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Luna G, Verheyden J, Tan C, Kim E, Hwa M, Sahi J, Shen Y, Chung W, McCulley D, Sun X. MYRF is Essential in Mesothelial Cells to Promote Lung Development and Maturation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2025:2025.02.13.635155. [PMID: 39990361 PMCID: PMC11844445 DOI: 10.1101/2025.02.13.635155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2025]
Abstract
The mesothelium is a squamous monolayer that ensheathes internal organs, lines the body cavity, and the diaphragm. It serves as a protective barrier, coated in glycocalyx, and secretes lubricants to facilitate tissue movement. How the mesothelium forms is poorly understood. Here, we investigate Myrf , a transcription factor gene expressed in the mesothelium, because it carries variants in patients with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH), a disorder that affects the diaphragm, lung, and other organs. In mice, inactivation of Myrf early in organogenesis resulted in CDH and defective mesothelial specification, compromising its function as a signaling center for lung growth. Inactivation of Myrf later led to enhanced mesothelium differentiation into mesenchymal cell types through partial epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), resulting in a unique accumulation of smooth muscle encasing the lung. In this role, MYRF functions in parallel with YAP/TAZ. Together, these findings establish MYRF as a critical regulator of mesothelium development, and when mutated, causes CDH.
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Li Y, Du J, Deng S, Liu B, Jing X, Yan Y, Liu Y, Wang J, Zhou X, She Q. The molecular mechanisms of cardiac development and related diseases. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:368. [PMID: 39715759 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-02069-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2024] [Revised: 09/28/2024] [Accepted: 11/04/2024] [Indexed: 12/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Cardiac development is a complex and intricate process involving numerous molecular signals and pathways. Researchers have explored cardiac development through a long journey, starting with early studies observing morphological changes and progressing to the exploration of molecular mechanisms using various molecular biology methods. Currently, advancements in stem cell technology and sequencing technology, such as the generation of human pluripotent stem cells and cardiac organoids, multi-omics sequencing, and artificial intelligence (AI) technology, have enabled researchers to understand the molecular mechanisms of cardiac development better. Many molecular signals regulate cardiac development, including various growth and transcription factors and signaling pathways, such as WNT signaling, retinoic acid signaling, and Notch signaling pathways. In addition, cilia, the extracellular matrix, epigenetic modifications, and hypoxia conditions also play important roles in cardiac development. These factors play crucial roles at one or even multiple stages of cardiac development. Recent studies have also identified roles for autophagy, metabolic transition, and macrophages in cardiac development. Deficiencies or abnormal expression of these factors can lead to various types of cardiac development abnormalities. Nowadays, congenital heart disease (CHD) management requires lifelong care, primarily involving surgical and pharmacological treatments. Advances in surgical techniques and the development of clinical genetic testing have enabled earlier diagnosis and treatment of CHD. However, these technologies still have significant limitations. The development of new technologies, such as sequencing and AI technologies, will help us better understand the molecular mechanisms of cardiac development and promote earlier prevention and treatment of CHD in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingrui Li
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jianlin Du
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Songbai Deng
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Bin Liu
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaodong Jing
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuling Yan
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yajie Liu
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaobo Zhou
- Department of Cardiology, Angiology, Haemostaseology, and Medical Intensive Care, Medical Centre Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Germany; DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site, Heidelberg-Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Qiang She
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
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Caño-Carrillo S, Garcia-Padilla C, Aranega AE, Lozano-Velasco E, Franco D. Mef2c- and Nkx2-5-Divergent Transcriptional Regulation of Chick WT1_76127 and Mouse Gm14014 lncRNAs and Their Implication in Epicardial Cell Migration. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:12904. [PMID: 39684625 DOI: 10.3390/ijms252312904] [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: 10/17/2024] [Revised: 11/25/2024] [Accepted: 11/28/2024] [Indexed: 12/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Cardiac development is a complex developmental process. The early cardiac straight tube is composed of an external myocardial layer and an internal endocardial lining. Soon after rightward looping, the embryonic heart becomes externally covered by a new epithelial lining, the embryonic epicardium. A subset of these embryonic epicardial cells migrate and colonize the embryonic myocardium, contributing to the formation of distinct cell types. In recent years, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that govern proepicardium and embryonic epicardium formation has greatly increased. We have recently witnessed the discovery of a novel layer of complexity governing gene regulation with the discovery of non-coding RNAs. Our laboratory recently identified three distinct lncRNAs, adjacent to the Wt1, Bmp4 and Fgf8 chicken gene loci, with enhanced expression in the proepicardium that are distinctly regulated by Bmp, Fgf and thymosin β4, providing support for their plausible implication in epicardial formation. The expression of lncRNAs was analyzed in different chicken and mouse tissues as well as their subcellular distribution in chicken proepicardial, epicardial, ventricle explants and in different murine cardiac cell types. lncRNA transcriptional regulation was analyzed by using siRNAs and expression vectors of different transcription factors in chicken and mouse models, whereas antisense oligonucleotides were used to inhibit Gm14014 expression. Furthermore, RT-qPCR, immunocytochemistry, RNA pulldown, Western blot, viability and cell migration assays were conducted to investigate the biological functions of Wt1_76127 and Gm14014. We demonstrated that Wt1_76127 in chicken and its putative conserved homologue Gm14014 in mice are widely distributed in different embryonic and adult tissues and distinctly regulated by cardiac-enriched transcription factors, particularly Mef2c and Nkx2.5. Furthermore, silencing assays demonstrated that mouse Gm14014, but not chicken Wt1_76127, is essential for epicardial, but not endocardial or myocardial, cell migration. Such processes are governed by partnering with Myl9, promoting cytoskeletal remodeling. Our data show that Gm14014 plays a pivotal role in epicardial cell migration essential for heart regeneration under these experimental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheila Caño-Carrillo
- Cardiovascular Development Group, Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaen, Spain
| | - Carlos Garcia-Padilla
- Cardiovascular Development Group, Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaen, Spain
| | - Amelia E Aranega
- Cardiovascular Development Group, Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaen, Spain
- Fundación Medina, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Estefania Lozano-Velasco
- Cardiovascular Development Group, Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaen, Spain
- Fundación Medina, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Diego Franco
- Cardiovascular Development Group, Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaen, Spain
- Fundación Medina, 18016 Granada, Spain
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Xiong T, Wang D, Yang H, Liu B, Li Y, Yu W, Wang J, She Q. miR-194-3p regulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition in embryonic epicardial cells via p120/β-catenin signaling. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2024; 56:717-729. [PMID: 38676398 PMCID: PMC11381220 DOI: 10.3724/abbs.2024051] [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] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The epicardium is integral to cardiac development and facilitates endogenous heart regeneration and repair. While miR-194-3p is associated with cellular migration and invasion, its impact on epicardial cells remains uncharted. In this work we use gain-of-function and loss-of-function methodologies to investigate the function of miR-194-3p in cardiac development. We culture embryonic epicardial cells in vitro and subject them to transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) treatment to induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and monitor miR-194-3p expression. In addition, the effects of miR-194-3p mimics and inhibitors on epicardial cell development and changes in EMT are investigated. To validate the binding targets of miR-194-3p and its ability to recover the target gene-phenotype, we produce a mutant vector p120-catenin-3'UTR-MUT. In epicardial cells, TGF-β-induced EMT results in a notable overexpression of miR-194-3p. The administration of miR-194-3p mimics promotes EMT, which is correlated with elevated levels of mesenchymal markers. Conversely, miR-194-3p inhibitor attenuates EMT. Further investigations reveal a negative correlation between miR-194-3p and p120-catenin, which influences β-catenin level in the cell adhesion pathway. The suppression of EMT caused by the miR-194-3p inhibitor is balanced by silencing of p120-catenin. In conclusion, miR-194-3p directly targets p120-catenin and modulates its expression, which in turn alters β-catenin expression, critically influencing the EMT process in the embryonic epicardial cells via the cell adhesion mechanism.
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Maselli D, Matos RS, Johnson RD, Martella D, Caprettini V, Chiappini C, Camelliti P, Campagnolo P. Porcine Organotypic Epicardial Slice Protocol: A Tool for the Study of Epicardium in Cardiovascular Research. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:920013. [PMID: 35924218 PMCID: PMC9339655 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.920013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The epicardium has recently gained interest in the cardiovascular field due to its capacity to support heart regeneration after ischemic injury. Models to study the epicardium of large animals in vitro are limited and mainly based on epicardial cell isolation/differentiation from stem cells, followed by 2D cells culture. In this method paper, we describe the procedure to obtain and culture 3D organotypic heart slices presenting an intact epicardium, as a novel model to study the epicardial physiology and activation. Epicardial slices are obtained from porcine hearts using a high-precision vibratome and retain a healthy epicardial layer embedded in its native extracellular environment and connected with other cardiac cells (cardiomyocytes, fibroblasts, vascular cells etc.). Epicardial slices can be cultured for 72 h, providing an ideal model for studying the epicardium physiology or perform pharmacological interventions/gene therapy approaches. We also report on methods to assesses the viability and composition of the epicardial slices, and evaluate their architecture in 3D through tissue decoloration. Finally, we present a potential application for a nanomaterial-based gene transfer method for tracking of epicardial cells within the slice. Crucially, given the similarity in morphology and physiology of porcine heart with its human counterpart, our system provides a platform for translational research while providing a clinically relevant and ethical alternative to the use of small animals in this type of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Maselli
- Cardiovascular Section, Department of Biochemical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Rolando S. Matos
- Cardiovascular Section, Department of Biochemical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Robert D. Johnson
- Cardiovascular Section, Department of Biochemical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Davide Martella
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Valeria Caprettini
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ciro Chiappini
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Patrizia Camelliti
- Cardiovascular Section, Department of Biochemical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Paola Campagnolo
- Cardiovascular Section, Department of Biochemical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
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Deletion of Wt1 during early gonadogenesis leads to differences of sex development in male and female adult mice. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010240. [PMID: 35704566 PMCID: PMC9200307 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Assessing the role of the WT1 transcription factor (WT1) during early gonad differentiation and its impact on adult sex development has been difficult due to the complete gonadal agenesis and embryonic lethality exhibited by Wt1KO mouse models. Here, we generated Wt1LoxP/GFP;Wt1Cre mice, the first Wt1KO mouse model that reaches adulthood with a dramatically reduced Wt1 expression during early gonadogenesis. Wt1LoxP/GFP;Wt1Cre mice lacked mature gonads and displayed genital tracts containing both male and female genital structures and ambiguous genitalia. We found that WT1 is necessary for the activation of both male and female sex-determining pathways, as embryonic mutant gonads failed to upregulate the expression of the genes specific for each genetic programme. The gonads of Wt1LoxP/GFP;Wt1Cre mice showed a lack of production of Sertoli and pre-granulosa cells and a reduced number of germ cells. NR5A1 and the steroidogenic genes expression was modulated differently in XY and XX Wt1LoxP/GFP;Wt1Cre gonads, explaining the mutant phenotypes. Further studies of the XX Wt1LoxP/GFP;Wt1Cre gonads revealed that deletion of WT1 at an early stage impaired the differentiation of several cell types including somatic cells and the ovarian epithelium. Through the characterisation of this Wt1KO mouse model, we show that the deletion of Wt1 during early gonadogenesis produces dramatic defects in adult sex development. The WT1 transcription factor (WT1) is a protein expressed during gonad development. WT1 mutations have been reported in several human conditions in which patients present a variable range of genital malformations varying from ambiguous external genitalia to gonadal dysgenesis. Mouse models in which Wt1 has been deleted indicate that WT1 has a critical role in early gonadogenesis. However, assessing the role of this protein in early gonad formation and its impact on adult sex development has been difficult due to the complete gonadal agenesis or embryonic lethality observed in these mouse models. Here, we describe a new genetically engineered mouse model in which Wt1 expression is deleted from an early stage in gonad formation. The analyses of these mice revealed the importance of Wt1 for early gonad differentiation and the impact of its early deletion on the formation of the adult reproductive system. Adult mutant mice lacked mature gonads, with both XX and XY mutants displaying genital tracts containing both male and female structures as well as ambiguous external genitalia. Notably, mutant gonads remained in an undifferentiated stage, indicating that WT1 is important for the differentiation of different populations of progenitor cells.
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Eroglu E, Yen CYT, Tsoi YL, Witman N, Elewa A, Joven Araus A, Wang H, Szattler T, Umeano CH, Sohlmér J, Goedel A, Simon A, Chien KR. Epicardium-derived cells organize through tight junctions to replenish cardiac muscle in salamanders. Nat Cell Biol 2022; 24:645-658. [PMID: 35550612 PMCID: PMC9106584 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-022-00902-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The contribution of the epicardium, the outermost layer of the heart, to cardiac regeneration has remained controversial due to a lack of suitable analytical tools. By combining genetic marker-independent lineage-tracing strategies with transcriptional profiling and loss-of-function methods, we report here that the epicardium of the highly regenerative salamander species Pleurodeles waltl has an intrinsic capacity to differentiate into cardiomyocytes. Following cryoinjury, CLDN6+ epicardium-derived cells appear at the lesion site, organize into honeycomb-like structures connected via focal tight junctions and undergo transcriptional reprogramming that results in concomitant differentiation into de novo cardiomyocytes. Ablation of CLDN6+ differentiation intermediates as well as disruption of their tight junctions impairs cardiac regeneration. Salamanders constitute the evolutionarily closest species to mammals with an extensive ability to regenerate heart muscle and our results highlight the epicardium and tight junctions as key targets in efforts to promote cardiac regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elif Eroglu
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Christopher Y T Yen
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yat-Long Tsoi
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nevin Witman
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ahmed Elewa
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alberto Joven Araus
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Heng Wang
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Tamara Szattler
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Chimezie H Umeano
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Gene Therapy, Lunds Universitet, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jesper Sohlmér
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alexander Goedel
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin I, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - András Simon
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Kenneth R Chien
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Regulation of Epicardial Cell Fate during Cardiac Development and Disease: An Overview. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23063220. [PMID: 35328640 PMCID: PMC8950551 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23063220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The epicardium is the outermost cell layer in the vertebrate heart that originates during development from mesothelial precursors located in the proepicardium and septum transversum. The epicardial layer plays a key role during cardiogenesis since a subset of epicardial-derived cells (EPDCs) undergo an epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT); migrate into the myocardium; and differentiate into distinct cell types, such as coronary vascular smooth muscle cells, cardiac fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and presumably a subpopulation of cardiomyocytes, thus contributing to complete heart formation. Furthermore, the epicardium is a source of paracrine factors that support cardiac growth at the last stages of cardiogenesis. Although several lineage trace studies have provided some evidence about epicardial cell fate determination, the molecular mechanisms underlying epicardial cell heterogeneity remain not fully understood. Interestingly, seminal works during the last decade have pointed out that the adult epicardium is reactivated after heart damage, re-expressing some embryonic genes and contributing to cardiac remodeling. Therefore, the epicardium has been proposed as a potential target in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. In this review, we summarize the previous knowledge regarding the regulation of epicardial cell contribution during development and the control of epicardial reactivation in cardiac repair after damage.
