Involvement of Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) and bone morphogenetic protein-binding endothelial cell precursor-derived regulator (BMPER) in high glucose-increased alkaline phosphatase expression and activity in human coronary artery smooth muscle cells

12,13-diHOME attenuates high glucose-induced calcification of vascular smooth muscle cells through repressing CPT1A-mediated HMGB1 succinylation

Diabetes is closely associated with vascular calcification (VC). Exorbitant glucose concentration activates pro-calcific effects in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). This study enrolled 159 elderly patients with type 2 diabetes and divided them into three groups, T1, T2 and T3, according to brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity(BaPWV). There were statistically significant differences in the waist circumference, waist hip ratio, systolic blood pressure, 12,13-diHOME (a lipokin) concentration among T1, T2 and T3. 12,13-diHOME levels were positively correlated to high density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol, but negatively correlated to with waist circumference, waist hip ratio, systolic blood pressure and baPWV. Studies in vitro showed that 12,13-diHOME effectively inhibits calcification in VSMCs under high glucose conditions. Notably, 12,13-diHOME suppressed the up-regulation of carnitine O-palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1A) and CPT1A-induced succinylation of HMGB1. The succinylation of HMGB1 at the K90 promoted the protein stability and induced the enrichment of HMGB1 in cytoplasm, which induced the calcification in VSMCs. Together, 12,13-diHOME attenuates high glucose-induced calcification in VSMCs through repressing CPT1A-mediated HMGB1 succinylation.

Association between dietary folate intake and severe abdominal aorta calcification in adults: A cross-sectional analysis of the national health and nutrition examination survey

BACKGROUND

Prior studies have established a connection between folate intake and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) has been introduced as a good predictor of CVD events, but no previous study has investigated the relationship between dietary folate intake and severe AAC. Therefore, the study aims to explore the association between dietary folate intake and severe AAC in the United States (US) middle-aged and elderly population.

METHODS

This study employed cross-sectional data from the 2013-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to examine the relationship between dietary folate intake and severe AAC. Two 24-h dietary recall interviews were conducted to assess dietary folate intake and its sources, while a DXA scan was used to determine the AAC score. To analyze the association between dietary folate intake and severe AAC, a multivariable logistic regression model was applied, and a subgroup analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Our analysis utilized data from 2640 participants aged 40 years and above, including 288 individuals diagnosed with severe AAC. After adjusting for confounding factors, we observed an inverted L-shaped association between folate intake and severe AAC. Upon further adjustment for specific confounding factors and covariates, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the second, third, and fourth quartiles of folate intake, using the first quartile as the reference, were as follows: 1.24 (0.86-1.79), 0.86 (0.58-1.27), and 0.63 (0.41-0.97), respectively. Subgroup analysis results were consistent with the logistic regression models, indicating concordant findings. Moreover, no significant interaction was observed in the subgroup analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

The study findings suggest an inverted L-shaped association between dietary folate intake and severe AAC. However, additional prospective investigations are necessary to explore the impact of dietary folate intake on severe AAC in patients.

Substrate stiffness promotes vascular smooth muscle cell calcification by reducing the levels of nuclear actin monomers

BACKGROUND

Vascular calcification (VC) is a prevalent independent risk factor for adverse cardiovascular events and is associated with diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and atherosclerosis. However, the mechanisms regulating the osteogenic differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) are not fully understood.

METHODS

Using hydrogels of tuneable stiffness and lysyl oxidase-mediated stiffening of human saphenous vein ex vivo, we investigated the role of substrate stiffness in the regulation of VSMC calcification.

RESULTS

We demonstrate that increased substrate stiffness enhances VSMC osteogenic differentiation and VSMC calcification. We show that the effects of substrate stiffness are mediated via a reduction in the level of actin monomer within the nucleus. We show that in cells interacting with soft substrate, elevated levels of nuclear actin monomer repress osteogenic differentiation and calcification by repressing YAP-mediated activation of both TEA Domain transcription factor (TEAD) and RUNX Family Transcription factor 2 (RUNX2).

CONCLUSION

This work highlights for the first time the role of nuclear actin in mediating substrate stiffness-dependent VSMC calcification and the dual role of YAP-TEAD and YAP-RUNX2 transcriptional complexes.

Association between hemoglobin A1c and abdominal aortic calcification: results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013-2014

BACKGROUND

Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), a "gold standard" for the assessment of glycemic control, was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and coronary artery calcification. However, its effects on abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) are uncertain. The present study comprehensively investigated the association between HbA1c and AAC in the 2013-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examinations Surveys.

METHODS

Among 1,799 participants ≥ 40 years, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry-derived AAC was quantified using the Kauppila score (AAC-24). Severe AAC was defined as a total AAC-24 > 6. Weighted linear regression models and logistic regression models were used to determine the effects of HbA1c on AAC. The restricted cubic spline model was used for the dose-response analysis.

RESULTS

The mean AAC-24 of participants was 1.3, and 6.7% of them suffered from severe AAC. Both AAC-24 and the prevalence of severe AAC increased with the higher tertile of HbA1c (P < 0.001). Elevated HbA1c levels would increase the AAC-24 (β = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.30-1.16) and the risk of severe AAC (OR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.29-2.06), resulting in nearly linear dose-response relationships in all participants. However, this positive correlation were not statistically significant when participants with diabetes were excluded. Furthermore, subgroup analysis showed significant interactions effect between HbA1c and hypertension on severe AAC with the OR (95% CI) of 2.35 (1.62-3.40) for normotensives and 1.39 (1.09-1.79) for hypertensives (P for interaction = 0.022).

CONCLUSION

Controlling HbA1c could reduce AAC scores and the risk of severe AAC. Glycemic management might be a component of strategies for preventing AAC among all participants, especially normotensives.

Vascular calcification and cellular signaling pathways as potential therapeutic targets

Increased vascular calcification (VC) is observed in patients with cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease. VC is divided into three types according to its location: intimal, medial, and valvular. Various cellular signaling pathways are associated with VC, including the Wnt, mitogen-activated protein kinase, phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase/Akt, cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinase, protein kinase C, calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II, adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin, Ras homologous GTPase, apoptosis, Notch, and cytokine signaling pathways. In this review, we discuss the literature concerning the key cellular signaling pathways associated with VC and their role as potential therapeutic targets. Inhibitors to these pathways represent good candidates for use as potential therapeutic agents for the prevention and treatment of VC.

Statins attenuate antiviral IFN-β and ISG expression via inhibition of IRF3 and JAK/STAT signaling in poly(I:C)-treated hyperlipidemic mice and macrophages

Viral infection is a significant burden to health care worldwide. Statins, 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, are widely used as cholesterol-lowering drugs. Recently, long-term statin therapy was shown to reduce the antiviral immune response; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms are unclear. Here, we found that simvastatin decreased polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid [poly(I:C)]-induced expression of antiviral interferon (IFN)-β and IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lungs of mice with high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemia. Macrophages were the dominant cell type in the BALF of poly(I:C)-treated mice. We examined the effects of simvastatin in primary lung macrophages and found that simvastatin suppressed poly(I:C)-induced expression of IFN-β and ISGs. We examined the molecular mechanisms of statin-mediated inhibition of antiviral gene expression using murine macrophage-like cell line, J774.1/JA-4. Simvastatin and pitavastatin decreased poly(I:C)-induced expression of IFN-β and ISGs. Moreover, they repressed poly(I:C)-induced phosphorylation of IFN regulatory factor (IRF) 3 and signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) 1, which is involved in Janus kinase (JAK)/STAT signaling. Mevalonate and geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP), but not cholesterol, counteracted the negative effect of statins on IFN-β and ISG expression and phosphorylation of IRF3 and STAT1. The geranylgeranyltransferase inhibitor suppressed poly(I:C)-induced expression of IFN-β and ISGs and phosphorylation of IRF3 and STAT1. These results suggest that statins suppressed the expression of IFN-β and ISGs in poly(I:C)-treated hyperlipidemic mice and murine macrophages and that these effects occurred through the inhibition of IRF3 and JAK/STAT signaling in macrophages. Furthermore, GGPP recovered the statin-suppressed IRF3 and JAK/STAT signaling in poly(I:C)-treated macrophages.

Association Between Fasting Glucose Variability in Young Adulthood and the Progression of Coronary Artery Calcification in Middle Age

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether intraindividual variability of fasting glucose (FG) in young adulthood is associated with coronary artery calcification (CAC) progression in middle age.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We included 2,256 CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development Study in Young Adults) participants with CAC assessment by computed tomography scanner at baseline (2000-2001) and 10 years later (2010-2011). CAC progression was assessed for each individual as the difference of logarithmic CAC scores at follow-up and baseline (log[CAC (follow-up) + 1] - log[CAC (baseline) + 1]). FG variability was defined by the coefficient of variation about the mean FG (FG-CV), the SD of FG (FG-SD), and the average real variability of FG (FG-ARV) during the 10-year follow-up. We investigated the association between FG variability and CAC progression with adjustment for demographics, clinical risk factors, mean FG level, change in FG level, diabetes incidence, and medication use.

RESULTS

After multivariable adjustment, 1-SD increment in FG-CV was associated with worse progression of CAC as demonstrated as percent change in CAC, with incident CAC 5.9% (95% CI 1.0, 10.7) and any CAC progression 6.7% (95% CI 2.3, 11.1) during 10 years. Similar findings were also observed in FG-SD and FG-ARV.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher FG variability during young adulthood was associated with greater CAC progression in middle age, suggesting its value in predicting risk for subclinical coronary artery diseases.

Rho-associated protein kinase and cyclophilin a are involved in inorganic phosphate-induced calcification signaling in vascular smooth muscle cells

Arterial calcification, a risk factor of cardiovascular events, develops with differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) into osteoblast-like cells. Cyclophilin A (CypA) is a peptidyl-prolyl isomerase involved in cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis and aortic aneurysms, and rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) is involved in the pathogenesis of vascular calcification. CypA is secreted in a ROCK activity-dependent manner and works as a mitogen via autocrine or paracrine mechanisms in VSMCs. We examined the involvement of the ROCK-CypA axis in VSMC calcification induced by inorganic phosphate (Pi), a potent cell mineralization initiator. We found that Pi stimulated ROCK activity, CypA secretion, extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) 1/2 phosphorylation, and runt-related transcription factor 2 expression, resulting in calcium accumulation in rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RASMCs). The ROCK inhibitor Y-27632 significantly suppressed Pi-induced CypA secretion, ERK1/2 phosphorylation, and calcium accumulation. Recombinant CypA was found to be associated with increased calcium accumulation in RASMCs. Based on these results, we suggest that autocrine CypA is mediated by ROCK activity and is involved in Pi-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation following calcification signaling in RASMCs.

Effect of rosuvastatin on vascular endothelial functions and inflammatory factors of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease

Effects of rosuvastatin on vascular endothelial functions and inflammatory factors of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease were investigated. Eighty patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease, who were admitted and treated in Center hospital of Zibo from January 2016 to January 2017, were selected and divided into observation group (n=40) and control group (n=40) by the random number table; symptomatic and supporting therapy, including use of metformin, captopril, asprin and levocarnitine, was used in control group while rosuvastatin was adopted in observation group in addition to the symptomatic and supporting therapy. Patients in both groups were treated for a treatment cycle, namely, 3 consecutive months. After that, indexes related to blood lipid, diabetes mellitus and vascular endothelial activity, as well as variations in inflammation-associated cytokines, before and after intervention were compared; the correlation of changes in total cholesterol (TC) with those in fasting insulin (FINS), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and endothelin-1 (ET-1), respectively, was analyzed. Among the blood lipid indexes of the patients, the levels of TC, triglyceride (TG) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) after intervention were significantly lower than those before intervention (P<0.05), while the post-intervention level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was higher than that before intervention (P<0.05). Compared with those before intervention, the level of FINS after intervention was remarkably higher (P<0.05), while the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) level after intervention was significantly lower (P<0.05). After intervention, the levels of hs-CRP and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the patients were obviously decreased compared with those before intervention (P<0.05). Compared with that before intervention, the ET-1 level was decreased (P<0.05), while the nitric oxide (NO) level was elevated after intervention (P<0.05). The TC level was negatively correlated with FINS level (P<0.05) but positively correlated with the levels of hs-CRP (P<0.05) and ET-1 (P<0.05). For patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease, treatment with rosuvastatin can effectively lower the level of blood lipid and regulate insulin functions; moreover, potent decrease in blood lipid level has great significance in improving the vascular endothelial functions and reducing inflammatory response levels.

Effect of rosuvastatin on fasting and postprandial endothelial biomarker levels and microvascular reactivity in patients with type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia: a preliminary report

Background

The cardiovascular benefits of statins have been proven, but their effect on circulation in small vessels has not been examined fully. We investigated the effect of 20 mg rosuvastatin on biomarkers, including paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), and on microvascular reactivity.

Method

We enrolled 20 dyslipidemic patients with type 2 diabetes and 20 age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched healthy controls. Rosuvastatin (20 mg/day) was given to the patient group for 12 weeks. Biochemical parameters, including PON-1 and ADMA, were compared between the patient and control groups, and before and after rosuvastatin treatment in the patient group. Fasting and 2 h postprandial levels of PON-1 and ADMA after mixed-meal challenge were also compared. Microvascular reactivity in a peripheral artery was examined using laser Doppler flowmetry.

Results

The respective mean ± standard deviation of age and BMI were 50.1 ± 3.8 year and 25.8 ± 3.7 kg/m² in the patients and 50.2 ± 3.2 year and 25.4 ± 3.4 kg/m² in the controls. The patient group had worse profiles of cardiometabolic biomarkers, including PON-1 and ADMA, than the controls. In the patients treated with 20 mg rosuvastatin, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol decreased from 147.2 ± 26.5 to 68.3 ± 24.5 mg/dL and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol increased from 42.4 ± 5.2 to 44.7 ± 6.2 mg/dL (both P < 0.05). Both fasting and 2 h postprandial levels of PON-1 increased and those of ADMA decreased after treatment with rosuvastatin for 12 weeks. The changes in postprandial levels of both biomarkers were greater than those after fasting. Microcirculation assessed as reactive hyperemia in the patients after an ischemic challenge increased significantly from 335.3 ± 123.4 to 402.7 ± 133.4% after rosuvastatin treatment. The postprandial changes in the biomarkers were significantly associated with improvement of microvascular reactivity.

Conclusions

Rosuvastatin treatment for 12 weeks improved microvascular reactivity with concomitant beneficial changes in the postprandial levels of PON-1 and ADMA. These results suggest that rosuvastatin improves the postprandial cardiometabolic milieu in type 2 diabetes.

Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02185963 (July 7, 2014)

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12933-017-0629-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Metabolomics Analysis of the Osteogenic Differentiation of Umbilical Cord Blood Mesenchymal Stem Cells Reveals Differential Sensitivity to Osteogenic Agents

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) of fetal origin, such as umbilical cord blood MSCs (UCB MSCs), have emerged as a promising cell source for musculoskeletal tissue regeneration because of their higher proliferation potential, lack of donor site morbidity, and their off-the-shelf potential. MSCs differentiated toward the osteogenic lineage exhibit a specific metabolic phenotype characterized by reliance to oxidative phosphorylation for energy production and reduced glycolytic rates. Currently, limited information exists on the metabolic transitions at different stages of the osteogenic process after osteoinduction with different agents. Herein, the osteoinduction efficiency of BMP-2 and dexamethasone on UCB MSCs was assessed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) metabolomics analysis, revealing metabolic discrepancies at 7, 14, and 21 days of induction. Whereas both agents when administered individually were able to induce collagen I, osteocalcin, and osteonectin expression, BMP-2 was less effective than dexamethasone in promoting alkaline phosphatase expression. The metabolomics analysis revealed that each agent induced distinct metabolic alterations, including changes in amino acid pools, glutaminolysis, one-carbon metabolism, glycolysis, and tricarboxylic acid cycle. Importantly, we showed that in vitro-differentiated UCB MSCs acquire a metabolic physiology similar to primary osteoblasts when induced with dexamethasone but not with BMP-2, highlighting the fact that metabolomics analysis is sensitive enough to reveal potential differences in the osteogenic efficiency and can be used as a quality control assay for evaluating the osteogenic process.

Cadherin-11 Overexpression Induces Extracellular Matrix Remodeling and Calcification in Mature Aortic Valves

OBJECTIVE

Calcific aortic valve (AoV) disease is a significant clinical problem for which the regulatory mechanisms are poorly understood. Enhanced cell-cell adhesion is a common mechanism of cellular aggregation, but its role in calcific lesion formation is not known. Cadherin-11 (Cad-11) has been associated with lesion formation in vitro, but its function during adult valve homeostasis and pathogenesis is not known. This study aims to elucidate the specific functions of Cad-11 and its downstream targets, RhoA and Sox9, in extracellular matrix remodeling and AoV calcification.

APPROACH AND RESULTS

We conditionally overexpressed Cad-11 in murine heart valves using a novel double-transgenic Nfatc1(Cre);R26-Cad11(TglTg) mouse model. These mice developed hemodynamically significant aortic stenosis with prominent calcific lesions in the AoV leaflets. Cad-11 overexpression upregulated downstream targets, RhoA and Sox9, in the valve interstitial cells, causing calcification and extensive pathogenic extracellular matrix remodeling. AoV interstitial cells overexpressing Cad-11 in an osteogenic environment in vitro rapidly form calcific nodules analogous to in vivo lesions. Molecular analyses revealed upregulation of osteoblastic and myofibroblastic markers. Treatment with a Rho-associated protein kinase inhibitor attenuated nodule formation, further supporting that Cad-11-driven calcification acts through the small GTPase RhoA/Rho-associated protein kinase signaling pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identifies one of the underlying molecular mechanisms of heart valve calcification and demonstrates that overexpression of Cad-11 upregulates RhoA and Sox9 to induce calcification and extracellular matrix remodeling in adult AoV pathogenesis. The findings provide a potential molecular target for clinical treatment.