Faculty Bibliography

With advanced aging, there is a decline in innate cardiovascular function. This decline is not general in nature. Instead, specific changes occur that impact the basic cardiovascular function, which include alterations in biochemical pathways and ion channel function. This review focuses on a particular ion channel that couple the latter two processes, namely the KATP channel, which opening is promoted by alterations in intracellular energy metabolism. We show that the intrinsic properties of the KATP channel changes with advanced aging and argue that the channel can be further modulated by biochemical changes. The importance is widespread, given the ubiquitous nature of the KATP channel in the cardiovascular system where it can regulate processes as diverse as cardiac function, blood flow and protection mechanisms against superimposed stress, such as cardiac ischemia. We highlight questions that remain to be answered before the KATP channel can be considered as a viable target for therapeutic intervention.

INTRODUCTION: This review focuses on the multi-ligand receptor of the immunoglobulin superfamily - receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE). The accumulation of the multiple ligands of RAGE in cellular stress milieux links RAGE to the pathobiology of chronic disease and natural aging. Areas covered: In this review, we present a discussion on the ligands of RAGE and the implications of these ligand families in disease. We review the recent literature on the role of ligand-RAGE interaction in the consequences of natural aging; the macro- and microvascular complications of diabetes; obesity and insulin resistance; autoimmune disorders and chronic inflammation; and tumors and Alzheimer's disease. We discuss the mechanisms of RAGE signaling through its intracellular binding effector molecule - the formin DIAPH1. Physicochemical evidence of how the RAGE cytoplasmic domain binds to the FH1 (formin homology 1) domain of DIAPH1, and the consequences thereof, are also reviewed. Expert opinion: We discuss the modalities of RAGE antagonism currently in preclinical and clinical studies. Finally, we present the rationale behind potentially targeting the RAGE cytoplasmic domain-DIAPH1 interaction as a logical strategy for therapeutic intervention in the pathological settings of chronic diseases and aging wherein RAGE ligands accumulate and signal.

Diabetes exacerbates cardiovascular disease, at least in part via suppression of macrophage cholesterol efflux and levels of the cholesterol transporters, ATP binding cassette transporters A1 (ABCA1) and ABCG1. The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is highly expressed in human and murine diabetic atherosclerotic plaques, particularly in macrophages. We tested the hypothesis that RAGE suppresses macrophage cholesterol efflux and probed the mechanisms by which RAGE downregulates ABCA1 and ABCG1. Macrophage cholesterol efflux to Apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) and High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) and reverse cholesterol transport to plasma, liver and feces were reduced in diabetic macrophages via RAGE. In vitro, RAGE ligands suppressed ABCG1 and ABCA1 promoter luciferase activity and transcription of ABCG1 and ABCA1 through PPARG-responsive promoter elements, but not through Liver X Receptor (LXR) elements. Plasma levels of HDL were reduced in diabetic mice in a RAGE-dependent manner. Laser capture microdissected CD68+ macrophages from atherosclerotic plaques of Ldlr-/- mice devoid of Ager (RAGE) displayed higher levels of Abca1, Abcg1 and Pparg mRNA transcripts vs. Ager-expressing Ldlr-/- mice, in a manner independent of glycemia or plasma levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride. Antagonism of RAGE may fill an important therapeutic gap in the treatment of diabetic macrovascular complications.

Types 1 and 2 diabetes are on the rise worldwide. Although the treatment of hyperglycemia has benefitted from recent advances, aggressive efforts to maintain euglycemia may be fraught with risk, especially in older subjects or in subjects vulnerable to hypoglycemic unawareness. Hence, strategies to prevent and treat the complications of hyperglycemia are essential. In this review, we summarize recent updates on the biology of the receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE) in the pathogenesis of both micro- and macrovascular complications of diabetes, insights from the study of mouse models of obesity and diabetic complications, and from associative studies in human subjects. The study of the mechanisms and consequences of the interaction of the RAGE cytoplasmic domain with the formin, mDia1, in RAGE signal transduction, will be discussed. Lastly, we review the 'state-of-the-art' on RAGE-directed therapeutics. Tackling RAGE/mDia1 may identify a novel class of therapeutics preventing diabetes and its complications

Ferroptosis has emerged as a new form of regulated necrosis that is implicated in various human diseases. However, the mechanisms of ferroptosis are not well defined. This study reports the discovery of multiple molecular components of ferroptosis and its intimate interplay with cellular metabolism and redox machinery. Nutrient starvation often leads to sporadic apoptosis. Strikingly, we found that upon deprivation of amino acids, a more rapid and potent necrosis process can be induced in a serum-dependent manner, which was subsequently determined to be ferroptosis. Two serum factors, the iron-carrier protein transferrin and amino acid glutamine, were identified as the inducers of ferroptosis. We further found that the cell surface transferrin receptor and the glutamine-fueled intracellular metabolic pathway, glutaminolysis, played crucial roles in the death process. Inhibition of glutaminolysis, the essential component of ferroptosis, can reduce heart injury triggered by ischemia/reperfusion, suggesting a potential therapeutic approach for treating related diseases.

Dietary n-3 fatty acids (FAs) may reduce cardiovascular disease risk. We questioned whether acute administration of n-3 rich triglyceride (TG) emulsions could preserve cardiac function and decrease injury after ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) insult. We used two different experimental models: in vivo, C57BL/6 mice were exposed to acute occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), and ex-vivo, C57BL/6 murine hearts were perfused using Langendorff technique (LT). In the LAD model, mice treated with n-3 TG emulsion (1.5g/kg body weight), immediately after ischemia and 1h later during reperfusion, significantly reduced infarct size and maintained cardiac function (p<0.05). In the LT model, administration of n-3 TG emulsion (300mgTG/100ml) during reperfusion significantly improved functional recovery (p<0.05). In both models, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, as a marker of injury, were significantly reduced by n-3 TG emulsion. To investigate the mechanisms by which n-3 FAs protects hearts from I/R injury, we investigated changes in key pathways linked to cardioprotection. In the ex-vivo model, we showed that n-3 FAs increased phosphorylation of AKT and GSK3beta proteins (p<0.05). Acute n-3 TG emulsion treatment also increased Bcl-2 protein level and reduced an autophagy marker, Beclin-1 (p<0.05). Additionally, cardioprotection by n-3 TG emulsion was linked to changes in PPARgamma protein expression (p<0.05). Rosiglitazone and p-AKT inhibitor counteracted the positive effect of n-3 TG; GSK3beta inhibitor plus n-3 TG significantly inhibited LDH release. We conclude that acute n-3 TG injection during reperfusion provides cardioprotection. This may prove to be a novel acute adjunctive reperfusion therapy after treating patients with myocardial infarction.

In mammals, changes in the metabolic state, including obesity, fasting, cold challenge and high fat diets activate complex immune responses. In many strains of rodents, high fat diets induce a rapid systemic inflammatory response and lead to obesity. Little is known about the molecular signals required for high fat diet (HFD)-induced phenotypes. Here we studied the function of the receptor for advanced glycation products (RAGE) in the development of phenotypes associated with high fat feeding in mice. RAGE is highly expressed on immune cells, including macrophages. High fat feeding induced expression of RAGE ligand HMGB1 and carboxy methyl lysine (CML)-advanced glycation endproducts (AGE) epitopes in liver and adipose tissue. Genetic deficiency of RAGE prevented the effects of HFD on energy expenditure, weight gain, adipose tissue inflammation, and insulin resistance. RAGE deficiency had no effect on genetic forms of obesity caused by impaired melanocortin signaling. Hematopoietic deficiency of RAGE or treatment with soluble RAGE partially protected against peripheral HFD-induced inflammation and weight gain. These data argue that high fat feeding induces peripheral inflammation and weight gain in a RAGE-dependent manner, providing a foothold in the pathways that regulate diet-induced obesity and offering the potential for therapeutic intervention.