Reduced Incidence of Vagally Induced Atrial Fibrillation and Expression Levels of Connexins by n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Dogs
Jean-Francois Sarrazin, MD*,
Genevieve Comeau, MSc*,
Pascal Daleau, PhD*, ,
John Kingma, PhD*, ,
Isabelle Plante, PhD*,
Dominique Fournier, MSc* and
Franck Molin, MD*,,*
* Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et Pneumologie, Quebec, Canada
Faculty of Pharmacy, Laval University, Quebec, Canada
Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec, Canada
View larger version (32K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
[Download PPT slide]
|
Figure 1 Induction of AF
Induction of atrial fibrillation (AF) by the extra stimulus technique. A train of paced atrial beats, followed by 2 premature atrial complexes, converted sinus rhythm into AF. ECG = electrocardiogram.
|
|
View larger version (39K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
[Download PPT slide]
|
Figure 2 Serum and Atrial Tissue n-3 PUFA Levels
Oral treatment (PO) increased total atrial tissue n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels, and serum levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and total n-3 PUFAs (p < 0.001).
|
|
View larger version (42K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
[Download PPT slide]
|
Figure 3 Sustained AF Inducibility
Sustained atrial fibrillation (AF) was reduced from 26.0% to 4.2% with the extra stimulus technique by 1 premature atrial complex (PAC) in the oral treatment (PO) group (p = 0.019); AF decreased from 38.0% to 12.5% after 2 PACs in the PO group (p = 0.017); AF decreased from 48.9% to 10.5% after 3 PACs in the PO group (p = 0.003); and AF decreased from 38.8% to 22.5% by burst pacing technique in the PO group (p = 0.038).
|
|
View larger version (23K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
[Download PPT slide]
|
Figure 4 Western Blots for CX in Atrial Tissues
Representative Western blots for connexin (CX)40 (A) and CX43 (B) in atrial tissues from control animals and n-3 PUFA PO dogs. All protein expression levels were tested in duplicate. (C and D) Mean ± standard error of the mean for CX40 and CX43 (n = 8 for control animals and n = 7 for n-3 PUFA PO dogs). *p < 0.05. Abbreviations as in Figure 2.
|
|
|
