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The pathophysiology of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‐associated cardiomyopathy remains uncertain. We used HIV‐1 transgenic (Tg26) mice to explore mechanisms by which HIV‐related proteins impacted on myocyte function. Compared to adult ventricular myocytes isolated from nontransgenic (wild type [WT]) littermates, Tg26 myocytes had similar mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) under normoxic conditions but lower Δ Ψm after hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R). In addition, Δ Ψm in Tg26 myocytes failed to recover after Ca 2+ challenge. Functionally, mitochondrial Ca 2+ uptake was severely impaired in Tg26 myocytes. Basal and maximal oxygen consumption rates (OCR) were lower in normoxic Tg26 myocytes, and further reduced after H/R. Complex I subunit and ATP levels were lower in Tg26 hearts. Post‐H/R, mitochondrial superoxide (O 2•–) levels were higher in Tg26 compared to WT myocytes. Overexpression of B‐cell lymphoma 2‐associated athanogene 3 (BAG3) reduced O 2•– levels in hypoxic WT and Tg26 myocytes back to normal. Under normoxic conditions, single myocyte contraction dynamics were similar between WT and Tg26 myocytes. Post‐H/R and in the presence of isoproterenol, myocyte contraction amplitudes were lower in Tg26 myocytes. BAG3 overexpression restored Tg26 myocyte contraction amplitudes to those measured in WT myocytes post‐H/R. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments demonstrated physical association of BAG3 and the HIV protein Tat. We conclude: (a) Under basal conditions, mitochondrial Ca 2+ uptake, OCR, and ATP levels were lower in Tg26 myocytes; (b) post‐H/R, Δ Ψm was lower, mitochondrial O 2•– levels were higher, and contraction amplitudes were reduced in Tg26 myocytes; and (c) BAG3 overexpression decreased O 2•– levels and restored contraction amplitudes to normal in Tg26 myocytes post‐H/R in the presence of isoproterenol. The hemizygous NL4‐3 Δgag/pol transgenic (Tg26) mouse with replication‐deficient, noninfectious human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV‐1) but with HIV‐1 proteins present in tissues simulates contemporary HIV‐1‐infected patients treated with combination antiretroviral therapy and is an excellent model to study chronic complications of HIV‐1 infection such as HIV‐associated cardiomyopathy. Cardiac myocytes isolated from Tg26 mice demonstrate mitochondrial dysfunction and elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) that are exacerbated by hypoxia/reoxygenation and adrenergic stress. B‐cell lymphoma 2‐associated athanogene 3 (BAG3) regulates autophagy, apoptosis, excitation‐contraction coupling, mitochondrial quality control, and sarcomere stability in cardiac myocytes and can associate with the HIV‐1 protein Tat. Overexpression of BAG3 in Tg26 myocytes restores the elevated ROS levels to normal and improves contractile dysfunction. BAG3 may be a useful therapeutic modality in the treatment of HIV‐associated cardiomyopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in HIVpositive patients, even in those whose viral loads are well controlled with antiretroviral therapy. However, the underlying molecular events responsible for the development of cardiac disease in the setting of HIV remain unknown. The HIV-encoded Tat protein plays a critical role in the activation of HIV gene expression and profoundly impacts homeostasis in both HIV-infected cells and uninfected cells that have taken up released Tat via a bystander effect. Since cardiomyocyte function, including excitationcontraction coupling, greatly depends on energy provided by the mitochondria, in this study, we performed a series of experiments to assess the impact of Tat on mitochondrial function and bioenergetics pathways in a primary cell culture model derived from neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocytes (NRVCs). Our results show that the presence of Tat in cardiomyocytes is accompanied by a decrease in oxidative phosphorylation, a decline in the levels of ATP, and an accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Tat impairs the uptake of mitochondrial Ca2+ ([Ca2+]m) and the electrophysiological activity of cardiomyocytes. Tat also affects the protein clearance pathway and autophagy in cardiomyocytes under stress due to hypoxia-reoxygenation conditions. A reduction in the level of ubiquitin along with dysregulated degradation of autophagy proteins including SQSTM1/p62 and a reduction of LC3 II were detected in cardiomyocytes harboring Tat. These results suggest that, by targeting mitochondria and protein quality control, Tat significantly impacts bioenergetics and autophagy resulting in dysregulation of cardiomyocyte health and homeostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondrial abnormalities impact the development of myofibrillar myopathies. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms underlying the removal of dysfunctional mitochondria from cells is of great importance toward understanding the molecular events involved in the genesis of cardiomyopathy. Earlier studies have ascribed a role for BAG3 in the development of cardiomyopathy in experimental animals leading to the identification of BAG3 mutations in patients with heart failure which may play a part in the onset of disease development and progression. BAG3 is co-chaperone of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), which has been shown to modulate apoptosis and autophagy, in several cell models. In this study, we explore the potential role of BAG3 in mitochondrial quality control. We demonstrate that siRNA mediated suppression of BAG3 production in neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocytes (NRVCs) significantly elevates the level of Parkin, a key component of mitophagy. We found that both BAG3 and Parkin are recruited to depolarized mitochondria and promote mitophagy. Suppression of BAG3 in NRVCs significantly reduces autophagy flux and eliminates clearance of Tom20, an essential import receptor for mitochondria proteins, after induction of mitophagy. These observations suggest that BAG3 is critical for the maintenance of mitochondrial homeostasis under stress conditions, and disruptions in BAG3 expression impact cardiomyocyte function. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 797-805, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved, selective degradation pathway of cellular components that is important for cell homeostasis under healthy and pathologic conditions. Here we demonstrate that an increase in the level of BAG3 results in stimulation of autophagy in glioblastoma cells. BAG3 is a member of a co-chaperone family of proteins that associates with Hsp70 through a conserved BAG domain positioned near the C-terminus of the protein. Expression of BAG3 is induced by a variety of environmental changes that cause stress to cells. Our results show that BAG3 overexpression induces autophagy in glioma cells. Interestingly, inhibition of the proteasome caused an increase in BAG3 levels and induced autophagy. Further analysis using specific siRNA against BAG3 suggests that autophagic activation due to proteosomal inhibition is mediated by BAG3. Analyses of BAG3 domain mutants suggest that the WW domain of BAG3 is crucial for the induction of autophagy. BAG3 overexpression also increased the interaction between Bcl2 and Beclin-1, instead of disrupting them, suggesting that BAG3 induced autophagy is Beclin-1 independent. These observations reveal a novel role for the WW domain of BAG3 in the regulation of autophagy. J. Cell. Physiol. 230: 831-841, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]