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Williams ZJ, Alvarez-Laviada A, Hoagland D, Jourdan LJ, Poelzing S, Gorelik J, Gourdie RG. Development and characterization of the mode-of-action of inhibitory and agonist peptides targeting the voltage-gated sodium channel SCN1B beta-subunit. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2024; 194:32-45. [PMID: 38942073 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2024.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
Cardiac arrhythmia treatment is a clinical challenge necessitating safer and more effective therapies. Recent studies have highlighted the role of the perinexus, an intercalated disc nanodomain enriched in voltage-gated sodium channels including both Nav1.5 and β1 subunits, adjacent to gap junctions. These findings offer insights into action potential conduction in the heart. A 19-amino acid SCN1B (β1/β1B) mimetic peptide, βadp1, disrupts VGSC beta subunit-mediated adhesion in cardiac perinexii, inducing arrhythmogenic changes. We aimed to explore βadp1's mechanism and develop novel SCN1B mimetic peptides affecting β1-mediated adhesion. Using patch clamp assays in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes and electric cell substrate impedance sensing (ECIS) in β1-expressing cells, we observed βadp1 maintained inhibitory effects for up to 5 h. A shorter peptide (LQLEED) based on the carboxyl-terminus of βadp1 mimicked this inhibitory effect, while dimeric peptides containing repeated LQLEED sequences paradoxically promoted intercellular adhesion over longer time courses. Moreover, we found a link between these peptides and β1-regulated intramembrane proteolysis (RIP) - a signaling pathway effecting gene transcription including that of VGSC subunits. βadp1 increased RIP continuously over 48 h, while dimeric agonists acutely boosted RIP for up to 6 h. In the presence of DAPT, an RIP inhibitor, βadp1's effects on ECIS-measured intercellular adhesion was reduced, suggesting a relationship between RIP and the peptide's inhibitory action. In conclusion, novel SCN1B (β1/β1B) mimetic peptides are reported with the potential to modulate intercellular VGSC β1-mediated adhesion, potentially through β1 RIP. These findings suggest a path towards the development of anti-arrhythmic drugs targeting the perinexus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary J Williams
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Virginia Polytechnic University, Roanoke, VA, United States
| | | | - Daniel Hoagland
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Virginia Polytechnic University, Roanoke, VA, United States
| | - L Jane Jourdan
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Virginia Polytechnic University, Roanoke, VA, United States
| | - Steven Poelzing
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Virginia Polytechnic University, Roanoke, VA, United States; School of Medicine, Virgina Polytechnic University, Roanoke, VA, United States; Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Virginia Polytechnic University, Roanoke, VA, United States
| | - Julia Gorelik
- Department of Myocardial Function, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Robert G Gourdie
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Virginia Polytechnic University, Roanoke, VA, United States; School of Medicine, Virgina Polytechnic University, Roanoke, VA, United States; Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Virginia Polytechnic University, Roanoke, VA, United States.
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Cernera G, Gelzo M, De Placido P, Pietroluongo E, Raia M, Scalia G, Tortora M, Formisano P, Palmieri G, Giuliano M, Castaldo G. Serum biomarkers of inflammation and vascular damage upon SARS-Cov-2 mRNA vaccine in patients with thymic epithelial tumors. Clin Chem Lab Med 2024; 62:1198-1205. [PMID: 38232092 DOI: 10.1515/cclm-2023-1283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Thymic epithelial tumors (TET) patients are at high risk of autoimmune and hypoimmune complications. Limited evidence is available on the potential risk of immune-related and inflammatory reactions induced by SARS-Cov-2 vaccine in this patient population. METHODS In order to identify subjects at higher risk for vaccine complications, we prospectively evaluated a panel of serum biomarkers related to inflammation (TNF-α, IL-1β, -6, -10, -12, and -17A, IFN-α, β and γ, MPO, MMP-9), and vascular damage (E- and P-selectin, VEGF-A, P-ANCA and MCP-1) in 44 TET patients and in 30 healthy controls along the whole SARS-Cov-2 vaccine cycle. RESULTS About 50 % of subjects (either TET and controls) showed an increase of serum biochemical markers of inflammation and endothelial damage with a large heterogeneity of values. Such increase appeared early, after the first dose in control subjects and later, after the second dose in TET patients (in which we observed mainly an increase of inflammatory biomarkers). The values normalized after about 3 months and did not increase after the third, booster dose. No autoimmune or vascular complications were observed in the study subjects and no difference was observed in terms of vaccine response among subjects showing serum biomarkers increase and those who experienced no changes. CONCLUSIONS Our data highlight the relevance of Sars-Cov-2 vaccine in TET patients, as it resulted safe and prevented severe COVID-19. However, further studies are awaited to explore the mechanisms and the potential consequences of the observed increase of serum inflammatory and vascular damage biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Cernera
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate, scarl, Naples, Italy
| | - Monica Gelzo
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate, scarl, Naples, Italy
| | - Pietro De Placido
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Erica Pietroluongo
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | | | - Marianna Tortora
- Rare Tumors Coordinating Center of Campania Region (CRCTR), Naples, Italy
| | - Pietro Formisano
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Traslazionali, Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Mario Giuliano
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
- Rare Tumors Coordinating Center of Campania Region (CRCTR), Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Castaldo
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate, scarl, Naples, Italy
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Struckman HL, Moise N, Vanslembrouck B, Rothacker N, Chen Z, van Hengel J, Weinberg SH, Veeraraghavan R. Indirect Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy (iCLEM): A Novel Pipeline for Multiscale Quantification of Structure From Molecules to Organs. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2024; 30:318-333. [PMID: 38525890 PMCID: PMC11057817 DOI: 10.1093/mam/ozae021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) methods are powerful methods that combine molecular organization (from light microscopy) with ultrastructure (from electron microscopy). However, CLEM methods pose high cost/difficulty barriers to entry and have very low experimental throughput. Therefore, we have developed an indirect correlative light and electron microscopy (iCLEM) pipeline to sidestep the rate-limiting steps of CLEM (i.e., preparing and imaging the same samples on multiple microscopes) and correlate multiscale structural data gleaned from separate samples imaged using different modalities by exploiting biological structures identifiable by both light and electron microscopy as intrinsic fiducials. We demonstrate here an application of iCLEM, where we utilized gap junctions and mechanical junctions between muscle cells in the heart as intrinsic fiducials to correlate ultrastructural measurements from transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) with molecular organization from confocal microscopy and single molecule localization microscopy (SMLM). We further demonstrate how iCLEM can be integrated with computational modeling to discover structure-function relationships. Thus, we present iCLEM as a novel approach that complements existing CLEM methods and provides a generalizable framework that can be applied to any set of imaging modalities, provided suitable intrinsic fiducials can be identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather L Struckman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, 2124 Fontana Labs, 140 W. 19th Ave, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- The Frick Center for Heart Failure and Arrhythmia, Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 2255 Kenny Rd, Rm 5189, Pelotonia Research Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Nicolae Moise
- The Frick Center for Heart Failure and Arrhythmia, Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 2255 Kenny Rd, Rm 5189, Pelotonia Research Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Bieke Vanslembrouck
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Rd, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Medical Cell Biology Research Group, Department of Human Structure and Repair, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, Building B, Entrance 36, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nathan Rothacker
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, 2124 Fontana Labs, 140 W. 19th Ave, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- The Frick Center for Heart Failure and Arrhythmia, Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 2255 Kenny Rd, Rm 5189, Pelotonia Research Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Zhenhui Chen
- Krannert Cardiovascular Research Center, Department of Medicine, Indiana University, Room E400, 1801 N. Senate Blvd., Suite E400, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Jolanda van Hengel
- Medical Cell Biology Research Group, Department of Human Structure and Repair, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, Building B, Entrance 36, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Seth H Weinberg
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, 2124 Fontana Labs, 140 W. 19th Ave, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- The Frick Center for Heart Failure and Arrhythmia, Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 2255 Kenny Rd, Rm 5189, Pelotonia Research Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Rengasayee Veeraraghavan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, 2124 Fontana Labs, 140 W. 19th Ave, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- The Frick Center for Heart Failure and Arrhythmia, Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 2255 Kenny Rd, Rm 5189, Pelotonia Research Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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Blair GA, Wu X, Bain C, Warren M, Hoeker GS, Poelzing S. Mannitol and hyponatremia regulate cardiac ventricular conduction in the context of sodium channel loss of function. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2024; 326:H724-H734. [PMID: 38214908 PMCID: PMC11221810 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00211.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Scn5a heterozygous null (Scn5a+/-) mice have historically been used to investigate arrhythmogenic mechanisms of diseases such as Brugada syndrome (BrS) and Lev's disease. Previously, we demonstrated that reducing ephaptic coupling (EpC) in ex vivo hearts exacerbates pharmacological voltage-gated sodium channel (Nav)1.5 loss of function (LOF). Whether this effect is consistent in a genetic Nav1.5 LOF model is yet to be determined. We hypothesized that loss of EpC would result in greater reduction in conduction velocity (CV) for the Scn5a+/- mouse relative to wild type (WT). In vivo ECGs and ex vivo optical maps were recorded from Langendorff-perfused Scn5a+/- and WT mouse hearts. EpC was reduced with perfusion of a hyponatremic solution, the clinically relevant osmotic agent mannitol, or a combination of the two. Neither in vivo QRS duration nor ex vivo CV during normonatremia was significantly different between the two genotypes. In agreement with our hypothesis, we found that hyponatremia severely slowed CV and disrupted conduction for 4/5 Scn5a+/- mice, but 0/6 WT mice. In addition, treatment with mannitol slowed CV to a greater extent in Scn5a+/- relative to WT hearts. Unexpectedly, treatment with mannitol during hyponatremia did not further slow CV in either genotype, but resolved the disrupted conduction observed in Scn5a+/- hearts. Similar results in guinea pig hearts suggest the effects of mannitol and hyponatremia are not species specific. In conclusion, loss of EpC through either hyponatremia or mannitol alone results in slowed or disrupted conduction in a genetic model of Nav1.5 LOF. However, the combination of these interventions attenuates conduction slowing.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Cardiac sodium channel loss of function (LOF) diseases such as Brugada syndrome (BrS) are often concealed. We optically mapped mouse hearts with reduced sodium channel expression (Scn5a+/-) to evaluate whether reduced ephaptic coupling (EpC) can unmask conduction deficits. Data suggest that conduction deficits in the Scn5a+/- mouse may be unmasked by treatment with hyponatremia and perinexal widening via mannitol. These data support further investigation of hyponatremia and mannitol as novel diagnostics for sodium channel loss of function diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace A Blair
- Graduate Program in Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Roanoke, Virginia, United States
- Center for Vascular and Heart Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, Virginia, United States
| | - Xiaobo Wu
- Center for Vascular and Heart Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, Virginia, United States
| | - Chandra Bain
- Center for Vascular and Heart Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, Virginia, United States
| | - Mark Warren
- Center for Vascular and Heart Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, Virginia, United States
| | - Gregory S Hoeker
- Center for Vascular and Heart Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, Virginia, United States
| | - Steven Poelzing
- Graduate Program in Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Roanoke, Virginia, United States
- Center for Vascular and Heart Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, Virginia, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States
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Rong JC, Chen XD, Jin NK, Hong J. Exploring the causal association of rheumatoid arthritis with atrial fibrillation: a Mendelian randomization study. Clin Rheumatol 2024; 43:29-40. [PMID: 37930596 DOI: 10.1007/s10067-023-06804-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND It has been proved that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have high incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF). Nevertheless, whether they have causal relevance is uncertain. This study aimed to explore and verify the authenticity of causal relationship between RA and AF using Mendelian randomization (MR). METHODS The genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary data from Biobank Japan Project (BBJ) (RA, 4199 cases and 208,254 controls) were regarded as exposure data and the GWAS data from European Bio-informatics Institute database (EBI) (AF, 15,979 cases and 102,776 controls) as outcome data. The causal effect was appraised by the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method, MR-Egger regression, and weighted median estimator. MR-robust adjusted profile score (MR-RAPS) method was delivered to examine the robustness of causal relationship and MR Pleiotropy Residual Sum and Outlier (MR-PRESSO) method to control horizontal (directional) pleiotropy. RESULTS The results indicated that RA increased the risk of AF (IVW, the odds ratio (OR) = 1.060; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.028 to 1.092; p = 1.411 × 10-4; weighted median, OR = 1.046, 95% CI, 1.002 to 1.093, p = 0.047). The MR analysis also showed this causal effect through all four IVW methods with various statistical algorithms. Both MR-RAPS and MR-PRESSO supported the causality of RA and AF. Also, the MR-PRESSO result indicated the absence of apparent pleiotropy. CONCLUSION There is a causal association between RA and AF. RA patients are genetically more vulnerable to AF. This study may contribute to further exploring early clinical prevention and fundamental mechanism of AF in patients with RA. Key Points • We provided some genetic evidence for the causal link between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and atrial fibrillation (AF) with multiple Mendelian randomization (MR) methods. • RA patients were genetically more vulnerable to AF. • This study partly shed light on latent fundamental mechanisms underlying RA-induced AF and inspired future studies on RA-AF relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Cheng Rong
- Cardiovascular Department, Ningbo Hangzhou Bay Hospital, Hangzhou Bay New Area, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xu-Dong Chen
- Cardiovascular Department, Ningbo Hangzhou Bay Hospital, Hangzhou Bay New Area, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
| | - Na-Ke Jin
- Cardiovascular Department, Ningbo Hangzhou Bay Hospital, Hangzhou Bay New Area, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jun Hong
- Cardiovascular Department, Ningbo Hangzhou Bay Hospital, Hangzhou Bay New Area, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.
