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Koc-Gunel S, Liu EC, Gautam LK, Calvert BA, Murthy S, Harriott NC, Nawroth JC, Zhou B, Krymskaya VP, Ryan AL. Targeting Fibroblast-Endothelial Interactions in LAM Pathogenesis: 3D Spheroid and Spatial Transcriptomic Insights for Therapeutic Innovation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.06.12.544372. [PMID: 37398026 PMCID: PMC10312665 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.12.544372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a progressive lung disease with limited treatments, largely due to an incomplete understanding of its pathogenesis. Lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) invade LAM cell clusters, which include HMB-45-positive epithelioid cells and smooth muscle α-actin-expressing LAM-associated fibroblasts (LAMFs). Recent evidence shows that LAMFs resemble cancer-associated fibroblasts, with LAMF-LEC interactions contributing to disease progression. To explore these mechanisms, we used spatial transcriptomics on LAM lung tissues and identified a gene cluster enriched in kinase signaling pathways linked to myofibroblasts and co-expressed with LEC markers. Kinase arrays revealed elevated PDGFR and FGFR in LAMFs. Using a 3D co-culture spheroid model of primary LAMFs and LECs, we observed increased invasion in LAMF-LEC spheroids compared to non-LAM fibroblasts. Treatment with sorafenib, a multikinase inhibitor, significantly reduced invasion, outperforming Rapamycin. We also confirmed TSC2-null AML cells as key VEGF-A secretors, which was suppressed by sorafenib in both AML cells and LAMFs. These findings highlight VEGF-A and bFGF as potential therapeutic targets and suggest multikinase inhibition as a promising strategy for LAM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinem Koc-Gunel
- Hastings Center for Pulmonary Research, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Southern California; Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Southern California; Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Frankfurt; Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Emily C. Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa; Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Lalit K. Gautam
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa; Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Ben A. Calvert
- Hastings Center for Pulmonary Research, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Southern California; Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Southern California; Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa; Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Shubha Murthy
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa; Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Noa C. Harriott
- Hastings Center for Pulmonary Research, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Southern California; Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Southern California; Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa; Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Janna C. Nawroth
- Hastings Center for Pulmonary Research, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Southern California; Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Southern California; Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Helmholtz Pioneer Campus and Institute of Biological and Medical Imaging; Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Beiyun Zhou
- Hastings Center for Pulmonary Research, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Southern California; Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Vera P. Krymskaya
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Lung Biology Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Amy L. Ryan
- Hastings Center for Pulmonary Research, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Southern California; Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Southern California; Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa; Iowa City, IA, USA
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Lin SM, Rue R, Mukhitov AR, Goel A, Basil MC, Obraztsova K, Babu A, Crnkovic S, Ledwell OA, Ferguson LT, Planer JD, Nottingham AN, Vanka KS, Smith CJ, Cantu E, Kwapiszewska G, Morrisey EE, Evans JF, Krymskaya VP. Hyperactive mTORC1 in lung mesenchyme induces endothelial cell dysfunction and pulmonary vascular remodeling. J Clin Invest 2023; 134:e172116. [PMID: 38127441 PMCID: PMC10866655 DOI: 10.1172/jci172116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a progressive cystic lung disease caused by tuberous sclerosis complex 1/2 (TSC1/2) gene mutations in pulmonary mesenchymal cells, resulting in activation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1). A subset of patients with LAM develop pulmonary vascular remodeling and pulmonary hypertension. Little, however, is known regarding how LAM cells communicate with endothelial cells (ECs) to trigger vascular remodeling. In end-stage LAM lung explants, we identified EC dysfunction characterized by increased EC proliferation and migration, defective angiogenesis, and dysmorphic endothelial tube network formation. To model LAM disease, we used an mTORC1 gain-of-function mouse model with a Tsc2 KO (Tsc2KO) specific to lung mesenchyme (Tbx4LME-Cre Tsc2fl/fl), similar to the mesenchyme-specific genetic alterations seen in human disease. As early as 8 weeks of age, ECs from mice exhibited marked transcriptomic changes despite an absence of morphological changes to the distal lung microvasculature. In contrast, 1-year-old Tbx4LME-Cre Tsc2fl/fl mice spontaneously developed pulmonary vascular remodeling with increased medial thickness. Single-cell RNA-Seq of 1-year-old mouse lung cells identified paracrine ligands originating from Tsc2KO mesenchyme, which can signal through receptors in arterial ECs. These ECs had transcriptionally altered genes including those in pathways associated with blood vessel remodeling. The proposed pathophysiologic mesenchymal ligand-EC receptor crosstalk highlights the importance of an altered mesenchymal cell/EC axis in LAM and other hyperactive mTORC1-driven diseases. Since ECs in patients with LAM and in Tbx4LME-Cre Tsc2fl/fl mice did not harbor TSC2 mutations, our study demonstrates that constitutively active mTORC1 lung mesenchymal cells orchestrated dysfunctional EC responses that contributed to pulmonary vascular remodeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan M. Lin
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine
- Lung Biology Institute, and
| | - Ryan Rue
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine
| | - Alexander R. Mukhitov
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine
| | - Akansha Goel
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine
| | - Maria C. Basil
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine
- Lung Biology Institute, and
- Penn Cardiovascular Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kseniya Obraztsova
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine
| | | | - Slaven Crnkovic
- Division of Physiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Vascular Research, Graz, Austria
- Institute for Lung Health, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Owen A. Ledwell
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine
| | - Laura T. Ferguson
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine
- Lung Biology Institute, and
| | - Joseph D. Planer
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine
- Lung Biology Institute, and
| | - Ana N. Nottingham
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine
- Lung Biology Institute, and
| | - Kanth Swaroop Vanka
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine
| | - Carly J. Smith
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine
| | - Edward Cantu
- Lung Biology Institute, and
- Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Grazyna Kwapiszewska
- Division of Physiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Vascular Research, Graz, Austria
- Institute for Lung Health, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Edward E. Morrisey
- Lung Biology Institute, and
- Penn Cardiovascular Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jillian F. Evans
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine
| | - Vera P. Krymskaya
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine
- Lung Biology Institute, and
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Marinowic DR, Zanirati GG, Xavier FAC, Varella FJ, Azevedo SPDC, Ghilardi IM, Pereira-Neto NG, Koff MAE, Paglioli E, Palmini A, Abreu JG, Machado DC, da Costa JC. WNT pathway in focal cortical dysplasia compared to perilesional nonlesional tissue in refractory epilepsies. BMC Neurol 2023; 23:338. [PMID: 37749503 PMCID: PMC10521408 DOI: 10.1186/s12883-023-03394-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) is a malformation of cortical development that causes medical refractory seizures, and one of the main treatments may be surgical resection of the affected area of the brain. People affected by FCD may present with seizures of variable severity since childhood. Despite many medical treatments available, only surgery can offer cure. The pathophysiology of the disease is not yet understood; however, it is known that several gene alterations may play a role. The WNT/β-catenin pathway is closely related to the control and balance of cell proliferation and differentiation in the central nervous system. The aim of this study was to explore genes related to the WNT/β-catenin pathway in lesional and perilesional brain tissue in patients with FCD type II. METHODS Dysplastic and perilesional tissue from the primary dysplastic lesion of patients with FCD type IIa were obtained from two patients who underwent surgical treatment. The analysis of the relative expression of genes was performed by a qRT-PCR array (super array) containing 84 genes related to the WNT pathway. RESULTS Our results suggest the existence of molecular alteration in some genes of the WNT pathway in tissue with dysplastic lesions and of perilesional tissue. We call this tissue of normal-appearing adjacent cortex (NAAC). Of all genes analyzed, a large number of genes show similar behavior between injured, perilesional and control tissues. However, some genes have similar characteristics between the perilesional and lesional tissue and are different from the control brain tissue, presenting the perilesional tissue as a molecularly altered material. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that the perilesional area after surgical resection of tissue with cortical dysplasia presents molecular changes that may play a role in the recurrence of seizures in these patients. The perilesional tissue should receive expanded attention beyond the somatic mutations described and associated with FCD, such as mTOR, for example, to new signaling pathways that may play a crucial role in seizure recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R Marinowic
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
- Graduate Program in Medicine and Health Sciences, Medical School, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
- Graduate Program in Medicine, Pediatrics and Child Health, Medical School, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Gerontology, Medical School, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
| | - Gabriele G Zanirati
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Medicine, Pediatrics and Child Health, Medical School, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Fernando A C Xavier
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Medicine and Health Sciences, Medical School, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Fábio Jean Varella
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Medicine, Pediatrics and Child Health, Medical School, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Sofia Prates da Cunha Azevedo
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Isadora Machado Ghilardi
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Medicine, Pediatrics and Child Health, Medical School, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Normando G Pereira-Neto
- Epilepsy Surgery Program, São Lucas Hospital, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Marco Antônio Eduardo Koff
- Epilepsy Surgery Program, São Lucas Hospital, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Eliseu Paglioli
- Epilepsy Surgery Program, São Lucas Hospital, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - André Palmini
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Epilepsy Surgery Program, São Lucas Hospital, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - José Garcia Abreu
- Biomedical Science Institute - Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Denise C Machado
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Medicine and Health Sciences, Medical School, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Gerontology, Medical School, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Jaderson C da Costa
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Medicine and Health Sciences, Medical School, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Gerontology, Medical School, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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Zhang H, Hu Z, Wang S, Wu K, Yang Q, Song X. Clinical features and outcomes of male patients with lymphangioleiomyomatosis: A review. Medicine (Baltimore) 2022; 101:e32492. [PMID: 36596036 PMCID: PMC9803497 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000032492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare disease involving multiple systems, which is divided into sporadic LAM (S-LAM) and tuberous sclerosis complex-LAM, mostly affecting women who are in childbearing age stage. Data on male patients are limited and scattered. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct a systematic review to investigate the clinical features, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of LAM in male. METHODS We performed a literature review by searching for all the published reported cases of LAM in male during the past 35 years (April 1986-October 2021). RESULTS 36 male patients described in 26 references were included in this article. The median age of onset was 34 years (interquartile range: 1-79). The most common initial manifestations were cough, dyspnea, respite, and hemoptysis, with pulmonary complications such as pneumothorax and chylothorax. Five patients (13.9%) were asymptomatic at admission. Nearly half of the 36 male patients had thin-walled air-filled cysts that were visible throughout both lungs. Considering the abovementioned atypical clinical features, misdiagnosis was committed in 8 patients (22.2%). In addition, patients with tuberous sclerosis complex lymphangioleiomyomatosis often have no pulmonary manifestations at onset but present multiple extrapulmonary manifestations and have higher rates of renal angiomyolipomas than patients with S-LAM (P < 0.01). Eventually, 4 patients with S-LAM eventually died. CONCLUSION Physicians should increase the awareness of LAM in male. Early monitoring of various systems should be recommended to ensure early management and active follow-up. Tuberous sclerosis complex patients should immediately be tracked for the onset of LAM disease to improve prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoyu Zhang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the first College of Clinical Medicine science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Yichang Central People’s Hospital., Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zhigang Hu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the first College of Clinical Medicine science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Yichang Central People’s Hospital., Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Sufei Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, NHC Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Kanhao Wu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the first College of Clinical Medicine science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Yichang Central People’s Hospital., Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Qiaoyu Yang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the first College of Clinical Medicine science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Yichang Central People’s Hospital., Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xinyu Song
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the first College of Clinical Medicine science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Yichang Central People’s Hospital., Wuhan, Hubei, China
- * Correspondence: Xinyu Song, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the first College of Clinical Medicine science, Three Gorges University, NO. 183 Yiling Road, Yichang 443003. People’s Republic of China (e-mail: )
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Yu JJ, Goncharova EA. mTOR Signaling Network in Cell Biology and Human Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232416142. [PMID: 36555783 PMCID: PMC9787689 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232416142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a serine/threonine protein kinase that regulates multiple processes, including gene transcription, protein synthesis, ribosome biogenesis, autophagy, cell metabolism, and cell growth [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane J. Yu
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Elena A. Goncharova
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Lung Center, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: 530-752-9405
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Cong CV, Anh TTT, Ly TT, Duc NM. Pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM): A literature overview and case report. Radiol Case Rep 2022; 17:1646-1655. [PMID: 35330669 PMCID: PMC8938872 DOI: 10.1016/j.radcr.2022.02.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Lymphangioleiomyomatosis is a rare multisystem disease associated with genetic mutations. The disease usually occurs in women of childbearing age and is characterized by infiltration of immature smooth muscle cells into the lungs, airways, and axial lymphatic systems of the chest and abdomen. The disease often destroys lung parenchyma and produces air cysts. Lymphangioleiomyomatosis cell infiltration of the lymphatic axis can affect hilar lymph nodes, mediastinal ganglia, and extrathoracic lymph nodes. The disease can cause lymphatic dilation in the lungs and thoracic ducts, causing chylous effusion into the pleural or abdominal cavities. Invasion of cells into the walls of pulmonary veins can lead to venous obstruction and pulmonary venous hypertension with hemoptysis. Most patients present with cough, dyspnea, pneumothorax, hemoptysis, and abnormal lung function. Definitive diagnosis is usually based on histopathology and immunohistochemistry. We present a case of LAM in a 36-year-old female patient who was confirmed by specimens obtained from pneumothorax surgery and positive immunohistochemical staining with HMB-45.
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Murad HAS, Rafeeq MM, Alqurashi TMA. Role and implications of the CXCL12/CXCR4/CXCR7 axis in atherosclerosis: still a debate. Ann Med 2021; 53:1598-1612. [PMID: 34494495 PMCID: PMC8439212 DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2021.1974084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Atherosclerosis is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Chemokines and their receptors are implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. CXCL12 is a member of the chemokine family exerting a myriad role in atherosclerosis through its classical CXCR4 and atypical ACKR3 (CXCR7) receptors. The modulatory and regulatory functional spectrum of CXCL12/CXCR4/ACKR3 axis in atherosclerosis spans from proatherogenic, prothrombotic and proinflammatory to atheroprotective, plaque stabilizer and dyslipidemia rectifier. This diverse continuum is executed in a wide range of biological units including endothelial cells (ECs), progenitor cells, macrophages, monocytes, platelets, lymphocytes, neutrophils and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) through complex heterogeneous and homogenous coupling of CXCR4 and ACKR3 receptors, employing different downstream signalling pathways, which often cross-talk among themselves and with other signalling interactomes. Hence, a better understanding of this structural and functional heterogeneity and complex phenomenon involving CXCL12/CXCR4/ACKR3 axis in atherosclerosis would not only help in formulation of novel therapeutics, but also in elucidation of the CXCL12 ligand and its receptors, as possible diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers.Key messagesThe role of CXCL12 per se is proatherogenic in atherosclerosis development and progression.The CXCL12 receptors, CXCR4 and ACKR3 perform both proatherogenic and athero-protective functions in various cell typesDue to functional heterogeneity and cross talk of CXCR4 and ACKR3 at receptor level and downstream pathways, regional boosting with specific temporal and spatial modulators of CXCL12, CXCR4 and ACKR3 need to be explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hussam A. S. Murad
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Misbahuddin M. Rafeeq
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Thamer M. A. Alqurashi
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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