Long Term Stabilization of Expanding Aortic Aneurysms by a Short Course of Cyclosporine A through Transforming Growth Factor-Beta Induction

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) expand as a consequence of extracellular matrix destruction, and vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) depletion. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta 1 overexpression stabilizes expanding AAAs in rat. Cyclosporine A (CsA) promotes tissue accumulation and induces TGF -beta1 and, could thereby exert beneficial effects on AAA remodelling and expansion. In this study, we assessed whether a short administration of CsA could durably stabilize AAAs through TGF-beta induction. We showed that CsA induced TGF-beta1 and decreased MMP-9 expression dose-dependently in fragments of human AAAs in vitro, and in animal models of AAA in vivo. CsA prevented AAA formation at 14 days in the rat elastase (diameter increase: CsA: 131.9±44.2%; vehicle: 225.9±57.0%, P = 0.003) and calcium chloride mouse models (diameters: CsA: 0.72±0.14 mm; vehicle: 1.10±0.11 mm, P = .008), preserved elastic fiber network and VSMC content, and decreased inflammation. A seven day administration of CsA stabilized formed AAAs in rats seven weeks after drug withdrawal (diameter increase: CsA: 14.2±15.1%; vehicle: 45.2±13.7%, P = .017), down-regulated wall inflammation, and increased αSMA-positive cell content. Co-administration of a blocking anti-TGF-beta antibody abrogated CsA impact on inflammation, αSMA-positive cell accumulation and diameter control in expanding AAAs. Our study demonstrates that pharmacological induction of TGF-beta1 by a short course of CsA administration represents a new approach to induce aneurysm stabilization by shifting the degradation/repair balance towards healing

The genetics of blood pressure regulation and its target organs from association studies in 342,415 individuals

To dissect the genetic architecture of blood pressure and assess effects on target organ damage, we analyzed 128,272 SNPs from targeted and genome-wide arrays in 201,529 individuals of European ancestry, and genotypes from an additional 140,886 individuals were used for validation. We identified 66 blood pressure–associated loci, of which 17 were new; 15 harbored multiple distinct association signals. The 66 index SNPs were enriched for cis-regulatory elements, particularly in vascular endothelial cells, consistent with a primary role in blood pressure control through modulation of vascular tone across multiple tissues. The 66 index SNPs combined in a risk score showed comparable effects in 64,421 individuals of non-European descent. The 66-SNP blood pressure risk score was significantly associated with target organ damage in multiple tissues but with minor effects in the kidney. Our findings expand current knowledge of blood pressure–related pathways and highlight tissues beyond the classical renal system in blood pressure regulation

A Plasmodium falciparum candidate vaccine based on a six-antigen polyprotein encoded by recombinant poxviruses.

To generate broadly protective T cell responses more similar to those acquired after vaccination with radiation-attenuated Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites, we have constructed candidate subunit malaria vaccines expressing six preerythrocytic antigens linked together to produce a 3240-aa-long polyprotein (L3SEPTL). This polyprotein was expressed by a plasmid DNA vaccine vector (DNA) and by two attenuated poxvirus vectors, modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) and fowlpox virus of the FP9 strain. MVAL3SEPTL boosted anti-thrombospondin-related adhesive protein (anti-TRAP) and anti-liver stage antigen 1 (anti-LSA1) CD8(+) T cell responses when primed by single antigen TRAP- or LSA1-expressing DNAs, respectively, but not by DNA-L3SEPTL. However, prime boost regimes involving two heterologous viral vectors expressing L3SEPTL induced a strong cellular response directed against an LSA1 peptide located in the C-terminal region of the polyprotein. Peptide-specific T cells secreted IFN-gamma and were cytotoxic. IFN-gamma-secreting T cells specific for each of the six antigens were induced after vaccination with L3SEPTL, supporting the use of polyprotein inserts to induce multispecific T cells against P. falciparum. The use of polyprotein constructs in nonreplicating poxviruses should broaden the target antigen range of vaccine-induced immunity and increase the number of potential epitopes available for immunogenetically diverse human populations

Enhanced CD8+ T cell immune responses and protection elicited against Plasmodium berghei malaria by prime boost immunization regimens using a novel attenuated fowlpox virus.

Sterile immunity can be provided against the pre-erythrocytic stages of malaria by IFN-gamma-secreting CD8(+) T cells that recognize parasite-infected hepatocytes. In this study, we have investigated the use of attenuated fowlpox virus (FPV) strains as recombinant vaccine vectors for eliciting CD8(+) T cells against Plasmodium berghei. The gene encoding the P. berghei circumsporozoite (PbCS) protein was inserted into an FPV vaccine strain licensed for use in chickens, Webster's FPV, and the novel FPV vaccine strain FP9 by homologous recombination. The novel FP9 strain proved more potent as a vaccine for eliciting CD8(+) T cell responses against the PbCS Ag. Sequential immunization with rFP9 and recombinant modified vaccinia virus Anakara (MVA) encoding the PbCS protein, administered by clinically acceptable routes, elicited potent CD8(+) T cell responses against the PbCS protein. This immunization regimen elicited substantial protection against a stringent liver-stage challenge with P. berghei and was more immunogenic and protective than DNA/MVA prime/boost immunization. However, further improvement was not achieved by sequential (triple) immunization with a DNA vaccine, FP9, and MVA