Loss of mouse P2Y6 nucleotide receptor is associated with physiological macrocardia and amplified pathological cardiac hypertrophy

The study of the mechanisms leading to cardiac hypertrophy is essential to better understand cardiac development and regeneration. Pathological conditions such as ischemia or pressure overload can induce a release of extracellular nucleotides within the heart. We recently investigated the potential role of nucleotide P2Y receptors in cardiac development. We showed that adult P2Y4-null mice displayed microcardia resulting from defective cardiac angiogenesis. Here we show that loss of another P2Y subtype called P2Y6, a UDP receptor, was associated with a macrocardia phenotype and amplified pathological cardiac hypertrophy. Cardiomyocyte proliferation and size were increased in vivo in hearts of P2Y6-null neonates, resulting in enhanced post-natal heart growth. We then observed that loss of P2Y6 receptor enhanced pathological cardiac hypertrophy induced after isoproterenol injection. We identified an inhibitory effect of UDP on in vitro isoproterenol-induced cardiomyocyte hyperplasia and hypertrophy. The present study identifies mouse P2Y6 receptor as a regulator of cardiac development and cardiomyocyte function. P2Y6 receptor could constitute a therapeutic target to regulate cardiac hypertrophy. Overall design: WT and P2Y6 KO mice aged between 8 and 12 weeks were intraperitoneally injected with 50 mg/kg/day isoproterenol or saline solution, daily during 7 days, then hearts were harvested and weighted. Ventricles were then stored for RNA extraction.

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Clouet S, Di Pietrantonio L, Daskalopoulos EP, Esfahani H, Horckmans M, Vanorlé M, Lemaire A, Balligand JL, Beauloye C, Boeynaems JM, Communi D