Mesia Steed

Mechanisms of cardiovascular remodeling in hyperhomocysteinemia.

In hypertension, an increase in arterial wall thickness and loss of elasticity over time result in an increase in pulse wave velocity, a direct measure of arterial stiffness. This change is reflected in gradual fragmentation and loss of elastin fibers and accumulation of stiffer collagen fibers in the media that occurs independently of atherosclerosis. Similar results are seen with an elevated level of homocysteine (Hcy), known as hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy), which increases vascular thickness, elastin fragmentation, and arterial blood pressure. Studies from our laboratory have demonstrated a decrease in elasticity and an increase in pulse wave velocity in HHcy cystathionine β synthase heterozygote knockout (CBS(-/+)) mice. Nitric oxide (NO) is a potential regulator of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity in MMP-NO-TIMP (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase) inhibitory tertiary complex. We have demonstrated the contribution of the NO synthase (NOS) isoforms, endothelial NOS and inducible NOS, in the activation of latent MMP. The differential production of NO contributes to oxidative stress and increased oxidative/nitrative activation of MMP resulting in vascular remodeling in response to HHcy. The contribution of the NOS isoforms, endothelial and inducible in the collagen/elastin switch, has been demonstrated. We have showed that an increase in inducible NOS activity is a key contributor to HHcy-mediated collagen/elastin switch and resulting decline in aortic compliance. In addition, increased levels of Hcy compete and suppress the γ-amino butyric acid-receptor, N-methyl-d-aspartate-receptor, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor. The HHcy causes oxidative stress by generating nitrotyrosine, activating the latent MMPs and decreasing the endothelial NO concentration. The HHcy causes elastinolysis and decrease elastic complicance of the vessel wall. The treatment with γ-amino butyric acid-receptor agonist (muscimol), N-methyl-d-aspartate-receptor antagonist (MK-801), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor agonists (ciprofibrate and ciglitazone) mitigates the cardiovascular dysfunction in HHcy [corrected].

Early induction of matrix metalloproteinase-9 transduces signaling in human heart end stage failure

Extracellular matrix (ECM) turnover is regulated by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and plays an important role in cardiac remodeling. Previous studies from our lab demonstrated an increase in gelatinolytic‐MMP‐2 and ‐9 activities in endocardial tissue from ischemic cardiomyopathic (ICM) and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathic (DCM) hearts. The signaling mechanism responsible for the left ventricular (LV) remodeling, however, is unclear. Administration of cardiac specific inhibitor of metalloproteinase (CIMP) prevented the activation of MMP‐2 and ‐9 in ailing to failing myocardium. Activation of MMP‐2 and ‐9 leads to induction of proteinase activated receptor‐1 (PAR‐1). We hypothesize that the early induction of MMP‐9 is a key regulator for modulating intracellular signaling through activation of PAR and various downstream events which are implicated in development of cardiac fibrosis in an extracellular receptor mediated kinase‐1 (ERK‐1) and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) dependent manner. To test this hypothesis, explanted human heart tissues from ICM and DCM patients were obtained at the time of orthotopic cardiac transplants. Quantitative analysis of MMP‐2 and ‐9 gelatinolytic activities was made by real‐time quantitative zymography. Gel phosphorylation staining for PAR‐1 showed a significant increase in ICM hearts. Western blot and RT‐PCR analysis and in‐situ labeling, showed significant increased expression of PAR‐1, ERK‐1and FAK in ICM and DCM. These observations suggest that the enhanced expression and potentially increased activity of LV myocardial MMP‐9 triggers the signal cascade instigating cardiac remodeling. This early mechanism for the initiation of LV remodeling appears to have a role in end‐stage human heart failure.

Mitochondrial mechanism of oxidative stress and systemic hypertension in hyperhomocysteinemia

Formation of homocysteine (Hcy) is the constitutive process of gene methylation. Hcy is primarily synthesized by de‐methylation of methionine, in which s‐adenosyl‐methionine (SAM) is converted to s‐adenosyl‐homocysteine (SAH) by methyltransferase (MT). SAH is then hydrolyzed to Hcy and adenosine by SAH‐hydrolase (SAHH). The accumulation of Hcy leads to increased cellular oxidative stress in which mitochondrial thioredoxin, and peroxiredoxin are decreased and NADH oxidase activity is increased. In this process, Ca2+‐dependent mitochondrial nitric oxide synthase (mtNOS) and calpain are induced which lead to cytoskeletal de‐arrangement and cellular remodeling. This process generates peroxinitrite and nitrotyrosine in contractile proteins which causes vascular dysfunction. Chronic exposure to Hcy instigates endothelial and vascular dysfunction and increases vascular resistance causing systemic hypertension. To compensate, the heart increases its load which creates adverse cardiac remodeling in which the elastin/collagen ratio is reduced, causing cardiac stiffness and diastolic heart failure in hyperhomocysteinemia. J. Cell. Biochem.

Functional consequences of the collagen/elastin switch in vascular remodeling in hyperhomocysteinemic wild-type, eNOS−/−, and iNOS−/− mice

A decrease in vascular elasticity and an increase in pulse wave velocity in hyperhomocysteinemic (HHcy) cystathionine-beta-synthase heterozygote knockout (CBS(-/+)) mice has been observed. Nitric oxide (NO) is a potential regulator of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity in MMP-NO-tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP) inhibitory tertiary complex. However, the contribution of the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms eNOS and iNOS in the activation of latent MMP is unclear. We hypothesize that the differential production of NO contributes to oxidative stress and increased oxidative/nitrative activation of MMP, resulting in vascular remodeling in response to HHcy. The overall goal is to elucidate the contribution of the NOS isoforms, endothelial and inducible, in the collagen/elastin switch. Experiments were performed on six groups of animals [wild-type (WT), eNOS(-/-), and iNOS(-/-) with and without homocysteine (Hcy) treatment (0.67 g/l) for 8-12 wk]. In vivo echograph was performed to assess aortic timed flow velocity for indirect compliance measurement. Histological determination of collagen and elastin with trichrome and van Gieson stains, respectively, was performed. In situ measurement of superoxide generation using dihydroethidium was used. Differential expression of eNOS, iNOS, nitrotyrosine, MMP-2 and -9, and elastin were measured by quantitative PCR and Western blot analyses. The 2% gelatin zymography was used to assess MMP activity. The increase in O(2)(-) and robust activity of MMP-9 in eNOS(-/-), WT+Hcy, and eNOS(-/-)+Hcy was accompanied by the gross disorganization and thickening of the ECM along with extensive collagen deposition and elastin degradation (collagen/elastin switch) resulting in a decrease in aortic timed flow velocity. Results show that an increase in iNOS activity is a key contributor to HHcy-mediated collagen/elastin switch and resulting decline in aortic compliance.

Renal mitochondrial damage and protein modification in type-2 diabetes

Although mitochondrial reduction-oxidation (redox) stress and increase in membrane permeability play an important role in diabetic-associated renal microvasculopathies, it is unclear whether the intra-renal mitochondrial oxidative stress induces mitochondrial protein modifications, leading to increase mitochondrial membrane permeability. The hypothesis is that mitochondrial oxidative stress induces mitochondrial protein modification and leakage in the mitochondrial membrane in type-2 diabetes. The present study was conducted to determine the involvement of intra-renal mitochondrial oxidative stress in mitochondrial protein modifications and modulation of membrane permeability in the setting of type-2 diabetes. Diabetes was induced by 6-week regimen of a high calorie and fat diet in C57BL/6J mice (Am J Physiol 291:F694–F701, 2006). Subcellular fractionation was carried out in kidney tissue from wild type and diabetic mice. All fractions were highly enriched in their corresponding marker enzyme. Subcellular protein modifications were determined by Western blot and 2-D proteomics. The results suggest that diabetes-induced oxidative stress parallels an increase in NADPH oxidase-4 (NOX-4) and decrease in superoxide dismutase-1, 2 (SOD-1, 2) expression, in mitochondrial compartment. We observed loss of mitochondrial membrane permeability as evidenced by leakage of mitochondrial cytochrome c and prohibitin to the cytosol. However, there was no loss in control tissue. The 2-D Western blots for mitochondrial post-translational modification showed an increase in nitrotyrosine generation in diabetes. We conclude that diabetes-induced intra-renal mitochondrial oxidative stress is reflected by an increase in mitochondrial membrane permeability and protein modifications by nitrotyrosine generation.

Differential expression of γ-aminobutyric acid receptor A (GABAA) and effects of homocysteine

Abstract Background: γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a known inhibitory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system, and homocysteine (Hcy) behaves as an antagonist for GABAA receptor. Although the properties and functions of GABAA receptors are well studied in mouse neural tissue, its presence and significance in non-neural tissue remains obscure. The aim of the present study was to examine the expression of GABAA receptor and its subunits in non-neural tissue. Methods: The mice were analyzed. The presence of GABAA receptor and its subunits was evaluated using Western blot and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results: We report that GABAA receptor protein is abundant in the renal medulla, cortex, heart, left ventricle, aorta and pancreas. Low levels of GABAA receptor protein were detected in the atria of the heart, right ventricle, lung and stomach. The mRNA protein expression of GABAA receptor subunit shows that α1, β1, β3 and γ1 subunits are present only in brain. The mRNA protein expression levels of GABAA receptor α2, α6, β2 and γ3 subunits were highly expressed in brain compared to other tested tissue, while GABAA receptor γ2 subunit was expressed only in brain and kidney. Treatment of microvascular endothelial cells with Hcy decreased GABAA receptor protein level, which was restored to its baseline level in the presence of GABAA receptor agonist, muscimol. The distribution of GABAA and GABAB receptors in wild type mice was determined and tissue-specific expression patterns were found showing that several receptor subtypes were also expressed in the central nervous system. Conclusions: Hcy, a GABAA agonist, was found to decrease GABAA expression levels. These data enlarge knowledge on distribution of GABA receptors and give novel ideas of the effects of Hcy on different organs. Clin Chem Lab Med 2007;45:1777–84.

GABA receptors and nitric oxide ameliorate constrictive collagen remodeling in hyperhomocysteinemia

Elevated plasma levels of homocysteine (Hcy) are associated with vascular dementias and Alzheimers disease. The role of Hcy in brain microvascular endothelial cell (MVEC) remodeling is unclear. Hcy competes with muscimol, an γ‐amino butyric acid (GABA)‐A receptor agonist. GABA is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. Our hypothesis is that Hcy induces constrictive microvascular remodeling by altering GABA‐A/B receptors. MVEC from wild type, matrix metalloproteinase‐9 (MMP‐9) knockout (−/−), heterozygote cystathionine β synthase (CBS−/+), and endothelial nitric oxide synthase knockout (eNOS−/−) mouse brains were isolated. The MVEC were incorporated into collagen (3.2 mg/ml) gels and the decrease in collagen gel diameter at 24 h was used as an index of constrictive MVEC remodeling. Gels in the absence or presence of Hcy were incubated with muscimol or baclofen, a GABA‐B receptor agonist. The results suggested that Hcy‐mediated MVEC collagen gel constriction was ameliorated by muscimol, baclofen, MMP‐9, and eNOS gene ablations. There was no effect of anti‐alpha 3 integrin. However, Hcy‐mediated brain MVEC collagen constriction was abrogated with anti‐beta‐1 integrin. The co‐incubation of Hcy with L‐arginine ameliorated the Hcy‐mediated collagen gel constriction. The results of this study indicated amelioration of Hcy‐induced MVEC collagen gel constriction by induction of nitric oxide through GABA‐A and ‐B receptors.

Cardiac Dys-Synchronization and Arrhythmia in Hyperhomocysteinemia

Although cardiac synchronization is important in maintaining myocardial performance, the mechanism of dys-synchronization in ailing to failing myocardium is unclear. It is known that the cardiac myocyte contracts and relaxes individually; however, it synchronizes only when connected to one another by low resistance communications called gap junction protein (connexins) and extra cellular matrix (ECM). Therefore, the remodeling of connexins and ECM in heart failure plays an important role in cardiac conduction, synchronization and arrhythmias. This review for the first time addresses the role of systemic accumulation of homocysteine (Hcy) in vasospasm, pressure and volume overload heart failure, hypertension and cardiac arrhythmias. The attenuation of calcium-dependent mitochondrial (mt), endothelial and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (mtNOS, eNOS and nNOS) by Hcy plays a significant role in cardiac arrhythmias. The signal transduction mechanisms in Hcy-induced matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activation in cardiac connexin remodeling are discussed.