Csx/Nkx2-5 is required for homeostasis and survival of cardiac myocytes in the adult heart

Csx/Nkx2-5, which is essential for cardiac development of the embryo, is abundantly expressed in the adult heart. We here examined the role of Csx/Nkx2-5 in the adult heart using two kinds of transgenic mice. Transgenic mice that overexpress a dominant negative mutant of Csx/Nkx2-5 (DN-TG mice) showed degeneration of cardiac myocytes and impairment of cardiac function. Doxorubicin induced more marked cardiac dysfunction in DN-TG mice and less in transgenic mice that overexpress wild type Csx/Nkx2-5 (WT-TG mice) compared with non-transgenic mice. Doxorubicin induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and the number of apoptotic cardiomyocytes was high in the order of DN-TG mice, non-transgenic mice, and WT-TG mice. Overexpression of the dominant negative mutant of Csx/Nkx2-5 induced apoptosis in cultured cardiomyocytes, while expression of wild type Csx/Nkx2-5 protected cardiomyocytes from doxorubicin-induced apoptotic death. These results suggest that Csx/Nkx2-5 plays a critical role in maintaining highly differentiated cardiac phenotype and in protecting the heart from stresses including doxorubicin.     

Effect of yeast CTA1 gene expression on response of tobacco plants to tobacco mosaic virus infection

The response of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv Xanthi-nc) plants with elevated catalase activity was studied after infection by tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). These plants contain the yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) peroxisomal catalase gene CTA1 under the control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter. The transgenic lines exhibited 2- to 4-fold higher total in vitro catalase activity than untransformed control plants under normal growth conditions. Cellular localization of the CTA1 protein was established using immunocytochemical analysis. Gold particles were detected mainly inside peroxisomes, whereas no significant labeling was detected in other cellular compartments or in the intercellular space. The physiological state of the transgenic plants was evaluated in respect to growth rate, general appearance, carbohydrate content, and dry weight. No significant differences were recorded in comparison with non-transgenic tobacco plants. The 3,3'-diaminobenzidine-stain method was applied to visualize hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) in the TMV infected tissue. Presence of H(2)O(2) could be detected around necrotic lesions caused by TMV infection in non-transgenic plants but to a much lesser extent in the CTA1 transgenic plants. In addition, the size of necrotic lesions was significantly bigger in the infected leaves of the transgenic plants. Changes in the distribution of H(2)O(2) and in lesion formation were not reflected by changes in salicylic acid production. In contrast to the local response, the systemic response in upper noninoculated leaves of both CTA1 transgenic and control plants was similar. This suggests that increased cellular catalase activity influences local but not systemic response to TMV infection.     

Cardiomyocyte Aldose Reductase Causes Heart Failure and Impairs Recovery from Ischemia

Aldose reductase (AR), an enzyme mediating the first step in the polyol pathway of glucose metabolism, is associated with complications of diabetes mellitus and increased cardiac ischemic injury. We investigated whether deleterious effects of AR are due to its actions specifically in cardiomyocytes. We created mice with cardiac specific expression of human AR (hAR) using the α–myosin heavy chain (MHC) promoter and studied these animals during aging and with reduced fatty acid (FA) oxidation. hAR transgenic expression did not alter cardiac function or glucose and FA oxidation gene expression in young mice. However, cardiac overexpression of hAR caused cardiac dysfunction in older mice. We then assessed whether hAR altered heart function during ischemia reperfusion. hAR transgenic mice had greater infarct area and reduced functional recovery than non-transgenic littermates. When the hAR transgene was crossed onto the PPAR alpha knockout background, another example of greater heart glucose oxidation, hAR expressing mice had increased heart fructose content, cardiac fibrosis, ROS, and apoptosis. In conclusion, overexpression of hAR in cardiomyocytes leads to cardiac dysfunction with aging and in the setting of reduced FA and increased glucose metabolism. These results suggest that pharmacological inhibition of AR will be beneficial during ischemia and in some forms of heart failure.     

