Myocarditis-associated necrotizing coronary vasculitis: incidence, cause, and outcome.

AIMS: Necrotizing coronary vasculitis (NCV) is a rare entity usually associated to myocarditis which incidence, cause, and response to therapy is unreported. METHODS AND RESULTS: Among 1916 patients with biopsy-proven myocarditis, 30 had NCV. Endomyocardial samples were retrospectively investigated with immunohistochemistry for toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for viral genomes. Serum samples were processed for anti-heart autoantibodies (Abs), IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Identification of an immunologic pathway (including virus-negativity, TLR4-, and Ab-positivity) was followed by immunosuppression. Myocarditis-NCV cohort was followed for 6 months with 2D-echo and/or cardiac magnetic resonance and compared with 60 Myocarditis patients and 30 controls. Increase in left ventricular ejection fraction ≥10% was classified as response to therapy. Control endomyocardial biopsy followed the end of treatment. Twenty-six Myocarditis-NCV patients presented with heart failure; four with electrical instability. Cause of Myocarditis-NCV included infectious agents (10%) and immune-mediated causes (chest trauma 3%; drug hypersensitivity 7%; hypereosinophilic syndrome 3%; primary autoimmune diseases 33%, idiopathic 44%). Abs were positive in immune-mediated Myocarditis-NCV and virus-negative Myocarditis; Myocarditis-NCV patients with Ab+ presented autoreactivity in vessel walls. Toll-like receptor 4 was overexpressed in immune-mediated forms and poorly detectable in viral. Interleukin-1ß was significantly higher in Myocarditis-NCV than Myocarditis, the former presenting 24% in-hospital mortality compared with 1.5% of Myocarditis cohort. Immunosuppression induced improvement of cardiac function in 88% of Myocarditis-NCV and 86% of virus-negative Myocarditis patients. CONCLUSION: Necrotizing coronary vasculitis is histologically detectable in 1.5% of Myocarditis. Necrotizing coronary vasculitis includes viral and immune-mediated causes. Intra-hospital mortality is 24%. The immunologic pathway is associated with beneficial response to immunosuppression.

Biopsy-proven autoimmune myocarditis in HIV-associated dilated cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Dilated cardiomyopathy occurring in HIV-infected patients raises both diagnostic and therapeutic challenging problems. Indeed myocardial involvement in HIV infection has been variously attributed to several causes, including viral, toxic, nutritional and autoimmune, but no specific treatment capable to substantially improve patients' prognosis has been recognized so far. CASE PRESENTATION: Hereby we describe the case of an autoimmune myocarditis manifesting with heart failure in a3 9-year-old man with HIV infection. Left ventricular endomyocardial biopsy showed a lymphocytic myocarditis characterized by over-expression of HLA-DR and negative polymerase chain reaction for cardiotropic viruses. Steroid treatment was followed by recovery of cardiac dimension and function. CONCLUSION: Presence of auto-reactive myocarditis should be considered in patients with HIV-associated dilated cardiomyopathy. Its recognition by endomyocardial biopsy followed by steroid administration may result in a complete resolution of cardiac disease.

