异氟醚经Pink1/Parkin信号通路激活线粒体自噬对小鼠心肌缺血再灌注的保护作用

目的 探究异氟醚（isoflurane, ISO）通过Pink1/Parkin信号通路对小鼠心肌缺血再灌注（ischemia-reperfusion,IR）损伤中线粒体自噬的影响。方法 本研究建立小鼠心肌IR模型,并将24只小鼠分为4组：假手术（Sham）组、假手术+异氟醚（Sham+ISO）组、缺血再灌注（IR）组、缺血再灌注+异氟醚（IR+ISO）组。通过HE染色评估心肌组织损伤,利用TUNEL染色观察心肌细胞凋亡,通过Western blot检测心肌细胞线粒体自噬相关蛋白（包括Pink1、parkin、Beclin、P62和LC3）的表达,并使用相关试剂盒测定心肌细胞线粒体内膜电位及ATP含量。结果 与Sham组相比,IR组的心肌细胞损伤更为严重,心肌组织损伤评分增加,细胞凋亡率升高。线粒体自噬相关蛋白表达紊乱,线粒体内膜电位和ATP含量显著下降。值得注意的是,在ISO处理的IR小鼠中,IR损伤导致的心肌组织损伤评分和心肌细胞凋亡率明显减轻;线粒体自噬相关蛋白的表达部分恢复,线粒体内膜电位和ATP含量的降低也得到了显著改善。结论 ISO可以通过Pink1/Parkin信号通路抑制...     

谷氧还蛋白1调节高糖诱导的心肌细胞自噬

谷氧还蛋白1（Grx1）在体内具有广泛的抗氧化、抗凋亡作用,与氧化应激损伤导致的糖尿病和心肌病等多种疾病的发病机制密切相关. 研究表明,糖尿病心血管病与自噬调节异常密切相关,但糖尿病心血管病变时自噬水平如何调节才能够保护受损的心肌还尚未定论.为研究自噬在高糖诱导心肌细胞凋亡中的作用及其与Grx1的关系,以明确Grx1对高糖诱导的心肌细胞凋亡的抑制作用及相关机制,本研究以高糖诱导大鼠心肌细胞H9c2建立高糖损伤模型,采用氧化还原蛋白免疫印迹法检测蛋白质的氧化水平.免疫印迹检测活性caspase 3蛋白和自噬蛋白Beclin1和LC3以及抗凋亡蛋白Bcl 2的表达水平.研究发现,高糖可诱导蛋白质的氧化水平增加,而Grx1可拮抗高糖诱导的H9c2细胞中蛋白质的氧化.并且含血清的高糖（25和50 mmol/L）作用H9c2心肌细胞后,自噬蛋白Beclin 1表达水平在6～48 h显著上调.同时发现,活性caspase 3水平也呈时间依赖性表达上调,caspase 3和自噬蛋白表达水平的同趋势增加,说明升高的自噬水平与心肌细胞凋亡的调节有关.Grx1保护组的自噬蛋白及活性caspase 3表达水平均显著下调,Grx1抑制剂镉组可拮抗Grx1调节的自噬蛋白和凋亡蛋白水平,说明Grx 1通过抑制自噬及caspase 3水平抑制高糖诱导的心肌细胞凋亡.以上研究结果提示,通过提高Grx1/GSH抗氧化系统功能,调节氧化还原稳态,可以有效减少高糖诱导的心肌损伤,保护糖尿病心脏功能.     

人参皂苷Rg3通过调节自噬减轻脓毒症心肌损伤

摘要 目的：探讨人参皂苷Rg3（ginsenoside Rg3,Rg3）对脓毒症介导的心肌损伤的作用效果及机制。方法：本研究通过对小鼠进行盲肠结扎穿孔手术的方法构建脓毒症模型。32只BALB/c小鼠随机分为假手术组（Sham组）、脓毒症组（CLP组）、人参皂苷Rg3治疗组（Rg3+CLP组）以及自噬抑制剂干预组（3-MA+Rg3+CLP组）,每组8只。术后18 h分别留取各组小鼠血浆及心肌组织。通过ELISA方法检测白细胞介素-1β（IL-1β）、白细胞介素-18（IL-18）、乳酸脱氢酶（LDH）、肌酸激酶同工酶MB（CK-MB）及半胱氨酸蛋白酶-3（Caspase-3）表达水平。通过HE染色观察心肌组织形态结构的变化。应用Western-blot方法检测自噬及NLRP3炎性小体相关蛋白（NLRP3、ASC、Caspase-1）的表达。结果：与Sham组相比,CLP组小鼠心肌组织结构紊乱,炎性细胞浸润明显。另外,Caspase-3活性增加,NLRP3炎性小体相关蛋白（NLRP3、ASC、Caspase-1）表达升高,差异均有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。与CLP组相比,外源应用Rg3组小鼠心肌组织炎性细胞浸润减少,并且Caspase-3活性降低,NLRP3炎性小体相关蛋白表达下降,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）,而部分自噬相关蛋白表达升高。应用自噬抑制剂后,较单纯应用Rg3组,心肌组织损伤明显,而NLRP3炎性小体活性增加,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。结论：脓毒症时NLRP3炎性小体激活,释放大量的细胞因子,进而导致心肌损伤。而Rg3治疗后,可以调节心肌细胞自噬,抑制NLRP3炎性小体激活,进而减轻细胞因子对心肌细胞的损伤。本研究表明Rg3可能通过调节心肌自噬,抑制NLRP3炎性小体的激活,进而减轻脓毒症时心脏的损伤。     

microRNA-21在大鼠心肌缺氧复氧损伤中的作用及其对细胞自噬的影响

本文应用大鼠心肌细胞缺氧/复氧损伤模型,探讨microRNA-21(miR-21)在大鼠心肌缺氧复氧损伤中的作用及其对细胞自噬的影响.缺氧复氧后,RT-PCR检测发现心肌miR-21表达上调(P0.05),流式细胞术检测表明细胞凋亡增加,RT-PCR及蛋白质印迹(Western blot)检测发现p62显著下调而beclin-1显著上调(P0.05),提示缺氧复氧诱导心肌细胞凋亡和自噬异常.脂质体转染miR-21 mimic后,细胞凋亡显著增加(P0.05),p62显著上调而beclin-1显著下调(P0.05),而转染miR-21抑制剂引起相反结果,提示miR-21在心肌缺氧复氧损伤中具有促进细胞凋亡、抑制细胞自噬的作用.生物信息学预测显示,Rab11a的3′-UTR含有miR-21的结合位点,双荧光素酶基因报告系统及Rab11a过表达实验表明Rab11a是miR-21的靶基因之一.心肌过表达Rab11a能减少缺氧复氧后miR-21介导的细胞凋亡及自噬.由此表明,在大鼠心肌缺氧复氧损伤中,miR-21可能通过负调控Rab11a促进心肌细胞凋亡,抑制心肌细胞自噬.本研究可能为预防和治疗心肌缺血再灌注损伤提供新策略.     

sRAGE抑制缺血/再灌注引起的心肌细胞自噬

可溶性晚期糖基化终末产物受体（soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products,sRAGE）作为内源性保护物质,能够拮抗心肌缺血/再灌注(ischemia/reperfusion,I/R）损伤发生,重要机制是减轻心肌细胞凋亡。而近年来随着细胞死亡研究的深入,细胞自噬被认为是一种新的细胞程序性死亡。sRAGE是否可以抑制缺血/再灌引起的心肌细胞自噬尚未见报道。本文研究证明,sRAGE可抑制缺血/再灌注引起的心肌细胞自噬。以心肌细胞缺氧/复氧模拟心肌细胞缺血/再灌注模型,蛋白质印迹检测自噬门户蛋白beclin-1的表达,激光共聚焦显微镜检测自噬小体及自噬溶酶体的形成。心肌再灌注期间,心肌细胞自噬小体增加,而自噬溶酶体下降。细胞内自噬小体堆积,说明心肌细胞缺血/再灌注使自噬小体与溶酶体结合受损,清除发生障碍。与缺血/再灌注（I/R）组比较,缺血/再灌+sRAGE（I/R+sRAGE）组的自噬流减弱。此外,自噬门户蛋白beclin-1也表达下降。以上结果从细胞形态学和蛋白水平两方面说明,sRAGE抑制了I/R引起的心肌细胞自噬。换言之,sRAGE可以直接作用于心肌细胞拮抗缺血/再灌注损伤,其保护性作用可能与抑制心肌细胞自噬有关。     

