Aberrant promoter methylation of multiple genes in VSMC proliferation induced by Hcy.

Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation is a primary pathological event in atherosclerosis (AS), and homocysteine (Hcy) is an independent risk factor for AS. However, the underlying mechanisms are still lagging. Studies have used the combination of methylation of promoters of multiple genes to diagnose tumors, thus the aim of the current study was to investigate the role of methylation status of several genes in VSMCs treated with Hcy. CpG islands were identified in the promoters of platelet­derived growth factor (PDGF), p53, phosphatase and tensin homologue on chromosome 10 (PTEN) and mitofusin 2 (MFN2). Hypomethylation was observed to occur in the promoter region of PDGF, hypermethylation in p53, PTEN and MFN2, and hypomethylation in two global methylation indicators, aluminium (Alu) and long interspersed nucleotide element­1 (Line­1). This was accompanied by an increase in the expression of PDGF, and reductions of p53, PTEN and MFN2, both in mRNA and protein levels. An elevation of S­adenosylmethionine (SAM) and a reduction of S­adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) and the SAM/SAH ratio were also identified. In conclusion, Hcy impacted methylation the of AS­associated genes and global methylation status that mediate the cell proliferation, which may be a character of VSMCs treated with Hcy. The data provided evidence for mechanisms of VSMCs proliferation in AS induced by Hcy and may provide a new perspective for AS induced by Hcy.

Reciprocal Regulation Between miR-148a/152 and DNA Methyltransferase 1 Is Associated with Hyperhomocysteinemia-Accelerated Atherosclerosis.

DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) and miRNAs are both important regulators of gene expression that have been implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. This study was designed to elucidate the potential interaction between DNMT1 and miRNAs in the context of hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy)-related atherosclerosis. In the aorta of ApoE-/- mice fed a high methionine diet, increased expression of miR-148a/152, with decreased DNMT1 mRNA and protein levels, was detected. Similar changes were observed in cultured foam cells stimulated with homocysteine. When miR-148a/152 was overexpressed using viral vectors, DNMT1 expression was suppressed, whereas the expression of adipose differentiation-related protein (ADRP) was enhanced, and the contents of total cholesterol (TC) and cholesteryl ester (CE) were increased in cultured foam cells. Conversely, downregulation of miR-148a/152 led to elevated DNMT1 expression, reduced ADRP expression, and lowered contents of TC and CE. The luciferase reporter assay verified that DNMT1 is a target gene for miR-148a/152 and overexpression of DNMT1 can partially reverse the miR-148a/152-induced lipid accumulation in foam cells. Meanwhile, we observed that DNMT1 overexpression enhanced DNA methylation and reduced miR-148a/152 expression. Our data showed reciprocal regulation between miR-148a/152 and DNMT1 in foam cells, which likely plays a critical role in HHcy-related atherosclerosis.

Modulation of FABP4 hypomethylation by DNMT1 and its inverse interaction with miR-148a/152 in the placenta of preeclamptic rats and HTR-8 cells.

Inflammation and dysregulated lipid metabolism are involved in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia, and fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) is known to regulate both inflammation and lipid metabolism. In the present study, we elucidated the role of FABP4 using in vitro and in vivo models of preclampsia. We found increased expression of FABP4 in the placenta of preeclamptic rats, which was further confirmed in HTR-8 cells, an extravillous trophoblast cell line, treated with L-NAME. Overexpression of FABP4 in HTR-8 cells resulted in upregulated expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α, and increased lipid accumulation, suggesting that FABP4 plays a role in preeclampsia. Furthermore, downregulation of methylation in the promotor resulted in increased FABP4 expression, which was mediated by downregulated DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1). Bioinformatics analysis showed that miR-148a/152 regulated the expression of DNMT1, and additional in vitro studies revealed that miR-148a/152 inhibited DNMT1 expression by directly binding to its 3'-UTR. Interestingly, DNMT1 enhanced the expression of miR-148a/152 by downregulation of methylation in its promotor. Taken together, our results showed that FABP4 may be involved in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia, and the expression of FABP4 is enhanced by miR-148a/152 mediated inhibition of DNMT1 expression.

FABP4-mediated homocysteine-induced cholesterol accumulation in THP-1 monocyte-derived macrophages and the potential epigenetic mechanism.

Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) is an independent risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis (AS), according to overwhelming number of clinical and epidemiological studies. However, the underlying pathogenic molecular mechanisms by which HHcy promotes AS remain to be fully elucidated. Fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) has been shown to be important in macrophage cholesterol trafficking. The objective of the present study was to determine whether homocysteine (Hcy) accelerates AS through regulating FABP4, and then mediates cholesterol accumulation in macrophages. Hcy concentrations of 0, 50, 100, 200 and 500 µM, and 100 µM Hcy+30 µM vitamin B12 (VB12)+30 µM folic acid (FA) were respectively added to cultured THP­1 monocyte­derived macrophages for 24 h. The levels of FABP4, which acts as a key factor connecting cellular lipid accumulation to inflammation, were determined using reverse transcription­quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT­qPCR) and western blot analyses in the macrophages. The present study used a nested touchdown methylation­specific PCR assay to detect the DNA methylation status of the FABP4 promoter region. In addition, the FABP4 gene fragment was inserted into the cloning vector, pcDNA3.1­EGFP, to construct the recombinant plasmid, pcDNA3.1­EGFP/FABP4, which was identified using restriction endonuclease digestion analysis and DNA sequencing. The pcDNA3.1­EGFP/FABP4 expression plasmid was transfected into THP­1 monocyte­derived macrophages, mediated by liposome reagent, following which the expression levels of FABP4 were detected using RT­qPCR and western blot analyses. The present study also determined the intracellular accumulation of total cholesterol in the macrophages. The results indicated that Hcy decreased the levels of FABP4 promoter methylation, but increased the mRNA and protein expression levels of FABP4 in the macrophages, compared with the control group (0 µM Hcy). However, no dose­dependent changes were observed with increasing concentrations of Hcy. The recombinant fluorescent eukaryotic expression vector, pcDNA3.1­EGFP/FABP4, was successfully constructed and effectively expressed in the THP­1 macrophages. The results also showed that FABP4 accelerated the accumulation of cholesterol in the macrophages. Taken together, the results of the present study suggested that FABP4 DNA hypomethylation induced by Hcy may be involved in the overexpression of FABP4, thereby inducing cholesterol accumulation in macrophages.

High-methionine diets accelerate atherosclerosis by HHcy-mediated FABP4 gene demethylation pathway via DNMT1 in ApoE(-/-) mice.

Homocysteine (Hcy) is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are not known. We investigated the effects of Hcy on fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4), and tested our hypothesis that Hcy-induced atherosclerosis is mediated by increased FABP4 expression and decreased methylation. The FABP4 expression and DNA methylation was assessed in the aorta of ApoE(-/-) mice fed high-methionine diet for 20weeks. Over-expression of FABP4 enhanced accumulation of total cholesterol and cholesterol ester in foam cells. The up-regulation of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) promoted the methylation process and decreased FABP4 expression. These data suggest that FABP4 plays a key role in Hcy-mediated disturbance of lipid metabolism and that DNMT1 may be a novel therapeutic target in Hcy-related atherosclerosis.

Effects of intermedin1-53 on myocardial fibrosis.

Intermedin (IMD) is a member of the calcitonin/calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) family and has similar or more potent cardiovascular actions than adrenomedullin (ADM) and any other CGRP. The aim of the present work is to study the effects of IMD1-53 on cardiac fibroblast fibrosis in vivo and in vitro. Myocardial infarction model was prepared by ligating rats' left anterior descending coronary artery. Mesenchymal collagen contents in the left ventricle were accessed by Sirius-red stain. Heart functions were explored by hemodynamic changes. Expression of I and III type collagens, IMD1-53, receptor activity-modifying proteins (RAMP)1/2/3, and calcitonin receptor-like receptor (CRLR) in left ventricle were detected by western blot analysis. Cardiac fibroblasts (CFbs) fibrosis was induced by treating the cells with aldosterone (ALD). CFbs proliferation and the hydroxyproline contents in supernatants were determined by 3-[4,5-dimehyl-2-thiazolyl]-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Heart function was decreased in myocardial infarction model rats. Expression of type I and type III collagens in infarcted zone in myocardial rats was higher than those in the sham-operated group. IMD1-53, RAMP, and CRLR in left ventricle were also up-regulated. In vitro experiment showed that ALD was a powerful stimulator of CFbs activation. IMD1-53 decreased ALD-induced CFbs proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, CGRP8-37 and ADM22-52 remarkably blocked the effect of IMD1-53 on ALD-induced myocardial cell fibrosis. IMD could be involved in the onset of cardiac fibrosis. Like ADM, IMD1-53 exerts an antifibrotic effect on CFbs, which might be mediated by CRLR/RAMP complex and ADM receptor.

Oxysophoridine through intrathecal injection induces antinociception and increases the expression of the GABAAα1 receptor in the spinal cord of mice.

Our researches in recent years have shown that oxysophoridine (OSR), an alkaloid extracted from Siphocampylus verticillatus, presents antinociception through systemic and intracerebroventricular (icv) administration, and that OSR can also increase the GABA-immunopositive cells number in the central nervous system in rats. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the antinociception produced by OSR administered spinally, the interaction between OSR and GABAA receptor (GABAAR) agonists or antagonists on acute thermal nociceptive models (tail-flick test), and the possible alterations on the mRNA and protein expression of GABAAα1 receptors in the spinal cord. ICR mice were tested for their tail withdrawal response to thermal stimulation (tail-flick test). Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot were used to inspect the influence of OSR administered by intrathecal injection (i. t.) on mRNA and protein expression of the GABAAα1 receptor in mice spinal cord by the formalin test. The experiments showed that OSR (0.13-0.25 mg/site, i. t.) significantly increased the tail withdrawal threshold with a peak effect of 68.35 % MPE at 20 min (p < 0.01). When OSR (0.06 mg/site, i. t.) was administered with gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) (30.0 µg/site, icv) or muscimol (MUS) (0.10 µg/site, icv), the value of tail-flick latency was remarkably larger than with OSR alone (at 10 min, 45.67 % or 31.45 %, p < 0.01). Picrotoxin (PTX) and bicuculine (BIC) can significantly antagonize the antinociception of OSR. OSR (0.25 mg/site, i. t.) can increase the expression of mRNA and protein of the GABAAα1 receptor in the spinal cord (L5-L6). The results reveal that i. t. administered OSR presents effective antinociception whose action is mainly located in the spinal cord. The antinociception of OSR results from the activation of the GABAA receptor and from the regulation of the GABAAα1 receptor-mediated neurotransmission.

Intermedin1-53 protects the heart against isoproterenol-induced ischemic injury in rats.

Intermedin is a novel member of the calcitonin/calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) family peptide, which has vasodilatory and hypotensive actions identical to those of adrenomedullin and CGRP. Cleavage sites located between 2 basic amino acids at Arg93-Arg94 result in the production of prepro-intermedin95-147, namely intermedin1-53. The bioactive action of intermedin1-53 and its physiological significance are unclear. In this work, we aimed to explore the effects of intermedin1-53 on acute myocardial injury induced by isoproterenol. Myocardial ischemia injury in rats was induced by subcutaneous injection of a high dose of isoproterenol, and the therapeutic effect of intermedin1-53 was observed. Plasma lactate dehydrogenase activity, myocardial and plasma malondialdehyde content were higher in the isoproterenol group than that in controls. Isoproterenol-treated rats showed lower maximal rate of increase and decrease of left-ventricle pressure development (+/-left-ventricle dp/dtmax) and higher left-ventricle end-diastolic pressure (all P<0.01), which suggested severe heart failure and myocardial injury. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that the gene expression of calcitonin receptor-like receptor and receptor-activity-modifying protein (RAMP)1, RAMP2 and RAMP3 in ventricular myocardia were up-regulated by 79% (P<0.01), 48% (P<0.01), 31% (P<0.05) and 130% (P<0.01), respectively, compared with controls. In myocardial sarcolemmal membranes, the maximum binding capacity for [125I]-intermedin1-53 was increased by 118% (P<0.01) in the isoproterenol group compared with controls. Rats treated with low dosage intermedin1-53 (5 nmol/kg/day, 2 days) showed 21% (P<0.05) higher myocardial cAMP content, 18% and 31% higher+left-ventricle dp/dtmax and -left-ventricle dp/dtmax respectively, 288% lower left-ventricle end-diastolic pressure (all P<0.01), and attenuated myocardial lactate dehydrogenase leakage and malondialdehyde formation (all P<0.01). Treatment with high dosage intermedin1-53 (20 nmol/kg/day, 2 days) gave better results than that with low dosage intermedin1-53. These results suggest that the intermedin receptor system was up-regulated in isoproterenol-induced myocardial ischemic injury and intermedin1-53 might play a pivotal cardioprotective role in such injury.

Intermedin1-53 activates L-arginine/nitric oxide synthase/nitric oxide pathway in rat aortas.

Intermedin (IMD), a novel member of the calcitonin/calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) family, has similar or more potent vasodilatory and hypotensive actions than adrenomedullin (ADM) and CGRP. The present study was designed to observe the effects of synthetic rat IMD1-53 on L-arginine (L-Arg) cellular transport, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity, and nitric oxide (NO) production in the isolated rat aortic ring to illustrate its direct effect on the L-Arg/NOS/NO pathway in vasculature. IMD1-53 significantly increased NO production and cNOS activity in rat aortas and was more potent than equivalent ADM. But the peptides of both IMD and ADM had no effect on inducible NOS expression and activity. Otherwise, IMD1-53 induced a concentration-dependent increase in [3H]L-Arg transport and its effect was more potent than that of an equivalent concentration of ADM. Semiquantitative RT-PCR revealed that IMD1-53 significantly increased cationic amino acid transport (CAT)-1 and CAT-2B mRNA expression, and its effect was similar to that of ADM. All these results suggest that IMD1-53 might regulate vessel function homeostasis via upregulating the L-Arg/NOS/NO pathway.

Apelin protects myocardial injury induced by isoproterenol in rats.

We aimed to explore the change in level of apelin and its receptor APJ during myocardial injury and the therapeutic effects of apelin in myocardial injury. Rat myocardial injury was induced by subcutaneous injection of a high dose of isoproterenol (ISO); apelin and APJ mRNA levels were determined by RT-PCR; APJ protein was determined by Western blot; EIA and RIA were used to measure the apelin content and receptor binding, respectively. Plasma lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity and myocardial and plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were higher in ISO-treated hearts than that in controls. ISO-treated rats showed lower +/-LV dp/dt(max) values and higher LVEDP value (all P<0.01), which suggested severe heart failure. As well, the apelin content in plasma, atrial and ventricular myocardium was decreased by 27%, 30% and 25% (P<0.01), respectively. The mRNA levels of apelin and APJ in myocardia were also markedly reduced; but the APJ protein level in myocardia was increased. However, administration of apelin significantly ameliorated myocardial injury and ISO-induced heart failure. Compared with the ISO-alone group, the group given low-dosage apelin (5 nmol/kg/day) had 39% and 66% higher +LV dp/dt(max) and -LV dp/dt(max) values, and 40.7% lower LVEDP value (P<0.01), and the leakage of myocardial LDH and increased MDA content were attenuated (all P<0.01). Interestingly, bolus injections of apelin (10 nmol/kg/day) resulted in potent inotropic effects in ISO-treated rats. ISO-induced myocardial injury resulted in hypoexpression of apelin and its receptor APJ, and the administration of exogenous apelin ameliorated heart failure and myocardial injury. Apelin could have a cardioprotective effect, and the apelin-APJ system may be a new therapeutic target in myocardial injury and heart failure.

Adrenomedullin(27-52) inhibits vascular calcification in rats.

Adrenomedullin (ADM) has the vasodilatory properties and involves in the pathogenesis of vascular calcification. ADM could be degraded into more than six fragments in the body, including ADM(27-52), and we suppose the degrading fragments from ADM do the same bioactivities as derived peptides from pro-adrenomedullin. The present study carries forward by assessing the effects on vascular calcification of the systemic administration of ADM(27-52). The rat vascular calcific model was replicated with vitamin D3 and nicotine. ADM or/and ADM(27-52) were systemically administrated with mini-osmotic pump beginning at seventh day after the model replication for 25 days. Vascular calcific nodules histomorphometry, vascular calcium content, vascular calcium uptake, alkaline phosphatase activity, and osteopontin-mRNA quantification in aorta were assessed. ADM limited 40.2% vascular calcific nodules (P<0.01), did not effect on calcium content (P>0.05), reduced 44.4% calcium uptake (P<0.01), lowered 21.1% alkaline phosphatase activity (P<0.01), and regulated 40.9% downwards osteopontin-mRNA expression (P<0.01) in the aorta of rats with vascular calcification. ADM(27-52) receded 32.0% vascular calcific nodules (P<0.01), taken from 55.5% calcium content (P<0.01), did not affect calcium uptake (P>0.05), inhibited 22.5% alkaline phosphatase activity (P<0.01), and restrained 21.9% osteopontin-mRNA expression (P<0.01) in the aorta of rats with vascular calcification. Both of ADM and ADM(27-52) did interact on vascular calcification each other. ADM could partially antagonize the effects of ADM(27-52) in taking from calcium content (17.5%, P<0.01) and in receding vascular calcific nodules (18.6%, P<0.01). ADM could obviously enhance the action of ADM(27-52) in inhibiting alkaline phosphatase activity (14.4%, P<0.01) and in reducing calcium uptake (11.4%, P<0.01). ADM(27-52) could partially antagonize the effects of ADM on regulating downwards osteopontin-mRNA expression (17.0%, P<0.01). It is concluded that ADM(27-52) derived from ADM acts as an inhibitory agent on vascular calcification, with special mechanisms different from ADM derived from ADM progenitor molecule.

Effects of intermedin(1-53) on cardiac function and ischemia/reperfusion injury in isolated rat hearts.

Intermedin (IMD) is a novel member of the calcitonin/calcitonin gene-related peptide (CT/CGRP) family identified from human and other vertebrate tissues. Preprointermedin (preproIMD) can generate a 47 amino acid mature peptide (IMD(1-47)) and a shorter 40 amino acid one (IMD(8-47)) by proteolytic cleavage. Amino acid sequence analysis showed that cleavage sites are located between two basic amino acids at Arg93-Arg94, resulting in the production of preproIMD(95-147), namely IMD(1-53). The present study was designed to observe the effects of IMD(1-53) on cardiac function in ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in isolated rat hearts. Perfusion with high-dose IMD(1-53) gave higher left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP) and maximal rate of increase and decrease of left ventricle pressure (+/-LVdP/dt(max)), and coronary perfusion flow (CPF) than those of controls. Cardiac I/R induced a marked inhibition of cardiac function and myocardial injury. Reperfusion with IMD(1-53) significantly ameliorated the inhibited cardiac function and bradycardia induced by I/R. Compared with the I/R-treatment alone, IMD(1-53) reperfusion augmented CPF, LVSP, and maximal rate of increase and decrease of left ventricle pressure (+/-LVdP/dt(max)) and decreased LVDP. In addition, reperfusion with IMD(1-53)markedly attenuated the leakage of lactate dehydrogenase and malondialdehyde content in myocardia compared with I/R alone. Reperfusion with IMD(1-53)increased the content of cyclic adenosine monophosphate in comparison with I/R alone. Interestingly, the above IMD(1-53) effects are similar to those of adrenomedullin. These results suggest that IMD(1-53), like adrenomedullin, has cardioprotective effects against myocardial I/R injury.

Protective effects of intermedin/adrenomedullin2 on ischemia/reperfusion injury in isolated rat hearts.

Intermedin (IMD) is a novel member of the calcitonin/calcitonin gene-related peptide (CT/CGRP) family identified from human and other vertebrate tissues. Preprointermedin can generate a 47-amino acid mature peptide (IMD(1-47)) and a shorter 40-amino acid one (IMD(8-47)) by proteolytic cleavage. The present study was designed to determine the protective effect of IMD on cardiac ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and its possible mechanism. Isolated rat hearts were perfused on a Langendorff apparatus and subjected to 45-min global ischemia and 30-min reperfusion. Cardiac function was measured. The release of myocardial protein and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and the formation of malondialdehyde (MDA) were assayed. Myocardial cAMP content was determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Cardiac I/R induced a marked inhibition of cardiac function and myocardial injury. Reperfusion with IMD significantly attenuated the I/R injury. Compared with I/R alone, perfusion with 10(-8)mol/L IMD(1-47) and IMD(8-47) induced a 36% and 33% increase in Delta left ventricular pressure (DeltaLVP), 30% and 28% in maximal rate of increase of LV pressure (+LVdP/dt max), and 34% and 31% in maximal rate of decrease of LV pressure (-LVdP/dt max), respectively (all P<0.01) but an approximately 58% and 51% decrease in LV diastolic pressure, respectively (P<0.01). In addition, perfusion with IMD markedly attenuated the leakage of LDH, total protein and myoglobin from myocardia compared with I/R alone. The contents of ventricular myocardia cAMP after reperfusion with 10(-8)mol/L IMD(1-47) and IMD(8-47) were 130% and 91% higher, respectively, than that with I/R alone (all P<0.01). However, formations of myocardial MDA were 52% and 50% lower than that with I/R alone (all P<0.01), respectively. Interestingly, the above IMD effects were similar to those of adrenomedullin (10(-8)mol/L). These results suggest that IMD, like adrenomedullin, exerts cardio-protective effects against myocardial I/R injury.