TNNI3 Interacting Kinase (TNNI3K)

TNNI3K is a new cardiac-specific MAP kinase whose gene is localized to 1p31.1 and that belongs to a tyrosine kinase-like branch in the kinase tree of the human genome.TNNI3K promoted the differentiation process, judging from the increasing beating mass and increased number of a-actinin-positive cells. TNNI3K improved cardiac function by enhancing beating frequency and increasing the contractile force and epinephrine response of spontaneous action potentials without an increase of the single-cell size. TNNI3K suppressed phosphorylation of cardiac troponin I, annexin-V+ cells, Bax protein, and p38/JNK-mediated apoptosis.TNNI3K promotes cardiomyogenesis, enhances cardiac performance, and protects the myocardium from ischemic injury by suppressing p38/JNK-mediated apoptosis.