TLR2 regulates hair follicle cycle and regeneration via BMP signaling.

The etiology of hair loss remains enigmatic, and current remedies remain inadequate. Transcriptome analysis of aging hair follicles uncovered changes in immune pathways, including Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Our findings demonstrate that the maintenance of hair follicle homeostasis and the regeneration capacity after damage depend on TLR2 in hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs). In healthy hair follicles, TLR2 is expressed in a cycle-dependent manner and governs HFSCs activation by countering inhibitory BMP signaling. Hair follicles in aging and obesity exhibit a decrease in both TLR2 and its endogenous ligand carboxyethylpyrrole (CEP), a metabolite of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Administration of CEP stimulates hair regeneration through a TLR2-dependent mechanism. These results establish a novel connection between TLR2-mediated innate immunity and HFSC activation, which is pivotal to hair follicle health and the prevention of hair loss and provide new avenues for therapeutic intervention.

TLR2 Regulates Hair Follicle Cycle and Regeneration via BMP Signaling.

The etiology of hair loss remains enigmatic, and current remedies remain inadequate. Transcriptome analysis of aging hair follicles uncovered changes in immune pathways, including Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Our findings demonstrate that the maintenance of hair follicle homeostasis and the regeneration capacity after damage depends on TLR2 in hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs). In healthy hair follicles, TLR2 is expressed in a cycle-dependent manner and governs HFSCs activation by countering inhibitory BMP signaling. Hair follicles in aging and obesity exhibit a decrease in both TLR2 and its endogenous ligand carboxyethylpyrrole (CEP), a metabolite of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Administration of CEP stimulates hair regeneration through a TLR2-dependent mechanism. These results establish a novel connection between TLR2-mediated innate immunity and HFSC activation, which is pivotal to hair follicle health and the prevention of hair loss and provide new avenues for therapeutic intervention.

Inflammation-dependent oxidative stress metabolites as a hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, with poor prognosis and no cure. Substantial evidence implicates inflammation and associated oxidative stress as a potential mechanism for ALS, especially in patients carrying the SOD1 mutation and, therefore, lacking anti-oxidant defense. The brain is particularly vulnerable to oxidation due to the abundance of polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which can give rise to several oxidized metabolites. Accumulation of a DHA peroxidation product, CarboxyEthylPyrrole (CEP) is dependent on activated inflammatory cells and myeloperoxidase (MPO), and thus marks areas of inflammation-associated oxidative stress. At the same time, generation of an alternative inactive DHA peroxidation product, ethylpyrrole, does not require cell activation and MPO activity. While absent in normal brain tissues, CEP is accumulated in the central nervous system (CNS) of ALS patients, reaching particularly high levels in individuals carrying a SOD1 mutation. ALS brains are characterized by high levels of MPO and lowered anti-oxidant activity (due to the SOD1 mutation), thereby aiding CEP generation and accumulation. Due to DHA oxidation within the membranes, CEP marks cells with the highest oxidative damage. In all ALS cases CEP is present in nearly all astrocytes and microglia, however, only in individuals carrying a SOD1 mutation CEP marks >90% of neurons, thereby emphasizing an importance of CEP accumulation as a potential hallmark of oxidative damage in neurodegenerative diseases.

Oxidative modifications of extracellular matrix promote the second wave of inflammation via ß2 integrins.

Early stages of inflammation are characterized by extensive oxidative insult by recruited and activated neutrophils. Secretion of peroxidases, including the main enzyme, myeloperoxidase, leads to the generation of reactive oxygen species. We show that this oxidative insult leads to polyunsaturated fatty acid (eg, docosahexaenoate), oxidation, and accumulation of its product 2-(ω-carboxyethyl)pyrrole (CEP), which, in turn, is capable of protein modifications. In vivo CEP is generated predominantly at the inflammatory sites in macrophage-rich areas. During thioglycollate-induced inflammation, neutralization of CEP adducts dramatically reduced macrophage accumulation in the inflamed peritoneal cavity while exhibiting no effect on the early recruitment of neutrophils, suggesting a role in the second wave of inflammation. CEP modifications were abundantly deposited along the path of neutrophils migrating through the 3-dimensional fibrin matrix in vitro. Neutrophil-mediated CEP formation was markedly inhibited by the myeloperoxidase inhibitor, 4-ABH, and significantly reduced in myeloperoxidase-deficient mice. On macrophages, CEP adducts were recognized by cell adhesion receptors, integrin αMß2 and αDß2 Macrophage migration through CEP-fibrin gel was dramatically augmented when compared with fibrin alone, and was reduced by ß2-integrin deficiency. Thus, neutrophil-mediated oxidation of abundant polyunsaturated fatty acids leads to the transformation of existing proteins into stronger adhesive ligands for αMß2- and αDß2-dependent macrophage migration. The presence of a carboxyl group rather than a pyrrole moiety on these adducts, resembling characteristics of bacterial and/or immobilized ligands, is critical for recognition by macrophages. Therefore, specific oxidation-dependent modification of extracellular matrix, aided by neutrophils, promotes subsequent αMß2- and αDß2-mediated migration/retention of macrophages during inflammation.

Bioactive 4-Oxoheptanedioic Monoamide Derivatives of Proteins and Ethanolaminephospholipids: Products of Docosahexaenoate Oxidation.

Oxidative stress causes lipid-derived oxidative modification of biomolecules that has been implicated in many pathological states. Phospholipids containing polyunsaturated fatty acids are major targets of free radical-initiated oxidation. Phospholipids that incorporate docosahexaenoate (DHA) are highly enriched in important neural structures including the brain and retina, where DHA comprises 40% and 60% of total fatty acids, respectively. Oxidative fragmentation of 2-docosahexaenoyl-1-palmityl-sn-glycerophosphocholine generates esters of 4-hydroxy-7-oxohept-5-enoic acid (HOHA) and 4-keto-7-oxohept-5-enoic acid (KOHA) with 2-lysophosphatidylcholine, HOHA-PC, and KOHA-PC. Covalent HOHA adducts that incorporate the primary amino groups of proteins and ethanolamine phospholipids in carboxyethylpyrrole (CEP) derivatives were detected immunologically with anti-CEP antibodies in human tumors, retina, and blood. Now, we generated an anti-OHdiA antibody to test the hypothesis that KOHA adducts, which incorporate the primary amino groups of proteins or ethanolamine phospholipids in 4-oxo-heptanedioic (OHdiA) monoamide derivatives, are present in vivo. However, whereas the anti-CEP antibody is highly specific and does not cross-react with the OHdiA monoamide epitope, the anti-OHdiA monoamide antibody cross-reacted with CEP epitopes making it of little value as an analytical tool for OHdiA monoamides but suggesting the possibility that OHdiA monoamides would exhibit receptor-mediated biological activity similar to that of CEP. An LC-MS/MS method was developed that allows quantification of OHdiA derivatives in biological samples. We now find that KOHA-PC forms OHdiA monoamide adducts of proteins and ethanolamine phospholipids and that OHdiA-protein levels are significantly higher than OHdiA-ethanloamine phospholipid levels in blood from healthy human subjects, 0.45 µM and 0.18 µM, respectively (n = 3, and p = 0.027). OHdiA monoamide epitopes are angiogenic, causing TLR2-dependent adhesion and tube formation by human umbilical vein endothelial cells. OHdiA monoamide epitopes are only slightly less potent than CEP epitopes that contribute to the pathological angiogenesis of age-related macular degeneration and tumor growth.

Stability and function of adult vasculature is sustained by Akt/Jagged1 signalling axis in endothelium.

The signalling pathways operational in quiescent, post-development vasculature remain enigmatic. Here we show that unlike neovascularization, endothelial Akt signalling in established vasculature is crucial not for endothelial cell (EC) survival, but for sustained interactions with pericytes and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) regulating vascular stability and function. Inducible endothelial-specific Akt1 deletion in adult global Akt2KO mice triggers progressive VSMC apoptosis. In hearts, this causes a loss of arteries and arterioles and, despite a high capillary density, diminished vascular patency and severe cardiac dysfunction. Similarly, endothelial Akt deletion induces retinal VSMC loss and basement membrane deterioration resulting in vascular regression and retinal atrophy. Mechanistically, the Akt/mTOR axis controls endothelial Jagged1 expression and, thereby, Notch signalling regulating VSMC maintenance. Jagged1 peptide treatment of Akt1ΔEC;Akt2KO mice and Jagged1 re-expression in Akt-deficient endothelium restores VSMC coverage. Thus, sustained endothelial Akt1/2 signalling is critical in maintaining vascular stability and homeostasis, thereby preserving tissue and organ function.

Receptor-Mediated Mechanism Controlling Tissue Levels of Bioactive Lipid Oxidation Products.

RATIONALE: Oxidative stress is an important contributing factor in several human pathologies ranging from atherosclerosis to cancer progression; however, the mechanisms underlying tissue protection from oxidation products are poorly understood. Oxidation of membrane phospholipids, containing the polyunsaturated fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid, results in the accumulation of an end product, 2-(ω-carboxyethyl)pyrrole (CEP), which was shown to have proangiogenic and proinflammatory functions. Although CEP is continuously accumulated during chronic processes, such as tumor progression and atherosclerosis, its level during wound healing return to normal when the wound is healed, suggesting the existence of a specific clearance mechanism. OBJECTIVE: To identify the cellular and molecular mechanism for CEP clearance. METHODS AND RESULTS: Here, we show that macrophages are able to bind, scavenge, and metabolize carboxyethylpyrrole derivatives of proteins but not structurally similar ethylpyrrole derivatives, demonstrating the high specificity of the process. F4/80(hi) and M2-skewed macrophages are much more efficient at CEP binding and scavenging compared with F4/80(lo) and M1-skewed macrophages. Depletion of macrophages leads to increased CEP accumulation in vivo. CEP binding and clearance are dependent on 2 receptors expressed by macrophages, CD36 and toll-like receptor 2. Although knockout of each individual receptor results in diminished CEP clearance, the lack of both receptors almost completely abrogates macrophages' ability to scavenge CEP derivatives of proteins. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates the mechanisms of recognition, scavenging, and clearance of pathophysiologically active products of lipid oxidation in vivo, thereby contributing to tissue protection against products of oxidative stress.

CD117⁺ cells in the circulation are predictive of advanced prostate cancer.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are associated with cancer progression, aggressiveness and metastasis. However, the frequency and predictive value of CTCs in patients remains unknown. If circulating cells are involved in tumor aggressiveness and metastasis, then cell levels should decline upon tumor removal in localized cancer patients, but remain high in metastatic patients. Accordingly, proposed biomarkers CD117/c-kit, CD133, CXCR4/CD184, and CD34-positive cell percentages in the blood of patients undergoing radical prostatectomy for localized cancer were assessed by flow cytometry prior to intervention and 1-3 months postoperatively. Only circulating CD117⁺ cell percentages decreased after radical prostatectomy, increased with cancer progression and correlated with high PSA values. Notably, postoperative CD117⁺ levels did not decrease in patients experiencing biochemical recurrence. In a xenograft model, CD117-enriched tumors were more vascularized and aggressive. Thus, CD117 expression on CTCs promotes tumor progression and could be a biomarker for prostate cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and/or response to therapy.

Detection and biological activities of carboxyethylpyrrole ethanolamine phospholipids (CEP-EPs).

Oxidation of docosahexaenoate phospholipids produces 4-hydroxy-7-oxo-hept-5-eonyl phospholipids (HOHA-PLs) that react with protein lysyl ε-amino residues to generate 2-ω-carboxyethylpyrrole (CEP) derivatives, endogenous factors that induce angiogenesis in the retina and tumors. It seemed likely, but remained unproven, that HOHA-PLs react with ethanolamine phospholipids (EPs) in vivo to generate CEP-EPs. We now show that CEP-EPs are present in human blood at 4.6-fold higher levels in age-related macular degeneration plasma than in normal plasma. We also show that CEP-EPs are pro-angiogenic, inducing tube formation by human umbilical vein endothelial cells by activating Toll-like receptor 2. CEP-EP levels may be a useful biomarker for clinical assessment of AMD risk and CEP-associated tumor progression and a tool for monitoring the efficacy of therapeutic interventions.

Interference with akt signaling protects against myocardial infarction and death by limiting the consequences of oxidative stress.

The intricacy of multiple feedback loops in the pathways downstream of Akt allows this kinase to control multiple cellular processes in the cardiovascular system and precludes inferring consequences of its activation in specific pathological conditions. Akt1, the major Akt isoform in the heart and vasculature, has a protective role in the endothelium during atherosclerosis. However, Akt1 activation may also have detrimental consequences in the cardiovascular system. Mice lacking both the high-density lipoprotein receptor SR-BI (scavenger receptor class B type I) and ApoE (apolipoprotein E), which promotes clearance of remnant lipoproteins, are a model of severe dyslipidemia and spontaneous myocardial infarction. We found that Akt1 was activated in these mice, and this activation correlated with cardiac dysfunction, hypertrophy, and fibrosis; increased infarct area; cholesterol accumulation in macrophages and atherosclerosis; and reduced life span. Akt1 activation was associated with inflammation, oxidative stress, accumulation of oxidized lipids, and increased abundance of CD36, a major sensor of oxidative stress, and these events created a positive feedback loop that exacerbated the consequences of oxidative stress. Genetic deletion of Akt1 in this mouse model resulted in decreased mortality, alleviation of multiple complications of heart disease, and reduced occurrence of spontaneous myocardial infarction. Thus, interference with Akt1 signaling in vivo could be protective and improve survival under dyslipidemic conditions by reducing oxidative stress and responses to oxidized lipids.

