Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0018801 (heart failure)
 72,216 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Alterations in beta-adrenergic receptor-Gs-adenylyl cyclase coupling underlie the reduced catecholamine responsiveness that is a hallmark of human and animal models of heart failure. To study the effect of altered expression of Gs alpha, we overexpressed the short isoform of Gs alpha in the hearts of transgenic mice, using a rat alpha-myosin heavy chain promoter. Gs alpha mRNA levels were increased selectively in the hearts of transgenic mice, with a level 38 times the control. Despite this marked increase in mRNA, Western blotting identified only a 2.8-fold increase in the content of the Gs alpha short isoform, whereas Gs activity was increased by 88%. The discrepancy between Gs alpha mRNA and Gs alpha protein levels suggests that the membrane content of Gs alpha is posttranscriptionally regulated. The steady-state adenylyl cyclase catalytic activity was not altered under either basal or stimulated conditions (GTP + isoproterenol, GTP gamma S, NaF, or forskolin). However, progress curve studies did show a significant decrease in the lag period necessary for GppNHp to stimulate adenylyl cyclase activity. Furthermore, the relative number of beta-adrenergic receptors binding agonist with high affinity was significantly increased. Our data demonstrate that a relatively small increase in the amount of the coupling protein Gs alpha can modify the rate of catalyst activation and the formation of agonist high affinity receptors.
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PMID:Overexpression of Gs alpha protein in the hearts of transgenic mice. 770 76

1. The type-1 angiotensin II (AngII) receptors, designated AT1, mediate most of the biological actions of the peptide hormone AngII. They are the most recent drug target for the treatment of hypertension and cardiac failure and basic research is now focusing on the mechanisms that regulate their expression. 2. In humans there is a single AT1 gene. It encodes a 47 kb pre-mRNA containing five exons, with the previously described AT1 open reading frame (ORF) on exon 5. Alternative splicing results in the production of mature mRNA that are translated at different efficiencies and encode two receptor isoforms. The inclusion of exon 2 markedly inhibits translation of the down-stream ORF, both in vitro and in vivo. Nonetheless, this exon is present in up to one-half of AT1 mRNA in all tissues studied. 3. Transcripts containing exon 3 spliced to exon 5 encode a receptor with an amino-terminal extension of 32 amino acids and represent up to one-third of total AT1 mRNA in each tissue examined. In vitro, these latter transcripts are translated to produce a longer receptor and, in transfected cells, they encode a functional AT1 receptor with ligand-binding and signalling properties similar to those of the short isoform. 4. Exon 4 is of minor significance as it is rarely spliced into AT1 mRNA. 5. These data indicate that, in addition to characterizing factors that modulate AT1 promoter activity and RNA stability, it is important to analyse the splicing patterns of this gene when studying the regulation of its expression.
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PMID:Human type-1 angiotensin II (AT1) receptor gene structure and function. 899 42

G proteins-coupled signaling pathways appear to play a role in the development of cardiac hypertrophy and its progression to heart failure. The present study aimed to investigate trimeric G proteins and adenylyl cyclase signaling in immature as well as in adult rat myocardium during this process caused by pressure overload. Pressure overload was induced in newborn (2-day-old) rats by abdominal aortic banding and myocardial preparations from left ventricular myocardium of immature (10-day-old) and adult (90-day-old) animals were analyzed for the relative content of different G protein subunits and adenylyl cyclase (AC) by immunoblotting with specific antibodies. A functional status of the AC signaling system was also evaluated. Normal maturation of rat heart was accompanied by increased expression of AC type V/VI and VII and of the long isoform (G(s)alphaL) of G(s)alpha protein. In parallel, the amounts of myocardial G(i)alpha/G(o)alpha proteins tended to decrease, and G(q)alpha/G(11)alpha and Gbeta did not change. Interestingly, whereas fluoride-stimulated AC activity increased in the course of maturation, activity of AC measured under other experimental conditions (stimulation by Mn2+, forskolin or isoproterenol) was lower in adult than in young rat myocardium. Pressure overload did not influence distribution of G proteins in immature myocardium, but considerably decreased the content of G(s)alphaL and increased G(o)alpha proteins in hearts of 90-day-old rats. These hearts exhibited worsened functional reserve as compared to age-matched controls and activity of AC was also markedly lower. A considerable reduction in Mn(2+)-stimulated AC activity together with similar decrease in AC activity determined under other stimulation conditions suggests that it is a function of AC catalytic subunit that is primarily impaired in this model of pressure overload.
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PMID:Cardiomegaly induced by pressure overload in newborn rats is accompanied by altered expression of the long isoform of G(s)alpha protein and deranged signaling of adenylyl cyclase. 1270 55

