Transcriptome sequencing analysis reveals the molecular regulatory mechanism of myocardial hypertrophy induced by angiotensin II

Abstract

The pathogenesis of myocardial hypertrophy remains incompletely understood, highlighting the critical need for in-depth investigation into its pathogenesis and pathophysiology to develop innovative strategies for preventing and treating heart diseases. In this study, a model of angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced myocardial hypertrophy was established using subcutaneous administration with a micropump. Echocardiography, wheat germ agglutinin staining, and western blot analysis were used to evaluate the myocardial hypertrophy model after 5, 10, and 15 days of Ang II treatment. RNA-seq was employed to analyze the differential expression profile of mRNA, followed by bioinformatics analysis. Subsequently, the anti-inflammatory drug meloxicam was utilized to explore its impact on cardiac hypertrophy in mice. The findings demonstrated that mice developed myocardial hypertrophy following subcutaneous administration of Ang II. Transcriptomic analysis revealed significant changes in gene expression in the myocardium induced by Ang II, with the most pronounced differences observed at day 10. Functional analysis and verification of differentially expressed genes indicated that Ang II triggered an inflammatory response in the myocardium, leading to up-regulation of genes associated with fibrosis and apoptosis while decreasing energy metabolism; alterations were also observed in genes related to oxidative stress and calcium ion binding. Treatment with meloxicam improved Ang II-induced myocardial hypertrophy. This study not only elucidated the molecular regulatory mechanism underlying mouse myocardial hypertrophy at a transcriptional level but also provided new insights into clinical prevention and treatment strategies for cardiac diseases such as dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure.