scholarly journals Single-Cell Epigenomics and Functional Fine-Mapping of Atherosclerosis GWAS Loci

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiit Örd ◽  
Kadri Õunap ◽  
Lindsey Stolze ◽  
Rédouane Aherrahrou ◽  
Valtteri Nurminen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Smooth Muscle Cells ◽  
Muscle Cells ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Chromatin Accessibility ◽  
Cell Type ◽  
Atherosclerotic Lesions ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Single Nucleus

Rationale: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified hundreds of loci associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). Many of these loci are enriched in cis-regulatory elements (CREs) but not linked to cardiometabolic risk factors nor to candidate causal genes, complicating their functional interpretation. Objective: Single nucleus chromatin accessibility profiling of the human atherosclerotic lesions was used to investigate cell type-specific patterns of CREs, to understand transcription factors establishing cell identity and to interpret CAD-relevant, non-coding genetic variation. Methods and Results: We used single nucleus ATAC-seq to generate DNA accessibility maps in > 7,000 cells derived from human atherosclerotic lesions. We identified five major lesional cell types including endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, monocyte/macrophages, NK/T-cells and B-cells and further investigated subtype characteristics of macrophages and smooth muscle cells transitioning into fibromyocytes. We demonstrated that CAD associated genetic variants are particularly enriched in endothelial and smooth muscle cell-specific open chromatin. Using single cell co-accessibility and cis-eQTL information, we prioritized putative target genes and candidate regulatory elements for ~30% of all known CAD loci. Finally, we performed genome-wide experimental fine-mapping of the CAD GWAS variants using epigenetic QTL analysis in primary human aortic endothelial cells and STARR-Seq massively parallel reporter assay in smooth muscle cells. This analysis identified potential causal SNP(s) and the associated target gene for over 30 CAD loci. We present several examples where the chromatin accessibility and gene expression could be assigned to one cell type predicting the cell type of action for CAD loci. Conclusions: These findings highlight the potential of applying snATAC-seq to human tissues in revealing relative contributions of distinct cell types to diseases and in identifying genes likely to be influenced by non-coding GWAS variants.

scholarly journals Featured Article: Temporal responses of human endothelial and smooth muscle cells exposed to uniaxial cyclic tensile strain

2015 ◽  
Vol 240 (10) ◽  
pp. 1298-1309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra M Greiner ◽  
Sarah A Biela ◽  
Hao Chen ◽  
Joachim P Spatz ◽  
Ralf Kemkemer
Keyword(s):  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Smooth Muscle Cells ◽  
Actin Cytoskeleton ◽  
Focal Adhesion ◽  
Tensile Strain ◽  
Muscle Cells ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Cell Type ◽  
Cyclic Tensile Strain ◽  
Cell Type Specific

The physiology of vascular cells depends on stimulating mechanical forces caused by pulsatile flow. Thus, mechano-transduction processes and responses of primary human endothelial cells (ECs) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) have been studied to reveal cell-type specific differences which may contribute to vascular tissue integrity. Here, we investigate the dynamic reorientation response of ECs and SMCs cultured on elastic membranes over a range of stretch frequencies from 0.01 to 1 Hz. ECs and SMCs show different cell shape adaptation responses (reorientation) dependent on the frequency. ECs reveal a specific threshold frequency (0.01 Hz) below which no responses is detectable while the threshold frequency for SMCs could not be determined and is speculated to be above 1 Hz. Interestingly, the reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton and focal adhesions system, as well as changes in the focal adhesion area, can be observed for both cell types and is dependent on the frequency. RhoA and Rac1 activities are increased for ECs but not for SMCs upon application of a uniaxial cyclic tensile strain. Analysis of membrane protrusions revealed that the spatial protrusion activity of ECs and SMCs is independent of the application of a uniaxial cyclic tensile strain of 1 Hz while the total number of protrusions is increased for ECs only. Our study indicates differences in the reorientation response and the reaction times of the two cell types in dependence of the stretching frequency, with matching data for actin cytoskeleton, focal adhesion realignment, RhoA/Rac1 activities, and membrane protrusion activity. These are promising results which may allow cell-type specific activation of vascular cells by frequency-selective mechanical stretching. This specific activation of different vascular cell types might be helpful in improving strategies in regenerative medicine.

Regulation of Homocysteine Transport in Vascular Cells.

Blood ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 108 (11) ◽  
pp. 3926-3926
Author(s):  
Xiaohua Jiang ◽  
Xiao-feng Yang ◽  
Eugen Brailoiu ◽  
Hieronim Jakubowski ◽  
Andrew I. Schafer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Smooth Muscle Cells ◽  
Muscle Cells ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Vascular Cells ◽  
Cell Type ◽  
Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells ◽  
Aortic Smooth Muscle

Abstract Increased levels of plasma homocysteine is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and has cell-type distinct proatherosclerotic effects on vascular cells. In this study, we characterized L- homocysteine transport in cultured human aortic endothelial and aortic smooth muscle cells. L-homocysteine was transported into vascular cells in a time-dependent fashion. L-homocysteine transport activity was about 2-fold higher in aortic smooth muscle cells. In addition, L-homocysteine transport in both cell types was mediated by sodium-dependent and independent carrier systems. Competition studies revealed that the neutral amino acids cysteine, glycine, serine, tyrosine, alanine, leucine, and methionine, and inhibitors of the cysteine transport systems inhibited L-homocysteine uptake in both cell types, but the inhibition was greater in endothelial cells. Eadie-Hofstee plots demonstrated that L-Hcy transport in endothelial cells had a Michaelis constant (Km) of 79mM and a maximum transport velocity (Vmax) of 873 pmol/mg protein/min. In contrast, homocysteine transport in aortic smooth muscle cells had a lower affinity (Km=212mM) but a higher transport capacity (Vmax=4192 pmol/mg protein/min). Interestingly, increases in pH (pH 6.5–8.2) only inhibited L-homocysteine uptake in endothelial cells. Moreover, L-homocysteine transport in endothelial cells was partially inhibited by lysosomal inhibitors. Our studies indicate that L-homocysteine shares transporter systems with cysteine and can be inhibited for transport by multiple neutral amino acids in vascular cells, and that L-homocysteine transport involves lysosomal transport in endothelial cells. The specific lysosomic feature of L-homocystein transport in endothelial cells may contribute to cell type specific growth inhibitory effects and therefore play a role in homocysteine atherogenic potential.

scholarly journals Heterogeneity of transcription factor expression and regulation in human airway epithelial and smooth muscle cells

2007 ◽  
Vol 293 (2) ◽  
pp. L453-L462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfredo Panebra ◽  
Mary Rose Schwarb ◽  
Clare B. Glinka ◽  
Stephen B. Liggett
Keyword(s):  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Transcription Factors ◽  
Smooth Muscle Cells ◽  
Muscle Cells ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Airway Epithelial Cells ◽  
Airway Epithelial ◽  
Cell Type ◽  
Human Airway ◽  
Conditional Expression

Transcription factors represent a major mechanism by which cells establish basal and conditional expression of proteins, the latter potentially being adaptive or maladaptive in disease. The complement of transcription factors in two major structural cells of the lung relevant to asthma, airway epithelial and smooth muscle cells, is not known. A plate-based platform using nuclear extracts from these cells was used to assess potential expression by binding to oligonucleotide consensus sequences representing >300 transcription factors. Four conditions were studied: basal, β-agonist exposure, culture under proasthmatic conditions (IL-13, IL-4, TGF-β, and leukotriene D4), and the dual setting of β-agonist with proasthmatic culture. Airway epithelial cells expressed 70 transcription factors, whereas airway smooth muscle expressed 110. High levels of multiple transcription factors not previously recognized as being expressed in these cells were identified. Moreover, expression/ binding patterns under these conditions revealed extreme discordance in the direction and magnitude of change between the cell types. Singular (one cell type displayed regulation) and antithetic (both cell types underwent expression changes but in opposite directions) regulation dominated these patterns, with concomitant regulation in both cell types being rare (<10%). β-Agonist evoked up- and downregulation of transcription factors, which was highly influenced by the proasthmatic condition, with little overlap of factors regulated by β-agonists under both conditions. Together, these results reveal complex, cell type-dependent networks of transcription factors in human airway epithelium and smooth muscle that are dynamically regulated in unique ways by β-agonists and inflammation. These factors may represent additional components in asthma pathophysiology or potential new drug targets.

