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Hausman-Kedem M, Krishnan P, Dlamini N. Cerebral arteriopathies of childhood and stroke - A focus on systemic arteriopathies and pediatric fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD). Vasc Med 2024; 29:328-341. [PMID: 38898630 PMCID: PMC11188572 DOI: 10.1177/1358863x241254796] [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] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Systemic vascular involvement in children with cerebral arteriopathies is increasingly recognized and often highly morbid. Fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) represents a cerebral arteriopathy with systemic involvement, commonly affecting the renal and carotid arteries. In adults, FMD diagnosis and classification typically relies on angiographic features, like the 'string-of-beads' appearance, following exclusion of other diseases. Pediatric FMD (pFMD) is considered equivalent to adult FMD although robust evidence for similarities is lacking. We conducted a comprehensive literature review on pFMD and revealed inherent differences between pediatric and adult-onset FMD across various domains including epidemiology, natural history, histopathophysiology, clinical, and radiological features. Although focal arterial lesions are often described in children with FMD, the radiological appearance of 'string-of-beads' is highly nonspecific in children. Furthermore, children predominantly exhibit intimal-type fibroplasia, common in other childhood monogenic arteriopathies. Our findings lend support to the notion that pFMD broadly reflects an undefined heterogenous group of monogenic systemic medium-or-large vessel steno-occlusive arteriopathies rather than a single entity. Recognizing the challenges in categorizing complex morphologies of cerebral arteriopathy using current classifications, we propose a novel term for describing children with cerebral and systemic vascular involvement: 'cerebral and systemic arteriopathy of childhood' (CSA-c). This term aims to streamline patient categorization and, when coupled with advanced vascular imaging and high-throughput genomics, will enhance our comprehension of etiology, and accelerate mechanism-targeted therapeutic developments. Lastly, in light of the high morbidity in children with cerebral and systemic arteriopathies, we suggest that investigating for systemic vascular involvement is important in children with cerebral arteriopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moran Hausman-Kedem
- Pediatric Neurology Institute, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Tel Aviv, affiliated to the Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Pradeep Krishnan
- Department of Pediatric Neuroradiology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nomazulu Dlamini
- Division of Neurology, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Neurosciences and Mental Health Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
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2
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Kilanowski-Doroh IM, McNally AB, Wong T, Visniauskas B, Blessinger SA, Sugi AI, Richard C, Diaz Z, Horton A, Natale CA, Ogola BO, Lindsey SH. Ovariectomy-Induced Arterial Stiffening Differs From Vascular Aging and Is Reversed by GPER Activation. Hypertension 2024; 81:e51-e62. [PMID: 38445498 PMCID: PMC11023783 DOI: 10.1161/hypertensionaha.123.22024] [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: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Arterial stiffness is a cardiovascular risk factor and dramatically increases as women transition through menopause. The current study assessed whether a mouse model of menopause increases arterial stiffness in a similar manner to aging and whether activation of the G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor could reverse stiffness. METHODS Female C57Bl/6J mice were ovariectomized at 10 weeks of age or aged to 52 weeks, and some mice were treated with G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor agonists. RESULTS Ovariectomy and aging increased pulse wave velocity to a similar extent independent of changes in blood pressure. Aging increased carotid wall thickness, while ovariectomy increased material stiffness without altering vascular geometry. RNA-sequencing analysis revealed that ovariectomy downregulated smooth muscle contractile genes. The enantiomerically pure G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor agonist, LNS8801, reversed stiffness in ovariectomy mice to a greater degree than the racemic agonist G-1. In summary, ovariectomy and aging induced arterial stiffening via potentially different mechanisms. Aging was associated with inward remodeling, while ovariectomy-induced material stiffness independent of geometry and a loss of the contractile phenotype. CONCLUSIONS This study enhances our understanding of the impact of estrogen loss on vascular health in a murine model and warrants further studies to examine the ability of LNS8801 to improve vascular health in menopausal women.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tristen Wong
- Department of Pharmacology, Tulane School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
| | - Bruna Visniauskas
- Department of Pharmacology, Tulane School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
| | | | | | - Chase Richard
- Department of Pharmacology, Tulane School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
| | - Zaidmara Diaz
- Department of Pharmacology, Tulane School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
| | - Alec Horton
- Department of Pharmacology, Tulane School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
| | | | - Benard O. Ogola
- Vascular Biology Center and Department of Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA
| | - Sarah H. Lindsey
- Department of Pharmacology, Tulane School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
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Yin Z, Zhang J, Zhao M, Peng S, Ye J, Liu J, Xu Y, Xu S, Pan W, Wei C, Qin J, Wan J, Wang M. Maresin-1 ameliorates hypertensive vascular remodeling through its receptor LGR6. MedComm (Beijing) 2024; 5:e491. [PMID: 38463394 PMCID: PMC10924638 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Hypertensive vascular remodeling is defined as the changes in vascular function and structure induced by persistent hypertension. Maresin-1 (MaR1), one of metabolites from Omega-3 fatty acids, has been reported to promote inflammation resolution in several inflammatory diseases. This study aims to investigate the effect of MaR1 on hypertensive vascular remodeling. Here, we found serum MaR1 levels were reduced in hypertensive patients and was negatively correlated with systolic blood pressure (SBP). The treatment of MaR1 reduced the elevation of blood pressure and alleviated vascular remodeling in the angiotensin II (AngII)-infused mouse model. In addition, MaR1-treated vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) exhibited reduced excessive proliferation, migration, and phenotype switching, as well as impaired pyroptosis. However, the knockout of the receptor of MaR1, leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor 6 (LGR6), was seen to aggravate pathological vascular remodeling, which could not be reversed by additional MaR1 treatment. The mechanisms by which MaR1 regulates vascular remodeling through LGR6 involves the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2/heme oxygenase-1 signaling pathway. Overall, supplementing MaR1 may be a novel therapeutic strategy for the prevention and treatment of hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Yin
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Department of Geriatrics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Cardiovascular Research InstituteWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of CardiologyWuhanChina
| | - Jishou Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Department of Geriatrics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Cardiovascular Research InstituteWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of CardiologyWuhanChina
| | - Mengmeng Zhao
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Department of Geriatrics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Cardiovascular Research InstituteWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of CardiologyWuhanChina
| | - Shanshan Peng
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Department of Geriatrics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Cardiovascular Research InstituteWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of CardiologyWuhanChina
| | - Jing Ye
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Department of Geriatrics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Cardiovascular Research InstituteWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of CardiologyWuhanChina
| | - Jianfang Liu
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Department of Geriatrics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Cardiovascular Research InstituteWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of CardiologyWuhanChina
| | - Yao Xu
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Department of Geriatrics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Cardiovascular Research InstituteWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of CardiologyWuhanChina
| | - Shuwan Xu
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Department of Geriatrics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Cardiovascular Research InstituteWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of CardiologyWuhanChina
| | - Wei Pan
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Department of Geriatrics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Cardiovascular Research InstituteWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of CardiologyWuhanChina
| | - Cheng Wei
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Department of Geriatrics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Cardiovascular Research InstituteWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of CardiologyWuhanChina
| | - Juan‐Juan Qin
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Department of Geriatrics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Center for Healthy AgingWuhan University School of NursingWuhanChina
| | - Jun Wan
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Department of Geriatrics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Cardiovascular Research InstituteWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of CardiologyWuhanChina
| | - Menglong Wang
- Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Department of Geriatrics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Cardiovascular Research InstituteWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of CardiologyWuhanChina
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4
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Shen X, Xie X, Wu Q, Shi F, Chen Y, Yuan S, Xing K, Li X, Zhu Q, Li B, Wang Z. S-adenosylmethionine attenuates angiotensin II-induced aortic dissection formation by inhibiting vascular smooth muscle cell phenotypic switch and autophagy. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 219:115967. [PMID: 38065291 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115967] [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: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
It is well known that aortic dissection (AD) is a very aggressive class of vascular diseases. S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) is an autophagy inhibitor with anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative stress effects; however, the role of SAM in AD is unknown. In this study, we constructed an animal model of AD using subcutaneous minipump continuous infusion of AngII-induced ApoE-/-mice and a cytopathic model using AngII-induced primary vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) to investigate the possible role of SAM in AD. The results showed that mice in the AngII + SAM group had significantly lower AD incidence, significantly prolonged survival, and reduced vascular elastic fiber disruption compared with mice in the AngII group. In addition, SAM significantly inhibited autophagy in vivo and in vitro. Meanwhile, SAM also inhibited the cellular phenotypic switch, mainly by up regulating the expression levels of contractile marker proteins [α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and smooth muscle 22α (SM22α)] and down regulating the expression levels of synthetic marker proteins [osteoblast protein (OPN), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9)]. Molecularly, SAM inhibited AD formation mainly by activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Using a PI3K inhibitor (LY294002) significantly reversed the protective effect of SAM in AngII-induced mice and VSMCs.Our study demonstrates the protective effect of SAM on mice under AngII-induced AD for the first time. SAM prevented AD formation mainly by inhibiting cellular phenotypic switch and autophagy, and activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway is a possible molecular mechanism. Thus, SAM may be a novel strategy for the treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Shen
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China; Cardiovascular Surgery Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuhan 430000, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China; Central Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuhan 430000, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoping Xie
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China; Cardiovascular Surgery Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuhan 430000, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China; Central Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuhan 430000, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Qi Wu
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China; Cardiovascular Surgery Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuhan 430000, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China; Central Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuhan 430000, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Feng Shi
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China; Cardiovascular Surgery Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuhan 430000, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China; Central Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuhan 430000, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanyang Chen
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China; Cardiovascular Surgery Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuhan 430000, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China; Central Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuhan 430000, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Shun Yuan
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China; Cardiovascular Surgery Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuhan 430000, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China; Central Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuhan 430000, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Kai Xing
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China; Cardiovascular Surgery Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuhan 430000, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China; Central Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuhan 430000, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xu Li
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China; Cardiovascular Surgery Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuhan 430000, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China; Central Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuhan 430000, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingyi Zhu
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China; Cardiovascular Surgery Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuhan 430000, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China; Central Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuhan 430000, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Bowen Li
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China; Cardiovascular Surgery Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuhan 430000, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China; Central Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuhan 430000, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zhiwei Wang
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China; Cardiovascular Surgery Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuhan 430000, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China; Central Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 Zhangzhidong Road, Wuhan 430000, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China.
