Transverse Aortic Banding Research Articles

Abstract P2139: The Adiponectin Receptor Agonist ALY688 Prevents Pressure Overload-induced Cardiac Dysfunction And Adverse Cardiac Remodeling

Adiponectin has been shown to mediate multiple cardioprotective effects. Since the use of adiponectin protein as a practical therapeutic is associated with multiple challenges, we examined the functional significance of targeting adiponectin signaling with ALY688, a small peptide-based adiponectin mimetic, in a mouse model of cardiac dysfunction caused by left ventricular pressure overload (PO) induced by minimally invasive transverse aortic banding (MTAB). Following daily administration of ALY688 over 5 weeks after induction of PO, echocardiography showed that significantly attenuated PO-induced reduction in ejection fraction and other indices of cardiac function compared with vehicle. ALY688 also significantly reduced cardiac hypertrophic remodeling (heart weight-to-tibia length), cardiomyocyte cross sectional area, and myocardial and circulating levels of serum natriuretic peptide A. ALY688 reduced PO-induced increases in myofibroblasts, and scar tissue collagen content based upon immunofluorescence staining for α-smooth muscle actin and vimentin, scanning electron microscopy, and picrosirius red staining. ALY688 reduced PO-induced myocardial expression of 14 pro-inflammatory genes and circulating IL-12, IL-15, IL-17, and MIP-3α levels. Targeted metabolomics revealed that ALY688 increased myocardial fatty acid oxidation, with increased mobilization of cardiac triacylglycerols and a decrease in sphingomyelin, fatty acids and lysophospholipids. In conclusion, the adiponectin analogue ALY688 is cardioprotective in a preclinical animal model of heart failure and cardiac remodeling, with beneficial metabolic, anti-fibrotic, anti-hypertrophic and anti-inflammatory properties leading to improved cardiac function.

SAA1 deficiency alleviates cardiac remodeling by inhibiting NF-κB/p38/JNK and TGFβ/Smad pathways.

Heart failure (HF) is the end stage of the progression of many cardiovascular diseases. Cardiac remodeling is the main pathophysiological process of cardiac function deterioration in HF patients. Inflammation is a key factor that stimulates cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, fibroblast proliferation, and transformation leading to myocardial remodeling, which severity is significantly related to the prognosis of patients. SAA1 (Serum amyloid A1) is a lipid-binding protein that was an important regulator involved in inflammation, whose biological functions in the heart remain rarely known. In this research, we intended to test the role of SAA1 in SAA1-deficient (SAA1-/- ), and wild-type mice were exposed to transverse aortic banding surgery to establish the model of cardiac remodeling. Besides, we assessed the functional effects of SAA1 on cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. The expression of SAA1 was increased in the mice transverse aortic banding model induced by pressure overload. After 8 weeks of transverse aortic banding, SAA1-/- mice displayed a lower level of cardiac fibrosis than wild-type mice, but did not significantly influence the cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. In addition, there was also no significant difference in cardiac fibrosis severity between wild-type-sham and knockout-sham mice. These findings are the first to reveal SAA1 absence hinders cardiac fibrosis after 8 weeks of transverse aortic banding. Furthermore, SAA1 deficiency had no significant effect on cardiac fibrosis and hypertrophy in the sham group in this study.

Abstract P499: Histone H4K20 Trimethylation Is Differentially Regulated In Heart Disease

It has been well established that many cardiac pathologies result from dynamic changes in gene expression and conversely that modulating key epigenetic factors in murine models is capable of preventing or abrogating ischemic injury and pathological remodeling. One epigenetic mechanism is the post-translational modification of histones, which are reversibly methylated on lysine (K) residues and can accept up to three methyl groups (Me1, Me2 and Me3). In the heart, significant changes in global levels of histone H3K4Me3 and H3K9Me3 have been previously reported to be upregulated and downregulated, respectively, during hypertrophy and failure in mice. However, the majority of post-translational modifications on histones have never been examined to quantify global abundance in the heart during disease. In particular, histone H4K20Me3 is important in heterochromatin formation and gene repression in non-cardiac cells but has never been evaluated in the heart. Therefore, we utilized cardiac tissue from three animal models of cardiac stress and employed western blotting and mass spectrometry to quantify the global abundance of total histone H4 and H4K20 methylation. We specifically evaluated tissue from mice subjected to LAD ligation, transverse aortic banding and isoproterenol infusion (via mini-osmotic pump). In addition, we also utilized primary neonatal cardiomyocytes treated with the hypertrophic agonist phenylephrine to quantify H4K20 methylation. Our data show that global levels of histone H4K20Me3 are differentially regulated in some models of cardiac dysfunction, but not all (i.e. isoproterenol infusion). In addition, we measured the abundance of histone methyltransferases and demethylases (via western blotting and qPCR) which are responsible for adding or removing this methyl mark in mouse cardiac tissue, and compared this to published data from human heart failure patients. These analyses allowed us to identify two enzymes, the methyltransferase Smyd5 and demethylase KDM7B, which are also differentially expressed in cardiac tissue during disease. Together these results are the first analysis of histone H4K20 methylation in the heart and suggest a novel role for this methylation site in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease.

Direct Actions of AT 1 (Type 1 Angiotensin) Receptors in Cardiomyocytes Do Not Contribute to Cardiac Hypertrophy

Activation of AT1 (type 1 Ang) receptors stimulates cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in vitro. Accordingly, it has been suggested that regression of cardiac hypertrophy associated with renin-Ang system blockade is due to inhibition of cellular actions of Ang II in the heart, above and beyond their effects to reduce pressure overload. We generated 2 distinct mouse lines with cell-specific deletion of AT1A receptors, from cardiomyocytes. In the first line (C-SMKO), elimination of AT1A receptors was achieved using a heterologous Cre recombinase transgene under control of the Sm22 promoter, which expresses in cells of smooth muscle lineage including cardiomyocytes and vascular smooth muscle cells of conduit but not resistance vessels. The second line (R-SMKO) utilized a Cre transgene knocked-in to the Sm22 locus, which drives expression in cardiac myocytes and vascular smooth muscle cells in both conduit and resistance arteries. Thus, although both groups lack AT1 receptors in the cardiomyocytes, they are distinguished by presence (C-SMKO) or absence (R-SMKO) of peripheral vascular responses to Ang II. Similar to wild-types, chronic Ang II infusion caused hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy in C-SMKO mice, whereas both hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy were reduced in R-SMKOs. Thus, despite the absence of AT1A receptors in cardiomyocytes, C-SMKOs develop robust cardiac hypertrophy. By contrast, R-SMKOs developed identical levels of hypertrophy in response to pressure overload-induced by transverse aortic banding. Our findings suggest that direct activation of AT1 receptors in cardiac myocytes has minimal influence on cardiac hypertrophy induced by renin-Ang system activation or pressure overload.

Cardiac Pressure Overload Decreases ETV1 Expression in the Left Atrium, Contributing to Atrial Electrical and Structural Remodeling.

Elevated intracardiac pressure attributable to heart failure induces electrical and structural remodeling in the left atrium (LA) that begets atrial myopathy and arrhythmias. The underlying molecular pathways that drive atrial remodeling during cardiac pressure overload are poorly defined. The purpose of this study is to characterize the response of the ETV1 (ETS translocation variant 1) signaling axis in the LA during cardiac pressure overload in humans and mouse models and explore the role of ETV1 in atrial electrical and structural remodeling. We performed gene expression profiling in 265 left atrial samples from patients who underwent cardiac surgery. Comparative gene expression profiling was performed between 2 murine models of cardiac pressure overload, transverse aortic constriction banding and angiotensin II infusion, and a genetic model of Etv1 cardiomyocyte-selective knockout (Etv1f/fMlc2aCre/+). Using the Cleveland Clinic biobank of human LA specimens, we found that ETV1 expression is decreased in patients with reduced ejection fraction. Consistent with its role as an important mediator of the NRG1 (Neuregulin 1) signaling pathway and activator of rapid conduction gene programming, we identified a direct correlation between ETV1 expression level and NRG1, ERBB4, SCN5A, and GJA5 levels in human LA samples. In a similar fashion to patients with heart failure, we showed that left atrial ETV1 expression is downregulated at the RNA and protein levels in murine pressure overload models. Comparative analysis of LA RNA sequencing datasets from transverse aortic constriction and angiotensin II-treated mice showed a high Pearson correlation, reflecting a highly ordered process by which the LA undergoes electrical and structural remodeling. Cardiac pressure overload produced a consistent downregulation of ErbB4, Etv1, Scn5a, and Gja5 and upregulation of profibrotic gene programming, which includes Tgfbr1/2, Igf1, and numerous collagen genes. Etv1f/fMlc2aCre/+ mice displayed atrial conduction disease and arrhythmias. Correspondingly, the LA from Etv1f/fMlc2aCre/+ mice showed downregulation of rapid conduction genes and upregulation of profibrotic gene programming, whereas analysis of a gain-of-function ETV1 RNA sequencing dataset from neonatal rat ventricular myocytes transduced with Etv1 showed reciprocal changes. ETV1 is downregulated in the LA during cardiac pressure overload, contributing to both electrical and structural remodeling.

Targeting MEF2 acetylation improves myocardial recovery and overall survival in mice

Abstract Background Post-myocardial infarct remodeling is a complex process that is strongly associated with the eventual development of heart failure, and involves myocyte hypertrophy, specific alterations in gene expression and mitochondrial metabolism, myocyte death, fibrosis, and incursion of inflammatory mediators. Many of these alterations involve dynamic changes in lysine acetylation (KAc), a key regulatory post-transcriptional modification in the nucleus and cytosol, and can be blocked by small molecules with broad activity against histone deacetylases (HDACi). The downstream targets of HDACi and other KAc modulators remain to be established, and the safety of this class of agent for long-term administration in heart failure is similarly unknown. We recently reported that a small molecule probe (8MI) selectively blocking acetylation of transcription factor MEF2 is effective in preventing and reversing pressure overload hypertrophy in vivo, without altering overall histone acetylation. Hypothesis Treatment with a MEF2-selective KAc modulator will accelerate cardiac functional recovery after myocardial infarction. Methods The left coronary artery was permanently ligated (PCO) in 8–10 week C57BL/6J mice; controls underwent thoracotomy only (Sham). Within each group, half received 8MI (20–100mg/kg) by gavage daily, beginning at 30 min, and half received diluent only (DMSO). Treatment was continued for 31 days with weekly echocardiography. Mice from each group (n=3–6) were euthanized weekly for gross and histological analysis. Separately, mice were subjected to transverse aortic banding (TAC) +/− 8MI. Comparative LV RNASeq data were analysed using Gene Set Enrichment Analysis at 4 weeks, and median survival was determined. Results At 24 hours all PCO vs. Sham mice had reduced ejection fraction (62.1±1.08% vs. 80.9±1.08%), increased LV diastolic dimensions, and decreased systolic wall thickening (n =min. 8 per group, p < E-001). Over 4 weeks, heart weights progressively increased in PCO mice together with lung and liver congestion. 8MI dose-dependently improvedeach of these parameters, with near-normal function and organ weights at 4 weeks in higher-dose groups. 8MI also reduced infarct size, compensatory hypertrophy, and fibrosis at 4 weeks. In parallel, 8MI extended median survival by 1.67-fold after TAC (127.5 vs 76 days, p<0.0001, 8MI vs DMSO). RNASeq +GSEA analysis revealed that 8MI treatment blocked MEF2 target gene induction, while enriching for gene sets Oxidative Phosphorylation and Myc Targets (FDR q values 0.000 and 0.041) compared with DMSO. Conclusion An inhibitor of MEF2 acetylation promoted significant functional and pathological recovery in a mouse model of myocardial infarction, associated with suppression of MEF2-dependent transcription. These findings point to a novel approach to preventing myocardial functional decline, and improving survival, after myocardial injury. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): National Institutes of Health; Miami Heart Research Institute

Abstract 462: Cardiac-specific LMCD1/dyxin-knockout in Mice Blunts Pressure Overload-induced Activation of Calcineurin Signaling

We and others have shown that LMCD1 expression levels are upregulated in various in vitro and in vivo models of hypertrophy and that LMCD1 is necessary and sufficient to induce cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in vitro . We successfully generated a new mouse line with a conditional cardiac knockout of LMCD1. We performed echocardiographic, morphometric, and molecular analysis in these LMCD1-deficient and appropriate control-mice under basic conditions as well as 14 days after transverse aortic banding (TAC)-induced left ventricular (LV) pressure overload. Our aim was to investigate the hypothesis of potential beneficial effects of LMCD1-downregulation in vivo . These knockout (KO)-mice revealed under basic conditions a significant reduction of LMCD1 in the heart to <10% on protein level compared to control (WT)-mice (females and males n=5 each, p<0.001), while anatomic and functional parameters of the heart as well as LMCD1 levels in all other tested organs remained unchanged. Sham-operated KO-mice also showed significantly reduced level of LMCD1 in the LV compared to Sham-operated WT-mice (protein level <20%, p<0.001, n=8). No significant increase of LMCD1 in TAC- compared to Sham-operated KO-mice was found. TAC-operated KO-mice showed no significant differences in heart anatomy and function when compared to TAC-operated WT-mice. However, we determined a consistent trend toward improved heart function (ejection fraction and fractional shortening). Furthermore, TAC-operated KO-mice showed reduced activation of the fetal gene program in LV-tissue compared to TAC-operated WT-mice: mRNA levels of the hypertrophic markers NppA, NppB, and Rcan1-4 were all decreased (WT-TAC n=8 vs. KO-TAC n=10: NppA 8.5±2.0 vs. 5.1±1.5, p<0.05; NppB 1.9±0.2 vs. 1.7±0.3, p=0.093; Rcan1-4 6.0±0.2 vs. 3.2 vs. 0.7, p<0.05), suggesting a protective role of LMCD1-knockout. The reduction of calcineurin (CnA)-responsive Rcan1-4 specifically suggests a protective role of LMCD1-knockout in CnA-dependent signaling. Taken together, our preliminary data reveals protective effects of LMCD1-knockout against TAC-induced hypertrophic signaling. Ongoing experiments focus on effects of LMCD1-knockout on apoptosis and fibrosis and its role in Angiotensin-induced hypertrophy.

Gene expression profiling of hypertrophic cardiomyocytes identifies new players in pathological remodelling.

AimsPathological cardiac remodelling is characterized by cardiomyocyte (CM) hypertrophy and fibroblast activation, which can ultimately lead to maladaptive hypertrophy and heart failure (HF). Genome-wide expression analysis on heart tissue has been instrumental for the identification of molecular mechanisms at play. However, these data were based on signals derived from all cardiac cell types. Here, we aimed for a more detailed view on molecular changes driving maladaptive CM hypertrophy to aid in the development of therapies to reverse pathological remodelling.Methods and resultsUtilizing CM-specific reporter mice exposed to pressure overload by transverse aortic banding and CM isolation by flow cytometry, we obtained gene expression profiles of hypertrophic CMs in the more immediate phase after stress, and CMs showing pathological hypertrophy. We identified subsets of genes differentially regulated and specific for either stage. Among the genes specifically up-regulated in the CMs during the maladaptive phase we found known stress markers, such as Nppb and Myh7, but additionally identified a set of genes with unknown roles in pathological hypertrophy, including the platelet isoform of phosphofructokinase (PFKP). Norepinephrine-angiotensin II treatment of cultured human CMs induced the secretion of N-terminal-pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) and recapitulated the up-regulation of these genes, indicating conservation of the up-regulation in failing CMs. Moreover, several genes induced during pathological hypertrophy were also found to be increased in human HF, with their expression positively correlating to the known stress markers NPPB and MYH7. Mechanistically, suppression of Pfkp in primary CMs attenuated stress-induced gene expression and hypertrophy, indicating that Pfkp is an important novel player in pathological remodelling of CMs.ConclusionUsing CM-specific transcriptomic analysis, we identified novel genes induced during pathological hypertrophy that are relevant for human HF, and we show that PFKP is a conserved failure-induced gene that can modulate the CM stress response.

Minimal in vivo requirements for developmentally regulated cardiac long intergenic non-coding RNAs.

Long intergenic non-coding RNAs (lincRNAs) have been implicated in gene regulation, but their requirement for development needs empirical interrogation. We computationally identified nine murine lincRNAs that have developmentally regulated transcriptional and epigenomic profiles specific to early heart differentiation. Six of the nine lincRNAs had in vivo expression patterns supporting a potential function in heart development, including a transcript downstream of the cardiac transcription factor Hand2, which we named Handlr (Hand2-associated lincRNA), Rubie and Atcayos We genetically ablated these six lincRNAs in mouse, which suggested genomic regulatory roles for four of the cohort. However, none of the lincRNA deletions led to severe cardiac phenotypes. Thus, we stressed the hearts of adult Handlr and Atcayos mutant mice by transverse aortic banding and found that absence of these lincRNAs did not affect cardiac hypertrophy or left ventricular function post-stress. Our results support roles for lincRNA transcripts and/or transcription in the regulation of topologically associated genes. However, the individual importance of developmentally specific lincRNAs is yet to be established. Their status as either gene-like entities or epigenetic components of the nucleus should be further considered.

Abstract 262: Gene Expression Profiling of Hypertrophic and Failing Cardiomyocytes Identifies New Players Involved in Heart Failure

Pathological remodeling during cardiac disease is a detrimental response characterized by cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and fibroblast activation, which can ultimately lead to heart failure. Genome wide expression analysis on full heart tissue have been instrumental for the identification of molecular mechanisms at play. However, these data so far were based on signals derived from all cardiac cell types and a more specific view on molecular changes driving cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and failure could aid in the development of therapies aimed at improving maladaptive remodeling. Here, we generated a cardiomyocyte-specific reporter mouse (Myh6-Cre-tdTomato) that we exposed to pressure overload by transverse aortic banding (TAB). Using Fluorescence-activated Cell Sorting (FACS) we collected both hypertrophic (one week after TAB) and failing (eight weeks after TAB) cardiomyocytes. Using these cells, we performed RNA-seq and obtained subsets of genes and pathways differentially regulated and specific for either the hypertrophic or failing stages. Among these upregulated genes we identified known marker genes for cardiomyocyte failure, such as Nppb and Myh7, but also identified genes that so far have not been linked to a failing state. RNA-seq on failing and healthy human heart samples confirmed the increased expression for several of these genes regulated during cardiomyocyte failure and allowed us to show an expressional correlation to NPPB/MYH7. Moreover, we could recapitulate the upregulation of these novel genes in stressed human induced-pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes. We discovered that phosphofructokinase-platelet (PFKP) protein, a glycolytic enzyme, is strongly induced in human failing cardiomyocytes. Currently, ongoing studies are focused on defining the functional relevance of the novel failure related genes in stressed iPS-derived cardiomyocytes. Our findings suggest that cardiomyocyte-specific transcriptomic analysis allows for the identification of hypertrophic and failing gene expression profiles and helps to unveil novel genes relevant for heart disease.

Loss of P53 regresses cardiac remodeling induced by pressure overload partially through inhibiting HIF1α signaling in mice

The tumor suppressor p53 is recognized as the guardian of the genome in cell cycle and cell death. P53 expression increases as cardiac hypertrophy worsens to heart failure, suggesting that p53 may play important role in cardiac remodeling. In the present study, deletion of p53 in the mice heart would ameliorate cardiac hypertrophy induced by pressure overload. The role of p53 on heart was investigated using in vivo models. Cardiac hypertrophy in mice was induced by transverse aortic banding surgery. The extent of cardiac hypertrophy was examined by echocardiography, as well as pathological and molecular analyses of heart tissue. Global knockout of p53 in the mice reduced the hypertrophic response and markedly reduced cardiac apoptosis, and fibrosis. Ejection fraction of heart was also improved in hearts without p53 in response to pressure overload. Protein determination further suggested loss of p53 expression markedly increased Hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression. The study indicated p53 deteriorated cardiac functions and cardiac hypertrophy, apoptosis, and fibrosis by partially inhibition of HIF1α and VEGF.

Aberrant Splicing Promotes Proteasomal Degradation of L-type CaV1.2 Calcium Channels by Competitive Binding for CaVβ Subunits in Cardiac Hypertrophy.

Decreased expression and activity of CaV1.2 calcium channels has been reported in pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Here we identified in rodents a splice variant of CaV1.2 channel, named CaV1.2e21+22, that contained the pair of mutually exclusive exons 21 and 22. This variant was highly expressed in neonatal hearts. The abundance of this variant was gradually increased by 12.5-folds within 14 days of transverse aortic banding that induced cardiac hypertrophy in adult mouse hearts and was also elevated in left ventricles from patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. Although this variant did not conduct Ca2+ ions, it reduced the cell-surface expression of wild-type CaV1.2 channels and consequently decreased the whole-cell Ca2+ influx via the CaV1.2 channels. In addition, the CaV1.2e21+22 variant interacted with CaVβ subunits significantly more than wild-type CaV1.2 channels, and competition of CaVβ subunits by CaV1.2e21+22 consequently enhanced ubiquitination and subsequent proteasomal degradation of the wild-type CaV1.2 channels. Our findings show that the resurgence of a specific neonatal splice variant of CaV1.2 channels in adult heart under stress may contribute to heart failure.

Adiponectin is required for cardiac MEF2 activation during pressure overload induced hypertrophy

Cardiomyocyte (CM) hypertrophy and increased heart mass in response to pressure overload are associated with hyper-activation of the myocyte enhancer factor-2 (MEF2) family of transcriptional regulators, and concomitant initiation of the fetal gene program. Adiponectin, an adipokine that is reduced in individuals with obesity and diabetes, has been characterized both as a negative regulator or permissive factor in cardiac hypertrophy. We therefore sought to analyze temporal regulation of MEF2 activity in response to pressure overload (PO) and changes in adiponectin status. To address this we crossed a well characterized transgenic MEF2 “sensor” mouse (MEF2-lacZ) with adiponectin null mice (Ad-KO) to create compound MEF2 lacZ/Ad-KO mice. Initially, we established that transverse aortic banding induced PO in wild-type (WT) mice increased heart mass and CM hypertrophy from 1 to 4weeks following surgery, indicated by increased CM diameter and heart weight/tibia length ratio. This was associated with cardiac dysfunction determined by echocardiography. Hypertrophic changes and dysfunction were observed in Ad-KO mice 4weeks following surgery. MEF2 lacZ activity and endogenous ANF mRNA levels, used as indicators of hypertrophic gene activation, were both robustly increased in WT mice after MTAB but attenuated in the Ad-KO background. Furthermore, activation of the pro-hypertrophic molecule p38 was increased following MTAB surgery in WT mice, but not in Ad-KO animals, and treatment of primary isolated CM with recombinant adiponectin induced p38 phosphorylation in a time dependent manner. Adiponectin also increased MEF2 activation in primary cardiomyocytes, an effect attenuated by p38 MAPK inhibition. In conclusion, our data indicate that robust hypertrophic MEF2 activation in the heart in vivo requires a background of adiponectin signaling and that adiponectin signaling in primary isolated CM directly enhances MEF2 activity through activation of p38 MAPK. We conclude that adiponectin is required for full induction of cardiomyocyte MEF2 activation, thus contributing to the myocardial hypertrophic gene expression program in response to PO.

Temporal and Molecular Analyses of Cardiac Extracellular Matrix Remodeling following Pressure Overload in Adiponectin Deficient Mice.

Adiponectin, circulating levels of which are reduced in obesity and diabetes, mediates cardiac extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling in response to pressure overload (PO). Here, we performed a detailed temporal analysis of progressive cardiac ECM remodelling in adiponectin knockout (AdKO) and wild-type (WT) mice at 3 days and 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks following the induction of mild PO via minimally invasive transverse aortic banding. We first observed that myocardial adiponectin gene expression was reduced after 4 weeks of PO, whereas increased adiponectin levels were detected in cardiac homogenates at this time despite decreased circulating levels of adiponectin. Scanning electron microscopy and Masson’s trichrome staining showed collagen accumulation increased in response to 2 and 4 weeks of PO in WT mice, while fibrosis in AdKO mice was notably absent after 2 weeks but highly apparent after 4 weeks of PO. Time and intensity of fibroblast appearance after PO was not significantly different between AdKO and WT animals. Gene array analysis indicated that MMP2, TIMP2, collagen 1α1 and collagen 1α3 were induced after 2 weeks of PO in WT but not AdKO mice. After 4 weeks MMP8 was induced in both genotypes, MMP9 only in WT mice and MMP1α only in AdKO mice. Direct stimulation of primary cardiac fibroblasts with adiponectin induced a transient increase in total collagen detected by picrosirius red staining and collagen III levels synthesis, as well as enhanced MMP2 activity detected via gelatin zymography. Adiponectin also enhanced fibroblast migration and attenuated angiotensin-II induced differentiation to a myofibroblast phenotype. In conclusion, these data indicate that increased myocardial bioavailability of adiponectin mediates ECM remodeling following PO and that adiponectin deficiency delays these effects.

Abstract 305: Pressure Overload-Induced Myocardial Hypertrophy Causes an Electrical Remodeling of CLC-3 Chloride Channels in Mouse Heart

Backgrand: Myocardial hypertrophy causes an increase in myocyte volume and constitutive activation of a volume-sensitive outwardly-rectifying anion channel (VSORAC). The underlying molecular mechanisms and function of VSORAC in the electrical remodeling during myocardial hypertrophy and heart failure remain undefined. We tested whether cardiac CLC-3 chloride channels play a role in the hypertrophy-induced electrophysiological remodeling. Methods and Results: The age-matched CLC-3 knockout (Clcn3-/-) mice and their wild-type (Clcn3+/+) littermates were subjected to minimally-invasive transverse aortic banding (MTAB). In 77% (44/57) left ventricular (LV) myocytes isolated from MTAB-Clcn3+/+ mice a large VSORAC current was activated under isotonic conditions. Hypotonic cell-swelling caused no changes in the VSORAC but hypertonic cell-shrinkage significantly inhibited it. This constitutively-activated VSORAC had an anion selectivity of I->Cl->Asp-, and was inhibited by tamoxifen, PKC activation and intracellular application of anti-CLC-3 antibody. In the age-matched MTAB-Clcn3-/- mice, a significantly smaller outwardly-rectifying current was present in only 38% (36/94, P<0.05 vs MTAB-Clcn3+/+) LV myocytes. This current was neither increased by hypotonic stress nor inhibited by tamoxifen, PKC or anti-CLC-3 antibody, indicating not a VSORAC or CLC-3 current. Expression of CLC-3 protein was significantly increased in the LV tissues of MTAB-Clcn3+/+ mice but not in Sham-Clcn3+/+ and MTAB-Clcn3-/- mice. Both surface and intracardiac electrophysiological recordings revealed more atrial or ventricular arrhythmias in MTAB-Clcn3-/- mice than in MTAB- and Sham-Clcn3+/+ mice. Conclusions: Pressure-overload-induced myocardial hypertrophy causes an upregulation of CLC-3 expression and constitutive activation of CLC-3 may serve as a novel protective mechanism against the electrical remodeling during myocardial hypertrophy and heart failure.

Activating Transcription Factor 3 Protects against Pressure-Overload Heart Failure via the Autophagy Molecule Beclin-1 Pathway

Activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3), a cAMP response element-binding protein/ATF family transcription factors member, has been implicated in the cardiovascular and inflammatory system and is rapidly induced by ischemic-reperfusion injuries. We performed transverse aortic banding (TAB) experiments using ATF3 gene-deleted mice (ATF3(-/-)) and wild-type (WT) mice to determine what effect it might have on heart failure induced by pressure overloading. Compared with the WT mice, ATF3(-/-) mice were found by echocardiography to have decreased left ventricular contractility with loss of normal cardiac hypertrophic remodeling. The ATF3(-/-) mice had greater numbers of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated digoxigenin-deoxyuridine nick-end labeling-positive cells and higher levels of activated caspase-3, as well as more apoptosis. Restoration of ATF3 expression in the heart of ATF3(-/-) mice by adenovirus-induced ATF3 treatment significantly improved cardiac contractility after TAB. The results from molecular and biochemical analyses, including chromatin immune-precipitation and in vitro /in vivo promoter assays, showed that ATF3 bound to the ATF/cAMP response element of the Beclin-1 promoter and that ATF3 reduced autophagy via suppression of the Beclin-1-dependent pathway. Furthermore, infusion of tert-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ), a selective ATF3 inducer, increased the expression of ATF3 via the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related transcriptional factor, inhibited TAB-induced cardiac dilatation, and increased left ventricular contractility, thereby rescuing heart failure. Our study identified a new epigenetic regulation mediated by the stress-inducible gene ATF3 on TAB-induced cardiac dysfunction. These findings suggest that the ATF3 activator tBHQ may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of pressure-overload heart failure induced by chronic hypertension or other pressure overload mechanisms.

Quantitative Phosphoproteomic Study of Pressure-Overloaded Mouse Heart Reveals Dynamin-Related Protein 1 as a Modulator of Cardiac Hypertrophy

Pressure-overload stress to the heart causes pathological cardiac hypertrophy, which increases the risk of cardiac morbidity and mortality. However, the detailed signaling pathways induced by pressure overload remain unclear. Here we used phosphoproteomics to delineate signaling pathways in the myocardium responding to acute pressure overload and chronic hypertrophy in mice. Myocardial samples at 4 time points (10, 30, 60 min and 2 weeks) after transverse aortic banding (TAB) in mice underwent quantitative phosphoproteomics assay. Temporal phosphoproteomics profiles showed 360 phosphorylation sites with significant regulation after TAB. Multiple mechanical stress sensors were activated after acute pressure overload. Gene ontology analysis revealed differential phosphorylation between hearts with acute pressure overload and chronic hypertrophy. Most interestingly, analysis of the cardiac hypertrophy pathway revealed phosphorylation of the mitochondrial fission protein dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1) by prohypertrophic kinases. Phosphorylation of DRP1 S622 was confirmed in TAB-treated mouse hearts and phenylephrine (PE)-treated rat neonatal cardiomyocytes. TAB-treated mouse hearts showed phosphorylation-mediated mitochondrial translocation of DRP1. Inhibition of DRP1 with the small-molecule inhibitor mdivi-1 reduced the TAB-induced hypertrophic responses. Mdivi-1 also prevented PE-induced hypertrophic growth and oxygen consumption in rat neonatal cardiomyocytes. We reveal the signaling responses of the heart to pressure stress in vivo and in vitro. DRP1 may be important in the development of cardiac hypertrophy.

Inhalation of diesel exhaust does not exacerbate cardiac hypertrophy or heart failure in two mouse models of cardiac hypertrophy

BackgroundStrong associations have been observed between exposure to fine ambient particulate matter (PM2.5) and adverse cardiovascular outcomes. In particular, exposure to traffic related PM2.5 has been associated with increases in left ventricular hypertrophy, a strong risk factor for cardiovascular mortality. As much of traffic related PM2.5 is derived from diesel exhaust (DE), we investigated the effects of chronic DE exposure on cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure in the adult mouse by exposing mice to DE combined with either of two mouse models of cardiac hypertrophy: angiotensin II infusion or pressure overload induced by transverse aortic banding.MethodsWild type male C57BL/6 J mice were either infused with angiotensin II (800 ng/kg/min) via osmotic minipump implanted subcutaneously for 1 month, or underwent transverse aortic banding (27 gauge needle 1 week for observing acute reactions, 26 gauge needle 3 months or 6 months for observing chronic reactions). Vehicle (saline) infusion or sham surgery was used as a control. Shortly after surgery, mice were transferred to our exposure facility and randomly assigned to either diesel exhaust (300 or 400 μg/m3) or filtered air exposures. After reaching the end of designated time points, echocardiography was performed to measure heart structure and function. Gravimetric analysis was used to measure the ventricular weight to body weight ratio. We also measured heart rate by telemetry using implanted ambulatory ECG monitors.ResultsBoth angiotensin II and transverse aortic banding promoted cardiac hypertrophy compared to vehicle or sham controls. Transverse aortic banding for six months also promoted heart failure in addition to cardiac hypertrophy. In all cases, DE failed to exacerbate the development of hypertrophy or heart failure when compared to filtered air controls. Prolonged DE exposure also led to a decrease in average heart rate.ConclusionsUp to 6-months of DE exposure had no effect on cardiac hypertrophy and heart function induced by angiotensin II stimulation or pressure overload in adult C57BL/6 J mice. This study highlights the potential importance of particle constituents of ambient PM2.5 to elicit cardiotoxic effects. Further investigations on particle constituents and cardiotoxicity are warranted.

Early growth response 1 is an early signal inducing Cav3.2 T-type calcium channels during cardiac hypertrophy

The Cav3.2 T-channel plays a pivotal role in inducing calcineurin/nuclear factor of activated T cell (NFAT) signalling during cardiac hypertrophy. Because calcineurin/NFAT signalling is induced early after pressure overload, we hypothesized that Cav3.2 is induced by an early signal. Our aim is to investigate when and how Cav3.2 is induced during cardiac hypertrophy. The evolutionary conserved promoter Cav3.2-3500 from mouse genome was validated to express the reporter gene as endogenous Cav3.2 in cell lines and transgenic (Tg; Cav3.2-3500-Luc) mice. The early induction of luciferase in Tg mice and Cav3.2 mRNA in wild-type mice after transverse aortic banding (TAB) surgery supported our hypothesis that Cav3.2 is induced early during cardiac hypertrophy. The TAB-responding element [-81 to -41 bp upstream of the transcription start site (TSS) of mouse Cav3.2] was identified by in vivo gene transfer by injecting reporter constructs into the left ventricle followed by TAB surgery. Electrophoresis mobility shift assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that Egr1 bound to the TAB-responding element of Cav3.2. Egr1 level was increased with increased Cav3.2 mRNA level at 3 days after TAB. To demonstrate that Egr1 indeed regulates Cav3.2 expression after hypertrophic stimulation, knockdown of Egr1 with short hairpin RNA prevented the phenylephrine-induced up-regulation of Cav3.2 expression and cellular hypertrophy in neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVMs) and H9c2 cells. Furthermore, overexpression of Cav3.2 in Egr1-knockdown cells restored the phenylephrine-induced hypertrophy. Cav3.2 is induced early by Egr1 during cardiac hypertrophy and Cav3.2 is an important mediator of Egr1 in regulating cardiac hypertrophy.

A novel approach for assessing cardiac fibrosis using label-free second harmonic generation

To determine whether second harmonic generation (SHG) can be used as a novel and improved label-free technique for detection of collagen deposition in the heart. To verify whether SHG will allow accurate quantification of altered collagen deposition in diseased hearts following hypertrophic remodelling. Minimally invasive transverse aortic banding (MTAB) of mouse hearts was used to generate a reproducible model of cardiac hypertrophy. Physiological and functional assessment of hypertrophic development was performed using echocardiography and post-mortem analysis of remodelled hearts. Cardiac fibroblasts were isolated from sham-operated and hypertrophied hearts and proliferation rates compared. Multi-photon laser scanning microscopy was used to capture both two-photon excited autofluorescence (TPEF) and SHG images simultaneously in two channels. TPEF images were subtracted from SHG images and the resulting signal intensities from ventricular tissue sections were calculated. Traditional picrosirius red stainingwas used to verify the suitability of the SHG application. MTAB surgery induced significant hypertrophic remodelling and increased cardiac fibroblast proliferation. A significant increase in the density of collagen fibres between hypertrophic and control tissues (p<0.05) was evident using SHG. Similar increases and patterns of staining were observed using parallel traditional picrosirius red staining of collagen. Label-free SHG microscopy provides a new alternative method for quantifying collagen deposition in fibrotic hearts.