Changes in DNA synthesis in significantly hypertrophied human cardiac muscle

To observe changes in nucleic acid synthesis, which represent the major role in cell function, DNA volume was measured for each myocardial cell biopsied from 28 patients that were cineangiographically recognized as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or congestive cardiomyopathy with the use of Feulgen cytophtometry. Normal heart muscle cell are diploid to tetraploid. In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), nucleic DNA are hyperploid compared to normal hearts. In HCM with obstruction, cell nuclei are tetraploid to octoploid. In HCM without obstruction, cell nuclei can be recognized as both tetraploid to octoploid and hexaploid to decaploid, having two kinetic patterns. In congestive cardiomyopathy DNA values are lower compared to control, and nucleic DNA has a tendency to hypodiploidy. Correlation between DNA values and wall thickness are highest. Correlation between DNA and other left ventricular functions (ejection fraction, mean VCF, and Vmax) is also high.