ELAVL1 is transcriptionally activated by FOXC1 and promotes ferroptosis in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury by regulating autophagy

Molecular Medicine

Peng Zhu¹  Xiao Ling¹  Ze-Zhou Xiao¹  Rong-Ning Xu¹  Shao-Yi Zheng¹  Hui-Yong Chen² 

[1] Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No.1838 North Guangzhou Avenue, Baiyun District, 510515, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China;Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No.1838 North Guangzhou Avenue, Baiyun District, 510515, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China;Department of Thoracic Surgery, Yuebei People’s Hospital, Shantou University, 512026, Shaoguan, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China;

关键词: Myocardial ischemia reperfusion;    Ferroptosis;    Autophagy;    ELAVL1;    FOXC1;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s10020-021-00271-w

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

AimsMyocardial ischemia is the most common form of cardiovascular disease and the leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Understanding the mechanisms is very crucial for the development of effective therapy. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the functional roles and mechanisms by which ELAVL1 regulates myocardial ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury.MethodsMouse myocardial I/R model and cultured myocardial cells exposed to hypoxia/reperfusion (H/R) were used in this study. Features of ferroptosis were evidenced by LDH activity, GPx4 activity, cellular iron, ROS, LPO, and GSH levels. The expression levels of autophagy markers (Beclin-1, p62, LC3), ELAVL1 and FOXC1 were measured by qRT-PCR, immunostaining and western blot. RIP assay, biotin-pull down, ChIP and dual luciferase activity assay were employed to examine the interactions of ELAVL1/Beclin-1 mRNA and FOXC1/ELAVL1 promoter. CCK-8 assay was used to examine viability of cells. TTC staining was performed to assess the myocardial I/R injury.ResultsMyocardial I/R surgery induced ferroptosis and up-regulated ELAVL1 level. Knockdown of ELAVL1 decreased ferroptosis and ameliorated I/R injury. Si-ELAVL1 repressed autophagy and inhibition of autophagy by inhibitor suppressed ferroptosis and I/R injury in myocardial cells. Increase of autophagy could reverse the effects of ELAVL1 knockdown on ferroptosis and I/R injury. ELAVL1 directly bound with and stabilized Beclin-1 mRNA. Furthermore, FOXC1 bound to ELAVL1 promoter region and activated its transcription upon H/R exposure.ConclusionFOXC1 transcriptionally activated ELAVL1 may promote ferroptosis during myocardial I/R by modulating autophagy, leading to myocardial injury. Inhibition of ELAVL1-mediated autophagic ferroptosis would be a new viewpoint in the treatment of myocardial I/R injury.

【 授权许可】

CC BY