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Chakraborty A, Li Y, Zhang C, Li Y, Rebello KR, Li S, Xu S, Vasquez HG, Zhang L, Luo W, Wang G, Chen K, Coselli JS, LeMaire SA, Shen YH. Epigenetic Induction of Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotypic Alterations in Aortic Aneurysms and Dissections. Circulation 2023; 148:959-977. [PMID: 37555319 PMCID: PMC10529114 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.123.063332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Smooth muscle cell (SMC) phenotypic switching has been increasingly detected in aortic aneurysm and dissection (AAD) tissues. However, the diverse SMC phenotypes in AAD tissues and the mechanisms driving SMC phenotypic alterations remain to be identified. METHODS We examined the transcriptomic and epigenomic dynamics of aortic SMC phenotypic changes in mice with angiotensin II-induced AAD by using single-cell RNA sequencing and single-cell sequencing assay for transposase-accessible chromatin. SMC phenotypic alteration in aortas from patients with ascending thoracic AAD was examined by using single-cell RNA sequencing analysis. RESULTS Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis revealed that aortic stress induced the transition of SMCs from a primary contractile phenotype to proliferative, extracellular matrix-producing, and inflammatory phenotypes. Lineage tracing showed the complete transformation of SMCs to fibroblasts and macrophages. Single-cell sequencing assay for transposase-accessible chromatin analysis indicated that these phenotypic alterations were controlled by chromatin remodeling marked by the reduced chromatin accessibility of contractile genes and the induced chromatin accessibility of genes involved in proliferation, extracellular matrix, and inflammation. IRF3 (interferon regulatory factor 3), a proinflammatory transcription factor activated by cytosolic DNA, was identified as a key driver of the transition of aortic SMCs from a contractile phenotype to an inflammatory phenotype. In cultured SMCs, cytosolic DNA signaled through its sensor STING (stimulator of interferon genes)-TBK1 (tank-binding kinase 1) to activate IRF3, which bound and recruited EZH2 (enhancer of zeste homolog 2) to contractile genes to induce repressive H3K27me3 modification and gene suppression. In contrast, double-stranded DNA-STING-IRF3 signaling induced inflammatory gene expression in SMCs. In Sting-/- mice, the aortic stress-induced transition of SMCs into an inflammatory phenotype was prevented, and SMC populations were preserved. Finally, profound SMC phenotypic alterations toward diverse directions were detected in human ascending thoracic AAD tissues. CONCLUSIONS Our study reveals the dynamic epigenetic induction of SMC phenotypic alterations in AAD. DNA damage and cytosolic leakage drive SMCs from a contractile phenotype to an inflammatory phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhijit Chakraborty
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., S.X., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Texas Heart Institute, Houston (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L.)
| | - Yanming Li
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., S.X., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Texas Heart Institute, Houston (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L.)
| | - Chen Zhang
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., S.X., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Texas Heart Institute, Houston (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L.)
| | - Yang Li
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., S.X., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Texas Heart Institute, Houston (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L.)
| | - Kimberly R Rebello
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., S.X., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Texas Heart Institute, Houston (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L.)
| | - Shengyu Li
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, TX (S.L., G.W.)
| | - Samantha Xu
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., S.X., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Hernan G Vasquez
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., S.X., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Texas Heart Institute, Houston (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L.)
| | - Lin Zhang
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., S.X., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Texas Heart Institute, Houston (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L.)
| | - Wei Luo
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., S.X., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Texas Heart Institute, Houston (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L.)
| | - Guangyu Wang
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, TX (S.L., G.W.)
| | - Kaifu Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (K.C.)
| | - Joseph S Coselli
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., S.X., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Cardiovascular Research Institute (J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Texas Heart Institute, Houston (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L.)
| | - Scott A LeMaire
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., S.X., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Cardiovascular Research Institute (J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Texas Heart Institute, Houston (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L.)
| | - Ying H Shen
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery (A.C., Y.L., C.Z., K.R.R., Y.L., S.X., W.L., H.G.V., L.Z., J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Cardiovascular Research Institute (J.S.C., S.A.L., Y.H.S.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
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He X, Dong K, Shen J, Hu G, Mintz JD, Atawia RT, Zhao J, Chen X, Caldwell RW, Xiang M, Stepp DW, Fulton DJ, Zhou J. The Long Noncoding RNA Cardiac Mesoderm Enhancer-Associated Noncoding RNA (Carmn) Is a Critical Regulator of Gastrointestinal Smooth Muscle Contractile Function and Motility. Gastroenterology 2023; 165:71-87. [PMID: 37030336 PMCID: PMC10330198 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2023.03.229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Visceral smooth muscle cells (SMCs) are an integral component of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract that regulate GI motility. SMC contraction is regulated by posttranslational signaling and the state of differentiation. Impaired SMC contraction is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, but the mechanisms regulating SMC-specific contractile gene expression, including the role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), remain largely unexplored. Herein, we reveal a critical role of Carmn (cardiac mesoderm enhancer-associated noncoding RNA), an SMC-specific lncRNA, in regulating visceral SMC phenotype and contractility of the GI tract. METHODS Genotype-Tissue Expression and publicly available single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data sets from embryonic, adult human, and mouse GI tissues were interrogated to identify SMC-specific lncRNAs. The functional role of Carmn was investigated using novel green fluorescent protein (GFP) knock-in (KI) reporter/knock-out (KO) mice. Bulk RNA-seq and single nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) of colonic muscularis were used to investigate underlying mechanisms. RESULTS Unbiased in silico analyses and GFP expression patterns in Carmn GFP KI mice revealed that Carmn is highly expressed in GI SMCs in humans and mice. Premature lethality was observed in global Carmn KO and inducible SMC-specific KO mice due to GI pseudo-obstruction and severe distension of the GI tract, with dysmotility in cecum and colon segments. Histology, GI transit, and muscle myography analysis revealed severe dilation, significantly delayed GI transit, and impaired GI contractility in Carmn KO vs control mice. Bulk RNA-seq of GI muscularis revealed that loss of Carmn promotes SMC phenotypic switching, as evidenced by up-regulation of extracellular matrix genes and down-regulation of SMC contractile genes, including Mylk, a key regulator of SMC contraction. snRNA-seq further revealed SMC Carmn KO not only compromised myogenic motility by reducing contractile gene expression but also impaired neurogenic motility by disrupting cell-cell connectivity in the colonic muscularis. These findings may have translational significance, because silencing CARMN in human colonic SMCs significantly attenuated contractile gene expression, including MYLK, and decreased SMC contractility. Luciferase reporter assays showed that CARMN enhances the transactivation activity of the master regulator of SMC contractile phenotype, myocardin, thereby maintaining the GI SMC myogenic program. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that Carmn is indispensable for maintaining GI SMC contractile function in mice and that loss of function of CARMN may contribute to human visceral myopathy. To our knowledge this is the first study showing an essential role of lncRNA in the regulation of visceral SMC phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangqin He
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Kunzhe Dong
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia; Immunology Center of Georgia, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Jian Shen
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia; Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Guoqing Hu
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - James D Mintz
- Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Reem T Atawia
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Juanjuan Zhao
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Xiuxu Chen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Loyola University Health System, Maywood, Illinois
| | - Robert W Caldwell
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Meixiang Xiang
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - David W Stepp
- Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia; Department of Physiology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - David J Fulton
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia; Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Jiliang Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia.
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3
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Baraldo M, Zorzato S, Dondjang AHT, Geremia A, Nogara L, Dumitras AG, Canato M, Marcucci L, Nolte H, Blaauw B. Inducible deletion of raptor and mTOR from adult skeletal muscle impairs muscle contractility and relaxation. J Physiol 2022; 600:5055-5075. [PMID: 36255030 DOI: 10.1113/jp283686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Skeletal muscle weakness has been associated with different pathological conditions, including sarcopenia and muscular dystrophy, and is accompanied by altered mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling. We wanted to elucidate the functional role of mTOR in muscle contractility. Most loss-of-function studies for mTOR signalling have used the drug rapamycin to inhibit some of the signalling downstream of mTOR. However, given that rapamycin does not inhibit all mTOR signalling completely, we generated a double knockout for mTOR and for the scaffold protein of mTORC1, raptor, in skeletal muscle. We found that double knockout in mice results in a more severe phenotype compared with deletion of raptor or mTOR alone. Indeed, these animals display muscle weakness, increased fibre denervation and a slower muscle relaxation following tetanic stimulation. This is accompanied by a shift towards slow-twitch fibres and changes in the expression levels of calcium-related genes, such as Serca1 and Casq1. Double knockout mice show a decrease in calcium decay kinetics after tetanus in vivo, suggestive of a reduced calcium reuptake. In addition, RNA sequencing analysis revealed that many downregulated genes, such as Tcap and Fhod3, are linked to sarcomere organization. These results suggest a key role for mTOR signalling in maintaining proper fibre relaxation in skeletal muscle. KEY POINTS: Skeletal muscle wasting and weakness have been associated with different pathological conditions, including sarcopenia and muscular dystrophy, and are accompanied by altered mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling. Mammalian target of rapamycin plays a crucial role in the maintenance of muscle mass and functionality. We found that the loss of both mTOR and raptor results in contractile abnormalities, with severe muscle weakness and delayed relaxation following tetanic stimulation. These results are associated with alterations in the expression of genes involved in sarcomere organization and calcium handling and with an impairment in calcium reuptake after contraction. Taken together, these results provide a mechanistic insight into the role of mTOR in muscle contractility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Baraldo
- Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Sabrina Zorzato
- Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy
| | - Achille Homère Tchampda Dondjang
- Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Alessia Geremia
- Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Leonardo Nogara
- Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Ana Georgia Dumitras
- Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Marta Canato
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Marcucci
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.,Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, Suita, Japan
| | - Hendrik Nolte
- Institute for Genetics, Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Bert Blaauw
- Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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4
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Peterson JAM, Cooper TA. Clinical and Molecular Insights into Gastrointestinal Dysfunction in Myotonic Dystrophy Types 1 & 2. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314779. [PMID: 36499107 PMCID: PMC9737721 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy (DM) is a highly variable, multisystemic disorder that clinically affects one in 8000 individuals. While research has predominantly focused on the symptoms and pathological mechanisms affecting striated muscle and brain, DM patient surveys have identified a high prevalence for gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms amongst affected individuals. Clinical studies have identified chronic and progressive dysfunction of the esophagus, stomach, liver and gallbladder, small and large intestine, and rectum and anal sphincters. Despite the high incidence of GI dysmotility in DM, little is known regarding the pathological mechanisms leading to GI dysfunction. In this review, we summarize results from clinical and molecular analyses of GI dysfunction in both genetic forms of DM, DM type 1 (DM1) and DM type 2 (DM2). Based on current knowledge of DM primary pathological mechanisms in other affected tissues and GI tissue studies, we suggest that misregulation of alternative splicing in smooth muscle resulting from the dysregulation of RNA binding proteins muscleblind-like and CUGBP-elav-like is likely to contribute to GI dysfunction in DM. We propose that a combinatorial approach using clinical and molecular analysis of DM GI tissues and model organisms that recapitulate DM GI manifestations will provide important insight into defects impacting DM GI motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janel A. M. Peterson
- Department of Molecular & Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Thomas A. Cooper
- Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Integrative Physiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Correspondence:
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5
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Al-Hetty HRAK, Ismaeel GL, Mohammad WT, Toama MA, Kandeel M, Saleh MM, Turki Jalil A. SRF/MRTF-A and liver cirrhosis: Pathologic associations. J Dig Dis 2022; 23:614-619. [PMID: 36601855 DOI: 10.1111/1751-2980.13150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Liver cirrhosis results from prolonged and extensive liver fibrosis in which fibrotic tissues replace functional hepatic cells. Chronic liver disease due to various viral, chemical, or metabolic factors initiates hepatic fibrogenesis. Cirrhosis is associated with multiple clinical complications and a poor patient prognosis; therefore, developing novel antifibrotic therapies to prevent cirrhosis is of high priority. Mounting evidence points to the key role of serum response factor (SRF) and myocardin-related transcription factor (MRTF)-A in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis. SRF is a transcription factor and MRTF-A is a co-activator of SRF and normally resides in the cytoplasm. Upon the induction of fibrotic pathways, MRTF-A translocates into the nucleus and forms the active SRF/MRTF-A complex, leading to the expression of a multitude of fibrotic proteins and components of extracellular matrix. Silencing or inhibiting MRTF-A impedes hepatic stellate cell transdifferentiation into myofibroblasts and slows down the deposition of extracellular matrix in the liver, making it a potential therapeutic target. Here, we review the recent findings regarding the role of the SRF/MRTF-A complex in liver fibrosis and its therapeutic potential for the management of cirrhosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Mariam Alaa Toama
- College of Health and Medical Technologies, National University of Science and Technology, Dhi-Qar, Iraq
| | - Mahmoud Kandeel
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafrelshikh University, Kafrelshikh, Egypt
| | - Marwan Mahmood Saleh
- Department of Biophysics, College of Applied Sciences, University of Anbar, Anbar, Iraq
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6
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Patel N, Chin DD, Magee GA, Chung EJ. Therapeutic Response of miR-145 Micelles on Patient-Derived Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells. Front Digit Health 2022; 4:836579. [PMID: 35783597 PMCID: PMC9240309 DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2022.836579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
During atherosclerosis, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) undergo a phenotypic transition from a healthy contractile state into pathological phenotypes including a proliferative and migratory, synthetic phenotype and osteochondrogenic-like phenotype that exacerbate plaques. Thus, inhibiting the transition of healthy, quiescent VSMCs to atherogenic cell types has the potential to mitigate atherosclerosis. To that end, previously, we reported that delivery of microRNA-145 (miR-145, a potent gatekeeper of the contractile VSMC phenotype) using nanoparticle micelles limited atherosclerotic plaque growth in murine models of atherosclerosis. Building on this preclinical data and toward clinical application, in this study, we tested the therapeutic viability of miR-145 micelles on patient-derived VSMCs and evaluated their effects based on disease severity. We collected vascular tissues from 11 patients with healthy, moderate, or severe stages of atherosclerosis that were discarded following vascular surgery or organ transplant, and isolated VSMCs from these tissues. We found that with increasing disease severity, patient-derived VSMCs had decreasing levels of contractile markers (miR-145, ACTA2, MYH11) and increasing levels of synthetic markers (KLF4, KLF5, and ELK1). Treatment with miR-145 micelles showed that an increase in disease severity correlated with a more robust response to therapy in VSMCs. Notably, miR-145 micelle therapy rescued contractile marker expression to baseline contractile levels in VSMCs derived from the most severely diseased tissues. As such, we demonstrate the use of miR-145 micelles across different stages of atherosclerosis disease and present further evidence of the translatability of miR-145 micelle treatment for atherosclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil Patel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Deborah D. Chin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Gregory A. Magee
- Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Eun Ji Chung
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Medicine, Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Medicine, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Eun Ji Chung
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7
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Bhave S, Ho WLN, Cheng K, Omer M, Bousquet N, Guyer RA, Hotta R, Goldstein AM. Tamoxifen administration alters gastrointestinal motility in mice. Neurogastroenterol Motil 2022; 34:e14357. [PMID: 35279902 DOI: 10.1111/nmo.14357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tamoxifen is widely used for Cre-estrogen receptor-mediated genomic recombination in transgenic mouse models to mark cells for lineage tracing and to study gene function. However, recent studies have highlighted off-target effects of tamoxifen in various tissues and cell types when used for induction of Cre recombination. Despite the widespread use of these transgenic Cre models to assess gastrointestinal (GI) function, the effect of tamoxifen exposure on GI motility has not been described. METHODS We examined the effects of tamoxifen on GI motility by measuring total GI transit, gastric emptying, small intestinal transit, and colonic contractility in wild-type adult mice. KEY RESULTS We observed a significant delay in total GI transit in tamoxifen-treated mice, with unaltered gastric emptying, accelerated small intestinal transit, and abnormal colonic motility. CONCLUSION Our findings highlight the importance of considering GI motility alterations induced by tamoxifen when designing protocols that utilize tamoxifen as a Cre-driver for studying GI function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sukhada Bhave
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Wing Lam N Ho
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Katarina Cheng
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Meredith Omer
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nicole Bousquet
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Richard A Guyer
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ryo Hotta
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Allan M Goldstein
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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8
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Chen J, Rodriguez M, Miao J, Liao J, Jain PP, Zhao M, Zhao T, Babicheva A, Wang Z, Parmisano S, Powers R, Matti M, Paquin C, Soroureddin Z, Shyy JYJ, Thistlethwaite PA, Makino A, Wang J, Yuan JXJ. Mechanosensitive channel Piezo1 is required for pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell proliferation. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2022; 322:L737-L760. [PMID: 35318857 PMCID: PMC9076422 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00447.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Concentric pulmonary vascular wall thickening due partially to increased pulmonary artery (PA) smooth muscle cell (PASMC) proliferation contributes to elevating pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH). Although pulmonary vasoconstriction may be an early contributor to increasing PVR, the transition of contractile PASMCs to proliferative PASMCs may play an important role in the development and progression of pulmonary vascular remodeling in PH. A rise in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]cyt) is a trigger for PASMC contraction and proliferation. Here, we report that upregulation of Piezo1, a mechanosensitive cation channel, is involved in the contractile-to-proliferative phenotypic transition of PASMCs and potential development of pulmonary vascular remodeling. By comparing freshly isolated PA (contractile PASMCs) and primary cultured PASMCs (from the same rat) in a growth medium (proliferative PASMCs), we found that Piezo1, Notch2/3, and CaSR protein levels were significantly higher in proliferative PASMCs than in contractile PASMCs. Upregulated Piezo1 was associated with an increase in expression of PCNA, a marker for cell proliferation, whereas downregulation (with siRNA) or inhibition (with GsMTx4) of Piezo1 attenuated PASMC proliferation. Furthermore, Piezo1 in the remodeled PA from rats with experimental PH was upregulated compared with PA from control rats. These data indicate that PASMC contractile-to-proliferative phenotypic transition is associated with the transition or adaptation of membrane channels and receptors. Upregulated Piezo1 may play a critical role in PASMC phenotypic transition and PASMC proliferation. Upregulation of Piezo1 in proliferative PASMCs may likely be required to provide sufficient Ca2+ to assure nuclear/cell division and PASMC proliferation, contributing to the development and progression of pulmonary vascular remodeling in PH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiyuan Chen
- Section of Physiology, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease and First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Marisela Rodriguez
- Section of Physiology, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Jinrui Miao
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease and First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jing Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease and First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Pritesh P Jain
- Section of Physiology, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Manjia Zhao
- Section of Physiology, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Tengteng Zhao
- Section of Physiology, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Aleksandra Babicheva
- Section of Physiology, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Ziyi Wang
- Section of Physiology, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease and First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Sophia Parmisano
- Section of Physiology, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Ryan Powers
- Section of Physiology, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Moreen Matti
- Section of Physiology, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Cole Paquin
- Section of Physiology, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Zahra Soroureddin
- Section of Physiology, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - John Y-J Shyy
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Patricia A Thistlethwaite
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Ayako Makino
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Jian Wang
- Section of Physiology, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease and First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jason X-J Yuan
- Section of Physiology, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
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9
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Hashmi SK, Ceron RH, Heuckeroth RO. Visceral myopathy: clinical syndromes, genetics, pathophysiology, and fall of the cytoskeleton. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2021; 320:G919-G935. [PMID: 33729000 PMCID: PMC8285581 DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00066.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Visceral smooth muscle is a crucial component of the walls of hollow organs like the gut, bladder, and uterus. This specialized smooth muscle has unique properties that distinguish it from other muscle types and facilitate robust dilation and contraction. Visceral myopathies are diseases where severe visceral smooth muscle dysfunction prevents efficient movement of air and nutrients through the bowel, impairs bladder emptying, and affects normal uterine contraction and relaxation, particularly during pregnancy. Disease severity exists along a spectrum. The most debilitating defects cause highly dysfunctional bowel, reduced intrauterine colon growth (microcolon), and bladder-emptying defects requiring catheterization, a condition called megacystis-microcolon-intestinal hypoperistalsis syndrome (MMIHS). People with MMIHS often die early in childhood. When the bowel is the main organ affected and microcolon is absent, the condition is known as myopathic chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIPO). Visceral myopathies like MMIHS and myopathic CIPO are most commonly caused by mutations in contractile apparatus cytoskeletal proteins. Here, we review visceral myopathy-causing mutations and normal functions of these disease-associated proteins. We propose molecular, cellular, and tissue-level models that may explain clinical and histopathological features of visceral myopathy and hope these observations prompt new mechanistic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sohaib Khalid Hashmi
- 1Department of Pediatrics, The Children’s Hospital
of Philadelphia Research Institute and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Abramson Research Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,2Department of Bioengineering, The University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Rachel Helen Ceron
- 1Department of Pediatrics, The Children’s Hospital
of Philadelphia Research Institute and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Abramson Research Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,3Department of Physiology, The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Robert O. Heuckeroth
- 1Department of Pediatrics, The Children’s Hospital
of Philadelphia Research Institute and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Abramson Research Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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10
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Wong CY, Chang YM, Tsai YS, Ng WV, Cheong SK, Chang TY, Chung IF, Lim YM. Decoding the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into mesangial cells at the transcriptomic level. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:467. [PMID: 32635896 PMCID: PMC7339572 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-06868-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Mesangial cells play an important role in the glomerulus to provide mechanical support and maintaine efficient ultrafiltration of renal plasma. Loss of mesangial cells due to pathologic conditions may lead to impaired renal function. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) can differentiate into many cell types, including mesangial cells. However transcriptomic profiling during MSC differentiation into mesangial cells had not been studied yet. The aim of this study is to examine the pattern of transcriptomic changes during MSC differentiation into mesangial cells, to understand the involvement of transcription factor (TF) along the differentiation process, and finally to elucidate the relationship among TF-TF and TF-key gene or biomarkers during the differentiation of MSC into mesangial cells. Results Several ascending and descending monotonic key genes were identified by Monotonic Feature Selector. The identified descending monotonic key genes are related to stemness or regulation of cell cycle while ascending monotonic key genes are associated with the functions of mesangial cells. The TFs were arranged in a co-expression network in order of time by Time-Ordered Gene Co-expression Network (TO-GCN) analysis. TO-GCN analysis can classify the differentiation process into three stages: differentiation preparation, differentiation initiation and maturation. Furthermore, it can also explore TF-TF-key genes regulatory relationships in the muscle contraction process. Conclusions A systematic analysis for transcriptomic profiling of MSC differentiation into mesangial cells has been established. Key genes or biomarkers, TFs and pathways involved in differentiation of MSC-mesangial cells have been identified and the related biological implications have been discussed. Finally, we further elucidated for the first time the three main stages of mesangial cell differentiation, and the regulatory relationships between TF-TF-key genes involved in the muscle contraction process. Through this study, we have increased fundamental understanding of the gene transcripts during the differentiation of MSC into mesangial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chee-Yin Wong
- Department of Pre-Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Sungai Long, Bandar Sungai Long, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Yao-Ming Chang
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, 128, Academia Road, Section 2, Nankang, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Shuen Tsai
- Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, National Yang-Ming University, No. 155, Section 2, Linong Street, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wailap Victor Ng
- Department of Biotechnology and Laboratory Science in Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, No. 155, Section 2, Linong Street, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Soon-Keng Cheong
- Department of Pre-Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Sungai Long, Bandar Sungai Long, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Ting-Yu Chang
- Department of Research, ChangHua Christian Hospital, 135, Nan-Hsiao Street, ChangHua City, Taiwan
| | - I-Fang Chung
- Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, National Yang-Ming University, No. 155, Section 2, Linong Street, Taipei, Taiwan. .,Institute of Biomedical Informatics, National Yang-Ming University, No. 155, Section 2, Linong Street, Taipei, Taiwan. .,Preventive Medicine Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, No. 155, Section 2, Linong Street, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Yang-Mooi Lim
- Department of Pre-Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Sungai Long, Bandar Sungai Long, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia.
