The Potential Application of Heavy Ion Beams in the Treatment of Arrhythmia: The Role of Radiation-Induced Modulation of Connexin43 and the Sympathetic Nervous System.

ABSTRACT: It has been known that heart disease-such as myocardial infarction (MI), cardiac hypertrophy, or heart failure-alters the molecular structure and function of the gap junction, which can lead to an abnormal heart rhythm. Radiation has been shown to modulate intercellular communication in the skin and lungs by increasing connexin43 (Cx43) expression. Understanding how Cx43 upregulation is induced in a diseased heart can help provide a new perspective to radiation therapy for arrhythmias. In a recent study with rabbits after MI, carbon ions were accelerated to 290 MeV/u and extracted in the air; a biologically (cell kill) uniform 6-cm spread-out Bragg peak beam was generated, and beam tissue depth was set to 30 mm with energy degraders to the depth position. Targeted heavy ion irradiation (TH

SUBMITTER: Amino M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6871596 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature