IL-17A increases the expression of proinflammatory chemokines in human pancreatic islets.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Cytotoxic T cells and macrophages contribute to beta cell destruction in type 1 diabetes at least in part through the production of cytokines such as IL-1ß, IFN-γ and TNF-α. We have recently shown the IL-17 pathway to be activated in circulating T cells and pancreatic islets of type 1 diabetes patients. Here, we studied whether IL-17A upregulates the production of chemokines by human pancreatic islets, thus contributing to the build-up of insulitis. METHODS: Human islets (from 18 donors), INS-1E cells and islets from wild-type and Stat1 knockout mice were studied. Dispersed islet cells were left untreated, or were treated with IL-17A alone or together with IL-1ß+IFN-γ or TNF-α+IFN-γ. RNA interference was used to knock down signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1). Chemokine expression was assessed by quantitative RT-PCR, ELISA and histology. Cell viability was evaluated with nuclear dyes. RESULTS: IL-17A augmented IL-1ß+IFN-γ- and TNF-α+IFN-γ-induced chemokine mRNA and protein expression, and apoptosis in human islets. Beta cells were at least in part the source of chemokine production. Knockdown of STAT1 in human islets prevented cytokine- or IL-17A+cytokine-induced apoptosis and the expression of particular chemokines, e.g. chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligands 9 and 10. Similar observations were made in islets isolated from Stat1 knockout mice. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Our findings indicate that IL-17A exacerbates proinflammatory chemokine expression and secretion by human islets exposed to cytokines. This suggests that IL-17A contributes to the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes by two mechanisms, namely the exacerbation of beta cell apoptosis and increased local production of chemokines, thus potentially aggravating insulitis.

Oxidative Stress by Monoamine Oxidase-A Impairs Transcription Factor EB Activation and Autophagosome Clearance, Leading to Cardiomyocyte Necrosis and Heart Failure.

AIMS: In heart failure (HF), mitochondrial quality control and autophagy are progressively impaired, but the role of oxidative stress in this process and its underlying mechanism remain to be defined. By degrading norepinephrine and serotonin, the mitochondrial enzyme, monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A), is a potent source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the heart and its activation leads to the persistence of mitochondrial damage. In this study, we analyzed the consequences of ROS generation by MAO-A on the autophagy-lysosome pathway in the heart. RESULTS: Cardiomyocyte-driven expression of MAO-A in mice led to mitochondrial fission and translocation of Drp1 and Parkin in the mitochondrial compartment. Ventricles from MAO-A transgenic mice displayed accumulation of LC3-positive autophagosomes, together with p62 and ubiquitylated proteins, indicating impairment of autophagy. In vitro adenoviral delivery of MAO-A in cardiomyocytes and the consequent generation of ROS blocked autophagic flux with accumulation of LC3II, p62, and ubiquitylated proteins, leading to mitochondrial fission and cell necrosis. In addition, MAO-A activation induced accumulation of lysosomal proteins, cathepsin D and Lamp1, reduced lysosomal acidification, and blocked the nuclear translocation of transcription factor-EB (TFEB), a master regulator of autophagy and lysosome biogenesis. Most interestingly, overexpression of TFEB attenuated autophagosome buildup, mitochondrial fission, cardiomyocyte death, and HF associated with MAO-A activation. INNOVATION AND CONCLUSION: This study unravels a new link between MAO-dependent H2O2 production and lysosomal dysfunction. Altogether, our findings demonstrate that the MAO-A/H2O2 axis has a negative impact on the elimination and recycling of mitochondria through the autophagy-lysosome pathway, which participates in cardiomyocyte death and HF. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 25, 10-27.

GSK-3ß at the crossroads in the signalling of heart preconditioning: implication of mTOR and Wnt pathways.

AIMS: Ischaemic preconditioning (IPC) protects the heart against prolonged lethal ischaemia through a signalling cascade involving Akt, glycogen synthase kinase-3ß (GSK-3ß), and mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium channels (mitoK(ATP)). We previously demonstrated the involvement of the Wnt pathway in IPC in vivo via GSK-3ß. A downstream target might be mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) since Wnt can impair tuberous sclerosis complex-2 (TSC2) phosphorylation by inhibiting GSK-3ß. Here, we investigate whether the mTOR pathway is involved in cardioprotection. METHODS AND RESULTS: Isolated-perfused mouse hearts were subjected to IPC via four cycles of ischaemia/reperfusion or pharmacological preconditioning (PPC) by diazoxide, a selective mitoK(ATP) activator. IPC, like PPC, induced an inhibition/phosphorylation of GSK-3ß through Akt activation. Preconditioning also induced phosphorylation of mTOR, p70S6K, and 4E-BP1 that correlated with a significant reduction in infarct size after 40-min ischaemia and 120-min reperfusion when compared with non-preconditioned controls. Preconditioning was impaired in GSK3 knock-in mice. In transgenic mice hearts overexpressing secreted frizzled protein 1 (sFRP1, a Wnt/Frz antagonist), GSK-3ß phosphorylation, mTOR activation, and cardioprotection were impaired. Cardioprotection and its signalling were also inhibited by rapamycin (an mTOR inhibitor), 5-HD (a mitoK(ATP) blocker), and N-(2-mercaptopropionyl) glycine (MPG) as a reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger. CONCLUSIONS: We propose that the preconditioning signalling pathway involving an amplification loop results in a downregulation of GSK-3ß and a constant opening of mitoK(ATP) with ROS generation to activate the mTOR pathway and induce cardioprotection. The disruption of the Wnt/Frz pathway by sFRP1 modulates this loop, inducing GSK-3ß activation. This study provides evidence that cardioprotection involves both a pro-survival mTOR pathway and a developmental Wnt pathway targeting GSK-3ß.