Endothelial Cell News Volume 5.19 | Jun 1 2020

TOP STORY

Human-iPSC-Derived Cardiac Stromal Cells Enhance Maturation in 3D Cardiac Microtissues and Reveal Non-Cardiomyocyte Contributions to Heart Disease

Scientists showed that tri-cellular combinations of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes, cardiac fibroblasts, and cardiac endothelial cells enhanced maturation in easily constructed, scaffold-free, three-dimensional microtissues. [Cell Stem Cell] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Blocking Endothelial Apoptosis Revascularises the Retina in a Model of Ischemic Retinopathy

Researchers investigated the role of endothelial cell (EC) apoptosis in retinal hypoxia using a mouse model of ischemic retinopathy, in which vessel closure and EC apoptosis caused capillary regression and retinal ischemia followed by neovascularisation. [J Clin Invest] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Molecular Mechanisms of Methylglyoxal-Induced Aortic Endothelial Dysfunction in Human Vascular Endothelial Cells

Investigators found that methylglyoxal significantly induced autophagy, declined the pro-angiogenic effect, decreased proliferation, migration, and formation of tube-like structures, and increased autophagic vacuoles, flux and autophagosomes in the HAoEC in a dose-dependent manner. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Angiogenic Cytokines Can Reflect the Synovitis Severity and Treatment Response to Biologics in Rheumatoid Arthritis

To determine the clinical significance of angiogenic cytokines in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the levels of pro-angiogenic cytokines, including VEGF, placenta growth factor, and IL-6, were measured in the synovial fluid and sera of RA patients using ELISA. [Exp Mol Med] Full Article

Amplification of Transglutaminase 2 Enhances Tumor-Promoting Inflammation in Gastric Cancers

Scientists investigated a novel role for transglutaminase 2 (TGM2) in the development of tumor-promoting inflammation and recruitment of tumor-associated macrophages to gastric cancer (GC) tissues. When estimated by array comparative genomic hybridization and droplet digital PCR, the copy numbers of the TGM2 gene were amplified in 13.6% of GC patients and positively associated with TGM2 expression. [Exp Mol Med] Full Article

NRP2 as an Emerging Angiogenic Player; Promoting Endothelial Cell Adhesion and Migration by Regulating Recycling of α5 Integrin

The authors demonstrated that neuropilin (NRP)2 promoted Rac-1 mediated endothelial cell adhesion and migration over fibronectin matrices in a mechanistically distinct fashion to NRP1, showing no dependence on β3 integrin expression, or VEGF stimulation. [Front Cell Dev Biol] Full Article

Endothelial Dysfunction in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis with Low Cardiac Disease Risk

Investigators prospectively evaluated endothelial function by assessing flow-mediated dilatation of the brachial artery in patients with biopsy-proven nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. This prospective study included 139 patients, all of whom were nondiabetic. [Sci Rep] Full Article

The Biomarker HE4 (WFDC2) Promotes a Pro-Angiogenic and Immunosuppressive Tumor Microenvironment via Regulation of STAT3 Target Genes

HE4 was found to activate STAT3 signaling and promote upregulation of the pro-angiogenic STAT3 target genes IL8 and HIF1A in immune cells, ovarian cancer cells, and endothelial cells. Moreover, HE4 promoted increased in tube formation in an in vitro model of angiogenesis, which was also dependent upon STAT3 signaling. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Glucose-Induced Duration-Dependent Genome-Wide DNA Methylation Changes in Human Endothelial Cells

Researchers investigated the effects of glucose on whole-genome DNA methylation in small and large vessel endothelial cell lines exposed to basal or high glucose-containing media for variable lengths of time. Using the Infinium EPIC array, they obtained 773,133 CpG sites for analysis. [Am J Physiol Cell Physiol] Abstract

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Vascular Extracellular Matrix Remodeling and Hypertension

Scientists summarize the dynamic changes in extracellular matrix (ECM) components and their modification and degradation during hypertension and after antihypertensive treatment. They also discuss how alterations in the ECM amount, assembly, mechanical properties, and degradation fragment generation provide input into the pathological process of hypertension. [Antioxid Redox Signal] Abstract

Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Anticancer Therapy and Normal Tissue Damage

The authors review the role of hypoxia and reactive oxygen species as the main stimulating factors of tissue damage due to vascular damage and endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT). They consider drugs that may be clinically useful for regulating EndMT in various diseases. [Exp Mol Med] Full Article

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the endothelial cell research field.

Corbus Pharmaceuticals Reports Last Subject Visit in RESOLVE-1 Phase III Study of Lenabasum for Treatment of Systemic Sclerosis

Corbus Pharmaceuticals Holdings, Inc. announced that the last subject completed their final visit in the company’s RESOLVE-1 Phase III trial of lenabasum for the treatment of systemic sclerosis. Topline results from the study are on track for summer 2020. [Corbus Pharmaceuticals Holdings, Inc.] Press Release

Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals Provides Phase II Systemic Sclerosis Clinical Trial Update

Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals, Inc. continues to advance its Phase IIa clinical study of EHP-101, an oral formulation of a patented new chemical entity derived from cannabidiol being developed for the treatment of systemic sclerosis, a severe, debilitating and life-threatening form of scleroderma, and multiple sclerosis. [Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals, Inc.] Press Release

Adverum Biotechnologies Announces New INFINITY Phase II Trial for ADVM-022 in Diabetic Macular Edema, Reports Recent Business Progress and First Quarter 2020 Financial Results

Adverum Biotechnologies, Inc. announced the initiation of INFINITY, a Phase II, multi-center, randomized, double-masked, active comparator-controlled trial to assess a single intravitreal injection of ADVM-022 in patients with diabetic macular edema. [Adverum Biotechnologies, Inc.] Press Release

Universities Will Never Be the Same after the Coronavirus Crisis

The coronavirus crisis is forcing universities to confront long-standing challenges in higher education, such as skyrocketing tuition costs and perceptions of elitism — and some of the resulting changes could be permanent. [Nature News] Editorial

US Looks to Block Chinese Grad Students’ and Researchers’ Visas

Administration officials and lawmakers say the move is to shore up national security threats, but university professors argue such cancellations represent targeted discrimination. [The Scientist] Editorial

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NEW Associate Professor – Neural, Vascular, and Metabolic Biology (The Chinese University of Hong Kong)

NEW Postdoctoral Position – Cardiovascular Research (Univerity of Pittsburgh)

Research Scientist – Inflammatory Fibrosis and Endothelial Cells (The University of Pittsburgh)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Diabetic Endothelial Cell Remodeling (Aarhus University)

Postdoctoral Position – Ultrasound-Mediated Phase Transition Contrast Agents for Imaging and Therapy (University of Pittsburgh)

PhD Student Positions – Blood Brain Barrier (Universität Leipzig)

Postdoctoral Positions – Bioinformatics and Vascular Biology (KU Leuven and Sun Yat-Sen University)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Precision Oncology (Weill Cornell Medicine)

Postdoctoral Researchers – Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer (Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation)

Postdoctoral Scientist – Gene Editing in Liver Disease (Beam Therapeutics)

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