Boutilier Jordan K, Taylor Rhonda L, Mann Tracy, McNamara Elyshia, Hoffman Gary J, Kenny Jacob, Dilley Rodney J, Henry Peter, Morahan Grant, Laing Nigel G, Nowak Kristen J
Harry Perkins Institute for Medical Research.
Centre for Medical Research, University of Western Australia, Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre, Nedlands, 6009, Australia.
G3 (Bethesda). 2017 Sep 7;7(9):2999-3017. doi: 10.1534/g3.117.044651.
The pulmonary myocardium is a muscular coat surrounding the pulmonary and caval veins. Although its definitive physiological function is unknown, it may have a pathological role as the source of ectopic beats initiating atrial fibrillation. How the pulmonary myocardium gains pacemaker function is not clearly defined, although recent evidence indicates that changed transcriptional gene expression networks are at fault. The gene expression profile of this distinct cell type was examined to investigate underlying molecular events that might contribute to atrial fibrillation. Via systems genetics, a whole-lung transcriptome data set from the BXD recombinant inbred mouse resource was analyzed, uncovering a pulmonary cardiomyocyte gene network of 24 transcripts, coordinately regulated by chromosome 1 and 2 loci. Promoter enrichment analysis and interrogation of publicly available ChIP-seq data suggested that transcription of this gene network may be regulated by the concerted activity of NKX2-5, serum response factor, myocyte enhancer factor 2, and also, at a post-transcriptional level, by RNA binding protein motif 20. Gene ontology terms indicate that this gene network overlaps with molecular markers of the stressed heart. Therefore, we propose that perturbed regulation of this gene network might lead to altered calcium handling, myocyte growth, and contractile force contributing to the aberrant electrophysiological properties observed in atrial fibrillation. We reveal novel molecular interactions and pathways representing possible therapeutic targets for atrial fibrillation. In addition, we highlight the utility of recombinant inbred mouse resources in detecting and characterizing gene expression networks of relatively small populations of cells that have a pathological significance.
肺心肌层是围绕肺静脉和腔静脉的一层肌肉组织。尽管其确切的生理功能尚不清楚,但它可能作为引发房颤的异位搏动来源而具有病理作用。虽然最近的证据表明转录基因表达网络的改变是问题所在,但肺心肌层如何获得起搏功能尚不清楚。研究了这种独特细胞类型的基因表达谱,以探究可能导致房颤的潜在分子事件。通过系统遗传学,分析了来自BXD重组近交系小鼠资源的全肺转录组数据集,发现了一个由24个转录本组成的肺心肌细胞基因网络,受1号和2号染色体位点的协同调控。启动子富集分析以及对公开可用的ChIP-seq数据的研究表明,该基因网络的转录可能受NKX2-5、血清反应因子、肌细胞增强因子2的协同作用调控,并且在转录后水平上还受RNA结合蛋白基序20的调控。基因本体术语表明,该基因网络与应激心脏的分子标记重叠。因此,我们提出该基因网络的调控紊乱可能导致钙处理、肌细胞生长和收缩力改变,从而导致房颤中观察到的异常电生理特性。我们揭示了新的分子相互作用和途径,它们可能是房颤的治疗靶点。此外,我们强调了重组近交系小鼠资源在检测和表征具有病理意义的相对小细胞群体的基因表达网络方面的实用性。