Intrasarcoplasmic amyloidosis impairs proteolytic function of proteasomes in cardiomyocytes by compromising substrate uptake

Quanhai Chen, Jin Bao Liu, Kathleen M. Horak, Hanqiao Zheng, Asangi R.K. Kumarapeli, Jie Li, Faqian Li, A. Martin Gerdes, Eric F. Wawrousek, Xuejun Wang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

143 Scopus citations

Abstract

The presence of increased ubiquitinated proteins and amyloid oligomers in failing human hearts strikingly resembles the characteristic pathology in the brain of many neurodegenerative diseases. The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is responsible for degradation of most cellular proteins and plays essential roles in virtually all cellular processes. UPS impairment by aberrant protein aggregation was previously shown in cell culture but remains to be demonstrated in intact animals. Mechanisms underlying the impairment are poorly understood. We report here that UPS proteolytic function is severely impaired in the heart of a mouse model of intrasarcoplasmic amyloidosis caused by cardiac-restricted expression of a human desmin-related myopathy-linked missense mutation of αB-crystallin (CryABR120G). The UPS impairment was detected before cardiac hypertrophy, and failure became discernible, suggesting that defective protein turnover likely contributes to cardiac remodeling and failure in this model. Further analyses reveal that the impairment is likely attributable to insufficient delivery of substrate proteins into the 20S proteasomes, and depletion of key components of the 19S subcomplex may be responsible. The derangement is likely caused by aberrant protein aggregation rather than loss of function of the CryAB gene because UPS malfunction was not evident in CryAB-null hearts and inhibition of aberrant protein aggregation by Congo red or a heat shock protein significantly attenuated CryABR120G-induced UPS malfunction in cultured cardiomyocytes. Because of the central role of the UPS in cell regulation and the high intrasarcoplasmic amyloidosis prevalence in failing human hearts, our data suggest a novel pathogenic process in cardiac disorders with abnormal protein aggregation.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1018-1026
Number of pages9
JournalCirculation research
Volume97
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2005
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Amyloidosis
  • Desmin-related cardiomyopathy
  • Proteasome
  • Protein aggregation
  • Transgenic mice
  • Ubiquitin
  • αB-crystallin

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physiology
  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

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