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Ryan FJ, Ma Y, Ashander LM, Kvopka M, Appukuttan B, Lynn DJ, Smith JR. Transcriptomic Responses of Human Retinal Vascular Endothelial Cells to Inflammatory Cytokines. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2022; 11:27. [PMID: 36018584 PMCID: PMC9428361 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.11.8.27] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Molecular profiling of human retinal endothelial cells provides opportunities to understand the roles of this cell population in maintenance of the blood-ocular barrier, and its involvements in diverse retinal vasculopathies. We aimed to generate a transcriptome of human retinal endothelial cells in the unstimulated state, and following treatment with inflammatory cytokines linked to cell dysfunction. Methods Endothelial cells were isolated from retinae of five human cadaveric donors, and treated for 60 minutes and 24 hours with interleukin-1β or tumor necrosis factor-α, or exposed to medium alone for the same intervals. Expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 was measured by RT-qPCR to confirm cytokine-induced activation of the cells. RNA was sequenced on the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform. Reads were aligned to the human GRCh38 genome, and reads that aligned to Ensembl-annotated genes were counted. Quality control of sequencing was performed with FastQC, and sequences were classified by Kraken. Results A human retinal endothelial cell RNA-sequencing dataset with mean of 99% reads aligned to the human genome was produced as raw RNA sequence data (FASTQ files) and processed read data (XLSX files). Multidimensional scaling analysis showed a strong donor effect, which was readily controlled by ComBat. Conclusions Our dataset may be useful for human retinal endothelial cell transcriptomic assemblies, functional gene annotating and/or gene expression and enrichment analyses, as well as cross-dataset harmonization. Translational Relevance The molecular profile of the human retinal endothelium is a source of candidate biologic targets for retinal vasculopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feargal J Ryan
- Precision Medicine Theme, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia.,Flinders University College of Medicine and Public Health, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Yuefang Ma
- Flinders University College of Medicine and Public Health, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Liam M Ashander
- Flinders University College of Medicine and Public Health, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Michael Kvopka
- Flinders University College of Medicine and Public Health, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Binoy Appukuttan
- Flinders University College of Medicine and Public Health, Adelaide, Australia
| | - David J Lynn
- Precision Medicine Theme, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia.,Flinders University College of Medicine and Public Health, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Justine R Smith
- Flinders University College of Medicine and Public Health, Adelaide, Australia
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Weigelt CM, Zippel N, Fuchs H, Rimpelä AK, Schönberger T, Stierstorfer B, Bakker RA, Redemann NH. Characterization and Validation of In Vitro and In Vivo Models to Investigate TNF-α-Induced Inflammation in Retinal Diseases. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2022; 11:18. [PMID: 35579886 PMCID: PMC9123507 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.11.5.18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Inflammation is implicated in the etiology of diverse retinopathies including uveitis, age-related macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is a well-known proinflammatory cytokine that is described as a biomarker for inflammation in diverse retinopathies and therefore emerged as an interesting target to treat inflammation in the eye by neutralizing anti-TNF-α antibodies. Methods Recently, we have demonstrated that Adeno-associated virus (AAV)–mediated expression of human TNF-α in the murine eye induces retinal inflammation including vasculitis and fibrosis, thereby mimicking human disease-relevant pathologies. In a proof-of-mechanism study, we now tested whether AAV-TNF-α induced pathologies can be reversed by neutralizing TNF-α antibody treatment. Results Strikingly, a single intravitreal injection of the TNF-α antibody golimumab reduced AAV-TNF-α–induced retinal inflammation and retinal thickening. Furthermore, AAV-TNF-α–mediated impaired retinal function was partially rescued by golimumab as revealed by electroretinography recordings. Finally, to study TNF-α-induced vasculitis in human in vitro cell culture assays, we established a monocyte-to-endothelium adhesion co-culture system. Indeed, also in vitro TNF-α induced monocyte adhesion to human retinal endothelial cells, which was prevented by golimumab. Conclusions Overall, our study describes valuable in vitro and in vivo approaches to study the function of TNF-α in retinal inflammation and demonstrated a preclinical proof-of-mechanism treatment with golimumab. Translational Relevance The AAV-based model expressing human TNF-α allows us to investigate TNF-α–driven pathologies supporting research in mechanisms of retinal inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina M Weigelt
- Cardiometabolic Diseases Research, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
| | - Nina Zippel
- Cardiometabolic Diseases Research, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
| | - Holger Fuchs
- Cardiometabolic Diseases Research, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
| | - Anna-Kaisa Rimpelä
- Drug Discovery Sciences, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
| | - Tanja Schönberger
- Drug Discovery Sciences, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
| | - Birgit Stierstorfer
- Nonclinical Drug Safety, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co.KG, Biberach, Germany
| | - Remko A Bakker
- Cardiometabolic Diseases Research, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
| | - Norbert H Redemann
- Cardiometabolic Diseases Research, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
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Giblin MJ, Smith TE, Winkler G, Pendergrass HA, Kim MJ, Capozzi ME, Yang R, McCollum GW, Penn JS. Nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) regulation of IL-1β-induced retinal vascular inflammation. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2021; 1867:166238. [PMID: 34343639 PMCID: PMC8565496 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2021.166238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Chronic low-grade retinal inflammation is an essential contributor to the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy (DR). It is characterized by increased retinal cell expression and secretion of a variety of inflammatory cytokines; among these, IL-1β has the reputation of being a major driver of cytokine-induced inflammation. IL-1β and other cytokines drive inflammatory changes that cause damage to retinal cells, leading to the hallmark vascular lesions of DR; these include increased leukocyte adherence, vascular permeability, and capillary cell death. Nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) is a transcriptional regulator of inflammatory cytokines and adhesion molecules and is expressed in retinal cells. Consequently, it may influence multiple pathogenic steps early in DR. We investigated the NFAT-dependency of IL-1β-induced inflammation in human Müller cells (hMC) and human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (hRMEC). Our results show that an NFAT inhibitor, Inhibitor of NFAT-Calcineurin Association-6 (INCA-6), decreased IL-1β-induced expression of IL-1β and TNFα in hMC, while having no effect on VEGF, CCL2, or CCL5 expression. We also demonstrate that INCA-6 attenuated IL-1β-induced increases of IL-1β, TNFα, IL-6, CCL2, and CCL5 (inflammatory cytokines and chemokines), and ICAM-1 and E-selectin (leukocyte adhesion molecules) expression in hRMEC. INCA-6 similarly inhibited IL-1β-induced increases in leukocyte adhesion in both hRMEC monolayers in vitro and an acute model of retinal inflammation in vivo. Finally, INCA-6 rescued IL-1β-induced permeability in both hRMEC monolayers in vitro and an acute model of retinal inflammation in vivo. Taken together, these data demonstrate the potential of NFAT inhibition to mitigate retinal inflammation secondary to diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith J Giblin
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, United States of America.
| | - Taylor E Smith
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, United States of America
| | - Garrett Winkler
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, United States of America
| | - Hannah A Pendergrass
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, United States of America
| | - Minjae J Kim
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, United States of America
| | - Megan E Capozzi
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University, United States of America
| | - Rong Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, United States of America
| | - Gary W McCollum
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, United States of America
| | - John S Penn
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, United States of America; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, United States of America
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RNA-Seq analysis reveals gene expression changes induced by IL-6 trans-signaling activation in retinal endothelial cells. Cytokine 2020; 139:155375. [PMID: 33383381 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2020.155375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increasing evidence suggests that interleukin-6 (IL-6) trans-signaling plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy (DR). We have previously shown that activation of IL-6 trans-signaling induces barrier dysfunction in human retinal endothelial cells (HRECs). However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects are not clear. The purpose of this study was to discover global gene expression changes in HRECs following activation of IL-6 trans-signaling. METHODS HRECs were treated with IL-6 and soluble IL-6R to activate IL-6 trans-signaling, and sgp130Fc treatment was used for IL-6 trans-signaling inhibition. RNA-Seq analyses were performed for global gene expression profiling. Differential expression was determined using DESeq2, and bioinformatic analyses were performed to associate the differentially expressed genes with biological functions and pathways. RESULTS Our analyses revealed 445 differentially expressed genes (318 upregulated and 127 downregulated) in HRECs after IL-6 trans-signaling activation. We identified several novel genes not previously associated with IL-6 signaling or endothelial dysfunction. Leukocyte adhesion, diapedesis and chemokine signaling pathways are highly enriched in differentially expressed genes. Inhibition of IL-6 trans-signaling with sgp130Fc abrogated these changes, thus highlighting the therapeutic potential of this drug. CONCLUSIONS This study identified significant gene expression changes caused by IL-6 trans-signaling activation in HRECs. Identification of such changes has the potential to uncover the precise molecular mechanisms of IL-6 trans-signaling mediated effects in the pathology of DR.
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Lin T, Luo W, Li Z, Zhang L, Zheng X, Mai L, Yang W, Guan G, Su Z, Liu P, Li Z, Xie Y. Rhamnocitrin extracted from Nervilia fordii inhibited vascular endothelial activation via miR-185/STIM-1/SOCE/NFATc3. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2020; 79:153350. [PMID: 33002827 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2020.153350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vascular endothelial activation is pivotal for the pathological development of various infectious and inflammatory diseases. Therapeutic interventions to prevent endothelial activation are of great clinical significance to achieve anti-inflammatory strategy. Previous studies indicate that the total flavonoids from the endemic herbal medicine Nervilia fordii (Hance) Schltr exerts potent anti-inflammatory effect and protective effect against endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury, and shows clinical benefit in severe acute respiratory syndromes (SARS). However, the exact effective component of Nervilia fordii and its potential mechanism remain unknown. PURPOSE The aim of this study was to investigate the effect and mechanism of rhamnocitrin (RH), a flavonoid extracted from Nervilia fordii, on LPS-induced endothelial activation. METHODS The in vitro endothelial cell activation model was induced by LPS in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Cell viability was measured to determine the cytotoxicity of RH. RT-PCR, Western blot, fluorescent probe and immunofluorescence were conducted to evaluate the effect and mechanism of RH against endothelial activation. RESULTS RH was extracted and isolated from Nervilia fordii. RH at the concentration from 10-7 M-10-5 M inhibited the expressions of interlukin-6 (IL-6) and -8 (IL-8), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell-adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in response to LPS challenge. Mechanistically, RH repressed calcium store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) induced by LPS, which is due to downregulation of stromal interaction molecule-1 (STIM-1) following upregulating microRNA-185 (miR-185). Ultimately, RH abrogated LPS-induced activation of SOCE-mediated calcineurin/NFATc3 (nuclear factor of activated T cells, cytoplasmic 3) signaling pathway. CONCLUSION The present study identifies RH as a potent inhibitor of endothelial activation. Since vascular endothelial activation is a pivotal cause of excessive cytokine production, leading to cytokine storm and severe pathology in infectious diseases such as SARS and the ongoing COVID-19 pneumonia disease, RH might suggest promising therapeutic potential in the management of cytokine storm in these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Lin
- Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences; National and Local United Engineering Lab of Druggability and New Drugs Evaluation; Guangdong Engineering Laboratoty of Druggability and New Drug Evaluation; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Wenwei Luo
- Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences; National and Local United Engineering Lab of Druggability and New Drugs Evaluation; Guangdong Engineering Laboratoty of Druggability and New Drug Evaluation; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Ziqing Li
- Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences; National and Local United Engineering Lab of Druggability and New Drugs Evaluation; Guangdong Engineering Laboratoty of Druggability and New Drug Evaluation; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Lili Zhang
- Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences; National and Local United Engineering Lab of Druggability and New Drugs Evaluation; Guangdong Engineering Laboratoty of Druggability and New Drug Evaluation; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Xinghan Zheng
- Mathematical Engineering Academy of Chinese Medicine; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Development and Research of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Liting Mai
- Mathematical Engineering Academy of Chinese Medicine; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Development and Research of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Wanqi Yang
- Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences; National and Local United Engineering Lab of Druggability and New Drugs Evaluation; Guangdong Engineering Laboratoty of Druggability and New Drug Evaluation; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Guimei Guan
- Department of obstetrics and gynecology, the first affiliated hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Ziren Su
- Mathematical Engineering Academy of Chinese Medicine; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Development and Research of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Peiqing Liu
- Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences; National and Local United Engineering Lab of Druggability and New Drugs Evaluation; Guangdong Engineering Laboratoty of Druggability and New Drug Evaluation; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Zhuoming Li
- Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences; National and Local United Engineering Lab of Druggability and New Drugs Evaluation; Guangdong Engineering Laboratoty of Druggability and New Drug Evaluation; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P. R. China.
| | - Youliang Xie
- Mathematical Engineering Academy of Chinese Medicine; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Development and Research of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, P. R. China.
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Lipski DA, Foucart V, Dewispelaere R, Caspers LE, Defrance M, Bruyns C, Willermain F. Retinal endothelial cell phenotypic modifications during experimental autoimmune uveitis: a transcriptomic approach. BMC Ophthalmol 2020; 20:106. [PMID: 32183784 PMCID: PMC7076950 DOI: 10.1186/s12886-020-1333-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Blood-retinal barrier cells are known to exhibit a massive phenotypic change during experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) development. In an attempt to investigate the mechanisms of blood-retinal barrier (BRB) breakdown at a global level, we studied the gene regulation of total retinal cells and retinal endothelial cells during non-infectious uveitis. METHODS Retinal endothelial cells were isolated by flow cytometry either in Tie2-GFP mice (CD31+ CD45- GFP+ cells), or in wild type C57BL/6 mice (CD31+ CD45- endoglin+ cells). EAU was induced in C57BL/6 mice by adoptive transfer of IRBP1-20-specific T cells. Total retinal cells and retinal endothelial cells from naïve and EAU mice were sorted and their gene expression compared by RNA-Seq. Protein expression of selected genes was validated by immunofluorescence on retinal wholemounts and cryosections and by flow cytometry. RESULTS Retinal endothelial cell sorting in wild type C57BL/6 mice was validated by comparative transcriptome analysis with retinal endothelial cells sorted from Tie2-GFP mice, which express GFP under the control of the endothelial-specific receptor tyrosine kinase promoter Tie2. RNA-Seq analysis of total retinal cells mainly brought to light upregulation of genes involved in antigen presentation and T cell activation during EAU. Specific transcriptome analysis of retinal endothelial cells allowed us to identify 82 genes modulated in retinal endothelial cells during EAU development. Protein expression of 5 of those genes (serpina3n, lcn2, ackr1, lrg1 and lamc3) was validated at the level of inner BRB cells. CONCLUSION Those data not only confirm the involvement of known pathogenic molecules but further provide a list of new candidate genes and pathways possibly implicated in inner BRB breakdown during non-infectious posterior uveitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah A. Lipski
- Ophthalmology Group, IRIBHM (Institut de Recherche Interdisciplinaire en Biologie Humaine et Moléculaire), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Erasme Campus, Building C, Room C6.117, 808 Route de Lennik, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
- Ophthalmology Department of Erasme Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), 808 Route de Lennik, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Vincent Foucart
- Ophthalmology Group, IRIBHM (Institut de Recherche Interdisciplinaire en Biologie Humaine et Moléculaire), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Erasme Campus, Building C, Room C6.117, 808 Route de Lennik, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
- Ophthalmology Department of CHU Saint-Pierre, 322 Rue Haute, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
- Ophthalmology Department of CHU Brugmann, 4 Place Van Gehuchten, 1020 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Rémi Dewispelaere
- Ophthalmology Group, IRIBHM (Institut de Recherche Interdisciplinaire en Biologie Humaine et Moléculaire), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Erasme Campus, Building C, Room C6.117, 808 Route de Lennik, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
- Ophthalmology Department of CHU Saint-Pierre, 322 Rue Haute, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Laure E. Caspers
- Ophthalmology Department of CHU Saint-Pierre, 322 Rue Haute, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Matthieu Defrance
- Interuniversity Institute of Bioinformatics in Brussels, Université Libre de Bruxelles - Vrije Universiteit Brussel, La Plaine Campus, BC building, 6th floor, CP 263, Triomflaan, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Catherine Bruyns
- Ophthalmology Group, IRIBHM (Institut de Recherche Interdisciplinaire en Biologie Humaine et Moléculaire), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Erasme Campus, Building C, Room C6.117, 808 Route de Lennik, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
| | - François Willermain
- Ophthalmology Group, IRIBHM (Institut de Recherche Interdisciplinaire en Biologie Humaine et Moléculaire), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Erasme Campus, Building C, Room C6.117, 808 Route de Lennik, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
- Ophthalmology Department of CHU Saint-Pierre, 322 Rue Haute, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
- Ophthalmology Department of CHU Brugmann, 4 Place Van Gehuchten, 1020 Brussels, Belgium
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Association of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors (PPARs) with Diabetic Retinopathy in Human and Animal Models: Analysis of the Literature and Genome Browsers. PPAR Res 2020; 2020:1783564. [PMID: 32190036 PMCID: PMC7072119 DOI: 10.1155/2020/1783564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2019] [Revised: 11/03/2019] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a condition that develops after long-lasting and poorly handled diabetes and is presently the main reason for blindness among elderly and youth. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are nuclear receptors that are involved in carbohydrate and fatty-acid metabolism and have also been associated with DR. Three PPAR isoforms are known: PPARG, PPARA, and PPARD. In the present study, we retrieved articles reporting associations between PPARs and DR from PubMed database and compiled the data in two catalogues, for human and animal models. Extracted data was then complemented with additional relevant genomic information. Seven retrieved articles reported testing an association between PPARs with DR in human. Four of them concluded association of PPARG and PPARA with DR in European and Asian populations, having a protective role on DR development. One study reported pathogenic role of PPARG, while two articles reported no association between PPARG and DR among Indian and Chinese populations. Six retrieved articles reported testing of involvement of PPARG and PPARA in DR in animal models, including mouse and rat. The review includes case-control studies, meta-analysis, expression studies, animal models, and cell line studies. Despite a large number of documented sequence variants of the PPAR genes available in genome browsers, researchers usually focus on a small set of previously reported variants. Data extraction from Ensembl genome browser revealed several sequence variants with predicted deleterious effect on protein function which present candidates for further experimental validation. Results of the present analysis will enable more holistic approach for understanding of PPARs in DR development. Additionally, developed catalogues present a baseline for standardized reporting of PPAR-phenotype association in upcoming studies.
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Li M, Fang XZ, Liu XT, Zheng YF, Xie YB, Ma XD, Xia Y, Shao DH. Inhibition of calcineurin/NFATc4 signaling attenuates ventilator‑induced lung injury. Mol Med Rep 2019; 21:607-614. [PMID: 31789412 PMCID: PMC6947850 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2019.10851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) is a life-threatening condition caused by the inappropriate use of mechanical ventilation (MV). However, the precise molecular mechanism inducing the development of VILI remains to be elucidated. In the present study, it was revealed that the calcineurin/NFATc4 signaling pathway mediates the expression of adhesion molecules and proinflammatory cytokines essential for the development of VILI. The present results revealed that a high tidal volume ventilation (HV) caused lung inflammation and edema in the alveolar walls and the infiltration of inflammatory cells. The calcineurin activity and protein expression in the lungs were increased in animals with VILI, and NFATc4 translocated into the nucleus following calcineurin activation. Furthermore, the translocation of NFATc4 and lung injury were prevented by a calcineurin inhibitor (CsA). Thus, the present results highlighted the critical role of the calcineurin/NFATc4 signaling pathway in VILI and suggest that this pathway coincides with the release of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, TNF-α and IL-1β.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212002, P.R. China
| | - Xiang-Zhi Fang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Clinical Medical School of Yangzhou University, Subei People's Hospital of Jiangsu Province, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225001, P.R. China
| | - Xiao-Tian Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212002, P.R. China
| | - Yong-Feng Zheng
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212002, P.R. China
| | - Yun-Bin Xie
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212002, P.R. China
| | - Xiao-Dong Ma
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212002, P.R. China
| | - Yan Xia
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212002, P.R. China
| | - Dong-Hua Shao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212002, P.R. China
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Makin RD, Apicella I, Nagasaka Y, Kaneko H, Turner SD, Kerur N, Ambati J, Gelfand BD. RF/6A Chorioretinal Cells Do Not Display Key Endothelial Phenotypes. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2018; 59:5795-5802. [PMID: 30508043 PMCID: PMC6278239 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.18-25215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [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: 07/09/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The misuse of inauthentic cell lines is widely recognized as a major threat to the integrity of biomedical science. Whereas the majority of efforts to address this have focused on DNA profiling, we sought to anatomically, transcriptionally, and functionally authenticate the RF/6A chorioretinal cell line, which is widely used as an endothelial cell line to model retinal and choroidal angiogenesis. Methods Multiple vials of RF/6A cells obtained from different commercial distributors were studied to validate their genetic, transcriptomic, anatomic, and functional fidelity to bona fide endothelial cells. Results Transcriptomic profiles of RF/6A cells obtained either de novo or from a public data repository did not correspond to endothelial gene expression signatures. Expression of established endothelial markers were very low or undetectable in RF/6A compared to primary human endothelial cells. Importantly, RF/6A cells also did not display functional characteristics of endothelial cells such as uptake of acetylated LDL, expression of E-selectin in response to TNF-α exposure, alignment in the direction of shear stress, and AKT and ERK1/2 phosphorylation following VEGFA stimulation. Conclusions Multiple independent sources of RF/6A do not exhibit key endothelial cell phenotypes. Therefore, these cells appear unsuitable as surrogates for choroidal or retinal endothelial cells. Further, cell line authentication methods should extend beyond genomic profiling to include anatomic, transcriptional, and functional assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan D. Makin
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
| | - Ivana Apicella
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
| | - Yosuke Nagasaka
- Department of Ophthalmology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Hiroki Kaneko
- Department of Ophthalmology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Stephen D. Turner
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Bioinformatics Core, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
| | - Nagaraj Kerur
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
| | - Jayakrishna Ambati
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
| | - Bradley D. Gelfand
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, United States
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10
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Inhibition of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) c3 activation attenuates acute lung injury and pulmonary edema in murine models of sepsis. Oncotarget 2018. [PMID: 29535830 PMCID: PMC5828182 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.24320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Specific therapies targeting cellular and molecular events of sepsis induced Acute Lung Injury (ALI) pathogenesis are lacking. We have reported a pivotal role for Nuclear Factors of Activated T cells (NFATc3) in regulating macrophage phenotype during sepsis induced ALI and subsequent studies demonstrate that NFATc3 transcriptionally regulates macrophage CCR2 and TNFα gene expression. Mouse pulmonary microvascular endothelial cell monolayer maintained a tighter barrier function when co-cultured with LPS stimulated NFATc3 deficient macrophages whereas wild type macrophages caused leaky monolayer barrier. More importantly, NFATc3 deficient mice showed decreased neutrophilic lung inflammation, improved alveolar capillary barrier function, arterial oxygen saturation and survival benefit in lethal CLP sepsis mouse models. In addition, survival of wild type mice subjected to the lethal CLP sepsis was not improved with broad-spectrum antibiotics, whereas the survival of NFATc3 deficient mice was improved to 40–60% when treated with imipenem. Passive adoptive transfer of NFATc3 deficient macrophages conferred protection against LPS induced ALI in wild type mice. Furthermore, CP9-ZIZIT, a highly potent, cell-permeable peptide inhibitor of Calcineurin inhibited NFATc3 activation. CP9-ZIZIT effectively reduced sepsis induced inflammatory cytokines and pulmonary edema in mice. Thus, this study demonstrates that inhibition of NFATc3 activation by CP9-ZIZIT provides a potential therapeutic option for attenuating sepsis induced ALI/pulmonary edema.
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11
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Yu BX, Yuan JN, Zhang FR, Liu YY, Zhang TT, Li K, Lv XF, Zhou JG, Huang LY, Shang JY, Liang SJ. Inhibition of Orai1-mediated Ca 2+ entry limits endothelial cell inflammation by suppressing calcineurin-NFATc4 signaling pathway. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2017; 495:1864-1870. [PMID: 29225169 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.12.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Orai1-dependent Ca2+ entry plays an essential role in inflammatory response through regulating T cell and macrophage activation and neutrophil infiltration. However, whether Orai1 Ca2+ entry contributes to endothelial activation, one of the early steps of vascular inflammation, remains elusive. In the present study, we observed that knockdown of Orai1 reduced, whereas overexpression of Orai1 potentiated, TNFα-induced expression of adhesion molecules such as ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in HUVECs, and subsequently blocked adhesion of monocyte to HUVECs. In vivo, Orai1 downregulation attenuated TNFα-induced ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression in mouse aorta and the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the serum. In addition, Orai1 knockdown also dramatically decreased the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and neutrophil infiltration in the lung after TNFα treatment, and thus protected lung tissue injury. Notably, among all isoforms of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFATs), TNFα only triggered NFATc4 nuclear accumulation in HUVECs. Knockdown of Orai1 or inhibition of calcineurin prevented TNFα-induced NFATc4 nuclear translocation and reduced ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression in HUVECs. Overexpression of NFATc4 further enhanced ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression induced by TNFα. Our study demonstrates that Orai1-Ca2+-calcineurin-NFATc4 signaling is an essential inflammatory pathway required for TNFα-induced endothelial cell activation and vascular inflammation. Therefore, Orai1 may be a potential therapeutic target for treatment of inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bei-Xin Yu
- Department of Pharmacology, Cardiac and Cerebral Vascular Research Center, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Guangzhou, China; Center for Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jia-Ni Yuan
- Department of Pharmacology, Cardiac and Cerebral Vascular Research Center, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fei-Ran Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Cardiac and Cerebral Vascular Research Center, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ying-Ying Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, Cardiac and Cerebral Vascular Research Center, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ting-Ting Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Cardiac and Cerebral Vascular Research Center, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kai Li
- Department of Pharmacology, Cardiac and Cerebral Vascular Research Center, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Fei Lv
- Department of Pharmacology, Cardiac and Cerebral Vascular Research Center, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jia-Guo Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, Cardiac and Cerebral Vascular Research Center, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Guangzhou, China; Department of Cardiology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China; Guangzhou Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lin-Yan Huang
- School of Medical Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Jin-Yan Shang
- Department of Pharmacology, Cardiac and Cerebral Vascular Research Center, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Si-Jia Liang
- Department of Pharmacology, Cardiac and Cerebral Vascular Research Center, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
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12
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IP 3 receptor signaling and endothelial barrier function. Cell Mol Life Sci 2017; 74:4189-4207. [PMID: 28803370 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-017-2624-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Revised: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 08/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The endothelium, a monolayer of endothelial cells lining vessel walls, maintains tissue-fluid homeostasis by restricting the passage of the plasma proteins and blood cells into the interstitium. The ion Ca2+, a ubiquitous secondary messenger, initiates signal transduction events in endothelial cells that is critical to control of vascular tone and endothelial permeability. The ion Ca2+ is stored inside the intracellular organelles and released into the cytosol in response to environmental cues. The inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) messenger facilitates Ca2+ release through IP3 receptors which are Ca2+-selective intracellular channels located within the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum. Binding of IP3 to the IP3Rs initiates assembly of IP3R clusters, a key event responsible for amplification of Ca2+ signals in endothelial cells. This review discusses emerging concepts related to architecture and dynamics of IP3R clusters, and their specific role in propagation of Ca2+ signals in endothelial cells.
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13
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Shi Y, Vanhoutte PM. Macro- and microvascular endothelial dysfunction in diabetes. J Diabetes 2017; 9:434-449. [PMID: 28044409 DOI: 10.1111/1753-0407.12521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 330] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2016] [Revised: 12/06/2016] [Accepted: 12/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Endothelial cells, as well as their major products nitric oxide (NO) and prostacyclin, play a key role in the regulation of vascular homeostasis. Diabetes mellitus is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Diabetes-induced endothelial dysfunction is a critical and initiating factor in the genesis of diabetic vascular complications. The present review focuses on both large blood vessels and the microvasculature. The endothelial dysfunction in diabetic macrovascular complications is characterized by reduced NO bioavailability, poorly compensated for by increased production of prostacyclin and/or endothelium-dependent hyperpolarizations, and increased production or action of endothelium-derived vasoconstrictors. The endothelial dysfunction of microvascular complications is primarily characterized by decreased release of NO, enhanced oxidative stress, increased production of inflammatory factors, abnormal angiogenesis, and impaired endothelial repair. In addition, non-coding RNAs (microRNAs) have emerged as participating in numerous cellular processes. Thus, this reviews pays special attention to microRNAs and their modulatory role in diabetes-induced vascular dysfunction. Some therapeutic strategies for preventing and restoring diabetic endothelial dysfunction are also highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Shi
- Biomedical Research Centre, Shanghai Key Laboratory of organ Transplantation, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Paul M Vanhoutte
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR China
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14
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Deng T, Pang C, Lu X, Zhu P, Duan A, Tan Z, Huang J, Li H, Chen M, Liang X. De Novo Transcriptome Assembly of the Chinese Swamp Buffalo by RNA Sequencing and SSR Marker Discovery. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0147132. [PMID: 26766209 PMCID: PMC4713091 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0147132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2015] [Accepted: 12/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The Chinese swamp buffalo (Bubalis bubalis) is vital to the lives of small farmers and has tremendous economic importance. However, a lack of genomic information has hampered research on augmenting marker assisted breeding programs in this species. Thus, a high-throughput transcriptomic sequencing of B. bubalis was conducted to generate transcriptomic sequence dataset for gene discovery and molecular marker development. Illumina paired-end sequencing generated a total of 54,109,173 raw reads. After trimming, de novo assembly was performed, which yielded 86,017 unigenes, with an average length of 972.41 bp, an N50 of 1,505 bp, and an average GC content of 49.92%. A total of 62,337 unigenes were successfully annotated. Among the annotated unigenes, 27,025 (43.35%) and 23,232 (37.27%) unigenes showed significant similarity to known proteins in NCBI non-redundant protein and Swiss-Prot databases (E-value < 1.0E-5), respectively. Of these annotated unigenes, 14,439 and 15,813 unigenes were assigned to the Gene Ontology (GO) categories and EuKaryotic Ortholog Group (KOG) cluster, respectively. In addition, a total of 14,167 unigenes were assigned to 331 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. Furthermore, 17,401 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were identified as potential molecular markers. One hundred and fifteen primer pairs were randomly selected for amplification to detect polymorphisms. The results revealed that 110 primer pairs (95.65%) yielded PCR amplicons and 69 primer pairs (60.00%) presented polymorphisms in 35 individual buffaloes. A phylogenetic analysis showed that the five swamp buffalo populations were clustered together, whereas two river buffalo breeds clustered separately. In the present study, the Illumina RNA-seq technology was utilized to perform transcriptome analysis and SSR marker discovery in the swamp buffalo without using a reference genome. Our findings will enrich the current SSR markers resources and help spearhead molecular genetic research studies on the swamp buffalo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingxian Deng
- Key Laboratory of Buffalo Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction technology, Ministry of Agriculture, Buffalo Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning, Guangxi, P. R. China
| | - Chunying Pang
- Key Laboratory of Buffalo Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction technology, Ministry of Agriculture, Buffalo Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning, Guangxi, P. R. China
| | - Xingrong Lu
- Key Laboratory of Buffalo Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction technology, Ministry of Agriculture, Buffalo Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning, Guangxi, P. R. China
| | - Peng Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Buffalo Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction technology, Ministry of Agriculture, Buffalo Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning, Guangxi, P. R. China
| | - Anqin Duan
- Key Laboratory of Buffalo Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction technology, Ministry of Agriculture, Buffalo Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning, Guangxi, P. R. China
| | - Zhengzhun Tan
- Key Laboratory of Buffalo Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction technology, Ministry of Agriculture, Buffalo Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning, Guangxi, P. R. China
| | - Jian Huang
- Key Laboratory of Buffalo Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction technology, Ministry of Agriculture, Buffalo Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning, Guangxi, P. R. China
| | - Hui Li
- Key Laboratory of Buffalo Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction technology, Ministry of Agriculture, Buffalo Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning, Guangxi, P. R. China
| | - Mingtan Chen
- Key Laboratory of Buffalo Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction technology, Ministry of Agriculture, Buffalo Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning, Guangxi, P. R. China
| | - Xianwei Liang
- Key Laboratory of Buffalo Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction technology, Ministry of Agriculture, Buffalo Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning, Guangxi, P. R. China
- * E-mail:
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15
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NFAT isoforms play distinct roles in TNFα-induced retinal leukostasis. Sci Rep 2015; 5:14963. [PMID: 26527057 PMCID: PMC4630625 DOI: 10.1038/srep14963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2015] [Accepted: 09/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the role of individual NFAT isoforms in TNFα-induced retinal leukostasis. To this end, human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMEC) transfected with siRNA targeting individual NFAT isoforms were treated with TNFα, and qRT-PCR was used to examine the contribution of each isoform to the TNFα-induced upregulation of leukocyte adhesion proteins. This showed that NFATc1 siRNA increased ICAM1 expression, NFATc2 siRNA reduced CX3CL1, VCAM1, SELE, and ICAM1 expression, NFATc3 siRNA increased CX3CL1 and SELE expression, and NFATc4 siRNA reduced SELE expression. Transfected HRMEC monolayers were also treated with TNFα and assayed using a parallel plate flow chamber, and both NFATc2 and NFATc4 knockdown reduced TNFα-induced cell adhesion. The effect of isoform-specific knockdown on TNFα-induced cytokine production was also measured using protein ELISAs and conditioned cell culture medium, and showed that NFATc4 siRNA reduced CXCL10, CXCL11, and MCP-1 protein levels. Lastly, the CN/NFAT-signaling inhibitor INCA-6 was shown to reduce TNFα-induced retinal leukostasis in vivo. Together, these studies show a clear role for NFAT-signaling in TNFα-induced retinal leukostasis, and identify NFATc2 and NFATc4 as potentially valuable therapeutic targets for treating retinopathies in which TNFα plays a pathogenic role.
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