Long-Term Clinical-Pathologic Results of Enzyme Replacement Therapy in Prehypertrophic Fabry Disease Cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: The limited ability of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) in removing globotriaosylceramide from cardiomyocytes is recognized for advanced Fabry disease cardiomyopathy (FDCM). Prehypertrophic FDCM is believed to be cured or stabilized by ERT. However, no pathologic confirmation is available. We report here on the long-term clinical-pathologic impact of ERT on prehypertrophic FDCM. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifteen patients with Fabry disease with left ventricular maximal wall thickness ≤10.5 mm at cardiac magnetic resonance required endomyocardial biopsy because of angina and ventricular arrhythmias. Endomyocardial biopsy showed coronary small-vessel disease in the angina cohort, and vacuoles in smooth muscle cells and cardiomyocytes ≈20% of the cell surface containing myelin bodies at electron microscopy. Patients received α-agalsidase in 8 cases, and ß-agalsidase in 7 cases. Both groups experienced symptom improvement except 1 patients treated with α-agalsidase and 1 treated with ß-agalsidase. After ERT administration ranging from 4 to 20 years, all patients had control cardiac magnetic resonance and left ventricular endomyocardial biopsy because of persistence of symptoms or patient inquiry on disease resolution. In 13 asymptomatic patients with FDCM, left ventricular maximal wall thickness and left ventricular mass, cardiomyocyte diameter, vacuole surface/cell surface ratio, and vessels remained unchanged or minimally increased (left ventricular mass increased by <2%) even after 20 years of observation, and storage material was still present at electron microscopy. In 2 symptomatic patients, FDCM progressed, with larger and more engulfed by globotriaosylceramide myocytes being associated with myocardial virus-negative lymphocytic inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: ERT stabilizes storage deposits and myocyte dimensions in 87% of patients with prehypertrophic FDCM. Globotriaosylceramide is never completely removed even after long-term treatment. Immune-mediated myocardial inflammation can overlap, limiting ERT activity.

Novel ATP2A2 Gene Mutation c.118G>A Causing Keratinocyte and Cardiomyocyte Disconnection in Darier Disease.

Darier disease (DD) is an autosomal dominant disorder due to pathogenic variants of the ATP2A2 gene that causes an isolated skin manifestation based on keratinocyte disconnection and apoptosis. Systemic manifestations of DD have not been demonstrated so far, although a high incidence of neuropsychiatric syndromes suggests an involvement of the central nervous system. We report that the pathogenic ATP2A2 gene variant c.118G>A may cause cardiac involvement in patients with DD, consisting of keratinocyte and cardiomyocyte disconnection. Their common pathologic pathway, still unreported, was documented by both skin and left ventricular endomyocardial biopsies because cardiac dilatation and dysfunction appeared several decades after skin manifestations. Keratinocyte disconnection was paralleled by cardiomyocyte separation at the lateral junction. Cardiomyocyte separation was associated with cell disarray, sarcoplasmic reticulum dilatation, and increased myocyte apoptosis. Clinically, hyperkeratotic skin papules are associated with chest pain, severe muscle exhaustion, and ventricular arrhythmias that improved following administration of aminophylline, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor enhancing SERCA2 protein phosphorylation. Cardiac pathologic changes are similar to those documented in the skin, including cardiomyocyte disconnection that promotes precordial pain and cardiac arrhythmias. Phosphodiesterase inhibitors that enhance SERCA2 protein phosphorylation may substantially attenuate the symptoms.

Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy caused by Fabry disease: implications for surgical myectomy.

Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy can be the phenotype of storage disorders as Fabry disease cardiomyopathy. In this instance, its recognition through GLA gene analysis and preventive administration of enzyme replacement therapy may reduce heart failure risk of surgical septal myectomy (SSM). A 59-year-old man was referred for SSM as dyspnoea and low threshold muscle fatigue associated to severe left ventricular outflow obstruction (gradient of 100 mmHg) due to both interventricular septal hypertrophy and mitral leaflet systolic anterior motion were not controlled by metoprolol 100 mg bid. Electrocardiogram showed sinus rhythm and a complete left bundle branch block. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging showed a preserved left ventricular (LV) contractility (ejection fraction 70%) but failed to reveal reduced T1 mapping and fibrosis of postero-lateral LV wall suggesting Fabry disease cardiomyopathy. Cardiac catheterization and coronary angiography documented increased LV end-diastolic pressure but normal coronary arteries. SSM was followed by acute renal and heart failure with left ventricular ejection fraction declining to 35%. Histology of SSM showed regularly arranged severely enlarged cardiomyocytes containing extensive vacuoles that were intensely positive to immunofluorescence with anti-Gb3 antibodies and appeared at electron microscopy to consist of myelin bodies suggesting the diagnosis of FD. This entity was confirmed by low blood levels of alpha-galactosidase A (0.8 nmol/mL/h; NV > 1), high values of Lyso-Gb3 (5.85 nmol/L; NV < 2.3), and the presence of the pathogenic mutation c.644A>G in the exon 5 of GLA gene. This study emphasizes the importance of a genetic screening for FD before SSM be considered for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

Interleukin-17A-Correlated Myocarditis in Patients with Psoriasis: Cardiac Recovery following Secukinumab Administration.

