miR-21在大鼠心肌细胞缺血再灌注损伤中的作用机制研究

摘要 目的：探讨微小RNA-21（miR-21）在大鼠心肌细胞缺血再灌注损伤中的作用机制。方法：选取50只SPF级Wistar大鼠并随机分为5组（n=10）,分别为对照组、模型组、模型+阴性对照组、模型+ miR-21组和模型+ miR-21抑制物组。通过结扎大鼠左冠前降支进行建模。建模成功后采用高频彩色超声诊断仪检查各组大鼠的心脏功能指标：心脏射血分数（EF）、左心室收缩期峰值压力（LVSP）、左室舒张末压（LVEDP）和缩短分数（FS）。检测各组大鼠心肌梗死面积和心肌细胞凋亡率。采用酶联免疫吸附试验（ELISA）测定各组心肌组织中肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）、白细胞介素-6（IL-6）和白细胞介素-10（IL-10）的含量。采用反转录聚合酶链式反应（RT-PCR）检测心肌组织中miR-21的表达水平。蛋白免疫印迹试验（Western Blot）检测各组大鼠心肌凋亡蛋白和TLR4/NF-κB表达水平。结果：模型组大鼠出现心肌梗死,提示建模成功,建模后大鼠心肌组织中miR-21的表达水平显著下降,提示miR-21可能具有保护心肌细胞的作用。建模成功后,EF、LVSP和FS下降,LVEDP升高,心肌细胞凋亡率显著升高,TNF-α和IL-6表达水平显著升高,IL-10显著下降,Bcl-2/Bax表达下降,Caspase-3表达升高,大鼠心肌细胞TLR4和NF-κB蛋白磷酸化表达水平升高,而模型+ miR-21组上述指标均得到改善。结论：大鼠心肌细胞缺血再灌注损伤导致miR-21表达降低,而过表达miR-21能有效抑制TLR4/NF-κB信号通路,降低大鼠心肌凋亡水平和炎症因子的释放,从而发挥保护心肌细胞的作用。     

阿帕替尼对人肝癌细胞增殖及凋亡的作用机制研究

目的:探讨阿帕替尼抑制肝癌细胞增殖促进凋亡的作用机制。方法:选取肝癌细胞系SNU739、HepG2,以CCK-8细胞增殖实验、平板克隆实验测定阿帕替尼对肝癌细胞增殖及克隆形成能力的影响;流式细胞术检测阿帕替尼对肝癌细胞凋亡的影响;蛋白免疫印迹法检测阿帕替尼影响肝癌细胞凋亡相关蛋白Bax、Bcl-2及Caspase3的表达情况。结果:与对照组相比,阿帕替尼可显著抑制肝癌细胞增殖(P0.05)。平板克隆实验提示与对照组相比,10μM和20μM阿帕替尼组肝癌细胞克隆数明显减少(P0.05)。流式细胞术结果提示10μM和20μM阿帕替尼处理组细胞凋亡率明显增加(P0.05)。蛋白免疫印迹法结果显示经阿帕替尼处理的肝癌细胞,促凋亡蛋白Bax及Caspase3的活性片段Cleaved-caspase3表达水平显著上调,抗凋亡蛋白Bcl-2显著下调(P0.01)。结论:阿帕替尼通过调节肝癌细胞凋亡相关蛋白从而抑制肝癌细胞增殖、促进其凋亡。     

