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M1 Macrophages cause cardiac arrhythmia in an in vitro hiPSC coculture model of inflammation-induced atrial fibrillation

ABSTRACT: Atrial fibrillation (AF) has an estimated prevalence of 1.5–2%, making it the most common cardiac arrhythmia. The mechanisms that cause and sustain AF are still not completely understood. An association between AF and systemic as well as local inflammatory processes has been reported, however, the exact mechanisms underlying this association have not been established. While it is understood that tissue resident macrophages can influence cardiac electrophysiology, the effects of activated pro-inflammatory macrophages have not been described yet. This study investigated the pro-arrhythmic effects of activated macrophages (M1) on human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived atrial cardiomyocytes (aCM), to propose a mechanistic link between inflammation and AF. Two hiPSC lines from healthy individuals were differentiated to aCMs and M1 macrophages. Electrophysiology characteristics of M1 and aCM cocultures were analysed for beat rate irregularity, electrogram amplitude and conduction velocity. M1 cocultures resulted in a significant increase in beat rate irregularity and decrease in electrogram amplitude compared to other conditions tested, including aCMs treated with activated M1 supernatant, which did not produce an increase in irregularity. Conduction analysis further showed significantly lower conduction homogeneity in M1 cocultures. Immunosuppression through glucocorticoids significantly decreased beat irregularity in aCM+M1 cocultures compared to vehicle. RNA sequencing performed in aCMs, revealed downregulation of various ion channels (SCNA5, KCNA5, ATP1A1), as a result of the M1 coculture. Electrophysiology related transcription changes were reversed by glucocorticoid treatment. This study establishes a causal relationship between M1 activation and the development of subsequent atrial arrhythmia, documented as irregularity in spontaneous electrical activation in aCM cocultured with activated macrophages. Further, beat rate irregularity could be alleviated using anti-inflammatory steroidal glucocorticoids. These results strongly support the relevance of the proposed hiPSC-derived coculture model and point at macrophage mediated inflammation as a potential AF mechanism.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE236870 | GEO | 2024/10/01

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia and affects around 1% of the population with increasing incidence and substantial morbidity. Functional effects of genetic variants associated with AF should help to identify targets involved in AF initiation and/or subsequent remodeling. Gene variants next to the gene of the transcription factor PITX2 (paired-like homeodomain transcription factor 2) showed the strongest association with AF. A significant number of AF patients showed reduced PITX2 levels in the left atrium. Mouse models have been used to study functional aspects of PITX2 gene deletion (“knock out”), but there are substantial differences in atrial electrophysiology between mouse and human . HiPSC-CM should be able to bridge the gap, provided the cells reproduce typical characteristics of human atrium. Methods: PITX2 knock out samples from a control cell line of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) were obtained. Differentiation and generation of Atrial-like engineered heart tissue (aEHT) was performed. RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq), Quantitative Real-time PCR (RT-qPCR), Protein analysis by Western Blot, Contraction and force analysis, action potential measurements, Calcium current measurements and differential gene expression analysis were run on the samples. Results: Effective knock out of PITX2 was confirmed by mRNA sequencing and WB. It was shown that PITX2 deficiency reduces contraction force. PITX2 deficiency induces action potential triangulation with more negative maximum diastolic potential. Activation of muscarinic receptors shortens APD in both PITX2 knockout and controls but hyperpolarization is lost in PITX2 knock out. It was shown that Ca2+ current density is smaller in PITX2 knock out than controls. We found that more negative MDP in PITX2 knock out is not associated with higher IK1. Conclusion: We improved atrial differentiation, coming very close to human atrial electrophysiology. We demonstrate that PITX2 deficiency induces key characteristics known from persistent AF.

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M1 Macrophages cause cardiac arrhythmia in an in vitro hiPSC coculture model of inflammation-induced atrial fibrillation

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