Correction: Role of Caveolin-1 in Atrial Fibrillation as an Anti-Fibrotic Signaling Molecule in Human Atrial Fibroblasts.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Serum macrophage migration inhibitory factor levels are associated with angiographically complex coronary lesions in patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: Rupture of vulnerable plaque with subsequent thrombus formation has been implicated as the most common pathogenic mechanism responsible for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Angiographic coronary lesion complexity has been reported to reflect plaque vulnerability. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a proinflammatory cytokine and might be involved in the pathophysiology of atherosclerotic plaque destabilization.

Role of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors, mGluR1/mGluR5, in connexin43 phosphorylation and inhibition of gap junctional intercellular communication in H9c2 cardiomyoblast cells.

Group I metabotropic glutamate receptors, mGluR1 and mGluR5, are associated with sympathetic nerve activity. Sympathetic nerve stimulation exerts a crucial effect on modulating phosphorylation status and distribution of connexin43 (Cx43) in rat heart. Hence, mGluR1 and mGluR5 have an indirect effect on regulating the function of gap junction channels, which is affected by the availability of Cx43 protein.

Effect of pulmonary vein isolation on atrial fibrillation recurrence after ablation of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia in patients with high dispersion of atrial refractoriness.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) efficacy on atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence and to determine a predictive dispersion of atrial refractoriness (dERP) value for performing PVI in paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) patients.

Methods: Of 67 PSVT patients with past AF episodes who underwent accessory pathway (AP) or slow pathway of atrioventricular node ablation, 63 (4 lost to follow-up or death) were assigned into two groups (A and B; 29 and 34 patients, respectively) based on whether they underwent or not subsequent PVI, and all were followed-up up to 3 years. Atrial effective refractory period (AERP) and dERP were measured during the ablation procedure.

Dynamic alterations of connexin43, matrix metalloproteinase-2 and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-2 during ventricular fibrillation in canine.

The aim of this study is to investigate the dynamic alterations of cardiac connexin 43 (Cx43), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) in the setting of different ventricular fibrillation (VF) duration. In this study, thirty-two dogs were randomly divided into sham control group, 8-min VF group, 12-min VF group, and 30-min VF group. Cx43 and phosphorylated Cx43 (p-Cx43) in tissues were detected by western blot and immunofluorescence analysis.

Role of caveolin-1 in atrial fibrillation as an anti-fibrotic signaling molecule in human atrial fibroblasts.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia in the general population; yet, the precise mechanisms resulting in AF are not fully understood. Caveolin-1 (Cav-1), the principal structural component of caveolae organelles in cardiac fibroblasts, is involved in several cardiovascular conditions; however, the study on its function in atrium, in particular, in AF, is still lacking. This report examines the hypothesis that Cav-1 confers an anti-AF effect by mediating atrial structural remodeling through its anti-fibrotic action.

ZP123 reduces energy required for defibrillation by preventing connexin43 remodeling during prolonged ventricular fibrillation in swine.

In ventricular fibrillation, the uncoupling of gap junctions slows conduction velocity and increases action-potential dispersion, which slows and diminishes defibrillation. We studied how the peptide ZP123, a gap-junction enhancer, might lower defibrillation-energy requirements during ventricular fibrillation in live pigs. We randomly assigned 33 pigs into 3 groups: ZP123 (receiving a 1-µg/kg bolus and 10 µg/kg/hr of ZP123), control (receiving saline solution), and sham (undergoing a sham operation).