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Lin A, Ramaswamy Y, Misra A. Developmental heterogeneity of vascular cells: Insights into cellular plasticity in atherosclerosis? Semin Cell Dev Biol 2024; 155:3-15. [PMID: 37316416 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2023.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Smooth muscle cells, endothelial cells and macrophages display remarkable heterogeneity within the healthy vasculature and under pathological conditions. During development, these cells arise from numerous embryological origins, which confound with different microenvironments to generate postnatal vascular cell diversity. In the atherosclerotic plaque milieu, all these cell types exhibit astonishing plasticity, generating a variety of plaque burdening or plaque stabilizing phenotypes. And yet how developmental origin influences intraplaque cell plasticity remains largely unexplored despite evidence suggesting this may be the case. Uncovering the diversity and plasticity of vascular cells is being revolutionized by unbiased single cell whole transcriptome analysis techniques that will likely continue to pave the way for therapeutic research. Cellular plasticity is only just emerging as a target for future therapeutics, and uncovering how intraplaque plasticity differs across vascular beds may provide key insights into why different plaques behave differently and may confer different risks of subsequent cardiovascular events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Lin
- Atherosclerosis and Vascular Remodeling Group, Heart Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Yogambha Ramaswamy
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ashish Misra
- Atherosclerosis and Vascular Remodeling Group, Heart Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Heart Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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Chen W, Wang Y, Ren C, Yu S, Wang C, Xing J, Xu J, Yan S, Zhang T, Li Q, Peng X, Shao Y, Zhang R, Zhang D, Xing D. The role of TNC in atherosclerosis and drug development opportunities. Int J Biol Sci 2024; 20:127-136. [PMID: 38164188 PMCID: PMC10750296 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.89890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Tenascin C (TNC), a rich glycoprotein of the extracellular matrix, exhibits a pro-atherosclerosis or anti-atherosclerosis effect depending on its location. TNC, especially its C domain/isoform (TNC-C), is strongly overexpressed in atherosclerotic plaque active areas but virtually undetectable in most normal adult tissues, suggesting that TNC is a promising delivery vector target for atherosclerosis-targeted drugs. Many delivery vectors were investigated by recognizing TNC-C, including G11, G11-iRGD, TN11, PL1, and PL3. F16 and FNLM were also investigated by recognizing TNC-A1 and TNC, respectively. Notably, iRGD was undergoing clinical trials. PL1 not only recognizes TNC-C but also the extra domain-B (EDB) of fibronectin (FN), which is also a promising delivery vector for atherosclerosis-targeted drugs, and several conjugate agents are undergoing clinical trials. The F16-conjugate agent F16IL2 is undergoing clinical trials. Therefore, G11-iRGD, PL1, and F16 have great development value. Furthermore, ATN-RNA and IMA950 were investigated in clinical trials as therapeutic drugs and vaccines by targeting TNC, respectively. Therefore, targeting TNC could greatly improve the success rate of atherosclerosis-targeted drugs and/or specific drug development. This review discussed the role of TNC in atherosclerosis, atherosclerosis-targeted drug delivery vectors, and agent development to provide knowledge for drug development targeting TNC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wujun Chen
- Cancer Institute, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao Cancer Institute, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China
| | - Yanhong Wang
- Cancer Institute, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao Cancer Institute, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China
| | - Chunling Ren
- Department of Pharmacy, Women's and Children's Hospital Afliated to Qingdao University, Qingdao Women's and Children's Hospital, Qingdao, Shandong, 266000, China
| | - Sha Yu
- Obstetrical Department, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266003, China
| | - Chao Wang
- Cancer Institute, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao Cancer Institute, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China
| | - Jiyao Xing
- Cancer Institute, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao Cancer Institute, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China
| | - Jiazhen Xu
- Cancer Institute, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao Cancer Institute, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China
| | - Saisai Yan
- Cancer Institute, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao Cancer Institute, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- Cancer Institute, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao Cancer Institute, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China
| | - Qian Li
- Cancer Institute, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao Cancer Institute, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China
| | - Xiaojin Peng
- Cancer Institute, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao Cancer Institute, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China
| | - Yingchun Shao
- Cancer Institute, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao Cancer Institute, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China
| | - Renshuai Zhang
- Cancer Institute, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao Cancer Institute, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China
| | - Daijun Zhang
- Cancer Institute, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao Cancer Institute, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China
- Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China
| | - Dongming Xing
- Cancer Institute, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao Cancer Institute, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
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Abstract
The medial layer of the arterial wall is composed mainly of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Under physiological conditions, VSMCs assume a contractile phenotype, and their primary function is to regulate vascular tone. In contrast with terminally differentiated cells, VSMCs possess phenotypic plasticity, capable of transitioning into other cellular phenotypes in response to changes in the vascular environment. Recent research has shown that VSMC phenotypic switching participates in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, where the various types of dedifferentiated VSMCs accumulate in the atherosclerotic lesion and participate in the associated vascular remodeling by secreting extracellular matrix proteins and proteases. This review article discusses the 9 VSMC phenotypes that have been reported in atherosclerotic lesions and classifies them into differentiated VSMCs, intermediately dedifferentiated VSMCs, and dedifferentiated VSMCs. It also provides an overview of several methodologies that have been developed for studying VSMC phenotypic switching and discusses their respective advantages and limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runji Chen
- Shantou University Medical CollegeShantouChina
| | - David G. McVey
- Department of Cardiovascular SciencesUniversity of LeicesterLeicesterUnited Kingdom
| | - Daifei Shen
- Research Center for Translational MedicineThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical CollegeShantouChina
| | | | - Shu Ye
- Shantou University Medical CollegeShantouChina
- Department of Cardiovascular SciencesUniversity of LeicesterLeicesterUnited Kingdom
- Cardiovascular‐Metabolic Disease Translational Research ProgrammeNational University of SingaporeSingapore
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