Authors: Rebecca L Ross, Georgia Mavria, Francesco Del Galdo, Jacobo Elies

Journal: Frontiers in Physiology (2022)

Institution: Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, United Kingdom

Research Areas: Immunology

Cell Lines: HLMECs，HUVECs (Human lung microvascular endothelial cells， Human umbilical vein endothelial cells)

Summary: In this paper, the authors investigate the physiological role of an antioxidant enzyme, Hemeoxygenase-1(HO-1), and its relevance in the cardiovascular complications of systemic sclerosis (SSc). Authors use HoloMonitor to study endothelial cells' morphological and functional features in the presence of an HO-1 activator and selective inhibitors. The results demonstrate that inhibition of HO-1 significantly reduces cell proliferation and cell motility (migration) of cultured endothelial cells.In summary, results indicate a clear link between 1) downregulation of HO-1/CO signaling; and 2) pathophysiological processes occurring in the early phases of SSc, such as calcium homeostasis dysregulation, impaired angiogenesis and cardiac arrhythmias.HoloMonitor M4 was used to perform the morphological and functional changes caused by inducers and inhibitors of HO-1 in endothelial cells.

Keywords: HoloMonitor M4, cell proliferation, cell motility, cell morphology, carbon monoxide, endothelial dysfunction, angiogenesis, systemic sclerosis, hemoxygenase-1, calcium homeostasis, kv7, 1 channels, immunology