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Pharmacological blocking of neutrophil extracellular traps attenuates immunothrombosis and neuroinflammation in cerebral cavernous malformation
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Vascular Biology.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-5742-0474
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Vascular Biology.ORCID iD: 0000-0003-4239-3204
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Vascular Biology.ORCID iD: 0000-0001-6286-7302
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Vascular Biology.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-0914-6562
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2024 (English)In: Nature Cardiovascular Research, E-ISSN 2731-0590, Vol. 3, no 12, p. 1549-1567Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM) is a neurovascular disease with symptoms such as strokes, hemorrhages and neurological deficits. With surgery being the only treatment strategy, understanding the molecular mechanisms of CCM is crucial in finding alternative therapeutic options for CCM. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) were recently reported in CCM, and NETs were shown to have positive or negative effects in different disease contexts. In this study, we investigated the roles of NETs in CCM by pharmacologically inhibiting NET formation using Cl-amidine (a peptidyl arginine deiminase inhibitor). We show here that Cl-amidine treatment reduced lesion burden, coagulation and endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Furthermore, NETs promoted the activation of microglia and fibroblasts, leading to increased neuroinflammation and a chronic wound microenvironment in CCM. The inhibition of NET formation caused endothelial quiescence and promoted a healthier microenvironment. Our study suggests the inhibition of NETs as a potential therapeutic strategy in CCM. Onyeogaziri et al. show that the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps contributes to a chronic wound state in cerebral cavernous malformation, while inhibition of these traps with CI-amidine establishes a healthier microenvironment and promotes endothelial cell quiescence, suggesting use of CI-amidine as a potential therapeutic strategy.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Springer Nature, 2024. Vol. 3, no 12, p. 1549-1567
National Category
Cell and Molecular Biology Neurology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-545735DOI: 10.1038/s44161-024-00577-yISI: 001372567600001PubMedID: 39632986Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85211480575OAI: oai:DiVA.org:uu-545735DiVA, id: diva2:1924573
Funder
Swedish Research Council, 2013-09279Swedish Research Council, 2021-01919Uppsala UniversityAvailable from: 2025-01-07 Created: 2025-01-07 Last updated: 2025-04-11Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. Beyond endothelial cells:Neurovascular dysfunction and cellular heterogeneity in cerebral cavernous malformations
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Beyond endothelial cells:Neurovascular dysfunction and cellular heterogeneity in cerebral cavernous malformations
2025 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

Maintaining blood vessel integrity is an active process, necessary for their proper functioning and adaptation to changing conditions. Aberrations in any of these vascular processes results in consequences exemplified in cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM). Patients with this neurovascular disease can experience neurological symptoms and hemorrhages; with surgical resection as the main treatment. The exact mechanisms through which lesions form and progress are not fully understood. This thesis aimed to elucidate novel mechanisms in the initiation and progression of CCM. In paper I, the molecular mechanisms underlying hemostasis in CCM were studied. We showed that hemostasis is dysregulated in murine and human CCM, leading to clot formation and hypoxia. Additionally, we observed that CCM lesions simultaneously express pro and anticoagulant proteins. However, we observed heterogeneity in the vascular expression of these pro and anticoagulant proteins which may potentially affect response to therapies. Paper II focused on inflammation in CCM, where we demonstrated that a chronic inflammatory microenvironment exists in CCM. We also showed that neutrophils produced neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in human and murine CCM, and contribute negatively to CCM pathogenesis. Paper III focused on the therapeutic inhibition of NETs in murine CCM using Cl-amidine. We found that NETs contribute to coagulation, endothelial dysfunction and neuroinflammation in CCM. Additionally, we observed activation of fibroblasts and microglia cells which promoted CCM pathogenesis. In Paper IV, we presented a novel proteomic approach for human CCMs, which allowed high-throughput protein screening. Our studies showed a dysregulation of the neurovascular unit’s components in CCM. Additionally, we report CCM-relevant brain proteins, which can serve as disease biomarkers. In Paper V, we present a proof-of-concept approach using CCM paraffin-embedded biopsy samples for transcriptomic analysis. Using spatial transcriptomics, we elucidated thrombomodulin heterogeneity in CCM lesions. Collectively, our studies demonstrate that immunothrombosis and neuroinflammation occur in CCM and that CCM pathogenesis goes beyond endothelial dysfunction, affecting other cells of the neurovascular unit. Furthermore, we highlight vascular heterogeneity in CCM and its implications for CCM therapy development. Our studies have increased the understanding of CCM pathogenesis and offer potential pathways that can be targeted for treatment in CCM patients.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Uppsala: Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis, 2025. p. 57
Series
Digital Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Medicine, ISSN 1651-6206 ; 2158
Keywords
Cavernomas, Immunothrombosis, Thrombi, Inflammation, Neutrophil Extracellular Traps, Biomarkers, Spatial Transcriptomics.
National Category
Cell and Molecular Biology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-552646 (URN)978-91-513-2499-9 (ISBN)
Public defence
2025-06-13, Rudbecksalen, Rudbecklaboratoriet, Dag Hammarskjölds Väg 20, Uppsala, 09:00 (English)
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Supervisors
Available from: 2025-05-23 Created: 2025-04-11 Last updated: 2025-05-23

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Onyeogaziri, Favour C.Smith, RossArce, MaximilianoHuang, HuaErzar, IzaRorsman, CharlotteSundell, VeronicaOlsson, Anna-KarinMagnusson, Peetra U.

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Onyeogaziri, Favour C.Smith, RossArce, MaximilianoHuang, HuaErzar, IzaRorsman, CharlotteSundell, VeronicaOlsson, Anna-KarinMagnusson, Peetra U.
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Vascular BiologyDepartment of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology
Cell and Molecular BiologyNeurology

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