MiR-182模拟物提高1型糖尿病小鼠的心脏功能

目的探讨miR-182模拟物对1型糖尿病小鼠心脏功能的影响及可能作用机制。方法 40只8周龄雄性C57小鼠随机分为正常对照组(n=5),miR-182模拟物对照组(n=5),1型糖尿病组(n=15),1型糖尿病+miR-182模拟物治疗组(n=15)。腹腔注射链脲佐菌素(STZ)建立1型糖尿病动物模型。实验于8周末结束,采用小动物用高分辨超声仪测量小鼠心脏功能;运用透射电镜观察心肌组织超微结构改变;利用real-time PCR技术检测心肌组织β-肌球蛋白重链(β-MHC),α-肌球蛋白重链(α-MHC),心房钠尿肽(ANP),I型(Col I)和III型胶原(Col III)mRNA及miR-182 mRNA的表达含量。结果 1miR-182模拟物可改善1型糖尿病小鼠的心脏功能,增加心脏射血分数及左室短轴缩短率(P0.01);2miR-182模拟物可降低糖尿病小鼠心肌组织ANP、Col I、Col III的表达及β/a-MHC比值(P0.01);3miR182模拟物可改善1型糖尿病小鼠心肌超微结构变化,减轻自噬。结论MiR-182模拟物能改善1型糖尿病小鼠的心脏功能,其机制可能与减轻心肌肥大和心肌纤维化,减轻线粒体结构损伤及减轻自噬有关。     

缺血预处理对小鼠心肌缺血再灌注损伤的保护作用研究

通过建立C57/B6雄性小鼠心肌缺血再灌注(ischemia-reperfusion,I/R)模型,探讨缺血预处理对小鼠心肌缺血再灌注损伤的保护作用。首先,将36只6~8周C57/B6雄性小鼠随机分为3组(n=12):假手术组(Sham组)、缺血再灌注组(I/R组)及缺血预处理组(Ipost组)。然后,利用苏木素伊红(hematoxylin and eosin,HE)染色、脱氧三磷酸尿苷缺口末端标记(Td T-mediated d UTP-biotin nick end labeling,TUNEL)染色、免疫组化及蛋白质印迹方法,对比3组小鼠的心肌病理学改变、心肌细胞凋亡情况、梗死心肌边缘区微血管密度(microvessel density,MVD)的变化,以及肿瘤相关蛋白质PTEN(phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted from chromosome 10,即人第10号染色体缺失的磷酸酶及张力蛋白同源基因的编码产物)、自噬相关蛋白质LC3I/II和腺苷酸活化蛋白激酶(5-AMP activated protein kinase,AMPK)的表达水平。结果显示,I/R组心肌组织细胞水肿、炎症细胞浸润等组织病理学变化情况较Sham组明显,而Ipost组中的情况相比I/R组有明显改善;同时,Ipost组心肌凋亡率高于Sham组,但显著低于I/R组(P0.01);Ipost组梗死心肌边缘区域的微血管密度显著高于I/R组(P0.01)。此外,缺血预处理后,PTEN的表达水平降低,AMPK磷酸化水平以及LC3I/II蛋白的表达水平均增强。由此可见,缺血预处理可减轻I/R损伤,减少心肌梗死面积,减轻心肌水肿,对心肌细胞有明显的保护作用,其机制可能与梗死心肌中PTEN表达下调、AMPK磷酸化水平增强、心肌细胞自噬增强和凋亡减少有关。     

富氢液对脓毒症小鼠心肌细胞线粒体自噬的影响

为评价富氢液（hydrogen-rich saline,HRS）对脓毒症小鼠心肌细胞线粒体自噬的调节及其对心功能障碍的治疗作用,选取72只雄性C57BL/6J小鼠作为研究对象,采用随机数字表法分为假手术组（Sham组）、假手术+富氢液组（Sham+HRS组）、脓毒症组（CLP组）、CLP+富氢液组（CLP+HRS组）,每组18只。采用盲肠结扎穿孔法建立小鼠CLP模型。Sham+HRS组和CLP+HRS组分别于造模后1、6 h时腹腔注射富氢液10 mL·kg^-1。每组随机取6只小鼠,于造模后24 h时收集小鼠颈动脉血样,采用ELISA法测定血液肿瘤坏死因子α（tumor necrosis factor-α,TNF-α）、白细胞介素（interleukin-1β,IL-1β）、肌钙蛋白I（cardiac troponin I,cTnI）和肌酸激酶同工酶（creatine kinase MB,CK-MB）水平;于造模后24 h时取心肌组织,采用荧光素-荧光酶发光法检测ATP,荧光分光光度法检测线粒体膜电位（mitochondrial membrane potential,MMP）。造模后24 h采用Western blot法测定心肌组织线粒体自噬相关蛋白微管关联蛋白轻链3Ⅱ/轻链3Ⅰ（microtubule-associated protein 1 light/protein 3 light,LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ）和蛋白62（protein 62,P62）的表达水平。结果显示,与Sham组比较,CLP组血清TNF-α、IL-1β、cTnI和CK-MB水平升高,心肌ATP、MMP水平下降,心肌LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ表达水平上调,P62表达水平下调,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）;与CLP组比较,CLP+HRS组血清TNF-α、IL-1β、cTnI和CK-MB含量下降,心肌组织ATP、MMP水平升高,LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ表达水平进一步上调,P62表达进一步下调（P<0.05）。结果表明,富氢液对脓毒症小鼠心功能障碍的治疗作用可能是通过调节心肌细胞线粒体自噬实现的。研究旨在探讨富氢液对脓毒症小鼠心功能障碍的治疗作用及机制,以期为富氢液的临床转化提供理论依据。     

杨梅素对小鼠梗死后心肌重塑和心力衰竭的影响及机制

目的:探讨杨梅素对小鼠梗死后心肌重塑和心力衰竭的影响及调控机制。方法:结扎左冠状动脉前降支建立心肌梗死的模型,将雄性C57/BL6J小鼠随机分为3组(每组20只):假手术组、心肌梗死组、心肌梗死+杨梅素组。心肌梗死+杨梅素组给予杨梅素250 mg/kg/d灌胃,假手术组和心肌梗死组给予同体积5%羧甲基纤维素钠灌胃。药物治疗1月后,小鼠心脏超声检测心功能;Masson染色评估胶原容积分数(collagen volume fraction,CVF);电镜检测心肌线粒体损伤;Western blot检测p-Mst1、LC3和p62的表达。结果:与假手术组相比,心肌梗死组心功能显著降低(P0.05),心肌ANP和BNP mRNA水平显著增高(P0.05),CVF显著增高(P0.05),线粒体明显肿胀,p-Mst1表达和LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ比率显著增高(P0.05),p62表达显著降低(P0.05);与心肌梗死组相比,心功能显著增加(P0.05),心肌ANP和BNP mRNA水平显著降低(P0.05),CVF显著降低(P0.05),线粒体超微结构有显著改善,p-Mst1、p62表达显著降低(P0.05),LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ比率显著增高(P0.05)。结论:杨梅素可能通过抑制Mst1减轻小鼠梗死后心肌重塑和心力衰竭。     

mTOR信号通路诱导的自噬在心肌细胞缺氧损伤中的作用研究

目的:探讨自噬在心肌细胞缺氧损伤中的作用及分子机制。方法:体外分离培养乳鼠心肌细胞,体外建立缺氧/去血清(H/SD)模型以模拟在体的缺血环境。分别给予自噬抑制剂3-甲基腺嘌呤(3MA,5 mM)和mTOR抑制剂雷帕霉素(1.0μg/L)调节心肌细胞自噬水平。分别采用TUNEL染色检测心肌细胞凋亡,Western blot方法检测心肌细胞蛋白表达水平。结果:H/SD损伤可以显著诱导心肌细胞自噬水平(P0.05),并且细胞自噬水平可以被3-MA及雷帕霉素调节。同时,H/SD可以显著增加心肌细胞凋亡(P0.05),而给予3-MA抑制自噬水平可以减少细胞凋亡(P0.05)。相反,雷帕霉素增加自噬同样可以加重缺氧导致的心肌细胞凋亡(P0.05)。H/SD损伤过程中,心肌细胞mTOR信号通路被激活,而自噬抑制剂3-MA可以显著提高缺氧条件下心肌细胞中p-mTOR(Ser2448)的表达水平(P0.05),并增加mTOR下游分子p-p70S6k(P0.05)和p-S6(P0.05)的表达。结论:mTOR信号通路诱导的细胞自噬可能参与了缺氧损伤诱导的心肌细胞凋亡。     

Chronic Deletion and Acute Knockdown of Parkin Have Differential Responses to Acetaminophen-induced Mitophagy and Liver Injury in Mice

We previously demonstrated that pharmacological induction of autophagy protected against acetaminophen (APAP)-induced liver injury in mice by clearing damaged mitochondria. However, the mechanism for removal of mitochondria by autophagy is unknown. Parkin, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, has been shown to be required for mitophagy induction in cultured mammalian cells following mitochondrial depolarization, but its role in vivo is not clear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of Parkin-mediated mitophagy in protection against APAP-induced liver injury. We found that Parkin translocated to mitochondria in mouse livers after APAP treatment followed by mitochondrial protein ubiquitination and mitophagy induction. To our surprise, we found that mitophagy still occurred in Parkin knock-out (KO) mice after APAP treatment based on electron microscopy analysis and Western blot analysis for some mitochondrial proteins, and Parkin KO mice were protected against APAP-induced liver injury compared with wild type mice. Mechanistically, we found that Parkin KO mice had decreased activated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), increased induction of myeloid leukemia cell differentiation protein (Mcl-1) expression, and increased hepatocyte proliferation after APAP treatment in their livers compared with WT mice. In contrast to chronic deletion of Parkin, acute knockdown of Parkin in mouse livers using adenovirus shRNA reduced mitophagy and Mcl-1 expression but increased JNK activation after APAP administration, which exacerbated APAP-induced liver injury. Therefore, chronic deletion (KO) and acute knockdown of Parkin have differential responses to APAP-induced mitophagy and liver injury in mice.     

Poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase inhibition protects against myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion injury via suppressing mitophagy

Myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury attenuates the beneficial effects of reperfusion therapy. Poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase (PARP) is overactivated during myocardial I/R injury. Mitophagy plays a critical role in the development of myocardial I/R injury. However, the effect of PARP activation on mitophagy in cardiomyocytes is unknown. In this study, we found that I/R induced PARP activation and mitophagy in mouse hearts. Poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase inhibition reduced the infarct size and suppressed mitophagy after myocardial I/R injury. In vitro, hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) activated PARP, promoted mitophagy and induced cell apoptosis in cardiomyocytes. Poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase inhibition suppressed H/R‐induced mitophagy and cell apoptosis. Parkin knockdown with lentivirus vectors inhibited mitophagy and prevented cell apoptosis in H/R‐treated cells. Poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase inhibition prevented the loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm). Cyclosporin A maintained ΔΨm and suppressed mitophagy but FCCP reduced the effect of PARP inhibition on ΔΨm and promoted mitophagy, indicating the critical role of ΔΨm in H/R‐induced mitophagy. Furthermore, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and poly(ADP‐ribosylation) of CypD and TSPO might contribute to the regulation of ΔΨm by PARP. Our findings thus suggest that PARP inhibition protects against I/R‐induced cell apoptosis by suppressing excessive mitophagy via the ΔΨm/Parkin pathway.     

Autophagy limits acute myocardial infarction induced by permanent coronary artery occlusion

Ischemia is known to potently stimulate autophagy in the heart, which may contribute to cardiomyocyte survival. In vitro, transfection with small interfering RNAs targeting Atg5 or Lamp-2 (an autophagy-related gene necessary, respectively, for the initiation and digestion step of autophagy), which specifically inhibited autophagy, diminished survival among cultured cardiomyocytes subjected to anoxia and significantly reduced their ATP content, confirming an autophagy-mediated protective effect against anoxia. We next examined the dynamics of cardiomyocyte autophagy and the effects of manipulating autophagy during acute myocardial infarction in vivo. Myocardial infarction was induced by permanent ligation of the left coronary artery in green fluorescent protein-microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (GFP-LC3) transgenic mice in which GFP-LC3 aggregates to be visible in the cytoplasm when autophagy is activated. Autophagy was rapidly (within 30 min after coronary ligation) activated in cardiomyocytes, and autophagic activity was particularly strong in salvaged cardiomyocytes bordering the infarcted area. Treatment with bafilomycin A1, an autophagy inhibitor, significantly increased infarct size (31% expansion) 24 h postinfarction. Interestingly, acute infarct size was significantly reduced (23% reduction) in starved mice showing prominent autophagy before infarction. Treatment with bafilomycin A1 reduced postinfarction myocardial ATP content, whereas starvation increased myocardial levels of amino acids and ATP, and the combined effects of bafilomycin A1 and starvation on acute infarct size offset one another. The present findings suggest that autophagy is an innate and potent process that protects cardiomyocytes from ischemic death during acute myocardial infarction.     

SIRT3抑制线粒体自噬并减轻高糖加重的神经元缺氧再灌注损伤*

目的:探讨SIRT3调控的线粒体自噬对高糖加重神经元缺氧再灌注损伤的影响及机制。方法:高糖(50 mmol/L)干预HT22细胞后,构建细胞缺氧/复氧模型,利用SIRT3抑制剂3-TYP抑制SIRT3表达。倒置显微镜观察细胞形态改变,CCK8法检测细胞存活率,流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡率,TMRE荧光试剂盒检测细胞线粒体膜电位,RT-qPCR、Western blot检测相关分子的基因和蛋白质表达。结果:高糖使神经元缺氧再灌注后的细胞碎片进一步增加,细胞存活率降低,细胞凋亡率升高(P<0.05)。此外,高糖降低了神经元缺氧再灌注后的线粒体膜电位(P<0.05)。进一步研究发现,高糖上调神经元缺氧再灌注后线粒体分裂相关蛋白DRP1的表达水平,降低了线粒体融合相关蛋白OPA1和线粒体外膜蛋白TOM20的表达;并且增加了自噬相关蛋白LC3Ⅱ、Beclin-1和线粒体自噬相关蛋白PINK1、Parkin的表达;同时,高糖升高了SIRT3的基因和蛋白质表达(P<0.05)。而SIRT3抑制剂3-TYP使神经元高糖缺氧再灌注损伤加重,同时进一步上调DRP1、LC3Ⅱ和PINK1的蛋白质表达(P<0.05)。结论:高糖可显著加重神经元缺氧再灌注损伤,破坏细胞线粒体功能,激活细胞线粒体自噬;SIRT3可抑制PINK1-Parkin通路介导的线粒体自噬并减轻神经元高糖缺氧再灌注损伤。     

Exosomes derived from SDF1-overexpressing mesenchymal stem cells inhibit ischemic myocardial cell apoptosis and promote cardiac endothelial microvascular regeneration in mice with myocardial infarction

Exosomes extracted from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) was reported to reduce myocardial ischemia/reperfusion damage. Besides, stromal-derived factor 1 (SDF1a) functions as cardiac repair after myocardial infarction (MI). Therefore, the present study aims to identify whether exosomes (Exo) released from SDF1-overexpressing MSCs display a beneficial effect on ischemic myocardial infarction. Initially, a gain-of-function study was performed to investigate the function of SDF1 in ischemic myocardial cells and cardiac endothelial cells. Coculture experiments were performed to measure potential exosomic transfer of SDF1 from MSCs to ischemic myocardial cells and cardiac endothelial cells. During the coculture experiments, exosome secretion was disrupted by neutral sphingomyelinase inhibitor GW4869 and upregulated exosomal SDF1 using SDF1 plasmid. Effects of Exo-SDF1 on cardiac function in MI mice were investigated in vivo. MSCs suppressed myocardial cell apoptosis and promoted microvascular regeneration of endothelial cells through secretion of exosomes. The addition of GW4869 led to increased apoptotic capacity of myocardial cells, decreased microvascular formation ability of endothelial cells, enhanced autophagy ability, and elevated Beclin-1 level as well as ratio of LC3II/LC3I. Overexpression of SDF1 and Exo-SDF1 inhibited apoptosis and autophagy of myocardial cells, but promoted tube formation of endothelial cells. The interference of PI3K signaling pathway promoted apoptosis and autophagy of myocardial cells, but inhibited tube formation of endothelial cells. SDF1 activated the PI3K signaling pathway. Exo-SDF1 protected cardiac function of MI mice and inhibited myocardial tissue damage. This study provided evidence that SDF1 overexpression in MSCs-derived exosomes inhibited autophagy of ischemic myocardial cells and promoted microvascular production of endothelial cells.     

Redox regulation of mitophagy in the lung during murine Staphylococcus aureus sepsis

Oxidative mitochondrial damage is closely linked to inflammation and cell death, but low levels of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species serve as signals that involve mitochondrial repair and resolution of inflammation. More specifically, cytoprotection relies on the elimination of damaged mitochondria by selective autophagy (mitophagy) during mitochondrial quality control. This aim of this study was to identify and localize mitophagy in the mouse lung as a potentially upregulatable redox response to Staphylococcus aureus sepsis. Fibrin clots loaded with S. aureus (1×10⁷ CFU) were implanted abdominally into anesthetized C57BL/6 and B6.129X1-Nfe2l2tm1Ywk/J (Nrf2^−/−) mice. At the time of implantation, mice were given vancomycin (6 mg/kg) and fluid resuscitation. Mouse lungs were harvested at 0, 6, 24, and 48 h for bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), Western blot analysis, and qRT-PCR. To localize mitochondria with autophagy protein LC3, we used lung immunofluorescence staining in LC3–GFP transgenic mice. In C57BL/6 mice, sepsis-induced pulmonary inflammation was detected by significant increases in mRNA for the inflammatory markers IL-1β and TNF-α at 6 and 24 h, respectively. BAL cell count and protein also increased. Sepsis suppressed lung Beclin-1 protein, but not mRNA, suggesting activation of canonical autophagy. Notably sepsis also increased the LC3-II autophagosome marker, as well as the lung׳s noncanonical autophagy pathway as evidenced by loss of p62, a redox-regulated scaffolding protein of the autophagosome. In LC3–GFP mouse lungs, immunofluorescence staining showed colocalization of LC3-II to mitochondria, mainly in type 2 epithelium and alveolar macrophages. In contrast, marked accumulation of p62, as well as attenuation of LC3-II in Nrf2-knockout mice supported an overall decrease in autophagic turnover. The downregulation of canonical autophagy during sepsis may contribute to lung inflammation, whereas the switch to noncanonical autophagy selectively removes damaged mitochondria and accompanies tissue repair and cell survival. Furthermore, mitophagy in the alveolar region appears to depend on activation of Nrf2. Thus, efforts to promote mitophagy may be a useful therapeutic adjunct for acute lung injury in sepsis.     

PINK1 Is Dispensable for Mitochondrial Recruitment of Parkin and Activation of Mitophagy in Cardiac Myocytes

Myocyte function and survival relies on the maintenance of a healthy population of mitochondria. The PINK1/Parkin pathway plays an important role in clearing defective mitochondria via autophagy in cells. However, how the PINK1/Parkin pathway regulates mitochondrial quality control and whether it coordinates with other mitophagy pathways are still unclear. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effect of PINK1-deficiency on mitochondrial quality control in myocytes. Using PINK1-deficient (PINK1-/-) mice, we found that Parkin is recruited to damaged cardiac mitochondria in hearts after treatment with the mitochondrial uncoupler FCCP or after a myocardial infarction even in the absence of PINK1. Parkin recruitment to depolarized mitochondria correlates with increased ubiquitination of mitochondrial proteins and activation of mitophagy in PINK1-/- myocytes. In addition, induction of mitophagy by the atypical BH3-only protein BNIP3 is unaffected by lack of PINK1. Overall, these data suggest that Parkin recruitment to depolarized cardiac mitochondria and subsequent activation of mitophagy is independent of PINK1. Moreover, alternative mechanisms of Parkin activation and pathways of mitophagy remain functional in PINK1-/- myocytes and could compensate for the PINK1 deficiency.     

