BPIFB4
BPI fold-containing family B member 4 precursor (Ligand-binding protein RY2G5) (Long palate, lung and nasal epithelium carcinoma-associated protein 4) [C20orf186] [LPLUNC4]
Publications[править]
Aging is the most relevant risk factor for cardiovascular diseases which are the main cause of mortality in industrialized countries. In this context, there is a progressive loss of cardiovascular homeostasis that translates in illness and death. The study of long living individuals (LLIs), which show compression of morbidity toward the end of their life, is a valuable approach to find the key to delay aging and postpone associate cardiovascular events. A contribution to the age-related decline of cardiovascular system (CVS) comes from the immune system; indeed, it is dysfunctional during aging, a process described as immunosenescence and comprises the combination of several processes overpowering both innate and adaptative immune system. We have recently discovered a longevity-associated variant (LAV) in bactericidal/permeability-increasing fold-containing family B member 4 (BPIFB4), which is a secreted protein able to enhance endothelial function through endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activation and capable to protect from hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetic cardiopathy, frailty, and inflammaging. Here, we sum up the state of the art of the mechanisms involved in the main pathological processes related to CVD (atherosclerosis, aging, diabetic cardiopathy, and frailty) and shed light on the therapeutic effects of LAV-BPIFB4 in these contexts.
Keywords
- BPIFB4
- aging
- cardiovascular disease
A way to delay aging and the related low-grade chronic inflammatory state is to study the model of positive physiology such as the Long-Living Individuals (LLIs). Our recent studies have shown higher levels of the host defense BPI Fold-Containing Family B Member 4 (BPIFB4) protein in the LLIs' blood. Notably, BPIFB4 has been shown to influence monocytes typesetting and M2 anti-inflammatory phenotype (CD206 CD163 ) macrophages skewing. According to the role of a complex cytokine milieu in guiding the macrophage polarization, here we found that circulating concentrations of thymus and activation regulated chemokine (TARC)/CCL17 and small-inducible cytokine B10 (IP-10)/CXCL10) cytokines, were additionally associated with the LLIs' state. In a differentiation process in vitro, the addition of LLIs' plasma to the cell culture medium, enhanced the ability of monocytes, either from LLIs or controls, to acquire a M2 phenotype. Interestingly, a neutralizing antibody against TARC blunted the M2 skewing effect of the LLIs' plasma. Collectively, these data indicate that exceptional longevity may associate with a peculiar anti-inflammatory myeloid profile responsible for improved reparative processes and reduced inflammatory status mediated in part by TARC and M2 generation.
Keywords
- FACS
- Longevity
- M2 macrophages
- Plasma profile
- TARC
Long-Living Individuals (LLIs) delay aging and are less prone to chronic inflammatory reactions. Whether a distinct monocytes and macrophages repertoire is involved in such a characteristic remains unknown. Previous studies from our group have shown high levels of the host defense BPI Fold Containing Family B Member 4 (BPIFB4) protein in the peripheral blood of LLIs. Moreover, a polymorphic variant of the [i]BPIFB4[/i] gene associated with exceptional longevity ([i]LAV-BPIFB4[/i]) confers protection from cardiovascular diseases underpinned by low-grade chronic inflammation, such as atherosclerosis. We hypothesize that BPIFB4 may influence monocytes pool and macrophages skewing, shifting the balance toward an anti-inflammatory phenotype. We profiled circulating monocytes in 52 LLIs (median-age 97) and 52 healthy volunteers (median-age 55) using flow cytometry. If the frequency of total monocyte did not change, the intermediate CD14 CD16 monocytes counts were lower in LLIs compared to control adults. Conversely, non-classical CD14 CD16 monocyte counts, which are M2 macrophage precursors with an immunomodulatory function, were found significantly associated with the LLIs' state. In a differentiation assay, supplementation of the LLIs' plasma enhanced the capacity of monocytes, either from LLIs or controls, to acquire a paracrine M2 phenotype. A neutralizing antibody against the phosphorylation site (ser 75) of BPIFB4 blunted the M2 skewing effect of the LLIs' plasma. These data indicate that LLIs carry a peculiar anti-inflammatory myeloid profile, which is associated with and possibly sustained by high circulating levels of BPIFB4. Supplementation of recombinant BPIFB4 may represent a novel means to attenuate inflammation-related conditions typical of unhealthy aging.
