Beyond the cardiac myofilament: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy- associated mutations in genes that encode calcium-handling proteins

Curr Mol Med. 2012 Jun;12(5):507-18. doi: 10.2174/156652412800620020.

Abstract

Traditionally regarded as a genetic disease of the cardiac sarcomere, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common inherited cardiovascular disease and a significant cause of sudden cardiac death. While the most common etiologies of this phenotypically diverse disease lie in a handful of genes encoding critical contractile myofilament proteins, approximately 50% of patients diagnosed with HCM worldwide do not host sarcomeric gene mutations. Recently, mutations in genes encoding calcium-sensitive and calcium-handling proteins have been implicated in the pathogenesis of HCM. Among these are mutations in TNNC1- encoded cardiac troponin C, PLN-encoded phospholamban, and JPH2-encoded junctophilin 2 which have each been associated with HCM in multiple studies. In addition, mutations in RYR2-encoded ryanodine receptor 2, CASQ2-encoded calsequestrin 2, CALR3-encoded calreticulin 3, and SRI-encoded sorcin have been associated with HCM, although more studies are required to validate initial findings. While a relatively uncommon cause of HCM, mutations in genes that encode calcium-handling proteins represent an emerging genetic subset of HCM. Furthermore, these naturally occurring disease-associated mutations have provided useful molecular tools for uncovering novel mechanisms of disease pathogenesis, increasing our understanding of basic cardiac physiology, and dissecting important structure-function relationships within these proteins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Calcium / metabolism*
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / genetics*
  • Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Models, Biological
  • Mutation
  • Troponin / genetics
  • Troponin / metabolism

Substances

  • Calcium-Binding Proteins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Troponin
  • junctophilin
  • phospholamban
  • Calcium