Spironolactone Regulates HCN Protein Expression Through Micro-RNA-1 in Rats With Myocardial Infarction

J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 2015 Jun;65(6):587-92. doi: 10.1097/FJC.0000000000000227.

Abstract

Emerging evidence has shown that aldosterone blockers reduced the incidence of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with myocardial infarction (MI). However, the mechanism remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the mechanism by which spironolactone, a classic aldosterone blocker, regulates hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel (HCN) protein expression in ischemic rat myocardium after MI. Eighteen rats surviving 24 hours after MI were randomly assigned into 3 groups: MI, spironolactone, and spironolactone + antagomir-1. Six sham-operated rats had a suture loosely tied around the left coronary artery, without ligation. The border zone of the myocardial infarct was collected from each rat at 1 week after MI. HCN2 and HCN4 protein and messenger RNA (mRNA) level were measured in addition to miRNA-1 levels. Spironolactone significantly increased miRNA-1 levels and downregulated HCN2 and HCN4 protein and mRNA levels. miRNA-1 suppression with antagomir-1 increased HCN2 and HCN4 protein levels; however, HCN2 and HCN4 mRNA levels were not affected. These results suggested that spironolactone could increase miRNA-1 expression in ischemic rat myocardium after MI and that the upregulation of miRNA-1 expression partially contributed to the posttranscriptional repression of HCN protein expression, which may contribute to the effect of spironolactone to reduce the incidence of MI-associated ventricular arrhythmias.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / genetics
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / metabolism
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / prevention & control*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Hyperpolarization-Activated Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channels / drug effects*
  • Hyperpolarization-Activated Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channels / genetics
  • Hyperpolarization-Activated Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channels / metabolism
  • Male
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists / pharmacology*
  • Myocardial Infarction / drug therapy*
  • Myocardial Infarction / genetics
  • Myocardial Infarction / metabolism
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / drug effects*
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / metabolism
  • Oligonucleotides / genetics
  • Oligonucleotides / metabolism
  • Potassium Channels / drug effects*
  • Potassium Channels / genetics
  • Potassium Channels / metabolism
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Spironolactone / pharmacology*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • HCN4 protein, rat
  • Hcn2 protein, rat
  • Hyperpolarization-Activated Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channels
  • MIRN1 microRNA, rat
  • MicroRNAs
  • Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists
  • Oligonucleotides
  • Potassium Channels
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Spironolactone