Selena Ferrian, Aiqin Cao, Erin McCaffrey, Toshie Saito, Noah F. Greenwald, Mark R. Nichols, Trevor Bruce, Roham T. Zamanian, Patricia Del Rosario, Marlene Rabinovitch, Michael Angelo
Stanford University School of Medicine.
United States
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2023;
DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202209-1761OC
Abstract
Rationale: Elucidating the immune landscape within and surrounding pulmonary arteries (PAs) is critical in understanding immune-driven vascular pathology in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Although more severe vascular pathology is often observed in hereditary (H)PAH patients with BMPR2 mutations, the involvement of specific immune cell subsets remains unclear.
Methods: We used cutting-edge multiplexed ion beam imaging by time-of-flight (MIBI-TOF) to compare PAs and adjacent tissue in PAH lungs (idiopathic (I)PAH and HPAH) with unused donor lungs. Measurements: We quantified immune cells’ proximity and abundance, focusing on those linked to vascular pathology, and evaluated their impact on pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and endothelial cells (ECs).
Results: Distinct immune infiltration patterns emerged between PAH subtypes, with intramural involvement independently linked to PA occlusive changes. Notably, we identified monocyte-derived dendritic cells (mo-DCs) within PA subendothelial and adventitial regions, influencing vascular remodeling by promoting SMC proliferation and suppressing endothelial gene expression across PAH subtypes. In HPAH patients, pronounced immune dysregulation encircled PA walls, characterized by heightened perivascular inflammation involving TIM-3+ T cells. This correlated with an expanded DC subset expressing IDO-1, TIM-3, and SAMHD1, alongside increased neutrophils, SMCs, and α-SMA+ECs, reinforcing the severity of pulmonary vascular lesions.
Conclusions: This study presents the first architectural map of PAH lungs, connecting immune subsets not only with specific PA lesions but also with heightened severity in HPAH compared to IPAH. Our findings emphasize the therapeutic potential of targeting mo-DCs, neutrophils, cellular interactions, and immune responses to alleviate severe vascular pathology in IPAH and HPAH.
Category
Class I. Pulmonary Hypertension Associated with Inflammation
Class I. Idiopathic Pulmonary Hypertension
Class I. Heritable Pulmonary Hypertension
Vascular Cell Biology and Mechanisms of Pulmonary Vascular Disease
Pulmonary Vascular Pathology
Age Focus: Pediatric Pulmonary Vascular Disease or Adult Pulmonary Vascular Disease
Fresh or Filed Publication: Filed (PHiled). Greater than 1-2 years since publication
Article Access
Free PDF File or Full Text Article Available Through PubMed or DOI: No