Abstract
Background Global longitudinal strain (GLS) can be assessed by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) to express the degree of cardiac fibrosis. Qianyangyuyin (QYYY) granules can effectively improve GLS in hypertensive patients. Using a hypertensive rat model, we carried out speckle tracking echocardiography to validate the effect of QYYY in diminishing LV remodeling. Methods We randomly divided 16 spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) into SHR, SHR + valsartan (SHR + V), SHR + low-dose QYYY (SHR + QL), and SHR + high-dose QYYY (SHR + QH) groups, with four rats in each group. Another group of 4 Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were selected into a normal control (WKY) group. At the 8th week, conventional echocardiographic parameters were measured by GE Vivid E95 ultrasound (12S probe, 10–12 MHz) and GLS by speckle tracking echocardiography with EchoPAC (version 203) software. HE and Masson's trichrome staining were performed to detect the cardiomyocyte width and collagen volume fraction after rat sacrifice. Collagen I, α-SMA, S100A4, TGF-β, Smad 3, MYH6, and MYH7 were further analyzed by Western blot. Results The absolute values of GLS significantly increased in the SHR + QH group compared to the SHR group, while the CVF and CW values significantly decreased. In addition, Collagen I, α-SMA, S100A4, TGF-β, Smad3, MYH7, and MYH7/MYH6 ratio remarkably reduced in the SHR + QH group. The value of GLS could be repetitively measured and positively correlated with the collagen volume fraction of the myocardium and the cardiomyocyte width of the left ventricular free wall. Conclusions GLS is a reliable indicator to evaluate the therapeutic effect on left ventricular remodeling in hypertension. QYYY granules can inhibit the development of cardiac fibrosis in the hypertensive rat model.
Highlights
Hypertension can cause left ventricular (LV) remodeling [1]
Conventional Echocardiography Parameters Improved in QH-Treated spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs)
left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) significantly decreased in the SHR group, compared with the WKY group, while there was no statistical difference in the E, e, and E/e. e LVEF and e in the SHR + QH group were significantly higher, while its E/e was significantly lower than that in SHR and SHR + QL groups. e LV systolic function and hypertrophy in hypertensive rats improved in the QH-treated group
Summary
Hypertension can cause left ventricular (LV) remodeling [1]. LV remodeling features LV hypertrophy and diffuse interstitial fibrosis [2], both leading to diastolic and systolic dysfunctions [3, 4]. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) can be assessed by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) to express the degree of cardiac fibrosis. Using a hypertensive rat model, we carried out speckle tracking echocardiography to validate the effect of QYYY in diminishing LV remodeling. We randomly divided 16 spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) into SHR, SHR + valsartan (SHR + V), SHR + low-dose QYYY (SHR + QL), and SHR + high-dose QYYY (SHR + QH) groups, with four rats in each group. E value of GLS could be repetitively measured and positively correlated with the collagen volume fraction of the myocardium and the cardiomyocyte width of the left ventricular free wall. GLS is a reliable indicator to evaluate the therapeutic effect on left ventricular remodeling in hypertension. QYYY granules can inhibit the development of cardiac fibrosis in the hypertensive rat model
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