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Ma C, Ye Q, Qian K, Dai M, Gan L, Yang J, Jia Z, Pan Z, Cai Q, Jiang T, Lin X. Anti-glioma effect of paclitaxel mediated by specific mode electroacupuncture stimulation and the related role of the Hedgehog pathway. Brain Res Bull 2024; 213:110985. [PMID: 38806118 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2024.110985] [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: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Paclitaxel (PTX) cannot effectively treat glioma because it cannot cross the bloodbrain barrier (BBB). A specific mode electroacupuncture stimulation (SMES) can temporarily open the BBB, thereby improving drug delivery to the brain. This study aimed to observe SMES-mediated accumulation of PTX in the brain and its anti-glioma effect and explore the role of the Hedgehog pathway. METHODS The acupoint selectivity of SMES in opening the BBB was examined in normal rats. The penetration and anti-glioma activity were determined in a C6-Luc glioma rat model. SMES was performed using 2/100 Hz, 3 mA, 6-6 s, and 40 min The survival curve was analysed by the KaplanMeier method, brain tumour pathology and size was observed by HE staining, and in vivo imaging system respectively. RESULTS SMES-induced BBB opening had acupoint selectivity. SMES could improve PTX accumulation in brain and SMES-mediated PTX delivery showed enhanced anti-glioma activity due to better brain penetration. Hedgehog pathway was involved in SMES-mediated PTX delivery by regulating Occludin expression. CONCLUSION SMES at the head acupoints to deliver PTX is a feasible and effective method for treating glioma. The Hedgehog pathway may play a key role in SMES-mediated PTX delivery across the BBB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Congcong Ma
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical University Affiliated Third Hospital, China; The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, China; Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Neurology of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qinyu Ye
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, China
| | - Kecheng Qian
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, China
| | - Mengyuan Dai
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, China
| | - Lin Gan
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, China
| | - Jinding Yang
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, China
| | - Zhaoxing Jia
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, China
| | - Zixin Pan
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, China
| | - Qian Cai
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, China
| | - Tianxiang Jiang
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, China
| | - Xianming Lin
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical University Affiliated Third Hospital, China; The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, China; Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Neurology of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China.
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2
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Shalabi S, Belayachi A, Larrivée B. Involvement of neuronal factors in tumor angiogenesis and the shaping of the cancer microenvironment. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1284629. [PMID: 38375479 PMCID: PMC10875004 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1284629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that nerves within the tumor microenvironment play a crucial role in regulating angiogenesis. Neurotransmitters and neuropeptides released by nerves can interact with nearby blood vessels and tumor cells, influencing their behavior and modulating the angiogenic response. Moreover, nerve-derived signals may activate signaling pathways that enhance the production of pro-angiogenic factors within the tumor microenvironment, further supporting blood vessel growth around tumors. The intricate network of communication between neural constituents and the vascular system accentuates the potential of therapeutically targeting neural-mediated pathways as an innovative strategy to modulate tumor angiogenesis and, consequently, neoplastic proliferation. Hereby, we review studies that evaluate the precise molecular interplay and the potential clinical ramifications of manipulating neural elements for the purpose of anti-angiogenic therapeutics within the scope of cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharif Shalabi
- Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Center, Boulevard de l’Assomption, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Ali Belayachi
- Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Center, Boulevard de l’Assomption, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Bruno Larrivée
- Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Center, Boulevard de l’Assomption, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Ophthalmology, Université de Montréal, boul. Édouard-Montpetit, Montréal, QC, Canada
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3
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Hashimoto Y, Greene C, Munnich A, Campbell M. The CLDN5 gene at the blood-brain barrier in health and disease. Fluids Barriers CNS 2023; 20:22. [PMID: 36978081 PMCID: PMC10044825 DOI: 10.1186/s12987-023-00424-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The CLDN5 gene encodes claudin-5 (CLDN-5) that is expressed in endothelial cells and forms tight junctions which limit the passive diffusions of ions and solutes. The blood-brain barrier (BBB), composed of brain microvascular endothelial cells and associated pericytes and end-feet of astrocytes, is a physical and biological barrier to maintain the brain microenvironment. The expression of CLDN-5 is tightly regulated in the BBB by other junctional proteins in endothelial cells and by supports from pericytes and astrocytes. The most recent literature clearly shows a compromised BBB with a decline in CLDN-5 expression increasing the risks of developing neuropsychiatric disorders, epilepsy, brain calcification and dementia. The purpose of this review is to summarize the known diseases associated with CLDN-5 expression and function. In the first part of this review, we highlight the recent understanding of how other junctional proteins as well as pericytes and astrocytes maintain CLDN-5 expression in brain endothelial cells. We detail some drugs that can enhance these supports and are being developed or currently in use to treat diseases associated with CLDN-5 decline. We then summarise mutagenesis-based studies which have facilitated a better understanding of the physiological role of the CLDN-5 protein at the BBB and have demonstrated the functional consequences of a recently identified pathogenic CLDN-5 missense mutation from patients with alternating hemiplegia of childhood. This mutation is the first gain-of-function mutation identified in the CLDN gene family with all others representing loss-of-function mutations resulting in mis-localization of CLDN protein and/or attenuated barrier function. Finally, we summarize recent reports about the dosage-dependent effect of CLDN-5 expression on the development of neurological diseases in mice and discuss what cellular supports for CLDN-5 regulation are compromised in the BBB in human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yosuke Hashimoto
- Trinity College Dublin, Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Dublin, D02 VF25, Ireland.
| | - Chris Greene
- Trinity College Dublin, Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Dublin, D02 VF25, Ireland
| | - Arnold Munnich
- Institut Imagine, INSERM UMR1163, Université Paris Cité, Paris, F-75015, France
- Departments of Pediatric Neurology and Medical Genetics, Hospital Necker Enfants Malades, Université Paris Cité, Paris, F-75015, France
| | - Matthew Campbell
- Trinity College Dublin, Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Dublin, D02 VF25, Ireland.
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4
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Qi Y, Yang C, Zhao H, Deng Z, Xu J, Liang W, Sun Z, Nieland JDV. Neuroprotective Effect of Sonic Hedgehog Mediated PI3K/AKT Pathway in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Model Mice. Mol Neurobiol 2022; 59:6971-6982. [PMID: 36056982 PMCID: PMC9525365 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-022-03013-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathway is related to the progression of various tumors and nervous system diseases. Still, its specific role in neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), remains studied. This research investigates the role of SHH and PI3K/AKT signaling pathway proteins on ALS development in a SOD1-G93A transgenic mouse model. After injection of SHH and PI3K/AKT signaling pathway inhibitors or agonists in hSOD1-G93A (9 weeks of age) transgenic mice, we studied skeletal muscle pathology using immunohistochemical staining and Western blot methods. In addition, recorded data on rotation time, weight, and survival were analyzed for these mice. Our study showed that the expression of SHH, Gli-1 and p-AKT in ALS mice decreased with the progression of the disease. The expression of p-AKT changed together with Gli-1 while injecting PI3K/AKT signaling pathway inhibitor or agonist; SHH and Gli-1 protein expression remained unchanged; p-AKT protein expression significantly decreased while injecting PI3K/AKT signaling pathway inhibitor. These results indicate that SHH has a regulatory effect on PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. In behavioral experiments, we found that the survival time of hSOD1-G93A mice was prolonged by injection of SHH agonist while shortened by injection of SHH inhibitor. In conclusion, we confirmed that the SHH pathway played a neuroprotective role in ALS by mediating PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Qi
- Department of Neurology, Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi, China
- Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi, China
| | - Chen Yang
- Department of Neurology, Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi, China
| | - Hui Zhao
- Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi, China
| | - Zhanjin Deng
- Department of Neurology, Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi, China
| | - Jin Xu
- Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi, China
| | | | - Zhitang Sun
- Department of Neurology, Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi, China
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Zhou X, Wang W, Li Z, Chen L, Wen C, Ruan Q, Xu Z, Liu R, Xu J, Bai Y, Deng J. Rosmarinic Acid Decreases the Malignancy of Pancreatic Cancer Through Inhibiting Gli1 Signaling. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2022; 95:153861. [PMID: 34864627 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rosmarinic acid (RA) has been shown to exert anti-tumor effects on various types of cancer. However, its roles in the treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. PURPOSE The present study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of RA on PDAC as well as the underlying mechanisms. STUDY DESIGN Evaluation of the effects of RA on PDAC malignancy both in vitro and in vivo. METHODS Cell counting kit 8 (CCK8) assay, colony formation assay, 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EDU) incorporation assay, cell cycle analysis, and apoptosis assay were conducted to assess the inhibitory effect of RA on PDAC cell proliferation. Meanwhile, western blotting and RT-qPCR assay were performed to detect the target gene expression at protein and mRNA levels, respectively. Moreover, the in vivo anti-tumor activities of RA were assayed in an xenograft mouse model of PDAC. RESULTS RA dramatically down-regulated Gli1 and its downstream targets. Further studies showed that RA prevents the nuclear translocation of Gli1, while promoting the degradation of cytosolic Gli1 via the proteasome pathway. Moreover, we observed that RA induced G1/S cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in the PDAC cells through regulating the expression of P21, P27, CDK2, Cyclin E, Bax, and Bcl-2, it inhibited the PDAC cell migration and invasion via E-cadherin and MMP-9. Notably, Gli1 overexpression markedly reversed the above RA-induced effects on PDAC cells, whereas Gli1 knockdown enhanced the effects. Additionally, the in vivo assays demonstrated that RA suppresses the tumor growth of PDAC presumably by inhibiting Gli1. CONCLUSION We provided evidence that RA restrained the nuclear translocation of Gli1 and facilitates Gli1 degradation via proteasome pathway, reducing the malignancy of PDAC cells. These findings implicated RA as a therapeutic agent for PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Zhou
- Department of Breast Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China
| | - Weiming Wang
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China
| | - Zhaofeng Li
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Lin Chen
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Chunmei Wen
- Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China
| | - Qingqing Ruan
- Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China
| | - Zheng Xu
- Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China
| | - Rongdiao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China
| | - Jinzhong Xu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The Affiliated Wenling Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenling 317500, China
| | - Yongheng Bai
- Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China; Center for Health Assessment, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China
| | - Jie Deng
- Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China; Center for Health Assessment, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China
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6
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Khoei SG, Dermani FK, Malih S, Fayazi N, Sheykhhasan M. The Use of Mesenchymal Stem Cells and their Derived Extracellular Vesicles in Cardiovascular Disease Treatment. Curr Stem Cell Res Ther 2021; 15:623-638. [PMID: 32357818 DOI: 10.2174/1574888x15666200501235201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2019] [Revised: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cardiovascular disease (CVD), including disorders of cardiac muscle and vascular, is the major cause of death globally. Many unsuccessful attempts have been made to intervene in the disease's pathogenesis and treatment. Stem cell-based therapies, as a regeneration strategy, cast a new hope for CVD treatment. One of the most well-known stem cells is mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), classified as one of the adult stem cells and can be obtained from different tissues. These cells have superior properties, such as proliferation and highly specialized differentiation. On the other hand, they have the potential to modulate the immune system and anti-inflammatory activity. One of their most important features is the secreting the extracellular vesicles (EVs) like exosomes (EXOs) as an intercellular communication system mediating the different physiological and pathophysiological affairs. METHODS In this review study, the importance of MSC and its secretory exosomes for the treatment of heart disease has been together and specifically addressed and the use of these promising natural and accessible agents is predicted to replace the current treatment modalities even faster than we imagine. RESULTS MSC derived EXOs by providing a pro-regenerative condition allowing innate stem cells to repair damaged tissues successfully. As a result, MSCs are considered as the appropriate cellular source in regenerative medicine. In the plethora of experiments, MSCs and MSC-EXOs have been used for the treatment and regeneration of heart diseases and myocardial lesions. CONCLUSION Administration of MSCs has been provided a replacement therapeutic option for heart regeneration, obtaining great attention among the basic researcher and the medical doctors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saeideh Gholamzadeh Khoei
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran,Research Center for Molecular Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Fateme Karimi Dermani
- Research Center for Molecular Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Sara Malih
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nashmin Fayazi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran,Research Center for Molecular Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Mohsen Sheykhhasan
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran,Research Center for Molecular Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran,Department of Mesenchymal Stem Cell, the Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research, Qom, Iran
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7
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Chico TJA, Kugler EC. Cerebrovascular development: mechanisms and experimental approaches. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:4377-4398. [PMID: 33688979 PMCID: PMC8164590 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03790-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The cerebral vasculature plays a central role in human health and disease and possesses several unique anatomic, functional and molecular characteristics. Despite their importance, the mechanisms that determine cerebrovascular development are less well studied than other vascular territories. This is in part due to limitations of existing models and techniques for visualisation and manipulation of the cerebral vasculature. In this review we summarise the experimental approaches used to study the cerebral vessels and the mechanisms that contribute to their development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J A Chico
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, Medical School, University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield, S10 2RX, UK.
- The Bateson Centre, Firth Court, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK.
- Insigneo Institute for in Silico Medicine, The Pam Liversidge Building, Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK.
| | - Elisabeth C Kugler
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, Medical School, University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield, S10 2RX, UK.
- The Bateson Centre, Firth Court, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK.
- Insigneo Institute for in Silico Medicine, The Pam Liversidge Building, Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK.
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8
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Crossland RE, Perutelli F, Bogunia-Kubik K, Mooney N, Milutin Gašperov N, Pučić-Baković M, Greinix H, Weber D, Holler E, Pulanić D, Wolff D, Dickinson AM, Inngjerdingen M, Grce M. Potential Novel Biomarkers in Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease. Front Immunol 2020; 11:602547. [PMID: 33424849 PMCID: PMC7786047 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.602547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Prognostic, diagnostic or predictive biomarkers are urgently needed for assessment of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGvHD), a major risk for patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The main goal of this review generated within the COST Action EUROGRAFT "Integrated European Network on Chronic Graft Versus Host Disease" was to identify potential novel biomarkers for cGvHD besides the widely accepted molecular and cellular biomarkers. Thus, the focus was on cellular biomarkers, alloantibodies, glycomics, endothelial derived particles, extracellular vesicles, microbiome, epigenetic and neurologic changes in cGvHD patients. Both host-reactive antibodies in general, and particularly alloantibodies have been associated with cGvHD and require further consideration. Glycans attached to IgG modulate its activity and represent a promising predictive and/or stratification biomarker for cGVHD. Furthermore, epigenetic changes such as microRNAs and DNA methylation represent potential biomarkers for monitoring cGvHD patients and novel targets for developing new treatment approaches. Finally, the microbiome likely affects the pathophysiology of cGvHD; bacterial strains as well as microbial metabolites could display potential biomarkers for dysbiosis and risk for the development of cGvHD. In summary, although there are no validated biomarkers currently available for clinical use to better inform on the diagnosis, prognosis or prediction of outcome for cGvHD, many novel sources of potential markers have shown promise and warrant further investigation using well characterized, multi-center patient cohorts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel E. Crossland
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Francesca Perutelli
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Katarzyna Bogunia-Kubik
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Nuala Mooney
- INSERM U976, Human Immunology, Pathophysiology and Immunotherapies, Hôpital Saint Louis, Paris, France
| | | | | | - Hildegard Greinix
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Daniela Weber
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Ernst Holler
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Dražen Pulanić
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Medical School, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Daniel Wolff
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Anne M. Dickinson
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Marit Inngjerdingen
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Magdalena Grce
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
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Effect of Active Ingredients of Chinese Herbal Medicine on the Rejuvenation of Healthy Aging: Focus on Stem Cells. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2020; 2020:7307026. [PMID: 32724327 PMCID: PMC7366228 DOI: 10.1155/2020/7307026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Stem cells (SCs) are special types of cells with the ability of self-renewal and multidirectional differentiation. As the organism ages, the ability to maintain homeostasis and regeneration deteriorates and the number and activity of stem cells decline. Theoretically, the restoration of stem cells might reverse aging. However, due to their own aging, donor-derived immune rejection, and difficulties in stem cell differentiation control, a series of problems need to be solved to realize the potential for clinical application of stem cells. Chinese herbal medicine is a nature drug library which is suitable for the long-term treatment of aging-related diseases. Modern pharmacological studies have revealed that many active ingredients of Chinese herbal medicines with the effect of promoting stem cells growth and differentiation mainly belong to “reinforcing herbs.” In recent years, exploration of natural active ingredients from Chinese herbal medicines for delaying aging, improving the stem cell microenvironment, and promoting the proliferation and differentiation of endogenous stem cells has attracted substantial attention. This article will focus on active ingredients from Chinese herbs-mediated differentiation of stem cells into particular cell type, like neural cells, endothelial cells, cardiomyocytes, and osteoblasts. We will also discuss the effects of these small molecules on Wnt, Sonic Hedgehog, Notch, eNOS-cGMP, and MAP kinase signal transduction pathways, as well as reveal the role of estrogen receptor α and PPAR γ on selectively promoting or inhibiting stem cells differentiation. This review will provide new insights into the health aging strategies of active ingredients in Chinese herbal medicine in regenerative medicine.
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10
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A six-gene expression signature related to angiolymphatic invasion is associated with poor survival in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2020; 278:1199-1207. [PMID: 32691230 PMCID: PMC8519817 DOI: 10.1007/s00405-020-06214-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Purpose Angiolymphatic invasion serves as a histopathological risk factor for unfavorable survival in head and neck squamous cell carinoma. The aim of the study was to explore the molecular mechanisms characterizing angiolymphatic invasion and therefore identify a gene expression signature related to angiolymphatic invasion. Methods Gene expression analysis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma was carried out based on clinical and whole genome expression data provided by The Cancer Genome Atlas. Results were validated in an independent cohort of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and confirmed by immunohistochemistry staining. Results A gene expression signature consisting of six genes (SHH, SLC18A3, LCE3E, LCE2B, LCE3D and DSG-1) related to angiolymphatic invasion was identified. The gene expression profile identified a subset of patients with decreased overall survival (p = 0.02, log rank test), which was most prominent for patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (p = 0.004, log rank test). Furthermore, these patients showed a significant shorter progression-free survival (p = 0.002, log rank test). By use of this gene expression signature, patients at high risk of recurrence could be identified even if morphological changes were not yet recognizable. Conclusion Angiolymphatic invasion is characterized by a distinct histopathological phenotype and specific gene expression signature. The newly identified signature might serve as a reliable predictor of outcome in laryngeal cancer and add additional benefit to histopathological evaluation. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00405-020-06214-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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11
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Bausch D, Fritz S, Bolm L, Wellner UF, Fernandez-Del-Castillo C, Warshaw AL, Thayer SP, Liss AS. Hedgehog signaling promotes angiogenesis directly and indirectly in pancreatic cancer. Angiogenesis 2020; 23:479-492. [PMID: 32444947 DOI: 10.1007/s10456-020-09725-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The inhibition of Hedgehog (Hh) signaling in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) reduces desmoplasia and promotes increased vascularity. In contrast to these findings, the Hh ligand Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) is a potent proangiogenic factor in non-tumor models. The aim of this study was to determine the molecular mechanisms by which SHH affects the tumor stroma and angiogenesis. METHODS Mice bearing three different xenografted human PDAC (n = 5/group) were treated with neutralizing antibodies to SHH. After treatment for 7 days, tumors were evaluated and the expression of 38 pro- and antiangiogenic factors was assessed in the tumor cells and their stroma. The effect of SHH on the regulation of pro- and antiangiogenic factors in fibroblasts and its impact on endothelial cells was then further assessed in in vitro model systems. RESULTS Inhibition of SHH affected tumor growth, stromal content, and vascularity. Its effect on the Hh signaling pathway was restricted to the stromal compartment of the three cancers. SHH-stimulated angiogenesis indirectly through the reduction of antiangiogenic THBS2 and TIMP2 in stromal cells. An additional direct effect of SHH on endothelial cells depended on the presence of VEGF. CONCLUSION Inhibition of Hh signaling reduces tumor vascularity, suggesting that Hh plays a role in the maintenance or formation of the tumor vasculature. Whether the reduction in tumor growth and viability seen in the epithelium is a direct consequence of Hh pathway inhibition, or indirectly caused by its effect on the stroma and vasculature, remains to be evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirk Bausch
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Their 623, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.,Department of Surgery, Marien Hospital Herne, University Hospital of Ruhr University Bochum, Hölkeskampring 40, 44625, Herne, Germany
| | - Stefan Fritz
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Their 623, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.,Department of General, Visceral, Thoracic and Transplantation Surgery, Katharinenhospital Klinikum Stuttgart, Kriegsbergstraße 60, 70174, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Louisa Bolm
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Their 623, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Ulrich F Wellner
- Department of Surgery, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Carlos Fernandez-Del-Castillo
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Their 623, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Andrew L Warshaw
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Their 623, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Sarah P Thayer
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Their 623, Boston, MA, 02114, USA. .,Division of Surgical Oncology and the Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-6895, USA.
| | - Andrew S Liss
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Their 623, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
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12
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Nam H, Jeon S, An H, Yoo J, Lee HJ, Lee SK, Lee S. Critical roles of ARHGAP36 as a signal transduction mediator of Shh pathway in lateral motor columnar specification. eLife 2019; 8:46683. [PMID: 31305241 PMCID: PMC6658197 DOI: 10.7554/elife.46683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
During spinal cord development, Sonic hedgehog (Shh), secreted from the floor plate, plays an important role in the production of motor neurons by patterning the ventral neural tube, which establishes MN progenitor identity. It remains unknown, however, if Shh signaling plays a role in generating columnar diversity of MNs that connect distinct target muscles. Here, we report that Shh, expressed in MNs, is essential for the formation of lateral motor column (LMC) neurons in vertebrate spinal cord. This novel activity of Shh is mediated by its downstream effector ARHGAP36, whose expression is directly induced by the MN-specific transcription factor complex Isl1-Lhx3. Furthermore, we found that AKT stimulates the Shh activity to induce LMC MNs through the stabilization of ARHGAP36 proteins. Taken together, our data reveal that Shh, secreted from MNs, plays a crucial role in generating MN diversity via a regulatory axis of Shh-AKT-ARHGAP36 in the developing mouse spinal cord.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heejin Nam
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Shin Jeon
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Neuroscience Section, Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute, Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health and Science Uiversity, Portland, United States
| | - Hyejin An
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaeyoung Yoo
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyo-Jong Lee
- College of Pharmacy and Inje Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research, Inje University, Gyungnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo-Kyung Lee
- Neuroscience Section, Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute, Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health and Science Uiversity, Portland, United States.,Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, United States
| | - Seunghee Lee
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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13
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Role of Hedgehog Signaling in Vasculature Development, Differentiation, and Maintenance. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20123076. [PMID: 31238510 PMCID: PMC6627637 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20123076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Revised: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of Hedgehog (Hh) signaling in vascular biology has first been highlighted in embryos by Pepicelli et al. in 1998 and Rowitch et al. in 1999. Since then, the proangiogenic role of the Hh ligands has been confirmed in adults, especially under pathologic conditions. More recently, the Hh signaling has been proposed to improve vascular integrity especially at the blood–brain barrier (BBB). However, molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the role of the Hh signaling in vascular biology remain poorly understood and conflicting results have been reported. As a matter of fact, in several settings, it is currently not clear whether Hh ligands promote vessel integrity and quiescence or destabilize vessels to promote angiogenesis. The present review relates the current knowledge regarding the role of the Hh signaling in vasculature development, maturation and maintenance, discusses the underlying proposed mechanisms and highlights controversial data which may serve as a guideline for future research. Most importantly, fully understanding such mechanisms is critical for the development of safe and efficient therapies to target the Hh signaling in both cancer and cardiovascular/cerebrovascular diseases.
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14
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Singh H, Pragasam SJ, Venkatesan V. Emerging Therapeutic Targets for Metabolic Syndrome: Lessons from Animal Models. Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets 2019; 19:481-489. [DOI: 10.2174/1871530319666181130142642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2018] [Revised: 08/26/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Background:
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of medical conditions that synergistically
increase the risk of heart diseases and diabetes. The current treatment strategy for metabolic syndrome
focuses on treating its individual components. A highly effective agent for metabolic syndrome has yet
to be developed. To develop a target for metabolic syndrome, the mechanism encompassing different
organs - nervous system, pancreas, skeletal muscle, liver and adipose tissue - needs to be understood.
Many animal models have been developed to understand the pathophysiology of metabolic syndrome.
Promising molecular targets have emerged while characterizing these animals. Modulating these targets
is expected to treat some components of metabolic syndrome.
Objective:
o discuss the emerging molecular targets in an animal model of metabolic syndrome.
Methods:
A literature search was performed for the retrieval of relevant articles.
Conclusion:
Multiple genes/pathways that play important role in the development of Metabolic Syndrome
are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himadri Singh
- Stem Cell Research/Biochemistry, National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad-500007, India
| | - Samuel Joshua Pragasam
- Stem Cell Research/Biochemistry, National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad-500007, India
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15
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Gu Y, Becker V, Zhao Y, Menger MD, Laschke MW. miR-370 inhibits the angiogenic activity of endothelial cells by targeting smoothened (SMO) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2. FASEB J 2019; 33:7213-7224. [PMID: 30865837 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201802085rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) crucially modulate fundamental biologic processes such as angiogenesis. In the present study, we focused on the molecular function of miRNA-370-3p (miR-370) in regulating the angiogenic activity of endothelial cells (ECs). Transfection with miR-370 mimic (miR-370m) significantly inhibited the sprouting of human dermal microvascular EC (HDMEC) and HUVEC spheroids and mouse aortic rings, whereas miR-370 inhibitor (miR-370i) promoted sprout formation. Additional in vitro assays demonstrated the pleiotropic inhibitory effects of miR-370m on HDMEC proliferation, migration, and tube formation. Moreover, Matrigel plugs containing miR-370m-transfected HDMECs exhibited a reduced microvessel density after implantation into CD1 nude mice when compared with controls. In contrast, miR-370i exerted proangiogenic effects. Mechanistic analyses revealed that miR-370 directly targets smoothened (SMO) and down-regulates bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2 expression in HDMECs. Accordingly, inhibition of SMO by cyclopamine reversed miR-370i-induced HDMEC proliferation and migration. In addition, BMP-2 treatment counteracted miR-370m-suppressed tube formation of HDMECs, whereas blockade of BMP-2 with neutralizing antibody significantly inhibited miR-370i-induced tube formation. Taken together, these novel findings indicate that miR-370 is a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis, which directly targets SMO and BMP-2.-Gu, Y., Becker, V., Zhao, Y., Menger, M. D., Laschke, M. W. miR-370 inhibits the angiogenic activity of endothelial cells by targeting smoothened (SMO) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Gu
- Institute for Clinical and Experimental Surgery, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany; and
| | - Vivien Becker
- Institute for Clinical and Experimental Surgery, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany; and
| | - Yingjun Zhao
- Department of Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center-Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Michael D Menger
- Institute for Clinical and Experimental Surgery, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany; and
| | - Matthias W Laschke
- Institute for Clinical and Experimental Surgery, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany; and
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16
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Gong P, Li M, Zou C, Tian Q, Xu Z. Tissue Plasminogen Activator Causes Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cell Injury After Oxygen Glucose Deprivation by Inhibiting Sonic Hedgehog Signaling. Neurochem Res 2018; 44:441-449. [PMID: 30552546 PMCID: PMC6394519 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-018-2697-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Revised: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The thrombolytic activity of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) has undisputed benefits. However, the documented neurotoxicity of tPA raises important issues. Currently, common treatments for stroke might not be optimum if exogenous tPA can pass through the blood–brain barrier and enter the brain, thus adding to the deleterious effects of tPA within the cerebral parenchyma. Here, we determined whether tPA could damage brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) during cerebral ischemia. We showed that treatment of BMECs with tPA decreased trans-endothelial electrical resistance and cell proliferation, and blocked the cell cycle at the G0–G1 phase. In addition, the Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathway was involved in tPA-induced BMECs dysfunction. However, tPA-enhanced oxygen glucose deprivation-induced BMECs dysfunction was eliminated by Shh administration and the effects could be reversed by Shh inhibitors. Taken together, these results demonstrate that tPA administration might result in damage to the endothelial barrier owing to blocked Shh signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pian Gong
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430072, Hubei Province, China
| | - Mingchang Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430072, Hubei Province, China.
| | - Changlin Zou
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430072, Hubei Province, China
| | - Qi Tian
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430072, Hubei Province, China
| | - Zhou Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430072, Hubei Province, China
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17
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Lin Y, Shao Y, Li J, Zhang W, Zheng K, Zheng X, Huang X, Liao Z, Xie Y, He J. The hierarchical micro-/nanotextured topographies promote the proliferation and angiogenesis-related genes expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells by initiation of Hedgehog-Gli1 signaling. ARTIFICIAL CELLS NANOMEDICINE AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 2018; 46:S1141-S1151. [PMID: 30453796 DOI: 10.1080/21691401.2018.1533845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yao Lin
- The Department of Stomatology, Jieyang Affiliated Hospital, SunYat-sen University, Jieyang, Guangdong, China
| | - Yiming Shao
- The Intensive Care Unit, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China
| | - Jieyin Li
- The Department of Stomatology, Jieyang Affiliated Hospital, SunYat-sen University, Jieyang, Guangdong, China
| | - Wenying Zhang
- The Intensive Care Unit, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China
| | - Kaibin Zheng
- The Department of Stomatology, Jieyang Affiliated Hospital, SunYat-sen University, Jieyang, Guangdong, China
| | - Xuying Zheng
- The Department of Stomatology, Jieyang Affiliated Hospital, SunYat-sen University, Jieyang, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaoman Huang
- The Department of Stomatology, Jieyang Affiliated Hospital, SunYat-sen University, Jieyang, Guangdong, China
| | - Zipeng Liao
- The Department of Stomatology, Jieyang Affiliated Hospital, SunYat-sen University, Jieyang, Guangdong, China
| | - Yirui Xie
- The Department of Stomatology, Jieyang Affiliated Hospital, SunYat-sen University, Jieyang, Guangdong, China
| | - Junbing He
- The Intensive Care Unit, Jieyang Affiliated Hospital, SunYat-sen University, Jieyang, Guangdong, China
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18
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Shi S, Sun J, Meng Q, Yu Y, Huang H, Ma T, Yang Z, Liu X, Yang J, Shen Z. Sonic hedgehog promotes endothelial differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells via VEGF-D. J Thorac Dis 2018; 10:5476-5488. [PMID: 30416797 DOI: 10.21037/jtd.2018.09.50] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Background Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have been proved to be capable of differentiating into endothelial cells (ECs), however, the differentiation efficiency is rather low. Sonic hedgehog (Shh), an important factor in vascular development and postnatal angiogenesis, exerted promotional effect on new vessel formation in the ischemic animal models. Therefore, the current study aims to investigate whether Shh could induce the endothelial differentiation of BMSCs both in vitro and in vivo, as well as the mechanism of differentiation induction. Methods The current study over-expressed Shh in BMSCs by lentivirus transduction. Reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis was performed to determine the angiogenic factors in both control BMSCs and Shh over-expressed BMSCs. Immunocytochemistry was also conducted to examine the EC markers. Angiogenesis was determined by in vitro tube-forming assay on Matrigel and in vivo Matrigel plug in severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice. Last, mRNA sequencing analysis was used to elaborate the underlying mechanisms. Loss of function study was performed by vascular endothelial growth factor D (VEGF-D) siRNA. Results Shh expression was increased by about 3,000-fold and 5,000-fold at 3 days-transfection and 7 days-transfection, respectively. Patched 1 (Ptch1), the receptor for Shh, had a two-fold increase after transduction. The angiogenic factors such as hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) had at least a 1.5-fold increase after transduction. Expression of EC-lineage markers, CD31 and VE-cadherin, on Shh-overexpressed BMSCs were increasingly detected by immunocytostaining. Angiogenesis of BMSCs could be efficiently induced by Shh overexpression in the in vitro tube-formation assay and in vivo Matrigel plug. Additionally, mRNA sequencing analysis revealed that Shh activation upregulated the expression of several pro-angiogenic factors, like Angptl4, Egfl6, VEGF-D. Loss of function study by VEGF-D siRNA confirmed that Shh enhanced the angiogenic ability of BMSCs via VEGF-D. Conclusions This study demonstrated that Shh could promote endothelial differentiation of BMSCs via VEGF-D.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Shi
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital & Institute for Cardiovascular Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.,Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Jiacheng Sun
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital & Institute for Cardiovascular Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Qingyou Meng
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital & Institute for Cardiovascular Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Yunsheng Yu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital & Institute for Cardiovascular Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Haoyue Huang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital & Institute for Cardiovascular Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Teng Ma
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital & Institute for Cardiovascular Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Ziying Yang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital & Institute for Cardiovascular Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Xuan Liu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital & Institute for Cardiovascular Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Junjie Yang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital & Institute for Cardiovascular Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Zhenya Shen
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital & Institute for Cardiovascular Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
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Guo X, Riobo-Del Galdo NA, Kim EJ, Grant GR, Manning DR. Overlap in signaling between Smoothened and the α subunit of the heterotrimeric G protein G13. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0197442. [PMID: 29763457 PMCID: PMC5953476 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0197442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The Hedgehog family of morphogens has long been known to utilize, through the 7-transmembrane protein Smoothened (Smo), the heterotrimeric G protein Gi in both canonical and noncanonical forms of signaling. Other G proteins, while not specifically utilized by Smo, may nonetheless provide access to some of the events controlled by it. We reported several years ago that the G protein G13 activates one or more forms of the Gli family of transcription factors. While the Gli transcription factors are well known targets for Smo, the uncertain mechanism of activation by G13 and the identity of the targeted Gli(s) limited predictions as to the extent to which G13 might mimic Smo's actions. We evaluate here the potential for overlap in G13 and Smo signaling using C3H10T1/2 and 3T3-L1 cells as models of osteogenesis and adipogenesis, respectively. We find in C3H10T1/2 cells that a constitutively active form of Gα13 (Gα13QL) increases Gli1 mRNA, as does a constitutively active form of Smo (SmoA1). We find as well that Gα13QL induces alkaline phosphatase activity, a marker of osteogenesis, albeit the induction is far less substantial than that achieved by SmoA1. In 3T3-L1 cells both Gα13QL and SmoA1 markedly suppress adipogenic differentiation as determined by triglyceride accumulation. RNA sequencing reveals that Gα13QL and SmoA1 regulate many of the same genes but that quantitative and qualitative differences exist. Differences also exist, we find, between SmoA1 and purmorphamine, an agonist for Smo. Therefore, while comparisons of constitutively active proteins are informative, extrapolations to the setting of agonists require care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueshui Guo
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Natalia A. Riobo-Del Galdo
- Leeds Institute of Cancer and Pathology and School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Eun Ji Kim
- Institute of Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Gregory R. Grant
- Institute of Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - David R. Manning
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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20
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Matrix metalloproteinase-9 activity and a downregulated Hedgehog pathway impair blood-brain barrier function in an in vitro model of CNS tuberculosis. Sci Rep 2017; 7:16031. [PMID: 29167512 PMCID: PMC5700087 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-16250-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Central nervous system tuberculosis (CNS TB) has a high mortality and morbidity associated with severe inflammation. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) protects the brain from inflammation but the mechanisms causing BBB damage in CNS TB are uncharacterized. We demonstrate that Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) causes breakdown of type IV collagen and decreases tight junction protein (TJP) expression in a co-culture model of the BBB. This increases permeability, surface expression of endothelial adhesion molecules and leukocyte transmigration. TJP breakdown was driven by Mtb-dependent secretion of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9. TJP expression is regulated by Sonic hedgehog (Shh) through transcription factor Gli-1. In our model, the hedgehog pathway was downregulated by Mtb-stimulation, but Shh levels in astrocytes were unchanged. However, Scube2, a glycoprotein regulating astrocyte Shh release was decreased, inhibiting Shh delivery to brain endothelial cells. Activation of the hedgehog pathway by addition of a Smoothened agonist or by addition of exogenous Shh, or neutralizing MMP-9 activity, decreased permeability and increased TJP expression in the Mtb-stimulated BBB co-cultures. In summary, the BBB is disrupted by downregulation of the Shh pathway and breakdown of TJPs, secondary to increased MMP-9 activity which suggests that these pathways are potential novel targets for host directed therapy in CNS TB.
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Sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling improves the angiogenic potential of Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSC). Stem Cell Res Ther 2017; 8:203. [PMID: 28962669 PMCID: PMC5622478 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-017-0653-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2017] [Revised: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSC) show remarkable therapeutic potential to repair tissue upon injury via paracrine signaling by secreting diverse trophic factors that promote angiogenesis. However, the mechanisms and signaling pathways that regulate the induction of these specific factors are still mostly unknown. Emerging evidence suggests that Sonic hedgehog (SHH) plays a central role in angiogenesis and tissue maintenance. However, its contribution to the angiogenic potential of MSC has not been fully addressed. The aim of this work was to characterize the expression of the SHH pathway components in WJ-MSC primary cultures and to evaluate their angiogenic responsiveness to SHH signaling. Methods Primary cell cultures obtained from human umbilical cords were treated with pharmacological modulators of the SHH pathway. We evaluated the modulation of diverse trophic factors in cell lysates, conditioned medium, and functional in vitro assays. In addition, we determined the angiogenic potential of the SHH pathway in the chicken chorioallantoic membrane, an in vivo model. Results Our results show that WJ-MSC express components of the canonical SHH pathway and are activated by its signaling. In fact, we provide evidence of basal autocrine/paracrine SHH signaling in WJ-MSC. SHH pathway stimulation promotes the secretion of angiogenic factors such as activin A, angiogenin, angiopoietin 1, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, matrix metallometallopeptidase -9, and urokinase-type plasminogen activator, enhancing the pro-angiogenic capabilities of WJ-MSC both in vitro and in vivo. Conclusion WJ-MSC are a cell population responsive to SHH pathway stimulation. Basal SHH signaling is in part responsible for the angiogenic inductive properties of WJ-MSC. Overall, exogenous activation of the SHH pathway enhances the angiogenic properties of WJ-MSC, making this cell population an ideal target for treating tissue injury. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13287-017-0653-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Huaitong X, Yuanyong F, Yueqin T, Peng Z, Wei S, Kai S. Microvesicles releasing by oral cancer cells enhance endothelial cell angiogenesis via Shh/RhoA signaling pathway. Cancer Biol Ther 2017; 18:783-791. [PMID: 28886265 DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2017.1373213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to investigate the significance of hedgehog signaling pathway in association with clinicopathology parameters and its effect on angiogenesis in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The expression of Sonic Hh (Shh) and Gli1 were done on primary tumors and metastatic lymph nodes in OSCC samples from 80 patients by immunohistochemical analysis. The western blot was used to examine the expression of Shh in OSCC cell lines and OSCC-derived microvesicles (MVs). The role of Shh carried by MVs to induce endothelial cell angiogenesis was further investigated by matrigel assay. Our results indicated that the expression of Shh was positive associated with microvesseldentisty(MVD), TNM stage, tumor recurrence and lymph node metastasis. Moreover, Shh and Gli1 expression were higher in paired metastatic lymph nodes compared with expression of their primary tumors. The expression of Shh was abundant in Cal27, and present in SCC4, SCC9, and the amount of Shh protein in Cal27 targeting MVs was increased significantly than Cal27 cell group, up to ∼ fifth-fold. The Cal27 derived MVs increased significantly angiogenesis of HUVECs in vitro, and this effect was blocked with exoenzyme C3 transferase (C3) and shRNA targeting RhoA by suppressing RhoA expression and activation. The data suggested that OSCC derived Shh carried by MVs may facilitate the tumor growth and modulate the preparation of a vascular network in primary tumor and/or premetastatic niche.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Huaitong
- a School of Stomatology , Qingdao University , Shandong Province , China
| | - Feng Yuanyong
- a School of Stomatology , Qingdao University , Shandong Province , China
| | - Tao Yueqin
- a School of Stomatology , Qingdao University , Shandong Province , China
| | - Zhao Peng
- a School of Stomatology , Qingdao University , Shandong Province , China
| | - Shang Wei
- a School of Stomatology , Qingdao University , Shandong Province , China.,b Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery , the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University , Shandong Province , China
| | - Song Kai
- a School of Stomatology , Qingdao University , Shandong Province , China.,b Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery , the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University , Shandong Province , China
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Chen SC, Huang M, He QW, Zhang Y, Opoku EN, Yang H, Jin HJ, Xia YP, Hu B. Administration of sonic hedgehog protein induces angiogenesis and has therapeutic effects after stroke in rats. Neuroscience 2017; 352:285-295. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.03.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2016] [Revised: 03/27/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Hai B, Zhao Q, Qin L, Rangaraj D, Gutti VR, Liu F. Rescue Effects and Underlying Mechanisms of Intragland Shh Gene Delivery on Irradiation-Induced Hyposalivation. Hum Gene Ther 2016; 27:390-9. [PMID: 27021743 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2016.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Irreversible hypofunction of salivary glands is common in head and neck cancer survivors treated with radiotherapy and can only be temporarily relieved with current treatments. We found in an inducible sonic hedgehog (Shh) transgenic mouse model that transient activation of the Hedgehog pathway after irradiation rescued salivary gland function in males by preserving salivary stem/progenitor cells and parasympathetic innervation. To translate these findings into feasible clinical application, we evaluated the effects of Shh gene transfer to salivary glands of wild-type mice on irradiation-induced hyposalivation. Shh or control GFP gene was delivered by noninvasive retrograde ductal instillation of corresponding adenoviral vectors. In both male and female mice, Shh gene delivery efficiently activated Hedgehog/Gli signaling, and significantly improved stimulated saliva secretion and preserved saliva-producing acinar cells after irradiation. In addition to preserving parasympathetic innervation through induction of neurotrophic factors, Shh gene delivery also alleviated the irradiation damage of the microvasculature, likely via inducing angiogenic factors, but did not expand the progeny of cells responsive to Hedgehog/Gli signaling. These data indicate that transient activation of the Hedgehog pathway by gene delivery is promising to rescue salivary function after irradiation in both sexes, and the Hedgehog/Gli pathway may function mainly in cell nonautonomous manners to achieve the rescue effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Hai
- 1 Institute for Regenerative Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center , Temple, Texas
| | - Qingguo Zhao
- 1 Institute for Regenerative Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center , Temple, Texas
| | - Lizheng Qin
- 1 Institute for Regenerative Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center , Temple, Texas.,2 Beijing Stomatological Hospital, Capital Medical University , Beijing, China
| | | | - Veera R Gutti
- 3 Department of Radiation Oncology, Baylor Scott & White Hospital , Temple, Texas
| | - Fei Liu
- 1 Institute for Regenerative Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center , Temple, Texas
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25
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Han BW, Layman H, Rode NA, Conway A, Schaffer DV, Boudreau NJ, Jackson WM, Healy KE. Multivalent Conjugates of Sonic Hedgehog Accelerate Diabetic Wound Healing. Tissue Eng Part A 2016; 21:2366-78. [PMID: 26154888 DOI: 10.1089/ten.tea.2014.0281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite their preclinical promise, few recombinant growth factors have been fully developed into effective therapies, in part, due to the short interval of therapeutic activity after administration. To address this problem, we developed nanoscale polymer conjugates for multivalent presentation of therapeutic proteins that enhance the activation of targeted cellular responses. As an example of this technology, we conjugated multiple Sonic hedgehog (Shh) proteins onto individual hyaluronic acid biopolymers to generate multivalent protein clusters at defined ratios (i.e., valencies) that yield enhanced Shh pathway activation at equivalent concentrations relative to unconjugated Shh. In this study, we investigated whether these multivalent conjugates (mvShh) could be used to improve the therapeutic function of Shh. We found that a single treatment with mvShh significantly accelerated the closure of full-thickness wounds in diabetic (db/db) mice compared to either an equivalent dose of unconjugated Shh or the vehicle control. Furthermore, we identified specific indicators of wound healing in fibroblasts and endothelial cells (i.e., transcriptional activation and cell migration) that were activated by mvShh in vitro and at concentrations approximately an order of magnitude lower than the unconjugated Shh. Taken together, our findings suggest that mvShh conjugates exhibit greater potency to activate the Shh pathway, and this multivalency advantage improves its therapeutic effect to accelerate wound closure in a diabetic animal model. Our strategy of multivalent protein presentation using nanoscale polymer conjugates has the potential to make a significant impact on the development of protein-based therapies by improving their in vivo performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce W Han
- 1 Department of Bioengineering, University of California at Berkeley , Berkeley, California
| | - Hans Layman
- 2 Department of Surgery, University of California at San Francisco , San Francisco, California
| | - Nikhil A Rode
- 3 Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California at Berkeley , Berkeley, California
| | - Anthony Conway
- 4 Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California at Berkeley , Berkeley, California
| | - David V Schaffer
- 1 Department of Bioengineering, University of California at Berkeley , Berkeley, California.,4 Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California at Berkeley , Berkeley, California
| | - Nancy J Boudreau
- 2 Department of Surgery, University of California at San Francisco , San Francisco, California
| | - Wesley M Jackson
- 1 Department of Bioengineering, University of California at Berkeley , Berkeley, California
| | - Kevin E Healy
- 1 Department of Bioengineering, University of California at Berkeley , Berkeley, California.,3 Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California at Berkeley , Berkeley, California
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Manning DR, Shen F, Riobo NA. Evaluating the Activity of Smoothened Toward G Proteins Using [³⁵S]Guanosine 5'-(3-O-thio)triphosphate ([³⁵S]GTPγS). Methods Mol Biol 2016; 1322:35-44. [PMID: 26179037 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-2772-2_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The utilization of heterotrimeric G protein, and in particular those of the Gi, family, by Hedgehogs through Smoothened has become increasingly clear. We describe here a method for evaluating the activity of Smoothened toward G proteins in membranes derived from human embryonic kidney-293 (HEK293) cells. The assay relies on receptor-promoted exchange of GDP for [(35)S]GTPγS on the Gα subunit. The assay is best suited for analysis of the constitutive activity of Smoothened, inverse agonism superimposed on this activity, and neutral antagonism superimposed on inverse agonism. The assay would also be suitable for several other applications requiring a proximal, quantifiable readout of Smoothened activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- David R Manning
- Department of Pharmacology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3620 Hamilton Walk, Pennsylvania, PA, 19104-6084, USA,
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27
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Nie DM, Wu QL, Zheng P, Chen P, Zhang R, Li BB, Fang J, Xia LH, Hong M. Endothelial microparticles carrying hedgehog-interacting protein induce continuous endothelial damage in the pathogenesis of acute graft-versus-host disease. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2016; 310:C821-35. [PMID: 27009877 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00372.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2015] [Accepted: 03/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that endothelial microparticles (EMPs), a marker of endothelial damage, are elevated in acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD), and that endothelial damage is implicated in the pathogenesis of aGVHD, but the mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, we detected the plasma EMP levels and endothelial damage in patients and mice with aGVHD in vivo and then examined the effects of EMPs derived from injured endothelial cells (ECs) on endothelial damage and the role of hedgehog-interacting protein (HHIP) carried by EMPs in these effects in vitro. Our results showed that EMPs were persistently increased in the early posttransplantation phase in patients and mice with aGVHD. Meanwhile, endothelial damage was continuous in aGVHD mice, but was temporary in non-aGVHD mice after transplantation. In vitro, EMPs induced endothelial damage, including increased EC apoptosis, enhanced reactive oxygen species, decreased nitric oxide production and impaired angiogenic activity. Enhanced expression of HHIP, an antagonist for the Sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathway, was observed in patients and mice with aGVHD and EMPs from injured ECs. The endothelial damage induced by EMPs was reversed when the HHIP incorporated into EMPs was silenced with an HHIP small interfering RNA or inhibited with the SHH pathway agonist, Smoothened agonist. This work supports a feasible vicious cycle in which EMPs generated during endothelial injury, in turn, aggravate endothelial damage by carrying HHIP into target ECs, contributing to the continuously deteriorating endothelial damage in the development of aGVHD. EMPs harboring HHIP would represent a potential therapeutic target for aGVHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di-Min Nie
- Institute of Hematology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Qiu-Ling Wu
- Institute of Hematology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Peng Zheng
- Institute of Hematology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ping Chen
- Institute of Hematology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ran Zhang
- Institute of Hematology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Bei-Bei Li
- Institute of Hematology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jun Fang
- Institute of Hematology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ling-Hui Xia
- Institute of Hematology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Mei Hong
- Institute of Hematology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Roy Chaudhuri T, Straubinger NL, Pitoniak RF, Hylander BL, Repasky EA, Ma WW, Straubinger RM. Tumor-Priming Smoothened Inhibitor Enhances Deposition and Efficacy of Cytotoxic Nanoparticles in a Pancreatic Cancer Model. Mol Cancer Ther 2015; 15:84-93. [PMID: 26516158 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-15-0602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2015] [Accepted: 10/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Most pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients present with unresectable disease and benefit little from chemotherapy. Poor tumor perfusion and vascular permeability limit drug deposition. Previous work showed that Smoothened inhibitors of hedgehog signaling (sHHI) promote neovascularization in spontaneous mouse models of pancreatic cancer (PaCA) and enhance tumor permeability to low-molecular weight compounds. Here, we tested the hypothesis that sHHI can enhance tumor deposition and efficacy of drug-containing nanoparticles consisting of 80 to 100 nm sterically-stabilized liposomes (SSL) containing doxorubicin (SSL-DXR). SCID mice bearing low-passage patient-derived PaCA xenografts (PDX) were pretreated p.o. for 10 days with 40 mg/kg/d NVP-LDE225 (erismodegib), followed by i.v. SSL-DXR. Microvessel density, permeability, perfusion, and morphology were compared with untreated controls, as was SSL deposition and therapeutic efficacy. The sHHI alone affected tumor growth minimally, but markedly increased extravasation of nanoparticles into adenocarcinoma cell-enriched regions of the tumor. Immunostaining showed that sHHI treatment decreased pericyte coverage (α-SMA(+)) of CD31(+) vascular endothelium structures, and increased the abundance of endothelium-poor (CD31(-)) basement membrane structures (collagen IV(+)), suggesting increased immature microvessels. SSL-DXR (15 mg/kg) administered after sHHI pretreatment arrested tumor volume progression and decreased tumor perfusion/permeability, suggesting an initial vascular pruning response. Compared with controls, one cycle of 10-day sHHI pretreatment followed by 6 mg/kg SSL-DXR doubled median tumor progression time. Three cycles of treatment with sHHI and SSL-DXR, with a 10-day between-cycle drug holiday, nearly tripled median tumor progression time. Based upon these data, short-term sHHI treatment sequenced with nanoparticulate drug carriers constitutes a potential strategy to enhance efficacy of pancreatic cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tista Roy Chaudhuri
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York. Department of Molecular and Cellular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York
| | - Ninfa L Straubinger
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York
| | | | - Bonnie L Hylander
- Department of Immunology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York
| | | | - Wen Wee Ma
- Department of Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York
| | - Robert M Straubinger
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York. Department of Molecular and Cellular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York. Department of Cancer Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York. New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, Buffalo, New York.
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29
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Sun Y, Sun L, An Y, Shen X. Cabozantinib, a Novel c-Met Inhibitor, Inhibits Colorectal Cancer Development in a Xenograft Model. Med Sci Monit 2015; 21:2316-21. [PMID: 26255947 PMCID: PMC4536870 DOI: 10.12659/msm.893590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Angiogenesis plays a critical role during tumor development. c-Met has recently been implicated in the angiogenesis of various tumors, leaving its role in colorectal cancer (CRC) unknown. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of a novel c-Met inhibitor, cabozantinib, on the tumor growth and angiogenesis in a CRC mouse model. Material/Methods A mouse CRC xenograft model was used to evaluate the effect of cabozantinib on vivo growth of tumors and angiogenesis. The expression of angiogenesis-related factors was evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blotting. Levels of serum cytokines were detected by ELISA. Results Cabozantinib effectively reduced tumor size and angiogenesis, and suppressed the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in tumor tissues, possibly via the inhibition of Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) pathway. Conclusions The blockade of c-Met inhibits the tumor growth and angiogenesis via modulating SHH pathway, suggesting a potential strategy in the treatment of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinggang Sun
- Department of General Surgery, Jinan Military General Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China (mainland)
| | - Liyong Sun
- Department of General Surgery, Jinan Military General Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China (mainland)
| | - Yanxin An
- Department of General Surgery, Jinan Military General Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China (mainland)
| | - Xin Shen
- Department of General Surgery, Jinan Military General Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China (mainland)
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30
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Singh BN, Singh HB, Singh A, Naqvi AH, Singh BR. Dietary phytochemicals alter epigenetic events and signaling pathways for inhibition of metastasis cascade: phytoblockers of metastasis cascade. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2015; 33:41-85. [PMID: 24390421 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-013-9457-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Cancer metastasis is a multistep process in which a cancer cell spreads from the site of the primary lesion, passes through the circulatory system, and establishes a secondary tumor at a new nonadjacent organ or part. Inhibition of cancer progression by dietary phytochemicals (DPs) offers significant promise for reducing the incidence and mortality of cancer. Consumption of DPs in the diet has been linked to a decrease in the rate of metastatic cancer in a number of preclinical animal models and human epidemiological studies. DPs have been reported to modulate the numerous biological events including epigenetic events (noncoding micro-RNAs, histone modification, and DNA methylation) and multiple signaling transduction pathways (Wnt/β-catenin, Notch, Sonic hedgehog, COX-2, EGFR, MAPK-ERK, JAK-STAT, Akt/PI3K/mTOR, NF-κB, AP-1, etc.), which can play a key role in regulation of metastasis cascade. Extensive studies have also been performed to determine the molecular mechanisms underlying antimetastatic activity of DPs, with results indicating that these DPs have significant inhibitory activity at nearly every step of the metastatic cascade. DPs have anticancer effects by inducing apoptosis and by inhibiting cell growth, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis. Growing evidence has also shown that these natural agents potentiate the efficacy of chemotherapy and radiotherapy through the regulation of multiple signaling pathways. In this review, we discuss the variety of molecular mechanisms by which DPs regulate metastatic cascade and highlight the potentials of these DPs as promising therapeutic inhibitors of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- B N Singh
- Research and Development Division, Sowbhagya Biotech Private Limited, Cherlapally, Hyderabad, 500051, Andhra Pradesh, India
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31
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The cholesterol biosynthesis enzyme oxidosqualene cyclase is a new target to impair tumour angiogenesis and metastasis dissemination. Sci Rep 2015; 5:9054. [PMID: 25761781 PMCID: PMC4357009 DOI: 10.1038/srep09054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2014] [Accepted: 02/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant cholesterol homeostasis and biosynthesis has been observed in different tumour types. This paper investigates the role of the post-squalenic enzyme of cholesterol biosynthesis, oxidosqualene cyclase (OSC), in regulating tumour angiogenesis and metastasis dissemination in mouse models of cancer. We showed that Ro 48-8071, a selective inhibitor of OSC, reduced vascular density and increased pericyte coverage, with a consequent inhibition of tumour growth in a spontaneous mouse model of pancreatic tumour (RIP-Tag2) and two metastatic mouse models of human colon carcinoma (HCT116) and pancreatic adenocarcinoma (HPAF-II). Remarkably, the inhibition of OSC hampered metastasis formation in HCT116 and HPAF-II models. Ro 48-8071 induced tumour vessel normalization and enhanced the anti-tumoral and anti-metastatic effects of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in HCT116 mice. Ro 48-8071 exerted a strong anti-angiogenic activity by impairing endothelial cell adhesion and migration, and by blocking vessel formation in angiogenesis assays. OSC inhibition specifically interfered with the PI3K pathway. According to in vitro results, Ro 48-8071 specifically inhibited Akt phosphorylation in both cancer cells and tumour vasculature in all treated models. Thus, our results unveil a crucial role of OSC in the regulation of cancer progression and tumour angiogenesis, and indicate Ro 48-8071 as a potential novel anti-angiogenic and anti-metastatic drug.
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Pan YB, Gong Y, Ruan HF, Pan LY, Wu XK, Tang C, Wang CJ, Zhu HB, Zhang ZM, Tang LF, Zou CC, Wang HB, Wu XM. Sonic hedgehog through Gli2 and Gli3 is required for the proper development of placental labyrinth. Cell Death Dis 2015; 6:e1653. [PMID: 25695606 PMCID: PMC4669788 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2015.28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2014] [Revised: 01/14/2015] [Accepted: 01/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Sonic hedgehog (Shh) functions as a conserved morphogen in the development of various organs in metazoans ranging from Drosophila to humans. Here, we have investigated the potential roles and underlying mechanisms of Shh signaling in murine placentation. Immunostaining revealed the abundant expression of the main components of Shh pathway in both the trophectoderm of blastocysts and developing placentas. Disruption of Shh led to impaired vascularogenesis of yolk sac, less branching and malformation of placental labyrinth, thereby leading to a robust decrease in capacity of transplacental passages. Moreover, placenta-specific gene incorporation by lentiviral transduction of mouse blastocysts and blastocyst transplantation robustly knocked down the expression of Gli3 and Gli2 in placenta but not in embryos. Finally, Gli3 knockdown in Shh−/− placentas partially rescued the defects of both yolk sac and placental labyrinth, and robustly restored the capacity of transplacental passages. Gli2 knockdown in Shh+/− placentas affected neither the capacity of tranplacental passages nor the vascularogenesis of yolk sac, however, it partially phenocopied the labyrinthine defects of Shh−/− placentas. Taken together, these results uncover that both Shh/Gli2 and Shh/Gli3 signals are required for proper development of murine placentas and are possibly essential for pregnant maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y B Pan
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Y Gong
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - H F Ruan
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - L Y Pan
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - X K Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - C Tang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - C J Wang
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - H B Zhu
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Z M Zhang
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - L F Tang
- Department of Internal Medicine, The Affiliated Children Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - C C Zou
- Department of Internal Medicine, The Affiliated Children Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - H B Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - X M Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Kanaya K, Ii M, Okazaki T, Nakamura T, Horii-Komatsu M, Alev C, Akimaru H, Kawamoto A, Akashi H, Tanaka H, Asahi M, Asahara T. Sonic Hedgehog signaling regulates vascular differentiation and function in human CD34 positive cells: vasculogenic CD34(+) cells with Sonic Hedgehog. Stem Cell Res 2015; 14:165-76. [PMID: 25644021 DOI: 10.1016/j.scr.2015.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2014] [Revised: 01/06/2015] [Accepted: 01/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Identification of pivotal factors potentially present in the in situ environment and capable of influencing the function of CD34(+) cells, which can be used for autologous cell therapy, is of paramount interest. SHh is one of the morphogens essential for embryonic vascular development as well as postnatal neovascularization, and the activation of SHh signaling with angiogenic and vascular differentiation responses in CD34(+) cells by SHh treatment differed depending on the G-CSF treatment or the background disease. SHh enhanced the migration, proliferation, adhesion, and EPC colony forming capacities of G-CSF mobilized CD34(+) cells, increasing the vasculogenic/angiogenic potential for neovascularization. An increase in the differentiation potential of CD34(+) cells toward vascular lineages was demonstrated with SHh treatment involving TGFβ signaling pathway. The SHh-activated G-CSF mobilized CD34(+) cells directly contributed to vascular regeneration while non-activated CD34(+) cells showed a lower regenerative capacity in a mouse ischemic hindlimb model. SHh signaling regulates human CD34(+) cell fate and function, and may potentiate the therapeutic effect of G-CSF mobilized CD34(+) cells on ischemic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kurando Kanaya
- Department of Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Masaaki Ii
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Osaka Medical College, Osaka, Japan.
| | - Teiji Okazaki
- Department of Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Toru Nakamura
- Department of Gastroenterology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Miki Horii-Komatsu
- Group of Vascular Regeneration Research, Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation, Kobe, Japan
| | - Cantas Alev
- RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Kobe, Japan
| | | | - Atsuhiko Kawamoto
- Group of Vascular Regeneration Research, Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation, Kobe, Japan
| | - Hidetoshi Akashi
- Department of Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Tanaka
- Department of Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Michio Asahi
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Osaka Medical College, Osaka, Japan
| | - Takayuki Asahara
- Department of Regenerative Medicine Science, Tokai University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan.
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Kumari S, Chaurasia SN, Kumar K, Dash D. Anti-apoptotic role of sonic hedgehog on blood platelets. Thromb Res 2014; 134:1311-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.thromres.2014.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2014] [Revised: 08/23/2014] [Accepted: 09/20/2014] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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Zhu SL, Luo MQ, Peng WX, Li QX, Feng ZY, Li ZX, Wang MX, Feng XX, Liu F, Huang JL. Sonic hedgehog signalling pathway regulates apoptosis through Smo protein in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2014; 54:1093-102. [PMID: 25406358 DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/keu421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of smoothened protein (Smo), a sonic hedgehog (Shh) signalling component, in synovium of RA and its role in the survival and apoptosis of endothelial cells. METHODS The expression of Smo pxrotein in RA synovial tissue was examined by immunohistochemistry. Real-time PCR and western blotting techniques were employed to measure the expression of Shh signalling components in EA.hy926 endothelial cells exposed to TNF-α in the presence or absence of cyclopamine (a Smo-specific antagonist). Lastly, the effect of cyclopamine and Smo small interfering RNA on apoptosis induced by TNF-α and actinomycin D (ActD) was determined. RESULTS We found that Smo was highly expressed in synovial tissues of RA, especially in endothelial cells, compared with the trauma group. TNF-α significantly increased the expression of Shh signalling components in EA.hy926 endothelial cells, while cyclopamine decreased the expression of Shh signalling components. EA.hy926 endothelial cells treated with various concentrations of cyclopamine (2-8 μmol/l) showed a significant decrease in cell viability and cell survival rate, and an increase in the rate of cell apoptosis compared with endothelial cells treated with TNF-α and ActD (P < 0.05). EA.hy926 endothelial cells transfected with Smo-siRNA also showed a lower cell survival rate and higher apoptotic rate, compared with cells in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION The Shh signalling pathway plays a role in regulating endothelial cell apoptosis in a Smo-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shang-Ling Zhu
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The 3rd Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Min-Qi Luo
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The 3rd Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Wei-Xiang Peng
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The 3rd Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Qiu-Xia Li
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The 3rd Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Zhi-Ying Feng
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The 3rd Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Zhao-Xia Li
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The 3rd Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Ming-Xia Wang
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The 3rd Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Xiao-Xue Feng
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The 3rd Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Fang Liu
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The 3rd Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Jian-Lin Huang
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The 3rd Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China
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Fleury A, Martinez MC, Le Lay S. Extracellular vesicles as therapeutic tools in cardiovascular diseases. Front Immunol 2014; 5:370. [PMID: 25136343 PMCID: PMC4120684 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2014.00370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2014] [Accepted: 07/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs), including microvesicles (MVs) and exosomes, are small vesicles secreted from a wide variety of cells. Whereas MVs are particles released by the outward budding of the plasma membrane, exosomes are derived from endocytic compartments. Secretion of EVs can be enhanced by specific stimuli, and increased plasma circulating levels of EVs have been correlated with pathophysiological situations. MVs, already present in the blood of healthy individuals, are considerably elevated in several cardiovascular diseases associated with inflammation, suggesting that they can mediate deleterious effects such as endothelial dysfunction or thrombosis. Nonetheless, very recent studies also demonstrate that MVs may act as biological information vectors transferring proteins or genetic material to maintain cell homeostasis, favor cell repair, or even promote angiogenesis. Additionally, exosomes have also been shown to have pro-angiogenic and cardio-protective properties. These beneficial effects, therefore, reveal the potential therapeutical use of EVs in the field of cardiovascular medicine and regenerative therapy. In this review, we will provide an update of cellular processes modulated by EVs of specific interest in the treatment of cardiovascular pathologies. A special focus will be made on the morphogen sonic hedgehog (Shh) associated with EVs (EVsShh+), which have been shown to mediate many pro-angiogenic effects. In addition to offer a potential source of cardiovascular markers, therapeutical potential of EVs reveal exciting opportunities to deliver specific agents by non-immunogenic means to cardiovascular system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Fleury
- INSERM U1063 "Oxidative Stress and Metabolic Pathologies," Institut de Biologie en Santé, Université d'Angers , Angers , France
| | - Maria Carmen Martinez
- INSERM U1063 "Oxidative Stress and Metabolic Pathologies," Institut de Biologie en Santé, Université d'Angers , Angers , France
| | - Soazig Le Lay
- INSERM U1063 "Oxidative Stress and Metabolic Pathologies," Institut de Biologie en Santé, Université d'Angers , Angers , France
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Heparin-chitosan nanoparticle functionalization of porous poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels for localized lentivirus delivery of angiogenic factors. Biomaterials 2014; 35:8687-93. [PMID: 25023395 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2014.06.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2014] [Accepted: 06/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Hydrogels have been extensively used for regenerative medicine strategies given their tailorable mechanical and chemical properties. Gene delivery represents a promising strategy by which to enhance the bioactivity of the hydrogels, though the efficiency and localization of gene transfer have been challenging. Here, we functionalized porous poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels with heparin-chitosan nanoparticles to retain the vectors locally and enhance lentivirus delivery while minimizing changes to hydrogel architecture and mechanical properties. The immobilization of nanoparticles, as compared to homogeneous heparin and/or chitosan, is essential to lentivirus immobilization and retention of activity. Using this gene-delivering platform, we over-expressed the angiogenic factors sonic hedgehog (Shh) and vascular endothelial growth factor (Vegf) to promote blood vessel recruitment to the implant site. Shh enhanced endothelial recruitment and blood vessel formation around the hydrogel compared to both Vegf-delivering and control hydrogels. The nanoparticle-modified porous hydrogels for delivering gene therapy vectors can provide a platform for numerous regenerative medicine applications.
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Molecular pathways governing development of vascular endothelial cells from ES/iPS cells. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2014; 9:586-98. [PMID: 23765563 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-013-9450-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Assembly of complex vascular networks occurs in numerous biological systems through morphogenetic processes such as vasculogenesis, angiogenesis and vascular remodeling. Pluripotent stem cells such as embryonic stem (ES) and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells can differentiate into any cell type, including endothelial cells (ECs), and have been extensively used as in vitro models to analyze molecular mechanisms underlying EC generation and differentiation. The emergence of these promising new approaches suggests that ECs could be used in clinical therapy. Much evidence suggests that ES/iPS cell differentiation into ECs in vitro mimics the in vivo vascular morphogenic process. Through sequential steps of maturation, ECs derived from ES/iPS cells can be further differentiated into arterial, venous, capillary and lymphatic ECs, as well as smooth muscle cells. Here, we review EC development from ES/iPS cells with special attention to molecular pathways functioning in EC specification.
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Jain A, Betancur M, Patel GD, Valmikinathan CM, Mukhatyar VJ, Vakharia A, Pai SB, Brahma B, MacDonald TJ, Bellamkonda RV. Guiding intracortical brain tumour cells to an extracortical cytotoxic hydrogel using aligned polymeric nanofibres. NATURE MATERIALS 2014; 13:308-16. [PMID: 24531400 DOI: 10.1038/nmat3878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2013] [Accepted: 01/02/2014] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme is an aggressive, invasive brain tumour with a poor survival rate. Available treatments are ineffective and some tumours remain inoperable because of their size or location. The tumours are known to invade and migrate along white matter tracts and blood vessels. Here, we exploit this characteristic of glioblastoma multiforme by engineering aligned polycaprolactone (PCL)-based nanofibres for tumour cells to invade and, hence, guide cells away from the primary tumour site to an extracortical location. This extracortial sink is a cyclopamine drug-conjugated, collagen-based hydrogel. When aligned PCL-nanofibre films in a PCL/polyurethane carrier conduit were inserted in the vicinity of an intracortical human U87MG glioblastoma xenograft, a significant number of human glioblastoma cells migrated along the aligned nanofibre films and underwent apoptosis in the extracortical hydrogel. Tumour volume in the brain was significantly lower following insertion of aligned nanofibre implants compared with the application of smooth fibres or no implants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjana Jain
- 1] Neurological Biomaterials and Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University School of Medicine, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta Georgia 30332 USA [2]
| | - Martha Betancur
- Neurological Biomaterials and Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University School of Medicine, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta Georgia 30332 USA
| | - Gaurangkumar D Patel
- Neurological Biomaterials and Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University School of Medicine, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta Georgia 30332 USA
| | - Chandra M Valmikinathan
- Neurological Biomaterials and Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University School of Medicine, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta Georgia 30332 USA
| | - Vivek J Mukhatyar
- Neurological Biomaterials and Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University School of Medicine, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta Georgia 30332 USA
| | - Ajit Vakharia
- Neurological Biomaterials and Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University School of Medicine, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta Georgia 30332 USA
| | - S Balakrishna Pai
- Neurological Biomaterials and Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University School of Medicine, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta Georgia 30332 USA
| | - Barunashish Brahma
- Department of Neurosurgery Children's Health Care of Atlanta Georgia 30342 USA
| | - Tobey J MacDonald
- Department of Pediatrics, Aflac Cancer And Blood Disorders Center Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta, Georgia 30322 USA
| | - Ravi V Bellamkonda
- Neurological Biomaterials and Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University School of Medicine, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta Georgia 30332 USA
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40
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Alvarez JI, Katayama T, Prat A. Glial influence on the blood brain barrier. Glia 2013; 61:1939-58. [PMID: 24123158 PMCID: PMC4068281 DOI: 10.1002/glia.22575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 380] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2013] [Revised: 08/13/2013] [Accepted: 08/19/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) is a specialized vascular structure tightly regulating central nervous system (CNS) homeostasis. Endothelial cells are the central component of the BBB and control of their barrier phenotype resides on astrocytes and pericytes. Interactions between these cells and the endothelium promote and maintain many of the physiological and metabolic characteristics that are unique to the BBB. In this review we describe recent findings related to the involvement of astroglial cells, including radial glial cells, in the induction of barrier properties during embryogenesis and adulthood. In addition, we describe changes that occur in astrocytes and endothelial cells during injury and inflammation with a particular emphasis on alterations of the BBB phenotype. GLIA 2013;61:1939–1958
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Ivan Alvarez
- Neuroimmunology unit, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montréal, Québec, Canada
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Zhu H, Carpenter RL, Han W, Lo HW. The GLI1 splice variant TGLI1 promotes glioblastoma angiogenesis and growth. Cancer Lett 2013; 343:51-61. [PMID: 24045042 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2013.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2013] [Revised: 09/10/2013] [Accepted: 09/11/2013] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
We investigated truncated glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 (TGLI1) that behaves as gain-of-function GLI1 and promotes tumor cell migration and invasion. Herein, we report that TGLI1 had a higher propensity than GLI1 to enhance glioblastoma angiogenesis and growth, both in vivo and in vitro. TGLI1 has gained the ability to enhance expression of pro-angiogenic heparanase. In patient glioblastomas, TGLI1 levels are correlated with heparanase expression. Together, we report that TGLI1 is a novel mediator of glioblastoma angiogenesis and that heparanase is a novel transcriptional target of TGLI1, shedding new light on the molecular pathways that support tumor angiogenesis and aggressive growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hu Zhu
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | | | - Woody Han
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Hui-Wen Lo
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Duke Center for RNA Biology, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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Norcantharidin, derivative of cantharidin, for cancer stem cells. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2013; 2013:838651. [PMID: 24073010 PMCID: PMC3773992 DOI: 10.1155/2013/838651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2013] [Revised: 07/28/2013] [Accepted: 07/29/2013] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) existing in human cancers have been demonstrated to be a major cause of cancer treatment resistance, invasion, metastasis, and relapse. Self-renewal pathways, Wnt/β-catenin, Sonic hedgehog (Shh), and the Notch signaling pathway play critical roles in developing CSCs and lead to angiogenesis, migration, invasion, and metastasis. Multidrug resistance (MDR) is an unfavorable factor causing the failure of treatments against cancer cells. The most important and thoroughly studied mechanism involved in MDR is the active efflux of chemotherapeutic agents through membrane drug transporters. There is growing evidence that Norcantharidin (NCTD), a water-soluble synthetic small molecule derivative of naturally occurring cantharidin from the medicinal insect blister beetle (Mylabris phalerata Pallas), is capable of chemoprevention and tumor inhibition. We summarize investigations into the modulation of self-renewal pathways and MDR in CSCs by NCTD. This review may aid in further investigation of using NCTD to develop more effective strategies for cancer treatment to reduce resistance and recurrence.
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Astrocyte-derived sonic hedgehog contributes to angiogenesis in brain microvascular endothelial cells via RhoA/ROCK pathway after oxygen-glucose deprivation. Mol Neurobiol 2013; 47:976-87. [PMID: 23325464 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-013-8396-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2012] [Accepted: 01/02/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The human adult brain possesses intriguing plasticity, including neurogenesis and angiogenesis, which may be mediated by the activated sonic hedgehog (Shh). By employing a coculture system, brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) cocultured with astrocytes, which were incubated under oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) condition, we tested the hypothesis that Shh secreted by OGD-activated astrocytes promotes cerebral angiogenesis following ischemia. The results of this study demonstrated that Shh was mainly secreted by astrocytes and the secretion was significantly upregulated after OGD. The proliferation, migration, and tube formation of BMECs cocultured with astrocytes after OGD were significantly enhanced, but cyclopamine (a Shh antagonist) or 5E1 (an antibody of Shh) reversed the change. Furthermore, silencing Ras homolog gene family, member A (RhoA) of BMECs by RNAi and blocking Rho-dependent kinase (ROCK) by Y27632, a specific antagonist of ROCK, suppressed the upregulation of proliferation, migration, and tube formation of BMECs after OGD. These findings suggested that Shh derived from activated astrocytes stimulated RhoA/ROCK pathway in BMECs after OGD, which might be involved in angiogenesis in vitro.
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Shen F, Cheng L, Douglas AE, Riobo NA, Manning DR. Smoothened is a fully competent activator of the heterotrimeric G protein G(i). Mol Pharmacol 2013; 83:691-7. [PMID: 23292797 DOI: 10.1124/mol.112.082511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Smoothened (Smo) is a 7-transmembrane protein essential to the activation of Gli transcription factors (Gli) by hedgehog morphogens. The structure of Smo implies interactions with heterotrimeric G proteins, but the degree to which G proteins participate in the actions of hedgehogs remains controversial. We posit that the G(i) family of G proteins provides to hedgehogs the ability to expand well beyond the bounds of Gli. In this regard, we evaluate here the efficacy of Smo as it relates to the activation of G(i), by comparing Smo with the 5-hydroxytryptamine(1A) (5-HT(1A)) receptor, a quintessential G(i)-coupled receptor. We find that with use of [(35)S]guanosine 5'-(3-O-thio)triphosphate, first, with forms of G(i) endogenous to human embryonic kidney (HEK)-293 cells made to express epitope-tagged receptors and, second, with individual forms of Gα(i) fused to the C terminus of each receptor, Smo is equivalent to the 5-HT(1A) receptor in the assay as it relates to capacity to activate G(i). This finding is true regardless of subtype of G(i) (e.g., G(i2), G(o), and G(z)) tested. We also find that Smo endogenous to HEK-293 cells, ostensibly through inhibition of adenylyl cyclase, decreases intracellular levels of cAMP. The results indicate that Smo is a receptor that can engage not only Gli but also other more immediate effectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Shen
- Department of Pharmacology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3610 Hamilton Walk, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6084, USA
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45
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Nakajima Y, Imanaka-Yoshida K. New insights into the developmental mechanisms of coronary vessels and epicardium. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2013; 303:263-317. [PMID: 23445813 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-407697-6.00007-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
During heart development, the epicardium, which originates from the proepicardial organ (PE), is a source of coronary vessels. The PE develops from the posterior visceral mesoderm of the pericardial coelom after stimulation with a combination of weak bone morphogenetic protein and strong fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling. PE-derived cells migrate across the heart surface to form the epicardial sheet, which subsequently seeds multipotent subepicardial mesenchymal cells via epithelial-mesenchymal transition, which is regulated by several signaling pathways including retinoic acid, FGF, sonic hedgehog, Wnt, transforming growth factor-β, and platelet-derived growth factor. Subepicardial endothelial progenitors eventually generate the coronary vascular plexus, which acquires an arterial or venous phenotype, connects with the sinus venosus and aortic sinuses, and then matures through the recruitment of vascular smooth muscle cells under the regulation of complex growth factor signaling pathways. These developmental programs might be activated in the adult heart after injury and play a role in the regeneration/repair of the myocardium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuji Nakajima
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan.
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Dai R, Xia Y, Mao L, Mei Y, Xue Y, Hu B. Involvement of PI3K/Akt pathway in the neuroprotective effect of Sonic hedgehog on cortical neurons under oxidative stress. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 32:856-860. [PMID: 23271286 DOI: 10.1007/s11596-012-1047-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2011] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The Sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in neurogenesis and brain damage repair. Our previous work demonstrated that the SHH signaling pathway was involved in the neuroprotection of cortical neurons against oxidative stress. The present study was aimed to further examine the underlying mechanism. The cortical neurons were obtained from one-day old Sprague-Dawley neonate rats. Hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2), 100 μmol/L) was used to treat neurons for 24 h to induce oxidative stress. Exogenous SHH (3 μg/mL) was employed to activate the SHH pathway, and cyclopamine (20 μmol/L), a specific SHH signal inhibitor, to block SHH pathway. LY294002 (20 μmol/L) were used to pre-treat the neurons 30 min before H(2)O(2) treatment and selectively inhibit the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway. The cell viability was measured by MTT and apoptosis rate by flow cytometry analysis. The expression of p38, p-p38, ERK, p-ERK, Akt, p-Akt, Bcl-2, and Bax in neurons was detected by immunoblotting. The results showed that as compared with H(2)O(2) treatment, exogenous SHH could increase the expression of p-Akt by 20% and decrease the expression of p-ERK by 33%. SHH exerted no significant effect on p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) pathway. Blockade of PI3K/Akt pathway by LY294002 decreased the cell viability by 17% and increased the cell apoptosis rate by 2-fold. LY294002 treatment could up-regulate the expression of the pro-apoptotic gene Bax by 12% and down-regulate the expression of the anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-2 by 54%. In conclusion, SHH pathway may activate PI3K/Akt pathway and inhibit the activation of the ERK pathway in neurons under oxidative stress. The PI3K/Akt pathway plays a key role in the neuroprotection of SHH. SHH/PI3K/Bcl-2 pathway may be implicated in the protection of neurons against H(2)O(2)-induced apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruolian Dai
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Yuanpeng Xia
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Ling Mao
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Yuanwu Mei
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Yumei Xue
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Bo Hu
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
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Lu FL, Yu CC, Chiu HH, Liu HE, Chen SY, Lin S, Goh TY, Hsu HC, Chien CH, Wu HC, Chen MS, Schuyler SC, Hsieh WS, Wu MH, Lu J. Sonic hedgehog antagonists induce cell death in acute myeloid leukemia cells with the presence of lipopolysaccharides, tumor necrosis factor-α, or interferons. Invest New Drugs 2012; 31:823-32. [PMID: 23238608 DOI: 10.1007/s10637-012-9908-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2012] [Accepted: 11/22/2012] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Due to the development of drug resistance, the outcome for the majority of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (acute myelogenous leukemia; AML) remains poor. To prevent drug resistance and increase the therapeutic efficacy of treating AML, the development of new combinatory drug therapies is necessary. Sonic hedgehog (Shh) is expressed in AML biopsies and is essential for the drug resistance of cancer stem cells of AML. AML patients are frequently infected by bacteria and exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LPS itself, its derivatives, and its downstream effectors, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferons (IFNs), have been shown to provoke anti-tumor effects. The application of a Shh inhibitor against AML cells in the presence of LPS/TNF-α/IFNs has not been investigated. We found that the Shh inhibitor cyclopamine in combination with LPS treatment synergistically induced massive cell apoptosis in THP-1 and U937 cells. The cytotoxic effects of this combined drug treatment were confirmed in 5 additional AML cell lines, in primary AML cells, and in an AML mouse model. Replacing cyclopamine with another Shh inhibitor, Sant-1, had the same effect. LPS could be substituted by TNF-α or IFNs to induce AML cell death in combination with cyclopamine. Our results suggest a potential strategy for the development of new therapies employing Shh antagonists in the presence of LPS/TNF-α/IFNs for the treatment of AML patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Leigh Lu
- Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
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Seifert K, Büttner A, Rigol S, Eilert N, Wandel E, Giannis A. Potent small molecule Hedgehog agonists induce VEGF expression in vitro. Bioorg Med Chem 2012; 20:6465-81. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2012.08.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2012] [Revised: 08/17/2012] [Accepted: 08/20/2012] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Dashti M, Peppelenbosch MP, Rezaee F. Hedgehog signalling as an antagonist of ageing and its associated diseases. Bioessays 2012; 34:849-56. [PMID: 22903465 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201200049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Hedgehog is an important morphogenic signal that directs pattern formation during embryogenesis, but its activity also remains present through adult life. It is now becoming increasingly clear that during the reproductive phase of life and beyond it continues to direct cell renewal (which is essential to combat the chronic environmental stress to which the body is constantly exposed) and counteracts vascular, osteolytic and sometimes oncological insults to the body. Conversely, down-regulation of hedgehog signalling is associated with ageing-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, neurodegeneration, atherosclerosis and osteoporosis. Hence, in this essay we argue that hedgehog signalling is not only important at the start of life, but also constitutes an important anti-geriatric influence, and that enhanced understanding of its properties may contribute to developing rational strategies for healthy ageing and prevention of ageing-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monireh Dashti
- Department of Cell Biology, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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50
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Abramovich D, Irusta G, Bas D, Cataldi NI, Parborell F, Tesone M. Angiopoietins/TIE2 system and VEGF are involved in ovarian function in a DHEA rat model of polycystic ovary syndrome. Endocrinology 2012; 153:3446-56. [PMID: 22577112 DOI: 10.1210/en.2012-1105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinological pathology among women of reproductive age. It is characterized by anovulation, oligo- or amenorrhea, hyperandrogenism, obesity, and insulin resistance. PCOS patients present with elevated levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in serum and follicular fluid. In this study, we examined the ovarian expression of angiopoietins (ANGPT) and their receptor tyrosine kinase receptor (TIE2), involved in the stabilization of blood vessels, in a rat model of dehydroepiandrosterone-induced PCOS. We also analyzed the effect of ovarian VEGF inhibition on ANGPT/TIE2, follicular development, and vascular stability. VEGF levels were increased in the PCOS ovaries, whereas the levels of its receptor fetal liver kinase-1 were decreased. In addition, the periendothelial cell area and the ANGPT1 to ANGPT2 ratio in the ovary were increased in the PCOS group. Percentage of primary follicles was increased and the percentage of preantral follicles and corpora lutea was decreased in the PCOS group. VEGF inhibition decreased the percentage of primary follicles close to control values. Interestingly, despite the presence of cysts in the ovaries from VEGF inhibitor-treated PCOS rats, its percentage was lower than the PCOS group without treatment. In summary, this study describes an alteration not only in the VEGF/fetal liver kinase-1 system but also in the ANGPT/TIE2 system in a dehydroepiandrosterone-induced PCOS rat model. This leads to an increase in periendothelial cell recruitment. We also demonstrated that ovarian VEGF inhibition can partially restore the accumulation of small follicles in PCOS rats and reduces cyst formation, improving ovulation and follicular development. Therefore, the inhibition of VEGF could be considered, in addition to other currently applied treatments, as a new strategy to be studied in PCOS patients to restore ovarian function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalhia Abramovich
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Técnicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C1428ADN, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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