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Please cite this paper as: Markiewicz, Nakerakanti, Kapanadze, Ghatnekar and Trojanowska (2011). Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF/CCN2) Mediates Angiogenic Effect of S1P in Human Dermal Microvascular Endothelial Cells. Microcirculation 18(1), 1-11. Abstract Objective: The primary objective of this study was to examine the potential interaction between S1P, a pleiotropic lipid mediator, and CTGF/CCN2, a secreted multimodular protein, in the process of endothelial cell migration. The secondary objective was to determine whether C- and N-terminal domains of CTGF/CCN2 have a specific function in cell migration. Materials and Methods: Migration of HDMECs was examined in monolayer wound healing 'scratch' assay, whereas capillary-like tube formation was examined in three-dimensional collagen co-culture assays. Results: We observed that S1P stimulates migration of HDMECs concomitant with upregulation of CTGF/CCN2 expression. Furthermore, the blockade of endogenous CTGF/CCN2 via siRNA abrogated S1P-induced HDMEC migration and capillary-like tube formation. Full-length CTGF induced cell migration and capillary-like tube formation with a potency similar to that of S1P, while C-terminal domain of CTGF was slightly less effective. However, N-terminal domain had only a residual activity in inducing capillary-like tube formation. Conclusions: This study revealed that CTGF/CCN2 is required for the S1P-induced endothelial cell migration, which suggests that CTGF/CCN2 may be an important mediator of S1P-induced physiological and pathological angiogenesis. Moreover, this study shows that the pro-migratory activity of CTGF/CCN2 is located in the C-terminal domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Direct comparisons are lacking between vedolizumab and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-antagonist therapy in Crohn's disease (CD)., Aim: To compare safety and effectiveness of vedolizumab and TNF-antagonist therapy in adult CD patients., Methods: Retrospective observational cohort (May 2014-December 2017) propensity score-weighted comparison of vedolizumab vs TNF-antagonist therapy (infliximab, adalimumab, certolizumab) in CD. Propensity scores were weighted for age, prior treatments, disease complications, extent and severity, steroid dependence, and concomitant immunosuppressive drug use. The primary outcome was comparative risk for infections or non-infectious serious adverse events (requiring antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, hospitalisation, or treatment discontinuation, or resulting in death). Secondary comparative effectiveness outcomes were clinical remission (resolution of CD-related symptoms), steroid-free clinical remission and endoscopic remission (absence of ulcers/erosions)., Results: We included 1266 patients (n = 659 vedolizumab). Rates of non-infectious serious adverse events (odds ratio [OR] 0.072, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.012-0.242), but not serious infections (OR 1.183, 95% CI 0.786-1.795), were significantly lower with vedolizumab vs TNF-antagonist therapy. Safety comparisons for non-infectious serious adverse events remained significant after adjusting for differences in duration of exposure. No significant difference was observed between vedolizumab and TNF-antagonist therapy for clinical remission (hazard ratio [HR] 0.932, 95% CI 0.707-1.228), steroid-free clinical remission (HR 1.250, 95% CI 0.677-2.310) or endoscopic remission (HR 0.827, 95% CI 0.595-1.151). TNF-antagonist therapy was associated with higher treatment persistence compared with vedolizumab., Conclusions: There was a lower risk of non-infectious serious adverse events, but not serious infections, with vedolizumab vs TNF-antagonist therapy, with no significant difference for achieving disease remission., (© 2020 The Authors. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: Activation of Smad1 signaling has recently been implicated in the development of fibrosis. The goal of the present study was to gain further insights into activation of the Smad1 pathway in fibrosis in systemic sclerosis (SSc) and to determine whether this pathway is targeted by the antifibrotic drug imatinib mesylate., Methods: Levels of phosphorylated Smad1 and total Smad1 were examined in SSc and control skin biopsy samples by immunohistochemistry and in cultured fibroblasts by Western blotting. Activity of the CCN2 promoter was examined by a luciferase reporter gene assay. Interactions of Smad1 with the CCN2 promoter were examined by in vitro and in vivo DNA binding assays. Expression of the nonreceptor tyrosine kinase c-Abl and Smad1 was blocked using respective small interfering RNA., Results: Total and phosphorylated Smad1 levels were significantly elevated in SSc skin biopsy samples and in cultured SSc fibroblasts and correlated with elevated CCN2 protein and CCN2 promoter activity. DNA binding assays demonstrated that Smad1 was a direct activator of the CCN2 gene. Small interfering RNA-mediated depletion of Smad1 in SSc fibroblasts normalized the production of CCN2 and collagen. Imatinib mesylate blocked activation of the Smad1 pathway in transforming growth factor beta-stimulated control fibroblasts and reversed activation of this pathway in SSc fibroblasts. Likewise, blockade of c-Abl abrogated activation of the Smad1 pathway in SSc fibroblasts., Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that activation of Smad1 signaling occurs in a subset of SSc patients and contributes to persistent activation of SSc fibroblasts. Demonstration that the Smad1/CCN2 pathway is blocked by imatinib mesylate further clarifies the mechanism of the antifibrotic effects of this compound. This study suggests that SSc patients with activated Smad1 signaling may benefit from imatinib mesylate treatment.