In organello RNA synthesis system from mammalian liver and brain

Messenger RNA delivery to mitoribosomes - hints from a bacterial toxin

In mammalian mitochondria, messenger RNA is processed and matured from large primary transcripts in structures known as RNA granules. The identity of the factors and process transferring the matured mRNA to the mitoribosome for translation is unclear. Nascent mature transcripts are believed to associate initially with the small mitoribosomal subunit prior to recruitment of the large subunit to form the translationally active monosome. When the small subunit fails to assemble, however, the stability of mt‐mRNA is only marginally affected, and under these conditions, the LRPPRC/SLIRP RNA‐binding complex has been implicated in maintaining mt‐mRNA stability. Here, we exploit the activity of a bacterial ribotoxin, VapC20, to show that in the absence of the large mitoribosomal subunit, mt‐mRNA species are selectively lost. Further, if the small subunit is also depleted, the mt‐mRNA levels are recovered. As a consequence of these data, we suggest a natural pathway for loading processed mt‐mRNA onto the mitoribosome.

Base-excision repair deficiency alone or combined with increased oxidative stress does not increase mtDNA point mutations in mice

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations become more prevalent with age and are postulated to contribute to the ageing process. Point mutations of mtDNA have been suggested to originate from two main sources, i.e. replicative errors and oxidative damage, but the contribution of each of these processes is much discussed. To elucidate the origin of mtDNA mutations, we measured point mutation load in mice with deficient mitochondrial base-excision repair (BER) caused by knockout alleles preventing mitochondrial import of the DNA repair glycosylases OGG1 and MUTYH (Ogg1 dMTS, Mutyh dMTS). Surprisingly, we detected no increase in the mtDNA mutation load in old Ogg1 dMTS mice. As DNA repair is especially important in the germ line, we bred the BER deficient mice for five consecutive generations but found no increase in the mtDNA mutation load in these maternal lineages. To increase reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and oxidative damage, we bred the Ogg1 dMTS mice with tissue specific Sod2 knockout mice. Although increased superoxide levels caused a plethora of changes in mitochondrial function, we did not detect any changes in the mutation load of mtDNA or mtRNA. Our results show that the importance of oxidative damage as a contributor of mtDNA mutations should be re-evaluated.

NSUN4 is a dual function mitochondrial protein required for both methylation of 12S rRNA and coordination of mitoribosomal assembly

Biogenesis of mammalian mitochondrial ribosomes requires a concerted maturation of both the small (SSU) and large subunit (LSU). We demonstrate here that the m⁵C methyltransferase NSUN4, which forms a complex with MTERF4, is essential in mitochondrial ribosomal biogenesis as mitochondrial translation is abolished in conditional Nsun4 mouse knockouts. Deep sequencing of bisulfite-treated RNA shows that NSUN4 methylates cytosine 911 in 12S rRNA (m5C911) of the SSU. Surprisingly, NSUN4 does not need MTERF4 to generate this modification. Instead, the NSUN4/MTERF4 complex is required to assemble the SSU and LSU to form a monosome. NSUN4 is thus a dual function protein, which on the one hand is needed for 12S rRNA methylation and, on the other hand interacts with MTERF4 to facilitate monosome assembly. The presented data suggest that NSUN4 has a key role in controlling a final step in ribosome biogenesis to ensure that only the mature SSU and LSU are assembled.

Mitochondria perform a number of essential functions in the cell, including synthesis of ATP via the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system. Normal mitochondrial function requires coordinated expression of two genomes: mitochondria's own genome (mtDNA), which encodes 13 respiratory chain subunits with essential structural and functional roles for the OXPHOS system, and the nuclear genome encoding the remaining ∼80 subunits. The mtDNA-encoded polypeptides are synthesized on mitochondrial ribosomes (mitoribosomes) located in the mitochondrial matrix. Biogenesis, maintenance and regulation of the complex mitochondrial translation apparatus are poorly understood despite its fundamental importance for cellular energy homeostasis. Here, we show that inactivation of the Nsun4 gene, encoding a mitochondrial m⁵C-methyltransferase, causes embryonic lethality, whereas tissue-specific disruption of Nsun4 in the heart causes cardiomyopathy with mitochondrial dysfunction. By performing sequencing of bisulfite-treated RNA we report that NSUN4 methylates C911 in 12S rRNA of the small ribosomal subunit. Surprisingly, NSUN4 can on its own perform this rRNA modification, whereas interaction with its partner protein MTERF4 is required for assembly of functional ribosomes. NSUN4 thus has dual roles in ribosome maturation and performs an important final quality control step to ensure that only mature mitoribosomal subunits are assembled into functional ribosomes.

MTERF3 regulates mitochondrial ribosome biogenesis in invertebrates and mammals

Regulation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) expression is critical for the control of oxidative phosphorylation in response to physiological demand, and this regulation is often impaired in disease and aging. We have previously shown that mitochondrial transcription termination factor 3 (MTERF3) is a key regulator that represses mtDNA transcription in the mouse, but its molecular mode of action has remained elusive. Based on the hypothesis that key regulatory mechanisms for mtDNA expression are conserved in metazoans, we analyzed Mterf3 knockout and knockdown flies. We demonstrate here that decreased expression of MTERF3 not only leads to activation of mtDNA transcription, but also impairs assembly of the large mitochondrial ribosomal subunit. This novel function of MTERF3 in mitochondrial ribosomal biogenesis is conserved in the mouse, thus we identify a novel and unexpected role for MTERF3 in coordinating the crosstalk between transcription and translation for the regulation of mammalian mtDNA gene expression.

The bicoid stability factor controls polyadenylation and expression of specific mitochondrial mRNAs in Drosophila melanogaster

The bicoid stability factor (BSF) of Drosophila melanogaster has been reported to be present in the cytoplasm, where it stabilizes the maternally contributed bicoid mRNA and binds mRNAs expressed from early zygotic genes. BSF may also have other roles, as it is ubiquitously expressed and essential for survival of adult flies. We have performed immunofluorescence and cell fractionation analyses and show here that BSF is mainly a mitochondrial protein. We studied two independent RNAi knockdown fly lines and report that reduced BSF protein levels lead to a severe respiratory deficiency and delayed development at the late larvae stage. Ubiquitous knockdown of BSF results in a severe reduction of the polyadenylation tail lengths of specific mitochondrial mRNAs, accompanied by an enrichment of unprocessed polycistronic RNA intermediates. Furthermore, we observed a significant reduction in mRNA steady state levels, despite increased de novo transcription. Surprisingly, mitochondrial de novo translation is increased and abnormal mitochondrial translation products are present in knockdown flies, suggesting that BSF also has a role in coordinating the mitochondrial translation in addition to its role in mRNA maturation and stability. We thus report a novel function of BSF in flies and demonstrate that it has an important intra-mitochondrial role, which is essential for maintaining mtDNA gene expression and oxidative phosphorylation.

The majority of the cellular energy currency ATP is formed in a tubular network, termed mitochondria, present within virtually all eukaryotic cells. The mitochondria are unique among cellular organelles in that they contain their own genome, which encodes critical proteins necessary for cellular energy production. However, the vast majority of mitochondrial proteins are encoded in the nucleus and imported into mitochondria. Gene expression thus needs to be coordinated between the two genomes to ensure efficient mitochondrial function and sufficient adaptation to different physiological demands. The regulation of the mitochondrial genome is poorly understood, with many of the basic regulators not yet being characterized. We used RNAi in the fruit fly to study the in vivo function of the bicoid stability factor (BSF), previously thought to be a cytoplasmic and nuclear protein important for fly development. We show here that BSF is mainly localized to mitochondria, where it is essential for mtDNA gene expression, regulating the polyadenylation and maturation of specific mRNAs. Furthermore, BSF coordinates the translation and assembly of mitochondrial peptides in the inner mitochondrial membrane.

Maintenance of respiratory chain function in mouse hearts with severely impaired mtDNA transcription

The basal mitochondrial transcription machinery is essential for biogenesis of the respiratory chain and consists of mitochondrial RNA polymerase, mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) and mitochondrial transcription factor B2. This triad of proteins is sufficient and necessary for mtDNA transcription initiation. Abolished mtDNA transcription caused by tissue-specific knockout of TFAM in the mouse heart leads to early onset of a severe mitochondrial cardiomyopathy with lethality within the first post-natal weeks. Here, we describe a mouse model expressing human TFAM instead of the endogenous mouse TFAM in heart. These rescue mice have severe reduction in mtDNA transcription initiation, but, surprisingly, are healthy at the age of 52 weeks with near-normal steady-state levels of transcripts. In addition, we demonstrate that heavy-strand mtDNA transcription normally terminates at the termination-associated sequence in the control region. This termination is abolished in rescue animals resulting in heavy (H)-strand transcription of the entire control region. In conclusion, we demonstrate here the existence of an unexpected mtDNA transcript stabilization mechanism that almost completely compensates for the severely reduced transcription initiation in rescue hearts. Future elucidation of the underlying molecular mechanism may provide a novel pathway to treat mitochondrial dysfunction in human pathology.

Isolation of mitochondria for biogenetical studies: An update

The use of good quality preparations of isolated mitochondria is necessary when studying the mitochondrial biogenetical activities. This article explains a fast and simple method for the purification of mammalian mitochondria from different tissues and cultured cells, that is suitable for the analysis of many aspects of the organelle's biogenesis. The mitochondria isolated following the protocol described here, are highly active and capable of DNA, RNA and protein synthesis. Mitochondrial tRNA aminoacylation, mtDNA-protein interactions and specific import of added proteins into the organelles, can also be studied using this kind of preparations.

Methylation of 12S rRNA is necessary for in vivo stability of the small subunit of the mammalian mitochondrial ribosome

The 3' end of the rRNA of the small ribosomal subunit contains two extremely highly conserved dimethylated adenines. This modification and the responsible methyltransferases are present in all three domains of life, but its function has remained elusive. We have disrupted the mouse Tfb1m gene encoding a mitochondrial protein homologous to bacterial dimethyltransferases and demonstrate here that loss of TFB1M is embryonic lethal. Disruption of Tfb1m in heart leads to complete loss of adenine dimethylation of the rRNA of the small mitochondrial ribosomal subunit, impaired assembly of the mitochondrial ribosome, and abolished mitochondrial translation. In addition, we present biochemical evidence that TFB1M does not activate or repress transcription in the presence of TFB2M. Our results thus show that TFB1M is a nonredundant dimethyltransferase in mammalian mitochondria. In addition, we provide a possible explanation for the universal conservation of adenine dimethylation of rRNA by showing a critical role in ribosome maintenance.

Cisplatin-mediated impairment of mitochondrial DNA metabolism inversely correlates with glutathione levels

Cisplatin accumulates in mitochondria, which are a major target for this drug in cancer cells. Thus alterations in mitochondrial function have been implicated in cancer cell resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. Moreover, cisplatin toxic side effects seem to be associated with mitochondrial injury in vivo and in vitro. In order to clarify the potential effect of cisplatin in mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA) maintenance and expression, we have analysed rat liver mtDNA and mtRNA (mitochondrial RNA) synthesis as well as their stability under the influence of in vivo treatment or in vitro exposure to cisplatin. We show that cisplatin causes a direct and significant impairment of mtDNA and mtRNA synthesis and decreases steady-state levels of mtRNAs in isolated mitochondria. Furthermore, in vivo treatment of the animals with cisplatin exerts a protective effect from the impairment of mtRNA metabolism caused by in vitro exposure to the drug, by means of increased mitochondrial GSH levels after in vivo cisplatin treatment.

MTERF3 is a negative regulator of mammalian mtDNA transcription

Regulation of mammalian mtDNA gene expression is critical for altering oxidative phosphorylation capacity in response to physiological demands and disease processes. The basal machinery for initiation of mtDNA transcription has been molecularly defined, but the mechanisms regulating its activity are poorly understood. In this study, we show that MTERF3 is a negative regulator of mtDNA transcription initiation. The MTERF3 gene is essential because homozygous knockout mouse embryos die in midgestation. Tissue-specific inactivation of MTERF3 in the heart causes aberrant mtDNA transcription and severe respiratory chain deficiency. MTERF3 binds the mtDNA promoter region and depletion of MTERF3 increases transcription initiation on both mtDNA strands. This increased transcription initiation leads to decreased expression of critical promoter-distal tRNA genes, which is possibly explained by transcriptional collision on the circular mtDNA molecule. To our knowledge, MTERF3 is the first example of a mitochondrial protein that acts as a specific repressor of mammalian mtDNA transcription initiation in vivo.

Natural competence of mammalian mitochondria allows the molecular investigation of mitochondrial gene expression

Respiration, a fundamental process in mammalian cells, requires two genomes, those of the nucleus and the mitochondrion (mtDNA). Mutations of mtDNA are being increasingly recognized in disease and may play an important role in the ageing process. Accepting the vital role of mtDNA gene products, our limited knowledge concerning the details of mitochondrial gene expression is surprising. This is, in part, due to our inability to transfect mitochondria and to manipulate their genome. There have been claims of successful DNA import into isolated organelles, but most reports lacked evidence of expression and no method has furthered our understanding of gene expression. Here, we report that mammalian mitochondria possess a natural competence for DNA import. Using five functional assays, we show imported DNA can act as templates for DNA synthesis or promoter-driven transcription, with the resultant polycistronic RNA being processed (5' and 3') and excised mt-tRNA matured. Exploiting this natural competence will allow us to explore mitochondrial gene expression in organello and provides the potential for mitochondrial transfection in vivo.

Chronic exposure of neural cells to elevated intracellular sodium decreases mitochondrial mRNA expression

Regulation of expression of mitochondrial DNA- (mtDNA-) encoded genes of oxidative phosphorylation can occur rapidly in neural cells subjected to a variety of physiological and pathological conditions. However, the intracellular signal(s) involved in regulating these processes remain unknown. Using mtDNA-encoded cytochrome oxidase subunit III (COX III), we show that its mRNA expression in a differentiated rat pheochromocytoma cell line PC12S is decreased by chronic exposure to agents that increase intracellular sodium. Treatment of differentiated PC12S cells either with ouabain, an inhibitor of Na/K-ATPase, or with monensin, a sodium ionophore, decreased the steady-state levels of COX III mRNA by 50%, 3-4 h after addition of the drugs. No significant reduction in mtDNA-encoded 12S rRNA or nuclear DNA-encoded beta-actin mRNA were observed. Removal of the drugs restored the normal levels of COX III mRNA. Determination of half-lives of COX III mRNA, 12S rRNA, and beta-actin mRNA revealed a selective decrease in the half-life of COX III mRNA from 3.3 h in control cells to 1.6 h in ouabain-treated cells, and to 1 h in monensin-treated cells. These results suggest the existence of a mechanism of posttranscriptional regulation of mitochondrial gene expression that is independent of the energetic status of the cell and may operate under pathological conditions.

Architectural role of mitochondrial transcription factor A in maintenance of human mitochondrial DNA

Mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM), a transcription factor for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) that also possesses the property of nonspecific DNA binding, is essential for maintenance of mtDNA. To clarify the role of TFAM, we repressed the expression of endogenous TFAM in HeLa cells by RNA interference. The amount of TFAM decreased maximally to about 15% of the normal level at day 3 after RNA interference and then recovered gradually. The amount of mtDNA changed closely in parallel with the daily change in TFAM while in organello transcription of mtDNA at day 3 was maintained at about 50% of the normal level. TFAM lacking its C-terminal 25 amino acids (TFAM-DeltaC) marginally activated transcription in vitro. When TFAM-DeltaC was expressed at levels comparable to those of endogenous TFAM in HeLa cells, mtDNA increased twofold, suggesting that TFAM-DeltaC is as competent in maintaining mtDNA as endogenous TFAM under these conditions. The in organello transcription of TFAM-DeltaC-expressing cells was no more than that in the control. Thus, the mtDNA amount is finely correlated with the amount of TFAM but not with the transcription level. We discuss an architectural role for TFAM in the maintenance of mtDNA in addition to its role in transcription activation.

