|
1
|
Thirunavukkarasu M, Pradeep SR, Ukani G, Abunnaja S, Youssef M, Accorsi D, Swaminathan S, Lim ST, Parker V, Campbell J, Rishi MT, Palesty JA, Maulik N. Gene therapy with Pellino-1 improves perfusion and decreases tissue loss in Flk-1 heterozygous mice but fails in MAPKAP Kinase-2 knockout murine hind limb ischemia model. Microvasc Res 2022; 141:104311. [PMID: 34999110 PMCID: PMC9250804 DOI: 10.1016/j.mvr.2022.104311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/02/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In the United States, over 8.5 million people suffer from peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Previously we reported that Pellino-1(Peli1) gene therapy reduces ischemic damage in the myocardium and skin flaps in Flk-1 [Fetal Liver kinase receptor-1 (Flk-1)/ Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2/VEGFR2] heterozygous (Flk-1+/-) mice. The present study compares the angiogenic response and perfusion efficiency following hind limb ischemia (HLI) in, Flk-1+/- and, MAPKAPKINASE2 (MK2-/-) knockout (KO) mice to their control wild type (WT). We also demonstrated the use of Peli1 gene therapy to improve loss of function following HLI. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Femoral artery ligation (HLI) was performed in both Flk-1+/-and MK2-/-mice along with their corresponding WT. Another set of Flk-1+/- and MK2-/- were injected with either Adeno-LacZ (Ad.LacZ) or Adeno-Peli1 (Ad.Peli1) after HLI. Hind limb perfusion was assessed by laser doppler imaging at specific time points. A standardized scoring scale is used to quantify the extent of ischemia. Histology analysis performed includes capillary density, fibrosis, pro-angiogenic and anti-apoptotic proteins. RESULTS Flk-1+/- and MK2-/- had a slower recovery of perfusion efficiency in the ischemic limbs than controls. Both Flk-1+/-and MK2-/-KO mice showed decreased capillary density and capillary myocyte ratios with increased fibrosis than their corresponding wild types. Ad.Peli1 injected ischemic Flk-1+/- limb showed improved perfusion, increased capillary density, and pro-angiogenic molecules with reduced fibrosis compared to Ad.LacZ group. No significant improvement in perfusion was observed in MK2-/- ischemic limb after Ad. Peli1 injection. CONCLUSION Deletion of Flk-1 and MK2 impairs neovascularization and perfusion following HLI. Treatment with Ad. Peli1 results in increased angiogenesis and improved perfusion in Flk-1+/- mice but fails to rectify perfusion in MK2 KO mice. Overall, Peli1 gene therapy is a promising candidate for the treatment of PAD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mahesh Thirunavukkarasu
- Molecular Cardiology and Angiogenesis Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington 06030, CT, USA
| | - Seetur R Pradeep
- Molecular Cardiology and Angiogenesis Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington 06030, CT, USA
| | - Gopi Ukani
- Molecular Cardiology and Angiogenesis Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington 06030, CT, USA; Stanley J. Dudrick, Department of Surgery, Saint Mary's Hospital, Waterbury 06706, CT, USA
| | - Salim Abunnaja
- Molecular Cardiology and Angiogenesis Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington 06030, CT, USA; Stanley J. Dudrick, Department of Surgery, Saint Mary's Hospital, Waterbury 06706, CT, USA
| | - Mark Youssef
- Molecular Cardiology and Angiogenesis Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington 06030, CT, USA; Stanley J. Dudrick, Department of Surgery, Saint Mary's Hospital, Waterbury 06706, CT, USA
| | - Diego Accorsi
- Molecular Cardiology and Angiogenesis Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington 06030, CT, USA; Stanley J. Dudrick, Department of Surgery, Saint Mary's Hospital, Waterbury 06706, CT, USA
| | - Santosh Swaminathan
- Molecular Cardiology and Angiogenesis Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington 06030, CT, USA; Stanley J. Dudrick, Department of Surgery, Saint Mary's Hospital, Waterbury 06706, CT, USA
| | - Sue Ting Lim
- Molecular Cardiology and Angiogenesis Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington 06030, CT, USA; Stanley J. Dudrick, Department of Surgery, Saint Mary's Hospital, Waterbury 06706, CT, USA
| | - Virginia Parker
- Molecular Cardiology and Angiogenesis Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington 06030, CT, USA; Stanley J. Dudrick, Department of Surgery, Saint Mary's Hospital, Waterbury 06706, CT, USA
| | - Jacob Campbell
- Molecular Cardiology and Angiogenesis Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington 06030, CT, USA
| | - Muhammad Tipu Rishi
- Molecular Cardiology and Angiogenesis Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington 06030, CT, USA; Stanley J. Dudrick, Department of Surgery, Saint Mary's Hospital, Waterbury 06706, CT, USA
| | - J Alexander Palesty
- Stanley J. Dudrick, Department of Surgery, Saint Mary's Hospital, Waterbury 06706, CT, USA
| | - Nilanjana Maulik
- Molecular Cardiology and Angiogenesis Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington 06030, CT, USA.
| |
Collapse
|