Chronic kidney disease induces left ventricular overexpression of the pro-hypertrophic microRNA-212

Sci Rep. 2019 Feb 4;9(1):1302. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-37690-5.

Abstract

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a public health problem that increases the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) characterized by left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and diastolic dysfunction is a common cardiovascular complication of CKD. MicroRNA-212 (miR-212) has been demonstrated previously to be a crucial regulator of pathologic LVH in pressure-overload-induced heart failure via regulating the forkhead box O3 (FOXO3)/calcineurin/nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) pathway. Here we aimed to investigate whether miR-212 and its hypertrophy-associated targets including FOXO3, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2), and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) play a role in the development of HFpEF in CKD. CKD was induced by 5/6 nephrectomy in male Wistar rats. Echocardiography and histology revealed LVH, fibrosis, preserved systolic function, and diastolic dysfunction in the CKD group as compared to sham-operated animals eight and/or nine weeks later. Left ventricular miR-212 was significantly overexpressed in CKD. However, expressions of FOXO3, AMPK, and ERK2 failed to change significantly at the mRNA or protein level. The protein kinase B (AKT)/FOXO3 and AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathways are also proposed regulators of LVH induced by pressure-overload. Interestingly, phospho-AKT/total-AKT ratio was increased in CKD without significantly affecting phosphorylation of FOXO3 or mTOR. In summary, cardiac overexpression of miR-212 in CKD failed to affect its previously implicated hypertrophy-associated downstream targets. Thus, the molecular mechanism of the development of LVH in CKD seems to be independent of the FOXO3, ERK1/2, AMPK, and AKT/mTOR-mediated pathways indicating unique features in this form of LVH.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biopsy
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Echocardiography
  • Forkhead Box Protein O3 / genetics
  • Forkhead Box Protein O3 / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression*
  • Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / diagnosis
  • Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / etiology*
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / genetics
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / metabolism
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / genetics
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / metabolism
  • Myocytes, Cardiac
  • Phosphorylation
  • Rats
  • Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / complications*
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • FOXO3 protein, rat
  • Forkhead Box Protein O3
  • MicroRNAs
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3