Toll-like receptor 9 mediated responses in cardiac fibroblasts

PLoS One. 2014 Aug 15;9(8):e104398. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0104398. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Altered cardiac Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) signaling is important in several experimental cardiovascular disorders. These studies have predominantly focused on cardiac myocytes or the heart as a whole. Cardiac fibroblasts have recently been attributed increasing significance in mediating inflammatory signaling. However, putative TLR9-signaling through cardiac fibroblasts remains non-investigated. Thus, our aim was to explore TLR9-signaling in cardiac fibroblasts and investigate the consequence of such receptor activity on classical cardiac fibroblast cellular functions. Cultivated murine cardiac fibroblasts were stimulated with different TLR9 agonists (CpG A, B and C) and assayed for the secretion of inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor α [TNFα], CXCL2 and interferon α/β). Expression of functional cardiac fibroblast TLR9 was proven as stimulation with CpG B and -C caused significant CXCL2 and TNFα-release. These responses were TLR9-specific as complete inhibition of receptor-stimulated responses was achieved by co-treatment with a TLR9-antagonist (ODN 2088) or chloroquine diphosphate. TLR9-stimulated responses were also found more potent in cardiac fibroblasts when compared with classical innate immune cells. Stimulation of cardiac fibroblasts TLR9 was also found to attenuate migration and proliferation, but did not influence myofibroblast differentiation in vitro. Finally, results from in vivo TLR9-stimulation with subsequent fractionation of specific cardiac cell-types (cardiac myocytes, CD45+ cells, CD31+ cells and cardiac fibroblast-enriched cell-fractions) corroborated our in vitro data and provided evidence of differentiated cell-specific cardiac responses. Thus, we conclude that cardiac fibroblast may constitute a significant TLR9 responder cell within the myocardium and, further, that such receptor activity may impact important cardiac fibroblast cellular functions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Dendritic Cells / drug effects
  • Dendritic Cells / metabolism
  • Female
  • Fibroblasts / drug effects
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism*
  • Macrophages / drug effects
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Myocardium / cytology*
  • Myocardium / metabolism*
  • Oligonucleotides / pharmacology
  • Signal Transduction
  • Toll-Like Receptor 9 / metabolism*

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Oligonucleotides
  • Toll-Like Receptor 9

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the University of Oslo; Center for Heart Failure Research; and The South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority (Helse Sør-Øst); http://www.helse-sorost.no/Sider/side.aspx, http://www.heartfailure.no/. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.