Molecular mechanism contributing to cardiomyopathy elucidated
Sunday, April 1, 2012 - 15:30
in Biology & Nature
Cardiomyopathy comprises a deterioration of the heart muscle that affects the organ's ability to efficiently pump blood through the body. Forms of the disease were tied to the alternative splicing of titin, a giant protein that determines the heart`s structure and biomechanical properties, but the molecular mechanism remained unknown. Scientists have now found that a gene tied to hereditary cardiomyopathy, regulates titin splicing. Their findings could lead to improve diagnosis and therapies.