1
|
Tolstik E, Lehnart SE, Soeller C, Lorenz K, Sacconi L. Cardiac multiscale bioimaging: from nano- through micro- to mesoscales. Trends Biotechnol 2024; 42:212-227. [PMID: 37806897 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2023.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Cardiac multiscale bioimaging is an emerging field that aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the heart and its functions at various levels, from the molecular to the entire organ. It combines both physiologically and clinically relevant dimensions: from nano- and micrometer resolution imaging based on vibrational spectroscopy and high-resolution microscopy to assess molecular processes in cardiac cells and myocardial tissue, to mesoscale structural investigations to improve the understanding of cardiac (patho)physiology. Tailored super-resolution deep microscopy with advanced proteomic methods and hands-on experience are thus strategically combined to improve the quality of cardiovascular research and support future medical decision-making by gaining additional biomolecular information for translational and diagnostic applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elen Tolstik
- Department of Cardiovascular Pharmacology, Translational Research, Leibniz-Institut für Analytische Wissenschaften - ISAS - e.V. Bunsen-Kirchhoff-Strasse 11, 44139 Dortmund, Germany.
| | - Stephan E Lehnart
- Department of Cardiology and Pneumology, Cellular Biophysics and Translational Cardiology Section, Heart Research Center Göttingen, University Medical Center Göttingen, Georg-August University Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Strasse 42a, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; Cluster of Excellence Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells (MBExC2067), University of Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany; Collaborative Research Center SFB1190 Compartmental Gates and Contact Sites in Cells, University of Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christian Soeller
- Department of Physiology, University of Bern, Bühlplatz 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Kristina Lorenz
- Department of Cardiovascular Pharmacology, Translational Research, Leibniz-Institut für Analytische Wissenschaften - ISAS - e.V. Bunsen-Kirchhoff-Strasse 11, 44139 Dortmund, Germany; Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Würzburg, Versbacher Strasse 9, 97078 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Leonardo Sacconi
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, Rome, Italy; Institute for Experimental Cardiovascular Medicine, University Freiburg, Elsässer Strasse 2q, 79110 Freiburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Shi R, Reichardt M, Fiegle DJ, Küpfer LK, Czajka T, Sun Z, Salditt T, Dendorfer A, Seidel T, Bruegmann T. Contractility measurements for cardiotoxicity screening with ventricular myocardial slices of pigs. Cardiovasc Res 2023; 119:2469-2481. [PMID: 37934066 PMCID: PMC10651213 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvad141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS Cardiotoxicity is one major reason why drugs do not enter or are withdrawn from the market. Thus, approaches are required to predict cardiotoxicity with high specificity and sensitivity. Ideally, such methods should be performed within intact cardiac tissue with high relevance for humans and detect acute and chronic side effects on electrophysiological behaviour, contractility, and tissue structure in an unbiased manner. Herein, we evaluate healthy pig myocardial slices and biomimetic cultivation setups (BMCS) as a new cardiotoxicity screening approach. METHODS AND RESULTS Pig left ventricular samples were cut into slices and spanned into BMCS with continuous electrical pacing and online force recording. Automated stimulation protocols were established to determine the force-frequency relationship (FFR), frequency dependence of contraction duration, effective refractory period (ERP), and pacing threshold. Slices generated 1.3 ± 0.14 mN/mm2 force at 0.5 Hz electrical pacing and showed a positive FFR and a shortening of contraction duration with increasing pacing rates. Approximately 62% of slices were able to contract for at least 6 days while showing stable ERP, contraction duration-frequency relationship, and preserved cardiac structure confirmed by confocal imaging and X-ray diffraction analysis. We used specific blockers of the most important cardiac ion channels to determine which analysis parameters are influenced. To validate our approach, we tested five drug candidates selected from the Comprehensive in vitro Proarrhythmia Assay list as well as acetylsalicylic acid and DMSO as controls in a blinded manner in three independent laboratories. We were able to detect all arrhythmic drugs and their respective mode of action on cardiac tissue including inhibition of Na+, Ca2+, and hERG channels as well as Na+/Ca2+ exchanger. CONCLUSION We systematically evaluate this approach for cardiotoxicity screening, which is of high relevance for humans and can be upscaled to medium-throughput screening. Thus, our approach will improve the predictive value and efficiency of preclinical cardiotoxicity screening.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Runzhu Shi
- Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Humboldtallee 23, 37073 Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- International Research Training Group 1816, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Marius Reichardt
- Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Humboldtallee 23, 37073 Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Institute for X-ray Physics, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dominik J Fiegle
- Institute of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Linda K Küpfer
- Institute of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Titus Czajka
- Institute for X-ray Physics, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Zhengwu Sun
- Walter-Brendel-Centre of Experimental Medicine, Hospital of the University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Tim Salditt
- Institute for X-ray Physics, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence ‘Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells’ (MBExC), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Dendorfer
- Walter-Brendel-Centre of Experimental Medicine, Hospital of the University Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Centre of Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany
| | - Thomas Seidel
- Institute of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Tobias Bruegmann
- Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Humboldtallee 23, 37073 Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence ‘Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells’ (MBExC), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner site Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sorelli M, Costantini I, Bocchi L, Axer M, Pavone FS, Mazzamuto G. Fiber enhancement and 3D orientation analysis in label-free two-photon fluorescence microscopy. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4160. [PMID: 36914673 PMCID: PMC10011555 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30953-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Fluorescence microscopy can be exploited for evaluating the brain's fiber architecture with unsurpassed spatial resolution in combination with different tissue preparation and staining protocols. Differently from state-of-the-art polarimetry-based neuroimaging modalities, the quantification of fiber tract orientations from fluorescence microscopy volume images entails the application of specific image processing techniques, such as Fourier or structure tensor analysis. These, however, may lead to unreliable outcomes as they do not isolate myelinated fibers from the surrounding tissue. In this work, we describe a novel image processing pipeline that enables the computation of accurate 3D fiber orientation maps from both grey and white matter regions, exploiting the selective multiscale enhancement of tubular structures of varying diameters provided by a 3D implementation of the Frangi filter. The developed software tool can efficiently generate orientation distribution function maps at arbitrary spatial scales which may support the histological validation of modern diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging tractography. Despite being tested here on two-photon scanning fluorescence microscopy images, acquired from tissue samples treated with a label-free technique enhancing the autofluorescence of myelinated fibers, the presented pipeline was developed to be employed on all types of 3D fluorescence images and fiber staining.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michele Sorelli
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Florence, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.,European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy (LENS), 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Irene Costantini
- European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy (LENS), 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy. .,Department of Biology, University of Florence, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy. .,National Research Council, National Institute of Optics (CNR-INO), 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.
| | - Leonardo Bocchi
- Department of Information Engineering, University of Florence, 50039, Florence, Italy
| | - Markus Axer
- Research Centre Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, 52428, Jülich, Germany
| | - Francesco Saverio Pavone
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Florence, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.,European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy (LENS), 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.,National Research Council, National Institute of Optics (CNR-INO), 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Giacomo Mazzamuto
