Biology subjects

Rouault, P.

Publications and source records attributed to Rouault, P..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2023

Juxtacrine DLL4-NOTCH1 signaling between astrocytes drives neuroinflammation via the IL-6-STAT3 axis

Under neuroinflammatory conditions, astrocytes acquire a reactive phenotype that drives acute inflammatory injury as well as chronic neurodegeneration. We hypothesized that astrocytic DLL4 may interact with its receptor NOTCH1 on neighboring astrocytes to regulate astrogliosis via downstream juxtacrine signaling pathways. Here we investigated the role of astrocytic DLL4 on neurovascular unit homeostasis under neuroinflammatory conditions. We probed for downstream effectors of the DLL4-NOTCH1 axis and targeted these for therapy in two models of CNS inflammatory disease. We first demonstrated that astrocytic DLL4 is upregulated during neuroinflammation, both in mice and humans, driving astrogliosis and subsequent blood brain barrier permeability and inflammatory infiltration. We then showed that the DLL4-mediated NOTCH1 signaling in astrocytes directly drives IL-6 levels, induces STAT3 phosphorylation promoting upregulation of astrocyte reactivity markers, pro-permeability factor secretion and consequent blood brain barrier destabilization. Finally we revealed that blocking DLL4 with antibodies improves experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis symptoms in mice, identifying a potential novel therapeutic strategy for CNS autoimmune demyelinating disease. As a general conclusion, this study demonstrates that DLL4-NOTCH1 signaling is not only a key pathway in vascular development and angiogenesis, but also in the control of astrogliosis during neuroinflammation.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2023

Increased endothelium activation and leakage do not promote diastolic dysfunction in mice fed with a high fat diet and treated with L-NAME

Coronary microvascular disease has been proposed to be responsible for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) about 10 years ago. However, to date the role and phenotype of the coronary microvasculature has still been poorly considered and investigated in animal models of HFpEF. ObjectiveTo determine whether endothelial dysfunction participates in the development of diastolic dysfunction in mice fed with a high fat diet (HDF) and treated with L-NAME. Approach and ResultsAt first, we thoroughly phenotyped the coronary microvasculature in this model in male, female and ovariectomized (OVX) female considering the sexual dimorphism associated with this disease. We found that both OVX and non OVX females but not males display increased endothelial activation, leakage, and arteriole constriction upon the HFD + L-NAME regimen while both male and OVX females but not non OVX females develop diastolic dysfunction. With the aim to investigate the role of endothelial dysfunction in the pathophysiology of diastolic dysfunction in OVX female mice, we used Cdon deficient mice. Indeed, we previously demonstrated that endothelium integrity, upon inflammatory conditions, is preserved in these mice. Both OVX Cdh5-Cre/ERT2-CdonFlox/Flox (CdonECKO) and CdonFlox/Flox (Ctrl) female mice were fed with the HFD + L-NAME regimen to induced diastolic dysfunction. As expected, CdonECKO mice displayed improved endothelium integrity i.e. decreased endothelium permeability, decreased ICAM-1 expression and decreased infiltration of CD45+ leukocytes in comparison to control mice. However, CdonECKO mice displayed cardiac hypertrophy, cardiac fibrosis and increased end diastolic pressure just like control mice. Moreover, we found that cardiac inflammation does not participate in the pathophysiology of HFpEF either by treating OVX female mice with colchicine. ConclusionAltogether, the data presented in this paper demonstrate that neither endothelium permeability nor endothelial activation or inflammation do participate in the pathophysiology of diastolic dysfunction in mice exposed to HFD+L-NAME.

pathology↗

bioRxiv2022

Cardiac pericytes are necessary for coronary vasculature integrity and cardiomyocyte differentiation

Introduction: While the critical role of pericytes in maintaining vascular integrity has been extensively demonstrated in the brain and in the retina, very little is known about their role in the heart. Objective: We aim to investigate structural and functional consequences of partial pericyte depletion (about 60%) in the heart of adult mice. Methods: To deplete pericyte in adult mice, we used Pdgfrb-Cre/ERT2; Rosa-DTA mice and compared their phenotype to the one of control mice (Rosa-DTA) chosen among their littermates. Cardiac function was assessed via echocardiography and left ventricle (LV) catheterization one month after the first tamoxifen injection. Results: Mice depleted with pericytes displayed increased coronary endothelium leakage and activation which was associated with increased CD45 + cell infiltration in the heart. Pericyte depletion also modified the phenotype of cardiomyocytes with an increased expression of Myosin Heavy Chain 7, a decreased expression of ATPase Sarcoplasmic/Endoplasmic Reticulum Ca2+ Transporting 2, Connexin 43 and a decreased phosphorylation of Phospholamban suggesting cardiomyocyte dedifferentiation and impaired contractility. As a consequence, mice depleted with pericytes had a reduced LV ejection fraction and an increased end-diastolic pressure demonstrating both systolic and diastolic dysfunction. Accordingly, mice depleted with pericytes presented a decreased LV contractility and an increased LV relaxation time (dP/dtmin). Besides this study reveals that cardiac pericytes may undergo strong remodeling upon injury. Conclusion: Cardiac pericyte depletion induces both systolic and diastolic dysfunction suggesting that pericyte dysfunction may contribute to the occurrence of cardiac diseases.

physiology↗