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Li Y, Liu Y, Chang M, Mu R, Zhu J. Effect of RNAi-Mediated Survivin and Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1α Gene Silencing on Proliferation, Invasion, Migration and Apoptosis of Gastric Cancer BGC-823 Cells. Mol Biotechnol 2024; 66:1872-1882. [PMID: 37440157 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-023-00786-z] [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: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
In order to investigate the effects of RNAi-mediated survivin and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) gene silencing on the proliferation and apoptosis of gastric cancer BGC-823 cells, small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) targeting survivin and HIF-1α mRNAs, respectively, as well as scrambled siRNAs (SCRs) were designed and synthesized, namely siRNA-survivin group, siRNA-HIF-1α group, and SCR group. The hypoxia-sensitive gastric cancer BGC-823 cells were identified and transfected in vitro with Hifectin II under hypoxic conditions, and the expression of survivin and HIF-1α was assessed by RT-PCR and Western blotting assays, respectively. The ability of apoptosis, proliferation, invasion, and migration was measured, and the results showed that HIF-1α expression was significantly increased in BGC-823 cells under hypoxic conditions, and survival-targeted siRNA transfection decreased the expression of survivin under hypoxic conditions, while co-transfection of survivin-targeted siRNA and HIF-1α-targeted siRNA down-regulated both survivin and HIF-1α expression. Compared with the blank control group, the co-transfected siRNA group exhibited distinct characteristics, with decreased invasion and migration ability, increased apoptosis, and significantly decreased cell proliferation under hypoxic conditions. It was confirmed that the downregulation of survivin and HIF-1α in BGC-823 cells may induce anticancer effects by enhancing apoptosis and decreasing proliferation, migration, and invasion ability. The novelty lies in the application of RNAi technology to silence the expression of both survivin and HIF-1α genes in gastric cancer BGC-823 cells by single and combined interference in an established gastric cancer cell model and observed the mechanism of its effect on the proliferation and apoptosis of gastric cancer cells. Concerning the success of this highly active antiretroviral therapy of gene disruption therapies, which is the first of its kind in the world, we wonder whether we can find other better gene targets for more kinds of tumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yupeng Li
- Basic Medical College, Beihua University, Jilin, Jilin, China
| | - Yongchao Liu
- Basic Medical College, Beihua University, Jilin, Jilin, China
- Medical Laboratory Technology College, Beihua University, Jilin, Jilin, China
| | - Mingzhu Chang
- Basic Medical College, Beihua University, Jilin, Jilin, China
| | - Runhong Mu
- Basic Medical College, Beihua University, Jilin, Jilin, China.
| | - Jianyu Zhu
- Basic Medical College, Beihua University, Jilin, Jilin, China.
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2
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Chiang H, Chung CA. Simulation of Soluble and Bound VEGF-stimulated in vitro Capillary-like Network Formation on Deformed Substrate. PLoS Comput Biol 2024; 20:e1012281. [PMID: 39038038 PMCID: PMC11262697 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Capillary plexus cultivation is crucial in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Theoretical simulations have been conducted to supplement the expensive experimental works. However, the mechanisms connecting mechanical and chemical stimuli remained undefined, and the functions of the different VEGF forms in the culture environment were still unclear. In this paper, we developed a hybrid model for simulating short-term in vitro capillary incubations. We used the Cellular Potts model to predict individual cell migration, morphology change, and continuum mechanics to quantify biogel deformation and VEGF transport dynamics. By bridging the mechanical regulation and chemical stimulation in the model, the results showed good agreement between the predicted network topology and experiments, in which elongated cells connected, forming the network cords and round cells gathered, creating cobblestone-like aggregates. The results revealed that the capillary-like networks could develop in high integrity only when the mechanical and chemical couplings worked adequately, with the cell morphology and haptotaxis driven by the soluble and bound forms of VEGF, respectively, functioning simultaneously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsun Chiang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Ang Chung
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
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3
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Leitch IM, Gerometta M, Eichenbaum D, Finger RP, Steinle NC, Baldwin ME. Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C and D Signaling Pathways as Potential Targets for the Treatment of Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Narrative Review. Ophthalmol Ther 2024; 13:1857-1875. [PMID: 38824253 PMCID: PMC11178757 DOI: 10.1007/s40123-024-00973-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of treatments targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling pathways have traditionally been firstly investigated in oncology and then advanced into retinal disease indications. Members of the VEGF family of endogenous ligands and their respective receptors play a central role in vasculogenesis and angiogenesis during both development and physiological homeostasis. They can also play a pathogenic role in cancer and retinal diseases. Therapeutic approaches have mostly focused on targeting VEGF-A signaling; however, research has shown that VEGF-C and VEGF-D signaling pathways are also important to the disease pathogenesis of tumors and retinal diseases. This review highlights the important therapeutic advances and the remaining unmet need for improved therapies targeting additional mechanisms beyond VEGF-A. Additionally, it provides an overview of alternative VEGF-C and VEGF-D signaling involvement in both health and disease, highlighting their key contributions in the multifactorial pathophysiology of retinal disease including neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Strategies for targeting VEGF-C/-D signaling pathways will also be reviewed, with an emphasis on agents currently being developed for the treatment of nAMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian M Leitch
- Opthea Limited, 650 Chapel Street, Level 4, Melbourne, VIC, 3141, Australia.
| | - Michael Gerometta
- Opthea Limited, 650 Chapel Street, Level 4, Melbourne, VIC, 3141, Australia
| | - David Eichenbaum
- Retina Vitreous Associates of Florida, St. Petersburg, FL, 33711, USA
| | - Robert P Finger
- Department of Ophthalmology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Megan E Baldwin
- Opthea Limited, 650 Chapel Street, Level 4, Melbourne, VIC, 3141, Australia
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4
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Panara V, Varaliová Z, Wilting J, Koltowska K, Jeltsch M. The relationship between the secondary vascular system and the lymphatic vascular system in fish. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024. [PMID: 38940420 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13114] [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: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
New technologies have resulted in a better understanding of blood and lymphatic vascular heterogeneity at the cellular and molecular levels. However, we still need to learn more about the heterogeneity of the cardiovascular and lymphatic systems among different species at the anatomical and functional levels. Even the deceptively simple question of the functions of fish lymphatic vessels has yet to be conclusively answered. The most common interpretation assumes a similar dual setup of the vasculature in zebrafish and mammals: a cardiovascular circulatory system, and a lymphatic vascular system (LVS), in which the unidirectional flow is derived from surplus interstitial fluid and returned into the cardiovascular system. A competing interpretation questions the identity of the lymphatic vessels in fish as at least some of them receive their flow from arteries via specialised anastomoses, neither requiring an interstitial source for the lymphatic flow nor stipulating unidirectionality. In this alternative view, the 'fish lymphatics' are a specialised subcompartment of the cardiovascular system, called the secondary vascular system (SVS). Many of the contradictions found in the literature appear to stem from the fact that the SVS develops in part or completely from an embryonic LVS by transdifferentiation. Future research needs to establish the extent of embryonic transdifferentiation of lymphatics into SVS blood vessels. Similarly, more insight is needed into the molecular regulation of vascular development in fish. Most fish possess more than the five vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) genes and three VEGF receptor genes that we know from mice or humans, and the relative tolerance of fish to whole-genome and gene duplications could underlie the evolutionary diversification of the vasculature. This review discusses the key elements of the fish lymphatics versus the SVS and attempts to draw a picture coherent with the existing data, including phylogenetic knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Panara
- Rudbeck Laboratory, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 20, Uppsala, 751 85, Sweden
- Beijer Laboratory, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 20, Uppsala, 751 85, Sweden
- Department of Organismal Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18 A, Uppsala, 752 36, Sweden
| | - Zuzana Varaliová
- Rudbeck Laboratory, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 20, Uppsala, 751 85, Sweden
- Drug Research Program, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5E, Helsinki, 00790, Finland
| | - Jörg Wilting
- Institute of Anatomy and Embryology, University Medical School Göttingen, Kreuzbergring 36, Göttingen, 37075, Germany
| | - Katarzyna Koltowska
- Rudbeck Laboratory, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 20, Uppsala, 751 85, Sweden
- Beijer Laboratory, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 20, Uppsala, 751 85, Sweden
| | - Michael Jeltsch
- Drug Research Program, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5E, Helsinki, 00790, Finland
- Individualized Drug Therapy Research Program, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, Helsinki, 00290, Finland
- Wihuri Research Institute, Haartmaninkatu 8, Helsinki, 00290, Finland
- Helsinki One Health, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 4, Helsinki, 00014, Finland
- Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science, Yliopistonkatu 3, Helsinki, 00100, Finland
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5
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Hashem M, Mohandesi Khosroshahi E, Aliahmady M, Ghanei M, Soofi Rezaie Y, alsadat Jafari Y, rezaei F, Khodaparast eskadehi R, Kia Kojoori K, jamshidian F, Nabavi N, Rashidi M, Hasani Sadi F, Taheriazam A, Entezari M. Non-coding RNA transcripts, incredible modulators of cisplatin chemo-resistance in bladder cancer through operating a broad spectrum of cellular processes and signaling mechanism. Noncoding RNA Res 2024; 9:560-582. [PMID: 38515791 PMCID: PMC10955558 DOI: 10.1016/j.ncrna.2024.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Bladder cancer (BC) is a highly frequent neoplasm in correlation with significant rate of morbidity, mortality, and cost. The onset of BC is predominantly triggered by environmental and/or occupational exposures to carcinogens, such as tobacco. There are two distinct pathways by which BC can be developed, including non-muscle-invasive papillary tumors (NMIBC) and non-papillary (or solid) muscle-invasive tumors (MIBC). The Cancer Genome Atlas project has further recognized key genetic drivers of MIBC along with its subtypes with particular properties and therapeutic responses; nonetheless, NMIBC is the predominant BC presentation among the suffering individuals. Radical cystoprostatectomy, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy have been verified to be the common therapeutic interventions in metastatic tumors, among which chemotherapeutics are more conventionally utilized. Although multiple chemo drugs have been broadly administered for BC treatment, cisplatin is reportedly the most effective chemo drug against the corresponding malignancy. Notwithstanding, tumor recurrence is usually occurred following the consumption of cisplatin regimens, particularly due to the progression of chemo-resistant trait. In this framework, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), as abundant RNA transcripts arise from the human genome, are introduced to serve as crucial contributors to tumor expansion and cisplatin chemo-resistance in bladder neoplasm. In the current review, we first investigated the best-known ncRNAs, i.e. microRNAs (miRNAs), long ncRNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), correlated with cisplatin chemo-resistance in BC cells and tissues. We noticed that these ncRNAs could mediate the BC-related cisplatin-resistant phenotype through diverse cellular processes and signaling mechanisms, reviewed here. Eventually, diagnostic and prognostic potential of ncRNAs, as well as their therapeutic capabilities were highlighted in regard to BC management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehrdad Hashem
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elaheh Mohandesi Khosroshahi
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Melika Aliahmady
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Morvarid Ghanei
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Yasamin Soofi Rezaie
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Yasamin alsadat Jafari
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Biology, East Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh rezaei
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Biology, East Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ramtin Khodaparast eskadehi
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Biology, East Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kimia Kia Kojoori
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Biology, East Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - faranak jamshidian
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Biology, East Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Noushin Nabavi
- Department of Urologic Sciences and Vancouver Prostate Centre, University of British Columbia, V6H3Z6, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Mohsen Rashidi
- The Health of Plant and Livestock Products Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
- Department Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Farzaneh Hasani Sadi
- General Practitioner, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, 7616913555, Iran
| | - Afshin Taheriazam
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Orthopedics, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maliheh Entezari
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
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6
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Jang BI, Jung JY, Koh SA, Lee KH. The Important Role of GPX1 and NF-κB Signaling Pathway in Human Gastric Cancer: Implications for Cell Proliferation and Invasion. Cancer Genomics Proteomics 2024; 21:305-315. [PMID: 38670589 PMCID: PMC11059593 DOI: 10.21873/cgp.20449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM Glutathione peroxidases (GPXs) are crucial antioxidant enzymes, counteracting reactive oxygen species (ROS). GPX overexpression promotes proliferation and invasion in cancer cells. Glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPX1), the most abundant isoform, contributes to invasion, migration, cisplatin resistance, and proliferation in various cancers. Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-[Formula: see text]B) participates in cell proliferation, apoptosis, and tumor progression. The inhibition of NF-[Formula: see text]B expression reduces the malignancy of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. This study aimed to explore the GPX1 and NF-[Formula: see text]B signaling pathways and their correlation with gastric cancer cell proliferation and invasion. MATERIALS AND METHODS Cell culture, complementary DNA microarray analysis, western blotting, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, zymography, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, GPX1 knock-down with short hairpin RNA (shRNA), standard two-chamber invasion assay, chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. RESULTS Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) up-regulated GPX1 expression in gastric cancer cells. The NF-[Formula: see text]B inhibitor, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate down-regulated HGF-induced GPX1 protein levels. Furthermore, NF-[Formula: see text]B and urokinase-type plasminogen activators were down-regulated in GPX1-shRNA-treated cells. Treatment with an Akt pathway inhibitor (LY294002) led to the down-regulation of GPX1 and NF-[Formula: see text]B gastric cancer cells. GPX1 knockdown resulted in decreased HGF-mediated in vitro cell proliferation and invasion. The study identified the putative binding site of the GPX1 promoter containing the NF-[Formula: see text]B binding site, confirmed through chromatin immunoprecipitation. CONCLUSION HGF induced GPX1 expression through the NF-[Formula: see text]B and Akt pathways, suggesting a central role in gastric cell proliferation and invasion. Hence, GPX1 emerges as a potential therapeutic target for gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byeong Il Jang
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Yoon Jung
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Ae Koh
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung Hee Lee
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
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7
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Ceci C, Lacal PM, Barbaccia ML, Mercuri NB, Graziani G, Ledonne A. The VEGFs/VEGFRs system in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases: Pathophysiological roles and therapeutic implications. Pharmacol Res 2024; 201:107101. [PMID: 38336311 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2024.107101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
The vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) and their cognate receptors (VEGFRs), besides their well-known involvement in physiological angiogenesis/lymphangiogenesis and in diseases associated to pathological vessel formation, play multifaceted functions in the central nervous system (CNS). In addition to shaping brain development, by controlling cerebral vasculogenesis and regulating neurogenesis as well as astrocyte differentiation, the VEGFs/VEGFRs axis exerts essential functions in the adult brain both in physiological and pathological contexts. In this article, after describing the physiological VEGFs/VEGFRs functions in the CNS, we focus on the VEGFs/VEGFRs involvement in neurodegenerative diseases by reviewing the current literature on the rather complex VEGFs/VEGFRs contribution to the pathogenic mechanisms of Alzheimer's (AD) and Parkinson's (PD) diseases. Thereafter, based on the outcome of VEGFs/VEGFRs targeting in animal models of AD and PD, we discuss the factual relevance of pharmacological VEGFs/VEGFRs modulation as a novel and potential disease-modifying approach for these neurodegenerative pathologies. Specific VEGFRs targeting, aimed at selective VEGFR-1 inhibition, while preserving VEGFR-2 signal transduction, appears as a promising strategy to hit the molecular mechanisms underlying AD pathology. Moreover, therapeutic VEGFs-based approaches can be proposed for PD treatment, with the aim of fine-tuning their brain levels to amplify neurotrophic/neuroprotective effects while limiting an excessive impact on vascular permeability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Ceci
- Pharmacology Section, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Maria Luisa Barbaccia
- Pharmacology Section, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicola Biagio Mercuri
- Neurology Section, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Department of Experimental Neuroscience, Rome, Italy; Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Grazia Graziani
- Pharmacology Section, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
| | - Ada Ledonne
- Pharmacology Section, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Department of Experimental Neuroscience, Rome, Italy; Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
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8
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Bulger EA, McDevitt TC, Bruneau BG. CDX2 dose-dependently influences the gene regulatory network underlying human extraembryonic mesoderm development. Biol Open 2024; 13:bio060323. [PMID: 38451093 PMCID: PMC10979512 DOI: 10.1242/bio.060323] [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: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Loss of Cdx2 in vivo leads to stunted development of the allantois, an extraembryonic mesoderm-derived structure critical for nutrient delivery and waste removal in the early embryo. Here, we investigate how CDX2 dose-dependently influences the gene regulatory network underlying extraembryonic mesoderm development. By engineering human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) consisting of wild-type (WT), heterozygous (CDX2-Het), and homozygous null CDX2 (CDX2-KO) genotypes, differentiating these cells in a 2D gastruloid model, and subjecting these cells to single-nucleus RNA and ATAC sequencing, we identify several pathways that are dose-dependently regulated by CDX2 including VEGF and non-canonical WNT. snATAC-seq reveals that CDX2-Het cells retain a WT-like chromatin accessibility profile, suggesting accessibility alone is not sufficient to drive this variability in gene expression. Because the loss of CDX2 or TBXT phenocopy one another in vivo, we compared differentially expressed genes in our CDX2-KO to those from TBXT-KO hiPSCs differentiated in an analogous experiment. This comparison identifies several communally misregulated genes that are critical for cytoskeletal integrity and tissue permeability. Together, these results clarify how CDX2 dose-dependently regulates gene expression in the extraembryonic mesoderm and reveal pathways that may underlie the defects in vascular development and allantoic elongation seen in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily A. Bulger
- Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Todd C. McDevitt
- Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Benoit G. Bruneau
- Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Roddenberry Center for Stem Cell Biology and Medicine at Gladstone, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
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9
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Simkin J, Aloysius A, Adam M, Safaee F, Donahue RR, Biswas S, Lakhani Z, Gensel JC, Thybert D, Potter S, Seifert AW. Tissue-resident macrophages specifically express Lactotransferrin and Vegfc during ear pinna regeneration in spiny mice. Dev Cell 2024; 59:496-516.e6. [PMID: 38228141 PMCID: PMC10922778 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.12.017] [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: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
The details of how macrophages control different healing trajectories (regeneration vs. scar formation) remain poorly defined. Spiny mice (Acomys spp.) can regenerate external ear pinnae tissue, whereas lab mice (Mus musculus) form scar tissue in response to an identical injury. Here, we used this dual species system to dissect macrophage phenotypes between healing modes. We identified secreted factors from activated Acomys macrophages that induce a pro-regenerative phenotype in fibroblasts from both species. Transcriptional profiling of Acomys macrophages and subsequent in vitro tests identified VEGFC, PDGFA, and Lactotransferrin (LTF) as potential pro-regenerative modulators. Examining macrophages in vivo, we found that Acomys-resident macrophages secreted VEGFC and LTF, whereas Mus macrophages do not. Lastly, we demonstrate the requirement for VEGFC during regeneration and find that interrupting lymphangiogenesis delays blastema and new tissue formation. Together, our results demonstrate that cell-autonomous mechanisms govern how macrophages react to the same stimuli to differentially produce factors that facilitate regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Simkin
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, LSU Health-New Orleans, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
| | - Ajoy Aloysius
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
| | - Mike Adam
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Fatemeh Safaee
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
| | - Renée R Donahue
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
| | - Shishir Biswas
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
| | - Zohaib Lakhani
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, LSU Health-New Orleans, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - John C Gensel
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA; Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
| | - David Thybert
- European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Cambridge, UK
| | - Steven Potter
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Ashley W Seifert
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA; Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA.
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10
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Bulger EA, McDevitt TC, Bruneau BG. CDX2 dose-dependently influences the gene regulatory network underlying human extraembryonic mesoderm development. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.25.577277. [PMID: 38328098 PMCID: PMC10849648 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.25.577277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Proper regulation of gene dosage is critical for the development of the early embryo and the extraembryonic tissues that support it. Specifically, loss of Cdx2 in vivo leads to stunted development of the allantois, an extraembryonic mesoderm-derived structure critical for nutrient delivery and waste removal in the early embryo. In this study, we investigate how CDX2 dose-dependently influences the gene regulatory network underlying extraembryonic mesoderm development. We generate an allelic series for CDX2 in human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) consisting of WT, heterozygous, and homozygous null CDX2 genotypes, differentiate these cells in a 2D gastruloid model, and subject these cells to multiomic single nucleus RNA and ATAC sequencing. We identify several genes that CDX2 dose-dependently regulate cytoskeletal integrity and adhesiveness in the extraembryonic mesoderm population, including regulators of the VEGF, canonical WNT, and non-canonical WNT signaling pathways. Despite these dose-dependent gene expression patterns, snATAC-seq reveals that heterozygous CDX2 expression is capable of inducing a WT-like chromatin accessibility profile, suggesting accessibility is not sufficient to drive gene expression when the CDX2 dosage is reduced. Finally, because the loss of CDX2 or TBXT phenocopy one another in vivo, we compare differentially expressed genes in our CDX2 knock-out model to those from TBXT knock-out hiPSCs differentiated in an analogous experiment. This comparison identifies several communally misregulated genes that are critical for cytoskeletal integrity and tissue permeability, including ANK3 and ANGPT1. Together, these results clarify how CDX2 dose-dependently regulates gene expression in the extraembryonic mesoderm and suggest these genes may underlie the defects in vascular development and allantoic elongation seen in the absence or reduction of CDX2 in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily A. Bulger
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | - Todd C. McDevitt
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | - Benoit G. Bruneau
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA
- Roddenberry Center for Stem Cell Biology and Medicine at Gladstone, San Francisco, CA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, CA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco
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11
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Salah HM, Alvarez P. Biomarker Assessment of Lymphatic System Remodeling in Acute Heart Failure. J Card Fail 2023; 29:1639-1641. [PMID: 37315834 DOI: 10.1016/j.cardfail.2023.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Husam M Salah
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR.
| | - Paulino Alvarez
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Heart, Vascular, and Thoracic Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH; Division of Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH.
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12
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Bui TVA, Kim JJ, Huang X, Pu A, Li X, Hong SB, Choi YJ, Kim HW, Yao X, Park HJ, Ban K. Core-Shell Droplet-Based Angiogenic Patches for the Treatment of Ischemic Diseases: Ultrafast Processability, Physical Tunability, and Controlled Delivery of an Angiogenic Cocktail. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:50693-50707. [PMID: 37812574 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c09062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
The patch-based delivery system has been a promising therapeutic approach for treating various vascular diseases. However, conventional methods face several challenges, including labor-intensive and time-consuming processes associated with patch fabrication or factor incorporation, inadequate physical properties, and uncontrolled release of factors. These limitations restrict the potential applications in clinical settings. To overcome these issues, we propose a novel core-shell-shaped droplet patch system called an angiogenic patch (AP). Our system offers several distinct advantages over conventional patches. It enables a rapid and straightforward fabrication process utilizing only two biodegradable ingredients [alginate and ε-poly(l-lysine)], ensuring minimal toxicity. Moreover, the AP exhibits excellent physical integrity to match and withstand physiological mechanics and allows for customizable patch dimensions tailored to individual patients' pathological conditions. Notably, the AP enables facile loading of angiogenic cytokines during patch fabrication, allowing sustained release at a controlled rate through tunable network cross-linking. Subsequently, the AP, delivering a precisely formulated cocktail of angiogenic cytokines (VEGF, bFGF, EGF, and IGF), demonstrated significant effects on endothelial cell functions (migration and tubule formation) and survival under pathological conditions simulating ischemic injury. Likewise, in in vivo experiments using a mouse model of hindlimb ischemia, the AP encapsulating the angiogenic cocktail effectively restored blood flow following an ischemic insult, promoting muscle regeneration and preventing limb loss. With its simplicity and rapid processability, user-friendly applicability, physical tunability, and the ability to efficiently load and control the delivery of angiogenic factors, the AP holds great promise as a therapeutic means for treating patients with ischemic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thi Van Anh Bui
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Science, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong SAR
- Tung Biomedical Sciences Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Jin-Ju Kim
- Department of Biomedicine and Health Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Xin Huang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Science, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Aoyang Pu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Science, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong SAR
- Tung Biomedical Sciences Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Science, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Seok Beom Hong
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeon-Jik Choi
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University College of Medicine, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Hae-Won Kim
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea
- Department of Nanobiomedical Science and BK21 NBM Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea
- Mechanobiology Dental Medicine Research Center and College of Dentistry, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea
| | - Xi Yao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Science, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Hun-Jun Park
- Department of Biomedicine and Health Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Kiwon Ban
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Science, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong SAR
- Tung Biomedical Sciences Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong SAR
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13
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Corano Scheri K, Lavine JA, Tedeschi T, Thomson BR, Fawzi AA. Single-cell transcriptomics analysis of proliferative diabetic retinopathy fibrovascular membranes reveals AEBP1 as fibrogenesis modulator. JCI Insight 2023; 8:e172062. [PMID: 37917183 PMCID: PMC10896003 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.172062] [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: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The management of preretinal fibrovascular membranes, a devastating complication of advanced diabetic retinopathy (DR), remains challenging. We characterized the molecular profile of cell populations in these fibrovascular membranes to identify potentially new therapeutic targets. Preretinal fibrovascular membranes were surgically removed from patients and submitted for single-cell RNA-Seq (scRNA-Seq). Differential gene expression was implemented to define the transcriptomics profile of these cells and revealed the presence of endothelial, inflammatory, and stromal cells. Endothelial cell reclustering identified subclusters characterized by noncanonical transcriptomics profile and active angiogenesis. Deeper investigation of the inflammatory cells showed a subcluster of macrophages expressing proangiogenic cytokines, presumably contributing to angiogenesis. The stromal cell cluster included a pericyte-myofibroblast transdifferentiating subcluster, indicating the involvement of pericytes in fibrogenesis. Differentially expressed gene analysis showed that Adipocyte Enhancer-binding Protein 1, AEBP1, was significantly upregulated in myofibroblast clusters, suggesting that this molecule may have a role in transformation. Cell culture experiments with human retinal pericytes (HRP) in high-glucose condition confirmed the molecular transformation of pericytes toward myofibroblastic lineage. AEBP1 siRNA transfection in HRP reduced the expression of profibrotic markers in high glucose. In conclusion, AEBP1 signaling modulates pericyte-myofibroblast transformation, suggesting that targeting AEBP1 could prevent scar tissue formation in advanced DR.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Benjamin R Thomson
- Department of Ophthalmology and
- Cardiovascular and Renal Research Institute, Center for Kidney Research and Therapeutics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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14
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Li F, Lin Y, Li R, Shen X, Xiang M, Xiong G, Zhang K, Xia T, Guo J, Miao Z, Liao Y, Zhang X, Xie L. Molecular targeted therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer: current and evolving approaches. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1165666. [PMID: 37927605 PMCID: PMC10622804 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1165666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents 10% of all cancer types, making it the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. Metastasis is the primary factor causing mortality in CRC patients. Approximately 22% of CRC-related deaths have metastasis present at diagnosis, with approximately 70% of these cases recurring. Recently, with the application of novel targeted drugs, targeted therapy has become the first-line option for individualized and comprehensive treatment of CRC. The management of these patients remains a significant medical challenge. The most prevalent targeted therapies for CRC in clinical practice focus on anti-vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptor, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and multi-target kinase inhibitors. In the wake of advancements in precision diagnosis and widespread adoption of second-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, rare targets such as BRAF V600E mutation, KRAS mutation, HER2 overexpression/amplification, and MSI-H/dMMR in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) are increasingly being discovered. Simultaneously, new therapeutic drugs targeting these mutations are being actively investigated. This article reviews the progress in clinical research for developing targeted therapeutics for CRC, in light of advances in precision medicine and discovery of new molecular target drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Furong Li
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, Kunming, China
| | - Yanping Lin
- Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, Kunming, China
| | - Rong Li
- Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, Kunming, China
| | - Xin Shen
- Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, Kunming, China
| | - Mengying Xiang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, Kunming, China
| | - Guangrui Xiong
- Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, Kunming, China
| | - Ke Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, Kunming, China
| | - Tingrong Xia
- Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, Kunming, China
| | - Jiangyan Guo
- Department of Pathology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, Kunming, China
| | - Zhonghui Miao
- Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, Kunming, China
| | - Yedan Liao
- Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, Kunming, China
| | - Xuan Zhang
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, Kunming, China
| | - Lin Xie
- Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, Kunming, China
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15
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Salvador AFM, Dykstra T, Rustenhoven J, Gao W, Blackburn SM, Bhasiin K, Dong MQ, Guimarães RM, Gonuguntla S, Smirnov I, Kipnis J, Herz J. Age-dependent immune and lymphatic responses after spinal cord injury. Neuron 2023; 111:2155-2169.e9. [PMID: 37148871 PMCID: PMC10523880 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes lifelong debilitating conditions. Previous works demonstrated the essential role of the immune system in recovery after SCI. Here, we explored the temporal changes of the response after SCI in young and aged mice in order to characterize multiple immune populations within the mammalian spinal cord. We revealed substantial infiltration of myeloid cells to the spinal cord in young animals, accompanied by changes in the activation state of microglia. In contrast, both processes were blunted in aged mice. Interestingly, we discovered the formation of meningeal lymphatic structures above the lesion site, and their role has not been examined after contusive injury. Our transcriptomic data predicted lymphangiogenic signaling between myeloid cells in the spinal cord and lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) in the meninges after SCI. Together, our findings delineate how aging affects the immune response following SCI and highlight the participation of the spinal cord meninges in supporting vascular repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Francesca M Salvador
- Brain Immunology and Glia (BIG) Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Pathology and Immunology, Division of Immunobiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
| | - Taitea Dykstra
- Brain Immunology and Glia (BIG) Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Pathology and Immunology, Division of Immunobiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Justin Rustenhoven
- Brain Immunology and Glia (BIG) Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Pathology and Immunology, Division of Immunobiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
| | - Wenqing Gao
- Brain Immunology and Glia (BIG) Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Pathology and Immunology, Division of Immunobiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Susan M Blackburn
- Brain Immunology and Glia (BIG) Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Pathology and Immunology, Division of Immunobiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Kesshni Bhasiin
- Brain Immunology and Glia (BIG) Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Pathology and Immunology, Division of Immunobiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Michael Q Dong
- Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Rafaela Mano Guimarães
- Brain Immunology and Glia (BIG) Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Pathology and Immunology, Division of Immunobiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Center for Research in Inflammatory Diseases (CRID), Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14049-900, Brazil
| | - Sriharsha Gonuguntla
- Brain Immunology and Glia (BIG) Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Pathology and Immunology, Division of Immunobiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Igor Smirnov
- Brain Immunology and Glia (BIG) Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Pathology and Immunology, Division of Immunobiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Jonathan Kipnis
- Brain Immunology and Glia (BIG) Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Pathology and Immunology, Division of Immunobiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
| | - Jasmin Herz
- Brain Immunology and Glia (BIG) Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Pathology and Immunology, Division of Immunobiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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16
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Cao Y, Langer R, Ferrara N. Targeting angiogenesis in oncology, ophthalmology and beyond. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2023; 22:476-495. [PMID: 37041221 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-023-00671-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 69.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Angiogenesis is an essential process in normal development and in adult physiology, but can be disrupted in numerous diseases. The concept of targeting angiogenesis for treating diseases was proposed more than 50 years ago, and the first two drugs targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), bevacizumab and pegaptanib, were approved in 2004 for the treatment of cancer and neovascular ophthalmic diseases, respectively. Since then, nearly 20 years of clinical experience with anti-angiogenic drugs (AADs) have demonstrated the importance of this therapeutic modality for these disorders. However, there is a need to improve clinical outcomes by enhancing therapeutic efficacy, overcoming drug resistance, defining surrogate markers, combining with other drugs and developing the next generation of therapeutics. In this Review, we examine emerging new targets, the development of new drugs and challenging issues such as the mode of action of AADs and elucidating mechanisms underlying clinical benefits; we also discuss possible future directions of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihai Cao
- Department of Microbiology, Tumour and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Robert Langer
- David H Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Napoleone Ferrara
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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17
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Guzmán A, Hernández-Coronado CG, Gutiérrez CG, Rosales-Torres AM. The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) system as a key regulator of ovarian follicle angiogenesis and growth. Mol Reprod Dev 2023; 90:201-217. [PMID: 36966489 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/27/2023]
Abstract
The vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGFA) system is a complex set of proteins, with multiple isoforms and receptors, including both angiogenic (VEGFxxx, VEGFR2) and antiangiogenic members (VEGFxxxb, VEGFR1 and soluble forms of VEGFR). The members of the VEGF system affect the proliferation, survival, and migration of endothelial and nonendothelial cells and are involved in the regulation of follicular angiogenesis and development. The production of VEGF by secondary follicles stimulates preantral follicular development by directly affecting follicular cells and promoting the acquisition of the follicular vasculature and downstream antrum formation. Additionally, the pattern of expression of the components of the VEGF system may provide a proangiogenic milieu capable of triggering angiogenesis and stimulating follicular cells to promote antral follicle growth, whereas, during atresia, this milieu becomes antiangiogenic and blocks follicular development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Guzmán
- Departamento de Producción Agrícola y Animal, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Xochimilco, Distrito Federal, México
| | - Cyndi G Hernández-Coronado
- Departamento de Producción Agrícola y Animal, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Xochimilco, Distrito Federal, México
| | - Carlos G Gutiérrez
- Departamento de Reproducción, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Ana M Rosales-Torres
- Departamento de Producción Agrícola y Animal, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Xochimilco, Distrito Federal, México
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18
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Li Z, Solomonidis EG, Berkeley B, Tang MNH, Stewart KR, Perez-Vicencio D, McCracken IR, Spiroski AM, Gray GA, Barton AK, Sellers SL, Riley PR, Baker AH, Brittan M. Multi-species meta-analysis identifies transcriptional signatures associated with cardiac endothelial responses in the ischaemic heart. Cardiovasc Res 2023; 119:136-154. [PMID: 36082978 PMCID: PMC10022865 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvac151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM Myocardial infarction remains the leading cause of heart failure. The adult human heart lacks the capacity to undergo endogenous regeneration. New blood vessel growth is integral to regenerative medicine necessitating a comprehensive understanding of the pathways that regulate vascular regeneration. We sought to define the transcriptomic dynamics of coronary endothelial cells following ischaemic injuries in the developing and adult mouse and human heart and to identify new mechanistic insights and targets for cardiovascular regeneration. METHODS AND RESULTS We carried out a comprehensive meta-analysis of integrated single-cell RNA-sequencing data of coronary vascular endothelial cells from the developing and adult mouse and human heart spanning healthy and acute and chronic ischaemic cardiac disease. We identified species-conserved gene regulatory pathways aligned to endogenous neovascularization. We annotated injury-associated temporal shifts of the endothelial transcriptome and validated four genes: VEGF-C, KLF4, EGR1, and ZFP36. Moreover, we showed that ZFP36 regulates human coronary endothelial cell proliferation and defined that VEGF-C administration in vivo enhances clonal expansion of the cardiac vasculature post-myocardial infarction. Finally, we constructed a coronary endothelial cell meta-atlas, CrescENDO, to empower future in-depth research to target pathways associated with coronary neovascularization. CONCLUSION We present a high-resolution single-cell meta-atlas of healthy and injured coronary endothelial cells in the mouse and human heart, revealing a suite of novel targets with great potential to promote vascular regeneration, and providing a rich resource for therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziwen Li
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, The Queen’s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Emmanouil G Solomonidis
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, The Queen’s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Bronwyn Berkeley
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, The Queen’s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Michelle Nga Huen Tang
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, The Queen’s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Katherine Ross Stewart
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, The Queen’s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Daniel Perez-Vicencio
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, The Queen’s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Ian R McCracken
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, The Queen’s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Ana-Mishel Spiroski
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, The Queen’s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Gillian A Gray
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, The Queen’s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Anna K Barton
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, The Queen’s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Stephanie L Sellers
- Division of Cardiology, Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, Providence Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Paul R Riley
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
| | - Andrew H Baker
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, The Queen’s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
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19
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Chiang IKN, Graus MS, Kirschnick N, Davidson T, Luu W, Harwood R, Jiang K, Li B, Wong YY, Moustaqil M, Lesieur E, Skoczylas R, Kouskoff V, Kazenwadel J, Arriola‐Martinez L, Sierecki E, Gambin Y, Alitalo K, Kiefer F, Harvey NL, Francois M. The blood vasculature instructs lymphatic patterning in a SOX7-dependent manner. EMBO J 2023; 42:e109032. [PMID: 36715213 PMCID: PMC9975944 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2021109032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite a growing catalog of secreted factors critical for lymphatic network assembly, little is known about the mechanisms that modulate the expression level of these molecular cues in blood vascular endothelial cells (BECs). Here, we show that a BEC-specific transcription factor, SOX7, plays a crucial role in a non-cell-autonomous manner by modulating the transcription of angiocrine signals to pattern lymphatic vessels. While SOX7 is not expressed in lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs), the conditional loss of SOX7 function in mouse embryos causes a dysmorphic dermal lymphatic phenotype. We identify novel distant regulatory regions in mice and humans that contribute to directly repressing the transcription of a major lymphangiogenic growth factor (Vegfc) in a SOX7-dependent manner. Further, we show that SOX7 directly binds HEY1, a canonical repressor of the Notch pathway, suggesting that transcriptional repression may also be modulated by the recruitment of this protein partner at Vegfc genomic regulatory regions. Our work unveils a role for SOX7 in modulating downstream signaling events crucial for lymphatic patterning, at least in part via the transcriptional repression of VEGFC levels in the blood vascular endothelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivy K N Chiang
- The Centenary Institute, David Richmond Program for Cardio‐Vascular Research: Gene Regulation and Editing, Sydney Medical SchoolUniversity of SydneySydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Matthew S Graus
- The Centenary Institute, David Richmond Program for Cardio‐Vascular Research: Gene Regulation and Editing, Sydney Medical SchoolUniversity of SydneySydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Nils Kirschnick
- European Institute for Molecular Imaging (EIMI)University of MünsterMünsterGermany
| | - Tara Davidson
- The Centenary Institute, David Richmond Program for Cardio‐Vascular Research: Gene Regulation and Editing, Sydney Medical SchoolUniversity of SydneySydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Winnie Luu
- The Centenary Institute, David Richmond Program for Cardio‐Vascular Research: Gene Regulation and Editing, Sydney Medical SchoolUniversity of SydneySydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Richard Harwood
- Sydney Microscopy and MicroanalysisUniversity of SydneySydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Keyi Jiang
- The Centenary Institute, David Richmond Program for Cardio‐Vascular Research: Gene Regulation and Editing, Sydney Medical SchoolUniversity of SydneySydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Bitong Li
- The Centenary Institute, David Richmond Program for Cardio‐Vascular Research: Gene Regulation and Editing, Sydney Medical SchoolUniversity of SydneySydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Yew Yan Wong
- The Genome Imaging CenterThe Centenary InstituteSydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Mehdi Moustaqil
- EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science, and School of Medical SciencesUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Emmanuelle Lesieur
- Institute for Molecular BioscienceThe University of QueenslandSt. LuciaQLDAustralia
| | - Renae Skoczylas
- Institute for Molecular BioscienceThe University of QueenslandSt. LuciaQLDAustralia
| | - Valerie Kouskoff
- Division of Developmental Biology & MedicineThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Jan Kazenwadel
- Centre for Cancer BiologyUniversity of South Australia and SA PathologyAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Luis Arriola‐Martinez
- Centre for Cancer BiologyUniversity of South Australia and SA PathologyAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Emma Sierecki
- EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science, and School of Medical SciencesUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Yann Gambin
- EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science, and School of Medical SciencesUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Kari Alitalo
- Wihuri Research Institute and Translational Cancer Medicine Program, Faculty of MedicineUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Friedmann Kiefer
- European Institute for Molecular Imaging (EIMI)University of MünsterMünsterGermany
| | - Natasha L Harvey
- Centre for Cancer BiologyUniversity of South Australia and SA PathologyAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Mathias Francois
- The Centenary Institute, David Richmond Program for Cardio‐Vascular Research: Gene Regulation and Editing, Sydney Medical SchoolUniversity of SydneySydneyNSWAustralia
- The Genome Imaging CenterThe Centenary InstituteSydneyNSWAustralia
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20
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Jackson TL, Slakter J, Buyse M, Wang K, Dugel PU, Wykoff CC, Boyer DS, Gerometta M, Baldwin ME, Price CF. A randomized controlled trial of OPT-302, a VEGF-C/D inhibitor for neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Ophthalmology 2023; 130:588-597. [PMID: 36754174 DOI: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2023.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) is driven by vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF)-A, -C and -D, which promote angiogenesis and vascular permeability. Intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF-A drugs are the standard of care, but these do not inhibit VEGF-C and -D, which may explain why many patients fail to respond fully. This trial aimed to test the safety and efficacy of OPT-302, a biologic inhibitor of VEGF-C and -D, in combination with the anti-VEGF-A inhibitor ranibizumab. DESIGN Dose-ranging, phase 2b, randomized, double-masked, sham-controlled trial. PARTICIPANTS Participants with treatment-naïve nAMD were enrolled from 109 sites across Europe, Israel, and USA. METHODS Participants were randomized to six, 4-weekly, intravitreal injections of 0.5 mg OPT-302, 2.0 mg OPT-302, or sham; plus intravitreal 0.5 mg ranibizumab. OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome was mean change in Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 24 weeks. Secondary outcomes (comparing baseline to week 24) were the proportion of participants gaining or losing ≥15 ETDRS BCVA letters; area under the ETDRS BCVA over time curve; change in spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) central subfield thickness (CST); and change in intra-retinal fluid and sub-retinal fluid on SD-OCT. RESULTS Of 366 participants recruited 1st December 2017 to 30th November 2018, 122, 123 and 121 were randomized to 0.5 mg OPT-302, 2.0 mg OPT-302 or sham respectively. Mean (± standard deviation) visual acuity gain in the 2.0 mg OPT-302 group was significantly superior to sham (+14.2 ± 11.61 versus +10.8 ± 11.52 letters; p=0.01). The 0.5 mg OPT-302 group was not significantly different to sham (+9.44 ± 11.32 letters; p=0.83). Compared to sham, the secondary BCVA outcomes favored the 2.0 mg OPT-302 group, with structural outcomes favoring both OPT-302 dosage groups. Adverse events were similar across groups, with 16 (13.3%), 7 (5.6%) and 10 (8.3%) participants in the lower dose, higher dose and sham group developing at least one serious adverse event. Two unrelated deaths both occurred in the sham arm. CONCLUSIONS Significantly superior vision gain was observed with OPT-302 2.0 mg combination therapy, versus standard of care, with favorable safety (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03345082).
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy L Jackson
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Jason Slakter
- The Digital Angiographic Reading Center (DARC), New York, New York, USA
| | - Marc Buyse
- International Drug Development Institute (IDDI), Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Kun Wang
- International Drug Development Institute (IDDI), Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Pravin U Dugel
- Retinal Consultants of Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona; University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - David S Boyer
- Retina-Vitreous Associates Medical Group, Beverly Hills, California, USA
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21
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Arrigo A, Aragona E, Bandello F. VEGF-targeting drugs for the treatment of retinal neovascularization in diabetic retinopathy. Ann Med 2022; 54:1089-1111. [PMID: 35451900 PMCID: PMC9891228 DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2022.2064541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most common microangiopathic complication of diabetes mellitus, representing a major cause of visual impairment in developed countries. Proliferative DR (PDR) represents the last stage of this extremely complex retinal disease, characterized by the development of neovascularization induced by the abnormal production and release of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The term VEGF includes different isoforms; VEGF-A represents one of the most important pathogenic factors of DR. Anti-VEGF intravitreal therapies radically changed the outcome of DR, due to combined anti-angiogenic and anti-edematous activities. Nowadays, several anti-VEGF molecules exist, characterized by different pharmacological features and duration. With respect to PDR, although anti-VEGF treatments represented a fundamental step forward in the management of this dramatic complication, a big debate is present in the literature regarding the role of anti-VEGF as substitute of panretinal photocoagulation or if these two approaches may be used in combination. In the present review, we provided an update on VEGF isoforms and their role in DR pathogenesis, on current anti-VEGF molecules and emerging new drugs, and on the current management strategies of PDR. There is an overall agreement regarding the relative advantage provided by anti-VEGF, especially looking at the management of PDR patients requiring vitrectomy, with respect to laser. Based on the current data, laser approaches might be avoided when a perfectly planned anti-VEGF therapeutic strategy can be adopted. Conversely, laser treatment may have a role for those patients unable to guarantee enough compliance to anti-VEGF injections.Key messagesVEGF increased production, stimulated by retinal hypoperfusion and ischaemia, is a major pathogenic factor of neovascular complication onset in diabetic retinopathy and of DR stages progression.Nowadays, several anti-VEGF molecules are available in clinical practice and other molecules are currently under investigation. Each anti-VEGF molecule is characterized by different targets and may interact with multiple biochemical pathways within the eye.All the data agreed in considering anti-VEGF molecules as a first line choice for the management of diabetic retinopathy. Laser treatments may have a role in selected advanced cases and for those patients unable to guarantee enough compliance to intravitreal treatments schemes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Arrigo
- IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Emanuela Aragona
- IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Bandello
- IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
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22
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Yang Y, Cao Y. The impact of VEGF on cancer metastasis and systemic disease. Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 86:251-261. [PMID: 35307547 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-associated mortality and the underlying mechanisms of cancer metastasis remain elusive. Both blood and lymphatic vasculatures are essential structures for mediating distal metastasis. The vasculature plays multiple functions, including accelerating tumor growth, sustaining the tumor microenvironment, supplying growth and invasive signals, promoting metastasis, and causing cancer-associated systemic disease. VEGF is one of the key angiogenic factors in tumors and participates in the initial stage of tumor development, progression and metastasis. Consequently, VEGF and its receptor-mediated signaling pathways have become one of the most important therapeutic targets for treating various cancers. Today, anti-VEGF-based antiangiogenic drugs (AADs) are widely used in the clinic for treating different types of cancer in human patients. Despite nearly 20-year clinical experience with AADs, the impact of these drugs on cancer metastasis and systemic disease remains largely unknown. In this review article, we focus our discussion on tumor VEGF in cancer metastasis and systemic disease and mechanisms underlying AADs in clinical benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunlong Yang
- Department of Cellular and Genetic Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Yihai Cao
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Biomedicum, Karolinska Institute, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
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23
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Azzarito G, Kurmann L, Leeners B, Dubey RK. Micro-RNA193a-3p Inhibits Breast Cancer Cell Driven Growth of Vascular Endothelial Cells by Altering Secretome and Inhibiting Mitogenesis: Transcriptomic and Functional Evidence. Cells 2022; 11:cells11192967. [PMID: 36230929 PMCID: PMC9562882 DOI: 10.3390/cells11192967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) cell secretome in the tumor microenvironment (TME) facilitates neo-angiogenesis by promoting vascular endothelial cell (VEC) growth. Drugs that block BC cell growth or angiogenesis can restrict tumor growth and are of clinical relevance. Molecules that can target both BC cell and VEC growth as well as BC secretome may be more effective in treating BC. Since small non-coding microRNAs (miRs) regulate cell growth and miR193a-3p has onco-suppressor activity, we investigated whether miR193a-3p inhibits MCF-7-driven growth (proliferation, migration, capillary formation, signal transduction) of VECs. Using BC cells and VECs grown in monolayers or 3D spheroids and gene microarrays, we demonstrate that: pro-growth effects of MCF-7 and MDA-MB231 conditioned medium (CM) are lost in CM collected from MCF-7/MDA-MB231 cells pre-transfected with miR193a-3p (miR193a-CM). Moreover, miR193a-CM inhibited MAPK and Akt phosphorylation in VECs. In microarray gene expression studies, miR193a-CM upregulated 553 genes and downregulated 543 genes in VECs. Transcriptomic and pathway enrichment analysis of differentially regulated genes revealed downregulation of interferon-associated genes and pathways that induce angiogenesis and BC/tumor growth. An angiogenesis proteome array confirmed the downregulation of 20 pro-angiogenesis proteins by miR193a-CM in VECs. Additionally, in MCF-7 cells and VECs, estradiol (E2) downregulated miR193a-3p expression and induced growth. Ectopic expression of miR193a-3p abrogated the growth stimulatory effects of estradiol E2 and serum in MCF-7 cells and VECs, as well as in MCF-7 and MCF-7+VEC 3D spheroids. Immunostaining of MCF-7+VEC spheroid sections with ki67 showed miR193a-3p inhibits cell proliferation. Taken together, our findings provide first evidence that miR193a-3p abrogates MCF-7-driven growth of VECs by altering MCF-7 secretome and downregulating pro-growth interferon signals and proangiogenic proteins. Additionally, miR193a-3p inhibits serum and E2-induced growth of MCF-7, VECs, and MCF-7+VEC spheroids. In conclusion, miRNA193a-3p can potentially target/inhibit BC tumor angiogenesis via a dual mechanism: (1) altering proangiogenic BC secretome/TME and (2) inhibiting VEC growth. It may represent a therapeutic molecule to target breast tumor growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanna Azzarito
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, University Hospital Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Lisa Kurmann
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, University Hospital Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Brigitte Leeners
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, University Hospital Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Raghvendra K. Dubey
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, University Hospital Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
- Department of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
- Correspondence:
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24
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Zhang M, Zhang H, Li Z, Bai L, Wang Q, Li J, Jiang M, Xue Q, Cheng N, Zhang W, Mao D, Chen Z, Huang J, Meng G, Chen Z, Chen SJ. Functional, structural, and molecular characterizations of the leukemogenic driver MEF2D-HNRNPUL1 fusion. Blood 2022; 140:1390-1407. [PMID: 35544603 PMCID: PMC9507012 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2022016241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Recurrent MEF2D fusions with poor prognosis have been identified in B-cell precursor ALL (BCP-ALL). The molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenic function of MEF2D fusions are poorly understood. Here, we show that MEF2D-HNRNPUL1 (MH) knock-in mice developed a progressive disease from impaired B-cell development at the pre-pro-B stage to pre-leukemia over 10 to 12 months. When cooperating with NRASG12D, MH drove an outbreak of BCP-ALL, with a more aggressive phenotype than the NRASG12D-induced leukemia. RNA-sequencing identified key networks involved in disease mechanisms. In chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing experiments, MH acquired increased chromatin-binding ability, mostly through MEF2D-responsive element (MRE) motifs in target genes, compared with wild-type MEF2D. Using X-ray crystallography, the MEF2D-MRE complex was characterized in atomic resolution, whereas disrupting the MH-DNA interaction alleviated the aberrant target gene expression and the B-cell differentiation arrest. The C-terminal moiety (HNRNPUL1 part) of MH was proven to contribute to the fusion protein's trans-regulatory activity, cofactor recruitment, and homodimerization. Furthermore, targeting MH-driven transactivation of the HDAC family by using the histone deacetylase inhibitor panobinostat in combination with chemotherapy improved the overall survival of MH/NRASG12D BCP-ALL mice. Altogether, these results not only highlight MH as an important driver in leukemogenesis but also provoke targeted intervention against BCP-ALL with MEF2D fusions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Zhang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhihui Li
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Bai
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qianqian Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianfeng Li
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Minghao Jiang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qing Xue
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Nuo Cheng
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Weina Zhang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dongdong Mao
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhiming Chen
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jinyan Huang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guoyu Meng
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhu Chen
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Sai-Juan Chen
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, China
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25
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El-Sammak H, Yang B, Guenther S, Chen W, Marín-Juez R, Stainier DY. A Vegfc-Emilin2a-Cxcl8a Signaling Axis Required for Zebrafish Cardiac Regeneration. Circ Res 2022; 130:1014-1029. [PMID: 35264012 PMCID: PMC8976759 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.121.319929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ischemic heart disease following the obstruction of coronary vessels leads to the death of cardiac tissue and the formation of a fibrotic scar. In contrast to adult mammals, zebrafish can regenerate their heart after injury, enabling the study of the underlying mechanisms. One of the earliest responses following cardiac injury in adult zebrafish is coronary revascularization. Defects in this process lead to impaired cardiomyocyte repopulation and scarring. Hence, identifying and investigating factors that promote coronary revascularization holds great therapeutic potential. METHODS We used wholemount imaging, immunohistochemistry and histology to assess various aspects of zebrafish cardiac regeneration. Deep transcriptomic analysis allowed us to identify targets and potential effectors of Vegfc (vascular endothelial growth factor C) signaling. We used newly generated loss- and gain-of-function genetic tools to investigate the role of Emilin2a (elastin microfibril interfacer 2a) and Cxcl8a (chemokine (C-X-C) motif ligand 8a)-Cxcr1 (chemokine (C-X-C) motif receptor 1) signaling in cardiac regeneration. RESULTS We first show that regenerating coronary endothelial cells upregulate vegfc upon cardiac injury in adult zebrafish and that Vegfc signaling is required for their proliferation during regeneration. Notably, blocking Vegfc signaling also significantly reduces cardiomyocyte dedifferentiation and proliferation. Using transcriptomic analyses, we identified emilin2a as a target of Vegfc signaling and found that manipulation of emilin2a expression can modulate coronary revascularization as well as cardiomyocyte proliferation. Mechanistically, Emilin2a induces the expression of the chemokine gene cxcl8a in epicardium-derived cells, while cxcr1, the Cxcl8a receptor gene, is expressed in coronary endothelial cells. We further show that Cxcl8a-Cxcr1 signaling is also required for coronary endothelial cell proliferation during cardiac regeneration. CONCLUSIONS These data show that after cardiac injury, coronary endothelial cells upregulate vegfc to promote coronary network reestablishment and cardiac regeneration. Mechanistically, Vegfc signaling upregulates epicardial emilin2a and cxcl8a expression to promote cardiac regeneration. These studies aid in understanding the mechanisms underlying coronary revascularization in zebrafish, with potential therapeutic implications to enhance revascularization and regeneration in injured human hearts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadil El-Sammak
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Ludwigstrasse 43, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) Partner Site Rhine-Main, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Bingyuan Yang
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Stefan Guenther
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) Partner Site Rhine-Main, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute, Frankfurt, Germany
- Bioinformatics and Deep Sequencing Platform, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Ludwigstrasse 43, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Wenbiao Chen
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Rubén Marín-Juez
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Ludwigstrasse 43, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) Partner Site Rhine-Main, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Current address: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine Research Center, 3175 Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, H3T 1C5 Montréal, QC, Canada, Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, University of Montreal, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Didier Y.R. Stainier
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Ludwigstrasse 43, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) Partner Site Rhine-Main, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Cardio-Pulmonary Institute, Frankfurt, Germany
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26
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Peng D, Ando K, Hußmann M, Gloger M, Skoczylas R, Mochizuki N, Betsholtz C, Fukuhara S, Schulte-Merker S, Lawson ND, Koltowska K. Proper migration of lymphatic endothelial cells requires survival and guidance cues from arterial mural cells. eLife 2022; 11:e74094. [PMID: 35316177 PMCID: PMC9042226 DOI: 10.7554/elife.74094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The migration of lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) is key for the development of the complex and vast lymphatic vascular network that pervades most tissues in an organism. In zebrafish, arterial intersegmental vessels together with chemokines have been shown to promote lymphatic cell migration from the horizontal myoseptum (HM). We observed that emergence of mural cells around the intersegmental arteries coincides with lymphatic departure from HM which raised the possibility that arterial mural cells promote LEC migration. Our live imaging and cell ablation experiments revealed that LECs migrate slower and fail to establish the lymphatic vascular network in the absence of arterial mural cells. We determined that mural cells are a source for the C-X-C motif chemokine 12 (Cxcl12a and Cxcl12b), vascular endothelial growth factor C (Vegfc) and collagen and calcium-binding EGF domain-containing protein 1 (Ccbe1). We showed that chemokine and growth factor signalling function cooperatively to induce robust LEC migration. Specifically, Vegfc-Vegfr3 signalling, but not chemokines, induces extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation in LECs, and has an additional pro-survival role in LECs during the migration. Together, the identification of mural cells as a source for signals that guide LEC migration and survival will be important in the future design for rebuilding lymphatic vessels in disease contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Peng
- Uppsala University, Immunology Genetics and PathologyUppsalaSweden
| | - Koji Ando
- Department of Molecular Pathophysiology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, Nippon Medical SchoolTokyoJapan
| | - Melina Hußmann
- Institute of Cardiovascular Organogenesis and Regeneration, Faculty of Medicine, WWU MünsterMünsterGermany
| | - Marleen Gloger
- Uppsala University, Immunology Genetics and PathologyUppsalaSweden
| | - Renae Skoczylas
- Uppsala University, Immunology Genetics and PathologyUppsalaSweden
| | - Naoki Mochizuki
- Department of Cell Biology, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Research InstituteSuitaJapan
| | - Christer Betsholtz
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
- Department of Medicine Huddinge (MedH), Karolinska Institutet, Campus FlemingsbergHuddingeSweden
| | - Shigetomo Fukuhara
- Department of Molecular Pathophysiology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, Nippon Medical SchoolTokyoJapan
| | - Stefan Schulte-Merker
- Institute of Cardiovascular Organogenesis and Regeneration, Faculty of Medicine, WWU MünsterMünsterGermany
| | - Nathan D Lawson
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical SchoolWorcesterUnited States
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Wysmołek ME, Długosz E, Wiśniewski M. The Immunological Role of Vascular and Lymphatic Endothelial Cells in Filarial Infections. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12040426. [PMID: 35203133 PMCID: PMC8868237 DOI: 10.3390/ani12040426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The endothelium is a monolayer of cells forming a thin membrane that lines the inside of blood vessels. These cells release molecules that regulate vascular relaxation, contraction, and can control blood clotting and the immune response. During infections with filarial nematodes, common parasites of humans and animals, the endothelium is believed to play a key role in the communication between the host and the parasite, since the embryonic stage of filaroids is distributed in the bloodstream. Therefore, this review aims to gather research from different scientists in order to better understand the host immune response in infections with filarial nematodes. Abstract The embryonic stage of filarial nematodes, or microfilariae (Mf), shows daily and seasonal periodicity that requires their migration through blood vessels into the lungs, where they are sequestered when not circulating in the peripheral blood. Therefore, Mf and the host endothelium are likely in a permanent state of hide and seek. Interestingly, filarial nematodes co-cultured in media with a murine endothelial cell line survive eight times longer than those cultured in media alone. This suggests that the endothelium is an important element of the immune response in filarial nematodes, perversely promoting their survival in the host. In this review, we will focus on potential pathways involved in the relationship between filarial nematodes and the host endothelium, including the role of endothelial ICAM/VCAM/PECAM adhesion molecules, surface markers involved in the passage of Mf through host tissue, anti-thrombolic effects caused by the presence of filarial nematodes (including plasmins), endothelial cell proliferation (VEGF), and other aspects of the immune activation of the endothelium. The aim of this review is to merge the knowledge about the cross-talk between Mf of different filarial nematode species and endothelial cells (EC), thus allowing a better understanding of the mechanism of these parasitic infections.
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Hasmad HN, Bt Hj Idrus R, Sulaiman N, Lokanathan Y. Electrospun Fiber-Coated Human Amniotic Membrane: A Potential Angioinductive Scaffold for Ischemic Tissue Repair. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031743. [PMID: 35163664 PMCID: PMC8836161 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiac patch implantation helps maximize the paracrine function of grafted cells and serves as a reservoir of soluble proangiogenic factors required for the neovascularization of infarcted hearts. We have previously fabricated a cardiac patch, EF-HAM, composed of a human amniotic membrane (HAM) coated with aligned PLGA electrospun fibers (EF). In this study, we aimed to evaluate the biocompatibility and angiogenic effects of EF-HAM scaffolds with varying fiber thicknesses on the paracrine behavior of skeletal muscle cells (SkM). Conditioned media (CM) obtained from SkM-seeded HAM and EF-HAM scaffolds were subjected to multiplex analysis of angiogenic factors and tested on HUVECs for endothelial cell viability, migration, and tube formation analyses. All three different groups of EF-HAM scaffolds demonstrated excellent biocompatibility with SkM. CM derived from SkM-seeded EF-HAM 7 min scaffolds contained significantly elevated levels of proangiogenic factors, including angiopoietin-1, IL-8, and VEGF-C compared to plain CM, which was obtained from SkM cultured on the plain surface. CM obtained from all SkM-seeded EF-HAM scaffolds significantly increased the viability of HUVECs compared to plain CM after five days of culture. However, only EF-HAM 7 min CM induced a higher migration capacity in HUVECs and formed a longer and more elaborate capillary-like network on Matrigel compared with plain CM. Surface roughness and wettability of EF-HAM 7 min scaffolds might have influenced the proportion of skeletal myoblasts and fibroblasts growing on the scaffolds and subsequently potentiated the angiogenic paracrine function of SkM. This study demonstrated the angioinductive properties of EF-HAM composite scaffold and its potential applications in the repair and regeneration of ischemic tissues.
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Kennedy DC, Coen B, Wheatley AM, McCullagh KJA. Microvascular Experimentation in the Chick Chorioallantoic Membrane as a Model for Screening Angiogenic Agents including from Gene-Modified Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 23:452. [PMID: 35008876 PMCID: PMC8745510 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23010452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay model of angiogenesis has been highlighted as a relatively quick, low cost and effective model for the study of pro-angiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors. The chick CAM is a highly vascularised extraembryonic membrane which functions for gas exchange, nutrient exchange and waste removal for the growing chick embryo. It is beneficial as it can function as a treatment screening tool, which bridges the gap between cell based in vitro studies and in vivo animal experimentation. In this review, we explore the benefits and drawbacks of the CAM assay to study microcirculation, by the investigation of each distinct stage of the CAM assay procedure, including cultivation techniques, treatment applications and methods of determining an angiogenic response using this assay. We detail the angiogenic effect of treatments, including drugs, metabolites, genes and cells used in conjunction with the CAM assay, while also highlighting the testing of genetically modified cells. We also present a detailed exploration of the advantages and limitations of different CAM analysis techniques, including visual assessment, histological and molecular analysis along with vascular casting methods and live blood flow observations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Antony M. Wheatley
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Human Biology Building, National University of Ireland, H91 W5P7 Galway, Ireland; (D.C.K.); (B.C.)
| | - Karl J. A. McCullagh
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Human Biology Building, National University of Ireland, H91 W5P7 Galway, Ireland; (D.C.K.); (B.C.)
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Abstract
Cardiac lymphatics have emerged as a therapeutic target in cardiovascular diseases to limit myocardial edema and inflammation, notably after myocardial infarction (MI). While most experimental therapeutic approaches have focused on vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) delivery, it remains uncertain to what degree the beneficial cardiac effects are related to lymphatic expansion in the heart. In this issue of the JCI, Keller, Lim, et al. reexamined the acute functional impact of endogenous cardiac lymphangiogenesis in the infarct zone after MI in mice. Their data, obtained by elegant comparisons of several complementary genetic mouse models, indicate that infarct expansion and left ventricular dilation and function after MI are unaffected by infarct lymphangiogenesis. This Commentary places the results into the context of previous findings. We believe these data will help further advance the research field of cardiac lymphatics to guide better clinical translation and benefit patients with ischemic heart disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ebba Bråkenhielm
- Normandy University, UniRouen, Inserm (Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale) UMR1096 (EnVI Laboratory), FHU CARNAVAL, Rouen, France
| | - Yuguo Chen
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine of Shandong University, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Yihai Cao
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Biomedicum, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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31
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O'Donovan C, Davern M, Donlon NE, Lysaght J, Conroy MJ. Chemokine-targeted therapies: An opportunity to remodel immune profiles in gastro-oesophageal tumours. Cancer Lett 2021; 521:224-236. [PMID: 34506844 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2021.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapies are transforming outcomes for many cancer patients and are quickly becoming the fourth pillar of cancer therapy. However, their efficacy of only ∼25% in gastro-oesophageal cancer has been disappointing. This is attributed to factors such as insufficient patient stratification and the pro-tumourigenic immune landscape of gastro-oesophageal tumours. The chemokine profiles of solid tumours and the availability of effector immune cells greatly influence the immune infiltrate, producing 'cold' or 'immune-excluded' tumours in which immunotherapies are unable to reinvigorate the immune response. Other biological functions for chemokines have emerged, such as promoting cell survival, polarising T cell responses, and supporting several hallmarks of cancer. Therefore, chemokine networks may be exploited with therapeutic intent to mobilise and polarise anti-tumour immune cells, with further utility as combination treatments to augment the efficacy of current cancer immunotherapies. Few studies have demonstrated the clinical benefit of chemokine-targeted therapies as monotherapies, and this review proposes their consideration as combination treatments. Herein, we explore the anti-tumour and pro-tumour implications of chemokine signalling in gastro-oesophageal cancer and discuss their value as prognostic and predictive biomarkers in response to treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cillian O'Donovan
- Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Group, Department of Surgery, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, St. James's Hospital Campus, Dublin 8, Ireland
| | - Maria Davern
- Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Group, Department of Surgery, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, St. James's Hospital Campus, Dublin 8, Ireland
| | - Noel E Donlon
- Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Group, Department of Surgery, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, St. James's Hospital Campus, Dublin 8, Ireland
| | - Joanne Lysaght
- Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Group, Department of Surgery, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, St. James's Hospital Campus, Dublin 8, Ireland
| | - Melissa J Conroy
- Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Group, Department of Surgery, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, St. James's Hospital Campus, Dublin 8, Ireland; Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.
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Kaur K, Hadas Y, Kurian AA, Żak MM, Yoo J, Mahmood A, Girard H, Komargodski R, Io T, Santini MP, Sultana N, Kabir Sharkar MT, Magadum A, Fargnoli A, Yoon S, Chepurko E, Chepurko V, Eliyahu E, Pinto D, Lebeche D, Kovacic JC, Hajjar RJ, Rafii S, Zangi L. Direct Reprogramming Induces Vascular Regeneration Post Muscle Ischemic Injury. Mol Ther 2021; 29:3042-3058. [PMID: 34332145 PMCID: PMC8531157 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2021.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Reprogramming non-cardiomyocytes (non-CMs) into cardiomyocyte (CM)-like cells is a promising strategy for cardiac regeneration in conditions such as ischemic heart disease. Here, we used a modified mRNA (modRNA) gene delivery platform to deliver a cocktail, termed 7G-modRNA, of four cardiac-reprogramming genes—Gata4 (G), Mef2c (M), Tbx5 (T), and Hand2 (H)—together with three reprogramming-helper genes—dominant-negative (DN)-TGFβ, DN-Wnt8a, and acid ceramidase (AC)—to induce CM-like cells. We showed that 7G-modRNA reprogrammed 57% of CM-like cells in vitro. Through a lineage-tracing model, we determined that delivering the 7G-modRNA cocktail at the time of myocardial infarction reprogrammed ∼25% of CM-like cells in the scar area and significantly improved cardiac function, scar size, long-term survival, and capillary density. Mechanistically, we determined that while 7G-modRNA cannot create de novo beating CMs in vitro or in vivo, it can significantly upregulate pro-angiogenic mesenchymal stromal cells markers and transcription factors. We also demonstrated that our 7G-modRNA cocktail leads to neovascularization in ischemic-limb injury, indicating CM-like cells importance in other organs besides the heart. modRNA is currently being used around the globe for vaccination against COVID-19, and this study proves this is a safe, highly efficient gene delivery approach with therapeutic potential to treat ischemic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keerat Kaur
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029
| | - Yoav Hadas
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029
| | - Ann Anu Kurian
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029
| | - Magdalena M Żak
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029
| | - Jimeen Yoo
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029
| | - Asharee Mahmood
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029
| | - Hanna Girard
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029
| | - Rinat Komargodski
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029
| | - Toshiro Io
- Research Department, Ono Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Osaka, Japan, 103-0023
| | - Maria Paola Santini
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029
| | - Nishat Sultana
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029
| | - Mohammad Tofael Kabir Sharkar
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029
| | - Ajit Magadum
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029
| | - Anthony Fargnoli
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029
| | - Seonghun Yoon
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029
| | - Elena Chepurko
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029
| | - Vadim Chepurko
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029
| | - Efrat Eliyahu
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Multiscale Biology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029
| | - Dalila Pinto
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; The Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029
| | - Djamel Lebeche
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029
| | - Jason C Kovacic
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029
| | - Roger J Hajjar
- Phospholamban Foundation, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 1775 ZH
| | - Shahin Rafii
- Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029
| | - Lior Zangi
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029; Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA, 10029.
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Szőke D, Kovács G, Kemecsei É, Bálint L, Szoták-Ajtay K, Aradi P, Styevkóné Dinnyés A, Mui BL, Tam YK, Madden TD, Karikó K, Kataru RP, Hope MJ, Weissman D, Mehrara BJ, Pardi N, Jakus Z. Nucleoside-modified VEGFC mRNA induces organ-specific lymphatic growth and reverses experimental lymphedema. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3460. [PMID: 34103491 PMCID: PMC8187400 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23546-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Lack or dysfunction of the lymphatics leads to secondary lymphedema formation that seriously reduces the function of the affected organs and results in degradation of quality of life. Currently, there is no definitive treatment option for lymphedema. Here, we utilized nucleoside-modified mRNA encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) encoding murine Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C (VEGFC) to stimulate lymphatic growth and function and reduce experimental lymphedema in mouse models. We demonstrated that administration of a single low-dose of VEGFC mRNA-LNPs induced durable, organ-specific lymphatic growth and formation of a functional lymphatic network. Importantly, VEGFC mRNA-LNP treatment reversed experimental lymphedema by restoring lymphatic function without inducing any obvious adverse events. Collectively, we present a novel application of the nucleoside-modified mRNA-LNP platform, describe a model for identifying the organ-specific physiological and pathophysiological roles of the lymphatics, and propose an efficient and safe treatment option that may serve as a novel therapeutic tool to reduce lymphedema.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dániel Szőke
- Department of Physiology, Semmelweis University School of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-SE "Lendület" Lymphatic Physiology Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gábor Kovács
- Department of Physiology, Semmelweis University School of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-SE "Lendület" Lymphatic Physiology Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Éva Kemecsei
- Department of Physiology, Semmelweis University School of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-SE "Lendület" Lymphatic Physiology Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - László Bálint
- Department of Physiology, Semmelweis University School of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-SE "Lendület" Lymphatic Physiology Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Kitti Szoták-Ajtay
- Department of Physiology, Semmelweis University School of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-SE "Lendület" Lymphatic Physiology Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Petra Aradi
- Department of Physiology, Semmelweis University School of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-SE "Lendület" Lymphatic Physiology Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Andrea Styevkóné Dinnyés
- Department of Physiology, Semmelweis University School of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-SE "Lendület" Lymphatic Physiology Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Ying K Tam
- Acuitas Therapeutics, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | | | - Raghu P Kataru
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Drew Weissman
- University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Babak J Mehrara
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Norbert Pardi
- University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Zoltán Jakus
- Department of Physiology, Semmelweis University School of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary.
- MTA-SE "Lendület" Lymphatic Physiology Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
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Wang S, Lu H, Wang L, Zou J, Zhang R. Rapid Determination of Serum Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) by a Fluorescence Immunochromatographic Assay. ANAL LETT 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/00032719.2020.1798455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Wang
- School of Life Sciences and Biopharmaceutical, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Hao Lu
- R&D center, Beijing JPJX Biomed Company, Beijing, China
- R&D center, Beijing JPGS Biotech Company, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Wang
- R&D center, Beijing JPJX Biomed Company, Beijing, China
- R&D center, Beijing JPGS Biotech Company, Beijing, China
| | - Jianping Zou
- R&D center, Beijing JPJX Biomed Company, Beijing, China
- R&D center, Beijing JPGS Biotech Company, Beijing, China
| | - Rong Zhang
- School of Life Sciences and Biopharmaceutical, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
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Duan W, Jin Y, Cui Y, Xi F, Liu X, Wo F, Wu J. A co-delivery platform for synergistic promotion of angiogenesis based on biodegradable, therapeutic and self-reporting luminescent porous silicon microparticles. Biomaterials 2021; 272:120772. [PMID: 33838529 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2021.120772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Insufficient angiogenesis happened in body defects such as ulceration, coronary heart disease, and chronic wounds constitutes a major challenge in tissue regeneration engineering. Owing to the poor bioactivity and maintenance of pro-angiogenic cells and factors during transplantation, new bioactive materials to tackle the barrier are highly desirable. Herein, we demonstrate a co-delivery platform for synergistic promotion of angiogenesis based on biodegradable, therapeutic, and self-reporting luminescent porous silicon (PSi) microparticles. The biodegradable and biocompatible PSi microparticles could quickly release therapeutic Si ions, which is bioactive to promote cell migration, tube formation, and angiogenic gene expression in vitro. To construct a highly efficient angiogenesis treatment platform, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was electrostatically adsorbed by PSi microparticles for effective drug loading and delivery. The dual therapeutic components (Si ions and VEGF) could release with the dissolution of Si skeleton, accompanying by the decay of photoluminescence (PL) intensity and blue shift of the maximum PL wavelength. Therefore, real-time drug release could be self-reported and assessed with the two-dimensional PL signal. The co-delivery of Si ions and VEGF displayed synergistic effect and highly efficient angiogenesis, which was evidenced by the enhancement of endothelial cell migration and tube formation in vitro with approximately 1.5-5 times higher than control. The blood vessel formation in vivo was also significantly improved as shown by the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model, in which the total length, size and junctions exhibited 2.1 ± 0.4, 4 ± 0.4, and 3.9 ± 0.3 times in comparison to control, respectively. The PSi and VEGF co-delivery system display great potential in tissue engineering as a biodegradable and self-reporting theranostic platform to promote angiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Duan
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yao Jin
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yaoxuan Cui
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Fengna Xi
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018, China
| | - Xingyue Liu
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Fangjie Wo
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Jianmin Wu
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
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36
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Kong D, Zhou H, Neelakantan D, Hughes CJ, Hsu JY, Srinivasan RR, Lewis MT, Ford HL. VEGF-C mediates tumor growth and metastasis through promoting EMT-epithelial breast cancer cell crosstalk. Oncogene 2021; 40:964-979. [PMID: 33299122 PMCID: PMC7867573 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-020-01539-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
It is well established that a subset of cells within primary breast cancers can undergo an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), although the role of EMT in metastasis remains controversial. We previously demonstrated that breast cancer cells that had undergone an oncogenic EMT could increase metastasis of neighboring cancer cells via non-canonical paracrine-mediated activation of GLI activity that is dependent on SIX1 expression in the EMT cancer cells. However, the mechanism by which these SIX1-expressing EMT cells activate GLI signaling remained unclear. In this study, we demonstrate a novel mechanism for activation of GLI-mediated signaling in epithelial breast tumor cells via EMT cell-induced production and secretion of VEGF-C. We show that VEGF-C, secreted by breast cancer cells that have undergone an EMT, promotes paracrine-mediated increases in proliferation, migration, and invasion of epithelial breast cancer cells, via non-canonical activation of GLI-signaling. We further show that the aggressive phenotypes, including metastasis, imparted by EMT cells on adjacent epithelial cancer cells can be disrupted by either inhibiting VEGF-C in EMT cells or by knocking down NRP2, a receptor which interacts with VEGF-C, in neighboring epithelial cancer cells. Interrogation of TCGA and GEO public datasets supports the relevance of this pathway in human breast cancer, demonstrating that VEGF-C strongly correlates with activation of Hedgehog signaling and EMT in the human disease. Our study suggests that the VEGF-C/NRP2/GLI axis is a novel and conserved paracrine means by which EMT cells enhance metastasis, and provides potential targets for therapeutic intervention in this heterogeneous disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deguang Kong
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Hengbo Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Program in Cancer Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Deepika Neelakantan
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Program in Molecular Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Connor J Hughes
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Program in Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jessica Y Hsu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Program in Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | | | - Michael T Lewis
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Heide L Ford
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
- Program in Cancer Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
- Program in Molecular Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
- Program in Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
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Marsh B, Blelloch R. Single nuclei RNA-seq of mouse placental labyrinth development. eLife 2020; 9:e60266. [PMID: 33141023 PMCID: PMC7669270 DOI: 10.7554/elife.60266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The placenta is the interface between mother and fetus in all eutherian species. However, our understanding of this essential organ remains incomplete. A substantial challenge has been the syncytial cells of the placenta, which have made dissociation and independent evaluation of the different cell types of this organ difficult. Here, we address questions concerning the ontogeny, specification, and function of the cell types of a representative hemochorial placenta by performing single nuclei RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) at multiple stages of mouse embryonic development focusing on the exchange interface, the labyrinth. Timepoints extended from progenitor-driven expansion through terminal differentiation. Analysis by snRNA-seq identified transcript profiles and inferred functions, cell trajectories, signaling interactions, and transcriptional drivers of all but the most highly polyploid cell types of the placenta. These data profile placental development at an unprecedented resolution, provide insights into differentiation and function across time, and provide a resource for future study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan Marsh
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Center for Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Department of Urology, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Robert Blelloch
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Center for Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Department of Urology, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
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Iwamiya T, Segard BD, Matsuoka Y, Imamura T. Human cardiac fibroblasts expressing VCAM1 improve heart function in postinfarct heart failure rat models by stimulating lymphangiogenesis. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0237810. [PMID: 32936824 PMCID: PMC7494079 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of death worldwide. After an ischemic injury, the myocardium undergoes severe necrosis and apoptosis, leading to a dramatic degradation of function. Numerous studies have reported that cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) play a critical role in heart function even after injury. However, CFs present heterogeneous characteristics according to their development stage (i.e., fetal or adult), and the molecular mechanisms by which they maintain heart function are not fully understood. The aim of this study is to explore the hypothesis that a specific population of CFs can repair the injured myocardium in heart failure following ischemic infarction, and lead to a significant recovery of cardiac function. Flow cytometry analysis of CFs defined two subpopulations according to their relative expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM1). Whole-transcriptome analysis described distinct profiles for these groups, with a correlation between VCAM1 expression and lymphangiogenesis-related genes up-regulation. Vascular formation assays showed a significant stimulation of lymphatic cells network complexity by VCFs. Injection of human VCAM1-expressing CFs (VCFs) in postinfarct heart failure rat models (ligation of the left anterior descending artery) led to a significant restoration of the left ventricle contraction. Over the course of the experiment, left ventricular ejection fraction and fractional shortening increased by 16.65% ± 5.64% and 10.43% ± 6.02%, respectively, in VCF-treated rats. Histological examinations revealed that VCFs efficiently mobilized the lymphatic endothelial cells into the infarcted area. In conclusion, human CFs present heterogeneous expression of VCAM1 and lymphangiogenesis-promoting factors. VCFs restore the mechanical properties of ventricular walls by mobilizing lymphatic endothelial cells into the infarct when injected into a rat heart failure model. These results suggest a role of this specific population of CFs in the homeostasis of the lymphatic system in cardiac regeneration, providing new information for the study and therapy of cardiac diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Iwamiya
- Research & Development Department, Metcela Inc., Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Tsuruoka, Yamagata, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Yuimi Matsuoka
- Research & Development Department, Metcela Inc., Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Tomomi Imamura
- Research & Development Department, Metcela Inc., Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
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Scull G, Brown AC. Development of novel microenvironments for promoting enhanced wound healing. CURRENT TISSUE MICROENVIRONMENT REPORTS 2020; 1:73-87. [PMID: 33748773 PMCID: PMC7968354 DOI: 10.1007/s43152-020-00009-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Nonhealing wounds are a significant issue facing the healthcare industry. Materials that modulate the wound microenvironment have the potential to improve healing outcomes. RECENT FINDINGS A variety of acellular and cellular scaffolds have been developed for regulating the wound microenvironment, including materials for controlled release of antimicrobials and growth factors, materials with inherent immunomodulative properties, and novel colloidal-based scaffolds. Scaffold construction methods include electrospinning, 3D printing, decellularization of extracellular matrix, or a combination of techniques. Material application methods include layering or injecting at the wound site. SUMMARY Though these techniques show promise for repairing wounds, all material strategies thus far struggle to induce regeneration of features such as sweat glands and hair follicles. Nonetheless, innovative technologies currently in the research phase may facilitate future attainment of these features. Novel methods and materials are constantly arising for the development of microenvironments for enhanced wound healing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant Scull
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Raleigh, NC 27695
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
| | - Ashley C. Brown
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Raleigh, NC 27695
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
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İNANDIKLIOGLU N, DEMİRHAN O, BAYRAM İ, TANYELİ A. Çukurova Bölgesinde akut lenfoblastik lösemili çocuklarda vasküler endotelyal büyüme faktörü (VEGF-C) ve temel fibroblast büyüme faktörü (bFGF) plazma ekspresyonu ve metilasyon seviyeleri. CUKUROVA MEDICAL JOURNAL 2020. [DOI: 10.17826/cumj.676515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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Li J, Huang C, Zou Y, Yu J, Gui Y. Circular RNA MYLK promotes tumour growth and metastasis via modulating miR-513a-5p/VEGFC signalling in renal cell carcinoma. J Cell Mol Med 2020; 24:6609-6621. [PMID: 32342645 PMCID: PMC7299689 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.15308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Growing evidence indicates that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are promising biomarkers, as they play significant roles in the development of various cancers. The circular RNA MYLK (circMYLK) has been reported to be involved in the development of malignant tumours, including liver, prostate and bladder cancers. Nevertheless, the biological function of circMYLK in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remains unclear. In this study, we observed that circMYLK is notably up-regulated in RCC. Increased circMYLK expression led to a larger tumour size, distant metastasis and poor prognosis of RCC patients. Moreover, circMYLK silencing repressed RCC growth and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, circMYLK can capture miR-513a-5p to facilitate VEGFC expression and further promote the tumorigenesis of RCC cells. In summary, our findings demonstrate that circMYLK has an oncogenic role in RCC growth and metastasis by modulating miR-513a-5p/VEGFC signalling. Thus, circMYLK has potential as a diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target in the treatment of RCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianfa Li
- Guangdong and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Male Reproductive Medicine and GeneticsInstitute of UrologyPeking University Shenzhen HospitalShenzhen‐Peking University‐the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical CenterShenzhenChina
| | - ChenChen Huang
- Guangdong and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Male Reproductive Medicine and GeneticsInstitute of UrologyPeking University Shenzhen HospitalShenzhen‐Peking University‐the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical CenterShenzhenChina
- Anhui Medical UniversityHefeiChina
| | - Yifan Zou
- Department of UrologyThe Affiliated Luohu Hospital of Shenzhen UniversityShenzhenChina
| | - Jing Yu
- Department of Laboratory MedicinePeking University Shenzhen HospitalShenzhenChina
| | - Yaoting Gui
- Guangdong and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Male Reproductive Medicine and GeneticsInstitute of UrologyPeking University Shenzhen HospitalShenzhen‐Peking University‐the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical CenterShenzhenChina
- Anhui Medical UniversityHefeiChina
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42
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Dai X, Fu Y, Ye Y. Increased NDRG1 expression suppresses angiogenesis via PI3K/AKT pathway in human placental cells. Pregnancy Hypertens 2020; 21:106-110. [PMID: 32470876 DOI: 10.1016/j.preghy.2020.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Revised: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To observe whether and how N-myc downstream-regulated gene 1 (NDRG1) regulates placental angiogenesis via JEG-3 placental-derived cells. METHODS Expression of NDRG1 in stably transfected JEG-3 cells was detected using western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Angiogenesis was examined by tube formation assay. The levels of placental growth factor (PLGF) and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) were examined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), PI3K, and AKT was examined by western blot. The relationship between PI3K and NDRG1 was detected by co-immunoprecipitation. RESULTS NDRG1 was significantly down-regulated at both the mRNA and protein level by lentivirus (Lv)-NDRG1-shRNA (P < 0.001), whereas it was significantly up-regulated by Lv-NDRG1 (P < 0.001). NDRG1 knockdown significantly increase the expression of PLGF and VEGF in JEG-3 cells (P < 0.001), while NDRG1 knockdown significantly reduced the secretion of sFlt-1 (P < 0.001). NDRG1 was specific bound to PI3K, and NDRG1 knockdown significantly up-regulated the expressions of PI3K and AKT in JEG-3 cells (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION NDRG1 suppresses angiogenesis in preeclampsia, and the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway may be involved in the regulation of angiogenesis by NDRG1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueli Dai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, China; Department of Obstetrics, Zibo Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Zibo 255000, China
| | - Yufen Fu
- Department of Obstetrics, Zibo Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Zibo 255000, China
| | - Yuanhua Ye
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, China; Department of Obstetrics, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, China.
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43
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Mori N, Akagi Y, Imai Y, Takayama Y, Kida YS. Fabrication of Perfusable Vascular Channels and Capillaries in 3D Liver-like Tissue. Sci Rep 2020; 10:5646. [PMID: 32286353 PMCID: PMC7156376 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-62286-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Although various production methods for 3D vascularised tissues have been developed, constructing capillary-like structures branching from perfusable large channels remains difficult. This study describes a method to fabricate tube-shaped 3D liver-like tissue (tubular liver tissue) with large channels and capillary-like structures using a perfusion device. The perfusion device functions as an interface between the tissue and an external pump, as it has connectors equipped with anchors that hold the tissue in response to its shrinkage, which is accompanied by the self-organisation of capillary-like structures. Histological analysis revealed that perfusion via the large channel induced capillary formation around the channel and maintained proper tissue functions. Accompanied by structural examinations, global gene expression analysis supported this finding; specifically, genes involved in angiogenesis were enriched in the perfused condition. Furthermore, we confirmed the penetrability of the capillary-like structures by infusing India ink, as well as substance exchange by measuring the amounts of secreted albumin. These lines of evidence indicate that our method can be used to construct 3D tissues, which is useful for fields of in vitro tissue regeneration for drug development and regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nobuhito Mori
- Biotechnology Research Institute for Drug Discovery, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Central 5-41, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8565, Japan
| | - Yuka Akagi
- Biotechnology Research Institute for Drug Discovery, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Central 5-41, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8565, Japan.,Advanced Photonics and Biosensing Open Innovation Laboratory, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Central 5-41, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8565, Japan
| | - Yukiko Imai
- Biotechnology Research Institute for Drug Discovery, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Central 5-41, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8565, Japan.,Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan
| | - Yuzo Takayama
- Biotechnology Research Institute for Drug Discovery, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Central 5-41, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8565, Japan
| | - Yasuyuki S Kida
- Biotechnology Research Institute for Drug Discovery, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Central 5-41, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8565, Japan. .,Advanced Photonics and Biosensing Open Innovation Laboratory, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Central 5-41, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8565, Japan.
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Song L, Li Z, Guo Z, Zhu J, Bi S, Luo Y, Yu R, Huang W. Cordyceps militaris fraction inhibits angiogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and in vivo. Pharmacogn Mag 2020. [DOI: 10.4103/pm.pm_347_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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45
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Gurung RL, FitzGerald LM, McComish BJ, Verma N, Burdon KP. Identifying Genetic Risk Factors for Diabetic Macular Edema and the Response to Treatment. J Diabetes Res 2020; 2020:5016916. [PMID: 33274237 PMCID: PMC7683113 DOI: 10.1155/2020/5016916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most common microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). DR is complex and the term encompasses several clinical subtypes of diabetic eye disease, including diabetic macular edema (DME), the most frequent cause of central vision loss in DR patients. Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the pathophysiology of DR and its subtypes. While numerous studies have identified several susceptibility genes for DR, few have investigated the impact of genetics on DME susceptibility. This review will focus on the current literature surrounding genetic risk factors associated with DME. We will also highlight the small number of studies investigating the genetics of response to antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injection, which is used to treat DME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajya L. Gurung
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Liesel M. FitzGerald
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Bennet J. McComish
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Nitin Verma
- School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Kathryn P. Burdon
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
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Transcription Factor Prospero Homeobox 1 (PROX1) as a Potential Angiogenic Regulator of Follicular Thyroid Cancer Dissemination. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20225619. [PMID: 31717665 PMCID: PMC6888435 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20225619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
It is well known that Prospero homeobox 1 (PROX1) is a crucial regulator of lymphangiogenesis, that reprograms blood endothelial cells to lymphatic phenotype. However, the role of PROX1 in tumor progression, especially in angiogenesis remains controversial. Herein, we studied the role of PROX1 in angiogenesis in cell lines derived from follicular thyroid cancer (FTC: FTC-133) and squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid gland (SCT: CGTH-W-1) upon PROX1 knockdown. The genes involved in angiogenesis were selected by RNA-seq, and the impact of PROX1 on vascularization potential was investigated using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) cultured in conditioned medium collected from FTC- or SCT-derived cancer cell lines after PROX1 silencing. The angiogenic phenotype was examined in connection with the analysis of focal adhesion and correlated with fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) levels. Additionally, the expression of selected genes involved in angiogenesis was detected in human FTC tissues. As a result, we demonstrated that PROX1 knockdown resulted in upregulation of factors associated with vascularization, such as metalloproteinases (MMP1 and 3), FGF2, vascular endothelial growth factors C (VEGFC), BAI1 associated protein 2 (BAIAP2), nudix hydrolase 6 (NUDT6), angiopoietin 1 (ANGPT1), and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (KDR). The observed molecular changes resulted in the enhanced formation of capillary-like structures by HUVECs and upregulated focal adhesion in FTC-133 and CGTH-W-1 cells. The signature of selected angiogenic genes' expression in a series of FTC specimens varied depending on the case. Interestingly, PROX1 and FGF2 showed opposing expression levels in FTC tissues and seven thyroid tumor-derived cell lines. In summary, our data revealed that PROX1 is involved in the spreading of thyroid cancer cells by regulation of angiogenesis.
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Increased Lymphangiogenesis and Lymphangiogenic Growth Factor Expression in Perivascular Adipose Tissue of Patients with Coronary Artery Disease. J Clin Med 2019; 8:jcm8071000. [PMID: 31324038 PMCID: PMC6678243 DOI: 10.3390/jcm8071000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Experimental and human autopsy studies have associated adventitial lymphangiogenesis with atherosclerosis. An analysis of perivascular lymphangiogenesis in patients with coronary artery disease is lacking. Here, we examined lymphangiogenesis and its potential regulators in perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) surrounding the heart (C-PVAT) and compared it with PVAT of the internal mammary artery (IMA-PVAT). Forty-six patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery were included. Perioperatively collected C-PVAT and IMA-PVAT were analyzed using histology, immunohistochemistry, real time PCR, and PVAT-conditioned medium using cytokine arrays. C-PVAT exhibited increased PECAM-1 (platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1)-positive vessel density. The number of lymphatic vessels expressing lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor-1 or podoplanin was also elevated in C-PVAT and associated with higher inflammatory cell numbers, increased intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1) expression, and fibrosis. Significantly higher expression of regulators of lymphangiogenesis such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C, VEGF-D, and VEGF receptor-3 was observed in C-PVAT compared to IMA-PVAT. Cytokine arrays identified angiopoietin-2 as more highly expressed in C-PVAT vs. IMA-PVAT. Findings were confirmed histologically and at the mRNA level. Stimulation of human lymphatic endothelial cells with recombinant angiopoietin-2 in combination with VEGF-C enhanced sprout formation. Our study shows that PVAT surrounding atherosclerotic arteries exhibits more extensive lymphangiogenesis, inflammation, and fibrosis compared to PVAT surrounding a non-diseased vessel, possibly due to local angiopoietin-2, VEGF-C, and VEGF-D overexpression.
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Morfoisse F, Noel A. Lymphatic and blood systems: Identical or fraternal twins? Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2019; 114:105562. [PMID: 31278994 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2019.105562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Revised: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Blood and lymphatic systems work in close collaboration to ensure their respective physiological functions. The lymphatic vessel network is being extensively studied, but has been overlooked as compared to the blood vasculature mainly due to the problematic discrimination of lymphatic vessels from the blood ones. This issue has been fortunately resolved in the past decade leading to the emergence of a huge amount of data in lymphatic biology revealing many shared features with the blood vasculature. However, this likeliness between the two vascular systems may lead to a simplistic view of lymphatics and a direct transcription of what is known for the blood system to the lymphatic one, thereby neglecting the lymphatic specificities. In this context, this review aims to clarify the main differences between the two vascular systems focusing on recently discovered lymphatic features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florent Morfoisse
- Laboratory of Tumor and Development Biology, GIGA (GIGA-Cancer), Liege University, B23, Avenue Hippocrate 13, 4000, Liege, Belgium
| | - Agnès Noel
- Laboratory of Tumor and Development Biology, GIGA (GIGA-Cancer), Liege University, B23, Avenue Hippocrate 13, 4000, Liege, Belgium.
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49
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Gong MM, Lugo-Cintron KM, White BR, Kerr SC, Harari PM, Beebe DJ. Human organotypic lymphatic vessel model elucidates microenvironment-dependent signaling and barrier function. Biomaterials 2019; 214:119225. [PMID: 31154151 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2019.119225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Revised: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The lymphatic system is an active player in the pathogenesis of several human diseases, including lymphedema and cancer. Relevant models are needed to advance our understanding of lymphatic biology in disease progression to improve therapy and patient outcomes. Currently, there are few 3D in vitro lymphatic models that can recapitulate the physiological structure, function, and interactions of lymphatic vessels in normal and diseased microenvironments. Here, we developed a 3D microscale lymphatic vessel (μLYMPH) system for generating human lymphatic vessels with physiological tubular structure and function. Consistent with characteristics of lymphatic vessels in vivo, the endothelium of cultured vessels was leaky with an average permeability of 1.38 × 10-5 ± 0.29 × 10-5 cm/s as compared to 0.68 × 10-5 ± 0.13 × 10-5 cm/s for blood vessels. This leakiness also resulted in higher uptake of solute by the lymphatic vessels under interstitial flow, demonstrating recapitulation of their natural draining function. The vessels secreted appropriate growth factors and inflammatory mediators. Our system identified the follistatin/activin axis as a novel pathway in lymphatic vessel maintenance and inflammation. Moreover, the μLYMPH system provided a platform for examining crosstalk between lymphatic vessels and tumor microenvironmental components, such as breast cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). In co-culture with CAFs, vessel barrier function was significantly impaired by CAF-secreted IL-6, a possible pro-metastatic mechanism of lymphatic metastasis. Targeted blocking of the IL-6/IL-6R signaling pathway with an IL-6 neutralizing antibody fully rescued the vessels, demonstrating the potential of our system for screening therapeutic targets. These results collectively demonstrate the μLYMPH system as a powerful model for advancing lymphatic biology in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max M Gong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1451 Engineering Dr., Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Karina M Lugo-Cintron
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1451 Engineering Dr., Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Bridget R White
- Department of Engineering Physics, University of Wisconsin-Platteville, 1 University Plaza, Platteville, WI, 53818, USA
| | - Sheena C Kerr
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1451 Engineering Dr., Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Paul M Harari
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 600 Highland Ave., Madison, WI, 53792, USA
| | - David J Beebe
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1451 Engineering Dr., Madison, WI, 53706, USA; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1685 Highland Ave., Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
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Bai L, Liu Y, Zhang X, Huang X, Yao X, Hang R, Tang B, Xiao Y. Favorable manipulation of macrophage/endothelial cell functionality and their cross-talk on silicon-doped titania nanotube arrays. NANOSCALE 2019; 11:5920-5931. [PMID: 30693919 DOI: 10.1039/c8nr08381a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Inflammatory reactions and the functionality of endothelial cells (ECs) on the surfaces of coronary stents are critical in the prevention of in-stent restenosis and subsequent neoatherosclerosis. However, the interactions between immune cells and ECs on modified coronary stent surfaces have long been underestimated. In the present study, silicon (Si)-doped titania nanotube arrays (TNA-Sis) were obtained via the facile anodization of magnetron-sputtered Ti-Si coatings. The synergetic effects of titania nanotube arrays (TNAs) and chemical cues (Si) on the functionality of macrophages (MΦs)/ECs and their cross-talk were investigated. The results indicated that TNA-Sis specimens, in comparison with TNAs alone, not only promoted the initial vitality of ECs, enhanced the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and nitric oxide (NO), and activated multiple cell signaling pathways (vWF, PECAM, eNOS), but also induced a favorable immune response through the polarization of MΦs to a pro-healing M2 phenotype via the activation of cell autophagy, resulting in the downregulation of inflammatory reactions. This beneficial immune response further facilitated cross-talk between ECs and MΦs, resulting in profoundly increased functionality of ECs on TNA-Sis surfaces. This study demonstrated that using TNA-Sis surface coatings for coronary stents may be a promising strategy to prevent in-stent restenosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Bai
- Research Institute of Surface Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan, China.
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