Key result
Postmortem human sinus node tissue showed a significantly lower genetic expression of connexin 43 compared to surrounding atrial muscle (p < 0.05).
Observational (n=4)
No
Molecular biology techniques can be successfully applied to postmortem human sinus node tissue, demonstrating significantly lower Cx43 expression compared to surrounding atrial muscle.
Lower connexin 43 expression may affect sinus node conduction; hypothesis-generating and requires prospective validation before clinical relevance.
The sinus node is an intensively researched structure in terms of anatomical, histological, electrophysiological, molecular and genetic approach. For postmortem diagnosis it is still difficult to investigate due to a still reduced accessibility. In this study we tried and succeed to apply molecular biology techniques on postmortem tissues in order to widen the range of postmortem forensic investigation and provide information related to the diagnostic of cardiac arrhythmia. We described the stages of this investigation, with dissection, preservation and analysis that included classical histology, immunohistochemistry, confocal microscope, microdissection, RIN testing, mRNA expression obtaining a precise morphofunctional location of the sinus node.
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Perde et al. (2015) conducted an observational in Normal postmortem cardiac tissue (n=4). Sinus node tissue vs. Atrial muscle tissue was evaluated on mRNA expression of connexin 43 (Cx43) (p=<0.05). Postmortem human sinus node tissue showed a significantly lower genetic expression of connexin 43 compared to surrounding atrial muscle (p < 0.05).
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