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Grishanova AY, Perepechaeva ML. Kynurenic Acid/AhR Signaling at the Junction of Inflammation and Cardiovascular Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6933. [PMID: 39000041 PMCID: PMC11240928 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25136933] [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: 05/20/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Persistent systemic chronic inflammatory conditions are linked with many pathologies, including cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), a leading cause of death across the globe. Among various risk factors, one of the new possible contributors to CVDs is the metabolism of essential amino acid tryptophan. Proinflammatory signals promote tryptophan metabolism via the kynurenine (KYN) pathway (KP), thereby resulting in the biosynthesis of several immunomodulatory metabolites whose biological effects are associated with the development of symptoms and progression of various inflammatory diseases. Some participants in the KP are agonists of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a central player in a signaling pathway that, along with a regulatory influence on the metabolism of environmental xenobiotics, performs a key immunomodulatory function by triggering various cellular mechanisms with the participation of endogenous ligands to alleviate inflammation. An AhR ligand with moderate affinity is the central metabolite of the KP: KYN; one of the subsequent metabolites of KYN-kynurenic acid (KYNA)-is a more potent ligand of AhR. Understanding the role of AhR pathway-related metabolites of the KP that regulate inflammatory factors in cells of the cardiovascular system is interesting and important for achieving effective treatment of CVDs. The purpose of this review was to summarize the results of studies about the participation of the KP metabolite-KYNA-and of the AhR signaling pathway in the regulation of inflammation in pathological conditions of the heart and blood vessels and about the possible interaction of KYNA with AhR signaling in some CVDs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria L. Perepechaeva
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, Federal Research Center of Fundamental and Translational Medicine, Timakova Str. 2, Novosibirsk 630060, Russia;
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Zhou H, Liang X, Zhang X, Wu J, Jiang Y, Guo B, Wang J, Meng Q, Ding X, Baima Y, Li J, Wei J, Zhang J, Zhao X. Associations of Long-Term Exposure to Fine Particulate Constituents With Cardiovascular Diseases and Underlying Metabolic Mediations: A Prospective Population-Based Cohort in Southwest China. J Am Heart Assoc 2024; 13:e033455. [PMID: 38761074 PMCID: PMC11179805 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.123.033455] [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: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The health effects of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5) might differ depending on compositional variations. Little is known about the joint effect of PM2.5 constituents on metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study aims to evaluate the combined associations of PM2.5 components with CVD, identify the most detrimental constituent, and further quantify the mediation effect of metabolic syndrome. METHODS AND RESULTS A total of 14 427 adults were included in a cohort study in Sichuan, China, and were followed to obtain the diagnosis of CVD until 2021. Metabolic syndrome was defined by the simultaneous occurrence of multiple metabolic disorders measured at baseline. The concentrations of PM2.5 chemical constituents within a 1-km2 grid were derived based on satellite- and ground-based detection methods. Cox proportional hazard models showed that black carbon, organic matter (OM), nitrate, ammonium, chloride, and sulfate were positively associated with CVD risks, with hazard ratios (HRs) ranging from 1.24 to 2.11 (all P<0.05). Quantile g-computation showed positive associations with 4 types of CVD risks (HRs ranging from 1.48 to 2.25, all P<0.05). OM and chloride had maximum weights for CVD risks. Causal mediation analysis showed that the positive association of OM with total CVD was mediated by metabolic syndrome, with a mediation proportion of 1.3% (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Long-term exposure to PM2.5 chemical constituents is positively associated with CVD risks. OM and chloride appear to play the most responsible role in the positive associations between PM2.5 and CVD. OM is probably associated with CVD through metabolic-related pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanwen Zhou
- West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital Sichuan University Chengdu Sichuan China
| | - Xian Liang
- Chengdu Center for Disease Control and Prevention Chengdu Sichuan China
| | - Xueli Zhang
- Health Information Center of Sichuan Province Chengdu Sichuan China
| | - Jialong Wu
- West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital Sichuan University Chengdu Sichuan China
| | - Ye Jiang
- West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital Sichuan University Chengdu Sichuan China
| | - Bing Guo
- West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital Sichuan University Chengdu Sichuan China
| | - Junhua Wang
- School of Public Health, The key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education Guizhou Medical University Guiyang China
| | - Qiong Meng
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health Kunming Medical University Kunming Yunnan China
| | - Xianbin Ding
- Chongqing Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention Chongqing China
| | | | - Jingzhong Li
- Tibet Center for Disease Control and Prevention Lhasa Tibet China
| | - Jing Wei
- Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center University of Maryland College Park MD USA
| | - Juying Zhang
- West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital Sichuan University Chengdu Sichuan China
| | - Xing Zhao
- West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital Sichuan University Chengdu Sichuan China
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Julovi SM, Trinh K, Robertson H, Xu C, Minhas N, Viswanathan S, Patrick E, Horowitz JD, Meijles DN, Rogers NM. Thrombospondin-1 Drives Cardiac Remodeling in Chronic Kidney Disease. JACC Basic Transl Sci 2024; 9:607-627. [PMID: 38984053 PMCID: PMC11228122 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacbts.2024.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) face a high risk of cardiovascular disease. Previous studies reported that endogenous thrombospondin 1 (TSP1) involves right ventricular remodeling and dysfunction. Here we show that a murine model of CKD increased myocardial TSP1 expression and produced left ventricular hypertrophy, fibrosis, and dysfunction. TSP1 knockout mice were protected from these features. In vitro, indoxyl sulfate is driving deleterious changes in cardiomyocyte through the TSP1. In patients with CKD, TSP1 and aryl hydrocarbon receptor were both differentially expressed in the myocardium. Our findings summon large clinical studies to confirm the translational role of TSP1 in patients with CKD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sohel M Julovi
- Kidney Injury Group, Centre for Transplant and Renal Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Katie Trinh
- Kidney Injury Group, Centre for Transplant and Renal Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Harry Robertson
- Kidney Injury Group, Centre for Transplant and Renal Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
- Sydney Precision Data Science Centre, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Cuicui Xu
- Kidney Injury Group, Centre for Transplant and Renal Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Nikita Minhas
- Kidney Injury Group, Centre for Transplant and Renal Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Seethalakshmi Viswanathan
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
- Tissue Pathology and Diagnostic Oncology, Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ellis Patrick
- Kidney Injury Group, Centre for Transplant and Renal Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
- Sydney Precision Data Science Centre, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Mathematics, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Limited (D24H), Science Park, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - John D Horowitz
- Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St George's University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Cardiovascular Pathophysiology and Therapeutics Research Group, Basil Hetzel Institute, Woodville, South Australia, Australia
- Department of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Daniel N Meijles
- Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St George's University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Natasha M Rogers
- Kidney Injury Group, Centre for Transplant and Renal Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
- Renal and Transplantation Unit, Westmead Hospital, New South Wales, Australia
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Yu TH, Lee TL, Tsai IT, Hsuan CF, Wang CP, Lu YC, Tang WH, Wei CT, Chung FM, Lee YJ, Wu CC. Transcription factor 21 rs12190287 polymorphism is related to stable angina and ST elevation myocardial infarction in a Chinese Population. Int J Med Sci 2024; 21:483-491. [PMID: 38250610 PMCID: PMC10797673 DOI: 10.7150/ijms.89901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Transcription factor 21 (TCF21, epicardin, capsuling, pod-1) is expressed in the epicardium and is involved in the regulation of cell fate and differentiation via epithelial-mesenchymal transformation during development of the heart. In addition, TCF21 can suppress the differentiation of epicardial cells into vascular smooth muscle cells and promote cardiac fibroblast development. This study aimed to explore whether TCF21 gene (12190287G/C) variants affect coronary artery disease risk. Methods: We enrolled 381 patients who had stable angina, 138 with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), and 276 healthy subjects. Genotyping of rs12190287 of the TCF21 gene was performed. Results: Higher frequencies of the CC genotype were found in the patients with stable angina/STEMI than in the healthy controls. After adjusting for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, age, sex, smoking, body mass index and hyperlipidemia, the patients with the CC genotype of the TCF21 gene were associated with 2.49- and 9.19-fold increased risks of stable angina and STEMI, respectively, compared to the patients with the GG genotype. Furthermore, TCF21 CC genotypes showed positive correlations with both stable angina and STEMI, whereas TCF21 GG genotypes exhibited a negative correlation with STEMI. Moreover, the stable angina and STEMI patients with the CC genotype had significantly elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels than those with the GG genotype. In addition, significant associations were found between type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia with TCF21 gene polymorphisms (p for trend < 0.05). Conclusion: TCF21 gene polymorphisms may increase susceptibility to stable angina and STEMI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teng-Hung Yu
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 82445 Taiwan
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, 82445 Taiwan
| | - Thung-Lip Lee
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 82445 Taiwan
- School of Medicine for International Students, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, 82445 Taiwan
| | - I-Ting Tsai
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, 82445 Taiwan
- Department of Emergency, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 82445 Taiwan
| | - Chin-Feng Hsuan
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 82445 Taiwan
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, 82445 Taiwan
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Dachang Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 807066, Taiwan
| | - Chao-Ping Wang
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 82445 Taiwan
- School of Medicine for International Students, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, 82445 Taiwan
| | - Yung-Chuan Lu
- School of Medicine for International Students, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, 82445 Taiwan
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 82445 Taiwan
| | - Wei-Hua Tang
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Yuli Branch, Hualien 98142 Taiwan
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112304 Taiwan
| | - Ching-Ting Wei
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 82445 Taiwan
- The School of Chinese Medicine for Post Baccalaureate, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 82445 Taiwan
| | - Fu-Mei Chung
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 82445 Taiwan
| | | | - Cheng-Ching Wu
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 82445 Taiwan
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, 82445 Taiwan
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Cancer Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 82445 Taiwan
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5
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Møller AL, Vasan RS, Levy D, Andersson C, Lin H. Integrated omics analysis of coronary artery calcifications and myocardial infarction: the Framingham Heart Study. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21581. [PMID: 38062110 PMCID: PMC10703905 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48848-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene function can be described using various measures. We integrated association studies of three types of omics data to provide insights into the pathophysiology of subclinical coronary disease and myocardial infarction (MI). Using multivariable regression models, we associated: (1) single nucleotide polymorphism, (2) DNA methylation, and (3) gene expression with coronary artery calcification (CAC) scores and MI. Among 3106 participants of the Framingham Heart Study, 65 (2.1%) had prevalent MI and 60 (1.9%) had incident MI, median CAC value was 67.8 [IQR 10.8, 274.9], and 1403 (45.2%) had CAC scores > 0 (prevalent CAC). Prevalent CAC was associated with AHRR (linked to smoking) and EXOC3 (affecting platelet function and promoting hemostasis). CAC score was associated with VWA1 (extracellular matrix protein associated with cartilage structure in endomysium). For prevalent MI we identified FYTTD1 (down-regulated in familial hypercholesterolemia) and PINK1 (linked to cardiac tissue homeostasis and ischemia-reperfusion injury). Incident MI was associated with IRX3 (enhancing browning of white adipose tissue) and STXBP3 (controlling trafficking of glucose transporter type 4 to plasma). Using an integrative trans-omics approach, we identified both putatively novel and known candidate genes associated with CAC and MI. Replication of findings is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amalie Lykkemark Møller
- Section of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Cardiology, Nordsjællands Hospital, Hillerød, Denmark.
| | - Ramachandran S Vasan
- Section of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston University's and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, MA, USA
- University of Texas School of Public Health San Antonio, and Departments of Medicine and Population Health Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Daniel Levy
- Boston University's and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, MA, USA
- Population Sciences Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Charlotte Andersson
- Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Honghuang Lin
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
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Zhao XK, Zhu MM, Wang SN, Zhang TT, Wei XN, Wang CY, Zheng J, Zhu WY, Jiang MX, Xu SW, Yang XX, Duan YJ, Zhang BC, Han JH, Miao QR, Hu H, Chen YL. Transcription factor 21 accelerates vascular calcification in mice by activating the IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway and the interplay between VSMCs and ECs. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2023; 44:1625-1636. [PMID: 36997664 PMCID: PMC10374894 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-023-01077-8] [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: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Vascular calcification is caused by the deposition of calcium salts in the intimal or tunica media layer of the aorta, which increases the risk of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. However, the mechanisms underlying vascular calcification are not fully clarified. Recently it has been shown that transcription factor 21 (TCF21) is highly expressed in human and mouse atherosclerotic plaques. In this study we investigated the role of TCF21 in vascular calcification and the underlying mechanisms. In carotid artery atherosclerotic plaques collected from 6 patients, we found that TCF21 expression was upregulated in calcific areas. We further demonstrated TCF21 expression was increased in an in vitro vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) osteogenesis model. TCF21 overexpression promoted osteogenic differentiation of VSMC, whereas TCF21 knockdown in VSMC attenuated the calcification. Similar results were observed in ex vivo mouse thoracic aorta rings. Previous reports showed that TCF21 bound to myocardin (MYOCD) to inhibit the transcriptional activity of serum response factor (SRF)-MYOCD complex. We found that SRF overexpression significantly attenuated TCF21-induced VSMC and aortic ring calcification. Overexpression of SRF, but not MYOCD, reversed TCF21-inhibited expression of contractile genes SMA and SM22. More importantly, under high inorganic phosphate (3 mM) condition, SRF overexpression reduced TCF21-induced expression of calcification-related genes (BMP2 and RUNX2) as well as vascular calcification. Moreover, TCF21 overexpression enhanced IL-6 expression and downstream STAT3 activation to facilitate vascular calcification. Both LPS and STAT3 could induce TCF21 expression, suggesting that the inflammation and TCF21 might form a positive feedback loop to amplify the activation of IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway. On the other hand, TCF21 induced production of inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-6 in endothelial cells (ECs) to promote VSMC osteogenesis. In EC-specific TCF21 knockout (TCF21ECKO) mice, VD3 and nicotine-induced vascular calcification was significantly reduced. Our results suggest that TCF21 aggravates vascular calcification by activating IL-6/STAT3 signaling and interplay between VSMC and EC, which provides new insights into the pathogenesis of vascular calcification. TCF21 enhances vascular calcification by activating the IL-6-STAT3 signaling pathway. TCF21 inhibition may be a new potential therapeutic strategy for the prevention and treatment of vascular calcification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Kang Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Meng-Meng Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Sheng-Nan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Ting-Ting Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Xiao-Ning Wei
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Cheng-Yi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Juan Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Wen-Ya Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Mei-Xiu Jiang
- The Institute of Translational Medicine, the National Engineering Research Center for Bioengineering Drugs and the Technologies, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Suo-Wen Xu
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230036, China
- School of Pharmacy, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, 233000, China
| | - Xiao-Xiao Yang
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Ya-Jun Duan
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230036, China
| | - Bu-Chun Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230036, China
| | - Ji-Hong Han
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
- College of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials of Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Qing R Miao
- Diabetes and Obesity Research Center, New York University Long Island School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hao Hu
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230036, China.
| | - Yuan-Li Chen
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation for Major Diseases of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China.
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7
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Llido JP, Jayanti S, Tiribelli C, Gazzin S. Bilirubin and Redox Stress in Age-Related Brain Diseases. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1525. [PMID: 37627520 PMCID: PMC10451892 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12081525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular redox status has a crucial role in brain physiology, as well as in pathologic conditions. Physiologic senescence, by dysregulating cellular redox homeostasis and decreasing antioxidant defenses, enhances the central nervous system's susceptibility to diseases. The reduction of free radical accumulation through lifestyle changes, and the supplementation of antioxidants as a prophylactic and therapeutic approach to increase brain health, are strongly suggested. Bilirubin is a powerful endogenous antioxidant, with more and more recognized roles as a biomarker of disease resistance, a predictor of all-cause mortality, and a molecule that may promote health in adults. The alteration of the expression and activity of the enzymes involved in bilirubin production, as well as an altered blood bilirubin level, are often reported in neurologic conditions and neurodegenerative diseases (together denoted NCDs) in aging. These changes may predict or contribute both positively and negatively to the diseases. Understanding the role of bilirubin in the onset and progression of NCDs will be functional to consider the benefits vs. the drawbacks and to hypothesize the best strategies for its manipulation for therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Paul Llido
- Liver Brain Unit “Rita Moretti”, Italian Liver Foundation, Bldg. Q, AREA Science Park, Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy; (J.P.L.); or (S.J.); (S.G.)
- Department of Science and Technology, Philippine Council for Health Research and Development, Bicutan, Taguig City 1631, Philippines
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34139 Trieste, Italy
| | - Sri Jayanti
- Liver Brain Unit “Rita Moretti”, Italian Liver Foundation, Bldg. Q, AREA Science Park, Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy; (J.P.L.); or (S.J.); (S.G.)
- Eijkman Research Centre for Molecular Biology, Research Organization for Health, National Research and Innovation Agency, Cibinong 16911, Indonesia
| | - Claudio Tiribelli
- Liver Brain Unit “Rita Moretti”, Italian Liver Foundation, Bldg. Q, AREA Science Park, Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy; (J.P.L.); or (S.J.); (S.G.)
| | - Silvia Gazzin
- Liver Brain Unit “Rita Moretti”, Italian Liver Foundation, Bldg. Q, AREA Science Park, Basovizza, 34149 Trieste, Italy; (J.P.L.); or (S.J.); (S.G.)
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8
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Wang Y, Gao H, Wang F, Ye Z, Mokry M, Turner AW, Ye J, Koplev S, Luo L, Alsaigh T, Adkar SS, Elishaev M, Gao X, Maegdefessel L, Björkegren JLM, Pasterkamp G, Miller CL, Ross EG, Leeper NJ. Dynamic changes in chromatin accessibility are associated with the atherogenic transitioning of vascular smooth muscle cells. Cardiovasc Res 2022; 118:2792-2804. [PMID: 34849613 PMCID: PMC9586565 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvab347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS De-differentiation and activation of pro-inflammatory pathways are key transitions vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) make during atherogenesis. Here, we explored the upstream regulators of this 'atherogenic transition'. METHODS AND RESULTS Genome-wide sequencing studies, including Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin using sequencing and RNA-seq, were performed on cells isolated from both murine SMC-lineage-tracing models of atherosclerosis and human atherosclerotic lesions. At the bulk level, alterations in chromatin accessibility were associated with the atherogenic transitioning of lesional SMCs, especially in relation to genes that govern differentiation status and complement-dependent inflammation. Using computational biology, we observed that a transcription factor previously related to coronary artery disease, Activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3), was predicted to be an upstream regulator of genes altered during the transition. At the single-cell level, our results indicated that ATF3 is a key repressor of SMC transitioning towards the subset of cells that promote vascular inflammation by activating the complement cascade. The expression of ATF3 and complement component C3 was negatively correlated in SMCs from human atherosclerotic lesions, suggesting translational relevance. Phenome-wide association studies indicated that genetic variation that results in reduced expression of ATF3 is correlated with an increased risk for atherosclerosis, and the expression of ATF3 was significantly down-regulated in humans with advanced vascular disease. CONCLUSION Our study indicates that the plasticity of atherosclerotic SMCs may in part be explained by dynamic changes in their chromatin architecture, which in turn may contribute to their maladaptive response to inflammation-induced stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wang
- Department of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University, 265 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Hua Gao
- Department of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University, 265 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Fudi Wang
- Department of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University, 265 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Zhongde Ye
- Department of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University, 265 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Michal Mokry
- Department of Cardiology and Laboratory of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, Utrecht 3584 CX, the Netherlands
| | - Adam W Turner
- Center for Public Health Genomics, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, 1335 Lee St, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Jianqin Ye
- Department of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Simon Koplev
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Lingfeng Luo
- Department of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University, 265 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Tom Alsaigh
- Department of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 870 Quarry Road Extension, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Shaunak S Adkar
- Department of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Maria Elishaev
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Centre for Heart Lung Innvoation, University of British Columbia, 166-1081 Burrard St, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, Canada
| | - Xiangyu Gao
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Centre for Heart Lung Innvoation, University of British Columbia, 166-1081 Burrard St, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, Canada
| | - Lars Maegdefessel
- Department for Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, and the German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK partner site), Biedersteiner Str. 29, Munich 80802, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Visionsgatan 18, Stockholm 171 76, Sweden
| | - Johan L M Björkegren
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Gerard Pasterkamp
- Department of Cardiology and Laboratory of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, Utrecht 3584 CX, the Netherlands
| | - Clint L Miller
- Center for Public Health Genomics, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, 1335 Lee St, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Elsie G Ross
- Department of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University, 265 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Nicholas J Leeper
- Department of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University, 265 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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9
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Finer G, Maezawa Y, Ide S, Onay T, Souma T, Scott R, Liang X, Zhao X, Gadhvi G, Winter DR, Quaggin SE, Hayashida T. Stromal Transcription Factor 21 Regulates Development of the Renal Stroma via Interaction with Wnt/ β-Catenin Signaling. KIDNEY360 2022; 3:1228-1241. [PMID: 35919523 PMCID: PMC9337899 DOI: 10.34067/kid.0005572021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Background Kidney formation requires coordinated interactions between multiple cell types. Input from the interstitial progenitor cells is implicated in multiple aspects of kidney development. We previously reported that transcription factor 21 (Tcf21) is required for ureteric bud branching. Here, we show that Tcf21 in Foxd1+ interstitial progenitors regulates stromal formation and differentiation via interaction with β-catenin. Methods We utilized the Foxd1Cre;Tcf21f/f murine kidney for morphologic analysis. We used the murine clonal mesenchymal cell lines MK3/M15 to study Tcf21 interaction with Wnt/β-catenin. Results Absence of Tcf21 from Foxd1+ stromal progenitors caused a decrease in stromal cell proliferation, leading to marked reduction of the medullary stromal space. Lack of Tcf21 in the Foxd1+ stromal cells also led to defective differentiation of interstitial cells to smooth-muscle cells, perivascular pericytes, and mesangial cells. Foxd1Cre;Tcf21f/f kidney showed an abnormal pattern of the renal vascular tree. The stroma of Foxd1Cre;Tcf21f/f kidney demonstrated marked reduction in β-catenin protein expression compared with wild type. Tcf21 was bound to β-catenin both upon β-catenin stabilization and at basal state as demonstrated by immunoprecipitation in vitro. In MK3/M15 metanephric mesenchymal cells, Tcf21 enhanced TCF/LEF promoter activity upon β-catenin stabilization, whereas DNA-binding deficient mutated Tcf21 did not enhance TCF/LEF promoter activity. Kidney explants of Foxd1Cre;Tcf21f/f showed low mRNA expression of stromal Wnt target genes. Treatment of the explants with CHIR, a Wnt ligand mimetic, restored Wnt target gene expression. Here, we also corroborated previous evidence that normal development of the kidney stroma is required for normal development of the Six2+ nephron progenitor cells, loop of Henle, and the collecting ducts. Conclusions These findings suggest that stromal Tcf21 facilitates medullary stroma development by enhancing Wnt/β-catenin signaling and promotes stromal cell proliferation and differentiation. Stromal Tcf21 is also required for the development of the adjacent nephron epithelia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gal Finer
- Division of Nephrology, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
- Feinberg Cardiovascular and Renal Research Institute, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Yoshiro Maezawa
- Department of Endocrinology, Hematology and Gerontology, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Shintaro Ide
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Tuncer Onay
- Feinberg Cardiovascular and Renal Research Institute, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
- Division of Nephrology/Hypertension, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Tomokazu Souma
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Rizaldy Scott
- Feinberg Cardiovascular and Renal Research Institute, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
- Division of Nephrology/Hypertension, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Xiaoyan Liang
- Division of Nephrology, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Xiangmin Zhao
- Division of Nephrology, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Gaurav Gadhvi
- Division of Rheumatology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Deborah R. Winter
- Division of Rheumatology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Susan E. Quaggin
- Feinberg Cardiovascular and Renal Research Institute, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
- Division of Nephrology/Hypertension, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Tomoko Hayashida
- Division of Nephrology, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
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10
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Wang T, Tang X, Zhang Y, Wang X, Shi H, Yin R, Pan C. Delivery of miR-654-5p via SonoVue Microbubble Ultrasound Inhibits Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Arterial Thrombosis and Stenosis through Targeting TCF21. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2022; 2022:4757081. [PMID: 35910838 PMCID: PMC9325610 DOI: 10.1155/2022/4757081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 06/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Background Abnormal proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is an important cause of vascular stenosis. The study explored the mechanism of inhibition of vascular stenosis through the molecular mechanism of smooth muscle cell phenotype transformation. Methods Coronary heart disease-related genes were screened by bioinformatics, and the target genes of miR-654-5p were predicted by dual-luciferase method and immunofluorescence method. miR-654-5p mimic stimulation and transfection of TCF21 and MTAP into cells. SonoVue microbubble sonication was used to deliver miR-654-5p into cells. Cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were detected by CCK-8, wound scratch, and Transwell. HE and IHC staining were performed to study the effect of miR-654-5p delivery via SonoVue microbubble ultrasound on vessel stenosis in a model of arterial injury. Gene expression was determined by qRT-PCR and WB. Results TCF21 and MTAP were predicted as the target genes of miR-654-5p. Cytokines induced smooth muscle cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and promoted miR-654-5p downregulation; noticeably, downregulated miR-654-5p was positively associated with the cell proliferation and migration. Overexpression of TCF21 promoted proliferation, invasion, and migration, and mimic reversed such effects. miR-654-5p overexpression delivered by SonoVue microbubble ultrasound inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion of cells. Moreover, in arterial injury model, we found that SonoVue microbubble ultrasound transmitted miR-654-5p into the arterial wall to inhibit arterial thrombosis and stenosis, while TCF21 was inhibited. Conclusion Ultrasound delivery of miR-654-5p via SonoVue microbubbles was able to inhibit arterial thrombosis and stenosis by targeting TCF21.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Wang
- The Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Changzhou No. 2 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, China
| | - Xiaoqiang Tang
- The Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Changzhou No. 2 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- The Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Changzhou No. 2 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, China
| | - Xiaoqin Wang
- The Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Changzhou No. 2 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, China
| | - Haifeng Shi
- The Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Changzhou No. 2 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, China
| | - Ruohan Yin
- The Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Changzhou No. 2 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, China
| | - Changjie Pan
- The Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Changzhou No. 2 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, China
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11
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Mallah MA, Changxing L, Mallah MA, Noreen S, Liu Y, Saeed M, Xi H, Ahmed B, Feng F, Mirjat AA, Wang W, Jabar A, Naveed M, Li JH, Zhang Q. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and its effects on human health: An overeview. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 296:133948. [PMID: 35151703 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.133948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 144] [Impact Index Per Article: 72.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of chemicals of considerable environmental significance. PAHs are chemical contaminants of fused carbon and hydrogen aromatic rings, basically white, light-yellow, or solid compounds without color. Natural sources of pollution are marginal or less significant, such as volcanic eruptions, natural forest fires, and moorland fires that trigger lightning bursts. The significant determinants of PAH pollution are anthropogenic pollution sources, classified into four groups, i.e., industrial, mobile, domestic, and agricultural pollution sources. Humans can consume PAHs via different routes, such as inhalation, dermal touch, and ingestion. The Effect of PAHs on human health is primarily based on the duration and route of exposure, the volume or concentration of PAHs to which one is exposed, and the relative toxicity of PAHs. Many PAHs are widely referred to as carcinogens, mutagens, and teratogens and thus pose a significant danger to human health and the well-being of humans. Skin, lung, pancreas, esophagus, bladder, colon, and female breast are numerous organs prone to tumor development due to long-term PAH exposure. PAH exposure may increase the risk of lung cancer as well as cardiovascular disease (CVD), including atherosclerosis, thrombosis, hypertension, and myocardial infarction (MI). Preclinical studies have found a relationship between PAH exposure, oxidative stress, and atherosclerosis. In addition, investigations have discovered a relationship between PAH exposure at work and CVD illness and mortality development. This review aims to explain PAH briefly, its transportation, its effects on human health, and a relationship between environmental exposures to PAHs and CVD risk in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manthar Ali Mallah
- Department of Toxicology, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Li Changxing
- Department of Human Anatomy, Medical College of Qinghai University, Xining, 81000, China
| | - Mukhtiar Ali Mallah
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Quaid-e-Awam University of Engineering, Science & Technology, Nawabshah, 67480, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Sobia Noreen
- Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, 6300, Pakistan
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Toxicology, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Muhammad Saeed
- The Cholestane University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - He Xi
- Department of Toxicology, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Bilal Ahmed
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy. Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Feifei Feng
- Department of Toxicology, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Ali Asghar Mirjat
- School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Abdul Jabar
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, 40100, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Naveed
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy. Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Jian-Hua Li
- Department of Human Anatomy, Medical College of Qinghai University, Xining, 81000, China.
| | - Qiao Zhang
- Department of Toxicology, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.
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12
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Current Therapeutic Landscape and Safety Roadmap for Targeting the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor in Inflammatory Gastrointestinal Indications. Cells 2022; 11:cells11101708. [PMID: 35626744 PMCID: PMC9139855 DOI: 10.3390/cells11101708] [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: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Target modulation of the AhR for inflammatory gastrointestinal (GI) conditions holds great promise but also the potential for safety liabilities both within and beyond the GI tract. The ubiquitous expression of the AhR across mammalian tissues coupled with its role in diverse signaling pathways makes development of a “clean” AhR therapeutically challenging. Ligand promiscuity and diversity in context-specific AhR activation further complicates targeting the AhR for drug development due to limitations surrounding clinical translatability. Despite these concerns, several approaches to target the AhR have been explored such as small molecules, microbials, PROTACs, and oligonucleotide-based approaches. These various chemical modalities are not without safety liabilities and require unique de-risking strategies to parse out toxicities. Collectively, these programs can benefit from in silico and in vitro methodologies that investigate specific AhR pathway activation and have the potential to implement thresholding parameters to categorize AhR ligands as “high” or “low” risk for sustained AhR activation. Exploration into transcriptomic signatures for AhR safety assessment, incorporation of physiologically-relevant in vitro model systems, and investigation into chronic activation of the AhR by structurally diverse ligands will help address gaps in our understanding regarding AhR-dependent toxicities. Here, we review the role of the AhR within the GI tract, novel therapeutic modality approaches to target the AhR, key AhR-dependent safety liabilities, and relevant strategies that can be implemented to address drug safety concerns. Together, this review discusses the emerging therapeutic landscape of modalities targeting the AhR for inflammatory GI indications and offers a safety roadmap for AhR drug development.
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13
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Cheng P, Wirka RC, Kim JB, Kim HJ, Nguyen T, Kundu R, Zhao Q, Sharma D, Pedroza A, Nagao M, Iyer D, Fischbein MP, Quertermous T. Smad3 regulates smooth muscle cell fate and mediates adverse remodeling and calcification of the atherosclerotic plaque. NATURE CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH 2022; 1:322-333. [PMID: 36246779 PMCID: PMC9560061 DOI: 10.1038/s44161-022-00042-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 04/20/2023]
Abstract
Atherosclerotic plaques consist mostly of smooth muscle cells (SMC), and genes that influence SMC phenotype can modulate coronary artery disease (CAD) risk. Allelic variation at 15q22.33 has been identified by genome-wide association studies to modify the risk of CAD and is associated with the expression of SMAD3 in SMC. However, the mechanism by which this gene modifies CAD risk remains poorly understood. Here we show that SMC-specific deletion of Smad3 in a murine atherosclerosis model resulted in greater plaque burden, more outward remodelling and increased vascular calcification. Single-cell transcriptomic analyses revealed that loss of Smad3 altered SMC transition cell state toward two fates: a SMC phenotype that governs both vascular remodelling and recruitment of inflammatory cells, as well as a chondromyocyte fate. Together, the findings reveal that Smad3 expression in SMC inhibits the emergence of specific SMC phenotypic transition cells that mediate adverse plaque features, including outward remodelling, monocyte recruitment, and vascular calcification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Cheng
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Robert C. Wirka
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Juyong Brian Kim
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Hyun-Jung Kim
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Trieu Nguyen
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Ramendra Kundu
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Quanyi Zhao
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Disha Sharma
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Albert Pedroza
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Manabu Nagao
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Dharini Iyer
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Michael P. Fischbein
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Thomas Quertermous
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
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14
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Hammond CL, Roztocil E, Gupta V, Feldon SE, Woeller CF. More than Meets the Eye: The Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor is an Environmental Sensor, Physiological Regulator and a Therapeutic Target in Ocular Disease. FRONTIERS IN TOXICOLOGY 2022; 4:791082. [PMID: 35295218 PMCID: PMC8915869 DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2022.791082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand activated transcription factor originally identified as an environmental sensor of xenobiotic chemicals. However, studies have revealed that the AHR regulates crucial aspects of cell growth and metabolism, development and the immune system. The importance of the AHR and AHR signaling in eye development, toxicology and disease is now being uncovered. The AHR is expressed in many ocular tissues including the retina, choroid, cornea and the orbit. A significant role for the AHR in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), autoimmune uveitis, and other ocular diseases has been identified. Ligands for the AHR are structurally diverse organic molecules from exogenous and endogenous sources. Natural AHR ligands include metabolites of tryptophan and byproducts of the microbiome. Xenobiotic AHR ligands include persistent environmental pollutants such as dioxins, benzo (a) pyrene [B (a) P] and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Pharmaceutical agents including the proton pump inhibitors, esomeprazole and lansoprazole, and the immunosuppressive drug, leflunomide, activate the AHR. In this review, we highlight the role of the AHR in the eye and discuss how AHR signaling is involved in responding to endogenous and environmental stimuli. We also present the emerging concept that the AHR is a promising therapeutic target for eye disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Collynn F. Woeller
- Flaum Eye Institute, Rochester, NY, United States
- Department of Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Collynn F. Woeller,
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15
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da Silva JF, Bolsoni JA, da Costa RM, Alves JV, Bressan AFM, Silva LEV, Costa TJ, Oliveira AER, Manzato CP, Aguiar CA, Fazan R, Cunha FQ, Nakaya HI, Carneiro FS, Tostes RC. Aryl-hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activation contributes to high-fat diet-induced vascular dysfunction. Br J Pharmacol 2022; 179:2938-2952. [PMID: 34978070 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Metabolic and vascular dysfunction are common features of obesity. Aryl hydrocarbons receptors (AhR) regulate lipid metabolism and vascular homeostasis, but whether vascular AhR are activated in obesity or if AhR have protective or harmful effects on vascular function in obesity are not known. Thus, our study addressed whether AhR activation contributes to obesity-associated vascular dysfunction and the mechanisms involved in the AhR effects. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Male AhRKO (AhR knockout) and WT (wild type) mice were fed either a control or a HF (high-fat) diet for ten weeks. Metabolic and inflammatory parameters were measured in serum and adipose tissue. Vascular reactivity (isometric force) was evaluated using a myography. eNOS and AhR protein expression was determined by Western blot; Cyp1A1 and eNOS gene expression by RT-PCR. Nitric oxide (NO) production was quantified by DAF fluorescence. KEY RESULTS HF diet increased serum total, HDL, and LDL cholesterol, as well as vascular AhR protein expression and proinflammatory cytokines in the adipose tissue. HF diet decreased endothelium-dependent vasodilation. AhR deletion protected mice from HF diet-induced dyslipidemia, weight gain, and inflammatory processes. HF diet-induced endothelial dysfunction was attenuated in AhRKO mice. Vessels from AhRKO mice exhibited a greater NO reserve. In cultured endothelial cells, lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC, a major component of LDL and oxLDL) reduced eNOS gene expression and NO production. Antagonism of AhR abrogated LPC effects on endothelial cells and LPC-induced decreased endothelium-dependent vasodilation. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS AhR deletion attenuates HF diet-induced dyslipidemia and vascular dysfunction by improving eNOS/NO signalling. Targeting AhR may prevent obesity-associated vascular dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josiane Fernandes da Silva
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
| | - Juliana A Bolsoni
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
| | - Rafael M da Costa
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil.,Academic Unit on Health Sciences, Jataí Federal University, Jataí, Brazil
| | - Juliano V Alves
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
| | - Alecsander F M Bressan
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
| | - Luiz Eduardo V Silva
- Department of Physiology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
| | | | - Antonio E R Oliveira
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil.,Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carla P Manzato
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
| | - Carlos A Aguiar
- Department of Physiology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
| | - Rubens Fazan
- Department of Physiology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
| | - Fernando Q Cunha
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
| | - Helder I Nakaya
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,Israelita Albert Einstein Hospital, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fernando S Carneiro
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
| | - Rita C Tostes
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
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16
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Bey L, Coumoul X, Kim MJ. TCDD aggravates the formation of the atherosclerotic plaque in ApoE KO mice with a sexual dimorphic pattern. Biochimie 2022; 195:54-58. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2022.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
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17
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Jin X, Hua Q, Liu Y, Wu Z, Xu D, Ren Q, Zhao W, Guo X. Organ and tissue-specific distribution of selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in ApoE-KO mouse. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 286:117219. [PMID: 33984772 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are one of the most prevalent classes of environmental pollutants resulting from the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons. Exposure to PAHs is implicated in the pathogenesis of the cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, and even cancer. However, little is known about organ- and tissue-specific distribution patterns of PAHs in animals at macro-tissue and microscopic levels. Here, by combining GC-MS and single-molecule fluorescence microscopy (SMFM), we revealed the distribution characteristics of four different PAHs (phenanthrene (Phe), pyrene (Pyr), perylene (Per), and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)) in atherosclerosis model mice (ApoE-KO mice) at macro-tissue and micro-region level after long-term oral exposure. Average PAH concentrations detected by GC-MS in seven tissues ranged from 6.44 to 441 ng/g. The gastrointestinal tract, epididymal fat pat, and lung accumulated higher levels of PAHs, whereas relatively lower PAH residuals were found in the liver, brain, and kidney. Correlation analysis showed that PAHs with higher molecular weight (r: -0.972 to -0.746), Log Kow (r: -0.984 to -0.746) and lower water solubility (r: 0.720 to 0.994) were less prone to bioaccumulate. For the first time, SMFM demonstrated a distinct heterogeneous distribution of Per in the tissue slices. More interestingly, we observed many micro-cluster regions, namely hotspots, showed much higher Per fluorescent intensity than the other common regions. In the area of atherosclerotic plaque, the Per hotspots were colocalized with the micro-regions with the most severe inflammatory response. The hotspots with very high enrichment in PAHs were likely to stimulate the local inflammation and cause excessive damage of the aorta, which resulted in a significant increase of the relative area of atherosclerosis lesion and aggravated atherosclerosis, as observed in PAH exposed mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China; Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), School of Life Sciences, Peking University, No.5 Yiheyuan Street, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Qiaoyi Hua
- State Key Laboratory of Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Yanan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Zhijun Wu
- National Institute for Occupational Health and Poison Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No. 29 Nanwei Street, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Deshu Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Qidong Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Wenjin Zhao
- National Institute for Occupational Health and Poison Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No. 29 Nanwei Street, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Xuejun Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China.
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18
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Taguchi YH, Turki T. Unsupervised tensor decomposition-based method to extract candidate transcription factors as histone modification bookmarks in post-mitotic transcriptional reactivation. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0251032. [PMID: 34032804 PMCID: PMC8148352 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The histone group added to a gene sequence must be removed during mitosis to halt transcription during the DNA replication stage of the cell cycle. However, the detailed mechanism of this transcription regulation remains unclear. In particular, it is not realistic to reconstruct all appropriate histone modifications throughout the genome from scratch after mitosis. Thus, it is reasonable to assume that there might be a type of “bookmark” that retains the positions of histone modifications, which can be readily restored after mitosis. We developed a novel computational approach comprising tensor decomposition (TD)-based unsupervised feature extraction (FE) to identify transcription factors (TFs) that bind to genes associated with reactivated histone modifications as candidate histone bookmarks. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first application of TD-based unsupervised FE to the cell division context and phases pertaining to the cell cycle in general. The candidate TFs identified with this approach were functionally related to cell division, suggesting the suitability of this method and the potential of the identified TFs as bookmarks for histone modification during mitosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y-h. Taguchi
- Department of Physics, Chuo University, Tokyo, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Turki Turki
- Department of Computer Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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19
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Pokhilko A, Handel AE, Curion F, Volpato V, Whiteley ES, Bøstrand S, Newey SE, Akerman CJ, Webber C, Clark MB, Bowden R, Cader MZ. Targeted single-cell RNA sequencing of transcription factors enhances the identification of cell types and trajectories. Genome Res 2021; 31:1069-1081. [PMID: 34011578 PMCID: PMC8168586 DOI: 10.1101/gr.273961.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is a widely used method for identifying cell types and trajectories in biologically heterogeneous samples, but it is limited in its detection and quantification of lowly expressed genes. This results in missing important biological signals, such as the expression of key transcription factors (TFs) driving cellular differentiation. We show that targeted sequencing of ∼1000 TFs (scCapture-seq) in iPSC-derived neuronal cultures greatly improves the biological information garnered from scRNA-seq. Increased TF resolution enhanced cell type identification, developmental trajectories, and gene regulatory networks. This allowed us to resolve differences among neuronal populations, which were generated in two different laboratories using the same differentiation protocol. ScCapture-seq improved TF-gene regulatory network inference and thus identified divergent patterns of neurogenesis into either excitatory cortical neurons or inhibitory interneurons. Furthermore, scCapture-seq revealed a role for of retinoic acid signaling in the developmental divergence between these different neuronal populations. Our results show that TF targeting improves the characterization of human cellular models and allows identification of the essential differences between cellular populations, which would otherwise be missed in traditional scRNA-seq. scCapture-seq TF targeting represents a cost-effective enhancement of scRNA-seq, which could be broadly applied to improve scRNA-seq resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Pokhilko
- Translational Molecular Neuroscience Group, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, United Kingdom
| | - Adam E Handel
- Translational Molecular Neuroscience Group, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, United Kingdom
| | - Fabiola Curion
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, United Kingdom
| | - Viola Volpato
- UK Dementia Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, United Kingdom
| | - Emma S Whiteley
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QT, United Kingdom
| | - Sunniva Bøstrand
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QT, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah E Newey
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QT, United Kingdom
| | - Colin J Akerman
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QT, United Kingdom
| | - Caleb Webber
- UK Dementia Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, United Kingdom
| | - Michael B Clark
- Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7JX, United Kingdom.,Centre for Stem Cell Systems, Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Rory Bowden
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, United Kingdom.,The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.,University of Melbourne, Department of Medical Biology, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - M Zameel Cader
- Translational Molecular Neuroscience Group, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, United Kingdom
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20
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Espinosa-Diez C, Mandi V, Du M, Liu M, Gomez D. Smooth muscle cells in atherosclerosis: clones but not carbon copies. JVS Vasc Sci 2021; 2:136-148. [PMID: 34617064 PMCID: PMC8489213 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvssci.2021.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Our knowledge of the contribution of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) to atherosclerosis has greatly advanced in the previous decade with the development of techniques allowing for the unambiguous identification and phenotypic characterization of SMC populations within the diseased vascular wall. By performing fate mapping or single-cell transcriptomics studies, or a combination of both, the field has made key observations: SMCs populate atherosclerotic lesions by the selective expansion and investment of a limited number of medial SMCs, which undergo profound and diverse modifications of their original phenotype and function. Thus, if SMCs residing within atherosclerotic lesions and contributing to the disease are clones, they are not carbon copies and can play atheroprotective or atheropromoting roles, depending on the nature of their phenotypic transitions. Tremendous progress has been made in identifying the transcriptional mechanisms biasing SMC fate. In the present review, we have summarized the recent advances in characterizing SMC investment and phenotypic diversity and the molecular mechanisms controlling SMC fate in atherosclerotic lesions. We have also discussed some of the remaining questions associated with these breakthrough observations. These questions include the underlying mechanisms regulating the phenomenon of SMC oligoclonal expansion; whether single-cell transcriptomics is reliable and sufficient to ascertain SMC functions and contributions during atherosclerosis development and progression; and how SMC clonality and phenotypic plasticity affects translational research and the therapeutic approaches developed to prevent atherosclerosis complications. Finally, we have discussed the complementary approaches the field should lean toward by combining single-cell phenotypic categorization and functional studies to understand further the complex SMC behavior and contribution in atherosclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Espinosa-Diez
- Pittsburgh Heart, Lung, Blood, and Vascular Medicine Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa
| | - Varun Mandi
- Pittsburgh Heart, Lung, Blood, and Vascular Medicine Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa
| | - Mingyuan Du
- Pittsburgh Heart, Lung, Blood, and Vascular Medicine Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa,Department of Vascular Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Mingjun Liu
- Pittsburgh Heart, Lung, Blood, and Vascular Medicine Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa,Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa
| | - Delphine Gomez
- Pittsburgh Heart, Lung, Blood, and Vascular Medicine Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa,Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa,Correspondence: Delphine Gomez, PhD, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, 200 Lothrop St, Biomedical Science Tower, Rm 1723, Pittsburgh, PA 15261
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21
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Baumgartner R, Berg M, Matic L, Polyzos KP, Forteza MJ, Hjorth SA, Schwartz TW, Paulsson-Berne G, Hansson GK, Hedin U, Ketelhuth DFJ. Evidence that a deviation in the kynurenine pathway aggravates atherosclerotic disease in humans. J Intern Med 2021; 289:53-68. [PMID: 32794238 DOI: 10.1111/joim.13142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Revised: 05/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The metabolism of tryptophan (Trp) along the kynurenine pathway has been shown to carry strong immunoregulatory properties. Several experimental studies indicate that this pathway is a major regulator of vascular inflammation and influences atherogenesis. Knowledge of the role of this pathway in human atherosclerosis remains incomplete. OBJECTIVES In this study, we performed a multiplatform analysis of tissue samples, in vitro and in vivo functional assays to elucidate the potential role of the kynurenine pathway in human atherosclerosis. METHODS AND RESULTS Comparison of transcriptomic data from carotid plaques and control arteries revealed an upregulation of enzymes within the quinolinic branch of the kynurenine pathway in the disease state, whilst the branch leading to the formation of kynurenic acid (KynA) was downregulated. Further analyses indicated that local inflammatory responses are closely tied to the deviation of the kynurenine pathway in the vascular wall. Analysis of cerebrovascular symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid stenosis data showed that the downregulation of KynA branch enzymes and reduced KynA production were associated with an increased probability of patients to undergo surgery due to an unstable disease. In vitro, we showed that KynA-mediated signalling through aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a major regulator of human macrophage activation. Using a mouse model of peritoneal inflammation, we showed that KynA inhibits leukocyte recruitment. CONCLUSIONS We have found that a deviation in the kynurenine pathway is associated with an increased probability of developing symptomatic unstable atherosclerotic disease. Our study suggests that KynA-mediated signalling through AhR is an important mechanism involved in the regulation of vascular inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Baumgartner
- From the, Cardiovascular Medicine Unit, Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - M Berg
- From the, Cardiovascular Medicine Unit, Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - L Matic
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Vascular Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - K P Polyzos
- From the, Cardiovascular Medicine Unit, Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - M J Forteza
- From the, Cardiovascular Medicine Unit, Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - S A Hjorth
- Section for Metabolic Receptology, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - T W Schwartz
- Section for Metabolic Receptology, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - G Paulsson-Berne
- From the, Cardiovascular Medicine Unit, Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - G K Hansson
- From the, Cardiovascular Medicine Unit, Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - U Hedin
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Vascular Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - D F J Ketelhuth
- From the, Cardiovascular Medicine Unit, Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Cardiovascular and Renal Research, Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
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22
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Wang F, Liang S, Hu J, Xu Y. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor connects dysregulated immune cells to atherosclerosis. Immunol Lett 2020; 228:55-63. [PMID: 33053378 DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2020.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
As a chronic inflammatory disease with autoimmune components, atherosclerosis is the major cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Recent studies have revealed that the development of atherosclerosis is strongly linked to the functional activities of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), a chemical sensor that is also important for the development, maintenance, and function of a variety of immune cells. In this review, we focus on the impact of AHR signaling on the different cell types that are closely related to the atherogenesis, including T cells, B cells, dendritic cells, macrophages, foam cells, and hematopoietic stem cells in the arterial walls, and summarize the latest development on the interplay between this environmental sensor and immune cells in the context of atherosclerosis. Hopefully, elucidation of the role of AHR in atherosclerosis will facilitate the understanding of case variation in disease prevalence and may aid in the development of novel therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengge Wang
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory for Conservation and Exploitation of Biological Resources, School of Life Science, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Shuangchao Liang
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Jiqiong Hu
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Yuekang Xu
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory for Conservation and Exploitation of Biological Resources, School of Life Science, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, China.
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23
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Zhao Q, Dacre M, Nguyen T, Pjanic M, Liu B, Iyer D, Cheng P, Wirka R, Kim JB, Fraser HB, Quertermous T. Molecular mechanisms of coronary disease revealed using quantitative trait loci for TCF21 binding, chromatin accessibility, and chromosomal looping. Genome Biol 2020; 21:135. [PMID: 32513244 PMCID: PMC7278146 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-020-02049-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To investigate the epigenetic and transcriptional mechanisms of coronary artery disease (CAD) risk, as well as the functional regulation of chromatin structure and function, we create a catalog of genetic variants associated with three stages of transcriptional cis-regulation in primary human coronary artery vascular smooth muscle cells (HCASMCs). RESULTS We use a pooling approach with HCASMC lines to map regulatory variants that mediate binding of the CAD-associated transcription factor TCF21 with ChIPseq studies (bQTLs), variants that regulate chromatin accessibility with ATACseq studies (caQTLs), and chromosomal looping with Hi-C methods (clQTLs). We examine the overlap of these QTLs and their relationship to smooth muscle-specific genes and transcription factors. Further, we use multiple analyses to show that these QTLs are highly associated with CAD GWAS loci and correlate to lead SNPs where they show allelic effects. By utilizing genome editing, we verify that identified functional variants can regulate both chromatin accessibility and chromosomal looping, providing new insights into functional mechanisms regulating chromatin state and chromosomal structure. Finally, we directly link the disease-associated TGFB1-SMAD3 pathway to the CAD-associated FN1 gene through a response QTL that modulates both chromatin accessibility and chromosomal looping. CONCLUSIONS Together, these studies represent the most thorough mapping of multiple QTL types in a highly disease-relevant primary cultured cell type and provide novel insights into their functional overlap and mechanisms that underlie these genomic features and their relationship to disease risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quanyi Zhao
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Dr. Falk CVRC, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Michael Dacre
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Trieu Nguyen
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Dr. Falk CVRC, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Milos Pjanic
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Dr. Falk CVRC, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Boxiang Liu
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Dr. Falk CVRC, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Dharini Iyer
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Dr. Falk CVRC, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Paul Cheng
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Dr. Falk CVRC, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Robert Wirka
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Dr. Falk CVRC, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Juyong Brian Kim
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Dr. Falk CVRC, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Hunter B Fraser
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Thomas Quertermous
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Dr. Falk CVRC, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
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24
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Kim JB, Zhao Q, Nguyen T, Pjanic M, Cheng P, Wirka R, Travisano S, Nagao M, Kundu R, Quertermous T. Environment-Sensing Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Inhibits the Chondrogenic Fate of Modulated Smooth Muscle Cells in Atherosclerotic Lesions. Circulation 2020; 142:575-590. [PMID: 32441123 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.120.045981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Smooth muscle cells (SMC) play a critical role in atherosclerosis. The Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is an environment-sensing transcription factor that contributes to vascular development, and has been implicated in coronary artery disease risk. We hypothesized that AHR can affect atherosclerosis by regulating phenotypic modulation of SMC. METHODS We combined RNA-sequencing, chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing, assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing, and in vitro assays in human coronary artery SMCs, with single-cell RNA-sequencing, histology, and RNAscope in an SMC-specific lineage-tracing Ahr knockout mouse model of atherosclerosis to better understand the role of AHR in vascular disease. RESULTS Genomic studies coupled with functional assays in cultured human coronary artery SMCs revealed that AHR modulates the human coronary artery SMC phenotype and suppresses ossification in these cells. Lineage-tracing and activity-tracing studies in the mouse aortic sinus showed that the Ahr pathway is active in modulated SMCs in the atherosclerotic lesion cap. Furthermore, single-cell RNA-sequencing studies of the SMC-specific Ahr knockout mice showed a significant increase in the proportion of modulated SMCs expressing chondrocyte markers such as Col2a1 and Alpl, which localized to the lesion neointima. These cells, which we term "chondromyocytes," were also identified in the neointima of human coronary arteries. In histological analyses, these changes manifested as larger lesion size, increased lineage-traced SMC participation in the lesion, decreased lineage-traced SMCs in the lesion cap, and increased alkaline phosphatase activity in lesions in the Ahr knockout in comparison with wild-type mice. We propose that AHR is likely protective based on these data and inference from human genetic analyses. CONCLUSIONS Overall, we conclude that AHR promotes the maintenance of lesion cap integrity and diminishes the disease-related SMC-to-chondromyocyte transition in atherosclerotic tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juyong Brian Kim
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine (J.B.K., Q.Z., T.N., M.P., P.C., R.W., S.T., M.N., R.K., T.Q.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA.,Cardiovascular Institute (J.B.K., P.C., R.W., T.Q.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Quanyi Zhao
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine (J.B.K., Q.Z., T.N., M.P., P.C., R.W., S.T., M.N., R.K., T.Q.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Trieu Nguyen
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine (J.B.K., Q.Z., T.N., M.P., P.C., R.W., S.T., M.N., R.K., T.Q.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Milos Pjanic
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine (J.B.K., Q.Z., T.N., M.P., P.C., R.W., S.T., M.N., R.K., T.Q.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Paul Cheng
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine (J.B.K., Q.Z., T.N., M.P., P.C., R.W., S.T., M.N., R.K., T.Q.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA.,Cardiovascular Institute (J.B.K., P.C., R.W., T.Q.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Robert Wirka
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine (J.B.K., Q.Z., T.N., M.P., P.C., R.W., S.T., M.N., R.K., T.Q.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA.,Cardiovascular Institute (J.B.K., P.C., R.W., T.Q.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Stanislao Travisano
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine (J.B.K., Q.Z., T.N., M.P., P.C., R.W., S.T., M.N., R.K., T.Q.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Manabu Nagao
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine (J.B.K., Q.Z., T.N., M.P., P.C., R.W., S.T., M.N., R.K., T.Q.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Ramendra Kundu
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine (J.B.K., Q.Z., T.N., M.P., P.C., R.W., S.T., M.N., R.K., T.Q.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Thomas Quertermous
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine (J.B.K., Q.Z., T.N., M.P., P.C., R.W., S.T., M.N., R.K., T.Q.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA.,Cardiovascular Institute (J.B.K., P.C., R.W., T.Q.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
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25
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Vogel CFA, Van Winkle LS, Esser C, Haarmann-Stemmann T. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor as a target of environmental stressors - Implications for pollution mediated stress and inflammatory responses. Redox Biol 2020; 34:101530. [PMID: 32354640 PMCID: PMC7327980 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2020.101530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 206] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor regulating the expression of genes, for instance encoding the monooxygenases cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A1 and CYP1A2, which are important enzymes in metabolism of xenobiotics. The AHR is activated upon binding of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and related ubiquitous environmental chemicals, to mediate their biological and toxic effects. In addition, several endogenous and natural compounds can bind to AHR, thereby modulating a variety of physiological processes. In recent years, ambient particulate matter (PM) associated with traffic related air pollution (TRAP) has been found to contain significant amounts of PAHs. PM containing PAHs are of increasing concern as a class of agonists, which can activate the AHR. Several reports show that PM and AHR-mediated induction of CYP1A1 results in excessive generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), causing oxidative stress. Furthermore, exposure to PM and PAHs induce inflammatory responses and may lead to chronic inflammatory diseases, including asthma, cardiovascular diseases, and increased cancer risk. In this review, we summarize findings showing the critical role that the AHR plays in mediating effects of environmental pollutants and stressors, which pose a risk of impacting the environment and human health. PAHs present on ambient air pollution particles are ligands of the cellular AHR. AHR-dependent induction of CYP1, AKR, NOX and COX-2 genes can be a source of ROS generation. AHR signaling and NRF2 signaling interact to regulate the expression of antioxidant genes. Air pollution and ROS can affect inflammation, which is partially triggered by AHR and associated immune responses. Skin, lung, and the cardiovascular system are major target sites for air pollution-induced inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph F A Vogel
- Center for Health and the Environment, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA; Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Laura S Van Winkle
- Center for Health and the Environment, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA; School of Veterinary Medicine Department of Anatomy, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 5616, USA
| | - Charlotte Esser
- IUF - Leibniz-Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
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26
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Abstract
Cardiac fibroblasts and fibrosis contribute to the pathogenesis of heart failure, a prevalent cause of mortality. Therefore, a majority of the existing information regarding cardiac fibroblasts is focused on their function and behavior after heart injury. Less is understood about the signaling and transcriptional networks required for the development and homeostatic roles of these cells. This review is devoted to describing our current understanding of cardiac fibroblast development. I detail cardiac fibroblast formation during embryogenesis including the discovery of a second embryonic origin for cardiac fibroblasts. Additional information is provided regarding the roles of the genes essential for cardiac fibroblast development. It should be noted that many questions remain regarding the cell-fate specification of these fibroblast progenitors, and it is hoped that this review will provide a basis for future studies regarding this topic.
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27
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Kim JB, Prunicki M, Haddad F, Dant C, Sampath V, Patel R, Smith E, Akdis C, Balmes J, Snyder MP, Wu JC, Nadeau KC. Cumulative Lifetime Burden of Cardiovascular Disease From Early Exposure to Air Pollution. J Am Heart Assoc 2020; 9:e014944. [PMID: 32174249 PMCID: PMC7335506 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.119.014944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The disease burden associated with air pollution continues to grow. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates ≈7 million people worldwide die yearly from exposure to polluted air, half of which-3.3 million-are attributable to cardiovascular disease (CVD), greater than from major modifiable CVD risks including smoking, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes mellitus. This serious and growing health threat is attributed to increasing urbanization of the world's populations with consequent exposure to polluted air. Especially vulnerable are the elderly, patients with pre-existing CVD, and children. The cumulative lifetime burden in children is particularly of concern because their rapidly developing cardiopulmonary systems are more susceptible to damage and they spend more time outdoors and therefore inhale more pollutants. World Health Organization estimates that 93% of the world's children aged <15 years-1.8 billion children-breathe air that puts their health and development at risk. Here, we present growing scientific evidence, including from our own group, that chronic exposure to air pollution early in life is directly linked to development of major CVD risks, including obesity, hypertension, and metabolic disorders. In this review, we surveyed the literature for current knowledge of how pollution exposure early in life adversely impacts cardiovascular phenotypes, and lay the foundation for early intervention and other strategies that can help prevent this damage. We also discuss the need for better guidelines and additional research to validate exposure metrics and interventions that will ultimately help healthcare providers reduce the growing burden of CVD from pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juyong Brian Kim
- Division of Cardiovascular MedicineDepartment of MedicineStanford UniversityStanfordCA
- Stanford Cardiovascular InstituteStanford UniversityStanfordCA
| | - Mary Prunicki
- Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma ResearchStanford UniversityStanfordCA
| | - Francois Haddad
- Division of Cardiovascular MedicineDepartment of MedicineStanford UniversityStanfordCA
- Stanford Cardiovascular InstituteStanford UniversityStanfordCA
| | - Christopher Dant
- Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma ResearchStanford UniversityStanfordCA
| | - Vanitha Sampath
- Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma ResearchStanford UniversityStanfordCA
| | - Rushali Patel
- Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma ResearchStanford UniversityStanfordCA
| | - Eric Smith
- Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma ResearchStanford UniversityStanfordCA
| | - Cezmi Akdis
- Swiss Institute for Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF)University of ZurichDavosSwitzerland
| | - John Balmes
- Department of MedicineUniversity of California San Francisco and Division of Environmental Health SciencesSchool of Public HealthUniversity of California BerkeleyCA
| | - Michael P. Snyder
- Department of Genetics and Center for Genomics and Personalized MedicineStanford UniversityStanfordCA
| | - Joseph C. Wu
- Stanford Cardiovascular InstituteStanford UniversityStanfordCA
| | - Kari C. Nadeau
- Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma ResearchStanford UniversityStanfordCA
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Nagao M, Lyu Q, Zhao Q, Wirka RC, Bagga J, Nguyen T, Cheng P, Kim JB, Pjanic M, Miano JM, Quertermous T. Coronary Disease-Associated Gene TCF21 Inhibits Smooth Muscle Cell Differentiation by Blocking the Myocardin-Serum Response Factor Pathway. Circ Res 2020; 126:517-529. [PMID: 31815603 PMCID: PMC7274203 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.119.315968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE The gene encoding TCF21 (transcription factor 21) has been linked to coronary artery disease risk by human genome-wide association studies in multiple racial ethnic groups. In murine models, Tcf21 is required for phenotypic modulation of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in atherosclerotic tissues and promotes a fibroblast phenotype in these cells. In humans, TCF21 expression inhibits risk for coronary artery disease. The molecular mechanism by which TCF21 regulates SMC phenotype is not known. OBJECTIVE To better understand how TCF21 affects the SMC phenotype, we sought to investigate the possible mechanisms by which it regulates the lineage determining MYOCD (myocardin)-SRF (serum response factor) pathway. METHODS AND RESULTS Modulation of TCF21 expression in human coronary artery SMC revealed that TCF21 suppresses a broad range of SMC markers, as well as key SMC transcription factors MYOCD and SRF, at the RNA and protein level. We conducted chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing to map SRF-binding sites in human coronary artery SMC, showing that binding is colocalized in the genome with TCF21, including at a novel enhancer in the SRF gene, and at the MYOCD gene promoter. In vitro genome editing indicated that the SRF enhancer CArG box regulates transcription of the SRF gene, and mutation of this conserved motif in the orthologous mouse SRF enhancer revealed decreased SRF expression in aorta and heart tissues. Direct TCF21 binding and transcriptional inhibition at colocalized sites were established by reporter gene transfection assays. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and protein coimmunoprecipitation studies provided evidence that TCF21 blocks MYOCD and SRF association by direct TCF21-MYOCD interaction. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate that TCF21 antagonizes the MYOCD-SRF pathway through multiple mechanisms, further establishing a role for this coronary artery disease-associated gene in fundamental SMC processes and indicating the importance of smooth muscle response to vascular stress and phenotypic modulation of this cell type in coronary artery disease risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manabu Nagao
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Qing Lyu
- Aab Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, 601 Elmwood Ave, Rochester, NY 14624
| | - Quanyi Zhao
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Robert C Wirka
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Joetsaroop Bagga
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Trieu Nguyen
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Paul Cheng
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Juyong Brian Kim
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Milos Pjanic
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Joseph M. Miano
- Aab Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, 601 Elmwood Ave, Rochester, NY 14624
| | - Thomas Quertermous
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305
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29
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Vítek L. Bilirubin as a signaling molecule. Med Res Rev 2020; 40:1335-1351. [PMID: 32017160 DOI: 10.1002/med.21660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
For long time bilirubin was only considered as a potentially dangerous sign of liver diseases, but it now appears clear that it is also a powerful signaling molecule. Together with potent antioxidant activities that were only reported in the last few decades, many other biological effects have now been clearly described. These include especially profound inhibitory effects on almost all effectors of the immune system, with their clinical consequences in the bilirubin-mediated protection against autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Separate from these, bilirubin activates various nuclear and cytoplasmic receptors, resembling the endocrine activities of actual hormonal substances. This is true for the "classical" hepatic nuclear receptors, including the aryl hydrocarbon receptor, or the constitutive androstane receptor; and also for some lesser-explored receptors such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors α and γ; Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor; or other signaling molecules including fatty acid binding protein 1, apolipoprotein D, or reactive oxygen species. All of these targets have broad metabolic effects, which in turn may offer protection against obesity, diabetes mellitus, and other metabolic diseases. The (mostly experimental) data are also supported by clinical evidence. In fact, data from the last three decades have convincingly demonstrated the protective effects of mildly elevated serum bilirubin concentrations against various "diseases of civilization." Additionally, even tiny, micromolar changes of serum bilirubin concentrations have been associated with substantial alteration in the risks of these diseases. It is highly likely that all of the biological activities of bilirubin have yet to be exhaustively explored, and thus we can expect further clinical discoveries about this evolutionarily old molecule into the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Libor Vítek
- 4th Department of Internal Medicine and Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, General Faculty Hospital and 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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30
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Nurnberg ST, Guerraty MA, Wirka RC, Rao HS, Pjanic M, Norton S, Serrano F, Perisic L, Elwyn S, Pluta J, Zhao W, Testa S, Park Y, Nguyen T, Ko YA, Wang T, Hedin U, Sinha S, Barash Y, Brown CD, Quertermous T, Rader DJ. Genomic profiling of human vascular cells identifies TWIST1 as a causal gene for common vascular diseases. PLoS Genet 2020; 16:e1008538. [PMID: 31917787 PMCID: PMC6975560 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies have identified multiple novel genomic loci associated with vascular diseases. Many of these loci are common non-coding variants that affect the expression of disease-relevant genes within coronary vascular cells. To identify such genes on a genome-wide level, we performed deep transcriptomic analysis of genotyped primary human coronary artery smooth muscle cells (HCASMCs) and coronary endothelial cells (HCAECs) from the same subjects, including splicing Quantitative Trait Loci (sQTL), allele-specific expression (ASE), and colocalization analyses. We identified sQTLs for TARS2, YAP1, CFDP1, and STAT6 in HCASMCs and HCAECs, and 233 ASE genes, a subset of which are also GTEx eGenes in arterial tissues. Colocalization of GWAS association signals for coronary artery disease (CAD), migraine, stroke and abdominal aortic aneurysm with GTEx eGenes in aorta, coronary artery and tibial artery discovered novel candidate risk genes for these diseases. At the CAD and stroke locus tagged by rs2107595 we demonstrate colocalization with expression of the proximal gene TWIST1. We show that disrupting the rs2107595 locus alters TWIST1 expression and that the risk allele has increased binding of the NOTCH signaling protein RBPJ. Finally, we provide data that TWIST1 expression influences vascular SMC phenotypes, including proliferation and calcification, as a potential mechanism supporting a role for TWIST1 in CAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvia T. Nurnberg
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Marie A. Guerraty
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Robert C. Wirka
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - H. Shanker Rao
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Milos Pjanic
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Scott Norton
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Felipe Serrano
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Ljubica Perisic
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institute, Solna, Sweden
| | - Susannah Elwyn
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - John Pluta
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Wei Zhao
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Stephanie Testa
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - YoSon Park
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Trieu Nguyen
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Yi-An Ko
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Ting Wang
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Ulf Hedin
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institute, Solna, Sweden
| | - Sanjay Sinha
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Yoseph Barash
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Christopher D. Brown
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Thomas Quertermous
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Daniel J. Rader
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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31
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Zhu K, Meng Q, Zhang Z, Yi T, He Y, Zheng J, Lei W. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor pathway: Role, regulation and intervention in atherosclerosis therapy (Review). Mol Med Rep 2019; 20:4763-4773. [PMID: 31638212 PMCID: PMC6854528 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2019.10748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand‑activated transcription factor originally isolated and characterized as the dioxin or xenobiotic receptor. With the discovery of endogenous ligands and studies of AhR knockout mice, AhR has been found to serve an important role in several biological processes, including immune responses and developmental and pathological regulation. In particular, it has been considered as a new major player in cardiovascular diseases. Recent studies have revealed that the development of atherosclerosis is closely associated with AhR function. However, the roles of the AhR in the pathological development of atherosclerosis and atherosclerosis‑associated diseases remain unclear. The current review presents the molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of AhR expression during inflammation, oxidative stress and lipid deposition. Additionally, the role of the AhR in atherosclerosis and atherosclerosis‑associated diseases is reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaixi Zhu
- Cardiovascular Medicine Center, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong 524001, P.R. China
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong 524001, P.R. China
| | - Qingqi Meng
- Department of Orthopedics, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510000, P.R. China
| | - Zhi Zhang
- Department of Vascular, Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical College, Zhanjiang, Guangdong 524001, P.R. China
| | - Tao Yi
- Cardiovascular Medicine Center, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong 524001, P.R. China
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong 524001, P.R. China
| | - Yuan He
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong 524001, P.R. China
| | - Jing Zheng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53715, USA
| | - Wei Lei
- Cardiovascular Medicine Center, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong 524001, P.R. China
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong 524001, P.R. China
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32
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Holme JA, Brinchmann BC, Refsnes M, Låg M, Øvrevik J. Potential role of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as mediators of cardiovascular effects from combustion particles. Environ Health 2019; 18:74. [PMID: 31439044 PMCID: PMC6704565 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-019-0514-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2019] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Air pollution is the most important environmental risk factor for disease and premature death, and exposure to combustion particles from vehicles is a major contributor. Human epidemiological studies combined with experimental studies strongly suggest that exposure to combustion particles may enhance the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), including atherosclerosis, hypertension, thrombosis and myocardial infarction.In this review we hypothesize that adhered organic chemicals like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), contribute to development or exacerbation of CVD from combustion particles exposure. We summarize present knowledge from existing human epidemiological and clinical studies as well as experimental studies in animals and relevant in vitro studies. The available evidence suggests that organic compounds attached to these particles are significant triggers of CVD. Furthermore, their effects seem to be mediated at least in part by the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). The mechanisms include AhR-induced changes in gene expression as well as formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and/or reactive electrophilic metabolites. This is in accordance with a role of PAHs, as they seem to be the major chemical group on combustion particles, which bind AhR and/or is metabolically activated by CYP-enzymes. In some experimental models however, it seems as PAHs may induce an inflammatory atherosclerotic plaque phenotype irrespective of DNA- and/or AhR-ligand binding properties. Thus, various components and several signalling mechanisms/pathways are likely involved in CVD induced by combustion particles.We still need to expand our knowledge about the role of PAHs in CVD and in particular the relative importance of the different PAH species. This warrants further studies as enhanced knowledge on this issue may amend risk assessment of CVD caused by combustion particles and selection of efficient measures to reduce the health effects of particular matters (PM).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jørn A Holme
- Department of Air Pollution and Noise, Division of Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222, Skøyen, N-0213, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Bendik C Brinchmann
- Department of Air Pollution and Noise, Division of Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222, Skøyen, N-0213, Oslo, Norway
| | - Magne Refsnes
- Department of Air Pollution and Noise, Division of Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222, Skøyen, N-0213, Oslo, Norway
| | - Marit Låg
- Department of Air Pollution and Noise, Division of Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222, Skøyen, N-0213, Oslo, Norway
| | - Johan Øvrevik
- Department of Air Pollution and Noise, Division of Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222, Skøyen, N-0213, Oslo, Norway.
- Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
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33
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Bianco S, Bellefleur AM, Beaulieu É, Beauparlant CJ, Bertolin K, Droit A, Schoonjans K, Murphy BD, Gévry N. The Ovulatory Signal Precipitates LRH-1 Transcriptional Switching Mediated by Differential Chromatin Accessibility. Cell Rep 2019; 28:2443-2454.e4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.07.088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Revised: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
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34
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Zhao Q, Wirka R, Nguyen T, Nagao M, Cheng P, Miller CL, Kim JB, Pjanic M, Quertermous T. TCF21 and AP-1 interact through epigenetic modifications to regulate coronary artery disease gene expression. Genome Med 2019; 11:23. [PMID: 31014396 PMCID: PMC6480881 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-019-0635-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genome-wide association studies have identified over 160 loci that are associated with coronary artery disease. As with other complex human diseases, risk in coronary disease loci is determined primarily by altered expression of the causal gene, due to variation in binding of transcription factors and chromatin-modifying proteins that directly regulate the transcriptional apparatus. We have previously identified a coronary disease network downstream of the disease-associated transcription factor TCF21, and in work reported here extends these studies to investigate the mechanisms by which it interacts with the AP-1 transcription complex to regulate local epigenetic effects in these downstream coronary disease loci. METHODS Genomic studies, including chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing, RNA sequencing, and protein-protein interaction studies, were performed in human coronary artery smooth muscle cells. RESULTS We show here that TCF21 and JUN regulate expression of two presumptive causal coronary disease genes, SMAD3 and CDKN2B-AS1, in part by interactions with histone deacetylases and acetyltransferases. Genome-wide TCF21 and JUN binding is jointly localized and particularly enriched in coronary disease loci where they broadly modulate H3K27Ac and chromatin state changes linked to disease-related processes in vascular cells. Heterozygosity at coronary disease causal variation, or genome editing of these variants, is associated with decreased binding of both JUN and TCF21 and loss of expression in cis, supporting a transcriptional mechanism for disease risk. CONCLUSIONS These data show that the known chromatin remodeling and pioneer functions of AP-1 are a pervasive aspect of epigenetic control of transcription, and thus, the risk in coronary disease-associated loci, and that interaction of AP-1 with TCF21 to control epigenetic features, contributes to the genetic risk in loci where they co-localize.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quanyi Zhao
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, School of Medicine, Stanford University, 300 Pasteur Dr., Falk CVRC, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Robert Wirka
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, School of Medicine, Stanford University, 300 Pasteur Dr., Falk CVRC, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Trieu Nguyen
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, School of Medicine, Stanford University, 300 Pasteur Dr., Falk CVRC, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Manabu Nagao
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, School of Medicine, Stanford University, 300 Pasteur Dr., Falk CVRC, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Paul Cheng
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, School of Medicine, Stanford University, 300 Pasteur Dr., Falk CVRC, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Clint L Miller
- Center for Public Health Genomics, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
- Center for Public Health Genomics, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Center for Public Health Genomics, Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Juyong Brian Kim
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, School of Medicine, Stanford University, 300 Pasteur Dr., Falk CVRC, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Milos Pjanic
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, School of Medicine, Stanford University, 300 Pasteur Dr., Falk CVRC, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Thomas Quertermous
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, School of Medicine, Stanford University, 300 Pasteur Dr., Falk CVRC, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
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35
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Neavin DR, Liu D, Ray B, Weinshilboum RM. The Role of the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AHR) in Immune and Inflammatory Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19123851. [PMID: 30513921 PMCID: PMC6321643 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19123851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 156] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Revised: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a nuclear receptor that modulates the response to environmental stimuli. It was recognized historically for its role in toxicology but, in recent decades, it has been increasingly recognized as an important modulator of disease—especially for its role in modulating immune and inflammatory responses. AHR has been implicated in many diseases that are driven by immune/inflammatory processes, including major depressive disorder, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, and allergic responses, among others. The mechanisms by which AHR has been suggested to impact immune/inflammatory diseases include targeted gene expression and altered immune differentiation. It has been suggested that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are near AHR-regulated genes may contribute to AHR-dependent disease mechanisms/pathways. Further, we have found that SNPs that are outside of nuclear receptor binding sites (i.e., outside of AHR response elements (AHREs)) may contribute to AHR-dependent gene regulation in a SNP- and ligand-dependent manner. This review will discuss the evidence and mechanisms of AHR contributions to immune/inflammatory diseases and will consider the possibility that SNPs that are outside of AHR binding sites might contribute to AHR ligand-dependent inter-individual variation in disease pathophysiology and response to pharmacotherapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drew R Neavin
- Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55902, USA.
| | - Duan Liu
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55902, USA.
| | - Balmiki Ray
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55902, USA.
| | - Richard M Weinshilboum
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55902, USA.
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36
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Bock KW. Human AHR functions in vascular tissue: Pro- and anti-inflammatory responses of AHR agonists in atherosclerosis. Biochem Pharmacol 2018; 159:116-120. [PMID: 30508524 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2018.11.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite decades of intense research physiologic aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) functions have not been elucidated. Challenges include marked species differences and dependence on cell type and cellular context. A previous commentary on human AHR functions in skin and intestine has been extended to vascular tissue. Similar functions appear to be operating in vascular tissue including microbial defense, modulation of stem/progenitor cells as well as control of immunity and inflammation. However, AHR functions are Janus faced: Detrimental AHR functions in vascular tissue are well documented, e.g., upon exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in cigarette smoke leading to oxidative stress and generation of oxidized LDL. Modified LDL particles accumulate in macrophages and smooth muscle-derived pro-inflammatory foam cells, the hallmark of atherosclerosis. On the other hand, numerous anti-inflammatory AHR agonists have been identified including bilirubin and quercetin. Mechanisms as to how AHR produces pro- and anti-inflammatory responses in the vascular system need further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl Walter Bock
- Department of Toxicology, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Wilhelmstrasse 56, D-72074 Tübingen, Germany.
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37
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Ide S, Finer G, Maezawa Y, Onay T, Souma T, Scott R, Ide K, Akimoto Y, Li C, Ye M, Zhao X, Baba Y, Minamizuka T, Jin J, Takemoto M, Yokote K, Quaggin SE. Transcription Factor 21 Is Required for Branching Morphogenesis and Regulates the Gdnf-Axis in Kidney Development. J Am Soc Nephrol 2018; 29:2795-2808. [PMID: 30377232 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2017121278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mammalian kidney develops through reciprocal inductive signals between the metanephric mesenchyme and ureteric bud. Transcription factor 21 (Tcf21) is highly expressed in the metanephric mesenchyme, including Six2-expressing cap mesenchyme and Foxd1-expressing stromal mesenchyme. Tcf21 knockout mice die in the perinatal period from severe renal hypodysplasia. In humans, Tcf21 mRNA levels are reduced in renal tissue from human fetuses with renal dysplasia. The molecular mechanisms underlying these renal defects are not yet known. METHODS Using a variety of techniques to assess kidney development and gene expression, we compared the phenotypes of wild-type mice, mice with germline deletion of the Tcf21 gene, mice with stromal mesenchyme-specific Tcf21 deletion, and mice with cap mesenchyme-specific Tcf21 deletion. RESULTS Germline deletion of Tcf21 leads to impaired ureteric bud branching and is accompanied by downregulated expression of Gdnf-Ret-Wnt11, a key pathway required for branching morphogenesis. Selective removal of Tcf21 from the renal stroma is also associated with attenuation of the Gdnf signaling axis and leads to a defect in ureteric bud branching, a paucity of collecting ducts, and a defect in urine concentration capacity. In contrast, deletion of Tcf21 from the cap mesenchyme leads to abnormal glomerulogenesis and massive proteinuria, but no downregulation of Gdnf-Ret-Wnt11 or obvious defect in branching. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that Tcf21 has distinct roles in the cap mesenchyme and stromal mesenchyme compartments during kidney development and suggest that Tcf21 regulates key molecular pathways required for branching morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shintaro Ide
- Department of Clinical Cell Biology and Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Gal Finer
- Division of Kidney Diseases, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.,Feinberg Cardiovascular and Renal Research Institute and
| | - Yoshiro Maezawa
- Department of Clinical Cell Biology and Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan;
| | - Tuncer Onay
- Feinberg Cardiovascular and Renal Research Institute and.,Division of Nephrology/Hypertension, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Tomokazu Souma
- Feinberg Cardiovascular and Renal Research Institute and.,Division of Nephrology/Hypertension, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Rizaldy Scott
- Feinberg Cardiovascular and Renal Research Institute and.,Division of Nephrology/Hypertension, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Kana Ide
- Department of Clinical Cell Biology and Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Akimoto
- Department of Anatomy, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Chengjin Li
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and
| | - Minghao Ye
- Feinberg Cardiovascular and Renal Research Institute and.,Division of Nephrology/Hypertension, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Xiangmin Zhao
- Division of Kidney Diseases, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.,Feinberg Cardiovascular and Renal Research Institute and
| | - Yusuke Baba
- Department of Clinical Cell Biology and Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan;
| | - Takuya Minamizuka
- Department of Clinical Cell Biology and Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan;
| | - Jing Jin
- Feinberg Cardiovascular and Renal Research Institute and.,Division of Nephrology/Hypertension, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Minoru Takemoto
- Department of Clinical Cell Biology and Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.,Division of Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology, International University of Health and Welfare, Narita, Japan
| | - Koutaro Yokote
- Department of Clinical Cell Biology and Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Susan E Quaggin
- Feinberg Cardiovascular and Renal Research Institute and .,Division of Nephrology/Hypertension, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
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Iyer D, Zhao Q, Wirka R, Naravane A, Nguyen T, Liu B, Nagao M, Cheng P, Miller CL, Kim JB, Pjanic M, Quertermous T. Coronary artery disease genes SMAD3 and TCF21 promote opposing interactive genetic programs that regulate smooth muscle cell differentiation and disease risk. PLoS Genet 2018; 14:e1007681. [PMID: 30307970 PMCID: PMC6198989 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Revised: 10/23/2018] [Accepted: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although numerous genetic loci have been associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) with genome wide association studies, efforts are needed to identify the causal genes in these loci and link them into fundamental signaling pathways. Recent studies have investigated the disease mechanism of CAD associated gene SMAD3, a central transcription factor (TF) in the TGFβ pathway, investigating its role in smooth muscle biology. In vitro studies in human coronary artery smooth muscle cells (HCASMC) revealed that SMAD3 modulates cellular phenotype, promoting expression of differentiation marker genes while inhibiting proliferation. RNA sequencing and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing studies in HCASMC identified downstream genes that reside in pathways which mediate vascular development and atherosclerosis processes in this cell type. HCASMC phenotype, and gene expression patterns promoted by SMAD3 were noted to have opposing direction of effect compared to another CAD associated TF, TCF21. At sites of SMAD3 and TCF21 colocalization on DNA, SMAD3 binding was inversely correlated with TCF21 binding, due in part to TCF21 locally blocking chromatin accessibility at the SMAD3 binding site. Further, TCF21 was able to directly inhibit SMAD3 activation of gene expression in transfection reporter gene studies. In contrast to TCF21 which is protective toward CAD, SMAD3 expression in HCASMC was shown to be directly correlated with disease risk. We propose that the pro-differentiation action of SMAD3 inhibits dedifferentiation that is required for HCASMC to expand and stabilize disease plaque as they respond to vascular stresses, counteracting the protective dedifferentiating activity of TCF21 and promoting disease risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dharini Iyer
- Department of Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States of America
| | - Quanyi Zhao
- Department of Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States of America
| | - Robert Wirka
- Department of Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States of America
| | - Ameay Naravane
- Department of Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States of America
| | - Trieu Nguyen
- Department of Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States of America
| | - Boxiang Liu
- Department of Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States of America
| | - Manabu Nagao
- Department of Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States of America
| | - Paul Cheng
- Department of Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States of America
| | - Clint L. Miller
- Departments of Public Health Sciences, Biochemistry and Genetics, and Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Juyong Brian Kim
- Department of Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States of America
| | - Milos Pjanic
- Department of Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States of America
| | - Thomas Quertermous
- Department of Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States of America
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Liu B, Pjanic M, Wang T, Nguyen T, Gloudemans M, Rao A, Castano VG, Nurnberg S, Rader DJ, Elwyn S, Ingelsson E, Montgomery SB, Miller CL, Quertermous T. Genetic Regulatory Mechanisms of Smooth Muscle Cells Map to Coronary Artery Disease Risk Loci. Am J Hum Genet 2018; 103:377-388. [PMID: 30146127 PMCID: PMC6128252 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2018.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2018] [Accepted: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death globally. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified more than 95 independent loci that influence CAD risk, most of which reside in non-coding regions of the genome. To interpret these loci, we generated transcriptome and whole-genome datasets using human coronary artery smooth muscle cells (HCASMCs) from 52 unrelated donors, as well as epigenomic datasets using ATAC-seq on a subset of 8 donors. Through systematic comparison with publicly available datasets from GTEx and ENCODE projects, we identified transcriptomic, epigenetic, and genetic regulatory mechanisms specific to HCASMCs. We assessed the relevance of HCASMCs to CAD risk using transcriptomic and epigenomic level analyses. By jointly modeling eQTL and GWAS datasets, we identified five genes (SIPA1, TCF21, SMAD3, FES, and PDGFRA) that may modulate CAD risk through HCASMCs, all of which have relevant functional roles in vascular remodeling. Comparison with GTEx data suggests that SIPA1 and PDGFRA influence CAD risk predominantly through HCASMCs, while other annotated genes may have multiple cell and tissue targets. Together, these results provide tissue-specific and mechanistic insights into the regulation of a critical vascular cell type associated with CAD in human populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boxiang Liu
- Department of Biology, School of Humanities and Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Milos Pjanic
- Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Ting Wang
- Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Trieu Nguyen
- Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Michael Gloudemans
- Biomedical Informatics Training Program, Stanford School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Abhiram Rao
- Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Victor G Castano
- Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Sylvia Nurnberg
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Daniel J Rader
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Susannah Elwyn
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Erik Ingelsson
- Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Stephen B Montgomery
- Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Clint L Miller
- Center for Public Health Genomics, Department of Public Health Sciences, Biochemistry and Genetics, and Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Thomas Quertermous
- Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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40
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Wu PL, Zhou Y, Zeng C, Li X, Dong ZT, Zhou YF, Bulun SE, Xue Q. Transcription factor 21 regulates expression of ERβ and SF-1 via upstream stimulatory factor-2 in endometriotic tissues. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2018; 1861:706-717. [PMID: 30018006 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2018.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1, encoded by NR5A1) and estrogen receptor beta (ERβ, encoded by ESR2), which are highly expressed in endometriotic stromal cells (ESCs), contribute to the pathogenesis of endometriosis, but the regulation mechanism remains largely unknown. Transcription factor 21 (TCF21) belongs to the helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family characterized by regulating gene expression via binding to E-box element. Here, we attempted to determine the molecular mechanism of TCF21 on SF-1 and ERβ expression in endometriosis. We found that TCF21 expression in ESCs was higher than that in endometrial stromal cells (EMs), and positively correlated with SF-1 and ERβ expression in ESCs. Since the importance of E-box element for NR5A1 promoter activity has been previously reported, we performed site-mutation and luciferase assay, revealing that the E-box sequence in the ESR2 promoter is also a critical element modulating ERβ expression. Upstream stimulatory factor 2 (USF2) is another bHLH factor implicated in transcriptional regulation. Further analyses elucidated that it is not TCF21, but USF2 exhibited higher binding affinities in ESCs to NR5A1 and ESR2 promoters than in EMs. Additionally, TCF21 knockdown significantly decreased the binding activities of USF2 to NR5A1 and ESR2 promoters via disruption of the TCF21-USF2 complex. Meanwhile, manipulating TCF21 expression significantly affected MMP9 and cyclinD1 expression, as wells as proliferation and invasion of ESCs. Moreover, TCF21 depletion in endometriotic xenografts reduced SF-1 and ERβ expression, abrogating ectopic lesion growth in mice. Cumulatively, a critical role of TCF21 in the pathogenesis of endometriosis is demonstrated, suggesting a potential druggable target for future therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Li Wu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
| | - Yan Zhou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Cheng Zeng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
| | - Zhao-Tong Dong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
| | - Ying-Fang Zhou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
| | - Serdar E Bulun
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Qing Xue
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China.
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Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor: A New Player of Pathogenesis and Therapy in Cardiovascular Diseases. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 2018:6058784. [PMID: 29984241 PMCID: PMC6015699 DOI: 10.1155/2018/6058784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2017] [Revised: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a DNA binding protein that acts as a nuclear receptor mediating xenobiotic metabolism and environmental responses. Owing to the evolutionary conservation of this gene and its widespread expression in the immune and circulatory systems, AhR has for many years been almost exclusively studied by the pharmacological/toxicological field for its role in contaminant toxicity. More recently, the functions of AhR in environmental adaption have been examined in the context of the occurrence, development, and therapy of cardiovascular diseases. Increasing evidence suggests that AhR is involved in maintaining homeostasis or in triggering pathogenesis by modulating the biological responses of critical cell types in the cardiovascular system. Here, we describe the structure, distribution, and ligands of AhR and the AhR signaling pathway and review the impact of AhR on cardiovascular physiology. We also discuss the potential contribution of AhR as a new potential factor in the targeted treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
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42
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Wirka RC, Pjanic M, Quertermous T. Advances in Transcriptomics: Investigating Cardiovascular Disease at Unprecedented Resolution. Circ Res 2018; 122:1200-1220. [PMID: 29700068 PMCID: PMC7274217 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.117.310910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Whole-genome transcriptional profiling has become a standard genomic approach to investigate biological processes. RNA sequencing (RNAseq) in particular has witnessed myriad applications in genetics and various biomedical fields. RNAseq involves a relatively simple experimental protocol of RNA extraction and cDNA library preparation and, because of decreasing next-generation sequencing cost and lower computational burden for data processing, has obtained a central role in the modern biology. The recent application of RNAseq methodology to single-cell transcriptional profiling has enabled the more precise characterization of cell lineage and cell state genetic profiles. The development of bioinformatic and statistical tools has provided for differential gene expression analysis, RNA isoform analysis, haplotype-specific analysis of gene expression (allele-specific expression), and analysis of expression quantitative trait loci. We give an overview of these and recent developments in RNAseq methodology with emphasis on quality control, read mapping, feature counting, differential gene expression, allele-specific expression and expression quantitative trait loci analysis, and fusion transcript detection. We describe utilization of RNAseq as a diagnostic tool in Mendelian diseases, complex phenotypes, and cancer and give an overview of long read RNAseq technology. Furthermore, we discuss in detail the recent revolution in single-cell transcriptomics that is reshaping modern biology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Thomas Quertermous
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
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43
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Procházková J, Strapáčová S, Svržková L, Andrysík Z, Hýžďalová M, Hrubá E, Pěnčíková K, Líbalová H, Topinka J, Kléma J, Espinosa JM, Vondráček J, Machala M. Adaptive changes in global gene expression profile of lung carcinoma A549 cells acutely exposed to distinct types of AhR ligands. Toxicol Lett 2018; 292:162-174. [PMID: 29704546 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2018.04.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2018] [Revised: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to persistent ligands of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) has been found to cause lung cancer in experimental animals, and lung adenocarcinomas are often associated with enhanced AhR expression and aberrant AhR activation. In order to better understand the action of toxic AhR ligands in lung epithelial cells, we performed global gene expression profiling and analyze TCDD-induced changes in A549 transcriptome, both sensitive and non-sensitive to CH223191 co-treatment. Comparison of our data with results from previously reported microarray and ChIP-seq experiments enabled us to identify candidate genes, which expression status reflects exposure of lung cancer cells to TCDD, and to predict processes, pathways (e.g. ER stress, Wnt/β-cat, IFNɣ, EGFR/Erbb1), putative TFs (e.g. STAT, AP1, E2F1, TCF4), which may be implicated in adaptive response of lung cells to TCDD-induced AhR activation. Importantly, TCDD-like expression fingerprint of selected genes was observed also in A549 cells exposed acutely to both toxic (benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[k]fluoranthene) and endogenous AhR ligands (2-(1H-Indol-3-ylcarbonyl)-4-thiazolecarboxylic acid methyl ester and 6-formylindolo[3,2-b]carbazole). Overall, our results suggest novel cellular candidates, which could help to improve monitoring of AhR-dependent transcriptional activity during acute exposure of lung cells to distinct types of environmental pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiřina Procházková
- Department of Chemistry and Toxicology, Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Simona Strapáčová
- Department of Chemistry and Toxicology, Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Svržková
- Department of Chemistry and Toxicology, Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Zdeněk Andrysík
- 1 Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Martina Hýžďalová
- Department of Chemistry and Toxicology, Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Hrubá
- Department of Chemistry and Toxicology, Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Pěnčíková
- Department of Chemistry and Toxicology, Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Helena Líbalová
- Department of Genetic Toxicology and Nanotoxicology, Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Topinka
- Department of Genetic Toxicology and Nanotoxicology, Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Kléma
- Department of Computer Science, Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Joaquín M Espinosa
- 1 Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Jan Vondráček
- Department of Cytokinetics, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Miroslav Machala
- Department of Chemistry and Toxicology, Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic.
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Pjanic M. The role of polycarbonate monomer bisphenol-A in insulin resistance. PeerJ 2017; 5:e3809. [PMID: 28929027 PMCID: PMC5600722 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2017] [Accepted: 08/24/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a synthetic unit of polycarbonate polymers and epoxy resins, the types of plastics that could be found in essentially every human population and incorporated into almost every aspect of the modern human society. BPA polymers appear in a wide range of products, from liquid storages (plastic bottles, can and glass linings, water pipes and tanks) and food storages (plastics wraps and containers), to medical and dental devices. BPA polymers could be hydrolyzed spontaneously or in a photo- or temperature-catalyzed process, providing widespread environmental distribution and chronic exposure to the BPA monomer in contemporary human populations. Bisphenol A is also a xenoestrogen, an endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC) that interferes with the endocrine system mimicking the effects of an estrogen and could potentially keep our endocrine system in a constant perturbation that parallels endocrine disruption arising during pregnancy, such as insulin resistance (IR). Gestational insulin resistance represents a natural biological phenomenon of higher insulin resistance in peripheral tissues of the pregnant females, when nutrients are increasingly being directed to the embryo instead of being stored in peripheral tissues. Gestational diabetes mellitus may appear in healthy non-diabetic females, due to gestational insulin resistance that leads to increased blood sugar levels and hyperinsulinemia (increased insulin production from the pancreatic beta cells). The hypothesis states that unnoticed and constant exposure to this environmental chemical might potentially lead to the formation of chronic low-level endocrine disruptive state that resembles gestational insulin resistance, which might contribute to the development of diabetes. The increasing body of evidence supports the major premises of this hypothesis, as exemplified by the numerous publications examining the association of BPA and insulin resistance, both epidemiological and mechanistic. However, to what extent BPA might contribute to the development of diabetes in the modern societies still remains unknown. In this review, I discuss the chemical properties of BPA and the sources of BPA contamination found in the environment and in human tissues. I provide an overview of mechanisms for the proposed role of bisphenol A in insulin resistance and diabetes, as well as other related diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases. I describe the transmission of BPA effects to the offspring and postulate that gender related differences might originate from differences in liver enzyme levels, such as UDP-glucuronosyltransferase, which is involved in BPA processing and its elimination from the organism. I discuss the molecular mechanisms of BPA action through nuclear and membrane-bound ER receptors, non-monotonic dose response, epigenetic modifications of the DNA and propose that chronic exposure to weak binders, such as BPA, may mimic the effects of strong binders, such as estrogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milos Pjanic
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States of America
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45
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Jiang Z, Zhang W, Chen Z, Shao J, Chen L, Wang Z. Transcription Factor 21 (TCF21) rs12190287 Polymorphism is Associated with Osteosarcoma Risk and Outcomes in East Chinese Population. Med Sci Monit 2017; 23:3185-3191. [PMID: 28663539 PMCID: PMC5503230 DOI: 10.12659/msm.905595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The transcription factor 21 (TCF21) gene is believed to be a tumor suppressor gene. TCF21 gene polymorphisms were found to play a role in the tumorigenesis of some solid malignancies. We raised a hypothesis that genetic polymorphisms of TCF21 were correlated with risk and prognosis of osteosarcoma. Material/Methods We recruited 225 young osteosarcoma individuals and 250 cancer-free controls. Five tagging SNPs (TCF21 rs2327429 T>C, rs2327433 A>G, rs2327433 A>G, rs12190287 C>G, and rs4896011 T>A) were genotyped. Preserved DNA samples from blood underwent PCR analysis for genotyping. Results rs12190287 C>G is a good predictor of osteosarcoma risk and outcomes. The CG and GG genotypes of rs12190287 predict elevated risk of osteosarcoma. Besides, rs12190287 CG and GG genotypes are associated with Enneking stage and potential in forming metastasis of osteosarcoma. Conclusions Genetic polymorphisms of TCF21 are potentially predictive for osteosarcoma risk and outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenghui Jiang
- Department of Orthopaedics, The First People's Hospital of Wenling, Wenling, Zhejiang, China (mainland)
| | - Weikang Zhang
- Department of Orthopaedics, The First People's Hospital of Wenling, Wenling, Zhejiang, China (mainland)
| | - Zhikang Chen
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (mainland)
| | - Jinxiang Shao
- Department of Orthopaedics, The First People's Hospital of Wenling, Wenling, Zhejiang, China (mainland)
| | - Liqiu Chen
- Department of Orthopaedics, The First People's Hospital of Wenling, Wenling, Zhejiang, China (mainland)
| | - Zhaohui Wang
- Department of Orthopaedics, The First People's Hospital of Wenling, Zhejiang, China (mainland)
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Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR): "pioneer member" of the basic-helix/loop/helix per-Arnt-sim (bHLH/PAS) family of "sensors" of foreign and endogenous signals. Prog Lipid Res 2017; 67:38-57. [PMID: 28606467 DOI: 10.1016/j.plipres.2017.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 172] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Revised: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The basic-helix/loop/helix per-Arnt-sim (bHLH/PAS) family comprises many transcription factors, found throughout all three kingdoms of life; bHLH/PAS members "sense" innumerable intracellular and extracellular "signals" - including endogenous compounds, foreign chemicals, gas molecules, redox potential, photons (light), gravity, heat, and osmotic pressure. These signals then initiate downstream signaling pathways involved in responding to that signal. The term "PAS", abbreviation for "per-Arnt-sim" was first coined in 1991. Although the mouse Arnt gene was not identified until 1991, evidence of its co-transcriptional binding partner, aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), was first reported in 1974 as a "sensor" of foreign chemicals, up-regulating cytochrome P450 family 1 (CYP1) and other enzyme activities that usually metabolize the signaling chemical. Within a few years, AHR was proposed also to participate in inflammation. The mouse [Ah] locus was shown (1973-1989) to be relevant to chemical carcinogenesis, mutagenesis, toxicity and teratogenesis, the mouse Ahr gene was cloned in 1992, and the first Ahr(-/-) knockout mouse line was reported in 1995. After thousands of studies from the early 1970s to present day, we now realize that AHR participates in dozens of signaling pathways involved in critical-life processes, affecting virtually every organ and cell-type in the animal, including many invertebrates.
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