SPACE PROVIDED. Diabetic patients exhibit an increased risk of fatal arrhythmias, decreased recovery after a myocardial insult, and a cardiomyopathy leading to ventricular dysfunction independent of arteriolosclerosis and hypertension. The mechanism leading to cardiac dysfunction is not known, however, recent studies have suggested involvement of cardiac gap junction remodeling. Zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) binds Connexin 43 (Cx43), and this interaction is important for gapjunction remodeling. It is hypothesized that the interaction of these two proteins is a major contributor to the lethal downstream physiological consequences including ventricular dysfunction and arrhythmias in the diabetic heart. This hypothesis will be tested through the following aims: 1 A. Determine whether Cx43 gap junction size and cellular distribution are altered in the ventricle of rodent models of diabetes in a manner that correlates with changes in ZO-1 Cx43 binding. 1B. Determine the extent to which diastolic dysfunction and susceptibility to inducible arrhythmia correlate with changes in ZO-1 Cx43 binding in the ventricle of rodent models of diabetes. 2A. Determine the extent to which hyperglycemia induced changes in Cx43 gap junction size, cellular distribution, and phosphorylation correlate with ZO-1 binding Cx43 in vitro. 2B. Determine if hyperglycemia induced remodeling of Cx43 gap junctions are normalized by a membrane permeant peptide (ACT-1) designed to inhibit the interaction of ZO-1 with Cx43 in vitro. Several approaches will be used including immuno-confocal colocalization analysis, Western blotting, FRET (fluorescent resonance energy transfer), immunoprecipitation, protein-protein crosslinking, and electron microscopy. In addition cardiac function will be assessed using electrocardiography, echocardiography and optical mapping of fluorescent voltage sensitive dyes. Additionally in Aim 2, live cell imaging of fluorescently tagged constructs of Cx43 and ZO-1 in high and low glucose conditions will also be performed. Eighty percent of diabetics in the US die of cardiovascular complications resulting in over 50000 deaths/year. This project will provide a better understanding of the fundamental mechanism of diabetic heart disease and may lead to new treatments beyond blood pressure and sugar control.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Individual Predoctoral NRSA for M.D./Ph.D. Fellowships (ADAMHA) (F30)
Project #
5F30HL095320-03
Application #
8012855
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-F10-H (21))
Program Officer
Carlson, Drew E
Project Start
2009-02-01
Project End
2014-01-31
Budget Start
2011-02-01
Budget End
2012-01-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2011
Total Cost
$39,007
Indirect Cost
Name
Medical University of South Carolina
Department
Anatomy/Cell Biology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
183710748
City
Charleston
State
SC
Country
United States
Zip Code
29425
Palatinus, Joseph A; Gourdie, Robert G (2016) Diabetes Increases Cryoinjury Size with Associated Effects on Cx43 Gap Junction Function and Phosphorylation in the Mouse Heart. J Diabetes Res 2016:8789617
Palatinus, Joseph A; Rhett, J Matthew; Gourdie, Robert G (2012) The connexin43 carboxyl terminus and cardiac gap junction organization. Biochim Biophys Acta 1818:1831-43
Rhett, Joshua Matthew; Gourdie, Robert G (2012) The perinexus: a new feature of Cx43 gap junction organization. Heart Rhythm 9:619-23
Rhett, J Matthew; Ongstad, Emily L; Jourdan, Jane et al. (2012) Cx43 associates with Na(v)1.5 in the cardiomyocyte perinexus. J Membr Biol 245:411-22
O'Quinn, Michael P; Palatinus, Joseph A; Harris, Brett S et al. (2011) A peptide mimetic of the connexin43 carboxyl terminus reduces gap junction remodeling and induced arrhythmia following ventricular injury. Circ Res 108:704-15
Palatinus, Joseph A; Rhett, Joshua M; Gourdie, Robert G (2011) Enhanced PKC? mediated phosphorylation of connexin43 at serine 368 by a carboxyl-terminal mimetic peptide is dependent on injury. Channels (Austin) 5:236-40
Palatinus, Joseph A; O'Quinn, Michael P; Barker, Ralph J et al. (2011) ZO-1 determines adherens and gap junction localization at intercalated disks. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 300:H583-94
Palatinus, Joseph A; Rhett, J Matthew; Gourdie, Robert G (2010) Translational lessons from scarless healing of cutaneous wounds and regenerative repair of the myocardium. J Mol Cell Cardiol 48:550-7