Normal Cardiac Excitation: Generation, Propagation and Coupling to Contraction
Principal Investigator: András Varró

University: University of Szeged, Hungary

Main contributions:

  • study the role of NCX in triggering human atrial fibrillation.
  • develop and characterize NCX blockers as antiarrhythmic agents.

Lab web-page: http://www.szote.u-szeged.hu/phcol

Contact: varro@phcol.szote.u-szeged.hu

Relevant Publications:

  • Nagy N, Szuts V, Horvath Z, Seprenyi G, Farkas AS, Acsai K, Prorok J, Bitay M, Kun A, Pataricza J, Papp JG, Nanasi PP, Varro A & Toth A. Does small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channel contribute to cardiac repolarization?. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2009/Jul:(epub ahead of print). 
  • Toth A, Kiss L, Varro A & Nanasi PP. Potential Therapeutic Effects of Na+/Ca2+ Exchanger Inhibition in Cardiac Diseases. Current Medicinal Chemistry 2009/16:3294-3321. 
  • Prorok J, Kovacs PP, Kristof AA, Nagy N, Tombacz D, Toth JS, Ordog B, Jost N, Virag L, Papp JG, Varro A, Toth A & Boldogkoi Z. Herpesvirus-Mediated Delivery of a Genetically Encoded Flourescent Ca2+ Sensor to Canine Cardiomyocytes. J Biomed Biotechnol 2009/361795:(epub). 
  • Virag L, Varro A, Acsai K, Hala O, Zaza A, Nanasi PP, Bitay M, Bogats G, Papp J Gy & Jost N. Self augmentation of the repolarization lengthening is related to the shape of the action potential: the role of the intrinsic properties of Ikr and its implication to reverse rate dependency. British Journal of Pharmacology 2009/156(7):1076-84. 
  • Nemtsas P, Wettwer E, Christ T, Weidinger G & Ravens U. Adult zebrafish heart as a model for human neart? An electrophysiological study. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2009/Sep 09:(epub ahead of print). 
  • Birinyi P, Toth A, Jona I, Acsai K, Almassy J, Nagy N, Prorok J, Gherasim I, Papp Z, Hertelendi Z, Szentandrassy N, Banyasz T, Fulop F, Papp J GY, Varro A, Nanasi PP & Magyar J. The Na+/Ca2+ exchange blocker SEA0400 fails to enhance cytostolic Ca2+ transient and contractility in canine ventricular cardiomyocytes. Cardiovascular Research 2008/78(3):476-84. 
  • Stillitano F, Lonardo G, Zicha S, Varro A, Cerbai E, Mugelli A & Nattel S. Molecular Basis of Funny Current (If) in Normal and Failing Heart. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2008/45:289-299. 
  • Pitt-Francis J, Cooper J, Garny A, Momtahan L, Osborne J, Pathmanathan P, Rodriguez B, Whiteley J & Gavaghan D. Chaste: using agile programming techniques to develop computational biology software. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A 2008/366 (1878):3111-36.  (Link)
  • Lengyel C, Virag L, Biro T, Jost N, Magyar J, Biliczki P, Kocsis E, Skoumal R, Nanasi PP, Toth M, Kecskemeti V, Papp JG & Varro A. Diabetes mellitus attenuates the repolarization reserve in mammalian heart. Cardiovascular Research 2007/73(3) / Feb 1:512-20.  (Link)
  • Gaborit N, Le Bouter S, Szuts V, Varro A, Escande D, Nattel S & Demolombe S. Regional and Tissue Specific Transcript Signatures of Ion Channel Genes in the Non-diseased Human Heart. Journal of Physiology 2007/May 3:(epub ahead of print).  (Link)
  • Christ T, Wettwer E, Voigt N, Hála O, Radicke S, Matschke K, Várro A, Dobrev D &Ravens U . Pathology-specific effects of the IKur/Ito/IK,ACh blocker AVE0118 on ion channels in human chronic atrial fibrillation. Br J Pharmacol 2007/154(8):1619-1630. 
  • Ordog B, Brutyo E, Puskas LG, Papp JG, Varro A, Szabad J & Boldogkoi Z. Gene expression profiling of human cardiac potassium and sodium channels. International Journal of Cardiology 2006/111(3) / Aug 28:386-93.  (Link)
  • Radicke S, Cotella D, Graf EM, Banse U, Jost N, Varro A, Tseng GN, Ravens U & Wettwer E. Functional modulation of the transient outward current Ito by KCNE beta-subunits and regional distribution in human non-failing and failing hearts. Cardiovascular Research 2006/71(4) / Sep 1:695-703.  (Link)