PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

I Shiojima

Publications and source records attributed to I Shiojima.

46 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Mechanical stress activates protein kinase cascade of phosphorylation in neonatal rat cardiac myocytes.

We have previously shown that stretching cardiac myocytes evokes activation of protein kinase C (PKC), mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), and 90-kD ribosomal S6 kinase (p90rsk). To clarify the signal transduction pathways from external mechanical stress to nuclear gene expression in stretch-induced cardiac hypertrophy, we have elucidated protein kinase cascade of phosphorylation by examining the time course of activation of MAP kinase kinase kinases (MAPKKKs), MAP kinase kinase (MAPKK), MAPKs, and p90rsk in neonatal rat cardiac myocytes. Mechanical stretch transiently increased the activity of MAPKKKs. An increase in MAPKKKs activity was first detected at 1 min and maximal activation was observed at 2 min after stretch. The activity of MAPKK was increased by stretch from 1-2 min, with a peak at 5 min after stretch. In addition, MAPKs and p90rsk were maximally activated at 8 min and at 10 approximately 30 min after stretch, respectively. Raf-1 kinase (Raf-1) and (MAPK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase) kinase kinase (MEKK), both of which have MAPKKK activity, were also activated by stretching cardiac myocytes for 2 min. The angiotensin II receptor antagonist partially suppressed activation of Raf-1 and MAPKs by stretch. The stretch-induced hypertrophic responses such as activation of Raf-1 and MAPKs and an increase in amino acid uptake was partially dependent on PKC, while a PKC inhibitor completely abolished MAPK activation by angiotensin II. These results suggest that mechanical stress activates the protein kinase cascade of phosphorylation in cardiac myocytes in the order of Raf-1 and MEKK, MAPKK, MAPKs and p90rsk, and that angiotensin II, which may be secreted from stretched myocytes, may be partly involved in stretch-induced hypertrophic responses by activating PKC.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Interaction of cardiac myocytes and non-myocytes in mechanical stress-induced hypertrophy.

It is known that mechanical stress directly changes the conformation of the functional proteins, or directly activates enzymes such as phospholipase in the plasma membrane. The integrin-cytoskeleton complex may be an alternative candidate structure for a mechanoreceptor and a transducer. The cytoskeleton has been also shown to play an important role in secretion. Mechanical stress may stimulate the secretion of some cytokines or angiotensin II, which may generate multiple intracellular signals as a secondary event. External stimuli are generally transduced into the nucleus through the activation of protein kinase cascade. Stretching of cardiac myocytes stimulates the activity of PKC, Raf-1 kinase, MAP kinase kinase. MAP kinase and S6 kinase. In cardiac myocytes, mechanical stress directly induces gene expression as well as protein synthesis. Immediate early genes are first induced, and then fetal-type genes are reinduced. Both in hypertrophied hearts and in the experimental model of cardiac hypertrophy induced by pressure overload. Ca(2+)-ATPase content of cardiac myocytes is depressed. Reduced function of sarcoplasmic reticulum causes insufficient decrease of intracellular calcium in diastole and induces slowing of ventricular relaxation. In the interstitium of pressure overloaded hearts, the accumulation of collagen fiber is increased. The abnormal deposit leads to increased chamber stiffness and diastolic dysfunction. Furthermore, TGF-beta and tissue renin-angiotensin system are up-regulated in pressure overloaded hearts, both of which accelerate the interstitial fibrosis.

Animals↗

Stenotic bicuspid aortic valve associated with a ventricular septal defect in an adult presenting with congestive heart failure: a rare observation.

This report is concerned with an adult presenting with stenotic bicuspid aortic valve associated with a ventricular septal defect (VSD). The association between aortic regurgitation (AR) and VSD has often been described, but that between a stenosed aortic valve and VSD has been rarely observed, although bicuspid aortic valves and ventricular septal defects are probably the two most common congenital heart defects. The development of congestive heart failure in the presented case was considered to be due to an increase in the left to right shunt through the VSD. This was attributable to a progressive elevation in left ventricular pressure as a result of the development, with age, of stenosis of the bicuspid aortic valve.

Aged↗

Angiotensin II receptor antagonist TCV-116 induces regression of hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy in vivo and inhibits the intracellular signaling pathway of stretch-mediated cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in vitro.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have demonstrated that angiotensin II (Ang II) acts as a growth-promoting factor directly on cardiac myocytes and that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor induces regression of hypertrophied hearts both in experimental animals and in humans. These results suggest that the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is involved in the formation of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). To elucidate the role of RAS in the progression of cardiac hypertrophy, we evaluated the effect of an Ang II receptor antagonist on LVH in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and investigated the molecular mechanisms by which antagonizing Ang II receptors reduces cell hypertrophy of myocytes using the in vitro model of mechanical stretch. METHODS AND RESULTS: In the in vivo study, we treated SHRs with the nonpeptide Ang II receptor antagonist TCV-116 (0.1, 1, or 10 mg/kg per day) or hydralazine (10 mg/kg per day). Blood pressure was measured by the tail-cuff method, and wall thickness of left ventricle was serially monitored using M-mode echocardiography. Rats were killed at the age of 13, 17, 21, or 25 weeks, and left ventricular (LV) weight, transverse diameter of cardiomyocytes, relative amount of V3 myosin heavy chain (MHC), and degree of interstitial collagen accumulation were examined. Untreated SHRs progressively developed severe hypertension, but treatment with TCV-116 or hydralazine inhibited the increase in blood pressure. Treatment with TCV-116 reduced LV weight, LV wall thickness, transverse diameter of myocytes, relative amount of V3 MHC, and interstitial fibrosis, whereas treatment with hydralazine slightly prevented an increase in LV wall thickness but did not exert significant reduction in other parameters. In the in vitro study, neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were cultured on deformable silicone dishes and mechanically stretched with or without pretreatment of CV-11974 (an active metabolite of TCV-116), and [3H]phenylalanine incorporation, activity of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, and c-fos mRNA expression were analyzed. Pretreatment of cultured cardiomyocytes with 10(-7) mol/L CV-11974 inhibited an increase in [3H]phenylalanine incorporation, MAP kinase activity, and c-fos gene expression induced by stretch of cardiomyocytes. CONCLUSIONS: The Ang II receptor antagonist TCV-116 induced regression of cardiac hypertrophy and had cardioprotective effects on hypertrophied myocardium in vivo, and antagonizing Ang II receptors inhibited intracellular signaling of stretch-mediated cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in vitro. These results suggest a crucial role of the cardiac RAS in the development of LVH produced by pressure overload.

Angiotensin II↗

Involvement of the renin-angiotensin system in the development of left ventricular hypertrophy and dysfunction.

OBJECTIVES: To elucidate the regulation of cardiac gene expression by mechanical stress and to analyse molecular mechanisms associated with the involvement of angiotensin II (Ang II) in the development of cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction. METHODS: Neonatal rat cardiocytes were cultured in deformable silicone dishes, and mechanical stress was imposed on the cardiocytes by stretching them. In in vivo studies, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were treated with a non-peptide, specific Ang II type 1 receptor antagonist, TCV 116. RESULTS: Expression of c-fos was rapidly induced, and fetal type genes such as skeletal alpha actin and beta myosin heavy chain genes were re-expressed by stretching. The mechanical stress decreased the expression of Ca(2+)-ATPase in the sarcoplasmic reticulum. With regard to signals for the development of cardiac hypertrophy, mechanical stress evoked c-fos expression via the activation of protein kinase C. The phosphorylation cascade (sequential activation of protein kinase C, Raf-1 kinase, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase, mitogen-activated protein kinase and S6 kinase), which may be involved in protein synthesis and gene expression, was activated by mechanical stress in cardiocytes. Stretch-induced cardiac cellular hypertrophy was partially inhibited by TCV 116. TCV 116 treatment of SHR reduced left ventricular weight, left ventricular wall thickness, myocyte transverse diameter, V3 myosin heavy chain levels and the interstitial collagen volume fraction. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that Ang II may, in part, mediate the stretch-induced hypertrophic growth of cardiomyocytes via the type 1 Ang II receptor.

Animals↗

Involvement of the renin-angiotensin system in the development of left ventricular hypertrophy and dysfunction.

OBJECTIVES: To elucidate the regulation of cardiac gene expression by mechanical stress and to analyse molecular mechanisms associated with the involvement of angiotensin II (Ang II) in the development of cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction. METHODS: Neonatal rat cardiocytes were cultured in deformable silicone dishes, and mechanical stress was imposed on the cardiocytes by stretching them. In in vivo studies, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were treated with a non-peptide, specific Ang II type 1 receptor antagonist, TCV 116. RESULTS: Expression of the c-fos gene was rapidly induced, and fetal type genes such as skeletal alpha actin and beta myosin heavy chain genes were re-expressed by stretching. The mechanical stress decreased the expression of Ca(2+)-ATPase in the sarcoplasmic reticulum. With regard to signals for the development of cardiac hypertrophy, mechanical stress evoked c-fos expression via the activation of protein kinase C. The phosphorylation cascade (sequential activation of protein kinase C, Raf-1 kinase, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase, mitogen-activated protein kinase and S6 kinase), which may be involved in protein synthesis and gene expression, was activated by mechanical stress in cardiocytes. Stretch-induced cardiac cellular hypertrophy was partially inhibited by TCV 116. TCV 116 treatment of SHR reduced left ventricular weight, left ventricular wall thickness, myocyte transverse diameter, V3 myosin heavy chain levels and the interstitial collagen volume fraction. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that AngII may, in part, mediate the stretch-induced hypertrophic growth of cardiomyocytes via the type 1 Ang II receptor.

Actins↗

[Molecular basis for cardiac functions].

Cardiac functions are regulated by both contractile proteins and calcium regulatory proteins. Alterations of these are considered involved in impaired contractile and diastolic functions in hypertrophied hearts. In this study, we analyzed molecular changes during the development of cardiac hypertrophy. Cardiac hypertrophy was induced by constricting the pulmonary artery in rabbits or the aorta in rats. In rabbit right ventricular hypertrophy, protein synthesis was increased to 1.8 times the control 2-4 days after pulmonary constriction. This increase in protein synthesis could be classified as an increase in both capacity and efficiency of synthesis. beta-cardiac myosin heavy chain (beta-MHC) isoform was predominantly expressed and alpha-MHC was suppressed in pressure overload hypertrophy. The switch from alpha- to beta-MHC occurred at the mRNA level. Ca(2+)-ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) is important because it regulates intracellular Ca2+ levels during relaxation. In pressure-overload hypertrophy, the SR Ca(2+)-ATPase was markedly decreased in both the enzyme activities and mRNA levels, while in thyrotoxic hearts both were increased. Interstitial cells also undergo phenotypic modulation which was demonstrated by the induction of nonmuscle-type MHC in pressure-overload hypertrophy. The signal transduction system in cardiac hypertrophy was examined by stretching cardiac myocytes grown on deformable membranes. In our analysis, stretching myocytes stimulated protein kinase C, MAP-II kinase and S6 kinase, all of which may lead to the induction of fetal-type cardiac genes and accelerated protein synthesis. These analyses of subcellular adaptation in cardiac hypertrophy provide important insights into understanding molecular mechanisms of cardiac functions.

Animals↗