Periostin expression is upregulated and associated with myocardial fibrosis in human failing hearts.
OBJECTIVE
Periostin, a matricellular protein, plays an important role in cardiac development and remodeling. Its expression profile and the association with myocardial fibrosis have not been investigated in human failing hearts. This work aimed to explore the behavior and pathologic significance of periostin in signifying collagen fibrogenesis in human hearts from patients with end-stage heart failure.


METHODS
Tissues were collected from heart transplant recipients and the control hearts were from unmatched donors. Periostin mRNA and protein were detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. Immunohistochemistry staining was employed to directly detect the protein level and distribution of periostin in heart tissues. The extent of myocardial fibrosis was expressed by the percentage of Masson's trichrome staining. Gelatin zymography was used to detect the activities of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)2 and MMP9.


RESULTS
A low level of periostin mRNA expression was found in control hearts while not detectable at the protein level. Periostin mRNA was increased significantly in failing myocardium compared to that of controls. Periostin was distributed extensively in left ventricle and interventricular septum of the failing hearts. Correlation analysis showed periostin protein expression was positively associated with myocardial fibrosis as well as left ventricular diastolic dimension. The distribution and extent of periostin was consistent with that of myocardial fibrosis. MMP2 activity has an obvious increase about fourfold in heart tissues from HF patients. But there is no quantitative association with the expression of periostin.


CONCLUSIONS
Periostin, the distribution and expression of which were consistent with the extent of myocardial fibrosis, might be a potential biomarker of cardiac remodeling in heart failure patients.
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210029, PR China.
Sheng
S
Zhao
Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210029, PR China.
Hengfang
H
Wu
Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210029, PR China.
Wenlong
W
Xia
Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210029, PR China.
Xiangjian
X
Chen
Department of Cardiology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210011, PR China.
Shushu
S
Zhu
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210029, PR China.
Shijiang
S
Zhang
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210029, PR China.
Yongfeng
Y
Shao
Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210029, PR China.
Wenzhu
W
Ma
Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210029, PR China. Electronic address: diyang@njmu.edu.cn.
Di
D
Yang
Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210029, PR China. Electronic address: Jinanzh506@yahoo.com.
Jinan
J
Zhang
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D015870:Gene Expression; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006352:Heart Ventricles; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling
D015415:Biomarkers; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; C512835:POSTN protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C522361:MMP2 protein, human; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2
Heart failure; MMPs; Myocardial fibrosis; Periostin; Transplantation