Browsing by Subject "Myocardial Contraction"
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Item Open Access Augmentation of cardiac contractility mediated by the human beta(3)-adrenergic receptor overexpressed in the hearts of transgenic mice.(Circulation, 2001-11-13) Kohout, TA; Takaoka, H; McDonald, PH; Perry, SJ; Mao, L; Lefkowitz, RJ; Rockman, HABACKGROUND: Stimulation of beta(1)- and beta(2)-adrenergic receptors (ARs) in the heart results in positive inotropy. In contrast, it has been reported that the beta(3)AR is also expressed in the human heart and that its stimulation leads to negative inotropic effects. METHODS AND RESULTS: To better understand the role of beta(3)ARs in cardiac function, we generated transgenic mice with cardiac-specific overexpression of 330 fmol/mg protein of the human beta(3)AR (TGbeta(3) mice). Hemodynamic characterization was performed by cardiac catheterization in closed-chest anesthetized mice, by pressure-volume-loop analysis, and by echocardiography in conscious mice. After propranolol blockade of endogenous beta(1)- and beta(2)ARs, isoproterenol resulted in an increase in contractility in the TGbeta(3) mice (30%), with no effect in wild-type mice. Similarly, stimulation with the selective human beta(3)AR agonist L-755,507 significantly increased contractility in the TGbeta(3) mice (160%), with no effect in wild-type mice, as determined by hemodynamic measurements and by end-systolic pressure-volume relations. The underlying mechanism of the positive inotropy incurred with L-755,507 in the TGbeta(3) mice was investigated in terms of beta(3)AR-G-protein coupling and adenylyl cyclase activation. Stimulation of cardiac membranes from TGbeta(3) mice with L-755,507 resulted in a pertussis toxin-insensitive 1.33-fold increase in [(35)S]GTPgammaS loading and a 1.6-fold increase in adenylyl cyclase activity. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac overexpression of human beta(3)ARs results in positive inotropy only on stimulation with a beta(3)AR agonist. Overexpressed beta(3)ARs couple to G(s) and activate adenylyl cyclase on agonist stimulation.Item Open Access Controlled and cardiac-restricted overexpression of the arginine vasopressin V1A receptor causes reversible left ventricular dysfunction through Gαq-mediated cell signaling.(Circulation, 2011-08) Li, Xue; Chan, Tung O; Myers, Valerie; Chowdhury, Ibrul; Zhang, Xue-Qian; Song, Jianliang; Zhang, Jin; Andrel, Jocelyn; Funakoshi, Hajime; Robbins, Jeffrey; Koch, Walter J; Hyslop, Terry; Cheung, Joseph Y; Feldman, Arthur MBackground
[Arg8]-vasopressin (AVP) activates 3 G-protein-coupled receptors: V1A, V2, and V1B. The AVP-V1A receptor is the primary AVP receptor in the heart; however, its role in cardiac homeostasis is controversial. To better understand AVP-mediated signaling in the heart, we created a transgenic mouse with controlled overexpression of the V1A receptor.Methods and results
The V1A receptor transgene was placed under the control of the tetracycline-regulated, cardiac-specific α-myosin heavy chain promoter (V1A-TG). V1A-TG mice had a normal cardiac function phenotype at 10 weeks of age; however, by 24 weeks of age, tetracycline-transactivating factor/V1A-TG mouse hearts had reduced cardiac function, cardiac hypertrophy, and dilatation of the ventricular cavity. Contractile dysfunction was also observed in isolated adult cardiac myocytes. When V1A receptor transgene was induced to be expressed in adult mice (V1A-TG(Ind)), left ventricular dysfunction and dilatation were also seen, albeit at a later time point. Because the V1A receptor mediates cell signaling through Gα(q) protein, we blocked Gα(q) signaling by crossing tetracycline-transactivating factor/V1A mice with transgenic mice that expressed a small inhibitory peptide against Gα(q). Gα(q) blockade abrogated the development of the heart failure phenotype in tetracycline-transactivating factor/V1A-TG mice. The heart failure phenotype could be reversed by administration of doxycycline.Conclusions
Our results demonstrate a role for V1A-mediated signaling in the development of heart failure and support a role for V1A blockade in the treatment of patients with elevated levels of vasopressin.Item Open Access Coupling of beta2-adrenoceptor to Gi proteins and its physiological relevance in murine cardiac myocytes.(Circ Res, 1999-01-08) Xiao, RP; Avdonin, P; Zhou, YY; Cheng, H; Akhter, SA; Eschenhagen, T; Lefkowitz, RJ; Koch, WJ; Lakatta, EG-Transgenic mouse models have been developed to manipulate beta-adrenergic receptor (betaAR) signal transduction. Although several of these models have altered betaAR subtypes, the specific functional sequelae of betaAR stimulation in murine heart, particularly those of beta2-adrenergic receptor (beta2AR) stimulation, have not been characterized. In the present study, we investigated effects of beta2AR stimulation on contraction, [Ca2+]i transient, and L-type Ca2+ currents (ICa) in single ventricular myocytes isolated from transgenic mice overexpressing human beta2AR (TG4 mice) and wild-type (WT) littermates. Baseline contractility of TG4 heart cells was increased by 3-fold relative to WT controls as a result of the presence of spontaneous beta2AR activation. In contrast, beta2AR stimulation by zinterol or isoproterenol plus a selective beta1-adrenergic receptor (beta1AR) antagonist CGP 20712A failed to enhance the contractility in TG4 myocytes, and more surprisingly, beta2AR stimulation was also ineffective in increasing contractility in WT myocytes. Pertussis toxin (PTX) treatment fully rescued the ICa, [Ca2+]i, and contractile responses to beta2AR agonists in both WT and TG4 cells. The PTX-rescued murine cardiac beta2AR response is mediated by cAMP-dependent mechanisms, because it was totally blocked by the inhibitory cAMP analog Rp-cAMPS. These results suggest that PTX-sensitive G proteins are responsible for the unresponsiveness of mouse heart to agonist-induced beta2AR stimulation. This was further corroborated by an increased incorporation of the photoreactive GTP analog [gamma-32P]GTP azidoanilide into alpha subunits of Gi2 and Gi3 after beta2AR stimulation by zinterol or isoproterenol plus the beta1AR blocker CGP 20712A. This effect to activate Gi proteins was abolished by a selective beta2AR blocker ICI 118,551 or by PTX treatment. Thus, we conclude that (1) beta2ARs in murine cardiac myocytes couple to concurrent Gs and Gi signaling, resulting in null inotropic response, unless the Gi signaling is inhibited; (2) as a special case, the lack of cardiac contractile response to beta2AR agonists in TG4 mice is not due to a saturation of cell contractility or of the cAMP signaling cascade but rather to an activation of beta2AR-coupled Gi proteins; and (3) spontaneous beta2AR activation may differ from agonist-stimulated beta2AR signaling.Item Open Access Disrupted junctional membrane complexes and hyperactive ryanodine receptors after acute junctophilin knockdown in mice.(Circulation, 2011-03) Van Oort, RJ; Garbino, A; Wang, W; Dixit, SS; Landstrom, AP; Gaur, N; De Almeida, AC; Skapura, DG; Rudy, Y; Burns, AR; Ackerman, MJ; Wehrens, XHTExcitation-contraction coupling in striated muscle requires proper communication of plasmalemmal voltage-activated Ca2+ channels and Ca2+ release channels on sarcoplasmic reticulum within junctional membrane complexes. Although previous studies revealed a loss of junctional membrane complexes and embryonic lethality in germ-line junctophilin-2 (JPH2) knockout mice, it has remained unclear whether JPH2 plays an essential role in junctional membrane complex formation and the Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+) release process in the heart. Our recent work demonstrated loss-of-function mutations in JPH2 in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.To elucidate the role of JPH2 in the heart, we developed a novel approach to conditionally reduce JPH2 protein levels using RNA interference. Cardiac-specific JPH2 knockdown resulted in impaired cardiac contractility, which caused heart failure and increased mortality. JPH2 deficiency resulted in loss of excitation-contraction coupling gain, precipitated by a reduction in the number of junctional membrane complexes and increased variability in the plasmalemma-sarcoplasmic reticulum distance.Loss of JPH2 had profound effects on Ca2+ release channel inactivation, suggesting a novel functional role for JPH2 in regulating intracellular Ca2+ release channels in cardiac myocytes. Thus, our novel approach of cardiac-specific short hairpin RNA-mediated knockdown of junctophilin-2 has uncovered a critical role for junctophilin in intracellular Ca2+ release in the heart.Item Open Access Enhanced myocardial relaxation in vivo in transgenic mice overexpressing the beta2-adrenergic receptor is associated with reduced phospholamban protein.(J Clin Invest, 1996-04-01) Rockman, HA; Hamilton, RA; Jones, LR; Milano, CA; Mao, L; Lefkowitz, RJTo assess the effect of targeted myocardial beta-adrenergic receptor (AR) stimulation on relaxation and phospholamban regulation, we studied the physiological and biochemical alterations associated with overexpression of the human beta2-AR gene in transgenic mice. These mice have an approximately 200-fold increase in beta-AR density and a 2-fold increase in basal adenylyl cyclase activity relative to negative littermate controls. Mice were catheterized with a high fidelity micromanometer and hemodynamic recordings were obtained in vivo. Overexpression of the beta2-AR altered parameters of relaxation. At baseline, LV dP/dt(min) and the time constant of LV pressure isovolumic decay (Tau) in the transgenic mice were significantly shorter compared with controls, indicating markedly enhanced myocardial relaxation. Isoproterenol stimulation resulted in shortening of relaxation velocity in control mice but not in the transgenic mice, indicating maximal relaxation in these animals. Immunoblotting analysis revealed a selective decrease in the amount of phospholamban protein, without a significant change in the content for either sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase or calsequestrin, in the transgenic hearts compared with controls. This study indicates that myocardial relaxation is both markedly enhanced and maximal in these mice and that conditions associated with chronic beta-AR stimulation can result in a selective reduction of phospholamban protein.Item Open Access FGF23/FGFR4-mediated left ventricular hypertrophy is reversible.(Scientific reports, 2017-05-16) Grabner, Alexander; Schramm, Karla; Silswal, Neerupma; Hendrix, Matt; Yanucil, Christopher; Czaya, Brian; Singh, Saurav; Wolf, Myles; Hermann, Sven; Stypmann, Jörg; Di Marco, Giovana Seno; Brand, Marcus; Wacker, Michael J; Faul, ChristianFibroblast growth factor (FGF) 23 is a phosphaturic hormone that directly targets cardiac myocytes via FGF receptor (FGFR) 4 thereby inducing hypertrophic myocyte growth and the development of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in rodents. Serum FGF23 levels are highly elevated in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and it is likely that FGF23 directly contributes to the high rates of LVH and cardiac death in CKD. It is currently unknown if the cardiac effects of FGF23 are solely pathological, or if they potentially can be reversed. Here, we report that FGF23-induced cardiac hypertrophy is reversible in vitro and in vivo upon removal of the hypertrophic stimulus. Specific blockade of FGFR4 attenuates established LVH in the 5/6 nephrectomy rat model of CKD. Since CKD mimics a form of accelerated cardiovascular aging, we also studied age-related cardiac remodeling. We show that aging mice lacking FGFR4 are protected from LVH. Finally, FGF23 increases cardiac contractility via FGFR4, while known effects of FGF23 on aortic relaxation do not require FGFR4. Taken together, our data highlight a role of FGF23/FGFR4 signaling in the regulation of cardiac remodeling and function, and indicate that pharmacological interference with cardiac FGF23/FGFR4 signaling might protect from CKD- and age-related LVH.Item Open Access Gi-biased β2AR signaling links GRK2 upregulation to heart failure.(Circulation research, 2012-01) Zhu, Weizhong; Petrashevskaya, Natalia; Ren, Shuxun; Zhao, Aizhi; Chakir, Khalid; Gao, Erhe; Chuprun, J Kurt; Wang, Yibin; Talan, Mark; Dorn, Gerald W; Lakatta, Edward G; Koch, Walter J; Feldman, Arthur M; Xiao, Rui-PingRationale
Phosphorylation of β(2)-adrenergic receptor (β(2)AR) by a family of serine/threonine kinases known as G protein-coupled receptor kinase (GRK) and protein kinase A (PKA) is a critical determinant of cardiac function. Upregulation of G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) is a well-established causal factor of heart failure, but the underlying mechanism is poorly understood.Objective
We sought to determine the relative contribution of PKA- and GRK-mediated phosphorylation of β(2)AR to the receptor coupling to G(i) signaling that attenuates cardiac reserve and contributes to the pathogenesis of heart failure in response to pressure overload.Methods and results
