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Project description:Brain metastasis of lung cancer causes high mortality, but the exact mechanisms underlying the metastasis remain unclear. Here we report that vascular pericytes derived from CD44+ lung cancer stem cells (CSCs) in lung adenocarcinoma (ADC) potently cause brain metastases through GPR124-mediated trans-endothelial migration (TEM). CD44+ CSCs in the perivascular niche generate the majority of vascular pericytes in lung ADC. CSC-derived pericyte-like cells (Cd-pericytes) exhibit remarkable TEM capacity to effectively intravasate into vessel lumina, survive in the circulation, extravasate into the brain parenchyma, and then de-differentiate into tumorigenic CSCs to form metastases. Moreover, Cd-pericytes uniquely express GPR124, a G-protein-coupled receptor. GPR124 mediates through Wnt7-β-Catenin activation to enhance TEM capacity of Cd-pericytes for intravasation and extravasation, two critical steps during tumor metastasis. Furthermore, selective disruption of Cd-pericytes, GPR124 or Wnt7-β-Catenin signaling markedly reduced brain and liver metastases of lung ADC. Our findings uncover an unappreciated cellular and molecular paradigm driving tumor metastasis.
2023-07-23 | GSE237317 | GEO
Project description:Brain metastasis of lung cancer causes high mortality, but the exact mechanisms underlying the metastasis remain unclear. Here we report that vascular pericytes derived from CD44+ lung cancer stem cells (CSCs) in lung adenocarcinoma (ADC) potently cause brain metastases through GPR124-mediated trans-endothelial migration (TEM). CD44+ CSCs in the perivascular niche generate the majority of vascular pericytes in lung ADC. CSC-derived pericyte-like cells (Cd-pericytes) exhibit remarkable TEM capacity to effectively intravasate into vessel lumina, survive in the circulation, extravasate into the brain parenchyma, and then de-differentiate into tumorigenic CSCs to form metastases. Moreover, Cd-pericytes uniquely express GPR124, a G-protein-coupled receptor. GPR124 mediates through Wnt7-β-Catenin activation to enhance TEM capacity of Cd-pericytes for intravasation and extravasation, two critical steps during tumor metastasis. Furthermore, selective disruption of Cd-pericytes, GPR124 or Wnt7-β-Catenin signaling markedly reduced brain and liver metastases of lung ADC. Our findings uncover an unappreciated cellular and molecular paradigm driving tumor metastasis.
2023-07-23 | GSE237316 | GEO
Project description:CD44+ Lung Cancer Stem Cell-derived Vascular Pericytes Cause Brain Metastases through GPR124-mediated Trans-endothelial Migration
| PRJNA994561 | ENA
Project description:CD44+ Lung Cancer Stem Cell-derived Vascular Pericytes Cause Brain Metastases through GPR124-mediated Trans-endothelial Migration [I]
| PRJNA994565 | ENA
Project description:CD44+ Lung Cancer Stem Cell-derived Vascular Pericytes Cause Brain Metastases through GPR124-mediated Trans-endothelial Migration [II]
| PRJNA994564 | ENA
Project description:Many pathological conditions of the brain are associated with structural abnormalities within the neurovascular system and linked to pericyte (PC) loss and/or dysfunction. Since crosstalk between endothelial cells (ECs) and PCs greatly impacts the function of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), effects of PCs on endothelial integrity and function have been investigated extensively. However, the impact of ECs on the function and activity of PCs remains largely unknown. Hence, using co-cultures of human brain vascular PCs with human cerebral microvascular ECs on opposite sides of porous Transwell inserts which facilitates direct EC-PC contact and improves EC barrier function, we analyzed EC-driven transcriptomic changes in PCs using microarrays and changes in cytokines/chemokines using proteome arrays. Gene expression analysis (GEA) in PCs co-cultured with ECs versus PCs cultured alone showed significant upregulation of 1'334 genes and downregulation of 964 genes. GEA in co-cultured PCs revealed increased expression of five prominent PC markers as well as soluble factors, such as transforming growth factor beta, fibroblast growth factor, angiopoietin 1, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, all of which are involved in EC-PC crosstalk and BBB induction. Pathway enrichment analysis of modulated genes showed a strong impact on many inflammatory and extracellular matrix (ECM) pathways including interferon and interleukin signaling, TGF-β and interleukin-1 regulation of ECM, as well as on the mRNA processing pathway. Interestingly, while co-culture induced the mRNA expression of many chemokines and cytokines, including several CCL- and CXC-motif ligands and interleukins, we observed a decreased expression of the same inflammatory mediators on the protein level. Importantly, in PCs, ECs significantly induced interferon associated proteins (IFIT1, IFI44L, IF127, IFIT3, IFI6, IFI44) with anti-viral actions; downregulated prostaglandin E receptor 2 (prevent COX-2 mediated BBB damage); upregulated fibulin-3 and connective tissue growth factor essential for BBB integrity; and multiple ECMs (collagens and integrins) that inhibit cell migration. Our findings suggest that via direct contact, ECs prime PCs to induce molecules to promote BBB integrity and cell survival during infection and inflammatory insult. Taken together, we provide first evidence that interaction with ECs though porous membranes induces major changes in the transcriptomic and proteomic profile of PCs. ECs influence genes involved in diverse aspects of PC function including PC maturation, cell survival, anti-viral defense, blood flow regulation, immuno-modulation and ECM deposition.
| S-EPMC8304094 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Neural precursor (NPC) based therapies are used to restore neurons or oligodendrocytes and/or provide neuroprotection in a large variety of neurological diseases. In multiple sclerosis models, intravenously (i.v) -delivered NPCs reduced clinical signs via immunomodulation. We demonstrated recently that NPCs were able to cross cerebral endothelial cells in vitro and that the multifunctional signalling molecule, CD44 involved in trans-endothelial migration of lymphocytes to sites of inflammation, plays a crucial role in extravasation of syngeneic NPCs. In view of the role of CD44 in NPCs trans-endothelial migration in vitro, we questioned presently the benefit of CD44 overexpression by NPCs in vitro and in vivo, in EAE mice. We show that overexpression of CD44 by NPCs enhanced over 2 folds their trans-endothelial migration in vitro, without impinging on the proliferation or differentiation potential of the transduced cells. Moreover, CD44 overexpression by NPCs improved significantly their elongation, spreading and number of filopodia over the extracellular matrix protein laminin in vitro. We then tested the effect of CD44 overexpression after i.v. delivery in the tail vein of EAE mice. CD44 overexpression was functional invivo as it accelerated trans-endothelial migration and facilitated invasion of HA expressing perivascular sites. These in vitro and in vivo data suggest that CD44 may be crucial not only for NPC crossing the endothelial layer but also for facilitating invasion of extravascular tissues.
| S-EPMC3585392 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Pericytes are unique, multi-functional mural cells localized at the abluminal side of the perivascular space in microvessels. Originally discovered in 19th century, pericytes had drawn less attention until decades ago mainly due to lack of specific markers. Recently, however, a growing body of evidence has revealed that pericytes play various important roles: development and maintenance of blood-brain barrier (BBB), regulation of the neurovascular system (e.g., vascular stability, vessel formation, cerebral blood flow, etc.), trafficking of inflammatory cells, clearance of toxic waste products from the brain, and acquisition of stem cell-like properties. In the neurovascular unit, pericytes perform these functions through coordinated crosstalk with neighboring cells including endothelial, glial, and neuronal cells. Dysfunction of pericytes contribute to a wide variety of diseases that lead to cognitive impairments such as cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), acute stroke, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and other neurological disorders. For instance, in SVDs, pericyte degeneration leads to microvessel instability and demyelination while in stroke, pericyte constriction after ischemia causes a no-reflow phenomenon in brain capillaries. In AD, which shares some common risk factors with vascular dementia, reduction in pericyte coverage and subsequent microvascular impairments are observed in association with white matter attenuation and contribute to impaired cognition. Pericyte loss causes BBB-breakdown, which stagnates amyloid ? clearance and the leakage of neurotoxic molecules into the brain parenchyma. In this review, we first summarize the characteristics of brain microvessel pericytes, and their roles in the central nervous system. Then, we focus on how dysfunctional pericytes contribute to the pathogenesis of vascular cognitive impairment including cerebral 'small vessel' and 'large vessel' diseases, as well as AD. Finally, we discuss therapeutic implications for these disorders by targeting pericytes.
| S-EPMC7171590 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The vasculature system plays a critical role in inflammation processes in the body. Vascular inflammatory mechanisms are characterized by disruption of blood vessel wall permeability together with increased immune cell recruitment and migration. There is a critical need to develop models that fully recapitulate changes in vascular barrier permeability in response to inflammatory conditions. We developed a scalable platform for parallel measurements of trans epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) in 64 perfused microfluidic HUVEC tubules under inflammatory conditions. Over 250 tubules where exposed to Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and interferon gamma (INF-γ) or human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The inflammatory response was quantified based on changes TEER and expression of ICAM and VE-cadherin. We observed changes in barrier function in the presence of both inflammatory cytokines and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, characterized by decreased TEER values, increase in ICAM expression as well changes in endothelial morphology. OrganoPlate 3-lane64 based HUVEC tubules provide a valuable tool for inflammatory studies in an automation compatible manner. Continuous TEER measurements enable long term, sensitive assays for barrier studies. We propose the use of our platform as a powerful tool for modelling endothelial inflammation in combination with immune cell interaction that can be used to screen targets and drugs to treat chronic vascular inflammation.
| S-EPMC9903066 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Mural cells of the vessel wall, namely pericytes and vascular smooth muscle cells, are essential for vascular integrity. The developmental sources of these cells and molecular mechanisms controlling their progenitors in the heart are only partially understood. Here we show that endocardial endothelial cells are progenitors of pericytes and vascular smooth muscle cells in the murine embryonic heart. Endocardial cells undergo endothelial-mesenchymal transition and convert into primitive mesenchymal progenitors expressing the platelet-derived growth factor receptors, PDGFR? and PDGFR?. These progenitors migrate into the myocardium, differentiate and assemble the wall of coronary vessels, which requires canonical Wnt signalling involving Frizzled4, ?-catenin and endothelial cell-derived Wnt ligands. Our findings identify a novel and unexpected population of progenitors for coronary mural cells with potential relevance for heart function and disease conditions.
| S-EPMC4990645 | biostudies-literature