Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joao Carlos Ribeiro-Silva, Patricia Nolasco, Jose Eduardo Krieger, Ayumi Aurea Miyakawa
Summary: Vascular aging is characterized by the fragmentation of elastic fibers and collagen deposition, leading to reduced distensibility and increased stiffness in the blood vessels. Research shows that aging promotes changes in smooth muscle cell phenotypes, ultimately resulting in mechanical impairment of aging arteries. Understanding the role of ECM changes during aging may help in developing new strategies to prevent or delay arterial aging and cardiovascular diseases.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Hongmei Qu, Raouf A. Khalil
Summary: The processes of normal pregnancy and preeclampsia involve the regulation by proteolytic enzymes such as ADAMs and ADAMTS. Insufficient trophoblast invasion, inadequate uterine wall vascular remodeling, and placental ischemia/hypoxia are major factors in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.
BIOCHEMICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Hematology
Huan Yang, Ting Zhou, Amelia Stranz, Elise DeRoo, Bo Liu
Summary: A study using single-cell RNA sequencing on mouse AAA tissues revealed 12 distinct populations of 8 cell types. The percentages of each population and gene expression were compared between sham and AAA tissue, showing that populations within major cell types such as smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts, and macrophages may contribute differently to AAA pathogenesis.
ARTERIOSCLEROSIS THROMBOSIS AND VASCULAR BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Sonia I. Vlaicu, Alexandru Tatomir, Matthew Fosbrink, Vinh Nguyen, Dallas Boodhoo, Cornelia Cudrici, Tudor C. Badea, Violeta Rus, Horea Rus
Summary: In this study, the involvement of RGC-32 in cell proliferation and cell cycle activation in endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells in atherosclerosis was investigated. Overexpression of RGC-32 enhanced the cell cycle activation and proliferation induced by C5b-9, while silencing of RGC-32 inhibited this activation.
CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Yan-Yan Zheng, Hao-Zhe Zhu, Zhong-Yuan Wu, Wen-Juan Song, Chang-Bo Tang, Chun-Bao Li, Shi-Jie Ding, Guang-Hong Zhou
Summary: Adding smooth muscle cells to cultured meat models significantly improves meat texture, increases collagen content and hardness, indicating that smooth muscle cells play a key role in improving the quality of cultured meat.
FOOD RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Review
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Stephanie M. Mutchler, Annet Kirabo, Thomas R. Kleyman
Summary: The development of high blood pressure is influenced by genetic and environmental factors, with high salt intake being a known environmental contributor. There is a spectrum of sodium-sensitivity among individuals, partly due to genetic variation in pathways involved in sodium handling and excretion. ENaC plays a crucial role in regulating extracellular fluid volume and blood pressure by facilitating sodium reabsorption in the distal nephron.
Article
Hematology
Chen Zhang, Yanming Li, Abhijit Chakraborty, Yang Li, Kimberly R. Rebello, Pingping Ren, Wei Luo, Lin Zhang, Hong S. Lu, Lisa A. Cassis, Joseph S. Coselli, Alan Daugherty, Scott A. LeMaire, Ying H. Shen
Summary: This study reveals that aortic cells adapt to stress by modifying their functions, leading to a protective adaptive response against aortic aneurysm and dissection (AAD). The adaptive response involves upregulation of genes related to wound healing, elastin and collagen production, proliferation, migration, cytoskeleton organization, cell-matrix focal adhesion, and PI3K-PKB/Akt and TGF-beta signaling. YAP is identified as an important transcription complex driving the expression of these genes and plays a role in mechanical signal transduction.
ARTERIOSCLEROSIS THROMBOSIS AND VASCULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Alen Faiz, Louise M. Harkness, Gavin Tjin, Victor Bernal, Peter Horvatovich, Alan James, John G. Elliot, Janette K. Burgess, Anthony W. Ashton
Summary: The study found that the ECM deposited by asthmatic and non-asthmatic ASM cells under non-stimulated conditions had similar composition and angiogenic potential, both capable of regulating the behavior of endothelial cells. This suggests that the dysregulation of airway ECM in asthma is driven by even low levels of inflammation, emphasizing the need for more effective anti-inflammatory therapies to maintain airway ECM and regulate aberrant angiogenesis.
JOURNAL OF CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Yan-Yan Zheng, Yu Chen, Hao-Zhe Zhu, Chun-Bao Li, Wen-Juan Song, Shi-Jie Ding, Guang-Hong Zhou
Summary: Using peanut wire-drawing protein as a scaffold material can promote cell adhesion and proliferation in cultured meat, producing higher quality muscle tissue. This technology provides an innovative pathway for the industrialized production of cultured meat.
FOOD RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Lise Filt Jensen, Jacob Fog Bentzon, Julian Albarran-Juarez
Summary: During the development and culture of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs), a shift in cell phenotype occurs due to the absence of physiological signals. Most studies have been conducted under standard culture conditions, neglecting the impact of ECM microenvironment and mechanical forces on SMCs.
Article
Physiology
Amanda L. Tatler, Christopher J. Philp, Michael R. Hill, Sam Cox, Andrew M. Bullock, Anthony Habgood, Alison John, Robert Middlewick, Katherine E. Stephenson, Amanda T. Goodwin, Charlotte K. Billington, Reuben D. O. ' Dea, Simon R. Johnson, Bindi S. Brook
Summary: Airway remodeling in chronic asthma involves increased ASM and ECM. A new method reveals that ASM and ECM changes are more pronounced in small and large airways compared to intermediate airways. Changes in ASM resolve over 7 days, while ECM and epithelial changes persist. The method highlights important spatial differences in remodeling and could set new analysis standards for murine asthma models.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LUNG CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shuqi Xu, Christine Y. Chuang, Clare L. Hawkins, Per Hagglund, Michael J. Davies
Summary: Peroxynitrous acid/peroxynitrite (ONOOH/ONOO ¡) is a powerful oxidizing/nitrating system formed at sites of inflammation, which can modify biological targets, particularly proteins. This study found that multiple proteins from primary human coronary artery smooth muscle cells are nitrated, with various modifications occurring on cellular and extracellular matrix proteins. The nitration occurs both endogenously and exogenously, and it may have significant effects on cell and protein function, potentially contributing to the development and exacerbation of diseases such as atherosclerosis.
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Jie Su, Ling Guo, Chuanyue Wu
Summary: The PINCH-1 and Notch2 signaling axis is critically involved in mediating the effect of ECM stiffness on smooth muscle differentiation of human placental MSCs. Notch2 interacts directly with PINCH-1 to respond to ECM stiffness and promote smooth muscle cell differentiation.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zeyu Cai, Ze Gong, Zhiqing Li, Li Li, Wei Kong
Summary: The article summarizes the dynamic changes of ECM during hypertension and after treatment, as well as the unclear mechanism by which ECM remodeling initiates the development of hypertension. Further research on matridomic and degradomic approaches is needed for a more comprehensive understanding of ECM remodeling in hypertension.
ANTIOXIDANTS & REDOX SIGNALING
(2021)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Lihong Pan, Peiyuan Bai, Xinyu Weng, Jin Liu, Yingjie Chen, Siqin Chen, Xiurui Ma, Kai Hu, Aijun Sun, Junbo Ge
Summary: The role of legumain (LGMN) in thoracic aortic dissection (TAD) development and vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) differentiation was investigated. Elevated LGMN levels were observed in aorta and sera from TAD patients and in BAPN-induced TAD model mice. LGMN was found to regulate VSMC phenotype transformation and its inhibition ameliorated TAD progression.