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Filan C, Song H, Platt MO, Robles FE. Analysis of structural effects of sickle cell disease on brain vasculature of mice using three-dimensional quantitative phase imaging. JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL OPTICS 2023; 28:096501. [PMID: 37692563 PMCID: PMC10491933 DOI: 10.1117/1.jbo.28.9.096501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Significance Although the molecular origins of sickle cell disease (SCD) have been extensively studied, the effects of SCD on the vasculature-which can influence blood clotting mechanisms, pain crises, and strokes-are not well understood. Improving this understanding can yield insight into the mechanisms and wide-ranging effects of this devastating disease. Aim We aim to demonstrate the ability of a label-free 3D quantitative phase imaging technology, called quantitative oblique back-illumination microscopy (qOBM), to provide insight into the effects of SCD on brain vasculature. Approach Using qOBM, we quantitatively analyze the vasculature of freshly excised, but otherwise unaltered, whole mouse brains. We use Townes sickle transgenic mice, which closely recapitulate the pathophysiology of human SCD, and sickle cell trait mice as controls. Two developmental time points are studied: 6-week-old mice and 20-week-old mice. Quantitative structural and biophysical parameters of the vessels (including the refractive index (RI), which is linearly proportional to dry mass) are extracted from the high-resolution images and analyzed. Results qOBM reveals structural differences in the brain blood vessel thickness (thinner for SCD in particular brain regions) and the RI of the vessel wall (higher and containing a larger variation throughout the brain for SCD). These changes were only significant in 20-week-old mice. Further, vessel breakages are observed in SCD mice at both time points. The vessel wall RI distribution near these breaks, up to 350 μ m away from the breaking point, shows an erratic behavior characterized by wide RI variations. Vessel diameter, tortuosity, texture within the vessel, and structural fractal patterns are found to not be statistically different. As with vessel breaks, we also observe blood vessel blockages only in mice brains with SCD. Conclusions qOBM provides insight into the biophysical and structural composition of brain blood vessels in mice with SCD. Data suggest that the RI may be an indirect indicator of vessel rigidity, vessel strength, and/or tensions, which change with SCD. Future ex vivo and in vivo studies with qOBM could improve our understanding of SCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Filan
- Georgia Institute of Technology, George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
| | - Hannah Song
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
- National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
| | - Manu O. Platt
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
- National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
| | - Francisco E. Robles
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
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Verlhac S, Ithier G, Bernaudin F, Oloukoi C, Cussenot I, Balandra S, Kheniche A, Ntorkou A, Ouaziz H, Tanase A, Sekkal A, Belarbi N, Elmaleh M, Alison M. Evolution of Extracranial Internal Carotid Artery Disease in Children With Sickle Cell Anemia. Stroke 2022; 53:2637-2646. [PMID: 35387492 DOI: 10.1161/strokeaha.121.037980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cerebral arteriopathy in patients with sickle cell anemia mainly affects the intracranial anterior circulation. However, the extracranial internal carotid artery (eICA) can also be stenosed and responsible for ischemic lesions. In children with sickle cell anemia, we perform routine annual Doppler ultrasound assessment of the eICA and magnetic resonance imaging with 3-dimensional time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography of the Willis circle and neck arteries in those with abnormal velocity. Our aim was to report the evolution of eICA stenoses from 2011 to the present as a function of therapy in a retrospective case-series study. We hypothesized that chronic transfusion (CTT) would be more effective than hydroxyurea and simple observation on the evolution of eICA stenosis. METHODS Eligibility criteria were a history of eICA velocity ≥160 cm/s with a minimum Doppler and magnetic resonance imaging follow-up of 1 year. eICAs were graded for stenosis according to NASCET (The North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial). Magnetic resonance imaging was investigated for ischemic lesions. Treatment with hydroxyurea and CTT were obtained from the chart review. RESULTS Fifty-four patients were included. Eight patients had a stroke history. The median (range) follow-up was 4.7 years (1.1-9.2 years). On the first neck magnetic resonance angiography, stenosis was present in 48/54 (89%) patients. Kinking was found in 39/54 (72%) patients. On the last neck magnetic resonance angiography, the proportion of patients with eICA stenosis decreased to 39/54 (72%). ICA occlusion occurred in 5 patients despite CTT. Three patients had carotid webs without intracranial stenosis. The proportion of patients with improvement in stenosis score was 8% with no treatment intensification, 20% with hydroxyurea, and 48% with CTT (P=0.016). The mean (SD) change per year in stenosis score was 0.40 (0.60) without intensification, 0.20 (0.53) with hydroxyurea, and -0.18 (0.55) with CTT (P=0.006). Ischemic lesions were present initially in 46% of patients, and the incidence of progressive ischemic lesions was 2.5 events/100 patient-years. Cox regression analysis showed that the initial score for eICA stenosis was a significant predictive factor for the risk of new silent cerebral infarct events. CONCLUSIONS Our study reinforces the need to assess cervical arteries for better prevention of cerebral ischemia and encourage initiation of CTT in sickle cell anemia children with eICA stenosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Verlhac
- Referral Center for Sickle Cell Disease, Department of Pediatric Imaging, Robert-Debre Hospital, AP-HP, Nord, Paris University, France. (S.V., C.O., I.C., S.B., A.K., A.N., H.O., A.T., A.S., N.B., M.E., M.A.)
| | - Ghislaine Ithier
- Department of Pediatrics, Robert-Debre Hospital, AP-HP, Nord, Paris University, France. (G.I.)
