Research in the Sadayappan Lab is aimed at understanding how muscle protein structure affects heart function and how certain proteins are able to protect the heart from injury. In particular, Dr. Sadayappan is investigating the functional role of the heart protein cardiac myosin binding protein-C (cMyBP-C). cMyBP-C is a protein that organizes muscle structure. Defects in the cMyBP-C gene are associated with the disease familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. cMyBP-C phosphorylation represents a convergence point for complex signaling events that ultimately result in cardioprotection and improved contractile function. Dr. Sadayappan’s studies showed that cMyBP-C stability and phosphorylation have a direct effect on the heart’s contractile properties, sarcomere organization and cardio-protection in ischemia-reperfusion injury mouse models.

The long-term goal of Sadayappan lab is to delineate the role of cMyBP-C function in the heart. In particular, the Lab intends to identify upstream targets of cMyBP-C in order to discover novel kinases involved in the accelerated cardiac function, proteolysis and cardioprotection during I-R injuries. Current research focuses of the Sadayappan lab at Loyola University Chicago are:

                       • To determine the proteolysis and pathological process of cMyBP-C post-myocardial injury

                       • To assess the role of cMyBP-C phosphorylation in cardioprotection

                       • To define the primary cause of heart failure in MYBPC3 mutant carriers

                       • To investigate the role of cMyBP-C autoantibodies in cardiac disease

                       • To define the function of cMyBP-C in skeletal muscle

Source:  http://www.stritch.luc.edu/physio/content/sakthivel-sadayappan-phd-faha