Icariin Protects H9c2 Rat Cardiomyoblasts from Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity: Role of Caveolin-1 Upregulation and Enhanced Autophagic Response

Doxorubicin (Doxo) is a widely used antineoplastic drug which often induces cardiomyopathy, leading to congestive heart failure through the intramyocardial production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Icariin (Ica) is a flavonoid isolated from Epimedii Herba (Berberidaceae). Some reports on the pharmacological activity of Ica explained its antioxidant and cardioprotective effects. The aim of our study was to assess the protective activities of Ica against Doxo-detrimental effects on rat heart-tissue derived embryonic cardiac myoblasts (H9c2 cells) and to identify, at least in part, the molecular mechanisms involved. Our results showed that pretreatment of H9c2 cells with 1 μM and 5 μM of Ica, prior to Doxo exposure, resulted in an improvement in cell viability; a reduction in ROS generation; the prevention of mitochondrial dysfunction, and mPTP opening. Furthermore; for the first time, we identified one feasible molecular mechanism through which Ica could exerts its cardioprotective effects. Indeed, our data showed a significant reduction in Caveolin-1(Cav-1) expression levels and a specific inhibitory effect on phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5a) activity; improving mitochondrial function compared to Doxo-treated cells. Besides; Ica significantly prevented apoptotic cell death and downregulated the main pro-autophagic marker Beclin-1 and LC3 lipidation rate, restoring physiological levels of activation of the protective autophagic process. These results suggest that Ica might have beneficial cardioprotective effects in attenuating cardiotoxicity in patients requiring anthracycline chemotherapy through the inhibition of oxidative stress and, in particular, through the modulation of Cav-1 expression levels and the involvement of PDE5a activity; thereby leading to cardiac cell survival.

Abstract P466: Sqstm1/p62 Regulates Hypoxia Inducible Factor 1 Alpha Stabilization And Protects The Heart From Hypoxic Injury

Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is characterized by cardiac tissue hypoxia, dysregulatedmetabolism, and cell death. Hypoxia inducible factor 1a (HIF1α) is a major component of thehypoxia pathway that regulates metabolic and angiogenic genes. Under normoxia, HIF1α getshydroxylated by the prolyl hydroxylases (PHDs), followed by its ubiquitination, and degradationby the Ubiquitin Proteasome System (UPS). Given the short half-life of HIF1α (>5mins), PHDinhibitors are employed to stabilize HIF1α and improve cardiac function in animal models ofischemia/infarction. Because PHD inhibitors exert off-target effects, alternative strategies tostabilize HIF1α are needed. In cancer cells, p62 stabilizes HIF1α by binding PHD3. Wehypothesized that p62 would stabilize HIF1α and provides cardioprotection from hypoxia. Wegenerated mice with tamoxifen-inducible cardiomyocyte-specific p62 deletion (cip62KO mice)and exposed them to 7% O2 for 6h. Compared to wild-type (WT) littermates, cip62KO micedisplayed increased oxidative stress and enhanced cell death. Hypoxia caused contractiledysfunction in cip62KO vs. WT mice. To gain mechanistic insights as to how lack of p62exacerbated hypoxic injury, cultured H9c2 cardiac myoblasts were exposed to 21% (normoxia)or 1% (hypoxia) O2 for 24h. Hypoxia increased HIF1α and p62 protein expression in H9c2 cells(p<0.05). To determine whether hypoxia-induced p62 accumulation is required for HIF1αstabilization, H9c2 cells were transfected with p62 or scrambled (ctrl) siRNA for 48h, andexposed to hypoxia. Compared to ctrl siRNA cells, hypoxia-induced HIF1α protein accumulationwas reduced (p<0.05) after p62 knockdown. Additionally, hypoxia increased expression ofHIF1α downstream targets: Egln1 , Vegfa , Bnip3 and Hmox1 mRNA, in ctrl siRNA cells, but theresponse was blunted (p<0.05) after p62 knockdown. These data indicate that p62 contributes tohypoxia-induced HIF1α stabilization and transcriptional activation. Defining how p62contributes to HIF1α stabilization and hypoxia tolerance is relevant clinically and could identifyp62 as a therapeutic target for treating IHD.

Krüppel-Like Factor 15 Modulates CXCL1/CXCR2 Signaling-Mediated Inflammatory Response Contributing to Angiotensin II-Induced Cardiac Remodeling

Inflammation is involved in cardiac remodeling. In response to pathological stimuli, activated cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) secreting inflammatory cytokines and chemokines play an important role in monocyte/macrophage recruitment. However, the precise mechanism of CF-mediated inflammatory response in hypertension-induced cardiac remodeling remains unclear. In the present study, we investigated the role of transcription factor Krüppel-like factor 15 (KLF15) in this process. We found that KLF15 expression decreased while chemokine CXCL1 and its receptor CXCR2 expression increased in the hearts of angiotensin II (Ang II)-infused mice. Compared to the wild-type mice, KLF15 knockout (KO) mice aggravated Ang II-induced cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. Deficiency of KLF15 promoted macrophage accumulation, increase of CXCL1 and CXCR2 expression, and mTOR, ERK1/2, NF-κB-p65 signaling activation in the hearts. Mechanistically, Ang II dose- dependently decreased KLF15 expression and increased CXCL1 secretion from cardiac fibroblasts but not cardiac myoblasts. Loss- or gain-of-function studies have shown that KLF15 negatively regulated CXCL1 expression through its transactivation domain (TAD). Intriguingly, the adenovirus-mediated full length of KLF15—but not KLF15 with TAD deletion overexpression—markedly prevented pathological change in Ang II-infused mice. Notably, the administration of CXCR2 inhibitor SB265610 reversed KLF15 knockout-mediated aggravation of cardiac dysfunction, remodeling, and inflammation induced by Ang II. In conclusion, our study identifies that KLF15 in cardiac fibroblasts negatively regulates CXCL1/CXCR2 axis-mediated inflammatory response and subsequent cardiac remodeling in hypertension.

TRPM7 silencing attenuates Mg2+ influx in cardiac myoblasts, H9c2 cells

TRPM7, a member of the melastatin subfamily of transient receptor potential channels, is suggested to be a potential candidate for a physiological Mg2+ channel. However, there is no direct evidence of Mg2+ permeation through endogenous TRPM7. To determine the physiological roles of TRPM7 in intracellular Mg2+ homeostasis, we measured the cytoplasmic free Mg2+ concentration ([Mg2+]i) in TRPM7-silenced H9c2 cells. [Mg2+]i was measured in a cluster of 8–10 cells using the fluorescent indicator, furaptra. TRPM7 silencing did not change [Mg2+]i in Ca2+-free Tyrode’s solution containing 1 mM Mg2+. Increasing the extracellular Mg2+ to 92.5 mM raised [Mg2+]i in control cells (1.56 ± 0.19 mM) at 30 min, while this effect was significantly attenuated in TRPM7-silenced cells (1.12 ± 0.07 mM). The Mg2+ efflux driven by Na+ gradient was unaffected by TRPM7 silencing. These results suggest that TRPM7 regulates the rate of Mg2+ influx in H9c2 cells, although cytoplasmic Mg2+ homeostasis at basal conditions is unaffected by TRPM7 silencing.