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Hauke M, Eckenstaler R, Ripperger A, Ender A, Braun H, Benndorf RA. Active RhoA Exerts an Inhibitory Effect on the Homeostasis and Angiogenic Capacity of Human Endothelial Cells. J Am Heart Assoc 2022; 11:e025119. [PMID: 35699166 PMCID: PMC9238636 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.121.025119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Background The small GTPase RhoA (Ras homolog gene family, member A) regulates a variety of cellular processes, including cell motility, proliferation, survival, and permeability. In addition, there are reports indicating that RhoA‐ROCK (rho associated coiled‐coil containing protein kinase) activation is essential for VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor)‐mediated angiogenesis, whereas other work suggests VEGF‐antagonistic effects of the RhoA‐ROCK axis. Methods and Results To elucidate this issue, we examined human umbilical vein endothelial cells and human coronary artery endothelial cells after stable overexpression (lentiviral transduction) of constitutively active (G14V/Q63L), dominant‐negative (T19N), or wild‐type RhoA using a series of in vitro angiogenesis assays (proliferation, migration, tube formation, angiogenic sprouting, endothelial cell viability) and a human umbilical vein endothelial cells xenograft assay in immune‐incompetent NOD scid gamma mice in vivo. Here, we report that expression of active and wild‐type RhoA but not dominant‐negative RhoA significantly inhibited endothelial cell proliferation, migration, tube formation, and angiogenic sprouting in vitro. Moreover, active RhoA increased endothelial cell death in vitro and decreased human umbilical vein endothelial cell‐related angiogenesis in vivo. Inhibition of RhoA by C3 transferase antagonized the inhibitory effects of RhoA and strongly enhanced VEGF‐induced angiogenic sprouting in control‐treated cells. In contrast, inhibition of RhoA effectors ROCK1/2 and LIMK1/2 (LIM domain kinase 1/2) did not significantly affect RhoA‐related effects, but increased angiogenic sprouting and migration of control‐treated cells. In agreement with these data, VEGF did not activate RhoA in human umbilical vein endothelial cells as measured by a Förster resonance energy transfer–based biosensor. Furthermore, global transcriptome and subsequent bioinformatic gene ontology enrichment analyses revealed that constitutively active RhoA induced a differentially expressed gene pattern that was enriched for gene ontology biological process terms associated with mitotic nuclear division, cell proliferation, cell motility, and cell adhesion, which included a significant decrease in VEGFR‐2 (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2) and NOS3 (nitric oxide synthase 3) expression. Conclusions Our data demonstrate that increased RhoA activity has the potential to trigger endothelial dysfunction and antiangiogenic effects independently of its well‐characterized downstream effectors ROCK and LIMK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Hauke
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and PharmacotherapyInstitute of PharmacyMartin‐Luther‐University Halle‐WittenbergHalle (Saale)Germany
| | - Robert Eckenstaler
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and PharmacotherapyInstitute of PharmacyMartin‐Luther‐University Halle‐WittenbergHalle (Saale)Germany
| | - Anne Ripperger
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and PharmacotherapyInstitute of PharmacyMartin‐Luther‐University Halle‐WittenbergHalle (Saale)Germany
| | - Anna Ender
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and PharmacotherapyInstitute of PharmacyMartin‐Luther‐University Halle‐WittenbergHalle (Saale)Germany
| | - Heike Braun
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and PharmacotherapyInstitute of PharmacyMartin‐Luther‐University Halle‐WittenbergHalle (Saale)Germany
| | - Ralf A. Benndorf
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and PharmacotherapyInstitute of PharmacyMartin‐Luther‐University Halle‐WittenbergHalle (Saale)Germany
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Eckenstaler R, Ripperger A, Hauke M, Braun H, Ergün S, Schwedhelm E, Benndorf RA. Thromboxane A 2 receptor activation via G α13-RhoA/C-ROCK-LIMK2-dependent signal transduction inhibits angiogenic sprouting of human endothelial cells. Biochem Pharmacol 2022; 201:115069. [PMID: 35525325 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.115069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
We could previously show that thromboxane A2 receptor (TP) activation inhibits the angiogenic capacity of human endothelial cells, but the underlying mechanisms remained unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to elucidate TP signal transduction pathways relevant to angiogenic sprouting of human endothelial cells. To clarify this matter, we used RNAi-mediated gene silencing as well as pharmacological inhibition of potential TP downstream targets in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and VEGF-induced angiogenic sprouting of HUVEC spheroids in vitro as a functional read-out. In this experimental set-up, the TP agonist U-46619 completely blocked VEGF-induced angiogenic sprouting of HUVEC spheroids. Moreover, in live-cell analyses TP activation induced endothelial cell contraction, sprout retraction as well as endothelial cell tension and focal adhesion dysregulation of HUVEC. These effects were reversed by pharmacological TP inhibition or TP knockdown. Moreover, we identified a TP-Gα13-RhoA/C-ROCK-LIMK2-dependent signal transduction pathway to be relevant for U-46619-induced inhibition of VEGF-mediated HUVEC sprouting. In line with these results, U-46619-mediated TP activation potently induced RhoA and RhoC activity in live HUVEC as measured by FRET biosensors. Interestingly, pharmacological inhibition of ROCK and LIMK2 also normalized U-46619-induced endothelial cell tension and focal adhesion dysregulation of HUVEC. In summary, our work reveals mechanisms by which the TP may disturb angiogenic endothelial function in disease states associated with sustained endothelial TP activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Eckenstaler
- Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacotherapy, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Anne Ripperger
- Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacotherapy, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Michael Hauke
- Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacotherapy, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Heike Braun
- Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacotherapy, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Süleyman Ergün
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Julius-Maximilians-University, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Edzard Schwedhelm
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ralf A Benndorf
- Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacotherapy, Halle (Saale), Germany.
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Eckenstaler R, Ripperger A, Hauke M, Petermann M, Hemkemeyer SA, Schwedhelm E, Ergün S, Frye M, Werz O, Koeberle A, Braun H, Benndorf RA. A Thromboxane A 2 Receptor-Driven COX-2-Dependent Feedback Loop That Affects Endothelial Homeostasis and Angiogenesis. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2022; 42:444-461. [PMID: 35236104 PMCID: PMC8939709 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.121.317380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND TP (thromboxane A2 receptor) plays an eminent role in the pathophysiology of endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular disease. Moreover, its expression is reported to increase in the intimal layer of blood vessels of cardiovascular high-risk individuals. Yet it is unknown, whether TP upregulation per se has the potential to affect the homeostasis of the vascular endothelium. METHODS We combined global transcriptome analysis, lipid mediator profiling, functional cell analyses, and in vivo angiogenesis assays to study the effects of endothelial TP overexpression or knockdown/knockout on the angiogenic capacity of endothelial cells in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS Here we report that endothelial TP expression induces COX-2 (cyclooxygenase-2) in a Gi/o- and Gq/11-dependent manner, thereby promoting its own activation via the auto/paracrine release of TP agonists, such as PGH2 (prostaglandin H2) or prostaglandin F2 but not TxA2 (thromboxane A2). TP overexpression induces endothelial cell tension and aberrant cell morphology, affects focal adhesion dynamics, and inhibits the angiogenic capacity of human endothelial cells in vitro and in vivo, whereas TP knockdown or endothelial-specific TP knockout exerts opposing effects. Consequently, this TP-dependent feedback loop is disrupted by pharmacological TP or COX-2 inhibition and by genetic reconstitution of PGH2-metabolizing prostacyclin synthase even in the absence of functional prostacyclin receptor expression. CONCLUSIONS Our work uncovers a TP-driven COX-2-dependent feedback loop and important effector mechanisms that directly link TP upregulation to angiostatic TP signaling in endothelial cells. By these previously unrecognized mechanisms, pathological endothelial upregulation of the TP could directly foster endothelial dysfunction, microvascular rarefaction, and systemic hypertension even in the absence of exogenous sources of TP agonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Eckenstaler
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacotherapy, Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany (R.E., A.R., M.H., M.P., H.B., R.A.B.)
| | - Anne Ripperger
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacotherapy, Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany (R.E., A.R., M.H., M.P., H.B., R.A.B.)
| | - Michael Hauke
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacotherapy, Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany (R.E., A.R., M.H., M.P., H.B., R.A.B.)
| | - Markus Petermann
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacotherapy, Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany (R.E., A.R., M.H., M.P., H.B., R.A.B.)
| | - Sandra A Hemkemeyer
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (S.A.H., M.F.), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
| | - Edzard Schwedhelm
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (E.S.), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
| | - Süleyman Ergün
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Germany (S.E.)
| | - Maike Frye
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (S.A.H., M.F.), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
| | - Oliver Werz
- Department of Pharmaceutical/Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Germany (O.W., A.K.)
| | - Andreas Koeberle
- Department of Pharmaceutical/Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Germany (O.W., A.K.).,Michael Popp Institute and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, Austria (A.K.)
| | - Heike Braun
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacotherapy, Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany (R.E., A.R., M.H., M.P., H.B., R.A.B.)
| | - Ralf A Benndorf
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacotherapy, Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany (R.E., A.R., M.H., M.P., H.B., R.A.B.)
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