# PGM1 deficiency is linked to sarcomeric and mitochondrial dysfunction in patient-derived iPSC-cardiomyocytes

## TL;DR

This study shows that PGM1 deficiency causes heart problems by disrupting the Z-disk and mitochondrial function in patient-derived heart cells.

## Contribution

The study reveals a glycosylation-independent role of PGM1 in linking Z-disk integrity and mitochondrial metabolism in cardiomyopathy.

## Key findings

- PGM1-deficient cardiomyocytes show reduced beating frequency and impaired contractility.
- PGM1 interacts with LDB3 to maintain Z-disk integrity and mitochondrial function.
- Mitochondrial respiration is severely impaired in PGM1-deficient cells.

## Abstract

PGM1-congenital disorder of glycosylation (PGM1-CDG) is frequently associated with cardiomyopathy. Although galactose therapy corrects glycosylation defects, cardiac dysfunction typically persists, suggesting a glycosylation-independent mechanism. Recent evidence of mitochondrial abnormalities in PGM1-deficient human and murine heart, together with the association of PGM1 with the Z-disk protein LDB3 (ZASP/Cypher), suggests a critical role for PGM1 in cardiomyocyte structural and energetic homeostasis. We hypothesized that PGM1-related cardiomyopathy arises from a glycosylation-independent disruption of Z-disk–mitochondrial coupling driven by loss of PGM1–LDB3 interactions, resulting in mitochondrial energy failure and impaired contractile function.

Induced pluripotent stem cell–derived cardiomyocytes (iCMs) were generated from PGM1-deficient patient fibroblasts. Multielectrode array (MEA) recordings, untargeted (glyco)proteomics, and pathway analysis were performed to assess functional and molecular changes. Key findings were validated using tracer metabolomics and mitochondrial respiration assays.

PGM1-deficient iCMs exhibited reduced beating frequency, impaired contractility, and prolonged contraction kinetics. Proteomic analyses revealed depletion of Z-disk components, including LDB3. AlphaFold3 structural modeling predicted a direct interaction between PGM1 and LDB3, implicating PGM1 in Z-disk integrity, which was confirmed in vitro. In addition, mitochondrial proteins were severely depleted, prompting us to investigate mitochondrial function. Functional validation confirmed extensive metabolic rewiring, energy depletion, and severely impaired mitochondrial respiration. Finally, the in silico drug repurposing identified possible therapeutic options that could target PGM1-deficient cardiomyopathy.

Our data suggests PGM1 is key regulator of cardiomyocyte function, linking sarcomeric Z-disk integrity with mitochondrial metabolism. These mechanistic insights offer a foundation for developing targeted therapies for PGM1-CDG and potentially other cardiomyopathies involving Z-disk dysfunction.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12967-026-07808-9.