Unraveling of genetic causes of atrial fibrillation: from mechanism to treatment

Younger people may experience atrial fibrillation due to a genetic cause. The German-Dutch research team has identified atrial fibrillation families that carry mutations in genes responsible for proteins of the cytoskeleton, the building blocks of heart cells.

Recently published findings from the lab of Prof. Bianca Brundel indicate that atrial fibrillation causes DNA damage in atrial cells. In addition, cytoskeletal protein mutations are also found to cause DNA damage in the atrial cells and thus may drive atrial fibrillation. The project aims to

• uncover the exact mechanism by which mutations in cytoskeletal proteins cause DNA damage and atrial fibrillation.
• test several drugs to develop new therapies for genetic atrial fibrillation patients.

Project name: DnAFiX – DNA damage in cytoskeletal protein mutation-induced atrial fibrillation: a guide to novel treatment and screening targets | Partners: Prof. Bianca Brundel, (Amsterdam UMC); Prof. Natasja de Groot (Erasmus MC); Prof. Rudolf de Boer (UMCG, Groningen), Prof. Niels Voigt (UMCG, Göttingen), Prof. Denise Hilfiker-Kleiner (University Hannover), Prof. Hendrik Milting (HDZ, Bad-Oeyenhausen)

This project has been awarded within the British, Dutch, and German initiative to enable scientists to collaborate on joint projects to investigate essential issues in cardiovascular medicine. The organisations British Heart Foundation (BHF), Hartstichting, and the German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) have set up a joint research programme for this purpose. DnAFix project is one out of three awarded projects. https://dzhk.de/en/news/latest-news/article/working-together-to-strengthen-cardiovascular-research-in-europe/

For further information on this project you can contact Prof. Bianca Brundel, b.brundel@amsterdamumc.nl

Thank you Miles Henderson for preparing the graphic abstract.