Smad3 inactivation and MiR-29b upregulation mediate the effect of carvedilol on attenuating the acute myocardium infarction-induced myocardial fibrosis in rat

PLoS One. 2013 Sep 25;8(9):e75557. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0075557. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Carvedilol, a nonselective β-adrenoreceptor antagonist, protects against myocardial injury induced by acute myocardium infarction (AMI). The mechanisms underlying the anti-fibrotic effects of carvedilol are unknown. Recent studies have revealed the critical role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in a variety of cardiovascular diseases. This study investigated whether miR-29b is involved in the cardioprotective effect of carvedilol against AMI-induced myocardial fibrosis. Male SD rats were randomized into several groups: the sham surgery control, left anterior descending (LAD) surgery-AMI model, AMI plus low-dose carvedilol treatment (1 mg/kg per day, CAR-L), AMI plus medium-dose carvedilol treatment (5 mg/kg per day, CAR-M) and AMI plus high-dose carvedilol treatment (10 mg/kg per day, CAR-H). Cardiac remodeling and impaired heart function were observed 4 weeks after LAD surgery treatment; the observed cardiac remodeling, decreased ejection fraction, and fractional shortening were rescued in the CAR-M and CAR-H groups. The upregulated expression of Col1a1, Col3a1, and α-SMA mRNA was significantly reduced in the CAR-M and CAR-H groups. Moreover, the downregulated miR-29b was elevated in the CAR-M and CAR-H groups. The in vitro study showed that Col1a1, Col3a1, and α-SMA were downregulated and miR-29b was upregulated by carvedilol in a dose-dependent manner in rat cardiac fibroblasts. Inhibition of ROS-induced Smad3 activation by carvedilol resulted in downregulation of Col1a1, Col3a1, and α-SMA and upregulation of miR-29b derived from the miR-29b-2 precursor. Enforced expression of miR-29b significantly suppressed Col1a1, Col3a1, and α-SMA expression. Taken together, we found that smad3 inactivation and miR-29b upregulation contributed to the cardioprotective activity of carvedilol against AMI-induced myocardial fibrosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carbazoles / pharmacology*
  • Cardiotonic Agents / pharmacology
  • Carvedilol
  • Down-Regulation / drug effects
  • Down-Regulation / genetics
  • Fibroblasts / drug effects
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Fibroblasts / pathology
  • Fibrosis / drug therapy*
  • Fibrosis / genetics
  • Fibrosis / metabolism
  • Fibrosis / pathology
  • Heart / drug effects
  • Heart / physiology
  • Male
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism
  • Myocardial Infarction / drug therapy
  • Myocardial Infarction / genetics
  • Myocardial Infarction / metabolism
  • Myocardial Infarction / pathology
  • Myocardium / metabolism*
  • Myocardium / pathology
  • Propanolamines / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Smad3 Protein / genetics*
  • Smad3 Protein / metabolism
  • Up-Regulation / drug effects*
  • Up-Regulation / genetics
  • Ventricular Function, Left / drug effects
  • Ventricular Function, Left / genetics
  • Ventricular Function, Left / physiology

Substances

  • Carbazoles
  • Cardiotonic Agents
  • MIRN29 microRNA, rat
  • MicroRNAs
  • Propanolamines
  • Smad3 Protein
  • Smad3 protein, rat
  • Carvedilol

Grants and funding

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81070102, 81071635, 81120108003, 81270222, 81273516). This work was also supported by Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (No. S2011020005911, S2012010009453) and the National Key Basic Research Program (NKBRP) of China (No. 2012CB526602). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.