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Left atrial tissue of rats exposed to rapid atrial pacing

ABSTRACT: Sustained atrial tachycardia leads to multiple molecular and cellular effects collectively defined as atrial tachycardia remodeling (ATR). ATR is thought to play a major role in the self-perpetuating nature of atrial fibrillation (AF) and has been a subject of intense research in large mammalian models of AF. Recently, rodents are increasingly used to gain insight on the pathophysiology AF. However, little is known regarding the effects of rapid pacing on the atria of rats and mice mainly due to technical challenges in electrophysiological studies of unanesthetized rodents. Using an implantable device for electrophysiological studies in unanesthetized rodents we examine, on a daily basis, the effects of continuous rapid atrial pacing (RAP) for at least 4 consecutive days on the developed AF substrate of Sprague-Dawley rats and C57BL6 mice. AF induction protocol consisted 10 aggressive bursts (20 seconds, double diastolic threshold, 10 ms cycle length [CL]). This protocol failed to induce AF at baseline in both species, but repeatedly induced AF episodes in rats following 2 days of sustained RAP. Microarray study of left atrial tissue from rats exposed for 2 days to RAP (70 ms CL) vs control pacing (140 ms CL) identified 304 differentially expressed genes (155 upregulated and 149 downregulated). Real-time qt-PCR confirmed the validity of the microarray. Enrichment analysis and comparison with a dataset of atrial tissue from AF patients revealed indications of increased carbohydrate metabolism, and changes in pathways that are thought to have critical role in human AF including TGF-beta and IL-6 signaling. Among 19 commonly affected genes in comparison with human AF, downregulation of FOXP1 and upregulation of the KCNK2 gene encoding the Kir2.1 potassium channel were conspicuous finding suggesting NFAT activation. Further results in line with NFAT activation included reduced expression of MIR-26, MIR-101, which were linked to upregulation of the KCNK2 in human AF. Our results demonstrate electrophysiological evidence for AF promoting effects of RAP in rats and some important molecular similarities between the effects of RAP in large and small mammalian models. The effects of atrial tachypacing are well documented in large mammals but very little is know regarding the effects of tacypacing on the rodent atria.

ORGANISM(S): Rattus norvegicus

PROVIDER: GSE126711 | GEO | 2019/08/01

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a progressive arrhythmia for which current therapy is inadequate. During AF, rapid stimulation causes atrial remodeling that promotes further AF. The cellular signals that trigger this process remain poorly understood, however, and elucidation of these factors would likely identify new therapeutic targets. We have previously shown that immortalized mouse atrial (HL-1) myocytes subjected to 24 hr of rapid stimulation in culture undergo remodeling similar to that seen in animal models of atrial tachycardia (AT) and human AF. This preparation is devoid of confounding in vivo variables that can modulate gene expression (e.g., hemodynamics). Therefore, we investigated the transcriptional profile associated with early atrial cell remodeling. RNA was harvested from HL-1 cells cultured for 24 hr in the absence and presence of rapid stimulation and subjected to microarray analysis. Data were normalized using Robust Multichip Analysis (RMA), and genes exhibiting significant differential expression were identified using the Significance Analysis of Microarrays (SAM) method. Using this approach, 919 genes were identified that were significantly altered with rapid stimulation (763 up-regulated and 156 down-regulated). For many individual transcripts, changes typical of AF/AT were observed, with marked up-regulation of genes encoding BNP and ANP precursors, heat shock proteins, and MAP kinases, while novel signaling pathways and molecules were also identified. Both stress and survival response were evident, as well as up-regulation of multiple transcription factors. Genes were also functionally classified based on cellular component, biologic process, and molecular function using the Gene Ontology database to permit direct comparison of our data with other gene sets regulated in human AF and experimental AT. For broad categories of genes grouped by functional classification, there was striking conservation between rapidly stimulated HL-1 cells and AF/AT. Results were confirmed using real-time quantitative RT-PCR on 13 genes selected by physiological relevance in AF/AT and regulation in the microarray analysis (up, down, and nonregulated). Rapidly-stimulated atrial myocytes provide a complementary experimental paradigm to explore the initial cellular signals in AT remodeling to identify novel targets in the treatment of AF. Experiment Overall Design: HL-1 cell expression profile in vitro with and without rapid electric stimulation

Project description:Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a progressive arrhythmia for which current therapy is inadequate. During AF, rapid stimulation causes atrial remodeling that promotes further AF. The cellular signals that trigger this process remain poorly understood, however, and elucidation of these factors would likely identify new therapeutic targets. We have previously shown that immortalized mouse atrial (HL-1) myocytes subjected to 24 hr of rapid stimulation in culture undergo remodeling similar to that seen in animal models of atrial tachycardia (AT) and human AF. This preparation is devoid of confounding in vivo variables that can modulate gene expression (e.g., hemodynamics). Therefore, we investigated the transcriptional profile associated with early atrial cell remodeling. RNA was harvested from HL-1 cells cultured for 24 hr in the absence and presence of rapid stimulation and subjected to microarray analysis. Data were normalized using Robust Multichip Analysis (RMA), and genes exhibiting significant differential expression were identified using the Significance Analysis of Microarrays (SAM) method. Using this approach, 919 genes were identified that were significantly altered with rapid stimulation (763 up-regulated and 156 down-regulated). For many individual transcripts, changes typical of AF/AT were observed, with marked up-regulation of genes encoding BNP and ANP precursors, heat shock proteins, and MAP kinases, while novel signaling pathways and molecules were also identified. Both stress and survival response were evident, as well as up-regulation of multiple transcription factors. Genes were also functionally classified based on cellular component, biologic process, and molecular function using the Gene Ontology database to permit direct comparison of our data with other gene sets regulated in human AF and experimental AT. For broad categories of genes grouped by functional classification, there was striking conservation between rapidly stimulated HL-1 cells and AF/AT. Results were confirmed using real-time quantitative RT-PCR on 13 genes selected by physiological relevance in AF/AT and regulation in the microarray analysis (up, down, and nonregulated). Rapidly-stimulated atrial myocytes provide a complementary experimental paradigm to explore the initial cellular signals in AT remodeling to identify novel targets in the treatment of AF. Keywords: stimulated atrial myocytes human atrial fibrillation

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Left atrial tissue of rats exposed to rapid atrial pacing

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