Dim light at night unmasks sex-specific differences in circadian and autonomic regulation of cardiovascular physiology.

Shift work and artificial light at night disrupt the entrainment of endogenous circadian rhythms in physiology and behavior to the day-night cycle. We hypothesized that exposure to dim light at night (dLAN) disrupts feeding rhythms, leading to sex-specific changes in autonomic signaling and day-night heart rate and blood pressure rhythms. Compared to mice housed in 12-hour light/12-hour dark cycles, mice exposed to dLAN showed reduced amplitudes in day-night feeding, heart rate, and blood pressure rhythms. In female mice, dLAN reduced the amplitude of day-night cardiovascular rhythms by decreasing the relative sympathetic regulation at night, while in male mice, it did so by increasing the relative sympathetic regulation during the daytime. Time-restricted feeding to the dim light cycle reversed these autonomic changes in both sexes. We conclude that dLAN induces sex-specific changes in autonomic regulation of heart rate and blood pressure, and time-restricted feeding may represent a chronotherapeutic strategy to mitigate the cardiovascular impact of light at night.

Feeding behavior modifies the circadian variation in RR and QT intervals by distinct mechanisms in mice.

Rhythmic feeding behavior is critical for regulating phase and amplitude in the ≈24-h variation of heart rate (RR intervals), ventricular repolarization (QT intervals), and core body temperature in mice. We hypothesized changes in cardiac electrophysiology associated with feeding behavior were secondary to changes in core body temperature. Telemetry was used to record electrocardiograms and core body temperature in mice during ad libitum-fed conditions and after inverting normal feeding behavior by restricting food access to the light cycle. Light cycle-restricted feeding modified the phase and amplitude of 24-h rhythms in RR and QT intervals, and core body temperature to realign with the new feeding time. Changes in core body temperature alone could not account for changes in phase and amplitude in the ≈24-h variation of the RR intervals. Heart rate variability analysis and inhibiting ß-adrenergic and muscarinic receptors suggested that changes in the phase and amplitude of 24-h rhythms in RR intervals were secondary to changes in autonomic signaling. In contrast, changes in QT intervals closely mirrored changes in core body temperature. Studies at thermoneutrality confirmed that the daily variation in QT interval, but not RR interval, primarily reflected daily changes in core body temperature (even in ad libitum-fed conditions). Correcting the QT interval for differences in core body temperature helped unmask QT interval prolongation after starting light cycle-restricted feeding and in a mouse model of long QT syndrome. We conclude feeding behavior alters autonomic signaling and core body temperature to regulate phase and amplitude in RR and QT intervals, respectively.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We used time-restricted feeding and thermoneutrality to demonstrate that different mechanisms regulate the 24-h rhythms in heart rate and ventricular repolarization. The daily rhythm in heart rate reflects changes in autonomic input, whereas daily rhythms in ventricular repolarization reflect changes in core body temperature. This novel finding has major implications for understanding 24-h rhythms in mouse cardiac electrophysiology, arrhythmia susceptibility in transgenic mouse models, and interpretability of cardiac electrophysiological data acquired in thermoneutrality.

New role for cardiomyocyte Bmal1 in the regulation of sex-specific heart transcriptomes.

It has been well established that cardiovascular diseases exhibit significant differences between sexes in both preclinical models and humans. In addition, there is growing recognition that disrupted circadian rhythms can contribute to the onset and progression of cardiovascular diseases. However little is known about sex differences between the cardiac circadian clock and circadian transcriptomes in mice. Here, we show that the the core clock genes are expressed in common in both sexes but the circadian transcriptome of the mouse heart is very sex-specific. Hearts from female mice expressed significantly more rhythmically expressed genes (REGs) than male hearts and the temporal pattern of REGs was distinctly different between sexes. We next used a cardiomyocyte-specific knock out of the core clock gene, Bmal1, to investigate its role in sex-specific gene expression in the heart. All sex differences in the circadian transcriptomes were significantly diminished with cardiomyocyte-specific loss of Bmal1. Surprisingly, loss of cardiomyocyte Bmal1 also resulted in a roughly 8-fold reduction in the number of all the differentially expressed genes between male and female hearts. We conclude that cardiomyocyte-specific Bmal1, and potentially the core clock mechanism, is vital in conferring sex-specific gene expression in the adult mouse heart.

