Analysis of differentially expressed genes in hyperthyroid-induced hypertrophied heart by cDNA microarray

Role of thyroid hormones-induced oxidative stress on cardiovascular physiology

Thyroid hormones (THs) play an essential role in the maintenance of cardiovascular homeostasis and are involved in the modulation of cardiac contractility, heart rate, diastolic function, systemic vascular resistance, and vasodilation. THs have actions on cardiovascular physiology through the activation or repression of target genes or the activation of intracellular signals through non-genomic mechanisms. Hyperthyroidism alters certain intracellular pathways involved in the preservation of the structure and functionality of the heart, causing relevant cardiovascular disorders. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in the cardiovascular system, but the exacerbated increase in ROS caused by chronic hyperthyroidism together with regulation on the antioxidant system have been associated with the development of cardiovascular dysfunction. In this review, we analyze the role of THs-induced oxidative stress in the cellular and molecular changes that lead to cardiac dysfunction, as well as the effectiveness of antioxidant treatments in attenuating cardiac abnormalities developed during hyperthyroidism.

Memantine, an NMDA Receptor Antagonist, Prevents Thyroxin-induced Hypertension, but Not Cardiac Remodeling

Stimulation of glutamatergic tone has been causally linked to myocardial pathogenesis and amplified systemic blood pressure (BP). Memantine, a noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamatergic receptor (NMDA-R) antagonist, has been proposed to be an active cardioprotective drug. However, the efficacy of memantine and subsequently the possible involvement of the NMDA-R in the thyroxin (T4)-induced cardiovascular complications have never been investigated. We examined the effect of memantine (30 mg·kg·d) on the T4 (500 μg·kg·d)-provoked increase in mouse BP, cardiac hypertrophy indicated by enlarged overall myocardial mass, and reformed reactions of the contractile myocardium both in vivo and ex vivo after 2 weeks of treatment. Memantine alone did not result in any cardiovascular pathology in mice. Instead, memantine significantly prevented the T4-triggered systemic hypertension. But, it did not reverse cardiac hypertrophy, coupled in vivo left ventricular dysfunction (LV) or ex vivo right ventricular (RV) papillary muscle contractile alterations of the T4-treated mice. Our results openly direct the cardiovascular safety and tolerability of memantine therapy. Yet, extra research is necessary to endorse these prospective advantageous outcomes. Also, we believe that this is the first study to inspect the possible role of NMDA-R in the T4-stimulated cardiovascular disorders and concluded that NMDA-R could play a key role in the T4-induced hypertension.

Role of Supercomputers in Bioinformatics

Due to the involvement of effective and client-friendly components (i.e. supercomputers), rapid data analysis is being accomplished. In Bioinformatics, it is expanding many areas of research such as genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, etc. Structure-based drug design is one of the major areas of research to cure human malady. This chapter initiates a discussion on supercomputing in sequence analysis with a detailed table summarizing the software and Web-based programs used for sequence analysis. A brief talk on the supercomputing in virtual screening is given where the databases like DOCK, ZINC, EDULISS, etc. are introduced. As the chapter transitions to the next phase, the intricacies of advanced Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship technologies like Fragment-Based 2D QSAR, Multiple-Field 3D QSAR, and Amino Acid-Based Peptide Prediction are put forth in a manner similar to the concept of abstraction. The supercomputing in docking studies is stressed where docking software for Protein-Ligand docking, Protein-Protein docking, and Multi-Protein docking are provided. The chapter ends with the applications of supercomputing in widely used microarray data analysis.

Cinnamon intake reduces serum T3 level and modulates tissue-specific expression of thyroid hormone receptor and target genes in rats

BACKGROUND

Cinnamon has several effects on energy metabolism. However, no data exist on the impact of cinnamon intake on thyroid hormone serum concentrations and action, since thyroid hormones (THs) play a major role in metabolism.

RESULTS

Male rats were treated with cinnamon water extract (400 mg kg(-1) body weight, 25 days). Cinnamon supplementation resulted in a lower serum total T3 level accompanied by normal serum T4 and TSH levels. The cinnamon-treated rats did not exhibit significant differences in TSHβ subunit, TRβ or deiodinase type 2 mRNA expression in the pituitary. In the liver, cinnamon did not change the TRβ protein expression or the deiodinase type 1 mRNA expression, suggesting that there were no changes in T3 signaling or metabolism in this organ. However, mitochondrial GPDH, a target gene for T3 in the liver, exhibited no changes in mRNA expression, although its activity level was reduced by cinnamon. In the cardiac ventricle, T3 action was markedly reduced by cinnamon, as demonstrated by the lower TRα mRNA and protein levels, reduced SERCA2a and RyR2 and increased phospholamban mRNA expression.

CONCLUSION

This study has revealed that TH action is a novel target of cinnamon, demonstrating impairment of T3 signaling in the cardiac ventricles. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Balancing functions of annexin A6 maintain equilibrium between hypertrophy and apoptosis in cardiomyocytes

Pathological cardiac hypertrophy is a major risk factor associated with heart failure, a state concomitant with increased cell death. However, the mechanism governing progression of hypertrophy to apoptosis at the single-cell level remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate annexin A6 (Anxa6), a calcium (Ca(2+))-dependent phospholipid-binding protein critically regulates the transition of chronic hypertrophied cardiomyocytes to apoptosis. Treatment of the H9c2(2-1) cardiomyocytes with hypertrophic agonists upregulates and relocalizes Anxa6 with increased cytosolic punctate appearance. Live cell imaging revealed that chronic exposure to hypertrophic agonists such as phenylephrine (PE) compromises the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and morphological dynamics. Such chronic hypertrophic induction also activated the caspases 9 and 3 and induced cleavage of the poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (Parp1), which are the typical downstream events in the mitochondrial pathways of apoptosis. An increased rate of apoptosis was evident in the hypertrophied cardiomyocytes after 48-72 h of treatment with the hypertrophic agonists. Anxa6 was progressively associated with the mitochondrial fraction under chronic hypertrophic stimulation, and Anxa6 knockdown severely abrogated mitochondrial network and dynamics. Ectopically expressed Anxa6 protected the mitochondrial morphology and dynamics under PE treatment, and also increased the cellular susceptibility to apoptosis. Biochemical analysis showed that Anxa6 interacts with Parp1 and its 89 kDa cleaved product in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner through the N-terminal residues (1-28). Furthermore, expression of Anxa6(S13E), a mutant dominant negative with respect to Parp1 binding, served as an enhancer of mitochondrial dynamics, even under chronic PE treatment. Chemical inhibition of Parp1 activity released the cellular vulnerability to apoptosis in Anxa6-expressing stable cell lines, thereby shifting the equilibrium away from cell death. Taken together, the present study depicts a dual regulatory function of Anxa6 that is crucial for balancing hypertrophy with apoptosis in cardiomyocytes.

Acyl-CoA synthetase 1 deficiency alters cardiolipin species and impairs mitochondrial function

Long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase 1 (ACSL1) contributes more than 90% of total cardiac ACSL activity, but its role in phospholipid synthesis has not been determined. Mice with an inducible knockout of ACSL1 (Acsl1(T-/-)) have impaired cardiac fatty acid oxidation and rely on glucose for ATP production. Because ACSL1 exhibited a strong substrate preference for linoleate, we investigated the composition of heart phospholipids. Acsl1(T-/-) hearts contained 83% less tetralinoleoyl-cardiolipin (CL), the major form present in control hearts. A stable knockdown of ACSL1 in H9c2 rat cardiomyocytes resulted in low incorporation of linoleate into CL and in diminished incorporation of palmitate and oleate into other phospholipids. Overexpression of ACSL1 in H9c2 and HEK-293 cells increased incorporation of linoleate into CL and other phospholipids. To determine whether increasing the content of linoleate in CL would improve mitochondrial respiratory function in Acsl1(T-/-) hearts, control and Acsl1(T-/-) mice were fed a high-linoleate diet; this diet normalized the amount of tetralinoleoyl-CL but did not improve respiratory function. Thus, ACSL1 is required for the normal composition of several phospholipid species in heart. Although ACSL1 determines the acyl-chain composition of heart CL, a high tetralinoleoyl-CL content may not be required for normal function.

Role of Oxidative Stress in Thyroid Hormone-Induced Cardiomyocyte Hypertrophy and Associated Cardiac Dysfunction: An Undisclosed Story

Cardiac hypertrophy is the most documented cardiomyopathy following hyperthyroidism in experimental animals. Thyroid hormone-induced cardiac hypertrophy is described as a relative ventricular hypertrophy that encompasses the whole heart and is linked with contractile abnormalities in both right and left ventricles. The increase in oxidative stress that takes place in experimental hyperthyroidism proposes that reactive oxygen species are key players in the cardiomyopathy frequently reported in this endocrine disorder. The goal of this review is to shed light on the effects of thyroid hormones on the development of oxidative stress in the heart along with the subsequent cellular and molecular changes. In particular, we will review the role of thyroid hormone-induced oxidative stress in the development of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and associated cardiac dysfunction, as well as the potential effectiveness of antioxidant treatments in attenuating these hyperthyroidism-induced abnormalities in experimental animal models.

Essential role of TEA domain transcription factors in the negative regulation of the MYH 7 gene by thyroid hormone and its receptors

MYH7 (also referred to as cardiac myosin heavy chain β) gene expression is known to be repressed by thyroid hormone (T3). However, the molecular mechanism by which T3 inhibits the transcription of its target genes (negative regulation) remains to be clarified, whereas those of transcriptional activation by T3 (positive regulation) have been elucidated in detail. Two MCAT (muscle C, A, and T) sites and an A/T-rich region in the MYH7 gene have been shown to play a critical role in the expression of this gene and are known to be recognized by the TEAD/TEF family of transcription factors (TEADs). Using a reconstitution system with CV-1 cells, which has been utilized in the analysis of positive as well as negative regulation, we demonstrate that both T3 receptor (TR) β1 and α1 inhibit TEAD-dependent activation of the MYH7 promoter in a T3 dose-dependent manner. TRβ1 bound with GC-1, a TRβ-selective T3 analog, also repressed TEAD-induced activity. Although T3-dependent inhibition required the DNA-binding domain (DBD) of TRβ1, it remained after the putative negative T3-responsive elements were mutated. A co-immunoprecipitation study demonstrated the in vivo association of TRβ1 with TEAD-1, and the interaction surfaces were mapped to the DBD of the TRβ1 and TEA domains of TEAD-1, both of which are highly conserved among TRs and TEADs, respectively. The importance of TEADs in MYH7 expression was also validated with RNA interference using rat embryonic cardiomyocyte H9c2 cells. These results indicate that T3-bound TRs interfere with transactivation by TEADs via protein-protein interactions, resulting in the negative regulation of MYH7 promoter activity.

Cytosolic dynamics of annexin A6 trigger feedback regulation of hypertrophy via atrial natriuretic peptide in cardiomyocytes

Malfunctions in regulatory pathways that control cell size are prominent in pathological cardiac hypertrophy. Here, we show annexin A6 (Anxa6) to be a crucial regulator of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP)-mediated counterhypertrophic responses in cardiomyocytes. Adrenergic stimulation of H9c2 cardiomyocytes by phenylephrine (PE) increased the cell size with enhanced expression of biochemical markers of hypertrophy, concomitant with elevated expression and subcellular redistribution of Anxa6. Stable cell lines with controlled increase in Anxa6 levels were protected against PE-induced adverse changes, whereas Anxa6 knockdown augmented the hypertrophic responses. Strikingly, Anxa6 knockdown also abrogated PE-induced juxtanuclear accumulation of secretory granules (SG) containing ANP propeptides (pro-ANP), a signature of maladaptive hypertrophy having counteractive functions. Mechanistically, PE treatment prompted a dynamic association of Anxa6 with pro-ANP-SG, parallel to their participation in anterograde traffic, in an isoform-specific fashion. Moreover, Anxa6 mutants that failed to associate with pro-ANP hindered ANP-mediated protection against hypertrophy, which was rescued, at least partially, by WT Anxa6. Additionally, elevated intracellular calcium (Ca(2+)) stimulated Anxa6-pro-ANP colocalization and membrane association. It also rescued pro-ANP translocation in cells expressing an Anxa6 mutant (Anxa6(ΔC)). Furthermore, stable overexpression of Anxa6(T356D), a mutant with superior flexibility, provided enhanced protection against PE, compared with WT, presumably due to enhanced membrane-binding capacity. Together, the present study delivers a cooperative mechanism where Anxa6 potentiates ANP-dependent counterhypertrophic responses in cardiomyocytes by facilitating regulated traffic of pro-ANP.

Role of thyroid hormones and mir-208 in myocardial remodeling in 5/6 nephrectomized rats

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Thyroid hormones exert important effects on heart remodeling through mir-208. The process may have a role in myocardial changes in chronic kidney disease where thyroid abnormalities are common. In this study the effect of T4 supplementation on left ventricle (LV) remodeling in 5/6 nephrectomized rats (5/6Nx) was analyzed.

METHODS

5/6Nx rats and 5/6Nx under T4 supplementation (5/6Nx + T4) were compared with control (C) and thyroidectomized (Tx) rats. After 8 weeks of follow-up, LV was analyzed for α-MHC, β-MHC, TGF-β, and mir-208 expression, hydroxyproline content, and myocardial fibrosis. Serum collagenase activity was also analyzed.

RESULTS

Heart weight increased in 5/6Nx rats compared to C, which was prevented with T4 supplementation (C, 1.5 ± 0.04; 5/6Nx, 1.8 ± 0.09; 5/6Nx + T4, 1.6 ± 0.07 g, p <0.05). The same pattern was seen for LV wall thickness, hydroxyproline content, LV fibrosis, and mRNA TGF-β expression (C, 0.47 ± 0.17; 5/6Nx, 10.55 ± 3.4; 5/6Nx + T4, 3.01 ± 0.52, p <0.01). Tx rats had reduction in heart weight, increased LV wall thickness, and fibrosis. Collagenase activity did not change in any group. mRNA expression of α-, β-MHC, and TGF-β increased in 5/6Nx in comparison to C and 5/6Nx + T4. Expression of mir-208 decreased in 5/6Nx groups, and levels were restored with T4 supplementation (4.21 ± 0.28, 3.39 ± 0.29, and 4.26 ± 0.37 RU, respectively, p <0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Decreased plasma level of thyroid hormones or sensitivity at tissue level observed in chronic kidney disease induced by 5/6Nx has an important effect in heart remodeling processes, some of it related or mediated by mir-208 and TGF-β expression in the heart.

Hyperthyroidism causes cardiac dysfunction by mitochondrial impairment and energy depletion

This study elucidates the role of metabolic remodeling in cardiac dysfunction induced by hyperthyroidism. Cardiac hypertrophy, structural remodeling, and expression of the genes associated with fatty acid metabolism were examined in rats treated with triiodothyronine (T3) alone (8 μg/100 g body weight (BW), i.p.) for 15 days or along with a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha agonist bezafibrate (Bzf; 30 μg/100 g BW, oral) and were found to improve in the Bzf co-treated condition. Ultrastructure of mitochondria was damaged in T3-treated rat heart, which was prevented by Bzf co-administration. Hyperthyroidism-induced oxidative stress, reduction in cytochrome c oxidase activity, and myocardial ATP concentration were also significantly checked by Bzf. Heart function studied at different time points during the course of T3 treatment shows an initial improvement and then a gradual but progressive decline with time, which is prevented by Bzf co-treatment. In summary, the results demonstrate that hyperthyroidism inflicts structural and functional damage to mitochondria, leading to energy depletion and cardiac dysfunction.

Acute myocardial infarction and thyroid function: new pathophysiological and therapeutic perspectives

In the post-reperfusion era, molecular and genetic mechanisms of cardioprotection and regeneration represent new therapeutic challenges to limit infarct size and minimize post-ischemic remodeling after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Activation of cell survival mechanisms can be promoted by the administration of external drugs, stimulation of internal mechanisms, and genetic manipulation to delete or replace pathological genes or enhance gene expression. Among internal cardiovascular regulatory mechanisms, thyroid hormones (THs) may play a fundamental role. TH has a critical role in cardiovascular development and homeostasis in both physiological and pathological conditions. In experimental AMI, TH has been shown to affect cardiac contractility, left ventricular (LV) function, and remodeling. Several experimental studies have clearly shown that THs participate in the regulation of molecular mechanisms of angiogenesis, cardioprotection, cardiac metabolism, and ultimately myocyte regeneration, changes that can reverse left ventricular remodeling by favorably improving myocyte shape and geometry of LV cavity, thus improving systolic and diastolic performance. This review is focused on the role of thyroid on AMI evolution and on the potential novel option of thyroid-related treatment of AMI.

Regulation of gene expression with thyroid hormone in rats with myocardial infarction

Introduction

The expression of hundreds of genes is altered in response to left ventricular (LV) remodeling following large transmural myocardial infarction (MI). Thyroid hormone (TH) improves LV remodeling and cardiac performance after MI. However, the molecular basis is unknown.

Methods

MI was produced by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery in female SD rats. Rats were divided into the following groups: (1) Sham MI, (2) MI, and (3) MI+T4 treatment (T4 pellet 3.3 mg, 60 days release, implanted subcutaneously immediately following MI). Four weeks after surgery, total RNA was isolated from LV non-infarcted areas for microarray analysis using the Illumina RatRef-12 Expression BeadChip Platform.

Results

Signals were detected in 13,188 genes (out of 22,523), of which the expression of 154 genes were decreased and the expression of 200 genes were increased in MI rats compared with Sham MI rats (false discovery rate (FDR) <0.05). Compared to MI rats, T4 treatment decreased expression of 27 genes and increased expression of 28 genes. In particular, 6 genes down-regulated by MI and 12 genes up-regulated by MI were reversed by T4. Most of the 55 genes altered by T4 treatment are in the category of molecular function under binding (24) and biological processes which includes immune system process (9), multi-organism process (5) and biological regulation (19) nonexclusively.

Conclusions

These results suggest that altered expression of genes for molecular function and biological process may be involved in the beneficial effects of thyroid hormone treatment following MI in rats.

Atrial fibrillation and hyperthyroidism: relation between transoesophageal markers of a thrombogenic milieu and clinical risk factors for thromboembolism

Hyperthyroidism is a questionable risk factor for thromboembolism among patients with atrial fibrillation.

