RESUMO
Intercalated discs (ICD), specific cell-to-cell contacts that connect adjacent cardiomyocytes, ensure mechanical and electrochemical coupling during contraction of the heart. Mutations in genes encoding ICD components are linked to cardiovascular diseases. Here, we show that loss of Xinß, a newly-identified component of ICDs, results in cardiomyocyte proliferation defects and cardiomyopathy. We uncovered a role for Xinß in signaling via the Hippo-YAP pathway by recruiting NF2 to the ICD to modulate cardiac function. In Xinß mutant hearts levels of phosphorylated NF2 are substantially reduced, suggesting an impairment of Hippo-YAP signaling. Cardiac-specific overexpression of YAP rescues cardiac defects in Xinß knock-out mice-indicating a functional and genetic interaction between Xinß and YAP. Our study reveals a molecular mechanism by which cardiac-expressed intercalated disc protein Xinß modulates Hippo-YAP signaling to control heart development and cardiac function in a tissue specific manner. Consequently, this pathway may represent a therapeutic target for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Assuntos
Proteínas Adaptadoras de Transdução de Sinal/metabolismo , Proteínas de Ciclo Celular/metabolismo , Proteínas do Citoesqueleto/metabolismo , Proteínas de Ligação a DNA/metabolismo , Proteínas com Domínio LIM/metabolismo , Miócitos Cardíacos/metabolismo , Proteínas Serina-Treonina Quinases/metabolismo , Proteínas Adaptadoras de Transdução de Sinal/genética , Animais , Cardiomiopatia Dilatada/genética , Comunicação Celular , Proteínas de Ciclo Celular/genética , Proliferação de Células , Proteínas do Citoesqueleto/genética , Proteínas de Ligação a DNA/genética , Feminino , Regulação da Expressão Gênica no Desenvolvimento , Ventrículos do Coração/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Via de Sinalização Hippo , Proteínas com Domínio LIM/genética , Masculino , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Camundongos Knockout , Mutação , Miócitos Cardíacos/citologia , Miócitos Cardíacos/patologia , Neurofibromina 2/genética , Neurofibromina 2/metabolismo , Proteínas Nucleares/genética , Transdução de Sinais , Proteínas de Sinalização YAPRESUMO
RATIONALE: Cardiomyocytes in adult mammalian hearts are terminally differentiated cells that have exited from the cell cycle and lost most of their proliferative capacity. Death of mature cardiomyocytes in pathological cardiac conditions and the lack of regeneration capacity of adult hearts are primary causes of heart failure and mortality. However, how cardiomyocyte proliferation in postnatal and adult hearts becomes suppressed remains largely unknown. The miR-17-92 cluster was initially identified as a human oncogene that promotes cell proliferation. However, its role in the heart remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that miR-17-92 participates in the regulation of cardiomyocyte proliferation in postnatal and adult hearts. METHODS AND RESULTS: We deleted miR-17-92 cluster from embryonic and postnatal mouse hearts and demonstrated that miR-17-92 is required for cardiomyocyte proliferation in the heart. Transgenic overexpression of miR-17-92 in cardiomyocytes is sufficient to induce cardiomyocyte proliferation in embryonic, postnatal, and adult hearts. Moreover, overexpression of miR-17-92 in adult cardiomyocytes protects the heart from myocardial infarction-induced injury. Similarly, we found that members of miR-17-92 cluster, miR-19 in particular, are required for and sufficient to induce cardiomyocyte proliferation in vitro. We identified phosphatase and tensin homolog, a tumor suppressor, as an miR-17-92 target to mediate the function of miR-17-92 in cardiomyocyte proliferation. CONCLUSIONS: Our studies therefore identify miR-17-92 as a critical regulator of cardiomyocyte proliferation, and suggest this cluster of microRNAs could become therapeutic targets for cardiac repair and heart regeneration.
Assuntos
Proliferação de Células , Coração/embriologia , MicroRNAs/metabolismo , Infarto do Miocárdio/metabolismo , Miócitos Cardíacos/metabolismo , Fatores Etários , Animais , Animais Recém-Nascidos , Células Cultivadas , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Regulação da Expressão Gênica no Desenvolvimento , Proteína Homeobox Nkx-2.5 , Proteínas de Homeodomínio/genética , Proteínas de Homeodomínio/metabolismo , Camundongos , Camundongos Knockout , Camundongos Transgênicos , MicroRNAs/genética , Infarto do Miocárdio/diagnóstico por imagem , Infarto do Miocárdio/genética , Infarto do Miocárdio/prevenção & controle , Miócitos Cardíacos/patologia , PTEN Fosfo-Hidrolase/genética , PTEN Fosfo-Hidrolase/metabolismo , Interferência de RNA , Ratos , Fatores de Transcrição/genética , Fatores de Transcrição/metabolismo , Transfecção , UltrassonografiaRESUMO
The active site of an apoptotic enzyme caspase-3 was characterized by measuring the intrinsic fluorescence of two tryptophan residues. Temperature dependence of the intrinsic fluorescence, the energy homotransfer between the tryptophan residues, and the fluorescence quenching by tetrapeptide inhibitors were investigated by the fluorescence lifetime measurements. It has been observed that the fluorescence lifetimes of caspase-3 in complex with inhibitors were significantly shortened by the electron transfer process.