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Wu Z, Zhao Z, Li Y, Wang C, Cheng C, Li H, Zhao M, Li J, Law Wen Xin E, Zhang N, Zhao Y, Yang X. Identification of key genes and immune infiltration in peripheral blood biomarker analysis of delayed cerebral ischemia: Valproic acid as a potential therapeutic drug. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 137:112408. [PMID: 38897129 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.112408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) is a common and serious complication of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Its pathogenesis is not fully understood. Here, we developed a predictive model based on peripheral blood biomarkers and validated the model using several bioinformatic multi-analysis methods. METHODS Six datasets were obtained from the GEO database. Characteristic genes were screened using weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) and differentially expressed genes. Three machine learning algorithms, elastic networks-LASSO, support vector machines (SVM-RFE) and random forests (RF), were also used to construct diagnostic prediction models for key genes. To further evaluate the performance and predictive value of the diagnostic models, nomogram model were constructed, and the clinical value of the models was assessed using Decision Curve Analysis (DCA), Area Under the Check Curve (AUC), Clinical Impact Curve (CIC), and validated in the mouse single-cell RNA-seq dataset. Mendelian randomization(MR) analysis explored the causal relationship between SAH and stroke, and the intermediate influencing factors. We validated this by retrospectively analyzing the qPCR levels of the most relevant genes in SAH and SAH-DCI patients. This experiment demonstrated a statistically significant difference between SAH and SAH-DCI and normal group controls. Finally, potential small molecule compounds interacting with the selected features were screened from the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD). RESULTS The fGSEA results showed that activation of Toll-like receptor signaling and leukocyte transendothelial cell migration pathways were positively correlated with the DCI phenotype, whereas cytokine signaling pathways and natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity were negatively correlated. Consensus feature selection of DEG genes using WGCNA and three machine learning algorithms resulted in the identification of six genes (SPOCK2, TRRAP, CIB1, BCL11B, PDZD8 and LAT), which were used to predict DCI diagnosis with high accuracy. Three external datasets and the mouse single-cell dataset showed high accuracy of the diagnostic model, in addition to high performance and predictive value of the diagnostic model in DCA and CIC. MR analysis looked at stroke after SAH independent of SAH, but associated with multiple intermediate factors including Hypertensive diseases, Total triglycerides levels in medium HDL and Platelet count. qPCR confirmed that significant differences in DCI signature genes were observed between the SAH and SAH-DCI groups. Finally, valproic acid became a potential therapeutic agent for DCI based on the results of target prediction and molecular docking of the characterized genes. CONCLUSION This diagnostic model can identify SAH patients at high risk for DCI and may provide potential mechanisms and therapeutic targets for DCI. Valproic acid may be an important future drug for the treatment of DCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuolin Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Neurological Institute, Key Laboratory of Post-Neuroinjury Neuro-Repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education and Tianjin City, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Zilin Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Neurological Institute, Key Laboratory of Post-Neuroinjury Neuro-Repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education and Tianjin City, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Neurological Institute, Key Laboratory of Post-Neuroinjury Neuro-Repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education and Tianjin City, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Cong Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Neurological Institute, Key Laboratory of Post-Neuroinjury Neuro-Repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education and Tianjin City, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Chunchao Cheng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Neurological Institute, Key Laboratory of Post-Neuroinjury Neuro-Repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education and Tianjin City, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Hongwen Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Neurological Institute, Key Laboratory of Post-Neuroinjury Neuro-Repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education and Tianjin City, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Mingyu Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Neurological Institute, Key Laboratory of Post-Neuroinjury Neuro-Repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education and Tianjin City, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Jia Li
- Neurosurgery Third Department, Baoding NO.1 Central Hospital, 320 Changcheng North Street, Baoding City, Hebei Province, China
| | - Elethea Law Wen Xin
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Neurological Institute, Key Laboratory of Post-Neuroinjury Neuro-Repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education and Tianjin City, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Nai Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Neurological Institute, Key Laboratory of Post-Neuroinjury Neuro-Repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education and Tianjin City, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Neurological Institute, Key Laboratory of Post-Neuroinjury Neuro-Repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education and Tianjin City, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
| | - Xinyu Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Neurological Institute, Key Laboratory of Post-Neuroinjury Neuro-Repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education and Tianjin City, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
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Li X, Zhang J, Zhang H, Ren J, Cao H, Xu Y, Zhang D, Duan H. Association between BCL11B gene polymorphisms and age-related hearing loss in the elderly: A case-control study in Qingdao, China. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0304770. [PMID: 38829888 PMCID: PMC11146697 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Age-related hearing loss is a complex disease caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, and a study have conducted animal experiments to explore the association between BCL11B heterozygosity and age-related hearing loss. The present study used established genetic models to examine the association between BCL11B gene polymorphisms and age-related hearing loss. A total of 410 older adults from two communities in Qingdao, China, participated in this study. The case group comprised individuals aged ≥ 60 years with age-related hearing loss, and the control group comprised individuals without age-related hearing loss from the same communities. The groups were matched 1:1 for age and sex. The individual characteristics of the participants were analyzed descriptively using the Mann-Whitney U test and the chi-square test. To explore the association between BCL11B gene polymorphisms and age-related hearing loss, conditional logistic regression was performed to construct genetic models for two single-nucleotide-polymorphisms (SNPs) of BCL11B, and haplotype analysis was conducted to construct their haplotype domains. Two SNP sites of the BCL11B gene, four genetic models of rs1152781 (additive, dominant, recessive, and codominant), and five genetic models of rs1152783 (additive, dominant, recessive, codominant, and over dominant) were significantly associated with age-related hearing loss in the models both unadjusted and adjusted for all covariates (P < 0.05). Additionally, a linkage disequilibrium between rs1152781 and rs1152783 was revealed through haplotype analysis. Our study revealed that BCL11B gene polymorphisms were significantly associated with age-related hearing loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Public Health College, Qingdao University, Laoshan District, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Jingkai Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Public Health College, Qingdao University, Laoshan District, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Hua Zhang
- Qingdao Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shibei District, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Jifeng Ren
- Shandong Provincial Chronic Disease Hospital, Shinan District, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Hainan Cao
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Shinan District, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Yaoyao Xu
- School of Public Health, Weifang Medical University, Weicheng District, Weifang, Shandong, China
| | - Dongfeng Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Public Health College, Qingdao University, Laoshan District, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Haiping Duan
- Qingdao Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shibei District, Qingdao, Shandong, China
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Stevenson AW, Cadby G, Wallace HJ, Melton PE, Martin LJ, Wood FM, Fear MW. Genetic influence on scar vascularity after burn injury in individuals of European ancestry: A prospective cohort study. Burns 2024:S0305-4179(24)00146-3. [PMID: 38902133 DOI: 10.1016/j.burns.2024.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
After burn injury there is considerable variation in scar outcome, partially due to genetic factors. Scar vascularity is one characteristic that varies between individuals, and this study aimed to identify genetic variants contributing to different scar vascularity outcomes. An exome-wide array association study and gene pathway analysis was performed on a prospective cohort of 665 patients of European ancestry treated for burn injury, using their scar vascularity (SV) sub-score, part of the modified Vancouver Scar Scale (mVSS), as an outcome measure. DNA was genotyped using the Infinium HumanCoreExome-24 BeadChip, imputed to the Haplotype Reference Consortium panel. Associations between genetic variants (single nucleotide polymorphisms) and SV were estimated using an additive genetic model adjusting for sex, age, % total body surface area and number of surgical procedures, utilising linear and multinomial logistic regression. No individual genetic variants achieved the cut-off threshold for significance. Gene sets were also analysed using the Functional Mapping and Annotation (FUMA) platform, in which biological processes indirectly related to angiogenesis were significantly represented. This study suggests that SNPs in genes associated with angiogenesis may influence SV, but further studies with larger datasets are essential to validate these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew W Stevenson
- Burn Injury Research Unit, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia.
| | - Gemma Cadby
- School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Hilary J Wallace
- School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Phillip E Melton
- School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia; Menzies Research Institute, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Lisa J Martin
- Burn Injury Research Unit, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia; Burns Service of Western Australia, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children and Fiona Stanley Hospital, Perth, Australia
| | - Fiona M Wood
- Burn Injury Research Unit, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia; Burns Service of Western Australia, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children and Fiona Stanley Hospital, Perth, Australia
| | - Mark W Fear
- Burn Injury Research Unit, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
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Luft FC. Calcineurin inhibition, cardiovascular consequences, vascular resistance, and potential responses. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2024; 240:e14084. [PMID: 38214031 DOI: 10.1111/apha.14084] [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: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
AIM To place the consequences of calcineurin inhibition in a cardiovascular context. METHODS Literature review coupled with personal encounters. RESULTS Calcineurin is a calcium-binding and calmodulin-binding protein that is conserved across evolution from yeast to mammals. The enzyme functions as a calcium-dependent, calmodulin-stimulated protein phosphatase. Its role in regulating physiology has largely been elucidated by observing calcineurin inhibition. Calcineurin inhibition transformed organ transplantation from an experiment into a therapy and made much of general immunotherapy possible. The function of this phosphatase and how its inhibition leads to toxicity concern us to this date. Initial research from patients and animal models implicated a panoply of factors contributing to hypertension and vasculopathy. Subsequently, the role of calcineurin in regulating the effective fluid volume, sodium reabsorption, and potassium and hydrogen ion excretion was elucidated by investigating calcineurin inhibition. Understanding the regulatory effects of calcineurin on endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cell function has also made substantial progress. However, precisely how the increase in systemic vascular resistance arises requires further mechanistic research. CONCLUSION Calcineurin inhibition continues to save lives; however, options to counteract the negative effects of calcineurin inhibition should be vigorously pursued.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friedrich C Luft
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a cooperation between the Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and the Charité Medical Faculty, Berlin, Germany
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5
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Nolze A, Matern S, Grossmann C. Calcineurin Is a Universal Regulator of Vessel Function-Focus on Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells. Cells 2023; 12:2269. [PMID: 37759492 PMCID: PMC10528183 DOI: 10.3390/cells12182269] [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: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Calcineurin, a serine/threonine phosphatase regulating transcription factors like NFaT and CREB, is well known for its immune modulatory effects and role in cardiac hypertrophy. Results from experiments with calcineurin knockout animals and calcineurin inhibitors indicate that calcineurin also plays a crucial role in vascular function, especially in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). In the aorta, calcineurin stimulates the proliferation and migration of VSMCs in response to vascular injury or angiotensin II administration, leading to pathological vessel wall thickening. In the heart, calcineurin mediates coronary artery formation and VSMC differentiation, which are crucial for proper heart development. In pulmonary VSMCs, calcineurin/NFaT signaling regulates the release of Ca2+, resulting in increased vascular tone followed by pulmonary arterial hypertension. In renal VSMCs, calcineurin regulates extracellular matrix secretion promoting fibrosis development. In the mesenteric and cerebral arteries, calcineurin mediates a phenotypic switch of VSMCs leading to altered cell function. Gaining deeper insights into the underlying mechanisms of calcineurin signaling will help researchers to understand developmental and pathogenetical aspects of the vasculature. In this review, we provide an overview of the physiological function and pathophysiology of calcineurin in the vascular system with a focus on vascular smooth muscle cells in different organs. Overall, there are indications that under certain pathological settings reduced calcineurin activity seems to be beneficial for cardiovascular health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Claudia Grossmann
- Julius Bernstein Institute of Physiology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06112 Halle (Saale), Germany
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Zhang CL, Zhang J, Tuersuntuoheti M, Chang Q, Liu S. Population structure, genetic diversity and prolificacy in pishan red sheep under an extreme desert environment. Front Genet 2023; 14:1092066. [PMID: 37113996 PMCID: PMC10126422 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1092066] [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: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Extreme environmental conditions are a major challenge for livestock production. Changes in climate conditions, especially those that lead to extreme weather, can reduce livestock production. The screening of genes and molecular markers is of great significance to explore the genetic mechanism of sheep prolificacy traits in Taklimakan Desert environment. We selected healthy adult Pishan Red Sheep (PRS) and Qira Black Sheep (QR) which live in Taklimakan Desert environment, collected blood from jugular vein, extracted DNA, and prepared Illumina Ovine SNP50 chip. For PRS, linkage disequilibrium (LD) was calculated using the ovine SNP50 Beadchip and the effective population size (Ne) was estimated using SMC++. The genetic characteristics of PRS were analyzed by integrated haplotype score (iHS) and fixation index (F ST ). The result showed that r 2 of PRS was 0.233 ± 0.280 in the range of 0-10 Kb and decreased with increasing distances. SMC++ tested that the Ne of PRS remained at 236.99 in recent generations. 184 genes were screened out under iHS 1% threshold, and 1148 genes were screened out with F ST under the 5% threshold, and 29 genes were obtained from the intersection of the two gene sets. In this study, the genetic characteristics of PRS and QR were compared by ovine genome chip, and the related excellent genes were searched, providing reference for the protection of sheep germplasm resources and molecular breeding in a desert environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-long Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar, China
- Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Alar, China
| | - Jihu Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar, China
- Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Alar, China
| | - Mirenisa Tuersuntuoheti
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar, China
- Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Alar, China
| | - Qianqian Chang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar, China
- Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Alar, China
| | - Shudong Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar, China
- Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Alar, China
- *Correspondence: Shudong Liu,
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Yadunandanan Nair N, Samuel V, Ramesh L, Marib A, David DT, Sundararaman A. Actin cytoskeleton in angiogenesis. Biol Open 2022; 11:bio058899. [PMID: 36444960 PMCID: PMC9729668 DOI: 10.1242/bio.058899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Actin, one of the most abundant intracellular proteins in mammalian cells, is a critical regulator of cell shape and polarity, migration, cell division, and transcriptional response. Angiogenesis, or the formation of new blood vessels in the body is a well-coordinated multi-step process. Endothelial cells lining the blood vessels acquire several new properties such as front-rear polarity, invasiveness, rapid proliferation and motility during angiogenesis. This is achieved by changes in the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton. Actin remodelling underlies the switch between the quiescent and angiogenic state of the endothelium. Actin forms endothelium-specific structures that support uniquely endothelial functions. Actin regulators at endothelial cell-cell junctions maintain the integrity of the blood-tissue barrier while permitting trans-endothelial leukocyte migration. This review focuses on endothelial actin structures and less-recognised actin-mediated endothelial functions. Readers are referred to other recent reviews for the well-recognised roles of actin in endothelial motility, barrier functions and leukocyte transmigration. Actin generates forces that are transmitted to the extracellular matrix resulting in vascular matrix remodelling. In this review, we attempt to synthesize our current understanding of the roles of actin in vascular morphogenesis. We speculate on the vascular bed specific differences in endothelial actin regulation and its role in the vast heterogeneity in endothelial morphology and function across the various tissues of our body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nidhi Yadunandanan Nair
- Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes Biology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India695014
| | - Victor Samuel
- Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes Biology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India695014
| | - Lariza Ramesh
- Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes Biology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India695014
| | - Areeba Marib
- Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes Biology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India695014
| | - Deena T. David
- Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes Biology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India695014
| | - Ananthalakshmy Sundararaman
- Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes Biology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India695014
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Sawma T, Shaito A, Najm N, Sidani M, Orekhov A, El-Yazbi AF, Iratni R, Eid AH. Role of RhoA and Rho-associated kinase in phenotypic switching of vascular smooth muscle cells: Implications for vascular function. Atherosclerosis 2022; 358:12-28. [DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2022.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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9
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Wang J, Uddin MN, Wang R, Gong YH, Wu Y. Comprehensive analysis and validation of novel immune and vascular remodeling related genes signature associated with drug interactions in pulmonary arterial hypertension. Front Genet 2022; 13:922213. [PMID: 36147486 PMCID: PMC9486302 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.922213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Previous studies revealed that the gene signatures are associated with the modulation and pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, identifying critical transcriptional signatures in the blood of PAH patients remains lacking.Methods: The differentially expressed transcriptional signatures in the blood of PAH patients were identified by a meta-analysis from four microarray datasets. Then we investigated the enrichment of gene ontology and KEGG pathways and identified top hub genes. Besides, we investigated the correlation of crucial hub genes with immune infiltrations, hallmark gene sets, and blood vessel remodeling genes. Furthermore, we investigated the diagnostic efficacy of essential hub genes and their expression validation in an independent cohort of PAH, and we validate the expression level of hub genes in monocrotaline (MCT) induced PAH rats’ model. Finally, we have identified the FDA-approved drugs that target the hub genes and their molecular docking.Results: We found 1,216 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 521 up-regulated and 695 down-regulated genes, in the blood of the PAH patients. The up-regulated DEGs are significantly associated with the enrichment of KEGG pathways mainly involved with immune regulation, cellular signaling, and metabolisms. We identified 13 master transcriptional regulators targeting the dysregulated genes in PAH. The STRING-based investigation identified the function of hub genes associated with multiple immune-related pathways in PAH. The expression levels of RPS27A, MAPK1, STAT1, RPS6, FBL, RPS3, RPS2, and GART are positively correlated with ssGSEA scores of various immune cells as positively correlated with the hallmark of oxidative stress. Besides, we found that these hub genes also regulate the vascular remodeling in PAH. Furthermore, the expression levels of identified hub genes showed good diagnostic efficacy in the blood of PAH, and we validated most of the hub genes are consistently dysregulated in an independent PAH cohort. Validation of hub genes expression level in the monocrotaline (MCT)-induced lung tissue of rats with PAH revealed that 5 screened hub genes (MAPK1, STAT1, TLR4, TLR2, GART) are significantly highly expressed in PAH rats, and 4 screened hub genes (RPS6, FBL, RPS3, and RPS2) are substantially lowly expressed in rats with PAH. Finally, we analyzed the interaction of hub proteins and FDA-approved drugs and revealed their molecular docking, and the results showed that MAPK1, TLR4, and GART interact with various drugs with appropriate binding affinity.Conclusion: The identified blood-derived key transcriptional signatures significantly correlate with immune infiltrations, hypoxia, glycolysis, and blood vessel remodeling genes. These findings may provide new insight into the diagnosis and treatment of PAH patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China
| | - Md. Nazim Uddin
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Rui Wang
- Department of General Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China
| | - Yue-hong Gong
- Department of Pharmacy, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China
| | - Yun Wu
- Department of General Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China
- *Correspondence: Yun Wu,
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10
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Transcriptional and Epigenetic Factors Associated with Early Thrombosis of Femoral Artery Involved in Arteriovenous Fistula. Proteomes 2022; 10:proteomes10020014. [PMID: 35645372 PMCID: PMC9149803 DOI: 10.3390/proteomes10020014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs), created for hemodialysis in end-stage renal disease patients, mature through the outward remodeling of the outflow vein. However, early thrombosis and chronic inflammation are detrimental to the process of AVF maturation and precipitate AVF maturation failure. For the successful remodeling of the outflow vein, blood flow through the fistula is essential, but early arterial thrombosis attenuates this blood flow, and the vessels become thrombosed and stenosed, leading to AVF failure. The altered expression of various proteins involved in maintaining vessel patency or thrombosis is regulated by genes of which the expression is regulated by transcription factors and microRNAs. In this study, using thrombosed and stenosed arteries following AVF creation, we delineated transcription factors and microRNAs associated with differentially expressed genes in bulk RNA sequencing data using upstream and causal network analysis. We observed changes in many transcription factors and microRNAs that are involved in angiogenesis; vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, migration, and phenotypic changes; endothelial cell function; hypoxia; oxidative stress; vessel remodeling; immune responses; and inflammation. These factors and microRNAs play a critical role in the underlying molecular mechanisms in AVF maturation. We also observed epigenetic factors involved in gene regulation associated with these molecular mechanisms. The results of this study indicate the importance of investigating the transcriptional and epigenetic regulation of AVF maturation and maturation failure and targeting factors precipitating early thrombosis and stenosis.
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Fang S, Wu J, Reho JJ, Lu KT, Brozoski DT, Kumar G, Werthman AM, Silva SD, Muskus Veitia PC, Wackman KK, Mathison AJ, Teng BQ, Lin CW, Quelle FW, Sigmund CD. RhoBTB1 reverses established arterial stiffness in angiotensin-II hypertension by promoting actin depolymerization. JCI Insight 2022; 7:158043. [PMID: 35358093 PMCID: PMC9090250 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.158043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Arterial stiffness predicts cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality, but its treatment remains challenging. Mice treated with angiotensin II (Ang II) develop hypertension, arterial stiffness, vascular dysfunction, and a downregulation of Rho-related BTB domain–containing protein 1 (RhoBTB1) in the vasculature. RhoBTB1 is associated with blood pressure regulation, but its function is poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that restoring RhoBTB1 can attenuate arterial stiffness, hypertension, and vascular dysfunction in Ang II–treated mice. Genetic complementation of RhoBTB1 in the vasculature was achieved using mice expressing a tamoxifen-inducible, smooth muscle–specific RhoBTB1 transgene. RhoBTB1 restoration efficiently and rapidly alleviated arterial stiffness but not hypertension or vascular dysfunction. Mechanistic studies revealed that RhoBTB1 had no substantial effect on several classical arterial stiffness contributors, such as collagen deposition, elastin content, and vascular smooth muscle remodeling. Instead, Ang II increased actin polymerization in the aorta, which was reversed by RhoBTB1. Changes in the levels of 2 regulators of actin polymerization, cofilin and vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein, in response to RhoBTB1 were consistent with an actin depolymerization mechanism. Our study reveals an important function of RhoBTB1, demonstrates its vital role in antagonizing established arterial stiffness, and further supports a functional and mechanistic separation among hypertension, vascular dysfunction, and arterial stiffness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi Fang
- Department of Physiology and Cardiovascular Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, United States of America
| | - Jing Wu
- Department of Physiology and Cardiovascular Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, United States of America
| | - John J Reho
- Department of Physiology and Cardiovascular Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, United States of America
| | - Ko-Ting Lu
- Department of Physiology and Cardiovascular Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, United States of America
| | - Daniel T Brozoski
- Department of Physiology and Cardiovascular Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, United States of America
| | - Gaurav Kumar
- Department of Physiology and Cardiovascular Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, United States of America
| | - Alec M Werthman
- Department of Physiology and Cardiovascular Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, United States of America
| | - Sebastiao Donato Silva
- Department of Physiology and Cardiovascular Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, United States of America
| | - Patricia C Muskus Veitia
- Department of Physiology and Cardiovascular Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, United States of America
| | - Kelsey K Wackman
- Department of Physiology and Cardiovascular Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, United States of America
| | - Angela J Mathison
- Department of Surgery and the Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine Cente, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwawkee, United States of America
| | - Bi Qing Teng
- Division of Biostatistics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, United States of America
| | - Chien-Wei Lin
- Division of Biostatistics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, United States of America
| | - Frederick W Quelle
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States of America
| | - Curt D Sigmund
- Department of Physiology and Cardiovascular Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, United States of America
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Cecelja
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, St Thomas' Hospital, School of Cardiovascular Medicine and Sciences, King's College London British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence, United Kingdom (M.C.)
| | - Catherine M Shanahan
- School of Cardiovascular Medicine and Sciences, King's College London British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence, London, United Kingdom (C.M.S.)
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