Background. Statin therapy lowers the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) among people with HIV (PWH). Residual risk pathways contributing to excess MACE beyond low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) are not well understood. Our objective was to evaluate the association of statin responsive and other inflammatory and metabolic pathways to MACE in the Randomized Trial to Prevent Vascular Events in HIV (REPRIEVE). Methods. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the relationship between MACE and proteomic measurements at study entry and year 2 adjusting for time-updated statin use and baseline 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk score. We built a machine learning (ML) model to predict MACE using baseline proteins values with significant associations. Results. In 765 individuals (age: 50.8±5.9 years, 82% males) among 7 proteins changing with statin vs. placebo, angiopoietin-related protein 3 (ANGPTL3) related most strongly to MACE (aHR: 2.31 per 2-fold higher levels; 95%CI: 1.11-4.80; p=0.03), such that lower levels of ANGPTL3 achieved with statin therapy were associated with lower MACE risk. Among 248 proteins not changing in response to statin therapy, 26 were associated with MACE at FDR<0.05. These proteins represented predominantly humoral immune response, leukocyte chemotaxis, and cytokine pathways. Our proteomic ML model achieved a 10-fold cross-validated c-index of 0.74±0.11 to predict MACE, improving on models using traditional risk prediction scores only (c-index: 0.61±0.18). Conclusions. ANGPTL3, as well as key inflammatory pathways may contribute to residual risk of MACE among PWH, beyond LDL-C. Trial registration. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02344290. Funding. NIH, Kowa, Gilead Sciences, ViiV.
Márton Kolossváry, Irini Sereti, Markella V. Zanni, Carl J. Fichtenbaum, Judith A Aberg, Gerald S. Bloomfield, Carlos D. Malvestutto, Judith S. Currier, Sarah M. Chu, Marissa R. Diggs, Alex B. Lu, Christopher deFilippi, Borek Foldyna, Sara McCallum, Craig A. Sponseller, Michael T. Lu, Pamela S. Douglas, Heather J. Ribaudo, Steven K. Grinspoon
Alireza Raissadati, Xuanyu Zhou, Harrison Chou, Yuhsin Vivian Huang, Shaheen Khatua, Yin Sun, Anne Xu, Sharon Loa, Arturo Hernandez, Han Zhu, Sean M. Wu
Platelet hyperreactivity increases the risk of cardiovascular thrombosis in diabetes and failure of antiplatelet drug therapies. Elevated basal and agonist-induced calcium flux is a fundamental cause of platelet hyperreactivity in diabetes; however, the mechanisms responsible for this remain largely unknown. Using a high-sensitivity, unbiased proteomic platform, we consistently detected over 2,400 intracellular proteins and identified proteins that were differentially released by platelets in type 2 diabetes. We identified that SEC61 translocon subunit β (SEC61B) was increased in platelets from humans and mice with hyperglycemia and in megakaryocytes from mice with hyperglycemia. SEC61 is known to act as an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium leak channel in nucleated cells. Using HEK293 cells, we showed that SEC61B overexpression increased calcium flux into the cytosol and decreased protein synthesis. Concordantly, platelets in hyperglycemic mice mobilized more calcium and had decreased protein synthesis. Platelets in both humans and mice with hyperglycemia had increased ER stress. ER stress induced the expression of platelet SEC61B and increased cytosolic calcium. Inhibition of SEC61 with anisomycin decreased platelet calcium flux and inhibited platelet aggregation in vitro and in vivo. These studies demonstrate the existence of a mechanism whereby ER stress–induced upregulation of platelet SEC61B leads to increased cytosolic calcium, potentially contributing to platelet hyperreactivity in diabetes.