Circadian Regulation of Cardiac Arrhythmias and Electrophysiology.

Circadian rhythms in physiology and behavior are ≈24-hour biological cycles regulated by internal biological clocks (ie, circadian clocks) that optimize organismal homeostasis in response to predictable environmental changes. These clocks are present in virtually all cells in the body, including cardiomyocytes. Many decades ago, clinicians and researchers became interested in studying daily patterns of triggers for sudden cardiac death, the incidence of sudden cardiac death, and cardiac arrhythmias. This review highlights historical and contemporary studies examining the role of day/night rhythms in the timing of cardiovascular events, delves into changes in the timing of these events over the last few decades, and discusses cardiovascular disease-specific differences in the timing of cardiovascular events. The current understanding of the environmental, behavioral, and circadian mechanisms that regulate cardiac electrophysiology is examined with a focus on the circadian regulation of cardiac ion channels and ion channel regulatory genes. Understanding the contribution of environmental, behavioral, and circadian rhythms on arrhythmia susceptibility and the incidence of sudden cardiac death will be essential in developing future chronotherapies.

Defining the age-dependent and tissue-specific circadian transcriptome in male mice.

Cellular circadian clocks direct a daily transcriptional program that supports homeostasis and resilience. Emerging evidence has demonstrated age-associated changes in circadian functions. To define age-dependent changes at the systems level, we profile the circadian transcriptome in the hypothalamus, lung, heart, kidney, skeletal muscle, and adrenal gland in three age groups. We find age-dependent and tissue-specific clock output changes. Aging reduces the number of rhythmically expressed genes (REGs), indicative of weakened circadian control. REGs are enriched for the hallmarks of aging, adding another dimension to our understanding of aging. Analyzing differential gene expression within a tissue at four different times of day identifies distinct clusters of differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Increased variability of gene expression across the day is a common feature of aged tissues. This analysis extends the landscape for understanding aging and highlights the impact of aging on circadian clock function and temporal changes in gene expression.

Time Restricted Feeding to the Light Cycle Dissociates Canonical Circadian Clocks and Physiological Rhythms in Heart Rate.

Circadian rhythms are approximate 24-h biological cycles that optimize molecular and physiological functions to predictable daily environmental changes in order to maintain internal and organismal homeostasis. Environmental stimuli (light, feeding, activity) capable of altering the phase of molecular rhythms are important tools employed by circadian biologists to increase understanding of the synchronization of circadian rhythms to the environment and to each other within multicellular systems. The central circadian clock, located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus is largely responsive to light and is thought to entrain the phase of peripheral clocks via neurohumoral signals. Mice are nocturnal and consume most of their food during the dark cycle. Early studies demonstrated that altered metabolic cues in the form of time restricted feeding, specifically, feeding mice during the light cycle, resulted in an uncoupling of molecular clocks in peripheral tissues with those from the SCN. These studies showed as much as a 12-h shift in gene expression in some peripheral tissues but not others. The shifts occurred without corresponding changes in the central clock in the brain. More recent studies have demonstrated that changes in cardiac physiology (heart rate, MAP) in response to time of food intake occur independent of the cardiac molecular clock. Understanding differences in the physiology/function and gene expression in other organs both independently and in relation to the heart in response to altered feeding will be important in dissecting the roles of the various clocks throughout the body, as well as, understanding their links to cardiovascular pathology.

The role of the cardiomyocyte circadian clocks in ion channel regulation and cardiac electrophysiology.

