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Ullah A, Razzaq A, Zhou C, Ullah N, Shehzadi S, Aziz T, Alfaifi MY, Elbehairi SEI, Iqbal H. Biological Significance of EphB4 Expression in Cancer. Curr Protein Pept Sci 2024; 25:244-255. [PMID: 37909437 DOI: 10.2174/0113892037269589231017055642] [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: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Eph receptors and their Eph receptor-interacting (ephrin) ligands comprise a vital cell communication system with several functions. In cancer cells, there was evidence of bilateral Eph receptor signaling with both tumor-suppressing and tumor-promoting actions. As a member of the Eph receptor family, EphB4 has been linked to tumor angiogenesis, growth, and metastasis, which makes it a viable and desirable target for drug development in therapeutic applications. Many investigations have been conducted over the last decade to elucidate the structure and function of EphB4 in association with its ligand ephrinB2 for its involvement in tumorigenesis. Although several EphB4-targeting drugs have been investigated, and some selective inhibitors have been evaluated in clinical trials. This article addresses the structure and function of the EphB4 receptor, analyses its possibility as an anticancer therapeutic target, and summarises knowledge of EphB4 kinase inhibitors. To summarise, EphB4 is a difficult but potential treatment option for cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asmat Ullah
- Clinical Research Institute, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou, 310014, Zhejiang, China
| | - Anam Razzaq
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Chuanzan Zhou
- Clinical Research Institute, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou, 310014, Zhejiang, China
| | - Najeeb Ullah
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA, 818 Nelson Ave, 71272, USA
| | - Somia Shehzadi
- University Institute of Medical Laboratory Technology, The University of Lahore, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Tariq Aziz
- Westlake University, School of Engineering, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310024, China
| | - Mohammad Y Alfaifi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha 9004, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Haroon Iqbal
- Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310022, China
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Crnkovic S, Rittchen S, Jandl K, Gindlhuber J, Zabini D, Mutgan AC, Valzano F, Boehm PM, Hoetzenecker K, Toller W, Veith C, Heinemann A, Schermuly RT, Olschewski A, Marsh LM, Kwapiszewska G. Divergent Roles of Ephrin-B2/EphB4 Guidance System in Pulmonary Hypertension. Hypertension 2023; 80:e17-e28. [PMID: 36519465 DOI: 10.1161/hypertensionaha.122.19479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Smooth muscle cell (SMC) expansion is one key morphological hallmark of pathologically altered vasculature and a characteristic feature of pulmonary vascular remodeling in pulmonary hypertension. Normal embryonal vessel maturation requires successful coverage of endothelial tubes with SMC, which is dependent on ephrin-B2 and EphB4 ligand-receptor guidance system. In this study, we investigated the potential role of ephrin-B2 and EphB4 on neomuscularization in adult pulmonary vascular disease. METHODS AND RESULTS Ephrin-B2 and EphB4 expression is preserved in smooth muscle and endothelial cells of remodeled pulmonary arteries. Chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension was not ameliorated in mice with SMC-specific conditional ephrin-B2 knockout. In mice with global inducible ephrin-B2 knockout, pulmonary vascular remodeling and right ventricular hypertrophy upon chronic hypoxia exposure were significantly diminished compared to hypoxic controls, while right ventricular systolic pressure was unaffected. In contrast, EphB4 receptor kinase activity inhibition reduced right ventricular systolic pressure in hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension without affecting pulmonary vascular remodeling. Genetic deletion of ephrin-B2 in murine pulmonary artery SMC, and pharmacological inhibition of EphB4 in human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells, blunted mitogen-induced cell proliferation. Loss of EphB4 signaling additionally reduced RhoA expression and weakened the interaction between human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells in a three-dimensional coculture model. CONCLUSIONS In sum, pulmonary vascular remodeling was dependent on ephrin-B2-induced Eph receptor (erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular carcinoma receptor) forward signaling in SMC, while EphB4 receptor activity was necessary for RhoA expression in SMC, interaction with endothelial cells and vasoconstrictive components of pulmonary hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Slaven Crnkovic
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Physiology, Medical University of Graz, Austria (S.C., D.Z., A.C.M., L.M.M., G.K.).,Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Vascular Research, Graz, Austria (S.C., S.R., K.J., J.G., D.Z., A.C.M., F.V., A.O., L.M.M., G.K.)
