- Thompson, Andrea;
- Wagner, Marcus;
- Rodriguez, Juliani;
- Malhotra, Alok;
- Vander Roest, Steve;
- Lilienthal, Ulla;
- Shao, Hao;
- Vignesh, Mathav;
- Weber, Keely;
- Yob, Jaime;
- Prosser, Benjamin;
- Helms, Adam;
- Ginsburg, David;
- Day, Sharlene;
- Gestwicki, Jason
Variants in the gene myosin-binding protein C3 (MYBPC3) account for approximately 50% of familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), leading to reduced levels of myosin-binding protein C3 (MyBP-C), the protein product made by gene MYBPC3. Elucidation of the pathways that regulate MyBP-C protein homeostasis could uncover new therapeutic strategies. Toward this goal, we screened a library of 2,426 bioactive compounds and identified JG98, an allosteric modulator of heat shock protein 70 that inhibits interaction with Bcl-2-associated athanogene (BAG) domain co-chaperones. JG98 reduces MyBP-C protein levels. Furthermore, genetic reduction of BAG3 phenocopies treatment with JG-98 by reducing MYBP-C protein levels.. Thus, an unbiased compound screen identified the heat shock protein 70-BAG3 complex as a regulator of MyBP-C stability.