Kelley L. Colvin

Development of Occlusive Neointimal Lesions in Distal Pulmonary Arteries of Endothelin B Receptor–Deficient Rats: A New Model of Severe Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Background—Human pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by proliferation of vascular smooth muscle and, in its more severe form, by the development of occlusive neointimal lesions. However, few animal models of pulmonary neointimal proliferation exist, thereby limiting a complete understanding of the pathobiology of PAH. Recent studies of the endothelin (ET) system demonstrate that deficiency of the ETB receptor predisposes adult rats to acute and chronic hypoxic PAH, yet these animals fail to develop neointimal lesions. Herein, we determined and thereafter showed that exposure of ETB receptor–deficient rats to the endothelial toxin monocrotaline (MCT) leads to the development of neointimal lesions that share hallmarks of human PAH. Methods and Results—The pulmonary hemodynamic and morphometric effects of 60 mg/kg MCT in control (MCT+/+) and ETB receptor–deficient (MCTsl/sl) rats at 6 weeks of age were assessed. MCTsl/sl rats developed more severe PAH, characterized by elevated pulmonary artery pressure, diminished cardiac output, and right ventricular hypertrophy. In MCTsl/sl rats, morphometric evaluation revealed the presence of neointimal lesions within small distal pulmonary arteries, increased medial wall thickness, and decreased arterial-to-alveolar ratio. In keeping with this, barium angiography revealed diminished distal pulmonary vasculature of MCTsl/sl rat lungs. Cells within neointimal lesions expressed smooth muscle and endothelial cell markers. Moreover, cells within neointimal lesions exhibited increased levels of proliferation and were located in a tissue microenvironment enriched with vascular endothelial growth factor, tenascin-C, and activated matrix metalloproteinase-9, factors already implicated in human PAH. Finally, assessment of steady state mRNA showed that whereas expression of ETB receptors was decreased in MCTsl/sl rat lungs, ETA receptor expression increased. Conclusions—Deficiency of the ETB receptor markedly accelerates the progression of PAH in rats treated with MCT and enhances the appearance of cellular and molecular markers associated with the pathobiology of PAH. Collectively, these results suggest an overall antiproliferative effect of the ETB receptor in pulmonary vascular homeostasis.

Circulating Fibrocytes Are Increased in Children and Young Adults with Pulmonary Hypertension

Chronic inflammation is an important component of the fibroproliferative changes that characterise pulmonary hypertensive vasculopathy. Fibrocytes contribute to tissue remodelling in settings of chronic inflammation, including animal models of pulmonary hypertension (PH). We sought to determine whether circulating fibrocytes were increased in children and young adults with PH. 26 individuals with PH and 10 with normal cardiac anatomy were studied. Fresh blood was analysed by flow cytometry for fibrocytes expressing CD45 and procollagen. Fibrocyte numbers were correlated to clinical and haemodynamic parameters, and circulating CC chemokine ligand (CCL)2 and CXC chemokine ligand (CXCL)12 levels. We found an enrichment of circulating fibrocytes among those with PH. No differences in fibrocytes were observed among those with idiopathic versus secondary PH. Higher fibrocytes correlated to increasing mean pulmonary artery pressure and age, but not to length or type of treatment. Immunofluorescence analysis confirmed flow sorting specificity. Differences in plasma levels of CCL2 or CXCL12, which could mobilise fibrocytes from the bone marrow, were not found. We conclude that circulating fibrocytes are significantly increased in individuals with PH compared with controls. We speculate that these cells might play important roles in vascular remodelling in children and young adults with pulmonary hypertension.

Endothelin-1, the Unfolded Protein Response, and Persistent Inflammation: Role of Pulmonary Artery Smooth Muscle Cells

Endothelin-1 is a potent vasoactive peptide that occurs in chronically high levels in humans with pulmonary hypertension and in animal models of the disease. Recently, the unfolded protein response was implicated in a variety of diseases, including pulmonary hypertension. In addition, evidence is increasing for pathological, persistent inflammation in the pathobiology of this disease. We investigated whether endothelin-1 might engage the unfolded protein response and thus link inflammation and the production of hyaluronic acid by pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. Using immunoblot, real-time PCR, immunofluorescence, and luciferase assays, we found that endothelin-1 induces both a transcriptional and posttranslational activation of the three major arms of the unfolded protein response. The pharmacologic blockade of endothelin A receptors, but not endothelin B receptors, attenuated the observed release, as did a pharmacologic blockade of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK-1/2) signaling. Using short hairpin RNA and ELISA, we observed that the release by pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells of inflammatory modulators, including hyaluronic acid, is associated with endothelin-1-induced ERK-1/2 phosphorylation and the unfolded protein response. Furthermore, the synthesis of hyaluronic acid induced by endothelin-1 is permissive for persistent THP-1 monocyte binding. These results suggest that endothelin-1, in part because it induces the unfolded protein response in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells, triggers proinflammatory processes that likely contribute to vascular remodeling in pulmonary hypertension.

Endothelin B Receptor Deficiency Predisposes to Pulmonary Edema Formation via Increased Lung Vascular Endothelial Cell Growth Factor Expression

Abstract— Endothelin (ET) may contribute to pulmonary edema formation, particularly under hypoxic conditions, and decreases in ET-B receptor expression can lead to reduced ET clearance. ET increases vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) production in vitro, and VEGF overexpression in the lung causes pulmonary edema in vivo. We hypothesized that pulmonary vascular ET-B receptor deficiency leads to increased lung ET, that excess ET increases lung VEGF levels, promoting pulmonary edema formation, and that hypoxia exaggerates these effects. We studied these hypotheses in ET-B receptor–deficient rats. In normoxia, homozygous ET-B–deficient animals had significantly more lung vascular leak than heterozygous or control animals. Hypoxia increased vascular leak regardless of genotype, and hypoxic ET-B–deficient animals leaked more than hypoxic control animals. ET-B–deficient animals had higher lung ET levels in both normoxia and hypoxia. Lung HIF-1&agr; and VEGF content was greater in the ET-B–deficient animals in both normoxia and hypoxia, and both HIF-1&agr; and VEGF levels were reduced by ET-A receptor antagonism. Both ET-A receptor blockade and VEGF antagonism reduced vascular leak in hypoxic ET-B–deficient animals. We conclude that ET-B receptor–deficient animals display an exaggerated lung vascular protein leak in normoxia, that hypoxia exacerbates that leak, and that this effect is in part attributable to an ET-mediated increase in lung VEGF content.

Circulating Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells Are Increased and Activated in Pulmonary Hypertension

BACKGROUND Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are increased in inflammatory and autoimmune disorders and orchestrate immune cell responses therein. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is associated with inflammation, autoimmunity, and lung vascular remodeling. Immature myeloid cells are found in the lungs of humans and animals with PH, and we hypothesized that they would be increased in the blood of patients with PH compared with control subjects. METHODS Twenty-six children with PH and 10 undergoing cardiac catheterization for arrhythmia ablation were studied. Five milliliters of fresh blood were analyzed using flow cytometry. Results were confirmed using magnetic bead sorting and immunofluorescence, while quantitative polymerase chain reaction and intracellular urea concentration assays were used as measures of MDSC arginase-1 activation. RESULTS Flow cytometry demonstrated enrichment of circulating MDSCs among patients with PH (n = 26; mean, 0.271 × 10(6) cells/mL ± 0.17; 1.86% of CD45(+) population ± 1.51) compared with control subjects (n = 10; mean, 0.176 × 10(6) cells/mL ± 0.05; 0.57% of CD45(+) population ± 0.29; P < .05). Higher numbers of circulating MDSCs correlated to increasing mean pulmonary artery pressure (r = 0.510, P < .05). Among patients with PH, female patients had a twofold increase in MDSCs compared with male patients. Immunofluorescence analysis confirmed the results of flow cytometry. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay results for arginase-1 and measurement of intracellular urea concentration revealed increased activity of MDSCs from patients with PH compared with control subjects. CONCLUSIONS Circulating activated MDSCs are significantly increased in children with PH compared with control subjects. Further investigation of these cells is warranted, and we speculate that they might play significant immunomodulatory roles in the disease pathogenesis of PH.

Bronchus-associated Lymphoid Tissue in Pulmonary Hypertension Produces Pathologic Autoantibodies

RATIONALE Autoimmunity has long been associated with pulmonary hypertension. Bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue plays important roles in antigen sampling and self-tolerance during infection and inflammation. OBJECTIVES We reasoned that activated bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue would be evident in rats with pulmonary hypertension, and that loss of self-tolerance would result in production of pathologic autoantibodies that drive vascular remodeling. METHODS We used animal models, histology, and gene expression assays to evaluate the role of bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue in pulmonary hypertension. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue was more numerous, larger, and more active in pulmonary hypertension compared with control animals. We found dendritic cells in and around lymphoid tissue, which were composed of CD3(+) T cells over a core of CD45RA(+) B cells. Antirat IgG and plasma from rats with pulmonary hypertension decorated B cells in lymphoid tissue, resistance vessels, and adventitia of large vessels. Lymphoid tissue in diseased rats was vascularized by aquaporin-1(+) high endothelial venules and vascular cell adhesion molecule-positive vessels. Autoantibodies are produced in bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue and, when bound to pulmonary adventitial fibroblasts, change their phenotype to one that may promote inflammation. Passive transfer of autoantibodies into rats caused pulmonary vascular remodeling and pulmonary hypertension. Diminution of lymphoid tissue reversed pulmonary hypertension, whereas immunologic blockade of CCR7 worsened pulmonary hypertension and hastened its onset. CONCLUSIONS Bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue expands in pulmonary hypertension and is autoimmunologically active. Loss of self-tolerance contributes to pulmonary vascular remodeling and pulmonary hypertension. Lymphoid tissue-directed therapies may be beneficial in treating pulmonary hypertension.

Activation of the unfolded protein response is associated with pulmonary hypertension.

Pulmonary hypertension remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Although there is currently no cure, descriptions of defective intracellular trafficking and protein misfolding in vascular cell models of pulmonary hypertension have been recently reported. We tested the hypothesis that activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) would be associated with the development of severe PH. We investigated activation of the UPR in archival tissues from patients with severe PH, and in the monocrotaline-induced rat model of severe PH. We tested the ability of a pharmacologic agent capable of modulating the UPR to prevent and reverse pulmonary hypertension. We found evidence of an active UPR in archival tissue from humans with PH, but not in control lungs. Similarly, monocrotaline-treated rats demonstrated a significant difference in expression of each of the major arms of the UPR compared to controls. Interestingly, the UPR preceded the appearance of macrophages and the development of lung vascular remodeling in the rats. Treatment of monocrotaline rats with salubrinal, a modulator of the PERK arm of the UPR, attenuated PH and was associated with a decrease in lung macrophages. In culture, pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells with UPR induction produced IL-6 and CCL-2/MCP-1, and stimulated macrophage migration. These effects were abolished by pretreatment of cells with salubrinal. These data support the hypothesis that the UPR may play a role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory vascular remodeling and PH. As such, understanding the functional contributions of the UPR in the setting of PH may have important therapeutic implications.

Animal Models of Pulmonary Hypertension: Matching Disease Mechanisms to Etiology of the Human Disease.

Recently a great deal of progress has been made in our understanding of pulmonary hypertension (PH). Research from the past 30 years has resulted in newer treatments that provide symptomatic improvements and delayed disease progression. Unfortunately, the cure for patients with this lethal syndrome remains stubbornly elusive. With the relative explosion of scientific literature regarding PH, confusion has arisen regarding animal models of the disease and their correlation to the human condition. This short review uniquely focuses on the clear and present need to better correlate mechanistic insights from existing and emerging animal models of PH to specific etiologies and histopathologies of human PH. A better understanding of the pathologic processes in various animal models and how they relate to the human disease should accelerate the development of newer and more efficacious therapies.

Biomarkers for Pediatric Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension – A Call to Collaborate

Therapeutic approaches in pediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) are based primarily on clinician experience, in contrast to the evidence-based approach in adults with pulmonary hypertension. There is a clear and present need for non-invasive and objective biomarkers to guide the accurate diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of this disease in children. The multifaceted spectrum of disease, clinical presentation, and association with other diseases makes this a formidable challenge. However, as more progress is being made in the understanding and management of adult PAH, the potential to apply this knowledge to children has never been greater. This review explores the state of the art with regard to non-invasive biomarkers in PAH, with an eye toward those adult PAH biomarkers potentially suitable for application in pediatric PAH.

Circulating Cytokines and Growth Factors in Pediatric Pulmonary Hypertension

Background. Management of pediatric pulmonary hypertension (PH) remains challenging. We have assessed a panel of circulating proteins in children with PH to investigate their value as predictive and/or prognostic biomarkers. From these determinations, we aim to develop a practical, noninvasive tool to aid in the management of pediatric PH. Methods. Twelve cytokines and growth factors putatively associated with lung or vascular disease were examined in plasma specimens from 70 children with PH using multiplex protein array technology. Associations between hemodynamics, adverse events, and protein markers were evaluated. Results. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and IL-6 were associated with important hemodynamics. Of the twelve proteins, VEGF and IL-6 were significantly, univariately associated with the occurrence of an adverse event, with odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of 0.56 (0.33–0.98) and 1.69 (1.03–2.77), respectively. When hemodynamic predictors were combined with protein markers, the ability to predict adverse outcomes within the following year significantly increased. Conclusions. Specific circulating proteins are associated with hemodynamic variables in pediatric PH. If confirmed in additional cohorts, measurement of these proteins could aid patient care and design of clinical trials by identifying patients at risk for adverse events. These findings also further support a role for inflammation in pediatric PH.