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Cheng C, Zhang J, Li X, Xue F, Cao L, Meng L, Sui W, Zhang M, Zhao Y, Xi B, Yu X, Xu F, Yang J, Zhang Y, Zhang C. NPRC deletion mitigated atherosclerosis by inhibiting oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis in ApoE knockout mice. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:290. [PMID: 37553374 PMCID: PMC10409771 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01560-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous studies suggested a beneficial effect of natriuretic peptides in animal models of cardiovascular disease, but the role of natriuretic peptide receptor C (NPRC) in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis (AS) remains unknown. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that NPRC may promote AS lesion formation and instability by enhancing oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis via protein kinase A (PKA) signaling. ApoE-/- mice were fed chow or Western diet for 12 weeks and NPRC expression was significantly increased in the aortic tissues of Western diet-fed mice. Systemic NPRC knockout mice were crossed with ApoE-/- mice to generate ApoE-/-NPRC-/- mice, and NPRC deletion resulted in a significant decrease in the size and instability of aortic atherosclerotic lesions in ApoE-/-NPRC-/- versus ApoE-/- mice. In addition, endothelial cell-specific NPRC knockout attenuated atherosclerotic lesions in mice. In contrast, endothelial cell overexpression of NPRC aggravated the size and instability of atherosclerotic aortic lesions in mice. Experiments in vitro showed that NPRC knockdown in human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) inhibited ROS production, pro-inflammatory cytokine expression and endothelial cell apoptosis, and increased eNOS expression. Furthermore, NPRC knockdown in HAECs suppressed macrophage migration, cytokine expression, and phagocytosis via its effects on endothelial cells. On the contrary, NPRC overexpression in endothelial cells resulted in opposite effects. Mechanistically, the anti-inflammation and anti-atherosclerosis effects of NPRC deletion involved activation of cAMP/PKA pathway, leading to downstream upregulated AKT1 pathway and downregulated NF-κB pathway. In conclusion, NPRC deletion reduced the size and instability of atherosclerotic lesions in ApoE-/- mice via attenuating inflammation and endothelial cell apoptosis and increasing eNOS expression by modulating cAMP/PKA-AKT1 and NF-κB pathways. Thus, targeting NPRC may provide a promising approach to the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Cheng
- National Key Laboratory for Innovation and Transformation of Luobing Theory, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education, Chinese National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Department of Cardiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, 110004, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- National Key Laboratory for Innovation and Transformation of Luobing Theory, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education, Chinese National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaodong Li
- Department of Cardiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, 110004, China
| | - Fei Xue
- National Key Laboratory for Innovation and Transformation of Luobing Theory, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education, Chinese National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Lei Cao
- National Key Laboratory for Innovation and Transformation of Luobing Theory, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education, Chinese National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Linlin Meng
- National Key Laboratory for Innovation and Transformation of Luobing Theory, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education, Chinese National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Wenhai Sui
- National Key Laboratory for Innovation and Transformation of Luobing Theory, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education, Chinese National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Meng Zhang
- National Key Laboratory for Innovation and Transformation of Luobing Theory, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education, Chinese National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Yuxia Zhao
- National Key Laboratory for Innovation and Transformation of Luobing Theory, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education, Chinese National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Bo Xi
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiao Yu
- Key Laboratory Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Feng Xu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Chest Pain Center, Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Jianmin Yang
- National Key Laboratory for Innovation and Transformation of Luobing Theory, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education, Chinese National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China.
| | - Yun Zhang
- National Key Laboratory for Innovation and Transformation of Luobing Theory, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education, Chinese National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China.
- Cardiovascular Disease Research Center of Shandong First Medical University, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China.
| | - Cheng Zhang
- National Key Laboratory for Innovation and Transformation of Luobing Theory, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education, Chinese National Health Commission and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China.
- Cardiovascular Disease Research Center of Shandong First Medical University, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China.
