1
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Fredenburgh LE, Baron RM, Carvajal IM, Mouded M, Macias AA, Ith B, Perrella MA. Absence of heme oxygenase-1 expression in the lung parenchyma exacerbates endotoxin-induced acute lung injury and decreases surfactant protein-B levels. Cell Mol Biol (Noisy-le-grand) 2005; 51:513-20. [PMID: 16309574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2005] [Accepted: 03/21/2005] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a devastating disease process characterized by severe acute lung injury, inflammatory cell recruitment to the lung, upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and increased oxidative stress. Epithelial cell injury, diffuse alveolar damage and surfactant dysfunction ensue leading to refractory hypoxemic respiratory failure. There are no specific effective therapies for ARDS and novel therapeutic approaches are desperately needed. In this study we assessed the role of the cytoprotective and anti-inflammatory enzyme heme oxygenase (HO)-1 in a model of nebulized endotoxin-induced acute lung injury. HO-1 null (HO-1(-/-)) mice exhibited severe physiologic lung dysfunction following lipopolysaccharide (LPS) nebulization, but had similar inflammatory responses as wild-type (WT) mice. However, a dramatic reduction in surfactant protein-B (SP-B) expression was observed in the lungs of LPS-treated HO-1(-/-) mice compared with similarly treated WT mice. Using reciprocal bone marrow transplantation (BMT) to generate HO-1-chimeric mice, we found that absence of HO-1 in the lung parenchyma, not in bone marrow-derived inflammatory cells, was responsible for enhanced SP-B downregulation and severe physiologic lung dysfunction. These findings have implications for our understanding of the pathophysiology of ARDS and may guide future therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- L E Fredenburgh
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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2
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Agrawal RS, Muangman S, Layne MD, Melo L, Perrella MA, Lee RT, Zhang L, Lopez-Ilasaca M, Dzau VJ. Pre-emptive gene therapy using recombinant adeno-associated virus delivery of extracellular superoxide dismutase protects heart against ischemic reperfusion injury, improves ventricular function and prolongs survival. Gene Ther 2004; 11:962-9. [PMID: 15029230 DOI: 10.1038/sj.gt.3302250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
In high-risk patients, the ideal cardiovascular gene therapy requires a strategy that provides long-term protection of myocardium against episodes of ischemic/reperfusion injury. We report the development of an efficient, long-lasting pre-emptive gene therapy strategy in a rat model of ischemic-reperfusion (I/R) injury of heart. At 6 weeks prior to myocardial injury, the human extracellular superoxide dismutase (Ec-SOD) gene was delivered by direct intramyocardial injections, using a recombinant adeno-associated virus vector. Significant myocardial protection was documented by the decrease in infarct size at 24 h post I/R, improved left ventricular function at 7 weeks postinjury, and enhanced long-term survival in the SOD treated group. This concept of preinjury delivery and 'pre-emptive' gene therapy via the expression of a secreted protein that renders paracrine therapeutic action can be an effective strategy for organ protection against future injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- R S Agrawal
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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3
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Chen YH, Layne MD, Watanabe M, Yet SF, Perrella MA. Upstream stimulatory factors regulate aortic preferentially expressed gene-1 expression in vascular smooth muscle cells. J Biol Chem 2001; 276:47658-63. [PMID: 11606591 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m108678200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The phenotypic modulation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) plays a central role in the pathogenesis of arteriosclerosis. Aortic preferentially expressed gene-1 (APEG-1), a VSMC-specific gene, is expressed highly in differentiated but not in dedifferentiated VSMC. Previously, we identified an E-box element in the mouse APEG-1 proximal promoter, which is essential for VSMC reporter activity. In this study, we investigated the role of upstream stimulatory factors (USF) in the regulation of APEG-1 transcription via this E-box element. By electrophoretic mobility shift assays, recombinant USF1 and USF2 homo- and heterodimers bound specifically to the APEG-1 E-box. Nuclear extracts prepared from primary cultures of rat aortic smooth muscle cells exhibited specific USF1 and USF2 binding to the APEG-1 E-box. To investigate the binding properties of USF during VSMC differentiation, nuclear extracts were prepared from the neural crest cell line, MONC-1, which differentiates into VSMC in culture. Maximal USF1 and USF2 protein levels and binding to the APEG-1 E-box occurred 3 h after the differentiation of MONC-1 cells was initiated. Co-transfection experiments demonstrated that dominant negative USF repressed APEG-1 promoter activity, and USF1, but not USF2, transactivated the APEG-1 promoter. Our studies demonstrate that USF factors contribute to the regulation of APEG-1 expression and may influence the differentiation of VSMC.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Aorta/metabolism
- Aorta, Thoracic/cytology
- Aorta, Thoracic/metabolism
- Blotting, Northern
- Blotting, Western
- Cell Differentiation
- Cell Nucleus/metabolism
- Cells, Cultured
- DNA-Binding Proteins
- Dimerization
- Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
- Gene Expression Regulation
- Genes, Dominant
- Luciferases/metabolism
- Male
- Muscle, Smooth/cytology
- Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/cytology
- Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/metabolism
- Phenotype
- Promoter Regions, Genetic
- Protein Binding
- Protein Biosynthesis
- RNA, Messenger/metabolism
- Rats
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley
- Time Factors
- Transcription Factors/genetics
- Transcription Factors/metabolism
- Transcription, Genetic
- Transfection
- Upstream Stimulatory Factors
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Affiliation(s)
- Y H Chen
- Pulmonary and Critical Care and Cardiovascular Divisions, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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4
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Layne MD, Patel A, Chen YH, Rebel VI, Carvajal IM, Pellacani A, Ith B, Zhao D, Schreiber BM, Yet SF, Lee ME, Storch J, Perrella MA. Role of macrophage-expressed adipocyte fatty acid binding protein in the development of accelerated atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic mice. FASEB J 2001; 15:2733-5. [PMID: 11606480 DOI: 10.1096/fj.01-0374fje] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease process associated with elevated levels of plasma cholesterol, especially low-density lipoproteins. The latter become trapped within the arterial wall and are oxidized and taken up by macrophages to form foam cells. This process is an initiating event for atherosclerosis. Fatty acid binding proteins (FABP) are involved in fatty acid metabolism and cellular lipid transport, and adipocyte FABP (aP2) is also expressed in macrophages. We recently generated mice lacking both apolipoprotein (Apo)E and aP2 (ApoE-/-aP2-/-) and found that these mice, compared with ApoE-/- mice, developed markedly smaller atherosclerotic lesions that contained fewer macrophages. Here we investigated the mechanism(s) responsible for this prevention of atherosclerotic lesion formation. Bone marrow transplantations were performed in ApoE-/- mice, receiving cells from either ApoE-/- or ApoE-/-aP2-/- mice. The lack of aP2 in donor marrow cells led to the development of smaller (5.5-fold) atherosclerotic lesions in the recipient mice. No differences were found in plasma cholesterol, glucose, or insulin levels between recipients of bone marrow cells from ApoE-/- or ApoE-/-aP2-/- mice. However, the expression of chemoattractant and inflammatory cytokines was decreased in macrophages from ApoE-/-aP2-/- mice compared with ApoE-/- mice, which may contribute to the decrease in atherosclerotic lesion formation. Taken together, we demonstrate the importance of macrophage aP2 in the development of atherosclerotic lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- M D Layne
- Program of Developmental Cardiovascular Biology, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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5
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Layne MD, Yet SF, Maemura K, Hsieh CM, Bernfield M, Perrella MA, Lee ME. Impaired abdominal wall development and deficient wound healing in mice lacking aortic carboxypeptidase-like protein. Mol Cell Biol 2001; 21:5256-61. [PMID: 11438679 PMCID: PMC87249 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.21.15.5256-5261.2001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Aortic carboxypeptidase-like protein (ACLP) is a member of a diverse group of proteins that contain a domain with similarity to that of the Dictyostelium discoideum protein discoidin I. The discoidin domain has been identified in mammalian milk fat globule membrane proteins, blood coagulation factors, and receptor tyrosine kinases, where it may facilitate cell aggregation, adhesion, or cell-cell recognition. Here we show that ACLP is a secreted protein that associates with the extracellular matrix (ECM). During mouse embryogenesis, ACLP is abundantly expressed in the ECM of collagen-rich tissues, including the vasculature, dermis, and the developing skeleton. We deleted the ACLP gene in mice by homologous recombination. The majority of ACLP(-/-) mice die perinatally due to gastroschisis, a severe disruption of the anterior abdominal wall and herniation of the abdominal organs. ACLP(-/-) mice that survived to adulthood developed nonhealing skin wounds. Following injury by a dermal punch biopsy, ACLP(-/-) mice exhibited deficient wound healing compared with controls. In addition, dermal fibroblasts isolated from ACLP(-/-) 18.5-day-postconception embryos exhibited a reduced proliferative capacity compared with wild-type cells. These results indicate that ACLP is an ECM protein that is essential for embryonic development and dermal wound healing processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- M D Layne
- Cardiovascular, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
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6
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Perrella MA, Pellacani A, Layne MD, Patel A, Zhao D, Schreiber BM, Storch J, Feinberg MW, Hsieh CM, Haber E, Lee ME. Absence of adipocyte fatty acid binding protein prevents the development of accelerated atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic mice. FASEB J 2001; 15:1774-6. [PMID: 11481226 DOI: 10.1096/fj.01-0017fje] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- M A Perrella
- Program of Developmental Cardiovascular Biology, Cardiovascular Division, and. Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
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7
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Yet SF, Tian R, Layne MD, Wang ZY, Maemura K, Solovyeva M, Ith B, Melo LG, Zhang L, Ingwall JS, Dzau VJ, Lee ME, Perrella MA. Cardiac-specific expression of heme oxygenase-1 protects against ischemia and reperfusion injury in transgenic mice. Circ Res 2001; 89:168-73. [PMID: 11463724 DOI: 10.1161/hh1401.093314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 323] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Heme oxygenase (HO)-1 degrades the pro-oxidant heme and generates carbon monoxide and antioxidant bilirubin. We have previously shown that in response to hypoxia, HO-1-null mice develop infarcts in the right ventricle of their hearts and that their cardiomyocytes are damaged by oxidative stress. To test whether HO-1 protects against oxidative injury in the heart, we generated cardiac-specific transgenic mice overexpressing different levels of HO-1. By use of a Langendorff preparation, hearts from transgenic mice showed improved recovery of contractile performance during reperfusion after ischemia in an HO-1 dose-dependent manner. In vivo, myocardial ischemia and reperfusion experiments showed that infarct size was only 14.7% of the area at risk in transgenic mice compared with 56.5% in wild-type mice. Hearts from these transgenic animals had reduced inflammatory cell infiltration and oxidative damage. Our data demonstrate that overexpression of HO-1 in the cardiomyocyte protects against ischemia and reperfusion injury, thus improving the recovery of cardiac function.
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Affiliation(s)
- S F Yet
- Cardiovascular and Pulmonary and Critical Care, Division and the Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
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8
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Minamino T, Christou H, Hsieh CM, Liu Y, Dhawan V, Abraham NG, Perrella MA, Mitsialis SA, Kourembanas S. Targeted expression of heme oxygenase-1 prevents the pulmonary inflammatory and vascular responses to hypoxia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2001; 98:8798-803. [PMID: 11447290 PMCID: PMC37515 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.161272598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 310] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2001] [Accepted: 05/31/2001] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic hypoxia causes pulmonary hypertension with smooth muscle cell proliferation and matrix deposition in the wall of the pulmonary arterioles. We demonstrate here that hypoxia also induces a pronounced inflammation in the lung before the structural changes of the vessel wall. The proinflammatory action of hypoxia is mediated by the induction of distinct cytokines and chemokines and is independent of tumor necrosis factor-alpha signaling. We have previously proposed a crucial role for heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in protecting cardiomyocytes from hypoxic stress, and potent anti-inflammatory properties of HO-1 have been reported in models of tissue injury. We thus established transgenic mice that constitutively express HO-1 in the lung and exposed them to chronic hypoxia. HO-1 transgenic mice were protected from the development of both pulmonary inflammation as well as hypertension and vessel wall hypertrophy induced by hypoxia. Significantly, the hypoxic induction of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines was suppressed in HO-1 transgenic mice. Our findings suggest an important protective function of enzymatic products of HO-1 activity as inhibitors of hypoxia-induced vasoconstrictive and proinflammatory pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Minamino
- Department of Medicine, Division of Newborn Medicine, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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9
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Wiesel P, Patel AP, Carvajal IM, Wang ZY, Pellacani A, Maemura K, DiFonzo N, Rennke HG, Layne MD, Yet SF, Lee ME, Perrella MA. Exacerbation of chronic renovascular hypertension and acute renal failure in heme oxygenase-1-deficient mice. Circ Res 2001; 88:1088-94. [PMID: 11375280 DOI: 10.1161/hh1001.091521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Heme oxygenase (HO) is a cytoprotective enzyme that degrades heme (a potent oxidant) to generate carbon monoxide (a vasodilatory gas that has anti-inflammatory properties), bilirubin (an antioxidant derived from biliverdin), and iron (sequestered by ferritin). Because of properties of HO and its products, we hypothesized that HO would be important for the regulation of blood pressure and ischemic injury. We studied chronic renovascular hypertension in mice deficient in the inducible isoform of HO (HO-1) using a one kidney-one clip (1K1C) model of disease. Systolic blood pressure was not different between wild-type (HO-1(+/+)), heterozygous (HO-1(+/-)), and homozygous null (HO-1(-/-)) mice at baseline. After 1K1C surgery, HO-1(+/+) mice developed hypertension (140+/-2 mm Hg) and cardiac hypertrophy (cardiac weight index of 5.0+/-0.2 mg/g) compared with sham-operated HO-1(+/+) mice (108+/-5 mm Hg and 4.1+/-0.1 mg/g, respectively). However, 1K1C produced more severe hypertension (164+/-2 mm Hg) and cardiac hypertrophy (6.9+/-0.6 mg/g) in HO-1(-/-) mice. HO-1(-/-) mice also experienced a high rate of death (56%) within 72 hours after 1K1C surgery compared with HO-1(+/+) (25%) and HO-1(+/-) (28%) mice. Assessment of renal function showed a significantly higher plasma creatinine in HO-1(-/-) mice compared with HO-1(+/-) mice. Histological analysis of kidneys from 1K1C HO-1(-/-) mice revealed extensive ischemic injury at the corticomedullary junction, whereas kidneys from sham HO-1(-/-) and 1K1C HO-1(+/-) mice appeared normal. Taken together, these data suggest that chronic deficiency of HO-1 does not alter basal blood pressure; however, in the 1K1C model an absence of HO-1 leads to more severe renovascular hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy. Moreover, renal artery clipping leads to an acute increase in ischemic damage and death in the absence of HO-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Wiesel
- Program of Developmental Cardiovascular Biology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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10
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Fukumoto S, Hsieh CM, Maemura K, Layne MD, Yet SF, Lee KH, Matsui T, Rosenzweig A, Taylor WG, Rubin JS, Perrella MA, Lee ME. Akt participation in the Wnt signaling pathway through Dishevelled. J Biol Chem 2001; 276:17479-83. [PMID: 11278246 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.c000880200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 286] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Inactivation of glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK3beta) and the resulting stabilization of free beta-catenin are critical steps in the activation of Wnt target genes. While Akt regulates GSK3alpha/beta in the phosphatidylinositide 3-OH kinase signaling pathway, its role in Wnt signaling is unknown. Here we report that expression of Wnt or Dishevelled (Dvl) increased Akt activity. Activated Akt bound to the Axin-GSK3beta complex in the presence of Dvl, phosphorylated GSK3beta and increased free beta-catenin levels. Furthermore, in Wnt-overexpressing PC12 cells, dominant-negative Akt decreased free beta-catenin and derepressed nerve growth factor-induced differentiation. Therefore, Akt acts in association with Dvl as an important regulator of the Wnt signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Fukumoto
- Cardiovascular and Pulmonary and Critical Care Divisions, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Cardiovascular Research Center Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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11
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Rudders S, Gaspar J, Madore R, Voland C, Grall F, Patel A, Pellacani A, Perrella MA, Libermann TA, Oettgen P. ESE-1 is a novel transcriptional mediator of inflammation that interacts with NF-kappa B to regulate the inducible nitric-oxide synthase gene. J Biol Chem 2001; 276:3302-9. [PMID: 11036073 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m006507200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammation is a hallmark of several vascular diseases. The nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) transcription factors are dimeric proteins involved in the activation of a large number of genes in response to inflammatory stimuli. We report the involvement of a novel member of the ETS transcription factor, ESE-1, in mediating vascular inflammation. ESE-1 is induced in response to inflammatory cytokines and lipopolysaccharide in vascular smooth muscle cells, endothelial cells, and cells of the monocyte-macrophage lineage. This induction occurs within hours of stimulation and is mediated by NF-kappaB transactivation of the ESE-1 promoter. We have identified the inducible form of nitric-oxide synthase (NOS2) as a putative target for ESE-1. ESE-1 can bind to the p50 subunit of NF-kappaB, and cotransfection of ESE-1 with the p50 and p65 subunits of NF-kappaB synergistically enhances transactivation of the NOS2 promoter by ESE-1. An ESE-1-binding site within the NOS2 promoter has been identified, the site-directed mutagenesis of which completely abolishes the ability of ESE-1 to transactivate the NOS2 promoter. Finally, in a mouse model of endotoxemia, associated with acute vascular inflammation, ESE-1 is strongly expressed in vascular endothelium and smooth muscle cells. In summary, ESE-1 represents a novel mediator of vascular inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Rudders
- Cardiology Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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12
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Pellacani A, Wiesel P, Razavi S, Vasilj V, Feinberg MW, Chin MT, Reeves R, Perrella MA. Down-regulation of high mobility group-I(Y) protein contributes to the inhibition of nitric-oxide synthase 2 by transforming growth factor-beta1. J Biol Chem 2001; 276:1653-9. [PMID: 11056164 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m008170200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The inducible isoform of nitric-oxide synthase (NOS2) catalyzes the production of nitric oxide (NO), which participates in the pathophysiology of systemic inflammatory diseases such as sepsis. NOS2 is transcriptionally up-regulated by endotoxin and inflammatory cytokines, and down-regulated by transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1. Recently we have shown that high mobility group (HMG)-I(Y) protein, an architectural transcription factor, contributes to NOS2 gene transactivation by inflammatory mediators. The aim of the present study was to determine whether regulation of HMG-I(Y) by TGF-beta1 contributes to the TGF-beta1-mediated suppression of NOS2. By Northern blot analysis, we show that TGF-beta1 decreased cytokine-induced HMG-I(Y) mRNA levels in vascular smooth muscle cells and macrophages in vitro and in vivo. Western analysis confirmed the down-regulation of HMG-I(Y) protein by TGF-beta1. To determine whether the down-regulation of HMG-I(Y) contributed to a decrease in NOS2 gene transactivation by TGF-beta1, we performed cotransfection experiments. Overexpression of HMG-I(Y) was able to restore cytokine inducibility of the NOS2 promoter that was suppressed by TGF-beta1. The effect of TGF-beta1 on NOS2 gene transactivation was not related to a decrease in binding of HMG-I(Y) to the promoter of the NOS2 gene, but due to a decrease in endogenous HMG-I(Y) protein. These data provide the first evidence that cytokine-induced HMG-I(Y) can be down-regulated by TGF-beta1. This down-regulation of HMG-I(Y) contributes to the TGF-beta1-mediated decrease in NOS2 gene transactivation by proinflammatory stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Pellacani
- Cardiovascular and Pulmonary and Critical Care Divisions, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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13
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Wiesel P, Patel AP, DiFonzo N, Marria PB, Sim CU, Pellacani A, Maemura K, LeBlanc BW, Marino K, Doerschuk CM, Yet SF, Lee ME, Perrella MA. Endotoxin-induced mortality is related to increased oxidative stress and end-organ dysfunction, not refractory hypotension, in heme oxygenase-1-deficient mice. Circulation 2000; 102:3015-22. [PMID: 11113055 DOI: 10.1161/01.cir.102.24.3015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 155] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Heme oxygenase (HO)-1 is an enzyme that degrades heme to generate CO (a vasodilatory gas), iron, and the potent antioxidant bilirubin. A disease process characterized by decreases in vascular tone and increases in oxidative stress is endotoxic shock. Moreover, HO-1 is markedly induced in multiple organs after the administration of endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide [LPS]) to mice. METHODS AND RESULTS To determine the role of HO-1 in endotoxemia, we administered LPS to mice that were wild-type (+/+), heterozygous (+/-), or homozygous null (-/-) for targeted disruption of HO-1. LPS produced a similar induction of HO-1 mRNA and protein in HO-1(+/+) and HO-1(+/-) mice, whereas HO-1(-/-) mice showed no HO-1 expression. Four hours after LPS, systolic blood pressure (SBP) decreased in all the groups. However, SBP was significantly higher in HO-1(-/-) mice (121+/-5 mm Hg) after 24 hours, compared with HO-1(+/+) (96+/-7 mm Hg) and HO-1(+/-) (89+/-13 mm Hg) mice. A sustained increase in endothelin-1 contributed to this SBP response. Even though SBP was higher, mortality was increased in HO-1(-/-) mice, and they exhibited hepatic and renal dysfunction that was not present in HO-1(+/+) and HO-1(+/-) mice. The end-organ damage and death in HO-1(-/-) mice was related to increased oxidative stress. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that the increased mortality during endotoxemia in HO-1(-/-) mice is related to increased oxidative stress and end-organ (renal and hepatic) damage, not to refractory hypotension.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Wiesel
- Program of Developmental Cardiovascular Biology, the Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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14
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Maemura K, de la Monte SM, Chin MT, Layne MD, Hsieh CM, Yet SF, Perrella MA, Lee ME. CLIF, a novel cycle-like factor, regulates the circadian oscillation of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 gene expression. J Biol Chem 2000; 275:36847-51. [PMID: 11018023 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.c000629200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 158] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The onset of myocardial infarction occurs frequently in the early morning, and it may partly result from circadian variation of fibrinolytic activity. Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 activity shows a circadian oscillation and may account for the morning onset of myocardial infarction. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating this circadian oscillation remain unknown. Recent evidence indicates that basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH)/PAS domain transcription factors play a crucial role in controlling the biological clock that controls circadian rhythm. We isolated a novel bHLH/PAS protein, cycle-like factor (CLIF) from human umbilical vein endothelial cells. CLIF shares high homology with Drosophila CYCLE, one of the essential transcriptional regulators of circadian rhythm. CLIF is expressed in endothelial cells and neurons in the brain, including the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the center of the circadian clock. In endothelial cells, CLIF forms a heterodimer with CLOCK and up-regulates the PAI-1 gene through E-box sites. Furthermore, Period2 and Cryptochrome1, whose expression show a circadian oscillation in peripheral tissues, inhibit the PAI-1 promoter activation by the CLOCK:CLIF heterodimer. These results suggest that CLIF regulates the circadian oscillation of PAI-1 gene expression in endothelial cells. In addition, the results potentially provide a molecular basis for the morning onset of myocardial infarction.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Maemura
- Cardiovascular and the Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
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15
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Hsieh CM, Fukumoto S, Layne MD, Maemura K, Charles H, Patel A, Perrella MA, Lee ME. Striated muscle preferentially expressed genes alpha and beta are two serine/threonine protein kinases derived from the same gene as the aortic preferentially expressed gene-1. J Biol Chem 2000; 275:36966-73. [PMID: 10973969 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m006028200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Aortic preferentially expressed gene (APEG)-1 is a 1.4-kilobase pair (kb) mRNA expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells and is down-regulated by vascular injury. An APEG-1 5'-end cDNA probe identified three additional isoforms. The 9-kb striated preferentially expressed gene (SPEG)alpha and the 11-kb SPEGbeta were found in skeletal muscle and heart. The 4-kb brain preferentially expressed gene was detected in the brain and aorta. We report here cloning of the 11-kb SPEGbeta cDNA. SPEGbeta encodes a 355-kDa protein that contains two serine/threonine kinase domains and is homologous to proteins of the myosin light chain kinase family. At least one kinase domain is active and capable of autophosphorylation. In the genome, all four isoforms share the middle three of the five exons of APEG-1, and they differ from each other by using different 5'- and 3'-ends and alternative splicing. We show that the expression of SPEGalpha and SPEGbeta is developmentally regulated in the striated muscle during C2C12 myoblast to myotube differentiation in vitro and cardiomyocyte maturation in vivo. This developmental regulation suggests that both SPEGalpha and SPEGbeta can serve as sensitive markers for striated muscle differentiation and that they may be important for adult striated muscle function.
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Affiliation(s)
- C M Hsieh
- Cardiovascular and the Pulmonary and Critical Care Divisions, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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16
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Werner F, Jain MK, Feinberg MW, Sibinga NE, Pellacani A, Wiesel P, Chin MT, Topper JN, Perrella MA, Lee ME. Transforming growth factor-beta 1 inhibition of macrophage activation is mediated via Smad3. J Biol Chem 2000; 275:36653-8. [PMID: 10973958 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m004536200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Activated macrophages are critical cellular participants in inflammatory disease states. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 is a growth factor with pleiotropic effects including inhibition of immune cell activation. Although the pathway of gene activation by TGF-beta1 via Smad proteins has recently been elucidated, suppression of gene expression by TGF-beta1 remains poorly understood. We found that of Smad1-Smad7, Smad3 alone was able to inhibit expression of markers of macrophage activation (inducible nitric-oxide synthase and matrix metalloproteinase-12) following lipopolysaccharide treatment in gene reporter assays. Transient and constitutive overexpression of a dominant negative Smad3 opposed the inhibitory effect of TGF-beta1. Domain swapping experiments suggest that both the Smad MH-1 and MH-2 domains are required for inhibition. Mutation of a critical amino acid residue required for DNA binding in the MH-1 of Smad3 (R74A) resulted in the loss of inhibition. Transient overexpression of p300, an interactor of the Smad MH-2 domain, partially alleviated the inhibition by TGF-beta1/Smad3, suggesting that inhibition of gene expression may be due to increased competition for limiting amounts of this coactivator. Our results have implications for the understanding of gene suppression by TGF-beta1 and for the regulation of activated macrophages by TGF-beta1.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Werner
- Program of Developmental Cardiovascular Biology, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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17
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Feinberg MW, Jain MK, Werner F, Sibinga NE, Wiesel P, Wang H, Topper JN, Perrella MA, Lee ME. Transforming growth factor-beta 1 inhibits cytokine-mediated induction of human metalloelastase in macrophages. J Biol Chem 2000; 275:25766-73. [PMID: 10825169 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m002664200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) have been identified in vulnerable areas of atherosclerotic plaques and may contribute to plaque instability through extracellular matrix degradation. Human metalloelastase (MMP-12) is a macrophage-specific MMP with broad substrate specificity and is capable of degrading proteins found in the extracellular matrix of atheromas. Despite its potential importance, little is known about the regulation of MMP-12 expression in the context of atherosclerosis. In this study, we report that in human peripheral blood-derived macrophages, MMP-12 mRNA was markedly up-regulated by several pro-atherosclerotic cytokines and growth factors including interleukin-1beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, macrophage colony-stimulating factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, and platelet-derived growth factor-BB. In contrast, the pleiotropic anti-inflammatory growth factor transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) inhibited cytokine-mediated induction of MMP-12 mRNA, protein, and enzymatic activity. Analyses of MMP-12 promoter through transient transfections and electrophoretic mobility shift assays indicated that both its induction by cytokines and its inhibition by TGF-beta1 depended on signaling through an AP-1 site at -81 base pairs. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of TGF-beta1 on MMP-12 was dependent on Smad3. Taken together, MMP-12 is induced by several factors implicated in atherosclerosis. The inhibition of MMP-12 expression by TGF-beta1 suggests that TGF-beta1, acting via Smad3, may promote plaque stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- M W Feinberg
- Program of Developmental Cardiovascular Biology, the Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
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18
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Wiesel P, Foster LC, Pellacani A, Layne MD, Hsieh CM, Huggins GS, Strauss P, Yet SF, Perrella MA. Thioredoxin facilitates the induction of heme oxygenase-1 in response to inflammatory mediators. J Biol Chem 2000; 275:24840-6. [PMID: 10823822 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m000835200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Heme oxygenase (HO)-1 is a stress response protein that is regulated by oxidative stress. HO-1 catalyzes the generation of biliverdin, carbon monoxide, and iron from heme. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interleukin (IL)-1beta induce HO-1 through the binding of nuclear proteins to AP-1 motifs in enhancer regions upstream from the transcription start site. The DNA binding activity of AP-1 proteins depends on the reduction of cysteines in their DNA-binding domains. We found that agents that disrupt free sulfhydryl groups abolish AP-1 binding activity in nuclear proteins obtained from rat aortic smooth muscle cells and macrophages stimulated with IL-1beta or LPS. Thioredoxin (TRX) may regulate the redox status of nuclear transcription factors in response to oxidative stimuli, thus we determined the role of TRX in the physiologic regulation of HO-1. TRX underwent nuclear translocation in cells stimulated with IL-1beta and LPS. We transfected macrophages with a heterologous promoter construct containing two AP-1 sites from an upstream enhancer region in the HO-1 promoter. Recombinant TRX induced promoter activity to a level analogous to that induced by LPS, and this TRX response was abolished by mutation of the AP-1 sites. An inhibitor of TRX reductase, used to prevent TRX translocation in the reduced state, decreased HO-1 induction by IL-1beta and LPS. These data provide the first evidence that TRX contributes to the induction of HO-1 by inflammatory mediators.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Aorta/cytology
- Aorta/enzymology
- Carbon-Oxygen Lyases/genetics
- Cell Line
- Cells, Cultured
- DNA-(Apurinic or Apyrimidinic Site) Lyase
- Enhancer Elements, Genetic
- Enzyme Induction
- Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic/drug effects
- HeLa Cells
- Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing)/biosynthesis
- Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing)/genetics
- Heme Oxygenase-1
- Humans
- Interleukin-1/pharmacology
- Lipopolysaccharides/pharmacology
- Macrophages/enzymology
- Male
- Membrane Proteins
- Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/cytology
- Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/enzymology
- Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
- Nuclear Proteins/metabolism
- Promoter Regions, Genetic
- Rats
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley
- Recombinant Proteins/biosynthesis
- Recombinant Proteins/pharmacology
- Thioredoxins/metabolism
- Transcription Factor AP-1/metabolism
- Transfection
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Affiliation(s)
- P Wiesel
- Program of Developmental Cardiovascular Biology, Cardiovascular Division and the Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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19
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Christou H, Morita T, Hsieh CM, Koike H, Arkonac B, Perrella MA, Kourembanas S. Prevention of hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension by enhancement of endogenous heme oxygenase-1 in the rat. Circ Res 2000; 86:1224-9. [PMID: 10864912 DOI: 10.1161/01.res.86.12.1224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 165] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the role of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 in the development of hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension. HO catalyzes the breakdown of heme to the antioxidant bilirubin and the vasodilator carbon monoxide. Hypoxia is a potent but transient inducer of HO-1 in vascular smooth muscle cells in vitro and in the lung in vivo. By using agonists of HO-1, we sustained a high expression of HO-1 in the lungs of rats for 1 week. We report that this in vivo enhancement of HO-1 in the lung prevented the development of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension and inhibited the structural remodeling of the pulmonary vessels. The mechanism(s) underlying this effect may involve a direct vasodilating and antiproliferative action of endogenous carbon monoxide, as well as an indirect effect of carbon monoxide on the production of vasoconstrictors. These results provide evidence that enhancement of endogenous adaptive responses may be used to prevent hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Christou
