| 1. |
- Angiolini, Francesca, et al.
(författare)
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A novel L1CAM isoform with angiogenic activity generated by NOVA2-mediated alternative splicing
- 2019
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Ingår i: eLIFE. - 2050-084X. ; 8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The biological players involved in angiogenesis are only partially defined. Here, we report that endothelial cells (ECs) express a novel isoform of the cell-surface adhesion molecule L1CAM, termed L1-ΔTM. The splicing factor NOVA2, which binds directly to L1CAM pre-mRNA, is necessary and sufficient for the skipping of L1CAM transmembrane domain in ECs, leading to the release of soluble L1-ΔTM. The latter exerts high angiogenic function through both autocrine and paracrine activities. Mechanistically, L1-ΔTM-induced angiogenesis requires fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 signaling, implying a crosstalk between the two molecules. NOVA2 and L1-ΔTM are overexpressed in the vasculature of ovarian cancer, where L1-ΔTM levels correlate with tumor vascularization, supporting the involvement of NOVA2-mediated L1-ΔTM production in tumor angiogenesis. Finally, high NOVA2 expression is associated with poor outcome in ovarian cancer patients. Our results point to L1-ΔTM as a novel, EC-derived angiogenic factor which may represent a target for innovative antiangiogenic therapies.
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| 2. |
- Bravi, Luca, et al.
(författare)
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Endothelial Cells Lining Sporadic Cerebral Cavernous Malformation Cavernomas Undergo Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition
- 2016
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Ingår i: Stroke. - 0039-2499 .- 1524-4628. ; 47:3, s. 886-890
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM) is characterized by multiple lumen vascular malformations in the central nervous system that can cause neurological symptoms and brain hemorrhages. About 20% of CCM patients have an inherited form of the disease with ubiquitous loss-of-function mutation in any one of 3 genes CCM1, CCM2, and CCM3. The rest of patients develop sporadic vascular lesions histologically similar to those of the inherited form and likely mediated by a biallelic acquired mutation of CCM genes in the brain vasculature. However, the molecular phenotypic features of endothelial cells in CCM lesions in sporadic patients are still poorly described. This information is crucial for a targeted therapy.METHODS: We used immunofluorescence microscopy and immunohistochemistry to analyze the expression of endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition markers in the cavernoma of sporadic CCM patients in parallel with human familial cavernoma as a reference control.RESULTS: We report here that endothelial cells, a cell type critically involved in CCM development, undergo endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition in the lesions of sporadic patients. This switch in endothelial phenotype has been described only in genetic CCM patients and in murine models of the disease. In addition, TGF-β/p-Smad- and β-catenin-dependent signaling pathways seem activated in sporadic cavernomas as in familial ones.CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the use of common therapeutic strategies for both sporadic and genetic CCM malformations.
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| 3. |
- Castro, Marco, et al.
(författare)
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CDC42 deletion elicits cerebral vascular malformations via increased MEKK3-dependent KLF4 expression
- 2019
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Ingår i: Circulation Research. - 0009-7330 .- 1524-4571. ; 124:8, s. 1240-1252
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Rationale: Aberrant formation of blood vessels precedes a broad spectrum of vascular complications; however, the cellular and molecular events governing vascular malformations are not yet fully understood. Objective: Here, we investigated the role of CDC42 (cell division cycle 42) during vascular morphogenesis and its relative importance for the development of cerebrovascular malformations. Methods and Results: To avoid secondary systemic effects often associated with embryonic gene deletion, we generated an endothelial-specific and inducible knockout approach to study postnatal vascularization of the mouse brain. Postnatal endothelial-specific deletion of Cdc42 elicits cerebrovascular malformations reminiscent of cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs). At the cellular level, loss of CDC42 function in brain endothelial cells (ECs) impairs their sprouting, branching morphogenesis, axial polarity, and normal dispersion within the brain tissue. Disruption of CDC42 does not alter EC proliferation, but malformations occur where EC proliferation is the most pronounced during brain development-the postnatal cerebellum-indicating that a high, naturally occurring EC proliferation provides a permissive state for the appearance of these malformations. Mechanistically, CDC42 depletion in ECs elicited increased MEKK3 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 3)-MEK5 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 5)-ERK5 (extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5) signaling and consequent detrimental overexpression of KLF (Kruppel-like factor) 2 and KLF4, recapitulating the hallmark mechanism for CCM pathogenesis. Through genetic approaches, we demonstrate that the coinactivation of Klf4 reduces the severity of vascular malformations in Cdc42 mutant mice. Moreover, we show that CDC42 interacts with CCMs and that CCM3 promotes CDC42 activity in ECs. Conclusions: We show that endothelial-specific deletion of Cdc42 elicits CCM-like cerebrovascular malformations and that CDC42 is engaged in the CCM signaling network to restrain the MEKK3-MEK5-ERK5-KLF2/4 pathway.
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| 4. |
- Claesson-Welsh, Lena, et al.
(författare)
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Permeability of the Endothelial Barrier : Identifying and Reconciling Controversies
- 2021
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Ingår i: Trends in Molecular Medicine. - : Elsevier. - 1471-4914 .- 1471-499X. ; 27:4, s. 314-331
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Leakage from blood vessels into tissues is governed by mechanisms that control endothelial barrier function to maintain homeostasis. Dysregulated endothelial permeability contributes to many conditions and can influence disease morbidity and treatment. Diverse approaches used to study endothelial permeability have yielded a wealth of valuable insights. Yet, ongoing questions, technical challenges, and unresolved controversies relating to the mechanisms and relative contributions of barrier regulation, transendothelial sieving, and transport of fluid, solutes, and particulates complicate interpretations in the context of vascular physiology and pathophysiology. Here, we describe recent in vivo findings and other advances in understanding endothelial barrier function with the goal of identifying and reconciling controversies over cellular and molecular processes that regulate the vascular barrier in health and disease.
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| 5. |
- Corada, Monica, et al.
(författare)
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Fine-Tuning of Sox17 and Canonical Wnt Coordinates the Permeability Properties of the Blood-Brain Barrier
- 2019
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Ingår i: Circulation Research. - 0009-7330 .- 1524-4571. ; 124:4, s. 511-525
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Rationale: The microvasculature of the central nervous system includes the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which regulates the permeability to nutrients and restricts the passage of toxic agents and inflammatory cells. Canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling is responsible for the early phases of brain vascularization and BBB differentiation. However, this signal declines after birth, and other signaling pathways able to maintain barrier integrity at postnatal stage are still unknown.Objective: Sox17 (SRY [sex-determining region Y]-box 17) constitutes a major downstream target of Wnt/β-catenin in endothelial cells and regulates arterial differentiation. In the present article, we asked whether Sox17 may act downstream of Wnt/β-catenin in inducing BBB differentiation and maintenance.Methods and Results: Using reporter mice and nuclear staining of Sox17 and β-catenin, we report that although β-catenin signaling declines after birth, Sox17 activation increases and remains high in the adult. Endothelial-specific inactivation of Sox17 leads to increase of permeability of the brain microcirculation. The severity of this effect depends on the degree of BBB maturation: it is strong in the embryo and progressively declines after birth. In search of Sox17 mechanism of action, RNA sequencing analysis of gene expression of brain endothelial cells has identified members of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway as downstream targets of Sox17. Consistently, we found that Sox17 is a positive inducer of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and it acts in concert with this pathway to induce and maintain BBB properties. In vivo, inhibition of the β-catenin destruction complex or expression of a degradation-resistant β-catenin mutant, prevent the increase in permeability and retina vascular malformations observed in the absence of Sox17.Conclusions: Our data highlight a novel role for Sox17 in the induction and maintenance of the BBB, and they underline the strict reciprocal tuning of this transcription factor and Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Modulation of Sox17 activity may be relevant to control BBB permeability in pathological conditions.
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| 6. |
- Cottarelli, Azzurra, et al.
(författare)
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Fgfbp1 promotes blood-brain barrier development by regulating collagen IV deposition and maintaining Wnt/beta-catenin signaling
- 2020
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Ingår i: Development. - : COMPANY BIOLOGISTS LTD. - 0950-1991 .- 1477-9129. ; 147:16
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Central nervous system (CNS) blood vessels contain a functional blood-brain barrier (BBB) that is necessary for neuronal survival and activity. Although Wnt/beta-catenin signaling is essential for BBB development, its downstream targets within the neurovasculature remain poorly understood. To identify targets of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling underlying BBB maturation, we performed a microarray analysis that identified Fgfbp1 as a novel Wnt/beta-catenin-regulated gene in mouse brain endothelial cells (mBECs). Fgfbp1 is expressed in the CNS endothelium and secreted into the vascular basement membrane during BBB formation. Endothelial genetic ablation of Fgfbp1 results in transient hypervascularization but delays BBB maturation in specific CNSregions, as evidenced by both upregulation of Plvap and increased tracer leakage across the neurovasculature due to reduced Wnt/beta-catenin activity. In addition, collagen IV deposition in the vascular basement membrane is reduced in mutant mice, leading to defective endothelial cell-pericyte interactions. Fgfbp1 is required cell-autonomously in mBECs to concentrate Wnt ligands near cell junctions and promote maturation of their barrier properties in vitro. Thus, Fgfbp1 is a crucial extracellular matrix protein during BBB maturation that regulates cell-cell interactions and Wnt/beta-catenin activity.
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| 7. |
- Erba, Benedetta Gaia, et al.
(författare)
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Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Bone Marrow and Spleen of Primary Myelofibrosis
- 2017
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Ingår i: American Journal of Pathology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0002-9440 .- 1525-2191. ; 187:8, s. 1879-1892
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Primary myelofibrosis is characterized by the development of fibrosis in the bone marrow that contributes to ineffective hematopoiesis. Bone marrow fibrosis is the result of a complex and not yet fully understood interaction among megakaryocytes, myeloid cells, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells. Here, we report that >30% of the endothelial cells in the small vessels of the bone marrow and spleen of patients with primary myelofibrosis have a mesenchymal phenotype, which is suggestive of the process known as endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT). EndMT can be reproduced in vitro by incubation of cultured endothelial progenitor cells or spleen-derived endothelial cells with inflammatory cytokines. Megakaryocytes appear to be implicated in this process, because EndMT mainly occurs in the microvessels close to these cells, and because megakaryocyte-derived supernatant fluid can reproduce the EndMT switch in vitro. Furthermore, EndMT is an early event in a JAK2-V617F knock-in mouse model of primary myelofibrosis. Overall, these data show for the first time that microvascular endothelial cells in the bone marrow and spleen of patients with primary myelofibrosis show functional and morphologic changes that are associated to the mesenchymal phenotype.
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| 8. |
- Giampietro, Costanza, et al.
(författare)
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The actin-binding protein EPS8 binds VE-cadherin and modulates YAP localization and signaling
- 2015
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Ingår i: Journal of Cell Biology. - : Rockefeller University Press. - 0021-9525 .- 1540-8140. ; 211:6, s. 1177-1192
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin transfers intracellular signals contributing to vascular hemostasis. Signaling through VE-cadherin requires association and activity of different intracellular partners. Yes-associated protein (YAP)/TAZ transcriptional cofactors are important regulators of cell growth and organ size. We show that EPS8, a signaling adapter regulating actin dynamics, is a novel partner of VE-cadherin and is able to modulate YAP activity. By biochemical and imaging approaches, we demonstrate that EPS8 associates with the VE-cadherin complex of remodeling junctions promoting YAP translocation to the nucleus and transcriptional activation. Conversely, in stabilized junctions, 14-3-3-YAP associates with the VE-cadherin complex, whereas Eps8 is excluded. Junctional association of YAP inhibits nuclear translocation and inactivates its transcriptional activity both in vitro and in vivo in Eps8-null mice. The absence of Eps8 also increases vascular permeability in vivo, but did not induce other major vascular defects. Collectively, we identified novel components of the adherens junction complex, and we introduce a novel molecular mechanism through which the VE-cadherin complex controls YAP transcriptional activity.
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| 9. |
- Globisch, Maria A., et al.
(författare)
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Immunothrombosis and vascular heterogeneity in cerebral cavernous malformation
- 2022
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Ingår i: Blood. - : American Society of Hematology. - 0006-4971 .- 1528-0020. ; 140:20, s. 2154-2169
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM) is a neurovascular disease that results in various neurological symptoms. Thrombi have been reported in surgically resected CCM patient biopsies, but the molecular signatures of these thrombi remain elusive. Here, we investigated the kinetics of thrombi formation in CCM and how thrombi affect the vasculature and contribute to cerebral hypoxia. We used RNA sequencing to investigate the transcriptome of mouse brain endothelial cells with an inducible endothelial-specific Ccm3 knock-out (Ccm3-iECKO). We found that Ccm3-deficient brain endothelial cells had a higher expression of genes related to the coagulation cascade and hypoxia when compared with wild-type brain endothelial cells. Immunofluorescent assays identified key molecular signatures of thrombi such as fibrin, von Willebrand factor, and activated platelets in Ccm3-iECKO mice and human CCM biopsies. Notably, we identified polyhedrocytes in Ccm3-iECKO mice and human CCM biopsies and report it for the first time. We also found that the parenchyma surrounding CCM lesions is hypoxic and that more thrombi correlate with higher levels of hypoxia. We created an in vitro model to study CCM pathology and found that human brain endothelial cells deficient for CCM3 expressed elevated levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and had a redistribution of von Willebrand factor. With transcriptomics, comprehensive imaging, and an in vitro CCM preclinical model, this study provides experimental evidence that genes and proteins related to the coagulation cascade affect the brain vasculature and promote neurological side effects such as hypoxia in CCMs. This study supports the concept that antithrombotic therapy may be beneficial for patients with CCM.
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| 10. |
- Gordon, Emma J., et al.
(författare)
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The endothelial adaptor molecule TSAd is required for VEGF-induced angiogenic sprouting through junctional c-Src activation
- 2016
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Ingår i: Science Signaling. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 1945-0877 .- 1937-9145. ; 9:437
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Activation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor 2 (VEGFR2) by VEGF binding is critical for vascular morphogenesis. In addition, VEGF disrupts the endothelial barrier by triggering the phosphorylation and turnover of the junctional molecule VE-cadherin, a process mediated by the VEGFR2 downstream effectors T cell-specific adaptor (TSAd) and the tyrosine kinase c-Src. We investigated whether the VEGFR2-TSAd-c-Src pathway was required for angiogenic sprouting. Indeed, Tsad-deficient embryoid bodies failed to sprout in response to VEGF. Tsad-deficient mice displayed impaired angiogenesis specifically during tracheal vessel development, but not during retinal vasculogenesis, and in VEGF-loaded Matrigel plugs, but not in those loaded with FGF. The SH2 and proline-rich domains of TSAd bridged VEGFR2 and c-Src, and this bridging was critical for the localization of activated c-Src to endothelial junctions and elongation of the growing sprout, but not for selection of the tip cell. These results revealed that vascular sprouting and permeability are both controlled through the VEGFR2-TSAd-c-Src signaling pathway in a subset of tissues, which may be useful in developing strategies to control tissue-specific pathological angiogenesis.
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