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Garand M, Huang SSY, Dineen B, Glass IA, Eghtesady P. Differential Regulation of Immune-Related Genes in the Developing Heart. Pediatr Cardiol 2025; 46:442-457. [PMID: 38480572 DOI: 10.1007/s00246-024-03441-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2025]
Abstract
In many congenital heart defects, it can be difficult to ascertain primary pathology from secondary consequences from altered flow through the developing heart. The molecular differences between the growing right and left ventricles (RV and LV, respectively) following the completion of septation and the impact of sex on these mechanisms have not been investigated. We analyzed RNA-seq data derived from twelve RV and LVs, one with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS), to compare the transcriptomic landscape between the ventricles during development. Differential gene expression analysis revealed a large proportion of genes unique to either the RV or LV as well as sex bias. Our GO enrichment and network analysis strategy highlighted the differential role of immune functions between the RV and LV in the developing heart. Comparatively, RNA-seq analysis of data from C57Bl6/J mice hearts collected at E14 resulted in the enrichment of similar processes related to T cells and leukocyte migration and activation. Differential gene expression analysis of an HLHS case highlighted significant downregulation of chromatin organization pathways and upregulation of genes involved in muscle organ development. This analysis also identified previously unreported upregulation of genes involved in IL-17 production pathways. In conclusion, differences exist between the gene expression profiles of RV versus LV with the expression of immune-related genes being significantly different between these two chambers. The pathogenesis of HLHS may involve alterations in the expression of chromatin and muscle gene organization as well as upregulation of the IL-17 response pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Garand
- Division of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Susie S Y Huang
- Division of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Brian Dineen
- Division of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ian A Glass
- Department of Pediatrics and Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Pirooz Eghtesady
- Division of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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2
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Bates ML, Vasileva A, Flores LDM, Pryakhina Y, Buckman M, Tomasson MH, DeRuisseau LR. Sex differences in cardiovascular disease and dysregulation in Down syndrome. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2023; 324:H542-H552. [PMID: 36800509 PMCID: PMC10042600 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00544.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
This meta-analysis, which consisted of a scoping review and retrospective medical record review, is focused on potential sex differences in cardiovascular diseases in patients with Down syndrome. We limited our review to peer-reviewed, primary articles in the English language, in the PubMed and Web of Science databases from 1965 to 2021. Guidelines for scoping reviews were followed throughout the process. Four categorical domains were identified and searched using additional keywords: 1) congenital heart disease, 2) baseline physiology and risk factors, 3) heart disease and hypertension, and 4) stroke and cerebrovascular disease. Articles were included if they reported male and female distinct data, participants with Down syndrome, and one of our keywords. The retrospective medical record review was completed using 75 participating health care organizations to identify the incidence of congenital and cardiovascular diseases and to quantify cardiovascular risk factors in male and female patients. Female patients with Down syndrome are at higher risk of hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and cerebrovascular disease. The risk of congenital heart disease is higher in males with Down syndrome at all ages included in our analyses. Some of the male-to-female sex differences in cardiovascular disease risk in the general patient population are not present, or reversed in the Down syndrome population. This information should be considered for future investigations and ongoing patient care.NEW & NOTEWORTHY In patients with Down syndrome (DS), CHD is the leading cause of death <20 yr old and cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in individuals >20 yr old. Men with DS live longer than women. It is unknown if sex differences are present in cardiovascular disease and dysregulation in DS across the lifespan. We observed higher risk of hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and cerebrovascular disease in females and a higher risk of CHD in males with DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa L Bates
- Department of Health and Human Physiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
| | - Anastasiia Vasileva
- Department of Health and Human Physiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
| | - Laura D M Flores
- Department of Health and Human Physiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
| | - Yana Pryakhina
- Department of Basic Sciences, University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
| | - Michelle Buckman
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
| | - Michael H Tomasson
- Department of Health and Human Physiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
| | - Lara R DeRuisseau
- Department of Basic Sciences, University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
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3
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Epigenetic Evaluation of the TBX20 Gene and Environmental Risk Factors in Mexican Paediatric Patients with Congenital Septal Defects. Cells 2023; 12:cells12040586. [PMID: 36831251 PMCID: PMC9953838 DOI: 10.3390/cells12040586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The TBX20 gene has a key role during cardiogenesis, and it has been related to epigenetic mechanisms in congenital heart disease (CHD). The purpose of this study was to assess the association between DNA methylation status and congenital septal defects. The DNA methylation of seven CpG sites in the TBX20 gene promoter was analyzed through pyrosequencing as a quantitative method in 48 patients with congenital septal defects and 104 individuals with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). The average methylation was higher in patients than in PDA (p < 0.001). High methylation levels were associated with a higher risk of congenital septal defects (OR = 4.59, 95% CI = 1.57-13.44, p = 0.005). The ROC curve analysis indicated that methylation of the TBX20 gene could be considered a risk marker for congenital septal defects (AUC = 0.682; 95% CI = 0.58-0.77; p < 0.001). The analysis of environmental risk factors in patients with septal defects and PDA showed an association between the consumption of vitamins (OR = 0.10; 95% CI = 0.01-0.98; p = 0.048) and maternal infections (OR = 3.10; 95% CI = 1.26-7.60; p = 0.013). These results suggest that differences in DNA methylation of the TBX20 gene can be associated with septal defects.
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Metabolomics: A New Tool in Our Understanding of Congenital Heart Disease. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 9:children9121803. [PMID: 36553246 PMCID: PMC9776621 DOI: 10.3390/children9121803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Although the genetic origins underpinning congenital heart disease (CHD) have been extensively studied, genes, by themselves, do not entirely predict phenotypes, which result from the complex interplay between genes and the environment. Consequently, genes merely suggest the potential occurrence of a specific phenotype, but they cannot predict what will happen in reality. This task can be revealed by metabolomics, the most promising of the "omics sciences". Though metabolomics applied to CHD is still in its infant phase, it has already been applied to CHD prenatal diagnosis, as well as to predict outcomes after cardiac surgery. Particular metabolomic fingerprints have been identified for some of the specific CHD subtypes. The hallmarks of CHD-related pulmonary arterial hypertension have also been discovered. This review, which is presented in a narrative format, due to the heterogeneity of the selected papers, aims to provide the readers with a synopsis of the literature on metabolomics in the CHD setting.
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Lepage C, Gaudet I, Doussau A, Vinay MC, Gagner C, von Siebenthal Z, Poirier N, Simard MN, Paquette N, Gallagher A. The role of parenting stress in anxiety and sleep outcomes in toddlers with congenital heart disease. Front Pediatr 2022; 10:1055526. [PMID: 36683797 PMCID: PMC9853386 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.1055526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This retrospective cohort study investigates how parenting stress, measured at 4 months of age by use of a classic three-dimensional parent-reported scale (Parenting Stress Index, 4th Ed. or PSI-4), can predict anxiety symptoms and quality of sleep at 24 months in toddlers with congenital heart disease (CHD). STUDY DESIGN Sixty-six toddlers with CHD followed at our cardiac neurodevelopmental follow-up clinic were included in this study. As part of their systematic developmental assessment program, parents completed questionnaires on their stress level (PSI-4) when their child was 4 months old, and on their child's anxiety symptoms and quality of sleep at 24 months. Eight multiple linear regression models were built on the two measures collected at 24 months using the PSI-4 scores collected at 4 months. For each measure, four models were built from the PSI-4 total score and its three subscales (Parental Distress, Parent-Child Dysfunctional Interaction, Difficult Child), controlling for sex and socioeconomic status. RESULTS The PSI-4 Difficult Child subscale, which focuses on parenting anxiety related to the child's behavioral problems and poor psychosocial adjustment, accounted for 17% of the child's anxiety symptoms at 24 months. The two other PSI-4 subscales (Parental Distress and Parent-Child Dysfunctional Interaction) and the PSI-4 total score did not contribute significantly to the models. None of the four regression models on perceived quality of sleep were significant. It is important to note that 33% of parents responded defensively to the PSI-4. CONCLUSIONS Parenting stress related to the child's behavioral problems and poor psychosocial adjustment, measured when the child is 4 months old, is associated with the child's ulterior anxiety symptoms. As very few standardized tools are available to assess the behavioral and psychoaffective development of infants, this study highlights the importance of early psychosocial screening in parents of infants with CHD. The high rate of significant Defensive Responding Indices reminds us to not take parent reports at face value, as their actual stress levels might be higher.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Lepage
- Research Center, Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Isabelle Gaudet
- Research Center, Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Amélie Doussau
- Clinique d'investigation neurocardiaque (CINC), Sainte-Justine University Hospital, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Marie-Claude Vinay
- Clinique d'investigation neurocardiaque (CINC), Sainte-Justine University Hospital, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Charlotte Gagner
- Clinique d'investigation neurocardiaque (CINC), Sainte-Justine University Hospital, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Zorina von Siebenthal
- Clinique d'investigation neurocardiaque (CINC), Sainte-Justine University Hospital, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Nancy Poirier
- Research Center, Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Clinique d'investigation neurocardiaque (CINC), Sainte-Justine University Hospital, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiac Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Marie-Noëlle Simard
- Research Center, Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada.,School of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Natacha Paquette
- Research Center, Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Anne Gallagher
- Research Center, Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
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6
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Bhimani SA, Hsich E, Boyle G, Liu W, Worley S, Bostdorff H, Nasman C, Saarel E, Amdani S. Sex disparities in the current era of pediatric heart transplantation in the United States. J Heart Lung Transplant 2021; 41:391-399. [PMID: 34933797 DOI: 10.1016/j.healun.2021.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While sex-related differences in transplant outcomes have been well characterized amongst adults, there are no sex-specific pediatric heart transplant studies over the last decade and none evaluating waitlist outcomes. In a contemporary cohort of children undergoing heart transplantation in the United States, this analysis was performed to determine if there were sex disparities in waitlist and/or post-transplant outcomes. METHODS Retrospective review of Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients database from December 16, 2011 to February 28, 2019 to compare male and female children after listing and after transplant. Demographic, clinical characteristics and outcomes were compared unadjusted and after 1:1 propensity matching for selected covariates. RESULTS Of 4089 patients, 2299 (56%) were males. At listing, males were more likely to be older, have congenital heart disease (58% vs 48%), renal dysfunction (49% vs 44%) and implantable cardioverter defibrillator (9% vs 7%). At transplant, males were more likely to have renal (42 % vs 35%) and liver dysfunction (13% vs 10%), PRA >10% (29% vs 22%) and ischemic time >3.5 hours (p < 0.05 for all). There were no significant sex differences found in unadjusted rates of transplant or mortality. After propensity matching, females had increased waitlist mortality (HR 1.3, 95%CI 1.04-1.5; p =0.019) compared to males. There were no significant differences in post-transplant morbidity or mortality (HR 1.2, 95% CI 0.93-1.5; p = 0.18) between groups. CONCLUSION In a contemporary pediatric cohort, females have inferior heart transplant waitlist survival compared to propensity-matched males despite lower acuity of illness at listing and similar rates of transplantation. There were no sex-disparities noted in post-transplant outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salima A Bhimani
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Eileen Hsich
- Heart and Vascular Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Gerard Boyle
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Wei Liu
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Sarah Worley
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Hannah Bostdorff
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Colleen Nasman
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio
| | | | - Shahnawaz Amdani
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio.
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7
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Risk Factors of Right Ventricular Dysfunction and Adverse Cardiac Events in Patients with Repaired Tetralogy of Fallot. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph181910549. [PMID: 34639849 PMCID: PMC8507852 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph181910549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Aim: This study evaluates the risk factors associated with right ventricular (RV) dilation and dysfunction leading to pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) or adverse cardiac events in repaired Tetralogy of Fallot (rToF) patients. Methods: Data from all rToF patients who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluation at our hospital between February 2007 and September 2020 were collected. Results: Three hundred and forty-two patients (60% males, 42% older than 18 years), with a median age of 16 years (IQR 13–24) at the time of MRI, were included. All patients underwent complete repair at a median age of 8 months (IQR 5–16), while palliation was performed in 56 patients (16%). One hundred and forty-four patients (42%) subsequently received pulmonary valve replacement (PVR). At the multivariate analysis, male gender was an independent predictor for significant RV dilation, RV and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. Transventricular ventricular septal defect (VSD) closure and previous palliation significantly affected LV function and RV size, respectively. Male gender and the transventricular VSD closure were independent predictors for PVR. Conclusions: Male gender and surgical history (palliation, VSD closure approach) significantly affected the long-term outcomes in rToF patients and should be taken into consideration in the follow-up management and in PVR timing in this patient population.
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8
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Does Oxygen Content Play a Role in Spontaneous Closure of Perimembranous Ventricular Septal Defects? CHILDREN-BASEL 2021; 8:children8100881. [PMID: 34682146 PMCID: PMC8534918 DOI: 10.3390/children8100881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
(1) Background: the impact of a series of laboratory parameters (haemoglobin, haematocrit, foetal haemoglobin, peripheral oxygen saturation, iron, transferrin, ferritin, and albumin) on perimembranous ventricular septal defects spontaneous healing was tested. (2) Methods: one hundred and seven patients were enrolled in the study (57% males; mean age 2.1 ± 0.4 years) and were subsequently subdivided into two groups: self-healing (n = 36) and in need of intervention (n = 71). Self-healing subjects were defined on the basis of an absence of residual shunts at colorDoppler across the previous defect. (3) Results: no statistically significant differences were reported in the size of perimembranous ventricular septal defects between the two groups (p = ns). Conversely, prevalence of anaemia was significantly higher in those requiring intervention than in the self-healing group (p < 0.03), while haemoglobin, iron, ferritin, and albumin levels were lower (p < 0.001, p < 0.05, p < 0.02, p < 0.007, respectively). In multivariable linear regression analysis, only haemoglobin and albumin were found to be associated with spontaneous closure (p < 0.005 and p < 0.02, respectively). In multiple logistic regression analysis, haemoglobin independently increased the probability of self-healing of perimembranous ventricular septal defects (p = 0.03). All patients needing an interventional closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defects presented with haemoglobin <12.7 g/dL. (4) Conclusion: the self-resolution of perimembranous ventricular septal defects seems to rely on numerous factors, including oxygen content, which is likely to promote cell proliferation as well as tissue regeneration. Haemoglobin blood concentration seems to influence the natural history of perimembranous ventricular septal defects and improvement of anaemia by supplementation of iron intake might represent a simple and reliable method to promote self-healing.
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9
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Bassareo PP, Deidda M, Calcaterra G, Marras AR, Marras M, Saba L. Right ventricular diastolic function in post-surgical Tetralogy of Fallot patients: A pilot study to make a comparison between echocardiography and cardiac MRI. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CARDIOLOGY CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcchd.2021.100135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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10
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Faim D, Tiago J, Castelo R, Francisco A, Alves R, Pires A. Congenital Heart Disesase: A Retrospective Analysis from a Tertiary Referral Centre in Portugal. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR SCIENCES 2021. [DOI: 10.36660/ijcs.20200238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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11
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Deegan DF, Nigam P, Engel N. Sexual Dimorphism of the Heart: Genetics, Epigenetics, and Development. Front Cardiovasc Med 2021; 8:668252. [PMID: 34124200 PMCID: PMC8189176 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2021.668252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The democratization of genomic technologies has revealed profound sex biases in expression patterns in every adult tissue, even in organs with no conspicuous differences, such as the heart. With the increasing awareness of the disparities in cardiac pathophysiology between males and females, there are exciting opportunities to explore how sex differences in the heart are established developmentally. Although sexual dimorphism is traditionally attributed to hormonal influence, expression and epigenetic sex biases observed in early cardiac development can only be accounted for by the difference in sex chromosome composition, i.e., XX in females and XY in males. In fact, genes linked to the X and Y chromosomes, many of which encode regulatory factors, are expressed in cardiac progenitor cells and at every subsequent developmental stage. The effect of the sex chromosome composition may explain why many congenital heart defects originating before gonad formation exhibit sex biases in presentation, mortality, and morbidity. Some transcriptional and epigenetic sex biases established soon after fertilization persist in cardiac lineages, suggesting that early epigenetic events are perpetuated beyond early embryogenesis. Importantly, when sex hormones begin to circulate, they encounter a cardiac genome that is already functionally distinct between the sexes. Although there is a wealth of knowledge on the effects of sex hormones on cardiac function, we propose that sex chromosome-linked genes and their downstream targets also contribute to the differences between male and female hearts. Moreover, identifying how hormones influence sex chromosome effects, whether antagonistically or synergistically, will enhance our understanding of how sex disparities are established. We also explore the possibility that sexual dimorphism of the developing heart predicts sex-specific responses to environmental signals and foreshadows sex-biased health-related outcomes after birth.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nora Engel
- Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Fels Institute for Cancer Research, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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12
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Rykiel G, Gray M, Rongish B, Rugonyi S. Transient increase in VEGF-A leads to cardiac tube anomalies and increased risk of congenital heart malformations. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2021; 304:2685-2702. [PMID: 33620155 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a critical role during early heart development. Clinical evidence shows that conditions associated with changes in VEGF signaling in utero are correlated with an increased risk of congenital heart defects (CHD) in newborns. However, how malformations develop after abnormal VEGF exposure is unknown. During embryogenesis, a primitive heart, consisting of an endocardial tube enveloped by a myocardial mantle, is the first organ to function. This tubular heart ultimately transforms into a four-chambered heart. To determine how a transient increase in VEGF prior to heart tube formation affects heart development leading to CHD, we applied exogenous VEGF or a control (vehicle) solution to quail embryos in ovo at Hamburger-Hamilton (HH) stage 8 (28-30 hr of incubation), right before heart tube formation. Light microscopy analysis of embryos re-incubated after treatment for 13 hrs (to approximately HH11/HH12) showed that increased VEGF leads to impaired heart tube elongation accompanied by diameter expansion. Micro-CT analysis of embryos re-incubated for 9 days (to approximately HH38), when the heart is fully formed, showed that VEGF treatment increased the rate of cardiac malformations in surviving embryos. Despite no sex differences in survival, female embryos were more likely to develop cardiac malformations. Our results further suggest that heart tube malformations after a transient increase in VEGF right before heart tube formation may be reversible, leading to normal hearts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham Rykiel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - MacKenzie Gray
- Department of Biology, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Brenda Rongish
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Sandra Rugonyi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
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13
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Gargiulo GD, Bassareo PP, Careddu L, Egidy-Assenza G, Angeli E, Calcaterra G. What have we learnt 50 years after the first Fontan procedure? J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) 2020; 21:349-358. [PMID: 32141975 DOI: 10.2459/jcm.0000000000000951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The Fontan procedure is often the only definitive palliative surgical option for patients with a variety of complex CHD sharing in common, a single, dominant ventricle. In recent decades, imaging and therapeutic improvement have played a crucial role in those patients in whom many complications can hamper their life. After 50 years from the first procedure, heart transplantation remains the only definitive treatment for those with a failing Fontan circulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaetano D Gargiulo
- Pediatric Cardiac Surgery and GUCH Unit, University of Bologna, S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital Bologna, Italy
| | - Pier P Bassareo
- University College of Dublin, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital and Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin, Dublin, Republic of Ireland
| | - Lucio Careddu
- Pediatric Cardiac Surgery and GUCH Unit, University of Bologna, S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital Bologna, Italy
| | - Gabriele Egidy-Assenza
- Pediatric Cardiac Surgery and GUCH Unit, University of Bologna, S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital Bologna, Italy
| | - Emanuela Angeli
- Pediatric Cardiac Surgery and GUCH Unit, University of Bologna, S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital Bologna, Italy
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14
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D'Alto M, Budts W, Diller GP, Mulder B, Egidy Assenza G, Oreto L, Ciliberti P, Bassareo PP, Gatzoulis MA, Dimopoulos K. Does gender affect the prognosis and risk of complications in patients with congenital heart disease in the modern era? Int J Cardiol 2019; 290:156-161. [PMID: 31085083 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2019.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Gender differences in the outcome of acquired cardiovascular disease are well known, but available literature on the influence of gender in congenital heart disease (CHD) is limited. Registries have provided valuable, albeit at times conflicting data. Higher mortality rates have been reported in older males with CHD, while sudden cardiac death is more prevalent in young males. However, mortality around surgery for CHD is higher in girls compared to boys, likely due to smaller body size. Women are at higher risk of developing pulmonary arterial hypertension, but at lower risk of adverse aortic outcomes, even though they are less likely to receive aortic surgery. Finally, women have a lower risk of presenting with infective endocarditis compared to men. The underlying reasons for gender differences in CHD can be attributed to genetic, hormonal, behavioural and other causes. The aim of the present paper is to provide an overview of available evidence on gender differences in CHD and their impact on outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele D'Alto
- Department of Cardiology, Second University of Naples - Monaldi Hospital, Naples, Italy.
| | - Werner Budts
- Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, University Hospitals Leuven - Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Gerhard P Diller
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Adult Congenital and Valvular Heart Disease Center, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Barbara Mulder
- Department of Cardiology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Gabriele Egidy Assenza
- Pediatric Cardiology Unit, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Lilia Oreto
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Paolo Ciliberti
- Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Pier Paolo Bassareo
- University College of Dublin, Mater Misericordiae University Teaching Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Michael A Gatzoulis
- Adult Congenital Heart Centre and National Centre for Pulmonary Hypertension, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK
| | - Konstantinos Dimopoulos
- Adult Congenital Heart Centre and National Centre for Pulmonary Hypertension, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK
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15
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Kovalenko AA, Anda EE, Odland JØ, Nieboer E, Brenn T, Krettek A. Risk Factors for Ventricular Septal Defects in Murmansk County, Russia: A Registry-Based Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2018; 15:ijerph15071320. [PMID: 29937526 PMCID: PMC6069126 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15071320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2018] [Revised: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cardiovascular malformations are one of the most common birth defects among newborns and constitute a leading cause of perinatal and infant mortality. Although some risk factors are recognized, the causes of cardiovascular malformations (CVMs) remain largely unknown. In this study, we aim to identify risk factors for ventricular septal defects (VSDs) in Northwest Russia. The study population included singleton births registered in the Murmansk County Birth Registry (MCBR) between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2011. Infants with a diagnosis of VSD in the MCBR and/or in the Murmansk Regional Congenital Defects Registry (up to two years post-delivery) constituted the study sample. Among the 52,253 infants born during the study period there were 744 cases of septal heart defects (SHDs), which corresponds to a prevalence of 14.2 [95% confidence interval (CI) of 13.2–15.3] per 1000 infants. Logistic regression analyses were carried out to identify VSD risk factors. Increased risk of VSDs was observed among infants born to mothers who abused alcohol [OR = 4.83; 95% CI 1.88–12.41], or smoked during pregnancy [OR = 1.35; 95% CI 1.02–1.80]. Maternal diabetes mellitus was also a significant risk factor [OR = 8.72; 95% CI 3.16–24.07], while maternal age, body mass index, folic acid and multivitamin intake were not associated with increased risk. Overall risks of VSDs for male babies were lower [OR = 0.67; 95% CI 0.52–0.88].
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton A Kovalenko
- Department of Community Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromsø, Norway.
- International School of Public Health, Northern State Medical University, 163000 Arkhangelsk, Russia.
| | - Erik Eik Anda
- Department of Community Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Jon Øyvind Odland
- Department of Community Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Evert Nieboer
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, L9H 6C6 ON, Canada.
| | - Tormod Brenn
- Department of Community Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Alexandra Krettek
- Department of Community Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromsø, Norway.
- Department of Biomedicine and Public Health, School of Health and Education, University of Skövde, 54128 Skövde, Sweden.
- Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, 41390 Gothenburg, Sweden.
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16
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Abstract
Gender influences the clinical presentation and the management of some acquired cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary artery disease, resulting in different outcomes. Differences between women and men are also noticed in congenital heart disease. They are mainly related to the prevalence and severity of some congenital heart defects at birth, and in adulthood to the prognosis, incidence of Eisenmenger syndrome and risks of pregnancy. The role of gender on the risk of operative mortality of congenital heart surgery remains debated.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Aubry
- Département de cardiologie, groupe hospitalier Bichat-Claude-Bernard, AP-HP, 46, rue Henri-Huchard, 75018 Paris, France; Service de cardiologie, centre hospitalier, 95500 Gonesse, France.
| | - H Demian
- Service de cardiologie, centre hospitalier, 95500 Gonesse, France
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17
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Marongiu E, Crisafulli A. Gender differences in cardiovascular functions during exercise: a brief review. SPORT SCIENCES FOR HEALTH 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s11332-015-0237-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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