Browsing by Author "Most, Patrick"

Type-2 diabetics have an increased risk of cardiomyopathy, and heart failure is a major cause of death among these patients. Growing evidence indicates that proinflammatory cytokines may induce the development of insulin resistance, and that anti-inflammatory medications may reverse this process. We investigated the effects of the oral administration of zinc and acetylsalicylic acid, in the form of bis(aspirinato)zinc(II)-complex Zn(ASA)2, on different aspects of cardiac damage in Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats, an experimental model of type-2 diabetic cardiomyopathy.

Restoring expression levels of the EF-hand calcium (Ca2+) sensor protein S100A1 has emerged as a key factor in reconstituting normal Ca2+ handling in failing myocardium. Improved sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) function with enhanced Ca2+ resequestration appears critical for S100A1's cyclic adenosine monophosphate-independent inotropic effects but raises concerns about potential diastolic SR Ca2+ leakage that might trigger fatal arrhythmias. This study shows for the first time a diminished interaction between S100A1 and ryanodine receptors (RyR2s) in experimental HF. Restoring this link in failing cardiomyocytes, engineered heart tissue and mouse hearts, respectively, by means of adenoviral and adeno-associated viral S100A1 cDNA delivery normalizes diastolic RyR2 function and protects against Ca2+- and beta-adrenergic receptor-triggered proarrhythmogenic SR Ca2+ leakage in vitro and in vivo. S100A1 inhibits diastolic SR Ca2+ leakage despite aberrant RyR2 phosphorylation via protein kinase A and calmodulin-dependent kinase II and stoichiometry with accessory modulators such as calmodulin, FKBP12.6 or sorcin. Our findings demonstrate that S100A1 is a regulator of diastolic RyR2 activity and beneficially modulates diastolic RyR2 dysfunction. S100A1 interaction with the RyR2 is sufficient to protect against basal and catecholamine-triggered arrhythmic SR Ca2+ leak in HF, combining antiarrhythmic potency with chronic inotropic actions.

S100A1, a Ca2+ binding protein of the EF-hand type, is preferentially expressed in myocardial tissue and has been found to colocalize with the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and the contractile filaments in cardiac tissue. Because S100A1 is known to modulate SR Ca2+ handling in skeletal muscle, we sought to investigate the specific role of S100A1 in the regulation of myocardial contractility. To address this issue, we investigated contractile properties of adult cardiomyocytes as well as of engineered heart tissue after S100A1 adenoviral gene transfer. S100A1 gene transfer resulted in a significant increase of unloaded shortening and isometric contraction in isolated cardiomyocytes and engineered heart tissues, respectively. Analysis of intracellular Ca2+ cycling in S100A1-over-expressing cardiomyocytes revealed a significant increase in cytosolic Ca2+ transients, whereas in functional studies on saponin-permeabilized adult cardiomyocytes, the addition of S100A1 protein significantly enhanced SR Ca2+ uptake. Moreover, in Triton-skinned ventricular trabeculae, S100A1 protein significantly decreased myofibrillar Ca2+ sensitivity ([EC50%]) and Ca2+ cooperativity, whereas maximal isometric force remained unchanged. Our data suggest that S100A1 effects are cAMP independent because cellular cAMP levels and protein kinase A-dependent phosphorylation of phospholamban were not altered, and carbachol failed to suppress S100A1 actions. These results show that S100A1 overexpression enhances cardiac contractile performance and establish the concept of S100A1 as a regulator of myocardial contractility. S100A1 thus improves cardiac contractile performance both by regulating SIR Ca2+ handling and myofibrillar Ca2+ responsiveness.