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Wang W, Jia H, Hua X, Song J. New insights gained from cellular landscape changes in myocarditis and inflammatory cardiomyopathy. Heart Fail Rev 2024; 29:883-907. [PMID: 38896377 DOI: 10.1007/s10741-024-10406-w] [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] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Advances in the etiological classification of myocarditis and inflammatory cardiomyopathy (ICM) have reached a consensus. However, the mechanism of myocarditis/ICM remains unclear, which affects the development of treatment and the improvement of outcome. Cellular transcription and metabolic reprogramming, and the interactions between cardiomyocytes and non-cardiomyocytes, such as the immune cells, contribute to the process of myocarditis/ICM. Recent efforts have been made by multi-omics techniques, particularly in single-cell RNA sequencing, to gain a better understanding of the cellular landscape alteration occurring in disease during the progression. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the latest studies in myocarditis/ICM, particularly as revealed by single-cell sequencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiteng Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Preclinical Research and Evaluation for Cardiovascular Implant Materials, Animal Experimental Centre, Fuwai Hospital, National Centre for Cardiovascular Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, 167 Beilishi Road, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100037, China
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 10037, China
| | - Hao Jia
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Preclinical Research and Evaluation for Cardiovascular Implant Materials, Animal Experimental Centre, Fuwai Hospital, National Centre for Cardiovascular Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, 167 Beilishi Road, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100037, China
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 10037, China
| | - Xiumeng Hua
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Preclinical Research and Evaluation for Cardiovascular Implant Materials, Animal Experimental Centre, Fuwai Hospital, National Centre for Cardiovascular Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, 167 Beilishi Road, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100037, China
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 10037, China
| | - Jiangping Song
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Preclinical Research and Evaluation for Cardiovascular Implant Materials, Animal Experimental Centre, Fuwai Hospital, National Centre for Cardiovascular Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, 167 Beilishi Road, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100037, China.
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenzhen, 518057, China.
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 10037, China.
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Baumeier C, Harms D, Aleshcheva G, Gross U, Escher F, Schultheiss HP. Advancing Precision Medicine in Myocarditis: Current Status and Future Perspectives in Endomyocardial Biopsy-Based Diagnostics and Therapeutic Approaches. J Clin Med 2023; 12:5050. [PMID: 37568452 PMCID: PMC10419903 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12155050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The diagnosis and specific and causal treatment of myocarditis and inflammatory cardiomyopathy remain a major clinical challenge. Despite the rapid development of new imaging techniques, endomyocardial biopsies remain the gold standard for accurate diagnosis of inflammatory myocardial disease. With the introduction and continued development of immunohistochemical inflammation diagnostics in combination with viral nucleic acid testing, myocarditis diagnostics have improved significantly since their introduction. Together with new technologies such as miRNA and gene expression profiling, quantification of specific immune cell markers, and determination of viral activity, diagnostic accuracy and patient prognosis will continue to improve in the future. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the pathogenesis and diagnosis of myocarditis and inflammatory cardiomyopathies and highlight future perspectives for more in-depth and specialized biopsy diagnostics and precision, personalized medicine approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Baumeier
- Institute of Cardiac Diagnostics and Therapy, IKDT GmbH, 12203 Berlin, Germany; (D.H.); (G.A.); (U.G.); (H.-P.S.)
| | - Dominik Harms
- Institute of Cardiac Diagnostics and Therapy, IKDT GmbH, 12203 Berlin, Germany; (D.H.); (G.A.); (U.G.); (H.-P.S.)
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Robert Koch Institute, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ganna Aleshcheva
- Institute of Cardiac Diagnostics and Therapy, IKDT GmbH, 12203 Berlin, Germany; (D.H.); (G.A.); (U.G.); (H.-P.S.)
| | - Ulrich Gross
- Institute of Cardiac Diagnostics and Therapy, IKDT GmbH, 12203 Berlin, Germany; (D.H.); (G.A.); (U.G.); (H.-P.S.)
| | - Felicitas Escher
- Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Deutsches Herzzentrum der Charité, Campus Virchow Klinikum, 13353 Berlin, Germany;
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Berlin, 10785 Berlin, Germany
| | - Heinz-Peter Schultheiss
- Institute of Cardiac Diagnostics and Therapy, IKDT GmbH, 12203 Berlin, Germany; (D.H.); (G.A.); (U.G.); (H.-P.S.)
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3
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Escher F, Aleshcheva G, Pietsch H, Baumeier C, Gross UM, Schrage BN, Westermann D, Bock CT, Schultheiss HP. Transcriptional Active Parvovirus B19 Infection Predicts Adverse Long-Term Outcome in Patients with Non-Ischemic Cardiomyopathy. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9121898. [PMID: 34944716 PMCID: PMC8698988 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9121898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Parvovirus B19 (B19V) is the predominant cardiotropic virus currently found in endomyocardial biopsies (EMBs). However, direct evidence showing a causal relationship between B19V and progression of inflammatory cardiomyopathy are still missing. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of transcriptionally active cardiotropic B19V infection determined by viral RNA expression upon long-term outcomes in a large cohort of adult patients with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy in a retrospective analysis from a prospective observational cohort. In total, the analyzed study group comprised 871 consecutive B19V-positive patients (mean age 50.0 ± 15.0 years) with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy who underwent EMB. B19V-positivity was ascertained by routine diagnosis of viral genomes in EMBs. Molecular analysis of EMB revealed positive B19V transcriptional activity in n = 165 patients (18.9%). Primary endpoint was all-cause mortality in the overall cohort. The patients were followed up to 60 months. On the Cox regression analysis, B19V transcriptional activity was predictive of a worse prognosis compared to those without actively replicating B19V (p = 0.01). Moreover, multivariable analysis revealed transcriptional active B19V combined with inflammation [hazard ratio 4.013, 95% confidence interval 1.515–10.629 (p = 0.005)] as the strongest predictor of impaired survival even after adjustment for age and baseline LVEF (p = 0.005) and independently of viral load. The study demonstrates for the first time the pathogenic clinical importance of B19V with transcriptional activity in a large cohort of patients. Transcriptionally active B19V infection is an unfavourable prognostic trigger of adverse outcome. Our findings are of high clinical relevance, indicating that advanced diagnostic differentiation of B19V positive patients is of high prognostic importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felicitas Escher
- Institute of Cardiac Diagnostics and Therapy, IKDT GmbH, 12203 Berlin, Germany; (G.A.); (H.P.); (C.B.); (U.M.G.); (H.-P.S.)
- Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité-Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universitaet Berlin and Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany
- DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany
- Correspondence:
| | - Ganna Aleshcheva
- Institute of Cardiac Diagnostics and Therapy, IKDT GmbH, 12203 Berlin, Germany; (G.A.); (H.P.); (C.B.); (U.M.G.); (H.-P.S.)
| | - Heiko Pietsch
- Institute of Cardiac Diagnostics and Therapy, IKDT GmbH, 12203 Berlin, Germany; (G.A.); (H.P.); (C.B.); (U.M.G.); (H.-P.S.)
- Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité-Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universitaet Berlin and Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany
- DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Baumeier
- Institute of Cardiac Diagnostics and Therapy, IKDT GmbH, 12203 Berlin, Germany; (G.A.); (H.P.); (C.B.); (U.M.G.); (H.-P.S.)
| | - Ulrich M. Gross
- Institute of Cardiac Diagnostics and Therapy, IKDT GmbH, 12203 Berlin, Germany; (G.A.); (H.P.); (C.B.); (U.M.G.); (H.-P.S.)
| | - Benedikt Norbert Schrage
- Department of Cardiology, University Heart and Vascular Center Hamburg, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; (B.N.S.); (D.W.)
- DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Hamburg/Lübeck/Kiel, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dirk Westermann
- Department of Cardiology, University Heart and Vascular Center Hamburg, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; (B.N.S.); (D.W.)
- DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Hamburg/Lübeck/Kiel, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Claus-Thomas Bock
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Viral Gastroenteritis and Hepatitis Pathogens and Enteroviruses, Robert Koch Institute, 13353 Berlin, Germany;
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tuebingen, 72074 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Heinz-Peter Schultheiss
- Institute of Cardiac Diagnostics and Therapy, IKDT GmbH, 12203 Berlin, Germany; (G.A.); (H.P.); (C.B.); (U.M.G.); (H.-P.S.)
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Schultheiss HP, Baumeier C, Aleshcheva G, Bock CT, Escher F. Viral Myocarditis-From Pathophysiology to Treatment. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10225240. [PMID: 34830522 PMCID: PMC8623269 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10225240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The diagnosis of acute and chronic myocarditis remains a challenge for clinicians. Characterization of this disease has been hampered by its diverse etiologies and heterogeneous clinical presentations. Most cases of myocarditis are caused by infectious agents. Despite successful research in the last few years, the pathophysiology of viral myocarditis and its sequelae leading to severe heart failure with a poor prognosis is not fully understood and represents a significant public health issue globally. Most likely, at a certain point, besides viral persistence, several etiological types merge into a common pathogenic autoimmune process leading to chronic inflammation and tissue remodeling, ultimately resulting in the clinical phenotype of dilated cardiomyopathy. Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms is necessary to assess the prognosis of patients and is fundamental to appropriate specific and personalized therapeutic strategies. To reach this clinical prerequisite, there is the need for advanced diagnostic tools, including an endomyocardial biopsy and guidelines to optimize the management of this disease. The severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has currently led to the worst pandemic in a century and has awakened a special sensitivity throughout the world to viral infections. This work aims to summarize the pathophysiology of viral myocarditis, advanced diagnostic methods and the current state of treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christian Baumeier
- Institute of Cardiac Diagnostics and Therapy, IKDT GmbH, 12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ganna Aleshcheva
- Institute of Cardiac Diagnostics and Therapy, IKDT GmbH, 12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - C-Thomas Bock
- Division of Viral Gastroenteritis and Hepatitis Pathogens and Enteroviruses, Department of Infectious Diseases, Robert Koch Institute, 13353 Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tuebingen, 72074 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Felicitas Escher
- Institute of Cardiac Diagnostics and Therapy, IKDT GmbH, 12203 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité-Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universitaet Berlin and Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany
- DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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5
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Schultheiss HP, Baumeier C, Pietsch H, Bock CT, Poller W, Escher F. Cardiovascular consequences of viral infections: from COVID to other viral diseases. Cardiovasc Res 2021; 117:2610-2623. [PMID: 34609508 PMCID: PMC8500164 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvab315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Infection of the heart muscle with cardiotropic viruses is one of the major aetiologies of myocarditis and acute and chronic inflammatory cardiomyopathy (DCMi). However, viral myocarditis and subsequent dilated cardiomyopathy is still a challenging disease to diagnose and to treat and is therefore a significant public health issue globally. Advances in clinical examination and thorough molecular genetic analysis of intramyocardial viruses and their activation status have incrementally improved our understanding of molecular pathogenesis and pathophysiology of viral infections of the heart muscle. To date, several cardiotropic viruses have been implicated as causes of myocarditis and DCMi. These include, among others, classical cardiotropic enteroviruses (Coxsackieviruses B), the most commonly detected parvovirus B19, and human herpes virus 6. A newcomer is the respiratory virus that has triggered the worst pandemic in a century, SARS-CoV-2, whose involvement and impact in viral cardiovascular disease is under scrutiny. Despite extensive research into the pathomechanisms of viral infections of the cardiovascular system, our knowledge regarding their treatment and management is still incomplete. Accordingly, in this review, we aim to explore and summarize the current knowledge and available evidence on viral infections of the heart. We focus on diagnostics, clinical relevance and cardiovascular consequences, pathophysiology, and current and novel treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christian Baumeier
- Institute of Cardiac Diagnostics and Therapy, IKDT GmbH, Berlin, Germany
| | - Heiko Pietsch
- Institute of Cardiac Diagnostics and Therapy, IKDT GmbH, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany.,DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Berlin, Germany, partner site
| | - C Thomas Bock
- Division of Viral Gastroenteritis and Hepatitis Pathogens and Enteroviruses, Department of Infectious Diseases, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, 13353 Germany.,Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Poller
- DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Berlin, Germany, partner site.,Department of Cardiology, Campus Benjamin Franklin.,Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany
| | - Felicitas Escher
- Institute of Cardiac Diagnostics and Therapy, IKDT GmbH, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany.,DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Berlin, Germany, partner site
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Nucleoside Analogue Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors Improve Clinical Outcome in Transcriptional Active Human Parvovirus B19-Positive Patients. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10091928. [PMID: 33946917 PMCID: PMC8125167 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10091928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 04/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Human parvovirus B19 (B19V) is the predominant cardiotropic virus associated with dilated inflammatory cardiomyopathy (DCMi). Transcriptionally active cardiotropic B19V infection is clinically relevant and triggers adverse long-term mortality. During the study; we evaluated whether antiviral treatment with the nucleoside analogue telbivudine (LTD) is effective in suppressing transcriptional active B19V in endomyocardial biopsies (EMBs) of B19V positive patients and improving clinical outcomes. Seventeen B19V-positive patients (13 male; mean age 45.7 ± 13.9 years; mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) 37.7 ± 13.5%) with positive B19V DNA and transcriptional activity (B19V mRNA) in EMBs were treated with 600 mg/d LTD over a period of six months. Patients underwent EMBs before and after termination of the LTD treatment. B19V RNA copy numbers remained unchanged in 3/17 patients (non-responder) and declined or disappeared completely in the remaining 14/17 patients (responder) (p ≤ 0.0001). Notably; LVEF improvement was more significant in patients who reduced or lost B19V RNA (responder; p = 0.02) in contrast to non-responders (p = 0.7). In parallel; responder patients displayed statistically significant improvement in quality of life (QoL) questionnaires (p = 0.03) and dyspnea on exertion (p = 0.0006), reflecting an improvement in New York Heart Association (NYHA) Classification (p = 0.001). Our findings demonstrated for the first time that suppression of B19V transcriptional activity by LTD treatment improved hemodynamic and clinical outcome significantly. Thus; the present study substantiates the clinical relevance of detecting B19V transcriptional activity of the myocardium.
