Effects of chronic left ventricular pressure overload in gene expression of both atria in male rats

Hypertension, and structural heart diseases are associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation. Strenuous exercise is also associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation. Whether similar mechanisms underly the atrial cardiomypathy in both cases is currently uknown. We conducted an RNA microarray of right and left atria of sham and TAC rats to uncover the mechanisms driving atrial remodeling. These results were compared with remodeling induced by different loads of exercise (GSE289211). A group of male Wister rats were submitted to a transverse aortic constriction (TAC) or a sham surgery. Left ventricular hypertrophy of dysfunction was confirmed in all included rats in the TAC group by mean of an echocardiography. Atrial tissue was collected 6 weeks after surgery.