Wu
- Department of Cardiology, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
- People's Hospital of Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- Medical College, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
- Department of Cardiology, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Yan Xiao
- Department of Cardiology, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Fuxun Yu
- Department of Research Laboratory Center, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Shiyan Deng
- Department of Cardiology, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Rui Mo
- Department of Cardiology, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Fang Song
- Department of Cardiology, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Jing Huang
- Department of Cardiology, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Maobo Tian
- Department of Cardiology, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
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12
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Lei C, Yang D, Chen W, Kan H, Xu F, Zhang H, Wang W, Ji L, Zheng Y. The potential role of chemotaxis and the complement system in the formation and progression of thoracic aortic aneurysms inferred from the weighted gene coexpression network analysis. J Transl Med 2021; 19:49. [PMID: 33531038 PMCID: PMC7852290 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-021-02716-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) can be life-threatening due to the progressive weakening and dilatation of the aortic wall. Once the aortic wall has ruptured, no effective pharmaceutical therapies are available. However, studies on TAA at the gene expression level are limited. Our study aimed to identify the driver genes and critical pathways of TAA through gene coexpression networks. METHODS We analyzed the genetic data of TAA patients from a public database by weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA). Modules with clinical significance were identified, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were intersected with the genes in these modules. Gene Ontology and pathway enrichment analyses were performed. Finally, hub genes that might be driving factors of TAA were identified. Furthermore, we evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of these genes and analyzed the composition of immune cells using the CIBERSORT algorithm. RESULTS We identified 256 DEGs and two modules with clinical significance. The immune response, including leukocyte adhesion, mononuclear cell proliferation and T cell activation, was identified by functional enrichment analysis. CX3CR1, C3, and C3AR1 were the top 3 hub genes in the module correlated with TAA, and the areas under the curve (AUCs) by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis of all the hub genes exceeded 0.7. Finally, we found that the proportions of infiltrating immune cells in TAA and normal tissues were different, especially in terms of macrophages and natural killer (NK) cells. CONCLUSION Chemotaxis and the complement system were identified as crucial pathways in TAA, and macrophages with interactive immune cells may regulate this pathological process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuxiang Lei
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, No 1. Shuaifuyuan, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China
| | - Dan Yang
- Department of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Wenlin Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Haoxuan Kan
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, No 1. Shuaifuyuan, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China
| | - Fang Xu
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, No 1. Shuaifuyuan, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, No 1. Shuaifuyuan, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, No 1. Shuaifuyuan, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Ji
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, No 1. Shuaifuyuan, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China
| | - Yuehong Zheng
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, No 1. Shuaifuyuan, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China.
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13
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Cañes L, Martí-Pàmies I, Ballester-Servera C, Alonso J, Serrano E, Briones AM, Rodríguez C, Martínez-González J. High NOR-1 (Neuron-Derived Orphan Receptor 1) Expression Strengthens the Vascular Wall Response to Angiotensin II Leading to Aneurysm Formation in Mice. Hypertension 2020; 77:557-570. [PMID: 33356402 DOI: 10.1161/hypertensionaha.120.16078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
No drug therapy has shown to limit abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) growth or rupture, and the understanding of the disease biology is incomplete; whereby, one challenge of vascular medicine is the development of good animal models and therapies for this life-threatening condition. The nuclear receptor NOR-1 (neuron-derived orphan receptor 1) controls biological processes involved in AAA; however, whether it plays a role in this pathology is unknown. Through a gain-of-function approach we assessed the impact of NOR-1 expression on the vascular response to Ang II (angiotensin II). We used 2 mouse models that overexpress human NOR-1 in the vasculature, one of them specifically in vascular smooth muscle cells. NOR-1 transgenesis amplifies the response to Ang II enhancing vascular inflammation (production of proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and reactive oxygen species), increasing MMP (matrix metalloproteinase) activity and disturbing elastin integrity, thereby broking the resistance of C57BL/6 mice to Ang II-induced AAA. Genes encoding for proteins critically involved in AAA formation (Il [interleukin]-6, Il-1β, Cxcl2, [C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 2], Mcp-1 [monocyte chemoattractant protein 1], and Mmp2) were upregulated in aneurysmal tissues. Both animal models show a similar incidence and severity of AAA, suggesting that high expression of NOR-1 in vascular smooth muscle cell is a sufficient condition to strengthen the response to Ang II. These alterations, including AAA formation, were prevented by the MMP inhibitor doxycycline. Microarray analysis identified gene sets that could explain the susceptibility of transgenic animals to Ang II-induced aneurysms, including those related with extracellular matrix remodeling, inflammatory/immune response, sympathetic activity, and vascular smooth muscle cell differentiation. These results involve NOR-1 in AAA and validate mice overexpressing this receptor as useful experimental models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laia Cañes
- From the Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Barcelona (IIBB-CSIC), Spain (L.C., I.M.-P., C.B.-S., J.A., J.M.-G.).,CIBER de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain (L.C., I.M.-P., J.A., A.M.B., C.R., J.M.-G.).,Instituto de Investigación Biomédica Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain (L.C., I.M.-P., C.B.-S., J.A., E.S., C.R., J.M.-G.)
| | - Ingrid Martí-Pàmies
- From the Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Barcelona (IIBB-CSIC), Spain (L.C., I.M.-P., C.B.-S., J.A., J.M.-G.).,CIBER de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain (L.C., I.M.-P., J.A., A.M.B., C.R., J.M.-G.).,Instituto de Investigación Biomédica Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain (L.C., I.M.-P., C.B.-S., J.A., E.S., C.R., J.M.-G.)
| | - Carme Ballester-Servera
- From the Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Barcelona (IIBB-CSIC), Spain (L.C., I.M.-P., C.B.-S., J.A., J.M.-G.).,Instituto de Investigación Biomédica Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain (L.C., I.M.-P., C.B.-S., J.A., E.S., C.R., J.M.-G.)
| | - Judith Alonso
- From the Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Barcelona (IIBB-CSIC), Spain (L.C., I.M.-P., C.B.-S., J.A., J.M.-G.).,CIBER de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain (L.C., I.M.-P., J.A., A.M.B., C.R., J.M.-G.).,Instituto de Investigación Biomédica Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain (L.C., I.M.-P., C.B.-S., J.A., E.S., C.R., J.M.-G.)
| | - Elena Serrano
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain (L.C., I.M.-P., C.B.-S., J.A., E.S., C.R., J.M.-G.).,Institut de Recerca Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau (IRHSCSP), Barcelona, Spain (E.S., C.R.)
| | - Ana M Briones
- From the Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Barcelona (IIBB-CSIC), Spain (L.C., I.M.-P., C.B.-S., J.A., J.M.-G.).,Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Instituto de Investigación Hospital La Paz, Spain (A.M.B.)
| | - Cristina Rodríguez
- CIBER de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain (L.C., I.M.-P., J.A., A.M.B., C.R., J.M.-G.).,Instituto de Investigación Biomédica Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain (L.C., I.M.-P., C.B.-S., J.A., E.S., C.R., J.M.-G.).,Institut de Recerca Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau (IRHSCSP), Barcelona, Spain (E.S., C.R.)
| | - José Martínez-González
- From the Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Barcelona (IIBB-CSIC), Spain (L.C., I.M.-P., C.B.-S., J.A., J.M.-G.).,CIBER de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain (L.C., I.M.-P., J.A., A.M.B., C.R., J.M.-G.).,Instituto de Investigación Biomédica Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain (L.C., I.M.-P., C.B.-S., J.A., E.S., C.R., J.M.-G.)
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Malecki C, Hambly BD, Jeremy RW, Robertson EN. The Role of Inflammation and Myeloperoxidase-Related Oxidative Stress in the Pathogenesis of Genetically Triggered Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21207678. [PMID: 33081376 PMCID: PMC7590002 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21207678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetically triggered thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) are usually considered to exhibit minimal levels of inflammation. However, emerging data demonstrate that specific features of an inflammatory response can be observed in TAA, and that the extent of the inflammatory response can be correlated with the severity, in both mouse models and in human studies. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is a key mediator of the inflammatory response, via production of specific oxidative species, e.g., the hypohalous acids. Specific tissue modifications, mediated by hypohalous acids, have been documented in multiple cardiovascular pathologies, including atherosclerosis associated with coronary artery disease, abdominal aortic, and cerebral aneurysms. Similarly, data are now emerging that show the capacity of MPO-derived oxidative species to regulate mechanisms important in TAA pathogenesis, including alterations in extracellular matrix homeostasis, activation of matrix metalloproteinases, induction of endothelial dysfunction and vascular smooth muscle cell phenotypic switching, and activation of ERK1/2 signaling. The weight of evidence supports a role for inflammation in exacerbating the severity of TAA progression, expanding our understanding of the pathogenesis of TAA, identifying potential biomarkers for early detection of TAA, monitoring severity and progression, and for defining potential novel therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra Malecki
- Discipline of Pathology and Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; (B.D.H.); (R.W.J.); (E.N.R.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Brett D. Hambly
- Discipline of Pathology and Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; (B.D.H.); (R.W.J.); (E.N.R.)
| | - Richmond W. Jeremy
- Discipline of Pathology and Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; (B.D.H.); (R.W.J.); (E.N.R.)
- Cardiology Department, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - Elizabeth N. Robertson
- Discipline of Pathology and Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; (B.D.H.); (R.W.J.); (E.N.R.)
- Cardiology Department, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
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15
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Turk JR, Deaton AM, Yin J, Stolina M, Felx M, Boyd G, Bienvenu JG, Varela A, Guillot M, Holdsworth G, Wolfreys A, Dwyer D, Kumar SV, de Koning EM, Qu Y, Engwall M, Locher K, Ward LD, Glaus C, He YD, Boyce RW. Nonclinical cardiovascular safety evaluation of romosozumab, an inhibitor of sclerostin for the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women at high risk of fracture. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2020; 115:104697. [PMID: 32590049 DOI: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2020.104697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Romosozumab (EVENITY™ [romosozumab-aqqg in the US]) is a humanized monoclonal antibody that inhibits sclerostin and has been approved in several countries for the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women at high risk of fracture. Sclerostin is expressed in bone and aortic vascular smooth muscle (AVSM). Its function in AVSM is unclear but it has been proposed to inhibit vascular calcification, atheroprogression, and inflammation. An increased incidence of positively adjudicated serious cardiovascular adverse events driven by an increase in myocardial infarction and stroke was observed in romosozumab-treated subjects in a clinical trial comparing alendronate with romosozumab (ARCH; NCT01631214) but not in a placebo-controlled trial (FRAME; NCT01575834). To investigate the effects of sclerostin inhibition with sclerostin antibody on the cardiovascular system, a comprehensive nonclinical toxicology package with additional cardiovascular studies was conducted. Although pharmacodynamic effects were observed in the bone, there were no functional, morphological, or transcriptional effects on the cardiovascular system in animal models in the presence or absence of atherosclerosis. These nonclinical studies did not identify evidence that proves the association between sclerostin inhibition and adverse cardiovascular function, increased cardiovascular calcification, and atheroprogression.
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Affiliation(s)
- James R Turk
- Translational Safety and Bioanalytical Sciences, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA.
| | - Aimee M Deaton
- Translational Safety and Bioanalytical Sciences, Amgen Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jun Yin
- Genome Analysis Unit, Amgen Research, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Marina Stolina
- Cardiometabolic Disorders Research, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | - Melanie Felx
- Charles River Laboratories Montreal ULC, Senneville, QC, Canada
| | - Gabrielle Boyd
- Charles River Laboratories Montreal ULC, Senneville, QC, Canada
| | | | - Aurore Varela
- Charles River Laboratories Montreal ULC, Senneville, QC, Canada
| | - Martin Guillot
- Charles River Laboratories Montreal ULC, Senneville, QC, Canada
| | | | | | - Denise Dwyer
- Cardiometabolic Disorders Research, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | - Sheetal V Kumar
- Translational Safety and Bioanalytical Sciences, Amgen Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Emily M de Koning
- Translational Safety and Bioanalytical Sciences, Amgen Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Yusheng Qu
- Translational Safety and Bioanalytical Sciences, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | - Michael Engwall
- Translational Safety and Bioanalytical Sciences, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | - Kathrin Locher
- Translational Safety and Bioanalytical Sciences, Amgen Research, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Lucas D Ward
- Translational Safety and Bioanalytical Sciences, Amgen Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Charles Glaus
- Cardiometabolic Disorders Research, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | - Yudong D He
- Translational Safety and Bioanalytical Sciences, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA; Genome Analysis Unit, Amgen Research, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Rogely Waite Boyce
- Translational Safety and Bioanalytical Sciences, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
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16
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Abstract
Aortic aneurysms are a common vascular disease in Western populations that can involve virtually any portion of the aorta. Abdominal aortic aneurysms are much more common than thoracic aortic aneurysms and combined they account for >25 000 deaths in the United States annually. Although thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms share some common characteristics, including the gross anatomic appearance, alterations in extracellular matrix, and loss of smooth muscle cells, they are distinct diseases. In recent years, advances in genetic analysis, robust molecular tools, and increased availability of animal models have greatly enhanced our knowledge of the pathophysiology of aortic aneurysms. This review examines the various proposed cellular mechanisms responsible for aortic aneurysm formation and identifies opportunities for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymundo Alain Quintana
- From the Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine (R.A.Q., W.R.T.), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - W Robert Taylor
- From the Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine (R.A.Q., W.R.T.), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA.,Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology (W.R.T.), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA.,Division of Cardiology, Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA (W.R.T.)
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17
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Karlöf E, Seime T, Dias N, Lengquist M, Witasp A, Almqvist H, Kronqvist M, Gådin JR, Odeberg J, Maegdefessel L, Stenvinkel P, Matic LP, Hedin U. Correlation of computed tomography with carotid plaque transcriptomes associates calcification with lesion-stabilization. Atherosclerosis 2019; 288:175-185. [PMID: 31109707 DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2019.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2018] [Revised: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Unstable carotid atherosclerosis causes stroke, but methods to identify patients and lesions at risk are lacking. We recently found enrichment of genes associated with calcification in carotid plaques from asymptomatic patients. Here, we hypothesized that calcification represents a stabilising feature of plaques and investigated how macro-calcification, as estimated by computed tomography (CT), correlates with gene expression profiles in lesions. METHODS Plaque calcification was measured in pre-operative CT angiographies. Plaques were sorted into high- and low-calcified, profiled with microarrays, followed by bioinformatic analyses. Immunohistochemistry and qPCR were performed to evaluate the findings in plaques and arteries with medial calcification from chronic kidney disease patients. RESULTS Smooth muscle cell (SMC) markers were upregulated in high-calcified plaques and calcified plaques from symptomatic patients, whereas macrophage markers were downregulated. The most enriched processes in high-calcified plaques were related to SMCs and extracellular matrix (ECM) organization, while inflammation, lipid transport and chemokine signaling were repressed. These findings were confirmed in arteries with high medial calcification. Proteoglycan 4 (PRG4) was identified as the most upregulated gene in association with plaque calcification and found in the ECM, SMA+ and CD68+/TRAP + cells. CONCLUSIONS Macro-calcification in carotid lesions correlated with a transcriptional profile typical for stable plaques, with altered SMC phenotype and ECM composition and repressed inflammation. PRG4, previously not described in atherosclerosis, was enriched in the calcified ECM and localized to activated macrophages and smooth muscle-like cells. This study strengthens the notion that assessment of calcification may aid evaluation of plaque phenotype and stroke risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Karlöf
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Till Seime
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nuno Dias
- Vascular Center, Department of Vascular Surgery, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Mariette Lengquist
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Witasp
- Division of Renal Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Håkan Almqvist
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Malin Kronqvist
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jesper R Gådin
- Department of Medicine, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jacob Odeberg
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Proteomics, School of Biotechnology, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lars Maegdefessel
- Department of Medicine, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Klinikum Klinikum rechts der Isar Isar, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Peter Stenvinkel
- Division of Renal Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ljubica Perisic Matic
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Ulf Hedin
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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18
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Alebrahim D, Nayak M, Ward A, Ursomanno P, Shams R, Corsica A, Sleiman R, Fils KH, Silvestro M, Boytard L, Hadi T, Gelb B, Ramkhelawon B. Mapping Semaphorins and Netrins in the Pathogenesis of Human Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20092100. [PMID: 31035427 PMCID: PMC6539328 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20092100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Revised: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) is a complex life-threatening disease characterized by extensive extracellular matrix (ECM) fragmentation and persistent inflammation, culminating in a weakened aorta. Although evidence suggests defective canonical signaling pathways in TAA, the full spectrum of mechanisms contributing to TAA is poorly understood, therefore limiting the scope of drug-based treatment. Here, we used a sensitive RNA sequencing approach to profile the transcriptomic atlas of human TAA. Pathway analysis revealed upregulation of key matrix-degrading enzymes and inflammation coincident with the axonal guidance pathway. We uncovered their novel association with TAA and focused on the expression of Semaphorins and Netrins. Comprehensive analysis of this pathway showed that several members were differentially expressed in TAA compared to controls. Immunohistochemistry revealed that Semaphorin4D and its receptor PlexinB1, similar to Netrin-1 proteins were highly expressed in damaged areas of TAA tissues but faintly detected in the vessel wall of non-diseased sections. It should be considered that the current study is limited by its sample size and the use of internal thoracic artery as control for TAA for the sequencing dataset. Our data determines important neuronal regulators of vascular inflammatory events and suggest Netrins and Semaphorins as potential key contributors of ECM degradation in TAA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dornazsadat Alebrahim
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Mangala Nayak
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Alison Ward
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Patricia Ursomanno
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Rebecca Shams
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Annanina Corsica
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Rayan Sleiman
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Kissinger Hyppolite Fils
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Michele Silvestro
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Ludovic Boytard
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Tarik Hadi
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Bruce Gelb
- Transplant Institute, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Bhama Ramkhelawon
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA.
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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19
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Low-dose ionizing radiation exposure represses the cell cycle and protein synthesis pathways in in vitro human primary keratinocytes and U937 cell lines. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0199117. [PMID: 29912936 PMCID: PMC6005503 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2017] [Accepted: 06/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The effects of the high-dose ionizing radiation used in radiotherapy have been thoroughly demonstrated in vitro and in vivo. However, the effects of low-dose ionizing radiation (LDIR) such as computed tomography-guided biopsies and X-ray fluoroscopy on skin cells remain controversial. This study investigated the molecular effects of LDIR on the human primary keratinocytes (HPKs) and U937 cells, monocytes-like cell lines. These cells were exposed to 0.1 Gray (Gy) X-ray as LDIR. The modulation of transcription was assessed using a cDNA array, and the protein expression after LDIR exposure was investigated using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) proteomic analysis at 24 hours. These effects were confirmed by immunoblotting analysis. The direct effects of LDIR on the U937 cells and HPKs and the bystander effects of irradiated HPKs on U937 cells were also investigated. LDIR downregulated c-Myc in both U937 cells and HPKs, and upregulated the p21WAF1/CIP1 protein expression in U937 cells along with the activation of TGFβ and protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). In HPKs, LDIR downregulated the mTOR signaling with repression of S6 and 4EBP1 activation. Similar changes were observed as bystander effects of LDIR. Our findings suggest that LDIR inhibits protein synthesis and induces the cytokines activation associated with inflammation via direct and bystander effects, which might recapitulate the effects of LDIR in inflammated skin structures.
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20
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Wagenseil JE. Bio-chemo-mechanics of thoracic aortic aneurysms. CURRENT OPINION IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING 2018; 5:50-57. [PMID: 29911202 DOI: 10.1016/j.cobme.2018.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Most thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) occur in the ascending aorta. This review focuses on the unique bio-chemo-mechanical environment that makes the ascending aorta susceptible to TAA. The environment includes solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, cell phenotype, and extracellular matrix composition. Advances in solid mechanics include quantification of biaxial deformation and complex failure behavior of the TAA wall. Advances in fluid mechanics include imaging and modeling of hemodynamics that may lead to TAA formation. For cell phenotype, studies demonstrate changes in cell contractility that may serve to sense mechanical changes and transduce chemical signals. Studies on matrix defects highlight the multi-factorial nature of the disease. We conclude that future work should integrate the effects of bio-chemo-mechanical factors for improved TAA treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica E Wagenseil
- Dept. of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
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