© Springer International Publishing AG 2017 169
T. Angelone et al. (eds.), Chromogranins: from Cell Biology to Physiology
and Biomedicine, UNIPA Springer Series, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-58338-9_11
Chromogranin A-Derived Peptides in Cardiac
Pre- and Post-conditioning
Claudia Penna and Pasquale Pagliaro
C. Penna (*) • P. Pagliaro
Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin,
Regione Gonzole, 10, 10043 Orbassano (TO), Italy
e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]
Abstract Chromogranin A (CgA, also known as secretory protein I) is produced by
cells of sympathoadrenal system, and by mammalian ventricular myocardium. In
clinical settings CgA was primarily used as a marker of neuroendocrine tumors.
However, in the last 10 years, many data have been published on the role of the CgA
and its derived peptides, especially Catestatin and Vasostatin, in the regulation of
cardiovascular function and cardiovascular disease, including heart failure and
hypertension. Several CgA-derived fragments, e.g. Catestatin, Chromofungin,
Serpinin and Vasostatin, may affect several physiological features of cardiovascular
system, including inotropic and lusitropic properties of the heart. As a matter of
fact, CgA processing, leading to derived peptide formation, has been proposed as a
part of a complex feedback system involved in the regulation and modulation of
catecholamine release and effects. The CgA system can also be regarded as a car-
dioprotective tool against ischemic myocardial injury that can be active before, dur-
ing and/or after an ischemic insult. In fact, it has been shown that Vasostatin can
trigger cardioprotective effects similar to those achieved with ischemic precondi-
tioning (a cardioprotective phenomenon activated before ischemia). Yet, while
Catestatin and Chromofungin resulted to be potent cardioprotective agents in the
post-ischemic early stage, that is they are postconditioning agents (protection is
activated at the onset of reperfusion), Serpinin displayed the ability to act as both
pre- and post-conditioning agent. All these peptides have proven to be able to acti-
vate multiple cardioprotective pathways, and each of them displayed similar and
unique properties. For instance, while both Catestatin and Vasostatin can induce
nitric oxide dependent pathway, Serpinin acts via adenylate cyclase and cAMP/
PKA pathway, and all of them can play key roles in cardioprotection against isch-
emia/reperfusion injury. Clearly, the exact cardioprotective mechanism of the CgA
system is far from being fully understood. Here, before to consider the cardioprotec-
tive effects of CgA-derived peptides, we describe the main mechanisms of cardiac
ischemic injury and protection.