miR-21对心肌缺血大鼠心肌细胞TLR-4/NF-κB通路的影响

摘要 目的：探究微小核糖核酸-21（miR-21）对心肌缺血大鼠心肌细胞Toll样受体4（TLR4）/核因子-κB（NF-κB）通路的影响。方法：取40只SD大鼠随机分为假手术组（10只）和建模组（30只）,建模组大鼠通过左冠状动脉前降支（LAD）结扎术建立心肌缺血大鼠模型,假手术组大鼠仅开胸后不做其他处理即缝合。将建模成功大鼠随机分为对照组（转染miR-NC慢病毒）、沉默组（转染miR-21 antagomir慢病毒）、过表达组（转染miR-21 mimics慢病毒）,假手术组注射等量生理盐水。苏木素-伊红（HE）染色观察心肌组织损伤情况;原位末端标记法（TUNEL）检测细胞凋亡率;实时定量聚合酶链反应（RT-qPCR）和蛋白质免疫印迹法（WB）检测TLR-4、NF-κB、半胱氨酸天冬氨酸蛋白酶3（Caspase3）、B淋巴细胞瘤-2基因（Bcl-2）、Bcl-2关联X蛋白（Bax）信使核糖核酸（mRNA）和蛋白表达及磷酸化NF-κB p65（p-NF-κB p65）水平。结果：对照组大鼠心肌纤维排列紊乱,大量心肌细胞肿胀坏死并伴随炎症细胞浸润,沉默组大鼠心肌组织损伤情况进一步加重,而过表达组大鼠心肌组织损伤现象得到明显改善。与假手术组比,对照组、沉默组、过表达组大鼠心肌细胞凋亡率,TLR-4、NF-κB、Caspase-3、Bax mRNA与其蛋白表达,以及p-NF-κB p65水平升高,Bcl-2 mRNA及其蛋白表达降低（P＜0.05）;与对照组比,沉默组大鼠心肌细胞凋亡率,TLR-4、NF-κB、Caspase-3、Bax mRNA表达与其蛋白表达,以及p-NF-κB p65水平升高,Bcl-2 mRNA及其蛋白表达降低（P＜0.05）,过表达组大鼠心肌细胞凋亡率,TLR-4、NF-κB、Caspase-3、Bax mRNA与其蛋白表达,以及p-NF-κB p65水平降低,Bcl-2 mRNA及其蛋白表达升高（P＜0.05）。结论：下调miR-21表达可促进TLR-4/NF-κB通路表达,加重心肌缺血大鼠心肌损伤。     

缺血预处理对大鼠缺血再灌注心肌细胞凋亡及相关基因蛋白表达的影响

目的：探讨缺血预处理对大鼠缺血再灌注心肌细胞凋亡及相关基因Bcl-2和Bax蛋白表达的影响。方法：制备缺血预处理（IP）和缺血再灌注损伤（I／R）模型,采用末端标记技术（TUNEL）检测心细胞凋亡,应用免疫组织化学方法检测Bcl-2和Bax的蛋白表达,结果：缺血再灌注组心肌细胞凋亡率明显比正常对照组高（P＜0．05）,而缺血预处理组心肌细胞凋亡率明显比缺血再灌注组低（P＜0．05）,缺血再灌注组Bcl-2表达阳性细胞率明显比正常组低（P＜0．05）,而缺血预处理组Bcl-2表达阳性细胞率明显较缺血再灌注组高（P＜0．05）。缺血再灌注组Bax表达阳性细胞率明显较正常组高,而缺血预处理组Bax表达阳性细胞率明显较缺血再灌注组低（P＜0．05）。结论：缺血再灌注可诱导心肌细胞凋亡,缺血预处理可减少心肌细胞凋亡,Bcl-2和Bax的蛋白表达在心肌凋亡发生中起重要作用,缺血预处理可上调Bcl-2蛋白表达和下调Bax蛋白表达。     

维生素E对妊娠中期高糖环境大鼠皮下脂肪组织中asprosin的表达影响

摘要 目的：探讨维生素E对妊娠中期高糖环境大鼠皮下脂肪组织中asprosin的表达影响。方法：将妊娠中期高糖环境大鼠(n=21)随机平分为三组-模型组、吡格列酮与维生素E组。格列酮与维生素E组分别灌胃80 mg/kg的吡格列酮和5 mg/kg的维生素E,模型组灌胃等剂量的0.9 % NaCl,1次/d,检测皮下脂肪组织中asprosin表达情况。结果：吡格列酮组与维生素E组给药第3 d、第7 d的血糖、体重低于模型组(P<0.05),维生素E组低于吡格列酮组(P<0.05)。吡格列酮组与维生素E组给药第7 d的皮肤组织超氧化物歧化酶(Superoxide dismutase,SOD)含量高于模型组(P<0.05),丙二醛(Malondialdehyde,MDA)含量低于模型组(P<0.05),吡格列酮组与维生素E组对比差异也都有统计学意义(P<0.05)。吡格列酮组与维生素E组给药第7 d的皮肤组织asprosin蛋白相对表达水平低于模型组(P<0.05),维生素E组低于吡格列酮组(P<0.05)。结论：维生素E在妊娠中期高糖环境大鼠的应用能抑制皮下脂肪组织中asprosin的表达,提高SOD活性,降低MDA的表达,从而降低大鼠的体重与血糖水平。     

