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Syndecan-4 signaling via NFAT regulates extracellular matrix production and cardiac myofibroblast differentiation in response to mechanical stress

Herum, Kate M. ; Lunde, Ida G. ; Skrbic, Biljana ; Florholmen, Geir ; Behmen, Dina ; Sjaastad, Ivar ; Carlson, Cathrine R. ; Gomez, Maria LU orcid and Christensen, Geir (2013) In Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology 54. p.73-81
Abstract
Pressure overload activates cardiac fibroblasts leading to excessive production of extracellular matrix which may contribute to compromised heart function. The activated fibroblast acquires smooth muscle-like features such as expression of smooth muscle alpha-actin (SMA) and SM22 and is therefore referred to as myofibroblast. The molecular mechanisms underlying mechanical stress-induced myofibroblast differentiation are poorly defined. The objective of this study was to examine the potential roles of the transmembrane proteoglycan syndecan-4 and the calcineurin-dependent transcription factor nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) in myofibroblast differentiation. Aortic banding resulted in elevated collagen land III, fibronectin, SMA... (More)
Pressure overload activates cardiac fibroblasts leading to excessive production of extracellular matrix which may contribute to compromised heart function. The activated fibroblast acquires smooth muscle-like features such as expression of smooth muscle alpha-actin (SMA) and SM22 and is therefore referred to as myofibroblast. The molecular mechanisms underlying mechanical stress-induced myofibroblast differentiation are poorly defined. The objective of this study was to examine the potential roles of the transmembrane proteoglycan syndecan-4 and the calcineurin-dependent transcription factor nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) in myofibroblast differentiation. Aortic banding resulted in elevated collagen land III, fibronectin, SMA and SM22 mRNA in the left ventricles of wild-type mice, whereas this response was markedly reduced in syndecan-4(-/-) mice. Myofibroblast differentiation in vitro was associated with increased SMA, collagen I and III expression and NFAT-luciferase activity, all of which were reduced in fibroblasts from syndecan-4(-/-) mice or after treatment with calcineurin/NFAT blockers. Following cyclic stretch, NFATc4 was activated in cardiac fibroblasts in a syndecan-4- and calcineurin-dependent manner. Syndecan-4 and calcineurin co-localized and mechanical stress resulted in dephosphorylation of serine179 of syndecan-4, an intracellular residue critical for calcineurin interaction. Over-expression of NFATc4 up-regulated collagen III, MRTF-A (a transcriptional regulator of SMA) and the NFAT-target regulator of calcineurin 1.4 (RCAN1.4). Our data demonstrate that syndecan-4 is important for the differentiation of cardiac fibroblasts into myofibroblasts in the pressure-overloaded heart and that the calcineurin/NFAT pathway is engaged upon mechanical stress in a syndecan-4-dependent manner, playing an active role in myofibroblast differentiation and extracellular matrix production. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Possible Editorial'. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Mechanical stress, Cardiac fibroblast, Extracellular matrix, Myofibroblast, Syndecan-4, NFAT
in
Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology
volume
54
pages
73 - 81
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000314320500009
  • scopus:84871836123
ISSN
1095-8584
DOI
10.1016/j.yjmcc.2012.11.006
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
66b10e87-8e50-4a3c-9944-0a2804d4c903 (old id 3590888)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23178899
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 13:55:25
date last changed
2022-04-14 03:54:57
@article{66b10e87-8e50-4a3c-9944-0a2804d4c903,
  abstract     = {{Pressure overload activates cardiac fibroblasts leading to excessive production of extracellular matrix which may contribute to compromised heart function. The activated fibroblast acquires smooth muscle-like features such as expression of smooth muscle alpha-actin (SMA) and SM22 and is therefore referred to as myofibroblast. The molecular mechanisms underlying mechanical stress-induced myofibroblast differentiation are poorly defined. The objective of this study was to examine the potential roles of the transmembrane proteoglycan syndecan-4 and the calcineurin-dependent transcription factor nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) in myofibroblast differentiation. Aortic banding resulted in elevated collagen land III, fibronectin, SMA and SM22 mRNA in the left ventricles of wild-type mice, whereas this response was markedly reduced in syndecan-4(-/-) mice. Myofibroblast differentiation in vitro was associated with increased SMA, collagen I and III expression and NFAT-luciferase activity, all of which were reduced in fibroblasts from syndecan-4(-/-) mice or after treatment with calcineurin/NFAT blockers. Following cyclic stretch, NFATc4 was activated in cardiac fibroblasts in a syndecan-4- and calcineurin-dependent manner. Syndecan-4 and calcineurin co-localized and mechanical stress resulted in dephosphorylation of serine179 of syndecan-4, an intracellular residue critical for calcineurin interaction. Over-expression of NFATc4 up-regulated collagen III, MRTF-A (a transcriptional regulator of SMA) and the NFAT-target regulator of calcineurin 1.4 (RCAN1.4). Our data demonstrate that syndecan-4 is important for the differentiation of cardiac fibroblasts into myofibroblasts in the pressure-overloaded heart and that the calcineurin/NFAT pathway is engaged upon mechanical stress in a syndecan-4-dependent manner, playing an active role in myofibroblast differentiation and extracellular matrix production. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Possible Editorial'. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Herum, Kate M. and Lunde, Ida G. and Skrbic, Biljana and Florholmen, Geir and Behmen, Dina and Sjaastad, Ivar and Carlson, Cathrine R. and Gomez, Maria and Christensen, Geir}},
  issn         = {{1095-8584}},
  keywords     = {{Mechanical stress; Cardiac fibroblast; Extracellular matrix; Myofibroblast; Syndecan-4; NFAT}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{73--81}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology}},
  title        = {{Syndecan-4 signaling via NFAT regulates extracellular matrix production and cardiac myofibroblast differentiation in response to mechanical stress}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/3670503/3737711.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.yjmcc.2012.11.006}},
  volume       = {{54}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}