Altered gene expression in heart failure
Sunday, August 6, 2017 - 18:22
in Health & Medicine
Heart tissue from patients with heart failure exhibits increased levels of Cdk8 protein. Mimicking this increased Cdk8 expression in transgenic mouse hearts alters gene expression in a way that promotes heart failure. When researchers examined the mouse heart cells before a decrease in heart function was detectable, they found over 3,400 genes already expressed with a profile similar to that of human heart muscle cells with dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure.