Dynamin 2 Regulates Mitochondrial Mitotic Fission in Pulmonary Hypertension

DRP1 (dynamin-related protein 1) mediates mitochondrial fission and permits rapid cell cycle progression in hyperproliferative cells by coordinating nuclear and mitochondrial division, a process called mitotic fission. However, DRP1 alone appears insufficient to complete fission, and the link between fission and cell cycle progression is unknown. We hypothesize that DNM2 (dynamin 2) interacts with DRP1 to complete mitochondrial fission and regulate cell cycle progression. We show that DNM2 is upregulated in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) in human and rodent pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), contributing to disease pathophysiology.

Mitochondrial morphology, protein colocalization, and fission were assessed using stimulated emission depletion microscopy, protein interactions by immunoprecipitation, and transcriptomics by RNA sequencing. DNM2 was quantified in PASMC and lungs from patients with PAH and rats with pulmonary hypertension (PH), induced by monocrotaline or sugen5416/hypoxia. siDNM2's effects on cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, and apoptosis were assessed by flow cytometry. Single-cell RNA sequencing was performed on publicly available data sets. siDNM2 was nebulized to monocrotaline- and sugen5416/hypoxia-PH rats, and disease regression was quantified by cardiac catheterization and histology.

DNM2 is increased in PAH PASMC. DNM2 interacts with DRP1 via its GTPase domain, permitting mitochondrial translocation and promoting fission. siDNM2 inhibits fission and cell proliferation and increases apoptosis. siDNM2 causes G1/G0 blockade by downregulating RGCC (regulator of cell cycle) with downstream effects on CDK (cyclin-dependent kinase) 4, cyclin D1, and p27^kip1. Conversely, augmenting DNM2 in normal PASMC induces fission and accelerates proliferation. Upregulation of DNM2 in PAH is due to decreased miR-124-3p (microRNA-124-3p) and activation of STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3). An miR-124-3p-STAT3-DNM2-DRP1-RGCC pathway accelerates mitotic fission and is upregulated in PASMC, airway epithelium, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and macrophages in PAH. Nebulized siDNM2 regresses established PH in vivo in rats of both sexes.

DNM2 is a mediator in the terminal steps of DRP1-dependent fission and constitutes a novel therapeutic target in PAH.