Abstract 389: Amino Terminal Region of Cardiac Myosin Binding Protein-C is Necessary for Cardiac Function
Rationale: Cardiac myosin binding protein-C (cMyBP-C) is a thick filament-associated protein that has been suggested to regulate cardiac contraction via its amino terminal (N’) region. However, the necessity of the N’-C0-C1f region (domains C0 through C1 and the first 17 residues of the M-domain) of cMyBP-C in regulating cardiac function in vivo has not been elucidated. Hypothesis: The N’-C0-C1f region of cMyBP-C is critical for normal cardiac function in vivo . Methods and Results: Transgenic mice with 80±4% expression of a truncated cMyBP-C missing the N’-C0-C1f region (cMyBP-C 110kDa ) were generated and characterized at 3-months of age. cMyBP-C 110kDa animals exhibited cardiac hypertrophy as suggested by an increased heart weight to body weight ratio (5.0±0.1 mg/g NTG vs. 6.9±0.1 mg/g cMyBP-C 110kDa , p<0.0001) and an elevation in pathological hypertrophy markers determined by real-time PCR. Histopathological analysis showed increased cardiac fibrosis in cMyBP-C 110kDa hearts compared to hearts from non-transgenic (NTG) littermates. Intriguingly, increased phosphorylation of cMyBP-C at Ser-282 and Ser-302, sites important for cMyBP-C’s regulation of actomyosin interactions, was observed in cMyBP-C 110kDa hearts compared to controls. Electron microscopy revealed normal sarcomere structure in cMyBP-C 110kDa hearts but with apparently weaker cMyBP-C stripes. Furthermore, the ability of cMyBP-C to slow actin-filament sliding within the C-zone of native thick filaments isolated from NTG hearts was lost on thick filaments from cMyBP-C 110kDa hearts. Short-axis M-mode echocardiography indicated a significant elevation in left ventricular internal diameter and a significant reduction in fractional shortening (31±5% NTG vs. 16±3% cMyBP-C 110kDa , p=0.0003) in cMyBP-C 110kDa hearts compared to controls. Finally, global longitudinal strain analysis revealed abnormal wall motion in cMyBP-C 110kDa hearts. Based upon these data, we propose that the N’-region of cMyBP-C is a critical regulator of actomyosin interactions and controls aberrant contraction kinetics within the cardiac sarcomere. Conclusion: The N’-C0-C1f region of cMyBP-C regulates cardiac contractility and is necessary for maintaining normal cardiac function in vivo .