Overexpression of GRK2 led to a G(i)-dependent decrease of contractile response to βAR stimulation in cultured mouse cardiomyocytes and in vivo. Importantly, cardiac-specific transgenic overexpression of a mutant β(2)AR lacking PKA phosphorylation sites (PKA-TG) but not the wild-type β(2)AR (WT-TG) or a mutant β(2)AR lacking GRK sites (GRK-TG) led to exaggerated cardiac response to pressure overload, as manifested by markedly exacerbated cardiac maladaptive remodeling and failure and early mortality. Furthermore, inhibition of G(i) signaling with pertussis toxin restores cardiac function in heart failure associated with increased β(2)AR to G(i) coupling induced by removing PKA phosphorylation of the receptor and in GRK2 transgenic mice, indicating that enhanced phosphorylation of β(2)AR by GRK and resultant increase in G(i)-biased β(2)AR signaling play an important role in the development of heart failure.Conclusions
Our data show that enhanced β(2)AR phosphorylation by GRK, in addition to PKA, leads the receptor to G(i)-biased signaling, which, in turn, contributes to the pathogenesis of heart failure, marking G(i)-biased β(2)AR signaling as a primary event linking upregulation of GRK to cardiac maladaptive remodeling, failure and cardiodepression.Item Open Access GRK2 blockade with βARKct is essential for cardiac β2-adrenergic receptor signaling towards increased contractility.(Cell communication and signaling : CCS, 2013-08) Salazar, Norma C; Vallejos, Ximena; Siryk, Ashley; Rengo, Giuseppe; Cannavo, Alessandro; Liccardo, Daniela; De Lucia, Claudio; Gao, Erhe; Leosco, Dario; Koch, Walter J; Lymperopoulos, AnastasiosBackground
β1- and β2-adrenergic receptors (ARs) play distinct roles in the heart, e.g. β1AR is pro-contractile and pro-apoptotic but β2AR anti-apoptotic and only weakly pro-contractile. G protein coupled receptor kinase (GRK)-2 desensitizes and opposes βAR pro-contractile signaling by phosphorylating the receptor and inducing beta-arrestin (βarr) binding. We posited herein that GRK2 blockade might enhance the pro-contractile signaling of the β2AR subtype in the heart. We tested the effects of cardiac-targeted GRK2 inhibition in vivo exclusively on β2AR signaling under normal conditions and in heart failure (HF).Results
We crossed β1AR knockout (B1KO) mice with cardiac-specific transgenic mice expressing the βARKct, a known GRK2 inhibitor, and studied the offspring under normal conditions and in post-myocardial infarction (MI). βARKct expression in vivo proved essential for β2AR-dependent contractile function, as β2AR stimulation with isoproterenol fails to increase contractility in either healthy or post-MI B1KO mice and it only does so in the presence of βARKct. The main underlying mechanism for this is blockade of the interaction of phosphodiesterase (PDE) type 4D with the cardiac β2AR, which is normally mediated by the actions of GRK2 and βarrs on the receptor. The molecular "brake" that PDE4D poses on β2AR signaling to contractility stimulation is thus "released". Regarding the other beneficial functions of cardiac β2AR, βARKct increased overall survival of the post-MI B1KO mice progressing to HF, via a decrease in cardiac apoptosis and an increase in wound healing-associated inflammation early (at 24 hrs) post-MI. However, these effects disappear by 4 weeks post-MI, and, in their place, upregulation of the other major GRK in the heart, GRK5, is observed.Conclusions
GRK2 inhibition in vivo with βARKct is absolutely essential for cardiac β2AR pro-contractile signaling and function. In addition, β2AR anti-apoptotic signaling in post-MI HF is augmented by βARKct, although this effect is short-lived.Item Open Access In vivo inhibition of elevated myocardial beta-adrenergic receptor kinase activity in hybrid transgenic mice restores normal beta-adrenergic signaling and function.(Circulation, 1999-08-10) Akhter, SA; Eckhart, AD; Rockman, HA; Shotwell, K; Lefkowitz, RJ; Koch, WJBACKGROUND: The clinical syndrome of heart failure (HF) is characterized by an impaired cardiac beta-adrenergic receptor (betaAR) system, which is critical in the regulation of myocardial function. Expression of the betaAR kinase (betaARK1), which phosphorylates and uncouples betaARs, is elevated in human HF; this likely contributes to the abnormal betaAR responsiveness that occurs with beta-agonist administration. We previously showed that transgenic mice with increased myocardial betaARK1 expression had impaired cardiac function in vivo and that inhibiting endogenous betaARK1 activity in the heart led to enhanced myocardial function. METHODS AND RESULTS: We created hybrid transgenic mice with cardiac-specific concomitant overexpression of both betaARK1 and an inhibitor of betaARK1 activity to study the feasibility and functional consequences of the