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Fan L, Wang H, Kassab GS, Lee LC. Review of cardiac-coronary interaction and insights from mathematical modeling. WIREs Mech Dis 2024; 16:e1642. [PMID: 38316634 PMCID: PMC11081852 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Cardiac-coronary interaction is fundamental to the function of the heart. As one of the highest metabolic organs in the body, the cardiac oxygen demand is met by blood perfusion through the coronary vasculature. The coronary vasculature is largely embedded within the myocardial tissue which is continually contracting and hence squeezing the blood vessels. The myocardium-coronary vessel interaction is two-ways and complex. Here, we review the different types of cardiac-coronary interactions with a focus on insights gained from mathematical models. Specifically, we will consider the following: (1) myocardial-vessel mechanical interaction; (2) metabolic-flow interaction and regulation; (3) perfusion-contraction matching, and (4) chronic interactions between the myocardium and coronary vasculature. We also provide a discussion of the relevant experimental and clinical studies of different types of cardiac-coronary interactions. Finally, we highlight knowledge gaps, key challenges, and limitations of existing mathematical models along with future research directions to understand the unique myocardium-coronary coupling in the heart. This article is categorized under: Cardiovascular Diseases > Computational Models Cardiovascular Diseases > Biomedical Engineering Cardiovascular Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Fan
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, Marquette University and Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Haifeng Wang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Ghassan S Kassab
- California Medical Innovations Institute, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Lik Chuan Lee
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
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2
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Feng Z, Fang C, Ma Y, Chang J. Obesity-induced blood-brain barrier dysfunction: phenotypes and mechanisms. J Neuroinflammation 2024; 21:110. [PMID: 38678254 PMCID: PMC11056074 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-024-03104-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Obesity, a burgeoning global health issue, is increasingly recognized for its detrimental effects on the central nervous system, particularly concerning the integrity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). This manuscript delves into the intricate relationship between obesity and BBB dysfunction, elucidating the underlying phenotypes and molecular mechanisms. We commence with an overview of the BBB's critical role in maintaining cerebral homeostasis and the pathological alterations induced by obesity. By employing a comprehensive literature review, we examine the structural and functional modifications of the BBB in the context of obesity, including increased permeability, altered transport mechanisms, and inflammatory responses. The manuscript highlights how obesity-induced systemic inflammation and metabolic dysregulation contribute to BBB disruption, thereby predisposing individuals to various neurological disorders. We further explore the potential pathways, such as oxidative stress and endothelial cell dysfunction, that mediate these changes. Our discussion culminates in the summary of current findings and the identification of knowledge gaps, paving the way for future research directions. This review underscores the significance of understanding BBB dysfunction in obesity, not only for its implications in neurodegenerative diseases but also for developing targeted therapeutic strategies to mitigate these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziying Feng
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, System of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Cheng Fang
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, System of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yinzhong Ma
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, System of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
- Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xueyuan Ave 1068, Nanshan, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, China.
| | - Junlei Chang
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, System of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xueyuan Ave 1068, Nanshan, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, China.
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3
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Ren SY, Xia Y, Yu B, Lei QJ, Hou PF, Guo S, Wu SL, Liu W, Yang SF, Jiang YB, Chen JF, Shen KF, Zhang CQ, Wang F, Yan M, Ren H, Yang N, Zhang J, Zhang K, Lin S, Li T, Yang QW, Xiao L, Hu ZX, Mei F. Growth hormone promotes myelin repair after chronic hypoxia via triggering pericyte-dependent angiogenesis. Neuron 2024:S0896-6273(24)00233-2. [PMID: 38653248 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.03.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
White matter injury (WMI) causes oligodendrocyte precursor cell (OPC) differentiation arrest and functional deficits, with no effective therapies to date. Here, we report increased expression of growth hormone (GH) in the hypoxic neonatal mouse brain, a model of WMI. GH treatment during or post hypoxic exposure rescues hypoxia-induced hypomyelination and promotes functional recovery in adolescent mice. Single-cell sequencing reveals that Ghr mRNA expression is highly enriched in vascular cells. Cell-lineage labeling and tracing identify the GHR-expressing vascular cells as a subpopulation of pericytes. These cells display tip-cell-like morphology with kinetic polarized filopodia revealed by two-photon live imaging and seemingly direct blood vessel branching and bridging. Gain-of-function and loss-of-function experiments indicate that GHR signaling in pericytes is sufficient to modulate angiogenesis in neonatal brains, which enhances OPC differentiation and myelination indirectly. These findings demonstrate that targeting GHR and/or downstream effectors may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for WMI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Yu Ren
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Brain Development and Cognition, Brain and Intelligence Research Key Laboratory of Chongqing Education Commission, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Yu Xia
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Brain Development and Cognition, Brain and Intelligence Research Key Laboratory of Chongqing Education Commission, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Bin Yu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Brain Development and Cognition, Brain and Intelligence Research Key Laboratory of Chongqing Education Commission, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China; Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Qi-Jing Lei
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Brain Development and Cognition, Brain and Intelligence Research Key Laboratory of Chongqing Education Commission, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Peng-Fei Hou
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Brain Development and Cognition, Brain and Intelligence Research Key Laboratory of Chongqing Education Commission, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Sheng Guo
- Department of Immunology, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Shuang-Ling Wu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Brain Development and Cognition, Brain and Intelligence Research Key Laboratory of Chongqing Education Commission, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Brain Development and Cognition, Brain and Intelligence Research Key Laboratory of Chongqing Education Commission, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Shao-Fan Yang
- Brain Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Yi-Bin Jiang
- Department of Neurobiology, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Jing-Fei Chen
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Brain Development and Cognition, Brain and Intelligence Research Key Laboratory of Chongqing Education Commission, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Kai-Feng Shen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Chun-Qing Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Fei Wang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Brain Development and Cognition, Brain and Intelligence Research Key Laboratory of Chongqing Education Commission, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Mi Yan
- Department of Pediatrics, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400000, China
| | - Hong Ren
- Department of Emergence, 5(th) People's Hospital of Chongqing, Chongqing 400062, China
| | - Nian Yang
- Department of Physiology, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Department of Neurobiology, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Kuan Zhang
- Brain Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Sen Lin
- Department of Neurology, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Tao Li
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Brain Development and Cognition, Brain and Intelligence Research Key Laboratory of Chongqing Education Commission, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Qing-Wu Yang
- Department of Neurology, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Lan Xiao
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Brain Development and Cognition, Brain and Intelligence Research Key Laboratory of Chongqing Education Commission, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Zhang-Xue Hu
- Department of Pediatrics, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400000, China.
| | - Feng Mei
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Brain Development and Cognition, Brain and Intelligence Research Key Laboratory of Chongqing Education Commission, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China.
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4
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Longden TA, Lederer WJ. Electro-metabolic signaling. J Gen Physiol 2024; 156:e202313451. [PMID: 38197953 PMCID: PMC10783436 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202313451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Precise matching of energy substrate delivery to local metabolic needs is essential for the health and function of all tissues. Here, we outline a mechanistic framework for understanding this critical process, which we refer to as electro-metabolic signaling (EMS). All tissues exhibit changes in metabolism over varying spatiotemporal scales and have widely varying energetic needs and reserves. We propose that across tissues, common signatures of elevated metabolism or increases in energy substrate usage that exceed key local thresholds rapidly engage mechanisms that generate hyperpolarizing electrical signals in capillaries that then relax contractile elements throughout the vasculature to quickly adjust blood flow to meet changing needs. The attendant increase in energy substrate delivery serves to meet local metabolic requirements and thus avoids a mismatch in supply and demand and prevents metabolic stress. We discuss in detail key examples of EMS that our laboratories have discovered in the brain and the heart, and we outline potential further EMS mechanisms operating in tissues such as skeletal muscle, pancreas, and kidney. We suggest that the energy imbalance evoked by EMS uncoupling may be central to cellular dysfunction from which the hallmarks of aging and metabolic diseases emerge and may lead to generalized organ failure states-such as diverse flavors of heart failure and dementia. Understanding and manipulating EMS may be key to preventing or reversing these dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas A. Longden
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Laboratory of Neurovascular Interactions, Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - W. Jonathan Lederer
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Laboratory of Molecular Cardiology, Center for Biomedical Engineering and Technology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Behringer EJ. Impact of aging on vascular ion channels: perspectives and knowledge gaps across major organ systems. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2023; 325:H1012-H1038. [PMID: 37624095 PMCID: PMC10908410 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00288.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Individuals aged ≥65 yr will comprise ∼20% of the global population by 2030. Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the world with age-related endothelial "dysfunction" as a key risk factor. As an organ in and of itself, vascular endothelium courses throughout the mammalian body to coordinate blood flow to all other organs and tissues (e.g., brain, heart, lung, skeletal muscle, gut, kidney, skin) in accord with metabolic demand. In turn, emerging evidence demonstrates that vascular aging and its comorbidities (e.g., neurodegeneration, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, heart failure, and cancer) are "channelopathies" in large part. With an emphasis on distinct functional traits and common arrangements across major organs systems, the present literature review encompasses regulation of vascular ion channels that underlie blood flow control throughout the body. The regulation of myoendothelial coupling and local versus conducted signaling are discussed with new perspectives for aging and the development of chronic diseases. Although equipped with an awareness of knowledge gaps in the vascular aging field, a section has been included to encompass general feasibility, role of biological sex, and additional conceptual and experimental considerations (e.g., cell regression and proliferation, gene profile analyses). The ultimate goal is for the reader to see and understand major points of deterioration in vascular function while gaining the ability to think of potential mechanistic and therapeutic strategies to sustain organ perfusion and whole body health with aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik J Behringer
- Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California, United States
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6
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Alarcon-Martinez L, Shiga Y, Villafranca-Baughman D, Cueva Vargas JL, Vidal Paredes IA, Quintero H, Fortune B, Danesh-Meyer H, Di Polo A. Neurovascular dysfunction in glaucoma. Prog Retin Eye Res 2023; 97:101217. [PMID: 37778617 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2023.101217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Retinal ganglion cells, the neurons that die in glaucoma, are endowed with a high metabolism requiring optimal provision of oxygen and nutrients to sustain their activity. The timely regulation of blood flow is, therefore, essential to supply firing neurons in active areas with the oxygen and glucose they need for energy. Many glaucoma patients suffer from vascular deficits including reduced blood flow, impaired autoregulation, neurovascular coupling dysfunction, and blood-retina/brain-barrier breakdown. These processes are tightly regulated by a community of cells known as the neurovascular unit comprising neurons, endothelial cells, pericytes, Müller cells, astrocytes, and microglia. In this review, the neurovascular unit takes center stage as we examine the ability of its members to regulate neurovascular interactions and how their function might be altered during glaucomatous stress. Pericytes receive special attention based on recent data demonstrating their key role in the regulation of neurovascular coupling in physiological and pathological conditions. Of particular interest is the discovery and characterization of tunneling nanotubes, thin actin-based conduits that connect distal pericytes, which play essential roles in the complex spatial and temporal distribution of blood within the retinal capillary network. We discuss cellular and molecular mechanisms of neurovascular interactions and their pathophysiological implications, while highlighting opportunities to develop strategies for vascular protection and regeneration to improve functional outcomes in glaucoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Alarcon-Martinez
- Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Station centre-ville, Montreal, QC, Canada; Neuroscience Division, Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), 900 Saint Denis Street, Montreal, QC, Canada; Centre for Eye Research Australia, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Yukihiro Shiga
- Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Station centre-ville, Montreal, QC, Canada; Neuroscience Division, Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), 900 Saint Denis Street, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Deborah Villafranca-Baughman
- Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Station centre-ville, Montreal, QC, Canada; Neuroscience Division, Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), 900 Saint Denis Street, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jorge L Cueva Vargas
- Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Station centre-ville, Montreal, QC, Canada; Neuroscience Division, Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), 900 Saint Denis Street, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Isaac A Vidal Paredes
- Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Station centre-ville, Montreal, QC, Canada; Neuroscience Division, Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), 900 Saint Denis Street, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Heberto Quintero
- Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Station centre-ville, Montreal, QC, Canada; Neuroscience Division, Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), 900 Saint Denis Street, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Brad Fortune
- Discoveries in Sight Research Laboratories, Devers Eye Institute and Legacy Research Institute, Legacy Healthy, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Helen Danesh-Meyer
- Department of Ophthalmology, New Zealand National Eye Centre, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Adriana Di Polo
- Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Station centre-ville, Montreal, QC, Canada; Neuroscience Division, Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), 900 Saint Denis Street, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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7
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Lu Y, Huo H, Liang F, Xue J, Fang L, Miao Y, Shen L, He B. Role of Pericytes in Cardiomyopathy-Associated Myocardial Infarction Revealed by Multiple Single-Cell Sequencing Analysis. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2896. [PMID: 38001896 PMCID: PMC10668982 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11112896] [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: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular death worldwide. AMI with cardiomyopathy is accompanied by a poor long-term prognosis. However, limited studies have focused on the mechanism of cardiomyopathy associated with AMI. Pericytes are important to the microvascular function in the heart, yet little attention has been paid to their function in myocardial infarction until now. In this study, we integrated single-cell data from individuals with cardiomyopathy and myocardial infarction (MI) GWAS data to reveal the potential function of pericytes in cardiomyopathy-associated MI. We found that pericytes were concentrated in the left atrium and left ventricle tissues. DLC1/GUCY1A2/EGFLAM were the top three uniquely expressed genes in pericytes (p < 0.05). The marker genes of pericytes were enriched in renin secretion, vascular smooth muscle contraction, gap junction, purine metabolism, and diabetic cardiomyopathy pathways (p < 0.05). Among these pathways, the renin secretion and purine metabolism pathways were also found in the process of MI. In cardiomyopathy patients, the biosynthesis of collagen, modulating enzymes, and collagen formation were uniquely negatively regulated in pericytes compared to other cell types (p < 0.05). COL4A2/COL4A1/SMAD3 were the hub genes in pericyte function involved in cardiomyopathy and AMI. In conclusion, this study provides new evidence about the importance of pericytes in the pathogenesis of cardiomyopathy-associated MI. DLC1/GUCY1A2/EGFLAM were highly expressed in pericytes. The hub genes COL4A2/COL4A1/SMAD3 may be potential research targets for cardiomyopathy-associated MI.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Lan Shen
- Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China; (Y.L.); (H.H.); (F.L.); (J.X.); (L.F.); (Y.M.)
| | - Ben He
- Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China; (Y.L.); (H.H.); (F.L.); (J.X.); (L.F.); (Y.M.)
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8
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Brandl S, Reindl M. Blood-Brain Barrier Breakdown in Neuroinflammation: Current In Vitro Models. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12699. [PMID: 37628879 PMCID: PMC10454051 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The blood-brain barrier, which is formed by tightly interconnected microvascular endothelial cells, separates the brain from the peripheral circulation. Together with other central nervous system-resident cell types, including pericytes and astrocytes, the blood-brain barrier forms the neurovascular unit. Upon neuroinflammation, this barrier becomes leaky, allowing molecules and cells to enter the brain and to potentially harm the tissue of the central nervous system. Despite the significance of animal models in research, they may not always adequately reflect human pathophysiology. Therefore, human models are needed. This review will provide an overview of the blood-brain barrier in terms of both health and disease. It will describe all key elements of the in vitro models and will explore how different compositions can be utilized to effectively model a variety of neuroinflammatory conditions. Furthermore, it will explore the existing types of models that are used in basic research to study the respective pathologies thus far.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Markus Reindl
- Clinical Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria;
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Berra-Romani R, Brunetti V, Pellavio G, Soda T, Laforenza U, Scarpellino G, Moccia F. Allyl Isothiocianate Induces Ca 2+ Signals and Nitric Oxide Release by Inducing Reactive Oxygen Species Production in the Human Cerebrovascular Endothelial Cell Line hCMEC/D3. Cells 2023; 12:1732. [PMID: 37443764 PMCID: PMC10340171 DOI: 10.3390/cells12131732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) represents a crucial mediator to regulate cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the human brain both under basal conditions and in response to somatosensory stimulation. An increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]i) stimulates the endothelial NO synthase to produce NO in human cerebrovascular endothelial cells. Therefore, targeting the endothelial ion channel machinery could represent a promising strategy to rescue endothelial NO signalling in traumatic brain injury and neurodegenerative disorders. Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), a major active constituent of cruciferous vegetables, was found to increase CBF in non-human preclinical models, but it is still unknown whether it stimulates NO release in human brain capillary endothelial cells. In the present investigation, we showed that AITC evoked a Ca2+-dependent NO release in the human cerebrovascular endothelial cell line, hCMEC/D3. The Ca2+ response to AITC was shaped by both intra- and extracellular Ca2+ sources, although it was insensitive to the pharmacological blockade of transient receptor potential ankyrin 1, which is regarded to be among the main molecular targets of AITC. In accord, AITC failed to induce transmembrane currents or to elicit membrane hyperpolarization, although NS309, a selective opener of the small- and intermediate-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels, induced a significant membrane hyperpolarization. The AITC-evoked Ca2+ signal was triggered by the production of cytosolic, but not mitochondrial, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and was supported by store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE). Conversely, the Ca2+ response to AITC did not require Ca2+ mobilization from the endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes or mitochondria. However, pharmacological manipulation revealed that AITC-dependent ROS generation inhibited plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase (PMCA) activity, thereby attenuating Ca2+ removal across the plasma membrane and resulting in a sustained increase in [Ca2+]i. In accord, the AITC-evoked NO release was driven by ROS generation and required ROS-dependent inhibition of PMCA activity. These data suggest that AITC could be exploited to restore NO signalling and restore CBF in brain disorders that feature neurovascular dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Berra-Romani
- Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla 72410, Mexico;
| | - Valentina Brunetti
- Laboratory of General Physiology, Department of Biology and Biotechnology “L. Spallanzani”, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (V.B.); (G.S.)
| | - Giorgia Pellavio
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (G.P.); (U.L.)
| | - Teresa Soda
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Magna Graecia, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy;
| | - Umberto Laforenza
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (G.P.); (U.L.)
| | - Giorgia Scarpellino
- Laboratory of General Physiology, Department of Biology and Biotechnology “L. Spallanzani”, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (V.B.); (G.S.)
| | - Francesco Moccia
- Laboratory of General Physiology, Department of Biology and Biotechnology “L. Spallanzani”, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (V.B.); (G.S.)
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