Biomedical subjects

Jianming Hao

Publications and source records attributed to Jianming Hao.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Regulation of cardiomyocyte signaling by RGS proteins: differential selectivity towards G proteins and susceptibility to regulation.

Many signals that regulate cardiomyocyte growth, differentiation and function are mediated via heterotrimeric G proteins, which are under the control of RGS proteins (Regulators of G protein Signaling). Several RGS proteins are expressed in the heart, but so far little is known about their function and regulation. Using adenoviral gene transfer, we conducted the first comprehensive analysis of the capacity and selectivity of the major cardiac RGS proteins (RGS2-RGS5) to regulate central G protein-mediated signaling pathways in adult ventricular myocytes (AVM). All four RGS proteins potently inhibited Gq/11-mediated phospholipase C beta stimulation and cell growth (assessed in neonatal myocytes). Importantly, RGS2 selectively inhibited Gq/11 signaling, whereas RGS3, RGS4 and RGS5 had the capacity to regulate both Gq/11 and Gi/o signaling (carbachol-induced cAMP inhibition). Gs signaling was unaffected, and, contrary to reports in other cell lines, RGS2-RGS5 did not appear to regulate adenylate cyclase directly in AVM. Since RGS proteins can be highly regulated in their expression by many different stimuli, we also tested the hypothesis that RGS expression is subject to G protein-mediated regulation in AVM and determined the specificity with which enhanced G protein signaling alters endogenous RGS expression in AVM. RGS2 mRNA and protein were markedly but transiently up-regulated by enhanced Gq/11 signaling (alpha1-adrenergic stimulation or Galphaq* overexpression), possibly by a negative feedback mechanism. In contrast, the other negative regulators of Gq/11 signaling (RGS3-RGS5) were unchanged. Endogenous RGS2 (but not RGS3-RGS5) expression was also up-regulated in cells with enhanced AC signaling (beta-adrenergic or forskolin stimulation). Taken together, these findings suggest diverse roles of RGS proteins in regulating myocyte signaling. RGS2 emerged as the only selective and highly regulated inhibitor of Gq/11 signaling that could potentially become a promising target for ameliorating Gq/11-mediated signaling and growth.

Adenoviridae↗

PubMed2005

Selective loss of fine tuning of Gq/11 signaling by RGS2 protein exacerbates cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.

Alterations in cardiac G protein-mediated signaling, most prominently G(q/11) signaling, are centrally involved in hypertrophy and heart failure development. Several RGS proteins that can act as negative regulators of G protein signaling are expressed in the heart, but their functional roles are still poorly understood. RGS expression changes have been described in hypertrophic and failing hearts. In this study, we report a marked decrease in RGS2 (but not other major cardiac RGS proteins (RGS3-RGS5)) that occurs prior to hypertrophy development in different models with enhanced G(q/11) signaling (transgenic expression of activated Galpha(q)(*) and pressure overload due to aortic constriction). To assess functional consequences of selective down-regulation of endogenous RGS2, we identified targeting sequences for effective RGS2 RNA interference and used lipid-based transfection to achieve uptake of fluorescently labeled RGS2 small interfering RNA in >90% of neonatal and adult ventricular myocytes. Endogenous RGS2 expression was dose-dependently suppressed (up to 90%) with no major change in RGS3-RGS5. RGS2 knockdown increased phenylephrine- and endothelin-1-induced phospholipase Cbeta stimulation in both cell types and exacerbated the hypertrophic effect (increase in cell size and radiolabeled protein) in neonatal myocytes, with no major change in G(q/11)-mediated ERK1/2, p38, or JNK activation. Taken together, this study demonstrates that endogenous RGS2 exerts functionally important inhibitory restraint on G(q/11)-mediated phospholipase Cbeta activation and hypertrophy in ventricular myocytes. Our findings point toward a potential pathophysiological role of loss of fine tuning due to selective RGS2 down-regulation in G(q/11)-mediated remodeling. Furthermore, this study shows the feasibility of effective RNA interference in cardiomyocytes using lipid-based small interfering RNA transfection.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

The basic helix-loop-helix factor Hand 2 regulates autonomic nervous system development.

Mammalian autonomic nervous system (ANS) development requires the combinatorial action of a number of transcription factors, which include Mash 1, Phox 2b, and GATA 3. Here we show that the bHLH transcription factor, Hand 2 (dHAND), is expressed concurrently with Mash 1 during sympathetic nervous system (SNS) development and that the expression of Hand 2 is not dependent on Mash 1. This suggests that these two bHLH factors work in parallel during SNS development. We also show that ectopic expression of Hand 2 activates the neuronal program and promotes the acquisition of a phenotype corresponding to peripheral neurons including neurons of the SNS lineage in P19 embryonic carcinoma cells. We propose that Hand 2 works in parallel with other members of the transcriptional network to regulate ANS developmental but can ectopically activate the program by a cross-regulatory mechanism that includes the activation of Mash 1. We show that this function is dependent on its interaction with the histone acetyltransferase p300/CBP, indicating that Hand 2 functions to promote ANS development as part of a larger transcriptional complex.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

JAB1 enhances HAND2 transcriptional activity by regulating HAND2 DNA binding.

HAND2 (also known as dHAND) is a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor essential for development of the heart, limbs, and neural crest-derived lineages. HAND2 expression is observed in a number of tissues derived from the neural crest, including components of the peripheral nervous system, where it has been shown to regulate sympathetic nervous system development. Here we show that HAND2 is expressed in both the sympathetic and the parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). How HAND2 functions during development of these neuronal lineages is uncertain. An important mechanism involved in HAND2's function is its interactions with other proteins. To understand better the molecular interactions regulating HAND2 during ANS development, we employed a yeast two-hybrid screen to identify HAND2-interacting proteins. One protein identified in this screen, Jun activation domain-binding protein (JAB1), is involved in numerous cell processes, including regulation of transcription and protein turnover. We show that JAB1 binds directly to the HLH domain of HAND2 and increases HAND2 transcription-stimulating activity. However, JAB1 does not contain a transcriptional activation domain, nor does it recruit an activation domain to HAND2. Our data indicate that JAB1 augments HAND2 transcriptional activity by enhancing HAND2 DNA binding. We further show that enhanced HAND2 DNA binding is mediated through the HLH domain and not through the DNA binding domain. These results show that JAB1 regulates the transcriptional activity of HAND2 in a unique manner that may account, in part, for the apparent ability of this bHLH factor to regulate gene expression through numerous mechanisms.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Decreased Smad 7 expression contributes to cardiac fibrosis in the infarcted rat heart.

We examined the role of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta(1) signaling inhibitor Smad 7 in cardiac fibrosis. TGF-beta(1) (10 ng/ml) was found to increase cytosolic Smad 7 expression in primary adult rat fibroblasts and induce rapid nuclear export of exogenous Smad 7 in COS-7 cells. Furthermore, overexpression of Smad 7 in primary adult fibroblasts was associated with suppressed collagen type I and III expression. We detected Smad 7, phosphorylated Smad 2, TGF-beta type I receptor (TbetaRI), and TGF-beta(1) proteins in postmyocardial infarct (MI) rat hearts. In 2 and 4 wk post-MI hearts, Smad 7 and TbetaRI expression were decreased in scar tissue, whereas TGF-beta(1) expression was increased in scar and viable tissue. In the 8 wk post-MI heart, Smad 7 expression was decreased in both scar tissue and myocardium remote to the infarct scar. Finally, we confirmed that these changes are paralleled by decreased expression of cytosolic phosphorylated receptor-regulated Smad 2 in 4-wk viable myocardium and in 2- and 4-wk infarct scar tissues. Taken together, our data imply that decreased inhibitory Smad 7 signal in cardiac fibroblasts may play a role in the pathogenesis of cardiac fibrosis in the post-MI heart.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Acute protection of ischemic heart by FGF-2: involvement of FGF-2 receptors and protein kinase C.

We examined the effect of fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 on myocardial resistance to injury when administered after the onset of ischemia, in vivo and ex vivo, and the role of FGF-2 receptors and protein kinase C (PKC). FGF-2 was injected into the left ventricle of rats undergoing permanent surgical coronary occlusion leading to myocardial infarction (MI). After 24 h, FGF-2-treated hearts displayed significantly reduced injury, determined by histological staining and troponin T release, and improved developed pressure compared with untreated controls. An FGF-2 mutant with diminished affinity for the tyrosine kinase FGF-2 receptor 1 (FGFR1) was not cardioprotective. FGF-2-treated hearts retained improved function and decreased damage at 6 wk after MI. In the ex vivo heart, FGF-2 administration during reperfusion after 30-min ischemia improved functional recovery and increased relative levels of PKC subtypes alpha, epsilon, and zeta in the particulate fraction, in a chelerythrine-preventable mode; it also decreased loss of energy metabolites. We conclude that intramyocardial FGF-2 administration shortly after the onset of ischemia confers protection from acute and chronic cardiac dysfunction and damage; FGF-2 delivered during reperfusion protects from ischemia-reperfusion injury; and protection by FGF-2 requires intact binding to FGFR1 and is likely mediated by PKC.

Animals↗