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Florence, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.,European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy (LENS), 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.,National Research Council, National Institute of Optics (CNR-INO), 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Pioner JM, Vitale G, Steczina S, Langione M, Margara F, Santini L, Giardini F, Lazzeri E, Piroddi N, Scellini B, Palandri C, Schuldt M, Spinelli V, Girolami F, Mazzarotto F, van der Velden J, Cerbai E, Tesi C, Olivotto I, Bueno-Orovio A, Sacconi L, Coppini R, Ferrantini C, Regnier M, Poggesi C. Slower Calcium Handling Balances Faster Cross-Bridge Cycling in Human MYBPC3 HCM. Circ Res 2023; 132:628-644. [PMID: 36744470 PMCID: PMC9977265 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.122.321956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pathogenesis of MYBPC3-associated hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is still unresolved. In our HCM patient cohort, a large and well-characterized population carrying the MYBPC3:c772G>A variant (p.Glu258Lys, E258K) provides the unique opportunity to study the basic mechanisms of MYBPC3-HCM with a comprehensive translational approach. METHODS We collected clinical and genetic data from 93 HCM patients carrying the MYBPC3:c772G>A variant. Functional perturbations were investigated using different biophysical techniques in left ventricular samples from 4 patients who underwent myectomy for refractory outflow obstruction, compared with samples from non-failing non-hypertrophic surgical patients and healthy donors. Human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes and engineered heart tissues (EHTs) were also investigated. RESULTS Haplotype analysis revealed MYBPC3:c772G>A as a founder mutation in Tuscany. In ventricular myocardium, the mutation leads to reduced cMyBP-C (cardiac myosin binding protein-C) expression, supporting haploinsufficiency as the main primary disease mechanism. Mechanical studies in single myofibrils and permeabilized muscle strips highlighted faster cross-bridge cycling, and higher energy cost of tension generation. A novel approach based on tissue clearing and advanced optical microscopy supported the idea that the sarcomere energetics dysfunction is intrinsically related with the reduction in cMyBP-C. Studies in single cardiomyocytes (native and hiPSC-derived), intact trabeculae and hiPSC-EHTs revealed prolonged action potentials, slower Ca2+ transients and preserved twitch duration, suggesting that the slower excitation-contraction coupling counterbalanced the faster sarcomere kinetics. This conclusion was strengthened by in silico simulations. CONCLUSIONS HCM-related MYBPC3:c772G>A mutation invariably impairs sarcomere energetics and cross-bridge cycling. Compensatory electrophysiological changes (eg, reduced potassium channel expression) appear to preserve twitch contraction parameters, but may expose patients to greater arrhythmic propensity and disease progression. Therapeutic approaches correcting the primary sarcomeric defects may prevent secondary cardiomyocyte remodeling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Josè Manuel Pioner
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Physiology (J.M.P., G.V., M.L., N.P., B.S., C.T., C.F., C. Poggesi), University of Florence, Italy
- Department of Biology (J.M.P.), University of Florence, Italy
| | - Giulia Vitale
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Physiology (J.M.P., G.V., M.L., N.P., B.S., C.T., C.F., C. Poggesi), University of Florence, Italy
| | - Sonette Steczina
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA (S.S., M.R.)
| | - Marianna Langione
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Physiology (J.M.P., G.V., M.L., N.P., B.S., C.T., C.F., C. Poggesi), University of Florence, Italy
| | - Francesca Margara
- Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford, United Kingdom (F. Margara, A.B.-O.)
| | - Lorenzo Santini
- Department of NeuroFarBa (L. Santini, C. Palandri, V. Spinelli, E. Cerbai, R. Coppini), University of Florence, Italy
| | - Francesco Giardini
- European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy (LENS) (F. Giardini, E. Lazzeri, C.F., C.P., E. Cerbai), University of Florence, Italy
| | - Erica Lazzeri
- European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy (LENS) (F. Giardini, E. Lazzeri, C.F., C.P., E. Cerbai), University of Florence, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Piroddi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Physiology (J.M.P., G.V., M.L., N.P., B.S., C.T., C.F., C. Poggesi), University of Florence, Italy
| | - Beatrice Scellini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Physiology (J.M.P., G.V., M.L., N.P., B.S., C.T., C.F., C. Poggesi), University of Florence, Italy
| | - Chiara Palandri
- Department of NeuroFarBa (L. Santini, C. Palandri, V. Spinelli, E. Cerbai, R. Coppini), University of Florence, Italy
| | - Maike Schuldt
- Amsterdam University Medical Center, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Physiology, The Netherlands (M.S., J.v.d.V.)
| | - Valentina Spinelli
- Department of NeuroFarBa (L. Santini, C. Palandri, V. Spinelli, E. Cerbai, R. Coppini), University of Florence, Italy
| | - Francesca Girolami
- Pediatric Cardiology (F. Girolami), IRCCS Meyer Children’s Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Francesco Mazzarotto
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Italy (F. Mazzarotto)
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom (F. Mazzarotto)
| | - Jolanda van der Velden
- Amsterdam University Medical Center, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Physiology, The Netherlands (M.S., J.v.d.V.)
| | - Elisabetta Cerbai
- Department of NeuroFarBa (L. Santini, C. Palandri, V. Spinelli, E. Cerbai, R. Coppini), University of Florence, Italy
- European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy (LENS) (F. Giardini, E. Lazzeri, C.F., C.P., E. Cerbai), University of Florence, Italy
| | - Chiara Tesi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Physiology (J.M.P., G.V., M.L., N.P., B.S., C.T., C.F., C. Poggesi), University of Florence, Italy
| | - Iacopo Olivotto
- Cardiogenetics Unit (I.O.), IRCCS Meyer Children’s Hospital, Florence, Italy
- Referral Center for Cardiomyopathies, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy (I.O.)
| | - Alfonso Bueno-Orovio
- Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford, United Kingdom (F. Margara, A.B.-O.)
| | - Leonardo Sacconi
- Institute of Clinical Physiology (IFC), National Research Council, Florence, Italy (L. Sacconi)
- Institute for Experimental Cardiovascular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg (L. Sacconi)
| | - Raffaele Coppini
- Department of NeuroFarBa (L. Santini, C. Palandri, V. Spinelli, E. Cerbai, R. Coppini), University of Florence, Italy
| | - Cecilia Ferrantini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Physiology (J.M.P., G.V., M.L., N.P., B.S., C.T., C.F., C. Poggesi), University of Florence, Italy
- European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy (LENS) (F. Giardini, E. Lazzeri, C.F., C.P., E. Cerbai), University of Florence, Italy
| | - Michael Regnier
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA (S.S., M.R.)
| | - Corrado Poggesi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Physiology (J.M.P., G.V., M.L., N.P., B.S., C.T., C.F., C. Poggesi), University of Florence, Italy
- European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy (LENS) (F. Giardini, E. Lazzeri, C.F., C.P., E. Cerbai), University of Florence, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Wilson AJ, Sands GB, LeGrice IJ, Young AA, Ennis DB. Myocardial mesostructure and mesofunction. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2022; 323:H257-H275. [PMID: 35657613 PMCID: PMC9273275 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00059.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The complex and highly organized structural arrangement of some five billion cardiomyocytes directs the coordinated electrical activity and mechanical contraction of the human heart. The characteristic transmural change in cardiomyocyte orientation underlies base-to-apex shortening, circumferential shortening, and left ventricular torsion during contraction. Individual cardiomyocytes shorten ∼15% and increase in diameter ∼8%. Remarkably, however, the left ventricular wall thickens by up to 30-40%. To accommodate this, the myocardium must undergo significant structural rearrangement during contraction. At the mesoscale, collections of cardiomyocytes are organized into sheetlets, and sheetlet shear is the fundamental mechanism of rearrangement that produces wall thickening. Herein, we review the histological and physiological studies of myocardial mesostructure that have established the sheetlet shear model of wall thickening. Recent developments in tissue clearing techniques allow for imaging of whole hearts at the cellular scale, whereas magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) can image the myocardium at the mesoscale (100 µm to 1 mm) to resolve cardiomyocyte orientation and organization. Through histology, cardiac diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and other modalities, mesostructural sheetlets have been confirmed in both animal and human hearts. Recent in vivo cardiac DTI methods have measured reorientation of sheetlets during the cardiac cycle. We also examine the role of pathological cardiac remodeling on sheetlet organization and reorientation, and the impact this has on ventricular function and dysfunction. We also review the unresolved mesostructural questions and challenges that may direct future work in the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander J Wilson
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, California
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Gregory B Sands
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ian J LeGrice
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Department of Physiology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Alistair A Young
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel B Ennis
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, California
- Veterans Administration Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, California
| |
Collapse
|