Titin-truncating mutations associated with dilated cardiomyopathy alter length-dependent activation and its modulation via phosphorylation.

AIMS: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is associated with mutations in many genes encoding sarcomere proteins. Truncating mutations in the titin gene TTN are the most frequent. Proteomic and functional characterizations are required to elucidate the origin of the disease and the pathogenic mechanisms of TTN-truncating variants. METHODS AND RESULTS: We isolated myofibrils from DCM hearts carrying truncating TTN mutations and measured the Ca2+ sensitivity of force and its length dependence. Simultaneous measurement of force and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) consumption in skinned cardiomyocytes was also performed. Phosphorylation levels of troponin I (TnI) and myosin binding protein-C (MyBP-C) were manipulated using protein kinase A and λ phosphatase. mRNA sequencing was employed to overview gene expression profiles. We found that Ca2+ sensitivity of myofibrils carrying TTN mutations was significantly higher than in myofibrils from donor hearts. The length dependence of the Ca2+ sensitivity was absent in DCM myofibrils with TTN-truncating variants. No significant difference was found in the expression level of TTN mRNA between the DCM and donor groups. TTN exon usage and splicing were also similar. However, we identified down-regulation of genes encoding Z-disk proteins, while the atrial-specific regulatory myosin light chain gene, MYL7, was up-regulated in DCM patients with TTN-truncating variants. CONCLUSION: Titin-truncating mutations lead to decreased length-dependent activation and increased elasticity of myofibrils. Phosphorylation levels of TnI and MyBP-C seen in the left ventricles are essential for the length-dependent changes in Ca2+ sensitivity in healthy donors, but they are reduced in DCM patients with TTN-truncating variants. A decrease in expression of Z-disk proteins may explain the observed decrease in myofibril passive stiffness and length-dependent activation.

Cardiomyopathies and Related Changes in Contractility of Human Heart Muscle.

About half of hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathies cases have been recognized as genetic diseases with mutations in sarcomeric proteins. The sarcomeric proteins are involved in cardiomyocyte contractility and its regulation, and play a structural role. Mutations in non-sarcomeric proteins may induce changes in cell signaling pathways that modify contractile response of heart muscle. These facts strongly suggest that contractile dysfunction plays a central role in initiation and progression of cardiomyopathies. In fact, abnormalities in contractile mechanics of myofibrils have been discovered. However, it has not been revealed how these mutations increase risk for cardiomyopathy and cause the disease. Much research has been done and still much is being done to understand how the mechanism works. Here, we review the facts of cardiac myofilament contractility in patients with cardiomyopathy and heart failure.

The in vitro motility assay parameters of actin filaments from Mytilus edulis exposed in vivo to copper ions.

One important aspect of oxidative stress is chemical modification of lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. Copper has been shown to be one of the agents causing oxidative stress. In muscles copper binds to Cys-374 of the actin monomer and catalyzes interchain S-S bond formation in F-actin. The aim of the present work was to study the functional consequences of actin modifications, induced by copper treatment of Mytilus edulis in vivo, on the in vitro motility parameters of isolated actin filaments from foot and adductor muscles. CuCl(2) treatment reduced the sliding velocity of actin filaments extracted from foot muscle by about 22% and increased their flexibility by 1.7 times, while had no effect on the motility and flexibility of adductor actin. Using immunoblotting techniques we found that copper ions induced carbonylation in foot but not in adductor actin. In samples of foot actin an increase in cross-linked oligomers and truncated monomers was detected. Carbonylated structures of actin and corresponding changes in its functional properties may be considered as biomarkers for environmental monitoring.

Diffusion dynamics of motor-driven transport: gradient production and self-organization of surfaces.

The interaction between cytoskeletal filaments (e.g., actin filaments) and molecular motors (e.g., myosin) is the basis for many aspects of cell motility and organization of the cell interior. In the in vitro motility assay (IVMA), cytoskeletal filaments are observed while being propelled by molecular motors adsorbed to artificial surfaces (e.g., in studies of motor function). Here we integrate ideas that cytoskeletal filaments may be used as nanoscale templates in nanopatterning with a novel approach for the production of surface gradients of biomolecules and nanoscale topographical features. The production of such gradients is challenging but of increasing interest (e.g., in cell biology). First, we show that myosin-induced actin filament sliding in the IVMA can be approximately described as persistent random motion with a diffusion coefficient (D) given by a relationship analogous to the Einstein equation (D = kT/gamma). In this relationship, the thermal energy (kT) and the drag coefficient (gamma) are substituted by a parameter related to the free-energy transduction by actomyosin and the actomyosin dissociation rate constant, respectively. We then demonstrate how the persistent random motion of actin filaments can be exploited in conceptually novel methods for the production of actin filament density gradients of predictable shapes. Because of regularly spaced binding sites (e.g., lysines and cysteines) the actin filaments act as suitable nanoscale scaffolds for other biomolecules (tested for fibronectin) or nanoparticles. This forms the basis for secondary chemical and topographical gradients with implications for cell biological studies and biosensing.

Bending flexibility of actin filaments during motor-induced sliding.

Muscle contraction and other forms of cell motility occur as a result of cyclic interactions between myosin molecules and actin filaments. Force generation is generally attributed to ATP-driven structural changes in myosin, whereas a passive role is ascribed to actin. However, some results challenge this view, predicting structural changes in actin during motor activity, e.g., when the actin filaments slide on a myosin-coated surface in vitro. Here, we analyzed statistical properties of the sliding filament paths, allowing us to detect changes of this type. It is interesting to note that evidence for substantial structural changes that led to increased bending flexibility of the filaments was found in phalloidin-stabilized, but not in phalloidin-free, actin filaments. The results are in accordance with the idea that a high-flexibility structural state of actin is a prerequisite for force production, but not the idea that a low-to-high flexibility transition of the actin filament should be an important component of the force-generating step per se. Finally, our data challenge the general view that phalloidin-stabilized filaments behave as native actin filaments in their interaction with myosin. This has important implications, since phalloidin stabilization is a routine procedure in most studies of actomyosin function.