Deficiency of methionine sulfoxide reductase A causes cellular dysfunction and mitochondrial damage in cardiac myocytes under physical and oxidative stresses

Research highlights: {yields} Deficiency of MsrA in the heart renders myocardial cells more sensitive to oxidative stress. {yields} Mitochondrial damage happens in the heart lacking MsrA. {yields} More protein oxidation in myocardial cells lacking MsrA. {yields} MsrA protects the heart against oxidative stress. -- Abstract: Methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MsrA) is an enzyme that reverses oxidation of methionine in proteins. Using a MsrA gene knockout (MsrA{sup -/-}) mouse model, we have investigated the role of MsrA in the heart. Our data indicate that cellular contractility and cardiac function are not significantly changed in MsrA{sup -/-} mice if the hearts are not stressed. However, the cellular contractility, when stressed using a higher stimulation frequency (2 Hz), is significantly reduced in MsrA{sup -/-} cardiac myocytes. MsrA{sup -/-} cardiac myocytes also show a significant decrease in contractility after oxidative stress using H{sub 2}O{sub 2}. Corresponding changes in Ca{sup 2+} transients are observed in MsrA{sup -/-} cardiomyocytes treated with 2 Hz stimulation or with H{sub 2}O{sub 2}. Electron microscope analyses reveal a dramatic morphological change of mitochondria in MsrA{sup -/-} mouse hearts. Further biochemical measurements indicate that protein oxidation levels in MsrA{sup -/-} mouse hearts are significantly higher than those in wild type controls.more » Our study demonstrates that the lack of MsrA in cardiac myocytes reduces myocardial cell's capability against stress stimulations resulting in a cellular dysfunction in the heart.« less