• BMB Reports
• /
• v.47 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2014

Atherosclerosis is a pathologic process occurring within the artery, in which many cell types, including T cell, macrophages, endothelial cells, and smooth muscle cells, interact, and cause chronic inflammation, in response to various inner- or outer-cellular stimuli. Atherosclerosis is characterized by a complex interaction of inflammation, lipid deposition, vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, endothelial dysfunction, and extracellular matrix remodeling, which will result in the formation of an intimal plaque. Although the regulation and function of vascular smooth muscle cells are important in the progression of atherosclerosis, the roles of smooth muscle cells in regulating vascular inflammation are rarely focused upon, compared to those of endothelial cells or inflammatory cells. Therefore, in this review, we will discuss here how smooth muscle cells contribute or regulate the inflammatory reaction in the progression of atherosclerosis, especially in the context of the activation of various membrane receptors, and how they may regulate vascular inflammation.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.59 no.6
• /
• pp.544-550
• /
• 2016

Objective : Cerebral endothelial cells have unique biological features and are fascinating candidate cells for stroke therapy. Methods : In order to understand the molecular mechanisms of human cerebral endothelial cell (hCMEC/D3) transplantation in a rat stroke model, we performed proteomic analysis using 2-dimensional electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Protein expression was confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot. Results : Several protein spots were identified by gel electrophoresis in the sham, cerebral ischemia (CI), and CI with hCMEC/D3 treatment cerebral ischemia with cell transplantation (CT) groups, and we identified 14 differentially expressed proteins in the CT group. Proteins involved in mitochondrial dysfunction (paraplegin matrix AAA peptidase subunit, SPG7), neuroinflammation (peroxiredoxin 6, PRDX6), and neuronal death (zinc finger protein 90, ZFP90) were markedly reduced in the CT group compared with the CI group. The expression of chloride intracellular channel 4 proteins involved in post-ischemic vasculogenesis was significantly decreased in the CI group but comparable to sham in the CT group. Conclusion : These results contribute to our understanding of the early phase processes that follow cerebral endothelial cell treatment in CI. Moreover, some of the identified proteins may present promising new targets for stroke therapy.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.48 no.8
• /
• pp.429-430
• /
• 2015

Angiogenesis is a complex process involving dynamic interaction of various cell to cell interactions. Endothelial cell interactions regulated by growth factors, inflammatory cytokines, or hemodynamic stress are critical for balancing vascular quiescence and activation. Yes-associated protein (YAP), an effector of Hippo signaling, is known to play significant roles in maintaining cellular homeostasis. However, its role in endothelial cells for angiogenic regulation remains relatively unexplored. We demonstrated the critical role of YAP in vascular endothelial cells and elucidated the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in angiogenic regulation of YAP. YAP was expressed in active angiogenic regions where endothelial cell junctions were relatively loosened. Consistently, YAP subcellular localization and activity were regulated by VE-cadherin-mediated PI3K/Akt pathway. YAP thereby regulated endothelial sprouting via angiopoietin-2 expression. These results provide an insight into a model of coordinating endothelial junctional stability and angiogenic activation through YAP. [BMB Reports 2015; 48(8): 429-430]

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
• /
• v.5 no.3
• /
• pp.236-239
• /
• 2005

Effects of Naoxintong (NXT, a formula of Chinese Materia Medica)-containing serum on Nitrogen monoxide (NO) and calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) in rat cerebral microvascular endothelial cells (rCMEC) was investigated, rCMEC was injured in vitro by incubating for 4 hours at 100% NO in a hypoxia chamber. The results indicated that NXT could antagonize the reduction of NO and CGRP secreted by rCMEC during hypoxia, the effect of which was dose-dependent. After treated with NXT-containing serum at dosage of 5.0 - 30 and 50 -1.1 g/kg/U respectively, the amount of NO and CGRP secreted by rCMEC were remarkably increased during hypoxia in vitro.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.51 no.1
• /
• pp.21-26
• /
• 2018