(1) Background: Psoriasis (PS) is a common immune-mediated disease of the skin with possible extension to joints, aorta and eye. Myocardial inflammation has rarely been suggested. (2) Aims: Report of PS-related myocarditis. (3) Methods and Results: One hundred consecutive patients with PS were screened for cardiac involvement. Among them, five male patients (aged 56 ± 9.5 years) with a moderate-severe form of PS showed dilated cardiomyopathy (LVEF < 35%) with normal coronary arteries and valves. They underwent a left-ventricular endomyocardial biopsy for evaluation of myocardial substrate. Endomyocardial samples were processed for histology and immunohistochemistry, including myocardial expression of Toll-Like Receptor 4 (TLR4) and interleukin-17A (IL-17A), which play a major role in PS pathogenesis. Real-time PCRs were carried out for cardiotropic viruses, and Western blot analysis was conducted for myocardial expression of IL-17A. Patients' sera were tested for anti-heart autoantibodies. Active lymphocytic myocarditis was revealed in all five patients, characterized by an absence of viral genomes with PCR, positive anti-heart autoantibodies, overexpression of TLR-4 and enhancement of IL-17-A during western blot analysis, showing a 2.48-fold increase in psoriatic myocarditis compared with no psoriatic myocarditis and a six-fold increase compared to myocardial controls. Treatment included combination of prednisone (1 mg/kg daily for 4 weeks, tapered to 0.33 mg/kg) and azathioprine (2 mg/kg, daily) in 3 pts or secukinumab (SK, 150 mg/weekly for 4 weeks followed by 150 mg/monthly) in 2 pts for 6 months. LVEDD and LVEF improved in the first 3 pts (-14% and + 118%, respectively), while they completely recovered (LVEF > 50%) in the last 2 pts on SK. (4) Conclusions: IL-17A-related myocarditis can occur in up to 5% of patients with PS. It manifests as progressive dilated cardiomyopathy. It may completely recover following SK administration.

Circulating Anti-GB3 Antibody as a Biomarker of Myocardial Inflammation in Patients with Fabry Disease Cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Fabry disease cardiomyopathy (FDCM) has manifested some resistance to enzyme replacement therapy (ERT), particularly in its advanced phase. Recently, myocardial inflammation of autoimmune origin has been demonstrated in FDCM. AIMS: The objective of this study was the assessment of circulating anti-globotriaosylceramide (GB3) antibodies as potential biomarkers of myocardial inflammation in FDCM, defined by the additional presence of ≥CD3+ 7 T lymphocytes/low-power field associated with focal necrosis of adjacent myocytes. Its sensitivity was based on the evidence of overlapping myocarditis at left ventricular endomyocardial biopsy. METHODS AND RESULTS: From January 1996 to December 2021, 85 patients received a histological diagnosis of FDCM in our department and 48 (56.5%) of them had an overlapping myocardial inflammation with negative PCR for common cardiotropic viruses, positive antiheart, and antimyosin abs. The presence of anti-GB3 antibodies was evaluated with an in-house ELISA assay (BioGeM scarl Medical Investigational Research, MIR-Ariano Irpino, Italy), along with antiheart and antimyosin abs, in the FDCM patients and compared with control healthy individuals. The correlation between levels of circulating anti-GB3 autoantibody myocardial inflammation and FDCM severity was assessed. Anti-Gb3 antibodies were above the positivity cut-off in 87.5% of FDCM subjects with myocarditis (42 out of 48), while 81.1% of FDCM patients without myocarditis were identified as negative for Gb3 antibodies. Positive anti-Gb3 abs correlated with positive antiheart and antimyosin abs. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests a potential positive role of anti-GB3 antibodies as a marker of overlapping cardiac inflammation in patients with FDCM.

Novel Genetic Microvascular Dysplasia Causing Hypoperfusion of Cardiac, Renal, and Cerebral Circulation.

BACKGROUND: Microvascular disorders represent an uncommon site of tissue hypo-perfusion and damage. Various genetic and acquired causes can be involved. A 65-year-old man was admitted because of refractory angina, which he had had since the age of 30 years, micro-hematuria, and recurrent transitory ischemic attacks from the age of 64. METHODS: Hematochemical studies, ECG, Holter monitoring, 2D-echo, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), CTA of cerebral vessels, endomyocardial coronary angiography, and kidney biopsy processes were undertaken. Gene mutation analysis was conducted using next-generation sequencing, which included more than 5000 genes associated with inherited diseases. RESULTS: Hematochemical findings were unremarkable. The ECG, Holter, 2D-echo, and CTA of brain vessels were normal. Cerebral magnetic resonance showed the presence of multiple small foci of ischemia. Coronary and ventricular angiography showed normal arteries with remarkably slow flow and multiple biventricular micro-aneurysms. At the endomyocardial biopsy, five of seven arterioles presented severe lumen obstruction due to hypertrophy and disarray of the muscular coat. Similarly, obstructed pre-glomerular arteries with glomerular sclerosis were seen at the renal biopsy. Genetics identified mutations in the ABCC6, MMP2, and XYLT1 genes, which play pivotal roles in the extracellular matrix. CONCLUSION: This study described a new genetic microvascular obstructive disease causing progressive hypo-perfusion of the human brain, heart, and kidney.

Infiltration of Conduction Tissue Is a Major Cause of Electrical Instability in Cardiac Amyloidosis.

BACKGROUND: The pathology of conduction tissue (CT) and relative arrhythmias in living subjects with cardiac amyloid have never been reported. AIMS: To report CT pathology and its arrhythmic correlations in human cardiac amyloidosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: In 17 out of 45 cardiac amyloid patients, a left ventricular endomyocardial biopsy included conduction tissue sections. It was identified by Aschoff-Monckeberg histologic criteria and positive immunostaining for HCN4. The degree of conduction tissue infiltration was defined as mild when ≤30%, moderate when 30-70% and severe when >70% cell area was replaced. Conduction tissue infiltration was correlated with ventricular arrhythmias, maximal wall thickness and type of amyloid protein. Mild involvement was observed in five cases, moderate in three and severe in nine. Involvement was associated with a parallel infiltration of conduction tissue artery. Conduction infiltration correlated with the severity of arrhythmias (Spearman rho = 0.8, p < 0.001). In particular, major ventricular tachyarrhythmias requiring pharmacologic treatment or ICD implantation occurred in seven patients with severe, one patient with moderate and none with mild conduction tissue infiltration. Pacemaker implantation was required in three patients, with complete conduction section replacement. No significant correlation was observed between the degree of conduction infiltration and age, cardiac wall thickness or type of amyloid protein. CONCLUSIONS: Amyloid-associated cardiac arrhythmias correlate with the extent of conduction tissue infiltration. Its involvement is independent from type and severity of amyloidosis, suggesting a variable affinity of amyloid protein to conduction tissue.

Hypersensitivity Myocarditis after COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination.

BACKGROUND: Myocarditis, even in a severe and lethal form, may occur after COVID-19 mRNA (BNT162b2) vaccination. However, its pathway, morphomolecular characterization and treatment are still unknown. METHODS: Routine hematochemical screening, ECG, Holter monitoring, 2D echocardiogram cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and invasive cardiac studies (cardiac catheterization, selective coronary angiography, left ventriculography and left ventricular endomyocardial biopsy) are reported from three patients (39F-pt1, 78M-pt2, 52M-pt3) with severe compromise of conduction tissue (junctional rhythm and syncope, pt1) or cardiac function compromise (LVEF ≤ 35%, pt2 and pt3) after COVID-19 mRNA (BNT162b2). RESULTS: Hematochemical data and coronary angiography were normal in the patients studied. Histology showed in all three patients extensive myocardial infiltration of degranulated eosinophils and elevation of serum cationic protein directly responsible for cardiomyocyte damage. These findings demonstrate myocarditis hypersensitivity to some component of the vaccine (spike protein?) acting as a hapten to some macromolecules of cardiomyocytes. Steroid administration (prednisone, 1 mg/kg die for 3 days, followed by 0.33 mg/kg for 4 weeks) was followed by complete recovery of cardiac contractility in pt2 and pt3. CONCLUSIONS: Eosinophilic myocarditis is a possible adverse reaction to the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. Its pathway is mediated by release of cationic protein and responds to short courses of steroid administration.

Removal of cardiac AL amyloid with positive remodelling of cardiomyocytes and of restrictive cardiomyopathy.

Herein, we describe histological mobilization of light chain cardiac amyloid documented by sequential left ventricular endomyocardial biopsies. These findings were associated with positive remodelling of cardiomyocytes and of restrictive cardiomyopathy resulting from 14 courses of chemotherapy over 17 years of time. Histological and ultrastructural findings of light chain cardiac amyloid removal led to increase in cardiomyocyte dimension and electrocardiogram voltages, reduction of biventricular wall thickness with improvement of left ventricular diastolic function, and NYHA class shifting from III to I.

Downregulation of Mannose-6-Phosphate Receptors in Fabry Disease Cardiomyopathy: A Potential Target for Enzyme Therapy Enhancement.

Background: The efficacy of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) in mobilizing globotryaosylceramide (GB-3) from Fabry cardiomyocytes is limited. The mechanism involved is still obscure. Methods: Assessment of M6Pr, M6Pr-mRNA, and Ubiquitin has been obtained by Western blot analysis and real-time PCR of frozen endomyocardial biopsy samples, from 17 pts with FD, various degree of left ventricular hypertrophy, and maximal wall thickening (MWT) from 11.5 and 20 mm. The diagnosis and severity of FDCM followed definitions of GLA mutation, α-galactosidase A enzyme activity, cardiac magnetic resonance, and left ventricular endomyocardial biopsy with the quantification of myocyte hypertrophy and the extent of Gb-3 accumulation. All patients have received alpha or beta agalsidase for ≥3 years without a reduction in LV mass nor an increase in T1 mapping at CMR. Controls were surgical biopsies from 15 patients undergoing mitral valve replacement. Results: Protein analysis showed mean M6Pr in FDCM to be 5.4-fold lower than in a normal heart (4289 ± 6595 vs. 23,581 ± 4074, p = 0.0996) (p < 0.001): specifically, 9-fold lower in males, p = 0.009, (p < 0.001) and 3-fold lower in females, p = 0.5799, (p < 0.001) showing, at histology, a mosaic of normal and diseased cells. M6Pr-mRNA expression was normal, while ubiquitin showed an increase of 4.6 fold vs. controls (13,284 ± 1723 vs. 2870 ± 690, p = 0.001) suggesting that ubiquitin-dependent post-translational degradation is likely responsible for the reduction of M6Pr in FDCM. Conclusion: M6Pr expression is remarkably reduced in FDCM as a likely result of post-translational degradation. This may explain the reduced efficacy of ERT and be a therapeutic target for the enhancement of ERT activity.

Divergent Impact of Enzyme Replacement Therapy on Human Cardiomyocytes and Enterocytes Affected by Fabry Disease: Correlation with Mannose-6-phosphate Receptor Expression.

Background: The impact of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) on cardiomyocytes and intestinal cells, affected by Fabry disease (FD), is still unclear. Methods: Six patients with FD, including five family members with GLA mutation c.666delC and one with GLA mutation c.658C > T, manifesting cardiomyopathy and intestinal symptoms (abdominal pain, diarrhea and malabsorption) were included in the study. Clinical outcome, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), endomyocardial and gastro-intestinal biopsies were evaluated before and after 2 years of treatment with agalsidase-α (0.2 mg/kg every other week). Immunohistochemistry and Western blot assessments of mannose-6-phosphate receptors (IGF-II-R) on intestinal and myocardial frozen tissue were obtained at diagnosis and after 2 years of ERT. Results: After ERT left ventricular maximal wall thickness, ranging from pre (<10.5 mm) to mild (<15 mm) and moderate hypertrophy (16 mm), was not associated with significant changes at CMR. Degree of dyspnea, mean cardiomyocyte diameter and % vacuolated areas of cardiomyocytes, representing intracellular GL3, remained unmodified. In contrast, intestinal symptoms improved with disappearance of diarrhea, recovery of anemia and weight gain, correlating with near complete clearance of the enterocytes from GL3 inclusions. IGF-II-R expression was remarkably higher even at histochemistry in intestinal tissue compared with myocardium (p < 0.001) either at baseline and after ERT, thus justifying intestinal recovery. Conclusions: Human cells affected by FD may respond differently to ERT: while cardiomyocytes retain their GL3 content after 2 years of treatment, gastro-intestinal cells show GL3 removal with recovery of function. This divergent response may be related to differences in cellular turnover, as well as tissue IGF-II-R expression.

Hypertrophy of unaffected cardiomyocytes correlates with severity of cardiomyopathy in female patients with Fabry disease.

AIM: To investigate the contribution of unaffected cardiomyocytes in Fabry disease cardiomyopathy. FINDINGS: Left ventricular (LV) endomyocardial biopsies from twenty-four females (mean age 53 ± 11 ys) with Fabry disease cardiomyopathy were studied. Diagnosis of FD was based on the presence of pathogenic GLA mutation, Patients were divided in four groups according with LV maximal wall thickness (MWT): group 1 MWT ≤ 10.5 mm, group 2 MWT 10.5-15 mm, group 3 MWT 16-20 mm, group 4 MWT > 20 mm. At histology mosaic of affected and unaffected cardiomyocytes was documented. Unaffected myocytes' size ranged from normal to severe hypertrophy. Hypertrophy of unaffected cardiomyocytes correlated with severity of MWT (p < 0.0001, Sperman r 0,95). Hypertrophy of unaffected myocytes appear to concur to progression and severity of FDCM. It is likely a paracrine role from neighboring affected myocytes.

Virus-Negative Necrotizing Coronary Vasculitis with Aneurysm Formation in Human SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

We report a case of myopericarditis associated to SARS-CoV-2 infection with necrotizing coronary vasculitis of intramural vessels, giving rise to biventricular apical microaneurysms and to electrical instability. Negativity of myocardial polymerase chain reaction for the most common cardiotropic viruses and for SARS-CoV-2 suggested an immune-mediated myocardial and pericardial inflammatory disease. High dose (1 mg/Kg daily) prednisone and anti-viral (Remdesivir, IDA Business, Carrigtohill, County Cork, T45 DP77, Ireland) therapy led to resolution of cardiac inflammation and ventricular arrhythmias. Morpho-molecular characterization of endomyocardial tissue may improve the outcome in subjects with SARS-CoV-2-associated myopericarditis and coronary vasculitis.

Myocardial Aldosterone Receptor and Aquaporin 1 Up-Regulation Is Associated with Cardiomyocyte Remodeling in Human Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND: Abnormal aldosterone signaling is a recognized source of cardiovascular damage. Its influence on cardiomyocyte structure, function, and hormonal receptors when associated with heart failure is still unreported. METHODS: Twenty-six consecutive patients with heart failure (LVEF < 40%) and normal coronaries and valves underwent left ventricular endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) for evaluation of myocardial substrate. Biopsy samples were processed for histology, electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and Western blot analysis of myocardial aldosterone receptor and aquaporin-1 correlated with plasma aldosterone (AD) and renin activity (PRA). Eight patients with virus-negative inflammatory cardiomyopathy (ICM) had a control EMB after 6 months of immunosuppressive therapy and recovery of cardiac function with re-evaluation of cardiomyocyte structure and receptor expression. RESULTS: EMB in addition to the diagnosis of myocarditis (15 cases), dilated cardiomyopathy CM (6), alcohol CM (2), and diabetic CM (3) showed vacuolar degeneration and cloudy swelling of cardiomyocytes corresponding at electron microscopy to ions and water accumulation into cytosol, membrane-bound vesicles, nucleus, and other organelles, and was associated with an increased AD, PRA, and myocardial expression of aldosterone receptor (2.6 fold) and aquaporin 1 (2.7 fold). In the 8 patients recovered from ICM, cardiomyocyte diameter reduced with disappearance of intracellular vacuoles and normalization of cytosol, nucleus, and cell organelles' electron-density, along with down-regulation of aldosterone receptor and aquaporin-1. CONCLUSION: Human heart failure is associated with overexpression of myocardial aldosterone receptor and aquaporin-1. These molecular changes are paralleled by intracellular water overloading and cardiomyocyte swelling and dysfunction. Cardiac recovery is accompanied by down-regulation of hormonal receptors and normalization of cell structure and composition.

Pemphigus-associated cardiomyopathy: report of autoimmune myocarditis and review of literature.

Pemphigus is a rare disease characterized by bullous lesions of the skin and mucous membranes. The aetiology is autoimmune and related to the formation of IgG autoantibodies against desmogleins, which are structural proteins of desmosomes that ensure the stability of contacts between cells. Cardiac involvement in patients with pemphigus is poorly documented. We report the data in the literature on this topic and a case of pemphigus-associated autoimmune myocarditis with damage of intercalated disc responding to immunosuppressive therapy. The occurrence of cardiomyopathy with left ventricular dysfunction in patients affected by pemphigus should be appropriately screened with endomyocardial biopsy as it could be the myocardial extension of a potentially reversible autoimmune disorder.

False-positive bone scintigraphy denoting transthyretin amyloid in elderly hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

A positive nuclear scintigraphy with hydroxy bisphosphonate bone tracer (99mTc-HPD) is believed to have high sensitivity (>99%) and specificity (91%) for the diagnosis of transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy. We report the case of an 85-year-old man with increased thickness of ventricular walls and a positive bone scintigraphy, who was unexpectedly found to have sarcomeric hypertrophic cardiomyopathy at left ventricular endomyocardial biopsy. Congo Red staining, immunohistochemistry, and transmission electronmicroscopy on six left ventricular samples scored negative for amyloidosis but were suggestive for sarcomeric hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Genetic study did not show TTR and most commonly involved sarcomeric genes mutations. In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy focal cell necrosis related to demand/supply oxygen mismatch, small vessels disease or inflammation could be responsible of a false-positive bone scintigraphy signal for transthyretin amyloidosis. Because of this, especially in view of a possible specific treatment, endomyocardial biopsy is highly recommended for the correct diagnosis of cardiomyopathies with hypertrophic phenotype.

Novel dilated cardiomyopathy associated to Calreticulin and Myo7A gene mutation in Usher syndrome.

We report a novel cardiomyopathy associated to Usher syndrome and related to combined mutation of MYO7A and Calreticulin genes. A 37-year-old man with deafness and vision impairment because of retinitis pigmentosa since childhood and a MYO7A gene mutation suggesting Usher syndrome, developed a dilated cardiomyopathy with ventricular tachyarrhythmias and recurrent syncope. At magnetic resonance cardiomyopathy was characterized by left ventricular dilatation with hypo-contractility and mitral prolapse with valve regurgitation. At left ventricular endomyocardial biopsy, it was documented cardiomyocyte disconnection because of cytoskeletal disorganization of cell-to-cell contacts, including intercalated discs, and mitochondrial damage and dysfunction with significant reduction of adenosine triphosphate production in patient cultured fibroblasts. At an extensive analysis by next-generation-sequencing of 4183 genes potentially related to the cardiomyopathy a pathogenic mutation of calreticulin was found. The cardiomyopathy appeared to be functionally and electrically stabilized by a combination therapy including carvedilol and amiodarone at a follow-up of 18 months.