Endothelial Cell News Volume 3.40 | Dec 3 2018

TOP STORY

Clostridium difficile Toxins Induce VEGF-A and Vascular Permeability to Promote Disease Pathogenesis

Researchers report increased colonic vascular permeability in C. difficile infected mice and elevated VEGF-A, which was induced in vivo by infection with toxin A (TcdA)- and/or TcdB-producing C. difficile strains but not with a TcdA⁻TcdB⁻ isogenic mutant. [Nat Microbiol] Abstract

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Tumor-Vasculature Development via Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition after Radiotherapy Controls CD44v6⁺ Cancer Cell and Macrophage Polarization

Scientists report that radiation-induced endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) lead to tumor vasculature with abnormal SMA⁺NG2⁺ pericyte recruitment during tumor regrowth after radiotherapy. Trp53 deletion in endothelial cells inhibited radiation-induced EndMT, reducing tumor regrowth and metastases with a high CD44v6⁺ cancer-stem-cell content after radiotherapy. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Laminin γ2‐Enriched Extracellular Vesicles of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells Enhance In Vitro Lymphangiogenesis via Intergrin α3‐Dependent Uptake by Lymphatic Endothelial Cells

The knockdown of laminin γ2 and inhibition by anti‐laminin‐332 neutralizing antibodies impaired LN1‐1 extracellular vesicle‐mediated lymphatic endothelial cell (LEC) migration, tube formation, and uptake by LECs. [Int J Cancer] Abstract

Endothelial and Cardiomyocyte PI3Kβ Divergently Regulate Cardiac Remodeling in Response to Ischemic Injury

Using cell type-specific loss-of-function approaches, the authors reported novel and distinct actions of p110β in endothelial cells versus cardiomyocytes in response to myocardial ischemic injury. Inactivation of endothelial p110β resulted in marked resistance to infarction and adverse cardiac remodeling with decreased mortality, improved systolic function, preserved microvasculature, and enhanced Akt activation. [Cardiovasc Res] Abstract | Full Article

Generation of Directly Reprogrammed Human Endothelial Cells Derived from Fibroblast Using Ultrasound

Investigators generated directly reprogrammed human dermal fibroblasts into endothelial cells mediated by environmental transition-guided cellular reprogramming (e/Entr) using ultrasound and characterized e/Entr. [J Mol Cell Cardiol] Abstract

Matrix Stiffness Regulates Arteriovenous Differentiation of Endothelial Progenitor Cells during Vasculogenesis in Nude Mice

Dextran hydrogels of differing stiffnesses were prepared by controlling the crosslinking reaction to generate different thioether bonds. Hydrogels with stiffnesses matching those of the arterial extracellular matrix and venous extracellular matrix were separately combined with mouse bone marrow‐derived endothelial progenitor cells and subcutaneously implanted on either side of the backs of nude mice. [Cell Prolif] Full Article

Hydrogen Sulfide Improves Vascular Repair by Promoting Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase-Dependent Mobilization of Endothelial Progenitor Cells

Sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS), a precursor of H2S, promoted re-endothelialization and inhibited neointima formation in a rodent carotid artery injury model. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that NaHS treatment significantly increased the yield of endothelial progenitor cell after vascular injury. [J Hypertens] Abstract

TGF-β Induces Corneal Endothelial Senescence via Increase of Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species in Chronic Corneal Allograft Failure

Scientists found that transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is elevated in the corneal endothelium (CE) of late graft failure. In addition, senescence-associated genes p21 and p16 were increased as well, which was consistent with their elevation upon TGF-β treatment in human CE cell B4G12. [Aging (Albany NY)] Full Article

C11, a Novel Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 1 (FGFR1) Inhibitor, Suppresses Breast Cancer Metastasis and Angiogenesis

The anti-angiogenesis activity of C11 was verified in endothelial cells and chicken chorioallantoic membranes (CAMs). C11 inhibited the migration and tube formation of HMEC-1 endothelial cells and inhibited angiogenesis in a CAM assay. [Acta Pharmacol Sin] Abstract

The Sickle Cell Trait Affects Contact Dynamics and Endothelial Cell Activation in Plasmodium falciparum-Infected Erythrocytes

Investigators showed, by combining quantitative flow chamber experiments with multiscale computer simulations of deformable cells in hydrodynamic flow, that parasitized erythrocytes containing the sickle cell haemoglobin displayed altered adhesion dynamics, resulting in restricted contact footprints on the endothelium. [Commun Biol] Full Article

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Endothelial Cell Mechanotransduction in the Dynamic Vascular Environment

Scientists describe the molecular mechanisms by which endothelial cells perceive and interpret mechanical signals. The translational applications of mechanosensing are then discussed in the context of endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition and engineering of vascular grafts. [Adv Biosyst] Abstract

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Chi-Med Enters into Multiple Collaborations to Evaluate Combinations of Surufatinib and Fruquintinib with PD-1 Checkpoint Inhibitors

Hutchison China MediTech Limited (Chi-Med) entered into four collaboration agreements to evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of Chi-Med’s surufatinib and fruquintinib in combination with checkpoint inhibitors. [Hutchison China MediTech Limited] Press Release

UH Names Co-Director of Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute’s Vascular Center

University Hospitals (UH) has named Dr. Heather Gornik, a cardiologist and vascular medicine specialist, as co-director of the Vascular Center at UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute. [Crain Communications, Inc.] Press Release

Romania Cuts Research Budget for Second Time This Year

The Romanian government has sliced off another €49 million from its research budget, as the ministry for research and innovation failed to put out funding calls to spend all of the €350 million it had allocated for 2018. [Science|Business] Editorial

Biomedical Research Is Becoming More Open about Its Funding and Data

Biomedical research is shifting to become more open and transparent by providing increasing amounts of information about funding, conflicts of interest and data sharing in their publications, according to a survey of recent papers. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW Keystone Symposia: Cell Competition in Development and Disease
February 24-28, 2019
Tahoe, California, United States

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NEW Postdoctoral Position – Molecular Neurobiology (San Raffaele Scientific Institute)

NEW Postdoctoral Position – Vascular Dementia (German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases)

NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (National Institutes of Health)

Faculty Positions – Lung and Vascular Biology (Northwestern University)

Senior Research Assistant – Genitourinary Medical Oncology (MD Anderson Cancer Center)

Assistant/Associate Adjunct Professor – Cardiovascular Medicine (UC Davis)

Postdoctoral Positions – Angiogenesis and Vascular Metabolism (VIB)

Postdoctoral Research Associate – Endothelial Cell Research (University of Illinois)

Postdoctoral Positions – Cell/Developmental/Vascular Biology (Uppsala University)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Endothelial Cell Research (University of Missouri)

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