PKCδ causes sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy by inducing mitochondrial dysfunction.

Sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy (SIC) is associated with increased patient mortality. At present, there are no specific therapies for SIC. Previous studies have reported increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial dysfunction during SIC. However, a unifying mechanism remains to be defined. We hypothesized that PKCδ is required for abnormal calcium handling and cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction during sepsis and that genetic deletion of PKCδ would be protective. Polymicrobial sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) surgery decreased the ejection fraction of wild-type (WT) mice but not PKCδ knockout (KO) mice. Similarly, WT cardiomyocytes exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) demonstrated decreases in contractility and calcium transient amplitude that were not observed in PKCδ KO cardiomyocytes. LPS treatment decreased sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium stores in WT cardiomyocytes, which correlated with increased ryanodine receptor-2 oxidation in WT hearts but not PKCδ KO hearts after sepsis. LPS exposure increased mitochondrial ROS and decreased mitochondrial inner membrane potential in WT cardiomyocytes. This corresponded to morphologic changes consistent with mitochondrial dysfunction such as decreased overall size and cristae disorganization. Increased cellular ROS and changes in mitochondrial morphology were not observed in PKCδ KO cardiomyocytes. These data show that PKCδ is required in the pathophysiology of SIC by generating ROS and promoting mitochondrial dysfunction. Thus, PKCδ is a potential target for cardiac protection during sepsis.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Sepsis is often complicated by cardiac dysfunction, which is associated with a high mortality rate. Our work shows that the protein PKCδ is required for decreased cardiac contractility during sepsis. Mice with deletion of PKCδ are protected from cardiac dysfunction after sepsis. PKCδ causes mitochondrial dysfunction in cardiac myocytes, and reducing mitochondrial oxidative stress improves contractility in wild-type cardiomyocytes. Thus, PKCδ is a potential target for cardiac protection during sepsis.

Mechanisms of Chronic Metabolic Stress in Arrhythmias.

Cardiac arrhythmias are responsible for many cardiovascular disease-related deaths worldwide. While arrhythmia pathogenesis is complex, there is increasing evidence for metabolic causes. Obesity, diabetes, and chronically consuming high-fat foods significantly increase the likelihood of developing arrhythmias. Although these correlations are well established, mechanistic explanations connecting a high-fat diet (HFD) to arrhythmogenesis are incomplete, although oxidative stress appears to be critical. This review investigates the metabolic changes that occur in obesity and after HFD. Potential therapies to prevent or treat arrhythmias are discussed, including antioxidants.