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Asunción-Alvarez D, Palacios J, Ybañez-Julca RO, Rodriguez-Silva CN, Nwokocha C, Cifuentes F, Greensmith DJ. Calcium signaling in endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells: sex differences and the influence of estrogens and androgens. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2024; 326:H950-H970. [PMID: 38334967 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00600.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Calcium signaling in vascular endothelial cells (ECs) and smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is essential for the regulation of vascular tone. However, the changes to intracellular Ca2+ concentrations are often influenced by sex differences. Furthermore, a large body of evidence shows that sex hormone imbalance leads to dysregulation of Ca2+ signaling and this is a key factor in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. In this review, the effects of estrogens and androgens on vascular calcium-handling proteins are discussed, with emphasis on the associated genomic or nongenomic molecular mechanisms. The experimental models from which data were collected were also considered. The review highlights 1) in female ECs, transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) and mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (MCU) enhance Ca2+-dependent nitric oxide (NO) generation. In males, only transient receptor potential canonical 3 (TRPC3) plays a fundamental role in this effect. 2) Female VSMCs have lower cytosolic Ca2+ levels than males due to differences in the activity and expression of stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1), calcium release-activated calcium modulator 1 (Orai1), calcium voltage-gated channel subunit-α1C (CaV1.2), Na+-K+-2Cl- symporter (NKCC1), and the Na+/K+-ATPase. 3) When compared with androgens, the influence of estrogens on Ca2+ homeostasis, vascular tone, and incidence of vascular disease is better documented. 4) Many studies use supraphysiological concentrations of sex hormones, which may limit the physiological relevance of outcomes. 5) Sex-dependent differences in Ca2+ signaling mean both sexes ought to be included in experimental design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Asunción-Alvarez
- Laboratorio de Bioquímica Aplicada, Química y Farmacia, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Arturo Prat, Iquique, Chile
| | - Javier Palacios
- Laboratorio de Bioquímica Aplicada, Química y Farmacia, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Arturo Prat, Iquique, Chile
| | - Roberto O Ybañez-Julca
- Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad Nacional de Trujillo, Trujillo, Perú
| | - Cristhian N Rodriguez-Silva
- Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad Nacional de Trujillo, Trujillo, Perú
| | - Chukwuemeka Nwokocha
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences Physiology Section, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica
| | - Fredi Cifuentes
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Experimental (EphyL), Instituto Antofagasta (IA), Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - David J Greensmith
- Biomedical Research Centre, School of Science, Engineering and Environment, The University of Salford, Salford, United Kingdom
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Bao J, Wang X, Chen L, Wen B, Gao Q, Pan X, Chen Y, Ji K, Liu H. Upregulated TIMP1 facilitates and coordinates myometrial contraction by decreasing collagens and cell adhesive capacity during human labor. Mol Hum Reprod 2023; 29:gaad034. [PMID: 37774003 PMCID: PMC10581194 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaad034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Myometrial contraction is one of the key events involved in parturition. Increasing evidence suggests the importance of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in this process, in addition to the functional role of myometrial smooth muscle cells, and our previous study identified an upregulated tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP1) in human laboring myometrium compared to nonlabor samples. This study aimed to further explore the potential role of TIMP1 in myometrial contraction. First, we confirmed increased myometrial TIMP1 levels in labor and during labor with cervical dilation using transcriptomic and proteomic analyses, followed by real-time PCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. Then, a cell contraction assay was performed to verify the decreased contractility after TIMP1 knockdown in vitro. To further understand the underlying mechanism, we used RNA-sequencing analysis to reveal the upregulated genes after TIMP1 knockdown; these genes were enriched in collagen fibril organization, cell adhesion, and ECM organization. Subsequently, a human matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) array and collagen staining were performed to determine the TIMPs, MMPs and collagens in laboring and nonlabor myometrium. A real-time cell adhesion assay was used to detect cell adhesive capacity. The results showed upregulated MMP8 and MMP9, downregulated collagens, and attenuated cell adhesive capacity in laboring myometrium, while lower MMP levels and higher collagen levels and cell adhesive capacity were observed in nonlabor. Moreover, TIMP1 knockdown led to restoration of cell adhesive capacity. Together, these results indicate that upregulated TIMP1 during labor facilitates and coordinates myometrial contraction by decreasing collagen and cell adhesive capacity, which may provide effective strategies for the regulation of myometrial contraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjie Bao
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangzhou Women & Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaodi Wang
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangzhou Women & Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lina Chen
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangzhou Women & Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bolun Wen
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangzhou Women & Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiu Gao
- Department of Pathology, Guangzhou Women & Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiuyu Pan
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangzhou Women & Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yunshan Chen
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangzhou Women & Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kaiyuan Ji
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangzhou Women & Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huishu Liu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangzhou Women & Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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Hatem A, Poussereau G, Gachenot M, Pérès L, Bouyer G, Egée S. Dual action of Dooku1 on PIEZO1 channel in human red blood cells. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1222983. [PMID: 37492641 PMCID: PMC10365639 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1222983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
PIEZO1 is a mechanosensitive non-selective cation channel, present in many cell types including Red Blood Cells (RBCs). Together with the Gárdos channel, PIEZO1 forms in RBCs a tandem that participates in the rapid adjustment of the cell volume. The pharmacology allowing functional studies of the roles of PIEZO1 has only recently been developed, with Yoda1 as a widely used PIEZO1 agonist. In 2018, Yoda1 analogues were developed, as a step towards an improved understanding of PIEZO1 roles and functions. Among these, Dooku1 was the most promising antagonist of Yoda1-induced effects, without having any ability to activate PIEZO1 channels. Since then, Dooku1 has been used in various cell types to antagonize Yoda1 effects. In the present study using RBCs, Dooku1 shows an apparent IC50 on Yoda1 effects of 90.7 µM, one order of magnitude above the previously reported data on other cell types. Unexpectedly, it was able, by itself, to produce entry of calcium sufficient to trigger Gárdos channel activation. Moreover, Dooku1 evoked a rise in intracellular sodium concentrations, suggesting that it targets a non-selective cation channel. Dooku1 effects were abolished upon using GsMTx4, a known mechanosensitive channel blocker, indicating that Dooku1 likely targets PIEZO1. Our observations lead to the conclusion that Dooku1 behaves as a PIEZO1 agonist in the RBC membrane, similarly to Yoda1 but with a lower potency. Taken together, these results show that the pharmacology of PIEZO1 in RBCs must be interpreted with care especially due to the unique characteristics of RBC membrane and associated cytoskeleton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Hatem
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR8227 LBI2M, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Roscoff, France
- Laboratory of Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
| | - Gwendal Poussereau
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR8227 LBI2M, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Roscoff, France
| | - Martin Gachenot
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, FR2424, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Roscoff, France
| | - Laurent Pérès
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR8227 LBI2M, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Roscoff, France
- Laboratory of Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
| | - Guillaume Bouyer
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR8227 LBI2M, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Roscoff, France
- Laboratory of Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
| | - Stéphane Egée
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR8227 LBI2M, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Roscoff, France
- Laboratory of Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
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Buxton ILO, Asif H, Barnett SD. β3 Receptor Signaling in Pregnant Human Myometrium Suggests a Role for β3 Agonists as Tocolytics. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1005. [PMID: 37371585 DOI: 10.3390/biom13061005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Preterm labor leading to preterm birth is the leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality. At the present time, nothing can reliably halt labor once it begins. The knowledge that agonists of the β2 adrenergic receptor relax airway smooth muscle and are effective in the treatment of asthma led to the notion that β2 mimetics would prevent preterm birth by relaxing uterine smooth muscle. The activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase by β2 receptors is unable to provide meaningful tocolysis. The failure of β2 agonists such as ritodrine and terbutaline to prevent preterm birth suggests that the regulation of uterine smooth muscle is disparate from that of airway. Other smooth muscle quiescent-mediating molecules, such as nitric oxide, relax vascular smooth muscle in a cGMP-protein kinase G-dependent manner; however, nitric oxide activation of protein kinase G fails to explain the relaxation of the myometrium to nitric oxide. Moreover, nitric oxide-mediated relaxation is blunted in preterm labor, and thus, for this reason and because of the fall in maternal blood pressure, nitric oxide cannot be employed as a tocolytic. The β3 adrenergic receptor-mediated relaxation of the human myometrium is claimed to be cAMP-dependent protein kinase-dependent. This is scientifically displeasing given the failure of β2 agonists as tocolytics and suggests a non-canonical signaling role for β3AR in myometrium. The addition of the β3 agonist mirabegron to pregnant human myometrial strips in the tissue bath relaxes oxytocin-induced contractions. Mirabegron stimulates nitric oxide production in myometrial microvascular endothelial cells, and the relaxation of uterine tissue in vitro is partially blocked by the addition of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase blocker Nω-Nitro-L-arginine. Recent data suggest that both endothelial and smooth muscle cells respond to β3 stimulation and contribute to relaxation through disparate signaling pathways. The repurposing of approved medications such as mirabegron (Mybetriq™) tested in human myometrium as uterine tocolytics can advance the prevention of preterm birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iain L O Buxton
- Myometrial Function Group, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Hazik Asif
- Myometrial Function Group, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Scott D Barnett
- Myometrial Function Group, University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, Reno, NV 89557, USA
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Majhi RK, Pourteymour S. Piezo1 activation by stretching of uterine myometrium supports pregnancy and prevents preterm labour. J Physiol 2023; 601:719-721. [PMID: 36266732 DOI: 10.1113/jp283810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rakesh Kumar Majhi
- Department of Cancer Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Norway
| | - Shirin Pourteymour
- Division of Perioperative Inflammation and Infection, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
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