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5
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Hu T, Chen X. Role of neutrophil extracellular trap and immune infiltration in atherosclerotic plaque instability: Novel insight from bioinformatics analysis and machine learning. Medicine (Baltimore) 2023; 102:e34918. [PMID: 37747003 PMCID: PMC10519497 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000034918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The instability of atherosclerotic plaques increases the risk of acute coronary syndrome. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), mesh-like complexes consisting of extracellular DNA adorned with various protein substances, have been recently discovered to play an essential role in atherosclerotic plaque formation and development. This study aimed to investigate novel diagnostic biomarkers that can identify unstable plaques for early distinction and prevention of plaque erosion or disruption. Differential expression analysis was used to identify the differentially expressed NET-related genes, and Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses were performed. We filtered the characteristic genes using machine learning and estimated diagnostic efficacy using receiver operating characteristic curves. Immune infiltration was detected using single-sample gene set enrichment analysis and the biological signaling pathways involved in characteristic genes utilizing gene set enrichment analysis were explored. Finally, miRNAs- and transcription factors-target genes networks were established. We identified 8 differentially expressed NET-related genes primarily involved in immune-related pathways. Four were identified as capable of distinguishing unstable plaques. More immune cells infiltrated unstable plaques than stable plaques, and these cells were predominantly positively related to characteristic genes. These 4 diagnostic genes are involved in immune responses and the modulation of smooth muscle contractility. Several miRNAs and transcription factors were predicted as upstream regulatory factors, providing further information on the identification and prevention of atherosclerotic plaques rupture. We identified several promising NET-related genes (AQP9, C5AR1, FPR3, and SIGLEC9) and immune cell subsets that may identify unstable atherosclerotic plaques at an early stage and prevent various complications of plaque disruption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Hu
- Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Xiaomin Chen
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
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6
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Kilanowski-Doroh IM, McNally AB, Wong T, Visniauskas B, Blessinger SA, Imulinde Sugi A, Richard C, Diaz Z, Horton A, Natale CA, Ogola BO, Lindsey SH. Ovariectomy-Induced Arterial Stiffening Differs from Vascular Aging and is Reversed by GPER Activation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.10.552881. [PMID: 37645992 PMCID: PMC10462036 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.10.552881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Arterial stiffness is a cardiovascular risk factor and dramatically increases as women transition through menopause. The current study assessed whether a mouse model of menopause increases arterial stiffness in a similar manner to aging, and whether activation of the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) could reverse stiffness. Female C57Bl/6J mice were ovariectomized (OVX) at 10 weeks of age or aged to 52 weeks, and some mice were treated with GPER agonists. OVX and aging increased pulse wave velocity to a similar extent independent of changes in blood pressure. Aging increased carotid wall thickness, while OVX increased material stiffness without altering vascular geometry. RNA-Seq analysis revealed that OVX downregulated smooth muscle contractile genes. The enantiomerically pure GPER agonist, LNS8801, reversed stiffness in OVX mice to a greater degree than the racemic agonist G-1. In summary, OVX and aging induced arterial stiffening via potentially different mechanisms. Aging was associated with inward remodeling while OVX induced material stiffness independent of geometry and a loss of the contractile phenotype. This study helps to further our understanding of the impact of menopause on vascular health and identifies LNS8801 as a potential therapy to counteract this detrimental process in women.
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7
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Zhao Z, Zhang G, Yang J, Lu R, Hu H. DLEU2 modulates proliferation, migration and invasion of platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB)-induced vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) via miR-212-5p/YWHAZ axis. Cell Cycle 2022; 21:2013-2026. [PMID: 35775826 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2022.2079175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
DLEU2 has been proved to act as an oncogene in a variety of cancers, but its role in cardiovascular diseases is dearth of research. Thus, this study mainly discussed the effect and possible mechanism of DLEU2 on platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB)-triggered vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) injury. To obtain authentic results, the expressions of target genes in atherosclerosis serum were determined by reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and the protein levels were evaluated by Western blot. PDGF-BB was used to simply simulate the biological characteristics of VSMCs in vitro. The effect of DLEU2 on the biological behavior of PDGF-BB-induced VSMCs was analyzed by gain- and loss-of-function assays. Bioinformatics analysis, dual luciferase reporter assay, and Pearson correlation method were conducted to determine the relationship between target genes. The role of DLEU2/miR-212-5p/ YWHAZ (tyrosine 3-monooxygenase/tryptophan 5-monooxygenase activation protein zeta) axis in PDGF-BB-induced VSMCs was verified by rescue experiments. As a result, DLEU2 and YWHAZ were up-regulated, and miR-212-5p was down-regulated in atherosclerosis serum. Overexpressed DLEU2 facilitated the biological behavior of PDGF-BB-induced VSMCs, whilst siDLEU2 did the opposite. Moreover, overexpressed DLEU2 promoted proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression but repressed α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and Calponin expressions, while it also enhanced YWHAZ expression via suppressing miR-212-5p. MiR-212-5p mimic and siYWHAZ reversed the effects of overexpressed DLEU2 on above biological characteristics and protein expressions in PDGF-BB-induced VSMCs, while the regulatory effect of miR-212-5p mimic was partially offset by overexpressed YWHAZ. Collectively, DLEU2 modulates PDGF-BB-induced VSMC injury via miR-212-5p/YWHAZ axis in atherosclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiying Zhao
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
| | - Guangming Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
| | - Rui Lu
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
| | - Haijuan Hu
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
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8
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Meng LB, Xu HX, Shan MJ, Hu GF, Liu LT, Chen YH, Liu YQ, Wang L, Chen Z, Li YJ, Gong T, Liu DP. A Potential Target for Clinical Atherosclerosis: A Novel Insight Derived from TPM2. Aging Dis 2022; 13:373-378. [PMID: 35371599 PMCID: PMC8947840 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2021.0926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Atherosclerosis (AS) is a potential inducer of numerous cardio-cerebrovascular diseases. However, little research has investigated the expression of TPM2 in human atherosclerosis samples. A total of 34 clinical samples were obtained, including 17 atherosclerosis and 17 normal artery samples, between January 2018 and April 2021. Bioinformatics analysis was applied to explore the potential role of TPM2 in atherosclerosis. Immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and western blotting assays were used to detect the expression of TPM2 and α-SMA proteins. The mRNA expression levels of TPM2 and α-SMA were detected using RT-qPCR. A neural network and intima-media thickness model were constructed. A strong relationship existed between the intima-media thickness and relative protein expression of TPM2 (P<0.001, R=-0.579). The expression of TPM2 was lower in atherosclerosis than normal artery (P<0.05). Univariate logistic regression showed that TPM2 (OR=0.150, 95% CI: 0.026-0.868, P=0.034) had clear correlations with atherosclerosis. A neural network model was successfully constructed with a relativity of 0.94434. TPM2 might be an independent protective factor for arteries, and one novel biomarker of atherosclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling-bing Meng
- Department of Cardiology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.,Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
| | - Hong-xuan Xu
- Department of Cardiology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Meng-jie Shan
- Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Department of plastic surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, 100730, China.
| | - Gai-feng Hu
- Department of Cardiology, The First A?liated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
| | - Long-teng Liu
- Department of pathology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Yu-hui Chen
- Department of neurology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Yun-qing Liu
- Department of Cardiology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Li Wang
- Department of neurology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Zuoguan Chen
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.,Correspondence should be addressed to: Dr. De-ping Liu (E-mail: ), Dr. Tao Gong, (), Dr. Yongjun Li (E-mail: ), and Dr. Zuoguan Chen (E-mail: ), Departments of Cardiology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yong-jun Li
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.,Correspondence should be addressed to: Dr. De-ping Liu (E-mail: ), Dr. Tao Gong, (), Dr. Yongjun Li (E-mail: ), and Dr. Zuoguan Chen (E-mail: ), Departments of Cardiology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Gong
- Department of neurology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.,Correspondence should be addressed to: Dr. De-ping Liu (E-mail: ), Dr. Tao Gong, (), Dr. Yongjun Li (E-mail: ), and Dr. Zuoguan Chen (E-mail: ), Departments of Cardiology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - De-ping Liu
- Department of Cardiology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.,Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Correspondence should be addressed to: Dr. De-ping Liu (E-mail: ), Dr. Tao Gong, (), Dr. Yongjun Li (E-mail: ), and Dr. Zuoguan Chen (E-mail: ), Departments of Cardiology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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Zhilong Huoxue Tongyu Capsule Alleviated the Pyroptosis of Vascular Endothelial Cells Induced by ox-LDL through miR-30b-5p/NLRP3. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2022; 2022:3981350. [PMID: 35126599 PMCID: PMC8813228 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3981350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Background Our previous studies have demonstrated a protective role of Zhilong Huoxue Tongyu capsule in atherosclerosis (AS); however, the molecular mechanisms are unclear. Methods Human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs) were induced with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) to obtain cellular AS models. Then, the medicated serum of Zhilong Huoxue Tongyu capsule was obtained and used for treatment with ox-LDL-induced HCAECs. The cell viability was detected by CCK-8 assay. Besides, the binding between miR-30b-5p and NLRP3 was determined by the dual-luciferase reporter gene system assay. Furthermore, ox-LDL-induced HCAECs were transfected with miR-30b-5p mimic or miR-30b-5p inhibitor. The pyroptosis of HCAECs was assessed by flow cytometry, LDH content detection, and qRT-PCR assays. Results 10% medicated serum of Zhilong Huoxue Tongyu capsule was the maximum nontoxic concentration and it was used in subsequent assays. The rate of pyroptosis, LDH content, and the mRNA expression level of pyroptosis-related genes including NLRP3, ASC, Caspase 1, IL-1β, and IL-18 were prominently enhanced after HCAECs were induced by ox-LDL, which were markedly rescued with medicated serum of Zhilong Huoxue Tongyu capsule. In addition, the medicated serum of Zhilong Huoxue Tongyu capsule significantly enhanced the ox-LDL-induced reduction of miR-30b-5p level. NLRP3 could bind to miR-30b-5p and was negatively corrected with miR-30b-5p. Moreover, all the rates of pyroptosis, LDH content, and the mRNA expression levels of pyroptosis-related genes including NLRP3, ASC, Caspase 1, IL-1β, and IL-18 were further observably decreased after ox-LDL-induced HCAECs treated with medicated serum were transfected with miR-30b-5p mimic, while these were significantly rescued with transfection of miR-30b-5p inhibitor. Conclusion Zhilong Huoxue Tongyu capsule alleviated the pyroptosis of vascular endothelial cells induced by ox-LDL through miR-30b-5p/NLRP3.
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Guan X, Xin H, Xu M, Ji J, Li J. The Role and Mechanism of SIRT6 in Regulating Phenotype Transformation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm. COMPUTATIONAL AND MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN MEDICINE 2022; 2022:3200798. [PMID: 35035519 PMCID: PMC8758316 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3200798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Data mining of current gene expression databases has not been previously performed to determine whether sirtuin 6 (SIRT6) expression participates in the pathological process of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). The present study was aimed at investigating the role and mechanism of SIRT6 in regulating phenotype transformation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) in AAA. METHODS Three gene expression microarray datasets of AAA patients in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and one dataset of SIRT6-knockout (KO) mice were selected, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using GEO2R. Furthermore, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses of both the AAA-related DEGs and the SIRT6-related DEGs were conducted. RESULTS GEO2R analysis showed that the expression of SIRT6 was downregulated for three groups and upregulated for one group in the three datasets, and none of them satisfied statistical significance. There were top 5 DEGs (KYNU, NPTX2, SCRG1, GRK5, and RGS5) in both of the human AAA group and SIRT6-KO mouse group. Top 25 ontology of the SIRT6-KO-related DEGs showed that several pathways including tryptophan catabolic process to kynurenine and negative regulation of cell growth were enriched in the tissues of thickness aortic wall biopsies of AAA patients. CONCLUSIONS Although SIRT6 mRNA level itself did not change among AAA patients, SIRT6 may play an important role in regulating several signaling pathways with significant association with AAA, suggesting that SIRT6 mRNA upregulation is a protective factor for VSMC against AAA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomei Guan
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266700, China
| | - Hai Xin
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266700, China
| | - Meiling Xu
- Department of Interventional Operating Room, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266700, China
| | - Jianlei Ji
- Department of Kidney Transplantation, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266700, China
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266700, China
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Ren K, Li B, Liu Z, Xia L, Zhai M, Wei X, Duan W, Yu S. GDF11 prevents the formation of thoracic aortic dissection in mice: Promotion of contractile transition of aortic SMCs. J Cell Mol Med 2021; 25:4623-4636. [PMID: 33764670 PMCID: PMC8107100 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.16312] [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: 08/23/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Thoracic aortic dissection (TAD) is an aortic disease associated with dysregulated extracellular matrix composition and de‐differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Growth Differentiation Factor 11 (GDF11) is a member of transforming growth factor β (TGF‐β) superfamily associated with cardiovascular diseases. The present study attempted to investigate the expression of GDF11 in TAD and its effects on aortic SMC phenotype transition. GDF11 level was found lower in the ascending thoracic aortas of TAD patients than healthy aortas. The mouse model of TAD was established by β‐aminopropionitrile monofumarate (BAPN) combined with angiotensin II (Ang II). The expression of GDF11 was also decreased in thoracic aortic tissues accompanied with increased inflammation, arteriectasis and elastin degradation in TAD mice. Administration of GDF11 mitigated these aortic lesions and improved the survival rate of mice. Exogenous GDF11 and adeno‐associated virus type 2 (AAV‐2)‐mediated GDF11 overexpression increased the expression of contractile proteins including ACTA2, SM22α and myosin heavy chain 11 (MYH11) and decreased synthetic markers including osteopontin and fibronectin 1 (FN1), indicating that GDF11 might inhibit SMC phenotype transition and maintain its contractile state. Moreover, GDF11 inhibited the production of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐2, 3, 9 in aortic SMCs. The canonical TGF‐β (Smad2/3) signalling was enhanced by GDF11, while its inhibition suppressed the inhibitory effects of GDF11 on SMC de‐differentiation and MMP production in vitro. Therefore, we demonstrate that GDF11 may contribute to TAD alleviation via inhibiting inflammation and MMP activity, and promoting the transition of aortic SMCs towards a contractile phenotype, which provides a therapeutic target for TAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Ren
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Buying Li
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhenhua Liu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Lin Xia
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Mengen Zhai
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xufeng Wei
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Weixun Duan
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Shiqiang Yu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
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12
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Boric MP, Durán WN, Figueroa XF. Editorial: Cell Communication in Vascular Biology. Front Physiol 2021; 12:656959. [PMID: 33746785 PMCID: PMC7965979 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.656959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio P Boric
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Walter N Durán
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Xavier F Figueroa
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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13
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Su J, Guo L, Wu C. A mechanoresponsive PINCH-1-Notch2 interaction regulates smooth muscle differentiation of human placental mesenchymal stem cells. Stem Cells 2021; 39:650-668. [PMID: 33529444 DOI: 10.1002/stem.3347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness plays an important role in the decision making process of smooth muscle differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) but the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. Here we show that a signaling axis consisting of PINCH-1 and Notch2 is critically involved in mediating the effect of ECM stiffness on smooth muscle differentiation of MSCs. Notch2 level is markedly increased in ECM stiffness-induced smooth muscle differentiation of human placental MSCs. Knockdown of Notch2 from human placental MSCs effectively inhibits ECM stiffness-induced smooth muscle differentiation, whereas overexpression of North intracellular domain (NICD2) is sufficient to drive human placental MSC differentiation toward smooth muscle cells. At the molecular level, Notch2 directly interacts with PINCH-1. The interaction of Notch2 with PINCH-1 is significantly increased in response to ECM stiffness favoring smooth muscle differentiation. Furthermore, depletion of PINCH-1 from human placental MSCs reduces Notch2 level and consequently suppresses ECM stiffness-induced smooth muscle differentiation. Re-expression of PINCH-1, but not that of a Notch2-binding defective PINCH-1 mutant, in PINCH-1 knockdown human placental MSCs restores smooth muscle differentiation. Finally, overexpression of NICD2 is sufficient to override PINCH-1 deficiency-induced defect in smooth muscle differentiation. Our results identify an ECM stiffness-responsive PINCH-1-Notch2 interaction that is critically involved in ECM stiffness-induced smooth muscle differentiation of human placental MSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Su
- Department of Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cell Microenvironment and Disease Research, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Cell Microenvironment, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
| | - Ling Guo
- Department of Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cell Microenvironment and Disease Research, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Cell Microenvironment, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China.,Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
| | - Chuanyue Wu
- Department of Pathology and the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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14
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Park JK, Jung WB, Yoon JH. Distribution Pattern of Atherosclerosis in the Abdomen and Lower Extremities and Its Association with Clinical and Hematological Factors. Vasc Health Risk Manag 2021; 17:13-21. [PMID: 33488084 PMCID: PMC7814249 DOI: 10.2147/vhrm.s287194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Abdominal arteries differ from the arteries located at the extremities in histological composition and clinical features. This study investigated the distributional pattern of atherosclerosis in arteries of the abdomen and lower extremities and its association with clinical and hematologic factors. Patients and Methods This retrospective study included 227 patients with atherosclerosis who underwent computed tomography angiography (CTA) of the abdomen and lower extremities. The distributional pattern of atherosclerosis was categorized into type 1 (suprainguinal elastic), type 2 (infrainguinal muscular), and type 3 (both arterial involvement). Chi-square tests, Mann-Whitney U-tests, and logistic regression analysis were used to investigate the data. Results Of the 227 patients, 132 (58%) had type 1 and 95 (42%) had type 3 atherosclerosis. None had type 2. Older age, heavier smoking, and higher levels of HbA1c and homocysteine were the significant risk factors for type 3 atherosclerosis (odds ratio: 1.076, 1.023, 1.426, and 1.130, respectively). Patients with type 3 showed significantly lower right and left ankle and toe brachial indices compared to type 1 (P: 0.029, 0.023, 0.003, and <0.001, respectively). Conclusion In arteries of the abdomen and lower extremities, atherosclerosis may occur initially at suprainguinal elastic arteries. In addition, the significant risk factors for type 3 atherosclerosis may contribute to the development of atherosclerosis at infrainguinal muscular arteries and deteriorate the peripheral arterial circulation. Therefore, if atherosclerotic lesions are found at the suprainguinal elastic arteries on CTA, to prevent atherosclerosis at infrainguinal muscular arteries and subsequent peripheral arterial ischemic disease, cessation of smoking and control of blood glucose and homocysteine may be recommended, especially in elderly patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jong Kwon Park
- Department of Surgery, Haeundae Paik Hospital, College of Medicine, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Won Beom Jung
- Department of Surgery, Haeundae Paik Hospital, College of Medicine, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Hee Yoon
- Department of Radiology, Haeundae Paik Hospital, College of Medicine, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea
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15
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Bruijn LE, van den Akker BEWM, van Rhijn CM, Hamming JF, Lindeman JHN. Extreme Diversity of the Human Vascular Mesenchymal Cell Landscape. J Am Heart Assoc 2020; 9:e017094. [PMID: 33190596 PMCID: PMC7763765 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.120.017094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Background Human mesenchymal cells are culprit factors in vascular (patho)physiology and are hallmarked by phenotypic and functional heterogeneity. At present, they are subdivided by classic umbrella terms, such as "fibroblasts," "myofibroblasts," "smooth muscle cells," "fibrocytes," "mesangial cells," and "pericytes." However, a discriminative marker-based subclassification has to date not been established. Methods and Results As a first effort toward a classification scheme, a systematic literature search was performed to identify the most commonly used phenotypical and functional protein markers for characterizing and classifying vascular mesenchymal cell subpopulation(s). We next applied immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence to inventory the expression pattern of identified markers on human aorta specimens representing early, intermediate, and end stages of human atherosclerotic disease. Included markers comprise markers for mesenchymal lineage (vimentin, FSP-1 [fibroblast-specific protein-1]/S100A4, cluster of differentiation (CD) 90/thymocyte differentiation antigen 1, and FAP [fibroblast activation protein]), contractile/non-contractile phenotype (α-smooth muscle actin, smooth muscle myosin heavy chain, and nonmuscle myosin heavy chain), and auxiliary contractile markers (h1-Calponin, h-Caldesmon, Desmin, SM22α [smooth muscle protein 22α], non-muscle myosin heavy chain, smooth muscle myosin heavy chain, Smoothelin-B, α-Tropomyosin, and Telokin) or adhesion proteins (Paxillin and Vinculin). Vimentin classified as the most inclusive lineage marker. Subset markers did not separate along classic lines of smooth muscle cell, myofibroblast, or fibroblast, but showed clear temporal and spatial diversity. Strong indications were found for presence of stem cells/Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal cell Transition and fibrocytes in specific aspects of the human atherosclerotic process. Conclusions This systematic evaluation shows a highly diverse and dynamic landscape for the human vascular mesenchymal cell population that is not captured by the classic nomenclature. Our observations stress the need for a consensus multiparameter subclass designation along the lines of the cluster of differentiation classification for leucocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura E. Bruijn
- Division of Vascular SurgeryDepartment of SurgeryLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenthe Netherlands
| | | | - Connie M. van Rhijn
- Division of Vascular SurgeryDepartment of SurgeryLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenthe Netherlands
| | - Jaap F. Hamming
- Division of Vascular SurgeryDepartment of SurgeryLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenthe Netherlands
| | - Jan H. N. Lindeman
- Division of Vascular SurgeryDepartment of SurgeryLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenthe Netherlands
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16
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Steffes LC, Froistad AA, Andruska A, Boehm M, McGlynn M, Zhang F, Zhang W, Hou D, Tian X, Miquerol L, Nadeau K, Metzger RJ, Spiekerkoetter E, Kumar ME. A Notch3-Marked Subpopulation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Is the Cell of Origin for Occlusive Pulmonary Vascular Lesions. Circulation 2020; 142:1545-1561. [PMID: 32794408 PMCID: PMC7578108 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.120.045750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a fatal disease characterized by profound vascular remodeling in which pulmonary arteries narrow because of medial thickening and occlusion by neointimal lesions, resulting in elevated pulmonary vascular resistance and right heart failure. Therapies targeting the neointima would represent a significant advance in PAH treatment; however, our understanding of the cellular events driving neointima formation, and the molecular pathways that control them, remains limited. METHODS We comprehensively map the stepwise remodeling of pulmonary arteries in a robust, chronic inflammatory mouse model of pulmonary hypertension. This model demonstrates pathological features of the human disease, including increased right ventricular pressures, medial thickening, neointimal lesion formation, elastin breakdown, increased anastomosis within the bronchial circulation, and perivascular inflammation. Using genetic lineage tracing, clonal analysis, multiplexed in situ hybridization, immunostaining, deep confocal imaging, and staged pharmacological inhibition, we define the cell behaviors underlying each stage of vascular remodeling and identify a pathway required for neointima formation. RESULTS Neointima arises from smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and not endothelium. Medial SMCs proliferate broadly to thicken the media, after which a small number of SMCs are selected to establish the neointima. These neointimal founder cells subsequently undergoing massive clonal expansion to form occlusive neointimal lesions. The normal pulmonary artery SMC population is heterogeneous, and we identify a Notch3-marked minority subset of SMCs as the major neointimal cell of origin. Notch signaling is specifically required for the selection of neointimal founder cells, and Notch inhibition significantly improves pulmonary artery pressure in animals with pulmonary hypertension. CONCLUSIONS This work describes the first nongenetically driven murine model of pulmonary hypertension (PH) that generates robust and diffuse occlusive neointimal lesions across the pulmonary vascular bed and does so in a stereotyped timeframe. We uncover distinct cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying medial thickening and neointima formation and highlight novel transcriptional, behavioral, and pathogenic heterogeneity within pulmonary artery SMCs. In this model, inflammation is sufficient to generate characteristic vascular pathologies and physiological measures of human PAH. We hope that identifying the molecular cues regulating each stage of vascular remodeling will open new avenues for therapeutic advancements in the treatment of PAH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lea C Steffes
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Pediatrics (L.C.S., R.J.M., M.E.K.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
- Vera Moulton Wall Center for Pulmonary Vascular Research (L.C.S., F.Z., R.J.M., E.S., M.E.K.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Alexis A Froistad
- Sean N. Parker Center for Asthma and Allergy Research (A.A.F., M.M., W.Z., D.H., K.N., M.E.K.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine (A.A.F., A.A., M.B., M.M., D.H., X.T., K.N., E.S., M.E.K.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Adam Andruska
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine (A.A.F., A.A., M.B., M.M., D.H., X.T., K.N., E.S., M.E.K.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Mario Boehm
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine (A.A.F., A.A., M.B., M.M., D.H., X.T., K.N., E.S., M.E.K.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
- Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, German Center for Lung Research (M.B.)
| | - Madeleine McGlynn
- Sean N. Parker Center for Asthma and Allergy Research (A.A.F., M.M., W.Z., D.H., K.N., M.E.K.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine (A.A.F., A.A., M.B., M.M., D.H., X.T., K.N., E.S., M.E.K.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Fan Zhang
- Vera Moulton Wall Center for Pulmonary Vascular Research (L.C.S., F.Z., R.J.M., E.S., M.E.K.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Wenming Zhang
- Sean N. Parker Center for Asthma and Allergy Research (A.A.F., M.M., W.Z., D.H., K.N., M.E.K.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - David Hou
- Sean N. Parker Center for Asthma and Allergy Research (A.A.F., M.M., W.Z., D.H., K.N., M.E.K.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine (A.A.F., A.A., M.B., M.M., D.H., X.T., K.N., E.S., M.E.K.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Xuefei Tian
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine (A.A.F., A.A., M.B., M.M., D.H., X.T., K.N., E.S., M.E.K.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Lucile Miquerol
- Aix-Marseille University, Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut de Biologie du Developpement de Marseille, Marseille, France (L.M.)
| | - Kari Nadeau
- Sean N. Parker Center for Asthma and Allergy Research (A.A.F., M.M., W.Z., D.H., K.N., M.E.K.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Ross J Metzger
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine (A.A.F., A.A., M.B., M.M., D.H., X.T., K.N., E.S., M.E.K.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Edda Spiekerkoetter
- Vera Moulton Wall Center for Pulmonary Vascular Research (L.C.S., F.Z., R.J.M., E.S., M.E.K.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine (A.A.F., A.A., M.B., M.M., D.H., X.T., K.N., E.S., M.E.K.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Maya E Kumar
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Pediatrics (L.C.S., R.J.M., M.E.K.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
- Vera Moulton Wall Center for Pulmonary Vascular Research (L.C.S., F.Z., R.J.M., E.S., M.E.K.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
- Sean N. Parker Center for Asthma and Allergy Research (A.A.F., M.M., W.Z., D.H., K.N., M.E.K.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine (A.A.F., A.A., M.B., M.M., D.H., X.T., K.N., E.S., M.E.K.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
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Xin C, Chao Z, Xian W, Zhonggao W, Tao L. The phosphorylation of CHK1 at Ser345 regulates the phenotypic switching of vascular smooth muscle cells both in vitro and in vivo. Atherosclerosis 2020; 313:50-59. [PMID: 33027721 DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2020.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Revised: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS DNA damage and repair have been shown to be associated with carotid artery restenosis and atherosclerosis. The proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is the main cause of artery stenosis. This study aims to define the relationship between DNA damage and VSMCs proliferation. METHODS A rat carotid artery injury model was established, and human and rat VSMCs cultured in vitro. H2O2 was used to induce DNA damage in vitro. The selected CHK1 inhibitor, LY2603618, was used to inhibit CHK1 phosphorylation both in vivo and in vitro. γH2AX, αSMA and phosphorylated CHK1 were detected both in rat carotid artery and cultured VSMCs from different groups. Hyperplasia ratio of rat carotid artery intimal was measured. RESULTS DNA double-strand breaks occur in the rat carotid artery after injury. DNA damage induces CHK1 phosphorylation and down-regulates αSMA expression in VSMCs both in vitro and in vivo. The inhibition of CHK1 phosphorylation rescues αSMA expression in VSMCs both in vitro and in vivo, and rat carotid intimal hyperplasia after injury was suppressed. CONCLUSIONS Our data demonstrated that phosphorylation of CHK1 under DNA damage stress modulates VSMCs phenotypic switching. CHK1 inhibition may be a potential therapeutic strategy for intima hyperplasia treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Xin
- General Department of Xuan Wu Hospital Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China; Vascular Surgery Department of Xuan Wu Hospital Capital Medical University, Institute of Vascular Sutgery, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China
| | - Zhang Chao
- Vascular Surgery Department of Xuan Wu Hospital Capital Medical University, Institute of Vascular Sutgery, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China
| | - Wang Xian
- Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Wang Zhonggao
- General Department of Xuan Wu Hospital Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.
| | - Luo Tao
- Vascular Surgery Department of Xuan Wu Hospital Capital Medical University, Institute of Vascular Sutgery, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.
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18
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Strand KA, Lu S, Mutryn MF, Li L, Zhou Q, Enyart BT, Jolly AJ, Dubner AM, Moulton KS, Nemenoff RA, Koch KA, LaBarbera DV, Weiser-Evans MCM. High Throughput Screen Identifies the DNMT1 (DNA Methyltransferase-1) Inhibitor, 5-Azacytidine, as a Potent Inducer of PTEN (Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog): Central Role for PTEN in 5-Azacytidine Protection Against Pathological Vascular Remodeling. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2020; 40:1854-1869. [PMID: 32580634 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.120.314458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Our recent work demonstrates that PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog) is an important regulator of smooth muscle cell (SMC) phenotype. SMC-specific PTEN deletion promotes spontaneous vascular remodeling and PTEN loss correlates with increased atherosclerotic lesion severity in human coronary arteries. In mice, PTEN overexpression reduces plaque area and preserves SMC contractile protein expression in atherosclerosis and blunts Ang II (angiotensin II)-induced pathological vascular remodeling, suggesting that pharmacological PTEN upregulation could be a novel therapeutic approach to treat vascular disease. Approach and Results: To identify novel PTEN activators, we conducted a high-throughput screen using a fluorescence based PTEN promoter-reporter assay. After screening ≈3400 compounds, 11 hit compounds were chosen based on level of activity and mechanism of action. Following in vitro confirmation, we focused on 5-azacytidine, a DNMT1 (DNA methyltransferase-1) inhibitor, for further analysis. In addition to PTEN upregulation, 5-azacytidine treatment increased expression of genes associated with a differentiated SMC phenotype. 5-Azacytidine treatment also maintained contractile gene expression and reduced inflammatory cytokine expression after PDGF (platelet-derived growth factor) stimulation, suggesting 5-azacytidine blocks PDGF-induced SMC de-differentiation. However, these protective effects were lost in PTEN-deficient SMCs. These findings were confirmed in vivo using carotid ligation in SMC-specific PTEN knockout mice treated with 5-azacytidine. In wild type controls, 5-azacytidine reduced neointimal formation and inflammation while maintaining contractile protein expression. In contrast, 5-azacytidine was ineffective in PTEN knockout mice, indicating that the protective effects of 5-azacytidine are mediated through SMC PTEN upregulation. CONCLUSIONS Our data indicates 5-azacytidine upregulates PTEN expression in SMCs, promoting maintenance of SMC differentiation and reducing pathological vascular remodeling in a PTEN-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith A Strand
- From the Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, Department of Medicine (K.A.S., S.L., M.F.M., A.J.J., A.M.D., R.A.N., M.C.M.W.-E.), University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora
| | - Sizhao Lu
- From the Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, Department of Medicine (K.A.S., S.L., M.F.M., A.J.J., A.M.D., R.A.N., M.C.M.W.-E.), University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora
| | - Marie F Mutryn
- From the Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, Department of Medicine (K.A.S., S.L., M.F.M., A.J.J., A.M.D., R.A.N., M.C.M.W.-E.), University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora
| | - Linfeng Li
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (L.L., Q.Z., D.V.L.), University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora
| | - Qiong Zhou
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (L.L., Q.Z., D.V.L.), University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora
| | - Blake T Enyart
- School of Medicine, Consortium for Fibrosis Research & Translation (B.T.E., K.S.M., R.A.N., K.A.K., M.C.M.W.-E.), University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora.,Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine (B.T.E., K.S.M., K.A.K.), University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora
| | - Austin J Jolly
- From the Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, Department of Medicine (K.A.S., S.L., M.F.M., A.J.J., A.M.D., R.A.N., M.C.M.W.-E.), University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora
| | - Allison M Dubner
- From the Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, Department of Medicine (K.A.S., S.L., M.F.M., A.J.J., A.M.D., R.A.N., M.C.M.W.-E.), University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora
| | - Karen S Moulton
- School of Medicine, Consortium for Fibrosis Research & Translation (B.T.E., K.S.M., R.A.N., K.A.K., M.C.M.W.-E.), University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora.,Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine (B.T.E., K.S.M., K.A.K.), University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora
| | - Raphael A Nemenoff
- From the Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, Department of Medicine (K.A.S., S.L., M.F.M., A.J.J., A.M.D., R.A.N., M.C.M.W.-E.), University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora.,School of Medicine, Consortium for Fibrosis Research & Translation (B.T.E., K.S.M., R.A.N., K.A.K., M.C.M.W.-E.), University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora
| | - Keith A Koch
- School of Medicine, Consortium for Fibrosis Research & Translation (B.T.E., K.S.M., R.A.N., K.A.K., M.C.M.W.-E.), University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora.,Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine (B.T.E., K.S.M., K.A.K.), University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora
| | - Daniel V LaBarbera
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (L.L., Q.Z., D.V.L.), University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora
| | - Mary C M Weiser-Evans
- From the Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, Department of Medicine (K.A.S., S.L., M.F.M., A.J.J., A.M.D., R.A.N., M.C.M.W.-E.), University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora.,School of Medicine, Consortium for Fibrosis Research & Translation (B.T.E., K.S.M., R.A.N., K.A.K., M.C.M.W.-E.), University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora
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19
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Wang L, Yao J, Yu T, Zhang D, Qiao X, Yao Z, Wu X, Zhang L, Boström KI, Yao Y. Homeobox D3, A Novel Link Between Bone Morphogenetic Protein 9 and Transforming Growth Factor Beta 1 Signaling. J Mol Biol 2020; 432:2030-2041. [PMID: 32061928 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2020.01.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Several signaling pathways contribute to endothelial-mesenchymal transitions and vascular calcification, including bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) and transforming growth factor (TGF) β signaling. The transcription factor homeobox D3 (Hoxd3) is known to regulate an invasive endothelial phenotype, and the aim of the study is to determine if HOXD3 modulates BMP and TGFβ signaling in the endothelium. METHODS AND RESEARCH We report that the endothelium with high BMP activity due to the loss of BMP inhibitor matrix Gla protein (MGP) shows induction of Hoxd3. HOXD3 is part of a BMP-triggered cascade. When activated by BMP9, activin receptor-like kinase (ALK) 1 induces HOXD3 expression. Hoxd3 promoter is a direct target of phosphorylated (p) SMAD1, a mediator of BMP signaling. High BMP activity further results in enhanced TGFβ signaling due to induction of TGFβ1 and its receptor, ALK5. This is mediated by HOXD3, which directly targets the Tgfb1 promoter. Finally, TGFβ1 and BMP9 stimulate the expression of MGP, which limits the enhanced ALK1 induction by counteracting BMP4. The cascade of BMP9-HOXD3-TGFβ also affects Notch signaling and angiogenesis through induction of Notch ligand Jagged 2 and suppression of Notch ligand delta-like 4 (Dll4). CONCLUSION The results suggest that HOXD3 is a novel link between BMP9/ALK1 and TGFβ1/ALK5 signaling. TRANSLATIONAL PERSPECTIVE BMP and TGFβ signaling are instrumental in vascular disease such as vascular calcification and atherosclerosis. This study demonstrated a novel type of cross talk between endothelial BMP and TGFβ signaling as mediated by HOXD3. The results provide a possible therapeutic approach to control dysfunctional BMP and TGFβ signaling by regulating HOXD3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lumin Wang
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China; Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1679, USA
| | - Jiayi Yao
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1679, USA
| | - Tongtong Yu
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1679, USA; Department of Cardiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Daoqin Zhang
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1679, USA
| | - Xiaojing Qiao
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1679, USA
| | - Zehao Yao
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1679, USA; College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiuju Wu
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1679, USA
| | - Li Zhang
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1679, USA
| | - Kristina I Boström
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1679, USA; The Molecular Biology Institute at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1570, USA.
| | - Yucheng Yao
- Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1679, USA.
