Abstract
Heart failure is a growing epidemic, with systemic hypertension a major risk factor for development of disease. However, the molecular determinants that prevent the transition from a state of hypertensive load to that of overt cardiac failure remain largely unknown. Here in experimental hypertension, knockout of the KCNJ11 gene, encoding the Kir6.2 pore-forming subunit of the sarcolemmal ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel, predisposed to heart failure and death. Defective decoding of hypertension-induced metabolic distress signals in the (KATP) channel knockout set in motion pathological calcium overload and aggravated cardiac remodeling through a calcium/calcineurin-dependent cyclosporine-sensitive pathway. Rescue of the failing (KATP) knockout phenotype was achieved by alternative control of myocardial calcium influx, bypassing uncoupled metabolic-electrical integration. The intact KCNJ11-encoded (KATP) channel is thus a required safety element preventing hypertension-induced heart failure, with channel dysfunction a molecular substrate for stress-associated channelopathy in cardiovascular disease.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 2285-2297 |
Number of pages | 13 |
Journal | Human molecular genetics |
Volume | 15 |
Issue number | 15 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Aug 1 2006 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Genetics(clinical)