Effect of the Peroxisome Proliferator Ciprofibrate on Lipid Peroxidation and 8-Hydroxydeoxyguanosine Formation in Transgenic Mice with Elevated Hepatic Catalase Activity

Peroxisome proliferators are a group of non-genotoxic hepatic carcinogens which have been proposed to act by increasing oxidative damage in the liver. To test this hypothesis, we have produced a transgenic mouse line that has elevated catalase activity specifically in the liver. In this study, we have examined if catalase overexpression influences the induction of lipid peroxidation or oxidative DNA damage, two mechanisms which have been hypothesized to be important in the carcinogenesis by peroxisome proliferators. Transgenic mice or non-transgenic litter mates were fed either 0.01% ciprofibrate or a control diet for 21 days. The activities of fatty acyl CoA oxidase and lauric acid hydroxylase were not significantly affected by catalase overexpression, although the ratio of fatty acyl CoA oxidase to catalase was significantly decreased in transgenic animals. Hepatic lipid peroxidation was estimated by quantifying the concentrations of malondialdehyde and conjugated dienes. Ciprofibrate treatment did not affect either endpoint, but catalase overexpression increased the concentrations of malondialdehyde (in untreated mice only) and conjugated dienes (in both untreated and ciprofibrate-fed mice). Oxidative DNA damage was estimated by quantifying 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) by high-performance liquid chromatography/electrochemical detection. Ciprofibrate treatment significantly increased hepatic 8-OHdG concentrations, in agreement with several previous studies, but catalase overexpression did not significantly affect them, although 8-OHdG concentrations were decreased 50% in untreated mice. These results imply that the metabolism of hydrogen peroxide by catalase is not an important factor in the development of hepatic lipid peroxidation. The decrease in hepatic 8-OHdG in untreated transgenic mice and the increase seen after ciprofibrate administration imply that hydrogen peroxide is important in the formation of 8-OHdG. While the lack of decreased 8-OHdG levels in ciprofibrate-treated transgenic mice does not support this conclusion, it is possible that catalase levels were not sufficiently high to affect this endpoint. Transgenic mice with higher hepatic catalase activities may be required to resolve this issue.     

Transgenic overexpression of cardiac actin in the mouse heart suggests coregulation of cardiac,skeletal and vascular actin expression

Previous studies have shown that depletion of cardiac actin by targeted disruption is associated with increased expression of alternative actins in the mouse heart. Here we have studied the effects of transgenic overexpression of cardiac actin using the -myosin heavy chain promoter. Lines carrying 7 or 8 copies of the transgene showed a 2-fold increase in cardiac actin mRNA and also displayed decreased expression of skeletal and vascular actin in their hearts. In contrast, a line with more than 250 copies of the transgene did not show a similar decrease in the expression of skeletal and vascular actin despite a 3-fold increase in cardiac actin mRNA. While the low copy number transgenic mice displayed hearts that were similar to non-transgenic controls, the high copy number transgenic line showed larger hearts with distinct atrial enlargement and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Further, while the low copy number transgenic mouse hearts were mildly hypocontractile when compared with non-transgenic mouse hearts, the high copy number transgenic mouse hearts were significantly so. We conclude that in the presence of a small number of copies of the cardiac actin transgene, homeostatic mechanisms involved in maintaining actin levels are active and negatively regulate skeletal and vascular actin levels in the heart in response to increased expression of cardiac actin. However, these putative mechanisms are either inoperative in the high copy number transgenic line or are countered by the enhanced expression of skeletal and vascular actin during cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.     

Levels of DNA damage are unaltered in mice overexpressing human catalase in nuclei

Two types of transgenic mice were generated to evaluate the role of hydrogen peroxide in the formation of nuclear DNA damage. One set of lines overexpresses wild-type human catalase cDNA, which is localized to peroxisomes. The other set overexpresses a human catalase construct that is targeted to the nucleus. Expression of the wild-type human catalase transgene was found in liver, kidney, skeletal muscle, heart, spleen, and brain with muscle and heart exhibiting the highest levels. Animals containing the nuclear-targeted construct had a similar pattern of expression with the highest levels in muscle and heart, but with lower levels in liver and spleen. In these animals, immunofluorescence detected catalase present in the nuclei of kidney, muscle, heart, and brain. Both types of transgenic animals had significant increases of catalase activities compared to littermate controls in most tissues examined. Despite enhanced activities of catalase, and its presence in the nucleus, there were no changes in levels of 8OHdG, a marker of oxidative damage to DNA. Nor were there differences in mutant frequencies at a Lac Z reporter transgene. This result suggests that in vivo levels of H(2)O(2) may not generate 8OHdG or other types of DNA damage. Alternatively, antioxidant defenses may be optimized such that additional catalase is unable to further protect nuclear DNA against oxidative damage.     

