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Published on: May 16, 2020
[Expression of fas protein of myocardium in dilated cardiomyopathy]
Shu-Rong Wei1, Xin-Shan Chen, Huang-Feng Chen
1Department of Forensic Medicine, Tongi Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China. lianxi19831225@yahoo.com.cn
Insights
Fas protein expression in the heart muscle is significantly increased in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) patients. This elevated Fas protein may contribute to sudden cardiac death in individuals with DCM.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Molecular Biology
- Forensic Medicine
Background:
- Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a leading cause of heart failure and sudden cardiac death.
- The role of Fas protein in the pathogenesis of DCM and associated mortality remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate myocardial Fas protein expression in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).
- To explore the relationship between Fas protein expression and sudden death in DCM patients.
Main Methods:
- Utilized immunohistochemistry and computerized imaging analysis on autopsy heart samples.
- Compared Fas protein expression in nine DCM sudden death cases versus eleven control cases.
Main Results:
- Significantly increased myocardial Fas protein expression was observed in the DCM group compared to controls (P = 0.002).
- Distinctive brown-yellow staining patterns for Fas protein were noted within myocardial cells in DCM cases.
Conclusions:
- Myocardial Fas protein expression is notably elevated in dilated cardiomyopathy.
- Altered Fas protein quantity and distribution may be linked to DCM-related arrhythmias and heart failure.
Objective:
To investigate Fas protein expression of the myocardium in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and its relationship with occurrence of sudden death caused by DCM.
Methods:
Nine autopsy cases of sudden death caused by DCM along with the heart samples were chosen from the archives in the Department of Forensic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, HUST from 1997 to 2007. Other 11 cases which died of violence and other diseases were selected as the control group. Expressions of myocardial Fas protein in the samples were quantitatively detected by immunohistochemistry and computerized imaging analysis.
Results:
Myocardial Fas protein expression increased significantly in the DCM group. Positive color showed brown-yellow granulated or striped distribution in the longitudinal section of myocardial within the cell membrane and cytoplasm, and showed circular brown granules in the cross section of the cell membrane, while these changes were not observed in the control group though there was focal weak staining noted. Statistical significance was observed between the experimental and control groups (P = 0.002), but no statistical significance was found for the average optical density value between these two groups (P = 0.675).
Conclusion:
The expression of Fas protein increased obviously in the DCM group. Such alteration in expression quantity and distribution of myocardial Fas protein may be related to arrhythmia and heart failure in the patients with DCM.
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