Netrin-1 and RGMa: Novel Regulators of Atherosclerosis-Related Diseases.

Backgrounds: Neuronal guidance proteins (NGPs) have been demonstrated to guide the elongation of neuronal axonal growth cones in the developing central nervous system. Non-neuronal functions of NGPs have also been described, especially in relation to atherosclerosis.

Findings: Netrin-1 and repulsive guidance molecule a (RGMa) are NGPs that have been shown to regulate endothelial cell adhesion and angiogenesis, macrophage migration and apoptosis, smooth muscle cells (SMCs) phenotypic dedifferentiation and mobility, chemokine activities, and inflammatory responses during atherosclerosis initiation and progression.

Knockdown of repulsive guidance molecule a promotes polarization of microglia into an anti-inflammatory phenotype after oxygen-glucose deprivation-reoxygenation in vitro.

Repulsive guidance molecule a (RGMa) is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored glycoprotein that has been demonstrated to influence neuroinflammatory-related diseases in addition to regulating neuronal differentiation and survival during brain development. However, any function or mechanism of RGMa in the polarization of microglia after ischemic stroke remains unclear. In the current study, RGMa was found to be expressed at reduced levels in microglia after oxygen-glucose deprivation-reoxygenation (OGD/R) in vitro.

RGMa promotes dedifferentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells into a macrophage-like phenotype in vivo and in vitro.

Repulsive guidance molecule a (RGMa) is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored glycoprotein that has been demonstrated to influence inflammatory-related diseases in addition to regulating neuronal differentiation and survival during brain development. However, any function or mechanism of RGMa in dedifferentiation of contractile vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) during inflammatory-related atherosclerosis is poorly understood. In the current study, we found that RGMa is expressed in VSMCs-derived macrophage-like cells from the fibrous cap of type V atherosclerotic plaques and the neointima of ligated carotid artery in ApoE mice.

The Circulating Biomarker Fractalkine and Platelet-Derived Growth Factor BB are Correlated with Carotid Plaque Vulnerability Assessed by Computed Tomography Angiography.

Objectives: Although studies have demonstrated that inflammatory and lipid/ lipoproteins-related biomarkers, genetic mutations, and epigenetic mechanisms could be candidates for diagnosis and prognosis of ischemic stroke, there is still no consensus on how to identify vulnerable plaques based on circulating biomarkers.

Materials And Methods: Histological and immunohistochemical staining were performed in the aorta sections of ApoE/ and WT mice. Eighty-nine patients who underwent CTA were included in this study.