scholarly journals Distribution of Urocortins and Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Receptors in the Cardiovascular System

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuhiro Takahashi
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Cardiovascular System ◽  
Ischemia Reperfusion Injury ◽  
Ischemia Reperfusion ◽  
Renin Angiotensin System ◽  
Corticotropin Releasing Factor ◽  
Patients With Heart Failure ◽  
Urocortin 1 ◽  
Urocortin 3 ◽  
Vasodilator Action

Urocortins are human homologues of urotensin I, a fish corticotropin-releasing-factor- (CRF-) like peptide secreted from the urophysis. There are three urocortins: urocortin 1, urocortin 2, and urocortin 3 in mammals. We have shown that urocortin 1 and urocortin 3 are endogenously synthesized in the myocardial cells of human heart and may act on CRF type 2 receptor (CRFR2) expressed in the heart. Expression levels of urocortin 1 in the heart and plasma urocortin 1 levels are elevated in patients with heart failure. Recent studies have shown that urocortins have various biological actions in the cardiovascular system, such as a vasodilator action, a positive inotropic action, a cardioprotective action against ischemia/reperfusion injury, and suppressive actions against the renin angiotensin system and the sympathetic nervous system. Urocortins and CRFR2 may therefore be a potential therapeutic target for cardiovascular diseases, such as congestive heart failure, hypertension, and myocardial infarction.

scholarly journals Bradycardic effects of microinjections of urocortin 3 into the nucleus ambiguus of the rat

2012 ◽  
Vol 303 (10) ◽  
pp. R1023-R1030 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vineet C. Chitravanshi ◽  
Kazumi Kawabe ◽  
Hreday N. Sapru
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Ischemia Reperfusion Injury ◽  
Ischemia Reperfusion ◽  
Brain Area ◽  
Nucleus Ambiguus ◽  
Parasympathetic Innervation ◽  
Male Wistar Rats ◽  
Bilateral Vagotomy ◽  
Urocortin 3 ◽  
Pressure Changes

The presence of urocortin 3 (UCN3) and CRF2 receptors (CRF2R) has been demonstrated in brain tissue. Nucleus ambiguus (nAmb) is the predominant brain area providing parasympathetic innervation to the heart. On the basis of these reports, it was hypothesized that activation of CRF2Rs in the nAmb may elicit cardiac effects. Experiments were carried out in urethane-anesthetized, artificially ventilated, and adult male Wistar rats. Microinjections of l-glutamate (l-GLU, 5 mM) were used to identify the nAmb. Different concentrations of UCN3 (0.031, 0.062, 0.125, 0.25, and 0.5 mM) microinjected into the nAmb elicited decreases in heart rate (HR) (5.3 ± 1, 22 ± 3.3, 38 ± 4.9, 45.7 ± 2.7, and 27.3 ± 2.3 bpm, respectively). The volume of all microinjections was 30 nl. Blood pressure changes concomitant with decreases in HR were not observed. Bradycardia elicited by microinjections of UCN3 (0.25 mM; maximally effective concentration) into the nAmb was significantly ( P < 0.05) attenuated by microinjections of selective CRF2R antagonists (K41498, 0.5 mM, and astressin 2B, 0.25 mM) at the same site. Bilateral vagotomy abolished the bradycardic responses to UCN3. These results indicated that activation of CRF2Rs in the nAmb by UCN3 elicited bradycardia, which was vagally mediated. UCNs have been reported to exert cardioprotective effects in heart failure and ischemia/reperfusion injury. In this situation, centrally induced bradycardia by UCN3 would be beneficial. The results of the present investigation provide a platform for future studies on the role of CRF2Rs in the nAmb in pathological states such as heart failure.

