INTRODUCCIÓN: REVISIÓN CRITICA DEL PROBLEMA

CAPÍTULO IV
AGEs with RAGE results in an enhanced production of pro-inflammatory
cytokines 305 . This hypothesis has been previously probed in animalmodels 303 ,
supporting the important pathophysiological effects of AGE–RAGE interaction in
AF.
Plasma levels of sRAGE may be increased secondary to the proteolytic cleavage
of RAGE by the action of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP), being a result of an
enhanced activity of the AGE–RAGE axis underlying to an inflammatory
process 305 . Activation of AGE–RAGE axis has been shown to stimulate production
of MMPs 309 , whereas enzymes such as MMP-9 are associated with the presence
of AF 309 , which could have contributed to the atrial structural remodelling and atrial
dilatation during AF. This fact might explain that our patients with AF showed
higher plasma levels of sRAGE.
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