Delta-like ligand 4 (DLL4) expression in endothelial cells is intimately associated with angiogenic sprouting and vascular remodeling, but the precise mechanism of transcriptional regulation of DLL4 remains incompletely understood. Here, we showed that LIM-domain binding protein 2 (LDB2) plays an important role in regulating basal DLL4 and VEGF-induced DLL4 expression. Knockdown of LDB2 using siRNA enhanced endothelial sprouting and tubular network formation in vitro. Injection of ldb2-morpholino resulted in defective development of intersegmental vessels in zebrafish. Reduction or over-expression of LDB2 in endothelial cells decreased or increased DLL4 expression. LDB2 regulated DLL4 promoter activity by binding to its promoter region and the same promoter region was occupied and regulated by the LMO2/TAL1/GATA2 complex. Interestingly, LDB2 also mediated VEGF-induced DLL4 expression in endothelial cells. The regulation of DLL4 by the LDB2 complex provides a novel mechanism of DLL4 transcriptional control that may be exploited to develop therapeutics for aberrant vascular remodeling.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.41 no.5
• /
• pp.345-352
• /
• 2008

The cerebral microvessels possess barrier characteristics which are tightly sealed excluding many toxic substances and protecting neural tissues. The specialized blood-neural barriers as well as the cerebral microvascular barrier are recognized in the retina, inner ear, spinal cord, and cerebrospinal fluid. Microvascular endothelial cells in the brain closely interact with other components such as astrocytes, pericytes, perivascular microglia and neurons to form functional 'neurovascular unit'. Communication between endothelial cells and other surrounding cells enhances the barrier functions, consequently resulting in maintenance and elaboration of proper brain homeostasis. Furthermore, the disruption of the neurovascular unit is closely involved in cerebrovascular disorders. In this review, we focus on the location and function of these various blood-neural barriers, and the importance of the cell-to-cell communication for development and maintenance of the barrier integrity at the neurovascular unit. We also demonstrate the close relation between the alteration of the blood-neural barriers and cerebrovascular disorders.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.1 no.5
• /
• pp.515-521
• /
• 1997

Endothelial cells play a central role in the inflammatory processes, and activation of nuclear factor kappa B ($NF-_{\kappa}B$) is a key component in that inflammatory processes. Previously, we reported that tumor necrosis factor alpha($TNF{\alpha}$) had protective effect of cell death induced by serum deprivation and this protection was related to $NF-_{\kappa}B$ activation. Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is a member of the molecules which transcription is regulated mainly by $NF-_{\kappa}B$. And the role of nitric oxide (NO) generated by iNOS on cell viability is still controversial. To elucidate the mechanism of $TNF{\alpha}$ and $NF-_{\kappa}B$ activation on cell death protection, we investigate the effect of NO on the cell death induced by serum- deprivation in bovine cerebral endothelial cells in this study. Addition of $TNF{\alpha}$, which are inducer of iNOS, prevented serum-deprivation induced cell death. Increased expression of iNOS was confirmed indirectly by nitrite measurement. When selective iNOS inhibitors were treated, the protective effect of $TNF{\alpha}$ on cell death was partially blocked, suggesting that iNOS expression was involved in controlling cell death. Exogenously added NO substrate (L-arginine) and NO donors (sodium nitroprusside and S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine) also inhibited the cell death induced by serum deprivation. These results suggest that NO has protective effect on bovine cerebral endothelial cell death induced by serum-deprivation and that iNOS is one of the possible target molecules by which $NF-_{\kappa}B$ exerts its cytoprotective effect.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.371-385
• /
• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Soy isoflavone (SIF) and soy lecithin (SL) have beneficial effects on many chronic diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases. Regretfully, there is little evidence to show the combined effects of these soy extractives on the impairment of cognition and abnormal cerebral blood flow (CBF). This study examined the optimal combination dose of SIF + SL to provide evidence for improving CBF and protecting cerebrovascular endothelial cells. MATERIALS/METHODS: In vivo study, SIF50 + SL40, SIF50 + SL80 and SIF50 + SL160 groups were obtained. Morris water maze, laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI), and hematoxylin-eosin staining were used to detect learning and memory impairment, CBF, and damage to the cerebrovascular tissue in rat. The 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and the oxidized glutathione (GSSG) were detected. The anti-oxidative damage index of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) in the serum of an animal model was also tested. In vitro study, an immortalized mouse brain endothelial cell line (bEND.3 cells) was used to confirm the cerebrovascular endothelial cell protection of SIF + SL. In this study, 50 µM of Gen were used, while the 25, 50, or 100 µM of SL for different incubation times were selected first. The intracellular levels of 8-OHdG, SOD, GSH, and GSSG were also detected in the cells. RESULTS: In vivo study, SIF + SL could increase the target crossing times significantly and shorten the total swimming distance of rats. The CBF in the rats of the SIF50 + SL40 group and SIF50 + SL160 group was enhanced. Pathological changes, such as attenuation of the endothelium in cerebral vessels were much less in the SIF50 + SL40 group and SIF50 + SL160 group. The 8-OHdG was reduced in the SIF50 + SL40 group. The GSSG showed a significant decrease in all SIF + SL pretreatment groups, but the GSH showed an opposite result. SOD was upregulated by SIF + SL pretreatment. Different combinations of Genistein (Gen)+SL, the secondary proof of health benefits found in vivo study, showed they have effective anti-oxidation and less side reaction on protecting cerebrovascular endothelial cell. SIF50 + SL40 in rats experiment and Gen50 + SL25 in cell test were the optimum joint doses on alleviating cognitive impairment and regulating CBF through protecting cerebrovascular tissue by its antioxidant activity. CONCLUSIONS: SIF+SL could significantly prevent cognitive defect induced by β-Amyloid through regulating CBF. This kind of effect might be attributed to its antioxidant activity on protecting cerebral vessels.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.35-42
• /
• 2015

In cardiovascular disorders, understanding of endothelial cell (EC) function is essential to elucidate the disease mechanism. Although the mouse model has many advantages for in vivo and in vitro research, efficient procedures for the isolation and propagation of primary mouse EC have been problematic. We describe a high yield process for isolation and in vitro culture of primary EC from mouse arteries (aorta, braches of superior mesenteric artery, and cerebral arteries from the circle of Willis). Mouse arteries were carefully dissected without damage under a light microscope, and small pieces of the vessels were transferred on/in a Matrigel matrix enriched with endothelial growth supplement. Primary cells that proliferated in Matrigel were propagated in advanced DMEM with fetal calf serum or platelet-derived serum, EC growth supplement, and heparin. To improve the purity of the cell culture, we applied shearing stress and anti-fibroblast antibody. EC were characterized by a monolayer cobble stone appearance, positive staining with acetylated low density lipoprotein labeled with 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethyl-indocarbocyanine perchlorate, RT-PCR using primers for von-Willebrand factor, and determination of the protein level endothelial nitric oxide synthase. Our simple, efficient method would facilitate in vitro functional investigations of EC from mouse vessels.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.44 no.4
• /
• pp.249-255
• /
• 2008

Objective : In Moyamoya disease, the primary goal of treatment is to improve collateral circulation through angiogenesis. In the present study, we obtained and sub-cultured bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) from rats without a cell-mediated immune response. Then, we injected the labeled BMSCs directly into adjacent temporal muscle during encephalomyosynangiosis (EMS). Three weeks after BMSC transplantation, we examined the survival of the cells and the extent of neovascularization. Methods : We divided 20 rats into a BMSC transplantation group (n=12) and a control group (n=8). Seven days after the induction of chronic cerebral ischemia, an EMS operation was performed, and labeled BMSCs ($1{\times}106^6/100\;{\mu}L$) were injected in the temporal muscle for the transplantation group, while an equivalent amount of culture solution was injected for the control group. Three weeks after the transplantation, temporal muscle and brain tissue were collected for histological examination and western blot analysis. Results : The capillary/muscle ratio in the temporal muscle was increased in the BMSC transplantation group compared to the control group, showing a greater increase of angiogenesis (p<0.05). In the brain tissue, angiogenesis was not significantly different between the two groups. The injected BMSCs in the temporal muscle were vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-positive by immunofluorescence staining. In both temporal muscle and brain tissue, the expression of VEGF by western blot analysis was not much different between the two groups. Conclusion : During EMS in a chronic cerebral ischemia rat model, the injection of BMSCs resulted in accelerated angiogenesis in the temporal muscle compared to the control group.