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Li X, Wang Z, Chen N. Perspective and Therapeutic Potential of the Noncoding RNA-Connexin Axis. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6146. [PMID: 38892334 PMCID: PMC11173347 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116146] [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: 04/06/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) are a class of nucleotide sequences that cannot be translated into peptides. ncRNAs can function post-transcriptionally by splicing complementary sequences of mRNAs or other ncRNAs or by directly engaging in protein interactions. Over the past few decades, the pervasiveness of ncRNAs in cell physiology and their pivotal roles in various diseases have been identified. One target regulated by ncRNAs is connexin (Cx), a protein that forms gap junctions and hemichannels and facilitates intercellular molecule exchange. The aberrant expression and misdistribution of connexins have been implicated in central nervous system diseases, cardiovascular diseases, bone diseases, and cancer. Current databases and technologies have enabled researchers to identify the direct or indirect relationships between ncRNAs and connexins, thereby elucidating their correlation with diseases. In this review, we selected the literature published in the past five years concerning disorders regulated by ncRNAs via corresponding connexins. Among it, microRNAs that regulate the expression of Cx43 play a crucial role in disease development and are predominantly reviewed. The distinctive perspective of the ncRNA-Cx axis interprets pathology in an epigenetic manner and is expected to motivate research for the development of biomarkers and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zhenzhen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica & Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China;
| | - Naihong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica & Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China;
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2
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Hegemann N, Barth L, Döring Y, Voigt N, Grune J. Implications for neutrophils in cardiac arrhythmias. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2024; 326:H441-H458. [PMID: 38099844 PMCID: PMC11219058 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00590.2023] [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: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Cardiac arrhythmias commonly occur as a result of aberrant electrical impulse formation or conduction in the myocardium. Frequently discussed triggers include underlying heart diseases such as myocardial ischemia, electrolyte imbalances, or genetic anomalies of ion channels involved in the tightly regulated cardiac action potential. Recently, the role of innate immune cells in the onset of arrhythmic events has been highlighted in numerous studies, correlating leukocyte expansion in the myocardium to increased arrhythmic burden. Here, we aim to call attention to the role of neutrophils in the pathogenesis of cardiac arrhythmias and their expansion during myocardial ischemia and infectious disease manifestation. In addition, we will elucidate molecular mechanisms associated with neutrophil activation and discuss their involvement as direct mediators of arrhythmogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niklas Hegemann
- Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Deutsches Herzzentrum der Charité (DHZC), Berlin, Germany
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Berlin, Germany
| | - Lukas Barth
- Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Deutsches Herzzentrum der Charité (DHZC), Berlin, Germany
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Berlin, Germany
| | - Yannic Döring
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Georg August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Niels Voigt
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Georg August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Göttingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence "Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells" (MBExC), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jana Grune
- Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Deutsches Herzzentrum der Charité (DHZC), Berlin, Germany
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Berlin, Germany
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3
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Pasławska M, Grodzka A, Peczyńska J, Sawicka B, Bossowski AT. Role of miRNA in Cardiovascular Diseases in Children-Systematic Review. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:956. [PMID: 38256030 PMCID: PMC10816020 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25020956] [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: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The number of children suffering from cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is rising globally. Therefore, there is an urgent need to acquire a better understanding of the genetic factors and molecular mechanisms related to the pathogenesis of CVDs in order to develop new prevention and treatment strategies for the future. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) constitute a class of small non-coding RNA fragments that range from 17 to 25 nucleotides in length and play an essential role in regulating gene expression, controlling an abundance of biological aspects of cell life, such as proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis, thus affecting immune response, stem cell growth, ageing and haematopoiesis. In recent years, the concept of miRNAs as diagnostic markers allowing discrimination between healthy individuals and those affected by CVDs entered the purview of academic debate. In this review, we aimed to systematise available information regarding miRNAs associated with arrhythmias, cardiomyopathies, myocarditis and congenital heart diseases in children. We focused on the targeted genes and metabolic pathways influenced by those particular miRNAs, and finally, tried to determine the future of miRNAs as novel biomarkers of CVD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Artur Tadeusz Bossowski
- Department of Pediatrics, Endocrinology, Diabetology with Cardiology Divisions, Medical University of Bialystok, J. Waszyngtona 17, 15-274 Bialystok, Poland; (M.P.); (A.G.); (J.P.); (B.S.)
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4
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Al-attar R, Jargstorf J, Romagnuolo R, Jouni M, Alibhai FJ, Lampe PD, Solan JL, Laflamme MA. Casein Kinase 1 Phosphomimetic Mutations Negatively Impact Connexin-43 Gap Junctions in Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes. Biomolecules 2024; 14:61. [PMID: 38254663 PMCID: PMC10813327 DOI: 10.3390/biom14010061] [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: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The transplantation of human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs) has shown promise in preclinical models of myocardial infarction, but graft myocardium exhibits incomplete host-graft electromechanical integration and a propensity for pro-arrhythmic behavior. Perhaps contributing to this situation, hPSC-CM grafts show low expression of connexin 43 (Cx43), the major gap junction (GJ) protein, in ventricular myocardia. We hypothesized that Cx43 expression and function could be rescued by engineering Cx43 in hPSC-CMs with a series of phosphatase-resistant mutations at three casein kinase 1 phosphorylation sites (Cx43-S3E) that have been previously reported to stabilize Cx43 GJs and reduce arrhythmias in transgenic mice. However, contrary to our predictions, transgenic Cx43-S3E hPSC-CMs exhibited reduced Cx43 expression relative to wild-type cells, both at baseline and following ischemic challenge. Cx43-S3E hPSC-CMs showed correspondingly slower conduction velocities, increased automaticity, and differential expression of other connexin isoforms and various genes involved in cardiac excitation-contraction coupling. Cx43-S3E hPSC-CMs also had phosphorylation marks associated with Cx43 GJ internalization, a finding that may account for their impaired GJ localization. Taken collectively, our data indicate that the Cx43-S3E mutation behaves differently in hPSC-CMs than in adult mouse ventricular myocytes and that multiple biological factors likely need to be addressed synchronously to ensure proper Cx43 expression, localization, and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rasha Al-attar
- McEwen Stem Cell Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada; (R.A.-a.); (J.J.); (R.R.); (M.J.); (F.J.A.)
| | - Joseph Jargstorf
- McEwen Stem Cell Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada; (R.A.-a.); (J.J.); (R.R.); (M.J.); (F.J.A.)
| | - Rocco Romagnuolo
- McEwen Stem Cell Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada; (R.A.-a.); (J.J.); (R.R.); (M.J.); (F.J.A.)
| | - Mariam Jouni
- McEwen Stem Cell Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada; (R.A.-a.); (J.J.); (R.R.); (M.J.); (F.J.A.)
| | - Faisal J. Alibhai
- McEwen Stem Cell Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada; (R.A.-a.); (J.J.); (R.R.); (M.J.); (F.J.A.)
| | - Paul D. Lampe
- Translational Research Program, Public Health Sciences and Human Biology Divisions, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; (P.D.L.); (J.L.S.)
| | - Joell L. Solan
- Translational Research Program, Public Health Sciences and Human Biology Divisions, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; (P.D.L.); (J.L.S.)
| | - Michael A. Laflamme
- McEwen Stem Cell Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada; (R.A.-a.); (J.J.); (R.R.); (M.J.); (F.J.A.)
- Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
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Ma Y, Cao Y, Gao H, Tong R, Yi J, Zhang Z, Chen R, Pan Z. Sevoflurane Improves Ventricular Conduction by Exosomes Derived from Rat Cardiac Fibroblasts After Hypothermic Global Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury. Drug Des Devel Ther 2023; 17:1719-1732. [PMID: 37333963 PMCID: PMC10275581 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s408595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose This study investigated the effect of exosomes derived from sevoflurane-treated cardiac fibroblasts (Sev-CFs-Exo) on reperfusion arrhythmias (RA), ventricular conduction, and myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI). Methods Primary cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) were isolated from the hearts of neonatal rats and identified by morphology and immunofluorescence. Exosomes were isolated from CFs at passages 2-3 after they had been treated with 2.5% sevoflurane for an hour and cultivated for 24-48 hours. The control group was CFs that did not receive any treatment. The hypothermic global ischemia-reperfusion injury model was established using the Langendorff perfusion technique following injection with exosomes through the caudal vein. Multi-electrode array (MEA) mapping was used to investigate the changes in RA and ventricular conduction in isolated hearts. Western blots and immunofluorescence were used to examine the relative expression and location of connexin 43 (Cx43). In addition, the MIRI was evaluated with triphenyl tetrazolium chloride and Hematoxylin-Eosin staining. Results The primary CFs had a variety of morphologies, no spontaneous pulsation, and were vimentin-positive, which confirmed their successful isolation. Sev-CFs-Exo increased the heart rate (HR) at reperfusion for 15 minutes (T2) and 30 minutes (T3) and lowered the score and duration of RA and the time for restoration of heartbeat in reperfusion. Meanwhile, Sev-CFs-Exo increased conduction velocity (CV), decreased absolute inhomogeneity (P5-95) and inhomogeneity index (P5-95/P50) at T2 and T3, as well as promoted the recovery of HR, CV, P5-95 and P5-95/P50 after hypothermic global ischemia-reperfusion injury. Furthermore, Sev-CFs-Exo raised expression and reduced lateralization of Cx43, and improved myocardial infarct sizes and cellular necrosis. However, while cardiac fibroblast-derived exosomes (CFs-Exo) showed similar cardioprotective effects, the outcomes were not as significant. Conclusion Sevoflurane reduces the risk of RA and improves ventricular conduction and MIRI by CFs-Exo, and this may be driven by the expression and location of Cx43.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Ma
- School of Anesthesia, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ying Cao
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second People’s Hospital of Guiyang, Guiyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hong Gao
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Rui Tong
- School of Anesthesia, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jing Yi
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhongwei Zhang
- School of Anesthesia, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Rui Chen
- School of Anesthesia, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhijun Pan
- School of Anesthesia, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, People’s Republic of China
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Brenner CM, Choudhary M, McCormick MG, Cheung D, Landesberg GP, Wang JF, Song J, Martin TG, Cheung JY, Qu HQ, Hakonarson H, Feldman AM. BAG3: Nature's Quintessential Multi-Functional Protein Functions as a Ubiquitous Intra-Cellular Glue. Cells 2023; 12:937. [PMID: 36980278 PMCID: PMC10047307 DOI: 10.3390/cells12060937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BAG3 is a 575 amino acid protein that is found throughout the animal kingdom and homologs have been identified in plants. The protein is expressed ubiquitously but is most prominent in cardiac muscle, skeletal muscle, the brain and in many cancers. We describe BAG3 as a quintessential multi-functional protein. It supports autophagy of both misfolded proteins and damaged organelles, inhibits apoptosis, maintains the homeostasis of the mitochondria, and facilitates excitation contraction coupling through the L-type calcium channel and the beta-adrenergic receptor. High levels of BAG3 are associated with insensitivity to chemotherapy in malignant cells whereas both loss of function and gain of function variants are associated with cardiomyopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlyn M. Brenner
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, 3500 N. Broad Street, MERB 752, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA; (C.M.B.); (M.C.)
| | - Muaaz Choudhary
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, 3500 N. Broad Street, MERB 752, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA; (C.M.B.); (M.C.)
| | - Michael G. McCormick
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, 3500 N. Broad Street, MERB 752, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA; (C.M.B.); (M.C.)
- Center for Neurovirology and Gene Editing, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
| | - David Cheung
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, 3500 N. Broad Street, MERB 752, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA; (C.M.B.); (M.C.)
- Center for Neurovirology and Gene Editing, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
| | - Gavin P. Landesberg
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, 3500 N. Broad Street, MERB 752, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA; (C.M.B.); (M.C.)
- Center for Neurovirology and Gene Editing, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
| | - Ju-Fang Wang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, 3500 N. Broad Street, MERB 752, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA; (C.M.B.); (M.C.)
- Center for Neurovirology and Gene Editing, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
| | - Jianliang Song
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, 3500 N. Broad Street, MERB 752, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA; (C.M.B.); (M.C.)
