Cystatin C increases in cardiac injury: a role in extracellular matrix protein modulation

Abstract

Aims: Numerous lines of evidence suggest a role of oxidative stress in initiation and progression of heart failure. We identify novel pathways of oxidative stress in cardiomyocytes using proteomic technology.

Methods and results: Cardiomyocytes and cardiac fibroblasts isolated from rat hearts were treated with sublethal doses of H(2)O(2) for detection of secreted protein factors in the conditioned media by mass spectrometry-based proteomics. Comparison between the two cell types leads to the finding that H(2)O(2) caused an elevated cystatin C protein in the conditioned medium from cardiomyocytes. When cardiomyopathy was induced in mice by chronic administration of doxorubicin, elevated cystatin C protein was detected in the plasma. Myocardial ischaemia by left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion causes an increase in the level of cystatin C protein in the plasma. In myocardial tissue from the ischaemic area, an increase in cystatin C correlates with the inhibition of cathepsin B activity and accumulation of fibronectin and collagen I/III. Overexpressing cystatin C gene or exposing fibroblasts to cystatin C protein results in an inhibition of cathepsin B and accumulation of fibronectin and collagen I/III.

Conclusion: Oxidants induce elevated cystatin C production from CMCs. Cystatin C plays a role in cardiac extracellular matrix remodelling.