Increased Myocardial Oxygen Consumption Precedes Contractile Dysfunction in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Caused by Pathogenic TNNT2 Gene Variants

Background Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is caused by pathogenic sarcomere gene variants. Individuals with a thin-filament variant present with milder hypertrophy than carriers of thick-filament variants, although prognosis is poorer. Herein, we defined if decreased energetic status of the heart is an early pathomechanism in TNNT2 (troponin T gene) variant carriers. Methods and Results Fourteen individuals with TNNT2 variants (genotype positive), without left ventricular hypertrophy (G+/LVH-; n=6) and with LVH (G+/LVH+; n=8) and 14 healthy controls were included. All participants underwent cardiac magnetic resonance and [11C]-acetate positron emission tomography imaging to assess LV myocardial oxygen consumption, contractile parameters and myocardial external efficiency. Cardiac efficiency was significantly reduced compared with controls in G+/LVH- and G+/LVH+. Lower myocardial external efficiency in G+/LVH- is explained by higher global and regional oxygen consumption compared with controls without changes in contractile parameters. Reduced myocardial external efficiency in G+/LVH+ is explained by the increase in LV mass and higher oxygen consumption. Septal oxygen consumption was significantly lower in G+/LVH+ compared with G+/LVH-. Although LV ejection fraction was higher in G+/LVH+, both systolic and diastolic strain parameters were lower compared with controls, which was most evident in the hypertrophied septal wall. Conclusions Using cardiac magnetic resonance and [11C]-acetate positron emission tomography imaging, we show that G+/LVH- have an initial increase in oxygen consumption preceding contractile dysfunction and cardiac hypertrophy, followed by a decline in oxygen consumption in G+/LVH+. This suggests that high oxygen consumption and reduced myocardial external efficiency characterize the early gene variant-mediated disease mechanisms that may be used for early diagnosis and development of preventive treatments.