Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

S F Vatner

Publications and source records attributed to S F Vatner.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Differences in beta 3-adrenergic receptor cardiovascular regulation in conscious primates, rats and dogs.

The goal of our study was to compare the effects of two beta 3-adrenergic receptor agonists, i.e., BRL37344 (BRL) and CL316243 (CL), in conscious dogs, rats and nonhuman primates, instrumented with aortic and atrial catheters, ascending aortic flow probes and left ventricular (LV) pressure gauges. In conscious dogs, CL, 10 micrograms/kg, i.v., reduced, P < .05, mean arterial pressure by 8 +/- 4% and total peripheral resistance by 51 +/- 4% and increased, P < .05, LV dP/dt by 79 +/- 10% and heart rate by 88 +/- 8%. These responses were similar to those induced by BRL, 8.3 micrograms/kg, i.v. After autonomic blockade (beta 1/beta 2-adrenergic, cholinergic and ganglionic), CL still reduced total peripheral resistance by 49 +/- 4%, and increased LV dP/dt by 21 +/- 4%, without an effect on heart rate. In conscious rats, 10 times the dose of CL 100 micrograms/kg, i.v., reduced, P < .05, total peripheral resistance by 18 +/- 4%, without major effects on LV dP/dt and heart rate. BRL, 83 micrograms/kg i.v., reduced total peripheral resistance similarly by 31 +/- 3%, and increased heart rate (25 +/- 3%) and LV dP/dt (27 +/- 5%) more, P < .05. In conscious monkeys and baboons, CL, 100 micrograms/kg, i.v., did not induce significant effects, whereas BRL, 83 micrograms/kg, i.v., increased heart rate (36 +/- 6%), LV dP/dt (85 +/- 9%) and decreased total peripheral resistance (30 +/- 2%). After beta 1/beta 2-adrenergic receptor blockade in rats and primates, there were almost no differences between BRL and CL, i.e., in primates there were almost no significant cardiovascular effects with either compound. Both CL and BRL increased circulating free fatty acids in the dog, but not in the baboon. Thus, CL appears to be a more specific beta 3-adrenergic receptor agonist than BRL. More importantly, beta 3-adrenergic receptor stimulation was most profound in dogs, where even a direct effect on LV contractility was identified, was diminished but still significant in rats, and essentially absent in primates.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗

Hemodynamic mechanisms responsible for reduced subendocardial coronary reserve in dogs with severe left ventricular hypertrophy.

BACKGROUND: Reduced subendocardial coronary reserve is a hallmark of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). The goal of this study was to determine whether hemodynamic, as opposed to structural, mechanisms were responsible for the reduced subendocardial coronary reserve. METHODS AND RESULTS: The effects of near-maximal vasodilation with adenosine were examined in 10 conscious dogs with LVH (79% increase in ratio of LV weight to body weight) induced by aortic banding in puppies with and without preload reduction. At baseline, LV end-diastolic pressure, LV end-diastolic circumferential and compressive radial wall stresses, and LV myocardial blood flow were similar in dogs with LVH and sham-operated controls, while LV end-systolic circumferential wall stress tended to be greater in the LVH group compared with the control group. In control dogs, adenosine reduced LV circumferential end-systolic and end-diastolic wall stresses and compressive radial subendocardial wall stress; LV subendocardial blood flow increased (from 1.41 +/- 0.16 to 3.58 +/- 0.27 mL.min-1.g-1) and the ratio of subendocardial to subepicardial blood flow decrease from 1.30 +/- 0.07 to 0.69 +/- 0.05. In dogs with LVH, during adenosine infusion, LV circumferential end-systolic and end-diastolic wall stresses and LV radial subendocardial wall stresses remained elevated, the increase in LV subendocardial blood flow was significantly smaller (from 1.11 +/- 0.11 to 2.27 +/- 0.24 mL.min-1.g-1, P < .05), and the subendocardial/epicardial ratio fell to a lower level (from 1.22 +/- 0.17 to 0.35 +/- 0.03, P < .05). When LV wall stresses during adenosine were reduced in a subgroup of 5 dogs with LVH, the endocardium/epicardium ratio during adenosine infusion was no longer different from that in control dogs (0.63 +/- 0.11), nor was the level of subendocardial blood flow different (3.42 +/- 0.60 mL.min-1.g-1). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that hemodynamic factors, eg, compressive forces, are an important component of the reduced subendocardial coronary reserve as opposed to structural alterations, even in the presence of severe LVH.

