Pauschinger M, Doerner A, Remppis A, Tannhäuser R, Kühl U, Schultheiss H P
Department of Cardiology, Universitätsklinikum Benjamin Franklin, Freien Universität Berlin, Germany.
Cardiovasc Res. 1998 Jan;37(1):123-9. doi: 10.1016/s0008-6363(97)00217-4.
The collagen subtypes I (Col I) and III (Col III) are essential components of the cardiac extracellular matrix (ECM) maintaining the functional integrity of the heart. Histological, immunohistological, and biochemical studies, however, demonstrate characteristical changes of the ECM in dilated cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, ischemic cardiomyopathy, and hypertensive heart disease.
In order to investigate possible effects of inflammatory processes on mRNA abundance of Col I and Col III, we examined 24 patients with the presumptive clinical diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy (EF = 30 +/- 11%). 12 Patients were classified as idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy without any evidence of myocardial inflammation; the remaining 12 patients were classified as inflammatory cardiomyopathy due to the immunohistologically documented inflammatory myocardial process.
Quantification of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) products revealed significant differences as to the mRNA abundance ratio Col III/Col I between subgroups of patients with inflammatory cardiomyopathy (1.16 +/- 0.18) and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (2.77 +/- 0.65) regardless of left ventricular dysfunction (p < or = 0.05).
It is not yet known, whether different Col III/Col I ratios differentially influence diastolic compliance. Our data suggest that inflammatory mechanisms seen in inflammatory cardiomyopathy influence the mRNA abundance of collagen subtypes I and III.
I型胶原（Col I）和III型胶原（Col III）是心脏细胞外基质（ECM）的重要组成部分，维持着心脏的功能完整性。然而，组织学、免疫组织学和生化研究表明，在扩张型心肌病、心肌炎、缺血性心肌病和高血压性心脏病中，ECM存在特征性变化。
为了研究炎症过程对Col I和Col III mRNA丰度的可能影响，我们检查了24例临床初步诊断为扩张型心肌病（EF = 30±11%）的患者。12例患者被归类为特发性扩张型心肌病，无任何心肌炎症证据；其余12例患者因免疫组织学记录的炎症性心肌过程而被归类为炎症性心肌病。
逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）产物定量显示，炎症性心肌病患者亚组（1.16±0.18）和特发性扩张型心肌病患者亚组（2.77±0.65）之间，无论左心室功能障碍情况如何，Col III/Col I mRNA丰度比均存在显著差异（p≤0.05）。
不同的Col III/Col I比值是否对舒张期顺应性有不同影响尚不清楚。我们的数据表明，炎症性心肌病中所见的炎症机制影响I型和III型胶原亚型的mRNA丰度。
