瓜蒌皮激活PI3K/PKB通路减轻柯萨奇病毒感染心肌细胞损伤的实验研究

柯萨奇病毒B3(Coxsackievirus B3,CVB3)是引起病毒性心肌炎最常见的病毒株,感染心肌细胞后能够激活细胞凋亡、引起细胞损伤;已有研究证实,瓜萎皮激活磷脂酰肌醇3-激酶(Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase,PI3K)/蛋白激酶B(Protein kinase B,PKB)通路减轻缺氧/复氧引起的心肌细胞凋亡,但瓜萎皮对CVB3感染引起心肌细胞凋亡的调节作用及机制尚不清楚.因此,本研究将观察瓜蒌皮激活PI3K/PKB通路减轻柯萨奇病毒感染心肌细胞损伤的作用.在培养心肌H9c2细胞后分组,对照组给予不含药物及病毒的培养基,CVB3组给予含有CVB3病毒液的培养基,瓜萎皮组含有CVB3病毒液及瓜萎皮提取物的培养基,瓜萎皮+抑制剂组含有CVB3病毒液、瓜萎皮提取物及抑制剂LY294002的培养基.检测培养基中乳酸脱氢酶(Lactic dehydrogenase,LDH)及磷酸肌酸激酶同工酶(Creatine phosphokinase-isoenzyme-MB,CK-MB)的含量、细胞活力 A490、细胞凋亡率、细胞中 cleaved caspase-9、cleaved caspase-3、p-PI3K、p-PKB的表达.结果显示,与对照组比较,CVB3组培养基中LDH、CK-MB的含量、细胞凋亡率、细胞中天冬氨酸蛋白水解酶-9(cleaved caspase-9,cleaved cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-9)、cleaved caspase-3的表达均增加,A490及细胞中p-PI3K、p-PKB的表达均降低(P＜0.05);与CVB3组比较,瓜萎皮组培养基中LDH、CK-MB的含量、细胞凋亡率、细胞中cleaved caspase-9、cleaved caspase-3的表达均降低,A490及细胞中p-PI3K、p-PKB的表达均增加(P＜0.05);与瓜萎皮组比较,瓜萎皮+抑制剂组培养基中LDH、CK-MB的含量、细胞凋亡率、细胞中cleaved caspase-9、cleaved caspase-3的表达均增加,A490及细胞中p-PI3K、p-PKB的表达均降低(P＜0.05).以上结果表明,瓜萎皮提取物能够减轻CVB3感染心肌细胞的损伤及凋亡,激活PI3K/PKB通路是可能的分子机制.本研究首次发现瓜萎皮提取物对CVB3感染心肌细胞的损伤和凋亡具有抑制作用;同时,本研究还初步阐明了瓜萎皮提取物发挥心肌保护作用的分子机制、即激活PI3K/PKB通路.     

