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Gutowska K, Kogut D, Kardynska M, Formanowicz P, Smieja J, Puszynski K. Petri nets and ODEs as complementary methods for comprehensive analysis on an example of the ATM-p53-NF-[Formula: see text]B signaling pathways. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1135. [PMID: 35064163 PMCID: PMC8782877 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-04849-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Intracellular processes are cascades of biochemical reactions, triggered in response to various types of stimuli. Mathematical models describing their dynamics have become increasingly popular in recent years, as tools supporting experimental work in analysis of pathways and regulatory networks. Not only do they provide insights into general properties of these systems, but also help in specific tasks, such as search for drug molecular targets or treatment protocols. Different tools and methods are used to model complex biological systems. In this work, we focus on ordinary differential equations (ODEs) and Petri nets. We consider specific methods of analysis of such models, i.e., sensitivity analysis (SA) and significance analysis. So far, they have been applied separately, with different goals. In this paper, we show that they can complement each other, combining the sensitivity of ODE models and the significance analysis of Petri nets. The former is used to find parameters, whose change results in the greatest quantitative and qualitative changes in the model response, while the latter is a structural analysis and allows indicating the most important subprocesses in terms of information flow in Petri net. Ultimately, both methods facilitate finding the essential processes in a given signaling pathway or regulatory network and may be used to support medical therapy development. In the paper, the use of dual modeling is illustrated with an example of ATM/p53/NF-[Formula: see text]B pathway. Each method was applied to analyze this system, resulting in finding different subsets of important processes that might be prospective targets for changing this system behavior. While some of the processes were indicated in each of the approaches, others were found by one method only and would be missed if only that method was applied. This leads to the conclusion about the complementarity of the methods under investigation. The dual modeling approach of comprehensive structural and parametric analysis yields results that would not be possible if these two modeling approaches were applied separately. The combined approach, proposed in this paper, facilitates finding not only key processes, with which significant parameters are associated, but also significant modules, corresponding to subsystems of regulatory networks. The results provide broader insight into therapy targets in diseases in which the natural control of intracellular processes is disturbed, leading to the development of more effective therapies in medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaja Gutowska
- Institute of Computing Science, Poznan University of Technology, Piotrowo 2, 60-965 Poznan, Poland
| | - Daria Kogut
- Department of Systems Biology and Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Akademicka 16, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
| | - Malgorzata Kardynska
- Department of Biosensors and Processing of Biomedical Signals, Silesian University of Technology, Roosevelta 40, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland
- Department of Systems Biology and Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Akademicka 16, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
| | - Piotr Formanowicz
- Institute of Computing Science, Poznan University of Technology, Piotrowo 2, 60-965 Poznan, Poland
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, 61-704 Poznan, Poland
| | - Jaroslaw Smieja
- Department of Systems Biology and Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Akademicka 16, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Puszynski
- Department of Systems Biology and Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Akademicka 16, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
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Interrelations between Iron and Vitamin A-Studied Using Systems Approach. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031189. [PMID: 35163110 PMCID: PMC8835033 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031189] [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: 11/20/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
A deficiency of vitamin A (VAD) and iron is the most common nutritional problem affecting people worldwide. Given the scale of the problem, the interactions between vitamin A and iron levels are widely studied. However, the exact mechanism of the impact of vitamin A on the regulation of iron metabolism remains unclear. An extremely significant issue becomes a better understanding of the nature of the studied biological phenomenon, which is possible by using a systems approach through developing and analyzing a mathematical model based on a Petri net. To study the considered system, the t-cluster analysis, the significance analysis, and the analysis of the average number of transition firings were performed. The used analyses have allowed distinguishing the most important mechanisms (both subprocesses and elementary processes) positively and negatively regulating an expression of hepcidin and allowed to distinguish elementary processes with a higher frequency of occurrence compared to others. The analysis also allowed to resolve doubts about the discrepancy in literature reports, where VAD leads to positive regulation of hepcidin expression or to negative regulation of hepcidin expression. The more detailed analyses have shown that VAD more frequently positively stimulates hepcidin expression and this mechanism is more significant than the mechanism inhibiting hepcidin expression indirectly by VAD.
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Zhao Y, Chang Z, Zhao G, Lu H, Xiong W, Liang W, Wang H, Villacorta L, Garcia-Barrio MT, Zhu T, Guo Y, Fan Y, Chang L, Schopfer FJ, Freeman BA, Zhang J, Chen YE. Suppression of Vascular Macrophage Activation by Nitro-Oleic Acid and its Implication for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Therapy. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther 2021; 35:939-951. [PMID: 32671602 PMCID: PMC7855321 DOI: 10.1007/s10557-020-07031-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is one of the leading causes of death in the developed world and is currently undertreated due to the complicated nature of the disease. Herein, we aimed to address the therapeutic potential of a novel class of pleiotropic mediators, specifically a new drug candidate, nitro-oleic acid (NO2-OA), on AAA, in a well-characterized murine AAA model. METHODS We generated AAA using a mouse model combining AAV.PCSK9-D377Y induced hypercholesterolemia with angiotensin II given by chronic infusion. Vehicle control (PEG-400), oleic acid (OA), or NO2-OA were subcutaneously delivered to mice using an osmotic minipump. We characterized the effects of NO2-OA on pathophysiological responses and dissected the underlying molecular mechanisms through various in vitro and ex vivo strategies. RESULTS Subcutaneous administration of NO2-OA significantly decreased the AAA incidence (8/28 mice) and supra-renal aorta diameters compared to mice infused with either PEG-400 (13/19, p = 0.0117) or OA (16/23, p = 0.0078). In parallel, the infusion of NO2-OA in the AAA model drastically decreased extracellular matrix degradation, inflammatory cytokine levels, and leucocyte/macrophage infiltration in the vasculature. Administration of NO2-OA reduced inflammation, cytokine secretion, and cell migration triggered by various biological stimuli in primary and macrophage cell lines partially through activation of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ). Moreover, the protective effect of NO2-OA relies on the inhibition of macrophage prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)-induced PGE2 receptor 4 (EP4) cAMP signaling, known to participate in the development of AAA. CONCLUSION Administration of NO2-OA protects against AAA formation and multifactorial macrophage activation. With NO2-OA currently undergoing FDA approved phase II clinical trials, these findings may expedite the use of this nitro-fatty acid for AAA therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zhao
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Center, University of Michigan Medical Center, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ziyi Chang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Center, University of Michigan Medical Center, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, Central South University Second Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Guizhen Zhao
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Center, University of Michigan Medical Center, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Haocheng Lu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Center, University of Michigan Medical Center, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Wenhao Xiong
- Key Laboratory for Arteriosclerology of Hunan Province, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Wenying Liang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Center, University of Michigan Medical Center, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Huilun Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Center, University of Michigan Medical Center, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Luis Villacorta
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Center, University of Michigan Medical Center, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Minerva T Garcia-Barrio
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Center, University of Michigan Medical Center, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Tianqing Zhu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Center, University of Michigan Medical Center, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Yanhong Guo
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Center, University of Michigan Medical Center, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Yanbo Fan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Center, University of Michigan Medical Center, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Lin Chang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Center, University of Michigan Medical Center, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Francisco J Schopfer
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Bruce A Freeman
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jifeng Zhang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Center, University of Michigan Medical Center, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
| | - Y Eugene Chen
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Center, University of Michigan Medical Center, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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Formanowicz D, Gutowska K, Szawulak B, Formanowicz P. The Crosstalk between SARS-CoV-2 Infection and the RAA System in Essential Hypertension-Analyses Using Systems Approach. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221910518. [PMID: 34638859 PMCID: PMC8508810 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 09/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), responsible for the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, has affected and continues to affect millions of people across the world. Patients with essential arterial hypertension and renal complications are at particular risk of the fatal course of this infection. In our study, we have modeled the selected processes in a patient with essential hypertension and chronic kidney disease (CKD) suffering from COVID-19, emphasizing the function of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone (RAA) system. The model has been built in the language of Petri nets theory. Using the systems approach, we have analyzed how COVID-19 may affect the studied organism, and we have checked whether the administration of selected anti-hypertensive drugs (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and/or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs)) may impact the severity of the infection. Besides, we have assessed whether these drugs effectively lower blood pressure in the case of SARS-CoV-2 infection affecting essential hypertensive patients. Our research has shown that neither the ACEIs nor the ARBs worsens the course infection. However, when assessing the treatment of hypertension in the active SARS-CoV-2 infection, we have observed that ARBs might not effectively reduce blood pressure; they may even have the slightly opposite effect. On the other hand, we have confirmed the effectiveness of arterial hypertension treatment in patients receiving ACEIs. Moreover, we have found that the simultaneous use of ARBs and ACEIs averages the effects of taking both drugs, thus leading to only a slight decrease in blood pressure. We are a way from suggesting that ARBs in all hypertensive patients with COVID-19 are ineffective, but we have shown that research in this area should still be continued.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Formanowicz
- Department of Medical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-806 Poznan, Poland;
| | - Kaja Gutowska
- Institute of Computing Science, Poznan University of Technology, 60-965 Poznan, Poland; (K.G.); (B.S.)
| | - Bartłomiej Szawulak
- Institute of Computing Science, Poznan University of Technology, 60-965 Poznan, Poland; (K.G.); (B.S.)
| | - Piotr Formanowicz
- Institute of Computing Science, Poznan University of Technology, 60-965 Poznan, Poland; (K.G.); (B.S.)
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, 61-704 Poznan, Poland
- Correspondence:
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Circular RNA Expression: Its Potential Regulation and Function in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2021; 2021:9934951. [PMID: 34306317 PMCID: PMC8263248 DOI: 10.1155/2021/9934951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) have posed a great threat to human life, and the necessity of its monitoring and treatment is decided by symptomatology and/or the aneurysm size. Accumulating evidence suggests that circular RNAs (circRNAs) contribute a part to the pathogenesis of AAAs. circRNAs are novel single-stranded RNAs with a closed loop structure and high stability, having become the candidate biomarkers for numerous kinds of human disorders. Besides, circRNAs act as molecular "sponge" in organisms, capable of regulating the transcription level. Here, we characterize that the molecular mechanisms underlying the role of circRNAs in AAA development were further elucidated. In the present work, studies on the biosynthesis, bibliometrics, and mechanisms of action of circRNAs were aims comprehensively reviewed, the role of circRNAs in the AAA pathogenic mechanism was illustrated, and their potential in diagnosing AAAs was examined. Moreover, the current evidence about the effects of circRNAs on AAA development through modulating endothelial cells (ECs), macrophages, and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) was summarized. Through thorough investigation, the molecular mechanisms underlying the role of circRNAs in AAA development were further elucidated. The results demonstrated that circRNAs had the application potential in the diagnosis and prevention of AAAs in clinical practice. The study of circRNA regulatory pathways would be of great assistance to the etiologic research of AAAs.
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MiR-144-5p limits experimental abdominal aortic aneurysm formation by mitigating M1 macrophage-associated inflammation: Suppression of TLR2 and OLR1. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2020; 143:1-14. [PMID: 32278833 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2020.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND It has been noted that dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) contributes to the formation of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), a vascular disease associated with progressive aortic dilatation and degradation, and pathological infiltration and activation of inflammatory cells, such as macrophages. Our microarray data revealing that miR-144-5p was the top 1 downregulated miRNA in mouse AAA tissues as compared to normal aortas motivated us to explore its role in AAA development. METHODS We profiled miRNA and mRNA expression in Angiotensin II (Ang II)- (n = 3) and saline-infused abdominal aortas (n = 4) via Agilent microarrays, and further validated the data with real-time QPCR. In vivo, miR-144-5p or control agomirs were given to Apoe-/- mice with Ang II infusion-induced AAA. In vitro, mouse RAW 264.7 macrophages and human THP-1 macrophage-like cells were transfected with miR-144-5p or control agomirs/antagomirs, and oxidized Low Density Lipoprotein (ox-LDL) was used to stimulate M1 macrophage polarization. RESULTS Based on the microarray and real-time QPCR validation data, we identified miR-144-5p as a novel downregulated miRNA in AAA tissues. Overexpression of miR-144-5p by utilizing its specific agomirs in vivo significantly attenuated Ang II-induced aortic dilatation and elastic degradation in Apoe-/- mice and improved their survival. AAA incidence was reduced by miR-144-5p as well. MiR-144-5p polarized macrophages to M2 type in Ang II-infused aortas. Further, the expression levels of two predictive targets for miR-144-5p, Toll Like Receptor 2 (TLR2) and ox-LDL Receptor 1 (OLR1), were higher in AAA specimens, and negatively correlated to miR-144-5p (Pearson correlation coefficient r < -0.9, P < .01). These two molecules were then confirmed as novel miR-144-5p targets via dual-luciferase assay. MiR-144-5p agomirs suppressed ox-LDL-induced upregulation of M1 macrophage markers, including interleukin 1β (IL1β), tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) and nitric oxide synthase 2 (NOS2), in macrophages probably by targeting TLR2. MiR-144-5p also inhibited the signaling transduction of pathways downstream to TLR2 and OLR1, including NF-κB and ERK1/2 pathways, whose abnormal activation contributed AAA formation. CONCLUSION Our work suggests miR-144-5p as a novel regulator for AAA pathology. Management of miR-144-5p and its targets TLR2 and OLR1 provides therapeutic potential for limiting AAA formation.
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