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Tan Z, Chen P, Dong X, Guo S, Leung VYL, Cheung JPY, Chan D, Richardson SM, Hoyland JA, To MKT, Cheah KSE. Progenitor-like cells contributing to cellular heterogeneity in the nucleus pulposus are lost in intervertebral disc degeneration. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114342. [PMID: 38865240 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114342] [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: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The nucleus pulposus (NP) in the intervertebral disc (IVD) arises from embryonic notochord. Loss of notochordal-like cells in humans correlates with onset of IVD degeneration, suggesting that they are critical for healthy NP homeostasis and function. Comparative transcriptomic analyses identified expression of progenitor-associated genes (GREM1, KRT18, and TAGLN) in the young mouse and non-degenerated human NP, with TAGLN expression reducing with aging. Lineage tracing using Tagln-CreERt2 mice identified peripherally located proliferative NP (PeriNP) cells in developing and postnatal NP that provide a continuous supply of cells to the entire NP. PeriNP cells were diminished in aged mice and absent in puncture-induced degenerated discs. Single-cell transcriptomes of postnatal Tagln-CreERt2 IVD cells indicate enrichment for TGF-β signaling in Tagln descendant NP sub-populations. Notochord-specific removal of TGF-β/BMP mediator Smad4 results in loss of Tagln+ cells and abnormal NP morphologies. We propose Tagln+ PeriNP cells are potential progenitors crucial for NP homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijia Tan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China; Shenzhen Clinical Research Center for Rare Diseases, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China; Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Peikai Chen
- School of Biomedical Sciences, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China; Shenzhen Clinical Research Center for Rare Diseases, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China; Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Lab, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaonan Dong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Shuang Guo
- School of Biomedical Sciences, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Victor Y L Leung
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jason P Y Cheung
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Danny Chan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Stephen M Richardson
- Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Judith A Hoyland
- Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Michael K T To
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China; Shenzhen Clinical Research Center for Rare Diseases, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China; Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Kathryn S E Cheah
- School of Biomedical Sciences, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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Gong Y, Liang Y, Liu J, Wei J, Zhang S, Chen F, Zhang Q, Wang L, Lan H, Wu L, Ge W, Li S, Wang L, Shan H, He H. DDX24 Is Essential for Cell Cycle Regulation in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells During Vascular Development via Binding to FANCA mRNA. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2023; 43:1653-1667. [PMID: 37470182 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.123.319505] [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: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The DEAD-box family is essential for tumorigenesis and embryogenesis. Previously, we linked the malfunction of DDX (DEAD-box RNA helicase)-24 to a special type of vascular malformation. Here, we aim to investigate the function of DDX24 in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and embryonic vascular development. METHODS Cardiomyocyte (CMC) and VSMC-specific Ddx24 knockout mice were generated by crossing Tagln-Cre mice with Ddx24flox/flox transgenic mice. The development of blood vessels was explored by stereomicroscope photography and immunofluorescence staining. Flow cytometry and cell proliferation assays were used to verify the regulation of DDX24 on the function of VSMCs. RNA sequencing and RNA immunoprecipitation coupled with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction were combined to investigate DDX24 downstream regulatory molecules. RNA pull-down and RNA stability experiments were performed to explore the regulation mechanism of DDX24. RESULTS CMC/VSMC-specific Ddx24 knockout mice died before embryonic day 13.5 with defects in vessel formation and abnormal vascular remodeling in extraembryonic tissues. Ddx24 knockdown suppressed VSMC proliferation via cell cycle arrest, likely due to increased DNA damage. DDX24 protein bound to and stabilized the mRNA of FANCA (FA complementation group A) that responded to DNA damage. Consistent with the function of DDX24, depletion of FANCA also impacted cell cycle and DNA repair of VSMCs. Overexpression of FANCA was able to rescue the alterations caused by DDX24 deficiency. CONCLUSIONS Our study unveiled a critical role of DDX24 in VSMC-mediated vascular development, highlighting a potential therapeutic target for VSMC-related pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujiao Gong
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging (Y.G., J.W., S.Z., F.C., Q.Z., Lijie Wang, H.L., S.L., H.S., H.H.), The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Yan Liang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perinatal Medical Center (Y.L., J.L., Li Wang), The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perinatal Medical Center (Y.L., J.L., Li Wang), The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Jiaxing Wei
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging (Y.G., J.W., S.Z., F.C., Q.Z., Lijie Wang, H.L., S.L., H.S., H.H.), The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
- Department of Interventional Medicine and Center for Interventional Medicine (J.W., H.S.), The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Shushan Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging (Y.G., J.W., S.Z., F.C., Q.Z., Lijie Wang, H.L., S.L., H.S., H.H.), The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Fangbin Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging (Y.G., J.W., S.Z., F.C., Q.Z., Lijie Wang, H.L., S.L., H.S., H.H.), The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Qianqian Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging (Y.G., J.W., S.Z., F.C., Q.Z., Lijie Wang, H.L., S.L., H.S., H.H.), The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Lijie Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging (Y.G., J.W., S.Z., F.C., Q.Z., Lijie Wang, H.L., S.L., H.S., H.H.), The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Huimin Lan
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging (Y.G., J.W., S.Z., F.C., Q.Z., Lijie Wang, H.L., S.L., H.S., H.H.), The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Lily Wu
- Departments of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology (L. Wu), Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles
- Urology (L. Wu), Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles
- Pediatrics (L. Wu), Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles
| | - Wei Ge
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, China (W.G.)
| | - Shuai Li
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging (Y.G., J.W., S.Z., F.C., Q.Z., Lijie Wang, H.L., S.L., H.S., H.H.), The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perinatal Medical Center (Y.L., J.L., Li Wang), The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Hong Shan
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging (Y.G., J.W., S.Z., F.C., Q.Z., Lijie Wang, H.L., S.L., H.S., H.H.), The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
- Department of Interventional Medicine and Center for Interventional Medicine (J.W., H.S.), The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Huanhuan He
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging (Y.G., J.W., S.Z., F.C., Q.Z., Lijie Wang, H.L., S.L., H.S., H.H.), The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
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Smad4-mediated angiogenesis facilitates the beiging of white adipose tissue in mice. iScience 2023; 26:106272. [PMID: 36915676 PMCID: PMC10005906 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Beige adipocytes are thermogenic with high expression of uncoupling protein 1 in the white adipose tissue (WAT), accompanied by angiogenesis. Previous studies showed that Smad4 is important for angiogenesis. Here we studied whether endothelial Smad4-mediated angiogenesis is involved in WAT beiging. Inducible knockout of endothelial cell (EC) selective Smad4 (Smad4 iEC-KO) was achieved by using the Smad4 Floxp/floxp and Tie2 CreERT2 mice. Beige fat induction achieved by cold or adrenergic agonist, and angiogenesis were attenuated in WAT of Smad4 iEC-KO mice, with the less proliferation of ECs and adipogenic precursors. RNA sequencing of human ECs showed that Smad4 is involved in angiogenesis-related pathways. Knockdown of SMAD4 attenuated the upregulation of VEGFA, PDGFA, and angiogenesis in vitro. Treatment of human ECs with palmitic acid-induced Smad1/5 phosphorylation and the upregulation of core endothelial genes. Our study shows that endothelial Smad4 is involved in WAT beiging through angiogenesis and the expansion of adipose precursors into beige adipocytes.
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Alexander BE, Zhao H, Astrof S. SMAD4: A Critical Regulator of Cardiac Neural Crest Cell Fate and Vascular Smooth Muscle Differentiation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.14.532676. [PMID: 36993156 PMCID: PMC10055180 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.14.532676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Background The pharyngeal arch arteries (PAAs) are precursor vessels which remodel into the aortic arch arteries (AAAs) during embryonic cardiovascular development. Cardiac neural crest cells (NCs) populate the PAAs and differentiate into vascular smooth muscle cells (vSMCs), which is critical for successful PAA-to-AAA remodeling. SMAD4, the central mediator of canonical TGFβ signaling, has been implicated in NC-to-vSMC differentiation; however, its distinct roles in vSMC differentiation and NC survival are unclear. Results Here, we investigated the role of SMAD4 in cardiac NC differentiation to vSMCs using lineage-specific inducible mouse strains in an attempt to avoid early embryonic lethality and NC cell death. We found that with global SMAD4 loss, its role in smooth muscle differentiation could be uncoupled from its role in the survival of the cardiac NC in vivo . Moreover, we found that SMAD4 may regulate the induction of fibronectin, a known mediator of NC-to-vSMC differentiation. Finally, we found that SMAD4 is required in NCs cell-autonomously for NC-to-vSMC differentiation and for NC contribution to and persistence in the pharyngeal arch mesenchyme. Conclusions Overall, this study demonstrates the critical role of SMAD4 in the survival of cardiac NCs, their differentiation to vSMCs, and their contribution to the developing pharyngeal arches.
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Wang Y, Xu YJ, Yang CX, Huang RT, Xue S, Yuan F, Yang YQ. SMAD4 loss-of-function mutation predisposes to congenital heart disease. Eur J Med Genet 2022; 66:104677. [PMID: 36496093 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmg.2022.104677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Congenital heart disease (CHD) represents the most frequent developmental deformity in human beings and accounts for substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide. Accumulating investigations underscore the strong inherited basis of CHD, and pathogenic variations in >100 genes have been related to CHD. Nevertheless, the heritable defects underpinning CHD remain elusive in most cases, mainly because of the pronounced genetic heterogeneity. In this investigation, a four-generation family with CHD was recruited and clinically investigated. Via whole-exome sequencing and Sanger sequencing assays in selected family members, a heterozygous variation in the SMAD4 gene (coding for a transcription factor essential for cardiovascular morphogenesis), NM_005359.6: c.285T > A; p.(Tyr95*), was identified to be in co-segregation with autosomal-dominant CHD in the entire family. The truncating variation was not observed in 460 unrelated non-CHD volunteers employed as control subjects. Functional exploration by dual-reporter gene analysis demonstrated that Tyr95*-mutant SMAD4 lost transactivation of its two key downstream target genes NKX2.5 and ID2, which were both implicated with CHD. Additionally, the variation nullified the synergistic transcriptional activation between SMAD4 and GATA4, another transcription factor involved in CHD. These data strongly indicate SMAD4 may be associated with CHD and shed more light on the molecular pathogenesis underlying CHD, implying potential implications for antenatal precise prevention and prognostic risk stratification of the patients affected with CHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin Wang
- Department of Cardiology, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200336, China
| | - Ying-Jia Xu
- Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Chen-Xi Yang
- Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Ri-Tai Huang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Song Xue
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Fang Yuan
- Department of Cardiac Intensive Medicine, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200336, China.
| | - Yi-Qing Yang
- Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200240, China; Department of Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200240, China; Department of Central Laboratory, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
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6
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Drapé E, Anquetil T, Larrivée B, Dubrac A. Brain arteriovenous malformation in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia: Recent advances in cellular and molecular mechanisms. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:1006115. [PMID: 36504622 PMCID: PMC9729275 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.1006115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a genetic disorder characterized by vessel dilatation, such as telangiectasia in skin and mucosa and arteriovenous malformations (AVM) in internal organs such as the gastrointestinal tract, lungs, and brain. AVMs are fragile and tortuous vascular anomalies that directly connect arteries and veins, bypassing healthy capillaries. Mutations in transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) signaling pathway components, such as ENG (ENDOGLIN), ACVRL1 (ALK1), and SMAD4 (SMAD4) genes, account for most of HHT cases. 10-20% of HHT patients develop brain AVMs (bAVMs), which can lead to vessel wall rupture and intracranial hemorrhages. Though the main mutations are known, mechanisms leading to AVM formation are unclear, partially due to lack of animal models. Recent mouse models allowed significant advances in our understanding of AVMs. Endothelial-specific deletion of either Acvrl1, Eng or Smad4 is sufficient to induce AVMs, identifying endothelial cells (ECs) as primary targets of BMP signaling to promote vascular integrity. Loss of ALK1/ENG/SMAD4 signaling is associated with NOTCH signaling defects and abnormal arteriovenous EC differentiation. Moreover, cumulative evidence suggests that AVMs originate from venous ECs with defective flow-migration coupling and excessive proliferation. Mutant ECs show an increase of PI3K/AKT signaling and inhibitors of this signaling pathway rescue AVMs in HHT mouse models, revealing new therapeutic avenues. In this review, we will summarize recent advances and current knowledge of mechanisms controlling the pathogenesis of bAVMs, and discuss unresolved questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Drapé
- Centre de Recherche, CHU St. Justine, Montréal, QC, Canada,Département de Pharmacologie et de Physiologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Typhaine Anquetil
- Centre de Recherche, CHU St. Justine, Montréal, QC, Canada,Département De Pathologie et Biologie Cellulaire, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Bruno Larrivée
- Département d’Ophtalmologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada,Centre De Recherche, Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, Montréal, QC, Canada,*Correspondence: Bruno Larrivée,
| | - Alexandre Dubrac
- Centre de Recherche, CHU St. Justine, Montréal, QC, Canada,Département De Pathologie et Biologie Cellulaire, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada,Département d’Ophtalmologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada,Alexandre Dubrac,
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Shabani Z, Schuerger J, Su H. Cellular loci involved in the development of brain arteriovenous malformations. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:968369. [PMID: 36211120 PMCID: PMC9532630 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.968369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs) are abnormal vessels that are prone to rupture, causing life-threatening intracranial bleeding. The mechanism of bAVM formation is poorly understood. Nevertheless, animal studies revealed that gene mutation in endothelial cells (ECs) and angiogenic stimulation are necessary for bAVM initiation. Evidence collected through analyzing bAVM specimens of human and mouse models indicate that cells other than ECs also are involved in bAVM pathogenesis. Both human and mouse bAVMs vessels showed lower mural cell-coverage, suggesting a role of pericytes and vascular smooth muscle cells (vSMCs) in bAVM pathogenesis. Perivascular astrocytes also are important in maintaining cerebral vascular function and take part in bAVM development. Furthermore, higher inflammatory cytokines in bAVM tissue and blood demonstrate the contribution of inflammatory cells in bAVM progression, and rupture. The goal of this paper is to provide our current understanding of the roles of different cellular loci in bAVM pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Shabani
- Center for Cerebrovascular Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Joana Schuerger
- Center for Cerebrovascular Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Hua Su
- Center for Cerebrovascular Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Hua Su, ; orcid.org/0000-0003-1566-9877
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Chen J, Chang R. Association of TGF-β Canonical Signaling-Related Core Genes With Aortic Aneurysms and Aortic Dissections. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:888563. [PMID: 35517795 PMCID: PMC9065418 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.888563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling is essential for the maintenance of the normal structure and function of the aorta. It includes SMAD-dependent canonical pathways and noncanonical signaling pathways. Accumulated genetic evidence has shown that TGF-β canonical signaling-related genes have key roles in aortic aneurysms (AAs) and aortic dissections and many gene mutations have been identified in patients, such as those for transforming growth factor-beta receptor one TGFBR1, TGFBR2, SMAD2, SMAD3, SMAD4, and SMAD6. Aortic specimens from patients with these mutations often show paradoxically enhanced TGF-β signaling. Some hypotheses have been proposed and new AA models in mice have been constructed to reveal new mechanisms, but the role of TGF-β signaling in AAs is controversial. In this review, we focus mainly on the role of canonical signaling-related core genes in diseases of the aorta, as well as recent advances in gene-mutation detection, animal models, and in vitro studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jicheng Chen
- Department of Vasculocardiology, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Rong Chang
- Department of Vasculocardiology, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Shenzhen, China
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Kulikauskas MR, X S, Bautch VL. The versatility and paradox of BMP signaling in endothelial cell behaviors and blood vessel function. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:77. [PMID: 35044529 PMCID: PMC8770421 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-04033-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Blood vessels expand via sprouting angiogenesis, and this process involves numerous endothelial cell behaviors, such as collective migration, proliferation, cell–cell junction rearrangements, and anastomosis and lumen formation. Subsequently, blood vessels remodel to form a hierarchical network that circulates blood and delivers oxygen and nutrients to tissue. During this time, endothelial cells become quiescent and form a barrier between blood and tissues that regulates transport of liquids and solutes. Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling regulates both proangiogenic and homeostatic endothelial cell behaviors as blood vessels form and mature. Almost 30 years ago, human pedigrees linked BMP signaling to diseases associated with blood vessel hemorrhage and shunts, and recent work greatly expanded our knowledge of the players and the effects of vascular BMP signaling. Despite these gains, there remain paradoxes and questions, especially with respect to how and where the different and opposing BMP signaling outputs are regulated. This review examines endothelial cell BMP signaling in vitro and in vivo and discusses the paradox of BMP signals that both destabilize and stabilize endothelial cell behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly R Kulikauskas
- Curriculum in Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Shaka X
- Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Victoria L Bautch
- Curriculum in Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
- Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
- McAllister Heart Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
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10
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Song X, Cui Y, Wang Y, Zhang Y, He Q, Yu Z, Xu C, Ning H, Han Y, Cai Y, Cheng X, Wang J, Teng Y, Yang X, Wang J. Genome Editing with AAV-BR1-CRISPR in Postnatal Mouse Brain Endothelial Cells. Int J Biol Sci 2022; 18:652-660. [PMID: 35002515 PMCID: PMC8741854 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.64188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain endothelial cells (ECs) are an important component of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and play key roles in restricting entrance of possible toxic components and pathogens into the brain. However, identifying endothelial genes that regulate BBB homeostasis remains a time-consuming process. Although somatic genome editing has emerged as a powerful tool for discovery of essential genes regulating tissue homeostasis, its application in brain ECs is yet to be demonstrated in vivo. Here, we used an adeno-associated virus targeting brain endothelium (AAV-BR1) combined with the CRISPR/Cas9 system (AAV-BR1-CRISPR) to specifically knock out genes of interest in brain ECs of adult mice. We first generated a mouse model expressing Cas9 in ECs (Tie2 Cas9). We selected endothelial β-catenin (Ctnnb1) gene, which is essential for maintaining adult BBB integrity, as the target gene. After intravenous injection of AAV-BR1-sgCtnnb1-tdTomato in 4-week-old Tie2 Cas9 transgenic mice resulted in mutation of 36.1% of the Ctnnb1 alleles, thereby leading to a dramatic decrease in the level of CTNNB1 in brain ECs. Consequently, Ctnnb1 gene editing in brain ECs resulted in BBB breakdown. Taken together, these results demonstrate that the AAV-BR1-CRISPR system is a useful tool for rapid identification of endothelial genes that regulate BBB integrity in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaopeng Song
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Yaxiong Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Yanxiao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Yizhe Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Qi He
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Zhenyang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Chengfang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Huimin Ning
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266071, China
| | - Yuying Han
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266071, China
| | - Yunting Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Xuan Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Jian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Yan Teng
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Xiao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Jun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing 102206, China
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11
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Kang X, Deng Y, Cao Y, Huo Y, Luo J. Zyxin Mediates Vascular Repair via Endothelial Migration Promoted by Forskolin in Mice. Front Physiol 2021; 12:741699. [PMID: 34690814 PMCID: PMC8531502 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.741699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Purpose: Endothelial repair upon vascular injury is critical for the protection of vessel integrity and prevention of the development of vascular disorders, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the role of zyxin and its associated cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling in the regulation of re-endothelialization after vascular injury. Experimental Approach: In zyxin-/- and wild-type mice, wire injury of the carotid artery was carried out, followed by Evans blue staining, to evaluate the re-endothelialization. Mice with endothelium-specific zyxin knockout were used to further determine its role. An in vitro wound-healing assay was performed in primary human endothelial cells (ECs) expressing zyxin-specific short-hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) or scrambled controls by measuring cell migration and proliferation. The effects of the cAMP signaling agonist forskolin were assessed. Key Results: The re-endothelialization of the injured carotid artery was impaired in zyxin-deficient mice, whereas the rate of cell proliferation was comparable with that in wild-type controls. Furthermore, endothelium-specific deletion of zyxin led to similar phenotypes. Knockdown of zyxin by shRNAs in primary human ECs significantly reduced cell migration in the wound-healing assay. Notably, forskolin enhanced endothelial migration in a dose-dependent manner, and this was dependent on zyxin through its interaction with vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein. In addition, forskolin promoted the re-endothelialization of the injured carotid artery, and this was compromised by zyxin deficiency. Conclusion and Implications: This study reveals zyxin as a new player in endothelial repair, which is promoted by forskolin, after vascular injury. Thus, zyxin-mediated signaling might be a potential treatment target for diseases involving vascular injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuya Kang
- Laboratory of Vascular Biology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine, School of Future Technology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yanan Deng
- Laboratory of Vascular Biology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine, School of Future Technology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Cao
- Laboratory of Vascular Biology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine, School of Future Technology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yingqing Huo
- Laboratory of Vascular Biology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine, School of Future Technology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jincai Luo
- Laboratory of Vascular Biology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine, School of Future Technology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
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12
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Human SMAD4 Genomic Variants Identified in Individuals with Heritable and Early-Onset Thoracic Aortic Disease. CARDIOGENETICS 2021; 11:132-138. [DOI: 10.3390/cardiogenetics11030015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) that progress to acute thoracic aortic dissections (TADs) are life-threatening vascular events that have been associated with altered transforming growth factor (TGF) β signaling. In addition to TAA, multiple genetic vascular disorders, including hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), involve altered TGFβ signaling and vascular malformations. Due to the importance of TGFβ, genomic variant databases have been curated for activin receptor-like kinase 1 (ALK1) and endoglin (ENG). This case report details seven variants in SMAD4 that are associated with either heritable or early-onset aortic dissections and compares them to pathogenic exon variants in gnomAD v2.1.1. The TAA and TAD variants were identified through whole exome sequencing of 346 families with unrelated heritable thoracic aortic disease (HTAD) and 355 individuals with early-onset (age ≤ 56 years old) thoracic aortic dissection (ESTAD). An allele frequency filter of less than 0.05% was applied in the Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD exome v2.1.1) with a combined annotation-dependent depletion score (CADD) greater than 20. These seven variants also have a higher REVEL score (>0.2), indicating pathogenic potential. Further in vivo and in vitro analysis is needed to evaluate how these variants affect SMAD4 mRNA stability and protein activity in association with thoracic aortic disease.
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13
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Nie H, Zhao W, Wang S, Zhou W. Based on bioinformatics analysis lncrna SNHG5 modulates the function of vascular smooth muscle cells through mir-205-5p/SMAD4 in abdominal aortic aneurysm. IMMUNITY INFLAMMATION AND DISEASE 2021; 9:1306-1320. [PMID: 34185955 PMCID: PMC8589383 DOI: 10.1002/iid3.478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Objective The aim of this study was to explore expression profiles of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA)‐messenger RNA (mRNA) in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) patients. Further, we explored the mechanisms by which lncRNA SNHG5 modulates the function of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) in AAA. Methods Human gene expression profile GSE57691 dataset, was retrieved from Gene Expression Omnibus database. The dataset included gene expression array data of 49 AAA patients and 10 control aortic specimens from organ donors. To explore the main roles of the biological network, differentially expressed lncRNA and mRNAs in the aortic aneurysm (AAA) and normal aortic specimens were determined. Differentially expressed lncRNA and mRNAs were then used to construct a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network using Cytoscape software, and the five key lncRNA were identified. SNHG5 which was significantly downregulated in the AAA was chosen and analysis showed that it regulates mir‐205‐5p and SMAD4 by binding to mir‐205‐5p. Double luciferase reporter gene assays, RNA immunoprecipitation, and RNA knockdown studies were used to establish the relationship between SNHG5 and mir‐205‐5p. Apoptosis rate was determined using flow cytometry, whereas cell proliferation was evaluated using Edu, and 24 well Transwell assay. Western blot analysis was used to determine protein expression levels. Results The five differentially expressed lncRNAs were significantly correlated with 34 microRNAs and 112 mRNAs. mRNAs in the ceRNA network are implicated in protein binding, signal transduction, DNA and RNA transcription, development, and cell differentiation. SNHG5 was downregulated in the AAA and acts as a molecular sponge for mir‐205. Downregulation of SNHG5 induces expression of mir‐205‐5p. Increased mir‐205‐5p expression level inhibits SMAD4 production, thus inhibiting proliferation and migration and promotes apoptosis of smooth muscle cells. Conclusion Bioinformatics were used to explore molecular mechanism of AAA progression. The findings of this study show that lncRNA SNHG5 regulates proliferation and apoptosis of VSMC cells through modulation of the mir‐205‐5p/SMAD4 axis. Therefore, SNHG5 is a potential therapeutic target for AAA disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Nie
- Department of Vascular SurgeryThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang UniversityNanchangJiangxiChina
| | - Wenpeng Zhao
- Department of Vascular SurgeryThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang UniversityNanchangJiangxiChina
| | - Shizhi Wang
- Department of Vascular SurgeryThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang UniversityNanchangJiangxiChina
| | - Weimin Zhou
- Department of Vascular SurgeryThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang UniversityNanchangJiangxiChina
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14
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Rustenhoven J, Tanumihardja C, Kipnis J. Cerebrovascular Anomalies: Perspectives From Immunology and Cerebrospinal Fluid Flow. Circ Res 2021; 129:174-194. [PMID: 34166075 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.121.318173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Appropriate vascular function is essential for the maintenance of central nervous system homeostasis and is achieved through virtue of the blood-brain barrier; a specialized structure consisting of endothelial, mural, and astrocytic interactions. While appropriate blood-brain barrier function is typically achieved, the central nervous system vasculature is not infallible and cerebrovascular anomalies, a collective terminology for diverse vascular lesions, are present in meningeal and cerebral vasculature supplying and draining the brain. These conditions, including aneurysmal formation and rupture, arteriovenous malformations, dural arteriovenous fistulas, and cerebral cavernous malformations, and their associated neurological sequelae, are typically managed with neurosurgical or pharmacological approaches. However, increasing evidence implicates interacting roles for inflammatory responses and disrupted central nervous system fluid flow with respect to vascular perturbations. Here, we discuss cerebrovascular anomalies from an immunologic angle and fluid flow perspective. We describe immune contributions, both common and distinct, to the formation and progression of diverse cerebrovascular anomalies. Next, we summarize how cerebrovascular anomalies precipitate diverse neurological sequelae, including seizures, hydrocephalus, and cognitive effects and possible contributions through the recently identified lymphatic and glymphatic systems. Finally, we speculate on and provide testable hypotheses for novel nonsurgical therapeutic approaches for alleviating neurological impairments arising from cerebrovascular anomalies, with a particular emphasis on the normalization of fluid flow and alleviation of inflammation through manipulations of the lymphatic and glymphatic central nervous system clearance pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Rustenhoven
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia (J.R., J.K.), Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, MO.,Department of Pathology and Immunology, School of Medicine (J.R., J.K.), Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, MO
| | | | - Jonathan Kipnis
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia (J.R., J.K.), Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, MO.,Department of Pathology and Immunology, School of Medicine (J.R., J.K.), Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, MO
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15
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Zhang C, Li Y, Cao J, Yu B, Zhang K, Li K, Xu X, Guo Z, Liang Y, Yang X, Yang Z, Sun Y, Kaartinen V, Ding K, Wang J. Hedgehog signalling controls sinoatrial node development and atrioventricular cushion formation. Open Biol 2021; 11:210020. [PMID: 34062094 PMCID: PMC8169207 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.210020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Smoothened is a key receptor of the hedgehog pathway, but the roles of Smoothened in cardiac development remain incompletely understood. In this study, we found that the conditional knockout of Smoothened from the mesoderm impaired the development of the venous pole of the heart and resulted in hypoplasia of the atrium/inflow tract (IFT) and a low heart rate. The blockage of Smoothened led to reduced expression of genes critical for sinoatrial node (SAN) development in the IFT. In a cardiac cell culture model, we identified a Gli2–Tbx5–Hcn4 pathway that controls SAN development. In the mutant embryos, the endocardial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) in the atrioventricular cushion failed, and Bmp signalling was downregulated. The addition of Bmp2 rescued the EndMT in mutant explant cultures. Furthermore, we analysed Gli2+ scRNAseq and Tbx5−/− RNAseq data and explored the potential genes downstream of hedgehog signalling in posterior second heart field derivatives. In conclusion, our study reveals that Smoothened-mediated hedgehog signalling controls posterior cardiac progenitor commitment, which suggests that the mutation of Smoothened might be involved in the aetiology of congenital heart diseases related to the cardiac conduction system and heart valves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaohui Zhang
- Henan Key Laboratory for Medical Tissue Regeneration, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuxin Li
- Henan Key Laboratory for Medical Tissue Regeneration, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiaheng Cao
- Henan Key Laboratory for Medical Tissue Regeneration, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Beibei Yu
- Henan Key Laboratory for Medical Tissue Regeneration, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Kaiyue Zhang
- Henan Key Laboratory for Medical Tissue Regeneration, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Ke Li
- Henan Key Laboratory for Medical Tissue Regeneration, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinhui Xu
- Henan Key Laboratory for Medical Tissue Regeneration, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhikun Guo
- Henan Key Laboratory for Medical Tissue Regeneration, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Yinming Liang
- Henan Collaborative Innovation Center of Molecular Diagnosis and Laboratory Medicine, School of Laboratory Medicine, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing 102206, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhongzhou Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Model Animal Research Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, People's Republic of China
| | - Yunfu Sun
- Key Laboratory of Arrhythmia, Ministry of Education, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200120, People's Republic of China
| | - Vesa Kaartinen
- Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Keyue Ding
- Medical Genetic Institute of Henan Province, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Provincial People's Hospital of Henan University, Zhengzhou 450003, People's Republic of China
| | - Jikui Wang
- Henan Key Laboratory for Medical Tissue Regeneration, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
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16
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Marziano C, Genet G, Hirschi KK. Vascular endothelial cell specification in health and disease. Angiogenesis 2021; 24:213-236. [PMID: 33844116 PMCID: PMC8205897 DOI: 10.1007/s10456-021-09785-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
There are two vascular networks in mammals that coordinately function as the main supply and drainage systems of the body. The blood vasculature carries oxygen, nutrients, circulating cells, and soluble factors to and from every tissue. The lymphatic vasculature maintains interstitial fluid homeostasis, transports hematopoietic cells for immune surveillance, and absorbs fat from the gastrointestinal tract. These vascular systems consist of highly organized networks of specialized vessels including arteries, veins, capillaries, and lymphatic vessels that exhibit different structures and cellular composition enabling distinct functions. All vessels are composed of an inner layer of endothelial cells that are in direct contact with the circulating fluid; therefore, they are the first responders to circulating factors. However, endothelial cells are not homogenous; rather, they are a heterogenous population of specialized cells perfectly designed for the physiological demands of the vessel they constitute. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge of the specification of arterial, venous, capillary, and lymphatic endothelial cell identities during vascular development. We also discuss how the dysregulation of these processes can lead to vascular malformations, and therapeutic approaches that have been developed for their treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corina Marziano
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA.,Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Gael Genet
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA.,Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Karen K Hirschi
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA. .,Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA. .,Department of Medicine, Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
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17
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Pulkkinen HH, Kiema M, Lappalainen JP, Toropainen A, Beter M, Tirronen A, Holappa L, Niskanen H, Kaikkonen MU, Ylä-Herttuala S, Laakkonen JP. BMP6/TAZ-Hippo signaling modulates angiogenesis and endothelial cell response to VEGF. Angiogenesis 2021; 24:129-144. [PMID: 33021694 PMCID: PMC7921060 DOI: 10.1007/s10456-020-09748-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The BMP/TGFβ-Smad, Notch and VEGF signaling guides formation of endothelial tip and stalk cells. However, the crosstalk of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) signaling has remained largely unknown. We demonstrate that BMP family members regulate VEGFR2 and Notch signaling, and act via TAZ-Hippo signaling pathway. BMPs were found to be regulated after VEGF gene transfer in C57/Bl6 mice and in a porcine myocardial ischemia model. BMPs 2/4/6 were identified as endothelium-specific targets of VEGF. BMP2 modulated VEGF-mediated endothelial sprouting via Delta like Canonical Notch Ligand 4 (DLL4). BMP6 modulated VEGF signaling by regulating VEGFR2 expression and acted via Hippo signaling effector TAZ, known to regulate cell survival/proliferation, and to be dysregulated in cancer. In a matrigel plug assay in nude mice BMP6 was further demonstrated to induce angiogenesis. BMP6 is the first member of BMP family found to directly regulate both Hippo signaling and neovessel formation. It may thus serve as a target in pro/anti-angiogenic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- H H Pulkkinen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - M Kiema
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - J P Lappalainen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, University of Eastern Finland and Eastern Finland Laboratory Centre, Kuopio, Finland
| | - A Toropainen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - M Beter
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - A Tirronen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - L Holappa
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - H Niskanen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - M U Kaikkonen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - S Ylä-Herttuala
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
- Science Service Center, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
- Gene Therapy Unit, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Johanna P Laakkonen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
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18
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Wang J, Li Y, Zhou JH, Shen FR, Shi X, Chen YG. CircATRNL1 activates Smad4 signaling to inhibit angiogenesis and ovarian cancer metastasis via miR-378. Mol Oncol 2021; 15:1217-1233. [PMID: 33372356 PMCID: PMC8024733 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.12893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is one of the most frequent carcinomas in females, and the occurrence rate is still rising despite many advances made. The pathogenesis of ovarian cancer remains greatly unclear. Here, we investigated the mechanisms of ovarian cancer, with the focus on circATRNL1. Human ovarian cancer tissues and cell lines were used to examine levels of circATRNL1, miR‐378, Smad4, AKT, and other proliferation‐related and migration‐related proteins. Cellular assays were used to determine cancer cell proliferation, invasion, migration, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. We validated the interactions of circATRNL1/miR‐378 and miR‐378/Smad4, and a mouse tumor xenograft model was employed to assess the effect of circATRNL1 on tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. We found that circATRNL1 was decreased while miR‐378 was increased in human ovarian cancer tissues and cells. circATRNL1 bound to miR‐378 while miR‐378 directly targeted Smad4. Overexpression of circATRNL1 or knockdown of miR‐378 suppressed angiogenesis and ovarian cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and migration via decreasing proliferation‐ and migration‐related proteins via miR‐378 or Smad4, respectively. Overexpression of circATRNL1 restrained ovarian cancer growth and abdominal metastasis in vivo. Our findings indicate that circATRNL1 acts as a miR‐378 sponge to active Smad4 signaling and suppresses angiogenesis and ovarian cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Wang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, the First People's Hospital of Yancheng, China
| | - Jin-Hua Zhou
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Fang-Rong Shen
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xiu Shi
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - You-Guo Chen
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
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19
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Xian S, Chen A, Wu X, Lu C, Wu Y, Huang F, Zeng Z. Activation of activin/Smad2 and 3 signaling pathway and the potential involvement of endothelial‑mesenchymal transition in the valvular damage due to rheumatic heart disease. Mol Med Rep 2020; 23:10. [PMID: 33179113 PMCID: PMC7673319 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2020.11648] [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: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is an autoimmune disease caused by rheumatic fever following group A hemolytic streptococcal infection and primarily affects the mitral valve. RHD is currently a major global health problem. However, the exact pathological mechanisms associated with RHD-induced cardiac valve damage remain to be elucidated. The endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) serves a key role in a number of diseases with an important role in cardiac fibrosis and the activin/Smad2 and 3 signaling pathway is involved in regulating the EndMT. Nevertheless, there are no studies to date, to the best of the authors' knowledge, investigating the association between RHD and EndMT. Thus, the aim of the current study was to investigate the potential role of EndMT in cardiac valve damage and assess whether activin/Smad2 and 3 signaling was activated during RHD-induced valvular injury in a rat model of RHD induced by inactivated Group A streptococci and complete Freund's adjuvant. Inflammation and fibrosis were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin and Sirius red staining. Serum cytokine and rheumatoid factor levels were measured using ELISA kits. Expression levels of activin/Smad2 and 3 signaling pathway-related factors [activin A, Smad2, Smad3, phosphorylated (p-)Smad2 and p-Smad3], EndMT-related factors [lymphoid enhancer factor-1 (LEF-1), Snail1, TWIST, zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox (ZEB)1, ZEB2, α smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and type I collagen α 1 (COL1A1)], apoptosis-related markers (BAX and cleaved caspase-3) and valvular inflammation markers (NF-κB and p-NF-κB) were detected using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blot analyses. Compared with the control group, the degree of valvular inflammation and fibrosis, serum levels of IL-6, IL-17, TNF-α and expression of apoptosis-related markers (BAX and cleaved caspase-3) and valvular inflammation marker (p-NF-κB), activin/Smad2 and 3 signaling pathway-related factors (activin A, p-Smad2 and p-Smad3), EndMT-related factors (LEF-1, Snail1, TWIST, ZEB 1, ZEB2, α-SMA and COL1A1) were significantly increased in the RHD group. These results suggested that the activin/Smad2 and 3 signaling pathway was activated during the development of valvular damage caused by RHD and that the EndMT is involved in RHD-induced cardiac valve damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenglin Xian
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China
| | - Ang Chen
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China
| | - Xiaodan Wu
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China
| | - Chuanghong Lu
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China
| | - Yunjiao Wu
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China
| | - Feng Huang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China
| | - Zhiyu Zeng
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China
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20
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Zhang Y, Yang X. The Roles of TGF-β Signaling in Cerebrovascular Diseases. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:567682. [PMID: 33072751 PMCID: PMC7530326 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.567682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cerebrovascular diseases are one of the leading causes of death worldwide, however, little progress has been made in preventing or treating these diseases to date. The transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway plays crucial and highly complicated roles in cerebrovascular development and homeostasis, and dysregulated TGF-β signaling contributes to cerebrovascular diseases. In this review, we provide an updated overview of the functional role of TGF-β signaling in the cerebrovascular system under physiological and pathological conditions. We discuss the current understanding of TGF-β signaling in cerebral angiogenesis and the maintenance of brain vessel homeostasis. We also review the mechanisms by which disruption of TGF-β signaling triggers or promotes the progression of cerebrovascular diseases. Finally, we briefly discuss the potential of targeting TGF-β signaling to treat cerebrovascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizhe Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, China
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21
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RNA-Seq reveals placental growth factor regulates the human retinal endothelial cell barrier integrity by transforming growth factor (TGF-β) signaling. Mol Cell Biochem 2020; 475:93-106. [PMID: 32813141 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-020-03862-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Placental growth factor (PlGF or PGF) is a member of the VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) family. It plays a pathological role in inflammation, vascular permeability, and pathological angiogenesis. The molecular signaling by which PlGF mediates its effects in non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (DR) remains elusive. This study aims to characterize the transcriptome changes of human retinal endothelial cells (HRECs) with the presence and the absence of PlGF signaling. Primary HRECs were treated with the PlGF antibody (ab) to block its activity. The total RNA was isolated and subjected to deep sequencing to quantify the transcripts and their changes in both groups. We performed transcriptome-wide analysis, gene ontology, pathway enrichment, and gene-gene network analyses. The results showed that a total of 3760 genes were significantly differentially expressed and were categorized into cell adhesion molecules, cell junction proteins, chaperone, calcium-binding proteins, and membrane traffic proteins. Functional pathway analyses revealed that the TGF-β pathway, pentose phosphate pathway, and cell adhesion pathway play pivotal roles in the blood-retina barrier and antioxidant defense system. Collectively, the data provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of PlGF's biological functions in HRECs relevant to DR and diabetic macular edema (DME). The newly identified genes and pathways may act as disease markers and target molecules for therapeutic interventions for the patients with DR and DME refractory to the current anti-VEGF therapy.
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22
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Eakin AJ, Mc Erlain T, Burke A, Eaton A, Tipping N, Allocca G, Branco CM. Circulating Levels of Epirubicin Cause Endothelial Senescence While Compromising Metabolic Activity and Vascular Function. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:799. [PMID: 32974345 PMCID: PMC7466755 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthracycline-based chemotherapy is a common treatment for cancer patients. Because it is delivered intravenously, endothelial cells are exposed first and to the highest concentrations, prior to diffusion to target cells. Not surprisingly, vascular dysfunction is a consequence of anthracycline therapy. While chemotherapy-induced endothelial damage at administration sites has been investigated, the effects of lower doses encountered by distant microvascular networks has not. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of epirubicin, a widely used anthracycline, on healthy endothelial cells to elucidate its effects on microvascular physiology. Here, endothelial cells were briefly exposed to low doses of epirubicin to recapitulate levels in circulation following dilution in the blood and compound half-life in circulation. Both immediate and prolonged responses to treatment were assessed to determine changes in endothelial function. Epirubicin caused a decrease in proliferation and viability in hUVEC, with lower doses resulting in a senescent phenotype in a large proportion of cells, accompanied by a significant increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines and a significant decrease in metabolic activity. Epirubicin exposure also impaired endothelial function with delayed wound closure, reduced angiogenic potential and increased monolayer permeability downstream of VE-cadherin internalization. Primary lung endothelial cells obtained from epirubicin-treated mice similarly demonstrated reduced viability and functional impairment. In vivo, epirubicin treatment resulted in persistent reduction in lung vascular density and significantly increased infiltration of myeloid cells. Modulation of endothelial status and inflammatory tissue microenvironment observed in response to low doses of epirubicin may predict risk for long-term secondary pathologies associated with chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J Eakin
- Patrick G. Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Tamara Mc Erlain
- Patrick G. Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Aileen Burke
- Patrick G. Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Amy Eaton
- Patrick G. Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Nuala Tipping
- Patrick G. Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Gloria Allocca
- Patrick G. Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Cristina M Branco
- Patrick G. Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
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Neuronal regulation of the blood-brain barrier and neurovascular coupling. Nat Rev Neurosci 2020; 21:416-432. [PMID: 32636528 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-020-0322-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
To continuously process neural activity underlying sensation, movement and cognition, the CNS requires a homeostatic microenvironment that is not only enriched in nutrients to meet its high metabolic demands but that is also devoid of toxins that might harm the sensitive neural tissues. This highly regulated microenvironment is made possible by two unique features of CNS vasculature absent in the peripheral organs. First, the blood-blood barrier, which partitions the circulating blood from the CNS, acts as a gatekeeper to facilitate the selective trafficking of substances between the blood and the parenchyma. Second, neurovascular coupling ensures that, following local neural activation, regional blood flow is increased to quickly supply more nutrients and remove metabolic waste. Here, we review how neural and vascular activity act on one another with regard to these two properties.
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Hong JM, Hu YD, Chai XQ, Tang CL. Role of activin receptor-like kinase 1 in vascular development and cerebrovascular diseases. Neural Regen Res 2020; 15:1807-1813. [PMID: 32246621 PMCID: PMC7513971 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.280305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Activin receptor-like kinase 1 (ALK1) is a transmembrane serine/threonine receptor kinase of the transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) receptor superfamily. ALK1 is specifically expressed in vascular endothelial cells, and its dynamic changes are closely related to the proliferation of endothelial cells, the recruitment of pericytes to blood vessels, and functional differentiation during embryonic vascular development. The pathophysiology of many cerebrovascular diseases is today understood as a disorder of endothelial cell function and an imbalance in the proportion of vascular cells. Indeed, mutations in ALK1 and its co-receptor endoglin are major genetic risk factors for vascular arteriovenous malformation. Many studies have shown that ALK1 is closely related to the development of cerebral aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, and cerebral atherosclerosis. In this review, we describe the various roles of ALK1 in the regulation of angiogenesis and in the maintenance of cerebral vascular homeostasis, and we discuss its relationship to functional dysregulation in cerebrovascular diseases. This review should provide new perspectives for basic research on cerebrovascular diseases and offer more effective targets and strategies for clinical diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Mou Hong
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian Province, China
| | - Yi-Da Hu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Xiao-Qing Chai
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
| | - Chao-Liang Tang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui Province, China
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25
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Crist AM, Zhou X, Garai J, Lee AR, Thoele J, Ullmer C, Klein C, Zabaleta J, Meadows SM. Angiopoietin-2 Inhibition Rescues Arteriovenous Malformation in a Smad4 Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia Mouse Model. Circulation 2020; 139:2049-2063. [PMID: 30744395 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.118.036952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia is an autosomal dominant vascular disorder caused by heterozygous, loss-of-function mutations in 4 transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) pathway members, including the central transcriptional mediator of the TGFβ pathway, Smad4. Loss of Smad4 causes the formation of inappropriate, fragile connections between arteries and veins called arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), which can hemorrhage leading to stroke, aneurysm, or death. Unfortunately, the molecular mechanisms underlying AVM pathogenesis remain poorly understood, and the TGFβ downstream effectors responsible for hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia-associated AVM formation are currently unknown. METHODS To identify potential biological targets of the TGFβ pathway involved in AVM formation, we performed RNA- and chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing experiments on BMP9 (bone morphogenetic protein 9)-stimulated endothelial cells (ECs) and isolated ECs from a Smad4-inducible, EC-specific knockout ( Smad4-iECKO) mouse model that develops retinal AVMs. These sequencing studies identified the angiopoietin-Tek signaling pathway as a downstream target of SMAD4. We used monoclonal blocking antibodies to target a specific component in this pathway and assess its effects on AVM development. RESULTS Sequencing studies uncovered 212 potential biological targets involved in AVM formation, including the EC surface receptor, TEK (TEK receptor tyrosine kinase) and its antagonistic ligand, ANGPT2 (angiopoietin-2). In Smad4-iECKO mice, Angpt2 expression is robustly increased, whereas Tek levels are decreased, resulting in an overall reduction in angiopoietin-Tek signaling. We provide evidence that SMAD4 directly represses Angpt2 transcription in ECs. Inhibition of ANGPT2 function in Smad4-deficient mice, either before or after AVMs form, prevents and alleviates AVM formation and normalizes vessel diameters. These rescue effects are attributed to a reversion in EC morphological changes, such as cell size and shape that are altered in the absence of Smad4. CONCLUSIONS Our studies provide a novel mechanism whereby the loss of Smad4 causes increased Angpt2 transcription in ECs leading to AVM formation, increased blood vessel calibers, and changes in EC morphology in the retina. Blockade of ANGPT2 function in an in vivo Smad4 model of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia alleviated these vascular phenotypes, further implicating ANGPT2 as an important TGFβ downstream mediator of AVM formation. Therefore, alternative approaches that target ANGPT2 function may have therapeutic value for the alleviation of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia symptoms, such as AVMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela M Crist
- Cell and Molecular Biology Department, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA (A.M.C., X.Z., A.R.L., S.M.M.)
| | - Xingyan Zhou
- Cell and Molecular Biology Department, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA (A.M.C., X.Z., A.R.L., S.M.M.)
| | - Jone Garai
- Department of Pediatrics and Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans (J.G., J.Z.)
| | - Amanda R Lee
- Cell and Molecular Biology Department, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA (A.M.C., X.Z., A.R.L., S.M.M.)
| | - Janina Thoele
- Roche Innovation Center, Basel, Switzerland (J.T., C.U.)
| | | | | | - Jovanny Zabaleta
- Department of Pediatrics and Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans (J.G., J.Z.)
| | - Stryder M Meadows
- Cell and Molecular Biology Department, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA (A.M.C., X.Z., A.R.L., S.M.M.)
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Takase Y, Takahashi Y. Blood flow-mediated gene transfer and siRNA-knockdown in the developing vasculature in a spatio-temporally controlled manner in chicken embryos. Dev Biol 2019; 456:8-16. [PMID: 31400307 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2019.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
We describe a method by which early developing vasculature can be gene-manipulated independently of the heart in a spatio-temporally controlled manner. Lipofectamine 2000 or 3000, an easy-to-use lipid reagent, has been found to yield a high efficiency of transfection when co-injected with GFP DNA within a critical range of lipid concentration. By exploiting developmentally changing patterns of vasculature and blood flow, we have succeed in controlling the site of transfection: injection with a lipid-DNA cocktail into the heart before or after the blood circulation starts results in a limited and widely spread patterns of transfection, respectively. Furthermore, a cocktail injection into the right dorsal aorta leads to transgenesis of the right half of embryonic vasculature. In addition, this method combined with the siRNA technique has allowed, for the first time, to knockdown the endogenous expression of VE-cadherin (also called Cdh5), which has been implicated in assembly of nasant blood vessels: when Cah5 siRNA is injected into the right dorsal aorta, pronounced defects in the right half of vasculature are observed without heart defects. Whereas infusion-mediated gene transfection method has previously been reported using lipid reagents that were elaborately prepared on their own, Lipofectamine is an easy-use reagent with no requirement of special expertise. The methods reported here would overcome shortcomings of conventional vascular-transgenic animals, such as mice and zebrafish, in which pan-endothelial enhancer-driven transgenesis often leads to the heart malformation, which, in turn, indirectly affects peripheral vasculature due to flow defects. Since a variety of subtypes in vasculature have increasingly been appreciated, the spatio-temporally controllable gene manipulation described in this study offers a powerful tool to understand how the vasculature is established at the molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuta Takase
- Mathematics-based Creation of Science Program (MACS), Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan; Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Yoshiko Takahashi
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan; AMED Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (AMED-CREST), Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-0004, Japan.
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27
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Ola R, Künzel SH, Zhang F, Genet G, Chakraborty R, Pibouin-Fragner L, Martin K, Sessa W, Dubrac A, Eichmann A. SMAD4 Prevents Flow Induced Arteriovenous Malformations by Inhibiting Casein Kinase 2. Circulation 2019; 138:2379-2394. [PMID: 29976569 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.118.033842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is an inherited vascular disorder that causes arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). Mutations in the genes encoding Endoglin ( ENG) and activin-receptor-like kinase 1 ( AVCRL1 encoding ALK1) cause HHT type 1 and 2, respectively. Mutations in the SMAD4 gene are present in families with juvenile polyposis-HHT syndrome that involves AVMs. SMAD4 is a downstream effector of transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ)/bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) family ligands that signal via activin-like kinase receptors (ALKs). Ligand-neutralizing antibodies or inducible, endothelial-specific Alk1 deletion induce AVMs in mouse models as a result of increased PI3K (phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase)/AKT (protein kinase B) signaling. Here we addressed if SMAD4 was required for BMP9-ALK1 effects on PI3K/AKT pathway activation. METHODS The authors generated tamoxifen-inducible, postnatal, endothelial-specific Smad4 mutant mice ( Smad4iΔEC). RESULTS We found that loss of endothelial Smad4 resulted in AVM formation and lethality. AVMs formed in regions with high blood flow in developing retinas and other tissues. Mechanistically, BMP9 signaling antagonized flow-induced AKT activation in an ALK1- and SMAD4-dependent manner. Smad4iΔEC endothelial cells in AVMs displayed increased PI3K/AKT signaling, and pharmacological PI3K inhibitors or endothelial Akt1 deletion both rescued AVM formation in Smad4iΔEC mice. BMP9-induced SMAD4 inhibited casein kinase 2 ( CK2) transcription, in turn limiting PTEN phosphorylation and AKT activation. Consequently, CK2 inhibition prevented AVM formation in Smad4iΔEC mice. CONCLUSIONS Our study reveals SMAD4 as an essential effector of BMP9-10/ALK1 signaling that affects AVM pathogenesis via regulation of CK2 expression and PI3K/AKT1 activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roxana Ola
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine (R.O., S.H.K., F.Z., G.G., R.C., K.M., A.D., A.E.), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.,Functional Genomics, Proteomics and Experimental Pathology Department, Prof. Dr. I. Chiricuta Oncology Institute, Cluj-Napoca, Romania (R.O.).,Research Center for Functional Genomics, Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, I. Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania (R.O.).,Department of Basic, Preventive and Clinical Science, University of Transylvania, Brasov, Romania (R.O.)
| | - Sandrine H Künzel
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine (R.O., S.H.K., F.Z., G.G., R.C., K.M., A.D., A.E.), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Feng Zhang
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine (R.O., S.H.K., F.Z., G.G., R.C., K.M., A.D., A.E.), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Gael Genet
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine (R.O., S.H.K., F.Z., G.G., R.C., K.M., A.D., A.E.), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Raja Chakraborty
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine (R.O., S.H.K., F.Z., G.G., R.C., K.M., A.D., A.E.), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | | | - Kathleen Martin
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine (R.O., S.H.K., F.Z., G.G., R.C., K.M., A.D., A.E.), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - William Sessa
- Vascular Biology and Therapeutics Program, Department of Pharmacology (W.S.), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Alexandre Dubrac
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine (R.O., S.H.K., F.Z., G.G., R.C., K.M., A.D., A.E.), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Anne Eichmann
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine (R.O., S.H.K., F.Z., G.G., R.C., K.M., A.D., A.E.), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology (A.E.), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.,Inserm U970, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, Paris, France (L.P-F., A.E.)
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28
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Watterston C, Zeng L, Onabadejo A, Childs SJ. MicroRNA26 attenuates vascular smooth muscle maturation via endothelial BMP signalling. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008163. [PMID: 31091229 PMCID: PMC6538191 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Revised: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
As small regulatory transcripts, microRNAs (miRs) act as genetic ‘fine tuners’ of posttranscriptional events, and as genetic switches to promote phenotypic switching. The miR miR26a targets the BMP signalling effector, smad1. We show that loss of miR26a leads to hemorrhage (a loss of vascular stability) in vivo, suggesting altered vascular differentiation. Reduction in miR26a levels increases smad1 mRNA and phospho-Smad1 (pSmad1) levels. We show that increasing BMP signalling by overexpression of smad1 also leads to hemorrhage. Normalization of Smad1 levels through double knockdown of miR26a and smad1 rescues hemorrhage, suggesting a direct relationship between miR26a, smad1 and vascular stability. Using an in vivo BMP genetic reporter and pSmad1 staining, we show that the effect of miR26a on smooth muscle differentiation is non-autonomous; BMP signalling is active in embryonic endothelial cells, but not in smooth muscle cells. Nonetheless, increased BMP signalling due to loss of miR26a results in an increase in acta2-expressing smooth muscle cell numbers and promotes a differentiated smooth muscle morphology. Similarly, forced expression of smad1 in endothelial cells leads to an increase in smooth muscle cell number and coverage. Furthermore, smooth muscle phenotypes caused by inhibition of the BMP pathway are rescued by loss of miR26a. Taken together, our data suggest that miR26a modulates BMP signalling in endothelial cells and indirectly promotes a differentiated smooth muscle phenotype. Our data highlights how crosstalk from BMP-responsive endothelium to smooth muscle is important for smooth muscle differentiation. The structural integrity of a blood vessel is critical to ensure proper vessel support and vascular tone. Vascular smooth cells (vSMCs) are a key component of the vessel wall and, in their mature state, express contractile proteins that help to constrict and relax the vessel in response to blood flow changes. vSMCs differentiate from immature vascular mural cells that lack contractile function. Here, we use a zebrafish model to identify a small microRNA that regulates vascular stabilization. We show that a small regulatory RNA, microRNA26a is enriched in the endothelial lining of the blood vessel wall and, through signalling, communicates to the smooth muscle cell to control its maturation. Providing a mechanistic insight into vSMC differentiation may help develop and produce feasible miR-based pharmaceutical to promote SMC differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlene Watterston
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
| | - Lei Zeng
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
| | - Abidemi Onabadejo
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
| | - Sarah J. Childs
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
- * E-mail:
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29
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Whitsett JA, Kalin TV, Xu Y, Kalinichenko VV. Building and Regenerating the Lung Cell by Cell. Physiol Rev 2019; 99:513-554. [PMID: 30427276 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00001.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The unique architecture of the mammalian lung is required for adaptation to air breathing at birth and thereafter. Understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms controlling its morphogenesis provides the framework for understanding the pathogenesis of acute and chronic lung diseases. Recent single-cell RNA sequencing data and high-resolution imaging identify the remarkable heterogeneity of pulmonary cell types and provides cell selective gene expression underlying lung development. We will address fundamental issues related to the diversity of pulmonary cells, to the formation and function of the mammalian lung, and will review recent advances regarding the cellular and molecular pathways involved in lung organogenesis. What cells form the lung in the early embryo? How are cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation regulated during lung morphogenesis? How do cells interact during lung formation and repair? How do signaling and transcriptional programs determine cell-cell interactions necessary for lung morphogenesis and function?
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey A Whitsett
- Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Tanya V Kalin
- Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Yan Xu
- Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Vladimir V Kalinichenko
- Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati, Ohio
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30
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Abstract
Venous endothelial cells are molecularly and functionally distinct from their arterial counterparts. Although veins are often considered the default endothelial state, genetic manipulations can modulate both acquisition and loss of venous fate, suggesting that venous identity is the result of active transcriptional regulation. However, little is known about this process. Here we show that BMP signalling controls venous identity via the ALK3/BMPR1A receptor and SMAD1/SMAD5. Perturbations to TGF-β and BMP signalling in mice and zebrafish result in aberrant vein formation and loss of expression of the venous-specific gene Ephb4, with no effect on arterial identity. Analysis of a venous endothelium-specific enhancer for Ephb4 shows enriched binding of SMAD1/5 and a requirement for SMAD binding motifs. Further, our results demonstrate that BMP/SMAD-mediated Ephb4 expression requires the venous-enriched BMP type I receptor ALK3/BMPR1A. Together, our analysis demonstrates a requirement for BMP signalling in the establishment of Ephb4 expression and the venous vasculature. The establishment of functional vasculatures requires the specification of newly formed vessels into veins and arteries. Here, Neal et al. use a combination of genetic approaches in mice and zebrafish to show that BMP signalling, via ALK3 and SMAD1/5, is required for venous specification during blood vessel development.
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31
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Jaslove JM, Nelson CM. Smooth muscle: a stiff sculptor of epithelial shapes. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 373:20170318. [PMID: 30249770 PMCID: PMC6158200 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Smooth muscle is increasingly recognized as a key mechanical sculptor of epithelia during embryonic development. Smooth muscle is a mesenchymal tissue that surrounds the epithelia of organs including the gut, blood vessels, lungs, bladder, ureter, uterus, oviduct and epididymis. Smooth muscle is stiffer than its adjacent epithelium and often serves its morphogenetic function by physically constraining the growth of a proliferating epithelial layer. This constraint leads to mechanical instabilities and epithelial morphogenesis through buckling. Smooth muscle stiffness alone, without smooth muscle cell shortening, seems to be sufficient to drive epithelial morphogenesis. Fully understanding the development of organs that use smooth muscle stiffness as a driver of morphogenesis requires investigating how smooth muscle develops, a key aspect of which is distinguishing smooth muscle-like tissues from one another in vivo and in culture. This necessitates a comprehensive appreciation of the genetic, anatomical and functional markers that are used to distinguish the different subtypes of smooth muscle (for example, vascular versus visceral) from similar cell types (including myofibroblasts and myoepithelial cells). Here, we review how smooth muscle acts as a mechanical driver of morphogenesis and discuss ways of identifying smooth muscle, which is critical for understanding these morphogenetic events.This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Mechanics of Development'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob M Jaslove
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, 303 Hoyt Laboratory, William Street, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Celeste M Nelson
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, 303 Hoyt Laboratory, William Street, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, 303 Hoyt Laboratory, William Street, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
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Kolinko Y, Kralickova M, Tonar Z. The impact of pericytes on the brain and approaches for their morphological analysis. J Chem Neuroanat 2018; 91:35-45. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2018.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Revised: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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33
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Vascular deficiency of Smad4 causes arteriovenous malformations: a mouse model of Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia. Angiogenesis 2018; 21:363-380. [PMID: 29460088 PMCID: PMC5878194 DOI: 10.1007/s10456-018-9602-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2017] [Accepted: 01/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is an autosomal dominant vascular disorder that leads to abnormal connections between arteries and veins termed arteriovenous malformations (AVM). Mutations in TGFβ pathway members ALK1, ENG and SMAD4 lead to HHT. However, a Smad4 mouse model of HHT does not currently exist. We aimed to create and characterize a Smad4 endothelial cell (EC)-specific, inducible knockout mouse (Smad4f/f;Cdh5-CreERT2) that could be used to study AVM development in HHT. We found that postnatal ablation of Smad4 caused various vascular defects, including the formation of distinct AVMs in the neonate retina. Our analyses demonstrated that increased EC proliferation and size, altered mural cell coverage and distorted artery-vein gene expression are associated with Smad4 deficiency in the vasculature. Furthermore, we show that depletion of Smad4 leads to decreased Vegfr2 expression, and concurrent loss of endothelial Smad4 and Vegfr2 in vivo leads to AVM enlargement. Our work provides a new model in which to study HHT-associated phenotypes and links the TGFβ and VEGF signaling pathways in AVM pathogenesis.
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Roman BL, Hinck AP. ALK1 signaling in development and disease: new paradigms. Cell Mol Life Sci 2017; 74:4539-4560. [PMID: 28871312 PMCID: PMC5687069 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-017-2636-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2017] [Revised: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 08/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Activin A receptor like type 1 (ALK1) is a transmembrane serine/threonine receptor kinase in the transforming growth factor-beta receptor family that is expressed on endothelial cells. Defects in ALK1 signaling cause the autosomal dominant vascular disorder, hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), which is characterized by development of direct connections between arteries and veins, or arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). Although previous studies have implicated ALK1 in various aspects of sprouting angiogenesis, including tip/stalk cell selection, migration, and proliferation, recent work suggests an intriguing role for ALK1 in transducing a flow-based signal that governs directed endothelial cell migration within patent, perfused vessels. In this review, we present an updated view of the mechanism of ALK1 signaling, put forth a unified hypothesis to explain the cellular missteps that lead to AVMs associated with ALK1 deficiency, and discuss emerging roles for ALK1 signaling in diseases beyond HHT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beth L Roman
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, 130 DeSoto St, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA.
| | - Andrew P Hinck
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Wang Y, Huang HY, Bian GL, Yu YS, Ye WX, Hua F, Chen YH, Shen ZY. A Functional Variant of SMAD4 Enhances Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm and Dissection Risk through Promoting Smooth Muscle Cell Apoptosis and Proteoglycan Degradation. EBioMedicine 2017; 21:197-205. [PMID: 28666732 PMCID: PMC5514432 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2017.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2017] [Revised: 06/15/2017] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies indicate important roles for SMAD4 in SMCs proliferation, extracellular matrix maintenance, and blood vessel remodeling. However, the genetic effects of SMAD4 in the pathogenesis of thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD) are still largely unknown. Here we identified a functional variant of SMAD4 which might be involved in the pathological progression of TAAD. Five tagging SNPs of SMAD4 were genotyped in 202 TAAD cases and 400 controls using MALDI-TOF. rs12455792 CT or TT variant genotypes was associated with an significantly elevated TAAD risk (adjusted OR = 1.58, 95%CI = 1.09–2.30) under a dominant genetic model. It was located in the 5’UTR and predicted to influence transcription activity and RNA folding of SMAD4. In luciferase reporter assay, rs12455792 T allele markedly decreased luciferase activities. Accordingly, SMAD4 expression in tissues was lower in patients with CT or TT genotypes, compared with CC. Movat's pentachrome showed that rs12455792 T allele enhanced SMCs loss and fibers accumulation. With angiotensin II induction, rate of Apoptotic SMCs was significantly higher while SMAD4 silenced. Moreover, rs12455792 T allele also increased Versican degradation via ADAMTS-4. In conclusion, this variant might promote SMCs apoptosis and proteoglycans degradation, and further facilitate the progress of TAAD. Our findings identified rs12455792 as a predictor for progression of vascular media pathological changes related thoracic aortic disorders. The variant on 5'UTR of SMAD4 gene significantly increased thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection risk. The variant rs12455792 reduced SMAD4 expression and influenced its effects on proteoglycans degradation, SMCs apoptosis and fiber accumulation. rs1rs12455792 might be a potential therapeutic marker in vascular media pathological changes related thoracic aortic disorders.
Understanding the genetic features of thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection can lead to precision surgery strategy. In this study, we demonstrated that SMAD4 rs12455792 is located in the transcription factor binding site and the allele change influences transcription activity and SMAD4 expression. Decrease of SMAD4 expression promotes proteoglycans degradation, vascular SMCs apoptosis and fiber accumulation, which are involved in pathological progression of TAAD. rs12455792 might be a potential therapeutic marker in vascular media pathological changes related thoracic aortic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital & Institute for Cardiovascular Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hao-Yue Huang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital & Institute for Cardiovascular Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guang-Liang Bian
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital & Institute for Cardiovascular Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China; Department of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Jingjiang People's Hospital, Jingjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yun-Sheng Yu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital & Institute for Cardiovascular Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wen-Xue Ye
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital & Institute for Cardiovascular Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Fei Hua
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital & Institute for Cardiovascular Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yi-Huan Chen
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital & Institute for Cardiovascular Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhen-Ya Shen
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital & Institute for Cardiovascular Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
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Pickup MW, Owens P, Moses HL. TGF-β, Bone Morphogenetic Protein, and Activin Signaling and the Tumor Microenvironment. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2017; 9:cshperspect.a022285. [PMID: 28062564 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a022285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The cellular and noncellular components surrounding the tumor cells influence many aspects of tumor progression. Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), and activins have been shown to regulate the phenotype and functions of the microenvironment and are attractive targets to attenuate protumorigenic microenvironmental changes. Given the pleiotropic nature of the cytokines involved, a full understanding of their effects on numerous cell types in many contexts is necessary for proper clinical intervention. In this review, we will explore the various effects of TGF-β, BMP, and activin signaling on stromal phenotypes known to associate with cancer progression. We will summarize these findings in the context of their tumor suppressive or promoting effects, as well as the molecular changes that these cytokines induce to influence stromal phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael W Pickup
- Department of Cancer Biology and Vanderbilt-Ingram Comprehensive Cancer Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232
| | - Philip Owens
- Department of Cancer Biology and Vanderbilt-Ingram Comprehensive Cancer Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232
| | - Harold L Moses
- Department of Cancer Biology and Vanderbilt-Ingram Comprehensive Cancer Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232
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Yang J, Wang Y, Zeng Z, Qiao L, Zhuang L, Gao Q, Ma D, Huang X. Smad4 deletion in blood vessel endothelial cells promotes ovarian cancer metastasis. Int J Oncol 2017; 50:1693-1700. [PMID: 28393199 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2017.3957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2016] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
SMAD4 is a critical co-smad in signal transduction pathways activated in response to transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-related ligands, regulating cell growth and differentiation. The roles played by SMAD4 inactivation in tumors highlighted it as a tumor-suppressor gene. Herein, we report that loss of SMAD4 expression in vascular endothelial cells promotes ovarian cancer invasion. SiRNA transfer of this gene in the HUVEC reduced SMAD4 protein expression and function. Although it reduced the vessel endothelial cell tubule formation in vitro and in vivo, it did not affect the tumor growth significantly in vivo. However, it weakened the barrier integrity in endothelial cells and increased vessel permeability and the ovarian cancer liver metastasis. We documented reduced angiogenesis and increased invasion histologically and by intravital microscopy, and gained mechanistic insight at the messenger and gene level. Finally, we found a negative reciprocal regulation between SMAD4 and FYN. FYN is one of the Src family kinases (SFK), activation of which can cause dissociation of cell-cell junctions and adhesion, resulting in paracellular hypermeability. Upon SMAD4 deletion, we detected high expression levels of FYN in vessel endothelial cells, suggesting the mechanism of the ovarian tumor cells cross the endothelial barrier and transform to an invasive phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Yang
- Cancer Biology Research Centre, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P.R. China
| | - Ya Wang
- Cancer Biology Research Centre, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P.R. China
| | - Zhen Zeng
- Cancer Biology Research Centre, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P.R. China
| | - Long Qiao
- Cancer Biology Research Centre, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P.R. China
| | - Liang Zhuang
- Cancer Biology Research Centre, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P.R. China
| | - Qinglei Gao
- Cancer Biology Research Centre, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P.R. China
| | - Ding Ma
- Cancer Biology Research Centre, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoyuan Huang
- Cancer Biology Research Centre, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P.R. China
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Pericytes: The Role of Multipotent Stem Cells in Vascular Maintenance and Regenerative Medicine. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2017; 1079:69-86. [PMID: 29282647 DOI: 10.1007/5584_2017_138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Blood vessels consist of an inner endothelial cell layer lining the vessel wall and perivascular pericytes, also known as mural cells, which envelop the vascular tube surface. Pericytes have recently been recognized for their central role in blood vessel formation. Pericytes are multipotent cells that are heterogeneous in their origin, function, morphology and surface markers. Similar to other types of stem cells, pericytes act as a repair system in response to injury by maintaining the structural integrity of blood vessels. Several studies have shown that blood vessels lacking pericytes become hyperdilated and haemorrhagic, leading to vascular complications ranging from diabetic retinopathy to embryonic death. The role of pericytes is not restricted to the formation and development of the vasculature: they have been shown to possess stem cell-like characteristics and may differentiate into cell types from different lineages. Recent discoveries regarding the contribution of pericytes to tumour metastasis and the maintenance of tumour vascular supply and angiogenesis have led researchers to propose targeting pericytes with anti-angiogenic therapies. In this review, we will examine the different physiological roles of pericytes, their differentiation potential, and how they interact with surrounding cells to ensure the integrity of blood vessel formation and maintenance.
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The expanding role of neuropilin: regulation of transforming growth factor-β and platelet-derived growth factor signaling in the vasculature. Curr Opin Hematol 2016; 23:260-7. [PMID: 26849476 DOI: 10.1097/moh.0000000000000233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Long recognized for its role in regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor signaling, neuropilin (Nrp)1 has emerged as a modulator of additional signaling pathways critical for vascular development and function. Here we review two novel functions of Nrp1 in blood vessels: regulation of transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) signaling in endothelial cells and regulation of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) signaling in vascular smooth muscle cells. RECENT FINDINGS Novel mouse models demonstrate that Nrp1 fulfills vascular functions independent of vascular endothelial growth factor signaling. These include modulation of TGFβ-dependent inhibition of endothelial sprouting during developmental angiogenesis and PDGF signaling in vascular smooth muscle cells during development and disease. SUMMARY Broadening our understanding of how and where Nrp1 functions in the vasculature is critical for the development of targeted therapeutics for cancer and vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis and retinopathies.
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Xu H, Han Y, Liu B, Li R. Unc-5 homolog B (UNC5B) is one of the key downstream targets of N-α-Acetyltransferase 10 (Naa10). Sci Rep 2016; 6:38508. [PMID: 27910960 PMCID: PMC5133585 DOI: 10.1038/srep38508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2016] [Accepted: 11/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
N-α-acetyltransferase 10 (Naa10) displays alpha (N-terminal) acetyltransferase activity. It functions as a major modulator of cell growth and differentiation. Until now, a few downstream targets were found, but no studies have concerned about which gene is the early event of Naa10 downstream target. As we know, the earlier events may play more significant role in Naa10 pathway. Through construction of Naa10 stably knocked down H1299 cell line, we discovered cell morphological changes induced by Naa10. Moreover, potential function of Naa10 in cell morphogenesis was also indicated using cDNA microarray analysis of the Naa10 stably knock-down cell line. We further discovered that netrin-1 (NTN1) and its receptor UNC-5 Homology B (UNC5B) were the early event among the genes involved in Naa10 stably knocked down induced genes expression changes in cell morphogenesis. This was further validated in caudal half region of E10 mouse embryos. Negative regulation of Naa10 towards NTN1 and its receptor UNC5B were also detected upon treatment of all-trans retinoid acid, which was often used to induce morphological differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiyu Xu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Medical Center, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yong Han
- Department of pathology, Zhejiang provincial people's hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
| | - Bing Liu
- 307-Ivy Translational Medicine Center, Laboratory of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Rong Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Medical Center, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
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Huang K, Gao J, Du J, Ma N, Zhu Y, Wu P, Zhang T, Wang W, Li Y, Chen Q, Hutchins AP, Yang Z, Zheng Y, Zhang J, Shan Y, Li X, Liao B, Liu J, Wang J, Liu B, Pan G. Generation and Analysis of GATA2 w/eGFP Human ESCs Reveal ITGB3/CD61 as a Reliable Marker for Defining Hemogenic Endothelial Cells during Hematopoiesis. Stem Cell Reports 2016; 7:854-868. [PMID: 27746115 PMCID: PMC5106517 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2016.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Revised: 09/16/2016] [Accepted: 09/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The transition from hemogenic endothelial cells (HECs) to hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HS/PCs), or endothelial to hematopoietic transition (EHT), is a critical step during hematopoiesis. However, little is known about the molecular determinants of HECs due to the challenge in defining HECs. We report here the generation of GATA2w/eGFP reporter in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to mark cells expressing GATA2, a critical gene for EHT. We show that during differentiation, functional HECs are almost exclusively GATA2/eGFP+. We then constructed a regulatory network for HEC determination and also identified a panel of positive or negative surface markers for discriminating HECs from non-hemogenic ECs. Among them, ITGB3 (CD61) precisely labeled HECs both in hESC differentiation and embryonic day 10 mouse embryos. These results not only identify a reliable marker for defining HECs, but also establish a robust platform for dissecting hematopoiesis in vitro, which might lead to the generation of HSCs in vitro. Generation of GATA2w/eGFP reporter in human ESCs GATA2/eGFP expression defines HECs and HPCs in hESC differentiation CD61 marks HECs and HPCs in hPSC differentiation CD61 defines HECs in YS and AGM E10 mouse embryo
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Jiao Gao
- Translational Medicine Center for Stem Cells, 307-Ivy Translational Medicine Center, Laboratory of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Juan Du
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Ning Ma
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Yanling Zhu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Pengfei Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Tian Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Wenqian Wang
- Department of Hematology, Sun-yat Sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Yuhang Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Qianyu Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Andrew Paul Hutchins
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Zhongzhou Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Yi Zheng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Yongli Shan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Xuejia Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Baojian Liao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Jiajun Liu
- Department of Hematology, Sun-yat Sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Jinyong Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Bing Liu
- Translational Medicine Center for Stem Cells, 307-Ivy Translational Medicine Center, Laboratory of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Guangjin Pan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China.
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Beets K, Staring MW, Criem N, Maas E, Schellinx N, de Sousa Lopes SMC, Umans L, Zwijsen A. BMP-SMAD signalling output is highly regionalized in cardiovascular and lymphatic endothelial networks. BMC DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2016; 16:34. [PMID: 27724845 PMCID: PMC5057272 DOI: 10.1186/s12861-016-0133-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signalling has emerged as a fundamental pathway in endothelial cell biology and deregulation of this pathway is implicated in several vascular disorders. BMP signalling output in endothelial cells is highly context- and dose-dependent. Phosphorylation of the BMP intracellular effectors, SMAD1/5/9, is routinely used to monitor BMP signalling activity. To better understand the in vivo context-dependency of BMP-SMAD signalling, we investigated differences in BMP-SMAD transcriptional activity in different vascular beds during mouse embryonic and postnatal stages. For this, we used the BRE::gfp BMP signalling reporter mouse in which the BMP response element (BRE) from the ID1-promotor, a SMAD1/5/9 target gene, drives the expression of GFP. RESULTS A mosaic pattern of GFP was present in various angiogenic sprouting plexuses and in endocardium of cardiac cushions and trabeculae in the heart. High calibre veins seemed to be more BRE::gfp transcriptionally active than arteries, and ubiquitous activity was present in embryonic lymphatic vasculature. Postnatal lymphatic vessels showed however only discrete micro-domains of transcriptional activity. Dynamic shifts in transcriptional activity were also observed in the endocardium of the developing heart, with a general decrease in activity over time. Surprisingly, proliferative endothelial cells were almost never GFP-positive. Patches of transcriptional activity seemed to correlate with vasculature undergoing hemodynamic alterations. CONCLUSION The BRE::gfp mouse allows to investigate selective context-dependent aspects of BMP-SMAD signalling. Our data reveals the highly dynamic nature of BMP-SMAD mediated transcriptional regulation in time and space throughout the vascular tree, supporting that BMP-SMAD signalling can be a source of phenotypic diversity in some, but not all, healthy endothelium. This knowledge can provide insight in vascular bed or organ-specific diseases and phenotypic heterogeneity within an endothelial cell population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Beets
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Michael W. Staring
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nathan Criem
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Elke Maas
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Niels Schellinx
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Lieve Umans
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - An Zwijsen
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Barron L, Gharib SA, Duffield JS. Lung Pericytes and Resident Fibroblasts: Busy Multitaskers. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2016; 186:2519-31. [PMID: 27555112 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2016.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2016] [Revised: 06/30/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Pericytes, resident fibroblasts, and mesenchymal stem cells are poorly described cell populations. They have recently been characterized in much greater detail in rodent lungs and have been shown to play important roles in development, homeostasis, response to injury and pathogens, as well as recovery from damage. These closely related mesenchymal cell populations form extensive connections to the lung's internal structure, as well as its internal and external surfaces. They generate and remodel extracellular matrix, coregulate the vasculature, help maintain and restore the epithelium, and act as sentries for the immune system. In this review, we revisit these functions in light of significant advances in characterizing and tracking lung fibroblast populations in rodents. Lineage tracing experiments have mapped the heritage, identified functions that discriminate lung pericytes from resident fibroblasts, identified a subset of mesenchymal stem cells, and shown these populations to be the predominant progenitors of pathological fibroblasts and myofibroblasts in lung diseases. These findings point to the importance of resident lung mesenchymal populations as therapeutic targets in acute lung injury as well as fibrotic and degenerative diseases. Far from being passive and quiescent, pericytes and resident fibroblasts are busily sensing and responding, through diverse mechanisms, to changes in lung health and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke Barron
- Department of Research and Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Sina A Gharib
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Jeremy S Duffield
- Department of Research and Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
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Tan Z, Chen K, Shao Y, Gao L, Wang Y, Xu J, Jin Y, Hu X, Wang Y. Lineage tracing reveals conversion of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells into hepatocytes. Dev Growth Differ 2016; 58:620-31. [PMID: 27506985 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2016] [Revised: 06/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Although liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) have long been known to contribute to liver regeneration following injury, the exact role of these cells in liver regeneration remains poorly understood. In this work, we performed lineage tracing of LSECs in mice carrying Tie2-Cre or VE-cadherin-Cre constructs to facilitate fate-mapping of LSECs in liver regeneration. Some YFP-positive LSECs were observed to convert into hepatocytes following a two-thirds partial hepatectomy (PH). Furthermore, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) could be triggered to convert into cells that closely resembled hepatocytes when cultured with serum from mice that underwent an extended PH. These findings suggest that mature non-hepatocyte LSECs play an essential role in mammalian liver regeneration by converting to hepatocytes. The conversion of LSECs to hepatocyte-like (iHep) cells may provide a new approach to tissue engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoli Tan
- Laboratory of Cell Engineering, Institute of Biotechnology, 20 Dongdajie, Beijing, China.,Affiliated Hospital Cancer Center, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Keyan Chen
- Laboratory of Cell Engineering, Institute of Biotechnology, 20 Dongdajie, Beijing, China
| | - Yong Shao
- Laboratory of Cell Engineering, Institute of Biotechnology, 20 Dongdajie, Beijing, China
| | - Lihua Gao
- Laboratory of Cell Engineering, Institute of Biotechnology, 20 Dongdajie, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Affiliated Hospital Cancer Center, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jianming Xu
- Affiliated Hospital Cancer Center, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Jin
- Laboratory of Cell Engineering, Institute of Biotechnology, 20 Dongdajie, Beijing, China.,Affiliated Hospital Cancer Center, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xianwen Hu
- Laboratory of Cell Engineering, Institute of Biotechnology, 20 Dongdajie, Beijing, China.
| | - Youliang Wang
- Laboratory of Cell Engineering, Institute of Biotechnology, 20 Dongdajie, Beijing, China.
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Soon ASC, Chua JW, Becker DL. Connexins in endothelial barrier function - novel therapeutic targets countering vascular hyperpermeability. Thromb Haemost 2016; 116:852-867. [PMID: 27488046 DOI: 10.1160/th16-03-0210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2016] [Accepted: 07/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Prolonged vascular hyperpermeability is a common feature of many diseases. Vascular hyperpermeability is typically associated with changes in the expression patterns of adherens and tight junction proteins. Here, we focus on the less-appreciated contribution of gap junction proteins (connexins) to basal vascular permeability and endothelial dysfunction. First, we assess the association of connexins with endothelial barrier integrity by introducing tools used in connexin biology and relating the findings to customary readouts in vascular biology. Second, we explore potential mechanistic ties between connexins and junction regulation. Third, we review the role of connexins in microvascular organisation and development, focusing on interactions of the endothelium with mural cells and tissue-specific perivascular cells. Last, we see how connexins contribute to the interactions between the endothelium and components of the immune system, by using neutrophils as an example. Mounting evidence of crosstalk between connexins and other junction proteins suggests that we rethink the way in which different junction components contribute to endothelial barrier function. Given the multiple points of connexin-mediated communication arising from the endothelium, there is great potential for synergism between connexin-targeted inhibitors and existing immune-targeted therapeutics. As more drugs targeting connexins progress through clinical trials, it is hoped that some might prove effective at countering vascular hyperpermeability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - David Laurence Becker
- David L. Becker, PhD, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, 11 Mandalay Road, 308232 Singapore, Tel: +65 6592 3961, Fax: +65 6515 0417, E-mail:
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Zhang P, Hou S, Chen J, Zhang J, Lin F, Ju R, Cheng X, Ma X, Song Y, Zhang Y, Zhu M, Du J, Lan Y, Yang X. Smad4 Deficiency in Smooth Muscle Cells Initiates the Formation of Aortic Aneurysm. Circ Res 2015; 118:388-99. [PMID: 26699655 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.115.308040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2015] [Accepted: 12/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Aortic aneurysm is a life-threatening cardiovascular disorder caused by the predisposition for dissection and rupture. Genetic studies have proved the involvement of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathway in aortic aneurysm. Smad4 is the central mediator of the canonical TGF-β signaling pathway. However, the exact role of Smad4 in smooth muscle cells (SMCs) leading to the pathogenesis of aortic aneurysms is largely unknown. OBJECTIVE To determine the role of smooth muscle Smad4 in the pathogenesis of aortic aneurysms. METHODS AND RESULTS Conditional gene knockout strategy combined with histology and expression analysis showed that Smad4 or TGF-β receptor type II deficiency in SMCs led to the occurrence of aortic aneurysms along with an upregulation of cathepsin S and matrix metallopeptidase-12, which are proteases essential for elastin degradation. We further demonstrated a previously unknown downregulation of matrix metallopeptidase-12 by TGF-β in the aortic SMCs, which is largely abrogated in the absence of Smad4. Chemotactic assay and pharmacologic treatment demonstrated that Smad4-deficient SMCs directly triggered aortic wall inflammation via the excessive production of chemokines to recruit macrophages. Monocyte/macrophage depletion or blocking selective chemokine axis largely abrogated the progression of aortic aneurysm caused by Smad4 deficiency in SMCs. CONCLUSIONS The findings reveal that Smad4-dependent TGF-β signaling in SMCs protects against aortic aneurysm formation and dissection. The data also suggest important implications for novel therapeutic strategies to limit the progression of the aneurysm resulting from TGF-β signaling loss-of-function mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Zhang
- From the State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disorders, Genetic Laboratory of Development and Diseases, Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, PR China (P.Z., S.H., J.C., J.Z., F.L., R.J., X.C., Y.L., X.Y.); Model Organism Division, E-institutes of Shanghai Universities, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, PR China (P.Z., J.C., X.Y.); Institute of Vascular Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital and Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Molecular Biology and Regulatory Peptides, Ministry of Health, Beijing, PR China (X.M., Y.S., Y.Z.); Model Animal Research Center and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study and School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, PR China (M.Z.); and Beijing AnZhen Hospital, Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, The Key Laboratory of Remodeling-related Cardiovascular Diseases, Ministry of Education, Beijing, PR China (J.D.)
| | - Siyuan Hou
- From the State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disorders, Genetic Laboratory of Development and Diseases, Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, PR China (P.Z., S.H., J.C., J.Z., F.L., R.J., X.C., Y.L., X.Y.); Model Organism Division, E-institutes of Shanghai Universities, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, PR China (P.Z., J.C., X.Y.); Institute of Vascular Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital and Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Molecular Biology and Regulatory Peptides, Ministry of Health, Beijing, PR China (X.M., Y.S., Y.Z.); Model Animal Research Center and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study and School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, PR China (M.Z.); and Beijing AnZhen Hospital, Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, The Key Laboratory of Remodeling-related Cardiovascular Diseases, Ministry of Education, Beijing, PR China (J.D.)
| | - Jicheng Chen
- From the State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disorders, Genetic Laboratory of Development and Diseases, Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, PR China (P.Z., S.H., J.C., J.Z., F.L., R.J., X.C., Y.L., X.Y.); Model Organism Division, E-institutes of Shanghai Universities, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, PR China (P.Z., J.C., X.Y.); Institute of Vascular Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital and Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Molecular Biology and Regulatory Peptides, Ministry of Health, Beijing, PR China (X.M., Y.S., Y.Z.); Model Animal Research Center and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study and School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, PR China (M.Z.); and Beijing AnZhen Hospital, Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, The Key Laboratory of Remodeling-related Cardiovascular Diseases, Ministry of Education, Beijing, PR China (J.D.)
| | - Jishuai Zhang
- From the State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disorders, Genetic Laboratory of Development and Diseases, Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, PR China (P.Z., S.H., J.C., J.Z., F.L., R.J., X.C., Y.L., X.Y.); Model Organism Division, E-institutes of Shanghai Universities, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, PR China (P.Z., J.C., X.Y.); Institute of Vascular Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital and Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Molecular Biology and Regulatory Peptides, Ministry of Health, Beijing, PR China (X.M., Y.S., Y.Z.); Model Animal Research Center and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study and School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, PR China (M.Z.); and Beijing AnZhen Hospital, Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, The Key Laboratory of Remodeling-related Cardiovascular Diseases, Ministry of Education, Beijing, PR China (J.D.)
| | - Fuyu Lin
- From the State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disorders, Genetic Laboratory of Development and Diseases, Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, PR China (P.Z., S.H., J.C., J.Z., F.L., R.J., X.C., Y.L., X.Y.); Model Organism Division, E-institutes of Shanghai Universities, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, PR China (P.Z., J.C., X.Y.); Institute of Vascular Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital and Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Molecular Biology and Regulatory Peptides, Ministry of Health, Beijing, PR China (X.M., Y.S., Y.Z.); Model Animal Research Center and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study and School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, PR China (M.Z.); and Beijing AnZhen Hospital, Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, The Key Laboratory of Remodeling-related Cardiovascular Diseases, Ministry of Education, Beijing, PR China (J.D.)
| | - Renjie Ju
- From the State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disorders, Genetic Laboratory of Development and Diseases, Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, PR China (P.Z., S.H., J.C., J.Z., F.L., R.J., X.C., Y.L., X.Y.); Model Organism Division, E-institutes of Shanghai Universities, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, PR China (P.Z., J.C., X.Y.); Institute of Vascular Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital and Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Molecular Biology and Regulatory Peptides, Ministry of Health, Beijing, PR China (X.M., Y.S., Y.Z.); Model Animal Research Center and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study and School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, PR China (M.Z.); and Beijing AnZhen Hospital, Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, The Key Laboratory of Remodeling-related Cardiovascular Diseases, Ministry of Education, Beijing, PR China (J.D.)
| | - Xuan Cheng
- From the State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disorders, Genetic Laboratory of Development and Diseases, Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, PR China (P.Z., S.H., J.C., J.Z., F.L., R.J., X.C., Y.L., X.Y.); Model Organism Division, E-institutes of Shanghai Universities, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, PR China (P.Z., J.C., X.Y.); Institute of Vascular Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital and Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Molecular Biology and Regulatory Peptides, Ministry of Health, Beijing, PR China (X.M., Y.S., Y.Z.); Model Animal Research Center and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study and School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, PR China (M.Z.); and Beijing AnZhen Hospital, Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, The Key Laboratory of Remodeling-related Cardiovascular Diseases, Ministry of Education, Beijing, PR China (J.D.)
| | - Xiaowei Ma
- From the State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disorders, Genetic Laboratory of Development and Diseases, Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, PR China (P.Z., S.H., J.C., J.Z., F.L., R.J., X.C., Y.L., X.Y.); Model Organism Division, E-institutes of Shanghai Universities, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, PR China (P.Z., J.C., X.Y.); Institute of Vascular Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital and Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Molecular Biology and Regulatory Peptides, Ministry of Health, Beijing, PR China (X.M., Y.S., Y.Z.); Model Animal Research Center and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study and School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, PR China (M.Z.); and Beijing AnZhen Hospital, Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, The Key Laboratory of Remodeling-related Cardiovascular Diseases, Ministry of Education, Beijing, PR China (J.D.)
| | - Yao Song
- From the State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disorders, Genetic Laboratory of Development and Diseases, Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, PR China (P.Z., S.H., J.C., J.Z., F.L., R.J., X.C., Y.L., X.Y.); Model Organism Division, E-institutes of Shanghai Universities, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, PR China (P.Z., J.C., X.Y.); Institute of Vascular Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital and Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Molecular Biology and Regulatory Peptides, Ministry of Health, Beijing, PR China (X.M., Y.S., Y.Z.); Model Animal Research Center and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study and School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, PR China (M.Z.); and Beijing AnZhen Hospital, Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, The Key Laboratory of Remodeling-related Cardiovascular Diseases, Ministry of Education, Beijing, PR China (J.D.)
| | - Youyi Zhang
- From the State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disorders, Genetic Laboratory of Development and Diseases, Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, PR China (P.Z., S.H., J.C., J.Z., F.L., R.J., X.C., Y.L., X.Y.); Model Organism Division, E-institutes of Shanghai Universities, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, PR China (P.Z., J.C., X.Y.); Institute of Vascular Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital and Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Molecular Biology and Regulatory Peptides, Ministry of Health, Beijing, PR China (X.M., Y.S., Y.Z.); Model Animal Research Center and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study and School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, PR China (M.Z.); and Beijing AnZhen Hospital, Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, The Key Laboratory of Remodeling-related Cardiovascular Diseases, Ministry of Education, Beijing, PR China (J.D.)
| | - Minsheng Zhu
- From the State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disorders, Genetic Laboratory of Development and Diseases, Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, PR China (P.Z., S.H., J.C., J.Z., F.L., R.J., X.C., Y.L., X.Y.); Model Organism Division, E-institutes of Shanghai Universities, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, PR China (P.Z., J.C., X.Y.); Institute of Vascular Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital and Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Molecular Biology and Regulatory Peptides, Ministry of Health, Beijing, PR China (X.M., Y.S., Y.Z.); Model Animal Research Center and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study and School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, PR China (M.Z.); and Beijing AnZhen Hospital, Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, The Key Laboratory of Remodeling-related Cardiovascular Diseases, Ministry of Education, Beijing, PR China (J.D.)
| | - Jie Du
- From the State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disorders, Genetic Laboratory of Development and Diseases, Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, PR China (P.Z., S.H., J.C., J.Z., F.L., R.J., X.C., Y.L., X.Y.); Model Organism Division, E-institutes of Shanghai Universities, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, PR China (P.Z., J.C., X.Y.); Institute of Vascular Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital and Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Molecular Biology and Regulatory Peptides, Ministry of Health, Beijing, PR China (X.M., Y.S., Y.Z.); Model Animal Research Center and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study and School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, PR China (M.Z.); and Beijing AnZhen Hospital, Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, The Key Laboratory of Remodeling-related Cardiovascular Diseases, Ministry of Education, Beijing, PR China (J.D.)
| | - Yu Lan
- From the State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disorders, Genetic Laboratory of Development and Diseases, Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, PR China (P.Z., S.H., J.C., J.Z., F.L., R.J., X.C., Y.L., X.Y.); Model Organism Division, E-institutes of Shanghai Universities, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, PR China (P.Z., J.C., X.Y.); Institute of Vascular Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital and Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Molecular Biology and Regulatory Peptides, Ministry of Health, Beijing, PR China (X.M., Y.S., Y.Z.); Model Animal Research Center and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study and School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, PR China (M.Z.); and Beijing AnZhen Hospital, Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, The Key Laboratory of Remodeling-related Cardiovascular Diseases, Ministry of Education, Beijing, PR China (J.D.).
| | - Xiao Yang
- From the State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disorders, Genetic Laboratory of Development and Diseases, Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, PR China (P.Z., S.H., J.C., J.Z., F.L., R.J., X.C., Y.L., X.Y.); Model Organism Division, E-institutes of Shanghai Universities, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, PR China (P.Z., J.C., X.Y.); Institute of Vascular Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital and Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Molecular Biology and Regulatory Peptides, Ministry of Health, Beijing, PR China (X.M., Y.S., Y.Z.); Model Animal Research Center and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study and School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, PR China (M.Z.); and Beijing AnZhen Hospital, Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, The Key Laboratory of Remodeling-related Cardiovascular Diseases, Ministry of Education, Beijing, PR China (J.D.).
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Brain protection against ischemic stroke using choline as a new molecular bypass treatment. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2015; 36:1416-25. [PMID: 26567726 DOI: 10.1038/aps.2015.104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2015] [Accepted: 09/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM To determine whether administration of choline could attenuate brain injury in a rat model of ischemic stroke and the underlying mechanisms. METHODS A rat model of ischemic stroke was established through permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO). After the surgery, the rats were treated with choline or choline plus the specific α7 nAChR antagonist methyllycaconitine (MLA), or with the control drug nimodipine for 10 days. The neurological deficits, brain-infarct volume, pial vessel density and the number of microvessels in the cortex were assessed. Rat brain microvascular endothelial cells (rBMECs) cultured under hypoxic conditions were used in in vitro experiments. RESULTS Oral administration of choline (100 or 200 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1)) or nimodipine (20 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1)) significantly improved neurological deficits, and reduced infarct volume and nerve cell loss in the ischemic cerebral cortices in pMCAO rats. Furthermore, oral administration of choline, but not nimodipine, promoted the pial arteriogenesis and cerebral-cortical capillary angiogenesis in the ischemic regions. Moreover, oral administration of choline significantly augmented pMCAO-induced increases in the expression levels of α7 nAChR, HIF-1α and VEGF in the ischemic cerebral cortices as well as in the serum levels of VEGF. Choline-induced protective effects were prevented by co-treatment with MLA (1 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1), ip). Treatment of rBMECs cultured under hypoxic conditions in vitro with choline (1, 10 and 100 μmol/L) dose-dependently promoted the endothelial-cell proliferation, migration and tube formation, as well as VEGF secretion, which were prevented by co-treatment with MLA (1 μmol/L) or by transfection with HIF-1α siRNA. CONCLUSION Choline effectively attenuates brain ischemic injury in pMCAO rats, possibly by facilitating pial arteriogenesis and cerebral-cortical capillary angiogenesis via upregulating α7 nAChR levels and inducing the expression of HIF-1α and VEGF.
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VEGF, Notch and TGFβ/BMPs in regulation of sprouting angiogenesis and vascular patterning. Biochem Soc Trans 2015; 42:1576-83. [PMID: 25399573 DOI: 10.1042/bst20140231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The blood vasculature is constantly adapting to meet the demand from tissue. In so doing, branches may form, reorganize or regress. These complex processes employ integration of multiple signalling cascades, some of them being restricted to endothelial and mural cells and, hence, suitable for targeting of the vasculature. Both genetic and drug targeting experiments have demonstrated the requirement for the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) system, the Delta-like-Notch system and the transforming growth factor β (TGFβ)/bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) cascades in vascular development. Although several of these signalling cascades in part converge into common downstream components, they differ in temporal and spatial regulation and expression. For example, the pro-angiogenic VEGFA is secreted by cells in need of oxygen, presented to the basal side of the endothelium, whereas BMP9 and BMP10 are supplied via the bloodstream in constant interaction with the apical side to suppress angiogenesis. Delta-like 4 (DLL4), on the other hand, is provided as an endothelial membrane bound ligand. In the present article, we discuss recent data on the integration of these pathways in the process of sprouting angiogenesis and vascular patterning and malformation.
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Santhosh D, Huang Z. Regulation of the nascent brain vascular network by neural progenitors. Mech Dev 2015; 138 Pt 1:37-42. [PMID: 26163231 DOI: 10.1016/j.mod.2015.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2014] [Revised: 06/18/2015] [Accepted: 06/22/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Neural progenitors are central players in the development of the brain neural circuitry. They not only produce the diverse neuronal and glial cell types in the brain, but also guide their migration in this process. Recent evidence indicates that neural progenitors also play a critical role in the development of the brain vascular network. At an early stage, neural progenitors have been found to facilitate the ingression of blood vessels from outside the neural tube, through VEGF and canonical Wnt signaling. Subsequently, neural progenitors directly communicate with endothelial cells to stabilize nascent brain vessels, in part through down-regulating Wnt pathway activity. Furthermore, neural progenitors promote nascent brain vessel integrity, through integrin αvβ8-dependent TGFβ signaling. In this review, we will discuss the evidence for, as well as questions that remain, regarding these novel roles of neural progenitors and the underlying mechanisms in their regulation of the nascent brain vascular network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devi Santhosh
- Departments of Neurology and Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, United States; Genetics Training Program, Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, United States
| | - Zhen Huang
- Departments of Neurology and Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, United States.
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Abstract
Chronic rejection of transplanted organs remains the main obstacle in the long-term success of organ transplantation. Thus, there is a persistent quest for development of antichronic rejection therapies and identification of novel molecular and cellular targets. One of the potential targets is the pericytes, the mural cells of microvessels, which regulate microvascular permeability, development, and maturation by controlling endothelial cell functions and regulating tissue fibrosis and inflammatory response. In this review, we discuss the potential of targeting pericytes in the development of microvasular dysfunction and the molecular pathways involved in regulation of pericyte activities for antichronic rejection intervention.
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