Single nucleus transcriptome of a "Super RV" shows increased insulin and angiogenesis signaling

Abstract

The right ventricle (RV) is one of the four pumping chambers of the heart, pumping blood to the lungs. In severe forms of congenital heart disease and pulmonary hypertension, the RV is made to pump into the systemic circulation. Such systemic RVs typically display early failure due to pressure overload. In rare cases a systemic RV persists into later decades of life - colloquially called a Super RV. Here we present the single-nucleus transcriptome of a systemic RV from a 60-year-old with congenitally corrected transposition of great arteries (ccTGA). Our data shows two specific signaling pathways enriched in the ccTGA RV myocardium. First, we show increased insulin like growth factor (IGF1) signaling within the systemic RV myocardium: there is increased expression of the main receptor IGFR1 within the cardiomyocytes, and IGF1 ligands within the cardiofibroblasts and macrophages. Second, we find increased VEGF and Wnt9 ligand expression in cardiomyocytes and increased VEGF1R and Wnt9 receptors in endothelial cells, which are implicated in angiogenesis. We show that increased insulin and angiogenesis signaling are potentially beneficial RV adaptations to increased pressure overload. This study of an adult systemic RV provides an important framework for understanding RV remodeling to systemic pressures in congenital heart disease and pulmonary hypertension.