Adenosine↗

Effects of ryanodine on cardiac contraction, excitation-contraction coupling and "Treppe" in the conscious dog.

The effects of ryanodine on left ventricular (LV) function and hemodynamics were studied in 16 conscious dogs, chronically instrumented for measurements of LV pressures and dimensions. Systemic infusion of ryanodine (0.5-4 micrograms/kg i.v.) resulted in a dose-dependent depression of cardiac contraction. For example, ryanodine, 4 micrograms/kg i.v., decreased LV fractional shortening by 30.5 +/- 4.1%, LV dP/dt by 41.5 +/- 4.0% and Vcfc by 37.8 +/- 4.1%, while increasing the isovolumic relaxation time constant, tau, from 23.1 +/- 1.4 to 34.1 +/- 3.6 ms without a major effect on preload or afterload. Ryanodine also depressed (P < 0.05) the plateau phase of the mechanical restitution and post-extrasystolic potentiation responses, indicating a direct effect on excitation-contraction coupling. The heart rate dependent positive staircase ("Treppe") was significantly enhanced (P < 0.05) after ryanodine infusion, i.e. LV dP/dt rose by 43.1 +/- 4.7% with an increase in heart rate from 150 to 240 beats/min in the presence of ryanodine 4 micrograms/kg, but by only 7.5 +/- 2.1% without ryanodine. The more pronounced "Treppe" in the conscious dog under the condition of impaired SR calcium release caused by ryanodine, supports the concept that the classical Bowditch "Treppe" reflects either a state of myocardial depression due to alteration in SR calcium handling, or enhanced availability of trans-sarcolemmal Ca2+ influx. This finding may help to understand the discrepancy in the importance of the "Treppe" between conscious animals and more isolated preparations.

Animals↗

Effects of hypertrophy on left atrial and ventricular compliance and plasma ANF levels in conscious dogs.

Alterations in left atrial (LA) and left ventricular (LV) compliance and arterial and coronary sinus atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) concentrations at baseline and in response to both volume depletion and expansion were investigated in 15 conscious dogs with aortic banding-induced LV hypertrophy (LVH) (LV/body wt increased by 64%), which also induced LAH (LA/body wt increased by 61%). With volume expansion coronary sinus ANF increased more (P < 0.05) in dogs with LVH (+427 +/- 88 pg/ml) compared with control dogs (+146 +/- 45 pg/ml). Arterial ANF levels also rose more with volume expansion in LVH. In dogs with LVH, the LV end-diastolic pressure-diameter relationship was shifted to the left with a steeper slope with volume expansion, such that at any given diastolic dimension, diastolic pressure was higher. In contrast, the pressure-dimension relationship for the LA appendage was shifted in the opposite direction during both atrial systolic and diastolic phases, with a more shallow slope in hypertrophy compared with control dogs, resulting in an augmented pressure-dimension product during volume loading in LAH. In conclusion, in dogs with LVH and LAH, enhanced ANF was revealed in the coronary sinus and systemic circulation during volume expansion, which could be due, in part, to a more compliant, but hypertrophied, LA, which responded to equivalent volume loading with an augmented pressure-dimension product.

Animals↗

Splenic contraction-induced increases in arterial O2 reduce requirement for CBF in conscious dogs.

We investigated the extent to which sympathomimetic amines induced splenic contraction and associated increases in arterial O2 content (CaO2) and how these mechanisms affected control of the coronary circulation by sympathomimetic amines in conscious dogs. Blood hemoglobin (Hb) and CaO2 increased by 16 +/- 2 and 18 +/- 2%, respectively, during norepinephrine (NE, 0.8 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 iv) in the intact, conscious state after splenic contraction. Phenylephrine (PE) induced similar effects. After either alpha 1-adrenergic-receptor blockade or splenectomy, these effects were abolished. Isoproterenol (Iso) also decreased splenic thickness, which was abolished after ganglionic, alpha-, or beta 1/beta 2-adrenergic-receptor blockade. Direct infusions of NE and PE into the splenic artery decreased splenic thickness and increased Hb and CaO2, whereas Iso had no effect. After splenectomy, NE did not increase CaO2, but coronary blood flow (CBF) increased more (73 +/- 6%) vs. before splenectomy (49 +/- 7%) without any differences before and after splenectomy in the responses of pressures, contractility, and myocardial O2 consumption (MVO2). In contrast, renal, mesenteric, and iliac artery blood flows were not significantly different in response to sympathomimetic amines before and after splenectomy. These data indicate that sympathomimetic amines induced splenic contraction either directly or reflexly via alpha-adrenergic-receptor stimulation. The consequent increase in Hb and CaO2 allows for equivalent increases in MVO2, but at a smaller increase in CBF.

Adrenergic Antagonists↗

Adrenergic responsiveness is reduced, while baseline cardiac function is preserved in old adult conscious monkeys.

To examine the physiological deficit to adrenergic stimulation with aging, five younger adult (3 +/- 1 yr old) and nine older adult (17 +/- 1 yr old) healthy monkeys were studied after instrumentation with a left ventricular (LV) pressure gauge, aortic and left atrial catheters, and aortic flow probes to measure cardiac output directly. There were no significant changes in baseline hemodynamics in conscious older monkeys. For example, an index of contractility, the first derivative of LV pressure (LV dP/dt) was similar (3,191 +/- 240, young vs. 3,225 +/- 71 mmHg/s, old) as well as in isovolumic relaxation, tau (24.3 +/- 1.7 ms, young vs. 23.0 +/- 1.0 ms, old) was similar. However, inotropic, lusitropic, and chronotropic responses to isoproterenol (Iso; 0.1 micrograms/kg), norepinephrine (NE; 0.4 micrograms/kg), and forskolin (For; 75 nmol/kg) were significantly (P < 0.05) depressed in older monkeys. For example. Iso increased LV dP/dt by by 146 +/- 14% in younger monkeys and by only 70 +/- 5% in older monkeys. Iso also reduced tau more in younger monkeys (-28 +/- 7%) compared with older monkeys (-13 +/- 3%). Furthermore, peripheral vascular responsiveness to Iso, NE, For, and phenylephrine (PE; 5 micrograms/kg) was significantly (P < 0.05) reduced in older monkeys. For example, phenylephrine (5 micrograms/kg) increased total peripheral resistence by 69 +/- 4% in younger monkeys and by only 45 +/- 3% in older monkeys. Thus in older monkeys without associated cardiovascular disease, baseline hemodynamics are preserved, but adrenergic receptor responsiveness is reduced systemically, not just in the heart.

Adrenergic Agents↗

Mechanism of impaired myocardial function during progressive coronary stenosis in conscious pigs. Hibernation versus stunning?

The major goal of this study was to determine whether impaired myocardial contractile function during the development of progressive coronary artery stenosis induced by ameroid constriction in conscious pigs reflected myocardial "hibernation" or "stunning." Minipigs were instrumented with a coronary ameroid constrictor and hydraulic occluder, regional wall thickness crystals, a left ventricular (LV) pressure gauge, and aortic and left atrial catheters. In the seven pigs in which it was measured, systolic wall thickening (WT) distal to the ameroid fell by a maximum of 56 +/- 6% at 20 +/- 3 days after ameroid implantation and then began to recover. At 1 day after ameroid implantation, brief complete coronary artery occlusion (CAO) resulted in wall thinning distal to the ameroid (-113 +/- 4%) and transmural decreases in myocardial blood flow in endocardial (from 0.82 +/- 0.08 to 0.02 +/- 0.01 mL/min per gram) and epicardial (from 0.73 +/- 0.13 to 0.03 +/- 0.02 mL/min per gram) layers. At 20 +/- 3 days, baseline myocardial blood flow was not altered either in endocardial (0.92 +/- 0.10 mL/min per gram) or epicardial (0.85 +/- 0.12 mL/min per gram) layers, whereas brief complete coronary artery occlusion still reduced WT (-83 +/- 12%) and myocardial blood flow in endocardial (to 0.21 +/- 0.03 mL/min per gram) and epicardial (to 0.43 +/- 0.12 mL/min per gram) layers, indicating that the coronary artery was not totally occluded. Pathology in four pigs demonstrated no gross necrotic myocardium shortly after this time point. Transient reductions in WT distal to the ameroid were observed during progressive coronary artery stenosis in response to spontaneous increases in activity. Beat-by-beat analysis of these episodes revealed that acute reductions in WT followed increases in LV dP/dt and heart rate and exhibited delayed recovery. These data suggest that the reduced function during ameroid-induced coronary stenosis reflected cumulative myocardial stunning rather than a primary deficit in coronary blood flow or "hibernating myocardium."

Animals↗

Effects of anaesthesia and recent surgery on diastolic function.

OBJECTIVE: The aims were to determine the effects and the extent to which halothane anaesthesia affects diastolic function both immediately after and remote from surgery and to investigate whether the effect is due to alterations in loading conditions. METHODS: Eight mongrel dogs were studied under halothane anaesthesia (0.5-1.5 end tidal vol%) with the chest closed, after acute instrumentation with left ventricular pressure transducers, left atrial and aortic catheters, and left ventricular diameter and wall thickness crystals. The same dogs were then studied in the fully conscious state, 2-3 weeks later. An additional four dogs were studied in the conscious state and then again under halothane anaesthesia remote from acute instrumentation. The left ventricular isovolumetric relaxation time constant, tau, as well as myocardial and chamber stiffness constants were used as indices of diastolic function. RESULTS: Following halothane anaesthesia and recent surgery, tau was prolonged significantly compared to the conscious state, at 30(SEM 1) v 22(1) ms (p < 0.01), but there were no changes in either myocardial or chamber stiffness. While tau remained sensitive to increased heart rate and enhanced contractility and was prolonged by increasing afterload in both the anaesthetised and conscious states, it was consistently prolonged following halothane anaesthesia and recent surgery even at matched levels of contractile states, heart rates and loading conditions, compared to the conscious state, at 26(1) v 19(1) ms (p < 0.01). When the effects of halothane anaesthesia were examined after full recovery from surgery, tau was still prolonged under halothane anaesthesia, at 29(2) v 20(1) ms (p < 0.01), compared to the conscious state, but in contrast to the findings following halothane anaesthesia and recent surgery, it was fully normalised [19(1) v 19(1) ms] when contractile state and loading conditions were matched. CONCLUSIONS: Left ventricular diastolic function is influenced markedly by halothane anaesthesia and recent surgery, and to a degree comparable to many pathological states. The effects of halothane anaesthesia and recent surgery appear to prolong the isovolumetric relaxation time constant independently of heart rate, contractility, and loading conditions and are most likely to be due to the combined direct effects of anaesthetics and acute instrumentation.

Anesthesia, Inhalation↗

Enhanced postischemic dysfunction selective to subendocardium in conscious dogs with LV hypertrophy.

