Julia Krause, Alexander Nickel, Alexandra Madsen, Hamish M Aitken-Buck, A M Stella Stoter, Jessica Schrapers, Francisco Ojeda, Kira Geiger, Melanie Kern, Michael Kohlhaas, Edoardo Bertero, Patrick Hofmockel, Florian Hübner, Ines Assum, Matthias Heinig, Christian Müller, Arne Hansen, Tobias Krause, Deung-Dae Park, Steffen Just, Dylan Aïssi, Daniela Börnigen, Diana Lindner, Nele Friedrich, Khaled Alhussini, Constanze Bening, Renate B Schnabel, Mahir Karakas, Licia Iacoviello, Veikko Salomaa, Allan Linneberg, Hugh Tunstall-Pedoe, Kari Kuulasmaa, Paulus Kirchhof, Stefan Blankenberg, Torsten Christ, Thomas Eschenhagen, Regis R Lamberts, Christoph Maack, Justus Stenzig, Tanja Zeller
BACKGROUND: Long-chain acyl-carnitines (ACs) are potential arrhythmogenic metabolites. Their role in atrial fibrillation (AF) remains incompletely understood. Using a systems medicine approach, we assessed the contribution of C18:1AC to AF by analysing its in vitro effects on cardiac electrophysiology and metabolism, and translated our findings into the human setting. METHODS AND RESULTS: Human iPSC-derived engineered heart tissue was exposed to C18:1AC. A biphasic effect on contractile force was observed: short exposure enhanced contractile force, but elicited spontaneous contractions and impaired Ca2+ handling...
August 24, 2023: Journal of Translational Medicine