scholarly journals Mesangial Cells and Glomerular Endothelial Cells Crosstalk in Rat Anti-Thy-1 Nephritis through VEGFA/VEGFAR2 and Angpt2/Tie2 pathway

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
yinghua zhao ◽  
Bo Fu ◽  
Pu Chen ◽  
Qinggang Li ◽  
Qing Ouyang ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUNDMesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis is characterized by the proliferation of mesangial cells (MCs). Endothelial cells (ECs) are affected by signals from MCs, resulting in capillary proliferation, but the specific signaling pathway associated with this activity remains unclear.RESULTSIn this study, the expression of PCNA, RECA-1 and CD34 in the glomeruli increased on the 7th day after anti-Thy-1 nephritis establishment, indicating the occurrence of ECs proliferation. After coculturing MCs and ECs in vitro, we observed that activated MCs could promote ECs proliferation, migration and α-SMA expression. Moreover, activated ECs had the same effects on MCs. RT-qPCR showed that activated MCs could increasingly secrete VEGFA, and Angpt2 expression in VEGFA-activated ECs was enhanced. Considering that Angpt2-mediated inhibition of ECs surface receptor Tie2 phosphorylation causes ECs proliferation, we hypothesized that VEGFA/VEGFR2 and Angpt2/Tie2 signaling is involved in the interaction between MCs and ECs. Our results showed that blocking VEGFA or adding the Angpt2 antagonist Angpt1 to the coculture system decreased the number of EdU-positive cells,Angpt2,p-VEGFR2 and p-MAPK expression, but increased p-Tie2 in ECs. To determine whether Angpt1 could effectively alleviate the pathological changes of anti-Thy-1 nephritis, we performed Vasculotide (Angpt1 mimic peptide) treatment assays in vivo. The results confirmed that the addition of Vasculotide could effectively reduce PCNA, RECA-1 and α-SMA expression and promote p-Tie2.CONCLUSIONIn summary, the study showed that the VEGFA/VEGFR2 and Angpt2/Tie2 signaling pathway mediate interactions between MCs and ECs, providing an important theoretical basis for the treatment of mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis.

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 278-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shengnan Zhao ◽  
Minglu Liang ◽  
Yilong Wang ◽  
Ji Hu ◽  
Yi Zhong ◽  
...  

The vascular endothelium is a continuous layer of flat polygonal cells that are in direct contact with the blood and participate in responses to inflammation. Chrysin is a flavonoid compound extracted from plants of the genus Asteraceae with a wide range of pharmacological activities and physiological activities. Here, we studied the effects of chrysin on the regulation of the proadhesion and pro-inflammatory phenotypes of the endothelium both in vitro and in vivo. Our results revealed that chrysin strongly inhibited Tohoku Hospital Pediatrics-1 (THP-1) cell adhesion to primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells and concentration-dependently attenuated interleukin 1β-induced increases in intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), and E-selectin messenger RNA levels and ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 protein levels. Previous studies reported that nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) is important in the inflammatory response in endothelial cells, particularly in regulating adhesion molecules, and our data shed light on the mechanisms whereby chrysin suppressed endothelial inflammation via the NF-κB signaling pathway. In addition, our in vivo findings demonstrated the effects of chrysin in the permeability and inflammatory responses of the endothelium to inflammatory injury. Taken together, we conclude that chrysin inhibits endothelial inflammation both in vitro and in vivo, which could be mainly due to its inhibition of NF-κB signaling activation. In conclusion, chrysin may serve as a promising therapeutic candidate for inflammatory vascular diseases.


2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 520-531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Ding ◽  
Lanlan Shan ◽  
Wenqing Nai ◽  
Xiaojun Lin ◽  
Ling Zhou ◽  
...  

Background/Aims: The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway is essential for angiogenesis and embryonic development. DEP domain-containing mTOR-interacting protein (DEPTOR) is an mTOR binding protein that functions to inhibit the mTOR pathway In vitro experiments suggest that DEPTOR is crucial for vascular endothelial cell (EC) activation and angiogenic responses. However, knowledge of the effects of DEPTOR on angiogenesis in vivo is limited. This study aimed to determine the role of DEPTOR in tissue angiogenesis and to elucidate the molecular mechanisms. Methods: Cre/loxP conditional gene knockout strategy was used to delete the Deptor gene in mouse vascular ECs. The expression or distribution of cluster of differentiation 31 (CD31), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) were detected by immunohistochemical staining or western blot. Tube formation assay was used to measure angiogenesis in vitro. Results: Deptor knockdown led to increased expression of CD31, VEGF and HIF-1α in heart, liver, kidney and aorta. After treatment with rapamycin, their expression was significantly down regulated. In vitro, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were transfected with DEPTOR-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA), which resulted in a significant increase in endothelial tube formation and migration rates. In contrast, DEPTOR overexpression markedly reduced the expression of CD31, VEGF and HIF-1α. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated that deletion of the Deptor gene in vascular ECs resulted in upregulated expression of CD31 and HIF-1α, and further stimulated the expression of VEGF which promoted angiogenesis, indicating that disruption of normal angiogenic pathways may occur through hyperactivation of the mTORC1/HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathway.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Xing Li ◽  
Dan Luo ◽  
Yu Hou ◽  
Yonghui Hou ◽  
Shudong Chen ◽  
...  

Spinal cord microcirculation involves functioning endothelial cells at the blood spinal cord barrier (BSCB) and maintains normal functioning of spinal cord neurons, axons, and glial cells. Protection of both the function and integrity of endothelial cells as well as the prevention of BSCB disruption may be a strong strategy for the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI) cases. Sodium Tanshinone IIA silate (STS) is used for the treatment of coronary heart disease and improves microcirculation. Whether STS exhibits protective effects for SCI microcirculation is not yet clear. The purpose of this study is to investigate the protective effects of STS on oxygen-glucose deprivation- (OGD-) induced injury of spinal cord endothelial cells (SCMECs) in vitro and to explore effects on BSCB and neurovascular protection in vivo. SCMECs were treated with various concentrations of STS (1 μM, 3 μM, and 10 μM) for 24 h with or without OGD-induction. Cell viability, tube formation, migration, and expression of Notch signaling pathway components were evaluated. Histopathological evaluation (H&E), Nissl staining, BSCB permeability, and the expression levels of von Willebrand Factor (vWF), CD31, NeuN, and Notch signaling pathway components were analyzed. STS was found to improve SCMEC functions and reduce inflammatory mediators after OGD. STS also relieved histopathological damage, increased zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), inhibited BSCB permeability, rescued microvessels, protected motor neuromas, and improved functional recovery in a SCI model. Moreover, we uncovered that the Notch signaling pathway plays an important role during these processes. These results indicated that STS protects microcirculation in SCI, which may be used as a therapeutic strategy for SCI in the future.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ke Xu ◽  
Kai Fang ◽  
Yueping Zhan ◽  
Yuqian Wang ◽  
Chengqi Wu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Anti-angiogenesis therapy has increasingly become an important strategy for the treatment of colorectal cancer. Recent studies have shown that tumor microenvironment (TME) promotes tumour angiogenesis. Bufalin is an active compound whose anti-tumor efficacy has been proven by previous studies. However, there are very few studies on the anti-angiogenic effects of bufalin. Methods Herein, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) tube formation, migration and adhesion test were used to assess angiogenesis in vitro. Western blot and quantitative PCR were used to detect relevant protein levels and the expressions of mRNAs. Subcutaneous xenograft tumor model and hepatic metastasis model in mice were established to investigate the influence of bufalin on angiogenesis-mediated by TME in vivo. Results We found that the angiogenesis mediated by tumor microenvironment cells was significantly inhibited in the present of bufalin. The results demonstrated that the pro-angiogenic gene in HUVEC such as VEGF, PDGFA, E-selectin and P-selectin were downregulated by bufalin, and the downregulation was regulated by inhibiting the STAT3 pathway. Overexpression STAT3 could reverse the inhibitory effect of bufalin on angiogenesis. What is more, few reduction of angiogenesis when bufalin directly acted on tumor microenvironment cells. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate that bufalin suppresses tumour microenvironment-mediated angiogenesis by inhibiting the STAT3 signaling pathway of vascular endothelial cells, which reveals that bufalin may be used as a new anti-angiogenic adjuvant therapy medicine in the treatment of colorectal cancer.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shih-Ya Tseng ◽  
Hsien-Yuan Chang ◽  
Yi-Heng Li ◽  
Ting-Hsing Chao

Abstract Background: Cilostazol is an antiplatelet agent with vasodilating effects that functions by increasing the intracellular concentration of cyclic adenosine monophosphate. However, the effect of cilostazol on adiponectin is still unclear. Purpose: We investigated the effects of cilostazol on adiponectin/adiponectin receptors and the Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1)/AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway to prevent high glucose (HG)-induced impairment of angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Methods and Results: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) were cocultured in HG conditions. Adiponectin concentrations in the supernatant were significantly increased when HASMCs were treated with cilostazol but not significantly changed when only HUVECs were treated with cilostazol. Cilostazol treatment restored the expression of the adipoR1 and SIRT1 proteins and upregulated the phosphorylation of AMPKa1 in the HUVECs treated with HG but not adipoR2. Cilostazol prevented apoptosis and stimulated proliferation, chemotactic motility and capillary-like tube formation in HG-treated HUVECs through the adipoR1/AMPK/SIRT1 signaling pathway. In cilostazol-treated mice, recovery of the blood flow ratio after hindlimb ischemia and circulating CD34+CD45dim cells were significantly attenuated by adipoR1 knockdown but not adipoR2 knockdown. The expression of SIRT1, phosphorylation of AMPKa1/acetyl-CoA carboxylase and Akt/endothelial nitric oxide synthase in ischemic muscles were significantly attenuated by gene knockdown of adipoR1. Conclusions: Cilostazol prevents HG-induced endothelial dysfunction in vascular endothelial cells and enhances angiogenesis in hyperglycemic mice by upregulating the expression of adiponectin/adipoR1 and its SIRT1/AMPK downstream signaling pathway.


2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 546-560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui Yan ◽  
Matijs van Meurs ◽  
Eliane R. Popa ◽  
Rianne M. Jongman ◽  
Peter J. Zwiers ◽  
...  

Sepsis is a severe systemic inflammatory response to infection. Endothelial activation and dysfunction play a critical role in the pathophysiology of sepsis and represent an important therapeutic target to reduce sepsis mortality. Interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) was recently identified as a downstream target of TNF-α-mediated signal transduction in endothelial cells. The aim of this study was to explore the importance of IRF-1 as a regulator of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endothelial proinflammatory activation. We found that renal IRF-1 was upregulated by LPS in vivo as well as in LPS-stimulated endothelial cells in vitro. Furthermore, we identified intracellular retinoic acid inducible gene-I (RIG-I) as a regulator of LPS-mediated IRF-1 induction. IRF-1 depletion specifically resulted in diminished induction of VCAM-1 in response to LPS, but not of E-selectin or ICAM-1, which was independent of NFκB signaling. When both IRF-1 and the RIG-I adapter protein mitochondrial antiviral signaling (MAVS) were absent, VCAM-1 induction was not additionally inhibited, suggesting that MAVS and IRF-1 reside in the same signaling pathway. Surprisingly, E-selectin and IL-6 induction were no longer inhibited by MAVS knockdown when IRF-1 was also absent, revealing a redundant endothelial activation pathway. In summary, we report an IRF-1-mediated proinflammatory signaling pathway that specifically regulates LPS-mediated VCAM-1 expression, independent of NFκB.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Temitope Adelusi ◽  
Xizhi Li ◽  
Liu Xu ◽  
Lei Du ◽  
Meng Hao ◽  
...  

Background: In this study, we investigated the Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway activating capacity of Biphenyl Diester Derivative-39 (BDD-39) in diabetic nephropathy in order to elucidate the mechanism surrounding its antidiabetic potential. Objectives: Protein expressions of Nrf2, HO-1, NQO-1 and biomarkers of kidney fibrosis were executed after which mRNA levels of Nrf2, HO-1 and NQO-1 were estimated after creating the models following BBD-39 treatment. Methods: Type 2 diabetes model was established in mice with high-fat diet feeding combined with streptozocin intraperitoneal administration. The diabetic mice were then treated with BDD-39 (15, 45mg· kg-1· d-1, ig) or a positive control drug resveratrol (45mg· kg-1·d-1, ig) for 8 weeks. Staining techniques were used to investigate collagen deposition in the glomerulus of the renal cortex and also to investigate the expression and localization of Nrf2 and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins (collagen IV and laminin) in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we studied the mechanism of action of BDD-39 using RNA-mediated Nrf2 silencing technique in mouse SV40 glomerular mesangial cells (SV40 GM cells). Results : We found that BDD-39 activates Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway, promotes Nrf2 nuclear translocation (Nrf2nuc/Nrf2cyt) and modulate prominent biomarkers of kidney fibrosis at the protein level. However, BDD-39 could not activate Nrf2/ARE signaling in RNA-mediated Nrf2-silenced HG-cultured SV40 GM cells. Conclusion: Taken together, this study demonstrates for the first time that BDD-39 ameliorates experimental DN through attenuation of renal fibrosis progression and modulation of Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wa Du ◽  
Sriram Ayyaswamy ◽  
Smruti Rath ◽  
Yan Ge ◽  
Tommy Nguyen ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Generalized lymphatic anomaly is characterized by diffuse or multicentric proliferation of dilated lymphatic vessels resembling common lymphatic malformation. Studies on GLA are frequently hampered by a lack of appropriate models to test the effects of potential treatments or decipher the mechanism of pathology. Moreover, diverse phenotypes observed with GLA require a large number of samples to be analyzed to obtain statistically informative results. Due to the very limited experimental material, most of the research is restricted to single case report. Methods We first time used two-step endothelial cell isolation technique (step 1: single cells were first sorted with a-human CD31 magnetic beads; step 2: collected CD31 Pos cells from step1 were sorted with a-human PDPN magnetic beads) to generate two GLA-LEC cell lines, and purified normal-LEC from normal liver tissue in the same case. To characterize the aberrant phenotype of generalized lymphatic anomaly lymphatic endothelial cells (GLA-LEC#1, and GLA-LEC#2). We investigated GLA-LECs growth curve, cell cycle, apoptosis, and sprouting angiogenesis in vitro . Matrigel plug assay was applied in immunodeficient mice to monitor the GLA-LECs formed vasculature in vivo . Rapamycin and dual MEK / ERK inhibitor were tested to investigate the efficacy on inhibiting GLA-LEC proliferation and downstream signaling pathway. Results We have successfully purified GLA-LECs from GLA tissues with > 99% purity. These cells also expressed the lymphatic markers lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor (LYVE-1) and podoplanin (PDPN). GLA-LECs showed significantly higher proliferation rate compared to normal-LECs in both cases. Cell cycle analysis of cell distribution suggested that compared with normal-LECs, GLA-LECs showed increased proportion of cells in S phase and less G0/G1 phase. When GLA-LECs and normal-LECs apoptosis induced by serum deprivation, more Annexin V positive population of endothelial cells were observed in normal-LECs but not GLA-LECs. Hyper-activated epidermal growth-factor receptor (EGFR) signaling was observed in both cases of GLA-LECs, endogenously highly expression of EGF receptor and EGF induced phosphorylation of EGFR (phosphor Y1068) were found in both GLA cell lines. GLA-LECs are sensitive to both rapamycin and MEK / ERK dual inhibitor treatment. In vivo, by using Matrigel plug assay, we found both GLA-LECs and immortalized GLA-LEC (SV40) grew robust vessel-like structure. Conclusions In vitro , both GLA-LECs cell lines are highly proliferative as compared with normal-LECs. Rapamycin and dual MEK / ERK inhibitor dose-dependently inhibited GLA-LECs proliferation. In vivo , GLA-LECs showed angiogenic phenotype, and grew robust vessel-like structure in immunodeficient mice.


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