Daily variations in cardiac electrophysiology and the incidence for different types of arrhythmias reflect ≈24 h changes in the environment, behaviour and internal circadian rhythms. This article focuses on studies that use animal models to separate the impact that circadian rhythms, as well as changes in the environment and behaviour, have on 24 h rhythms in heart rate and ventricular repolarization. Circadian rhythms are initiated at the cellular level by circadian clocks, transcription-translation feedback loops that cycle with a periodicity of 24 h. Several studies now show that the circadian clock in cardiomyocytes regulates the expression of cardiac ion channels by multiple mechanisms; underlies time-of-day changes in sinoatrial node excitability/intrinsic heart rate; and limits the duration of the ventricular action potential waveform. However, the 24 h rhythms in heart rate and ventricular repolarization are primarily driven by autonomic signalling. A functional role for the cardiomyocyte circadian clock appears to buffer the heart against perturbations. For example, the cardiomyocyte circadian clock limits QT-interval prolongation (especially at slower heart rates), and it may facilitate the realignment of the 24 h rhythm in heart rate to abrupt changes in the light cycle. Additional studies show that modifying rhythmic behaviours (including feeding behaviour) can dramatically impact the 24 h rhythms in heart rate and ventricular repolarization. If these mechanisms are conserved, these studies suggest that targeting endogenous circadian mechanisms in the heart, as well as modifying the timing of certain rhythmic behaviours, could emerge as therapeutic strategies to support heart function against perturbations and regulate 24 h rhythms in cardiac electrophysiology.

Timing of food intake in mice unmasks a role for the cardiomyocyte circadian clock mechanism in limiting QT-interval prolongation.

Cardiac electrophysiological studies demonstrate that restricting the feeding of mice to the light cycle (time restricted feeding or TRF) causes a pronounced change in heart rate and ventricular repolarization as measured by the RR- and QT-interval, respectively. TRF slows heart rate and shifts the peak (acrophase) of the day/night rhythms in the RR- and QT-intervals from the light to the dark cycle. This study tested the hypothesis that these changes in cardiac electrophysiology are driven by the cardiomyocyte circadian clock mechanism. We determined the impact that TRF had on RR- and QT-intervals in control mice or mice that had the cardiomyocyte circadian clock mechanism disrupted by inducing the deletion of Bmal1 in adult cardiomyocytes (iCSΔBmal1-/- mice). In control and iCSΔBmal1-/- mice, TRF increased the RR-intervals measured during the dark cycle and shifted the acrophase of the day/night rhythm in the RR-interval from the light to the dark cycle. Compared to control mice, TRF caused a larger prolongation of the QT-interval measured from iCSΔBmal1-/- mice during the dark cycle. The larger QT-interval prolongation in the iCSΔBmal1-/- mice caused an increased mean and amplitude in the day/night rhythm of the QT-interval. There was not a difference in the TRF-induced shift in the day/night rhythm of the QT-interval measured from control or iCSΔBmal1-/- mice. We conclude that the cardiomyocyte circadian clock does not drive the changes in heart rate or ventricular repolarization with TRF. However, TRF unmasks an important role for the cardiomyocyte circadian clock to prevent excessive QT-interval prolongation, especially at slow heart rates.

Magnetic twitch assessment of diaphragm and quadriceps weakness in critically ill mechanically ventilated patients.

Critically ill mechanically ventilated (MV) patients develop significant muscle weakness, which has major clinical consequences. There remains uncertainty, however, regarding the severity of leg weakness, the precise relationship between muscle strength and thickness, and the risk factors for weakness in MV patients. We therefore measured both diaphragm (PdiTw) and quadriceps (QuadTw) strength in MV patients using magnetic stimulation and compared strength to muscle thickness. Both PdiTw and QuadTw were profoundly reduced for MV patients, with PdiTw 19 % of normal and QuadTw 6% of normal values. There was a poor correlation between strength and thickness for both muscles, with thickness often remaining in the normal range when strength was severely reduced. Regression analysis revealed reductions in PdiTw correlated with presence of infection (p = 0.006) and age (p = 0.007). QuadTw best correlated with duration of MV (p = 0.036). Limb muscles are profoundly weak in critically ill patients, with a severity that mirrors the level of weakness observed in the diaphragm.

A randomized controlled trial to determine whether beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate and/or eicosapentaenoic acid improves diaphragm and quadriceps strength in critically Ill mechanically ventilated patients.

BACKGROUND: Intensive care unit acquired weakness is a serious problem, contributing to respiratory failure and reductions in ambulation. Currently, there is no pharmacological therapy for this condition. Studies indicate, however, that both beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) increase muscle function in patients with cancer and in older adults. The purpose of this study was to determine whether HMB and/or EPA administration would increase diaphragm and quadriceps strength in mechanically ventilated patients. METHODS: Studies were performed on 83 mechanically ventilated patients who were recruited from the Medical Intensive Care Units at the University of Kentucky. Diaphragm strength was assessed as the trans-diaphragmatic pressure generated by supramaximal magnetic phrenic nerve stimulation (PdiTw). Quadriceps strength was assessed as leg force generated by supramaximal magnetic femoral nerve stimulation (QuadTw). Diaphragm and quadriceps thickness were assessed by ultrasound. Baseline measurements of muscle strength and size were performed, and patients were then randomized to one of four treatment groups (placebo, HMB 3 gm/day, EPA 2 gm/day and HMB plus EPA). Strength and size measurements were repeated 11 days after study entry. ANCOVA statistical testing was used to compare variables across the four experimental groups. RESULTS: Treatments failed to increase the strength and thickness of either the diaphragm or quadriceps when compared to placebo. In addition, treatments also failed to decrease the duration of mechanical ventilation after study entry. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that a 10-day course of HMB and/or EPA does not improve skeletal muscle strength in critically ill mechanically ventilated patients. These findings also confirm previous reports that diaphragm and leg strength in these patients are profoundly low. Additional studies will be needed to examine the effects of other anabolic agents and innovative forms of physical therapy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01270516. Registered 5 January 2011, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01270516?term=Supinski&draw=2&rank=4 .

Skeletal muscle-specific calpastatin overexpression mitigates muscle weakness in aging and extends life span.

Calpain activation has been postulated as a potential contributor to the loss of muscle mass and function associated with both aging and disease, but limitations of previous experimental approaches have failed to completely examine this issue. We hypothesized that mice overexpressing calpastatin (CalpOX), an endogenous inhibitor of calpain, solely in skeletal muscle would show an amelioration of the aging muscle phenotype. We assessed four groups of mice (age in months): 1) young wild type (WT; 5.71 ± 0.43), 2) young CalpOX (5.6 ± 0.5), 3) old WT (25.81 ± 0.56), and 4) old CalpOX (25.91 ± 0.60) for diaphragm and limb muscle (extensor digitorum longus, EDL) force frequency relations. Aging significantly reduced diaphragm and EDL peak force in old WT mice, and decreased the force-time integral during a fatiguing protocol by 48% and 23% in aged WT diaphragm and EDL, respectively. In contrast, we found that CalpOX mice had significantly increased diaphragm and EDL peak force in old mice, similar to that observed in young mice. The impact of aging on the force-time integral during a fatiguing protocol was abolished in the diaphragm and EDL of old CalpOX animals. Surprisingly, we found that CalpOX had a significant impact on longevity, increasing median survival from 20.55 mo in WT mice to 24 mo in CalpOX mice (P = 0.0006).NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first study to investigate the role of calpastatin overexpression on skeletal muscle specific force in aging rodents. Muscle-specific overexpression of calpastatin, the endogenous calpain inhibitor, prevented aging-induced reductions in both EDL and diaphragm specific force and, remarkably, increased life span. These data suggest that diaphragm dysfunction in aging may be a major factor in determining longevity. Targeting the calpain/calpastatin pathway may elucidate novel therapies to combat skeletal muscle weakness in aging.

Mitoquinone mesylate (MitoQ) prevents sepsis-induced diaphragm dysfunction.

Sepsis-induced diaphragm dysfunction is a major contributor to respiratory failure in mechanically ventilated patients. There are no pharmacological treatments for this syndrome, but studies suggest that diaphragm weakness is linked to mitochondrial free radical generation. We hypothesized that administration of mitoquinone mesylate (MitoQ), a mitochondrially targeted free radical scavenger, would prevent sepsis-induced diaphragm dysfunction. We compared diaphragm function in 4 groups of male mice: 1) sham-operated controls treated with saline (0.3 mL ip), 2) sham-operated treated with MitoQ (3.5 mg/kg/day given intraperitoneally in saline), 3) cecal ligation puncture (CLP) mice treated with saline, and 4) CLP mice treated with MitoQ. Forty-eight hours after surgery, we assessed diaphragm force generation, myosin heavy chain content, state 3 mitochondrial oxygen consumption (OCR), and aconitase activity. We also determined effects of MitoQ in female mice with CLP sepsis and in mice with endotoxin-induced sepsis. CLP decreased diaphragm specific force generation and MitoQ prevented these decrements (e.g. maximal force averaged 30.2 ± 1.3, 28.0 ± 1.3, 12.8 ± 1.9, and 30.0 ± 1.0 N/cm2 for sham, sham + MitoQ, CLP, and CLP + MitoQ groups, respectively, P < 0.001). CLP also reduced diaphragm mitochondrial OCR and aconitase activity; MitoQ blocked both effects. Similar responses were observed in female mice and in endotoxin-induced sepsis. Moreover, delayed MitoQ treatment (by 6 h) was as effective as immediate treatment. These data indicate that MitoQ prevents sepsis-induced diaphragm dysfunction, preserving force generation. MitoQ may be a useful therapeutic agent to preserve diaphragm function in critically ill patients with sepsis.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first study to show that mitoquinone mesylate (MitoQ), a mitochondrially targeted antioxidant, treats sepsis-induced skeletal muscle dysfunction. This biopharmaceutical agent is without known side effects and is currently being used by healthy individuals and in clinical trials in patients with various diseases. When taken together, our results suggest that MitoQ has the potential to be immediately translated into treatment for sepsis-induced skeletal muscle dysfunction.

Cardiomyocyte Deletion of Bmal1 Exacerbates QT- and RR-Interval Prolongation in Scn5a +/ΔKPQ Mice.

Circadian rhythms are generated by cell autonomous circadian clocks that perform a ubiquitous cellular time-keeping function and cell type-specific functions important for normal physiology. Studies show inducing the deletion of the core circadian clock transcription factor Bmal1 in adult mouse cardiomyocytes disrupts cardiac circadian clock function, cardiac ion channel expression, slows heart rate, and prolongs the QT-interval at slow heart rates. This study determined how inducing the deletion of Bmal1 in adult cardiomyocytes impacted the in vivo electrophysiological phenotype of a knock-in mouse model for the arrhythmogenic long QT syndrome (Scn5a +/ΔKPQ ). Electrocardiographic telemetry showed inducing the deletion of Bmal1 in the cardiomyocytes of mice with or without the ΔKPQ-Scn5a mutation increased the QT-interval at RR-intervals that were ≥130 ms. Inducing the deletion of Bmal1 in the cardiomyocytes of mice with or without the ΔKPQ-Scn5a mutation also increased the day/night rhythm-adjusted mean in the RR-interval, but it did not change the period, phase or amplitude. Compared to mice without the ΔKPQ-Scn5a mutation, mice with the ΔKPQ-Scn5a mutation had reduced heart rate variability (HRV) during the peak of the day/night rhythm in the RR-interval. Inducing the deletion of Bmal1 in cardiomyocytes did not affect HRV in mice without the ΔKPQ-Scn5a mutation, but it did increase HRV in mice with the ΔKPQ-Scn5a mutation. The data demonstrate that deleting Bmal1 in cardiomyocytes exacerbates QT- and RR-interval prolongation in mice with the ΔKPQ-Scn5a mutation.

Exercise mitigates sleep-loss-induced changes in glucose tolerance, mitochondrial function, sarcoplasmic protein synthesis, and diurnal rhythms.

OBJECTIVE: Sleep loss has emerged as a risk factor for the development of impaired glucose tolerance. The mechanisms underpinning this observation are unknown; however, both mitochondrial dysfunction and circadian misalignment have been proposed. Because exercise improves glucose tolerance and mitochondrial function, and alters circadian rhythms, we investigated whether exercise may counteract the effects induced by inadequate sleep. METHODS: To minimize between-group differences of baseline characteristics, 24 healthy young males were allocated into one of the three experimental groups: a Normal Sleep (NS) group (8 h time in bed (TIB) per night, for five nights), a Sleep Restriction (SR) group (4 h TIB per night, for five nights), and a Sleep Restriction and Exercise group (SR+EX) (4 h TIB per night, for five nights and three high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) sessions). Glucose tolerance, mitochondrial respiratory function, sarcoplasmic protein synthesis (SarcPS), and diurnal measures of peripheral skin temperature were assessed pre- and post-intervention. RESULTS: We report that the SR group had reduced glucose tolerance post-intervention (mean change ± SD, P value, SR glucose AUC: 149 ± 115 A.U., P = 0.002), which was also associated with reductions in mitochondrial respiratory function (SR: -15.9 ± 12.4 pmol O2.s-1.mg-1, P = 0.001), a lower rate of SarcPS (FSR%/day SR: 1.11 ± 0.25%, P < 0.001), and reduced amplitude of diurnal rhythms. These effects were not observed when incorporating three sessions of HIIE during this period (SR+EX: glucose AUC 67 ± 57, P = 0.239, mitochondrial respiratory function: 0.6 ± 11.8 pmol O2.s-1.mg-1, P = 0.997, and SarcPS (FSR%/day): 1.77 ± 0.22%, P = 0.971). CONCLUSIONS: A five-night period of sleep restriction leads to reductions in mitochondrial respiratory function, SarcPS, and amplitude of skin temperature diurnal rhythms, with a concurrent reduction in glucose tolerance. We provide novel data demonstrating that these same detrimental effects are not observed when HIIE is performed during the period of sleep restriction. These data therefore provide evidence in support of the use of HIIE as an intervention to mitigate the detrimental physiological effects of sleep loss.

Does Standard Physical Therapy Increase Quadriceps Strength in Chronically Ventilated Patients? A Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVES: Physical therapy is standard care for mechanically ventilated patients, but there is no evidence, using nonvolitional, objective measurements, that physical therapy increases muscle strength in this population. The present study tested the hypothesis that 2 weeks of standard, conventional physical therapy provided at a ventilator weaning facility would increase quadriceps strength in mechanically ventilated patients. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Ventilator weaning unit. PATIENTS: Patients who were transferred from an acute care hospital because of failure to wean from mechanical ventilation and who were receiving physical therapy as prescribed by facility staff. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We employed a novel, nonvolitional objective technique, quadriceps twitch force generation in response to femoral nerve magnetic stimulation, to assess leg strength before and after 2 weeks of conventional physical therapy. The duration and specific exercises provided to patients were also recorded. In a subset of patients, we measured muscle activation intensity using wireless electromyogram recordings. Indices of respiratory function (maximum inspiratory pressure generation and the rapid shallow breathing index) were also assessed. Patients' responses to 2 weeks of physical therapy were poor; on average, quadriceps twitch fell by -1.02 ± 0.71 Newtons. Neither physical therapy duration nor specific forms of exercise were identified to positively impact quadriceps twitch. Electromyogram recordings indicated that during training, muscle activation was poor. Consequently, therapists spent substantial time performing exercises that elicited little muscle activation. Physical therapy did not improve respiratory function. CONCLUSIONS: Standard physical therapy delivered in a ventilator weaning facility failed to improve quadriceps leg strength in a majority of mechanically ventilated patients. The fact that mechanically ventilated patients fail to achieve high levels of muscle activation during physical therapy provides a potential explanation as to why physical therapy may often be ineffective. We speculate that use of novel methods which increase muscle activation during exercise may improve responses of mechanically ventilated patients to physical therapy.

