title: Adrenomedullin protects against myocardial apoptosis after ischemia/reperfusion through activation of Akt-GSK signaling.
abstract: Adrenomedullin (AM) is a potent vasoactive peptide and plays an important role in cardiovascular function. In this study, we delivered the AM gene locally into the heart, using a catheter-based technique to investigate the signaling mechanism mediated by AM in protection against cardiomyocyte apoptosis induced by acute ischemia/reperfusion. After adenovirus-mediated gene delivery, highly efficient and specific expression of luciferase, green fluorescent protein, or recombinant human AM was identified in the left ventricle. Delivery of the AM gene 5 days before ischemia/reperfusion attenuated myocardial apoptosis identified by in situ dUTP nick-end labeling and DNA laddering, and the effect was blocked by the AM antagonist human calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP 8 to 37). AM gene transfer increased phosphorylation of Akt and glycogen synthase kinase (GSK-3beta) but reduced GSK-3beta and caspase-3 activities in the heart. The effects of AM on GSK-3beta and caspase-3 activities were blocked by CGRP (8-37) and by adenovirus containing dominant-negative Akt (DN-Akt). Furthermore, in cultured cardiomyocytes, AM also attenuated apoptosis induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation, which was accompanied by increased phospho-GSK-3beta but reduced GSK-3 and caspase-3 activities. GSK-3 and caspase-3 activities were both blocked by Ad.DN-Akt and lithium, whereas only caspase-3 was inhibited by its inhibitor Z-VAD. The effects of AM on anti-apoptosis and promoting cell viability were blocked by DN-Akt but not by constitutively active Akt, lithium, or Z-VAD. These results indicate that AM protects against cardiomyocyte apoptosis induced by ischemia/reperfusion injury through the Akt-GSK-caspase signaling pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425-2211, USA.
authors.forename: Hang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chao
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D053607:Adrenomedullin; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D008297:Male; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000166:cytology; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D053607:Adrenomedullin; C494920:Akt1 protein, rat; C000605506:GSK3B protein, human; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; C000605508:Gsk3b protein, rat; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases