Abstract-Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1; CCL2)-mediated inflammation plays a critical role in the development of ischemic heart disease (IHD). However, the gene expression changes caused by signal transduction, triggered by MCP-1 binding to its receptor CCR2, and their possible role in the development of IHD are not understood. We present evidence that MCP-1 binding to CCR2 induces a novel transcription factor (MCP-induced protein [MCPIP]) that causes cell death. Gene microarray analysis showed that when expressed in hiuman embryonic kidney 293 cells, MCPIP induced apoptotic gene families before causing cell death. Mutagenesis studies showed that the structural features required for transcription factor-like activity were also required for causing cell death. Activation of caspase-3 was detected after MCPIP transfection and Z-VAD-fmk partially inhibited cell death. Cardiomyocyte-targeted expression of MCP-1 in mice caused death by heart failure at 6 months of age. MCPIP expression increased in parallel with the development of ventricular dysfunction. In situ hybridization showed the presence of MCPIP transcripts in the cardiomyocytes and immunohistochemistry showed that MCPIP was associated with the cardiomyocyte nuclei of apoptotic cardiomyocytes. CCR2 expression in cardiomyocytes increased with the development of IHD. MCPIP production induced by MCP-1 binding to CCR2 in the cardiomyocytes is probably involved in the development of IHD in this murine model. MCPIP transcript levels were much higher in the explanted human hearts with IHD than with nonischemic heart disease. These results provide a molecular insight into how chronic inflammation and exposure to MCP-1 contributes to heart failure and suggest that MCPIP could be a potential target for therapeutic intervention. nflammation is an important component of cardiovascular pathology associated with a number of types of heart diseases. However, the mechanism by which inflammation contributes to the development of cardiac dysfunction is poorly understood. 1-4 The recruitment and activation of monocytes/macrophages through monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1; CCL2) are thought to be important events that contribute to the initiation and pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases. 5-7 MCP-1 is the main chemotactic factor for the migration of monocytes/macrophages and the pathogenesis of chronic inflammation. 8,9 Eliminating MCP-1 function or blockade of MCP-1/CCR2 pathway has been shown to decrease neointimal hyperplasia after injury and atherogenesis in mice 10 -14 and attenuate postischemic myocardial remodeling and heart failure. 15 In an attempt to mimic the inflammatory component implicated in the development of cardiovascular diseases, transgenic mice that express MCP-1 specifically in the heart were generated. Cardiactargeted expression of MCP-1 results in monocyte/macrophage infiltration into the heart, and the mice experience a thrombotic occlusive arteriolar vasculopathy that results in ischemia, interstitial fibrosis, ventricular cha...

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Despite the ability of myogenic progenitor cells (MPCs) to completely regenerate skeletal muscle following injury, little is known regarding the molecular program that regulates their proliferation and differentiation. Although mice lacking the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 (p21-/-), develop normally, we report here that p21-/- MPCs display increased cell number and enhanced cell cycle progression compared with wild-type MPCs. Therefore, we hypothesized that p21-/- mice would demonstrate temporally enhanced regeneration following myotrauma. In response to cardiotoxin-induced injury, p21-/- skeletal muscle regeneration was significantly attenuated vs. regenerating wild-type muscle, contrary to the hypothesis. Regenerating p21-/- skeletal muscle displayed increased proliferative (PCNA positive) nuclei coincident with increased apoptotic nuclei (TUNEL positive) compared with wild-type muscle up to 3 wk after injury. Differentiation of p21-/- MPCs was markedly impaired and associated with increased apoptosis compared with wild-type MPCs, confirming that the impaired differentiation of the p21-/- MPCs was a cell autonomous event. No dysregulation of p27, p53, or p57 protein expression in differentiating p21-/- MPCs compared with wild-type MPCs was observed, suggesting that other compensatory mechanisms are responsible for the regeneration that ultimately occurs. On the basis of these findings, we propose that p21 is essential for the coordination of cell cycle exit and differentiation in the adult MPC population and that in the absence of p21, skeletal muscle regeneration is markedly impaired.

The present study was performed to investigate whether transient receptor potential (TRPC)6 participated in Ca 2ϩ signaling of glomerular mesangial cells (MCs) and expression of this protein was altered in diabetes. Western blots and real-time PCR were used to evaluate the expression level of TRPC6 protein and mRNA, respectively. Cell-attached patch-clamp and fura-2 fluorescence measurements were utilized to assess angiotensin II (ANG II)-stimulated membrane currents and Ca 2ϩ responses in MCs. In cultured human MCs, high glucose significantly reduced expression of TRPC6 protein, but there was no effect on either TRPC1 or TRPC3. The high glucose-induced effect on TRPC6 was time and dose dependent with the maximum effect observed on day 7 and at 30 mM glucose, respectively. In glomeruli isolated from streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, TRPC6, but not TRPC1, was markedly reduced compared with the glomeruli of control rats. Furthermore, TRPC6 mRNA in MCs was also significantly decreased by high glucose as early as 1 day after treatment with maximal reduction on day 4. Patch-clamp experiments showed that ANG II-stimulated membrane currents in MCs were significantly attenuated or enhanced by knockdown or overexpression of TRPC6, respectively. Fura-2 fluorescence measurements revealed that the ANG II-induced Ca 2ϩ influxes were markedly inhibited in MCs with TRPC6 knockdown, reminiscent of the impaired Ca 2ϩ entry in response to ANG II in high glucose-treated MCs. These results suggest that the TRPC6 protein expression in MCs was downregulated by high glucose and the deficiency of TRPC6 protein might contribute to the impaired Ca 2ϩ signaling of MCs seen in diabetes.

This study examined the effect of H2O2 on the TRPC6 channel and its underlying mechanisms using a TRPC6 heterologous expression system. In TRPC6-expressing HEK293T cells, H2O2 significantly stimulated Ca2+ entry in a dose-dependent manner. Electrophysiological experiments showed that H2O2 significantly increased TRPC6 channel open probability and whole-cell currents. H2O2 also evoked a robust inward current in A7r5 vascular smooth muscle cells, which was nearly abolished by knockdown of TRPC6 using a small interfering RNA. Catalase substantially attenuated arginine vasopressin (AVP)-induced Ca2+ entry in cells co-transfected with TRPC6 and AVP V1 receptor. N-Ethylmaleimide and thimerosal were able to simulate the H2O2 response. Dithiothreitol or glutathione-reduced ethyl ester significantly antagonized the response. Furthermore, both N-ethylmaleimide- and H2O2-induced TRPC6 activations were only observed in the cell-attached patches but not in the inside-out patches. Moreover, 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol effect on TRPC6 was significantly greater in the presence of H2O2. Biotinylation assays revealed a significant increase in cell surface TRPC6 in response to H2O2. Similarly, in cells transfected with TRPC6-EGFP, confocal microscopy showed a significant increase in fluorescence intensity in the region of the cell membrane and adjacent to the membrane. AVP also increased the fluorescence intensity on the surface of the cells co-transfected with TRPC6-EGFP and V1 receptor, and this response was inhibited by catalase. These data indicate that H2O2 activates TRPC6 channels via modification of thiol groups of intracellular proteins. This cysteine oxidation-dependent pathway not only stimulates the TRPC6 channel by itself but also sensitizes the channels to diacylglycerol and promotes TRPC6 trafficking to the cell surface.