Phospholamban Antisense RNA Improves SR Ca^(2+)-ATPase Activity and Left Ventricular Function in STZ-induced Diabetic Rats

Objective To study the effect of phospholamban antisense RNA （asPLB） on sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2＋-ATPase activity and cardiac function in rats with diabetes mellitus （DM） mediated by recombinant adeno-associated virus （rAAV） vector. Methods Six weeks after the induction of DM by streptozotocin injected intraperitoneally, the rats were divided into three groups, namely： DM-rAAV-asPLB group, DM-saline group and DM group （control group）. The rats in the DM-rAAV-asPLB group were intramyocardially injected with rAAV-asPLB, the rats in the DM-saline group were injected with saline, and those in the control group did not receive any treatment. Six weeks after gene transfer, the expressions of PLB protein and PLB phosphorylation were detected by Western-blot, while the activity of sarcoplasmic reticulum （SR） Ca2＋-ATPase and left ventricular function were measured. Results The PLB protein expression level was significantly higher whereas the PLB phosphorylation, SR Ca2＋-ATPase activity and left ventricular function were significantly lower in the DM-saline group than in the control group. No significant difference was found in PLB protein expression level, PLB phosphorylation or SR Ca2＋-ATPase activity between the DM-rAAV-asPLB group and the control group. The left ventricular function in the DM-rAAV-asPLB group was poorer than in the control group and was better than in the DM-saline group. Conclusion rAAV-asPLB can down-regulate PLB protein expression and up-regulate phosphorylation and SR Ca2＋-ATPase activity, thus contributing to the improvement of in vivo ventricutar function. PLB left

Transmembrane Ca^(2+) gradient-mediated phosphatidylcholine modulating sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca^(2+)-ATPase

The sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+-ATPase was purified and reconstituted into the sealed phospholipids vesicles with or without transmembrane Ca2+ gradient. The role ofphospholipids, especially phosphatidylcholine(PC), in the modulation of Ca2+-ATPase by transmembrane Ca2+ gradient was investigated. The results are as follows, (i) Incubated with phospholiplds, the enzyme activity of the delipidated Ca2+-ATPase is inhibited by Ca2+ and the highest inhibition is observed in the presence of PC. (ii) When there exists a transmembrane Ca2+ gradient (higher Ca2+ concentration inside vesicles, 1 000μmol/L:50μmol/L, similar to the physiological condition), the inhibition of Ca2+-ATPase by transmembrane Ca2+ gradient can be only observed in the vesicles containing PC:PE, but not in those containing PS:PE or PG:PE. The highest inhibition is obtained at a 50.50 molar ratio of PC:PE. (iii) By comparing the effects of PC differing in acyl chains, higher inhibition of Ca2+-ATPase is observed in vesicles

The substitution of SERCA2 redox cysteine 674 promotes pulmonary vascular remodeling by activating IRE1α/XBP1s pathway

Pulmonary hypertension(PH) is a life-threatening disease characterized by pulmonary vascular remodeling, in which hyperproliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells(PASMCs)plays an important role. The cysteine 674(C674) in the sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca^(2+)ATPase 2(SERCA2) is the critical redox regulatory cysteine to regulate SERCA2 activity. Heterozygous SERCA2 C674 S knock-in mice(SKI), where one copy of C674 was substituted by serine to represent partial C674 oxidative inactivation, developed significant pulmonary vascular remodeling resembling human PH, and their right ventricular systolic pressure modestly increased with age. In PASMCs, substitution of C674 activated inositol requiring enzyme 1 alpha(IRE1 a) and spliced X-box binding protein 1(XBP1 s) pathway, accelerated cell cycle and cell proliferation, which reversed by IRE1 a/XBP1 s pathway inhibitor 4μ8 C. In addition, suppressing the IRE1 a/XBP1 s pathway prevented pulmonary vascular remodeling caused by substitution of C674. Similar to SERCA2 a, SERCA2 b is also important to restrict the proliferation of PASMCs. Our study articulates the causal effect of C674 oxidative inactivation on the development of pulmonary vascular remodeling and PH, emphasizing the importance of C674 in restricting PASMC proliferation to maintain pulmonary vascular homeostasis. Moreover, the IRE1 a/XBP1 s pathway and SERCA2 might be potential targets for PH therapy.