A2AR-mediated lymphangiogenesis via VEGFR2 signaling prevents salt-sensitive hypertension

EphrinB2-mediated CDK5/ISL1 pathway enhances cardiac lymphangiogenesis and alleviates ischemic injury by resolving post-MI inflammation

EphrinB2 (erythropoietin-producing hepatoma interactor B2) is a key Eph/ephrin family member, promoting angiogenesis, vasculogenesis, and lymphangiogenesis during embryonic development. However, the role of EphrinB2 in cardiac lymphangiogenesis following myocardial infarction (MI) and the potential molecular mechanism remains to be demonstrated. This study revealed that EphrinB2 prevented ischemic heart post-MI from remodeling and dysfunction by activating the cardiac lymphangiogenesis signaling pathway. Deletion of EphrinB2 impaired cardiac lymphangiogenesis and aggravated adverse cardiac remodeling and ventricular dysfunction post-MI. At the same time, overexpression of EphrinB2 stimulated cardiac lymphangiogenesis which facilitated cardiac infiltrating macrophage drainage and reduced inflammation in the ischemic heart. The beneficial effects of EphrinB2 on improving clearance of inflammatory response and cardiac function were abolished in Lyve1 knockout mice. Mechanistically, EphrinB2 accelerated cell cycling and lymphatic endothelial cell proliferation and migration by activating CDK5 and CDK5-dependent ISL1 nuclear translocation. EphrinB2 enhanced the transcriptional activity of ISL1 at the VEGFR3 (FLT4) promoter, and VEGFR3 inhibitor MAZ51 significantly diminished the EphrinB2-mediated lymphangiogenesis and deteriorated the ischemic cardiac function. We uncovered a novel mechanism of EphrinB2-driven cardiac lymphangiogenesis in improving myocardial remodeling and function after MI.

Regulation of transcription factor function by purinergic signalling in cardiovascular diseases

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), including hypertension, atherosclerosis, myocardial ischemia, and myocardial infarction, constitute the primary cause of mortality worldwide. Transcription factors play critical roles in the development of CVDs and contribute to the pathophysiology of these diseases by coordinating the transcription of many genes involved in inflammation, oxidative stress, angiogenesis, and glycolytic metabolism. One important regulator of hemostasis in both healthy and pathological settings has been identified as a purinergic signalling pathway. Research has demonstrated that several signalling networks implicated in the pathophysiology of CVDs are formed by transcription factors that are regulated by purinergic substances. Here, we briefly summarize the roles and mechanisms of the transcription factors regulated by purinergic pathways in various types of CVD. This information will be essential for discovering novel approaches for CVD treatment and prevention.

Screening and toxicity evaluation of natural compounds as adenosine 2a and 2b receptor ligands: insights from molecular docking, dynamics, and ADMET analysis

Recent studies suggest that immunological and inflammatory responses in cardiovascular disorders, such as hypertension, myocardial infarction, ischemia injury, heart failure, arrhythmias, and atherosclerosis, may be affected by changes in the adenosine system. Pharmacological modulation of adenosine occurs through its receptor subtypes. In numerous preclinical studies, the activation of adenosine receptor 2A (A2AR) or the blockade of adenosine receptor 2B (A2BR) has shown promising results against cardiovascular diseases. This in silico study aimed to identify potential natural compounds that can activate A2AR or block A2BR without causing toxicity. Natural compounds were screened using COlleCtion of Open Natural ProdUcTs (COCONUT) or Natural Product Activity and Species Source Database (NPASS) databases to find agonists for A2AR or an antagonists/inverse agonists for A2BR. These compounds were then pre-filtered based on their toxicity profiles. The remaining compounds were subjected to molecular docking against A2AR and A2BR followed by molecular dynamics simulations were conducted. Finally, selected compounds' ADMET properties were determined using ADMETlab 2.0 web tool. Ultimately, one novel natural compound with potential agonistic activity (COCONUT IDs: CNP0450901) for A2AR and one antagonist/inverse agonist (rauwolscine) for A2BR were identified.

Cardiac Lymphatics and Therapeutic Prospects in Cardiovascular Disease: New Perspectives and Hopes

The lymphatic system is the same reticular fluid system as the circulatory system found throughout the body in vascularized tissues. Lymphatic vessels are low-pressure, blind-ended tubular structures that play a crucial role in maintaining tissue fluid homeostasis, immune cell transport, and lipid absorption. The heart also has an extensive lymphatic network, and as research on cardiac lymphatics has progressed in recent years, more and more studies have found that cardiac lymphangiogenesis may ameliorate certain cardiovascular diseases, and therefore stimulation of cardiac lymphangiogenesis may be an important tool in the future treatment of cardiovascular diseases. This article briefly reviews the development and function of cardiac lymphatic vessels, the interaction of cardiac lymphatic vessels with cardiovascular diseases (including atrial fibrillation, coronary atherosclerosis, and heart failure), and finally discusses the therapeutic potential of targeted cardiac lymphatic therapy for cardiovascular diseases.

Immune and inflammatory mechanisms in hypertension

Hypertension is a global health problem, with >1.3 billion individuals with high blood pressure worldwide. In this Review, we present an inflammatory paradigm for hypertension, emphasizing the crucial roles of immune cells, cytokines and chemokines in disease initiation and progression. T cells, monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells, B cells and natural killer cells are all implicated in hypertension. Neoantigens, the NLRP3 inflammasome and increased sympathetic outflow, as well as cytokines (including IL-6, IL-7, IL-15, IL-18 and IL-21) and a high-salt environment, can contribute to immune activation in hypertension. The activated immune cells migrate to target organs such as arteries (especially the perivascular fat and adventitia), kidneys, the heart and the brain, where they release effector cytokines that elevate blood pressure and cause vascular remodelling, renal damage, cardiac hypertrophy, cognitive impairment and dementia. IL-17 secreted by CD4+ T helper 17 cells and γδ T cells, and interferon-γ and tumour necrosis factor secreted by immunosenescent CD8+ T cells, exert crucial effector roles in hypertension, whereas IL-10 and regulatory T cells are protective. Effector mediators impair nitric oxide bioavailability, leading to endothelial dysfunction and increased vascular contractility. Inflammatory effector mediators also alter renal sodium and water balance and promote renal fibrosis. These mechanisms link hypertension with obesity, autoimmunity, periodontitis and COVID-19. A comprehensive understanding of the immune and inflammatory mechanisms of hypertension is crucial for safely and effectively translating the findings to clinical practice.

Role of Lymphangiogenesis in Cardiac Repair and Regeneration

This article highlights the importance of the structure and function of cardiac lymphatics in cardiovascular diseases and the therapeutic potential of cardiac lymphangiogenesis. Specifically, we explore the innate lymphangiogenic response to damaged cardiac tissue or cardiac injury, derive key findings from regenerative models demonstrating how robust lymphangiogenic responses can be supported to improve cardiac function, and introduce an approach to imaging the structure and function of cardiac lymphatics.