Abstract 15737: Deficiency of Mitochondrial Calcium Uniporter Protects Mouse Hearts From Iron Overload by Attenuating Ferroptosis

Iron (Fe) plays essential roles in many physiological processes. Hereditary hemochromatosis and frequent blood transfusions result in iron overload (IO) and dysfunction of iron-deposited organs including the heart. Although IO-induced cardiomyopathy remains a significant clinical challenge, the underlying mechanism is not well defined. In the present study, we aim to assess the involvement of the mitochondrial Ca uniporter (mCU) in IO-induced cardiac contractile dysfunction and ferroptosis. In a chronic IO model, after receiving Fe (dextran, i.p. 0.6 mg/g, 3 days/wk) for 6 weeks, systolic function (LVEF and LVFS) was reduced in mCU +/+ (WT) compared to mCU -/- (mCU KO). This observation was confirmed in isolated ventricular myocytes where we similarly detected a significant decrease in cell shortening in WT, but not mCU KO myocytes. We found lower Fe levels in mitochondria from mCU KO myocytes compared to WT, while observing the same level of Fe deposition in heart tissue from both groups. The mitochondrial ROS level was lower in mCU KO myocytes vs. WT. Long term cardiac dysfunction may result in myocyte cell death, however, we did not detect apoptosis (TUNEL) in either mCU KO or in WT hearts with cardiac dysfunction after chronic IO. The lipid oxidation level was increased with Fe load suggesting ferroptosis may be involved in IO-induced cardiomyopathy, which was supported by the observation that administration of the selective ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1 reduced lipid oxidation (4-HNE) and maintained heart function. To further determine the role of mCU in IO-mediated ferroptosis in the heart, we used isolated myocytes from WT and mCU KO and conducted Live/Dead cell viability assays. While Fe (FAC, 0.1-5 mM) induced ferroptosis in a dose-dependent manner, it was prevented by ferrostatin-1 (10 μM), the Fe chelator 2,2'-bipyridyl (2 mM), and MitoTEMPO (5 μM), respectively. Fe-induced ferroptosis in mCU KO myocytes did not occur while the lipid oxidation level (Liperfluo) remained low. In conclusion, mitochondrial Fe uptake, presumably mediated by mCU, accounts for the molecular/cellular mechanisms for Fe-induced myocyte ferroptosis and cardiomyopathy. Cardiac-specific deficiency of mCU prevents the development of Fe induced cardiomyopathy.

Abstract 507: Activation of Transient Receptor Potential Canonical Channel Currents in Iron-Overloaded Cardiac Myocytes

Background: Iron (Fe) overload cardiomyopathy is the leading cause of death in hemochromatotic patients, yet the mechanistic insight is still incomplete and controversial. We investigated alterations of action potentials (APs), ionic currents, and intracellular Ca 2+ (Ca 2+ i ) in Fe-loaded mouse cardiomyocytes, as well as functional impacts of Fe overload on single-cell contraction and whole-heart arrhythmias.

Methods: Cardiomyocytes were isolated from left ventricles of mouse hearts and were superfused with Fe 3+ /8-hydroxyquinoline complex (5-100 μM). APs, L-type Ca 2+ currents (I Ca,L ), total outward K + currents (I K ), and transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) channel currents were recorded by the patch-clamp technique. Ca 2+ i was evaluated by using Fluo-4. Cell contraction was measured by a video-based edge detection system. Arrhythmias were evaluated in Langendorff-perfused hearts under S 1 -S 2 stimulation protocol.

Results: Persistent Fe (15 μM) treatment prolonged AP duration at 90% repolarization (APD 90 : 46.8 ± 2.8 vs. 203.6 ± 63.4 ms, p<0.05), induced early and delayed afterdepolarizations (EADs: 0 % vs. 45.0 ± 15.0 %; DADs: 4.3 ± 1.4 vs. 27.0 ± 7.0 %, p<0.05, respectively) in mouse cardiomyocytes. Consistently, arrhythmia incidence was increased in Fe 3+ /8-HQ-perfused hearts. Fe treatment decreased peak I Ca,L (16.5 ± 1.7 vs.11.4 ± 1.3 pA/pF, p<0.01) and I K (59.2 ± 3.3 vs. 50.4 ± 3.0 pA/pF, p<0.01), altered Ca 2+ i transient patterns and decreased contractility (4.8 ± 0.5 vs. 3.5 ± 0.4%, p<0.01). During the late phase of Fe treatment, fast Ca 2+ waves and sustained depolarization were induced to generate a secondary (shallow) resting membrane potential (RMP: from -68.8 ± 0.6 to -25.0 ± 3.7 mV) where the myocytes became unexcitable. Gadolinium, a TRPC channel blocker, abolished fast Ca 2+ waves and reversed RMP to the deep level (-62.9 ± 3.5 mV). The involvement of TRPC activation was determined for the first time by recording TRPC current and assessing the effect of functional TRPC channel antibodies.

Conclusions: In mouse cardiomyocytes, Fe overload induced arrhythmogenic APD prolongation and EADs/DADs, aberrant Ca 2+ i dynamics, and impaired contractility. The activation of TRPC channels accounts for an important underlying mechanism.

A new approach to mentoring for research careers: the National Research Mentoring Network

Background and purpose

Effective mentorship is critical to the success of early stage investigators, and has been linked to enhanced mentee productivity, self-efficacy, and career satisfaction. The mission of the National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN) is to provide all trainees across the biomedical, behavioral, clinical, and social sciences with evidence-based mentorship and professional development programming that emphasizes the benefits and challenges of diversity, inclusivity, and culture within mentoring relationships, and more broadly the research workforce. The purpose of this paper is to describe the structure and activities of NRMN.