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CDH18 is a fetal epicardial biomarker regulating differentiation towards vascular smooth muscle cells. NPJ Regen Med 2022; 7:14. [PMID: 35110584 PMCID: PMC8810917 DOI: 10.1038/s41536-022-00207-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The epicardium is a mesothelial layer covering the myocardium serving as a progenitor source during cardiac development. The epicardium reactivates upon cardiac injury supporting cardiac repair and regeneration. Fine-tuned balanced signaling regulates cell plasticity and cell-fate decisions of epicardial-derived cells (EPCDs) via epicardial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, powerful tools to investigate epicardial function, including markers with pivotal roles in developmental signaling, are still lacking. Here, we recapitulated epicardiogenesis using human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and identified type II classical cadherin CDH18 as a biomarker defining lineage specification in human active epicardium. The loss of CDH18 led to the onset of EMT and specific differentiation towards cardiac smooth muscle cells. Furthermore, GATA4 regulated epicardial CDH18 expression. These results highlight the importance of tracing CDH18 expression in hiPSC-derived epicardial cells, providing a model for investigating epicardial function in human development and disease and enabling new possibilities for regenerative medicine.
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Guo Z, Geng M, Qin L, Hao B, Liao S. Epicardium-Derived Tbx18 + CDCs Transplantation Improve Heart Function in Infarcted Mice. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 8:744353. [PMID: 35141286 PMCID: PMC8820322 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2021.744353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) constitute a cardiac stem cell pool, a promising therapeutics in treating myocardial infarction (MI). However, the cell source of CDCs remains unclear. In this study, we isolated CDCs directly from adult mouse heart epicardium named primary epicardium-derived CDCs (pECDCs), which showed a different expression profile compared with primary epicardial cells (pEpiCs). Interestingly, pECDCs highly expressed T-box transcription factor 18 (Tbx18) and showed multipotent differentiation ability in vitro. Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) transduction could inhibit aging-induced pECDCs apoptosis and differentiation, thus keeping a better proliferation capacity. Furthermore, immortalized epicardium CDCs (iECDCs) transplantation extensively promote cardiogenesis in the infracted mouse heart. This study demonstrated epicardium-derived CDCs that may derive from Tbx18+ EpiCs, which possess the therapeutic potential to be applied to cardiac repair and regeneration and suggest a new kind of CDCs with identified origination that may be followed in the developing and injured heart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenglong Guo
- Henan Medical Genetics Institute, Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Genetic Diseases and Functional Genomics, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Prevention, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Mengyuan Geng
- School of Medical Laboratory and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular Homeostasis and Human Diseases, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Litao Qin
- Henan Medical Genetics Institute, Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Genetic Diseases and Functional Genomics, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Prevention, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Bingtao Hao
- Henan Medical Genetics Institute, Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Genetic Diseases and Functional Genomics, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Prevention, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cancer Research Institute, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shixiu Liao
- Henan Medical Genetics Institute, Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Genetic Diseases and Functional Genomics, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Prevention, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
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Ge Y, Smits AM, Liu J, Zhang J, van Brakel TJ, Goumans MJTH, Jongbloed MRM, de Vries AAF. Generation, Characterization, and Application of Inducible Proliferative Adult Human Epicardium-Derived Cells. Cells 2021; 10:2064. [PMID: 34440833 PMCID: PMC8391799 DOI: 10.3390/cells10082064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
RATIONALE In recent decades, the great potential of human epicardium-derived cells (EPDCs) as an endogenous cell source for cardiac regeneration has been recognized. The limited availability and low proliferation capacity of primary human EPDCs and phenotypic differences between EPDCs obtained from different individuals hampers their reproducible use for experimental studies. AIM To generate and characterize inducible proliferative adult human EPDCs for use in fundamental and applied research. METHODS AND RESULTS Inducible proliferation of human EPDCs was achieved by doxycycline-controlled expression of simian virus 40 large T antigen (LT) with a repressor-based lentiviral Tet-On system. In the presence of doxycycline, these inducible EPDCs (iEPDCs) displayed high and long-term proliferation capacity. After doxycycline removal, LT expression ceased and the iEPDCs regained their cuboidal epithelial morphology. Similar to primary EPDCs, iEPDCs underwent an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) after stimulation with transforming growth factor β3. This was confirmed by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis of epithelial and mesenchymal marker gene expression and (immuno) cytochemical staining. Collagen gel-based cell invasion assays demonstrated that mesenchymal iEPDCs, like primary EPDCs, possess increased invasion and migration capacities as compared to their epithelial counterparts. Mesenchymal iEPDCs co-cultured with sympathetic ganglia stimulated neurite outgrowth similarly to primary EPDCs. CONCLUSION Using an inducible LT expression system, inducible proliferative adult human EPDCs were generated displaying high proliferative capacity in the presence of doxycycline. These iEPDCs maintain essential epicardial characteristics with respect to morphology, EMT ability, and paracrine signaling following doxycycline removal. This renders iEPDCs a highly useful new in vitro model for studying human epicardial properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Ge
- Department of Anatomy & Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands; (Y.G.); (M.R.M.J.)
- Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands; (J.L.); (J.Z.); (A.A.F.d.V.)
| | - Anke M. Smits
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands;
| | - Jia Liu
- Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands; (J.L.); (J.Z.); (A.A.F.d.V.)
- Central Laboratory, Longgang District People’s Hospital of Shenzhen & The Third Affiliated Hospital of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518172, China
| | - Juan Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands; (J.L.); (J.Z.); (A.A.F.d.V.)
| | - Thomas J. van Brakel
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands;
| | - Marie José T. H. Goumans
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands;
| | - Monique R. M. Jongbloed
- Department of Anatomy & Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands; (Y.G.); (M.R.M.J.)
- Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands; (J.L.); (J.Z.); (A.A.F.d.V.)
| | - Antoine A. F. de Vries
- Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands; (J.L.); (J.Z.); (A.A.F.d.V.)
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12
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Díaz Del Moral S, Barrena S, Hernández-Torres F, Aránega A, Villaescusa JM, Gómez Doblas JJ, Franco D, Jiménez-Navarro M, Muñoz-Chápuli R, Carmona R. Deletion of the Wilms' Tumor Suppressor Gene in the Cardiac Troponin-T Lineage Reveals Novel Functions of WT1 in Heart Development. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:683861. [PMID: 34368133 PMCID: PMC8339973 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.683861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Expression of Wilms’ tumor suppressor transcription factor (WT1) in the embryonic epicardium is essential for cardiac development, but its myocardial expression is little known. We have found that WT1 is expressed at low levels in 20–25% of the embryonic cardiomyocytes. Conditional ablation of WT1 using a cardiac troponin T driver (Tnnt2Cre) caused abnormal sinus venosus and atrium development, lack of pectinate muscles, thin ventricular myocardium and, in some cases, interventricular septum and cardiac wall defects, ventricular diverticula and aneurisms. Coronary development was normal and there was not embryonic lethality, although survival of adult mutant mice was reduced probably due to perinatal mortality. Adult mutant mice showed electrocardiographic anomalies, including increased RR and QRS intervals, and decreased PR intervals. RNASeq analysis identified differential expression of 137 genes in the E13.5 mutant heart as compared to controls. GO functional enrichment analysis suggested that both calcium ion regulation and modulation of potassium channels are deeply altered in the mutant myocardium. In summary, together with its essential function in the embryonic epicardium, myocardial WT1 expression is also required for normal cardiac development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Silvia Barrena
- Department of Animal Biology, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Francisco Hernández-Torres
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology III and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.,Medina Foundation, Technology Park of Health Sciences, Granada, Spain
| | - Amelia Aránega
- Medina Foundation, Technology Park of Health Sciences, Granada, Spain.,Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Jaén, Jaén, Spain
| | - José Manuel Villaescusa
- Heart Area Clinical Management Unit, University Hosp tal Virgen de la Victoria, CIBERCV Enfermedades Cardiovasculares Health Institute Carlos III, Biomedical Research Institute of Malaga (IBIMA), University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Juan José Gómez Doblas
- Heart Area Clinical Management Unit, University Hosp tal Virgen de la Victoria, CIBERCV Enfermedades Cardiovasculares Health Institute Carlos III, Biomedical Research Institute of Malaga (IBIMA), University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Diego Franco
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Jaén, Jaén, Spain
| | - Manuel Jiménez-Navarro
- Heart Area Clinical Management Unit, University Hosp tal Virgen de la Victoria, CIBERCV Enfermedades Cardiovasculares Health Institute Carlos III, Biomedical Research Institute of Malaga (IBIMA), University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | | | - Rita Carmona
- Department of Animal Biology, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain
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13
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Every Beat You Take-The Wilms' Tumor Suppressor WT1 and the Heart. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22147675. [PMID: 34299295 PMCID: PMC8306835 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Nearly three decades ago, the Wilms’ tumor suppressor Wt1 was identified as a crucial regulator of heart development. Wt1 is a zinc finger transcription factor with multiple biological functions, implicated in the development of several organ systems, among them cardiovascular structures. This review summarizes the results from many research groups which allowed to establish a relevant function for Wt1 in cardiac development and disease. During development, Wt1 is involved in fundamental processes as the formation of the epicardium, epicardial epithelial-mesenchymal transition, coronary vessel development, valve formation, organization of the cardiac autonomous nervous system, and formation of the cardiac ventricles. Wt1 is further implicated in cardiac disease and repair in adult life. We summarize here the current knowledge about expression and function of Wt1 in heart development and disease and point out controversies to further stimulate additional research in the areas of cardiac development and pathophysiology. As re-activation of developmental programs is considered as paradigm for regeneration in response to injury, understanding of these processes and the molecules involved therein is essential for the development of therapeutic strategies, which we discuss on the example of WT1.
