Deficiency of Smad7 enhances cardiac remodeling induced by angiotensin II infusion in a mouse model of hypertension

PLoS One. 2013 Jul 23;8(7):e70195. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0070195. Print 2013.

Abstract

Smad7 has been shown to negatively regulate fibrosis and inflammation, but its role in angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced hypertensive cardiac remodeling remains unknown. Therefore, the present study investigated the role of Smad7 in hypertensive cardiopathy induced by angiotensin II infusion. Hypertensive cardiac disease was induced in Smad7 gene knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice by subcutaneous infusion of Ang II (1.46 mg/kg/day) for 28 days. Although equal levels of high blood pressure were developed in both Smad7 KO and WT mice, Smad7 KO mice developed more severe cardiac injury as demonstrated by impairing cardiac function including a significant increase in left ventricular (LV) mass (P<0.01),reduction of LV ejection fraction(P<0.001) and fractional shortening(P<0.001). Real-time PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry detected that deletion of Smad7 significantly enhanced Ang II-induced cardiac fibrosis and inflammation, including upregulation of collagen I, α-SMA, interleukin-1β, TNF-α, and infiltration of CD3(+) T cells and F4/80(+) macrophages. Further studies revealed that enhanced activation of the Sp1-TGFβ/Smad3-NF-κB pathways and downregulation of miR-29 were mechanisms though which deletion of Smad7 promoted Ang II-mediated cardiac remodeling. In conclusions, Smad7 plays a protective role in AngII-mediated cardiac remodeling via mechanisms involving the Sp1-TGF-β/Smad3-NF.κB-miR-29 regulatory network.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Angiotensin II / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Disease Models, Animal*
  • Down-Regulation
  • Fibrosis
  • Heart / physiopathology
  • Hypertension / pathology*
  • Hypertension / physiopathology
  • Inflammation / pathology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism
  • Myocardium / pathology
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Smad7 Protein / genetics
  • Smad7 Protein / metabolism*

Substances

  • MIRN29 microRNA, mouse
  • MicroRNAs
  • NF-kappa B
  • Smad7 Protein
  • Smad7 protein, mouse
  • Angiotensin II

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from Research Grants Council of Hong Kong (RGC GRF468711, CUHK5/CRF/09 and CUHK3/CRF/12R to H.Y.L.; CUHK9/CRF/10 to C.M.Y); and the Focused Investments Scheme A and B from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.