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Bodmer NK, Knutsen RH, Roth RA, Castile RM, Brodt MD, Gierasch CM, Broekelmann TJ, Gibson MA, Haspel JA, Lake SP, Brody SL, Silva MJ, Mecham RP, Ornitz DM. Multi-organ phenotypes in mice lacking latent TGFβ binding protein 2 (LTBP2). Dev Dyn 2024; 253:233-254. [PMID: 37688792 PMCID: PMC10842386 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.651] [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: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Latent TGFβ binding protein-2 (LTBP2) is a fibrillin 1 binding component of the microfibril. LTBP2 is the only LTBP protein that does not bind any isoforms of TGFβ, although it may interfere with the function of other LTBPs or interact with other signaling pathways. RESULTS Here, we investigate mice lacking Ltbp2 (Ltbp2-/- ) and identify multiple phenotypes that impact bodyweight and fat mass, and affect bone and skin development. The alterations in skin and bone development are particularly noteworthy since the strength of these tissues is differentially affected by loss of Ltbp2. Interestingly, some tissues that express high levels of Ltbp2, such as the aorta and lung, do not have a developmental or homeostatic phenotype. CONCLUSIONS Analysis of these mice show that LTBP2 has complex effects on development through direct effects on the extracellular matrix (ECM) or on signaling pathways that are known to regulate the ECM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas K. Bodmer
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine
| | - Russell H. Knutsen
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine
| | - Robyn A. Roth
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine
| | - Ryan M. Castile
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Washington University School of Engineering
| | - Michael D. Brodt
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Carrie M. Gierasch
- Division of Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine
| | | | - Mark A. Gibson
- Discipline of Anatomy and Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Jeffrey A. Haspel
- Division of Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine
| | - Spencer P. Lake
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Washington University School of Engineering
| | - Steven L. Brody
- Division of Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine
| | - Matthew J. Silva
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Robert P. Mecham
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine
| | - David M. Ornitz
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine
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2
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Hoareau M, El Kholti N, Debret R, Lambert E. Characterization of the Zebrafish Elastin a ( elnasa12235) Mutant: A New Model of Elastinopathy Leading to Heart Valve Defects. Cells 2023; 12:1436. [PMID: 37408270 DOI: 10.3390/cells12101436] [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: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Elastic fibers are extracellular macromolecules that provide resilience and elastic recoil to elastic tissues and organs in vertebrates. They are composed of an elastin core surrounded by a mantle of fibrillin-rich microfibrils and are essentially produced during a relatively short period around birth in mammals. Thus, elastic fibers have to resist many physical, chemical, and enzymatic constraints occurring throughout their lives, and their high stability can be attributed to the elastin protein. Various pathologies, called elastinopathies, are linked to an elastin deficiency, such as non-syndromic supravalvular aortic stenosis (SVAS), Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS), and autosomal dominant cutis laxa (ADCL). To understand these diseases, as well as the aging process related to elastic fiber degradation, and to test potential therapeutic molecules in order to compensate for elastin impairments, different animal models have been proposed. Considering the many advantages of using zebrafish, we here characterize a zebrafish mutant for the elastin a paralog (elnasa12235) with a specific focus on the cardiovascular system and highlight premature heart valve defects at the adult stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Hoareau
- Laboratoire de Biologie Tissulaire et Ingénierie Thérapeutique (LBTI), UMR CNRS 5305, Institut de Biologie et Chimie des Protéines, Université de Lyon 1, 7 Passage du Vercors, CEDEX 07, F-69367 Lyon, France
| | - Naïma El Kholti
- Laboratoire de Biologie Tissulaire et Ingénierie Thérapeutique (LBTI), UMR CNRS 5305, Institut de Biologie et Chimie des Protéines, Université de Lyon 1, 7 Passage du Vercors, CEDEX 07, F-69367 Lyon, France
| | - Romain Debret
- Laboratoire de Biologie Tissulaire et Ingénierie Thérapeutique (LBTI), UMR CNRS 5305, Institut de Biologie et Chimie des Protéines, Université de Lyon 1, 7 Passage du Vercors, CEDEX 07, F-69367 Lyon, France
| | - Elise Lambert
- Laboratoire de Biologie Tissulaire et Ingénierie Thérapeutique (LBTI), UMR CNRS 5305, Institut de Biologie et Chimie des Protéines, Université de Lyon 1, 7 Passage du Vercors, CEDEX 07, F-69367 Lyon, France
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3
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Brengle BM, Lin M, Roth RA, Jones KD, Wagenseil JE, Mecham RP, Halabi CM. A new mouse model of elastin haploinsufficiency highlights the importance of elastin to vascular development and blood pressure regulation. Matrix Biol 2023; 117:1-14. [PMID: 36773748 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2023.02.003] [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: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Supravalvular aortic stenosis (SVAS) is an autosomal dominant disease resulting from elastin (ELN) haploinsufficiency. Individuals with SVAS typically develop a thickened arterial media with an increased number of elastic lamellae and smooth muscle cell (SMC) layers and stenosis superior to the aortic valve. A mouse model of SVAS (Eln+/-) was generated that recapitulates many aspects of the human disease, including increased medial SMC layers and elastic lamellae, large artery stiffness, and hypertension. The vascular changes in these mice were thought to be responsible for the hypertension phenotype. However, a renin gene (Ren) duplication in the original 129/Sv genetic background and carried through numerous strain backcrosses raised the possibility of renin-mediated effects on blood pressure. To exclude excess renin activity as a disease modifier, we utilized the Cre-LoxP system to rederive Eln hemizygous mice on a pure C57BL/6 background (Sox2-Cre;Elnf/f). Here we show that Sox2-Cre;Eln+/f mice, with a single Ren1 gene and normal renin levels, phenocopy the original global knockout line. Characteristic traits include an increased number of elastic lamellae and SMC layers, stiff elastic arteries, and systolic hypertension with widened pulse pressure. Importantly, small resistance arteries of Sox2-Cre;Eln+/f mice exhibit a significant change in endothelial cell function and hypercontractility to angiotensin II, findings that point to pathway-specific alterations in resistance arteries that contribute to the hypertensive phenotype. These data confirm that the cardiovascular changes, particularly systolic hypertension, seen in Eln+/- mice are due to Eln hemizygosity rather than Ren duplication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridget M Brengle
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Nephrology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Michelle Lin
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Nephrology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Robyn A Roth
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Nephrology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Kara D Jones
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Nephrology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jessica E Wagenseil
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Robert P Mecham
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, U.S.A
| | - Carmen M Halabi
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Nephrology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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4
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Tsang KM, Knutsen RH, Billington CJ, Lindberg E, Steenbock H, Fu YP, Wardlaw-Pickett A, Liu D, Malide D, Yu ZX, Bleck CKE, Brinckmann J, Kozel BA. Copper-Binding Domain Variation in a Novel Murine Lysyl Oxidase Model Produces Structurally Inferior Aortic Elastic Fibers Whose Failure Is Modified by Age, Sex, and Blood Pressure. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:6749. [PMID: 35743192 PMCID: PMC9223555 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Lysyl oxidase (LOX) is a copper-binding enzyme that cross-links elastin and collagen. The dominant LOX variation contributes to familial thoracic aortic aneurysm. Previously reported murine Lox mutants had a mild phenotype and did not dilate without drug-induced provocation. Here, we present a new, more severe mutant, Loxb2b370.2Clo (c.G854T; p.Cys285Phe), whose mutation falls just N-terminal to the copper-binding domain. Unlike the other mutants, the C285F Lox protein was stably produced/secreted, and male C57Bl/6J Lox+/C285F mice exhibit increased systolic blood pressure (BP; p < 0.05) and reduced caliber aortas (p < 0.01 at 100mmHg) at 3 months that independently dilate by 6 months (p < 0.0001). Multimodal imaging reveals markedly irregular elastic sheets in the mutant (p = 2.8 × 10−8 for breaks by histology) that become increasingly disrupted with age (p < 0.05) and breeding into a high BP background (p = 6.8 × 10−4). Aortic dilation was amplified in males vs. females (p < 0.0001 at 100mmHg) and ameliorated by castration. The transcriptome of young Lox mutants showed alteration in dexamethasone (p = 9.83 × 10−30) and TGFβ-responsive genes (p = 7.42 × 10−29), and aortas from older C57Bl/6J Lox+/C285F mice showed both enhanced susceptibility to elastase (p < 0.01 by ANOVA) and increased deposition of aggrecan (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that the secreted Lox+/C285F mutants produce dysfunctional elastic fibers that show increased susceptibility to proteolytic damage. Over time, the progressive weakening of the connective tissue, modified by sex and blood pressure, leads to worsening aortic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kit Man Tsang
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (K.M.T.); (R.H.K.); (C.J.B.J.); (E.L.); (Y.-P.F.); (A.W.-P.); (D.L.); (D.M.); (Z.-X.Y.); (C.K.E.B.)
| | - Russell H. Knutsen
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (K.M.T.); (R.H.K.); (C.J.B.J.); (E.L.); (Y.-P.F.); (A.W.-P.); (D.L.); (D.M.); (Z.-X.Y.); (C.K.E.B.)
| | - Charles J. Billington
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (K.M.T.); (R.H.K.); (C.J.B.J.); (E.L.); (Y.-P.F.); (A.W.-P.); (D.L.); (D.M.); (Z.-X.Y.); (C.K.E.B.)
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Eric Lindberg
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (K.M.T.); (R.H.K.); (C.J.B.J.); (E.L.); (Y.-P.F.); (A.W.-P.); (D.L.); (D.M.); (Z.-X.Y.); (C.K.E.B.)
| | - Heiko Steenbock
- Institute of Virology and Cell Biology, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany; (H.S.); (J.B.)
| | - Yi-Ping Fu
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (K.M.T.); (R.H.K.); (C.J.B.J.); (E.L.); (Y.-P.F.); (A.W.-P.); (D.L.); (D.M.); (Z.-X.Y.); (C.K.E.B.)
| | - Amanda Wardlaw-Pickett
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (K.M.T.); (R.H.K.); (C.J.B.J.); (E.L.); (Y.-P.F.); (A.W.-P.); (D.L.); (D.M.); (Z.-X.Y.); (C.K.E.B.)
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab, Laurel, MD 20724, USA
| | - Delong Liu
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (K.M.T.); (R.H.K.); (C.J.B.J.); (E.L.); (Y.-P.F.); (A.W.-P.); (D.L.); (D.M.); (Z.-X.Y.); (C.K.E.B.)
| | - Daniela Malide
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (K.M.T.); (R.H.K.); (C.J.B.J.); (E.L.); (Y.-P.F.); (A.W.-P.); (D.L.); (D.M.); (Z.-X.Y.); (C.K.E.B.)
| | - Zu-Xi Yu
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (K.M.T.); (R.H.K.); (C.J.B.J.); (E.L.); (Y.-P.F.); (A.W.-P.); (D.L.); (D.M.); (Z.-X.Y.); (C.K.E.B.)
| | - Christopher K. E. Bleck
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (K.M.T.); (R.H.K.); (C.J.B.J.); (E.L.); (Y.-P.F.); (A.W.-P.); (D.L.); (D.M.); (Z.-X.Y.); (C.K.E.B.)
| | - Jürgen Brinckmann
- Institute of Virology and Cell Biology, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany; (H.S.); (J.B.)
- Department of Dermatology, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Beth A. Kozel
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (K.M.T.); (R.H.K.); (C.J.B.J.); (E.L.); (Y.-P.F.); (A.W.-P.); (D.L.); (D.M.); (Z.-X.Y.); (C.K.E.B.)
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5
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Yang C, Weiss AS, Tarakanova A. Changes in elastin structure and extensibility induced by hypercalcemia and hyperglycemia. Acta Biomater 2022; 163:131-145. [PMID: 35364318 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.03.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Elastin is a key elastomeric protein responsible for the elasticity of many organs, including heart, skin, and blood vessels. Due to its intrinsic long life and low turnover rate, damage in elastin induced by pathophysiological conditions, such as hypercalcemia and hyperglycemia, accumulates during biological aging and in aging-associated diseases, such as diabetes mellitus and atherosclerosis. Prior studies have shown that calcification induced by hypercalcemia deteriorates the function of aortic tissues. Glycation of elastin is triggered by hyperglycemia and associated with elastic tissue damage and loss of mechanical functions via the accumulation of advanced glycation end products. To evaluate the effects on elastin's structural conformations and elasticity by hypercalcemia and hyperglycemia at the molecular scale, we perform classical atomistic and steered molecular dynamics simulations on tropoelastin, the soluble precursor of elastin, under different conditions. We characterize the interaction sites of glucose and calcium and associated structural conformational changes. Additionally, we find that elevated levels of calcium ions and glucose hinder the extensibility of tropoelastin by rearranging structural domains and altering hydrogen bonding patterns, respectively. Overall, our investigation helps to reveal the behavior of tropoelastin and the biomechanics of elastin biomaterials in these physiological environments. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Elastin is a key component of elastic fibers which endow many important tissues and organs, from arteries and veins, to skin and heart, with strength and elasticity. During aging and aging-associated diseases, such as diabetes mellitus and atherosclerosis, physicochemical stressors, including hypercalcemia and hyperglycemia, induce accumulated irreversible damage in elastin, and consequently alter mechanical function. Yet, molecular mechanisms associated with these processes are still poorly understood. Here, we present the first study on how these changes in elastin structure and extensibility are induced by hypercalcemia and hyperglycemia at the molecular scale, revealing the essential roles that calcium and glucose play in triggering structural alterations and mechanical stiffness. Our findings yield critical insights into the first steps of hypercalcemia- and hyperglycemia-mediated aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengeng Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Anthony S Weiss
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Sydney Nano Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Anna Tarakanova
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA; Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.
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6
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Lin M, Roth RA, Kozel BA, Mecham RP, Halabi CM. Loss of Angiotensin II Type 2 Receptor Improves Blood Pressure in Elastin Insufficiency. Front Cardiovasc Med 2021; 8:782138. [PMID: 34790711 PMCID: PMC8591102 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2021.782138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
There is ample evidence supporting a role for angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R) in counterbalancing the effects of angiotensin II (ang II) through the angiotensin II type 1 receptor by promoting vasodilation and having anti-inflammatory effects. Elastin insufficiency in both humans and mice results in large artery stiffness and systolic hypertension. Unexpectedly, mesenteric arteries from elastin insufficient (Eln+/−) mice were shown to have significant vasoconstriction to AT2R agonism in vitro suggesting that AT2R may have vasoconstrictor effects in elastin insufficiency. Given the potential promise for the use of AT2R agonists clinically, the goal of this study was to determine whether AT2R has vasoconstrictive effects in elastin insufficiency in vivo. To avoid off-target effects of agonists and antagonists, mice lacking AT2R (Agtr2−/Y) were bred to Eln+/− mice and cardiovascular parameters were assessed in wild-type (WT), Agtr2−/Y, Eln+/−, and Agtr2−/Y;Eln+/− littermates. As previously published, Agtr2−/Y mice were normotensive at baseline and had no large artery stiffness, while Eln+/− mice exhibited systolic hypertension and large artery stiffness. Loss of AT2R in Eln+/− mice did not affect large artery stiffness or arterial structure but resulted in significant reduction of both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. These data support a potential vasocontractile role for AT2R in elastin insufficiency. Careful consideration and investigation are necessary to determine the patient population that might benefit from the use of AT2R agonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Lin
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, United States
| | - Robyn A Roth
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, United States
| | - Beth A Kozel
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Robert P Mecham
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, United States
| | - Carmen M Halabi
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, United States
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7
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Kozel BA, Barak B, Ae Kim C, Mervis CB, Osborne LR, Porter M, Pober BR. Williams syndrome. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2021; 7:42. [PMID: 34140529 PMCID: PMC9437774 DOI: 10.1038/s41572-021-00276-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Williams syndrome (WS) is a relatively rare microdeletion disorder that occurs in as many as 1:7,500 individuals. WS arises due to the mispairing of low-copy DNA repetitive elements at meiosis. The deletion size is similar across most individuals with WS and leads to the loss of one copy of 25-27 genes on chromosome 7q11.23. The resulting unique disorder affects multiple systems, with cardinal features including but not limited to cardiovascular disease (characteristically stenosis of the great arteries and most notably supravalvar aortic stenosis), a distinctive craniofacial appearance, and a specific cognitive and behavioural profile that includes intellectual disability and hypersociability. Genotype-phenotype evidence is strongest for ELN, the gene encoding elastin, which is responsible for the vascular and connective tissue features of WS, and for the transcription factor genes GTF2I and GTF2IRD1, which are known to affect intellectual ability, social functioning and anxiety. Mounting evidence also ascribes phenotypic consequences to the deletion of BAZ1B, LIMK1, STX1A and MLXIPL, but more work is needed to understand the mechanism by which these deletions contribute to clinical outcomes. The age of diagnosis has fallen in regions of the world where technological advances, such as chromosomal microarray, enable clinicians to make the diagnosis of WS without formally suspecting it, allowing earlier intervention by medical and developmental specialists. Phenotypic variability is considerable for all cardinal features of WS but the specific sources of this variability remain unknown. Further investigation to identify the factors responsible for these differences may lead to mechanism-based rather than symptom-based therapies and should therefore be a high research priority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beth A. Kozel
- Translational Vascular Medicine Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, USA
| | - Boaz Barak
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience and The School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Chong Ae Kim
- Department of Pediatrics, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carolyn B. Mervis
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, USA
| | - Lucy R. Osborne
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Melanie Porter
- Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Barbara R. Pober
- Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
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8
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Troia A, Knutsen RH, Halabi CM, Malide D, Yu ZX, Wardlaw-Pickett A, Kronquist EK, Tsang KM, Kovacs A, Mecham RP, Kozel BA. Inhibition of NOX1 Mitigates Blood Pressure Increases in Elastin Insufficiency. FUNCTION (OXFORD, ENGLAND) 2021; 2:zqab015. [PMID: 34223172 PMCID: PMC8248879 DOI: 10.1093/function/zqab015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2021] [Revised: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Elastin (ELN) insufficiency leads to the cardiovascular hallmarks of the contiguous gene deletion disorder, Williams-Beuren syndrome, including hypertension and vascular stiffness. Previous studies showed that Williams-Beuren syndrome deletions, which extended to include the NCF1 gene, were associated with lower blood pressure (BP) and reduced vascular stiffness. NCF1 encodes for p47phox, the regulatory component of the NOX1 NADPH oxidase complex that generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the vascular wall. Dihydroethidium and 8-hydroxyguanosine staining of mouse aortas confirmed that Eln heterozygotes (Eln+/- ) had greater ROS levels than the wild-types (Eln+/+ ), a finding that was negated in vessels cultured without hemodynamic stressors. To analyze the Nox effect on ELN insufficiency, we used both genetic and chemical manipulations. Both Ncf1 haploinsufficiency (Ncf1+/- ) and Nox1 insufficiency (Nox1-/y ) decreased oxidative stress and systolic BP in Eln+/- without modifying vascular structure. Chronic treatment with apocynin, a p47phox inhibitor, lowered systolic BP in Eln+/- , but had no impact on Eln+/+ controls. In vivo dosing with phenylephrine (PE) produced an augmented BP response in Eln+/- relative to Eln+/+ , and genetic modifications or drug-based interventions that lower Nox1 expression reduced the hypercontractile response to PE in Eln+/- mice to Eln+/+ levels. These results indicate that the mechanical and structural differences caused by ELN insufficiency leading to oscillatory flow can perpetuate oxidative stress conditions, which are linked to hypertension, and that by lowering the Nox1-mediated capacity for vascular ROS production, BP differences can be normalized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Troia
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Russell H Knutsen
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Carmen M Halabi
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Daniela Malide
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Zu Xi Yu
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Amanda Wardlaw-Pickett
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Elise K Kronquist
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kit Man Tsang
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Attila Kovacs
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Robert P Mecham
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Beth A Kozel
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA,Address correspondence to B.A.K. (e-mail: )
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9
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Michel JB. Phylogenic Determinants of Cardiovascular Frailty, Focus on Hemodynamics and Arterial Smooth Muscle Cells. Physiol Rev 2020; 100:1779-1837. [DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00022.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The evolution of the circulatory system from invertebrates to mammals has involved the passage from an open system to a closed in-parallel system via a closed in-series system, accompanying the increasing complexity and efficiency of life’s biological functions. The archaic heart enables pulsatile motion waves of hemolymph in invertebrates, and the in-series circulation in fish occurs with only an endothelium, whereas mural smooth muscle cells appear later. The present review focuses on evolution of the circulatory system. In particular, we address how and why this evolution took place from a closed, flowing, longitudinal conductance at low pressure to a flowing, highly pressurized and bifurcating arterial compartment. However, although arterial pressure was the latest acquired hemodynamic variable, the general teleonomy of the evolution of species is the differentiation of individual organ function, supported by specific fueling allowing and favoring partial metabolic autonomy. This was achieved via the establishment of an active contractile tone in resistance arteries, which permitted the regulation of blood supply to specific organ activities via its localized function-dependent inhibition (active vasodilation). The global resistance to viscous blood flow is the peripheral increase in frictional forces caused by the tonic change in arterial and arteriolar radius, which backscatter as systemic arterial blood pressure. Consequently, the arterial pressure gradient from circulating blood to the adventitial interstitium generates the unidirectional outward radial advective conductance of plasma solutes across the wall of conductance arteries. This hemodynamic evolution was accompanied by important changes in arterial wall structure, supported by smooth muscle cell functional plasticity, including contractility, matrix synthesis and proliferation, endocytosis and phagocytosis, etc. These adaptive phenotypic shifts are due to epigenetic regulation, mainly related to mechanotransduction. These paradigms actively participate in cardio-arterial pathologies such as atheroma, valve disease, heart failure, aneurysms, hypertension, and physiological aging.
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10
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Fhayli W, Boëté Q, Harki O, Briançon-Marjollet A, Jacob MP, Faury G. Rise and fall of elastic fibers from development to aging. Consequences on arterial structure-function and therapeutical perspectives. Matrix Biol 2019; 84:41-56. [PMID: 31493460 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2019.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Revised: 08/03/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In the arteries of vertebrates, evolution has given rise to resilient macromolecular structures, elastin and elastic fibers, capable of sustaining an elevated blood pressure and smoothening the discontinuous blood flow and pressure generated by the heart. Elastic fibers are produced only during development and childhood, before being progressively degraded by mechanical stress and enzymatic activities during adulthood and aging. During this period, arterial elastic fiber calcification and loading of lipids also occur, all of these events conducting to arteriosclerosis. This leads to a progressive dysfunction of the large elastic arteries inducing elevated blood pressure as well as altered hemodynamics and organ perfusion, which induce more global malfunctions of the body during normal aging. Additionally, some arterial conditions occur more frequently with advancing age, such as atherosclerosis or aneurysms, which are called age-related diseases or pathological aging. The physiological or pathological degradation of elastic fibers and function of elastic arteries seemed to be rather inevitable over time. However, during the recent years, different molecules - including several ATP-dependent potassium channel openers, such as minoxidil - have been shown to re-induce elastin production and elastic fiber assembly, leading to improvements in the arterial structure and function or in organ perfusion. This review summarizes the changes in the arterial elastic fibers and structure from development until aging, and presents some of the potential pharmacotherapies leading to elastic fiber neosynthesis and arterial function improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wassim Fhayli
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1042, CHU Grenoble Alpes, HP2, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Quentin Boëté
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1042, CHU Grenoble Alpes, HP2, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Olfa Harki
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1042, CHU Grenoble Alpes, HP2, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | | | - Marie-Paule Jacob
- INSERM, U1148, and Hopital Bichat-Claude Bernard, 46 rue Henri Huchard, 75877 Paris, France
| | - Gilles Faury
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1042, CHU Grenoble Alpes, HP2, 38000 Grenoble, France.
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11
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Perturbations of pulsatile hemodynamics and clinical outcomes in patients with acute heart failure and reduced, mid-range or preserved ejection fraction. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0220183. [PMID: 31381586 PMCID: PMC6681962 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Heart failure with mid-range ejection fraction (HFmrEF) has been proposed as a new phenotype of heart failure. We therefore investigated the pulsatile hemodynamic characteristics and outcomes in patients with HFmrEF, in comparison with those with reduced (HFrEF) or preserved (HFpEF) ejection fraction. Methods The study was composed of two cohorts of patients hospitalized due to acute heart failure. Pulsatile hemodynamic measures, including carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV), carotid pulse pressure (cPP), amplitude of the backward pressure wave (Pb) and carotid augmentation index (cAIx), were recorded on admission and before discharge in Cohort A (n = 230, mean age 69.9 ±15.4 years), and long-term follow-up was performed in Cohort B (n = 2677, mean age 76.3 ± 33.4 years). Results In Cohort A, patients with HFmrEF had persistently greater cf-PWV, cPP, Pb, and cAI than those with HFrEF, both on admission and before discharge. In contrast, patients with HFmrEF and HFpEF had similar pulsatile hemodynamic characteristics. In cohort B, patients with HFmrEF and HFrEF had similar three-year mortality rates and both were significantly higher than that in patients with HFpEF (both P values < 0.05). Conclusions Patients with HFmrEF were characterized by a worse left ventricular systolic function than patients with HFpEF and excessive wave reflections than patients with HFrEF. Future studies are required to confirm that the unfavorable ventriculo-arterial coupling in HFmrEF might play a role in the pathogenesis of high long-term mortality in these patients.
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12
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Lee VS, Halabi CM, Broekelmann TJ, Trackman PC, Stitziel NO, Mecham RP. Intracellular retention of mutant lysyl oxidase leads to aortic dilation in response to increased hemodynamic stress. JCI Insight 2019; 5:127748. [PMID: 31211696 PMCID: PMC6693828 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.127748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Heterozygous missense mutations in lysyl oxidase (LOX) are associated with thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections. To assess how LOX mutations modify protein function and lead to aortic disease, we studied the factors that influence the onset and progression of vascular aneurysms in mice bearing a Lox mutation (p.M292R) linked to aortic dilation in humans. We show that mice heterozygous for the M292R mutation did not develop aneurysmal disease unless challenged with increased hemodynamic stress. Vessel dilation was confined to the ascending aorta although both the ascending and descending aortae showed changes in vessel wall structure, smooth muscle cell number and inflammatory cell recruitment that differed between wild-type and mutant animals. Studies with isolated cells found that M292R-mutant Lox is retained in the endoplasmic reticulum and ultimately cleared through an autophagy/proteasome pathway. Because the mutant protein does not transit to the Golgi where copper incorporation occurs, the protein is never catalytically active. These studies show that the M292R mutation results in LOX loss-of-function due to a secretion defect that predisposes the ascending aorta in mice (and by extension humans with similar mutations) to arterial dilation when exposed to risk factors that impart stress to the arterial wall.
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MESH Headings
- Aortic Dissection/genetics
- Aortic Dissection/pathology
- Aortic Dissection/physiopathology
- Animals
- Aorta/cytology
- Aorta/pathology
- Aorta/physiopathology
- Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic/genetics
- Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic/pathology
- Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic/physiopathology
- Cells, Cultured
- Disease Models, Animal
- Embryo, Mammalian
- Endoplasmic Reticulum/metabolism
- Extracellular Matrix Proteins/genetics
- Extracellular Matrix Proteins/metabolism
- Fibroblasts/ultrastructure
- Gene Knock-In Techniques
- Genetic Predisposition to Disease
- Golgi Apparatus/metabolism
- Heterozygote
- Humans
- Hypertension/complications
- Hypertension/physiopathology
- Loss of Function Mutation
- Mice
- Mice, Transgenic
- Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
- Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/cytology
- Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/physiopathology
- Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/ultrastructure
- Myocytes, Smooth Muscle/cytology
- Myocytes, Smooth Muscle/metabolism
- Primary Cell Culture
- Protein-Lysine 6-Oxidase/genetics
- Protein-Lysine 6-Oxidase/metabolism
- Risk Factors
- Stress, Physiological
- Vasodilation/physiology
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carmen M. Halabi
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | | | - Philip C. Trackman
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Boston University, Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nathan O. Stitziel
- Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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13
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Elastic fibers and biomechanics of the aorta: Insights from mouse studies. Matrix Biol 2019; 85-86:160-172. [PMID: 30880160 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2019.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Elastic fibers are major components of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in the aorta and support a life-long cycling of stretch and recoil. Elastic fibers are formed from mid-gestation throughout early postnatal development and the synthesis is regulated at multiple steps, including coacervation, deposition, cross-linking, and assembly of insoluble elastin onto microfibril scaffolds. To date, more than 30 molecules have been shown to associate with elastic fibers and some of them play a critical role in the formation and maintenance of elastic fibers in vivo. Because the aorta is subjected to high pressure from the left ventricle, elasticity of the aorta provides the Windkessel effect and maintains stable blood flow to distal organs throughout the cardiac cycle. Disruption of elastic fibers due to congenital defects, inflammation, or aging dramatically reduces aortic elasticity and affects overall vessel mechanics. Another important component in the aorta is the vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Elastic fibers and SMCs alternate to create a highly organized medial layer within the aortic wall. The physical connections between elastic fibers and SMCs form the elastin-contractile units and maintain cytoskeletal organization and proper responses of SMCs to mechanical strain. In this review, we revisit the components of elastic fibers and their roles in elastogenesis and how a loss of each component affects biomechanics of the aorta. Finally, we discuss the significance of elastin-contractile units in the maintenance of SMC function based on knowledge obtained from mouse models of human disease.
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14
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Kabir AU, Lee TJ, Pan H, Berry JC, Krchma K, Wu J, Liu F, Kang HK, Hinman K, Yang L, Hamilton S, Zhou Q, Veis DJ, Mecham RP, Wickline SA, Miller MJ, Choi K. Requisite endothelial reactivation and effective siRNA nanoparticle targeting of Etv2/Er71 in tumor angiogenesis. JCI Insight 2018; 3:97349. [PMID: 29669933 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.97349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Angiogenesis, new blood vessel formation from preexisting vessels, is critical for solid tumor growth. As such, there have been efforts to inhibit angiogenesis as a means to obstruct tumor growth. However, antiangiogenic therapy faces major challenges to the selective targeting of tumor-associated-vessels, as current antiangiogenic targets also disrupt steady-state vessels. Here, we demonstrate that the developmentally critical transcription factor Etv2 is selectively upregulated in both human and mouse tumor-associated endothelial cells (TAECs) and is required for tumor angiogenesis. Two-photon imaging revealed that Etv2-deficient tumor-associated vasculature remained similar to that of steady-state vessels. Etv2-deficient TAECs displayed decreased Flk1 (also known as Vegfr2) expression, FLK1 activation, and proliferation. Endothelial tube formation, proliferation, and sprouting response to VEGF, but not to FGF2, was reduced in Etv2-deficient ECs. ROS activated Etv2 expression in ECs, and ROS blockade inhibited Etv2 expression in TAECs in vivo. Systemic administration of Etv2 siRNA nanoparticles potently inhibited tumor growth and angiogenesis without cardiovascular side effects. These studies highlight a link among vascular oxidative stress, Etv2 expression, and VEGF response that is critical for tumor angiogenesis. Targeting the ETV2 pathway might offer a unique opportunity for more selective antiangiogenic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashraf Ul Kabir
- Department of Pathology and Immunology and.,Molecular and Cell Biology Program, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | | | - Hua Pan
- Health Heart Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Jeffrey C Berry
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | | | - Jun Wu
- Department of Pathology and Immunology and
| | - Fang Liu
- Department of Pathology and Immunology and
| | - Hee-Kyoung Kang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Jeju National University, Jeju, South Korea
| | - Kristina Hinman
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Lihua Yang
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Samantha Hamilton
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Qingyu Zhou
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Deborah J Veis
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Robert P Mecham
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Samuel A Wickline
- Health Heart Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Mark J Miller
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Kyunghee Choi
- Department of Pathology and Immunology and.,Molecular and Cell Biology Program, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.,Graduate School of Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, South Korea
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15
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Cocciolone AJ, Hawes JZ, Staiculescu MC, Johnson EO, Murshed M, Wagenseil JE. Elastin, arterial mechanics, and cardiovascular disease. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2018; 315:H189-H205. [PMID: 29631368 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00087.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Large, elastic arteries are composed of cells and a specialized extracellular matrix that provides reversible elasticity and strength. Elastin is the matrix protein responsible for this reversible elasticity that reduces the workload on the heart and dampens pulsatile flow in distal arteries. Here, we summarize the elastin protein biochemistry, self-association behavior, cross-linking process, and multistep elastic fiber assembly that provide large arteries with their unique mechanical properties. We present measures of passive arterial mechanics that depend on elastic fiber amounts and integrity such as the Windkessel effect, structural and material stiffness, and energy storage. We discuss supravalvular aortic stenosis and autosomal dominant cutis laxa-1, which are genetic disorders caused by mutations in the elastin gene. We present mouse models of supravalvular aortic stenosis, autosomal dominant cutis laxa-1, and graded elastin amounts that have been invaluable for understanding the role of elastin in arterial mechanics and cardiovascular disease. We summarize acquired diseases associated with elastic fiber defects, including hypertension and arterial stiffness, diabetes, obesity, atherosclerosis, calcification, and aneurysms and dissections. We mention animal models that have helped delineate the role of elastic fiber defects in these acquired diseases. We briefly summarize challenges and recent advances in generating functional elastic fibers in tissue-engineered arteries. We conclude with suggestions for future research and opportunities for therapeutic intervention in genetic and acquired elastinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin J Cocciolone
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University , St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Jie Z Hawes
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Washington University , St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Marius C Staiculescu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Washington University , St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Elizabeth O Johnson
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Washington University , St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Monzur Murshed
- Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Medicine, and Shriners Hospital for Children, McGill University , Montreal, Quebec , Canada
| | - Jessica E Wagenseil
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Washington University , St. Louis, Missouri
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16
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Knutsen RH, Beeman SC, Broekelmann TJ, Liu D, Tsang KM, Kovacs A, Ye L, Danback JR, Watson A, Wardlaw A, Wagenseil JE, Garbow JR, Shoykhet M, Kozel BA. Minoxidil improves vascular compliance, restores cerebral blood flow, and alters extracellular matrix gene expression in a model of chronic vascular stiffness. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2018; 315:H18-H32. [PMID: 29498532 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00683.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Increased vascular stiffness correlates with a higher risk of cardiovascular complications in aging adults. Elastin (ELN) insufficiency, as observed in patients with Williams-Beuren syndrome or with familial supravalvular aortic stenosis, also increases vascular stiffness and leads to arterial narrowing. We used Eln+/- mice to test the hypothesis that pathologically increased vascular stiffness with concomitant arterial narrowing leads to decreased blood flow to end organs such as the brain. We also hypothesized that drugs that remodel arteries and increase lumen diameter would improve flow. To test these hypotheses, we compared carotid blood flow using ultrasound and cerebral blood flow using MRI-based arterial spin labeling in wild-type (WT) and Eln+/- mice. We then studied how minoxidil, an ATP-sensitive K+ channel opener and vasodilator, affects vessel mechanics, blood flow, and gene expression. Both carotid and cerebral blood flows were lower in Eln+/- mice than in WT mice. Treatment of Eln+/- mice with minoxidil lowered blood pressure and reduced functional arterial stiffness to WT levels. Minoxidil also improved arterial diameter and restored carotid and cerebral blood flows in Eln+/- mice. The beneficial effects persisted for weeks after drug removal. RNA-Seq analysis revealed differential expression of 127 extracellular matrix-related genes among the treatment groups. These results indicate that ELN insufficiency impairs end-organ perfusion, which may contribute to the increased cardiovascular risk. Minoxidil, despite lowering blood pressure, improves end-organ perfusion. Changes in matrix gene expression and persistence of treatment effects after drug withdrawal suggest arterial remodeling. Such remodeling may benefit patients with genetic or age-dependent ELN insufficiency. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our work with a model of chronic vascular stiffness, the elastin ( Eln)+/- mouse, shows reduced brain perfusion as measured by carotid ultrasound and MRI arterial spin labeling. Vessel caliber, functional stiffness, and blood flow improved with minoxidil. The ATP-sensitive K+ channel opener increased Eln gene expression and altered 126 other matrix-associated genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Russell H Knutsen
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda, Maryland.,Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine , St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Scott C Beeman
- Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine , St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Thomas J Broekelmann
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine , St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Delong Liu
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Kit Man Tsang
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Attila Kovacs
- Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine , St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Li Ye
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine , St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Joshua R Danback
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine , St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Anderson Watson
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Amanda Wardlaw
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Jessica E Wagenseil
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis , St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Pediatrics, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, D.C
| | - Joel R Garbow
- Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine , St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Michael Shoykhet
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine , St. Louis, Missouri.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis , St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Pediatrics, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, D.C
| | - Beth A Kozel
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda, Maryland.,Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine , St. Louis, Missouri
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17
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Duque Lasio ML, Kozel BA. Elastin-driven genetic diseases. Matrix Biol 2018; 71-72:144-160. [PMID: 29501665 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2018.02.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Revised: 02/23/2018] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Elastic fibers provide recoil to tissues that undergo repeated deformation, such as blood vessels, lungs and skin. Composed of elastin and its accessory proteins, the fibers are produced within a restricted developmental window and are stable for decades. Their eventual breakdown is associated with a loss of tissue resiliency and aging. Rare alteration of the elastin (ELN) gene produces disease by impacting protein dosage (supravalvar aortic stenosis, Williams Beuren syndrome and Williams Beuren region duplication syndrome) and protein function (autosomal dominant cutis laxa). This review highlights aspects of the elastin molecule and its assembly process that contribute to human disease and also discusses potential therapies aimed at treating diseases of elastin insufficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Beth A Kozel
- National Institutes of Health, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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18
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Owens EA, Jie L, Reyes BA, Van Bockstaele EJ, Osei-Owusu P. Elastin insufficiency causes hypertension, structural defects and abnormal remodeling of renal vascular signaling. Kidney Int 2017; 92:1100-1118. [DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2017.04.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2017] [Revised: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 04/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
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19
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Halabi CM, Broekelmann TJ, Lin M, Lee VS, Chu ML, Mecham RP. Fibulin-4 is essential for maintaining arterial wall integrity in conduit but not muscular arteries. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2017; 3:e1602532. [PMID: 28508064 PMCID: PMC5415335 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1602532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2016] [Accepted: 02/28/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations in fibulin-4 (FBLN4) lead to autosomal recessive cutis laxa type 1B (ARCL1B), a multisystem disorder characterized by significant cardiovascular abnormalities, including abnormal elastin assembly, arterial tortuosity, and aortic aneurysms. We sought to determine the consequences of a human disease-causing mutation in FBLN4 (E57K) on the cardiovascular system and vascular elastic fibers in a mouse model of ARCL1B. Fbln4E57K/E57K mice were hypertensive and developed arterial elongation, tortuosity, and ascending aortic aneurysms. Smooth muscle cell organization within the arterial wall of large conducting vessels was abnormal, and elastic fibers were fragmented and had a moth-eaten appearance. In contrast, vessel wall structure and elastic fiber integrity were normal in resistance/muscular arteries (renal, mesenteric, and saphenous). Elastin cross-linking and total elastin content were unchanged in large or small arteries, whereas elastic fiber architecture was abnormal in large vessels. While the E57K mutation did not affect Fbln4 mRNA levels, FBLN4 protein was lower in the ascending aorta of mutant animals compared to wild-type arteries but equivalent in mesenteric arteries. We found a differential role of FBLN4 in elastic fiber assembly, where it functions mainly in large conduit arteries. These results suggest that elastin assembly has different requirements depending on vessel type. Normal levels of elastin cross-links in mutant tissue call into question FBLN4's suggested role in mediating lysyl oxidase-elastin interactions. Future studies investigating tissue-specific elastic fiber assembly may lead to novel therapeutic interventions for ARCL1B and other disorders of elastic fiber assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen M. Halabi
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Thomas J. Broekelmann
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Michelle Lin
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Vivian S. Lee
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Mon-Li Chu
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Robert P. Mecham
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
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20
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Walton JR, Martens MA, Pober BR. The proceedings of the 15th professional conference on Williams Syndrome. Am J Med Genet A 2017; 173:1159-1171. [DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.38156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2016] [Revised: 12/29/2016] [Accepted: 01/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer R. Walton
- Department of Pediatrics, Nationwide Children's Hospital; The Ohio State University; Columbus Ohio
| | | | - Barbara R. Pober
- Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Boston
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