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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20
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Foster LC, Wiesel P, Huggins GS, Pañares R, Chin MT, Pellacani A, Perrella MA. Role of activating protein-1 and high mobility group-I(Y) protein in the induction of CD44 gene expression by interleukin-1beta in vascular smooth muscle cells. FASEB J 2000; 14:368-78. [PMID: 10657993 DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.14.2.368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
CD44 is a multifunctional cell adhesion molecule that participates in pathological states such as inflammation and tumorigenesis. CD44 is induced on vascular smooth muscle cells after arterial wall injury and may mediate their proliferation and migration into the neointima during arteriosclerosis. We have demonstrated elsewhere that the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-1beta up-regulates CD44 mRNA and protein expression in cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RASMC) by increasing gene transcription. By transient transfection of 5'-deletion constructs into RASMC, we show in the present study that a conserved AP-1 site 110 base pairs from the transcription start site of the mouse CD44 promoter is important for basal activity. Mutation of the AP-1 site significantly reduced induction of promoter activity by IL-1beta, and electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that Fos and c-Jun were present in the CD44 AP-1 binding complex after IL-1beta stimulation. In addition, cotransfection of the architectural transcription factor high mobility group (HMG)-I(Y) protein with c-Fos and c-Jun markedly increased trans-activation of the CD44 promoter. Taken together, our studies demonstrate that AP-1 proteins are a central regulatory component used by IL-1beta to modulate expression of CD44 during an inflammatory response in vascular smooth muscle cells and that transcription of CD44 by AP-1 proteins is enhanced by HMG-I(Y). -Foster, L. C., Wiesel, P., Huggins, G. S, Pañares, R., Chin, M. T., Pellacani, A., Perrella, M. A. Role of activating protein-1 and high mobility group-I(Y) protein in the induction of CD44 gene expression by interleukin-1beta in vascular smooth muscle cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- L C Foster
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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21
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Chin MT, Pellacani A, Hsieh CM, Lin SS, Jain MK, Patel A, Huggins GS, Reeves R, Perrella MA, Lee ME. Induction of high mobility group I architectural transcription factors in proliferating vascular smooth muscle in vivo and in vitro. J Mol Cell Cardiol 1999; 31:2199-205. [PMID: 10640447 DOI: 10.1006/jmcc.1999.1054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is a hallmark of arteriosclerosis. Architectural transcription factors of the high mobility group (HMG)-I family have been implicated in the control of cell proliferation and gene expression. We studied the pattern of HMG-I mRNA and protein expression in proliferating VSMCs. HMG-I(Y) and HMGI-C mRNAs were barely detectable by Northern analysis in samples prepared from uninjured rat carotid arteries. In contrast, these mRNAs were induced dramatically in carotid arteries 2 and 5-6 days after balloon injury. By in situ hybridization at 6 days after injury, the induced mRNAs localized to smooth muscle cells of the developing neointima, and immunocytochemical analysis showed that HMG-I(Y) protein was expressed in the nuclei of these cells. To confirm this association between HMG-I protein induction and cell growth, we assessed HMG-I(Y) and HMGI-C mRNA expression in rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RASMCs) in primary culture. The HMG-I mRNAs were barely detectable in quiescent RASMCs but were induced markedly by serum stimulation. This induction of mRNA by serum was time dependent and peaked at 9 h. Western blot analysis confirmed that HMG-I(Y) protein induction also occurred in vitro. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of induction of HMG-I protein expression in proliferating RASMCs in vivo and in vitro. This demonstration suggests that the HMG-I proteins may play an important role in smooth muscle cell proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- M T Chin
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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22
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Maemura K, Hsieh CM, Jain MK, Fukumoto S, Layne MD, Liu Y, Kourembanas S, Yet SF, Perrella MA, Lee ME. Generation of a dominant-negative mutant of endothelial PAS domain protein 1 by deletion of a potent C-terminal transactivation domain. J Biol Chem 1999; 274:31565-70. [PMID: 10531360 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.274.44.31565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Endothelial PAS domain protein 1 (EPAS1) is a basic helix-loop-helix/PAS domain transcription factor that is preferentially expressed in vascular endothelial cells. EPAS1 shares high homology with hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) and, like HIF-1alpha, has been shown to bind to the HIF-1-binding site and to activate its downstream genes such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and erythropoietin. In this report, we show that EPAS1 increased VEGF gene expression through the HIF-1-binding site. This transactivation was enhanced further by cotransfection of an aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator expression plasmid. Deletion analysis of EPAS1 revealed a potent activation domain (amino acids 486-639) essential for EPAS1 to transactivate the VEGF promoter. We confirmed the ability of this domain to activate transcription using a Gal4 fusion protein system. Because a truncated EPAS1 protein lacking the transactivation domain at amino acids 486-639 eliminated induction of the VEGF promoter by wild-type EPAS1, the truncated protein functions as a dominant-negative mutant. Most important, infection of the cells with an adenoviral construct expressing this mutant inhibited the induction of VEGF mRNA under conditions that mimic hypoxia. Our results suggest that EPAS1 is an important regulator of VEGF gene expression. Since VEGF plays a crucial role in angiogenesis, the ability of dominant-negative EPAS1 to inhibit VEGF promoter activity raises the possibility of a novel approach to inhibiting pathological angiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Maemura
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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23
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Hsieh CM, Yet SF, Layne MD, Watanabe M, Hong AM, Perrella MA, Lee ME. Genomic cloning and promoter analysis of aortic preferentially expressed gene-1. Identification of a vascular smooth muscle-specific promoter mediated by an E box motif. J Biol Chem 1999; 274:14344-51. [PMID: 10318857 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.274.20.14344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Aortic preferentially expressed gene-1 (APEG-1) was originally identified as a 1.4-kilobase (kb) transcript preferentially expressed in differentiated vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). Its expression is markedly down-regulated in de-differentiated VSMC, suggesting a role for APEG-1 in VSMC differentiation. We have now determined that APEG-1 is a single-copy gene in the human, rat, and mouse genomes and have mapped human APEG-1 to chromosome 2q34. To study the molecular mechanisms regulating its expression, we characterized the genomic organization and promoter of mouse APEG-1. APEG-1 spans 4.5 kb in the mouse genome and is composed of five exons. Using reporter gene transfection analysis, we found that a 2. 7-kb APEG-1 5'-flanking sequence directed a high level of promoter activity only in VSMC. Its activity was minimal in five other cell types. A repressor region located within an upstream 685-base pair sequence suppressed the activity of this 2.7-kb promoter. Further deletion and mutation analyses identified an E box motif as a positive regulatory element, which was bound by nuclear protein prepared from VSMC. In conjunction with its flanking sequence, this E box motif confers VSMC-specific enhancer activity to a heterologous SV40 promoter. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of an E box motif that mediates gene expression restricted to VSMC.
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Affiliation(s)
- C M Hsieh
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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24
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Sibinga NE, Wang H, Perrella MA, Endege WO, Patterson C, Yoshizumi M, Haber E, Lee ME. Interferon-gamma-mediated inhibition of cyclin A gene transcription is independent of individual cis-acting elements in the cyclin A promoter. J Biol Chem 1999; 274:12139-46. [PMID: 10207041 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.274.17.12139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Interferons (IFNs) affect cellular functions by altering gene expression. The eukaryotic cell cycle is governed in part by the periodic transcription of cyclin genes, whose protein products associate with and positively regulate the cyclin-dependent kinases. To understand better the growth inhibitory effect of IFN-gamma on vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), we compared the expression and activity of G1 and S phase cyclins in control and IFN-gamma-treated VSMCs. IFN-gamma treatment did not inhibit the G1 cyclins but did decrease cyclin A protein, mRNA, and associated kinase activity by 85, 90, and 90%, respectively. Nuclear run-on and mRNA stability determinations indicated that this decrease was the result of transcriptional inhibition. To investigate the molecular basis of this inhibition, we examined protein-DNA interactions involving the cyclin A promoter. Electromobility shift assays showed little change with IFN-gamma treatment in the binding of nuclear proteins to isolated ATF, NF-Y, and CDE elements. In vivo genomic footprinting indicated that IFN-gamma treatment changed the occupancy of chromosomal NF-Y and CDE sites slightly and did not affect occupancy of the ATF site. In a previous study of transforming growth factor-beta1-mediated inhibition of the cyclin A promoter, we mapped the inhibitory effect to the ATF site; in the present study of IFN-gamma treatment, functional analysis by transient transfection showed that inhibition of the cyclin A promoter persisted despite mutation of the ATF, NF-Y, or CDE elements. We hypothesize that IFN-gamma inhibits cyclin A transcription by modifying co-activators or general transcription factors within the complex that drives transcription of the cyclin A gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- N E Sibinga
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
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25
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Yet SF, Perrella MA, Layne MD, Hsieh CM, Maemura K, Kobzik L, Wiesel P, Christou H, Kourembanas S, Lee ME. Hypoxia induces severe right ventricular dilatation and infarction in heme oxygenase-1 null mice. J Clin Invest 1999; 103:R23-9. [PMID: 10207174 PMCID: PMC408281 DOI: 10.1172/jci6163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 350] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Heme oxygenase (HO) catalyzes the oxidation of heme to generate carbon monoxide (CO) and bilirubin. CO increases cellular levels of cGMP, which regulates vascular tone and smooth muscle development. Bilirubin is a potent antioxidant. Hypoxia increases expression of the inducible HO isoform (HO-1) but not the constitutive isoform (HO-2). To determine whether HO-1 affects cellular adaptation to chronic hypoxia in vivo, we generated HO-1 null (HO-1(-/-)) mice and subjected them to hypoxia (10% oxygen) for five to seven weeks. Hypoxia caused similar increases in right ventricular systolic pressure in wild-type and HO-1(-/-) mice. Although ventricular weight increased in wild-type mice, the increase was greater in HO-1(-/-) mice. Similarly, the right ventricles were more dilated in HO-1(-/-) mice. After seven weeks of hypoxia, only HO-1(-/-) mice developed right ventricular infarcts with organized mural thrombi. No left ventricular infarcts were observed. Lipid peroxidation and oxidative damage occurred in right ventricular cardiomyocytes in HO-1(-/-), but not wild-type, mice. We also detected apoptotic cardiomyocytes surrounding areas of infarcted myocardium by terminal deoxynucleotide transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assays. Our data suggest that in the absence of HO-1, cardiomyocytes have a maladaptive response to hypoxia and subsequent pulmonary hypertension. J.Clin. Invest. 103:R23-R29 (1999).
