maresin2 fine-tunes ULK1 O-GlcNAcylation to improve post myocardial infarction remodeling

Eur J Pharmacol. 2024 Jan 5:962:176223. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.176223. Epub 2023 Dec 5.

Abstract

Background: Myocardial infarction (MI) is one of the common causes of hospitalization and death all over the world. Maresin2 (MaR2), a specialized pro-solving mediator of inflammation, has been consolidated to be a novel cytokine fine-tuning inflammatory cascade. However, the precise mechanism is still unknown. Here, we demonstrated that maresin2 relieved myocardial damage via ULK1 O-GlcNAc modification during MI.

Methods: The myocardial infarction model was established by ligating the left anterior descending artery (LAD). Echocardiography, histopathology, transmission electron microscope, and Western blot were used to evaluate cardiac function and remodeling. Furthermore, primary neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs) were cultivated, and immunoprecipitation (IP) assays were performed to explore the specific mechanism.

Results: As suggested, maresin2 treatment protected cardiac function and ameliorated adverse cardiac remodeling. Furthermore, we found that maresin2 facilitated autophagy and inhibited apoptosis under the modulation of O-GlcNAcylation-dependent ULK1 activation. Meanwhile, we discovered that maresin2 treatment ameliorated the inflammation of myocardial cells by inhibiting the interaction of TAK1 and TAB1.

Conclusions: Maresin2 is likely to promote autophagy while relieving apoptosis and inflammation of myocardial cells, thereby exerting a protective effect on the heart after MI.

Keywords: Autophagy; Maresin2; Myocardial infarction; O-GlcNAcylation; ULK1.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Autophagy-Related Protein-1 Homolog
  • Coronary Vessels / pathology
  • Inflammation / pathology
  • Myocardial Infarction* / pathology
  • Myocardium / pathology
  • Myocytes, Cardiac
  • Rats
  • Ventricular Remodeling

Substances

  • ULK1 protein, rat
  • Autophagy-Related Protein-1 Homolog