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O'Hare M, Arboleda-Velasquez JF. Notch Signaling in Vascular Endothelial and Mural Cell Communications. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2022; 12:a041159. [PMID: 35534207 PMCID: PMC9435572 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The Notch signaling pathway is a highly versatile and evolutionarily conserved mechanism with an important role in cell fate determination. Notch signaling plays a vital role in vascular development, regulating several fundamental processes such as angiogenesis, arterial/venous differentiation, and mural cell investment. Aberrant Notch signaling can result in severe vascular phenotypes as observed in cerebral autosomal-dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) and Alagille syndrome. It is known that vascular endothelial cells and mural cells interact to regulate vessel formation, cell maturation, and stability of the vascular network. Defective endothelial-mural cell interactions are a common phenotype in diseases characterized by impaired vascular integrity. Further refinement of the role of Notch signaling in the vascular junctions will be critical to attempts to modulate Notch in the context of human vascular disease. In this review, we aim to consolidate and summarize our current understanding of Notch signaling in the vascular endothelial and mural cells during development and in the adult vasculature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael O'Hare
- Department of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, Schepens Eye Research Institute of Mass Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA
| | - Joseph F Arboleda-Velasquez
- Department of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, Schepens Eye Research Institute of Mass Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA
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2
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Hald BO, Welsh DG. Conceptualizing conduction as a pliant electrical response: impact of gap junctions and ion channels. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2020; 319:H1276-H1289. [PMID: 32986968 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00285.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Vasomotor responses conduct among resistance arteries to coordinate blood flow delivery pursuant to energetic demand. Conduction is set by the electrical and mechanical properties of vascular cells, the former tied to how gap junctions and ion channels distribute and dissipate charge, respectively. These membrane proteins are subject to modulation; thus, conduction could be viewed as "pliant" to the current regulatory state. This study used in silico approaches to conceptualize electrical pliancy and to illustrate how gap junctional and ion channel properties distinctly impact conduction along a single skeletal muscle artery or a branching cerebrovascular network. Initial simulations revealed how vascular cells encoded with electrotonic properties best reproduced spreading behavior; the endothelium's importance as a charge source and a longitudinal conduit was readily observed. Alterations in gap junctional conductance produced unique electrical fingerprints: 1) decreased endothelial coupling impaired longitudinal but enhanced radial spread, and 2) reduced myoendothelial coupling limited radial but enhanced longitudinal spread. Subsequent simulations illustrated how tuning ion channel activity, e.g., inward rectifying- and voltage-gated K+ channels, modified charge dissipation, resting membrane potential, and the spread of the electrical phenomenon. Restricting ion channel tuning to a network subregion then revealed how electrical spread could be locally shaped in accordance with the aggregate changes in membrane resistance. In summary, our analysis frames and reimagines electrical conduction as a pliable process, with subtle regulatory changes to membrane proteins shaping network spread and tissue perfusion.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Conducted vasomotor responses depend on initiation and spread of electrical phenomena along arterial walls and their translation into contractile responses. Using computational approaches, we show how subtle but widespread regulation of gap junctions and ion channels can modulate the range and amplitude of electrical spread. Ion channels are regulated by endocrine and mechanical signals and may differ regionally in networks. Subregional electrical changes are not spatially confined but may affect electrical conduction in neighboring regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bjørn Olav Hald
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Donald G Welsh
- Robarts Research Institute and Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
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Abstract
Of the 21 members of the connexin family, 4 (Cx37, Cx40, Cx43, and Cx45) are expressed in the endothelium and/or smooth muscle of intact blood vessels to a variable and dynamically regulated degree. Full-length connexins oligomerize and form channel structures connecting the cytosol of adjacent cells (gap junctions) or the cytosol with the extracellular space (hemichannels). The different connexins vary mainly with regard to length and sequence of their cytosolic COOH-terminal tails. These COOH-terminal parts, which in the case of Cx43 are also translated as independent short isoforms, are involved in various cellular signaling cascades and regulate cell functions. This review focuses on channel-dependent and -independent effects of connexins in vascular cells. Channels play an essential role in coordinating and synchronizing endothelial and smooth muscle activity and in their interplay, in the control of vasomotor actions of blood vessels including endothelial cell reactivity to agonist stimulation, nitric oxide-dependent dilation, and endothelial-derived hyperpolarizing factor-type responses. Further channel-dependent and -independent roles of connexins in blood vessel function range from basic processes of vascular remodeling and angiogenesis to vascular permeability and interactions with leukocytes with the vessel wall. Together, these connexin functions constitute an often underestimated basis for the enormous plasticity of vascular morphology and function enabling the required dynamic adaptation of the vascular system to varying tissue demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Pohl
- Walter-Brendel-Centre of Experimental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany; Biomedical Centre, Cardiovascular Physiology, LMU Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany; German Centre for Cardiovascular Research, Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany; and Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
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4
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Pogoda K, Kameritsch P. Molecular regulation of myoendothelial gap junctions. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2019; 45:16-22. [DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2019.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Revised: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Behringer EJ, Hakim MA. Functional Interaction among K Ca and TRP Channels for Cardiovascular Physiology: Modern Perspectives on Aging and Chronic Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20061380. [PMID: 30893836 PMCID: PMC6471369 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20061380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Revised: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Effective delivery of oxygen and essential nutrients to vital organs and tissues throughout the body requires adequate blood flow supplied through resistance vessels. The intimate relationship between intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) and regulation of membrane potential (Vm) is indispensable for maintaining blood flow regulation. In particular, Ca2+-activated K+ (KCa) channels were ascertained as transducers of elevated [Ca2+]i signals into hyperpolarization of Vm as a pathway for decreasing vascular resistance, thereby enhancing blood flow. Recent evidence also supports the reverse role for KCa channels, in which they facilitate Ca2+ influx into the cell interior through open non-selective cation (e.g., transient receptor potential; TRP) channels in accord with robust electrical (hyperpolarization) and concentration (~20,000-fold) transmembrane gradients for Ca2+. Such an arrangement supports a feed-forward activation of Vm hyperpolarization while potentially boosting production of nitric oxide. Furthermore, in vascular types expressing TRP channels but deficient in functional KCa channels (e.g., collecting lymphatic endothelium), there are profound alterations such as downstream depolarizing ionic fluxes and the absence of dynamic hyperpolarizing events. Altogether, this review is a refined set of evidence-based perspectives focused on the role of the endothelial KCa and TRP channels throughout multiple experimental animal models and vascular types. We discuss the diverse interactions among KCa and TRP channels to integrate Ca2+, oxidative, and electrical signaling in the context of cardiovascular physiology and pathology. Building from a foundation of cellular biophysical data throughout a wide and diverse compilation of significant discoveries, a translational narrative is provided for readers toward the treatment and prevention of chronic, age-related cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik J Behringer
- Department of Basic Sciences, 11041 Campus Street, Risley Hall, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA.
| | - Md A Hakim
- Department of Basic Sciences, 11041 Campus Street, Risley Hall, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA.
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Pogoda K, Kameritsch P, Mannell H, Pohl U. Connexins in the control of vasomotor function. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2019; 225:e13108. [PMID: 29858558 DOI: 10.1111/apha.13108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2017] [Revised: 05/25/2018] [Accepted: 05/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Vascular endothelial cells, as well as smooth muscle cells, show heterogeneity with regard to their receptor expression and reactivity. For the vascular wall to act as a functional unit, the various cells' responses require integration. Such an integration is not only required for a homogeneous response of the vascular wall, but also for the vasomotor behaviour of consecutive segments of the microvascular arteriolar tree. As flow resistances of individual sections are connected in series, sections require synchronization and coordination to allow effective changes of conductivity and blood flow. A prerequisite for the local coordination of individual vascular cells and different sections of an arteriolar tree is intercellular communication. Connexins are involved in a dual manner in this coordination. (i) By forming gap junctions between cells, they allow an intercellular exchange of signalling molecules and electrical currents. In particular, the spread of electrical currents allows for coordination of cell responses over longer distances. (ii) Connexins are able to interact with other proteins to form signalling complexes. In this way, they can modulate and integrate individual cells' responses also in a channel-independent manner. This review outlines mechanisms allowing the vascular connexins to exert their coordinating function and to regulate the vasomotor reactions of blood vessels both locally, and in vascular networks. Wherever possible, we focus on the vasomotor behaviour of small vessels and arterioles which are the main vessels determining vascular resistance, blood pressure and local blood flow.
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Affiliation(s)
- K. Pogoda
- Walter-Brendel-Centre of Experimental Medicine; University Hospital; LMU Munich; Munich Germany
- Biomedical Center; Cardiovascular Physiology; LMU Munich; Munich Germany
- DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research); Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance; Munich Germany
| | - P. Kameritsch
- Walter-Brendel-Centre of Experimental Medicine; University Hospital; LMU Munich; Munich Germany
- Biomedical Center; Cardiovascular Physiology; LMU Munich; Munich Germany
- DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research); Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance; Munich Germany
| | - H. Mannell
- Walter-Brendel-Centre of Experimental Medicine; University Hospital; LMU Munich; Munich Germany
- Biomedical Center; Cardiovascular Physiology; LMU Munich; Munich Germany
| | - U. Pohl
- Walter-Brendel-Centre of Experimental Medicine; University Hospital; LMU Munich; Munich Germany
- Biomedical Center; Cardiovascular Physiology; LMU Munich; Munich Germany
- DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research); Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance; Munich Germany
- Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy); Munich Germany
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Wei R, Lunn SE, Tam R, Gust SL, Classen B, Kerr PM, Plane F. Vasoconstrictor stimulus determines the functional contribution of myoendothelial feedback to mesenteric arterial tone. J Physiol 2018; 596:1181-1197. [PMID: 29411383 DOI: 10.1113/jp274797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS In isolated resistance arteries, endothelial modulation of vasoconstrictor responses to α1 -adrenoceptor agonists occurs via a process termed myoendothelial feedback: localized inositol trisphosphate (InsP3 )-dependent Ca2+ transients activate intermediate conductance Ca2+ -activated K+ (IKCa ) channels, hyperpolarizing the endothelial membrane potential to limit further reductions in vessel diameter. We demonstrate that IKCa channel-mediated myoendothelial feedback limits responses of isolated mesenteric arteries to noradrenaline and nerve stimulation, but not to the thromboxane A2 mimetic U46619 or to increases in intravascular pressure. In contrast, in the intact mesenteric bed, although responses to exogenous noradrenaline were limited by IKCa channel-mediated myoendothelial feedback, release of NO and activation of endothelial small conductance Ca2+ -activated K+ (SKCa ) channels in response to increases in shear stress appeared to be the primary mediators of endothelial modulation of vasoconstriction. We propose that (1) the functional contribution of myoendothelial feedback to arterial tone is determined by the nature of the vasoconstrictor stimulus, and (2) although IKCa channel-mediated myoendothelial feedback may contribute to local control of arterial diameter, in the intact vascular bed, increases in shear stress may be the major stimulus for engagement of the endothelium during vasoconstriction. ABSTRACT Constriction of isolated resistance arteries in response to α1 -adrenoceptor agonists is limited by reciprocal engagement of inhibitory endothelial mechanisms via myoendothelial feedback. In the current model of feedback, agonist stimulation of smooth muscle cells results in localized InsP3 -dependent Ca2+ transients that activate endothelial IKCa channels. The subsequent hyperpolarization of the endothelial membrane potential then feeds back to the smooth muscle to limit further reductions in vessel diameter. We hypothesized that the functional contribution of InsP3 -IKCa channel-mediated myoendothelial feedback to limiting arterial diameter may be influenced by the nature of the vasoconstrictor stimulus. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the functional role of myoendothelial feedback in modulating responses of rat mesenteric resistance arteries to the adrenoceptor agonist noradrenaline, the thromboxane A2 mimetic U46619, increases in intravascular pressure and stimulation of perivascular sympathetic nerves. In isolated arteries, responses to noradrenaline and stimulation of sympathetic nerves, but not to U46619 and increases in intravascular pressure, were modulated by IKCa channel-dependent myoendothelial feedback. In the intact mesenteric bed perfused under conditions of constant flow, responses to exogenous noradrenaline were modulated by myoendothelial feedback, but shear stress-induced release of NO and activation of endothelial SKCa channels appeared to be the primary mediators of endothelial modulation of vasoconstriction to agonists and nerve stimulation. Thus, we propose that myoendothelial feedback may contribute to local control of diameter within arterial segments, but at the level of the intact vascular bed, increases in shear stress may be the major stimulus for engagement of the endothelium during vasoconstriction.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Wei
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - S E Lunn
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - R Tam
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - S L Gust
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - B Classen
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - P M Kerr
- Department of Nursing Science, Faculty of Nursing, MacEwan University, Edmonton, Alberta, T5J 4S2, Canada
| | - F Plane
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2H7, Canada.,Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2H7, Canada
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Maarouf N, Sancho M, Fürstenhaupt T, Tran CH, Welsh DG. Structural analysis of endothelial projections from mesenteric arteries. Microcirculation 2018; 24. [PMID: 27809400 DOI: 10.1111/micc.12330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Endothelial and smooth muscle cells must communicate with one another to regulate arterial diameter. A key structure driving heterocellular communication is the endothelial projection, a thin extension that crosses the internal elastic lamina (IEL) making contact with smooth muscle. This study sought to define the precise structural composition of endothelial projections in the mesenteric circulation. METHODS Third- and fourth-order mesenteric arteries from hamster were prepared for electron microscopy. Electron tomographic approaches were used to generate 3-D compositional models of endothelial projections. RESULTS Endothelial projections were categorized based upon their proximity to smooth muscle or how many projections projected through an IEL hole. Irrespective of the initial categorization, endothelial projections were largely devoid of organelles except for sparse membranous structures observed near the tip, close to potential smooth muscle contact sites. Unexpectedly, it was the base of projections which were rich with organelles including the endoplasmic reticulum, ribosomes, vesicles, caveolae, and mitochondria. CONCLUSIONS Electron tomographic techniques suggest that the base of endothelial projections is likely a dynamic site for signal regulation and contractile control. As projections are largely devoid of membranous organelles, their principal function appears to ensure electrical contact between the two cell layers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Maarouf
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Libin Cardiovascular Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Maria Sancho
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Libin Cardiovascular Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Tobias Fürstenhaupt
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Libin Cardiovascular Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Cam Ha Tran
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Libin Cardiovascular Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Donald G Welsh
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Libin Cardiovascular Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
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9
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Behringer EJ. Calcium and electrical signaling in arterial endothelial tubes: New insights into cellular physiology and cardiovascular function. Microcirculation 2018; 24. [PMID: 27801542 DOI: 10.1111/micc.12328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The integral role of the endothelium during the coordination of blood flow throughout vascular resistance networks has been recognized for several decades now. Early examination of the distinct anatomy and physiology of the endothelium as a signaling conduit along the vascular wall has prompted development and application of an intact endothelial "tube" study model isolated from rodent skeletal muscle resistance arteries. Vasodilatory signals such as increased endothelial cell (EC) Ca2+ ([Ca2+ ]i ) and hyperpolarization take place in single ECs while shared between electrically coupled ECs through gap junctions up to distances of millimeters (≥2 mm). The small- and intermediate-conductance Ca2+ activated K+ (SKCa /IKCa or KCa 2.3/KCa 3.1) channels function at the interface of Ca2+ signaling and hyperpolarization; a bidirectional relationship whereby increases in [Ca2+ ]i activate SKCa /IKCa channels to produce hyperpolarization and vice versa. Further, the spatial domain of hyperpolarization among electrically coupled ECs can be finely tuned via incremental modulation of SKCa /IKCa channels to balance the strength of local and conducted electrical signals underlying vasomotor activity. Multifunctional properties of the voltage-insensitive SKCa /IKCa channels of resistance artery endothelium may be employed for therapy during the aging process and development of vascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik J Behringer
- Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA
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Abstract
Thirty years ago, Robert F. Furchgott concluded that nitric oxide, a compound traditionally known to be a toxic component of fuel exhaust, is in fact released from the endothelium, and in a paracrine fashion, induces relaxation of underlying vascular smooth muscle resulting in vasodilation. This discovery has helped pave the way for a more thorough understanding of vascular intercellular and intracellular communication that supports the process of regulating regional perfusion to match the local tissue oxygen demand. Vasoregulation is controlled not only by endothelial release of a diverse class of vasoactive compounds such as nitric oxide, arachidonic acid metabolites, and reactive oxygen species, but also by physical forces on the vascular wall and through electrotonic conduction through gap junctions. Although the endothelium is a critical source of vasoactive compounds, paracrine mediators can also be released from surrounding parenchyma such as perivascular fat, myocardium, and cells in the arterial adventitia to exert either local or remote vasomotor effects. The focus of this review will highlight the various means by which intercellular communication contributes to mechanisms of vasodilation. Paracrine signaling and parenchymal influences will be reviewed as well as regional vessel communication through gap junctions, connexons, and myoendothelial feedback. More recent modes of communication such as vesicular and microRNA signaling will also be discussed.
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Hong K, Cope EL, DeLalio LJ, Marziano C, Isakson BE, Sonkusare SK. TRPV4 (Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 4) Channel-Dependent Negative Feedback Mechanism Regulates G q Protein-Coupled Receptor-Induced Vasoconstriction. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2018; 38:542-554. [PMID: 29301784 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.117.310038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 12/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Several physiological stimuli activate smooth muscle cell (SMC) GqPCRs (Gq protein-coupled receptors) to cause vasoconstriction. As a protective mechanism against excessive vasoconstriction, SMC GqPCR stimulation invokes endothelial cell vasodilatory signaling. Whether Ca2+ influx in endothelial cells contributes to the regulation of GqPCR-induced vasoconstriction remains unknown. Ca2+ influx through TRPV4 (transient receptor potential vanilloid 4) channels is a key regulator of endothelium-dependent vasodilation. We hypothesized that SMC GqPCR stimulation engages endothelial TRPV4 channels to limit vasoconstriction. APPROACH AND RESULTS Using high-speed confocal microscopy to record unitary Ca2+ influx events through TRPV4 channels (TRPV4 sparklets), we report that activation of SMC α1ARs (alpha1-adrenergic receptors) with phenylephrine or thromboxane A2 receptors with U46619 stimulated TRPV4 sparklets in the native endothelium from mesenteric arteries. Activation of endothelial TRPV4 channels did not require an increase in Ca2+ as indicated by the lack of effect of L-type Ca2+ channel activator or chelator of intracellular Ca2+ EGTA-AM. However, gap junction communication between SMCs and endothelial cells was required for phenylephrine activation or U46619 activation of endothelial TRPV4 channels. Lowering inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate levels with phospholipase C inhibitor or lithium chloride suppressed phenylephrine activation of endothelial TRPV4 sparklets. Moreover, uncaging inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate profoundly increased TRPV4 sparklet activity. In pressurized arteries, phenylephrine-induced vasoconstriction was followed by a slow, TRPV4-dependent vasodilation, reflecting activation of negative regulatory mechanism. Consistent with these data, phenylephrine induced a significantly higher increase in blood pressure in TRPV4-/- mice. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate that SMC GqPCR stimulation triggers inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-dependent activation of endothelial TRPV4 channels to limit vasoconstriction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwangseok Hong
- From the Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center (K.H., E.L.C., L.J.D., C.M., B.E.I., S.K.S.), Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics (C.M., B.E.I., S.K.S.), and Department of Pharmacology (L.J.D., S.K.S), University of Virginia-School of Medicine, Charlottesville
| | - Eric L Cope
- From the Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center (K.H., E.L.C., L.J.D., C.M., B.E.I., S.K.S.), Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics (C.M., B.E.I., S.K.S.), and Department of Pharmacology (L.J.D., S.K.S), University of Virginia-School of Medicine, Charlottesville
| | - Leon J DeLalio
- From the Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center (K.H., E.L.C., L.J.D., C.M., B.E.I., S.K.S.), Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics (C.M., B.E.I., S.K.S.), and Department of Pharmacology (L.J.D., S.K.S), University of Virginia-School of Medicine, Charlottesville
| | - Corina Marziano
- From the Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center (K.H., E.L.C., L.J.D., C.M., B.E.I., S.K.S.), Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics (C.M., B.E.I., S.K.S.), and Department of Pharmacology (L.J.D., S.K.S), University of Virginia-School of Medicine, Charlottesville
| | - Brant E Isakson
- From the Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center (K.H., E.L.C., L.J.D., C.M., B.E.I., S.K.S.), Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics (C.M., B.E.I., S.K.S.), and Department of Pharmacology (L.J.D., S.K.S), University of Virginia-School of Medicine, Charlottesville
| | - Swapnil K Sonkusare
- From the Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center (K.H., E.L.C., L.J.D., C.M., B.E.I., S.K.S.), Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics (C.M., B.E.I., S.K.S.), and Department of Pharmacology (L.J.D., S.K.S), University of Virginia-School of Medicine, Charlottesville.
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Welsh DG, Tran CHT, Hald BO, Sancho M. The Conducted Vasomotor Response: Function, Biophysical Basis, and Pharmacological Control. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 2017; 58:391-410. [PMID: 28968190 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-010617-052623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Arterial tone is coordinated among vessel segments to optimize nutrient transport and organ function. Coordinated vasomotor activity is remarkable to observe and depends on stimuli, sparsely generated in tissue, eliciting electrical responses that conduct lengthwise among electrically coupled vascular cells. The conducted response is the focus of this topical review, and in this regard, the authors highlight literature that advances an appreciation of functional significance, cellular mechanisms, and biophysical principles. Of particular note, this review stresses that conduction is enabled by a defined pattern of charge movement along the arterial wall as set by three key parameters (tissue structure, gap junctional resistivity, and ion channel activity). The impact of disease on conduction is carefully discussed, as are potential strategies to restore this key biological response and, along with it, the match of blood flow delivery with tissue energetic demand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald G Welsh
- Robarts Research Institute, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5B7, Canada;
| | - Cam Ha T Tran
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Bjorn O Hald
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen DK-2200, Denmark
| | - Maria Sancho
- Robarts Research Institute, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5B7, Canada;
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Tian DY, Jin XR, Zeng X, Wang Y. Notch Signaling in Endothelial Cells: Is It the Therapeutic Target for Vascular Neointimal Hyperplasia? Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18081615. [PMID: 28757591 PMCID: PMC5578007 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18081615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Revised: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Blood vessels respond to injury through a healing process that includes neointimal hyperplasia. The vascular endothelium is a monolayer of cells that separates the outer vascular wall from the inner circulating blood. The disruption and exposure of endothelial cells (ECs) to subintimal components initiate the neointimal formation. ECs not only act as a highly selective barrier to prevent early pathological changes of neointimal hyperplasia, but also synthesize and release molecules to maintain vascular homeostasis. After vascular injury, ECs exhibit varied responses, including proliferation, regeneration, apoptosis, phenotypic switching, interacting with other cells by direct contact or secreted molecules and the change of barrier function. This brief review presents the functional role of the evolutionarily-conserved Notch pathway in neointimal hyperplasia, notably by regulating endothelial cell functions (proliferation, regeneration, apoptosis, differentiation, cell-cell interaction). Understanding endothelial cell biology should help us define methods to prompt cell proliferation, prevent cell apoptosis and dysfunction, block neointimal hyperplasia and vessel narrowing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ding-Yuan Tian
- Trainee Brigade, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
- Department of Cell Biology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
| | - Xu-Rui Jin
- Trainee Brigade, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
- Department of Cell Biology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
| | - Xi Zeng
- Department of Cell Biology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
| | - Yun Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
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Parikh J, Kapela A, Tsoukias NM. Can endothelial hemoglobin-α regulate nitric oxide vasodilatory signaling? Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2017; 312:H854-H866. [PMID: 28130333 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00315.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2016] [Revised: 01/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
We used mathematical modeling to investigate nitric oxide (NO)-dependent vasodilatory signaling in the arteriolar wall. Detailed continuum cellular models of calcium (Ca2+) dynamics and membrane electrophysiology in smooth muscle and endothelial cells (EC) were coupled with models of NO signaling and biotransport in an arteriole. We used this theoretical approach to examine the role of endothelial hemoglobin-α (Hbα) as a modulator of NO-mediated myoendothelial feedback, as previously suggested in Straub et al. (Nature 491: 473-477, 2012). The model considers enriched expression of inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptors (IP3Rs), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) enzyme, Ca2+-activated potassium (KCa) channels and Hbα in myoendothelial projections (MPs) between the two cell layers. The model suggests that NO-mediated myoendothelial feedback is plausible if a significant percentage of eNOS is localized within or near the myoendothelial projection. Model results show that the ability of Hbα to regulate the myoendothelial feedback is conditional to its colocalization with eNOS near MPs at concentrations in the high nanomolar range (>0.2 μM or 24,000 molecules). Simulations also show that the effect of Hbα observed in in vitro experimental studies may overestimate its contribution in vivo, in the presence of blood perfusion. Thus, additional experimentation is required to quantify the presence and spatial distribution of Hbα in the EC, as well as to test that the strong effect of Hbα on NO signaling seen in vitro, translates also into a physiologically relevant response in vivo.