[Does the analysis of DNA in myocytes have meaning?]

It seems that polyploidisation of the heart muscle nuclei is a physiological phenomenon that increases in pathological conditions such as muscolar dystrophy, myocardial hypertrophy. We studied the nuclear DNA content of myocites, by means of cytofluorimetric determinations in different sites of the left free ventricular wall in five hearts affected by dilatative myocardiopathy. In all the different sites examined we revealed diploid and tetraploid nuclear content. Variable was the presence of 8N poliploid peaks: specifically 40% in the external third, 47% in the medium third and 73% in the inner third. 16N polyploid peaks were revealed only twice, and exactly in one medium third and in one inner third. These data, even if quite preliminary, suggest the presence of an increasing gradient of ploydisation from the external toward the inner part of the left ventricular wall.