inhibition of elevated betaARK1 activity similar to that present in human HF. Transgenic mice with myocardial overexpression of betaARK1 (3 to 5-fold) have a blunted in vivo contractile response to isoproterenol when compared with non-transgenic control mice. In the hybrid transgenic mice, although myocardial betaARK1 levels remained elevated due to transgene expression, in vitro betaARK1 activity returned to control levels and the percentage of betaARs in the high-affinity state increased to normal wild-type levels. Furthermore, the in vivo left ventricular contractile response to betaAR stimulation was restored to normal in the hybrid double-transgenic mice. CONCLUSIONS: Novel hybrid transgenic mice can be created with concomitant cardiac-specific overexpression of 2 independent transgenes with opposing actions. Elevated myocardial betaARK1 in transgenic mouse hearts (to levels seen in human HF) can be inhibited in vivo by a peptide that can prevent agonist-stimulated desensitization of cardiac betaARs. This may represent a novel strategy to improve myocardial function in the setting of compromised heart function.Item Open Access Intracoronary adenovirus-mediated delivery and overexpression of the beta(2)-adrenergic receptor in the heart : prospects for molecular ventricular assistance.(Circulation, 2000-02-01) Glower, Donald D Jr; Hata, Jonathan Andrew; Koch, Walter J; Kypson, Alan P; Lefkowitz, Robert J; Lilly, R Eric; Pippen, Anne; Shah, AS; Silvestry, Scott Christopher; Tai, OliverBACKGROUND: Genetic modulation of ventricular function may offer a novel therapeutic strategy for patients with congestive heart failure. Myocardial overexpression of beta(2)-adrenergic receptors (beta(2)ARs) has been shown to enhance contractility in transgenic mice and reverse signaling abnormalities found in failing cardiomyocytes in culture. In this study, we sought to determine the feasibility and in vivo consequences of delivering an adenovirus containing the human beta(2)AR cDNA to ventricular myocardium via catheter-mediated subselective intracoronary delivery. METHODS AND RESULTS: Rabbits underwent percutaneous subselective catheterization of either the left or right coronary artery and infusion of adenoviral vectors containing either a marker transgene (Adeno-betaGal) or the beta(2)AR (Adeno-beta(2)AR). Ventricular function was assessed before catheterization and 3 to 6 days after gene delivery. Both left circumflex- and right coronary artery-mediated delivery of Adeno-beta(2)AR resulted in approximately 10-fold overexpression in a chamber-specific manner. Delivery of Adeno-betaGal did not alter in vivo left ventricular (LV) systolic function, whereas overexpression of beta(2)ARs in the LV improved global LV contractility, as measured by dP/dt(max), at baseline and in response to isoproterenol at both 3 and 6 days after gene delivery. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous adenovirus-mediated intracoronary delivery of a potentially therapeutic transgene is feasible, and acute global LV function can be enhanced by LV-specific overexpression of the beta(2)AR. Thus, genetic modulation to enhance the function of the heart may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for congestive heart failure and can be viewed as molecular ventricular assistance.Item Open Access Long-Term Caloric Restriction Improves Cardiac Function, Remodeling, Adrenergic Responsiveness, and Sympathetic Innervation in a Model of Postischemic Heart Failure.(Circulation. Heart failure, 2018-03) de Lucia, Claudio; Gambino, Giuseppina; Petraglia, Laura; Elia, Andrea; Komici, Klara; Femminella, Grazia Daniela; D'Amico, Maria Loreta; Formisano, Roberto; Borghetti, Giulia; Liccardo, Daniela; Nolano, Maria; Houser, Steven R; Leosco, Dario; Ferrara, Nicola; Koch, Walter J; Rengo, GiuseppeBackground
Caloric restriction (CR) has been described to have cardioprotective effects and improve functional outcomes in animal models and humans. Chronic ischemic heart failure (HF) is associated with reduced cardiac sympathetic innervation, dysfunctional β-adrenergic receptor signaling, and decreased cardiac inotropic reserve. We tested the effects of a long-term CR diet, started late after myocardial infarction on cardiac function, sympathetic innervation, and β-adrenergic receptor responsiveness in a rat model of postischemic HF.Methods and results
Adult male rats were randomly assigned to myocardial infarction or sham operation and 4 weeks later were further randomized to a 1-year CR or normal diet. One year of CR resulted in a significant reduction in body weight, heart weight, and heart weight/tibia length ratio when compared with normal diet in HF groups. At the end of the study period, echocardiography and histology revealed that HF animals under the CR diet had ameliorated left ventricular remodeling compared with HF rats fed with normal diet. Invasive hemodynamic showed a significant improvement of cardiac inotropic reserve in CR HF rats compared with HF-normal diet animals. Importantly, CR dietary regimen was associated with a significant increase of cardiac sympathetic innervation and with normalized cardiac β-adrenergic receptor levels in HF rats when compared with HF rats on the standard diet.Conclusions
We demonstrate, for the first time, that chronic CR, when started after HF established, can ameliorate cardiac dysfunction and improve inotropic reserve. At the molecular level, we find that chronic CR diet significantly improves sympathetic cardiac innervation and β-adrenergic receptor levels in failing myocardium.Item Open Access Mdm2 regulates cardiac contractility by inhibiting GRK2-mediated desensitization of β-adrenergic receptor signaling.(JCI insight, 2017-09) Jean-Charles, Pierre-Yves; Yu, Samuel Mon-Wei; Abraham, Dennis; Kommaddi, Reddy Peera; Mao, Lan; Strachan, Ryan T; Zhang, Zhu-Shan; Bowles, Dawn E; Brian, Leigh; Stiber, Jonathan A; Jones, Stephen N; Koch, Walter J; Rockman, Howard A; Shenoy, Sudha KThe oncoprotein Mdm2 is a RING domain-containing E3 ubiquitin ligase that ubiquitinates G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) and β-arrestin2, thereby regulating β-adrenergic receptor (βAR) signaling and endocytosis. Previous studies showed that cardiac Mdm2 expression is critical for controlling p53-dependent apoptosis during early embryonic development, but the role of Mdm2 in the developed adult heart is unknown. We aimed to identify if Mdm2 affects βAR signaling and cardiac function in adult mice. Using Mdm2/p53-KO mice, which survive for 9-12 months, we identified a critical and potentially novel role for Mdm2 in the adult mouse heart through its regulation of cardiac β1AR signaling. While baseline cardiac function was mostly similar in both Mdm2/p53-KO and wild-type (WT) mice, isoproterenol-induced cardiac contractility in Mdm2/p53-KO was significantly blunted compared with WT mice. Isoproterenol increased cAMP in left ventricles of WT but not of Mdm2/p53-KO mice. Additionally, while basal and forskolin-induced calcium handling in isolated Mdm2/p53-KO and WT cardiomyocytes were equivalent, isoproterenol-induced calcium handling in Mdm2/p53-KO was impaired. Mdm2/p53-KO hearts expressed 2-fold more GRK2 than WT. GRK2 polyubiquitination via lysine-48 linkages was significantly reduced in Mdm2/p53-KO hearts. Tamoxifen-inducible cardiomyocyte-specific deletion of Mdm2 in adult mice also led to a significant increase in GRK2, and resulted in severely impaired cardiac function, high mortality, and no detectable βAR responsiveness. Gene delivery of either Mdm2 or GRK2-CT in vivo using adeno-associated virus 9 (AAV9) effectively rescued β1AR-induced cardiac contractility in Mdm2/p53-KO. These findings reveal a critical p53-independent physiological role of Mdm2 in adult hearts, namely, regulation of GRK2-mediated desensitization of βAR signaling.Item Open Access Myocardial Strain and Cardiac Output are Preferable Measurements for Cardiac Dysfunction and Can Predict Mortality in Septic Mice.(Journal of the American Heart Association, 2019-05) Hoffman, Matthew; Kyriazis, Ioannis D; Lucchese, Anna M; de Lucia, Claudio; Piedepalumbo, Michela; Bauer, Michael; Schulze, P Christian; Bonios, Michael J; Koch, Walter J; Drosatos, KonstantinosBackground Sepsis is the overwhelming host response to infection leading to shock and multiple organ dysfunction. Cardiovascular complications greatly increase sepsis-associated mortality. Although murine models are routinely used for preclinical studies, the benefit of using genetically engineered mice in sepsis is countered by discrepancies between human and mouse sepsis pathophysiology. Therefore, recent guidelines have called for standardization of preclinical methods to document organ dysfunction. We investigated the course of cardiac dysfunction and myocardial load in different mouse models of sepsis to identify the optimal measurements for early systolic and diastolic dysfunction. Methods and Results We performed speckle-tracking echocardiography and assessed blood pressure, plasma inflammatory cytokines, lactate, B-type natriuretic peptide, and survival in mouse models of endotoxemia or polymicrobial infection (cecal ligation and puncture, [ CLP ]) of moderate and high severity. We observed that myocardial strain and cardiac output were consistently impaired early in both sepsis models. Suppression of cardiac output was associated with systolic dysfunction in endotoxemia or combined systolic dysfunction and reduced preload in the CLP model. We found that cardiac output at 2 hours post- CLP is a negative prognostic indicator with high sensitivity and specificity that predicts mortality at 48 hours. Using a known antibiotic (ertapenem) treatment, we confirmed that this approach can document recovery. Conclusions We propose a non-invasive approach for assessment of cardiac function in sepsis and myocardial strain and strain rate as preferable measures for monitoring cardiovascular function in sepsis mouse models. We further show that the magnitude of cardiac output suppression 2 hours post- CLP can be used to predict mortality.Item Open Access Negative impact of β-arrestin-1 on post-myocardial infarction heart failure via cardiac and adrenal-dependent neurohormonal mechanisms.(Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979), 2014-02) Bathgate-Siryk, Ashley; Dabul, Samalia; Pandya, Krunal; Walklett, Karlee; Rengo, Giuseppe; Cannavo, Alessandro; De Lucia, Claudio; Liccardo, Daniela; Gao, Erhe; Leosco, Dario; Koch, Walter J; Lymperopoulos, Anastasiosβ-Arrestin (βarr)-1 and β-arrestin-2 (βarrs) are universal G-protein-coupled receptor adapter proteins that negatively regulate cardiac β-adrenergic receptor (βAR) function via βAR desensitization and downregulation. In addition, they mediate G-protein-independent βAR signaling, which might be beneficial, for example, antiapoptotic, for the heart. However, the specific role(s) of each βarr isoform in cardiac βAR dysfunction, the molecular hallmark of chronic heart failure (HF), remains unknown. Furthermore, adrenal βarr1 exacerbates HF by chronically enhancing adrenal production and hence circulating levels of aldosterone and catecholamines. Herein, we sought to delineate specific roles of βarr1 in post-myocardial infarction (MI) HF by testing the effects of βarr1 genetic deletion on normal and post-MI cardiac function and morphology. We studied βarr1 knockout (βarr1KO) mice alongside wild-type controls under normal conditions and after surgical MI. Normal (sham-operated) βarr1KO mice display enhanced βAR-dependent contractility and post-MI βarr1KO mice enhanced overall cardiac function (and βAR-dependent contractility) compared with wild type. Post-MI βarr1KO mice also show increased survival and decreased cardiac infarct size, apoptosis, and adverse remodeling, as well as circulating catecholamines and aldosterone, compared with post-MI wild type. The underlying mechanisms, on one hand, improved cardiac βAR signaling and function, as evidenced by increased βAR density and procontractile signaling, via reduced cardiac βAR desensitization because of cardiac βarr1 absence, and, on the other hand, decreased production leading to lower circulating levels of catecholamines and aldosterone because of adrenal βarr1 absence. Thus, βarr1, via both cardiac and adrenal effects, is detrimental for cardiac structure and function and significantly exacerbates post-MI HF.Item Open Access Overexpression of the cardiac beta(2)-adrenergic receptor and expression of a beta-adrenergic receptor kinase-1 (betaARK1) inhibitor both increase myocardial contractility but have differential effects on susceptibility to ischemic injury.(Circ Res, 1999-11-26) Cross, HR; Steenbergen, C; Lefkowitz, RJ; Koch, WJ; Murphy, ECardiac beta(2)-adrenergic receptor (beta(2)AR) overexpression is a potential contractile therapy for heart failure. Cardiac contractility was elevated in mice overexpressing beta(2)ARs (TG4s) with no adverse effects under normal conditions. To assess the consequences of beta(2)AR overexpression during ischemia, perfused hearts from TG4 and wild-type mice were subjected to 20-minute ischemia and 40-minute reperfusion. During ischemia, ATP and pH fell lower in TG4 hearts than wild type. Ischemic injury was greater in TG4 hearts, as indicated by lower postischemic recoveries of contractile function, ATP, and phosphocreatine. Because beta(2)ARs, unlike beta(1)ARs, couple to G(i) as well as G(s), we pretreated mice with the G(i) inhibitor pertussis toxin (PTX). PTX treatment increased basal contractility in TG4 hearts and abolished the contractile resistance to isoproterenol. During ischemia, ATP fell lower in TG4+PTX than in TG4 hearts. Recoveries of contractile function and ATP were lower in TG4+PTX than in TG4 hearts. We also studied mice that overexpressed either betaARK1 (TGbetaARK1) or a betaARK1 inhibitor (TGbetaARKct). Recoveries of function, ATP, and phosphocreatine were higher in TGbetaARK1 hearts than in wild-type hearts. Despite basal contractility being elevated in TGbetaARKct hearts to the same level as that of TG4s, ischemic injury was not increased. In summary, beta(2)AR overexpression increased ischemic injury, whereas betaARK1 overexpression was protective. Ischemic injury in the beta(2)AR overexpressors was exacerbated by PTX treatment, implying that it was G(s) not G(i) activity that enhanced injury. Unlike beta(2)AR overexpression, basal contractility was increased by betaARK1 inhibitor expression without increasing ischemic injury, thus implicating a safer potential therapy for heart failure.Item Open Access Receptor-specific in vivo desensitization by the G protein-coupled receptor kinase-5 in transgenic mice.(Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1996-09-03) Rockman, HA; Choi, DJ; Rahman, NU; Akhter, SA; Lefkowitz, RJ; Koch, WJTransgenic mice were generated with cardiac-specific overexpression of the G protein-coupled receptor kinase-5 (GRK5), a serine/threonine kinase most abundantly expressed in the heart compared with other tissues. Animals overexpressing GRK5 showed marked beta-adrenergic receptor desensitization in both the anesthetized and conscious state compared with nontransgenic control mice, while the contractile response to angiotensin II receptor stimulation was unchanged. In contrast, the angiotensin II-induced rise in contractility was significantly attenuated in transgenic mice overexpressing the beta-adrenergic receptor kinase-1, another member of the GRK family. These data suggest that myocardial overexpression of GRK5 results in selective uncoupling of G protein-coupled receptors and demonstrate that receptor specificity of the GRKs may be important in determining the physiological phenotype.Item Open Access The third beta is not the charm.(J Clin Invest, 1996-07-15) Bond, RA; Lefkowitz, RJItem Open Access Tissue-engineered cardiac patch for advanced functional maturation of human ESC-derived cardiomyocytes.(Biomaterials, 2013-07) Zhang, Donghui; Shadrin, Ilya Y; Lam, Jason; Xian, Hai-Qian; Snodgrass, H Ralph; Bursac, NenadHuman embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hESC-CMs) provide a promising source for cell therapy and drug screening. Several high-yield protocols exist for hESC-CM production; however, methods to significantly advance hESC-CM maturation are still lacking. Building on our previous experience with mouse ESC-CMs, we investigated the effects of 3-dimensional (3D) tissue-engineered culture environment and cardiomyocyte purity on structural and functional maturation of hESC-CMs. 2D monolayer and 3D fibrin-based cardiac patch cultures were generated using dissociated cells from differentiated Hes2 embryoid bodies containing varying percentage (48-90%) of CD172a (SIRPA)-positive cardiomyocytes. hESC-CMs within the patch were aligned uniformly by locally controlling the direction of passive tension. Compared to hESC-CMs in age (2 weeks) and purity (48-65%) matched 2D monolayers, hESC-CMs in 3D patches exhibited significantly higher conduction velocities (CVs), longer sarcomeres (2.09 ± 0.02 vs. 1.77 ± 0.01 μm), and enhanced expression of genes involved in cardiac contractile function, including cTnT, αMHC, CASQ2 and SERCA2. The CVs in cardiac patches increased with cardiomyocyte purity, reaching 25.1 cm/s in patches constructed with 90% hESC-CMs. Maximum contractile force amplitudes and active stresses of cardiac patches averaged to 3.0 ± 1.1 mN and 11.8 ± 4.5 mN/mm(2), respectively. Moreover, contractile force per input cardiomyocyte averaged to 5.7 ± 1.1 nN/cell and showed a negative correlation with hESC-CM purity. Finally, patches exhibited significant positive inotropy with isoproterenol administration (1.7 ± 0.3-fold force increase, EC50 = 95.1 nm). These results demonstrate highly advanced levels of hESC-CM maturation after 2 weeks of 3D cardiac patch culture and carry important implications for future drug development and cell therapy studies.