ABSTRACT: WRN-K577M exhibited cardiomegaly and diastolic left-ventricular (LV) dysfunction, whereas their systolic LV function was preserved, with concomitant cardiac fibrosis and hypertrophy.
Project description:As patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) present with multiple comorbidities, we hypothesized, that metabolic syndrome in aging animals could lead to the development of diastolic dysfunction and HFpEF. HFpEF is a common complex morbid syndrome for which there are currently little evidence-based therapies. Obesity-prone rats were exposed to high-fat diet and compared to obesity-resistant rats fed with standard chow. Phenotyping of metabolic syndrome, associated with echocardiographic and cardiac hemodynamic measurements, was performed after 4 and 12 months. Blood and myocardial tissue sampling were performed for pathobiological evaluation. High-fat diet in obesity-prone rats elicited metabolic syndrome, characterized by increased body and abdominal fat weights, glucose intolerance and hyperlipidemia, as well as increased left ventricular (LV) systolic pressure (after 12 months). This was associated with LV diastolic dysfunction (assessed by increased LV end-diastolic pressure) and pulmonary hypertension (assessed by increased right ventricular systolic pressure). Echocardiography revealed significant concentric LV hypertrophy, while LV ejection fraction was preserved. LV remodeling was associated with cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, as well as myocardial and perivascular fibrosis. Circulating levels of soluble ST2 markedly increased in rats with HFpEF, while plasma NT-proBNP levels decreased. RNA-sequencing analysis identified clusters of genes implicated in fatty acid metabolism and calcium-dependent contraction as upregulated pathways in the myocardium of rats with HFpEF. High-fat diet during 12 months in obesity-prone rats led to the development of a relevant preclinical model of HFpEF with multiple comorbidities, suitable for investigating novel therapeutic interventions.
Project description:Full Title: Transition from Compensated Hypertrophy to Systolic Heart Failure in the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat: Structure, Function, and Transcript Analysis Gene expression changes and left ventricular remodeling associated with the transition to systolic heart failure (HF) were determined in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). By combining transcriptomics of left ventricles from six SHR with HF with changes in function and structure we aimed to better understand the molecular events underlying the onset of systolic HF compared to six age-matched, SHR with compensated hypertrophy. Left ventricle (LV) ejection fraction was depressed (82±4 to 52±3 %) in compensated vs. failing animals. Systolic blood pressure decreased and LV end-diastolic and systolic volume increased with HF. Failing SHR hearts also demonstrated increases in left and right ventricular mass relative to non-failing SHRs.  LV papillary muscle force development and shortening velocity decreased, β-adrenergic responsiveness was depressed, myocardial stiffness and myocardial fibrosis increased with HF relative to non-failing animals. Initial micro-array analysis revealed that 1,431 transcripts were differentially expressed with HF compared to non-failing SHR (p<0.05). Of the identified transcripts, lipopolysaccharide binding protein, the most highly expressed transcript with HF, was negatively correlated to myocardial force while elevated expression of the collagen cross-linking enzyme lysyl oxidase correlated positively with muscle stiffness. Besides these individual transcripts, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) identified multiple enriched pathways with HF, most prominent of the altered signaling pathways involved TGF-β and insulin signaling. GESA analysis additionally identified altered gene sets involving inflammation, oxidative stress, cell degradation and cell death, among others (all p<0.01). In contrast to diastolic HF where few transcripts are reported to be altered, our data indicate multiple genes and pathways involved in a variety of biological processes characterize the onset of systolic HF, consistent with many functional and structural changes present in the failing hypertensive heart. Comprehensive gene expression profiling of heart failure Rat model vs control.
