Inhaltspezifische Aktionen

AG Endothelial Function in Cardiovascular Disease

AG Endothelial Cell Physiology

Research Focus

Our research aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that regulate endothelial function in cardiovascular health and disease. A central focus of our work is the maintenance and disruption of the endothelial barrier, a critical determinant of vascular homeostasis, inflammation, and tissue repair. We investigate how intracellular signalling networks control endothelial permeability, cytoskeletal dynamics, and vascular integrity under physiological and pathological conditions.
A major research area of the group is cAMP signalling, with particular emphasis on the distinct roles of soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) and receptor-mediated cAMP pathways. We study how vasoactive mediators such as adrenomedullin, intermedin, and somatostatin regulate endothelial signalling and barrier protection through spatially compartmentalized cAMP networks. In parallel, we investigate the interplay between cAMP and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signalling pathways in coordinating endothelial metabolism, stress adaptation, and vascular homeostasis.
In addition, we explore the role of endothelial mitochondria as dynamic signalling organelles that integrate metabolic and environmental cues. Our work focuses on mitochondrial dynamics, quality control, bioenergetics, and mitochondrial stress responses, and how these processes are regulated by cAMP- and AMPK-dependent signalling mechanisms to preserve endothelial function during inflammation, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and cardiovascular disease.
A complementary research interest is the investigation of Rho-family GTPases and their contribution to endothelial barrier regulation, cytoskeletal remodelling, angiogenesis, and vascular repair. By combining mechanistic studies with translational cardiovascular research, we seek to identify novel therapeutic strategies for vascular dysfunction, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and inflammatory cardiovascular diseases.

Techniques

  • Endothelial permeability and barrier function assays (Transwell-based systems)
  • Live-cell imaging and intracellular Ca2+ measurement
  • Analysis of mitochondrial dynamics, morphology, and function
  • Cellular bioenergetics and metabolic profiling
  • Angiogenesis and endothelial migration assays

 

Contact

PD Dr. rer. nat. Muhammad Aslam
Fachphysiologe
Institute for Experimental and Translational Cardiology
Aulweg 129 / 4. OG
35392 Gießen
+49 (0)641 99 42242/44
muhammad.aslam

Team

PD Dr. Muhammad Aslam (Group leader)
Zhongtian Xiang (PhD student)
Zhenlu Zheng (PhD student)
Andreas Hartung (Medical student)

Publications

  1. Aslam M, Li L, Nürnberger S, Niemann B, Rohrbach S. CTRP13-Mediated Effects on Endothelial Cell Function and Their Potential Role in Obesity. Cells. 2024 Jul 31;13(15):1291.
  2. Barcena ML, Christiansen-Mensch C, Aslam M, Haritonow N, Ladilov Y, Regitz-Zagrosek V. Upregulation of Mitochondrial Sirt3 and Alleviation of the Inflammatory Phenotype in Macrophages by Estrogen. Cells. 2024 Aug 25;13(17):1420.
  3. Barcena ML, Aslam M, Ladilov Y. Editorial: Cardiovascular inflammaging: basic and translational aspects. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2024 Mar 1;11:1385683.
  4. Aslam M, Ladilov Y. Editorial: Advances in cAMP signaling research: basic and translational aspects. Front Physiol. 2023 Sep 1;14:1266718.
  5. Ladilov Y, Aslam M. New Insights into the Basic and Translational Aspects of AMPK Signaling. Cells. 2023 Jan 4;12(2):206.
  6. Chen DW, Kang T, Xu XZ, Xia WJ, Ye X, Wu YB, Xu YR, Liu J, Ren H, Deng J, Chen YK, Ding HQ, Aslam M, Zelek WM, Morgan BP, Kapur R, Santoso S, Fu YS. Mechanism and intervention of murine transfusion-related acute lung injury caused by anti-CD36 antibodies. JCI Insight. 2023 Mar 22;8(6):e165142.
  7. Barcena ML, Aslam M, Pozdniakova S, Norman K, Ladilov Y. Cardiovascular Inflammaging: Mechanisms and Translational Aspects. Cells. 2022 Mar 16;11(6):1010.
  8. Aslam M, Idrees H, Ferdinandy P, Helyes Z, Hamm C, Schulz R. Somatostatin Primes Endothelial Cells for Agonist-Induced Hyperpermeability and Angiogenesis In Vitro. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Mar 13;23(6):3098.
  9. Barvitenko N, Ashrafuzzaman M, Lawen A, Skverchinskaya E, Saldanha C, Manca A, Uras G, Aslam M, Pantaleo A. Endothelial Cell Plasma Membrane Biomechanics Mediates Effects of Pro-Inflammatory Factors on Endothelial Mechanosensors: Vicious Circle Formation in Atherogenic Inflammation. Membranes (Basel). 2022 Feb 10;12(2):205.
  10. Aslam M, Ladilov Y. Emerging Role of cAMP/AMPK Signaling. Cells. 2022 Jan 17;11(2):308.
  11. Li L, Aslam M, Siegler BH, Niemann B, Rohrbach S. Comparative Analysis of CTRP-Mediated Effects on Cardiomyocyte Glucose Metabolism: Cross Talk between AMPK and Akt Signaling Pathway. Cells. 2021 Apr 14;10(4):905.
  12. Barvitenko N, Aslam M, Lawen A, Saldanha C, Skverchinskaya E, Uras G, Manca A, Pantaleo A. Two Motors and One Spring: Hypothetic Roles of Non-Muscle Myosin II and Submembrane Actin-Based Cytoskeleton in Cell Volume Sensing. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Jul 26;22(15):7967.
  13. Aslam M, Ladilov Y. Regulation of Mitochondrial Homeostasis by sAC-Derived cAMP Pool: Basic and Translational Aspects. Cells. 2021 Feb 22;10(2):473.
  14. Barvitenko N, Skverchinskaya E, Lawen A, Matteucci E, Saldanha C, Uras G, Manca A, Aslam M, Pantaleo A. Pleiotropic and Potentially Beneficial Effects of Reactive Oxygen Species on the Intracellular Signaling Pathways in Endothelial Cells. Antioxidants (Basel). 2021 Jun 3;10(6):904.
  15. Aslam M, Ladilov Y. Targeting the sAC-Dependent cAMP Pool to Prevent SARS-Cov-2 Infection. Cells. 2020 Aug 25;9(9):1962.
  16. Niemann B, Li L, Siegler D, Siegler BH, Knapp F, Hanna J, Aslam M, Kracht M, Schulz R, Rohrbach S. CTRP9 Mediates Protective Effects in Cardiomyocytes via AMPK- and Adiponectin Receptor-Mediated Induction of Anti-Oxidant Response. Cells. 2020 May 15;9(5):1229.
  17. Jayarajan V, Appukuttan A, Aslam M, Reusch P, Regitz-Zagrosek V, Ladilov Y. Regulation of AMPK activity by type 10 adenylyl cyclase: contribution to the mitochondrial biology, cellular redox and energy homeostasis. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2019 Dec;76(24):4945-4959.
  18. Gündüz D, Troidl C, Tanislav C, Rohrbach S, Hamm C, Aslam M. Role of PI3K/Akt and MEK/ERK Signalling in cAMP/Epac-Mediated Endothelial Barrier Stabilisation. Front Physiol. 2019 Nov 7;10:1387.
  19. Aslam M, Troidl C, Tanislav C, Rohrbach S, Gündüz D, Hamm CW. Inhibition of Protein Prenylation of GTPases Alters Endothelial Barrier Function. Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Dec 18;21(1):2.