TY - JOUR

T1 - Genetic Atrial Cardiomyopathies

T2 - Common Features, Specific Differences, and Broader Relevance to Understanding Atrial Cardiomyopathy

AU - Marcoux, Edouard

AU - Sosnowski, Deanna

AU - Ninni, Sandro

AU - MacKasey, Martin

AU - Cadrin-Tourigny, Julia

AU - Roberts, Jason D.

AU - Olesen, Morten Salling

AU - Fatkin, Diane

AU - Nattel, Stanley

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. All rights reserved.

PY - 2023/12

Y1 - 2023/12

N2 - Atrial cardiomyopathy is a condition that causes electrical and contractile dysfunction of the atria, often along with structural and functional changes. Atrial cardiomyopathy most commonly occurs in conjunction with ventricular dysfunction, in which case it is difficult to discern the atrial features that are secondary to ventricular dysfunction from those that arise as a result of primary atrial abnormalities. Isolated atrial cardiomyopathy (atrial-selective cardiomyopathy [ASCM], with minimal or no ventricular function disturbance) is relatively uncommon and has most frequently been reported in association with deleterious rare genetic variants. The genes involved can affect proteins responsible for various biological functions, not necessarily limited to the heart but also involving extracardiac tissues. Atrial enlargement and atrial fibrillation are common complications of ASCM and are often the predominant clinical features. Despite progress in identifying disease-causing rare variants, an overarching understanding and approach to the molecular pathogenesis, phenotypic spectrum, and treatment of genetic ASCM is still lacking. In this review, we aim to analyze the literature relevant to genetic ASCM to understand the key features of this rather rare condition, as well as to identify distinct characteristics of ASCM and its arrhythmic complications that are related to specific genotypes. We outline the insights that have been gained using basic research models of genetic ASCM in vitro and in vivo and correlate these with patient outcomes. Finally, we provide suggestions for the future investigation of patients with genetic ASCM and improvements to basic scientific models and systems. Overall, a better understanding of the genetic underpinnings of ASCM will not only provide a better understanding of this condition but also promises to clarify our appreciation of the more commonly occurring forms of atrial cardiomyopathy associated with ventricular dysfunction.

AB - Atrial cardiomyopathy is a condition that causes electrical and contractile dysfunction of the atria, often along with structural and functional changes. Atrial cardiomyopathy most commonly occurs in conjunction with ventricular dysfunction, in which case it is difficult to discern the atrial features that are secondary to ventricular dysfunction from those that arise as a result of primary atrial abnormalities. Isolated atrial cardiomyopathy (atrial-selective cardiomyopathy [ASCM], with minimal or no ventricular function disturbance) is relatively uncommon and has most frequently been reported in association with deleterious rare genetic variants. The genes involved can affect proteins responsible for various biological functions, not necessarily limited to the heart but also involving extracardiac tissues. Atrial enlargement and atrial fibrillation are common complications of ASCM and are often the predominant clinical features. Despite progress in identifying disease-causing rare variants, an overarching understanding and approach to the molecular pathogenesis, phenotypic spectrum, and treatment of genetic ASCM is still lacking. In this review, we aim to analyze the literature relevant to genetic ASCM to understand the key features of this rather rare condition, as well as to identify distinct characteristics of ASCM and its arrhythmic complications that are related to specific genotypes. We outline the insights that have been gained using basic research models of genetic ASCM in vitro and in vivo and correlate these with patient outcomes. Finally, we provide suggestions for the future investigation of patients with genetic ASCM and improvements to basic scientific models and systems. Overall, a better understanding of the genetic underpinnings of ASCM will not only provide a better understanding of this condition but also promises to clarify our appreciation of the more commonly occurring forms of atrial cardiomyopathy associated with ventricular dysfunction.

KW - atrial fibrillation

KW - cardiomyopathies

KW - genotype

KW - heart atria

KW - ventricular dysfunction

U2 - 10.1161/CIRCEP.123.003750

DO - 10.1161/CIRCEP.123.003750

M3 - Review

C2 - 38018478

AN - SCOPUS:85180539275

VL - 16

SP - 675

EP - 698

JO - Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology

JF - Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology

SN - 1941-3149

IS - 12

ER -