Shabana Din

Enhancement of Myocardial Regeneration Through Genetic Engineering of Cardiac Progenitor Cells Expressing Pim-1 Kinase

Background— Despite numerous studies demonstrating the efficacy of cellular adoptive transfer for therapeutic myocardial regeneration, problems remain for donated cells with regard to survival, persistence, engraftment, and long-term benefits. This study redresses these concerns by enhancing the regenerative potential of adoptively transferred cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) via genetic engineering to overexpress Pim-1, a cardioprotective kinase that enhances cell survival and proliferation. Methods and Results— Intramyocardial injections of CPCs overexpressing Pim-1 were given to infarcted female mice. Animals were monitored over 4, 12, and 32 weeks to assess cardiac function and engraftment of Pim-1 CPCs with echocardiography, in vivo hemodynamics, and confocal imagery. CPCs overexpressing Pim-1 showed increased proliferation and expression of markers consistent with cardiogenic lineage commitment after dexamethasone exposure in vitro. Animals that received CPCs overexpressing Pim-1 also produced greater levels of cellular engraftment, persistence, and functional improvement relative to control CPCs up to 32 weeks after delivery. Salutary effects include reduction of infarct size, greater number of c-kit+ cells, and increased vasculature in the damaged region. Conclusions— Myocardial repair is significantly enhanced by genetic engineering of CPCs with Pim-1 kinase. Ex vivo gene delivery to enhance cellular survival, proliferation, and regeneration may overcome current limitations of stem cell–based therapeutic approaches.

MYOCARDIAL AKT: THE OMNIPRESENT NEXUS

One of the greatest examples of integrated signal transduction is revealed by examination of effects mediated by AKT kinase in myocardial biology. Positioned at the intersection of multiple afferent and efferent signals, AKT exemplifies a molecular sensing node that coordinates dynamic responses of the cell in literally every aspect of biological responses. The balanced and nuanced nature of homeostatic signaling is particularly essential within the myocardial context, where regulation of survival, energy production, contractility, and response to pathological stress all flow through the nexus of AKT activation or repression. Equally important, the loss of regulated AKT activity is primarily the cause or consequence of pathological conditions leading to remodeling of the heart and eventual decompensation. This review presents an overview compendium of the complex world of myocardial AKT biology gleaned from more than a decade of research. Summarization of the widespread influence that AKT exerts upon myocardial responses leaves no doubt that the participation of AKT in molecular signaling will need to be reckoned with as a seemingly omnipresent regulator of myocardial molecular biological responses.

Pim-1 Kinase Protects Mitochondrial Integrity in Cardiomyocytes

Rationale: Cardioprotective signaling mediates antiapoptotic actions through multiple mechanisms including maintenance of mitochondrial integrity. Pim-1 kinase is an essential downstream effector of AKT-mediated cardioprotection but the mechanistic basis for maintenance of mitochondrial integrity by Pim-1 remains unexplored. This study details antiapoptotic actions responsible for enhanced cell survival in cardiomyocytes with elevated Pim-1 activity. Objective: The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that the cardioprotective kinase Pim-1 acts to inhibit cell death by preserving mitochondrial integrity in cardiomyocytes. Methods and Results: A combination of biochemical, molecular, and microscopic analyses demonstrate beneficial effects of Pim-1 on mitochondrial integrity. Pim-1 protein level increases in the mitochondrial fraction with a corresponding decrease in the cytosolic fraction of myocardial lysates from hearts subjected to 30 minutes of ischemia followed by 30 minutes of reperfusion. Cardiac-specific overexpression of Pim-1 results in higher levels of antiapoptotic Bcl-XL and Bcl-2 compared to samples from normal hearts. In response to oxidative stress challenge, Pim-1 preserves the inner mitochondrial membrane potential. Ultrastructure of the mitochondria is maintained by Pim-1 activity, which prevents swelling induced by calcium overload. Finally, mitochondria isolated from hearts created with cardiac-specific overexpression of Pim-1 show inhibition of cytochrome c release triggered by a truncated form of proapoptotic Bid. Conclusion: Cardioprotective action of Pim-1 kinase includes preservation of mitochondrial integrity during cardiomyopathic challenge conditions, thereby raising the potential for Pim-1 kinase activation as a therapeutic interventional approach to inhibit cell death by antagonizing proapoptotic Bcl-2 family members that regulate the intrinsic apoptotic pathway.

Mitochondrial translocation of Nur77 mediates cardiomyocyte apoptosis

AIMS The cascade of events leading to compromised mitochondrial integrity in response to stress is mediated by various combinatorial interactions of pro- and anti-apoptotic molecules. Nur77, an immediate early gene that encodes a nuclear orphan receptor, translocates from the nucleus to mitochondria to induce cytochrome c release and apoptosis in cancer cells in response to various pro-apoptotic treatments. However, the role of Nur77 in the cardiac setting is still unclear. The objective of this study is to determine the physiological relevance and pathophysiological importance of Nur77 in cardiomyocytes. METHODS AND RESULTS Myocardial Nur77 is upregulated following cardiomyopathic injury and, while expressed in the postnatal myocardium, declines in level within weeks after birth. Nur77 is localized predominantly in cardiomyocyte nuclei under normal conditions where it is not apoptotic, but translocates to mitochondria in response to oxidative stress both in vitro and in vivo. Mitochondrial localization of Nur77 induces cytochrome c release and typical morphological features of apoptosis, including chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation. Knockdown of Nur77 rescued hydrogen peroxide-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis. CONCLUSION Translocation of Nur77 from the nucleus to the mitochondria in cardiomyocytes results in the loss of mitochondrial integrity and subsequent apoptosis in response to ischaemia/reperfusion injury. Our findings identify Nur77 as a novel mediator of cardiomyocyte apoptosis and warrants further investigation of mitochondrial Nur77 translocation as a mechanism to control cell death in the treatment of ischaemic heart diseases.

Fibronectin Is Essential for Reparative Cardiac Progenitor Cell Response After Myocardial Infarction

Rationale: Adoptive transfer of cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) has entered clinical application, despite limited mechanistic understanding of the endogenous response after myocardial infarction (MI). Extracellular matrix undergoes dramatic changes after MI and therefore might be linked to CPC-mediated repair. Objective: To demonstrate the significance of fibronectin (Fn), a component of the extracellular matrix, for induction of the endogenous CPC response to MI. Methods and Results: This report shows that presence of CPCs correlates with the expression of Fn during cardiac development and after MI. In vivo, genetic conditional ablation of Fn blunts CPC response measured 7 days after MI through reduced proliferation and diminished survival. Attenuated vasculogenesis and cardiogenesis during recovery were evident at the end of a 12-week follow-up period. Impaired CPC-dependent reparative remodeling ultimately leads to continuous decline of cardiac function in Fn knockout animals. In vitro, Fn protects and induces proliferation of CPCs via &bgr;1-integrin-focal adhesion kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3-Pim1 independent of Akt. Conclusions: Fn is essential for endogenous CPC expansion and repair required for stabilization of cardiac function after MI.

Pim-1 preserves mitochondrial morphology by inhibiting dynamin-related protein 1 translocation.

Mitochondrial morphological dynamics affect the outcome of ischemic heart damage and pathogenesis. Recently, mitochondrial fission protein dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) has been identified as a mediator of mitochondrial morphological changes and cell death during cardiac ischemic injury. In this study, we report a unique relationship between Pim-1 activity and Drp1 regulation of mitochondrial morphology in cardiomyocytes challenged by ischemic stress. Transgenic hearts overexpressing cardiac Pim-1 display reduction of total Drp1 protein levels, increased phosphorylation of Drp1-S637, and inhibition of Drp1 localization to the mitochondria. Consistent with these findings, adenoviral-induced Pim-1 neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs) retain a reticular mitochondrial phenotype after simulated ischemia (sI) and decreased Drp1 mitochondrial sequestration. Interestingly, adenovirus Pim-dominant negative NRCMs show increased expression of Bcl-2 homology 3 (BH3)-only protein p53 up-regulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA), which has been previously shown to induce Drp1 accumulation at mitochondria and increase sensitivity to apoptotic stimuli. Overexpression of the p53 up-regulated modulator of apoptosis–dominant negative adenovirus attenuates localization of Drp1 to mitochondria in adenovirus Pim-dominant negative NRCMs promotes reticular mitochondrial morphology and inhibits cell death during sI. Therefore, Pim-1 activity prevents Drp1 compartmentalization to the mitochondria and preserves reticular mitochondrial morphology in response to sI.

Pim-1 kinase antagonizes aspects of myocardial hypertrophy and compensation to pathological pressure overload

Pim-1 kinase exerts potent cardioprotective effects in the myocardium downstream of AKT, but the participation of Pim-1 in cardiac hypertrophy requires investigation. Cardiac-specific expression of Pim-1 (Pim-WT) or the dominant-negative mutant of Pim-1 (Pim-DN) in transgenic mice together with adenoviral-mediated overexpression of these Pim-1 constructs was used to delineate the role of Pim-1 in hypertrophy. Transgenic overexpression of Pim-1 protects mice from pressure-overload-induced hypertrophy relative to wild-type controls as evidenced by improved hemodynamic function, decreased apoptosis, increases in antihypertrophic proteins, smaller myocyte size, and inhibition of hypertrophic signaling after challenge. Similarly, Pim-1 overexpression in neonatal rat cardiomyocyte cultures inhibits hypertrophy induced by endothelin-1. On the cellular level, hearts of Pim-WT mice show enhanced incorporation of BrdU into myocytes and a hypercellular phenotype compared to wild-type controls after hypertrophic challenge. In comparison, transgenic overexpression of Pim-DN leads to dilated cardiomyopathy characterized by increased apoptosis, fibrosis, and severely depressed cardiac function. Furthermore, overexpression of Pim-DN leads to reduced contractility as evidenced by reduced Ca2+ transient amplitude and decreased percentage of cell shortening in isolated myocytes. These data support a pivotal role for Pim-1 in modulation of hypertrophy by impacting responses on molecular, cellular, and organ levels.

Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 2 Protects the Heart From Ischemic Damage

Background— The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) comprises 2 structurally distinct multiprotein complexes, mTOR complexes 1 and 2 (mTORC1 and mTORC2). Deregulation of mTOR signaling occurs during and contributes to the severity of myocardial damage from ischemic heart disease. However, the relative roles of mTORC1 versus mTORC2 in the pathogenesis of ischemic damage are unknown. Methods and Results— Combined pharmacological and molecular approaches were used to alter the balance of mTORC1 and mTORC2 signaling in cultured cardiac myocytes and in mouse hearts subjected to conditions that mimic ischemic heart disease. The importance of mTOR signaling in cardiac protection was demonstrated by pharmacological inhibition of both mTORC1 and mTORC2 with Torin1, which led to increased cardiomyocyte apoptosis and tissue damage after myocardial infarction. Predominant mTORC1 signaling mediated by suppression of mTORC2 with Rictor similarly increased cardiomyocyte apoptosis and tissue damage after myocardial infarction. In comparison, preferentially shifting toward mTORC2 signaling by inhibition of mTORC1 with PRAS40 led to decreased cardiomyocyte apoptosis and tissue damage after myocardial infarction. Conclusions— These results suggest that selectively increasing mTORC2 while concurrently inhibiting mTORC1 signaling is a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of ischemic heart disease.Background —The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is comprised of two structurally distinct multiprotein complexes, mTOR complexes 1 and 2 (mTORC1 and 2). Deregulation of mTOR signaling occurs during and contributes to the severity of myocardial damage from ischemic heart disease. However, the relative roles of mTORC1 versus mTORC2 in the pathogenesis of ischemic damage are unknown. Methods and Results —Combined pharmacological and molecular approaches were used to alter the balance of mTORC1 and mTORC2 signaling in cultured cardiac myocytes and in mouse hearts subjected to conditions that mimic ischemic heart disease. The importance of mTOR signaling in cardiac protection was demonstrated by pharmacological inhibition of both mTORC1 and mTORC2 with Torin1, which led to increased cardiomyocyte apoptosis and tissue damage after myocardial infarction (MI). Predominant mTORC1 signaling mediated by suppression of mTORC2 with Rictor similarly increased cardiomyocyte apoptosis and tissue damage after MI. In comparison, preferentially shifting toward mTORC2 signaling by inhibition of mTORC1 with PRAS40 led to decreased cardiomyocyte apoptosis and tissue damage after MI. Conclusions —These results suggest that selectively increasing mTORC2 while concurrently inhibting of mTORC1 signaling is a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of ischemic heart disease.

mTORC2 Protects the Heart from Ischemic Damage

Background— The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) comprises 2 structurally distinct multiprotein complexes, mTOR complexes 1 and 2 (mTORC1 and mTORC2). Deregulation of mTOR signaling occurs during and contributes to the severity of myocardial damage from ischemic heart disease. However, the relative roles of mTORC1 versus mTORC2 in the pathogenesis of ischemic damage are unknown. Methods and Results— Combined pharmacological and molecular approaches were used to alter the balance of mTORC1 and mTORC2 signaling in cultured cardiac myocytes and in mouse hearts subjected to conditions that mimic ischemic heart disease. The importance of mTOR signaling in cardiac protection was demonstrated by pharmacological inhibition of both mTORC1 and mTORC2 with Torin1, which led to increased cardiomyocyte apoptosis and tissue damage after myocardial infarction. Predominant mTORC1 signaling mediated by suppression of mTORC2 with Rictor similarly increased cardiomyocyte apoptosis and tissue damage after myocardial infarction. In comparison, preferentially shifting toward mTORC2 signaling by inhibition of mTORC1 with PRAS40 led to decreased cardiomyocyte apoptosis and tissue damage after myocardial infarction. Conclusions— These results suggest that selectively increasing mTORC2 while concurrently inhibiting mTORC1 signaling is a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of ischemic heart disease.Background —The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is comprised of two structurally distinct multiprotein complexes, mTOR complexes 1 and 2 (mTORC1 and 2). Deregulation of mTOR signaling occurs during and contributes to the severity of myocardial damage from ischemic heart disease. However, the relative roles of mTORC1 versus mTORC2 in the pathogenesis of ischemic damage are unknown. Methods and Results —Combined pharmacological and molecular approaches were used to alter the balance of mTORC1 and mTORC2 signaling in cultured cardiac myocytes and in mouse hearts subjected to conditions that mimic ischemic heart disease. The importance of mTOR signaling in cardiac protection was demonstrated by pharmacological inhibition of both mTORC1 and mTORC2 with Torin1, which led to increased cardiomyocyte apoptosis and tissue damage after myocardial infarction (MI). Predominant mTORC1 signaling mediated by suppression of mTORC2 with Rictor similarly increased cardiomyocyte apoptosis and tissue damage after MI. In comparison, preferentially shifting toward mTORC2 signaling by inhibition of mTORC1 with PRAS40 led to decreased cardiomyocyte apoptosis and tissue damage after MI. Conclusions —These results suggest that selectively increasing mTORC2 while concurrently inhibting of mTORC1 signaling is a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of ischemic heart disease.

Pathological hypertrophy amelioration by PRAS40-mediated inhibition of mTORC1

Mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), necessary for cellular growth, is regulated by intracellular signaling mediating inhibition of mTORC1 activation. Among mTORC1 regulatory binding partners, the role of Proline Rich AKT Substrate of 40 kDa (PRAS40) in controlling mTORC1 activity and cellular growth in response to pathological and physiological stress in the heart has never been addressed. This report shows PRAS40 is regulated by AKT in cardiomyocytes and that AKT-driven phosphorylation relieves the inhibitory function of PRAS40. PRAS40 overexpression in vitro blocks mTORC1 in cardiomyocytes and decreases pathological growth. Cardiomyocyte-specific overexpression in vivo blunts pathological remodeling after pressure overload and preserves cardiac function. Inhibition of mTORC1 by PRAS40 preferentially promotes protective mTORC2 signaling in chronic diseased myocardium. In contrast, strong PRAS40 phosphorylation by AKT allows for physiological hypertrophy both in vitro and in vivo, whereas cardiomyocyte-specific overexpression of a PRAS40 mutant lacking capacity for AKT-phosphorylation inhibits physiological growth in vivo, demonstrating that AKT-mediated PRAS40 phosphorylation is necessary for induction of physiological hypertrophy. Therefore, PRAS40 phosphorylation acts as a molecular switch allowing mTORC1 activation during physiological growth, opening up unique possibilities for therapeutic regulation of the mTORC1 complex to mitigate pathologic myocardial hypertrophy by PRAS40.