Inflammation and oxidative stress in angiogenesis and vascular disease.

Recent evidence suggests that processes of inflammation and angiogenesis are interconnected, especially in human pathologies. Newly formed blood vessels enable the continuous recruitment of inflammatory cells, which release a variety of proangiogenic cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors and further promote angiogenesis. These series of positive feedback loops ultimately create a vicious cycle that exacerbates inflammation, transforming it into the chronic process. Recently, this concept of reciprocity of angiogenesis and inflammation has been expanded to include oxidative stress as a novel mechanistic connection between inflammation-driven oxidation and neovascularization. Production of reactive oxygen species results from activation of immune cells by proinflammatory stimuli. As oxidative stress can lead to chronic inflammation by activating a variety of transcription factors including NF-κB, AP-1, and PPAR-γ, inflammation itself has a reciprocal relationship with oxidative stress. This review discusses the recent findings in the area bridging neovascularization and oxidation and highlights novel mechanisms of inflammation- and oxidative stress-driven angiogenesis.

Engagement of platelet toll-like receptor 9 by novel endogenous ligands promotes platelet hyperreactivity and thrombosis.

RATIONALE: A prothrombotic state and increased platelet reactivity are common in pathophysiological conditions associated with oxidative stress and infections. Such conditions are associated with an appearance of altered-self ligands in circulation that can be recognized by Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Platelets express a number of TLRs, including TLR9; however, the role of TLR in platelet function and thrombosis is poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the biological activities of carboxy(alkylpyrrole) protein adducts, an altered-self ligand generated in oxidative stress, on platelet function and thrombosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study we show that carboxy(alkylpyrrole) protein adducts represent novel unconventional ligands for TLR9. Furthermore, using human and murine platelets, we demonstrate that carboxy(alkylpyrrole) protein adducts promote platelet activation, granule secretion, and aggregation in vitro and thrombosis in vivo via the TLR9/MyD88 pathway. Platelet activation by TLR9 ligands induces IRAK1 and AKT phosphorylation, and it is Src kinase-dependent. Physiological platelet agonists act synergistically with TLR9 ligands by inducing TLR9 expression on the platelet surface. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that platelet TLR9 is a functional platelet receptor that links oxidative stress, innate immunity, and thrombosis.

Regulation of cell adhesion and migration by Kindlin-3 cleavage by calpain.

Integrin activation on hematopoietic cells is essential for platelet aggregation, leukocyte adhesion, and transmigration through endothelium and extracellular matrix into inflamed tissues. To migrate through matrix, leukocyte integrin adhesion complexes undergo dynamic changes. Here we show that Kindlin-3, a main activator and binding partner of integrins in hematopoietic cells, can be cleaved by calpain in an activation-dependent manner. This calpain-mediated cleavage occurs in platelets and leukocytes as well as in endothelial cells. We determined the calpain I cleavage site in Kindlin-3 at tyrosine 373 in the N-terminal part of Kindlin-3 pleckstrin homology domain. Expression of the calpain-resistant Y373N mutant of Kindlin-3 promotes stronger cell adhesion to extracellular matrix under flow as well as to activated endothelium. In contrast, Y373N mutation in Kindlin-3 hinders cell migration. Mechanistically, calpain-resistant Y373N mutant of Kindlin-3 exhibited an activation-independent association with ß integrin cytoplasm domain. Thus, cleavage of Kindlin-3 by calpain controls the dynamics of integrin-Kindlin-3 interaction and as a result, integrin-dependent adhesion and migration of hematopoietic cells. This represents a novel mechanism regulating reversibility of integrin adhesion complexes in leukocytes, which, in turn, is critical for their successful transmigration through the extracellular matrix.

Integrin ß3 crosstalk with VEGFR accommodating tyrosine phosphorylation as a regulatory switch.