The effects of a 15-min coronary arterial occlusion (CAO) and reperfusion (CAR) for 24 h were compared in 11 normal dogs and in 13 conscious dogs with left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy (H) induced by ascending aortic banding, which increased the LV weight-to-body weight ratio by 69%. The dogs were studied 2-4 wk after recovery from instrumentation for measurement of global LV dynamics and regional wall motion. During CAO, heart rate and LV end-diastolic pressure increased similarly in both groups; however, LV systolic pressure decreased (-38 +/- 6 mmHg; P < 0.01) only in LVH. At 1 h of CAR, all measurements of systemic hemodynamics and global LV function returned to baseline levels in normal dogs; however, sustained depression (P < 0.01) in LV systolic pressure (-18 +/- 4 mmHg) and mean velocity of circumferential fiber shortening corrected for heart rate (-0.17 +/- 0.06) were observed in LVH. The recovery in regional myocardial dysfunction was significantly prolonged in the subendocardium (Endo) of LVH, e.g., at 1 h of CAR, Endo wall thickening was depressed more in dogs with LVH compared with normal dogs (-69 +/- 3% vs. -53 +/- 5%; P < 0.01), but not in the subepicardium (Epi). Coronary flow reserve, assessed by intravenous adenosine, was depressed in Endo of LVH compared with normal dogs, but not altered further by CAR. In conclusion, myocardial stunning after a brief period of CAO in dogs with LVH was not enhanced in Epi but was modestly increased in Endo. This regional dysfunction was, however, sufficiently powerful to induce modest impairment of global LV function.

Animals↗

Excitation-contraction coupling in isolated myocardium from dogs with compensated left ventricular hypertrophy.

To examine the relationship between left ventricular (LV) function and intracellular calcium modulation in the presence of myocyte hypertrophy, we compared LV muscles from nine dogs with compensated LV hypertrophy (LVH) induced by chronic aortic banding with 11 controls. Mechanical properties were studied in LV muscles (control, n = 25; LVH, n = 23) stretched to the length at which maximal isometric tension developed at 30 degrees C and stimulated at 0.33 Hz; a subset of LVH muscles was loaded with the intracellular calcium indicator aequorin. In LV myocardium from dogs with compensated LVH, both the contraction duration and calcium transients were prolonged at baseline, and the response to phosphodiesterase inhibitors was impaired in keeping with findings in both human and experimental models of pressure-overload hypertrophy and failure. However, in contrast to findings in the failing myocardium, the positive inotropic response to increasing intracellular calcium was preserved in myocardium from dogs with compensated LVH.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Factors involved in delaying the rise in peripheral resistance in developing heart failure.

The development of heart failure (HF) on peripheral vascular control was studied in 10 conscious dogs with measurements of cardiac output (CO) and left ventricular (LV), arterial, and right atrial pressures. At 3 wk after pacing-induced HF, CO was not decreased from 2.5 +/- 0.2 l/min, whereas LV dP/dt fell (from 2,858 +/- 71 to 1,409 +/- 69 mmHg/s) and LV end-diastolic pressure increased (from 4.8 +/- 0.4 to 27.3 +/- 1.1 mmHg) (P < 0.05). At 4-7 wk after pacing, CO was significantly decreased (to 1.6 +/- 0.1 l/min; P < 0.05), but total peripheral resistance (TPR) did not rise, despite increases in plasma norepinephrine and renin activity (P < 0.05). In the presence of ganglionic blockade, TPR was still not increased in HF. In vitro studies in isolated femoral artery segments demonstrated reduced intrinsic tone (0.028 +/- 0.007 g/mg; P < 0.05) as compared with vessels from sham-operated controls (0.124 +/- 0.023 g/mg), whereas the intracellular calcium level was not altered in HF. Thus, during the development of HF, severe contractile dysfunction precedes the fall in CO, which, in turn, precedes the rise in TPR. The delayed rise in TPR appears to involve a reduction in intrinsic peripheral vascular tone, despite neurohumoral activation.

Animals↗

Left ventricular systolic dysfunction precedes diastolic dysfunction during myocardial ischemia in conscious dogs.

