(824.1) Dissecting the Mechanisms Whereby Tryptophan Metabolites Alter Myocardial Function
Tuesday, April 5, 2022
12:30 PM – 1:45 PM
Location: Exhibit/Poster Hall A-B - Pennsylvania Convention Center
Poster Board Number: A462
Gizem Keceli (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine), Seungho Jun (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine), Blaze Pharoah (Johns Hopkins University), Ryla Pasaoa (Johns Hopkins University), Reyhan Westbrook (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine), Peter Abadir (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine), Nazareno Paolocci (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, University of Padova)
Presenting Author Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in the elderly population and they represent an important risk factor for frailty. The essential amino acid, tryptophan (TRP), acts as a precursor of neurotransmitters/hormones, such as serotonin and melatonin, and is central to many aspects of cellular metabolism. TRP degradation, however, can lead to breakdown products, such as kynurenine (KYN), whose impact on normal and diseased hearts remains primarily unknown. Moreover, in recent clinical reports, increased levels of KYN and/or its metabolites, formed via degradation of the essential amino acid tryptophan, are associated with heart diseases and atherosclerosis. KYN infusion significantly impaired cardiac function in Langendorff-perfused hearts. Similarly in isolated cardiomyocytes, exposure to KYN increased oxidative stress and decreased fractional shortening. The ongoing studies include mechanistic approaches to determine the pathways involved in KYN and/or its metabolites’ impact on myocardial function.
Support or Funding Information
This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health grant R01 HL136918 (to N.P.); by the T32 National Institutes of Health training grants T32AG058527 (G.K.) and T32GM080189 (B.M.P.); by funds from the Johns Hopkins University Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center of the National Institute on Aging (under award number P30AG021334) (G.K.), and by the Magic-that-Matters Johns Hopkins University Funding (to N.P.).
