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Heijman J, Muna AP, Veleva T, Molina CE, Sutanto H, Tekook M, Wang Q, Abu-Taha IH, Gorka M, Künzel S, El-Armouche A, Reichenspurner H, Kamler M, Nikolaev V, Ravens U, Li N, Nattel S, Wehrens XHT, Dobrev D. Atrial Myocyte NLRP3/CaMKII Nexus Forms a Substrate for Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation. Circ Res 2020; 127:1036-1055. [PMID: 32762493 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.120.316710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is a common and troublesome complication of cardiac surgery. POAF is generally believed to occur when postoperative triggers act on a preexisting vulnerable substrate, but the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. OBJECTIVE To identify cellular POAF mechanisms in right atrial samples from patients without a history of atrial fibrillation undergoing open-heart surgery. METHODS AND RESULTS Multicellular action potentials, membrane ion-currents (perforated patch-clamp), or simultaneous membrane-current (ruptured patch-clamp) and [Ca2+]i-recordings in atrial cardiomyocytes, along with protein-expression levels in tissue homogenates or cardiomyocytes, were assessed in 265 atrial samples from patients without or with POAF. No indices of electrical, profibrotic, or connexin remodeling were noted in POAF, but Ca2+-transient amplitude was smaller, although spontaneous sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+-release events and L-type Ca2+-current alternans occurred more frequently. CaMKII (Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase-II) protein-expression, CaMKII-dependent phosphorylation of the cardiac RyR2 (ryanodine-receptor channel type-2), and RyR2 single-channel open-probability were significantly increased in POAF. SR Ca2+-content was unchanged in POAF despite greater SR Ca2+-leak, with a trend towards increased SR Ca2+-ATPase activity. Patients with POAF also showed stronger expression of activated components of the NLRP3 (NACHT, LRR, and PYD domains-containing protein-3)-inflammasome system in atrial whole-tissue homogenates and cardiomyocytes. Acute application of interleukin-1β caused NLRP3-signaling activation and CaMKII-dependent RyR2/phospholamban hyperphosphorylation in an immortalized mouse atrial cardiomyocyte cell-line (HL-1-cardiomyocytes) and enhanced spontaneous SR Ca2+-release events in both POAF cardiomyocytes and HL-1-cardiomyocytes. Computational modeling showed that RyR2 dysfunction and increased SR Ca2+-uptake are sufficient to reproduce the Ca2+-handling phenotype and indicated an increased risk of proarrhythmic delayed afterdepolarizations in POAF subjects in response to interleukin-1β. CONCLUSIONS Preexisting Ca2+-handling abnormalities and activation of NLRP3-inflammasome/CaMKII signaling are evident in atrial cardiomyocytes from patients who subsequently develop POAF. These molecular substrates sensitize cardiomyocytes to spontaneous Ca2+-releases and arrhythmogenic afterdepolarizations, particularly upon exposure to inflammatory mediators. Our data reveal a potential cellular and molecular substrate for this important clinical problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Heijman
- Institute of Pharmacology, West German Heart and Vascular Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany (J.H., A.P.M., T.V., C.E.M., M.T., I.H.A.-T., M.G., S.N., D.D.).,Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Faculty of Health, Medicine, and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands (J.H., H.S.,)
| | - Azinwi Phina Muna
- Institute of Pharmacology, West German Heart and Vascular Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany (J.H., A.P.M., T.V., C.E.M., M.T., I.H.A.-T., M.G., S.N., D.D.)
| | - Tina Veleva
- Institute of Pharmacology, West German Heart and Vascular Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany (J.H., A.P.M., T.V., C.E.M., M.T., I.H.A.-T., M.G., S.N., D.D.)
| | - Cristina E Molina
- Institute of Pharmacology, West German Heart and Vascular Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany (J.H., A.P.M., T.V., C.E.M., M.T., I.H.A.-T., M.G., S.N., D.D.).,Institute of Experimental Cardiovascular Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf and DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, Hamburg, Germany (C.E.M., V.N.)
| | - Henry Sutanto
- Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Faculty of Health, Medicine, and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands (J.H., H.S.,)
| | - Marcel Tekook
- Institute of Pharmacology, West German Heart and Vascular Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany (J.H., A.P.M., T.V., C.E.M., M.T., I.H.A.-T., M.G., S.N., D.D.)
| | - Qiongling Wang
- Cardiovascular Research Institute (Q.W., N.L., X.H.T.W.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.,Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Medicine, Pediatrics, Neuroscience, and Center for Space Medicine (Q.W., X.H.T.W.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Issam H Abu-Taha
- Institute of Pharmacology, West German Heart and Vascular Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany (J.H., A.P.M., T.V., C.E.M., M.T., I.H.A.-T., M.G., S.N., D.D.)
| | - Marcel Gorka
- Institute of Pharmacology, West German Heart and Vascular Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany (J.H., A.P.M., T.V., C.E.M., M.T., I.H.A.-T., M.G., S.N., D.D.)
| | - Stephan Künzel
- Institute of Pharmacology, West German Heart and Vascular Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany (J.H., A.P.M., T.V., C.E.M., M.T., I.H.A.-T., M.G., S.N., D.D.).,Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical Faculty, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (S.K., A.E.-A.)
| | - Ali El-Armouche
- Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical Faculty, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany (S.K., A.E.-A.)
| | - Hermann Reichenspurner
- Cardiovascular Surgery, University Heart Center Hamburg and DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, Hamburg, Germany (H.R.)
| | - Markus Kamler
- Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, West German Heart and Vascular Center Essen, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany (M.K.)
| | - Viacheslav Nikolaev
- Institute of Experimental Cardiovascular Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf and DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, Hamburg, Germany (C.E.M., V.N.)
| | - Ursula Ravens
- Institute of Experimental Cardiovascular Medicine, University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany (U.R.).,Institute of Physiology, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany (U.R.)
| | - Na Li
- Cardiovascular Research Institute (Q.W., N.L., X.H.T.W.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.,Medicine (Section of Cardiovascular Research) (N.L.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Stanley Nattel
- Medicine, Montreal Heart Institute and Université de Montréal & Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University Montreal, Canada (S.N.).,IHU LIRYC and Fondation Bordeaux Université, Bordeaux, France (S.N.)
| | - Xander H T Wehrens
- Cardiovascular Research Institute (Q.W., N.L., X.H.T.W.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.,Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Medicine, Pediatrics, Neuroscience, and Center for Space Medicine (Q.W., X.H.T.W.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Dobromir Dobrev
- Institute of Pharmacology, West German Heart and Vascular Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany (J.H., A.P.M., T.V., C.E.M., M.T., I.H.A.-T., M.G., S.N., D.D.)
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Yao C, Veleva T, Scott L, Cao S, Li L, Chen G, Jeyabal P, Pan X, Alsina KM, Abu-Taha I, Ghezelbash S, Reynolds CL, Shen YH, LeMaire SA, Schmitz W, Müller FU, El-Armouche A, Tony Eissa N, Beeton C, Nattel S, Wehrens XHT, Dobrev D, Li N. Enhanced Cardiomyocyte NLRP3 Inflammasome Signaling Promotes Atrial Fibrillation. Circulation 2019; 138:2227-2242. [PMID: 29802206 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.118.035202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 349] [Impact Index Per Article: 69.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Atrial fibrillation (AF) is frequently associated with enhanced inflammatory response. The NLRP3 (NACHT, LRR, and PYD domain containing protein 3) inflammasome mediates caspase-1 activation and interleukin-1β release in immune cells but is not known to play a role in cardiomyocytes (CMs). Here, we assessed the role of CM NLRP3 inflammasome in AF. METHODS NLRP3 inflammasome activation was assessed by immunoblot in atrial whole-tissue lysates and CMs from patients with paroxysmal AF or long-standing persistent (chronic) AF. To determine whether CM-specific activation of NLPR3 is sufficient to promote AF, a CM-specific knockin mouse model expressing constitutively active NLRP3 (CM-KI) was established. In vivo electrophysiology was used to assess atrial arrhythmia vulnerability. To evaluate the mechanism of AF, electric activation pattern, Ca2+ spark frequency, atrial effective refractory period, and morphology of atria were evaluated in CM-KI mice and wild-type littermates. RESULTS NLRP3 inflammasome activity was increased in the atrial CMs of patients with paroxysmal AF and chronic AF. CM-KI mice developed spontaneous premature atrial contractions and inducible AF, which was attenuated by a specific NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor, MCC950. CM-KI mice exhibited ectopic activity, abnormal sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release, atrial effective refractory period shortening, and atrial hypertrophy. Adeno-associated virus subtype-9-mediated CM-specific knockdown of Nlrp3 suppressed AF development in CM-KI mice. Finally, genetic inhibition of Nlrp3 prevented AF development in CREM transgenic mice, a well-characterized mouse model of spontaneous AF. CONCLUSIONS Our study establishes a novel pathophysiological role for CM NLRP3 inflammasome signaling, with a mechanistic link to the pathogenesis of AF, and establishes the inhibition of NLRP3 as a potential novel AF therapy approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunxia Yao
- Cardiovascular Research Institute (C.Y., L.S., S.C., P.J., X.P., Y.H.S., S.A.L., X.H.T.W., N.L.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.,Departments of Medicine (Cardiovascular Research) (C.Y., L.S. L.L., G.C., P.J., N.L.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.,Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, China (C.Y.)
| | - Tina Veleva
- Institute of Pharmacology, West German Heart and Vascular Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen (T.V., I.A.-T., S.G., S.N., D.D.)
| | - Larry Scott
- Cardiovascular Research Institute (C.Y., L.S., S.C., P.J., X.P., Y.H.S., S.A.L., X.H.T.W., N.L.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.,Departments of Medicine (Cardiovascular Research) (C.Y., L.S. L.L., G.C., P.J., N.L.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.,Molecular Physiology and Biophysics (L.S., S.C., X.P., C.L.R., C.B., X.H.T.W., N.L.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Shuyi Cao
- Cardiovascular Research Institute (C.Y., L.S., S.C., P.J., X.P., Y.H.S., S.A.L., X.H.T.W., N.L.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.,Molecular Physiology and Biophysics (L.S., S.C., X.P., C.L.R., C.B., X.H.T.W., N.L.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Luge Li
- Departments of Medicine (Cardiovascular Research) (C.Y., L.S. L.L., G.C., P.J., N.L.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Gong Chen
- Departments of Medicine (Cardiovascular Research) (C.Y., L.S. L.L., G.C., P.J., N.L.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Prince Jeyabal
- Cardiovascular Research Institute (C.Y., L.S., S.C., P.J., X.P., Y.H.S., S.A.L., X.H.T.W., N.L.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.,Departments of Medicine (Cardiovascular Research) (C.Y., L.S. L.L., G.C., P.J., N.L.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Xiaolu Pan
- Cardiovascular Research Institute (C.Y., L.S., S.C., P.J., X.P., Y.H.S., S.A.L., X.H.T.W., N.L.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.,Molecular Physiology and Biophysics (L.S., S.C., X.P., C.L.R., C.B., X.H.T.W., N.L.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Katherina M Alsina
- Integrative Molecular Biomedical Sciences Program (K.M.A.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Issam Abu-Taha
- Institute of Pharmacology, West German Heart and Vascular Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen (T.V., I.A.-T., S.G., S.N., D.D.)
| | - Shokoufeh Ghezelbash
- Institute of Pharmacology, West German Heart and Vascular Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen (T.V., I.A.-T., S.G., S.N., D.D.)
| | - Corey L Reynolds
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics (L.S., S.C., X.P., C.L.R., C.B., X.H.T.W., N.L.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.,Mouse Phenotyping Core (C.L.R.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Ying H Shen
- Cardiovascular Research Institute (C.Y., L.S., S.C., P.J., X.P., Y.H.S., S.A.L., X.H.T.W., N.L.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.,Surgery (Y.H.S., S.A.L.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Scott A LeMaire
- Cardiovascular Research Institute (C.Y., L.S., S.C., P.J., X.P., Y.H.S., S.A.L., X.H.T.W., N.L.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.,Surgery (Y.H.S., S.A.L.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Wilhelm Schmitz
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Münster, Germany (W.S., F.U.M.)
| | - Frank U Müller
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Münster, Germany (W.S., F.U.M.)
| | - Ali El-Armouche
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Dresden University of Technology, Germany (AE.-A.)
| | - N Tony Eissa
- Medicine (Pulmonary) (N.T.E.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Christine Beeton
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics (L.S., S.C., X.P., C.L.R., C.B., X.H.T.W., N.L.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Stanley Nattel
- Institute of Pharmacology, West German Heart and Vascular Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen (T.V., I.A.-T., S.G., S.N., D.D.).,Department of Medicine, Montreal Heart Institute and Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada (S.N.)
| | - Xander H T Wehrens
- Cardiovascular Research Institute (C.Y., L.S., S.C., P.J., X.P., Y.H.S., S.A.L., X.H.T.W., N.L.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.,Molecular Physiology and Biophysics (L.S., S.C., X.P., C.L.R., C.B., X.H.T.W., N.L.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.,Medicine (Cardiology) (X.H.T.W.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.,Pediatrics (X.H.T.W.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.,Center for Space Medicine (X.H.T.W.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Dobromir Dobrev
- Institute of Pharmacology, West German Heart and Vascular Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen (T.V., I.A.-T., S.G., S.N., D.D.)
| | - Na Li
- Cardiovascular Research Institute (C.Y., L.S., S.C., P.J., X.P., Y.H.S., S.A.L., X.H.T.W., N.L.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.,Departments of Medicine (Cardiovascular Research) (C.Y., L.S. L.L., G.C., P.J., N.L.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.,Molecular Physiology and Biophysics (L.S., S.C., X.P., C.L.R., C.B., X.H.T.W., N.L.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
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Campbell H, Ni L, Reynolds J, Alsina K, Veleva T, Abu-Taha I, Quick A, Donoviel Z, Li N, Dobrev D, Wehrens X. Abstract 252: Downregulated Striated Muscle Preferentially Expressed Protein Kinase Enhances Susceptibility to Post-Operative Atrial Fibrillation. Circ Res 2018. [DOI: 10.1161/res.123.suppl_1.252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Post-operative atrial fibrillation (poAF) is the most common perioperative arrhythmia associated with increased hospital morbidity and mortality. It is known that atrial myocyte Ca
2+
handling changes can play a crucial role in AF pathogenesis, although the specific mechanisms involved in poAF have not been elucidated. Our lab has previously identified Striated Muscle Preferentially Expressed Protein Kinase (SPEG) as a binding partner of the major cardiac Ca
2+
release channel RyR2 and its negative regulator JPH2, which are critical for cardiac Ca
2+
homeostasis. We hypothesized that decreased SPEG levels may create an arrhythmogenic substrate promoting poAF development.
SPEG protein and mRNA levels were assessed using Western blotting and qRT-PCR, respectively. To establish a mouse model of poAF, we performed thoracotomy in C57Bl/6J mice followed by rapid atrial pacing three days post-operatively to assess for poAF susceptibility. To test for a cause-effect relationship between decreased SPEG and AF susceptibility, we used a cardiac specific tamoxifen-inducible SPEG conditional knockout (cKO) mouse. Rapid atrial pacing was performed in SPEG cKO mice two weeks post-tamoxifen injection prior to onset of heart failure as assessed by echocardiography.
In human atrial samples from patients with poAF we found 41±9% lower
SPEGβ
mRNA expression (n=7, p=0.04) compared to patients with normal sinus rhythm (NSR, n=8), while
SPEGα
expression was unchanged. Similarly, SPEGβ protein was 45±7% lower in poAF vs NSR patients (n=6, p=0.04). In contrast,
SPEGβ
mRNA expression was not decreased in patients with persistent or paroxysmal AF. Similar to poAF patients, our novel mouse model exhibited 90±4% lower SPEGβ protein levels (n=4, p=0.03) compared to mice with NSR (n=4) after rapid atrial pacing three days post-thoracotomy. Furthermore, SPEG cKO mice had increased AF duration after rapid atrial pacing (19.43 ± 15.16 s, n=3) compared to controls (0.27 ± 0.27 s, n=6, p=0.01), suggesting that loss of SPEG is sufficient to drive AF.
In conclusion, we discovered reduced SPEGβ mRNA and protein in both humans and mice with poAF and established that a loss of SPEG might causally contribute to poAF pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Li Ni
- Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | | | | | | | | | - Ann Quick
- Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | | | - Na Li
- Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
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