Perfluorooctanoic acid–associated complement factor B upregulation and atrial fibrillation–related molecular alterations: integrated network toxicology, Mendelian randomization, molecular dynamics, and HL-1 cell analyses
Dan Li, Chuanfeng Bai, Jinping Zhao · 2026
Read Perfluorooctanoic acid–associated complement factor B upregulation and atrial fibrillation–related molecular alterations: integrated network toxicology, Mendelian randomization, molecular dynamics, and HL-1 cell analyses by Dan Li, Chuanfeng Bai, Jinping Zhao (2026) in the Tower of Babel, a free online library of public-domain works preserved in clean, searchable text. No sign-up. The full text is served as a plain-text file at a predictable URL, where text is present: https://antarctic-labs.com/tower-of-babel/pmc-13581535.txt.
Description
Dan Li and co-authors trace, in a 2026 study, a possible chain from a lasting industrial chemical to an irregular heartbeat condition. The chemical, known as PFOA, lingers in the environment and has been linked to heart problems. What connects it to atrial fibrillation at the molecular level was unclear. The team combined gene databases, genetic analysis, computer modeling, and lab cell tests to hunt for a middleman.
One candidate stood out: complement factor B, part of the immune system's complement arm. Genetic evidence tied higher levels of this protein to greater fibrillation risk. In heart muscle cells grown in the lab, the chemical raised the protein's levels, and silencing its gene blunted the effect. The authors present the protein as a plausible link worth deeper testing.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Dan Li, Chuanfeng Bai, Jinping Zhao |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 47 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |