[Effect of hepatocyte growth factor and transforming growth factor-β(1) on atrial fibroblasts fibrosis].

Abstract To investigate the effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and transforming growth factor-β(1) (TGFβ(1)) on the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and collagen I in human atrial fibroblast in vitro, and to explore the possible molecular mechanism of atrial fibrosis in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Human atrial fibroblast, isolated from aseptic right atrial appendage tissues of 10 sinus rhythm (SR) and 10 chronic atrial fibrillation (CAF) patients, were cultured with HGF and TGFβ(1). mRNA expressions of collagen I and α-SMA were detected by semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), the protein expression of α-SMA was determined by immunofluorescence and Western blot. (1) Compared with SR group, left atrium was significantly dilated in CAF group (t = 2.692, P