Frontiers in Physiology (Sep 2014)

A N-terminal Truncated Intracellular Isoform of Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 Impairs Contractility of Mouse Myocardium

  • David H Lovett,
  • Charles eChu,
  • Guanying eWang,
  • Mark B Ratcliffe,
  • Anthony J Baker

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2014.00363
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 5

Abstract

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The full-length isoform of matrixmetalloproteinase-2 (FL-MMP-2) plays a role in turnover of the cardiac extracellular matrix. FL-MMP-2 is also present intracellularly in association with sarcomeres and, in the setting of oxidative stress, cleaves myofilament proteins with resultant impaired contractility. Recently, a novel N-terminal truncated MMP-2 isoform (NTT-MMP-2) generated during oxidative stress was identified and shown to induce severe systolic failure; however, the injury mechanisms remained unclear. In this study, cardiac-specific NTT-MMP-2 transgenic mice were used to determine the physiological effects of NTT-MMP-2 on: force development of intact myocardium; the function of cardiac myofilaments in demembranated myocardium; and on intracellular Ca2+ transients in isolated myocytes. We related the contractile defects arising from NTT-MMP-2 expression to the known intracellular locations of NTT-MMP-2 determined using immunohistochemistry. Comparison was made with the pathophysiology arising from cardiac-specific FL-MMP-2 transgenic mice. Consistent with previous studies, FL-MMP-2 was localized to myofilaments, while NTT-MMP-2 was concentrated within subsarcolemmal mitochondria and to sites in register with the Z-line. NTT-MMP-2 expression caused a 50% reduction of force development by intact myocardium. However, NTT-MMP-2 expression did not reduce myofilament force development, consistent with the lack of NTT-MMP-2 localization to myofilaments. NTT-MMP-2 expression caused a 50% reduction in the amplitude of Ca2+ transients, indicating impaired activation. Conclusions: Unlike FL-MMP-2, NTT-MMP-2 does not mediate myofilament damage. Instead, NTT-MMP-2 causes impaired myocyte activation, which may involve effects due to localization in mitochondria and/or to transverse tubules affecting Ca2+ transients. Thus, FL-MMP-2 and NTT-MMP-2 have discrete intracellular locations and mediate different intracellular damage to cardiac myocytes.

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