African Americans (AA) are at an increased risk for cardio and cerebral vascular disease relative to Caucasians (CA) and the underlying impairments manifest as early as the second generation prior to overt signs of risk. The mechanisms of this increased risk are multifactorial; however, evidence suggests that microvascular dysfunction is a primary contributor. This study tested the hypothesis that microvascular function, indexed by the skin vascular conductance (SkVC) response to local heating, is impaired in young otherwise healthy AAs. Furthermore, we hypothesized that AAs have an attenuated cerebral vasodilator response to hypercapnia. Nineteen healthy young individuals were participated in this study (9 AAs, 10 CAs). SkVC was assessed while the skin was clamped at 34 °C and 40 °C and values were normalized to a maximal value obtained during heating at 43 °C for 30 min. Cerebral vasomotor reactivity (CVMR) was assessed by increases in cerebral vascular conductance (CVC) during a rebreathing protocol. SkVC was lower in the AA group at 34 °C (AA: 10±3 % max vs. CA: 16±7 % max; P < 0.01) In addition, SkVC was reduced in AAs at 40 °C (AA: 56±15 % max vs. CA: 68±12 % max; P=0.03). CVMR was significantly attenuated during hypercapnic rebreathing in AAs relative to CAs (AA: 2.8 ± 1.2 %CVC/Torr vs. CA: 5.7 ±0.9 %CVC/Torr; P < 0.001). Our findings suggest that microvascular function is impaired in young otherwise healthy AAs. / text

Transcapillary exchange is the movement of fluid and molecules through the porous capillary wall, and is important in maintaining homeostasis of bodily tissues. The classical view of this process is that of Starling's hypothesis, in which the forces driving filtration or absorption are the hydrostatic and osmotic pressure differences across the capillary wall. However, experimental evidence has emerged suggesting the importance of the capillary wall ultrastructure, and thus rather than the global differences between capillary and tissue, it is the local difference across a structure lining the capillary wall known as the endothelial glycocalyx that determines filtration. Hu and Weinbaum presented a detailed cellular level microstructural model of this phenomenon which was able to explain some experimental discrepancies. In this Thesis, rather than describing the microstructural details, the capillary wall is treated as a poroelastic material. The assumptions of poroelasticity theory are such that the detailed pore structure is smeared out and replaced by an idealized homogeneous system in which the fluid and solid phases coexist at each point. The advantage of this approach is that the mathematical problem is greatly simplified such that analytical solutions of the governing equations may be obtained. This approach also allows calculation of the stress and strain distribution in the tissue. We depart from classical poroelasticity, however, due to the fact that since there are concentration gradients within the capillary wall, the filtration is driven by both hydrostatic and osmotic pressure gradients. The model predictions for the filtration flux as a function of capillary pressure compares favourably with both experimental observations and the predictions of the microstructural models. An important factor implicated in transcapillary exchange is the endothelial glycocalyx, which was shown experimentally to protect against edema formation. Using our theory in combination with the experimental measurements of glycocalyx thickness and pericapillary space dimension (PSD), we make a quantitative comparison for the excess flow as a result of a deteriorated glycocalyx, which shows reasonably good agreement with the data. Since many of the parameters in the model are difficult to measure, a sensitivity analysis was performed on the most important of these. Finally, since there was variation in the measurements of glycocalyx thickness and PSD, we used probability distributions to represent the data, and performed further calculations to obtain ranges of likely values for the various parameters. This work could find applications in cardiovascular disease, where the glycocalyx is degraded or absent, and in cancer research, where the abnormal vasculature is an impediment to the efficient delivery of anti-cancer drugs.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Anatomy and Physiology / Thomas J. Barstow / The primary aim of this dissertation was to describe the changes in microvascular hematocrit, as total[hemoglobin+myoglobin] (T[Hb+Mb] measured with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), during post-occlusive reactive hyperemia (PORH). Mechanisms of reactive hyperemia within skeletal muscle were also explored. The investigation detailed in Chapter 2 of this dissertation found that the differing time courses of the kinetic responses of both oxy- and deoxy[Hb+Mb], are related to changes in T[Hb+Mb]. We also determined that adipose tissue thickness had no effect on a purely temporal analysis of NIRS data. In Chapter 3 we observed that brachial artery reactive hyperemia preceded changes in T[Hb+Mb] during reactive hyperemia. Assuming that myoglobin remained constant, we posited that changes in T[Hb+Mb] must reflect alterations in red blood cell concentration in the microvasculature, i.e., microvascular hematocrit. In Chapter 4 comparisons were made between brachial artery blood flow, cutaneous and skeletal muscle flux and T[Hb+Mb]. The conduit artery response was faster than the microvascular responses in all tissues. Within skeletal muscle, time to peak and the time constant for the on-kinetics were faster in T[Hb+Mb] compoared with intramuscular flux as measured with intramuscular laser-Doppler. We observed no differences in temporal responses between cutaneous and intramuscular measures and suggested that in a purely temporal analysis the cutaneous microvasculature could serve as an analog for the skeletal muscle microvasculature. Finally, in Chapter 5 we found that prostaglandin inhibition with ibuprofen altered the initial T[Hb+Mb] response during PORH without impacting cutaneous flux or brachial artery blood flow. Chapter 5 also discussed that the addition of a wrist cuff to our standard instrumentation prevented the accumulation of T[Hb+Mb] during the occlusion period.

Orientador: Euclides Timóteo da Rocha / Banca: Marco Antonio Zanini / Banca: Cristovam Scapulatempo Neto / Resumo: Avaliar a densidade microvascular (DMV) em astrocitomas de baixo grau (ABG), astrocitomas anaplásicos (AA) e glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) por imuno-histoquímica, correlacionando com índices de captação pela SPECT com SESTAMIBI (MIBI). Estudo transversal com coleta retrospectiva que avaliou 48 pacientes, com faixa etária de 20 a 73 anos, com o diagnóstico de tumores cerebrais ditos ABG (somente os difusos), AA e GBM admitidos no Hospital de Câncer da Fundação Pio XII de Barretos. As SPECT-MIBI foram classificadas como alteradas ou normais inicialmente pela análise visual. Também foram analisadas de forma semiquantitativa através do desenho de regiões de interesse (RI) com a obtenção de um índice para correlacionar com os parâmetros da DMV. Esta foi determinada com o emprego de anticorpo anti-CD34. Os GBM, AA e ABG representaram 50%, 16,7% e 33,3% da amostra, respectivamente. Treze exames foram visualmente normais, e 35 considerados alterados. A DMV média teve diferença significativa entre os AA e ABG (p=0,040), mas não entre as SPECT-MIBI normais e alteradas. Os índices de contagem média obtidos através da análise semiquantitativa das SPECT-MIBI não apresentaram correlação com a DMV. Entre os GBM não foi encontrada nenhuma significância, exceto pela maior probabilidade de encontrar-se exames alterados neste tipo histológico. A DMV demonstrou relação com o grau histológico entre os AA e ABG, mas os índices de captação das SPECT-MIBI não apresentaram correlação com a DMV / Abstract: To evaluate the microvascular density (MVD) in low-grade astrocytomas (LGA), anaplastic astrocytomas (AA) and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) by immunohistochemistry technique using anti-CD34, correlated with SPECT-MIBI uptake parameters. This is a cross-sectional study with retrospective assessment data which evaluated 48 subjects, ages ranging from 20 to 73 years, all with diagnosis of brain tumors known as LGA (only diffuse type), AA and GBM who were admitted to the Hospital de Cancer da Fundação Pio XII de Barretos. The SPECT-MIBI images were initially classified as normal or altered by visual analysis. Then they were also considered for semiquantitative analysis through drawing of anatomical regions of interest (ROI) resulting in an index to correlate with the MVD parameters. DMV was determined with the use of monoclonal antibody anti-CD34. GBM, AA and LGA represented 50%, 16.7% and 33.3% of the sample, respectively. Thirteen images were visually normal, while 35 were considered abnormal. There were significant differences in MVD between AA and LGA (p = 0.04), but not between the normal and abnormal SPECT-MIBI. The mean counts obtained by semiquantitative analysis from SPECT-MIBI showed no correlation with MVD. Among GBM subjects it was not seen any significance, except for being most likely to find this histological test as abnormal. MVD had relationship with the histological grade between AA and LGA, but there was no correlation with SPECT-MIBI / Mestre

Disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is hypothesized to play an important role in the disease biology of schizophrenia (SZ). Brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) have paracellular and transcellular proteins, transporters, as well as important extracellular matrix proteins, which collectively contribute to maintaining proper BBB function. While previous studies have provided some insights into the role of the BBB in SZ pathophysiology, there is a significant gap in our understanding of the cellular-molecular underpinnings of its major component, BMECs. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) provide an exciting new avenue for exploring the role of BMECs in SZ. We hypothesize that BMECs have intrinsic deficits that lead to BBB dysfunction in SZ. In this study, we first aimed to test whether the existing hiPSC-derived BMEC protocols work with our patient-specific hiPSC samples. Secondly, we sought to investigate any potential deficits between BMECs derived from healthy control (HC) and SZ subjects. We successfully adapted the established protocol and confirmed the identity of these hiPSC-derived BMECs with relevant cell markers such as CLDN5, OCLN, TJP1, PECAM1, and SLC2A1. We also evaluate barrier function by measuring trans-endothelial electrical resistance (TEER) and efflux transporters activity of ABCB1 and ABCC1. We observed evidence of poor cellular adhesion and disrupted tight junctions in a subset of SZ hiPSC-derived BMECs, where approximately 70% of them demonstrated extensive BBB disruption (reduced TEER). These findings suggest that there may be cell-autonomous disease-specific deficits in BMECs in SZ that result in BBB dysfunction. / 2022-06-07T00:00:00Z

Ameliorating cardiac microvascular injury is the most effective means to mitigate diabetes-induced cardiovascular complications. Inositol-requiring 1α (IRE1α), a sensor of endoplasmic reticulum stress, is activated by Toll like receptors (TLRs), and then promotes cardiac microvascular injury. Peli1 is a master regulator of TLRs and activates IRE1α. This study aims to investigate whether Peli1 in endothelial cells promotes diabetes-induced cardiac microvascular injury through activating IRE1α. Here we found that Peli1 was markedly up-regulated in cardiac endothelial cells of both diabetic mice and in AGEs-treated cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (CMECs). Peli1 deficiency in endothelial cells significantly alleviated diabetes-induced cardiac microvascular permeability, promoted microvascular regeneration, and suppressed apoptosis, accompanied by the attenuation of adverse cardiac remodeling. Furthermore, Peli1 deletion in CMECs ameliorated AGEs-induced damages in vitro. We identified heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) as a potential binding partner for Peli1, and the Ring domain of Peli1 directly bound with Hsp90 to enhance IRE1α phosphorylation. Our study suggests that blocking Peli1 in endothelial cells may protect against diabetes-induced cardiac microvascular injury by restraining ER stress.

The prevalence of diabetes is increasing rapidly around the world. People with diabetes are 2–4 times more likely to die from cerebro and cardio-vascular causes than people with no history of diabetes, even after controlling for other risk factors. Atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of most cardiovascular disease (CVD), is accelerated in people with diabetes, but several clinical trials have questioned the efficacy of glucose lowering therapies. A better understanding of the molecular pathways by which diabetes accelerates atherosclerosis will expand the scope of current targets and strategies for more effective therapies. In this thesis we investigate a novel mechanism and establish and characterize new hyperglycemic mouse models for the study of diabetic atherosclerosis. Firstly, we investigate the effects of hyperglycemia on the vasa vasorum, the microvascular network that surrounds and supplies large vessels, and correlate those effects to the development of atherosclerosis. In normoglycemic ApoE-/- mice, the vasa vasorum expands as atherosclerotic lesions grow. However, in hyperglycemic ApoE-/- mice there is no significant neovascularization of the vasa vasorum despite the enhanced atherosclerotic development. We hypothesize that the ability of hyperglycemia to disrupt vasa vasorum neovascularization may promote the development and progression of atherosclerosis in diabetes. Secondly, we establish, characterize and manipulate a new model of hyperglycemia-induced atherosclerosis: the ApoE-/-:Ins2+/Akita mouse. We describe sex-specific differences of the ApoE-/-:Ins2+/Akita mouse model. Male ApoE-/-:Ins2+/Akita mice develop chronic hyperglycemia and accelerated atherosclerosis. Castration slows atherosclerosis in ApoE-/-:Ins2+/Akita mice but enhances it in normoglycemic controls. Female ApoE-/-:Ins2+/Akita mice are only transiently hyperglycemic but still present with accelerated atherosclerosis. Ovariectomized ApoE-/-:Ins2+/Akita mice are chronically hyperglycemic and show indications of advanced atherosclerosis. Lastly, we investigate the effects of a western-type diet on the hyperglycemic ApoE-/-:Ins2+/Akita mice. We demonstrate the pernicious phenotype of the mice leading to a significantly shortened lifespan correlated with massive atherosclerosis that extends to the aortic sinus, ascending and descending aorta, brachiocephalic artery and coronary arteries. In conclusion we provide insights for a new mechanism by which hyperglycemia may accelerate atherosclerosis and possible role of the vasa vasorum in the progression of atherosclerosis in hyperglycemic mice. We also establish new mouse models that illuminate the action of sex hormones on pancreatic beta-cell function and the vasculature. These models will provide a test bed to further study sex hormone effects, as well as the diabetic pathways that promote atherosclerosis. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

No description available.

No description available.

Particle adhesion to the vasculature depends critically upon particle/cell properties (size, receptors), scale/geometric features of vasculature (diameter, bifurcation, etc.) and local hemodynamic factors (stress, torque, etc.) Current investigations using in vitro parallel-plate flow chambers suffer from several limitations including (a) idealized constructs, (b) lack of critical morphological features (bifurcations, network), (c) inability to distinguish between healthy vs. diseased vasculature, (d) large volumes and (e) non-disposability. To overcome these limitations, microvascular networks, obtained from digitization of in vivo topology were prototyped using soft-lithography techniques to generate Synthetic Microvascular Networks (SMN). CFD-ACE+, a finite volume based Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software, was used to develop a computational model of the digitized networks. Dye perfusion patterns predicted by the simulations matched well with experimental observations indicating presence of well perfused as well as stagnant regions. Studies using functionalized microparticles showed non-uniform particle adhesion, with preferential adhesion at a distance of 2 vessel diameters or less from the nearest bifurcation which was validated with in vivo data. Bifurcation adhesion ratio (BAR) was found to be significantly higher for experiments (49% and 36%) and simulations (67% and 52%) compared to expected values of 24% and 21%. A single experimental run in SMN generated the entire shear adhesion map highlighting the benefits of the SMN assay. Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) gene delivery studies with a nanopolymeric based gene delivery system showed preferential GFP expression in the vicinity of bends and bifurcation of the microvascular networks. The developed SMN based microfluidic device will have critical applications both in basic research, where it can be used to characterize and develop next generation delivery vehicles, and in drug discovery, where it can be used to study the efficacy of the drug in these realistic microvascular networks. / Mechanical Engineering