MicroRNA-22 increases senescence and activates cardiac fibroblasts in the aging heart

MicroRNAs (miRs) are small non- coding RNA molecules controlling a plethora of biological processes such as development, cellular survival and senescence. We here determined miRs differentially regulated during cardiac postnatal development and aging. Cardiac function, morphology and miR expression profiles were determined in neonatal, 4 weeks, 6 months and 19 months old normotensive male healthy C57/Bl6N mice. MiR-22 was most prominently upregulated during cardiac aging. Cardiac expression of its bioinformatically predicted target mimecan (osteoglycin, OGN) was gradually decreased with advanced age. Luciferase reporter assays validated mimecan as a bona fide miR-22 target. Both, miR-22 and its target mimecan were co- expressed in cardiac fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells. Functionally, miR-22 overexpression induced cellular senescence and promoted migratory activity of cardiac fibroblasts. Small interference RNA-mediated silencing of mimecan in cardiac fibroblasts mimicked the miR-22-mediated effects. Rescue experiments revealed that the effects of miR-22 on cardiac fibroblasts were only partially mediated by mimecan. In conclusion, miR-22 upregulation in the aging heart contributed at least partly to accelerated cardiac fibroblast senescence and increased migratory activity. Our results suggest an involvement of miR-22 in age-associated cardiac changes, such as cardiac fibrosis

Differenzielle Rolle der Estrogen Rezeptor Isoformen in dem kardiovaskulären System von jungen and seneszenten Ratten

Cardiovascular disease is the major cause of mortality morbidity in both men and women in industrialized countries. The incidence of cardiovascular diseases in pre-menopausal women is lower compared to age-matched men but the risk of heart diseases increases dramatically after the onset of menopause.Therefore, it has been postulated that female sex hormones play an important role in cardiovascular health in pre-menopausal women. In contrast to clinical data, which failed to show positive estrogen effects on cardiovascular system of post- menopausal women, extensive experimental studies indicated cardioprotective effects of estrogens in laboratory animals. The majority of experimental estrogen substitution studies were performed with young individuals, thus the effects of ageing remain neglected and are poorly understood. The present project is the first attempt to study the cardiac effects of each estrogen receptor isoform (estrogen receptor alpha (ERa) and estrogen receptor beta (ERb)) in adult (“menopausal”) and senescent (“post- menopausal”) hypertensive rats. The female senescent spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) served as a model system for age- associated hypertension in females whereas young individuals were used for control experiments. Young and senescent SHR rats were treated with 17b- estradiol as well as new estrogen receptor isoform selective ligands 16a-LE2 (ERa agonist) and 8b-VE2 (ERb agonist). The results showed different functions of both estrogen receptor isoforms in cardiovascular system: ERa attenuated cardiac hypertrophy but not hypertension whereas ERb could significantly reduce both, blood pressure and cardiac hypertrophy. Surprisingly, both agonists and 17b- estradiol were effective in young animals but not in senescent SHR rats. These findings match with the clinical data and could be related to altered estrogen metabolism in senescent rats, since estrogen plasma levels did not increase to measurable extent in senescent animals receiving estrogen. Estrogen is metabolized by several 17b- hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase isoforms. In the current study, 17b- hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 10 (17b- HSD10) was identified as a novel protein- protein interaction partner of estrogen receptor alpha ligand binding domain (ERaLBD) in human heart. Cellular localization experiments of ERa in the cardiac myocytes showed nuclear and cytosolic localization pattern which overlapped partially with that of cardiac mitochondria. 17b-HSD10 is localized only in mitochondria. Direct interaction of both proteins was confirmed by pull- down experiments where 17b-HSD10 could be co-precipitated with ERa. Interestingly, protein interaction could be detected only under estrogen- free conditions whereas the presence of estrogen in the system blocked this interaction. Enzymatic assay which was developed in our laboratory, helped to define functional relevance of this interaction. The data obtained from enzymatic assays and protein- protein interaction studies strongly suggest that estrogen receptor could play an important role in the control of intracellular (or mitochondrial) estogen metabolism. The second potential ERa interaction partner in the heart- bladder cancer associated protein 10 (BLCAP10) - was initially identified in non- invasive bladder cancer cell lines. BLCAP10 protein expression in the heart as well as its localization pattern in cardiac myocytes is shown in the last part of the theses. Due to perinuclear localization similarity with ERb, we conclude that BLCAP10 could interact with ERb rather than with ERa. Poor BLCAP10 protein overexpression and toxicity in both, bacteria and eukaryotic cells, suggested that BLCAP10 could be involved in cell- cycle and/ or protein expression control. In summary, the results showed that isoform selective activation of estrogen receptors exert divergent effects in the cardiovascular system both by upregulation of aMHC expression or by lowering blood pressure. Hormones were effective in young animals but had only minor effects in senescent rats. The new ERa protein- protein interaction partners identified during the project provide new information about estrogen receptor function in the heart and its possible role in the regulation of estrogen homeostasis.In den Industrieländern sind kardiovaskuläre Erkrankungen die Hauptursache von Mortalität und Morbidität bei Männer und Frauen. Das Auftreten kardiovaskulärer Erkrankungen ist bei pre-menopausalen Frauen niedriger als bei Männern, doch steigt das Risiko nach der Menopause dramatisch an. Aus diesem Grund wurde postuliert, dass weibliche Sexualhormone eine wichtige Rolle bei der Prävention kardiovaskulärer Erkrankungen spielen. Obwohl in klinischen Studien für das Estrogen kein Effekt nachgewiesen wurde, ist dessen kardioprotektiver Effekt experimentell belegt. Dies mag daran liegen, dass in aller Regel für diese Experimente Jungtiere verwendet wurden. Hierdurch wurden die noch unzureichend verstandenen Auswirkungen der Alterung vermieden. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden zum ersten Mal kardioprotektive Effekte der beiden Estrogenrezeptor (ER)-Isoformen ERa und ERb in erwachsenen („menopausalen“) und seneszenten („post-menopausalen) hypertensiven Ratten nachgewiesen. Weibliche seneszente spontan-hypertensive Ratten (SHR) wurden als Modell für den Alters-assoziierten Bluthochdruck bei Frauen verwendet. Junge Ratten dienten als Kontrolle. Junge und seneszente Ratten wurden mit 17β-Estradiol und den neuen ERa- und ERb-Agonisten 16a-LE2 bzw. 8b-VE2 behandelt. Beide Estrogenrezeptor-Isoformen wirkten unterschiedlich auf das kardiovaskuläre System. So minderte 16a-LE2 die kardiale Hypertrophie, nicht aber die Hypertension, während 8b-VE2 sowohl Hypertrophie als auch Hypertension verringerte. Beide Agonisten und 17b-Estradiol waren überraschenderweise nur in jungen, nicht aber in seneszenten Ratten effektiv. Diese Ergebnisse korrelieren mit klinischen Daten und lassen sich vermutlich mit dem geänderten Estrogen-Metabolismus älterer Ratten erklären. So waren ihre Estrogen-Plasmaspiegel nach Estrogen-Injektion nicht erhöht. Estrogen wird durch zahlreiche Isoformen der 17b-Hydroxysteroid-Dehydrogenase metabolisiert. In dieser Arbeit wurde die Isoform Typ 10 (17b- HSD10) als bisher unbekannter Interaktionspartner für die Ligandenbindungs-Domäne des Estrogenrezeptors in menschlichen Herzen identifiziert. Der Estrogenrezeptor ERα wurde im Kern und Zytosol humaner Kardiomyozyten nachgewiesen. Zytosolisches Lokalisationsmuster deckte sich teilweise mit dem von Herzmitochondrien. 17b- HSD10 ist ausschließlich in Mitochondrien vorhanden. Die direkte Interaktion zwischen ERa und 17b- HSD10 wurde mit pull down-Experimenten bestätigt, wo beide Proteine co-präzipitiert wurden. Die Interaktion von ERa und 17b- HSD10 wurde interessanterweise nur unter estrogenfreien Bedingungen nachgewiesen, während Estrogen diese Interaktion blockierte. Mit den in unserem Labor etablierten enzymatischen Untersuchungen wurde die funktionelle Bedeutung dieser Interaktion untersucht. Diese Ergebnisse sowie die Protein-Protein Interaktionsstudien lassen auf eine wichtige Rolle des Estrogen-Rezeptors ERa bei der Kontrolle des zellulären und mitochondrialen Estrogen-Metabolismus schließen. Der zweite Interaktionspartner von ERa ist BLCAP10, das „Bladder Cancer Associated Protein 10", das ursprünglich in Zelllinien nicht-invasiver Blasenkarzinome entdeckt wurde. Die Ergebnisse zur Expression von BLCAP10 im Herzen sowie das Lokalisationsmuster in Kardiomyozyten sind im letzten Teil der Arbeit vorgestellt. Wegen der Ähnlichkeit der perinukleären Lokalisation von BLCAP10 und ERb erscheint eine Interaktion beider Proteine möglich. Die geringe Überexpression von BLCAP10 in Bakterien und eukaryotischen Zellen deutet auf eine Funktion von BLCAP10 im Zellzyklus oder bei der Proteinexpression hin. Die Ergebnisse zeigen somit, dass eine Isoform-selektive Aktivierung von Estrogenrezeptoren divergente Effekte im kardiovaskulären System auslösen. So kommt es zu einer Hochregulierung der aMHC-Expression oder zur Senkung des Bluthochdrucks. Hormone, 17b-Estradiol bzw. die Agonisten 16a-LE2 und 8b-VE2, waren effektiv in jungen Tieren, zeigten aber nur geringe Effekte in alten Tieren. Der in dieser Arbeit identifizierte neue Interaktionspartner von ERa, das 17b-HSD10, liefert neue Informationen zur Funktion des Estrogenrezeptors im Herzen und zur möglichen Rolle bei der Regulierung der Estrogen-Homeostasis

Estrogen receptor alpha interacts with 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 10 in mitochondria.

Estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) is present in the nucleus, the cytosol and in mitochondria. The rat ERalpha ligand binding domain was employed as bait in a bacterial two-hybrid screening of a human heart cDNA library to detect novel protein-protein interaction partners of ERalpha in the heart. 17beta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 10 (17beta-HSD10), which converts potent (17beta-estradiol) to less potent estrogens (estrone), co-localized with 17beta-HSD10 in the mitochondria of rat cardiac myocytes. GST pull-down experiments confirmed the interaction of ERalpha and 17beta-HSD10. These findings suggest that the ERalpha estrogen receptor might be involved in regulating intracellular estrogen levels by modulating 17beta-HSD10 activity

Aromatase inhibition attenuates desflurane-induced preconditioning against acute myocardial infarction in male mouse heart in vivo.

The volatile anesthetic desflurane (DES) effectively reduces cardiac infarct size following experimental ischemia/reperfusion injury in the mouse heart. We hypothesized that endogenous estrogens play a role as mediators of desflurane-induced preconditioning against myocardial infarction. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that desflurane effects local estrogen synthesis by modulating enzyme aromatase expression and activity in the mouse heart. Aromatase metabolizes testosterone to 17β- estradiol (E2) and thereby significantly contributes to local estrogen synthesis. We tested aromatase effects in acute myocardial infarction model in male mice. The animals were randomized and subjected to four groups which were pre-treated with the selective aromatase inhibitor anastrozole (A group) and DES alone (DES group) or in combination (A+DES group) for 15 minutes prior to surgical intervention whereas the control group received 0.9% NaCl (CON group). All animals were subjected to 45 minutes ischemia following 180 minutes reperfusion. Anastrozole blocked DES induced preconditioning and increased infarct size compared to DES alone (37.94 ± 15.5% vs. 17.1 ± 3.62%) without affecting area at risk and systemic hemodynamic parameters following ischemia/reperfusion. Protein localization studies revealed that aromatase was abundant in the murine cardiovascular system with the highest expression levels in endothelial and smooth muscle cells. Desflurane application at pharmacological concentrations efficiently upregulated aromatase expression in vivo and in vitro. We conclude that desflurane efficiently regulates aromatase expression and activity which might lead to increased local estrogen synthesis and thus preserve cellular integrity and reduce cardiac damage in an acute myocardial infarction model

Aromatase Inhibition Attenuates Desflurane-Induced Preconditioning against Acute Myocardial Infarction in Male Mouse Heart In Vivo

The volatile anesthetic desflurane (DES) effectively reduces cardiac infarct size following experimental ischemia/reperfusion injury in the mouse heart. We hypothesized that endogenous estrogens play a role as mediators of desflurane-induced preconditioning against myocardial infarction. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that desflurane effects local estrogen synthesis by modulating enzyme aromatase expression and activity in the mouse heart. Aromatase metabolizes testosterone to 17β- estradiol (E2) and thereby significantly contributes to local estrogen synthesis. We tested aromatase effects in acute myocardial infarction model in male mice. The animals were randomized and subjected to four groups which were pre-treated with the selective aromatase inhibitor anastrozole (A group) and DES alone (DES group) or in combination (A+DES group) for 15 minutes prior to surgical intervention whereas the control group received 0.9% NaCl (CON group). All animals were subjected to 45 minutes ischemia following 180 minutes reperfusion. Anastrozole blocked DES induced preconditioning and increased infarct size compared to DES alone (37.94±15.5% vs. 17.1±3.62%) without affecting area at risk and systemic hemodynamic parameters following ischemia/reperfusion. Protein localization studies revealed that aromatase was abundant in the murine cardiovascular system with the highest expression levels in endothelial and smooth muscle cells. Desflurane application at pharmacological concentrations efficiently upregulated aromatase expression in vivo and in vitro. We conclude that desflurane efficiently regulates aromatase expression and activity which might lead to increased local estrogen synthesis and thus preserve cellular integrity and reduce cardiac damage in an acute myocardial infarction model

Pioglitazone reverses down-regulation of cardiac PPARgamma expression in Zucker diabetic fatty rats.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) plays a critical role in peripheral glucose homeostasis and energy metabolism, and inhibits cardiac hypertrophy in non-diabetic animal models. The functional role of PPARgamma in the diabetic heart, however, is not fully understood. Therefore, we analyzed cardiac gene expression, metabolic control, and cardiac glucose uptake in male Zucker diabetic fatty rats (ZDF fa/fa) and lean ZDF rats (+/+) treated with the high affinity PPARgamma agonist pioglitazone or placebo from 12 to 24 weeks of age. Hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and hypertriglyceridemia as well as lower cardiac PPARgamma, glucose transporter-4 and alpha-myosin heavy chain expression levels were detected in diabetic ZDF rats compared to lean animals. Pioglitazone increased body weight and improved metabolic control, cardiac PPARgamma, glut-4, and alpha-MHC expression levels in diabetic ZDF rats. Cardiac [(18)F]fluorodeoxyglucose uptake was not detectable by micro-PET studies in untreated and pioglitazone treated ZDF fa/fa rats but was observed after administration of insulin to pioglitazone treated ZDF fa/fa rats. PPARgamma agonists favorably affect cardiac gene expression in type-2 diabetic rats via activation and up-regulation of cardiac PPARgamma expression whereas improvement of impaired cardiac glucose uptake in advanced type-2 diabetes requires co-administration of insulin