Protection by the NO-Donor SNAP and BNP against Hypoxia/Reoxygenation in Rat Engineered Heart Tissue

In vitro assays could replace animal experiments in drug screening and disease modeling, but have shortcomings in terms of functional readout. Force-generating engineered heart tissues (EHT) provide simple automated measurements of contractile function. Here we evaluated the response of EHTs to hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) and the effect of known cardiocytoprotective molecules. EHTs from neonatal rat heart cells were incubated for 24 h in EHT medium. Then they were subjected to 180 min hypoxia (93% N2, 7% CO2) and 120 min reoxygenation (40% O2, 53% N2, 7% CO2), change of medium and additional follow-up of 48 h. Time-matched controls (40% O2, 53% N2, 7% CO2) were run for comparison. The following conditions were applied during H/R: fresh EHT medium (positive control), the NO-donor S-nitroso-N-acetyl-D,L-penicillamine (SNAP, 10-7, 10-6, 10-5 M) or the guanylate cyclase activator brain type natriuretic peptide (BNP, 10-9, 10-8, 10-7 M). Frequency and force of contraction were repeatedly monitored over the entire experiment, pH, troponin I (cTnI), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and glucose concentrations measured in EHT medium. Beating activity of EHTs in 24 h-medium ceased during hypoxia, partially recovered during reoxygenation and reached time-control values during follow-up. H/R was accompanied by a small increase in LDH and non-significant increase in cTnI. In fresh medium, some EHTs continued beating during hypoxia and all EHTs recovered faster during reoxygenation. SNAP and BNP showed small but significant protective effects during reoxygenation. EHTs are applicable to test potential cardioprotective compounds in vitro, monitoring functional and biochemical endpoints, which otherwise could be only measured by using in vivo or ex vivo heart preparations. The sensitivity of the model needs improvement

A szívizom sztressz-adaptációja: a peroxinitrit, a mátrix metalloproteinázok, és a hiperlipidémia szerepe = Stress adaptation of the myocardium: role of peroxynitrite, matrix metalloproteinases, and hyperlipidemia

A hiperlipidémia talaján kialakuló iszkémiás szívbetegség a leggyakoribb halálokok közé tartozik. A 4 éves project során a szívizom iszkémiának és az iszkémiás stressz adaptációs képességének (iszkémiás pre- és posztkondíció) celluláris mechanizmusait vizsgáltuk állatkísérletekben, különösképpen a peroxinitrit és celluláris targetjének, az MMP2-nek a szerepét. Új eredményeink közül néhányat emelünk ki. Kimutattuk, hogy hiperlipidemiában a szívben a peroxitrit képződés és ezáltal az MMP-2 aktivitása fokozódik, ami különösen hiperlipidmémiában jelentős, és ezt a folyamatot a prékondíció gátolja. DNA-chip vizsgálattal feltérképeztük hiperlipidémia hatására a génkifejeződés változásait a szívizomban. Kimutattuk, hogy az alacsony mértékű peroxinitrit képződés a stessz adaptáció kiváltásában igen fontos szerepet tölt be, hiszen olyan mechanizmusokat aktivál, melyek az iszkémiás stressz során túlzott mértékű peroxinitrit-MMP aktivitást csökkenti. Leírtuk, hogy nemspecifikus MMP gátlókkal az infarktus területe csökkenthető még hiperlipidémiás állatban is. Humán ApoB100 transzgenetikus eger modelleken megfigyeltük, hogy az oxidatív/nitrozatív stressz oka a hiperkoleszterinémia, és nem a hipertrigliceridémia. Kimutattuk továbbá, hogy a fiziológiás peroxinitrit szint, melyet a szívizom kapszaicin-érzékeny neuronjai szabályoznak, a normális szívizom relaxációt tartja fent. A project futamideje alatt az adott témában összesen 16 nemzetközi cikket (impakt faktor >70) közöltünk. | Ischemic heart disease developing due to hyperlipidemia is the number one killer in civilized societies. The present 4-year project was aiming at exploration of cellular mechanisms underlying stress adaptation of the myocardium, i.e. pre- and postconditioning, focusing on the role of peroxynitrite and its cellular target matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2). Here we emphasize only some of the most important results of the project. We have shown that in hyperlipidemia, myocardial peroxynitrite formation and thereby MMP2 activity is increased, which is attenuated by preconditioning. We have mapped the changes in gene expression due to hyperlipidemia by the use of DNA-microarray assay. We have observed that moderate peroxynitrite formation is necessary to trigger the stress adaptation mechanisms, which in turn will decrease the pathological activation of the peroxynitrite-MMP2 signaling. We have shown that nonspecific MMP inhibitors are able to reduce infarct size even in the presence of hyperlipidemia. In human ApoB-100 transgene mice, we have observed that oxidative/nitrosative stress is due to hypercholesterolemia and not hypertriglyceridemia. Furthermore, we have shown that baseline physiological peroxynitrite formation, which is regulated by myocardial capsaicin-sensitive sensory nerves, plays an important role in the maintenance of normal relaxation of the myocardium. The present project yielded altogether 16 peer-reviewed papers (impact factor >70)

Myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury and cardioprotection in the presence of sensory neuropathy: therapeutic options

During the last decades, mortality of acute myocardial infarction has been dramatically improved, however, the incidence of post-infarction heart failure is still increasing. Cardioprotection by ischemic conditioning have been discovered more than 3 decades ago, however, its clinical translation is still an unmet need, mainly due to the disrupted cardioprotective signalling pathways in the presence of different cardiovascular risk factors and comorbidities and their medications. Sensory neuropathy is one of the comorbidities that has been shown to interfere with cardioprotection. In the present review we summarize the diverse aetiology of sensory neuropathies and the mechanisms by which neuropathies may interfere with ischemic heart disease and cardioprotective signalling. Moreover, we suggest future therapeutic options targeting ischemic heart and sensory neuropathy simultaneously