Rationale: Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs) through the degradation of cGMP play critical roles in maintaining cardiomyocyte homeostasis. Ca 2؉ /calmodulin (CaM)-activated cGMP-hydrolyzing PDE1 family may play a pivotal role in balancing intracellular Ca 2؉ /CaM and cGMP signaling; however, its function in cardiomyocytes is unknown. Objective: Herein, we investigate the role of Ca 2؉ /CaM-stimulated PDE1 in regulating pathological cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in neonatal and adult rat ventricular myocytes and in the heart in vivo. Methods and Results: Inhibition of PDE1 activity using a PDE1-selective inhibitor, IC86340, or downregulation of PDE1A using siRNA prevented phenylephrine induced pathological myocyte hypertrophy and hypertrophic marker expression in neonatal and adult rat ventricular myocytes. Importantly, administration of the PDE1 inhibitor IC86340 attenuated cardiac hypertrophy induced by chronic isoproterenol infusion in vivo. Both PDE1A and PDE1C mRNA and protein were detected in human hearts; however, PDE1A expression was conserved in rodent hearts. Moreover, PDE1A expression was significantly upregulated in vivo in the heart and myocytes from various pathological hypertrophy animal models and in vitro in isolated neonatal and adult rat ventricular myocytes treated with neurohumoral stimuli such as angiotensin II (Ang II) and isoproterenol. Key Words: phosphodiesterase Ⅲ cGMP Ⅲ cardiomyocyte Ⅲ cardiac hypertrophy C a 2ϩ /calmodulin (CaM)-dependent signaling has been implicated in promoting pathological gene expression involved in hypertrophy and heart failure through the activation of Ca 2ϩ /CaM-dependent kinases, phosphatases, and ion channels. 1 Recently, a number of intrinsic negative regulators of cardiac growth have been identified which activate cGMPdependent signaling. 2 Stimulation of cGMP synthesis through genetic upregulation of natriuretic peptide receptor (guanylyl cyclase-A) prevents neurohumoral or pressure overload induced hypertrophy, 3 whereas disruption of cGMP synthesis results in enhanced hypertrophy and deteriorated cardiac function. 4 Likewise, chronic inhibition of cGMP metabolism by a cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE)5 inhibitor prevents and reverses pressure overload induced cardiac hypertrophy. 5 PDEs, by degrading cAMP and/or cGMP, regulate the amplitude, duration, and compartmentation of intracellular cyclic nucleotide signaling. PDEs constitute a superfamily of enzymes grouped into 11 broad families based on their distinct kinetic, regulatory, and inhibitory properties. PDE family members are also differentially expressed in various tissues and present within distinct subcellular domains. Together, these properties enable PDE enzymes to regulate the spatiotemporal, intracellular cAMP and cGMP gradients in response to various external stimuli. At least 5 PDE families, PDE1 to -5, have been reported in the heart, of which PDE1 and PDE5 are most likely responsible for cGMP hydrolysis. Logically, alteration of cGMP-hydrolyzing PDE expression/ activity...

No abstract

Cardiac fibroblasts become activated and differentiate to smooth muscle-like myofibroblasts in response to hypertension and myocardial infarction (MI), resulting in extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, scar formation and impaired cardiac function. cAMP and cGMP-dependent signaling have been implicated in cardiac fibroblast activation and ECM synthesis. Dysregulation of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity/expression is also associated with various diseases and several PDE inhibitors are currently available or in development for treating these pathological conditions. The objective of this study is to define and characterize the specific PDE isoform that is altered during cardiac fibroblast activation and functionally important for regulating myofibroblast activation and ECM synthesis. We have found that Ca2+/calmodulin-stimulated PDE1A isoform is specifically induced in activated cardiac myofibroblasts stimulated by Ang II and TGF-β in vitro as well as in vivo within fibrotic regions of mouse, rat, and human diseased hearts. Inhibition of PDE1A function via PDE1-selective inhibitor or PDE1A shRNA significantly reduced Ang II or TGF-β-induced myofibroblast activation, ECM synthesis, and pro-fibrotic gene expression in rat cardiac fibroblasts. Moreover, the PDE1 inhibitor attenuated isoproterenol-induced interstitial fibrosis in mice. Mechanistic studies revealed that PDE1A modulates unique pools of cAMP and cGMP, predominantly in perinuclear and nuclear regions of cardiac fibroblasts. Further, both cAMP-Epac-Rap1 and cGMP-PKG signaling was involved in PDE1A-mediated regulation of collagen synthesis. These results suggest that induction of PDE1A plays a critical role in cardiac fibroblast activation and cardiac fibrosis, and targeting PDE1A may lead to regression of the adverse cardiac remodeling associated with various cardiac diseases.

Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase 1C (PDE1C) represents a major phosphodiesterase activity in human myocardium, but its function in the heart remains unknown. Using genetic and pharmacological approaches, we studied the expression, regulation, function, and underlying mechanisms of PDE1C in the pathogenesis of cardiac remodeling and dysfunction. PDE1C expression is up-regulated in mouse and human failing hearts and is highly expressed in cardiac myocytes but not in fibroblasts. In adult mouse cardiac myocytes, PDE1C deficiency or inhibition attenuated myocyte death and apoptosis, which was largely dependent on cyclic AMP/PKA and PI3K/AKT signaling. PDE1C deficiency also attenuated cardiac myocyte hypertrophy in a PKA-dependent manner. Conditioned medium taken from PDE1C-deficient cardiac myocytes attenuated TGF-β-stimulated cardiac fibroblast activation through a mechanism involving the crosstalk between cardiac myocytes and fibroblasts. In vivo, cardiac remodeling and dysfunction induced by transverse aortic constriction, including myocardial hypertrophy, apoptosis, cardiac fibrosis, and loss of contractile function, were significantly attenuated in PDE1C-knockout mice relative to wild-type mice. These results indicate that PDE1C activation plays a causative role in pathological cardiac remodeling and dysfunction. Given the continued development of highly specific PDE1 inhibitors and the high expression level of PDE1C in the human heart, our findings could have considerable therapeutic significance.cyclic nucleotide | phosphodiesterase | cardiac remodeling | heart failure

Objective Neointimal hyperplasia characterized by abnormal accumulation of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) is a hallmark of occlusive disorders such as atherosclerosis, post-angioplasty restenosis, vein graft stenosis, and allograft vasculopathy. Cyclic nucleotides are vital in SMC proliferation and migration, which are regulated by cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs). Our goal is to understand the regulation and function of PDEs in SMC pathogenesis of vascular diseases. Methods & Results We performed screening for genes differentially expressed in normal contractile versus proliferating synthetic SMCs. We observed that PDE1C expression was low in contractile SMCs but drastically elevated in synthetic SMCs in vitro and in various mouse vascular injury models in vivo. Additionally, PDE1C was highly induced in neointimal SMCs of human coronary arteries. More importantly, injury-induced neointimal formation was significantly attenuated by PDE1C deficiency or PDE1 inhibition in vivo. PDE1 inhibition suppressed vascular remodeling of human saphenous vein explants ex vivo. In cultured SMCs, PDE1C deficiency or PDE1 inhibition attenuated SMC proliferation and migration. Mechanistic studies revealed that PDE1C plays a critical role in regulating the stability of growth factor receptors, such as PDGF-receptor-beta (PDGFRβ) known to be important in pathological vascular remodeling. PDE1C interacts with LDL-receptor-related-protein-1 (LRP1) and PDGFRβ, thus regulating PDGFRβ endocytosis and lysosome-dependent degradation in an LRP1-dependent manner. A transmembrane-adenylyl-cyclase (tmAC)-cAMP-PKA cascade modulated by PDE1C is critical in regulating PDGFRβ degradation. Conclusion These findings demonstrated that PDE1C is an important regulator of SMC proliferation, migration, and neointimal hyperplasia, in part through modulating endosome/lysosome dependent PDGFRβ protein degradation via LRP1.

Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), the main active metabolite of artemisinin derivatives, is one of the most effective anti-malarial analogs of artemisinin. In the current study, we found that DHA inhibited the proliferation of a panel of tumor cells originated from different tissue types. DHA effectively induced apoptosis in human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells, which was accompanied with mitochondrial dysfunction and caspases activation. Further studies indicated that DHA-induced apoptosis was iron-dependent. Though DHA slightly elicited superoxide anion, these reactive oxygen species (ROS) contribute little to DHA-induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells. Moreover, DHA time-dependently activated mitogen-activeted protein kinases (MAPKs) and specific inhibition of p38 MAPK, but not c-Jun-NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) or extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), abolished DHA-induced apoptosis, indicating that activation of p38 MAPK is required for DHA-induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells. Altogether, our data uncover that DHA induces apoptosis is dependent of iron and p38 MAPK activation but not ROS in HL-60 cells.

Abnormal vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) activation is associated with various vascular disorders such as atherosclerosis, in-stent restenosis, vein graft disease, and transplantationassociated vasculopathy. Vinpocetine, a derivative of the alkaloid vincamine, has long been used as a cerebral blood flow enhancer for treating cognitive impairment. However, its role in pathological vascular remodeling remains unexplored. Herein, we show that systemic administration of vinpocetine significantly reduced neointimal formation in carotid arteries after ligation injury. Vinpocetine also markedly decreased spontaneous remodeling of human saphenous vein explants in ex vivo culture. In cultured SMCs, vinpocetine dose-dependently suppressed cell proliferation and caused G 1 -phase cell cycle arrest, which is associated with a decrease in cyclin D1 and an increase in p27Kip1 levels. In addition, vinpocetine dose-dependently inhibited platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-stimulated SMC migration as determined by the two-dimensional migration assays and three-dimensional aortic medial explant invasive assay. Moreover, vinpocetine significantly reduced PDGF-induced type I collagen and fibronectin expression. It is noteworthy that PDGF-stimulated phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2), but not protein kinase B, was specifically inhibited by vinpocetine. Vinpocetine powerfully attenuated intracellular reactive oxidative species (ROS) production, which largely mediates the inhibitory effects of vinpocetine on ERK1/2 activation and SMC growth. Taken together, our results reveal a novel function of vinpocetine in attenuating neointimal hyperplasia and pathological vascular remodeling, at least partially through suppressing ROS production and ERK1/2 activation in SMCs. Given the safety profile of vinpocetine, this study provides insight into the therapeutic potential of vinpocetine in proliferative vascular disorders.

No abstract