Piezo1 and Gq/G11 promote endothelial inflammation depending on flow pattern and integrin activation.

The vascular endothelium is constantly exposed to mechanical forces, including fluid shear stress exerted by the flowing blood. Endothelial cells can sense different flow patterns and convert the mechanical signal of laminar flow into atheroprotective signals, including eNOS activation, whereas disturbed flow in atheroprone areas induces inflammatory signaling, including NF-κB activation. How endothelial cells distinguish different flow patterns is poorly understood. Here we show that both laminar and disturbed flow activate the same initial pathway involving the mechanosensitive cation channel Piezo1, the purinergic P2Y2 receptor, and Gq/G11-mediated signaling. However, only disturbed flow leads to Piezo1- and Gq/G11-mediated integrin activation resulting in focal adhesion kinase-dependent NF-κB activation. Mice with induced endothelium-specific deficiency of Piezo1 or Gαq/Gα11 show reduced integrin activation, inflammatory signaling, and progression of atherosclerosis in atheroprone areas. Our data identify critical steps in endothelial mechanotransduction, which distinguish flow pattern-dependent activation of atheroprotective and atherogenic endothelial signaling and suggest novel therapeutic strategies to treat inflammatory vascular disorders such as atherosclerosis.

Single-cell profiling reveals GPCR heterogeneity and functional patterning during neuroinflammation.

GPCR expression was intensively studied in bulk cDNA of leukocyte populations, but limited data are available with respect to expression in individual cells. Here, we show a microfluidic-based single-cell GPCR expression analysis in primary T cells, myeloid cells, and endothelial cells under naive conditions and during experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, the mouse model of multiple sclerosis. We found that neuroinflammation induces characteristic changes in GPCR heterogeneity and patterning, and we identify various functionally relevant subgroups with specific GPCR profiles among spinal cord-infiltrating CD4 T cells, macrophages, microglia, or endothelial cells. Using GPCRs CXCR4, S1P1, and LPHN2 as examples, we show how this information can be used to develop new strategies for the functional modulation of Th17 cells and activated endothelial cells. Taken together, single-cell GPCR expression analysis identifies functionally relevant subpopulations with specific GPCR repertoires and provides a basis for the development of new therapeutic strategies in immune disorders.

Lineage tracing of cells involved in atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Despite the clinical importance of atherosclerosis, the origin of cells within atherosclerotic plaques is not fully understood. Due to the lack of a definitive lineage-tracing strategy, previous studies have provided controversial results about the origin of cells expressing smooth muscle and macrophage markers in atherosclerosis. We here aim to identify the origin of vascular smooth muscle (SM) cells and macrophages within atherosclerosis lesions. METHODS: We combined a genetic fate mapping approach with single cell expression analysis in a murine model of atherosclerosis. RESULTS: We found that 16% of CD68-positive plaque macrophage-like cells were derived from mature SM cells and not from myeloid sources, whereas 31% of αSMA-positive smooth muscle-like cells in plaques were not SM-derived. Further analysis at the single cell level showed that SM-derived CD68(+) cells expressed higher levels of inflammatory markers such as cyclooxygenase 2 (Ptgs2, p = 0.02), and vascular cell adhesion molecule (Vcam1, p = 0.05), as well as increased mRNA levels of genes related to matrix synthesis such as Col1a2 (p = 0.01) and Fn1 (p = 0.04), than non SM-derived CD68(+) cells. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that smooth muscle cells within atherosclerotic lesions can switch to a macrophage-like phenotype characterized by higher expression of inflammatory and synthetic markers genes that may further contribute to plaque progression.

S1P2/G12/13 Signaling Negatively Regulates Macrophage Activation and Indirectly Shapes the Atheroprotective B1-Cell Population.

OBJECTIVES: Monocyte/macrophage recruitment and activation at vascular predilection sites plays a central role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Heterotrimeric G proteins of the G12/13 family have been implicated in the control of migration and inflammatory gene expression, but their function in myeloid cells, especially during atherogenesis, is unknown. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Mice with myeloid-specific deficiency for G12/13 show reduced atherosclerosis with a clear shift to anti-inflammatory gene expression in aortal macrophages. These changes are because of neither altered monocyte/macrophage migration nor reduced activation of inflammatory gene expression; on the contrary, G12/13-deficient macrophages show an increased nuclear factor-κB-dependent gene expression in the resting state. Chronically increased inflammatory gene expression in resident peritoneal macrophages results in myeloid-specific G12/13-deficient mice in an altered peritoneal micromilieu with secondary expansion of peritoneal B1 cells. Titers of B1-derived atheroprotective antibodies are increased, and adoptive transfer of peritoneal cells from mutant mice conveys atheroprotection to wild-type mice. With respect to the mechanism of G12/13-mediated transcriptional control, we identify an autocrine feedback loop that suppresses nuclear factor-κB-dependent gene expression through a signaling cascade involving sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor subtype 2, G12/13, and RhoA. CONCLUSIONS: Together, these data show that selective inhibition of G12/13 signaling in macrophages can augment atheroprotective B-cell populations and ameliorate atherosclerosis.

Endothelial Gαq/11 is required for VEGF-induced vascular permeability and angiogenesis.

AIMS: VEGF A (VEGF-A) is a central regulator of pre- and postnatal vascular development. In vitro studies suggested that heterotrimeric G-proteins of the Gq/11 family contribute to VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) signalling, but the mechanism and physiological relevance of this finding is unknown. The aim of this study is to understand the role of endothelial Gαq/11 in VEGF-dependent regulation of vascular permeability and angiogenesis. METHODS AND RESULTS: We show here that VEGF-A-induced signalling events, such as VEGFR2 autophosphorylation, calcium mobilization, or phosphorylation of Src and Cdh5, were reduced in Gαq/11-deficient endothelial cells (ECs), resulting in impaired VEGF-dependent barrier opening, tube formation, and proliferation. Agonists at Gq/11-coupled receptors facilitated VEGF-A-induced VEGFR2 autophosphorylation in a Gαq/11-dependent manner, thereby enhancing downstream VEGFR2 signalling. In vivo, EC-specific Gαq/11- and Gαq-deficient mice showed reduced VEGF-induced fluid extravasation, and retinal angiogenesis was significantly impaired. Gαq-deficient ECs showed reduced proliferation, Cdh5 phosphorylation, and fluid extravasation, whereas apoptosis was increased. CONCLUSION: Gαq/11 critically contributes to VEGF-A-dependent permeability control and angiogenic behaviour in vitro and in vivo.

Hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 2 mediates dimethyl fumarate's protective effect in EAE.

Taken orally, the drug dimethyl fumarate (DMF) has been shown to improve functional outcomes for patients with MS; however, it is unclear how DMF mediates a protective effect. DMF and, more so, its active metabolite, monomethyl fumarate, are known agonists of the hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 2 (HCA2), a G protein-coupled membrane receptor. Here, we evaluated the contribution of HCA2 in mediating the protective effect afforded by DMF in EAE, a mouse model of MS. DMF treatment reduced neurological deficit, immune cell infiltration, and demyelination of the spinal cords in wild-type mice, but not in Hca2⁻/⁻ mice, indicating that HCA2 is required for the therapeutic effect of DMF. In particular, DMF decreased the number of infiltrating neutrophils in a HCA2-dependent manner, likely by interfering with neutrophil adhesion to endothelial cells and chemotaxis. Together, our data indicate that HCA2 mediates the therapeutic effects of DMF in EAE. Furthermore, identification of HCA2 as a molecular target may help to optimize MS therapy.