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Affiliation(s)
- S F Yet
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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26
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Perrella MA, Pellacani A, Wiesel P, Chin MT, Foster LC, Ibanez M, Hsieh CM, Reeves R, Yet SF, Lee ME. High mobility group-I(Y) protein facilitates nuclear factor-kappaB binding and transactivation of the inducible nitric-oxide synthase promoter/enhancer. J Biol Chem 1999; 274:9045-52. [PMID: 10085153 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.274.13.9045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO), a free radical gas whose production is catalyzed by the enzyme NO synthase, participates in the regulation of multiple organ systems. The inducible isoform of NO synthase (iNOS) is transcriptionally up-regulated by inflammatory stimuli; a critical mediator of this process is nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB. Our objective was to determine which regulatory elements other than NF-kappaB binding sites are important for activation of the iNOS promoter/enhancer. We also wanted to identify transcription factors that may be functioning in conjunction with NF-kappaB (subunits p50 and p65) to drive iNOS transcription. Deletion analysis of the iNOS promoter/enhancer revealed that an AT-rich sequence (-61 to -54) downstream of the NF-kappaB site (-85 to -76) in the 5'-flanking sequence was important for iNOS induction by interleukin-1beta and endotoxin in vascular smooth muscle cells. This AT-rich sequence, corresponding to an octamer (Oct) binding site, bound the architectural transcription factor high mobility group (HMG)-I(Y) protein. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that HMG-I(Y) and NF-kappaB subunit p50 bound to the iNOS promoter/enhancer to form a ternary complex. The formation of this complex required HMG-I(Y) binding at the Oct site. The location of an HMG-I(Y) binding site typically overlaps that of a recruited transcription factor. In the iNOS promoter/enhancer, however, HMG-I(Y) formed a complex with p50 while binding downstream of the NF-kappaB site. Furthermore, overexpression of HMG-I(Y) potentiated iNOS promoter/enhancer activity by p50 and p65 in transfection experiments, suggesting that HMG-I(Y) contributes to the transactivation of iNOS by NF-kappaB.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Perrella
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
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27
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Pellacani A, Chin MT, Wiesel P, Ibanez M, Patel A, Yet SF, Hsieh CM, Paulauskis JD, Reeves R, Lee ME, Perrella MA. Induction of high mobility group-I(Y) protein by endotoxin and interleukin-1beta in vascular smooth muscle cells. Role in activation of inducible nitric oxide synthase. J Biol Chem 1999; 274:1525-32. [PMID: 9880529 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.274.3.1525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Nonhistone chromosomal proteins of the high mobility group (HMG) affect the transcriptional regulation of certain mammalian genes. For example, HMG-I(Y) controls cytokine-mediated promoters that require transcription factors, such as nuclear factor-kappaB, for maximal expression. Even though a great deal is known about how HMG-I(Y) facilitates expression of other genes, less is known about the regulation of HMG-I(Y) itself, especially in cells in primary culture. Therefore we investigated the effect of endotoxin and the cytokine interleukin-1beta on HMG-I(Y) expression in vascular smooth muscle cells. Induction of HMG-I(Y) peaked after 48 h of interleukin-1beta stimulation (6.2-fold) in cells in primary culture, and this increase in mRNA corresponded to an increase in HMG-I(Y) protein. Moreover, immunohistochemical staining revealed a dramatic increase in HMG-I(Y) protein expression in vascular smooth muscle cells after endotoxin stimulation in vivo. This increase in HMG-I(Y) expression (both in vitro and in vivo) mirrored an up-regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase, a cytokine-responsive gene. The functional significance of this coinduction is underscored by our finding that HMG-I(Y) potentiated the response of inducible nitric oxide synthase to nuclear factor-kappaB transactivation. Taken together, these studies suggest that induction of HMG-I(Y), and subsequent transactivation of iNOS, may contribute to a reduction in vascular tone during endotoxemia and other systemic inflammatory processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Pellacani
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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28
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Pellacani A, Wiesel P, Sharma A, Foster LC, Huggins GS, Yet SF, Perrella MA. Induction of heme oxygenase-1 during endotoxemia is downregulated by transforming growth factor-beta1. Circ Res 1998; 83:396-403. [PMID: 9721696 DOI: 10.1161/01.res.83.4.396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Heme oxygenase (HO)-1 generates CO, a gas with vasodilatory properties, during heme metabolism. HO-1 is expressed highly in vascular tissue after endotoxin stimulation, and generation of CO through the HO-1 pathway contributes to the hemodynamic compromise of endotoxic shock. Shock related to endotoxemia is an immune-mediated process that involves the generation of proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1beta. Because transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 is a modulator of immune-mediated inflammatory responses and it blocks the hypotension of endotoxic shock, we determined whether TGF-beta1 could be used to reduce expression of HO-1 in vascular tissue and smooth muscle cells. In a rat model of endotoxic shock, lipopolysaccharide-induced HO-1 mRNA and protein expression was reduced by TGF-beta1 in highly vascularized tissue, such as heart and lung, by Northern and Western analysis. Furthermore, TGF-beta1 downregulated HO-1 mRNA after its induction by IL-1beta in vascular smooth muscle cells in culture. TGF-beta1 also decreased HO-1 but not HO-2 protein expression in these cells. TGF-beta1 decreased HO enzyme activity induced in IL-1beta treated vascular smooth muscle cells to a level not different from that in vehicle-treated cells. These studies suggest that this downregulation of HO-1 mRNA and protein expression and decrease in IL-1beta-induced HO enzyme activity may contribute to the beneficial effect of TGF-beta1 on endotoxic shock.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Pellacani
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Mass 02115, USA
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29
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Foster LC, Arkonac BM, Sibinga NE, Shi C, Perrella MA, Haber E. Regulation of CD44 gene expression by the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1beta in vascular smooth muscle cells. J Biol Chem 1998; 273:20341-6. [PMID: 9685385 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.273.32.20341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The CD44 gene codes for a family of alternatively spliced, multifunctional adhesion molecules that participate in extracellular matrix binding, lymphocyte activation, cell migration, and tumor metastasis. In a mouse model of transplant-associated arteriosclerosis, CD44 protein was induced in the neointima of allografted vessels and colocalized with a subset of proliferating vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC). To elucidate the molecular mechanisms regulating CD44 expression in this model, we investigated the regulation of CD44 gene expression by interleukin (IL)-1beta. Treatment of rat aortic SMC with IL-1beta resulted in a 5.3-fold increase in cell surface CD44 expression. Northern analysis showed that IL-1beta promoted a dose- and time-dependent induction of CD44 mRNA which reached 6.6-fold after 48 h, and nuclear run-on analysis showed that IL-1beta increased the rate of CD44 gene transcription within 8 h of stimulation. In transient reporter gene transfection experiments in rat aortic SMC, a 1.4-kilobase fragment of the mouse CD44 5'-flanking sequence mediated this response to IL-1beta. Regulation of CD44 gene expression by the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1beta may contribute to SMC phenotypic modulation in the pathogenesis of arteriosclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- L C Foster
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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30
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Layne MD, Endege WO, Jain MK, Yet SF, Hsieh CM, Chin MT, Perrella MA, Blanar MA, Haber E, Lee ME. Aortic carboxypeptidase-like protein, a novel protein with discoidin and carboxypeptidase-like domains, is up-regulated during vascular smooth muscle cell differentiation. J Biol Chem 1998; 273:15654-60. [PMID: 9624159 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.273.25.15654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic modulation of vascular smooth muscle cells plays an important role in the pathogenesis of arteriosclerosis. In a screen of proteins expressed in human aortic smooth muscle cells, we identified a novel gene product designated aortic carboxypeptidase-like protein (ACLP). The approximately 4-kilobase human cDNA and its mouse homologue encode 1158 and 1128 amino acid proteins, respectively, that are 85% identical. ACLP is a nonnuclear protein that contains a signal peptide, a lysine- and proline-rich 11-amino acid repeating motif, a discoidin-like domain, and a C-terminal domain with 39% identity to carboxypeptidase E. By Western blot analysis and in situ hybridization, we detected abundant ACLP expression in the adult aorta. ACLP was expressed predominantly in the smooth muscle cells of the adult mouse aorta but not in the adventitia or in several other tissues. In cultured mouse aortic smooth muscle cells, ACLP mRNA and protein were up-regulated 2-3-fold after serum starvation. Using a recently developed neural crest cell to smooth muscle cell in vitro differentiation system, we found that ACLP mRNA and protein were not expressed in neural crest cells but were up-regulated dramatically with the differentiation of these cells. These results indicate that ACLP may play a role in differentiated vascular smooth muscle cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- M D Layne
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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31
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Yet SF, Folta SC, Jain MK, Hsieh CM, Maemura K, Layne MD, Zhang D, Marria PB, Yoshizumi M, Chin MT, Perrella MA, Lee ME. Molecular cloning, characterization, and promoter analysis of the mouse Crp2/SmLim gene. Preferential expression of its promoter in the vascular smooth muscle cells of transgenic mice. J Biol Chem 1998; 273:10530-7. [PMID: 9553112 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.273.17.10530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Several members of the LIM protein family have important roles in development and differentiation. We recently isolated a rat cDNA encoding a new member of this family, CRP2/SmLIM, that contains two LIM domains and is expressed preferentially in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). To study the molecular mechanisms that regulate VSMC-specific transcription of the Crp2/SmLim gene, we cloned the cDNA and gene of mouse Crp2/SmLim. Mouse Crp2/SmLim is a single copy gene of six exons and five introns spanning approximately 20 kilobases of genomic DNA. By 5'-rapid amplification of cDNA ends and S1 nuclease protection assay, we determined that the transcription start site is an A residue 80 base pairs 5' of the translation initiation codon. A TATA-like sequence is located 27 base pairs 5' of the transcription start site, and there are potential cis-acting elements (GATA, Sp1, AP-2, E box, CCAC box, and GArC motif) in the 5'-flanking sequence. In transient transfection assays in rat aortic smooth muscle cells in primary culture, 5 kilobases of the Crp2/SmLim 5'-flanking sequence generated a high level of luciferase reporter gene activity. By deletion analysis and gel mobility shift assay, we found that the region between bases -74 and -39 of this 5 kilobase DNA fragment binds Sp1 and confers basal promoter activity in the Crp2/SmLim gene. In vitro, the 5-kilobase fragment was active in multiple cell types. In vivo, however, the 5-kilobase fragment directed high level expression of the lacZ reporter gene preferentially in the VSMC of transgenic mice, indicating the presence of VSMC-specific element(s) in this fragment.
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MESH Headings
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Animals
- Base Sequence
- CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins
- Cloning, Molecular
- DNA, Complementary
- DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics
- Gene Expression Regulation
- Genes, Reporter
- LIM Domain Proteins
- Lac Operon
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Transgenic
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Muscle Proteins/genetics
- Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/cytology
- Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/metabolism
- Nuclear Proteins/genetics
- Promoter Regions, Genetic
- Protein Binding
- Rats
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley
- Sp1 Transcription Factor/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- S F Yet
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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32
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Chin MT, Pellacani A, Wang H, Lin SS, Jain MK, Perrella MA, Lee ME. Enhancement of serum-response factor-dependent transcription and DNA binding by the architectural transcription factor HMG-I(Y). J Biol Chem 1998; 273:9755-60. [PMID: 9545312 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.273.16.9755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms by which HMG-I proteins regulate cell growth are unknown, and their effects on gene expression have only been partially elucidated. We explored the potential interaction between HMG-I proteins and serum-response factor (SRF), a member of the MADS-box family of transcription factors. In cotransfection experiments, HMG-I(Y) potentiated SRF-dependent activation (by more than 5-fold) of two distinct SRF-responsive promoters, c-fos and the smooth muscle-specific gene SM22alpha. This effect was also observed with a heterologous promoter containing multiple copies of the CC(A/T)6GG (CArG) box. HMG-I proteins bound specifically to the CArG boxes of c-fos and SM22alpha in gel mobility shift analysis and enhanced binding of SRF to these CArG boxes. By chelating peptide-immobilized metal affinity chromatography, we mapped the domain of HMG-I(Y) that interacts with SRF to amino acids 50-81, a region that does not bind specifically to DNA in electrophoretic mobility shift assays even though it includes the third AT-hook DNA-binding domain. Surprisingly, HMG-I(Y) mutants that failed to bind DNA still enhanced SRF binding to DNA and SRF-dependent transcription. In contrast, deletion of the HMG-I(Y) 50-81 domain that bound SRF prevented enhancement of transcription. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an HMG-I protein interacting with a MADS-box transcription factor. Our observations suggest that members of the HMG-I family play an important role in SRF-dependent transcription and that their effect is mediated primarily by a protein-protein interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- M T Chin
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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33
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Abstract
Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is the prototypic member of a large family of structurally related proteins. Three vertebrate TGF-beta isoforms have been identified and termed TGF-beta1, TGF-beta2, and TGF-beta3, respectively. In addition, two receptors of the serine/threonine kinase family termed type I and II have also been identified. In this review, we focused our attention on the effects of TGF-beta on vascular development and vascular reactivity. The critical role of the TGF-beta1 and the TGF-beta type II receptor in blood vessel formation in the yolk sac has been demonstrated by gene deletion experiments. Recent investigations have also shown that isoforms of TGF-beta play a critical role in smooth muscle cell differentiation. And, finally, a role for TGF-beta1 in the regulation of vascular tone and reactivity has been suggested by studies demonstrating that TGF-beta1 can inhibit the production of potent vasodilators (such as nitric oxide) and stimulate the production of potent vasoconstrictors (such as endothelin). Taken together, these studies suggest that TGF-beta plays a critical role in blood vessel development and vascular function.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Perrella
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass 02115, USA.
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34
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Arkonac BM, Foster LC, Sibinga NE, Patterson C, Lai K, Tsai JC, Lee ME, Perrella MA, Haber E. Vascular endothelial growth factor induces heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor in vascular endothelial cells. J Biol Chem 1998; 273:4400-5. [PMID: 9468491 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.273.8.4400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Although several cytokines and growth factors have been shown to regulate vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production, little is known about how VEGF may regulate growth factors that have known mitogenic and chemotactic actions on mesenchymal cells (which are involved in the maturation of the angiogenic process). We investigated the effect of VEGF on heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. HB-EGF mRNA was induced by 8-fold after 2 h of VEGF stimulation, and it returned to base line within 6 h. VEGF did not alter the half-life of HB-EGF mRNA (55 min). Nuclear run-on experiments showed a 4.9-fold increase in HB-EGF gene transcription within 2 h of VEGF stimulation, and Western analysis demonstrated an associated increase in cellular HB-EGF protein. We found that platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) mRNA was also induced 3-fold after 5 h of VEGF stimulation, whereas neither endothelin 1 nor transforming growth factor-beta1 was regulated by VEGF. Finally, conditioned medium from VEGF-stimulated endothelial cells produced an increase in DNA synthesis in vascular smooth muscle cells, and this effect was blocked by a neutralizing antibody to PDGF. The induction of HB-EGF and PDGF-BB expression in endothelial cells may represent the mechanism by which VEGF recruits mesenchymal cells to form the medial and adventitial layers of arterioles and venules during the course of angiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- B M Arkonac
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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35
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Yet SF, McA'Nulty MM, Folta SC, Yen HW, Yoshizumi M, Hsieh CM, Layne MD, Chin MT, Wang H, Perrella MA, Jain MK, Lee ME. Human EZF, a Krüppel-like zinc finger protein, is expressed in vascular endothelial cells and contains transcriptional activation and repression domains. J Biol Chem 1998; 273:1026-31. [PMID: 9422764 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.273.2.1026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 155] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Members of the erythroid Krüppel-like factor (EKLF) multigene family contain three C-terminal zinc fingers, and they are typically expressed in a limited number of tissues. EKLF, the founding member, transactivates the beta-globin promoter by binding to the CACCC motif. EKLF is essential for expression of the beta-globin gene as demonstrated by gene deletion experiments in mice. Using a DNA probe from the zinc finger region of EKLF, we cloned a cDNA encoding a member of this family from a human vascular endothelial cell cDNA library. Sequence analysis indicated that our clone, hEZF, is the human homologue of the recently reported mouse EZF and GKLF. hEZF is a single-copy gene that maps to chromosome 9q31. By gel mobility shift analysis, purified recombinant hEZF protein bound specifically to a probe containing the CACCC core sequence. In co-transfection experiments, we found that sense but not antisense hEZF decreased the activity of a reporter plasmid containing the CACCC sequence upstream of the thymidine kinase promoter by 6-fold. In contrast, EKLF increased the activity of the reporter plasmid by 3-fold. By fusing hEZF to the DNA-binding domain of GAL4, we mapped a repression domain in hEZF to amino acids 181-388. We also found that amino acids 91-117 of hEZF confer an activation function on the GAL4 DNA-binding domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- S F Yet
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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36
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Wang H, Yoshizumi M, Lai K, Tsai JC, Perrella MA, Haber E, Lee ME. Inhibition of growth and p21ras methylation in vascular endothelial cells by homocysteine but not cysteine. J Biol Chem 1997; 272:25380-5. [PMID: 9312159 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.272.40.25380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 185] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Although hyperhomocysteinemia has been recognized recently as a prevalent risk factor for myocardial infarction and stroke, the mechanisms by which it accelerates arteriosclerosis have not been elucidated, mostly because the biological effects of homocysteine can only be demonstrated at very high concentrations and can be mimicked by cysteine, which indicates a lack of specificity. We found that 10-50 microM of homocysteine (a range that overlaps levels observed clinically) but not cysteine inhibited DNA synthesis in vascular endothelial cells (VEC) and arrested their growth at the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Homocysteine in this same range had no effect on the growth of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) or fibroblasts. Homocysteine decreased carboxyl methylation of p21(ras) (a G1 regulator whose activity is regulated by prenylation and methylation in addition to GTP-GDP exchange) by 50% in VEC but not VSMC, a difference that may be explained by the ability of homocysteine to dramatically increase levels of S-adenosylhomocysteine, a potent inhibitor of methyltransferase, in VEC but not VSMC. Moreover, homocysteine-induced hypomethylation in VEC was associated with a 66% reduction in membrane-associated p21(ras) and a 67% reduction in extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, which is a member of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase family. Because the MAP kinases have been implicated in cell growth, the p21(ras)-MAP kinase pathway may represent one of the mechanisms that mediates homocysteine's effect on VEC growth. VEC damage is a hallmark of arteriosclerosis. Homocysteine-induced inhibition of VEC growth may play an important role in this disease process.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Wang
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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37
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Yoshizumi M, Wang H, Hsieh CM, Sibinga NE, Perrella MA, Lee ME. Down-regulation of the cyclin A promoter by transforming growth factor-beta1 is associated with a reduction in phosphorylated activating transcription factor-1 and cyclic AMP-responsive element-binding protein. J Biol Chem 1997; 272:22259-64. [PMID: 9268374 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.272.35.22259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 prevents cell cycle progression by inhibiting several regulators, including cyclin A. To study the mechanisms by which TGF-beta1 down-regulates cyclin A gene expression, we transfected reporter plasmids driven by the cyclin A promoter into mink lung epithelial cells in the absence and presence of TGF-beta1. The TGF-beta1-induced down-regulation of cyclin A promoter activity appeared to be mediated via the activating transcription factor (ATF) site, because mutation of this site abolished down-regulation. Surprisingly, although TGF-beta1 treatment for 24 h markedly decreased cyclin A promoter activity, it did not decrease the abundance of the ATF-binding proteins ATF-1 and cyclic AMP-responsive binding protein (CREB). However, we detected 90 and 78% reductions (by Western analysis) in phosphorylated CREB and ATF-1, respectively, in mink lung epithelial cells treated with TGF-beta1. TGF-beta1-induced down-regulation of cyclin A promoter activity was reversed by okadaic acid (a phosphatase inhibitor) and by cotransfection with plasmids expressing the cAMP-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit or the simian virus small tumor antigen (Sm-t, an inhibitor of PP2A). These data indicate that TGF-beta1 may down-regulate cyclin A promoter activity by decreasing phosphorylation of CREB and ATF-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Yoshizumi
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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38
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Sibinga NE, Foster LC, Hsieh CM, Perrella MA, Lee WS, Endege WO, Sage EH, Lee ME, Haber E. Collagen VIII is expressed by vascular smooth muscle cells in response to vascular injury. Circ Res 1997; 80:532-41. [PMID: 9118484 DOI: 10.1161/01.res.80.4.532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
To identify genes involved in vascular remodeling, we applied differential mRNA display analysis to the rat carotid artery balloon injury model. One polymerase chain reaction product showing increased expression at days 2 to 14 after vascular injury was nearly identical to the mouse alpha 1 chain of type VIII collagen, a heterotrimeric short-chain collagen of uncertain function expressed by a limited number of cell types. By Northern analysis, expression of both chains of the type VIII collagen heterotrimer increased: collagen alpha 1 (VIII) mRNA expression was almost 4-fold higher than control by 7 days after vascular injury, and collagen alpha 2 (VIII) mRNA expression reached a maximum of almost 6-fold above baseline by 3 days after injury. By immunohistochemical analysis, type VIII collagen expression increased in the media and neointima in a localized pattern consistent with the distribution of activated dedifferentiated vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Cultured VSMCs expressed higher levels of type VIII collagen in response to serum and growth factors, notably platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB. VSMCs adhered significantly less to type VIII collagen than to type I collagen substrata and showed greater PDGF-BB-stimulated migration (by 2.2-fold) on type VIII collagen than on type I collagen. We hypothesize that increased expression of type VIII collagen by VSMCs after arterial injury may contribute to vascular remodeling through the promotion of VSMC migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- N E Sibinga
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115
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39
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Yet SF, Pellacani A, Patterson C, Tan L, Folta SC, Foster L, Lee WS, Hsieh CM, Perrella MA. Induction of heme oxygenase-1 expression in vascular smooth muscle cells. A link to endotoxic shock. J Biol Chem 1997; 272:4295-301. [PMID: 9020147 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.272.7.4295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Endotoxic shock is a life-threatening consequence of severe Gram-negative infection characterized by vascular smooth muscle cell relaxation and severe hypotension. The production of nitric oxide (NO), through the inducible NO synthase pathway, has been implicated as a major contributor in this process. We now demonstrate that heme oxygenase (HO), an enzyme that generates carbon monoxide (CO) in the course of heme metabolism, may also be involved in the hemodynamic compromise of endotoxic shock. Inducible HO (HO-1) mRNA levels are dramatically increased in aortic tissue from rats receiving endotoxin, and this increase in vascular HO-1 message is associated with an 8.9-fold increase in HO enzyme activity in vivo. Immunocytochemical staining localizes an increase in HO-1 protein within smooth muscle cells of both large (aorta) and small (arterioles) blood vessels. Furthermore, zinc protoporphyrin IX, an inhibitor of HO activity, abrogates endotoxin-induced hypotension in rats. Studies performed in rat vascular smooth muscle cells in vitro show that the induction of HO-1 mRNA is regulated at the level of gene transcription, and this induction is independent of NO production. Taken together, these studies suggest that the up-regulation of HO-1, and the subsequent production of CO, contributes to the reduction in vascular tone during endotoxic shock.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Cells, Cultured
- Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology
- Enzyme Inhibitors/therapeutic use
- Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic
- Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing)/antagonists & inhibitors
- Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing)/genetics
- Hypotension/drug therapy
- Interleukin-1/pharmacology
- Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/enzymology
- Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/pathology
- Protoporphyrins/pharmacology
- Protoporphyrins/therapeutic use
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- RNA, Messenger/metabolism
- Rats
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley
- Shock, Septic/enzymology
- Shock, Septic/physiopathology
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Affiliation(s)
- S F Yet
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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40
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Hsieh CM, Yoshizumi M, Endege WO, Kho CJ, Jain MK, Kashiki S, de los Santos R, Lee WS, Perrella MA, Lee ME. APEG-1, a novel gene preferentially expressed in aortic smooth muscle cells, is down-regulated by vascular injury. J Biol Chem 1996; 271:17354-9. [PMID: 8663449 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.271.29.17354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the importance of phenotypic alterations in arterial smooth muscle cells (ASMC) during the pathogenesis of arteriosclerosis, little is known about genes that define differentiated ASMC. Using differential mRNA display, we isolated a novel gene preferentially expressed in the rat aorta and termed this gene APEG-1. The cDNA of rat APEG-1 contained an open reading frame encoding 113 amino acids, which would predict a basic protein of 12.7 kDa. The amino acid sequence of rat APEG-1 was highly conserved among human and mouse homologues (97 and 98%, respectively). Using an APEG-1 fusion protein containing an N-terminal c-Myc tag, we identified APEG-1 as a nuclear protein. By in situ hybridization, APEG-1 mRNA was expressed in rat ASMC. Although APEG-1 was expressed highly in differentiated ASMC in vivo, its expression was quickly down-regulated and disappeared in dedifferentiated ASMC in culture. In vivo, APEG-1 mRNA levels decreased by more than 80% in response to vascular injury as ASMC changed from a quiescent to a proliferative phenotype. Taken together, these data indicate that APEG-1 is a novel marker for differentiated ASMC and may have a role in regulating growth and differentiation of this cell type.
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MESH Headings
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Animals
- Aorta/injuries
- Aorta/metabolism
- Base Sequence
- Biological Evolution
- Cells, Cultured
- Cloning, Molecular
- Consensus Sequence
- Conserved Sequence
- DNA Primers
- Gene Expression Regulation
- Humans
- In Situ Hybridization
- Male
- Mice
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Molecular Weight
- Muscle Proteins/biosynthesis
- Muscle Proteins/chemistry
- Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/injuries
- Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/metabolism
- Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase
- Open Reading Frames
- Organ Specificity
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
- RNA, Messenger/biosynthesis
- Rats
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley
- Recombinant Proteins/biosynthesis
- Recombinant Proteins/chemistry
- Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
- Sequence Tagged Sites
- Transcription, Genetic
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Affiliation(s)
- C M Hsieh
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Pulmonary and Cardiovascular Divisions, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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41
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Patterson C, Perrella MA, Endege WO, Yoshizumi M, Lee ME, Haber E. Downregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptors by tumor necrosis factor-alpha in cultured human vascular endothelial cells. J Clin Invest 1996; 98:490-6. [PMID: 8755661 PMCID: PMC507454 DOI: 10.1172/jci118816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) potently stimulates angiogenesis, whereas TNF-alpha has both pro- and anti-angiogenic activity. By measuring thymidine uptake, we found that TNF-alpha blocked a 2.3-fold increase in DNA synthesis induced by VEGF in human endothelial cells. To explore the possibility that the two interact to regulate endothelial cell proliferation, we examined the effect of TNF-alpha on VEGF receptor expression. In venous and arterial endothelial cells, TNF-alpha potently reduced mRNA transcripts of the two VEGF receptors (KDR/flk-1 and flt-1) in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. TNF-alpha at 1 ng/ml induced maximal inhibition of mRNA expression, which fell by approximately 70% after 24 h. TNF-alpha treatment did not significantly affect the KDR/flk-1 half-life but did decrease its rate of transcription to 40% of control. The decrease in KDR/flk-1 mRNA depended partially on new protein synthesis and was abolished by phorbol ester pretreatment. TNF-alpha decreased the amount of 35S-labeled KDR/flk-1 immunoprecipitated by an antibody specific for KDR/flk-1 to 18% of control. We conclude that TNF-alpha downregulates expression of both VEGF receptors in human endothelial cells and that this effect is transcriptional (at least for KDR/flk-1). These data support the hypothesis that TNF-alpha exerts its antiangiogenic effect in part by modulating the VEGF-specific angiogenic pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Patterson
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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42
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Tsai JC, Jain M, Hsieh CM, Lee WS, Yoshizumi M, Patterson C, Perrella MA, Cooke C, Wang H, Haber E, Schlegel R, Lee ME. Induction of apoptosis by pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate and N-acetylcysteine in vascular smooth muscle cells. J Biol Chem 1996. [PMID: 8631978 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.271.7.3667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 187] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (PDTC) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) have been used as antioxidants to prevent apoptosis in lymphocytes, neurons, and vascular endothelial cells. We report here that PDTC and NAC induce apoptosis in rat and human smooth muscle cells. In rat aortic smooth muscle cells, PDTC induced cell shrinkage, chromatin condensation, and DNA strand breaks consistent with apoptosis. In addition, overexpression of Bcl-2 suppressed vascular smooth muscle cell death caused by PDTC and NAC. The viability of rat aortic smooth muscle cells decreased within 3 h of treatment with PDTC and was reduced to 30% at 12 h. The effect of PDTC and NAC on smooth muscle cells was not species specific because PDTC and NAC both caused dose-dependent reductions in viability in rat and human aortic smooth muscle cells. In contrast, neither PDTC nor NAC reduced viability in human aortic endothelial cells. The use of antioxidants to induce apoptosis in vascular smooth muscle cells may help prevent their proliferation in arteriosclerotic lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- J C Tsai
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory and the Department of Molecular and Cellular Toxicology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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43
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Perrella MA, Patterson C, Tan L, Yet SF, Hsieh CM, Yoshizumi M, Lee ME. Suppression of interleukin-1beta-induced nitric-oxide synthase promoter/enhancer activity by transforming growth factor-beta1 in vascular smooth muscle cells. Evidence for mechanisms other than NF-kappaB. J Biol Chem 1996; 271:13776-80. [PMID: 8662809 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.271.23.13776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Nitric-oxide synthases (NOS) utilize L-arginine to produce NO, a potent vasodilator that contributes to the regulation of vascular tone. We demonstrated previously that transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 down-regulates inducible NOS after its induction by interleukin (IL)-1beta by decreasing the rate of inducible NOS gene transcription. In the present study we transfected reporter plasmids containing various lengths of the inducible NOS 5'-flanking region into primary cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells and stimulated the cells with IL-1beta or vehicle. IL-1beta increased the activity of the plasmid containing -1485 to +31 of the inducible NOS gene by more than 10-fold, indicating the presence of IL-1beta-responsive elements. Further deletion analysis revealed that a construct containing -234 to +31 of the inducible NOS gene contained the majority of promoter/enhancer activity after IL-1beta stimulation. Mutation of the NF-kappaB site within this region partially reduced IL-1beta-inducible activity; however, a large portion of activity remained independent of the NF-kappaB site. TGF-beta1 suppressed promoter/enhancer activity after IL-1beta stimulation, and this suppression was complete in the construct with a mutated NF-kappaB site. In addition, TGF-beta1 did not decrease the binding of nuclear proteins to the NF-kappaB site. These data suggest that the ability of TGF-beta1 to suppress inducible NOS promoter/enhancer activity occurs through a site(s) other than the NF-kappaB motif in vascular smooth muscle cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Perrella
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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44
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Jain MK, Fujita KP, Hsieh CM, Endege WO, Sibinga NE, Yet SF, Kashiki S, Lee WS, Perrella MA, Haber E, Lee ME. Molecular cloning and characterization of SmLIM, a developmentally regulated LIM protein preferentially expressed in aortic smooth muscle cells. J Biol Chem 1996; 271:10194-9. [PMID: 8626582 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.271.17.10194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Differentiated, quiescent vascular smooth muscle cells assume a dedifferentiated, proliferative phenotype in response to injury, one of the hallmarks of arteriosclerosis. Members of the LIM family of zinc-finger proteins are important in the differentiation of various cells including striated muscle. We describe here the molecular cloning and characterization of a developmentally regulated smooth muscle LIM protein, SmLIM, that is expressed preferentially in the rat aorta. This 194-amino acid protein has two LIM domains, and comparisons of rat SmLIM with its mouse and human homologues reveal high levels of amino acid sequence conservation (100 and 99%, respectively). SmLIM is a nuclear protein and maps to human chromosome 3. SmLIM mRNA expression was high in aorta but not in striated muscle and low in other smooth muscle tissues such as intestine and uterus. In contrast with arterial tissue, SmLIM mRNA was barely detectable in venous tissue. The presence of SmLIM expression within aortic smooth muscle cells was confirmed by in situ hybridization. In vitro, SmLIM mRNA levels decreased by 80% in response to platelet-derived growth factor-BB in rat aortic smooth muscle cells. In vivo, SmLIM mRNA decreased by 60% in response to vessel wall injury during periods of maximal smooth muscle cell proliferation. The down-regulation of SmLIM by phenotypic change in vascular smooth muscle cells suggests that it may be involved in their growth and differentiation.
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MESH Headings
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Animals
- Aorta
- Becaplermin
- Cell Differentiation
- Chromosomes, Human, Pair 3
- Cloning, Molecular
- Consensus Sequence
- DNA, Complementary/genetics
- Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
- Humans
- In Situ Hybridization
- LIM Domain Proteins
- Male
- Mice
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Muscle Proteins/genetics
- Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/chemistry
- Nuclear Proteins/genetics
- Platelet-Derived Growth Factor/pharmacology
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- Rats
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley
- Sequence Alignment
- Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
- Tissue Distribution
- Zinc Fingers
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Affiliation(s)
- M K Jain
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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45
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Perrella MA, Hsieh CM, Lee WS, Shieh S, Tsai JC, Patterson C, Lowenstein CJ, Long NC, Haber E, Shore S, Lee ME. Arrest of endotoxin-induced hypotension by transforming growth factor beta1. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1996; 93:2054-9. [PMID: 8700884 PMCID: PMC39908 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.93.5.2054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Septic shock is a cytokine-mediated process typically caused by a severe underlying infection. Toxins generated by the infecting organism trigger a cascade of events leading to hypotension, to multiple organ system failure, and frequently to death. Beyond supportive care, no effective therapy is available for the treatment of septic shock. Nitric oxide (NO) is a potent vasodilator generated late in the sepsis pathway leading to hypotension; therefore, NO represents a potential target for therapy. We have previously demonstrated that transforming growth factor (TGF) beta1 inhibits inducible NO synthase (iNOS) mRNA and NO production in vascular smooth muscle cells after its induction by cytokines critical in the sepsis cascade. Thus, we hypothesized that TGF-beta1 may inhibit iNOS gene expression in vivo and be beneficial in the treatment of septic shock. In a conscious rat model of septic shock produced by Salmonella typhosa lipopolysaccharide (LPS), TGF-beta1 markedly reduced iNOS mRNA and protein levels in several organs. In contrast, TGF-beta1 did not decrease endothelium-derived constitutive NOS mRNA in organs of rats receiving LPS. We also performed studies in anesthetized rats to evaluate the effect of TGF-beta1 on the hemodynamic compromise of septic shock; after an initial 25% decrease in mean arterial pressure, TGF-beta1 arrested LPS-induced hypotension and decreased mortality. A decrease in iNOS mRNA and protein levels in vascular smooth muscle cells was demonstrated by in situ hybridization and NADPH diaphorase staining in rats treated with TGF-beta1. Thus these studies suggest that TGF-beta1 inhibits iNOS in vivo and that TGF-beta1 may be of future benefit in the therapy of septic shock.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Perrella
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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46
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Tsai JC, Wang H, Perrella MA, Yoshizumi M, Sibinga NE, Tan LC, Haber E, Chang TH, Schlegel R, Lee ME. Induction of cyclin A gene expression by homocysteine in vascular smooth muscle cells. J Clin Invest 1996; 97:146-53. [PMID: 8550827 PMCID: PMC507073 DOI: 10.1172/jci118383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 153] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Homocysteine is an important and independent risk factor for arteriosclerosis. We showed previously that homocysteine stimulates vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, a hallmark of arteriosclerosis. We show here that homocysteine and serum increased DNA synthesis synergistically in both human and rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RASMCs). Treatment of quiescent RASMCs with 1 mM homocysteine or 2% calf serum for 36 h increased cyclin A mRNA levels by 8- and 14-fold, respectively, whereas homocysteine plus serum increased cyclin A mRNA levels by 40-fold, indicating a synergistic induction of cyclin A mRNA. Homocysteine did not increase the half-life of cyclin A mRNA (2.9 h), but it did increase the transcriptional rate of the cyclin A gene in nuclear run-on experiments. The positive effect of homocysteine on cyclin A gene transcription was confirmed by our finding that homocysteine increased cyclin A promoter activity and ATF-binding protein levels in RASMCs. Finally, 1 mM homocysteine increased cyclin A protein levels and cyclin A-associated kinase activity by threefold. This homocysteine-induced expression lesions by promoting proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells.
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MESH Headings
- Activating Transcription Factors
- Animals
- Arteriosclerosis/etiology
- Base Sequence
- Becaplermin
- Blood
- Blood Proteins/analysis
- Cattle
- Cells, Cultured
- Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein/analysis
- Cyclins/biosynthesis
- Cyclins/genetics
- Cyclins/metabolism
- DNA/biosynthesis
- Drug Synergism
- Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects
- Homocysteine/pharmacology
- Humans
- Male
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/drug effects
- Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/metabolism
- Platelet-Derived Growth Factor/pharmacology
- Promoter Regions, Genetic
- Protamine Kinase/metabolism
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis
- RNA, Messenger/biosynthesis
- RNA, Messenger/metabolism
- Rats
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley
- Transcription Factors/analysis
- Transcription, Genetic/drug effects
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Affiliation(s)
- J C Tsai
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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47
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Patterson C, Perrella MA, Hsieh CM, Yoshizumi M, Lee ME, Haber E. Cloning and functional analysis of the promoter for KDR/flk-1, a receptor for vascular endothelial growth factor. J Biol Chem 1995; 270:23111-8. [PMID: 7559454 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.270.39.23111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
KDR/flk-1 is one of two receptors for vascular endothelial growth factor, a potent angiogenic peptide. KDR/flk-1 is an early marker for endothelial cell progenitors, and its expression is restricted to endothelial cells in vivo. To investigate the molecular mechanisms regulating expression of KDR/flk-1, we cloned and characterized the promoter of the human KDR/flk-1 gene. The transcription start site was localized by primer extension and ribonuclease protection to a nucleotide 303 base pairs (bp) 5' of the initiation methionine codon. The 5'-flanking sequence is rich in G and C residues and contains five Sp1 elements but no TATA consensus sequence. By reporter gene transfection experiments, we found that approximately 4 kilobases of KDR/flk-1 5'-flanking sequence directed high level luciferase activity in bovine aortic endothelial cells; further deletion analysis revealed positive regulatory elements between bp -225 to -164, -95 to -77, -77 to -60, and +105 to +127. Mutation of an atypical GATA sequence between bp +105 and +127 did not affect promoter activity, suggesting that GATA elements are not essential for the high level promoter activity of this gene. Consistent with endothelial cell-restricted expression of KDR/flk-1 mRNA, we found that the 4-kilobase flanking sequence directed high level promoter activity in endothelial cells but not in other cell types. To our knowledge this is the first report characterizing the KDR/flk-1 promoter. Understanding the KDR/flk-1 promoter will allow us to investigate endothelial cell-specific gene regulation and to uncover methods for targeting gene delivery specifically to endothelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Patterson
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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48
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Yoshizumi M, Hsieh CM, Zhou F, Tsai JC, Patterson C, Perrella MA, Lee ME. The ATF site mediates downregulation of the cyclin A gene during contact inhibition in vascular endothelial cells. Mol Cell Biol 1995; 15:3266-72. [PMID: 7760822 PMCID: PMC230559 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.15.6.3266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Contact inhibition mediates monolayer formation and withdrawal from the cell cycle in vascular endothelial cells. In studying the cyclins--key regulators of the cell cycle--in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC), we found that levels of cyclin A mRNA decreased in confluent BAEC despite the presence of 10% fetal calf serum. We then transfected into BAEC a series of plasmids containing various lengths of the human cyclin A 5' flanking sequence and the luciferase gene. Plasmids containing 3,200, 516, 406, 266, or 133 bp of the human cyclin A promoter directed high luciferase activity in growing but not confluent BAEC. In contrast, a plasmid containing 23 bp of the cyclin A promoter was associated with a 65-fold reduction in activity in growing BAEC, and the promoter activities of this plasmid were identical in both growing and confluent BAEC. Mutation of the activating transcription factor (ATF) consensus sequence at bp -80 to -73 of the cyclin A promoter decreased its activity, indicating the critical role of the ATF site. We identified by gel mobility shift analysis protein complexes that bound to the ATF site in nuclear extracts from growing but not confluent BAEC and identified (with antibodies) ATF-1 as a binding protein in nuclear extracts from growing cells. Also, ATF-1 mRNA levels decreased in confluent BAEC. Taken together, these data suggest that the ATF site and its cognate binding proteins play an important role in the downregulation of cyclin A gene expression during contact inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Yoshizumi
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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49
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Yoshizumi M, Lee WS, Hsieh CM, Tsai JC, Li J, Perrella MA, Patterson C, Endege WO, Schlegel R, Lee ME. Disappearance of cyclin A correlates with permanent withdrawal of cardiomyocytes from the cell cycle in human and rat hearts. J Clin Invest 1995; 95:2275-80. [PMID: 7738192 PMCID: PMC295840 DOI: 10.1172/jci117918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The regulated expression of cyclins controls the cell cycle. Because cardiomyocytes in adult mammals withdraw permanently from the cell cycle and thus cannot regenerate after injury, we examined cyclin expression during development by comparing cyclin A-E mRNA levels in fetal and adult human hearts. Cyclin B mRNA was detectable in adult hearts, although at a level markedly lower than that in fetal hearts. Levels of cyclin C, D1, D2, D3, and E mRNA were essentially identical in the two groups. In contrast, cyclin A mRNA was undetectable in adult hearts whereas cyclin A mRNA and protein were readily detectable in fetal hearts and cardiomyocytes, respectively. We then measured cyclin A mRNA and protein levels in rat hearts at four stages of development (fetal and 2, 14, and 28 d). Cyclin A mRNA and protein levels decreased quickly after birth (to 37% at day 2) and became undetectable within 14 d, an observation consistent with reports that cardiomyocytes stop replicating in rats by the second to third postnatal week. This disappearance of cyclin A gene expression in human and rat hearts at the time cardiomyocytes become terminally differentiated suggests that cyclin A downregulation is important in the permanent withdrawal of cardiomyocytes from the cell cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Yoshizumi
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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50
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Abstract
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a product of the enzyme heme oxygenase (HO; EC 1.14.99.3). In vascular smooth muscle cells, exogenously administered CO increases cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP), which is an important regulator of vessel tone. We report here that smooth muscle cells produce CO via HO and that it regulates cGMP levels in these cells. Hypoxia, which has profound effects on vessel tone, significantly increased the transcriptional rate of the HO-1 gene resulting in corresponding increases of its mRNA and HO enzymatic activity. In addition, under the same conditions, rat aortic and pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells accumulated high levels of cGMP following a similar time course to that of HO-1 production. The increased accumulation of cGMP in smooth muscle cells required the enzymatic activity of HO, since it was abolished by a specific HO inhibitor, tin protoporphyrin. In contrast, N omega-nitro-L-arginine, a potent inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis, had no effect on cGMP produced by smooth muscle cells, indicating that NO is not responsible for the activation of guanylyl cyclase in this setting. Furthermore, conditioned medium from hypoxic smooth muscle cells stimulated cGMP production in recipient cells and this stimulation was completely inhibited by tin protoporphyrin or hemoglobin, an inhibitor of CO production and a scavenger of CO, respectively. This report shows that HO-1 is expressed by vascular smooth muscle cells and that its product, CO, may regulate vascular tone under physiologic and pathophysiologic (such as hypoxic) conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Morita
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
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