1
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Tan YH, Habing KM, Riesterer JL, Stempinksi ES, Lewis SH, Pfeifer CS, Malhotra SV, Nakayama KH. Engineered Nanofibrillar Collagen with Tunable Biophysical Properties for Myogenic, Endothelial, and Osteogenic Cell Guidance. Acta Biomater 2024:S1742-7061(24)00444-6. [PMID: 39117115 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2024.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
A goal of regenerative engineering is the rational design of materials to restore the structure-function relationships that drive reparative programs in damaged tissues. Despite the widespread use of extracellular matrices for engineering tissues, their application has been limited by a narrow range of tunable features. The primary objective of this study is to develop a versatile platform for evaluating tissue-specific cellular interactions using Type I collagen scaffolds with highly tunable biophysical properties. The kinetics of collagen fibrillogenesis were modulated through a combination of varied shear rate and pH, during neutralization, to achieve a broad range of fibril anisotropy, porosity, diameter, and storage modulus. The role that each of these properties play in guiding muscle, bone, and vascular cell types was comprehensively identified and informed the in vitro generation of three distinct musculoskeletal engineered constructs. Myogenesis was highly regulated by smaller fibrils and larger storage moduli, endothelial inflammatory phenotype was predominantly guided by fibril anisotropy, and osteogenesis was enhanced by highly porous collagen with larger fibrils. This study introduces a novel approach for dynamically modulating Type I collagen materials and provides a robust platform for investigating cell-material interactions, offering insights for future rational design of tissue-specific regenerative biomaterials. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The biophysical properties of regenerative materials facilitate key cell-substrate interactions that can guide the morphology, phenotype, and biological response of cells. In this study, we describe the fabrication of an engineered collagen hydrogel that can be modified to exhibit control over a wide range of biophysical features including fibril organization and size, nanoscale porosity, and mechanics. We identified the unique combination of collagen features that optimally promote regenerative muscle, bone, and vascular cell types while also delineating the properties that hinder these same cellular responses. This study presents a highly accessible method to control the biophysical properties of collagen hydrogels that can be adapted for a broad range of tissue engineering and regenerative applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong How Tan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland OR
| | - Krista M Habing
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland OR
| | - Jessica L Riesterer
- Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland OR
| | - Erin S Stempinksi
- Multiscale Microscopy Core, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland OR
| | - Steven H Lewis
- Biomaterial and Biomedical Sciences, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland OR
| | - Carmem S Pfeifer
- Biomaterial and Biomedical Sciences, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland OR
| | - Sanjay V Malhotra
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland OR
| | - Karina H Nakayama
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland OR; Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR.
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2
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Al-Nuaimi DA, Rütsche D, Abukar A, Hiebert P, Zanetti D, Cesarovic N, Falk V, Werner S, Mazza E, Giampietro C. Hydrostatic pressure drives sprouting angiogenesis via adherens junction remodelling and YAP signalling. Commun Biol 2024; 7:940. [PMID: 39097636 PMCID: PMC11297954 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06604-9] [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: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Endothelial cell physiology is governed by its unique microenvironment at the interface between blood and tissue. A major contributor to the endothelial biophysical environment is blood hydrostatic pressure, which in mechanical terms applies isotropic compressive stress on the cells. While other mechanical factors, such as shear stress and circumferential stretch, have been extensively studied, little is known about the role of hydrostatic pressure in the regulation of endothelial cell behavior. Here we show that hydrostatic pressure triggers partial and transient endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition in endothelial monolayers of different vascular beds. Values mimicking microvascular pressure environments promote proliferative and migratory behavior and impair barrier properties that are characteristic of a mesenchymal transition, resulting in increased sprouting angiogenesis in 3D organotypic model systems ex vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, this response is linked to differential cadherin expression at the adherens junctions, and to an increased YAP expression, nuclear localization, and transcriptional activity. Inhibition of YAP transcriptional activity prevents pressure-induced sprouting angiogenesis. Together, this work establishes hydrostatic pressure as a key modulator of endothelial homeostasis and as a crucial component of the endothelial mechanical niche.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dominic Rütsche
- Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Experimental Continuum Mechanics, Dübendorf, 8600, Switzerland
| | - Asra Abukar
- ETH Zürich, DMAVT, Experimental Continuum Mechanics, Zürich, 8092, Switzerland
| | - Paul Hiebert
- Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, 8093, Zürich, Switzerland
- Centre for Biomedicine, Hull York Medical School, The University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK
| | - Dominik Zanetti
- Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, 8093, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Nikola Cesarovic
- Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, German Heart Center Berlin, 13353, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, 8093, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Volkmar Falk
- Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, German Heart Center Berlin, 13353, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, 8093, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Sabine Werner
- Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, 8093, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Edoardo Mazza
- ETH Zürich, DMAVT, Experimental Continuum Mechanics, Zürich, 8092, Switzerland.
- Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Experimental Continuum Mechanics, Dübendorf, 8600, Switzerland.
| | - Costanza Giampietro
- ETH Zürich, DMAVT, Experimental Continuum Mechanics, Zürich, 8092, Switzerland.
- Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Experimental Continuum Mechanics, Dübendorf, 8600, Switzerland.
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3
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Ren C, Chang Z, Li K, Wang X, Wang D, Xu Y, Li X, Li Q. Impact of uniaxial cyclic stretching on matrix-associated endothelial cell responses. Mater Today Bio 2024; 27:101152. [PMID: 39104901 PMCID: PMC11298614 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2024.101152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Uniaxial cyclic stretching plays a pivotal role in the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, influencing cell behaviors and functionality based on physical properties, including matrix morphology and mechanical stimuli. This study delves into the response of endothelial cells to uniaxial cyclic strain within the geometric constraints of micro-nano fibers. Various structural scaffold forms of poly(l-lactide-co-caprolactone) (PLCL), such as flat membranes, randomly oriented fiber membranes, and aligned fiber membranes, were fabricated through solvent casting and electrospinning methods. Our investigation focuses on the morphological variation of endothelial cells under diverse geometric constraints and the mechanical-dependent release of nitric oxide (NO) on oriented fibrous membranes. Our results indicate that while uniaxial cyclic stretching promotes endothelial cell spreading, the anisotropy of the matrix morphology remains the primary driving factor for cell alignment. Additionally, uniaxial cyclic stretching significantly enhances NO release, with a notably stronger effect correlated to the increasing strain amplitude. Importantly, this study reveals that uniaxial cyclic stretching enhances the mRNA expression of key proteins, including talin, vinculin, rac, and nitric oxide synthase (eNOS).
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuihong Ren
- School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
- National Center for International Research of Micro-Nano Molding Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
| | - Zhonghua Chang
- Institute of Laser Manufacturing, Henan Academy of Sciences, Zhengzhou, 450046, PR China
| | - Kecheng Li
- School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
- National Center for International Research of Micro-Nano Molding Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
| | - Xiaofeng Wang
- School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
- National Center for International Research of Micro-Nano Molding Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
| | - Dongfang Wang
- School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
- National Center for International Research of Micro-Nano Molding Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
| | - Yiyang Xu
- National Center for International Research of Micro-Nano Molding Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
| | - Xiaomeng Li
- School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
- National Center for International Research of Micro-Nano Molding Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
| | - Qian Li
- School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
- National Center for International Research of Micro-Nano Molding Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
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Wang X, He B. Endothelial dysfunction: molecular mechanisms and clinical implications. MedComm (Beijing) 2024; 5:e651. [PMID: 39040847 PMCID: PMC11261813 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its complications are a leading cause of death worldwide. Endothelial dysfunction plays a crucial role in the initiation and progression of CVD, serving as a pivotal factor in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular, metabolic, and other related diseases. The regulation of endothelial dysfunction is influenced by various risk factors and intricate signaling pathways, which vary depending on the specific disease context. Despite numerous research efforts aimed at elucidating the mechanisms underlying endothelial dysfunction, the precise molecular pathways involved remain incompletely understood. This review elucidates recent research findings on the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in endothelial dysfunction, including nitric oxide availability, oxidative stress, and inflammation-mediated pathways. We also discuss the impact of endothelial dysfunction on various pathological conditions, including atherosclerosis, heart failure, diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, we summarize the traditional and novel potential biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction as well as pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapeutic strategies for endothelial protection and treatment for CVD and related complications. Consequently, this review is to improve understanding of emerging biomarkers and therapeutic approaches aimed at reducing the risk of developing CVD and associated complications, as well as mitigating endothelial dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Wang
- Department of CardiologyShanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Ben He
- Department of CardiologyShanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
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5
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Li H, Wang R, Xu P, Yuan C, Huang M, Jiang L. Elucidating the molecular basis of PECAM-1 and Tie2 interaction from binding dynamics and complex formation. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 735:150484. [PMID: 39094232 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.150484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2024] [Revised: 07/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Endothelial hyperpermeability-induced vascular dysfunction is a prevalent and significant characteristic in critical illnesses such as sepsis and other conditions marked by acute systemic inflammation. Platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1) and Tie2 serve as transmembrane receptors within endothelial cells (ECs), playing pivotal roles not only in maintaining EC-EC junctions but also in influencing vasculogenesis, vessel homeostasis, and vascular remodeling. OBJECTIVES At present, the molecular basis of the PECAM-1-Tie2 interaction remains inadequately elucidated. In the study, recombinant soluble PECAM-1 (sPECAM-1) and Tie2 (sTie2) were expressed by Drosophila S2 and HEK293 expression systems, respectively. The interactions between sPECAM-1 and sTie2 were investigated using the Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) and size-exclusion chromatography methods. An immunofluorescence assay was used to detect the binding of sPECAM-1 and sTie2 on endothelial cells. RESULTS PECAM-1 was found to bind with sTie2 in a sodium and pH-dependent manner as confirmed by the ELISA, the D5-D6 domains of PECAM-1 might play a crucial role in binding with sTie2. Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) results showed that the full length of sPECAM-1 has the strongest binding affinity (KD = 48.4 nM) with sTie2, compared to sPECAM-1-D1-D4 and sPECAM-1-D1-D2. This result is consistent with that in the ELISA. In addition, size-exclusion chromatography demonstrated that sPECAM-1, sTie2, and Ang1 can form a ternary complex. CONCLUSION In this study, we determined that sPECAM-1 binds to sTie2 in a pH and sodium-dependent manner. The full length of sPECAM-1 has the strongest binding affinity, and the D5-D6 domains in sPECAM-1 play a crucial role in the interaction between sPECAM-1 and sTie2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Li
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350116, China
| | - Rui Wang
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350116, China
| | - Peng Xu
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350116, China
| | - Cai Yuan
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350116, China
| | - Mingdong Huang
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350116, China; The National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center on Biopharmaceutical and Photodynamic Therapy Technologies, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350116, China.
| | - Longguang Jiang
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350116, China; The National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center on Biopharmaceutical and Photodynamic Therapy Technologies, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350116, China.
