Cardiac-specific YAP activation improves cardiac function and survival in an experimental murine MI model.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Yes-associated protein (YAP), the terminal effector of the Hippo signaling pathway, is crucial for regulating embryonic cardiomyocyte proliferation.

Objective

We hypothesized that YAP activation after myocardial infarction (MI) would preserve cardiac function and improve survival.

Methods and results

We used a cardiac-specific, inducible expression system to activate YAP in adult mouse heart. Activation of YAP in adult heart promoted cardiomyocyte proliferation and did not deleteriously affect heart function. Furthermore, YAP activation after MI preserved heart function and reduced infarct size. Using adeno-associated virus subtype 9 (AAV9) as a delivery vector, we expressed human YAP (hYAP) in the adult murine myocardium immediately after MI. We found that

SUBMITTER: Lin Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4104149 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature