Mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor regulation of heart function and fibrosis in cardiomyopathy caused by lamin A/C gene mutation

Role of Cdkn2a in the Emery-Dreifuss Muscular Dystrophy Cardiac Phenotype

The Cdkn2a locus is one of the most studied tumor suppressor loci in the context of several cancer types. However, in the last years, its expression has also been linked to terminal differentiation and the activation of the senescence program in different cellular subtypes. Knock-out (KO) of the entire locus enhances the capability of stem cells to proliferate in some tissues and respond to severe physiological and non-physiological damages in different organs, including the heart. Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (EDMD) is characterized by severe contractures and muscle loss at the level of skeletal muscles of the elbows, ankles and neck, and by dilated cardiomyopathy. We have recently demonstrated, using the LMNA Δ8-11 murine model of Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (EDMD), that dystrophic muscle stem cells prematurely express non-lineage-specific genes early on during postnatal growth, leading to rapid exhaustion of the muscle stem cell pool. Knock-out of the Cdkn2a locus in EDMD dystrophic mice partially restores muscle stem cell properties. In the present study, we describe the cardiac phenotype of the LMNA Δ8-11 mouse model and functionally characterize the effects of KO of the Cdkn2a locus on heart functions and life expectancy.

RNA Sequence Analyses throughout the Course of Mouse Cardiac Laminopathy Identify Differentially Expressed Genes for Cell Cycle Control and Mitochondrial Function

Lamin A/C (LMNA) gene mutations are a known cause of familial dilated cardiomyopathy, but the precise mechanisms triggering disease progression remain unknown. We hypothesize that analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) throughout the course of Lmna knockout (Lmna-/-)-induced cardiomyopathy may reveal novel Lmna-mediated alterations of signaling pathways leading to dilated cardiomyopathy. Although Lmna was the only DEG down-regulated at 1 week of age, we identified 730 and 1004 DEGs in Lmna-/- mice at 2 weeks and 1 month of age, respectively. At 2 weeks, Lmna-/- mice demonstrated both down- and up-regulation of the key genes involving cell cycle control, mitochondrial dysfunction, and oxidative phosphorylation, as well as down-regulated genes governing DNA damage repair and up-regulated genes involved in oxidative stress response, cell survival, and cardiac hypertrophy. At 1 month, the down-regulated genes included those involved in oxidative phosphorylation, mitochondrial dysfunction, nutrient metabolism, cardiac β-adrenergic signaling, action potential generation, and cell survival. We also found 96 overlapping DEGs at both ages involved in oxidative phosphorylation, mitochondrial function, and calcium signaling. Impaired oxidative phosphorylation was observed at early disease stage, even before the appearance of disease phenotypes, and worsened with disease progression, suggesting its importance in the pathogenesis and progression of LMNA cardiomyopathy. Reduction of oxidative stress might therefore prevent or delay the development from Lmna mutation to LMNA cardiomyopathy.

Lamins and Lamin-Associated Proteins in Gastrointestinal Health and Disease

The nuclear lamina is a multi-protein lattice composed of A- and B-type lamins and their associated proteins. This protein lattice associates with heterochromatin and integral inner nuclear membrane proteins, providing links among the genome, nucleoskeleton, and cytoskeleton. In the 1990s, mutations in EMD and LMNA were linked to Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy. Since then, the number of diseases attributed to nuclear lamina defects, including laminopathies and other disorders, has increased to include more than 20 distinct genetic syndromes. Studies of patients and mouse genetic models have pointed to important roles for lamins and their associated proteins in the function of gastrointestinal organs, including liver and pancreas. We review the interactions and functions of the lamina in relation to the nuclear envelope and genome, the ways in which its dysfunction is thought to contribute to human disease, and possible avenues for targeted therapies.

Genetic Mechanisms Contribute to the Development of Heart Failure in Patients with Atrioventricular Block and Right Ventricular Apical Pacing

Right ventricular apical (RVA) pacing can lead to progressive left ventricular dysfunction and heart failure (HF), even in patients with normal cardiac structure and function. Our study conducted candidate gene screening and lentivirus transfected neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs) to explore the genetic and pathogenic mechanisms of RVA pacing induced cardiomyopathy in third degree atrioventricular block (III AVB) patients. We followed 887 III AVB patients with baseline normal cardiac function and RVA pacing. After a median follow-up of 2.5 years, 10 patients (four males, mean age 47.6 ± 10.0 years) were diagnosed with RVA pacing induced HF with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) reducing dramatically to 37.8 ± 7.1% (P  < 0.05). Candidate genes sequencing found cardiomyopathy associated genetic variations in all ten HF patients and six SCN5A variations in 6 of 20 control patients. Transfected NRCMs of Lamin A/C mutations (R216C and L379F) disrupted Lamin A/C location on nucleus membrane and finally resulted in increased apoptotic rate after serum starvation. In conclusion, cardiomyopathy associated genetic variations play an essential role in occurrence of newly onset HF in the III AVB patients with RVA pacing. RVA pacing, serving as extra stimulator, might accelerate the deterioration of cardiac structure and function.

Hepatocyte-Specific Deletion of Mouse Lamin A/C Leads to Male-Selective Steatohepatitis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Lamins are nuclear intermediate filament proteins that comprise the major components of the nuclear lamina. Mutations in LMNA, which encodes lamins A/C, cause laminopathies, including lipodystrophy, cardiomyopathy, and premature aging syndromes. However, the role of lamins in the liver is unknown, and it is unclear whether laminopathy-associated liver disease is caused by primary hepatocyte defects or systemic alterations.

METHODS

To address these questions, we generated mice carrying a hepatocyte-specific deletion of Lmna (knockout [KO] mice) and characterized the KO liver and primary hepatocyte phenotypes by immunoblotting, immunohistochemistry, microarray analysis, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and Oil Red O and Picrosirius red staining.

RESULTS

KO hepatocytes manifested abnormal nuclear morphology, and KO mice showed reduced body mass. KO mice developed spontaneous male-selective hepatosteatosis with increased susceptibility to high-fat diet-induced steatohepatitis and fibrosis. The hepatosteatosis was associated with up-regulated transcription of genes encoding lipid transporters, lipid biosynthetic enzymes, lipid droplet-associated proteins, and interferon-regulated genes. Hepatic Lmna deficiency led to enhanced signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (Stat1) expression and blocked growth hormone-mediated Janus kinase 2 (Jak2), signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (Stat5), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) signaling.

CONCLUSIONS

Lamin A/C acts cell-autonomously to maintain hepatocyte homeostasis and nuclear shape and buffers against male-selective steatohepatitis by positively regulating growth hormone signaling and negatively regulating Stat1 expression. Lamins are potential genetic modifiers for predisposition to steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis. The microarray data can be found in the Gene Expression Omnibus repository (accession number: GSE93643).

How cardiomyocytes sense pathophysiological stresses for cardiac remodeling

In the past decades, the cardiovascular community has laid out the fundamental signaling cascades that become awry in the cardiomyocyte during the process of pathologic cardiac remodeling. These pathways are initiated at the cell membrane and work their way to the nucleus to mediate gene expression. Complexity is multiplied as the cardiomyocyte is subjected to cross talk with other cells as well as a barrage of extracellular stimuli and mechanical stresses. In this review, we summarize the signaling cascades that play key roles in cardiac function and then we proceed to describe emerging concepts of how the cardiomyocyte senses the mechanical and environmental stimuli to transition to the deleterious genetic program that defines pathologic cardiac remodeling. As a highlighting example of these processes, we illustrate the transition from a compensated hypertrophied myocardium to a decompensated failing myocardium, which is clinically manifested as decompensated heart failure.

Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin Promotes Fibrosis and Activates Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases in MRC-5 Cells

BACKGROUND Acute lung injury (ALI) is a life-threatening hypoxemic respiratory disorder with high incidence and mortality. ALI usually manifests as widespread inflammation and lung fibrosis with the accumulation of pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic factors and collagen. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) has a significant role in regulation of inflammation but little is known about its roles in lung fibrosis or ALI. This study aimed to define the role and possible regulatory mechanism of TSLP in lung fibrosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS We cultured human lung fibroblast MRC-5 cells and overexpressed or inhibited TSLP by the vector or small interfering RNA transfection. Then, the pro-fibrotic factors skeletal muscle actin alpha (α-SMA) and collagen I, and the 4 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) - MAPK7, p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 (ERK1), and c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1 (JNK1) - were detected by Western blot. RESULTS Results showed that TSLP promoted the production of α-SMA and collagen I (P<0.001), suggesting that it can accelerate MRC-5 cell fibrosis. It also activated the expression of MAPK7, p-p38, p-ERK1, and p-JNK1, but the total MAPK7, p-38, ERK1, and JNK1 protein levels were mostly unchanged, indicating the activated MAPK pathways that might contribute to the promotion of cell fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS This study shows the pro-fibrotic role of TSLP in MRC-5 cells, suggesting TSLP is a potential therapeutic target for treating lung fibrosis in ALI. It possibly functions via activating MAPKs. These findings add to our understanding of the mechanism of fibrosis.

Nuclear envelope proteins Nesprin2 and LaminA regulate proliferation and apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells in response to shear stress

The dysfunction of vascular endothelial cells (ECs) influenced by flow shear stress is crucial for vascular remodeling. However, the roles of nuclear envelope (NE) proteins in shear stress-induced EC dysfunction are still unknown. Our results indicated that, compared with normal shear stress (NSS), low shear stress (LowSS) suppressed the expression of two types of NE proteins, Nesprin2 and LaminA, and increased the proliferation and apoptosis of ECs. Targeted small interfering RNA (siRNA) and gene overexpression plasmid transfection revealed that Nesprin2 and LaminA participate in the regulation of EC proliferation and apoptosis. A protein/DNA array was further used to detect the activation of transcription factors in ECs following transfection with target siRNAs and overexpression plasmids. The regulation of AP-2 and TFIID mediated by Nesprin2 and the activation of Stat-1, Stat-3, Stat-5 and Stat-6 by LaminA were verified under shear stress. Furthermore, using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis software and real-time RT-PCR, the effects of Nesprin2 or LaminA on the downstream target genes of AP-2, TFIID, and Stat-1, Stat-3, Stat-5 and Stat-6, respectively, were investigated under LowSS. Our study has revealed that NE proteins are novel mechano-sensitive molecules in ECs. LowSS suppresses the expression of Nesprin2 and LaminA, which may subsequently modulate the activation of important transcription factors and eventually lead to EC dysfunction.

Genetic and clinical characteristics of skeletal and cardiac muscle in patients with lamin A/C gene mutations

Alterations of the lamin A/C (LMNA) gene are associated with different clinical entities, including disorders that affect skeletal and cardiac muscle, peripheral nerves, metabolism, bones, and disorders that cause premature aging. In this article we review the clinical and genetic characteristics of cardiac and skeletal muscle diseases related to alterations in the LMNA gene. There is no single explanation of how LMNA gene alterations may cause these disorders; however, important goals have been achieved in understanding the pathogenic effects of LMNA gene mutations on cardiac and skeletal muscle.

Muscle development, regeneration and laminopathies: how lamins or lamina-associated proteins can contribute to muscle development, regeneration and disease

The aim of this review article is to evaluate the current knowledge on associations between muscle formation and regeneration and components of the nuclear lamina. Lamins and their partners have become particularly intriguing objects of scientific interest since it has been observed that mutations in genes coding for these proteins lead to a wide range of diseases called laminopathies. For over the last 10 years, various laboratories worldwide have tried to explain the pathogenesis of these rare disorders. Analyses of the distinct aspects of laminopathies resulted in formulation of different hypotheses regarding the mechanisms of the development of these diseases. In the light of recent discoveries, A-type lamins—the main building blocks of the nuclear lamina—together with other key elements, such as emerin, LAP2α and nesprins, seem to be of great importance in the modulation of various signaling pathways responsible for cellular differentiation and proliferation.