Function In Myocardial Infarction Rats Research Articles

Improvement of EDHF by Chronic ACE Inhibition Declines Rapidly After Withdrawal in Rats With Myocardial Infarction

Heart failure after myocardial infarction (MI) is associated with endothelial dysfunction. There is conflicting evidence on the exact nature of this endothelial dysfunction and how endothelium-dependent vasodilation is affected by angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE-I) therapy. Furthermore, consequences of acute ACE-I withdrawal are largely unknown. Therefore, we studied the contribution of nitric oxide (NO) and endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) to the effects of ACE-I therapy and its withdrawal on endothelial function in MI rats. Rats were subjected to coronary ligation to induce MI and were assigned to quinapril or vehicle from 2 weeks to 8 months post-MI. In parallel, MI rats treated for 14 months with quinapril were subjected to treatment withdrawal for 0, 4, and 6 weeks. Acetylcholine (ACh)-induced relaxation and underlying endothelium-derived mediators were studied in isolated aortic rings. Long-term quinapril (8 months) resulted in markedly improved endothelium-dependent vasodilation in rats with myocardial infarction, which could be attributed to marked improvement in non-NO/prostanoid-mediated relaxation (ie, EDHF). After 14 months of follow-up, maximum vasodilation was still preserved by quinapril. Withdrawal after 14 months of treatment caused significantly impaired ACh-induced EDHF-mediated relaxation within 4 weeks. A marked reduction in EDHF-mediated relaxation caused this impairment. NO-mediated relaxation was unaffected. These findings highlight the importance of EDHF impairment in development of endothelial dysfunction after myocardial infarction and the possibility of improving EDHF-mediated vasodilation with chronic ACE inhibitor therapy. In addition, withdrawal of chronic ACE inhibition after MI should be considered carefully, as profound endothelial dysfunction may develop rapidly.

Forebrain-mediated adaptations to myocardial infarction in the rat.

Recent studies suggest that the forebrain contributes to the circulatory derangements leading to heart failure after myocardial injury. We tested that hypothesis by examining the effect of myocardial infarction (MI) or sham MI (MI-s) on neurohumoral regulation in rats with prior anteroventral (AV) third ventricle lesion (AV3V-x) or sham lesion (AV3V-s). AV3V-s/MI rats had higher sodium intake, lower urine volume, and lower urinary sodium excretion than AV3V-s/MI-s rats. AV3V-x/MI rats had lower sodium intake and higher urine volume than AV3V-s/MI or AV3V-s/MI-s rats and urinary sodium excretion comparable to AV3V-s/MI-s rats. AV3V-x had no effect on baseline plasma renin activity (PRA). One week after MI, PRA had increased in AV3V-s but decreased in AV3V-x rats. AV3V-x reduced renal sympathetic nerve activity in MI and MI-s rats. AV3V-x improved baroreflex function in MI rats but diminished it in MI-s rats. Survival beyond 2 wk was lower in the AV3V-x/MI rats than in all other groups. These results confirm a critical role for the forebrain in the neurohumoral adjustments to MI.

Transplantation of embryonic stem cells improves cardiac function in postinfarcted rats.

Massive loss of cardiac myocytes after myocardial infarction (MI) is a common cause of heart failure. The present study was designed to investigate the improvement of cardiac function in MI rats after embryonic stem (ES) cell transplantation. MI in rats was induced by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Cultured ES cells used for cell transplantation were transfected with the marker green fluorescent protein (GFP). Animals in the treated group received intramyocardial injection of ES cells in injured myocardium. Compared with the MI control group injected with an equivalent volume of the cell-free medium, cardiac function in ES cell-implanted MI animals was significantly improved 6 wk after cell transplantation. The characteristic phenotype of engrafted ES cells was identified in implanted myocardium by strong positive staining to sarcomeric alpha-actin, cardiac alpha-myosin heavy chain, and troponin I. GFP-positive cells in myocardium sectioned from MI hearts confirmed the survival and differentiation of engrafted cells. In addition, single cells isolated from cell-transplanted MI hearts showed rod-shaped GFP-positive myocytes with typical striations. The present data demonstrate that ES cell transplantation is a feasible and novel approach to improve ventricular function in infarcted failing hearts.

Desensitization of cardiac β -adrenoceptor signaling with heart failure produced by myocardial infarction in the rat. Evidence for the role of Gi but not Gs or phosphorylating proteins

This study examined mechanisms of β -adrenergic (AR) desensitization in a myocardial infarction (MI) model of heart failure in the rat. Inotropic responses to isoproterenol (non-selective β -AR agonist) and RO 363 (selective β1-AR agonist), in left atria and left papillary muscle, were reduced by up to 65%, while chronotropic responses in right atria were unaffected. β1- andβ2 -AR density did not change after MI, suggesting that changes in β -AR responsiveness are due to changes occurring downstream of the receptor. Inotropic and chronotropic responses to forskolin were not altered in right and left atria and left papillary muscle after MI, suggesting changes at the level of the G-proteins. Pertussis toxin treatment of animals restored inotropic responses to isoproterenol in left atria and left papillary muscle to levels seen in the sham group, indicating that inactivation of Gi-proteins improves inotropic function in MI rats, and that β -ARs couple to Gi in cardiac failure. Expression of G-protein receptor kinase 2 (GRK2), β -arrestin1 and the regulatory subunits of cAMPdPK (RI α and RII α), showed no change after MI. However the expression of Gi α2was significantly increased in left ventricle (sham 0.888±0.140, MI 1.759±0.352 P=0.026), right ventricle (sham 0.031±0.004, MI 0.037±0.002 P=0.006) and atria (sham 0.107±0.006, MI 0.138±0.006P =0.004), with no changes observed in the expression of Gs α . These results suggest that increases in Gi play an important role in the decreased β -AR responsiveness in the rat model of MI.

Ouabain improves cardiac function in vivo in rats with heart failure after chronic but not acute treatment.

Rats are generally believed to be insensitive for cardiac glycosides. However, like in humans, the hemodynamic effects may be related to the pathophysiological condition. Since the hemodynamic effects of cardiac glycosides have never been investigated in rats with heart failure, the aim of the present experiments was to investigate the role of the pathophysiological condition in the rat. Therefore, hemodynamic and cardiac effects of ouabain were investigated both in normal rats and rats with heart failure due to myocardial infarction (MI). Since the effects of ouabain may also depend on the treatment scheme, rats were treated either for a short-term period or a long-term period. Three weeks after sham surgery or ligation of the left coronary artery (MI), Wistar rats were treated for two weeks with ouabain (14.4 mg/kg.d s.c.), either continuously (osmotic minipumps) or intermittently (once daily). A separate group of rats was treated for 45-60 min (1-100 microg/kg.min ouabain; i.v. infusion 5 weeks after MI). Hemodynamic measurements were performed at rest and after volume loading in conscious rats, chronically instrumented with an electromagnetic flow probe and catheters. Induction of MI resulted in a significant increase in total peripheral resistance (TPR), and a significant decrease in basal and maximal cardiac output following volume loading (basal CO: sham, 92 +/- 5; MI, 74 +/- 5 ml/min; maximal CO: sham, 152 +/- 4; MI, 105 +/- 7 ml/min; n = 7-11). Chronic intermittent ouabain treatment further increased TPR in MI rats. In contrast, continuous ouabain treatment normalized TPR in rats. Only in continuously treated MI rats, basal and maximal CO improved significantly (basal: 83 +/- 4; maximal: 134 +/- 7 ml/min; n = 7). Acute treatment dose-dependently worsened the hemodynamic conditions of MI rats, since TPR and MAP increased and CO and stroke volume decreased significantly. These experiments demonstrate that ouabain can improve cardiac function in rats, although only in MI rats and strongly depending on the delivery regimen. Thus, in contrast to the general belief, the presently used rat model is suitable for investigation of cardiac glycosides in heart failure. The preferential improvement of cardiac function in MI rats continuously treated with ouabain may depend upon changes in Na+,K+-ATPase or altered neurohumoral conditions due to MI and chronic treatment.

Role of endogenous atrial natriuretic peptide in congestive heart failure

Effects of purified rabbit anti-rat 25-amino acid atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) immunoglobulin G (IgG) on renal sodium excretion and glomerular filtration rate were studied in a rat model of congestive heart failure (CHF) having high circulating ANP levels. Bolus injection of anti-ANP into anesthetized rats with surgically induced myocardial infarction (MI) significantly and markedly depressed both absolute and fractional urinary excretion of sodium without affecting mean arterial pressure or glomerular filtration rate. By contrast, anti-ANP failed to affect these renal functions in normal or acutely water-deprived rats. Nonimmune IgG did not affect renal function in MI rats. These results indicate that high circulating ANP plays an important role in sodium homeostasis of congestive heart failure: by promoting sodium excretion, ANP opposes the tendency of sodium retention characteristic of CHF.