At the molecular level, the onset of HF is associated with reprogramming of gene expression, including downregulation of the alpha-myosin heavy chain (α-MHC) gene and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase genes and reactivation of specific fetal cardiac genes such as atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP; Herron and McDonald, 2002; Olson et al., 2006). This evidence concerns the gene NPPB and hydrops fetalis.