Objective To investigate the impact of inhibiting GATA binding protein 4(GATA4)on the susceptibility to atrial fibrillation in elderly individuals and to elucidate the underlying mecha-nisms.Methods Fifteen 3-month-old young SD rats and 45 18-month-old SD rats were selected.According to the age and the injection of adeno-associated virus,the rats were divided into young group,elderly group,negative control group and interfering GATA4 group,with 15 rats in each group.Based on age and AAV injection,the rats were categorized into four groups:young group,elderly group,negative control group,and GATA4 interference group,with 15 rats in each group.Left atrial anteroposterior diameter was assessed via echocardiography.The extent of atrial fibro-sis was evaluated using Masson staining.Western blot analysis was employed to examine the ex-pression levels of GATA4,calcium cycling-related proteins,and NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing protein 3(NLRP3).Mouse atrial myocytes(HL-1 cells)were divided into five groups according to viral infection:control group,knockdown negative control group,GATA4 knock-down group,overexpression negative control group,and GATA4 overexpression group.The expression of GATA4 and NLRP3 was analyzed using Western blotting.Results The incidence of atrial fibrillation in the elderly group was significantly higher than that in the young group(80.0％vs 11.1％,P＜0.01).Compared with the negative control group,the induction rate of atrial fibrillation in the GATA4 interference group was significantly decreased(22.2％vs 80.0％,P＜0.05).Compared with the young group,the left atrial diameter,percentage of collagen vol-ume,activation time,absolute value of conduction dispersion,and expression of NLPR3 in the aged group were significantly increased,and the expression of calcium cycling protein was disor-dered(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Compared with the negative control group,the left atrial diameter,per-centage of collagen volume,activation time,absolute value of conduction dispersion,and expres-sion of NLPR3 in the GATA4 interference group were significantly decreased,and the disturbance of calcium circulation was alleviated(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Compared with the negative group of knockdown and overexpression,the expression of GATA4 and NLRP3 in HL1 cells in GATA4 knockdown group was significantly decreased,and the expression of GATA4 and NLPR3 in HL-1 cells in GATA4 overexpression group was significantly increased(P＜0.01).Conclusion GATA4 inhibition decreases the susceptibility to atrial fibrillation and mitigates age-related structural remodeling,electrical remodeling,and inflammation in the atrium by regulating calcium cycling disorders and myocardial cell senescence via the NLRP3 pathway.

Objective To investigate the impact of inhibiting GATA binding protein 4(GATA4)on the susceptibility to atrial fibrillation in elderly individuals and to elucidate the underlying mecha-nisms.Methods Fifteen 3-month-old young SD rats and 45 18-month-old SD rats were selected.According to the age and the injection of adeno-associated virus,the rats were divided into young group,elderly group,negative control group and interfering GATA4 group,with 15 rats in each group.Based on age and AAV injection,the rats were categorized into four groups:young group,elderly group,negative control group,and GATA4 interference group,with 15 rats in each group.Left atrial anteroposterior diameter was assessed via echocardiography.The extent of atrial fibro-sis was evaluated using Masson staining.Western blot analysis was employed to examine the ex-pression levels of GATA4,calcium cycling-related proteins,and NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing protein 3(NLRP3).Mouse atrial myocytes(HL-1 cells)were divided into five groups according to viral infection:control group,knockdown negative control group,GATA4 knock-down group,overexpression negative control group,and GATA4 overexpression group.The expression of GATA4 and NLRP3 was analyzed using Western blotting.Results The incidence of atrial fibrillation in the elderly group was significantly higher than that in the young group(80.0％vs 11.1％,P＜0.01).Compared with the negative control group,the induction rate of atrial fibrillation in the GATA4 interference group was significantly decreased(22.2％vs 80.0％,P＜0.05).Compared with the young group,the left atrial diameter,percentage of collagen vol-ume,activation time,absolute value of conduction dispersion,and expression of NLPR3 in the aged group were significantly increased,and the expression of calcium cycling protein was disor-dered(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Compared with the negative control group,the left atrial diameter,per-centage of collagen volume,activation time,absolute value of conduction dispersion,and expres-sion of NLPR3 in the GATA4 interference group were significantly decreased,and the disturbance of calcium circulation was alleviated(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Compared with the negative group of knockdown and overexpression,the expression of GATA4 and NLRP3 in HL1 cells in GATA4 knockdown group was significantly decreased,and the expression of GATA4 and NLPR3 in HL-1 cells in GATA4 overexpression group was significantly increased(P＜0.01).Conclusion GATA4 inhibition decreases the susceptibility to atrial fibrillation and mitigates age-related structural remodeling,electrical remodeling,and inflammation in the atrium by regulating calcium cycling disorders and myocardial cell senescence via the NLRP3 pathway.