Mitochondrial DNA that escapes from autophagy causes inflammation and heart failure

Heart failure is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in industrialized countries. Although infection with microorganisms is not involved in the development of heart failure in most cases, inflammation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of heart failure. However, the mechanisms responsible for initiating and integrating inflammatory responses within the heart remain poorly defined. Mitochondria are evolutionary endosymbionts derived from bacteria and contain DNA similar to bacterial DNA. Mitochondria damaged by external haemodynamic stress are degraded by the autophagy/lysosome system in cardiomyocytes. Here we show that mitochondrial DNA that escapes from autophagy cell-autonomously leads to Toll-like receptor (TLR) 9-mediated inflammatory responses in cardiomyocytes and is capable of inducing myocarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy. Cardiac-specific deletion of lysosomal deoxyribonuclease (DNase) II showed no cardiac phenotypes under baseline conditions, but increased mortality and caused severe myocarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy 10 days after treatment with pressure overload. Early in the pathogenesis, DNase II-deficient hearts showed infiltration of inflammatory cells and increased messenger RNA expression of inflammatory cytokines, with accumulation of mitochondrial DNA deposits in autolysosomes in the myocardium. Administration of inhibitory oligodeoxynucleotides against TLR9, which is known to be activated by bacterial DNA, or ablation of Tlr9 attenuated the development of cardiomyopathy in DNase II-deficient mice. Furthermore, Tlr9 ablation improved pressure overload-induced cardiac dysfunction and inflammation even in mice with wild-type Dnase2a alleles. These data provide new perspectives on the mechanism of genesis of chronic inflammation in failing hearts.     

ATGL生化功能调节及与心肌肥厚的关系

脂肪甘油三酯脂肪酶是脂肪分解代谢限速酶,ATGL广泛表达于全身各组织,尤其高表达于脂肪组织、肝脏和心脏等.ATGL敲除显示动物因大量甘油三酯堆积而产生严重肥胖,心脏受累尤其严重.主要介绍ATGL功能调节及其功能失调与心肌肥厚的关系     

p53-induced inhibition of Hif-1 causes cardiac dysfunction during pressure overload

Cardiac hypertrophy occurs as an adaptive response to increased workload to maintain cardiac function. However, prolonged cardiac hypertrophy causes heart failure, and its mechanisms are largely unknown. Here we show that cardiac angiogenesis is crucially involved in the adaptive mechanism of cardiac hypertrophy and that p53 accumulation is essential for the transition from cardiac hypertrophy to heart failure. Pressure overload initially promoted vascular growth in the heart by hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (Hif-1)-dependent induction of angiogenic factors, and inhibition of angiogenesis prevented the development of cardiac hypertrophy and induced systolic dysfunction. Sustained pressure overload induced an accumulation of p53 that inhibited Hif-1 activity and thereby impaired cardiac angiogenesis and systolic function. Conversely, promoting cardiac angiogenesis by introducing angiogenic factors or by inhibiting p53 accumulation developed hypertrophy further and restored cardiac dysfunction under chronic pressure overload. These results indicate that the anti-angiogenic property of p53 may have a crucial function in the transition from cardiac hypertrophy to heart failure.     

Cyclophilin D-dependent mitochondrial permeability transition regulates some necrotic but not apoptotic cell death

Mitochondria play an important role in energy production, Ca2+ homeostasis and cell death. In recent years, the role of the mitochondria in apoptotic and necrotic cell death has attracted much attention. In apoptosis and necrosis, the mitochondrial permeability transition (mPT), which leads to disruption of the mitochondrial membranes and mitochondrial dysfunction, is considered to be one of the key events, although its exact role in cell death remains elusive. We therefore created mice lacking cyclophilin D (CypD), a protein considered to be involved in the mPT, to analyse its role in cell death. CypD-deficient mice were developmentally normal and showed no apparent anomalies, but CypD-deficient mitochondria did not undergo the cyclosporin A-sensitive mPT. CypD-deficient cells died normally in response to various apoptotic stimuli, but showed resistance to necrotic cell death induced by reactive oxygen species and Ca2+ overload. In addition, CypD-deficient mice showed a high level of resistance to ischaemia/reperfusion-induced cardiac injury. Our results indicate that the CypD-dependent mPT regulates some forms of necrotic death, but not apoptotic death.     

白花前胡提取液抗慢性压力超负荷大鼠心肌细胞凋亡研究

目的:探讨白花前胡抗心力衰竭疗效及可能机制.方法:用腹主动脉缩窄法建立慢性超负荷大鼠心衰模型,比较白花前胡提取液对心衰大鼠心脏系数、血压、心肌细胞凋亡率及凋亡相关基因的影响,并与依拉普利比较.结果:Pd-E能剂量相关性降低心衰大鼠的心脏系数、血压及凋亡率,显著改善肥大心肌细胞凋亡相关基因的表达,疗效与依拉普利基本相当.结论:白花前胡提取液可抑制心肌重塑,对心衰发挥生物学治疗作用.     

