[Relationship between apoptosis-related markers and cardiomyopathy]

Increasing interest has been focused on the role of apoptosis in pathogenesis of idiopathic cardiomyopathy. Interactions between soluble Fas, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and Fas ligand have been reported to play a pivotal part in signal transduction of apoptosis. Thus, we measured serum levels of apoptosis-related markers, namely sFas, TNF-alpha and two types of its receptor TNF-RI and TNF-RII in the patients with idiopathic cardiomyopathy. Serum level of TNF-alpha was higher in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) group as well as in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) group than in the control group. There were significant correlation among TNF-alpha, TNF-RI and TNF-RII in DCM group. However, only slight tendencies among these parameters in HCM group, indicating different pathogenesis from DCM. No transcardiac production of TNF-alpha, TNF-RI and TNF-RII was found in cardiomyopathies in the present study. These data suggested that apoptosis-related markers could be used for the detailed classification of cardiomyopathy. Furthermore, the simultaneous measurement of receptors and their ligands of apoptosis-related markers might underscore clinical implications.