Scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital have found that targeting immune cells can help treat atrial fibrillation. Research published in the journal Science.
Atrial fibrillation (atrial fibrillation) is the most common type of heart rhythm disorder that causes fast, irregular beats that can lead to stroke and heart failure.
The scientists analyzed single cells from atrial tissue collected from healthy people and arrhythmia patients. The analysis showed that during the arrhythmia, macrophage immune cells proliferated more in the atrium than any other cell type in the affected tissue.
Experiments in mice have shown that the collected macrophages promote atrial inflammation and scarring, which inhibits electrical conduction between heart cells and leads to atrial fibrillation.
Analysis of gene activity showed increased activity of the SPP1 gene in human and mouse cardiac macrophages. This gene is responsible for the production of the protein osteopontin, which contributes to tissue scarring during arrhythmia. Mice lacking this protein had reduced atrial macrophage counts.
The scientists concluded that new drugs for atrial fibrillation should target macrophages in the atria, or the protein osteopontin.
“We believe this study forms the basis of immunomodulatory therapy for atrial fibrillation, and we are currently working on several strategies to achieve this,” the authors wrote.
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