Phosphomimetic cardiac myosin-binding protein C partially rescues a cardiomyopathy phenotype in murine engineered heart tissue

Sci Rep. 2019 Dec 3;9(1):18152. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-54665-2.

Abstract

Phosphorylation of cardiac myosin-binding protein C (cMyBP-C), encoded by MYBPC3, increases the availability of myosin heads for interaction with actin thus enhancing contraction. cMyBP-C phosphorylation level is lower in septal myectomies of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) than in non-failing hearts. Here we compared the effect of phosphomimetic (D282) and wild-type (S282) cMyBP-C gene transfer on the HCM phenotype of engineered heart tissues (EHTs) generated from a mouse model carrying a Mybpc3 mutation (KI). KI EHTs showed lower levels of mutant Mybpc3 mRNA and protein, and altered gene expression compared with wild-type (WT) EHTs. Furthermore, KI EHTs exhibited faster spontaneous contractions and higher maximal force and sensitivity to external [Ca2+] under pacing. Adeno-associated virus-mediated gene transfer of D282 and S282 similarly restored Mybpc3 mRNA and protein levels and suppressed mutant Mybpc3 transcripts. Moreover, both exogenous cMyBP-C proteins were properly incorporated in the sarcomere. KI EHTs hypercontractility was similarly prevented by both treatments, but S282 had a stronger effect than D282 to normalize the force-Ca2+-relationship and the expression of dysregulated genes. These findings in an in vitro model indicate that S282 is a better choice than D282 to restore the HCM EHT phenotype. To which extent the results apply to human HCM remains to be seen.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / metabolism*
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • Heart
  • Mice
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Myocardial Contraction / physiology
  • Myocardium / metabolism*
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / metabolism
  • Phenotype
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Sarcomeres / metabolism
  • Tissue Engineering / methods

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • myosin-binding protein C
  • Calcium