The lncRNA MIAT regulates CPT-1a mediated cardiac hypertrophy through m6A RNA methylation reading protein Ythdf2

Abstract

Pathological cardiac hypertrophy is a key contributor in heart failure (HF). Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification play a vital role in cardiac hypertrophy respectively. Nevertheless, the interaction between lncRNA and m6A methylase in cardiac hypertrophy is scarcely reported. Here, we constructed a cardiac hypertrophy mouse model by transverse aortic constriction (TAC) surgery and H9c2 cell model by stimulating with AngII. We found that lncRNA MIAT mRNA level, and m6A RNA methylation reading protein Ythdf2 mRNA and protein levels, were significantly increased in the cardiac hypertrophy model both in vivo and vitro. MIAT or Ythdf2 overexpression aggravated cardiac hypertrophy, and vice versa. Through bioinformatics prediction, western blotting, FISH, RNA pull-down, and RIP, we found that MIAT bound to Ythdf2 and regulated its expression. Furthermore, we discovered that Ythdf2 function was a downstream of MIAT in cardiac hypertrophy. Finally, we found that MIAT was a necessary regulator of cardiac hypertrophy due to its regulation of the Ythdf2/PPARα/CPT-1a axis. This study indicated a new hypertrophic signaling pathway: MIAT/Ythdf2/PPARα/CPT-1a. The results provided a new understanding of the MIAT and m6A RNA methylation reading protein, Ythdf2, function and mechanism in cardiac hypertrophy and highlighted the potential therapeutic benefits in the heart.