Metabolic modulation of hexokinase association with mitochondria in living smooth muscle cells

1996 ◽  
Vol 270 (2) ◽  
pp. C488-C499 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. M. Lynch ◽  
W. Carrington ◽  
K. E. Fogarty ◽  
F. S. Fay
Keyword(s):  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Smooth Muscle Cells ◽  
Energy State ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Inverse Correlation ◽  
Muscle Cells ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Differential Sensitivity ◽  
Similar Distribution ◽  
Apparent Difference

Hexokinase isoform I binds to mitochondria of many cell types. It has been hypothesized that this association is regulated by changes in the concentrations of specific cellular metabolites. To study the distribution of hexokinase in living cells, fluorophore-labeled functional hexokinase I was prepared. After microinjection into A7r5 smooth muscle cells, hexokinase localized to distinct structures identified as mitochondria. The endogenous hexokinase demonstrated a similar distribution with the use of immunocytochemistry. 2-Deoxyglucose elicited an increase in glucose 6-phosphate (G-6-P) and a decrease in ATP levels and diminished hexokinase binding to mitochondria in single cells. 3-O-methylglucose elicited slowly developing decreases in all three parameters. In contrast, cyanide elicited a rapid decrease in both ATP and hexokinase binding. Analyses of changes in metabolite levels and hexokinase binding indicate a positive correlation between binding and cell energy state as monitored by ATP. On the other hand, only in the presence of 2-deoxyglucose was the predicted inverse correlation between binding and G-6-P observed. Unlike the relatively large changes in distribution observed with the fluorescent-injected hexokinase, cyanide caused only a small decrease in the localization of endogenous hexokinase with mitochondria. These findings suggest that changes in the concentrations of specific metabolites can alter the binding of hexokinase I to specific sites on mitochondria. Moreover, the apparent difference in sensitivity of injected and endogenous hexokinase to changes in metabolites may reflect the presence of at least two classes of binding mechanisms for hexokinase, with differential sensitivity to metabolites.

Cardiac α-actin in smooth muscle cells: detection in umbilical cord vessels and in atherosclerotic lesions

2000 ◽  
Vol 95 (2) ◽  
pp. 106-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Bea ◽  
Harald Bär ◽  
Lisa Watson ◽  
Erwin Blessing ◽  
Wolfgang Kübler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Smooth Muscle Cells ◽  
Umbilical Cord ◽  
Muscle Cells ◽  
Atherosclerotic Lesions

Abstract 238: ABCA1 and HDL3 are Required to Modulate Smooth Muscle Cells Trandifferentiation in a Myocardin-miR143/145-dependent Process

2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Castiglioni ◽  
Alessio Vettore ◽  
Lorenzo Arnaboldi ◽  
Laura Calabresi ◽  
Alberto Corsini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Smooth Muscle Cells ◽  
Muscle Cells ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Foam Cells ◽  
Knock Out ◽  
Phenotypic Changes ◽  
Basal Expression ◽  
Basal Expression Level

Cells of the artery wall may accumulate free cholesterol and cholesteryl esters becoming foam cells. Up to 50% of foam cells in human lesions originates from smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Arterial SMCs express the ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporter ABCA1 and, upon cholesterol loading, express macrophage markers and a phagocytic activity. To characterize the role of ABCA1 and HDL3 in this transdifferentiation process, we evaluated the phenotypic changes in SMCs isolated from wild type (WT) and ABCA1 knock out (KO) mice and how HDL3 affects these changes. Cholesterol loading causes the downregulation of the expression of SMC markers including ACTA2, alpha-tropomyosin and myosin heavy chain and increases the expression of macrophage-related genes such as CD68, Mac-2, SRB1, MMPs, ABCG1 and ABCA1. HDL3 treatment in WT cells is able to normalize the expression of ACTA2, while the expression of macrophage-related genes is reduced. On the contrary, the preventive effect of HDL3 is completely lost in ABCA1 KO cells. Interestingly, the presence of HDL3 does not differently affect neutral lipid accumulation in WT or ABCA1 KO cells but stimulates phospholipids removal only in WT cells. ApoAI addition does not reverse the phenotypic changes induced by cholesterol not only in KO but also in WT cells. Moreover, cholesterol loading reduces the expression of myocardin, the master SMC specific-transcriptional coactivator involved in SMC differentiation, by up to 55% (p<0.01 vs respective control) in both cell types. HDL3 normalizes myocardin levels in WT cells while it does not have any effect in ABCA1 KO cells. Similar results are obtained evaluating the levels of miR-143/145, which positively regulate myocardin. The basal expression level of KLF4, a myocardin repressor, is almost double in ABCA1 KO cells compared to WT. After cholesterol loading, KLF4 is slightly reduced in WT cells, while its expression is halved in ABCA1 KO cells. HDL3 restores KLF4 to basal levels in KO cells, but it further reduces them in WT cells. These results indicate that HDL3, modulating the miR143/145-myocardin axis in SMC, prevents the cholesterol-induced gene expression modification regardless of its cholesterol unloading capacity and the presence of ABCA1 is required.

The role of globins in cardiovascular physiology

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
T.C. Steven Keller ◽  
Christophe Lechauve ◽  
Alexander S Keller ◽  
Steven Brooks ◽  
Mitchell J Weiss ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Vascular Smooth Muscle ◽  
Smooth Muscle Cells ◽  
Muscle Cells ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Specific Cell ◽  
In Cells

Globin proteins exist in every cell type of the vasculature, from erythrocytes to endothelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells, and peripheral nerve cells. Many globin subtypes are also expressed in muscle tissues (including cardiac and skeletal muscle), in other organ-specific cell types, and in cells of the central nervous system. The ability of each of these globins to interact with molecular oxygen (O2) and nitric oxide (NO) is preserved across these contexts. Endothelial α-globin is an example of extra-erythrocytic globin expression. Other globins, including myoglobin, cytoglobin, and neuroglobin are observed in other vascular tissues. Myoglobin is observed primarily in skeletal muscle and smooth muscle cells surrounding the aorta or other large arteries. Cytoglobin is found in vascular smooth muscle but can also be expressed in non-vascular cell types, especially in oxidative stress conditions after ischemic insult. Neuroglobin was first observed in neuronal cells, and its expression appears to be restricted mainly to the central and peripheral nervous systems. Brain and central nervous system neurons expressing neuroglobin are positioned close to many arteries within the brain parenchyma and can control smooth muscle contraction and, thus, tissue perfusion and vascular reactivity. Overall, reactions between NO and globin heme-iron contribute to vascular homeostasis by regulating vasodilatory NO signals and scaveging reactive species in cells of the mammalian vascular system. Here, we discuss how globin proteins affect vascular physiology with a focus on NO biology, and offer perspectives for future study of these functions.

Laser-assisted microdissection and real-time PCR detect anti-inflammatory effect of perfluorocarbon

2003 ◽  
Vol 285 (1) ◽  
pp. L55-L62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katharina von der Hardt ◽  
Michael Andreas Kandler ◽  
Ludger Fink ◽  
Ellen Schoof ◽  
Jörg Dötsch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Smooth Muscle Cells ◽  
Mrna Expression ◽  
Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells ◽  
Alveolar Macrophages ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
Muscle Cells ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Anti Inflammatory ◽  
Inflammatory Effect

The aim of this study was to identify cell types involved in the anti-inflammatory effect of ventilation with perfluorocarbon in vivo. Fifteen anesthetized, surfactant-depleted piglets received either aerosolized perfluorocarbon (Aerosol-PFC), partial liquid ventilation (rLV) at functional residual capacity (FRC) volume (FRC-PLV), or intermittent mandatory ventilation (control). After laser-assisted microdissection of different lung cell types, mRNA expression of IL-8 and ICAM-1 was determined using TaqMan real-time PCR normalized to hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT). IL-8 mRNA expression (means ± SE; control vs. Aerosol-PFC) was 356 ± 142 copies IL-8 mRNA/copy HPRT mRNA vs. 3.5 ± 1.8 in alveolar macrophages ( P <0.01); 208 ± 108 vs. 2.7 ± 0.8 in bronchiolar epithelial cells ( P <0.05); 26 ± 11 vs. 0.7 ± 0.2 in alveolar septum cells ( P <0.01); 2.8 ± 1.0 vs. 0.8 ± 0.4 in bronchiolar smooth muscle cells ( P <0.05); and 1.1 ± 0.4 vs. 0.2 ± 0.05 in vascular smooth muscle cells ( P <0.05). With FRC-PLV, IL-8/HPRT mRNA expression was significantly lower in macrophages, bronchiolar epithelial, and vascular smooth muscle cells. ICAM-1 mRNA expression in vascular endothelial cells remained unchanged. Predominantly, alveolar macrophages and bronchiolar epithelial cells were involved in the inflammatory pulmonary process. The anti-inflammatory effect of Aerosol-PFC was most pronounced.

scholarly journals Spatially selective myosin regulatory light chain regulation is absent in dedifferentiated vascular smooth muscle cells but is partially induced by fibronectin and Klf4

2019 ◽  
Vol 316 (4) ◽  
pp. C509-C521 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tsubasa S. Matsui ◽  
Shinji Deguchi
Keyword(s):  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Vascular Smooth Muscle ◽  
Smooth Muscle Cells ◽  
Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells ◽  
Light Chain ◽  
Muscle Cells ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Myosin Regulatory Light Chain ◽  
Phosphorylation State ◽  
Spatial Regulation

The phosphorylation state of myosin regulatory light chain (MRLC) is central to the regulation of contractility that impacts cellular homeostasis and fate decisions. Rho-kinase (ROCK) and myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) are major kinases for MRLC documented to selectively regulate MRLC in a subcellular position-specific manner; specifically, MLCK in some nonmuscle cell types works in the cell periphery to promote migration, while ROCK does so at the central region to sustain contractility. However, it remains unclear whether or not the spatially selective regulation of the MRLC kinases is universally present in other cell types, including dedifferentiated vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Here, we demonstrate the absence of the spatial regulation in dedifferentiated SMCs using both cell lines and primary cells. Thus, our work is distinct from previous reports on cells with migratory potential. We also observed that the spatial regulation is partly induced upon fibronectin stimulation and Krüppel-like factor 4 overexpression. To find clues to the mechanism, we reveal how the phosphorylation state of MRLC is determined within dedifferentiated A7r5 SMCs under the enzymatic competition among three major regulators ROCK, MLCK, and MRLC phosphatase (MLCP). We show that ROCK, but not MLCK, predominantly regulates the MRLC phosphorylation in a manner distinct from previous in vitro-based and in silico-based reports. In this ROCK-dominating cellular system, the contractility at physiological conditions was regulated at the level of MRLC diphosphorylation, because its monophosphorylation is already saturated. Thus, the present study provides insights into the molecular basis underlying the absence of spatial MRLC regulation in dedifferentiated SMCs.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document