TGF-β1 signal pathway in the regulation of inflammation in patients with atrial fibrillation

Abstract Objective To observe the expression changes of inflammatory markers TGF-β1, Smad3 and IL-6 in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), and to explore the significance of TGF-β1 signaling pathway in the structural remodeling of AF. Methods The expression of TGF-β1, Smad3 and IL-6 in 50 cases with AF and 30 normal cases were detected by RT-PCR and ELISA. Results The TGF-β1, Smad3 and IL-6 mRNA and protein expression levels in patients with AF were significantly higher than that in the control group ( P P >0.05). The TGF-β1mRNA expression in the ⩾ 50 years subgroup was significantly higher than that in the P P r =0.687, r =0.547). There were also a positive correlation between Smad3 and IL-6 mRNA ( r =0.823). Conclusions AF is associated with inflammation, and the inflammation is also involved in the fibrillation and sustain of AF. The TGF-β1 signal pathway may be involved in the process of atrial structural remodeling in patients with AF, and iss related with the occurrence and maintenance of AF.