The MEK1-ERK1/2 signaling pathway promotes compensated cardiac hypertrophy in transgenic mice

Members of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade such as extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 are implicated as important regulators of cardiomyocyte hypertrophic growth in culture. However, the role that individual MAPK pathways play in vivo has not been extensively evaluated. Here we generated nine transgenic mouse lines with cardiac-restricted expression of an activated MEK1 cDNA in the heart. MEK1 transgenic mice demonstrated concentric hypertrophy without signs of cardiomyopathy or lethality up to 12 months of age. MEK1 transgenic mice showed a dramatic increase in cardiac function, as measured by echocardiography and isolated working heart preparation, without signs of decompensation over time. MEK1 transgenic mice and MEK1 adenovirus-infected neonatal cardiomyocytes each demonstrated ERK1/2, but not p38 or JNK, activation. MEK1 transgenic mice and MEK1 adenovirus-infected cultured cardiomyocytes were also partially resistant to apoptotic stimuli. The results of the present study indicate that the MEK1-ERK1/2 signaling pathway stimulates a physiologic hypertrophy response associated with augmented cardiac function and partial resistance to apoptotsis.     

Suppression by metallothionein of doxorubicin-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis through inhibition of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases

Cardiomyopathy induced by doxorubicin (DOX) has long been a major impediment of clinical applications of this effective anticancer agent. Previous studies have shown that cardiac-specific metallothionein (MT)-overexpressing transgenic mice are highly resistant to DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. To investigate cellular and molecular mechanisms by which MT participates in this cytoprotection, transgenic mice containing high levels of cardiac MT and non-transgenic controls were treated intraperitoneally with DOX at a single dose of 15 mg/kg and sacrificed on the 4th day after treatment. Myocardial apoptosis was detected by a terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay and confirmed by electron microscopy of immunogold staining of apoptotic nuclei. Dual staining of cardiac alpha-sarcomeric actin using an immunohistochemical method further identified apoptotic myocytes. Apoptosis was significantly inhibited in the transgenic myocardium. The anti-apoptotic effect of MT was further revealed in primary cultures of neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, DOX activated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), which was critically involved in the apoptotic process, as demonstrated by inhibition of DOX-induced apoptosis by a p38-specific inhibitor, SB203580. Both DOX-induced p38 MAPK activation and apoptosis were dramatically inhibited in the transgenic cardiomyocytes. The results thus demonstrate that DOX induces apoptosis in cardiomyocytes both in vivo and in vitro and MT suppresses this effect through at least in part inhibition of p38 MAPK activation.     

Protection by endogenous FGF-2 against isoproterenol-induced cardiac dysfunction is attenuated by cyclosporine A

Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) is implicated in cardioprotection. However, previously we found that chronic elevation in cardiac FGF-2 levels in transgenic mice was associated with exaggerated, cyclosporine A-preventable, cellular infiltration after isoproterenol-induced injury, suggestive of an adverse outcome, although this was not examined with functional studies. We have now used highly sensitive tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) to evaluate cardiac functional parameters after isoproterenol administration in transgenic mice overexpressing the 18 kDa FGF-2 in the heart in vivo. Cardiac function was assessed in conscious FGF-2 transgenic and non-transgenic mice at 24 h as well as 2 and 4 weeks after isoproterenol administration, and in the absence or presence of either cyclosporine A or anti-CD3ε treatments. Isoproterenol decreased left ventricular endocardial velocity and strain rate by 47-51% at 24 h in non-transgenic mice, but to a significantly lesser extent (by 24%) in transgenic mice. While additional decreases were seen in non-transgenic mice at 2 weeks, there was no further reduction in ventricular endocardial velocity or strain rate up to 4 weeks post-treatment in FGF-2 transgenic mice. Functional improvement at 2 and 4 weeks post-isoproterenol was reduced significantly by treatment with cyclosporine A but not anti-CD3ε; the latter targets T lymphocyte activation more specifically. TDI values in the presence of chronic FGF-2 overexpression are prognostic of an improved cardiac outcome and protection from isoproterenol induced cardiac dysfunction in vivo. Our data also suggest that cyclosporine A-sensitive infiltrating cell population(s) may contribute to the sustained beneficial effect of FGF-2 in vivo.     

Partial Correction of Abnormal Cardiac Development in Caspase-8-deficient Mice by Cardiomyocyte Expression of p35

Baculovirus p35 protein protects cells from apoptotic cell death by inhibiting caspase activation. We have established transgenic mouse lines specifically expressing p35 in cardiomyocytes, and primary cardiomyocytes isolated from these mice exhibit resistance to staurosporine-induced apoptosis. In a previous study, we observed defects in heart formation associated with abdominal hemorrhage and cardiomyocyte cell death in caspase-8-deficent animals. In order to better understand the etiology of the cardiac defects and embryonic lethality in caspase-8-deficient mice, we crossed these mice with the p35 transgenic animals. Although the newly generated mice still died in utero and exhibited some cardiac defects, cardiomyocyte apoptosis was suppressed and ventricular trabeculation was restored. Thus, cardiomyocyte expression of p35 prevented cell death induced by staurosporine or caspase-8 deficiency. Additionally, our data suggest that caspase-8 plays multiple roles in cardiac development.     

Immunocytochemical analysis of soluble epoxide hydrolase and catalase in mouse and rat hepatocytes demonstrates a peroxisomal localization before and after clofibrate treatment

The intracellular localization of soluble epoxide hydrolase and catalase was investigated in hepatocytes from untreated and clofibrate-treated male C57B1/6 mice and from untreated male Sprague-Dawley rats. Polyclonal rabbit antibodies directed against purified mouse liver cytosolic epoxide hydrolase and rat liver catalase were used and their specificity ascertained by Ouchterlony immunodiffusion and immunoblotting. The IgG fraction was purified and incubated with cryosections of isolated hepatocytes or liver tissue, priorly fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde, and protein-A gold conjugates were used to visualize the antigen-antibody reaction. The soluble form(s) of epoxide hydrolase was found to be localized in the matrix of peroxisomes in hepatocytes from normal and clofibrate-treated mice and normal rats. No significant reactivity was found against plasma membrane, nuclei, mitochondria, the Golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes, or cytosol. Catalase was also localized to peroxisomes in all samples investigated. Accordingly, both the catalase and the epoxide hydrolase activities routinely recovered in the high-speed supernatant after subfractionation of rat and mouse liver tissue mostly seemed to be due to extensive matrix leakage from peroxisomes, and this phenomenon may also be found in other species. Rat hepatocytes contained less epoxide hydrolase than mouse hepatocytes, as judged by both immunocytochemical labeling and biochemical data. Clofibrate treatment of mice decreased the labeling density of epoxide hydrolase and catalase in hepatocytes peroxisomes, as expected, and more unlabeled peroxisomes were observed.     

Down-regulation of catalase and oxidative modification of protein kinase CK2 lead to the failure of apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain to inhibit cardiomyocyte hypertrophy

Cardiac hypertrophy is regulated by a complex interplay of pro- and anti-hypertrophic factors. Here, we report a novel anti-hypertrophic pathway composed of catalase, protein kinase CK2 (CK2), and apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain (ARC). Our results showed that ARC phosphorylation levels, CK2 activity, and catalase expression levels were decreased in the hearts of the angiotensinogen transgenic mice and in cardiomyocytes treated with the hypertrophic stimuli, including phenylephrine, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and angiotensin II. To understand the role of ARC in hypertrophy, we observed that enforced expression of ARC could inhibit hypertrophy. Knockdown of endogenous ARC or inhibition of its phosphorylation could sensitize cardiomyocytes to undergoing hypertrophy. The phosphorylatable, but not the nonphosphorylatable, ARC could inhibit hypertrophy. Thus, ARC is able to inhibit hypertrophy in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. In exploring the molecular mechanism by which CK2 activity is reduced, we found that CK2 was carbonylated in angiotensinogen transgenic mice and in cardiomyocytes treated with the hypertrophic stimuli. The decrease in catalase expression led to an elevated level of reactive oxygen species. The latter oxidatively modified CK2, resulting in its carbonylation. CK2 lost its catalytic activity upon carbonylation. ARC is phosphorylated by CK2, and ARC phosphorylation levels were reduced as a consequence of the decrease of CK2 activity. To understand the molecular mechanism by which ARC inhibits hypertrophy, we observed that ARC could inhibit the activation of mitochondrial permeability transition. These results suggest that catalase, CK2, and ARC constitute an anti-hypertrophic pathway in the heart.     

Angiotensin II stimulates α-skeletal actin expression in cadiomyocytes in vitro and in vivo in the absence of hypertension

Using a specific alpha-skeletal actin antibody, we have previously shown, that during hypertension-associated cardiac hypertrophy in the rat, the expression of alpha-skeletal actin in the myocardium is increased, but maintains focal distribution, compared to normotensive animals. In the present study, we have investigated whether alpha-skeletal actin expression can be induced in the absence of hypertension. For this purpose, we have examined transgenic mice overexpressing angiotensinogen exclusively in the heart. These animals are characterized by high cardiac angiotensin II levels and cardiac hypertrophy accompanied or not by high blood pressure depending on their genetic background, i.e. presence of one or two renin genes. Alpha-skeletal actin levels were highly increased in transgenic compared to wild-type myocardium independently of the number of renin genes, indicating that angiotensin II can stimulate alpha-skeletal actin expression in normotensive animals. Additional in vitro experiments using cultured mouse and rat cardiomyocytes showed that angiotension II not only increases alpha-skeletal actin expression but also induces an increase of its incorporation within II-bands compared to control cardiomyocytes. Angiotensin II increases also the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin in sarcomeres of cardiomyocytes as well as in fibroblastic cells present within the culture.     

Regulation of cardiomyocyte apoptosis in ischemic reperfused mouse heart by glutathione peroxidase

Apoptosis, a genetically controlled programmed cell death, has been found to play a role in ischemic reperfusion injury in several animal species including rats and rabbits. To examine whether this is also true for other animals, an isolated perfused mouse heart was subjected to 30 min of ischemia followed by 2 h of reperfusion. Experiments were terminated before ischemia (baseline), after ischemia, and at 30, 60, 90 and 120 min of reperfusion. At the end of each experiment, hearts were processed for the evaluation of apoptosis and DNA laddering. The in situ end labeling (ISEL) technique was used to detect apoptotic cardiomyocyte nuclei while DNA laddering was evaluated by subjecting the DNA obtained from the cardiomyocytes to 1.8% agarose gel electrophoresis followed by photographing under UV illumination. The results of our study revealed that apoptotic cells appear only after 60 min of reperfusion as demonstrated by the intense fluorescence of the immunostained genomic DNA when observed under fluorescence microscopy. None of the ischemic hearts showed any evidence of apoptosis. These results were corroborated with the findings of DNA fragmentation showing increased ladders of DNA bands in the same reperfused hearts representing integer multiples of the internucleosomal DNA length (about 180 bp). Since our previous studies showed a role of glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) in apoptotic cell death, we performed identical experiments using isolated hearts from GSHPx-l knockout mice and transgenic mice overexpressing GSHPx-l. GSHPx-l knockout mice showed evidence of apoptotic cell death even after 30 min of reperfusion. Significant number of apoptotic cells were found in the cardiomyocytes as compared to non-transgenic control animals. To the contrary, very few apoptotic cells were found in the hearts of the transgenic mice overexpressing GSHPx-l. Hearts of GSHPx-l knockout mice were more susceptible to ischemia/reperfusion injury while transgenic mice overexpressing GSHPx- 1 were less susceptible to ischemia reperfusion injury compared to non-transgenic control animals. The results of this study clearly demonstrate a role of GSHPx in ischemia/reperfusion-induced apoptosis in mouse heart.     

Genetic inhibition or activation of JNK1/2 protects the myocardium from ischemia-reperfusion-induced cell death in vivo

The c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) branch of the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascade has been implicated in the regulation of apoptosis in a variety of mammalian cell types. In the heart, disagreement persists concerning the role that JNKs may play in regulating apoptosis, since both pro- and antiapoptotic regulatory functions have been reported in cultured cardiomyocytes. Here we report the first analysis of cardiomyocyte cell death due to JNK inhibition or activation in vivo using genetically modified mice. Three separate mouse models with selective JNK inhibition were assessed for ventricular damage and apoptosis levels following ischemia-reperfusion injury. jnk1-/-, jnk2-/-, and transgenic mice expressing dominant negative JNK1/2 within the heart were each shown to have less JNK activity in the heart and less injury and cellular apoptosis in vivo following ischemia-reperfusion injury. To potentially address the reciprocal gain-of-function phenotype associated with sustained JNK activation, transgenic mice were generated that express MKK7 in the heart. These transgenic mice displayed elevated cardiac c-Jun kinase activity but, ironically, were also significantly protected from ischemia-reperfusion. Mechanistically, JNK-inhibited mice showed increased phosphorylation of the proapoptotic factor Bad at position 112, whereas MKK7 transgenic mice showed decreased phosphorylation of this site. Collectively, these results underscore the complexity associated with JNK signaling in regulating apoptosis, such that sustained inhibition or activation both elicit cellular protection in vivo, although probably through different mechanisms.     

