Atrial fibrillation: the role of the ryanodine receptor (Video) 
(Seminars)
24 July 2012
4 - 5pm
Venue: Ground Floor Seminar Room (G010), UniServices House, 70 Symonds Street, Auckland
A Bioengineering research seminar by Anne M Gillis, Professor of Medicine, Department of Cardiac Sciences, University of Calgary, Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta
Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia and is associated with substantial morbidity. Emerging data suggest that dysfunctional intracellular Ca2+ handling mediated via the cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR2) may be extremely important in the pathogenesis of AF.
In the last several years, Professor Gillis's laboratory has had the opportunity to collaborate with Dr Wayne Chen, an international leader in the molecular biology of RyR2. Dr Chen’s laboratory has demonstrated that the β-blocker carvedilol prevents store overload-induced Ca2+ release mediated by RyR2 whereas other β-blockers do not. Carvedilol has been shown to prevent ventricular tachycardia in a mouse model of catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia due to a RyR2 mutation. Gillis and Chen also have preliminary data that carvedilol and its analogues devoid of β-blocking properties prevent induction of AF in experimental models including a mouse model with the RyR2 mutation R4496C.
Professor Gillis will review data that supports the role of RyR2 in the pathogenesis of Atrial Fibrillation. Based on these data Gillis and Chen are commencing a clinical trial of carvedilol for prevention of paroxysmal AF which will be discussed.
Watch the high-resolution version of this video.
