Biology subjects

Loiselle, A.

Publications and source records attributed to Loiselle, A..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2018

Insulin Receptor Deletion in S100a4-lineage cells accelerates age-related bone loss

Type I and Type II Diabetes dramatically impair skeletal health. Altered Insulin Receptor (IR) signaling is a common feature of both diseases, and insulin has potent bone anabolic functions. Several previous studies have demonstrated that loss of IR in bone cells results in disrupted bone homeostasis during early post-natal growth. Here we have deleted IR in S100a4-lineage cells (IRcKOS100a4) and assessed the effects on bone homeostasis at both young (15 weeks) and older adult (48 weeks) mice. S100a4-cre has previously been shown to target the perichondrium during bone development, and here we show that S100a4 is expressed by adult trabecular and cortical bone cells, and that S100a4-Cre effectively targets adult bone, resulting in efficient deletion of IR. Deletion of IR in S100a4-lineage cells does effect initial bone acquisition or homeostasis with no changes in cortical, trabecular or mechanical properties at 15-weeks of age, relative to wild type (WT) littermates. However, by 48-weeks of age, IRcKOS100a4 mice display substantial declines in trabecular bone volume, bone volume fraction and torsional rigidity, relative to age-matched WT controls. This work establishes the utility of using S100a4-cre to target bone and demonstrates that IR in S100a4-lineage cells is required for maintenance of bone homeostasis in adult mice.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2017

Obesity/Type II Diabetes Promotes Function-Limiting Changes In Flexor Tendon Extracellular Matrix Organization That Are Not Reversed By Restoring Normal Metabolic Function

Type II Diabetes (T2DM) negatively alters baseline tendon function, including decreased range of motion and mechanical properties; however, the biological mechanisms that promote diabetic tendinopathy are unknown. To facilitate identification of therapeutic targets we developed a novel murine model of diabetic tendinopathy. Mice fed a High Fat Diet (HFD) developed diet induced obesity and T2DM. Obesity/ T2DM resulted in progressive impairments in tendon gliding function and mechanical properties, relative to mice fed a Low Fat Diet (LFD), as well as a decrease in collagen fibril diameter by transmission electron microscopy. We then determined if restoration of normal metabolic function, by switching mice from HFD to LFD, is sufficient to halt the pathological changes in tendon due to obesity/T2DM. However, switching from a HFD to LFD resulted in greater impairments in tendon gliding function than mice maintained on a HFD. Mechanistically, IR{beta} signaling is decreased in obese/T2DM murine tendons, suggesting altered IR{beta} signaling as a driver of diabetic tendinopathy. However, knock-down of IR{beta} expression in S100a4-lineage cells (IRcKOS100a4) was not sufficient to induce diabetic tendinopathy as no impairments in tendon gliding function or mechanical properties were observed in IRcKOS100a4 relative to WT. Collectively, these data define a murine model of diabetic tendinopathy, and demonstrate that tendon-specific, rather than systemic treatment approaches are needed.

pathology↗

bioRxiv2017

Deletion Of EP4 In S100a4-Lineage Cells Reduces Scar Tissue Formation During Early But Not Later Stages Of Tendon Healing

Tendon injuries heal via scar tissue rather than regeneration. This healing response forms adhesions between the flexor tendons in the hand and surrounding tissues, resulting in impaired range of motion and hand function. Mechanistically, inflammation has been strongly linked to adhesion formation, and Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is associated with both adhesion formation and tendinopathy. In the present study we tested the hypothesis that deletion of the PGE2 receptor EP4 in S100a4-lineage cells would decrease adhesion formation. S100a4-Cre; EP4flox/flox (EP4cKOS100a4) repairs healed with improved gliding function at day 14, followed by impaired gliding at day 28, relative to wild type. Interestingly, EP4cKOS100a4 resulted in only transient deletion of EP4, suggesting up-regulation of EP4 in an alternative cell population in these mice. Loss of EP4 in Scleraxis-lineage cells did not alter gliding function, suggesting that Scx-lineage cells are not the predominant EP4 expressing population. In contrast, a dramatic increase in -SMA+, EP4+ double-positive cells were observed in EP4cKOS100a4 suggesting that EP4cKOS100a4 repairs heal with increased infiltration of EP4 expressing -SMA myofibroblasts, identifying a potential mechanism of late up-regulation of EP4 and impaired gliding function in EP4cKOS100a4 tendon repairs.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2017

Obesity/Type II Diabetes Alters Macrophage Polarization Resulting in a Fibrotic Tendon Healing Response

Type II Diabetes (T2DM) dramatically impairs the tendon healing response, resulting in decreased collagen organization and mechanics relative to non-diabetic tendons. Despite this burden, there remains a paucity of information regarding the mechanisms that govern impaired healing of diabetic tendons.\n\nMice were placed on either a high fat diet (T2DM) or low fat diet (lean) and underwent flexor tendon transection and repair surgery. Healing was assessed via mechanical testing, histology and changes in gene expression associated with collagen synthesis, matrix remodeling, and macrophage polarization. Obese/diabetic tendons healed with increased scar formation and impaired mechanical properties. Consistent with this, prolonged and excess expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) components were observed in obese/T2DM tendons. Macrophages are involved in both inflammatory and matrix deposition processes during healing. Obese/T2DM tendons healed with increased expression of markers of pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages, and elevated and prolonged expression of M2 macrophages markers that are involved in ECM deposition. Here we demonstrate that tendons from obese/diabetic mice heal with increased scar formation and increased M2 polarization, identifying excess M2 macrophage activity and matrix synthesis as a potential mechanism of the fibrotic healing phenotype observed in T2DM tendons, and as such a potential target to improve tendon healing in T2DM.

pathology↗