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Zhang T, Qian Y, Mo L, Dong X, Xue Q, Zheng N, Qi Y, Jiang Y. Chronic ethanol exposure induces cardiac fibroblast transdifferentiation via ceramide accumulation and oxidative stress. Toxicol Mech Methods 2024:1-12. [PMID: 39143746 DOI: 10.1080/15376516.2024.2388762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Revised: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
AIMS Excessive alcohol consumption is associated with cardiac dysfunction and the development of myocardial fibrosis. In this study, we aimed to investigate the direct impacts of ethanol on myocardial fibroblasts and elucidate the underlying mechanism responsible for chronic ethanol-induced myocardial fibrosis. METHODS Rat primary cardiac fibroblasts exposed to ethanol for 24 h and C57BL/6J mice fed on Lieber-DeCarli diet to establish an ethanol intoxication model in vitro and in vivo, respectively. Histological analyses, molecular biology techniques, and analytical chemistry methods were then conducted. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION In vivo and vitro experiments revealed that chronic ethanol exposure induced increased myocardial fibrosis and augmented the transdifferentiation of myocardial fibroblasts. Simultaneously, it elicited an upregulation in the production of long-chain and very-long-chain ceramides in cardiac fibroblasts. The excessive accumulation of ceramide leads to elevated levels of intracellular oxidative stress, culminating in the activation of TGF-β-SMAD3 signaling and the development of fibrosis. Intervention of these pathways with pharmacological inhibitors in vitro or in vivo inhibited fibrosis. In conclusion, ethanol increased ceramides and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cardiac fibroblasts, resulting in the activation of TGF-β-SMAD3 signaling, transdifferentiation of fibroblasts, and myocardial fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyi Zhang
- Department of Forensic Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yile Qian
- Department of Forensic Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lingjie Mo
- Department of Forensic Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoru Dong
- Department of Forensic Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiupeng Xue
- Department of Forensic Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Nianchang Zheng
- Department of Forensic Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanyu Qi
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Jiang
- Department of Forensic Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Ding S, Li G, Fu T, Zhang T, Lu X, Li N, Geng Q. Ceramides and mitochondrial homeostasis. Cell Signal 2024; 117:111099. [PMID: 38360249 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2024.111099] [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: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Lipotoxicity arises from the accumulation of lipid intermediates in non-adipose tissue, precipitating cellular dysfunction and death. Ceramide, a toxic byproduct of excessive free fatty acids, has been widely recognized as a primary contributor to lipotoxicity, mediating various cellular processes such as apoptosis, differentiation, senescence, migration, and adhesion. As the hub of lipid metabolism, the excessive accumulation of ceramides inevitably imposes stress on the mitochondria, leading to the disruption of mitochondrial homeostasis, which is typified by adequate ATP production, regulated oxidative stress, an optimal quantity of mitochondria, and controlled mitochondrial quality. Consequently, this review aims to collate current knowledge and facts regarding the involvement of ceramides in mitochondrial energy metabolism and quality control, thereby providing insights for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song Ding
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Guorui Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Tinglv Fu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Tianyu Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Xiao Lu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Ning Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China.
| | - Qing Geng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China.
