Objective:To observe the expression changes of inflammatory markersTGF-β1,Smad3 and IL-6 in patients with atrial fibrillation(AF), and to explore the significance ofTGF-β1 signaling pathway in the structural remodeling ofAF.Methods:The expression ofTGF-β1,Smad3 and IL-6 in50 cases withAF and30 normal cases were detected byRT-PCR andELISA.Results:TheTGF-β1,Smad3 andIL-6 mRNA and protein expression levels in patients withAF were significantly higher than that in the control group(P<0.05), but there was no significantly different between the paroxysmalAF group and the persistentAF group(P>0.05).TheTGF-β1mRNA expression in the≥50 years subgroup was significantly higher than that in the <50 years subgroups, and it was higher in theNYHA Ⅲ subgroup than in the Ⅰ/Ⅱ grade subgroup. It was also higher in the left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) <50% subgroup than inLVEF≥50% group, and it was significantly higher in theAF time≥36 months subgroup than that in <36 months subgroup(P<0.05).TheSmad3 andIL-6 expressions in the in theLVEF <50% subgroup were both high that than that inLVEF≥50% group, and higher in theAF time≥36 months subgroup than that in <36 months subgroup(P<0.05).There were a positive correlation between TGF-β1,Smad3 andIL-6(r=0.687,r=0.547).There were also a positive correlation between Smad3 andIL-6 mRNA(r=0.823).Conclusions:AF is associated with inflammation, and the inflammation is also involved in the fibrillation and sustain ofAF.TheTGF-β1 signal pathway may be involved in the process of atrial structural remodeling in patients withAF, and iss related with the occurrence and maintenance ofAF.