Identifying novel networks of candidate Atrial Fibrillation genes in the Drosophila cardiac aging model

项目总结/摘要 心房颤动（房颤）是最常见的心律失常，随着年龄的增长，房颤的发病率越来越高 全球近3300万人受到影响。房颤的发病率随着年龄的增长而增加， 65岁以上的人有9%的几率会出现这种心律失常。房颤是导致心力衰竭的主要原因 随着平均寿命的不断延长，这些疾病的发病率也会不断增加。 紊乱然而，房颤的分子病因学尚未明确，治疗选择有限。 此外，有证据表明，常见的基质与其他心律失常类型和心脏病房颤 (e.g.长QT综合征）。最近的研究已经确定了增加AF的两种常见遗传变异 一般人群的易感性和与AF相关的罕见遗传变异，表明AF可能是一种 病因学涉及相互作用的遗传变异网络的多因素疾病。解决这些 在哺乳动物系统中，复杂的相互作用调节AF中的心脏功能是不切实际的，但可以接近 使用果蝇遗传学。果蝇在解开大部分未知的遗传调节因子方面提供了一个优势， 由于潜在途径中遗传冗余减少和高度保守而导致的心脏功能障碍 和细胞机制。AF相关候选基因的子集可能以组合方式与 年龄和饮食导致心脏病。在果蝇和果蝇中初步筛选AF相关的候选基因 心脏和人类诱导多能干细胞心房样心肌细胞（hiPSC-ACM）已经鉴定出一种 提示硬脂酰辅酶A去饱和酶（SCD）和两个AF相关基因之间相互作用的基因网络 基因，KCNA 5和受磷蛋白（PLN）。SCD是一种关键的脂质代谢酶， 然而，KCNA 5-SCD-SERCA-PLN网络还没有被发现， 在心脏组织中表现良好。两种模型中AF网络中发现的相互作用的心脏表型 系统将识别新的和可能保守的遗传途径，提供新的治疗策略。桑福德 Burnham Prebys（SBP）是一个高度支持研究和跨学科合作的环境 方法，广泛的共享资源为调查人员提供尖端设备， 技术专长。Kezos博士已经掌握了一些互补的科学概念， 他用来解决他的研究问题的方法。此外，Ocorr实验室还配备了 有才华的博士后研究员和科学家，他们将在研究期间协助Kezos博士 训练通过hiPSC模型系统、生物信息学管道和CRISPR-Cas9中的拟议培训， 基因编辑，Kezos博士将有能力开展有影响力的独立研究事业， 研究心肌病的遗传学拟议的研究战略和培训计划将加快 博士Kezos致力于成为一名独立调查员，在大学担任研究/教学职位。

Project Summary/Abstract Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common heart rhythm disorder, is reaching epidemic proportions in the aging population, affecting nearly 33 million people worldwide. The incidence of AF increases with age, with individuals over the age of 65 having a 9% chance of developing this arrhythmia. AF is the leading cause of heart failure and stroke in human populations, and as the average lifespan continues to increase, so will the rates of these disorders. However, the molecular etiology of AF is not well defined and treatment options are limited. Additionally, there is evidence that common substrates link AF with other arrhythmia types and heart disease (e.g. long QT syndrome). Recent research has identified both common genetic variants that increase AF susceptibility in the general population and rare genetic variants linked to AF, suggesting that AF is likely a multifactorial disease whose etiology involves network(s) of interacting genetic variants. Resolving these complex interactions modulating cardiac function in AF is impractical in mammalian systems, but approachable using Drosophila genetics. Drosophila provide an advantage in unraveling the largely unknown genetic regulators of heart dysfunction due to the reduced genetic redundancy and high degree of conservation in the underlying pathways and cellular mechanisms. A subset of AF-associated candidate genes likely interact in a combinatorial manner with age and diet to cause cardiac arrhythmicity. Preliminary screens of candidate AF-related genes in both the fly heart and in human induced pluripotent stem cell atrial-like cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-ACMs) have identified a network of genes that suggests interactions between stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) and two AF-associated genes, KCNA5 and phospholamban (PLN). SCD, a key lipid metabolic enzyme, is known to disrupt sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase pump (SERCA) activity, however, a KCNA5-SCD-SERCA-PLN network has not been well demonstrated in cardiac tissue. Cardiac phenotyping of interactions found in AF networks in both model systems will identify novel and likely conserved genetic pathways, providing novel therapeutic strategies. Sanford Burnham Prebys (SBP) is an environment that is highly supportive of research and collaborative interdisciplinary approaches, with extensive shared resources providing investigators with both cutting-edge equipment and technical expertise. Dr. Kezos has already mastered a number of complementary scientific concepts and approaches that he is using to address his research questions. Additionally, the Ocorr Laboratory is staffed with talented postdoctoral fellows and staff scientists who will be of assistance to Dr. Kezos during the research training. With the proposed training in the hiPSC model system, bioinformatics pipelines and CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, Dr. Kezos will be well equipped to launch an impactful and independent research career to investigate the genetics of cardiomyopathies. The proposed research strategy and training plan will accelerate Dr. Kezos towards becoming an independent investigator with a research/teaching track position at a university.