Enhanced fatty acid oxidation via SCD1 downregulation fuels cardiac reprogramming.

Abstract

Direct cardiac reprogramming has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy to remuscularize injured myocardium. This approach converts non-contractile fibroblasts to induced cardiomyocytes (iCMs) that spontaneously contract, yet the intrinsic metabolic requirements driving cardiac reprogramming are not fully understood. Using single-cell metabolic flux estimation and flux balance analysis, we characterized the metabolic heterogeneity of iCMs and identified fatty acid oxidation (FAO) as a critical factor in iCM conversion. Both pharmacological and genetic inhibition of FAO impairs iCM generation. We further identified stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase 1 (SCD1) as a metabolic switch that suppresses iCM reprogramming. Mechanistically, Scd1 knockdown activates PGC1α and PPARβ signaling, enhancing FAO-related gene expression and mitochondrial biogenesis, thereby improving reprogramming efficacy. Pharmacological manipulations targeting SCD1, PGC1α, and the PPARβ signaling axis further improved iCM generation and mitochondrial function. Our findings collectively highlight FAO as a key determinant of iCM fate and offer new therapeutic avenues for advancing reprogramming strategies.