Elevated Ca2+ transients and increased myofibrillar power generation cause cardiac hypercontractility in a model of Noonan syndrome with multiple lentigines

SA Clay, TL Domeier, LM Hanft… - American Journal …, 2015 - journals.physiology.org
SA Clay, TL Domeier, LM Hanft, KS McDonald, M Krenz
American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology, 2015journals.physiology.org
Noonan syndrome with multiple lentigines (NSML) is primarily caused by mutations in the
nonreceptor protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP2 and associated with congenital heart
disease in the form of pulmonary valve stenosis and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).
Our goal was to elucidate the cellular mechanisms underlying the development of HCM
caused by the Q510E mutation in SHP2. NSML patients carrying this mutation suffer from a
particularly severe form of HCM. Drawing parallels to other, more common forms of HCM, we …
Noonan syndrome with multiple lentigines (NSML) is primarily caused by mutations in the nonreceptor protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP2 and associated with congenital heart disease in the form of pulmonary valve stenosis and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Our goal was to elucidate the cellular mechanisms underlying the development of HCM caused by the Q510E mutation in SHP2. NSML patients carrying this mutation suffer from a particularly severe form of HCM. Drawing parallels to other, more common forms of HCM, we hypothesized that altered Ca2+ homeostasis and/or sarcomeric mechanical properties play key roles in the pathomechanism. We used transgenic mice with cardiomyocyte-specific expression of Q510E-SHP2 starting before birth. Mice develop neonatal onset HCM with increased ejection fraction and fractional shortening at 4–6 wk of age. To assess Ca2+ handling, isolated cardiomyocytes were loaded with fluo-4. Q510E-SHP2 expression increased Ca2+ transient amplitudes during excitation-contraction coupling and increased sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ content concurrent with increased expression of sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase. In skinned cardiomyocyte preparations from Q510E-SHP2 mice, force-velocity relationships and power-load curves were shifted upward. The peak power-generating capacity was increased approximately twofold. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the relative intracellular area occupied by sarcomeres was increased in Q510E-SHP2 cardiomyocytes. Triton X-100-based myofiber purification showed that Q510E-SHP2 increased the amount of sarcomeric proteins assembled into myofibers. In summary, Q510E-SHP2 expression leads to enhanced contractile performance early in disease progression by augmenting intracellular Ca2+ cycling and increasing the number of power-generating sarcomeres. This gives important new insights into the cellular pathomechanisms of Q510E-SHP2-associated HCM.
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