Yvonne X. Kong, Rajan Rehan, Cesar L. Moreno, Søren Madsen, Yunwei Zhang, Huiwen Zhao, Miao Qi, Callum B. Houlahan, Siân P. Cartland, Declan Robertshaw, Vincent Trang, Frederick Jun Liang Ong, Michael Liu, Edward Cheng, Imala Alwis, Alexander Dupuy, Michelle Cielesh, Kristen C. Cooke, Meg Potter, Jacqueline Stöckli, Grant Morahan, Maggie L. Kalev-Zylinska, Matthew T. Rondina, Sol Schulman, Jean Y. H. Yang, G. Gregory Neely, Simone M. Schoenwaelder, Shaun P. Jackson, David E. James, Mary M. Kavurma, Samantha L. Hocking, Stephen M. Twigg, James C. Weaver, Mark Larance, Freda H. Passam
Direct interaction of RAS with the PI3K p110α subunit mediates RAS-driven tumor development: however, it is not clear how p110α/RAS-dependant signaling mediates interactions between tumors and host tissues. Here, using a murine tumor cell transfer model, we demonstrated that disruption of the interaction between RAS and p110α within host tissue reduced tumor growth and tumor-induced angiogenesis, leading to improved survival of tumor-bearing mice, even when this interaction was intact in the transferred tumor. Furthermore, functional interaction of RAS with p110α in host tissue was required for efficient establishment and growth of metastatic tumors. Inhibition of RAS and p110α interaction prevented proper VEGF-A and FGF-2 signaling, which are required for efficient angiogenesis. Additionally, disruption of the RAS and p110α interaction altered the nature of tumor-associated macrophages, inducing expression of markers typical for macrophage populations with reduced tumor-promoting capacity. Together, these results indicate that a functional RAS interaction with PI3K p110α in host tissue is required for the establishment of a growth-permissive environment for the tumor, particularly for tumor-induced angiogenesis. Targeting the interaction of RAS with PI3K has the potential to impair tumor formation by altering the tumor-host relationship, in addition to previously described tumor cell–autonomous effects.
Miguel Manuel Murillo, Santiago Zelenay, Emma Nye, Esther Castellano, Francois Lassailly, Gordon Stamp, Julian Downward
Fibroblast growth factor homologous factors (FHFs) bind to the cytoplasmic carboxy terminus of voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) and modulate channel function. Variants in FHFs or VGSCs perturbing that bimolecular interaction are associated with arrhythmias. Like some channel auxiliary subunits, FHFs exert additional cellular regulatory roles, but whether these alternative roles affect VGSC regulation is unknown. Using a separation-of-function strategy, we show that a structurally guided, binding incompetent mutant FGF13 (the major FHF in mouse heart) confers complete regulation of VGSC steady-state inactivation (SSI), the canonical effect of FHFs. In cardiomyocytes isolated from Fgf13 knockout mice, expression of the mutant FGF13 completely restores wild-type regulation of SSI. FGF13 regulation of SSI derives from effects on local accessible membrane cholesterol, which is unexpectedly polarized and concentrated in cardiomyocytes at the intercalated disc (ID) where most VGSCs localize. Fgf13 knockout eliminates the polarized cholesterol distribution and causes loss of VGSCs from the ID. Moreover, we show that the previously described FGF13-dependent stabilization of VGSC currents at elevated temperatures depends on the cholesterol mechanism. These results provide new insights into how FHFs affect VGSCs and alter the canonical model by which channel auxiliary subunits exert influence.
Aravind R. Gade, Mattia Malvezzi, Lala Tanmoy Das, Maiko Matsui, Cheng-I J. Ma, Keon Mazdisnian, Steven O. Marx, Frederick R. Maxfield, Geoffrey S. Pitt
While weight loss is highly recommended for those with obesity, >60% will regain their lost weight. This weight cycling is associated with elevated risk of cardiovascular disease, relative to never having lost weight. How weight loss/regain directly influence atherosclerotic inflammation is unknown. Thus, we studied short-term caloric restriction (stCR) in obese hypercholesterolemic mice, without confounding effects from changes in diet composition. Weight loss was found to promote atherosclerosis resolution independent of plasma cholesterol. From single-cell RNA-sequencing and subsequent mechanistic studies, this can be partly attributed to a unique subset of macrophages accumulating with stCR in epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT) and atherosclerotic plaques. These macrophages, distinguished by high expression of Fcgr4, help to clear necrotic cores in atherosclerotic plaques. Conversely, weight regain (WR) following stCR accelerated atherosclerosis progression with disappearance of Fcgr4+ macrophages from eWAT and plaques. Furthermore, WR caused reprogramming of immune progenitors, sustaining hyper-inflammatory responsiveness. In summary, we have developed a model to investigate the inflammatory effects of weight cycling on atherosclerosis and the interplay between adipose tissue, bone marrow, and plaques. The findings suggest potential approaches to promote atherosclerosis resolution in obesity and weight cycling through induction of Fcgr4+ macrophages and inhibition of immune progenitor reprogramming.
Bianca Scolaro, Franziska Krautter, Emily J. Brown, Aleepta Guha Ray, Rotem Kalev-Altman, Marie Petitjean, Sofie Delbare, Casey Donahoe, Stephanie Pena, Michela L. Garabedian, Cyrus A. Nikain, Maria Laskou, Ozlem Tufanli, Carmen Hannemann, Myriam Aouadi, Ada Weinstock, Edward A. Fisher
Macee C. Owen, Vinay R. Penna, Hao Dun, Wenjun Li, Benjamin J. Kopecky, Kenneth M. Murphy, Daniel Kreisel, Kory J. Lavine
Atherosclerosis arises from disrupted cholesterol metabolism, notably impaired macrophage cholesterol efflux leading to foam cell formation. Through single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing, we identified Listerin as a regulator of macrophage cholesterol metabolism. Listerin expression increased during atherosclerosis progression in humans and rodents. Its deficiency suppressed cholesterol efflux, promoted foam cell formation, and exacerbated plaque features (macrophage infiltration, lipid deposition, necrotic cores) in macrophage-specific knockout mice. Conversely, Listerin overexpression attenuated these atherosclerotic manifestations. Mechanistically, Listerin stabilizes ABCA1, a key cholesterol efflux mediator, by catalyzing K63-linked polyubiquitination at residues K1884/K1957, countering ESCRT-mediated lysosomal degradation of ABCA1 induced by oxLDL. ABCA1 agonist Erythrodiol restored cholesterol efflux in Listerin-deficient macrophages, while ABCA1 knockout abolished Listerin's effects in THP-1 cells. This study establishes Listerin as a protective factor in atherosclerosis via post-translational stabilization of ABCA1, offering a potential therapeutic strategy targeting ABCA1 ubiquitination to enhance cholesterol efflux.
Lei Cao, Jie Zhang, Liwen Yu, Wei Yang, Wenqian Qi, Ruiqing Ren, Yapeng Liu, Yonghao Hou, Yu Cao, Qian Li, Xiaohong Wang, Zhengguo zhang, Bo Li, Wenhai Sui, Yun Zhang, Chengjiang Gao, Cheng Zhang, Meng Zhang
Myxomatous valve disease (MVD) is the most common form of cardiac valve disease in the developed world. A small fraction of MVD is syndromic and arises in association with matrix protein defects such as those in Marfan syndrome, but most MVD is acquired later in life through an undefined pathogenesis. The KLF2/4 transcription factors mediate endothelial fluid shear responses, including those required to create cardiac valves during embryonic development. Here we test the role of hemodynamic shear forces and downstream endothelial KLF2/4 in mature cardiac valves. We find that loss of hemodynamic forces in heterotopically transplanted hearts or genetic deletion of KLF2/4 in cardiac valve endothelium confers valve cell proliferation and matrix deposition associated with valve thickening, findings also observed in mice expressing the mutant fibrillin-1 protein known to cause human MVD. Transcriptomic and histologic analysis reveals increased monocyte recruitment and TGF-β signaling in both fibrillin-1–mutant valves and valves lacking hemodynamic forces or endothelial KLF2/4 function, but only loss of TGF-β/SMAD signaling rescued myxomatous changes. We observed reduced KLF2/4 expression and augmented SMAD signaling in human MVD. These studies identify hemodynamic activation of endothelial KLF2/4 as an environmental homeostatic regulator of cardiac valves and suggest that non-syndromic MVD may arise in association with disturbed blood flow across the aging valve.
Jesse A. Pace, Lauren M. Goddard, Courtney C. Hong, Liqing Wang, Jisheng Yang, Mei Chen, Yitian Xu, Martin H. Dominguez, Siqi Gao, Xiaowen Chen, Patricia Mericko-Ishizuka, Can Tan, Tsutomu Kume, Wenbao Yu, Kai Tan, Wayne W. Hancock, Giovanni Ferrari, Mark L. Kahn
Lara Haase, Anouar Belkacemi, Laura Neises, Nicole Kiweler, Christine Wesely, Rosanna Huchzermeier, Maja Bozic, Arefeh Khakdan, Marta Sánchez, Arnaud Mary, Nadja Sachs, Hanna Winter, Enrico Glaab, Michael T. Heneka, Emiel P.C. van der Vorst, Michel Mittelbronn, Johannes Meiser, Jochen G. Schneider