TY - JOUR
T1 - Protein kinase G modulates human myocardial passive stiffness by phosphorylation of the titin springs
AU - Krüger, Martina
AU - Kötter, Sebastian
AU - Grützner, Anika
AU - Lang, Patrick
AU - Andresen, Christian
AU - Redfield, Margaret M.
AU - Butt, Elke
AU - Dos Remedios, Cris G.
AU - Linke, Wolfgang A.
PY - 2009/1/2
Y1 - 2009/1/2
N2 - The sarcomeric titin springs influence myocardial distensibility and passive stiffness. Titin isoform composition and protein kinase (PK)A-dependent titin phosphorylation are variables contributing to diastolic heart function. However, diastolic tone, relaxation speed, and left ventricular extensibility are also altered by PKG activation. We used back-phosphorylation assays to determine whether PKG can phosphorylate titin and affect titin-based stiffness in skinned myofibers and isolated myofibrils. PKG in the presence of 8-pCPT-cGMP (cGMP) phosphorylated the 2 main cardiac titin isoforms, N2BA and N2B, in human and canine left ventricles. In human myofibers/myofibrils dephosphorylated before mechanical analysis, passive stiffness dropped 10% to 20% on application of cGMP-PKG. Autoradiography and anti-phosphoserine blotting of recombinant human I-band titin domains established that PKG phosphorylates the N2-B and N2-A domains of titin. Using site-directed mutagenesis, serine residue S469 near the COOH terminus of the cardiac N2-B-unique sequence (N2-Bus) was identified as a PKG and PKA phosphorylation site. To address the mechanism of the PKG effect on titin stiffness, single-molecule atomic force microscopy force-extension experiments were performed on engineered N2-Bus-containing constructs. The presence of cGMP-PKG increased the bending rigidity of the N2-Bus to a degree that explained the overall PKG-mediated decrease in cardiomyofibrillar stiffness. Thus, the mechanically relevant site of PKG-induced titin phosphorylation is most likely in the N2-Bus; phosphorylation of other titin sites could affect protein-protein interactions. The results suggest that reducing titin stiffness by PKG-dependent phosphorylation of the N2-Bus can benefit diastolic function. Failing human hearts revealed a deficit for basal titin phosphorylation compared to donor hearts, which may contribute to diastolic dysfunction in heart failure.
AB - The sarcomeric titin springs influence myocardial distensibility and passive stiffness. Titin isoform composition and protein kinase (PK)A-dependent titin phosphorylation are variables contributing to diastolic heart function. However, diastolic tone, relaxation speed, and left ventricular extensibility are also altered by PKG activation. We used back-phosphorylation assays to determine whether PKG can phosphorylate titin and affect titin-based stiffness in skinned myofibers and isolated myofibrils. PKG in the presence of 8-pCPT-cGMP (cGMP) phosphorylated the 2 main cardiac titin isoforms, N2BA and N2B, in human and canine left ventricles. In human myofibers/myofibrils dephosphorylated before mechanical analysis, passive stiffness dropped 10% to 20% on application of cGMP-PKG. Autoradiography and anti-phosphoserine blotting of recombinant human I-band titin domains established that PKG phosphorylates the N2-B and N2-A domains of titin. Using site-directed mutagenesis, serine residue S469 near the COOH terminus of the cardiac N2-B-unique sequence (N2-Bus) was identified as a PKG and PKA phosphorylation site. To address the mechanism of the PKG effect on titin stiffness, single-molecule atomic force microscopy force-extension experiments were performed on engineered N2-Bus-containing constructs. The presence of cGMP-PKG increased the bending rigidity of the N2-Bus to a degree that explained the overall PKG-mediated decrease in cardiomyofibrillar stiffness. Thus, the mechanically relevant site of PKG-induced titin phosphorylation is most likely in the N2-Bus; phosphorylation of other titin sites could affect protein-protein interactions. The results suggest that reducing titin stiffness by PKG-dependent phosphorylation of the N2-Bus can benefit diastolic function. Failing human hearts revealed a deficit for basal titin phosphorylation compared to donor hearts, which may contribute to diastolic dysfunction in heart failure.
KW - CGMP
KW - Connectin
KW - Diastolic function
KW - Nitric oxide
KW - Passive tension
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U2 - 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.108.184408
DO - 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.108.184408
M3 - Article
C2 - 19023132
AN - SCOPUS:59649084739
SN - 0009-7330
VL - 104
SP - 87
EP - 94
JO - Circulation research
JF - Circulation research
IS - 1
ER -