Regulation and role of the mitochondrial transcription factor in the diabetic rat heart

To clarify the mechanism of abnormalities in mitochondrial expression and function in diabetic rat heart, we have studied the transcriptional activities of mitochondrial DNA using isolated intact mitochondria from the heart of either diabetic or control rats. The transcriptional activity of cardiac mitochondria isolated from diabetic rats decreased to 40% of the control level (P < 0.01). Consistently, in the heart of diabetic rats, the content of cytochrome b mRNA encoded by mitochondrial DNA was reduced to 50% of control (P < 0.01). This abnormal transcriptional activity of mitochondrial DNA could not be explained by mRNA or protein contents of mitochondrial transcription factor (mtTFA), but mtTFA binding to the promoter sequence of mitochondrial DNA, assessed by gel-shift assay, was attenuated in diabetic rats. In contrast, the mRNA expression of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes, such as ATP synthase-beta, was not affected by diabetes. Although O(2) consumption of the mitochondria from diabetic rats was decreased, H(2)O(2) production in these rats was increased compared with the control. Insulin treatment reversed all the abnormalities found in diabetic rats. These results clearly indicate that an impairment of binding activity of mtTFA to the promoter sequence has a key role in the abnormal mitochondrial gene expression, which might explain the mitochondrial dysfunction found in diabetic heart.

Import of mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) into rat liver mitochondria stimulates transcription of mitochondrial DNA

Mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) has been shown to stimulate transcription from mitochondrial DNA promoters in vitro. In order to determine whether changes in TFAM levels also regulate RNA synthesis in situ, recombinant human precursor proteins were imported into the matrix of rat liver mitochondria. After uptake of wt-TFAM, incorporation of [alpha-32P]UTP into mitochondrial mRNAs as well as rRNAs was increased 2-fold (P < 0.05), whereas import of truncated TFAM lacking 25 amino acids at the C-terminus had no effect. Import of wt-TFAM into liver mitochondria from hypothyroid rats stimulated RNA synthesis up to 4-fold. We conclude that the rate of transcription is submaximal in freshly isolated rat liver mitochondria and that increasing intra-mitochondrial TFAM levels is sufficient for stimulation. The low transcription rate associated with the hypothyroid state observed in vivo as well as in organello seems to be a result of low TFAM levels, which can be recovered by treating animals with T3 in vivo or by importing TFAM in organello. Thus, this protein meets the criteria for being a key factor in regulating mitochondrial gene expression in vivo.

Reduced activity of mtTFA decreases the transcription in mitochondria isolated from diabetic rat heart

To evaluate abnormalities in the mitochondrial transcription factor A (mtTFA) function as a cause of mitochondrial dysfunction in diabetes, we measured the mRNA contents of the proteins consisting of the mitochondrial respiratory chain as well as transcriptional and translational activities in the mitochondria isolated from controls and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat hearts. Using Northern blot analysis, we found 40% reduced mRNA contents of mitochondrial-encoded cytochrome b and ATP synthase subunit 6 in diabetic rat hearts compared with control rats (P < 0.05). These abnormalities were completely recovered by insulin treatment. Furthermore, the mitochondrial activities of transcription and translation were decreased significantly in mitochondria isolated from diabetic rats by 60% (P < 0.01) and 71% (P < 0.01), respectively, compared with control rats. The insulin treatment also completely normalized these abnormalities in diabetic rats. Consistently, gel retardation assay showed a reduced binding of mtTFA to the D-loop of mitochondrial DNA in diabetic rats, although there was no difference in the mtTFA mRNA and protein content between the two groups. On the basis of these findings, a reduced binding activity of mtTFA to the D-loop region in the hearts of diabetic rats may contribute to the decreased mitochondrial protein synthesis.

The 2-5A/RNase L/RNase L inhibitor (RLI) [correction of (RNI)] pathway regulates mitochondrial mRNAs stability in interferon alpha-treated H9 cells

Interferon alpha (IFNalpha) belongs to a cytokine family that exhibits antiviral properties, immuno-modulating effects, and antiproliferative activity on normal and neoplasic cells in vitro and in vivo. IFNalpha exerts antitumor action by inducing direct cytotoxicity against tumor cells. This toxicity is at least partly due to induction of apoptosis. Although the molecular basis of the inhibition of cell growth by IFNalpha is only partially understood, there is a direct correlation between the sensitivity of cells to the antiproliferative action of IFNalpha and the down-regulation of their mitochondrial mRNAs. Here, we studied the role of the 2-5A/RNase L system and its inhibitor RLI in this regulation of the mitochondrial mRNAs by IFNalpha. We found that a fraction of cellular RNase L and RLI is localized in the mitochondria. Thus, we down-regulated RNase L activity in human H9 cells by stably transfecting (i) RNase L antisense cDNA or (ii) RLI sense cDNA constructions. In contrast to control cells, no post-transcriptional down-regulation of mitochondrial mRNAs and no cell growth inhibition were observed after IFNalpha treatment in these transfectants. These results demonstrate that IFNalpha exerts its antiproliferative effect on H9 cells at least in part via the degradation of mitochondrial mRNAs by RNase L.

