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Sharma D, Worssam MD, Pedroza AJ, Dalal AR, Alemany H, Kim HJ, Kundu R, Fischbein MP, Cheng P, Wirka R, Quertermous T. Comprehensive Integration of Multiple Single-Cell Transcriptomic Data Sets Defines Distinct Cell Populations and Their Phenotypic Changes in Murine Atherosclerosis. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2024; 44:391-408. [PMID: 38152886 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.123.320030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The application of single-cell transcriptomic (single-cell RNA sequencing) analysis to the study of atherosclerosis has provided unique insights into the molecular and genetic mechanisms that mediate disease risk and pathophysiology. However, nonstandardized methodologies and relatively high costs associated with the technique have limited the size and replication of existing data sets and created disparate or contradictory findings that have fostered misunderstanding and controversy. METHODS To address these uncertainties, we have performed a conservative integration of multiple published single-cell RNA sequencing data sets into a single meta-analysis, performed extended analysis of native resident vascular cells, and used in situ hybridization to map the disease anatomic location of the identified cluster cells. To investigate the transdifferentiation of smooth muscle cells to macrophage phenotype, we have developed a classifying algorithm based on the quantification of reporter transgene expression. RESULTS The reporter gene expression tool indicates that within the experimental limits of the examined studies, transdifferentiation of smooth muscle cell to the macrophage lineage is extremely rare. Validated transition smooth muscle cell phenotypes were defined by clustering, and the location of these cells was mapped to lesion anatomy with in situ hybridization. We have also characterized 5 endothelial cell phenotypes and linked these cellular species to different vascular structures and functions. Finally, we have identified a transcriptomically unique cellular phenotype that constitutes the aortic valve. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these analyses resolve a number of outstanding issues related to differing results reported with vascular disease single-cell RNA sequencing studies, and significantly extend our understanding of the role of resident vascular cells in anatomy and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Disha Sharma
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine (D.S., M.D.W., H.A., H.-J.K., R.K., P.C., T.Q.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Matthew D Worssam
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine (D.S., M.D.W., H.A., H.-J.K., R.K., P.C., T.Q.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Albert J Pedroza
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery (A.J.P., A.R.D., M.P.F.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Alex R Dalal
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery (A.J.P., A.R.D., M.P.F.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Haizea Alemany
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine (D.S., M.D.W., H.A., H.-J.K., R.K., P.C., T.Q.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Hyun-Jung Kim
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine (D.S., M.D.W., H.A., H.-J.K., R.K., P.C., T.Q.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Ramendra Kundu
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine (D.S., M.D.W., H.A., H.-J.K., R.K., P.C., T.Q.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Michael P Fischbein
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery (A.J.P., A.R.D., M.P.F.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Paul Cheng
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine (D.S., M.D.W., H.A., H.-J.K., R.K., P.C., T.Q.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Robert Wirka
- Division of Cardiology, McAllister Heart Institute, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC (R.W.)
| | - Thomas Quertermous
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine (D.S., M.D.W., H.A., H.-J.K., R.K., P.C., T.Q.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
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Quertermous T, Li DY, Weldy CS, Ramste M, Sharma D, Monteiro JP, Gu W, Worssam MD, Palmisano BT, Park CY, Cheng P. Genome-Wide Genetic Associations Prioritize Evaluation of Causal Mechanisms of Atherosclerotic Disease Risk. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2024; 44:323-327. [PMID: 38266112 PMCID: PMC10857784 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.123.319480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The goal of this review is to discuss the implementation of genome-wide association studies to identify causal mechanisms of vascular disease risk. APPROACH AND RESULTS The history of genome-wide association studies is described, the use of imputation and the creation of consortia to conduct meta-analyses with sufficient power to arrive at consistent associated loci for vascular disease. Genomic methods are described that allow the identification of causal variants and causal genes and how they impact the disease process. The power of single-cell analyses to promote genome-wide association studies of causal gene function is described. CONCLUSIONS Genome-wide association studies represent a paradigm shift in the study of cardiovascular disease, providing identification of genes, cellular phenotypes, and disease pathways that empower the future of targeted drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Quertermous
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Daniel Yuhang Li
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Chad S Weldy
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Markus Ramste
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Disha Sharma
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - João P Monteiro
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Wenduo Gu
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Matthew D Worssam
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Brian T Palmisano
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Chong Y Park
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Paul Cheng
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
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Harman JL, Dobnikar L, Chappell J, Stokell BG, Dalby A, Foote K, Finigan A, Freire-Pritchett P, Taylor AL, Worssam MD, Madsen RR, Loche E, Uryga A, Bennett MR, Jørgensen HF. Epigenetic Regulation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells by Histone H3 Lysine 9 Dimethylation Attenuates Target Gene-Induction by Inflammatory Signaling. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2019; 39:2289-2302. [PMID: 31434493 PMCID: PMC6818986 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.119.312765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Vascular inflammation underlies cardiovascular disease. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) upregulate selective genes, including MMPs (matrix metalloproteinases) and proinflammatory cytokines upon local inflammation, which directly contribute to vascular disease and adverse clinical outcome. Identification of factors controlling VSMC responses to inflammation is therefore of considerable therapeutic importance. Here, we determine the role of Histone H3 lysine 9 di-methylation (H3K9me2), a repressive epigenetic mark that is reduced in atherosclerotic lesions, in regulating the VSMC inflammatory response. Approach and Results: We used VSMC-lineage tracing to reveal reduced H3K9me2 levels in VSMCs of arteries after injury and in atherosclerotic lesions compared with control vessels. Intriguingly, chromatin immunoprecipitation showed H3K9me2 enrichment at a subset of inflammation-responsive gene promoters, including MMP3, MMP9, MMP12, and IL6, in mouse and human VSMCs. Inhibition of G9A/GLP (G9A-like protein), the primary enzymes responsible for H3K9me2, significantly potentiated inflammation-induced gene induction in vitro and in vivo without altering NFκB (nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cell) and MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) signaling. Rather, reduced G9A/GLP activity enhanced inflammation-induced binding of transcription factors NFκB-p65 and cJUN to H3K9me2 target gene promoters MMP3 and IL6. Taken together, these results suggest that promoter-associated H3K9me2 directly attenuates the induction of target genes in response to inflammation in human VSMCs. CONCLUSIONS This study implicates H3K9me2 in regulating the proinflammatory VSMC phenotype. Our findings suggest that reduced H3K9me2 in disease enhance binding of NFκB and AP-1 (activator protein-1) transcription factors at specific inflammation-responsive genes to augment proinflammatory stimuli in VSMC. Therefore, H3K9me2-regulation could be targeted clinically to limit expression of MMPs and IL6, which are induced in vascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L. Harman
- From the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom (J.L.H., L.D., J.C., A.D., K.F., A.F., A.L.T., M.D.W., R.R.M., E.L., A.U., M.R.B., H.F.J.)
| | - Lina Dobnikar
- From the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom (J.L.H., L.D., J.C., A.D., K.F., A.F., A.L.T., M.D.W., R.R.M., E.L., A.U., M.R.B., H.F.J.)
- Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom (L.D., P.F.-P.)
| | - Joel Chappell
- From the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom (J.L.H., L.D., J.C., A.D., K.F., A.F., A.L.T., M.D.W., R.R.M., E.L., A.U., M.R.B., H.F.J.)
| | - Benjamin G. Stokell
- Statistical Laboratory, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom (B.G.S.)
| | - Amanda Dalby
- From the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom (J.L.H., L.D., J.C., A.D., K.F., A.F., A.L.T., M.D.W., R.R.M., E.L., A.U., M.R.B., H.F.J.)
| | - Kirsty Foote
- From the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom (J.L.H., L.D., J.C., A.D., K.F., A.F., A.L.T., M.D.W., R.R.M., E.L., A.U., M.R.B., H.F.J.)
| | - Alison Finigan
- From the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom (J.L.H., L.D., J.C., A.D., K.F., A.F., A.L.T., M.D.W., R.R.M., E.L., A.U., M.R.B., H.F.J.)
| | | | - Annabel L. Taylor
- From the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom (J.L.H., L.D., J.C., A.D., K.F., A.F., A.L.T., M.D.W., R.R.M., E.L., A.U., M.R.B., H.F.J.)
| | - Matthew D. Worssam
- From the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom (J.L.H., L.D., J.C., A.D., K.F., A.F., A.L.T., M.D.W., R.R.M., E.L., A.U., M.R.B., H.F.J.)
| | - Ralitsa R. Madsen
- From the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom (J.L.H., L.D., J.C., A.D., K.F., A.F., A.L.T., M.D.W., R.R.M., E.L., A.U., M.R.B., H.F.J.)
| | - Elena Loche
- From the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom (J.L.H., L.D., J.C., A.D., K.F., A.F., A.L.T., M.D.W., R.R.M., E.L., A.U., M.R.B., H.F.J.)
| | - Anna Uryga
- From the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom (J.L.H., L.D., J.C., A.D., K.F., A.F., A.L.T., M.D.W., R.R.M., E.L., A.U., M.R.B., H.F.J.)
| | - Martin R. Bennett
- From the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom (J.L.H., L.D., J.C., A.D., K.F., A.F., A.L.T., M.D.W., R.R.M., E.L., A.U., M.R.B., H.F.J.)
| | - Helle F. Jørgensen
- From the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom (J.L.H., L.D., J.C., A.D., K.F., A.F., A.L.T., M.D.W., R.R.M., E.L., A.U., M.R.B., H.F.J.)
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