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11
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Swärd K, Krawczyk KK, Morén B, Zhu B, Matic L, Holmberg J, Hedin U, Uvelius B, Stenkula K, Rippe C. Identification of the intermediate filament protein synemin/SYNM as a target of myocardin family coactivators. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2019; 317:C1128-C1142. [PMID: 31461342 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00047.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Myocardin (MYOCD) is a critical regulator of smooth muscle cell (SMC) differentiation, but its transcriptional targets remain to be exhaustively characterized, especially at the protein level. Here we leveraged human RNA and protein expression data to identify novel potential MYOCD targets. Using correlation analyses we found several targets that we could confirm at the protein level, including SORBS1, SLMAP, SYNM, and MCAM. We focused on SYNM, which encodes the intermediate filament protein synemin. SYNM rivalled smooth muscle myosin (MYH11) for SMC specificity and was controlled at the mRNA and protein levels by all myocardin-related transcription factors (MRTFs: MYOCD, MRTF-A/MKL1, and MRTF-B/MKL2). MRTF activity is regulated by the ratio of filamentous to globular actin, and SYNM was accordingly reduced by interventions that depolymerize actin, such as latrunculin treatment and overexpression of constitutively active cofilin. Many MRTF target genes depend on serum response factor (SRF), but SYNM lacked SRF-binding motifs in its proximal promoter, which was not directly regulated by MYOCD. Furthermore, SYNM resisted SRF silencing, yet the time course of induction closely paralleled that of the SRF-dependent target gene ACTA2. SYNM was repressed by the ternary complex factor (TCF) FLI1 and was increased in mouse embryonic fibroblasts lacking three classical TCFs (ELK1, ELK3, and ELK4). Imaging showed colocalization of SYNM with the intermediate filament proteins desmin and vimentin, and MRTF-A/MKL1 increased SYNM-containing intermediate filaments in SMCs. These studies identify SYNM as a novel SRF-independent target of myocardin that is abundantly expressed in all SMCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl Swärd
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Björn Morén
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund, Sweden
| | - Baoyi Zhu
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund, Sweden.,Department of Urology, the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Qingyuan People's Hospital), Guangdong, China
| | - Ljubica Matic
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Johan Holmberg
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund, Sweden
| | - Ulf Hedin
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Bengt Uvelius
- Department of Clinical Science, Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Karin Stenkula
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund, Sweden
| | - Catarina Rippe
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund, Sweden
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12
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Breland A, Ha SE, Jorgensen BG, Jin B, Gardner TA, Sanders KM, Ro S. Smooth Muscle Transcriptome Browser: offering genome-wide references and expression profiles of transcripts expressed in intestinal SMC, ICC, and PDGFRα + cells. Sci Rep 2019; 9:387. [PMID: 30674925 PMCID: PMC6344548 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-36607-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2017] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcriptome data on the quantitative numbers of transcriptional variants expressed in primary cells offer essential clues into specific cellular functions and biological processes. We have previously collected transcriptomes from primary smooth muscle cells (SMC), interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), and PDGFRα+ cells (fibroblast-like cells) isolated from murine jejunal and colonic smooth muscle and/or mucosal tissues as well as transcriptomes from the associated tissues (jejunal smooth muscle, colonic smooth muscle, and colonic mucosa). In this study, we have built the Smooth Muscle Transcriptome Browser (SMTB), https://med.unr.edu/physio/transcriptome , a web-based, graphical user interface that offers genetic references and expression profiles of all transcripts expressed at both the cellular (SMC, ICC, and PDGFRα+ cells) and tissue level (smooth muscle and mucosal tissue). This browser brings new insights into the cellular and biological functions of the cell types in gastrointestinal smooth muscle biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrienne Breland
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, Nevada, USA
| | - Se Eun Ha
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, Nevada, USA
| | - Brian G Jorgensen
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, Nevada, USA
| | - Byungchang Jin
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, Nevada, USA
| | - Treg A Gardner
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, Nevada, USA
| | - Kenton M Sanders
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, Nevada, USA
| | - Seungil Ro
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, Nevada, USA.
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13
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NAGAYAMA K. Biomechanical analysis of the mechanical environment of the cell nucleus in serum starvation-induced vascular smooth muscle cell differentiation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.1299/jbse.19-00364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kazuaki NAGAYAMA
- Micro-Nano Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering, Ibaraki University
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14
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Zhu B, Rippe C, Holmberg J, Zeng S, Perisic L, Albinsson S, Hedin U, Uvelius B, Swärd K. Nexilin/NEXN controls actin polymerization in smooth muscle and is regulated by myocardin family coactivators and YAP. Sci Rep 2018; 8:13025. [PMID: 30158653 PMCID: PMC6115340 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-31328-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Nexilin, encoded by the NEXN gene, is expressed in striated muscle and localizes to Z-discs, influencing mechanical stability. We examined Nexilin/NEXN in smooth muscle cells (SMCs), and addressed if Nexilin localizes to dense bodies and dense bands and whether it is regulated by actin-controlled coactivators from the MRTF (MYOCD, MKL1, MKL2) and YAP/TAZ (YAP1 and WWTR1) families. NEXN expression in SMCs was comparable to that in striated muscles. Immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy suggested that Nexilin localizes to dense bodies and dense bands. Correlations at the mRNA level suggested that NEXN expression might be controlled by actin polymerization. Depolymerization of actin using Latrunculin B repressed the NEXN mRNA and protein in bladder and coronary artery SMCs. Overexpression and knockdown supported involvement of both YAP/TAZ and MRTFs in the transcriptional control of NEXN. YAP/TAZ and MRTFs appeared equally important in bladder SMCs, whereas MRTFs dominated in vascular SMCs. Expression of NEXN was moreover reduced in situations of SMC phenotypic modulation in vivo. The proximal promoter of NEXN conferred control by MRTF-A/MKL1 and MYOCD. NEXN silencing reduced actin polymerization and cell migration, as well as SMC marker expression. NEXN targeting by actin-controlled coactivators thus amplifies SMC differentiation through the actin cytoskeleton, probably via dense bodies and dense bands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baoyi Zhu
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, SE-221 84, Lund, Sweden. .,Department of Urology, the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Qingyuan People's Hospital), 511518, Guangdong, China.
| | - Catarina Rippe
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, SE-221 84, Lund, Sweden
| | - Johan Holmberg
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, SE-221 84, Lund, Sweden
| | - Shaohua Zeng
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, SE-221 84, Lund, Sweden.,Department of Urology, the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Qingyuan People's Hospital), 511518, Guangdong, China
| | - Ljubica Perisic
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sebastian Albinsson
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, SE-221 84, Lund, Sweden
| | - Ulf Hedin
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Bengt Uvelius
- Department of Clinical Science, Section of Urology, Lund University, SE-221 84, Lund, Sweden
| | - Karl Swärd
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, SE-221 84, Lund, Sweden
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