Expression and significance of aryl hydrocarbon receptor in atrial tissues of patients with atrial fibrillation / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

AIM:To investigate the expression of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in atrial tissues of the patients with rheumatic heart disease (RHD), and the effects of AhR on rheumatic atrial fibrosis.METHODS:Right atrial specimens obtained from the patients with RHD requiring valve replacement surgery were divided into chronic atrial fibrillation (RHD+cAF, n=11) group and sinus rhythm (RHD+sinus rhythm, n=25) group.The patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) and sinus rhythm (CHD+sinus rhythm, n=12) who underwent heart surgery served as controls.The collagen volume fraction in the atrial specimens was examined by Masson`s trichrome staining.The protein expression and distribution of AhR, AhR nuclear translocator (ARNT) and CYP1A1 were detected by the methods of immunohistochemistry and Western blot.The mRNA expression of AhR, ARNT and CYP1A1 was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR.RESULTS:Compared with CHD+sinus rhythm group, the collagen content and the expression of AhR, ARNT and CYP1A1 were significantly increased in RHD+sinus rhythm group and RHD+cAF group.Compared with RHD+sinus rhythm group, the collagen content and the expression of AhR, ARNT and CYP1A1 were significantly increased in RHD+cAF group (P<0.05).CONCLUSION:The expression of AhR is correlated with the degree of fibrosis.The expression of AhR/ARNT/CYP1A1 is increased in atrial tissues of patients with RHD, suggesting that AhR/ARNT/CYP1A1 should be involved in atrial fibrosis of the patient with RHD.