BackgroundMitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number decreases in animal and human heart failure (HF), yet its role in cardiomyocytes remains to be elucidated. Thus, we investigated the cardioprotective function of increased mtDNA copy number resulting from the overexpression of human transcription factor A of mitochondria (TFAM) or Twinkle helicase in volume overload (VO)-induced HF.Methods and ResultsTwo strains of transgenic (TG) mice, one overexpressing TFAM and the other overexpressing Twinkle helicase, exhibit an approximately 2-fold equivalent increase in mtDNA copy number in heart. These TG mice display similar attenuations in eccentric hypertrophy and improved cardiac function compared to wild-type (WT) mice without any deterioration of mitochondrial enzymatic activities in response to VO, which was accompanied by a reduction in matrix-metalloproteinase (MMP) activity and reactive oxygen species after 8 weeks of VO. Moreover, acute VO-induced MMP-2 and MMP-9 upregulation was also suppressed at 24 h in both TG mice. In isolated rat cardiomyocytes, mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mitoROS) upregulated MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression, and human TFAM (hTFAM) overexpression suppressed mitoROS and their upregulation. Additionally, mitoROS were equally suppressed in H9c2 rat cardiomyoblasts that overexpress hTFAM or rat Twinkle, both of which exhibit increased mtDNA copy number. Furthermore, mitoROS and mitochondrial protein oxidation from both TG mice were suppressed compared to WT mice.ConclusionsThe overexpression of TFAM or Twinkle results in increased mtDNA copy number and facilitates cardioprotection associated with limited mitochondrial oxidative stress. Our findings suggest that increasing mtDNA copy number could be a useful therapeutic strategy to target mitoROS in HF.

We have synthesized several nitroxides with different substituents which vary the steric and electronic environment around the N-O moiety and have systematically investigated the role of substituents on the stability of the radicals. Our results demonstrated the reactivity toward ascorbate correlates with the redox potential of the derivatives. Furthermore, ab initio calculations also indicated a correlation between the reduction rate and the computed singly occupied molecular orbital-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy gap, but not with solvent accessible surface area of the N-O moiety, supporting the experimental results and suggesting that the electronic factors largely determine the radicals' stability. Hence, it is possible to perform virtual screening of nitroxides to optimize their stability, which can help to rationally design novel nitroxides for their potential use in vivo.

Piperidine and pyrrolidine nitroxyl radicals (nitroxide) contain unpaired electrons and have been widely recognized as antioxidants, contrast agents, spin probes, radiation protective agents and polymerization mediators. Nitroxyl radicals can react with free radicals and reductants and their reactivities depend on the basic structure of the nitroxyl radicals themselves. However, reductants easily reduce these radicals and they lose their paramagnetic nature and function. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop various functional nitroxyl radicals, particularly focusing on stability towards AsA through the improvement of the synthetic route for a series of 2,6-substituted nitroxyl radicals. Tetraethyl-substituted piperidine nitroxyl radical 8 exhibited resistance to AsA reduction and 2,6-dispiro-4',4''-dipyrane-piperidin-4-one-N-oxyl 5 had a second-order rate constant 10-times greater than those of hydroxyl-TEMPO and oxo-TEMPO. The 2,6-substituted compound offers various reactivities towards AsA and the possibility to be used as a new antioxidant, contrast agent and radical polymerizer.

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Lipids and their metabolites are easily oxidized in chain reactions initiated by lipid radicals, forming lipid peroxidation products that include the electrophiles 4-hydroxynonenal and malondialdehyde. These markers can bind cellular macromolecules, causing inflammation, apoptosis and other damage. Methods to detect and neutralize the initiating radicals would provide insights into disease mechanisms and new therapeutic approaches. We describe the first high-sensitivity, specific fluorescence probe for lipid radicals, 2,2,6-trimethyl-4-(4-nitrobenzo[1,2,5]oxadiazol-7-ylamino)-6-pentylpiperidine-1-oxyl (NBD-Pen). NBD-Pen directly detected lipid radicals in living cells by turn-on fluorescence. In a rat model of hepatic carcinoma induced by diethylnitrosamine (DEN), NBD-Pen detected lipid radical generation within 1 h of DEN administration. The lipid radical scavenging moiety of NBD-Pen decreased inflammation, apoptosis and oxidative stress markers at 24 h after DEN, and liver tumor development at 12 weeks. Thus, we have developed a novel fluorescence probe that provides imaging information about lipid radical generation and potential therapeutic benefits in vivo.