丹参多酚酸盐通过调控肿瘤坏死因子促进大鼠心肌修复的机制研究

摘要 目的：探讨丹参多酚酸盐（Sal B）对大鼠损伤后心肌修复的机制。方法：构建新生大鼠心肌细胞H9c2体外缺氧/复氧（H/R）模型,并分组为空白对照组、缺氧/复氧组（模型组）、缺氧/复氧+TNF-α表达质粒组(TNF-α组)和缺氧/复氧+Sal B处理组(Sal B组)。为检测细胞迁移实验,分组为对照组、模型组、H/R+DMSO+Vector组、H/R+Sal B+Vector组、H/R+DMSO+TNF-α组和H/R+Sal B+TNF-α组。通过MTT实验检测各组H9c2细胞活力;免疫荧光检测H9c2心肌细胞中TNF-α细胞表面受体TNFR-1和TNFR-2的表达水平;Western-blot和RT-qPCR检测TNF-α的mRNA和蛋白表达水平以及血管生成蛋白表达水平的影响;Transwell实验检测Sal B对缺氧/复氧处理的H9c2细胞迁移的影响。结果：与对照组相比,模型组H9c2心肌细胞的活力显著下降（P<0.05）;与模型组相比,Sal B组中H9c2心肌细胞的活力显著升高（P<0.05）。免疫荧光检测结果显示,H9c2心肌细胞质膜上TNFR-1和TNFR2均有表达。Western-blot和RT-qPCR结果显示,与模型组相比,Sal B组中H9c2心肌细胞的TNF-α的mRNA和蛋白表达水平均显著升高(P<0.01),TNF-α组H9c2心肌细胞的TNF-α、Ang-2和VEGF-1蛋白的表达水平均显著升高（P<0.01）,Ang-1蛋白表达水平显著降低（P<0.01）。细胞迁移结果显示,与对照组相比,模型组和H/R+DMSO+Vector组H9c2细胞迁移能力显著下降（P<0.01）;与H/R组和H/R+DMSO+Vector组相比,H/R+Sal B+Vector组、H/R+DMSO+TNF-α组和H/R+Sal B+TNF-α组H9c2细胞迁移能力显著升高（P<0.05）。结论：Sal B能够通过上调TNF-α调控血管生成蛋白表达和促进H/R H9c2心肌细胞迁移,从而促进血管生成。     

miR-942-5p靶向TRAF6对病毒性心肌炎细胞损伤的影响

目的 探讨miR-942-5p靶向肿瘤坏死因子受体相关因子6(TRAF6)对病毒性心肌炎细胞损伤的影响.方法 体外分离培养BALB/c小鼠心肌细胞,采用柯萨奇病毒B3(CVB3)感染心肌细胞,建立病毒性心肌炎细胞模型,将细胞分为对照组(未感染CVB3病毒)、CVB3组(感染CVB3病毒)、CVB3+miR-NC组(感染...     

Increased connexin 43 expression improves the migratory and proliferative ability of H9c2 cells by Wnt-3a overexpression

The change of connexin 43 (Cx43) expression and the biological behaviors of Cx43 in rat heart cell line H9c2, expressing Wnt-3a (wingless-type MMTV integration site family, member 3A) were evaluated in the present study. Plasmid pcDNA3.1/Wnt-3a was constructed and transferred into H9c2 cells. The cell model Wnt-3a~ -H9c2 steadily expressing Wnt-3a was obtained. Compared with H9c2 and pcDNA3.1-H9c2 cells, the expression of Cx43 in Wnt-3a~ -H9c2 cells was clearly increased, the proliferation of Wnt-3a~ -H9c2 cells was significantly changed, and cell migration abilities were also improved (P<0.05). In comparison with H9c2 and pcDNA3.1-H9c2 cells, the G_2 phase of the cell cycle increased by 11% in Wnt-3a~ -H9c2 cells. Thus, Wnt-3a overexpression is associated with an increase in Cx43 expression and altered migratory and proliferative activity in H9c2 cells. Cx43 might be one of the downstream target genes regulated by Wnt-3a.     

精胺通过抑制内质网应激减缓柯萨奇B3 病毒诱导的心肌细胞损伤

目的:探讨外源精胺在柯萨奇B3病毒(Coxsackie virus B3,CVB3)诱导的乳鼠心肌细胞损伤中的保护作用及其调控机制。方法:CVB3感染原代培养的乳鼠心肌细胞,将细胞随机分为3组:对照(control)组;病毒感染(CVB3)组;精胺干预(CVB3+Sp)组。MTT试剂检测细胞增殖;流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡;Western blot检测Bcl-2、Bax、Caspase-3、Caspase-9、GRP78、CHOP、Caspase-12、p-PERK、PERK、p-eIF2α和e IF2α的蛋白表达。结果:与control组相比,CVB3组的细胞增殖率显著降低(P0.05);凋亡率显著增加(P0.05);Bcl-2的表达下调,Bax、Caspase-3、Caspase-9蛋白表达增加(P0.05);GRP78、CHOP和Caspase-12的表达显著上调(P0.05);p-PERK和p-eIF2α的表达显著上调(P0.05)。与CVB3组相比,CVB3+Sp组的细胞增殖率显著上升(P0.05);凋亡率显著下降(P0.05);Bcl-2的表达上调,Bax、Caspase-3、Caspase-9蛋白表达下调(P0.05);GRP78、CHOP和Caspase-12的表达显著下调(P0.05);p-PERK和p-eIF2α的表达显著下调(P0.05)。结论:外源精胺可以缓解CVB3诱导的乳鼠心肌细胞增殖降低和细胞凋亡增多等损伤,这可能与精胺抑制PERK-eIF2α信号通路介导的内质网应激有关。     

柯萨奇病毒B3型诱导的免疫偏离与心肌炎发病关系的研究

目的 研究2种近交系小鼠在柯萨奇病毒B3型(CVB3)感染后辅助性T细胞(Th)免疫偏离对心肌炎发病的影响。方法 用CVB3腹腔感染BALB/c和C57BL/62种近交系小鼠,感染后7d通过检测小鼠血清肌酸激酶(CK)活性,观察心脏外观变化以及心脏石蜡切片H.E染色观察心脏病理改变,比较2种小鼠心肌炎的发病情况;通过体外感染心肌细胞观察病毒复制情况以及体内心脏组织病毒载量的分析,比较2种小鼠对病毒感染和复制的差异;通过检测感染小鼠细胞因子白细胞介素-4(IL-4)、IL-12和γ干扰素(IFN-γ)的表达,抗CVB3VP1抗体的亚型以及T-bet和Gata-3的表达,比较2种小鼠Th免疫偏离的情况。结果 CVB3在体外和体内都可以感染BALB/c和C57BL/6小鼠心肌细胞,但仅BALB/c小鼠感染后可发生明显的病毒性心肌炎,C57BL/6小鼠则不能;BALB/c小鼠感染后表现为Th1型免疫反应而C57BL/6小鼠则偏向于Th2型免疫反应。结论 CVB3感染2种品系小鼠表现为不同的心肌炎发生率,与其诱导了不同类型的免疫偏离密切相关。     

CVB3诱导的急性心肌炎C57BL/6小鼠模型转录组分析

研究柯萨奇病毒B3(CVB3)感染小鼠所引起的心肌组织转录组变化规律.C57BL/6小鼠腹腔接种浓度为104TCID50的CVB3,建立C57BL/6急性病毒性心肌炎小鼠模型,逐日测量休重.接种第3、6、9、11和14d分别取心脏,计算心脏指数,并取部分心肌组织进行HE染色分析病理学改变;病毒接种后的第3、第6和第9d,取部分组织匀浆进行转录组测序,分析三个时间点的共同差异表达基因,对其进行GO和KEGG信号通路的富集,并对其中12个基因进行了 qRT-PCR的验证.在CVB3感染后,小鼠体重下降至对照组的80％,心脏指数在第3d明显升高,随后逐渐下降.通过转录组分析找到100个共同差异基因,从中选出的12个基因,经qRT-PCR验证与转录组表达趋势一致.GO和KEGG信号通路富集发现,CVB3感染后,小鼠心肌组织出现病毒性心肌炎、NK细胞通路,T、B细胞激活及先天性免疫反应通路的改变.差异基因的蛋白与蛋白互作网络分析显示,先天性免疫中MHC-Ⅰ型分子蛋白基因H2-Q7、H2-Kl、H2-D1等,NK细胞毒作用通路中的Gzmb、Gzma,以及蛋白酶体信号通路基因Psmb8、 Psmb9﹑Psmb10和lfit3位于相互作用中心.CVB3感染C57BL/6小鼠心肌组织的转录组变化涉及病毒性心肌炎、NK细胞和T、B细胞激活及先天性免疫反应等通路.CVB3感染引起的急性病毒性心肌炎是多通路和多基因综合作用的结果.     

针对2B区域的短双链RNA抑制柯萨奇B3病毒感染HeLa细胞的特性研究

为了研究短双链RNA(Small interfering RNA,siRNA)对柯萨奇B组3型病毒(CVB3)复制的影响及其作用特性,合成针对CVB3基因组2B区的siRNA-2B,脂质体法转染HeLa细胞后感染CVB3病毒,观测转染效率及存留时间、毒性作用、病毒致细胞病变效应、病毒滴度、病毒RNA含量、siRNA-2B对重组基因的特异性降解及培养上清有限稀释后再感染情况.结果发现siRNA-2B能高效转染入HeLa细胞并存留长达48h,高剂量的siRNA-2B对培养细胞无明显毒性,siRNA-2B能特异性针对2B区有效地降解病毒RNA,能明显抑制病毒RNA的复制.随着转染浓度的增加,siRNA-2B的抗病毒作用逐渐增强.siRNA-2B还能明显降低CVB3的再感染能力.这些结果提示,针对基因组2B区的siRNA-2B可以明显抑制CVB3基因复制,有效控制病毒再感染,并具有高效性、特异性和量效关系等特点.为siRNA可能成为预防和治疗CVB3感染的新途径奠定基础.     

E2F6在物理性低氧及化学性低氧诱导的凋亡中的表达特征

心肌细胞凋亡性死亡是低氧发生时的重要病理学特征,但低氧诱导的心肌细胞凋亡的调控机制尚未完全阐明.E2F6是E2F转录因子家族成员之一,我们新近的研究证实其具有抑制DNA损伤诱导的细胞凋亡作用.但是,E2F6是否参与了低氧诱导的心肌细胞凋亡的调控尚不清楚.在本研究中,我们初步探讨了E2F6在物理性低氧及化学性低氧模拟物诱导大鼠心肌细胞系H9c2细胞凋亡中的表达特征.结果表明:物理性低氧、化学性低氧模拟物去铁胺(desferrioxamine,DFO)和氯化钻(cobalt chloride,CoCl2)均能有效诱导H9c2细胞发生凋亡.在物理性低氧及CoCl2,诱导的H9c2细胞凋亡中,内源性E2F6 mRNA表达明显下调,但蛋白表达没有明显变化.而在DFO诱导的凋亡中,内源性E2F6 mRNA及蛋白表达均发生明显下调.这些结果提示,E2F6可能参与调控DFO模拟低氧诱导的H9c2细胞凋亡,而对物理性低氧及CoCl2,模拟低氧诱导的细胞凋亡敏感性较低.此外,DFO模拟低氧诱导的细胞凋亡机制可能与物理性低氧及CoCl2.模拟低氧诱导的细胞凋亡机制不同.     

过氧化氢预处理对H9c2心肌细胞氧化应激损伤的保护作用

目的：活性氧介导的氧化损伤是缺血再灌注损伤的重要机制,本研究通过观察H2O2预处理对氧化损伤的H9c2心肌细胞存活率和细胞凋亡的影响,探讨其保护H9c2心肌细胞的作用机制。方法：体外培养H9c2心肌细胞,取对数生长期细胞用于实验研究。建立H2O2预处理抵抗高浓度H：O：诱导的细胞氧化损伤模型,实验分组如下：（1）正常对照组（CTL）;（2）损伤组（INJURY）;（3）预处理组十损伤组（PC）。应用CCK8法检测细胞存活率;试剂盒检测胞内MDA水平和T．sOD活性;Hoechst33258染色观察凋亡形态;Annexin-V／PI双染与流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡率。结果：25vLmol／L的H202预处理90rain能明显地保护H9c2心肌细胞抵抗400μmol／LH2O2诱导的氧化损伤,提高细胞存活率,下调MDA水平,上调SOD活性,抑制细胞凋亡,降低细胞凋亡率。结论：低浓度H2O2预处理能减轻H9c2心肌细胞的氧化损伤,抑制氧化损伤诱导的心肌细胞凋亡,具有很好的抗氧化损伤和抗心肌细胞凋亡的保护作用,其作用机制可能与细胞SOD活性上调有关。H2O2预处理为临床治疗心肌缺血／再灌注损伤提供了一项新策略。     

