Cardiac phospholipidome is altered during ischemia and reperfusion in an ex vivo rat model

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is the leading cause of death, morbidity, and health costs worldwide. In AMI, a sudden blockage of blood flow causes myocardial ischemia and cell death. Reperfusion after ischemia has paradoxical effects and may exacerbate the myocardial injury, a process known as ischemic reperfusion injury. In this work we evaluated the lipidome of isolated rat hearts, maintained in controlled perfusion (CT), undergoing global ischemia (ISC) or ischemia followed by reperfusion (IR). 153 polar lipid levels were significantly different between conditions. 48 features had q < 0.001 and included 8 phosphatidylcholines and 4 lysophospholipids, which were lower in ISC compared to CT, and even lower in the IR group, suggesting that IR induces more profound changes than ISC. We observed that the levels of 16 alkyl acyl phospholipids were significantly altered during ISC and IR. Overall, these data indicate that myocardial lipid remodelling and possibly damage occurs to a greater extent during reperfusion. The adaptation of cardiac lipidome during ISC and IR described is consistent with the presence of oxidative damage and may reflect the impact of AMI on the lipidome at the cellular level and provide new insights into the role of lipids in the pathophysiology of acute myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury.     

Myocardial expression of transforming growth factor beta family and endothelin-1 in the progression from heart failure to ascites in broilers with cold-induced pulmonary hypertension

We determined mRNA expression of genes of endothelin-1 (ET-1), and of the transforming growth factor beta ligands (TGFβ1, TGFβ2 and TGFβ3), their receptors (TβRI and TβRII) and their pseudoreceptor BAMBI in the heart of broilers raised under cold temperature conditions and affected by pulmonary hypertension. Gene expression was determined by RT-qPCR in right myocardial ventricle samples from 4-week-old chickens (n?=?48) raised either under normal (control) or cold temperature conditions (22?°C versus 14?°C). We do not find differences among healthy birds, birds with cardiac failure and ascitic birds in the mRNA levels of TGFβ2, TGFβ3 and BAMBI. In the control group, ET-1 mRNA level was increased in the ascitic birds as compared with healthy birds and birds with cardiac failure (p?<?0.05) whereas in the cold treated group, no increase was observed (p?>?0.05); yet, ascitic birds in the cold group showed lower mean than ascitic birds in the control group (p?<?0.05). TβRII mRNA expression was higher in ascitic than in healthy birds (p?<?0.05) in both control and cold treated groups; however, in the ascitic birds of the cold treated group TβRII expression was lower than in ascitic birds from the control group (p?<?0.05). Thus, the higher ET-1 and TβRII levels observed in ascitic birds seem to be attenuated by cold.     

Pulmonary expression of preproET-1 and preproET-3 mRNAs is altered reciprocally in rats after inhalation of air pollutants

Perturbation of vascular homeostasis is an important mechanism related to the acute health effects of inhaled pollutants. Inhalation of urban particulate matter and ozone by rats has been shown to result in increased synthesis of the potent vasoactive peptide endothelin (ET)-1 in the lungs, with spillover into the circulation. In the present work, we have analyzed the interrelationships between responses of the three major endothelin isoforms, ET-1[1-21], ET-2[1-21], and ET-3[1-21], to inhaled pollutants at the peptide and gene expression levels. Fisher-344 rats were exposed for 4 hrs by nose-only route to clean air, urban particles EHC-93 (0, 50 mg/m3), ozone (0, 0.8 ppm), or ozone and particles together. Circulating levels of both the ET-1 [1-21] and ET-3[1-21] peptides were increased immediately after exposure to particulate matter or ozone. While expression of preproET-1 mRNA in the lungs increased, expression of preproET-3 mRNA decreased immediately after exposure. PreproET-2 mRNA was not detected in the lungs, and exposure to either pollutant did not affect plasma ET-2 levels. Co-exposure to ozone and particles, while altering lung preproET-1 and preproET-3 mRNA levels in a fashion similar to ozone alone, did not cause changes in the circulating levels of the two corresponding peptides. Thus, de novo synthesis of ET-3 in the lungs is not responsible for the increase of circulating plasma ET-3 after inhalation of pollutants, which implies regulation of preproET-3 at a remote site and, hence, systemic impacts of the pollutants. Upregulation of preproET-1 coupled with down-regulation of preproET-3 in the lungs of animals exposed to air pollutants implies a mismatch of local ET-1/ET(A) receptor-mediated vasoconstriction and ET-3/ET(B) receptor-mediated vasodilation.     

