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Zhu J, Li X, Lv F, Zhou W. Bioinformatics Approach to Identify the Influences of COVID-19 on Ischemic Stroke. Biochem Genet 2023; 61:2222-2241. [PMID: 37184686 PMCID: PMC10184096 DOI: 10.1007/s10528-023-10366-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
As severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) is becoming more infectious and less virulent, symptoms beyond the lungs of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients are a growing concern. Studies have found that the severity of COVID-19 patients is associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke (IS); however, the underlying pathogenic mechanisms remain unknown. In this study, bioinformatics approaches were utilized to explore potential pathogenic mechanisms and predict potential drugs that may be useful in the treatment of COVID-19 and IS. The GSE152418 and GSE122709 datasets were downloaded from the GEO website to obtain the common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of the two datasets for further functional enrichment, pathway analysis, and drug candidate prediction. A total of 80 common DEGs were identified in COVID-19 and IS datasets for GO and KEGG analysis. Next, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed and hub genes were identified. Further, transcription factor-gene interactions and DEGs-miRNAs coregulatory network were investigated to explore their regulatory roles in disease. Finally, protein-drug interactions with common DEGs were analyzed to predict potential drugs. We successfully identified the top 10 hub genes that could serve as novel targeted therapies for COVID-19 and screened out some potential drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 and IS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiabao Zhu
- Department of Vascular Surgery, The Second Affliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Minde Road 1, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Xiangui Li
- Department of Vascular Surgery, The Second Affliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Minde Road 1, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Fanzhen Lv
- Department of Vascular Surgery, The Second Affliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Minde Road 1, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Weimin Zhou
- Department of Vascular Surgery, The Second Affliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Minde Road 1, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China.
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Yang W, Lee SK, Lehmann OJ, Wu Z, Hiriyanna S, Swaroop A, Lavker RM, Peng H, Kume T. FoxC1 activates limbal epithelial stem cells following corneal epithelial debridement. Exp Eye Res 2023; 234:109599. [PMID: 37488009 PMCID: PMC10530263 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2023.109599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Limbal epithelial stem cells are not only critical for corneal epithelial homeostasis but also have the capacity to change from a relatively quiescent mitotic phenotype to a rapidly proliferating cell in response to population depletion following corneal epithelial wounding. Pax6+/- mice display many abnormalities including corneal vascularization and these aberrations are consistent with a limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) phenotype. FoxC1 has an inhibitory effect on corneal avascularity and a positive role in stem cell maintenance in many tissues. However, the role of FoxC1 in limbal epithelial stem cells remains unknown. To unravel FoxC1's role(s) in limbal epithelial stem cell homeostasis, we utilized an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector to topically deliver human FOXC1 proteins into Pax6 +/- mouse limbal epithelium. Under unperturbed conditions, overexpression of FOXC1 in the limbal epithelium had little significant change in differentiation (PAI-2, Krt12) and proliferation (BrdU, Ki67). Conversely, such overexpression resulted in a marked increase in the expression of putative limbal epithelial stem cell markers, N-cadherin and Lrig1. After corneal injuries in Pax6 +/- mice, FOXC1 overexpression enhanced the behavior of limbal epithelial stem cells from quiescence to a highly proliferative status. Overall, the treatment of AAV8-FOXC1 may be beneficial to the function of limbal epithelial stem cells in the context of a deficiency of Pax6 function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wending Yang
- Departments of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Sun Kyong Lee
- Departments of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Ordan J Lehmann
- Department of Ophthalmology and Medical Genetics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G, 2H7, Canada
| | - Zhijian Wu
- Neurobiology Neurodegeneration& Repair Laboratory (N-NRL), National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Suja Hiriyanna
- Neurobiology Neurodegeneration& Repair Laboratory (N-NRL), National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Anand Swaroop
- Neurobiology Neurodegeneration& Repair Laboratory (N-NRL), National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Robert M Lavker
- Departments of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
| | - Han Peng
- Departments of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
| | - Tsutomu Kume
- Departments of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
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Hsp70/Hsp90 Organising Protein (Hop): Coordinating Much More than Chaperones. Subcell Biochem 2023; 101:81-125. [PMID: 36520304 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-14740-1_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The Hsp70/Hsp90 organising protein (Hop, also known as stress-inducible protein 1/STI1/STIP1) has received considerable attention for diverse cellular functions in both healthy and diseased states. There is extensive evidence that intracellular Hop is a co-chaperone of the major chaperones Hsp70 and Hsp90, playing an important role in the productive folding of Hsp90 client proteins, although recent evidence suggests that eukaryotic Hop is regulatory within chaperone complexes rather than essential. Consequently, Hop is implicated in many key signalling pathways, including aberrant pathways leading to cancer. Hop is also secreted, and it is now well established that Hop interacts with the prion protein, PrPC, to mediate multiple signalling events. The intracellular and extracellular forms of Hop most likely represent two different isoforms, although the molecular determinants of these divergent functions are yet to be identified. There is also a growing body of research that reports the involvement of Hop in cellular activities that appear independent of either chaperones or PrPC. While the various cellular functions of Hop have been described, its biological function remains elusive. However, recent knockout studies in mammals suggest that Hop has an important role in embryonic development. This review provides a critical overview of the latest molecular, cellular and biological research on Hop, critically evaluating its function in healthy systems and how this function is adapted in diseased states.
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Wu S, Chen J, Liang Y, Luo Q, Tong Y, Xie L. Long Non-Coding RNA ZEB2-AS1 Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression by Regulating The miR-582-5p/FOXC1 Axis. CELL JOURNAL 2022; 24:285-293. [PMID: 35892230 PMCID: PMC9315215 DOI: 10.22074/cellj.2022.7963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) feature prominently in tumors. Reportedly, lncRNA zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 2 antisense RNA 1 (ZEB2-AS1) is aberrantly expressed in a variety of tumors. The present study was aimed to explore ZEB2-AS1 functions and determine mechanism in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this experimental study, expressions of ZEB2-AS1, microRNA (miR)-582-5p and forkhead box C1 (FOXC1) mRNA in HCC tissues and cell lines were detected via quantitative reveres transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). After establishing gain- and loss-of-functions models, cell counting kit-8, 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU), Transwell assays and flow cytometry analysis were conducted to examine HCC cell multiplication, migration, invasion and apoptosis, respectively. The targeted relationship between miR-582- 5p and ZEB2-AS1 was verified via dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. Western blot was utilized for detecting FOXC1 expression in HCC cells after selectively regulating ZEB2-AS1 and miR-582-5p. RESULTS In HCC tissues and cells, ZEB2-AS1 expression was increased. High ZEB2-AS1 expression was related to relatively large tumor volume, increased tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage and positive lymph node metastasis of the patients. ZEB2-AS1 overexpression facilitated HCC cell multiplication, migration, invasion and suppressed apoptosis, while ZEB2-AS1 knock-down caused the opposite effects. It was also confirmed that ZEB2-AS1 could competitively bind with miR-582-5p to repress its expression, and indirectly up-regulate FOXC1 expression level in HCC cells. CONCLUSION The current study revealed that ZEB2-AS1 was over-expressed in HCC tissues and cells. It also upregulated (FOXC1), through sponging miR-582-5p, to promote HCC progression. This provides new perspectives for elucidating the pathogenesis of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shimin Wu
- Center for Clinical LaboratoryGeneral Hospital of The Yangtze River ShippingWuhan Brain HospitalWuhanHubeiChina
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Ji Z, Chen S, Cui J, Huang W, Zhang R, Wei J, Zhang S. Oct4-dependent FoxC1 activation improves the survival and neovascularization of mesenchymal stem cells under myocardial ischemia. Stem Cell Res Ther 2021; 12:483. [PMID: 34454602 PMCID: PMC8403428 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-021-02553-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The administration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) remains the most promising approach for cardiac repair after myocardial infarct (MI). However, their poor survival and potential in the ischemic environment limit their therapeutic efficacy for heart repair after MI. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of FoxC1-induced vascular niche on the activation of octamer-binding protein 4 (Oct4) and the fate of MSCs under hypoxic/ischemic conditions.
Methods Vascular microenvironment/niche was induced by efficient delivery of FoxC1 transfection into hypoxic endothelial cells (ECs) or infarcted hearts. MSCs were cultured or injected into this niche by utilizing an in vitro coculture model and a rat MI model. Survival and neovascularization of MSCs regulated by Oct4 were explored using gene transfer and functional studies.
Results Here, using gene expression heatmap, we demonstrated that cardiac ECs rapidly upregulated FoxC1 after acute ischemic cardiac injury, contributing to an intrinsic angiogenesis. In vitro, FoxC1 accelerated tube-like structure formation and increased survival of ECs, resulting in inducing a vascular microenvironment. Overexpression of FoxC1 in ECs promoted survival and neovascularization of MSCs under hypoxic coculture. Overexpression of Oct4, a FoxC1 target gene, in MSCs enhanced their mesenchymal-to-endothelial transition (MEndoT) while knockdown of Oct4 by siRNA altering vascularization. In a rat MI model, overexpression of FoxC1 in ischemic hearts increased post-infarct vascular density and improved cardiac function. The transplantation of adOct4-pretreated MSCs into these ischemic niches augments MEndoT, enhanced vascularity, and further improved cardiac function. Consistently, these cardioprotective effects of FoxC1 was abrogated when Oct4 was depleted in the MSCs and was mimicked by overexpression of Oct4. Conclusions Together, these studies demonstrate that the FoxC1/Oct4 axis is an essential aspect for survival and neovascularization of MSCs in the ischemic conditions and represents a potential therapeutic target for enhancing cardiac repair. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13287-021-02553-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhou Ji
- Department of Cardiology, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital Medical College of Jinan University, 396 Tongfuzhong Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510220, China.,Department of Cardiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, 121001, Liaoning, China
| | - Songsheng Chen
- Department of Cardiology, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital Medical College of Jinan University, 396 Tongfuzhong Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510220, China
| | - Jin Cui
- Department of Cardiology, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital Medical College of Jinan University, 396 Tongfuzhong Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510220, China
| | - Weiguang Huang
- Department of Cardiology, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital Medical College of Jinan University, 396 Tongfuzhong Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510220, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital Medical College of Jinan University, 396 Tongfuzhong Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510220, China
| | - Jianrui Wei
- Department of Cardiology, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital Medical College of Jinan University, 396 Tongfuzhong Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510220, China
| | - Shaoheng Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital Medical College of Jinan University, 396 Tongfuzhong Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510220, China.
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FoxC1-Induced Vascular Niche Improves Survival and Myocardial Repair of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Infarcted Hearts. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2020; 2020:7865395. [PMID: 32963702 PMCID: PMC7490631 DOI: 10.1155/2020/7865395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2019] [Revised: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Aims Forkhead box C1 (FoxC1) is essential for maintaining the hair follicle stem cell niche. The role of FoxC1 in maintaining mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) niches after myocardial infarction (MI) has not been directly determined to date. In this study, we determined to explore the possible roles and mechanisms of FoxC1 on MSC survival and function in the ischemic niche. Methods and Results MI model was established in this study, and expression level of FoxC1 was overexpressed or knocked down through efficient delivery of FoxC1 transfection or siFoxC1. Fifteen days later, the animals were allocated randomly to receive phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) injection or MSC transplantation. We identified FoxC1 as a key regulator of maintaining the vascular niche in the infarcted hearts (IHs) by driving proangiogenic and anti-inflammatory cytokines while repressing inflammatory and fibrotic factor expression. This vascular niche improved MSC survival and capacity in the IHs. Importantly, FoxC1 interacted with MSCs and was required for vessel specification and differentiation of engrafted MSCs in the ischemic niches, promoting myocardial repair. Inhibiting FoxC1 abolished these effects. Conclusion These results definitively implicate FoxC1 signaling in maintaining ischemic vascular niche, which may be helpful in myocardial repair induced by MSC therapy.
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Puig B, Yang D, Brenna S, Altmeppen HC, Magnus T. Show Me Your Friends and I Tell You Who You Are: The Many Facets of Prion Protein in Stroke. Cells 2020; 9:E1609. [PMID: 32630841 PMCID: PMC7407975 DOI: 10.3390/cells9071609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ischemic stroke belongs to the leading causes of mortality and disability worldwide. Although treatments for the acute phase of stroke are available, not all patients are eligible. There is a need to search for therapeutic options to promote neurological recovery after stroke. The cellular prion protein (PrPC) has been consistently linked to a neuroprotective role after ischemic damage: it is upregulated in the penumbra area following stroke in humans, and animal models of stroke have shown that lack of PrPC aggravates the ischemic damage and lessens the functional outcome. Mechanistically, these effects can be linked to numerous functions attributed to PrPC: (1) as a signaling partner of the PI3K/Akt and MAPK pathways, (2) as a regulator of glutamate receptors, and (3) promoting stem cell homing mechanisms, leading to angio- and neurogenesis. PrPC can be cleaved at different sites and the proteolytic fragments can account for the manifold functions. Moreover, PrPC is present on extracellular vesicles (EVs), released membrane particles originating from all types of cells that have drawn attention as potential therapeutic tools in stroke and many other diseases. Thus, identification of the many mechanisms underlying PrPC-induced neuroprotection will not only provide further understanding of the physiological functions of PrPC but also new ideas for possible treatment options after ischemic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berta Puig
- Neurology Department, Experimental Research in Stroke and Inflammation (ERSI), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; (D.Y.); (S.B.); (T.M.)
| | - Denise Yang
- Neurology Department, Experimental Research in Stroke and Inflammation (ERSI), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; (D.Y.); (S.B.); (T.M.)
| | - Santra Brenna
- Neurology Department, Experimental Research in Stroke and Inflammation (ERSI), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; (D.Y.); (S.B.); (T.M.)
| | | | - Tim Magnus
- Neurology Department, Experimental Research in Stroke and Inflammation (ERSI), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; (D.Y.); (S.B.); (T.M.)
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