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Mangum KD, Li Q, Bauer TM, Wolf SJ, Shadiow J, Moon JY, Barrett EC, Joshi AD, Ahmed Z, Wasikowski R, Boyer K, Obi AT, Davis FM, Chang L, Tsoi LC, Gudjonsson J, Gallagher KA. Epigenetic Alteration of Smooth Muscle Cells Regulates Endothelin-Dependent Blood Pressure and Hypertensive Arterial Remodeling. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.07.09.24310178. [PMID: 39040193 PMCID: PMC11261912 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.09.24310178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
Long-standing hypertension (HTN) affects multiple organ systems and leads to pathologic arterial remodeling, which is driven largely by smooth muscle cell (SMC) plasticity. Although genome wide association studies (GWAS) have identified numerous variants associated with changes in blood pressure in humans, only a small percentage of these variants actually cause HTN. In order to identify relevant genes important in SMC function in HTN, we screened three separate human GWAS and Mendelian randomization studies to identify SNPs located within non-coding gene regions, focusing on genes encoding epigenetic enzymes, as these have been recently identified to control SMC fate in cardiovascular disease. We identified SNPs rs62059712 and rs74480102 in the promoter of the human JMJD3 gene and show that the minor C allele increases JMJD3 transcription in SMCs via increased SP1 binding to the JMJD3 promoter. Using our novel SMC-specific Jmjd3-deficient murine model ( Jmjd3 flox/flox Myh11 CreERT ), we show that loss of Jmjd3 in SMCs results in HTN, mechanistically, due to decreased EDNRB expression and a compensatory increase in EDNRA expression. As a translational corollary, through single cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) of human arteries, we found strong correlation between JMJD3 and EDNRB expression in SMCs. Further, we identified that JMJD3 is required for SMC-specific gene expression, and loss of JMJD3 in SMCs in the setting of HTN results in increased arterial remodeling by promoting the SMC synthetic phenotype. Our findings link a HTN-associated human DNA variant with regulation of SMC plasticity, revealing therapeutic targets that may be used in the screening and/or personalized treatment of HTN.
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Ali MK, Zhao L, de Jesus Perez V, Nicolls MR, Spiekerkoetter EF. Decreasing ELK3 expression improves Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptor 2 signaling and pulmonary vascular cell function in PAH. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.14.524023. [PMID: 36711443 PMCID: PMC9882174 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.14.524023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
ELK3 is upregulated in blood and pulmonary vascular cells of PAH patients and may play a significant role in PAH potentially through modulating BMPR2 signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Khadem Ali
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Vera Moulton Wall Center for Pulmonary Vascular Disease, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Lan Zhao
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Vera Moulton Wall Center for Pulmonary Vascular Disease, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Vinicio de Jesus Perez
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Vera Moulton Wall Center for Pulmonary Vascular Disease, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Mark R. Nicolls
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Vera Moulton Wall Center for Pulmonary Vascular Disease, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Edda F. Spiekerkoetter
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Vera Moulton Wall Center for Pulmonary Vascular Disease, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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Liu L, Rippe C, Hansson O, Kryvokhyzha D, Fisher S, Ekman M, Swärd K. Regulation of the Muscarinic M 3 Receptor by Myocardin-Related Transcription Factors. Front Physiol 2021; 12:710968. [PMID: 34539433 PMCID: PMC8446542 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.710968] [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: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Myocardin-related transcription factors (MRTFs: myocardin/MYOCD, MRTF-A/MRTFA, and MRTF-B/MRTFB) are co-factors of serum response factor (SRF) that activate the smooth muscle cell (SMC) gene program and that play roles in cardiovascular development and mechanobiology. Gain and loss of function experiments have defined the SMC gene program under control of MRTFs, yet full understanding of their impact is lacking. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that the muscarinic M3 receptor (CHRM3) is regulated by MRTFs together with SRF. Forced expression of MYOCD (8d) in human coronary artery (SMC) followed by RNA-sequencing showed increased levels of M2, M3, and M5 receptors (CHRM2: 2-fold, CHRM3: 16-fold, and CHRM5: 2-fold). The effect of MYOCD on M3 was confirmed by RT-qPCR using both coronary artery and urinary bladder SMCs, and correlation analyses using human transcriptomic datasets suggested that M3 may also be regulated by MRTF-B. Head-to-head comparisons of MYOCD, MRTF-A and MRTF-B, argued that while all MRTFs are effective, MRTF-B is the most powerful transactivator of CHRM3, causing a 600-fold increase at 120h. Accordingly, MRTF-B conferred responsiveness to the muscarinic agonist carbachol in Ca2+ imaging experiments. M3 was suppressed on treatment with the MRTF-SRF inhibitor CCG-1423 using SMCs transduced with either MRTF-A or MRTF-B and using intact mouse esophagus in culture (by 92±2%). Moreover, silencing of SRF with a short hairpin reduced CHRM3 (by >60%) in parallel with α-actin (ACTA2). Tamoxifen inducible knockout of Srf in smooth muscle reduced Srf (by 54±4%) and Chrm3 (by 41±6%) in the urinary bladder at 10days, but Srf was much less reduced or unchanged in aorta, ileum, colon, trachea, and esophagus. Longer induction (21d) further accentuated the reduction of Chrm3 in the bladder and ileum, but no change was seen in the aorta. Single cell RNA-sequencing revealed that Mrtfb dominates in ECs, while Myocd dominates in SMCs, raising the possibility that Chrm3 may be driven by Mrtfb-Srf in the endothelium and by Myocd-Srf in SMCs. These findings define a novel transcriptional control mechanism for muscarinic M3 receptors in human cells, and in mice, that could be targeted for therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Liu
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund, Sweden.,Department of Urology, Qingyuan People's Hospital, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan, China
| | - Catarina Rippe
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund, Sweden
| | - Ola Hansson
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University Diabetes Centre, Malmö, Sweden.,Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), Helsinki University, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Dmytro Kryvokhyzha
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University Diabetes Centre, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Steven Fisher
- Department of Medicine (Cardiology) and Physiology and Biophysics, University of Maryland-Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Mari Ekman
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund, Sweden
| | - Karl Swärd
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund, Sweden
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Yang Q, Shi W. Rho/ROCK-MYOCD in regulating airway smooth muscle growth and remodeling. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2021; 321:L1-L5. [PMID: 33909498 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00034.2021] [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] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal airway remodeling is a common pathological change seen in chronic respiratory diseases. Altered proliferation and differentiation of airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs) are the major components of airway remodeling, and the resultant structural abnormalities are difficult to restore. Understanding of airway smooth muscle regulation is urgently needed to identify potential intervention targets. MYOCD (or myocardin) and myocardin-related transcription factors (MRTFs) are key cotranscription factors in muscle growth, which have not been extensively investigated in airway smooth muscle cells. In addition, the RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway is known to play an important role in airway remodeling partly through regulating the proliferation and differentiation of ASMCs, which may be connected with MYOCD/MRTF cotranscription factors [Kumawat et al. (Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 311: L529-L537, 2016); Lagna et al. (J Biol Chem 282: 37244-37255, 2007)]. This review focuses on this newly recognized and potentially important RhoA/ROCK-MYOCD/MRTFs pathway in controlling airway smooth muscle growth and remodeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Yang
- Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.,Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Shi
- Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
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Rippe C, Morén B, Liu L, Stenkula KG, Mustaniemi J, Wennström M, Swärd K. NG2/CSPG4, CD146/MCAM and VAP1/AOC3 are regulated by myocardin-related transcription factors in smooth muscle cells. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5955. [PMID: 33727640 PMCID: PMC7966398 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85335-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The present work addressed the hypothesis that NG2/CSPG4, CD146/MCAM, and VAP1/AOC3 are target genes of myocardin-related transcription factors (MRTFs: myocardin/MYOCD, MRTF-A/MKL1, MRTF-B/MKL2) and serum response factor (SRF). Using a bioinformatics approach, we found that CSPG4, MCAM, and AOC3 correlate with MYOCD, MRTF-A/MKL1, and SRF across human tissues. No other transcription factor correlated as strongly with these transcripts as SRF. Overexpression of MRTFs increased both mRNA and protein levels of CSPG4, MCAM, and AOC3 in cultured human smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Imaging confirmed increased staining for CSPG4, MCAM, and AOC3 in MRTF-A/MKL1-transduced cells. MRTFs exert their effects through SRF, and the MCAM and AOC3 gene loci contained binding sites for SRF. SRF silencing reduced the transcript levels of these genes, and time-courses of induction paralleled the direct target ACTA2. MRTF-A/MKL1 increased the activity of promoter reporters for MCAM and AOC3, and transcriptional activation further depended on the chromatin remodeling enzyme KDM3A. CSPG4, MCAM, and AOC3 responded to the MRTF-SRF inhibitor CCG-1423, to actin dynamics, and to ternary complex factors. Coincidental detection of these proteins should reflect MRTF-SRF activity, and beyond SMCs, we observed co-expression of CD146/MCAM, NG2/CSPG4, and VAP1/AOC3 in pericytes and endothelial cells in the human brain. This work identifies highly responsive vascular target genes of MRTF-SRF signaling that are regulated via a mechanism involving KDM3A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catarina Rippe
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, BMC D12, Lund University, 22184, Lund, Sweden
| | - Björn Morén
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, BMC D12, Lund University, 22184, Lund, Sweden
| | - Li Liu
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, BMC D12, Lund University, 22184, Lund, Sweden.,Department of Urology, Qingyuan People's Hospital, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan, China
| | - Karin G Stenkula
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, BMC D12, Lund University, 22184, Lund, Sweden
| | - Johan Mustaniemi
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, BMC D12, Lund University, 22184, Lund, Sweden
| | - Malin Wennström
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmö, Lund University, 221 84, Lund, Sweden
| | - Karl Swärd
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, BMC D12, Lund University, 22184, Lund, Sweden.
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Skovsted GF, Tveden-Nyborg P, Lykkesfeldt J. Expression of endothelin type B receptors in uterine artery smooth muscle cells from pregnant Guinea pigs. Placenta 2019; 77:8-15. [PMID: 30827357 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2019.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/19/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION It is well established that upregulation of endothelin type B (ETB) receptors in vascular smooth muscle cells plays a role in pathophysiological artery remodeling as response to ischemia and atherosclerosis. This study aimed to investigate the ETB receptors function and localization under normal physiological remodeling. Specifically, in the guinea pig uterine arteries during pregnancy. METHODS Uterine artery contractility was assessed with sarafotoxin 6c and endothelin-1 in wire-myography in uterine arteries from non-pregnant and pregnant guinea pigs at gestational day 37 ± 5. Localization of ETB receptors, proliferation marker Ki-67, and SMC differentiation marker SM22α in uterine arteries were investigated with immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Uterine arteries from pregnant guinea pigs showed significantly increased ETB receptor-mediated vasoconstriction compared to uterine arteries from non-pregnant and to coronary arteries from pregnant guinea pigs (p < 0.001), suggesting that ETB-receptor upregulation in uterine artery SMCs is a normal physiological mechanism taking place during remodeling. Furthermore, uterine arteries from pregnant guinea pigs showed enhanced expression of ETB receptors, high density of Ki-67 positive SMCs and sparse SM22α staining in SMCs localized in the outer layer of the vessel wall. DISCUSSION Our results suggest that ETB receptors are expressed in dedifferentiated proliferating SMCs of uterine arteries in pregnant guinea pigs. This study provides novel insight into the function and expression of ETB receptors in uterine vascular remodeling during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gry Freja Skovsted
- University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences, Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Section of Experimental Animal Models, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Ridebanevej 9 - 1st Floor, DK-1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
| | - Pernille Tveden-Nyborg
- University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences, Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Section of Experimental Animal Models, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Ridebanevej 9 - 1st Floor, DK-1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Jens Lykkesfeldt
- University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences, Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Section of Experimental Animal Models, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Ridebanevej 9 - 1st Floor, DK-1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
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