Decreased autophagy induced by β1-adrenoceptor autoantibodies contributes to cardiomyocyte apoptosis

Abstract It has been recognized that myocardial apoptosis is one major factor in the development of heart dysfunction and autophagy has been shown to influence the apoptosis. In previous studies, we reported that anti-β1-adrenergic receptor autoantibodies (β1-AABs) decreased myocardial autophagy, but the role of decreased autophagy in cardiomyocyte apoptosis remains unclear. In the present study, we used a β1-AAB-immunized rat model to investigate the role of decreased autophagy in cardiomyocyte apoptosis. We reported that the level of autophagic flux increased early and then decreased in an actively β1-AAB-immunized rat model. Rapamycin, an mTOR inhibitor, restored myocardial apoptosis in the presence of β1-AABs. Further, we found that the early increase of autophagy was an adaptive stress response that is possibly unrelated to β1-AR, and the activation of the β1-AR and PKA contributed to late decreased autophagy. Then, after upregulating or inhibiting autophagy with rapamycin, Atg5 overexpression adenovirus or 3-methyladenine in cultured primary neonatal rat cardiomyocytes, we found that autophagy decline promoted myocardial apoptosis effectively through the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. In conclusion, the reduction of apoptosis through the proper regulation of autophagy may be important for treating patients with β1-AAB-positive heart dysfunction.