Gene expression and chromatin organization changes in lamin A/C haploinsufficient human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes [RNA-seq]

Pathogenic mutations in A-type nuclear lamins may dysregulate gene expression due to changes in chromatin organization into active (A) and inactive (B) compartments. To test this, we performed genome-wide chromosome conformation analyses (Hi-C) and transcriptome profiling (RNA-seq) in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CM) with a haploinsufficient mutation for Lamin A/C that causes cardiac laminopathy. Mutant hiPSC-CM have marked electrophysiological, contractile, and gene expression alterations. While large-scale changes in chromatin topology are evident, differences in chromatin compartmentalization are limited to a few hotspots. These regions normally transition from A to B during cardiogenesis, but remain in A in mutant hiPSC-CM. Non-cardiac genes located within such aberrant domains are ectopically expressed, including the neuronal P/Q-type calcium channel CACNA1A. Pharmacological inhibition of the resulting currents partially mitigates elongation of field potential duration in mutant hiPSC-CM. On the other hand, A/B compartment changes do not explain most gene expression alterations observed in mutant hiPSC-CM, putting in perspective the role of chromatin organization dysregulation in cardiac laminopathy.