Targeting Cardiomyocyte PCNA and POLD1 Prevents Pathologic Myocardial Hypertrophy

Activation of cell cycle regulatory pathways has been detected during pathological cardiomyocyte growth. However, it has remained unclear whether DNA synthesis pathways play a direct role in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. We previously discovered in a mouse model of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy that there was increased DNA synthesis, which led to cardiomyocyte endoreplication and replication stress-induced DNA damage. We hypothesized that targeting cardiomyocyte endoreplication pathways could reduce pathological myocardial hypertrophy.

We utilized murine models of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy secondary to mutations in cardiac Mybpc3 (myosin-binding protein C3)^-/- or Myh6 (myosin heavy chain 6)^R404Q and transverse aortic constriction as a model of pressure overload cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. We manipulated in vivo p21 (cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 1) protein levels using transgenic mouse models or viral transduction. Cardiomyocyte endoreplication was assessed using flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry of cardiomyocyte nuclei. We also utilized proteomics, proximity ligation assays, and human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes.

We discovered that p21 protein peaked during the early stages of hypertrophic growth in both murine hypertrophic cardiomyopathy models and a pressure overload hypertrophy model. Using genetic manipulation of p21 expression, we discovered that cardiomyocyte endoreplication and hypertrophic growth were negatively correlated with p21 expression. Mechanistically, we discovered that p21 bound to PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen), which led to a reduction of PCNA binding to POLD1 (DNA polymerase delta 1). Directly targeting PCNA or POLD1 prevented cardiomyocyte DNA synthesis and hypertrophic cardiomyocyte growth. Cardiomyocyte-selective overexpression of p21 using an adeno-associated virus vector reduced long-term pathological left ventricular hypertrophy and improved diastolic function in a preclinical murine model of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (Myh6^R404Q).

Our results demonstrate that PCNA-POLD1-mediated cardiomyocyte endoreplication drives hypertrophic cardiomyocyte growth, and p21 serves as a negative regulator of this process. Targeting these pathways demonstrates therapeutic potential in preventing pathological myocardial hypertrophy.