Project description:Endothelial TGFβ signaling is one of the primary drivers of atherosclerosis-associated vascular inflammation. Inhibition of endothelial TGFβ signaling in hyperlipidemic mice reduces vessel wall inflammation and vascular permeability and leads to arrest of disease progression and regression of established lesions. We performed scRNAseq method to examine endothelial cell gene expression profile using Apoe and EC specific TGFbR1/2 KO in Apoe background mice.
Project description:Endothelial TGFβ signaling is one of the primary drivers of atherosclerosis-associated vascular inflammation. Inhibition of endothelial TGFβ signaling in hyperlipidemic mice reduces vessel wall inflammation and vascular permeability and leads to arrest of disease progression and regression of established lesions. We performed scRNAseq method to examine endothelial cell gene expression profile using Apoe and EC specific TGFbR1/2 KO in Apoe background mice.
Project description:Endothelial TGFβ signaling is one of the primary drivers of atherosclerosis-associated vascular inflammation. Inhibition of endothelial TGFβ signaling in hyperlipidemic mice reduces vessel wall inflammation and vascular permeability and leads to arrest of disease progression and regression of established lesions. We performed scRNAseq method to examine endothelial cell gene expression profile using Apoe and EC specific TGFbR1/2 KO in Apoe background mice.
Project description:Endothelial cell (EC) sensing of fluid shear stress regulates atherosclerosis, a disease of arteries that causes heart attack and stroke. Atherosclerosis preferentially develops at regions of arteries exposed to low oscillatory shear stress (LOSS), whereas high shear regions are protected. We show using inducible EC-specific genetic deletion in hyperlipidaemic mice that the Notch ligands JAG1 and DLL4 have opposing roles in atherosclerosis. While endothelial Jag1 promoted atherosclerosis at sites of LOSS, endothelial Dll4 was atheroprotective. Analysis of porcine and murine arteries and cultured human coronary artery EC exposed to experimental flow revealed that JAG1 and its receptor NOTCH4 are strongly upregulated by LOSS. Functional studies in cultured cells and in mice with EC-specific deletion of Jag1 show that JAG1-NOTCH4 signalling drives vascular dysfunction by repressing endothelial repair. These data demonstrate a fundamental role for JAG1-NOTCH4 in sensing LOSS during disease, and suggest therapeutic targeting of this pathway to treat atherosclerosis.
Project description:Atherosclerosis is a persistent inflammatory state accompanied by lipid overload. Vascular fibrosis is one of the primary causes of atherosclerosis development. Although ligustilide (Lig) was shown to exert obvious antiatherogenic effects in previous studies, its precise mechanism has not been comprehensively discussed. In this paper, pharmacologic studies were performed to explore the pharmacodynamic effects of Lig on protecting aorta vascular wall structures and modulating serum inflammatory factors in ApoE-/- mice. Chemical proteomics based on a Lig-derived photoaffinity labelling (Lig-PAL) probe were applied to identify potential therapeutic targets. Mothers against decapentaplegic homologue 3 (SMAD3), which is closely related to the development of vascular fibrosis and atherosclerosis, was identified as a potential target of Lig. Lig suppressed the phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of SMAD3 by blocking the interaction between SMAD3 and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) receptor 1, thereby inhibiting the collagen synthesis process, preventing vascular fibrosis and improving atherosclerosis. The quantitative proteomics results from Lig-treated atherosclerotic ApoE-/- mice also indicated that Lig inhibits the expression of collagens I and III, interferes with collagen fibril organization processes and protects the aorta from vascular fibrosis. Hence, developing a novel SMAD3 inhibitor may present another therapeutic option for preventing atherosclerosis.