Biology subjects

Black, L. D.

Publications and source records attributed to Black, L. D..

9 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Cardiac Extracellular Matrix derived from younger animals stabilizes macrophage inflammatory polarization through modulation of the interferon signaling pathway

Neonatal mammals exhibit a remarkable capacity for cardiac repair that declines rapidly after birth and continues to diminish with age. This loss of regenerative potential is accompanied by age-dependent changes in macrophage behavior, shifting from pro-regenerative to pro-fibrotic responses following injury. We investigated whether extracellular matrix (ECM)-derived matrikines from different developmental ages regulate macrophage polarization. Cardiac ECM was isolated from neonatal (P2), adolescent (6-week), and adult (16-20-week) rat hearts through decellularization and pepsin digestion. ECM peptides were adsorbed onto tissue culture surfaces, and murine RAW 264.7 macrophages were cultured on ECM-coated or uncoated controls. After 24 hours, macrophage phenotype and gene expression were assessed using marker analysis and RNA sequencing. Macrophages cultured on neonatal cardiac ECM displayed reduced inflammatory activation and maintained expression of pro-reparative markers, even in the presence of inflammatory stimuli. Transcriptomic analysis revealed a distinct ECM-driven phenotype that differed from canonical M1 and M2 polarization states. Gene ontology analysis demonstrated significant downregulation of pathways associated with antiviral responses, immune activation, and interferon signaling in macrophages exposed to neonatal ECM. These effects were not observed with adolescent or adult ECM. Collectively, these findings suggest that neonatal ECM matrikines suppress interferon-mediated inflammatory signaling, potentially contributing to the reduced inflammation and enhanced repair observed following myocardial injury in neonatal hearts.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2026

A Cone-Plate Bioreactor for Applying Physiologically Derived Shear Stress Waveforms to Study Endothelial Mechanotransduction and Cardiac Cell Signaling

Fluid shear stress is a critical regulator of endothelial cell function and cardiovascular development, yet in vitro platforms often lack the ability to reproduce physiologically relevant, time-dependent flow environments with quantitative precision. Here, we present the design and validation of a macro-scale cone-plate bioreactor engineered to deliver controlled steady and pulsatile shear stress waveforms to endothelial monolayers and engineered tissues. The system integrates a geometry optimized to minimize secondary flow effects, a feedback-controlled motor capable of reproducing complex waveforms, and a viscosity-informed control framework to account for shear-dependent fluid behavior. Using this platform, endothelial cells were exposed to steady and physiologically derived pulsatile shear stresses. Cells exhibited increased alignment and eccentricity under shear, confirming biologically relevant mechanical stimulation. While pulsatile shear did not significantly alter endothelial neuregulin-1 expression, exogenous administration studies revealed a nonlinear, dose-dependent increase in cardiomyocyte proliferation. Furthermore, co-culture experiments demonstrated that shear-conditioned endothelial cells promote cardiomyocyte proliferation, suggesting a mechanotransduction-mediated paracrine signaling mechanism. Together, these results establish a versatile and quantitatively controlled platform for studying cardiovascular mechanobiology. This device enables systematic investigation of shear-dependent cellular responses and provides a foundation for integrating co-culture systems and three-dimensional engineered tissues under physiologically relevant hemodynamic conditions.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2026

Non Newtonian Blood Rheology Significantly Alters Hemodynamic Predictions During Cardiac Looping: A Computational Study

Hemodynamic forces play a key role in early cardiac morphogenesis, yet many computational studies assume Newtonian blood behavior. Here, we evaluate the impact of nonNewtonian shearthinning rheology on flow patterns, pressure distributions, and wall shear stress (WSS) during cardiac looping using idealized threedimensional models of the embryonic heart tube. Five geometries representing progressive looping stages, from a linear tube to an Sshaped configuration with ventricular ballooning, were analyzed under pulsatile flow using both Newtonian and powerlaw viscosity models. Across all stages, Reynolds numbers (Re {approx} 1-7) and Womersley numbers (Wo {approx} 0.3) indicated laminar, quasisteady flow consistent with embryonic conditions. Incorporating shearthinning rheology produced substantial deviations from Newtonian predictions, with peak systolic WSS differing by up to [~]40% and pressure drops by up to [~]20%. These effects were most pronounced in regions of increased curvature and geometric complexity. These findings demonstrate that nonNewtonian rheology significantly influences predicted hemodynamic environments during cardiac looping and should be incorporated into computational models aimed at understanding mechanobiological regulation of early heart development.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2026

T cell-derived IFNγ instructs ECM crosslinking by cardiac fibroblasts through LOXL3 in experimental cardiometabolic HFpEF