OBJECTIVE

  To correlate clinical risk factors for thromboembolism from a group of patients with atrial fibrillation related to hyperthyroidism with transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) markers of a thrombogenic milieu.

DESIGN

  Clinical risk factors for thromboembolism, thyroid hormonal status, time since diagnosis of hyperthyroidism and TOE markers of a thrombogenic milieu were assessed in consecutive patients with atrial fibrillation related to hyperthyroidism. The following TOE parameters were assessed to define the presence of thrombogenic milieu: dense spontaneous echo contrast, thrombi or left atrial appendage blood flow velocities <0·20 m/s. Clinical risk factors for thromboembolism were based on CHADS(2) (Cardiac failure, Hypertension, Age, Diabetes and Stroke) classification.

PATIENTS

  This study included 31 consecutive patients aged between 18 and 65 years with atrial fibrillation related to hyperthyroidism scheduled for TOE.

RESULTS

  Thrombogenic milieu was present in 14 of 31 (45·2%) patients. The thyroid status could not predict the presence of a thrombogenic milieu. Despite low CHADS(2) score of 0/1, 6 of 13 (46·1%) patients had a thrombogenic milieu, whereas 10 of 18 (55·6%) patients with score ≥2 had none. The probability of having a thrombogenic milieu did not correlate with the number of clinical risk factors.

CONCLUSION

  Among patients younger than 65 years of age with atrial fibrillation related to hyperthyroidism, there is no association between clinical risk factors with TOE markers of a thrombogenic milieu. TOE adds useful information that may affect antithrombotic therapy guided by clinical risk classification.

A glance at DNA microarray technology and applications

INTRODUCTION

Because of huge impacts of "OMICS" technologies in life sciences, many researchers aim to implement such high throughput approach to address cellular and/or molecular functions in response to any influential intervention in genomics, proteomics, or metabolomics levels. However, in many cases, use of such technologies often encounters some cybernetic difficulties in terms of knowledge extraction from a bunch of data using related softwares. In fact, there is little guidance upon data mining for novices. The main goal of this article is to provide a brief review on different steps of microarray data handling and mining for novices and at last to introduce different PC and/or web-based softwares that can be used in preprocessing and/or data mining of microarray data.

METHODS

To pursue such aim, recently published papers and microarray softwares were reviewed.

RESULTS

It was found that defining the true place of the genes in cell networks is the main phase in our understanding of programming and functioning of living cells. This can be obtained with global/selected gene expression profiling.

CONCLUSION

Studying the regulation patterns of genes in groups, using clustering and classification methods helps us understand different pathways in the cell, their functions, regulations and the way one component in the system affects the other one. These networks can act as starting points for data mining and hypothesis generation, helping us reverse engineer.

Interaction of annexin A6 with alpha actinin in cardiomyocytes

Background

Annexins are calcium dependent phospholipid binding proteins that are expressed in a wide variety of tissues and implicated in various extra- and intracellular processes. In myocardial tissue, annexins A2, A5 and A6 are particularly abundant, of which the expression levels of annexin A6 has been found to be maximal. Conflicting reports from transgenic mice overexpressing annexin A6 or null mice lacking annexin A6 showed imbalances in intracellular calcium turnover and disturbed cardiac contractility. However, few studies have focussed on the signalling module of annexin A6 in the heart either in normal or in pathological state.

Results

To identify the putative binding partners of annexin A6 in the heart, ventricular extracts were subjected to glutathione S-transferase (GST)- annexin A6 pull down assay and the GST- annexin A6 bound proteins were identified by mass spectrometry. The pull down fractions of ventricular extracts with GST-full length annexin A6 as well as GST-C terminus deleted annexin A6 when immunoblotted with anti sarcomeric alpha (α)-actinin antibody showed the presence of α-actinin in the immunoblot which was absent when GST-N terminus deleted annexin A6 was used for pull down. Overexpression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) tagged full length annexin A6 showed z-line like appearance in cardiomyocytes whereas GFP-N termimus deleted annexin A6 was mostly localized to the nucleus. Overexpression of GFP-C terminus deleted annexin A6 in cardiomyocytes showed aggregate like appearance in the cytoplasm. Double immunofluorescent staining of cardiomyocytes with anti annexin A6 and anti sarcomeric α-actinin antibodies showed perfect co-localization of these two proteins with annexin A6 appearing like a component of sarcomere. Transient knockdown of annexin A6 in cardiomyocytes by shRNA significantly enhances the contractile functions but does not affect the z-band architecture, as revealed by α-actinin immunostaining in shRNA treated cells.

Conclusions

In overall, the present study demonstrated for the first time that annexin A6 physically interacts with sarcomeric α-actinin and alters contractility of cardiomyocytes suggesting that it might play important role in excitation and contraction process.

Proteome analysis of the left ventricle in the vitamin D₃ and nicotine-induced rat vascular calcification model

Vitamin D₃ and nicotine (VDN) serve as an animal model of arterial calcification. The vascular calcification induced by the VDN model is always accompanied by compensatory left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and impaired cardiac performance. To determine the possible mechanisms that are responsible for the effects of VDN on the LV, a 2-DE based proteomics approach was used to evaluate the changes in protein expression of the left ventricle in VDN rats, to our knowledge, for the first time. We identified sixteen proteins that were markedly altered and involved in mitochondrial function, heat shock protein activity, myocyte cytoskeleton composition and enzyme activity for energy metabolism. We describe, for the first time, a novel pathway (NDPK) that is involved in LV hypertrophy and enzyme activities of three of the sixteen clinical identified proteins: lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), SOD [Mn] and GST.

Modular insulators: genome wide search for composite CTCF/thyroid hormone receptor binding sites

The conserved 11 zinc-finger protein CTCF is involved in several transcriptional mechanisms, including insulation and enhancer blocking. We had previously identified two composite elements consisting of a CTCF and a TR binding site at the chicken lysozyme and the human c-myc genes. Using these it has been demonstrated that thyroid hormone mediates the relief of enhancer blocking even though CTCF remains bound to its binding site. Here we wished to determine whether CTCF and TR combined sites are representative of a general feature of the genome, and whether such sites are functional in regulating enhancer blocking. Genome wide analysis revealed that about 18% of the CTCF regions harbored at least one of the four different palindromic or repeated sequence arrangements typical for the binding of TR homodimers or TR/RXR heterodimers. Functional analysis of 10 different composite elements of thyroid hormone responsive genes was performed using episomal constructs. The episomal system allowed recapitulating CTCF mediated enhancer blocking function to be dependent on poly (ADP)-ribose modification and to mediate histone deacetylation. Furthermore, thyroid hormone sensitive enhancer blocking could be shown for one of these new composite elements. Remarkably, not only did the regulation of enhancer blocking require functional TR binding, but also the basal enhancer blocking activity of CTCF was dependent on the binding of the unliganded TR. Thus, a number of composite CTCF/TR binding sites may represent a subset of other modular CTCF composite sites, such as groups of multiple CTCF sites or of CTCF/Oct4, CTCF/Kaiso or CTCF/Yy1 combinations.

Thyroid hormone-induced cardiac mechano growth factor expression depends on beating activity

The mechano growth factor (MGF), a splice variant of the IGF-I gene, was first discovered in mechanically overloaded skeletal muscle and was shown to play an important role in proliferation of muscle stem cells. Since then, the presence and effects of MGF have been demonstrated in other tissues. MGF has been shown to act neuroprotectively during brain ischemia, and pretreatment with MGF before myocardial infarction improves cardiac function. Because MGF plays a permissive role in exercise-induced skeletal muscle hypertrophy, we hypothesize that MGF is commonly involved in cardiac hypertrophy. To investigate the regulation of MGF expression in heart, mice were treated with thyroid hormone (T(3)) for 12 d to induce physiological cardiac hypertrophy. MGF mRNA expression was specifically increased in midregions of the septum and left ventricular wall. Interestingly, MGF expression strongly correlated with the increased or decreased beating frequency of hyperthyroid and hypothyroid hearts. To further investigate the mechanically dependent induction of MGF, neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were isolated and exposed to T(3). Upon T(3) treatment, cardiomyocytes increased both contractile activity measured as beats per minute and MGF as well as IGF-IEa mRNA expression. Importantly, when cardiomyocytes were contractile arrested by KCl, simultaneous exposure to T(3) prevented the up-regulation of MGF, whereas IGF-IEa was still induced. These studies demonstrated that MGF but not IGF-IEa expression is dependent on beating activity. These findings suggest that MGF is specifically stimulated by mechanical loading of the heart to mediate the hypertrophic response to thyroid hormone.

Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase activation, substrate transporter translocation, and metabolism in the contracting hyperthyroid rat heart

Thyroid hormones can modify cardiac metabolism via multiple molecular mechanisms, yet their integrated effect on overall substrate metabolism is poorly understood. Here we determined the effect of hyperthyroidism on substrate metabolism in the isolated, perfused, contracting rat heart. Male Wistar rats were injected for 7 d with T(3) (0.2 mg/kg x d ip). Plasma free fatty acids increased by 97%, heart weights increased by 33%, and cardiac rate pressure product, an indicator of contractile function, increased by 33% in hyperthyroid rats. Insulin-stimulated glycolytic rates and lactate efflux rates were increased by 33% in hyperthyroid rat hearts, mediated by an increased insulin-stimulated translocation of the glucose transporter GLUT4 to the sarcolemma. This was accompanied by a 70% increase in phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and a 100% increase in phosphorylated acetyl CoA carboxylase, confirming downstream signaling from AMPK. Fatty acid oxidation rates increased in direct proportion to the increased heart weight and rate pressure product in the hyperthyroid heart, mediated by synchronized changes in mitochondrial enzymes and respiration. Protein levels of the fatty acid transporter, fatty acid translocase (FAT/CD36), were reduced by 24% but were accompanied by a 19% increase in the sarcolemmal content of fatty acid transport protein 1 (FATP1). Thus, the relationship between fatty acid metabolism, cardiac mass, and contractile function was maintained in the hyperthyroid heart, associated with a sarcolemmal reorganization of fatty acid transporters. The combined effects of T(3)-induced AMPK activation and insulin stimulation were associated with increased sarcolemmal GLUT4 localization and glycolytic flux in the hyperthyroid heart.

Signaling mechanisms in thyroid hormone-induced cardiac hypertrophy

Cardiac hypertrophy is a significant independent risk factor for increased mortality, comprising of maladaptive changes in cellular, molecular and metabolic processes that ultimately lead to heart failure. However, cardiac hypertrophy represents a continuum from physiological to compensatory to pathological hypertrophy, so that treatment modalities aimed to shift hypertrophy towards the physiological phenotype would represent an attractive therapeutic strategy. Many of the physiological changes caused by thyroid hormone (TH) treatment may provide direct benefit to the failing heart. Recent experimental studies have shown that TH rapidly activates pro-survival PKB/Akt-mTOR signaling pathways, thus providing cytoprotection and increasing synthesis of normal contractile proteins and metabolic enzymes. TH induces a normal physiological phenotype by binding to nuclear TH receptors that regulate expression of specific genes which promote cell survival and enhance contractile function. Physiological cardiac growth occurs with a coordinated angiogenic response that normalizes myocardial perfusion during hypertrophy, and recent studies support a significant role for TH and its endothelial cell surface integrin receptors and nuclear receptors in neovascularization during TH-induced hypertrophy. The present review examines these molecular mechanisms and intracellular signaling pathways activated in thyroid hormone-induced cardiac hypertrophy that support its therapeutic potential in the treatment of heart disease.

Differential expression profiles of antioxidant enzymes and glutathione redox status in hyperthyroid rats: a temporal analysis

Our objective was to elucidate a temporal profile of expression of antioxidant enzymes (AOEs) and glutathione redox status in rat liver under the influence of thyroid hormone (T3). The key AOEs, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx-1) and glutathione reductase (GR) were characterized at transcriptional, translational and biochemical levels after 24 h, 72 h and 120 h of treatment. In general, catalase and GPx-1 showed opposite responses in both transcription and translation. T3 treatment caused tightly coordinated downregulation of catalase. However, transcriptional changes of other AOEs over the different durations of treatment were not always reflected in their respective protein and/or activity levels. Discordance among transcripts, proteins and biological activities of AOEs suggested differential regulation by T3 at multiple levels. Reduced and oxidized glutathione were depleted in hyperthyroid rats. Though T3 exerted a positive stimulatory effect on glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, it was not sufficient to compensate for massive glutathione depletion and impaired activities of GPx-1, GR and GST, disturbing the cellular redox status in the process. Apparently, while transcriptional induction of AOEs might be adaptive responses in conditions of oxidative stress, yet post-transcriptional regulation appeared to be the predominant mechanism of regulation of AOE expression.

Thyroid hormone induces myocardial matrix degradation by activating matrix metalloproteinase-1

Hyperthyroid patients develop left ventricular hypertrophy associated with alterations of several cardiac parameters such as heart rate, cardiac output, cardiac contraction and hemodynamic overload leading to cardiac complications. Although cardiac hypertrophy and contractile abnormality occur, interstitial fibrosis in the heart usually does not take place in hyperthyroid condition. Therefore, in the present study, the mechanism regulating myocardial extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling in hyperthyroid condition was investigated. Cardiac hypertrophy was developed in Sprague-Dawley rats by administration of 3,5,3'-triiodo-L-thyronine (triiodothyronine, 8 microg/100g BW, ip, SID) and glucocorticosteroid, dexamethasone (DEX, 35 microg/100g BW, po, SID), which is also an inducer of hypertrophy for 15 days. Heart/Body weight ratio and atrial and brain natriuretic peptide mRNAs were significantly increased in both triiodothyronine- and DEX-treated rats compared to control. Collagens-I and -III deposition in the left ventricular sections was reduced in triiodothyronine-treated rats, whereas in DEX-treated animals those were increased compared to control. While mRNA and protein levels of procollagens-I and -III were increased with triiodothyronine (p<0.01), the levels of mature collagens-I and -III were decreased. The levels of the mature collagens were increased with DEX compared to control. MMP-1 activity in the serum and left ventricle was higher with reduced levels of TIMPs-3 and -4 in the left ventricle of triiodothyronine-treated rats. The results suggest that accelerated breakdown of collagens-I and -III by MMP-1 due to suppression of the endogenous TIMPs plays an important role in regulating the ECM in myocardium of hyperthyroid rat.

Melatonin protects against oxidative damage and restores expression of GLUT4 gene in the hyperthyroid rat heart

To understand the mechanism of cardiovascular dysfunction in the hyperthyroid condition, the role of oxidative stress was examined in rats treated with 3,5,3'-triiodo-l-thyronine (T3). Treatment of rats daily with T3 (8 microg/100 g BW) for 15 days resulted in an increase in heart weight to body weight ratio, which was ameliorated by antioxidants, melatonin (2 mg/100 g BW) or vitamin E (4 mg/100 g BW). Both melatonin and vitamin E also inhibited rises of lipid peroxidation and hydroxyl radical generation and prevented the inhibition of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase in the hypertrophic heart. The expression of the glucose transporter, GLUT4, was reduced in response to T3, which was completely restored by melatonin and partially by vitamin E. However, neither antioxidant prevented down regulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha in the hyperthyroid heart. Furthermore, the reduced level of myocyte enhancer factor-2, a regulator of GLUT4 transcription was restored completely by melatonin and partially by vitamin E treatment. Glucose uptake in hypertrophic left ventricular cells was also restored by these antioxidants. The expression of B-type natriuretic peptide, a marker of heart failure, was significantly increased by T3 and ameliorated by melatonin or vitamin E treatments. In general, the beneficial effects of melatonin given as a co-treatment with T3 were better than those induced by vitamin E. These data show that melatonin ameliorates hypertrophic growth of the myocardium induced by hyperthyroidism and provide an insight into the mechanism of reactive oxygen species-mediated down regulation of metabolically important genes such as GLUT4 in the heart.

Negative Regulation of Superoxide Dismutase-1 Promoter by Thyroid Hormone

The role of thyroid hormone [L-3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3)] and the thyroid hormone receptor (TR) in regulating growth, development, and metabolic homeostasis is well established. It is also emerging that T3 is associated with oxidative stress through the regulation of the activity of superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD-1), a key enzyme in the metabolism of oxygen free radicals. We found that T3 reverses the activation of the SOD-1 promoter caused by the free radical generators paraquat and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate through the direct repression of the SOD-1 promoter by liganded TR. Conversely, the SOD-1 promoter is significantly stimulated by unliganded TRs. This regulation requires the DNA-binding domain of the TR, which is recruited to an inhibitory element between -157 and +17 of the SOD-1 promoter. TR mutations, which abolish recruitment of coactivator proteins, block repression of the SOD-1 promoter. Conversely, a mutation that inhibits corepressor binding to the TR prevents activation. Together, our findings suggest a mechanism of negative regulation in which TR binds to the SOD-1 promoter but coactivator and corepressor binding surfaces have an inverted function. This effect may be important in T3 induction of oxidative stress in thyroid hormone excess.

Thyroid hormone induces cyclin D1 nuclear translocation and DNA synthesis in adult rat cardiomyocytes

Although mammalian cardiomyocytes lose their proliferative capacity after birth, there is evidence that postmitotic cardiomyocytes can proliferate provided that cyclin D1 accumulates in the nucleus. Here we show by Northern blot, Western analysis, and immunohistochemistry that 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) treatment of adult rats caused an increase of cyclin D1 mRNA and protein levels. The increased cyclin D1 protein content was associated with its translocation into the nucleus of cardiomyocytes. These changes were accompanied by the re-entry of cardiomyocytes into the cell cycle, as demonstrated by increased levels of cyclin A, PCNA, and incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine into DNA (labeling index was 30.2% in T3-treated rats vs. 2.2% in controls). Entry into the S phase was associated with an increased mitotic activity as demonstrated by positivity of cardiomyocyte nuclei to antibodies anti-phosphohistone-3, a specific marker of the mitotic phase (mitotic index was 3.01/1000 cardiomyocte nuclei in hyperthyroid rats vs. 0.04 in controls). No biochemical or histological signs of tissue damage were observed in the heart of T3-treated rats. These results demonstrated that T3 treatment is associated with a re-entry of cardiomyocytes into the cell cycle and so may be important for the development of future therapeutic strategies aimed at inducing proliferation of cardiomyocytes.