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International audience; Despite considerable advances in cardiovascular disease treatment, heart failure remains a public health challenge. In this context, gene therapy appears as an attractive approach, but clinical trials using single therapeutic molecules result in moderate benefit. With the objective of improving ischemic heart failure therapy, we designed a combined treatment, aimed to simultaneously stimulate angiogenesis, prevent cardiac remodeling, and restore contractile function. We have previously validated IRES-based vectors as powerful tools to co-express genes of interest. Mono- and multicistronic lentivectors expressing fibroblast growth factor 2 (angiogenesis), apelin (cardioprotection), and/or SERCA2a (contractile function) were produced and administrated by intramyocardial injection into a mouse model of myocardial infarction. Data reveal that combined treatment simultaneously improves vessel number, heart function parameters, and fibrosis prevention, due to FGF2, SERCA2a, and apelin, respectively. Furthermore, addition of SERCA2a in the combination decreases cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Large-scale transcriptome analysis reveals that the triple treatment is the most efficient in restoring angiogenic balance as well as expression of genes involved in cardiac function and remodeling. Our study validates the concept of combined treatment of ischemic heart disease with apelin, FGF2, and SERCA2a and shows that such therapeutic benefit is mediated by a more effective recovery of gene network regulation.

International audience; β1 and β2 adrenergic receptors (βARs) are highly homologous but fulfill distinct physiological and pathophysiological roles. Here we show that both βAR subtypes activate the cAMP-binding protein Epac1, but they differentially affect its signaling. The distinct effects of βARs on Epac1 downstream effectors, the small G proteins Rap1 and H-Ras, involve different modes of interaction of Epac1 with the scaffolding protein β-arrestin2 and the cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase (PDE) variant PDE4D5. We found that β-arrestin2 acts as a scaffold for Epac1 and is necessary for Epac1 coupling to H-Ras. Accordingly, knockdown of β-arrestin2 prevented Epac1-induced histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) nuclear export and cardiac myocyte hypertrophy upon β1AR activation. Moreover, Epac1 competed with PDE4D5 for interaction with β-arrestin2 following β2AR activation. Dissociation of the PDE4D5-β-arrestin2 complex allowed the recruitment of Epac1 to β2AR and induced a switch from β2AR non-hypertrophic signaling to a β1AR-like pro-hypertrophic signaling cascade. These findings have implications for understanding the molecular basis of cardiac myocyte remodeling and other cellular processes in which βAR subtypes exert opposing effects.

International audience; Calcineurin is a serine/threonine phosphatase originally involved in the immune response but is also known for its role as a central mediator in various non-immunological intracellular signals. The nuclear factor of activated T cell (NFAT) proteins are the most widely described substrates of calcineurin, but ongoing work has uncovered other substrates among which are the cytoskeleton organizing proteins (i.e. cofilin, synaptopodin, WAVE-1). Control over cytoskeletal proteins is of outmost interest because the phenotypic properties of cells are dependent on cytoskeleton architecture integrity, while rearrangements of the cytoskeleton are implicated in both physiological and pathological processes. Previous works investigating the role of calcineurin on the cytoskeleton have focused on neurite elongation, myocyte hypertrophic response and recently in kidney cells structure. Nuclear factor of activated T cell activation is expectedly identified in the signalling pathways for calcineurin-induced cytoskeleton organization, however new NFAT-independent pathways have also been uncovered. The aim of this review is to summarize the current knowledge on the effects of calcineurin on cytoskeletal proteins and related intracellular pathways. These newly described properties of calcineurin on cytoskeletal proteins may explain some of the beneficial or deleterious effects observed in kidney cells associated with the use of the calcineurin inhibitors, cyclosporine and tacrolimus.

International audience; Adipose tissue secretes a variety of bioactive factors, which can regulate cardiomyocyte hypertrophy via reactive oxygen species (ROS). In the present study we investigated whether apelin affects ROS-dependent cardiac hypertrophy. In cardiomyocytes apelin inhibited the hypertrophic response to 5-HT and oxidative stress induced by 5-HT- or H(2)O(2) in a dose-dependent manner. These effects were concomitant to the increase in mRNA expression and activity of catalase. Chronic treatment of mice with apelin attenuated pressure-overload-induced left ventricular hypertrophy. The prevention of hypertrophy by apelin was associated with increased myocardial catalase activity and decreased plasma lipid hydroperoxide, as an index of oxidative stress. These results show that apelin behaves as a catalase activator and prevents cardiac ROS-dependent hypertrophy.

International audience; Diabetic cardiomyopathy is a secondary complication of diabetes with an unclear etiology. Based on a functional genomic evaluation of obesity-associated cardiac gene expression, we previously identified and cloned the gene encoding apolipoprotein O (APOO), which is overexpressed in hearts from diabetic patients. Here, we generated APOO-Tg mice, transgenic mouse lines that expresses physiological levels of human APOO in heart tissue. APOO-Tg mice fed a high-fat diet exhibited depressed ventricular function with reduced fractional shortening and ejection fraction, and myocardial sections from APOO-Tg mice revealed mitochondrial degenerative changes. In vivo fluorescent labeling and subcellular fractionation revealed that APOO localizes with mitochondria. Furthermore, APOO enhanced mitochondrial uncoupling and respiration, both of which were reduced by deletion of the N-terminus and by targeted knockdown of APOO. Consequently, fatty acid metabolism and ROS production were enhanced, leading to increased AMPK phosphorylation and Ppara and Pgc1a expression. Finally, we demonstrated that the APOO-induced cascade of events generates a mitochondrial metabolic sink whereby accumulation of lipotoxic byproducts leads to lipoapoptosis, loss of cardiac cells, and cardiomyopathy, mimicking the diabetic heart-associated metabolic phenotypes. Our data suggest that APOO represents a link between impaired mitochondrial function and cardiomyopathy onset, and targeting APOO-dependent metabolic remodeling has potential as a strategy to adjust heart metabolism and protect the myocardium from impaired contractility.

International audience; High level of physical training can lead cardiovascular quantitative and qualitative adaptations. These clinical, electrical and echocardiographic adaptations are called athlete's heart. These mainly moderated adaptations raise generally no diagnostic issue. However, in rare cases, the question of the limits of athlete's heart may arise. The differential diagnosis with the hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is important because this pathology, even treated, excludes for intense physical activity. On the contrary, an inequitable contraindication for competitive sport is not acceptable. In most cases, the athlete's heart diagnosis is easy in case of a good knowledge of its signs and a good rigor of exam. However, sometimes, the good diagnosis is proposed only on a beam of arguments.

How chronic pressure overload affects the Purkinje fibers of the ventricular peripheral conduction system (PCS) is not known. Here, we used a connexin (Cx)40 knockout/enhanced green fluorescent protein knockin transgenic mouse model to specifically label the PCS. We hypothesized that the subendocardially located PCS would remodel after chronic pressure overload and therefore analyzed cell size, markers of hypertrophy, and PCS-specific Cx and ion channel expression patterns. Left ventricular hypertrophy with preserved systolic function was induced by 30 days of surgical transaortic constriction. After transaortic constriction, we observed that PCS cardiomyocytes hypertrophied by 23% ( P < 0.05) and that microdissected PCS tissue exhibited upregulated markers of hypertrophy. PCS cardiomyocytes showed a 98% increase in the number of Cx40-positive gap junction particles, with an associated twofold increase in gene expression ( P < 0.05). We also identified a 50% reduction in Cx43 gap junction particles located at the interface between PCS cardiomyocytes and the working cardiomyocyte. In addition, we measured a fourfold increase of an ion channel, hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel (HCN)4, throughout the PCS ( P < 0.05). As a direct consequence of PCS remodeling, we found that pressure-overloaded hearts exhibited marked changes in ventricular activation patterns during normal sinus rhythm. These novel findings characterize PCS cardiomyocyte remodeling after chronic pressure overload. We identified significant hypertrophic growth accompanied by modified expression of Cx40, Cx43, and HCN4 within PCS cardiomyocytes. We found that a functional outcome of these changes is a failure of the PCS to activate the ventricular myocardium normally. Our findings provide a proof of concept that pressure overload induces specific cellular changes, not just within the working myocardium but also within the specialized PCS.

International audience; The serotonin 5-HT(2A) receptor belongs to the G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) superfamily and mediates the hypertrophic response to serotonin (5-HT) in cardiac myocytes. At present the regulatory mechanisms of 5-HT(2A) receptor-induced myocyte hypertrophy are not fully understood. The localization and the compartmentation of GPCRs within specialized membrane microdomains are known to modulate their signalling pathway. Therefore, we hypothesized that caveolae microdomains and caveolin-3, the predominant isoform of cardiac caveolae, might be regulators of 5-HT(2A) receptor signalling. We demonstrate that 5-HT(2A) receptors interact with caveolin-3 upon 5-HT stimulation and traffic into caveolae membrane microdomains. We provide evidence that caveolin-3 knockdown abolishes the redistribution of 5-HT(2A) receptors into caveolae and enhances 5-HT(2A) receptor-induced myocyte hypertrophic markers such as cell size, protein synthesis and ANF gene expression. Importantly, we demonstrate that caveolin-3 and caveolae structures are negative regulators of 5-HT(2A) receptor-induced nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) transcriptional activation. Taken together, our data demonstrate that caveolin-3 and caveolae microdomains are important regulators of the hypertrophic response induced by 5-HT(2A) receptors. These findings thus open new insights to target heart hypertrophy under the enhanced serotonin system. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Local Signaling in Myocytes".

International audience; Serotonin (5-HT) participates in the development of cardiac hypertrophy through 5-HT(2A) serotonin receptors. The hypertrophic growth of cardiomyoblasts induced by 5-HT(2A) receptors involves the activation of the Ca(2+) responsive calcineurin/NFAT pathway. However, the mechanism whereby NFAT is activated by 5-HT(2A) receptors remains indeterminate. In this study, we examined whether transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) channels participate in NFAT activation and hypertrophic response triggered by 5-HT. We demonstrate that TRPC1 expression is upregulated in 5-HT-treated rat cardiomyoblasts whereas TRPC6 is induced in a mouse model of heart hypertrophy. Moreover, TRPC1 knockdown by small interfering RNA inhibits NFAT activation and hypertrophic response mediated by 5-HT(2A) receptors. These findings provide new insights about a mechanistic basis for the activation of the calcineurin/NFAT pathway by 5-HT(2A) receptors and highlight the critical role of TRPC1 in the development of cardiac hypertrophy.

We established previously that 5-HT 2B receptors are involved in cardiac hypertrophy through the regulation of hypertrophic cytokines in cardiac fibroblasts. Moreover, the generation of reactive oxygen species and tumor necrosis factor-α through the activation of reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate [NAD(P)H] oxidase has been implicated in cardiac hypertrophy. In this study, we investigated whether 5-HT 2B receptors could be involved in the development of cardiac hypertrophy associated with superoxide anion production. Therefore, we measured the effects of serotonergic 5-HT 2B receptor blockade on left-ventricular superoxide anion generation in 2 established pharmacological models of cardiac hypertrophy, ie, angiotensin II and isoproterenol infusions in mice. Angiotensin II infusion for 14 days increased superoxide anion concentration (+32%), NAD(P)H oxidase maximal activity (+84%), and p47 phox NAD(P)H oxidase subunit expression in the left ventricle together with hypertension (+37 mm Hg) and cardiac hypertrophy (+17% for heart weight:body weight). The 5-HT 2B receptor blockade by a selective antagonist (SB215505) prevented the increase in cardiac superoxide generation and hypertrophy. Similarly, infusion for 5 days of isoproterenol increased left-ventricular NAD(P)H oxidase activity (+48%) and cardiac hypertrophy (+31%) that were prevented by the 5-HT 2B receptor blockade. Finally, in the primary culture of left-ventricular cardiac fibroblasts, angiotensin II and isoproterenol stimulated NAD(P)H oxidase activity. This activation was prevented by SB215505. These findings suggest that the 5-HT 2B receptor may represent a new target to reduce cardiac hypertrophy and oxidative stress. Its blockade affects both angiotensin II and β-adrenergic trophic responses without significant hemodynamic alteration.

International audience; Physical training induces cardiovascular autonomic nervous system regulation adaptations, which could result from beta adrenergic receptor (AR) modifications. Among them, beta(3 )AR alterations have been recently reported but their functional effect remained to discuss. To explain the beta(3) AR gene expression in relation to function, we simultaneously studied the left ventricle (LV) beta(3) AR mRNA and protein levels and the myocardial functional effects of a beta(3) AR agonist following physical training. Forty rats were assigned to either a control (C; N = 20) or a trained (T; N = 20) group. The treadmill running protocol was performed for 8 weeks. Histological measurements on LV slices were quantified. The beta(3) AR mRNA abundance was studied with RT-PCR and beta(3) AR protein density with Western-Blot analysis. Myocardial functional effects of a beta(3) AR agonist, BRL37344 (10(-8) M), were studied in Langendorff-perfused hearts. Histological data confirmed the adapted patterns of the physiological cardiac hypertrophy observed in T (P < 0.01), with a significant increase in arteries density (P < 0.01) and an unchanged collagen concentration. The beta(3) AR protein density was increased in T (154 +/- 38% in T vs. 100 +/- 24% in C; P < 0.05), but no change was noted concerning the beta(3) AR mRNA level. After BRL37344 perfusion LVDP, +dP/dT and -dP/dT, in C (P < 0.01), and only +dP/dT in T (P < 0.05) were decreased. Moreover, all LV hemodynamic parameters were more altered after BRL37344 in C than in T (P < 0.01). Thus, in this physiological model of cardiac hypertrophy, an increase of beta(3) AR density without beta(3) AR mRNA alteration was observed. Classical negative myocardial lusitropic and inotropic effects induced by a specific agonist of beta(3) AR were diminished in trained rats.

