Project description:Aims: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) gradually become attractive candidates for cardiac inflammation modulation, yet understanding of the mechanism remains elusive. Strikingly, recent studies indicated that exosomes secreted by MSCs might be a novel mechanism for the beneficial effect of MSCs transplantation after myocardial infarction. We therefore explored the role of MSC-derived exosomes (MSC-Exo) in the immunomodulation of macrophages after myocardial ischemia-reperfusion and its implications in cardiac injury repair. Methods and Results: Exosomes were isolated from the supernatant of MSCs using a gradient centrifugation method. Administration of MSC-Exo through intramyocardial injection after myocardial ischemia reperfusion reduced infarct size and alleviated inflammation level in heart and serum. Systemic depletion of macrophages with clodronate liposomes abolished the curative effects of MSC-Exo. MSC-Exo modified the polarization of M1 macrophages to M2 macrophages both in vivo and in vitro. miRNA-sequencing of MSC-Exo and bioinformatics analysis implicated miR-182 as a potent candidate mediator of macrophage polarization and TLR4 as a downstream target. Diminishing miR-182 in MSC-Exo partially attenuated its modulation of macrophage polarization. Likewise, knock down of TLR4 also conferred cardioprotective efficacy and reduced inflammation level in a mouse model of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion. Conclusion: Our data indicates that MSC-Exo attenuates myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury via shuttling miR-182 that modifies the polarization state of macrophages. This study sheds new light on the application of MSC-Exo a potential therapeutic tool for myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury.
Project description:AimsMesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) gradually become attractive candidates for cardiac inflammation modulation, yet understanding of the mechanism remains elusive. Strikingly, recent studies indicated that exosomes secreted by MSCs might be a novel mechanism for the beneficial effect of MSCs transplantation after myocardial infarction. We therefore explored the role of MSC-derived exosomes (MSC-Exo) in the immunomodulation of macrophages after myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) and its implications in cardiac injury repair.Methods and resultsExosomes were isolated from the supernatant of MSCs using gradient centrifugation method. Administration of MSC-Exo to mice through intramyocardial injection after myocardial I/R reduced infarct size and alleviated inflammation level in heart and serum. Systemic depletion of macrophages with clodronate liposomes abolished the curative effects of MSC-Exo. MSC-Exo modified the polarization of M1 macrophages to M2 macrophages both in vivo and in vitro. miRNA sequencing of MSC-Exo and bioinformatics analysis implicated miR-182 as a potent candidate mediator of macrophage polarization and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) as a downstream target. Diminishing miR-182 in MSC-Exo partially attenuated its modulation of macrophage polarization. Likewise, knock down of TLR4 also conferred cardioprotective efficacy and reduced inflammation level in a mouse model of myocardial I/R.ConclusionOur data indicate that MSC-Exo attenuates myocardial I/R injury in mice via shuttling miR-182 that modifies the polarization status of macrophages. This study sheds new light on the application of MSC-Exo as a potential therapeutic tool for myocardial I/R injury.
Project description:Exosome and microRNAs (miRs) are implicated in ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) process. In this study, I/R mouse model was established, and exosomes derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) were isolated, identified, and injected to I/R mice to observe nerve injury and microglia M1 polarization. The differentially expressed genes in I/R microglia from databases were analyzed, and miRs differentially expressed in exosomes-treated microglia were analyzed by microarray. miR-26b-5p expression in hUCMSCs was intervened. Besides, microglia was extracted and co-cultured with SH-SY5Y or PC12 cells in oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) models to simulate I/R in vivo. Additionally, Toll-like receptor (TLR) activator GS-9620 was added to microglia. Exosomes alleviated nerve injury and inhibited M1 polarization in microglia. After I/R modeling, CH25H expression in microglia was upregulated but decreased after exosome treatment. miR-26b-5p was upregulated in microglia after exosome treatment and could target CH25H. Reduction in exosomal miR-26b-5p reversed the effects of hUCMSCs-exos on microglia. TLR pathway was activated in microglia after I/R but exosomes prevented its activation. Exosomal miR-26b-5p could repress M1 polarization of microglia by targeting CH25H to inactivate the TLR pathway, so as to relieve nerve injury after cerebral I/R. This investigation may offer new approaches for I/R treatment.
Project description:Efficient clearance and degradation of apoptotic cardiomyocytes by macrophages (termed efferocytosis) are critical for inflammation resolution and restoration of cardiac function after myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). Here, we define secreted and transmembrane protein 1a (Sectm1a), a cardiac macrophage-enriched gene, as a modulator of macrophage efferocytosis in I/R hearts. Upon myocardial I/R, Sectm1a-KO mice exhibit impaired macrophage efferocytosis, leading to massive accumulation of apoptotic cardiomyocytes, cardiac inflammation, fibrosis, and consequently, exaggerated cardiac dysfunction. By contrast, therapeutic administration of recombinant SECTM1A protein significantly enhances macrophage efferocytosis and improves cardiac function. Mechanistically, SECTM1A can elicit autocrine effects on the activation of glucocorticoid-induced TNF receptor (GITR) at the surface of macrophages, leading to the upregulation of liver X receptor alpha (LXRα) and its downstream efferocytosis-related genes and lysosomal enzyme genes. Our study suggests that Sectm1a-mediated activation of Gitr/LXRα axis could be a promising approach to enhance macrophage efferocytosis for the treatment of myocardial I/R injury.
Project description:Ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury, a ubiquitous consequence of liver transplantation, is a cause of early graft rejection and increased morbidity. At present, there are no effective strategies to reduce hepatic IR injury. Molecular mechanisms that promote cell survival under these circumstances are largely undefined. We examined changes in global gene expression at early reperfusion times to identify potential IR-mediated protective responses. Using a rat model of 30 minutes of 70% warm ischemia followed by reperfusion, RNA for microarray analysis was extracted from the non-ischemic and the ischemic-reperfused lobes at four reperfusion times: 0 (no reperfusion), 0.5, 2, and 6 hours. Differentially expressed genes and pathway analyses were used to identify IR-induced events. The transcriptome of the reperfused lobes was unique and discrete at each reperfusion time, showing no evidence of sustained changes of the gene expression alterations seen at 30 minutes of reperfusion. At all reperfusion times, a significant portion of gene expression changes in the reperfused lobes were present in the non-ischemic lobes. However, the earliest reperfusion time, 30 minutes, showed a marked increase in the expression of a set of immediate-early genes (c-Fos, c-Jun, Atf3, Egr1) that was exclusive to the reperfused lobe. Similarities of gene expression changes in the reperfused and the non-ischemic lobes at each time suggest that hemodynamics and/or circulating factors are potent stimuli in an IR model. However, early reperfusion events appear to reflect a cell-autonomous response that may be protective, thereby representing potential targets to ameliorate IR injury.
Project description:Time course experiments involving bilateral renal ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) in C57BL/6J mice (0 hr control, 20 min bilateral ischemia without reperfusion, 4, 16, 24, 36, 48, and 72 hrs post IRI). This dataset also includes IRI at 48 hrs and 72 hrs in Azin1 A-to-I locked and Azin1 A-to-I uneditable mice.
Project description:RNA-seq analysis of kidney samples from mice after ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) identified 1,109 genes with altered expression between mild (20 minutes) and severe (35 minutes) IRI groups. Among these, 974 genes were upregulated and 135 were downregulated in the severe group.