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Selective enhancement of endothelial BMPR-II with BMP9 reverses pulmonary arterial hypertension

Abstract

Genetic evidence implicates the loss of bone morphogenetic protein type II receptor (BMPR-II) signaling in the endothelium as an initiating factor in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, selective targeting of this signaling pathway using BMP ligands has not yet been explored as a therapeutic strategy. Here, we identify BMP9 as the preferred ligand for preventing apoptosis and enhancing monolayer integrity in both pulmonary arterial endothelial cells and blood outgrowth endothelial cells from subjects with PAH who bear mutations in the gene encoding BMPR-II, BMPR2. Mice bearing a heterozygous knock-in allele of a human BMPR2 mutation, R899X, which we generated as an animal model of PAH caused by BMPR-II deficiency, spontaneously developed PAH. Administration of BMP9 reversed established PAH in these mice, as well as in two other experimental PAH models, in which PAH develops in response to either monocrotaline or VEGF receptor inhibition combined with chronic hypoxia. These results demonstrate the promise of direct enhancement of endothelial BMP signaling as a new therapeutic strategy for PAH.

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Figure 1: BMP9 preferentially stimulates human PAECs.
Figure 2: BMP9 prevents apoptosis in human PAECs via BMPR-II.
Figure 3: BMP9 prevents apoptosis and promotes monolayer integrity in BOECs.
Figure 4: Pulmonary hypertension in Bmpr2+/R899X knock-in mice is reversed by BMP9.
Figure 5: BMP9 reverses established monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension and prevents endothelial cell apoptosis in rats.
Figure 6: BMP9 reverses established pulmonary hypertension in the Sugen-hypoxia rat model.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from the British Heart Foundation RG/13/4/30107 (N.W.M.), CH/09/001/25945 (N.W.M.), PG/11/10/28724 (P.D.U. and N.W.M.) and FS/12/39/29653 (M.L.O.); a Fondation Leducq Transatlantic Network of Excellence Award (N.W.M. and P.B.Y.); US National Institutes of Health grants 5R01-AR057374 (P.B.Y.), 5K08-HL079943 (P.B.Y.) and R01-HL098199 (M.A.A.); a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Early Career Physician Scientist Award (P.B.Y.) and a UK National Institute for Health Research Healthcare Science Fellowship (M.S.). The UK National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre and Cell Phenotyping Hub provided infrastructure support.

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Contributions

L.L. designed, performed and analyzed all in vivo and some in vitro and ex vivo experiments. M.L.O. designed, performed and analyzed multiple in vitro experiments, including array study, and some ex vivo experiments and wrote the manuscript. X.Y. designed, performed and analyzed multiple in vitro experiments and some ex vivo experiments. M.S. performed all histological analyses, including in vivo quantification of apoptosis. S.G. analyzed and interpreted array data. R.D.M., M.M. and B.K. designed and created the R899X knock-in mouse. L.M.Y. and P.B.Y. designed, performed and interpreted the mouse Sugen-hypoxia experiments and assessment of in vivo bone formation. J.M.W. performed in vitro three-dimensional tube formation assays. S.D.M. designed and performed collection and treatment of rat pulmonary arteries. K.M.D. and M.A.A. performed human and mouse NMD analysis. P.D.U. designed and supervised multiple experiments and performed in vitro assessment of VEGF-induced proliferation. N.W.M. conceived and supervised the study, designed experiments and wrote the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Nicholas W Morrell.

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Long, L., Ormiston, M., Yang, X. et al. Selective enhancement of endothelial BMPR-II with BMP9 reverses pulmonary arterial hypertension. Nat Med 21, 777–785 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.3877

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