title: Altered expression of genes for Kir ion channels in dilated cardiomyopathy.
abstract: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a multifactorial disease characterized by left ventricular dilation that is associated with systolic dysfunction and increased action potential duration. The Kir2.x K⁺ channels (encoded by KCNJ genes) regulate the inward rectifier current (IK1) contributing to the final repolarization in cardiac muscle. Here, we describe the transitions in the gene expression profiles of 4 KCNJ genes from healthy or dilated cardiomyopathic human hearts. In the healthy adult ventricles, KCNJ2, KCNJ12, and KCNJ4 (Kir2.1-2.3, respectively) genes were expressed at high levels, while expression of the KCNJ14 (Kir2.4) gene was low. In DCM ventricles, the levels of Kir2.1 and Kir2.3 were upregulated, but those of Kir2.2 channels were downregulated. Additionally, the expression of the DLG1 gene coding for the synapse-associated protein 97 (SAP97) anchoring molecule exhibited a 2-fold decline with increasing age in normal hearts, and it was robustly downregulated in young DCM patients. These adaptations could offer a new aspect for the explanation of the generally observed physiological and molecular alterations found in DCM.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary.
authors.forename: Viktoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Szuts
authors.forename: Dalma
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ménesi
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Varga-Orvos
authors.forename: Ágnes
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Zvara
authors.forename: Nazanin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Houshmand
authors.forename: Miklós
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bitay
authors.forename: Gábor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bogáts
authors.forename: László
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Virág
authors.forename: István
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Baczkó
authors.forename: Balázs
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Szalontai
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Geramipoor
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cotella
authors.forename: Erich
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wettwer
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ravens
authors.forename: Ferenc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Deák
authors.forename: László G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Puskás
authors.forename: Julius Gy
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Papp
authors.forename: Ibolya
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kiss
authors.forename: András
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varró
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jost
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D008875:Middle Aged; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying / Q000235:genetics*; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; D020033:Protein Isoforms