Activation of CaMKII via ER‐stress mediates coxsackievirus B3‐induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis

Cardiomyocyte apoptosis contributes to the development of coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3)‐induced myocarditis, but the mechanism for the apoptosis by CVB3 infection remains unclear. Here, we showed that CVB3‐induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response and apoptosis in cultured H9c2 cardiomyocytes. We found that Ca²⁺‐calmodulin‐dependent kinase II (CaMKII) was activated by ER stress‐dependent intracellular Ca²⁺ overload in the CVB3‐infected H9c2 cardiomyocytes. Treatment with an inhibitor of ER stress, 4‐phenylbutyric acid (4‐PBA), attenuated intracellular Ca²⁺ accumulation indirectly and reduced CaMKII activity. Inhibition of CaMKII with pharmacological inhibitor (KN‐93) or short hairpin RNA reduced CVB3‐induced H9c2 apoptosis and repressed cytochrome c release from mitochondria to cytoplasm; whereas overexpression of the activated mutant of CaMKII (CaMKII‐T287D) enhanced CVB3‐induced H9c2 apoptosis and mitochondrial cytochrome c release, which could be alleviated by blocking of mitochondrial Ca²⁺ uniporter or mitochondrial permeability transition pore. Further in vivo investigation revealed that blocking of CaMKII with KN‐93 prevented cardiomyocytes apoptosis and improved cardiac contractile function in CVB3‐infected mouse heart. Collectively, these findings provide a novel evidence that CaMKII plays a vital role in the promotion of CVB3‐induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis, which links ER stress and mitochondrial Ca²⁺ uptake.     

An attenuated variant of Coxsackievirus B3 preferentially induces immunoregulatory T cells in vivo.

BALB/c mice infected with the Woodruff variant of coxsackievirus group B type 3 (CVB3W) develop myocarditis mediated by autoimmune cytolytic T lymphocytes. A variant of CVB3W (designated H3-10A1) which infects the myocardium but induces minimal mortality of myocarditis compared to the parental virus was selected. Although H3-10A1 infections stimulate normal CTL responses to CVB3-infected myocytes, the autoimmune response to myocardial antigens is absent. Treatment of H3-10A1-infected mice with 50 mg of cyclophosphamide per kg of body weight, a treatment which preferentially eliminates suppressor cells, allows both the development of the autoimmune cytotoxic T-lymphocyte response and the expression of myocarditis. Similar treatment of CVB3W-infected mice had no effect on the disease. The presence of the immunoregulatory cells was confirmed by adoptive transfer of T lymphocytes from either H3-10A1 or CVB3W-infected donor mice into syngeneic CVB3W-infected recipients. Animals given H3-10A1-immune cells had minimal myocardial inflammation, while animals given CVB3W-immune lymphocytes developed enhanced cardiac disease. Elimination of the T-lymphocyte population from the donor cells prior to transfer abrogated suppression with the H3-10A1-immune population, showing that immunoregulation depended upon T lymphocytes. Both H3-10A1 and CVB3W have cross-reactive epitopes between the adenine translocator protein and the virion which are indicative of antigenic mimicry and may be the basis for the autoimmunity to cardiac antigens. These results suggest that immunoregulatory T cells may be primarily responsible for the nonpathogenicity of the H3-10A1 variant.     

Role of CD1d in coxsackievirus B3-induced myocarditis

The myocarditic (H3) variant of Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) causes severe myocarditis in BALB/c mice and BALB/c mice lacking the invariant J alpha 281 gene, but minimal disease in BALB/c CD1d(-/-) animals. This indicates that CD1d expression is important in this disease but does not involve the invariant NKT cell often associated with CD1d-restricted immunity. The H3 variant of the virus increases CD1d expression in vitro in neonatal cardiac myocytes whereas a nonmyocarditic (H310A1) variant does not. V gamma 4(+) T cells show increased activation in both H3-infected BALB/c and J alpha 281(-/-) mice compared with CD1d(-/-) animals. The activated BALB/c V gamma 4(+) T cells from H3-infected mice kill H3-infected BALB/c myocytes and cytotoxicity is blocked with anti-CD1d but not with anti-MHC class I (K(d)/D(d)) or class II (IA/IE) mAbs. In contrast, H3 virus-infected CD1d(-/-) myocytes are not killed. These studies demonstrate that CD1d expression is essential for pathogenicity of CVB3-induced myocarditis, that CD1d expression is increased early after infection in vivo in CD1d(+) mice infected with the myocarditic but not with the nonmyocarditic CVB3 variant, and that V gamma 4(+) T cells, which are known to promote myocarditis susceptibility, appear to recognize CD1d expressed by CVB3-infected myocytes.     

Cardiac injury in myocarditis induced by Coxsackievirus group B, type 3 in Balb/c mice is mediated by Lyt 2 + cytolytic lymphocytes

Male Balb/c mice inoculated with a heart-adapted variant of Coxsackievirus, group B, type 3 (CVB3) develop severe myocarditis 7 days later. The lesions are characterized by mononuclear cell inflammation and myocyte necrosis. Infected T-lymphocyte-deficient mice show either minimal or no cardiac injury, although virus concentrations in the hearts of T-cell-deficient and -sufficient animals are similar. Adoptive transfer of 2 X 10(6) CVB3 immune Thy 1+ cells into CVB3-infected T-cell-deficient mice effectively restored myocarditis to levels observed in intact animals. Similar reconstitution with immune Ig+ cells or serum resulted in only a minimal increase in cardiac injury. To determine whether T-lymphocyte-dependent humoral or cellular immunity was responsible for myocarditis. T lymphocytes were obtained from Balb/c mice 6 days after infection with CVB3, separated into Lyt 1+2- (helper) and Lyt 1-2+ (cytolytic/suppressor) cell populations, and 2 X 10(6) of the enriched helper and cytolytic cells were adoptively transfused into infected T-cell-deficient recipients. Animals receiving the immune Lyt2+ cells developed severe myocarditis, had cytolytic T lymphocytes to both CVB3-infected and uninfected myocytes, but lacked a detectable IgG antibody response. Recipients of the Lyt 1+ cells failed to develop either myocarditis or cytolytic T cells but had normal serum IgG antibody titers to the virus. These results demonstrate that cardiac myocarditis is the product of cellular immune mechanisms.     

A mutation in the puff region of VP2 attenuates the myocarditic phenotype of an infectious cDNA of the Woodruff variant of coxsackievirus B3.

Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) infections induce myocarditis in humans and mice. Little is known about the molecular characteristics of CVB3 that activate the cellular immunity responsible for cardiac inflammation. Previous experiments have identified an antibody escape mutant (H310A1) of a myocarditic variant of CVB3 (H3) that attenuates the myocarditic potential of the virus in mice in spite of ongoing viral replication in the heart. We have cloned full-length infectious cDNA copies of the viral genome of both the wild-type myocarditic H3 variant of CVB3 and the antibody escape mutant H310A1. Progeny viruses maintained the myocarditic and attenuated myocarditic potential of the parent viruses, H3 and H310A1. The full sequence of the H3 viral cDNA is reported and compared with those of previously published CVB3 variants. Comparison of the full sequences of H3 and H310A1 viruses identified a single nonconserved mutation (A to G) in the P1 polyprotein region at nucleotide 1442 resulting in an asparagine-to-aspartate mutation in amino acid 165 of VP2. This mutation is in a region that corresponds to the puff region of VP2. Nucleotide 1442 of the H3 and H310A1 cDNA copies of the viral genome was mutated to change amino acid 165 of VP2 to aspartate and asparagine, respectively. The presence of asparagine at amino acid 165 of VP2 is associated with the myocarditic phenotype, while an aspartate at the same site reduces the myocarditic potential of the virus. In addition, high-level production of tumor necrosis factor alpha by infected BALB/c monocytes is associated with asparagine at amino acid 165 of VP2 as has been previously demonstrated for the H3 virus. These findings identify potentially important differences between the H3 variant of CVB3 and other previously published CVB3 variants. In addition, the data demonstrate that a point mutation in the puff region of VP2 can markedly alter the ability of CVB3 to induce myocarditis in mice and tumor necrosis factor alpha secretion from infected BALB/c monocytes.     

Antioxidants and phase 2 enzymes in cardiomyocytes: Chemical inducibility and chemoprotection against oxidant and simulated ischemia-reperfusion injury

The increasing recognition of the role for oxidative stress in cardiac disorders has led to extensive investigation on the protection by exogenous antioxidants against oxidative cardiac injury. On the other hand, another strategy for protecting against oxidative cardiac injury may be through upregulation of the endogenous antioxidants and phase 2 enzymes in the myocardium by chemical inducers. However, our current understanding of the chemical inducibility of cardiac cellular antioxidants and phase 2 enzymes is very limited. In this study, using rat cardiac H9c2 cells we have characterized the concentration- and time-dependent induction of cellular antioxidants and phase 2 enzymes by 3H-1,2-dithiole-3-thione (D3T), and the resultant chemoprotective effects on oxidative cardiac cell injury. Incubation of H9c2 cells with D3T resulted in a marked concentration- and time-dependent induction of a number of cellular antioxidants and phase 2 enzymes, including catalase, reduced glutathione (GSH), GSH peroxidase, glutathione reductase (GR), GSH S-transferase (GST), and NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase-1 (NQO1). D3T treatment of H9c2 cells also caused an increase in mRNA expression of catalase, gamma-glutamylcysteine ligase catalytic subunit, GR, GSTA1, M1 and P1, and NQO1. Moreover, both mRNA and protein expression of Nrf2 were induced in D3T-treated cells. D3T pretreatment led to a marked protection against H9c2 cell injury elicited by various oxidants and simulated ischemia-reperfusion. D3T pretreatment also resulted in decreased intracellular accumulation of reactive oxygen in H9c2 cells after exposure to the oxidants as well as simulated ischemia-reperfusion. This study demonstrates that a series of endogenous antioxidants and phase 2 enzymes in H9c2 cells can be induced by D3T in a concentration- and time-dependent fashion, and that the D3T-upregulated cellular defenses are accompanied by a markedly increased resistance to oxidative cardiac cell injury.     

Potential cytotoxicity of silver nanoparticles: Stimulation of autophagy and mitochondrial dysfunction in cardiac cells

In the present study, we elucidated the potential cytotoxicity of AgNPs in H9c2 rat cardiomyoblasts and assessed the underlying toxicological manifestations responsible for their toxicity thereof. The results indicated that the exposure of AgNPs to H9c2 cardiac cells decreased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner and caused cell cycle arrest followed by induction of apoptosis. The AgNPs treated cardiac cells showed a generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial dysfunction where mitochondrial ATP was reduced and the expression of AMPK1α increased. AgNPs also induced ROS-mediated autophagy in H9c2 cells. There was a significant time-dependent increase in intracellular levels of Atg5, Beclin1, and LC3BII after exposure to AgNPs, signifying the autophagic response in H9c2 cells. More importantly, the addition of N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) inhibited autophagy and significantly reduced the cytotoxicity of AgNPs in H9c2 cells. The study highlights the prospective toxicity of AgNPs on cardiac cells, collectively signifying a potential health risk.