Keywords
- FACS
- M2 macrophages
- immunity
- longevity
- patrolling-monocytes
- plasma
Homozygosity for a four-missense single-nucleotide polymorphism haplotype of the human BPIFB4 gene is enriched in long-living individuals. Delivery of this longevity-associated variant (LAV) improved revascularisation and reduced endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis in mice through a mechanism involving the stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1). Here, we investigated if delivery of the LAV-BPIFB4 gene may attenuate the progression of diabetic cardiomyopathy. Compared with age-matched lean controls, diabetic db/db mice showed altered echocardiographic indices of diastolic and systolic function and histological evidence of microvascular rarefaction, lipid accumulation, and fibrosis in the myocardium. All these alterations, as well as endothelial dysfunction, were prevented by systemic LAV-BPIFB4 gene therapy using an adeno-associated viral vector serotype 9 (AAV9). In contrast, AAV9 wild-type-BPIFB4 exerted no benefit. Interestingly, LAV-BPIFB4-treated mice showed increased SDF-1 levels in peripheral blood and myocardium and up-regulation of the cardiac myosin heavy chain isoform alpha, a contractile protein that was reduced in diabetic hearts. SDF-1 up-regulation was instrumental to LAV-BPIFB4-induced benefit as both haemodynamic and structural improvements were inhibited by an orally active antagonist of the SDF-1 CXCR4 receptor. In mice with type-2 diabetes, LAV-BPIFB4 gene therapy promotes an advantageous remodelling of the heart, allowing it to better withstand diabetes-induced stress. These results support the viability of transferring healthy characteristics of longevity to attenuate diabetic cardiac disease.
Keywords
- BPIFB4
- Cardiomyopathy
- Diabetes
- Gene therapy
- Longevity
There is an increasing concern about age-related frailty because of the growing number of elderly people in the general population. The Longevity-Associated Variant (LAV) of the human [i]BPIFB4[/i] gene was found to correct endothelial dysfunction, one of the mechanisms underlying frailty, in aging mice whereas the [i]RV-BPIFB4[/i] variant induced opposite effects. Thus, we newly hypothesize that, besides being associated with life expectancy, [i]BPIFB4[/i] polymorphisms can predict frailty.Aim and Results: Here we investigated if the BPIFB4 haplotypes, LAV, wild-type (WT) and RV, differentially associate with frailty in a cohort of 237 elderly subjects from Calabria region in Southern Italy. Moreover, we studied the effect of systemic adeno-associated viral vector-mediated [i]LAV-BPIFB4[/i] gene transfer on the progression of frailty in aging mice. We found an inverse correlation of the homozygous LAV-BPIFB4 haplotype with frailty in elderly subjects. Conversely, carriers of the RV-BPIFB4 haplotype showed an increase in the frailty status and risk of death. Moreover, in old mice, [i]LAV-BPIFB4[/i] gene transfer delayed frailty progression. These data indicate that specific BPIFB4 haplotypes could represent useful genetic markers of frailty. In addition, horizontal transfer of a healthy gene variant can attenuate frailty in aging organisms.
MeSH Terms
- Aged
- Aged, 80 and over
- Aging
- Animals
- Female
- Frailty
- Gene Expression Regulation
- Genotype
- Humans
- Longevity
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Transgenic
- Phosphoproteins
- Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
Keywords
- BPIFB4
- aging
- frailty
- longevity-associated variant-lav
- survival
One of the basis of exceptional longevity is the maintaining of the balance between inflammatory and anti-inflammatory networks. The monocyte-macrophages activation plays a major role in tuning the immune responses, by oscillating between patrolling-protective to inflammatory status. Longevity-associated variant (LAV) of bactericidal/permeability-increasing fold-containing family B member 4 (BPIFB4) activates calcium, PKC-alpha, and eNOS, rescuing endothelial dysfunction in aged mice and inducing revascularization. The BPIFB4's increment in serum of healthy long-living individuals (LLIs) compared to nonhealthy ones, its therapeutic potential in improving vascular homeostasis, which depends on immune system, together with its expression in bone marrow myeloid cells, suggests that LAV-BPIFB4 may improve immune regulation. Here we show that human monocytes exposed to LAV-BPIFB4 protein increased co-stimulatory molecules in resting state and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) after activating stimuli. Accordingly, a low percentage of CD69 activated lymphocytes are found among LAV-BPIFB4-treated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Moreover, human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) generated in presence of LAV-BPIFB4 secreted higher anti-(IL-10 and TGF-β) and lower pro-inflammatory (TNF-α and IL-1β) cytokines. Accordingly, LLIs' plasma showed higher levels of circulating IL-10 and of neutralizing IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) compared to controls. Thus, LAV-BPIFB4 effects on myeloid compartment could represent one example of a genetic predisposition carried by LLIs to protect from immunological dysfunctions.
MeSH Terms
- Adaptive Immunity
- Adult
- Aged
- Aged, 80 and over
- Cells, Cultured
- Humans
- Interleukin-1beta
- Longevity
- Middle Aged
- Monocytes
- Phosphoproteins
- Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Keywords
- Immune regulation
- Inflammation
- Myeloid cells
Evolutionary forces select genetic variants that allow adaptation to environmental stresses. The genomes of centenarian populations could recapitulate the evolutionary adaptation model and reveal the secrets of disease resistance shown by these individuals. Indeed, longevity phenotype is supposed to have a genetic background able to survive or escape to age-related diseases. Among these, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the most lethal and their major risk factor is aging and the associated frailty status. One example of genetic evolution revealed by the study of centenarians genome is the four missense Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) haplotype in bactericidal/permeability-increasing fold-containing family B, member 4 (BPIFB4) locus that is enriched in long living individuals: the longevity associated variant (LAV). Indeed, LAV-BPIFB4 is able to improve endothelial function and revascularization through the increase of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) dependent nitric oxide production. This review recapitulates the beneficial effects of LAV-BPIFB4 and its therapeutic potential for the treatment of CVDs.
MeSH Terms
- Cardiovascular Diseases
- Evolution, Molecular
- Humans
- Longevity
- Phosphoproteins
- Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
- Selection, Genetic
Keywords
- BPIFB4
- aging
- angiogenesis
- cardiovascular disease
- eNOS
The study of the health status in long-living individuals (LLIs) may help identifying health-span and life-span determinants. BPI-Fold-Containing-Family-B-Member-4 (BPIFB4) protein is higher in healthy vs. non-healthy (frail) LLIs serum and its longevity-associated variant forced expression improves cardiovascular outcomes in ischemia mice models. Thus, we tested the association of [i]BPIFB4[/i] and ischemia-responding HIF-1α pathway components (i.e. [i]CXCR4[/i], [i]AK3, ALDO-C, ADM[/i], [i]VEGF-A[/i], [i]GLUT-1[/i] and miR-210) with human life-span and health-span by analyzing mRNA expression in circulating mononuclear cells (MNCs) of LLIs (N=14 healthy; N=31 frail) and young controls (N=63).[i]ALDO-C, ADM[/i], [i]VEGF-A[/i] and [i]GLUT-1[/i] significantly decreased and miR-210 increased in LLIs vs. Only [i]VEGF-A[/i] and [i]GLUT-1[/i] showed further significant reduction in healthy-LLIs vs. frail-LLIs comparison. While [i]BPIFB4[/i] and [i]CXCR4[/i] were similar between LLIs and controls, [i]BPIFB4[/i] was significantly higher and [i]CXCR4[/i] lower in healthy- versus frail-LLIs. On a new set of LLIs (N=7 healthy and N=5 non-healthy) we assessed a potentially correlated function with low CXCR4 expression. Healthy donors' MNCs showed efficient migration ability toward CXCR4 ligand SDF-1α/CXCL12 and high percentage of migrated CXCR4 cells which inversely correlated with CXCR4 RNA expression. In conclusion, BPIFB4 and CXCR4 expression classify LLIs health status that correlates with maintained MNCs migration.
MeSH Terms
- Adrenomedullin
- Aged, 80 and over
- Aging
- Cell Movement
- Female
- Glucose Transporter Type 1
- Health Status
- Humans
- Italy
- Leukocytes, Mononuclear
- Longevity
- Male
- Phosphoproteins
- Receptors, CXCR4
- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
Keywords
- BPIFB4
- CXCR4
- HIF-1α targets
- long-living individuals
- mononuclear cell migration
Long living individuals show delay of aging, which is characterized by the progressive loss of cardiovascular homeostasis, along with reduced endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity, endothelial dysfunction, and impairment of tissue repair after ischemic injury. Exploit genetic analysis of long living individuals to reveal master molecular regulators of physiological aging and new targets for treatment of cardiovascular disease. We show that the polymorphic variant rs2070325 (Ile229Val) in bactericidal/permeability-increasing fold-containing-family-B-member-4 (BPIFB4) associates with exceptional longevity, under a recessive genetic model, in 3 independent populations. Moreover, the expression of BPIFB4 is instrumental to maintenance of cellular and vascular homeostasis through regulation of protein synthesis. BPIFB4 phosphorylation/activation by protein-kinase-R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase induces its complexing with 14-3-3 and heat shock protein 90, which is facilitated by the longevity-associated variant. In isolated vessels, BPIFB4 is upregulated by mechanical stress, and its knock-down inhibits endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation. In hypertensive rats and old mice, gene transfer of longevity-associated variant-BPIFB4 restores endothelial nitric oxide synthase signaling, rescues endothelial dysfunction, and reduces blood pressure levels. Furthermore, BPIFB4 is implicated in vascular repair. BPIFB4 is abundantly expressed in circulating CD34( ) cells of long living individuals, and its knock-down in endothelial progenitor cells precludes their capacity to migrate toward the chemoattractant SDF-1. In a murine model of peripheral ischemia, systemic gene therapy with longevity-associated variant-BPIFB4 promotes the recruitment of hematopoietic stem cells, reparative vascularization, and reperfusion of the ischemic muscle. Longevity-associated variant-BPIFB4 may represent a novel therapeutic tool to fight endothelial dysfunction and promote vascular reparative processes.
MeSH Terms
- 14-3-3 Proteins
- Age Factors
- Aged
- Aged, 80 and over
- Animals
- Blood Pressure
- Cell Movement
- Disease Models, Animal
- Endothelial Progenitor Cells
- Europe
- Female
- Genetic Association Studies
- Genetic Therapy
- Genotype
- HEK293 Cells
- HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins
- Hindlimb
- Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells
- Humans
- Hypertension
- Ischemia
- Longevity
- Male
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Middle Aged
- Muscle, Skeletal
- Neovascularization, Physiologic
- Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III
- Phenotype
- Phosphoproteins
- Phosphorylation
- RNA Interference
- Rats, Inbred SHR
- Signal Transduction
- Stress, Mechanical
- Transfection
- United States
- Vasodilation
- eIF-2 Kinase
Keywords
- aging
- endothelial function
- endothelial nitric oxide synthase
- endothelial progenitor cell
- longevity
- vascular reactivity