Expression of spliceosome assembly factor SC-35 in TUNEL-positive atrial cardiomyocytes in mitral and tricuspid regurgitation: viability of atrial cardiomyocytes.

BACKGROUND

Most of the atrial cardiomyocytes with positive terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP in situ nick end-labelling (TUNEL) reaction are not apoptotic in patients with mitral and tricuspid valve diseases. The TUNEL-positive myocytes with expression of spliceosome assembly factor SC-35, an indicator of increased RNA synthesis, should be living cardiomyocytes.

METHODS

This study analyzed twenty-three patients with significant mitral and tricuspid regurgitation. Fifteen patients had persistent atrial fibrillation, and eight had sinus rhythm. Atrial appendageal tissues were obtained during surgery. Immunohistochemical study was performed.

RESULTS

Immunohistochemical study of fibrillating right atrial myocardium demonstrated that 44.8 ± 24.6% of myocytes had TUNEL-positive nuclei whereas 39.4 ± 21.4% of myocytes had TUNEL-positive nuclei in sinus right atrial myocardium (p=0.682). However, most (81.6%) nuclei of TUNEL-positive myocytes in the fibrillating right atria also expressed proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), an indicator of DNA replication and repair, and most nuclei (91.8%) of TUNEL-positive myocytes also expressed SC-35. In fibrillating left atria, most (88.1%) nuclei of TUNEL-positive myocytes also expressed SC-35. Similarly, in sinus right atrial myocardium, most (78.0%) nuclei of TUNEL-positive myocytes expressed PCNA, and most (91.4%) nuclei of TUNEL-positive myocytes also expressed SC-35, but none expressed Ki-67, a replication-associated antigen. Additionally, the percentage of TUNEL-positive myocytes in the right atria significantly and positively correlated with the percentage of PCNA-positive myocytes (r=0.826, p<0.001) and SC-35 positive myocytes (r=0.713, p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Most TUNEL-positive atrial cardiomyocytes in patients with mitral and tricuspid regurgitation are living cardiomyocytes.