| | - Françoise Bernaudin
- Referral Center for Sickle Cell Disease, Department of Clinical Research, Intercommunal Creteil Hospital, France (F.B.)
| | - Carmelia Oloukoi
- Referral Center for Sickle Cell Disease, Department of Pediatric Imaging, Robert-Debre Hospital, AP-HP, Nord, Paris University, France. (S.V., C.O., I.C., S.B., A.K., A.N., H.O., A.T., A.S., N.B., M.E., M.A.)
| | - Isabelle Cussenot
- Referral Center for Sickle Cell Disease, Department of Pediatric Imaging, Robert-Debre Hospital, AP-HP, Nord, Paris University, France. (S.V., C.O., I.C., S.B., A.K., A.N., H.O., A.T., A.S., N.B., M.E., M.A.)
| | - Stephane Balandra
- Referral Center for Sickle Cell Disease, Department of Pediatric Imaging, Robert-Debre Hospital, AP-HP, Nord, Paris University, France. (S.V., C.O., I.C., S.B., A.K., A.N., H.O., A.T., A.S., N.B., M.E., M.A.)
| | - Ahmed Kheniche
- Referral Center for Sickle Cell Disease, Department of Pediatric Imaging, Robert-Debre Hospital, AP-HP, Nord, Paris University, France. (S.V., C.O., I.C., S.B., A.K., A.N., H.O., A.T., A.S., N.B., M.E., M.A.)
| | - Alexandra Ntorkou
- Referral Center for Sickle Cell Disease, Department of Pediatric Imaging, Robert-Debre Hospital, AP-HP, Nord, Paris University, France. (S.V., C.O., I.C., S.B., A.K., A.N., H.O., A.T., A.S., N.B., M.E., M.A.)
| | - Hayat Ouaziz
- Referral Center for Sickle Cell Disease, Department of Pediatric Imaging, Robert-Debre Hospital, AP-HP, Nord, Paris University, France. (S.V., C.O., I.C., S.B., A.K., A.N., H.O., A.T., A.S., N.B., M.E., M.A.)
| | - Anka Tanase
- Referral Center for Sickle Cell Disease, Department of Pediatric Imaging, Robert-Debre Hospital, AP-HP, Nord, Paris University, France. (S.V., C.O., I.C., S.B., A.K., A.N., H.O., A.T., A.S., N.B., M.E., M.A.)
| | - Amina Sekkal
- Referral Center for Sickle Cell Disease, Department of Pediatric Imaging, Robert-Debre Hospital, AP-HP, Nord, Paris University, France. (S.V., C.O., I.C., S.B., A.K., A.N., H.O., A.T., A.S., N.B., M.E., M.A.)
| | - Nadia Belarbi
- Referral Center for Sickle Cell Disease, Department of Pediatric Imaging, Robert-Debre Hospital, AP-HP, Nord, Paris University, France. (S.V., C.O., I.C., S.B., A.K., A.N., H.O., A.T., A.S., N.B., M.E., M.A.)
| | - Monique Elmaleh
- Referral Center for Sickle Cell Disease, Department of Pediatric Imaging, Robert-Debre Hospital, AP-HP, Nord, Paris University, France. (S.V., C.O., I.C., S.B., A.K., A.N., H.O., A.T., A.S., N.B., M.E., M.A.)
| | - Marianne Alison
- Referral Center for Sickle Cell Disease, Department of Pediatric Imaging, Robert-Debre Hospital, AP-HP, Nord, Paris University, France. (S.V., C.O., I.C., S.B., A.K., A.N., H.O., A.T., A.S., N.B., M.E., M.A.)
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Bollavaram K, Leeman TH, Lee MW, Kulkarni A, Upshaw SG, Yang J, Song H, Platt MO. Multiple sites on SARS-CoV-2 spike protein are susceptible to proteolysis by cathepsins B, K, L, S, and V. Protein Sci 2021; 30:1131-1143. [PMID: 33786919 PMCID: PMC8138523 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
SARS‐CoV‐2 is the coronavirus responsible for the COVID‐19 pandemic. Proteases are central to the infection process of SARS‐CoV‐2. Cleavage of the spike protein on the virus's capsid causes the conformational change that leads to membrane fusion and viral entry into the target cell. Since inhibition of one protease, even the dominant protease like TMPRSS2, may not be sufficient to block SARS‐CoV‐2 entry into cells, other proteases that may play an activating role and hydrolyze the spike protein must be identified. We identified amino acid sequences in all regions of spike protein, including the S1/S2 region critical for activation and viral entry, that are susceptible to cleavage by furin and cathepsins B, K, L, S, and V using PACMANS, a computational platform that identifies and ranks preferred sites of proteolytic cleavage on substrates, and verified with molecular docking analysis and immunoblotting to determine if binding of these proteases can occur on the spike protein that were identified as possible cleavage sites. Together, this study highlights cathepsins B, K, L, S, and V for consideration in SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and presents methodologies by which other proteases can be screened to determine a role in viral entry. This highlights additional proteases to be considered in COVID‐19 studies, particularly regarding exacerbated damage in inflammatory preconditions where these proteases are generally upregulated. PDB Code(s): 6VYB, 4Z2A, 5F02, 4P6E, 5TUN, 2IPP and 3H6S;
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Affiliation(s)
- Keval Bollavaram
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Tiffanie H Leeman
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Maggie W Lee
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Akhil Kulkarni
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Sophia G Upshaw
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jiabei Yang
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Biomedical Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Hannah Song
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Manu O Platt
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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