Native volume-sensitive outwardly rectifying anion channels (VSOACs) play a significant role in cell volume homeostasis in mammalian cells. However, the molecular correlate of VSOACs has been elusive to identify. The short isoform of ClC-3 (sClC-3) is a member of the mammalian ClC gene family and has been proposed to be a molecular candidate for VSOACs in cardiac myocytes and vascular smooth muscle cells. To directly test this hypothesis, and assess the physiological role of ClC-3 in cardiac function, we generated a novel line of cardiac-specific inducible ClC-3 knock-out mice. These transgenic mice were maintained on a doxycycline diet to preserve ClC-3 expression; removal of doxycycline activates Cre recombinase to inactivate the Clcn3 gene. Echocardiography revealed dramatically reduced ejection fraction and fractional shortening, and severe signs of myocardial hypertrophy and heart failure in the knock-out mice at both 1.5 and 3 weeks off doxycycline. In mice off doxycycline, time-dependent inactivation of ClC-3 gene expression was confirmed in atrial and ventricular cells by qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Electrophysiological examination of native VSOACs in isolated atrial and ventricular myocytes 3 weeks off doxycycline revealed a complete elimination of the currents, whereas at 1.5 weeks, VSOAC current densities were significantly reduced, compared to age-matched control mice maintained on doxycycline. These results indicate that ClC-3 is a key component of native VSOACs in mammalian heart and plays a significant cardioprotective role against cardiac hypertrophy and failure.
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PMID:Cardiac-specific, inducible ClC-3 gene deletion eliminates native volume-sensitive chloride channels and produces myocardial hypertrophy in adult mice. 1961 74

1. The type-1 angiotensin II (AngII) receptors, designated AT(1), mediate most of the biological actions of the peptide hormone AngII. They are the most recent drug target for the treatment of hypertension and cardiac failure and basic research is now focusing on the mechanisms that regulate their expression. 2. In humans there is a single AT(1) gene. It encodes a 47 kb pre-mRNA containing five exons, with the previously described AT(1) open reading frame (ORF) on exon 5. Alternative splicing results in the production of mature mRNA that are translated at different efficiencies and encode two receptor isoforms. The inclusion of exon 2 markedly inhibits translation of the downstream ORF, both in vitro and in vivo. Nonetheless, this exon is present in up to one-half of AT(1) mRNA in all tissues studied. 3. Transcripts containing exon 3 spliced to exon 5 encode a receptor with an amino-terminal extension of 32 amino acids and represent up to one-third of total AT(1) mRNA in each tissue examined. In vitro, these latter transcripts are translated to produce a longer receptor and, in transfected cells, they encode a functional AT(1) receptor with ligand-binding and signalling properties similar to those of the short isoform. 4. Exon 4 is of minor significance as it is rarely spliced into AT(1) mRNA. 5. These data indicate that, in addition to characterizing factors that modulate AT(1) promoter activity and RNA stability, it is important to analyse the splicing patterns of this gene when studying the regulation of its expression.
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PMID:Human type-1 angiotensin II (AT1) receptor gene structure and function. 2114 76

Apoptosis is a key determinant of major pathological processes, including chronic cardiac failure. We developed and tested in vitro a novel system to induce cardiomyocyte-specific apoptosis by virus-mediated delivery of a conditional transgene. The entire system was packaged in a lentiviral vector. We used the cardiomyocyte-specific Na(+)-Ca(2+) exchange promoter to control the transcription of the reverse tetracycline transactivator, while the transgene expression was driven by the tetracycline-responsive element. The proapoptotic transgene of choice was the short isoform of the apoptosis-inducing factor, known to quickly induce the caspase-independent apoptosis when overexpressed in cells. Transduction of cardiomyocyte cells with this vector caused a tetracycline-regulated induction of apoptosis, which was not observed in noncardiac cells. Therefore, our system proved a valuable molecular tool for inducing controlled apoptosis in selected cells. Furthermore, the vector we developed is suitable for "lentivirus transgenesis," an interesting strategy recently proposed for the genetic manipulation of animals other than mice, including large mammals.
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PMID:A new dual-promoter system for cardiomyocyte-specific conditional induction of apoptosis. 2357 14

A sensitive new plate-reader assay has been developed showing that adult mammalian blood serum contains circulating soluble sulfhydryl oxidase activity that can introduce disulfide bonds into reduced proteins with the reduction of oxygen to hydrogen peroxide. The activity was purified 5000-fold to >90% homogeneity from bovine serum and found by mass spectrometry to be consistent with the short isoform of quiescin-sulfhydryl oxidase 1 (QSOX1). This FAD-dependent enzyme is present at comparable activity levels in fetal and adult commercial bovine sera. Thus cell culture media that are routinely supplemented with either fetal or adult bovine sera will contain this facile catalyst of protein thiol oxidation. QSOX1 is present at approximately 25 nM in pooled normal adult human serum. Examination of the unusual kinetics of QSOX1 toward cysteine and glutathione at low micromolar concentrations suggests that circulating QSOX1 is unlikely to significantly contribute to the oxidation of these monothiols in plasma. However, the ability of QSOX1 to rapidly oxidize conformationally mobile protein thiols suggests a possible contribution to the redox status of exofacial and soluble proteins in blood plasma. Recent proteomic studies showing that plasma QSOX1 can be utilized in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and acute decompensated heart failure, together with the overexpression of this secreted enzyme in a number of solid tumors, suggest that the robust QSOX assay developed here may be useful in the quantitation of enzyme levels in a wide range of biological fluids.
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PMID:Disulfide bond generation in mammalian blood serum: detection and purification of quiescin-sulfhydryl oxidase. 2446 75