Anti-Thymocyte Globulin Induces Neoangiogenesis and Preserves Cardiac Function after Experimental Myocardial Infarction

Rationale

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) followed by ventricular remodeling is the major cause of congestive heart failure and death in western world countries.

Objective

Of relevance are reports showing that infusion of apoptotic leucocytes or anti-lymphocyte serum after AMI reduces myocardial necrosis and preserves cardiac function. In order to corroborate this therapeutic mechanism, the utilization of an immunosuppressive agent with a comparable mechanism, such as anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) was evaluated in this study.

Methods and Results

AMI was induced in rats by ligation of the left anterior descending artery. Initially after the onset of ischemia, rabbit ATG (10 mg/rat) was injected intravenously. In vitro and in vivo experiments showed that ATG induced a pronounced release of pro-angiogenic and chemotactic factors. Moreover, paracrine factors released from ATG co-incubated cell cultures conferred a down-regulation of p53 in cardiac myocytes. Rats that were injected with ATG evidenced higher numbers of CD68+ macrophages in the ischemic myocardium. Animals injected with ATG evidenced less myocardial necrosis, showed a significant reduction of infarct dimension and an improvement of post-AMI remodeling after six weeks (infarct dimension 24.9% vs. 11.4%, p<0.01). Moreover, a higher vessel density in the peri-infarct region indicated a better collateralization in rats that were injected with ATG.

Conclusions

These data indicate that ATG, a therapeutic agent successfully applied in clinical transplant immunology, triggered cardioprotective effects after AMI that salvaged ischemic myocardium by down-regulation of p53. This might have raised the resistance against apoptotic cell death during ischemia. The combination of these mechanisms seems to be causative for improved cardiac function and less ventricular remodeling after experimental AMI.     

Natural Aminoacyl tRNA Synthetase Fragment Enhances Cardiac Function after Myocardial Infarction

A naturally-occurring fragment of tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase (TyrRS) has been shown in higher eukaryotes to ‘moonlight’ as a pro-angiogenic cytokine in addition to its primary role in protein translation. Pro-angiogenic cytokines have previously been proposed to be promising therapeutic mechanisms for the treatment of myocardial infarction. Here, we show that systemic delivery of the natural fragment of TyRS, mini-TyrRS, improves heart function in mice after myocardial infarction. This improvement is associated with reduced formation of scar tissue, increased angiogenesis of cardiac capillaries, recruitment of c-kit^pos cells and proliferation of myocardial fibroblasts. This work demonstrates that mini-TyrRS has beneficial effects on cardiac repair and regeneration and offers support for the notion that elucidation of the ever expanding repertoire of noncanonical functions of aminoacyl tRNA synthetases offers unique opportunities for development of novel therapeutics.     

Ghrelin对心肌梗死后心肌重塑及心脏功能的影响及其机制研究

目的:观察ghrelin对心肌梗死(MI)大鼠心肌重塑和心脏功能的影响,并探讨其可能的机制。方法:应用冠状动脉结扎术创建大鼠MI模型,并设立假手术组作为对照;造模成功后每天2次注射ghrelin(100μg/kg),持续4周,以此作为MI-ghrelin组,并以每天注射生理盐水的MI大鼠作为MI-生理盐水组。检测和比较各组大鼠左心室重塑和血流动力学的改变情况;非梗死心肌中白介素(IL)-1β、肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)、基质金属蛋白酶(MMP)-2、MMP-9 mRNA和蛋白的表达;梗死边界心肌细胞的凋亡情况。结果:Ghrelin可使心肌梗死后的MI大鼠降低的缩短分数(FS)、左室内压最大变化率均显著下降(dP/dtmax)、疤痕厚度明显升高,增加左室舒张末压(LVEDP)、左室收缩末内径(LVESD)、左室舒张末期内径(LVEDD)、梗死边界心肌细胞的凋亡指数显著降低。此外,ghrelin可抑制心肌梗死后的MI大鼠非梗死心肌中白介素(IL)-1β、肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)、质金属蛋白酶(MMP)-2和MMP-9的mRNA和蛋白的表达。结论:Ghrelin可缓解MI后大鼠LV功能紊乱及心室重塑,这可能与其抑制炎症反应及基质金属蛋白酶的表达有关。     

