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Dissecting the Role of Desmoplakin in Inflammation in Cardiomyopathy

Award Number: F30HL162454
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, & BLOOD INSTITUTE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 03/01/2023
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 02/28/2026

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Dissecting the Role of Desmoplakin in Inflammation in Cardiomyopathy - Project Summary/Abstract Desmoplakin is an elongated protein that links the desmosomal components to the cytoskeleton through intermediate filaments. Heterozygous truncation mutations in the DSP gene, which encodes desmoplakin, cause arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (AC) impacting the left ventricle. A striking feature associated with DSP truncation variants (DSPtv) is a prominent inflammatory component, and this inflammation can be well visualized through cardiac imaging using magnetic resonance or positron emission tomography. The effect of DSP truncations in mediating cardiac inflammation is not well understood. The nature of DSP truncations implies that haploinsufficiency or reduction of desmoplakin protein is contributory feature of left ventricular cardiomyopathy with inflammation. To begin to characterize the transcriptional program associated with DSP- cardiomyopathy, I analyzed RNA-sequencing from neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocytes with siRNA to reduce expression of DSP. Analysis of the differentially expressed genes in siRNA-treated cardiomyocytes identified immune chemotactic pathways as having increased expression. Of particular note were several genes connected to pyroptosis, an immunologically active form of cell death. Taken together, these data suggest that innate immune pathways may contribute significantly to DSP-associated cardiomyopathy. I hypothesize that reduction of desmoplakin promotes excessive inflammasome activation in cardiomyocytes that results in aberrant calcium handling and pro-arrhythmogenic heterocellular junctions. In Aim 1 of this proposal, I will assess this inflammatory component of DSP-cardiomyopathy in human-induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) lines with distinct DSP truncations derived from individuals with inflammatory-arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy. To characterize 2D- and 3D-hiPSC models, I will assess whether DSP haploinsufficiency is sufficient to drive expression of inflammasome components. I will then examine DSPtvs for their effects on contractility and calcium transients in response to pathogen- and damage-derived activators of the inflammasome. I will conduct coculture assays of hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts to evaluate the inflammatory modulation of heterocellular junctions and cardiac conduction in DSP-cardiomyopathy. In Aim 2 of the proposal, I will modulate innate immune activation in hiPSC-derived cardiomyocyte models using siRNA, small molecule inhibition, and epigenetic modulation strategies. These studies will target Never in Mitosis A-related Kinase 7 (NEK7), an inflammasome component with differential gene expression in heart failure. The proposed studies will expand from observations in patients with DSPtvs and define the inflammatory triggers refining the distinct pathology related to DSP-mediated disease. In particular, the findings from this study have implications for other forms of cardiomyopathy driven by fibrotic transformation such as dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $54,538 )
2025	2025	NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY	633 CLARK ST	EVANSTON	IL	60208	COOK	USA	Cardiovascular Diseases Research	000	3	12/30/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$53,974
2025	2025	NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY	633 CLARK ST	EVANSTON	IL	60208	COOK	USA	Cardiovascular Diseases Research	001	3	7/9/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$564
														Subtotal = $54,538

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $44,187 )
2024	2024	NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY	633 CLARK ST	EVANSTON	IL	60208	COOK	USA	Cardiovascular Diseases Research	000	2	2/1/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$42,907
2024	2024	NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY	633 CLARK ST	EVANSTON	IL	60208	COOK	USA	Cardiovascular Diseases Research	001	2	7/19/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$1,280
														Subtotal = $44,187

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $42,907 )
2023	2023	NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY	633 CLARK ST	EVANSTON	IL	60208	COOK	USA	Cardiovascular Diseases Research	000	1	2/15/2023	NEW	$41,965
2023	2023	NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY	633 CLARK ST	EVANSTON	IL	60208	COOK	USA	Cardiovascular Diseases Research	002	1	3/14/2023	NEW	$0
2023	2023	NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY	633 CLARK ST	EVANSTON	IL	60208	COOK	USA	Cardiovascular Diseases Research	001	1	3/14/2023	NEW	$942
														Subtotal = $42,907

Grand Total All Awards = $141,632

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Dissecting the Role of Desmoplakin in Inflammation in Cardiomyopathy

Award Number: F30HL162454

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, & BLOOD INSTITUTE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 03/01/2023

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 02/28/2026

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