Cardiac pericytes mediate the fibrotic remodeling response to myocardial infarction
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ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
PROVIDER: GSE201947 | GEO | 2023/05/10
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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Project description:Aims and introduction: Cardiac fibrosis is the hallmark of cardiac disease, particularly myocardial infarction (MI), and is one of the most prevalent causes of heart failure. MI is intricately linked to inflammation, extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling, and cardiac fibrosis, however the mechanisms underpinning these events remain poorly understood. We recently identified that ECM1 has potential to play a key role in cardiac wound healing but the cellular origins in the heart and specific mechanisms of ECM1 in fibrosis remain elusive. Therefore, we investigated the spatiotemporal, cell specific, expression profile of ECM1 in the healthy and diseased mouse and human heart and investigate ECM1 dependent human cardiac fibroblast (HuCFb) cell signalling mechanisms. Methods and results: Western blotting, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and mRNA in-situ hybridisation revealed that ECM1 protein expression was significantly upregulated in human ischaemic and dilated heart failure patients, and predominantly localised interstitially to fibrotic, inflammatory, and peri-vascular areas. ECM1 specific analysis of the Litviňuková et al. (2020) single-cell and -nuclei RNA sequencing (sc/snRNAseq) dataset of healthy human hearts, and the Farbehi et al. (2019) scRNAseq dataset of mouse hearts post-MI demonstrated that ECM1 expression originates from fibroblasts, macrophages, and pericytes/vascular mural cells in the heart. Further, we identify that post-MI ECM1 is expressed in a temporal dynamic flux from unactivated fibroblasts in sham-operated mice, to M1 macrophages (M1MΦ) at day-3, and myofibroblasts and M2MΦ at day-7. Phosphoproteomics of ECM1 treated human cardiac fibroblast cells (HuCFb) alongside ECM1 to HuCFb cell surface protein binding pull-down and mass spectrometry, revealed that ECM1 signalling goes via proteins associated with Rho protein signal transduction, cell-cell adhesion, microtubule dynamics, and cell chemotaxis pathways, potentially initiated by ECM1 to CTNND1 binding on the cell surface. Further mechanistic analyses identified that ECM1 inhibits HuCFb cell migration and stimulates inflammatory (IL-6 and IL-1β mRNA expression), fibrotic (TGF-β1, TGF-β2 and Col1a2 mRNA expression), and non-canonical Wnt signalling pathways (Wnt5a mRNA expression and JNK1/2/3 and MYPT1 phosphorylation). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that ECM1 expression originates from macrophages and fibroblasts in the mouse and human heart. ECM1 has significant effects on HuCFb migration, inflammatory, fibrotic, Rho protein, and Wnt5a/non-canonical Wnt signalling pathways. Together, ECM1 plays an important role in cardiac wound healing and may represent a novel mechanism of inflammation-fibrosis crosstalk and progression post-MI.
2024-01-26 | PXD027626 | Pride
Project description:Background. Ageing is one of the main risk factors of cardiovascular disease. Pericytes are capillary-associated mural cells involved in the maintenance and stability of the vascular network. In the heart, the consequences of ageing on cardiac pericytes are unknown. Methods. In this study, we have combined single nucleus RNA sequencing and histological analysis to determine the effects of ageing on cardiac pericytes. Furthermore, we have conducted in vivo and in vitro analysis of RGS5 loss of function and finally have perfomed pericytes-fibroblasts co-culture studies to understand the effect of RGS5 loss of function in pericytes on the neighbouring fibroblasts. Results. We showed that ageing reduces the pericyte area and coverage. Single nucleus RNA sequencing analysis further revealed that the expression of the Regulator of G protein signalling 5 (Rgs5) is reduced in old cardiac pericytes. In vivo and in vitro studies showed that the deletion of RGS5 induces morphological changes and a pro-fibrotic gene expression signature characterized by the expression of different extracellular matrix components and growth factors like TGFB2 and PDGFB in pericytes. Indeed, the culture of fibroblasts with the supernatant of RGS5 deficient pericytes induced their activation characterized by the increased expression of α smooth muscle actin in a TFGβ2 dependent mechanism. Conclusions. Our results identify RGS5 as a crucial regulator of pericyte function during cardiac ageing. The deletion of RGS5 causes cardiac dysfunction and induces myocardial fibrosis, one of the hallmarks of cardiac ageing.
2024-03-13 | E-MTAB-13833 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Background. Ageing is one of the main risk factors of cardiovascular disease. Pericytes are capillary-associated mural cells involved in the maintenance and stability of the vascular network. In the heart, the consequences of ageing on cardiac pericytes are unknown. Methods. In this study, we have combined single nucleus RNA sequencing and histological analysis to determine the effects of ageing on cardiac pericytes. Furthermore, we have conducted in vivo and in vitro analysis of RGS5 loss of function and finally have perfomed pericytes-fibroblasts co-culture studies to understand the effect of RGS5 loss of function in pericytes on the neighbouring fibroblasts. Results. We showed that ageing reduces the pericyte area and coverage. Single nucleus RNA sequencing analysis further revealed that the expression of the Regulator of G protein signalling 5 (Rgs5) is reduced in old cardiac pericytes. In vivo and in vitro studies showed that the deletion of RGS5 induces morphological changes and a pro-fibrotic gene expression signature characterized by the expression of different extracellular matrix components and growth factors like TGFB2 and PDGFB in pericytes. Indeed, the culture of fibroblasts with the supernatant of RGS5 deficient pericytes induced their activation characterized by the increased expression of α smooth muscle actin in a TFGβ2 dependent mechanism. Conclusions. Our results identify RGS5 as a crucial regulator of pericyte function during cardiac ageing. The deletion of RGS5 causes cardiac dysfunction and induces myocardial fibrosis, one of the hallmarks of cardiac ageing.
2024-03-06 | E-MTAB-13841 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. As adult cardiomyocytes (CMs) have little regenerative capacity, after myocardial infarction (MI), resident cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) synthesize extracellular matrix to form scar tissues, resulting in myocardial remodeling and HF. Thus, both cardiac regeneration and fibrosis are therapeutic targets for chronic MI. We previously reported that fibroblasts were directly reprogrammed into induced CMs (iCMs) by overexpression of cardiogenic transcription factors in vitro and in vivo in acute MI. Here we show that in vivo cardiac reprogramming generated iCMs from resident CFs, improved cardiac function, and reversed fibrosis in chronic MI using a novel transgenic mouse system. Single-cell transcriptome analysis revealed that cardiac reprogramming shifted matrix-producing CFs, matrifibrocytes, to a quiescent state and changed the interstitial cell landscape, suppressing fibrotic and inflammatory signatures and activating angiogenic program. Thus, in vivo cardiac reprogramming may be a promising approach for chronic HF.
2022-12-12 | GSE185265 | GEO
Project description:Background. Accumulation of extracellular matrix in the myocardium attenuates cardiac contractile function, and predisposes to arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a matricellular protein that has been shown to promote development of cardiac fibrosis. Objectives. To investigate for the potential of CTGF monoclonal antibody (CTGF mAb) in protecting from development of cardiac fibrosis following myocardial infarction (MI), and to evaluate its effect during infarct repair and acute cardiac ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Methods. Mice were subjected to MI or to I/R injury and treated with either control IgG or CTGF mAb. Cultured human cardiac fibroblasts were used to investigate the signalling mechanisms modulated by CTGF mAb. Results. Treatment with CTGF mAb for four days from day three after MI improved survival, attenuated infarct expansion, and resulted in better preserved left ventricular (LV) systolic function. CTGF mAb therapy for six weeks from day seven after MI reduced the MI-induced increase in cardiomyocyte size, heart weight to body weight ratio and remote LV fibrosis. RNA sequencing analysis of LV samples showed that CTGF mAb induced expression of cardiac repair/developmental genes and normalized the MI-induced increase in expression of inflammatory/profibrotic genes. CTGF mAb induced c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation in vivo and in vitro, and inhibition of JNK abrogated the reduced collagen production in CTGF mAb treated fibroblasts. Conclusions. Treatment with CTGF mAb induces expression of cardiac repair/developmental genes and inhibits expression of inflammatory/pro-fibrotic genes in MI hearts providing benefit during post-MI cardiac repair and reducing post-MI cardiac fibrosis.
2019-04-02 | GSE129134 | GEO
Project description:RNA-binding proteins control gene expression in cardiac fibroblasts during TGFb-driven fibrotic responses, including the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4G2 (eIF4G2), which was known to facilitate alternative mRNA translation during cellular stresses. However, the precise role of eIF4G2 in cardiac fibroblast activation in response to fibrotic stress remains unclear. In this study, we found increased eIF4G2 protein levels in the hearts of heart failure patients and myocardial infarcted mice, as well as in TGFb-treated immortalized human and primary mouse cardiac fibroblasts. Depletion of eIF4G2 led to predominant translational downregulation of genes that are enriched in focal adhesion and extracellular matrix pathways. eIF4G2 knockdown reduced the proliferation, migration, and collagen secretion of TGFb-treated cardiac fibroblasts. Mechanistically, we found that the translation of IGFBP7 mRNA relies on eIF4G2, which is crucial for ECM production in response to pro-fibrotic stimuli. The interaction between eIF4G2 and a DEAD box RNA helicase DDX24 can regulate IGFBP7 protein expression in cardiac fibroblasts. Together, these findings suggest that the TGFb-eIF4G2-IGFBP7 axis establishes a novel translational regulatory circuit that governs cardiac fibroblast activation. Furthermore, conditional knockout of Eif4g2 in POSTN-positive myofibroblasts reduced cardiac fibrosis in the myocardial infarction mouse model, thus improving cardiac function. Our study provides insights into the molecular mechanism of eIF4G2-mediated translational regulation of crucial physiological mRNAs during cardiac fibroblast activation.
2024-07-31 | GSE239824 | GEO
Project description:RNA-binding proteins control gene expression in cardiac fibroblasts during TGFb-driven fibrotic responses, including the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4G2 (eIF4G2), which was known to facilitate alternative mRNA translation during cellular stresses. However, the precise role of eIF4G2 in cardiac fibroblast activation in response to fibrotic stress remains unclear. In this study, we found increased eIF4G2 protein levels in the hearts of heart failure patients and myocardial infarcted mice, as well as in TGFb-treated immortalized human and primary mouse cardiac fibroblasts. Depletion of eIF4G2 led to predominant translational downregulation of genes that are enriched in focal adhesion and extracellular matrix pathways. eIF4G2 knockdown reduced the proliferation, migration, and collagen secretion of TGFb-treated cardiac fibroblasts. Mechanistically, we found that the translation of IGFBP7 mRNA relies on eIF4G2, which is crucial for ECM production in response to pro-fibrotic stimuli. The interaction between eIF4G2 and a DEAD box RNA helicase DDX24 can regulate IGFBP7 protein expression in cardiac fibroblasts. Together, these findings suggest that the TGFb-eIF4G2-IGFBP7 axis establishes a novel translational regulatory circuit that governs cardiac fibroblast activation. Furthermore, conditional knockout of Eif4g2 in POSTN-positive myofibroblasts reduced cardiac fibrosis in the myocardial infarction mouse model, thus improving cardiac function. Our study provides insights into the molecular mechanism of eIF4G2-mediated translational regulation of crucial physiological mRNAs during cardiac fibroblast activation.
2024-07-31 | GSE239823 | GEO
Project description:Fibrotic scarring drives the progression of heart failure after myocardial infarction (MI). Therefore, the development of specific treatment regimens to counteract fibrosis is of high clinical relevance. The transcription factor SOX9 functions as an important regulator during embryogenesis, but recent data point towards an additional causal role in organ fibrosis. We show here that SOX9 is upregulated in the scar after MI in mice. Fibroblast specific deletion of Sox9 ameliorated MI-induced left ventricular dysfunction, dilatation and myocardial scarring in vivo. Unexpectedly, deletion of Sox9 also potently eliminated persisting leukocyte infiltration of the scar in the chronic phase after MI. RNA-sequencing from the infarct scar revealed that Sox9 deletion in fibroblasts resulted in strongly downregulated expression of genes related to extracellular matrix, proteolysis and inflammation. Importantly, Sox9 deletion in isolated cardiac fibroblasts in vitro similarly affected gene expression as in the cardiac scar and prevented their activation and myofibroblast differentiation. Together, our data demonstrate that fibroblast SOX9 functions as a master regulator of cardiac fibrosis and inflammation and might constitute a novel therapeutic target during MI.
2019-07-25 | GSE132265 | GEO
Project description:We profile the transcriptomes of over 5,000 mouse single cells, yielding molecular definitions for mesenchymal cell types present in heathy cycling mouse uterus. We uncover novel heterogeneity within the Pdgfrb+ mesenchymal cell compartment of the mouse uterus, defining five subpopulations including two closely related Cspg4+ pericytes/vascular smooth muscle cells and three Pdgfra+Cd34+ subpopulations of fibroblasts.Our work dissects cellular heterogeneity within the mouse uterine mesenchyme providing a platform to understand the roles of these cell populations in uterine physiology and disease and for comparisons between mesenchymal cells in endometirum and other adult tissue which are prone to fibrosis.
2020-11-16 | GSE160772 | GEO
Project description:Systemic scleroderma (SSc) is an autoimmune disease which results in fibrotic production in the lung. Resultant SSC-pulmonary fibrosis is the main cause of mortality among SSc patients. From high throughput RNAi screening, we uncovered the ubiquitin E3 ligase KLHL42 as a potential pro-fibrotic mediator of TGFb-dependent fibrotic signaling in primary SSc lung fibroblasts. In this analysis, we sought to uncover putative substrates for KLHL42 by comparing SSc lung fibroblasts with control or KLHL42 siRNA prior to TGFb-treatment, lysis, and TUBE precipitation. The resultant pull-down was analyzed with LC-MS/MS.
2020-01-14 | MSV000084800 | MassIVE