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ObjectiveDiabetic retinopathy (DR) is induced by an accumulation of reactive metabolites such as ROS, RNS, and RCS species, which were reported to modulate the activity of cation channels of the TRPC family. In this study, we use Trpc1/4/5/6−/− compound knockout mice to analyze the contribution of these TRPC proteins to diabetic retinopathy.MethodsWe used Nanostring- and qPCR-based analysis to determine mRNA levels of TRPC channels in control and diabetic retinae and retinal cell types. Chronic hyperglycemia was induced by Streptozotocin (STZ) treatment. To assess the development of diabetic retinopathy, vasoregression, pericyte loss, and thickness of individual retinal layers were analyzed. Plasma and cellular methylglyoxal (MG) levels, as well as Glyoxalase 1 (GLO1) enzyme activity and protein expression, were measured in WT and Trpc1/4/5/6−/− cells or tissues. MG-evoked toxicity in cells of both genotypes was compared by MTT assay.ResultsWe find that Trpc1/4/5/6−/− mice are protected from hyperglycemia-evoked vasoregression determined by the formation of acellular capillaries and pericyte drop-out. In addition, Trpc1/4/5/6−/− mice are resistant to the STZ-induced reduction in retinal layer thickness. The RCS metabolite methylglyoxal, which represents a key mediator for the development of diabetic retinopathy, was significantly reduced in plasma and red blood cells (RBCs) of STZ-treated Trpc1/4/5/6−/− mice compared to controls. GLO1 is the major MG detoxifying enzyme, and its activity and protein expression were significantly elevated in Trpc1/4/5/6-deficient cells, which led to significantly increased resistance to MG toxicity. GLO1 activity was also increased in retinal extracts from Trpc1/4/5/6−/− mice. The TRPCs investigated here are expressed at different levels in endothelial and glial cells of the retina.ConclusionThe protective phenotype in diabetic retinopathy observed in Trpc1/4/5/6−/− mice is suggestive of a predominant action of TRPCs in Müller cells and microglia because of their central position in the retention of a proper homoeostasis of the neurovascular unit.

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Transient receptor potential melastatin 4 (TRPM4) cation channels act in cardiomyocytes as a negative modulator of the L-type Ca2+ current. Ubiquitous Trpm4 deletion in mice leads to an increased β-adrenergic inotropy in healthy mice as well as after myocardial infarction. In this study, we set out to investigate cardiac inotropy in mice with cardiomyocyte-specific Trpm4 deletion. The results guided us to investigate the relevance of TRPM4 for catecholamine-evoked Ca2+ signaling in cardiomyocytes and inotropy in vivo in TRPM4-deficient mouse models of different genetic background. Cardiac hemodynamics were investigated using pressure–volume analysis. Surprisingly, an increased β-adrenergic inotropy was observed in global TRPM4-deficient mice on a 129SvJ genetic background, but the inotropic response was unaltered in mice with global and cardiomyocyte-specific TRPM4 deletion on the C57Bl/6N background. We found that the expression of TRPM4 proteins is about 78 ± 10% higher in wild-type mice on the 129SvJ versus C57Bl/6N background. In accordance with contractility measurements, our analysis of the intracellular Ca2+ transients revealed an increase in ISO-evoked Ca2+ rise in Trpm4-deficient cardiomyocytes of the 129SvJ strain, but not of the C57Bl/6N strain. No significant differences were observed between the two mouse strains in the expression of other regulators of cardiomyocyte Ca2+ homeostasis. We conclude that the relevance of TRPM4 for cardiac contractility depends on homeostatic TRPM4 expression levels or the genetic endowment in different mouse strains as well as on the health/disease status. Therefore, the concept of inhibiting TRPM4 channels to improve cardiac contractility needs to be carefully explored in specific strains and species and prospectively in different genetically diverse populations of patients.

Pathological cardiac remodeling correlates with chronic neurohumoral stimulation and abnormal Ca2+ signaling in cardiomyocytes. Store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) has been described in adult and neonatal murine cardiomyocytes, and Orai1 proteins act as crucial ion-conducting constituents of this calcium entry pathway that can be engaged not only by passive Ca2+ store depletion but also by neurohumoral stimuli such as angiotensin-II. In this study, we, therefore, analyzed the consequences of Orai1 deletion for cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in neonatal and adult cardiomyocytes as well as for other features of pathological cardiac remodeling including cardiac contractile function in vivo. Cellular hypertrophy induced by angiotensin-II in embryonic cardiomyocytes from Orai1-deficient mice was blunted in comparison to cells from litter-matched control mice. Due to lethality of mice with ubiquitous Orai1 deficiency and to selectively analyze the role of Orai1 in adult cardiomyocytes, we generated a cardiomyocyte-specific and temporally inducible Orai1 knockout mouse line (Orai1CM–KO). Analysis of cardiac contractility by pressure-volume loops under basal conditions and of cardiac histology did not reveal differences between Orai1CM–KO mice and controls. Moreover, deletion of Orai1 in cardiomyocytes in adult mice did not protect them from angiotensin-II-induced cardiac remodeling, but cardiomyocyte cross-sectional area and cardiac fibrosis were enhanced. These alterations in the absence of Orai1 go along with blunted angiotensin-II-induced upregulation of the expression of Myoz2 and a lack of rise in angiotensin-II-induced STIM1 and Orai3 expression. In contrast to embryonic cardiomyocytes, where Orai1 contributes to the development of cellular hypertrophy, the results obtained from deletion of Orai1 in the adult myocardium reveal a protective function of Orai1 against the development of angiotensin-II-induced cardiac remodeling, possibly involving signaling via Orai3/STIM1-calcineurin-NFAT related pathways.

Aim: Cardiac pressure-volume (PV loop) analysis under β-adrenergic stimulation is a powerful method to simultaneously determine intrinsic cardiac function and β-adrenergic reserve in mouse models. Despite its wide use, several key approaches of this method, which can affect murine cardiac function tremendously, have not been experimentally investigated until now. In this study, we investigate the impact of three lines of action during the complex procedure of PV loop analysis: (i) the ventilation with positive end-expiratory pressure, (ii) the time point of injecting hypertonic saline to estimate parallel-conductance, and (iii) the implications of end-systolic pressure-spikes that may arise under β-adrenergic stimulation. Methods and Results: We performed pressure-volume analysis during β-adrenergic stimulation in an open-chest protocol under Isoflurane/Buprenorphine anesthesia. Our analysis showed that (i) ventilation with 2 cmH 2 O positive end-expiratory pressure prevented exacerbation of peak inspiratory pressures subsequently protecting mice from macroscopic pulmonary bleedings. (ii) Estimations of parallel-conductance by injecting hypertonic saline prior to pressure-volume recordings induced dilated chamber dimensions as depicted by elevation of end-systolic volume (+113%), end-diastolic volume (+40%), and end-diastolic pressure (+46%). Further, using this experimental approach, the preload-independent contractility (PRSW) was significantly impaired under basal conditions (−17%) and under catecholaminergic stimulation (−14% at 8.25 ng/min Isoprenaline), the β-adrenergic reserve was alleviated, and the incidence of ectopic beats was increased >5-fold. (iii) End-systolic pressure-spikes were observed in 26% of pressure-volume recordings under stimulation with 2.475 and 8.25 ng/min Isoprenaline, which affected the analysis of maximum pressure (+11.5%), end-diastolic volume (−8%), stroke volume (−10%), and cardiac output (−11%). Conclusions: Our results (i) demonstrate the advantages of positive end-expiratory pressure ventilation in open-chest instrumented mice, (ii) underline the perils of injecting hypertonic saline prior to pressure-volume recordings to calibrate for parallel-conductance and (iii) emphasize the necessity to be aware of the consequences of end-systolic pressure-spikes during β-adrenergic stimulation.

Precise, targeted genome editing by CRISPR/Cas9 is key for basic research and translational approaches in model and non-model systems. While active in all species tested so far, editing efficiencies still leave room for improvement. The bacterial Cas9 needs to be efficiently shuttled into the nucleus as attempted by fusion with nuclear localization signals (NLSs). Additional peptide tags such as FLAG- or myc-tags are usually added for immediate detection or straight-forward purification. Immediate activity is usually granted by administration of pre-assembled protein/RNA complexes. We present the 'hei-tag (high efficiency-tag)' which boosts the activity of CRISPR/Cas genome editing tools already when supplied as mRNA. The addition of the hei-tag, a myc tag coupled to an optimized NLS via a flexible linker, to Cas9 or a C-to-T base editor dramatically enhances the respective targeting efficiency. This results in an increase in bi-allelic editing, yet reduction of allele variance, indicating an immediate activity even at early developmental stages. The hei-tag boost is active in model systems ranging from fish to mammals, including tissue culture applications. The simple addition of the hei-tag allows to instantly upgrade existing and potentially highly adapted systems as well as to establish novel highly efficient tools immediately applicable at the mRNA level.