Background— The Jun family of activator protein 1 (AP-1) transcription factors (c-Jun, JunB, and JunD) is involved in fundamental biological processes such as proliferation, apoptosis, tumor angiogenesis, and hypertrophy. The role of individual AP-1 transcription factors in the stressed heart is not clear. In the present study we analyzed the role of JunD in survival, hypertrophy, and angiogenesis in the pressure-overloaded mouse heart after thoracic aortic constriction. Methods and Results— Mice lacking JunD (knockout [KO]) showed increased mortality and enhanced cardiomyocyte apoptosis and fibrosis associated with increased levels of hypoxia-induced factor-1α, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), p53, and Bax protein and reduced levels of Bcl-2 protein after 7 days of severe pressure overload compared with wild-type (WT) siblings. Cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in surviving KO mice was enhanced compared with that in WT mice. Chronic moderate pressure overload for 12 weeks caused enhanced left ventricular hypertrophy in KO mice, and survival and interstitial fibrosis were comparable with WT mice. Cardiac function, 12 weeks after operation, was comparable among shams and pressure-overloaded mice of both genotypes. In addition, KO mice exposed to chronic pressure overload showed higher cardiac capillary density associated with increased protein levels of VEGF. Conclusions— Thus, JunD limits cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and protects the pressure-overloaded heart from cardiac apoptosis. These beneficial effects of JunD, however, are associated with antiangiogenic properties.

International audience; Insulin resistance and oxidative stress act synergistically in the development of cardiovascular complications. The present study compared the efficacy of three polyphenolic extracts in their capacity to prevent hypertension, cardiac hypertrophy, increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by the aorta or the heart, and increased expression of cardiac NAD(P)H oxidase in a model of insulin resistance. Rats were fed a 60%-enriched fructose food and were treated once a day (gavage) for 6 weeks with 10 mL/kg of water only (F group) or the same amount of solution containing a red grape skin polyphenolic extract enriched in anthocyanins (ANT), a grape seed extract enriched in procyanidins and rich in galloylated procyanidins (PRO), or the commercial preparation Vitaflavan (VIT), rich in catechin oligomers. All treatments were administered at the same dose of 21 mg/kg of polyphenols. Our data indicate that (a) the ANT treatment prevented hypertension, cardiac hypertrophy, and production of ROS, (b) the PRO treatment prevented insulin resistance, hypertriglyceridemia, and overproduction of ROS but had only minor effects on hypertension or hypertrophy, while (c) Vitaflavan prevented hypertension, cardiac hypertrophy, and overproduction of ROS. All polyphenolic treatments prevented the increased expression of the p91phox NADPH oxidase subunit. In summary, our study suggest that (a) the pathogeny of cardiac hypertrophy in the fructose-fed rat disease involves both hypertension and hyperproduction of ROS, (b) polyphenolic extracts enriched in different types of polyphenols possess differential effects on insulin resistance, hypertension, and cardiac hypertrophy, and (c) polyphenols modulate the expression of NAD(P)H oxidase.

Background— The serotonergic 5-HT 2B receptor regulates cardiomyocyte development and growth. A putative contribution of this receptor to fibroblast-dependent cardiac function has not been identified. Methods and Results— By mimicking sympathetic stimulation with chronic isoproterenol perfusion in vivo, we found that mice developed a cardiac hypertrophy, which was prevented by exposure to the 5-HT 2B receptor antagonists SB206553 or SB215505 or in 5-HT 2B receptor–knockout mice. The isoproterenol-induced hypertrophy was associated with an increase in the plasma levels of interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α but not interleukin-6. In contrast, the plasma isoproterenol-induced cytokine increase was not observed in either 5-HT 2B receptor–mutant or wild-type mice perfused with isoproterenol+SB206553. We demonstrated that stimulation of wild-type cardiac fibroblasts by isoproterenol markedly increased the production of the interleukin-6, interleukin-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α cytokines. Strikingly, we found that this isoproterenol-induced cytokine production was abolished by SB206553 or in 5-HT 2B receptor–knockout fibroblasts. Serotonin also stimulated production of the 3 cytokines in wild-type fibroblasts, which was effectively reduced in 5-HT 2B receptor–knockout fibroblasts. Conclusions— Our results demonstrate for the first time that 5-HT 2B receptors are essential for isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy, which involves the regulation of interleukin-6, interleukin-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α cytokine production by cardiac fibroblasts.