Changes in Cx43 and NaV1.5 expression precede the occurrence of substantial fibrosis in calcineurin-induced murine cardiac hypertrophy.

ABSTRACT: In mice, the calcium-dependent phosphatase calcineurin A (CnA) induces a transcriptional pathway leading to pathological cardiac hypertrophy. Interestingly, induction of CnA has been frequently noticed in human hypertrophic and failing hearts. Independently, the arrhythmia vulnerability of such hearts has been regularly associated with remodeling of parameters determining electrical conduction (expression level of connexin43 (Cx43) and NaV1.5, connective tissue architecture), for which the precise molecular basis and sequence of events is still unknown. Recently, we observed reduced Cx43 and NaV1.5 expression in 4-week old mouse hearts, overexpressing a constitutively active form of CnA (MHC-CnA model), but the order of events is still unknown. Therefore, three key parameters of conduction

SUBMITTER: Fontes MS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3909068 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature