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Anzell AR, Kunz AB, Donovan JP, Tran TG, Lu X, Young S, Roman BL. Blood flow regulates acvrl1 transcription via ligand-dependent Alk1 activity. Angiogenesis 2024:10.1007/s10456-024-09924-w. [PMID: 38727966 DOI: 10.1007/s10456-024-09924-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is an autosomal dominant disease characterized by the development of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) that can result in significant morbidity and mortality. HHT is caused primarily by mutations in bone morphogenetic protein receptors ACVRL1/ALK1, a signaling receptor, or endoglin (ENG), an accessory receptor. Because overexpression of Acvrl1 prevents AVM development in both Acvrl1 and Eng null mice, enhancing ACVRL1 expression may be a promising approach to development of targeted therapies for HHT. Therefore, we sought to understand the molecular mechanism of ACVRL1 regulation. We previously demonstrated in zebrafish embryos that acvrl1 is predominantly expressed in arterial endothelial cells and that expression requires blood flow. Here, we document that flow dependence exhibits regional heterogeneity and that acvrl1 expression is rapidly restored after reinitiation of flow. Furthermore, we find that acvrl1 expression is significantly decreased in mutants that lack the circulating Alk1 ligand, Bmp10, and that, in the absence of flow, intravascular injection of BMP10 or the related ligand, BMP9, restores acvrl1 expression in an Alk1-dependent manner. Using a transgenic acvrl1:egfp reporter line, we find that flow and Bmp10 regulate acvrl1 at the level of transcription. Finally, we observe similar ALK1 ligand-dependent increases in ACVRL1 in human endothelial cells subjected to shear stress. These data suggest that ligand-dependent Alk1 activity acts downstream of blood flow to maintain or enhance acvrl1 expression via a positive feedback mechanism, and that ALK1 activating therapeutics may have dual functionality by increasing both ALK1 signaling flux and ACVRL1 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony R Anzell
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Pittsburgh Heart, Lung and Blood Vascular Medicine Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Amy B Kunz
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - James P Donovan
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Thanhlong G Tran
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Xinyan Lu
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Sarah Young
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Carnegie Mellon University, University Libraries, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Beth L Roman
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
- Pittsburgh Heart, Lung and Blood Vascular Medicine Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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Cheng S, Xia IF, Wanner R, Abello J, Stratman AN, Nicoli S. Hemodynamics regulate spatiotemporal artery muscularization in the developing circle of Willis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.01.569622. [PMID: 38077062 PMCID: PMC10705471 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.01.569622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) envelop vertebrate brain arteries, playing a crucial role in regulating cerebral blood flow and neurovascular coupling. The dedifferentiation of VSMCs is implicated in cerebrovascular diseases and neurodegeneration. Despite its importance, the process of VSMC differentiation on brain arteries during development remains inadequately characterized. Understanding this process could aid in reprogramming and regenerating differentiated VSMCs in cerebrovascular diseases. In this study, we investigated VSMC differentiation on the zebrafish circle of Willis (CoW), comprising major arteries that supply blood to the vertebrate brain. We observed that the arterial expression of CoW endothelial cells (ECs) occurs after their migration from the cranial venous plexus to form CoW arteries. Subsequently, acta2+ VSMCs differentiate from pdgfrb+ mural cell progenitors upon recruitment to CoW arteries. The progression of VSMC differentiation exhibits a spatiotemporal pattern, advancing from anterior to posterior CoW arteries. Analysis of blood flow suggests that earlier VSMC differentiation in anterior CoW arteries correlates with higher red blood cell velocity wall shear stress. Furthermore, pulsatile blood flow is required for differentiation of human brain pdgfrb+ mural cells into VSMCs as well as VSMC differentiation on zebrafish CoW arteries. Consistently, the flow-responsive transcription factor klf2a is activated in ECs of CoW arteries prior to VSMC differentiation, and klf2a knockdown delays VSMC differentiation on anterior CoW arteries. In summary, our findings highlight the role of blood flow activation of endothelial klf2a as a mechanism regulating the initial VSMC differentiation on vertebrate brain arteries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyuan Cheng
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, 333 Cedar St, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, Section of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George St, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- Vascular Biology & Therapeutics Program, Yale School of Medicine, 10 Amistad St, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Ivan Fan Xia
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, 333 Cedar St, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, Section of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George St, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- Vascular Biology & Therapeutics Program, Yale School of Medicine, 10 Amistad St, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Renate Wanner
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, 333 Cedar St, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, Section of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George St, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- Vascular Biology & Therapeutics Program, Yale School of Medicine, 10 Amistad St, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Javier Abello
- Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, 660 S. Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Amber N. Stratman
- Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, 660 S. Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Stefania Nicoli
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, 333 Cedar St, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, Section of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George St, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- Vascular Biology & Therapeutics Program, Yale School of Medicine, 10 Amistad St, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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Clevenger AJ, McFarlin MK, Gorley JPM, Solberg SC, Madyastha AK, Raghavan SA. Advances in cancer mechanobiology: Metastasis, mechanics, and materials. APL Bioeng 2024; 8:011502. [PMID: 38449522 PMCID: PMC10917464 DOI: 10.1063/5.0186042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Within the tumor microenvironment (TME), tumor cells are exposed to numerous mechanical forces, both internally and externally, which contribute to the metastatic cascade. From the initial growth of the tumor to traveling through the vasculature and to the eventual colonization of distant organs, tumor cells are continuously interacting with their surroundings through physical contact and mechanical force application. The mechanical forces found in the TME can be simplified into three main categories: (i) shear stress, (ii) tension and strain, and (iii) solid stress and compression. Each force type can independently impact tumor growth and progression. Here, we review recent bioengineering strategies, which have been employed to establish the connection between mechanical forces and tumor progression. While many cancers are explored in this review, we place great emphasis on cancers that are understudied in their response to mechanical forces, such as ovarian and colorectal cancers. We discuss the major steps of metastatic transformation and present novel, recent advances in model systems used to study how mechanical forces impact the study of the metastatic cascade. We end by summarizing systems that incorporate multiple forces to expand the complexity of our understanding of how tumor cells sense and respond to mechanical forces in their environment. Future studies would also benefit from the inclusion of time or the aspect of mechanical memory to further enhance this field. While the knowledge of mechanical forces and tumor metastasis grows, developing novel materials and in vitro systems are essential to providing new insight into predicting, treating, and preventing cancer progression and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maygan K. McFarlin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - John Paul M. Gorley
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Spencer C. Solberg
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Anirudh K. Madyastha
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
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Goeckel ME, Lee J, Levitas A, Colijn S, Mun G, Burton Z, Chintalapati B, Yin Y, Abello J, Stratman A. CXCR3-CXCL11 signaling restricts angiogenesis and promotes pericyte recruitment. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.16.557842. [PMID: 37745440 PMCID: PMC10516035 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.16.557842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Endothelial cell (EC)-pericyte interactions are known to remodel in response to hemodynamic forces, yet there is a lack of mechanistic understanding of the signaling pathways that underlie these events. Here, we have identified a novel signaling network regulated by blood flow in ECs-the chemokine receptor, CXCR3, and one of its ligands, CXCL11-that delimits EC angiogenic potential and suppresses pericyte recruitment during development through regulation of pdgfb expression in ECs. In vitro modeling of EC-pericyte interactions demonstrates that suppression of EC-specific CXCR3 signaling leads to loss of pericyte association with EC tubes. In vivo, phenotypic defects are particularly noted in the cranial vasculature, where we see a loss of pericyte association with and expansion of the vasculature in zebrafish treated with the Cxcr3 inhibitor AMG487. We also demonstrate using flow modeling platforms that CXCR3-deficient ECs are more elongated, move more slowly, and have impaired EC-EC junctions compared to their control counterparts. Together these data suggest that CXCR3 signaling in ECs drives vascular stabilization events during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan E. Goeckel
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis, MO, 63110
- University of Nebraska Medical Center, Graduate Studies, Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198
| | - Jihui Lee
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis, MO, 63110
| | - Allison Levitas
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis, MO, 63110
| | - Sarah Colijn
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis, MO, 63110
| | - Geonyoung Mun
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis, MO, 63110
| | - Zarek Burton
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis, MO, 63110
| | - Bharadwaj Chintalapati
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis, MO, 63110
| | - Ying Yin
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis, MO, 63110
| | - Javier Abello
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis, MO, 63110
| | - Amber Stratman
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis, MO, 63110
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Juste-Lanas Y, Hervas-Raluy S, García-Aznar JM, González-Loyola A. Fluid flow to mimic organ function in 3D in vitro models. APL Bioeng 2023; 7:031501. [PMID: 37547671 PMCID: PMC10404142 DOI: 10.1063/5.0146000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Many different strategies can be found in the literature to model organ physiology, tissue functionality, and disease in vitro; however, most of these models lack the physiological fluid dynamics present in vivo. Here, we highlight the importance of fluid flow for tissue homeostasis, specifically in vessels, other lumen structures, and interstitium, to point out the need of perfusion in current 3D in vitro models. Importantly, the advantages and limitations of the different current experimental fluid-flow setups are discussed. Finally, we shed light on current challenges and future focus of fluid flow models applied to the newest bioengineering state-of-the-art platforms, such as organoids and organ-on-a-chip, as the most sophisticated and physiological preclinical platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Silvia Hervas-Raluy
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Research Institute of Aragón (I3A), University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
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Wang L, Chen Z, Xu Z, Yang Y, Wang Y, Zhu J, Guo X, Tang D, Gu Z. A new approach of using organ-on-a-chip and fluid-structure interaction modeling to investigate biomechanical characteristics in tissue-engineered blood vessels. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1210826. [PMID: 37275235 PMCID: PMC10237315 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1210826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The tissue-engineered blood vessel (TEBV) has been developed and used in cardiovascular disease modeling, preclinical drug screening, and for replacement of native diseased arteries. Increasing attention has been paid to biomechanical cues in TEBV and other tissue-engineered organs to better recapitulate the functional properties of the native organs. Currently, computational fluid dynamics models were employed to reveal the hydrodynamics in TEBV-on-a-chip. However, the biomechanical wall stress/strain conditions in the TEBV wall have never been investigated. In this paper, a straight cylindrical TEBV was placed into a polydimethylsiloxane-made microfluidic device to construct the TEBV-on-a-chip. The chip was then perfused with cell culture media flow driven by a peristaltic pump. A three-dimensional fluid-structure interaction (FSI) model was generated to simulate the biomechanical conditions in TEBV and mimic both the dynamic TEBV movement and pulsatile fluid flow. The material stiffness of the TEBV wall was determined by uniaxial tensile testing, while the viscosity of cell culture media was measured using a rheometer. Comparison analysis between the perfusion experiment and FSI model results showed that the average relative error in diameter expansion of TEBV from both approaches was 10.0% in one period. For fluid flow, the average flow velocity over a period was 2.52 cm/s from the FSI model, 10.5% higher than the average velocity of the observed cell clusters (2.28 mm/s) in the experiment. These results demonstrated the facility to apply the FSI modeling approach in TEBV to obtain more comprehensive biomechanical results for investigating mechanical mechanisms of cardiovascular disease development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zaozao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
- Institute of Medical Devices (Suzhou), Southeast University, Suzhou, China
| | - Zhuoyue Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
- Institute of Medical Devices (Suzhou), Southeast University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yi Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
- Institute of Medical Devices (Suzhou), Southeast University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
- Institute of Medical Devices (Suzhou), Southeast University, Suzhou, China
| | - Jianfeng Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
- Institute of Medical Devices (Suzhou), Southeast University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xiaoya Guo
- School of Science, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing, China
| | - Dalin Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
- Mathematical Sciences Department, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Zhongze Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
- Institute of Medical Devices (Suzhou), Southeast University, Suzhou, China
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