Decreased Autophagy in Rat Heart Induced by Anti-β1-Adrenergic Receptor Autoantibodies Contributes to the Decline in Mitochondrial Membrane Potential

It has been recognized that changes in mitochondrial structure plays a key role in development of cardiac dysfunction, and autophagy has been shown to exert maintenance of mitochondrial homeostasis effects. Our previous study found that anti-beta(1)-adrenergic receptor autoantibodies (beta(1)-AABs) could lead to cardiac dysfunction along with abnormalities in mitochondrial structure. The present study tested the hypothesis that beta(1)-AABs may induce the decline in mitochondrial membrane potential (Delta psi m) by suppression of cardiac autophagy, which contributed to cardiac dysfunction. Male adult rats were randomized to receive a vehicle or peptide corresponding to the second extracellular loop of the beta(1) adrenergic receptor (beta(1)-AAB group, 0.4 mu g/g every two weeks for 12 weeks) and treated with rapamycin (RAPA, an autophagy agonist) at 5 mg/kg/day for two days before detection. At the 4th week, 8th week and 12th week of active immunization, the rats were sacrificed and cardiac function and the levels of cardiac LC3 and Beclin-1 were detected. Delta psi m in cardiac myocytes was determined by myocardial radionuclide imaging technology and JC-1 staining. In the present study, beta(1)-AABs caused cardiac dysfunction, reduced Delta psi m and decreased cardiac autophagy. Treatment with RAPA markedly attenuated beta(1)-AABs-induced cardiac injury evidenced by recovered Delta psi m. Taken together, these results suggested that beta(1)-AABs exerted significant decreased Delta psi m, which may contribute to cardiac dysfunction, most likely by decreasing cardiac autophagy in vivo. Moreover, myocardial radionuclide imaging technology may be needed to assess the risk in developing cardiac dysfunction for the people who have beta(1)-AABs in their blood.