Regulation of Cardiac Energy Metabolism in Newborn

Energy in the form of ATP is supplied from the oxidation of fatty acids and glucose in the adult heart in most species. In the fetal heart, carbohydrates, primarily glucose and lactate, are the preferred sources for ATP production. As the newborn matures the contribution of fatty acid oxidation to overall energy production increases and becomes the dominant substrate for the adult heart. The mechanisms responsible for this switch in energy substrate preference in the heart are complicated to identify due to slight differences between species and differences in techniques that are utilized. Nevertheless, our current knowledge suggests that the switch in energy substrate preference occurs due to a combination of events. During pregnancy, the fetus receives a constant supply of nutrients that is rich carbohydrates and poor in fatty acids in many species. Immediately after birth, the newborn is fed with milk that is high in fat and low in carbohydrates. The hormonal environment is also different between the fetal and the newborn. Moreover, direct subcellular changes occur in the newborn period that play a major role in the adaptation of the newborn heart to extrauterin life. The newborn period is unique and provides a very useful model to examine not only the metabolic changes, but also the effects of hormonal changes on the heart. A better understanding of developmental physiology and metabolism is also very important to approach certain disorders in energy substrate metabolism.     

Assessment of Cardiac Function and Energetics in Isolated Mouse Hearts Using 31P NMR Spectroscopy

Bioengineered mouse models have become powerful research tools in determining causal relationships between molecular alterations and models of cardiovascular disease. Although molecular biology is necessary in identifying key changes in the signaling pathway, it is not a surrogate for functional significance. While physiology can provide answers to the question of function, combining physiology with biochemical assessment of metabolites in the intact, beating heart allows for a complete picture of cardiac function and energetics. For years, our laboratory has utilized isolated heart perfusions combined with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to accomplish this task. Left ventricular function is assessed by Langendorff-mode isolated heart perfusions while cardiac energetics is measured by performing ³¹P magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the perfused hearts. With these techniques, indices of cardiac function in combination with levels of phosphocreatine and ATP can be measured simultaneously in beating hearts. Furthermore, these parameters can be monitored while physiologic or pathologic stressors are instituted. For example, ischemia/reperfusion or high workload challenge protocols can be adopted. The use of aortic banding or other models of cardiac pathology are apt as well. Regardless of the variants within the protocol, the functional and energetic significance of molecular modifications of transgenic mouse models can be adequately described, leading to new insights into the associated enzymatic and metabolic pathways. Therefore, ³¹P NMR spectroscopy in the isolated perfused heart is a valuable research technique in animal models of cardiovascular disease.     

Long-term Heat Exposure Prevents Hypoxia-Induced Apoptosis in Mouse Fibroblast Cells

Long-term continuous exposure to high ambient temperatures induces complete heat acclimation in humans and animals. However, to date, the effects of long-term exposure to heat stress on cells have not been fully evaluated. In this study, we investigated an adaptive physiological process induced in culture cells by continuous exposure to mild heat stress for 60 days. The results of this investigation provide evidence that after long-term heat acclimation in cells, (1) heat shock protein levels are increased, (2) hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) expression is upregulated, and (3) heat shock-induced and hypoxia-induced apoptoses are attenuated. These results suggest that the hypoxia response pathway is an intrinsic part of the heat acclimation repertoire and that the HIF-1 pathway following long-term heat acclimation induces cells with cross tolerance against hypoxia.     

人参皂甙Rb1改善转基因扩张型心肌病模型小鼠的心功能和心脏重构

目的利用cTnT^R141W转基因扩张型心肌病小鼠,研究人参皂甙Rb1对遗传性扩张型心肌病心功能及心脏重构的作用及其可能机制。方法将cTnT^R141W转基因小鼠随机分为模型组和人参皂甙Rb1治疗组（70 mg/kg/d）,连续给药7个月,取野生型小鼠作为对照组。心脏超声检测心脏功能及几何构型。HE染色观察心肌细胞变化。透射电镜分析心肌超微结构。RT-PCR检测心肌粘附蛋白的表达。免疫荧光激光共聚焦观察心肌粘附分子Itga8的表达与分布。结果Rb1长期给药能显著改善该模型的心脏功能及几何构型。光镜和透射电镜观察显示Rb1能减轻心肌细胞排列紊乱及超微结构的破坏。RT-PCR结果显示,在模型中Cx40表达降低,E-cad、itga8和itgb1bp3表达升高,但在Rb1组中接近正常水平。免疫荧光激光共聚焦结果显示Rb1可降低Itga8的表达量并调节其分布。结论Rb1可改善扩张型心肌病模型的心功能,抑制心脏重构,其作用可能部分通过调节粘附蛋白的表达而实现的。     

DEAD-Box Helicase 18 Counteracts PRC2 to Safeguard Ribosomal DNA in Pluripotency Regulation

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Altered Neurocircuitry in the Dopamine Transporter Knockout Mouse Brain

The plasma membrane transporters for the monoamine neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine modulate the dynamics of these monoamine neurotransmitters. Thus, activity of these transporters has significant consequences for monoamine activity throughout the brain and for a number of neurological and psychiatric disorders. Gene knockout (KO) mice that reduce or eliminate expression of each of these monoamine transporters have provided a wealth of new information about the function of these proteins at molecular, physiological and behavioral levels. In the present work we use the unique properties of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to probe the effects of altered dopaminergic dynamics on meso-scale neuronal circuitry and overall brain morphology, since changes at these levels of organization might help to account for some of the extensive pharmacological and behavioral differences observed in dopamine transporter (DAT) KO mice. Despite the smaller size of these animals, voxel-wise statistical comparison of high resolution structural MR images indicated little morphological change as a consequence of DAT KO. Likewise, proton magnetic resonance spectra recorded in the striatum indicated no significant changes in detectable metabolite concentrations between DAT KO and wild-type (WT) mice. In contrast, alterations in the circuitry from the prefrontal cortex to the mesocortical limbic system, an important brain component intimately tied to function of mesolimbic/mesocortical dopamine reward pathways, were revealed by manganese-enhanced MRI (MEMRI). Analysis of co-registered MEMRI images taken over the 26 hours after introduction of Mn²⁺ into the prefrontal cortex indicated that DAT KO mice have a truncated Mn²⁺ distribution within this circuitry with little accumulation beyond the thalamus or contralateral to the injection site. By contrast, WT littermates exhibit Mn²⁺ transport into more posterior midbrain nuclei and contralateral mesolimbic structures at 26 hr post-injection. Thus, DAT KO mice appear, at this level of anatomic resolution, to have preserved cortico-striatal-thalamic connectivity but diminished robustness of reward-modulating circuitry distal to the thalamus. This is in contradistinction to the state of this circuitry in serotonin transporter KO mice where we observed more robust connectivity in more posterior brain regions using methods identical to those employed here.     

Altered Reward Circuitry in the Norepinephrine Transporter Knockout Mouse

Synaptic levels of the monoamine neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine are modulated by their respective plasma membrane transporters, albeit with a few exceptions. Monoamine transporters remove monoamines from the synaptic cleft and thus influence the degree and duration of signaling. Abnormal concentrations of these neuronal transmitters are implicated in a number of neurological and psychiatric disorders, including addiction, depression, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. This work concentrates on the norepinephrine transporter (NET), using a battery of in vivo magnetic resonance imaging techniques and histological correlates to probe the effects of genetic deletion of the norepinephrine transporter on brain metabolism, anatomy and functional connectivity. MRS recorded in the striatum of NET knockout mice indicated a lower concentration of NAA that correlates with histological observations of subtle dysmorphisms in the striatum and internal capsule. As with DAT and SERT knockout mice, we detected minimal structural alterations in NET knockout mice by tensor-based morphometric analysis. In contrast, longitudinal imaging after stereotaxic prefrontal cortical injection of manganese, an established neuronal circuitry tracer, revealed that the reward circuit in the NET knockout mouse is biased toward anterior portions of the brain. This is similar to previous results observed for the dopamine transporter (DAT) knockout mouse, but dissimilar from work with serotonin transporter (SERT) knockout mice where Mn²⁺ tracings extended to more posterior structures than in wildtype animals. These observations correlate with behavioral studies indicating that SERT knockout mice display anxiety-like phenotypes, while NET knockouts and to a lesser extent DAT knockout mice display antidepressant-like phenotypic features. Thus, the mainly anterior activity detected with manganese-enhanced MRI in the DAT and NET knockout mice is likely indicative of more robust connectivity in the frontal portion of the reward circuit of the DAT and NET knockout mice compared to the SERT knockout mice.     

Muscle RING Finger-1 Promotes a Maladaptive Phenotype in Chronic Hypoxia-Induced Right Ventricular Remodeling

Exposure to chronic hypoxia (CH) induces elevated pulmonary artery pressure/resistance, leading to an eventual maladaptive right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH). Muscle RING finger-1 (MuRF1) is a muscle-specific ubiquitin ligase that mediates myocyte atrophy and has been shown to play a role in left ventricular hypertrophy and altered cardiac bioenergetics in pressure overloaded hearts. However, little is known about the contribution of MuRF1 impacting RVH in the setting of CH. Therefore, we hypothesized that MuRF1 deletion would enhance RVH compared to their wild-type littermates, while cardiac-specific overexpression would reduce hypertrophy following CH-induced pulmonary hypertension. We assessed right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP), right ventricle to left ventricle plus septal weight ratio (RV/LV+S) and hematocrit (Hct) following a 3-wk isobaric CH exposure. Additionally, we conducted dual-isotope SPECT/CT imaging with cardiac function agent ²⁰¹Tl-chloride and cell death agent ^99mTc-annexin V. Predictably, CH induced pulmonary hypertension, measured by increased RVSP, RV/LV+S and Hct in WT mice compared to normoxic WT mice. Normoxic WT and MuRF1-null mice exhibited no significant differences in RVSP, RV/LV+S or Hct. CH-induced increases in RVSP were also similar between WT and MuRF1-null mice; however, RV/LV+S and Hct were significantly elevated in CH-exposed MuRF1-null mice compared to WT. In cardiac-specific MuRF1 overexpressing mice, RV/LV+S increased significantly due to CH exposure, even greater than in WT mice. This remodeling appeared eccentric, maladaptive and led to reduced systemic perfusion. In conclusion, these results are consistent with an atrophic role for MuRF1 regulating the magnitude of right ventricular hypertrophy following CH-induction of pulmonary hypertension.     

Altered Energetics of Exercise Explain Risk of Rhabdomyolysis in Very Long-Chain Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency

Rhabdomyolysis is common in very long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (VLCADD) and other metabolic myopathies, but its pathogenic basis is poorly understood. Here, we show that prolonged bicycling exercise against a standardized moderate workload in VLCADD patients is associated with threefold bigger changes in phosphocreatine (PCr) and inorganic phosphate (Pi) concentrations in quadriceps muscle and twofold lower changes in plasma acetyl-carnitine levels than in healthy subjects. This result is consistent with the hypothesis that muscle ATP homeostasis during exercise is compromised in VLCADD. However, the measured rates of PCr and Pi recovery post-exercise showed that the mitochondrial capacity for ATP synthesis in VLCADD muscle was normal. Mathematical modeling of oxidative ATP metabolism in muscle composed of three different fiber types indicated that the observed altered energy balance during submaximal exercise in VLCADD patients may be explained by a slow-to-fast shift in quadriceps fiber-type composition corresponding to 30% of the slow-twitch fiber-type pool in healthy quadriceps muscle. This study demonstrates for the first time that quadriceps energy balance during exercise in VLCADD patients is altered but not because of failing mitochondrial function. Our findings provide new clues to understanding the risk of rhabdomyolysis following exercise in human VLCADD.     

缺氧应激对肝癌细胞代谢信号通路的调节作用

通过实验阐明在缺氧条件下糖酵解相关基因表达的变化规律及对肿瘤细胞和正常细胞增殖的影响,并探索活性氧(ROS)介导肝癌细胞代谢途径及对相关基因表达和酶活性的调节作用.以SMMC-7721人肝癌细胞和L02正常肝细胞作为研究对象,分别在单纯缺氧及加葡萄糖缺氧条件下,观察细胞生长,并检测糖代谢关键酶:丙酮酸激酶(pyruvate-kinase,PK)、己糖激酶(hexokinase,HK)、琥珀酸脱氢酶(succinic dehydrogenase,SDH)、异柠檬酸脱氢酶(isocitric dehydrogenase,IDH)mRNA表达水平和乳酸脱氢酶(lactate dehydrogenase,LDH)活性.还检测了pkb基因及缺氧诱导因子hif-1的表达.实验结果说明:a.肿瘤细胞较正常细胞具有更强的缺氧耐受性;b.缺氧条件下,糖酵解途径的增强是保证肿瘤细胞能快速增殖的机制之一;c.ROS通过HIF-1介导了糖代谢通路相关酶的基因表达,参与肝癌细胞缺氧信号通路调节,用抗氧化剂干预可以降低肿瘤细胞的缺氧耐受能力.     

Altered Hippocampal-Prefrontal Neural Dynamics in Mouse Models of Down Syndrome

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Energy Production in Cardiac Isotonic Contractions

The energy output of rabbit papillary muscle is examined and it is shown that there is more energy liberated in an afterloaded isotonic contraction than in an "equivalent" isometric contraction. This statement holds true regardless of whether equivalence is based on the proposition that tension or the time integral of tension is the best index of muscle energy expenditure. Besides the external work performed there is additional heat production in isotonic contractions and this heat increases as the afterload is decreased. The additional heat is more evident when tension rather than the time integral of tension is made the determinant of energy expenditure. It is shown in single contractions that the rate of isotonic heat production, regardless of afterload size, never exceeds the heat rate recorded in an isometric contraction at the same initial length. Experiments reveal no simple linear correlation between isotonic energy output and contractile element work. Problems associated with the compartmentalization of the energy output of a contraction are discussed.     

Altered Axonal Transport of Cytoskeletal Proteins in the Mutant Diabetic Mouse

Polypeptides in the motor axons of the sciatic nerve in 120-day-old normal and diabetic mice C57BL/Ks (db/db) were labeled by injection of [35S]methionine into the ventral horn of the spinal cord. At 8, 15, and 25 days after the injection, the distribution of radiolabeled polypeptides along the sciatic nerve was analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Four major radiolabeled polypeptides, tentatively identified as actin, tubulin, and the two lightest subunits of the neurofilament triplet, were studied in both diabetic and control mice. In the diabetic animals, the two polypeptides identified as actin and tubulin showed a reduction of average velocity of migration along the sciatic nerve, resulting in a higher fraction of radioactivity in the proximal part of the sciatic nerve, whereas the front of radioactivity (advancing at maximal velocity) moved at a normal rate. In contrast, both the average and maximal velocities of the two neurofilament subunits were slower in the diabetic mice than in the control mice. These results indicate that the axonal transport of the cytoskeletal proteins is differentially affected in the course of diabetic neuropathy, and may suggest that the impairment concerns mainly the proteins carried by the slowest component of axonal transport.     

miR-1 Exacerbates Cardiac Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Mouse Models

Recent studies have revealed the critical role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in regulating cardiac injury. Among them, the cardiac enriched microRNA-1(miR-1) has been extensively investigated and proven to be detrimental to cardiac myocytes. However, solid in vivo evidence for the role of miR-1 in cardiac injury is still missing and the potential therapeutic advantages of systemic knockdown of miR-1 expression remained unexplored. In this study, miR-1 transgenic (miR-1 Tg) mice and locked nucleic acid modified oligonucleotide against miR-1 (LNA-antimiR-1) were used to explore the effects of miR-1 on cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury (30 min ischemia followed by 24 h reperfusion). The cardiac miR-1 level was significantly increased in miR-1 Tg mice, and suppressed in LNA-antimiR-1 treated mice. When subjected to ischemia/reperfusion injury, miR-1 overexpression exacerbated cardiac injury, manifested by increased LDH, CK levels, caspase-3 expression, apoptosis and cardiac infarct area. On the contrary, LNA-antimiR-1 treatment significantly attenuated cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury. The expression of PKCε and HSP60 was significantly repressed by miR-1 and enhanced by miR-1 knockdown, which may be a molecular mechanism for the role miR-1 in cardiac injury. Moreover, luciferase assay confirmed the direct regulation of miR-1 on protein kinase C epsilon (PKCε) and heat shock protein 60 (HSP60). In summary, this study demonstrated that miR-1 is a causal factor for cardiac injury and systemic LNA-antimiR-1 therapy is effective in ameliorating the problem.     

PKC对小鼠受精卵发育的调控作用

为研究 TPA及 PKC的反义寡核苷酸对 1 -细胞期鼠受精卵发育的影响 ,采用免疫细胞化学法标记 PKC(α及 β亚型 ) ,并用激光扫描共聚焦显微镜测定卵内 PKC荧光强度 ;同时利用显微注射法注射 PKC的反义寡核苷酸 ,观察其对受精卵分裂的影响 . 1 0 0 μg/ L TPA对 1 -细胞期受精卵的发育具有完全抑制作用 .TPA处理 1 2 h后 ,对照组受精卵停留在 1 -细胞期 ,而未经 TPA处理的1 -细胞期卵可以分裂到 2 -细胞期 .共焦激光显示实验组与对照组相比 ,PKC(α、β亚型 )荧光强度均有下降 (P<0 .0 1 ) .显微注射 PKC antisenseα及 antisenseβ的受精卵 ,分别只有 1 4 .2 %和 3.33%的卵可以发育到 2 -细胞期 .与对照组 (注射 M2培养液 )差异显著 (P<0 .0 1 ) .结果表明 ,(1 ) TPA长期处理 1 -细胞期受精卵 ,抑制 1 -细胞期卵分裂到 2 -细胞期 ;(2 ) PKC的反义寡核苷酸 (α及β亚型 )可以抑制小鼠 1 -细胞期卵的发育