What causes mitral valve prolapse?
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Dr. Mehmet Oz answered:The mitral valve separates the left upper chamber of the heart, called the left atrium, from the lower left chamber, called the left ventricle. Mitral valve prolapse occurs when one or both of the tissue flaps or leaflets that make up the valve bulge or prolapse backward into the atrium. Watch this animation to learn more about mitral valve prolapse.
The mitral valve separates the left upper chamber of the heart, called the left atrium, from the lower left chamber, called the left ventricle. Mitral valve prolapse occurs when one or both of the tissue flaps or leaflets that make up the valve... More -
Dr. William D. Knopf of Piedmont Heart Institute answered:The exact cause of mitral valve prolapse (MVP) isn't known. Most people who have the condition are born with it. MVP tends to run in families and is more common in people who were born with connective tissue disorders, such as Marfan syndrome.
The mitral valve can be abnormal in two ways. First, the valve flaps may be oversized and thickened. Second, the valve flaps may be "floppy." The tissue of the flaps and their supporting "strings" are too stretchy, and parts of the valve flop or bulge back into the atrium.
Some people's valves are abnormal in both ways. Either way can keep the valve from making a tight seal.
This answer from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute has been reviewed and/or edited by Dr. William D. Knopf.
The exact cause of mitral valve prolapse (MVP) isn't known. Most people who have the condition are born with it. MVP tends to run in families and is more common in people who were born with connective tissue disorders, such as Marfan syndrome. The... More -
Connective tissue is made of collagen and elastin, which is normally organized into fibers. In mitral valve prolapse (MVP), the fibers are often disorganized and myxomatous (gelatinous or jelly-like). This causes the mitral valve to degenerate and lose function. Myxomatous degeneration causes the mitral leaflets to enlarge and thicken. It is not entirely clear what causes myxomatous degeneration.
Non-myxomatous defects of the mitral valve (such as abnormal size or structure caused by hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) may also cause MVP.
Many proteins, tissues, and enzymes are involved in proper mitral valve development. If any of these factors are disrupted, MVP may result. Proteins that may be disrupted in MVP include calcineurin, NFAT family proteins, transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) proteins, fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), and Wnt/beta-catenin proteins. These proteins all produce signals that direct heart development.
Genes that may be disrupted in MVP include Sox9 and ErbB3, which are activated in the developing heart. Inherited forms of myxomatous MVP have been associated with the MMVP1 gene (linked to chromosome 16) and the MMVP2 gene (linked to chromosome 11 in some families and chromosome 13 in others). It is not clear what these genes direct. However, they do not appear to be involved in producing connective tissue. This demonstrates the complex nature of mitral valve development, which involves not only genes that direct connective tissue development but also many other proteins.
Another inherited condition that may cause MVP, X-linked valvular dystrophy, involves filamin A genes on the X chromosome. These genes direct the production of connective tissue.
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Connective tissue is made of collagen and elastin, which is normally organized into fibers. In mitral valve prolapse (MVP), the fibers are often disorganized and myxomatous (gelatinous or jelly-like). This causes the mitral valve to degenerate... More
