CHANGES OF MYOCARDIUM CONTRACTILITY ASSOCIATED WITH A SUBCHRONIC LEAD INTOXICATION IN RATS

Abstract

Introduction. There is a high chance of a link between cardiovascular conditions and occupational or environmental exposure to lead. Taking into account the peculiarities of lead intoxication and the metal common occurrence it appeared to necessarily prove further experimental research of lead cardiotoxicity. Material and methods. After repeated intraperitoneal administration of sublethal doses of lead acetate to outbred male rats 3 times a week for 5 weeks, there was obtained the moderately pronounced subchronic lead intoxication manifested by some characteristic features. Cardiotoxic effects on myocardial contractility were studied by the analysis of the mechanical activity of isolated preparations of right ventricular trabeculae and papillary muscles contracting in isotonic and physiological modes of loading. Myocardial contractile function was also studied at the molecular level by measuring the sliding velocity of reconstructed thin filaments over myosin. Results. In papillary muscles lead intoxication led to a decrease in the maximal rate of isotonic shortening for all afterloads and a decrease in the thin filament sliding velocity in the in vitro motility assay. The same type of muscle from lead-exposed rats displayed marked changes in most of the main characteristics of afterload contraction-relaxation cycles, but in trabeculae, these changes were less pronounced. The reported changes were attenuated to some extent in rats similarly exposed to lead while being treated with a Ca-containing bio protector. The amount of work produced by both muscle preparations was unchanged under lead intoxication over the entire range of afterloads, which is an evidence of adaptation to the production of adequate mechanical work despite resulting contractility disturbances. Conclusions. 1. Subchronic lead intoxication was shown to cause contractile dysfunction of rat myocardium. In papillary muscles the alterations were observed more than in trabeculae. The changes in contractile proteins corresponded with those seen in myocardium structures. 2. The reported changes were attenuated to some extent in rats being treated with a Ca-containing bio protector.