Lengthening-contractions in isolated myocardium impact force development and worsen cardiac contractile function in the mdx mouse model of muscular dystrophy

Lengthening-contractions exert eccentric stress on myofibers in normal myocardium. In congestive heart failure caused by a variety of diseases, the impact of lengthening-contractions of myocardium likely becomes more prevalent and severe. The present study introduces a method to investigate the role of stretching imposed by repetitive lengthening-contractions in myocardium under near-physiological conditions. By exerting various stretch-release ramps while the muscle is contracting, consecutive lengthening-contractions and their potential detrimental effect on cardiac function can be studied. We tested our model and hypothesis in age-matched (young and adult) mdx and wild-type mouse right ventricular trabeculae. These linear and ultrathin muscles possess all major cardiac cell types, and their contractile behavior very closely mimics that of the whole myocardium. In the first group of experiments, 10 lengthening-contractions at various magnitudes of stretch were performed in trabeculae from 10-wk-old mdx and wild-type mice. In the second group, 100 lengthening-contractions at various magnitudes were conducted in trabeculae from 10- and 20-wk-old mice. The peak isometric active developed tension (Fdev, in mN/mm2) and kinetic parameters time to peak tension (TTP, in ms) and time from peak tension to half-relaxation (RT50, in ms) were measured. Our results indicate lengthening-contractions significantly impact contractile behavior, and that dystrophin-deficient myocardium in mdx mice is significantly more susceptible to these damaging lengthening-contractions. The results indicate that lengthening-contractions in intact myocardium can be used in vitro to study this emerging contributor to cardiomyopathy.

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Cardiac contractile function is enhanced in isolated ventricular myocytes from growth hormone transgenic mice

Journal of Endocrinology ◽

10.1677/joe.0.1730257 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 173 (2) ◽

pp. 257-264 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

PB Colligan ◽

HM Brown-Borg ◽

J Duan ◽

BH Ren ◽

J Ren

Keyword(s):

Growth Hormone ◽

Transgenic Mice ◽

Ventricular Myocytes ◽

Contractile Function ◽

Removal Rate ◽

Wild Type Mouse ◽

Wild Type ◽

Cardiac Contractile Function ◽

Over Expression ◽

Time To Peak

Growth hormone (GH) plays a key role in cardiac growth and function. However, excessive levels of GH often result in cardiac dysfunction, which is the major cause of death in acromegalic patients. Transgenic mice with GH over-expression serve as useful models for acromegaly and exhibit impaired cardiac functions using echocardiography, similar to those of human acromegaly. However, the mechanism underscoring the impaired ventricular function has not been well defined. This study was designed to evaluate the cardiac excitation-contraction coupling in GH over-expressing transgenic mice at the single ventricular myocyte level. Myocytes were isolated from GH and age-matched wild-type mouse hearts. Mechanical properties were evaluated using an IonOptix MyoCam system. The contractile properties analyzed included peak shortening (PS), time-to-peak shortening (TPS) and time-to-90% relengthening (TR(90)), and maximal velocities of shortening/relengthening (+/-dL/dt). Intracellular Ca2+ properties were evaluated by fura-2. GH transgenic mice exhibited significantly increased body weights and enlarged heart and myocyte size. Myocytes from GH transgenic mice displayed significantly enhanced PS and+/-dL/dt associated with similar TPS and TR(90) compared with the wild-type littermates. Myocytes from GH transgenic mice displayed a similar resting intracellular Ca2+ level and Ca2+ removal rate but exhibited an elevated peak intracellular Ca2+ level compared with the wild-type group. Myocytes from both groups were equally responsive to increases in extracellular Ca2+ concentration and stimulating frequency. These results suggest that GH over-expression is associated with enhanced contractile function in isolated myocytes and that the impaired cardiac function observed in whole hearts may not be due to defects at the myocyte level.

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Cardiomyocyte-specific overexpression of an active form of Rac predisposes the heart to increased myocardial stunning and ischemia-reperfusion injury

AJP Heart and Circulatory Physiology ◽

10.1152/ajpheart.00367.2012 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 304 (2) ◽

pp. H294-H302 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

M. A. Hassan Talukder ◽

Mohammad T. Elnakish ◽

Fuchun Yang ◽

Yoshinori Nishijima ◽

Mazin A. Alhaj ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nadph Oxidase ◽

Ischemia Reperfusion Injury ◽

Contractile Function ◽

Ischemia Reperfusion ◽

Active Form ◽

Mutant Form ◽

Cardiac Contractile Function ◽

The Impact

The GTP-binding protein Rac regulates diverse cellular functions including activation of NADPH oxidase, a major source of superoxide production (O2·−). Rac1-mediated NADPH oxidase activation is increased after myocardial infarction (MI) and heart failure both in animals and humans; however, the impact of increased myocardial Rac on impending ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) is unknown. A novel transgenic mouse model with cardiac-specific overexpression of constitutively active mutant form of Zea maize Rac D (ZmRacD) gene has been reported with increased myocardial Rac-GTPase activity and O2·− generation. The goal of the present study was to determine signaling pathways related to increased myocardial ZmRacD and to what extent hearts with increased ZmRacD proteins are susceptible to I/R injury. The effect of myocardial I/R was examined in young adult wild-type (WT) and ZmRacD transgenic (TG) mice. In vitro reversible myocardial I/R for postischemic cardiac function and in vivo regional myocardial I/R for MI were performed. Following 20-min global ischemia and 45-min reperfusion, postischemic cardiac contractile function and heart rate were significantly reduced in TG hearts compared with WT hearts. Importantly, acute regional myocardial I/R (30-min ischemia and 24-h reperfusion) caused significantly larger MI in TG mice compared with WT mice. Western blot analysis of cardiac homogenates revealed that increased myocardial ZmRacD gene expression is associated with concomitant increased levels of NADPH oxidase subunit gp91phox, O2·−, and P21-activated kinase. Thus these findings provide direct evidence that increased levels of active myocardial Rac renders the heart susceptible to increased postischemic contractile dysfunction and MI following acute I/R.

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Neuronostatin inhibits cardiac contractile function via a protein kinase A- and JNK-dependent mechanism in murine hearts

AJP Regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology ◽

10.1152/ajpregu.00196.2009 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 297 (3) ◽

pp. R682-R689 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Yinan Hua ◽

Heng Ma ◽

Willis K. Samson ◽

Jun Ren

Keyword(s):

Contractile Function ◽

Peptide Hormone ◽

Left Ventricular ◽

Maximal Velocity ◽

Cardiac Contractile Function ◽

Mechanical Responses ◽

Cardiac Contractile ◽

Short Term Exposure ◽

The Impact ◽

Dependent Mechanism

Neuronostatin, a newly identified peptide hormone sharing the same precursor with somatostatin, exerts multiple pharmacological effects in gastrointestinal tract, hypothalamus, and cerebellum. However, the cardiovascular effect of neuronostatin is unknown. The aim of this study was to elucidate the impact of neuronostatin on cardiac contractile function in murine hearts and isolated cardiomyocytes. Short-term exposure of neuronostatin depressed left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP), maximal velocity of pressure development (±dP/d t), and heart rate in Langendorff heart preparation. Consistently, neuronostatin inhibited peak shortening (PS) and maximal velocity of shortening/relengthening (±dL/d t) without affecting time-to-PS (TPS) and time-to-90% relengthening (TR90) in cardiomyocytes. The neuronostatin-elicited cardiomyocyte mechanical responses were mimicked by somatostatin, the other posttranslational product of preprosomatostatin. Furthermore, the neuronostatin-induced cardiomyocyte mechanical effects were ablated by the PKA inhibitor H89 (1 μM) and the Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor SP600125 (20 μM). The PKC inhibitor chelerythrine (1 μM) failed to alter neuronostatin-induced cardiomyocyte mechanical responses. To the contrary, chelerythrine, but not H89, abrogated somatostatin-induced cardiomyocyte contractile responses. Our results also showed enhanced c-fos and c-jun expression in response to neuronostatin exposure (0.5 to 2 h). Taken together, our data suggest that neuronostatin is a peptide hormone with overt cardiac depressant action. The neuronostatin-elicited cardiac contractile response appears to be mediated, at least in part, through a PKA- and/or JNK-dependent mechanism.

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Production of Noncapped Genomic RNAs Is Critical to Sindbis Virus Disease and Pathogenicity

mBio ◽

10.1128/mbio.02675-20 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

Author(s):

Autumn T. LaPointe ◽

V Douglas Landers ◽

Claire E. Westcott ◽

Kevin J. Sokoloski

Keyword(s):

Sindbis Virus ◽

Virus Disease ◽

Severe Disease ◽

Wild Type Virus ◽

Wild Type ◽

Genomic Rnas ◽

Mortality And Morbidity ◽

The Impact

ABSTRACT Alphaviruses are positive-sense RNA viruses that utilize a 5′ cap structure to facilitate translation of viral proteins and to protect the viral RNA genome. Nonetheless, significant quantities of viral genomic RNAs that lack a canonical 5′ cap structure are produced during alphaviral replication and packaged into viral particles. However, the role/impact of the noncapped genomic RNA (ncgRNA) during alphaviral infection in vivo has yet to be characterized. To determine the importance of the ncgRNA in vivo, the previously described D355A and N376A nsP1 mutations, which increase or decrease nsP1 capping activity, respectively, were incorporated into the neurovirulent AR86 strain of Sindbis virus to enable characterization of the impact of altered capping efficiency in a murine model of infection. Mice infected with the N376A nsP1 mutant exhibited slightly decreased rates of mortality and delayed weight loss and neurological symptoms, although levels of inflammation in the brain were similar to those of wild-type infection. Although the D355A mutation resulted in decreased antiviral gene expression and increased resistance to interferon in vitro, mice infected with the D355A mutant showed significantly reduced mortality and morbidity compared to mice infected with wild-type virus. Interestingly, expression of proinflammatory cytokines was found to be significantly decreased in mice infected with the D355A mutant, suggesting that capping efficiency and the production of ncgRNA are vital to eliciting pathogenic levels of inflammation. Collectively, these data indicate that the ncgRNA have important roles during alphaviral infection and suggest a novel mechanism by which noncapped viral RNAs aid in viral pathogenesis. IMPORTANCE Mosquito-transmitted alphaviruses have been the cause of widespread outbreaks of disease that can range from mild illness to lethal encephalitis or severe polyarthritis. There are currently no safe and effective vaccines or therapeutics with which to prevent or treat alphaviral disease, highlighting the need to better understand alphaviral pathogenesis to develop novel antiviral strategies. This report reveals production of noncapped genomic RNAs (ncgRNAs) to be a novel determinant of alphaviral virulence and offers insight into the importance of inflammation to pathogenesis. Taken together, the findings reported here suggest that the ncgRNAs contribute to alphaviral pathogenesis through the sensing of the ncgRNAs during alphaviral infection and are necessary for the development of severe disease.

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Impaired mechanical stability, migration and contractile capacity in vimentin-deficient fibroblasts

Journal of Cell Science ◽

10.1242/jcs.111.13.1897 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 111 (13) ◽

pp. 1897-1907 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

B. Eckes ◽

D. Dogic ◽

E. Colucci-Guyon ◽

N. Wang ◽

A. Maniotis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Spatial Organization ◽

Mechanical Stability ◽

Wild Type Mouse ◽

Wild Type ◽

Cellular Functions ◽

Primary Fibroblasts ◽

In Vitro Systems ◽

Filament Network ◽

Collagen Lattices

Loss of a vimentin network due to gene disruption created viable mice that did not differ overtly from wild-type littermates. Here, primary fibroblasts derived from vimentin-deficient (-/-) and wild-type (+/+) mouse embryos were cultured, and biological functions were studied in in vitro systems resembling stress situations. Stiffness of -/- fibroblasts was reduced by 40% in comparison to wild-type cells. Vimentin-deficient cells also displayed reduced mechanical stability, motility and directional migration towards different chemo-attractive stimuli. Reorganization of collagen fibrils and contraction of collagen lattices were severely impaired. The spatial organization of focal contact proteins, as well as actin microfilament organization was disturbed. Thus, absence of a vimentin filament network does not impair basic cellular functions needed for growth in culture, but cells are mechanically less stable, and we propose that therefore they are impaired in all functions depending upon mechanical stability.

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Abstract 470: Recording Cell Migration Dynamics in Mouse Tissues With Cells Secreting Fluorescence Protein-tagged Collagen

Circulation Research ◽

10.1161/res.127.suppl_1.470 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 127 (Suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Zhongming Chen

Keyword(s):

