Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 inhibition in in vivo and in vitro models of pulmonary hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension, group 1 of the pulmonary hypertension disease family, involves pulmonary vascular remodelling, right ventricular dysfunction and cardiac failure. Oxidative stress, through activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases is implicated in these changes. Inhibition of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1, an apical mitogen-activated protein kinase, prevented pulmonary arterial hypertension developing in rodent models. Here, we investigate apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 in pulmonary arterial hypertension by examining the impact that its inhibition has on the molecular and cellular signalling in established disease. Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 inhibition was investigated in in vivo pulmonary arterial hypertension and in vitro pulmonary hypertension models. In the in vivo model, male Sprague Dawley rats received a single subcutaneous injection of Sugen SU5416 (20 mg/kg) prior to two weeks of hypobaric hypoxia (380 mmHg) followed by three weeks normoxia (Sugen/hypoxic), then animals were either maintained for three weeks on control chow or one containing apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 inhibitor (100 mg/kg/day). Cardiovascular measurements were carried out. In the in vitro model, primary cultures of rat pulmonary artery fibroblasts and rat pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells were maintained in hypoxia (5% O2) and investigated for proliferation, migration and molecular signalling in the presence or absence of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 inhibitor. Sugen/hypoxic animals displayed significant pulmonary arterial hypertension compared to normoxic controls at eight weeks. Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 inhibitor decreased right ventricular systolic pressure to control levels and reduced muscularised vessels in lung tissue. Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 inhibition was found to prevent hypoxia-induced proliferation, migration and cytokine release in rat pulmonary artery fibroblasts and also prevented rat pulmonary artery fibroblast-induced rat pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell migration and proliferation. Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 inhibition reversed pulmonary arterial hypertension in the Sugen/hypoxic rat model. These effects may be a result of intrinsic changes in the signalling of adventitial fibroblast

Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase serves as an accessory protein of the cardiac sarcolemmal K(ATP) channel

Cardiac sarcolemmal ATP-sensitive K(+) (K(ATP)) channels, composed of Kir6.2 and SUR2A subunits, are regulated by intracellular ATP and they couple the metabolic status of the cell with the membrane excitability. On the basis of previous studies, we have suggested that glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) may be a part of the sarcolemmal K(ATP)-channel protein complex. A polypeptide of ∼42 kDa was immunoprecipitated with an anti-SUR2A antibody from guinea-pig cardiac membrane fraction and identified as GAPDH. Immunoprecipitation/western blotting analysis with anti-Kir6.2, anti-SUR2A and anti-GAPDH antibodies showed that GAPDH is a part of the sarcolemmal K(ATP)-channel protein complex in vivo. Further studies with immunoprecipitation/western blotting and the membrane yeast two-hybrid system showed that GAPDH associates physically with the Kir6.2 but not the SUR2A subunit. Patch-clamp electrophysiology showed that GAPDH regulates K(ATP)-channel activity irrespective of high intracellular ATP, by producing 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate, a K(ATP)-channel opener. These results suggest that GAPDH is an integral part of the sarcolemmal K(ATP)-channel protein complex, where it couples glycolysis with the K(ATP)-channel activity

M-LDH serves as a sarcolemmal K(ATP) channel subunit essential for cell protection against ischemia

ATP-sensitive K(+) (K(ATP)) channels in the heart are normally closed by high intracellular ATP, but are activated during ischemia to promote cellular survival. These channels are heteromultimers composed of Kir6.2 subunit, an inwardly rectifying K(+) channel core, and SUR2A, a regulatory subunit implicated in ligand-dependent regulation of channel gating. Here, we have shown that the muscle form (M-LDH), but not heart form (H-LDH), of lactate dehydrogenase is directly physically associated with the sarcolemmal K(ATP) channel by interacting with the Kir6.2 subunit via its N-terminus and with the SUR2A subunit via its C-terminus. The species of LDH bound to the channel regulated the channel activity despite millimolar concentration of intracellular ATP. The presence of M-LDH in the channel protein complex was required for opening of K(ATP) channels during ischemia and ischemia-resistant cellular phenotype. We conclude that M-LDH is an integral part of the sarcolemmal K(ATP) channel protein complex in vivo, where, by virtue of its catalytic activity, it couples the metabolic status of the cell with the K(ATP) channels activity that is essential for cell protection against ischemia

Deficiency of LKB1 in heart prevents ischemia-mediated activation of AMPKalpha2 but not AMPKalpha

Recent studies indicate that the LKB1 is a key regulator of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which plays a crucial role in protecting cardiac muscle from damage during ischemia. We have employed mice that lack LKB1 in cardiac and skeletal muscle and studied how this affected the activity of cardiac AMPKalpha1/alpha2 under normoxic, ischemic, and anoxic conditions. In the heart lacking cardiac muscle LKB1, the basal activity of AMPKalpha2 was vastly reduced and not increased by ischemia or anoxia. Phosphorylation of AMPKalpha2 at the site of LKB1 phosphorylation (Thr172) or phosphorylation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase-2, a downstream substrate of AMPK, was ablated in ischemic heart lacking cardiac LKB1. Ischemia was found to increase the ADP-to-ATP (ADP/ATP) and AMP-to-ATP ratios (AMP/ATP) to a greater extent in LKB1-deficient cardiac muscle than in LKB1-expressing muscle. In contrast to AMPKalpha2, significant basal activity of AMPKalpha1 was observed in the lysates from the hearts lacking cardiac muscle LKB1, as well as in cardiomyocytes that had been isolated from these hearts. In the heart lacking cardiac LKB1, ischemia or anoxia induced a marked activation and phosphorylation of AMPKalpha1, to a level that was only moderately lower than observed in LKB1-expressing heart. Echocardiographic and morphological analysis of the cardiac LKB1-deficient hearts indicated that these hearts were not overtly dysfunctional, despite possessing a reduced weight and enlarged atria. These findings indicate that LKB1 plays a crucial role in regulating AMPKalpha2 activation and acetyl-CoA carboxylase-2 phosphorylation and also regulating cellular energy levels in response to ischemia. They also provide genetic evidence that an alternative upstream kinase can activate AMPKalpha1 in cardiac muscle

Activation of PKCε-ALDH2 Axis Prevents 4-HNE-Induced Pain in Mice

Protein kinase Cε (PKCε) is highly expressed in nociceptor neurons and its activation has been reported as pro-nociceptive. Intriguingly, we previously demonstrated that activation of the mitochondrial PKCε substrate aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH2) results in anti-nociceptive effects. ALDH2 is a major enzyme responsible for the clearance of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE), an oxidative stress byproduct accumulated in inflammatory conditions and sufficient to induce pain hypersensitivity in rodents. Here we determined the contribution of the PKCε-ALDH2 axis during 4-HNE-induced mechanical hypersensitivity. Using knockout mice, we demonstrated that PKCε is essential for the nociception recovery during 4-HNE-induced hypersensitivity. We also found that ALDH2 deficient knockin mice display increased 4-HNE-induced nociceptive behavior. As proof of concept, the use of a selective peptide activator of PKCε (ΨεHSP90), which favors PKCε translocation to mitochondria and activation of PKCε-ALDH2 axis, was sufficient to block 4-HNE-induced hypersensitivity in WT, but not in ALDH2-deficient mice. Similarly, ΨεHSP90 administration prevented mechanical hypersensitivity induced by endogenous production of 4-HNE after carrageenan injection. These findings provide evidence that selective activation of mitochondrial PKCε-ALDH2 axis is important to mitigate aldehyde-mediated pain in rodents, suggesting that ΨεHSP90 and small molecules that mimic it may be a potential treatment for patients with pain

Deficiency of PDK1 in cardiac muscle results in heart failure and increased sensitivity to hypoxia

We employed Cre/loxP technology to generate mPDK1(-/-) mice, which lack PDK1 in cardiac muscle. Insulin did not activate PKB and S6K, nor did it stimulate 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase and production of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, in the hearts of mPDK1(-/-) mice, consistent with PDK1 mediating these processes. All mPDK1(-/-) mice died suddenly between 5 and 11 weeks of age. The mPDK1(-/-) animals had thinner ventricular walls, enlarged atria and right ventricles. Moreover, mPDK1(-/-) muscle mass was markedly reduced due to a reduction in cardiomyocyte volume rather than cardiomyocyte cell number, and markers of heart failure were elevated. These results suggested mPDK1(-/-) mice died of heart failure, a conclusion supported by echocardiographic analysis. By employing a single-cell assay we found that cardiomyocytes from mPDK1(-/-) mice are markedly more sensitive to hypoxia. These results establish that the PDK1 signalling network plays an important role in regulating cardiac viability and preventing heart failure. They also suggest that a deficiency of the PDK1 pathway might contribute to development of cardiac disease in humans

Deficiency of PDK1 in cardiac muscle results in heart failure and increased sensitivity to hypoxia

We employed Cre/loxP technology to generate mPDK1(–/–) mice, which lack PDK1 in cardiac muscle. Insulin did not activate PKB and S6K, nor did it stimulate 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase and production of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, in the hearts of mPDK1(–/–) mice, consistent with PDK1 mediating these processes. All mPDK1(–/–) mice died suddenly between 5 and 11 weeks of age. The mPDK1(–/–) animals had thinner ventricular walls, enlarged atria and right ventricles. Moreover, mPDK1(–/–) muscle mass was markedly reduced due to a reduction in cardiomyocyte volume rather than cardiomyocyte cell number, and markers of heart failure were elevated. These results suggested mPDK1(–/–) mice died of heart failure, a conclusion supported by echocardiographic analysis. By employing a single-cell assay we found that cardiomyocytes from mPDK1(–/–) mice are markedly more sensitive to hypoxia. These results establish that the PDK1 signalling network plays an important role in regulating cardiac viability and preventing heart failure. They also suggest that a deficiency of the PDK1 pathway might contribute to development of cardiac disease in humans