BackgroundHeart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a major clinical challenge characterized by diastolic dysfunction. Left ventricular stiffening and inflammation are hallmarks of HFpEF, yet the contribution of extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness and the immune-stromal mechanisms driving ECM stiffening in cardiometabolic HFpEF remain poorly understood. MethodsWe used the murine "2-hit model" of cardiometabolic HFpEF, in which the combination of high fat diet and hypertension induced by L-NAME causes diastolic dysfunction. We evaluated diastolic function by echocardiography and ECM mechanics by uniaxial tensile testing of decellularized cardiac tissue. Functional in vivo studies included genetic depletion of T cells, interferon-{gamma} (IFN{gamma}) knockout mice, and pharmacological lysyl oxidase inhibition. We combined co-cultures of CD4+ T cells and cardiac fibroblasts (CFB) with mechanical testing of cardiac ECM and molecular biology to elucidate cellular and molecular mechanisms. ResultsLeft ventricular ECM stiffness strongly correlated with impaired diastolic function in experimental cardiometabolic HFpEF. Cardiac CD4 T cell infiltration was required for ECM stiffening and upregulation of lysyl oxidase enzymes in CFB. CD4+ T cell-derived IFN{gamma} was both necessary and sufficient to induce LOXL3 in CFB, which increased ECM stiffness in vitro. Mechanistically, IFN{gamma} signaling activated hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF1) in CFB, driving LOXL3 expression and subsequent collagen crosslinking. Genetic or pharmacologic disruption of this IFN{gamma}-HIF1-LOXL3 axis in vivo attenuated adverse ECM remodeling and improved diastolic function. ConclusionsCD4 T cells promote pathological ECM stiffening in cardiometabolic HFpEF through IFN{gamma}-mediated, LOXL3-dependent ECM crosslinking by CFB. Targeting this immune-stromal pathway may offer a novel therapeutic strategy for HFpEF.

pathology↗

bioRxiv2025

Identification and characterization of a Fibrillin-1 derived matrikine for cardiac regeneration and repair

The development of regenerative strategies to repair the heart is of high importance. Our lab has shown that extracellular matrix derived from decellularized fetal myocardium promotes neonatal cardiomyocyte proliferation in vitro. The goal of this study was to identify specific peptide(s)/protein(s) in solubilized cardiac ECM responsible for this proliferative effect. We hypothesized that isolation and then treatment with one or more small synthetic peptide derived from this source could replicate the cellular response to whole solubilized ECM. Decellularized fetal and adult rat hearts were fractionated by molecular weight using SDS-PAGE and transferred to PVDF membranes. Analysis of cardiomyocytes cultured on the membranes revealed regions of enhanced cardiomyocyte proliferation. Subsequent isolation and proteomic analysis of the protein bands that that correlated with proliferative regions identified fibrillin-1 as the predominant ECM protein associated with these regions of cardiomyocyte proliferation. One region (residues 55-86) of fibrillin-1 was synthesized as a peptide and tested for a direct effect on cardiomyocyte proliferation. Compared to positive and negative controls, as well as scrambled and alkylated versions, this peptide led to 3-4 fold increase in cardiomyocyte proliferation. Analysis of the amino acid sequence demonstrated high homology with laent-TGF-{beta} binding proteins and subsequent experiments showed that the matrikine could also reduce TGF-{beta} induced activation of cardiac fibroblasts. These data suggest that individual peptides derived from soluble ECM could have utility as a novel therapeutic for cardiac tissue engineering and regeneration.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2022

Impact of bioactive molecule inclusion in lyophilized silk scaffolds varies between in vivo and in vitro assessments

Biomaterials can influence the coordinated efforts required to achieve tissue rehabilitation. Sponge-like silk fibroin scaffolds that include bioactive molecules have been shown to influence tissue repair. However, the mechanisms by which scaffold formulations elicit desired in vivo responses is unclear. Here, acellular silk scaffolds consisting of type I collagen, heparin, and/or vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were used to investigate material fabrication and composition parameters that drive scaffold degradation, cell infiltration, and adipose tissue deposition in vivo. In subcutaneous implants, scaffold degradation was assessed, and results show that the percentage of cells infiltrating the scaffold increased when scaffold formulations contained bioactive molecules. To gain further insight, calculated in vitro enzymatic degradation rates increased with higher enzyme concentrations and theoretical cleavage sites. However, the addition of type I collagen and heparin to the scaffold at relevant concentrations did not change degradation rates, compared to silk alone. These in vitro results are contrary to observations in vivo, where bioactive molecules influence local protein deposition, immune cell infiltration rates, and vascularization. Thus, quantitative in vitro and in vivo evaluations aid in determining the mechanisms by which biomaterials influence tissue repair and support intentional biomaterial design for clinical applications. Graphical Abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=157 SRC="FIGDIR/small/493207v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (55K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@7b403forg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1b6ed79org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@a0b439org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@9843f3_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG This work examines the role of scaffold fabrication and bioactive molecule inclusion on the enzymatic degradation of silk fibroin-based lyophilized sponges. Specifically, the roles of collagen I, heparin, and vascular endothelial growth factor are analyzed to determine the impact of formulation on rate of degradation. In addition, scaffolds are either pre-fabricated, where these bioactive molecules are included in the polymer solution prior to casting the scaffold or the bioactive molecules are introduced following scaffold formation through passive adsorption to the silk fibroin scaffold surface. Scaffolds are enzymatically degraded in vitro, and kinetic rate constants are calculated for the different formulations. In vivo, cellularity, adipose tissue accumulation, and scaffold area are assessed over time. Additionally, immunohistochemistry is used to visualize VEGF Receptor 2, CD 68, and -smooth muscle actin over time.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2021

RNA-sequencing indicates immune cell signaling and inflammatory gene expression in cardiac fibroblasts increases with developmental age

BackgroundCardiac fibroblasts are responsible for extracellular matrix turnover and repair in the cardiac environment and serve to help facilitate immune responses. However, it is well established that they have significant phenotypic heterogeneity with respect to location, physiological conditions, and developmental age. The goal of this study was to provide an in-depth transcriptomic profile of cardiac fibroblasts derived from rat hearts at fetal, neonatal, and adult developmental ages to ascertain variations in gene expression that may drive functional differences in these cells at these specific stages of development. ResultsWe performed RNA-seq of cardiac fibroblasts isolated from fetal, neonatal, and adult rats was performed and compared to the rat genome. Principal component analysis of RNA-seq data suggested data variance was predominantly due to developmental age. Differential expression and Gene set enrichment analysis against Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes datasets indicated an array of differences across developmental ages, including significant decreases in cardiac development and cardiac function-associated genes with age, and a significant increase in immune and inflammatory-associated functions - particularly immune cell signaling, and cytokine and chemokine production - with respect to increasing developmental age. ConclusionThese results reinforce established evidence of diverse phenotypic heterogeneity of fibroblasts with respect to developmental age. Further, based on our analysis of gene expression, age-specific alterations in cardiac fibroblasts may play a crucial role in observed differences in cardiac inflammation and immune response observed across developmental ages.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Extracellular matrix and cyclic stretch alter fetal cardiomyocyte proliferation and maturation in a rodent model of heart hypoplasia

Birth defects, particularly those that affect development of the heart, are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in infants and young children. Babies born with heart hypoplasia (HH) disorders often have a poor prognosis. It remains unclear whether cardiomyocytes from hypoplastic hearts retain the potential to recover growth, although this knowledge would be beneficial for developing therapies for HH disorders. The objective of this study was to determine the proliferation and maturation potential of cardiomyocytes from hypoplastic hearts and whether these behaviors are influenced by biophysical signaling from the extracellular matrix (ECM) and cyclic mechanical stretch. Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH)-associated HH was induced in rat fetuses by maternal exposure to nitrofen. Hearts were isolated from embryonic day 21 nitrofen-treated fetuses positive for CDH (CDH+) and from fetuses without nitrofen administration during gestation. CDH+ hearts were smaller and had decreased myocardial proliferation, along with evidence of decreased maturity compared to healthy hearts. In culture, CDH+ cardiomyocytes remained immature and demonstrated increased proliferative capacity compared to their healthy counterparts. Culture on ECM derived from CDH+ hearts led to a significant reduction in proliferation for both CDH+ and healthy cardiomyocytes. Healthy cardiomyocytes were dosed with exogenous nitrofen to examine whether nitrofen may have an abhorrent effect on the proliferative ability of cardiomyocyte, yet no significant change in proliferation was observed. When subjected to stretch, CDH+ cardiomyocytes underwent lengthening of sarcomeres while healthy cardiomyocyte sarcomeres were unaffected. Taken together, our results suggest that alterations to environmental cues such as ECM and stretch may be important factors in the pathological progression of HH.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2019

Functional maturation of human neural stem cells in a 3D bioengineered brain model enriched with fetal brain matrix

Brain extracellular matrix (ECM) is often overlooked in vitro brain tissue models, despite its instructive roles during development. Using developmental stage-sourced brain ECM in reproducible 3D bioengineered culture systems, we demonstrate enhanced functional differentiation of human induced neural stem cells (hiNSCs) into healthy neurons and astrocytes. Particularly, fetal brain tissue-derived ECM supported long-term maintenance of differentiated neurons, demonstrated by morphology, gene expression and secretome profiling. Astrocytes were evident within the second month of differentiation, and reactive astrogliosis was inhibited in brain ECM-enriched cultures when compared to unsupplemented cultures. Functional maturation of the differentiated hiNSCs within fetal ECM-enriched cultures was confirmed by calcium signaling and unsupervised cluster analysis. Additionally, the study identified native biochemical cues in decellularized ECM with notable comparisons between fetal and adult brain-derived ECMs. The development of novel brain-specific biomaterials for generating mature in vitro brain models provides an important path forward for interrogation of neuron-glia interactions.

developmental biology↗