We studied the initial effects of regional and global left ventricular (LV) ischemia induced by left circumflex and left main coronary artery occlusion (CAO), respectively, on indexes of systolic and diastolic LV function in conscious dogs to determine whether diastolic abnormalities precede systolic dysfunction or vice versa during the onset of either regional or global myocardial ischemia. With regional myocardial ischemia, within four beats after left circumflex CAO, there was a significant decrease in end-systolic wall thickness in the ischemic zone followed by significantly enhanced postsystolic wall thickening in the nonischemic zone at beat 6. Both peak negative first derivative of left ventricular pressure (LV dP/dt) and the isovolumic relaxation half-time (T 1/2) were prolonged, but later (i.e., by the 9th beat). During sustained CAO T1/2 was normalized shortly after postsystolic thickening in the nonischemic zone had disappeared despite persistent regional systolic asynchrony and shortened ejection time. Thus postsystolic thickening in the nonischemic zone played a major role in the early, transient changes in isovolumic relaxation after acute induction of regional ischemia. With global myocardial ischemia, induced by left main coronary occlusion, indexes of systolic function (e.g., LV dP/dt, ejection fraction, and velocity of circumferential endocardial fiber shortening) were also depressed significantly before (by 5-15 beats) indexes of LV diastolic function [e.g., time constant of isovolumic relaxation and LV myocardial and chamber stiffness (by 35-45 beats)]. Similar results were observed in the presence of autonomic blockade, when heart rate did not change with CAO. Thus, during the induction of either acute regional or acute global LV ischemia in conscious dogs, LV systolic dysfunction occurs before diastolic dysfunction.

Animals↗

Mechanisms mediating responsiveness to beta-adrenergic stimulation after coronary reperfusion in conscious dogs.

The goal of this study was to assess beta-adrenergic receptor (beta-AR) signaling mechanisms in mediating physiological responses to sympathomimetic amines after 45 min coronary artery occlusion followed by 45 min reperfusion. At this time, isoproterenol (Iso) infusion (0.1 microgram/kg-1.min-1, n = 5) increased percent wall thickening in previously ischemic subendocardium (Endo) more than in nonischemic Endo (12.6 +/- 1.2 vs. 7.2 +/- 0.6%, P < 0.05), whereas forskolin (25 nmol.kg-1.min-1, n = 6) elicited the opposite effect (3.6 +/- 0.6 vs. 10.4 +/- 2.8%, P < 0.05). During Iso and forskolin infusions increases in regional myocardial blood flow in the previously ischemic zone were similar to the nonischemic zone. In all groups, total beta-AR density was depressed in previously ischemic Endo compared with nonischemic Endo (65 +/- 7 vs. 82 +/- 8 fmol/mg, P < 0.05), but the fraction of beta-AR binding agonist with high affinity increased (82 +/- 4 vs. 49 +/- 1%, P < 0.05). The changes in beta-AR were associated with a decrease in Iso-stimulated adenylyl cyclase (22 +/- 8%), a decrease in guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP)-stimulatory protein (Gs) (23 +/- 6%), and a decrease in inhibitory G proteins (16 +/- 4%). However, regional Endo functional responsiveness to beta-AR stimulation was enhanced in reperfused myocardium in response to Iso but not to forskolin. Thus the mechanism of increased number of beta-AR binding agonist with high affinity in previously ischemic myocardium predominated over persistent downregulation of total beta-AR density and reductions in Gs and adenylyl cyclase activity and correlated best with the physiological response to beta-AR stimulation. These data may also suggest that Iso exerts an action distal to adenylyl cyclase in previously ischemic myocardium.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Exercise induces cardiac dysfunction in both moderate, compensated and severe hypertrophy.

