20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) induces endothelial dysfunction and is correlated with diabetes. This study was designed to investigate the effects of 20-HETE on endothelial insulin signaling.Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) or C57BL/6J mice were treated with 20-HETE in the presence or absence of insulin, and p-ERK1/2, p-JNK, IRS-1/PI3K/AKT/eNOS pathway, were examined in endothelial cells and aortas by immunoblotting. eNOS activity and nitric oxide production were measured. 20-HETE increased ERK1/2 phosphorylation and IRS-1 phosphorylation at Ser⁶¹⁶; these effects were reversed by ERK1/2 inhibition. We further observed that 20-HETE treatment resulted in impaired insulin-stimulated IRS-1 phosphorylation at Tyr⁶³² and subsequent PI3-kinase/Akt activation. Furthermore, 20-HETE treatment blocked insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of eNOS at the stimulatory Ser¹¹⁷⁷ site, eNOS activation and NO production; these effects were reversed by inhibiting ERK1/2. Treatment of C57BL/6J mice with 20-HETE resulted in ERK1/2 activation and impaired insulin-dependent activation of the IRS-1/PI3K/Akt/eNOS pathway in the aorta. Our data suggest that the 20-HETE activation of IRS-1 phosphorylation at Ser⁶¹⁶ is dependent on ERK1/2 and leads to impaired insulin-stimulated vasodilator effects that are mediated by the IRS-1/PI3K/AKT/eNOS pathway.

Growing evidence has well established the protective effects of CYP2J2/EET on the cardiovascular system. The aim of the present study was to determine whether CYP2J2/EET has a preventive effect on atrial fibrillation (AF) and to investigate the underlying mechanisms. Wild‐type mice were injected with or without AAV9‐CYP2J2 before abdominal aortic constriction (AAC) operation. After 8 weeks, compared with wild‐type mice, AAC mice display higher AF inducibility and longer AF durations, which were remarkably attenuated with AAV9‐CYP2J2. Also, AAV9‐CYP2J2 reduced atrial fibrosis area and the deposit of collagen‐I/III in AAC mice, accompanied by the blockade of TGF‐β/Smad‐2/3 signalling pathways, as well as the recovery in Smad‐7 expression. In vitro, isolated atrial fibroblasts were administrated with TGF‐β1, EET, EEZE, GW9662, SiRNA Smad‐7 and pre‐MiR‐21, and EET was demonstrated to restrain the differentiation of atrial fibroblasts largely dependent on Smad‐7, due to the inhibition of EET on MiR‐21. In addition, increased inflammatory cytokines, as well as activated NF‐κB pathways induced by AAC surgery, were also significantly blunted by AAV9‐CYP2J2 treatment. These effects of CYP2J2/EET were partially blocked by GW9662, the antagonist of PPAR‐γ. In conclusion, this study revealed that CYP2J2/EET ameliorates atrial fibrosis through modulating atrial fibroblasts activation by disinhibition of MiR‐21 on Smad‐7, and attenuates atrial inflammatory response by repressing NF‐κB pathways, reducing the vulnerability to AF, and CYP2J2/EET exerts its role at least partially through PPAR‐γ activation. Our findings might provide a novel upstream therapeutic strategy for AF.

BACKGROUND: The docking protein IRS2 (insulin receptor substrate protein-2) is an important mediator of insulin signaling and may also regulate other signaling pathways. Murine hearts with cardiomyocyte-restricted deletion of Irs2 (cIRS2-KO) are more susceptible to pressure overload–induced cardiac dysfunction, implying a critical protective role of IRS2 in cardiac adaptation to stress through mechanisms that are not fully understood. There is limited evidence regarding the function of IRS2 beyond metabolic homeostasis regulation, particularly in the context of cardiac disease. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of an electronic medical record database was conducted to identify patients with IRS2 variants and assess their risk of cardiac arrhythmias. Arrhythmia susceptibility was examined in cIRS2-KO mice. The underlying mechanisms were investigated using confocal calcium imaging of ex vivo whole hearts and isolated cardiomyocytes to assess calcium handling, Western blotting to analyze the involved signaling pathways, and pharmacological and genetic interventions to rescue arrhythmias in cIRS2-KO mice. RESULTS: The retrospective analysis identified patients with IRS2 variants of uncertain significance with a potential association to an increased risk of cardiac arrhythmias compared with matched controls. cIRS2-KO hearts were found to be prone to catecholamine-sensitive ventricular tachycardia and reperfusion ventricular tachycardia. Confocal calcium imaging of ex vivo whole hearts and single isolated cardiomyocytes from cIRS2-KO hearts revealed decreased Ca²⁺ transient amplitudes, increased spontaneous Ca²⁺ sparks, and reduced sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺ content during sympathetic stress, indicating sarcoplasmic reticulum dysfunction. We identified that overactivation of the AKT1/NOS3 (nitric oxide synthase 3)/CaMKII (Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II)/RyR2 (type 2 ryanodine receptor) signaling pathway led to calcium mishandling and catecholamine-sensitive ventricular tachycardia in cIRS2-KO hearts. Pharmacological AKT inhibition or genetic stabilization of RyR2 rescued catecholamine-sensitive ventricular tachycardia in cIRS2-KO mice. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac IRS2 inhibits sympathetic stress-induced AKT/NOS3/CaMKII/RyR2 overactivation and calcium-dependent arrhythmogenesis. This novel IRS2 signaling axis, essential for maintaining cardiac calcium homeostasis under stress, presents a promising target for developing new antiarrhythmic therapies.

To evaluate the effect of partial liquid ventilation (PLV) on pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory factors change in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced piglets acute lung injury (ALI). Twelve Shanghai white piglets were randomly divided into mechanical ventilation (MV) group (n=6) and PLV group (n=6). 60 μg×kg(-1)×h(-1) LPS were intravenous infused continuously for 2 hours to induce ALI model. PLV model was set on the basis of the MV by endotracheal injection of perfluorodecalin (PFC, 10 mL/kg). The hemodynamic and respiratory parameters such as mechanics and arterial blood gas analysis were monitored at basic condition and after lung injury establishment (0, 1, 2, 4 hours). The serum levels of interleukin (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were dynamically monitored by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A lung injury score was used to quantify lung tissues change under light microscopic observations. Ventilation and oxygenation function were improved gradually after PFC endotracheal injection in PLV group, and there were significant difference compared with MV group at 4 hours [heart rate (HR): 144 ± 6 beats/min vs. 179 ± 9 beats/min, respiratory rate (RR): 58 ± 4 beats/min vs. 77 ± 6 beats/min, mean arterial blood pressure (MAP): 99 ± 7 mmHg vs. 75 ± 29 mmHg, dynamic lung compliance (Cdyn): 1.9 ± 0.3 mL×cmH(2)O(-1)×kg(-1) vs. 1.2 ± 0.4 mL×cmH(2)O(-1)×kg(-1), tidal volume (VT): 7.8 ± 0.4 mL/kg vs. 5.8 ± 0.9 mL/kg, mean airway resistance (Raw): 20.5 ± 6.6 cmH(2)O×L(-1)×s(-1) vs. 35.2 ± 4.0 cmH(2)O×L(-1)×s(-1), mean airway pressure (Paw): 1.0 ± 0.5 cmH(2)O vs. 3.0 ± 0.9 cmH(2)O, ventilation efficacy index (VEI): 0.18 ± 0.02 vs. 0.08 ± 0.02, pH value: 7.386 ± 0.143 vs. 7.148 ± 0.165, arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO(2)): 121.8 ± 12.5 mmHg vs. 73.6 ± 10.9 mmHg, arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO(2)): 39.6 ± 20.3 mmHg vs. 66.8 ± 23.5 mmHg, oxygenation index (PaO(2)/FiO(2)): 311 ± 35 mmHg vs. 184 ± 27 mmHg, P0.05). The ratio of TNF-α/IL-10 in PLV group was significantly decreased compared with MV group at 2 hours (0.58 ± 0.13 vs. 1.13 ± 0.54, P<0.05). The ratio of IL-6/IL-10 in PLV group was significantly decreased compared with MV group at 4 hours (2.72 ± 1.27 vs. 7.17 ± 3.08, P<0.01). Microscopic changes in intra-alveolar and interstitial inflammation, hemorrhage and edema were better in PLV group than those in MV group. The lung injury score of PLV group was lower than MV group (independent lung regions: 9.8 ± 0.8 vs. 11.8 ± 1.0, t=3.956, P=0.003; dependent lung regions: 5.0 ± 0.6 vs. 14.7 ± 2.3, t=10.127, P=0.000). PLV can significantly reduce the levels of pro-inflammatory factors and the ratio of pro-inflammatory/anti-inflammatory factor, which may contribute to the protective effects of PLV on ALI.