Interleukin-1beta and tumor necrosis factor-alpha decrease collagen synthesis and increase matrix metalloproteinase activity in cardiac fibroblasts in vitro.

We tested the hypothesis that the inflammatory cytokines can regulate fibroblast extracellular matrix metabolism. Neonatal and adult rat cardiac fibroblasts cultures in vitro were exposed to interleukin (IL)-1beta (4 ng/mL), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha; 100 ng/mL), IL-6 (10 ng/mL), or interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma; 500 U/mL) for 24 hours. IL-1beta, and to a lesser extent TNF-alpha, decreased collagen synthesis, which was measured as collagenase-sensitive [(3)H]proline incorporation, but had no effect on cell number or total protein synthesis. IL-1beta decreased the expression of procollagen alpha(1)(I), alpha(2)(I), and alpha1(III) mRNA, but increased the expression of procollagen alpha(1)(IV), alpha(2)(IV), and fibronectin mRNA, indicating a selective transcriptional downregulation of fibrillar collagen synthesis. IL-1beta and TNF-alpha each increased total matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity as measured by in-gel zymography, causing specific increases in the bands corresponding to MMP-13, MMP-2, and MMP-9. IL-1beta increased the expression of proMMP-2 and proMMP-3 mRNA, suggesting that increased metalloproteinase activity is due, at least in part, to increased transcription. The effects of IL-1beta were not dependent on NO production. Thus, IL-1beta and TNF-alpha decrease collagen synthesis and activate MMPs that degrade collagen. These observations suggest that IL-1beta and TNF-alpha may contribute to ventricular dilation and myocardial failure by promoting the remodeling of interstitial collagen.

Mice lacking inducible nitric oxide synthase have improved left ventricular contractile function and reduced apoptotic cell death late after myocardial infarction.

Nitric oxide produced by inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS2) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of chronic myocardial remodeling and failure. We tested the role of NOS2 in left ventricular (LV) remodeling early (1 month) and late (4 months) after myocardial infarction (MI) in mice lacking NOS2. MI size measured 7 days, 1 month, and 4 months after MI was the same in NOS2 knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice. The LV end-diastolic pressure-volume relationship measured by the isovolumic Langendorff technique showed a progressive rightward shift from 1 to 4 months after MI in WT mice. LV developed pressure measured over a range of LV volumes was reduced at 1 and 4 months after MI in WT mice (P<0.05 and P<0.01 versus shams, respectively). In KO mice, the rightward shift was similar to that in WT mice at 1 and 4 months after MI, as was peak LV developed pressure at 1 month after MI. In contrast, at 4 months after MI, peak LV developed pressure in KO mice was higher than in WT mice (P<0.05 versus WT) and similar to that in sham-operated mice. At 1 month after MI, the frequency of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL)-positive myocytes in the remote myocardium was increased to a similar extent in WT and KO mice. At 4 months after MI, the frequency of apoptotic myocytes was increased in WT mice but not in KO mice (P<0.05 versus WT). Improved contractile function and reduced apoptosis were associated with reduced mortality rate in KO mice at 4 months after MI. Thus, NOS2 does not play an important role in determining infarct size or early LV remodeling during the first month after MI. In contrast, during late (ie, 4 months after MI) remodeling, NOS2 in remote myocardium contributes to decreased contractile function, increased myocyte apoptosis in remote myocardium, and reduced survival.

Reactive oxygen species mediate amplitude-dependent hypertrophic and apoptotic responses to mechanical stretch in cardiac myocytes.

Oxidative stress stimulates both growth and apoptosis in cardiac myocytes in vitro. We investigated whether oxidative stress mediates hypertrophy and apoptosis in cyclically stretched ventricular myocytes. Neonatal rat ventricular myocytes cultured on laminin-coated silastic membranes were stretched cyclically (1 Hz) at low (nominal 5%) and high (nominal 25%) amplitudes for 24 hours. Stretch caused a graded increase in superoxide anion production as assessed by superoxide dismutase (SOD)-inhibitable cytochrome c reduction or electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. The role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was assessed using the cell-permeable SOD/catalase mimetics Mn(II/III)tetrakis(1-methyl-4-peridyl) (MnTMPyP) and EUK-8. Stretch-induced increases in protein synthesis ((3)H-leucine incorporation) and cellular protein content were completely inhibited by MnTMPyP (0.05 mmol/L) at both low and high amplitudes of stretch. In contrast, while MnTMPyP inhibited basal atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) mRNA expression, the stretch-induced increase in ANF mRNA expression was not inhibited by MnTMPyP. In contrast to hypertrophy, only high-amplitude stretch increased myocyte apoptosis, as reflected by increased DNA fragmentation on gel electrophoresis and an approximately 3-fold increase in the number of TUNEL-positive myocytes. Similarly, only high-amplitude stretch increased the expression of bax mRNA. Myocyte apoptosis and bax expression stimulated by high-amplitude stretch were inhibited by MnTMPyP. Both low- and high-amplitude stretch caused rapid phosphorylation of ERK1/2, while high-, but not low-, amplitude stretch caused phosphorylation of JNKs. Activation of both ERK1/2 and JNKs was ROS-dependent. Thus, cyclic strain causes an amplitude-related increase in ROS, associated with differential activation of kinases and induction of hypertrophic and apoptotic phenotypes.

Angiotensin II induces p67phox mRNA expression and NADPH oxidase superoxide generation in rabbit aortic adventitial fibroblasts.

Superoxide radical (O2-) is ubiquitously critical to the bioactivity of endothelial nitric oxide. In angiotensin-dependent hypertension, vascular O2- levels rise and impede endothelium/nitric oxide-dependent vascular relaxation. We have reported that the major O2- source in the rabbit aorta is adventitial fibroblast phagocyte-like NADPH oxidase and shown that angiotensin (Ang) II treatment of adventitial fibroblasts causes a concentration-dependent increase in particulate NADPH-dependent O2-. From cultured rabbit aortic adventitial fibroblasts treated or not treated with Ang II, we prepared particulate fractions and measured lucigenin-enhanced chemiluminescence. Because [Sar1,Thr8]-Ang II, a generalized antagonist of Ang II and plausible inhibitor of the conversion of Ang II, reversed Ang II (10 nmol/L)-induced NADH- and NADPH-dependent O2- to basal levels, we tested the effect of the inhibitor of aminopeptidase N, amastatin (10 micromol/L), and found no effect on Ang II-stimulated O2-. Ang(1-7), Ang III, and Ang IV also were not effective in stimulating O2- levels at concentrations similar to those of Ang II. Kinetic analysis showed a rise in NADPH oxidase O2- production in response to Ang II, which peaks at 3 hours and returns to basal levels by 16 hours. p67phox, a cytosolic factor, appears to be affected at both the level of transcription and protein synthesis because actinomycin and cycloheximide individually inhibited the observed effect. A partial sequence of p67phox was recovered by reverse transcriptase from mRNA harvested from cultured rabbit aortic adventitial fibroblasts. Furthermore, the p67phox mRNA transcript in aortic fibroblasts is induced by Ang II before the peak of NADPH oxidase by Northern analysis and ribonuclease protection assays. These data suggest that Ang II stimulates NAD(P)H oxidase O2- generation in fibroblasts of aortic adventitia via transcriptional activation of p67phox. These data also provide preliminary evidence for the regulation of factors of the NADPH oxidase and potentially provide a novel means by which to abrogate the development of O2(-)-dependent hypertension.

Regulation of protein synthesis by alpha 1-adrenergic receptor subtypes in cultured rabbit aortic vascular smooth muscle cells.

To investigate the role of the sympathetic nervous system in maintenance and remodeling of vascular smooth muscle, we have examined regulation of protein synthesis by alpha 1-adrenergic receptors (alpha 1-AR) in cultured rabbit aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). Stimulation of postconfluent cultures (passages 2-6) in serum-free growth medium with the alpha-AR agonist phenylephrine (PE, 30 microM) increases protein synthesis, measured as [3H]leucine incorporation into protein (146 +/- 5%, p < or = 0.001) and total protein content (117 +/- 2%, p < or = 0.001). PE treatment does not affect cellular proliferation or [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA. PE-stimulated protein synthesis is evident within 24 h, sustained over 96 h, concentration-dependent, and saturable. PE-elicited responses are completely inhibited by the alpha 1-AR antagonist prazosin but not by the alpha 2-AR antagonist yohimbine or the beta-AR antagonists propranolol and atenolol; the beta-AR agonist isoproterenol is ineffective. Competition with [3H]prazosin occupancy of alpha 1-AR and agonist-elicited [3H]leucine incorporation by subtype-selective receptor antagonists (WB4101 and 5-methylurapidil, alpha 1A; chloroethylclonidine, alpha 1B) demonstrates that these cells express a majority of alpha 1B-AR (75%) relative to alpha 1A-AR (25%), which elicit protein metabolism in proportion to their relative abundances. These results indicate that alpha 1B-AR predominate in coupling to metabolic responses, in contrast to previous reports that contractile responses in this tissue are preferentially mediated by alpha 1A-AR.

Cellular signals in atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is a complex, incompletely understood process involving several cell types, including smooth muscle cells, endothelial cells, and platelets, and the signals between them. Atherosclerotic lesions result from an excessive inflammatory fibroproliferative response to various forms of insult to the endothelium and smooth muscle of the artery wall. Numerous growth regulatory molecules/factors participate in this process. This article reviews the atherosclerotic process and provides new scientific insights into the prevention and treatment of this disease. The implications for nursing are described.

Oxidative stress regulates collagen synthesis and matrix metalloproteinase activity in cardiac fibroblasts.

Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathophysiology of myocardial failure. We tested the hypothesis that oxidative stress can regulate extracellular matrix in cardiac fibroblasts. Neonatal and adult rat cardiac fibroblasts in vitro were exposed to H(2)O(2) (0.05-5 microM) or the superoxide-generating system xanthine (500 microM) plus xanthine oxidase (0.001-0.1 mU/ml) (XXO) for 24 h. In-gel zymography demonstrated that H(2)O(2) and XXO each increased gelatinase activity corresponding to matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) MMP-13, MMP-2, and MMP-9. H(2)O(2) and XXO decreased collagen synthesis (collagenase-sensitive [(3)H]proline incorporation) without affecting total protein synthesis ([(3)H]leucine incorporation). H(2)O(2) and XXO decreased the expression of procollagen alpha(1)(I), alpha(2)(I), and alpha(1)(III) mRNA but increased the expression of fibronectin mRNA, suggesting a selective transcriptional effect on collagen synthesis. H(2)O(2), but not XXO, also decreased the expression of nonfibrillar procollagen alpha(1)(IV) and alpha(2)(IV) mRNA. To determine the role of endogenous antioxidant systems, cells were treated with the superoxide dismutase (SOD) inhibitor diethyldithiocarbamic acid (DDC, 100 microM) to increase intracellular superoxide or with the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase inhibitor dehydroisoandrosterone 3-acetate (DHEA; 10 microM) to increase intracellular H(2)O(2). DDC and DHEA decreased collagen synthesis and increased MMP activity, and both effects were inhibited by an SOD/catalase mimetic. Thus increased oxidative stress activates MMPs and decreases fibrillar collagen synthesis in cardiac fibroblasts. Oxidative stress may play a role in the pathogenesis of myocardial remodeling by regulating the quantity and quality of extracellular matrix.

ET(A)-receptor blockade prevents matrix metalloproteinase activation late postmyocardial infarction in the rat.

Endothelin (ET) A (ET(A)) receptors activate matrix metalloproteinases (MMP). Since endothelin-1 (ET) is increased in myocardium late postmyocardial infarction (MI), we hypothesized that stimulation of ET(A) receptors contributes to activation of myocardial MMPs late post-MI. Three days post-MI, rats were randomized to treatment with the ET(A)-selective receptor antagonist sitaxsentan (n = 12) or a control group (n = 12). Six weeks later, there were rightward shifts of the left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic and end-systolic pressure-volume relationships, as measured ex vivo by the isovolumic Langendorff technique. Both shifts were markedly attenuated by sitaxsentan. In LV myocardium remote from the infarct, the activities of MMP-1, MMP-2, and MMP-9 were increased in the post-MI group, and the increases were prevented by sitaxsentan treatment. Expression of tissue inhibitor of MMP-1 was decreased post-MI, and the decrease was prevented by sitaxsentan treatment. Chronic post-MI remodeling is associated with activation of MMPs in myocardium remote from the infarct. Inhibition of ET(A) receptors prevents MMP activation and LV dilation, suggesting that ET, acting via the ET(A) receptor, contributes to chronic post-MI remodeling by its effects on MMP activity.

Inhibition of copper-zinc superoxide dismutase induces cell growth, hypertrophic phenotype, and apoptosis in neonatal rat cardiac myocytes in vitro.

Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathophysiology of myocardial failure. We tested the hypothesis that inhibition of endogenous antioxidant enzymes can regulate the phenotype of cardiac myocytes. Neonatal rat ventricular myocytes in vitro were exposed to diethyldithiocarbamic acid (DDC), an inhibitor of cytosolic (Cu, Zn) and extracellular superoxide dismutase (SOD). DDC inhibited SOD activity and increased intracellular superoxide in a concentration-dependent manner. A low concentration (1 micromol/L) of DDC stimulated myocyte growth, as demonstrated by increases in protein synthesis, cellular protein, prepro-atrial natriuretic peptide, and c-fos mRNAs and decreased sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)ATPase mRNA. These actions were all inhibited by the superoxide scavenger Tiron (4,5-dihydroxy-1,3-benzene disulfonic acid). Higher concentrations of DDC (100 micromol/L) stimulated myocyte apoptosis, as evidenced by DNA laddering, characteristic nuclear morphology, in situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick end-labeling (TUNEL), and increased bax mRNA expression. DDC-stimulated apoptosis was inhibited by the SOD/catalase mimetic EUK-8. The growth and apoptotic effects of DDC were mimicked by superoxide generation with xanthine plus xanthine oxidase. Thus, increased intracellular superoxide resulting from inhibition of SOD causes activation of a growth program and apoptosis in cardiac myocytes. These findings support a role for oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of myocardial remodeling and failure.