scholarly journals Molecules linked to Ras signaling as therapeutic targets in cardiac pathologies

2021 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Ramos-Kuri ◽  
Sri Harika Meka ◽  
Fabio Salamanca-Buentello ◽  
Roger J. Hajjar ◽  
Larissa Lipskaia ◽  
...  

Abstract The Ras family of small Guanosine Triphosphate (GTP)-binding proteins (G proteins) represents one of the main components of intracellular signal transduction required for normal cardiac growth, but is also critically involved in the development of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. The present review provides an update on the role of the H-, K- and N-Ras genes and their related pathways in cardiac diseases. We focus on cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure, where Ras has been studied the most. We also review other cardiac diseases, like genetic disorders related to Ras. The scope of the review extends from fundamental concepts to therapeutic applications. Although the three Ras genes have a nearly identical primary structure, there are important functional differences between them: H-Ras mainly regulates cardiomyocyte size, whereas K-Ras regulates cardiomyocyte proliferation. N-Ras is the least studied in cardiac cells and is less associated to cardiac defects. Clinically, oncogenic H-Ras causes Costello syndrome and facio-cutaneous-skeletal syndromes with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and arrhythmias. On the other hand, oncogenic K-Ras and alterations of other genes of the Ras-Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) pathway, like Raf, cause Noonan syndrome and cardio-facio-cutaneous syndromes characterized by cardiac hypertrophy and septal defects. We further review the modulation by Ras of key signaling pathways in the cardiomyocyte, including: (i) the classical Ras-Raf-MAPK pathway, which leads to a more physiological form of cardiac hypertrophy; as well as other pathways associated with pathological cardiac hypertrophy, like (ii) The SAPK (stress activated protein kinase) pathways p38 and JNK; and (iii) The alternative pathway Raf-Calcineurin-Nuclear Factor of Activated T cells (NFAT). Genetic alterations of Ras isoforms or of genes in the Ras-MAPK pathway result in Ras-opathies, conditions frequently associated with cardiac hypertrophy or septal defects among other cardiac diseases. Several studies underline the potential role of H- and K-Ras as a hinge between physiological and pathological cardiac hypertrophy, and as potential therapeutic targets in cardiac hypertrophy and failure. Graphic abstract

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiyu Dai ◽  
Jianding Cheng ◽  
Bin Liu ◽  
Dan Yi ◽  
Anlin Feng ◽  
...  

Cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis are common adaptive responses to injury and stress, eventually leading to heart failure. Hypoxia signaling is important to the (patho)physiological process of cardiac remodeling. However, the role of endothelial Prolyl-4 hydroxylase 2 (PHD2)/hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs) signaling in the pathogenesis of heart failure remains elusive. We observed a marked decrease of PHD2 expression in heart tissues and cardiovascular endothelial cells from patients with cardiomyopathy. Mice with Tie2-Cre-mediated deletion of Egln1 (encoding PHD2) or tamoxifen-induced endothelial Egln1 deletion exhibited left ventricular hypertrophy and cardiac fibrosis. Genetic ablation and pharmacological inhibition of Hif2a but not Hif1a in endothelial Egln1 deficient mice normalized cardiac size and function. The present studies define for the first time an unexpected role of endothelial PHD2 deficiency in inducing cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis in a HIF-2α dependent manner. Targeting PHD2/HIF-2α signaling may represent a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of pathological cardiac hypertrophy and failure.


2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mengfei Cao ◽  
Wei Yuan ◽  
Meiling Peng ◽  
Ziqi Mao ◽  
Qianru Zhao ◽  
...  

Abstract Pathological cardiac hypertrophy is a complex process and eventually develops into heart failure, in which the heart responds to various intrinsic or external stress, involving increased interstitial fibrosis, cell death and cardiac dysfunction. Studies have shown that oxidative stress is an important mechanism for this maladaptation. Cyclophilin A (CyPA) is a member of the cyclophilin (CyPs) family. Many cells secrete CyPA to the outside of the cells in response to oxidative stress. CyPA from blood vessels and the heart itself participate in a variety of signaling pathways to regulate the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mediate inflammation, promote cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts, stimulate endothelial injury and vascular smooth muscle hyperplasia, and promote the dissolution of extracellular matrix (ECM) by activating matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). The events triggered by CyPA cause a decline of diastolic and systolic function and finally lead to the occurrence of heart failure. This article aims to introduce the role and mechanism of CyPA in cardiac hypertrophy and remodeling, and highlights its potential role as a disease biomarker and therapeutic target.


Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kisuk Min ◽  
Yan Huang ◽  
Frank J Giordano ◽  
Sudip Bajpeyi ◽  
Anton M Bennett

Introduction: Cardiac remodeling occurs in response to pathological stimuli including chronic pressure overload, subsequently leading to heart failure. Despite considerable research efforts, the molecular mechanisms responsible for heart failure have yet to be fully elucidated. One of the prominent signaling pathways involved in the development of pathological cardiac hypertrophy is the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) pathways. The MAPKs are inactivated by the MAPK phosphatases (MKPs) through direct dephosphorylation. Growing evidence suggests the importance of MKP-5 signaling mechanisms in physiological and pathological processes. However, the role of MKP-5 has not been explored in cardiac muscle. The objective of this study is to investigate how MKP-5-mediated MAPK activity contributes to mechanisms responsible for pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy. Hypothesis: We tested the hypothesis that MKP-5 serves as a central regulator of MAPKs in pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy. Methods: To investigate the role of MKP-5 in cardiac muscle, we caused pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy in wild type (mkp-5 +/+ ) mice and MKP-5 deficient mice (mkp-5 -/- ) through transverse aortic constriction (TAC). Cardiac function was evaluated by echocardiographic analysis at 4 weeks after TAC. Cardiac hypertrophy was measured by heart-to-body weight ratio. Interstitial myocardial fibrosis was evaluated by Sirius red stains and expression of fibrogenic genes was determined by quantitative PCR. Results: Echocardiographic analysis showed that the ejection fraction and fractional shortening of mkp-5 +/+ mice significantly decreased by at 4 weeks after TAC. Heart-to-body weight ratio increased in mkp-5 +/+ mice. However, MKP-5-deficient heart was protected from cardiac dysfunction and cardiac hypertrophy induced by TAC. Importantly, the fibrogenic genes were markedly reduced in mkp-5 -/- mice as compared with mkp-5 +/+ mice at 4 weeks after TAC. Conclusions: Collectively, our study demonstrates that MKP-5 deficiency prevents the heart from pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy and suggests that MKP-5 may serve as a novel therapeutic target for treatment of heart disease.


2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (11) ◽  
pp. 1677-1686 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hai-Han Liao ◽  
Xu-Hui Jia ◽  
Huang-Jun Liu ◽  
Zheng Yang ◽  
Qi-Zhu Tang

Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 141 (21) ◽  
pp. 1704-1719 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zongna Ren ◽  
Peng Yu ◽  
Dandan Li ◽  
Zheng Li ◽  
Yingnan Liao ◽  
...  

Background: Pressure overload–induced pathological cardiac hypertrophy is a common predecessor of heart failure, the latter of which remains a major cardiovascular disease with increasing incidence and mortality worldwide. Current therapeutics typically involve partially relieving the heart’s workload after the onset of heart failure. Thus, more pathogenesis-, stage-, and cell type–specific treatment strategies require refined dissection of the entire progression at the cellular and molecular levels. Methods: By analyzing the transcriptomes of 11,492 single cells and identifying major cell types, including both cardiomyocytes and noncardiomyocytes, on the basis of their molecular signatures, at different stages during the progression of pressure overload–induced cardiac hypertrophy in a mouse model, we characterized the spatiotemporal interplay among cell types, and tested potential pharmacological treatment strategies to retard its progression in vivo. Results: We illustrated the dynamics of all major cardiac cell types, including cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and macrophages, as well as those of their respective subtypes, during the progression of disease. Cellular crosstalk analysis revealed stagewise utilization of specific noncardiomyocytes during the deterioration of heart function. Specifically, macrophage activation and subtype switching, a key event at middle-stage of cardiac hypertrophy, was successfully targeted by Dapagliflozin, a sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor, in clinical trials for patients with heart failure, as well as TD139 and Arglabin, two anti-inflammatory agents new to cardiac diseases, to preserve cardiac function and attenuate fibrosis. Similar molecular patterns of hypertrophy were also observed in human patient samples of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Conclusions: Together, our study not only illustrated dynamically changing cell type crosstalk during pathological cardiac hypertrophy but also shed light on strategies for cell type- and stage-specific intervention in cardiac diseases.


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