2,5-Dimethylcelecoxib prevents pressure-induced left ventricular remodeling through GSK-3 activation

Hypertens Res. 2017 Feb;40(2):130-139. doi: 10.1038/hr.2016.122. Epub 2016 Sep 15.

Abstract

Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a crucial regulator of cardiac hypertrophy. We previously reported that 2,5-dimethylcelecoxib (DM-celecoxib), a celecoxib derivative unable to inhibit cyclooxygenase-2, prevented cardiac remodeling by activating GSK-3, resulting in lifespan prolongation in a mouse model of genetic dilated cardiomyopathy. In the present study, we investigated whether DM-celecoxib can also prevent pressure-induced cardiac remodeling and heart failure, elicited by transverse aortic constriction (TAC). Before testing the effects of DM-celecoxib, we compared the effects of TAC on the hearts of wild-type and GSK-3β hetero-deficient (GSK-3β+/-) mice to determine the role of GSK-3 in cardiac remodeling and heart failure. GSK-3β+/- mouse hearts exhibited more severe hypertrophy, which was characterized by accelerated interstitial fibrosis, than wild-type mouse hearts after TAC, suggesting that reduced GSK-3β activity aggravates pressure-induced left ventricular remodeling. We subsequently examined the effects of DM-celecoxib on TAC-induced cardiac remodeling. DM-celecoxib inhibited left ventricular systolic functional deterioration, and prevented left ventricular hypertrophy and fibrosis. It also activated GSK-3α and β by inhibiting Akt, suppressing the activity of β-catenin and nuclear factor of activated T-cells and thereby decreasing the expression of the Wnt/β-catenin target gene products fibronectin and matrix metalloproteinase-2. These results suggest that DM-celecoxib is clinically useful for treating pressure-induced heart diseases.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cardiomegaly / metabolism*
  • Cardiomegaly / pathology
  • Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / metabolism*
  • Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / pathology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / genetics
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / metabolism*
  • Heart Ventricles / drug effects*
  • Heart Ventricles / metabolism
  • Heart Ventricles / pathology
  • Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • Pyrazoles / pharmacology*
  • Sulfonamides / pharmacology*
  • Ventricular Remodeling / drug effects*

Substances

  • 2,5-dimethylcelecoxib
  • Pyrazoles
  • Sulfonamides
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3
  • Matrix Metalloproteinase 2