Musculoskeletal defects associated with myosin heavy chain-embryonic loss of function are mediated by the YAP signaling pathway

Mutations in MYH3, the gene encoding the developmental myosin heavy chain-embryonic (MyHC-embryonic) skeletal muscle-specific contractile protein, cause several congenital contracture syndromes. Among these, recessive loss-of-function MYH3 mutations lead to spondylocarpotarsal synostosis (SCTS), characterized by vertebral fusions and scoliosis. We find that Myh3 germline knockout adult mice display SCTS phenotypes such as scoliosis and vertebral fusion, in addition to reduced body weight, muscle weight, myofiber size, and grip strength. Myh3 knockout mice also exhibit changes in muscle fiber type, altered satellite cell numbers and increased muscle fibrosis. A mass spectrometric analysis of embryonic skeletal muscle from Myh3 knockouts identified integrin signaling and cytoskeletal regulation as the most affected pathways. These pathways are closely connected to the mechanosensing Yes-associated protein (YAP) transcriptional regulator, which we found to be significantly activated in the skeletal muscle of Myh3 knockout mice. To test whether increased YAP signaling might underlie the musculoskeletal defects in Myh3 knockout mice, we treated these mice with CA3, a small molecule inhibitor of YAP signaling. This led to increased muscle fiber size, rescue of most muscle fiber type alterations, normalization of the satellite cell marker Pax7 levels, increased grip strength, reduced fibrosis, and decline in scoliosis in Myh3 knockout mice. Thus, increased YAP activation underlies the musculoskeletal defects seen in Myh3 knockout mice, indicating its significance as a key pathway to target in SCTS and other MYH3-related congenital syndromes.

Automated summary

Mutations in MYH3 gene cause congenital contracture syndromes, particularly recessive MYH3 mutations lead to spondylocarpotarsal synostosis (SCTS) characterized by vertebral fusions and scoliosis. Knockout of Myh3 in mice showed SCTS phenotypes along with reduced body weight, muscle weight, myofiber size, grip strength, changes in muscle fiber type, altered satellite cell numbers, and increased muscle fibrosis. Activation of YAP signaling pathway was identified as a key contributor to the musculoskeletal defects in Myh3 knockout mice, and inhibiting YAP signaling can rescue these defects.