Re-expression of proteins involved in cytokinesis during cardiac hypertrophy

Cardiomyocytes stop dividing after birth and postnatal heart growth is only achieved by increase in cell volume. In some species, cardiomyocytes undergo an additional incomplete mitosis in the first postnatal week, where karyokinesis takes place in the absence of cytokinesis, leading to binucleation. Proteins that regulate the formation of the actomyosin ring are known to be important for cytokinesis. Here we demonstrate for the first time that small GTPases like RhoA along with their downstream effectors like ROCK I, ROCK II and Citron Kinase show a developmental stage specific expression in heart, with high levels being expressed in cardiomyocytes only at stages when cytokinesis still occurs (i.e. embryonic and perinatal). This suggests that downregulation of many regulatory and cytoskeletal components involved in the formation of the actomyosin ring may be responsible for the uncoupling of cytokinesis from karyokinesis in rodent cardiomyocytes after birth. Interestingly, when the myocardium tries to adapt to the increased workload during pathological hypertrophy a re-expression of proteins involved in DNA synthesis and cytokinesis can be detected. Nevertheless, the adult cardiomyocytes do not appear to divide despite this upregulation of the cytokinetic machinery. The inability to undergo complete division could be due to the presence of stable, highly ordered and functional sarcomeres in the adult myocardium or could be because of the inefficiency of degradation pathways, which facilitate the division of differentiated embryonic cardiomyocytes by disintegrating myofibrils.     

乙醛脱氢酶2可减少氧化损伤诱导的心肌细胞凋亡

乙醛脱氢酶2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2, ALDH2)是线粒体特异性酶,已被证明参与氧化应激诱导的细胞凋亡,而在心肌细胞中的作用知之甚少。本研究旨在通过用特异性ALDH2抑制剂大豆苷抑制ALDH2活性来研究ALDH2在抗霉素A诱导的心肌细胞凋亡中的作用。应用抗霉素A和大豆苷诱导小鼠心肌细胞,然后测定ALDH2酶活性、细胞内活性氧(reactive oxy gen species, ROS)含量和细胞凋亡,应用RT-PCR和蛋白质印迹法(Western blotting)检测ALDH2 m RNA和蛋白表达。结果表明,抗霉素A (40μg/mL)可诱导新生心肌细胞凋亡,而大豆苷(50μmol/L)能有效地抑制ALDH2活性而对细胞凋亡没有影响,并且可显著增强抗霉素A诱导的心肌细胞凋亡(53.72%～71.33%, p<0.05)。与单独用抗霉素A处理的细胞相比,抗霉素A和大豆苷共处理的心肌细胞中活化的丝裂原活化蛋白激酶(mitogen-activated protein kinase, MAPK)信号传导途径(p38-MAPK)的磷酸化也显著增加。本研究初步表明,改变线粒体ALDH2活性可能是减少氧化损伤诱导的心肌细胞凋亡的潜在选择。     

Trypanosoma cruzi disrupts myofibrillar organization and intracellular calcium levels in mouse neonatal cardiomyocytes

Immunofluorescence studies of normal and Trypanosoma cruzi-infected primary cultures of heart muscle cells were performed to gather information about the arrangement of myofibrillar components during the intracellular life cycle of this parasite. By using a panel of monoclonal antibodies against various myofibrillar proteins, a progressive disruption and loss of contractile proteins (such myosin and actin) of the host cell was detected during infection. The host cell formed a loose network of myofibrillar proteins around the parasites. Breakdown of the myofibrils occurred in regions where the parasites were present, and heavily infected cells showed myofibrillar proteins at their periphery. In parallel, we investigated the effect of T. cruzi infection on intracellular calcium levels by using a Ca²⁺ fluorescent indicator (confocal microscopy). Infected cardiomyocytes displayed a marked impairment in contractility, and calcium influxes became irregular and less intense when compared with those of non-infected cells. Our results demonstrate that T. cruzi infection dramatically affects calcium fluxes and causes myofibrillar breakdown disturbing cardiomyocyte contractility.Financial support through grants and scholarships from the Brazilian funding agencies FAPESP, CNPq, and CAPES is gratefully acknowledged.     

体外化学诱导人骨髓间充质干细胞分化为心肌样细胞

为了探讨人骨髓间充质干细胞(MSCs)的体外培养及化学诱导向心肌细胞分化的过程及条件,我们用1.073g/mL密度梯度离心法分离健康人骨髓单个核细胞,经骨髓间充质干细胞培养基传代培养后用流式细胞仪检测细胞表面抗原,在完全培养基中分别加入3、5、10μmol/L的5氮胞苷(每组n=5)进行化学诱导分化,阴性对照组采用完全培养基培养,诱导后21天细胞爬片免疫荧光法鉴定,透射电镜观察细胞超微结构。结果显示人MSCs为形态均一的梭形细胞,生长旺盛时呈旋涡样分布,流式细胞仪检测细胞表面CD44阳性,CD34、CD45阴性;5、10μmol/L的5氮胞苷进行化学诱导后细胞形态变长,诱导后14天时20%-30%细胞融合形成多核肌管样结构,3μmol/L组MSCs未出现肌管结构,诱导后21天5、10μmol/L组MSCs中desmin、心肌早期转录因子GATA4、心肌特异性cTnI及闰盘蛋白connexin43的表达阳性,10μmol/L组cTnI阳性染色细胞数目(65.3±4.7%)高于5μmol/L诱导组(48.2±5.4%)(p<0.05);3μmol/L组及阴性对照组无心肌特异性蛋白的表达。细胞诱导后28天透射电镜下可见肌丝形成。本实验说明,人MSCs在体外经化学诱导可分化为心肌样细胞,而且5-氮胞苷对于心肌相关蛋白的表达呈浓度依赖性正相关。     

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans mediate the invasion of cardiomyocytes by Trypanosoma cruzi

Cytoadherence is an important step for the invasion of a mammalian host cell by Trypanosoma cruzi. Cell surface macromolecules are implicated in the T. cruzi-cardiomyocyte recognition process. Therefore, we investigated the role of cell surface proteoglycans during this invasion process and analyzed their expression after the parasite infected the target cells. Treatment of trypomastigote forms of T. cruzi with soluble heparan sulfate resulted in a significant inhibition in successful invasion, while chondroitin sulfate had no effect. Removal of sulfated glycoconjugates from the cardiomyocyte surface using glycosaminoglycan (GAG) lyases demonstrated the specific binding of the parasites to heparan sulfate proteoglycans. Infection levels were reduced by 42% whenthe host cells were previously treated with heparitinase II. No changes were detected in the expression of GAGs infected cardiomyocytes even after 96 h of infection. Our data demonstrate that heparan sulfate proteoglycans, but not chondroitin sulfate, mediate both attachment and invasion of cardiomyocytes by T. cruzi.     

诱导人脐带间充质干细胞向心肌细胞分化及对小鼠心肌梗死的治疗作用

目的研究脐带间充质干细胞(UC-MSC)体外分化为心肌细胞的可行性以及观察UC-MSC体内移植对心肌梗死模型小鼠的治疗效果。方法 10μmol/L 5-氮胞苷(5-aza)体外诱导UC-MSC 14 d,通过RT-PCR、免疫荧光染色鉴定其分化效果;采用腹腔注射盐酸异丙肾上腺素(ISO)每只3.0 mg/(kg/d),制作心肌梗死模型鼠;在注射ISO 48 h后,实验组将DAPI标记的UC-MSC经两次尾静脉移植给心肌梗死模型鼠,移植后第4周和第8周,分别采集实验小鼠的心脏、脾脏,以未移植细胞组的小鼠心肌损伤模型作为对照,通过心脏指数和脾脏指数测量,免疫荧光和碱性复红-苦味酸(HBFP)染色鉴定其体内分化和修复作用。结果 RT-PCR分析表明诱导的UC-MSC表达心肌特异性基因:心肌α-actin、TBX5、GATA4和NKx2.5,免疫荧光染色显示诱导细胞呈心肌α-actin和NKx2.5阳性,且呈双核现象。尾静脉移植后第4周和第8周,模型受体鼠心脏均发现有DAPI阳性细胞迁移至心肌组织且呈现心肌α-actin阳性,HBFP染色及心脏和脾脏指数结果显示移植UC-MSC对心肌损伤的模型鼠有明显的修复和治疗效果。结论 UC-MSC在体外经5-aza诱导可定向分化为心肌细胞,尾静脉体内移植UC-MSC对心肌损伤小鼠有明显的治疗效果。     

Delayed cytoprotection induced by hypoxic preconditioning in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes: role of GRP78

Hypoxic preconditioning (HPC) has been well demonstrated to have potent protective effects in many cell types; however, the mechanisms responsible for this phenomenon are not fully understood. Recently, glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), an inducible molecular chaperon, was indicated to be associated with ischemic preconditioning. We hypothesized that HPC protects cardiomyocytes against hypoxia by inducing GRP78 in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. HPC was induced by exposing cardiomyocytes to brief hypoxia (1% O(2), 30 min) followed by reoxygenation. GRP78 was expressed constitutively in cultured cardiomyocytes and its expression was enhanced at 12 h, peaked at 24 h (207.3+/-23.6% of the baseline), and was sustained for up to 72 h after HPC. Twenty-four hours after HPC, the myocytes were subjected to prolonged hypoxia (1% O(2), 12 h). The lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) release and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were reduced, while cell viability and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were increased in the preconditioned cells compared with the non-HPC cells. The GRP78 protein level was higher in cells exposed to both HPC and hypoxia than in the cells exposed to HPC alone or hypoxia alone. Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) was induced in parallel by late HPC. Transfection of GRP78 antisense oligonucleotides blocked GRP78 expression but not HSP70, resulting in attenuated cardioprotection afforded by late HPC. Furthermore, inducing GRP78 by gene transfer protected cardiomyocytes from hypoxic injury. These findings demonstrate that the induction of GRP78 partially mediates the late HPC, suggesting that GRP78 is a novel mechanism responsible for the late cytoprotection of HPC.     

Regionally diverse mitochondrial calcium signaling regulates spontaneous pacing in developing cardiomyocytes

The quintessential property of developing cardiomyocytes is their ability to beat spontaneously. The mechanisms underlying spontaneous beating in developing cardiomyocytes are thought to resemble those of adult heart, but have not been directly tested. Contributions of sarcoplasmic and mitochondrial Ca²⁺-signaling vs. I_f-channel in initiating spontaneous beating were tested in human induced Pluripotent Stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPS-CM) and rat Neonatal cardiomyocytes (rN-CM). Whole-cell and perforated-patch voltage-clamping and 2-D confocal imaging showed: (1) both cell types beat spontaneously (60–140/min, at 24 °C); (2) holding potentials between −70 and 0 mV had no significant effects on spontaneous pacing, but suppressed action potential formation; (3) spontaneous pacing at −50 mV activated cytosolic Ca²⁺-transients, accompanied by in-phase inward current oscillations that were suppressed by Na⁺-Ca²⁺-exchanger (NCX)- and ryanodine receptor (RyR2)-blockers, but not by Ca²⁺- and I_f-channels blockers; (4) spreading fluorescence images of cytosolic Ca²⁺-transients emanated repeatedly from preferred central cellular locations during spontaneous beating; (5) mitochondrial un-coupler, FCCP at non-depolarizing concentrations (∼50 nM), reversibly suppressed spontaneous pacing; (6) genetically encoded mitochondrial Ca²⁺-biosensor (mitycam-E31Q) detected regionally diverse, and FCCP-sensitive mitochondrial Ca²⁺-uptake and release signals activating during I_NCX oscillations; (7) I_f-channel was absent in rN-CM, but activated only negative to −80 mV in hiPS-CM; nevertheless blockers of I_f-channel failed to alter spontaneous pacing.     

Ⅱ型胶原酶加压灌流提高成年大鼠心肌细胞分离效率

目的探讨效率更高的成熟心肌细胞分离方法。方法采用Ⅱ型胶原酶升主动脉逆行灌流法分离成年大鼠心肌细胞。对照组采用Langendorff装置灌流;实验组在Langendorff装置基础上加压匀速灌流。在倒置显微镜下观察细胞形态,并计算杆状细胞比率及产量;通过台盼蓝染色和局部场剌激评价心肌细胞活性。结果分离即刻,实验组杆状细胞比率显著高于对照组【(90.3±4.4)%νs.(53.4±5.2)%,P<0.01】;实验组活细胞产量也显著高于对照组[(3.6±0.7)×107νs.(1.9±0.6)×107,P<0.01]。复钙过程中,实验组发生自发性收缩的细胞比率及变圆细胞比率均明显低于对照组【(10.4±2.1)%νs.(18.9±4.5)%,P<0.01;(5.3±1.3)%νs.(8.6±1.7)%,P<0.05】。实验组台盼蓝染色阴性的杆状细胞比率和局部场剌激条件下收缩细胞比率明显高于对照组【(95.3±8.2)%νs.(90.6±9.8)%,P<0.05;(92.2±7.6)%νs.(85±6.4)%,P<0.01】。结论Ⅱ型胶原酶加压灌流可获得高产量、高活性的心肌细胞,提高了成熟心肌细胞的分离效率。