Environmental eustress improves postinfarction cardiac repair via enhancing cardiac macrophage survival

Sci Adv. 2022 Apr 29;8(17):eabm3436. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abm3436. Epub 2022 Apr 27.

Abstract

Macrophages play a vital role in cardiac repair following myocardial infarction (MI). An enriched environment (EE) is involved in the regulation of macrophage-related activities and disease progression; however, whether EE affects the phenotype and function of macrophages to improve postinfarction cardiac repair remains unknown. In this study, we found that EE improved cardiac function, decreased mortality, and ameliorated adverse ventricular remodeling in mice after MI, with these outcomes closely related to the increased survival of Ly6Clow macrophages and their CCR2-MHCIIlow subsets. EE increased the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hypothalamus, leading to higher circulating levels of BDNF, which, in turn, regulated the cardiac macrophages. BDNF bound to tropomyosin receptor kinase B to activate downstream ERK1/2 and AKT pathways, promoting macrophage survival. These findings demonstrate that EE optimizes postinfarction cardiac repair and highlights the significance of EE as a previously unidentified strategy for impeding adverse ventricular remodeling.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / metabolism
  • Heart
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Myocardial Infarction* / metabolism
  • Myocardial Infarction* / therapy
  • Myocardium / metabolism
  • Ventricular Remodeling*

Substances

  • Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor