Heart Failure is a clinical syndrome characterized by progressive ventricular dilatation, depressed cardiac function and premature death. Importantly, variation in the development of heart failure and in the long-term survival irrespective of etiology indicates that additional unidentified genetic factors play a significant role in the phenotypic expression. Unfortunately, these modifier genes have been recalcitrant to direct identification in human populations. In this regard, genetic studies in animals models of disease can identify candidate modifier genes and provide an insight on the genetic interactions that cause phenotypic variation in the humans. The goal of this proposal is to identify genetic modifiers of human heart failure. To accomplish this goal we will use a well-characterized murine model of heart failure created by the overexpression of a calsequestrin (CSQ) transgene to simulate a monogenetic disorder of inherited dilated cardiomyopathy. The phenotype of the CSQ model demonstrates many of the """"""""hallmark"""""""" features of dilated cardiomyopathy including progressive cardiac dysfunction, shortened lifespan and abnormalities in beta-adrenergic receptor signaling. Although the model is not one caused by a natural occurring single-gene mutation in humans, it is one that recapitulates the human heart failure phenotype and importantly, is highly dependent on the genetic background. Accordingly, the goal of this project is to use the CSQ mouse to identify modifier genes that contribute to the severity of heart failure in the human population. The following specific aims are proposed: 1) to identify modifier genes in the CSQ mouse model of heart failure that confer susceptibility to premature death. Quantitative Trait Loci mapping has already shown strong linkage of survival to a narrow region on chromosome 2. 2) to identify modifier genes in the CSQ mouse model of heart failure that delay susceptibility to both cardiac dysfunction and premature death. Quantitative Trait Loci mapping has already shown strong linkage of cardiac function and survival to a broad region on chromosome 3 and 8. 3) to test whether modifier genes influence phenotypic variation in human heart failure, we will examine whether genetic polymorphisms identified in the mouse correlate with outcome in patient populations with heart failure. Genetic epidemiology will be performed in collaboration with the Duke Center for Human Genetics.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HL068963-02
Application #
6538101
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZHL1-CSR-J (S1))
Program Officer
Spooner, Peter
Project Start
2001-09-30
Project End
2006-06-30
Budget Start
2002-07-01
Budget End
2003-06-30
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2002
Total Cost
$751,133
Indirect Cost
Name
Duke University
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
071723621
City
Durham
State
NC
Country
United States
Zip Code
27705
Wolf, Matthew J; Amrein, Hubert; Izatt, Joseph A et al. (2006) Drosophila as a model for the identification of genes causing adult human heart disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 103:1394-9
Wheeler, Ferrin C; Fernandez, Liliana; Carlson, Kerri M et al. (2005) QTL mapping in a mouse model of cardiomyopathy reveals an ancestral modifier allele affecting heart function and survival. Mamm Genome 16:414-23