Pathricia V. Tilstam

Deficiency of Endothelial Cxcr4 Reduces Reendothelialization and Enhances Neointimal Hyperplasia After Vascular Injury in Atherosclerosis-Prone Mice

Objective—The Cxcl12/Cxcr4 chemokine ligand/receptor axis mediates the mobilization of smooth muscle cell progenitors, driving injury-induced neointimal hyperplasia. This study aimed to investigate the role of endothelial Cxcr4 in neointima formation. Approach and Results—&bgr;-Galactosidase staining using bone marrow x kinase (Bmx)-CreERT2 reporter mice and double immunofluorescence revealed an efficient and endothelial-specific deletion of Cxcr4 in Bmx-CreERT2+ compared with Bmx-CreERT2− Cxcr4-floxed apolipoprotein E–deficient (Apoe−/−) mice (referred to as Cxcr4EC-KOApoE−/− and Cxcr4EC-WT ApoE−/−, respectively). Endothelial Cxcr4 deficiency significantly increased wire injury–induced neointima formation in carotid arteries from Cxcr4EC-KOApoE−/− mice. The lesions displayed a higher number of macrophages, whereas the smooth muscle cell and collagen content were reduced. This was associated with a significant reduction in reendothelialization and endothelial cell proliferation in injured Cxcr4EC-KOApoE−/− carotids compared with Cxcr4EC-WTApoE−/− controls. Furthermore, stimulation of human aortic endothelial cells with chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 12 (CXCL12) significantly enhanced their wound-healing capacity in an in vitro scratch assay, an effect that could be reversed with the CXCR4 antagonist AMD3100. Also, flow cytometric analysis showed a reduced mobilization of Sca1+Flk1+Cd31+ and of Lin−Sca1+ progenitors in Cxcr4EC-KO ApoE−/− mice after vascular injury, although Cxcr4 surface expression was unaltered. No differences could be detected in plasma concentrations of Cxcl12, vascular endothelial growth factor, sphingosine 1-phosphate, or Flt3 (fms-related tyrosine kinase 3) ligand, all cytokines with an established role in progenitor cell mobilization. Nonetheless, double immunofluorescence revealed a significant reduction in local endothelial Cxcl12 staining in injured carotids from Cxcr4EC-KOApoE−/− mice. Conclusions—Endothelial Cxcr4 is crucial for efficient reendothelialization after vascular injury through endothelial wound healing and proliferation, and through the mobilization of Sca1+Flk1+Cd31+ cells, often referred to as circulating endothelial progenitor cells.

Deficiency of the Sialyltransferase St3Gal4 Reduces Ccl5-Mediated Myeloid Cell Recruitment and Arrest Short Communication

Rationale: Sialylation by &agr;2,3-sialyltransferases has been shown to be a crucial glycosylation step in the generation of functional selectin ligands. Recent evidence suggests that sialylation also affects the binding of chemokines to their corresponding receptor. Objective: Because the chemokine receptors for Ccl5 and Ccl2 are important in atherogenic recruitment of neutrophils and monocytes, we here investigated the role of &agr;2,3-sialyltransferase IV (ST3Gal-IV) in Ccl5- and Ccl2-mediated myeloid cell arrest and further studied its relevance in a mouse model of atherosclerosis. Methods and Results: St3Gal4-deficient myeloid cells showed a reduced binding of Ccl5 and an impaired Ccl5-triggered integrin activation. Correspondingly, Ccl5-induced arrest on tumor necrosis factor-&agr;–stimulated endothelium was almost completely abrogated, as observed in flow chamber adhesion assays and during ex vivo perfusion or intravital microscopy of carotid arteries. Moreover, Ccl5-triggered neutrophil and monocyte extravasation into the peritoneal cavity was severely reduced in St3Gal4−/− mice. In contrast, St3Gal4 deficiency did not significantly affect Ccl2 binding and only marginally decreased Ccl2-induced flow arrest of myeloid cells. In agreement with the crucial role of leukocyte accumulation in atherogenesis, and the importance of Ccl5 chemokine receptors mediating myeloid cell recruitment to atherosclerotic vessels, St3Gal4 deficiency drastically reduced the size, stage, and inflammatory cell content of atherosclerotic lesions in Apoe−/− mice on high-fat diet. Conclusions: In summary, these findings identify ST3Gal-IV as a promising target to reduce inflammatory leukocyte recruitment and arrest.

PDE4 inhibition reduces neointima formation and inhibits VCAM-1 expression and histone methylation in an Epac-dependent manner

Phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) activity mediates cAMP-dependent smooth muscle cell (SMC) activation following vascular injury. In this study we have investigated the effects of specific PDE4 inhibition with roflumilast on SMC proliferation and inflammatory activation in vitro and neointima formation following guide wire-induced injury of the femoral artery in mice in vivo. In vitro, roflumilast did not affect SMC proliferation, but diminished TNF-α induced expression of the vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1). Specific activation of the cAMP effector Epac, but not PKA activation mimicked the effects of roflumilast on VCAM-1 expression. Consistently, the reduction of VCAM-1 expression was rescued following inhibition of Epac. TNF-α induced NFκB p65 translocation and VCAM-1 promoter activity were not altered by roflumilast in SMCs. However, roflumilast treatment and Epac activation repressed the induction of the activating epigenetic histone mark H3K4me2 at the VCAM-1 promoter, while PKA activation showed no effect. Furthermore, HDAC inhibition blocked the inhibitory effect of roflumilast on VCAM-1 expression. Both, roflumilast and Epac activation reduced monocyte adhesion to SMCs in vitro. Finally, roflumilast treatment attenuated femoral artery intima-media ratio by more than 50% after 4weeks. In summary, PDE4 inhibition regulates VCAM-1 through a novel Epac-dependent mechanism, which involves regulatory epigenetic components and reduces neointima formation following vascular injury. PDE4 inhibition and Epac activation might represent novel approaches for the treatment of vascular diseases, including atherosclerosis and in-stent restenosis.

Deficiency of the Sialyltransferase St3Gal4 Reduces Ccl5-Mediated Myeloid Cell Recruitment and Arrest

Rationale: Sialylation by &agr;2,3-sialyltransferases has been shown to be a crucial glycosylation step in the generation of functional selectin ligands. Recent evidence suggests that sialylation also affects the binding of chemokines to their corresponding receptor. Objective: Because the chemokine receptors for Ccl5 and Ccl2 are important in atherogenic recruitment of neutrophils and monocytes, we here investigated the role of &agr;2,3-sialyltransferase IV (ST3Gal-IV) in Ccl5- and Ccl2-mediated myeloid cell arrest and further studied its relevance in a mouse model of atherosclerosis. Methods and Results: St3Gal4-deficient myeloid cells showed a reduced binding of Ccl5 and an impaired Ccl5-triggered integrin activation. Correspondingly, Ccl5-induced arrest on tumor necrosis factor-&agr;–stimulated endothelium was almost completely abrogated, as observed in flow chamber adhesion assays and during ex vivo perfusion or intravital microscopy of carotid arteries. Moreover, Ccl5-triggered neutrophil and monocyte extravasation into the peritoneal cavity was severely reduced in St3Gal4−/− mice. In contrast, St3Gal4 deficiency did not significantly affect Ccl2 binding and only marginally decreased Ccl2-induced flow arrest of myeloid cells. In agreement with the crucial role of leukocyte accumulation in atherogenesis, and the importance of Ccl5 chemokine receptors mediating myeloid cell recruitment to atherosclerotic vessels, St3Gal4 deficiency drastically reduced the size, stage, and inflammatory cell content of atherosclerotic lesions in Apoe−/− mice on high-fat diet. Conclusions: In summary, these findings identify ST3Gal-IV as a promising target to reduce inflammatory leukocyte recruitment and arrest.

Bone Marrow-Specific Knock-In of a Non-Activatable Ikkα Kinase Mutant Influences Haematopoiesis but Not Atherosclerosis in Apoe-Deficient Mice

Background The Ikkα kinase, a subunit of the NF-κB-activating IKK complex, has emerged as an important regulator of inflammatory gene expression. However, the role of Ikkα-mediated phosphorylation in haematopoiesis and atherogenesis remains unexplored. In this study, we investigated the effect of a bone marrow (BM)-specific activation-resistant Ikkα mutant knock-in on haematopoiesis and atherosclerosis in mice. Methods and Results Apolipoprotein E (Apoe)-deficient mice were transplanted with BM carrying an activation-resistant Ikkα gene (IkkαAA/AAApoe−/−) or with Ikkα+/+Apoe−/− BM as control and were fed a high-cholesterol diet for 8 or 13 weeks. Interestingly, haematopoietic profiling by flow cytometry revealed a significant decrease in B-cells, regulatory T-cells and effector memory T-cells in IkkαAA/AAApoe−/− BM-chimeras, whereas the naive T-cell population was increased. Surprisingly, no differences were observed in the size, stage or cellular composition of atherosclerotic lesions in the aorta and aortic root of IkkαAA/AAApoe−/− vs Ikkα+/+Apoe−/− BM-transplanted mice, as shown by histological and immunofluorescent stainings. Necrotic core sizes, apoptosis, and intracellular lipid deposits in aortic root lesions were unaltered. In vitro, BM-derived macrophages from IkkαAA/AAApoe−/− vs Ikkα+/+Apoe−/− mice did not show significant differences in the uptake of oxidized low-density lipoproteins (oxLDL), and, with the exception of Il-12, the secretion of inflammatory proteins in conditions of Tnf-α or oxLDL stimulation was not significantly altered. Furthermore, serum levels of inflammatory proteins as measured with a cytokine bead array were comparable. Conclusion Our data reveal an important and previously unrecognized role of haematopoietic Ikkα kinase activation in the homeostasis of B-cells and regulatory T-cells. However, transplantation of IkkαAA mutant BM did not affect atherosclerosis in Apoe−/− mice. This suggests that the diverse functions of Ikkα in haematopoietic cells may counterbalance each other or may not be strong enough to influence atherogenesis, and reveals that targeting haematopoietic Ikkα kinase activity alone does not represent a therapeutic approach.

Deficiency of the Sialyltransferase St3Gal4 Reduces Ccl5-Mediated Myeloid Cell Recruitment and ArrestNovelty and Significance

Rationale: Sialylation by &agr;2,3-sialyltransferases has been shown to be a crucial glycosylation step in the generation of functional selectin ligands. Recent evidence suggests that sialylation also affects the binding of chemokines to their corresponding receptor. Objective: Because the chemokine receptors for Ccl5 and Ccl2 are important in atherogenic recruitment of neutrophils and monocytes, we here investigated the role of &agr;2,3-sialyltransferase IV (ST3Gal-IV) in Ccl5- and Ccl2-mediated myeloid cell arrest and further studied its relevance in a mouse model of atherosclerosis. Methods and Results: St3Gal4-deficient myeloid cells showed a reduced binding of Ccl5 and an impaired Ccl5-triggered integrin activation. Correspondingly, Ccl5-induced arrest on tumor necrosis factor-&agr;–stimulated endothelium was almost completely abrogated, as observed in flow chamber adhesion assays and during ex vivo perfusion or intravital microscopy of carotid arteries. Moreover, Ccl5-triggered neutrophil and monocyte extravasation into the peritoneal cavity was severely reduced in St3Gal4−/− mice. In contrast, St3Gal4 deficiency did not significantly affect Ccl2 binding and only marginally decreased Ccl2-induced flow arrest of myeloid cells. In agreement with the crucial role of leukocyte accumulation in atherogenesis, and the importance of Ccl5 chemokine receptors mediating myeloid cell recruitment to atherosclerotic vessels, St3Gal4 deficiency drastically reduced the size, stage, and inflammatory cell content of atherosclerotic lesions in Apoe−/− mice on high-fat diet. Conclusions: In summary, these findings identify ST3Gal-IV as a promising target to reduce inflammatory leukocyte recruitment and arrest.

Deficiency of the Sialyltransferase St3Gal4 Reduces Ccl5-Mediated Myeloid Cell Recruitment and ArrestNovelty and Significance: Short Communication

Rationale: Sialylation by &agr;2,3-sialyltransferases has been shown to be a crucial glycosylation step in the generation of functional selectin ligands. Recent evidence suggests that sialylation also affects the binding of chemokines to their corresponding receptor. Objective: Because the chemokine receptors for Ccl5 and Ccl2 are important in atherogenic recruitment of neutrophils and monocytes, we here investigated the role of &agr;2,3-sialyltransferase IV (ST3Gal-IV) in Ccl5- and Ccl2-mediated myeloid cell arrest and further studied its relevance in a mouse model of atherosclerosis. Methods and Results: St3Gal4-deficient myeloid cells showed a reduced binding of Ccl5 and an impaired Ccl5-triggered integrin activation. Correspondingly, Ccl5-induced arrest on tumor necrosis factor-&agr;–stimulated endothelium was almost completely abrogated, as observed in flow chamber adhesion assays and during ex vivo perfusion or intravital microscopy of carotid arteries. Moreover, Ccl5-triggered neutrophil and monocyte extravasation into the peritoneal cavity was severely reduced in St3Gal4−/− mice. In contrast, St3Gal4 deficiency did not significantly affect Ccl2 binding and only marginally decreased Ccl2-induced flow arrest of myeloid cells. In agreement with the crucial role of leukocyte accumulation in atherogenesis, and the importance of Ccl5 chemokine receptors mediating myeloid cell recruitment to atherosclerotic vessels, St3Gal4 deficiency drastically reduced the size, stage, and inflammatory cell content of atherosclerotic lesions in Apoe−/− mice on high-fat diet. Conclusions: In summary, these findings identify ST3Gal-IV as a promising target to reduce inflammatory leukocyte recruitment and arrest.