Alterations in the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) have been described in left ventricular hypertrophy and failure, although results have been inconsistent. The role of the UPS in right ventricular (RV) hypertrophy (RVH) and RV failure (RVF) is unknown. Given the greater percent increase in RV mass associated with RV afterload stress, as present in many congenital heart lesions, we hypothesized that alterations in the UPS could play an important role in RVH/RVF. UPS expression and activity were measured in the RV from mice with RVH/RVF secondary to pulmonary artery constriction (PAC). Epoxomicin and MG132 were used to inhibit the proteasome, and overexpression of the 11S PA28␣ subunit was used to activate the proteasome. PAC mice developed RVH (109.3% increase in RV weight to body weight), RV dilation with septal shift, RV dysfunction, and clinical RVF. Proteasomal function (26S 5 chymotrypsin-like activity) was decreased 26% (P Ͻ 0.05). Protein expression of 19S subunit Rpt5 (P Ͻ 0.05), UCHL1 deubiquitinase (P Ͻ 0.0001), and Smurf1 E3 ubiquitin ligase (P Ͻ 0.01) were increased, as were polyubiquitinated proteins (P Ͻ 0.05) and free-ubiquitins (P ϭ 0.05). Pro-apoptotic Bax was increased (P Ͻ 0.0001), whereas anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 decreased (P Ͻ 0.05), resulting in a sixfold increase in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Proteasomal inhibition did not accelerate RVF. However, proteasome enhancement by cardiacspecific proteasome overexpression partially improved survival. Proteasome activity is decreased in RVH/RVF, associated with upregulation of key UPS regulators and pro-apoptotic signaling. Enhancement of proteasome function partially attenuates RVF, suggesting that UPS dysfunction contributes to RVF. ubiquitin; proteasome; right ventricle; cardiac hypertrophy; heart failure PATHOLOGIC HYPERTROPHY IS an important adaptation to stressors varying from ischemia to hypertension as well as many forms of congenital heart disease. Chronic hypertrophy-inducing stress can lead to fibrosis, decreased contractile function, and ultimately heart failure. Pressure overload hypertrophy is associated with a marked increase in protein synthesis at a rate exceeding degradation (57), the most dramatic the heart experiences since early development. Under normal circumstances, the proteins of the heart turn over at a rate that would replace all in 30 days (15,33,50). More than 70% of protein turnover is regulated by the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) (18,56,74), involving signaling the target by covalent attachment of ubiquitin and degradation of tagged proteins by the 26S proteasome complex with release of ubiquitins by deubiquitinating enzymes. Three peptidase activities, chymotrypsin-like, trypsin-like, and caspase-like activities, have been assigned to the  5 ,  2 , and  1 subunits, respectively, of the 20S core proteasomal complex, capped by 19S regulatory and/or 11S activator complexes. The UPS also interacts with lysosomal (autophagy dependent or independent) and other protease-specific pathways within the cardiomyocyte (17, 71)....