Weinian Shou

Cardiac defects and altered ryanodine receptor function in mice lacking FKBP12

FKBP12, a cis–trans prolyl isomerase that binds the immunosuppressants FK506 and rapamycin, is ubiquitouslyexpressed and interacts with proteins in several intracellular signal transduction systems.Although FKBP12 interacts with the cytoplasmic domains of type I receptors of the transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β) superfamily in vitro, the function of FKBP12 in TGF-β superfamily signalling iscontroversial. FKBP12 also physicallyinteracts stoichiometrically with multiple intracellular calcium release channels including the tetrameric skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor(RyR1),. In contrast, the cardiacryanodine receptor, RyR2, appears to bind selectively theFKBP12 homologue, FKBP12.6 (9, 10). To define the functions of FKBP12 in vivo, we generated mutantmice deficient in FKBP12 using embryonic stem (ES) cell technology. FKBP12-deficient mice have normal skeletal muscle buthave severe dilated cardiomyopathy and ventricular septal defects that mimic a human congenital heart disorder, noncompaction of leftventricular myocardium,. About 9% of themutants exhibit exencephaly secondary to a defect in neural tube closure. Physiological studies demonstrate that FKBP12 is dispensable forTGF-β-mediated signalling, but modulates the calcium release activity of both skeletal and cardiac ryanodinereceptors.

Nkx2-5 Pathways and Congenital Heart Disease: Loss of Ventricular Myocyte Lineage Specification Leads to Progressive Cardiomyopathy and Complete Heart Block

Human mutations in Nkx2-5 lead to progressive cardiomyopathy and conduction defects via unknown mechanisms. To define these pathways, we generated mice with a ventricular-restricted knockout of Nkx2-5, which display no structural defects but have progressive complete heart block, and massive trabecular muscle overgrowth found in some patients with Nkx2-5 mutations. At birth, mutant mice display a hypoplastic atrioventricular (AV) node and then develop selective dropout of these conduction cells. Transcriptional profiling uncovered the aberrant expression of a unique panel of atrial and conduction system-restricted target genes, as well as the ectopic, high level BMP-10 expression in the adult ventricular myocardium. Further, BMP-10 is shown to be necessary and sufficient for a major component of the ventricular muscle defects. Accordingly, loss of ventricular muscle cell lineage specification into trabecular and conduction system myocytes is a new mechanistic pathway for progressive cardiomyopathy and conduction defects in congenital heart disease.

BMP10 is essential for maintaining cardiac growth during murine cardiogenesis.

During cardiogenesis, perturbation of a key transition at mid-gestation from cardiac patterning to cardiac growth and chamber maturation often leads to diverse types of congenital heart disease, such as ventricular septal defect (VSD), myocardium noncompaction, and ventricular hypertrabeculation. This transition, which occurs at embryonic day (E) 9.0-9.5 in murine embryos and E24-28 in human embryos, is crucial for the developing heart to maintain normal cardiac growth and function in response to an increasing hemodynamic load. Although, ventricular trabeculation and compaction are key morphogenetic events associated with this transition, the molecular and cellular mechanisms are currently unclear. Initially, cardiac restricted cytokine bone morphogenetic protein 10 (BMP10) was identified as being upregulated in hypertrabeculated hearts from mutant embryos deficient in FK506 binding protein 12 (FKBP12). To determine the biological function of BMP10 during cardiac development, we generated BMP10-deficient mice. Here we describe an essential role of BMP10 in regulating cardiac growth and chamber maturation. BMP10 null mice display ectopic and elevated expression of p57kip2 and a dramatic reduction in proliferative activity in cardiomyocytes at E9.0-E9.5. BMP10 is also required for maintaining normal expression levels of several key cardiogenic factors (e.g. NKX2.5 and MEF2C) in the developing myocardium at mid-gestation. Furthermore, BMP10-conditioned medium is able to rescue BMP10-deficient hearts in culture. Our data suggest an important pathway that involves a genetic interaction between BMP10, cell cycle regulatory proteins and several major cardiac transcription factors in orchestrating this transition in cardiogenesis at mid-gestation. This may provide an underlying mechanism for understanding the pathogenesis of both structural and functional congenital heart defects.

Endocardial Brg1 Represses ADAMTS1 to Maintain the Microenvironment for Myocardial Morphogenesis

Developing myocardial cells respond to signals from the endocardial layer to form a network of trabeculae that characterize the ventricles of the vertebrate heart. Abnormal myocardial trabeculation results in specific cardiomyopathies in humans and yet trabecular development is poorly understood. We show that trabeculation requires Brg1, a chromatin remodeling protein, to repress ADAMTS1 expression in the endocardium that overlies the developing trabeculae. Repression of ADAMTS1, a secreted matrix metalloproteinase, allows the establishment of an extracellular environment in the cardiac jelly that supports trabecular growth. Later during embryogenesis, ADAMTS1 expression initiates in the endocardium to degrade the cardiac jelly and prevent excessive trabeculation. Thus, the composition of cardiac jelly essential for myocardial morphogenesis is dynamically controlled by ADAMTS1 and its chromatin-based transcriptional regulation. Modification of the intervening microenvironment provides a mechanism by which chromatin regulation within one tissue layer coordinates the morphogenesis of an adjacent layer.

Acute Doxorubicin Cardiotoxicity Is Associated With p53-Induced Inhibition of the Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Pathway

Background— Doxorubicin is used to treat childhood and adult cancer. Doxorubicin treatment is associated with both acute and chronic cardiotoxicity. The cardiotoxic effects of doxorubicin are cumulative, which limits its chemotherapeutic dose. Free radical generation and p53-dependent apoptosis are thought to contribute to doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Methods and Results— Adult transgenic (MHC-CB7) mice expressing cardiomyocyte-restricted dominant-interfering p53 and their nontransgenic littermates were treated with doxorubicin (20 mg/kg cumulative dose). Nontransgenic mice exhibited reduced left ventricular systolic function (predoxorubicin fractional shortening [FS] 61±2%, postdoxorubicin FS 45±2%, mean±SEM, P<0.008), reduced cardiac mass, and high levels of cardiomyocyte apoptosis 7 days after the initiation of doxorubicin treatment. In contrast, doxorubicin-treated MHC-CB7 mice exhibited normal left ventricular systolic function (predoxorubicin FS 63±2%, postdoxorubicin FS 60±2%, P>0.008), normal cardiac mass, and low levels of cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Western blot analyses indicated that mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) signaling was inhibited in doxorubicin-treated nontransgenic mice but not in doxorubicin-treated MHC-CB7 mice. Accordingly, transgenic mice with cardiomyocyte-restricted, constitutively active mTOR expression (MHC-mTORca) were studied. Left ventricular systolic function (predoxorubicin FS 64±2%, postdoxorubicin FS 60±3%, P>0.008) and cardiac mass were normal in doxorubicin-treated MHC-mTORca mice, despite levels of cardiomyocyte apoptosis similar to those seen in doxorubicin-treated nontransgenic mice. Conclusions— These data suggest that doxorubicin treatment induces acute cardiac dysfunction and reduces cardiac mass via p53-dependent inhibition of mTOR signaling and that loss of myocardial mass, and not cardiomyocyte apoptosis, is the major contributor to acute doxorubicin cardiotoxicity.

Essential Role for Co-Chaperone FKBP52 but not FKBP51 in Androgen Receptor-Mediated Signaling and Physiology

Fkbp52 and Fkbp51 are tetratricopeptide repeat proteins found in steroid receptor complexes, and Fkbp51 is an androgen receptor (AR) target gene. Although in vitro studies suggest that Fkbp52 and Fkbp51 regulate hormone binding and/or subcellular trafficking of receptors, the roles of Fkbp52 and Fkbp51 in vivo have not been extensively investigated. Here, we evaluate their physiological roles in Fkbp52-deficient and Fkbp51-deficient mice. Fkbp52-deficient males developed defects in select reproductive organs (e.g. penile hypospadias and prostate dysgenesis but normal testis), pointing to a role for Fkbp52 in AR-mediated signaling and function. Surprisingly, ablation of Fkbp52 did not affect AR hormone binding or nuclear translocation in vivo and in vitro. Molecular studies in mouse embryonic fibroblast cells uncovered that Fkbp52 is critical to AR transcriptional activity. Interestingly, Fkbp51 expression was down-regulated in Fkbp52-deficient males but only in affected tissues, providing further evidence of tissue-specific loss of AR activity and suggesting that Fkbp51 is an AR target gene essential to penile and prostate development. However, Fkbp51-deficient mice were normal, showing no defects in AR-mediated reproductive function. Our work demonstrates that Fkbp52 but not Fkbp51 is essential to AR-mediated signaling and provides evidence for an unprecedented Fkbp52 function, direct control of steroid receptor transcriptional activity.

Smad7 Is Required for the Development and Function of the Heart

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) family members, including TGF-βs, activins, and bone morphogenetic proteins, exert diverse biological activities in cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, embryonic development, and many other processes. These effects are largely mediated by Smad proteins. Smad7 is a negative regulator for the signaling of TGF-β family members. Dysregulation of Smad7 is associated with pathogenesis of a variety of human diseases. However, the in vivo physiological roles of Smad7 have not been elucidated due to the lack of a mouse model with significant loss of Smad7 function. Here we report generation and initial characterization of Smad7 mutant mice with targeted deletion of the indispensable MH2 domain. The majority of Smad7 mutant mice died in utero due to multiple defects in cardiovascular development, including ventricular septal defect and non-compaction, as well as outflow tract malformation. The surviving adult Smad7 mutant mice had impaired cardiac functions and severe arrhythmia. Further analyses suggest that Smad2/3 phosphorylation was elevated in atrioventricular cushion in the heart of Smad7 mutant mice, accompanied by increased apoptosis in this region. Taken together, these observations pinpoint an important role of Smad7 in the development and function of the mouse heart in vivo.

Dishevelled-associated activator of morphogenesis 1 (Daam1) is required for heart morphogenesis

Dishevelled-associated activator of morphogenesis 1 (Daam1), a member of the formin protein family, plays an important role in regulating the actin cytoskeleton via mediation of linear actin assembly. Previous functional studies of Daam1 in lower species suggest its essential role in Drosophila trachea formation and Xenopus gastrulation. However, its in vivo physiological function in mammalian systems is largely unknown. We have generated Daam1-deficient mice via gene-trap technology and found that Daam1 is highly expressed in developing murine organs, including the heart. Daam1-deficient mice exhibit embryonic and neonatal lethality and suffer multiple cardiac defects, including ventricular noncompaction, double outlet right ventricles and ventricular septal defects. In vivo genetic rescue experiments further confirm that the lethality of Daam1-deficient mice results from the inherent cardiac abnormalities. In-depth analyses have revealed that Daam1 is important for regulating filamentous actin assembly and organization, and consequently for cytoskeletal function in cardiomyocytes, which contributes to proper heart morphogenesis. Daam1 is also found to be important for proper cytoskeletal architecture and functionalities in embryonic fibroblasts. Biochemical analyses indicate that Daam1 does not regulate cytoskeletal organization through RhoA, Rac1 or Cdc42. Our study highlights a crucial role for Daam1 in regulating the actin cytoskeleton and tissue morphogenesis.

FKBP51 and Cyp40 are Positive Regulators of Androgen-dependent Prostate Cancer Cell Growth and the Targets of FK506 and Cyclosporin A

Prostate cancer (PCa) growth is dependent on androgens and on the androgen receptor (AR), which acts by modulating gene transcription. Tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) proteins (FKBP52, FKBP51 and Cyp40) interact with AR in PCa cells, suggesting roles in AR-mediated gene transcription and cell growth. We report here that FKBP51 and Cyp40, but not FKBP52, are significantly elevated in PCa tissues and in androgen-dependent (AD) and androgen-independent (AI) cell lines. Overexpression of FKBP51 in AD LNCaP cells increased AR transcriptional activity in the presence and absence of androgen, whereas siRNA knockdown of FKBP51 dramatically decreased AD gene transcription and proliferation. Knockdown of Cyp40 also inhibited androgen-mediated transcription and growth in LNCaP cells. However, disruption of FKBP51 and Cyp40 in AI C4-2 cells caused only a small reduction in proliferation, indicating that Cyp40 and FKBP51 predominantly regulate AD cell proliferation. Under knockdown conditions, the inhibitory effects of TPR ligands, cyclosporine A (CsA) and FK506, on AR activity were not observed, indicating that Cyp40 and FKBP51 are the targets of CsA and FK506, respectively. Our findings show that FKBP51 and Cyp40 are positive regulators of AR that can be selectively targeted by CsA and FK506 to achieve inhibition of androgen-induced cell proliferation. These proteins and their cognate ligands thus provide new strategies in the treatment of PCa.

SDF-1/CXCR4 mediates acute protection of cardiac function through myocardial STAT3 signaling following global ischemia/reperfusion injury

Stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1) has been reported to mediate cardioprotection through the mobilization of stem cells into injured tissue and an increase in local angiogenesis after myocardial infarction. However, little is known regarding whether SDF-1 induces acute protection following global myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and if so, by what molecular mechanism. SDF-1 binding to its cognate receptor CXCR4 has been shown to activate STAT3 in a variety of cells. STAT3 is a cardioprotective factor and may mediate SDF-1/CXCR4-induced acute protection. We hypothesized that SDF-1 would improve myocardial function through CXCR4-increased STAT3 activation following acute I/R. Isolated mouse hearts were subjected to 25-min global ischemia/40-min reperfusion and divided into groups of 1) vehicle; 2) SDF-1; 3) AMD3100, a CXCR4 inhibitor; 4) SDF-1 + AMD3100; 5) Stattic, a STAT3 inhibitor; 6) SDF-1 + Stattic; 7) cardiomyocyte-restricted ablation of STAT3 (STAT3KO); 8) STAT3KO + SDF-1; 9) Ly294002, an inhibitor of the Akt pathway; and 10) SDF-1 + Ly294002. Reagents were infused into hearts within 5 min before ischemia. SDF-1 administration significantly improved postischemic myocardial functional recovery in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, pretreatment with SDF-1 reduced cardiac apoptotic signaling and increased myocardial STAT3 activation following acute I/R. Inhibition of the SDF-1 receptor CXCR4 neutralized these protective effects by SDF-1 in hearts subjected to I/R. Notably, inhibition of the STAT3 pathway or use of STAT3KO hearts abolished SDF-1-induced acute protection following myocardial I/R. Our results represent the first evidence that the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis upregualtes myocardial STAT3 activation and, thereby, mediates acute cardioprotection in response to global I/R.