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Telbivudine Reduces Parvovirus B19-Induced Apoptosis in Circulating Angiogenic Cells. Viruses 2019; 11:v11030227. [PMID: 30845701 PMCID: PMC6466312 DOI: 10.3390/v11030227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aims: Human parvovirus B19 (B19V) infection directly induces apoptosis and modulates CXCR4 expression of infected marrow-derived circulating angiogenic cells (CACs). This leads to dysfunctional endogenous vascular repair. Treatment for B19V-associated disease is restricted to symptomatic treatment. Telbivudine, a thymidine analogue, established in antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis B, modulates pathways that might influence induction of apoptosis. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis of whether telbivudine influences B19V-induced apoptosis of CAC. Methods and Results: Pretreatment of two CAC-lines, early outgrowth endothelial progenitor cells (eo-EPC) and endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFC) with telbivudine before in vitro infection with B19V significantly reduced active caspase-3 protein expression (−39% and −40%, both p < 0.005). Expression of Baculoviral Inhibitor of apoptosis Repeat-Containing protein 3 (BIRC3) was significantly downregulated by in vitro B19V infection in ECFC measured by qRT-PCR. BIRC3 downregulation was abrogated with telbivudine pretreatment (p < 0.001). This was confirmed by single gene PCR (p = 0.017) and Western blot analysis. In contrast, the missing effect of B19V on angiogenic gene expression postulates a post-transcriptional modulation of CXCR4. Conclusions: We for the first time show a treatment approach to reduce B19V-induced apoptosis. Telbivudine reverses B19V-induced dysregulation of BIRC3, thus, intervening in the apoptosis pathway and protecting susceptible cells from cell death. This approach could lead to an effective B19V treatment to reduce B19V-related disease.
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Van Linthout S, Elsanhoury A, Klein O, Sosnowski M, Miteva K, Lassner D, Abou-El-Enein M, Pieske B, Kühl U, Tschöpe C. Telbivudine in chronic lymphocytic myocarditis and human parvovirus B19 transcriptional activity. ESC Heart Fail 2018; 5:818-829. [PMID: 30099854 PMCID: PMC6165949 DOI: 10.1002/ehf2.12341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Revised: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Aims Myocarditis is often associated with parvovirus B19 (B19V) persistence, which can induce vascular damage. Based on the antiviral and anti‐inflammatory properties of telbivudine, we aimed to evaluate its efficacy to protect B19V‐infected endothelial cells in vitro and to treat chronic lymphocytic myocarditis patients with B19V transcriptional activity. Methods and results We evaluated the endothelial‐protective potential of telbivudine in human microvascular endothelial cells‐1, which were infected with B19V. Treatment with 10 ng/mL of telbivudine decreased the B19V‐induced endothelial cell apoptosis and endothelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition. Along with this finding, telbivudine reduced the expression of transforming growth factor‐β1 and of tenascin‐C. The endothelial‐protective properties of telbivudine were also found in tumour necrosis factor‐α‐stressed human microvascular endothelial cells‐1. In addition, oxidative stress in angiotensin II‐stressed and transforming growth factor‐β1‐stressed HL‐1 cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts, respectively, was reduced upon telbivudine treatment, illustrating that telbivudine exerts multimodal protective effects. Based on these in vitro findings, four patients severely suffering from an endomyocardial biopsy‐proven myocarditis associated with B19V transcriptional activity (VP1/VP2‐mRNA positive) were treated with telbivudine (600 mg/dL) for 6 months in a single‐patient‐use approach. Follow‐up biopsies 6 months after treatment showed that VP1/VP2‐mRNA levels and CD3 cells decreased in all patients and were associated with an improvement in ejection fraction and New York Heart Association class. These findings were paralleled by a drop in tenascin‐C expression as shown via matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization–imaging mass spectrometry. Conclusions Telbivudine exerts endothelial‐protective effects in B19V‐infected endothelial cells and improves chronic myocarditis associated with B19V transcriptional activity. These findings will be further evaluated in the clinical exploratory trial: the PreTopic study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Van Linthout
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Südstrasse 2, 13353, Berlin, Germany.,Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Cardiology, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburgerplatz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ahmed Elsanhoury
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Südstrasse 2, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Oliver Klein
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Südstrasse 2, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marzena Sosnowski
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Südstrasse 2, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kapka Miteva
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Südstrasse 2, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dirk Lassner
- Institut Kardiale Diagnostik und Therapie (IKDT), Berlin, Germany
| | - Mohamed Abou-El-Enein
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Südstrasse 2, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Burkert Pieske
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Cardiology, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburgerplatz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Uwe Kühl
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Cardiology, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburgerplatz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Carsten Tschöpe
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Südstrasse 2, 13353, Berlin, Germany.,Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Cardiology, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Augustenburgerplatz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
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