---
title: "Post-MI TRPV1 Cardiac Afferent Ablation with RTX Prevents Arrhythmogenic Remodeling"
id: "biorxiv-7-trpv1-cardiac-afferent-ablation-after-completed-myocardial-infarction-prevents"
canonical_url: "https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/biorxiv-7-trpv1-cardiac-afferent-ablation-after-completed-myocardial-infarction-prevents"
content_type: "clinical_feed_article"
specialty: "Cardiology"
source_name: "bioRxiv (Biomedical Preprints)"
source_url: "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.31.748451v1?rss=1"
published_at: "2026-09-04T12:00:00.000Z"
evidence_level: "Verified Feed"
license: "CC-BY-NC-4.0 / Informational Use"
---
# Post-MI TRPV1 Cardiac Afferent Ablation with RTX Prevents Arrhythmogenic Remodeling
## Provenance & Clinical Metadata
- **Canonical URL:** https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/biorxiv-7-trpv1-cardiac-afferent-ablation-after-completed-myocardial-infarction-prevents
- **Specialty:** [Cardiology](https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/cardiology.md)
- **Primary Source:** bioRxiv (Biomedical Preprints)
- **Source URL:** [Original Journal Publication](https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.31.748451v1?rss=1)
- **Published At:** 2026-09-04T12:00:00.000Z
- **Evidence Rating:** Verified Feed
## Executive GIST (TL;DR)
- The study tested whether targeted ablation of **TRPV1**-expressing cardiac sensory afferents during the subacute period after completed myocardial infarction (MI) reduces later arrhythmogenic remodeling. - Yorkshire pigs underwent anterior MI or sham surgery, then at two weeks post-MI were randomized to percutaneous epicardial administration of resiniferatoxin (**RTX**) for cardiac-selective TRPV1 afferent depletion or to vehicle. Terminal assessments were performed four weeks after treatment. - Ablation of cardiac TRPV1 afferents was confirmed functionally by blunted responses to TRPV1 agonists. RTX-treated animals showed improved left ventricular function and reduced end-diastolic diameter compared with vehicle-treated MI controls. - RTX reduced inducibility of ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation (**VT/VF**) on in vivo electrophysiologic testing. Endocardial electroanatomic mapping showed fewer deceleration zones and late potentials in RTX-treated hearts. - Epicardial multielectrode mapping demonstrated decreased electrophysiologic heterogeneity in the scar border zone after RTX treatment. - Real-time neurotransmitter sensing during sympathoexcitation indicated normalization of adrenergic mediator release—specifically **noradrenaline** and neuropeptide Y—in RTX-treated animals. - Histologic analysis found attenuated myocardial fibrosis in the scar border zone, reduced sympathetic nerve sprouting, and decreased T cell infiltration in cardiac sensory ganglia after RTX treatment. - Bulk RNA sequencing of stellate ganglia from RTX-treated animals revealed downregulation of adrenergic genes, suggesting altered neuro-cardiac axis signaling. - The authors conclude that cardiac-selective TRPV1 afferent ablation during the subacute post-MI window mitigates structural, electrophysiologic, and neuro-cardiac remodeling and may be a promising therapeutic strategy for reducing post-MI ventricular arrhythmias. - This report is a preprint and not yet peer-reviewed; specific quantitative details (e.g., exact numbers, statistical values) and longer-term follow-up were not reported in the source abstract.
## Clinical Analysis & Structured Key Points
TRPV1-cardiac afferent ablation after completed myocardial infarction prevents arrhythmogenic remodeling | bioRxiv Skip to main content New Results TRPV1-cardiac afferent ablation after completed myocardial infarction prevents arrhythmogenic remodeling Kiyoshi Masuyama , View ORCID Profile Youmei Shen , View ORCID Profile Wei-Hsin Chung , Abdullah Sarkar , View ORCID Profile Daisetsu Aoyama , Devaki Abhyankar , View ORCID Profile Pradeep Sundaram Rajendran , Ronald Challita , Rami Aladham , Lily Defelice , View ORCID Profile Shumpei Mori , Maureen A. Su , Jeffrey L. Ardell , View ORCID Profile Olujimi A. Ajijola doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.08.31.748451 Kiyoshi Masuyama 1 Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Youmei Shen 2 The First Affiliated Hospital With Nanjing Medical University, CHINA; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Youmei Shen Wei-Hsin Chung 3 China Medical University, TAIWAN; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Wei-Hsin Chung Abdullah Sarkar 4 Cleveland Clinic Florida, UNITED STATES; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Daisetsu Aoyama 5 University of Fukui, JAPAN; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Daisetsu Aoyama Devaki Abhyankar 1 Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Pradeep Sundaram Rajendran 6 Massachusetts General Hospital; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Pradeep Sundaram Rajendran Ronald Challita 7 St Joseph's University Medical Center, UNITED STATES; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Rami Aladham 1 Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Lily Defelice 1 Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Shumpei