Atherosclerosis is a fundamental disease of the cardiovascular system that leads to high morbidity and mortality worldwide. The endothelium is the first protective barrier in atherosclerosis. Endothelial cells have the potential to be transformed into mesenchymal cells, in a process termed endothelial to mesenchymal transition (EndMT). On the one hand, EndMT is known to contribute to atherosclerosis by inducing a number of phenotypes ranging from endothelial cell dysfunction to plaque formation. On the other hand, risk factors for atherosclerosis can lead to EndMT. A substantial body of evidence has suggested that EndMT induces the development of atherosclerosis; therefore, a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying EndMT in atherosclerosis might provide insights to reverse this condition.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2021.734550 | DOI Listing |
Int J Mol Sci
January 2025
College of Pharmacy, Sunchon National University, Suncheon 57922, Republic of Korea.
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains a challenging subtype due to its aggressive nature and limited treatment options. This study investigated the potential synergistic effects of Korean mistletoe lectin ( L. agglutinin, VCA) and cisplatin on MDA-MB-231 TNBC cells using both 2D and 3D culture models.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Mol Sci
December 2024
Biochemistry, Molecular Biology B and Immunology Department, University of Murcia (UMU), 30120 Murcia, Spain.
Glioblastoma (GB) is one of the most aggressive and treatment-resistant cancers due to its complex tumor microenvironment (TME). We previously showed that GB progression is dependent on the aberrant induction of chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) in pericytes (PCs), which promotes TME immunosuppression through the PC secretome. The secretion of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins with anti-tumor (Lumican) and pro-tumoral (Osteopontin, OPN) properties was shown to be dependent on the regulation of GB-induced CMA in PCs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Mol Sci
December 2024
Institute of Physiology, University of Würzburg, 97070 Würzburg, Germany.
Nitric oxide-sensitive guanylyl cyclase (NO-GC) is a heterodimeric enzyme with an α- and a β-subunit. In its active form as an αβ-heterodimer, NO-GC produces cyclic guanosine-3',5'-monophophate (cGMP) to regulate vasodilation and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). In contrast to VSMCs, only a few studies reported on the expression of the NO-GC αβ-heterodimer in human pericytes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Biol Macromol
January 2025
Institute of Stomatology & Research Center of Dental Esthetics and Biomechanics, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Fujian Medical University, 246 Yangqiao Zhong Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China. Electronic address:
Alveolar bone defects caused by inflammation or trauma jeopardize patients' oral functions. Guided bone regeneration (GBR) is widely used in repairing periodontal tissue, with barrier membranes play a crucial role in preserving the bone regeneration space. In this study, an injectable dual-crosslinked hydrogel was developed to improve the existing barrier membranes in flexibility and functionality.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Adv
January 2025
Knight Cancer Precision Biofabrication Hub, Knight Cancer Institute, OHSU, Portland, OR 97201, USA.
A hallmark of chronic and inflammatory diseases is the formation of a fibrotic and stiff extracellular matrix (ECM), typically associated with abnormal, leaky microvascular capillaries. Mechanisms explaining how the microvasculature responds to ECM alterations remain unknown. Here, we used a microphysiological model of capillaries on a chip mimicking the characteristics of healthy or fibrotic collagen to test the hypothesis that perivascular cells mediate the response of vascular capillaries to mechanical and structural changes in the human ECM.
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