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Ramirez A, Vyzas CA, Zhao H, Eng K, Degenhardt K, Astrof S. Buffering Mechanism in Aortic Arch Artery Formation and Congenital Heart Disease. Circ Res 2024; 134:e112-e132. [PMID: 38618720 PMCID: PMC11081845 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.123.322767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The resiliency of embryonic development to genetic and environmental perturbations has been long appreciated; however, little is known about the mechanisms underlying the robustness of developmental processes. Aberrations resulting in neonatal lethality are exemplified by congenital heart disease arising from defective morphogenesis of pharyngeal arch arteries (PAAs) and their derivatives. METHODS Mouse genetics, lineage tracing, confocal microscopy, and quantitative image analyses were used to investigate mechanisms of PAA formation and repair. RESULTS The second heart field (SHF) gives rise to the PAA endothelium. Here, we show that the number of SHF-derived endothelial cells (ECs) is regulated by VEGFR2 (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2) and Tbx1. Remarkably, when the SHF-derived EC number is decreased, PAA development can be rescued by the compensatory endothelium. Blocking such compensatory response leads to embryonic demise. To determine the source of compensating ECs and mechanisms regulating their recruitment, we investigated 3-dimensional EC connectivity, EC fate, and gene expression. Our studies demonstrate that the expression of VEGFR2 by the SHF is required for the differentiation of SHF-derived cells into PAA ECs. The deletion of 1 VEGFR2 allele (VEGFR2SHF-HET) reduces SHF contribution to the PAA endothelium, while the deletion of both alleles (VEGFR2SHF-KO) abolishes it. The decrease in SHF-derived ECs in VEGFR2SHF-HET and VEGFR2SHF-KO embryos is complemented by the recruitment of ECs from the nearby veins. Compensatory ECs contribute to PAA derivatives, giving rise to the endothelium of the aortic arch and the ductus in VEGFR2SHF-KO mutants. Blocking the compensatory response in VEGFR2SHF-KO mutants results in embryonic lethality shortly after mid-gestation. The compensatory ECs are absent in Tbx1+/- embryos, a model for 22q11 deletion syndrome, leading to unpredictable arch artery morphogenesis and congenital heart disease. Tbx1 regulates the recruitment of the compensatory endothelium in an SHF-non-cell-autonomous manner. CONCLUSIONS Our studies uncover a novel buffering mechanism underlying the resiliency of PAA development and remodeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- AnnJosette Ramirez
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, 07103
- Multidisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Sciences: Cell Biology, Neuroscience and Physiology Track, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, 07103
| | - Christina A. Vyzas
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, 07103
- Multidisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Sciences: Cell Biology, Neuroscience and Physiology Track, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, 07103
| | - Huaning Zhao
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, 07103
| | - Kevin Eng
- Department of Statistics, Rutgers University, School of Arts and Sciences, Piscataway, NJ 08854
| | - Karl Degenhardt
- Children's Hospital of Pennsylvania, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19107
| | - Sophie Astrof
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, 07103
- Multidisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Sciences: Cell Biology, Neuroscience and Physiology Track, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, 07103
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Ramirez A, Vyzas CA, Zhao H, Eng K, Degenhardt K, Astrof S. Identification of novel buffering mechanisms in aortic arch artery development and congenital heart disease. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.03.02.530833. [PMID: 38370627 PMCID: PMC10871175 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.02.530833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Rationale The resiliency of embryonic development to genetic and environmental perturbations has been long appreciated; however, little is known about the mechanisms underlying the robustness of developmental processes. Aberrations resulting in neonatal lethality are exemplified by congenital heart disease (CHD) arising from defective morphogenesis of pharyngeal arch arteries (PAA) and their derivatives. Objective To uncover mechanisms underlying the robustness of PAA morphogenesis. Methods and Results The second heart field (SHF) gives rise to the PAA endothelium. Here, we show that the number of SHF-derived ECs is regulated by VEGFR2 and Tbx1 . Remarkably, when SHF-derived EC number is decreased, PAA development can be rescued by the compensatory endothelium. Blocking such compensatory response leads to embryonic demise. To determine the source of compensating ECs and mechanisms regulating their recruitment, we investigated three-dimensional EC connectivity, EC fate, and gene expression. Our studies demonstrate that the expression of VEGFR2 by the SHF is required for the differentiation of SHF-derived cells into PAA ECs. The deletion of one VEGFR2 allele (VEGFR2 SHF-HET ) reduces SHF contribution to the PAA endothelium, while the deletion of both alleles (VEGFR2 SHF-KO ) abolishes it. The decrease in SHF-derived ECs in VEGFR2 SHF-HET and VEGFR2 SHF-KO embryos is complemented by the recruitment of ECs from the nearby veins. Compensatory ECs contribute to PAA derivatives, giving rise to the endothelium of the aortic arch and the ductus in VEGFR2 SHF-KO mutants. Blocking the compensatory response in VEGFR2 SHF-KO mutants results in embryonic lethality shortly after mid-gestation. The compensatory ECs are absent in Tbx1 +/- embryos, a model for 22q11 deletion syndrome, leading to unpredictable arch artery morphogenesis and CHD. Tbx1 regulates the recruitment of the compensatory endothelium in an SHF-non-cell-autonomous manner. Conclusions Our studies uncover a novel buffering mechanism underlying the resiliency of PAA development and remodeling. Nonstandard Abbreviations and Acronyms in Alphabetical Order CHD - congenital heart disease; ECs - endothelial cells; IAA-B - interrupted aortic arch type B; PAA - pharyngeal arch arteries; RERSA - retro-esophageal right subclavian artery; SHF - second heart field; VEGFR2 - Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2.
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Alexander BE, Zhao H, Astrof S. SMAD4: A Critical Regulator of Cardiac Neural Crest Cell Fate and Vascular Smooth Muscle Differentiation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.14.532676. [PMID: 36993156 PMCID: PMC10055180 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.14.532676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Background The pharyngeal arch arteries (PAAs) are precursor vessels which remodel into the aortic arch arteries (AAAs) during embryonic cardiovascular development. Cardiac neural crest cells (NCs) populate the PAAs and differentiate into vascular smooth muscle cells (vSMCs), which is critical for successful PAA-to-AAA remodeling. SMAD4, the central mediator of canonical TGFβ signaling, has been implicated in NC-to-vSMC differentiation; however, its distinct roles in vSMC differentiation and NC survival are unclear. Results Here, we investigated the role of SMAD4 in cardiac NC differentiation to vSMCs using lineage-specific inducible mouse strains in an attempt to avoid early embryonic lethality and NC cell death. We found that with global SMAD4 loss, its role in smooth muscle differentiation could be uncoupled from its role in the survival of the cardiac NC in vivo . Moreover, we found that SMAD4 may regulate the induction of fibronectin, a known mediator of NC-to-vSMC differentiation. Finally, we found that SMAD4 is required in NCs cell-autonomously for NC-to-vSMC differentiation and for NC contribution to and persistence in the pharyngeal arch mesenchyme. Conclusions Overall, this study demonstrates the critical role of SMAD4 in the survival of cardiac NCs, their differentiation to vSMCs, and their contribution to the developing pharyngeal arches.
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Tomer D, Arriagada C, Munshi S, Alexander BE, French B, Vedula P, Caorsi V, House A, Guvendiren M, Kashina A, Schwarzbauer JE, Astrof S. A new mechanism of fibronectin fibril assembly revealed by live imaging and super-resolution microscopy. J Cell Sci 2022; 135:jcs260120. [PMID: 35851804 PMCID: PMC9481930 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.260120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Fibronectin (Fn1) fibrils have long been viewed as continuous fibers composed of extended, periodically aligned Fn1 molecules. However, our live-imaging and single-molecule localization microscopy data are inconsistent with this traditional view and show that Fn1 fibrils are composed of roughly spherical nanodomains containing six to eleven Fn1 dimers. As they move toward the cell center, Fn1 nanodomains become organized into linear arrays, in which nanodomains are spaced with an average periodicity of 105±17 nm. Periodical Fn1 nanodomain arrays can be visualized between cells in culture and within tissues; they are resistant to deoxycholate treatment and retain nanodomain periodicity in the absence of cells. The nanodomain periodicity in fibrils remained constant when probed with antibodies recognizing distinct Fn1 epitopes or combinations of antibodies recognizing epitopes spanning the length of Fn1. Treatment with FUD, a peptide that binds the Fn1 N-terminus and disrupts Fn1 fibrillogenesis, blocked the organization of Fn1 nanodomains into periodical arrays. These studies establish a new paradigm of Fn1 fibrillogenesis. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darshika Tomer
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Rutgers Biomedical, and Health Sciences, 185 South Orange Ave, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Cecilia Arriagada
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Rutgers Biomedical, and Health Sciences, 185 South Orange Ave, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Sudipto Munshi
- Center for Translational Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Brianna E. Alexander
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Rutgers Biomedical, and Health Sciences, 185 South Orange Ave, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
- Multidisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Sciences. Cell Biology, Neuroscience and Physiology track, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Brenda French
- Center for Translational Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Pavan Vedula
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | | | - Andrew House
- Otto H. York Chemical and Materials Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
| | - Murat Guvendiren
- Otto H. York Chemical and Materials Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
| | - Anna Kashina
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jean E. Schwarzbauer
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544-1014, USA
| | - Sophie Astrof
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Rutgers Biomedical, and Health Sciences, 185 South Orange Ave, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
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Ioannou E, Ruhrberg C. Whole-Mount Immunofluorescence Protocol for 3D Imaging, Reconstruction, and Quantification of Fourth Pharyngeal Arch Artery Formation. METHODS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (CLIFTON, N.J.) 2022; 2441:41-62. [PMID: 35099727 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2059-5_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Pharyngeal arch arteries (PAA) are formed early during mouse embryogenesis and remodel soon thereafter into the aortic arch arteries. Failure of these vessels to form or remodel results in congenital heart defects. This protocol is designed to study the formation of the PAA using whole-mount immunofluorescence staining, followed by tissue clearing with benzyl alcohol/benzyl benzoate (BAAB) and imaging by confocal microscopy. The fine cellular resolution obtained with this technique allows the embryonic vasculature of the pharyngeal arch artery endothelium to be visualized by surface rendering and quantitatively analyzed by counting the number of endothelial cells in both the PAA and the vascular plexus surrounding them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Ioannou
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
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Warkala M, Chen D, Ramirez A, Jubran A, Schonning M, Wang X, Zhao H, Astrof S. Cell-Extracellular Matrix Interactions Play Multiple Essential Roles in Aortic Arch Development. Circ Res 2021; 128:e27-e44. [PMID: 33249995 PMCID: PMC7864893 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.120.318200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Defects in the morphogenesis of the fourth pharyngeal arch arteries (PAAs) give rise to lethal birth defects. Understanding genes and mechanisms regulating PAA formation will provide important insights into the etiology and treatments for congenital heart disease. OBJECTIVE Cell-ECM (extracellular matrix) interactions play essential roles in the morphogenesis of PAAs and their derivatives, the aortic arch artery and its major branches; however, their specific functions are not well-understood. Previously, we demonstrated that integrin α5β1 and Fn1 (fibronectin) expressed in the Isl1 lineages regulate PAA formation. The objective of the current studies was to investigate cellular mechanisms by which integrin α5β1 and Fn1 regulate aortic arch artery morphogenesis. METHODS AND RESULTS Using temporal lineage tracing, whole-mount confocal imaging, and quantitative analysis of the second heart field (SHF) and endothelial cell (EC) dynamics, we show that the majority of PAA EC progenitors arise by E7.5 in the SHF and contribute to pharyngeal arch endothelium between E7.5 and E9.5. Consequently, SHF-derived ECs in the pharyngeal arches form a plexus of small blood vessels, which remodels into the PAAs by 35 somites. The remodeling of the vascular plexus is orchestrated by signals dependent on the pharyngeal ECM microenvironment, extrinsic to the endothelium. Conditional ablation of integrin α5β1 or Fn1 in the Isl1 lineages showed that signaling by the ECM regulates aortic arch artery morphogenesis at multiple steps: (1) accumulation of SHF-derived ECs in the pharyngeal arches, (2) remodeling of the EC plexus in the fourth arches into the PAAs, and (3) differentiation of neural crest-derived cells adjacent to the PAA endothelium into vascular smooth muscle cells. CONCLUSIONS PAA formation is a multistep process entailing dynamic contribution of SHF-derived ECs to pharyngeal arches, the remodeling of endothelial plexus into the PAAs, and the remodeling of the PAAs into the aortic arch artery and its major branches. Cell-ECM interactions regulated by integrin α5β1 and Fn1 play essential roles at each of these developmental stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Warkala
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
- Multidisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Sciences: Molecular Biology, Genetics, and Cancer Track, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Dongying Chen
- Graduate Program in Cell & Developmental Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - AnnJosette Ramirez
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
- Multidisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Sciences: Cell Biology, Neuroscience and Physiology Track, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Ali Jubran
- Graduate Program in Cell & Developmental Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Michael Schonning
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
- Multidisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Sciences: Cell Biology, Neuroscience and Physiology Track, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
| | | | - Huaning Zhao
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Sophie Astrof
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
- Multidisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Sciences: Molecular Biology, Genetics, and Cancer Track, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
- Multidisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Sciences: Cell Biology, Neuroscience and Physiology Track, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
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