Gaëtan Jasmin

CARDIOMYOPATHY OF HAMSTER DYSTROPHY

Investigations of the fine structural changes observed in the hearts of cardiomyopathic hamsters at very early stages of the disease indicate that the initial changes involve the pericapillary mesenchymal cells. Other prominent features consist of hypercontraction of cardiocytes, disruption of intercalated disks, and eventual partitioning of cardiac cells, with myofibrillar lysis. The generalized plasma membrane defect allows a net increase in calcium influx and a depression in mitochondrial respiratory control ratios. These pathologic events are in accord with previously reported increases in myocardial sympathic nerve activity.

Therapeutic trials in hamster dystrophy.

Verapamil and prenylamine, which antagonize calcium influx into heart muscle cells, Dibenamine and propanolol, alpha and beta adrenergic bockers, respectively, and prostaglandin E1, which acts on permeability of cell membranes and on adrenergic neurotransmission, were all shown to markedly reduce the severity of heart lesions in UM-X7.1 cardiomyopathic hamsters. The beneficial effects of these compounds seen essentially preventive, in that they do not afford protection for fully developed skeletal muscle lesions. The occurrence of the pathologic changes in the myocardium coincides with an increased adrenergic nerve activity, and it is believed that these drugs function mainly by decreasing calcium conductivity across the sarcolemmal membranes of cardiocytes.

Alterations in G-proteins in congestive heart failure in cardiomyopathic (UM-X7.1) hamsters

In order to explain the attenuated sympathetic support during the development of heart failure, the status of β-adrenergic mechanisms in the failing myocardium was assessed by employing cardiomyopathic hamsters (155–170 days old) at moderate degree of congestive heart failure. The norepinephrine turnover rate was increased but the norepinephrine content was decreased in cardiomyopathic hearts. The number and the affinity of β receptors in the sarcolemmal preparations were not changed in these hearts at moderate stage of congestive heart failure. While the basal adenylyl cyclase activity was not altered in sarcolemma, the stimulation of enzyme activity by NaF, forskolin, Gpp(NH)p or epinephrine was depressed in hearts from these cardiomyopathic hamsters. Since G-proteins are involved in modifying the adenylyl cyclase activity, the functional and bioactivities as well as contents of both Gs and Gi proteins were determined in the cardiomyopathic heart sarcolemma. The functional stimulation of adenylyl cyclase by cholera toxin, which activates Gs proteins, was markedly depressed whereas that by Pertussis toxin, which inhibits Gi proteins, was markedly augmented in cardiomyopathic hearts. The cholera toxin and pertussis toxin catalyzed ADP-ribosylation was increased by 37 and 126%, respectively; this indicated increased bioactivities of both Gs and Gi proteins in experimental preparations. The immunoblot analysis suggested 74 and 124% increase in Gs and Gi contents in failing hearts, respectively. These results suggest that depressed adenylyl cyclase activation in cardiomyopathic hamsters may not only be due to increased content and bioactivity of Gi proteins but the functional uncoupling of Gs proteins from the adenylyl cyclase enzyme may also be involved at this stage of heart failure.

Increases of T-type Ca2+ current in heart cells of the cardiomyopathic hamster

In the present study, the whole-cell voltage clamp technique was used in order to record the T- and L-type Ca2+ currents in single heart cells of newborn and young normal and hereditary cardiomyopathic hamsters. Our results showed that the I/V relationship curve as well as the kinetics of the L-type Ca2+ currents (ICa(L)) in both normal and cardiomyopathic heart cells were the same. However, the proportion of myocytes from normal heart hamster that showed L-type ICa was less than that of heart cells from cardiomyopathic hamster. The I/V relationship curve of the T-type ICa (ICa(T)) was the same in myocytes of both normal and cardiomyopathic hamsters. The main differences between ICa(T) of cardiomyopathic and normal hamster are a larger window current and the proportion of ventricular myocytes that showed this type of current in cardiomyopathic hamster. The high density of ICa(T) as well as the large window current and proportion of myocytes showing ICa(T) may explain in part Ca2+ overload observed in cardiomyopathic heart cells of the hamster.

Effects of Mibefradil, a T- and L-Type Calcium Channel Blocker, on Cardiac Remodeling in the UM-X7.1 Cardiomyopathic Hamster