Stanniocalcin-1 is a naturally occurring L-channel inhibitor in cardiomyocytes: relevance to human heart failure

Cardiomyocytes of the failing heart undergo profound phenotypic and structural changes that are accompanied by variations in the genetic program and profile of calcium homeostatic proteins. The underlying mechanisms for these changes remain unclear. Because the mammalian counterpart of the fish calcium-regulating hormone stanniocalcin-1 (STC1) is expressed in the heart, we reasoned that STC1 might play a role in the adaptive-maladaptive processes that lead to the heart failure phenotype. We examined the expression and localization of STC1 in cardiac tissue of patients with advanced heart failure before and after mechanical unloading using a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), and we compared the results with those of normal heart tissue. STC1 protein is markedly upregulated in cardiomyocytes and arterial walls of failing hearts pre-LVAD and is strikingly reduced after LVAD treatment. STC1 is diffusely expressed in cardiomyocytes, although nuclear predominance is apparent. Addition of recombinant STC1 to the medium of cultured rat cardiomyocytes slows their endogenous beating rate and diminishes the rise in intracellular calcium with each contraction. Furthermore, using whole cell patch-clamp studies in cultured rat cardiomyocytes, we find that addition of STC1 to the bath causes reversible inhibition of transmembrane calcium currents through L-channels. Our data suggest differential regulation of myocardial STC1 protein expression in heart failure. In addition, STC1 may regulate calcium currents in cardiomyocytes and may contribute to the alterations in calcium homeostasis of the failing heart.     

Human heart failure is accompanied by altered protein kinase A subunit expression and post-translational state

β-Adrenergic receptor blockade reduces total mortality and all-cause hospitalizations in patients with heart failure (HF). Nonetheless, β-blockade does not halt disease progression, suggesting that cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) signaling downstream of β-adrenergic receptor activation may persist through unique post-translational states. In this study, human myocardial tissue was used to examine the state of PKA subunits. As expected, total myosin binding protein-C phosphorylation and Ser23/24 troponin I phosphorylation significantly decreased in HF. Examination of PKA subunits demonstrated no change in type II regulatory (RIIα) or catalytic (Cα) subunit expression, although site specific RIIα (Ser96) and Cα (Thr197) phosphorylation were increased in HF. Further, the expression of type I regulatory subunit (RI) was increased in HF. Isoelectric focusing of RIα demonstrated up to three variants, consistent with reports that Ser77 and Ser83 are in vivo phosphorylation sites. Western blots with site-specific monoclonal antibodies showed increased Ser83 phosphorylation in HF. 8-fluo-cAMP binding by wild type and phosphomimic Ser77 and Ser83 mutant RIα proteins demonstrated reduced Kd for the double mutant as compared to WT RIα. Therefore, failing myocardium displays altered expression and post-translational modification of PKA subunits that may impact downstream signaling.     

Renal sympathetic nerve regulation to heating is altered in rats with heart failure

Heart failure (HF) alters the regulation of basal sympathetic nerve discharge (SND); however, the effect of HF on SND responses to acute stress is not well established. In the present study, renal SND responses to hyperthermia were determined in chloralose-anesthetized HF rats and in sham controls. Whole body heating (colonic temperature increased from 38 to 41 degrees C) was used as an acute stressor because increased internal body temperature provides a potent stimulus to the sympathetic nervous system. Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and the right ventricular wt-to-body wt ratio were increased (P < 0.05) in HF compared with sham rats. The following observations were made: 1) renal sympathoexcitatory responses to heating were significantly reduced in HF compared with sham rats, 2) renal blood flow remained unchanged from control levels during heating in HF rats but was significantly reduced in sham rats, and 3) renal SND responses to heating were significantly higher in HF rats with bilateral lesions of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) compared with sham PVN-lesioned HF rats. These results demonstrate a marked attenuation in the responsiveness of renal SND to heating in HF rats and suggest that HF alters the organization of neural pathways mediating SND responses to heating.     

Activation of cardiorenal and pulmonary tissue endothelin-1 in experimental heart failure

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a peptide that has been implicated in congestive heart failure (CHF). Although increased concentrations of circulating ET-1 have been repeatedly demonstrated, the activation of local ET-1 in target tissues of CHF remains poorly defined. Our objective was to characterize ET-1 tissue concentrations and gene expression of prepro ET-1 in myocardial, renal, and pulmonary tissue in rapid ventricular pacing-induced canine CHF. Progressive rapid ventricular pacing (38 days) resulted in impaired cardiovascular hemodynamics, increased atrial and left ventricular mass, decreased renal sodium excretion, and increased ET-1 plasma concentrations (all P < 0.05). Tissue analysis revealed significant increases in local ET-1 during CHF in left ventricular, renal, and pulmonary tissue, whereas a moderate increase in left atrial ET-1 did not reach statistical significance. In contrast, prepro-ET-1 gene expression was increased more than threefold in pulmonary tissue and more than twofold in left atrial myocardium with no increase in left ventricular or renal gene expression. The present studies demonstrate a differential pattern of ET-1 activation in cardiorenal and pulmonary tissue with a strong accumulation of ET-1 in kidney and lung during CHF. Although the observed increase in left ventricular and renal ET-1 in association with unaltered gene expression is consistent with increased uptake, pulmonary and atrial tissue may contribute to increased circulating and local ET-1 in CHF.     

Proteomic analysis reveals different protein changes during endothelin-1- or leukemic inhibitory factor-induced hypertrophy of cardiomyocytes in vitro

Proteomic analyses are being increasingly used to identify protein changes accompanying changes in cellular function. An advantage of this approach is that it is largely unbiased by prior assumptions on the importance of each protein in the process under investigation. Here we have evaluated the protein changes that accompany the enlargement, or hypertrophy, of cardiomyocytes in culture. We have taken the additional step of comparing the changes that accompany a concentric hypertrophic phenotype stimulated by endothelin-1 exposure and an eccentric hypertrophic phenotype stimulated by leukemic inhibitory factor exposure. Following separation of the protein extracts by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and staining with colloidal Coomassie Brilliant Blue, we identified 15 protein spots representing 12 proteins that changed in response to endothelin-1. In comparison, 17 protein spots representing 17 proteins changed in response to leukemic inhibitory factor, and 35 protein spots representing 28 proteins did not change under these conditions. Importantly the well established marker of cardiac pathology, atrial natriuretic factor, was identified as a protein up-regulated by both endothelin-1 and leukemic inhibitory factor (2.4+/-0.8- and 2.2+/-0.3-fold, respectively). However, nine of the observed protein changes occurred for only endothelin-1, whereas 11 of the changes occurred only with leukemic inhibitory factor exposure. These two different stimuli are therefore able to elicit unique changes in the protein expression profile of cardiac myocytes. This is consistent with the differences in morphologies noted as well as the different signaling pathways utilized by these different stimuli.     

Myocardial prostacyclin and thromboxane A2 synthetase activities during ischemia and reperfusion in isolated rabbit heart

The aim of the study was to determine the prostacyclin (PGI2) and thromboxane A2 (TXA2) synthetase activities of myocardial tissue and their variation during ischemia and reperfusion. Regional ischemia was induced by 10 min occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery in isolated Langendorff rabbit hearts. Biosynthesis of PGI2 and TXA2 were carried out by using arachidonic acid as substrate and left ventricle microsomes (LVM) from ischemic and non-ischemic areas as sources of PGI2 and TXA2 synthetase. 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and TXB2, stable metabolites of PGI2 and TXA2 respectively, were determined by radioimmunoassay. Experiments carried out under the adopted conditions showed that LVM were able to synthetise PGI2 as well as TXA2 from arachidonic acid. On the other hand, ischemia depressed both PGI2 and TXA2 synthetase activities of cardiac tissue: the depression was more pronounced on TXA2 synthetase than on PGI2 synthetase with no significant difference between ischemic and non-ischemic regions. Moreover, ischemia increased the ratio 6-keto-PGF1 alpha/TXB2 indicating therefore that it can facilitate the formation of PGI2. The post ischemic reperfusion of the heart counteracted the decrease in PGI2 synthetase induced by ischemia which returned to the normal level: reperfusion also slightly reversed the decrease in TXA2 the decrease in TXA2 synthetase. However, the diminution in TXA2 synthetase of non-ischemic myocardium was attenuated but it remained lower than the normal level. These results suggested that the whole left ventricle is affected by regional ischemia. Furthermore it appears that myocardial TXA2 synthetase is more vulnerable than PGI2 synthetase to a lack of oxygen and nutrients.     

