Secreted Frizzled-related Protein 5 Diminishes Cardiac Inflammation and Protects the Heart from Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury

Wnt signaling has diverse actions in cardiovascular development and disease processes. Secreted frizzled-related protein 5 (Sfrp5) has been shown to function as an extracellular inhibitor of non-canonical Wnt signaling that is expressed at relatively high levels in white adipose tissue. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Sfrp5 in the heart under ischemic stress. Sfrp5 KO and WT mice were subjected to ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). Although Sfrp5-KO mice exhibited no detectable phenotype when compared with WT control at baseline, they displayed larger infarct sizes, enhanced cardiac myocyte apoptosis, and diminished cardiac function following I/R. The ischemic lesions of Sfrp5-KO mice had greater infiltration of Wnt5a-positive macrophages and greater inflammatory cytokine and chemokine gene expression when compared with WT mice. In bone marrow-derived macrophages, Wnt5a promoted JNK activation and increased inflammatory gene expression, whereas treatment with Sfrp5 blocked these effects. These results indicate that Sfrp5 functions to antagonize inflammatory responses after I/R in the heart, possibly through a mechanism involving non-canonical Wnt5a/JNK signaling.     

Etanercept Attenuates Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury by Decreasing Inflammation and Oxidative Stress

The protective role of etanercept in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion is not well understood. The aim of this study was to investigate whether etanercept modulates neutrophil accumulation, TNF-α induction and oxidative stress in an ischemia/reperfusion injured rat heart model. Rats were randomly exposed to sham operation, myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) alone, MI/R+ etanercept. The results demonstrated that compared to MI/R, etanercept reduced myocardial infarction area, myocardial myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels, serum creatinine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, and both serum and myocardial TNF-α production. Etanercept also markedly enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), and reduced the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in MI/R rats. In summary, our data suggested that etanercept has protective effects against MI/R injury in rats, which may be attributed to attenuating inflammation and oxidative stress.     

Cardiac Microvascular Barrier Function Mediates the Protection of Tongxinluo against Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury

Objective

Tongxinluo (TXL) has been shown to decrease myocardial necrosis after ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) by simulating ischemia preconditioning (IPC). However, the core mechanism of TXL remains unclear. This study was designed to investigate the key targets of TXL against I/R injury (IRI) among the cardiac structure-function network.

Materials and Methods

To evaluate the severity of lethal IRI, a mathematical model was established according to the relationship between myocardial no-reflow size and necrosis size. A total of 168 mini-swine were employed in myocardial I/R experiment. IRI severity among different interventions was compared and IPC and CCB groups were identified as the mildest and severest groups, respectively. Principal component analysis was applied to further determine 9 key targets of IPC in cardioprotection. Then, the key targets of TXL in cardioprotection were confirmed.

Results

Necrosis size and no-reflow size fit well with the Sigmoid Emax model. Necrosis reduction space (NRS) positively correlates with I/R injury severity and necrosis size (R²=0.92, R²=0.57, P<0.01, respectively). Functional and structural indices correlate positively with NRS (R²=0.64, R²=0.62, P<0.01, respectively). TXL recovers SUR2, iNOS activity, eNOS activity, VE-cadherin, β-catenin, γ-catenin and P-selectin with a trend toward the sham group. Moreover, TXL increases PKA activity and eNOS expression with a trend away from the sham group. Among the above nine indices, eNOS activity, eNOS, VE-cadherin, β-catenin and γ-catenin expression were significantly up-regulated by TXL compared with IPC (P>0.05) or CCB (P<0.05) and these five microvascular barrier-related indices may be the key targets of TXL in minimizing IRI.

Conclusions

Our study underlines the lethal IRI as one of the causes of myocardial necrosis. Pretreatment with TXL ameliorates myocardial IRI through promoting cardiac microvascular endothelial barrier function by simulating IPC.     

NLRP3炎性体与中性粒细胞在心肌缺血/再灌注损伤中的交流

炎性体是识别危险模式或病原模式的信号平台,炎性体主要分为2大类:点头样受体(NLR)家族和PYHIN家族。炎性体与多种疾病有关,包括各种感染性疾病、炎症性疾病以及缺血再灌注损伤(ischemia reperfusion injury,IRI)等。炎性体与心肌缺血再灌注损伤是目前的研究热点之一。中性粒细胞作为数量最多的骨髓源性细胞,在无菌性炎症及固有免疫传导通路中发挥着重要作用。在缺血再灌注损伤过程中,死亡的心肌细胞释放大量促炎介质,导致炎性体的活化以及中性粒细胞的聚集。我们综述了NLRP3炎症小体在心肌缺血再灌注损伤中的作用,以及在此病理生理过程中NLRP3与中性粒细胞间的信息交流。     

Inflammation in Obesity is a Common Link Between Defects in Fatty Acid Metabolism and Insulin Resistance

Over the past two decades increases in obesity, due to high caloric intakes and immobilizing technologies, has led to a surge in type 2 diabetes. In obesity elevated circulating fatty acids set-off a pro-inflammatory cascade that increases the production of tumour necrosis factor-α (TNFα) from macrophages. Obesity is associated with blunted skeletal muscle fatty acid oxidation, accumulation of bioactive lipids and insulin resistance. The factors contributing to defects in fatty acid metabolism are not understood but new data demonstrates that increased TNFα in obesity increases protein phosphatase 2C (PP2C), which in turn suppresses the activity of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a critical regulator of energy metabolism 1. These data identify a novel mechanism by which inflammation in obesity is a precursor to defects in skeletal muscle fatty acid oxidation that generates a vicious cycle exacerbating the development of insulin resistance.     

Uncoupling Lipid Metabolism from Inflammation through Fatty Acid Binding Protein-Dependent Expression of UCP2

Chronic inflammation in obese adipose tissue is linked to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and systemic insulin resistance. Targeted deletion of the murine fatty acid binding protein (FABP4/aP2) uncouples obesity from inflammation although the mechanism underlying this finding has remained enigmatic. Here, we show that inhibition or deletion of FABP4/aP2 in macrophages results in increased intracellular free fatty acids (FFAs) and elevated expression of uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) without concomitant increases in UCP1 or UCP3. Silencing of UCP2 mRNA in FABP4/aP2-deficient macrophages negated the protective effect of FABP loss and increased ER stress in response to palmitate or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Pharmacologic inhibition of FABP4/aP2 with the FABP inhibitor HTS01037 also upregulated UCP2 and reduced expression of BiP, CHOP, and XBP-1s. Expression of native FABP4/aP2 (but not the non-fatty acid binding mutant R126Q) into FABP4/aP2 null cells reduced UCP2 expression, suggesting that the FABP-FFA equilibrium controls UCP2 expression. FABP4/aP2-deficient macrophages are resistant to LPS-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and exhibit decreased mitochondrial protein carbonylation and UCP2-dependent reduction in intracellular reactive oxygen species. These data demonstrate that FABP4/aP2 directly regulates intracellular FFA levels and indirectly controls macrophage inflammation and ER stress by regulating the expression of UCP2.     

PCI术后心肌缺血损伤机制与治疗的研究进展

经皮冠状动脉介入治疗术(percutaneous coronary artery intervention,PCI术)是冠心病患者血运重建的重要手段,但临床观察显示PCI术后经出现慢血流、无复流,再灌注心律失常及心肌酶学的升高,直接影响患者的预后。因此,减少PCI术后的心肌损伤是改善冠心病患者经PCI术后预后的关键。目前研究认为PCI术后心肌缺血再灌注损伤的发病机制主要与心肌再灌注时与氧自由基生成增多、细胞内Ca2+超载、心肌细胞能量代谢障碍、微血管损伤、粒细胞浸润以及心肌细胞的凋亡等多方面的作用有关,而PCI术后心肌损伤的保护治疗方面主要有药物与器械两方面。本文就PCI术后心肌缺血再灌注损伤的机制及保护治疗的研究进展作一综述。     

刺槐素对大鼠心肌缺血再灌注损伤的保护作用与机制研究

摘要 目的：探讨刺槐素对大鼠心肌缺血再灌注损伤(MIRI)的作用以及可能的作用机制。方法：对24只Sprague-Dawley (SD)大鼠进行随机分组,分为：假手术组、模型组、刺槐素给药组、刺槐素+AG490给药组,每组6只,通过结扎冠状动脉左前降支,缺血30 min,再灌注120 min复制心肌缺血再灌注损伤模型。利用氯化三苯基四氮唑测定心肌梗死面积,紫外分光光度计和酶联免疫法检测血清中肌酸激酶同工酶（CK-MB）、乳酸脱氢酶（LDH）的活性,蛋白印迹法分别检测心肌组织中Bcl-2、Bax、Stat3和p-Stat3蛋白相对表达水平。结果：与假手术组比较,模型组大鼠血清中CK-MB、LDH活性明显升高（P＜0.01）,心肌梗死面积百分比显著增加（P＜0.01）,p-Stat3/Stat3比率、Bcl-2/Bax比率显著下降（P＜0.01）;与模型组相比,刺槐素给药组中CK-MB、LDH的活性,以及心肌梗死面积百分比显著降低（P＜0.01）,Bcl-2/Bax比率和p-Stat3/Stat3比率显著提高（P＜0.05）。然而在刺槐素+AG490药物组中刺槐素对于受损心肌的保护作用被AG490消除。结论：刺槐素可减轻MIRI大鼠心肌损伤,发挥心肌保护作用,其机制可能与活化Jak2/Stat3信号通路进而抑制心肌细胞凋亡有关。     

Glucocorticoid Modulates Angiotensin II Receptor Expression Patterns and Protects the Heart from Ischemia and Reperfusion Injury

Glucocorticoid regulates angiotensin II receptor (ATR) expression via activating glucocorticoid receptors and binding to glucocorticoid response elements. The regulation of ATR by glucocorticoids in the context of myocardial injury from ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) is yet to be elucidated. The present study determined the role of ATR in glucocorticoid-induced cardiac protection. Adult male rats were administered once a day i.p. 1 mg/kg/day dexamethasone or dexamethasone plus 10 mg/kg/day RU486 for 5 days. Hearts were then isolated and subjected to I/R injury in a Langendorff preparation. Dexamethasone treatment significantly decreased I/R injury and improved post-ischemic recovery of cardiac function. Dexamethasone increased glucocorticoid receptor binding to glucocorticoid response elements at AT_1aR and AT₂R promoters, resulting in a significant increase in expression of AT₁R protein but a decrease in AT₂R expression in the heart. In addition, dexamethasone treatment significantly increased PKCε expression and p-PKCε protein abundance. These dexamethasone-mediated effects were blocked by RU486. More importantly, blockade of AT₁R and AT₂R with losartan and PD123319 abrogated dexamethasone-induced protection of the heart from I/R injury. The results indicate that glucocorticoid promotes a cardioprotective phenotype associated with the upregulation of AT₁R and PKCε and downregulation of AT₂R in the heart.     

Cholesterol Crystals Activate the NLRP3 Inflammasome in Human Macrophages: A Novel Link between Cholesterol Metabolism and Inflammation

Background

Chronic inflammation of the arterial wall is a key element in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, yet the factors that trigger and sustain the inflammation remain elusive. Inflammasomes are cytoplasmic caspase-1-activating protein complexes that promote maturation and secretion of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin(IL)-1β and IL-18. The most intensively studied inflammasome, NLRP3 inflammasome, is activated by diverse substances, including crystalline and particulate materials. As cholesterol crystals are abundant in atherosclerotic lesions, and IL-1β has been linked to atherogenesis, we explored the possibility that cholesterol crystals promote inflammation by activating the inflammasome pathway.

Principal Findings

Here we show that human macrophages avidly phagocytose cholesterol crystals and store the ingested cholesterol as cholesteryl esters. Importantly, cholesterol crystals induced dose-dependent secretion of mature IL-1β from human monocytes and macrophages. The cholesterol crystal-induced secretion of IL-1β was caspase-1-dependent, suggesting the involvement of an inflammasome-mediated pathway. Silencing of the NLRP3 receptor, the crucial component in NLRP3 inflammasome, completely abolished crystal-induced IL-1β secretion, thus identifying NLRP3 inflammasome as the cholesterol crystal-responsive element in macrophages. The crystals were shown to induce leakage of the lysosomal protease cathepsin B into the cytoplasm and inhibition of this enzyme reduced cholesterol crystal-induced IL-1β secretion, suggesting that NLRP3 inflammasome activation occurred via lysosomal destabilization.

Conclusions

The cholesterol crystal-induced inflammasome activation in macrophages may represent an important link between cholesterol metabolism and inflammation in atherosclerotic lesions.     

视黄酸通路的启示——从心脏发育到心肌谱系定向分化

多潜能干细胞具有无限增殖的能力,并能够分化为心肌细胞,因此在心脏再生方面拥有巨大潜力.胚胎发育过程为干细胞定向分化提供了重要线索,在过去的几年中,通过操控心脏发育关键通路,在心肌定向分化方面取得了重要进展,但是现有的分化方法仍不能稳定地诱导心肌细胞,表明现有的通路不能有效解决这些问题.视黄酸(RA)通路在心脏发育过程中发挥重要作用,RA缺失会导致心房变小、心室小梁减少、心肌壁增厚且细胞间连接松散.在体外心肌定向分化过程中,RA多用于促进多潜能干细胞向心房分化.但从RA通路基因敲除小鼠的表型来看,除了调控心肌亚型分化,RA在多个发育阶段发挥重要作用.深入解析RA在心肌分化各阶段的作用机制,将有助于获得高质量的心肌细胞.同时,研究RA在心内膜和心外膜分化中的作用机制也有助于解释RA通路敲除小鼠的心脏异常.总之,从RA在胚胎发育中的作用来看,需要更多的体外研究来揭示RA在心肌谱系分化中的作用.本文综述了RA通路在心脏发育的心肌分化过程中的作用,并探讨了需要解决的问题.     

Genomic and Metabolic Disposition of Non-Obese Type 2 Diabetic Rats to Increased Myocardial Fatty Acid Metabolism

Lipotoxicity of the heart has been implicated as a leading cause of morbidity in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). While numerous reports have demonstrated increased myocardial fatty acid (FA) utilization in obese T2DM animal models, this diabetic phenotype has yet to be demonstrated in non-obese animal models of T2DM. Therefore, the present study investigates functional, metabolic, and genomic differences in myocardial FA metabolism in non-obese type 2 diabetic rats. The study utilized Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats at the age of 24 weeks. Each rat was imaged with small animal positron emission tomography (PET) to estimate myocardial blood flow (MBF) and myocardial FA metabolism. Echocardiograms (ECHOs) were performed to assess cardiac function. Levels of triglycerides (TG) and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) were measured in both plasma and cardiac tissues. Finally, expression profiles for 168 genes that have been implicated in diabetes and FA metabolism were measured using quantitative PCR (qPCR) arrays. GK rats exhibited increased NEFA and TG in both plasma and cardiac tissue. Quantitative PET imaging suggests that GK rats have increased FA metabolism. ECHO data indicates that GK rats have a significant increase in left ventricle mass index (LVMI) and decrease in peak early diastolic mitral annular velocity (E’) compared to Wistar rats, suggesting structural remodeling and impaired diastolic function. Of the 84 genes in each the diabetes and FA metabolism arrays, 17 genes in the diabetes array and 41 genes in the FA metabolism array were significantly up-regulated in GK rats. Our data suggest that GK rats’ exhibit increased genomic disposition to FA and TG metabolism independent of obesity.     

不同剂量瘦素预处理对糖尿病大鼠心肌缺血再灌注损伤的保护作用

目的:探讨不同剂量瘦素预处理对糖尿病大鼠心肌缺血再灌注损伤的保护作用。方法:将72只大鼠随机分为对照组、假手术组、心肌梗死组以及大、中、小剂量瘦素预处理组。对照组给予普通饲料喂养,其余各组均给予高糖高脂喂养。1个月后,采大鼠静脉血,检测其血清FBG、FTNS、瘦素、HOMA、TNF-α、MDA及血脂水平。结果:与对照组相比,其余各组FBG、FINS、瘦素水平及HOMA-IR均明显升高(P0.05);心肌梗死组及大、中、小剂量瘦素预处理组FBG及瘦素水平与假手术组相比均明显升高,心肌梗死组、高剂量瘦素预处理组FINS及HOMA-IR与之相比亦明显升高,小、中剂量瘦素预处理组FINS及HOMA-IR与之相比均明显降低(P0.05);小、中剂量瘦素预处理组FBG、FINS、瘦素水平及HOMA-IR与心肌梗死组相比均明显降低(P0.05)。与对照组相比,其余各组大鼠TNF-α、MDA水平均明显升高(P0.05);与假手术组相比,心肌梗死组、大、中、小剂量组大鼠TNF-α、MDA水平明显升高(P0.05);与心肌梗死组相比,中、小剂量组大鼠TNF-α、MDA水平均明显降低(P0.05)。与对照组相比,其余各组大鼠TG、TC、LDL-C水平均明显升高,HDL-C水平均明显降低(P0.05);大、中、小剂量组HDL-C值与假手术组相比均明显升高,TG、TC、LDL-C值与之相比均明显降低(P0.05);与心肌梗死组相比,小、中剂量组大鼠TG、TC、LDL-C水平均明显降低(P0.05),HDL-C水平均明显升高(P0.05)。结论:瘦素预处理能够保护糖尿病大鼠心肌缺血再灌注损伤,可能与其减轻炎症、氧化应激、血脂紊乱及胰岛素抵抗有关。     

丹酚酸A对大鼠脑缺血/再灌注损伤及抗氧化酶活性的影响

目的：探讨丹酚酸A对大鼠脑缺血/再灌注（cerebral ischemia/reperfusion,CI/R）损伤及抗氧化酶活性的影响。方法：采用大鼠脑中动脉闭塞（middle cerebral arteryocclusion,MCAO）2 h再灌注24 h模型。实验终末,检测脑梗死面积,脑水肿以及评价神经功能损伤,并进一步分析脑组织中三种抗氧化酶的活性水平。结果：与模型组相比,丹酚酸A组大鼠脑梗死面积显著减少（P〈0.05）,水肿程度显著减轻（P〈0.05）,神经功能学评分显著下降（P〈0.05）。模型组再灌注24 h后,SOD,GSH-PX及CAT活性显著下降（P〈0.05）;丹酚酸A组SOD,GSH-PX及CAT活性则显著升高（P〈0.05）。结论：丹酚酸A对大鼠CI/R损伤具有保护作用,可能与CI/R损伤时的脑组织SOD,GSH-PX及CAT活性显著升高相关。     

丹酚酸A对大鼠脑缺血/再灌注损伤及抗氧化酶活性的影响

目的:探讨丹酚酸A对大鼠脑缺血/再灌注(cerebral ischemia/reperfusion,CI/R)损伤及抗氧化酶活性的影响。方法:采用大鼠脑中动脉闭塞(middle cerebral arteryocclusion,MCAO)2 h再灌注24 h模型。实验终末,检测脑梗死面积,脑水肿以及评价神经功能损伤,并进一步分析脑组织中三种抗氧化酶的活性水平。结果:与模型组相比,丹酚酸A组大鼠脑梗死面积显著减少(P0.05),水肿程度显著减轻(P0.05),神经功能学评分显著下降(P0.05)。模型组再灌注24 h后,SOD,GSH-PX及CAT活性显著下降(P0.05);丹酚酸A组SOD,GSH-PX及CAT活性则显著升高(P0.05)。结论:丹酚酸A对大鼠CI/R损伤具有保护作用,可能与CI/R损伤时的脑组织SOD,GSH-PX及CAT活性显著升高相关。     

Hepatic Ischemia and Reperfusion Injury in the Absence of Myeloid Cell-Derived COX-2 in Mice

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is a mediator of hepatic ischemia and reperfusion injury (IRI). While both global COX-2 deletion and pharmacologic COX-2 inhibition ameliorate liver IRI, the clinical use of COX-2 inhibitors has been linked to increased risks of heart attack and stroke. Therefore, a better understanding of the role of COX-2 in different cell types may lead to improved therapeutic strategies for hepatic IRI. Macrophages of myeloid origin are currently considered to be important sources of the COX-2 in damaged livers. Here, we used a Cox-2^flox conditional knockout mouse (COX-2^−M/−M) to examine the function of COX-2 expression in myeloid cells during liver IRI. COX-2^−M/−M mice and their WT control littermates were subjected to partial liver ischemia followed by reperfusion. COX-2^−M/−M macrophages did not express COX-2 upon lipopolysaccharide stimulation and COX-2^−M/−M livers showed reduced levels of COX-2 protein post-IRI. Nevertheless, selective deletion of myeloid cell-derived COX-2 failed to ameliorate liver IRI; serum transaminases and histology were comparable in both COX-2^−M/−M and WT mice. COX-2^−M/−M livers, like WT livers, developed extensive necrosis, vascular congestion, leukocyte infiltration and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression post-reperfusion. In addition, myeloid COX-2 deletion led to a transient increase in IL-6 levels after hepatic reperfusion, when compared to controls. Administration of celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, resulted in significantly improved liver function and histology in both COX-2^−M/−M and WT mice post-reperfusion, providing evidence that COX-2-mediated liver IRI is caused by COX-2 derived from a source(s) other than myeloid cells. In conclusion, these results support the view that myeloid COX-2, including myeloid-macrophage COX-2, is not responsible for the hepatic IRI phenotype.     

Synthetic Analogs of 6-Bromohypaphorine,a Natural Agonist of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors,Reduce Cardiac Reperfusion Injury in a Rat Model of Myocardial Ischemia

Doklady Biochemistry and Biophysics - The data available to date indicate that the activation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) of α7 type can reduce heart damage resulting from...     

色胺酮对心肌缺血大鼠心功能和心肌组织COX-2蛋白表达等影响

目的:观察色胺酮对结扎冠状动脉所致心肌缺血大鼠心功能、心肌病理和心肌中COX-2的影响.方法采用结扎冠状动脉左前降支致心肌缺血模型,色胺酮0.10、0.20、0.30g/kg灌胃给药21天后,观察色胺酮对心肌缺血大鼠心功能、心肌病理和心肌组织COX-2蛋白的影响.结果①色胺酮0.10g/kg对心肌缺血大鼠的心脏功能有明显的改善作用,能增强心肌收缩力,改善心肌舒张的顺应性,表现为左心室内收缩压、左心室内压最大变化速率±dp/dtmax明显升高,与模型组比较有明显差异(P<0.05);②0.10g/kg色胺酮对结扎冠状动脉所致心肌缺血大鼠能明显减轻心肌变性,心肌纤维增生和淋巴细胞浸润;③色胺酮明显抑制缺血心肌组织中COX-2蛋白,其抑制作用随剂量的增大而逐渐增强.结论0.10g/kg色胺酮对大鼠结扎冠状动脉所致心肌缺血损伤具有明显的保护作用.