Dilated cardiomyopathy in Erb-b4-deficient ventricular muscle

The neuregulin receptor tyrosine kinase Erb-b4, initially linked to early cardiac development, is shown here to play a critical role in adult cardiac function. In wild-type mice, Erb-b4 protein localized to Z lines and to intercalated disks, suggesting a role in subcellular and intercellular communi...

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Autores principales: García-Rivello, H., Taranda, J., Said, M., Cabeza-Meckert, P., Vila-Petroff, M., Scaglione, J., Ghio, S., Chen, J., Lai, C., Laguens, R.P., Lloyd, K.C., Hertig, C.M.
Formato: JOUR
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Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_03636135_v289_n358-3_pH1153_GarciaRivello
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Sumario:The neuregulin receptor tyrosine kinase Erb-b4, initially linked to early cardiac development, is shown here to play a critical role in adult cardiac function. In wild-type mice, Erb-b4 protein localized to Z lines and to intercalated disks, suggesting a role in subcellular and intercellular communications of cardiomyocytes. Conditional inactivation of erb-b4 in ventricular muscle cells led to a severe dilated cardiomyopathy, characterized by thinned ventricular walls with eccentric hypertrophy, reduced contractility, and delayed conduction. This cardiac dysfunction may account for premature death in adult erb-b4-knockout mice. This study establishes a critical role for Erb-b4 in the maintenance of normal postnatal cardiac structure and function. Copyright © 2005 the American Physiological Society.