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Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2013; 61(01): 066-073
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1332795
Original Basic Science
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Gender-Specific Remodeling in Atrial Fibrillation?

Bettina Pfannmüller
1   Department of Cardiac Surgery, Heart Centre Leipzig, Institute for Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
,
Andreas Boldt
1   Department of Cardiac Surgery, Heart Centre Leipzig, Institute for Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
,
Anja Reutemann
1   Department of Cardiac Surgery, Heart Centre Leipzig, Institute for Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
,
Nicole Duerrschmidt
1   Department of Cardiac Surgery, Heart Centre Leipzig, Institute for Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
,
Silke Krabbes-Graube
1   Department of Cardiac Surgery, Heart Centre Leipzig, Institute for Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
,
Friedrich-Wilhelm Mohr
1   Department of Cardiac Surgery, Heart Centre Leipzig, Institute for Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
,
Stefan Dhein
1   Department of Cardiac Surgery, Heart Centre Leipzig, Institute for Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

13 June 2012

02 August 2012

Publication Date:
11 January 2013 (online)

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Abstract

Background The authors wanted to investigate whether the remodeling process in AF regarding gap junction proteins, collagen I, and amyloid may be gender dependent in humans.

Methods In total, 123 patients with sinus rhythm (SR, n = 41) or atrial fibrillation (AF, n = 82) suffering from mitral valve disease undergoing cardiac surgery were included. Of the 123 patients, 66 patients (SR: n = 17, AF: n = 49) were investigated biochemically for the expression of the atrial gap junction proteins connexin40 (Cx40), connexin43 (Cx43) and collagen I and 57 patients (SR: n = 24; AF: n = 33) using histochemical methods for possible amyloid depositions.

Results AF led to increased levels of Cx40, Cx43, and collagen I protein. Regarding Cx40 this upregulation was significantly higher in female than in male patients. For AF-induced changes in collagen or Cx43, there were no significant gender-dependent differences. Amyloid depositions were found with increasing age, but were not significantly related to AF or gender.

Conclusions Remodeling in AF seems to be similar in men and women, with a tendency for women exhibiting somewhat stronger AF-induced changes in Cx40, which is probably a secondary effect because there is nothing known about hormone sensitivity of the Cx40 promoter, and a not significant tendency for higher Cx43 and collagen I.

Keywords

arrhythmia therapy - cardiac - histology - myocardial remodeling
 

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