Blockade of MyD88 attenuates cardiac hypertrophy and decreases cardiac myocyte apoptosis in pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy in vivo

2006 ◽  
Vol 290 (3) ◽  
pp. H985-H994 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tuanzhu Ha ◽  
Fang Hua ◽  
Yuehua Li ◽  
Jing Ma ◽  
Xiang Gao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Hypertrophy ◽  
Cardiac Function ◽  
Cardiac Myocyte ◽  
Pressure Overload ◽  
Terminal Deoxynucleotidyl Transferase ◽  
Heart Weight ◽  
Aortic Banding ◽  
Myocyte Apoptosis ◽  
Cardiac Myocyte Apoptosis

In this study, we evaluated whether blocking myeloid differentiation factor-88 (MyD88) could decrease cardiac myocyte apoptosis following pressure overload. Adenovirus expressing dominant negative MyD88 (Ad5-dnMyD88) or Ad5-green fluorescent protein (GFP) (Ad5-GFP) was transfected into rat hearts ( n = 8/group) immediately followed by aortic banding for 3 wk. One group of rats ( n = 8) was subjected to aortic banding for 3 wk without transfection. Sham surgical operation ( n = 8) served as control. The ratios of heart weight to body weight (HW/BW) and heart weight to tibia length (HW/TL) were calculated. Cardiomyocyte size was examined by FITC-labeled wheat germ agglutinin staining of membranes. Cardiac myocyte apoptosis was determined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling assay, and myocardial interstitial fibrosis was examined by Masson's Trichrome staining. Aortic banding significantly increased the HW/BW by 41.0% (0.44 ± 0.013 vs. 0.31 ± 0.008), HW/TL by 47.2% (42.7 ± 1.30 vs. 29.0 ± 0.69), cardiac myocyte size by 49.6%, and cardiac myocyte apoptosis by 11.5%, and myocardial fibrosis and decreased cardiac function compared with sham controls. Transfection of Ad5-dnMyD88 significantly reduced the HW/BW by 18.2% (0.36 ± 0.006 vs. 0.44 ± 0.013) and HW/TL by 22.3% (33.2 ± 0.95 vs. 42.7 ± 1.30) and decreased cardiomyocyte size by 56.8%, cardiac myocyte apoptosis by 76.2%, as well as fibrosis, and improved cardiac function compared with aortic-banded group. Our results suggest that MyD88 is an important component in the Toll-like receptor-4-mediated nuclear factor-κB activation pathway that contributes to the development of cardiac hypertrophy. Blockade of MyD88 significantly reduced cardiac hypertrophy, cardiac myocyte apoptosis, and improved cardiac function in vivo.

Genetic manipulation and functional analysis of cAMP signalling in cardiac muscle: implications for a new target of pharmacotherapy

2005 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 1337-1340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Ishikawa ◽  
K. Iwatsubo ◽  
T. Tsunematsu ◽  
S. Okumura
Keyword(s):  
Adenylate Cyclase ◽  
Cardiac Function ◽  
Cardiac Myocyte ◽  
Genetic Manipulation ◽  
Pressure Overload ◽  
Membrane Bound ◽  
Myocyte Apoptosis ◽  
Cardiac Myocyte Apoptosis ◽  
Myocyte Contractility ◽  
Β Adrenergic Receptors

Adenylate cyclase is a membrane-bound enzyme that catalyses the conversion of ATP into cAMP upon activation of cell-surface G-protein-coupled receptors, such as β-adrenergic receptors, and initiates a cascade of phosphorylation reactions within the cell. Type 5 adenylate cyclase is a major isoform in the heart as well as in the striatum of the brain. Mice with a disrupted type 5 adenylate cyclase gene exhibited normal cardiac function under basal conditions, but a decreased response to isoprenaline stimulation. When mice were subjected to pressure overload stress with aortic banding, they developed cardiac hypertrophy, but with a significant reduction in the number of apoptotic cardiac myocytes as well as preserved cardiac function. When type 5 adenylate cyclase activity was inhibited pharmacologically, by the use of a novel P-site inhibitor with enhanced selectivity for this isoform, there were no changes in cardiac myocyte contractility, but the development of cardiac myocyte apoptosis induced by isoprenaline stimulation was effectively prevented. These results indicate that type 5 adenylate cyclase may serve as a better target of pharmacotherapy to prevent the development of cardiac myocyte apoptosis and thus failure in response to various cardiac stresses.

