Development of a novel therapy for peripartum cardiomyopathy using natriuretic peptides

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26461100
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Cardiovascular medicine
• Research Institution: National Cardiovascular Center Research Institute
• Principal Investigator: OTANI KENTARO 国立研究開発法人国立循環器病研究センター, 研究所, 上級研究員 (50470191)
• Research Collaborator: KAMIYA CHIZUKO 国立研究開発法人国立循環器病研究センター, 医師 (10551301) ; NISHIMURA HIROHITO 国立研究開発法人国立循環器病研究センター研究所, 流動研究員 (30739735)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 周産期心筋症 / ナトリウム利尿ペプチド / 授乳 / 心肥大

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In recent work, we demonstrated that mice lacking guanylyl cyclase-A (GC-A-KO), a receptor for atrial and brain natriuretic peptides, show severe postpartum cardiac hypertrophy. Interestingly, the postpartum cardiac hypertrophy in GC-A-KO was induced during lactation. The aim was to investigate the mechanisms underlying the lactation-induced cardiac hypertrophy in GC-A-KO. Additionally, we examined the single-nucleotide polymorphisms of natriuretic peptide-related genes in patients with peripatrum cardiomyopathy (PPCM). Plasma aldosterone level was significantly elevated in lactating GC-A-KO. Furthermore, the administration of a specific mineralocorticoid receptor blocker during lactation significantly suppressed the cardiac hypertrophy in GC-A-KO. Therefore, aldosterone would be a cause of lactation-induced cardiac hypertrophy in GC-A-KO. In addition, genotype distribution of natriuretic peptide clearance receptor gene differed markedly between women with PPCM and their controls.

Free Research Field

循環器内科学