Alcohol and the Heart: A Proteomics Analysis of Pericardium and Myocardium in a Swine Model of Myocardial Ischemia

Abstract

Previous studies have demonstrated that moderate alcohol consumption is cardioprotective and reduces postoperative pericardial adhesions; however, the mechanism is not fully understood. Using proteomic analysis, we sought to objectively investigate the effects of daily moderate alcohol consumption in the pericardium and myocardium in a swine model of chronic myocardial ischemia. Fourteen swine underwent placement of an ameroid constrictor to induce chronic myocardial ischemia. Animals were supplemented with 90 mL of ethanol daily (ETOH) or 80 g of sucrose of equal caloric value (SUC). After 7 weeks, the ischemic myocardium and pericardium were harvested for proteomics analysis. Pericardial proteomics analysis yielded 397 proteins, of which 23 were unique to SUC and 52 were unique to ETOH. Of the 322 common proteins, 71 were statistically significant and 23 were characterized (p < 0.05). Alcohol supplementation increased structural proteins, and decreased immune protease inhibitors and coagulation proteins in the pericardium (p < 0.01). Myocardial proteomics analysis yielded 576 proteins, of which 32 were unique to SUC and 21 were unique to ETOH. Of the 523 common proteins, 85 were significant, and 32 were characterized (p < 0.05). Alcohol supplementation decreased cardiac remodeling proteins, cell death proteins and motor proteins, and increased metabolic proteins (p < 0.05). The results suggest that daily moderate alcohol consumption affects numerous pathways that contribute to cardioprotection, including cardiac remodeling, metabolism, and cell death. Our findings reveal the biosignature of myocardial and pericardial protein expression in the setting of chronic myocardial ischemia and daily moderate alcohol consumption.