This five year proposal submitted as an Early Stage Investigator R01 applies a novel mouse 3D engineered cardiac tissue model (ECT) to study the effects of mutations in the human myosin binding protein C (cMyBP-C). cMyBP-C mutations are one of the leading genetic causes of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a disease with a human prevalence of 1 in 500. The burden of disease spans newborn infants to older adults, and manifests with HCM, heart failure, and sudden cardiac arrest. Over 140 mutations have been identified in cMyBP-C. How these mutations affect cardiac muscle function and the development of HCM remains largely unknown. We have developed a technique to produce engineered myocardium from immature mouse cardiomyocytes deficient in murine cMyBP-C that have yet to undergo hypertrophic remodeling. Within this system we can express specific human mutant cMyBP-C, test contractile function, and define the role of applied stressors in the development of the HCM phenotype. In this proposal we will explore the main hypotheses that HCM-causing single amino acid substitutions in human cMyBP-C primarily alter contractile function, even in the absence of hypertrophy, and that mutations with severely altered contractile function demonstrate earlier and more pronounced remodeling in response to environmental stress. Experiments are proposed to pursue three principle aims: 1: Defining the functional and molecular phenotype of murine cMyBP- C deficient cardiomyocytes expressing wild-type human cMyBP-C grown in the 3D cardiac tissue model (ECT);
Aim 2 : Characterization of the functional impact of acute expression of human cMyBP-C missense mutations in the ECT model;
and Aim 3 : Identification of adaptive and maladaptive functional and molecular responses of the transgene-expressing ECT to mechanical load, electrical pacing, or adrenergic stimulation. We have selected twelve mutations in cMyBP-C that span both the age of onset from newborns to adults, and disease severity. Data derived from these experiments will extend our understanding of human cMyBP-C HCM and identify potential environmental factors that influence development of the HCM phenotype. All of the necessary reagents and techniques required in this proposal are well established within the Principle Investigators laboratory. The extensive resources and collaborative relationships at the University of Wisconsin-Madison offer an outstanding environment and enhance the likelihood of successful achievement of these aims.

Public Health Relevance

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a highly prevalent progressive disease of the heart muscle leading to heart failure and arrhythmias affecting infants, children, and adults. Mutations in the contractile regulatory protein myosin binding protein C are one of the leading causes of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This proposal will screen 12 significant mutations in human cMyBP-C using a highly innovative three dimensional murine engineered cardiac tissue model to assess the contractile phenotype and the factors that lead to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HL107367-03
Application #
8484866
Study Section
Cardiac Contractility, Hypertrophy, and Failure Study Section (CCHF)
Program Officer
Lee, Albert
Project Start
2011-06-13
Project End
2015-05-31
Budget Start
2013-06-01
Budget End
2014-05-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2013
Total Cost
$358,190
Indirect Cost
$120,190
Name
University of Wisconsin Madison
Department
Pediatrics
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
161202122
City
Madison
State
WI
Country
United States
Zip Code
53715
Farrell, Emily; Armstrong, Annie E; Grimes, Adrian C et al. (2018) Transcriptome Analysis of Cardiac Hypertrophic Growth in MYBPC3-Null Mice Suggests Early Responders in Hypertrophic Remodeling. Front Physiol 9:1442
Farrell, Emily T; Grimes, Adrian C; de Lange, Willem J et al. (2017) Increased Postnatal Cardiac Hyperplasia Precedes Cardiomyocyte Hypertrophy in a Model of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Front Physiol 8:414
Moss, Richard L; Fitzsimons, Daniel P; Ralphe, J Carter (2015) Cardiac MyBP-C regulates the rate and force of contraction in mammalian myocardium. Circ Res 116:183-92
Raval, Kunil K; Tao, Ran; White, Brent E et al. (2015) Pompe disease results in a Golgi-based glycosylation deficit in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. J Biol Chem 290:3121-36
De Lange, Willem J; Grimes, Adrian C; Hegge, Laura F et al. (2013) E258K HCM-causing mutation in cardiac MyBP-C reduces contractile force and accelerates twitch kinetics by disrupting the cMyBP-C and myosin S2 interaction. J Gen Physiol 142:241-55
Ralphe, J Carter; de Lange, Willem J (2013) 3D engineered cardiac tissue models of human heart disease: learning more from our mice. Trends Cardiovasc Med 23:27-32
de Lange, Willem J; Grimes, Adrian C; Hegge, Laura F et al. (2013) Ablation of cardiac myosin-binding protein-C accelerates contractile kinetics in engineered cardiac tissue. J Gen Physiol 141:73-84
de Lange, W J; Hegge, L F; Grimes, A C et al. (2011) Neonatal mouse-derived engineered cardiac tissue: a novel model system for studying genetic heart disease. Circ Res 109:8-19