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1: Mediators of inflammation, 2009, 2009(3)
Cardiotrophin-1 Induces Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha Synthesis in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells.

[Abstract]Chronic heart failure (CHF) is associated with elevated concentrations of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha and cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1) and altered peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) function. Therefore, we tested whether CT-1 induces TNFalpha in PBMC of healthy volunteers. CT-1 induced in PBMC TNFalpha protein in the supernatant and TNFalpha mRNA in a concentration- and time-dependent manner determined by ELISA and real-time PCR, respectively. Maximal TNFalpha protein was achieved with 100 ng/mL CT-1 after 3-6 hours and maximal TNFalpha mRNA induction after 1 hour. ELISA data were confirmed using immunofluorescent flow cytometry. Inhibitor studies with actinomycin D and brefeldin A showed that both protein synthesis and intracellular transport are essential for CT-1 induced TNFalpha expression. CT-1 caused a dose dependent nuclear factor (NF) kappaB translocation. Parthenolide inhibited both NFkappaB translocation and TNFalpha protein expression indicating that NFkappaB seems to be necessary. We revealed a new mechanism for elevated serum TNFalpha concentrations and PBMC activation in CHF besides the hypothesis of PBMC activation by bacterial translocation from the gut.

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2: Journal of hypertension, 2010 Mar 3, 88(5)
Vascular effects of cardiotrophin-1: a role in hypertension?

[Abstract]AIMS: To investigate cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1) effects and regulation in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in vitro and in aortic tunica media ex vivo in normotensive Wistar rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). METHODS AND RESULTS: CT-1 expression was quantified by real-time reverse-transcription PCR and western blotting. CT-1-activated intracellular pathways were assessed by western bloting analysis. Proliferation was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and ki67 immunodetection, and cell hypertrophy by planimetry. Extracellular matrix components were quantified by real-time reverse-transcription PCR and western blot, and metalloproteinases activities by zymography. VSMCs from Wistar rats and SHRs expressed spontaneously CT-1 at the mRNA and the protein level, with a two-fold more increase in SHRs. CT-1 phosphorylated p42/44 mitogen-activated protein kinase, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, Akt and Stat-3 in both strains. CT-1 stimulated VSMCs proliferation and hypertrophy in both strains, with an enhanced stimulation in SHRs. CT-1 increased the secretion of collagen type I and fibronectin in VSMCs and aortic tunica media of Wistar rats and SHRs, with greater magnitude in SHRs. In SHRs VSMCs in vitro and ex vivo, CT-1 increased the secretion of collagen type III and elastin and the expression of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases, without altering metalloproteinase activity. These effects were blocked by CT-1 receptor antibodies. Aldosterone treatment increased CT-1 expression in VSMCs and aortic tunica media from both strains, with a greater magnitude in SHRs. CONCLUSION: CT-1 induces VSMCs proliferation, hypertrophy and extracellular matrix production, and is upregulated in hypertension and by aldosterone. CT-1 may represent a new target of vascular wall remodeling in hypertension.

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3: Investigative ophthalmology & visual science, 2009 Dec 10,
Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF1) and Cardiotrophin 1 (CT1) Increase Strength and Mass of Extraocular Muscle in Juvenile Chicken.

[Abstract]PURPOSE: Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) and cardiotrophin 1 (CT1) are known to increase the strength of extraocular muscles in adult and/or embryonic animals, but no information is available for the early postnatal period when strabismus treatment in humans is most urgent. Here, we ask whether these trophic factors strengthen juvenile maturing extraocular muscles and gain insights into mechanisms of force increase. METHODS: Following two injections of IGF1 and/or CT1 with different dosages in posthatch chickens, we quantified five parameters of the superior oblique extraocular muscle at two weeks of age: contractile force, muscle mass, total myofiber area, myofiber diameter, and the number of proliferating satellite cells labeled by bromodeoxyuridine. RESULTS: Treatment with IGF1, CT1, and combination of IGF1 and CT1 significantly increased contractile force by 14%-22%. CT1 and combination treatment significantly increased muscle mass by 10%-24%. IGF1/CT1 combination treatment did not have additive effects on strengthening muscles, compared with single-drug treatments. Myofiber area increased significantly with IGF1 and CT1 treatment in proximal, but not distal parts of the muscle, due to increased fiber numbers or length (IGF1) or increased diameters of global layer myofibers (CT1). Trophic factors increased the number of proliferating (bromodeoxyuridine-labeled) satellite cells in proximal and middle segments of muscles. CONCLUSIONS: Exogenous IGF1 and CT1 strengthen extraocular muscles during maturation. They predominantly remodel the proximal segment of juvenile extraocular muscles. This information about muscle plasticity may aid the design of pharmacological treatment of strabismus in children during the "critical period" of oculomotor maturation.

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4: Journal of neuroscience research, 2009 Oct 26,
Caspase inhibition by cardiotrophin-1 prevents neuronal death in vivo and in vitro.

[Abstract]Our previous studies showed that cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1), a cytokine in the interleukin-6 family, protected the developing rat brain against focal cerebral ischemia (FCI) in vivo and prevented cortical neuron death in vitro. However, the mechanisms by which CT-1 prevents neuronal death are not clearly understood. This in vivo study focused on whether CT-1 treatment prevented FCI-induced brain injuries in the postnatal day 7 (P7) rat through modulating activation of the initiator caspase-8 (C-8) and the downstream effector caspase-3 (C-3). FCI caused a significant increase in expressions of cleaved C-8 and C-3 and, meanwhile, a significant decrease in expression of microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP2) in the left ischemic cortex of the P7 rat brain after FCI. Exogenous treatment of CT-1 significantly reduced the expression of cleaved C-8 or C-3 and attenuated the decline in MAP2 expression in the ischemic cortex from 12 to 24 hr after FCI. Subsequent in vitro experiments demonstrated that CT-1 treatment inhibited sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-induced activation of C-8 and C-3 and loss of MAP2-positive neurons in cortical neuron cultures. More importantly, CT-1 activated several pathways, including Janus kinase 2, signal transducers and activators of transcription 3, nuclear factor kappa B, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and MAPK kinase in the cultures exposed to SNP. This is the first suggestion that CT-1 prevents neuronal injury in the developing central nervous system possibly through mediating multiple signal pathways, inhibiting activation of C-8 and C-3. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.