Mori 8 University of California Los Angeles Extension, UNITED STATES; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Shumpei Mori Maureen A. Su 1 Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Jeffrey L. Ardell 1 Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Olujimi A. Ajijola 9 David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Olujimi A. Ajijola For correspondence: oajijola{at}mednet.ucla.edu Abstract Info/History Metrics Preview PDF Abstract Background Therapies to prevent ventricular arrhythmias after completed myocardial infarction (MI) remain limited. Although TRPV1 afferent ablation at acute MI improves cardiac remodeling, the effect of delayed subacute targeting remains unknown. Objective We investigated whether ablating cardiac TRPV1 afferents during the subacute post-MI window mitigates structural, electrophysiological, and neuro-cardiac axis remodeling to suppress ventricular arrhythmias. Methods Yorkshire pigs underwent sham surgery or anterior MI creation. Two weeks post-MI, animals were randomized to percutaneous epicardial resiniferatoxin (RTX, for cardiac-selective TRPV1 afferent depletion) or vehicle administration. Four weeks later, terminal studies assessed the effects of RTX on cardiac structure and function, ventricular arrhythmogenesis, and neuro-cardiac axis remodeling using in vivo electrophysiologic mapping, real-time neurotransmitter sensing, immunohistochemistry, and transcriptomic profiling. Results Cardiac TRPV1 afferent depletion was confirmed by blunted responses to TRPV1 agonists. RTX-treated animals exhibited improved left ventricular function, reduced end-diastolic diameter, and suppressed ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation (VT/VF) inducibility. Endocardial electroanatomic mapping revealed improved VT/VF electrophysiologic correlates in RTX-treated animals, including fewer deceleration zones and late potentials. Epicardial multielectrode mapping demonstrated reduced electrophysiologic heterogeneity in the scar border zone. Real-time release of adrenergic neurotransmitters (noradrenaline and neuropeptide Y) was normalized during sympathoexcitation in RTX-treated animals. Histologically, RTX treatment attenuated scar border zone myocardial fibrosis and sympathetic nerve sprouting, while suppressing T cell infiltration in cardiac sensory ganglia. Bulk RNA-sequencing of stellate ganglia revealed downregulation of adrenergic genes. Conclusion Cardiac TRPV1 afferent ablation post-completed MI alters disease trajectory by mitigating structural, functional, and neuro-cardiac axis remodeling. Targeting cardiac TRPV1 afferents represents a promising subacute post-MI therapeutic strategy. Competing Interest Statement This work was supported by Heart Rhythm Society Research Fellowship Award and Japan Heart Foundation / Bayer Yakuhin Research Grant Abroad to Dr. Masuyama, A.P. Giannini Foundation award to Dr. Rajendran, and National Institutes of Health National Heart Lung and Blood Institute grant R01HL159001 to Dr. Ajijola, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Award to Dr. Ajijola, and National Institutes of Health National Heart Lung and Blood Institute grant P01HL164311 and Leducq Foundation to Drs. Ardell and Ajijola. Dr. Rajendran reports consulting fees from nference. Dr. Ajijola reports honoraria from Medtronic, J&J/Biosense Webster, Biotronik, and Boston Scientific. Drs. Rajendran, Ardell, and Ajijola report equity/stock holdings in Anumana and nference and are co-founders of Neufera. Copyright The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission. Back to top Previous Next Posted September 04, 2026. Download PDF Email Thank you for your interest in spreading the word about bioRxiv. NOTE: Your email address is requested solely to identify you as the sender of this article. Your Email * Your Name * Send To * Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas. You are going to email the following TRPV1-cardiac afferent ablation after completed myocardial infarction prevents arrhythmogenic remodeling Message Subject (Your Name) has forwarded a page to you from bioRxiv Message Body (Your Name) thought you would like to see this page from the bioRxiv website. Your Personal Message CAPTCHA This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions. Share TRPV1-cardiac afferent ablation after completed myocardial infarction prevents arrhythmogenic remodeling Kiyoshi Masuyama , Youmei Shen , Wei-Hsin Chung , Abdullah Sarkar , Daisetsu Aoyama , Devaki Abhyankar , Pradeep Sundaram Rajendran , Ronald Challita , Rami Aladham , Lily Defelice , Shumpei Mori , Maureen A. Su , Jeffrey L. Ardell , Olujimi A. Ajijola bioRxiv 2026.08.31.748451; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.08.31.748451 Share This Article: Copy Citation Tools TRPV1-cardiac afferent ablation after completed myocardial infarction prevents arrhythmogenic remodeling Kiyoshi Masuyama , Youmei Shen , Wei-Hsin Chung , Abdullah Sarkar , Daisetsu Aoyama , Devaki Abhyankar , Pradeep Sundaram Rajendran , Ronald Challita , Rami Aladham , Lily Defelice , Shumpei Mori , Maureen A. Su , Jeffrey L. Ardell , Olujimi A. 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