基于JAK2/STAT3信号通路探讨白藜芦醇对骨肉瘤MG-63细胞凋亡及迁移的影响

摘要 目的：研究白藜芦醇(RES)通过蛋白酪氨酸激酶2/信号转导子与激活子3（JAK2/STAT3）信号通路对人骨肉瘤体外细胞株MG-63细胞凋亡、侵袭和迁移的影响。方法：体外培养MG-63细胞,以不同浓度的RES作用于MG-63细胞。Annexin V-FITC/PI双染流式细胞术检测不同时间和不同浓度的RES对MG-63细胞凋亡的影响。划痕实验和Transwell实验检测不同时间和不同浓度的RES对MG-63细胞侵袭和迁移能力的影响。免疫印迹实验检测不同时间和不同浓度的RES对MG-63细胞磷酸化蛋白酪氨酸激酶2（p-JAK2）、磷酸化信号转导子与激活子3（p-STAT3）、凋亡相关蛋白B淋巴细胞瘤-2（Bcl-2）、Bcl-2家族促凋亡蛋白（Bax）及基质金属蛋白酶（MMP）-2、MMP-9表达的影响。结果：RES浓度越高,时间越久,MG-63细胞凋亡率越高（P<0.05）。RES浓度越高,MG-63细胞迁移和侵袭能力越弱(P<0.05)。RES处理MG-63细胞后其p-JAK2、p-STAT3、Bcl-2以及MMP-2、MMP-9的表达明显降低,而Bax蛋白表达明显升高,且p-JAK2、p-STAT3、Bax、Bcl-2以及MMP-2、MMP-9的表达水平变化具有RES浓度依赖性（P<0.05）。结论：RES可能通过调控JAK2/STAT3信号通路促使人骨肉瘤MG-63细胞凋亡,并抑制MG-63细胞侵袭和迁移。     

基于NF-κB通路探讨IRAK3基因表达对脂多糖诱导的心肌细胞损伤的作用及机制

摘要 目的：探讨白介素1受体相关激酶3（IRAK3）基因表达对脂多糖（LPS）诱导的心肌细胞损伤的作用及机制。方法：分离培养SD乳鼠原代心肌细胞,随机分为对照组、LPS组、siIRAK3组和siIRAK3+LPS组。siIRAK3组和siIRAK3+LPS组心肌细胞转染IRAK3沉默核糖核酸（siRNA）,对照组和LPS组转染阴性对照siRNA。转染48 h后LPS组和siIRAK3+LPS组分别用LPS（10 μg/mL）处理心肌细胞6 h,对照组和siIRAK3组加入等量的PBS溶液。采用免疫蛋白印迹法（Western blot）检测LPS对心肌细胞IRAK3表达的影响,采用细胞计数试剂盒-8（CCK-8）法检测四组心肌细胞增殖,采用原位末端转移酶标记技术（TUNEL）检测四组心肌细胞凋亡。采用酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）检测四组心肌细胞上清液中炎症因子白介素（IL）-6、肿瘤坏因子（TNF）-α的水平。Western blot检测核转录因子-κB（NF-κB）蛋白和NF-κB抑制蛋白α（IκB-α）的表达。结果：Western bolt结果显示,LPS使原代心肌细胞IRAK3的蛋白表达升高（P<0.05）,CCK-8和TUNEL结果显示,与对照组相比,LPS组心肌细胞活力降低,心肌细胞凋亡比例升高（P<0.05）;siIRAK3组细胞活力和细胞凋亡比例与对照组相比均无明显差异（P>0.05）。与LPS组相比,siIRAK3+LPS组心肌细胞活力升高,心肌细胞凋亡比例降低（P<0.05）。与对照组相比,LPS组心肌细胞分泌的IL-6、TNF-α升高,NF-κB蛋白表达升高而IκB-α蛋白表达降低（P<0.05）。与LPS组相比,siIRAK3+LPS组心肌细胞炎症因子分泌减少,NF-κB蛋白表达降低,IκB-α蛋白表达升高（P<0.05）。结论：干扰IRAK3基因表达通过负向调控NF-κB通路减轻LPS诱导的大鼠原代心肌细胞损伤。     

吡格列酮对大鼠缺血/再灌注心肌转化生长因子β1表达的影响

目的:观察吡格列酮对大鼠缺血/再灌注损伤心肌转化生长因子β1(TGFβ1)表达的影响。方法:30只SD大鼠随机分为5组(n=6):缺血/再灌注组、吡格列酮5 mg/(kg.d)组、吡格列酮10 mg/(kg.d)组、吡格列酮20 mg/(kg.d)组、吡格列酮20 mg/(kg.d)+过氧化物酶体增殖物激活受体γ(PPARγ)特异性阻断剂GW9662组,利用在体结扎左前降支的方法建立缺血/再灌注损伤模型,脱氧核糖核苷酸末端转移酶介导的缺口末端标记法(TUNEL法)检测心肌细胞凋亡,RT-PCR方法检测心肌组织TGFβ1 mRNA的变化,Western blot方法检测心肌组织TGFβ1蛋白的变化。结果:TUNEL法显示吡格列酮抑制缺血/再灌注心肌细胞凋亡,吡格列酮上调TGFβ1表达,GW9662逆转吡格列酮对凋亡细胞的抑制作用,抑制吡格列酮促进TGFβ1表达上调的作用。结论:吡格列酮可抑制缺血/再灌注损伤诱导的心肌细胞凋亡,吡格列酮可促进TGFβ1上调,这两种作用是由PPARγ介导的。     

靶向Bcl-2克服非小细胞肺癌EGFR-TKIs获得性耐药

摘要 目的：探讨靶向抗凋亡蛋白Bcl-2克服非小细胞肺癌EGFR-TKIs耐药的作用及重定位Bcl-2靶向抑制剂用于克服耐药的可行性。方法：通过药物浓度梯度递增法构建非小细胞肺癌多代EGFR-TKIs耐药株,根据亲本细胞和多代EGFR-TKIs耐药的非小细胞肺癌细胞的RNA-seq数据筛选出潜在耐药相关基因Bcl-2,通过Western blot 检测其在耐药细胞中的蛋白水平。为了探讨Bcl-2诱导耐药的作用,采用siRNA干扰和使用Bcl-2的抑制剂ABT199抑制Bcl-2,通过CCK8法、IncuCyte实时监测和Western blot等方法检测其对亲本和耐药细胞的细胞活力、药物敏感性、增殖和凋亡的影响。随后使用奥希替尼分别处理亲本及耐药细胞,通过Western Blot检测NRF2受到药物作用后及在耐药细胞中的蛋白水平,并以临床公共数据库分析辅助验证。使用siRNA干扰或NRF2抑制剂ML385敲低或抑制NRF2功能,借助Western Blot和CCK8法检测其对Bcl-2表达水平及对EGFR-TKI敏感性的影响;通过加入NRF2的激动剂Ki696探究其对Bcl-2的诱导作用、对EGFR-TKI敏感性的影响及取消靶向Bcl-2逆转耐药的作用。结果：Bcl-2在EGFR-TKIs耐药细胞中上调;敲低或抑制Bcl-2后,可选择性抑制耐药细胞的生长和活力,并诱导凋亡,且能逆转包括第三代药物奥希替尼在内的多代EGFR-TKIs耐药;EGFR-TKI可在敏感细胞中诱导NRF2的上调,且耐药细胞中上调的Bcl-2受NRF2调控。结论：EGFR-TKIs耐药细胞通过上调抗凋亡分子Bcl-2获得耐药,该分子的上调受NRF2的调控,靶向Bcl-2则可以逆转耐药。     

苦杏仁苷介导人肝癌细胞HuH-7凋亡的实验研究

摘要 目的：通过体内体外实验探讨苦杏仁苷在肝癌中的抗肿瘤作用。方法：MTT 法检测不同浓度的苦杏仁苷对肝癌 HuH-7细胞存活率的影响;DAPI染色法观察苦杏仁苷介导HuH-7细胞的凋亡形态学变化;流式细胞术检测苦杏仁苷干预后HuH-7细胞凋亡率变化;Western Blot法检测细胞凋亡相关蛋白Bax、Bcl-2的表达,计算Bax/Bcl-2的比值。建立裸鼠HuH-7细胞移植瘤模型,观察苦杏仁苷对荷瘤裸鼠移植瘤体积的影响。结果：体外实验结果证实苦杏仁苷能够诱导人肝癌HuH-7细胞凋亡的发生（P<0.05）。随着苦杏仁苷浓度的增加,HuH-7细胞的存活率降低,凋亡率升高,干预后Bax/Bcl-2比值明显升高（P<0.05）。体内实验结果表明,裸鼠HuH-7细胞移植瘤的体积增长速度减慢（P<0.05）。结论：苦杏仁苷能够诱导人肝癌HuH-7细胞和裸鼠HuH-7细胞移植瘤细胞发生凋亡,减缓肿瘤生长,从而发挥抗肿瘤作用。     

Mammalian target of rapamycin is essential for cardiomyocyte survival and heart development in mice

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a critical regulator of protein synthesis, cell proliferation and energy metabolism. As constitutive knockout of Mtor leads to embryonic lethality, the in vivo function of mTOR in perinatal development and postnatal growth of heart is not well defined. In this study, we established a muscle-specific mTOR conditional knockout mouse model (mTOR-mKO) by crossing MCK-Cre and Mtor^flox/flox mice. Although the mTOR-mKO mice survived embryonic and perinatal development, they exhibited severe postnatal growth retardation, cardiac muscle pathology and premature death. At the cellular level, the cardiac muscle of mTOR-mKO mice had fewer cardiomyocytes due to apoptosis and necrosis, leading to dilated cardiomyopathy. At the molecular level, the cardiac muscle of mTOR-mKO mice expressed lower levels of fatty acid oxidation and glycolysis related genes compared to the WT littermates. In addition, the mTOR-mKO cardiac muscle had reduced Myh6 but elevated Myh7 expression, indicating cardiac muscle degeneration. Furthermore, deletion of Mtor dramatically decreased the phosphorylation of S6 and AKT, two key targets downstream of mTORC1 and mTORC2 mediating the normal function of mTOR. These results demonstrate that mTOR is essential for cardiomyocyte survival and cardiac muscle function.     

MicroRNA-133 regulates the expression of GLUT4 by targeting KLF15 and is involved in metabolic control in cardiac myocytes

GLUT4 shows decreased levels in failing human adult hearts. We speculated that GLUT4 expression in cardiac muscle may be fine-tuned by microRNAs. Forced expression of miR-133 decreased GLUT4 expression and reduced insulin-mediated glucose uptake in cardiomyocytes. A computational miRNA target prediction algorithm showed that KLF15 is one of the targets of miR-133. It was confirmed that over-expression of miR-133 reduced the protein level of KLF15, which reduced the level of the downstream target GLUT4. Cardiac myocytes infected with lenti-decoy, in which the 3′UTR with tandem sequences complementary to miR-133 was linked to the luciferase reporter gene, had decreased miR-133 levels and increased levels of GLUT4. The expression levels of KLF15 and GLUT4 were decreased at the left ventricular hypertrophy and congestive heart failure stage in a rat model. The present results indicated that miR-133 regulates the expression of GLUT4 by targeting KLF15 and is involved in metabolic control in cardiomyocytes.     

大蒜多糖对中毒性心肌炎心肌细胞凋亡的影响

目的:研究大蒜多糖 (GP)对中毒性心肌炎心肌细胞凋亡及Bcl -2、Bax蛋白表达的影响,探讨GP抑制心肌细胞凋亡的可能机制。方法:建立小鼠阿霉素 (ADR)中毒性心肌炎模型,利用缺口末端标记法检测心肌凋亡细胞;免疫组化法检测心肌细胞bcl 2、bax基因的蛋白表达情况,并利用电镜观察心肌结构变化。结果:ADR( 3mgkg-1ip,qod× 7)可致小鼠心肌细胞凋亡数明显升高,心肌细胞线粒体水肿,促进心肌细胞凋亡蛋白bax和抑制细胞凋亡蛋白bcl 2含量均明显升高,但bax/ bcl- 2的比值同时升高明显,与正常组比较有显著差异性 (P <0 . 0 1 )。GP可逆转ADR所致的上述改变,表现为剂量依赖性抑制细胞凋亡,降低bax蛋白表达同时增加bcl 2表达,使bcl- 2/ bax的比值增加 (P <0 .0 5或P <0 . 0 1 )。结论:GP能拮抗阿霉素所致的小鼠中毒性心肌炎心肌细胞凋亡作用,其作用机制可能与抑制Bax基因的蛋白表达,使Bcl -2基因表达的蛋白功能相对增强,Bcl -2 /Bax比值升高有关。     

Apelin/APJ 与胚胎心肌分化

胚胎发育中心脏祖细胞迁移至生心区并分化为心肌细胞是心脏形成的基础。研究心肌分化对了解心脏发育异常以及应用干细胞治疗缺血性心脏病具有重要意义。最近研究发现apelin/APJ信号通路与祖细胞的迁移及心肌分化有关。本文就apelin/APJ与胚胎心肌分化的关系做一综述。     

TACE is required for fetal murine cardiac development and modeling

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha converting enzyme (TACE) is a membrane-anchored, Zn-dependent metalloprotease, which belongs to the ADAM (a disintegrin and metalloprotease) family. TACE functions as a membrane sheddase to release the ectodomain portions of many transmembrane proteins, including the precursors of TNFalpha, TGFalpha, several other cytokines, as well as the receptors for TNFalpha, and neuregulin (ErbB4). Mice with TACE(DeltaZn/DeltaZn) null mutation die at birth with phenotypic changes, including failure of eyelid fusion, hair and skin defects, and abnormalities of lung development. Abnormal fetal heart development was not previously described. Herein, we report that TACE(DeltaZn/DeltaZn) null mutant mice by late gestation exhibit markedly enlarged fetal hearts with increased myocardial trabeculation and reduced cell compaction, mimicking the pathological changes of noncompaction of ventricular myocardium. In addition, larger cardiomyocyte cell size and increased cell proliferation were observed in ventricles of TACE(DeltaZn/DeltaZn) knockout mouse hearts. At the molecular level, reduced expression of epidermal growth factor receptor, attenuated protein cleavage of ErbB4, and changes in MAPK activation were also detected in TACE(DeltaZn/DeltaZn) knockout heart tissues. The data suggest that TACE-mediated cell surface protein ectodomain shedding plays an essential and a novel regulatory role during cardiac development and modeling.     

Monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP-1) is expressed in human cardiac cells and is differentially regulated by inflammatory mediators and hypoxia

The chemokine MCP-1 is thought to play a key role - among many other pathophysiological processes - in myocardial infarction. MCP-1 is not only a key attractant for monocytes and macrophages and as such responsible for inflammation but might also be directly involved in the modulation of repair processes in the heart. We show that cultured human cardiac cells express MCP-1 and that its expression is upregulated by inflammatory cytokines and downregulated by hypoxia. We hypothesize that inflammation but not hypoxia is the main trigger for monocyte recruitment in the human heart.     

Piceatannol attenuates cardiac hypertrophy in an animal model through regulation of the expression and binding of the transcription factor GATA binding factor 6

Piceatannol is found in grapes, passion fruit, and Japanese knotweed. Piceatannol pretreatment suppresses cardiac hypertrophy induced by isoproterenol as assessed by heart weight/body weight ratio, cross-sectional area, and expression of hypertrophic markers. The anti-hypertrophic effect of piceatannol in rat neonatal cardiomyocytes is the same as that in vivo. Piceatannol inhibits lentiviral-GATA6-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Furthermore, piceatannol reduces the interaction between GATA4 and GATA6 as well as the DNA-binding activity of endogenous GATA6 in the ANP promoter. Our results suggest that piceatannol may be a novel therapeutic agent for the prevention of cardiac hypertrophy.Structured summary of protein interactionsGATA6 physically interacts with GATA4 by anti V5 tag coimmunoprecipitation (View interaction)     

Examination of the role of phosphorylation and phospholamban in the regulation of the cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum Cl− channel

Sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles were prepared from either canine or sheep heart and fused into lipid bilayers to study their ionic channels. A 92±5 pS anion-selective channel was recorded in asymmetric 50 mm trans/250 mm cis CsCl buffer system. Reversal potentials and theoretical equilibrium potentials for Cl^– ions obtained under various experimental conditions allowed us to confirm the Cl^– selectivity of this SR channel. The majority (69%) of channel recordings (n = 45) displayed steady-state kinetics and a slight voltage dependency of the open probability. However, 31% of the channels inactivated after their incorporation. We now report that the channel might be reactivated by depolarizing voltage steps. Furthermore, the use of either PKA or PKG in association with adequate phosphorylating buffers lengthens the deactivation process at the end of the voltage pulses, but does not prevent the inactivation. It was assumed that the change in gating mode was due to a voltage-sensitive association/dissociation mechanism with a phosphorylated protein of the SR membrane such as phospholamban (PL). We demonstrated that a specific monoclonal antibody raised against canine PL inhibited the activity of the channel and prevented its reactivation by depolarizing steps. 400 to 800 ng/ml of Anti-PL Ab consistently and sequentially turned off the channel activities. In contrast, heat inactivated Anti-PL Ab had no effect. We propose that phospholamban may be a primer of the SR Cl^– channel whereby Cl^– anions would play the role of counter-charge carrier during rapid Ca²⁺ release and Ca²⁺ uptake by the SR.This study was supported by grants from HSFC and CRM of Canada. A. Decrouy is a recipient of an institutional postdoctoral fellowship and E. Rousseau is a FRSQ Scholar. The author would like to thank Dr. E. Kranias for her comments and relevant suggestions for the use of the monoclonal anti-PL antibody as well as Mrs. M. Picher and Miss S. Proteau for thier skillful technical assistance.     

Ultrastructural comparison of developing mouse embryonic stem cell- and in vivo-derived cardiomyocytes

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are expected to become a powerful tool for future regenerative medicine and developmental biology due to their capacity for self-renewal and pluripotency. The present study involves characterization and particularly, the ultrastructure of ESC-derived cardiomyocytes (ESC-CMs). Spontaneously differentiated murine (C57BL/6) ESC-CMs were cultured for 21 days. At different stages, growth characteristics of the CMs were assessed by immunocytochemistry, RT-PCR, transmission electron microscopy, and by addition of chronotropic drugs. EB-derived spontaneously beating cells expressed markers characteristic of CMs including alpha-actinin, desmin, troponin I, sarcomeric myosin heavy chain (MHC), pan-cadherin, connexin 43, cardiac alpha-MHC, cardiac beta-MHC, atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), and myosin light chain isoform-2V (MLC-2V) and responded to drugs in a maturation- and dose-dependent manner. At the ultrasructural level, maturation proceeded with increasing time in culture. In 7+21 days CMs, all sarcomeric components, such as Z-discs, A-, I- and H-bands as well as M-lines, T-tubules, intercalated discs, and the sarcoplasmic reticulum were present. Our data suggest that ESCs can differentiate into functional mature CMs in vitro. Furthermore, ESC-CMs may provide an ideal model for the study of cardiomyocytic development and may be useful for cell therapy of various cardiac diseases.