Abstract 47: Loss of the Cardio Protection Inferred by S-nitrosylation of GRK2 At Cysteine 340 Leads to Decreased Cardiac Performance and a Hypertensive Phenotype With Aging

2015 ◽  
Vol 117 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J Traynham ◽  
Ancai Yuan ◽  
Erhe Gao ◽  
Walter Koch
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Hypertrophy ◽  
Cardiac Function ◽  
Ischemia Reperfusion ◽  
Cardiac Performance ◽  
Heart Weight ◽  
Cardiac Phenotype ◽  
Cardio Protection ◽  
G Protein Coupled ◽  
Global Population

In the next 35 years, the global population of individuals above 60 years of age will double to approximately 2 billion. In the aged population, cardiovascular diseases are known to occur at a higher prevalence ultimately leading to increased mortality. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) have been identified as vital regulators of cardiac function. GPCR kinases (GRKs) are important in cardiac GPCR regulation through desensitization of these receptors. GRK2 is highly expressed in the heart, and has been widely characterized due to its upregulation in heart failure. Studies from our lab have shown that elevated GRK2 levels in ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury result in a pro-death phenotype. Interestingly, cardio-protection can be inferred via S-nitrosylation of GRK2 at cysteine 340. Further, we have generated a knock-in GRK2 340S mouse, in which cysteine 340 was mutated to block dynamic GRK2 S-nitrosylation. GRK2 340S mice are more susceptible to I/R injury. Given that GRK2 340S mice are more susceptible to oxidative stress, and there is a nitroso-redox imbalance in senescence, it is possible that these mice are more likely to exhibit decreased cardiac performance as they age. Therefore, we hypothesize that with age GRK2 340S knockin mice will develop an overall worsened cardiac phenotype compared to control wild-type (WT) mice. To test this hypothesis, 340S and WT mice were aged for a year, and cardiac function was evaluated via echocardiography. Aged 340S mice exhibited significantly decreased ejection fraction and fraction shortening relative to aged WT controls. Prior to tissue harvesting, in-vivo hemodynamics was conducted via Millar catheterization. At baseline, aged 340S mice exhibited increased systolic blood pressure compared to aged WT mice. At the conclusion of this protocol, mice were sacrificed and heart weight (HW), body weight (BW), and tibia length (TL) measured to evaluate cardiac hypertrophy. Aged 340S mice exhibited significantly increased HW/BW and HW/TL ratios, indicative of cardiac hypertrophy, relative to aged WT controls. Taken together, these data suggest that with age, loss of the cardio protection inferred by S-nitrosylation of GRK2 at leads to decreased cardiac performance, and an overall worsened cardiac phenotype.

Prostaglandin F2 alpha induces cardiac myocyte hypertrophy in vitro and cardiac growth in vivo

1996 ◽  
Vol 271 (6) ◽  
pp. H2197-H2208 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Lai ◽  
H. Jin ◽  
R. Yang ◽  
J. Winer ◽  
W. Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Hypertrophy ◽  
Cardiac Myocyte ◽  
Ventricular Myocytes ◽  
Chronic Administration ◽  
Heart Weight ◽  
Adult Rats ◽  
Myocyte Hypertrophy ◽  
Cardiac Myocyte Hypertrophy

Several prostaglandins [prostaglandin (PG) A2, -B2, -D2, -E2, -F2 alpha, and -I2 and carbaprostacyclin] and the thromboxane analogue U-46619 were analyzed for the ability to induce hypertrophy of rat neonatal cardiac ventricular myocytes. Myocyte hypertrophy was induced specifically by PGF2 alpha. Myocytes exposed to this prostanoid in culture increased in size and protein content. The contractile fibrils within the cells became organized into parallel arrays, and the cells tended to cluster and beat spontaneously. PGF2 alpha also induced the expression of c-fos, atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), and alpha-skeletal actin in these cells. The effects of PGF2 alpha were compared with several known cardiac myocyte hypertrophy factors (phenylephrine, endothelin-1, leukemia inhibitory factor, cardiotrophin-1, and angiotensin II). PGF2 alpha was found to be intermediate in potency among the factors but induced a level of ANF production that was approximately 10-fold higher than any of the other effectors. Responsiveness to PGF2 alpha was not limited to neonatal cardiocytes. Ventricular myocytes isolated from adult rats also responded specifically to PGF2 alpha with a morphological change similar to that observed with phenylephrine and by producing ANF. In rats, chronic administration of fluprostenol, a potent agonist analogue of PGF2 alpha, resulted in a dose-dependent increase in heart weight- and ventricular weight-to-body weight ratios. The amount of PGF2 alpha extractable from the hearts of rats with cardiac hypertrophy induced by myocardial infarction was also found to be greater than that in sham-operated control rats. These results indicate that PGF2 alpha may play an important role in inducing cardiac hypertrophy.