- Cardiovascular Department, Ningbo Hospital of Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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Struckman HL, Moise N, King DR, Soltisz A, Buxton A, Dunlap I, Chen Z, Radwański PB, Weinberg SH, Veeraraghavan R. Unraveling Impacts of Chamber-Specific Differences in Intercalated Disc Ultrastructure and Molecular Organization on Cardiac Conduction. JACC Clin Electrophysiol 2023; 9:2425-2443. [PMID: 37498248 PMCID: PMC11102000 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacep.2023.05.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Propagation of action potentials through the heart coordinates the heartbeat. Thus, intercalated discs, specialized cell-cell contact sites that provide electrical and mechanical coupling between cardiomyocytes, are an important target for study. Impaired propagation leads to arrhythmias in many pathologies, where intercalated disc remodeling is a common finding, hence the importance and urgency of understanding propagation dependence on intercalated disc structure. Conventional modeling approaches cannot predict changes in propagation elicited by perturbations that alter intercalated disc ultrastructure or molecular organization, because of lack of quantitative structural data at subcellular through nano scales. OBJECTIVES This study sought to quantify intercalated disc structure at these spatial scales in the healthy adult mouse heart and relate them to chamber-specific properties of propagation as a precursor to understanding the effects of pathological intercalated disc remodeling. METHODS Using super-resolution light microscopy, electron microscopy, and computational image analysis, we provide here the first ever systematic, multiscale quantification of intercalated disc ultrastructure and molecular organization. RESULTS By incorporating these data into a rule-based model of cardiac tissue with realistic intercalated disc structure, and comparing model predictions of electrical propagation with experimental measures of conduction velocity, we reveal that atrial intercalated discs can support faster conduction than their ventricular counterparts, which is normally masked by interchamber differences in myocyte geometry. Further, we identify key ultrastructural and molecular organization features underpinning the ability of atrial intercalated discs to support faster conduction. CONCLUSIONS These data provide the first stepping stone to elucidating chamber-specific effects of pathological intercalated disc remodeling, as occurs in many arrhythmic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather L Struckman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA; The Frick Center for Heart Failure and Arrhythmia, Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Nicolae Moise
- The Frick Center for Heart Failure and Arrhythmia, Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - D Ryan King
- The Frick Center for Heart Failure and Arrhythmia, Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Andrew Soltisz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA; The Frick Center for Heart Failure and Arrhythmia, Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Andrew Buxton
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Izabella Dunlap
- The Frick Center for Heart Failure and Arrhythmia, Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Zhenhui Chen
- Krannert Cardiovascular Research Center, Department of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Przemysław B Radwański
- The Frick Center for Heart Failure and Arrhythmia, Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA; Division of Outcomes and Translational Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Seth H Weinberg
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA; The Frick Center for Heart Failure and Arrhythmia, Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Rengasayee Veeraraghavan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA; The Frick Center for Heart Failure and Arrhythmia, Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
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Mezache L, Soltisz AM, Johnstone SR, Isakson BE, Veeraraghavan R. Vascular Endothelial Barrier Protection Prevents Atrial Fibrillation by Preserving Cardiac Nanostructure. JACC Clin Electrophysiol 2023; 9:2444-2458. [PMID: 38032579 PMCID: PMC11134328 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacep.2023.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common cardiac arrhythmia, is widely associated with inflammation, vascular dysfunction, and elevated levels of the vascular leak-inducing cytokine, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Mechanisms underlying AF are poorly understood and current treatments only manage this progressive disease, rather than arresting the underlying pathology. The authors previously identified edema-induced disruption of sodium channel (NaV1.5)-rich intercalated disk nanodomains as a novel mechanism for AF initiation secondary to acute inflammation. Therefore, we hypothesized that protecting the vascular barrier can prevent vascular leak-induced atrial arrhythmias. OBJECTIVES In this study the authors tested the hypothesis that protecting the vascular barrier can prevent vascular leak-induced atrial arrhythmias. They identified 2 molecular targets for vascular barrier protection, connexin43 (Cx43) hemichannels and pannexin-1 (Panx1) channels, which have been implicated in cytokine-induced vascular leak. METHODS The authors undertook in vivo electrocardiography, electron microscopy, and super-resolution light microscopy studies in mice acutely treated with a clinically relevant level of VEGF. RESULTS AF incidence was increased in untreated mice exposed to VEGF relative to vehicle control subjects. VEGF also increased the average number of AF episodes. VEGF shifted NaV1.5 signal to longer distances from Cx43 gap junctions, measured by a distance transformation-based spatial analysis of 3-dimensional confocal images of intercalated disks. Similar effects were observed with NaV1.5 localized near mechanical junctions composed of neural cadherin. Blocking connexin43 hemichannels (αCT11 peptide) or Panx1 channels (PxIL2P peptide) significantly reduced the duration of AF episodes compared with VEGF alone with no treatment. Concurrently, both peptide therapies preserved NaV1.5 distance from gap junctions to control levels and reduced mechanical junction-adjacent intermembrane distance in these hearts. Notably, similar antiarrhythmic efficacy was also achieved with clinically-relevant small-molecule inhibitors of Cx43 and Panx1. CONCLUSIONS These results highlight vascular barrier protection as an antiarrhythmic strategy following inflammation-induced vascular leak.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louisa Mezache
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Andrew M Soltisz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Scott R Johnstone
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, Centre for Vascular and Heart Research, Virginia Tech, Roanoke, Virginia, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Roanoke, Virginia, USA
| | - Brant E Isakson
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Rengasayee Veeraraghavan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA; The Frick Center for Heart Failure and Arrhythmia, Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA; Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
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Takahashi Y, Yamaguchi T, Otsubo T, Nakashima K, Shinzato K, Osako R, Shichida S, Kawano Y, Fukui A, Kawaguchi A, Aishima S, Saito T, Takahashi N, Node K. Histological validation of atrial structural remodelling in patients with atrial fibrillation. Eur Heart J 2023; 44:3339-3353. [PMID: 37350738 PMCID: PMC10499545 DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehad396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS This study aimed to histologically validate atrial structural remodelling associated with atrial fibrillation. METHODS AND RESULTS Patients undergoing atrial fibrillation ablation and endomyocardial atrial biopsy were included (n = 230; 67 ± 12 years old; 69 women). Electroanatomic mapping was performed during right atrial pacing. Voltage at the biopsy site (Vbiopsy), global left atrial voltage (VGLA), and the proportion of points with fractionated electrograms defined as ≥5 deflections in each electrogram (%Fractionated EGM) were evaluated. SCZtotal was calculated as the total width of slow conduction zones, defined as regions with a conduction velocity of <30 cm/s. Histological factors potentially associated with electroanatomic characteristics were evaluated using multiple linear regression analyses. Ultrastructural features and immune cell infiltration were evaluated by electron microscopy and immunohistochemical staining in 33 and 60 patients, respectively. Fibrosis, intercellular space, myofibrillar loss, and myocardial nuclear density were significantly associated with Vbiopsy (P = .014, P < .001, P < .001, and P = .002, respectively) and VGLA (P = .010, P < .001, P = .001, and P < .001, respectively). The intercellular space was associated with the %Fractionated EGM (P = .001). Fibrosis, intercellular space, and myofibrillar loss were associated with SCZtotal (P = .028, P < .001, and P = .015, respectively). Electron microscopy confirmed plasma components and immature collagen fibrils in the increased intercellular space and myofilament lysis in cardiomyocytes, depending on myofibrillar loss. Among the histological factors, the severity of myofibrillar loss was associated with an increase in macrophage infiltration. CONCLUSION Histological correlates of atrial structural remodelling were fibrosis, increased intercellular space, myofibrillar loss, and decreased nuclear density. Each histological component was defined using electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuya Takahashi
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Saga University, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga 849-8501, Japan
| | - Takanori Yamaguchi
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Saga University, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga 849-8501, Japan
| | - Toyokazu Otsubo
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Saga University, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga 849-8501, Japan
| | - Kana Nakashima
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Saga University, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga 849-8501, Japan
| | - Kodai Shinzato
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Saga University, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga 849-8501, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Osako
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Saga University, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga 849-8501, Japan
| | - Shigeki Shichida
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Saga University, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga 849-8501, Japan
| | - Yuki Kawano
- Division of Cardiology, Saiseikai Futsukaichi Hospital, 3-13-1, Yumachi, Chikushino, Fukoka 818-8516, Japan
| | - Akira Fukui
- Department of Cardiology and Clinical Examination, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, 1-1, Idaigaoka, Hasama, Yufu, Oita 879-5593, Japan
| | - Atsushi Kawaguchi
- Education and Research Center for Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga 849-8501, Japan
| | - Shinichi Aishima
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Saga University, Saga, Japan
| | - Tsunenori Saito
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nippon Medical School Tama Nagayama Hospital, Tama, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naohiko Takahashi
- Department of Cardiology and Clinical Examination, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, 1-1, Idaigaoka, Hasama, Yufu, Oita 879-5593, Japan
| | - Koichi Node
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Saga University, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga 849-8501, Japan
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9
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Mezache L, Soltisz A, Radwanski PB, Nuovo GJ, Veeraraghavan R. Indirect CLEM Identifies Nanoscale Remodeling Associated with Atrial Fibrillation in Diverse Etiologies, Enabling a Unified Therapeutic Approach. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2023; 29:1081-1082. [PMID: 37613211 DOI: 10.1093/micmic/ozad067.556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Louisa Mezache
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Andrew Soltisz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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10
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Bonilla IM, Baine S, Pokrass A, Mariángelo JIE, Kalyanasundaram A, Bogdanov V, Mezache L, Sakuta G, Beard CM, Belevych A, Tikunova S, Terentyeva R, Terentyev D, Davis J, Veeraraghavan R, Carnes CA, Györke S. STIM1 ablation impairs exercise-induced physiological cardiac hypertrophy and dysregulates autophagy in mouse hearts. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2023; 134:1287-1299. [PMID: 36995910 PMCID: PMC10190841 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00363.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiac stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1), a key mediator of store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE), is a known determinant of cardiomyocyte pathological growth in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. We examined the role of STIM1 and SOCE in response to exercise-dependent physiological hypertrophy. Wild-type (WT) mice subjected to exercise training (WT-Ex) showed a significant increase in exercise capacity and heart weight compared with sedentary (WT-Sed) mice. Moreover, myocytes from WT-Ex hearts displayed an increase in length, but not width, compared with WT-Sed myocytes. Conversely, exercised cardiac-specific STIM1 knock-out mice (cSTIM1KO-Ex), although displaying significant increase in heart weight and cardiac dilation, evidenced no changes in myocyte size and displayed a decreased exercise capacity, impaired cardiac function, and premature death compared with sedentary cardiac-specific STIM1 knock-out mice (cSTIM1KO-Sed). Confocal Ca2+ imaging demonstrated enhanced SOCE in WT-Ex myocytes compared with WT-Sed myocytes with no measurable SOCE detected in cSTIM1KO myocytes. Exercise training induced a significant increase in cardiac phospho-Akt Ser473 in WT mice but not in cSTIM1KO mice. No differences were observed in phosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and glycogen synthase kinase (GSK) in exercised versus sedentary cSTIM1KO mice hearts. cSTIM1KO-Sed mice showed increased basal MAPK phosphorylation compared with WT-Sed that was not altered by exercise training. Finally, histological analysis revealed exercise resulted in increased autophagy in cSTIM1KO but not in WT myocytes. Taken together, our results suggest that adaptive cardiac hypertrophy in response to exercise training involves STIM1-mediated SOCE. Our results demonstrate that STIM1 is involved in and essential for the myocyte longitudinal growth and mTOR activation in response to endurance exercise training.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) has been implicated in pathological cardiac hypertrophy; however, its role in physiological hypertrophy is unknown. Here we report that SOCE is also essential for physiological cardiac hypertrophy and functional adaptations in response to endurance exercise. These adaptations were associated with activation of AKT/mTOR pathway and curtailed cardiac autophagy and degeneration. Thus, SOCE is a common mechanism and an important bifurcation point for signaling paths involved in physiological and pathological hypertrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid M Bonilla
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States
- Veterans Affairs Caribbean Healthcare System, San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States
| | - Stephen Baine
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States
| | - Anastasia Pokrass
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States
| | - Juan Ignacio Elio Mariángelo
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States
| | - Anuradha Kalyanasundaram
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States
- Bob and Corrine Frick Center for Heart Failure and Arrhythmia, Dorothy M. Davis Heart & Lung Research Institute, Columbus, Ohio, United States
| | - Vladimir Bogdanov
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States
| | - Louisa Mezache
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States
| | - Galina Sakuta
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States
| | - Casey M Beard
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States
| | - Andriy Belevych
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States
| | - Svetlana Tikunova
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States
| | - Radmila Terentyeva
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States
| | - Dmitry Terentyev
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States
| | - Jonathan Davis
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States
| | - Rengasayee Veeraraghavan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States
| | - Cynthia A Carnes
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States
| | - Sandor Györke
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States
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11
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Struckman HL, Moise N, King DR, Soltisz A, Buxton A, Dunlap I, Chen Z, Radwański PB, Weinberg SH, Veeraraghavan R. Unraveling Chamber-specific Differences in Intercalated Disc Ultrastructure and Molecular Organization and Their Impact on Cardiac Conduction. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.13.528369. [PMID: 36824727 PMCID: PMC9949041 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.13.528369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
During each heartbeat, the propagation of action potentials through the heart coordinates the contraction of billions of individual cardiomyocytes and is thus, a critical life process. Unsurprisingly, intercalated discs, which are cell-cell contact sites specialized to provide electrical and mechanical coupling between adjacent cardiomyocytes, have been the focus of much investigation. Slowed or disrupted propagation leads to potentially life-threatening arrhythmias in a wide range of pathologies, where intercalated disc remodeling is a common finding. Hence, the importance and urgency of understanding intercalated disc structure and its influence on action potential propagation. Surprisingly, however, conventional modeling approaches cannot predict changes in propagation elicited by perturbations that alter intercalated disc ultrastructure or molecular organization, owing to lack of quantitative structural data at subcellular through nano scales. In order to address this critical gap in knowledge, we sought to quantify intercalated disc structure at these finer spatial scales in the healthy adult mouse heart and relate them to function in a chamber-specific manner as a precursor to understanding the impacts of pathological intercalated disc remodeling. Using super-resolution light microscopy, electron microscopy, and computational image analysis, we provide here the first ever systematic, multiscale quantification of intercalated disc ultrastructure and molecular organization. By incorporating these data into a rule-based model of cardiac tissue with realistic intercalated disc structure, and comparing model predictions of electrical propagation with experimental measures of conduction velocity, we reveal that atrial intercalated discs can support faster conduction than their ventricular counterparts, which is normally masked by inter-chamber differences in myocyte geometry. Further, we identify key ultrastructural and molecular organization features underpinning the ability of atrial intercalated discs to support faster conduction. These data provide the first stepping stone to elucidating chamber-specific impacts of pathological intercalated disc remodeling, as occurs in many arrhythmic diseases.
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Qiu J, Liu XJ, You BA, Ren N, Liu H. Application of Nanomaterials in Stem Cell-Based Therapeutics for Cardiac Repair and Regeneration. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2206487. [PMID: 36642861 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202206487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of disability and death worldwide. Although the survival rate of patients with heart diseases can be improved with contemporary pharmacological treatments and surgical procedures, none of these therapies provide a significant improvement in cardiac repair and regeneration. Stem cell-based therapies are a promising approach for functional recovery of damaged myocardium. However, the available stem cells are difficult to differentiate into cardiomyocytes, which result in the extremely low transplantation efficiency. Nanomaterials are widely used to regulate the myocardial differentiation of stem cells, and play a very important role in cardiac tissue engineering. This study discusses the current status and limitations of stem cells and cell-derived exosomes/micro RNAs based cardiac therapy, describes the cardiac repair mechanism of nanomaterials, summarizes the recent advances in nanomaterials used in cardiac repair and regeneration, and evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of the relevant nanomaterials. Besides discussing the potential clinical applications of nanomaterials in cardiac therapy, the perspectives and challenges of nanomaterials used in stem cell-based cardiac repair and regeneration are also considered. Finally, new research directions in this field are proposed, and future research trends are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Qiu
- Medical Research Institute, Jinan Nanjiao Hospital, Jinan, 250002, P. R. China
| | - Xiang-Ju Liu
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, P. R. China
| | - Bei-An You
- Department of Cardiovascular Center, Qilu Hospital (Qingdao), Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 266035, P. R. China
| | - Na Ren
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Technology and Equipment for Biological Diagnosis and Therapy in Universities of Shandong, Institute for Advanced Interdisciplinary Research (iAIR), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, P. R. China
| | - Hong Liu
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Technology and Equipment for Biological Diagnosis and Therapy in Universities of Shandong, Institute for Advanced Interdisciplinary Research (iAIR), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, P. R. China
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13
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Impaired VEGF-A-Mediated Neurovascular Crosstalk Induced by SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein: A Potential Hypothesis Explaining Long COVID-19 Symptoms and COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effects? Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10122452. [PMID: 36557705 PMCID: PMC9784975 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10122452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Long coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is a newly discovered syndrome characterized by multiple organ manifestations that persist for weeks to months, following the recovery from acute disease. Occasionally, neurological and cardiovascular side effects mimicking long COVID-19 have been reported in recipients of COVID-19 vaccines. Hypothetically, the clinical similarity could be due to a shared pathogenic role of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike (S) protein produced by the virus or used for immunization. The S protein can bind to neuropilin (NRP)-1, which normally functions as a coreceptor for the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A. By antagonizing the docking of VEGF-A to NRP-1, the S protein could disrupt physiological pathways involved in angiogenesis and nociception. One consequence could be the increase in unbound forms of VEGF-A that could bind to other receptors. SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals may exhibit increased plasma levels of VEGF-A during both acute illness and convalescence, which could be responsible for diffuse microvascular and neurological damage. A few studies suggest that serum VEGF-A may also be a potential biomarker for long COVID-19, whereas evidence for COVID-19 vaccines is lacking and merits further investigation.
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14
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Histologic, viral, and molecular correlates of heart disease in fatal COVID-19. Ann Diagn Pathol 2022; 60:151983. [PMID: 35660807 PMCID: PMC9148434 DOI: 10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2022.151983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cardiac manifestations are common in severe COVID-19. This study compared the histologic, viral, and molecular findings in cardiac tissue in fatal COVID-19 (n = 11) and controls (n = 11). In situ hybridization (SARS-CoV2 RNA) and immunohistochemistry for viral proteins and the host response were quantified for the samples and compared with qRTPCR and Western blot data. Control hearts showed a high resident population of macrophages that had variable ACE2 expression. Cardiac ACE2 expression was 10× greater in the heart tissues of cases and controls with obesity or type II diabetes. Multifocal endothelial cell swelling and degeneration, perivascular edema plus microvascular thrombi were unique to the cases. SARS-CoV2 RNA and nucleocapsid protein were rarely detected in situ in any COVID-19 heart. However, in each case abundant SARS-CoV-2 spike protein was evident. Co-expression experiments showed that the spike protein localized mostly to the ACE2+ interstitial macrophages/pericytes that were activated as evidenced by increased IL6 and TNFα expression. Western blots confirmed the presence of the viral spike protein, but not the nucleocapsid protein, in the cardiac homogenates. The intercalated disc proteins connexin 43, the primary cardiac gap junction protein, and NaV1.5, the predominant cardiac sodium channel, each showed marked lateral migration in the myocytes in the cases, which would increase the risk of reentrant arrhythmias. It is concluded that the viral spike protein, endocytosed by macrophages/pericytes, can induce a myocarditis with the possibility of conduction dysfunction due to abnormal localization of key intercalated disc proteins.
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15
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Uddin ME, Eisenmann ED, Li Y, Huang KM, Garrison DA, Talebi Z, Gibson AA, Jin Y, Nepal M, Bonilla IM, Fu Q, Sun X, Millar A, Tarasov M, Jay CE, Cui X, Einolf HJ, Pelis RM, Smith SA, Radwański PB, Sweet DH, König J, Fromm MF, Carnes CA, Hu S, Sparreboom A. MATE1 Deficiency Exacerbates Dofetilide-Induced Proarrhythmia. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:8607. [PMID: 35955741 PMCID: PMC9369325 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2022] [Revised: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Dofetilide is a rapid delayed rectifier potassium current inhibitor widely used to prevent the recurrence of atrial fibrillation and flutter. The clinical use of this drug is associated with increases in QTc interval, which predispose patients to ventricular cardiac arrhythmias. The mechanisms involved in the disposition of dofetilide, including its movement in and out of cardiomyocytes, remain unknown. Using a xenobiotic transporter screen, we identified MATE1 (SLC47A1) as a transporter of dofetilide and found that genetic knockout or pharmacological inhibition of MATE1 in mice was associated with enhanced retention of dofetilide in cardiomyocytes and increased QTc prolongation. The urinary excretion of dofetilide was also dependent on the MATE1 genotype, and we found that this transport mechanism provides a mechanistic basis for previously recorded drug-drug interactions of dofetilide with various contraindicated drugs, including bictegravir, cimetidine, ketoconazole, and verapamil. The translational significance of these observations was examined with a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model that adequately predicted the drug-drug interaction liabilities in humans. These findings support the thesis that MATE1 serves a conserved cardioprotective role by restricting excessive cellular accumulation and warrant caution against the concurrent administration of potent MATE1 inhibitors and cardiotoxic substrates with a narrow therapeutic window.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Erfan Uddin
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy and Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (M.E.U.); (E.D.E.); (Y.L.); (K.M.H.); (D.A.G.); (Z.T.); (A.A.G.); (Y.J.); (M.N.); (Q.F.); (X.S.)
| | - Eric D. Eisenmann
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy and Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (M.E.U.); (E.D.E.); (Y.L.); (K.M.H.); (D.A.G.); (Z.T.); (A.A.G.); (Y.J.); (M.N.); (Q.F.); (X.S.)
| | - Yang Li
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy and Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (M.E.U.); (E.D.E.); (Y.L.); (K.M.H.); (D.A.G.); (Z.T.); (A.A.G.); (Y.J.); (M.N.); (Q.F.); (X.S.)
| | - Kevin M. Huang
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy and Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (M.E.U.); (E.D.E.); (Y.L.); (K.M.H.); (D.A.G.); (Z.T.); (A.A.G.); (Y.J.); (M.N.); (Q.F.); (X.S.)
| | - Dominique A. Garrison
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy and Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (M.E.U.); (E.D.E.); (Y.L.); (K.M.H.); (D.A.G.); (Z.T.); (A.A.G.); (Y.J.); (M.N.); (Q.F.); (X.S.)
| | - Zahra Talebi
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy and Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (M.E.U.); (E.D.E.); (Y.L.); (K.M.H.); (D.A.G.); (Z.T.); (A.A.G.); (Y.J.); (M.N.); (Q.F.); (X.S.)
| | - Alice A. Gibson
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy and Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (M.E.U.); (E.D.E.); (Y.L.); (K.M.H.); (D.A.G.); (Z.T.); (A.A.G.); (Y.J.); (M.N.); (Q.F.); (X.S.)
| | - Yan Jin
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy and Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (M.E.U.); (E.D.E.); (Y.L.); (K.M.H.); (D.A.G.); (Z.T.); (A.A.G.); (Y.J.); (M.N.); (Q.F.); (X.S.)
| | - Mahesh Nepal
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy and Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (M.E.U.); (E.D.E.); (Y.L.); (K.M.H.); (D.A.G.); (Z.T.); (A.A.G.); (Y.J.); (M.N.); (Q.F.); (X.S.)
| | - Ingrid M. Bonilla
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
| | - Qiang Fu
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy and Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (M.E.U.); (E.D.E.); (Y.L.); (K.M.H.); (D.A.G.); (Z.T.); (A.A.G.); (Y.J.); (M.N.); (Q.F.); (X.S.)
| | - Xinxin Sun
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy and Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (M.E.U.); (E.D.E.); (Y.L.); (K.M.H.); (D.A.G.); (Z.T.); (A.A.G.); (Y.J.); (M.N.); (Q.F.); (X.S.)
| | - Alec Millar
- Division of Outcomes and Translational Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (A.M.); (M.T.); (P.B.R.); (C.A.C.); (S.H.)
| | - Mikhail Tarasov
- Division of Outcomes and Translational Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (A.M.); (M.T.); (P.B.R.); (C.A.C.); (S.H.)
| | - Christopher E. Jay
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA; (C.E.J.); (D.H.S.)
| | - Xiaoming Cui
- Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research, East Hanover, NJ 07936, USA; (X.C.); (H.J.E.); (R.M.P.)
| | - Heidi J. Einolf
- Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research, East Hanover, NJ 07936, USA; (X.C.); (H.J.E.); (R.M.P.)
| | - Ryan M. Pelis
- Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research, East Hanover, NJ 07936, USA; (X.C.); (H.J.E.); (R.M.P.)
| | - Sakima A. Smith
- OSU Wexner Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
- Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Przemysław B. Radwański
- Division of Outcomes and Translational Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (A.M.); (M.T.); (P.B.R.); (C.A.C.); (S.H.)
- Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Douglas H. Sweet
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA; (C.E.J.); (D.H.S.)
| | - Jörg König
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (J.K.); (M.F.F.)
| | - Martin F. Fromm
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (J.K.); (M.F.F.)
| | - Cynthia A. Carnes
- Division of Outcomes and Translational Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (A.M.); (M.T.); (P.B.R.); (C.A.C.); (S.H.)
- Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Division of Pharmacy Practice and Science, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Shuiying Hu
- Division of Outcomes and Translational Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (A.M.); (M.T.); (P.B.R.); (C.A.C.); (S.H.)
| | - Alex Sparreboom
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy and Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (M.E.U.); (E.D.E.); (Y.L.); (K.M.H.); (D.A.G.); (Z.T.); (A.A.G.); (Y.J.); (M.N.); (Q.F.); (X.S.)
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16
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Li M, Ning Y, Tse G, Saguner AM, Wei M, Day JD, Luo G, Li G. Atrial cardiomyopathy: from cell to bedside. ESC Heart Fail 2022; 9:3768-3784. [PMID: 35920287 PMCID: PMC9773734 DOI: 10.1002/ehf2.14089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Atrial cardiomyopathy refers to structural and electrical remodelling of the atria, which can lead to impaired mechanical function. While historical studies have implicated atrial fibrillation as the leading cause of cardioembolic stroke, atrial cardiomyopathy may be an important, underestimated contributor. To date, the relationship between atrial cardiomyopathy, atrial fibrillation, and cardioembolic stroke remains obscure. This review summarizes the pathogenesis of atrial cardiomyopathy, with a special focus on neurohormonal and inflammatory mechanisms, as well as the role of adipose tissue, especially epicardial fat in atrial remodelling. It reviews the current evidence implicating atrial cardiomyopathy as a cause of embolic stroke, with atrial fibrillation as a lagging marker of an increased thrombogenic atrial substrate. Finally, it discusses the potential of antithrombotic therapy in embolic stroke with undetermined source and appraises the available diagnostic techniques for atrial cardiomyopathy, including imaging techniques such as echocardiography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging as well as electroanatomic mapping, electrocardiogram, biomarkers, and genetic testing. More prospective studies are needed to define the relationship between atrial cardiomyopathy, atrial fibrillation, and embolic stroke and to establish a prompt diagnosis and specific treatment strategies in these patients with atrial cardiomyopathy for the secondary and even primary prevention of embolic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengmeng Li
- Stroke Centre and Department of NeurologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong UniversityXi'anChina
| | - Yuye Ning
- Stroke Centre and Department of NeurologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong UniversityXi'anChina,Department of NeurologyShaanxi People's HospitalXi'anChina
| | - Gary Tse
- Kent and Medway Medical SchoolCanterburyUK,Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ionic‐Molecular Function of Cardiovascular Disease, Department of Cardiology, Tianjin Institute of CardiologySecond Hospital of Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjinChina
| | - Ardan M. Saguner
- Arrhythmia Division, Department of Cardiology, University Heart CentreUniversity Hospital ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Meng Wei
- Stroke Centre and Department of NeurologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong UniversityXi'anChina
| | - John D. Day
- Department of CardiologySt. Mark's HospitalSalt Lake CityUTUSA
| | - Guogang Luo
- Stroke Centre and Department of NeurologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong UniversityXi'anChina
| | - Guoliang Li
- Department of Cardiovascular MedicineThe First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong UniversityXi'anChina
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17
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Patel KHK, Hwang T, Se Liebers C, Ng FS. Epicardial adipose tissue as a mediator of cardiac arrhythmias. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2022; 322:H129-H144. [PMID: 34890279 PMCID: PMC8742735 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00565.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Obesity is associated with higher risks of cardiac arrhythmias. Although this may be partly explained by concurrent cardiometabolic ill-health, growing evidence suggests that increasing adiposity independently confers risk for arrhythmias. Among fat depots, epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) exhibits a proinflammatory secretome and, given the lack of fascial separation, has been implicated as a transducer of inflammation to the underlying myocardium. The present review explores the mechanisms underpinning adverse electrophysiological remodeling as a consequence of EAT accumulation and the consequent inflammation. We first describe the physiological and pathophysiological function of EAT and its unique secretome and subsequently discuss the evidence for ionic channel and connexin expression modulation as well as fibrotic remodeling induced by cytokines and free fatty acids that are secreted by EAT. Finally, we highlight how weight reduction and regression of EAT volume may cause reverse remodeling to ameliorate arrhythmic risk.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Taesoon Hwang
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Curtis Se Liebers
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Fu Siong Ng
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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18
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Wang Y, Cai W, Gu L, Ji X, Shen Q. Comprehensive Analysis of Pertinent Genes and Pathways in Atrial Fibrillation. COMPUTATIONAL AND MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN MEDICINE 2021; 2021:4530180. [PMID: 35003319 PMCID: PMC8741379 DOI: 10.1155/2021/4530180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most frequent arrhythmia in clinical practice. The pathogenesis of AF is not yet clear. Therefore, exploring the molecular information of AF displays much importance for AF therapy. METHODS The GSE2240 data were acquired from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The R limma software package was used to screen DEGs. Based on the Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) databases, we conducted the functions and pathway enrichment analyses. Then, the STRING and Cytoscape software were employed to build Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network and screen for hub genes. Finally, we used the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) experiment to explore the effect of hub gene knockdown on the proliferation of AF cells. RESULT 906 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 542 significantly upregulated genes and 364 significantly downregulated genes, were screened in AF. The genes of AF were mainly enriched in vascular endothelial growth factor-activated receptor activity, alanine, regulation of histone deacetylase activity, and HCM. The PPI network constructed of significantly upregulated DEGs contained 404 nodes and 514 edges. Five hub genes, ASPM, DTL, STAT3, ANLN, and CDCA5, were identified through the PPI network. The PPI network constructed by significantly downregulated genes contained 327 nodes and 301 edges. Four hub genes, CDC42, CREB1, AR, and SP1, were identified through this PPI network. The results of CCK-8 experiments proved that knocking down the expression of CDCA5 gene could inhibit the proliferation of H9C2 cells. CONCLUSION Bioinformatics analyses revealed the hub genes and key pathways of AF. These genes and pathways provide information for studying the pathogenesis, treatment, and prognosis of AF and have the potential to become biomarkers in AF treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanzhe Wang
- Department of Cardiology, Changshu Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Changshu, 215500 Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Wenjuan Cai
- Department of Cardiology, Changshu Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Changshu, 215500 Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Liya Gu
- Department of Cardiology, Changshu Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Changshu, 215500 Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Xuefeng Ji
- Department of Cardiology, Changshu Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Changshu, 215500 Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Qiusheng Shen
- Department of Cardiology, Changshu Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Changshu, 215500 Jiangsu Province, China
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19
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Chang JH, Cheng CC, Lu YY, Chung CC, Yeh YH, Chen YC, Higa S, Chen SA, Chen YJ. Vascular endothelial growth factor modulates pulmonary vein arrhythmogenesis via vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1/NOS pathway. Eur J Pharmacol 2021; 911:174547. [PMID: 34624234 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2021.174547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common form of arrhythmia with serious public health impacts, but its underlying mechanisms are not yet fully understood. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is highly expressed in the atrium of patients with AF, but whether VEGF affects AF pathogenesis remains unclear. Pulmonary veins (PVs) are important sources for the genesis of atrial tachycardia or AF. Therefore, this study assessed the effects of VEGF on PV electrophysiological properties and evaluated its underlying mechanisms. Conventional microelectrodes and whole-cell patch clamps were performed using isolated rabbit PV preparations or single isolated PV cardiomyocytes before and after VEGF or VEGF receptor (VEGFR), Akt, NOS inhibitor administration. We found that VEGF (0.1, 1, and 10 ng/mL) reduced the PV beating rate in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, VEGF (10 ng/mL) reduced late diastolic depolarization and diastolic tension. Isoproterenol increased PV beating and burst firing, which was attenuated by VEGF (1 ng/mL). In the presence of VEGFR-1 inhibition (ZM306416 at 10 μM) and L-NAME (100 μM), VEGF (1 ng/mL) did not alter PV spontaneous activity. In isolated PV cardiomyocytes, VEGF (1 ng/mL) decreased L-type calcium, sodium/calcium exchanger, and late sodium currents. In conclusion, we found that VEGF reduces PV arrhythmogenesis by modulating sodium/calcium homeostasis through VEGFR-1/NOS signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Hei Chang
- Department of Medicine, Country Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chen-Chuan Cheng
- Department of Cardiology, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Yu Lu
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Sijhih Cathay General Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan; School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Chih Chung
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Hsin Yeh
- Cardiovascular Department, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taiwan; College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yao-Chang Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Satoshi Higa
- Cardiac Electrophysiology and Pacing Laboratory, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Makiminato Central Hospital, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Shih-Ann Chen
- Heart Rhythm Center and Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Cardiovascular Center, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Jen Chen
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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20
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Distributed synthesis of sarcolemmal and sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane proteins in cardiac myocytes. Basic Res Cardiol 2021; 116:63. [PMID: 34713358 PMCID: PMC8553722 DOI: 10.1007/s00395-021-00895-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
It is widely assumed that synthesis of membrane proteins, particularly in the heart, follows the classical secretory pathway with mRNA translation occurring in perinuclear regions followed by protein trafficking to sites of deployment. However, this view is based on studies conducted in less-specialized cells, and has not been experimentally addressed in cardiac myocytes. Therefore, we undertook direct experimental investigation of protein synthesis in cardiac tissue and isolated myocytes using single-molecule visualization techniques and a novel proximity-ligated in situ hybridization approach for visualizing ribosome-associated mRNA molecules for a specific protein species, indicative of translation sites. We identify here, for the first time, that the molecular machinery for membrane protein synthesis occurs throughout the cardiac myocyte, and enables distributed synthesis of membrane proteins within sub-cellular niches where the synthesized protein functions using local mRNA pools trafficked, in part, by microtubules. We also observed cell-wide distribution of membrane protein mRNA in myocardial tissue from both non-failing and hypertrophied (failing) human hearts, demonstrating an evolutionarily conserved distributed mechanism from mouse to human. Our results identify previously unanticipated aspects of local control of cardiac myocyte biology and highlight local protein synthesis in cardiac myocytes as an important potential determinant of the heart’s biology in health and disease.
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21
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Nowak MB, Veeraraghavan R, Poelzing S, Weinberg SH. Cellular Size, Gap Junctions, and Sodium Channel Properties Govern Developmental Changes in Cardiac Conduction. Front Physiol 2021; 12:731025. [PMID: 34759834 PMCID: PMC8573326 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.731025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Electrical conduction in cardiac ventricular tissue is regulated via sodium (Na+) channels and gap junctions (GJs). We and others have recently shown that Na+channels preferentially localize at the site of cell-cell junctions, the intercalated disc (ID), in adult cardiac tissue, facilitating coupling via the formation of intercellular Na+nanodomains, also termed ephaptic coupling (EpC). Several properties governing EpC vary with age, including Na+channel and GJ expression and distribution and cell size. Prior work has shown that neonatal cardiomyocytes have immature IDs with Na+channels and GJs diffusively distributed throughout the sarcolemma, while adult cells have mature IDs with preferentially localized Na+channels and GJs. In this study, we perform an in silico investigation of key age-dependent properties to determine developmental regulation of cardiac conduction. Simulations predict that conduction velocity (CV) biphasically depends on cell size, depending on the strength of GJ coupling. Total cell Na+channel conductance is predictive of CV in cardiac tissue with high GJ coupling, but not correlated with CV for low GJ coupling. We find that ephaptic effects are greatest for larger cells with low GJ coupling typically associated with intermediate developmental stages. Finally, simulations illustrate how variability in cellular properties during different developmental stages can result in a range of possible CV values, with a narrow range for both neonatal and adult myocardium but a much wider range for an intermediate developmental stage. Thus, we find that developmental changes predict associated changes in cardiac conduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madison B. Nowak
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Rengasayee Veeraraghavan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Steven Poelzing
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, United States
| | - Seth H. Weinberg
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, Columbus, OH, United States
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22
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Yang P, Cao Y, Jian H, Chen H. Identification of Hub mRNAs and lncRNAs in Atrial Fibrillation Using Weighted Co-expression Network Analysis With RNA-Seq Data. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:722671. [PMID: 34671599 PMCID: PMC8520999 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.722671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Atrial fibrillation (AF)/paroxysmal AF (PAF) is the main cause of cardiogenic embolism. In recent years, the progression from paroxysmal AF to persistent AF has attracted more and more attention. However, the molecular mechanism of the progression of AF is unclear. In this study, we performed RNA sequencing for normal samples, paroxysmal AF and persistent AF samples to identify differentially expressed gene (DEG) and explore the roles of these DEGs in AF. Totally, 272 differently expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) and 286 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) were identified in paroxysmal AF compared to normal samples; 324 DEmRNAs and 258 DElncRNAs were found in persistent atrial fibrillation compared with normal samples; and 520 DEmRNAs and 414 DElncRNAs were identified in persistent AF compared to paroxysmal AF samples. Interestingly, among the DEGs, approximately 50% were coding genes and around 50% were non-coding RNAs, suggesting that lncRNAs may also have a crucial role in the progression of AF. Bioinformatics analysis demonstrated that these DEGs were significantly related to regulating multiple AF associated pathways, such as the regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor production and binding to the CXCR chemokine receptor. Furthermore, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was conducted to identify key modules and hub RNAs and lncRNAs to determine their potential associations with AF. Five hub modules were identified in the progression of AF, including blue, brown, gray, turquoise and yellow modules. Interestingly, blue module and turquoise module were significantly negatively and positively correlated to the progression of AF respectively, indicating that they may have a more important role in the AF. Moreover, the hub protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks and lncRNA-mRNA regulatory network were constructed. Bioinformatics analysis on the hub PPI network in turquoise was involved in regulating immune response related signaling, such as leukocyte chemotaxis, macrophage activation, and positive regulation of α-β T cell activation. Our findings could clarify the underlying molecular changes associated fibrillation, and provide a useful resource for identifying AF marker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan Yang
- Emergency Department, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Chongqing General Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China.,Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yujing Cao
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Chongqing General Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China
| | - Huagang Jian
- Emergency Department, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hao Chen
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Chongqing General Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China
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23
