Objective: To investigate the distribution characteristics of autoantibody against beta1 adrenergic receptor (beta1 AR) in the sera of arrhythmia patients and whether the autoantibody could induce arrhythmia.
Methods: Healthy subjects and patients with arrhythmia or coronary artery disease were chosen. The autoantibody against beta1 AR in the sera was screened by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). IgG in the positive autoantibody sera from arrhythmia patients were purified and administrated to normal rats; then the ECGs were dynamic monitored.
Results: The positive rate of autoantibody against beta1 AR in arrhythmia patients was 52.8%, which was significantly higher than that in coronary heart disease group (24%, P < 0.01) and healthy people group (5%, P < 0.01), respectively. Moreover, the autoantibody against beta1 AR could lead to the occurring of arrhythmia in normal rats, most of which were ventricular arrhythmia.
Conclusion: In the sera of arrhythmia patients, the autoantibody against beta1 AR has a high titer and it could lead to the arrhythmia of rats in vivo.