Control of cytokinesis by β-adrenergic receptors indicates an approach for regulating the established number of cardiomyocytes.

Background: Many patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) have metabolic syndrome and develop exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension (EIPH). Increases in pulmonary vascular resistance in patients with HFpEF portend a poor prognosis; this phenotype is referred to as combined pre-and post-capillary PH (CpcPH). Therapeutic trials for EIPH and CpcPH have been disappointing, suggesting the need for strategies that target upstream mechanisms of disease. This work reports novel rat EIPH models and mechanisms of pulmonary vascular dysfunction centered around the transcriptional repression of the soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) enzyme in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PAVSMCs). Methods: We used obese ZSF-1 leptin-receptor knock-out rats (HFpEF model), obese ZSF-1 rats treated with SU5416 to stimulate resting PH (Obese+sugen, CpcPH model), and Lean ZSF-1 rats (controls). Right and left ventricular hemodynamics were evaluated via implanted-catheters during treadmill exercise. PA function was evaluated using MRI and myography. Overexpression of NFYA, a transcriptional-enhancer of sGCβ1, was performed by PA delivery of adeno-associated-virus 6 (AAV6). Treatment groups received SGLT2 inhibitor Empagliflozin in drinking water. PAVSMCs from rats and humans were cultured with Palmitic acid, Glucose, and Insulin (PGI) to induce metabolic-stress. Results: Obese rats showed normal resting right ventricular systolic pressures (RVSP) which significantly increased during exercise, modeling EIPH. Obese+sugen rats showed anatomical PA remodeling and developed elevated RVSP at rest, which was exacerbated with exercise, modeling CpcPH. Myography and MRI during dobutamine-challenge revealed PA functional impairment of both obese groups. PAs of obese rats produced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and decreased sGCβ1 expression. Mechanistically, cultured PAVSMCs from obese rats, humans with diabetes or treated with PGI, showed increased mitochondrial-ROS, which enhanced miR-193b-dependent RNA-degradation of NFYA, resulting in decreased sGCβ1-cGMP signaling. Forced NYFA expression by AAV6 delivery increased sGCβ1 levels and improved exercise-PH in Obese+sugen rats. Treatment of Obese+sugen rats with Empagliflozin improved metabolic syndrome, reduced mitochondrial ROS and miR-193b levels, restored NFYA/sGC activity, and prevented EIPH. Conclusions: In HFpEF and CpcPH models, metabolic syndrome contributes to pulmonary vascular dysfunction and EIPH through enhanced ROS and miR-193b expression, which down-regulates NFYA-dependent sGCβ1 expression. AAV-mediated NFYA overexpression and SGLT2 inhibition restores NFYA-sGCβ1-cGMP signaling and ameliorates EIPH.

Our previous work identified a 12-amino acid peptide that targets the heart, termed cardiac targeting peptide (CTP). We now quantitatively assess the bio-distribution of CTP, show a clinical application with the imaging of the murine heart, and study its mechanisms of transduction. Bio-distribution studies of cyanine5.5-N-Hydroxysuccinimide (Cy5.5) labeled CTP were undertaken in wild-type mice. Cardiac targeting peptide was labeled with Technetium 99m (^99mTc) using the chelator hydrazino-nicotinamide (HYNIC), and imaging performed using micro-single photon emission computerized tomography/computerized tomography (SPECT/CT). Human-induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes (CMCs) were incubated with dual-labeled CTP, and imaged using confocal microscopy. TriCEPs technology was utilized to study the mechanism of transduction. Bio-distribution studies showed peak uptake of CTP at 15 min. ^99mTc-HYNIC-CTP showed heart-specific uptake. Robust transduction of beating human iPSC-derived CMCs was seen. TriCEPs experiments revealed five candidate binding partners for CTP, with Kcnh5 being felt to be the most likely candidate as it showed a trend towards being competed out by siRNA knockdown. Transduction efficiency was enhanced by increasing extracellular potassium concentration, and with Quinidine, a Kcnh5 inhibitor, that blocks the channel in an open position. We demonstrate that CTP transduces the normal heart as early as 15 min. ^99mTc-HYNIC-CTP targets the normal murine heart with substantially improved targeting compared with ^99mTc Sestamibi. Cardiac targeting peptide’s transduction ability is not species limited and has human applicability. Cardiac targeting peptide appears to utilize Kcnh5 to gain cell entry, a phenomenon that is affected by pre-treatment with Quinidine and changes in potassium levels.

Phenylalanine hydroxylase–deficient (PAH-deficient) phenylketonuria (PKU) results in systemic hyperphenylalaninemia, leading to neurotoxicity with severe developmental disabilities. Dietary phenylalanine (Phe) restriction prevents the most deleterious effects of hyperphenylalaninemia, but adherence to diet is poor in adult and adolescent patients, resulting in characteristic neurobehavioral phenotypes. Thus, an urgent need exists for new treatments. Additionally, rodent models of PKU do not adequately reflect neurocognitive phenotypes, and thus there is a need for improved animal models. To this end, we have developed PAH -null pigs. After selection of optimal CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing reagents by using an in vitro cell model, zygote injection of 2 sgRNAs and Cas9 mRNA demonstrated deletions in preimplantation embryos, with embryo transfer to a surrogate leading to 2 founder animals. One pig was heterozygous for a PAH exon 6 deletion allele, while the other was compound heterozygous for deletions of exon 6 and of exons 6–7. The affected pig exhibited hyperphenylalaninemia (2000–5000 μM) that was treatable by dietary Phe restriction, consistent with classical PKU, along with juvenile growth retardation, hypopigmentation, ventriculomegaly, and decreased brain gray matter volume. In conclusion, we have established a large-animal preclinical model of PKU to investigate pathophysiology and to assess new therapeutic interventions.

Background: Modeling cardiovascular diseases in mice has provided invaluable insights into the cause of congenital heart disease. However, the small size of the mouse heart has precluded translational studies. Given current high‐efficiency gene editing, congenital heart disease modeling in other species is possible. The pig is advantageous given its cardiac anatomy, physiology, and size are similar to human infants. We profiled pig cardiovascular development and generated genetically edited pigs with congenital heart defects. Methods and Results: Pig conceptuses and fetuses were collected spanning 7 stages (day 20 to birth at day 115), with at least 3 embryos analyzed per stage. A combination of magnetic resonance imaging and 3‐dimensional histological reconstructions with episcopic confocal microscopy were conducted. Gross dissections were performed in late‐stage or term fetuses by using sequential segmental analysis of the atrial, ventricular, and arterial segments. At day 20, the heart has looped, forming a common atria and ventricle and an undivided outflow tract. Cardiac morphogenesis progressed rapidly, with atrial and outflow septation evident by day 26 and ventricular septation completed by day 30. The outflow and atrioventricular cushions seen at day 20 undergo remodeling to form mature valves, a process continuing beyond day 42. Genetically edited pigs generated with mutation in chromatin modifier SAP130 exhibited tricuspid dysplasia, with tricuspid atresia associated with early embryonic lethality. Conclusions: The major events in pig cardiac morphogenesis are largely complete by day 30. The developmental profile is similar to human and mouse, indicating gene edited pigs may provide new opportunities for preclinical studies focused on outcome improvements for congenital heart disease.