Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sandra Sanchez-Esteban, Mercedes Castro-Pinto, Alberto Cook-Calvete, Paula Reventun, Maria Delgado-Marin, Lucia Benito-Manzanaro, Ignacio Hernandez, Jose Lopez-Menendez, Jose Luis Zamorano, Carlos Zaragoza, Marta Saura
Summary: Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is a common age-related disease. This study found that the expression of integrin-linked kinase (ILK) is downregulated in CAVD patients' aortic valves and is negatively correlated with valve calcification markers. Silencing ILK expression in valve endothelial cells promoted endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) and osteoblastic phenotype switch. Nitric oxide (NO) treatment prevented VEC transdifferentiation and calcification, suggesting the involvement of the ILK-eNOS signaling pathway in valve calcification.
Article
Hematology
Nicolas Gendron, Mickael Rosa, Adeline Blandinieres, Yoann Sottejeau, Elisa Rossi, Eric Van Belle, Salim Idelcadi, Severine Lecourt, Andre Vincentelli, Audrey Cras, Ramadan Jashari, Richard Chocron, Yael Baudouin, Thibault Pamart, Ivan Bieche, Nathalie Nevo, Bernard Cholley, Jeanne Rancic, Bart Staels, Pascale Gaussem, Annabelle Dupont, Alain Carpentier, Sophie Susen, David M. Smadja
Summary: The study demonstrated that human VICs isolated from patients with calcific aortic valve disease have the potential to participate in aortic valve angiogenesis by differentiating into perivascular cells and exerting paracrine effects of VEGF-A. These findings suggest a novel function of VICs in valve vascularization during calcific aortic valve disease and highlight the importance of targeting perivascular differentiation and VEGF-A in slowing disease progression.
ARTERIOSCLEROSIS THROMBOSIS AND VASCULAR BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Li Shu, Zhen Yuan, Fei Li, Zhejun Cai
Summary: Calcified aortic valve disease (CAVD) is a progressive cardiovascular disease involving multiple mechanisms, rather than simply a degenerative disease. Aortic valve endothelial cells (VECs), which are directly exposed to pathogenic factors, play a significant role in the onset and progression of CAVD. Hemodynamic changes damage VECs, leading to inflammatory infiltration and oxidative stress, promoting CAVD progression. VECs also regulate the pathological differentiation of valvular interstitial cells (VICs) and eventually lead to calcification.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ivan Parra-Izquierdo, Tania Sanchez-Bayuela, Javier Lopez, Cristina Gomez, Enrique Perez-Riesgo, J. Alberto San Roman, Mariano Sanchez Crespo, Magdi Yacoub, Adrian H. Chester, Carmen Garcia-Rodriguez
Summary: The study found that IFNs promote inflammation and reduce TNF-α-mediated migration in human VEC. Additionally, monocyte adhesion was higher in inflamed aVEC sheared under multiaxial flow, which may be relevant to understanding the initial stages of CAVD.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Jan M. Federspiel, Philipp A. Schnabel, Thomas Tschernig, Brittany Balint, Tanja Schwab, Matthias W. Laschke, Hans-Joachim Schaefers
Summary: The study revealed more apoptosis in the aortic walls of patients with unicuspid aortic valve (UAV), while more severe mucoid extracellular matrix accumulation (MEMA) was found in aortic aneurysms of patients with tricuspid aortic valve (TAV) compared to UAV. This suggests that UAV-associated aortic wall changes and resulting aneurysm may be less aggressive than those with TAV.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CARDIO-THORACIC SURGERY
(2021)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Eric Van Belle, Nicolas Debry, Flavien Vincent, Gregory Kuchcinski, Charlotte Cordonnier, Antoine Rauch, Emmanuel Robin, Fanny Lassalle, Francois Pontana, Cedric Delhaye, Guillaume Schurtz, Emmanuelle JeanPierre, Natacha Rousse, Caterina Casari, Hugues Spillemaeker, Sina Porouchani, Thibault Pamart, Tom Denimal, Xavier Neiger, Basile Verdier, Laurent Puy, Alessandro Cosenza, Francis Juthier, Marjorie Richardson, Martin Bretzner, Jean Dallongeville, Julien Labreuche, Mikael Mazighi, Annabelle Dupont-Prado, Bart Staels, Peter J. Lenting, Sophie Susen
Summary: This study found that one-fourth of patients undergoing TAVR had pre-existing CMBs, and one-fourth developed new CMBs after the procedure. The occurrence of new CMBs was associated with procedural factors, antithrombotic management, and persistence of acquired von Willebrand factor defect.
Article
Cell Biology
Ilona Saraieva, Athanase Benetos, Carlos Labat, Anders Franco-Cereceda, Magnus Back, Simon Toupance
Summary: Short telomeres in aortic valves may play a role in the development of AS, while the calcification process appears to further decrease TL in the calcified areas of the valves.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Klara Komici, Angelica Perna, Germano Guerra
Summary: Frailty is a clinical condition characterized by a decline in biological reserves, physiological mechanism failure, and vulnerability to stressors. This review focuses on the role of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in frailty, highlighting their impaired function, number, and survival in the elderly. It also discusses the modification of EPCs in age-related diseases such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. The review concludes by exploring interventions that may restore EPCs expression and function in frail individuals.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Polina Klauzen, Daria Semenova, Daria Kostina, Vladimir Uspenskiy, Anna Malashicheva
Summary: Research has found that there are significant differences between stenotic aortic valve interstitial cells and normal cells under osteogenic stimulation, and the purinergic signaling of stenotic cells is impaired, suggesting its potential as a target for anti-calcification therapy.
Review
Hematology
Anna M. Randi, Daisy Jones, Claire Peghaire, Deepa J. Arachchillage
Summary: This review discusses the organotypic differences in the hemostatic profile of endothelial cells, focusing on two major endothelial regulators, von Willebrand factor and thrombomodulin, as examples of transcriptional mechanisms that control heterogeneity.
JOURNAL OF THROMBOSIS AND HAEMOSTASIS
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Shao-Jung Li, Yu-Hsun Kao, Cheng-Chih Chung, Wan-Li Cheng, Yung-Kuo Lin, Yi-Jen Chen
Summary: This study found that VEGF can upregulate the expression of Runx2 in valvular interstitial cells through activating the IP3R/CaMKII/CREB signaling pathway, providing insights into its role in the pathogenesis of calcific aortic valve disease.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
(2021)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Flavien Vincent, Julien Ternacle, Tom Denimal, Mylene Shen, Bjorn Redfors, Cedric Delhaye, Matheus Simonato, Nicolas Debry, Basile Verdier, Bahira Shahim, Thibault Pamart, Hugues Spillemaeker, Guillaume Schurtz, Francois Pontana, Vinod H. Thourani, Philippe Pibarot, Eric Van Belle
Summary: TAVR is rapidly expanding its indications, but faces technical challenges and knowledge gaps when dealing with patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV). Physicians need to understand the BAV anatomy and TAVR procedure planning comprehensively to guide treatment decisions.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
D. Nehl, P. R. Goody, K. Maus, A. Pfeifer, E. Aikawa, F. Bakthiary, S. Zimmer, G. Nickenig, F. Jansen, M. R. Hosen
Summary: This study presents a unique technique to isolate specific human and porcine aortic valve cells and compares the characteristics of valvular interstitial cells (VICs) and endothelial cells (VECs) between these species for the first time. The results show that VECs are more migratory than VICs and can undergo endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) induction, leading to increased expression of EndMT markers. In addition, VICs demonstrate calcification ability. This study helps standardize the isolation technique for aortic valve cells and identifies porcine cells as an alternative cellular model system when human tissue is difficult to obtain.
FRONTIERS IN CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Katherine Driscoll, Alexander D. Cruz, Jonathan T. Butcher
Summary: Calcific aortic valve disease is on the rise globally, but treatment is limited to prosthetic replacement. With a growing number of younger and more active patients, alternative therapies are needed. There is potential for biologically based diagnostics and treatments to help alleviate or delay disease progression, but a limited understanding of the disease mechanisms hinders progress towards clinical interventions.