Long QT Syndrome Type 2: Emerging Strategies for Correcting Class 2 KCNH2 (hERG) Mutations and Identifying New Patients.

Significant advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that cause congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS) have been made. A wide variety of experimental approaches, including heterologous expression of mutant ion channel proteins and the use of inducible pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) from LQTS patients offer insights into etiology and new therapeutic strategies. This review briefly discusses the major molecular mechanisms underlying LQTS type 2 (LQT2), which is caused by loss-of-function (LOF) mutations in the KCNH2 gene (also known as the human ether-à-go-go-related gene or hERG). Almost half of suspected LQT2-causing mutations are missense mutations, and functional studies suggest that about 90% of these mutations disrupt the intracellular transport, or trafficking, of the KCNH2-encoded Kv11.1 channel protein to the cell surface membrane. In this review, we discuss emerging strategies that improve the trafficking and functional expression of trafficking-deficient LQT2 Kv11.1 channel proteins to the cell surface membrane and how new insights into the structure of the Kv11.1 channel protein will lead to computational approaches that identify which KCNH2 missense variants confer a high-risk for LQT2.

MitoTEMPOL, a mitochondrial targeted antioxidant, prevents sepsis-induced diaphragm dysfunction.

Clinical studies indicate that sepsis-induced diaphragm dysfunction is a major contributor to respiratory failure in mechanically ventilated patients. Currently there is no drug to treat this form of diaphragm weakness. Sepsis-induced muscle dysfunction is thought to be triggered by excessive mitochondrial free radical generation; we therefore hypothesized that therapies that target mitochondrial free radical production may prevent sepsis-induced diaphragm weakness. The present study determined whether MitoTEMPOL, a mitochondrially targeted free radical scavenger, could reduce sepsis-induced diaphragm dysfunction. Using an animal model of sepsis, we compared four groups of mice: 1) sham-operated controls, 2) animals with sepsis induced by cecal ligation puncture (CLP), 3) sham controls given MitoTEMPOL (10 mg·kg-1·day-1 ip), and 4) CLP animals given MitoTEMPOL. At 48 h after surgery, we measured diaphragm force generation, mitochondrial function, proteolytic enzyme activities, and myosin heavy chain (MHC) content. We also examined the effects of delayed administration of MitoTEMPOL (by 6 h) on CLP-induced diaphragm weakness. The effects of MitoTEMPOL on cytokine-mediated alterations on muscle cell superoxide generation and cell size in vitro were also assessed. Sepsis markedly reduced diaphragm force generation. Both immediate and delayed MitoTEMPOL administration prevented sepsis-induced diaphragm weakness. MitoTEMPOL reversed sepsis-mediated reductions in mitochondrial function, activation of proteolytic pathways, and decreases in MHC content. Cytokines increased muscle cell superoxide generation and decreased cell size, effects that were ablated by MitoTEMPOL. MitoTEMPOL and other compounds that target mitochondrial free radical generation may be useful therapies for sepsis-induced diaphragm weakness.

SS31, a mitochondrially targeted antioxidant, prevents sepsis-induced reductions in diaphragm strength and endurance.

