The Influence of the LINC00961/SPAAR Locus Loss on Murine Development, Myocardial Dynamics, and Cardiac Response to Myocardial Infarction.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have structural and functional roles in development and disease. We have previously shown that the LINC00961/SPAAR (small regulatory polypeptide of amino acid response) locus regulates endothelial cell function, and that both the lncRNA and micropeptide counter-regulate angiogenesis. To assess human cardiac cell SPAAR expression, we mined a publicly available scRNSeq dataset and confirmed LINC00961 locus expression and hypoxic response in a murine endothelial cell line. We investigated post-natal growth and development, basal cardiac function, the cardiac functional response, and tissue-specific response to myocardial infarction. To investigate the influence of the LINC00961/SPAAR locus on longitudinal growth, cardiac function, and response to myocardial infarction, we used a novel CRISPR/Cas9 locus knockout mouse line. Data mining suggested that SPAAR is predominantly expressed in human cardiac endothelial cells and fibroblasts, while murine LINC00961 expression is hypoxia-responsive in mouse endothelial cells. LINC00961 ^-/- mice displayed a sex-specific delay in longitudinal growth and development, smaller left ventricular systolic and diastolic areas and volumes, and greater risk area following myocardial infarction compared with wildtype littermates. These data suggest the LINC00961/SPAAR locus contributes to cardiac endothelial cell and fibroblast function and hypoxic response, growth and development, and basal cardiovascular function in adulthood.