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Mathematical modeling shows that although regulation of nitric oxide signaling by hemoglobin-α (Hbα) is plausible, it is conditional to its presence in significant concentrations colocalized with endothelial nitric oxide synthase in myoendothelial projections. Additional experimentation is required to test that the strong effect of Hbα seen in vitro translates into a physiologically relevant response in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaimit Parikh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, Florida; and
| | - Adam Kapela
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, Florida; and
| | - Nikolaos M Tsoukias
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, Florida; and .,School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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15
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Stochastic model of endothelial TRPV4 calcium sparklets: effect of bursting and cooperativity on EDH. Biophys J 2016; 108:1566-1576. [PMID: 25809269 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2015.01.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2014] [Revised: 01/15/2015] [Accepted: 01/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
We examined the endothelial transient receptor vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) channel's vasodilatory signaling using mathematical modeling. The model analyzes experimental data by Sonkusare and coworkers on TRPV4-induced endothelial Ca(2+) events (sparklets). A previously developed continuum model of an endothelial and a smooth muscle cell coupled through microprojections was extended to account for the activity of a TRPV4 channel cluster. Different stochastic descriptions for the TRPV4 channel flux were examined using finite-state Markov chains. The model also took into consideration recent evidence for the colocalization of intermediate-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels (IKCa) and TRPV4 channels near the microprojections. A single TRPV4 channel opening resulted in a stochastic localized Ca(2+) increase in a small region (i.e., few μm(2) area) close to the channel. We predict micromolar Ca(2+) increases lasting for the open duration of the channel sufficient for the activation of low-affinity endothelial KCa channels. Simulations of a cluster of four TRPV4 channels incorporating burst and cooperative gating kinetics provided quantal Ca(2+) increases (i.e., steps of fixed amplitude), similar to the experimentally observed Ca(2+) sparklets. These localized Ca(2+) events result in endothelium-derived hyperpolarization (and SMC relaxation), with magnitude that depends on event frequency. The gating characteristics (bursting, cooperativity) of the TRPV4 cluster enhance Ca(2+) spread and the distance of KCa channel activation. This may amplify the EDH response by the additional recruitment of distant KCa channels.
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16
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Segal SS. Integration and Modulation of Intercellular Signaling Underlying Blood Flow Control. J Vasc Res 2015; 52:136-57. [PMID: 26368324 DOI: 10.1159/000439112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2015] [Accepted: 07/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Vascular resistance networks control tissue blood flow in concert with regulating arterial perfusion pressure. In response to increased metabolic demand, vasodilation arising in arteriolar networks ascends to encompass proximal feed arteries. By reducing resistance upstream, ascending vasodilation (AVD) increases blood flow into the microcirculation. Once initiated, e.g. through local activation of K(+) channels in endothelial cells (ECs), hyperpolarization is conducted through gap junctions along the endothelium. Via EC projections through the internal elastic lamina, hyperpolarization spreads into the surrounding smooth-muscle cells (SMCs) through myoendothelial gap junctions (MEGJs) to promote their relaxation. Intercellular signaling through electrical signal transmission (i.e. cell-to-cell conduction) can thereby coordinate vasodilation along and among the branches of microvascular resistance networks. Perivascular sympathetic nerve fibers course through the adventitia and release norepinephrine to stimulate SMCs via α-adrenoreceptors to produce contraction. In turn, SMCs can signal ECs through MEGJs to activate K(+) channels and attenuate sympathetic vasoconstriction. Activation of K(+) channels along the endothelium will dissipate electrical signal transmission and inhibit AVD, thereby restricting blood flow into the microcirculation while maintaining peripheral resistance and perfusion pressure. This review explores the origins and nature of the intercellular signaling that governs blood flow control in skeletal muscle with respect to the interplay between AVD and sympathetic innervation. Whereas these interactions are integral to daily activity and athletic performance, determining the interplay between respective signaling events provides insight into how selective interventions can improve tissue perfusion and oxygen delivery during vascular disease.
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Rostama B, Peterson SM, Vary CPH, Liaw L. Notch signal integration in the vasculature during remodeling. Vascul Pharmacol 2014; 63:97-104. [PMID: 25464152 PMCID: PMC4304902 DOI: 10.1016/j.vph.2014.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2014] [Revised: 10/06/2014] [Accepted: 10/10/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Notch signaling plays many important roles in homeostasis and remodeling in the vessel wall, and serves a critical role in the communication between endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells. Within blood vessels, Notch signaling integrates with multiple pathways by mechanisms including direct protein–protein interaction, cooperative or synergistic regulation of signal cascades, and co-regulation of transcriptional targets. After establishment of the mature blood vessel, the spectrum and intensity of Notch signaling change during phases of active remodeling or disease progression. These changes can be mediated by regulation via microRNAs and protein stability or signaling, and corresponding changes in complementary signaling pathways. Notch also affects endothelial cells on a system level by regulating key metabolic components. This review will outline the most recent findings of Notch activity in blood vessels, with a focus on how Notch signals integrate with other molecular signaling pathways controlling vascular phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bahman Rostama
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, USA
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18
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Hald BO, Jacobsen JCB, Sandow SL, Holstein-Rathlou NH, Welsh DG. Less is more: minimal expression of myoendothelial gap junctions optimizes cell-cell communication in virtual arterioles. J Physiol 2014; 592:3243-55. [PMID: 24907303 DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2014.272815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysfunctional electrical signalling within the arteriolar wall is a major cause of cardiovascular disease. The endothelial cell layer constitutes the primary electrical pathway, co-ordinating contraction of the overlying smooth muscle cell (SMC) layer. As myoendothelial gap junctions (MEGJs) provide direct contact between the cell layers, proper vasomotor responses are thought to depend on a high, uniform MEGJ density. However, MEGJs are observed to be expressed heterogeneously within and among vascular beds. This discrepancy is addressed in the present study. As no direct measures of MEGJ conductance exist, we employed a computational modelling approach to vary the number, conductance and distribution of MEGJs. Our simulations demonstrate that a minimal number of randomly distributed MEGJs augment arteriolar cell-cell communication by increasing conduction efficiency and ensuring appropriate membrane potential responses in SMCs. We show that electrical coupling between SMCs must be tailored to the particular MEGJ distribution. Finally, observation of non-decaying mechanical conduction in arterioles without regeneration has been a long-standing controversy in the microvascular field. As heterogeneous MEGJ distributions provide for different conduction profiles along the cell layers, we demonstrate that a non-decaying conduction profile is possible in the SMC layer of a vessel with passive electrical properties. These intriguing findings redefine the concept of efficient electrical communication in the microcirculation, illustrating how heterogeneous properties, ubiquitous in biological systems, may have a profound impact on system behaviour and how acute local and global flow control is explained from the biophysical foundations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bjørn Olav Hald
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Shaun L Sandow
- Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, Australia Department of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Donald G Welsh
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Gadkari TV, Cortes N, Madrasi K, Tsoukias NM, Joshi MS. Agmatine induced NO dependent rat mesenteric artery relaxation and its impairment in salt-sensitive hypertension. Nitric Oxide 2013; 35:65-71. [PMID: 23994446 DOI: 10.1016/j.niox.2013.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2013] [Revised: 07/15/2013] [Accepted: 08/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
l-Arginine and its decarboxylated product, agmatine are important mediators of NO production and vascular relaxation. However, the underlying mechanisms of their action are not understood. We have investigated the role of arginine and agmatine in resistance vessel relaxation of Sprague-Dawley (SD) and Dahl salt-sensitive hypertensive rats. Second or 3rd-order mesenteric arterioles were cannulated in an organ chamber, pressurized and equilibrated before perfusing intraluminally with agonists. The vessel diameters were measured after mounting on the stage of a microscope fitted with a video camera. The gene expression in Dahl rat vessel homogenates was ascertained by real-time PCR. l-Arginine initiated relaxations (EC50, 5.8±0.7mM; n=9) were inhibited by arginine decarboxylase (ADC) inhibitor, difluoromethylarginine (DFMA) (EC50, 18.3±1.3mM; n=5) suggesting that arginine-induced vessel relaxation was mediated by agmatine formation. Agmatine relaxed the SD rat vessels at significantly lower concentrations (EC50, 138.7±12.1μM; n=22), which was compromised by l-NAME (l-N(G)-nitroarginine methyl ester, an eNOS inhibitor), RX821002 (α-2 AR antagonist) and pertussis toxin (G-protein inhibitor). The agmatine-mediated vessel relaxation from high salt Dahl rats was abolished as compared to that from normal salt rats (EC50, 143.9±23.4μM; n=5). The α-2A AR, α-2B AR and eNOS mRNA expression was downregulated in mesenteric arterioles of high-salt treated Dahl hypertensive rats. These findings demonstrate that agmatine facilitated the relaxation via activation of α-2 adrenergic G-protein coupled receptor and NO synthesis, and this pathway is compromised in salt-sensitive hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tushar V Gadkari
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33174, United States
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