Roles of PKA, PI3K, and cPLA2 in the NO-mediated negative inotropic effect of β2-adrenoceptor agonists in guinea pig right papillary muscles

Thrombopoietin improved ventricular function and regulated remodeling genes in a rat model of myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND

Thrombopoietin (TPO) protects against heart damages by doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy in animal models. We aimed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of TPO for treatment of myocardial infarction (MI) in a rat model and explored the mechanisms in terms of the genome-wide transcriptional profile, TPO downstream protein signals, and bone marrow endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs).

METHODS

Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups: Sham-operated, MI (permanent ligation of the left coronary artery) and MI+TPO. Three doses of TPO were administered weekly for 2 weeks, and outcomes were assessed at 4 or 8 weeks post-injury.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

TPO treatment significantly improved left ventricular function, hemodynamic parameters, myocardium morphology, neovascularization and infarct size. MI damage upregulated a large cohort of gene expressions in the infarct border zone, including those functioned in cytoskeleton organization, vascular and matrix remodeling, muscle development, cell cycling and ion transport. TPO treatment significantly reversed these modulations. While phosphorylation of janus kinase 2 (JAK2), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and protein kinase B (AKT) was modified in MI animals, TPO treatment regulated phosphorylation of STAT3 and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK), and bone morphogenetic protein 1 (BMP1) protein level. TPO also increased EPC colonies in the bone marrow of MI animals. Our data showed that TPO alleviated damages of heart tissues from MI insults, possibly mediated by multi-factorial mechanisms including suppression of over-reacted ventricular remodeling, regulation of TPO downstream signals and mobilization of endothelial progenitor cells. TPO could be developed for treatment of cardiac damages.

Phosphodiesterase type-2 and NO-dependent S-nitrosylation mediate the cardioinhibition of the antihypertensive catestatin

The chromogranin A (CHGA)-derived peptide catestatin (CST: hCHGA(352-372)) is a noncompetitive catecholamine-release inhibitor that exerts vasodilator, antihypertensive, and cardiosuppressive actions. We have shown that CST directly influences the basal performance of the vertebrate heart where CST dose dependently induced a nitric oxide-cGMP-dependent cardiosuppression and counteracted the effects of adrenergic stimulation through a noncompetitive antagonism. Here, we sought to determine the specific intracardiac signaling activated by CST in the rat heart. Physiological analyses performed on isolated, Langendorff-perfused cardiac preparations revealed that CST-induced negative inotropism and lusitropism involve β(2)/β(3)-adrenergic receptors (β(2)/β(3)-AR), showing a higher affinity for β(2)-AR. Interaction with β(2)-AR activated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), increased cGMP levels, and induced activation of phosphodiesterases type 2 (PDE2), which was found to be involved in the antiadrenergic action of CST as evidenced by the decreased cAMP levels. CST-dependent negative cardiomodulation was abolished by functional denudation of the endothelium with Triton. CST also increased the eNOS expression in cardiac tissue and human umbilical vein endothelial cells. cells, confirming the involvement of the vascular endothelium. In ventricular extracts, CST increased S-nitrosylation of both phospholamban and β-arrestin, suggesting an additional mechanism for intracellular calcium modulation and β-adrenergic responsiveness. We conclude that PDE2 and S-nitrosylation play crucial roles in the CST regulation of cardiac function. Our results are of importance in relation to the putative application of CST as a cardioprotective agent against stress, including excessive sympathochromaffin overactivation.

Modulation of myocardial stiffness by β-adrenergic stimulation--its role in normal and failing heart

The acute effects of beta-adrenergic stimulation on myocardial stiffness were evaluated. New-Zealand white rabbits were treated with saline (control group) or doxorubicin to induce heart failure (HF) (DOXO-HF group). Effects of isoprenaline (10(-10)-10(-5) M), a non-selective beta-adrenergic agonist, were tested in papillary muscles from both groups. In the control group, the effects of isoprenaline were also evaluated in the presence of a damaged endocardial endothelium, atenolol (beta(1)-adrenoceptor antagonist), ICI-118551 (beta(2)-adrenoceptor antagonist), KT-5720 (PKA inhibitor), L-NNA (NO-synthase inhibitor), or indomethacin (cyclooxygenase inhibitor). Passive length-tension relations were constructed before and after adding isoprenaline (10(-5) M). In the control group, isoprenaline increased resting muscle length up to 1.017+/-0.006 L/L(max). Correction of resting muscle length to its initial value resulted in a 28.5+/-3.1 % decrease of resting tension, indicating decreased muscle stiffness, as confirmed by the isoprenaline-induced right-downward shift of the passive length-tension relation. These effects were modulated by beta(1)- and beta(2)-adrenoceptors and PKA. In DOXO-HF group, the effect on myocardial stiffness was significantly decreased. We conclude that beta-adrenergic stimulation is a relevant mechanism of acute neurohumoral modulation of the diastolic function. Furthermore, this study clarifies the mechanisms by which myocardial stiffness is decreased.

Protein phosphatase 2A contributes to the cardiac dysfunction induced by endotoxemia

Aims

Sepsis-associated cardiac dysfunction represents an intrinsic impairment of cardiomyocyte function due in part to a decrease in myofilament Ca²⁺ sensitivity associated with a sustained increase in cardiac troponin I (cTnI) phosphorylation at Ser23/24. Dephosphorylation of cTnI is under regulatory control. Thus, muscarinic and adenosine A₁-receptor agonists antagonize β-adrenergic stimulation via activation of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). The aim of this study was to determine whether modulation of PP2A and thus cTnI phosphorylation could improve sepsis-induced contractile dysfunction.

Methods and results

Cardiomyocytes were isolated from control or septic mice 16–18 h after an injection of vehicle or lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 9 mg/kg ip) respectively. Protein expression and phosphatase activity were determined in homogenates of control and septic hearts. Our data showed that LPS significantly increased cTnI phosphorylation at Ser23/24 in cardiomyocytes and reduced contraction amplitude without affecting Ca²⁺-transients. Treatment of cardiomyocytes with the A₁ agonist cyclopentyladenosine (CPA) or the protein kinase A inhibitor H89 significantly attenuated the LPS-induced contractile dysfunction without effect on Ca²⁺-transients. Co-treatment with CPA and H89 completely reversed the contractile dysfunction. Increased cTnI phosphorylation in septic hearts was associated with a significant reduction in the protein expression of both the catalytic and regulatory subunits (B56α) of PP2A and a decrease in PP2A activity. CPA treatment of septic hearts increased PP2A activity. An increase in the protein expression of demethylated PP2A and a decrease in the PP2A-methyltransferase (PPMT; the methyltransferase that catalyses this reaction) were also observed.

Conclusion

These data support the hypothesis that sustained cTnI phosphorylation underlies the contractile dysfunction seen in sepsis.