UIowa study examines altered gene expression in heart failure

(University of Iowa Health Care) Heart tissue from patients with heart failure exhibits increased levels of Cdk8 protein. Mimicking this increased Cdk8 expression in transgenic mouse hearts alters gene expression in a way that promotes heart failure. When University of Iowa researchers examined the mouse heart cells before a decrease in heart function was detectable, they found over 3,400 genes already expressed with a profile similar to that of human heart muscle cells with dilated cardiomyopat...