Mark Moon

Cathepsin-L Ameliorates Cardiac Hypertrophy Through Activation of the Autophagy–Lysosomal Dependent Protein Processing Pathways

Background Autophagy is critical in the maintenance of cellular protein quality control, the final step of which involves the fusion of autophagosomes with lysosomes. Cathepsin‐L (CTSL) is a key member of the lysosomal protease family that is expressed in the murine and human heart, and it may play an important role in protein turnover. We hypothesized that CTSL is important in regulating protein processing in the heart, particularly under pathological stress. Methods and Results Phenylephrine‐induced cardiac hypertrophy in vitro was more pronounced in CTSL‐deficient neonatal cardiomyocytes than in in controls. This was accompanied by a significant accumulation of autophagosomes, increased levels of ubiquitin‐conjugated protein, as well as impaired protein degradation and decreased cell viability. These effects were partially rescued with CTSL1 replacement via adeno‐associated virus–mediated gene transfer. In the in vivo murine model of aortic banding (AB), a deficiency in CTSL markedly exacerbated cardiac hypertrophy, worsened cardiac function, and increased mortality. Ctsl−/− AB mice demonstrated significantly decreased lysosomal activity and increased sarcomere‐associated protein aggregation. Homeostasis of the endoplasmic reticulum was also altered by CTSL deficiency, with increases in Bip and GRP94 proteins, accompanied by increased ubiquitin–proteasome system activity and higher levels of ubiquitinated proteins in response to AB. These changes ultimately led to a decrease in cellular ATP production, enhanced oxidative stress, and increased cellular apoptosis. Conclusions Lysosomal CTSL attenuates cardiac hypertrophy and preserves cardiac function through facilitation of autophagy and proteasomal protein processing.

Cellular FLICE-Inhibitory Protein Protects Against Cardiac Remodeling Induced by Angiotensin II in Mice

The development of cardiac hypertrophy in response to increased hemodynamic load and neurohormonal stress is initially a compensatory response that may eventually lead to ventricular dilatation and heart failure. Cellular FLICE-inhibitory protein (cFLIP) is a homologue of caspase 8 without caspase activity that inhibits apoptosis initiated by death receptor signaling. Previous studies showed that cFLIP expression was markedly decreased in the ventricular myocardium of patients with end-stage heart failure. However, the critical role of cFLIP on cardiac remodeling remains unclear. To specifically determine the role of cFLIP in pathological cardiac remodeling, we used heterozygote cFLIP+/− mice and transgenic mice with cardiac-specific overexpression of the human cFLIPL gene. Our results demonstrated that the cFLIP+/− mice were susceptible to cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis through inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-extracellular signal–regulated kinase 1/2 signaling, whereas the transgenic mice displayed the opposite phenotype in response to angiotensin II stimulation. These studies indicate that cFLIP protein is a crucial component of the signaling pathway involved in cardiac remodeling and heart failure.

HACE1-dependent protein degradation provides cardiac protection in response to haemodynamic stress

The HECT E3 ubiquitin ligase HACE1 is a tumour suppressor known to regulate Rac1 activity under stress conditions. HACE1 is increased in the serum of patients with heart failure. Here we show that HACE1 protects the heart under pressure stress by controlling protein degradation. Hace1 deficiency in mice results in accelerated heart failure and increased mortality under haemodynamic stress. Hearts from Hace1−/− mice display abnormal cardiac hypertrophy, left ventricular dysfunction, accumulation of LC3, p62 and ubiquitinated proteins enriched for cytoskeletal species, indicating impaired autophagy. Our data suggest that HACE1 mediates p62-dependent selective autophagic turnover of ubiquitinated proteins by its ankyrin repeat domain through protein–protein interaction, which is independent of its E3 ligase activity. This would classify HACE1 as a dual-function E3 ligase. Our finding that HACE1 has a protective function in the heart in response to haemodynamic stress suggests that HACE1 may be a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target for heart disease.