Diminished and heterogeneous Cx43 distribution in decompensated LV hypertrophy may play a maladaptive role contributing to heart failure and ventricular arrhythmias in patients with aortic stenosis.
The quantity and spatial distribution of Cx43 differs markedly between compensated and decompensated LV hypertrophy in human patients with AS. Upregulation of Cx43 in compensated hypertrophy may represent the immediate adaptive response to increased load, whereas diminished and heterogeneous Cx43 distribution in decompensated hypertrophy may play maladaptive roles culminating in heart failure and ventricular arrhythmias.
Sawa Kostin (Sat,) studied this question.