Vein grafting is a frequently used surgical intervention for cardiac revascularization. However, vein grafts display regions with intraplaque (IP) angiogenesis, which promotes atherogenesis and... Show moreVein grafting is a frequently used surgical intervention for cardiac revascularization. However, vein grafts display regions with intraplaque (IP) angiogenesis, which promotes atherogenesis and formation of unstable plaques. Graft neovessels are mainly composed of endothelial cells (ECs) that largely depend on glycolysis for migration and proliferation. In the present study, we aimed to investigate whether loss of the glycolytic flux enzyme phosphofructokinase-2/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3) in ECs inhibits IP angiogenesis and as such prevents unstable plaque formation. To this end, apolipoprotein E deficient (ApoE(-/-)) mice were backcrossed to a previously generated PFKFB3(fl/fl) Cdh5(iCre) mouse strain. Animals were injected with either corn oil (ApoE(-/-)PFKFB3(fl/fl)) or tamoxifen (ApoE(-/-)PFKFB3(ECKO)), and were fed a western-type diet for 4 weeks prior to vein grafting. Hereafter, mice received a western diet for an additional 28 days and were then sacrificed for graft assessment. Size and thickness of vein graft lesions decreased by 35 and 32%, respectively, in ApoE(-/-)PFKFB3(ECKO) mice compared to controls, while stenosis diminished by 23%. Moreover, vein graft lesions in ApoE(-/-)PFKFB3(ECKO) mice showed a significant reduction in macrophage infiltration (29%), number of neovessels (62%), and hemorrhages (86%). EC-specific PFKFB3 deletion did not show obvious adverse effects or changes in general metabolism. Interestingly, RT-PCR showed an increased M2 macrophage signature in vein grafts from ApoE(-/-)PFKFB3(ECKO) mice. Altogether, EC-specific PFKFB3 gene deletion leads to a significant reduction in lesion size, IP angiogenesis, and hemorrhagic complications in vein grafts. This study demonstrates that inhibition of endothelial glycolysis is a promising therapeutic strategy to slow down plaque progression. Show less
Objective Statins pleiotropically provide additional benefits in reducing atherosclerosis, but their effects on intraplaque angiogenesis (IPA) and hemorrhage (IPH) remain unclear. Therefore, we... Show moreObjective Statins pleiotropically provide additional benefits in reducing atherosclerosis, but their effects on intraplaque angiogenesis (IPA) and hemorrhage (IPH) remain unclear. Therefore, we discriminated statin's lipid-lowering dependent and independent effects on IPA and IPH. Approach and results ApoE3*Leiden mice are statin-responsive due to ApoE and LDLR presence, but also allow to titrate plasma cholesterol levels by diet. Therefore, ApoE3*Leiden mice were fed a high-cholesterol-inducing-diet (HCD) with or without atorvastatin (A) or a moderate-cholesterol-inducing-diet (MCD). Mice underwent vein graft surgery to induce lesions with IPA and IPH. Cholesterol levels were significantly reduced in MCD (56%) and HCD + A (39%) compared to HCD with no significant differences between MCD and HCD + A. Both MCD and HCD + A have a similar reduction in vessel remodeling and inflammation comparing to HCD. IPA was significantly decreased by 30% in HCD + A compared to HCD or MCD. Atorvastatin treatment reduced the presence of immature vessels by 34% vs. HCD and by 25% vs. MCD, resulting in a significant reduction of IPH. Atorvastatin's anti-angiogenic capacity was further illustrated by a dose-dependent reduction of ECs proliferation and migration. Cultured mouse aortic-segments lost sprouting capacity upon atorvastatin treatment and became 30% richer in VE-Cadherin expression and pericyte coverage. Moreover, Atorvastatin inhibited ANGPT2 release and decreased VE-Cadherin(Y685)-phosphorylation in ECs. Conclusions Atorvastatin has beneficial effects on vessel remodeling due to its lipid-lowering capacity. Atorvastatin has strong pleiotropic effects on IPA by decreasing the number of neovessels and on IPH by increasing vessel maturation. Atorvastatin improves vessel maturation by inhibiting ANGPT2 release and phospho(Y658)-mediated VE-Cadherin internalization. Show less
Multiple lines of evidence suggest that intraplaque (IP) neovascularization promotes atherosclerotic plaque growth, destabilization, and rupture. However, pharmacological inhibition of IP... Show moreMultiple lines of evidence suggest that intraplaque (IP) neovascularization promotes atherosclerotic plaque growth, destabilization, and rupture. However, pharmacological inhibition of IP neovascularization remains largely unexplored due to the limited number of animal models that develop IP neovessels and the lack of reliable methods for visualizing IP angiogenesis. Here, we applied 3D confocal microscopy with an optimized tissue-clearing process, immunolabeling-enabled three-dimensional imaging of solvent-cleared organs, to visualize IP neovessels in apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE(-/-)) mice carrying a heterozygous mutation (C1039+/-) in the fibrillin-1 gene. Unlike regular ApoE(-/-) mice, this mouse model is characterized by the presence of advanced plaques with evident IP neovascularization. Plaques were stained with antibodies against endothelial marker CD31 for 3 days, followed by incubation with fluorescently labeled secondary antibodies. Subsequent tissue clearing with dichloromethane (DCM)/methanol, DCM, and dibenzyl ether allowed easy visualization and 3D reconstruction of the IP vascular network while plaque morphology remained intact. Show less
The presence of mast cells in human atherosclerotic plaques has been associated with adverse cardiovascular events. Mast cell activation, through the classical antigen sensitized-IgE binding to... Show moreThe presence of mast cells in human atherosclerotic plaques has been associated with adverse cardiovascular events. Mast cell activation, through the classical antigen sensitized-IgE binding to their characteristic Fcε-receptor, causes the release of their cytoplasmic granules. These granules are filled with neutral proteases such as tryptase, but also with histamine and pro-inflammatory mediators. Mast cells accumulate in high numbers within human atherosclerotic tissue, particularly in the shoulder region of the plaque. These findings are largely based on immunohistochemistry, which does not allow for the extensive characterization of these mast cells and of the local mast cell activation mechanisms. In this study, we thus aimed to develop a new flow-cytometry based methodology in order to analyze mast cells in human atherosclerosis. We enzymatically digested 22 human plaque samples, collected after femoral and carotid endarterectomy surgery, after which we prepared a single cell suspension for flow cytometry. We were able to identify a specific mast cell population expressing both CD117 and the FcεR, and observed that most of the intraplaque mast cells were activated based on their CD63 protein expression. Furthermore, most of the activated mast cells had IgE fragments bound on their surface, while another fraction showed IgE-independent activation. In conclusion, we are able to distinguish a clear mast cell population in human atherosclerotic plaques, and this study establishes a strong relationship between the presence of IgE and the activation of mast cells in advanced atherosclerosis. Our data pave the way for potential therapeutic intervention through targeting IgE-mediated actions in human atherosclerosis. Show less
Parma, L.; Baganha, F.; Quax, P.H.A.; Vries, M.R. de 2017