Mammalian target of rapamycin inhibition attenuates myocardial ischaemia–reperfusion injury in hypertrophic heart

Pathological cardiac hypertrophy aggravated myocardial infarction and is causally related to autophagy dysfunction and increased oxidative stress. Rapamycin is an inhibitor of serine/threonine kinase mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) involved in the regulation of autophagy as well as oxidative/nitrative stress. Here, we demonstrated that rapamycin ameliorates myocardial ischaemia reperfusion injury by rescuing the defective cytoprotective mechanisms in hypertrophic heart. Our results showed that chronic rapamycin treatment markedly reduced the phosphorylated mTOR and ribosomal protein S6 expression, but not Akt in both normal and aortic‐banded mice. Moreover, chronic rapamycin treatment significantly mitigated TAC‐induced autophagy dysfunction demonstrated by prompted Beclin‐1 activation, elevated LC3‐II/LC3‐I ratio and increased autophagosome abundance. Most importantly, we found that MI/R‐induced myocardial injury was markedly reduced by rapamycin treatment manifested by the inhibition of myocardial apoptosis, the reduction of myocardial infarct size and the improvement of cardiac function in hypertrophic heart. Mechanically, rapamycin reduced the MI/R‐induced iNOS/gp91^phox protein expression and decreased the generation of NO and superoxide, as well as the cytotoxic peroxynitrite. Moreover, rapamycin significantly mitigated MI/R‐induced endoplasmic reticulum stress and mitochondrial impairment demonstrated by reduced Caspase‐12 activity, inhibited CHOP activation, decreased cytoplasmic Cyto‐C release and preserved intact mitochondria. In addition, inhibition of mTOR also enhanced the phosphorylated ERK and eNOS, and inactivated GSK3β, a pivotal downstream target of Akt and ERK signallings. Taken together, these results suggest that mTOR signalling protects against MI/R injury through autophagy induction and ERK‐mediated antioxidative and anti‐nitrative stress in mice with hypertrophic myocardium.     

Critical role of angiopoietins/Tie-2 in hyperglycemic exacerbation of myocardial infarction and impaired angiogenesis

Angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) and angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) are the two ligands of the Tie-2 receptor, a receptor tyrosine kinase that is expressed on the endothelium. A balanced angiopoietin/Tie-2 system is critical for the maintenance of vascular integrity. We investigated the potential role of a disrupted angiopoietin/Tie-2 system on hyperglycemic exacerbation of myocardial infarction and impaired angiogenesis. Using streptozotocin (STZ) mice subjected to myocardial ischemia, we examined the effects of shifting the Ang-2-to-Ang-1 ratio on myocardial infarction size, apoptosis, bone marrow (BM) cell-endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) differentiation, and angiogenesis. In control mice, myocardial ischemia increased expression of both Ang-2 and Tie-2. In STZ mice, Ang-2 expression was elevated, whereas Tie-2 expression was reduced, and neither was significantly altered by ischemia. Myocardial infarct size and apoptosis were increased in STZ compared with control mice. Using in vivo administration of an adenovirus containing Ang-1 or Ang-2, we found that shifting the Ang-2-to-Ang-1 ratio to favor Ang-1 reduced myocardial apoptosis and infarct size in STZ mice, while shifting the Ang-2-to-Ang-1 ratio to favor Ang-2 resulted in a significant increase in myocardial infarct size and apoptosis in control mice. Myocardial ischemia-stimulated BM cell-EPC differentiation was inhibited and myocardial angiogenesis was reduced in STZ mice. Systemic administration of Ad-Ang-1 restored BM cell-EPC differentiation and increased myocardial VEGF expression and angiogenesis in STZ mice. Our data demonstrate that disturbed angiopoietin/Tie-2 signaling contributes to the hyperglycemic exacerbation of myocardial infarction and impaired angiogenesis. Restoration of the Ang-2-to-Ang-1 ratio may be a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of diabetic myocardial ischemic diseases.