Mild therapeutic hypothermia upregulates the O-GlcNAcylation level of COX10 to alleviate mitochondrial damage induced by myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury

Mild therapeutic hypothermia (MTH) is an important method for perioperative prevention and treatment of myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury (MIRI). Modifying mitochondrial proteins after protein translation to regulate mitochondrial function is one of the mechanisms for improving myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury. This study investigated the relationship between shallow hypothermia treatment improving myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury and the O-GlcNAcylation level of COX10.

We used in vivo Langendorff model and in vitro hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) cell model to investigate the effects of MTH on myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury. Histological changes, myocardial enzymes, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial structure/function were assessed. Mechanistic studies involved various molecular biology methods such as ELISA, immunoprecipitation (IP), WB, and immunofluorescence.

Our research results indicate that MTH upregulates the O-GlcNACylation level of COX10, improves mitochondrial function, and inhibits the expression of ROS to improve myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury. In vivo, MTH effectively alleviates ischemia–reperfusion induced cardiac dysfunction, myocardial injury, mitochondrial damage, and redox imbalance. In vitro, the OGT inhibitor ALX inhibits the OGT mediated O-GlcNA acylation signaling pathway, downregulates the O-Glc acylation level of COX10, promotes ROS release, and counteracts the protective effect of MTH. On the contrary, the OGA inhibitor ThG showed opposite effects to ALX, further confirming that MTH activated the OGT mediated O-GlcNAcylation signaling pathway to exert cardioprotective effects.

In summary, MTH activates OGT mediated O-glycosylation modified COX10 to regulate mitochondrial function and improve myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury, which provides important theoretical basis for the clinical application of MTH.