Irisin ameliorates high glucose‐induced cardiomyocytes injury via AMPK/mTOR signal pathway

Abstract High glucose (HG)‐induced cardiomyocytes (CMs) injury is a leading cause of diabetic cardiomyopathy with little treatment options. Irisin, a new myokine, which is cleaved from its precursor fibronectin type III domain‐containing protein 5 (FNDC5), has aroused great attention as an essential cardioprotective factor and glucose metabolism regulator but little was known on diabetic cardiomyopathy yet. Here, we aim to clarify the role of irisin in the HG‐induced CMs injury. Neonatal Sprague–Dawley rat CMs were cultured in a normal or HG medium for 12, 24, and 48 hr, respectively before exposing to irisin. The apoptosis level was determined by terminal‐deoxynucleotidyl transferase‐mediated‐dUTP nick end‐labeling assay. Cell viability was measured with the conventional methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay. Moreover, reactive oxygen species production was evaluated by dihydroethidium staining. Inflammatory factors, namely tumor necrosis factor‐α, interleukin‐6, interleukin‐1β were determined by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay kits. Furthermore, protein and messenger RNA (mRNA) expressions were measured by western blot and quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction, respectively. HG increases the apoptosis of CMs and activated the inflammatory responses and oxidative stress in CMs. Meanwhile, the mRNA and protein expressions of FNDC5 are decreased after HG exposure. Nevertheless, the increased apoptosis is alleviated by irisin treatment. Notably, irisin suppresses the inflammatory responses and oxidative stress in injured CMs. Mechanically, after the administration of Compound C, AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) inhibitor, these cardioprotective effects resulting from irisin are reversed. Irisin plays a significant role in antiapoptosis, anti‐inflammation, antioxidative stress in HG‐induced CMs via AMPK/mammalian target of the rapamycin signaling pathway.