Project description:Sudden cardiac death (SCD) associated with heart failure (HF) is a multifactorial problem requiring a systems level approach applied to suitable experimental animal models with features of the human disease. Here we examine key regulatory pathways underlying the transition from compensated hypertrophy (HYP) to decompensated HF and SCD by integrated analysis of the transcriptome, proteome and metabolome. In a guinea pig model of acquired long QT syndrome and HF/SCD, relative protein abundances from sham-operated, HYP and HF hearts were assessed using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ), prior to liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Metabolites were quantified by LC-MS/MS or gas chromatography coupled to MS (GC-MS). Transcriptome profiles were obtained using DNA microarrays. The guinea pig HF proteome exhibited classic biosignatures of cardiac HYP, left ventricular dysfunction, fibrosis, cellular degeneration, inflammation and extravasation. Fatty acid metabolism, mitochondrial transcription/translation factors, antioxidant enzymes, and other mitochondrial processes, were downregulated in HF, but not HYP. Proteins upregulated in HF are consistent with extracellular matrix remodeling, cytoskeletal remodeling, and acute phase inflammation markers. Among metabolites, downregulation of acyl-carnitines was observed in HYP, while fatty acids accumulated in HF. Levels of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle metabolite, citrate, and the potent inhibitor, 2-methylcitrate, increased upon transition from HYP to HF. Correlation of the magnitude of transcript and protein changes in HF is weak (R2=0.23), indicating that targeting transcript/proteome may reveal inform post-transcriptional gene regulation in HF. Proteome/Metabolome integration suggests metabolic bottlenecks in fatty acyl-CoA processing by carnitine palmitoyl transferase (CPT1B) as well as TCA cycle inhibition. We present a model in which hallmarks of acute signaling in HF, including Ca2+ dysregulation and low cAMP levels, are coupled to mitochondrial metabolic and antioxidant defects, through a CREB/PGC1-alpha transcriptional axis.
Project description:Sudden cardiac death (SCD) in patients with heart failure (HF) is allied with an imbalance in reduction-oxidation (redox) signaling in cardiomyocytes; however, the basic pathways and mechanisms governing redox homeostasis in cardiomyocytes are not fully understood. Here, we show that cytochrome b5 reductase 3 (CYB5R3), an enzyme known to regulate redox signaling in erythrocytes and vascular cells, is essential for cardiomyocyte function. Using a conditional cardiomyocyte-specific CYB5R3 knockout mouse, we discovered that deletion of CYB5R3 in male adult cardiomyocytes, but not female, causes cardiac hypertrophy, bradycardia, and SCD. The increase in SCD in CYB5R3 KO mice is associated with calcium mishandling, ventricular fibrillation, and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Molecular studies reveal that CYB5R3 KO hearts display decreased ATP, increased oxidative stress, suppressed coenzyme Q levels, and hemoprotein dysregulation. Lastly, from a translational perspective, we reveal that the high-frequency missense genetic variant rs1800457, which translates into a CYB5R3 T117S partial loss-of-function protein, associates with decreased event-free survival (~20%) in African Americans with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Together, these studies reveal a crucial role for CYB5R3 in cardiomyocyte redox biology and identify a new genetic biomarker for individuals in the African American population that may potentially increase the risk of death from HFrEF.
Project description:Here we examine key regulatory pathways underlying the transition from compensated hypertrophy (HYP) to decompensated heart failure (HF) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) in a guinea pig model by integrated multi-ome analysis. Relative protein abundances from sham-operated, HYP and HF hearts were assessed by iTRAQ shotgun LC-MS/MS. Metabolites were quantified by LC-MS/MS or GC-MS. Transcriptome profiles were obtained using DNA microarrays. The guinea pig HF proteome exhibited classic biosignatures of cardiac HYP, left ventricular dysfunction, fibrosis, inflammation and extravasation. Fatty acid metabolism, mitochondrial transcription/translation factors, antioxidant enzymes, and other mitochondrial processes, were downregulated in HF, but not HYP. Proteins upregulated in HF implicate extracellular matrix remodeling, cytoskeletal remodeling, and acute phase inflammation markers. Among metabolites, downregulation of acyl-carnitines was observed in HYP, while fatty acids accumulated in HF. Correlation of transcript and protein changes in HF is weak (R2=0.23), suggesting transcript/proteome divergence may reveal post-transcriptional gene regulation in HF. Proteome/Metabolome integration suggests metabolic bottlenecks in fatty acyl-CoA processing by carnitine palmitoyl transferase (CPT1B) as well as TCA cycle inhibition. We present a model by which acute signaling in HF, including Ca2+ dysregulation and low cAMP levels, is coupled to mitochondrial metabolic and antioxidant defects, through a CREB/PGC1 transcriptional axis. Animal Model The guinea pig model of heart failure and sudden cardiac death has been described previously. Briefly, the HF and SCD guinea pig model was produced by combining ascending aortic constriction (AC) and daily isoproterenol challenge (ACi model). Specifically, Hartley guinea pigs (~250 g; Hilltop Lab Animals) were anesthetized with 4% isoflurane in a closed box for 4min, and then intubated and ventilated with oxygen and 2% isoflurane. Ascending aortic constriction (AC) was produced by tying a suture around the ascending aorta using an 18‐gauge needle as a spacer, which was then removed. For sham operations the procedure was identical though the suture was not tied. After the procedure, bupronex (0.05 mg/kg) was administered via intramuscular injection for analgesia and animals were observed until full recovery. Isoproterenol was administered daily by intra peritoneal injection at 1 mg/kg for the first week after surgery and at 2 mg/kg for a subsequent 3 weeks. As characterized previously (1), cardiac function of ACi animal is well compensated in the first 2 weeks (HYP) but declined rapidly thereafter (HF). Hypertrophic heart was collected between 1-2 weeks post-surgery (ACi-2w), whereas failing heart was collected at 4 weeks after surgery (ACi-4w). Following retrograde perfusion with 20ml Tyrode’s solution, excised hearts were Snap-frozen in liquid N2 and stored at -80°C Experimental Design The experiment consisted of 3 treatment groups: 1) HYP (ACi-2wk), 2) HF (ACi-4wk) 3) sham-operated animals with daily administration for 4 weeks (Shami-4w). 1 heart from each group was included in an iTRAQ 4-plex experiment wherein peptides from each heart are subjected to reaction with an isobaric label. The experiment was repeated twice, yielding a total of 3 independent experiments quantifying the peptides from 9 hearts. ITRAQ reagents were shuffled among treatment groups for each experiment to minimize labeling bias.
Project description:Heart failure is a leading cause of death worldwide, and failing heart muscle is marked by increased O-GlcNAcylation (OGN). It is unknown if excessive OGN contributes to cardiomyopathy and heart failure. OGN modifies serines and threonines, total OGN levels follow cellular nutrient and metabolic flux in addition to net activity of O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA). We developed new transgenic mouse models with myocardial delimited over-expression of OGA and OGT, and found that OGT transgenic mice developed severe cardiomyopathy and premature death. In contrast, OGA transgenic hearts had normal function, but were resistant to pathological stress. Interbreeding OGA transgenic mice rescued cardiomyopathy and premature death in OGT transgenic mice. RNA Seq and functional studies highlighted disrupted metabolism in hearts from OGT transgenic mice that was rescued by OGA transgenic interbreeding. Here we show excessive OGN causes cardiomyopathy, identify gene programs responsive to pathological OGN, and suggest attenuation of OGN may be an effective therapy for heart failure.