The global propagation of SARS-CoV-2 leads to an unprecedented public health emergency. Despite that the lungs are the primary organ targeted by COVID-19, systemic endothelial inflammation and ...dysfunction is observed particularly in patients with severe COVID-19, manifested by elevated endothelial injury markers, endotheliitis, and coagulopathy. Here, we review the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 associated endothelial dysfunction; and the likely pathological mechanisms underlying the disease including direct cell entry or indirect immune overreactions after SARS-CoV-2 infection. In addition, we discuss potential biomarkers that might indicate the disease severity, particularly related to the abnormal development of thrombosis that is a fatal vascular complication of severe COVID-19. Furthermore, we summarize clinical trials targeting the direct and indirect pathological pathways after SARS-CoV-2 infection to prevent or inhibit the virus induced endothelial disorders.
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•Endothelial dysfunction is a clinical characterization of COVID-19 particularly in severe cases regardless of age.•The likely pathological mechanisms underlying the disease including direct cell entry or indirect immune overreactions after SARS-CoV-2 infection.•Biomarkers are identified to indicate the disease severity, particularly related to the abnormal development of thrombosis that is a fatal vascular complication of severe COVID-19.•Clinical trials targeting the direct or indirect pathological pathways after SARS-CoV-2 infection are underway to prevent or inhibit the virus induced endothelial disorders.
By virtue of their capability to replicate and regenerate, human stem-cell-derived beta-like cells could be a valuable resource for cellular therapy targeting insulin-dependent diabetes. Here, we ...present a protocol to generate beta-like cells from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). We first describe steps for differentiation of beta-like cells from hESCs and CD9-negative beta-like cell enrichment through fluorescence-activated cell sorting. We then detail immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion assay for characterization of human beta-like cells.
For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Li et al. (2020).1
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•Human beta-like cells are differentiated from hESCs by a six-step procedure•Combined 2- and 3-dimensional cultures are used for beta-like cell differentiation•Human beta-like cells are purified via CD9-based fluorescence-activated cell sorting
Publisher’s note: Undertaking any experimental protocol requires adherence to local institutional guidelines for laboratory safety and ethics.
By virtue of their capability to replicate and regenerate, human stem-cell-derived beta-like cells could be a valuable resource for cellular therapy targeting insulin-dependent diabetes. Here, we present a protocol to generate beta-like cells from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). We first describe steps for differentiation of beta-like cells from hESCs and CD9-negative beta-like cell enrichment through fluorescence-activated cell sorting. We then detail immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion assay for characterization of human beta-like cells.
Previous studies have shown that in myogenic precursors, the homeoprotein Msx1 and its protein partners, histone methyltransferases and repressive histone marks, tend to be enriched on target ...myogenic regulatory genes at the nuclear periphery. The nuclear periphery localization of Msx1 and its protein partners is required for Msx1's function of preventing myogenic precursors from pre-maturation through repressing target myogenic regulatory genes. However, the mechanisms underlying the maintenance of Msx1 and its protein partners' nuclear periphery localization are unknown.
We show that an inner nuclear membrane protein, Emerin, performs as an anchor settled at the inner nuclear membrane to keep Msx1 and its protein partners Ezh2, H3K27me3 enriching at the nuclear periphery, and participates in inhibition of myogenesis mediated by Msx1. Msx1 interacts with Emerin both in C2C12 myoblasts and mouse developing limbs, which is the prerequisite for Emerin mediating the precise location of Msx1, Ezh2, and H3K27me3. The deficiency of Emerin in C2C12 myoblasts disturbs the nuclear periphery localization of Msx1, Ezh2, and H3K27me3, directly indicating Emerin functioning as an anchor. Furthermore, Emerin cooperates with Msx1 to repress target myogenic regulatory genes, and assists Msx1 with inhibition of myogenesis.
Emerin cooperates with Msx1 to inhibit myogenesis through maintaining the nuclear periphery localization of Msx1 and Msx1's protein partners.
Abstract
Clinical evidence reveals that manifestations of endothelial dysfunction are widely observed in COVID-19 and long-COVID patients. However, whether these detrimental effects are caused by ...direct infection of the endothelium or are indirectly mediated by systemic inflammation has been a matter of debate. It has been well acknowledged that endothelial cells (ECs) of the cardiovascular system ubiquitously express the SARS-CoV-2 entry receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), yet accumulating evidence suggests that it is more predominantly expressed by pericytes and vascular smooth muscle cells of the mammalian blood vessel. Besides, replicative infection of ECs by SARS-CoV-2 has yet to be demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we review latest research on endothelial ACE2 expression in different vascular beds, and the heterogeneity in various EC subsets with differential ACE2 expression in response to SARS-CoV-2. We also discuss ACE2-independent alternative mechanisms underlying endothelial activation in COVID-19, and the clinical manifestations of SARS-CoV-2-induced endothelial dysfunction. Altogether, understanding ACE2-dependent and ACE2-independent mechanisms driving SARS-CoV-2-induced vascular dysfunction would shed light on strategies of more effective therapies targeting cardiovascular complications associated with COVID-19.
Graphical Abstract
Graphical Abstract
Hematopoiesis is a highly orchestrated biological process sustaining the supply of leukocytes involved in the maintenance of immunity, O2 and CO2 exchange, and wound healing throughout the lifetime ...of an animal, including humans. During early hematopoietic cell development, several waves of hematopoiesis require the precise regulation of hematopoietic ontogeny as well as the maintenance of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in the hematopoietic tissues, such as the fetal liver and bone marrow. Recently, emerging evidence has suggested the critical role of m6A messenger RNA (mRNA) modification, an epigenetic modification dynamically regulated by its effector proteins, in the generation and maintenance of hematopoietic cells during embryogenesis. In the adulthood, m6A has also been demonstrated to be involved in the functional maintenance of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in the bone marrow and umbilical cord blood, as well as the progression of malignant hematopoiesis. In this review, we focus on recent progress in identifying the biological functions of m6A mRNA modification, its regulators, and downstream gene targets during normal and pathological hematopoiesis. We propose that targeting m6A mRNA modification could offer novel insights into therapeutic development against abnormal and malignant hematopoietic cell development in the future.
Age-related immunosenescence is characterized by progressive dysfunction of adaptive immune response and increased autoimmunity. Nevertheless, the impact of aging on CD4+ regulatory T cells that are ...master regulators of the immune system remains largely unclear. Here, we report cellular and molecular hallmarks of regulatory T cells derived from murine lymphoid and adipose tissues at 3, 18, and 24 mo of age, respectively, by analyzing their heterogeneity that displays dynamic changes in transcriptomic effector signatures at a single-cell resolution. Although the proportion of regulatory T cells among total Cd4+ T cells, as well as their expression levels of Foxp3, did not show any global change with time, we have identified 6 transcriptomically distinct clusters of regulatory T cells with cross-tissue conserved hallmarks of aging, including increased numbers of proinflammatory regulatory T cells, reduced precursor cells, increased immature and mature T follicular regulatory cells potentially supported by a metabolic switch from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis, a gradual loss of CD150hi regulatory T cells that support hematopoiesis, and increased adipose tissue-specific regulatory T cells that are associated with metabolic disease. To dissect the impact of immunosenescence on humoral immunity, we propose some potential mechanisms underlying T follicular regulatory cell-mediated dysfunction by interactome analysis on T follicular regulatory cells, T follicular helper cells, and B cells during aging. Lastly, spatiotemporal analysis further revealed trajectories of regulatory T-cell aging that demonstrate the most significant changes in marrow and adipose tissues that might contribute to the development of age-related immunosenescence and type 2 diabetes. Taken together, our findings could provide a better understanding of age-associated regulatory T-cell heterogeneity in lymphoid and adipose tissues, as well as regulatory T-cell hallmarks during progressive adaptation to aging that could be therapeutically targeted for rejuvenating the aging immune system in the future.
Msh homeobox (Msx) is a subclass of homeobox transcriptional regulators that control cell lineage development, including the early stage of vertebrate limb development, although the underlying ...mechanisms are not clear. Here, we demonstrate that Msx1 promotes the proliferation of myoblasts and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) by enhancing mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling. Msx1 directly binds to and upregulates the expression of fibroblast growth factor 9 (Fgf9) and Fgf18. Accordingly, knockdown or antibody neutralization of Fgf9/18 inhibits Msx1-activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (Erk1/2) phosphorylation. Mechanistically, we determined that the phosphorylation of Msx1 at Ser136 is critical for enhancing Fgf9 and Fgf18 expression and cell proliferation, and cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) is apparently responsible for Ser136 phosphorylation. Furthermore, mesenchymal deletion of Msx1/2 results in decreased Fgf9 and Fgf18 expression and Erk1/2 phosphorylation, which leads to serious defects in limb development in mice. Collectively, our findings established an important function of the Msx1-Fgf-MAPK signaling axis in promoting cell proliferation, thus providing a new mechanistic insight into limb development.
To date, the direct causative mechanism of SARS-CoV-2-induced endotheliitis remains unclear. Here, we report that human ECs barely express surface ACE2, and ECs express less intracellular ACE2 than ...non-ECs of the lungs. We ectopically expressed ACE2 in hESC-ECs to model SARS-CoV-2 infection. ACE2-deficient ECs are resistant to the infection but are more activated than ACE2-expressing ones. The virus directly induces endothelial activation by increasing monocyte adhesion, NO production, and enhanced phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-associated protein kinase (MAPK), NF-κB, and eNOS in ACE2-expressing and -deficient ECs. ACE2-deficient ECs respond to SARS-CoV-2 through TLR4 as treatment with its antagonist inhibits p38 MAPK/NF-κB/ interleukin-1β (IL-1β) activation after viral exposure. Genome-wide, single-cell RNA-seq analyses further confirm activation of the TLR4/MAPK14/RELA/IL-1β axis in circulating ECs of mild and severe COVID-19 patients. Circulating ECs could serve as biomarkers for indicating patients with endotheliitis. Together, our findings support a direct role for SARS-CoV-2 in mediating endothelial inflammation in an ACE2-dependent or -independent manner.
•The majority of adult and fetal ECs rarely express surface ACE2•ACE2 is dispensable for SARS-CoV-2-mediated endothelial activation•SARS-CoV-2 directly induces endothelial inflammation through TLR4 activation•ScRNA-seq reveals TLR4 pathway activation in circulating ECs of COVID-19 patients
In this article, Lui, Poon, and colleagues show that human ECs rarely express surface ACE2. Using human pluripotent stem cell-derived ECs that model SARS-CoV-2 infection, the team further reveals that ACE2 is indispensable for SARS-CoV-2 infection but is dispensable for activation of these cells. ACE2 protects rather than exacerbates endothelial inflammation and dysfunction resulted from SARS-CoV-2-induced TLR4 activation.
Hierarchically porous materials play an important role in facilitating mass transport and improving efficiency of adsorption and separation processes. In this paper, a new strategy is proposed to ...realize a hierarchically porous metal-organic framework （Cu2（OH）（L）＇（DMF）0.8 （FJU-11, H3L=3,5-（4-carboxybenzyloxy）benzoic acid, DMF= N,N-dimethylformamide） via using semi-rigid multi-carboxylic acids. Interestingly, FJU-11 possesses the large adsorption capacities and small isosteric heats toward CO2. The column breakthrough experiment for FJU-11 highlights its potential application in the separation of the flue gas.
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