scholarly journals Pulmonary endothelial cells exhibit sexual dimorphism in their response to hyperoxia

2018 ◽  
Vol 315 (5) ◽  
pp. H1287-H1292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuhao Zhang ◽  
Xiaoyu Dong ◽  
Jasmine Shirazi ◽  
Jason P. Gleghorn ◽  
Krithika Lingappan

Abnormal pulmonary vascular development is a critical factor in the pathogenesis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Despite the well-established sex-specific differences in the incidence of BPD, the molecular mechanism(s) behind these are not completely understood. Exposure to a high concentration of oxygen (hyperoxia) contributes to BPD and creates a profibrotic environment in the lung. Our objective was to elucidate the sex-specific differences in neonatal human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMECs) in normoxic and hyperoxic conditions, including the propensity for endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition. HPMECs (18- to 24-wk gestation donors, 6 male donors and 5 female donors) were subjected to hyperoxia (95% O2 and 5% CO2) or normoxia (air and 5% CO2) up to 72 h. We assessed cell migration and angiogenesis at baseline. Cell proliferation, viability, and expression of endothelial (CD31) and fibroblast markers (α-smooth muscle actin) were measured upon exposure to hyperoxia. Female HPMECs had significantly higher cell migration when assessed by the wound healing assay (40.99 ± 4.4%) compared with male HPMECs (14.76 ± 3.7%) and showed greater sprouting (1710 ± 962 μm in female cells vs. 789 ± 324 in male cells) compared with male endothelial cells in normoxia. Hyperoxia exposure decreased cell viability (by 9.8% at 48 h and 11.7% at 72 h) and proliferation (by 26.7% at 72 h) markedly in male HPMECs, whereas viability was sustained in female endothelial cells. There was greater expression of α-smooth muscle actin (2.5-fold) and decreased expression (5-fold) of CD31 in male HPMECs upon exposure to hyperoxia. The results indicate that cellular sex affects response in HPMECs in normoxia and hyperoxia. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Cellular sex affects response in human neonatal pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells in normoxia and hyperoxia. Under normoxic conditions, female human neonatal pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells display greater migration and angiogenic sprouting compared with male endothelial cells. Compared with female endothelial cells, hyperoxia exposure decreased cell viability and proliferation and increased α-smooth muscle actin and decreased CD31 expression in male endothelial cells, indicating an increased endothelial-mesenchymal transition.

1999 ◽  
Vol 276 (5) ◽  
pp. H1755-H1768 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroshi Ando ◽  
Thomas Kubin ◽  
Wolfgang Schaper ◽  
Jutta Schaper

We established a culture system of porcine coronary microvascular endothelial cells (MVEC) with high cellular yield and purity >98%. Endothelial origin was confirmed by immunostaining, immunoblotting and fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis using low-density lipoprotein uptake, CD31, von Willebrand factor, and the lectin Dolichos biflorus agglutinin. MVEC were positive for α-smooth muscle actin in culture and in myocardium, as confirmed by FACS. Of the primary MVEC, ∼30% expressed nitric oxide synthase (NOS) III in numbers decreasing from the first passage (6 ± 1%) to the second passage (4 ± 1%; P < 0.001 vs. primary isolates), whereas ∼100% of aortic endothelial cells (AEC) expressed NOS III. In AEC, NOS III activity (pmol citrulline ⋅ mg protein−1 ⋅ min−1) was 80 ± 10 and was nearly abolished in the absence of calcium (5 ± 1, P < 0.001). In primary MVEC, however, NOS III activity in the presence and absence of calcium was 20 ± 4 and 25 ± 5, respectively. We conclude that cardiac MVEC, in contrast to AEC, contain α-smooth muscle actin, show low-grade NOS III activity, and provide a suitable in vitro system for the study of endothelial pathophysiology.


2004 ◽  
Vol 286 (6) ◽  
pp. L1194-L1201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allen D. Everett ◽  
Jill V. Narron ◽  
Tamara Stoops ◽  
Hideji Nakamura ◽  
Amy Tucker

Hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) was previously identified as a developmentally regulated cardiovascular and renal gene that is mitogenic for vascular smooth muscle and aortic endothelial cells. As reciprocal interactions of smooth muscle and endothelial cells are necessary for vascular formation, we examined whether HDGF plays a role in angiogenesis. According to immunohistochemistry, HDGF was highly expressed in endothelial cells of nonmuscularized, forming blood vessels of the fetal lung. HDGF was also expressed in endothelial cells of small (20 μm) mature arteries and veins. By Western immunoblotting, HDGF was highly expressed by human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells in vitro. Adenoviral overexpression of HDGF was mitogenic for human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells in serum-free medium, stimulating a 1.75-fold increase in bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) uptake and a twofold increase in cell migration. With the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM), a biologic assay for angiogenesis, exogenous recombinant HDGF significantly stimulated blood vessel formation and a dose-dependent reorganization of cells within the CAM into a more compact, linear alignment reminiscent of tube formation. According to double immunostaining for endothelial cells with a transforming growth factor-βII receptor antibody and BrdU as a marker of cell proliferation, exogenous HDGF selectively stimulated endothelial cell BrdU uptake. HDGF also activated specific ERK1/2 signaling and did not overlap with VEGF SAPK/JNK, Akt-mediated pathways. We conclude that HDGF is a highly expressed vascular endothelial cell protein in vivo and is a potent endothelial mitogen and regulator of endothelial cell migration by mechanisms distinct from VEGF.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace Marden ◽  
Qianqian Wan ◽  
James Wilks ◽  
Katherine Nevin ◽  
Maria Feeney ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Scleroderma (SSc) is a rare autoimmune disease characterized by vascular impairment and progressive fibrosis of the skin and other organs. Oncostatin M, a member of the IL-6 family, is elevated in SSc serum and was recognized as a significant player in various stages of fibrosis. The goal of this study was to assess the contribution of the OSM/OSMRβ pathway to endothelial cell (EC) injury and activation in SSc. Methods IHC and IF were used to assess the distribution of OSM and OSMRβ in SSc (n = 14) and healthy control (n = 7) skin biopsies. Cell culture experiments were performed in human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMECs) and included mRNA and protein analysis, and cell migration and proliferation assays. Ex vivo skin organoid culture was used to evaluate the effect of OSM on perivascular fibrosis. Results OSMRβ protein was elevated in dermal ECs and in fibroblasts of SSc patients. Treatments of HDMECs with OSM or IL-6 + sIL-6R have demonstrated that both cytokines similarly stimulated proinflammatory genes and genes related to endothelial-to mesenchymal transition ((EndMT). OSM was more effective than IL-6 + sIL-6R in inducing cell migration, while both treatments similarly induced cell proliferation. The effects of OSM were mediated via OSMRβ and STAT3, while the LIFR did not contribute to these responses. Both, OSM and IL-6 + sIL-6R induced profibrotic gene expression in HDMECs, as well as expansion of the perivascular PDGFRβ+ cells in the ex vivo human skin culture system. Additional studies in HDMECs showed that siRNA-mediated downregulation of FLI1 and its close homolog ERG resulted in increased expression of OSMRβ in HDMECs. Conclusions This work provides new insights into the role of the OSM/OSMRβ axis in activation/injury of dermal ECs and supports the involvement of this pathway in SSc vascular disease.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace Marden ◽  
Qianqian Wan ◽  
James Wilks ◽  
Katherine Nevin ◽  
Maria Feeney ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Scleroderma (SSc) is a rare autoimmune disease characterized by vascular impairment and progressive fibrosis of the skin and other organs. Oncostatin M, a member of the IL-6 family, is elevated in SSc serum and was recognized as a significant player in various stages of fibrosis. The goal of this study was to assess the contribution of the OSM/OSMRβ pathway to endothelial cell (EC) injury and activation in SSc. Methods: IHC and IF were used to assess the distribution of OSM and OSMRβ in SSc (n=14) and healthy control (n=7) skin biopsies. Cell culture experiments were performed in human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMECs) and included mRNA and protein analysis, and cell migration and proliferation assays. Ex vivo skin organoid culture was used to evaluate the effect of OSM on perivascular fibrosis.Results: OSMRβ protein was elevated in dermal ECs and in fibroblasts of SSc patients. Treatments of HDMECs with OSM or IL-6 +sIL-6R have demonstrated that both cytokines similarly stimulated proinflammatory genes and genes related to endothelial-to mesenchymal transition ((EndMT). OSM was more effective than IL-6+sIL-6R in inducing cell migration, while both treatments similarly induced cell proliferation. The effects of OSM were mediated via OSMRβ and STAT3, while the LIFR did not contribute to these responses. Both, OSM and IL-6+sIL-6R induced profibrotic gene expression in HDMECs, as well as expansion of the perivascular PDGFRβ+ cells in the ex vivo human skin culture system. Additional studies in HDMECs showed that siRNA-mediated downregulation of FLI1 and its close homolog ERG resulted in increased expression of OSMRβ in HDMECs.Conclusions: This work provides new insights into the role of the OSM/OSMRβ axis in activation/injury of dermal ECs and supports the involvement of this pathway in SSc vascular disease.


Hypertension ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 66 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrin Nather ◽  
Mónica Flores-Muñoz ◽  
Rhian M Touyz ◽  
Christopher M Loughrey ◽  
Stuart A Nicklin

Cardiac fibrosis accompanies numerous cardiovascular diseases (CVD) such as hypertension and myocardial infarction and increases myocardial stiffness leading to contractile dysfunction. Recently, endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) has been shown to contribute to myocardial fibrosis. EndMT describes a process by which endothelial cells transform into mesenchymal cells such as fibroblasts and has been implicated in many fibrotic diseases. Angiotensin II (AngII) plays a key role in myocardial fibrosis and has been associated with the activation of fibroblasts to myofibroblasts and an increase in myocardial collagen deposition. Here, we assessed the role of AngII in capillary loss and EndMT in vivo and in vitro . C57BL/6J mice were infused with H 2 O (control) or 24μg/kg/hr AngII for 4 weeks. Mice infused with AngII developed significant cardiac fibrosis characterised by the deposition of collagen I (2.5-fold vs. control; p<0.05) and III (1.9-fold vs. control; p<0.05). Capillary density was assessed by CD31 immunohistochemistry and revealed significant vascular rarefaction (control 2161±111 vs . AngII 838±132 capillaries/mm 2 ; p<0.05). To investigate whether AngII can induce EndMT in vitro , human coronary artery endothelial cells were stimulated with 10ng/mL TGFβ 1 alone or in combination with 1μM AngII for 10 days. AngII significantly enhanced TGFβ 1 -induced gene expression of α-smooth muscle actin (TGFβ 1 1.8-fold; TGFβ 1 ±AngII 4.3-fold vs . control; p<0.05) and collagen I (TGFβ 1 9.2-fold; TGFβ 1 +AngII 30.2-fold vs . control; p<0.05). Concomitantly, AngII significantly increased α-smooth muscle actin protein expression (TGFβ 1 3.9-fold; TGFβ 1 +AngII 23.6-fold vs . control; p<0.05) and significantly decreased CD31 expression (TGFβ 1 0.9-fold; TGFβ 1 +AngII 0.7-fold vs . control; p<0.05), suggesting AngII acts in concert with TGFβ 1 to enhance conversion of endothelial cells to myofibroblasts. Further studies investigating the underlying mechanism, including the role of the Smad pathway, are ongoing. These results demonstrate that AngII induces vascular rarefaction in vivo and potentiates TGFβ 1 -induced EndMT in vitro. Understanding the molecular basis for these observations may help to identify new therapeutic options in CVD.


2007 ◽  
Vol 292 (3) ◽  
pp. L671-L677 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor Solodushko ◽  
Brian Fouty

Endothelial cells perform a number of important functions including release of vasodilators, control of the coagulation cascade, and restriction of solutes and fluid from the extravascular space. Regulation of fluid balance is of particular importance in the microcirculation of the lung where the loss of endothelial barrier function can lead to alveolar flooding and life-threatening hypoxemia. Significant heterogeneity exists between endothelial cells lining the microcirculation and cells from larger pulmonary arteries, however, and these differences may be relevant in restoring barrier function following vascular injury. Using well-defined populations of rat endothelial cells harvested from the pulmonary microcirculation [pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVEC)] and from larger pulmonary arteries [pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAEC)], we compared their growth characteristics in low serum conditions. Withdrawal of serum inhibited proliferation and induced G0/G1 arrest in PAEC, whereas PMVEC failed to undergo G0/G1 arrest and continued to proliferate. Consistent with this observation, PMVEC had an increased cdk4 and cdk2 kinase activity with hyperphosphorylated (inactive) retinoblastoma (Rb) relative to PAEC as well as a threefold increase in cyclin D1 protein levels; overexpression of the cdk inhibitors p21Cip1/Waf1 and p27Kip1 induced G0/G1 arrest. While serum withdrawal failed to induce G0/G1 arrest in nonconfluent PMVEC, confluence was associated with hypophosphorylated Rb and growth arrest; loss of confluence led to resumption of growth. These data suggest that nonconfluent PMVEC continue to proliferate independently of growth factors. This proliferative characteristic may be important in restoring confluence (and barrier function) in the pulmonary microcirculation following endothelial injury.


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