Cardiomyocyte
hypertrophy is a compensatory phase of chronic
heart failure that is induced by the activation of multiple signaling pathways. The extracellular signal‑regulated
protein kinase (ERK) signaling pathway is an important regulator of cardiomyocyte
hypertrophy. In our previous study, it was demonstrated that
phenylephrine (PE)‑induced cardiomyocyte
hypertrophy involves the hyperacetylation of
histone H3K9ac by P300/CBP‑associated factor (PCAF). However, the upstream signaling pathway has yet to be fully identified. In the present study, the role of the extracellular signal‑regulated
protein kinase (ERK)1/2 signaling pathway in PE‑induced cardiomyocyte
hypertrophy was investigated. The mice cardiomyocyte
hypertrophy model was successfully established by treating cells with PE in vitro. The results showed that phospho‑(p‑)ERK1/2 interacted with PCAF and modified the pattern of
histone H3K9ac acetylation. An ERK inhibitor (
U0126) and/or a
histone acetylase inhibitor (
anacardic acid; AA) attenuated the overexpression of phospho‑ERK1/2 and H3K9ac hyperacetylation by inhibiting the expression of PCAF in PE‑induced cardiomyocyte
hypertrophy. Moreover,
U0126 and/or AA could attenuate the overexpression of several
biomarker genes related to
cardiac hypertrophy (
myocyte enhancer factor 2C,
atrial natriuretic peptide,
brain natriuretic peptide and β‑myosin heavy chain) and prevented cardiomyocyte
hypertrophy. These results revealed a novel mechanism in that AA protects against PE‑induced cardiomyocyte
hypertrophy in mice via the ERK1/2 signaling pathway, and by modifying the acetylation of H3K9ac. These findings may assist in the development of novel methods for preventing and treating
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.