Key result
Heart failure patients exhibited significantly reduced mRNA expression of Kv4.3α (0.45 vs 0.83, P<0.01), KvLQT1, and L-Caα1c, and increased NCX expression in atrial myocytes compared to normal controls.
Why the study?
Does heart failure alter the expression of genes involved in ion channel regulation in atrial myocytes compared to normal cardiac function?
Observational (n=36)
Yes
Does heart failure alter the expression of genes involved in ion channel regulation in atrial myocytes compared to normal cardiac function?
Absolute Event Rate: 0.45% vs 0.83%
p-value: p=<0.01
Heart failure is associated with altered expression of ion channel genes in atrial myocytes, which may provide a molecular basis for the increased risk of atrial fibrillation in these patients.
HF-associated atrial ion channel remodeling may heighten AF risk; hypothesis-generating, prospective studies needed before targeting.
The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between the altered expression of genes involved in the regulation of ion channels in atrial myocytes and the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with heart failure (HF). Right atrial appendages were obtained from 18 HF patients and 18 patients with normal cardiac functions who had undergone surgery. The mRNA expression levels of Kv4.3α, KvLQT1, Kv1.5, L-Caα1c and NCX were measured by reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR). Protein expression levels were also detected by western blotting. In comparison with the control group exhibiting normal cardiac functions, the mRNA and protein expression levels of Kv4.3α, KvLQT1 and L-Caα1c were significantly reduced in HF patients. By contrast, the mRNA and protein expression levels of NCX were significantly increased in HF patients compared with the control group (P<0.01). The mRNA expression levels of Kv1.5 were not evidently altered. We demonstrated that increased levels of Kv4.3α, KvLQT1 and L-Caα1c and decreased levels of NCX are correlated with the risk of AF in HF patients. Changes in the gene expression of ion channel-related proteins may therefore be used as biological markers of AF occurring in HF patients in future studies.
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Gao et al. (2013) conducted an observational in Heart failure (n=36). Heart failure (EF <0.4) vs. Normal cardiac function (EF >0.4) was evaluated on Kv4.3α mRNA expression (Kv4.3α/GAPDH ratio) (p=<0.01). Heart failure patients exhibited significantly reduced mRNA expression of Kv4.3α (0.45 vs 0.83, P<0.01), KvLQT1, and L-Caα1c, and increased NCX expression in atrial myocytes compared to normal controls.
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