scholarly journals LINC00341 exerts an anti-inflammatory effect on endothelial cells by repressing VCAM1

2017 ◽  
Vol 49 (7) ◽  
pp. 339-345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tse-Shun Huang ◽  
Kuei-Chun Wang ◽  
Sara Quon ◽  
Phu Nguyen ◽  
Ting-Yu Chang ◽  
...  

The long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which constitute a large portion of the transcriptome, have gained intense research interest because of their roles in regulating physiological and pathophysiological functions in the cell. We identified from RNA-Seq profiling a set of lncRNAs in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) that are differentially regulated by atheroprotective vs. atheroprone shear flows. Among the comprehensively annotated lncRNAs, including both known and novel transcripts, LINC00341 is one of the most abundant lncRNAs in endothelial cells. Moreover, its expression level is enhanced by atheroprotective pulsatile shear flow and atorvastatin. Overexpression of LINC00341 suppresses the expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM1) and the adhesion of monocytes induced by atheroprone flow and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Underlying this anti-inflammatory role, LINC00341 guides enhancer of zest homolog 2, a core histone methyltransferase of polycomb repressive complex 2, to the promoter region of the VCAM1 gene to suppress VCAM1. Network analysis reveals that the key signaling pathways (e.g., Rho and PI3K/AKT) are co-regulated with LINC00341 in endothelial cells in response to pulsatile shear. Together, these findings suggest that LINC00341, as an example of lncRNAs, plays important roles in modulating endothelial function in health and disease.

2007 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 1115-1121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew K. Stone ◽  
Glynis L. Kolling ◽  
Matthew H. Lindner ◽  
Tom G. Obrig

ABSTRACTEscherichia coliO157:H7 Shiga toxin 2 (Stx2), one of the causative agents of hemolytic-uremic syndrome, is toxic to endothelial cells, including primary cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). This sensitivity of cells to Stx2 can be increased with either lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). The goal of the present study was to identify the intracellular signaling pathway(s) by which LPS and TNF-α sensitize HUVEC to the cytotoxic effects of Stx2. To identify these pathways, specific pharmacological inhibitors and small interfering RNAs were tested with cell viability endpoints. A time course and dose response experiment for HUVEC exposure to LPS and TNF-α showed that a relatively short exposure to either agonist was sufficient to sensitize the cells to Stx2 and that both agonists stimulated intracellular signaling pathways within a short time. Cell viability assays indicated that the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitors SB202190 and SB203580 and the general protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide inhibited both the LPS and TNF-α sensitization of HUVEC to Stx2, while all other inhibitors tested did not inhibit this sensitization. Additionally, SB202190 reduced the cellular globotriaosylceramide content under LPS- and TNF-α-induced conditions. In conclusion, our results show that LPS and TNF-α induction of Stx2 sensitivity in HUVEC is mediated through a pathway that includes p38 MAPK. These results indicate that inhibition of p38 MAPK in endothelial cells may protect a host from the deleterious effects of Stx2.


1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 837-844 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula Dore-Duffy ◽  
Ruth A. Washington ◽  
Roumen Balabanov

Much of what is known of endothelial responses to cytokines has been derived from in vitro studies using cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (EC). Less is known of CNS EC responses and whether intact endothelium responds similarly to cultured cells. We have used techniques by which rat CNS microvessels can be isolated, then cultured in vitro, to study the response of intact endothelium to activation with cytokines. These microvessels are composed of viable EC and perivascular cells, predominantly pericytes. Expression of EC activation antigens in multicellular systems such as cultured microvessels can be assessed quantitatively using immunofluorescence laser cytometry. Interferon gamma increased immunologically reactive major histocompatibility complex class II antigens (<300 to 2,398 ± 225 average fluorescence intensity), while tumor necrosis factor alpha induced an increase in vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (2,167 ± 171) and E-selectin (1,628 ± 315). CNS EC appeared to respond similarly to cultured EC with the exception that E-selectin expression was not transiently expressed but was maintained by microvessel EC for 24 and 48 h. Cultured CNS microvessels provide a good system for studying EC activation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (21) ◽  
pp. 5383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Zhang ◽  
Feifei Wang ◽  
Qing Zhang ◽  
Qiuming Liang ◽  
Shumei Wang ◽  
...  

Inflammation is a key mediator in the progression of atherosclerosis (AS). Benzoinum, a resin secreted from the bark of Styrax tonkinensis, has been widely used as a form of traditional Chinese medicine in clinical settings to enhance cardiovascular function, but the active components of the resin responsible for those pharmaceutical effects remain unclear. To better clarify these components, a new phenylpropane derivative termed stybenpropol A was isolated from benzoinum and characterized via comprehensive spectra a nalysis. We further assessed how this phenylpropane derivative affected treatment of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Our results revealed that stybenpropol A reduced soluble intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) expression by ELISA, inhibited apoptosis, and accelerated nitric oxide (NO) release in TNF-α-treated HUVECs. We further found that stybenpropol A decreased VCAM-1, ICAM-1, Bax, and caspase-9 protein levels, and increased the protein levels of Bcl-2, IKK-β, and IκB-α. This study identified a new, natural phenylpropane derivative of benzoinum, and is the first to reveal its cytoprotective effects in the context of TNF-α-treated HUVECs via regulation of the NF-κB and caspase-9 signaling pathways.


2003 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 558-563 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. S. M. Oude Nijhuis ◽  
E. Vellenga ◽  
S. M. G. J. Daenen ◽  
W. A. Kamps ◽  
E. S. J. M. de Bont

ABSTRACT Cancer patients who are leukopenic due to chemotherapy are susceptible to bacterial infections. Normally, clinical conditions during bacterial infections are caused by pathogen-associated molecular patterns, which are components that bind to Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 (TLR-2) and TLR-4 on leukocytes, resulting in the production of inflammatory cytokines. The mechanism of this inflammatory response in cancer patients with diminished numbers of leukocytes is not completely clear. The levels of interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor alpha measured in the circulation of leukopenic cancer patients are lower than those measured in that of nonleukopenic patients during bacterial infections, whereas plasma interleukin 8 (IL-8) levels show distinct identical increases during bacterial infections in both leukopenic and nonleukopenic patients. Normally, these cytokines are mainly secreted by leukocytes. In cancer patients with bacterial infections and a diminished number of leukocytes, other sources of IL-8 production, such as endothelial cells, might be expected. Endothelial cells instead of leukocytes become the most important producers of IL-8 during bacterial infections in patients with chemotherapy-induced leukopenia through TLR-2 and TLR-4 signaling. Whole blood samples from six cancer patients were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and then IL-8 concentrations in supernatants were measured. Further, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were incubated with sera from leukopenic cancer patients with or without bacterial infections, and then IL-8 concentrations in supernatants were measured (n = 6). In addition, the same HUVEC experiment was performed with the addition of neutralizing antibodies against TLR-2 and TLR-4. During leukopenia (<109 cells/liter), LPS stimulation of whole blood did not result in an increase in IL-8 levels. However, when endothelial cells were incubated with sera from leukopenic cancer patients during bacterial infections, a three- to eightfold increase in IL-8 production was found, compared to the IL-8 production found after incubation with sera from patients without signs of infections. This increase did not reflect a higher level of IL-8 already present in the sera. Further, we demonstrated that IL-8 production induced in endothelial cells by sera from patients with documented gram-negative infections could be reduced significantly by up to 40% when the cells were incubated with neutralizing antibodies against TLR-4 (P = 0.028). The addition of TLR-2 antibodies slightly enhanced the reduction of IL-8 production. These results suggest that during bacterial infections in cancer patients with markedly diminished numbers of leukocytes, endothelial cells become important producers of IL-8 through TLR-4 signaling and, to a lesser extent, TLR-2 signaling.


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