Reactive oxygen species inhibit hyposmotic stress-dependent volume regulation in cultured rat cardiomyocytes

Cells have developed compensatory mechanisms to restore cell volume, and the ability to resist osmotic swelling or shrinkage parallels their resistance to necrosis or apoptosis. There are several mechanisms by which cells adapt to hyposmotic stress including that of regulatory volume decrease. In ischemia and reperfusion, cardiomyocytes are exposed to hyposmotic stress, but little is known as to how their volume is controlled. Exposure of cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes to hyposmotic media induced a rapid swelling without any compensatory regulatory volume decrease. The hyposmotic stress increased the production of reactive oxygen species, mainly through NADPH oxidase. Adenoviral overexpression of catalase inhibited the hyposmosis-dependent OH(*) production, induced the regulatory volume decrease mechanism, and prevented cell death. These results suggest that hyposmotic stress of cardiomyocytes stimulates production of reactive oxygen species which are closely linked to volume regulation and cell death.     

Comparative proteomic analysis of mouse embryonic stem cells and neonatal-derived cardiomyocytes

Pluripotent embryonic stem cells (ESCs) spontaneously differentiate via embryo-like aggregates into cardiomyocytes. A thorough understanding of the molecular conditions in ESCs is necessary before other potential applications of these cells such as cell therapy can be materialized. We applied two dimensional electrophoresis to analyze and compare the proteome profiling of spontaneous mouse ESC-derived cardiomyocytes (ESC-DCs), undifferentiated mouse ESCs, and neonatal-derived cardiomyocytes (N-DCs). Ninety-five percent of the proteins detected on the ESC-DCs and N-DCs could be precisely paired with one other, whereas only twenty percent of the ESC proteins could be reliably matched with those on the ESC-DCs and N-DCSs, suggesting a striking similarity between them. Having identified sixty proteins in the said three cell types, we sought to provide possible explanations for their differential expression patterns and discuss their relevance to cell biology. This study provides a new insight into the gene expression pattern of differentiated cardiomyocytes and is further evidence for a close relation between ESC-DCs and N-DCSs.     

大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞向心肌细胞分化的研究

目的：研究体外不同诱导条件下大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞（MSCs）向心肌细胞分化的潜能。方法：取Wistar大鼠股骨和胫骨骨髓,分离培养MSCs,采用第二代或第三代MSC8,以5-氮杂胞苷（5-aza）、碱性成纤维细胞生长因子（bFGF）及两者联合作用,作为分化诱导剂,连续观察三周,相差显微镜下观察其形态变化。免疫细胞化学方法鉴定心肌特异性蛋白T（Troponin T,cTnT）、连接蛋白43（Connexin43）、α-横纹肌动蛋白（α-Sarcomevic Actin）的表达,应用半定量RT—PCR技术分析Nkx2．5、GATA-4、TGF-？等相关调控基因在分化过程中的表达。结果：免疫细胞化学显示cTnT、Connexin43、α-Sarcomeric Actin诱导前无表达,单纯bFGF诱导组及对照组未发现cTnT、Connexin43、α-Sarcomevic Actin染色阳性细胞,单纯5-aza诱导组诱导后上述三种蛋白阳性细胞表达比例分别为22％、28％、32％,5-aza与bFGF联合诱导组诱导后上述三者阳性细胞表达比例分别为28％、33％、40％,联合诱导组诱导后细胞阳性率明显高于单纯5-aza诱导组,两组相比较差异有显著性意义（P〈0．05）。RT—PCR检测结果显示,GATA-4、Nkx2．5、TGF—β在诱导前的MSCs有低表达,单纯5-aza诱导组及5-aza与bFGF联合诱导组诱导后3周,这三种基因有较强的表达,单纯5-aza诱导组诱导检测结果显示,GATA-4、Nkx2．5、TGF—β在诱导前的MSCs有低表达,单纯5-aza诱导组及5-aza与bFGF联合诱导组诱导后3周,这三种基因有较强的表达,单纯5-aza诱导组诱导前后相比较,差异有显著性意义（P〈0．05）,5-aza与bFGF联合诱导组诱导前后相比较,差异也有显著性意义（P〈0．05）,单纯5-aza诱导组与5-aza和bFGF联合诱导组诱导后两组之间相比较,差异亦有显著性意义（P〈0．05）,表明单纯5-aza诱导及5—aza与bFGF联合诱导均可使MSCs向心肌细胞转化,联合诱导可以使更多的MSCs向心肌细胞方向转化。单纯bFGF诱导组诱导前后无显著性差异。结论：5-aza及bFGF联合诱导,可以作为更好的促进MSCs向心肌细胞分化的条件。     

PKC-Dependent Phosphorylation May Regulate the Ability of Connexin43 to Inhibit DNA Synthesis

Phosphorylation affects several biological functions of connexin43 (Cx43), although its role on Cx43-mediated inhibition of DNA synthesis is not known. Previous studies showed increased Cx43 phosphorylation on serine in response to growth factor stimulation of cardiomyocytes, mediated by protein kinase C-epsilon (PKCε). Here we report that activation of PKCε is also necessary for stimulation of cardiomyocyte DNA synthesis and mitosis. We have investigated the participation of specific serine residues that are putative PKC targets in producing phosphorylated Cx43 species and also in regulating DNA synthesis in cardiomyocytes. Interference with the PKC signaling system and/or the phosphorylation of specific amino-acids of Cx43 may allow regulation of the mitogenic response.     

