%0 Journal Article
%T Ubiquitin-specific protease 38 promotes inflammatory atrial fibrillation induced by pressure overload.
%A Xiao Z
%A Pan Y
%A Kong B
%A Meng H
%A Shuai W
%A Huang H
%J Europace
%V 26
%N 1
%D 2023 Dec 28
%M 38288617
%F 5.486
%R 10.1093/europace/euad366
%X <B>OBJECTIVE: </B>Atrial structural and electrical remodelling is a major reason for the initiation and perpetuation of atrial fibrillation (AF). Ubiquitin-specific protease 38 (USP38) is a deubiquitinating enzyme, but its function in the heart remains unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of USP38 in pressure overload-induced AF.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>Cardiac-specific knockout USP38 and cardiac-specific transgenic USP38 mice and their corresponding control mice were used in this study. After 4 weeks with or without aortic banding (AB) surgery, atrial echocardiography, atrial histology, electrophysiological study, and molecular analysis were assessed. Ubiquitin-specific protease 38 knockout mice showed a remarkable improvement in vulnerability to AF, atrial weight and diameter, atrial fibrosis, and calcium-handling protein expression after AB surgery. Conversely, USP38 overexpression further increased susceptibility to AF by exacerbating atrial structural and electrical remodelling. Mechanistically, USP38 interacted with and deubiquitinated nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), and USP38 overexpression increased the level of p-NF-κB in vivo and in vitro, accompanied by the upregulation of NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) and inflammatory cytokines, suggesting that USP38 contributes to adverse effects by driving NF-κB/NLRP3-mediated inflammatory responses.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>Overall, our study indicates that USP38 promotes pressure overload-induced AF through targeting NF-κB/NLRP3-mediated inflammatory responses.