It is suggested that duration of contraction is shorter in human atrium versus ventricle due to the combined effect of decreased PLB levels (which inhibits SERCA function) and increased SERCA levels. The lower relative ratio of PLB to SERCA leads to less inhibition of SERCA and increased Ca(2+)-uptake which enhances relaxation and contraction in human atrium.
Idiopathic-dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC) is a common primary myocardial disease of unknown etiology associated with apoptosis, cardiac dilatation, progressive heart failure and increased mortality. An elevation of the transcription factor activator protein 2a (AP-2a) is involved in vertebrate embryonic development and oncogenesis. Here, we show that AP-2a protein is expressed in the human heart and increased in human failing myocardium with IDC. Adenovirusmediated overexpression of human AP-2a triggered apoptosis and increased mRNA levels of Bcl-2 family members Bax and Bcl-x in rat cardiomyocytes. Immunohistological analysis of human myocardium revealed an increased percentage of AP-2a-positive nuclei in IDC and, interestingly, a colocalization of AP-2a-positive but not -negative cells with a caspasecleaved fragment of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase. We suggest AP-2a as a novel cardiac regulator implicated in the activation of apoptosis in IDC.
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