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14
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Sun X, Malandraki-Miller S, Kennedy T, Bassat E, Klaourakis K, Zhao J, Gamen E, Vieira JM, Tzahor E, Riley PR. The extracellular matrix protein agrin is essential for epicardial epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition during heart development. Development 2021; 148:261801. [PMID: 33969874 PMCID: PMC8172119 DOI: 10.1242/dev.197525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
During heart development, epicardial cells residing within the outer layer undergo epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and migrate into the underlying myocardium to support organ growth and morphogenesis. Disruption of epicardial EMT results in embryonic lethality, yet its regulation is poorly understood. Here, we report epicardial EMT within the mesothelial layer of the mouse embryonic heart at ultra-high resolution using scanning electron microscopy combined with immunofluorescence analyses. We identified morphologically active EMT regions that associated with key components of the extracellular matrix, including the basement membrane-associated proteoglycan agrin. Deletion of agrin resulted in impaired EMT and compromised development of the epicardium, accompanied by downregulation of Wilms' tumor 1. Agrin enhanced EMT in human embryonic stem cell-derived epicardial-like cells by decreasing β-catenin and promoting pFAK localization at focal adhesions, and promoted the aggregation of dystroglycan within the Golgi apparatus in murine epicardial cells. Loss of agrin resulted in dispersal of dystroglycan in vivo, disrupting basement membrane integrity and impairing EMT. Our results provide new insights into the role of the extracellular matrix in heart development and implicate agrin as a crucial regulator of epicardial EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Sun
- Burdon-Sanderson Cardiac Science Centre, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK.,British Heart Foundation - Oxbridge Centre of Regenerative Medicine, CRM, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
| | - Sophia Malandraki-Miller
- Burdon-Sanderson Cardiac Science Centre, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK.,British Heart Foundation - Oxbridge Centre of Regenerative Medicine, CRM, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
| | - Tahnee Kennedy
- Burdon-Sanderson Cardiac Science Centre, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK.,British Heart Foundation - Oxbridge Centre of Regenerative Medicine, CRM, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
| | - Elad Bassat
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Konstantinos Klaourakis
- Burdon-Sanderson Cardiac Science Centre, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK.,British Heart Foundation - Oxbridge Centre of Regenerative Medicine, CRM, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
| | - Jia Zhao
- Burdon-Sanderson Cardiac Science Centre, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK.,British Heart Foundation - Oxbridge Centre of Regenerative Medicine, CRM, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
| | - Elisabetta Gamen
- Burdon-Sanderson Cardiac Science Centre, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK.,British Heart Foundation - Oxbridge Centre of Regenerative Medicine, CRM, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
| | - Joaquim Miguel Vieira
- Burdon-Sanderson Cardiac Science Centre, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK.,British Heart Foundation - Oxbridge Centre of Regenerative Medicine, CRM, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
| | - Eldad Tzahor
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Paul R Riley
- Burdon-Sanderson Cardiac Science Centre, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK.,British Heart Foundation - Oxbridge Centre of Regenerative Medicine, CRM, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
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15
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Post-Surgical Peritoneal Scarring and Key Molecular Mechanisms. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11050692. [PMID: 34063089 PMCID: PMC8147932 DOI: 10.3390/biom11050692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Post-surgical adhesions are internal scar tissue and a major health and economic burden. Adhesions affect and involve the peritoneal lining of the abdominal cavity, which consists of a continuous mesothelial covering of the cavity wall and majority of internal organs. Our understanding of the full pathophysiology of adhesion formation is limited by the fact that the mechanisms regulating normal serosal repair and regeneration of the mesothelial layer are still being elucidated. Emerging evidence suggests that mesothelial cells do not simply form a passive barrier but perform a wide range of important regulatory functions including maintaining a healthy peritoneal homeostasis as well as orchestrating events leading to normal repair or pathological outcomes following injury. Here, we summarise recent advances in our understanding of serosal repair and adhesion formation with an emphasis on molecular mechanisms and novel gene expression signatures associated with these processes. We discuss changes in mesothelial biomolecular marker expression during peritoneal development, which may help, in part, to explain findings in adults from lineage tracing studies using experimental adhesion models. Lastly, we highlight examples of where local tissue specialisation may determine a particular response of peritoneal cells to injury.
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16
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Implications of the Wilms' Tumor Suppressor Wt1 in Cardiomyocyte Differentiation. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22094346. [PMID: 33919406 PMCID: PMC8122684 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The Wilms’ tumor suppressor Wt1 is involved in multiple developmental processes and adult tissue homeostasis. The first phenotypes recognized in Wt1 knockout mice were developmental cardiac and kidney defects. Wt1 expression in the heart has been described in epicardial, endothelial, smooth muscle cells, and fibroblasts. Expression of Wt1 in cardiomyocytes has been suggested but remained a controversial issue, as well as the role of Wt1 in cardiomyocyte development and regeneration after injury. We determined cardiac Wt1 expression during embryonic development, in the adult, and after cardiac injury by quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. As in vitro model, phenotypic cardiomyocyte differentiation, i.e., the appearance of rhythmically beating clones from mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) and associated changes in gene expression were analyzed. We detected Wt1 in cardiomyocytes from embryonic day (E10.5), the first time point investigated, until adult age. Cardiac Wt1 mRNA levels decreased during embryonic development. In the adult, Wt1 was reactivated in cardiomyocytes 48 h and 3 weeks following myocardial infarction. Wt1 mRNA levels were increased in differentiating mESCs. Overexpression of Wt1(-KTS) and Wt1(+KTS) isoforms in ES cells reduced the fraction of phenotypically cardiomyocyte differentiated clones, which was preceded by a temporary increase in c-kit expression in Wt1(-KTS) transfected ES cell clones and induction of some cardiomyocyte markers. Taken together, Wt1 shows a dynamic expression pattern during cardiomyocyte differentiation and overexpression in ES cells reduces their phenotypical cardiomyocyte differentiation.
