Salsolinol improves angiotensin II‑induced myocardial fibrosis in vitro via inhibition of LSD1 through regulation of the STAT3/Notch‑1 signaling pathway

Exp Ther Med. 2023 Sep 27;26(5):527. doi: 10.3892/etm.2023.12226. eCollection 2023 Nov.

Abstract

The clinical incidence of congestive heart failure (CHF) is very high and it poses a significant threat to the health of patients. The traditional Chinese medicine monomer salsolinol is widely used to treat similar symptoms of CHF. However, there have been no reports on the effect of salsolinol for the management of CHF and its effects on myocardial fibrosis. In the present study, salsolinol was used to treat angiotensin II (AngII)-induced human cardiac fibroblasts (HCFs) and cell proliferation and migration were assessed using a CCK-8, EdU staining assay and wound healing assay. Subsequently, immunofluorescence, western blotting and other techniques were used to detect indicators associated with cell fibrosis and relevant kits were used to detect markers of cellular inflammation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Molecular docking analysis was used to predict the relationship between salsolinol and lysine-specific histone demethylase 1A (LSD1). Subsequently, the expression of LSD1 in the serum of CHF patients was detected by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. Finally, LSD1 was overexpressed in cells to explore the regulatory mechanism of salsolinol in AngII-induced HFCs. Salsolinol reduced the proliferation and migration. Salsolinol reduced the expression of fibrosis marker proteins α-smooth muscle actin, Collagen I and Collagen III in a concentration-dependent manner, thereby reducing cell fibrosis. In addition, salsolinol reduced the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in the cell supernatant and ROS production following AngII induction. Salsolinol inhibited LSD1 expression and regulated the STAT3/Notch-1 signaling pathway. Upregulation of LSD1 reversed the effects of salsolinol on AngII-induced HCFs. Salsolinol inhibited LSD1 via regulation of the STAT3/Notch-1 signaling pathway to improve Ang II-induced myocardial fibrosis in vitro.

Keywords: STAT3/Notch-1 signaling pathway; congestive heart failure; lysine-specific histone demethylase 1A; myocardial fibrosis; salsolinol.

Grants and funding

Funding: The present study was supported by the 2019 Kunshan Key Research and Development Plan Social Development Project (grant no. KS1915), the 2021 Suzhou Science and Technology Development Plan (grant no. SKJYD2021206), the 2022 Kunshan Key Research and Development Plan Social Development Project (grant no. KSZ2212) and the Suzhou Science and Technology Development Plan Project (grant no. SKYXD2022069).