Project description:Full Title: Transition from Compensated Hypertrophy to Systolic Heart Failure in the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat: Structure, Function, and Transcript Analysis Gene expression changes and left ventricular remodeling associated with the transition to systolic heart failure (HF) were determined in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). By combining transcriptomics of left ventricles from six SHR with HF with changes in function and structure we aimed to better understand the molecular events underlying the onset of systolic HF compared to six age-matched, SHR with compensated hypertrophy. Left ventricle (LV) ejection fraction was depressed (82±4 to 52±3 %) in compensated vs. failing animals. Systolic blood pressure decreased and LV end-diastolic and systolic volume increased with HF. Failing SHR hearts also demonstrated increases in left and right ventricular mass relative to non-failing SHRs. LV papillary muscle force development and shortening velocity decreased, β-adrenergic responsiveness was depressed, myocardial stiffness and myocardial fibrosis increased with HF relative to non-failing animals. Initial micro-array analysis revealed that 1,431 transcripts were differentially expressed with HF compared to non-failing SHR (p<0.05). Of the identified transcripts, lipopolysaccharide binding protein, the most highly expressed transcript with HF, was negatively correlated to myocardial force while elevated expression of the collagen cross-linking enzyme lysyl oxidase correlated positively with muscle stiffness. Besides these individual transcripts, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) identified multiple enriched pathways with HF, most prominent of the altered signaling pathways involved TGF-β and insulin signaling. GESA analysis additionally identified altered gene sets involving inflammation, oxidative stress, cell degradation and cell death, among others (all p<0.01). In contrast to diastolic HF where few transcripts are reported to be altered, our data indicate multiple genes and pathways involved in a variety of biological processes characterize the onset of systolic HF, consistent with many functional and structural changes present in the failing hypertensive heart.
Project description:Aims: Cardiomyocyte-specific nitric oxide synthase 3 (NOS3) overexpression reduces left ventricular (LV) remodelling after myocardial infarction in mice, but its effect on sustained LV pressure-overload remains incompletely understood. We investigated LV structural and functional adaptation to elevated afterload in mice with cardiomyocyte-restricted NOS3 overexpression (NOS3TG) and wild type littermates (WT). Methods and Results: Hemodynamic indices, cardiac hypertrophy and interstitial fibrosis were measured 10 weeks after transverse aortic constriction (TAC). After 10 weeks TAC, NOS3TG had better preserved systolic function (maximum rates of pressure development normalized to maximal pressure 77±6 versus 65±2 ms-1, P=0.05), reduced heart weight-body weight ratio (HW/BW, 5.0±0.3 versus 5.8±0.1, P<0.05), and cardiomyocyte width than WT (14.9±0.4 vs 16.7±0.2 ?m, P<0.05). After 10 weeks TAC, a 44k cDNA chip-based microarray analysis was validated using real time PCR and revealed significantly altered expression pattern of genes involved in cellular growth, matrix remodelling, and inflammation between genotypes. Conclusions: Cardiomyocyte-restricted NOS3 overexpression attenuates TAC-induced hypertrophy via autocrine inhibition of cardiomyocyte cell growth, but does not mitigate myocardial fibrosis. The subsequent diastolic dysfunction suggests that inhibition of matrix producing cells during hypertrophic stress is necessary to prevent functional and structural deterioration of the pressure-overloaded heart. Left ventricular mRNA expression profiles were compared between alpha-myosin heavy chain driven nitric oxide synthase 3 (alpha-MHC-NOS3) transgenic and wild type (WT) littermate mice at baseline and 10 weeks after transversal aortic constrcition-induced pressure-overload. Biological repeats: n=4, two males and two females, for each group and condition. Transgenic mice were backcrossed for seven generations (F7) to a C57Bl/6 N background and age and weight matched animals were used for microarray experiments.
Project description:Aims: Cardiomyocyte-specific nitric oxide synthase 3 (NOS3) overexpression reduces left ventricular (LV) remodelling after myocardial infarction in mice, but its effect on sustained LV pressure-overload remains incompletely understood. We investigated LV structural and functional adaptation to elevated afterload in mice with cardiomyocyte-restricted NOS3 overexpression (NOS3TG) and wild type littermates (WT). Methods and Results: Hemodynamic indices, cardiac hypertrophy and interstitial fibrosis were measured 10 weeks after transverse aortic constriction (TAC). After 10 weeks TAC, NOS3TG had better preserved systolic function (maximum rates of pressure development normalized to maximal pressure 77±6 versus 65±2 ms-1, P=0.05), reduced heart weight-body weight ratio (HW/BW, 5.0±0.3 versus 5.8±0.1, P<0.05), and cardiomyocyte width than WT (14.9±0.4 vs 16.7±0.2 ?m, P<0.05). After 10 weeks TAC, a 44k cDNA chip-based microarray analysis was validated using real time PCR and revealed significantly altered expression pattern of genes involved in cellular growth, matrix remodelling, and inflammation between genotypes. Conclusions: Cardiomyocyte-restricted NOS3 overexpression attenuates TAC-induced hypertrophy via autocrine inhibition of cardiomyocyte cell growth, but does not mitigate myocardial fibrosis. The subsequent diastolic dysfunction suggests that inhibition of matrix producing cells during hypertrophic stress is necessary to prevent functional and structural deterioration of the pressure-overloaded heart.
