Pattern of placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP) expression in human tumors: a tissue microarray study on 12,381 tumors.

Placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP) is commonly expressed at high levels in testicular germ cell tumors. PLAP immunohistochemistry (IHC) is thus often used to confirm this diagnosis, especially in cases of putative metastasis. However, other tumors can also express PLAP. To comprehensively determine PLAP expression in normal and tumor tissue, a tissue microarray containing 16,166 samples from 131 different tumor types and subtypes as well as 608 samples from 76 different normal tissue types was analyzed by IHC. Moderate to strong PLAP positivity was found in 27 (21%) of 131 different tumor types including seminoma (96%), embryonal carcinoma (85%), and yolk sac tumors of the testis (56%); endometrioid carcinoma of the endometrium (28%) and the ovary (20%); gastric adenocarcinoma (22%); serous carcinoma (not otherwise specified) of the ovary (17%) and the uterus (11%); adenocarcinoma of the ampulla of Vater (15%); carcinosarcoma of the ovary (11%) and the uterus (8%); esophageal adenocarcinoma (10%); invasive urothelial carcinoma (4%); cholangiocarcinoma (2%); and adenocarcinoma of the lung (1%). Low-level PLAP immunostaining, often involving only a small fraction of tumor cells, was seen in 21 additional tumor entities. The clinical significance of PLAP expression may vary between tumor types as high PLAP expression was linked to advanced pathological tumor stage (p = 0.0086), nodal metastasis (p = 0.0085), and lymphatic (p = 0.0007) and blood vessel invasion (p = 0.0222) in colorectal cancer, but to low pathological tumor stage in endometrial cancer (p = 0.0043). In conclusion, our data identify several tumor entities that can show PLAP expression at comparable levels to testicular germ cell tumors. These tumor entities need to be considered in cases of PLAP-positive metastasis. Low-level PLAP expression can be found in various other tumor entities and should generally not be viewed as a strong argument for germ cell neoplasia.

Pathophysiological Roles of Stress-Activated Protein Kinases in Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is one of the most symptomatic progressive fibrotic lung diseases, in which patients have an extremely poor prognosis. Therefore, understanding the precise molecular mechanisms underlying pulmonary fibrosis is necessary for the development of new therapeutic options. Stress-activated protein kinases (SAPKs), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38) are ubiquitously expressed in various types of cells and activated in response to cellular environmental stresses, including inflammatory and apoptotic stimuli. Type II alveolar epithelial cells, fibroblasts, and macrophages are known to participate in the progression of pulmonary fibrosis. SAPKs can control fibrogenesis by regulating the cellular processes and molecular functions in various types of lung cells (including cells of the epithelium, interstitial connective tissue, blood vessels, and hematopoietic and lymphoid tissue), all aspects of which remain to be elucidated. We recently reported that the stepwise elevation of intrinsic p38 signaling in the lungs is correlated with a worsening severity of bleomycin-induced fibrosis, indicating an importance of this pathway in the progression of pulmonary fibrosis. In addition, a transcriptome analysis of RNA-sequencing data from this unique model demonstrated that several lines of mechanisms are involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis, which provides a basis for further studies. Here, we review the accumulating evidence for the spatial and temporal roles of SAPKs in pulmonary fibrosis.

Contribution of Extrahepatic Aldehyde Oxidase Activity to Human Clearance.

Aldehyde oxidase (AOX) is a soluble, cytosolic enzyme that metabolizes various N-heterocyclic compounds and organic aldehydes. It has wide tissue distribution with highest levels found in liver, kidney, and lung. Human clearance projections of AOX substrates by in vitro assessments in isolated liver fractions (cytosol, S9) and even hepatocytes have been largely underpredictive of clinical outcomes. Various hypotheses have been suggested as to why this is the case. One explanation is that extrahepatic AOX expression contributes measurably to AOX clearance and is at least partially responsible for the often observed underpredictions. Although AOX expression has been confirmed in several extrahepatic tissues, activities therein and potential contribution to overall human clearance have not been thoroughly studied. In this work, the AOX enzyme activity using the S9 fractions of select extrahepatic human tissues (kidney, lung, vasculature, and intestine) were measured using carbazeran as a probe substrate. Measured activities were scaled to a whole-body clearance using best-available parameters and compared with liver S9 fractions. Here, the combined scaled AOX clearance obtained from the kidney, lung, vasculature, and intestine is very low and amounted to <1% of liver. This work suggests that AOX metabolism from extrahepatic sources plays little role in the underprediction of activity in human. One of the notable outcomes of this work has been the first direct demonstration of AOX activity in human vasculature. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This work demonstrates aldehyde oxidase (AOX) activity is measurable in a variety of extrahepatic human tissues, including vasculature, yet activities and potential contributions to human clearance are relatively low and insignificant when compared with the liver. Additionally, the modeling of the tissue-specific in vitro kinetic data suggests that AOX may be influenced by the tissue it resides in and thus show different affinity, activity, and modified activity over time.

Possible Mechanism of Human Recombinant Leptin-Induced VEGF A Synthesis via PI3K/Akt/mTOR/S6 Kinase Signaling Pathway while Inducing Angiogenesis: An Analysis Using Chicken Chorioallantoic Membrane Model.

INTRODUCTION: The present study aimed to realize human recombinant leptin 's ability to synthesize VEGF A while inducing neovascularization through PI3K/Akt/mTOR/S6 kinase involved signaling pathway. METHODS: To examine the PI3K/Akt/mTOR/S6 kinase pathway involvement in leptin-induced VEGF A synthesis, the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) was incubated with human recombinant leptin and specific inhibitors of the proposed signaling molecules (rapamycin and wortmannin). We analyzed the role of specified signaling molecules in human recombinant leptin-induced physiological angiogenesis via VEGF A synthesis in detail with the support of various methodologies. RESULTS: Human recombinant leptin's ability to synthesize VEGF A is diminished significantly in the presence of inhibitors. This observation supported the role of PI3K/Akt/mTOR/S6 kinase signaling molecules in human recombinant leptin-mediated VEGF A synthesis while inducing angiogenesis in CAM. CONCLUSION: Synthesis of VEGF A, followed by the growth of new blood vessels, by human recombinant leptin via the activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR/S6 kinase signaling pathway reflects mechanistic therapeutic application of human recombinant leptin. The data also signify the role of mTOR and S6 kinase molecules in angiogenesis under a physiological environment.

Crosstalk of TLR4, vascular NADPH oxidase, and COVID-19 in diabetes: What are the potential implications?

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) contributes to the pathophysiology of diabetes. This happens, at least in part, because TLR4 modulates the enzyme NADPH oxidase, a primary source of ROS in vascular structures. Increased oxidative stress disrupts key vascular signaling mechanisms and drives the progression of diabetes, elevating the likelihood of cardiovascular diseases. Recently, it has been shown that patients with diabetes are also at a higher risk of developing severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Given the importance of the interaction between TLR4 and NADPH oxidase to the disrupted diabetic vascular system, we put forward the hypothesis that TLR4-mediated NADPH oxidase-derived ROS might be a critical mechanism to help explain why this disparity appears in diabetic patients, but unfortunately, conclusive experimental evidence still lacks in the literature. Herein, we focus on discussing the pathological implications of this signaling communication in the diabetic vasculature and exploring this crosstalk in the context of diabetes-associated severe COVID-19.

CircRNA circ_0124554 blocked the ubiquitination of AKT promoting the skip lymphovascular invasion on hepatic metastasis in colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common cancer in men and the third most common cancer in women worldwide. The incidence and mortality of CRC was increasing rapidly in China. Lymph node-negative colorectal cancer patients with synchronous liver metastasis (LNLM1) was defined as "skip" lymph vascular invasion on hepatic metastasis, who presenting poor prognosis. We aiming to investigate the potential mechanism for the "skip" lymph vascular invasion on hepatic metastasis in colorectal cancer. The microarray was applied for screening the transcription landscape of circRNA in lymph node negative CRC patients with synchronous liver metastasis (LNLM1) or without liver metastasis (LNLM0). We identified the aberrant increased circRNA circ_0124554 (also entitled as circ-LNLM) in tumor tissues of LNLM1 patients comparing with either the tumor tissues of LNLM0 or adjacent tissues of LNLM1. Circ-LNLM1 expression was highly correlated with liver metastasis and vascular invasion. Ectopic expression of cytoplasmic located circ-LNLM could promote invasion of CRC cells and induced the liver metastasis in animal models through the direct binding with AKT. The phosphorylation of AKT (T308/S473) was activated due to the blocked ubiquitination site of Lys in 0-52aa peptide of circ-LNLM. Endogenous plasma expression of circ-LNLM induced poor prognosis of LNLM1 and could distinguish LNLM1 patients from LNLM0. In conclusion, the circ-LNLM blocked the ubiquitination of AKT could promote the early metastasis especially for the lymph node-negative colorectal cancer patients with synchronous liver metastasis. The circ-LNLM might be prognosis and diagnosis biomarker for LNLM1 patients.

