title: Median nerve stimulation prevents atrial electrical remodelling and inflammation in a canine model with rapid atrial pacing.
abstract: Studies have shown that stellate ganglion nerve activity has association with atrial electrical remodelling and atrial fibrillation (AF) inducibility, while median nerve stimulation (MNS) decreases cardiac sympathetic drive. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that MNS suppresses atrial electrical remodelling and AF vulnerability.
  
  
  
  The atrial effective refractory period (AERP) and AF inducibility at baseline and after 3 h of rapid atrial pacing were determined in dogs undergoing MNS (n = 7), MNS+ application of methyllycaconitine (n = 7) or sham procedure (n = 6). Then, the levels of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and acetylcholine (Ach) in the plasma and atrial tissues were measured. The control dogs (n = 4) were assigned to measure atrial inflammation cytokines. Short-term rapid atrial pacing induced shortening of the AERP, an increase in AERP dispersion, and an increase AF vulnerability in the sham dogs, which were all suppressed by MNS. Levels of TNF-a and IL-6 were higher, and Ach levels were lower in the left and the right atrium in the sham dogs than in the MNS dogs. Methyllycaconitine blunted the effects of MNS on the AERP, AERP dispersion, the AF vulnerability, and TNF-a and IL-6 levels in the atrium, but had no impact on the levels of Ach.
  
  
  
  The effects of MNS on atrial electrical remodelling and AF inducibility might be associated with the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuchang, Wuhan City 430060, PR China.
authors.forename: Qingyan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuchang, Wuhan City 430060, PR China.
authors.forename: Shudi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuchang, Wuhan City 430060, PR China.
authors.forename: Hongyi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuchang, Wuhan City 430060, PR China.
authors.forename: Shujuan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuchang, Wuhan City 430060, PR China.
authors.forename: Zixuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuchang, Wuhan City 430060, PR China.
authors.forename: Yongsheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuchang, Wuhan City 430060, PR China.
authors.forename: Youjing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuchang, Wuhan City 430060, PR China.
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuchang, Wuhan City 430060, PR China.
authors.forename: Yanhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Wuhan University, 238 Jiefang Road, Wuchang, Wuhan City 430060, PR China.
authors.forename: Congxin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000097:blood; D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D064752:Atrial Remodeling; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004285:Dogs; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000294:innervation*; D006339:Heart Rate; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008475:Median Nerve; D012032:Refractory Period, Electrophysiological; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000109:Acetylcholine