Background-The lymphatic system regulates interstitial tissue fluid balance, and lymphatic malfunction causes edema.The heart has an extensive lymphatic network displaying a dynamic range of lymph flow in physiology. Myocardial edema occurs in many cardiovascular diseases, eg, myocardial infarction (MI) and chronic heart failure, suggesting that cardiac lymphatic transport may be insufficient in pathology. Here, we investigate in rats the impact of MI and subsequent chronic heart failure on the cardiac lymphatic network. Further, we evaluate for the first time the functional effects of selective therapeutic stimulation of cardiac lymphangiogenesis post-MI. Methods and Results-We investigated cardiac lymphatic structure and function in rats with MI induced by either temporary occlusion (n=160) or permanent ligation (n=100) of the left coronary artery. Although MI induced robust, intramyocardial capillary lymphangiogenesis, adverse remodeling of epicardial precollector and collector lymphatics occurred, leading to reduced cardiac lymphatic transport capacity. Consequently, myocardial edema persisted for several months post-MI, extending from the infarct to noninfarcted myocardium. Intramyocardial-targeted delivery of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3-selective designer protein VEGF-C C152S , using albumin-alginate microparticles, accelerated cardiac lymphangiogenesis in a dose-dependent manner and limited precollector remodeling post-MI. As a result, myocardial fluid balance was improved, and cardiac inflammation, fibrosis, and dysfunction were attenuated. Conclusions-We show that, despite the endogenous cardiac lymphangiogenic response post-MI, the remodeling and dysfunction of collecting ducts contribute to the development of chronic myocardial edema and inflammationaggravating cardiac fibrosis and dysfunction. Moreover, our data reveal that therapeutic lymphangiogenesis may be a promising new approach for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. deleterious effects, including induction of blood vascular rarefaction and dysfunction and stimulation of cardiac fibrosis, contributing to the development of chronic heart failure . 14 Furthermore, many inflammatory mediators, and oxygen radicals generated during inflammation, as well, negatively affect lymphatic function, causing impairment of lymph flow and initiation of lymph edema and chronic inflammation. 15,16 It is noteworthy that clinically detectable myocardial edema, extending beyond the infarct zone, may persist for up to 6 to 12 months post-myocardial infarction (MI) in humans, which is suggestive of lymphatic insufficiency. 17,18Whether cardiac lymphatic dysfunction occurs after myocardial injury, and the impact this may have on myocardial fluid balance and cardiac inflammation, remains to be investigated. Moreover, although the advent of molecular lymphatic markers has fueled investigations into lymphatic anatomy, function, and growth in many organs, 19-21 only a handful of articles have assessed lymphangiogenesis in the heart. It was rec...

Selective targeting of BCL2 with the BH3-mimetic venetoclax is proving transformative for patients with various leukemias. TP53 controls apoptosis upstream from where BCL2 and its pro-survival relatives, such as MCL1, act. Therefore, targeting these pro-survival proteins could trigger apoptosis across diverse blood cancers, irrespective of TP53 mutation status. Indeed, targeting BCL2 has produced clinically relevant responses in blood cancers with aberrant TP53. However, we show that TP53 mutated or deficient myeloid and lymphoid leukemias outcompete isogenic controls with intact TP53, unless sufficient concentrations of BH3-mimetics targeting BCL2 or MCL1 are applied. Strikingly, tumor cells with TP53 dysfunction escape and thrive over time if inhibition of BCL2 or MCL1 is sub-lethal, in part because of an increased threshold for BAX/BAK activation in these cells. Our study reveals the key role of TP53 in shaping long-term responses to BH3-mimetic drugs and reconciles the disparate pattern of initial clinical response to venetoclax, followed by subsequent treatment failure among patients with TP53-mutant chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In contrast to BH3-mimetics targeting just BCL2 or MCL1 at doses which are individually sub-lethal, we find that a combined BH3-mimetic approach targeting both pro-survival proteins enhances lethality and durably suppresses leukemic burden, regardless of TP53 mutation status. Our findings highlight the importance of employing sufficiently lethal treatment strategies to maximize outcomes for patients with TP53-mutant disease. In addition, our findings caution against use of sub-lethal BH3-mimetic drug regimens, which may enhance the risk of disease progression driven by emergent TP53 mutant clones.

Background-Therapeutic angiogenesis is a promising approach for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, including myocardial infarction and chronic heart failure. We aimed to improve proangiogenic therapies by identifying novel arteriogenic growth factor combinations, developing injectable delivery systems for spatiotemporally controlled growth factor release, and evaluating functional consequences of targeted intramyocardial growth factor delivery in chronic heart failure. Methods and Results-First, we observed that fibroblast growth factor and hepatocyte growth factor synergistically stimulate vascular cell migration and proliferation in vitro. Using 2 in vivo angiogenesis assays (nϭ5 mice per group), we found that the growth factor combination results in a more potent and durable angiogenic response than either growth factor used alone. Furthermore, we determined that the molecular mechanisms involve potentiation of Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinase signal transduction pathways, as well as upregulation of angiogenic growth factor receptors. Next, we developed crosslinked albumin-alginate microcapsules that sequentially release fibroblast growth factor-2 and hepatocyte growth factor. Finally, in a rat model of chronic heart failure induced by coronary ligation (nϭ14 to 15 rats per group), we found that intramyocardial slow release of fibroblast growth factor-2 with hepatocyte growth factor potently stimulates angiogenesis and arteriogenesis and prevents cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis, as determined by immunohistochemistry, leading to improved cardiac perfusion after 3 months, as shown by magnetic resonance imaging. These multiple beneficial effects resulted in reduced adverse cardiac remodeling and improved left ventricular function, as revealed by echocardiography. Conclusion-Our data showing the selective advantage of using fibroblast growth factor-2 together with hepatocyte growth factor suggest that this growth factor combination may constitute an efficient novel treatment for chronic heart failure.