scholarly journals Inflammation and autoimmunity in pulmonary hypertension: is there a role for endothelial adhesion molecules? (2017 Grover Conference Series)

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 204589321875759 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolfgang M. Kuebler ◽  
Sébastien Bonnet ◽  
Arata Tabuchi

While pulmonary hypertension (PH) has traditionally not been considered as a disease that is directly linked to or, potentially, even caused by inflammation, a rapidly growing body of evidence has demonstrated the accumulation of a variety of inflammatory and immune cells in PH lungs, in and around the wall of remodeled pulmonary resistance vessels and in the vicinity of plexiform lesions, respectively. Concomitantly, abundant production and release of various inflammatory mediators has been documented in both PH patients and experimental models of PH. While these findings unequivocally demonstrate an inflammatory component in PH, they have fueled an intense and presently ongoing debate as to the nature of this inflammatory aspect: is it a mere bystander of or response to the actual disease process, or is it a pathomechanistic contributor or potentially even a trigger of endothelial injury, smooth muscle hypertrophy and hyperplasia, and the resulting lung vascular remodeling? In this review, we will discuss the present evidence for an inflammatory component in PH disease with a specific focus on the potential role of the endothelium in this scenario and highlight future avenues of experimental investigation which may lead to novel therapeutic interventions.

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (572) ◽  
pp. eaau4543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dilshan S. Harischandra ◽  
Dharmin Rokad ◽  
Matthew L. Neal ◽  
Shivani Ghaisas ◽  
Sireesha Manne ◽  
...  

The aggregation of α-synuclein (αSyn) is considered a key pathophysiological feature of certain neurodegenerative disorders, collectively termed synucleinopathies. Given that a prion-like, cell-to-cell transfer of misfolded αSyn has been recognized in the spreading of αSyn pathology in synucleinopathies, we investigated the biological mechanisms underlying the propagation of the disease with respect to environmental neurotoxic stress. Considering the potential role of the divalent metal manganese (Mn2+) in protein aggregation, we characterized its effect on αSyn misfolding and transmission in experimental models of Parkinson’s disease. In cultured dopaminergic neuronal cells stably expressing wild-type human αSyn, misfolded αSyn was secreted through exosomes into the extracellular medium upon Mn2+ exposure. These exosomes were endocytosed through caveolae into primary microglial cells, thereby mounting neuroinflammatory responses. Furthermore, Mn2+-elicited exosomes exerted a neurotoxic effect in a human dopaminergic neuronal model (LUHMES cells). Moreover, bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) analysis revealed that Mn2+ accelerated the cell-to-cell transmission of αSyn, resulting in dopaminergic neurotoxicity in a mouse model of Mn2+ exposure. Welders exposed to Mn2+ had increased misfolded αSyn content in their serum exosomes. Stereotaxically delivering αSyn-containing exosomes, isolated from Mn2+-treated αSyn-expressing cells, into the striatum initiated Parkinsonian-like pathological features in mice. Together, these results indicate that Mn2+ exposure promotes αSyn secretion in exosomal vesicles, which subsequently evokes proinflammatory and neurodegenerative responses in both cell culture and animal models.


Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 1875
Author(s):  
Cho-Ming Chao ◽  
Lei Chong ◽  
Xuran Chu ◽  
Amit Shrestha ◽  
Judith Behnke ◽  
...  

More than 50 years after the first description of Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) by Northway, this chronic lung disease affecting many preterm infants is still poorly understood. Additonally, approximately 40% of preterm infants suffering from severe BPD also suffer from Bronchopulmonary dysplasia-associated pulmonary hypertension (BPD-PH), leading to a significant increase in total morbidity and mortality. Until today, there is no curative therapy for both BPD and BPD-PH available. It has become increasingly evident that growth factors are playing a central role in normal and pathologic development of the pulmonary vasculature. Thus, this review aims to summarize the recent evidence in our understanding of BPD-PH from a basic scientific point of view, focusing on the potential role of Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF)/FGF10 signaling pathway contributing to disease development, progression and resolution.


2010 ◽  
Vol 126 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Jurasz ◽  
David Courtman ◽  
Saeid Babaie ◽  
Duncan J. Stewart

2001 ◽  
Vol 86 (07) ◽  
pp. 356-365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lina Badimon

SummaryAtherothrombosis defines the occurrence of thrombosis on athero-sclerotic lesions. Atherosclerosis is the most prevalent disease of our time and its thrombotic complications are responsible for an exceedingly high number of deaths and disabilities. Over the past few years, experimental investigation and clinical and pathologic observations have led to a better understanding of how a thrombus forms and also of its incidence in acute ischemic syndromes. A thrombus is usually found secondary to atherosclerotic plaque disruption. Mural thrombosis, also at the site of plaque rupture, is an important mechanism in the progression of atherosclerosis even when symptoms are absent. Because atherosclerosis is a silent and asymptomatic disease until complications arise with thrombosis producing clinical symptoms, it is necessary to have models that reproduce the human disease in its early stages. Unfortunately, not all the experimental models of vascular disease have human resemblance and validity. Knowledge of the disease process and of what an experimental animal model can offer is a milestone for a successful investigation. Experimental models of vascular disease have enhanced our understanding of the pathophysiological processes leading to vascular obstruction in both spontaneous and accelerated atherosclerosis and thrombosis. Animal models have provided insight into the role of platelets, lipids, renin-angiotensin system (RAS), cytokines and growth factors in the evolution and progression of atherosclerosis and have suggested potential therapeutic interventions. Significant advances in our understanding of the vascular biology and pathology of atherosclerosis and thrombosis, and of the interactions of blood cells, lipids and proteins with the vascular wall, have allowed us to formulate new experimental hypotheses and to test therapeutic strategies, either pharmacological or surgical.


2005 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 343-345 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.J. Bridges

The development of kinase and phosphatase inhibitors as novel therapeutic agents has been stimulated by the discovery that most biological processes are controlled by the reversible phosphorylation of proteins. Most of the early results in this area were generated in oncology, at the same time as the human genome, with its 500+ kinases and 100+ phosphatases was deciphered. Because of this, we know a great deal about which processes signalling inhibitors interfere with, but little about the overall consequences. In this study, kinases will be briefly reviewed, followed by some of the early problems in developing kinase inhibitors, as biochemical reagents, and clinically active pharmaceuticals in oncology. The discussion will then switch to the potential role of kinases and phosphatases in controlling the disease process in Type II diabetes. Phosphatase inhibitors should augment insulin receptor tyrosine kinase signalling. Glycogen synthesis and glycogenolysis are phosphorylation dependent, and amenable to kinase inhibition, as are some nuclear hormone receptors, and these will be briefly discussed.


1997 ◽  
Vol 272 (3) ◽  
pp. H1173-H1181 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Eddahibi ◽  
B. Raffestin ◽  
I. Pham ◽  
J. M. Launay ◽  
P. Aegerter ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential role of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) on development of pulmonary hypertension during chronic exposure to mild (15% O2) and severe (10% O2) hypoxia. In isolated lungs from normoxic rats preconstricted with U-46619, 5-HT (10(-12)-10(-8) M) induced dose-dependent vasodilation (n = 6), which was suppressed by the NO synthesis inhibitor nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 10(-4) M, n = 5) and reduced by the 5-HT3-receptor antagonist MDL-7222 (10(-5) M, n = 6). The vasoconstriction that was observed with higher concentrations of 5-HT (10(-7)-10(-4) M) was inhibited by ketanserin (10(-5) M) and methiothepin (10(-5) M, n = 6 each). The vasodilator response to 5-HT was suppressed in lungs from rats exposed to 10% O2 but not 15% O2 (n = 6 each). In conscious rats, intravenous administration of 5-HT potentiated the pulmonary pressor response to acute hypoxia (10% O2, n = 5), an effect that remained unchanged after pretreatment with a 5-HT1 and a 5-HT2 antagonist (n = 4) but was attenuated after treatment with the cyclooxygenase inhibitor meclofenamate (n = 4). Treatment with 5-HT (5 nmol/h i.v. by osmotic pumps) for 2 wk in rats simultaneously exposed to 10% O2 increased pulmonary arterial pressure, right ventricular hypertrophy, and muscularization of pulmonary vessels in comparison with their hypoxic controls (n = 12 each). No changes occurred in 15% O2 hypoxic rats (n = 12 each). The present findings show that 5-HT potentiates development of pulmonary hypertension in rats exposed to chronic hypoxia.


Antioxidants ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernardino Clavo ◽  
Francisco Rodríguez-Esparragón ◽  
Delvys Rodríguez-Abreu ◽  
Gregorio Martínez-Sánchez ◽  
Pedro Llontop ◽  
...  

(1) Background: Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy attempt to kill tumor cells by different mechanisms mediated by an intracellular increase of free radicals. However, free radicals can also increase in healthy cells and lead to oxidative stress, resulting in further damage to healthy tissues. Approaches to prevent or treat many of these side effects are limited. Ozone therapy can induce a controlled oxidative stress able to stimulate an adaptive antioxidant response in healthy tissue. This review describes the studies using ozone therapy to prevent and/or treat chemotherapy-induced toxicity, and how its effect is linked to a modification of free radicals and antioxidants. (2) Methods: This review encompasses a total of 13 peer-reviewed original articles (most of them with assessment of oxidative stress parameters) and some related works. It is mainly focused on four drugs: Cisplatin, Methotrexate, Doxorubicin, and Bleomycin. (3) Results: In experimental models and the few existing clinical studies, modulation of free radicals and antioxidants by ozone therapy was associated with decreased chemotherapy-induced toxicity. (4) Conclusions: The potential role of ozone therapy in the management of chemotherapy-induced toxicity merits further research. Randomized controlled trials are ongoing.


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