@phdthesis{Kutschka2024,
  author    = {Kutschka, Ilona},
  title     = {Activation of the integrated stress response induces remodeling of cardiac metabolism in Barth Syndrome},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-35818},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-358186},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {Barth Syndrome (BTHS) is an inherited X-chromosomal linked disorder, characterized by early development of cardiomyopathy, immune system defects, skeletal muscle myopathy and growth retardation. The disease displays a wide variety of symptoms including heart failure, exercise intolerance and fatigue due to the muscle weakness. The cause of the disease are mutations in the gene encoding for the mitochondrial transacylase Tafazzin (TAZ), which is important for remodeling of the phospholipid cardiolipin (CL). All mutations result in a pronounced decrease of the functional enzyme leading to an increase of monolysocardiolipin (MLCL), the precursor of mature CL, and a decrease in mature CL itself. CL is a hallmark phospholipid of mitochondrial membranes, highly enriched in the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM). It is not only important for the formation of the cristae structures, but also for the function of different protein complexes associated with the mitochondrial membrane. Reduced levels of mature CL cause remodeling of the respiratory chain supercomplexes, impaired respiration, defects in the Krebs cycle and a loss of mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) protein. The defective Ca2+ handling causes impaired redox homeostasis and energy metabolism resulting in cellular arrhythmias and defective electrical conduction. In an uncompensated situation, blunting mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake provokes increased mitochondrial emission of H2O2 during workload transitions, related to oxidation of NADPH, which is required to regenerate anti-oxidative enzymes. However, in the hearts and cardiac myocytes of mice with a global knock-down of the Taz gene (Taz-KD), no increase in mitochondrial ROS was observed, suggesting that other metabolic pathways may have compensated for reduced Krebs cycle activation. The healthy heart produces most of its energy by consuming fatty acids. In this study, the fatty acid uptake into mitochondria and their further degradation was investigated, which showed a switch of the metabolism in general in the Taz-KD mouse model. In vivo studies revealed an increase of glucose uptake into the heart and decreased fatty acid uptake and oxidation. Disturbed energy conversion resulted in activation of retrograde signaling pathways, implicating overall changes in the cell metabolism. Upregulated integrated stress response (ISR) was confirmed by increased levels of the downstream target, i.e., the activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4). A Tafazzin knockout mouse embryonal fibroblast cell model (TazKO) was used to inhibit the ISR using siRNA transfection or pharmaceutical inhibition. This verified the central role of II the ISR in regulating the metabolism in BTHS. Moreover, an increased metabolic flux into glutathione biosynthesis was observed, which supports redox homeostasis. In vivo PET-CT scans depicted elevated activity of the xCT system in the BTHS mouse heart, which transports essential amino acids for the biosynthesis of glutathione precursors. Furthermore, the stress induced signaling pathway also affected the glutamate metabolism, which fuels into the Krebs cycle via -ketoglutarate and therefore supports energy converting pathways. In summary, this thesis provides novel insights into the energy metabolism and redox homeostasis in Barth syndrome cardiomyopathy and its regulation by the integrated stress response, which plays a central role in the metabolic alterations. The aim of the thesis was to improve the understanding of these metabolic changes and to identify novel targets, which can provide new possibilities for therapeutic intervention in Barth syndrome.},
  subject      = {Herzmuskelkrankheit},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Werner2023,
  author    = {Werner, Jana Sophia},
  title     = {Frequenzabh{\"a}ngigkeit der IP3-induzierten Calciumregulation in murinen ventrikul{\"a}ren Kardiomyozyten},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-32315},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-323158},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2023},
  abstract  = {In Kardiomyozyten ist Calcium (Ca2+) ein wichtiges Signalmolek{\"u}l und eine pr{\"a}zise Regulation der Ca2+ Konzentration in den Zellkompartimenten erforderlich. Ca2+ wird Angiotensin II-induziert und vom Botenstoff IP3 vermittelt aus IP3 Rezeptoren des Sarkoplasmatischen Retikulum (SR) freigesetzt, was zur mitochondrialen Ca2+ Aufnahme f{\"u}hrt. Diese Kommunikationswege zwischen SR und Mitochondrium sind u.a. bei der Herzinsuffizienz durch pathologische Umbauprozesse gest{\"o}rt. Zudem zirkulieren bei Herzinsuffizienz vermehrt Hormone wie AngII, welches u.a. die intrazellul{\"a}re IP3 Konzentration steigert und als Hypertrophie Signal wirkt. Dieser Arbeit geht die Vermutung voraus, dass eine gest{\"o}rte mitochondriale Ca2+ Aufnahme durch Ver{\"a}nderung des nukle{\"a}ren Ca2+ Transienten die hypertrophe Genexpression beeinflussen kann. Es wurde an ventrikul{\"a}ren Kardiomyozyten von adulten M{\"a}usen mit kardiospezifischem MCU Knock out oder MCU Wildtyp untersucht, wie sich Ca2+ Transienten in Zytosol und Nukleus bei AngII-Stimulation und St{\"o}rung der mitochondrialen Ca2+ Aufnahme durch Blockade des mRyR1 oder des MCU ver{\"a}ndern. Zum Vergleich wurde der Effekt des β adrenerg vermittelten, IP3 unabh{\"a}ngigen Ca2+ Anstiegs beobachtet. Zur Untersuchung der Frequenzabh{\"a}ngigkeit der Effekte wurde die elektrische Stimulation wurde variiert. Die Arbeit zeigt, dass sich die Blockade der mitochondrialen Ca2+ Aufnahme unterschiedlich auf den nukle{\"a}ren Ca2+ Transienten auswirkt: Bei AngII-Stimulation kam es in Folge der Blockade des mRyR1, nicht aber des MCU, zur Steigerung des nukle{\"a}ren Ca2+ Transienten. Dieser Effekt war bei 1 Hz Stimulationsfrequenz, nicht aber nach einer Steigerung auf 4 Hz zu beobachten. Bei β adrenerger Stimulation hingegen ver{\"a}nderte die Blockade des MCU oder des mRyR1 die Ca2+ Transienten im Kern nicht signifikant. Die Arbeit verdeutlicht die Bedeutung der IP3 vermittelten Ca2+ Freisetzung f{\"u}r die Kontrolle der Ca2+ Konzentrationen in unterschiedlichen zellul{\"a}ren Kompartimenten.},
  subject      = {Calciumtransport},
  language  = {de}
}