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Broberg O, Weismann CG, Øra I, Wiebe T, Laaksonen R, Liuba P. Ceramides: a potential cardiovascular biomarker in young adult childhood cancer survivors? EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL OPEN 2024; 4:oeae026. [PMID: 38659666 PMCID: PMC11042783 DOI: 10.1093/ehjopen/oeae026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Aims The aim of this study was to investigate circulating ceramides involved in cardiovascular disease (CVD) in young adult childhood cancer survivors (CCS) and their correlations to previously reported adverse cardiovascular changes in this cohort. Methods and results Fifty-seven CCS and 53 healthy controls (age 20-30 years) were studied. Plasma long-chain ceramides, known to be cardiotoxic (C16:0, C18:0, C24:0, and C24:1), were analysed by mass spectrometry. The coronary event risk test 2 (CERT2) score was calculated from the ceramide data. Cardiac and carotid artery ultrasound data and lipid data available from previous studies of this cohort were used to study partial correlations with ceramide and CERT2 score data. All four analysed ceramides were elevated in CCS compared with controls (P ≤ 0.012). The greatest difference was noted for C18:0, which was 33% higher in CCS compared with controls adjusted for sex, age, and body mass index (BMI) (P < 0.001). The CERT2 score was higher in CCS compared with controls (P < 0.001). In the CCS group, 35% had a high to very high CERT2 score (7-12) when compared with 9% in the control group (P < 0.001). The CCS subgroup with a CERT2 score ≥ 7 had higher heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and higher levels of apolipoprotein B compared with CCS with a CERT2 score < 6 (P ≤ 0.011). When adjusted for age, sex, and BMI, CERT2 score was significantly correlated with arterial stiffness, growth hormone, and cranial radiotherapy (P < 0.044). Conclusion Ceramides could be important biomarkers in understanding the pathophysiology of CVD and in predicting CVD disease risk in young adult CCS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olof Broberg
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Skåne University Hospital, Lasarettgatan 48, SE-221 85 Lund, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Pediatrics, Lund University, Lasarettgatan 40, SE-221 45 Lund, Sweden
| | - Constance G Weismann
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Skåne University Hospital, Lasarettgatan 48, SE-221 85 Lund, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Pediatrics, Lund University, Lasarettgatan 40, SE-221 45 Lund, Sweden
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Pediatric Intensive Care, Ludwig-Maximilian University, Klinikum Grosshadern, Marchioninistr. 15, DE-81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Ingrid Øra
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Pediatrics, Lund University, Lasarettgatan 40, SE-221 45 Lund, Sweden
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Skane University Hospital, Lasarettgatan 48, SE-221 85 Lund, Sweden
| | - Thomas Wiebe
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Pediatrics, Lund University, Lasarettgatan 40, SE-221 45 Lund, Sweden
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Skane University Hospital, Lasarettgatan 48, SE-221 85 Lund, Sweden
| | - Reijo Laaksonen
- Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön Katu 34, P.O. Box 100, FI-33014, Finland
- Zora Biosciences, Biologinkuja 1, FI-02150 Espoo, Finland
| | - Petru Liuba
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Skåne University Hospital, Lasarettgatan 48, SE-221 85 Lund, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Pediatrics, Lund University, Lasarettgatan 40, SE-221 45 Lund, Sweden
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Chen Q, Kovilakath A, Allegood J, Thompson J, Hu Y, Cowart LA, Lesnefsky EJ. Endoplasmic reticulum stress and mitochondrial dysfunction during aging: Role of sphingolipids. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids 2023; 1868:159366. [PMID: 37473835 PMCID: PMC11154090 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbalip.2023.159366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) plays a key role in the regulation of protein folding, lipid synthesis, calcium homeostasis, and serves as a primary site of sphingolipid biosynthesis. ER stress (ER dysfunction) participates in the development of mitochondrial dysfunction during aging. Mitochondria are in close contact with the ER through shared mitochondria associated membranes (MAM). Alteration of sphingolipids contributes to mitochondria-driven cell injury. Cardiolipin is a phospholipid that is critical to maintain enzyme activity in the electron transport chain. The aim of the current study was to characterize the changes in sphingolipids and cardiolipin in ER, MAM, and mitochondria during the progression of aging in young (3 mo.), middle (18 mo.), and aged (24 mo.) C57Bl/6 mouse hearts. ER stress increased in hearts from 18 mo. mice and mice exhibited mitochondrial dysfunction by 24 mo. Hearts were pooled to isolate ER, MAM, and subsarcolemmal mitochondria (SSM). LC-MS/MS quantification of lipid content showed that aging increased ceramide content in ER and MAM. In addition, the contents of sphingomyelin and monohexosylceramides are also increased in the ER from aged mice. Aging increased the total cardiolipin content in the ER. Aging did not alter the total cardiolipin content in mitochondria or MAM yet altered the composition of cardiolipin with aging in line with increased oxidative stress compared to young mice. These results indicate that alteration of sphingolipids can contribute to the ER stress and mitochondrial dysfunction that occurs during aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qun Chen
- Department of Medicine (Division of Cardiology), Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, United States of America
| | - Anna Kovilakath
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, United States of America
| | - Jeremy Allegood
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, United States of America
| | - Jeremy Thompson
- Department of Medicine (Division of Cardiology), Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, United States of America
| | - Ying Hu
- Department of Medicine (Division of Cardiology), Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, United States of America
| | - L Ashley Cowart
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, United States of America; Richmond Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Richmond, VA 23249, United States of America
| | - Edward J Lesnefsky
- Department of Medicine (Division of Cardiology), Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, United States of America; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, United States of America; Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, United States of America; Richmond Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Richmond, VA 23249, United States of America.
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Guo J, Feng J, Qu H, Xu H, Zhou H. Potential Drug Targets for Ceramide Metabolism in Cardiovascular Disease. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2022; 9:434. [PMID: 36547431 PMCID: PMC9782850 DOI: 10.3390/jcdd9120434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease poses a significant threat to the quality of human life. Metabolic abnormalities caused by excessive caloric intake have been shown to lead to the development of cardiovascular diseases. Ceramides are structural molecules found in biological membranes; they are crucial for cell survival and lipid metabolism, as they maintain barrier function and membrane fluidity. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that ceramide has a strong correlation with cardiovascular disease progression. Nevertheless, it remains a challenge to develop sphingolipids as therapeutic targets to improve the prognosis of cardiovascular diseases. In this review, we summarize the three synthesis pathways of ceramide and other intermediates that are important in ceramide metabolism. Furthermore, mechanistic studies and therapeutic strategies, including clinical drugs and bioactive molecules based on these intermediates, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaying Guo
- Institute of Cardiovascular Disease of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 528, Zhangheng Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Jiling Feng
- Institute of Cardiovascular Disease of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 528, Zhangheng Road, Shanghai 201203, China
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1200, Cailun Road, Shanghai 201203, China
- Engineering Research Center of Shanghai Colleges for TCM New Drug Discovery, No. 1200, Cailun Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Huiyan Qu
- Institute of Cardiovascular Disease of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 528, Zhangheng Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Hongxi Xu
- Institute of Cardiovascular Disease of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 528, Zhangheng Road, Shanghai 201203, China
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1200, Cailun Road, Shanghai 201203, China
- Engineering Research Center of Shanghai Colleges for TCM New Drug Discovery, No. 1200, Cailun Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Hua Zhou
- Institute of Cardiovascular Disease of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 528, Zhangheng Road, Shanghai 201203, China
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Kim CW, Lee HJ, Ahn D, Go RE, Choi KC. Establishment of a platform for measuring mitochondrial oxygen consumption rate for cardiac mitochondrial toxicity. Toxicol Res 2022; 38:511-522. [PMID: 36277363 PMCID: PMC9532483 DOI: 10.1007/s43188-022-00136-2] [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: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The heart has an abundance of mitochondria since cardiac muscles require copious amounts of energy for providing continuous blood through the circulatory system, thereby implying that myocardial function is largely reliant on mitochondrial energy. Thus, cardiomyocytes are susceptible to mitochondrial dysfunction and are likely targets of mitochondrial toxic drugs. Various methods have been developed to evaluate mitochondrial toxicity by evaluating toxicological mechanisms, but an optimized and standardized assay for cardiomyocytes remains unmet. We have therefore attempted to standardize the evaluation system for determining cardiac mitochondrial toxicity, using AC16 human and H9C2 rat cardiomyocytes. Three clinically administered drugs (acetaminophen, amiodarone, and valproic acid) and two anticancer drugs (doxorubicin and tamoxifen) which are reported to have mitochondrial effects, were applied in this study. The oxygen consumption rate (OCR), which directly reflects mitochondrial function, and changes in mRNA levels of mitochondrial respiratory complex I to complex V, were analyzed. Our results reveal that exposure to all five drugs results in a concentration-dependent decrease in the basal and maximal levels of OCR in AC16 cells and H9C2 cells. In particular, marked reduction in the OCR was observed after treatment with doxorubicin. The reduction in OCR after exposure to mitochondrial toxic drugs was found to be associated with reduced mRNA expression in the mitochondrial respiratory complexes, suggesting that the cardiac mitochondrial toxicity of drugs is majorly due to dysfunction of mitochondrial respiration. Based on the results of this study, we established and standardized a protocol to measure OCR in cardiomyocytes. We expect that this standardized evaluation system for mitochondrial toxicity can be applied as basic data for establishing a screening platform to evaluate cardiac mitochondrial toxicity of drugs, during the developmental stage of new drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cho-Won Kim
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk 28644 Republic of Korea
| | - Hee-Jin Lee
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk 28644 Republic of Korea
| | - Dohee Ahn
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk 28644 Republic of Korea
| | - Ryeo-Eun Go
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk 28644 Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Chul Choi
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk 28644 Republic of Korea
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