[HTML][HTML] Functional consequences of abnormal Cx43 expression in the heart

MSC Fontes, TAB van Veen, JMT de Bakker… - … et Biophysica Acta (BBA …, 2012 - Elsevier
MSC Fontes, TAB van Veen, JMT de Bakker, HVM van Rijen
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)-Biomembranes, 2012Elsevier
The major gap junction protein expressed in the heart, connexin43 (Cx43), is highly
remodeled in the diseased heart. Usually, Cx43 is down-regulated and heterogeneously
redistributed to the lateral sides of cardiomyocytes. Reverse remodeling of the impaired
Cx43 expression could restore normal cardiac function and normalize electrical stability. In
this review, the reduced and heterogeneous Cx43 expression in the heart will be addressed
in hypertrophic, dilated and ischemic cardiomyopathy together with its functional …
The major gap junction protein expressed in the heart, connexin43 (Cx43), is highly remodeled in the diseased heart. Usually, Cx43 is down-regulated and heterogeneously redistributed to the lateral sides of cardiomyocytes. Reverse remodeling of the impaired Cx43 expression could restore normal cardiac function and normalize electrical stability. In this review, the reduced and heterogeneous Cx43 expression in the heart will be addressed in hypertrophic, dilated and ischemic cardiomyopathy together with its functional consequences of conduction velocity slowing, dispersed impulse conduction, its interaction with fibrosis and propensity to generate arrhythmias. Finally, different therapies are discussed. Treatments aimed to improve the Cx43 expression levels show new potentially anti-arrhythmic therapies during heart failure, but those in the context of acute ischemia can be anti-arrhythmogenic at the cost of larger infarct sizes. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: The Communicating junctions, composition, structure and characteristics.
Elsevier