ATP synthesis is coupled to rat liver mitochondrial RNA synthesis

Rat liver mitochondria respond to changes in energy demand by modulating the amount of RNA synthesized. Coupled rat liver mitochondria were used to determine the relationship between mitochondrial respiration, ATP levels, and mitochondrial transcription. This system included oxidizable substrates (malate and glutamate) and constituents that could support both mitochondrial respiration and transcription. The respiratory inhibitor rotenone, phosphorylation inhibitor oligomycin, and the uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation carbonyl-cyanide p-triflouromethoxyphehylhydrazone inhibited RNA synthesis. Addition of ADP stimulated mitochondrial transcription and peak RNA synthesis was observed at 1-2 mM ADP. At ADP concentrations above 2 mM, RNA synthesis decreased. These results demonstrate that mitochondrial transcription is tightly coupled to ATP levels.

Iron(II) induces changes in the conformation of mammalian mitochondrial DNA resulting in a reduction of its transcriptional rate

Living isolated mitochondria incubated with iron(II) show a major alteration in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) conformational forms as assessed by Southern blot analysis of undigested mtDNA. In the presence of iron(II), form I is transformed into form III in a dose-dependent manner. This alteration in mtDNA conformation shows a strong correlation with a decrease in the mtDNA transcription rate (r=0.965, P < 0.002), suggesting that iron(II) load results in double-strand breaks and unwinding of mtDNA, which, in turn, is unable to maintain its normal transcriptional rate.

Direct regulation of mitochondrial RNA synthesis by thyroid hormone

We have analyzed the influence of in vivo treatment and in vitro addition of thyroid hormone on in organello mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) transcription and, in parallel, on the in organello footprinting patterns at the mtDNA regions involved in the regulation of transcription. We found that thyroid hormone modulates mitochondrial RNA levels and the mRNA/rRNA ratio by influencing the transcriptional rate. In addition, we found conspicuous differences between the mtDNA dimethyl sulfate footprinting patterns of mitochondria derived from euthyroid and hypothyroid rats at the transcription initiation sites but not at the mitochondrial transcription termination factor (mTERF) binding region. Furthermore, direct addition of thyroid hormone to the incubation medium of mitochondria isolated from hypothyroid rats restored the mRNA/rRNA ratio found in euthyroid rats as well as the mtDNA footprinting patterns at the transcription initiation area. Therefore, we conclude that the regulatory effect of thyroid hormone on mitochondrial transcription is partially exerted by a direct influence of the hormone on the mitochondrial transcription machinery. Particularly, the influence on the mRNA/rRNA ratio is achieved by selective modulation of the alternative H-strand transcription initiation sites and does not require the previous activation of nuclear genes. These results provide the first functional demonstration that regulatory signals, such as thyroid hormone, that modify the expression of nuclear genes can also act as primary signals for the transcriptional apparatus of mitochondria.

Reduced mitochondrial DNA transcription in senescent rat heart

We studied the effect of senescence on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) transcription with an in organello system using intact isolated rat heart mitochondria. A comparison of the electrophoretic patterns of mtDNA transcription products in young, adult and senescent rats showed an age-related reduction in newly-synthesized mitochondrial RNAs that reflects a decrease in the synthesis rate. These results correlate with the enzyme activities of the oxidative phosphorylation complexes I and IV, that are partially encoded by the mitochondrial genome. In addition, an age-related increase in the protein carbonyl content of the mitochondrial membranes was observed in senescent mitochondria suggesting an accumulation of mitochondrial oxidative damage. This reduction in the mtDNA transcriptional rate in the heart of senescent animals suggests that this could be one of the molecular bases underlying senescence of the myocardium.