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Le Quilliec E, LeBlanc CA, Neuilly O, Xiao J, Younes R, Altuntas Y, Xiong F, Naud P, Villeneuve L, Sirois MG, Tanguay JF, Tardif JC, Hiram R. Atrial cardiomyocytes contribute to the inflammatory status associated with atrial fibrillation in right heart disease. Europace 2024; 26:euae082. [PMID: 38546222 PMCID: PMC11000822 DOI: 10.1093/europace/euae082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
AIMS Right heart disease (RHD), characterized by right ventricular (RV) and atrial (RA) hypertrophy, and cardiomyocytes' (CM) dysfunctions have been described to be associated with the incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF). Right heart disease and AF have in common, an inflammatory status, but the mechanisms relating RHD, inflammation, and AF remain unclear. We hypothesized that right heart disease generates electrophysiological and morphological remodelling affecting the CM, leading to atrial inflammation and increased AF susceptibility. METHODS AND RESULTS Pulmonary artery banding (PAB) was surgically performed (except for sham) on male Wistar rats (225-275 g) to provoke an RHD. Twenty-one days (D21) post-surgery, all rats underwent echocardiography and electrophysiological studies (EPS). Optical mapping was performed in situ, on Langendorff-perfused hearts. The contractility of freshly isolated CM was evaluated and recorded during 1 Hz pacing in vitro. Histological analyses were performed on formalin-fixed RA to assess myocardial fibrosis, connexin-43 levels, and CM morphology. Right atrial levels of selected genes and proteins were obtained by qPCR and Western blot, respectively. Pulmonary artery banding induced severe RHD identified by RV and RA hypertrophy. Pulmonary artery banding rats were significantly more susceptible to AF than sham. Compared to sham RA CM from PAB rats were significantly elongated and hypercontractile. Right atrial CM from PAB animals showed significant augmentation of mRNA and protein levels of pro-inflammatory interleukin (IL)-6 and IL1β. Sarcoplasmic-endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase-2a (SERCA2a) and junctophilin-2 were decreased in RA CM from PAB compared to sham rats. CONCLUSIONS Right heart disease-induced arrhythmogenicity may occur due to dysfunctional SERCA2a and inflammatory signalling generated from injured RA CM, which leads to an increased risk of AF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewen Le Quilliec
- Department of Medicine, Montreal Heart Institute, University of Montreal, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC HIT 1C8, Canada
| | - Charles-Alexandre LeBlanc
- Department of Medicine, Montreal Heart Institute, University of Montreal, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC HIT 1C8, Canada
| | - Orlane Neuilly
- Department of Medicine, Montreal Heart Institute, University of Montreal, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC HIT 1C8, Canada
| | - Jiening Xiao
- Department of Medicine, Montreal Heart Institute, University of Montreal, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC HIT 1C8, Canada
| | - Rim Younes
- Department of Medicine, Montreal Heart Institute, University of Montreal, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC HIT 1C8, Canada
| | - Yasemin Altuntas
- Department of Medicine, Montreal Heart Institute, University of Montreal, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC HIT 1C8, Canada
| | - Feng Xiong
- Department of Medicine, Montreal Heart Institute, University of Montreal, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC HIT 1C8, Canada
| | - Patrice Naud
- Department of Medicine, Montreal Heart Institute, University of Montreal, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC HIT 1C8, Canada
| | - Louis Villeneuve
- Department of Medicine, Montreal Heart Institute, University of Montreal, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC HIT 1C8, Canada
| | - Martin G Sirois
- Department of Medicine, Montreal Heart Institute, University of Montreal, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC HIT 1C8, Canada
| | - Jean-François Tanguay
- Department of Medicine, Montreal Heart Institute, University of Montreal, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC HIT 1C8, Canada
| | - Jean-Claude Tardif
- Department of Medicine, Montreal Heart Institute, University of Montreal, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC HIT 1C8, Canada
| | - Roddy Hiram
- Department of Medicine, Montreal Heart Institute, University of Montreal, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC HIT 1C8, Canada
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