Blocking CCL5-CXCL4 heteromerization preserves heart function after myocardial infarction by attenuating leukocyte recruitment and NETosis

Sci Rep. 2018 Jul 13;8(1):10647. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-29026-0.

Abstract

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a major cause of death in Western countries and finding new strategies for its prevention and treatment is thus of high priority. In a previous study, we have demonstrated a pathophysiologic relevance for the heterophilic interaction of CCL5 and CXCL4 in the progression of atherosclerosis. A specifically designed compound (MKEY) to block this CCL5-CXCR4 interaction is investigated as a potential therapeutic in a model of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) damage. 8 week-old male C57BL/6 mice were intravenously treated with MKEY or scrambled control (sMKEY) from 1 day before, until up to 7 days after I/R. By using echocardiography and intraventricular pressure measurements, MKEY treatment resulted in a significant decrease in infarction size and preserved heart function as compared to sMKEY-treated animals. Moreover, MKEY treatment significantly reduced the inflammatory reaction following I/R, as revealed by specific staining for neutrophils and monocyte/macrophages. Interestingly, MKEY treatment led to a significant reduction of citrullinated histone 3 in the infarcted tissue, showing that MKEY can prevent neutrophil extracellular trap formation in vivo. Disrupting chemokine heterodimers during myocardial I/R might have clinical benefits, preserving the therapeutic benefit of blocking specific chemokines, and in addition, reducing the inflammatory side effects maintaining normal immune defence.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cardiotonic Agents / pharmacology
  • Cardiotonic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Chemokine CCL5 / immunology
  • Chemokine CCL5 / metabolism*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • Heart / drug effects
  • Heart / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Myocardial Infarction / drug therapy*
  • Myocardial Infarction / immunology
  • Myocardial Infarction / physiopathology
  • Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / drug therapy*
  • Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / immunology
  • Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / physiopathology
  • Myocardium / immunology
  • Peptides, Cyclic / pharmacology
  • Peptides, Cyclic / therapeutic use*
  • Platelet Factor 4 / immunology
  • Platelet Factor 4 / metabolism*
  • Protein Multimerization / drug effects*
  • Protein Multimerization / immunology
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Cardiotonic Agents
  • Ccl5 protein, mouse
  • Chemokine CCL5
  • MKEY peptide
  • Peptides, Cyclic
  • Platelet Factor 4