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Ivanovic E, Kucera JP. Localization of Na + channel clusters in narrowed perinexi of gap junctions enhances cardiac impulse transmission via ephaptic coupling: a model study. J Physiol 2021; 599:4779-4811. [PMID: 34533834 PMCID: PMC9293295 DOI: 10.1113/jp282105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract It has been proposed that when gap junctional coupling is reduced in cardiac tissue, action potential propagation can be supported via ephaptic coupling, a mechanism mediated by negative electric potentials occurring in narrow intercellular clefts of intercalated discs (IDs). Recent studies showed that sodium (Na+) channels form clusters near gap junction plaques in nanodomains called perinexi, where the ID cleft is even narrower. To examine the electrophysiological relevance of Na+ channel clusters being located in perinexi, we developed a 3D finite element model of two longitudinally abutting cardiomyocytes, with a central Na+ channel cluster on the ID membranes. When this cluster was located in the perinexus of a closely positioned gap junction plaque, varying perinexal width greatly modulated impulse transmission from one cell to the other, with narrow perinexi potentiating ephaptic coupling. This modulation occurred via the interplay of Na+ currents, extracellular potentials in the cleft and patterns of current flow within the cleft. In contrast, when the Na+ channel cluster was located remotely from the gap junction plaque, this modulation by perinexus width largely disappeared. Interestingly, the Na+ current in the ID membrane of the pre‐junctional cell switched from inward to outward during excitation, thus contributing ions to the activating channels on the post‐junctional ID membrane. In conclusion, these results indicate that the localization of Na+ channel clusters in the perinexi of gap junction plaques is crucial for ephaptic coupling, which is furthermore greatly modulated by perinexal width. These findings are relevant for a comprehensive understanding of cardiac excitation. Key points Ephaptic coupling is a cardiac conduction mechanism involving nanoscale‐level interactions between the sodium (Na+) current and the extracellular potential in narrow intercalated disc clefts. When gap junctional coupling is reduced, ephaptic coupling acts in conjunction with the classical cardiac conduction mechanism based on gap junctional current flow. In intercalated discs, Na+ channels form clusters that are preferentially located in the periphery of gap junction plaques, in nanodomains known as perinexi, but the electrophysiological role of these perinexi has never been examined. In our new 3D finite element model of two cardiac cells abutting each other with their intercalated discs, a Na+ channel cluster located inside a narrowed perinexus facilitated impulse transmission via ephaptic coupling. Our simulations demonstrate the role of narrowed perinexi as privileged sites for ephaptic coupling in pathological situations when gap junctional coupling is decreased.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ena Ivanovic
- Department of Physiology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jan P Kucera
- Department of Physiology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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24
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Moise N, Struckman HL, Dagher C, Veeraraghavan R, Weinberg SH. Intercalated disk nanoscale structure regulates cardiac conduction. J Gen Physiol 2021; 153:212474. [PMID: 34264306 PMCID: PMC8287520 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202112897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The intercalated disk (ID) is a specialized subcellular region that provides electrical and mechanical connections between myocytes in the heart. The ID has a clearly defined passive role in cardiac tissue, transmitting mechanical forces and electrical currents between cells. Recent studies have shown that Na+ channels, the primary current responsible for cardiac excitation, are preferentially localized at the ID, particularly within nanodomains such as the gap junction-adjacent perinexus and mechanical junction-associated adhesion-excitability nodes, and that perturbations of ID structure alter cardiac conduction. This suggests that the ID may play an important, active role in regulating conduction. However, the structures of the ID and intercellular cleft are not well characterized and, to date, no models have incorporated the influence of ID structure on conduction in cardiac tissue. In this study, we developed an approach to generate realistic finite element model (FEM) meshes replicating nanoscale of the ID structure, based on experimental measurements from transmission electron microscopy images. We then integrated measurements of the intercellular cleft electrical conductivity, derived from the FEM meshes, into a novel cardiac tissue model formulation. FEM-based calculations predict that the distribution of cleft conductances is sensitive to regional changes in ID structure, specifically the intermembrane separation and gap junction distribution. Tissue-scale simulations predict that ID structural heterogeneity leads to significant spatial variation in electrical polarization within the intercellular cleft. Importantly, we found that this heterogeneous cleft polarization regulates conduction by desynchronizing the activation of postjunctional Na+ currents. Additionally, these heterogeneities lead to a weaker dependence of conduction velocity on gap junctional coupling, compared with prior modeling formulations that neglect or simplify ID structure. Further, we found that disruption of local ID nanodomains can either slow or enhance conduction, depending on gap junctional coupling strength. Our study therefore suggests that ID nanoscale structure can play a significant role in regulating cardiac conduction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Rengasayee Veeraraghavan
- The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.,Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH
| | - Seth H Weinberg
- The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.,Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH
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25
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King DR, Entz M, Blair GA, Crandell I, Hanlon AL, Lin J, Hoeker GS, Poelzing S. The conduction velocity-potassium relationship in the heart is modulated by sodium and calcium. Pflugers Arch 2021; 473:557-571. [PMID: 33660028 PMCID: PMC7940307 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-021-02537-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The relationship between cardiac conduction velocity (CV) and extracellular potassium (K+) is biphasic, with modest hyperkalemia increasing CV and severe hyperkalemia slowing CV. Recent studies from our group suggest that elevating extracellular sodium (Na+) and calcium (Ca2+) can enhance CV by an extracellular pathway parallel to gap junctional coupling (GJC) called ephaptic coupling that can occur in the gap junction adjacent perinexus. However, it remains unknown whether these same interventions modulate CV as a function of K+. We hypothesize that Na+, Ca2+, and GJC can attenuate conduction slowing consequent to severe hyperkalemia. Elevating Ca2+ from 1.25 to 2.00 mM significantly narrowed perinexal width measured by transmission electron microscopy. Optically mapped, Langendorff-perfused guinea pig hearts perfused with increasing K+ revealed the expected biphasic CV-K+ relationship during perfusion with different Na+ and Ca2+ concentrations. Neither elevating Na+ nor Ca2+ alone consistently modulated the positive slope of CV-K+ or conduction slowing at 10-mM K+; however, combined Na+ and Ca2+ elevation significantly mitigated conduction slowing at 10-mM K+. Pharmacologic GJC inhibition with 30-μM carbenoxolone slowed CV without changing the shape of CV-K+ curves. A computational model of CV predicted that elevating Na+ and narrowing clefts between myocytes, as occur with perinexal narrowing, reduces the positive and negative slopes of the CV-K+ relationship but do not support a primary role of GJC or sodium channel conductance. These data demonstrate that combinatorial effects of Na+ and Ca2+ differentially modulate conduction during hyperkalemia, and enhancing determinants of ephaptic coupling may attenuate conduction changes in a variety of physiologic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Ryan King
- Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health Graduate Program, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Center for Heart and Reparative Medicine Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, USA
| | - Michael Entz
- Center for Heart and Reparative Medicine Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Grace A Blair
- Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health Graduate Program, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Center for Heart and Reparative Medicine Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, USA
| | - Ian Crandell
- Center for Biostatistics and Health Data Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Roanoke, VA, USA
| | - Alexandra L Hanlon
- Center for Biostatistics and Health Data Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Roanoke, VA, USA
| | - Joyce Lin
- Department of Mathematics, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
| | - Gregory S Hoeker
- Center for Heart and Reparative Medicine Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, USA
| | - Steven Poelzing
- Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health Graduate Program, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
- Center for Heart and Reparative Medicine Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
- School of Medicine, Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, USA.
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