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Egom EEA. Natriuretic Peptide Clearance Receptor (NPR-C) Pathway as a Novel Therapeutic Target in Obesity-Related Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF). Front Physiol 2021; 12:674254. [PMID: 34093235 PMCID: PMC8176210 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.674254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a major public health problem with cases projected to double over the next two decades. There are currently no US Food and Drug Administration–approved therapies for the health-related outcomes of HFpEF. However, considering the high prevalence of this heterogeneous syndrome, a directed therapy for HFpEF is one the greatest unmet needs in cardiovascular medicine. Additionally, there is currently a lack of mechanistic understanding about the pathobiology of HFpEF. The phenotyping of HFpEF patients into pathobiological homogenous groups may not only be the first step in understanding the molecular mechanism but may also enable the development of novel targeted therapies. As obesity is one of the most common comorbidities found in HFpEF patients and is associated with many cardiovascular effects, it is a viable candidate for phenotyping. Large outcome trials and registries reveal that being obese is one of the strongest independent risk factors for developing HFpEF and that this excess risk may not be explained by traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Recently, there has been increased interest in the intertissue communication between adipose tissue and the heart. Evidence suggests that the natriuretic peptide clearance receptor (NPR-C) pathway may play a role in the development and pathobiology of obesity-related HFpEF. Therefore, therapeutic manipulations of the NPR-C pathway may represent a new pharmacological strategy in the context of underlying molecular mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Eroume A Egom
- Institut du Savoir Montfort, Hôpital Montfort, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Laboratory of Endocrinology and Radioisotopes, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies, Yaoundé, Cameroon
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Lenz T, Nicol P, Castellanos MI, Engel LC, Lahmann AL, Alexiou C, Joner M. Small Dimension-Big Impact! Nanoparticle-Enhanced Non-Invasive and Intravascular Molecular Imaging of Atherosclerosis In Vivo. Molecules 2020; 25:E1029. [PMID: 32106607 PMCID: PMC7179220 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25051029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Extensive translational research has provided considerable progress regarding the understanding of atherosclerosis pathophysiology over the last decades. In contrast, implementation of molecular in vivo imaging remains highly limited. In that context, nanoparticles represent a useful tool. Their variable shape and composition assure biocompatibility and stability within the environment of intended use, while the possibility of conjugating different ligands as well as contrast dyes enable targeting of moieties of interest on a molecular level and visualization throughout various imaging modalities. These characteristics have been exploited by a number of preclinical research approaches aimed at advancing understanding of vascular atherosclerotic disease, in order to improve identification of high-risk lesions prior to oftentimes fatal thromboembolic events. Furthermore, the combination of these targeted nanoparticles with therapeutic agents offers the potential of site-targeted drug delivery with minimized systemic secondary effects. This review gives an overview of different groups of targeted nanoparticles, designed for in vivo molecular imaging of atherosclerosis as well as an outlook on potential combined diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Lenz
- German Heart Centre Munich, Technical University of Munich, Lazarettstraße 36, 80636 Munich, Germany; (T.L.); (P.N.); (M.I.C.); (L.-C.E.); (A.L.L.)
| | - Philipp Nicol
- German Heart Centre Munich, Technical University of Munich, Lazarettstraße 36, 80636 Munich, Germany; (T.L.); (P.N.); (M.I.C.); (L.-C.E.); (A.L.L.)
- DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Munich Heart Alliance, 80802 Munich, Germany
| | - Maria Isabel Castellanos
- German Heart Centre Munich, Technical University of Munich, Lazarettstraße 36, 80636 Munich, Germany; (T.L.); (P.N.); (M.I.C.); (L.-C.E.); (A.L.L.)
- DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Munich Heart Alliance, 80802 Munich, Germany
| | - Leif-Christopher Engel
- German Heart Centre Munich, Technical University of Munich, Lazarettstraße 36, 80636 Munich, Germany; (T.L.); (P.N.); (M.I.C.); (L.-C.E.); (A.L.L.)
| | - Anna Lena Lahmann
- German Heart Centre Munich, Technical University of Munich, Lazarettstraße 36, 80636 Munich, Germany; (T.L.); (P.N.); (M.I.C.); (L.-C.E.); (A.L.L.)
| | - Christoph Alexiou
- Department of Oto-rhino-laryngology, head and neck surgery, Section of Experimental Oncology and Nanomedicine (SEON), Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung-Professorship, University Hospital Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany;
| | - Michael Joner
- German Heart Centre Munich, Technical University of Munich, Lazarettstraße 36, 80636 Munich, Germany; (T.L.); (P.N.); (M.I.C.); (L.-C.E.); (A.L.L.)
- DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Munich Heart Alliance, 80802 Munich, Germany
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Liu Y, Luehmann HP, Detering L, Pressly ED, McGrath AJ, Sultan D, Nguyen A, Grathwohl S, Shokeen M, Zayed M, Gropler RJ, Abendschein D, Hawker CJ, Woodard PK. Assessment of Targeted Nanoparticle Assemblies for Atherosclerosis Imaging with Positron Emission Tomography and Potential for Clinical Translation. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:15316-15321. [PMID: 30969098 PMCID: PMC6918720 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b02750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Nanoparticles have been assessed in preclinical models of atherosclerosis for detection of plaque complexity and treatment. However, their successful clinical translation has been hampered by less than satisfactory plaque detection and lack of a general strategy for assessing the translational potential of nanoparticles. Herein, nanoparticles based on comb-co-polymer assemblies were synthesized through a modular construction approach with precise control over the conjugation of multiple functional building blocks for in vivo evaluation. This high level of design control also allows physicochemical properties to be varied in a controllable fashion. Through conjugation of c-atrial natriuretic factor (CANF) peptide and radiolabeling with 64Cu, the 64Cu-CANF-comb nanoparticle was assessed for plaque imaging by targeting natriuretic peptide clearance receptor (NPRC) in a double-injury atherosclerosis model in rabbits. The prolonged blood circulation and enhanced binding capacity of 64Cu-CANF-comb nanoparticles provided sensitive and specific imaging of NPRC overexpressed in atherosclerotic lesions by positron emission tomography at intervals during the progression of the disease. Ex vivo tissue validation using autoradiography and immunostaining on human carotid endarterectomy specimens demonstrated specific binding of 64Cu-CANF-comb to human NPRC receptors. Taken together, this study not only shows the potential of NPRC-targeted 64Cu-CANF-comb nanoparticles for increased sensitivity to an epitope that increases during atherosclerosis plaque development but also provides a useful strategy for the general design and assessment of the translational potential of nanoparticles in cardiovascular imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjian Liu
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
| | - Hannah P. Luehmann
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
| | - Lisa Detering
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
| | - Eric D. Pressly
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Alaina J. McGrath
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Deborah Sultan
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
| | - Annie Nguyen
- Department of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
| | - Susannah Grathwohl
- Department of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
| | - Monica Shokeen
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
| | - Mohamed Zayed
- Department of Surgery, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
| | - Robert J. Gropler
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
| | - Dana Abendschein
- Department of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
| | - Craig J. Hawker
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Pamela K. Woodard
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
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Gu Y, Thompson D, Xu J, Lewis DF, Morgan JA, Cooper DB, McCathran CE, Wang Y. Aberrant pro-atrial natriuretic peptide/corin/natriuretic peptide receptor signaling is present in maternal vascular endothelium in preeclampsia. Pregnancy Hypertens 2017. [PMID: 29523263 DOI: 10.1016/j.preghy.2017.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Corin is a serine protease that converts pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (pro-ANP) to atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), a cardiac hormone that regulates salt-water balance and blood pressure. ANP is degraded by natriuretic peptide receptor (NPR). This study was to determine if aberrant pro-ANP/corin/NPR signaling is present in maternal vascular system in preeclampsia. STUDY DESIGN Maternal venous blood was obtained from 197 pregnant women (84 normotensive, 16 complicated with chronic hypertension (CHT), 11 mild and 86 severe preeclampsia). Plasma corin and pro-ANP concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Maternal subcutaneous fat tissue was obtained from 12 pregnant women with cesarean section delivery (6 normotensive and 6 preeclampsia). Vascular ANP and its receptors NPR-A, NPR-B, and NPR-C expression were examined by immunostaining of paraffin embedded subcutaneous fat tissue sections. RESULTS Corin concentrations were significantly higher in mild (2.78 ± 0.67 ng/ml, p < .05) and severe (2.53 ± 0.18 ng/ml, p < .01) preeclampsia than in normotensive (1.58 ± 0.08 ng/ml) and CHT (1.55 ± 0.20 ng/ml) groups. Pro-ANP concentrations were significantly higher in CHT (1.59 ± 0.53 ng/ml, p < .05) and severe preeclampsia (1.42 ± 0.24 ng/ml, p < .01) than in normotensive (0.48 ± 0.06 ng/ml) and mild preeclampsia (0.52 ± 0.09 ng/ml) groups. ANP and NPR-B expression was undetectable in maternal vessels from normotensive and preeclamptic pregnancies, but reduced NPR-A expression and increased NPR-C expression was found in maternal vessel endothelium in preeclampsia. CONCLUSIONS ANP is a vasodilator and NPR-C is a clearance receptor for ANP. The finding of upregulation of NPR-C expression suggests that circulating ANP clearance or degradation is increased in preeclampsia. These results also suggest that pro-ANP/corin/NPR signaling is dominant in the vascular system in preeclampsia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Gu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Donna Thompson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Jie Xu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Shreveport, LA, USA; Department of Physiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - David F Lewis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - John A Morgan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Danielle B Cooper
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Charles E McCathran
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Yuping Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Shreveport, LA, USA.
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