Endothelial Cell News Volume 4.37 | Nov 4 2019

TOP STORY

Leukocyte-Released Mediators in Response to Both Bacterial and Fungal Infections Trigger IFN Pathways, Independent of IL-1 and TNF-α, in Endothelial Cells

Investigators comprehensively characterized the transcriptomic responses of human leukocytes and endothelial cells to Gram negative-bacteria, Gram positive-bacteria, and fungi. They showed that whole pathogen lysates induced strong activation of leukocytes but not endothelial cells. [Front Immunol] Full Article

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Patient-Specific iPSC Model of a Genetic Vascular Dementia Syndrome Reveals Failure of Mural Cells to Stabilize Capillary Structures

Patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-vascular mural cells had reduced platelet-derived growth factor receptor β, decreased secretion of the angiogenic factor VEGF, were highly susceptible to apoptotic insults, and could induce apoptosis of adjacent endothelial cells. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article

Closing the Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore in hiPSC-Derived Endothelial Cells Induces Glycocalyx Formation and Functional Maturation

Researchers examined whether shear stress alone or in combination with pericyte co-culture would induce flow alignment and maturation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC)-derived endothelial cells (ECs) but found no effects comparable with those in primary microvascular ECs. In addition, hiPSC-ECs lacked a luminal glycocalyx, critical for vasculature homeostasis, shear stress sensing, and signaling. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Aquaporin-1 Plays a Key Role in Erythropoietin-Induced Endothelial Cell Migration

The authors investigated the participation of aquaporin-1 (AQP-1) as a downstream effector of this cytokine in the migration of endothelial cells. Inhibition of AQP-1 with either mercury ions or a specific siRNA led to an impaired migration of EA.hy926 endothelial cells exposed to erythropoietin (Epo). Epo also induced the expression of AQP-1 at mRNA and protein levels, an effect which was dependent on the influx of extracellular calcium through L-type calcium channels as well as TRPC3 channels. [BBA-Mol Cell Res] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Generation of Complex Human Organoid Models Including Vascular Networks by Incorporation of Mesodermal Progenitor Cells

The authors generated complex human tumor as well as neural organoids. They showed that the formed blood vessels displayed a hierarchic organization and mural cells are assembled into the vessel wall. They demonstrated a typical blood vessel ultrastructure including endothelial cell-cell junctions, a basement membrane as well as luminal caveolae and microvesicles. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Fenestral Diaphragms and PLVAP Associations in Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells Are Developmentally Regulated

Scientists showed that fenestrations in liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC) contained plasmalemma vesicle associated protein (PLVAP)-diaphragms during the fetal angiogenesis, but they lost the diaphragms at birth. Although it is thought that PLVAP only localizes to diaphragms, they found luminal localization of PLVAP in adult LSEC using several imaging techniques. [Sci Rep] Full Article

3D Bioprinting of a Vascularized and Perfusable Skin Graft Using Human Keratinocytes

In vitro, keratinocytes (KCs) replicated and matured to form a multilayered barrier while endothelial cells (ECs) and placental pericytes (PCs) self-assembled into interconnected microvascular networks. PCs in the dermal bioink associated with EC-lined vascular structures and appeared to improved KC maturation. [Tissue Eng Part A] Abstract

miR-3691-5p Is Upregulated in Docosahexaenoic Acid-Treated Vascular Endothelial Cell and Targets Serpin Family E Member 1

Researchers demonstrated that dietary docosahexaenoic acid upregulated miR-3691-5p expression, and downregulated the expression of its target gene serpin family E member 1. miR-mimics and inhibitors modulation results indicated that miR-3691-5p regulated endothelial apoptosis through activating antiapoptotic response which controlled by the STAT3 signaling pathway. [J Cell Biochem] Abstract

ABO Blood Group Is a Determinant of Von Willebrand Factor Protein Levels in Human Pulmonary Endothelial Cells