- Center for Neurovirology and Gene Editing, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
| | - Thomas G. Martin
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Colorado University School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Joseph Y. Cheung
- Division of Renal Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Hui-Qi Qu
- Center for Applied Genomics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 191104, USA
| | - Hakon Hakonarson
- Center for Applied Genomics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 191104, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, The Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 191104, USA
- Division of Human Genetics and Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 191104, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Human Genetics and Division of Pulmonary Medicine, The Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 191104, USA
| | - Arthur M. Feldman
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, 3500 N. Broad Street, MERB 752, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA; (C.M.B.); (M.C.)
- Center for Neurovirology and Gene Editing, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
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Zhang H, Shen Y, Kim IM, Liu Y, Cai J, Berman AE, Nilsson KR, Weintraub NL, Tang Y. Electrical Stimulation Increases the Secretion of Cardioprotective Extracellular Vesicles from Cardiac Mesenchymal Stem Cells. Cells 2023; 12:cells12060875. [PMID: 36980214 PMCID: PMC10047597 DOI: 10.3390/cells12060875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Clinical trials have shown that electric stimulation (ELSM) using either cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) or cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) approaches is an effective treatment for patients with moderate to severe heart failure, but the mechanisms are incompletely understood. Extracellular vesicles (EV) produced by cardiac mesenchymal stem cells (C-MSC) have been reported to be cardioprotective through cell-to-cell communication. In this study, we investigated the effects of ELSM stimulation on EV secretion from C-MSCs (C-MSCELSM). We observed enhanced EV-dependent cardioprotection conferred by conditioned medium (CM) from C-MSCELSM compared to that from non-stimulated control C-MSC (C-MSCCtrl). To investigate the mechanisms of ELSM-stimulated EV secretion, we examined the protein levels of neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2), a key enzyme of the endosomal sorting complex required for EV biosynthesis. We detected a time-dependent increase in nSMase2 protein levels in C-MSCELSM compared to C-MSCCtrl. Knockdown of nSMase2 in C-MSC by siRNA significantly reduced EV secretion in C-MSCELSM and attenuated the cardioprotective effect of CM from C-MSCELSM in HL-1 cells. Taken together, our results suggest that ELSM-mediated increases in EV secretion from C-MSC enhance the cardioprotective effects of C-MSC through an EV-dependent mechanism involving nSMase2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haitao Zhang
- Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Yan Shen
- Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Il-man Kim
- Cell Biology and Physiology, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 47405, USA
| | - Yutao Liu
- Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Jingwen Cai
- Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Adam E. Berman
- Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Kent R. Nilsson
- Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University/University of Georgia Partnership, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Neal L. Weintraub
- Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Yaoliang Tang
- Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
- Correspondence:
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Sykora M, Andelova K, Szeiffova Bacova B, Egan Benova T, Martiskova A, Knezl V, Tribulova N. Hypertension Induces Pro-arrhythmic Cardiac Connexome Disorders: Protective Effects of Treatment. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13020330. [PMID: 36830700 PMCID: PMC9953310 DOI: 10.3390/biom13020330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Prolonged population aging and unhealthy lifestyles contribute to the progressive prevalence of arterial hypertension. This is accompanied by low-grade inflammation and over time results in heart dysfunction and failure. Hypertension-induced myocardial structural and ion channel remodeling facilitates the development of both atrial and ventricular fibrillation, and these increase the risk of stroke and sudden death. Herein, we elucidate hypertension-induced impairment of "connexome" cardiomyocyte junctions. This complex ensures cell-to-cell adhesion and coupling for electrical and molecular signal propagation. Connexome dysfunction can be a key factor in promoting the occurrence of both cardiac arrhythmias and heart failure. However, the available literature indicates that arterial hypertension treatment can hamper myocardial structural remodeling, hypertrophy and/or fibrosis, and preserve connexome function. This suggests the pleiotropic effects of antihypertensive agents, including anti-inflammatory. Therefore, further research is required to identify specific molecular targets and pathways that will protect connexomes, and it is also necessary to develop new approaches to maintain heart function in patients suffering from primary or pulmonary arterial hypertension.
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