GBP1 exerts inhibitory effects on acute viral myocarditis by inhibiting the inflammatory response of macrophages in mice.

Viral myocarditis (VMC) is a condition that could potentially progress to dilated cardiomyopathy or congestive heart failure, making it the leading cause of the untimely death in young adults. Interferon-induced GBP1 encodes much of the GTPase induced by interferon gamma in many eukaryotic cells. However, little is known regarding the effect of GBP1 on acute VMC (AVMC). Hence, this aim of this study was to assess the effect of GBP1 on AVMC. Once the AVMC mouse models were established, the functional role of GBP1 was determined in AVMC. Serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and TGF-β, and expression levels of GBP1, MIF, iNOS, and COX-2 were detected, together with the viability and apoptosis of cardiomyocytes. AVMC mice presented with increased levels of TGF-β, IL-6, TNF-α, MIF, iNOS, and COX-2, as well as cell apoptosis, but lower expression of GBP1 and viability of cardiomyocytes. Restored GBP1 or depleted macrophages resulted in decreased levels of TGF-β, IL-6, TNF-α, MIF, iNOS, and COX-2, as well as cardiomyocyte apoptosis, while increasing cardiomyocyte viability. In conclusion, our results highlight the potential role of GBP1 in inhibiting AVMC development. The experimental results indicate that GBP1 up-regulation and macrophage depletion can alleviate AVMC-related cardial damage by inhibiting inflammatory responses and cardiomyocyte apoptosis while increasing cardiomyocyte viability.