Project description:Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a clinical syndrome with multisystem organ dysfunction in which patients develop symptoms of HF as the result of high left ventricular (LV) diastolic pressure Continuous infusion of angiotensin II and phenylephrine (AngII/PE) demonstrates a strong HFpEF phenotype RNAseq data demonstrate activation of pathways leading to myocardial metabolic changes, activation of ECM deposition, microvascular rarefaction, and pressure and volume related myocardial stress
Project description:Cardiac structural changes associated with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) include cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and myocardial fibrosis. Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF) has been associated with tissue remodeling and is highly expressed in failing hearts. To test if inhibition of CTGF would alter the course of cardiac remodeling and preserve cardiac function in the protein kinase Cε (PKCε) mouse model of DCM. Transgenic mice expressing constitutively active PKCε in cardiomyocytes develop cardiac dysfunction that was evident by 3 months of age, and that progressed to heart failure, cardiac fibrosis, and increased mortality. Beginning at 3 months of age, mice were treated with an antibody to CTGF (FG-3149) or non-immune IgG control antibody for an additional 3 months. CTGF inhibition significantly improved left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic function in PKCε mice, and slowed the progression of LV dilatation. Using gene arrays and quantitative PCR, the expression of many genes associated with tissue remodeling were elevated in PKCε mice, but significantly decreased by CTGF inhibition, however total collagen deposition was not attenuated. The observation of significantly improved LV function by CTGF inhibition in PKCε mice suggests that CTGF inhibition may benefit patients with DCM.
Project description:Cardiac structural changes associated with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) include cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and myocardial fibrosis. Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF) has been associated with tissue remodeling and is highly expressed in failing hearts. To test if inhibition of CTGF would alter the course of cardiac remodeling and preserve cardiac function in the protein kinase Cε (PKCε) mouse model of DCM. Transgenic mice expressing constitutively active PKCε in cardiomyocytes develop cardiac dysfunction that was evident by 3 months of age, and that progressed to heart failure, cardiac fibrosis, and increased mortality. Beginning at 3 months of age, mice were treated with an antibody to CTGF (FG-3149) or non-immune IgG control antibody for an additional 3 months. CTGF inhibition significantly improved left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic function in PKCε mice, and slowed the progression of LV dilatation. Using gene arrays and quantitative PCR, the expression of many genes associated with tissue remodeling were elevated in PKCε mice, but significantly decreased by CTGF inhibition, however total collagen deposition was not attenuated. The observation of significantly improved LV function by CTGF inhibition in PKCε mice suggests that CTGF inhibition may benefit patients with DCM. Total RNA was isolated from the left ventricle of 6-month-old PKCε transgenic mice or nontransgenic FVB/N controls 3 months after initiation of treatment with IgG (n=10 biological replicates each) or anti-CTGF antibody FG-3149 (n=12 each) and hybridized to Affymetrix 430A 2.0 microarrays. CEL files were processed by GCRMA and rescaled using median per-gene normalization in GeneSpring GX 7.3.1.
Project description:<p>The Hypertension Genetic Epidemiology Network Study (HyperGEN) - Genetics of Left Ventricular (LV) Hypertrophy is a familial study aimed to understand genetic risk factors for LV hypertrophy by conducting genetic studies of continuous traits from echocardiography exams. The originating HyperGEN study aimed to understand genetic risk factors for hypertension. Data from detailed clinical exams as well as genotyping data for linkage studies, candidate gene studies and GWAS have been collected and is shared between HyperGEN and the ancillary HyperGEN - Genetics of LV Hypertrophy study.</p>
Project description:We assigned carboxypeptidase X 2 (Cpxm2) to a genetic locus for left ventricular mass. The functional role of Cpxm2 was investigated in Cpxm2-deficient (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice exposed to deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertension and control conditions (SHAM). Both WT and KO animals developed severe and similar systolic hypertension in response to DOCA. WT mice developed severe LV damage. These changes were significantly ameliorated or even normalized (i.e. ejection fraction) in KO-DOCA animals. LV transcriptome analysis in WT, but not in KO mice, showed a molecular cardiac hypertrophy/remodeling signature with significant upregulation of 1234 transcripts including Cpxm2 in response to DOCA.