Stable flow-induced expression of KLK10 inhibits endothelial inflammation and atherosclerosis
- Emory University, United States
- Georgia Institute of Technology, United States
- Peking University, China
- Celltrion, Republic of Korea
- Imperial College London, United Kingdom
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States
- Scripps Research Institute, United States
- Mount Sinai Hospital, Canada
- University of Calgary, Canada
Abstract
Atherosclerosis preferentially occurs in arterial regions exposed to disturbed blood flow (d-flow), while regions exposed to stable flow (s-flow) are protected. The proatherogenic and atheroprotective effects of d-flow and s-flow are mediated in part by the global changes in endothelial cell gene expression, which regulates endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and atherosclerosis. Previously, we identified Kallikrein-Related Peptidase 10 (Klk10, a secreted serine protease) as a flow-sensitive gene in mouse arterial endothelial cells, but its role in endothelial biology and atherosclerosis was unknown. Here, we show that KLK10 is upregulated under s-flow conditions and downregulated under d-flow conditions using in vivo& mouse models and in vitro studies with cultured endothelial cells (ECs). Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) and scATAC sequencing (scATACseq) study using the partial carotid ligation mouse model showed flow-regulated Klk10 expression at the epigenomic and transcription levels. Functionally, KLK10 protected against d-flow-induced permeability dysfunction and inflammation in human artery ECs (HAECs), as determined by NFkB activation, expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM1) and intracellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1), and monocyte adhesion. Further, treatment of mice in vivo with rKLK10 decreased arterial endothelial inflammation in d-flow regions. Additionally, rKLK10 injection or ultrasound-mediated transfection of Klk10-expressing plasmids inhibited atherosclerosis in Apoe-/- mice. Moreover, KLK10 expression was significantly reduced in human coronary arteries with advanced atherosclerotic plaques compared to those with less severe plaques. KLK10 is a flow-sensitive endothelial protein that serves as an anti-inflammatory, barrier-protective, and anti-atherogenic factor.
Data availability
All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in the manuscript and supporting file; Source Data files for all western blots and gels have been provided for all applicable figures.Previously Published Datasets: Endothelial reprogramming by disturbed flow revealed by single-cell RNAseq and chromatin accessibility study: Andueza A, Kumar S, Kim J, Kang DW, Mumme HL, Perez JI, Villa-Roel N, Jo H, 2020, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/?term=PRJNA646233, NCBI Bioproject, PRJNA646233
Article and author information
Author details
Nicolas Villa-Roel
Eleftherios P Diamandis
Funding
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (HL119798)
- Hanjoong Jo
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (HL145974)
- Darian Williams
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (HL139757)
- Hanjoong Jo
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.
Ethics
Animal experimentation: All animal studies were performed with male C57BL/6 or ApoE-/- mice (Jackson Laboratory), were approved by Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee by Emory University (PROTO201700428), and were performed in accordance with the established guidelines and regulations consistent with federal assurance.
Human subjects: Human coronary arteries were obtained from de-identified human hearts not suitable for cardiac transplantation donated to LifeLink of Georgia. Therefore, Emory University determined that this study was an IRB-exempt study.
Copyright
This is an open-access article, free of all copyright, and may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, built upon, or otherwise used by anyone for any lawful purpose. The work is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication.
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Stable flow-induced expression of KLK10 inhibits endothelial inflammation and atherosclerosis
eLife 11:e72579.
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.72579
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