Journal of molecular and cellular cardiology
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J. Mol. Cell. Cardiol. · Jun 2014
Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 ameliorates doxorubicin-induced myocardial dysfunction through detoxification of 4-HNE and suppression of autophagy.
Mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2) protects against cardiac injury via reducing production of 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) and ROS. This study was designed to examine the impact of ALDH2 on doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiomyopathy and mechanisms involved with a focus on autophagy. 4-HNE and autophagic markers were detected by Western blotting in ventricular tissues from normal donors and patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Cardiac function, 4-HNE and levels of autophagic markers were detected in WT, ALDH2 knockout or ALDH2 transfected mice treated with or without DOX. ⋯ Our data further revealed downregulated ALDH2 and upregulated autophagy levels in the hearts from patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. Taken together, our findings suggest that inhibition of 4-HNE and autophagy may be a plausible mechanism underscoring ALDH2-offered protection against DOX-induced cardiac defect. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Protein Quality Control, the Ubiquitin Proteasome System, and Autophagy".
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J. Mol. Cell. Cardiol. · Mar 2014
Cardioprotection by remote ischemic preconditioning of the rat heart is mediated by extracellular vesicles.
Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) of the heart is exerted by brief ischemic insults affected on a remote organ or a remote area of the heart before a sustained cardiac ischemia. To date, little is known about the inter-organ transfer mechanisms of cardioprotection by RIPC. Exosomes and microvesicles/microparticles are vesicles of 30-100 nm and 100-1000 nm in diameter, respectively (collectively termed extracellular vesicles [EVs]). ⋯ Administration of coronary perfusate from IPC donor hearts attenuated infarct size in non-preconditioned recipient hearts (12.9 ± 1.6% vs. 25.0 ± 2.7%), similarly to cardioprotection afforded by IPC (7.3 ± 2.7% vs. 22.1 ± 2.9%) on the donor hearts. Perfusates of IPC hearts depleted of EVs failed to exert cardioprotection in recipient hearts (22.0 ± 2.3%). This is the first demonstration that EVs released from the heart after IPC are necessary for cardioprotection by RIPC, evidencing the importance of vesicular transfer mechanisms in remote cardioprotection.
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J. Mol. Cell. Cardiol. · Feb 2014
Focal adhesion kinase antagonizes doxorubicin cardiotoxicity via p21(Cip1.).
Clinical application of potent anthracycline anticancer drugs, especially doxorubicin (DOX), is limited by a toxic cardiac side effect that is not fully understood and preventive strategies are yet to be established. Studies in genetically modified mice have demonstrated that focal adhesion kinase (FAK) plays a key role in regulating adaptive responses of the adult myocardium to pathological stimuli through activation of intracellular signaling cascades that facilitate cardiomyocyte growth and survival. The objective of this study was to determine if targeted myocardial FAK activation could protect the heart from DOX-induced de-compensation and to characterize the underlying mechanisms. ⋯ DOX treatment induced proteasomal degradation of p21, which exacerbated mitochondrial dysfunction and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. FAK was both necessary and sufficient for maintaining p21 levels following DOX treatment and depletion of p21 compromised FAK-dependent protection from DOX. These findings identify p21 as a key determinant of DOX resistance downstream of FAK in cardiomyocytes and indicate that cardiac-restricted enhancement of the FAK/p21 signaling axis might be an effective strategy to preserve myocardial function in patients receiving anthracycline chemotherapy.
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J. Mol. Cell. Cardiol. · Jan 2014
Angiotensin II induced proteolytic cleavage of myocardial ACE2 is mediated by TACE/ADAM-17: a positive feedback mechanism in the RAS.
Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) 2 is a key negative regulator of the renin-angiotensin system where it metabolizes angiotensin (Ang) II into Ang 1-7. We hypothesize that Ang II suppresses ACE2 by increasing TNF-α converting enzyme (TACE) activity and ACE2 cleavage. Ang II infusion (1.5 mg/kg/day) in wild-type mice for 2 weeks resulted in substantial decrease in myocardial ACE2 protein levels and activity with corresponding increase in plasma ACE2 activity, prevented by AT1R blockade. ⋯ Reactive oxygen species played a key role since p47(phox)KO mice were resistant to Ang II-induced TACE phosphorylation and activation with preservation of myocardial ACE2 which dampened Ang II-induced cardiac dysfunction and hypertrophy. In conclusion, Ang II induces ACE2 shedding by promoting TACE activity as a positive feedback mechanism whereby Ang II facilitates the loss of its negative regulator, ACE2. In HF, elevated plasma ACE2 activity likely represents loss of the protective effects of ACE2 in the heart.
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J. Mol. Cell. Cardiol. · Jan 2014
Zinc plays a critical role in the cardioprotective effect of postconditioning by enhancing the activation of the RISK pathway in rat hearts.
This study investigated if zinc plays a role in postconditioning-induced cardioprotection in rat hearts. Isolated rat hearts were subjected to 30 min regional ischemia followed by 2h of reperfusion. Postconditioning was elicited by 6 cycles of 10s reperfusion and 10s ischemia. ⋯ Knockdown of the zinc transporter Zip2 inhibited the protective effect of postconditioning on hypoxia/reoxygenation injury in H9c2 cells. These results suggest that zinc plays an important role in the cardioprotective effect of postconditioning presumably by enhancing the activation of the RISK pathway. Zip2 and inactivation of PP2A by zinc may, at least in part, account for the activation of the RISK pathway.