Myocardial cell death and regeneration during progression of cardiac hypertrophy to heart failure

Cardiac hypertrophy and ensuing heart failure are among the most common causes of mortality worldwide, yet the triggering mechanisms for progression of hypertrophy to failure are not fully understood. Tissue homeostasis depends on proper relationships between cell proliferation, differentiation, and death and any imbalance between them results in compromised cardiac function. Recently, we developed a transgenic (Tg) mouse model that overexpress myotrophin (a 12-kDa protein that stimulates myocyte growth) in heart resulting in hypertrophy that progresses to heart failure. This provided us an appropriate model to study the disease process at any point from initiation of hypertrophy end-stage heart failure. We studied detailed apoptotic signaling and regenerative pathways and found that the Tg mouse heart undergoes myocyte loss and regeneration, but only at a late stage (during transition to heart failure). Several apoptotic genes were up-regulated in 9-month-old Tg hearts compared with age-matched wild type or 4-week-old Tg hearts. Cardiac cell death during heart failure involved activation of Fas, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and caspases 9, 8, and 3 and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage. Tg mice with hypertrophy associated with compromised function showed significant up-regulation of cyclins,cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks), and cell regeneration markers in myocytes. Furthermore, in human failing and nonfailing hearts, similar observations were documented including induction of active caspase 3 and Ki-67 proteins in dilated cardiomyopathic myocytes. Taken together, our data suggest that the stress of extensive myocardial damage from longstanding hypertrophy may cause myocytes to reenter the cell cycle. We demonstrate, for the first time in an animal model, that cell death and regeneration occur simultaneously in myocytes during end-stage heart failure, a phenomenon not observed at the onset of the disease process.     

Cardiolipin biosynthesis and remodeling enzymes are altered during development of heart failure

Cardiolipin (CL) is responsible for modulation of activities of various enzymes involved in oxidative phosphorylation. Although energy production decreases in heart failure (HF), regulation of cardiolipin during HF development is unknown. Enzymes involved in cardiac cardiolipin synthesis and remodeling were studied in spontaneously hypertensive HF (SHHF) rats, explanted hearts from human HF patients, and nonfailing Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. The biosynthetic enzymes cytidinediphosphatediacylglycerol synthetase (CDS), phosphatidylglycerolphosphate synthase (PGPS) and cardiolipin synthase (CLS) were investigated. Mitochondrial CDS activity and CDS-1 mRNA increased in HF whereas CDS-2 mRNA in SHHF and humans, not in SD rats, decreased. PGPS activity, but not mRNA, increased in SHHF. CLS activity and mRNA decreased in SHHF, but mRNA was not significantly altered in humans. Cardiolipin remodeling enzymes, monolysocardiolipin acyltransferase (MLCL AT) and tafazzin, showed variable changes during HF. MLCL AT activity increased in SHHF. Tafazzin mRNA decreased in SHHF and human HF, but not in SD rats. The gene expression of acyl-CoA: lysocardiolipin acyltransferase-1, an endoplasmic reticulum MLCL AT, remained unaltered in SHHF rats. The results provide mechanisms whereby both cardiolipin biosynthesis and remodeling are altered during HF. Increases in CDS-1, PGPS, and MLCL AT suggest compensatory mechanisms during the development of HF. Human and SD data imply that similar trends may occur in human HF, but not during nonpathological aging, consistent with previous cardiolipin studies.     

EPA effect on NOS gene expression and on NO level in endothelin-1-induced hypertrophied cardiomyocytes

Cardiomyocytes release (or metabolize) several diffusible agents (e.g., nitric oxide [NO], endothelin-1 [ET-1], and angiotensin II) that exert direct effects on myocyte function under various pathologic conditions. Although cardiac hypertrophy is a compensatory mechanism in response to different cardiovascular diseases, there can be a pathologic transition in which the myocardium becomes dysfunctional. Recently, NO has been found to be an important regulator of cardiac remodeling. Specifically, NO has been recognized as a potent antihypertrophic and proapoptotic mediator in cultured cardiomyocytes. We demonstrated that ET-1-induced hypertrophic remodeling in neonatal cardiomyocytes was arrested by pretreatment with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), a major component of fish oil. In some recent studies, EPA has demonstrated cardioprotective effects by modulating NO. This study investigated the changes in NO synthase (NOS) in ET-1-induced hypertrophied cardiomyocytes and in total levels of nitrates and nitrites. Ventricular cardiomyocytes were isolated from 2-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats and were cultured in D-MEM/Ham F12 supplemented with 0.1% fatty acid-free bovine serum albumin for 3 days. At Day 4 of culture, the cardiomyocytes were divided into three groups: control group, ET-1 (0.1 nM) group, and ET-1 pretreated with EPA (10 microM) group. NOS gene expression was evaluated 24 hrs after treatment using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Endothelial NOS (eNOS) mRNA expression was decreased in the ET-1 group compared with controls and was unchanged by pretreatment with EPA. mRNA expression of inducible NOS (iNOS) was significantly increased in ET-1-treated cardiomyocytes and was suppressed by EPA pretreatment. Neuronal NOS gene expression and total NO level did not exhibit a statistically significant change in any of the groups. There may be some interaction between ET-1, eNOS, and iNOS in ET-1-induced and EPA-regressed hypertrophied cardiomyocytes that suppress iNOS expression without modulating total NO level or eNOS gene expression.     

