Pygopus maintains heart function in aging Drosophila independently of canonical Wnt signaling.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Heart function declines with age, but the genetic factors underlying such deterioration are largely unknown. Wnt signaling is known to play a role in heart development, but it has not been shown to be important in adult heart function. We have investigated the nuclear adapter protein encoded by pygopus (pygo), which mediates canonical Wnt signaling, for roles in aging-related cardiac dysfunction.

Methods and results

Using the Drosophila heart model, we show that cardiac-specific pygo knockdown in adult flies causes a significant (4- to 5-fold) increase in cardiac arrhythmias (P<0.001) that worsened with age and caused a significant decrease in contractility (-54%; P<0.001) with systolic dysfunction. Immunohistochemistry revealed structural abnormalities that worse

SUBMITTER: Tang M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3871875 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature