Ischemic Heart-Derived Small Extracellular Vesicles Impair Adipocyte Function

Background: Patients with acute myocardial infarction suffer systemic metabolic dysfunction via incompletely understood mechanisms. Adipocytes play critical role in metabolic homeostasis. The impact of acute myocardial infarction upon adipocyte function is unclear. Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) critically contribute to organ-organ communication. Whether and how small extracellular vesicle mediate post-MI cardiomyocyte/adipocyte communication remain unknown. Methods: Plasma sEVs were isolated from sham control (Pla-sEV Sham ) or 3 hours after myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (Pla-sEV MI/R ) and incubated with adipocytes for 24 hours. Compared with Pla-sEV Sham , Pla-sEV MI/R significantly altered expression of genes known to be important in adipocyte function, including a well-known metabolic regulatory/cardioprotective adipokine, APN (adiponectin). Pla-sEV MI/R activated 2 (PERK-CHOP and ATF6 [transcription factor 6]-EDEM [ER degradation enhancing alpha-mannosidase like protein 1] pathways) of the 3 endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathways in adipocytes. These pathological alterations were also observed in adipocytes treated with sEVs isolated from adult cardiomyocytes subjected to in vivo myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) (Myo-sEV MI/R ). Bioinformatic/RT-qPCR analysis demonstrates that the members of miR-23-27-24 cluster are significantly increased in Pla-sEV MI/R , Myo-sEV MI/R , and adipose tissue of MI/R animals. Administration of cardiomyocyte-specific miR-23-27-24 sponges abolished adipocyte miR-23-27-24 elevation in MI/R animals, supporting the cardiomyocyte origin of adipocyte miR-23-27-24 cluster. In similar fashion to Myo-sEV MI/R , a miR-27a mimic activated PERK-CHOP and ATF6-EDEM-mediated ER stress. Conversely, a miR-27a inhibitor significantly attenuated Myo-sEV MI/R -induced ER stress and restored APN production. Results: An unbiased approach identified EDEM3 (ER degradation enhancing alpha-mannosidase like protein 3) as a novel downstream target of miR-27a. Adipocyte EDEM3 deficiency phenocopied multiple pathological alterations caused by Myo-sEV MI/R , whereas EDEM3 overexpression attenuated Myo-sEV MI/R -resulted ER stress. Finally, administration of GW4869 or cardiomyocyte-specific miR-23-27-24 cluster sponges attenuated adipocyte ER stress, improved adipocyte endocrine function, and restored plasma APN levels in MI/R animals. Conclusions: We demonstrate for the first time that MI/R causes significant adipocyte ER stress and endocrine dysfunction by releasing miR-23-27-24 cluster-enriched small extracellular vesicle. Targeting small extracellular vesicle–mediated cardiomyocyte-adipocyte pathological communication may be of therapeutic potential to prevent metabolic dysfunction after MI/R.