Tumor necrosis factor stimulates fibroblast growth factor 23 levels in chronic kidney disease and non-renal inflammation

Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) regulates phosphate homeostasis, and its early rise in patients with chronic kidney disease is independently associated with all-cause mortality. Since inflammation is characteristic of chronic kidney disease and associates with increased plasma FGF23 we examined whether inflammation directly stimulates FGF23. In a population-based cohort, plasma tumor necrosis factor (TNF) was the only inflammatory cytokine that independently and positively correlated with plasma FGF23. Mouse models of chronic kidney disease showed signs of renal inflammation, renal FGF23 expression and elevated systemic FGF23 levels. Renal FGF23 expression coincided with expression of the orphan nuclear receptor Nurr1 regulating FGF23 in other organs. Antibody-mediated neutralization of TNF normalized plasma FGF23 and suppressed ectopic renal Fgf23 expression. Conversely, TNF administration to control mice increased plasma FGF23 without altering plasma phosphate. Moreover, in Il10-deficient mice with inflammatory bowel disease and normal kidney function, plasma FGF23 was elevated and normalized upon TNF neutralization. Thus, the inflammatory cytokine TNF contributes to elevated systemic FGF23 levels and also triggers ectopic renal Fgf23 expression in animal models of chronic kidney disease.

Synergistic protein secretion by mesenchymal stromal cells seeded in 3D scaffolds and circulating leukocytes in physiological flow

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) play an important role in natural wound healing via paracrine and juxtacrine signaling to immune cells. The aim of this study was to identify the signaling factors secreted by preseeded cells in a biomaterial and their interaction with circulating leukocytes, in the presence of physiological biomechanical stimuli exerted by the hemodynamic environment (i.e. strain and shear flow). Electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone)-based scaffolds were seeded with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) or MSC. Protein secretion was analyzed under static conditions and cyclic strain. Subsequently, the cross-talk between preseeded cells and circulating leukocytes was addressed by exposing the scaffolds to a suspension of PBMC in static transwells and in pulsatile flow. Our results revealed that PBMC exposed to the scaffold consistently secreted a cocktail of immunomodulatory proteins under all conditions tested. Preseeded MSC, on the other hand, secreted the trophic factors MCP-1, VEGF and bFGF. Furthermore, we observed a synergistic upregulation of CXCL12 gene expression and a synergistic increase in bFGF protein production by preseeded MSC exposed to PBMC in pulsatile flow. These findings identify CXCL12 and bFGF as valuable targets for the development of safe and effective acellular instructive grafts for application in in situ cardiovascular regenerative therapies.

Shear flow affects selective monocyte recruitment into MCP-1-loaded scaffolds

Novel cardiovascular replacements are being developed by using degradable synthetic scaffolds, which function as a temporary guide to induce neotissue formation directly in situ. Priming of such scaffolds with fast-releasing monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) was shown to improve the formation of functional neoarteries in rats. However, the underlying mechanism has not been clarified. Therefore, the goal of this study was to investigate the effect of a burst-release of MCP-1 from a synthetic scaffold on the local recruitment of circulating leucocytes under haemodynamic conditions. Herein, we hypothesized that MCP-1 initiates a desired healing cascade by recruiting favourable monocyte subpopulations into the implanted scaffold. Electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) scaffolds were loaded with fibrin gel containing various doses of MCP-1 and exposed to a suspension of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in static or dynamic conditions. In standard migration assay, a dose-dependent migration of specific CD14⁺ monocyte subsets was observed, as measured by flow cytometry. In conditions of pulsatile flow, on the other hand, a marked increase in immediate monocyte recruitment was observed, but without evident selectivity in monocyte subsets. This suggests that the selectivity was dependent on the release kinetics of the MCP-1, as it was overruled by the effect of shear stress after the initial burst-release. Furthermore, these findings demonstrate that local recruitment of specific MCP-1-responsive monocytes is not the fundamental principle behind the improved neotissue formation observed in long-term in vivo studies, and mobilization of MCP-1-responsive cells from the bone marrow into the bloodstream is suggested to play a predominant role in vivo.