Effects of Metabolic Syndrome and SIRT1 Mutation on Store‐Operated Ca²⁺ Entry in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells in Ossabaw Miniature Swine

Abstract

Background Metabolic syndrome (MetS) impairs sarco‐endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA) activity that may decrease the ER Ca2+ store and increase store‐operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) in a variety of cell types. Similar Ca2+ signaling via SOCE causes fibrosis, vascular disease, and may trigger immunogenic (type 1) diabetes by action on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is a deacetylase that maintains healthy metabolism and generally attenuates vascular disease. SIRT1 impairment exacerbates MetS and vascular disease by hyper‐acetylation of SERCA, decreasing its activity and thereby potentially increasing SOCE. Hypothesis The SIRT1 mutation made in Ossabaw miniature swine would mimic the mutation found in humans and increase PBMC SOCE. Methods Using CRISPR/Cas9 methodology a point mutation (SIRT1L100P) was made in Ossabaw miniature swine to mimic the naturally occurring mutation in humans and decrease SIRT1 activity, thereby resulting in hyperacetylation of Ca2+transporters and impaired function. Four groups of pigs were used to analyze genotype and diet interactions: wild type lean, SIRT1 lean, wild type MetS, and SIRT1 MetS. Pigs were age 4 months at the start and fed normal chow (lean) or atherogenic diet (MetS) for 7 months. PBMCs were isolated and Ca2+ was measured with fura‐2. The ER Ca2+store was depleted by 10‐5M cyclopiazonic acid to inhibit SERCA in a Ca2+‐free extracellular solution to fully deplete the ER Ca2+store and then Ca2+ was returned to the solution to induce maximal SOCE. Cells were recovered in Ca2+‐free solution to partially re‐fill the ER Ca2+ store, then Ca2+ returned to the solution to observe submaximal SOCE. Results Both MetS diet groups (wild type MetS, SIRT1 MetS) showed impaired glucose tolerance. Fasting glucose in SIRT1 mutants was not different from wild type pigs, thus SIRT1 does not cause immunogenic diabetes at this early stage. Robust coronary atherosclerosis was shown by angiography, intravascular ultrasound, and gross imaging in MetS groups, but there was no additive or synergistic effect of SIRT1 mutation. There was no effect of MetS or SIRT1 mutation on maximal SOCE. Two‐way ANOVA showed that MetS diet increased submaximal SOCE (p<0.009), but there was no effect of SIRT1 genotype on submaximal SOCE (p=0.266). The percentage of PBMCs that responded to partial ER Ca2+ depletion was 45% in lean pigs compared to 81% in wild type and 63% in SIRT1 pigs fed MetS diet. Conclusion SIRT1L100P mutation is likely to require longer duration to manifest robust effects on PBMC SOCE that were found with MetS diet. PBMC activation and can be easily studied longitudinally in the SIRT1L100P mutant swine model due to the ease of blood sampling.