Recent Clinical and Experimental Advances in Atrial Fibrillation

Table 1

Alteration in Connexin expression in AF.

Author	Species	Disease animal model	Sample	Cx protein	Cx mRNA	Histology	Others
Luo	Human; n = 24	AF	RA appendage	Cx43 ↓; (volume fraction)
Polontchouk et al.	Human; n = 12	Chronic AF	Atrial tissue	Cx43→, Cx40 ↑; (western)		Lateral membrane of atrial cells
Nao et al.	Human; n = 10	Chronic AF	RA myocardium	Cx40 ↓,Cx43→; (western)	Cx40 ↓; Cx43→(PCR)		Cx40 abnormal phosphorylation
Rucker-Martin et al.	Human; rat	Chronic AF; MI	RA appendage	nonphosphorylated; Cx43 ↑			Myocyte-myocyte coupling ↓
Dupont et al.	Human; n = 9	CAD with AF	RA appendage	Cx43,45→; Cx40 ↑ (western)	Cx43,45→; Cx40 ↑; (northern)
Li	Human; n = 45	CAD with AF	RA appendage	Cx40,43→; (western)
Kostin et al.	Human; n = 31	Chronic AF	RA free wall appendage	Cx 40,43 ↓; (immunoconfocal)		Lateralization of Cx40,43 Cx40 heterogenous distribution
Dhein	Human; n = 126	Chronic AF	LA free wall		Cx40,43 ↑; (PCR)		Cx40 expression parallel to serum Ca
van der Velden et al.	Goat	RA pacing	RA, LA appendage	Cx40,43→; (western)	C × 40,43→; (PCR)	Cx40 inhomogeneities; No change of Cx43 distribution
Ausma et al.	Goat	RA pacing	Atrial appendage	Cx40↓ (western)
Zhang et al.	Dog	RA pacing	PV, LA tissue	PV; Cx40 ↓; LA;Cx43↓ (western)	PV,LA;Cx40 →; Cx43→(PCR)
Van der Velden	Goat	RA pacing	RA, LA appendage	Cx40/Cx43↓; (immunofluorescence signal)	Cx40,43 →; (PCR)	Heterogeneity in Cx40
Elvan	Dog	RA pacing	RA tissue	Cx43 ↑; (immunohistochemical analysis)

CAD: coronary artery disease; RA: right atrium; LA: left atrium; Cx: Connexin.