Global Analyses of Genomic and Epigenomic Influences on Gene Expression Reveals Serpina3n as a Major Regulator of Cardiac Gene Expression in Response to Catecholamine Challenge During Heart Failure
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Heart failure arises from maladaptive remodeling driven by genetic and epigenetic networks. Using a systems genetics framework, we mapped how DNA variants and CpG methylation shape cardiac transcriptomes during beta adrenergic stress in the Hybrid Mouse Diversity Panel, a cohort of over 100 fully inbred mouse strains. Expression QTLs (eQTLs), methylation QTLs (mQTLs) and methylation-driven eQTLs (emQTLs) were generated from over 13k expressed genes and 200k hypervariable CpGs in left ventricles. We discovered hundreds of regulatory “hotspots” that control large portions of the genome, including several that regulate over 10% of the transcriptome and/or methylome. Approximately 16% of these hotspots overlapped with prior GWAS or EWAS signals. We focus on a hotspot on chromosome 12 and identify the serpine peptidase inhibitor Serpina3n , as the most likely driver gene in this hotspot. Experimental knockdown of Serpina3n in neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocytes blunted hypertrophy induced by a variety of hypertrophic signals, while altering predicted target expression and modulating the activity of Nppa and Nppb . Together, these findings position Serpina3n as a major regulator of stress-responsive cardiac gene programs, highlighting how integration of genetic and epigenetic signals can pinpoint key drivers of heart failure.
Key Highlights
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Cross-omics hotspot analysis : We identified 286 eQTL, mQTL, and emQTL hotspots in the Hybrid Mouse Diversity Panel, including several hotspots that regulate over 10% of the cardiac transcriptome.
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Integration with prior GWAS/EWAS : ∼16% of hotspots overlapped with previously reported heart failure hotspots, strengthening their biological relevance.
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Discovery of Serpina3n as heart failure regulator : A hotspot on chromosome 12 linked to Serpina3n controlled 4–6% of all gene expression and CpG methylation changes in response to isoproterenol.
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Functional validation : siRNA knockdown of Serpina3n in cardiomyocytes significantly blunted hypertrophy induced by isoproterenol, angiotensin II, and phenylephrine.
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Pathway insights : Genes regulated by the Serpina3n hotspot were enriched for mitochondrial function, dilated cardiomyopathy, and hypertrophic signaling pathways, highlighting a mechanistic link to heart failure progression.