Hemichannels in cardiomyocytes open transiently during ischemia and contribute to reperfusion injury following brief ischemia

The aim of this study was to investigate changes in hemichannel activity during in vitro simulated ischemia [oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD)] and the contribution of hemichannels to ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat neonatal cardiomyocytes. Dye uptake assays showed that hemichannels opened as OGD progressed, peaking after 1 h, and then closed, returning to the pre-OGD state after 2 h of OGD. The increase in dye uptake after 1 h of OGD was inhibited by hemichannel blockers (lanthanum chloride and a connexin 43 mimetic peptide, Gap26). During OGD, intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) began to increase after 1 h and reached several micromolar after 2 h. After 1 h of OGD, Gap26 inhibited the increases in hemichannel activity and [Ca(2+)](i). In contrast, dantrolene [an endo(sarco)plasmic reticulum Ca(2+) release inhibitor] suppressed the increase in [Ca(2+)](i), but not in hemichannel activity. After 2 h of OGD, the combined administration of 2',4'-dichlorobenzamil and dantrolene reduced [Ca(2+)](i) to <1 microM and increased hemichannel activity to the level attained after 1 h of OGD. Simulated ischemia-reperfusion, induced by 1 h of OGD followed by 2 h of recovery, reduced cell viability to 54% of the control level. The addition of Gap26 to OGD medium improved viability to 80% of the control level. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that 1) hemichannels open transiently during OGD, 2) closure of hemichannels, but not their opening, is regulated by an increase in [Ca(2+)](i) during OGD, and 3) open hemichannels contribute to cell injury during recovery from OGD.     

一氧化氮抑制血管紧张素Ⅱ和内皮素—1诱导的心肌细胞原癌基因c—fo …

在原代培养的新生大鼠心肌细胞上,探讨一氧化氮（ＮＯ）对血管紧张素Ⅱ（ＡⅡ）和内皮素－１（ＥＴ－１）诱导的心肌细胞肥大和原癌基因ｃ－ｆｏｓ表达的影响。用Ｂｒａｄｆｏｒｄ法测定心肌细胞总蛋白含量（作为心肌细胞肥大的指标）;用基因特异性引物和ＳｕｐｅｒＳｃｒｉｐｔ一步法进行逆转录聚合酶链式反应（ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ）,检测大鼠心肌细胞原癌基因ｃ－ｆｏｓ的表达（以ＧＡＰＤＨ为内标）。结果显示,ＡⅡ和ＥＴ－１分别作     

The role of ANG II and endothelin-1 in exercise-induced diastolic dysfunction in heart failure

The diastolic dysfunction present at rest in congestive heart failure (CHF) is exacerbated during exercise (Ex). Increases in circulating ANG II and endothelin-1 (ET-1) during Ex may contribute to this response. We assessed the effect of Ex on circulating plasma levels of ANG II and ET-1 and left ventricular (LV) dynamics before and after pacing-induced CHF at rest and during Ex in nine conscious, instrumented dogs. Before CHF, there were modest increases in circulating levels of ANG II (but not ET-1) during Ex. LV diastolic performance was enhanced during Ex with decreases in the time constant of LV relaxation (tau), LV end-systolic volume (V(ES)), and LV minimum pressure with a downward shift of the LV early diastolic portion of the pressure-volume (P-V) loop. This produced an increase in peak LV filling rate without an increase in mean left atrial (LA) pressure. After CHF, the resting values of ANG II and ET-1 were elevated and increased to very high levels during Ex. After CHF, mean LA pressure, tau, and LV minimum pressure were elevated at rest and increased further during Ex. Treatment with L-754,142, a potent ET-1 antagonist, or losartan, an ANG II AT(1)-receptor blocker, decreased these abnormal Ex responses in CHF more effectively than an equally vasodilatory dose of sodium nitroprusside. Combined treatment with both ANG II- and ET-1-receptor blockers was more effective than either agent alone. We conclude that in CHF, circulating ANG II and ET-1 increase to very high levels during Ex and exacerbate the diastolic dysfunction present at rest.