Researchers elected 35 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded pulmonary tissue blocks obtained at autopsy from decedents who died from pulmonary embolism with known ABO blood groups, prepared tissue microarrays (TMAs) and stained TMAs with antibodies to Willebrand facto (VWF) and platelet/endothelial cell adhesion marker-1 (PECAM-1) as a marker of endothelial cells. A pixel count scoring algorithm was used to quantify VWF and PECAM-1 staining intensity in pulmonary arterioles in digitised images. [J Clin Pathol] Full Article

Gene Expression Profiling of Hypoxic Response in Different Models of Senescent Endothelial Cells

Investigators demonstrated that a short pulse of axitinib, a specific inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptors, induces cell senescence of endothelial cells. They performed a high-throughput gene expression analysis to characterize the response of proliferating versus senescent endothelial cells to hypoxia, the main trigger of neo–ngiogenetic phenomena in tumors. [Aging Clin Exp Res] Abstract

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Vascular AMPK: Enhancer, Brake or Both?

Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activators inhibit endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization type relaxations in superior mesenteric arteries, partly by inhibiting endothelial calcium-activated potassium channels signaling. Therefore, AMPK activation is not necessarily beneficial in terms of endothelial function. [Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol] Abstract

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

Regen BioPharma, Inc. Discovers Fundamental Role of NR2F6 in Production of Malignant Blood Vessels

Regen BioPharma, Inc. announced new data demonstrating that suppression of NR2F6 using patent-pending compounds developed by the company results in selective inhibition of new blood vessels under conditions associated with cancer and wet macular degeneration. The data, which was obtained using HUVEC, indicates that NR2F6 may have a larger biological role than originally suspected. [Regen BioPharma, Inc. (PR Newswire, Association LLC.)] Press Release

2019 Research Grant Recipients Announced by the VHL Alliance

The VHL Alliance (VHLA) announced the 2019 recipients of the VHLA Competitive Research Grant Program. This year, three grantees were chosen. Scientists are increasingly aware that curing von Hippel-Lindau disease, a genetic form of cancer, is a key step to curing cancer, leading to a significant increase in the quality of research grant applicants in the program year after year. [VHL Alliance (PR Newswire, Association LLC)] Press Release

Trainees Often Ghostwrite PIs’ Peer Reviews: Survey

Many graduate students and postdocs write or help compose peer reviews their advisors are invited to provide, according to a survey of nearly 500 early-career researchers published on October 31^st in eLife. And often they do so without disclosing that fact to the journal – a practice that the survey authors consider to be ghostwriting. [The Scientist] Editorial

Trump Nominates MD Anderson’s Stephen Hahn to Lead FDA

President Trump announced his intent to nominate Dr. Stephen Hahn to lead the FDA. Dr Stephen Hahn is the chief medical executive at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. While he is an accomplished physician and researcher, he has never worked in government, leaving his potential FDA agenda a mystery. [STAT News] Editorial

NEW 2^nd Immuno-Metabolic Mechanisms of Atherosclerosis Conference
March 1-4, 2020
Nassau, Bahamas

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.

NEW Postdoctoral Researcher – Endothelial Dysfunction and Atherosclerosis (Karolinska Institutet)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Endothelial Cell Ion Channels (The University of Tennessee Health Science Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Endothelial Dysfunction and Malaria (Seattle Children’s Research Institute)

Research Fellow – Vascular Diseases (Queen’s University Belfast)

Postdoctoral Research Associate – Drug and Gene Delivery Research (University of Pittsburgh)

Postdoctoral Associate – Vascular Disease (University of Miami)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Ophthalmology (The University of Tennessee Health Science Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow and Graduate Student – Cardiovascular Sciences (University of Calgary)

Postdoctoral Position – Liver Macrophage Niche (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology)

Postdoctoral Position – Alzheimer’s disease (Icahn School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Position – Vascular Biology (New York University Winthrop Hospital)

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