title: Cardiocyte nuclear chromatin density correlates with transplanted heart left ventricular mass.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiocyte hypertrophy is accompanied by polyploidy, seen as a decrease in chromatin density in the enlarged nucleus. Repeated biopsies of a transplanted heart offer the possibility of a dynamic evaluation of these phenomena. The aim of this work was an evaluation of cardiocyte nuclear chromatin density in transplanted hearts during long-term follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  The material encompassed myocardial biopsy specimens taken during the first week, first month, and then on an annual basis up to 10 years after surgery. Only biopsy specimens with no rejection were considered (grade "0" International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation [ISHLT] 122 biopsy specimens). The control group consisted of 7 donor heart specimens. We evaluated the optical density-mean gray level-of cardiomyocyte nuclear chromatin. We determined correlations of this index with the nuclear area, and with left ventricle ultrasound measurements, using correlation analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The chromatin mean gray level decreased with time, correlating positively with interventricular septum thickness, left ventricle posterior wall diameter, and left ventricular mass. Analysis of individual periods showed a significant positive correlation of the mean grey level with the cardiocyte nuclear surface in year 3, 4, and 9 after transplantation, thereby suggesting the occurrence of polyploidy at those times. The significant negative correlation of these values (1 week and 1 year) indicated normalization of early cardiocyte hypertrophy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With the passage of time chromatin condenses, leading to pyknosis. The activity of cardiocyte chromatin correlated with left ventricular hypertrophy. Compensatory cardiomyocyte polyploidy is a periodical phenomenon.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery & Transplantation, Silesian Center for Heart Disease, Zabrze, Poland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nozyński
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zakliczyński
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zembala-Nozyńska
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Konecka-Mrówká
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Przybylski
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nikiel
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mlynarczyk-Liszka
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mrówka
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Przybylski
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maruszewski
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zembala
mesh_terms: D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000473:pathology; D002843:Chromatin / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004452:Echocardiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016678:Genome; D006346:Heart Septum / Q000473:pathology; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000166:cytology*; D011123:Polyploidy; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin