1
|
Akamine T, Terabayashi T, Sasaki T, Hayashi R, Abe I, Hirayama F, Nureki SI, Ikawa M, Miyata H, Tokunaga A, Kobayashi T, Hanada K, Thumkeo D, Narumiya S, Ishizaki T. Conditional deficiency of Rho-associated kinases disrupts endothelial cell junctions and impairs respiratory function in adult mice. FEBS Open Bio 2024; 14:906-921. [PMID: 38604990 PMCID: PMC11148122 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The Ras homology (Rho) family of GTPases serves various functions, including promotion of cell migration, adhesion, and transcription, through activation of effector molecule targets. One such pair of effectors, the Rho-associated coiled-coil kinases (ROCK1 and ROCK2), induce reorganization of actin cytoskeleton and focal adhesion through substrate phosphorylation. Studies on ROCK knockout mice have confirmed that ROCK proteins are essential for embryonic development, but their physiological functions in adult mice remain unknown. In this study, we aimed to examine the roles of ROCK1 and ROCK2 proteins in normal adult mice. Tamoxifen (TAM)-inducible ROCK1 and ROCK2 single and double knockout mice (ROCK1flox/flox and/or ROCK2flox/flox;Ubc-CreERT2) were generated and administered a 5-day course of TAM. No deaths occurred in either of the single knockout strains, whereas all of the ROCK1/ROCK2 double conditional knockout mice (DcKO) had died by Day 11 following the TAM course. DcKO mice exhibited increased lung tissue vascular permeability, thickening of alveolar walls, and a decrease in percutaneous oxygen saturation compared with noninducible ROCK1/ROCK2 double-floxed control mice. On Day 3 post-TAM, there was a decrease in phalloidin staining in the lungs in DcKO mice. On Day 5 post-TAM, immunohistochemical analysis also revealed reduced staining for vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin, β-catenin, and p120-catenin at cell-cell contact sites in vascular endothelial cells in DcKO mice. Additionally, VE-cadherin/β-catenin complexes were decreased in DcKO mice, indicating that ROCK proteins play a crucial role in maintaining lung function by regulating cell-cell adhesion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Akamine
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu, Japan
| | - Takeshi Terabayashi
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu, Japan
| | - Takako Sasaki
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu, Japan
| | - Riku Hayashi
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu, Japan
| | - Ichitaro Abe
- Department of Cardiology and Clinical Examination, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu, Japan
| | - Fumihiro Hirayama
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichi Nureki
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu, Japan
| | - Masahito Ikawa
- Animal Resource Center for Infectious Diseases, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Suita, Japan
| | - Haruhiko Miyata
- Department of Experimental Genome Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Suita, Japan
| | - Akinori Tokunaga
- Division of Laboratory Animal Resources, Life Science Research Laboratory, University of Fukui, Eiheiji-cho, Japan
| | - Takashi Kobayashi
- Department of Infectious Disease Control, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu, Japan
- Research Center for GLOBAL and LOCAL Infectious Diseases, Oita University, Yufu, Japan
| | - Katsuhiro Hanada
- Clinical Engineering Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu, Japan
| | - Dean Thumkeo
- Department of Drug Discovery Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shuh Narumiya
- Department of Drug Discovery Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Toshimasa Ishizaki
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Matoba K, Nagai Y, Sekiguchi K, Ohashi S, Mitsuyoshi E, Shimoda M, Tachibana T, Kawanami D, Yokota T, Utsunomiya K, Nishimura R. Deletion of podocyte Rho-associated, coiled-coil-containing protein kinase 2 protects mice from focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. Commun Biol 2024; 7:402. [PMID: 38565675 PMCID: PMC10987559 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06127-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) shares podocyte damage as an essential pathological finding. Several mechanisms underlying podocyte injury have been proposed, but many important questions remain. Rho-associated, coiled-coil-containing protein kinase 2 (ROCK2) is a serine/threonine kinase responsible for a wide array of cellular functions. We found that ROCK2 is activated in podocytes of adriamycin (ADR)-induced FSGS mice and cultured podocytes stimulated with ADR. Conditional knockout mice in which the ROCK2 gene was selectively disrupted in podocytes (PR2KO) were resistant to albuminuria, glomerular sclerosis, and podocyte damage induced by ADR injection. In addition, pharmacological intervention for ROCK2 significantly ameliorated podocyte loss and kidney sclerosis in a murine model of FSGS by abrogating profibrotic factors. RNA sequencing of podocytes treated with a ROCK2 inhibitor proved that ROCK2 is a cyclic nucleotide signaling pathway regulator. Our study highlights the potential utility of ROCK2 inhibition as a therapeutic option for FSGS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Keiichiro Matoba
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 105-8461, Japan.
| | - Yosuke Nagai
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 105-8461, Japan
| | - Kensuke Sekiguchi
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 105-8461, Japan
| | - Shinji Ohashi
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 105-8461, Japan
| | - Etsuko Mitsuyoshi
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 105-8461, Japan
| | - Masayuki Shimoda
- Department of Pathology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 105-8461, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Tachibana
- Core Research Facilities for Basic Science, Research Center for Medical Science, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 105-8461, Japan
| | - Daiji Kawanami
- Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, 814-0180, Japan
| | - Tamotsu Yokota
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 105-8461, Japan
| | | | - Rimei Nishimura
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 105-8461, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Raman-Nair J, Cron G, MacLeod K, Lacoste B. Sex-Specific Acute Cerebrovascular Responses to Photothrombotic Stroke in Mice. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0400-22.2023. [PMID: 38164600 PMCID: PMC10849032 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0400-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Mechanisms underlying cerebrovascular stroke outcomes are poorly understood, and the effects of biological sex on cerebrovascular regulation post-stroke have yet to be fully comprehended. Here, we explore the overlapping roles of gonadal sex hormones and rho-kinase (ROCK), two important modulators of cerebrovascular tone, on the acute cerebrovascular response to photothrombotic (PT) focal ischemia in mice. Male mice were gonadectomized and female mice were ovariectomized to remove gonadal hormones, whereas control ("intact") animals received a sham surgery prior to stroke induction. Intact wild-type (WT) males showed a delayed drop in cerebral blood flow (CBF) compared with intact WT females, whereby maximal CBF drop was observed 48 h following stroke. Gonadectomy in males did not alter this response. However, ovariectomy in WT females produced a "male-like" phenotype. Intact Rock2+/- males also showed the same phenotypic response, which was not altered by gonadectomy. Alternatively, intact Rock2+/- females showed a significant difference in CBF values compared with intact WT females, displaying higher CBF values immediately post-stroke and showing a maximal CBF drop 48 h post-stroke. This pattern was not altered by ovariectomy. Altogether, these data illustrate sex differences in acute CBF responses to PT stroke, which seem to involve gonadal female sex hormones and ROCK2. Overall, this study provides a framework for exploring sex differences in acute CBF responses to focal ischemic stroke in mice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Raman-Nair
- Neuroscience Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8L6, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Gregory Cron
- Neurology Department, Stanford University, Stanford 94305, California
| | - Kathleen MacLeod
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Colombia, Vancouver V6T 1Z3, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Baptiste Lacoste
- Neuroscience Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8L6, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5, Canada
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Fayed HS, Bakleh MZ, Ashraf JV, Howarth A, Ebner D, Al Haj Zen A. Selective ROCK Inhibitor Enhances Blood Flow Recovery after Hindlimb Ischemia. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14410. [PMID: 37833857 PMCID: PMC10572734 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The impairment in microvascular network formation could delay the restoration of blood flow after acute limb ischemia. A high-content screen of a GSK-published kinase inhibitor library identified a set of ROCK inhibitor hits enhancing endothelial network formation. Subsequent kinase activity profiling against a panel of 224 protein kinases showed that two indazole-based ROCK inhibitor hits exhibited high selectivity for ROCK1 and ROCK2 isoforms compared to other ROCK inhibitors. One of the chemical entities, GSK429286, was selected for follow-up studies. We found that GSK429286 was ten times more potent in enhancing endothelial tube formation than Fasudil, a classic ROCK inhibitor. ROCK1 inhibition by RNAi phenocopied the angiogenic phenotype of the GSK429286 compound. Using an organotypic angiogenesis co-culture assay, we showed that GSK429286 formed a dense vascular network with thicker endothelial tubes. Next, mice received either vehicle or GSK429286 (10 mg/kg i.p.) for seven days after hindlimb ischemia induction. As assessed by laser speckle contrast imaging, GSK429286 potentiated blood flow recovery after ischemia induction. At the histological level, we found that GSK429286 significantly increased the size of new microvessels in the regenerating areas of ischemic muscles compared with vehicle-treated ones. Our findings reveal that selective ROCK inhibitors have in vitro pro-angiogenic properties and therapeutic potential to restore blood flow in limb ischemia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hend Salah Fayed
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha P.O. Box 34110, Qatar
| | - Mouayad Zuheir Bakleh
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha P.O. Box 34110, Qatar
| | | | - Alison Howarth
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Target Discovery Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Daniel Ebner
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Target Discovery Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Ayman Al Haj Zen
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha P.O. Box 34110, Qatar
- BHF Centre of Research Excellence, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Davis MJ, Earley S, Li YS, Chien S. Vascular mechanotransduction. Physiol Rev 2023; 103:1247-1421. [PMID: 36603156 PMCID: PMC9942936 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00053.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
This review aims to survey the current state of mechanotransduction in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and endothelial cells (ECs), including their sensing of mechanical stimuli and transduction of mechanical signals that result in the acute functional modulation and longer-term transcriptomic and epigenetic regulation of blood vessels. The mechanosensors discussed include ion channels, plasma membrane-associated structures and receptors, and junction proteins. The mechanosignaling pathways presented include the cytoskeleton, integrins, extracellular matrix, and intracellular signaling molecules. These are followed by discussions on mechanical regulation of transcriptome and epigenetics, relevance of mechanotransduction to health and disease, and interactions between VSMCs and ECs. Throughout this review, we offer suggestions for specific topics that require further understanding. In the closing section on conclusions and perspectives, we summarize what is known and point out the need to treat the vasculature as a system, including not only VSMCs and ECs but also the extracellular matrix and other types of cells such as resident macrophages and pericytes, so that we can fully understand the physiology and pathophysiology of the blood vessel as a whole, thus enhancing the comprehension, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of vascular diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Davis
- Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Scott Earley
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada
| | - Yi-Shuan Li
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, California
- Institute of Engineering in Medicine, University of California, San Diego, California
| | - Shu Chien
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, California
- Institute of Engineering in Medicine, University of California, San Diego, California
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, California
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Nagai Y, Matoba K, Yako H, Ohashi S, Sekiguchi K, Mitsuyoshi E, Sango K, Kawanami D, Utsunomiya K, Nishimura R. Rho-kinase inhibitor restores glomerular fatty acid metabolism in diabetic kidney disease. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 649:32-38. [PMID: 36739697 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.01.088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The small GTPase Rho and its effector Rho-kinase (ROCK) are activated in the diabetic kidney, and recent studies decade have demonstrated that ROCK signaling is an integral pathway in the progression of diabetic kidney disease. We previously identified the distinct role of ROCK1, an isoform of ROCK, in fatty acid metabolism in diabetic glomeruli. However, the effect of pharmacological intervention for ROCK1 is not clear. In the present study, we show that the inhibition of ROCK1 by Y-27632 and fasudil restores fatty acid oxidation in the glomeruli. Mechanistically, these compounds optimize fatty acid utilization and redox balance in mesangial cells via AMPK phosphorylation and the subsequent induction of PGC-1α. A further in vivo study showed that the inhibition of ROCK1 suppressed the downregulation of the fatty acid oxidation-related gene expression in glomeruli and mitochondrial fragmentation in the mesangial cells of db/db mice. These observations indicate that ROCK1 could be a promising therapeutic target for diabetic kidney disease through a mechanism that improves glomerular fatty acid metabolism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yosuke Nagai
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Keiichiro Matoba
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Hideji Yako
- Diabetic Neuropathy Project, Department of Diseases and Infection, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinji Ohashi
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kensuke Sekiguchi
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Etsuko Mitsuyoshi
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazunori Sango
- Diabetic Neuropathy Project, Department of Diseases and Infection, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Daiji Kawanami
- Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes Mellitus, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan
| | | | - Rimei Nishimura
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Yadunandanan Nair N, Samuel V, Ramesh L, Marib A, David DT, Sundararaman A. Actin cytoskeleton in angiogenesis. Biol Open 2022; 11:bio058899. [PMID: 36444960 PMCID: PMC9729668 DOI: 10.1242/bio.058899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Actin, one of the most abundant intracellular proteins in mammalian cells, is a critical regulator of cell shape and polarity, migration, cell division, and transcriptional response. Angiogenesis, or the formation of new blood vessels in the body is a well-coordinated multi-step process. Endothelial cells lining the blood vessels acquire several new properties such as front-rear polarity, invasiveness, rapid proliferation and motility during angiogenesis. This is achieved by changes in the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton. Actin remodelling underlies the switch between the quiescent and angiogenic state of the endothelium. Actin forms endothelium-specific structures that support uniquely endothelial functions. Actin regulators at endothelial cell-cell junctions maintain the integrity of the blood-tissue barrier while permitting trans-endothelial leukocyte migration. This review focuses on endothelial actin structures and less-recognised actin-mediated endothelial functions. Readers are referred to other recent reviews for the well-recognised roles of actin in endothelial motility, barrier functions and leukocyte transmigration. Actin generates forces that are transmitted to the extracellular matrix resulting in vascular matrix remodelling. In this review, we attempt to synthesize our current understanding of the roles of actin in vascular morphogenesis. We speculate on the vascular bed specific differences in endothelial actin regulation and its role in the vast heterogeneity in endothelial morphology and function across the various tissues of our body.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nidhi Yadunandanan Nair
- Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes Biology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India695014
| | - Victor Samuel
- Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes Biology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India695014
| | - Lariza Ramesh
- Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes Biology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India695014
| | - Areeba Marib
- Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes Biology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India695014
| | - Deena T. David
- Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes Biology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India695014
| | - Ananthalakshmy Sundararaman
- Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes Biology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India695014
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Pillay LM, Yano JJ, Davis AE, Butler MG, Ezeude MO, Park JS, Barnes KA, Reyes VL, Castranova D, Gore AV, Swift MR, Iben JR, Kenton MI, Stratman AN, Weinstein BM. In vivo dissection of Rhoa function in vascular development using zebrafish. Angiogenesis 2022; 25:411-434. [PMID: 35320450 DOI: 10.1007/s10456-022-09834-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The small monomeric GTPase RHOA acts as a master regulator of signal transduction cascades by activating effectors of cellular signaling, including the Rho-associated protein kinases ROCK1/2. Previous in vitro cell culture studies suggest that RHOA can regulate many critical aspects of vascular endothelial cell (EC) biology, including focal adhesion, stress fiber formation, and angiogenesis. However, the specific in vivo roles of RHOA during vascular development and homeostasis are still not well understood. In this study, we examine the in vivo functions of RHOA in regulating vascular development and integrity in zebrafish. We use zebrafish RHOA-ortholog (rhoaa) mutants, transgenic embryos expressing wild type, dominant negative, or constitutively active forms of rhoaa in ECs, pharmacological inhibitors of RHOA and ROCK1/2, and Rock1 and Rock2a/b dgRNP-injected zebrafish embryos to study the in vivo consequences of RHOA gain- and loss-of-function in the vascular endothelium. Our findings document roles for RHOA in vascular integrity, developmental angiogenesis, and vascular morphogenesis in vivo, showing that either too much or too little RHOA activity leads to vascular dysfunction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Pillay
- Division of Developmental Biology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Dr. Bethesda, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Joseph J Yano
- Division of Developmental Biology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Dr. Bethesda, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Pennsylvania, 440 Curie Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Andrew E Davis
- Division of Developmental Biology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Dr. Bethesda, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Matthew G Butler
- Division of Developmental Biology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Dr. Bethesda, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Megan O Ezeude
- Division of Developmental Biology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Dr. Bethesda, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Jong S Park
- Division of Developmental Biology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Dr. Bethesda, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Keith A Barnes
- Division of Developmental Biology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Dr. Bethesda, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Vanessa L Reyes
- Division of Developmental Biology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Dr. Bethesda, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Daniel Castranova
- Division of Developmental Biology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Dr. Bethesda, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Aniket V Gore
- Division of Developmental Biology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Dr. Bethesda, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Matthew R Swift
- Division of Developmental Biology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Dr. Bethesda, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - James R Iben
- Division of Developmental Biology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Dr. Bethesda, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Madeleine I Kenton
- Division of Developmental Biology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Dr. Bethesda, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Amber N Stratman
- Division of Developmental Biology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Dr. Bethesda, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Brant M Weinstein
- Division of Developmental Biology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Dr. Bethesda, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Rho-associated, coiled-coil-containing protein kinase 1 regulates development of diabetic kidney disease via modulation of fatty acid metabolism. Kidney Int 2022; 102:536-545. [PMID: 35597365 DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2022.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Dysregulation of fatty acid utilization is increasingly recognized as a significant component of diabetic kidney disease. Rho-associated, coiled-coil-containing protein kinase (ROCK) is activated in the diabetic kidney, and studies over the past decade have illuminated ROCK signaling as an essential pathway in diabetic kidney disease. Here, we confirmed the distinct role of ROCK1, an isoform of ROCK, in fatty acid metabolism using glomerular mesangial cells and ROCK1 knockout mice. Mesangial cells with ROCK1 deletion were protected from mitochondrial dysfunction and redox imbalance driven by transforming growth factor β, a cytokine upregulated in diabetic glomeruli. We found that high-fat diet-induced obese ROCK1 knockout mice exhibited reduced albuminuria and histological abnormalities along with the recovery of impaired fatty acid utilization and mitochondrial fragmentation. Mechanistically, we found that ROCK1 regulates the induction of critical mediators in fatty acid metabolism, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1α, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1, and widespread program-associated cellular metabolism. Thus, our findings highlight ROCK1 as an important regulator of energy homeostasis in mesangial cells in the overall pathogenesis of diabetic kidney disease.
Collapse
|
10
|
ROCK ‘n TOR: An Outlook on Keratinocyte Stem Cell Expansion in Regenerative Medicine via Protein Kinase Inhibition. Cells 2022; 11:cells11071130. [PMID: 35406693 PMCID: PMC8997668 DOI: 10.3390/cells11071130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Keratinocyte stem cells play a fundamental role in homeostasis and repair of stratified epithelial tissues. Transplantation of cultured keratinocytes autografts provides a landmark example of successful cellular therapies by restoring durable integrity in stratified epithelia lost to devastating tissue conditions. Despite the overall success of such procedures, failures still occur in case of paucity of cultured stem cells in therapeutic grafts. Strategies aiming at a further amplification of stem cells during keratinocyte ex vivo expansion may thus extend the applicability of these treatments to subjects in which endogenous stem cells pools are depauperated by aging, trauma, or disease. Pharmacological targeting of stem cell signaling pathways is recently emerging as a powerful strategy for improving stem cell maintenance and/or amplification. Recent experimental data indicate that pharmacological inhibition of two prominent keratinocyte signaling pathways governed by apical mTOR and ROCK protein kinases favor stem cell maintenance and/or amplification ex vivo and may improve the effectiveness of stem cell-based therapeutic procedures. In this review, we highlight the pathophysiological roles of mTOR and ROCK in keratinocyte biology and evaluate existing pre-clinical data on the effects of their inhibition in epithelial stem cell expansion for transplantation purposes.
Collapse
|
11
|
Zhao R, Trainor PA. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition during mammalian neural crest cell delamination. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 138:54-67. [PMID: 35277330 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.02.018] [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: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a well-defined cellular process that was discovered in chicken embryos and described as "epithelial to mesenchymal transformation" [1]. During EMT, epithelial cells lose their epithelial features and acquire mesenchymal character with migratory potential. EMT has subsequently been shown to be essential for both developmental and pathological processes including embryo morphogenesis, wound healing, tissue fibrosis and cancer [2]. During the past 5 years, interest and study of EMT especially in cancer biology have increased exponentially due to the implied role of EMT in multiple aspects of malignancy such as cell invasion, survival, stemness, metastasis, therapeutic resistance and tumor heterogeneity [3]. Since the process of EMT in embryogenesis and cancer progression shares similar phenotypic changes, core transcription factors and molecular mechanisms, it has been proposed that the initiation and development of carcinoma could be attributed to abnormal activation of EMT factors usually required for normal embryo development. Therefore, developmental EMT mechanisms, whose timing, location, and tissue origin are strictly regulated, could prove useful for uncovering new insights into the phenotypic changes and corresponding gene regulatory control of EMT under pathological conditions. In this review, we initially provide an overview of the phenotypic and molecular mechanisms involved in EMT and discuss the newly emerging concept of epithelial to mesenchymal plasticity (EMP). Then we focus on our current knowledge of a classic developmental EMT event, neural crest cell (NCC) delamination, highlighting key differences in our understanding of NCC EMT between mammalian and non-mammalian species. Lastly, we highlight available tools and future directions to advance our understanding of mammalian NCC EMT.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruonan Zhao
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Paul A Trainor
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Creisher PS, Lei J, Sherer ML, Dziedzic A, Jedlicka AE, Narasimhan H, Chudnovets A, Campbell AD, Liu A, Pekosz A, Burd I, Klein SL. Downregulation of transcriptional activity, increased inflammation, and damage in the placenta following in utero Zika virus infection is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. FRONTIERS IN VIROLOGY 2022; 2:782906. [PMID: 35573818 PMCID: PMC9104602 DOI: 10.3389/fviro.2022.782906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy causes serious adverse outcomes to the developing fetus, including fetal loss and birth defects known as congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). The mechanism by which ZIKV infection causes these adverse outcomes and specifically, the interplay between the maternal immune response and ZIKV replication has yet to be fully elucidated. Using an immunocompetent mouse model of transplacental ZIKV transmission and adverse pregnancy outcomes, we have previously shown that Asian lineage ZIKV disrupts placental morphology and induces elevated secretion of IL-1β. In the current manuscript, we characterized placental damage and inflammation during in utero African lineage ZIKV infection. Within 48 hours after ZIKV infection at embryonic day 10, viral RNA was detected in placentas and fetuses from ZIKA infected dams, which corresponded with placental damage and reduced fetal viability as compared with mock infected dams. Dams infected with ZIKV had reduced proportions of trophoblasts and endothelial cells and disrupted placental morphology compared to mock infected dams. While placental IL-1β was increased in the placenta, but not the spleen, within 3 hours post infection, this was not caused by activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Using bulk mRNAseq from placentas of ZIKV and mock infected dams, ZIKV infection caused profound downregulation of the transcriptional activity of genes that may underly tissue morphology, neurological development, metabolism, cell signaling and inflammation, illustrating that in utero ZIKV infections causes disruption of pathways associated with CZS in our model.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick S. Creisher
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jun Lei
- Integrated Research Center for Fetal Medicine, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Morgan L. Sherer
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Amanda Dziedzic
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Anne E. Jedlicka
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Harish Narasimhan
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Anna Chudnovets
- Integrated Research Center for Fetal Medicine, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ariana D. Campbell
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Anguo Liu
- Integrated Research Center for Fetal Medicine, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Andrew Pekosz
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Irina Burd
- Integrated Research Center for Fetal Medicine, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sabra L. Klein
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Shi J, Wei L. Rho Kinases in Embryonic Development and Stem Cell Research. Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz) 2022; 70:4. [PMID: 35043239 PMCID: PMC8766376 DOI: 10.1007/s00005-022-00642-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The Rho-associated coiled-coil containing kinases (ROCKs or Rho kinases) belong to the AGC (PKA/PKG/PKC) family of serine/threonine kinases and are major downstream effectors of small GTPase RhoA, a key regulator of actin-cytoskeleton reorganization. The ROCK family contains two members, ROCK1 and ROCK2, which share 65% overall identity and 92% identity in kinase domain. ROCK1 and ROCK2 were assumed to be functionally redundant, based largely on their major common activators, their high degree kinase domain homology, and study results from overexpression with kinase constructs or chemical inhibitors. ROCK signaling research has expanded to all areas of biology and medicine since its discovery in 1996. The rapid advance is befitting ROCK’s versatile functions in modulating various cell behavior, such as contraction, adhesion, migration, proliferation, polarity, cytokinesis, and differentiation. The rapid advance is noticeably driven by an extensive linking with clinical medicine, including cardiovascular abnormalities, aberrant immune responsive, and cancer development and metastasis. The rapid advance during the past decade is further powered by novel biotechnologies including CRISPR-Cas and single cell omics. Current consensus, derived mainly from gene targeting and RNA interference approaches, is that the two ROCK isoforms have overlapping and distinct cellular, physiological and pathophysiology roles. In this review, we present an overview of the milestone discoveries in ROCK research. We then focus on the current understanding of ROCK signaling in embryonic development, current research status using knockout and knockin mouse models, and stem cell research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jianjian Shi
- Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Indiana University, 1044 West Walnut Street, R4-370, Indianapolis, IN, 46202-5225, USA.
| | - Lei Wei
- Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Indiana University, 1044 West Walnut Street, R4-370, Indianapolis, IN, 46202-5225, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Elmore SA, Cochran RZ, Bolon B, Lubeck B, Mahler B, Sabio D, Ward JM. Histology Atlas of the Developing Mouse Placenta. Toxicol Pathol 2021; 50:60-117. [PMID: 34872401 PMCID: PMC8678285 DOI: 10.1177/01926233211042270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The use of the mouse as a model organism is common in translational research. This mouse-human similarity holds true for placental development as well. Proper formation of the placenta is vital for development and survival of the maturing embryo. Placentation involves sequential steps with both embryonic and maternal cell lineages playing important roles. The first step in placental development is formation of the blastocyst wall (approximate embryonic days [E] 3.0-3.5). After implantation (∼E4.5), extraembryonic endoderm progressively lines the inner surface of the blastocyst wall (∼E4.5-5.0), forming the yolk sac that provides histiotrophic support to the embryo; subsequently, formation of the umbilical vessels (∼E8.5) supports transition to the chorioallantoic placenta and hemotrophic nutrition. The fully mature ("definitive") placenta is established by ∼E12.5. Abnormal placental development often leads to embryonic mortality, with the timing of death depending on when placental insufficiency takes place and which cells are involved. This comprehensive macroscopic and microscopic atlas highlights the key features of normal and abnormal mouse placental development from E4.5 to E18.5. This in-depth overview of a transient (and thus seldom-analyzed) developmental tissue should serve as a useful reference to aid researchers in identifying and describing mouse placental changes in engineered, induced, and spontaneous disease models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susan A Elmore
- National Toxicology Program, 6857National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Robert Z Cochran
- National Toxicology Program, 6857National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | | | - Beth Lubeck
- National Toxicology Program, 6857National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Beth Mahler
- Experimental Pathology Laboratories, Inc., Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - David Sabio
- Experimental Pathology Laboratories, Inc., Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Jerrold M Ward
- Global Vet Pathology, Montgomery Village, MD, USA *Co-first authors
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Ammanamanchi M, Maurer M, Hayenga HN. Inflammation Drives Stiffness Mediated Uptake of Lipoproteins in Primary Human Macrophages and Foam Cell Proliferation. Ann Biomed Eng 2021; 49:3425-3437. [PMID: 34734362 PMCID: PMC8678330 DOI: 10.1007/s10439-021-02881-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Macrophage to foam cell transition and their accumulation in the arterial intima are the key events that trigger atherosclerosis, a multifactorial inflammatory disease. Previous studies have linked arterial stiffness and cardiovascular disease and have highlighted the use of arterial stiffness as a potential early-stage marker. Yet the relationship between arterial stiffness and atherosclerosis in terms of macrophage function is poorly understood. Thus, it is pertinent to understand the mechanobiology of macrophages to clarify their role in plaque advancement. We explore how substrate stiffness affects proliferation of macrophages and foam cells, traction forces exerted by macrophages and uptake of native and oxidized low-density lipoproteins. We demonstrate that stiffness influences foam cell proliferation under both naïve and inflammatory conditions. Naïve foam cells proliferated faster on the 4 kPa polyacrylamide gel and glass whereas under inflammatory conditions, maximum proliferation was recorded on glass. Macrophage and foam cell traction forces were positively correlated to the substrate stiffness. Furthermore, the influence of stiffness was demonstrated on the uptake of lipoproteins on macrophages treated with lipopolysaccharide + interferon gamma. Cells on softer 1 kPa substrates had a significantly higher uptake of low-density lipoproteins and oxidized low-density lipoproteins compared to stiffer substrates. The results herein indicate that macrophage function is modulated by stiffness and help better understand ways in which macrophages and foam cells could contribute to the development and progression of atherosclerotic plaque.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manasvini Ammanamanchi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, BSB 12.826, 800 W Campbell Road, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Melanie Maurer
- Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Heather N Hayenga
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, BSB 12.826, 800 W Campbell Road, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Weber AJ, Adamson AB, Greathouse KM, Andrade JP, Freeman CD, Seo JV, Rae RJ, Walker CK, Herskowitz JH. Conditional deletion of ROCK2 induces anxiety-like behaviors and alters dendritic spine density and morphology on CA1 pyramidal neurons. Mol Brain 2021; 14:169. [PMID: 34794469 PMCID: PMC8600782 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-021-00878-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Rho-associated kinase isoform 2 (ROCK2) is an attractive drug target for several neurologic disorders. A critical barrier to ROCK2-based research and therapeutics is the lack of a mouse model that enables investigation of ROCK2 with spatial and temporal control of gene expression. To overcome this, we generated ROCK2fl/fl mice. Mice expressing Cre recombinase in forebrain excitatory neurons (CaMKII-Cre) were crossed with ROCK2fl/fl mice (Cre/ROCK2fl/fl), and the contribution of ROCK2 in behavior as well as dendritic spine morphology in the hippocampus, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and basolateral amygdala (BLA) was examined. Cre/ROCK2fl/fl mice spent reduced time in the open arms of the elevated plus maze and increased time in the dark of the light-dark box test compared to littermate controls. These results indicated that Cre/ROCK2fl/fl mice exhibited anxiety-like behaviors. To examine dendritic spine morphology, individual pyramidal neurons in CA1 hippocampus, mPFC, and the BLA were targeted for iontophoretic microinjection of fluorescent dye, followed by high-resolution confocal microscopy and neuronal 3D reconstructions for morphometry analysis. In dorsal CA1, Cre/ROCK2fl/fl mice displayed significantly increased thin spine density on basal dendrites and reduced mean spine head volume across all spine types on apical dendrites. In ventral CA1, Cre/ROCK2fl/fl mice exhibited significantly increased spine length on apical dendrites. Spine density and morphology were comparable in the mPFC and BLA between both genotypes. These findings suggest that neuronal ROCK2 mediates spine density and morphology in a compartmentalized manner among CA1 pyramidal cells, and that in the absence of ROCK2 these mechanisms may contribute to anxiety-like behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Audrey J Weber
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Ashley B Adamson
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Kelsey M Greathouse
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Julia P Andrade
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Cameron D Freeman
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Jung Vin Seo
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Rosaria J Rae
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Courtney K Walker
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Jeremy H Herskowitz
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Singh A, Behl T, Sehgal A, Singh S, Sharma N, Mani V, Alsubayiel AM, Bhatia S, Al-Harrasi A, Bungau S. Exploring the therapeutic promise of targeting Rho kinase in rheumatoid arthritis. Inflammopharmacology 2021; 29:1641-1651. [PMID: 34704172 DOI: 10.1007/s10787-021-00884-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a prevalent systemic autoimmune disease caused by dysregulated inflammatory reactions, T lymphocyte invasion into the joints, and articular thickening. Immune cells, primarily tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and chemokines (interleukin or IL-1), which are predominantly generated by activated macrophages cells, have also been involved with the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis. Rho GTPases are integral factors of biochemical cascades utilized by antigens, and also by cellular receptors, cytokines, and chemokines, to modulate inflammatory reactions, according to growing data. The Rho family is a group of G proteins that govern a variety of biological and physiological activities such as mobility, actin stress fiber production, growth, and polarity. Research suggests that the Rho A and Rho-associated coiled-coil kinase (ROCK) regulatory cascade could be essential in several autoimmune conditions, including RA. ROCK is activated in the synovial of rheumatoid arthritis patients, while the blocking of ROCK with fasudil could also decrease IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1. This review covers current developments in understanding the overactivation of Rho enzyme activity in RA suppressed by ROCK inhibitors which can be utilized for the treatment of autoimmune disease. We offer an outline of the function of ROCK inhibitors in immune cells and discuss findings which emphasize the rising participation of this category of kinases within the pathological process of autoimmune disorders. Assuming the potential ability of ROCK as a therapeutic, we define approaches that might be used to inhibit Rho kinase activity in rheumatoid disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anuja Singh
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Chandigarh, Punjab, India
| | - Tapan Behl
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Chandigarh, Punjab, India.
| | - Aayush Sehgal
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Chandigarh, Punjab, India
| | - Sukhbir Singh
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Chandigarh, Punjab, India
| | - Neelam Sharma
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Chandigarh, Punjab, India
| | - Vasudevan Mani
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amal M Alsubayiel
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saurabh Bhatia
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Centre, University of Nizwa, Nizwa, Oman.,School of Health Science, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Ahmed Al-Harrasi
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Centre, University of Nizwa, Nizwa, Oman
| | - Simona Bungau
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Oradea, Oradea, Romania
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Yield of clinically reportable genetic variants in unselected cerebral palsy by whole genome sequencing. NPJ Genom Med 2021; 6:74. [PMID: 34531397 PMCID: PMC8445947 DOI: 10.1038/s41525-021-00238-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of childhood physical disability, with incidence between 1/500 and 1/700 births in the developed world. Despite increasing evidence for a major contribution of genetics to CP aetiology, genetic testing is currently not performed systematically. We assessed the diagnostic rate of genome sequencing (GS) in a clinically unselected cohort of 150 singleton CP patients, with CP confirmed at >4 years of age. Clinical grade GS was performed on the proband and variants were filtered, and classified according to American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics–Association for Molecular Pathology (ACMG-AMP) guidelines. Variants classified as pathogenic or likely pathogenic (P/LP) were further assessed for their contribution to CP. In total, 24.7% of individuals carried a P/LP variant(s) causing or increasing risk of CP, with 4.7% resolved by copy number variant analysis and 20% carrying single nucleotide or indel variants. A further 34.7% carried one or more rare, high impact variants of uncertain significance (VUS) in variation intolerant genes. Variants were identified in a heterogeneous group of genes, including genes associated with hereditary spastic paraplegia, clotting and thrombophilic disorders, small vessel disease, and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Approximately 1/2 of individuals were classified as likely to benefit from changed clinical management as a result of genetic findings. In addition, no significant association between genetic findings and clinical factors was detectable in this cohort, suggesting that systematic sequencing of CP will be required to avoid missed diagnoses.
Collapse
|
19
|
Kuo CH, Huang YH, Chen PK, Lee GH, Tang MJ, Conway EM, Shi GY, Wu HL. VEGF-Induced Endothelial Podosomes via ROCK2-Dependent Thrombomodulin Expression Initiate Sprouting Angiogenesis. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2021; 41:1657-1671. [PMID: 33730876 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.121.315931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
[Figure: see text].
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Hsiang Kuo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan (C.-H.K., P.-K.C., G.-Y.S.,
H.-L.W.)
- College of Medicine and International Center for Wound Repair and Regeneration, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan (C.-H.K., G.-H.L., M.-J.T., H.-L.W.)
| | - Yi-Hsun Huang
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan (Y.-H.H.)
- Department of Ophthalmology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan (Y.-H.H.)
| | - Po-Ku Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan (C.-H.K., P.-K.C., G.-Y.S.,
H.-L.W.)
- Now with Translational Medicine Laboratory, Rheumatology and Immunology Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan (P.-K. C.)
| | - Gang-Hui Lee
- College of Medicine and International Center for Wound Repair and Regeneration, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan (C.-H.K., G.-H.L., M.-J.T., H.-L.W.)
| | - Ming-Jer Tang
- College of Medicine and International Center for Wound Repair and Regeneration, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan (C.-H.K., G.-H.L., M.-J.T., H.-L.W.)
| | - Edward M Conway
- Department of Medicine, Centre for Blood Research, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada (E.M.C.)
| | - Guey-Yueh Shi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan (C.-H.K., P.-K.C., G.-Y.S.,
H.-L.W.)
| | - Hua-Lin Wu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan (C.-H.K., P.-K.C., G.-Y.S.,
H.-L.W.)
- College of Medicine and International Center for Wound Repair and Regeneration, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan (C.-H.K., G.-H.L., M.-J.T., H.-L.W.)
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Beal R, Alonso-Carriazo Fernandez A, Grammatopoulos DK, Matter K, Balda MS. ARHGEF18/p114RhoGEF Coordinates PKA/CREB Signaling and Actomyosin Remodeling to Promote Trophoblast Cell-Cell Fusion During Placenta Morphogenesis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:658006. [PMID: 33842485 PMCID: PMC8027320 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.658006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Coordination of cell-cell adhesion, actomyosin dynamics and gene expression is crucial for morphogenetic processes underlying tissue and organ development. Rho GTPases are main regulators of the cytoskeleton and adhesion. They are activated by guanine nucleotide exchange factors in a spatially and temporally controlled manner. However, the roles of these Rho GTPase activators during complex developmental processes are still poorly understood. ARHGEF18/p114RhoGEF is a tight junction-associated RhoA activator that forms complexes with myosin II, and regulates actomyosin contractility. Here we show that p114RhoGEF/ARHGEF18 is required for mouse syncytiotrophoblast differentiation and placenta development. In vitro and in vivo experiments identify that p114RhoGEF controls expression of AKAP12, a protein regulating protein kinase A (PKA) signaling, and is required for PKA-induced actomyosin remodeling, cAMP-responsive element binding protein (CREB)-driven gene expression of proteins required for trophoblast differentiation, and, hence, trophoblast cell-cell fusion. Our data thus indicate that p114RhoGEF links actomyosin dynamics and cell-cell junctions to PKA/CREB signaling, gene expression and cell-cell fusion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robert Beal
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Dimitris K Grammatopoulos
- Translational and Experimental Medicine, Warwick Medical School, Coventry, United Kingdom.,Department of Pathology, Institute of Precision Diagnostics and Translational Medicine, University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire National Health Service (NHS) Trust, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Karl Matter
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Maria S Balda
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Saadeldin IM, Tukur HA, Aljumaah RS, Sindi RA. Rocking the Boat: The Decisive Roles of Rho Kinases During Oocyte, Blastocyst, and Stem Cell Development. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 8:616762. [PMID: 33505968 PMCID: PMC7829335 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.616762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The rho-associated coiled-coil-containing proteins (ROCKs or rho kinase) are effectors of the small rho-GTPase rhoA, which acts as a signaling molecule to regulate a variety of cellular processes, including cell proliferation, adhesion, polarity, cytokinesis, and survival. Owing to the multifunctionality of these kinases, an increasing number of studies focus on understanding the pleiotropic effects of the ROCK signaling pathway in the coordination and control of growth (proliferation, initiation, and progression), development (morphology and differentiation), and survival in many cell types. There is growing evidence that ROCKs actively phosphorylate several actin-binding proteins and intermediate filament proteins during oocyte cytokinesis, the preimplantation embryos as well as the stem cell development and differentiation. In this review, we focus on the participation of ROCK proteins in oocyte maturation, blastocyst formation, and stem cell development with a special focus on the selective targeting of ROCK isoforms, ROCK1, and ROCK2. The selective switching of cell fate through ROCK inhibition would provide a novel paradigm for in vitro oocyte maturation, experimental embryology, and clinical applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Islam M Saadeldin
- Department of Animal Production, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Comparative Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hammed A Tukur
- Department of Animal Production, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Riyadh S Aljumaah
- Department of Animal Production, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ramya A Sindi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Ligand-induced conformational rearrangements regulate the switch between membrane-proximal and distal functions of Rho kinase 2. Commun Biol 2020; 3:721. [PMID: 33247217 PMCID: PMC7699638 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01450-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Rho-associated protein kinase 2 (ROCK2) is a membrane-anchored, long, flexible, multidomain, multifunctional protein. Its functions can be divided into two categories: membrane-proximal and membrane-distal. A recent study concluded that membrane-distal functions require the fully extended conformation, and this conclusion was supported by electron microscopy. The present solution small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) study revealed that ROCK2 population is a dynamic mixture of folded and partially extended conformers. Binding of RhoA to the coiled-coil domain shifts the equilibrium towards the partially extended state. Enzyme activity measurements suggest that the binding of natural protein substrates to the kinase domain breaks up the interaction between the N-terminal kinase and C-terminal regulatory domains, but smaller substrate analogues do not. The present study reveals the dynamic behaviour of this long, dimeric molecule in solution, and our structural model provides a mechanistic explanation for a set of membrane-proximal functions while allowing for the existence of an extended conformation in the case of membrane-distal functions. Using small-angle X-ray scattering, Hajdú et al. show that Rho-associated protein kinase 2 population is a mixture of folded and partially extended conformers. They find that the binding of natural protein substrates to the kinase domain breaks up the interaction between the N-terminal kinase and C-terminal regulatory domains. This study identifies a dynamic behavior of this long, dimeric molecule in solution.
Collapse
|
23
|
Matoba K, Takeda Y, Nagai Y, Sekiguchi K, Yokota T, Utsunomiya K, Nishimura R. The Physiology, Pathology, and Therapeutic Interventions for ROCK Isoforms in Diabetic Kidney Disease. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:585633. [PMID: 33101039 PMCID: PMC7545791 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.585633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Rho-associated coiled-coil-containing protein kinase (ROCK) is a serine/threonine kinase that was originally identified as RhoA interacting protein. A diverse array of cellular functions, including migration, proliferation, and phenotypic modulation, are orchestrated by ROCK through a mechanism involving cytoskeletal rearrangement. Mammalian cells express two ROCK isoforms: ROCK1 (Rho-kinase β/ROKβ) and ROCK2 (Rho-kinase α/ROKα). While both isoforms have structural similarities and are widely expressed across multiple tissues, investigations in gene knockout animals and cell-based studies have revealed distinct functions of ROCK1 and ROCK2. With respect to the kidney, inhibiting ROCK activity has proven effective for the preventing diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in both type 1 and type 2 diabetic rodent models. However, despite significant progress in the understanding of the renal ROCK biology over the past decade, the pathogenic roles of the ROCK isoforms is only beginning to be elucidated. Recent studies have demonstrated the involvement of renal ROCK1 in mitochondrial dynamics and cellular transdifferentiation, whereas ROCK2 activation leads to inflammation, fibrosis, and cell death in the diabetic kidney. This review provides a conceptual framework for dissecting the molecular underpinnings of ROCK-driven renal injury, focusing on the differences between ROCK1 and ROCK2.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Keiichiro Matoba
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yusuke Takeda
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yosuke Nagai
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kensuke Sekiguchi
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tamotsu Yokota
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazunori Utsunomiya
- Center for Preventive Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Rimei Nishimura
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Nunes KP, Webb RC. New insights into RhoA/Rho-kinase signaling: a key regulator of vascular contraction. Small GTPases 2020; 12:458-469. [PMID: 32970516 DOI: 10.1080/21541248.2020.1822721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
While Rho-signalling controlling vascular contraction is a canonical mechanism, with the modern approaches used in research, we are advancing our understanding and details into this pathway are often uncovered. RhoA-mediated Rho-kinase is the major regulator of vascular smooth muscle cells and a key player manoeuvring other functions in these cells. The discovery of new interactions, such as oxidative stress and hydrogen sulphide with Rho signalling are emerging addition not only in the physiology of the smooth muscle, but especially in the pathophysiology of vascular diseases. Likewise, the interplay between ageing and Rho-kinase in the vasculature has been recently considered. Importantly, in smooth muscle contraction, this pathway may also be affected by sex hormones, and consequently, sex-differences. This review provides an overview of Rho signalling mediating vascular contraction and focuses on recent topics discussed in the literature affecting this pathway such as ageing, sex differences and oxidative stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kenia Pedrosa Nunes
- Laboratory of Vascular Physiology, Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering and Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL, USA
| | - R Clinton Webb
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Matoba K, Takeda Y, Nagai Y, Kanazawa Y, Kawanami D, Yokota T, Utsunomiya K, Nishimura R. ROCK Inhibition May Stop Diabetic Kidney Disease. JMA J 2020; 3:154-163. [PMID: 33150249 PMCID: PMC7590381 DOI: 10.31662/jmaj.2020-0014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease and is strongly associated with cardiovascular mortality. Given the pandemic of obesity and diabetes, the elucidation of the molecular underpinnings of DKD and establishment of effective therapy are urgently required. Studies over the past decade have identified the activated renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and hemodynamic changes as important therapeutic targets. However, given the residual risk observed in patients treated with RAS inhibitors and/or sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors, the involvement of other molecular machinery is likely, and the elucidation of such pathways represents fertile ground for the development of novel strategies. Rho-kinase (ROCK) is a serine/threonine kinase that is under the control of small GTPase protein Rho. Many fundamental cellular processes, including migration, proliferation, and survival are orchestrated by ROCK through a mechanism involving cytoskeletal reorganization. From a pathological standpoint, several analyses provide compelling evidence supporting the hypothesis that ROCK is an important regulator of DKD that is highly pertinent to cardiovascular disease. In cell-based studies, ROCK is activated in response to a diverse array of external stimuli associated with diabetes, and renal ROCK activity is elevated in the context of type 1 and 2 diabetes. Experimental studies have demonstrated the efficacy of pharmacological or genetic inhibition of ROCK in the prevention of diabetes-related histological and functional abnormalities in the kidney. Through a bird’s eye view of ROCK in renal biology, the present review provides a conceptual framework that may be widely applicable to the pathological processes of multiple organs and illustrate novel therapeutic promise in diabetology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Keiichiro Matoba
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yusuke Takeda
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yosuke Nagai
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasushi Kanazawa
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Daiji Kawanami
- Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes Mellitus, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Tamotsu Yokota
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazunori Utsunomiya
- Center for Preventive Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Rimei Nishimura
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Targeting Redox Imbalance as an Approach for Diabetic Kidney Disease. Biomedicines 2020; 8:biomedicines8020040. [PMID: 32098346 PMCID: PMC7167917 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines8020040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2020] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a worldwide public health problem. It is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease and is associated with increased mortality from cardiovascular complications. The tight interactions between redox imbalance and the development of DKD are becoming increasingly evident. Numerous cascades, including the polyol and hexosamine pathways have been implicated in the oxidative stress of diabetes patients. However, the precise molecular mechanism by which oxidative stress affects the progression of DKD remains to be elucidated. Given the limited therapeutic options for DKD, it is essential to understand how oxidants and antioxidants are controlled in diabetes and how oxidative stress impacts the progression of renal damage. This review aims to provide an overview of the current status of knowledge regarding the pathological roles of oxidative stress in DKD. Finally, we summarize recent therapeutic approaches to preventing DKD with a focus on the anti-oxidative effects of newly developed anti-hyperglycemic agents.
Collapse
|
27
|
Iida A, Wang Z, Hondo E, Sehara-Fujisawa A. Generation and evaluation of a transgenic zebrafish for tissue-specific expression of a dominant-negative Rho-associated protein kinase-2. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2020; 525:S0006-291X(20)30323-5. [PMID: 32067738 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.02.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The Ras homologous (Rho) proteins are a family of small GTPases, which regulate the cytoskeleton and are related to stress fibers and focal adhesion. The Rho-associated protein kinases (ROCK) constitute part of the Rho effectors that regulate cell shape and movement via phosphorylation of the myosin light chain and actin depolymerizing factor/cofilin. ROCK members are widely expressed and play roles in various cell types during vertebrate development and morphogenesis; therefore, ROCK-knockout animals exhibit multiple defects mostly initiated at the embryonic stage. Analyzing the distinct roles of ROCK in cell shape and movement during the embryonic stages using live mammalian models is difficult. Here, we inhibited the Rho/ROCK pathway in zebrafish, which is a small fish that can be conveniently used as a developmental animal model in place of mammals. To inhibit the Rho/ROCK pathway, we designed a dominant-negative ROCK-2 (dnROCK-2) that lacked the kinase domain and was under the control of an upstream activation sequence (UAS). To evaluate the effects of expression of dnROCK-2, transgenic zebrafish lines were generated by mating strains expressing the construct with counterpart strains expressing the Gal4 activator in target tissues. In this study, we crossed the dnROCK-2-expressing line with two such Gal4-expressing lines; (1) SAGFF(LF)73A for expression in the whole body, and (2) Tg(fli1a: Gal4FF)ubs4 for endothelial cell-specific expression. The phenotypes of the fish obtained were observed by fluorescent stereomicroscopy or confocal microscopy. Overexpression of dnROCK-2 in the whole body resulted in an inhibition of development, notably in cephalic formation, at 1-day post-fertilization (dpf). Confocal microscopy revealed that Hensen's zone became unclear in the trunk muscle fibers expressing dnROCK-2. Endothelial cell-specific expression of dnROCK-2 caused abnormalities in cardiovascular formation at 2-dpf. These results suggest that dnROCK-2 can act as a dominant negative construct of the Rho/ROCK pathway to affect regulation of the cytoskeleton. This construct could be a convenient tool to investigate the function of ROCK members in other vertebrate cell types.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Atsuo Iida
- Department of Animal Sciences, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furocho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan; Department of Regeneration Science and Engineering, Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Shogo-in Kawahara-cho 53, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.
| | - Zi Wang
- Department of Regeneration Science and Engineering, Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Shogo-in Kawahara-cho 53, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Eiichi Hondo
- Department of Animal Sciences, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furocho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan
| | - Atsuko Sehara-Fujisawa
- Department of Regeneration Science and Engineering, Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Shogo-in Kawahara-cho 53, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
ROCK and RHO Playlist for Preimplantation Development: Streaming to HIPPO Pathway and Apicobasal Polarity in the First Cell Differentiation. ADVANCES IN ANATOMY EMBRYOLOGY AND CELL BIOLOGY 2020; 229:47-68. [PMID: 29177764 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-63187-5_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In placental mammalian development, the first cell differentiation produces two distinct lineages that emerge according to their position within the embryo: the trophectoderm (TE, placenta precursor) differentiates in the surface, while the inner cell mass (ICM, fetal body precursor) forms inside. Here, we discuss how such position-dependent lineage specifications are regulated by the RHOA subfamily of small GTPases and RHO-associated coiled-coil kinases (ROCK). Recent studies in mouse show that activities of RHO/ROCK are required to promote TE differentiation and to concomitantly suppress ICM formation. RHO/ROCK operate through the HIPPO signaling pathway, whose cell position-specific modulation is central to establishing unique gene expression profiles that confer cell fate. In particular, activities of RHO/ROCK are essential in outside cells to promote nuclear localization of transcriptional co-activators YAP/TAZ, the downstream effectors of HIPPO signaling. Nuclear localization of YAP/TAZ depends on the formation of apicobasal polarity in outside cells, which requires activities of RHO/ROCK. We propose models of how RHO/ROCK regulate lineage specification and lay out challenges for future investigations to deepen our understanding of the roles of RHO/ROCK in preimplantation development. Finally, as RHO/ROCK may be inhibited by certain pharmacological agents, we discuss their potential impact on human preimplantation development in relation to fertility preservation in women.
Collapse
|
29
|
Identification of novel functions of the ROCK2-specific inhibitor KD025 by bioinformatics analysis. Gene 2020; 737:144474. [PMID: 32057928 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2020.144474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Rho-associated protein kinases (ROCKs) have various cellular functions, which include actin cytoskeleton remodeling and vesicular trafficking, and there are two major mammalian ROCK isotypes, namely, ROCK1 (ROKβ) and ROCK2 (ROKα). The ROCK2-specific inhibitor KD025 (SLx-2119) is currently undergoing phase II clinical trials, but its cellular functions have not been fully explored. In this study, we investigated the functions of KD025 at the genomics level by bioinformatics analysis using the GSE8686 microarray dataset from the NCBI GEO database, in three different primary human cell lines. An initial microarray analysis conducted by Boerma et al. focused on the effects of KD025 on cell adhesion and blood coagulation, but did not provide comprehensive information on the functions of KD025. Our analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) showed ~70% coincidence with Boerma et al.'s findings, and newly identified that CCND1, CXCL2, NT5E, and SMOX were differentially expressed by KD025. However, due to low numbers of co-regulated DEGs, we were unable to extract the functions of KD025 with significance. To overcome this limitation, we used gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and the heatmap hierarchical clustering method. We confirmed KD025 regulated inflammation and adipogenesis pathways, as previously reported experimentally. In addition, we found KD025 has novel regulatory functions on various pathways, including oxidative phosphorylation, WNT signaling, angiogenesis, and KRAS signaling. Further studies are required to systematically characterize these newly identified functions of KD025.
Collapse
|
30
|
Sharma P, Roy K. ROCK-2-selective targeting and its therapeutic outcomes. Drug Discov Today 2020; 25:446-455. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2019.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Revised: 11/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
|
31
|
Gruber EJ, Leifer CA. Molecular regulation of TLR signaling in health and disease: mechano-regulation of macrophages and TLR signaling. Innate Immun 2020; 26:15-25. [PMID: 31955624 PMCID: PMC6974875 DOI: 10.1177/1753425919838322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune cells encounter tissues with vastly different biochemical and physical
characteristics. Much of the research emphasis has focused on the role of
cytokines and chemokines in regulating immune cell function, but the role of the
physical microenvironment has received considerably less attention. The tissue
mechanics, or stiffness, of healthy tissues varies dramatically from soft
adipose tissue and brain to stiff cartilage and bone. Tissue mechanics also
change due to fibrosis and with diseases such as atherosclerosis or cancer. The
process by which cells sense and respond to their physical microenvironment is
called mechanotransduction. Here we review mechanotransduction in
immunologically important diseases and how physical characteristics of tissues
regulate immune cell function, with a specific emphasis on mechanoregulation of
macrophages and TLR signaling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erika J Gruber
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Cynthia A Leifer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Zhang JG, Zhou HM, Zhang X, Mu W, Hu JN, Liu GL, Li Q. Hypoxic induction of vasculogenic mimicry in hepatocellular carcinoma: role of HIF-1 α, RhoA/ROCK and Rac1/PAK signaling. BMC Cancer 2020; 20:32. [PMID: 31931758 PMCID: PMC6958789 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-019-6501-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 12/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vasculogenic mimicry (VM), defined as a capability of aggressive tumor Cells to mimic embryonic vasculogenic networks, caused poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Rho kinases (ROCK), p21-activated kinase (PAK), hypoxia or epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) contributed to the VM potential. However, the details underlying these biological behaviors have not been completely elucidated. METHODS Kaplan-Meier analysis was conducted to predict relationship with hypoxia Inducible factor (HIF-1α), EMT related markers: Vimentin and patient prognosis. CD34/periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) double staining was examined to differentiate VM-positive (VM+) and VM-negative (VM-) samples. Cells were cultured under controlled hypoxic environments (1% O2) or normoxic conditions. The effect of hypoxia on RhoA/ROCK, Rac1/PAK and EMT were evaluated by real time-qPCR and western blot. HIF-1α small interfering RNA (siRNA), overexpressed or short hairpin RNA (shRNA) of ROCK and kinase inhibitors were used to explore the effect of HIF-1α, RhoA/ROCK, Rac1/PAK and Vimentin on VM. RESULTS HIF-1α or Vimentin was upregulated in VM+ HCC tissues, compared to non-cancerous tissues (P < 0.01), and patients with high expression of HIF-1α or Vimentin had worse prognosis (P < 0.001). We showed hypoxia induced RhoA/ROCK and Rac1/PAK signaling transduction, and EMT could be repressed by HIF-1α siRNA. Notably, RhoA/ROCK or Rac1/PAK stabilized HIF-1α in hypoxia, whereas HIF-1α did not significantly altered RhoA/ROCK or Rac1/PAK signaling in hypoxia. Moreover, we found distinct roles of ROCK1, ROCK2 and PAK in regulating Vimentin phosphorylation. CONCLUSIONS RhoA/ROCK and Rac/PAK signaling played crucial roles in hypoxia-induced VM via Ser72 and Ser56 Vimentin phosphorylation in HCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Gang Zhang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of medicine, No.100 Haining Road, Shanghai, 200080, People's Republic of China
| | - He-Ming Zhou
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of medicine, No.100 Haining Road, Shanghai, 200080, People's Republic of China
| | - Xue Zhang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of medicine, No.100 Haining Road, Shanghai, 200080, People's Republic of China
| | - Wan Mu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of medicine, No.100 Haining Road, Shanghai, 200080, People's Republic of China
| | - Juan-Ni Hu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of medicine, No.100 Haining Road, Shanghai, 200080, People's Republic of China
| | - Gao-Lin Liu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of medicine, No.100 Haining Road, Shanghai, 200080, People's Republic of China.
| | - Qin Li
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of medicine, No.100 Haining Road, Shanghai, 200080, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Wei L, Surma M, Yang Y, Tersey S, Shi J. ROCK2 inhibition enhances the thermogenic program in white and brown fat tissue in mice. FASEB J 2019; 34:474-493. [PMID: 31914704 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201901174rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Revised: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The RhoA/ROCK-mediated actin cytoskeleton dynamics have been implicated in adipogenesis. The two ROCK isoforms, ROCK1 and ROCK2, are highly homologous. The contribution of ROCK2 to adipogenesis in vivo has not been elucidated. The present study aimed at the in vivo and in vitro roles of ROCK2 in the regulation of adipogenesis and the development of obesity. We performed molecular, histological, and metabolic analyses in ROCK2+/- and ROCK2+/KD mouse models, the latter harboring an allele with a kinase-dead (KD) mutation. Both ROCK2+/- and ROCK2+/KD mouse models showed a lean body mass phenotype during aging, associated with increased amounts of beige cells in subcutaneous white adipose tissue (sWAT) and increased thermogenic gene expression in all fat depots. ROCK2+/- mice on a high-fat diet showed increased energy expenditure accompanying by reduced obesity, and improved insulin sensitivity. In vitro differentiated ROCK2+/- stromal-vascular (SV) cells revealed increased beige adipogenesis associated with increased thermogenic gene expressions. Treatment with a selective ROCK2 inhibitor, KD025, to inhibit ROCK2 activity in differentiated SV cells reproduced the pro-beige phenotype of ROCK2+/- SV cells. In conclusion, ROCK2 activity-mediated actin cytoskeleton dynamics contribute to the inhibition of beige adipogenesis in WAT, and also promotes age-related and diet-induced fat mass gain and insulin resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lei Wei
- Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.,Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.,Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Michelle Surma
- Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Yang Yang
- Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Sarah Tersey
- Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.,Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jianjian Shi
- Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Greathouse KM, Henderson BW, Gentry EG, Herskowitz JH. Fasudil or genetic depletion of ROCK1 or ROCK2 induces anxiety-like behaviors. Behav Brain Res 2019; 373:112083. [PMID: 31302146 PMCID: PMC6693674 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Twenty-nine protein kinase inhibitors have been used to treat human diseases. Out of these, two are Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) 1 and 2 inhibitors. The ROCKs heavily influence neuronal architecture and structural plasticity, and ROCKs are putative drug targets for various brain disorders. While the pan-ROCK inhibitor Fasudil has been clinically approved to treat hypertension, heart failure, glaucoma, spinal cord injury, and stroke, a barrier to progress on this therapeutic avenue is the lack of experimental comparisons between pharmacologic and genetic manipulation of ROCKs. Our study begins to address this question using parallel approaches to study behavior in mice that were treated with Fasudil or were heterozygous for ROCK1 or ROCK2. Adult mice treated with Fasudil for thirty days displayed reduced time spent in the open arms of the elevated plus maze, whereas activity in the open field was more analogous to mock-treated animals. Both male and female adult ROCK1+/- and ROCK2+/- mice exhibited reduced time spent in open arms of the elevated plus maze compared to littermate controls. However, ROCK1 or ROCK2 heterozygosity did not alter performance in the open field or Y-maze. These results indicate that chronic treatment with Fasudil induces anxiety-like behaviors that are likely the consequence of ROCK1 and/or ROCK2 inhibition. Our findings may have implications for several ongoing clinical trials using Fasudil or other ROCK-based therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey M Greathouse
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics and Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, United States
| | - Benjamin W Henderson
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics and Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, United States
| | - Erik G Gentry
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics and Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, United States
| | - Jeremy H Herskowitz
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics and Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Nagai Y, Matoba K, Kawanami D, Takeda Y, Akamine T, Ishizawa S, Kanazawa Y, Yokota T, Utsunomiya K, Nishimura R. ROCK2 regulates TGF-β-induced expression of CTGF and profibrotic genes via NF-κB and cytoskeleton dynamics in mesangial cells. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 2019; 317:F839-F851. [PMID: 31364374 DOI: 10.1152/ajprenal.00596.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The small GTPase Rho and its effector Rho kinase (ROCK) are involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic kidney disease. Rho kinase has two isoforms: ROCK1 and ROCK2. However, it remains unclear which is mainly involved in the progression of diabetic glomerulosclerosis and the regulation of profibrotic mediators. Glomeruli isolated from type 2 diabetic db/db mice demonstrated increased gene expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and its downstream profibrotic mediators. Chemical inhibition of ROCK suppressed the expression of profibrotic mediators in both isolated glomeruli and cultured mesangial cells. An investigation of mechanisms underlying this observation revealed activated ROCK functions through the phosphorylation of JNK and Erk and the nuclear translocation of NF-κB via actin dynamics. Knockdown by siRNA against ROCK1 and ROCK2 showed that ROCK2 but not ROCK1 controls this fibrotic machinery. Further in vivo experiments showed that ROCK2 activity in the renal cortex of db/db mice was elevated compared with control db/m mice. Importantly, oral administration of ROCK2 inhibitor attenuated renal ROCK2 activity, albuminuria, and glomerular fibrosis in db/db mice. These observations indicate that ROCK2 is a key player in the development of diabetic renal injury. Glomerular ROCK2 may be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of diabetic kidney disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yosuke Nagai
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Keiichiro Matoba
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Daiji Kawanami
- Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes Mellitus, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yusuke Takeda
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomoyo Akamine
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sho Ishizawa
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasushi Kanazawa
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tamotsu Yokota
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazunori Utsunomiya
- Center for Preventive Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Rimei Nishimura
- Division of Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Knipe RS, Probst CK, Lagares D, Franklin A, Spinney JJ, Brazee PL, Grasberger P, Zhang L, Black KE, Sakai N, Shea BS, Liao JK, Medoff BD, Tager AM. The Rho Kinase Isoforms ROCK1 and ROCK2 Each Contribute to the Development of Experimental Pulmonary Fibrosis. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2019; 58:471-481. [PMID: 29211497 DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2017-0075oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary fibrosis is thought to result from dysregulated wound repair after repetitive lung injury. Many cellular responses to injury involve rearrangements of the actin cytoskeleton mediated by the two isoforms of the Rho-associated coiled-coil-forming protein kinase (ROCK), ROCK1 and ROCK2. In addition, profibrotic mediators such as transforming growth factor-β, thrombin, and lysophosphatidic acid act through receptors that activate ROCK. Inhibition of ROCK activation may be a potent therapeutic strategy for human pulmonary fibrosis. Pharmacological inhibition of ROCK using nonselective ROCK inhibitors has been shown to prevent fibrosis in animal models; however, the specific roles of each ROCK isoform are poorly understood. Furthermore, the pleiotropic effects of this kinase have raised concerns about on-target adverse effects of ROCK inhibition such as hypotension. Selective inhibition of one isoform might be a better-tolerated strategy. In the present study, we used a genetic approach to determine the roles of ROCK1 and ROCK2 in a mouse model of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Using ROCK1- or ROCK2-haploinsufficient mice, we found that reduced expression of either ROCK1 or ROCK2 was sufficient to protect them from bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. In addition, we found that both isoforms contribute to the profibrotic responses of epithelial cells, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts. Interestingly, ROCK1- and ROCK2-haploinsufficient mice exhibited similar protection from bleomycin-induced vascular leak, myofibroblast differentiation, and fibrosis; however, ROCK1-haploinsufficient mice demonstrated greater attenuation of epithelial cell apoptosis. These findings suggest that selective inhibition of either ROCK isoform has the potential to be an effective therapeutic strategy for pulmonary fibrosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel S Knipe
- 1 Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.,2 The Andrew M. Tager Fibrosis Research Center, and.,3 Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Clemens K Probst
- 1 Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.,2 The Andrew M. Tager Fibrosis Research Center, and.,3 Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - David Lagares
- 1 Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.,2 The Andrew M. Tager Fibrosis Research Center, and.,3 Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Alicia Franklin
- 1 Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.,2 The Andrew M. Tager Fibrosis Research Center, and.,3 Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jillian J Spinney
- 1 Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.,2 The Andrew M. Tager Fibrosis Research Center, and.,3 Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Patricia L Brazee
- 4 Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Paula Grasberger
- 1 Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.,2 The Andrew M. Tager Fibrosis Research Center, and.,3 Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Linlin Zhang
- 5 Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Katharine E Black
- 1 Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.,2 The Andrew M. Tager Fibrosis Research Center, and.,3 Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Norihiko Sakai
- 6 Division of Nephrology and.,7 Division of Blood Purification, Kanazawa University Hospital, Kanazawa, Japan; and
| | - Barry S Shea
- 8 Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital and Alpert Medical School, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - James K Liao
- 5 Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Benjamin D Medoff
- 1 Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.,2 The Andrew M. Tager Fibrosis Research Center, and.,3 Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Andrew M Tager
- 1 Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.,2 The Andrew M. Tager Fibrosis Research Center, and.,3 Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Dayal N, Mikek CG, Hernandez D, Naclerio GA, Yin Chu EF, Carter-Cooper BA, Lapidus RG, Sintim HO. Potently inhibiting cancer cell migration with novel 3H-pyrazolo[4,3-f]quinoline boronic acid ROCK inhibitors. Eur J Med Chem 2019; 180:449-456. [PMID: 31330446 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.06.089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2019] [Revised: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Rho-associated protein kinases (ROCKs) are ubiquitously expressed in most adult tissues, and are involved in modulating the cytoskeleton, protein synthesis and degradation pathways, synaptic function, and autophagy to list a few. A few ROCK inhibitors, such as fasudil and netarsudil, are approved for clinical use. Here we present a new ROCK inhibitor, boronic acid containing HSD1590, which is more potent than netarsudil at binding to or inhibiting ROCK enzymatic activities. This compound exhibits single digit nanomolar binding to ROCK (Kds < 2 nM) and subnanomolar enzymatic inhibition profile (ROCK2 IC50 is 0.5 nM for HSD1590. Netarsudil, an FDA-approved drug, inhibited ROCK2 with IC50 = 11 nM under similar conditions). Whereas netarsudil was cytotoxic to breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231 (greater than 80% growth inhibition at concentrations greater than 5 μM), HSD1590 displayed low cytotoxicity to MDA-MB-231. Interestingly, at 1 μM HSD1590 inhibited the migration of MDA-MB-231 whereas netarsudil did not.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Neetu Dayal
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Clinton G Mikek
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Delmis Hernandez
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - George A Naclerio
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Elizabeth Fei Yin Chu
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Brandon A Carter-Cooper
- Translational Core Laboratory, University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center, 655 W Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Rena G Lapidus
- Translational Core Laboratory, University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center, 655 W Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Herman O Sintim
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA; Institute for Drug Discovery, Purdue University, 720 Clinic Drive, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA; Purdue Institute of Inflammation and Infectious Diseases, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Discovery of (S)-6-methoxy-chroman-3-carboxylic acid (4-pyridin-4-yl-phenyl)-amide as potent and isoform selective ROCK2 inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem 2019; 27:1382-1390. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2019.02.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Revised: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
|
39
|
Bailey KE, MacGowan GA, Tual-Chalot S, Phillips L, Mohun TJ, Henderson DJ, Arthur HM, Bamforth SD, Phillips HM. Disruption of embryonic ROCK signaling reproduces the sarcomeric phenotype of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. JCI Insight 2019; 5:125172. [PMID: 30835717 PMCID: PMC6538384 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.125172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Sarcomeric disarray is a hallmark of gene mutations in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). However, it is unknown when detrimental sarcomeric changes first occur and whether they originate in the developing embryonic heart. Furthermore, Rho kinase (ROCK) is a serine/threonine protein kinase that is critical for regulating the function of several sarcomeric proteins, and therefore, our aim was to determine whether disruption of ROCK signaling during the earliest stages of heart development would disrupt the integrity of sarcomeres, altering heart development and function. Using a mouse model in which the function of ROCK is specifically disrupted in embryonic cardiomyocytes, we demonstrate a progressive cardiomyopathy that first appeared as sarcomeric disarray during cardiogenesis. This led to abnormalities in the structure of the embryonic ventricular wall and compensatory cardiomyocyte hypertrophy during fetal development. This sarcomeric disruption and hypertrophy persisted throughout adult life, triggering left ventricular concentric hypertrophy with systolic dysfunction, and reactivation of fetal gene expression and cardiac fibrosis, all typical features of HCM. Taken together, our findings establish a mechanism for the developmental origin of the sarcomeric phenotype of HCM and suggest that variants in the ROCK genes or disruption of ROCK signaling could, in part, contribute to its pathogenesis. Disruption of ROCK activity in embryonic cardiomyocytes revealed a developmental origin for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kate E Bailey
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Guy A MacGowan
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Simon Tual-Chalot
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Lauren Phillips
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | | | - Deborah J Henderson
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Helen M Arthur
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Simon D Bamforth
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Helen M Phillips
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Yan J, Pan Y, Zheng X, Zhu C, Zhang Y, Shi G, Yao L, Chen Y, Xu N. Comparative Study of ROCK1 and ROCK2 in Hippocampal Spine Formation and Synaptic Function. Neurosci Bull 2019; 35:649-660. [PMID: 30826947 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-019-00351-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Rho-associated kinases (ROCKs) are serine-threonine protein kinases that act downstream of small Rho GTPases to regulate the dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton. Two ROCK isoforms (ROCK1 and ROCK2) are expressed in the mammalian central nervous system. Although ROCK activity has been implicated in synapse formation, whether the distinct ROCK isoforms have different roles in synapse formation and function in vivo is not clear. Here, we used a genetic approach to address this long-standing question. Both Rock1+/- and Rock2+/- mice had impaired glutamatergic transmission, reduced spine density, and fewer excitatory synapses in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. In addition, both Rock1+/- and Rock2+/- mice showed deficits in long-term potentiation at hippocampal CA1 synapses and were impaired in spatial learning and memory based on the water maze and contextual fear conditioning tests. However, the spine morphology of CA1 pyramidal neurons was altered only in Rock2+/- but not Rock1+/- mice. In this study we compared the roles of ROCK1 and ROCK2 in synapse formation and function in vivo for the first time. Our results provide a better understanding of the functions of distinct ROCK isoforms in synapse formation and function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jinglan Yan
- South China Research Center for Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Medical College of Acu-Moxi and Rehabilitation, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Youcan Pan
- South China Research Center for Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Medical College of Acu-Moxi and Rehabilitation, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China.,Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Xiaoyan Zheng
- South China Research Center for Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Medical College of Acu-Moxi and Rehabilitation, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Chuanan Zhu
- South China Research Center for Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Medical College of Acu-Moxi and Rehabilitation, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- South China Research Center for Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Medical College of Acu-Moxi and Rehabilitation, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Guoqi Shi
- South China Research Center for Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Medical College of Acu-Moxi and Rehabilitation, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Lin Yao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Yongjun Chen
- South China Research Center for Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Medical College of Acu-Moxi and Rehabilitation, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China. .,Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
| | - Nenggui Xu
- South China Research Center for Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Medical College of Acu-Moxi and Rehabilitation, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Enhanced single-cell viability using 30Kc6 for efficient expansion of human induced pluripotent stem cells. Process Biochem 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.procbio.2019.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
|
42
|
Zhang JG, Zhang DD, Liu Y, Hu JN, Zhang X, Li L, Mu W, Zhu GH, Li Q, Liu GL. RhoC/ROCK2 promotes vasculogenic mimicry formation primarily through ERK/MMPs in hepatocellular carcinoma. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2019; 1865:1113-1125. [PMID: 30779947 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2018.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2018] [Revised: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) results in the formation of an alternative circulatory system that can improve the blood supply to multiple malignant tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the potential mechanisms of RhoC/ROCK in VM have not yet been investigated in HCC. Here, RhoC expression was upregulated in HCC tissues, especially the VM-positive (VM+) group, compared to noncancerous tissues (P < 0.01), and patients with high expression of RhoC had shorter survival times (P < 0.001). The knockdown of RhoC via short hairpin RNA (shRNA) in SK-Hep-1 cells significantly decreased VM formation and cell motility. In contrast, cell motility and VM formation were remarkably enhanced when RhoC was overexpressed in HepG2 cells. To further assess the potential role of ROCK1 and ROCK2 on VM, we stably knocked down ROCK1 or ROCK2 in MHCC97H cells. Compared to ROCK1 shRNA, ROCK2 shRNA could largely affect VM formation, cell motility and the key VM factors, as well as the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, p-ERK, p-MEK, p-FAK, p-paxillin, MT1-MMP and MMP2 levels were clearly altered following the overexpression of RhoC, but ROCK2 shRNA had little effect on the expression of p-FAK, which indicated that RhoC regulates FAK/paxillin signaling, but not through ROCK2. In conclusion, our results show that RhoC/ROCK2 may have a major effect on VM in HCC via ERK/MMPs signaling and might be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of HCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Gang Zhang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.100 Haining Road, Shanghai 200080, PR China
| | - Dan-Dan Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Ying Liu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Road, 200032 Shanghai, PR China
| | - Juan-Ni Hu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.100 Haining Road, Shanghai 200080, PR China
| | - Xue Zhang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.100 Haining Road, Shanghai 200080, PR China
| | - Li Li
- Department of Pharmacy, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, No 3025, Nanhai Road, 518033 Shenzhen, PR China
| | - Wan Mu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.100 Haining Road, Shanghai 200080, PR China
| | - Guan-Hua Zhu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.100 Haining Road, Shanghai 200080, PR China
| | - Qin Li
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.100 Haining Road, Shanghai 200080, PR China.
| | - Gao-Lin Liu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.100 Haining Road, Shanghai 200080, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Saberi P, Forouzanfar M, Nasr-Esfahani MH. ROCK Inhibitor During Hypothermic Storage Improves Re-Expansion Rate and Quality of Goat Blastocysts. Biopreserv Biobank 2018; 16:451-457. [DOI: 10.1089/bio.2018.0003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Pariya Saberi
- Department of Biology, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohsen Forouzanfar
- Department of Biology, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hossein Nasr-Esfahani
- Department of Reproductive Biotechnology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Greathouse KM, Boros BD, Deslauriers JF, Henderson BW, Curtis KA, Gentry EG, Herskowitz JH. Distinct and complementary functions of rho kinase isoforms ROCK1 and ROCK2 in prefrontal cortex structural plasticity. Brain Struct Funct 2018; 223:4227-4241. [PMID: 30196430 PMCID: PMC6252131 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-018-1748-4] [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] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Rho-associated protein kinases (ROCK) 1 and 2 are attractive drug targets for a range of neurologic disorders; however, a critical barrier to ROCK-based therapeutics is ambiguity over whether there are isoform-specific roles for ROCKs in neuronal structural plasticity. Here, we used a genetics approach to address this long-standing question by analyzing both male and female adult ROCK1+/- and ROCK2+/- mice compared to littermate controls. Individual pyramidal neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) were targeted for iontophoretic microinjection of fluorescent dye, followed by high-resolution confocal microscopy and neuronal 3D reconstructions for morphometry analysis. Increased apical and basal dendritic length and intersections were observed in ROCK1+/- but not ROCK2+/- mice. Although dendritic spine densities were comparable among genotypes, apical spine length was decreased in ROCK1+/- but increased in ROCK2+/- mice. Spine head and neck diameter were reduced similarly in ROCK1+/- and ROCK2+/- mice; however, certain spine morphologic subclasses were more affected than others in a genotype-dependent manner. Biochemical analyses of ROCK substrates in synaptic fractions revealed that phosphorylation of LIM kinase and cofilin were reduced in ROCK1+/- and ROCK2+/- mice, while phosphorylation of myosin light chain was decreased exclusively in ROCK1+/- mice. Collectively, these observations implicate ROCK1 as a novel regulatory factor of neuronal dendritic structure and detail distinct and complementary roles of ROCKs in mPFC dendritic spine structure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey M Greathouse
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Benjamin D Boros
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Josue F Deslauriers
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Benjamin W Henderson
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Kendall A Curtis
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Erik G Gentry
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Jeremy H Herskowitz
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Liu J, Wada Y, Katsura M, Tozawa H, Erwin N, Kapron CM, Bao G, Liu J. Rho-Associated Coiled-Coil Kinase (ROCK) in Molecular Regulation of Angiogenesis. Am J Cancer Res 2018; 8:6053-6069. [PMID: 30613282 PMCID: PMC6299434 DOI: 10.7150/thno.30305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Identified as a major downstream effector of the small GTPase RhoA, Rho-associated coiled-coil kinase (ROCK) is a versatile regulator of multiple cellular processes. Angiogenesis, the process of generating new capillaries from the pre-existing ones, is required for the development of various diseases such as cancer, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. Recently, ROCK has attracted attention for its crucial role in angiogenesis, making it a promising target for new therapeutic approaches. In this review, we summarize recent advances in understanding the role of ROCK signaling in regulating the permeability, migration, proliferation and tubulogenesis of endothelial cells (ECs), as well as its functions in non-ECs which constitute the pro-angiogenic microenvironment. The therapeutic potential of ROCK inhibitors in angiogenesis-related diseases is also discussed.
Collapse
|
46
|
Maaliki D, Issa K, Al Shehabi T, El-Yazbi A, Eid AH. The role of α2-adrenergic receptors in hypertensive preeclampsia: A hypothesis. Microcirculation 2018; 26:e12511. [PMID: 30383326 DOI: 10.1111/micc.12511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2018] [Revised: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Preeclampsia, a major disorder of human pregnancy, manifests as persistent hypertension and proteinuria presenting after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Multiple systemic symptoms might be associated with preeclampsia including thrombocytopenia, liver impairment, pulmonary edema, and cerebral disturbances. However, vascular dysfunction remains the core pathological driver of preeclampsia. Defective placental implantation followed by dysfunctional placental spiral artery development promotes a hypoxic environment. Massive endothelial dysfunction characterized by reduced vasodilation, augmented vasoconstriction, and increased vascular permeability and inflammation ensues. Interestingly, the same signaling and inflammatory pathways implicated in preeclampsia appear to be shared with other vascular disorders involving alteration of α2 -AR function. The role of α2 -ARs in the regulation of microcirculatory function has long been recognized, thus raising the question of whether they are involved in the pathogenesis of vascular dysfunction in preeclampsia. Here, we review possible interplay between signaling and inflammatory pathways common to preeclampsia and α2 -AR function/regulation. We speculate on the potential contribution of these receptors to the observed phenotype and the potential role for their pharmacological modulators as therapeutic interventions with preeclampsia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dina Maaliki
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Khodr Issa
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Tuqa Al Shehabi
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Ahmed El-Yazbi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Ali H Eid
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.,Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Bayel Secinti B, Tatar G, Taskin Tok T. Determination of potential selective inhibitors for ROCKI and ROCKII isoforms with molecular modeling techniques: structure based docking, ADMET and molecular dynamics simulation. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2018; 37:2457-2463. [DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2018.1491420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Burcu Bayel Secinti
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Gaziantep University, Institute of Health Sciences, Gaziantep, Turkey
| | - Gizem Tatar
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Gaziantep University, Institute of Health Sciences, Gaziantep, Turkey
| | - Tugba Taskin Tok
- Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, TurkeyCommunicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
ROCK inhibition in models of neurodegeneration and its potential for clinical translation. Pharmacol Ther 2018; 189:1-21. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2018.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
|
49
|
Liu Z, Khalil RA. Evolving mechanisms of vascular smooth muscle contraction highlight key targets in vascular disease. Biochem Pharmacol 2018; 153:91-122. [PMID: 29452094 PMCID: PMC5959760 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2018.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Vascular smooth muscle (VSM) plays an important role in the regulation of vascular function. Identifying the mechanisms of VSM contraction has been a major research goal in order to determine the causes of vascular dysfunction and exaggerated vasoconstriction in vascular disease. Major discoveries over several decades have helped to better understand the mechanisms of VSM contraction. Ca2+ has been established as a major regulator of VSM contraction, and its sources, cytosolic levels, homeostatic mechanisms and subcellular distribution have been defined. Biochemical studies have also suggested that stimulation of Gq protein-coupled membrane receptors activates phospholipase C and promotes the hydrolysis of membrane phospholipids into inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol (DAG). IP3 stimulates initial Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, and is buttressed by Ca2+ influx through voltage-dependent, receptor-operated, transient receptor potential and store-operated channels. In order to prevent large increases in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]c), Ca2+ removal mechanisms promote Ca2+ extrusion via the plasmalemmal Ca2+ pump and Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, and Ca2+ uptake by the sarcoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria, and the coordinated activities of these Ca2+ handling mechanisms help to create subplasmalemmal Ca2+ domains. Threshold increases in [Ca2+]c form a Ca2+-calmodulin complex, which activates myosin light chain (MLC) kinase, and causes MLC phosphorylation, actin-myosin interaction, and VSM contraction. Dissociations in the relationships between [Ca2+]c, MLC phosphorylation, and force have suggested additional Ca2+ sensitization mechanisms. DAG activates protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms, which directly or indirectly via mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylate the actin-binding proteins calponin and caldesmon and thereby enhance the myofilaments force sensitivity to Ca2+. PKC-mediated phosphorylation of PKC-potentiated phosphatase inhibitor protein-17 (CPI-17), and RhoA-mediated activation of Rho-kinase (ROCK) inhibit MLC phosphatase and in turn increase MLC phosphorylation and VSM contraction. Abnormalities in the Ca2+ handling mechanisms and PKC and ROCK activity have been associated with vascular dysfunction in multiple vascular disorders. Modulators of [Ca2+]c, PKC and ROCK activity could be useful in mitigating the increased vasoconstriction associated with vascular disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhongwei Liu
- Vascular Surgery Research Laboratories, Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Raouf A Khalil
- Vascular Surgery Research Laboratories, Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Sladojevic N, Oh GT, Kim HH, Beaulieu LM, Falet H, Kaminski K, Freedman JE, Liao JK. Decreased thromboembolic stroke but not atherosclerosis or vascular remodelling in mice with ROCK2-deficient platelets. Cardiovasc Res 2018; 113:1307-1317. [PMID: 28430966 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvx071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2016] [Accepted: 04/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Aims Rho-associated coiled-coil containing kinase (ROCK)-2 is an important mediator of the actin cytoskeleton. Because changes in the actin cytoskeleton are critical for platelet function, we hypothesized that ROCK2 in platelets will play important role in thrombosis and can be potentially a target for therapeutic intervention in thromboembolic stroke. Methods and results We generated platelet-specific ROCK2-deficient mice (ROCK2Plt-/-) from conditional ROCK2fl°x/fl°x and platelet factor (PF)-4-Cre transgenic mice. Platelets from ROCK2Plt-/- mice were less responsive to thrombin stimulation in terms of pseudopodia formation, collagen adhesion, and in the formation of homotypic and heterotypic aggregates. This corresponded to prolonged bleeding time and delayed vascular occlusion following vessel injury. To determine whether these changes in platelet function could affect thrombotic disease, we utilized a clot-embolic model of ischaemic stroke. When pre-formed clots from ROCK2Plt-/- mice were injected into the middle cerebral artery of control mice, cerebral blood flow recovery occurred more rapidly, leading to decreased cerebral injury and neurological deficits, compared to pre-formed clots from control mice. Interestingly, pre-formed clots from control mice produced similar degree of cerebral injury when injected into control or ROCK2Plt-/- mice, suggesting that platelet ROCK2 deficiency affects clot formation but not propagation. Indeed, in a non-thrombotic intra-filament MCA occlusion model of stroke, platelet ROCK2 deletion was not protective. Furthermore, ROCK2Plt-/- mice exhibit similar atherosclerosis severity and vascular remodeling as control mice. Conclusion These findings indicate that platelet ROCK2 plays important role in platelet function and thrombosis, but does not contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and vascular remodeling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikola Sladojevic
- Department of Medicine, Section of Cardiology, University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Goo Taeg Oh
- Department of Medicine, Vascular Medicine Research Unit, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 65 Landsdowne Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Department of Life Science, Ewha Womans University, 52 Ewhayeodae-gil, Daehyeon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hyung-Hwan Kim
- Department of Medicine, Vascular Medicine Research Unit, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 65 Landsdowne Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Lea M Beaulieu
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 N. Lake Avenue, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
| | - Hervé Falet
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Karol Kaminski
- Department of Medicine, Vascular Medicine Research Unit, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 65 Landsdowne Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Department of Population Medicine, Medical University of Bialystok, Jana Kilinskiego 1, 15-089, Bialystok, Poland
| | - Jane E Freedman
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 N. Lake Avenue, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
| | - James K Liao
- Department of Medicine, Section of Cardiology, University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.,Department of Medicine, Vascular Medicine Research Unit, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 65 Landsdowne Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| |
Collapse
|