1
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Meyer GA, Ferey JLA, Sanford JA, Fitzgerald LS, Greenberg AE, Svensson K, Greenberg MJ, Schenk S. Insights into posttranslational regulation of skeletal muscle contractile function by the acetyltransferases, p300 and CBP. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2024; 136:1559-1567. [PMID: 38722753 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00156.2024] [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: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Mice with skeletal muscle-specific and inducible double knockout of the lysine acetyltransferases, p300 (E1A binding protein p300) and CBP (cAMP-response element-binding protein binding protein), referred to as i-mPCKO, demonstrate a dramatic loss of contractile function in skeletal muscle and ultimately die within 7 days. Given that many proteins involved in ATP generation and cross-bridge cycling are acetylated, we investigated whether these processes are dysregulated in skeletal muscle from i-mPCKO mice and, thus, whether they could underlie the rapid loss of muscle contractile function. Just 4-5 days after inducing knockout of p300 and CBP in skeletal muscle from adult i-mPCKO mice, there was ∼90% reduction in ex vivo contractile function in the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and a ∼65% reduction in in vivo ankle dorsiflexion torque, as compared with wild type (WT; i.e., Cre negative) littermates. Despite this profound loss of contractile force in i-mPCKO mice, there were no genotype-driven differences in fatigability during repeated contractions, nor were there genotype differences in mitochondrial-specific pathway enrichment of the proteome, intermyofibrillar mitochondrial volume, or mitochondrial respiratory function. As it relates to cross-bridge cycling, remarkably, the overt loss of contractile function in i-mPCKO muscle was reversed in permeabilized fibers supplied with exogenous Ca2+ and ATP, with active tension being similar between i-mPCKO and WT mice, regardless of Ca2+ concentration. Actin-myosin motility was also similar in skeletal muscle from i-mPCKO and WT mice. In conclusion, neither mitochondrial abundance/function, nor actomyosin cross-bridge cycling, are the underlying driver of contractile dysfunction in i-mPCKO mice.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The mechanism underlying dramatic loss of muscle contractile function with inducible deletion of both E1A binding protein p300 (p300) and cAMP-response element-binding protein binding protein (CBP) in skeletal muscle remains unknown. Here, we find that impairments in mitochondrial function or cross-bridge cycling are not the underlying mechanism of action. Future work will investigate other aspects of excitation-contraction coupling, such as Ca2+ handling and membrane excitability, as contractile function could be rescued by permeabilizing skeletal muscle, which provides exogenous Ca2+ and bypasses membrane depolarization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gretchen A Meyer
- Program in Physical Therapy, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
| | - Jeremie L A Ferey
- Program in Physical Therapy, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
| | - James A Sanford
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, United States
| | - Liam S Fitzgerald
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, United States
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, United States
- Medical Scientist Training Program, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, United States
| | - Akiva E Greenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
| | - Kristoffer Svensson
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, United States
| | - Michael J Greenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
| | - Simon Schenk
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, United States
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, United States
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2
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Cubuk J, Greenberg L, Greenberg AE, Emenecker RJ, Stuchell-Brereton MD, Holehouse AS, Soranno A, Greenberg MJ. Structural dynamics of the intrinsically disordered linker region of cardiac troponin T. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.30.596451. [PMID: 38853835 PMCID: PMC11160775 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.30.596451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
The cardiac troponin complex, composed of troponins I, T, and C, plays a central role in regulating the calcium-dependent interactions between myosin and the thin filament. Mutations in troponin can cause cardiomyopathies; however, it is still a major challenge for the field to connect how changes in sequence affect troponin's function. Recent high-resolution structures of the thin filament revealed critical insights into the structure-function relationship of the troponin complex, but there remain large, unresolved segments of troponin, including the troponin-T linker region that is a hotspot for several cardiomyopathy mutations. This unresolved yet functionally-significant linker region has been proposed to be intrinsically disordered, with behaviors that are not well described by traditional structural approaches; however, this proposal has not been experimentally verified. Here, we used a combination of single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET), molecular dynamics simulations, and functional reconstitution assays to investigate the troponin-T linker region. We experimentally and computationally show that in the context of both isolated troponin and the fully regulated troponin complex, the linker behaves as a dynamic, intrinsically disordered region. This region undergoes polyampholyte expansion in the presence of high salt and distinct conformational changes during the assembly of the troponin complex. We also examine the ΔE160 hypertrophic cardiomyopathy mutation in the linker, and we demonstrate that this mutation does not affect the conformational dynamics of the linker, rather it allosterically affects interactions with other subunits of the troponin complex, leading to increased molecular contractility. Taken together, our data clearly demonstrate the importance of disorder within the troponin-T linker and provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms controlling the pathogenesis of cardiomyopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine Cubuk
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University in St Louis, 660 Euclid Ave, 63110, Saint Louis, MO, USA
- Center for Biomolecular Condensates, Washington University in St Louis, 1 Brookings Drive, 63130, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Lina Greenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University in St Louis, 660 Euclid Ave, 63110, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Akiva E. Greenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University in St Louis, 660 Euclid Ave, 63110, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ryan J. Emenecker
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University in St Louis, 660 Euclid Ave, 63110, Saint Louis, MO, USA
- Center for Biomolecular Condensates, Washington University in St Louis, 1 Brookings Drive, 63130, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Melissa D. Stuchell-Brereton
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University in St Louis, 660 Euclid Ave, 63110, Saint Louis, MO, USA
- Center for Biomolecular Condensates, Washington University in St Louis, 1 Brookings Drive, 63130, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Alex S. Holehouse
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University in St Louis, 660 Euclid Ave, 63110, Saint Louis, MO, USA
- Center for Biomolecular Condensates, Washington University in St Louis, 1 Brookings Drive, 63130, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Andrea Soranno
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University in St Louis, 660 Euclid Ave, 63110, Saint Louis, MO, USA
- Center for Biomolecular Condensates, Washington University in St Louis, 1 Brookings Drive, 63130, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Michael J. Greenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University in St Louis, 660 Euclid Ave, 63110, Saint Louis, MO, USA
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3
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Greenberg L, Tom Stump W, Lin Z, Bredemeyer AL, Blackwell T, Han X, Greenberg AE, Garcia BA, Lavine KJ, Greenberg MJ. Harnessing molecular mechanism for precision medicine in dilated cardiomyopathy caused by a mutation in troponin T. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.05.588306. [PMID: 38645235 PMCID: PMC11030379 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.05.588306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Familial dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is frequently caused by autosomal dominant point mutations in genes involved in diverse cellular processes, including sarcomeric contraction. While patient studies have defined the genetic landscape of DCM, genetics are not currently used in patient care, and patients receive similar treatments regardless of the underlying mutation. It has been suggested that a precision medicine approach based on the molecular mechanism of the underlying mutation could improve outcomes; however, realizing this approach has been challenging due to difficulties linking genotype and phenotype and then leveraging this information to identify therapeutic approaches. Here, we used multiscale experimental and computational approaches to test whether knowledge of molecular mechanism could be harnessed to connect genotype, phenotype, and drug response for a DCM mutation in troponin T, deletion of K210. Previously, we showed that at the molecular scale, the mutation reduces thin filament activation. Here, we used computational modeling of this molecular defect to predict that the mutant will reduce cellular and tissue contractility, and we validated this prediction in human cardiomyocytes and engineered heart tissues. We then used our knowledge of molecular mechanism to computationally model the effects of a small molecule that can activate the thin filament. We demonstrate experimentally that the modeling correctly predicts that the small molecule can partially rescue systolic dysfunction at the expense of diastolic function. Taken together, our results demonstrate how molecular mechanism can be harnessed to connect genotype and phenotype and inspire strategies to optimize mechanism-based therapeutics for DCM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Greenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - W. Tom Stump
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Zongtao Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Andrea L. Bredemeyer
- Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Thomas Blackwell
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Xian Han
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Akiva E. Greenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Benjamin A. Garcia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Kory J. Lavine
- Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Michael J. Greenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
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Garg A, Jansen S, Zhang R, Lavine KJ, Greenberg MJ. Dilated cardiomyopathy-associated skeletal muscle actin (ACTA1) mutation R256H disrupts actin structure and function and causes cardiomyocyte hypocontractility. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.10.583979. [PMID: 38559046 PMCID: PMC10979883 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.10.583979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Skeletal muscle actin (ACTA1) mutations are a prevalent cause of skeletal myopathies consistent with ACTA1's high expression in skeletal muscle. Rare de novo mutations in ACTA1 associated with combined cardiac and skeletal myopathies have been reported, but ACTA1 represents only ~20% of the total actin pool in cardiomyocytes, making its role in cardiomyopathy controversial. Here we demonstrate how a mutation in an actin isoform expressed at low levels in cardiomyocytes can cause cardiomyopathy by focusing on a unique ACTA1 mutation, R256H. We previously identified this mutation in multiple family members with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), who had reduced systolic function without clinical skeletal myopathy. Using a battery of multiscale biophysical tools, we show that R256H has potent functional effects on ACTA1 function at the molecular scale and in human cardiomyocytes. Importantly, we demonstrate that R256H acts in a dominant manner, where the incorporation of small amounts of mutant protein into thin filaments is sufficient to disrupt molecular contractility, and that this effect is dependent on the presence of troponin and tropomyosin. To understand the structural basis of this change in regulation, we resolved a structure of R256H filaments using Cryo-EM, and we see alterations in actin's structure that have the potential to disrupt interactions with tropomyosin. Finally, we show that ACTA1R256H/+ human induced pluripotent stem cell cardiomyocytes demonstrate reduced contractility and sarcomeric disorganization. Taken together, we demonstrate that R256H has multiple effects on ACTA1 function that are sufficient to cause reduced contractility and establish a likely causative relationship between ACTA1 R256H and clinical cardiomyopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankit Garg
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine Johns Hopkins University Baltimore MD USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Silvia Jansen
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Kory J. Lavine
- Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Michael J. Greenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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5
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Garg A, Lavine KJ, Greenberg MJ. Assessing Cardiac Contractility From Single Molecules to Whole Hearts. JACC Basic Transl Sci 2024; 9:414-439. [PMID: 38559627 PMCID: PMC10978360 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacbts.2023.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Fundamentally, the heart needs to generate sufficient force and power output to dynamically meet the needs of the body. Cardiomyocytes contain specialized structures referred to as sarcomeres that power and regulate contraction. Disruption of sarcomeric function or regulation impairs contractility and leads to cardiomyopathies and heart failure. Basic, translational, and clinical studies have adapted numerous methods to assess cardiac contraction in a variety of pathophysiological contexts. These tools measure aspects of cardiac contraction at different scales ranging from single molecules to whole organisms. Moreover, these studies have revealed new pathogenic mechanisms of heart disease leading to the development of novel therapies targeting contractility. In this review, the authors explore the breadth of tools available for studying cardiac contractile function across scales, discuss their strengths and limitations, highlight new insights into cardiac physiology and pathophysiology, and describe how these insights can be harnessed for therapeutic candidate development and translational.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankit Garg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Center for Cardiovascular Research, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Kory J. Lavine
- Center for Cardiovascular Research, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Michael J. Greenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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6
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Meyer GA, Ferey JLA, Sanford JA, Fitzgerald LS, Greenberg AE, Svensson K, Greenberg MJ, Schenk S. Insights into post-translational regulation of skeletal muscle contractile function by the acetyltransferases, p300 and CBP. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.27.582179. [PMID: 38463996 PMCID: PMC10925228 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.27.582179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Mice with skeletal muscle-specific inducible double knockout of the lysine acetyltransferases, p300 (E1A binding protein p300) and CBP (cAMP-response element-binding protein binding protein), referred to as i-mPCKO, demonstrate a dramatic loss of contractile function in skeletal muscle and ultimately die within 7 days. Given that many proteins involved in ATP generation and cross-bridge cycling are acetylated, we investigated whether these processes are dysregulated in skeletal muscle from i-mPCKO mice and thus could underlie the rapid loss of muscle contractile function. Just 4-5 days after inducing knockout of p300 and CBP in skeletal muscle from adult i-mPCKO mice, there was ∼90% reduction in ex vivo contractile function in the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and a ∼65% reduction in in vivo ankle dorsiflexion torque, as compared to wildtype (WT; i.e. Cre negative) littermates. Despite the profound loss of contractile force in i-mPCKO mice, there were no genotype-driven differences in fatigability during repeated contractions, nor were there genotype differences in mitochondrial specific pathway enrichment of the proteome, intermyofibrillar mitochondrial volume or mitochondrial respiratory function. As it relates to cross-bridge cycling, remarkably, the overt loss of contractile function in i-mPCKO muscle was reversed in permeabilized fibers supplied with exogenous Ca 2+ and ATP, with active tension being similar between i-mPCKO and WT mice, regardless of Ca 2+ concentration. Actin-myosin motility was also similar in skeletal muscle from i-mPCKO and WT mice. In conclusion, neither mitochondrial abundance/function, nor actomyosin cross-bridge cycling, are the underlying driver of contractile dysfunction in i-mPCKO mice. New & Noteworthy The mechanism underlying dramatic loss of muscle contractile function with inducible deletion of both p300 and CBP in skeletal muscle remains unknown. Here we find that impairments in mitochondrial function or cross-bridge cycling are not the underlying mechanism of action. Future work will investigate other aspects of excitation-contraction coupling, such as Ca 2+ handling and membrane excitability, as contractile function could be rescued by permeabilizing skeletal muscle, which provides exogenous Ca 2+ and bypasses membrane depolarization.
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7
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Clippinger Schulte SR, Scott B, Barrick SK, Stump WT, Blackwell T, Greenberg MJ. Single-molecule mechanics and kinetics of cardiac myosin interacting with regulated thin filaments. Biophys J 2023; 122:2544-2555. [PMID: 37165621 PMCID: PMC10323011 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.05.008] [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: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The cardiac cycle is a tightly regulated process wherein the heart generates force to pump blood to the body during systole and then relaxes during diastole. Disruption of this finely tuned cycle can lead to a range of diseases including cardiomyopathies and heart failure. Cardiac contraction is driven by the molecular motor myosin, which pulls regulated thin filaments in a calcium-dependent manner. In some muscle and nonmuscle myosins, regulatory proteins on actin tune the kinetics, mechanics, and load dependence of the myosin working stroke; however, it is not well understood whether or how thin-filament regulatory proteins tune the mechanics of the cardiac myosin motor. To address this critical gap in knowledge, we used single-molecule techniques to measure the kinetics and mechanics of the substeps of the cardiac myosin working stroke in the presence and absence of thin filament regulatory proteins. We found that regulatory proteins gate the calcium-dependent interactions between myosin and the thin filament. At physiologically relevant ATP concentrations, cardiac myosin's mechanics and unloaded kinetics are not affected by thin-filament regulatory proteins. We also measured the load-dependent kinetics of cardiac myosin at physiologically relevant ATP concentrations using an isometric optical clamp, and we found that thin-filament regulatory proteins do not affect either the identity or magnitude of myosin's primary load-dependent transition. Interestingly, at low ATP concentrations at both saturating and physiologically relevant subsaturating calcium concentrations, thin-filament regulatory proteins have a small effect on actomyosin dissociation kinetics, suggesting a mechanism beyond simple steric blocking. These results have important implications for the modeling of cardiac physiology and diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R Clippinger Schulte
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Brent Scott
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Samantha K Barrick
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - W Tom Stump
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Thomas Blackwell
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Michael J Greenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
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8
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Barrick SK, Garg A, Greenberg L, Zhang S, Lin CY, Stitziel NO, Greenberg MJ. Functional assays reveal the pathogenic mechanism of a de novo tropomyosin variant identified in patient with dilated cardiomyopathy. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2023; 176:58-67. [PMID: 36739943 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2023.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a leading cause of heart failure and a major indicator for heart transplant. Human genetic studies have identified over a thousand causal mutations for DCM in genes involved in a variety of cellular processes, including sarcomeric contraction. A substantial clinical challenge is determining the pathogenicity of novel variants in disease-associated genes. This challenge of connecting genotype and phenotype has frustrated attempts to develop effective, mechanism-based treatments for patients. Here, we identified a de novo mutation (T237S) in TPM1, the gene that encodes the thin filament protein tropomyosin, in a patient with DCM and conducted in vitro experiments to characterize the pathogenicity of this novel variant. We expressed recombinant mutant protein, reconstituted it into thin filaments, and examined the effects of the mutation on thin filament function. We show that the mutation reduces the calcium sensitivity of thin filament activation, as previously seen for known pathogenic mutations. Mechanistically, this shift is due to mutation-induced changes in tropomyosin positioning along the thin filament. We demonstrate that the thin filament activator omecamtiv mecarbil restores the calcium sensitivity of thin filaments regulated by the mutant tropomyosin, which lays the foundation for additional experiments to explore the therapeutic potential of this drug for patients harboring the T237S mutation. Taken together, our results suggest that the TPM1 T237S mutation is likely pathogenic and demonstrate how functional in vitro characterization of pathogenic protein variants in the lab might guide precision medicine in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha K Barrick
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Ankit Garg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Center for Cardiovascular Research, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Lina Greenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Shanshan Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Chieh-Yu Lin
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Nathan O Stitziel
- Center for Cardiovascular Research, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Michael J Greenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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9
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Clippinger Schulte SR, Scott B, Barrick SK, Stump WT, Blackwell T, Greenberg MJ. Single Molecule Mechanics and Kinetics of Cardiac Myosin Interacting with Regulated Thin Filaments. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.09.522880. [PMID: 36711892 PMCID: PMC9881944 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.09.522880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The cardiac cycle is a tightly regulated process wherein the heart generates force to pump blood to the body during systole and then relaxes during diastole. Disruption of this finely tuned cycle can lead to a range of diseases including cardiomyopathies and heart failure. Cardiac contraction is driven by the molecular motor myosin, which pulls regulated thin filaments in a calcium-dependent manner. In some muscle and non-muscle myosins, regulatory proteins on actin tune the kinetics, mechanics, and load dependence of the myosin working stroke; however, it is not well understood whether or how thin filament regulatory proteins tune the mechanics of the cardiac myosin motor. To address this critical gap in knowledge, we used single-molecule techniques to measure the kinetics and mechanics of the substeps of the cardiac myosin working stroke in the presence and absence of thin filament regulatory proteins. We found that regulatory proteins gate the calcium-dependent interactions between myosin and the thin filament. At physiologically relevant ATP concentrations, cardiac myosin's mechanics and unloaded kinetics are not affected by thin filament regulatory proteins. We also measured the load-dependent kinetics of cardiac myosin at physiologically relevant ATP concentrations using an isometric optical clamp, and we found that thin filament regulatory proteins do not affect either the identity or magnitude of myosin's primary load-dependent transition. Interestingly, at low ATP concentrations, thin filament regulatory proteins have a small effect on actomyosin dissociation kinetics, suggesting a mechanism beyond simple steric blocking. These results have important implications for both disease modeling and computational models of muscle contraction. Significance Statement Human heart contraction is powered by the molecular motor β-cardiac myosin, which pulls on thin filaments consisting of actin and the regulatory proteins troponin and tropomyosin. In some muscle and non-muscle systems, these regulatory proteins tune the kinetics, mechanics, and load dependence of the myosin working stroke. Despite having a central role in health and disease, it is not well understood whether the mechanics or kinetics of β-cardiac myosin are affected by regulatory proteins. We show that regulatory proteins do not affect the mechanics or load-dependent kinetics of the working stroke at physiologically relevant ATP concentrations; however, they can affect the kinetics at low ATP concentrations, suggesting a mechanism beyond simple steric blocking. This has important implications for modeling of cardiac physiology and diseases.
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10
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Halas M, Langa P, Warren CM, Goldspink PH, Wolska BM, Solaro RJ. Effects of Sarcomere Activators and Inhibitors Targeting Myosin Cross-Bridges on Ca2+-Activation of Mature and Immature Mouse Cardiac Myofilaments. Mol Pharmacol 2022; 101:286-299. [PMID: 35236770 PMCID: PMC9092471 DOI: 10.1124/molpharm.121.000420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
We tested the hypothesis that isoform shifts in sarcomeres of the immature heart modify the effect of cardiac myosin-directed sarcomere inhibitors and activators. Omecamtiv mecarbil (OM) activates tension and is in clinical trials for the treatment of adult acute and chronic heart failure. Mavacamten (Mava) inhibits tension and is in clinical trials to relieve hyper-contractility and outflow obstruction in advanced genetic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) linked commonly to mutations in sarcomeric proteins. To address the effect of these agents in developing sarcomeres we isolated heart fiber bundles, extracted membranes with Triton X-100, and measured tension developed over a range of Ca2+ concentrations with and without OM or Mava treatment. We made measurements in fiber bundles from hearts of adult non-transgenic controls (NTG) expressing cardiac troponin I (cTnI), and from hearts of transgenic mice (TG-ssTnI) expressing the fetal/neonatal form, slow skeletal troponin I (ssTnI). We also compared fibers from 7+14-day-old NTG mice expressing ssTnI and cTnI. These studies were repeated with 7+14-day old transgenic mice (TG-cTnT-R92Q) expressing a mutant form of cardiac TnT (cTnT) linked to HCM. OM increased Ca2+-sensitivity and decreased cooperative activation in both ssTnI- and cTnI- regulated myofilaments with a similar effect reducing sub-maximal tension in immature and mature myofilaments. Although Mava decreased tension similarly in cTnI- and ssTnI-regulated myofilaments controlled either by cTnT or cTnT-R92Q, its effect involved a depressed Ca2+-sensitivity in the mature cTnT-R92-myofilaments. Our data demonstrate an influence of myosin and thin filament-associated proteins on the actions of myosin-directed agents such as OM and Mava. Significance Statement The effects of myosin-targeted activators and inhibitors on Ca2+-activated tension in developing cardiac sarcomeres presented here provide novel, ex-vivo evidence as to their actions in early-stage cardiac disorders. These studies advance understanding of the molecular mechanisms of these agents that is important in pre-clinical studies employing sarcomere Ca2+-response as a screening approach. The data also inform the use of commonly immature cardiac myocytes generated from human inducible pluripotent stem cells in screening for sarcomere activators and inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Halas
- Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois at Chicago, United States
| | - Paulina Langa
- Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois at Chicago, United States
| | - Chad M Warren
- Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois at Chicago, United States
| | - Paul H Goldspink
- Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois at Chicago, United States
| | - Beata M Wolska
- Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, United States
| | - R John Solaro
- Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois at Chicago, United States
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