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6
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Mpekris F, Panagi M, Charalambous A, Voutouri C, Stylianopoulos T. Modulating cancer mechanopathology to restore vascular function and enhance immunotherapy. Cell Rep Med 2024; 5:101626. [PMID: 38944037 PMCID: PMC11293360 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2024.101626] [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: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024]
Abstract
Solid tumor pathology, characterized by abnormalities in the tumor microenvironment (TME), challenges therapeutic effectiveness. Mechanical factors, including increased tumor stiffness and accumulation of intratumoral forces, can determine the success of cancer treatments, defining the tumor's "mechanopathology" profile. These abnormalities cause extensive vascular compression, leading to hypoperfusion and hypoxia. Hypoperfusion hinders drug delivery, while hypoxia creates an unfavorable TME, promoting tumor progression through immunosuppression, heightened metastatic potential, drug resistance, and chaotic angiogenesis. Strategies targeting TME mechanopathology, such as vascular and stroma normalization, hold promise in enhancing cancer therapies with some already advancing to the clinic. Normalization can be achieved using anti-angiogenic agents, mechanotherapeutics, immune checkpoint inhibitors, engineered bacterial therapeutics, metronomic nanomedicine, and ultrasound sonopermeation. Here, we review the methods developed to rectify tumor mechanopathology, which have even led to cures in preclinical models, and discuss their bench-to-bedside translation, including the derivation of biomarkers from tumor mechanopathology for personalized therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fotios Mpekris
- Cancer Biophysics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Myrofora Panagi
- Cancer Biophysics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Antonia Charalambous
- Cancer Biophysics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Chrysovalantis Voutouri
- Cancer Biophysics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Triantafyllos Stylianopoulos
- Cancer Biophysics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus.
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7
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Okorafor CC, Shastri S, Wen K, Ebong EE. Mechanisms of triple-negative breast cancer extravasation: Impact of the physical environment and endothelial glycocalyx. FASEB J 2024; 38:e23785. [PMID: 38949120 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202400380r] [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: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Cancer metastasis is the leading cause of death for those afflicted with cancer. In cancer metastasis, the cancer cells break off from the primary tumor, penetrate nearby blood vessels, and attach and extravasate out of the vessels to form secondary tumors at distant organs. This makes extravasation a critical step of the metastatic cascade. Herein, with a focus on triple-negative breast cancer, the role that the prospective secondary tumor microenvironment's mechanical properties play in circulating tumor cells' extravasation is reviewed. Specifically, the effects of the physically regulated vascular endothelial glycocalyx barrier element, vascular flow factors, and subendothelial extracellular matrix mechanical properties on cancer cell extravasation are examined. The ultimate goal of this review is to clarify the physical mechanisms that drive triple-negative breast cancer extravasation, as these mechanisms may be potential new targets for anti-metastasis therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chinedu C Okorafor
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sanjana Shastri
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ke Wen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Eno E Ebong
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
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8
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Kiskin FN, Yang Y, Yang H, Zhang JZ. Cracking the code of the cardiovascular enigma: hPSC-derived endothelial cells unveil the secrets of endothelial dysfunction. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2024; 192:65-78. [PMID: 38761989 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2024.05.005] [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: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Endothelial dysfunction is a central contributor to the development of most cardiovascular diseases and is characterised by the reduced synthesis or bioavailability of the vasodilator nitric oxide together with other abnormalities such as inflammation, senescence, and oxidative stress. The use of patient-specific and genome-edited human pluripotent stem cell-derived endothelial cells (hPSC-ECs) has shed novel insights into the role of endothelial dysfunction in cardiovascular diseases with strong genetic components such as genetic cardiomyopathies and pulmonary arterial hypertension. However, their utility in studying complex multifactorial diseases such as atherosclerosis, metabolic syndrome and heart failure poses notable challenges. In this review, we provide an overview of the different methods used to generate and characterise hPSC-ECs before comprehensively assessing their effectiveness in cardiovascular disease modelling and high-throughput drug screening. Furthermore, we explore current obstacles that will need to be overcome to unleash the full potential of hPSC-ECs in facilitating patient-specific precision medicine. Addressing these challenges holds great promise in advancing our understanding of intricate cardiovascular diseases and in tailoring personalised therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fedir N Kiskin
- Institute of Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518132, China.
| | - Yuan Yang
- Institute of Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518132, China.
| | - Hao Yang
- Institute of Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518132, China.
| | - Joe Z Zhang
- Institute of Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518132, China.
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9
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Essebier P, Keyser M, Yordanov T, Hill B, Yu A, Noordstra I, Yap AS, Stehbens SJ, Lagendijk AK, Schimmel L, Gordon EJ. c-Src-induced vascular malformations require localised matrix degradation at focal adhesions. J Cell Sci 2024; 137:jcs262101. [PMID: 38881365 PMCID: PMC11267457 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.262101] [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: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Endothelial cells lining the blood vessel wall communicate intricately with the surrounding extracellular matrix, translating mechanical cues into biochemical signals. Moreover, vessels require the capability to enzymatically degrade the matrix surrounding them, to facilitate vascular expansion. c-Src plays a key role in blood vessel growth, with its loss in the endothelium reducing vessel sprouting and focal adhesion signalling. Here, we show that constitutive activation of c-Src in endothelial cells results in rapid vascular expansion, operating independently of growth factor stimulation or fluid shear stress forces. This is driven by an increase in focal adhesion signalling and size, with enhancement of localised secretion of matrix metalloproteinases responsible for extracellular matrix remodelling. Inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase activity results in a robust rescue of the vascular expansion elicited by heightened c-Src activity. This supports the premise that moderating focal adhesion-related events and matrix degradation can counteract abnormal vascular expansion, with implications for pathologies driven by unusual vascular morphologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Essebier
- Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia4072
| | - Mikaela Keyser
- Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia4072
| | - Teodor Yordanov
- Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia4072
| | - Brittany Hill
- Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia4072
| | - Alexander Yu
- Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia4072
| | - Ivar Noordstra
- Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia4072
| | - Alpha S. Yap
- Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia4072
| | - Samantha J. Stehbens
- Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia4072
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia4072
| | - Anne K. Lagendijk
- Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia4072
| | - Lilian Schimmel
- Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia4072
| | - Emma J. Gordon
- Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia4072
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10
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Lim J, Fang HW, Bupphathong S, Sung PC, Yeh CE, Huang W, Lin CH. The Edifice of Vasculature-On-Chips: A Focused Review on the Key Elements and Assembly of Angiogenesis Models. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2024; 10:3548-3567. [PMID: 38712543 PMCID: PMC11167599 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.3c01978] [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: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
The conception of vascularized organ-on-a-chip models provides researchers with the ability to supply controlled biological and physical cues that simulate the in vivo dynamic microphysiological environment of native blood vessels. The intention of this niche research area is to improve our understanding of the role of the vasculature in health or disease progression in vitro by allowing researchers to monitor angiogenic responses and cell-cell or cell-matrix interactions in real time. This review offers a comprehensive overview of the essential elements, including cells, biomaterials, microenvironmental factors, microfluidic chip design, and standard validation procedures that currently govern angiogenesis-on-a-chip assemblies. In addition, we emphasize the importance of incorporating a microvasculature component into organ-on-chip devices in critical biomedical research areas, such as tissue engineering, drug discovery, and disease modeling. Ultimately, advances in this area of research could provide innovative solutions and a personalized approach to ongoing medical challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Lim
- Graduate
Institute of Nanomedicine and Medical Engineering, College of Biomedical
Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Hsu-Wei Fang
- High-value
Biomaterials Research and Commercialization Center, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei 10608, Taiwan
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei 10608, Taiwan
- Institute
of Biomedical Engineering and Nanomedicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan 35053, Taiwan
| | - Sasinan Bupphathong
- Graduate
Institute of Nanomedicine and Medical Engineering, College of Biomedical
Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- High-value
Biomaterials Research and Commercialization Center, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei 10608, Taiwan
| | - Po-Chan Sung
- School
of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Chen-En Yeh
- School
of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Wei Huang
- Department
of Orthodontics, Rutgers School of Dental
Medicine, Newark, New Jersey 07103, United States
| | - Chih-Hsin Lin
- Graduate
Institute of Nanomedicine and Medical Engineering, College of Biomedical
Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
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11
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Gauvrit S, Zhao S, Rothbauer U, Stainier DYR. A β-catenin chromobody-based probe highlights endothelial maturation during vascular morphogenesis in vivo. Development 2024; 151:dev202122. [PMID: 38847494 PMCID: PMC11190570 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202122] [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: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
Visualization of protein dynamics is a crucial step in understanding cellular processes. Chromobodies, fluorescently labelled single-domain antibodies, have emerged as versatile probes for live cell imaging of endogenous proteins. However, how these chromobodies behave in vivo and how accurately they monitor tissue changes remain poorly explored. Here, we generated an endothelial-specific β-catenin chromobody-derived probe and analyzed its expression pattern during cardiovascular development in zebrafish. Using high-resolution confocal imaging, we show that the chromobody signal correlates with the localization of β-catenin in the nucleus and at cell-cell junctions, and thereby can be used to assess endothelial maturation. Loss of Cadherin 5 strongly affects the localization of the chromobody at the cell membrane, confirming the cadherin-based adherens junction role of β-catenin. Furthermore, using a genetic model to block blood flow, we observed that cell junctions are compromised in most endothelial cells but not in the endocardium, highlighting the heterogeneous response of the endothelium to the lack of blood flow. Overall, our data further expand the use of chromobodies for in vivo applications and illustrate their potential to monitor tissue morphogenesis at high resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Gauvrit
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Shengnan Zhao
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Ulrich Rothbauer
- Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC2180) ‘Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies’, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Didier Y. R. Stainier
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
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12
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Donzanti MJ, Mhatre O, Chernokal B, Renteria DC, Gleghorn JP. Stochastic to Deterministic: A straightforward approach to create serially perfusable multiscale capillary beds. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.03.592474. [PMID: 38766003 PMCID: PMC11100595 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.03.592474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Generation of in vitro tissue models with serially perfused hierarchical vasculature would allow greater control of fluid perfusion throughout the network and enable direct mechanistic investigation of vasculogenesis, angiogenesis, and vascular remodeling. In this work, we have developed a method to produce a closed, serially perfused, multiscale vessel network embedded within an acellular hydrogel. We confirmed that the acellular and cellular gel-gel interface was functionally annealed without preventing or biasing cell migration and endothelial self-assembly. Multiscale connectivity of the vessel network was validated via high-resolution microscopy techniques to confirm anastomosis between self-assembled and patterned vessels. Lastly, using fluorescently labeled microspheres, the multiscale network was serially perfused to confirm patency and barrier function. Directional flow from inlet to outlet man-dated flow through the capillary bed. This method for producing closed, multiscale vascular networks was developed with the intention of straightforward fabrication and engineering techniques so as to be a low barrier to entry for researchers who wish to investigate mechanistic questions in vascular biology. This ease of use offers a facile extension of these methods for incorporation into organoid culture, organ-on-a-chip (OOC) models, and bioprinted tissues.
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13
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Villasante A, Corominas J, Alcon C, Garcia-Lizarribar A, Mora J, Lopez-Fanarraga M, Samitier J. Identification of GB3 as a Novel Biomarker of Tumor-Derived Vasculature in Neuroblastoma Using a Stiffness-Based Model. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1060. [PMID: 38473417 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16051060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is a childhood cancer in sympathetic nervous system cells. NB exhibits cellular heterogeneity, with adrenergic and mesenchymal states displaying distinct tumorigenic potentials. NB is highly vascularized, and blood vessels can form through various mechanisms, including endothelial transdifferentiation, leading to the development of tumor-derived endothelial cells (TECs) associated with chemoresistance. We lack specific biomarkers for TECs. Therefore, identifying new TEC biomarkers is vital for effective NB therapies. A stiffness-based platform simulating human arterial and venous stiffness was developed to study NB TECs in vitro. Adrenergic cells cultured on arterial-like stiffness transdifferentiated into TECs, while mesenchymal state cells did not. The TECs derived from adrenergic cells served as a model to explore new biomarkers, with a particular focus on GB3, a glycosphingolipid receptor implicated in angiogenesis, metastasis, and drug resistance. Notably, the TECs unequivocally expressed GB3, validating its novelty as a marker. To explore targeted therapeutic interventions, nanoparticles functionalized with the non-toxic subunit B of the Shiga toxin were generated, because they demonstrated a robust affinity for GB3-positive cells. Our results demonstrate the value of the stiffness-based platform as a predictive tool for assessing NB aggressiveness, the discovery of new biomarkers, and the evaluation of the effectiveness of targeted therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aranzazu Villasante
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Electronic and Biomedical Engineering, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Josep Corominas
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Clara Alcon
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andrea Garcia-Lizarribar
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Jaume Mora
- Oncology Department, Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona, Hospital Sant Joan de Deu, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Josep Samitier
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Electronic and Biomedical Engineering, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), 28029 Madrid, Spain
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14
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Rapp J, Ness J, Wolf J, Hospach A, Liang P, Hug MJ, Agostini H, Schlunck G, Lange C, Bucher F. 2D and 3D in vitro angiogenesis assays highlight different aspects of angiogenesis. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:167028. [PMID: 38244944 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2024.167028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
In angiogenesis research, scientists need to carefully select appropriate in vitro models to test their hypotheses to minimize the risk for false negative or false positive study results. In this study, we investigate molecular differences between simple two-dimensional and more complex three-dimensional angiogenesis assays and compare them to in vivo data from cancer-associated angiogenesis using an unbiased transcriptomic analysis. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were treated with VEGF in 2D wound healing and proliferation assays and the 3D spheroid sprouting assay. VEGF-induced transcriptomic shifts were assessed in both settings by bulk RNA sequencing. Immunocytochemistry was used for protein detection. The data was linked to the transcriptomic profile of vascular endothelial cells from a single cell RNA sequencing dataset of various cancer tissue compared to adjacent healthy tissue control. VEGF induced a more diverse transcriptomic shift in vascular endothelial cells in a 3D experimental setting (767 differentially expressed genes) compared to the 2D settings (167 differentially expressed genes). Particularly, VEGF-induced changes in cell-matrix interaction, tip cell formation, and glycolysis were pronounced in the 3D spheroid sprouting experiments. Immunocytochemistry for VCAM1 and CD34 confirmed enhanced expression in response to VEGF-treatment in 3D settings. In vivo, vascular endothelial cells within various cancer tissue were characterized by strong transcriptomic changes in cell-matrix interaction and glycolysis similar to the 3D setting. Consequently, 3D assays may better address certain key aspects of angiogenesis in comparison to fast and scalable 2D assays. This should be taken into consideration within the context of each research question.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Rapp
- Eye Center, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jan Ness
- Eye Center, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany; Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Julian Wolf
- Eye Center, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Alban Hospach
- Eye Center, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Paula Liang
- Eye Center, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Martin J Hug
- Pharmacy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Hansjürgen Agostini
- Eye Center, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Günther Schlunck
- Eye Center, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Clemens Lange
- Eye Center, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany; Ophtha-Lab, Department of Ophthalmology, St. Franziskus Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Felicitas Bucher
- Eye Center, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany.
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15
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Carlantoni C, Liekfeld LMH, Hemkemeyer SA, Schreier D, Saygi C, Kurelic R, Cardarelli S, Kalucka J, Schulte C, Beerens M, Mailer RK, Schäffer TE, Naro F, Pellegrini M, Nikolaev VO, Renné T, Frye M. The phosphodiesterase 2A controls lymphatic junctional maturation via cGMP-dependent notch signaling. Dev Cell 2024; 59:308-325.e11. [PMID: 38159569 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.12.002] [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: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
The molecular mechanisms by which lymphatic vessels induce cell contact inhibition are not understood. Here, we identify the cGMP-dependent phosphodiesterase 2A (PDE2A) as a selective regulator of lymphatic but not of blood endothelial contact inhibition. Conditional deletion of Pde2a in mouse embryos reveals severe lymphatic dysplasia, whereas blood vessel architecture remains unaltered. In the absence of PDE2A, human lymphatic endothelial cells fail to induce mature junctions and cell cycle arrest, whereas cGMP levels, but not cAMP levels, are increased. Loss of PDE2A-mediated cGMP hydrolysis leads to the activation of p38 signaling and downregulation of NOTCH signaling. However, DLL4-induced NOTCH activation restores junctional maturation and contact inhibition in PDE2A-deficient human lymphatic endothelial cells. In postnatal mouse mesenteries, PDE2A is specifically enriched in collecting lymphatic valves, and loss of Pde2a results in the formation of abnormal valves. Our data demonstrate that PDE2A selectively finetunes a crosstalk of cGMP, p38, and NOTCH signaling during lymphatic vessel maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Carlantoni
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg 20246, Germany; German Centre of Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Hamburg/Luebeck/Kiel, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Leon M H Liekfeld
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg 20246, Germany
| | - Sandra A Hemkemeyer
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg 20246, Germany; German Centre of Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Hamburg/Luebeck/Kiel, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Danny Schreier
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg 20246, Germany
| | - Ceren Saygi
- Bioinformatics Core, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg 20246, Germany
| | - Roberta Kurelic
- Institute of Experimental Cardiovascular Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg 20246, Germany
| | - Silvia Cardarelli
- DAHFMO-Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Joanna Kalucka
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Christian Schulte
- German Centre of Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Hamburg/Luebeck/Kiel, Hamburg, Germany; Department of Cardiology, University Heart & Vascular Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Manu Beerens
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg 20246, Germany; German Centre of Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Hamburg/Luebeck/Kiel, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Reiner K Mailer
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg 20246, Germany
| | - Tilman E Schäffer
- Institute of Applied Physics, University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Fabio Naro
- DAHFMO-Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Manuela Pellegrini
- DAHFMO-Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, IBBC-CNR, Campus A. Buzzati Traverso, Monterotondo Scalo, Rome 00015, Italy
| | - Viacheslav O Nikolaev
- German Centre of Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Hamburg/Luebeck/Kiel, Hamburg, Germany; Institute of Experimental Cardiovascular Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg 20246, Germany
| | - Thomas Renné
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg 20246, Germany; Center for Thrombosis and Hemostasis (CTH), Johannes Gutenberg University Medical Center, Mainz, Germany; Irish Centre for Vascular Biology, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Maike Frye
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg 20246, Germany; German Centre of Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Hamburg/Luebeck/Kiel, Hamburg, Germany.
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16
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Katoh K. Effects of Mechanical Stress on Endothelial Cells In Situ and In Vitro. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16518. [PMID: 38003708 PMCID: PMC10671803 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216518] [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: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Endothelial cells lining blood vessels are essential for maintaining vascular homeostasis and mediate several pathological and physiological processes. Mechanical stresses generated by blood flow and other biomechanical factors significantly affect endothelial cell activity. Here, we review how mechanical stresses, both in situ and in vitro, affect endothelial cells. We review the basic principles underlying the cellular response to mechanical stresses. We also consider the implications of these findings for understanding the mechanisms of mechanotransducer and mechano-signal transduction systems by cytoskeletal components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuo Katoh
- Laboratory of Human Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Tsukuba University of Technology, Tsukuba 305-8521, Japan
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17
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Mitten EK, Portincasa P, Baffy G. Portal Hypertension in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Challenges and Paradigms. J Clin Transl Hepatol 2023; 11:1201-1211. [PMID: 37577237 PMCID: PMC10412712 DOI: 10.14218/jcth.2023.00029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Portal hypertension in cirrhosis is defined as an increase in the portal pressure gradient (PPG) between the portal and hepatic veins and is traditionally estimated by the hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG), which is the difference in pressure between the free-floating and wedged positions of a balloon catheter in the hepatic vein. By convention, HVPG≥10 mmHg indicates clinically significant portal hypertension, which is associated with adverse clinical outcomes. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common disorder with a heterogeneous clinical course, which includes the development of portal hypertension. There is increasing evidence that portal hypertension in NAFLD deserves special considerations. First, elevated PPG often precedes fibrosis in NAFLD, suggesting a bidirectional relationship between these pathological processes. Second, HVPG underestimates PPG in NAFLD, suggesting that portal hypertension is more prevalent in this condition than currently believed. Third, cellular mechanoresponses generated early in the pathogenesis of NAFLD provide a mechanistic explanation for the pressure-fibrosis paradigm. Finally, a better understanding of liver mechanobiology in NAFLD may aid in the development of novel pharmaceutical targets for prevention and management of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie K. Mitten
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Piero Portincasa
- Division of Internal Medicine and Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University ‘Aldo Moro’ Medical School, Bari, Italy
| | - György Baffy
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
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18
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Angeli V, Lim HY. Biomechanical control of lymphatic vessel physiology and functions. Cell Mol Immunol 2023; 20:1051-1062. [PMID: 37264249 PMCID: PMC10469203 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-023-01042-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The ever-growing research on lymphatic biology has clearly identified lymphatic vessels as key players that maintain human health through their functional roles in tissue fluid homeostasis, immunosurveillance, lipid metabolism and inflammation. It is therefore not surprising that the list of human diseases associated with lymphatic malfunctions has grown larger, including issues beyond lymphedema, a pathology traditionally associated with lymphatic drainage insufficiency. Thus, the discovery of factors and pathways that can promote optimal lymphatic functions may offer new therapeutic options. Accumulating evidence indicates that aside from biochemical factors, biomechanical signals also regulate lymphatic vessel expansion and functions postnatally. Here, we review how mechanical forces induced by fluid shear stress affect the behavior and functions of lymphatic vessels and the mechanisms lymphatic vessels employ to sense and transduce these mechanical cues into biological signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronique Angeli
- Immunology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
- Immunology Programme, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Hwee Ying Lim
- Immunology Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Immunology Programme, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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19
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Whisler J, Shahreza S, Schlegelmilch K, Ege N, Javanmardi Y, Malandrino A, Agrawal A, Fantin A, Serwinski B, Azizgolshani H, Park C, Shone V, Demuren OO, Del Rosario A, Butty VL, Holroyd N, Domart MC, Hooper S, Szita N, Boyer LA, Walker-Samuel S, Djordjevic B, Sheridan GK, Collinson L, Calvo F, Ruhrberg C, Sahai E, Kamm R, Moeendarbary E. Emergent mechanical control of vascular morphogenesis. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg9781. [PMID: 37566656 PMCID: PMC10421067 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg9781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Vascularization is driven by morphogen signals and mechanical cues that coordinately regulate cellular force generation, migration, and shape change to sculpt the developing vascular network. However, it remains unclear whether developing vasculature actively regulates its own mechanical properties to achieve effective vascularization. We engineered tissue constructs containing endothelial cells and fibroblasts to investigate the mechanics of vascularization. Tissue stiffness increases during vascular morphogenesis resulting from emergent interactions between endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and ECM and correlates with enhanced vascular function. Contractile cellular forces are key to emergent tissue stiffening and synergize with ECM mechanical properties to modulate the mechanics of vascularization. Emergent tissue stiffening and vascular function rely on mechanotransduction signaling within fibroblasts, mediated by YAP1. Mouse embryos lacking YAP1 in fibroblasts exhibit both reduced tissue stiffness and develop lethal vascular defects. Translating our findings through biology-inspired vascular tissue engineering approaches will have substantial implications in regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Whisler
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Somayeh Shahreza
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Nil Ege
- Tumour Cell Biology Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Mnemo Therapeutics, 101 Boulevard Murat, 75016 Paris, France
| | - Yousef Javanmardi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
| | - Andrea Malandrino
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Biomaterials, Biomechanics and Tissue Engineering Group, Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Research Center for Biomedical Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Av. Eduard Maristany, 10-14 08019 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ayushi Agrawal
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
| | - Alessandro Fantin
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Via G. Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Bianca Serwinski
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
- 199 Biotechnologies Ltd., Gloucester Road, London W2 6LD, UK
- Northeastern University London, London, E1W 1LP, UK
| | - Hesham Azizgolshani
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Clara Park
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Victoria Shone
- Experimental Histopathology Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Olukunle O. Demuren
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Amanda Del Rosario
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Vincent L. Butty
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Natalie Holroyd
- UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, Paul O'Gorman Building, 72 Huntley Street, London, UK
| | | | - Steven Hooper
- Tumour Cell Biology Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Nicolas Szita
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
| | - Laurie A. Boyer
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Simon Walker-Samuel
- UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, Paul O'Gorman Building, 72 Huntley Street, London, UK
| | - Boris Djordjevic
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
- 199 Biotechnologies Ltd., Gloucester Road, London W2 6LD, UK
| | - Graham K. Sheridan
- School of Life Sciences, Queen’s Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Lucy Collinson
- Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Fernando Calvo
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad de Cantabria), Santander, Spain
| | | | - Erik Sahai
- Tumour Cell Biology Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Roger Kamm
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Emad Moeendarbary
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- 199 Biotechnologies Ltd., Gloucester Road, London W2 6LD, UK
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20
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Crawshaw JR, Flegg JA, Bernabeu MO, Osborne JM. Mathematical models of developmental vascular remodelling: A review. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011130. [PMID: 37535698 PMCID: PMC10399886 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past 40 years, there has been a strong focus on the development of mathematical models of angiogenesis, while developmental remodelling has received little such attention from the mathematical community. Sprouting angiogenesis can be seen as a very crude way of laying out a primitive vessel network (the raw material), while remodelling (understood as pruning of redundant vessels, diameter control, and the establishment of vessel identity and hierarchy) is the key to turning that primitive network into a functional network. This multiscale problem is of prime importance in the development of a functional vasculature. In addition, defective remodelling (either during developmental remodelling or due to a reactivation of the remodelling programme caused by an injury) is associated with a significant number of diseases. In this review, we discuss existing mathematical models of developmental remodelling and explore the important contributions that these models have made to the field of vascular development. These mathematical models are effectively used to investigate and predict vascular development and are able to reproduce experimentally observable results. Moreover, these models provide a useful means of hypothesis generation and can explain the underlying mechanisms driving the observed structural and functional network development. However, developmental vascular remodelling is still a relatively new area in mathematical biology, and many biological questions remain unanswered. In this review, we present the existing modelling paradigms and define the key challenges for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica R. Crawshaw
- Wolfson Centre for Mathematical Biology, Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jennifer A. Flegg
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Miguel O. Bernabeu
- Centre for Medical Informatics, The Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- The Bayes Centre, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - James M. Osborne
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
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21
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Yoder MW, Wright NT, Borzok MA. Calpain Regulation and Dysregulation-Its Effects on the Intercalated Disk. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11726. [PMID: 37511485 PMCID: PMC10380737 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The intercalated disk is a cardiac specific structure composed of three main protein complexes-adherens junctions, desmosomes, and gap junctions-that work in concert to provide mechanical stability and electrical synchronization to the heart. Each substructure is regulated through a variety of mechanisms including proteolysis. Calpain proteases, a class of cysteine proteases dependent on calcium for activation, have recently emerged as important regulators of individual intercalated disk components. In this review, we will examine how calcium homeostasis regulates normal calpain function. We will also explore how calpains modulate gap junctions, desmosomes, and adherens junctions activity by targeting specific proteins, and describe the molecular mechanisms of how calpain dysregulation leads to structural and signaling defects within the heart. We will then examine how changes in calpain activity affects cardiomyocytes, and how such changes underlie various heart diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micah W Yoder
- Biochemistry, Chemistry, Engineering, and Physics Department, Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania, 31 Academy St., Mansfield, PA 16933, USA
| | - Nathan T Wright
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, James Madison University, 901 Carrier Dr., Harrisonburg, VA 22807, USA
| | - Maegen A Borzok
- Biochemistry, Chemistry, Engineering, and Physics Department, Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania, 31 Academy St., Mansfield, PA 16933, USA
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22
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Yuan W, Zhang X, Fan X. The Role of the Piezo1 Mechanosensitive Channel in Heart Failure. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2023; 45:5830-5848. [PMID: 37504285 PMCID: PMC10378680 DOI: 10.3390/cimb45070369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Mechanotransduction (MT) is inseparable from the pathobiology of heart failure (HF). However, the effects of mechanical forces on HF remain unclear. This review briefly describes how Piezo1 functions in HF-affected cells, including endothelial cells (ECs), cardiac fibroblasts (CFs), cardiomyocytes (CMs), and immune cells. Piezo1 is a mechanosensitive ion channel that has been extensively studied in recent years. Piezo1 responds to different mechanical forces and converts them into intracellular signals. The pathways that modulate the Piezo1 switch have also been briefly described. Experimental drugs that specifically activate Piezo1-like proteins, such as Yoda1, Jedi1, and Jedi2, are available for clinical studies to treat Piezo1-related diseases. The only mechanosensitive ion-channel-specific inhibitor available is GsMTx4, which can turn off Piezo1 by modulating the local membrane tension. Ultrasound waves can modulate Piezo1 switching in vitro with the assistance of microbubbles. This review provides new possible targets for heart failure therapy by exploring the cellular functions of Piezo1 that are involved in the progression of the disease. Modulation of Piezo1 activity may, therefore, effectively delay the progression of heart failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weihua Yuan
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 3333 Binsheng Rd, Hangzhou 310052, China
| | - Xicheng Zhang
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Department of Cardiac Surgery, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 3333 Binsheng Rd, Hangzhou 310052, China
| | - Xiangming Fan
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Department of Cardiac Surgery, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 3333 Binsheng Rd, Hangzhou 310052, China
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23
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Noh KM, Park SJ, Moon SH, Jung SY. Extracellular matrix cues regulate the differentiation of pluripotent stem cell-derived endothelial cells. Front Cardiovasc Med 2023; 10:1169331. [PMID: 37435057 PMCID: PMC10330705 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1169331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The generation of endothelial cells (ECs) from human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) has been a promising approach for treating cardiovascular diseases for several years. Human PSCs, particularly induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), are an attractive source of ECs for cell therapy. Although there is a diversity of methods for endothelial cell differentiation using biochemical factors, such as small molecules and cytokines, the efficiency of EC production varies depending on the type and dose of biochemical factors. Moreover, the protocols in which most EC differentiation studies have been performed were in very unphysiological conditions that do not reflect the microenvironment of native tissue. The microenvironment surrounding stem cells exerts variable biochemical and biomechanical stimuli that can affect stem cell differentiation and behavior. The stiffness and components of the extracellular microenvironment are critical inducers of stem cell behavior and fate specification by sensing the extracellular matrix (ECM) cues, adjusting the cytoskeleton tension, and delivering external signals to the nucleus. Differentiation of stem cells into ECs using a cocktail of biochemical factors has been performed for decades. However, the effects of mechanical stimuli on endothelial cell differentiation remain poorly understood. This review provides an overview of the methods used to differentiate ECs from stem cells by chemical and mechanical stimuli. We also propose the possibility of a novel EC differentiation strategy using a synthetic and natural extracellular matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyung Mu Noh
- Stem Cell Research Institute, T&R Biofab Co. Ltd., Seongnam-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Soon-Jung Park
- Stem Cell Research Institute, T&R Biofab Co. Ltd., Seongnam-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Hwan Moon
- Department of Animal Science and Technology, College of Biotechnology and Natural Resources, Chung-Ang University, Anseong-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok Yun Jung
- Stem Cell Research Institute, T&R Biofab Co. Ltd., Seongnam-si, Republic of Korea
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24
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Viana-Mattioli S, Fonseca-Alaniz MH, Pinheiro-de-Sousa I, Krieger JE, Sandrim VC. Missing links in preeclampsia cell model systems of endothelial dysfunction. Trends Mol Med 2023:S1471-4914(23)00073-4. [PMID: 37173223 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2023.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Preeclampsia, one of the main hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, is associated with circulating factors released by the ischemic placenta accompanied by systemic endothelial dysfunction. The etiology of preeclampsia remains poorly understood although it is associated with high maternal and fetal mortality and increased cardiovascular disease risk. Most cell model systems used for studying endothelial dysfunction have not taken into account hemodynamic physical factors such as shear-stress forces which may prevent extrapolation of cell data to in vivo settings. We overview the role of hemodynamic forces in modulating endothelial cell function and discuss strategies to reproduce this biological characteristic in vitro to improve our understanding of endothelial dysfunction associated with preeclampsia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Viana-Mattioli
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Institute of Biosciences, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil; Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Cardiology, Heart Institute (InCor), University of Sao Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Miriam Helena Fonseca-Alaniz
- Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Cardiology, Heart Institute (InCor), University of Sao Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Iguaracy Pinheiro-de-Sousa
- Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Cardiology, Heart Institute (InCor), University of Sao Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, UK
| | - José Eduardo Krieger
- Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Cardiology, Heart Institute (InCor), University of Sao Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Valéria Cristina Sandrim
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Institute of Biosciences, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
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25
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Shou Y, Teo XY, Wu KZ, Bai B, Kumar ARK, Low J, Le Z, Tay A. Dynamic Stimulations with Bioengineered Extracellular Matrix-Mimicking Hydrogels for Mechano Cell Reprogramming and Therapy. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023:e2300670. [PMID: 37119518 PMCID: PMC10375194 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202300670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Cells interact with their surrounding environment through a combination of static and dynamic mechanical signals that vary over stimulus types, intensity, space, and time. Compared to static mechanical signals such as stiffness, porosity, and topography, the current understanding on the effects of dynamic mechanical stimulations on cells remains limited, attributing to a lack of access to devices, the complexity of experimental set-up, and data interpretation. Yet, in the pursuit of emerging translational applications (e.g., cell manufacturing for clinical treatment), it is crucial to understand how cells respond to a variety of dynamic forces that are omnipresent in vivo so that they can be exploited to enhance manufacturing and therapeutic outcomes. With a rising appreciation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) as a key regulator of biofunctions, researchers have bioengineered a suite of ECM-mimicking hydrogels, which can be fine-tuned with spatiotemporal mechanical cues to model complex static and dynamic mechanical profiles. This review first discusses how mechanical stimuli may impact different cellular components and the various mechanobiology pathways involved. Then, how hydrogels can be designed to incorporate static and dynamic mechanical parameters to influence cell behaviors are described. The Scopus database is also used to analyze the relative strength in evidence, ranging from strong to weak, based on number of published literatures, associated citations, and treatment significance. Additionally, the impacts of static and dynamic mechanical stimulations on clinically relevant cell types including mesenchymal stem cells, fibroblasts, and immune cells, are evaluated. The aim is to draw attention to the paucity of studies on the effects of dynamic mechanical stimuli on cells, as well as to highlight the potential of using a cocktail of various types and intensities of mechanical stimulations to influence cell fates (similar to the concept of biochemical cocktail to direct cell fate). It is envisioned that this progress report will inspire more exciting translational development of mechanoresponsive hydrogels for biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufeng Shou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117583, Singapore
- Institute for Health Innovation and Technology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
| | - Xin Yong Teo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117583, Singapore
| | - Kenny Zhuoran Wu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117583, Singapore
| | - Bingyu Bai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117583, Singapore
| | - Arun R K Kumar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117583, Singapore
- Institute for Health Innovation and Technology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Jessalyn Low
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117583, Singapore
| | - Zhicheng Le
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117583, Singapore
- Institute for Health Innovation and Technology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
| | - Andy Tay
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117583, Singapore
- Institute for Health Innovation and Technology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
- NUS Tissue Engineering Program, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117510, Singapore
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26
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Anwar T, Sinnett-Smith J, Jin YP, Reed EF, Rozengurt E. Lipophilic Statins Inhibit YAP Nuclear Localization, Coactivator Activity, and Migration in Response to Ligation of HLA Class I Molecules in Endothelial Cells: Role of YAP Multisite Phosphorylation. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2023; 210:1134-1145. [PMID: 36881871 PMCID: PMC10073314 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2200568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Solid-organ transplant recipients exhibiting HLA donor-specific Abs are at risk for graft loss due to chronic Ab-mediated rejection. HLA Abs bind HLA molecules expressed on the surface of endothelial cells (ECs) and induce intracellular signaling pathways, including the activation of the transcriptional coactivator yes-associated protein (YAP). In this study, we examined the impact of lipid-lowering drugs of the statin family on YAP localization, multisite phosphorylation, and transcriptional activity in human ECs. Exposure of sparse cultures of ECs to cerivastatin or simvastatin induced striking relocalization of YAP from the nucleus to the cytoplasm and inhibited the expression of the YAP/TEA domain DNA-binding transcription factor-regulated genes connective tissue growth factor and cysteine-rich angiogenic inducer 61. In dense cultures of ECs, statins prevented YAP nuclear import and expression of connective tissue growth factor and cysteine-rich angiogenic inducer 61 stimulated by the mAb W6/32 that binds HLA class I. Exposure of ECs to either cerivastatin or simvastatin completely blocked the migration of ECs stimulated by ligation of HLA class I. Exogenously supplied mevalonic acid or geranylgeraniol reversed the inhibitory effects of statins on YAP localization either in low-density ECs or high-density ECs challenged with W6/32. Mechanistically, cerivastatin increased the phosphorylation of YAP at Ser127, blunted the assembly of actin stress fiber, and inhibited YAP phosphorylation at Tyr357 in ECs. Using mutant YAP, we substantiated that YAP phosphorylation at Tyr357 is critical for YAP activation. Collectively, our results indicate that statins restrain YAP activity in EC models, thus providing a plausible mechanism underlying their beneficial effects in solid-organ transplant recipients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarique Anwar
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095
- Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - James Sinnett-Smith
- Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095
- VA Greater Los Angeles Health System
| | - Yi-Ping Jin
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Elaine F. Reed
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Enrique Rozengurt
- Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095
- VA Greater Los Angeles Health System
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27
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Ferrari D, Sengupta A, Heo L, Pethö L, Michler J, Geiser T, de Jesus Perez VA, Kuebler WM, Zeinali S, Guenat OT. Effects of biomechanical and biochemical stimuli on angio- and vasculogenesis in a complex microvasculature-on-chip. iScience 2023; 26:106198. [PMID: 36879808 PMCID: PMC9985038 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The endothelium of blood vessels is a vital organ that reacts differently to subtle changes in stiffness and mechanical forces exerted on its environment (extracellular matrix (ECM)). Upon alteration of these biomechanical cues, endothelial cells initiate signaling pathways that govern vascular remodeling. The emerging organs-on-chip technologies allow the mimicking of complex microvasculature networks, identifying the combined or singular effects of these biomechanical or biochemical stimuli. Here, we present a microvasculature-on-chip model to investigate the singular effect of ECM stiffness and mechanical cyclic stretch on vascular development. Following two different approaches for vascular growth, the effect of ECM stiffness on sprouting angiogenesis and the effect of cyclic stretch on endothelial vasculogenesis are studied. Our results indicate that ECM hydrogel stiffness controls the size of the patterned vasculature and the density of sprouting angiogenesis. RNA sequencing shows that the cellular response to stretching is characterized by the upregulation of certain genes such as ANGPTL4+5, PDE1A, and PLEC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Ferrari
- Organs-on-chip Technologies Laboratory, ARTORG Center, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Arunima Sengupta
- Organs-on-chip Technologies Laboratory, ARTORG Center, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Lyong Heo
- Stanford Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Laszlo Pethö
- Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory for Mechanics of Materials and Nanostructures, Thun, Switzerland
| | - Johann Michler
- Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory for Mechanics of Materials and Nanostructures, Thun, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Geiser
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Inselspital, University Hospital of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department for BioMedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Vinicio A. de Jesus Perez
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Wolfgang M. Kuebler
- Institute of Physiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Soheila Zeinali
- Organs-on-chip Technologies Laboratory, ARTORG Center, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Olivier T. Guenat
- Organs-on-chip Technologies Laboratory, ARTORG Center, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Inselspital, University Hospital of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Inselspital, University Hospital of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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28
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Schulz A, Drost CC, Hesse B, Beul K, Boeckel GR, Lukasz A, Pavenstädt H, Brand M, Di Marco GS. The Endothelial Glycocalyx as a Target of Excess Soluble Fms-like Tyrosine Kinase-1. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065380. [PMID: 36982455 PMCID: PMC10049398 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) is a secreted protein that binds heparan sulfate expressed on the endothelial glycocalyx (eGC). In this paper we analyze how excess sFlt-1 causes conformational changes in the eGC, leading to monocyte adhesion, a key event triggering vascular dysfunction. In vitro exposure of primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells to excess sFlt-1 decreased eGC height and increased stiffness as determined by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Yet, structural loss of the eGC components was not observed, as indicated by Ulex europaeus agglutinin I and wheat germ agglutinin staining. Moreover, the conformation observed under excess sFlt-1, a collapsed eGC, is flat and stiff with unchanged coverage and sustained content. Functionally, this conformation increased the endothelial adhesiveness to THP-1 monocytes by about 35%. Heparin blocked all these effects, but the vascular endothelial growth factor did not. In vivo administration of sFlt-1 in mice also resulted in the collapse of the eGC in isolated aorta analyzed ex vivo by AFM. Our findings show that excess sFlt-1 causes the collapse of the eGC and favors leukocyte adhesion. This study provides an additional mechanism of action by which sFlt-1 may cause endothelial dysfunction and injury.
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29
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Seo JS, Tumursukh NE, Choi JH, Song Y, Jeon G, Kim NE, Kim SJ, Kim N, Song JE, Khang G. Modified gellan gum-based hydrogel with enhanced mechanical properties for application as a cell carrier for cornea endothelial cells. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 236:123878. [PMID: 36894057 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.123878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Recently, the number of people suffering from visual loss due to eye diseases is increasing rapidly around the world. However, due to the severe donor shortage and the immune response, corneal replacement is needed. Gellan gum (GG) is biocompatible and widely used for cell delivery or drug delivery, but its strength is not suitable for the corneal substitute. In this study, a GM hydrogel was prepared by blending methacrylated gellan gum with GG (GM) to give suitable mechanical properties to the corneal tissue. In addition, lithium phenyl-2,4,6-trimethylbenzoylphosphinate (LAP), a crosslinking initiator, was added to the GM hydrogel. After the photo-crosslinking treatment, it was named GM/LAP hydrogel. GM and GM/LAP hydrogels were analyzed for physicochemical properties, mechanical characterization, and transparency tests to confirm their applicability as carriers for corneal endothelial cells (CEnCs). Also, in vitro studies were performed with cell viability tests, cell proliferation tests, cell morphology, cell-matrix remodeling analysis, and gene expression evaluation. The compressive strength of the GM/LAP hydrogel was improved compared to the GM hydrogel. The GM/LAP hydrogel showed excellent cell viability, proliferation, and cornea-specific gene expression than the GM hydrogel. Crosslinking-improved GM/LAP hydrogel can be applied as a promising cell carrier in corneal tissue engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Sol Seo
- Department of Bionanotechnology and Bio-Convergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk 54896, Republic of Korea.
| | - Nomin-Erdene Tumursukh
- Department of Bionanotechnology and Bio-Convergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk 54896, Republic of Korea.
| | - Joo Hee Choi
- Department of Bionanotechnology and Bio-Convergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk 54896, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngeun Song
- Department of Bionanotechnology and Bio-Convergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk 54896, Republic of Korea
| | - Gayeong Jeon
- Department of Bionanotechnology and Bio-Convergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk 54896, Republic of Korea
| | - Na Eun Kim
- Department of Bionanotechnology and Bio-Convergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk 54896, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Jae Kim
- Department of Bionanotechnology and Bio-Convergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk 54896, Republic of Korea
| | - Nahyeon Kim
- Department of Bionanotechnology and Bio-Convergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk 54896, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong Eun Song
- Department of Bionanotechnology and Bio-Convergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk 54896, Republic of Korea.
| | - Gilson Khang
- Department of Bionanotechnology and Bio-Convergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk 54896, Republic of Korea; Department of PolymerNano Science & Technology and Polymer Materials Fusion Research Center, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk 54896, Republic of Korea; Department of Orthopaedic & Traumatology, Airlangga University, Jl. Airlangga No.4 - 6, Airlangga, Kec. Gubeng, Kota SBY, Jawa Timur 60115, Indonesia.
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30
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Ruliffson BNK, Whittington CF. Regulating Lymphatic Vasculature in Fibrosis: Understanding the Biology to Improve the Modeling. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2023; 7:e2200158. [PMID: 36792967 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202200158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Fibrosis occurs in many chronic diseases with lymphatic vascular insufficiency (e.g., kidney disease, tumors, and lymphedema). New lymphatic capillary growth can be triggered by fibrosis-related tissue stiffening and soluble factors, but questions remain for how related biomechanical, biophysical, and biochemical cues affect lymphatic vascular growth and function. The current preclinical standard for studying lymphatics is animal modeling, but in vitro and in vivo outcomes often do not align. In vitro models can also be limited in their ability to separate vascular growth and function as individual outcomes, and fibrosis is not traditionally included in model design. Tissue engineering provides an opportunity to address in vitro limitations and mimic microenvironmental features that impact lymphatic vasculature. This review discusses fibrosis-related lymphatic vascular growth and function in disease and the current state of in vitro lymphatic vascular models while highlighting relevant knowledge gaps. Additional insights into the future of in vitro lymphatic vascular models demonstrate how prioritizing fibrosis alongside lymphatics will help capture the complexity and dynamics of lymphatics in disease. Overall, this review aims to emphasize that an advanced understanding of lymphatics within a fibrotic disease-enabled through more accurate preclinical modeling-will significantly impact therapeutic development toward restoring lymphatic vessel growth and function in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian N K Ruliffson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Rd., Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
| | - Catherine F Whittington
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Rd., Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
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31
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Choi JW, Youn J, Kim DS, Park TE. Human iPS-derived blood-brain barrier model exhibiting enhanced barrier properties empowered by engineered basement membrane. Biomaterials 2023; 293:121983. [PMID: 36610323 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2022.121983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The basement membrane (BM) of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), a thin extracellular matrix (ECM) sheet underneath the brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs), plays crucial roles in regulating the unique physiological barrier function of the BBB, which represents a major obstacle for brain drug delivery. Owing to the difficulty in mimicking the unique biophysical and chemical features of BM in in vitro systems, current in vitro BBB models have suffered from poor physiological relevance. Here, we describe a highly ameliorated human BBB model accomplished by an ultra-thin ECM hydrogel-based engineered basement membrane (nEBM), which is supported by a sparse electrospun nanofiber scaffold that offers in vivo BM-like microenvironment to BMECs. BBB model reconstituted on a nEBM recapitulates the physical barrier function of the in vivo human BBB through ECM mechano-response to physiological relevant stiffness (∼500 kPa) and exhibits high efflux pump activity. These features of the proposed BBB model enable modelling of ischemic stroke, reproducing the dynamic changes of BBB, immune cell infiltration, and drug response. Therefore, the proposed BBB model represents a powerful tool for predicting the BBB permeation of drugs and developing therapeutic strategies for brain diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong-Won Choi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Information and Biotechnology, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaeseung Youn
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Sung Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea; Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea; Institute for Convergence Research and Education in Advanced Technology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
| | - Tae-Eun Park
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Information and Biotechnology, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea.
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32
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Lowis C, Ramara Winaya A, Kumari P, Rivera CF, Vlahos J, Hermantara R, Pratama MY, Ramkhelawon B. Mechanosignals in abdominal aortic aneurysms. Front Cardiovasc Med 2023; 9:1021934. [PMID: 36698932 PMCID: PMC9868277 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.1021934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Cumulative evidence has shown that mechanical and frictional forces exert distinct effects in the multi-cellular aortic layers and play a significant role in the development of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). These mechanical cues collectively trigger signaling cascades relying on mechanosensory cellular hubs that regulate vascular remodeling programs leading to the exaggerated degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM), culminating in lethal aortic rupture. In this review, we provide an update and summarize the current understanding of the mechanotransduction networks in different cell types during AAA development. We focus on different mechanosensors and stressors that accumulate in the AAA sac and the mechanotransduction cascades that contribute to inflammation, oxidative stress, remodeling, and ECM degradation. We provide perspectives on manipulating this mechano-machinery as a new direction for future research in AAA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiana Lowis
- Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, United States,Department of Biomedicine, Indonesia International Institute for Life-Sciences, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Aurellia Ramara Winaya
- Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, United States,Department of Biomedicine, Indonesia International Institute for Life-Sciences, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Puja Kumari
- Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, United States,Department of Cell Biology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Cristobal F. Rivera
- Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, United States,Department of Cell Biology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - John Vlahos
- Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, United States,Department of Cell Biology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Rio Hermantara
- Department of Biomedicine, Indonesia International Institute for Life-Sciences, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Muhammad Yogi Pratama
- Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, United States,Department of Cell Biology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, United States,Muhammad Yogi Pratama,
| | - Bhama Ramkhelawon
- Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, United States,Department of Cell Biology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, United States,*Correspondence: Bhama Ramkhelawon,
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Garcia-Flores AE, Gross CM, Zemskov EA, Lu Q, Tieu K, Wang T, Black SM. Loss of SOX18/CLAUDIN5 disrupts the pulmonary endothelial barrier in ventilator-induced lung injury. Front Physiol 2022; 13:1066515. [PMID: 36620216 PMCID: PMC9813411 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.1066515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanical strain contributes to ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) through multi-factorial and complex mechanisms that remain unresolved. Prevailing evidence suggests that the loss of pulmonary endothelial tight junctions (TJs) plays a critical role. TJs are dynamically regulated by physiologic and hemodynamic forces to stabilize the endothelial barrier. The transcription factor sex-determining region Y-box (SOX)-18 is important in regulating blood vessel development and vascular permeability through its ability to regulate the transcription of Claudin-5, an endothelial TJ protein. Previously, we demonstrated that SOX18 expression is increased by shear stress in the pulmonary endothelium. Therefore, in this study, we investigated how mechanical strain mediated through cyclic stretch affects the SOX18/Claudin-5 regulatory axis. Our data demonstrate that SOX18 and Claudin-5 are downregulated in human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HLMVEC) exposed to cyclic stretch and the mouse lung exposed to high tidal mechanical ventilation. Overexpression of SOX18 reduced the loss of Claudin-5 expression in HLMVEC with cyclic stretch and preserved endothelial barrier function. Additionally, overexpression of Claudin-5 in HLMVEC ameliorated barrier dysfunction in HLMVEC exposed to cyclic stretch, although SOX18 expression was not enhanced. Finally, we found that the targeted overexpression of SOX18 in the pulmonary vasculature preserved Claudin-5 expression in the lungs of mice exposed to HTV. This, in turn reduced lung vascular leak, attenuated inflammatory lung injury, and preserved lung function. Together, these data suggest that enhancing SOX18 expression may prove a useful therapy to treat patients with ventilator-induced lung injury.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christine M. Gross
- Vascular Biology Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States,Department of Medicine at Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Evgeny A. Zemskov
- Florida International University, Center for Translational Science, Miami, FL, United States,Department of Cellular Biology and Pharmacology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Qing Lu
- Florida International University, Center for Translational Science, Miami, FL, United States,Department of Cellular Biology and Pharmacology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Kim Tieu
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Ting Wang
- Florida International University, Center for Translational Science, Miami, FL, United States,Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Stephen M. Black
- Florida International University, Center for Translational Science, Miami, FL, United States,Department of Cellular Biology and Pharmacology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States,Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States,*Correspondence: Stephen M. Black,
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Konopka J, Kołodziejek D, Flont M, Żuchowska A, Jastrzębska E, Brzózka Z. Exploring Endothelial Expansion on a Chip. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 22:9414. [PMID: 36502120 PMCID: PMC9741423 DOI: 10.3390/s22239414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Angiogenesis is the development of new blood vessels from the existing vasculature. Its malfunction leads to the development of cancers and cardiovascular diseases qualified by the WHO as a leading cause of death worldwide. A better understanding of mechanisms regulating physiological and pathological angiogenesis will potentially contribute to developing more effective treatments for those urgent issues. Therefore, the main goal of the following study was to design and manufacture an angiogenesis-on-a-chip microplatform, including cylindrical microvessels created by Viscous Finger Patterning (VFP) technique and seeded with HUVECs. While optimizing the VFP procedure, we have observed that lumen's diameter decreases with a diminution of the droplet's volume. The influence of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) with a concentration of 5, 25, 50, and 100 ng/mL on the migration of HUVECs was assessed. VEGF's solution with concentrations varying from 5 to 50 ng/mL reveals high angiogenic potential. The spatial arrangement of cells and their morphology were visualized by fluorescence and confocal microscopy. Migration of HUVECs toward loaded angiogenic stimuli has been initiated after overnight incubation. This research is the basis for developing more complex vascularized multi-organ-on-a-chip microsystems that could potentially be used for drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Konopka
- Faculty of Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-661 Warszawa, Poland
| | - Dominik Kołodziejek
- Faculty of Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-661 Warszawa, Poland
| | - Magdalena Flont
- Centre for Advanced Materials and Technologies CEZAMAT, Warsaw University of Technology, 02-822 Warszawa, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Żuchowska
- Faculty of Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-661 Warszawa, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Jastrzębska
- Faculty of Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-661 Warszawa, Poland
- Centre for Advanced Materials and Technologies CEZAMAT, Warsaw University of Technology, 02-822 Warszawa, Poland
| | - Zbigniew Brzózka
- Faculty of Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-661 Warszawa, Poland
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Barrasa-Ramos S, Dessalles CA, Hautefeuille M, Barakat AI. Mechanical regulation of the early stages of angiogenesis. J R Soc Interface 2022; 19:20220360. [PMID: 36475392 PMCID: PMC9727679 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2022.0360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Favouring or thwarting the development of a vascular network is essential in fields as diverse as oncology, cardiovascular disease or tissue engineering. As a result, understanding and controlling angiogenesis has become a major scientific challenge. Mechanical factors play a fundamental role in angiogenesis and can potentially be exploited for optimizing the architecture of the resulting vascular network. Largely focusing on in vitro systems but also supported by some in vivo evidence, the aim of this Highlight Review is dual. First, we describe the current knowledge with particular focus on the effects of fluid and solid mechanical stimuli on the early stages of the angiogenic process, most notably the destabilization of existing vessels and the initiation and elongation of new vessels. Second, we explore inherent difficulties in the field and propose future perspectives on the use of in vitro and physics-based modelling to overcome these difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Barrasa-Ramos
- LadHyX, CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Palaiseau, France
| | - Claire A. Dessalles
- LadHyX, CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Palaiseau, France
| | - Mathieu Hautefeuille
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement (UMR7622), Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France,Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Abdul I. Barakat
- LadHyX, CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Palaiseau, France
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36
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Mitten EK, Baffy G. Mechanotransduction in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. J Hepatol 2022; 77:1642-1656. [PMID: 36063966 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2022.08.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Mechanobiology is a domain of interdisciplinary research that aims to explore the impact of physical force, applied externally or internally, on cell and tissue function, including development, growth, and differentiation. Mechanotransduction is a term that describes how cells sense physical forces (such as compression, stretch, and shear stress), convert them into biochemical signals, and mount adaptive responses integrated by the nucleus. There is accumulating evidence that mechanical forces extensively inform the biological behaviour of liver cells in health and disease. Recent research has elucidated many cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in this process including the pleiotropic control and diverse effects of the paralogous transcription co-activators YAP/TAZ, which play a prominent role in mechanotransduction. The liver sinusoids represent a unique microenvironment in which cells are exposed to mechanical cues originating in the cytoskeleton and at interfaces with adjacent cells, the extracellular matrix, and vascular or interstitial fluids. In non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), hepatocellular lipid accumulation and ballooning, activation of inflammatory responses, dysfunction of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, and transdifferentiation of hepatic stellate cells into a pro-contractile and pro-fibrotic phenotype have been associated with aberrant cycles of mechanosensing and mechanoresponses. The downstream consequences of disrupted mechanical homeostasis likely contribute to the progression of NAFLD and promote the development of portal hypertension, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Identification of molecular targets involved in pathogenic mechanotransduction will allow for the development of novel strategies to prevent the progression of liver disease in NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie K Mitten
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - György Baffy
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston MA, USA.
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Adams JA, Uryash A, Lopez JR. Non-Invasive Pulsatile Shear Stress Modifies Endothelial Activation; A Narrative Review. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10123050. [PMID: 36551807 PMCID: PMC9775985 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10123050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The monolayer of cells that line both the heart and the entire vasculature is the endothelial cell (EC). These cells respond to external and internal signals, producing a wide array of primary or secondary messengers involved in coagulation, vascular tone, inflammation, and cell-to-cell signaling. Endothelial cell activation is the process by which EC changes from a quiescent cell phenotype, which maintains cellular integrity, antithrombotic, and anti-inflammatory properties, to a phenotype that is prothrombotic, pro-inflammatory, and permeable, in addition to repair and leukocyte trafficking at the site of injury or infection. Pathological activation of EC leads to increased vascular permeability, thrombosis, and an uncontrolled inflammatory response that leads to endothelial dysfunction. This pathological activation can be observed during ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) and sepsis. Shear stress (SS) and pulsatile shear stress (PSS) are produced by mechanical frictional forces of blood flow and contraction of the heart, respectively, and are well-known mechanical signals that affect EC function, morphology, and gene expression. PSS promotes EC homeostasis and cardiovascular health. The archetype of inducing PSS is exercise (i.e., jogging, which introduces pulsations to the body as a function of the foot striking the pavement), or mechanical devices which induce external pulsations to the body (Enhanced External Pulsation (EECP), Whole-body vibration (WBV), and Whole-body periodic acceleration (WBPA aka pGz)). The purpose of this narrative review is to focus on the aforementioned noninvasive methods to increase PSS, review how each of these modify specific diseases that have been shown to induce endothelial activation and microcirculatory dysfunction (Ischemia reperfusion injury-myocardial infarction and cardiac arrest and resuscitation), sepsis, and lipopolysaccharide-induced sepsis syndrome (LPS)), and review current evidence and insight into how each may modify endothelial activation and how these may be beneficial in the acute and chronic setting of endothelial activation and microvascular dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose A. Adams
- Division of Neonatology, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL 33140, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Arkady Uryash
- Division of Neonatology, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL 33140, USA
| | - Jose R. Lopez
- Department of Research, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL 33140, USA
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38
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Zhang M, Getova VE, Martinez-Garcia FD, Borghuis T, Burgess JK, Harmsen MC. From Macro to Micro: Comparison of Imaging Techniques to Detect Vascular Network Formation in Left Ventricle Decellularized Extracellular Matrix Hydrogels. Gels 2022; 8:729. [PMID: 36354636 PMCID: PMC9689814 DOI: 10.3390/gels8110729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Angiogenesis is a crucial process in physiological maintenance and tissue regeneration. To understand the contribution of angiogenesis, it is essential to replicate this process in an environment that reproduces the biochemical and physical properties which are largely governed by the extracellular matrix (ECM). We investigated vascularization in cardiac left ventricular ECM hydrogels to mimic post-myocardial repair. We set out to assess and compare different destructive and non-destructive methods, optical as well as non-optical, to visualize angiogenesis and associated matrix remodeling in myocardial ECM hydrogels. Methods: A total of 100,000, 300,000, and 600,000 Human Pulmonary Microvascular Endothelial Cells (HPMEC) were seeded in left ventricular cardiac ECM hydrogel in 48-well plates. After 1, 7, and 14 days of culture, the HPMEC were imaged by inverted fluorescence microscopy and 3D confocal laser scanning microscopy (Zeiss Cell Discoverer 7). In addition, cell-seeded ECM hydrogels were scanned by optical coherence tomography (OCT). Fixed and paraffin-embedded gels were thin-sectioned and assessed for ECM components via H&E, picrosirius red histochemical staining, and immunostaining for collagen type I. ImageJ-based densitometry was used to quantify vascular-like networks and GraphPad was used for statistical analyses. Results: Qualitative analyses were realized through fluoromicrographs obtained by the confocal laser scanning microscope which allowed us to visualize the extensive vascular-like networks that readily appeared at all seeding densities. Quantification of networks was only possible using fluoromicrographs from inverted microscopy. These showed that, after three days, the number of master junctions was seeding density-dependent. The resolution of optical coherence tomography was too low to distinguish between signals caused by the ECM and cells or networks, yet it did show that gels, irrespective of cells, were heterogeneous. Interestingly, (immuno)histochemistry could clearly distinguish between the cast cardiac-derived matrix and newly deposited ECM in the hydrogels. The H&E staining corroborated the presence of vascular-like network structures, albeit that sectioning inevitably led to the loss of 3D structure. Conclusions: Except for OCT, all methods had complementary merit and generated qualitative and quantitative data that allowed us to understand vascular network formation in organ-derived ECM hydrogels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Zhang
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, Hanzeplein 1 (EA11), 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, W.J. Kolff Research Institute, A. Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Vasilena E. Getova
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, Hanzeplein 1 (EA11), 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, W.J. Kolff Research Institute, A. Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Francisco Drusso Martinez-Garcia
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, Hanzeplein 1 (EA11), 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, W.J. Kolff Research Institute, A. Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Theo Borghuis
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, Hanzeplein 1 (EA11), 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Janette K. Burgess
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, Hanzeplein 1 (EA11), 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, W.J. Kolff Research Institute, A. Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD (GRIAC), Hanzeplein 1 (EA11), 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Martin C. Harmsen
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, Hanzeplein 1 (EA11), 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, W.J. Kolff Research Institute, A. Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD (GRIAC), Hanzeplein 1 (EA11), 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands
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Bender RJ, Askinas C, Vernice NA, Dong X, Harris J, Shih S, Spector JA. Perfuse and Reuse: A Low-Cost Three-Dimensional-Printed Perfusion Bioreactor for Tissue Engineering. Tissue Eng Part C Methods 2022; 28:623-633. [PMID: 36094108 PMCID: PMC9805868 DOI: 10.1089/ten.tec.2022.0139] [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: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
This article describes fabrication of a customizable bioreactor, which comprises a perfusion system and coverslip-based tissue culture chamber that allow centimeter-scale vascularized or otherwise canalized tissue constructs to be maintained in weeks long static and/or perfusion culture at an exceptionally low cost, with intermittent live imaging and media sampling capabilities. The perfusion system includes a reusable polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) lid generated from a three-dimensional (3D)-printed poly-lactic acid (PLA) mold and several lengths of perfusion tubing. The coverslip tissue culture chamber includes PDMS components built with 3D-printed PLA molds, as well as 3D-printed PLA frames and glass coverslips that house perfusable hydrogel constructs. As proof of concept, we fabricated a vascularized hydrogel construct, which was subjected to static and perfusion tissue culture, as well as flow studies using fluorescent beads and widefield fluorescent microscopy. This system can be readily reproduced, promoting the advancement of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan J. Bender
- Laboratory of Bioregenerative Medicine and Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
- College of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York, USA
| | - Carly Askinas
- Laboratory of Bioregenerative Medicine and Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Nicholas A. Vernice
- Laboratory of Bioregenerative Medicine and Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Xue Dong
- Laboratory of Bioregenerative Medicine and Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jason Harris
- Laboratory of Bioregenerative Medicine and Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Sabrina Shih
- Laboratory of Bioregenerative Medicine and Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jason A. Spector
- Laboratory of Bioregenerative Medicine and Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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40
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Li M, Zhao YY, Cui JF. Matrix stiffness in regulation of tumor angiogenesis. Shijie Huaren Xiaohua Zazhi 2022; 30:871-878. [DOI: 10.11569/wcjd.v30.i20.871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Angiogenesis is one of the most common malignant features of solid tumors such as liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, and gastrointestinal tumors, which is the basis of tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. It is also an important target of anti-tumor therapy. Tumor angiogenesis is usually triggered by biochemical, hypoxic, and biomechanical factors in the microenvironment. The regulation of biochemical signals and hypoxic microenvironment in tumor angiogenesis have been widely documented, but the role of biomechanical signals in tumor angiogenesis has gradually begun to be uncovered in recent years. The vasculature system is naturally sensitive to mechanical stimuli. Recent studies have highlighted the important regulatory effects of biomechanical stimuli, such as matrix stiffness, fluid shear stress, and vascular lumen pressure, on the phenotype and functions of tumor blood vessels. In this paper, we summarize the new progress and internal mechanisms of matrix stiffness-mediated effects on tumor angiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Li
- Department of Hepatic Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Ying-Ying Zhao
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University & Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jie-Feng Cui
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University & Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Shanghai 200032, China
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41
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Zhang S, Wan Z, Pavlou G, Zhong AX, Xu L, Kamm RD. Interstitial flow promotes the formation of functional microvascular networks in vitro through upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase-2. ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS 2022; 32:2206767. [PMID: 36569597 PMCID: PMC9783342 DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202206767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Self-organized microvascular networks (MVNs) have become key to the development of many microphysiological models. However, the self-organizing nature of this process combined with variations between types or batches of endothelial cells (ECs) often lead to inconsistency or failure to form functional MVNs. Since interstitial flow (IF) has been reported to play a beneficial role in angiogenesis, vasculogenesis, and 3D capillary morphogenesis, we systematically investigated the role IF plays during neovessel formation in a customized single channel microfluidic chip for which IF has been fully characterized. Compared to static conditions, MVNs formed under IF have higher vessel density and diameters and greater network perfusability. Through a series of inhibitory experiments, we demonstrated that IF treatment improves vasculogenesis by ECs through upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2). We then successfully implemented a novel strategy involving the interplay between IF and MMP-2 inhibitor to regulate morphological parameters of the self-organized MVNs, with vascular permeability and perfusability well maintained. The revealed mechanism and proposed methodology were further validated with a brain MVN model. Our findings and methods have the potential to be widely utilized to boost the development of various organotypic MVNs and could be incorporated into related bioengineering applications where perfusable vasculature is desired.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shun Zhang
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Zhengpeng Wan
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Georgios Pavlou
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Amy X Zhong
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Liling Xu
- Ragon institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Roger D Kamm
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
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42
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Mechanosensitive Ion Channel PIEZO1 Signaling in the Hall-Marks of Cancer: Structure and Functions. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14194955. [PMID: 36230880 PMCID: PMC9563973 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14194955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Tumor cells obtain various unique characteristics, which known as hallmarks of cancers, including sustained proliferative signaling, apoptosis resistance, and metastasis. These characteristics are crucial for tumor cells survival and for supporting their rapid growth. Studies have revealed that tumorigenesis is also accompanied by alteration in mechanical properties. Tumor cells could sense various mechanical forces, such as compressive force, shear stress, and portal vein pressure, which in turn could affect tumor progression. Piezo1 is a mechanically sensitive ion channel protein that can be activated mechanically, and is closely related to various diseases. Recent studies showed that Piezo1 is overexpressed in numerous tumors and is associated with poor prognosis. Furthermore, previous studies revealed that Piezo1 mediates these cancer hallmarks, and thus links up mechanical forces with tumor progression. Therefore, the discovery of Piezo1 provides a new insight for elucidating the mechanism of tumor progression under a mechanical microenvironment. Abstract Tumor cells alter their characteristics and behaviors during tumorigenesis. These characteristics, known as hallmarks of cancer, are crucial for supporting their rapid growth, need for energy, and adaptation to tumor microenvironment. Tumorigenesis is also accompanied by alteration in mechanical properties. Cells in tumor tissue sense mechanical signals from the tumor microenvironment, which consequently drive the acquisition of hallmarks of cancer, including sustained proliferative signaling, evading growth suppressors, apoptosis resistance, sustained angiogenesis, metastasis, and immune evasion. Piezo-type mechanosensitive ion channel component 1 (Piezo1) is a mechanically sensitive ion channel protein that can be activated mechanically and is closely related to various diseases. Recent studies showed that Piezo1 mediates tumor development through multiple mechanisms, and its overexpression is associated with poor prognosis. Therefore, the discovery of Piezo1, which links-up physical factors with biological properties, provides a new insight for elucidating the mechanism of tumor progression under a mechanical microenvironment, and suggests its potential application as a tumor marker and therapeutic target. In this review, we summarize current knowledge regarding the role of Piezo1 in regulating cancer hallmarks and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Furthermore, we discuss the potential of Piezo1 as an antitumor therapeutic target and the limitations that need to be overcome.
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Li Q, Wang M, Zhang S, Jin M, Chen R, Luo Y, Sun X. Single-cell RNA sequencing in atherosclerosis: Mechanism and precision medicine. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:977490. [PMID: 36267275 PMCID: PMC9576927 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.977490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Atherosclerosis is the pathological basis of various vascular diseases, including those with high mortality, such as myocardial infarction and stroke. However, its pathogenesis is complex and has not been fully elucidated yet. Over the past few years, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has been developed and widely used in many biological fields to reveal biological mechanisms at the cellular level and solve the problems of cellular heterogeneity that cannot be solved using bulk RNA sequencing. In this review, we briefly summarize the existing scRNA-seq technologies and focus on their application in atherosclerosis research to provide insights into the occurrence, development and treatment of atherosclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaoyu Li
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Discovery of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Natural Medicine) and Translational Medicine, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resource Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Pharmacovigilance, Beijing, China
| | - Mengchen Wang
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Discovery of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Natural Medicine) and Translational Medicine, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resource Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Pharmacovigilance, Beijing, China
| | - Shuxia Zhang
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Discovery of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Natural Medicine) and Translational Medicine, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resource Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Pharmacovigilance, Beijing, China
| | - Meiqi Jin
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Discovery of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Natural Medicine) and Translational Medicine, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resource Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Pharmacovigilance, Beijing, China
| | - Rongchang Chen
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Discovery of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Natural Medicine) and Translational Medicine, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resource Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Pharmacovigilance, Beijing, China
| | - Yun Luo
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Discovery of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Natural Medicine) and Translational Medicine, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resource Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Pharmacovigilance, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Yun Luo, ; Xiaobo Sun,
| | - Xiaobo Sun
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Discovery of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Natural Medicine) and Translational Medicine, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resource Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Pharmacovigilance, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Yun Luo, ; Xiaobo Sun,
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Xu H, He Y, Hong T, Bi C, Li J, Xia M. Piezo1 in vascular remodeling of atherosclerosis and pulmonary arterial hypertension: A potential therapeutic target. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:1021540. [PMID: 36247424 PMCID: PMC9557227 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.1021540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Vascular remodeling (VR) is a structural and functional change of blood vessels to adapt to the changes of internal and external environment. It is one of the common pathological features of many vascular proliferative diseases. The process of VR is mainly manifested in the changes of vascular wall structure and function, including intimal hyperplasia, thickening or thinning of media, fibrosis of adventitia, etc. These changes are also the pathological basis of aging and various cardiovascular diseases. Mechanical force is the basis of cardiovascular biomechanics, and the newly discovered mechanical sensitive ion channel Piezo1 is widely distributed in the whole cardiovascular system. Studies have confirmed that Piezo1, a mechanically sensitive ion channel, plays an important role in cardiovascular remodeling diseases. This article reviews the molecular mechanism of Piezo1 in atherosclerosis, hypertension and pulmonary hypertension, in order to provide a theoretical basis for the further study of vascular remodeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Xu
- Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Yu He
- Cardiovascular Surgery Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xian, China
| | - Tianying Hong
- Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Cong Bi
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Jing Li
- Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
- Jing Li
| | - Mingfeng Xia
- Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
- *Correspondence: Mingfeng Xia
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Nagy ÁG, Székács I, Bonyár A, Horvath R. Cell-substratum and cell-cell adhesion forces and single-cell mechanical properties in mono- and multilayer assemblies from robotic fluidic force microscopy. Eur J Cell Biol 2022; 101:151273. [PMID: 36088812 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2022.151273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The epithelium covers, protects, and actively regulates various formations and cavities of the human body. During embryonic development the assembly of the epithelium is crucial to the organoid formation, and the invasion of the epithelium is an essential step in cancer metastasis. Live cell mechanical properties and associated forces presumably play an important role in these biological processes. However, the direct measurement of cellular forces in a precise and high-throughput manner is still challenging. We studied the cellular adhesion maturation of epithelial Vero monolayers by measuring single-cell force-spectra with high-throughput fluidic force microscopy (robotic FluidFM). Vero cells were grown on gelatin-covered plates in different seeding concentrations, and cell detachment forces were recorded from the single-cell state, through clustered island formation, to their complete assembly into a sparse and then into a tight monolayer. A methodology was proposed to separate cell-substratum and cell-cell adhesion force and energy (work of adhesion) contributions based on the recorded force-distance curves. For comparison, cancerous HeLa cells were also measured in the same settings. During Vero monolayer formation, a significantly strengthening adhesive tendency was found, showing the development of cell-cell contacts. Interestingly, this type of step-by-step maturation was absent in HeLa cells. The attachment of cancerous HeLa cells to the assembled epithelial monolayers was also measured, proposing a new high-throughput method to investigate the biomechanics of cancer cell invasion. We found that HeLa cells adhere significantly stronger to the tight Vero monolayer than cells of the same origin. Moreover, the mechanical characteristics of Vero monolayers upon cancerous HeLa cell influence were recorded and analyzed. All these results provide insight into the qualitative assessment of cell-substratum and cell-cell mechanical contacts in mono- and multilayered assemblies and demonstrate the robustness and speed of the robotic FluidFM technology to reveal biomechanical properties of live cell assemblies with statistical significances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ágoston G Nagy
- Department of Electronics Technology, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary; Nanobiosensorics Laboratory, Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, Centre for Energy Research, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Inna Székács
- Nanobiosensorics Laboratory, Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, Centre for Energy Research, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Attila Bonyár
- Department of Electronics Technology, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Robert Horvath
- Nanobiosensorics Laboratory, Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, Centre for Energy Research, Budapest, Hungary.
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46
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Zhang S, Kan EL, Kamm RD. Integrating functional vasculature into organoid culture: A biomechanical perspective. APL Bioeng 2022; 6:030401. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0097967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Shun Zhang
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA
| | - Ellen L. Kan
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA
| | - Roger D. Kamm
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA
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47
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Wang C, Yang J. Mechanical forces: The missing link between idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and lung cancer. Eur J Cell Biol 2022; 101:151234. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2022.151234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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48
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Ning L, Shim J, Tomov ML, Liu R, Mehta R, Mingee A, Hwang B, Jin L, Mantalaris A, Xu C, Mahmoudi M, Goldsmith KC, Serpooshan V. A 3D Bioprinted in vitro Model of Neuroblastoma Recapitulates Dynamic Tumor-Endothelial Cell Interactions Contributing to Solid Tumor Aggressive Behavior. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2200244. [PMID: 35644929 PMCID: PMC9376856 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202200244] [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: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common extracranial tumor in children resulting in substantial morbidity and mortality. A deeper understanding of the NB tumor microenvironment (TME) remains an area of active research but there is a lack of reliable and biomimetic experimental models. This study utilizes a 3D bioprinting approach, in combination with NB spheroids, to create an in vitro vascular model of NB for exploring the tumor function within an endothelialized microenvironment. A gelatin methacryloyl (gelMA) bioink is used to create multi-channel cubic tumor analogues with high printing fidelity and mechanical tunability. Human-derived NB spheroids and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) are incorporated into the biomanufactured gelMA and cocultured under static versus dynamic conditions, demonstrating high levels of survival and growth. Quantification of NB-EC integration and tumor cell migration suggested an increased aggressive behavior of NB when cultured in bioprinted endothelialized models, when cocultured with HUVECs, and also as a result of dynamic culture. This model also allowed for the assessment of metabolic, cytokine, and gene expression profiles of NB spheroids under varying TME conditions. These results establish a high throughput research enabling platform to study the TME-mediated cellular-molecular mechanisms of tumor growth, aggression, and response to therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liqun Ning
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical EngineeringEmory University School of Medicine and Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGA30332USA
| | - Jenny Shim
- Department of PediatricsEmory University School of MedicineAtlantaGA30322USA
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders CenterChildren's Healthcare of AtlantaAtlantaGA30342USA
- Children's Healthcare of AtlantaAtlantaGA30322USA
| | - Martin L. Tomov
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical EngineeringEmory University School of Medicine and Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGA30332USA
| | - Rui Liu
- Department of PediatricsEmory University School of MedicineAtlantaGA30322USA
| | - Riya Mehta
- Department of BiologyEmory UniversityAtlantaGA30322USA
| | - Andrew Mingee
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical EngineeringEmory University School of Medicine and Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGA30332USA
| | - Boeun Hwang
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical EngineeringEmory University School of Medicine and Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGA30332USA
| | - Linqi Jin
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical EngineeringEmory University School of Medicine and Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGA30332USA
| | - Athanasios Mantalaris
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical EngineeringEmory University School of Medicine and Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGA30332USA
| | - Chunhui Xu
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical EngineeringEmory University School of Medicine and Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGA30332USA
- Department of PediatricsEmory University School of MedicineAtlantaGA30322USA
| | - Morteza Mahmoudi
- Department of Radiology and Precision Health ProgramMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMI48824USA
| | - Kelly C. Goldsmith
- Department of PediatricsEmory University School of MedicineAtlantaGA30322USA
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders CenterChildren's Healthcare of AtlantaAtlantaGA30342USA
- Children's Healthcare of AtlantaAtlantaGA30322USA
| | - Vahid Serpooshan
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical EngineeringEmory University School of Medicine and Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGA30332USA
- Department of PediatricsEmory University School of MedicineAtlantaGA30322USA
- Children's Healthcare of AtlantaAtlantaGA30322USA
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Human endothelial cells display a rapid tensional stress increase in response to tumor necrosis factor-α. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0270197. [PMID: 35749538 PMCID: PMC9232152 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270197] [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] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Endothelial cells form the inner layer of blood vessels, making them the first barrier between the blood and interstitial tissues; thus endothelial cells play a crucial role in inflammation. In the inflammatory response, one important element is the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). While other pro-inflammatory agents like thrombin and histamine induce acute but transient changes in endothelial cells, which have been well studied biologically as well as mechanically, TNF-α is primarily known for its sustained effects on permeability and leukocyte recruitment. These functions are associated with transcriptional changes that take place on the timescale of hours and days. Here, we investigated the early mechanical action of TNF-α and show that even just 4 min after TNF-α was added onto human umbilical vein endothelial cell monolayers, there was a striking rise in mechanical substrate traction force and internal monolayer tension. These traction forces act primarily at the boundary of the monolayer, as was to be expected. This increased internal monolayer tension may, in addition to TNF-α’s other well-studied biochemical responses, provide a mechanical signal for the cells to prepare to recruit leukocytes.
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50
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Nagy ÁG, Székács I, Bonyár A, Horvath R. Simple and automatic monitoring of cancer cell invasion into an epithelial monolayer using label-free holographic microscopy. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10111. [PMID: 35710696 PMCID: PMC9203807 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14034-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The invasiveness of cancer cells describes the metastasizing capability of a primary tumor. The straightforward detection and quantification of cancer cell invasion are important to predict the survival rate of a cancer patient and to test how anti-cancer compounds influence cancer progression. Digital holographic microscopy based M4 Holomonitor (HM) is a technique that allows the label-free monitoring of cell morphological and kinetical parameters in real-time. Here, a fully confluent epithelial monolayer derived from the African green monkey kidney (Vero) on a gelatin-coated surface was established, then HeLa cells were seeded on top of the monolayer, and their behavior was monitored for 24 h using HM. Several cancer cells showing invasiveness were detected during this period, while other HeLa cells did not show any signs of aggressivity. It was demonstrated that the invasion of single cancer cells is soundly observable and also quantifiable through monitoring parameters such as phase shift, optical volume, area, and motility, which parameters can easily be obtained and processed automatically. Based on the experimental data, the invasion speed of cancer cells entering the epithelial layer can be defined as the shrinking of detected single-cell volume per unit time. The invasion speed and its correlation with cell migration parameters were analyzed in depth. A clear linear relationship between migration and invasion speed was found, cancer cells with stronger migration have slower invasion speed. These results not only describe the effect of how cancer cells invade the underlying monolayer in contrast to non-invasive HeLa cells, but could help in future research to optimize drugs affecting cell invasibility in a fully automated, label-free and high-throughput manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ágoston G Nagy
- Nanobiosensorics Laboratory, Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, Centre for Energy Research, Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Electronics Technology, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Inna Székács
- Nanobiosensorics Laboratory, Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, Centre for Energy Research, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Attila Bonyár
- Department of Electronics Technology, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Robert Horvath
- Nanobiosensorics Laboratory, Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, Centre for Energy Research, Budapest, Hungary.
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