Rationale Failing cardiomyocytes exhibit decreased efficiency of excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling. The down-regulation of junctophilin-2 (JP2), a protein anchoring the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) to T-tubules (TTs), has been identified as a major mechanism underlying the defective E-C coupling. However, the regulatory mechanism of JP2 remains unknown. Objective To determine whether microRNAs regulate JP2 expression. Methods and Results Bioinformatic analysis predicted two potential binding sites of miR-24 in the 3′-untranslated regions of JP2 mRNA. Luciferase assays confirmed that miR-24 suppressed JP2 expression by binding to either of these sites. In the aortic stenosis model, miR-24 was up-regulated in failing cardiomyocytes. Adenovirus-directed over-expression of miR-24 in cardiomyocytes decreased JP2 expression and reduced Ca2+ transient amplitude and E-C coupling gain. Conclusions MiR-24-mediated suppression of JP2 expression provides a novel molecular mechanism for E-C coupling regulation in heart cells, and suggests a new target against heart failure.
The shrinking and eventual absence of TT-SR junctions are important mechanisms underlying the desynchronized and inhomogeneous Ca(2+) release and the decreased contractile strength in heart failure. Maintaining the nanoscopic integrity of TT-SR junctions thus represents a therapeutic strategy against heart failure and related cardiomyopathies.
Rationale During the transition from compensated hypertrophy to heart failure, the signaling between L-type Ca2+ channels (LCCs) in the cell membrane/T-tubules (TTs) and ryanodine receptors (RyRs) in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) becomes defective, partially due to the decreased expression of a TT-SR anchoring protein, junctophilin-2 (JP2). MiR-24, a JP2 suppressing microRNA, is up-regulated in hypertrophied and failing cardiomyocytes. Objective To test whether miR-24 suppression can protect the structural and functional integrity of LCC-RyR signaling in hypertrophied cardiomyocytes. Methods and Results In vivo silencing of miR-24 by a specific antagomir in an aorta-constricted mouse model effectively prevented the degradation of heart contraction but not ventricular hypertrophy. Electrophysiology and confocal imaging studies showed that antagomir treatment prevented the decreases in LCC-RyR signaling fidelity/efficiency and whole-cell Ca2+ transients. Further studies showed that antagomir treatment stabilized JP2 expression and protected the ultrastructure of TT-SR junctions from disruption. Conclusions MiR-24 suppression prevented the transition from compensated hypertrophy to decompensated hypertrophy, providing a potential strategy for early treatment against heart failure.
In an effort to investigate the enhancement effect of lanthanide ions (Ln3+) on the absorption of larger molecules from the pulmonary pathway, insulin (mol. wt. = 5730) was chosen as a model peptide. The absorption of insulin preadministered or coadministered with Ln3+ from the lung was investigated by means of an in situ pulmonary absorption experiment. The enhancement absorption of insulin by Ln3+ ions was evaluated by calculating the various bioavailabilities (Fr) of insulin from pulmonary absorption. Moreover, the temporal change of Gd content in serum was also investigated. Results showed that the promoting effect of Ln3+ on the bioavailability of insulin is closely related to its species, concentration, and delivery order. The effect of the median Ln3+ series was remarkably greater than that of light and heavy Ln3+. The anionic form of Gadolinium (Fr = 68.4%) seemed to be more effective compared with its cationic form (Fr = 59.5%). Coadministration of Gd3+ with insulin (Fr = 80.1%) was the most effective in increasing insulin absorption from the lung. Gd3+ was rapidly absorbed and metabolized to a normal level after 4 h. It was suggested that lanthanides in a very low concentration might become potent absorption enhancers to improve absorption of larger molecules via the pulmonary pathway.
The contraction of heart cells is controlled by the intermolecular signaling between L-type Ca2+ channels (LCCs) and ryanodine receptors (RyRs), and the nanodistance between them depends on the interaction between junctophilin-2 (JPH2) in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and caveolin-3 (CAV3) in the transversal tubule (TT). In heart failure, decreased expression of JPH2 compromises LCC–RyR communication leading to deficient blood-pumping power. In the present study, we found that JPH2 and CAV3 transcription was concurrently regulated by serum response factor (SRF) and myocardin. In cardiomyocytes from torpid ground squirrels, compared with those from euthermic counterparts, myocardin expression was up-regulated, which boosted both JPH2 and CAV3 expression. Transmission electron microscopic imaging showed that the physical coupling between TTs and SRs was tightened during hibernation and after myocardin overexpression. Confocal Ca2+ imaging under the whole-cell patch clamp condition revealed that these changes enhanced the efficiency of LCC–RyR intermolecular signaling and fully compensated the adaptive down-regulation of LCCs, maintaining the power of heart contraction while avoiding the risk of calcium overload during hibernation. Our finding not only revealed an essential molecular mechanism underlying the survival of hibernating mammals, but also demonstrated a “reverse model of heart failure” at the molecular level, suggesting a strategy for treating heart diseases.
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