Project description: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.
Project description:Spontaneous paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) is one of the very common heart rhythm disorders. The molecular mechanisms underlying PAF susceptibility and persistence are multiple and incompletely understood. To study the contribution of microRNAs (miRNAs) to the development and perpetuation of PAF, we used microarray/qPCR analyses to search for changes in miRNA expression in atrial myocardium upon pacing-induced PAF. The miRNA microarray analysis was performed at LC Sciences (Houston, TX, USA). Following screening-microarray, several miRNAs were selected for detailed real-time qPCR assay. Our results suggest that immediate-early miR remodeling of LAA underlies the development and persistence of PAF. A closed-chest model of PAF was established in postnatal pigs via a rapid atrial electrical stimulation with a controlled ventricular response rate. A pacing catheter (delivered into the right atrium via femoral vein access under fluoroscopic guidance) was connected with an external pulse generator for programmed pacing rates. The burst-pacing stimuli were repeated several times, and the induced PAF occurrence rates and durations were recorded. Burst pacing was not performed in sham-operated group. Animals were euthanized 24 hours after cessation of pacing. Given that the right atrium might have been damaged by catheter insertion, we studied miRNA expression changes associated with PAF in the left atrial appendage (LAA) from paced vs control pigs. Six piglet were randomized in two groups, the PAF group (3 replicates) and the sham-control group (3 replicates)
Project description:Spontaneous paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) is one of the very common heart rhythm disorders. The molecular mechanisms underlying PAF susceptibility and persistence are multiple and incompletely understood. To study the contribution of microRNAs (miRNAs) to the development and perpetuation of PAF, we used microarray/qPCR analyses to search for changes in miRNA expression in atrial myocardium upon pacing-induced PAF. The miRNA microarray analysis was performed at LC Sciences (Houston, TX, USA). Following screening-microarray, several miRNAs were selected for detailed real-time qPCR assay. Our results suggest that immediate-early miR remodeling of LAA underlies the development and persistence of PAF. A closed-chest model of PAF was established in postnatal pigs via a rapid atrial electrical stimulation with a controlled ventricular response rate. A pacing catheter (delivered into the right atrium via femoral vein access under fluoroscopic guidance) was connected with an external pulse generator for programmed pacing rates. The burst-pacing stimuli were repeated several times, and the induced PAF occurrence rates and durations were recorded. Burst pacing was not performed in sham-operated group. Animals were euthanized 24 hours after cessation of pacing. Given that the right atrium might have been damaged by catheter insertion, we studied miRNA expression changes associated with PAF in the left atrial appendage (LAA) from paced vs control pigs.
Project description:Before morphological changes at the early stage of hypertension, how overloaded hypertension influences the transcriptomic profile of the left atrium remains unclear, therefore, RNA-sequencing was performed to define the RNA expressing profiles of left atrium in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) as a control group. At the same time, we compared the RNA expressing profiles changes in ARB-treated (valsartan, 30mg/kg/d) and ARNI-treated (sacubitril/valsartan, 60mg/kg/d) SHR to reveal the distinct effects on the left atrium. A total of 1558 differentially expressed genes were found in the left atrium between WKY rats and SHRs. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that these mRNAs could regulate the upstream pathways in atrial remodeling through atrial fibrosis, inflammation, electrical remodeling, and cardiac metabolism. The regulated transcripts of left atrial tissue in both the ARB-treated and ARNI-treated groups were related to metabolism. Compared with ARB, transcripts in ARNI-treated rats were mapped to the cGMP-PKG signaling pathway.
Project description:Regional differential expression of atrial fibrillation risk genes in the left atrium and pulmonary veins is not well studied, but may yield insights into atrial fibrillation pathogenesis. We tested the hypothesis that there is significant regional differential expression in left atrium structures. RNAseq was performed in 25 regions within the pulmonary veins (n=12), left atrial body (n=10), and left atrial appendage (n=3) from a 75 year old male with hypertension and atrial fibrillation who died of a stroke. These data show that genes involved in atrial fibrillation pathogenesis have substantial regional expression heterogeneity, particularly when comparing the left atrial body, pulmonary veins and left atrial appendage.