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ResearchIn-Press PreviewCardiologyCell biology Open Access | 10.1172/jci.insight.190760

Phosphoproteomics Identification of ERK-Dependent Activation of Rps6kb1 in Cardiac Hypertrophy

Chao Li,1 Pengfei Zhang,2 Kai Zhang,2 Jane A. Cook,1 Weidan Song,1 Megan Virostek,3 Lily A. Slotabec,4 Nadiyeh Rouhi,4 Mohammed Hazari,3 Michael I. Adenawoola,4 Xiaofei Liu,5 Hao Zhang,5 Guangyu Zhang,1 Erica L Niewold,1 Qinfeng Li,1 Yong Fang,1 Waleed M. Elhelaly,1 Xue-Nan Sun,3 Xuejiang Guo,5 Andrew Lemoff,6 Yingfeng Deng,2 Thomas G. Gillette,1 Ji Li,4 Philipp E. Scherer,3 and Zhao V. Wang2

1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

2Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, United States of America

3Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

4Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, United States of America

5State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

6Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

Find articles by Li, C. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

2Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, United States of America

3Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

4Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, United States of America

5State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

6Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

Find articles by Zhang, P. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

2Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, United States of America

3Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

4Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, United States of America

5State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

6Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

Find articles by Zhang, K. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

2Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, United States of America

3Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

4Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, United States of America

5State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

6Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

Find articles by Cook, J. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

2Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, United States of America

3Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

4Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, United States of America

5State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

6Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

Find articles by Song, W. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

2Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, United States of America

3Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

4Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, United States of America

5State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

6Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

Find articles by Virostek, M. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

2Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, United States of America

3Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

4Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, United States of America

5State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

6Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

Find articles by Slotabec, L. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

2Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, United States of America

3Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

4Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, United States of America

5State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

6Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

Find articles by Rouhi, N. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

2Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, United States of America

3Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

4Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, United States of America

5State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

6Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

Find articles by Hazari, M. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

2Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, United States of America

3Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

4Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, United States of America

5State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

6Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

Find articles by Adenawoola, M. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

2Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, United States of America

3Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

4Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, United States of America

5State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

6Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

Find articles by Liu, X. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

2Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, United States of America

3Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

4Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, United States of America

5State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

6Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

Find articles by Zhang, H. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

2Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, United States of America

3Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

4Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, United States of America

5State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

6Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

Find articles by Zhang, G. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

2Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, United States of America

3Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

4Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, United States of America

5State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

6Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

Find articles by Niewold, E. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

2Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, United States of America

3Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

4Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, United States of America

5State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

6Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

Find articles by Li, Q. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

2Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, United States of America

3Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

4Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, United States of America

5State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

6Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

Find articles by Fang, Y. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

2Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, United States of America

3Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

4Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, United States of America

5State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

6Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

Find articles by Elhelaly, W. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

2Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, United States of America

3Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

4Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, United States of America

5State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

6Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

Find articles by Sun, X. in: PubMed | Google Scholar |

1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

2Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, United States of America

3Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

4Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, United States of America

5State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

6Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

Find articles by Guo, X. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

2Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, United States of America

3Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

4Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, United States of America

5State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

6Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

Find articles by Lemoff, A. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

2Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, United States of America

3Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

4Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, United States of America

5State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

6Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

Find articles by Deng, Y. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

2Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, United States of America

3Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

4Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, United States of America

5State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

6Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

Find articles by Gillette, T. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

2Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, United States of America

3Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

4Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, United States of America

5State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

6Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

Find articles by Li, J. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

2Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, United States of America

3Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

4Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, United States of America

5State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

6Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

Find articles by Scherer, P. in: PubMed | Google Scholar |

1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

2Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, United States of America

3Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

4Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, United States of America

5State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China

6Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States of America

Find articles by Wang, Z. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

Published January 8, 2026 - More info

JCI Insight. https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.190760.
Copyright © 2026, Li et al. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
Published January 8, 2026 - Version history
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Abstract

Cardiomyocyte growth is tightly controlled by multiple signaling pathways. Identification of master kinases in this process is essential in exploring potential targets for the treatment of pathological cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. Here we identified the mTOR-independent activation of ribosomal protein S6 kinase b1 (Rps6kb1/S6K1) during cardiomyocyte growth. By utilizing phosphoproteomics in primary neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVMs), we revealed Rps6kb1 as one of most activated kinases under growth stimulation. We further demonstrated the role of Rps6kb1 phosphorylation in pathological cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. We showed that the phosphorylation of multiple sites at Rps6kb1, including T367 in the kinase domain and S418/T421/S424 in the C-terminal domain, is not directly regulated by the activity of mTOR, rather coupled with the activation of the MEK1-ERK axis. In mice, cardiomyocyte-specific deletion of Rps6kb1 significantly inhibited both constitutively active ERK- and pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy. In contrast, cardiomyocyte-specific overexpression of wild-type Rps6kb1, rather than the phosphorylation-defective mutant, elevated cardiac hypertrophy and augmented pressure overload-induced heart failure. In conclusion, our findings reveal that the MEK-ERK axis primes Rps6kb1 activation through phosphorylation of two separate domains of Rps6kb1, which may play an essential role in cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure under hemodynamic stress.

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