The involvement of protein kinase C-ε in isoflurane induced preconditioning of human embryonic stem cell - derived Nkx2.5+ cardiac progenitor cells

Abstract

Abstract

Background Anesthetic preconditioning can improve survival of cardiac progenitor cells exposed to oxidative stress. We investigated the role of protein kinase C and isoform protein kinase C-ε in isoflurane-induced preconditioning of cardiac progenitor cells exposed to oxidative stress.

Methods Cardiac progenitor cells were obtained from undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells. Immunostaining with anti-Nkx2.5 was used to confirm the differentiated cardiac progenitor cells. Oxidative stress was induced by H2O2 and FeSO4. For anesthetic preconditioning, cardiac progenitor cells were exposed to 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0mM of isoflurane. PMA and chelerythrine were used for protein kinase C activation and inhibition, while εψRACK and εV1-2 were used for protein kinase C -ε activation and inhibition, respectively.

Results Isoflurane-preconditioning decreased the death rate of Cardiac progenitor cells exposed to oxidative stress (death rates isoflurane0.5mM 12.7 ± 9.3%, 1.0mM 12.0 ± 7.7% vs. control 31.4 ± 10.2%). Inhibitors of both protein kinase C and protein kinase C -ε abolished the preconditioning effect of isoflurane 0.5 mM (death rates 27.6 ± 13.5% and 25.9 ± 8.7% respectively), and activators of both protein kinase C and protein kinase C - ε had protective effects from oxidative stress (death rates 16.0 ± 3.2% and 10.6 ± 3.8% respectively).

Conclusions Both PKC and PKC-ε are involved in isoflurane-induced preconditioning of human embryonic stem cells -derived Nkx2.5+ Cardiac progenitor cells under oxidative stress.