A brain-stellate ganglion-atrium network regulates atrial fibrillation vulnerability through macrophages in acute stroke

Publication date: Available online 9 October 2019Source: Life SciencesAuthor(s): Youcheng Wang, Xiaoxing Xiong, Baojun Xie, Jia Liu, Mei Yang, Junkui Yin, Liuliu Zi, Xi Wang, Yanhong Tang, Congxin Huang, Haixia Fu, Qingyan ZhaoAbstractAimsNew-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) is frequently observed following acute stroke. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the brain-stellate ganglion-atrium network on AF vulnerability in a canine model with acute middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO).Materials and methodsTwenty-six dogs were randomly divided into the sham-operated group (n = 6), acute stroke (AS) group (n = 7), stellate ganglion ablation (SGA) group (n = 6) and clodronate liposome (CL) group (n = 7). In the sham-operated group, dogs received craniotomy without MCAO. Cerebral ischemic model was established in AS dogs by right MCAO. Right MCAO along with SGA and CL injection into the atrium was performed in SGA and CL dogs, respectively. After 3 days, atrial electrophysiology, neural activity, and the phenotype and function of macrophages in the atrium were studied in all the dogs.Key findingsHigher AF inducibility (24.4 ± 4.4% versus 4.4 ± 2.2%, P < 0.05) and AF duration (15.7 ± 3.8 s versus 2.6 ± 1.1 s, P < 0.05) were observed in the AS group compared with the sham-operated group, and were associated with increased left stellate ganglion activity, higher macrophage infiltration and higher levels of in...
Source: Life Sciences - Category: Biology Source Type: research