scholarly journals Inhibitory Effects of Momordicine I on High-Glucose-Induced Cell Proliferation and Collagen Synthesis in Rat Cardiac Fibroblasts

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Po-Yuan Chen ◽  
Neng-Lang Shih ◽  
Wen-Rui Hao ◽  
Chun-Chao Chen ◽  
Ju-Chi Liu ◽  
...  

Diabetes-associated cardiac fibrosis is a severe cardiovascular complication. Momordicine I, a bioactive triterpenoid isolated from bitter melon, has been demonstrated to have antidiabetic properties. This study investigated the effects of momordicine I on high-glucose-induced cardiac fibroblast activation. Rat cardiac fibroblasts were cultured in a high-glucose (25 mM) medium in the absence or presence of momordicine I, and the changes in collagen synthesis, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) production, and related signaling molecules were assessed. Increased oxidative stress plays a critical role in the development of high-glucose-induced cardiac fibrosis; we further explored momordicine I’s antioxidant activity and its effect on fibroblasts. Our data revealed that a high-glucose condition promoted fibroblast proliferation and collagen synthesis and these effects were abolished by momordicine I (0.3 and 1 μM) pretreatment. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of momordicine I on high-glucose-induced fibroblast activation may be associated with its activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and the inhibition of reactive oxygen species formation, TGF-β1 production, and Smad2/3 phosphorylation. The addition of brusatol (a selective inhibitor of Nrf2) or Nrf2 siRNA significantly abolished the inhibitory effect of momordicine I on fibroblast activation. Our findings revealed that the antifibrotic effect of momordicine I was mediated, at least partially, by the inhibition of the TGF-β1/Smad pathway, fibroblast proliferation, and collagen synthesis through Nrf2 activation. Thus, this work provides crucial insights into the molecular pathways for the clinical application of momordicine I for treating diabetes-associated cardiac fibrosis.

Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 1667 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lara Matilla ◽  
Vanessa Arrieta ◽  
Eva Jover ◽  
Amaia Garcia-Peña ◽  
Ernesto Martinez-Martinez ◽  
...  

Circulating levels of soluble interleukin 1 receptor-like 1 (sST2) are increased in heart failure and associated with poor outcome, likely because of the activation of inflammation and fibrosis. We investigated the pathogenic role of sST2 as an inductor of cardiac fibroblasts activation and collagen synthesis. The effects of sST2 on human cardiac fibroblasts was assessed using proteomics and immunodetection approaches to evidence the upregulation of neuropilin-1 (NRP-1), a regulator of the profibrotic transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1. In parallel, sST2 increased fibroblast activation, collagen and fibrosis mediators. Pharmacological inhibition of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) restored NRP-1 levels and blocked profibrotic effects induced by sST2. In NRP-1 knockdown cells, sST2 failed to induce fibroblast activation and collagen synthesis. Exogenous NRP-1 enhanced cardiac fibroblast activation and collagen synthesis via NF-κB. In a pressure overload rat model, sST2 was elevated in association with cardiac fibrosis and was positively correlated with NRP-1 expression. Our study shows that sST2 induces human cardiac fibroblasts activation, as well as the synthesis of collagen and profibrotic molecules. These effects are mediated by NRP-1. The blockade of NF-κB restored NRP-1 expression, improving the profibrotic status induced by sST2. These results show a new pathogenic role for sST2 and its mediator, NRP-1, as cardiac fibroblast activators contributing to cardiac fibrosis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Ju-Chi Liu ◽  
Po-Yuan Chen ◽  
Wen-Rui Hao ◽  
Yi-Chung Liu ◽  
Ping-Chiang Lyu ◽  
...  

Diabetes is associated with the development of myocardial fibrosis, which is related to various cardiac diseases. Cafestol, one of the active ingredients in coffee, has been reported to exert biological effects. However, whether cafestol can ameliorate diabetes-induced cardiac fibrosis remains unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of cafestol on cardiac fibrosis in high-glucose-treated cardiac fibroblasts and streptozocin- (STZ-) induced diabetic rats. Rat cardiac fibroblasts were cultured in high-glucose (25 mM) media in the absence or presence of cafestol, and the changes in collagen synthesis, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) production, and related signaling molecules were assessed on the basis of 3H-proline incorporation, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and western blotting. Cardiac fibroblasts exposed to high-glucose conditions exhibited increased collagen synthesis, TGF-β1 production, and Smad2/3 phosphorylation, and these effects were mitigated by cafestol treatment. Furthermore, cafestol increased the translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 and increased the expression of heme oxygenase-1. The results of molecular docking analysis suggested a selective interaction of cafestol with Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1. The rats with untreated STZ-induced diabetes exhibited considerable collagen accumulation, which was ameliorated by cafestol. Moreover, activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, general matrix metalloproteinase, and reduced glutathione concentration were upregulated, whereas malondialdehyde level was downregulated by treatment with cafestol in rats with cardiac fibrosis. These findings highlight the effects of cafestol, which may be useful in treating diabetes-related cardiac fibrosis.


2018 ◽  
Vol 51 (5) ◽  
pp. 2250-2261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-Ting  Tsai ◽  
Shih-Hurng Loh ◽  
Chung-Yi Lee ◽  
Shiao-Ping Lee ◽  
Yen-Lin Chen ◽  
...  

Background/Aims: Diabetes is associated with increased incidence of myocardial dysfunction, which is partly characterized by interstitial and perivascular fibrosis. Cardiac fibroblasts have been identified as an important participant in the development of cardiac fibrosis. Exposure of cultured cardiac fibroblasts to high glucose resulted in increased collagen synthesis. Tanshinone IIA can alleviate the ventricular fibrosis that develops in a number of different experimental conditions. However, whether tanshinone IIA can prevent high glucose-induced collagen synthesis in cardiac fibroblasts remains unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of tanshinone IIA on high glucose-induced collagen synthesis in cardiac fibroblasts. Methods: Rat cardiac fibroblasts were cultured in high glucose (25 mM) media in the absence or presence of tanshinone IIA and the changes in collagen synthesis, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) production and related signaling molecules were assessed by 3H-proline incorporation, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, and Western blotting. Results: The results indicate cardiac fibroblasts exposed to high glucose condition show increased cell proliferation and collagen synthesis and these effects were abolished by tanshinone IIA treatment. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of tanshinone IIA on high glucose induced cell proliferation and collagen synthesis may be associated with its activation of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and the inhibition of TGF-β1 production and Smad2/3 phosphorylation. Conclusion: In summary, our results highlights the critical role tanshinone IIA plays as an antioxidant in attenuating high glucose-mediated collagen synthesis through inhibiting TGF-β1/Smad signaling in cardiac fibroblasts which provide a mechanistic basis for the clinical application of tanshinone IIA in the treating diabetic-related cardiac fibrosis.


2014 ◽  
Vol 306 (9) ◽  
pp. C794-C804 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugo Aguilar ◽  
Eduardo Fricovsky ◽  
Sang Ihm ◽  
Magdalena Schimke ◽  
Lisandro Maya-Ramos ◽  
...  

Excess enzyme-mediated protein O-GlcNAcylation is known to occur with diabetes mellitus. A characteristic of diabetic cardiomyopathy is the development of myocardial fibrosis. The role that enhanced protein O-GlcNAcylation plays in modulating the phenotype of cardiac fibroblasts (CF) is unknown. To address this issue, rat CF were cultured in normal glucose (NG; 5 mM glucose) or high-glucose (HG; 25 mM) media for 48 h. Results demonstrate that CF cultured in HG have higher levels (∼50%) of overall protein O-GlcNAcylation vs. NG cells. Key regulators of collagen synthesis such as transforming-growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), SMADs 2/3, and SMAD 7 protein levels, including those of arginase I and II, were altered, leading to increases in collagen levels. The nuclear transcription factor Sp1 and arginase II evidence excess O-GlcNAcylation in HG cells. Expression in CF of an adenovirus coding for the enzyme N-acetylglucosaminidase, which removes O-GlcNAc moieties from proteins, decreased Sp1 and arginase II O-GlcNAcylation and restored HG-induced perturbations in CF back to NG levels. These findings may have important pathophysiological implications for the development of diabetes-induced cardiac fibrosis.


Author(s):  
SPENCER MARSH ◽  
MADELINE RAUDAT ◽  
BETHANY LEFEBER ◽  
LAURA BETH HERNDON ◽  
HOWARD HERBERT ◽  
...  

In clinical diabetic cardiomyopathy, hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia induce tissue injury, activation of cardiac fibroblasts and interstitial and perivascular fibrosis. Myofibroblasts repair the injured tissue by increasing collagen deposition in the cardiac interstitium and suppressing the activity of matrix metalloproteinases. The goal of this study was to find an ideal model to mimic the effect of high glucose concentration on human cardiac fibroblast activation. The profibrotic role of the transforming growth factor-[Formula: see text] (TGF-[Formula: see text]) and the protective modulation of nitric oxide were examined in two-dimensional and three-dimensional cell culture models, as well as tissue engineering models, that involved the use of cardiac fibroblasts cultured within myocardial matrix scaffolds mounted in a bioreactor that delivered biochemical and mechanical stimuli. Results showed that high glucose levels were potent pro-fibrotic stimuli. In addition, high glucose levels in concert with TGF-[Formula: see text] constituted very strong signals that induced human cardiac fibroblast activation. Cardiac fibroblasts cultured within decellularized myocardial scaffolds and exposed to biochemical and mechanical stimuli represented an adequate model for this pathology. In conclusion, the bioreactor platform was instrumental in establishing an in vitro model of early fibrosis; this platform could be used to test the effects of various agents targeted to mitigate the fibrotic processes.


Oncotarget ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (38) ◽  
pp. 61703-61715 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xue Liu ◽  
Xiuhui Song ◽  
Jianjun Lu ◽  
Xueying Chen ◽  
Ershun Liang ◽  
...  

2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiaxin Li ◽  
Yingnan Dai ◽  
Zhendong Su ◽  
Guoqian Wei

To investigate the effects of miR-9 on high glucose (HG)-induced cardiac fibrosis in human cardiac fibroblasts (HCFs), and to establish the mechanism underlying these effects. HCFs were transfected with miR-9 inhibitor or mimic, and then treated with normal or HG. Cell viability and proliferation were detected by using the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and Brdu-ELISA assay. Cell differentiation and collagen accumulation of HCFs were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot assays respectively. The mRNA and protein expressions of transforming growth factor-β receptor type II (TGFBR2) were determined by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. Up-regulation of miR-9 dramatically improved HG-induced increases in cell proliferation, differentiation and collagen accumulation of HCFs. Moreover, bioinformatics analysis predicted that the TGFBR2 was a potential target gene of miR-9. Luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that miR-9 could directly target TGFBR2. Inhibition of TGFBR2 had the similar effect as miR-9 overexpression. Down-regulation of TGFBR2 in HCFs transfected with miR-9 inhibitor partially reversed the protective effect of miR-9 overexpression on HG-induced cardiac fibrosis in HCFs. Up-regulation of miR-9 ameliorates HG-induced proliferation, differentiation and collagen accumulation of HCFs by down-regulation of TGFBR2. These results provide further evidence for protective effect of miR-9 overexpression on HG-induced cardiac fibrosis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 263
Author(s):  
Duncan Horlock ◽  
David M. Kaye ◽  
Catherine E. Winbanks ◽  
Xiao-Ming Gao ◽  
Helen Kiriazis ◽  
...  

Cardiac fibrosis is associated with most forms of cardiovascular disease. No reliable therapies targeting cardiac fibrosis are available, thus identifying novel drugs that can resolve or prevent fibrosis is needed. Tilorone, an antiviral agent, can prevent fibrosis in a mouse model of lung disease. We investigated the anti-fibrotic effects of tilorone in human cardiac fibroblasts in vitro by performing a radioisotopic assay for [3H]-proline incorporation as a proxy for collagen synthesis. Exploratory studies in human cardiac fibroblasts treated with tilorone (10 µM) showed a significant reduction in transforming growth factor-β induced collagen synthesis compared to untreated fibroblasts. To determine if this finding could be recapitulated in vivo, mice with established pathological remodelling due to four weeks of transverse aortic constriction (TAC) were administered tilorone (50 mg/kg, i.p) or saline every third day for eight weeks. Treatment with tilorone was associated with attenuation of fibrosis (assessed by Masson’s trichrome stain), a favourable cardiac gene expression profile and no further deterioration of cardiac systolic function determined by echocardiography compared to saline treated TAC mice. These data demonstrate that tilorone has anti-fibrotic actions in human cardiac fibroblasts and the adult mouse heart, and represents a potential novel therapy to treat fibrosis associated with heart failure.


Author(s):  
Qingwen Xie ◽  
Qi Yao ◽  
Tongtong Hu ◽  
Zhulan Cai ◽  
Jinhua Zhao ◽  
...  

High-mobility group A1 (HMGA1) acts as a transcription factor in several cardiovascular diseases. However, the implications of HMGA1 in cardiac fibrosis remain unknown. Here, we investigated the impact of HMGA1 on cardiac fibrosis. A mouse cardiac fibrosis model was constructed via subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol (ISO) or angiotensin II (Ang II) infusion. Adult mouse cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) were isolated and cultured. CFs were stimulated with transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) for 24 h. As a result, HMGA1 was upregulated in fibrotic hearts, as well as TGF-β-stimulated CFs. Overexpression of HMGA1 in CFs aggravated TGF-β1-induced cell activation, proliferation, and collagen synthesis. Overexpression of HMGA1 in fibroblasts, by an adeno-associated virus 9 dilution system with a periostin promoter, accelerated cardiac fibrosis and cardiac dysfunction. Moreover, HMGA1 knockdown in CFs inhibited TGF-β1-induced cell activation, proliferation, and collagen synthesis. Mechanistically, we found that HMGA1 increased the transcription of FOXO1. The FOXO1 inhibitor AS1842856 counteracted the adverse effects of HMGA1 overexpression in vitro. HMGA1 silencing in mouse hearts alleviated Ang II-induced cardiac fibrosis and dysfunction. However, FOXO1 knockdown in mouse hearts abolished the deteriorating effects of HMGA1 overexpression in mice. Collectively, our data demonstrated that HMGA1 plays a critical role in the development of cardiac fibrosis by regulating FOXO1 transcription.


2007 ◽  
Vol 293 (5) ◽  
pp. H2952-H2958 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiangbin Xu ◽  
Jinjiang Pang ◽  
Hongchao Yin ◽  
Meixiu Li ◽  
Wei Hao ◽  
...  

Abnormal growth of cardiac fibroblasts is critically involved in the pathophysiology of cardiac hypertrophy/remodeling. Hexarelin is a synthetic growth hormone secretagogue (GHS), which possesses a variety of cardiovascular protective activities mediated via the GHS receptor (GHSR), including improving cardiac dysfunction and remodeling. The cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the effect of GHS on cardiac fibrosis are, however, not clear. In this report, cultured cardiac fibroblasts from 8-day-old rats were stimulated with ANG II or FCS to induce proliferation. The fibroblast proliferation and DNA and collagen synthesis were evaluated utilizing 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, 3H-thymidine incorporation, and 3H-proline incorporation. The level of mRNA of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β was evaluated by RT-PCR, and the active TGF-β1 release from cardiac fibroblasts was evaluated by ELISA. The level of cellular cAMP was measured by radioimmunoassay. In addition, the effects of 3,7-dimethyl-l-propargylxanthine (DMPX; a specific adenosine receptor A2R antagonist) and 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX; a specific A1R antagonist) were tested. It was found that incubation with 10−7 mol/l hexarelin for 24 h 1) inhibited the ANG II-induced proliferation and collagen synthesis and the 5% FCS- and TGF-β-induced increase of DNA synthesis in cardiac fibroblast and 2) reduced ANG II-induced upregulation of TGF-β mRNA expression and active TGF-β1 release from fibroblasts. Hexarelin increased the cellular level of cAMP in cardiac fibroblasts. DMPX (10−8 mol/l) but not DPCPX abolished the effect of hexarelin on cardiac fibroblast DNA synthesis. It is concluded that hexarelin inhibits DNA and collagen synthesis and proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts through activation of both GHSR and A2R and diminishment of ANG II-induced increase in TGF-β expression and release.


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