心梗大鼠通过有氧运动激活PI3K-Akt-PKG-1/p-PLN-SERCA2a通路抑制心肌细胞凋亡改善心功能

为探讨有氧运动对心梗大鼠心功能的影响,将3月龄SD雄性大鼠适应性喂养1周后随机分为正常组(C组)、假手术组(S组)、心梗安静组(MI组)、正常+运动组(CE组)、心梗+运动组(ME组),每组8只. MI组结扎左冠状动脉前降支制备心梗模型;S组只穿线不结扎;CE组与ME组术后1周开始有氧训练,运动方式为依次以10 m/min×10 min,13 m/min×10 min,16 m/min×40 min进行跑台训练,60 min/d,每周5 d,连续4周.训练结束后次日,采用血流动力学检测左室收缩压(left ventricular systolic pressure,LVSP)、左室舒张末压(left ventricular end-diastolic pressure,LVEDP)和收缩/舒张速率(±dp/dtmax)等心功能相关指标,单细胞可视化动缘探测系统(IonOptix)测定[Ca²⁺]i变化百分数([Ca²⁺]iamplitude)、[Ca²⁺]i荧光比率(ratio)、达峰速率(departure veloc...     

在无创性肢体缺血预适应中P53基因对心肌梗死后心肌细胞凋亡影响的研究

目的：通过对无创性肢体缺血预适应的动物模型观察,探讨细胞凋亡在其中的作用,以及p53基因对其进行的调控。方法：采用TUNEL标记技术研究无创性肢体缺血预适应心肌细胞中细胞凋亡现象,并采用聚合酶连反应单链构象多态法（PCR-SSCP）研究p53基因的突变情况。结果：与缺血再灌注组（I/R）相比,无创性肢体缺血预适应组（NDLIP）凋亡率较低,差别有统计学意义。NDLIP和经典缺血预适应组（IP）间差别不显著。RIP组p53基因突变率比I/R组高,差别有统计学意义,NDLIP和经典缺血预适应组（IP）间差别不显著。结论：无创性肢体缺血预适应组野生型p53基因较少,突变型p53基因较多。无创性肢体缺血预适应对心肌的保护作用可能是通过增加突变型p53基因抑制细胞凋亡来实现。     

Intramyocardial Delivery of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Seeded Hydrogel Preserves Cardiac Function and Attenuates Ventricular Remodeling after Myocardial Infarction

Background

To improve the efficacy of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy targeted to infarcted myocardium, we investigated whether a self-setting silanized hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (Si-HPMC) hydrogel seeded with MSC (MSC+hydrogel) could preserve cardiac function and attenuate left ventricular (LV) remodeling during an 8-week follow-up study in a rat model of myocardial infarction (MI).

Methodology/Principal Finding

Si-HPMC hydrogel alone, MSC alone or MSC+hydrogel were injected into the myocardium immediately after coronary artery ligation in female Lewis rats. Animals in the MSC+hydrogel group showed an increase in cardiac function up to 28 days after MI and a mid-term prevention of cardiac function alteration at day 56. Histological analyses indicated that the injection of MSC+hydrogel induced a decrease in MI size and an increase in scar thickness and ultimately limited the transmural extent of MI. These findings show that intramyocardial injection of MSC+hydrogel induced short-term recovery of ventricular function and mid-term attenuation of remodeling after MI.

Conclusion/Significance

These beneficial effects may be related to the specific scaffolding properties of the Si-HPMC hydrogel that may provide the ability to support MSC injection and engraftment within myocardium.     

通心络胶囊对急性心梗PCI术后心肌微循环及心功能的影响

目的:探讨通心络胶囊对急性心梗经皮冠状动脉介入治疗(percutaneous coronary intervention,PCI)术后心肌微循环及心功能的影响。方法:选取2014年1月-2017年6月我院收治的ST段抬高型急性心肌梗死需经PCI患者200例,按照治疗方法分为对照组、观察组,每组100例。对照组进行常规药物治疗,观察组联合通心络胶囊进行治疗。比较两组PCI后心肌梗死溶栓(thrombolysis in myocardial infarction,TIMI)血流分级与计帧值(corrected thrombolysis in myocardial frame count,CTFC)、ST段回落情况、肌酸磷酸激酶同工酶(creatine phosphokinase-isoenzyme-MB,CK-MB)峰值及峰值时间,治疗前后心功能相关指标的变化。结果:PCI术后,两组冠脉TIMI血流分级比较差异不显著(P0.05),观察组CFTC显著低于对照组(P0.05),观察组ST段回落50%比例显著高于对照组(P0.05),CK-MB峰值及CK-MB峰值时间显著低于对照组(P0.05)。治疗后,两组左室射血分数(left ventricular ejection fraction,LVEF)、心脏指数(cardiac index,CI)均显著升高(P0.05)左心室舒张末期内径(left ventricular end-diastolic dimension,LVEDD)、左心室收缩末期内径(left ventricular end-systolic dimension,LVESD)均显著降低(P0.05),且观察组的以上指标的改善明显优于对照组(P0.05)。结论:通心络胶囊在急性心梗PCI后患者的应用中临床疗效良好,能够改善心肌微循环和心功能。     

Genistein Promotes Endothelial Colony-Forming Cell (ECFC) Bioactivities and Cardiac Regeneration in Myocardial Infarction

Although stem cell-mediated treatment of ischemic diseases offers significant therapeutic promise, the limitation in the therapeutic efficacy of transplanted stem cells in vivo because of poor engraftment remains a challenge. Several strategies aimed at improving survival and engraftment of stem cells in the ischemic myocardium have been developed, such as cell transplantation in combination with growth factor delivery, genetic modification of stem cells, and/or cell therapy using scaffolds. To improve therapeutic efficacy, we investigated the effects of genistein on the engraftment of transplanted ECFCs in an acute myocardial ischemia model. Results: We found that genistein treatment enhanced ECFCs'' migration and proliferation, which was accompanied by increases in the expression of ILK, α-parvin, F-actin, and phospholylation of ERK 1/2 signaling. Transplantation of genistein-stimulates ECFCs (GS-ECFCs) into myocardial ischemic sites in vivo induced cellular proliferation and secretion of angiogenic cytokines at the ischemic sites and thereby enhanced neovascularization and decreased myocardial fibrosis as well as improved cardiac function, as shown by echocardiography. Taken together, these data suggest that pretreatment of ECFCs with genistein prior to transplantation can improve the regenerative potential in ischemic tissues, providing a novel strategy in adult stem cell therapy for ischemic diseases.     

Myocardial Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CCN2/CTGF) Attenuates Left Ventricular Remodeling after Myocardial Infarction

Aims

Myocardial CCN2/CTGF is induced in heart failure of various etiologies. However, its role in the pathophysiology of left ventricular (LV) remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI) remains unresolved. The current study explores the role of CTGF in infarct healing and LV remodeling in an animal model and in patients admitted for acute ST-elevation MI.

Methods and Results

Transgenic mice with cardiac-restricted overexpression of CTGF (Tg-CTGF) and non-transgenic littermate controls (NLC) were subjected to permanent ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Despite similar infarct size (area of infarction relative to area at risk) 24 hours after ligation of the coronary artery in Tg-CTGF and NLC mice, Tg-CTGF mice disclosed smaller area of scar tissue, smaller increase of cardiac hypertrophy, and less LV dilatation and deterioration of LV function 4 weeks after MI. Tg-CTGF mice also revealed substantially reduced mortality after MI. Remote/peri-infarct tissue of Tg-CTGF mice contained reduced numbers of leucocytes, macrophages, and cells undergoing apoptosis as compared with NLC mice. In a cohort of patients with acute ST-elevation MI (n = 42) admitted to hospital for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) serum-CTGF levels (s-CTGF) were monitored and related to infarct size and LV function assessed by cardiac MRI. Increase in s-CTGF levels after MI was associated with reduced infarct size and improved LV ejection fraction one year after MI, as well as attenuated levels of CRP and GDF-15.

Conclusion

Increased myocardial CTGF activities after MI are associated with attenuation of LV remodeling and improved LV function mediated by attenuation of inflammatory responses and inhibition of apoptosis.     

八段锦联合心脏运动康复对急性心肌梗死急诊PCI术后患者心功能、运动耐力和生活质量的影响

摘要 目的：观察八段锦联合心脏运动康复对急性心肌梗死（AMI）急诊经皮冠状动脉介入术（PCI）后患者心功能、运动耐力和生活质量的影响。方法：选择2019年6月~2021年6月期间我院收治的AMI急诊PCI术后患者100例,根据随机数字表法分为对照组（心脏运动康复干预,50例）和观察组（八段锦联合心脏运动康复干预,50例）,观察两组患者心功能、运动耐力及生活质量改善情况,对比两组心脏不良事件发生率。结果：干预后,两组左心室射血分数（LVEF）较干预前升高,且观察组高于对照组（P<0.05）。干预后,两组左室舒张末期内径（LVDD）、左室收缩末期内径（LVDS）、B型脑利钠肽（BNP）较干预前下降,且观察组低于对照组（P<0.05）。干预后,两组运动持续时间（ED）、峰值摄氧量（VO₂peak）及无氧阈值（AT）较干预前升高,且观察组高于对照组（P<0.05）。干预后,两组健康调查简表（SF-36）各维度评分较干预前升高,且观察组高于对照组（P<0.05）。观察组的心脏不良事件发生率低于对照组（P<0.05）。结论：八段锦联合心脏运动康复用于AMI急诊PCI患者的术后干预中,可促进心功能恢复,改善患者的运动耐力及生活质量,同时还可降低心脏不良事件发生率。     

Intramyocardial Injection of Pig Pluripotent Stem Cells Improves Left Ventricular Function and Perfusion: A Study in a Porcine Model of Acute Myocardial Infarction

Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells have the potential to differentiate to various types of cardiovascular cells to repair an injured heart. The potential therapeutic benefits of iPS cell based treatment have been established in small-animal models of myocardial infarction (MI). We hypothesize that porcine iPS (piPS) cell transplantation may be an effective treatment for MI. After a 90-minute occlusion of the left anterior descending artery in a porcine model, undifferentiated piPS cells or PBS were injected into the ischemic myocardium. Cardiac function, myocardial perfusion and cell differentiation were investigated. One week after piPS cell delivery, global left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) significantly decreased in both the iPS group and the PBS group compared to the Sham group (p<0.05, respectively). Six weeks after piPS cell delivery, LVEF of the iPS group significantly improved compared to the PBS group (56.68% vs. 50.93%, p = 0.04) but was still lower than the Sham group. Likewise, the piPS cell transplantation improved the regional perfusion compared to the PBS injection (19.67% vs. 13.67%, p = 0.02). The infarct area was significantly smaller in the iPS group than the PBS group (12.04% vs. 15.98% p = 0.01). PiPS cells engrafted into the myocardium can differentiate into vessel cells, which result in increased formation of new vessels in the infarcted heart. Direct intramyocardial injection of piPS cells can decrease infarct size and improve left ventricular function and perfusion for an immunosuppressed porcine AMI model.     

Serum MMP-8: A Novel Indicator of Left Ventricular Remodeling and Cardiac Outcome in Patients after Acute Myocardial Infarction

Objective

Left ventricular (LV) remodeling following myocardial infarction (MI) is characterized by progressive alterations of structure and function, named LV remodeling. Although several risk factors such as infarct size have been identified, LV remodeling remains difficult to predict in clinical practice. Changes within the extracellular matrix, involving matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), are an integral part of left ventricular (LV) remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI). We investigated the temporal profile of circulating MMPs and TIMPs and their relations with LV remodeling at 1 year and clinical outcome at 3 years in post-MI patients.

Methods

This prospective multicentre study included 246 patients with a first anterior MI. Serial echocardiographic studies were performed at hospital discharge, 3 months, and 1 year after MI, and analysed at a core laboratory. LV remodeling was defined as the percent change in LV end-diastolic volume (EDV) from baseline to 1 year. Serum samples were obtained at hospital discharge, 1, 3, and 12 months. Multiplex technology was used for analysis of MMP-1, -2, -3, -8, -9, -13, and TIMP-1, -2, -3, -4 serum levels.

Results

Baseline levels of MMP-8 and MMP-9 were positively associated with changes in LVEDV (P = 0.01 and 0.02, respectively). When adjusted for major baseline characteristics, MMP-8 levels remained an independent predictor LV remodeling (P = 0.025). By univariate analysis, there were positive relations between cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure during the 3-year follow-up and the baseline levels of MMP-2 (P = 0.03), MMP-8 (P = 0.002), and MMP-9 (P = 0.03). By multivariate analysis, MMP-8 was the only MMP remaining significantly associated with clinical outcome (P = 0.02).

Conclusion

Baseline serum MMP-8 is a significant predictor of LV remodeling and cardiovascular outcome after MI and may help to improve risk stratification.     

Myocardial Infarction-induced N-terminal Fragment of Cardiac Myosin-binding Protein C (cMyBP-C) Impairs Myofilament Function in Human Myocardium

Myocardial infarction (MI) is associated with depressed cardiac contractile function and progression to heart failure. Cardiac myosin-binding protein C, a cardiac-specific myofilament protein, is proteolyzed post-MI in humans, which results in an N-terminal fragment, C0-C1f. The presence of C0-C1f in cultured cardiomyocytes results in decreased Ca²⁺ transients and cell shortening, abnormalities sufficient for the induction of heart failure in a mouse model. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we investigate the association between C0-C1f and altered contractility in human cardiac myofilaments in vitro. To accomplish this, we generated recombinant human C0-C1f (hC0C1f) and incorporated it into permeabilized human left ventricular myocardium. Mechanical properties were studied at short (2 μm) and long (2.3 μm) sarcomere length (SL). Our data demonstrate that the presence of hC0C1f in the sarcomere had the greatest effect at short, but not long, SL, decreasing maximal force and myofilament Ca²⁺ sensitivity. Moreover, hC0C1f led to increased cooperative activation, cross-bridge cycling kinetics, and tension cost, with greater effects at short SL. We further established that the effects of hC0C1f occur through direct interaction with actin and α-tropomyosin. Our data demonstrate that the presence of hC0C1f in the sarcomere is sufficient to induce depressed myofilament function and Ca²⁺ sensitivity in otherwise healthy human donor myocardium. Decreased cardiac function post-MI may result, in part, from the ability of hC0C1f to bind actin and α-tropomyosin, suggesting that cleaved C0-C1f could act as a poison polypeptide and disrupt the interaction of native cardiac myosin-binding protein C with the thin filament.     

Assessment of Cardiac Function and Myocardial Morphology Using Small Animal Look-locker Inversion Recovery (SALLI) MRI in Rats

Small animal magnetic resonance imaging is an important tool to study cardiac function and changes in myocardial tissue. The high heart rates of small animals (200 to 600 beats/min) have previously limited the role of CMR imaging. Small animal Look-Locker inversion recovery (SALLI) is a T1 mapping sequence for small animals to overcome this problem ¹. T1 maps provide quantitative information about tissue alterations and contrast agent kinetics. It is also possible to detect diffuse myocardial processes such as interstitial fibrosis or edema ^1-6. Furthermore, from a single set of image data, it is possible to examine heart function and myocardial scarring by generating cine and inversion recovery-prepared late gadolinium enhancement-type MR images ¹.The presented video shows step-by-step the procedures to perform small animal CMR imaging. Here it is presented with a healthy Sprague-Dawley rat, however naturally it can be extended to different cardiac small animal models.     

ELABELA (ELA) Peptide Exerts Cardioprotection Against Myocardial Infarction by Targeting Oxidative Stress and the Improvement of Heart Function

International Journal of Peptide Research and Therapeutics - Emerging evidence has shown that ELA peptide plays a pivotal role in cardiac development and modulation of vascular and cardiac...