Because apoptosis and Ca(2+)-related sarcomeric dysfunction are molecular hallmarks of ICM in humans, our results provide strong evidence that CD56(140kD) up-regulation plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of ICM and may be a target for future immunotherapeutic strategies in the treatment of this common and often fatal disease.
In search of NCAM(CD56)-related transcription factors we found RUNX1(AML1) up-regulation in ICM and detected RUNX1(AML1) binding within the NCAM(CD56) promoter by electromobility shift assay.