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Li J, Zhu J, Gray O, Sobreira DR, Wu D, Huang RT, Miao B, Sakabe NJ, Krause MD, Kaikkonen MU, Romanoski CE, Nobrega MA, Fang Y. Mechanosensitive super-enhancers regulate genes linked to atherosclerosis in endothelial cells. J Cell Biol 2024; 223:e202211125. [PMID: 38231044 PMCID: PMC10794123 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202211125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Vascular homeostasis and pathophysiology are tightly regulated by mechanical forces generated by hemodynamics. Vascular disorders such as atherosclerotic diseases largely occur at curvatures and bifurcations where disturbed blood flow activates endothelial cells while unidirectional flow at the straight part of vessels promotes endothelial health. Integrated analysis of the endothelial transcriptome, the 3D epigenome, and human genetics systematically identified the SNP-enriched cistrome in vascular endothelium subjected to well-defined atherosclerosis-prone disturbed flow or atherosclerosis-protective unidirectional flow. Our results characterized the endothelial typical- and super-enhancers and underscored the critical regulatory role of flow-sensitive endothelial super-enhancers. CRISPR interference and activation validated the function of a previously unrecognized unidirectional flow-induced super-enhancer that upregulates antioxidant genes NQO1, CYB5B, and WWP2, and a disturbed flow-induced super-enhancer in endothelium which drives prothrombotic genes EDN1 and HIVEP in vascular endothelium. Our results employing multiomics identify the cis-regulatory architecture of the flow-sensitive endothelial epigenome related to atherosclerosis and highlight the regulatory role of super-enhancers in mechanotransduction mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Li
- Committee on Molecular Metabolism and Nutrition, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Medicine, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jiayu Zhu
- Department of Medicine, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Olivia Gray
- Department of Human Genetics, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Débora R. Sobreira
- Department of Human Genetics, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - David Wu
- Committee on Molecular Metabolism and Nutrition, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Medicine, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ru-Ting Huang
- Department of Medicine, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Bernadette Miao
- Department of Medicine, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Noboru J. Sakabe
- Department of Human Genetics, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Matthew D. Krause
- Department of Medicine, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Minna U. Kaikkonen
- A.I.Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Casey E. Romanoski
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Marcelo A. Nobrega
- Department of Human Genetics, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Yun Fang
- Committee on Molecular Metabolism and Nutrition, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Medicine, Biological Sciences Division, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Committee on Molecular Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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2
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Quaye LNK, Dalzell CE, Deloukas P, Smith AJP. The Genetics of Coronary Artery Disease: A Vascular Perspective. Cells 2023; 12:2232. [PMID: 37759455 PMCID: PMC10527262 DOI: 10.3390/cells12182232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified a large number of genetic loci for coronary artery disease (CAD), with many located close to genes associated with traditional CAD risk pathways, such as lipid metabolism and inflammation. It is becoming evident with recent CAD GWAS meta-analyses that vascular pathways are also highly enriched and present an opportunity for novel therapeutics. This review examines GWAS-enriched vascular gene loci, the pathways involved and their potential role in CAD pathogenesis. The functionality of variants is explored from expression quantitative trait loci, massively parallel reporter assays and CRISPR-based gene-editing tools. We discuss how this research may lead to novel therapeutic tools to treat cardiovascular disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Panos Deloukas
- William Harvey Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK; (L.N.K.Q.); (C.E.D.); (A.J.P.S.)
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3
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López Rodríguez M, Arasu UT, Kaikkonen MU. Exploring the genetic basis of coronary artery disease using functional genomics. Atherosclerosis 2023; 374:87-98. [PMID: 36801133 DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2023.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Genome-wide Association Studies (GWAS) have identified more than 300 loci associated with coronary artery disease (CAD), defining the genetic risk map of the disease. However, the translation of the association signals into biological-pathophysiological mechanisms constitute a major challenge. Through a group of examples of studies focused on CAD, we discuss the rationale, basic principles and outcomes of the main methodologies implemented to prioritize and characterize causal variants and their target genes. Additionally, we highlight the strategies as well as the current methods that integrate association and functional genomics data to dissect the cellular specificity underlying the complexity of disease mechanisms. Despite the limitations of existing approaches, the increasing knowledge generated through functional studies helps interpret GWAS maps and opens novel avenues for the clinical usability of association data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maykel López Rodríguez
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, 70211, Finland; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, UCLA, Los Angeles, USA.
| | - Uma Thanigai Arasu
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, 70211, Finland
| | - Minna U Kaikkonen
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, 70211, Finland.
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4
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Sun N, Akay LA, Murdock MH, Park Y, Galiana-Melendez F, Bubnys A, Galani K, Mathys H, Jiang X, Ng AP, Bennett DA, Tsai LH, Kellis M. Single-nucleus multiregion transcriptomic analysis of brain vasculature in Alzheimer's disease. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:970-982. [PMID: 37264161 PMCID: PMC10464935 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01334-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Cerebrovascular dysregulation is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the changes that occur in specific cell types have not been fully characterized. Here, we profile single-nucleus transcriptomes in the human cerebrovasculature in six brain regions from 220 individuals with AD and 208 age-matched controls. We annotate 22,514 cerebrovascular cells, including 11 subtypes of endothelial, pericyte, smooth muscle, perivascular fibroblast and ependymal cells. We identify 2,676 differentially expressed genes in AD, including downregulation of PDGFRB in pericytes, and of ABCB1 and ATP10A in endothelial cells, and validate the downregulation of SLC6A1 and upregulation of APOD, INSR and COL4A1 in postmortem AD brain tissues. We detect vasculature, glial and neuronal coexpressed gene modules, suggesting coordinated neurovascular unit dysregulation in AD. Integration with AD genetics reveals 125 AD differentially expressed genes directly linked to AD-associated genetic variants. Lastly, we show that APOE4 genotype-associated differences are significantly enriched among AD-associated genes in capillary and venule endothelial cells, as well as subsets of pericytes and fibroblasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Sun
- MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Leyla Anne Akay
- MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mitchell H Murdock
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Yongjin Park
- MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Statistics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Fabiola Galiana-Melendez
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Adele Bubnys
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kyriaki Galani
- MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Hansruedi Mathys
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Xueqiao Jiang
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ayesha P Ng
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - David A Bennett
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Li-Huei Tsai
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Manolis Kellis
- MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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Anisimov A, Fang S, Hemanthakumar KA, Örd T, van Avondt K, Chevre R, Toropainen A, Singha P, Gilani H, Nguyen SD, Karaman S, Korhonen EA, Adams RH, Augustin HG, Öörni K, Soehnlein O, Kaikkonen MU, Alitalo K. The angiopoietin receptor Tie2 is atheroprotective in arterial endothelium. Nat Cardiovasc Res 2023; 2:307-321. [PMID: 37476204 PMCID: PMC7614785 DOI: 10.1038/s44161-023-00224-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Leukocytes and resident cells in the arterial wall contribute to atherosclerosis, especially at sites of disturbed blood flow. Expression of endothelial Tie1 receptor tyrosine kinase is enhanced at these sites, and attenuation of its expression reduces atherosclerotic burden and decreases inflammation. However, Tie2 tyrosine kinase function in atherosclerosis is unknown. Here we provide genetic evidence from humans and from an atherosclerotic mouse model to show that TIE2 is associated with protection from coronary artery disease. We show that deletion of Tie2, or both Tie2 and Tie1, in the arterial endothelium promotes atherosclerosis by increasing Foxo1 nuclear localization, endothelial adhesion molecule expression and accumulation of immune cells. We also show that Tie2 is expressed in a subset of aortic fibroblasts, and its silencing in these cells increases expression of inflammation-related genes. Our findings indicate that unlike Tie1, the Tie2 receptor functions as the dominant endothelial angiopoietin receptor that protects from atherosclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey Anisimov
- Wihuri Research Institute, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Translational Cancer Medicine Program, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Shentong Fang
- Wihuri Research Institute, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Translational Cancer Medicine Program, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- School of Biopharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, P. R. China
| | - Karthik Amudhala Hemanthakumar
- Wihuri Research Institute, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Translational Cancer Medicine Program, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tiit Örd
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Kristof van Avondt
- Institute of Experimental Pathology (ExPat), Center of Molecular Biology of Inflammation (ZMBE), University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Raphael Chevre
- Institute of Experimental Pathology (ExPat), Center of Molecular Biology of Inflammation (ZMBE), University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Anu Toropainen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Prosanta Singha
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Huda Gilani
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Su D. Nguyen
- Wihuri Research Institute, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sinem Karaman
- Wihuri Research Institute, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Individualized Drug Therapy Research Program, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Emilia A. Korhonen
- Wihuri Research Institute, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Translational Cancer Medicine Program, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Institute for Neurovascular Cell Biology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- European Center for Angioscience (ECAS), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Ralf H. Adams
- Department of Tissue Morphogenesis, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Hellmut G. Augustin
- European Center for Angioscience (ECAS), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Vascular Oncology and Metastasis, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Katariina Öörni
- Wihuri Research Institute, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Oliver Soehnlein
- Institute of Experimental Pathology (ExPat), Center of Molecular Biology of Inflammation (ZMBE), University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Minna U. Kaikkonen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Kari Alitalo
- Wihuri Research Institute, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Translational Cancer Medicine Program, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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6
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Wünnemann F, Fotsing Tadjo T, Beaudoin M, Lalonde S, Lo KS, Kleinstiver BP, Lettre G. Multimodal CRISPR perturbations of GWAS loci associated with coronary artery disease in vascular endothelial cells. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010680. [PMID: 36928188 PMCID: PMC10047545 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies have identified >250 genetic variants associated with coronary artery disease (CAD), but the causal variants, genes and molecular mechanisms remain unknown at most loci. We performed pooled CRISPR screens to test the impact of sequences at or near CAD-associated genetic variants on vascular endothelial cell functions. Using CRISPR knockout, inhibition and activation, we targeted 1998 variants at 83 CAD loci to assess their effect on three adhesion proteins (E-selectin, ICAM1, VCAM1) and three key endothelial functions (nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species production, calcium signalling). At a false discovery rate ≤10%, we identified significant CRISPR perturbations near 42 variants located within 26 CAD loci. We used base editing to validate a putative causal variant in the promoter of the FES gene. Although a few of the loci include genes previously characterized in endothelial cells (e.g. AIDA, ARHGEF26, ADAMTS7), most are implicated in endothelial dysfunction for the first time. Detailed characterization of one of these new loci implicated the RNA helicase DHX38 in vascular endothelial cell senescence. While promising, our results also highlighted several limitations in using CRISPR perturbations to functionally dissect GWAS loci, including an unknown false negative rate and potential off-target effects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Ken Sin Lo
- Montreal Heart Institute, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Benjamin P. Kleinstiver
- Center for Genomic Medicine and Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Guillaume Lettre
- Montreal Heart Institute, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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Abdallah HY, Fareed A, Abdelmaogood AKK, Allam S, Abdelgawad M, Deen LATE. Introducing Circulating Vasculature-Related Transcripts as Biomarkers in Coronary Artery Disease. Mol Diagn Ther 2023; 27:243-259. [PMID: 36538237 PMCID: PMC10008268 DOI: 10.1007/s40291-022-00622-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Atherosclerotic plaque is considered the hallmark of atherosclerotic lesions in coronary atherosclerosis (CAS), the primary pathogenesis in coronary artery disease (CAD), which develops and progresses through a complex interplay between immune cells, vascular cells, and endothelial shear stresses. Early diagnosis of CAS is critical for avoiding plaque rupture and sudden death. Therefore, identifying new CAD biomarkers linked to vessel wall functions, such as RNA molecules with their distinct signature, is a promising development for these patients. With this rationale, the present study investigated the expression level of the vascular-related RNA transcripts (lncRNA ANRIL, miRNA-126-5p, CDK4, CDK6, TGF-β, E-cadherin, and TNF-α) implicated in the cellular vascular function, proliferation, and inflammatory processes. METHODS A case-control study design with a total of 180 subjects classified participants into two groups; CAD and control groups. The relative expression levels of the seven transcripts under study-selected using online bioinformatics tools and current literature-were assessed in the plasma of all study participants using RT-qPCR. Their predictive significance testing, scoring of disease prioritization, enrichment analysis, and the miRNA-mRNA regulatory network was investigated. RESULTS The relative expression levels of all seven of the circulating vascular-related transcripts under study were statistically significant between CAD patients and controls. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis results indicated the statistical significance of all the transcripts under study with CDK4 showing the highest area under the curve (AUC) equivalent to 0.91, followed by E-cadherin (0.90), miRNA-126-5p (0.83), ANRIL (0.82), TNF-α (0.63), TGF-β (0.62), and CDK6 (0.59), in descending order. A strong association was detected between most of the transcripts studied in CAD patients with a significant Spearman's correlation coefficient with a two-tailed significance of p < 0.001. Network analysis revealed a strong relationship between the five circulating vasculature transcripts studied and their target miRNAs and miR-126-5p, but not for ANRIL. CONCLUSION The seven circulating vascular-related RNA transcripts under study could serve as potential CAD biomarkers, reflecting the cellular vascular function, proliferation, and inflammatory processes in CAD patients. Therefore, blood transcriptome analysis opens new frontiers for the non-invasive diagnosis of CAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoda Y Abdallah
- Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt. .,Center of Excellence in Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.
| | - Ahmed Fareed
- Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
| | - Asmaa K K Abdelmaogood
- Department of Clinical and Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
| | - Sahar Allam
- Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
| | - Mai Abdelgawad
- Biotechnology and Life Sciences Department, Faculty of Postgraduate Studies for Advanced Sciences (PSAS), Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
| | - Loaa A Tag El Deen
- Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
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8
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Zhang P, Luo J, Wu T, Wang X, Yang F, Yu Y, Lu L, Yu H. MiR-32-5p/AIDA Mediates OxLDL-Induced Endothelial Injury and Inflammation. Int Heart J 2022; 63:928-938. [DOI: 10.1536/ihj.22-067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ping Zhang
- Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University
| | - Jianfang Luo
- Department of Cardiovascular, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Science
| | - Tianlong Wu
- Department of Cardiovascular, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Science
| | - Xuan Wang
- Department of Cardiovascular, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Science
| | - Fan Yang
- Department of Cardiovascular, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Science
| | - Yanhong Yu
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Department of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University
| | - Lihe Lu
- Department of Pathophysiolgy, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University
| | - Huimin Yu
- Department of Cardiovascular, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Science
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Arvanitis M, Tayeb K, Strober BJ, Battle A. Redefining tissue specificity of genetic regulation of gene expression in the presence of allelic heterogeneity. Am J Hum Genet 2022; 109:223-239. [PMID: 35085493 PMCID: PMC8874223 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2022.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Uncovering the functional impact of genetic variation on gene expression is important in understanding tissue biology and the pathogenesis of complex traits. Despite large efforts to map expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) across many human tissues, our ability to translate those findings to understanding human disease has been incomplete, and the majority of disease loci are not explained by association with expression of a target gene. Cell-type specificity and the presence of multiple independent causal variants for many eQTLs are potential confounders contributing to the apparent discrepancy with disease loci. In this study, we investigate the tissue specificity of genetic effects on gene expression and the overlap with disease loci while considering the presence of multiple causal variants within and across tissues. We find evidence of pervasive tissue specificity of eQTLs, often masked by linkage disequilibrium that misleads traditional meta-analytic approaches. We propose CAFEH (colocalization and fine-mapping in the presence of allelic heterogeneity), a Bayesian method that integrates genetic association data across multiple traits, incorporating linkage disequilibrium to identify causal variants. CAFEH outperforms previous approaches in colocalization and fine-mapping. Using CAFEH, we show that genes with highly tissue-specific genetic effects are under greater selection, enriched in differentiation and developmental processes, and more likely to be involved in human disease. Last, we demonstrate that CAFEH can efficiently leverage the widespread allelic heterogeneity in genetic regulation of gene expression to prioritize the target tissue in genome-wide association complex trait loci, thereby improving our ability to interpret complex trait genetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marios Arvanitis
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21211, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Karl Tayeb
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21211, USA
| | - Benjamin J Strober
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21211, USA
| | - Alexis Battle
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21211, USA; Department of Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21211, USA; Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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10
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Long J, Long T, Li Y, Yuan P, Liu K, Li J, Cheng L. A Functional Polymorphism in Accessible Chromatin Region Confers Risk of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in Chinese Population. Front Oncol 2021; 11:698993. [PMID: 34552866 PMCID: PMC8450516 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.698993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The disease-associated non-coding variants identified by genome-wide association studies (GWASs) were enriched in open chromatin regions (OCRs) and implicated in gene regulation. Genetic variants in OCRs thus may exert regulatory functions and contribute to non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) susceptibility. Objective To fine map potential functional variants in GWAS loci that contribute to NSCLC predisposition using chromatin accessibility and histone modification data and explore their functions by population study and biochemical experimental analyses. Methods We mapped the chromatin accessible regions of lung tissues using data of assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq) in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and prioritized potential regulatory variants within lung cancer GWAS loci by aligning with histone signatures using data of chromatin immunoprecipitation assays followed by sequencing (ChIP-seq) in the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE). A two-stage case–control study with 1,830 cases and 2,001 controls was conducted to explore the associations between candidate variants and NSCLC risk in Chinese population. Bioinformatic annotations and biochemical experiments were performed to further reveal the potential functions of significant variants. Results Sixteen potential functional single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected as candidates from bioinformatics analyses. Three variants out of the 16 candidate SNPs survived after genotyping in stage 1 case–control study, and only the results of SNP rs13064999 were successfully validated in the analyses of stage 2 case–control study. In combined analyses, rs13064999 was significantly associated with NSCLC risk [additive model; odds ratio (OR) = 1.17; 95%CI, 1.07–1.29; p = 0.001]. Functional annotations indicated its potential enhancer bioactivity, and dual-luciferase reporter assays revealed a significant increase in luciferase activity for the reconstructed plasmid with rs13064999 A allele, when compared to the one with wild-type G allele (pA549 < 0.001, pSK-MES-1 = 0.004). Further electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) and super-shift assays confirmed a stronger affinity of HP1γ for the binding motif containing SNP rs13064999 A allele. Conclusion These findings suggested that the functional variant rs13064999, identified by the integration of ATAC-seq and ChIP-seq data, contributes to the susceptibility of NSCLC by affecting HP1γ binding, while the exact biological mechanism awaits further exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jieyi Long
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Tingting Long
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Peihong Yuan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ke Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiaoyuan Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Liming Cheng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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11
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Molstad AJ, Sun W, Hsu L. A COVARIANCE-ENHANCED APPROACH TO MULTI-TISSUE JOINT EQTL MAPPING WITH APPLICATION TO TRANSCRIPTOME-WIDE ASSOCIATION STUDIES. Ann Appl Stat 2021; 15:998-1016. [PMID: 34413922 DOI: 10.1214/20-aoas1432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Transcriptome-wide association studies based on genetically predicted gene expression have the potential to identify novel regions associated with various complex traits. It has been shown that incorporating expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) corresponding to multiple tissue types can improve power for association studies involving complex etiology. In this article, we propose a new multivariate response linear regression model and method for predicting gene expression in multiple tissues simultaneously. Unlike existing methods for multi-tissue joint eQTL mapping, our approach incorporates tissue-tissue expression correlation, which allows us to more efficiently handle missing expression measurements and more accurately predict gene expression using a weighted summation of eQTL genotypes. We show through simulation studies that our approach performs better than the existing methods in many scenarios. We use our method to estimate eQTL weights for 29 tissues collected by GTEx, and show that our approach significantly improves expression prediction accuracy compared to competitors. Using our eQTL weights, we perform a multi-tissue-based S-MultiXcan [2] transcriptome-wide association study and show that our method leads to more discoveries in novel regions and more discoveries overall than the existing methods. Estimated eQTL weights and code for implementing the method are available for download online at github.com/ajmolstad/MTeQTLResults.
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12
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Theofilis P, Sagris M, Oikonomou E, Antonopoulos AS, Siasos G, Tsioufis C, Tousoulis D. Inflammatory Mechanisms Contributing to Endothelial Dysfunction. Biomedicines 2021; 9:781. [PMID: 34356845 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9070781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 55.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Maintenance of endothelial cell integrity is an important component of human health and disease since the endothelium can perform various functions including regulation of vascular tone, control of hemostasis and thrombosis, cellular adhesion, smooth muscle cell proliferation, and vascular inflammation. Endothelial dysfunction is encompassed by complex pathophysiology that is based on endothelial nitric oxide synthase uncoupling and endothelial activation following stimulation from various inflammatory mediators (molecular patterns, oxidized lipoproteins, cytokines). The downstream signaling via nuclear factor-κB leads to overexpression of adhesion molecules, selectins, and chemokines that facilitate leukocyte adhesion, rolling, and transmigration to the subendothelial space. Moreover, oscillatory shear stress leads to pro-inflammatory endothelial activation with increased monocyte adhesion and endothelial cell apoptosis, an effect that is dependent on multiple pathways and flow-sensitive microRNA regulation. Moreover, the role of neutrophil extracellular traps and NLRP3 inflammasome as inflammatory mechanisms contributing to endothelial dysfunction has recently been unveiled and is under further investigation. Consequently, and following their activation, injured endothelial cells release inflammatory mediators and enter a pro-thrombotic state through activation of coagulation pathways, downregulation of thrombomodulin, and an increase in platelet adhesion and aggregation owing to the action of von-Willebrand factor, ultimately promoting atherosclerosis progression.
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13
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Pei L, Li G, Lindsey K, Zhang X, Wang M. Plant 3D genomics: the exploration and application of chromatin organization. New Phytol 2021; 230:1772-1786. [PMID: 33560539 PMCID: PMC8252774 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Eukaryotic genomes are highly folded for packing into higher-order chromatin structures in the nucleus. With the emergence of state-of-the-art chromosome conformation capture methods and microscopic imaging techniques, the spatial organization of chromatin and its functional implications have been interrogated. Our knowledge of 3D chromatin organization in plants has improved dramatically in the past few years, building on the early advances in animal systems. Here, we review recent advances in 3D genome mapping approaches, our understanding of the sophisticated organization of spatial structures, and the application of 3D genomic principles in plants. We also discuss directions for future developments in 3D genomics in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liuling Pei
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic ImprovementHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanHubei430070China
| | - Guoliang Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural BioinformaticsCollege of InformaticsHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanHubei430070China
| | - Keith Lindsey
- Department of BiosciencesDurham UniversitySouth RoadDurhamDH1 3LEUK
| | - Xianlong Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic ImprovementHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanHubei430070China
| | - Maojun Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic ImprovementHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanHubei430070China
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14
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Örd T, Õunap K, Stolze LK, Aherrahrou R, Nurminen V, Toropainen A, Selvarajan I, Lönnberg T, Aavik E, Ylä-Herttuala S, Civelek M, Romanoski CE, Kaikkonen MU. Single-Cell Epigenomics and Functional Fine-Mapping of Atherosclerosis GWAS Loci. Circ Res 2021; 129:240-258. [PMID: 34024118 PMCID: PMC8260472 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.121.318971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Genome-wide association studies have identified hundreds of loci associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). Many of these loci are enriched in cisregulatory elements but not linked to cardiometabolic risk factors nor to candidate causal genes, complicating their functional interpretation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiit Örd
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (T.Ö., K.Õ., V.N., A.T., I.S., E.A., S.Y.-H., M.U.K.)
| | - Kadri Õunap
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (T.Ö., K.Õ., V.N., A.T., I.S., E.A., S.Y.-H., M.U.K.)
| | - Lindsey K. Stolze
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, The College of Medicine, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (L.K.S., C.E.R.)
| | - Redouane Aherrahrou
- Center for Public Health Genomics (R.A., M.C.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville
| | - Valtteri Nurminen
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (T.Ö., K.Õ., V.N., A.T., I.S., E.A., S.Y.-H., M.U.K.)
| | - Anu Toropainen
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (T.Ö., K.Õ., V.N., A.T., I.S., E.A., S.Y.-H., M.U.K.)
| | - Ilakya Selvarajan
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (T.Ö., K.Õ., V.N., A.T., I.S., E.A., S.Y.-H., M.U.K.)
| | - Tapio Lönnberg
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Finland (T.L.)
| | - Einari Aavik
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (T.Ö., K.Õ., V.N., A.T., I.S., E.A., S.Y.-H., M.U.K.)
| | - Seppo Ylä-Herttuala
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (T.Ö., K.Õ., V.N., A.T., I.S., E.A., S.Y.-H., M.U.K.)
| | - Mete Civelek
- Center for Public Health Genomics (R.A., M.C.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville
- Department of Biomedical Engineering (M.C.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville
| | - Casey E. Romanoski
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, The College of Medicine, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (L.K.S., C.E.R.)
| | - Minna U. Kaikkonen
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (T.Ö., K.Õ., V.N., A.T., I.S., E.A., S.Y.-H., M.U.K.)
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15
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Selvarajan I, Toropainen A, Garske KM, López Rodríguez M, Ko A, Miao Z, Kaminska D, Õunap K, Örd T, Ravindran A, Liu OH, Moreau PR, Jawahar Deen A, Männistö V, Pan C, Levonen AL, Lusis AJ, Heikkinen S, Romanoski CE, Pihlajamäki J, Pajukanta P, Kaikkonen MU. Integrative analysis of liver-specific non-coding regulatory SNPs associated with the risk of coronary artery disease. Am J Hum Genet 2021; 108:411-30. [PMID: 33626337 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2021.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic factors underlying coronary artery disease (CAD) have been widely studied using genome-wide association studies (GWASs). However, the functional understanding of the CAD loci has been limited by the fact that a majority of GWAS variants are located within non-coding regions with no functional role. High cholesterol and dysregulation of the liver metabolism such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease confer an increased risk of CAD. Here, we studied the function of non-coding single-nucleotide polymorphisms in CAD GWAS loci located within liver-specific enhancer elements by identifying their potential target genes using liver cis-eQTL analysis and promoter Capture Hi-C in HepG2 cells. Altogether, 734 target genes were identified of which 121 exhibited correlations to liver-related traits. To identify potentially causal regulatory SNPs, the allele-specific enhancer activity was analyzed by (1) sequence-based computational predictions, (2) quantification of allele-specific transcription factor binding, and (3) STARR-seq massively parallel reporter assay. Altogether, our analysis identified 1,277 unique SNPs that display allele-specific regulatory activity. Among these, susceptibility enhancers near important cholesterol homeostasis genes (APOB, APOC1, APOE, and LIPA) were identified, suggesting that altered gene regulatory activity could represent another way by which genetic variation regulates serum lipoprotein levels. Using CRISPR-based perturbation, we demonstrate how the deletion/activation of a single enhancer leads to changes in the expression of many target genes located in a shared chromatin interaction domain. Our integrative genomics approach represents a comprehensive effort in identifying putative causal regulatory regions and target genes that could predispose to clinical manifestation of CAD by affecting liver function.
