IL-12p40 deletion aggravates lipopolysaccharide-induced cardiac dysfunction in mice

Menglin Liu; Zhen Wang; Jishou Zhang; Di Ye; Menglong Wang; Yao Xu; Mengmeng Zhao; Yongqi Feng; Xiyi Lu; Heng Pan; Wei Pan; Cheng Wei; Dan Tian; Wenqiang Li; Jingjun Lyu; Jing Ye; Jun Wan

doi:10.3389/fcvm.2022.950029

IL-12p40 deletion aggravates lipopolysaccharide-induced cardiac dysfunction in mice

Front Cardiovasc Med. 2022 Sep 16:9:950029. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.950029. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Menglin Liu¹, Zhen Wang², Jishou Zhang², Di Ye², Menglong Wang², Yao Xu², Mengmeng Zhao², Yongqi Feng², Xiyi Lu², Heng Pan², Wei Pan², Cheng Wei², Dan Tian¹, Wenqiang Li¹, Jingjun Lyu¹, Jing Ye², Jun Wan²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Emergency, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
² Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.

Abstract

Background: Cardiac dysfunction is one of the most common complications of sepsis and is associated with the adverse outcomes and high mortality of sepsis patients. IL-12p40, the common subunit of IL-12 and IL-23, has been shown to be involved in a variety of inflammation-related diseases, such as psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease. However, the role of IL-12p40 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cardiac dysfunction remains obscure. This study aimed to explore the role of IL-12p40 in LPS-induced cardiac dysfunction and its potential mechanisms.

Methods: In this study, mice were treated with LPS and the cardiac expression of IL-12p40 was determined. Then, IL-12p40^-/- mice were used to detect the role and mechanisms of IL-12p40 in LPS-induced cardiac injury. In addition, monocytes were adoptively transferred to IL-12p40^-/- mice to explore their effects on LPS-induced cardiac dysfunction.

Results: The results showed that cardiac IL-12p40 expression was significantly increased after treated with LPS. In addition, IL-12p40 deletion significantly aggravated LPS-induced cardiac dysfunction, evidenced by the increased serum levels of cardiomyocyte injury markers and heart injury scores, as well as by the deteriorated cardiac function. Moreover, IL-12p40 deletion increased LPS-induced monocyte accumulation and cardiac expression of inflammatory cytokines, as well as enhanced the activation of the NF-κB and MAPK pathways. Furthermore, adoptive transfer WT mouse monocytes to IL-12p40^-/- mice alleviated LPS-induced cardiac dysfunction and decreased the phosphorylation of p65.

Conclusion: IL-12p40 deletion significantly aggravated LPS-induced cardiac injury and cardiac dysfunction in mice by regulating the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways, and this process was related to monocytes. Therefore, IL-12p40 show a protective role in SIC, and IL-12p40 deficiency or anti-IL-12p40 monoclonal antibodies may be detrimental to patients with SIC.

Keywords: IL-12p40 deletion; LPS; cardiac dysfunction; monocytes; sepsis.