心肌细胞过表达miR-27b导致小鼠发生心肌纤维化和线粒体损伤

以往的miRNA芯片研究结果显示, miR-27b在人类心脏疾病标本和压力负荷引起的小鼠心肌肥厚模型中表达水平明显升高, 提示其在心脏疾病发生过程中发挥了重要功能。为研究miR-27b在心脏组织中的功能, 文章建立了在心肌细胞特异性 a-肌球蛋白重链(a-MHC)启动子(5.5 kb)控制下过表达miR-27b的转基因小鼠。通过Real-time PCR检测, 发现miR-27b前体和成熟体表达水平在转基因小鼠心脏组织中明显升高。miR-27b转基因小鼠不仅出现心肌肥厚, 还表现出明显的心肌纤维化。进一步研究表明心肌纤维化的关键调节分子金属基质蛋白酶13(MMP13)是miR-27b的靶分子, 在miR-27b转基因小鼠中MMP13显著下调, 胶原分子I和 III则显著上调。此外, 还发现miR-27b转基因小鼠会出现心脏超微结构的损伤。以上研究结果表明, miR-27b可能通过抑制MMP13促进心肌纤维化。     

Gender-specific effects of exercise on cardiac pathology in Na+/H+ exchanger overexpressing mice

The Na(+)/H(+) exchanger isoform 1 (NHE1) has been implicated in various cardiac pathologies including ischemia/reperfusion damage to the myocardium and cardiac hypertrophy. It is known that NHE1 levels increase in cardiac disease and we have recently demonstrated that expression of an activated NHE1 protein promotes cardiac hypertrophy in the mouse myocardium. We examined the gender-specific effects of exercise in combination with elevated cardiac expression of NHE1 on the myocardium in mice. Control mice and transgenic mice expressing elevated levels of wild type NHE1 and activated NHE1 were examined. There were gender-specific differences in the effects of NHE1 with exercise. Exercised wild type male mice showed a tendency toward increased heart weight. This was not apparent in female mice expressing elevated NHE1 levels. In some transgenic female mice, there was a significant decrease in the size of the exercised hearts, which was different from what occurred with male mice. Body weight was maintained in exercised control and transgenic male mice; however, it decreased in female mice with exercise more so in transgenic female mice expressing elevated levels of NHE1. Female mice expressing activated NHE1 had elevated HW/BW ratios compared to males, and this was exaggerated by exercise. These results suggest that gender-specific activation of NHE1 may be critical and that NHE1 plays a more critical role in promoting some types of hypertrophy in females in comparison with males.     

心肌细胞过表达miR-27b导致小鼠发生心肌纤维化和线粒体损伤

以往的miRNA芯片研究结果显示, miR-27b在人类心脏疾病标本和压力负荷引起的小鼠心肌肥厚模型中表达水平明显升高, 提示其在心脏疾病发生过程中发挥了重要功能。为研究miR-27b在心脏组织中的功能, 文章建立了在心肌细胞特异性 a-肌球蛋白重链(a-MHC)启动子(5.5 kb)控制下过表达miR-27b的转基因小鼠。通过Real-time PCR检测, 发现miR-27b前体和成熟体表达水平在转基因小鼠心脏组织中明显升高。miR-27b转基因小鼠不仅出现心肌肥厚, 还表现出明显的心肌纤维化。进一步研究表明心肌纤维化的关键调节分子金属基质蛋白酶13(MMP13)是miR-27b的靶分子, 在miR-27b转基因小鼠中MMP13显著下调, 胶原分子I和 III则显著上调。此外, 还发现miR-27b转基因小鼠会出现心脏超微结构的损伤。以上研究结果表明, miR-27b可能通过抑制MMP13促进心肌纤维化。