1
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Mensah IK, Gowher H. Signaling Pathways Governing Cardiomyocyte Differentiation. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:798. [PMID: 38927734 PMCID: PMC11202427 DOI: 10.3390/genes15060798] [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: 05/24/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Cardiomyocytes are the largest cell type that make up the heart and confer beating activity to the heart. The proper differentiation of cardiomyocytes relies on the efficient transmission and perception of differentiation cues from several signaling pathways that influence cardiomyocyte-specific gene expression programs. Signaling pathways also mediate intercellular communications to promote proper cardiomyocyte differentiation. We have reviewed the major signaling pathways involved in cardiomyocyte differentiation, including the BMP, Notch, sonic hedgehog, Hippo, and Wnt signaling pathways. Additionally, we highlight the differences between different cardiomyocyte cell lines and the use of these signaling pathways in the differentiation of cardiomyocytes from stem cells. Finally, we conclude by discussing open questions and current gaps in knowledge about the in vitro differentiation of cardiomyocytes and propose new avenues of research to fill those gaps.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Humaira Gowher
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
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2
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Chi C, Roland TJ, Song K. Differentiation of Pluripotent Stem Cells for Disease Modeling: Learning from Heart Development. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:337. [PMID: 38543122 PMCID: PMC10975450 DOI: 10.3390/ph17030337] [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: 01/13/2024] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Heart disease is a pressing public health problem and the leading cause of death worldwide. The heart is the first organ to gain function during embryogenesis in mammals. Heart development involves cell determination, expansion, migration, and crosstalk, which are orchestrated by numerous signaling pathways, such as the Wnt, TGF-β, IGF, and Retinoic acid signaling pathways. Human-induced pluripotent stem cell-based platforms are emerging as promising approaches for modeling heart disease in vitro. Understanding the signaling pathways that are essential for cardiac development has shed light on the molecular mechanisms of congenital heart defects and postnatal heart diseases, significantly advancing stem cell-based platforms to model heart diseases. This review summarizes signaling pathways that are crucial for heart development and discusses how these findings improve the strategies for modeling human heart disease in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Congwu Chi
- Heart Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33602, USA; (C.C.); (T.J.R.)
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33602, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33602, USA
| | - Truman J. Roland
- Heart Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33602, USA; (C.C.); (T.J.R.)
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33602, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33602, USA
| | - Kunhua Song
- Heart Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33602, USA; (C.C.); (T.J.R.)
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33602, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33602, USA
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3
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Zhao X, Li D, Song Y, Xu J, Xiang FL. Drug Discovery for Adult Cardiomyocyte Regeneration: Opportunities and Challenges. Antioxid Redox Signal 2023; 39:1070-1087. [PMID: 37166381 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2023.0319] [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] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Significance: Cardiovascular disease is a major contributor to human mortality and morbidity. The cardiac tissue undergoes fibrotic healing after injury because of the limited regenerative capacity of adult mammalian cardiomyocyte (CM). Extensive research has been performed to identify therapeutic targets for CM regeneration, as the success of promoting adult human CM regeneration to repair the injured heart is considered the Holy Grail in the field. Recent Advances: To date, more than 30 target genes have been shown to regulate adult mammalian CM proliferation. More than 20 targets have been validated in adult mouse myocardial infarction (MI) model in a therapeutic setting. In this review, the translational efficacy readouts from 17 selected pharmaceutical targets are summarized, among which the Hippo-yes-associated protein (Yap) pathway is the most extensively investigated and fits the criteria for a promising target for pro-CM-regeneration therapy development. Critical Issues and Future Directions: As the pro-CM-regeneration potential of current drug treatment for cardiovascular patients is limited, to help identify and fill the gap between basic research and drug discovery in this specific field, details regarding target identification, validation in mouse MI models, high-throughput screening assay development, and preclinical in vivo efficacy model optimization are discussed. Finally, suggestions and recommendations are also provided to help establish a common guideline for in vivo translational studies for drug discovery focusing on CM regeneration. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 39, 1070-1087.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Zhao
- Department of Anesthesiology and the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Institute of Precision Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Donghua Li
- Institute of Precision Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yiyan Song