BACKGROUND: Ventricular hypertrophy begins as a physiological adaptation to cardiac overload but progresses to a pathological state. We examined whether the extent of hypertrophy influenced the response to exercise in terms of its effects on regional and global ventricular function and transmural myocardial blood flow distribution. METHODS AND RESULTS: Left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy was induced by aortic banding in puppies. The effects of treadmill exercise were compared in sham-operated control dogs (n = 7) and in dogs with moderate LV hypertrophy (47% increase in LV wt/body wt, n = 7) with normal baseline levels of LV systolic and diastolic wall stress and dogs with severe LV hypertrophy (85% increase in LV wt/body wt, n = 18), which exhibited elevated levels of LV systolic wall stress at baseline. The dogs with severe LV hypertrophy were further subdivided into those with either elevated or normal baseline levels of LV end-diastolic pressure and wall stress. The response to exercise in dogs with moderate LV hypertrophy was directionally similar to that of sham-operated control dogs for systemic hemodynamics and global and regional LV function, ie, full and subendocardial wall thickening rose, as did mean and diastolic arterial pressures, shortening fraction, and Vcf. The endocardial/epicardial blood flow ratio did not fall during exercise in these two groups. However, relations comparing either LV shortening, Vcf, or wall thickening with LV systolic wall stress during exercise demonstrated depressed myocardial function in the dogs with moderate LV hypertrophy. In contrast, in dogs with severe LV hypertrophy, exercise reduced LV shortening fraction, Vcf, mean and diastolic arterial pressures, and full and subendocardial wall thickening, and the endocardial/epicardial blood flow ratio fell to 0.73 +/- 0.07. There were no differences observed between the two subgroups with severe LV hypertrophy, but the global and regional wall function responses to exercise were more severely impaired than those in dogs with moderate LV hypertrophy. CONCLUSIONS: Responses of global and regional LV function and transmural myocardial blood flow distribution to exercise were clearly abnormal in dogs with severe LV hypertrophy with elevated baseline levels of LV systolic wall stress whether or not baseline levels of LV end-diastolic wall stress were elevated. Thus, it required more severe LV hypertrophy as well as elevated levels of LV wall stress to elicit qualitatively abnormal regional and global hemodynamic responses to exercise. However, even with moderate LV hypertrophy, which was well compensated under baseline conditions, qualitatively impaired contraction-afterload relations were observed during the stress of exercise.

Animals↗

Decrease in myocardial ryanodine receptors and altered excitation-contraction coupling early in the development of heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Rapid ventricular pacing for 1 day reduced myocardial contractile function without inducing heart failure in conscious, chronically instrumented dogs. After 4 to 7 weeks of pacing, myocardial contractility was depressed further and overt signs of congestive heart failure, eg, ascites, dyspnea, and edema, were evident. METHODS AND RESULTS: The mechanical restitution response, a physiological index of calcium release, was depressed at 1 day of rapid ventricular pacing. Postextrasystolic potentiation was also depressed by a similar amount, 14 +/- 3%, at 1 day after pacing. The response to isoproterenol 0.2 microgram/kg per minute was depressed by a significantly greater amount (P < .05), 52 +/- 7%, at 1 day after pacing. 3H-ryanodine receptor binding fell from 1013 +/- 25 to 808 +/- 42 fmol/mg after 1 day of pacing and remained depressed at similar levels (782 +/- 61 fmol/mg) at 4 to 7 weeks when heart failure was manifest. Ryanodine receptor affinity was unchanged from control values. Neither dihydropyridine binding nor affinity for 3H-PN200-110 was changed from control levels. Within 5 days after recovery from 1 day of pacing, physiological responses to isoproterenol, postextrasystolic potentiation, and mechanical restitution recovered, as did 3H-ryanodine binding density. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the changes in excitation-contraction coupling and potentially the sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium release channel occur early in the development of heart failure and therefore may be important in the pathogenesis of the contractile abnormalities in this disease state.

Animals↗

Downregulation of adenylylcyclase types V and VI mRNA levels in pacing-induced heart failure in dogs.

