Progression of Heart Failure Was Suppressed by Inhibition of Apoptosis Signal-Regulating Kinase 1 Via Transcoronary Gene Transfer
Shungo Hikoso, MD, PhD*,1,2,
Yasuhiro Ikeda, MD, PhD ,2,
Osamu Yamaguchi, MD, PhD*,1,
Toshihiro Takeda, MD, PhD*,
Yoshiharu Higuchi, MD, PhD*,
Shinichi Hirotani, MD, PhD*,
Kazunori Kashiwase, MD, PhD*,
Michio Yamada, MD ,
Michio Asahi, MD, PhD ,
Yasushi Matsumura, MD, PhD ,
Kazuhiko Nishida, MD, PhD*,
Masunori Matsuzaki, MD, PhD, FACC ,||,
Masatsugu Hori, MD, PhD, FACC* and
Kinya Otsu, MD, PhD*,*
* Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
Department of Biochemistry, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
Department of Medical Information Science, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
Department of Molecular Cardiovascular Biology, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Japan
|| Department of Medicine and Clinical Science, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Japan.

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Figure 2 Echocardiographic Analysis on Cardiomyopathic Hamsters
Normal F1B (orange bars, n = 10), rAAV/LacZ (blue bars, n = 12), and rAAV/ASK N(KR) (red bars, n = 19) hamsters were analyzed with echocardiography before, 6 weeks, and 14 weeks after gene transfer (GT). (A) Representative M-mode echocardiographic tracings 14 weeks after GT. (B) Left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS), (C) LV ejection fraction (LVEF), (D) LV end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD), (E) LV end-systolic dimension (LVESD), (F) diastolic wall thickness of interventricular septum (IVSd), (G) diastolic wall thickness of LV posterior wall (LVPWT), and (H) LVEDD/LVPWT (index of LV diastolic wall stress). Pre-, 6 weeks, and 14 weeks represent before, 6, and 14 weeks after gene transfer, respectively. *p < 0.05 versus rAAV/LacZ at the corresponding time point. p < 0.05 versus normal hamsters. Abbreviations as in Figure 1.
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Figure 3 Hemodynamic Analysis on Cardiomyopathic Hamsters
Hemodynamic parameters of rAAV/LacZ (blue bars, n = 7) and rAAV/ASK N(KR) (red bars, n = 6) hamsters were examined 14 weeks after gene transfer. (A) Left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), (B) maximum first derivative of LV pressure (max LVdp/dt), (C) minimum first derivative of LV pressure (min LVdp/dt), and (D) heart rate (HR). *p < 0.05 versus rAAV/LacZ. Abbreviations as in Figure 1.
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Figure 4 mRNA Expression of ANF, BNP, and ß-MHC 14 Weeks After Gene Transfer
Lower graphs show results of densitometric analysis. The ratio of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), or ß-myosin heavy chain (ß-MHC) to glyceraldehyde 3 phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) in a normal hamster was expressed as 1. Orange, blue, and red bars represent normal, rAAV/LacZ, and rAAV/ASK N(KR) hamsters, respectively (n = 3 for each group). *p < 0.05 versus rAAV/LacZ, p < 0.05 versus normal hamsters. Abbreviations as in Figure 1.
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Figure 6 Apoptotic Cardiomyocyte Cell Death in Hamster Hearts 14 Weeks After Gene Transfer
(A) Images of apoptotic cardiomyocytes. Triple staining with propidium iodide, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase biotin-dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL), and anti- -sarcomeric actin antibody. (B) Number of TUNEL-positive cardiomyocytes. *p < 0.05 versus rAAV/LacZ (n = 5). (C) Immunohistochemical staining of activated caspase 3 (left panels). Normal rabbit immunoglobulin (Ig)G was used as a negative control (right panels). Arrows indicate activated caspase 3-positive cells. (D) Number of activated caspase 3-positive cardiomyocytes. *p < 0.05 versus rAAV/LacZ (n = 5). Abbreviations as in Figure 1.
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Figure 7 Effect of ASK1 Inhibition on MAPK Activation
(A) Western blot analysis for phospho- and total-c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK), p38 MAP kinase, or extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 4 weeks after gene transfer. (B to D) Densitometric analysis of blots. Ratio of phospho- and total-JNK, p38 MAPK, or ERK in a rAAV/LacZ-treated heart was expressed as 1. Blue and red bars represent rAAV/LacZ (n = 6) and rAAV/ASK N(KR) (n = 5) groups, respectively. Abbreviations as in Figure 1.
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