Donor Heart Treatment With COMP-Ang1 Limits Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury and Rejection of Cardiac Allografts.

The major cause of death during the first year after heart transplantation is primary graft dysfunction due to preservation and ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). Angiopoietin-1 is a Tie2 receptor-binding paracrine growth factor with anti-inflammatory properties and indispensable roles in vascular development and stability. We used a stable variant of angiopoietin-1 (COMP-Ang1) to test whether ex vivo intracoronary treatment with a single dose of COMP-Ang1 in donor Dark Agouti rat heart subjected to 4-h cold ischemia would prevent microvascular dysfunction and inflammatory responses in the fully allogeneic recipient Wistar Furth rat. COMP-Ang1 reduced endothelial cell-cell junction disruption of the donor heart in transmission electron microscopy during 4-h cold ischemia, improved myocardial reflow, and reduced microvascular leakage and cardiomyocyte injury of transplanted allografts during IRI. Concurrently, the treatment reduced expression of danger signals, dendritic cell maturation markers, endothelial cell adhesion molecule VCAM-1 and RhoA/Rho-associated protein kinase activation and the influx of macrophages and neutrophils. Furthermore, COMP-Ang1 treatment provided sustained anti-inflammatory effects during acute rejection and prevented the development of cardiac fibrosis and allograft vasculopathy. These results suggest donor heart treatment with COMP-Ang1 having important clinical implications in the prevention of primary and subsequent long-term injury and dysfunction in cardiac allografts.

Formation of nascent intercalated disks between grafted fetal cardiomyocytes and host myocardium.

Fetal cardiomyocytes isolated from transgenic mice carrying a fusion gene of the alpha-cardiac myosin heavy chain promoter with a beta-galactosidase reporter were examined for their ability to form stable intracardiac grafts. Embryonic day 15 transgenic cardiomyocytes delivered directly into the myocardium of syngeneic hosts formed stable grafts, as identified by nuclear beta-galactosidase activity. Grafted cardiomyocytes were observed as long as 2 months after implantation, the latest date assayed. Intracardiac graft formation did not induce overtly negative effects on the host myocardium and was not associated with chronic immune rejection. Electron microscopy revealed the presence of nascent intercalated disks connecting the engrafted fetal cardiomyocytes and the host myocardium. These results suggest that intracardiac grafting might provide a useful approach for myocardial repair, provided that the grafted cells can contribute to myocardial function.

Differentiation and long-term survival of C2C12 myoblast grafts in heart.

We have assessed the ability of skeletal myoblasts to form long-term, differentiated grafts in ventricular myocardium. C2C12 myoblasts were grafted directly into the heart of syngeneic mice. Viable grafts were observed as long as 3 mo after implantation. Immunohistological analyses revealed the presence of differentiated myotubes that stably expressed the skeletal myosin heavy chain isoform. Thymidine uptake studies indicated that virtually all of the grafted skeletal myocytes were withdrawn from the cell cycle by 14 d after grafting. Graft myocytes exhibited ultrastructural characteristics typical of differentiated myotubes. Graft formation and the associated myocardial remodeling did not induce overt cardiac arrhythmia. This study indicates that the myocardium can serve as a stable platform for skeletal myoblast grafts. The long-term survival, differentiated phenotype, and absence of sustained proliferative activity observed in myoblast grafts raise the possibility that similar grafting approaches may be used to replace diseased myocardium. Furthermore, the genetic tractability of myoblasts could provide a useful means for the local delivery of recombinant molecules to the heart.

Genetically selected cardiomyocytes from differentiating embronic stem cells form stable intracardiac grafts.

This study describes a simple approach to generate relatively pure cultures of cardiomyocytes from differentiating murine embryonic stem (ES) cells. A fusion gene consisting of the alpha-cardiac myosin heavy chain promoter and a cDNA encoding aminoglycoside phosphotransferase was stably transfected into pluripotent ES cells. The resulting cell lines were differentiated in vitro and subjected to G418 selection. Immunocytological and ultrastructural analyses demonstrated that the selected cardiomyocyte cultures (> 99% pure) were highly differentiated. G418 selected cardiomyocytes were tested for their ability to form grafts in the hearts of adult dystrophic mice. The fate of the engrafted cells was monitored by antidystrophin immunohistology, as well as by PCR analysis with primers specific for the myosin heavy chain-aminoglycoside phosphotransferase transgene. Both analyses revealed the presence of ES-derived cardiomyocyte grafts for as long as 7 wk after implantation, the latest time point analyzed. These studies indicate that a simple genetic manipulation can be used to select essentially pure cultures of cardiomyocytes from differentiating ES cells. Moreover, the resulting cardiomyocytes are suitable for the formation of intracardiac grafts. This selection approach should be applicable to all ES-derived cell lineages.

Targeted expression of transforming growth factor-beta 1 in intracardiac grafts promotes vascular endothelial cell DNA synthesis.

Intracardiac grafts comprised of genetically modified skeletal myoblasts were assessed for their ability to effect long-term delivery of recombinant transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) to the heart. C2C12 myoblasts were stably transfected with a construct comprised of an inducible metallothionein promoter fused to a modified TGF-beta 1 cDNA. When cultured in medium supplemented with zinc sulfate, cells carrying this transgene constitutively secrete active TGF-beta 1. These genetically modified myoblasts were used to produce intracardiac grafts in syngeneic C3Heb/FeJ hosts. Viable grafts were observed as long as three months after implantation, and immunohistological analyses of mice maintained on water supplemented with zinc sulfate revealed the presence of grafted cells which stably expressed TGF-beta 1. Regions of apparent neovascularization, as evidenced by tritiated thymidine incorporation into vascular endothelial cells, were observed in the myocardium which bordered grafts expressing TGF-beta 1. The extent of vascular endothelial cell DNA synthesis could be modulated by altering dietary zinc. Similar effects on the vascular endothelial cells were not seen in mice with grafts comprised of nontransfected cells. This study indicates that genetically modified skeletal myoblast grafts can be used to effect the local, long-term delivery of recombinant molecules to the heart.

Stable fetal cardiomyocyte grafts in the hearts of dystrophic mice and dogs.

This report documents the formation of stable fetal cardiomyocyte grafts in the myocardium of dystrophic dogs. Preliminary experiments established that the dystrophin gene product could be used to follow the fate of engrafted cardiomyocytes in dystrophic mdx mice. Importantly, ultrastructural analyses revealed the presence of intercalated discs consisting of fascia adherens, desmosomes, and gap junctions at the donor-host cardiomyocyte border. To determine if isolated cardiomyocytes could form stable intracardiac grafts in a larger species, preparations of dissociated fetal canine cardiomyocytes were delivered into the hearts of adult CXMD (canine X-linked muscular dystrophy) dogs. CXMD dogs, like Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients and mdx mice, fail to express dystrophin in both cardiac and skeletal muscle. Engrafted fetal cardiomyocytes, identified by virtue of dystrophin immunoreactivity, were observed to be tightly juxtaposed with host cardiomyocytes as long as 10 wk after engraftment, the latest date analyzed. Confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed the presence of connexin43, a major constituent of the gap junction, at the donor-host cardiomyocyte border. The presence of intracardiac grafts was not associated with arrhythmogenesis in the CXMD model. These results indicate that fetal cardiomyocyte grafting can successfully augment cardiomyocyte number in larger animals.

Cyclin D1 overexpression promotes cardiomyocyte DNA synthesis and multinucleation in transgenic mice.

D-type cyclin/cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) complexes regulate transit through the restriction point of the cell cycle, and thus are required for the initiation of DNA synthesis. Transgenic mice which overexpress cyclin D1 in the heart were produced to determine if D-type cyclin deregulation would alter myocardial development. Cyclin D1 overexpression resulted in a concomitant increase in CDK4 levels in the adult myocardium, as well as modest increases in proliferating cell nuclear antigen and CDK2 levels. Flow cytometric and morphologic analyses of dispersed cell preparations indicated that the adult transgenic cardiomyocytes had abnormal patterns of multinucleation. Histochemical analyses confirmed a marked increase in number of cardiomyocyte nuclei in sections prepared from the transgenic mice as compared with those from control animals. Tritiated thymidine incorporation analyses revealed sustained cardiomyocyte DNA synthesis in adult transgenic hearts.

Angiopoietin-1 reduces VEGF-stimulated leukocyte adhesion to endothelial cells by reducing ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and E-selectin expression.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiopoietin-1 (Ang1) are potent vasculogenic and angiogenic factors that hold promise as a means to produce therapeutic vascularization and angiogenesis. However, VEGF also acts as a proinflammatory cytokine by inducing adhesion molecules that bind leukocytes to endothelial cells, an initial and essential step toward inflammation. In the present study, we used human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) to examine the effect of Ang1 on VEGF-induced expression of three adhesion molecules: intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and E-selectin. Interestingly, Ang1 suppressed VEGF-induced expression of these adhesion molecules. Furthermore, Ang1 reduced VEGF-induced leukocyte adhesion to HUVECs. These results demonstrate that Ang1 counteracts VEGF-induced inflammation by reducing VEGF-induced endothelial adhesiveness.

Angiopoietin-1 induces endothelial cell sprouting through the activation of focal adhesion kinase and plasmin secretion.

Angiopoietin-1 (Ang1) is a strong inducer of endothelial cell sprouting, which is a first step in both angiogenesis and neovascularization. We examined the mechanisms underlying Ang1-induced cell sprouting using porcine pulmonary artery endothelial cells. Ang1 induced the nondirectional and directional migration of endothelial cells mediated through the Tie2 but not the Tie1 receptor. Ang1 induced tyrosine phosphorylation of p125(FAK), and this phosphorylation was dependent on phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3'-kinase activity. Ang1 induced the secretion of plasmin and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), which is inhibited by PI 3'-kinase inhibitors. Ang1 also induced the secretion of small amounts of proMMP-3 and proMMP-9 but not proMMP-1. Ang1 suppressed the secretion of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2), but not of TIMP-1. Addition of alpha(2)-antiplasmin, a combination of TIMP-1 and TIMP-2, or PI 3'-kinase inhibitors inhibited Ang1-induced sprouting activity. Therefore, Ang1-induced sprouting activity in endothelial cells may be accomplished by cytoskeletal changes and secretion of proteinases and may be largely mediated through intracellular PI 3'-kinase activation.

Angiopoietin-2 at high concentration can enhance endothelial cell survival through the phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase/Akt signal transduction pathway.

The angiopoietin-Tie2 system in endothelial cells is an important regulator of vasculogenesis and vascular integrity. High levels of angiopoietin-2 (Ang2) mRNA are observed in vascular activation during tumorigenesis. Although Ang2 is known to be a naturally occurring antagonist of angiopoietin-1 (Ang1) in vivo, the exact function of Ang2 itself is not known. Here, we found that a high concentration of Ang2 (800 ng/ml) acts as an apoptosis survival factor for endothelial cells during serum deprivation apoptosis. The survival effect of high concentration Ang2 was blocked by pre-treatment with soluble Tie2 receptor and the PI 3'-kinase-specific inhibitors, wortmannin and LY294002. Accordingly, 800 ng/ml of Ang2 induced phosphorylation of Tie2, the p85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase (PI 3'-kinase), and serine-threonine kinase Akt at Ser473 in the human umbilical vein endothelial cells; lower concentrations of Ang2 (50 - 400 ng/ml) did not produce notable effects. These findings indicate that at high concentrations, Ang2, like Ang1, can be an apoptosis survival factor for endothelial cells through the activation of the Tie2 receptor, PI 3'-kinase and Akt, and thus may be a positive regulator of tumor angiogenesis. Oncogene (2000) 19, 4549 - 4552.

A novel fibroblast growth factor receptor-5 preferentially expressed in the pancreas(1).

Using the polymerase chain reaction on human embryonic cDNAs, we isolated a cDNA encoding a novel 504 amino acid protein, termed fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR)-5, which is highly homologous to known FGFRs. The NH(2)-terminal portion of FGFR5 contains a putative secretory signal sequence, three typical immunoglobulin-like domains, six cysteines, and an acidic box, but no HAV motif. The COOH-terminal portion of FGFR5 contains one transmembrane domain but no intracellular kinase domain. Recombinant FGFR5 expressed in COS-7 cells is not secreted, but recombinant truncated FGFR5 lacking the predicted transmembrane domain is secreted. Acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) do not bind to FGFR5. Among 23 adult human tissues, FGFR5 mRNA is preferentially expressed in the pancreas. These results suggest that FGFR5 may provide a binding site for some other fibroblast growth factors and may regulate some pancreatic function.

Angiopoietin-1 inhibits irradiation- and mannitol-induced apoptosis in endothelial cells.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Angiopoietin-1 (Ang1) is a vasculogenic factor that signals through the endothelial cell-specific Tie2 receptor tyrosine kinase. We recently reported that Ang1 prevented apoptosis induced by serum deprivation in endothelial cells. In this study, we examined whether Ang1 prevents apoptosis in endothelial cells treated with irradiation or clinical concentrations of mannitol. METHODS AND RESULTS: ++Ang1 prevented irradiation- and mannitol-induced apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells in a dose-dependent manner. Pretreatment with soluble Tie2 receptor, but not Tie1 receptor, blocked the antiapoptotic effect of Ang1. Two phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase (PI3-kinase)-specific inhibitors, wortmannin and LY294002, blocked the Ang1-induced antiapoptotic effect. The antiapoptotic potency of Ang1 was similar to or greater than that of vascular endothelial growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, and endothelin-1. Ang1 also prevented apoptosis in cultured endothelial cells from porcine pulmonary and coronary arteries and in endothelial cells of explanted rat aorta. CONCLUSIONS: Ang1 promotes the survival of endothelial cells in irradiation- and mannitol-induced apoptosis through Tie2 receptor binding and PI3-kinase activation. Pretreatment with Ang1 could be beneficial in maintaining normal endothelial cell integrity during intracoronary irradiation or systemic mannitol therapy.

The mouse Pdgfc gene: dynamic expression in embryonic tissues during organogenesis.

The signaling activity of Platelet-derived growth factors A and B (PDGF-A and PDGF-B) that is mediated through the two receptor kinases, PDGFR-alpha and PDGFR-beta has been shown to be critical for the development of the cardiovascular organs, the kidney, the lung and the central nervous system. During the cloning of genes for VEGF related proteins, we isolated a mouse cDNA that can encode for a protein of 345 amino acids. A comparison of the amino acid sequence reveals that this predicted gene product displays 95% identity to human PDGF-C. The mouse Pdgfc gene maps to a region of chromosome 17 that is syntenic to human chromosome 6p21.3 In E9. 5-E15.5 mouse embryo, Pdgfc is widely expressed in the surface ectoderm and later in the germinal layer of the skin, the olfactory and otic placode and their derivatives and the lining of the oral cavity. In the gut and visceral organs, such as the lung and the kidney, Pdgfc mRNA is first expressed in the endodermal epithelium and later in mesenchymal tissues associated with the endodermal structures. Similar to other PDGFs, Pdgfc is widely expressed in mesenchymal precursors and the myoblast of the smooth and skeletal muscles. Contrary to PDGF-A, Pdgfc is not expressed in the central nervous system, except in the cerebellum, and neurogenic derivatives of the neural crest cells. Pdgfc is also absent from the heart and the vascular endothelium

Coadministration of angiopoietin-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor enhances collateral vascularization.

Using growth factors to induce vasculogenesis is a promising approach in the treatment of ischemic legs and myocardium. Because the vasculogenesis requires a cascade of growth factors, their receptors, and intracellular signals, such therapies may require the application of more than a single growth factor. We examined the effect of 2 endothelial cell-specific growth factors, angiopoietin-1 (Ang1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), on primary cultured porcine coronary artery endothelial cells. VEGF, but not Ang1, increased DNA synthesis and cell number. Ang1 or VEGF induced migration and sprouting activity, increased plasmin and matrix metalloproteinase-2 secretion, and decreased tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase type 2 secretion. A combination of the submaximal doses of Ang1 and VEGF enhanced these effects and was more potent than the maximal dose of either alone. In a rabbit ischemic hindlimb model, a combination of Ang1 and VEGF gene delivery produced an enhanced effect on resting and maximal blood flow and capillary formation that was greater than that of either factor alone. Angiographic analyses revealed that larger blood vessels were formed after gene delivery of Ang1 or Ang1 plus VEGF than after VEGF gene delivery. These results suggest that combined treatment of Ang1 and VEGF could be used to produce therapeutic vascularization.

The angiopoietin-tie2 system in coronary artery endothelium prevents oxidized low-density lipoprotein-induced apoptosis.

OBJECTIVES: A healthy, intact coronary artery endothelium is important because most common coronary artery diseases result from loss of endothelial integrity. In this study, we explored the biological significance of the angiopoietin-Tie2 system in porcine coronary artery. METHODS: Cultured porcine coronary artery endothelial cells and explanted coronary arteries were used. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical analyses indicated that Ang1 is selectively expressed in vascular muscular cells, whereas angiopoietin-2 (Ang2) and Tie2 are selectively expressed in endothelial cells. Accordingly, Ang1 mRNA is mainly expressed in cultured porcine coronary artery vascular smooth muscle cells, whereas Ang2 and Tie2 mRNAs are mainly expressed in cultured porcine coronary artery endothelial cells (PCAECs). Ang1 (200 ng/ml) induced Tie2 phosphorylation, while Ang2 (200 ng/ml) did not produce Tie2 phosphorylation. Ang1 increased the survival of cultured PCAECs during apoptosis induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (OxLDL). This survival effect was does-dependent and PI. Furthermore, Ang1 also protected endothelial cells of explanted coronary artery against OxLDL-induced apoptosis artery. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that adult coronary artery contains Ang1-Tie2 components that enhance endothelial cell survival to help maintain the normal integrity of the coronary artery endothelium.

SIRT2 regulates tumour hypoxia response by promoting HIF-1α hydroxylation.

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is a transcription factor that has a central role in the regulation of tumour metabolism under hypoxic conditions. HIF-1α stimulates glycolytic energy production and promotes tumour growth. Sirtuins are NAD(+)-dependent protein deacetylases that regulate cellular metabolism in response to stress; however, their involvement in the hypoxic response remains unclear. In this study, it is shown that SIRT2-mediated deacetylation of HIF-1α regulates its stability in tumour cells. SIRT2 overexpression destabilized HIF-1α under hypoxic conditions, whereas HIF-1α protein levels were high in SIRT2-deficient cells. SIRT2 directly interacted with HIF-1α and deacetylated Lys709 of HIF-1α. Deacetylation of HIF-1α by SIRT2 resulted in increased binding affinity for prolyl hydroxylase 2, a key regulator of HIF-1α stability, and increased HIF-1α hydroxylation and ubiquitination. Moreover, a pharmacological agent that increased the intracellular NAD(+)/NADH ratio led to the degradation of HIF-1α by increasing SIRT2-mediated deacetylation and subsequent hydroxylation. These findings suggest that SIRT2-mediated HIF-1α deacetylation is critical for the destablization of HIF-1α and the hypoxic response of tumour cells.

Characterization of the atrial natriuretic peptide system in the oviduct.

The atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) gene is expressed in several extraatrial tissues in which ANP may be involved in the regulation of autocrine or paracrine functions. In the ovary, the synthesis of ANP, its binding sites, and a physiological role were found. The ANP system in the oviduct, however, is yet to be defined. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether the ANP system is present in the oviduct and then to define its function. The serial dilution curves of oviductal extracts in rat and rabbit were parallel to the standard curve of ANP. Molecular profiles using reverse phase HPLC indicated that the prohormone and processed circulating peptide were the main forms present. The immunoreactive ANP content of the oviduct was 27.07 +/- 4.41 pg/mg tissue wet wt (1.19 +/- 0.19 ng/oviduct; n = 10; at metestrus) in rats and 1.21 +/- 0.12 pg/mg tissue wet wt (0.15 +/- 0.01 ng/oviduct; n 12) in rabbits. In adult 4-day cycling rats, the immunoreactive ANP contents in oviducts had a cyclic change characterized by the lowest level at proestrus (14.59 +/- 3.24 pg/mg; n = 12). A distinct and strong ANP immunoreactivity was found in the mucosal layer of rat oviduct, and ANP messenger RNA was also detected in the oviduct by reverse transcriptase-PCR. Specific high affinity binding sites for iodinated rat ANP ([125I]rANP) were observed in the mucosal layer of the oviduct in rats and rabbits. Specific [125I]rANP bindings localized in the mucosal layer of rabbit oviduct showed an apparent dissociation constant (Kd) of 18.69 +/- 5.55 nM and a maximal binding capacity of 14.85 +/- 6.19 fmol/mm2. These specific [125I]rANP bindings were not reversed by des-[Gln18,Ser19,Gly20,Leu21,Gly22]ANP-(4- 23) as a selective ligand of clearance receptor. Synthetic ANP inhibited both the frequency and amplitude of basal motility of rabbit oviduct in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that the oviduct has its own ANP system, and the system is involved in the regulation of oviductal motility.

Atrial natriuretic factor and transgenic mice.

Atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) is a peptide hormone that induces potent but transient hypotensive and natriuretic responses on short-term administration. The role of the hormone in long-term cardiovascular regulation has remained elusive in part because of the temporal limitations of long-term infusion models and the extremely short half-life of the molecule in vivo. To circumvent these temporal limitations, a transgenic mouse model was developed that exhibits lifelong elevated plasma ANF levels. These mice are chronically hypotensive, with arterial pressures averaging 20 to 30 mm Hg less than those observed in nontransgenic siblings. In contrast, no obvious natriuretic or diuretic phenotype was observed in transgenic animals housed in metabolic cages. Thus, the mice adequately compensate for the renal effects but not the hemodynamic effects of the hormone. The ANF transgenic mice provide a tractable model system with which to study the consequences of long-term alterations of ANF expression in vivo.

Angiopoietin-1 is an apoptosis survival factor for endothelial cells.

We examined the effect of angiopoietin-1 (Ang1) on apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Ang1 (5-1000 ng/ml) dose-dependently inhibited apoptosis under a serum-deprived state. A significant apoptotic inhibition occurred with as low as 50 ng/ml. Two hundred ng/ml of Ang1 inhibited to approximately 50% of the control apoptotic rates for 96 h. Furthermore, an augmented antiapoptotic effect of Ang1 by the addition of 20 ng/ml vascular endothelial growth factor was observed. This Ang1-induced strong antiapoptotic effect in endothelial cells is a novel and intriguing finding and could be an additional description of Ang1-induced direct biological function.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a novel angiopoietin family protein, angiopoietin-3.

Using homology-based PCR, we have isolated cDNA encoding a novel member (491 amino acids) of the angiopoietin (Ang) family from human adult heart cDNA and have designated it angiopoietin-3 (Ang3). The NH2-terminal and COOH-terminal portions of Ang-3 contain the characteristic coiled-coil domain and fibrinogen-like domain that are conserved in other known Angs. Ang3 has a highly hydrophobic region at the N-terminus (approximately 21 amino acids) that is typical of a signal sequence for protein secretion. Ang3 mRNA is most abundant in adrenal gland, placenta, thyroid gland, heart and small intestine in human adult tissues. Additionally, Ang3 is a secretory protein, but is not a mitogen in endothelial cells.