Role of Platelet-Activating Factor in Cardiovascular Pathophysiology

2000 ◽  
Vol 80 (4) ◽  
pp. 1669-1699 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Montrucchio ◽  
Giuseppe Alloatti ◽  
Giovanni Camussi
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular System ◽  
Cell Biology ◽  
Ischemia Reperfusion Injury ◽  
Ischemia Reperfusion ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Platelet Activating Factor ◽  
Biologically Active ◽  
Endothelial Cell Migration

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a phospholipid mediator that belongs to a family of biologically active, structurally related alkyl phosphoglycerides. PAF acts via a specific receptor that is coupled with a G protein, which activates a phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C. In this review we focus on the aspects that are more relevant for the cell biology of the cardiovascular system. The in vitro studies provided evidence for a role of PAF both as intercellular and intracellular messenger involved in cell-to-cell communication. In the cardiovascular system, PAF may have a role in embryogenesis because it stimulates endothelial cell migration and angiogenesis and may affect cardiac function because it exhibits mechanical and electrophysiological actions on cardiomyocytes. Moreover, PAF may contribute to modulation of blood pressure mainly by affecting the renal vascular circulation. In pathological conditions, PAF has been involved in the hypotension and cardiac dysfunctions occurring in various cardiovascular stress situations such as cardiac anaphylaxis and hemorrhagic, traumatic, and septic shock syndromes. In addition, experimental studies indicate that PAF has a critical role in the development of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. Indeed, PAF cooperates in the recruitment of leukocytes in inflamed tissue by promoting adhesion to the endothelium and extravascular transmigration of leukocytes. The finding that human heart can produce PAF, expresses PAF receptor, and is sensitive to the negative inotropic action of PAF suggests that this mediator may have a role also in human cardiovascular pathophysiology.

Abstract 428: Pharmacologic and Activated Fibroblast-specific Gβγ-GRK2 Inhibition is Protective Following Ischemia Reperfusion Injury

2016 ◽  
Vol 119 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua G Travers ◽  
Fadia A Kamal ◽  
Michelle L Nieman ◽  
Michelle A Sargent ◽  
Jeffery D Molkentin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Cardiac Function ◽  
Reperfusion Injury ◽  
G Protein ◽  
Knockout Mice ◽  
Ischemia Reperfusion Injury ◽  
Interstitial Fibrosis ◽  
Myocardial Dysfunction ◽  
Ischemia Reperfusion ◽  
Ventricular Compliance

Heart failure is a devastating disease characterized by chamber remodeling, interstitial fibrosis and reduced ventricular compliance. Cardiac fibroblasts are responsible for extracellular matrix homeostasis, however upon injury or pathologic stimulation, these cells transform to a myofibroblast phenotype and play a fundamental role in myocardial fibrosis and remodeling. Chronic sympathetic overstimulation induces excess signaling through G protein βγ subunits and ultimately the pathologic activation of G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2). We hypothesized that Gβγ-GRK2 inhibition plays an important role in the cardiac fibroblast to attenuate pathologic myofibroblast activation and cardiac remodeling. To investigate this hypothesis, mice were subjected to ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and treated with the small molecule Gβγ-GRK2 inhibitor gallein. While animals receiving vehicle demonstrated a reduction in overall cardiac function as measured by echocardiography, mice treated with gallein exhibited nearly complete preservation of cardiac function and reduced fibrotic scar formation. We next sought to establish the cell specificity of this compound by treating inducible cardiomyocyte- and activated fibroblast-specific GRK2 knockout mice post-I/R. Although we observed modest restoration in cardiac function in cardiomyocyte-specific GRK2 null mice, treatment of these mice with gallein resulted in further protection against myocardial dysfunction following injury, suggesting a functional role in other cardiac cell types, including fibroblasts. Activated fibroblast-specific GRK2 knockout mice were also subjected to ischemia/reperfusion injury; these animals displayed preserved myocardial function and reduced collagen deposition compared to littermate controls following injury. Furthermore, systemic Gβγ-GRK2 inhibition by gallein did not appear to confer further protection over activated fibroblast-specific GRK2 ablation alone. In summary, these findings suggest a potential therapeutic role for Gβγ-GRK2 inhibition in limiting pathologic myofibroblast activation, interstitial fibrosis and heart failure progression.

Abstract 14834: Protective Role of Cardiomyocyte-derived Ddt in Ischemic Cardiomyopathy

Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yina Ma ◽  
Xiaoyue Hu ◽  
Daniel Pfau ◽  
Xiaohong Wu ◽  
Veena Rao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Map Kinase ◽  
Ischemic Cardiomyopathy ◽  
Ischemia Reperfusion Injury ◽  
Ischemia Reperfusion ◽  
P38 Map Kinase ◽  
Lv Function ◽  
Acute Ischemia ◽  
S6 Kinase ◽  
Sham Surgery

Background: D-dopachrome tautomerase (DDT), the only homolog of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), is a cytokine highly expressed in cardiomyocytes and exerts autocrine-paracrine effects by signaling through the CD74 receptor. Endogenous DDT and MIF prevent acute ischemia-reperfusion injury and pressure overload-induced heart failure in mice. This study investigated whether endogenous cardiomyocyte DDT has a role in ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM). Methods: LV tissue was obtained from patients with ICM during heart transplantation and from non-transplanted donor hearts. Plasma DDT concentrations were measured in heart failure outpatients with ICM. Cardiomyocyte-specific DDT knockout (cKO) and littermate control (CON) mice underwent MI or sham surgery. Serial echocardiography was performed to assess LV remodeling after MI or sham surgery. Tissue from the non-infarct region was analyzed 3 days and 4 weeks after MI or sham surgery for histology and molecular studies. Results: Cardiac DDT mRNA and protein expression were reduced in LV from patients transplanted for ICM (n=8). Plasma DDT concentrations below the median value were associated with worse survival in ICM outpatients (p<0.05, n=32). In mice, baseline LV function was similar in DDT cKO and CON after sham surgery and 3 days post-MI. However, DDT cKO mice developed more rapid LV dilatation and decreased LV ejection fraction and stroke volume as early as 1-week post-MI (n=4-6/group, all P<0.05). The DDT cKO mice had smaller cardiomyocyte cross-sectional area 4 weeks after MI (p <0.05), as well as early diminished phosphorylation of mTOR and S6-kinase (3 days post-MI). They also showed increased apoptosis 3 days post-MI and an early increase in p38 MAP kinase activation. Conclusion: Cardiomyocyte-derived DDT prevents adverse cardiac remodeling in ICM, potentially through modulating mTOR/S6 kinase (adaptive hypertrophy) and p38 MAP kinase (limiting apoptosis). Down-regulation of DDT in patients with ICM may contribute to the pathogenesis of advanced heart failure.

Abstract 17638: Systemic Cardiovascular Effects of Intravenous Urocortin 2 and Urocortin 3 in Patients with Heart Failure and Healthy Volunteers

Circulation ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 130 (suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin G Stirrat ◽  
Sowmya Venkatasubramanian ◽  
Tania Pawade ◽  
Andrew Mitchell ◽  
Anoop Shah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Cardiac Index ◽  
Healthy Volunteers ◽  
Diastolic Blood Pressure ◽  
Cardiovascular Effects ◽  
Peripheral Vascular ◽  
Patients With Heart Failure ◽  
Group A ◽  
Urocortin 3

Introduction: Urocortin 2 (UCN 2) and urocortin 3 (UCN 3) are endogenous peptide hormones with an emerging role in the pathophysiology and treatment of heart failure. For the first time, we examined the systemic cardiovascular effects of both UCN 2 and UCN 3 in healthy volunteers and patients with heart failure. Methods: Seven healthy volunteers (Group A) and nine patients with stable chronic heart failure (Group B, New York Heart Association class II and III, left ventricular ejection fraction <35%) on optimal medical therapy underwent non-invasive oscillometric sphygmomanometry and impedance cardiography during incremental intravenous infusions of sodium nitroprusside (0.15/0.5/1.5 μg/kg/min), UCN 2 (0.16/0.48/1.6 μg/min), UCN 3 (5/15/50 μg/min) and saline placebo in a randomised double blind two-way cross over study. Results: Other than diastolic blood pressure (78 vs 72 mmHg for Group A and B respectively, p<0.05), haemodynamic variables were similar at baseline of each infusion and were unchanged by saline placebo infusion (p>0.05 for all). SNP, UCN2 and UCN 3 infusions increased heart rate and cardiac index, and reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure and peripheral vascular resistance index (PVRI) in both healthy volunteers and patients with heart failure (p<0.05 for all; see Figure 1). There were no significant differences in the changes in cardiac index or PVRI between healthy volunteers and patients with heart failure during either UCN 2 or UCN 3 infusions (p>0.05). Conclusion: Intravenous UCN 2 and especially UCN 3 increase cardiac output and reduce peripheral vascular resistance. This favourable haemodynamic profile suggests that UCN 2 and UCN 3 hold exciting therapeutic potential for the treatment of acute heart failure.

scholarly journals Dysregulation of the renin-angiotensin system during lung ischemia-reperfusion injury

2016 ◽  
Vol 42 (6) ◽  
pp. 277-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Kehoe ◽  
J. F. Gielis ◽  
G. Vliegen ◽  
R. Van Elzen ◽  
R. Verkerk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reperfusion Injury ◽  
Ischemia Reperfusion Injury ◽  
Ischemia Reperfusion ◽  
Renin Angiotensin System ◽  
Angiotensin System ◽  
Renin Angiotensin

scholarly journals Beneficial Electrophysiological Effects of Rotigaptide Are Unable to Suppress Therapeutic Hypothermia-Provoked Ventricular Fibrillation in Failing Rabbit Hearts With Acute Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui-Ling Lee ◽  
Po-Cheng Chang ◽  
Hung-Ta Wo ◽  
Hao-Tien Liu ◽  
Ming-Shien Wen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Ventricular Fibrillation ◽  
Therapeutic Hypothermia ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Ischemia Reperfusion Injury ◽  
Ischemia Reperfusion ◽  
Rabbit Model ◽  
Acute Ischemia ◽  
Electrophysiological Studies ◽  
Electrophysiological Effects

Aims: Whether therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is proarrhythmic in preexisting failing hearts with acute ischemia–reperfusion (IR) injury is unknown. Additionally, the effectiveness of rotigaptide on improving conduction slowing in hearts with IR injury is ambiguous. We investigated the electrophysiological effects of TH and rotigaptide in failing rabbit hearts with acute IR injury and determined the underlying molecular mechanisms.Methods and Results: Heart failure was induced by right ventricular pacing (320 beats/min, 4 weeks). Rabbits with pacing-induced heart failure were randomly divided into TH (n = 14) and non-TH (n = 7) groups. The IR rabbit model was created by ligating the coronary artery for 60 min, followed by reperfusion for 15 min in vivo. Then, the hearts were excised quickly and Langendorff-perfused for simultaneous voltage and intracellular Ca2+ (Cai) optical mapping. Electrophysiological studies were conducted, and vulnerability to ventricular fibrillation (VF) was evaluated using pacing protocols. TH (33°C) was instituted after baseline studies, and electrophysiological studies were repeated. Rotigaptide (300 nM) was infused for 20 min, and electrophysiological studies were repeated under TH. Cardiac tissues were sampled for Western blotting. TH increased the dispersion and beat-to-beat variability of action potential duration (APD), aggravated conduction slowing, and prolonged Cai decay to facilitate spatially discordant alternans (SDA) and VF induction. Rotigaptide reduced the dispersion and beat-to-beat variability of APD and improved slowed conduction to defer the onset of arrhythmogenic SDA by dynamic pacing and elevate the pacing threshold of VF during TH. However, the effect of rotigaptide on TH-enhanced VF inducibility was statistically insignificant. TH attenuated IR-induced dysregulation of protein expression, but its functional role remained uncertain.Conclusion: Therapeutic hypothermia is proarrhythmic in failing hearts with acute IR injury. Rotigaptide improves TH-induced APD dispersion and beat-to-beat variability and conduction disturbance to defer the onset of arrhythmogenic SDA and elevate the VF threshold by dynamic pacing, but these beneficial electrophysiological effects are unable to suppress TH-enhanced VF inducibility significantly.

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