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CaMKIIδ-mediated inflammatory gene expression and inflammasome activation in cardiomyocytes initiate inflammation and induce fibrosis
Andrew Willeford, Takeshi Suetomi, Audrey Nickle, Hal M. Hoffman, Shigeki Miyamoto, Joan Heller Brown
Andrew Willeford, Takeshi Suetomi, Audrey Nickle, Hal M. Hoffman, Shigeki Miyamoto, Joan Heller Brown
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Research Article Cardiology Inflammation

CaMKIIδ-mediated inflammatory gene expression and inflammasome activation in cardiomyocytes initiate inflammation and induce fibrosis

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Abstract

Inflammation accompanies heart failure and is a mediator of cardiac fibrosis. CaMKIIδ plays an essential role in adverse remodeling and decompensation to heart failure. We postulated that inflammation is the mechanism by which CaMKIIδ contributes to adverse remodeling in response to nonischemic interventions. We demonstrate that deletion of CaMKIIδ in the cardiomyocyte (CKO) significantly attenuates activation of NF-κB, expression of inflammatory chemokines and cytokines, and macrophage accumulation induced by angiotensin II (Ang II) infusion. The inflammasome was activated by Ang II, and this response was also diminished in CKO mice. These events occurred prior to any evidence of Ang II–induced cell death. In addition, CaMKII-dependent inflammatory gene expression and inflammasome priming were observed as early as the third hour of infusion, a time point at which macrophage recruitment was not evident. Inhibition of either the inflammasome or monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP1) signaling attenuated macrophage accumulation, and these interventions, like cardiomyocyte CaMKIIδ deletion, diminished the fibrotic response to Ang II. Thus, activation of CaMKIIδ in the cardiomyocyte represents what we believe to be a novel mechanism for initiating inflammasome activation and an inflammatory gene program that leads to macrophage recruitment and ultimately to development of fibrosis.

Authors

Andrew Willeford, Takeshi Suetomi, Audrey Nickle, Hal M. Hoffman, Shigeki Miyamoto, Joan Heller Brown

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Figure 4

Ang II–induced priming and activation of the inflammasome is mediated through cardiomyocyte CaMKIIδ and NF-κB.

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Ang II–induced priming and activation of the inflammasome is mediated th...
(A) Western blot and quantitation of NLRP3 protein in ventricular lysates of Camk2dfl/fl control (CTL) and cardiomyocyte-specific CaMKIIδ KO (CKO) mice after 1-day saline (vehicle [Veh]) or Ang II (1.5 μg/kg/min) infusion. GAPDH, loading control (n = 4/group). (B) Western blot and quantitation of NLRP3 protein in ventricular lysates of control mice infused with saline or Ang II for 1 day and injected intraperitoneally with BMS-345541 (BMS) at 3 time points throughout the 1-day infusion. Doses and injection times were 30 mg/kg at time 0 hours of infusion, 15 mg/kg at time 5 hours, and 60 mg/kg at time 8 hours (n = 3–4/group). (C) Caspase-1 activity in fresh ventricular lysates of mice infused with saline or Ang II for 1 day as measured by a prevalidated fluorometric caspase-1 activity kit. n = 3/group. Two-way ANOVA was used in A and C. One-way ANOVA was used in B. *P < 0.05 vs Veh, **P < 0.01 vs Veh; #P < 0.05, CTL Ang II vs. CKO Ang II or Ang II vs. Ang II + BMS.

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