Integrins mediate cell adhesion, migration, and survival by connecting intracellular machinery with the surrounding extracellular matrix. Previous studies demonstrated the importance of the interaction between ß(3) integrin and VEGF type 2 receptor (VEGFR2) in VEGF-induced angiogenesis. Here we present in vitro evidence of the direct association between the cytoplasmic tails (CTs) of ß(3) and VEGFR2. Specifically, the membrane-proximal motif around (801)YLSI in VEGFR2 mediates its binding to non-phosphorylated ß(3)CT, accommodating an α-helical turn in integrin bound conformation. We also show that Y(747) phosphorylation of ß(3) enhances the above interaction. To demonstrate the importance of ß(3) phosphorylation in endothelial cell functions, we synthesized ß(3)CT-mimicking Y(747) phosphorylated and unphosphorylated membrane permeable peptides. We show that a peptide containing phospho-Y(747) but not F(747) significantly inhibits VEGF-induced signaling and angiogenesis. Moreover, phospho-Y(747) peptide exhibits inhibitory effect only in WT but not in ß(3) integrin knock-out or ß(3) integrin knock-in cells expressing ß(3) with two tyrosines substituted for phenylalanines, demonstrating its specificity. Importantly, these peptides have no effect on fibroblast growth factor receptor signaling. Collectively these data provide novel mechanistic insights into phosphorylation dependent cross-talk between integrin and VEGFR2.

Oxidation as "the stress of life".

Multiple biological consequences of oxidative stress are known to contribute to aging and aging-related pathologies. It was recently shown that (carboxyalkyl)pyrroles (CAPs), the end products of phospholipid oxidation serve as a novel class of endogenous ligands for Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and promote the process of angiogenesis. In this review, we discuss implications of these findings in the context of age-related pathologies, including tumorigenesis. Accumulation of oxidation products in tissues of aging organisms might create conditions for uncontrolled pathological angiogenesis as seen in patients with age related macular degeneration. CAPs and their receptors, TLRs might also promote the progression of atherosclerotic lesions. Importantly, besides their role in a number of pathologies, oxidative products of phospholipids contribute to tissue repair processes thereby antagonizing the destructive effects of oxidation.

The integrin coactivator kindlin-2 plays a critical role in angiogenesis in mice and zebrafish.

Kindlin-2, a widely distributed cytoskeletal protein, has been implicated in integrin activation, and its absence is embryonically lethal in mice and causes severe developmental defects in zebrafish. Knockdown of kindlin-2 levels in endothelial cells resulted in defective adhesive and migratory responses, suggesting that angiogenesis might be aberrant even with partial reduction of kindlin-2. This hypothesis has now been tested in the kindlin-2(+/-) mice. RM1 prostate tumors grown in kindlin-2(+/-) mice had fewer blood vessels, which were thinner and shorter and supported less tumor growth compared with wild-type littermates. The vessels that did form in the kindlin-2(+/-) mice lacked smooth muscle cells and pericytes and had thinner basement membranes, indicative of immature vessels. VEGF-induced angiogenesis in matrigel implants was also abnormal in the kindlin-2(+/-) mice. Vessels in the kindlin-2(+/-) mice were leaky, and BM transplantation from kindlin-2(+/-) to WT mice did not correct this defect. Endothelial cells derived from kindlin-2(+/-) mice had integrin expression levels similar to WT mice but reduced αVß3-dependent signaling, migration, adhesion, spreading, and tube formation. Developmental angiogenesis was markedly impaired by kindlin-2 morpholinos in zebrafish. Taken together, kindlin-2 plays an important role in pathologic and developmental angiogenesis, which arises from defective activation of integrin αVß3.

Oxidative stress induces angiogenesis by activating TLR2 with novel endogenous ligands.

Reciprocity of inflammation, oxidative stress and neovascularization is emerging as an important mechanism underlying numerous processes from tissue healing and remodelling to cancer progression. Whereas the mechanism of hypoxia-driven angiogenesis is well understood, the link between inflammation-induced oxidation and de novo blood vessel growth remains obscure. Here we show that the end products of lipid oxidation, ω-(2-carboxyethyl)pyrrole (CEP) and other related pyrroles, are generated during inflammation and wound healing and accumulate at high levels in ageing tissues in mice and in highly vascularized tumours in both murine and human melanoma. The molecular patterns of carboxyalkylpyrroles are recognized by Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), but not TLR4 or scavenger receptors on endothelial cells, leading to an angiogenic response that is independent of vascular endothelial growth factor. CEP promoted angiogenesis in hindlimb ischaemia and wound healing models through MyD88-dependent TLR2 signalling. Neutralization of endogenous carboxyalkylpyrroles impaired wound healing and tissue revascularization and diminished tumour angiogenesis. Both TLR2 and MyD88 are required for CEP-induced stimulation of Rac1 and endothelial migration. Taken together, these findings establish a new function of TLR2 as a sensor of oxidation-associated molecular patterns, providing a key link connecting inflammation, oxidative stress, innate immunity and angiogenesis.