Mineralocorticoid receptor blockade normalizes coronary resistance in obese swine independent of functional alterations in Kv channels

Impaired balance between coronary blood flow and myocardial metabolism in postpartum swine

Understanding of the mechanisms contributing to the increased maternal susceptibility for major adverse cardiovascular events in the postpartum period remains poor. Accordingly, this study tested the hypothesis that the balance between coronary blood flow and myocardial metabolism is compromised during the puerperium period (35-45 days post-delivery) in swine. Systemic and coronary hemodynamic responses were assessed in anesthetized, open-chest control (nonpregnant) and puerperium/postpartum swine at baseline and in response to intravenous infusion of dobutamine (1-30 μg/kg/min). Blood pressure and heart rate were lower in postpartum swine at baseline and in response to dobutamine (P < 0.05). Coronary blood flow and myocardial oxygen delivery were significantly diminished at baseline in postpartum swine (P < 0.001), which corresponded with ∼35% reduction in myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2) (P < 0.001). Postpartum swine displayed enhanced retrograde coronary flow, larger cardiomyocyte area (P < 0.01) and marked capillary rarefaction (P < 0.01). The relationship between coronary blood flow and heart rate (P < 0.05) or MVO2 (P < 0.001) was significantly diminished in postpartum swine as dobutamine increased MVO2 up to ∼135% in both groups. This reduction in myocardial perfusion was associated with decreases in myocardial lactate uptake (P < 0.001), increases in coronary venous PCO2 (P < 0.01) and decreased coronary venous pH (P < 0.01). These findings suggest an impaired balance between coronary blood flow and myocardial metabolism could contribute to the increased incidence of maternal myocardial ischemia and premature death in the postpartum period.

Expanding landscape of coronary microvascular disease in co-morbid conditions: Metabolic disease and beyond

Coronary microvascular disease (CMD) and impaired coronary blood flow control are defects that occur early in the pathogenesis of heart failure in cardiometabolic conditions, prior to the onset of atherosclerosis. In fact, recent studies have shown that CMD is an independent predictor of cardiac morbidity and mortality in patients with obesity and metabolic disease. CMD is comprised of functional, structural, and mechanical impairments that synergize and ultimately reduce coronary blood flow in metabolic disease and in other co-morbid conditions, including transplant, autoimmune disorders, chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity, and remote injury-induced CMD. This review summarizes the contemporary state-of-the-field related to CMD in metabolic and these other co-morbid conditions based on mechanistic data derived mostly from preclinical small- and large-animal models in light of available clinical evidence and given the limitations of studying these mechanisms in humans. In addition, we also discuss gaps in current understanding, emerging areas of interest, and opportunities for future investigations in this field.

Metabolic Syndrome and Cardiac Vessel Remodeling Associated with Vessel Rarefaction: A Possible Underlying Mechanism May Result from a Poor Angiogenic Response to Altered VEGF Signaling Pathways

BACKGROUND

Elevated mortality rates in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) are partly due to adverse remodeling of multiple organs, which may lead to cardiovascular disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, kidney failure, or other conditions. MetS symptoms, such as obesity, hypertension, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, associated with insulin and leptin resistance, are recognized as major cardiovascular risk factors that adversely affect the heart.

SUMMARY

Pathological cardiac remodeling is accompanied by endothelial cell dysfunction which may result in diminished coronary flow, dysregulated oxygen demand/supply balance, as well as vessel rarefaction. The reduced number of vessels and delayed or inhibited formation of collaterals after myocardial infarction in MetS heart may be due to unfavorable changes in endothelial cell metabolism but also to altered expression of vascular endothelial growth factor molecules, their receptors, and changes in signal transduction from the cell membrane, which severely affect angiogenesis.

KEY MESSAGES

Given the established role of cardiac vessel endothelial cells in maintaining tissue homeostasis, defining the molecular background underlying vessel dysfunction associated with impaired angiogenesis is of great importance for future therapeutic purposes. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to present current information regarding vascular endothelial growth factor signaling in the myocardium of MetS individuals.

Mineralocorticoid receptor promotes cardiac macrophage inflammaging

Inflammaging, a pro-inflammatory status that characterizes aging and primarily involving macrophages, is a master driver of age-related diseases. Mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) activation in macrophages critically regulates inflammatory and fibrotic processes. However, macrophage-specific mechanisms and the role of the macrophage MR for the regulation of inflammation and fibrotic remodeling in the aging heart have not yet been elucidated. Transcriptome profiling of cardiac macrophages from male/female young (4 months-old), middle (12 months-old) and old (18 and 24 months-old) mice revealed that myeloid cell-restricted MR deficiency prevents macrophage differentiation toward a pro-inflammatory phenotype. Pathway enrichment analysis showed that several biological processes related to inflammation and cell metabolism were modulated by the MR in aged macrophages. Further, transcriptome analysis of aged cardiac fibroblasts revealed that macrophage MR deficiency reduced the activation of pathways related to inflammation and upregulation of ZBTB16, a transcription factor involved in fibrosis. Phenotypic characterization of macrophages showed a progressive replacement of the TIMD4+MHC-IIneg/low macrophage population by TIMD4+MHC-IIint/high and TIMD4-MHC-IIint/high macrophages in the aging heart. By integrating cell sorting and transwell experiments with TIMD4+/TIMD4-macrophages and fibroblasts from old MRflox/MRLysMCre hearts, we showed that the inflammatory crosstalk between TIMD4- macrophages and fibroblasts may imply the macrophage MR and the release of mitochondrial superoxide anions. Macrophage MR deficiency reduced the expansion of the TIMD4- macrophage population and the emergence of fibrotic niches in the aging heart, thereby protecting against cardiac inflammation, fibrosis, and dysfunction. This study highlights the MR as an important mediator of cardiac macrophage inflammaging and age-related fibrotic remodeling.

Molecular mechanisms of endothelial dysfunction in coronary microcirculation dysfunction

Coronary microvascular endothelial cells (CMECs) react to changes in coronary blood flow and myocardial metabolites and regulate coronary blood flow by balancing vasoconstrictors-such as endothelin-1-and the vessel dilators prostaglandin, nitric oxide, and endothelium-dependent hyperpolarizing factor. Coronary microvascular endothelial cell dysfunction is caused by several cardiovascular risk factors and chronic rheumatic diseases that impact CMEC blood flow regulation, resulting in coronary microcirculation dysfunction (CMD). The mechanisms of CMEC dysfunction are not fully understood. However, the following could be important mechanisms: the overexpression and activation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase (Nox), and mineralocorticoid receptors; the involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) caused by a decreased expression of sirtuins (SIRT3/SIRT1); forkhead box O3; and a decreased SKCA/IKCA expression in the endothelium-dependent hyperpolarizing factor electrical signal pathway. In addition, p66Shc is an adapter protein that promotes oxidative stress; although there are no studies on its involvement with cardiac microvessels, it is possible it plays an important role in CMD.

Multi-omic analysis of the cardiac cellulome defines a vascular contribution to cardiac diastolic dysfunction in obese female mice

Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) is associated with cardiac dysfunction and predictive of cardiac mortality in obesity, especially in females. Clinical data further support that CMD associates with development of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and that mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonism may be more efficacious in obese female, versus male, HFpEF patients. Accordingly, we examined the impact of smooth muscle cell (SMC)-specific MR deletion on obesity-associated coronary and cardiac diastolic dysfunction in female mice. Obesity was induced in female mice via western diet (WD) feeding alongside littermates fed standard diet. Global MR blockade with spironolactone prevented coronary and cardiac dysfunction in obese females and specific deletion of SMC-MR was sufficient to prevent obesity-associated coronary and cardiac diastolic dysfunction. Cardiac gene expression profiling suggested reduced cardiac inflammation in WD-fed mice with SMC-MR deletion independent of blood pressure, aortic stiffening, and cardiac hypertrophy. Further mechanistic studies utilizing single-cell RNA sequencing of non-cardiomyocyte cell populations revealed novel impacts of SMC-MR deletion on the cardiac cellulome in obese mice. Specifically, WD feeding induced inflammatory gene signatures in non-myocyte populations including B/T cells, macrophages, and endothelium as well as increased coronary VCAM-1 protein expression, independent of cardiac fibrosis, that was prevented by SMC-MR deletion. Further, SMC-MR deletion induced a basal reduction in cardiac mast cells and prevented WD-induced cardiac pro-inflammatory chemokine expression and leukocyte recruitment. These data reveal a central role for SMC-MR signaling in obesity-associated coronary and cardiac dysfunction, thus supporting the emerging paradigm of a vascular origin of cardiac dysfunction in obesity.

Chronic high-rate pacing induces heart failure with preserved ejection fraction-like phenotype in Ossabaw swine

The lack of pre-clinical large animal models of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) remains a growing, yet unmet obstacle to improving understanding of this complex condition. We examined whether chronic cardiometabolic stress in Ossabaw swine, which possess a genetic propensity for obesity and cardiovascular complications, produces an HFpEF-like phenotype. Swine were fed standard chow (lean; n = 13) or an excess calorie, high-fat, high-fructose diet (obese; n = 16) for ~ 18 weeks with lean (n = 5) and obese (n = 8) swine subjected to right ventricular pacing (180 beats/min for ~ 4 weeks) to induce heart failure (HF). Baseline blood pressure, heart rate, LV end-diastolic volume, and ejection fraction were similar between groups. High-rate pacing increased LV end-diastolic pressure from ~ 11 ± 1 mmHg in lean and obese swine to ~ 26 ± 2 mmHg in lean HF and obese HF swine. Regression analyses revealed an upward shift in LV diastolic pressure vs. diastolic volume in paced swine that was associated with an ~ twofold increase in myocardial fibrosis and an ~ 50% reduction in myocardial capillary density. Hemodynamic responses to graded hemorrhage revealed an ~ 40% decrease in the chronotropic response to reductions in blood pressure in lean HF and obese HF swine without appreciable changes in myocardial oxygen delivery or transmural perfusion. These findings support that high-rate ventricular pacing of lean and obese Ossabaw swine initiates underlying cardiac remodeling accompanied by elevated LV filling pressures with normal ejection fraction. This distinct pre-clinical tool provides a unique platform for further mechanistic and therapeutic studies of this highly complex syndrome.