Cell Migration ◽

Cell Lines ◽

Wild Type Mouse ◽

Cardiac Progenitor Cells ◽

Wild Type ◽

Mouse Tissues ◽

Migration Dynamics ◽

Fluorescence Protein

Background: Cell migration is an important step involved in heart regeneration and many cardiovascular diseases. However, cell migration dynamics in vivo is poorly understood due to the challenges from mammal hearts, which are opaque and fast beating, and thus individual cardiac cells cannot be imaged or tracked. Aims: In this study, cell migration dynamics in the heart is recorded with a novel strategy, in which fluorescence protein-tagged collagen is secreted from cells and deposited into extracellular matrix, forming visible trails when cells are moving in tissues. As a proof-of-concept, transplanted migration dynamics of cardiac progenitor cells in mouse hearts were investaged. Methods: Stable cell lines expressing mCherry-tagged type I collagen were generated from isolated cardiac progenitor cells, ABCG2 + CD45 - CD31 - cells (side populations), or c-kit + CD45 - CD31 - cells (c-kit + CPCs). The cell migration dynamics were monitored and measured based on the cell trails after cell transplantation into mouse tissues. Results: The stable cell lines form red cell trails both in vitro and in vivo (Fig. 1A & 1B, Green: GFP; Red: mCherry-collagen I, Blue: DAPI, bar: 50 microns). In culture dishes, the cells form visible cell trails of fluorescence protein. The cell moving directions are random, with a speed of 288 +/- 79 microns/day (side populations, n=3) or 143 +/-37 microns/day (c-kit + CPCs, n=3). After transplantation into wild-type mouse hearts, the cells form highly tortuous trails along the gaps between the heart muscle fibers. Angle between a cell trail and a muscle fiber is 16+/-16 degree (n=3). Side populations migrate twice as fast as c-kit+ CPCs in the heart (16.0 +/-8.7 microns/day vs. 8.1+/-0.0 microns/day, n=3, respectively), 18 time slower than the respective speeds in vitro . Additionally, side populations migrate significantly faster in the heart than in the skeletal muscles (26.4+/-5.8 microns/day, n=3). The side populations move significantly faster in immunodeficient mouse hearts (36.7+/-13.3 microns/day, n=3, typically used for studying cell therapies) than in wild-type mouse hearts. Conclusion: For the first time, cell migration dynamics in living hearts is monitored and examined with genetically modified cell lines. This study may greatly advance the fields of cardiovascular biology.

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The Impact of ALS-Associated Genes hnRNPA1, MATR3, VCP and UBQLN2 on the Severity of TDP-43 Aggregation

Cells ◽

10.3390/cells9081791 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (8) ◽

pp. 1791

Author(s):

Ana Bajc Česnik ◽

Helena Motaln ◽

Boris Rogelj

Keyword(s):

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ◽

Rna Binding ◽

Neurodegenerative Disorder ◽

Low Complexity ◽

Wild Type ◽

Disease Heterogeneity ◽

Cytoplasmic Inclusions ◽

The Impact ◽

Lateral Sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by cytoplasmic inclusions of RNA-binding protein TDP-43. Despite decades of research and identification of more than 50 genes associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the cause of TDP-43 translocation from the nucleus and its aggregation in the cytoplasm still remains unknown. Our study addressed the impact of selected ALS-associated genes on TDP-43 aggregation behavior in wild-type and aggregation prone TDP-43 in vitro cell models. These were developed by deleting TDP-43 nuclear localization signal and stepwise shortening its low-complexity region. The SH-SY5Y cells were co-transfected with the constructs of aggregation-prone TDP-43 and wild-type or mutant ALS-associated genes hnRNPA1, MATR3, VCP or UBQLN2. The investigated genes displayed a unique impact on TDP-43 aggregation, generating distinct types of cytoplasmic inclusions, similar to those already described as resembling prion strains, which could represent the basis for neurodegenerative disease heterogeneity.

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ProNGF/p75NTR Axis Drives Fiber Type Specification by Inducing the Fast-Glycolytic Phenotype in Mouse Skeletal Muscle Cells

Cells ◽

10.3390/cells9102232 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (10) ◽

pp. 2232

Author(s):

Valentina Pallottini ◽

Mayra Colardo ◽

Claudia Tonini ◽

Noemi Martella ◽

Georgios Strimpakos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Skeletal Muscle ◽

Myosin Heavy Chain ◽

Heavy Chain ◽

Myogenic Differentiation ◽

Fiber Type ◽

Pcr Analysis ◽

Mdx Mouse ◽

Mdx Mice ◽

Muscle Physiology

Despite its undisputable role in the homeostatic regulation of the nervous system, the nerve growth factor (NGF) also governs the relevant cellular processes in other tissues and organs. In this study, we aimed at assessing the expression and the putative involvement of NGF signaling in skeletal muscle physiology. To reach this objective, we employed satellite cell-derived myoblasts as an in vitro culture model. In vivo experiments were performed on Tibialis anterior from wild-type mice and an mdx mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Targets of interest were mainly assessed by means of morphological, Western blot and qRT-PCR analysis. The results show that proNGF is involved in myogenic differentiation. Importantly, the proNGF/p75NTR pathway orchestrates a slow-to-fast fiber type transition by counteracting the expression of slow myosin heavy chain and that of oxidative markers. Concurrently, proNGF/p75NTR activation facilitates the induction of fast myosin heavy chain and of fast/glycolytic markers. Furthermore, we also provided evidence that the oxidative metabolism is impaired in mdx mice, and that these alterations are paralleled by a prominent buildup of proNGF and p75NTR. These findings underline that the proNGF/p75NTR pathway may play a crucial role in fiber type determination and suggest its prospective modulation as an innovative therapeutic approach to counteract muscle disorders.

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Lipid peroxidation contributes to cardiac deficits after ischemia and reperfusion of the small bowel

AJP Heart and Circulatory Physiology ◽

10.1152/ajpheart.1993.264.5.h1686 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 264 (5) ◽

pp. H1686-H1692 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

J. W. Horton ◽

D. J. White

Keyword(s):

Lipid Peroxidation ◽

Contractile Function ◽

Ischemia Reperfusion ◽

Left Ventricular Pressure ◽

Left Ventricular ◽

Cardiac Contractile Function ◽

Langendorff Preparation ◽

Cardiac Contractile ◽

Intestinal Ischemia Reperfusion

Our previous studies showed that intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (IR) impairs cardiac contractile function. The present study examined the contribution of oxygen free radicals and lipid peroxidation of cardiac cell membrane to cardiac dysfunction after intestinal IR in a rat model of superior mesenteric artery (SMA) occlusion (atraumatic clip for 20 min) and collateral arcade ligation. Controls were sham operated (group 1, n = 25). In group 2, 30 rats with SMA occlusion were killed 3-4 h after reperfusion without treatment. Aminosteroid (U-74389F), a pharmacological agent known to inhibit lipid peroxidation of membranes, was given 1 min before occlusion of the SMA (group 3, n = 19). All rats were killed 3-4 h after reperfusion of the ischemic intestine, and the hearts were harvested for in vitro assessment of cardiac function (Langendorff preparation). Cardiac contractile depression occurred in the untreated group as indicated by a fall in left ventricular pressure (from 76 +/- 3 to 64 +/- 3 mmHg, P = 0.01), maximum +dP/dt (from 1,830 +/- 60 to 1,577 +/- 64 mmHg/s, P = 0.05), and maximum -dP/dt (from 1,260 +/- 50 to 950 +/- 60 mmHg/s, P = 0.005). Lipid peroxidation of cardiac membranes occurred after untreated IR as indicated by the rise in cardiac malondialdehyde levels (MDA) (from 0.203 +/- 0.046 to 0.501 +/- 0.044 nM/mg protein, P < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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In vitro and in vivo analysis of human fibroblast reprogramming and multipotency

Cellular & Molecular Biology Letters ◽

10.1515/cmble-2015-0024 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 20 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Rongqing Pang ◽

Xiangqing Zhu ◽

Jia Geng ◽

Yongyun Zhang ◽

Qiang Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Skeletal Muscle ◽

Human Fibroblasts ◽

Mdx Mouse ◽

Mdx Mice ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Tail Vein ◽

Tail Vein Injection ◽

Activity Measurements ◽

Human Dystrophin

AbstractMultipotent stem cells have potential therapeutic roles in the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). However, the limited access to stem cell sources restricts their clinical application. To address this issue, we established a simple in vitro epigenetic reprogramming technique in which skin fibroblasts are induced to dedifferentiate into multipotent cells. In this study, human fibroblasts were isolated from circumcised adult foreskin and were reprogrammed by co-culture for 72 h with fish oocyte extract (FOE) in serum-free medium. The cells were then observed and analyzed by immunofluorescence staining, flow cytometry and in vitro differentiation assays. Then FOE-treated human fibroblasts were transplanted by tail vein injection into irradiated mdx mice, an animal model of DMD. Two months after injection, the therapeutic effects of FOE-treated fibroblasts on mdx skeletal muscle were evaluated by serum creatine kinase (CK) activity measurements and by immunostaining and RT-PCR of human dystrophin expression. The results indicated that the reprogrammed fibroblasts expressed higher levels of the pluripotent antigen markers SSEA-4, Nanog and Oct-4, and were able to differentiate in vitro into adipogenic cells, osteoblastic cells, and myotube-like cells. Tail vein injection of FOE-treated fibroblasts into irradiated mdx mice slightly reduced serum CK activity and the percentage of centrally nucleated myofibers two months after cell transplantation. Furthermore, we confirmed human dystrophin protein and mRNA expression in mdx mouse skeletal muscle. These data demonstrated that FOE-treated fibroblasts were multipotent and could integrate into mdx mouse myofibers through the vasculature.

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