Upregulated galectin-3 is not a critical disease mediator of cardiomyopathy induced by β-adrenoceptor overexpression.2

My-Nhan Nguyen; Yidan Su; Helen Kiriazis; Yan Yang; Xiao-Ming Gao; Julie R McMullen; Anthony M Dart; Xiao-Jun Du
Abstract
Preclinical studies have demonstrated that anti-galectin-3 (Gal-3) interventions are effective in attenuating cardiac remodeling, fibrosis, and dysfunction. We determined, in a transgenic (TG) mouse model of fibrotic cardiomyopathy, whether Gal-3 expression was elevated and whether Gal-3 played a critical role in disease development. We studied mice with fibrotic cardiomyopathy attributable to cardiac overexpression of human β-adrenoceptors (β-TG). Cardiac expression levels of Gal-3 and fibrotic or inflammatory genes were determined. The effect of Gal-3 inhibition in β-TG mice was studied by treatment with Gal-3 inhibitors ( N-acetyllactosamine and modified citrus pectin) or by deletion of Gal-3 through crossing β-TG and Gal-3 knockout mice. Changes in cardiomyopathy phenotypes were assessed by echocardiography and biochemical assays. In β-TG mice at 3, 6, and 9 mo of age, upregulation of Gal-3 expression was observed at mRNA (~6- to 15-fold) and protein (~4- to 8-fold) levels. Treatment of β-TG mice with N-acetyllactosamine (3 wk) or modified citrus pectin (3 mo) did not reverse cardiac fibrosis, inflammation, and cardiomyopathy. Similarly, Gal-3 gene deletion in β-TG mice aged 3 and 9 mo did not rescue the cardiomyopathy phenotype. In conclusion, the β-TG model of cardiomyopathy showed a robust upregulation of Gal-3 that correlated with disease severity, but Gal-3 inhibitors or Gal-3 gene deletion had no effect in halting myocardial fibrosis, remodeling, and dysfunction. Gal-3 may not be critical for cardiac fibrogenesis and remodeling in this cardiomyopathy model. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We showed a robust upregulation of cardiac galectin-3 (Gal-3) expression in a mouse model of cardiomyopathy attributable to cardiomyocyte-restricted transgenic activation of β-adrenoceptors. However, pharmacological and genetic inhibition of Gal-3 did not confer benefit in this model, implying that Gal-3 may not be a critical disease mediator of cardiac remodeling in this model.2
Journal AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY. HEART AND CIRCULATORY PHYSIOLOGY
ISSN 1522-1539
Published 01 Jun 2018
Volume 314
Issue 6
Pages H1169-H1178
DOI 10.1152/ajpheart.00337.2017
Type Journal Article | Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Sponsorship