Abstract
We examined ultrastructural changes and did immunohistochemical studies of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in biopsied samples obtained from the heart of a 16-year-old Japanese boy with dilated cardiomyopathy and from the transplanted donor heart. In the right ventricle of the diseased heart, a small number of atrial granules containing ANP were found in the perinuclear area of the cardiomyocytes and near areas lacking some myofibrils. Although no evidence of rejection was seen in the right ventricle of the transplanted donor heart under the light microscope, electron microscopy revealed moderate degeneration of cardiomyocytes and injuries to capillary endothelial cells. We did not find atrial granules, although the serum ANP level was elevated. These data suggest that the ultrastructural changes in the transplanted heart were related to a mild rejection, the effects of cyclosporin, or the effects of a domino heart transplantation from a patient with cystic fibrosis. Because of the absence of atrial granules in the right venticle, it is postulated that the high serum ANP level may be attributed to merely an increased secretion of ANP from atrial granules in the atria, without secretion of ANP in the ventricles.
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Suzuki, H., Hasegawa, S., Tanno, F. et al. Case report of a heart transplantation in a 16-year-old male. Med Electron Microsc 28, 193–199 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02347963
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02347963