Inefficient Reprogramming of Fibroblasts into Cardiomyocytes Using Gata4, Mef2c, and Tbx5

• Published in: Circulation research 2012-06, Vol.111 (1), p.50-55
• Main Authors: Chen, Jenny X, Krane, Markus, Deutsch, Marcus-Andre, Wang, Li, Rav-Acha, Moshe, Gregoire, Serge, Engels, Marc C, Rajarajan, Kuppusamy, Karra, Ravi, Abel, E Dale, Wu, Joe C, Milan, David, Wu, Sean M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Action Potentials; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cell Lineage; Cell Survival; Cell Transdifferentiation - drug effects; Coronary heart disease; Female; Fibroblasts - metabolism; Fibroblasts - transplantation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GATA4 Transcription Factor - genetics; GATA4 Transcription Factor - metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Genes, Reporter; Genotype; Heart; HEK293 Cells; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; MEF2 Transcription Factors; Mice; Mice, SCID; Mice, Transgenic; Myocarditis. Cardiomyopathies; Myocytes, Cardiac - metabolism; Myocytes, Cardiac - transplantation; Myogenic Regulatory Factors - genetics; Myogenic Regulatory Factors - metabolism; Patch-Clamp Techniques; Phenotype; Polymerase Chain Reaction; T-Box Domain Proteins - genetics; T-Box Domain Proteins - metabolism; Time Factors; Transcription, Genetic; Transfection; Up-Regulation; Vertebrates: cardiovascular system
• ISSN: 0009-7330; 1524-4571
• DOI: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.112.270264

RATIONALE:Direct reprogramming of fibroblasts into cardiomyocytes is a novel strategy for cardiac regeneration. However, the key determinants involved in this process are unknown. OBJECTIVE:To assess the efficiency of direct fibroblast reprogramming via viral overexpression of GATA4, Mef2c, and Tbx5 (GMT). METHODS AND RESULTS:We induced GMT overexpression in murine tail tip fibroblasts (TTFs) and cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) from multiple lines of transgenic mice carrying different cardiomyocyte lineage reporters. We found that the induction of GMT overexpression in TTFs and CFs is inefficient at inducing molecular and electrophysiological phenotypes of mature cardiomyocytes. In addition, transplantation of GMT infected CFs into injured mouse hearts resulted in decreased cell survival with minimal induction of cardiomyocyte genes. CONCLUSIONS:Significant challenges remain in our ability to convert fibroblasts into cardiomyocyte-like cells and a greater understanding of cardiovascular epigenetics is needed to increase the translational potential of this strategy.