Early exercise training normalizes myofilament function and attenuates left ventricular pump dysfunction in mice with a large myocardial infarction

The extent and mechanism of the cardiac benefit of early exercise training following myocardial infarction (MI) is incompletely understood, but may involve blunting of abnormalities in Ca-handling and myofilament function. Consequently, we investigated the effects of 8-weeks of voluntary exercise, started early after a large MI, on left ventricular (LV) remodeling and dysfunction in the mouse. Exercise had no effect on survival, MI size or LV dimensions, but improved LV fractional shortening from 8±1 to 12±1%, and LVdP/dtP30 from 5295±207 to 5794±207 mm Hg/s (both P<0.05), and reduced pulmonary congestion. These global effects of exercise were associated with normalization of the MI-induced increase in myofilament Ca-sensitivity (ΔpCa50=0.037). This effect of exercise was PKA-mediated and likely because of improved β1-adrenergic signaling, as suggested by the increased β1-adrenoceptor protein (48%) and cAMP levels (36%; all P<0.05). Exercise prevented the MI-induced decreased maximum force generating capacity of skinned cardiomyocytes (Fmax increased from 14.3±0.7 to 18.3±0.8 kN/mP<0.05), which was associated with enhanced shortening of unloaded intact cardiomyocytes (from 4.1±0.3 to 7.0±0.6%; P<0.05). Furthermore, exercise reduced diastolic Ca-concentrations (by ∼30%, P<0.05) despite the unchanged SERCA2a and PLB expression and PLB phosphorylation status. Importantly, exercise had no effect on Ca-transient amplitude, indicating that the improved LV and cardiomyocyte shortening were principally because of improved myofilament function. In conclusion, early exercise in mice after a large MI has no effect on LV remodeling, but attenuates global LV dysfunction. The latter can be explained by the exercise-induced improvement of myofilament function

Transcription profiling by array of skeletal muscle in TypeII diabetes patients

Skeletal muscle mitochondrial dysfunction is secondary to T2DM and can be improved by long-term regular exercise training Mitochondrial dysfunction has long been implicated to play a causative role in development of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). However, a growing number of recent studies provide data that mitochondrial dysfunction is a consequence of T2DM development. The aim of our study is to clarify in further detail the causal role of mitochondrial dysfunction in T2DM by a comprehensive ex vivo analysis of mitochondrial function combined with global gene expression analysis in muscle of pre-diabetic newly diagnosed untreated T2DM subjects and long-standing insulin treated T2DM subjects compared with age- and BMI-matched controls. In addition, we assessed the impact of long-term interval exercise training on physical activity performance, mitochondrial function and glycemic control in long-standing insulin-treated T2DM subjects. Ex vivo mitochondrial density, quality and functioning was comparable between pre-diabetic subjects and matched controls, however, gene expression analysis showed a switch from carbohydrate toward lipids as energy source in pre-diabetes subjects. In contrast, long-term insulin treated T2DM subjects had slightly decreased mitochondrial density and ex vivo function. Expression of Krebs cycle and OXPHOS related genes were decreased, indicating a decreased capacity to use lipids as an energy source. The insulin-treated T2DM subjects had a lower physical activity level than pre-diabetic and normoglycemic subjects. A 52 weeks exercise training of these subjects increased submaximal oxidative efficiency, increased in vivo PCr recovery rate, as well as mildly increased in vitro mitochondrial function. Gene expression of β-oxidation, Krebs cycle and OXPHOS-related genes was increased. Our data demonstrate that mitochondrial dysfunction is rather a consequence than a causative factor in T2DM development as it was only detected in overt diabetes and not in early diabetes. Regular exercise training stabilized exogenous insulin requirement and improved mitochondrial functioning, fatty acid oxidation and general physical work load capacity in long-standing insulin-treated T2DM subjects. As such, the present study shows for the first time that long-term exercise interventions are beneficial in this group of complex diabetes patient and may prevent further metabolic deterioration. Insulin-treated T2DM subjects before and after 52 weeks of exercise training (T2DM_0 and T2DM_52), normoglycemic controls (NGT) and pre-diabetes subjects (IGT) and were selected. RNA was extracted from skeletal muscle biopsies and hybridized on Affymetrix microarrays

Genetic defects in mtDNA-encoded protein translation cause pediatric, mitochondrial cardiomyopathy with early-onset brain disease

This study aims to identify gene defects in pediatric cardiomyopathy and early-onset brain disease with oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) deficiencies. We applied whole-exome sequencing in three patients with pediatric cardiomyopathy and early-onset brain disease with OXPHOS deficiencies. The brain pathology was studied by MRI analysis. In consanguineous patient 1, we identified a homozygous intronic variant (c.850-3A > G) in the QRSL1 gene, which was predicted to cause abnormal splicing. The variant segregated with the disease and affected the protein function, which was confirmed by complementation studies, restoring OXPHOS function only with wild-type QRSL1. Patient 2 was compound heterozygous for two novel affected and disease-causing variants (c.[253G > A];[938G > A]) in the MTO1 gene. In patient 3, we detected one unknown affected and disease-causing variants (c.2872C > T) and one known disease-causing variant (c.1774C > T) in the AARS2 gene. The c.1774C > T variant was present in the paternal copy of the AARS2 gene, the c.2872C > T in the maternal copy. All genes were involved in translation of mtDNA-encoded proteins. Defects in mtDNA-encoded protein translation lead to severe pediatric cardiomyopathy and brain disease with OXPHOS abnormalities. This suggests that the heart and brain are particularly sensitive to defects in mitochondrial protein synthesis during late embryonic or early postnatal development, probably due to the massive mitochondrial biogenesis occurring at that stage. If both the heart and brain are involved, the prognosis is poor with a likely fatal outcome at young age