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Fließer E, Birnhuber A, Marsh LM, Gschwandtner E, Klepetko W, Olschewski H, Kwapiszewska G. Dysbalance of ACE2 levels - a possible cause for severe COVID-19 outcome in COPD. J Pathol Clin Res 2021; 7:446-458. [PMID: 33978304 PMCID: PMC8239572 DOI: 10.1002/cjp2.224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [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: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) poses a serious threat to healthcare systems worldwide. Binding of the virus to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is an important step in the infection mechanism. However, it is unknown if ACE2 expression in patients with chronic lung diseases (CLDs), such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH), or pulmonary fibrosis (PF), is changed as compared to controls. We used lung samples from patients with COPD (n = 28), IPAH (n = 10), and PF (n = 10) as well as healthy control donor (n = 10) tissue samples to investigate the expression of ACE2 and related cofactors that might influence the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Expression levels of the ACE2 receptor, the putative receptor CD147/BSG, and the viral entry cofactors TMPRSS2 (transmembrane serine protease 2), EZR, and FURIN were determined by quantitative PCR and in open-access RNA sequencing datasets. Immunohistochemical and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) analyses were used for localization and coexpression, respectively. Soluble ACE2 (sACE2) plasma levels were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In COPD as compared to donor, IPAH, and PF lung tissue, gene expression of ACE2, TMPRSS2, and EZR was significantly elevated, but circulating sACE2 levels were significantly reduced in COPD and PF plasma compared to healthy control and IPAH plasma samples. Lung tissue expressions of FURIN and CD147/BSG were downregulated in COPD. None of these changes were associated with changes in pulmonary hemodynamics. Histological analysis revealed coexpression of ACE2, TMPRSS2, and Ezrin in bronchial regions and epithelial cells. This was confirmed by scRNAseq analysis. There were no significant expression changes of the analyzed molecules in the lung tissue of IPAH and idiopathic PF as compared to control. In conclusion, we reveal increased ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expression in lung tissue with a concomitant decrease of protective sACE2 in COPD patients. These changes represent the possible risk factors for an increased susceptibility of COPD patients to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Birnhuber
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Vascular ResearchGrazAustria
| | - Leigh M Marsh
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Vascular ResearchGrazAustria
| | - Elisabeth Gschwandtner
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of SurgeryMedical University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Walter Klepetko
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of SurgeryMedical University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | | | - Grazyna Kwapiszewska
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Vascular ResearchGrazAustria
- Otto Loewi Research CenterMedical University of GrazGrazAustria
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Yamamura A, Nayeem MJ, Sato M. The Rho kinase 2 (ROCK2)-specific inhibitor KD025 ameliorates the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 534:795-801. [PMID: 33160621 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.10.106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive and fatal disease that is characterized by the irreversible remodeling of the pulmonary artery. Although several PAH drugs have been developed, additional drugs are needed. Rho kinases (ROCKs) are involved in the pathogenesis of PAH, and thus, their inhibitors may prevent the development of PAH. However, the therapeutic benefits of ROCK isoform-specific inhibitors for PAH remain largely unknown. The in vitro and in vivo effects of the ROCK2-specific inhibitor, KD025, were examined herein using pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) from idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) patients and monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertensive (PH) rats. The expression of ROCK1 was similar between normal- and IPAH-PASMCs, whereas that of ROCK2 was markedly higher in IPAH-PASMCs than in normal-PASMCs. KD025 inhibited the accelerated proliferation of IPAH-PASMCs in a concentration-dependent manner (IC50 = 289 nM). Accelerated proliferation was also reduced by the siRNA knockdown of ROCK2. In MCT-PH rats, the expression of ROCK2 was up-regulated in PASMCs. Elevated right ventricular systolic pressure in MCT-PH rats was attenuated by KD025 (1 mg/kg/day). These results strongly suggest that enhanced ROCK2 signaling is involved in the pathogenic mechanism underlying the development of PAH, including accelerated PASMC proliferation and vascular remodeling in patients with PAH. Therefore, ROCK2 may be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of PAH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aya Yamamura
- Department of Physiology, Aichi Medical University, 1-1 Yazakokarimata, Nagakute, Aichi, 480-1195, Japan.
| | - Md Junayed Nayeem
- Department of Physiology, Aichi Medical University, 1-1 Yazakokarimata, Nagakute, Aichi, 480-1195, Japan
| | - Motohiko Sato
- Department of Physiology, Aichi Medical University, 1-1 Yazakokarimata, Nagakute, Aichi, 480-1195, Japan.
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Barnes JW, Tian L, Krick S, Helton ES, Denson RS, Comhair SAA, Dweik RA. O-GlcNAc Transferase Regulates Angiogenesis in Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E6299. [PMID: 31847126 PMCID: PMC6941156 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20246299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [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: 11/20/2019] [Revised: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) is considered a vasculopathy characterized by elevated pulmonary vascular resistance due to vasoconstriction and/or lung remodeling such as plexiform lesions, the hallmark of the PAH, as well as cell proliferation and vascular and angiogenic dysfunction. The serine/threonine hydroxyl-linked N-Acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) transferase (OGT) has been shown to drive pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell (PASMC) proliferation in IPAH. OGT is a cellular nutrient sensor that is essential in maintaining proper cell function through the regulation of cell signaling, proliferation, and metabolism. The aim of this study was to determine the role of OGT and O-GlcNAc in vascular and angiogenic dysfunction in IPAH. Primary isolated human control and IPAH patient PASMCs and pulmonary arterial endothelial cells (PAECs) were grown in the presence or absence of OGT inhibitors and subjected to biochemical assessments in monolayer cultures and tube formation assays, in vitro vascular sprouting 3D spheroid co-culture models, and de novo vascularization models in NODSCID mice. We showed that knockdown of OGT resulted in reduced vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in IPAH primary isolated vascular cells. In addition, specificity protein 1 (SP1), a known stimulator of VEGF expression, was shown to have higher O-GlcNAc levels in IPAH compared to control at physiological (5 mM) and high (25 mM) glucose concentrations, and knockdown resulted in decreased VEGF protein levels. Furthermore, human IPAH PAECs demonstrated a significantly higher degree of capillary tube-like structures and increased length compared to control PAECs. Addition of an OGT inhibitor, OSMI-1, significantly reduced the number of tube-like structures and tube length similar to control levels. Assessment of vascular sprouting from an in vitro 3D spheroid co-culture model using IPAH and control PAEC/PASMCs and an in vivo vascularization model using control and PAEC-embedded collagen implants demonstrated higher vascularization in IPAH compared to control. Blocking OGT activity in these experiments, however, altered the vascular sprouting and de novo vascularization in IPAH similar to control levels when compared to controls. Our findings in this report are the first to describe a role for the OGT/O-GlcNAc axis in modulating VEGF expression and vascularization in IPAH. These findings provide greater insight into the potential role that altered glucose uptake and metabolism may have on the angiogenic process and the development of plexiform lesions. Therefore, we believe that the OGT/O-GlcNAc axis may be a potential therapeutic target for treating the angiogenic dysregulation that is present in IPAH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarrod W. Barnes
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, THT 422, 1720 2nd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294-0006, USA; (S.K.); (E.S.H.)
| | - Liping Tian
- Department of Inflammation & Immunity, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; (L.T.); (S.A.A.C.); (R.A.D.)
| | - Stefanie Krick
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, THT 422, 1720 2nd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294-0006, USA; (S.K.); (E.S.H.)
| | - E. Scott Helton
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, THT 422, 1720 2nd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294-0006, USA; (S.K.); (E.S.H.)
| | - Rebecca S. Denson
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, THT 422, 1720 2nd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294-0006, USA; (S.K.); (E.S.H.)
| | - Suzy A. A. Comhair
- Department of Inflammation & Immunity, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; (L.T.); (S.A.A.C.); (R.A.D.)
| | - Raed A. Dweik
- Department of Inflammation & Immunity, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; (L.T.); (S.A.A.C.); (R.A.D.)
- Respiratory Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
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Guo J, Lodge K, Newnham M, Bunclark K, Toshner M, Morrell NW, Li W. Increased Antielastase Activity in Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2018; 59:652-655. [PMID: 30382774 PMCID: PMC6236689 DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2018-0060le] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jingxu Guo
- University of Cambridge School of Clinical MedicineCambridge, United Kingdomand
| | - Katharine Lodge
- University of Cambridge School of Clinical MedicineCambridge, United Kingdomand
| | - Michael Newnham
- University of Cambridge School of Clinical MedicineCambridge, United Kingdomand
- Royal Papworth HospitalCambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Mark Toshner
- University of Cambridge School of Clinical MedicineCambridge, United Kingdomand
- Royal Papworth HospitalCambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas W. Morrell
- University of Cambridge School of Clinical MedicineCambridge, United Kingdomand
| | - Wei Li
- University of Cambridge School of Clinical MedicineCambridge, United Kingdomand
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Allawzi AM, Vang A, Clements RT, Jhun BS, Kue NR, Mancini TJ, Landi AK, Terentyev D, O-Uchi J, Comhair SA, Erzurum SC, Choudhary G. Activation of Anoctamin-1 Limits Pulmonary Endothelial Cell Proliferation via p38-Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase-Dependent Apoptosis. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2018; 58:658-667. [PMID: 29100477 PMCID: PMC5946325 DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2016-0344oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [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: 10/26/2016] [Accepted: 09/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hyperproliferative endothelial cells (ECs) play an important role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Anoctamin (Ano)-1, a calcium-activated chloride channel, can regulate cell proliferation and cell cycle in multiple cell types. However, the expression and function of Ano1 in the pulmonary endothelium is unknown. We examined whether Ano1 was expressed in pulmonary ECs and if altering Ano1 activity would affect EC survival. Expression and localization of Ano1 in rat lung microvascular ECs (RLMVECs) was assessed using immunoblot, immunofluorescence, and subcellular fractionation. Cell counts, flow cytometry, and caspase-3 activity were used to assess changes in cell number and apoptosis in response to the small molecule Ano1 activator, Eact. Changes in mitochondrial membrane potential and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) were assessed using 5,5',6,6'-tetrachloro-1,1',3,3'-tetraethylbenzimidazolylcarbocyanine, iodide (mitochondrial membrane potential dye) and mitochondrial ROS dye, respectively. Ano1 is expressed in RLMVECs and is enriched in the mitochondria. Activation of Ano1 with Eact reduced RLMVEC counts through increased apoptosis. Ano1 knockdown blocked the effects of Eact. Ano1 activation increased mtROS, reduced mitochondrial membrane potential, increased p38 phosphorylation, and induced release of apoptosis-inducing factor. mtROS inhibition attenuated Eact-mediated p38 phosphorylation. Pulmonary artery ECs isolated from patients with idiopathic PAH (IPAH) had higher expression of Ano1 and increased cell counts compared with control subjects. Eact treatment reduced cell counts in IPAH cells, which was associated with increased apoptosis. In summary, Ano1 is expressed in lung EC mitochondria. Activation of Ano1 promotes apoptosis of pulmonary ECs and human IPAH-pulmonary artery ECs, likely via increased mtROS and p38 phosphorylation, leading to apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayed M. Allawzi
- Vascular Research Laboratory, Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biotechnology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Alexander Vang
- Vascular Research Laboratory, Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Richard T. Clements
- Vascular Research Laboratory, Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island
- Department of Surgery and
| | - Bong Sook Jhun
- Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital and Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Nouaying R. Kue
- Vascular Research Laboratory, Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Thomas J. Mancini
- Vascular Research Laboratory, Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Amy K. Landi
- Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital and Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Dmitry Terentyev
- Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital and Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Jin O-Uchi
- Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital and Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Suzy A. Comhair
- Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Ohio; and
| | | | - Gaurav Choudhary
- Vascular Research Laboratory, Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island
- Department of Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
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Barnes JW, Tian L, Heresi GA, Farver CF, Asosingh K, Comhair SAA, Aulak KS, Dweik RA. O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine transferase directs cell proliferation in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension. Circulation 2015; 131:1260-8. [PMID: 25663381 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.114.013878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2014] [Accepted: 01/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) is a cardiopulmonary disease characterized by cellular proliferation and vascular remodeling. A more recently recognized characteristic of the disease is the dysregulation of glucose metabolism. The primary link between altered glucose metabolism and cell proliferation in IPAH has not been elucidated. We aimed to determine the relationship between glucose metabolism and smooth muscle cell proliferation in IPAH. METHODS AND RESULTS Human IPAH and control patient lung tissues and pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) were used to analyze a specific pathway of glucose metabolism, the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway. We measured the levels of O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine modification, O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine transferase (OGT), and O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine hydrolase in control and IPAH cells and tissues. Our data suggest that the activation of the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway directly increased OGT levels and activity, triggering changes in glycosylation and PASMC proliferation. Partial knockdown of OGT in IPAH PASMCs resulted in reduced global O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine modification levels and abrogated PASMC proliferation. The increased proliferation observed in IPAH PASMCs was directly impacted by proteolytic activation of the cell cycle regulator, host cell factor-1. CONCLUSIONS Our data demonstrate that hexosamine biosynthetic pathway flux is increased in IPAH and drives OGT-facilitated PASMC proliferation through specific proteolysis and direct activation of host cell factor-1. These findings establish a novel regulatory role for OGT in IPAH, shed a new light on our understanding of the disease pathobiology, and provide opportunities to design novel therapeutic strategies for IPAH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarrod W Barnes
- From Department of Pathobiology, Lerner Research Institute (J.W.B., L.T., K.A., S.A.A.C., K.S.A. R.A.D.), Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Institute (G.A.H., R.A.D.), and Department of Pathology (C.F.F.), Cleveland Clinic, OH
| | - Liping Tian
- From Department of Pathobiology, Lerner Research Institute (J.W.B., L.T., K.A., S.A.A.C., K.S.A. R.A.D.), Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Institute (G.A.H., R.A.D.), and Department of Pathology (C.F.F.), Cleveland Clinic, OH
| | - Gustavo A Heresi
- From Department of Pathobiology, Lerner Research Institute (J.W.B., L.T., K.A., S.A.A.C., K.S.A. R.A.D.), Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Institute (G.A.H., R.A.D.), and Department of Pathology (C.F.F.), Cleveland Clinic, OH
| | - Carol F Farver
- From Department of Pathobiology, Lerner Research Institute (J.W.B., L.T., K.A., S.A.A.C., K.S.A. R.A.D.), Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Institute (G.A.H., R.A.D.), and Department of Pathology (C.F.F.), Cleveland Clinic, OH
| | - Kewal Asosingh
- From Department of Pathobiology, Lerner Research Institute (J.W.B., L.T., K.A., S.A.A.C., K.S.A. R.A.D.), Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Institute (G.A.H., R.A.D.), and Department of Pathology (C.F.F.), Cleveland Clinic, OH
| | - Suzy A A Comhair
- From Department of Pathobiology, Lerner Research Institute (J.W.B., L.T., K.A., S.A.A.C., K.S.A. R.A.D.), Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Institute (G.A.H., R.A.D.), and Department of Pathology (C.F.F.), Cleveland Clinic, OH
| | - Kulwant S Aulak
- From Department of Pathobiology, Lerner Research Institute (J.W.B., L.T., K.A., S.A.A.C., K.S.A. R.A.D.), Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Institute (G.A.H., R.A.D.), and Department of Pathology (C.F.F.), Cleveland Clinic, OH
| | - Raed A Dweik
- From Department of Pathobiology, Lerner Research Institute (J.W.B., L.T., K.A., S.A.A.C., K.S.A. R.A.D.), Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Institute (G.A.H., R.A.D.), and Department of Pathology (C.F.F.), Cleveland Clinic, OH.
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