We have shown that the heart expresses two distinct forms of adenylylcyclase mRNA, types V and VI. In this study we have characterized the expression of these two mRNA species in heart failure generated by overdrive pacing at a rate of 240 beats/min. After 4 wk, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and heart rate increased significantly with the appearance of signs of heart failure, i.e., edema, ascites, and exercise intolerance. Basal as well as forskolin-stimulated adenylylcyclase activities decreased significantly, which was accompanied by a reduction in the steady state mRNA levels of adenylylcyclase types V and VI. These data suggest that in this model of cardiomyopathy, the downregulation of adenylylcyclase catalytic activity results, at least in part, from a reduction in the steady state levels of types V and VI adenylylcyclase mRNA levels.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Peripheral vascular effects of beta-3 adrenergic receptor stimulation in conscious dogs.

To characterize the physiological function of the beta-3 adrenergic receptor subtype in vivo, the effects of a beta-3 adrenergic receptor agonist, BRL37344, were examined on systemic hemodynamics and regional blood flow distribution. They were compared with beta-1 or beta-2 adrenergic receptor stimulation using isoproterenol (ISO) in conscious dogs instrumented with aortic and left atrial catheters and ascending aortic flow probes. ISO, at a dose of 0.4 micrograms/kg/min i.v., reduced mean arterial pressure by 7 +/- 3% and increased total peripheral conductance by 145 +/- 12% and heart rate by 109 +/- 10%. BRL37344, at a dose of 8.3 micrograms/kg i.v., reduced mean arterial pressure by 9 +/- 4% and increased total peripheral conductance by 91 +/- 3% and heart rate by 63 +/- 5%. In the presence of selective beta-1 adrenergic receptor blockade with atenolol, ISO decreased mean arterial pressure by 20 +/- 5% and increased total peripheral conductance by 140 +/- 26% and heart rate by 60 +/- 12%. After combined beta-1 and beta-2 adrenergic receptor blockade with propranolol, ISO induced no significant effects. By contrast, after propranolol, BRL37344 still reduced mean arterial pressure by 13 +/- 2% and increased total peripheral conductance by 109 +/- 8% and heart rate by 45 +/- 5%. The beta-3 adrenergic receptor-mediated increase in total peripheral conductance (+146 +/- 8%) persisted after combined blockades, i.e., beta and alpha adrenergic, cholinergic, histaminergic, purinergic, prostaglandin and endothelium-derived relaxing factor blockades.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adrenergic beta-1 Receptor Antagonists↗

Myocardial perfusion dependent and independent mechanisms of regional myocardial dysfunction in hypertrophy.

Reduced coronary reserve is one of the hallmarks of ventricular hypertrophy. Although this reduced coronary reserve may not affect baseline left ventricular (LV) function, it could be of greater importance during periods of stress such as occurs during exercise where increased metabolic demands induced by the stress may not be fully met by increases in coronary blood flow. The impaired subendocardial coronary reserve is caused not only by the hypertrophy but also by the hemodynamic changes, e.g., the LV subendocardial wall stress, which increases markedly upon exercise. In the severely hypertrophied heart during exercise there is impaired subendocardial wall function even after 10 beats, i.e., the first 3 s of exercise, at a time when LV pressures and stresses had not increased, and subendocardial perfusion was still preserved. During more severe exercise, subendocardial dysfunction persisted and was associated with reduced subendocardial perfusion. After beta-adrenergic receptor blockade with propanolol, the most intense level of exercise was associated with lesser increase in systolic and diastolic LV wall stresses, heart rate, and LV dP/dt, and the endo/epi blood flow ratio, an index of adequacy of subendocardial perfusion, was no longer reduced below unity, and there were no decreases in subendocardial wall thickening. Thus, the subendocardial dysfunction occurred rapidly, before alterations in LV systolic or diastolic wall stress or an alteration in the endo/epi blood flow ratio. However, the subendocardial hypoperfusion and depression in subendocardial wall thickening observed during more severe exercise in dogs with LV hypertrophy was prevented by pretreatment with beta-adrenergic receptor blockade. Therefore, myocardial perfusion dependent and independent mechanisms mediate regional myocardial dysfunction during exercise in the hypertrophied heart.

Animals↗