G alpha(i) and G alpha(o) are target proteins of reactive oxygen species

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been identified as central mediators in certain signalling events. In the heart, ROS have important functions in ischaemia/reperfusion-induced cardiac injury and in cytokine-stimulated hypertrophy. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) is one of the ROS-responsive serine/threonine kinases. Previous studies showed that tyrosine kinases and small G proteins are involved in the activation of ERK by ROS; however, the initial target protein of ROS that leads to ERK activation remains unknown. Here we show that inhibition of the betagamma-subunit of G protein (G betagamma) attenuates hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced ERK activation in rat neonatal cardiomyocytes. The G betagamma-responsive ERK activation induced by H2O2 is independent of ligands binding to Gi-coupled receptors, but requires phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase and Src activation. In in vitro studies, however, treatment with H2O2 increases [35S]GTP-gammaS binding to cardiac membranes and directly activates purified heterotrimeric Gi and Go but not Gs. Analysis using heterotrimeric Go and its individual subunits indicates that H2O2 modifies G alpha(o) but not G betagamma, which leads to subunit dissociation. We conclude that G alpha(i) and G alpha(o) are critical targets of oxidative stress for activation of ERK.     

人参多糖通过抑制ROS水平和凋亡保护H2O2诱导的心肌细胞氧化应激损伤

为探讨人参多糖缓解心肌氧化损伤的功效,利用过氧化氢(H2O2)诱导的H9c2大鼠心肌细胞建立体外心肌氧化损伤模型,利用四甲基偶氮唑蓝(MTT)检测细胞存活率,试剂盒检测乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和丙二醛(MDA),流式细胞术检测活性氧(ROS)和细胞凋亡,Western Blot法检测细胞凋亡相关蛋白.结果表明：与对照组(Con)比较,H2O2能够使细胞存活率显著下降(P<0.001);与H2O2诱导组(模型组,Mod)比较,6.25 μg/mL人参多糖预防治疗24 h将细胞存活率由(57.47±5.08)%提高到(85.65±4.28)%(P<0.001),说明人参多糖能够对抗H2O2诱导的细胞毒性作用.流式细胞术DCFH-DA染色结果显示：与Con组比较,H2O2显著升高细胞ROS水平;而人参多糖预防治疗24 h后细胞ROS水平降低,提示人参多糖能够抑制H2O2诱导的H9c2细胞活性氧水平升高,并通过降低MDA含量及提高SOD活性缓解氧化应激损伤.同时,人参多糖可通过增加H2O2诱导损伤引起的Bcl-2/Bax比值,降低凋亡相关蛋白表达来缓解氧化应激导致的细胞凋亡.总之,人参多糖通过抑制ROS水平和细胞凋亡保护心肌细胞氧化应激损伤,为阐述人参保护心脏功效机制及产品研发提供了实验依据.     

Protective paracrine effect of mesenchymal stem cells on cardiomyocytes

Objective: The aim of this study was to test the protective effect of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on cardiomyocytes in vitro and to investigate the anti-apoptotic signaling pathway. Methods: MSCs from Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were separated and cultured. MSC medium was collected from MSCs cultured in serum-free Dulbecco’s modified eagle medium (DMEM) under hypoxia. Cultured cardiomyocytes from neonatal SD rats were exposed to hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) and treated with MSC medium. The apoptotic cardiomyocytes were stained with Annexin-V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), Hoechst 33342 and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL). The mitochondrial transmembrane potential of cardiomyocytes was assessed using a fluorescence microscope. The expression of Bcl-2, Bax, cytochrome C, apoptosis-induced factor (AIF), and caspase-3 was tested by Western blot analysis. Results: Our data demonstrated that MSC medium reduced H/R-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis, increased the Bcl-2/Bax ratio, and reduced the release of cytochrome C and AIF from mitochondria into the cytosol. Conclusion: MSCs protected the cardiomyocytes from H/R-induced apoptosis through a mitochondrial pathway in a paracrine manner.     

白藜芦醇诱导HepG2细胞凋亡中线粒体差异蛋白鉴定

为研究线粒体在白藜芦醇诱导人肝癌细胞系HepG2细胞凋亡中的作用机制。分离提取白藜芦醇处理的HepG2细胞及对照组细胞的线粒体蛋白质,双向电泳分离差异蛋白质,飞行时间质谱鉴定差异蛋白点,摸索并建立了一种有效分离提取细胞线粒体蛋白质和双向电泳的方法。初步分析鉴定了四个显著性差异蛋白,着丝粒蛋白Kinesin protein和CENP-E降低,证明白藜芦醇对细胞周期及细胞骨架的调节作用,Peptidase (mitochondrial processing)表达降低,线粒体核糖体蛋白L7/L12（Mitochondrial ribosomal protein L7/L12, MRP L7/L12）表达升高,表明白藜芦醇诱导HepG2细胞与其对线粒体功能的影响有关。     

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 is an essential regulator of heart function

Cardiovascular diseases are predicted to be the most common cause of death worldwide by 2020. Here we show that angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ace2) maps to a defined quantitative trait locus (QTL) on the X chromosome in three different rat models of hypertension. In all hypertensive rat strains, ACE2 messenger RNA and protein expression were markedly reduced, suggesting that ace2 is a candidate gene for this QTL. Targeted disruption of ACE2 in mice results in a severe cardiac contractility defect, increased angiotensin II levels, and upregulation of hypoxia-induced genes in the heart. Genetic ablation of ACE on an ACE2 mutant background completely rescues the cardiac phenotype. But disruption of ACER, a Drosophila ACE2 homologue, results in a severe defect of heart morphogenesis. These genetic data for ACE2 show that it is an essential regulator of heart function in vivo.     

APJ acts as a dual receptor in cardiac hypertrophy

Cardiac hypertrophy is initiated as an adaptive response to sustained overload but progresses pathologically as heart failure ensues. Here we report that genetic loss of APJ, a G-protein-coupled receptor, confers resistance to chronic pressure overload by markedly reducing myocardial hypertrophy and heart failure. In contrast, mice lacking apelin (the endogenous APJ ligand) remain sensitive, suggesting an apelin-independent function of APJ. Freshly isolated APJ-null cardiomyocytes exhibit an attenuated response to stretch, indicating that APJ is a mechanosensor. Activation of APJ by stretch increases cardiomyocyte cell size and induces molecular markers of hypertrophy. Whereas apelin stimulates APJ to activate Gαi and elicits a protective response, stretch signals in an APJ-dependent, G-protein-independent fashion to induce hypertrophy. Stretch-mediated hypertrophy is prevented by knockdown of β-arrestins or by pharmacological doses of apelin acting through Gαi. Taken together, our data indicate that APJ is a bifunctional receptor for both mechanical stretch and the endogenous peptide apelin. By sensing the balance between these stimuli, APJ occupies a pivotal point linking sustained overload to cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.     

心肌细胞条件性 Ppara 敲除小鼠模型中他莫昔芬安全有效剂量的筛选

摘要:目的 探 究 不 同 的 他 莫 昔 芬 ( tamoxifen) 给 药 剂 量 对 小 鼠 心 肌 细 胞 过 氧 化 物 酶 体 增 殖 物 激 活 受 体 α( peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α, PPARα)基因 Ppara 敲除效率及心脏功能的影响,建立稳定有效的可诱导型心肌 细 胞 特 异 性 Ppara 敲 除 小 鼠。 方 法 Pparafl / fl 小 鼠 与 ^Myh6-ERT2Cre 小 鼠 进 行 交 配 及 回 交 得 到Ppara ^{fl / fl}, ^myh6-ERT2Cre 小鼠及同窝对照Ppara^{fl / fl}小鼠。 将 Ppara^{fl / fl},^myh6-ERT2Cre 小鼠随机分为对照组( 腹腔注射含 20% 乙醇的他莫昔芬玉米油溶液) 、A 组(单次腹腔注射他莫昔芬 2 mg / 只) 、B 组( 20 mg / kg, 连续注射他莫昔芬 5 d) 和 C组(40 mg / kg, 连续注射他莫昔芬 5 d) ,n = 8。 两周后,采用小动物超声监测小鼠的心功能, 病理 Masson 三色染色观察心肌纤维化的情况,Real-time qPCR 和 Western blot 检测心肌组织中 PPARα 的表达改变。 结果 与对照组相比,A 组小鼠的心功能与对照组没有显著差异,但 Real-time qPCR 显示心肌中 Ppara 的敲除效率不佳;B 组,心脏超声监测和 Masson 染色结果显示此给药剂量对小鼠心脏功能没有影响,但 Real-time qPCR 和 Western blot 均显示心肌组织中 Ppara 敲除充分;而 C 组,虽然 Real-time qPCR 结果显示心肌组织中 Ppara 的敲除充分,但心脏超声和Masson 染色结果显示此给药剂量对小鼠的心脏功能有一定程度的损伤。 结论 连续 5 d 给予Ppara^{fl / fl}, ^myh6-ERT2Cre 小鼠腹腔注射 20 mg / kg 他莫昔芬可以充分诱导心肌细胞中 Ppara 的敲除,成功建立可诱导型心肌细胞特异性 Ppara敲除( Ppara△ CM )小鼠。     

In vivo reprogramming of murine cardiac fibroblasts into induced cardiomyocytes

The reprogramming of adult cells into pluripotent cells or directly into alternative adult cell types holds great promise for regenerative medicine. We reported previously that cardiac fibroblasts,which represent 50%of the cells in the mammalian heart, can be directly reprogrammed to adult cardiomyocyte-like cells in vitro by the addition of Gata4, Mef2c and Tbx5 (GMT). Here we use genetic lineage tracing to show that resident non-myocytes in the murine heart can be reprogrammed into cardiomyocyte-like cells in vivo by local delivery of GMT after coronary ligation. Induced cardiomyocytes became binucleate, assembled sarcomeres and had cardiomyocyte-like gene expression. Analysis of single cells revealed ventricular cardiomyocyte-like action potentials, beating upon electrical stimulation, and evidence of electrical coupling. In vivo delivery of GMT decreased infarct size and modestly attenuated cardiac dysfunction up to 3 months after coronary ligation. Delivery of the pro-angiogenic and fibroblast-activating peptide, thymosin b4, along with GMT, resulted in further improvements in scar area and cardiac function. These findings demonstrate that cardiac fibroblasts can be reprogrammed into cardiomyocyte-like cells in their native environment for potential regenerative purposes.     

Chaetoglobosins E诱导乳腺癌MCF-7细胞凋亡作用机制研究

为探究Chaetoglobosins E(ChE)对肿瘤细胞增殖和凋亡的影响,体外培养人乳腺癌MCF-7细胞、人膀胱癌T-24细胞、人黑色素瘤C8161细胞、人白血病U937细胞,用不同浓度的ChE分别作用于4种细胞24 h或48 h,MTT法检测4种肿瘤细胞的增殖情况;为进一步研究其作用机制,Hoechst 3334...     

SUMO1-dependent modulation of SERCA2a in heart failure

The calcium-transporting ATPase ATP2A2, also known as SERCA2a, is a critical ATPase responsible for Ca(2+) re-uptake during excitation-contraction coupling. Impaired Ca(2+) uptake resulting from decreased expression and reduced activity of SERCA2a is a hallmark of heart failure. Accordingly, restoration of SERCA2a expression by gene transfer has proved to be effective in improving cardiac function in heart-failure patients, as well as in animal models. The small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) can be conjugated to lysine residues of target proteins, and is involved in many cellular processes. Here we show that SERCA2a is SUMOylated at lysines 480 and 585 and that this SUMOylation is essential for preserving SERCA2a ATPase activity and stability in mouse and human cells. The levels of SUMO1 and the SUMOylation of SERCA2a itself were greatly reduced in failing hearts. SUMO1 restitution by adeno-associated-virus-mediated gene delivery maintained the protein abundance of SERCA2a and markedly improved cardiac function in mice with heart failure. This effect was comparable to SERCA2A gene delivery. Moreover, SUMO1 overexpression in isolated cardiomyocytes augmented contractility and accelerated Ca(2+) decay. Transgene-mediated SUMO1 overexpression rescued cardiac dysfunction induced by pressure overload concomitantly with increased SERCA2a function. By contrast, downregulation of SUMO1 using small hairpin RNA (shRNA) accelerated pressure-overload-induced deterioration of cardiac function and was accompanied by decreased SERCA2a function. However, knockdown of SERCA2a resulted in severe contractile dysfunction both in vitro and in vivo, which was not rescued by overexpression of SUMO1. Taken together, our data show that SUMOylation is a critical post-translational modification that regulates SERCA2a function, and provide a platform for the design of novel therapeutic strategies for heart failure.     

Se-scFv-B3对过氧化氢诱导的大鼠乳鼠心肌细胞损伤的保护作用

用H₂O₂损伤大鼠乳鼠的心肌细胞建立氧化应激损伤模型, 考察谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶模拟物Se-scFv-B3对H₂O₂诱导的大鼠乳鼠心肌细胞氧化损伤的影响. 结果表明, Se-scFv-B3能部分增加心肌细胞存活率, 减少细胞凋亡, 恢复线粒体膜电位, 下调Caspase-3活力并降低细胞内活性氧的含量. 表明Se-scFv-B3可以保护心肌细胞抵制H₂O₂诱导的氧化应激损伤.