Desensitization of Myofilaments to Ca2+ as a Therapeutic Target for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy With Mutations in Thin Filament Proteins

Background-Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a common genetic disorder caused mainly by mutations in sarcomeric proteins and is characterized by maladaptive myocardial hypertrophy, diastolic heart failure, increased myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity, and high susceptibility to sudden death. We tested the following hypothesis: correction of the increased myofilament sensitivity can delay or prevent the development of the HCM phenotype. Methods and Results-We used an HCM mouse model with an E180G mutation in a-tropomyosin (Tm180) that demonstrates increased myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity, severe hypertrophy, and diastolic dysfunction. To test our hypothesis, we reduced myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity in Tm180 mice by generating a double transgenic mouse line. We crossed Tm180 mice with mice expressing a pseudophosphorylated cardiac troponin I (S23D and S24D; TnI-PP). TnI-PP mice demonstrated a reduced myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity compared with wild-type mice. The development of pathological hypertrophy did not occur in mice expressing both Tm180 and TnI-PP. Left ventricle performance was improved in double transgenic compared with their Tm180 littermates, which express wild-type cardiac troponin I. Hearts of double transgenic mice demonstrated no changes in expression of phospholamban and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase, increased levels of phospholamban and troponin T phosphorylation, and reduced phosphorylation of TnI compared with Tm180 mice. Moreover, expression of TnI-PP in Tm180 hearts inhibited modifications in the activity of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and zinc finger-containing transcription factor GATA in Tm180 hearts. Conclusions-Our data strongly indicate that reduction of myofilament sensitivity to Ca2+ and associated correction of abnormal relaxation can delay or prevent development of HCM and should be considered as a therapeutic target for HCM.