NF-κB activation is required for the development of cardiac hypertrophy in vivo

2004 ◽  
Vol 287 (4) ◽  
pp. H1712-H1720 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuehua Li ◽  
Tuanzhu Ha ◽  
Xiang Gao ◽  
Jim Kelley ◽  
David L. Williams ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Hypertrophy ◽  
Natriuretic Peptide ◽  
Weight Ratio ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Heart Weight ◽  
Dominant Negative Mutant ◽  
Body Weight Ratio ◽  
Aortic Banding ◽  
Important Target

In the present study, we examined whether NF-κB activation is required for cardiac hypertrophy in vivo. Cardiac hypertrophy in rats was induced by aortic banding for 1, 3, and 5 days and 1–6 wk, and age-matched sham-operated rats served as controls. In a separate group of rats, an IκB-α dominant negative mutant (IκB-αM), a superrepressor of NF-κB activation, or pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (PDTC), an antioxidant that can inhibit NF-κB activation, was administered to aortic-banded rats for 3 wk. The heart weight-to-body weight ratio was significantly increased at 5 days after aortic banding, peaked at 4 wk, and remained elevated at 6 wk compared with age-matched sham controls. Atrial natriuretic peptide and brain natriuretic peptide mRNA expressions were significantly increased after 1 wk of aortic banding, reached a maximum between 2 and 3 wk, and remained increased at 6 wk compared with age-matched sham controls. NF-κB activity was significantly increased at 1 day, reached a peak at 3 wk, and remained elevated at 6 wk, and IKK-β activity was significantly increased at 1 day, peaked at 5 days, and then decreased but remained elevated at 6 wk after aortic banding compared with age-matched sham controls. Inhibiting NF-κB activation in vivo by cardiac transfection of IκB-αM or by PDTC treatment significantly attenuated the development of cardiac hypertrophy in vivo with a concomitant decrease in NF-κB activity. Our results suggest that NF-κB activation is required for the development of cardiac hypertrophy in vivo and that NF-κB could be an important target for inhibiting the development of cardiac hypertrophy in vivo.

scholarly journals β-Adrenergic Receptor-Stimulated Cardiac Myocyte Apoptosis: Role of β1 Integrins

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parthiv Amin ◽  
Mahipal Singh ◽  
Krishna Singh
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Myocyte ◽  
Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ◽  
Background Information ◽  
Integrin Signaling ◽  
Central Feature ◽  
Myocyte Apoptosis ◽  
Cardiac Myocyte Apoptosis

Increased sympathetic nerve activity to the myocardium is a central feature in patients with heart failure. Accumulation of catecholamines plays an important role in the pathogenesis of heart disease. Acting via β-adrenergic receptors (β-AR), catecholamines (norepinephrine and isoproterenol) increase cardiac myocyte apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. Specifically, β1-AR and β2-AR coupled to Gαs exert a proapoptotic action, while β2-AR coupled to Gi exerts an antiapoptotic action. β1 integrin signaling protects cardiac myocytes against β-AR-stimulated apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. Interaction of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) with β1 integrins interferes with the survival signals initiated by β1 integrins. This paper will discuss background information on β-AR and integrin signaling and summarize the role of β1 integrins in β-AR-stimulated cardiac myocyte apoptosis.

scholarly journals Cardiac-targeting magnetic lipoplex delivery of SH-IGF1R plasmid attenuate norepinephrine-induced cardiac hypertrophy in murine heart

2014 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yiping Xu ◽  
Xuebiao Li ◽  
Minjian Kong ◽  
Daming Jiang ◽  
Aiqiang Dong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Hypertrophy ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Transfection Efficiency ◽  
Gene Transfection ◽  
Pressure Overload ◽  
Posterior Wall ◽  
Promising Method ◽  
Heart Weight