Gata4, Tbx5 and Baf60c induce differentiation of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells into beating cardiomyocytes

The adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) are extensively utilized in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine and cell therapy. ADMSCs can differentiate into cardiomyocytes, and it has been shown that over-expression of a cocktail of factors can induce ectopic heart formation and program cardiogenesis in ESCs. However, which genes are responsible for differentiation of ADMSCs into beating cardiomyocyte-like cells remains unknown. In this study we have shown that the combination of Gata4, Tbx5 and Baf60c is sufficient for inducing ADMSCs to form cardiomyocytes. It also appears that, while Gata4 and Baf60c are key inducers of myocardial differentiation, Tbx5 is essential for the ability of cardiac cells to contract. These findings provide additional experimental references for myocardial tissue engineering in the emerging field of cell-based therapy of heart diseases.     

Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1 improves hypoxia-impaired energy production in cardiomyocytes through increasing activity of cytochrome c oxidase subunit II

Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1 protects cardiomyocytes against hypoxia, but the underlying mechanisms are not completely understood. In the present study, we used gain- and loss-of-function approaches to explore the effects of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1 and cytochrome c oxidase subunit II on energy production in hypoxic cardiomyocytes. Hypoxia repressed ATP production in cultured cardiomyocytes, whereas overexpression of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1 significantly improved ATP production. Conversely, knockdown of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1 facilitated the hypoxia-induced decrease in ATP synthesis. Further investigation revealed that tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1 induced the expression and activity of cytochrome c oxidase subunit II, a component of cytochrome c oxidase that is important in mitochondrial respiratory chain function. Moreover, lentiviral-mediated overexpression of cytochrome c oxidase subunit II antagonized the decrease in ATP synthesis caused by knockdown of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1, whereas knockdown of cytochrome c oxidase subunit II attenuated the increase in ATP synthesis caused by overexpression of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1. In addition, inhibition of cytochrome c oxidase subunit II by a specific inhibitor sodium azide suppressed the ATP sy nthesis induced by overexpressed tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1. Hence, tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1 protects cardiomyocytes from hypoxia at least partly via potentiation of energy generation, and cytochrome c oxidase subunit II is one of the downstream effectors that mediates the tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1-mediated energy generation program.     

Differential effects of Pyk2 and FAK on the hypertrophic response of cardiac myocytes

The related cytoplasmic non-receptor tyrosine kinases Pyk2 (proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2) and FAK (focal adhesion kinase) have been implicated in phenylephrine-induced G-protein-coupled receptor-mediated signaling mechanisms leading to cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. We report that, in phenylephrine-stimulated neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVM), Pyk2 augments expression of the hypertrophic marker atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) but reduces cytoskeletal organization and cell spreading. In contrast, FAK attenuates ANF production but does not alter cytoskeletal organization and cell spreading. Pyk2 and FAK exhibit differential localization in both unstimulated and phenylephrine-stimulated myocytes. Pyk2 catalytic activity is required for Pyk2 to augment ANF secretion but is not necessary to reduce cell spreading. Pyk2 autophosphorylation is required but not sufficient for Pyk2 to augment ANF secretion. Expression of the Pyk2 FERM domain as an autonomous fragment inhibits phenylephrine-mediated ANF secretion and reduces cell spreading. In addition, expression of the Pyk2 FERM domain inhibits the ability of Pyk2 to augment ANF secretion; this is correlated with reduced Pyk2 autophosphorylation. These data indicate that Pyk2 and FAK have different roles and occupy different positions in signaling pathways leading to the development of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. This work was supported by grant HL67938 from the National Institutes of Health (J.C.L.)     

A comparative study of two clerodane diterpenes from Baccharis trimera (Less.) DC. on the influx and mobilization of intracellular calcium in rat cardiomyocytes

Baccharis trimera (Less.) D.C. (Asteraceae) is a medicinal species native to South America and used in Brazilian folk medicine to treat gastrointestinal and liver diseases, kidney disorders and diabetes. The aqueous extract (AE) of the aerial parts of this species presented two mainly constituents: the ent-clerodane diterpene (Fig. 1) and the neo-clerodane diterpene (Fig. 2). The objective of this work was to study their activities on the blockade of Ca²⁺-induced contractions in KCL-depolarized rat portal vein preparations, and on the influx and mobilization of cytosolic calcium in rat cardiomyocytes by fluorescence measurements. The results showed that both the neo- and the ent-clerodane diterpenes reduced the maximal contractions induced by CaCl₂, in KCl depolarized rat portal vein preparations, without modifying the EC₅₀. The data on the concentration of cytosolic calcium ([Ca²⁺]_c) showed that, while the neo-clerodane diterpene stimulates the mobilization of [Ca²⁺]_c in rat cardiomyocytes, this effect was not observed with the ent-clerodane diterpene. On the other hand, the influx of calcium was not altered by the neo-clerodane diterpene, but was reduced in the presence of the ent-clerodane diterpene, indicating that this compound induces a blockade of the voltage-dependent calcium channels.