Sequestration of p27 within the cytoplasm of cardiac myocytes in chronic ischemic heart disease: Pathogenic implications for ischemic cardiomyopathy

Mark A. Smith*, Xiongwei Zhu, Hyoung Gon Lee, Peggy L.R. Harris, Anne E. Fortino, George Perry, Rudy J. Castellani

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

A number of recent studies have suggested that cardiac myocytes, previously considered post-mitotic, re-enter the cell cycle and possess the ability to proliferate with certain pathogenic stimuli. To study this further, we examined cellular proliferation in myocardial tissue from subjects with chronic ischemic heart disease-associated myocardial infarction and subsequent congestive heart failure. We found striking increases in cytoplasmic phospho-p27, a well-known mitotic regulator, compared to controls by both immunocytochemical and immunoblot analyses. However, we found no evidence for cardiac myocyte proliferation in either disease or control subjects using both mitotic counting (no mitotic figures were observed) and Ki-67 immunocytochemistry, which demonstrated a 0% proliferation index. That increased cytoplasmic phospho-p27 is not accompanied by division prompts us to speculate that ectopic cell cycle activation occurs in the face of minimal to absent myocyte proliferation per se. Based on these findings, and the parallel findings in post-mitotic neurons in neurodegenerative disease, we suggest that cell-cycle activation in ischemic heart disease is a deleterious event that perpetuates disease pathogenesis culminating in myocardial failure.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)85-91
Number of pages7
JournalAGE
Volume28
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2006

Keywords

  • Binucleation
  • Cell cycle
  • Immunocytochemistry
  • Ki-67
  • Mitosis
  • Myocardial infarct
  • Myocyte
  • Proliferation
  • p27

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Aging
  • Geriatrics and Gerontology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Sequestration of p27 within the cytoplasm of cardiac myocytes in chronic ischemic heart disease: Pathogenic implications for ischemic cardiomyopathy'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this