MSCs enhances the protective effects of valsartan on attenuating the doxorubicin-induced myocardial injury via AngII/NOX/ROS/MAPK signaling pathway

Objective: To verify if AngII/NOX/ROS/MAPK signaling pathway is involved in Doxorubicin (DOX)-induced myocardial injury and if mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) could enhance the protective effects of valsartan (Val) on attenuating DOX-induced injury in vitro. Methods: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and the protein expression of AT1R, NOX2, NOX4, caspase-3, caspase-9 and MAPK signaling were assessed in H9c2 cardiomyocytes exposed to DOX for 24 h in the absence or presence of Val, NADPH oxidase inhibitor DPI or knockdown and overexpression of NADPH oxidase subunit: NOX2 and NOX4, co-culture with MSCs, respectively. Finally, MTT assay was used to determine the cell viability of H9c2 cells, MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and A549 pulmonary cancer cells under Val, DOX and Val+ DOX treatments. Results: DOX increased ROS formation and upregulated proteins expression of AT1R, NOX2, NOX4, caspase-3, caspase-9 and MAPK signaling including p-p38, p-JNK, p-ERK in H9c2 cells. These effects could be attenuated by Val, DPI, NOX2 siRNA and NOX4 siRNA. Meanwhile, overexpression of NOX2 and NOX4 could significantly increase DOX-induced ROS formation and further upregulate apoptotic protein expressions and protein expressions of MAPK signaling. MSCs on top of Val further enhanced the protective effects of Val on reducing the DOX-induced ROS formation and downregulating the expression of apoptotic proteins and MAPK signaling as compared with Val alone in DOX-treated H9c2 cells. Simultaneous Val and DOX treatment did not affect cell viability of DOX-treated MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells or A549 pulmonary cancer cells but significantly improved cell viability of DOX-treated H9c2 cardiomyocytes. Conclusions: AT1R/NOX/ROS/MAPK signaling pathway is involved in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. Val treatment significantly attenuated DOX-induced cardiotoxicity, without affecting the anti-tumor effect of DOX. MSCs enhance the protective effects of Val on reducing the DOX-induced toxicity in H9c2 cells.