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Desgeorges, T.

Publications and source records attributed to Desgeorges, T..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

Single cell compendium of the muscle microenvironment in peripheral artery disease reveals capillary endothelial heterogeneity and activation of resident macrophages

AO_SCPLOWBSTRACTC_SCPLOWPeripheral artery disease (PAD) results from atherosclerosis and chronic narrowing of lower limb arteries leading to decreased muscle perfusion. Current treatments are suboptimal, partly due to limited understanding of PAD muscle pathology. Here we use scRNAseq and spatial transcriptomics to analyze the composition of the muscle microenvironment in non-ischemic and PAD patients. We identified ATF3/4+ endothelial cells (ECs) that exhibit altered angiogenic and immune regulatory profiles during PAD and confirmed that ATF4 signaling in ECs is required for effective ischemia recovery. Also, capillary ECs display features of endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Furthermore, LYVE1hiMHCIIlow macrophages are the dominant macrophage population in human muscle, adopting a more pro-inflammatory profile during PAD. Finally, we analyzed alterations in intercellular communication within the muscle microenvironment during PAD and confirmed that EC-derived factors can influence macrophage polarization. This dataset deeply characterizes the PAD muscle microenvironment and provides a resource for exploration of targeted therapies.

cell biology↗

The vascular gene Apold1 is dispensable for normal development but controls angiogenesis under pathological conditions

The molecular mechanisms of angiogenesis have been intensely studied, but many genes that control endothelial behavior and fate still need to be described. Here, we characterize the role of Apold1 (Apolipoprotein L domain containing 1) in angiogenesis in vivo and in vitro. Single-cell analyses reveal that - across tissues - the expression of Apold1 is restricted to the vasculature, and that Apold1 expression in endothelial cells (ECs) is highly sensitive to environmental factors. Using Apold1-/- mice, we find that Apold1 is dispensable for development and does not affect postnatal retinal angiogenesis nor alters the vascular network in adult brain and muscle. However, when exposed to ischemic conditions following photothrombotic stroke as well as femoral artery ligation, Apold1-/- mice display dramatic impairments in recovery and revascularization. We also find that human tumor endothelial cells express strikingly higher levels of Apold1, and that Apold1 deletion in mice stunts the growth of subcutaneous B16 melanoma tumors, which have smaller and poorly perfused vessels. Mechanistically, Apold1 is activated in ECs upon growth factor stimulation as well as in hypoxia, and Apold1 intrinsically controls EC proliferation but not migration. Our data demonstrate that Apold1 is a key regulator of angiogenesis in pathological settings, whereas it does not affect developmental angiogenesis, thus making it a promising candidate for clinical investigation.

cell biology↗

AMPKα1 is essential for Glucocorticoid Receptor triggered anti-inflammatory macrophage activation

SummaryMacrophages are key immune cells which mediate both the acute inflammatory phase and the repair phase after tissue damage. Macrophages switch from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory cells that sustain repair and return to tissue homeostasis. We show that the metabolic sensor, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is essential for glucocorticoid induction of an anti-inflammatory macrophage phenotype. While canonical gene regulation by glucocorticoids was not affected by loss of AMPK, we identified AMPK-dependent glucocorticoid-regulated genes in macrophages, related to efferocytosis. AMPK-deficient macrophages do not acquire phenotypic and functional anti-inflammatory features upon glucocorticoid exposure. We identified FOXO3 as an AMPK-dependent regulator of glucocorticoid activity in macrophages. Loss of AMPK in macrophages in vivo abrogates glucocorticoid anti-inflammatory actions during post-injury muscle regeneration and endotoxin induced acute lung injury. These data highlight that the glucocorticoid receptor is dependent on AMPK for its immunomodulatory actions in macrophages, linking their metabolic status to transcriptional control in resolving inflammation.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.View Full Text

physiology↗

Annexin A1 drives macrophage skewing towards a resolving phenotype to accelerate the regeneration of muscle injury through AMPK activation

Understanding the circuits that promote an efficient resolution of inflammation is crucial to deciphering the molecular and cellular processes required to promote tissue repair. Macrophages play a central role in the regulation of inflammation, resolution and repair/regeneration. Using a model of skeletal muscle injury and repair, herein we identify Annexin A1 (AnxA1) as the extracellular trigger of macrophage skewing towards a pro-reparative phenotype. Brought into the injured tissue initially by migrated neutrophils, and then over-expressed in infiltrating macrophages, AnxA1 activates FPR2/ALX receptors and the downstream AMPK signalling cascade leading to macrophage skewing, dampening of inflammation and regeneration of muscle fibres. Mice lacking AnxA1 in all cells or in myeloid cells only display a defect in this reparative process. In vitro experiments recapitulated these properties, with AMPK null macrophages lacking AnxA1-mediated polarization. Collectively, these data identify the AnxA1/FPR2/AMPK axis as a novel pathway in skeletal muscle injury regeneration.

cell biology↗