Alterations in Ca2+ cycling proteins and G alpha q signaling after left ventricular assist device support in failing human hearts

OBJECTIVE

Left ventricular assist device support mechanically unloads the failing ventricle with resultant improvement in cardiac geometry and function in patients with end-stage heart failure. Activation of the G alpha q signaling pathway, including protein kinase C, appears to be involved in the progression of heart failure. Similarly down-regulation of Ca2+ cycling proteins may contribute to contractile depression in this clinical syndrome. Thus we examined whether protein kinase C activation and decreased Ca2+ cycling protein levels could be reversed by left ventricular assist device support.

METHODS

Left ventricular myocardial specimens were obtained from seven patients during placement of left ventricular assist device and heart transplantation. We examined changes in protein levels of G alpha q, phospholipase C beta 1, regulators of G protein signaling (RGS), sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase, phospholamban and translocation of protein kinase C isoforms (alpha, beta 1, and beta 2).

RESULTS

The paired pre- and post-left ventricular assist device samples revealed that RGS2, a selective inhibitor of G alpha q, was decreased (P < 0.01), while the status of G alpha q, phospholipase C beta 1, RGS3 and RGS4 were unchanged after left ventricular assist device implantation. Translocation of protein kinase C isoforms remained unchanged. Left ventricular assist device support increased sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase protein level (P < 0.01), while phospholamban abundance was unchanged.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that altered protein expression and stoichiometry of the major cardiomyocyte Ca2+ cycling proteins rather than reduced phospholipase C beta 1 activation may contribute to improved mechanical function produced by left ventricular assist device support in human heart failure.

PKC translocation without changes in Galphaq and PLC-beta protein abundance in cardiac hypertrophy and failure

Activation of protein kinase C (PKC) has been implicated as playing a key role in the pathogenesis of cardiac hypertrophy. This study investigates the response of several signal transduction proteins responsible for PKC activation during the transition from compensated pressure-overload hypertrophy (POH) to congestive heart failure (CHF). Pressure overload was produced on male, adult, Hartley strain guinea pigs using a ligature around the descending thoracic aorta. Sham-operated controls, POH, and CHF groups were identified based on left ventricular hypertrophy, pulmonary congestion, and isolated heart Langendorff mechanics. Quantitative immunoblotting revealed phospholipase C (PLC)-betaI and Galphaq were unchanged during POH and CHF, as were RGS2, RGS3, and RGS4 (regulators of G protein signaling, which are activators of intrinsic GTPase activity). Translocation of PKC-alpha, -epsilon, and -gamma from cytosolic to membranous fractions were significantly increased during POH and CHF. Cytosolic PKC activity was also elevated during POH. We conclude that differential PKC activation may be mediated by increases in Galphaq and PLC-betaI activity rather than upregulation of expression.

Responses of cardiac protein kinase C isoforms to distinct pathological stimuli are differentially regulated

Currently at least 11 protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms have been identified and may play different roles in cell signaling pathways leading to changes in cardiac contractility, the hypertrophic response, and tolerance to myocardial ischemia. The purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that responses of individual PKC isoforms to distinct pathological stimuli were differentially regulated in the adult guinea pig heart. Isolated hearts were perfused by the Langendorff method and were exposed to ischemia, hypoxia, H(2)O(2), or angiotensin II. Hypoxia and ischemia induced translocation of PKC isoforms alpha, beta(2), gamma, and zeta, and H(2)O(2) translocated PKC isoforms alpha, beta(2), and zeta. Angiotensin II produced translocation of alpha, beta(2), epsilon, gamma, and zeta isoforms. Inhibition of phospholipase C with tricyclodecan-9-yl-xanthogenate (D609) blocked hypoxia-induced (alpha, beta(2), and zeta) and angiotensin II-induced (alpha, beta(2), gamma, and zeta) translocation of PKC isoforms. Inhibition of tyrosine kinase with genistein blocked translocation of PKC isoforms by hypoxia (beta(2) and zeta) and by angiotensin II (beta(2)). By contrast, neither D609 nor genistein blocked H(2)O(2)-induced translocation of any PKC isoform. We conclude that hypoxia-induced activation of PKC isoforms is mediated through pathways involving phospholipase C and tyrosine kinase, but oxidative stress may activate PKC isoforms independently of Galphaq-phospholipase C coupling and tyrosine kinase signaling. Because oxidative stress may directly activate PKC, and PKC activation appears to be involved in human heart failure, selective inhibition of the PKC isoforms may provide a novel therapeutic strategy for the prevention and treatment of this pathological process.

Cigarette smoke induces DNA deletions in the mouse embryo

Cigarette smoking causes cancer and DNA mutations. However, long-term chronic exposure to smoke is believed to be necessary for carcinogenesis. Here, we investigate the relationship between short-term exposure to smoke and the frequency of deletions in the mouse embryo. Deletions and other genome rearrangements are associated with carcinogenesis and inheritable diseases. The pink-eyed unstable (p(un)) mutation in the C57BL/6J mouse is the result of internal duplication of 70 kb of DNA within the p gene. Spontaneous reversion events in homozygous p(un)/p(un) mice occur by deletion of one copy of the duplicated sequence. Reversion events occurring in the embryonic premelanocytes of the developing fetus give rise to black spots on the gray fur of the offspring after birth. We investigated the effects of exposure of pregnant p(un) mice to cigarette smoke and cigarette smoke condensate (CSC) on the frequency of black spots occurring in the offspring. Pregnant dams were exposed (whole body) to smoke generated by either filtered or unfiltered cigarettes for 4 h, or alternatively, mice were given a 15 mg/kg dose of CSC during their 10th day of gestation. TPM, CO concentration, and plasma nicotine and cotinine levels were determined to characterize the smoke exposure. There was a significant increase in the number of DNA deletions in the embryo as evidenced by spotted offspring in both smoke-exposed groups and in the CSC group. These results suggest that embryos are highly sensitive to the genotoxic activity of cigarette smoke following a single exposure of only 4 h.

Aspects of cardiomyopathy are exacerbated by elevated dietary fat in copper-restricted rats

The objective of this study was to determine if a high fat diet having a 2:1 saturated-polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio exacerbates signs of copper deficiency. Male weanling Long-Evans rats were randomly placed into one of the following treatment groups: adequate copper low fat or deficient copper high fat. The levels of fat used were 31 or 12% of daily energy, and copper concentrations were 94.5 micromol/kg and <15.8 micromol/kg in the copper-adequate and copper-deficient diets, respectively. Cardiac hypertrophy as well as lower liver copper levels and superoxide dismutase activity were observed in both groups of copper-deficient rats. Irrespective of copper level, consumption of the high fat diet resulted in the thickening of the interventricular septum and left ventricular free wall. Electrocardiograms revealed that the copper-deficient high fat diet led to a significantly smaller QT interval compared with all other groups. Significantly greater S-wave voltage due to copper deficiency was observed. Significantly lower heart cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) activity was found in the copper-deficient groups with the copper deficient high fat group showing the lowest activity. Western blots of the cardiac non-myofibrillar fraction demonstrated lower amounts of CCO nuclear encoded peptides in the copper-deficient groups, with the least amount seen in the copper-deficient high fat treatment. These data suggest that a high level of dietary fat exacerbates some of the signs of copper deficiency.