The Effect of Immunosuppressive Drugs on MMPs Activity in The Walls of Blood Vessels - A Systematic Review.

The current study focuses on the role of MMPs in the pathogenesis of the vascular damage and at the same time it offers the review referring to the influence of the immunosuppressive treatment on this interdependence. Contemporary immunosuppressive treatment constitutes of four groups of medications, such as: calcineurin inhibitors including cyclosporine A and tacrolimus; inhibitors of the inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase - the only agent from this group currently used in transplantation is mycophenalate mofetil (MMF); mTOR inhibitors, consisting of everolimus and glucocorticosteroids. Due to the fact that the properties of immunosuppressive drugs still remain unclear and transplant recipients need to use these medicines every day, knowledge of this should be further expanded. The deceases of the patients with the functioning graft who were diagnosed with the cardiovascular system diseases, constitute 50% of all renal transplant recipients. Immunosuppressive treatment leads to many pathological alterations within the organs and tissues and additionally they undoubtedly affect the activity of MMPs in the wall of the vessels.

ACE2/Ang-(1-7)/Mas1 axis and the vascular system: vasoprotection to COVID-19-associated vascular disease.

The two axes of the renin-angiotensin system include the classical ACE/Ang II/AT1 axis and the counter-regulatory ACE2/Ang-(1-7)/Mas1 axis. ACE2 is a multifunctional monocarboxypeptidase responsible for generating Ang-(1-7) from Ang II. ACE2 is important in the vascular system where it is found in arterial and venous endothelial cells and arterial smooth muscle cells in many vascular beds. Among the best characterized functions of ACE2 is its role in regulating vascular tone. ACE2 through its effector peptide Ang-(1-7) and receptor Mas1 induces vasodilation and attenuates Ang II-induced vasoconstriction. In endothelial cells activation of the ACE2/Ang-(1-7)/Mas1 axis increases production of the vasodilator's nitric oxide and prostacyclin's and in vascular smooth muscle cells it inhibits pro-contractile and pro-inflammatory signaling. Endothelial ACE2 is cleaved by proteases, shed into the circulation and measured as soluble ACE2. Plasma ACE2 activity is increased in cardiovascular disease and may have prognostic significance in disease severity. In addition to its enzymatic function, ACE2 is the receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-coronavirus (CoV) and SARS-Cov-2, which cause SARS and coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) respectively. ACE-2 is thus a double-edged sword: it promotes cardiovascular health while also facilitating the devastations caused by coronaviruses. COVID-19 is associated with cardiovascular disease as a risk factor and as a complication. Mechanisms linking COVID-19 and cardiovascular disease are unclear, but vascular ACE2 may be important. This review focuses on the vascular biology and (patho)physiology of ACE2 in cardiovascular health and disease and briefly discusses the role of vascular ACE2 as a potential mediator of vascular injury in COVID-19.

Activity of Gas Transmitters in Vessels of the Anterior Abdominal Wall after Implantation of a Polypropylene Mesh.

The distribution of NO and H2S in the arterial vessels of the anterior abdominal wall after implantation of a polypropylene mesh was studied by immunohistochemical methods at different stages of healing of the surgical wound in mature male Wistar rats. The presence of enzymes of NO and H2S synthesis in the wall of arterial vessels of the soft tissues of the anterior abdominal wall has been established. It has been shown that endothelial NO synthase is localized exclusively in the endothelium of both large and small vessels. Cystathionine γ lyase in small vessels is located only in the endothelial lining, whereas in large arteries and vessels of medium caliber, it is located in the endothelium and in myocytes. Inducible NO synthase appears in the artery wall only in animals with implanted polypropylene mesh by day 5 of the postoperative period, reaching the maximum by day 10. The content and localization of cystathionine γ lyase in the vascular wall of sham-operated and experimental rats did not much differ from the control values.

Control of vessel diameters mediated by flow-induced outward vascular remodeling in vitro.

Vascular networks consist of hierarchical structures of various diameters and are necessary for efficient blood distribution. Recent advances in vascular tissue engineering and bioprinting have allowed us to construct large vessels, such as arteries, small vessels, such as capillaries and microvessels, and intermediate-scale vessels, such as arterioles, individually. However, little is known about the control of vessel diameters between small vessels and intermediate-scale vessels. Here, we focus on vascular remodeling, which creates lasting structural changes in the vessel wall in response to hemodynamic stimuli, to regulate vessel diameters in vitro. The purpose of this study is to control the vessel diameter at an intermediate scale by inducing outward remodeling of microvessels in vitro. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells and mesenchymal stem cells were cocultured in a microfluidic device to construct microvessels, which were then perfused with a culture medium to induce outward vascular remodeling. We successfully constructed vessels with diameters of 40-150 µm in perfusion culture, whereas vessels with diameters of <20 µm were maintained in static culture. We also revealed that the in vitro vascular remodeling was mediated by NO pathways and MMP-9. These findings provide insight into the regulation of diameters of tissue-engineered blood vessels. This is an important step toward the construction of hierarchical vascular networks within biofabricated three-dimensional systems.

Sex-differences in cholinergic, nicotinic, and ß-adrenergic cutaneous vasodilation: Roles of nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase, and K+ channels.

Previous studies indicate that sex-related differences exist in the regulation of cutaneous vasodilation, however, the mechanisms remain unresolved. We assessed if sex-differences in young adults exist for cholinergic, nicotinic, and ß-adrenergic cutaneous vasodilation with a focus on nitric oxide synthase (NOS), cyclooxygenase (COX), and K+ channel mechanisms. In twelve young men and thirteen young women, four intradermal forearm skin sites were perfused with the following: 1) lactated Ringer's solution (control), 2) 10 mM Nω-nitro-l-arginine, a non-selective NOS inhibitor, 3) 10 mM ketorolac, a non-selective COX inhibitor, or 4) 50 mM BaCl2, a nonspecific K+ channel blocker. At all four sites, cutaneous vasodilation was induced by 1) 10 mM nicotine, a nicotinic receptor agonist, 2) 100 µM isoproterenol, a nonselective ß-adrenergic receptor agonist, and 3) 2 mM and 2000 mM acetylcholine, an acetylcholine receptor agonist. Nicotine and isoproterenol were administered for 3 min, whereas each acetylcholine dose was administered for 25 min. Regardless of treatment site, cutaneous vasodilation in response to nicotine and a high dose of acetylcholine (2000 mM) were lower in women than men. By contrast, isoproterenol induced cutaneous vasodilation was greater in women vs. men. Irrespective of sex, NOS inhibition or K+ channel blockade attenuated isoproterenol-mediated cutaneous vasodilation, whereas K+ channel blockade decreased nicotine-induced cutaneous vasodilation. Taken together, our findings indicate that while the mechanisms underlying cutaneous vasodilation are comparable between young men and women, sex-related differences in the magnitude of cutaneous vasodilation do exist and this response differs as a function of the receptor agonist.

Beneficial Effect of a Multistrain Synbiotic Prodefen® Plus on the Systemic and Vascular Alterations Associated with Metabolic Syndrome in Rats: The Role of the Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase and Protein Kinase A.

A high fat diet (HFD) intake is crucial for the development and progression of metabolic syndrome (MtS). Increasing evidence links gut dysbiosis with the metabolic and vascular alterations associated with MtS. Here we studied the use of a combination of various probiotic strains together with a prebiotic (synbiotic) in a commercially available Prodefen® Plus. MtS was induced by HFD (45%) in male Wistar rats. Half of the MtS animals received Prodefen® Plus for 4 weeks. At 12 weeks, we observed an increase in body weight, together with the presence of insulin resistance, liver steatosis, hypertriglyceridemia and hypertension in MtS rats. Prodefen® Plus supplementation did not affect the body weight gain but ameliorated all the MtS-related symptoms. Moreover, the hypertension induced by HFD is caused by a diminished both nitric oxide (NO) functional role and release probably due to a diminished neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) activation by protein kinase A (PKA) pathway. Prodefen® Plus supplementation for 4 weeks recovered the NO function and release and the systolic blood pressure was returned to normotensive values as a result. Overall, supplementation with Prodefen® Plus could be considered an interesting non-pharmacological approach in MtS.

The Role of Deubiquitinases in Vascular Diseases.

Deubiquitinases (DUBs) are a major component of the ubiquitin-proteasome system in eukaryotic cells; the system plays a crucial role in many biological processes, such as inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell apoptosis, which are important in vascular biology and pathology. DUBs have drawn significant attention in recent years, and their function is increasingly linked with vascular diseases. In this review, we summarize the indirect and direct evidence for the effects of DUBs on atherosclerosis, abdominal aortic aneurysm, angiogenesis, and hypertension, and point out pathways that could be pursued for investigating DUBs. Intervention in the function of DUBs in vascular diseases has potential therapeutic value.

Variability in gelatinase expression in the walls of vessels used as aortocoronary conduits may impact long-term graft patency.

BACKGROUND: An imbalance between the activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), particularly gelatinases, and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) is considered as one of the mechanisms leading to aortocoronary graft failure. AIM: We aimed to assess the variability in gelatinase expression in the walls of aortocoronary conduits and to evaluate its impact on coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) outcomes. METHODS: The study included 101 consecutive patients (61 men and 40 women) who underwent CABG. An immunohisto-chemical analysis of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 expression was performed on the cross-sections of the internal thoracic artery (ITA), radial artery (RA), and saphenous vein (SV). The histological findings were compared between patients with SV graft disease (SVGD[+] group) and those without occlusions in the SV (SVGD[-] group). RESULTS: The median MMP and TIMP expression was the weakest in the ITA wall. MMP expression was comparable between the RA and SV cross-sections, whereas TIMP expression was stronger in the RA than in the SV wall (p < 0.05). In most SV segments, but not in the arteries, immunostaining intensity for MMP was comparable to or stronger than for TIMPs. In the veins harvested from the SVGD(+) group, MMP-2 and MMP-9 tissue expression was more pronounced than in the SVGD(-) group. TIMP levels were comparable between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Imbalance in the metalloproteinase-to-inhibitor tissue expression in the vessel wall might predispose to graft failure. A stronger expression of TIMPs than MMPs in the arterial grafts might explain favourable long-term outcomes.

FEATURES OF NITRIC OXIDE METABOLISM AND RISK OF DEVELOPING ENDOTHELIAL DYSFUNCTION IN CHILDREN WITH e-NOS GENE 4a/4b POLYMORPHISM UNDER LONG-TERM ENTERING 137Cs TO BODY. / OSOBLYVOSTI METABOLIZMU OKSYDU AZOTU TA RYZYK ROZVYTKU ENDOTELIAL'NOÏ DYSFUNKTsIÏ U DITEI Z 4a/4b POLIMORFIZMOM GENA eNOS PRY TRYVALOMU NADKhODZhENNI 137Cs DO ORGANIZMU.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the features of the nitrogen oxide metabolism and risk of developing endothelial dysfunc-tion in children with e-NOS 4a/4b gene polymorphism, who live under prolonged enter 137Cs to the body. MATERIALS AND METHODS: There were examined 117 children-residents of radioactively contaminated territories and50 children of control group. The level of stable metabolites was defined in blood serum (NO2- and NO3-). The ther-mographic method was used to register the endothelium dependent reaction of the vascular bed to changes in theblood supply. The ventilation capacity of the lungs was evaluated using this method of pneumotachography.Polymorphism in intron 4 of the gene e-NOS was studied by the method of polymerase chain reaction. The contentof 137Cs in the body of children was determined using a human radiation counter Skrynner M-3. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: In children-residents of radioactively contaminated territories with genotype 4a/4b com-paring to children who had genotype 4b/4b, the decrease in the nitric content of in the blood serum, the increase inthe thermographic index of the recovery period of blood circulation to the baseline level after occlusion test werenoted, that is indicative of the decreased NO-synthase active of vascular endothelium in the carriers of the minorallele a in the 4th intron of gene eNOS (genotype 4a/4b), and is a risk factor for development of endothelial dysfunc-tion. It was proved a decrease in the index of lung tissue elasticity and stretchability - FVC / NFVC of the lungs com-paring to children with genotype 4b/4b, there was a reduction of integral index of respiratory tract permeability -FEV1/NFEV1. The inverse correlation dependence between the presence of allele a in the genotype and the values ofFVC/NFVC of the lungs (r = -0.259; p <0.05) and FEV1/NFEV1 (r = -0.2267; p <0.05) was found. Signs of bron-chospasm were found in the carriers of the allele a in 1.5 times more often than in children-carriers of homozy-gotes from allele b.

Resveratrol Mitigates High-Fat Diet-Induced Vascular Dysfunction by Activating the Akt/eNOS/NO and Sirt1/ER Pathway.

We investigated whether resveratrol (RSV) can attenuate obesity and diabetes progression and improve diabetes-induced vascular dysfunction, and we attempted to delineate its underlying mechanisms. Male C57Bl/6 mice were administered a high-fat diet (HFD) for 17 weeks. Mice developed type 2 diabetes with increased body weight, hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and hyperlipidemia. Oral gavage with RSV significantly reversed the symptoms induced by the HFD. Insulin sensitivity likewise improved after the RSV intervention in these mice. Phenylephrine-induced cremaster arteriolar constriction was impaired, whereas RSV treatment significantly mitigated the vessel responsiveness to phenylephrine. The obese diabetic mice exhibited increased leukocyte rolling, adhesion, and transmigration in the postcapillary venules of the cremaster muscle. By contrast, RSV treatment significantly attenuated HFD-induced extravasation. RSV significantly recovered phosphorylated Akt and eNOS expression in the thoracic aorta. In addition, activated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase in the thoracic aorta was involved in the improvement of epithelial function after RSV intervention. RSV considerably upregulated the plasma NO level in HFD mice. Moreover, RSV-enhanced human umbilical vein endothelial cells healing through Sirt1/ER pathway may be involved in the prevention of leukocyte extravasation. Collectively, RSV attenuates diabetes-induced vascular dysfunction by activating Akt/eNOS/NO and Sirt1/ER pathway. Our mechanistic study provides a potential RSV-based therapeutic strategy against cardiovascular disease.

Temporal and Spatial Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Zebrafish tie1 mRNA by Long Noncoding RNA During Brain Vascular Assembly.

OBJECTIVE: Tie1 (tyrosine kinase containing immunoglobulin and epidermal growth factor homology 1), an endothelial and hematopoietic cell-specific receptor tyrosine kinase, is an important regulator of angiogenesis and critical for maintaining vascular integrity. The post-transcriptional regulation of tie1 mRNA expression is not understood, but it might partly explain Tie1's differential expression pattern in endothelium. Following up on our previous work that identified natural antisense transcripts from the tie1 locus-tie1 antisense (tie1AS), which regulates tie1 mRNA levels in zebrafish-we attempted to identify the mechanism of this regulation. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Through in vitro and in vivo ribonucleoprotein binding studies, we demonstrated that tie1AS long noncoding RNA interacts with an RNA binding protein-embryonic lethal and abnormal vision Drosophila-like 1 (Elavl1)-that regulates tie1 mRNA levels. When we disrupted the interaction between tie1AS and Elavl1 by using constitutively active antisense morpholino oligonucleotides or photoactivatable morpholino oligonucleotides, tie1 mRNA levels increased between 26 and 31 hours post-fertilization, particularly in the head. This increase correlated with dilation of primordial midbrain channels, smaller eyes, and reduced ventricular space. We also observed these phenotypes when we used CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)-mediated CRISPRi (CRISPR-mediated interference) to knock down tie1AS. Treatment of the morpholino oligonucleotide-injected embryos with a small molecule that decreased tie1 mRNA levels rescued all 3 abnormal phenotypes. CONCLUSIONS: We identified a novel mode of temporal and spatial post-transcriptional regulation of tie1 mRNA. It involves long noncoding RNA, tie1AS, and Elavl1 (an interactor of tie1AS).

Essentiality of Regulator of G Protein Signaling 6 and Oxidized Ca2+/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase II in Notch Signaling and Cardiovascular Development.

BACKGROUND: Congenital heart defects are the most common birth defects worldwide. Although defective Notch signaling is the major cause of mouse embryonic death from cardiovascular defects, how Notch signaling is regulated during embryonic vasculogenesis and heart development is poorly understood. METHODS AND RESULTS: Regulator of G protein signaling 6 (RGS6)-/-/Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII)VV double mutant mice were developed by crossing RGS6-/- mice with mice expressing an oxidation-resistant CaMKIIδ (CaMKIIVV), and the resulting embryonic defects/lethality were investigated using E7.5 to E15.5 embryos. While loss of either RGS6 or oxidized CaMKIIδ does not alter embryogenesis, their combined loss causes defective Notch signaling, severe cardiovascular defects, and embryonic lethality (≈E10.5-11.5). Embryos lacking RGS6 and expressing oxidation-resistant CaMKIIδ exhibit reduced myocardial wall thickness, abnormal trabeculation, and arterial specification defects. Double mutants show vascular remodeling defects, including reduced neurovascularization, delayed neural tube maturation, and small dorsal aortae. These striking cardiovascular defects were accompanied by placental and yolk sac defects in angiogenesis, hematopoiesis, and vascular remodeling similar to what is seen with defective Notch1 signaling. Double mutant hearts, embryos, and yolk sacs exhibit profound downregulation of Notch1, Jagged 1, and Notch downstream target genes Hey1, Hey2, and Hey1L as well as impaired Notch1 signaling in embryos/hearts. CONCLUSIONS: RGS6 and oxidized CaMKIIδ together function as novel critical upstream modulators of Notch signaling required for normal cardiovascular development and embryo survival. Their combined need indicates that they function in parallel pathways needed for Notch1 signaling in yolk sac, placenta and embryos. Thus, dysregulated embryonic RGS6 expression and oxidative activation of CaMKII may potentially contribute to congenital heart defects.

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitors as novel regulators of vascular disease.

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) has been revealed as an adipokine with potential relevance in cardiovascular disease (CVD), while clinically used DPP-IV inhibitors have demonstrated beneficial cardiovascular effects in several experimental studies. Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) is a unique adipose tissue depot in close anatomical proximity and bidirectional functional interaction with the vascular wall, which is a source of DPP-IV and its biology may be influenced by DPP-IV inhibition. Recently, DPP-IV inhibition has been associated with decreased local inflammation and oxidative stress both in the vascular wall and the PVAT, potentially regulating atherogenesis progression in vivo. DPP-IV inhibition may thus be a promising target in cardiovascular disease. However, the exact pleiotropic mechanisms that underlie the cardiovascular effects of DPP-IV inhibition need to be clarified, while the in vivo benefit of DPP-IV inhibition in humans remains unclear.

Tumor vessel normalization by the PI3K inhibitor HS-173 enhances drug delivery.

Tumor vessels are leaky and immature, which causes poor oxygen and nutrient supply to tumor vessels and results in cancer cell metastasis to distant organs. This instability of tumor blood vessels also makes it difficult for anticancer drugs to penetrate and reach tumors. Numerous tumor vessel normalization approaches have been investigated for improving drug delivery into tumors. In this study, we investigated whether phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors are able to improve vascular structure and function over the prolonged period necessary to achieve effective vessel normalization. The PI3K inhibitors, HS-173 and BEZ235 potently suppressed tumor growth and hypoxia, and increased tumor apoptosis in animal models. PI3K inhibitors also induced a regular, flat monolayer of endothelial cells (ECs) in vessels, improving stability of vessel structure, and normalized tumor vessels by increasing vascular maturity, pericyte coverage, basement membrane thickness, and tight-junctions. These effects resulted in a decrease in tumor vessel tortuosity and vessel thinning, and improved vessel function and blood flow. The tumor vessel stabilization effect of the PI3K inhibitor HS-173 also decreased the number of metastatic lung nodules in vivo metastasis model. Furthermore, HS-173 improved the delivery of doxorubicin into the tumor region, enhancing its anticancer effects. Mechanistic studies suggested that PI3K inhibitor HS-173-induced vessel normalization reflected changes in endothelial Notch signaling. Taken together, our findings indicate that vessel normalization by PI3K inhibitors restrained tumor growth and metastasis while improving chemotherapy by enhancing drug delivery into the tumor, suggesting that HS-173 may have a therapeutic value as an enhancer or an anticancer drug.