scholarly journals TET2 Protects Against VSMC Apoptosis and Intimal Thickening in Transplant Vasculopathy

Author(s):  
Allison C. Ostriker ◽  
Yi Xie ◽  
Raja Chakraborty ◽  
Ashley J. Sizer ◽  
Yalai Bai ◽  
...  

Background: Coronary allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is a devastating sequelae of heart transplant in which arterial intimal thickening limits coronary blood flow. There are currently no targeted therapies to prevent or reduce this pathology that leads to transplant failure. Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) phenotypic plasticity is critical in CAV neointima formation. TET methylcytosine dioxygenase 2 (TET2) is an important epigenetic regulator of VSMC phenotype, but the role of TET2 in the progression of CAV is unknown. Methods: We assessed TET2 expression and activity in human CAV and renal transplant samples. We also employed the sex-mismatched murine aortic graft model of graft arteriopathy (GA) in wild type and inducible smooth muscle-specific Tet2 knockout mice; and in vitro studies in murine and human VSMCs using knockdown, overexpression, and transcriptomic approaches to assess the role of TET2 in VSMC responses to IFNу, a cytokine elaborated by T cells that drives CAV progression. Results: In the present study, we found that TET2 expression and activity is negatively regulated in human CAV and renal transplant samples and in the murine aortic graft model of GA. IFNу was sufficient to repress TET2 and induce an activated VSMC phenotype in vitro . TET2 depletion mimicked the effects of IFNу, and TET2 overexpression rescued IFNу-induced dedifferentiation. VSMC-specific TET2 depletion in aortic grafts, and in the femoral wire restenosis model, resulted in increased VSMC apoptosis and medial thinning. In GA, this apoptosis was tightly correlated with proliferation. In vitro , TET2 deficient VSMCs undergo apoptosis more readily in response to IFNγ and expressed a signature of increased susceptibility to extrinsic apoptotic signaling. Notably, enhancing TET2 enzymatic activity with high-dose ascorbic acid rescued the effect of GA-induced VSMC apoptosis and intimal thickening in a TET2-dependent manner. Conclusions: TET2 is repressed in CAV and GA, likely mediated by IFNу. TET2 serves to protect VSMCs from apoptosis in the context of transplant vasculopathy or IFNу stimulation. Promoting TET2 activity in vivo with systemic ascorbic acid reduces VSMC apoptosis and intimal thickening. These data suggest that promoting TET2 activity in CAV may be an effective strategy for limiting CAV progression.

1992 ◽  
Vol 262 (1) ◽  
pp. G107-G112 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Rattan ◽  
S. Chakder

The studies were performed in in vitro to examine the role of nitric oxide (NO) in nonadrenergic noncholinergic (NANC) nerve-mediated relaxation of the internal anal sphincter (IAS) smooth muscle strips of opossums. NO caused a concentration-dependent fall in the resting tension of the IAS. The inhibitory action of NO may be exerted directly on the IAS smooth muscle since it was not modified by the neurotoxin tetrodotoxin (1 x 10(-6) M), which abolished the neurally mediated fall in the IAS tension. The inhibitor of NO synthesis NG-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) produced concentration-dependent suppression of the neurally mediated fall in the IAS tension. The suppression of the neurally mediated IAS relaxation was stereoselective because D-NNA had no effect on the control responses. The suppressant action of L-NNA was selectively reversed by L-arginine in a concentration-dependent manner. The reversal was complete with 3 x 10(-4) M L-arginine. D-Arginine on the other hand, at the same concentration had no effect on L-NNA-suppressed IAS relaxation. Interestingly, the fall in the IAS tension caused by vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) (an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the IAS) was also inhibited by L-NNA (3 x 10(-5) M). From these data we conclude that NO or NO-like substances serve as important inhibitory mediators for the NANC nerve-mediated IAS relaxation. A part of the inhibitory action of VIP on the IAS involves NO-synthase pathway. The exact site of formation and release of NO or NO-like substances in response to NANC nerve stimulation remain to be investigated.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge A. Aguilar-Pineda ◽  
Karin J. Vera-Lopez ◽  
Pallavi Shrivastava ◽  
Rita Nieto-Montesinos ◽  
Miguel A. Chávez-Fumagalli ◽  
...  

SUMMARYDespite the emerging evidence implying early vascular contributions to neurogenerative syndromes, the role of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease is still not well understood. Herein, we show that VSMCs in brains of AD patients and the animal model of the disease, are deficient in multiple VSMC-contractile markers which correlated with Tau accumulation in brain arterioles. Ex vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated that VSMCs undergo dramatic phenotypic transitions under AD-like conditions, adopting pro-inflammatory and synthetic phenotypes. Notably, these changes coincided with Tau hyperphosphorylation at residues Y18, T205 and S262. We also observed that loss of VSMC markers occurred in an age-dependent manner, and that expression of Sm22α and α-Sma proteins were inversely correlated with CD68 and Tau accumulation in brain arterioles of 3xTg-AD mice. Together, these findings further support the contribution of VSMCs in AD pathogenesis, and nominate VSMCs as potential novel therapeutic target in AD.Graphical Abstract


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dasol Kim ◽  
Hui-Yun Hwang ◽  
Eun Sun Ji ◽  
Jin Young Kim ◽  
Jong Shin Yoo ◽  
...  

AbstractDisorders of autophagy, a key regulator of cellular homeostasis, cause a number of human diseases. Due to the role of autophagy in metabolic dysregulation, there is a need to identify autophagy regulators as therapeutic targets. To address this need, we conducted an autophagy phenotype-based screen and identified the natural compound kaempferide (Kaem) as an autophagy enhancer. Kaem promoted autophagy through translocation of transcription factor EB (TFEB) without MTOR perturbation, suggesting it is safe for administration. Moreover, Kaem accelerated lipid droplet degradation in a lysosomal activity-dependent manner in vitro and ameliorated metabolic dysregulation in a diet-induced obesity mouse model. To elucidate the mechanism underlying Kaem’s biological activity, the target protein was identified via combined drug affinity responsive target stability and LC–MS/MS analyses. Kaem directly interacted with the mitochondrial elongation factor TUFM, and TUFM absence reversed Kaem-induced autophagy and lipid degradation. Kaem also induced mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) to sequentially promote lysosomal Ca2+ efflux, TFEB translocation and autophagy induction, suggesting a role of TUFM in mtROS regulation. Collectively, these results demonstrate that Kaem is a potential therapeutic candidate/chemical tool for treating metabolic dysregulation and reveal a role for TUFM in autophagy for metabolic regulation with lipid overload.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Zhang ◽  
Guoyu Yin ◽  
Heping Zhao ◽  
Hanzhi Ling ◽  
Zhen Xie ◽  
...  

AbstractIn inflamed joints, enhanced hyaluronic acid (HA) degradation is closely related to the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). KIAA1199 has been identified as a hyaladherin that mediates the intracellular degradation of HA, but its extracellular function remains unclear. In this study, we found that the serum and synovial levels of secreted KIAA1199 (sKIAA1199) and low-molecular-weight HA (LMW-HA, MW < 100 kDa) in RA patients were significantly increased, and the positive correlation between them was shown for the first time. Of note, treatment with anti-KIAA1199 mAb effectively alleviated the severity of arthritis and reduced serum LMW-HA levels and cytokine secretion in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice. In vitro, sKIAA1199 was shown to mediate exogenous HA degradation by attaching to the cell membrane of RA fibroblast-like synoviosytes (RA FLS). Furthermore, the HA-degrading activity of sKIAA1199 depended largely on its adhesion to the membrane, which was achieved by its G8 domain binding to ANXA1. In vivo, kiaa1199-KO mice exhibited greater resistance to collagen-induced arthritis. Interestingly, this resistance could be partially reversed by intra-articular injection of vectors encoding full-length KIAA1199 instead of G8-deleted KIAA119 mutant, which further confirmed the indispensable role of G8 domain in KIAA1199 involvement in RA pathological processes. Mechanically, the activation of NF-κB by interleukin-6 (IL-6) through PI3K/Akt signaling is suggested to be the main pathway to induce KIAA1199 expression in RA FLS. In conclusion, our study supported the contribution of sKIAA1199 to RA pathogenesis, providing a new therapeutic target for RA by blocking sKIAA1199-mediated HA degradation.


Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 420
Author(s):  
Su-Jung Hwang ◽  
Ye-Seul Song ◽  
Hyo-Jong Lee

Kushen (Radix Sophorae flavescentis) is used to treat ulcerative colitis, tumors, and pruritus. Recently, phaseolin, formononetin, matrine, luteolin, and quercetin, through a network pharmacology approach, were tentatively identified as five bioactive constituents responsible for the anti-inflammatory effects of S. flavescentis. However, the role of phaseolin (one of the primary components of S. flavescentis) in the direct regulation of inflammation and inflammatory processes is not well known. In this study, the beneficial role of phaseolin against inflammation was explored in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation models of RAW 264.7 macrophages and zebrafish larvae. Phaseolin inhibited LPS-mediated production of nitric oxide (NO) and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), without affecting cell viability. In addition, phaseolin suppressed pro-inflammatory mediators such as cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, phaseolin reduced matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity as well as macrophage adhesion in vitro and the recruitment of leukocytes in vivo by downregulating Ninjurin 1 (Ninj1), an adhesion molecule. Finally, phaseolin inhibited the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB). In view of the above, our results suggest that phaseolin could be a potential therapeutic candidate for the management of inflammation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yorick Janssens ◽  
Nathan Debunne ◽  
Anton De Spiegeleer ◽  
Evelien Wynendaele ◽  
Marta Planas ◽  
...  

AbstractQuorum sensing peptides (QSPs) are bacterial peptides produced by Gram-positive bacteria to communicate with their peers in a cell-density dependent manner. These peptides do not only act as interbacterial communication signals, but can also have effects on the host. Compelling evidence demonstrates the presence of a gut-brain axis and more specifically, the role of the gut microbiota in microglial functioning. The aim of this study is to investigate microglial activating properties of a selected QSP (PapRIV) which is produced by Bacillus cereus species. PapRIV showed in vitro activating properties of BV-2 microglia cells and was able to cross the in vitro Caco-2 cell model and reach the brain. In vivo peptide presence was also demonstrated in mouse plasma. The peptide caused induction of IL-6, TNFα and ROS expression and increased the fraction of ameboid BV-2 microglia cells in an NF-κB dependent manner. Different metabolites were identified in serum, of which the main metabolite still remained active. PapRIV is thus able to cross the gastro-intestinal tract and the blood–brain barrier and shows in vitro activating properties in BV-2 microglia cells, hereby indicating a potential role of this quorum sensing peptide in gut-brain interaction.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. 4717
Author(s):  
Jin-Young Lee ◽  
Da-Ae Kim ◽  
Eun-Young Kim ◽  
Eun-Ju Chang ◽  
So-Jeong Park ◽  
...  

Lumican, a ubiquitously expressed small leucine-rich proteoglycan, has been utilized in diverse biological functions. Recent experiments demonstrated that lumican stimulates preosteoblast viability and differentiation, leading to bone formation. To further understand the role of lumican in bone metabolism, we investigated its effects on osteoclast biology. Lumican inhibited both osteoclast differentiation and in vitro bone resorption in a dose-dependent manner. Consistent with this, lumican markedly decreased the expression of osteoclastogenesis markers. Moreover, the migration and fusion of preosteoclasts and the resorptive activity per osteoclast were significantly reduced in the presence of lumican, indicating that this protein affects most stages of osteoclastogenesis. Among RANKL-dependent pathways, lumican inhibited Akt but not MAP kinases such as JNK, p38, and ERK. Importantly, co-treatment with an Akt activator almost completely reversed the effect of lumican on osteoclast differentiation. Taken together, our findings revealed that lumican inhibits osteoclastogenesis by suppressing Akt activity. Thus, lumican plays an osteoprotective role by simultaneously increasing bone formation and decreasing bone resorption, suggesting that it represents a dual-action therapeutic target for osteoporosis.


1990 ◽  
Vol 123 (2) ◽  
pp. 218-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiangbing Wang ◽  
Noriyuki Sato ◽  
Monte A. Greer ◽  
Susan E. Greer ◽  
Staci McAdams

Abstract. The mechanism by which 30% medium hyposmolarity induces PRL secretion by GH4C1 cells was compared with that induced by 100 nmol/l TRH or 30 mmol/l K+. Removing medium Ca2+, blocking Ca2+ channels with 50 μmol/l verapamil, or inhibiting calmodulin activation with 20 μmol/l trifluoperazine, 10 μmol/l chlorpromazine or 10 μmol/l pimozide almost completely blocked hyposmolarity-induced secretion. The smooth muscle relaxant, W-7, which is believed relatively specific in inhibiting the Ca2+-calmodulin interaction, depressed hyposmolarity-induced PRL secretion in a dose-dependent manner (r = −0.991, p<0.01 ). The above drugs also blocked or decreased high K+-induced secretion, but had much less effect on TRH-induced secretion. Secretion induced by TRH, hyposmolarity, or high K+ was optimal at pH 7.3-7.65 and was significantly depressed at pH 6.0 or 8.0, indicating that release of hormone induced by all 3 stimuli is due to an active cell process requiring a physiologic extracellular pH and is not produced by nonspecific cell toxicity. The data suggest hyposmolarity and high K+ may share some similarities in their mechanism of stimulating secretion, which is different from that of TRH.


2016 ◽  
Vol 311 (5) ◽  
pp. G964-G973 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jagmohan Singh ◽  
Ettickan Boopathi ◽  
Sankar Addya ◽  
Benjamin Phillips ◽  
Isidore Rigoutsos ◽  
...  

A comprehensive genomic and proteomic, computational, and physiological approach was employed to examine the (previously unexplored) role of microRNAs (miRNAs) as regulators of internal anal sphincter (IAS) smooth muscle contractile phenotype and basal tone. miRNA profiling, genome-wide expression, validation, and network analyses were employed to assess changes in mRNA and miRNA expression in IAS smooth muscles from young vs. aging rats. Multiple miRNAs, including rno-miR-1, rno-miR-340-5p, rno-miR-185, rno-miR-199a-3p, rno-miR-200c, rno-miR-200b, rno-miR-31, rno-miR-133a, and rno-miR-206, were found to be upregulated in aging IAS. qPCR confirmed the upregulated expression of these miRNAs and downregulation of multiple, predicted targets ( Eln, Col3a1, Col1a1, Zeb2, Myocd, Srf, Smad1, Smad2, Rhoa/Rock2, Fn1, Tagln v2, Klf4, and Acta2) involved in regulation of smooth muscle contractility. Subsequent studies demonstrated an aging-associated increase in the expression of miR-133a, corresponding decreases in RhoA, ROCK2, MYOCD, SRF, and SM22α protein expression, RhoA-signaling, and a decrease in basal and agonist [U-46619 (thromboxane A2analog)]-induced increase in the IAS tone. Moreover, in vitro transfection of miR-133a caused a dose-dependent increase of IAS tone in strips, which was reversed by anti-miR-133a. Last, in vivo perianal injection of anti-miR-133a reversed the loss of IAS tone associated with age. This work establishes the important regulatory effect of miRNA-133a on basal and agonist-stimulated IAS tone. Moreover, reversal of age-associated loss of tone via anti-miR delivery strongly implicates miR dysregulation as a causal factor in the aging-associated decrease in IAS tone and suggests that miR-133a is a feasible therapeutic target in aging-associated rectoanal incontinence.


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