Early and long term results of aortic valve sparing aortic root reimplantation surgery for patients with leaking bicuspid and tricuspid valves

Aim of study: in the present, retrospective study, we evaluate our single centre experience focusing on early and long term clinical outcomes of aortic valve sparing aortic root reimplantation surgery in patients with leaking bicuspid or tricuspid aortic valves. Objectives of study: 1) To evaluate aortic cup repair application rates for different aorticroot and ascending aorta phenotypes among the patients with leakingbicuspid or tricuspid aortic valves; 2) To evaluate early outcomes and functional status following aortic valve sparing aortic root reimplantation surgery among the patients with leaking bicuspid or tricuspid aortic valves; 3) To evaluate long-term survival, major adverse valve-related and aortic events of the aortic valve sparing aortic root reimplantation surgery among the patients with leaking bicuspid or tricuspid aortic valves; 4. To assess left ventricle remodelling by echocardiographic examination among the patients with leaking bicuspid or tricuspid aortic valves during follow up period; 5) To identify prognostic factors of recurrent severe aortic regurgitation (> 2+) after the aortic valve sparing aortic root reimplantation surgery. We believe that our data supplement existing outcomes and support the current trend towards extention of the indications for the aortic valve sparing aortic root reimplantation surgery

Detection of TRPM6 and TRPM7 Proteins in Normal and Diseased Cardiac Atrial Tissue and Isolated Cardiomyocytes

Magnesium-sensitive transient receptor potential melastatin (TRPM) ion channels, TRPM6 and TRPM7, are present in several organs, but their roles in the heart remain unclear. Therefore, here, we studied the expression patterns of TRPM6 and TRPM7 in normal and diseased myocardium. Cardiac atrial tissue and cardiomyocytes were obtained from healthy pigs and undiseased human hearts as well as from hearts of patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) or atrial fibrillation (AF). Immunofluorescence and ELISA were used to detect TRP proteins. TRPM6 and TRPM7 immunofluorescence signals, localized at/near the cell surface or intracellularly, were detected in pig and human atrial tissues. The TRP channel modulators carvacrol (CAR, 100 µM) or 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2-APB, 500 µM) decreased the TRPM7 signal, but enhanced that of TRPM6. At a higher concentration (2 mM), 2-APB enhanced the signals of both proteins. TRPM6 and TRPM7 immunofluorescence signals and protein concentrations were increased in atrial cells and tissues from IHD or AF patients. TRPM6 and TRPM7 proteins were both detected in cardiac atrial tissue, with relatively similar subcellular localization, but distinctive drug sensitivity profiles. Their upregulated expression in IHD and AF suggests a possible role of the channels in cardiac atrial disease

Optical Mapping of the Pig Heart in Situ Under Artificial Blood Circulation

The emergence of optical imaging has revolutionized the investigation of cardiac electrical activity and associated disorders in various cardiac pathologies. The electrical signals of the heart and the propagation pathways are crucial for elucidating the mechanisms of various cardiac pathological conditions, including arrhythmia. The synthesis of near-infrared voltage-sensitive dyes and the voltage sensitivity of the FDA-approved dye Cardiogreen have increased the importance of optical mapping (OM) as a prospective tool in clinical practice. We aimed to develop a method for the high-spatiotemporal-resolution OM of the large animal hearts in situ using di-4-ANBDQBS and Cardiogreen under patho/physiological conditions. OM was adapted to monitor cardiac electrical behaviour in an open-chest pig heart model with physiological or artificial blood circulation. We detail the methods and display the OM data obtained using di-4-ANBDQBS and Cardiogreen. Activation time, action potential duration, repolarization time and conduction velocity maps were constructed. The technique was applied to track cardiac electrical activity during regional ischaemia and arrhythmia. Our study is the first to apply high-spatiotemporal-resolution OM in the pig heart in situ to record cardiac electrical activity qualitatively under artificial blood perfusion. The use of an FDA-approved voltage-sensitive dye and artificial blood perfusion in a swine model, which is generally accepted as a valuable pre-clinical model, demonstrates the promise of OM for clinical application