CIRCULATION RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Katharina Neubauer, Barbara Zieger
Summary: Septins are conserved cytoskeletal GTP-binding proteins found in almost all eukaryotes except higher plants. In mammals, septins have diverse functions and expression patterns, particularly in endothelial cells and platelets, playing crucial roles in hemostasis and various cellular processes. However, the precise function of septins in the biology of endothelial cells and platelets remains poorly understood.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Elizabeth H. Stephens, Tom C. Nguyen, Jack G. Blazejewski, Dragoslava P. Vekilov, Jennifer P. Connell, Akinobu Itoh, Neil B. Ingels, D. Craig Miller, K. Jane Grande-Allen
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Brandi B. Scully, Christopher Fan, Bagrat Grigoryan, Jeffrey G. Jacot, G. W. Vick, Jeffrey J. Kim, Charles D. Fraser, K. J. Grande-Allen, David L. S. Morales
JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS RESEARCH PART B-APPLIED BIOMATERIALS
(2016)
Article
Oncology
Daniela Pankova, Yulong Chen, Masahiko Terajima, Mark J. Schliekelman, Brandi N. Baird, Monica Fahrenholtz, Li Sun, Bartley J. Gill, Tegy J. Vadakkan, Min P. Kim, Young-Ho Ahn, Jonathon D. Roybal, Xin Liu, Edwin Roger Parra Cuentas, Jaime Rodriguez, Ignacio I. Wistuba, Chad J. Creighton, Don L. Gibbons, John M. Hicks, Mary E. Dickinson, Jennifer L. West, K. Jane Grande-Allen, Samir M. Hanash, Mitsuo Yamauchi, Jonathan M. Kurie
MOLECULAR CANCER RESEARCH
(2016)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
C. Alexander Arevalos, Jonathan M. Berg, Jacqueline M. V. Nguyen, Elizabeth L. Godfrey, Claudia Iriondo, K. Jane Grande-Allen
ANNALS OF BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
(2016)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Patrick S. Connell, Dragoslava P. Vekilov, Christine M. Diaz, Seulgi E. Kim, K. Jane Grande-Allen
ANNALS OF BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
(2018)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Reid L. Wilson, Jennifer P. Connell, K. Jane Grande-Allen
ACS BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
(2019)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Yu Seon Kim, Jason L. Guo, Johnny Lam, K. Jane Grande-Allen, Paul S. Engel, Antonios G. Mikos
ACS BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
(2019)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Reid L. Wilson, Sarah A. Hewes, Anubama Rajan, Shih-Ching Lin, Carolyn Bomidi, Takanori Iida, Mary K. Estes, Anthony W. Maresso, K. Jane Grande-Allen
Summary: Researchers have developed a simple-to-use perfusion system to study the effects of invasive diarrheal pathogens in the human intestine; they found that infection simulation using this system displays important differences and in some ways better replicates the pathophysiology of in vivo infections; in addition, commensal strains can be added to the system to simulate the effects of the host microbiome on the infectious process.
ANNALS OF BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mollie M. Smoak, Katie J. Hogan, K. Jane Grande-Allen, Antonios G. Mikos
Summary: This study assesses the potential of electrospun decellularized skeletal muscle extracellular matrix (dECM) to control mouse myoblast growth and myotube formation, aiming to develop a tissue-engineered therapy for skeletal muscle regeneration. The fabrication of a bioactive dECM-based system with tunable physicochemical properties has applications in skeletal muscle engineering, bringing the field closer to developing a therapy to address unmet clinical needs.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Amadeus S. Zhu, Tasneem Mustafa, Jennifer P. Connell, K. Jane Grande-Allen
Summary: Mitral valve disease is a common cardiovascular condition characterized by fibrotic remodeling. In this study, it was found that pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta can downregulate myofibroblast differentiation in mitral VICs via the NF-kappa B signaling pathway, suggesting potential new avenues for pharmaceutical treatments for mitral valve disease.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Mechanical
S. M. Mehta, D. R. De Santos, S. Sridhar, V. C. Aguayo, C. A. Meraz, M. Mikos, K. J. Grande-Allen
Summary: A small mechanical testing device was successfully developed by the research team, capable of conducting mechanical and microstructural characterization on a microscope stage, accurately testing mechanical properties of various soft materials with competitive performance and pricing. This innovation bridges the gap in testing microstructural changes left by existing commercial devices, providing a new research tool for the field of Biomedical Engineering.
EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUES
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Matthew L. Bedell, Ziwen Wang, Katie J. Hogan, Angelica L. Torres, Hannah A. Pearce, Letitia K. Chim, K. Jane Grande-Allen, Antonios G. Mikos
Summary: Extrusion bioprinted constructs with different fiber architectures were fabricated to study their effects on encapsulated human mesenchymal stem cells' tissue-specific matrix deposition and integration. The gradient fiber (G-Fib) architecture showed increased chondral integration over time, while the segmented fiber (S-Fib) architecture was associated with significant mineralization. Both architectures demonstrated similar cartilage integration as re-inserted tissue controls. The study highlights the importance of considering spatial architecture in the engineering of multi-phasic tissue environments.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Madeleine A. Roseen, Monica M. Fahrenholtz, Jennifer P. Connell, Kathryn Jane Grande-Allen
ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS
(2020)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Madeleine A. Roseen, Romi Lee, Allison D. Post, Megan Wancura, Jennifer P. Connell, Elizabeth Cosgriff-Hemandez, K. Jane Grande Allen
ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS
(2020)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Patrick S. Connell, Anam F. Azimuddin, Seulgi E. Kim, Fernando Ramirez, Matthew S. Jackson, Stephen H. Little, K. Jane Grande-Allen
ANNALS OF BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
(2016)