Key highlights

NRMN serves as a national training hub for mentors and mentees striving to improve their relationships by better aligning expectations, promoting professional development, maintaining effective communication, addressing equity and inclusion, assessing understanding, fostering independence, and cultivating ethical behavior. Training is offered in-person at institutions, regional training, or national meetings, as well as via synchronous and asynchronous platforms; the growing training demand is being met by a cadre of NRMN Master Facilitators. NRMN offers career stage-focused coaching models for grant writing, and other professional development programs. NRMN partners with diverse stakeholders from the NIH-sponsored Diversity Program Consortium (DPC), as well as organizations outside the DPC to work synergistically towards common diversity goals. NRMN offers a virtual portal to the Network and all NRMN program offerings for mentees and mentors across career development stages. NRMNet provides access to a wide array of mentoring experiences and resources including MyNRMN, Guided Virtual Mentorship Program, news, training calendar, videos, and workshops. National scale and sustainability are being addressed by NRMN "Coaches-in-Training" offerings for more senior researchers to implement coaching models across the nation. "Shark Tanks" provide intensive review and coaching for early career health disparities investigators, focusing on grant writing for graduate students, postdoctoral trainees, and junior faculty.

Implications

Partners from diverse perspectives are building the national capacity and sparking the institutional changes necessary to truly diversify and transform the biomedical research workforce. NRMN works to leverage resources towards the goals of sustainability, scalability, and expanded reach.

Ethanol-induced mitogen activated protein kinase activity mediated through protein kinase C

The aim of this study was to determine the pathway(s) by which ethanol activates mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling and to determine the role of Ca2+ in the signaling process. MAPK signaling was determined by assessing MAPK activity, measuring phosphorylated extracellular signaling-regulated kinase (pp 44 ERK-1 and pp 42 ERK-2) expression and ERK activity by measuring ERK-2-dependent phosphorylation of a synthetic peptide as a MAPK substrate in rat vascular smooth muscle cells. Ethanol activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase expression (ERK 1 and 2) could be observed when vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were stimulated for 5 min or less, but was inhibited when cells are treated for 10 min or more with 1-16 mM of ethanol. Maximum ethanol-induced MAPK activity was observed within 5 min with 4 or 8 mM. Ethanol stimulated MAPK activity was blocked by the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor (GF109203X) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor antagonist (PD153035) by 41 +/- 24 and 34 +/- 12.3%, respectively. The calcium channel blocker, diltiazem and the chelating agent, BAPTA, reduced the activation of MAPK activity by ethanol, significantly. The data demonstrate that ethanol-stimulated MAPK expression is mediated partially through both the EGF-receptor and PKC intermediates and that activation through the PKC intermediate is calcium-dependent.

Differential activation of signal transduction pathways in human hearts with hypertrophy versus advanced heart failure

BACKGROUND

Left ventricular failure is commonly preceded by a period of hypertrophy. Intriguingly, many of the signaling pathways that have been implicated in the regulation of hypertrophy, including the 3 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs: extracellular signal-regulated kinase, stress-activated protein kinase, and p38), protein phosphatase, calcineurin, and the protein kinase Akt and its target glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3), also regulate the apoptotic response.

METHODS AND RESULTS

To understand the mechanisms that might regulate the progression of heart failure, we analyzed the activity of these signaling pathways in the hearts of patients with advanced heart failure, patients with compensated cardiac hypertrophy, and normal subjects. In patients with hypertrophy, neither the MAPK nor the Akt/GSK-3 pathways were activated, and the dominant signaling pathway was calcineurin. In failing hearts, calcineurin activity was increased but less so than in the hypertrophied hearts, and all 3 MAPKs and Akt were activated (and, accordingly, GSK-3ss was inhibited), irrespective of whether the underlying diagnosis was ischemic or idiopathic cardiomyopathy.

CONCLUSIONS

In the failing heart, there is a clear prohypertrophic activity profile, likely occurring in response to increased systolic wall stress and neurohormonal mediators. However, with the activation of these hypertrophic pathways, potent proapoptotic and antiapoptotic signals may also be generated. Therapies directed at altering the balance of activity of these signaling pathways could potentially alter the progression of heart failure.

In vivo histamine release from brain cortex: the effects of modulating cellular and extracellular sodium and calcium channels

The in vivo mechanisms underlying the actions of modulating Na(+)- and Ca(2+)-sensitive channels and its effect on basal histamine release in the cerebral cortex of freely-moving unanesthetized rats was investigated. Basal histamine release in the cerebral cortex was determined by in vivo microdialysis coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fluorometry detection. Basal levels of histamine were 0.67+/-0.02 pmol/10 microl of dialysate. Diltiazem, a Ca(2+) channel antagonist, produced a dose-dependent decrease in dialysate basal histamine concentration. Elevated K(+) (100 mM) in the perfusion medium increased basal histamine to a maximum of 223% of the baseline value. Similarly, diltiazem (60 mM) reduced the K(+), veratridine (100 microg/ml) and ouabain (100 microM)-evoked increase in dialysate histamine. Basal histamine decreased by 48% when the perfusate contained 3 microM of voltage dependent Na(+) antagonist tetrodotoxin. The results of these studies indicate that the release of histamine in rat cerebral cortex can be induced by modulating Na(+) and Ca(2+) channels and that the L-type voltage-dependent sensitive Ca(2+) channels are involved in this release process.