scholarly journals Comparative Transcriptional Analysis of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Associated With Three Different Diseases

Author(s):  
Wei Wang ◽  
Zhenhong Jiang ◽  
Dandan Zhang ◽  
Linghua Fu ◽  
Rong Wan ◽  
...  

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a severe cardiovascular disorder with high mortality. Multiple clinical diseases can induce PAH, but the underlying molecular mechanisms shared in PAHs associated with different diseases remain unclear. The aim of this study is to explore the key candidate genes and pathways in PAH associated with congenital heart disease (CHD-PAH), PAH associated with connective tissue disease (CTD-PAH), and idiopathic PAH (IPAH). We performed differential expression analysis based on a public microarray dataset GSE113439 and identified 1,442 differentially expressed genes, of which 80.3% were upregulated. Subsequently, both pathway enrichment analysis and protein–protein interaction network analysis revealed that the “Cell cycle” and “DNA damage” processes were significantly enriched in PAH. The expression of seven upregulated candidate genes (EIF2AK2, TOPBP1, CDC5L, DHX15, and CUL1–3) and three downregulated candidate genes (DLL4, EGFL7, and ACE) were validated by qRT-PCR. Furthermore, cell cycle-related genes Cul1 and Cul2 were identified in pulmonary arterial endothelial cells (PAECs) in vitro. The result revealed an increased expression of Cul2 in PAECs after hypoxic treatment. Silencing Cul2 could inhibit overproliferation and migration of PAECs in hypoxia. Taken together, according to bioinformatic analyses, our work revealed that “Cell cycle” and “DNA damage” process-related genes and pathways were significantly dysregulated expressed in PAHs associated with three different diseases. This commonality in molecular discovery might broaden the genetic perspective and understanding of PAH. Besides, silencing Cul2 showed a protective effect in PAECs in hypoxia. The results may provide new treatment targets in multiple diseases induced by PAH.

Author(s):  
Peiliang Wu ◽  
Xiaona Xie ◽  
Mayun Chen ◽  
Junwei Sun ◽  
Luqiong Cai ◽  
...  

Background and Objective: Qishen Yiqi formula (QSYQ) is used to treat cardiovascular disease in the clinical practice of traditional Chinese medicine. However, few studies have explored whether QSYQ affects pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), and the mechanisms of action and molecular targets of QSYQ for the treatment of PAH are unclear. A bioinformatics/network topology-based strategy was used to identify the bioactive ingredients, putative targets, and molecular mechanisms of QSYQ in PAH. Methods: A network pharmacology-based strategy was employed by integrating active component gathering, target prediction, PAH gene collection, network topology, and gene enrichment analysis to systematically explore the multicomponent synergistic mechanisms. Results: In total, 107 bioactive ingredients of QSYQ and 228 ingredient targets were identified. Moreover, 234 PAH-related differentially expressed genes with a |fold change| >2 and an adjusted P value < 0.005 were identified between the PAH patient and control groups, and 266 therapeutic targets were identified. The pathway enrichment analysis indicated that 85 pathways, including the PI3K-Akt, MAPK, and HIF-1 signaling pathways, were significantly enriched. TP53 was the core target gene, and 7 other top genes (MAPK1, RELA, NFKB1, CDKN1A, AKT1, MYC, and MDM2) were the key genes in the gene-pathway network based on the effects of QSYQ on PAH. Conclusion: An integrative investigation based on network pharmacology may elucidate the multicomponent synergistic mechanisms of QSYQ in PAH and lay a foundation for further animal experiments, human clinical trials and rational clinical applications of QSYQ.


Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiyu Dai ◽  
Dan Yi ◽  
BIN LIU ◽  
Shuai Li

Introduction: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a disaster disease characterized by obliterative vascular remodeling and persistent increase of vascular resistance, leading to right heart failure and premature death. Understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms will help develop novel therapeutic approaches for PAH patients. Hypothesis: Human genome-wide association studies identified that SOX17 locus variants are associated with PAH. SOX17 mutation is also found in patients with PAH. We hypothesis that endothelial SOX17 deficiency contributes to the pathogenesis of PAH. Methods: Mice with EndoSCL-CreERT mediated deletion of Sox17 ( Sox17 iCKO ) were generated. Sox17 iCKO and Sox17 f/f mice after tamoxifen injection were incubated with hypoxia (10% O 2 ) for 3 weeks to induced PAH. Hemodynamics and histological examination were measured to determine the PAH phenotypes and vascular remodeling. EC proliferation and apoptosis were assessed in SiRNA-mediated SOX17 knockdown in human lung microvascular endothelial cells (hLMVECs). The RNA-sequencing analysis was performed to understand the molecular mechanisms of SOX17 deficiency in ECs. Results: Sox17 iCKO mice exhibited exaggerative PAH evident by the increase of RVSP and RV hypertrophy after hypoxia treatment compared to Sox17 f/f WT mice. SOX17 knockdown in hLMVECs induced cell proliferation and reduced starvation-induced apoptosis. RNA-seq analysis and DAVID pathway analysis demonstrated that there was dysregulation of cell proliferation-related genes, which are enriched in the pathways related to cell cycle, cell division, and mitotic cell cycle. Transcriptional factor, target, and motif discovery analysis of the dysregulated gene set revealed the involvement of transcriptional factors FOXM1 and E2F1. siRNA mediated knockdown of E2F1 but not FOXM1 normalized SOX17 deficiency-induced hLMVECs proliferation and anti-apoptosis. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that endothelial SOX17 deficiency exaggerates hypoxia-induced PAH. Loss of SOX17 promotes EC proliferation and anti-apoptosis via the upregulation of transcription factor E2F1.


2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 7619-7630
Author(s):  
Fan Zhang ◽  
◽  
Hongtao Liu ◽  

<abstract> <p>Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a life-threatening illness and ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death, driven by the accumulation of lipid peroxides to levels that are sufficient to trigger cell death. However, only few studies have examined PAH-associated ferroptosis. In the present study, lung samples mRNA expression profiles (derived from 15 patients with PAH and 11 normal controls) were downloaded from a public database, and 514 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test and weighted gene correlation network analyses. These DEGs were screened for ferroptosis-associated genes using the FerrDb database: eight ferroptosis-associated genes were identified. Finally, the construction of gene-microRNA (miRNA) and gene-transcription factor (TF) networks, in conjunction with gene ontology and biological pathway enrichment analysis, were used to inform hypotheses regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying PAH-associated ferroptosis. Ferroptosis-associated genes were largely involved in oxidative stress responses and could be regulated by several identified miRNAs and TFs. This suggests the existence of modulatable pathways that are potentially involved in PAH-associated ferroptosis. Our findings provide novel directions for targeted therapy of PAH in regard to ferroptosis. These findings may ultimately help improve the therapeutic outcomes of PAH.</p> </abstract>


Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
BIN LIU ◽  
Jingbo Dai ◽  
Li Shuai ◽  
Dan Yi ◽  
Youyang Zhao ◽  
...  

Introduction: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a disaster disease characterized by obliterative vascular remodeling and persistent increase of vascular resistance, leading to right heart failure and premature death. Understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms will help develop novel therapeutic approaches for PAH patients. Hypothesis: We hypothesis that endothelial plasticity or distinct cell populations are critical for obstructive vascular remodeling in the pathogenesis of PAH. Methods: Here we applied single-cell RNA sequencing (ScRNA-seq) to profile the pulmonary cells in a severe mouse model ( Egln1 Tie2Cre mice) of PAH. Human hPAEC from idiopathic PAH patients and healthy donors were used to measure FABP4 and FABP5 expression. siRNA mediated knockdown of FABP4 and FABP5 was performed to study cell proliferation and apoptosis. Mice with Fabp4 and Fabp5 deletion ( Fabp45 -/- ) and wild type (WT) mice were incubated with hypoxia (10% O 2 ) to induced PAH. Egln1 Tie2Cre mice were bred with Fabp45 -/- mice to generate Egln1 Tie2Cre / Fabp45 -/- mice. Results: We identified five distinct EC subpopulations in both WT and Egln1 Tie2Cre mice via scRNA-seq. Unexpectedly, the number of Cluster (EC2, 49.8%) was markedly increased in Egln1 Tie2Cre lung compared with WT lung (2.8%). EC2 cluster (mainly from Egln1 Tie2Cre lung) was characterized by little expression of Tmem100 , Cldn5 , Tspan7 , Calcrl and Foxf1 and high expression of Fabp4, Cdh13, Sparl1 and Fabp5 . Fatty acid-binding protein (FABP) 4 and FABP5 (FABP4-5) were highly induced in PAECs from IPAH patients. Knockdown of FABP4-5 reduced EC proliferation and starvation-induced Caspase 3/7 activity. Fabp45 -/- mice were protected from hypoxia-induced PAH compared to WT mice. Moreover, Egln1 Tie2Cre / Fabp45 -/- mice also exhibited a reduction of RVSP and RV hypertrophy compared to Egln1 Tie2Cre mice. Conclusions: ScRNA-seq analysis identifies a unique endothelial population (FABP4 + TMEM100 - ) highly enriched in the lung of severe PAH mice. Knockdown of FABP4-5 reduces EC proliferation starvation-induced injury. Genetic deletion of FABP4-5 protects from hypoxia and Egln1 deficiency-induced PAH in mice.


Hypertension ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 62 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie Y Hood ◽  
Augusto C Montezano ◽  
Margaret R MacLean ◽  
Rhian M Touyz

Women develop pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) more frequently than men. This may relate, in part, to metabolism of 17β-estradiol (E2), leading to formation of the deleterious metabolite, 16α-hydroxyestrone (16α OHE1), which plays a role in the remodelling of pulmonary arteries. Molecular mechanisms whereby 16αOHE1 influences PASMC remodelling are unclear but ROS may be important, since oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of PAH. We hypothesised that E2 and 16αOHE1 leads to Nox-induced ROS production, which promotes PASMC damage. Cultured PASMCs were stimulated with either E2 (1nM) or 16αOHE1 (1nM) in the presence/absence of EHT1864 (100μM, Rac1 inhibitor) or tempol (antioxidant; 10μM). ROS production was assessed by chemiluminescence (O2-) and Amplex Red (H2O2). Antioxidants (thioredoxin, peroxiredoxin 1 and NQ01), regulators of Nrf2 (BACH1, Nrf2) and, marker of cell growth (PCNA) were determined by immunoblotting. E2 increased O2- production at 4h (219 ± 30% vs vehicle; p<0.05), an effect blocked by EHT1864 and tempol. E2 also increased H2O2 generation (152 ± 4%; p<0.05). Thioredoxin, NQ01 and peroxiredoxin1 (71 ± 6%; 78 ± 9%; 69 ± 8%; p<0.05 respectively) levels were decreased by E2 as was PCNA expression (72 ± 2%; p<0.05). 16αOHE1 exhibited a rapid (5 min) and exaggerated increase in ROS production (355 ± 41%; p<0.05), blocked by tempol and EHT1864. This was associated with an increase in Nox4 expression (139 ± 11% vs vehicle, p<0.05). 16αOHE1 increased BACH1, (129 ± 3%; p<0.05), a competitor of Nrf2, which was decreased (92 ± 2%). In contrast, thioredoxin expression was increased by 16aOHE1 (154 ± 22%; p<0.05). PCNA (150 ± 5%) expression was also increased after exposure to 16αOHE1. In conclusion, E2 and 16αOHE1 have differential effects on redox processes associated with PASMC growth. Whereas E2 stimulates ROS production in a slow and sustained manner without effect on cell growth, 16αOHE1 upregulates Nox4 with associated rapid increase in ROS generation and downregulation of antioxidant systems, affecting proliferation. Our findings suggest that E2 -derived metabolites may promote a pro-proliferative PASMC phenotype through Nox4-derived ROS generation. These deleterious effects may impact on vascular remodeling in PAH.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 204589401983489 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meghan M. Cirulis ◽  
John J. Ryan ◽  
Stephen L. Archer

Arrhythmias are increasingly recognized as serious, end-stage complications of pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension, including pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Although arrhythmias contribute to symptoms, morbidity, in-hospital mortality, and possibly sudden death in PAH/CTEPH, there remains a paucity of epidemiologic, pathophysiologic, and outcome data to guide management of these patients. This review summarizes the most current evidence on the topic: from the molecular mechanisms driving arrhythmia in the hypertrophied or failing right heart, to the clinical aspects of epidemiology, diagnosis, and management.


2010 ◽  
Vol 298 (4) ◽  
pp. L483-L491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirjam E. van Albada ◽  
Beatrijs Bartelds ◽  
Hans Wijnberg ◽  
Saffloer Mohaupt ◽  
Michael G. Dickinson ◽  
...  

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a pulmonary angioproliferative disease with high morbidity and mortality, characterized by a typical pattern of pulmonary vascular remodeling including neointimal lesions. In congenital heart disease, increased pulmonary blood flow has appeared to be a key mediator in the development of these characteristic lesions, but the molecular mechanisms underlying the pulmonary vascular lesions are largely unknown. We employed a rat model of flow-associated PAH, which induced specific pulmonary neointimal lesions. We identified gene expression profiles in rats specifically related to the addition of increased pulmonary blood flow to monocrotaline and the associated occurrence of neointimal lesions. Increased pulmonary blood flow induced the expression of the transcription factors activating transcription factor-3 (ATF3) and early growth response factor-1 (EGR-1), for which presence was confirmed in neointimal lesions. Monocrotaline alone induced increased numbers of activated mast cells and their products. We further identified molecular pathways that may be involved in treatment with the prostacyclin analog iloprost, a vasoactive compound with clinically beneficial effects in patients with PAH, which were similar to pathways described in samples from patient studies. These pathways, associated with the development of angioproliferative lesions as well as with the response to therapy in PAH, may provide new therapeutic targets.


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