Recent studies have demonstrated a number of molecular mechanisms contributing to the initiation of cardiac hypertrophy response to pressure overload. IGF1R (insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor), an important oncogene, is overexpressed in hypertrophic heart and mediates the hypertrophic pathology process. In this study, we applied with liposomal magnetofection that potentiated gene transfection by applying an external magnetic field to enhance its transfection efficiency. Liposomal magnetofection provided high efficiency in transgene expression in vivo. In vivo, IGF1R-specific-shRNA (small-hairpin RNA) by magnetofection inhibited IGF1R protein expression by 72.2±6.8, 80.7±9.6 and 84.5±5.6%, at 24, 48 and 72 h, respectively, after pGFPshIGF1R injection, indicating that liposomal magnetofection is a promising method that allows the targeting of gene therapy for heart failure. Furthermore, we found that the treated animals (liposomal magnetofection with shIGF1R) showed reduced septal and posterior wall thickness, reduced HW:BWs (heart weight-to-body weights) compared with controls. Moreover, we also found that liposomal magnetofection-based shIGF1R transfection decreased the expression level of p-ERK (phosphorylated extracellular-signal-regulated kinase)1/2, p-AKT1 (phosphorylated protein kinase B1) compared with untreated hearts. These results suggested that liposomal magnetofection-mediated IGF1R-specific-shRNA may be a promising method, and suppression the IGF1R expression inhibited norepinephrine-induced cardiac hypertrophic process via inhibiting PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase)/AKT pathway.

Abstract 20118: Defining the Sufficiency of Atg7 to Suppress Phenylephrine-induced Cardiac Hypertrophy

Circulation ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 130 (suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcus Tjeerdsma ◽  
Levi Froke ◽  
Jessica Freeling ◽  
Scott Pattison
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Cardiac Hypertrophy ◽  
Cardiac Function ◽  
Heart Weight ◽  
Autophagic Flux ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
Hypertrophic Growth ◽  
Fractional Shortening

Introduction: Macroautophagy is a process of bulk protein degradation. Our prior work showed that Atg7 expression is sufficient to induce autophagic flux in vitro and in vivo . When Atg7 was co-expressed with CryAB R120G in the heart, cardiac hypertrophy was blunted in heart weight/body weight ratios and fetal gene expression markers. To determine if Atg7 expression is sufficient to limit hypertrophic growth in another model, we tested the effects of Atg7 overexpression with phenylephrine-induced hypertrophy both in vitro and in vivo . Hypothesis: Atg7 will blunt the hypertrophic effects of phenylephrine. Methods: Rat neonatal cardiomyocytes were infected with adenoviruses expressing either LacZ or Atg7 and treated with phenylephrine to induce cardiomyocytes hypertrophy. Osmotic pumps were surgically implanted into control mice and mice with cardiac-specific expression of Atg7 to infuse phenylephrine (PE) or vehicle (saline) for four weeks. Results: PE treatment significantly increased neonatal cardiomyocyte areas in LacZ-expressing cells, while Atg7-expressing cardiomyocytes showed no growth. In mice, all genotypes responded to PE treatment with significantly increased heart weight/body weight ratios and increased fiber size. However, Atg7-expressing hearts differed significantly from control hearts in normalized heart mass following PE delivery. Vehicle treated Atg7-expressing hearts had 17% smaller myofiber cross-sectional areas than those from control genotypes and had a reduced hypertrophic response to PE, relative to controls. Echocardiography showed that Atg7-expressing hearts had significantly elevated cardiac function (% fractional shortening) prior to and throughout the experiment over control hearts (33% vs. 29%). PE significantly increased fractional shortening) from 29% to 36% in control hearts, but failed to significantly elevate cardiac function in Atg7-expressing hearts further (33% vs 35%). Additional assays are underway to understand the Atg7-dependent adaptations to PE. Conclusion: Atg7 expression yields modestly smaller hearts with enhanced cardiac function which may protect them from hypertrophic stresses like phenylephrine.

Abstract 104: Protein Kinase GIα Functions in the Cardiac Myocyte as a Tonic Inhibitor of Pathologic Cardiac Hypertrophy In Vivo

2012 ◽  
Vol 111 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert M Blanton ◽  
James P Mendoza ◽  
Mark Aronovitz ◽  
David A Kass ◽  
Michael E Mendelsohn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Cardiac Hypertrophy ◽  
Cardiac Myocyte ◽  
Heart Weight ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Lv Remodeling ◽  
Exon 1 ◽  
Tibia Length ◽  
Pathologic Cardiac Hypertrophy

Objectives: We and others previously demonstrated that activation of the NO-cGMP-Protein Kinase G (PKG) pathway inhibits cardiac hypertrophy and remodeling in vivo. However, it remains untested whether PKG specifically in the cardiac myocyte (CM) mediates these effects. We therefore tested the hypothesis that PKGIα inhibits pathologic cardiac hypertrophy through a specific role in the CM. Methods and Results: We created and characterized mice with CM-restricted excision of PKGIα. Mice were generated in which the PKGI exon 1 (specific for the Iα isoform) was flanked by loxP sites. We crossed these PKGIα fl/fl mice with αMHC-Cre mice which constitutively express Cre recombinase selectively in the CM. The resultant PKGIα fl/fl / αMHC-Cre+/- mice were compared with PKGIα fl/fl / αMHC-Cre-/- littermate controls (termed PKG CMKO and Ctrl, respectively). By age 3 months (n=5 per genotype), male PKG CMKO mice developed atrial and LV hypertrophy compared with Ctrl littermates PKG CMKO atrial weight/tibia length 0.33 ± 0.03 mg/mm vs 0.22 ± .01 in Ctrl, P <0.05; PKG CMKO LV/TL 5.0 ± 0.2 mg/mm vs 4.1 ± 0.4 in Ctrl, P <0.05). LV CM cross sectional area also increased in the 3 month old PKG CMKO mice (9445 ± 282 pixels PKG CMKO vs 8273 ± 213 in Ctrl, n>400 cells/genotype, 5 hearts per genotype; P <0.001). The systolic index end systolic elastance was decreased in 3 month old PKG CMKO mice (PKG CMKO 3.1 ± 0.4 mmHg/μ l vs 6.1 ± 1.0 in Ctrl-; P <0.05). Importantly, blood pressure did not differ between genotypes. By age 6 months, PKG CMKO mice developed early mortality (3 of 4 PKG CMKO males died at 6 months of age vs 0 of 4 Ctrl males). Total heart and atrial weights of male mice (n=3 PKG CMKO , 4 Ctrl) increased in PKG CMKO mice (heart weight/tibia length 10.8 ± 1.7 mg/mm in PKG CMKO vs 7.1 ± 0.6 in Ctrl; P <0.05; atrial weight/tibia length 2.3 ± 1.1 mg/mm in PKG CMKO vs 0.30 ± 0.1 Ctrl, P <0.05). LV fractional shortening percentage, recorded at 6 months age, trended lower in the PKG CMKO mice as well (35 ± 3% PKG CMKO vs 44 ± 4% Ctrl, P 0.09). Conclusions: These data provide the first evidence that PKGIα functions in the CM as a tonic inhibitor of age-dependent pathologic hypertrophy, supporting further study of PKGIα as a therapeutic target in the prevention and treatment of LV remodeling and congestive heart failure.

Abstract 407: Overexpression of the Valosin-containing Protein in vivo Prevents Cardiac Hypertrophy and Heart Failure by Chronic Pressure Overload via Suppressing the Activation of mTORC1 Pathway

2016 ◽  
Vol 119 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ning Zhou ◽  
Ben Ma ◽  
Tristen T Hays ◽  
Hongyu Qiu
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Cardiac Hypertrophy ◽  
Cardiac Function ◽  
Pressure Overload ◽  
Significant Inhibition ◽  
Cardiac Structure ◽  
Lung Weight ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Mtorc1 Signaling

Aims: Pressure overload induced cardiac hypertrophy is a key risk factor for heart failure. Although several defined interventions result in a significant inhibition of cardiac hypertrophy, the functional consequences are controversial. Identification of novel targets modulating the cardiac hypertrophy without adversely affecting cardiac function is particularly crucial to the treatment of heart failure. Here we test our hypothesis that the valosin-containing protein (VCP) is a novel mediator of cardiac protection against cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure by pressure overload. Methods and Results: Pressure overload was induced by transverse aortic constriction (TAC) in a mouse model to mimic the progression of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. Cardiac structure and function were measured by echocardiography and hemodynamic analysis. VCP expression was significantly reduced in wild type (WT) mice after 2 weeks TAC at both the mRNA and protein levels by 40% and 45 % respectively and even more markedly reduced after 5 weeks TAC (68% in mRNA and 73% in protein, all, P <0.01 vs sham). Cardiac overexpression of VCP in a transgenic (TG) mouse did not alter either cardiac structure or function at baseline condition. However, compared to 2 week TAC WT mice, VCP TG mice showed a significant repression of cardiac hypotrophy, evidenced by a significant reduction in the ratio of left ventricle (LV) /tibial length (TL) by 36%, LV posterior wall thickness by 20%, and cardiomyocyte cross sectional area by 39% (all P <0.05 vs WT). After 5 weeks of TAC, while WT mice progressed to cardiac failure, VCP TG mice exhibited preservation of cardiac function in terms of ejection function (EF,72±1% vs 52±4.1% in WT) and Lung weight /TL ratio (8.0±0.8mg/mm vs 9.8±0.8 mg/mm in WT) ( P <0.05 vs WT). Induction of fetal cardiac genes in TAC WT, e.g. ANP and BNP, was significant suppressed in VCP TG mice ( P <0.05 vs WT). TAC induced activation of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), e.g., an increase of phosphorylation of mTOR and S6K1, was significantly blunted in VCP TG mice vs WT after TAC ( P <0.05 vs WT). Conclusion: Overexpression of VCP in vivo prevents the progression of cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction upon pressure overload by modulating mTORC1 signaling pathways.

Abstract 484: Large Tumor Suppressor 2, A Downstream Target of Mammalian Sterile 20 Like Kinase 1, Is an Endogenous Regulator of Myocyte Size and Apoptosis in the Heart

Circulation ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 118 (suppl_18) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yutaka Matsui ◽  
Noritsugu Nakano ◽  
Hiromitsu Takagi ◽  
Dan Shao ◽  
Shumin Gao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Dysfunction ◽  
Cardiac Myocyte ◽  
Pressure Overload ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Negative Regulator ◽  
Large Tumor ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
Myocyte Apoptosis ◽  
Cardiac Myocyte Apoptosis ◽  
Tibia Length

Mammalian sterile 20-like kinase 1 (Mst1) plays an important role in mediating apoptosis and inhibiting hypertrophy in the heart. Mst1 forms a complex with hWW45 and Large tumor suppressor 2 (Lats2), thereby activating Lats2. Lats2 dose dependently increased apoptosis in cultured cardiac myocytes and transgenic mice with cardiac specific expression of Lats2 exhibited a cardiac dysfunction, suggesting that stimulation of Lats2 leads to increased cell death and cardiac dysfunction. In order to elucidate the function of endogenous Lats2 in the heart, we generated adenovirus harboring dominant-negative Lats2 (Ad-DN-Lats2) and transgenic mice with cardiac specific expression of dominant-negative Lats2 (Tg-DN-Lats2). Ad-DN-Lats2 prevented induction of apoptosis and inhibition of hypertrophy by Mst1 in cultured cardiac myocytes, suggesting that Lats2 mediates the function of Mst1. In Tg-DN-Lats2, both LV weight/tibia length (LVW/TL; 4.34 vs 3.68, N=9, N=7, p<0.01) and RV weight/tibia length (1.15 vs 0.88, N=9, N=7, p<0.01) were greater than in NTg. Echocardiographically determined LV function was normal in Tg-DN-Lats2 at baseline except that LV wall thickness was greater in Tg-DN-Lats2 than in NTg (LV posterior wall thickness; 0.97 vs 0.79 mm, N=10, N=7, p<0.05). Since expression of Lats2 is increased in response to pressure overload (8 fold), we examined whether upregulation of endogenous Lats2 during pressure overload works as a negative feedback mechanism for cardiac hypertrophy. Tg-DN-Lats2 mice exhibited greater LVW/TL than NTg after transverse aortic constriction (TAC) (5.9 vs 4.7 mm, N=9, N=7, p<0.05). Increases in LVW/TL (+37% vs 27%, N=9, N=7, p<0.05) and LV cross sectional area (+25% vs +16%, N=5, N=5, p<0.05) after TAC were greater in Tg-DN-Lats2 than those in NTg. Moreover, Tg-DN-Lats2 exhibited significantly lower cardiac myocyte apoptosis than NTg after TAC. These results suggest that Lats2 is a negative regulator of cardiac hypertrophy at baseline and in response to pressure overload, and a positive mediator of cardiac myocyte apoptosis under pressure overload. In conclusion, Lats2 is an evolutionarily conserved negative regulator of organ size: namely inhibiting hypertrophy while stimulating apoptosis in the heart. This research has received full or partial funding support from the American Heart Association, AHA Founders Affiliate (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont).

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