HIPK2 overexpression relieves hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced apoptosis and oxidative damage of cardiomyocytes through enhancement of the Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway

Publication date: Available online 16 December 2019Source: Chemico-Biological InteractionsAuthor(s): Xiaoyan Dang, Rui Zhang, Zhuo Peng, Yong Qin, Jiangli Sun, Zequn Niu, Honghong PeiAbstractHomeodomain interacting protein kinase-2 (HIPK2) has emerged as a crucial stress-responsive kinase that plays a critical role in regulating cell survival and apoptosis. However, whether HIPK2 participates in regulating cardiomyocyte survival during myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury remains unclear. Here, we investigated the regulatory effect of HIPK2 on hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced cardiomyocyte injury and its potential underlying molecular mechanism. We found that HIPK2 expression was induced in response to H/R exposure. HIPK2 depletion by small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated gene silencing significantly decreased the viability and exacerbated H/R-induced apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in cardiomyocytes. Comparatively, HIPK2 overexpression effectively rescued H/R-impaired viability and repressed H/R-induced apoptosis and ROS production in cardiomyocytes. HIPK2 overexpression significantly increased the nuclear expression of nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) and enhanced Nrf2-mediated transcriptional activity. Moreover, HIPK2 overexpression significantly increased the transcription of Nrf2/ARE target genes. Additionally, Nrf2 inhibition partially reversed the HIPK2-mediated protective effect. Overall, these results demonstrate that HI...
Source: Chemico Biological Interactions - Category: Biochemistry Source Type: research