Graduate School of Regional Innovation Studies, Mie University, Tsu, Japan.
Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, 329-0498, Japan.
Arch Toxicol. 2019 Jun;93(6):1543-1553. doi: 10.1007/s00204-019-02446-1. Epub 2019 Apr 23.
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a transcription factor that binds to DNA as a heterodimer with the AHR nuclear translocator (ARNT) after interaction with ligands, such as polycyclic and halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons and other xenobiotics. The endogenous ligands and functions of AHR have been the subject of many investigations. In the present study, the potential role of AHR signaling in the development of left ventricular hypertrophy and cardiac fibrosis by angiotensin II (Ang II) infusion was investigated in mice lacking the AHR gene (Ahr). We also assessed the hypothesis that fenofibrate, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPARα) activator, reduces cardiac fibrosis through the c-Jun signaling. Male Ahr and age-matched wild-type mice (n = 8 per group) were infused with Ang II at 100 ng/kg/min daily for 2 weeks. Treatment with Ang II increased systolic blood pressure to comparable levels in Ahr and wild-type mice. However, Ahr mice developed severe cardiac fibrosis after Ang II infusion compared with wild-type mice. Ang II infusion also significantly increased the expression of endothelin in the left ventricles of Ahr mice, but not in wild-type mice, and significantly increased the c-Jun signaling in Ahr mice. Ang II infusion also significantly enhanced the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and the downstream target vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the left ventricles of Ahr mice. These results suggested pathogenic roles for the AHR signaling pathway in the development of cardiac fibrosis. Treatment with fenofibrate reduced cardiac fibrosis and abrogated the effects of Ang II on the expression of endothelin, HIF-1α, and VEGF. The inhibitory effect of fenofibrate on cardiac fibrosis was mediated by suppression of VEGF expression through modulation of c-Jun/HIF-1α signaling.
芳香烃受体(AHR)是一种转录因子,与配体(如多环芳烃和卤代芳烃以及其他外源性化学物质)相互作用后,与 AHR 核易位蛋白(ARNT)形成异二聚体结合到 DNA 上。AHR 的内源性配体和功能已成为许多研究的主题。在本研究中,我们在缺乏 AHR 基因(Ahr)的小鼠中研究了 AHR 信号在血管紧张素 II(Ang II)输注引起的左心室肥厚和心脏纤维化发展中的作用,还评估了假说,即过氧化物酶体增殖物激活受体-α(PPARα)激活剂非诺贝特通过 c-Jun 信号减少心脏纤维化。每天以 100ng/kg/min 的速度向雄性 Ahr 和年龄匹配的野生型小鼠(每组 8 只)输注 Ang II 2 周。Ang II 输注将收缩压提高到 Ahr 和野生型小鼠相当的水平。然而,与野生型小鼠相比,Ang II 输注后 Ahr 小鼠发生严重的心脏纤维化。Ang II 输注还显著增加了 Ahr 小鼠左心室内皮素的表达,但不增加野生型小鼠的表达,并显著增加了 Ahr 小鼠的 c-Jun 信号。Ang II 输注还显著增强了 Ahr 小鼠左心室低氧诱导因子-1α(HIF-1α)和下游靶血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)的表达。这些结果表明 AHR 信号通路在心脏纤维化的发展中具有致病作用。非诺贝特治疗可减少心脏纤维化,并消除 Ang II 对内皮素、HIF-1α 和 VEGF 表达的影响。非诺贝特对心脏纤维化的抑制作用是通过调节 c-Jun/HIF-1α 信号抑制 VEGF 表达介导的。