- Department of Anesthesiology and the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Institute of Precision Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jie Xu
- Institute of Precision Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fu-Li Xiang
- Institute of Precision Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
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4
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Oh GC, Choi YJ, Park BW, Ban K, Park HJ. Are There Hopeful Therapeutic Strategies to Regenerate the Infarcted Hearts? Korean Circ J 2023; 53:367-386. [PMID: 37271744 DOI: 10.4070/kcj.2023.0098] [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: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Ischemic heart disease remains the primary cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite significant advancements in pharmacological and revascularization techniques in the late 20th century, heart failure prevalence after myocardial infarction has gradually increased over the last 2 decades. After ischemic injury, pathological remodeling results in cardiomyocytes (CMs) loss and fibrosis, which leads to impaired heart function. Unfortunately, there are no clinical therapies to regenerate CMs to date, and the adult heart's limited turnover rate of CMs hinders its ability to self-regenerate. In this review, we present novel therapeutic strategies to regenerate injured myocardium, including (1) reconstruction of cardiac niche microenvironment, (2) recruitment of functional CMs by promoting their proliferation or differentiation, and (3) organizing 3-dimensional tissue construct beyond the CMs. Additionally, we highlight recent mechanistic insights that govern these strategies and identify current challenges in translating these approaches to human patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gyu-Chul Oh
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yeon-Jik Choi
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
| | - Bong-Woo Park
- Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kiwon Ban
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
| | - Hun-Jun Park
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
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5
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Nguyen T, Wei Y, Nakada Y, Chen JY, Zhou Y, Walcott G, Zhang J. Analysis of cardiac single-cell RNA-sequencing data can be improved by the use of artificial-intelligence-based tools. Sci Rep 2023; 13:6821. [PMID: 37100826 PMCID: PMC10133286 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32293-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) enables researchers to identify and characterize populations and subpopulations of different cell types in hearts recovering from myocardial infarction (MI) by characterizing the transcriptomes in thousands of individual cells. However, the effectiveness of the currently available tools for processing and interpreting these immense datasets is limited. We incorporated three Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques into a toolkit for evaluating scRNAseq data: AI Autoencoding separates data from different cell types and subpopulations of cell types (cluster analysis); AI Sparse Modeling identifies genes and signaling mechanisms that are differentially activated between subpopulations (pathway/gene set enrichment analysis), and AI Semisupervised Learning tracks the transformation of cells from one subpopulation into another (trajectory analysis). Autoencoding was often used in data denoising; yet, in our pipeline, Autoencoding was exclusively used for cell embedding and clustering. The performance of our AI scRNAseq toolkit and other highly cited non-AI tools was evaluated with three scRNAseq datasets obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Autoencoder was the only tool to identify differences between the cardiomyocyte subpopulations found in mice that underwent MI or sham-MI surgery on postnatal day (P) 1. Statistically significant differences between cardiomyocytes from P1-MI mice and mice that underwent MI on P8 were identified for six cell-cycle phases and five signaling pathways when the data were analyzed via Sparse Modeling, compared to just one cell-cycle phase and one pathway when the data were analyzed with non-AI techniques. Only Semisupervised Learning detected trajectories between the predominant cardiomyocyte clusters in hearts collected on P28 from pigs that underwent apical resection (AR) on P1, and on P30 from pigs that underwent AR on P1 and MI on P28. In another dataset, the pig scRNAseq data were collected after the injection of CCND2-overexpression Human-induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived cardiomyocytes (CCND2hiPSC) into injured P28 pig heart; only the AI-based technique could demonstrate that the host cardiomyocytes increase proliferating by through the HIPPO/YAP and MAPK signaling pathways. For the cluster, pathway/gene set enrichment, and trajectory analysis of scRNAseq datasets generated from studies of myocardial regeneration in mice and pigs, our AI-based toolkit identified results that non-AI techniques did not discover. These different results were validated and were important in explaining myocardial regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanh Nguyen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| | - Yuhua Wei
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| | - Yuji Nakada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| | - Jake Y Chen
- Informatics Institute, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| | - Yang Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| | - Gregory Walcott
- Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Diseases, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| | - Jianyi Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Diseases, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine and School of Engineering, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1670 University Blvd, Volker Hall G094J, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA.
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6
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Lopez LV, Camberos V, Bailey LL, Hasaniya N, Ramos C, Hughes L, Knox C, Kearns-Jonker MK. MicroRNA Expression in the Infarcted Heart Following Neonatal Cardiovascular Progenitor Cell Transplantation in a Sheep Model of Stem Cell-Based Repair. Cell Transplant 2022; 31:9636897221136787. [PMID: 36564913 PMCID: PMC9793054 DOI: 10.1177/09636897221136787] [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] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Myocardial infarctions affect approximately 735,000 people annually in the United States and have a substantial impact on quality of life. Neonates have an enhanced capability of repairing cardiovascular damage, while adults do not. The mechanistic basis for this age-dependent difference in regenerative capacity remains unknown. Recent studies have shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) play a significant role in regulating the regenerative ability of cardiovascular cells. This report defines the alterations in miRNA expression within the cardiovascular repair zone of infarcted sheep hearts following intracardiac injection of neonatal islet-1+ cardiovascular progenitor cells. Sheep were infarcted via left anterior descending coronary artery ligation. After 3 to 4 weeks of infarction, sheep neonatal islet-1+ cardiovascular progenitor cells were injected into the infarcted area for repair. Cell-treated sheep were euthanized 2 months following cell injection, and their hearts were harvested for the analysis of miRNA and gene expression within the cardiovascular repair zone. Ten miRNAs were differentially regulated in vivo, including miR-99, miR-100, miR-302a, miR-208a, miR-665, miR-1, miR-499a, miR-34a, miR-133a, and miR-199a. These miRNAs promote stemness, cell division, and survival. Several signaling pathways are regulated by these miRNAs, including Hippo, Wnt, and Erythroblastic Leukemia Viral Oncogene B (ERBB). Transcripts encoding Wnt, ERBB, and Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) were elevated in vivo in the infarct repair zone. Wnt5a signaling and ERBB/NRG1 transcripts contribute to activation of Yes-Associated Protein 1. MiRNAs that impact proliferation, cell survival, and signaling pathways that promote regeneration were induced during cardiovascular repair in the sheep model. This information can be used to design new approaches for the optimization of miRNA-based treatments for the heart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larry V. Lopez
- Department of Pathology and Human
Anatomy, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Victor Camberos
- Department of Pathology and Human
Anatomy, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Leonard L. Bailey
- Department of Cardiovascular and
Thoracic Surgery, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA,
USA
| | - Nahidh Hasaniya
- Department of Cardiovascular and
Thoracic Surgery, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA,
USA
| | - Christopher Ramos
- Department of Pathology and Human
Anatomy, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Lorelei Hughes
- Department of Pathology and Human
Anatomy, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Cole Knox
- Department of Pathology and Human
Anatomy, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Mary K. Kearns-Jonker
- Department of Pathology and Human
Anatomy, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA,Mary K. Kearns-Jonker, Department of
Pathology and Human Anatomy, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma
Linda, CA 92350, USA.
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7
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Zheng M, Li RG, Song J, Zhao X, Tang L, Erhardt S, Chen W, Nguyen BH, Li X, Li M, Wang J, Evans SM, Christoffels VM, Li N, Wang J. Hippo-Yap Signaling Maintains Sinoatrial Node Homeostasis. Circulation 2022; 146:1694-1711. [PMID: 36317529 PMCID: PMC9897204 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.121.058777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The sinoatrial node (SAN) functions as the pacemaker of the heart, initiating rhythmic heartbeats. Despite its importance, the SAN is one of the most poorly understood cardiac entities because of its small size and complex composition and function. The Hippo signaling pathway is a molecular signaling pathway fundamental to heart development and regeneration. Although abnormalities of the Hippo pathway are associated with cardiac arrhythmias in human patients, the role of this pathway in the SAN is unknown. METHODS We investigated key regulators of the Hippo pathway in SAN pacemaker cells by conditionally inactivating the Hippo signaling kinases Lats1 and Lats2 using the tamoxifen-inducible, cardiac conduction system-specific Cre driver Hcn4CreERT2 with Lats1 and Lats2 conditional knockout alleles. In addition, the Hippo-signaling effectors Yap and Taz were conditionally inactivated in the SAN. To determine the function of Hippo signaling in the SAN and other cardiac conduction system components, we conducted a series of physiological and molecular experiments, including telemetry ECG recording, echocardiography, Masson Trichrome staining, calcium imaging, immunostaining, RNAscope, cleavage under targets and tagmentation sequencing using antibodies against Yap1 or H3K4me3, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and Western blotting. We also performed comprehensive bioinformatics analyses of various datasets. RESULTS We found that Lats1/2 inactivation caused severe sinus node dysfunction. Compared with the controls, Lats1/2 conditional knockout mutants exhibited dysregulated calcium handling and increased fibrosis in the SAN, indicating that Lats1/2 function through both cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous mechanisms. It is notable that the Lats1/2 conditional knockout phenotype was rescued by genetic deletion of Yap and Taz in the cardiac conduction system. These rescued mice had normal sinus rhythm and reduced fibrosis of the SAN, indicating that Lats1/2 function through Yap and Taz. Cleavage Under Targets and Tagmentation sequencing data showed that Yap potentially regulates genes critical for calcium homeostasis such as Ryr2 and genes encoding paracrine factors important in intercellular communication and fibrosis induction such as Tgfb1 and Tgfb3. Consistent with this, Lats1/2 conditional knockout mutants had decreased Ryr2 expression and increased Tgfb1 and Tgfb3 expression compared with control mice. CONCLUSIONS We reveal, for the first time to our knowledge, that the canonical Hippo-Yap pathway plays a pivotal role in maintaining SAN homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingjie Zheng
- Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (M.Z., X.Z., S.E., W.C., Jun Wang)
| | - Rich G Li
- Texas Heart Institute, Houston (R.G.L., X.L.)
| | - Jia Song
- Department of Medicine (Section of Cardiovascular Research), Cardiovascular Research Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX (J.S., N.L.)
| | - Xiaolei Zhao
- Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (M.Z., X.Z., S.E., W.C., Jun Wang)
| | - Li Tang
- Hunan Provincial Key Lab on Bioinformatics, School of Computer Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China (L.T., M.L., Jianxin Wang)
| | - Shannon Erhardt
- Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (M.Z., X.Z., S.E., W.C., Jun Wang)
- MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas, Houston (S.E., Jun Wang)
| | - Wen Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (M.Z., X.Z., S.E., W.C., Jun Wang)
| | - Bao H Nguyen
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics (B.H.N.)
| | - Xiao Li
- Texas Heart Institute, Houston (R.G.L., X.L.)
| | - Min Li
- Hunan Provincial Key Lab on Bioinformatics, School of Computer Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China (L.T., M.L., Jianxin Wang)
| | - Jianxin Wang
- Hunan Provincial Key Lab on Bioinformatics, School of Computer Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China (L.T., M.L., Jianxin Wang)
| | - Sylvia M Evans
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Departments of Pharmacology and Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla (S.M.E.)
| | - Vincent M Christoffels
- Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands (V.M.C.)
| | - Na Li
- Department of Medicine (Section of Cardiovascular Research), Cardiovascular Research Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX (J.S., N.L.)
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (M.Z., X.Z., S.E., W.C., Jun Wang)
- MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas, Houston (S.E., Jun Wang)
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8
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Resveratrol inhibits TGF-β1-induced EMT in gastric cancer cells through Hippo-YAP signaling pathway. Clin Transl Oncol 2022; 24:2210-2221. [DOI: 10.1007/s12094-022-02882-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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9
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Rashid SA, Blanchard AT, Combs JD, Fernandez N, Dong Y, Cho HC, Salaita K. DNA Tension Probes Show that Cardiomyocyte Maturation Is Sensitive to the Piconewton Traction Forces Transmitted by Integrins. ACS NANO 2022; 16:5335-5348. [PMID: 35324164 PMCID: PMC11238821 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c04303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Cardiac muscle cells (CMCs) are the unit cells that comprise the heart. CMCs go through different stages of differentiation and maturation pathways to fully mature into beating cells. These cells can sense and respond to mechanical cues through receptors such as integrins which influence maturation pathways. For example, cell traction forces are important for the differentiation and development of functional CMCs, as CMCs cultured on varying substrate stiffness function differently. Most work in this area has focused on understanding the role of bulk extracellular matrix stiffness in mediating the functional fate of CMCs. Given that stiffness sensing mechanisms are mediated by individual integrin receptors, an important question in this area pertains to the specific magnitude of integrin piconewton (pN) forces that can trigger CMC functional maturation. To address this knowledge gap, we used DNA adhesion tethers that rupture at specific thresholds of force (∼12, ∼56, and ∼160 pN) to test whether capping peak integrin tension to specific magnitudes affects CMC function. We show that adhesion tethers with greater force tolerance lead to functionally mature CMCs as determined by morphology, twitching frequency, transient calcium flux measurements, and protein expression (F-actin, vinculin, α-actinin, YAP, and SERCA2a). Additionally, sarcomeric actinin alignment and multinucleation were significantly enhanced as the mechanical tolerance of integrin tethers was increased. Taken together, the results show that CMCs harness defined pN integrin forces to influence early stage development. This study represents an important step toward biophysical characterization of the contribution of pN forces in early stage cardiac differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sk Aysha Rashid
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Aaron T Blanchard
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - J Dale Combs
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Natasha Fernandez
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, 1405 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Yixiao Dong
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Hee Cheol Cho
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, 1405 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
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10
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Ramaccini D, Pedriali G, Perrone M, Bouhamida E, Modesti L, Wieckowski MR, Giorgi C, Pinton P, Morciano G. Some Insights into the Regulation of Cardiac Physiology and Pathology by the Hippo Pathway. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10030726. [PMID: 35327528 PMCID: PMC8945338 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10030726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The heart is one of the most fascinating organs in living beings. It beats up to 100,000 times a day throughout the lifespan, without resting. The heart undergoes profound anatomical, biochemical, and functional changes during life, from hypoxemic fetal stages to a completely differentiated four-chambered cardiac muscle. In the middle, many biological events occur after and intersect with each other to regulate development, organ size, and, in some cases, regeneration. Several studies have defined the essential roles of the Hippo pathway in heart physiology through the regulation of apoptosis, autophagy, cell proliferation, and differentiation. This molecular route is composed of multiple components, some of which were recently discovered, and is highly interconnected with multiple known prosurvival pathways. The Hippo cascade is evolutionarily conserved among species, and in addition to its regulatory roles, it is involved in disease by drastically changing the heart phenotype and its function when its components are mutated, absent, or constitutively activated. In this review, we report some insights into the regulation of cardiac physiology and pathology by the Hippo pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Ramaccini
- Maria Cecilia Hospital, GVM Care & Research, 48033 Cotignola, Italy; (D.R.); (G.P.); (E.B.)
| | - Gaia Pedriali
- Maria Cecilia Hospital, GVM Care & Research, 48033 Cotignola, Italy; (D.R.); (G.P.); (E.B.)
| | - Mariasole Perrone
- Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), Section of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medical Science, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (M.P.); (L.M.); (C.G.)
| | - Esmaa Bouhamida
- Maria Cecilia Hospital, GVM Care & Research, 48033 Cotignola, Italy; (D.R.); (G.P.); (E.B.)
| | - Lorenzo Modesti
- Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), Section of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medical Science, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (M.P.); (L.M.); (C.G.)
| | - Mariusz R. Wieckowski
- Laboratory of Mitochondrial Biology and Metabolism, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Carlotta Giorgi
- Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), Section of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medical Science, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (M.P.); (L.M.); (C.G.)
| | - Paolo Pinton
- Maria Cecilia Hospital, GVM Care & Research, 48033 Cotignola, Italy; (D.R.); (G.P.); (E.B.)
- Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), Section of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medical Science, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (M.P.); (L.M.); (C.G.)
- Correspondence: (P.P.); (G.M.); Tel.: +39-0532-455-802 (P.P.); +39-0532-455-804 (G.M.)
| | - Giampaolo Morciano
- Maria Cecilia Hospital, GVM Care & Research, 48033 Cotignola, Italy; (D.R.); (G.P.); (E.B.)
- Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), Section of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medical Science, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy; (M.P.); (L.M.); (C.G.)
- Correspondence: (P.P.); (G.M.); Tel.: +39-0532-455-802 (P.P.); +39-0532-455-804 (G.M.)
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11
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Signaling pathways and targeted therapy for myocardial infarction. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:78. [PMID: 35273164 PMCID: PMC8913803 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-00925-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 225] [Impact Index Per Article: 112.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the treatment of myocardial infarction (MI) has improved considerably, it is still a worldwide disease with high morbidity and high mortality. Whilst there is still a long way to go for discovering ideal treatments, therapeutic strategies committed to cardioprotection and cardiac repair following cardiac ischemia are emerging. Evidence of pathological characteristics in MI illustrates cell signaling pathways that participate in the survival, proliferation, apoptosis, autophagy of cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, monocytes, and stem cells. These signaling pathways include the key players in inflammation response, e.g., NLRP3/caspase-1 and TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB; the crucial mediators in oxidative stress and apoptosis, for instance, Notch, Hippo/YAP, RhoA/ROCK, Nrf2/HO-1, and Sonic hedgehog; the controller of myocardial fibrosis such as TGF-β/SMADs and Wnt/β-catenin; and the main regulator of angiogenesis, PI3K/Akt, MAPK, JAK/STAT, Sonic hedgehog, etc. Since signaling pathways play an important role in administering the process of MI, aiming at targeting these aberrant signaling pathways and improving the pathological manifestations in MI is indispensable and promising. Hence, drug therapy, gene therapy, protein therapy, cell therapy, and exosome therapy have been emerging and are known as novel therapies. In this review, we summarize the therapeutic strategies for MI by regulating these associated pathways, which contribute to inhibiting cardiomyocytes death, attenuating inflammation, enhancing angiogenesis, etc. so as to repair and re-functionalize damaged hearts.
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Mechanosensing and the Hippo Pathway in Microglia: A Potential Link to Alzheimer's Disease Pathogenesis? Cells 2021; 10:cells10113144. [PMID: 34831369 PMCID: PMC8622675 DOI: 10.3390/cells10113144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The activation of microglia, the inflammatory cells of the central nervous system (CNS), has been linked to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. How microglia sense the changing brain environment, in order to respond appropriately, is still being elucidated. Microglia are able to sense and respond to the mechanical properties of their microenvironment, and the physical and molecular pathways underlying this mechanosensing/mechanotransduction in microglia have recently been investigated. The Hippo pathway functions through mechanosensing and subsequent protein kinase cascades, and is critical for neuronal development and many other cellular processes. In this review, we examine evidence for the potential involvement of Hippo pathway components specifically in microglia in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. We suggest that the Hippo pathway is worth investigating as a mechanosensing pathway in microglia, and could be one potential therapeutic target pathway for preventing microglial-induced neurodegeneration in AD.
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Bornhorst D, Abdelilah-Seyfried S. Strong as a Hippo's Heart: Biomechanical Hippo Signaling During Zebrafish Cardiac Development. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:731101. [PMID: 34422841 PMCID: PMC8375320 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.731101] [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: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The heart is comprised of multiple tissues that contribute to its physiological functions. During development, the growth of myocardium and endocardium is coupled and morphogenetic processes within these separate tissue layers are integrated. Here, we discuss the roles of mechanosensitive Hippo signaling in growth and morphogenesis of the zebrafish heart. Hippo signaling is involved in defining numbers of cardiac progenitor cells derived from the secondary heart field, in restricting the growth of the epicardium, and in guiding trabeculation and outflow tract formation. Recent work also shows that myocardial chamber dimensions serve as a blueprint for Hippo signaling-dependent growth of the endocardium. Evidently, Hippo pathway components act at the crossroads of various signaling pathways involved in embryonic zebrafish heart development. Elucidating how biomechanical Hippo signaling guides heart morphogenesis has direct implications for our understanding of cardiac physiology and pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothee Bornhorst
- Stem Cell Program, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Salim Abdelilah-Seyfried
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany.,Institute of Molecular Biology, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
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Ding HX, Xing N, Ma HF, Hou L, Zhou CX, Du YP, Wang FJ. Effect of umbilical cord blood stem cell transplantation on restenosis after endovascular interventional therapy for diabetic hindlimb vascular disease. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0255162. [PMID: 34379650 PMCID: PMC8357084 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of human umbilical cord blood stem cell (HUCBSC) transplantation on restenosis after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) for diabetic hindlimb vascular disease in rabbits. After successfully preparing a rabbit model of diabetic hindlimb vascular disease, 16 rabbits were randomly assigned to two groups. Of these, 8 rabbits received PTA surgery alone (PTA group), and the other 8 rabbits received PTA and HUCBSC (PTA+HUCBSC group) treatments. Five more healthy rabbits were set as healthy control (HC group). Samples were collected after 4 weeks of treatment. The expressions of regulator of calcineurin 1 (RCAN1) and calcineurin A (CnA) in the diseased artery were detected by immunofluorescence staining. The distribution of HUCBSCs was observed by pathological examination in transplanted artery, distal artery, and liver. Cytology experiments were applied to assess the levels of JAK and STAT3, and the migration and proliferation of human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (HA-VSMC). In the rabbit model of diabetic vascular lesions in the hindlimbs, we found the stenosis of the femoral artery became more and more serious with time, and the expression level of PCNA positive cells was also gradually increased. The expression levels of RCAN1 and CnA in the PTA+HUCBSC group were significantly lower than those in PTA group. HUCBSC inhibited the migration and proliferation of HA-VSMC via JAK/STAT3 pathway. After HUCBSC local transplantation, HUCBSC had no distal tissue distribution. HUCBSC transplantation may prevent restenosis after PTA of diabetic hindlimb vascular disease through JAK/STAT3 pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Xia Ding
- Department of Endocrinology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Na Xing
- Department of Endocrinology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Hong-Fang Ma
- Department of Endocrinology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Lin Hou
- Department of Endocrinology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Chao-Xi Zhou
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Ya-Ping Du
- Department of Endocrinology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Fu-Jun Wang
- Department of Endocrinology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
- * E-mail:
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Zhao X, Le TP, Erhardt S, Findley TO, Wang J. Hippo-Yap Pathway Orchestrates Neural Crest Ontogenesis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:706623. [PMID: 34307386 PMCID: PMC8298320 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.706623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural crest (NC) cells are a migratory stem cell population in vertebrate embryogenesis that can give rise to multiple cell types, including osteoblasts, chondrocytes, smooth muscle cells, neurons, glia, and melanocytes, greatly contributing to the development of different tissues and organs. Defects in NC development are implicated in many human diseases, such as numerous syndromes, craniofacial aberration and congenital heart defects. Research on NC development has gained intense interest and made significant progress. Recent studies showed that the Hippo-Yap pathway, a conserved fundamental pathway with key roles in regulation of cell proliferation, survival, and differentiation, is indispensable for normal NC development. However, the roles and mechanisms of the Hippo-Yap pathway in NC development remain largely unknown. In this review, we summarize the key functions of the Hippo-Yap pathway indicated in NC induction, migration, proliferation, survival, and differentiation, as well as the diseases caused by its dysfunction in NC cells. We also discuss emerging current and future studies in the investigation of the Hippo-Yap pathway in NC development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Jun Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
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Pipchuk A, Yang X. Using Biosensors to Study Protein-Protein Interaction in the Hippo Pathway. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:660137. [PMID: 33981705 PMCID: PMC8107278 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.660137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Hippo signaling network is dependent on protein–protein interactions (PPIs) as a mechanism of signal transduction to regulate organ size, cellular proliferation and differentiation, tumorigenesis, and other cellular processes. Current efforts aim to resolve the complex regulation of upstream Hippo components or focus on identifying targeted drugs for use in cancer therapy. Despite extensive characterization of the Hippo pathway interactome by affinity purification mass spectrometry (AP-MS) and other methodologies, previous research methods have not been sufficient to achieve these aims. In this review, we describe several recent studies that make use of luciferase-based biosensors as a new approach to study the Hippo Pathway. These biosensors serve as powerful tools with which to study PPIs both in vitro using purified biosensor proteins, and in real time in live cells. Notably, luciferase biosensors have excellent sensitivity and have been used to screen for upstream kinase regulators of the Hippo pathway. Furthermore, the high sensitivity and stability of these biosensors enables their application in high throughput screening for Hippo-targeted chemotherapeutics. Finally, we describe the strengths and weaknesses of this method relative to AP-MS and discuss potential future directions for using biosensors to study Hippo signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Pipchuk
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Xiaolong Yang
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
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The Impact of Spaceflight and Microgravity on the Human Islet-1+ Cardiovascular Progenitor Cell Transcriptome. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22073577. [PMID: 33808224 PMCID: PMC8036947 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22073577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the transcriptomic impact of microgravity and the spaceflight environment is relevant for future missions in space and microgravity-based applications designed to benefit life on Earth. Here, we investigated the transcriptome of adult and neonatal cardiovascular progenitors following culture aboard the International Space Station for 30 days and compared it to the transcriptome of clonally identical cells cultured on Earth. Cardiovascular progenitors acquire a gene expression profile representative of an early-stage, dedifferentiated, stem-like state, regardless of age. Signaling pathways that support cell proliferation and survival were induced by spaceflight along with transcripts related to cell cycle re-entry, cardiovascular development, and oxidative stress. These findings contribute new insight into the multifaceted influence of reduced gravitational environments.
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Gyöngyösi M. Cell-Free Approaches and Therapeutic Biomolecules for Cardiac Regeneration. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11020161. [PMID: 33530565 PMCID: PMC7911580 DOI: 10.3390/biom11020161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mariann Gyöngyösi
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Division of Cardiology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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