Single-cell transcriptomics provides insights into hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Highlights

• We sequence single cardiomyocytes from patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

• Diseased cells show diverse gene expression profiles that might be linked to HCM

• Comparison of healthy and diseased cells reveals disease-specific gene expression

• FACS-data quantify cell size and allow identification of cell-size-related genes

Summary

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a genetic heart disease that is characterized by unexplained segmental hypertrophy that is usually most pronounced in the septum. While sarcomeric gene mutations are often the genetic basis for HCM, the mechanistic origin for the heterogeneous remodeling remains largely unknown. A better understanding of the gene networks driving the cardiomyocyte (CM) hypertrophy is required to improve therapeutic strategies. Patients suffering from HCM often receive a septal myectomy surgery to relieve outflow tract obstruction due to hypertrophy. Using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) on septal myectomy samples from patients with HCM, we identify functional links between genes, transcription factors, and cell size relevant for HCM. The data show the utility of using scRNA-seq on the human hypertrophic heart, highlight CM heterogeneity, and provide a wealth of insights into molecular events involved in HCM that can eventually contribute to the development of enhanced therapies.