AQP4-knockout aggravation of isoprenaline-induced myocardial injury is mediated by p66Shc and endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Aquaporin 4 (AQP4) is a type of water channel protein that maintains the water balance of cardiomyocytes. However, the physiological role of AQP4 in cardiovascular disease is poorly understood. We wanted to explore whether p66Shc and endoplasmic reticulum stress participates in AQP4 knockout (KO)-mediated cardiac injury. There were two types of mice: AQP4 knockout and wild-type mice. Each type was randomly divided into three groups: Control group, isoprenaline stimulation group (ISO, 1 mg/kg, s.c., 5 days), and apocynin treatment group (APO, 100 mg/kg, p.o., 3 days). H9c2 rat cardiomyocytes were cultured for RNA interference of AQP4. Results showed increased left ventricular weight index and more severe myocardial inflammation were induced in AQP4 knockout mice relative to wild-type mice, accompanied by significantly increased levels of the oxidative stress biomarkers MDA and NOX4. In addition, the expressions of p66Shc, ER stress markers PERK, GRP78 and CHOP and proinflammatory factors such as ETA , IL6 and TNFα were upregulated in the myocardium of AQP4 knockout mice or AQP4 siRNA treated cardiomyocytes, whereas CASQ2 was downregulated. ISO stimulation aggravated these abnormalities, which were significantly attenuated by apocynin. This study showed that AQP4 knockout mice were susceptible to cardiac injury induced by ISO. The mechanism was closely connected with p66Shc and proinflammatory factors. Endoplasmic reticulum stress was also involved in the pathological process.