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Vahle B, Heilmann L, Schauer A, Augstein A, Jarabo MEP, Barthel P, Mangner N, Labeit S, Bowen TS, Linke A, Adams V. Modulation of Titin and Contraction-Regulating Proteins in a Rat Model of Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction: Limb vs. Diaphragmatic Muscle. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6618. [PMID: 38928324 PMCID: PMC11203682 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is characterized by biomechanically dysfunctional cardiomyocytes. Underlying cellular changes include perturbed myocardial titin expression and titin hypophosphorylation leading to titin filament stiffening. Beside these well-studied alterations at the cardiomyocyte level, exercise intolerance is another hallmark of HFpEF caused by molecular alterations in skeletal muscle (SKM). Currently, there is a lack of data regarding titin modulation in the SKM of HFpEF. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to analyze molecular alterations in limb SKM (tibialis anterior (TA)) and in the diaphragm (Dia), as a more central SKM, with a focus on titin, titin phosphorylation, and contraction-regulating proteins. This study was performed with muscle tissue, obtained from 32-week old female ZSF-1 rats, an established a HFpEF rat model. Our results showed a hyperphosphorylation of titin in limb SKM, based on enhanced phosphorylation at the PEVK region, which is known to lead to titin filament stiffening. This hyperphosphorylation could be reversed by high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Additionally, a negative correlation occurring between the phosphorylation state of titin and the muscle force in the limb SKM was evident. For the Dia, no alterations in the phosphorylation state of titin could be detected. Supported by data of previous studies, this suggests an exercise effect of the Dia in HFpEF. Regarding the expression of contraction regulating proteins, significant differences between Dia and limb SKM could be detected, supporting muscle atrophy and dysfunction in limb SKM, but not in the Dia. Altogether, these data suggest a correlation between titin stiffening and the appearance of exercise intolerance in HFpEF, as well as a differential regulation between different SKM groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Vahle
- Heart Center Dresden, Laboratory of Molecular and Experimental Cardiology, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (B.V.); (L.H.); (A.S.); (A.A.); (M.-E.P.J.); (P.B.); (N.M.); (A.L.)
| | - Leonard Heilmann
- Heart Center Dresden, Laboratory of Molecular and Experimental Cardiology, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (B.V.); (L.H.); (A.S.); (A.A.); (M.-E.P.J.); (P.B.); (N.M.); (A.L.)
| | - Antje Schauer
- Heart Center Dresden, Laboratory of Molecular and Experimental Cardiology, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (B.V.); (L.H.); (A.S.); (A.A.); (M.-E.P.J.); (P.B.); (N.M.); (A.L.)
| | - Antje Augstein
- Heart Center Dresden, Laboratory of Molecular and Experimental Cardiology, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (B.V.); (L.H.); (A.S.); (A.A.); (M.-E.P.J.); (P.B.); (N.M.); (A.L.)
| | - Maria-Elisa Prieto Jarabo
- Heart Center Dresden, Laboratory of Molecular and Experimental Cardiology, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (B.V.); (L.H.); (A.S.); (A.A.); (M.-E.P.J.); (P.B.); (N.M.); (A.L.)
| | - Peggy Barthel
- Heart Center Dresden, Laboratory of Molecular and Experimental Cardiology, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (B.V.); (L.H.); (A.S.); (A.A.); (M.-E.P.J.); (P.B.); (N.M.); (A.L.)
| | - Norman Mangner
- Heart Center Dresden, Laboratory of Molecular and Experimental Cardiology, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (B.V.); (L.H.); (A.S.); (A.A.); (M.-E.P.J.); (P.B.); (N.M.); (A.L.)
| | - Siegfried Labeit
- DZHK Partner Site Mannheim-Heidelberg, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 68169 Mannheim, Germany;
- Myomedix GmbH, 69151 Neckargemünd, Germany
| | - T. Scott Bowen
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK;
| | - Axel Linke
- Heart Center Dresden, Laboratory of Molecular and Experimental Cardiology, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (B.V.); (L.H.); (A.S.); (A.A.); (M.-E.P.J.); (P.B.); (N.M.); (A.L.)
| | - Volker Adams
- Heart Center Dresden, Laboratory of Molecular and Experimental Cardiology, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (B.V.); (L.H.); (A.S.); (A.A.); (M.-E.P.J.); (P.B.); (N.M.); (A.L.)
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Sun Y, Liu X, Huang W, Le S, Yan J. Structural domain in the Titin N2B-us region binds to FHL2 in a force-activation dependent manner. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4496. [PMID: 38802383 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48828-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Titin N2B unique sequence (N2B-us) is a 572 amino acid sequence that acts as an elastic spring to regulate muscle passive elasticity. It is thought to lack stable tertiary structures and is a force-bearing region that is regulated by mechanical stretching. In this study, the conformation of N2B-us and its interaction with four-and-a-half LIM domain protein 2 (FHL2) are investigated using AlphaFold2 predictions and single-molecule experimental validation. Surprisingly, a stable alpha/beta structural domain is predicted and confirmed in N2B-us that can be mechanically unfolded at forces of a few piconewtons. Additionally, more than twenty FHL2 LIM domain binding sites are predicted to spread throughout N2B-us. Single-molecule manipulation experiments reveals the force-dependent binding of FHL2 to the N2B-us structural domain. These findings provide insights into the mechano-sensing functions of N2B-us and its interactions with FHL2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuze Sun
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Xuyao Liu
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Wenmao Huang
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shimin Le
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jie Yan
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
- Centre for Biological Imaging Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
- Joint School of National University of Singapore and Tianjin University, International Campus of Tianjin University, Binhai New City, Fuzhou, China.
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3
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Douglas CM, Bird JE, Kopinke D, Esser KA. An optimized approach to study nanoscale sarcomere structure utilizing super-resolution microscopy with nanobodies. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0300348. [PMID: 38687705 PMCID: PMC11060602 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The sarcomere is the fundamental contractile unit in skeletal muscle, and the regularity of its structure is critical for function. Emerging data demonstrates that nanoscale changes to the regularity of sarcomere structure can affect the overall function of the protein dense ~2μm sarcomere. Further, sarcomere structure is implicated in many clinical conditions of muscle weakness. However, our understanding of how sarcomere structure changes in disease, especially at the nanoscale, has been limited in part due to the inability to robustly detect and measure at sub-sarcomere resolution. We optimized several methodological steps and developed a robust pipeline to analyze sarcomere structure using structured illumination super-resolution microscopy in conjunction with commercially-available and fluorescently-conjugated Variable Heavy-Chain only fragment secondary antibodies (nanobodies), and achieved a significant increase in resolution of z-disc width (353nm vs. 62nm) compared to confocal microscopy. The combination of these methods provides a unique approach to probe sarcomere protein localization at the nanoscale and may prove advantageous for analysis of other cellular structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Collin M. Douglas
- Department of Physiology and Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Jonathan E. Bird
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Daniel Kopinke
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Karyn A. Esser
- Department of Physiology and Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
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4
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Stroik D, Gregorich ZR, Raza F, Ge Y, Guo W. Titin: roles in cardiac function and diseases. Front Physiol 2024; 15:1385821. [PMID: 38660537 PMCID: PMC11040099 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1385821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The giant protein titin is an essential component of muscle sarcomeres. A single titin molecule spans half a sarcomere and mediates diverse functions along its length by virtue of its unique domains. The A-band of titin functions as a molecular blueprint that defines the length of the thick filaments, the I-band constitutes a molecular spring that determines cell-based passive stiffness, and various domains, including the Z-disk, I-band, and M-line, serve as scaffolds for stretch-sensing signaling pathways that mediate mechanotransduction. This review aims to discuss recent insights into titin's functional roles and their relationship to cardiac function. The role of titin in heart diseases, such as dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, as well as its potential as a therapeutic target, is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawson Stroik
- Cellular and Molecular Pathology Program, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Zachery R. Gregorich
- Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Farhan Raza
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Ying Ge
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Wei Guo
- Cellular and Molecular Pathology Program, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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5
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Dennhag N, Kahsay A, Nissen I, Nord H, Chermenina M, Liu J, Arner A, Liu JX, Backman LJ, Remeseiro S, von Hofsten J, Pedrosa Domellöf F. fhl2b mediates extraocular muscle protection in zebrafish models of muscular dystrophies and its ectopic expression ameliorates affected body muscles. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1950. [PMID: 38431640 PMCID: PMC10908798 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46187-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
In muscular dystrophies, muscle fibers loose integrity and die, causing significant suffering and premature death. Strikingly, the extraocular muscles (EOMs) are spared, functioning well despite the disease progression. Although EOMs have been shown to differ from body musculature, the mechanisms underlying this inherent resistance to muscle dystrophies remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate important differences in gene expression as a response to muscle dystrophies between the EOMs and trunk muscles in zebrafish via transcriptomic profiling. We show that the LIM-protein Fhl2 is increased in response to the knockout of desmin, plectin and obscurin, cytoskeletal proteins whose knockout causes different muscle dystrophies, and contributes to disease protection of the EOMs. Moreover, we show that ectopic expression of fhl2b can partially rescue the muscle phenotype in the zebrafish Duchenne muscular dystrophy model sapje, significantly improving their survival. Therefore, Fhl2 is a protective agent and a candidate target gene for therapy of muscular dystrophies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Dennhag
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Ophthalmology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Abraha Kahsay
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Ophthalmology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Itzel Nissen
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology; Section of Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine (WCMM), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Hanna Nord
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Maria Chermenina
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Ophthalmology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jiao Liu
- Div. Thoracic Surgery, Dept. Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- College of Life Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, China
| | - Anders Arner
- Div. Thoracic Surgery, Dept. Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jing-Xia Liu
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Ludvig J Backman
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Silvia Remeseiro
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology; Section of Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine (WCMM), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jonas von Hofsten
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Fatima Pedrosa Domellöf
- Department of Medical and Translational Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Ophthalmology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
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6
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Weston TGR, Rees M, Gautel M, Fraternali F. Walking with giants: The challenges of variant impact assessment in the giant sarcomeric protein titin. WIREs Mech Dis 2024; 16:e1638. [PMID: 38155593 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Titin, the so-called "third filament" of the sarcomere, represents a difficult challenge for the determination of damaging genetic variants. A single titin molecule extends across half the length of a sarcomere in striated muscle, fulfilling a variety of vital structural and signaling roles, and has been linked to an equally varied range of myopathies, resulting in a significant burden on individuals and healthcare systems alike. While the consequences of truncating variants of titin are well-documented, the ramifications of the missense variants prevalent in the general population are less so. We here present a compendium of titin missense variants-those that result in a single amino-acid substitution in coding regions-reported to be pathogenic and discuss these in light of the nature of titin and the variant position within the sarcomere and their domain, the structural, pathological, and biophysical characteristics that define them, and the methods used for characterization. Finally, we discuss the current knowledge and integration of the multiple fields that have contributed to our understanding of titin-related pathology and offer suggestions as to how these concurrent methodologies may aid the further development in our understanding of titin and hopefully extend to other, less well-studied giant proteins. This article is categorized under: Cardiovascular Diseases > Genetics/Genomics/Epigenetics Congenital Diseases > Genetics/Genomics/Epigenetics Congenital Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timir G R Weston
- Randall Centre for Cell & Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Martin Rees
- Randall Centre for Cell & Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Mathias Gautel
- Randall Centre for Cell & Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Franca Fraternali
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London, UK
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7
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Qi T, Zhang J, Zhang K, Zhang W, Song Y, Lian K, Kan C, Han F, Hou N, Sun X. Unraveling the role of the FHL family in cardiac diseases: Mechanisms, implications, and future directions. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 694:149468. [PMID: 38183876 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.149468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
Heart diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying these diseases is essential for the development of effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. The FHL family consists of five members: FHL1, FHL2, FHL3, FHL4, and FHL5/Act. These members exhibit different expression patterns in various tissues including the heart. FHL family proteins are implicated in cardiac remodeling, regulation of metabolic enzymes, and cardiac biomechanical stress perception. A large number of studies have explored the link between FHL family proteins and cardiac disease, skeletal muscle disease, and ovarian metabolism, but a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the specific molecular mechanisms targeting FHL on cardiac disease is lacking. The aim of this review is to explore the structure and function of FHL family members, to comprehensively elucidate the mechanisms by which they regulate the heart, and to explore in depth the changes in FHL family members observed in different cardiac disorders, as well as the effects of mutations in FHL proteins on heart health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongbing Qi
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261031, China; Clinical Research Center, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261031, China
| | - Jingwen Zhang
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261031, China; Clinical Research Center, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261031, China
| | - Kexin Zhang
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261031, China; Clinical Research Center, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261031, China
| | - Wenqiang Zhang
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261031, China; Clinical Research Center, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261031, China; Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261031, China
| | - Yixin Song
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261031, China; Clinical Research Center, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261031, China
| | - Kexin Lian
- Department of Nephrology, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261031, China
| | - Chengxia Kan
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261031, China; Clinical Research Center, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261031, China
| | - Fang Han
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261031, China; Clinical Research Center, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261031, China; Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261031, China
| | - Ningning Hou
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261031, China.
| | - Xiaodong Sun
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261031, China; Clinical Research Center, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261031, China.
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Stehle J, Fleming JR, Bauer PM, Mayans O, Drescher M. Titin UN2A Acts as a Stable, Non-Polymorphic Scaffold in its Binding to CARP. Chembiochem 2023; 24:e202300408. [PMID: 37503755 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
The N2A segment of titin functions as a pivotal hub for signal transduction and interacts with various proteins involved in structural support, chaperone activities, and transcriptional regulation. Notably, the "unique N2A" (UN2A) subdomain has been shown to interact with the stress-regulated cardiac ankyrin repeat protein (CARP), which contributes to the regulation of sarcomeric stiffness. Previously, the UN2A domain's three-dimensional structure was modelled based on its secondary structure content identified by NMR spectroscopy, considering the domain in isolation. In this study, we report experimental long-range distance distributions by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy between the three helixes within the UN2A domain linked to the immunoglobulin domain I81 in the presence and absence of CARP. The data confirm the central three-helix bundle fold of UN2A and show that this adopts a compact and stable conformation in absence of CARP. After binding to CARP, no significant conformational change was observed, suggesting that the UN2A domain retains its structure upon binding to CARP thereby, mediating the interaction approximately as a rigid-body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Stehle
- Department of Chemistry and Konstanz Research School of Chemical Biology (KoRS-CB), University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Jennifer R Fleming
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Piera-Maria Bauer
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Olga Mayans
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Malte Drescher
- Department of Chemistry and Konstanz Research School of Chemical Biology (KoRS-CB), University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
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9
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Wong D, Auguste G, Cardenas CLL, Turner AW, Chen Y, Song Y, Ma L, Perry RN, Aherrahrou R, Kuppusamy M, Yang C, Mosquera JV, Dube CJ, Khan MD, Palmore M, Kalra JK, Kavousi M, Peyser PA, Matic L, Hedin U, Manichaikul A, Sonkusare SK, Civelek M, Kovacic JC, Björkegren JL, Malhotra R, Miller CL. FHL5 Controls Vascular Disease-Associated Gene Programs in Smooth Muscle Cells. Circ Res 2023; 132:1144-1161. [PMID: 37017084 PMCID: PMC10147587 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.122.321692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genome-wide association studies have identified hundreds of loci associated with common vascular diseases, such as coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, and hypertension. However, the lack of mechanistic insights for many GWAS loci limits their translation into the clinic. Among these loci with unknown functions is UFL1-four-and-a-half LIM (LIN-11, Isl-1, MEC-3) domain 5 (FHL5; chr6q16.1), which reached genome-wide significance in a recent coronary artery disease/ myocardial infarction GWAS meta-analysis. UFL1-FHL5 is also associated with several vascular diseases, consistent with the widespread pleiotropy observed for GWAS loci. METHODS We apply a multimodal approach leveraging statistical fine-mapping, epigenomic profiling, and ex vivo analysis of human coronary artery tissues to implicate FHL5 as the top candidate causal gene. We unravel the molecular mechanisms of the cross-phenotype genetic associations through in vitro functional analyses and epigenomic profiling experiments in coronary artery smooth muscle cells. RESULTS We prioritized FHL5 as the top candidate causal gene at the UFL1-FHL5 locus through expression quantitative trait locus colocalization methods. FHL5 gene expression was enriched in the smooth muscle cells and pericyte population in human artery tissues with coexpression network analyses supporting a functional role in regulating smooth muscle cell contraction. Unexpectedly, under procalcifying conditions, FHL5 overexpression promoted vascular calcification and dysregulated processes related to extracellular matrix organization and calcium handling. Lastly, by mapping FHL5 binding sites and inferring FHL5 target gene function using artery tissue gene regulatory network analyses, we highlight regulatory interactions between FHL5 and downstream coronary artery disease/myocardial infarction loci, such as FOXL1 and FN1 that have roles in vascular remodeling. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these studies provide mechanistic insights into the pleiotropic genetic associations of UFL1-FHL5. We show that FHL5 mediates vascular disease risk through transcriptional regulation of downstream vascular remodeling gene programs. These transacting mechanisms may explain a portion of the heritable risk for complex vascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doris Wong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Gaëlle Auguste
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Christian L. Lino Cardenas
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Cardiology Division, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Adam W. Turner
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Yixuan Chen
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Yipei Song
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Lijiang Ma
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - R. Noah Perry
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Redouane Aherrahrou
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Maniselvan Kuppusamy
- Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Chaojie Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Jose Verdezoto Mosquera
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Collin J. Dube
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Mohammad Daud Khan
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Meredith Palmore
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Jaspreet K. Kalra
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Maryam Kavousi
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, The Netherlands
| | | | - Ljubica Matic
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ulf Hedin
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ani Manichaikul
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Swapnil K. Sonkusare
- Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Mete Civelek
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Jason C. Kovacic
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
- St. Vincent’s Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Johan L.M. Björkegren
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
- Integrated Cardio Metabolic Centre, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Rajeev Malhotra
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Cardiology Division, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Clint L. Miller
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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10
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Murach KA, Liu Z, Jude B, Figueiredo VC, Wen Y, Khadgi S, Lim S, Morena da Silva F, Greene NP, Lanner JT, McCarthy JJ, Vechetti IJ, von Walden F. Multi-transcriptome analysis following an acute skeletal muscle growth stimulus yields tools for discerning global and MYC regulatory networks. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102515. [PMID: 36150502 PMCID: PMC9583450 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Myc is a powerful transcription factor implicated in epigenetic reprogramming, cellular plasticity, and rapid growth as well as tumorigenesis. Cancer in skeletal muscle is extremely rare despite marked and sustained Myc induction during loading-induced hypertrophy. Here, we investigated global, actively transcribed, stable, and myonucleus-specific transcriptomes following an acute hypertrophic stimulus in mouse plantaris. With these datasets, we define global and Myc-specific dynamics at the onset of mechanical overload-induced muscle fiber growth. Data collation across analyses reveals an under-appreciated role for the muscle fiber in extracellular matrix remodeling during adaptation, along with the contribution of mRNA stability to epigenetic-related transcript levels in muscle. We also identify Runx1 and Ankrd1 (Marp1) as abundant myonucleus-enriched loading-induced genes. We observed that a strong induction of cell cycle regulators including Myc occurs with mechanical overload in myonuclei. Additionally, in vivo Myc-controlled gene expression in the plantaris was defined using a genetic muscle fiber-specific doxycycline-inducible Myc-overexpression model. We determined Myc is implicated in numerous aspects of gene expression during early-phase muscle fiber growth. Specifically, brief induction of Myc protein in muscle represses Reverbα, Reverbβ, and Myh2 while increasing Rpl3, recapitulating gene expression in myonuclei during acute overload. Experimental, comparative, and in silico analyses place Myc at the center of a stable and actively transcribed, loading-responsive, muscle fiber-localized regulatory hub. Collectively, our experiments are a roadmap for understanding global and Myc-mediated transcriptional networks that regulate rapid remodeling in postmitotic cells. We provide open webtools for exploring the five RNA-seq datasets as a resource to the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin A. Murach
- Department of Health, Human Performance, and Recreation, Exercise Science Research Center, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA,Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA,For correspondence: Kevin A. Murach; Ivan J. Vechetti; Ferdinand von Walden
| | - Zhengye Liu
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institute, Solna, Sweden
| | - Baptiste Jude
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institute, Solna, Sweden,Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institute, Solna, Sweden
| | - Vandre C. Figueiredo
- Center for Muscle Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA,Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Yuan Wen
- Center for Muscle Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA,Department of Physical Therapy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Sabin Khadgi
- Department of Health, Human Performance, and Recreation, Exercise Science Research Center, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
| | - Seongkyun Lim
- Department of Health, Human Performance, and Recreation, Exercise Science Research Center, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA,Cachexia Research Laboratory, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
| | - Francielly Morena da Silva
- Department of Health, Human Performance, and Recreation, Exercise Science Research Center, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA,Cachexia Research Laboratory, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
| | - Nicholas P. Greene
- Department of Health, Human Performance, and Recreation, Exercise Science Research Center, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA,Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA,Cachexia Research Laboratory, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
| | - Johanna T. Lanner
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institute, Solna, Sweden
| | - John J. McCarthy
- Center for Muscle Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA,Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Ivan J. Vechetti
- Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska, USA,For correspondence: Kevin A. Murach; Ivan J. Vechetti; Ferdinand von Walden
| | - Ferdinand von Walden
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institute, Solna, Sweden,For correspondence: Kevin A. Murach; Ivan J. Vechetti; Ferdinand von Walden
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11
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Lamber EP, Guicheney P, Pinotsis N. The role of the M-band myomesin proteins in muscle integrity and cardiac disease. J Biomed Sci 2022; 29:18. [PMID: 35255917 PMCID: PMC8900313 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-022-00801-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Transversal structural elements in cross-striated muscles, such as the M-band or the Z-disc, anchor and mechanically stabilize the contractile apparatus and its minimal unit—the sarcomere. The ability of proteins to target and interact with these structural sarcomeric elements is an inevitable necessity for the correct assembly and functionality of the myofibrillar apparatus. Specifically, the M-band is a well-recognized mechanical and signaling hub dealing with active forces during contraction, while impairment of its function leads to disease and death. Research on the M-band architecture is focusing on the assembly and interactions of the three major filamentous proteins in the region, mainly the three myomesin proteins including their embryonic heart (EH) isoform, titin and obscurin. These proteins form the basic filamentous network of the M-band, interacting with each other as also with additional proteins in the region that are involved in signaling, energetic or mechanosensitive processes. While myomesin-1, titin and obscurin are found in every muscle, the expression levels of myomesin-2 (also known as M-protein) and myomesin-3 are tissue specific: myomesin-2 is mainly expressed in the cardiac and fast skeletal muscles, while myomesin-3 is mainly expressed in intermediate muscles and specific regions of the cardiac muscle. Furthermore, EH-myomesin apart from its role during embryonic stages, is present in adults with specific cardiac diseases. The current work in structural, molecular, and cellular biology as well as in animal models, provides important details about the assembly of myomesin-1, obscurin and titin, the information however about the myomesin-2 and -3, such as their interactions, localization and structural details remain very limited. Remarkably, an increasing number of reports is linking all three myomesin proteins and particularly myomesin-2 to serious cardiovascular diseases suggesting that this protein family could be more important than originally thought. In this review we will focus on the myomesin protein family, the myomesin interactions and structural differences between isoforms and we will provide the most recent evidence why the structurally and biophysically unexplored myomesin-2 and myomesin-3 are emerging as hot targets for understanding muscle function and disease.
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12
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Swiatlowska P, Iskratsch T. Cardiovascular mechanobiology-a Special Issue to look at the state of the art and the newest insights into the role of mechanical forces in cardiovascular development, physiology and disease. Biophys Rev 2021; 13:575-577. [PMID: 34777612 PMCID: PMC8555016 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-021-00842-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
There has been much progress recently in the area of cardiovascular mechanobiology and this Special Issue aims at taking stock. This editorial gives context of the main motivation for this special issue as well as a brief summary of its content.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Swiatlowska
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Thomas Iskratsch
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
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