0441: Bcl11b/CTIP2, a newly identified transcriptional repressor: its role in cardiac hypertrophy and commitment of cardiac stem cells

Bcl11b/CTIP2, a zinc finger transcriptional repressor, interacts with the RNApolymeraseII regulatory complex pTefb and exert an inhibitory action on it. It is also implicated in the regulation of stem cells. Genetic variations in its locus is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease making it relevant to study the role of Bcl11b in the heart. Using knockdown/overexpression strategies, we showed that Bcl11b overexpression leads to increased hypertrophic response while its overexpression induces opposite effects. To study its role in vivo, we will use cardiac specific knock out mice and analyse the effect on cardiac remodelling and stem cells. This study will allow us to gain further insights into the molecular mechanisms that control cardiac hypertrophy and cardiac stem cell commitment