Article
Immunology
Meng-jiao Zhao, Hao-ran Jiang, Jing-wen Sun, Zi-ang Wang, Bo Hu, Cheng-rui Zhu, Xiao-han Yin, Ming-ming Chen, Xiao-chun Ma, Wei-dong Zhao, Zheng-gang Luan
Summary: The study demonstrates that HMGB1 disrupts endothelial barrier integrity by activating the RhoA/ROCK1 pathway via RAGE, but HMGB1/RAGE reduces AJ/TJ expression independently of the RhoA/ROCK1 signaling pathway in the long term.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Na Zhang, Sihui Tang, Jinjin Zhang, Biwei Pei, Tingting Pang, Gengyun Sun
Summary: This study found that linagliptin can effectively restore PMVECs barrier dysfunction and inhibit oxidative stress to protect against ALI by activating the Epac1/AKT signaling pathway, providing a potential new approach for clinical treatment of ALI.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anton Sergeevich Shakhov, Aleksandra Sergeevna Churkina, Anatoly Alekseevich Kotlobay, Irina Borisovna Alieva
Summary: This review summarizes information about the specific features of the centrosome and its relationship with the cell function of highly specialized cells. The participation of the centrosome in the functional activity of these cells, as well as its role as a universal regulatory and distribution center, controlling the dynamic morphology of animal cells, is discussed. The direct involvement of the centrosome in the performance of functions by specialized cells is also highlighted.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Physiology
Yan Lai, Yongbo Huang
Summary: Mechanical ventilation is a supportive therapy for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), but it can also cause or worsen lung injury, leading to pulmonary edema. The vascular endothelium acts as a semi-selective barrier to regulate body fluid balance, but when this barrier is disrupted, mechanical ventilation may exert mechanical force on lung vascular endothelium. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the molecular and signaling mechanisms underlying the endothelial barrier permeability in ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI).
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Jiayun Ying, Caiyan Zhang, Yaodong Wang, Tingyan Liu, Zhenhao Yu, Kexin Wang, Weiming Chen, Yufeng Zhou, Guoping Lu
Summary: This study suggests that elevated levels of plasma SDC1 are associated with poor prognosis in children with septic shock and sulodexide, a precursor for glycosaminoglycan synthesis, may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of sepsis-associated endothelial dysfunction.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Mike Walker
Summary: As the largest organ, the skin plays a crucial role in protecting the body and regulating various functions. However, aging and environmental factors contribute to the deterioration of the skin, leading to various issues and imposing a significant burden on individuals and the healthcare system.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS
(2022)
Article
Toxicology
Rachel Baur, Michael Kashon, Ewa Lukomska, Lisa M. Weatherly, Hillary L. Shane, Stacey E. Anderson
Summary: This study investigated the impact of triclosan exposure on the skin barrier and keratinocyte function. The findings showed that exposure to triclosan increased epidermal permeability, altered the expression of genes involved in skin barrier formation, and changed the expression patterns of several cytokines and growth factors. These results suggest that triclosan exposure affects the integrity and function of the skin barrier and may impact immune regulation.
JOURNAL OF IMMUNOTOXICOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Akshata Anchan, Graeme Finlay, Catherine E. Angel, James J. W. Hucklesby, Scott E. Graham
Summary: Previous studies have shown that human melanoma cells can weaken the brain endothelial barrier, but the expression of MMPs and proteases released by melanoma cells may not directly contribute to the initial disruption of the brain endothelium.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Tao Wu, Dengfeng Ju, Chao Wang, Hui Huang, Chunlong Li, Chuanjian Wu, Chaoming Wang, Hongjing Liu, Xiaona Jiang, Kuan Ye, Zhong Yu, Kewen Liu, Zhongwen Lan, Qifan Li, Yin Tian, Lin Sun, Yong Fan, Ke Sun
Summary: In this paper, high permeability MnZn ferrites were synthesized and their magnetic characteristics were studied. The magnetization mechanism and temperature characteristics were analyzed, and the effect of different magnetic properties on the output of non-invasive magnetic field harvester was compared.
JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Nina Martino, Ramon Bossardi Ramos, Dareen Chuy, Lindsay Tomaszek, Alejandro P. Adam
Summary: Increased levels of sIL-6Ra during inflammatory responses activate IL-6 signaling in endothelial cells, leading to endothelial activation. These findings have implications for understanding acute endotheliopathy.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-CELL PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Physiology
Melanie Jannaway, Joshua P. Scallan
Summary: The study found that lymphatic vessel permeability is inversely related to solute molecular weight, with vesicles selectively transporting BSA while adherens junctions did not exhibit selectivity for solutes tested. Disruption of VE-cadherin binding significantly increased permeability to smaller solutes, suggesting disease states affecting VE-cadherin could lead to leakage of solutes and fluid from the lymphatic vasculature.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Marisol Zuniga, Claudia Gomes, Ze Chen, Criseyda Martinez, Joseph Cooper Devlin, P'ng Loke, Ana Rodriguez
Summary: The study compared the impact of Plasmodium falciparum-infected red blood cells and inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-alpha, on the loss of blood-brain barrier integrity. Results showed that while TNF-alpha caused a small increase in barrier permeability, P. falciparum-infected red blood cells led to a severe loss of barrier integrity. The findings suggest that parasite-induced signaling plays a major role in disrupting the BBB during cerebral malaria, highlighting a potential target for therapeutic interventions.
Article
Parasitology
Fabian Schalter, Michael Frech, Kerstin Duerholz, Sebastien Lucas, Kerstin Sarter, Luc Lebon, Julia Esser-von Bieren, Lalit K. Dubey, David Voehringer, Georg Schett, Nicola L. Harris, Mario M. Zaiss
Summary: Approximately 2 billion people worldwide and a significant part of domestic livestock are infected with soil-transmitted helminths. The infective larvae secrete acetate, which facilitates the crossing of the intestinal epithelial barrier and invasion of mucosal tissues. Acetate decreases intercellular barrier function via the FFAR2 receptor. This process plays a critical role in the establishment of chronic infections by helminths and has profound consequences for their life cycle.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Weilan Miao, Yuting Han, Yingyu Yang, Ziwei Hao, Ning An, Jiayu Chen, Ziwen Zhang, Xuli Gao, Kenneth B. Storey, Hui Chang, Shiwei Wang
Summary: Hibernation reduces the barrier function of colonic mucosa in Daurian ground squirrels, leading to a decrease in the thickness and depth of the mucosa, a reduction in the number of goblet cells, and damage to microvilli structure. The concentrations of proteins and molecules, as well as the enzymatic activity of DAO, are increased in the serum and colon. Additionally, inflammation, apoptosis-anti-apoptosis, and FXR-SHP signaling may be involved in the changes in intestinal gut permeability during the torpor-arousal cycle.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Vijaya Karoor, Derek Strassheim, Timothy Sullivan, Alexander Verin, Nagavedi S. Umapathy, Edward C. Dempsey, Daniel N. Frank, Kurt R. Stenmark, Evgenia Gerasimovskaya
Summary: Butyrate shows protective effects in a rat model of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension by preventing pulmonary vascular remodeling and increased permeability, reducing right ventricular hypertrophy, and increasing histone H3 acetylation. Additionally, it modulates cytokine profiles in lung tissue and upregulates tight junctional proteins in endothelial cells, suggesting its potential as a complementary treatment for PH and other cardiovascular diseases.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Christopher Werlein, Maximilian Ackermann, Helge Stark, Harshit R. Shah, Alexandar Tzankov, Jasmin Dinonne Haslbauer, Saskia von Stillfried, Roman David Buelow, Ali El-Armouche, Stephan Kuenzel, Jan Lukas Robertus, Marius Reichardt, Axel Haverich, Anne Hoefer, Lavinia Neubert, Edith Plucinski, Peter Braubach, Stijn Verleden, Tim Salditt, Nikolaus Marx, Tobias Welte, Johann Bauersachs, Hans-Heinrich Kreipe, Steven J. Mentzer, Peter Boor, Stephen M. Black, Florian Laenger, Mark Kuehnel, Danny Jonigk
Summary: In this multicentre study, researchers performed a comprehensive analysis of heart samples from autopsies of COVID-19 patients and discovered that cardiac involvement in COVID-19 is a macrophage-driven inflammatory process that is distinct from the typical anti-viral inflammatory responses. The study also found the presence of intussusceptive angiogenesis in the affected hearts, which is a key characteristic of vascular remodeling in COVID-19 pneumonia.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Qian Ma, Qiuhua Yang, Jiean Xu, Hunter G. Sellers, Zach L. Brown, Zhiping Liu, Zsuzsanna Bordan, Xiaofan Shi, Dingwei Zhao, Yongfeng Cai, Vidhi Pareek, Chunxiang Zhang, Guangyu Wu, Zheng Dong, Alexander D. Verin, Lin Gan, Quansheng Du, Stephen J. Benkovic, Suowen Xu, John M. Asara, Issam Ben-Sahra, Scott Barman, Yunchao Su, David J. R. Fulton, Yuqing Huo
Summary: This study found that the enzyme ATIC, which mediates de novo purine synthesis, plays a critical role in the proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) and the development of pulmonary hypertension (PH). Targeting ATIC-mediated DNPS reduces the availability of purine nucleotides, leading to decreased PASMC proliferation and amelioration of PH development and progression.
EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Changlei Bao, Shuxin Liang, Ying Han, Zi Yang, Shiyun Liu, Yanan Sun, Shichuang Zheng, Yuzhu Li, Ting Wang, Yali Gu, Kang Wu, Stephen M. Black, Jian Wang, Steffan T. Nawrocki, Jennifer S. Carew, Jason X. -J. Yuan, Haiyang Tang
Summary: ROC-325 is a promising agent for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension (PH) that inhibits autophagy, downregulates HIF levels, and increases nitric oxide production.
Article
Critical Care Medicine
Shreya Sangam, Xutong Sun, Tae-Hwi Schwantes-An, Manivannan Yegambaram, Qing Lu, Yinan Shi, Todd Cook, Amanda Fisher, Andrea L. Frump, Anna Coleman, Yanan Sun, Shuxin Liang, Howard Crawford, Katie A. Lutz, Avinash D. Maun, Michael W. Pauciulo, Jason H. Karnes, Ketul R. Chaudhary, Duncan J. Stewart, Paul R. Langlais, Mohit Jain, Mona Alotaibi, Tim Lahm, Yan Jin, Haiwei Gu, Haiyang Tang, William C. Nichols, Stephen M. Black, Ankit A. Desai
Summary: Genetic studies suggest that deficiency of SOX17 increases the risk of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). This study focuses on the pathological roles of estrogen and HIF2 alpha signaling in PAH, and suggests that SOX17 is a target of estrogen signaling that promotes mitochondrial function and attenuates PAH development by inhibiting HIF2 alpha. Experimental results confirm that deficiency of SOX17 increases the risk of PAH, while overexpression of SOX17 attenuates PAH development.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kingshuk Panda, Srinivasan Chinnapaiyan, Md. Sohanur Rahman, Maria J. Santiago, Stephen M. Black, Hoshang J. Unwalla
Summary: People living with HIV are at a higher risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, with worse outcomes. The dysregulation of circadian rhythms and clock genes plays a significant role in lung pathology, particularly in HIV-infected patients. Understanding the mechanism of circadian clock dysregulation in HIV and its effects on COPD development and progression is important for developing potential therapeutic approaches.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Qing Lu, Xutong Sun, Manivannan Yegambaram, Wojciech Ornatowski, Xiaomin Wu, Hui Wang, Alejandro Garcia-Flores, Victoria Da Silva, Evgeny A. Zemskov, Haiyang Tang, Jeffrey R. Fineman, Kim Tieu, Ting Wang, Stephen M. Black
Summary: This study finds that mitochondrial fission and increased cellular glycolysis are involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension. In pulmonary arterial endothelial cells, mitochondrial fission leads to increased cellular glycolysis. By reducing mitochondrial fission, the increased cellular glycolysis can be attenuated. Additionally, a nitration-mediated activation of RhoA is observed, and inhibiting RhoA nitration can reverse the increased cellular glycolysis. Therefore, targeting RhoA nitration could have therapeutic benefits for treating pulmonary hypertension.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Juerg Hamacher, Yalda Hadizamani, Hanno Huwer, Ueli Moehrlen, Lia Bally, Uz Stammberger, Albrecht Wendel, Rudolf Lucas
Summary: This study aimed to establish a sequence of alterations in blast-induced lung injury in rats using an advanced blast generator. The results showed that after blast lung injury, significant haemorrhage and neutrophil infiltration occurred, as well as increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and decreased levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Pulmonary oedema developed but recovered within 24 hours.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marissa D. Pokharel, David P. Marciano, Panfeng Fu, Maria Clara Franco, Hoshang Unwalla, Kim Tieu, Jeffrey R. Fineman, Ting Wang, Stephen M. Black
Summary: Mitochondria are vital for cell metabolism, growth, and function, and play a central role in endothelial cell dysfunction associated with various lung diseases, including PAH. Multiple pathways, such as nitric oxide signaling, glucose metabolism, fatty acid oxidation, and the TCA cycle, are dysregulated in PAH, leading to alterations in mitochondrial membrane potential, proliferation, and apoptosis. Further research is urgently needed, especially in endothelial cells, to fully characterize these pathways and develop effective treatments for PAH.
Meeting Abstract
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
David Caraballo, Marina Zemskova, Jayden Weil, Stephen Black, Evgeny Zemskov
FREE RADICAL BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marissa Pokharel, Alejandro Garcia Flores, Panfeng Fu, Qing Lu, Xutong Sun, Ting Wang, Stephen Black
FREE RADICAL BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lakshmi N. R. Thota, Joaquin E. Lopez Rosales, Ivan Placencia, Evgeny A. Zemskov, Paola Tonino, Ashley N. Michael, Stephen M. Black, Andreia Z. Chignalia
Summary: The endothelial glycocalyx is an important signaling layer involved in cellular homeostasis. Its diverse composition and relative contributions of its constituents to overall function are still not well understood. The deletion of glypican 1, a glycocalyx component, results in a modified glycocalyx without affecting baseline lung endothelial function.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Jasmin Bazant, Benjamin Ott, Martina Hudel, Torsten Hain, Rudolf Lucas, Mobarak Abu Mraheil
Summary: H2O2 negatively affects the activity and release of PLY. Decreased H2O2 production leads to a decline in PLY release, possibly due to the upregulation of certain genes.
Review
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Reem Faraj, Ying Liang, Anlin Feng, Jialin Wu, Stephen M. Black, Ting Wang
Summary: N-6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most common methylation modification in mammalian RNA, and its deregulation has been implicated in many human diseases. Recent research suggests that targeting m6A methylation may have therapeutic potential against acute lung injury (ALI).
PULMONARY CIRCULATION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shuxin Liang, Changlei Bao, Zi Yang, Shiyun Liu, Yanan Sun, Weitao Cao, Ting Wang, Tae-Hwi Schwantes-An, John S. Choy, Samisubbu Naidu, Ang Luo, Wenguang Yin, Stephen M. Black, Jian Wang, Pixin Ran, Ankit A. Desai, Haiyang Tang
Summary: Cardiopulmonary complications caused by SARS-CoV-2 are major contributors to mortality. IL-18 has been identified as a novel mediator of cardiopulmonary pathologies, but its regulation through SARS-CoV-2 signaling is unknown. IL-18 was found to stratify mortality and hospitalization burden in COVID-19 patients. Spike protein exposure induced IL-18 expression and cardiac fibrosis in hACE2 mice. Spike protein inhibited mitophagy and increased reactive oxygen species, leading to NLRP3 inflammasome activation and IL-18 expression. Inhibition of IL-18 improved cardiac fibrosis and dysfunction. The reduced mitophagy-inflammasome link suggests IL-18 and mitophagy as potential therapeutic targets during COVID-19 pathogenesis.
SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION AND TARGETED THERAPY
(2023)
Article
Respiratory System
Anlin Feng, Yesenia Moreno Caro, Colin Gardner, Garrett Grischo, Ying Liang, Praveen D. Wickremasinghe, Michaela Polmann, Mrinalini Kala, Timothy Marlowe, Stephen M. Black, Kenneth S. Knox, Ting Wang
Summary: This study aimed to create a gene signature based on PTK2-associated genes and microarray data from blood cells to predict disease prognosis in patients with IPF. The findings suggested that PTK2 is a molecular target of IPF and the PTK2 molecular signature is an effective IPF prognostic biomarker.
RESPIRATORY RESEARCH
(2023)
