Go to The Journal of Clinical Investigation
  • About
  • Editors
  • Consulting Editors
  • For authors
  • Publication ethics
  • Publication alerts by email
  • Transfers
  • Advertising
  • Job board
  • Contact
  • Physician-Scientist Development
  • Current issue
  • Past issues
  • By specialty
    • COVID-19
    • Cardiology
    • Immunology
    • Metabolism
    • Nephrology
    • Oncology
    • Pulmonology
    • All ...
  • Videos
  • Collections
    • In-Press Preview
    • Resource and Technical Advances
    • Clinical Research and Public Health
    • Research Letters
    • Editorials
    • Perspectives
    • Physician-Scientist Development
    • Reviews
    • Top read articles

  • Current issue
  • Past issues
  • Specialties
  • In-Press Preview
  • Resource and Technical Advances
  • Clinical Research and Public Health
  • Research Letters
  • Editorials
  • Perspectives
  • Physician-Scientist Development
  • Reviews
  • Top read articles
  • About
  • Editors
  • Consulting Editors
  • For authors
  • Publication ethics
  • Publication alerts by email
  • Transfers
  • Advertising
  • Job board
  • Contact
Cardiac gene therapy treats diabetic cardiomyopathy and lowers blood glucose
Jing Li, Bradley Richmond, Ahmad A. Cluntun, Ryan Bia, Maureen A. Walsh, Kikuyo Shaw, J. David Symons, Sarah Franklin, Jared Rutter, Katsuhiko Funai, Robin M. Shaw, TingTing Hong
Jing Li, Bradley Richmond, Ahmad A. Cluntun, Ryan Bia, Maureen A. Walsh, Kikuyo Shaw, J. David Symons, Sarah Franklin, Jared Rutter, Katsuhiko Funai, Robin M. Shaw, TingTing Hong
View: Text | PDF
Research Article Cardiology Cell biology

Cardiac gene therapy treats diabetic cardiomyopathy and lowers blood glucose

  • Text
  • PDF
Abstract

Diabetic cardiomyopathy, an increasingly global epidemic and a major cause of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), is associated with hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and intracardiomyocyte calcium mishandling. Here we identify that, in db/db mice with type 2 diabetes–induced HFpEF, abnormal remodeling of cardiomyocyte transverse-tubule microdomains occurs with downregulation of the membrane scaffolding protein cardiac bridging integrator 1 (cBIN1). Transduction of cBIN1 by AAV9 gene therapy can restore transverse-tubule microdomains to normalize intracellular distribution of calcium-handling proteins and, surprisingly, glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4). Cardiac proteomics revealed that AAV9-cBIN1 normalized components of calcium handling and GLUT4 translocation machineries. Functional studies further identified that AAV9-cBIN1 normalized insulin-dependent glucose uptake in diabetic cardiomyocytes. Phenotypically, AAV9-cBIN1 rescued cardiac lusitropy, improved exercise intolerance, and ameliorated hyperglycemia in diabetic mice. Restoration of transverse-tubule microdomains can improve cardiac function in the setting of diabetic cardiomyopathy and can also improve systemic glycemic control.

Authors

Jing Li, Bradley Richmond, Ahmad A. Cluntun, Ryan Bia, Maureen A. Walsh, Kikuyo Shaw, J. David Symons, Sarah Franklin, Jared Rutter, Katsuhiko Funai, Robin M. Shaw, TingTing Hong

×

Figure 8

I.v. AAV9-cBIN1 (6 × 1011 vg/kg) transduces exogenous cBIN1 in minipig hearts.

Options: View larger image (or click on image) Download as PowerPoint
I.v. AAV9-cBIN1 (6 × 1011 vg/kg) transduces exogenous cBIN1 in minipig h...
(A) Cardiac expression of exogenous cBin1-V5 (ΔΔCt of V5/HPRT1 when compared with PBS controls) in minipig hearts 6 months after AAV9-cBIN1 injection. (B) Exogenous cBin1-V5 as percentage of endogenous porcine cBIN1 (derived from ΔCt of V5/cBIN1) in minipig hearts 6 months after AAV9-cBIN1 injection (n = 10 tissue samples across left ventricle obtained from 2 minipigs per group). Data are presented as mean ± SEM. Unpaired 2-tailed Student’s t test or Mann-Whitney U test was used. *** indicates P < 0.001 for comparison versus PBS controls.

Copyright © 2026 American Society for Clinical Investigation
ISSN 2379-3708

Sign up for email alerts