Loss of the adaptor protein ShcA in endothelial cells protects against monocyte macrophage adhesion, LDL-oxydation, and atherosclerotic lesion formation

LncRNA PSMB8-AS1 Instigates Vascular Inflammation to Aggravate Atherosclerosis

BACKGROUND

Increasing evidence suggests that long noncoding RNAs play significant roles in vascular biology and disease development. One such long noncoding RNA, PSMB8-AS1, has been implicated in the development of tumors. Nevertheless, the precise role of PSMB8-AS1 in cardiovascular diseases, particularly atherosclerosis, has not been thoroughly elucidated. Thus, the primary aim of this investigation is to assess the influence of PSMB8-AS1 on vascular inflammation and the initiation of atherosclerosis.

METHODS

We generated PSMB8-AS1 knockin and Apoe (Apolipoprotein E) knockout mice (Apoe-/-PSMB8-AS1KI) and global Apoe and proteasome subunit-β type-9 (Psmb9) double knockout mice (Apoe-/-Psmb9-/-). To explore the roles of PSMB8-AS1 and Psmb9 in atherosclerosis, we fed the mice with a Western diet for 12 weeks.

RESULTS

Long noncoding RNA PSMB8-AS1 is significantly elevated in human atherosclerotic plaques. Strikingly, Apoe-/-PSMB8-AS1KI mice exhibited increased atherosclerosis development, plaque vulnerability, and vascular inflammation compared with Apoe-/- mice. Moreover, the levels of VCAM1 (vascular adhesion molecule 1) and ICAM1 (intracellular adhesion molecule 1) were significantly upregulated in atherosclerotic lesions and serum of Apoe-/-PSMB8-AS1KI mice. Consistently, in vitro gain- and loss-of-function studies demonstrated that PSMB8-AS1 induced monocyte/macrophage adhesion to endothelial cells and increased VCAM1 and ICAM1 levels in a PSMB9-dependent manner. Mechanistic studies revealed that PSMB8-AS1 induced PSMB9 transcription by recruiting the transcription factor NONO (non-POU domain-containing octamer-binding protein) and binding to the PSMB9 promoter. PSMB9 (proteasome subunit-β type-9) elevated VCAM1 and ICAM1 expression via the upregulation of ZEB1 (zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 1). Psmb9 deficiency decreased atherosclerotic lesion size, plaque vulnerability, and vascular inflammation in Apoe-/- mice in vivo. Importantly, endothelial overexpression of PSMB8-AS1-increased atherosclerosis and vascular inflammation were attenuated by Psmb9 knockout.

CONCLUSIONS

PSMB8-AS1 promotes vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis via the NONO/PSMB9/ZEB1 axis. Our findings support the development of new long noncoding RNA-based strategies to counteract atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

ShcA promotes chondrocyte hypertrophic commitment and osteoarthritis in mice through RunX2 nuclear translocation and YAP1 inactivation

OBJECTIVE

Chondrocyte hypertrophic differentiation, a key process in endochondral ossification, is also a feature of osteoarthritis leading to cartilage destruction. Here we investigated the role of the adaptor protein Src homology and Collagen A (ShcA) in chondrocyte differentiation and osteoarthritis.

METHODS

Mice ablated for ShcA in osteochondroprogenitor cells were generated by crossing mice carrying the Twist2-Cre transgene with ShcA^flox/flox mice. Their phenotype (n = 5 to 14 mice per group) was characterized using histology, immuno-histology and western-blot. To identify the signaling mechanisms involved, in vitro experiments were conducted on wild type and ShcA deficient chondrocytes (isolated from n = 4 to 7 littermates) and the chondroprogenitor cell line ATDC5 (n = 4 independent experiments) using western-blot, cell fractionation and confocal microscopy.

RESULTS

Deletion of ShcA decreases the hypertrophic zone of the growth plate (median between group difference -11.37% [95% confidence interval -17.34 to -8.654]), alters the endochondral ossification process, and leads to dwarfism (3 months old male mice nose-to-anus length -1.48 cm [-1.860 to -1.190]). ShcA promotes ERK1/2 activation, nuclear translocation of RunX2, the master transcription factor for chondrocyte hypertrophy, while maintaining the Runx2 inhibitor, YAP1, in its cytosolic inactive form. This leads to hypertrophic commitment and expression of markers of hypertrophy, such as Collagen X. In addition, loss of ShcA protects from age-related osteoarthritis development in mice (2 years old mice OARSI score -6.67 [-14.25 to -4.000]).

CONCLUSION

This study reveals ShcA as a new player in the control of chondrocyte hypertrophic differentiation and its deletion slows down osteoarthritis development.

Yes-Associated Protein in Atherosclerosis and Related Complications: A Potential Therapeutic Target That Requires Further Exploration

Atherosclerosis and its complications diseases remain leading causes of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, bringing a massive burden on public health worldwide. Atherosclerosis is recognized as chronic inflammation, and involves several highly correlated processes, including lipid metabolism dysfunction, endothelial cell dysfunction, inflammation, oxidative stress, vascular smooth muscle cell activation, platelet activation, thrombosis, altered matrix metabolism, and vascular remodeling. Within the past few decades, accumulating evidence has shown that the Yes-associated protein (YAP), the major effector of the Hippo pathway, can play a crucial role in pathogenesis and development of atherosclerosis. Activation of YAP-related pathways, which are induced by alerting flow pattern and matrix stiffness among others, can regulate processes including vascular endothelial cell dysfunction, monocyte infiltration, and smooth muscle cell migration, which contribute to atherosclerotic lesion formation. Further, YAP potentially modulates atherosclerotic complications such as vascular calcification and intraplaque hemorrhage, which require further investigation. Here, we summarized the relevant literature to outline current findings detailing the relationship between of YAP and atherosclerosis and highlight areas for future research.

The molecular mechanism of LRP1 in physiological vascular homeostasis and signal transduction pathways

Interactions between vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), endothelial cells (ECs), pericytes (PCs) and macrophages (MФ), the major components of blood vessels, play a crucial role in maintaining vascular structural and functional homeostasis. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor-related protein-1 (LRP1), a transmembrane receptor protein belonging to the LDL receptor family, plays multifunctional roles in maintaining endocytosis, homeostasis, and signal transduction. Accumulating evidence suggests that LRP1 modulates vascular homeostasis mainly by regulating vasoactive substances and specific intracellular signaling pathways, including the plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) signaling pathway, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) signaling pathway, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling pathway. The aim of the present review is to focus on recent advances in the discovery and mechanism of vascular homeostasis regulated by LRP1-dependent signaling pathways. These recent discoveries expand our understanding of the mechanisms controlling LRP1 as a target for studies on vascular complications.

Zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 and atherosclerosis: New insights and therapeutic potential

Zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1), an important transcription factor belonging to the ZEB family, plays a crucial role in regulating gene expression required for both normal physiological and pathological processes. Accumulating evidence has shown that ZEB1 participates in the initiation and progression of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Recent studies suggest that ZEB1 protects against atherosclerosis by regulation of endothelial cell angiogenesis, endothelial dysfunction, monocyte-endothelial cell interaction, macrophage lipid accumulation, macrophage polarization, monocyte-vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) interaction, VSMC proliferation and migration, and T cell proliferation. In this review, we summarize the recent progress of ZEB1 in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and provide insights into the prevention and treatment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Kefir peptides alleviate high-fat diet-induced atherosclerosis by attenuating macrophage accumulation and oxidative stress in ApoE knockout mice

In the past decade, the high morbidity and mortality of atherosclerotic disease have been prevalent worldwide. High-fat food consumption has been suggested to be an overarching factor for atherosclerosis incidence. This study aims to investigate the effects of kefir peptides on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE^−/−) mice. 7-week old male ApoE^−/− and normal C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into five groups (n = 8). Atherosclerotic lesion development in ApoE^−/− mice was established after fed the HFD for 12 weeks compared to standard chow diet (SCD)-fed C57BL/6 and ApoE^−/− control groups. Kefir peptides oral administration significantly improved atherosclerotic lesion development by protecting against endothelial dysfunction, decreasing oxidative stress, reducing aortic lipid deposition, attenuating macrophage accumulation, and suppressing the inflammatory immune response compared with the HFD/ApoE^−/− mock group. Moreover, the high dose of kefir peptides substantially inhibited aortic fibrosis and restored the fibrosis in the aorta root close to that observed in the C57BL/6 normal control group. Our findings show, for the first time, anti-atherosclerotic progression via kefir peptides consumption in HFD-fed ApoE^−/− mice. The profitable effects of kefir peptides provide new perspectives for its use as an anti-atherosclerotic agent in the preventive medicine.

Ficus deltoidea suppresses endothelial activation, inflammation, monocytes adhesion and oxidative stress via NF-κB and eNOS pathways in stimulated human coronary artery endothelial cells

Background

Ficus deltoidea (FD) has been shown to have antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and antioxidant properties. However, its effects on key events in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis are unknown.

Aim

To investigate the endothelial activation, inflammation, monocyte-endothelial cell binding and oxidative stress effects of four FD varieties.

Methods

Human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAEC) were incubated with different concentrations of aqueous ethanolic extracts of FD var. trengganuensis (FDT), var. kunstleri (FDK), var. deltoidea (FDD) and var. intermedia (FDI), together with LPS. Protein and gene expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), endothelial-leukocyte adhesion molecule-1 (E-selectin), interleukin-6 (IL-6), Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p50 and p65 and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) were measured using ELISA and QuantiGene plex, respectively. Adhesion of monocyte to HCAEC and formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected by Rose Bengal staining and 2′-7′-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) assay.

Results

FDK exhibited the highest inhibition of biomarkers in relation to endothelial activation and inflammation, second in reducing monocyte binding (17.3%) compared to other varieties. FDK (25.6%) was also the most potent at decreasing ROS production.

Conclusion

FD has anti-atherogenic effects, possibly mediated by NF-κB and eNOS pathways; with FDK being the most potent variety. It is potentially beneficial in mitigating atherogenesis.

lncRNA ZEB1-AS1 Mediates Oxidative Low-Density Lipoprotein-Mediated Endothelial Cells Injury by Post-transcriptional Stabilization of NOD2

Oxidized-low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) can induce injury of endothelial cells, causing atherosclerosis, which is an important initial event in several cardiovascular diseases. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as regulators of diverse biological processes, but their specific biological functions and biochemical mechanisms in ox-LDL-induced endothelial cell injury have not been well investigated. Here, we describe the initial functional analysis of a poorly characterized human lncRNA ZEB1 antisense 1 (ZEB1-AS1). We found that ox-LDL treatment could induce a decreased cell viability and an increased cell apoptosis in endothelial cells, and knockdown of ZEB1-AS1 significantly reversed this effect. Mechanistically, ox-LDL treatment could sequester p53 from binding to ZEB1-AS1 promoter region, causing transcriptional activation and upregulation of ZEB1-AS1. Moreover, enhanced ZEB1-AS1 could upregulate Nucleotide-Binding Oligomerization Domain 2 (NOD2) expression through recruiting leucine-rich pentatricopeptide repeat motif-containing protein (LRPPRC) to stabilize NOD2 mRNA. Experimental data showed that knockdown of NOD2 or LRPPRC dramatically abrogated the functional role of ZEB1-AS1 in ox-LDL-induced endothelial cell injury. In summary, we demonstrated that lncRNA ZEB1-AS1 regulates the ox-LDL-induced endothelial cell injury via an LRPPRC-dependent mRNA stabilization mechanism. Therefore, ZEB1-AS1 may serve as a multi-potency target to overcome endothelial cell injury, atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases.