Mitochondrial Tumor Suppressor 1A Attenuates Myocardial Infarction Injury by Maintaining the Coupling Between Mitochondria and Endoplasmic Reticulum

BACKGROUND: Pathological cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI) is a leading cause of heart failure and sudden death. The detailed mechanisms underlying the transition to heart failure after MI are not fully understood. Disruptions in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)–mitochondria connectivity, along with mitochondrial dysfunction, are substantial contributors to this remodeling process. In this study, we aimed to explore the impact of mitochondrial tumor suppressor 1A (Mtus1A) on cardiac remodeling subsequent to MI and elucidate its regulatory role in ER-mitochondria interactions. METHODS: Single-nucleus RNA sequencing analysis was performed to delineate the expression patterns of Mtus1 in human cardiomyocytes under ischemic stress. MI models were induced in mice by left coronary artery ligation and replicated in vitro using primary neonatal rat ventricular myocytes exposed to oxygen glucose deprivation. Cardiac-specific deletion of Mtus1 was achieved by crossing floxed Mtus1 mice with the Myh6-MerCreMer mice. The impact of Mtus1A, a mitochondrial isoform of Mtus1, on cardiac function and the molecular mechanisms were investigated in both in vivo and in vitro settings. Mitochondria-associated ER membranes coupling levels were evaluated by transmission electron microscopy and live-cell imaging. Protein interactions involving Mtus1A were explored through immunoprecipitation–mass spectrometry, coimmunoprecipitation, and proximity ligation assay. The roles of Mtus1A and Fbxo7 (F-box protein 7) were validated in a murine MI model using adeno-associated virus serotype 9 (AAV9). RESULTS: Bioinformatics analysis revealed a significant downregulation of Mtus1 expression in human cardiomyocytes under ischemic conditions, indicating its potential role in stress response. The predominant isoform in murine cardiomyocytes, Mtus1A, showed reduced expression in the left ventricle of mice after MI, which is consistent with the decreased levels of its orthologs in heart tissues from patients with MI. Cardiac-specific knockout of Mtus1 in mice exacerbated cardiac dysfunction after MI. Both in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated the vital role of Mtus1A in modulating mitochondria-associated ER membranes coupling and preserving mitochondrial function. Mechanistically, Mtus1A functions as a scaffold protein that maintains the formation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor 1 (IP 3 R1)–glucose-regulated protein 75 (Grp75)–voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1) complex through its amino acid sequence 189-219. In addition, Mtus1A protein is stabilized by K6-linked ubiquitination through the E3 ubiquitin ligase Fbxo7. Mtus1A overexpression in mice mitigated MI-induced cardiac dysfunction and remodeling by maintaining ER-mitochondria connectivity. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that Mtus1A is crucial for modulating MI-induced cardiac remodeling by preserving ER-mitochondria communication and ameliorating mitochondrial function in cardiomyocytes. Mtus1A may serve as a potential therapeutic target for treating heart failure after MI.