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Sweet DR, Padmanabhan R, Liao X, Dashora HR, Tang X, Nayak L, Jain R, De Val S, Vinayachandran V, Jain MK. Krüppel-Like Factors Orchestrate Endothelial Gene Expression Through Redundant and Non-Redundant Enhancer Networks. J Am Heart Assoc 2023; 12:e024303. [PMID: 36789992 PMCID: PMC10111506 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.121.024303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Background Proper function of endothelial cells is critical for vascular integrity and organismal survival. Studies over the past 2 decades have identified 2 members of the KLF (Krüppel-like factor) family of proteins, KLF2 and KLF4, as nodal regulators of endothelial function. Strikingly, inducible postnatal deletion of both KLF2 and KLF4 resulted in widespread vascular leak, coagulopathy, and rapid death. Importantly, while transcriptomic studies revealed profound alterations in gene expression, the molecular mechanisms underlying these changes remain poorly understood. Here, we seek to determine mechanisms of KLF2 and KLF4 transcriptional control in multiple vascular beds to further understand their roles as critical endothelial regulators. Methods and Results We integrate chromatin occupancy and transcription studies from multiple transgenic mouse models to demonstrate that KLF2 and KLF4 have overlapping yet distinct binding patterns and transcriptional targets in heart and lung endothelium. Mechanistically, KLFs use open chromatin regions in promoters and enhancers and bind in context-specific patterns that govern transcription in microvasculature. Importantly, this occurs during homeostasis in vivo without additional exogenous stimuli. Conclusions Together, this work provides mechanistic insight behind the well-described transcriptional and functional heterogeneity seen in vascular populations, while also establishing tools into exploring microvascular endothelial dynamics in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- David R Sweet
- Case Cardiovascular Research Institute, Case Western Reserve University, and Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center Cleveland OH.,Department of Pathology Case Western Reserve University Cleveland OH
| | - Roshan Padmanabhan
- Case Cardiovascular Research Institute, Case Western Reserve University, and Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center Cleveland OH
| | - Xudong Liao
- Case Cardiovascular Research Institute, Case Western Reserve University, and Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center Cleveland OH
| | - Himanshu R Dashora
- Case Cardiovascular Research Institute, Case Western Reserve University, and Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center Cleveland OH
| | - Xinmiao Tang
- Case Cardiovascular Research Institute, Case Western Reserve University, and Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center Cleveland OH
| | - Lalitha Nayak
- Division of Hematology and Oncology University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center Cleveland OH
| | - Rajan Jain
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia PA
| | - Sarah De Val
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics University of Oxford UK
| | - Vinesh Vinayachandran
- Case Cardiovascular Research Institute, Case Western Reserve University, and Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center Cleveland OH
| | - Mukesh K Jain
- Case Cardiovascular Research Institute, Case Western Reserve University, and Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center Cleveland OH.,Division of Biology and Medicine Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University Providence RI
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Wulftange WJ, Kucukal E, Man Y, An R, Monchamp K, Sevrain CD, Dashora HR, Owusu-Ansah AT, Bode A, Ilich A, Little JA, Key NS, Gurkan UA. Antithrombin-III mitigates thrombin-mediated endothelial cell contraction and sickle red blood cell adhesion in microscale flow. Br J Haematol 2022; 198:893-902. [PMID: 35822297 PMCID: PMC9542057 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.18328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) have persistently elevated thrombin generation that results in a state of systemic hypercoagulability. Antithrombin‐III (ATIII), an endogenous serine protease inhibitor, inhibits several enzymes in the coagulation cascade, including thrombin. Here, we utilize a biomimetic microfluidic device to model the morphology and adhesive properties of endothelial cells (ECs) activated by thrombin and examine the efficacy of ATIII in mitigating the adhesion of SCD patient‐derived red blood cells (RBCs) and EC retraction. Microfluidic devices were fabricated, seeded with ECs, and incubated under physiological shear stress. Cells were then activated with thrombin with or without an ATIII pretreatment. Blood samples from subjects with normal haemoglobin (HbAA) and subjects with homozygous SCD (HbSS) were used to examine RBC adhesion to ECs. Endothelial cell surface adhesion molecule expression and confluency in response to thrombin and ATIII treatments were also evaluated. We found that ATIII pretreatment of ECs reduced HbSS RBC adhesion to thrombin‐activated endothelium. Furthermore, ATIII mitigated cellular contraction and reduced surface expression of von Willebrand factor and vascular cell adhesion molecule‐1 (VCAM‐1) mediated by thrombin. Our findings suggest that, by attenuating thrombin‐mediated EC damage and RBC adhesion to endothelium, ATIII may alleviate the thromboinflammatory manifestations of SCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- William J Wulftange
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Erdem Kucukal
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Yuncheng Man
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Ran An
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Karamoja Monchamp
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Charlotte D Sevrain
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Himanshu R Dashora
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Amma T Owusu-Ansah
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology Oncology, University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Allison Bode
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Anton Ilich
- Division of Hematology and UNC Blood Research Center, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jane A Little
- Division of Hematology and UNC Blood Research Center, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Nigel S Key
- Division of Hematology and UNC Blood Research Center, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Umut A Gurkan
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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Dashora HR, Rosenblum JS, Quinn KA, Alessi H, Novakovich E, Saboury B, Ahlman MA, Grayson P. Comparing Semi-quantitative and Qualitative Methods of Vascular FDG-PET Activity Measurement in Large-Vessel Vasculitis. J Nucl Med 2021; 63:280-286. [PMID: 34088771 DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.121.262326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The study rationale was to assess the performance of qualitative and semi-quantitative scoring methods for 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) assessment in large-vessel vasculitis (LVV). Methods: Patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) or Takayasu's arteritis (TAK) underwent clinical and imaging assessment, blinded to each other, within a prospective observational cohort. FDG-PET-CT scans were interpreted for active vasculitis by central reader assessment. Arterial FDG uptake was scored by qualitative visual assessment using the PET vascular activity score (PETVAS) and by semi-quantitative assessment using standardized uptake values (SUV) and target-to-background ratios (TBR) relative to liver/blood activity. Performance of each scoring method was assessed by intra-rater reliability using the intra-class coefficient (ICC) and area under receiver-operator characteristic curves (AUC), using physician assessment of clinical disease activity and reader interpretation of vascular PET activity as independent reference standards. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to analyze change in arterial FDG uptake over time. Results: Ninety-five patients (GCA=52; TAK=43) contributed 212 FDG-PET studies. The ICC for semi-quantitative evaluation [0.99 (range 0.98-1.00)] was greater than the ICC for qualitative evaluation [0.82 (range 0.56-0.93)]. PETVAS and TBR metrics were more strongly associated with reader interpretation of PET activity than SUV metrics. All assessment methods were significantly associated with physician assessment of clinical disease activity, but the semi-quantitative metric TBRLiver¬ achieved the highest AUC (0.66). Significant but weak correlations with C-reactive protein were observed for SUV metrics (r = 0.19, p<0.01) and TBRLiver (r = 0.20, p<0.01) but not for PETVAS. In response to increased treatment in 56 patients, arterial FDG uptake was significantly reduced when measured by semi-quantitative (TBRLiver 1.31 to 1.23, 6.1% ∆, p<0.0001) or qualitative (PETVAS 22 to 18, p<0.0001) methods. Semi-quantitative metrics provided complementary information to qualitative evaluation in cases of severe vascular inflammation. Conclusion: Both qualitative and semi-quantitative methods to measure arterial FDG uptake are useful to assess and monitor vascular inflammation in LVV. Compared to qualitative metrics, semi-quantitative methods have superior reliability and better discriminate treatment response in cases of severe inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himanshu R Dashora
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, United States
| | - Joel S Rosenblum
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, United States
| | - Kaitlin A Quinn
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, United States
| | - Hugh Alessi
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, United States
| | - Elaine Novakovich
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, United States
| | - Babak Saboury
- Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health
| | - Mark A Ahlman
- Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health
| | - Peter Grayson
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, United States
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