title: MCP-1/CCL2 protects cardiac myocytes from hypoxia-induced apoptosis by a G(alphai)-independent pathway.
abstract: Chemokines, in addition to their chemotactic properties, act upon resident cells within a tissue and mediate other cellular functions. In a previous study, we demonstrated that CCL2 protects cultured mouse neonatal cardiac myocytes from hypoxia-induced cell death. Leukocyte chemotaxis has been shown to contribute to ischemic injury. While the chemoattractant properties of CCL2 have been established, the protective effects of this chemokine suggest a novel role for CCL2 in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. The present study examined the cellular signaling pathways that promote this protection. Treatment of cardiac myocyte cultures with CCL2 protected them from hypoxia-induced apoptosis. This protection was not mediated through the activation of G(alphai) signaling that mediates monocyte chemotaxis. Inhibition of the ERK1/2 signaling pathway abrogated CCL2 protection. Caspase 3 activation and JNK/SAPK phosphorylation were decreased in hypoxic myocytes co-treated with CCL2 as compared to hypoxia only-treated cultures. Expression of the Bcl-2 family proteins, Bcl-xL and Bag-1, was increased in CCL2-treated myocytes subjected to hypoxia. There was also downregulation of Bax protein levels as a result of CCL2 co-treatment. These data suggest that CCL2 cytoprotection and chemotaxis may occur through distinct signaling mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, New York 10461, USA.
authors.forename: Sima T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Tarzami
authors.forename: Tina M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Calderon
authors.forename: Arnel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Deguzman
authors.forename: Lillie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: Richard N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Kitsis
authors.forename: Joan W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Berman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015687:Cell Hypoxia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D019206:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gi-Go / Q000378:metabolism*; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; C491766:Ccl2 protein, rat; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D016207:Cytokines; D019206:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gi-Go