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Background: Mature B lymphocytes alter the recovery of cardiac function after acute myocardial infarction (MI) in mice. Follicular B cells and marginal zone B (MZB) cells are spatially distinct mature B-cell populations in the spleen, and they exert specific functional properties. microRNA-21 (miR21)/hypoxia-inducible factor-α (HIF-α)-related pathways have been shown to govern B-cell functions., Objectives: The goal of this study was to unravel the distinct role of MZB cells and that of endogenous activation of miR21/HIF-α signaling in MZB cells during post-ischemic injury., Methods: Acute MI was induced in mice by permanent ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Cardiac function and remodeling were assessed by using echocardiography and immunohistochemistry. To determine the specific role of MZB cells, the study used mice with B-cell lineage-specific conditional deletion of Notch signaling, which leads to selection deficiency of MZB cells. To evaluate the role of the HIF-1α isoform, mice were generated with MZB-cell lineage-specific conditional deletion of Hif1a., Results: Acute MI prompted an miR21-dependent increase in HIF-1α, particularly in splenic MZB cells. MZB cell deficiency and MZB cell-specific deletion of miR21 or Hif1a improved cardiac function after acute MI. miR21/HIF-1α signaling in MZB cells was required for Toll-like receptor dependent expression of the monocyte chemoattractant protein CCL7, leading to increased mobilization of inflammatory monocytes to the ischemic myocardium and to adverse post-ischemic cardiac remodeling., Conclusions: This work reveals a novel function for the miR21/HIF-1α pathway in splenic MZB cells with potential major implications for the modulation of cardiac function after acute MI., Competing Interests: Funding Support and Author Disclosures This work was supported by Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale (DEQ20160334910, Prof Silvestre; FDT20160435312, Prof Zlatanova), Fondation de France (FDF 00066471, Profs Silvestre and Pinto), Fédération Française de Cardiologie (Profs Silvestre and Sun) China Scholarship Council (No. 201708310220, Prof Sun) French National Research Agency (ANR to Prof Silvestre), and institutional grants from Université de Paris and the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research. The authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose., (Copyright © 2022 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Defective systemic and local iron metabolism correlates with cardiac disorders. Hepcidin, a master iron sensor, actively tunes iron trafficking. We hypothesized that hepcidin could play a key role to locally regulate cardiac homeostasis after acute myocardial infarction., Methods: Cardiac repair was analyzed in mice harboring specific cardiomyocyte or myeloid cell deficiency of hepcidin and challenged with acute myocardial infarction., Results: We found that the expression of hepcidin was elevated after acute myocardial infarction and the specific deletion of hepcidin in cardiomyocytes failed to improve cardiac repair and function. However, transplantation of bone marrow-derived cells from hepcidin-deficient mice ( Hamp -/- ) or from mice with specific deletion of hepcidin in myeloid cells (LysM CRE/+ / Hamp f/f ) improved cardiac function. This effect was associated with a robust reduction in the infarct size and tissue fibrosis in addition to favoring cardiomyocyte renewal. Macrophages lacking hepcidin promoted cardiomyocyte proliferation in a prototypic model of apical resection-induced cardiac regeneration in neonatal mice. Interleukin (IL)-6 increased hepcidin levels in inflammatory macrophages. Hepcidin deficiency enhanced the number of CD45 + /CD11b + /F4/80 + /CD64 + /MHCII Low /chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 2 (CCR2) + inflammatory macrophages and fostered signal transducer and activator of transcription factor-3 (STAT3) phosphorylation, an instrumental step in the release of IL-4 and IL-13. The combined genetic suppression of hepcidin and IL-4/IL-13 in macrophages failed to improve cardiac function in both adult and neonatal injured hearts., Conclusions: Hepcidin refrains macrophage-induced cardiac repair and regeneration through modulation of IL-4/IL-13 pathways.

Rationale: A rapid and massive influx of inflammatory cells occurs into ischemic area after myocardial infarction (MI), resulting in local release of cytokines and growth factors. Yet, the mechanisms regulating their production are not fully explored. The release of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the interstitial space curbs important biological functions, including inflammation, and influences the development of cardiovascular diseases. To date, there is no evidence for in situ release of cardiac EVs after MI., Objective: The present study tested the hypothesis that local EV generation in the infarcted heart coordinates cardiac inflammation after MI., Methods and Results: Coronary artery ligation in mice transiently increases EV levels in the left ventricle when compared with sham animals. EVs from infarcted hearts were characterized as large vesicles (252±18 nm) expressing cardiomyocyte and endothelial markers and small EVs (118±4 nm) harboring exosomal markers, such as CD (cluster of differentiation) 63 and CD9. Cardiac large EVs generated after MI, but not small EVs or sham EVs, increased the release of IL (interleukin)-6, CCL (chemokine ligand) 2, and CCL7 from fluorescence-activated cell-sorted Ly6C + cardiac monocytes. EVs of similar diameter were also isolated from fragments of interventricular septum obtained from patients undergoing aortic valve replacement, thus supporting the clinical relevance of our findings in mice., Conclusions: The present study demonstrates that acute MI transiently increases the generation of cardiac EVs characterized as both exosomes and microvesicles, originating mainly from cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells. EVs accumulating in the ischemic myocardium are rapidly taken up by infiltrating monocytes and regulate local inflammatory responses., (© 2018 The Authors.)

Background: In infarcted heart, improper clearance of dying cells by activated neighboring phagocytes may precipitate the transition to heart failure. We analyzed the coordinated role of 2 major mediators of efferocytosis, the myeloid-epithelial-reproductive protein tyrosine kinase (Mertk) and the milk fat globule epidermal growth factor (Mfge8), in directing cardiac remodeling by skewing the inflammatory response after myocardial infarction., Methods and Results: We generated double-deficient mice for Mertk and Mfge8 (Mertk(-/-)/Mfge8(-/-)) and challenged them with acute coronary ligature. Compared with wild-type, Mertk-deficient (Mertk(-/-)), or Mfge8-deficient (Mfge8(-/-)) animals, Mertk(-/-)/Mfge8(-/-) mice displayed greater alteration in cardiac function and remodeling. Mertk and Mfge8 were expressed mainly by cardiac Ly6C(High and Low) monocytes and macrophages. In parallel, Mertk(-/-)/Mfge8(-/-) bone marrow chimeras manifested increased accumulation of apoptotic cells, enhanced fibrotic area, and larger infarct size, as well as reduced angiogenesis. We found that the abrogation of efferocytosis affected neither the ability of circulating monocytes to infiltrate cardiac tissue nor the number of resident Ly6C(High) and Ly6C(How) monocytes/macrophages populating the infarcted milieu. In contrast, combined Mertk and Mfge8 deficiency in Ly6C(High)/Ly6C(Low) monocytes/macrophages either obtained from in vitro differentiation of bone marrow cells or isolated from infarcted hearts altered their capacity of efferocytosis and subsequently blunted vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) release. Using LysMCre(+)/VEGFA(fl/fl) mice, we further identified an important role for myeloid-derived VEGFA in improving cardiac function and angiogenesis., Conclusions: After myocardial infarction, Mertk- and Mfge8-expressing monocyte/macrophages synergistically engage the clearance of injured cardiomyocytes, favoring the secretion of VEGFA to locally repair the dysfunctional heart., (© 2016 The Authors.)