Abstract

Type 2 diabetes and cigarette smoke exposure are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular complications. The role of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) is already well-established in numerous comorbidities including cardiomyopathy. Given the role of AGEs and their receptor, RAGE, in activating inflammatory pathways, we sought to determine whether ceramides could be a mediator of RAGE-induced altered heart mitochondrial function. Using an in vitro model, we treated H9C2 cardiomyocytes with carboxy-methyl lysine-BSA, followed by mitochondrial respiration assessment. We found that mitochondrial respiration was significantly impaired in AGE-treated cells, but not when co-treated with myriocin, an inhibitor of de novo ceramide biosynthesis. Moreover, we exposed WT and RAGE KO mice to side-stream cigarette smoke and found reduced mitochondrial respiration in the left ventricle myocardium from WT mice, but the RAGE KO mice were protected from this effect. Finally, conditional over-expression of RAGE in the lungs of mice also elicited a robust increase in left ventricular ceramides. Altogether, these findings suggest a RAGE-ceramide axis as an important contributor to cardiomyopathy.

Degree

MS

College and Department

Life Sciences; Physiology and Developmental Biology

Rights

http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2015-03-01

Document Type

Thesis

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd7640

Keywords

RAGE, ceramide, cigarette smoke, diabetes, mitochondria, cardiomyopathy

Language

english

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