The piRNA CHAPIR regulates cardiac hypertrophy by controlling METTL3-dependent N6-methyladenosine methylation of Parp10 mRNA

Nat Cell Biol. 2020 Nov;22(11):1319-1331. doi: 10.1038/s41556-020-0576-y. Epub 2020 Oct 5.

Abstract

PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are abundantly expressed during cardiac hypertrophy. However, their functions and molecular mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we identified a cardiac-hypertrophy-associated piRNA (CHAPIR) that promotes pathological hypertrophy and cardiac remodelling by targeting METTL3-mediated N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation of Parp10 mRNA transcripts. CHAPIR deletion markedly attenuates cardiac hypertrophy and restores heart function, while administration of a CHAPIR mimic enhances the pathological hypertrophic response in pressure-overloaded mice. Mechanistically, CHAPIR-PIWIL4 complexes directly interact with METTL3 and block the m6A methylation of Parp10 mRNA transcripts, which upregulates PARP10 expression. The CHAPIR-dependent increase in PARP10 promotes the mono-ADP-ribosylation of GSK3β and inhibits its kinase activity, which results in the accumulation of nuclear NFATC4 and the progression of pathological hypertrophy. Hence, our findings reveal that a piRNA-mediated RNA epigenetic mechanism is involved in the regulation of cardiac hypertrophy and that the CHAPIR-METTL3-PARP10-NFATC4 signalling axis could be therapeutically targeted for treating pathological hypertrophy and maladaptive cardiac remodelling.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Adenosine / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta / genetics
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta / metabolism
  • Heart Ventricles / enzymology*
  • Heart Ventricles / pathology
  • Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / enzymology*
  • Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / genetics
  • Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / pathology
  • Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / physiopathology
  • Male
  • Methylation
  • Methyltransferases / genetics
  • Methyltransferases / metabolism*
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / enzymology*
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / pathology
  • NFATC Transcription Factors / genetics
  • NFATC Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / genetics
  • Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / metabolism*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism*
  • RNA Stability
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism*
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Ventricular Function, Left*
  • Ventricular Remodeling

Substances

  • NFATC Transcription Factors
  • Nfatc4 protein, mouse
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • N-methyladenosine
  • Methyltransferases
  • Mettl3 protein, mouse
  • Parp10 protein, mouse
  • Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta
  • Gsk3b protein, mouse
  • Adenosine