Removal of the N-terminal extension of cardiac troponin I as a functional compensation for impaired myocardial beta-adrenergic signaling

J Biol Chem. 2008 Nov 28;283(48):33384-93. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M803302200. Epub 2008 Sep 24.

Abstract

Although beta-adrenergic stimuli are essential for myocardial contractility, beta-blockers have a proven beneficial effect on the treatment of heart failure, but the mechanism is not fully understood. The stimulatory G protein alpha-subunit (Gsalpha) couples the beta-adrenoreceptor to adenylyl cyclase and the intracellular cAMP response. In a mouse model of conditional Gsalpha deficiency in the cardiac muscle (Gsalpha-DF), we demonstrated heart failure phenotypes accompanied by increases in the level of a truncated cardiac troponin I (cTnI-ND) from restricted removal of the cTnI-specific N-terminal extension. To investigate the functional significance of the increase of cTnI-ND in Gsalpha-DF cardiac muscle, we generated double transgenic mice to overexpress cTnI-ND in Gsalpha-DF hearts. The overexpression of cTnI-ND in Gsalpha-DF failing hearts increased relaxation velocity and left ventricular end diastolic volume to produce higher left ventricle maximum pressure and stroke volume. Supporting the hypothesis that up-regulation of cTnI-ND is a compensatory rather than a destructive myocardial response to impaired beta-adrenergic signaling, the aberrant expression of beta-myosin heavy chain in adult Gsalpha-DF but not control mouse hearts was reversed by cTnI overexpression. These data indicate that the up-regulation of cTnI-ND may partially compensate for the cardiac inefficiency in impaired beta-adrenergic signaling.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gs / genetics
  • GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gs / metabolism
  • Heart Failure / genetics
  • Heart Failure / metabolism*
  • Heart Failure / pathology
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Myocardial Contraction* / genetics
  • Myocardium / metabolism*
  • Myocardium / pathology
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary / genetics
  • Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / genetics
  • Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / metabolism*
  • Sequence Deletion
  • Signal Transduction* / genetics
  • Stroke Volume / genetics
  • Troponin I / genetics
  • Troponin I / metabolism*
  • Ventricular Myosins / genetics
  • Ventricular Myosins / metabolism

Substances

  • Receptors, Adrenergic, beta
  • Troponin I
  • Ventricular Myosins
  • GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gs