芳香烃受体在体外高糖环境诱导心肌肥大过程中的表达

目的:观察高糖环境诱导心肌细胞肥大过程中芳香烃受体(AhR)的表达情况,并探讨其可能的作用机制。方法:以体外培养的大鼠心肌细胞H9c2为研究对象,实验分为正常糖浓度组、高糖组、DMSO组和白藜芦醇(AhR拮抗剂)组。免疫荧光染色观察AhR的表达情况,罗丹明标记的鬼笔环肽染色细胞骨架并计算细胞表面积,DCFH-DA法检测细胞内活性氧簇(ROS)的生成水平,实时荧光定量PCR及Western blot法检测AhR、CYP1A1、心钠素(ANP)和脑钠素(BNP)的表达情况。结果:正常糖浓度环境下,AhR的表达主要定位于细胞质,高糖刺激时转入细胞核内。高糖刺激可促使心肌细胞肥大、心肌细胞内ROS生成增加,白藜芦醇阻滞AhR后,心肌肥大得到明显改善,同时ROS生成水平明显减少。与正常糖浓度组及白藜芦醇组相比,高糖组的AhR、CYP1A1、ANP和BNP mRNA及蛋白表达水平明显升高,上述指标高糖组与DMSO组相比差异无统计学显著性,而白藜芦醇组明显低于DMSO组。结论:在高糖诱导的心肌肥大过程,心肌细胞的AhR表达增加可能参与维持正常糖代谢过程;高糖环境可激活AhR转入细胞核内,上调CYP1A1的表达,并促进ROS的生成,这可能是高糖诱导心肌肥大的重要机制之一。

Changes of aryl hydrocarbon receptor in cardiac hypertrophy induced by high glucose in vitro

AIM: To investigate the changes of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in the process of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy induced by high glucose, and to explore its potential mechanisms. METHODS: The rat cardiomyocytes (H9c2 cells) were divided into normal glucose group, high glucose group, DMSO group and resveratrol (an AhR antagonist) group. The content and distribution of AhR were observed with immunofluorescence staining. The myocardial cells were stained with rhodamine-labeled phalloidin to visualize cytoskeleton, and the cell surface area were determined after imaging by fluorescence microscopy. The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cardiomyocytes was measured using a fluorescent probe DCFH-DA. The mRNA expression of AhR, CYP1A1, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) were evaluated by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The protein levels of AhR, CYP1A1, ANP and BNP were assessed by Western blot. RESULTS: AhR was constitutively presented in the cytosol under normal-glucose condition and was translocated to the nuclei under high-glucose condition. High glucose induced cardiac hypertrophy, and increased ROS generation. Significant reductions in the cell size and ROS generation were observed after treated with resveratrol. The expression of AhR, CYP1A1, ANP and BNP at mRNA and protein levels in high glucose group was increased as compared with normal glucose group and resveratrol group, and the above-mentioned indexes significantly decreased in resveratrol group as compared with DMSO group. CONCLUSION: High glucose-induced cardiac hypertrophy increases AhR expression, which may be involved in the maintenance of glucose homeostasis in the cardiomyocytes. AhR translocation to the nucleus induced by high glucose results in the increases in CYP1A1 expression and ROS generation, which may be an important mechanism of high glucose-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.