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AMPKα1 deletion in myofibroblasts exacerbates post-myocardial infarction fibrosis by a connexin 43 mechanism.

ABSTRACT: We have previously demonstrated that systemic AMP-activated protein kinase α1 (AMPKα1) invalidation enhanced adverse LV remodelling by increasing fibroblast proliferation, while myodifferentiation and scar maturation were impaired. We thus hypothesised that fibroblastic AMPKα1 was a key signalling element in regulating fibrosis in the infarcted myocardium and an attractive target for therapeutic intervention. The present study investigates the effects of myofibroblast (MF)-specific deletion of AMPKα1 on left ventricular (LV) adaptation following myocardial infarction (MI), and the underlying molecular mechanisms. MF-restricted AMPKα1 conditional knockout (cKO) mice were subjected to permanent ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. cKO hearts exhibit exacerbated post-MI adverse LV remodelling and are characterised by exaggerated fibrotic response, compared to wild-type (WT) hearts. Cardiac fibroblast proliferation and MF content significantly increase in cKO infarcted hearts, coincident with a significant reduction of connexin 43 (Cx43) expression in MFs. Mechanistically, AMPKα1 influences Cx43 expression by both a transcriptional and a post-transcriptional mechanism involving miR-125b-5p. Collectively, our data demonstrate that MF-AMPKα1 functions as a master regulator of cardiac fibrosis and remodelling and might constitute a novel potential target for pharmacological anti-fibrotic applications.

SUBMITTER: Dufeys C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7873123 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:AIMS:Sarcolipin (SLN) is a key regulator of sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium-ATPase (SERCA)2a, which handles intracellular calcium re-uptake. This study was aimed to investigate the involvement of SLN in post-myocardial infarction (MI) heart failure (HF) in diabetes. METHODS AND RESULTS:Diabetes/MI rat models were established. Altered SLN expression in diabetic hearts was screened out by microarray. A myocardiotropic viral vector was used to deliver siRNA to silence SLN. DNA methylation was evaluated by bisulfite sequencing. Cardiac functions were evaluated by invasive haemodynamic examinations. The SERCA2a activity, cytoplasmic calcium concentration ([Ca2+ ]i ), calcium spark, and myocyte contraction were detected. Correlation between HF and diabetes was analysed in a cohort consisted of 101 ST-segment elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients between 2017 and 2019 [53.54 ± 4.64 years old; 61.4% male gender; HbA1c% 6.15 ± 2.00; and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF%) 40.64 ± 3.20%]. SLN expression was evaluated in left ventricular tissue sample from six STEMI patients complicated with diabetes and six STEMI patients without diabetes. Expressions of DNA methyltransferase 1a and DNA methyltransferase 3 were reduced in diabetic hearts, leading to down-regulation of SLN promoter methylation, resulting in increased SLN expression in rats. Impaired heart systolic functions were found in experimental diabetic MI rats, which were attenuated by SLN silencing. SERCA2a activity reduction and [Ca2+ ]i elevation were attenuated by SLN silencing in diabetic animal hearts and high-glucose incubated primary myocytes. SLN silencing suppressed calcium sparks and improved contraction and sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium re-uptake in high-glucose incubated primary myocytes. Expression of SLN was up-regulated in LV sampled from STEMI patients complicated with diabetes compared with non-diabetic ones (P < 0.05). LVEF% was reduced in STEMI patients complicated with diabetes compared with non-diabetic ones (P < 0.01). HbA1c% and LVEF% was related (r = -0.218, P = 0.028). Increased HbA1c% was correlated with reduced LVEF% after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, cigarette smoking, creatinine, UA, low density lipoprotein, K+ , Na+ , and troponin I (adjusted odds ration = 0.75, 95% confidence interval 0.62-0.90, P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS:Diabetes increases the vulnerability of STEMI patients to post-MI HF by down-regulating SLN promoter methylation, which further regulates SERCA2a activity via increasing cardiac SLN expression.

Project description:The right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) is acknowledged to be responsible for arrhythmogenesis in Brugada syndrome (BrS), but the pathophysiology remains controversial.This study assessed the substrate underlying BrS at post-mortem and in vivo, and the role for open thoracotomy ablation.Six whole hearts from male post-mortem cases of unexplained sudden death (mean age 23.2 years) with negative specialist cardiac autopsy and familial BrS were used and matched to 6 homograft control hearts by sex and age (within 3 years) by random risk set sampling. Cardiac autopsy sections from cases and control hearts were stained with picrosirius red for collagen. The RVOT was evaluated in detail, including immunofluorescent stain for connexin-43 (Cx43). Collagen and Cx43 were quantified digitally and compared. An in vivo study was undertaken on 6 consecutive BrS patients (mean age 39.8 years, all men) during epicardial RVOT ablation for arrhythmia via thoracotomy. Abnormal late and fractionated potentials indicative of slowed conduction were identified, and biopsies were taken before ablation.Collagen was increased in BrS autopsy cases compared with control hearts (odds ratio [OR]: 1.42; p = 0.026). Fibrosis was greatest in the RVOT (OR: 1.98; p = 0.003) and the epicardium (OR: 2.00; p = 0.001). The Cx43 signal was reduced in BrS RVOT (OR: 0.59; p = 0.001). Autopsy and in vivo RVOT samples identified epicardial and interstitial fibrosis. This was collocated with abnormal potentials in vivo that, when ablated, abolished the type 1 Brugada electrocardiogram without ventricular arrhythmia over 24.6 ± 9.7 months.BrS is associated with epicardial surface and interstitial fibrosis and reduced gap junction expression in the RVOT. This collocates to abnormal potentials, and their ablation abolishes the BrS phenotype and life-threatening arrhythmias. BrS is also associated with increased collagen throughout the heart. Abnormal myocardial structure and conduction are therefore responsible for BrS.

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AMPKα1 deletion in myofibroblasts exacerbates post-myocardial infarction fibrosis by a connexin 43 mechanism.

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