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Background Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) represents approximately half of heart failure, and its incidence continues to increase. The leading cause of mortality in HFpEF is sudden death, but little is known about the underlying mechanisms. Methods Dahl salt-sensitive rats were fed a high-salt diet (8% NaCl) from 7 weeks of age to induce HFpEF (n=38). Rats fed a normal-salt diet (0.3% NaCl) served as controls (n=13). Echocardiograms were performed to assess systolic and diastolic function from 14 weeks of age. HFpEF-verified and control rats underwent programmed electrical stimulation (PES). QTc interval was measured by surface electrocardiography (ECG). The mechanisms of ventricular arrhythmias (VA) were probed by optical mapping, whole-cell patch clamp to measure action potential duration and ionic currents, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting to investigate changes in ion channel expression. Results After 7 weeks of high-salt diet, 31 of 38 rats showed diastolic dysfunction and preserved ejection fraction along with signs of heart failure, hence diagnosed with HFpEF. PES demonstrated increased susceptibility to VA in HFpEF rats (p < 0.001 vs. controls). The arrhythmogenicity index was increased (p < 0.001), and the QTc interval on ECG was prolonged (p < 0.001) in HFpEF rats. Optical mapping of HFpEF hearts demonstrated prolonged action potentials (p < 0.05) and multiple re-entry circuits during induced VA. Single-cell recordings of cardiomyocytes isolated from HFpEF rats confirmed a delay of repolarization (p=0.001) and revealed down-regulation of transient outward potassium current (Ito) (p < 0.05). The rapid component of the delayed rectifier potassium current (IKr), and the inward rectifier potassium current (IK1), were also down-regulated (p < 0.05), but the current densities were much lower than for Ito. In accordance with the reduction of Ito, both Kcnd3 transcript and Kv4.3 protein levels were decreased in HFpEF rat hearts. Conclusions Susceptibility to VA was markedly increased in rats with HFpEF. Underlying abnormalities include QTc prolongation, delayed repolarization from down-regulation of potassium currents, and multiple re-entry circuits during VA. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that potassium current down-regulation leads to abnormal repolarization in HFpEF, which in turn predisposes to VA and sudden cardiac death.

IntroductionAbnormal toll-like receptor (TLR)3 signaling plays an indispensable role in pathogenesis of both experimental and human rheumatoid arthritis, and microRNAs (miRNAs) might orchestrate this signaling pathway. This study was performed to determine the relationship between miR-26a and TLR3 in rat macrophages and to observe effects of miR-26a mimic on pristane induced arthritis (PIA) in rats.MethodsDual luciferase reporter assay was used to validate the direct interaction between miR-26a (a candidate miRNA to target tlr3 mRNA) and tlr3 3′UTR. MiR-26a regulation on TLR3 gene expression was determined using RT-qPCR and Western blotting after miR-26a mimics and inhibitors were transfected into rat macrophage line NR8383 cells. Poly I:C (TLR3 ligand) was used to trigger TLR3 activation, and mRNA expression of its downstream cytokines interferon (ifn)-β and tumor necrosis factor (tnf)-α was accordingly detected to determine the regulation of TLR3 signaling. Expressions of TLR3 and miR-26a were detected during rat bone marrow derived macrophage (BMDM) induction, in pristane stimulated NR8383 cells and spleens from methotrexate (MTX) treated PIA rats. A miR-26a mimic was administrated intraperitoneally to PIA rats, and arthritis severity was evaluated by macroscopic or microscopic observations.ResultsDirect target relationship between miR-26a and tlr3 mRNA in rats was confirmed. Modifications of miR-26a function by transfection of miR-26a mimics and inhibitors exhibited corresponding repression and augmentation of TLR3 and its signaling downstream cytokine expressions in NR8383 cells. The alteration of miR-26a expression was negatively related with TLR3 expression during BMDM induction, in pristane-primed NR8383 cells and PIA rat spleens. Moreover, both abnormal expressions were rescued in MTX treated arthritis rat spleens. The miR-26a mimic treatment displayed the depression of TLR3 expression and ameliorated the disease severity in the rats with pristane induced arthritis.ConclusionsMiR-26a negatively regulates TLR3 signaling via targeting of TLR3 itself in rat macrophages, and this finding provides a novel insight into abnormal TLR3 overexpression during experimental arthritis.