Musashi-2 induces cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure by inducing mitochondrial dysfunction through destabilizing cluh and smyd1 mRNA
Authors: S Singh, S K Gupta, A Gaur, R K Sharma, R Kumari, S Prakash, S Kumari, A D Chaudhary, H Hunkler, T Thum, P Bharati, K Hanif, P Chitkara, S Kumar, K Mitra
Journal: Cardiovascular Research (2024)

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): This work is funded by Ramalingaswami Re-entry Fellowship (BT/RLF/re-entry/14/2019) from the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India Background Regulation of RNA stability and translation by RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) is a crucial process altering gene expression. Musashi family of RBPs comprising Msi1 and Msi2 are known to control RNA stability and translation with a well-characterized role in the hematopoietic system, gut and cancer. However, the functions of Musashi in the heart is not explored. Purpose Despite the expression of MSI2 in the heart, its role remains largely unknown. In our study, we endeavor to understand the cardiac function of MSI2. Methods RNA-seq analysis, adeno-associated virus (AAV), lentivirus, echocardiography, histopathology, proteomics, electron microscopy, luciferase assay, ROS measurement, TMRE red staining, seahorse assay, MSI2 pooldown, and H3K4me3 ChIP assay were used to elucidate the function of Msi2 in cardiomyocytes. Results Among the two Musashi members, the heart expresses only Msi2. We confirmed the presence of MSI2 in the adult mouse, rat heart, and neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, Msi2 is significantly enriched in the heart cardiomyocytee fraction. Next, using RNA-seq data and isoform-specific PCR primers, we identified Msi2 isoforms 1, 4 and 5, and two novel putative isoforms labeled as Msi2 6 and 7 to be expressed in the heart. Overexpression of Msi2 isoforms led to cardiac hypertrophy in cultured cardiomyocytes. Additionally, Msi2 exhibited a significant increase in a pressure-overload model of cardiac hypertrophy. We selected isoforms 4 and 7 to validate the hypertrophic effects due to their unique alternative splicing patterns. AAV9-mediated overexpression of Msi2 isoforms 4 and 7 in murine hearts led to cardiac hypertrophy, dilation, heart failure,and eventually early death, confirming a pathological function for Msi2. Using global proteomics, gene ontology, transmission electron microscopy, seahorse, and transmembrane potential measurement assys, increased MSI2 was found to cause mitochondrial dysfunction in the heart. Mechanistically, we identified Cluh and Smyd1 as direct downstream target of Msi2. Overexpression of Cluh and Smyd1 inhbited Msi2-induced cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction. Collectively, we show that Msi2 inducs hypertrophy, mitochondrial dysfunction, and heart failure. Conclusion We here show that Msi2 has a pro-hypertrophic function in cardiomyocytes leading to heart failure and death in mice. AAV9 mediated overexpression of Msi2 promoted degradation of Cluh and Smyd1 and thus led to mitochondrial dysfunction. Overexpression of Cluh and Smyd1 inhibits the pro-hypertrophic and mitochondrial dysfunction induced by Msi2.