Elimination of endogenous high molecular weight FGF2 prevents pressure-overload-induced systolic dysfunction, linked to increased FGFR1 activity and NR1D1 expression

Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), produced as high (Hi-) and low (Lo-) molecular weight isoforms, is implicated in cardiac response to injury. The role of endogenous FGF2 isoforms during chronic stress is not well defined. We investigated the effects of endogenous Hi-FGF2 in a mouse model of simulated pressure-overload stress achieved by transverse aortic constriction (TAC) surgery. Hi-FGF2 knockout mice, expressing only Lo-FGF2, FGF2(Lo), and wild-type mice, FGF2(WT), expressing both Hi-FGF2 and Lo-FGF2, were used. By echocardiography, a decline in systolic function was observed in FGF2(WT) but not FGF2(Lo) mice compared to corresponding sham-operated animals at 4–8 weeks post-TAC surgery. TAC surgery increased markers of myocardial stress/damage including B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and the pro-cell death protein BCL2/adenovirus E1B 19 kDa protein-interacting protein-3 (Bnip3) in FGF2(WT) but not FGF2(Lo) mice. In FGF2(Lo) mice, cardiac levels of activated FGF receptor 1 (FGFR1), and downstream signals, including phosphorylated mTOR and p70S6 kinase, were elevated post-TAC. Finally, NR1D1 (nuclear receptor subfamily 1 group D member 1), implicated in cardioprotection from pressure-overload stress, was downregulated or upregulated in the presence or absence, respectively, of Hi-FGF2 expression, post-TAC surgery. In wild-type cardiomyocyte cultures, endothelin-1 (added to simulate pressure-overload signals) caused NR1D1 downregulation and BNP upregulation, similar to the effect of TAC surgery on the FGF2(WT) mice. The NR1D1 agonist SR9009 prevented BNP upregulation, simulating post-TAC findings in FGF2(Lo) mice. We propose that elimination of Hi-FGF2 is cardioprotective during pressure-overload by increasing FGFR1-associated signaling and NR1D1 expression.