Sepsis-induced diaphragm dysfunction contributes to respiratory failure and mortality in critical illness. There are no treatments for this form of diaphragm weakness. Studies show that sepsis-induced muscle dysfunction is triggered by enhanced mitochondrial free radical generation. We tested the hypothesis that SS31, a mitochondrially targeted antioxidant, would attenuate sepsis-induced diaphragm dysfunction. Four groups of mice were studied: 1) sham-operated controls, 2) sham-operated+SS31 (10 mg·kg-1·day-1), 3) cecal ligation puncture (CLP), and 4) CLP+SS31. Forty-eight hours postoperatively, diaphragm strips with attached phrenic nerves were isolated, and the following were assessed: muscle-field-stimulated force-frequency curves, nerve-stimulated force-frequency curves, and muscle fatigue. We also measured calpain activity, 20S proteasomal activity, myosin heavy chain (MHC) levels, mitochondrial function, and aconitase activity, an index of mitochondrial superoxide generation. Sepsis markedly reduced diaphragm force generation; SS31 prevented these decrements. Diaphragm-specific force generation averaged 30.2 ± 1.4, 9.4 ± 1.8, 25.5 ± 2.3, and 27.9 ± 0.6 N/cm2 for sham, CLP, sham+SS31, and CLP+SS31 groups (P < 0.001). Similarly, with phrenic nerve stimulation, CLP depressed diaphragm force generation, effects prevented by SS31. During endurance trials, force was significantly reduced with CLP, and SS31 prevented these reductions (P < 0.001). Sepsis also increased diaphragm calpain activity, increased 20S proteasomal activity, decreased MHC levels, reduced mitochondrial function (state 3 rates and ATP generation), and reduced aconitase activity; SS31 prevented each of these sepsis-induced alterations (P ≤ 0.017 for all indices). SS31 prevents sepsis-induced diaphragm dysfunction, preserving force generation, endurance, and mitochondrial function. Compounds with similar mechanisms of action may be useful therapeutically to preserve diaphragm function in patients who are septic and critically ill.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Sepsis-induced diaphragm dysfunction is a major contributor to mortality and morbidity in patients with critical illness in intensive care units. Currently, there is no proven pharmacological treatment for this problem. This study provides the novel finding that administration of SS31, a mitochondrially targeted antioxidant, preserves diaphragm myosin heavy chain content and mitochondrial function, thereby preventing diaphragm weakness and fatigue in sepsis.

Taurine administration ablates sepsis induced diaphragm weakness.

Infection induced diaphragm weakness is a major contributor to death and prolonged mechanical ventilation in critically ill patients. Infection induced muscle dysfunction is associated with activation of muscle proteolytic enzymes, and taurine is known to suppress proteolysis. We therefore postulated that taurine administration may prevent infection induced diaphragm dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to test this hypothesis using a clinically relevant animal model of infection, i.e. cecal ligation puncture induced sepsis (CLP). Studies were performed on (n = 5-7 mice/group): (a) sham operated controls, (b) animals with sepsis induced by CLP, (c) sham operated animals given taurine (75 mg/kg/d, intraperitoneally), and (d) CLP animals given taurine. At intervals after surgery animals were euthanized, diaphragm force generation measured in vitro, and diaphragm calpain, caspase and proteasomal activity determined. CLP elicited a large reduction in diaphragm specific force generation at 24 h (1-150 Hz, p < 0.001) and taurine significantly attenuated CLP induced diaphragm weakness at all stimulation frequencies (p < 0.001). CLP induced significant increases in diaphragm calpain, caspase and proteasomal activity; taurine administration prevented increases in the activity of all three pathways. In additional time course experiments, diaphragm force generation remained at control levels over 72 h in CLP animals treated with daily taurine administration, while CLP animals demonstrated severe, sustained reductions in diaphragm strength (p < 0.01 for all time points). Our results indicate that taurine administration prevents infection induced diaphragm weakness and reduces activation of three major proteolytic pathways. Because this agent is has been shown to be safe, non-toxic when administered to humans, taurine may have a role in treating infection induced diaphragm weakness. Future clinical studies will be needed to assess this possibility.