Abstract 113: Targeting Receptor-interacting Protein 140 (RIP140) To Modulate Energy Metabolism In The Failing Heart

During the development of heart failure (HF), the PPAR/ERR complex becomes deactivated resulting in diminished capacity for mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation (FAO) and ATP production leading to an “energy-starved” state that contributes to progression of HF. Receptor-Interacting protein 140 (RIP140) serves as a co-repressor of PPAR/ERR in some extra-cardiac tissues. We hypothesized that inhibition of RIP140 would re-activate PPAR/ERR enhancing capacity for fuel catabolism and ATP production in the failing heart. Heart and skeletal muscle-specific RIP140 knockout mice (strRIP140KO) were resistant to the development of cardiac hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction in response to chronic pressure overload that mimicked features of HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). To further evaluate the role of RIP140 in heart, cardiac-specific (cs) RIP140KO mice were generated. 13 C-substrate NMR studies demonstrated that palmitate oxidation and triglyceride turnover rates were significantly accelerated in isolated perfused csRIP140KO hearts. csRIP140KO were subjected to transverse aortic constriction/apical myocardial infarction surgery (TAC/MI), to produce HF with reduced EF (HFrEF). Compared to controls, csRIP140KO exhibited reduced left ventricular remodeling and systolic dysfunction when subjected to TAC/MI. RNA-sequence analysis demonstrated that many genes involved in FAO, branched-chain amino acid catabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, and adult muscle contraction programs were significantly “protected” (less downregulation) by RIP140 deletion in the context of TAC/MI. To identify candidate cardiac RIP140 targets, “CUT&RUN”-sequencing was conducted on cardiomyocytes (CM) from csRIP140KO and controls to identify changes in enhancer regions. Motif analysis of peaks with increased H3K27ac deposition in the csRIP140KO CM identified ERR, PPAR, myocyte enhancer 2 (MEF2), glucocorticoid receptor (GR), and kruppel-like factor (KLF) binding sites. We conclude that RIP140 serves as a global co-repressor of a network of transcription factors that control cardiac energy metabolic and contractile function, and that inhibition of RIP140 could prove to be a novel therapeutic approach for HF.