Cardiomyocyte-derived USP13 protects hearts from hypertrophy via deubiquitinating and stabilizing STAT1 in male mice

Abstract Cardiac hypertrophy leads to ventricular dysfunction and heart failure. Deubiquitinating enzymes are responsible for preserving the substrate protein stability and are essential to myocardial hypertrophy. In this study, we aimed to explore the role and regulatory mechanism of a cardiomyocyt...

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Main Authors: Jibo Han, Liming Lin, Zimin Fang, Diyun Xu, Lintao Wang, Bozhi Ye, Xue Han, Xiaohong Long, Julian Min, Gaojun Wu, Guang Liang, Yi Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61028-1
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author Jibo Han
Liming Lin
Zimin Fang
Diyun Xu
Lintao Wang
Bozhi Ye
Xue Han
Xiaohong Long
Julian Min
Gaojun Wu
Guang Liang
Yi Wang
author_facet Jibo Han
Liming Lin
Zimin Fang
Diyun Xu
Lintao Wang
Bozhi Ye
Xue Han
Xiaohong Long
Julian Min
Gaojun Wu
Guang Liang
Yi Wang
author_sort Jibo Han
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Cardiac hypertrophy leads to ventricular dysfunction and heart failure. Deubiquitinating enzymes are responsible for preserving the substrate protein stability and are essential to myocardial hypertrophy. In this study, we aimed to explore the role and regulatory mechanism of a cardiomyocyte-derived deubiquitinating enzyme, USP13, in cardiac hypertrophy. Here we show that USP13 was increased in hypertrophic myocardium and was mainly distributed in cardiomyocytes. Cardiomyocyte-specific Usp13 knockout aggravated TAC or Ang II-induced myocardial hypertrophy and dysfunction in male mice. Correspondingly, USP13 overexpression by AAV9 in hearts exerted a therapeutic impact on cardiac hypertrophy in male mice. Mechanistically, we identified STAT1 as a substrate of USP13 through interactome analysis. USP13 deubiquitinated STAT1, thereby reducing its degradation. Subsequently, USP13 promoted the STAT1-targeted Nppb gene transcription and enhanced mitochondrial function in cardiomyocytes. This study illustrated a beneficial effect of USP13 in hypertrophic cardiomyocytes and identified a cardiomyocyte-specific USP13-STAT1 axis in regulating cardiac hypertrophy.
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institution DOAJ
issn 2041-1723
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publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Nature Communications
spelling doaj-art-beb20df1192242cbb92d31bbdc0a5c312025-08-20T03:03:44ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-07-0116111610.1038/s41467-025-61028-1Cardiomyocyte-derived USP13 protects hearts from hypertrophy via deubiquitinating and stabilizing STAT1 in male miceJibo Han0Liming Lin1Zimin Fang2Diyun Xu3Lintao Wang4Bozhi Ye5Xue Han6Xiaohong Long7Julian Min8Gaojun Wu9Guang Liang10Yi Wang11Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical UniversityChemical Biology Research Center, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical UniversityDepartment of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical UniversityDepartment of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical UniversityDepartment of Cardiology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing UniversityDepartment of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hangzhou Medical CollegeDepartment of Cardiology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hangzhou Medical CollegeDepartment of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical UniversityDepartment of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical UniversityDepartment of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical UniversityAbstract Cardiac hypertrophy leads to ventricular dysfunction and heart failure. Deubiquitinating enzymes are responsible for preserving the substrate protein stability and are essential to myocardial hypertrophy. In this study, we aimed to explore the role and regulatory mechanism of a cardiomyocyte-derived deubiquitinating enzyme, USP13, in cardiac hypertrophy. Here we show that USP13 was increased in hypertrophic myocardium and was mainly distributed in cardiomyocytes. Cardiomyocyte-specific Usp13 knockout aggravated TAC or Ang II-induced myocardial hypertrophy and dysfunction in male mice. Correspondingly, USP13 overexpression by AAV9 in hearts exerted a therapeutic impact on cardiac hypertrophy in male mice. Mechanistically, we identified STAT1 as a substrate of USP13 through interactome analysis. USP13 deubiquitinated STAT1, thereby reducing its degradation. Subsequently, USP13 promoted the STAT1-targeted Nppb gene transcription and enhanced mitochondrial function in cardiomyocytes. This study illustrated a beneficial effect of USP13 in hypertrophic cardiomyocytes and identified a cardiomyocyte-specific USP13-STAT1 axis in regulating cardiac hypertrophy.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61028-1
spellingShingle Jibo Han
Liming Lin
Zimin Fang
Diyun Xu
Lintao Wang
Bozhi Ye
Xue Han
Xiaohong Long
Julian Min
Gaojun Wu
Guang Liang
Yi Wang
Cardiomyocyte-derived USP13 protects hearts from hypertrophy via deubiquitinating and stabilizing STAT1 in male mice
Nature Communications
title Cardiomyocyte-derived USP13 protects hearts from hypertrophy via deubiquitinating and stabilizing STAT1 in male mice
title_full Cardiomyocyte-derived USP13 protects hearts from hypertrophy via deubiquitinating and stabilizing STAT1 in male mice
title_fullStr Cardiomyocyte-derived USP13 protects hearts from hypertrophy via deubiquitinating and stabilizing STAT1 in male mice
title_full_unstemmed Cardiomyocyte-derived USP13 protects hearts from hypertrophy via deubiquitinating and stabilizing STAT1 in male mice
title_short Cardiomyocyte-derived USP13 protects hearts from hypertrophy via deubiquitinating and stabilizing STAT1 in male mice
title_sort cardiomyocyte derived usp13 protects hearts from hypertrophy via deubiquitinating and stabilizing stat1 in male mice
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61028-1
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