RESUMEN
The G-quadruplex (G4) resolvase RNA helicase associated with AU-rich element (RHAU) possesses the ability to unwind G4 structures in both DNA and RNA molecules. Previously, we revealed that RHAU plays a critical role in embryonic heart development and postnatal heart function through modulating mRNA translation and stability. However, whether RHAU functions to resolve DNA G4 in the regulation of cardiac physiology is still elusive. Here, we identified a phenotype of noncompaction cardiomyopathy in cardiomyocyte-specific Rhau deletion mice, including such symptoms as spongiform cardiomyopathy, heart dilation, and death at young ages. We also observed reduced cardiomyocyte proliferation and advanced sarcomere maturation in Rhau mutant mice. Further studies demonstrated that RHAU regulates the expression levels of several genes associated with ventricular trabeculation and compaction, including the Nkx2-5 and Hey2 that encode cardiac transcription factors of NKX2-5 and Hey2, and the myosin heavy chain 7 (Myh7) whose protein product is MYH7. While RHAU modulates Nkx2-5 mRNA and Hey2 mRNA at the post-transcriptional level, we uncovered that RHAU facilitates the transcription of Myh7 through unwinding of the G4 structures in its promoter. These findings demonstrated that RHAU regulates ventricular chamber development through both transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. These results contribute to a knowledge base that will help to understand the pathogenesis of diseases such as noncompaction cardiomyopathy.
Asunto(s)
ARN Helicasas DEAD-box , G-Cuádruplex , Miocitos Cardíacos , Animales , Factores de Transcripción con Motivo Hélice-Asa-Hélice Básico/genética , Factores de Transcripción con Motivo Hélice-Asa-Hélice Básico/metabolismo , Cardiomiopatías/genética , Cardiomiopatías/metabolismo , Cardiomiopatías/patología , ARN Helicasas DEAD-box/genética , ARN Helicasas DEAD-box/metabolismo , ADN/metabolismo , Ventrículos Cardíacos , Proteína Homeótica Nkx-2.5/genética , Proteína Homeótica Nkx-2.5/metabolismo , Ratones , Miocitos Cardíacos/citología , Miocitos Cardíacos/metabolismo , Procesamiento Proteico-Postraduccional , Procesamiento Postranscripcional del ARN , ARN Mensajero/genética , ARN Mensajero/metabolismo , Proteínas Represoras/genética , Proteínas Represoras/metabolismo , Factores de Transcripción/genética , Factores de Transcripción/metabolismoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Genetic studies of cardiomyopathy and heart failure have limited throughput in mammalian models. Adult zebrafish have been recently pursued as a vertebrate model with higher throughput, but genetic conservation must be tested. METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted transcriptome analysis of zebrafish heart and searched for fish homologues of 51 known human dilated cardiomyopathy-associated genes. We also identified genes with high cardiac expression and genes with differential expression between embryonic and adult stages. Among tested genes, 30 had a single zebrafish orthologue, 14 had 2 homologues, and 5 had ≥3 homologues. By analyzing the expression data on the basis of cardiac abundance and enrichment hypotheses, we identified a single zebrafish gene for 14 of 19 multiple-homologue genes and 2 zebrafish homologues of high priority for ACTC1. Of note, our data suggested vmhc and vmhcl as functional zebrafish orthologues for human genes MYH6 and MYH7, respectively, which are established molecular markers for cardiac remodeling. CONCLUSIONS: Most known genes for human dilated cardiomyopathy have a corresponding zebrafish orthologue, which supports the use of zebrafish as a conserved vertebrate model. Definition of the cardiac transcriptome and fetal gene program will facilitate systems biology studies of dilated cardiomyopathy in zebrafish.
