Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ashley A. Martin, Brian R. Thompson, Dongwoo Hahn, Addeli Bez Batti Angulski, Nora Hosny, Houda Cohen, Joseph M. Metzger
Summary: This review emphasizes the signaling components and regulatory mechanisms that impact cardiac sarcomere function, with a focus on the roles of the thick and thin filaments. The emerging field of inter-myofilament signaling and its important mediators are also discussed. Additionally, recent methods for studying the sarcomere under intact, physiologically relevant conditions are reviewed.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Elisabetta Brunello, Lorenzo Marcucci, Malcolm Irving, Luca Fusi
Summary: The contraction of skeletal muscle is initiated by an increase in intracellular calcium concentration, causing a change in the structure of actin-containing thin filaments that allows binding of myosin motors from the thick filaments. The release of folded motors is triggered by thick filament stress, suggesting a positive feedback loop. This study reveals the coordination of thin and thick filament activation mechanisms and the coupling of these mechanisms through positive feedback loops, achieving rapid cooperative activation of skeletal muscle.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Paul Dowling, Stephen Gargan, Dieter Swandulla, Kay Ohlendieck
Summary: The loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength is the main cause of frailty syndrome, which is closely associated with sarcopenia in the elderly. Mass spectrometry-based proteomic surveys have improved our understanding of the molecular and cellular changes during muscle atrophy and age-related fiber-type shifting. Proteomic analysis suggests that contractile proteins can be used as markers of fiber-type transitions during aging.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Oksana P. P. Gerzen, Veronika O. O. Votinova, Iulia K. K. Potoskueva, Alyona E. E. Tzybina, Larisa V. V. Nikitina
Summary: The binding of calcium and magnesium ions to proteins is crucial for regulating heart contraction. However, other divalent cations, including xenobiotics, can accumulate in the myocardium and enter cardiomyocytes, where they can bind to proteins. This article summarizes the impact of these cations on myosin ATPase activity and EF-hand proteins, particularly toxic cations. The affinity to various divalent cations depends on certain proteins or their isoforms and can alter with amino acid substitution and post-translational modification. Cardiac EF-hand proteins and the myosin ATP-binding pocket are potential molecular targets for toxic cations, which could significantly alter the mechanical characteristics of the heart muscle at the molecular level.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yves Lecarpentier, Victor Claes, Jean-Louis Hebert, Olivier Schussler, Alexandre Vallee
Summary: Myofibroblasts are contractile cells found in various tissues with different regulation mechanisms for contraction and relaxation. Compared to muscles, myofibroblasts have lower shortening velocity and developed tension, but the molecular motor non-muscle myosin type IIA (NMIIA) develops a force similar to muscle myosins.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shuang Jiao, Rui Xu, Shaojun Du
Summary: This study highlights the crucial role of Smyd1 in craniofacial and cardiac muscle development, with Smyd1b playing a key role in myosin heavy-chain protein expression and sarcomere organization. Loss of Smyd1b results in severe defects in muscle formation, accompanied by upregulation of stress response markers.
JOURNAL OF GENETICS AND GENOMICS
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Jianmin Liu, Daoquan Liu, Junchao Zhang, Weixiang He, Yuhang Guo, Yan Li, Ping Chen, Michael E. DiSanto, Xinhua Zhang
Summary: Prostate volume (PV) varies greatly among benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients, and estimating PV is crucial for determining the most suitable treatment approach. However, the mechanisms underlying these PV differences are still unknown. Our study examined the expression and functional activities of myosin II isoforms in hyperplastic prostates of varying volumes. The findings suggest that alterations in the myosin II system may play a role in the pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for PV differences in BPH patients.
CELLULAR SIGNALLING
(2023)
Article
Physiology
Alexey V. V. Dvornikov, Thomas A. A. Bunch, Victoria C. C. Lepak, Brett A. A. Colson
Summary: Cardiac muscle contraction is regulated by calcium-induced structural changes in the thin filaments. Targeting the contractile proteins in the sarcomere is a promising approach for treating heart failure, but the development of therapeutic interventions has been challenging. A fluorescence lifetime-based assay using a site-directed probe has been developed to detect structural changes in cardiac troponin C, which could be used for screening therapeutic compounds.
JOURNAL OF GENERAL PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Huamei He, Tomas Baka, James Balschi, Alykhan S. Motani, Kathy K. Nguyen, Qingxiang Liu, Rebecca Slater, Brooke Rock, Chen Wang, Christopher Hale, Georgios Karamanlidis, James J. Hartman, Fady Malik, Jeff D. Reagan, Ivan Luptak
Summary: The study found that the novel myotrope TA1 can increase myocardial contractility without impairing diastolic function or depleting the cardiac energy reserve, making it a potentially superior alternative to traditional inotropes in heart failure management.
CIRCULATION-HEART FAILURE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Olena Karatsai, Lilya Lehka, Dominika Wojton, Anna Izabela Grabowska, Monika Katarzyna Duda, Robert Lenartowski, Maria Jolanta Redowicz
Summary: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a common cardiovascular disease caused by gene mutations, resulting in structural and functional abnormalities in the myocardium. Unconventional myosin VI (MVI) plays a role in heart function, and its absence leads to heart enlargement and dysfunction. Mechanisms underlying this dysfunction include increased cardiomyocyte proliferation, disorganization of intercalated discs, and altered sarcoplasmic reticulum.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR BASIS OF DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
J. Colgren, S. A. Nichols
Summary: The study finds molecular and functional similarities between a contractile module in sponge tissues and muscle tissues in other animals, suggesting a common evolutionary origin.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Malcolm J. Jackson, Natalie Pollock, Caroline Staunton, Samantha Jones, Anne McArdle
Summary: Research has shown that reactive oxygen species are generated in skeletal muscle during exercise and play important roles in muscle adaptations. This review aims to summarize the current understanding of the redox signaling roles of these species in mediating muscle responses to contractile activity, with a focus on the effects of aging. Additionally, evidence is provided suggesting that disruption of muscle mitochondria's redox status due to age-associated denervation may contribute to a weakening of muscle responses to contractile activity.
Article
Cell Biology
Giulia Vitale, Cecilia Ferrantini, Nicoletta Piroddi, Beatrice Scellini, Jose Manuel Pioner, Barbara Colombini, Chiara Tesi, Corrado Poggesi
Summary: Studies have shown a positive linear correlation between the isometric relaxation kinetics of myofibrils and the energy cost of force production, which remains true among different types of muscles and even when altered by cardiomyopathy-related mutations. This relationship provides insight into the energetic properties of sarcomeres and their role in muscle contraction.
JOURNAL OF MUSCLE RESEARCH AND CELL MOTILITY
(2021)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Jeanne du Fay de Lavallaz, Alexandra Prepoudis, Maria Janina Wendebourg, Eva Kesenheimer, Diego Kyburz, Thomas Daikeler, Philip Haaf, Julia Wanschitz, Wolfgang N. Loescher, Bettina Schreiner, Mira Katan, Hans H. Jung, Britta Maurer, Angelika Hammerer-Lercher, Agnes Mayr, Danielle M. Gualandro, Annemarie Acket, Christian Puelacher, Jasper Boeddinghaus, Thomas Nestelberger, Pedro Lopez-Ayala, Noemi Glarner, Samyut Shrestha, Robert Manka, Joanna Gawinecka, Salvatore Piscuoglio, John Gallon, Sophia Wiedemann, Michael Sinnreich, Christian Mueller
Summary: This study aimed to confirm the cardiac specificity of cTnT in patients with various skeletal muscle disorders (SMDs). The results showed that elevations in cTnT concentrations in patients with active chronic SMDs are common and not attributable to cardiac disease, while this phenomenon was not observed for cTnI. The re-expression of cTnT in skeletal muscle may partially explain this.
Article
Neurosciences
William J. Evans, Mahalakshmi Shankaran, Edward C. Smith, Carl Morris, Edna Nyangau, Alec Bizieff, Marcy Matthews, Hussein Mohamed, Marc Hellerstein
Summary: The study found that boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) have significantly reduced functional muscle mass and lower rates of muscle protein synthesis. Compared to healthy controls, DMD patients showed substantially lower rates of skeletal muscle-derived protein synthesis.
JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Cristina M. Risi, Ian Pepper, Betty Belknap, Maicon Landim-Vieira, Howard D. White, Kelly Dryden, Jose R. Pinto, P. Bryant Chase, Vitold E. Galkin
Summary: The study reveals the structural composition of cardiac thin filaments under systolic Ca2+ levels, showing that the two strands of the thin filament consist of troponin complexes with different binding states and short-range cooperativity. These findings suggest a mechanism by which cardiac muscle is regulated by narrow range Ca2+ fluctuations.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Biology
Maicon Landim-Vieira, Matthew C. Childers, Amanda L. Wacker, Michelle Rodriquez Garcia, Huan He, Rakesh Singh, Elizabeth A. Brundage, Jamie R. Johnston, Bryan A. Whitson, P. Bryant Chase, Paul M. L. Janssen, Michael Regnier, Brandon J. Biesiadecki, J. Renato Pinto, Michelle S. Parvatiyar
Summary: In this study, we identified novel post-translational modifications (PTMs) on beta-myosin heavy chain (beta-MHC) in normal and failing human heart tissues using proteomics and quantification methods. These PTMs, including acetylation and phosphorylation, were found to play crucial roles in regulating myocardial contractility. Our findings suggest that the location of PTMs on beta-MHC may have a greater impact on their acetylation levels than the type of heart disease. Furthermore, these modifications have the potential to modulate various cellular processes and protein interactions involved in cardiac muscle contraction.
Article
Physiology
Kirsten R. R. Dunlap, Jennifer L. L. Steiner, Robert C. C. Hickner, P. Bryant Chase, Bradley S. S. Gordon
Summary: Glucocorticoids induce muscle myopathy, but resistance exercise can reverse muscle loss by promoting muscle protein synthesis. However, it is unclear whether resistance exercise can induce an anabolic response in glucocorticoid myopathic muscle, which may be due to altered gene expression caused by long-term glucocorticoid exposure. This study aimed to assess whether high-force contractions can initiate an anabolic response in glucocorticoid myopathic muscle.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Physiology
P. Bryant Chase, Arianna N. Coons
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Isabella Leite Coscarella, Maicon Landim-Vieira, Hosna Rastegarpouyani, Prescott Bryant Chase, Jerome Irianto, Jose Renato Pinto
Summary: Cardiac muscle contraction is different from other muscle types, with the heart continuously undergoing contraction-relaxation cycles. Mechanotransduction in the cardiomyocyte involves the transmission of mechanical signals to the nucleus, leading to changes in gene expression and nucleus morphology. Understanding the correlation between nucleus sensing and dysfunction of sarcomeric proteins may help in studying cardiomyopathic diseases.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Michelle Rodriguez Garcia, Jeffrey Schmeckpeper, Maicon Landim-Vieira, Isabella Leite Coscarella, Xuan Fang, Weikang Ma, Payton A. Spran, Shengyao Yuan, Lin Qi, Aida Rahimi Kahmini, M. Benjamin Shoemaker, James B. Atkinson, Peter M. Kekenes-Huskey, Thomas C. Irving, Prescott Bryant Chase, Bjoern C. Knollmann, Jose Renato Pinto
Summary: In this study, the effects of an ACTN2 missense variant (p.A868T) on cardiac muscle structure and function were investigated. The results showed small structural changes in cardiomyocytes at the ultrastructural level, as well as increased myofilament Ca-2+ sensitivity and faster rates of tension redevelopment in the ACTN2 A868T variant cardiac tissue. Molecular dynamics simulations suggested that the mutation may alter the conformation associated with titin binding. This study establishes the role of alpha-actinin 2 in modulating cross-bridge kinetics and force development in the human myocardium, and provides insights into its involvement in the development of cardiac disease.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Biophysics
Maicon Landim-Vieira, Weikang Ma, Taejeong Song, Coen A. Ottenheijm, Hyun S. Hwang, Henry M. Gong, Maria Papadaki, Bjorn C. Knollmann, Sakthivel Sadayappan, Thomas C. Irving, Prescott B. Chase, J. Renato Pinto
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Biophysics
Isabella Leite Coscarella, Lili Wang, Jerome Irianto, Bjorn C. Knollmann, Prescott B. Chase, J. Renato Pinto
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Biophysics
Michelle C. Rodriguez Garcia, Maicon Landim-Vieira, Jeffrey Schmeckpeper, Lili Wang, Moore B. Shoemaker, Prescott B. Chase, Bjorn C. Knollmann, J. Renato Pinto
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Biophysics
Cristina M. Risi, Betty Belknap, Maicon Landim-Vieira, Kelly A. Dryden, Howard D. White, Jose R. Pinto, P. Bryant Chase, Vitold E. Galkin
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Biophysics
Yun Shi, Linda Stroud, Vincent A. LaBarbera, Quinton R. Sparrow, Fang Wang, Lauren E. Kessler, Brenda Schoffstall, Prescott B. Chase
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Biophysics
Henry G. Zot, Prescott B. Chase, Javier E. Hasbun, J. Renato D. Pinto
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Michelle C. Rodriguez Garcia, Maicon Landim-Vieira, Jeffrey Schmeckpeper, Lili Wang, Ben B. Shoemaker, Prescott B. Chase, Bjorn C. Knollmann, Jose R. Pinto
CIRCULATION RESEARCH
(2021)
Meeting Abstract
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Maicon Landim-Vieira, Matthew C. Childers, Amanda Wacker, Michelle C. Rodriguez Garcia, Rakesh Singh, Bryan Whitson, Elizabeth Brundage, Paul M. Janssen, P. B. Chase, Brandon Biesiadecki, Michael Regnier, J. Renato Pinto, Michelle S. Parvatiyar
CIRCULATION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Tyler R. Reinoso, Maicon Landim-Vieira, Yun Shi, Jamie R. Johnston, P. Bryant Chase, Michelle S. Parvatiyar, Andrew P. Landstrom, Jose R. Pinto, Hanna J. Tadros
Summary: Familial cardiomyopathy is a genetic heart disease affecting myocardial structure and function. The TNNC1 gene codes for cardiac troponin C (cTnC) and is associated with age of onset and mortality in cardiomyopathy patients. Research has compiled information on genetic variants in TNNC1 and post-translational modifications (PTMs) in cTnC through databases and literature.
JOURNAL OF MUSCLE RESEARCH AND CELL MOTILITY
(2021)