Irisin regulates cardiac physiology in zebrafish

PLoS One. 2017 Aug 3;12(8):e0181461. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0181461. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Irisin is a myokine encoded in its precursor fibronectin type III domain containing 5 (FNDC5). It is abundantly expressed in cardiac and skeletal muscle, and is secreted upon the activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 (PGC-1 alpha). We aimed to study the role of irisin on cardiac function and muscle protein regulation in zebrafish. Western blot analyses detected the presence of irisin protein (23 kDa) in zebrafish heart and skeletal muscle, and irisin immunoreactivity was detected in both tissues. Irisin siRNA treated samples did not show bands corresponding to irisin in zebrafish. In vitro studies found that treatment with irisin (0.1 nM) downregulated the expression of PGC-1 alpha, myostatin a, and b, while upregulating troponin C mRNA expression in zebrafish heart and skeletal muscle. Exogenous irisin (0.1 and 1 ng/g B.W) increased diastolic volume, heart rate and cardiac output, while knockdown of irisin (10 ng/g B.W) showed opposing effects on cardiovascular function. Irisin (1 and 10 ng/g B.W) downregulated PGC-1 alpha, myostatin a and b, and upregulated troponin C and troponin T2D mRNA expression. Meanwhile, knockdown of irisin showed opposing effects on troponin C, troponin T2D and myostatin a and b mRNAs in zebrafish heart and skeletal muscle. Collectively, these results identified muscle proteins as novel targets of irisin, and added irisin to the list of peptide modulators of cardiovascular physiology in zebrafish.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Down-Regulation
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Heart / physiology*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / metabolism
  • Myostatin / genetics
  • Peptides / deficiency
  • Peptides / genetics
  • Peptides / metabolism*
  • Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Troponin C / genetics
  • Troponin T / genetics
  • Zebrafish / genetics
  • Zebrafish / metabolism
  • Zebrafish / physiology*
  • Zebrafish Proteins / deficiency
  • Zebrafish Proteins / genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Myostatin
  • Peptides
  • Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Troponin C
  • Troponin T
  • Zebrafish Proteins
  • fndc5b protein, zebrafish

Grants and funding

This research was funded by a Discovery Grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. SU is a recipient of an Establishment Grant from the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF). The ultrasound machine was purchased using a Leaders Opportunities Fund from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to Lynn Weber. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.