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20
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Yi B, Shen Y, Tang H, Wang X, Li B, Zhang Y. Stiffness of Aligned Fibers Regulates the Phenotypic Expression of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:6867-6880. [PMID: 30676736 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b00293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Electrospun uniaxially aligned ultrafine fibers show great promise in constructing vascular grafts mimicking the anisotropic architecture of native blood vessels. However, understanding how the stiffness of aligned fibers would impose influences on the functionality of vascular cells has yet to be explored. The present study aimed to explore the stiffness effects of electrospun aligned fibrous substrates (AFSs) on phenotypic modulation in vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs). A stable jet coaxial electrospinning (SJCES) method was employed to generate highly aligned ultrafine fibers of poly(l-lactide- co-caprolactone)/poly(l-lactic acid) (PLCL/PLLA) in shell-core configuration with a remarkably varying stiffness region from 0.09 to 13.18 N/mm. We found that increasing AFS stiffness had no significant influence on the cellular shape and orientation along the fiber direction with the cultured human umbilical artery SMCs (huaSMCs) but inhibited the cell adhesion rate, promoted cell proliferation and migration, and especially enhanced the F-actin fiber assembly in the huaSMCs. Notably, higher fiber stiffness resulted in significant downregulation of contractile markers like alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), smooth muscle myosin heavy chain, calponin, and desmin, whereas upregulated the gene expression of pathosis-associated osteopontin ( OPN) in the huaSMCs. These results allude to the phenotype of huaSMCs on stiffer AFSs being miserably modulated into a proliferative and pathological state. Consequently, it adversely affected the proliferation and migration behavior of human umbilical vein endothelial cells as well. Moreover, stiffer AFSs also revealed to incur significant upregulation of inflammatory gene expression, such as interleukin-6 ( IL-6), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 ( MCP-1), and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 ( ICAM-1), in the huaSMCs. This study stresses that although electrospun aligned fibers are capable of modulating native-like oriented cell morphology and even desired phenotype realization or transition, they might not always direct cells into correct functionality. The integrated fiber stiffness underlying is thereby a critical parameter to consider in engineering structurally anisotropic tissue-engineered vascular grafts to ultimately achieve long-term patency.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Bin Li
- Department of Orthopaedics , The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University , Suzhou 215006 , China
- Orthopaedic Institute, Medical College , Soochow University , Suzhou 215007 , China
- China Orthopaedic Regenerative Medicine Group (CORMed) , Hangzhou 310058 , China
| | - Yanzhong Zhang
- China Orthopaedic Regenerative Medicine Group (CORMed) , Hangzhou 310058 , China
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21
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Watson MG, Byrne HM, Macaskill C, Myerscough MR. A two-phase model of early fibrous cap formation in atherosclerosis. J Theor Biol 2018; 456:123-136. [PMID: 30098319 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2018.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Revised: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Atherosclerotic plaque growth is characterised by chronic, non-resolving inflammation that promotes the accumulation of cellular debris and extracellular fat in the inner artery wall. This material is highly thrombogenic, and plaque rupture can lead to the formation of blood clots that occlude major arteries and cause myocardial infarction or stroke. In advanced plaques, vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) are recruited from deeper in the artery wall to synthesise a cap of fibrous tissue that stabilises the plaque and sequesters the thrombogenic plaque content from the bloodstream. The fibrous cap provides crucial protection against the clinical consequences of atherosclerosis, but the mechanisms of cap formation are poorly understood. In particular, it is unclear why certain plaques become stable and robust while others become fragile and dangerously vulnerable to rupture. We develop a multiphase model with non-standard boundary conditions to investigate early fibrous cap formation in the atherosclerotic plaque. The model is parameterised using data from a range of in vitro and in vivo studies, and includes highly nonlinear mechanisms of SMC proliferation and migration in response to an endothelium-derived chemical signal. We demonstrate that the model SMC population naturally evolves towards a steady-state, and predict a rate of cap formation and a final plaque SMC content consistent with experimental observations in mice. Parameter sensitivity simulations show that SMC proliferation makes a limited contribution to cap formation, and demonstrate that stable cap formation relies primarily on a critical balance between the rates of SMC recruitment to the plaque, chemotactic SMC migration within the plaque and SMC loss by apoptosis or phenotype change. This model represents the first detailed in silico study of fibrous cap formation in atherosclerosis, and establishes a multiphase modelling framework that can be readily extended to investigate many other aspects of plaque development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Watson
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sydney, Australia.
| | - Helen M Byrne
- Wolfson Centre for Mathematical Biology, Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Charlie Macaskill
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sydney, Australia
| | - Mary R Myerscough
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sydney, Australia
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22
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Huang X, Yue Z, Wu J, Chen J, Wang S, Wu J, Ren L, Zhang A, Deng P, Wang K, Wu C, Ding X, Ye P, Xia J. MicroRNA-21 Knockout Exacerbates Angiotensin II–Induced Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm and Dissection in Mice With Abnormal Transforming Growth Factor-β–SMAD3 Signaling. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2018. [DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.117.310694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Objective—
Thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD) are severe vascular conditions. Dysfunctional transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling in vascular smooth muscle cells and elevated angiotensin II (AngII) levels are implicated in the development of TAAD. In this study, we investigated whether these 2 factors lead to TAAD in a mouse model and explored the possibility of using microRNA-21 (
miR-21
) for the treatment of TAAD.
Approach and Results—
TAAD was developed in
Smad3
(mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 3) heterozygous (S3
+/−
) mice infused with AngII. We found that p-ERK (phosphorylated extracellular regulated protein kinases)– and p-JNK (phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase)–associated
miR-21
was higher in TAAD lesions. We hypothesize that downregulation of
miR-21
mitigate TAAD formation. However,
Smad3
+/−
:miR-21
−/−
(S3
+/−
21
−/−
) mice exhibited conspicuous TAAD formation after AngII infusion. The vascular wall was dilated, and aortic rupture occurred within 23 days during AngII infusion. We then examined canonical and noncanonical TGF-β signaling and found that
miR-21
knockout in S3
+/−
mice increased SMAD7 and suppressed canonical TGF-β signaling. Vascular smooth muscle cells lacking TGF-β signals tended to switch from a contractile to a synthetic phenotype. The silencing of
Smad7
with lentivirus prevented AngII-induced TAAD formation in S3
+/−
21
−/−
mice.
Conclusions—
Our study demonstrated that
miR-21
knockout exacerbated AngII-induced TAAD formation in mice, which was associated with TGF-β signaling dysfunction. Therapeutic strategies targeting TAAD should consider unexpected side effects associated with alterations in TGF-β signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofan Huang
- From the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital (X.H., Z.Y., J.C., J.W., P.D., K.W., C.W., X.D., J.X.)
| | - Zhang Yue
- From the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital (X.H., Z.Y., J.C., J.W., P.D., K.W., C.W., X.D., J.X.)
| | - Jia Wu
- From the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital (X.H., Z.Y., J.C., J.W., P.D., K.W., C.W., X.D., J.X.)
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Diagnosis of Hubei Province, Central Hospital of Wuhan (J.W.)
| | - Jiuling Chen
- From the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital (X.H., Z.Y., J.C., J.W., P.D., K.W., C.W., X.D., J.X.)
| | - Sihua Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Union Hospital (S.W.)
| | - Jie Wu
- Central Laboratory, Central Hospital of Wuhan (J.W.)
| | - Linyun Ren
- Department of Anesthesia, Central Hospital of Wuhan (L.R.), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Anchen Zhang
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Central Hospital of Wuhan (A.Z., P.Y.)
| | - Peng Deng
- From the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital (X.H., Z.Y., J.C., J.W., P.D., K.W., C.W., X.D., J.X.)
| | - Ke Wang
- From the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital (X.H., Z.Y., J.C., J.W., P.D., K.W., C.W., X.D., J.X.)
| | - Chuangyan Wu
- From the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital (X.H., Z.Y., J.C., J.W., P.D., K.W., C.W., X.D., J.X.)
| | - Xiangchao Ding
- From the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital (X.H., Z.Y., J.C., J.W., P.D., K.W., C.W., X.D., J.X.)
| | - Ping Ye
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Central Hospital of Wuhan (A.Z., P.Y.)
| | - Jiahong Xia
- From the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital (X.H., Z.Y., J.C., J.W., P.D., K.W., C.W., X.D., J.X.)
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Central Hospital of Wuhan (J.X.)
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23
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Blunder S, Messner B, Scharinger B, Doppler C, Zeller I, Zierer A, Laufer G, Bernhard D. Targeted gene expression analyses and immunohistology suggest a pro-proliferative state in tricuspid aortic valve-, and senescence and viral infections in bicuspid aortic valve-associated thoracic aortic aneurysms. Atherosclerosis 2018; 271:111-119. [DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2018.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Revised: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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24
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Wu X, Zhang H, Qi W, Zhang Y, Li J, Li Z, Lin Y, Bai X, Liu X, Chen X, Yang H, Xu C, Zhang Y, Yang B. Nicotine promotes atherosclerosis via ROS-NLRP3-mediated endothelial cell pyroptosis. Cell Death Dis 2018; 9:171. [PMID: 29416034 PMCID: PMC5833729 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-017-0257-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 347] [Impact Index Per Article: 57.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Revised: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor for atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that nicotine impairs the cardiovascular system by targeting vascular endothelial cells, but the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. It is known that cell death and inflammation are crucial processes leading to atherosclerosis. We proposed that pyroptosis may be implicated in nicotine-induced atherosclerosis and therefore conducted the present study. We found that nicotine resulted in larger atherosclerotic plaques and secretion of inflammatory cytokines in ApoE−/− mice fed with a high-fat diet (HFD). Treatment of human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) with nicotine resulted in NLRP3-ASC inflammasome activation and pyroptosis, as evidenced by cleavage of caspase-1, production of downstream interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18, and elevation of LDH activity and increase of propidium iodide (PI) positive cells, which were all inhibited by caspase-1 inhibitor. Moreover, silencing NLRP3 or ASC by small interfering RNA efficiently suppressed nicotine-induced caspase-1 cleavage, IL-18 and IL-1β production, and pyroptosis in HAECs. Further experiments revealed that the nicotine-NLRP3-ASC-pyroptosis pathway was activated by reactive oxygen species (ROS), since ROS scavenger (N-acetyl-cysteine, NAC) prevented endothelial cell pyroptosis. We conclude that pyroptosis is likely a cellular mechanism for the pro-atherosclerotic property of nicotine and stimulation of ROS to activate NLRP3 inflammasome is a signaling mechanism for nicotine-induced pyroptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianxian Wu
- Department of Pharmacology (the State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China.,Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) and Comparative Medicine Centre, Peking Union Medical Collage (PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Haiying Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology (the State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Wei Qi
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry and Physical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology (the State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Jiamin Li
- Department of Pharmacology (the State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Zhange Li
- Department of Pharmacology (the State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Yuan Lin
- Department of Pharmacology (the State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Xue Bai
- Department of Pharmacology (the State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Xin Liu
- Department of Pharmacology (the State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Xiaohui Chen
- Department of Pharmacology (the State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Huan Yang
- Department of Pharmacology (the State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Chaoqian Xu
- Department of Pharmacology (the State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology (the State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China. .,Institute of Metabolic Disease, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Science, Harbin, 150086, China.
| | - Baofeng Yang
- Department of Pharmacology (the State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China. .,Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Melbourne School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3010, Australia.
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25
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Nowak WN, Deng J, Ruan XZ, Xu Q. Reactive Oxygen Species Generation and Atherosclerosis. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2017; 37:e41-e52. [DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.117.309228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Witold N. Nowak
- From the Cardiovascular Division, King’s BHF Centre, King’s College London, United Kingdom (W.N.N., J.D., Q.X.); Centre for Nephrology and Urology, Health Science Centre, Shenzhen University, China (X.Z.R.); and Centre for Nephrology, University College London, United Kingdom (X.Z.R.)
| | - Jiacheng Deng
- From the Cardiovascular Division, King’s BHF Centre, King’s College London, United Kingdom (W.N.N., J.D., Q.X.); Centre for Nephrology and Urology, Health Science Centre, Shenzhen University, China (X.Z.R.); and Centre for Nephrology, University College London, United Kingdom (X.Z.R.)
| | - Xiong Z. Ruan
- From the Cardiovascular Division, King’s BHF Centre, King’s College London, United Kingdom (W.N.N., J.D., Q.X.); Centre for Nephrology and Urology, Health Science Centre, Shenzhen University, China (X.Z.R.); and Centre for Nephrology, University College London, United Kingdom (X.Z.R.)
| | - Qingbo Xu
- From the Cardiovascular Division, King’s BHF Centre, King’s College London, United Kingdom (W.N.N., J.D., Q.X.); Centre for Nephrology and Urology, Health Science Centre, Shenzhen University, China (X.Z.R.); and Centre for Nephrology, University College London, United Kingdom (X.Z.R.)
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26
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Verzola D, Milanesi S, Bertolotto M, Garibaldi S, Villaggio B, Brunelli C, Balbi M, Ameri P, Montecucco F, Palombo D, Ghigliotti G, Garibotto G, Lindeman JH, Barisione C. Myostatin mediates abdominal aortic atherosclerosis progression by inducing vascular smooth muscle cell dysfunction and monocyte recruitment. Sci Rep 2017; 7:46362. [PMID: 28406165 PMCID: PMC5390310 DOI: 10.1038/srep46362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Myostatin (Mstn) is a skeletal muscle growth inhibitor involved in metabolic disorders and heart fibrosis. In this study we sought to verify whether Mstn is also operative in atherosclerosis of abdominal aorta. In human specimens, Mstn expression was almost absent in normal vessels, became detectable in the media of non-progressive lesions and increased with the severity of the damage. In progressive atherosclerotic lesions, Mstn was present in the media, neointima, plaque shoulder and in infiltrating macrophages. Mstn co-localized with α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) staining and with some CD45+ cells, indicating Mstn expression in VSMCs and bloodstream-derived leukocytes. In vitro, Mstn was tested in VSMCs and monocytes. In A7r5 VSMCs, Mstn downregulated proliferation and Smoothelin mRNA, induced cytoskeletal rearrangement, increased migratory rate and MCP-1/CCR2 expression. In monocytes (THP-1 cells and human monocytes), Mstn acted as a chemoattractant and increased the MCP-1-dependent chemotaxis, F-actin, α-SMA, MCP-1 and CCR2 expression; in turn, MCP-1 increased Mstn mRNA. Mstn induced JNK phosphorylation both in VSMCs and monocytes. Our results indicate that Mstn is overexpressed in abdominal aortic wall deterioration, affects VSMCs and monocyte biology and sustains a chronic inflammatory milieu. These findings propose to consider Mstn as a new playmaker in atherosclerosis progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Verzola
- Nephrology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS University Hospital San Martino, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - S Milanesi
- Nephrology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS University Hospital San Martino, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - M Bertolotto
- First Clinic of Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, viale Benedetto XV, 6, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - S Garibaldi
- Division of Cardiology, IRCCS University Hospital San Martino, Research Centre of Cardiovascular Biology, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - B Villaggio
- Nephrology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS University Hospital San Martino, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - C Brunelli
- Division of Cardiology, IRCCS University Hospital San Martino, Research Centre of Cardiovascular Biology, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - M Balbi
- Division of Cardiology, IRCCS University Hospital San Martino, Research Centre of Cardiovascular Biology, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - P Ameri
- Division of Cardiology, IRCCS University Hospital San Martino, Research Centre of Cardiovascular Biology, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - F Montecucco
- First Clinic of Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, viale Benedetto XV, 6, 16132 Genova, Italy.,IRCCS AOU San Martino-IST, Genova, largo Benzi 10 16143 Genova, Italy
| | - D Palombo
- Unit of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - G Ghigliotti
- Division of Cardiology, IRCCS University Hospital San Martino, Research Centre of Cardiovascular Biology, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - G Garibotto
- Nephrology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS University Hospital San Martino, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - J H Lindeman
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - C Barisione
- Division of Cardiology, IRCCS University Hospital San Martino, Research Centre of Cardiovascular Biology, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
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