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16
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Zhang Y, Karakikes I. Translating genomic insights into cardiovascular medicine: Opportunities and challenges of CRISPR-Cas9. Trends Cardiovasc Med 2020; 31:341-348. [PMID: 32603681 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcm.2020.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 06/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The growing appreciation of human genetics and genomics in cardiovascular disease (CVD) accompanied by the technological breakthroughs in genome editing, particularly the CRISPR-Cas9 technologies, has presented an unprecedented opportunity to explore the application of genome editing in cardiovascular medicine. The ever-growing genome editing toolbox includes an assortment of CRISPR-Cas systems with increasing efficiency, precision, flexibility, and targeting capacity. Over the past decade, the advent of large-scale genotyping technologies and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) has provided numerous genotype-phenotype associations for diseases with complex traits. Notably, a growing number of loss-of-function mutations have been associated with favorable CVD risk-factor profiles that may confer protection. Combining the newly gained insights of human genetics with recent breakthrough technologies, such as the CRISPR-Cas9 technologies, holds great promise in elucidating novel disease mechanisms and transforming genes into medicines. Nonetheless, translating genetic insights into novel therapeuties remains challenging. Applications of "in body" genome editing for CVD treatment and engineering cardioprotection remain mostly theoretical. Here we highlight the recent advances of the CRISPR-based genome editing toolbox and discuss the potential and challenges of CRISPR-based technologies for translating GWAS findings into genomic medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Zhang
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Dr, Suite 1347, Stanford, CA 94305-5515, USA; Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ioannis Karakikes
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Dr, Suite 1347, Stanford, CA 94305-5515, USA; Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
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17
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Paraiso HC, Wang X, Kuo PC, Furnas D, Scofield BA, Chang FL, Yen JH, Yu IC. Isolation of Mouse Cerebral Microvasculature for Molecular and Single-Cell Analysis. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:84. [PMID: 32327974 PMCID: PMC7160798 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 03/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain microvasculature forms a specialized structure, the blood-brain barrier (BBB), to maintain homeostasis and integrity of the central nervous system (CNS). The BBB dysfunction is emerging as a critical contributor to multiple neurological disorders, including stroke, traumatic brain injury, autoimmune multiple sclerosis, and neurodegenerative diseases. The brain microvasculature exhibits highly cellular and regional heterogeneity to accommodate dynamic changes of microenvironment during homeostasis and diseases. Thus, investigating the underlying mechanisms that contribute to molecular or cellular changes of the BBB is a significant challenge. Here, we describe an optimized protocol to purify microvessels from the mouse cerebral cortex using mechanical homogenization and density-gradient centrifugation, while maintaining the structural integrity and functional activity of the BBB. We show that the isolated microvessel fragments consist of BBB cell populations, including endothelial cells, astrocyte end-feet, pericytes, as well as tight junction proteins that seal endothelial cells. Furthermore, we describe the procedures to generate single-cell suspensions from isolated microvessel fragments. We demonstrate that cells in the single-cell suspensions are highly viable and suitable for single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis. This protocol does not require transgenic mice and cell sorting equipment to isolate fluorescence-labeled endothelial cells. The optimized procedures can be applied to different disease models to generate viable cells for single-cell analysis to uncover transcriptional or epigenetic landscapes of BBB component cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hallel C Paraiso
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology, and Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Fort Wayne, IN, United States
| | - Xueqian Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Fort Wayne, IN, United States
| | - Ping-Chang Kuo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Fort Wayne, IN, United States
| | - Destin Furnas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Fort Wayne, IN, United States
| | - Barbara A Scofield
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Fort Wayne, IN, United States
| | - Fen-Lei Chang
- Department of Neurology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Fort Wayne, IN, United States
| | - Jui-Hung Yen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Fort Wayne, IN, United States
| | - I-Chen Yu
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology, and Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Fort Wayne, IN, United States
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