Gq protein activation by atrial stretch in heart failure (HF). (A14*)

• Subject Area: Anatomy and Physiology
• Term: from 2020 to 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 193793266

In A14, we focus on Gq protein activation by atrial stretch in HF with the hypothesis that this causes atrial cardiomyopathy and arrhythmias. Acute and chronic effects of the Gq signalling cascade will be determined in cardiomyocytes using a new optogenetic approach, and acute stretch will be induced in neonatal cardiomyocytes with hypo-osmolaric solutions. Atrial engineered heart muscle will be examined using recently developed biomimetic setups allowing us to apply different levels of stretch and determine the acute and chronic effects of stretch in atrial tissue. Chronic stretch will be induced in mice by atrial dilatation, utilizing heart failure models including transaortic constriction and aorto-caval shunt. Finally, the biomimetic setups will be used with atrial slices from pigs to further evaluate the relevance and mechanisms of atrial dysfunction for the pathophysiology of heart failure.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1002: Modulatory Units in Heart Failure
• Applicant Institution: Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
• Project Head: Professor Dr. Tobias Brügmann