C-Phycocyanin Ameliorates Mitochondrial Fission and Fusion Dynamics in Ischemic Cardiomyocyte Damage

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a predominant risk factor in ischemic heart disease, in which the imbalance of mitochondrial fusion and fission deteriorates mitochondrial function and might lead to cardiomyocyte death. C-phycocyanin (C-pc), an active component from blue-green algae, such as Spirulina platensis, has been reported to have anti-apoptosis and anti-oxidation functions. In this study, the effects of C-pc on mitochondrial dynamics of cardiomyocytes was examined using an oxygen–glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) model in H9c2 cells, an in vitro model to study the ischemia in the heart. Cell viability assay showed that C-pc dose-dependently reduced OGD/R-induced cell death. Intracellular reactive oxygen species production induced by OGD/R was decreased in C-pc-treated groups in a dose-dependent manner as well. H9c2 cells subjected to OGD/R showed excessive mitochondrial fission and diminished mitochondrial fusion. C-pc treatment significantly ameliorated unbalanced mitochondrial dynamics induced by OGD/R and regulated mitochondrial remodeling through inhibiting mitochondrial fission while promoting fusion. The enhanced expressions of dynamin 1-like protein and mitochondrial fission 1 protein induced by OGD/R were suppressed by C-pc, while the subdued expressions of mitochondrial fusion proteins mitofusins 1 and 2 and optic atrophy 1 induced by OGD/R increased in C-pc-treated groups. Triple immunofluorescence staining revealed that C-pc treatment reduced the recruitment of dynamin 1-like protein from cytoplasm to mitochondrial membranes. Furthermore, C-pc protected H9c2 cells against OGD/R-induced cytochrome c/apoptotic protease activating factor-1 intrinsic apoptosis and suppressed the phosphorylations of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and c-Jun N-terminal kinase. These results suggest that C-pc protects cardiomyocytes from ischemic damage by affecting mitochondrial fission and fusion dynamics and reducing apoptosis and, thus, may be of potential as a prophylactic or therapeutic agent for ischemic heart disease.