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17
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Jiang H, Song S, Li J, Yin Q, Hu S, Nie Y. Establishment and characterization of an immortalized epicardial cell line. J Cell Mol Med 2021; 25:6070-6081. [PMID: 33822475 PMCID: PMC8406488 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.16496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, the increasing significance of the epicardium in cardiac development and regeneration is beginning to be recognized. However, because of the small proportion of primary epicardial cells and the limited cell culture time, further research on the mechanism of epicardial cells is hindered. Here, we transfected simian virus 40 Large T (SV40-LT) into primary epicardial cells to establish an immortalized cell line, named EpiSV40. We further demonstrated that EpiSV40 can be easy to culture and has the proliferation, migration and differentiation capacities comparable to primary epicardial cells. EpiSV40 can serve as an ideal in vitro model for epicardial cell research, which will booster the study of the epicardium in cardiac development and heart regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haobin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular DiseaseFuwai HospitalNational Center for Cardiovascular DiseaseChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Shen Song
- State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular DiseaseFuwai HospitalNational Center for Cardiovascular DiseaseChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Jiacheng Li
- Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center and Center for Reproductive MedicineCollege of Life SciencesThird HospitalPeking UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Qianqian Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular DiseaseFuwai HospitalNational Center for Cardiovascular DiseaseChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Shengshou Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular DiseaseFuwai HospitalNational Center for Cardiovascular DiseaseChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Yu Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular DiseaseFuwai HospitalNational Center for Cardiovascular DiseaseChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
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18
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Mantri M, Scuderi GJ, Abedini-Nassab R, Wang MFZ, McKellar D, Shi H, Grodner B, Butcher JT, De Vlaminck I. Spatiotemporal single-cell RNA sequencing of developing chicken hearts identifies interplay between cellular differentiation and morphogenesis. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1771. [PMID: 33741943 PMCID: PMC7979764 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21892-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Single-cell RNA sequencing is a powerful tool to study developmental biology but does not preserve spatial information about tissue morphology and cellular interactions. Here, we combine single-cell and spatial transcriptomics with algorithms for data integration to study the development of the chicken heart from the early to late four-chambered heart stage. We create a census of the diverse cellular lineages in developing hearts, their spatial organization, and their interactions during development. Spatial mapping of differentiation transitions in cardiac lineages defines transcriptional differences between epithelial and mesenchymal cells within the epicardial lineage. Using spatially resolved expression analysis, we identify anatomically restricted expression programs, including expression of genes implicated in congenital heart disease. Last, we discover a persistent enrichment of the small, secreted peptide, thymosin beta-4, throughout coronary vascular development. Overall, our study identifies an intricate interplay between cellular differentiation and morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhav Mantri
- Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Computational Biology Ph.D. Program, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Gaetano J Scuderi
- Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Roozbeh Abedini-Nassab
- Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Department of Engineering, University of Neyshabur, Neyshabur, Iran
| | - Michael F Z Wang
- Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Computational Biology Ph.D. Program, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - David McKellar
- Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Hao Shi
- Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Benjamin Grodner
- Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Jonathan T Butcher
- Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
| | - Iwijn De Vlaminck
- Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
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19
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Dergilev KV, Shevchenko EK, Tsokolaeva ZI, Beloglazova IB, Zubkova ES, Boldyreva MA, Menshikov MY, Ratner EI, Penkov D, Parfyonova YV. Cell Sheet Comprised of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Overexpressing Stem Cell Factor Promotes Epicardium Activation and Heart Function Improvement in a Rat Model of Myocardium Infarction. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21249603. [PMID: 33339427 PMCID: PMC7766731 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell therapy of the post-infarcted myocardium is still far from clinical use. Poor survival of transplanted cells, insufficient regeneration, and replacement of the damaged tissue limit the potential of currently available cell-based techniques. In this study, we generated a multilayered construct from adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) modified to secrete stem cell factor, SCF. In a rat model of myocardium infarction, we show that transplantation of SCF producing cell sheet induced activation of the epicardium and promoted the accumulation of c-kit positive cells in ischemic muscle. Morphometry showed the reduction of infarct size (16%) and a left ventricle expansion index (0.12) in the treatment group compared to controls (24-28%; 0.17-0.32). The ratio of viable myocardium was more than 1.5-fold higher, reaching 49% compared to the control (28%) or unmodified cell sheet group (30%). Finally, by day 30 after myocardium infarction, SCF-producing cell sheet transplantation increased left ventricle ejection fraction from 37% in the control sham-operated group to 53%. Our results suggest that, combining the genetic modification of MSCs and their assembly into a multilayered construct, we can provide prolonged pleiotropic effects to the damaged heart, induce endogenous regenerative processes, and improve cardiac function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantin V. Dergilev
- National Medical Research Center of Cardiology, Russian Ministry of Health, Moscow 121552, Russia; (K.V.D.); (Z.I.T.); (I.B.B.); (E.S.Z.); (M.A.B.); (M.Y.M.); (E.I.R.); (D.P.); (Y.V.P.)
| | - Evgeny K. Shevchenko
- National Medical Research Center of Cardiology, Russian Ministry of Health, Moscow 121552, Russia; (K.V.D.); (Z.I.T.); (I.B.B.); (E.S.Z.); (M.A.B.); (M.Y.M.); (E.I.R.); (D.P.); (Y.V.P.)
- Federal Center of Brain Research and Neurotechnologies, Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow 117997, Russia
- Correspondence:
| | - Zoya I. Tsokolaeva
- National Medical Research Center of Cardiology, Russian Ministry of Health, Moscow 121552, Russia; (K.V.D.); (Z.I.T.); (I.B.B.); (E.S.Z.); (M.A.B.); (M.Y.M.); (E.I.R.); (D.P.); (Y.V.P.)
- Research Institute of General Reanimatology, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow 107031, Russia
| | - Irina B. Beloglazova
- National Medical Research Center of Cardiology, Russian Ministry of Health, Moscow 121552, Russia; (K.V.D.); (Z.I.T.); (I.B.B.); (E.S.Z.); (M.A.B.); (M.Y.M.); (E.I.R.); (D.P.); (Y.V.P.)
| | - Ekaterina S. Zubkova
- National Medical Research Center of Cardiology, Russian Ministry of Health, Moscow 121552, Russia; (K.V.D.); (Z.I.T.); (I.B.B.); (E.S.Z.); (M.A.B.); (M.Y.M.); (E.I.R.); (D.P.); (Y.V.P.)
| | - Maria A. Boldyreva
- National Medical Research Center of Cardiology, Russian Ministry of Health, Moscow 121552, Russia; (K.V.D.); (Z.I.T.); (I.B.B.); (E.S.Z.); (M.A.B.); (M.Y.M.); (E.I.R.); (D.P.); (Y.V.P.)
| | - Mikhail Yu. Menshikov
- National Medical Research Center of Cardiology, Russian Ministry of Health, Moscow 121552, Russia; (K.V.D.); (Z.I.T.); (I.B.B.); (E.S.Z.); (M.A.B.); (M.Y.M.); (E.I.R.); (D.P.); (Y.V.P.)
| | - Elizaveta I. Ratner
- National Medical Research Center of Cardiology, Russian Ministry of Health, Moscow 121552, Russia; (K.V.D.); (Z.I.T.); (I.B.B.); (E.S.Z.); (M.A.B.); (M.Y.M.); (E.I.R.); (D.P.); (Y.V.P.)
| | - Dmitry Penkov
- National Medical Research Center of Cardiology, Russian Ministry of Health, Moscow 121552, Russia; (K.V.D.); (Z.I.T.); (I.B.B.); (E.S.Z.); (M.A.B.); (M.Y.M.); (E.I.R.); (D.P.); (Y.V.P.)
| | - Yelena V. Parfyonova
- National Medical Research Center of Cardiology, Russian Ministry of Health, Moscow 121552, Russia; (K.V.D.); (Z.I.T.); (I.B.B.); (E.S.Z.); (M.A.B.); (M.Y.M.); (E.I.R.); (D.P.); (Y.V.P.)
- Faculty of Medicine, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, Russia
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20
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Redpath AN, Smart N. Recapturing embryonic potential in the adult epicardium: Prospects for cardiac repair. Stem Cells Transl Med 2020; 10:511-521. [PMID: 33222384 PMCID: PMC7980211 DOI: 10.1002/sctm.20-0352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Research into potential targets for cardiac repair encompasses recognition of tissue‐resident cells with intrinsic regenerative properties. The adult vertebrate heart is covered by mesothelium, named the epicardium, which becomes active in response to injury and contributes to repair, albeit suboptimally. Motivation to manipulate the epicardium for treatment of myocardial infarction is deeply rooted in its central role in cardiac formation and vasculogenesis during development. Moreover, the epicardium is vital to cardiac muscle regeneration in lower vertebrate and neonatal mammalian‐injured hearts. In this review, we discuss our current understanding of the biology of the mammalian epicardium in development and injury. Considering present challenges in the field, we further contemplate prospects for reinstating full embryonic potential in the adult epicardium to facilitate cardiac regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andia N Redpath
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, British Heart Foundation Centre of Regenerative Medicine, Burdon Sanderson Cardiac Science Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Nicola Smart
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, British Heart Foundation Centre of Regenerative Medicine, Burdon Sanderson Cardiac Science Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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21
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Dronkers E, Wauters MMM, Goumans MJ, Smits AM. Epicardial TGFβ and BMP Signaling in Cardiac Regeneration: What Lesson Can We Learn from the Developing Heart? Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10030404. [PMID: 32150964 PMCID: PMC7175296 DOI: 10.3390/biom10030404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Revised: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The epicardium, the outer layer of the heart, has been of interest in cardiac research due to its vital role in the developing and diseased heart. During development, epicardial cells are active and supply cells and paracrine cues to the myocardium. In the injured adult heart, the epicardium is re-activated and recapitulates embryonic behavior that is essential for a proper repair response. Two indispensable processes for epicardial contribution to heart tissue formation are epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), and tissue invasion. One of the key groups of cytokines regulating both EMT and invasion is the transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) family, including TGFβ and Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP). Abundant research has been performed to understand the role of TGFβ family signaling in the developing epicardium. However, less is known about signaling in the adult epicardium. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge on the role of TGFβ in epicardial behavior both in the development and in the repair of the heart. We aim to describe the presence of involved ligands and receptors to establish if and when signaling can occur. Finally, we discuss potential targets to improve the epicardial contribution to cardiac repair as a starting point for future investigation.
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