Nearly half of adult population has hypertension which is a main risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to hypertension and targeting mitochondria can potentially improve treatment of hypertension. We found hyperacetylation of mitochondrial Cyclophilin D (CypD) in essential hypertension and proposed that CypD acetylation can promote endothelial dysfunction and hypertension. CypD acetylation is mediated by general control of amino acid synthesis 5 like 1 (GCN5L1) protein which is counteracted by deacetylase Sirt3. We tested potential role GCN5L1 and Sirt3 in endothelial dysfunction and hypertension. Western blot of aortic mitochondria showed an increased GCN5L1 level in hypertensive mice coupled with the reduction of Sirt3 deacetylase resulting in 250% increase in GCN5L1/Sirt3 ratio promoting CypD acetylation. We reported pathogenic role of lipid oxidation products isolevuglandins (isoLGs) and scavenging isoLGs by mitochondria-targeted mito2HOBA reduces mitochondrial acetylation. We tested if mitochondrial isoLGs contributes to acetylase/deacetylase imbalance driving CypD acetylation. Treatment with mito2HOBA improves Sirt3 expression and reduces GCN5L1 level resulting in normalization of GCN5L1/Sirt3 ratio and reduced CypD acetylation. To define the pathophysiological role of GCN5L1 in endothelial cells we tested if GCN5L1 depletion prevents cytokine-induced of mitochondrial oxidative stress. Indeed, treatment of human aortic endothelial cells with AngII+TNFα induces mitochondrial O 2 . -, however, GCN5L1 depletion using siRNA completely abrogated the cytokine-induced mitochondrial oxidative stress. To define the role GNC5L1 in pathogenesis of endothelial dysfunction we developed new tamoxifen-inducible endothelial specific GNC5L1 knockout mice (Ec GNC5L1KO ). Depletion of endothelial GCN5L1 reduces vascular mitochondrial O 2 . -, prevents inactivation of endothelial nitric oxide and preserves endothelial dependent relaxation in angiotensin II-infused Ec GNC5L1KO mice compared with wild-type littermates. These data support the pathogenic role of GNC5L1 in CypD acetylation and endothelial dysfunction and targeting GNC5L1 can be beneficial in cardiovascular disease.
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