A non-canonical pathway regulates ER stress signaling and blocks ER stress-induced apoptosis and heart failure

Nat Commun. 2017 Jul 25;8(1):133. doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-00171-w.

Abstract

Endoplasmic reticulum stress is an evolutionarily conserved cell stress response associated with numerous diseases, including cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. The major endoplasmic reticulum stress signaling pathway causing cardiac hypertrophy involves endoplasmic reticulum stress sensor PERK (protein kinase-like kinase) and eIF2α-ATF4-CHOP signaling. Here, we describe a non-canonical, AGGF1-mediated regulatory system for endoplasmic reticulum stress signaling associated with increased p-eIF2α and ATF4 and decreased sXBP1 and CHOP. Specifically, we see a reduced AGGF1 level consistently associated with induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress signaling in mouse models and human patients with heart failure. Mechanistically, AGGF1 regulates endoplasmic reticulum stress signaling by inhibiting ERK1/2 activation, which reduces the level of transcriptional repressor ZEB1, leading to induced expression of miR-183-5p. miR-183-5p post-transcriptionally downregulates CHOP and inhibits endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis. AGGF1 protein therapy and miR-183-5p regulate endoplasmic reticulum stress signaling and block endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis, cardiac hypertrophy, and heart failure, providing an attractive paradigm for treatment of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure.Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress promotes cardiac dysfunction. Here the authors uncover a pathway whereby AGGF1 blocks ER stress by inhibiting ERK1/2 activation and the transcriptional repressor ZEB1, leading to induction of miR-183-5p and down-regulation of CHOP, and show that AGGF1 can effectively treat cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Activating Transcription Factor 4 / genetics
  • Activating Transcription Factor 4 / metabolism
  • Angiogenic Proteins / genetics
  • Angiogenic Proteins / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / genetics*
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Line
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress / genetics*
  • Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-2 / genetics
  • Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-2 / metabolism
  • Gene Expression
  • Heart Failure / genetics*
  • Heart Failure / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • Rats
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Signal Transduction / genetics*
  • Transcription Factor CHOP / genetics
  • Transcription Factor CHOP / metabolism

Substances

  • Aggf1 protein, mouse
  • Angiogenic Proteins
  • Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-2
  • MicroRNAs
  • Activating Transcription Factor 4
  • Transcription Factor CHOP