| | - Sonja Rittchen
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Pharmacology, Medical University of Graz, Austria (S.R., K.J., A.H.).,Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Immunology, Medical University of Graz, Austria (S.R.).,Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Vascular Research, Graz, Austria (S.C., S.R., K.J., J.G., D.Z., A.C.M., F.V., A.O., L.M.M., G.K.)
| | - Katharina Jandl
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Pharmacology, Medical University of Graz, Austria (S.R., K.J., A.H.).,Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Vascular Research, Graz, Austria (S.C., S.R., K.J., J.G., D.Z., A.C.M., F.V., A.O., L.M.M., G.K.)
| | - Juergen Gindlhuber
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Vascular Research, Graz, Austria (S.C., S.R., K.J., J.G., D.Z., A.C.M., F.V., A.O., L.M.M., G.K.).,Department of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Austria (J.G.)
| | - Diana Zabini
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Physiology, Medical University of Graz, Austria (S.C., D.Z., A.C.M., L.M.M., G.K.).,Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Vascular Research, Graz, Austria (S.C., S.R., K.J., J.G., D.Z., A.C.M., F.V., A.O., L.M.M., G.K.)
| | - Ayse Ceren Mutgan
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Physiology, Medical University of Graz, Austria (S.C., D.Z., A.C.M., L.M.M., G.K.).,Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Vascular Research, Graz, Austria (S.C., S.R., K.J., J.G., D.Z., A.C.M., F.V., A.O., L.M.M., G.K.)
| | - Francesco Valzano
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Vascular Research, Graz, Austria (S.C., S.R., K.J., J.G., D.Z., A.C.M., F.V., A.O., L.M.M., G.K.)
| | - Panja M Boehm
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Austria (P.M.B., K.H.)
| | - Konrad Hoetzenecker
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Austria (P.M.B., K.H.)
| | - Wolfgang Toller
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Austria (W.T., A.O.)
| | - Christine Veith
- Excellence Cluster Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), University of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Justus-Liebig-University, Germany (C.V.).,Faculty of Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Member of the German Lung Center (DZL), Germany (C.V., R.T.S.)
| | - Akos Heinemann
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Pharmacology, Medical University of Graz, Austria (S.R., K.J., A.H.)
| | - Ralph T Schermuly
- Faculty of Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Member of the German Lung Center (DZL), Germany (C.V., R.T.S.)
| | - Andrea Olschewski
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Vascular Research, Graz, Austria (S.C., S.R., K.J., J.G., D.Z., A.C.M., F.V., A.O., L.M.M., G.K.).,Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Austria (W.T., A.O.)
| | - Leigh M Marsh
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Physiology, Medical University of Graz, Austria (S.C., D.Z., A.C.M., L.M.M., G.K.).,Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Vascular Research, Graz, Austria (S.C., S.R., K.J., J.G., D.Z., A.C.M., F.V., A.O., L.M.M., G.K.)
| | - Grazyna Kwapiszewska
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Physiology, Medical University of Graz, Austria (S.C., D.Z., A.C.M., L.M.M., G.K.).,Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Vascular Research, Graz, Austria (S.C., S.R., K.J., J.G., D.Z., A.C.M., F.V., A.O., L.M.M., G.K.).,Institute for Lung Health, Member of the German Lung Center (DZL), Giessen, Germany (G.K.)
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Raus AM, Fuller TD, Nelson NE, Valientes DA, Bayat A, Ivy AS. Early-life exercise primes the murine neural epigenome to facilitate gene expression and hippocampal memory consolidation. Commun Biol 2023; 6:18. [PMID: 36611093 PMCID: PMC9825372 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04393-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Aerobic exercise is well known to promote neuroplasticity and hippocampal memory. In the developing brain, early-life exercise (ELE) can lead to persistent improvements in hippocampal function, yet molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon have not been fully explored. In this study, transgenic mice harboring the "NuTRAP" (Nuclear tagging and Translating Ribosome Affinity Purification) cassette in Emx1 expressing neurons ("Emx1-NuTRAP" mice) undergo ELE during adolescence. We then simultaneously isolate and sequence translating mRNA and nuclear chromatin from single hippocampal homogenates containing Emx1-expressing neurons. This approach allowed us to couple translatomic with epigenomic sequencing data to evaluate the influence of histone modifications H4K8ac and H3K27me3 on translating mRNA after ELE. A subset of ELE mice underwent a hippocampal learning task to determine the gene expression and epigenetic underpinnings of ELE's contribution to improved hippocampal memory performance. From this experiment, we discover gene expression - histone modification relationships that may play a critical role in facilitated memory after ELE. Our data reveal candidate gene-histone modification interactions and implicate gene regulatory pathways involved in ELE's impact on hippocampal memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony M Raus
- Physiology/Biophysics, Anatomy/Neurobiology, University of California- Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Tyson D Fuller
- Pediatrics, University of California- Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Nellie E Nelson
- Physiology/Biophysics, Anatomy/Neurobiology, University of California- Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - David A Valientes
- Pediatrics, University of California- Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Anita Bayat
- Pediatrics, University of California- Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Autumn S Ivy
- Physiology/Biophysics, Anatomy/Neurobiology, University of California- Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA. .,Pediatrics, University of California- Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA. .,Neurobiology/Behavior, University of California- Irvine School of Biological Sciences, Irvine, CA, USA. .,Anatomy/Neurobiology, University of California- Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA. .,Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital Orange County, Orange, CA, USA.
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Arthur A, Gronthos S. Eph-Ephrin Signaling Mediates Cross-Talk Within the Bone Microenvironment. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:598612. [PMID: 33634116 PMCID: PMC7902060 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.598612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Skeletal integrity is maintained through the tightly regulated bone remodeling process that occurs continuously throughout postnatal life to replace old bone and to repair skeletal damage. This is maintained primarily through complex interactions between bone resorbing osteoclasts and bone forming osteoblasts. Other elements within the bone microenvironment, including stromal, osteogenic, hematopoietic, endothelial and neural cells, also contribute to maintaining skeletal integrity. Disruption of the dynamic interactions between these diverse cellular systems can lead to poor bone health and an increased susceptibility to skeletal diseases including osteopenia, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, osteomalacia, and major fractures. Recent reports have implicated a direct role for the Eph tyrosine kinase receptors and their ephrin ligands during bone development, homeostasis and skeletal repair. These membrane-bound molecules mediate contact-dependent signaling through both the Eph receptors, termed forward signaling, and through the ephrin ligands, referred to as reverse signaling. This review will focus on Eph/ ephrin cross-talk as mediators of hematopoietic and stromal cell communication, and how these interactions contribute to blood/ bone marrow function and skeletal integrity during normal steady state or pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Arthur
- Mesenchymal Stem Cell Laboratory, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.,Precision Medicine Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Stan Gronthos
- Mesenchymal Stem Cell Laboratory, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.,Precision Medicine Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia
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Yuan C, Ni L, Zhang C, Xia H, Wu X. Ephrin B2 mediates high glucose induced endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition in human aortic endothelial cells. Cardiovasc Diagn Ther 2020; 10:778-785. [PMID: 32968633 DOI: 10.21037/cdt-20-299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Background Previous study revealed that high glucose (HG) induced endothelial cell (EC) damage via endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT). Recent studies suggested the role of Ephrin B2 in mediate ECs damage. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether Ephrin B2 mediates HG-induced EndMT in human aortic ECs (HAECs) and to determine the possible downstream signaling effector. Methods Primary HAECs were exposed to normal glucose (NG, 5.5 mM), HG (30 mM) and HG+Ephrin B2 small interfering RNA (siRNA), respectively. The pathological changes were investigated by light microscope and confocal microscopy. To study the effects of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activation on Ephrin B2 in HAECs, cells were incubated with FAK siRNA in HG group. The expression of EndMT-related markers (CD31 and FSP1), Ephrin B2 and FAK were detected by qRT-PCR and western blot. Results The results showed that HG significantly inhibited the expression of CD31 and increased FSP1 compared with NG group. Moreover, Ephrin B2 was increased after HG incubation. Ephrin B2 siRNA attenuated HG-induced expression of EndMT-related markers. Furthermore, HG increased the expression of FAK and phosphorylated FAK (pho-FAK) in HAECs. In contrast, blocking Ephrin B2 could partially attenuate HG-induced FAK activation. And FAK siRNA further inhibited the EndMT-related markers in HAECs treated with HG. Conclusions HG-induced EndMT in HAECs might be partially mediated by Ephrin B2 and the downstream FAK pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Yuan
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Lihua Ni
- Department of Nephrology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Changjiang Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.,Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan, China.,Cardiovascular Disease Center, Enshi Central Hospital, Enshi, China
| | - Hao Xia
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoyan Wu
- Department of Nephrology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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