Insulin receptor signalling in PDGFRß-expressing cells influences systemic metabolism and negatively impacts lipid storage.

Pericytes are vascular mural cells that support the microvasculature; their dysfunction contributes to diabetic retinopathy and has been linked to obesity in humans. To explore the role of pericyte insulin signalling on systemic metabolism we utilised male mice from our previously described PIR-/- (PIRKO) mouse line which has insulin receptor (Insr) knockout in PDGFRß-expressing cells. These animals exhibit systemic insulin resistance from as early as 8-weeks of age, despite no change in body weight or activity level, and show altered body composition and hepatosteatosis. When challenged with high fat diet, PIR-/- remain insulin resistant but are protected from weight gain with reduced adipose tissue expansion across all depots and altered adipose morphology. Exhibiting parallels with the metabolically-obese-normal-weight (MONW) human phenotype, the PIR-/- line underlines the importance of pericyte biology in the development of both diabetes and obesity and establishes the angiopoietin (Ang)/Tie signalling pathway as a focus for future research.

Endothelial IGF-1 receptor mediates crosstalk with the gut wall to regulate microbiota in obesity.

Changes in composition of the intestinal microbiota are linked to the development of obesity and can lead to endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction. It is unknown whether EC can directly influence the microbiota. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and its receptor (IGF-1R) are critical for coupling nutritional status and cellular growth; IGF-1R is expressed in multiple cell types including EC. The role of ECIGF-1R in the response to nutritional obesity is unexplored. To examine this, we use gene-modified mice with EC-specific overexpression of human IGF-1R (hIGFREO) and their wild-type littermates. After high-fat feeding, hIGFREO weigh less, have reduced adiposity and have improved glucose tolerance. hIGFREO show an altered gene expression and altered microbial diversity in the gut, including a relative increase in the beneficial genus Akkermansia. The depletion of gut microbiota with broad-spectrum antibiotics induces a loss of the favourable metabolic differences seen in hIGFREO mice. We show that IGF-1R facilitates crosstalk between the EC and the gut wall; this crosstalk protects against diet-induced obesity, as a result of an altered gut microbiota.

Thrombin and fibrinogen γ' impact clot structure by marked effects on intrafibrillar structure and protofibril packing.

Previous studies have shown effects of thrombin and fibrinogen γ' on clot structure. However, structural information was obtained using electron microscopy, which requires sample dehydration. Our aim was to investigate the role of thrombin and fibrinogen γ' in modulating fibrin structure under fully hydrated conditions. Fibrin fibers were studied using turbidimetry, atomic force microscopy, electron microscopy, and magnetic tweezers in purified and plasma solutions. Increased thrombin induced a pronounced decrease in average protofibril content per fiber, with a relatively minor decrease in fiber size, leading to the formation of less compact fiber structures. Atomic force microscopy under fully hydrated conditions confirmed that fiber diameter was only marginally decreased. Decreased protofibril content of the fibers produced by high thrombin resulted in weakened clot architecture as analyzed by magnetic tweezers in purified systems and by thromboelastometry in plasma and whole blood. Fibers produced with fibrinogen γ' showed reduced protofibril packing over a range of thrombin concentrations. High-magnification electron microscopy demonstrated reduced protofibril packing in γ' fibers and unraveling of fibers into separate protofibrils. Decreased protofibril packing was confirmed in plasma for high thrombin concentrations and fibrinogen-deficient plasma reconstituted with γ' fibrinogen. These findings demonstrate that, in fully hydrated conditions, thrombin and fibrinogen γ' have dramatic effects on protofibril content and that protein density within fibers correlates with strength of the fibrin network. We conclude that regulation of protofibril content of fibers is an important mechanism by which thrombin and fibrinogen γ' modulate fibrin clot structure and strength.

Progressive Development of Aberrant Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotype in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Disease.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a silent, progressive disease with a high mortality and an increasing prevalence with aging. Smooth muscle cell (SMC) dysfunction contributes to gradual dilatation and eventual rupture of the aorta. Here we studied phenotypic characteristics in SMC cultured from end-stage human AAA (≥5 cm) and cells cultured from a porcine carotid artery (PCA) model of early and end-stage aneurysm. Human AAA-SMC presented a secretory phenotype and expressed elevated levels of the differentiation marker miR-145 (2.2-fold, p < 0.001) and the senescence marker SIRT-1 (1.3-fold, p < 0.05), features not recapitulated in aneurysmal PCA-SMC. Human and end-stage porcine aneurysmal cells were frequently multi-nucleated (3.9-fold, p < 0.001, and 1.8-fold, p < 0.01, respectively, vs. control cells) and displayed an aberrant nuclear morphology. Human AAA-SMC exhibited higher levels of the DNA damage marker γH2AX (3.9-fold, p < 0.01, vs. control SMC). These features did not correlate with patients' chronological age and are therefore potential markers for pathological premature vascular aging. Early-stage PCA-SMC (control and aneurysmal) were indistinguishable from one another across all parameters. The principal limitation of human studies is tissue availability only at the end stage of the disease. Refinement of a porcine bioreactor model would facilitate the study of temporal modulation of SMC behaviour during aneurysm development and potentially identify therapeutic targets to limit AAA progression.

Studying Adipose Endothelial Cell/Adipocyte Cross-Talk in Human Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue.

Microvascular endothelial cells (MVECs) have many critical roles, including control of vascular tone, regulation of thrombosis, and angiogenesis. Significant heterogeneity in endothelial cell (EC) genotype and phenotype depends on their vascular bed and host disease state. The ability to isolate MVECs from tissue-specific vascular beds and individual patient groups offers the opportunity to directly compare MVEC function in different disease states. Here, using subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) taken at the time of insertion of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED), we describe a method for the isolation of a pure population of functional human subcutaneous adipose tissue MVEC (hSATMVEC) and an experimental model of hSATMVEC-adipocyte cross-talk. hSATMVEC were isolated following enzymatic digestion of SAT by incubation with anti-CD31 antibody-coated magnetic beads and passage through magnetic columns. hSATMVEC were grown and passaged on gelatin-coated plates. Experiments used cells at passages 2-4. Cells maintained classic features of EC morphology until at least passage 5. Flow cytometric assessment showed 99.5% purity of isolated hSATMVEC, defined as CD31+/CD144+/CD45-. Isolated hSATMVEC from controls had a population doubling time of approximately 57 h, and active proliferation was confirmed using a cell proliferation imaging kit. Isolated hSATMVEC function was assessed using their response to insulin stimulation and angiogenic tube-forming potential. We then established an hSATMVEC-subcutaneous adipocyte co-culture model to study cellular cross-talk and demonstrated a downstream effect of hSATMVEC on adipocyte function. hSATMVEC can be isolated from SAT taken at the time of CIED insertion and are of sufficient purity to both experimentally phenotype and study hSATMVEC-adipocyte cross-talk.

Paracrine Role of the Endothelium in Metabolic Homeostasis in Health and Nutrient Excess.

The vascular endothelium traditionally viewed as a simple physical barrier between the circulation and tissue is now well-established as a key organ mediating whole organism homeostasis by release of a portfolio of anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory vasoactive molecules. Healthy endothelium releases anti-inflammatory signaling molecules such as nitric oxide and prostacyclin; in contrast, diseased endothelium secretes pro-inflammatory signals such as reactive oxygen species, endothelin-1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα). Endothelial dysfunction, which has now been identified as a hallmark of different components of the cardiometabolic syndrome including obesity, type 2 diabetes and hypertension, initiates and drives the progression of tissue damage in these disorders. Recently it has become apparent that, in addition to vasoactive molecules, the vascular endothelium has the potential to secrete a diverse range of small molecules and proteins mediating metabolic processes in adipose tissue (AT), liver, skeletal muscle and the pancreas. AT plays a pivotal role in orchestrating whole-body energy homeostasis and AT dysfunction, characterized by local and systemic inflammation, is central to the metabolic complications of obesity. Thus, understanding and targeting the crosstalk between the endothelium and AT may generate novel therapeutic opportunities for the cardiometabolic syndrome. Here, we provide an overview of the role of the endothelial secretome in controlling the function of AT. The endothelial-derived metabolic regulatory factors are grouped and discussed based on their physical properties and their downstream signaling effects. In addition, we focus on the therapeutic potential of these regulatory factors in treating cardiometabolic syndrome, and discuss areas of future study of potential translatable and clinical significance. The vascular endothelium is emerging as an important paracrine/endocrine organ that secretes regulatory factors in response to nutritional and environmental cues. Endothelial dysfunction may result in imbalanced secretion of these regulatory factors and contribute to the progression of AT and whole body metabolic dysfunction. As the vascular endothelium is the first responder to local nutritional changes and adipocyte-derived signals, future work elucidating the changes in the endothelial secretome is crucial to improve our understanding of the pathophysiology of cardiometabolic disease, and in aiding our development of new therapeutic strategies to treat and prevent cardiometabolic syndrome.

Preservation of Smooth Muscle Cell Integrity and Function: A Target for Limiting Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Expansion?

(1) Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a silent, progressive disease with significant mortality from rupture. Whilst screening programmes are now able to detect this pathology early in its development, no therapeutic intervention has yet been identified to halt or retard aortic expansion. The inability to obtain aortic tissue from humans at early stages has created a necessity for laboratory models, yet it is essential to create a timeline of events from EARLY to END stage AAA progression. (2) We used a previously validated ex vivo porcine bioreactor model pre-treated with protease enzyme to create "aneurysm" tissue. Mechanical properties, histological changes in the intact vessel wall, and phenotype/function of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC) cultured from the same vessels were investigated. (3) The principal finding was significant hyperproliferation of SMC from EARLY stage vessels, but without obvious histological or SMC aberrancies. END stage tissue exhibited histological loss of α-smooth muscle actin and elastin; mechanical impairment; and, in SMC, multiple indications of senescence. (4) Aortic SMC may offer a therapeutic target for intervention, although detailed studies incorporating intervening time points between EARLY and END stage are required. Such investigations may reveal mechanisms of SMC dysfunction in AAA development and hence a therapeutic window during which SMC differentiation could be preserved or reinstated.

Cixutumumab reveals a critical role for IGF-1 in adipose and hepatic tissue remodelling during the development of diet-induced obesity.

High fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity leads to perturbation in the storage function of white adipose tissue (WAT) resulting in deposition of lipids in tissues ill-equipped to deal with this challenge. The role of insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the systemic and organ-specific responses to HFD is unclear. Using cixutumumab, a monoclonal antibody that internalizes and degrades cell surface IGF-1 receptors (IGF-1 R), leaving insulin receptor expression unchanged we aimed to establish the role of IGF-1 R in the response to a HFD. Mice treated with cixutumumab fed standard chow developed mild hyperinsulinemia with no change in WAT. When challenged by HFD mice treated with cixutumumab had reduced weight gain, reduced WAT expansion, and reduced hepatic lipid vacuole formation. In HFD-fed mice, cixutumumab led to reduced levels of genes encoding proteins important in fatty acid metabolism in WAT and liver. Cixutumumab protected against blunting of insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of Akt in liver of HFD fed mice. These data reveal an important role for IGF-1 R in the WAT and hepatic response to short-term nutrient excess. IGF-1 R inhibition during HFD leads to a lipodystrophic phenotype with a failure of WAT lipid storage and protection from HFD-induced hepatic insulin resistance.

IGFBP-1 in Cardiometabolic Pathophysiology-Insights From Loss-of-Function and Gain-of-Function Studies in Male Mice.

We have previously reported that overexpression of human insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-1 in mice leads to vascular insulin sensitization, increased nitric oxide bioavailability, reduced atherosclerosis, and enhanced vascular repair, and in the setting of obesity improves glucose tolerance. Human studies suggest that low levels of IGFBP-1 are permissive for the development of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Here we seek to determine whether loss of IGFBP-1 plays a causal role in the predisposition to cardiometabolic disease. Metabolic phenotyping was performed in transgenic mice with homozygous knockout of IGFBP-1. This included glucose, insulin, and insulin-like growth factor I tolerance testing under normal diet and high-fat feeding conditions. Vascular phenotyping was then performed in the same mice using vasomotor aortic ring studies, flow cytometry, vascular wire injury, and angiogenesis assays. These were complemented with vascular phenotyping of IGFBP-1 overexpressing mice. Metabolic phenotype was similar in IGFBP-1 knockout and wild-type mice subjected to obesity. Deletion of IGFBP-1 inhibited endothelial regeneration following injury, suggesting that IGFBP-1 is required for effective vascular repair. Developmental angiogenesis was unaltered by deletion or overexpression of IGFBP-1. Recovery of perfusion following hind limb ischemia was unchanged in mice lacking or overexpressing IGFBP-1; however, overexpression of IGFBP-1 stimulated hindlimb perfusion and angiogenesis in insulin-resistant mice. These findings provide new insights into the role of IGFBP-1 in metabolic and vascular pathophysiology. Irrespective of whether loss of IGFBP-1 plays a causal role in the development of cardiometabolic disorders, increasing IGFBP-1 levels appears effective in promoting neovascularization in response to ischemia.

Clot properties and cardiovascular disease.

Fibrinogen is cleaved by thrombin to fibrin, which provides the blood clot with its essential structural backbone. As an acute phase protein, the plasma levels of fibrinogen are increased in response to inflammatory conditions. In addition to fibrinogen levels, fibrin clot structure is altered by a number of factors. These include thrombin levels, treatment with common cardiovascular medications, such as aspirin, anticoagulants, statins and fibrates, as well as metabolic disease states such as diabetes mellitus and hyperhomocysteinaemia. In vitro studies of fibrin clot structure can provide information regarding fibre density, clot porosity, the mechanical strength of fibres and fibrinolysis. A change in fibrin clot structure, to a denser clot with smaller pores which is more resistant to lysis, is strongly associated with cardiovascular disease. This pathological change is present in patients with arterial as well as venous diseases, and is also found in a moderate form in relatives of patients with cardiovascular disease. Pharmacological therapies, aimed at both the treatment and prophylaxis of cardiovascular disease, appear to result in positive changes to the fibrin clot structure. As such, therapies aimed at 'normalising' fibrin clot structure may be of benefit in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Common FXIII and fibrinogen polymorphisms in abdominal aortic aneurysms.

INTRODUCTION: Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are characterized by a progressive dilatation of the abdominal aorta, and are associated with a high risk of rupture once the dilatation exceeds 55 mm in diameter. A large proportion of AAA develops an intraluminal thrombus, which contributes to hypoxia, inflammation and tissue degradation. We have previously shown that patients with AAA produce clots with altered structure which is more resistant to fibrinolysis. The aim of this study was to investigate genetic polymorphisms of FXIII and fibrinogen in AAA to identify how changes to these proteins may play a role in the development of AAA. METHODS: Subjects of Western/European descent, ≥55 years of age (520 AAA patients and 449 controls) were genotyped for five polymorphisms (FXIII-A Val34Leu, FXIII-B His95Arg, FXIII-B Splice Variant (intron K nt29576C-G), Fib-A Thr312Ala and Fib-B Arg448Lys) by RT-PCR. Data were analysed by χ2 test and CubeX. RESULTS: The FXIII-B Arg95 allele associated with AAA (Relative risk - 1.240, CI 1.093-1.407, P = 0.006). There was no association between FXIII-A Val34Leu, FXIII-B Splice Variant, Fib-A Thr312Ala or Fib-B Arg448Lys and AAA. FXIII-B His95Arg and FXIII-B Splice variant (intron K nt29576C-G) were in negative linkage disequilibrium (D' = -0.609, p = 0.011). DISCUSSION: The FXIII-B Arg95 variant is associated with an increased risk of AAA. These data suggest a possible role for FXIII in AAA pathogenesis.

Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity is negatively correlated with aortic diameter.

Cardiovascular events pose significant morbidity and mortality burden to abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) patients. Arterial stiffness as measured by pulse wave velocity (PWV) is an independent predictor of cardiovascular risk. We investigated the relationship between aortic diameter and PWV. Consecutive patients with AAA were invited to participate. Patients completed a health questionnaire, received aortic ultrasound and carotid-femoral PWV (cfPWV) recordings with a Vicorder. Thirty patients were used for reproducibility assessment. A linear regression model was used to identify significant predictors of cfPWV. Observer variation was assessed using Bland and Altman analysis and the intraclass correlation coefficient. Three hundred and nine patients were included-148 with AAA and 161 controls. The mean difference for repeated cfPWV between observers was 0.11 ms(-1). cfPWV was positively correlated with age (r=0.24, P<0.001) and systolic blood pressure (r=0.29, P<0.001) and negatively correlated with aortic diameter (r=-0.15, P=0.008). There was no difference in cfPWV between AAA and control groups (9.75±2.3 ms(-1) vs. 9.55±2.3 ms(-1), P=0.43). Aortic diameter (P=0.003) and systolic blood pressure (P<0.001) were significant predictors of cfPWV independent of age, aspirin usage and a history of myocardial infarction. Patients with large AAA (>5 cm) had decreased cfPWV compared with patients with small AAA (P=0.02) or normal diameter aorta (P=0.02). Vicorder measurements of cfPWV are repeatable. cfPWV is negatively associated with infra-renal aortic diameter and reduced in large AAA. cfPWV is likely invalid for accurate arterial stiffness assessment in patients with AAA owing to the apparent confounding effect of aortic size.

The alpha-2-antiplasmin Arg407Lys polymorphism is associated with abdominal aortic aneurysm.

INTRODUCTION: Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) involves dilatation of the abdominal aorta, with a natural history of expansion and eventual rupture. We have previously shown that AAA patients form denser clots with smaller pores, which are more resistant to fibrinolysis. The aim of this study was to use functional polymorphisms of the fibrinolytic system to identify how changes to proteins involved in fibrinolysis may play a role in the development of AAA. METHODS: Caucasian subjects ≥ 55 years (602 AAA patients and 490 matched controls) were genotyped for four polymorphisms (α-2-antiplasmin α2AP Arg6Trp and Arg407Lys, Thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor TAFI Thr325Ile and tissue plasminogen activator tPA 7351C→T). DNA was extracted from blood, and genotype identified using real time PCR. Fibrin clot structure was analysed by permeation and turbidity in a subset of patients and controls. RESULTS: Genotypes across the study population were in Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium. The two α2AP polymorphisms, Arg6Trp and Arg407Lys were in linkage disequilibrium (P<0.0001), and possession of a 407Lys allele negatively associated with AAA (odds ratio 0.833, CI95 0.7-0.991, P=0.040). The TAFI Thr325Ile and the tPA 7351C→T polymorphisms were not associated with AAA. The α2AP 407Lys allele was not associated with in-vitro fibrinolysis times in plasma from patients with AAA. CONCLUSION: Possession of the α2AP 407Lys allele was negatively associated with AAA, and thus changes in α2AP may affect aneurysm growth and development. These data indicate that the regulation of plasmin activity (through binding to α2AP), rather than plasmin generation (TAFI, tPA), may play a role in AAA.

Modeling the Growth of Infrarenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) growth is a complex process that is incompletely understood. Significant heterogeneity in growth trajectories between patients has led to difficulties in accurately modeling aneurysm growth across cohorts of patients. We set out to compare four models of aneurysm growth commonly used in the literature and confirm which best fits the patient data of our AAA cohort. METHODS: Patients with AAA were included in the study if they had two or more abdominal ultrasound scans greater than 3 months apart. Patients were censored from analysis once their AAA exceeded 5.5 cm. Four models were applied using the R environment for statistical computing. Growth estimates and goodness of fit (using the Akaike Information Criterion, AIC) were compared, with p-values based on likelihood ratio testing. RESULTS: Of 510 enrolled patients, 264 met the inclusion criteria, yielding a total of 1861 imaging studies during 932 cumulative years of surveillance. Overall, growth rates were: (1) 0.35 (0.31,0.39) cm/yr in the growth/time calculation, (2) 0.056 (0.042,0.068) cm/yr in the linear regression model, (3) 0.19 (0.17,0.21) cm/yr in the linear multilevel model, and (4) 0.21 (0.18,0.24) cm/yr in the quadratic multilevel model at time 0, slowing to 0.15 (0.12,0.17) cm/yr at 10 years. AIC was lowest in the quadratic multilevel model (1508) compared to other models (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: AAA growth was heterogeneous between patients; the nested nature of the data is most appropriately modeled by multilevel modeling techniques.