Debasish Maiti

Tissue Factor Pathway Inhibitor-2 Is Upregulated by Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Suppresses Growth Factor-Induced Proliferation of Endothelial Cells

Objective—The purpose of this study is to investigate the expression and regulation of type-2 tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI-2) in endothelial cells, as well as the regulation of human endothelial cell (EC) function by TFPI-2. Methods and Results—Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blot analysis revealed that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) induced both time- and dose-dependent increase in TFPI-2 mRNA and protein expression in endothelial cells. TFPI-2 mRNA expression was also significantly upregulated by IL-1β, and modestly increased by both tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2, but not placental growth factor (PlGF). VEGF upregulation of TFPI-2 was dramatically reduced by inhibition of the MEK pathway. Administration of TFPI-2 protein suppressed both VEGF and FGF-2 stimulation of EC proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. A recombinant preparation of the first Kunitz-type domain of TFPI-2 (KD1) did not suppress growth factor stimulation of EC proliferation, suggesting a mechanism distinct from the proteinase inhibitory activity of TFPI-2. Exogenously added TFPI-2 protein suppressed VEGF-induced EC migration in 2 different assays. Recombinant wt-KD1 or the R24K mutant of KD1, but not the R24Q mutant, dramatically suppressed VEGF-induced EC migration. TFPI-2 protein, but not recombinant KD1, blocked VEGF-induced activation of both Akt and ERK1/2 in ECs. At higher doses, TFPI-2 protein blocked VEGFR2 activation. Conclusion—Our data suggest that VEGF-upregulation of TFPI-2 expression in endothelial cells may represent a mechanism for negative feedback regulation and modulation of its pro-angiogenic action on endothelial cells. TFPI-2, or derivatives of TFPI-2, may be novel therapeutics for treatment of angiogenic disease processes.

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Induces MEF2C and MEF2-Dependent Activity in Endothelial Cells

PURPOSEnVascular endothelial growth factor is a key regulator of physiological and pathologic angiogenesis. Although much is known about the major upstream signaling pathways of VEGF in endothelial cells, less is known about key transcription factors involved in VEGF action. The transcription factor myocyte enhancer factor (MEF)-2C is thought to play an important role in vasculogenesis and angiogenesis during vascular development. The purpose of this study was to investigate the regulation of MEF2C expression and MEF2-dependent activity in endothelial cells by VEGF.nnnMETHODSnExpression of MEF2C in human retinal endothelial cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells was assayed by real-time PCR and Western blot. VEGF regulation of MEF2-dependent transcription was studied using an MEF2-luciferase reporter construct containing three copies of a high-affinity MEF2 binding site. The effect of MEF2 on endothelial cell migration was evaluated using a dominant-negative MEF2C mutant.nnnRESULTSnVEGF induced MEF2C expression in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. This induction was completely abrogated by the inhibition of protein kinase C and was partially blocked by the inhibition of PKC-beta and PKC-delta. In addition to regulating MEF2C expression, VEGF stimulated transcription from an MEF2-dependent promoter. VEGF stimulation of transcription was significantly reduced by the inhibition of calcineurin, CaMKII, p38 MAPK, and PKC, but not by the inhibition of ERK1/2 or BMK1/ERK5. Transfection of a dominant-negative mutant of MEF2C significantly inhibited VEGF-stimulated endothelial cell migration.nnnCONCLUSIONSnThese results implicate VEGF as a key regulator of MEF2C and suggest that MEF2 may be an important mediator of VEGF in endothelial cells.

MEF2C ablation in endothelial cells reduces retinal vessel loss and suppresses pathologic retinal neovascularization in oxygen-induced retinopathy.

Ischemic retinopathies, including retinopathy of prematurity and diabetic retinopathy, are major causes of blindness. Both have two phases, vessel loss and consequent hypoxia-driven pathologic retinal neovascularization, yet relatively little is known about the transcription factors regulating these processes. Myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) C, a member of the MEF2 family of transcription factors that plays an important role in multiple developmental programs, including the cardiovascular system, seems to have a significant functional role in the vasculature. We, therefore, generated endothelial cell (EC)-specific MEF2C-deficient mice and explored the role of MEF2C in retinal vascularization during normal development and in a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy. Ablation of MEF2C did not cause appreciable defects in normal retinal vascular development. However, MEF2C ablation in ECs suppressed vessel loss in oxygen-induced retinopathy and strongly promoted vascular regrowth, consequently reducing retinal avascularity. This finding was associated with suppression of pathologic retinal angiogenesis and blood-retinal barrier dysfunction. MEF2C knockdown in cultured retinal ECs using small-interfering RNAs rescued ECs from death and stimulated tube formation under stress conditions, confirming the endothelial-autonomous and antiangiogenic roles of MEF2C. HO-1 was induced by MEF2C knockdown in vitro and may play a role in the proangiogenic effect of MEF2C knockdown on retinal EC tube formation. Thus, MEF2C may play an antiangiogenic role in retinal ECs under stress conditions, and modulation of MEF2C may prevent pathologic retinal neovascularization.

Transcription Factor MEF2C Suppresses Endothelial Cell Inflammation via Regulation of NF-κB and KLF2

Endothelial cells play a major role in the initiation and perpetuation of the inflammatory process in health and disease, including their pivotal role in leukocyte recruitment. The role of pro‐inflammatory transcription factors in this process has been well‐described, including NF‐κB. However, much less is known regarding transcription factors that play an anti‐inflammatory role in endothelial cells. Myocyte enhancer factor 2u2009C (MEF2C) is a transcription factor known to regulate angiogenesis in endothelial cells. Here, we report that MEF2C plays a critical function as an inhibitor of endothelial cell inflammation. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α inhibited MEF2C expression in endothelial cells. Knockdown of MEF2C in endothelial cells resulted in the upregulation of pro‐inflammatory molecules and stimulated leukocyte adhesion to endothelial cells. MEF2C knockdown also resulted in NF‐κB activation in endothelial cells. Conversely, MEF2C overexpression by adenovirus significantly repressed TNF‐α induction of pro‐inflammatory molecules, activation of NF‐κB, and leukocyte adhesion to endothelial cells. This inhibition of leukocyte adhesion by MEF2C was partially mediated by induction of KLF2. In mice, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced leukocyte adhesion to the retinal vasculature was significantly increased by endothelial cell‐specific ablation of MEF2C. Taken together, these results demonstrate that MEF2C is a novel negative regulator of inflammation in endothelial cells and may represent a therapeutic target for vascular inflammation. J. Cell. Physiol. 230: 1310–1320, 2015.

Facilitation of functional compartmentalization of bone marrow cells in leukemic mice by biological response modifiers: an immunotherapeutic approach

Biological Response Modifiers (BRMs) including interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) protected N,N-ethylnitrosourea (ENU) induced leukaemic mice. Two cell types from the bone marrow were isolated in density specific gradient representing two distinct compartments, the low density cells being more CD34 positive than the high density group. Investigations with the functional efficacy of such compartments revealed significant improvement of cytotoxic efficacy and phagocytic burst at the high density compartment (HDC) level. The high density compartment was found to be more responsive towards the BRMs compared to the cells of the low density compartment (LDC). It was suggested that use of BRMs in vivo can stimulate a potent functional progenitor compartmentalization in normal as well as leukaemic mice. These observations are expected to help a logistic approach towards combined BRM therapy at the clinical level.

Analysis of intracellular pH (pHcyt) in mouse models of angiogenesis and carcinogenesis by spectral imaging microscopy, real-time confocal imaging microscopy, and multiphoton spectral imaging

We have shown that a specific cytosolic pH (pHcyt) regulatory mechanism, i.e., vacuolar type H+-ATPases at the plasma membrane (pmV-ATPases), allows angiogenic and metastatic cells to survive in an acidic and hostile environment. However, a functional evaluation of this pumps activity in situ (i.e., in living animal models) has not been attempted. We developed a mouse model of angiogenesis and metastasis based on the dorsal skin fold chamber, and implanted highly metastatic human tumor cells that have been engineered to express green fluorescent protein (GFP). GFP can be used as a pH reporter because its fluorescence is pH sensitive. Our studies in isolated single cells indicated that there are distinct pHcyt gradients in the invadipodia versus the lamellipodia due to the preferential expression of pmV-ATPases at the leading edge. We hypothesize that in vivo, these pH gradients also exist. We employed spectral imaging and real time confocal imaging microscopy, since these approaches are complementary and exhibited unsurpassed temporal and spectral resolution, thus allowing us to study pHcyt in discrete subcellular regions of the cells expressing GFP. We can acquire a full frame (i.e., 512 x 512 pixels) in real time confocal imaging at ca. 25-50 msec, whereas spectral imaging allow us to obtain spectral information from discrete domains of ca. 10 μm in the x-y plane and every 10 μm from leading to lagging edge within a time frame of 5 msec at 0.4 nm spectral resolution. This is possible because we employ frame transfer cooled CCD cameras and spectrographs. Studies are under way to evaluate proton gradients using multiphoton approaches since this will allow us to evaluate pH deeper into the tissue (i.e., 300-600 μm), and should allow us to follow pHcyt and the progression of tumor metastasis.