Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor Suberoylanilide Hydroxamic Acid Improves Energetic Status and Cardiomyogenic Differentiation of Human Dilated Myocardium-Derived Primary Mesenchymal Cells

Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocyte-Like Cells in Myocardial Regeneration

Myocardial infarction results in the significant loss of cardiomyocytes (CMs) due to the ischemic injury following coronary occlusion leading to impaired contractility, fibrosis, and ultimately heart failure. Stem cell therapy emerged as a promising regenerative strategy to replenish the otherwise terminally differentiated CM to restore cardiac function. Multiple strategies have been applied to successfully differentiate diverse stem cell populations into CM-like phenotypes characterized by the expression status of signature biomarkers and observable spontaneous contractions. This article discusses the current understanding and applications of various stem cell phenotypes to drive the differentiation machinery toward CM-like lineage. Impact Statement Ischemic heart disease (IHD) extensively affects a large proportion of the population worldwide. Unfortunately, current treatments for IHD are insufficient to restore cardiac effectiveness and functionality. A growing field in regenerative cardiology explores the potential for stem cell therapy following cardiovascular ischemic episodes. The thorough understanding regarding the potential and shortcomings of translational approaches to drive versatile stem cells to cardiomyocyte lineage paves the way for multiple opportunities for next-generation cardiac management.

The role of histone deacetylases in cardiac energy metabolism in heart diseases

Heart diseases are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide. The underlying mechanisms and pathological changes associated with cardiac diseases are exceptionally complex. Highly active cardiomyocytes require sufficient energy metabolism to maintain their function. Under physiological conditions, the choice of fuel is a delicate process that depends on the whole body and organs to support the normal function of heart tissues. However, disordered cardiac metabolism has been discovered to play a key role in many forms of heart diseases, including ischemic heart disease, cardiac hypertrophy, heart failure, and cardiac injury induced by diabetes or sepsis. Regulation of cardiac metabolism has recently emerged as a novel approach to treat heart diseases. However, little is known about cardiac energy metabolic regulators. Histone deacetylases (HDACs), a class of epigenetic regulatory enzymes, are involved in the pathogenesis of heart diseases, as reported in previous studies. Notably, the effects of HDACs on cardiac energy metabolism are gradually being explored. Our knowledge in this respect would facilitate the development of novel therapeutic strategies for heart diseases. The present review is based on the synthesis of our current knowledge concerning the role of HDAC regulation in cardiac energy metabolism in heart diseases. In addition, the role of HDACs in different models is discussed through the examples of myocardial ischemia, ischemia/reperfusion, cardiac hypertrophy, heart failure, diabetic cardiomyopathy, and diabetes- or sepsis-induced cardiac injury. Finally, we discuss the application of HDAC inhibitors in heart diseases and further prospects, thus providing insights into new treatment possibilities for different heart diseases.

Cell Programming for Cardiovascular Disease Modeling and Therapy

Cardiovascular diseases have a high mortality due to a very limited regenerative potential of lost cardiomyocytes and therefore are one of the leading causes of death in developed countries [...].

Cardiomyogenic Differentiation Potential of Human Dilated Myocardium-Derived Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells: The Impact of HDAC Inhibitor SAHA and Biomimetic Matrices

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is the most common type of nonischemic cardiomyopathy characterized by left ventricular or biventricular dilation and impaired contraction leading to heart failure and even patients’ death. Therefore, it is important to search for new cardiac tissue regenerating tools. Human mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (hmMSCs) were isolated from post-surgery healthy and DCM myocardial biopsies and their differentiation to the cardiomyogenic direction has been investigated in vitro. Dilated hmMSCs were slightly bigger in size, grew slower, but had almost the same levels of MSC-typical surface markers as healthy hmMSCs. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity in dilated hmMSCs was 1.5-fold higher than in healthy ones, which was suppressed by class I and II HDAC inhibitor suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) showing activation of cardiomyogenic differentiation-related genes alpha-cardiac actin (ACTC1) and cardiac troponin T (TNNT2). Both types of hmMSCs cultivated on collagen I hydrogels with hyaluronic acid (HA) or 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) and exposed to SAHA significantly downregulated focal adhesion kinase (PTK2) and activated ACTC1 and TNNT2. Longitudinal cultivation of dilated hmMSC also upregulated alpha-cardiac actin. Thus, HDAC inhibitor SAHA, in combination with collagen I-based hydrogels, can tilt the dilated myocardium hmMSC toward cardiomyogenic direction in vitro with further possible therapeutic application in vivo.

The Emerging Role of Epigenetics in Therapeutic Targeting of Cardiomyopathies

Cardiomyopathies (CMPs) are a heterogeneous group of myocardial diseases accountable for the majority of cases of heart failure (HF) and/or sudden cardiac death (SCD) worldwide. With the recent advances in genomics, the original classification of CMPs on the basis of morphological and functional criteria (dilated (DCM), hypertrophic (HCM), restrictive (RCM), and arrhythmogenic ventricular cardiomyopathy (AVC)) was further refined into genetic (inherited or familial) and acquired (non-inherited or secondary) forms. Despite substantial progress in the identification of novel CMP-associated genetic variations, as well as improved clinical recognition diagnoses, the functional consequences of these mutations and the exact details of the signaling pathways leading to hypertrophy, dilation, and/or contractile impairment remain elusive. To date, global research has mainly focused on the genetic factors underlying CMP pathogenesis. However, growing evidence shows that alterations in molecular mediators associated with the diagnosis of CMPs are not always correlated with genetic mutations, suggesting that additional mechanisms, such as epigenetics, may play a role in the onset or progression of CMPs. This review summarizes published findings of inherited CMPs with a specific focus on the potential role of epigenetic mechanisms in regulating these cardiac disorders.