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Functional analysis of a gene-edited mouse model to gain insights into the disease mechanisms of a titin missense variant.

ABSTRACT: Titin truncating variants are a well-established cause of cardiomyopathy; however, the role of titin missense variants is less well understood. Here we describe the generation of a mouse model to investigate the underlying disease mechanism of a previously reported titin A178D missense variant identified in a family with non-compaction and dilated cardiomyopathy. Heterozygous and homozygous mice carrying the titin A178D missense variant were characterised in vivo by echocardiography. Heterozygous mice had no detectable phenotype at any time point investigated (up to 1 year). By contrast, homozygous mice developed dilated cardiomyopathy from 3 months. Chronic adrenergic stimulation aggravated the phenotype. Targeted transcript profiling revealed induction of the foetal gene programme and hypertrophic signalling pathways in homozygous mice, and these were confirmed at the protein level. Unsupervised proteomics identified downregulation of telethonin and four-and-a-half LIM domain 2, as well as the upregulation of heat shock proteins and myeloid leukaemia factor 1. Loss of telethonin from the cardiac Z-disc was accompanied by proteasomal degradation; however, unfolded telethonin accumulated in the cytoplasm, leading to a proteo-toxic response in the mice.We show that the titin A178D missense variant is pathogenic in homozygous mice, resulting in cardiomyopathy. We also provide evidence of the disease mechanism: because the titin A178D variant abolishes binding of telethonin, this leads to its abnormal cytoplasmic accumulation. Subsequent degradation of telethonin by the proteasome results in proteasomal overload, and activation of a proteo-toxic response. The latter appears to be a driving factor for the cardiomyopathy observed in the mouse model.

SUBMITTER: Jiang H

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7910237 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Functional analysis of a gene-edited mouse model to gain insights into the disease mechanisms of a titin missense variant.

Jiang He H Hooper Charlotte C Kelly Matthew M Steeples Violetta V Simon Jillian N JN Beglov Julia J Azad Amar J AJ Leinhos Lisa L Bennett Pauline P Ehler Elisabeth E Kalisch-Smith Jacinta I JI Sparrow Duncan B DB Fischer Roman R Heilig Raphael R Isackson Henrik H Ehsan Mehroz M Patone Giannino G Huebner Norbert N Davies Benjamin B Watkins Hugh H Gehmlich Katja K

Basic research in cardiology 20210226 1

Titin truncating variants are a well-established cause of cardiomyopathy; however, the role of titin missense variants is less well understood. Here we describe the generation of a mouse model to investigate the underlying disease mechanism of a previously reported titin A178D missense variant identified in a family with non-compaction and dilated cardiomyopathy. Heterozygous and homozygous mice carrying the titin A178D missense variant were characterised in vivo by echocardiography. Heterozygou ...[more]

PMID: 33637999

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Project description:Aims: Pathogenic truncating variants in the largest human protein TITIN are a leading cause of dilated cardiomyopathy. Because of the size of the gene encoding TITIN, many missense variations are identified. These are difficult to evaluate in genetic testing, as even individually rare variants are common in aggregate in normal populations. While the majority will be benign, a small subset is pathogenic, but distinction is challenging. Here, we describe the generation of a mouse model to investigate the underlying disease mechanism of a previously reported TITIN A178D missense variant identified in a family with non-compaction and dilated cardiomyopathy. Methods and Results: Heterozygous and homozygous mice carrying the TITIN A178D missense variant were characterised in vivo. Heterozygous mice had no detectable phenotype at any time point observed (up to 1 year). By contrast, homozygous mice developed dilated cardiomyopathy from 3 months. Chronic adrenergic stimulation aggravated the phenotype. Targeted transcript profiling revealed induction of the fetal gene programme and hypertrophic signalling pathways in homozygous mice, and these were confirmed at the protein level. Unsupervised proteomics identified down-regulation of TELETHONIN and FOUR-AND-A-HALF LIM DOMAIN 2, as well as the up-regulation of heat shock proteins and MYELOID LEUKEMIA FACTOR 1. Loss of TELETHONIN from the cardiac Z-disc was accompanied by proteasomal degradation; however, TELETHONIN also accumulated in the cytoplasm. In parallel, a proteo-toxic response was observed in the mice. Conclusions: We have shown that the TITIN A178D missense variant is pathogenic in homozygous mice, resulting in cardiomyopathy. We also provide evidence of the disease mechanism. Because the TITIN A178D variant abolishes binding of TELETHONIN, this leads to its abnormal cytoplasmic accumulation. Subsequent degradation of TELETHONIN by the proteasome results in proteasomal overload, and activation of a proteo-toxic response. The latter appears to be a driving factor for the cardiomyopathy observed in the mouse model.

Project description:Background & aimsAlagille syndrome is a genetic disorder characterized by cholestasis, ocular abnormalities, characteristic facial features, heart defects, and vertebral malformations. Most cases are associated with mutations in JAGGED1 (JAG1), which encodes a Notch ligand, although it is not clear how these contribute to disease development. We aimed to develop a mouse model of Alagille syndrome to elucidate these mechanisms.MethodsMice with a missense mutation (H268Q) in Jag1 (Jag1+/Ndr mice) were outbred to a C3H/C57bl6 background to generate a mouse model for Alagille syndrome (Jag1Ndr/Ndr mice). Liver tissues were collected at different timepoints during development, analyzed by histology, and liver organoids were cultured and analyzed. We performed transcriptome analysis of Jag1Ndr/Ndr livers and livers from patients with Alagille syndrome, cross-referenced to the Human Protein Atlas, to identify commonly dysregulated pathways and biliary markers. We used species-specific transcriptome separation and ligand-receptor interaction assays to measure Notch signaling and the ability of JAG1Ndr to bind or activate Notch receptors. We studied signaling of JAG1 and JAG1Ndr via NOTCH 1, NOTCH2, and NOTCH3 and resulting gene expression patterns in parental and NOTCH1-expressing C2C12 cell lines.ResultsJag1Ndr/Ndr mice had many features of Alagille syndrome, including eye, heart, and liver defects. Bile duct differentiation, morphogenesis, and function were dysregulated in newborn Jag1Ndr/Ndr mice, with aberrations in cholangiocyte polarity, but these defects improved in adult mice. Jag1Ndr/Ndr liver organoids collapsed in culture, indicating structural instability. Whole-transcriptome sequence analyses of liver tissues from mice and patients with Alagille syndrome identified dysregulated genes encoding proteins enriched at the apical side of cholangiocytes, including CFTR and SLC5A1, as well as reduced expression of IGF1. Exposure of Notch-expressing cells to JAG1Ndr, compared with JAG1, led to hypomorphic Notch signaling, based on transcriptome analysis. JAG1-expressing cells, but not JAG1Ndr-expressing cells, bound soluble Notch1 extracellular domain, quantified by flow cytometry. However, JAG1 and JAG1Ndr cells each bound NOTCH2, and signaling from NOTCH2 signaling was reduced but not completely inhibited, in response to JAG1Ndr compared with JAG1.ConclusionsIn mice, expression of a missense mutant of Jag1 (Jag1Ndr) disrupts bile duct development and recapitulates Alagille syndrome phenotypes in heart, eye, and craniofacial dysmorphology. JAG1Ndr does not bind NOTCH1, but binds NOTCH2, and elicits hypomorphic signaling. This mouse model can be used to study other features of Alagille syndrome and organ development.

Dataset Information

Functional analysis of a gene-edited mouse model to gain insights into the disease mechanisms of a titin missense variant.

Publications

Functional analysis of a gene-edited mouse model to gain insights into the disease mechanisms of a titin missense variant.

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