Abnormalities of T-type calcium channel function reported to occur in the transition phase to heart failure in the hamster cardiomyopathy may contribute to progression of the disease. We tested the hypothesis that chronic exposure to mibefradil, a selective T-type calcium channel blocker, improves the deleterious cardiac remodeling observed in this condition. In the present study, 40 normal (N) and 40 UM-X7.1 cardiomyopathic hamsters (CMH), aged 180 days, were treated daily by gavage for 21 days with mibefradil (30 mg/Kg). Eight to 10 animals from each group were sacrificed at the end of the treatment period while the remainder were followed for an additional 30 days without treatment (washout period). Hearts were harvested, fixed with 10%-buffered paraformaldehyde and then cut in half down the middle. Several slices were dehydrated, embedded in paraffin and stained with Masson Trichrome. Wall thickness and dilatation index of the left ventricle were estimated by planimetry. Myocardial capillary density was also computed. The greater heart weight/body weight ratio seen in untreated CMH (7.7 ± 0.4 vs 5.5 ± 0.2 in N, p < 0.05) was improved with mibefradil. The dilatation index averaged 0.504 ± 0.04 in N was increased in untreated CMH (0.566 ± 0.03) and ameliorated in mibefradil-treated CMH. The 1-month washout period led to further deterioration of the dilatation index in untreated and mibefradil-treated CMH. Capillary density averaged 10,000 ± 781 per mm2 in hearts from untreated N hamsters and 8,830 ± 795 per mm2 in untreated CMH (p = NS). Chronic exposure to mibefradil resulted in a significant reduction of capillary density in both N and CMH hearts. Following the 1-month washout period, the change in myocardial capillary density associated with mibefradil was no longer detectable. In conclusion, chronic exposure to mibefradil, a T- and L-type calcium channel blocker, exerts opposite effects during the transition phase to heart failure in CMH, improving the deleterious left ventricular remodeling in UM-X7.1 hamsters and reducting myocardial capillary density independently of the disease process.

The effect of dobutamine on myocardial performance and high-energy phosphate metabolism at different stages of heart failure in cardiomyopathic hamsters: A 31P MRS study

Dobutamine has been shown to exert disparate clinical effects in patients with cardiomyopathy and heart failure. This study evaluated the effects of dobutamine on hemodynamics and energetics in isolated, perfused myopathic hamster hearts at a moderate and advanced stage of heart failure. Biochemical changes were correlated with left ventricular developed pressure, coronary flow, and myocardial oxygen consumption. During dobutamine treatment left ventricular developed pressure increased in the control and moderate heart failure group 28.0 +/- 1.0% and 114.2 +/- 11.6%, respectively. Myocardial oxygen consumption increased 50.1 +/- 9.1% and 45.5 +/- 16.0%, respectively. There were no significant changes of left ventricular developed pressure and myocardial oxygen consumption in the advanced heart failure group. Inorganic phosphate (Pi) increased in the control group from 6.8 +/- 0.5 to 11.4 +/- 1.2 mmol (p less than 0.005) and in the advanced heart failure group from 10.4 +/- 1.1 to 15.3 +/- 1.2 mmol (p less than 0.01). Phosphocreatine (PCr) and beta-ATP (adenosine triphosphate) decreased in the control group from 12.2 +/- 0.4 to 8.7 +/- 0.7 mmol (p less than 0.001) and 10.4 +/- 0.8 to 7.7 +/- 0.7 mmol (p less than 0.02), respectively. PCr/Pi ratio, reflecting mitochondrial function, fell in the control and advanced heart failure group from 1.84 +/- 0.14 to 0.84 +/- 0.14 (p less than 0.02) and 0.81 +/- 0.16 to 0.37 +/- 0.08 (p less than 0.03), respectively. Thus in cardiomyopathic hamsters dobutamine improved mechanical performance and thermodynamic efficiency in moderate stages of heart failure by improving mitochondrial activity, but did not improve mechanical performance in an advanced stage of heart failure. These experiments provide into the disparate clinical effects of dobutamine at various stages of heart failure.

Cardiac membrane cholesterol in dystrophic and verapamil-treated hamsters

Abstract Cardiac muscle degeneration features prominently in the pathology of the dystrophic hamster. Since cholesterol is important in maintaining membrane integrity cholesterol and cholesterol ester levels were examined in cardiac subcelullar fractions of the UMX-7.1 strain of dystrophic hamster. In 50-day-old dystrophic animals cardiac microsomal fractions contained 135 ± 18 μg cholesterol per mg protein compared to control levels of 49 ± 8 μg/mg. The cholesterol content in the mitochondrial fraction was 65 ± 5 μg/mg and 17 ± 3 μg/mg respectively. In 180-day-old animals similar differences in cholesterol content were observed. Esterified cholesterol was elevated in the microsomal and mitochondrial fractions but only at 180 days. Pretreatment of dystrophic hamsters for 20 days with verapamil, a drug which has been shown to prevent cardiac necrosis in dystrophic hamsters did not alter the cholesterol content of the subellular fractions.

Observations on histochemical differential diagnosis between primary and secondary cardiomyopathies: Behavior of monoamine oxidase, phosphorylase, and glycogen in heart muscle☆

Abstract Comparative histochemical and morphologic studies were performed during the development of three primary (nonocclusive, or metabolic) and three secondary (occlusive, or anoxic) necrotizing cardiomyopathies, in the rat. The primary types of lesion were induced by the injection of plasmocid, the administration of dihydrotachysterol, and the feeding of a potassium-deficient diet. On the other hand, the secondary types of cardiac damage were elicited by ligature of a coronary artery as well as by two synthetic amines, methoxamine and metaraminol, which possess sustained pressor and vasoconstrictor properties. It was observed that myocardial monoamine oxidase, phosphorylase, and the stainable, labile fraction of glycogen behave differently during the development of primary and secondary cardiomyopathies, and it is suggested that the histochemical techniques for these three substances are applicable for purposes of morphologic differential diagnosis, since the changes are not only quantitatively but also qualitatively distinguishable and provide a basis for etiological considerations.

Polycythemia Induced in Rats by Intrarenal Injection of Nickel Sulfide Ni3S2

Summary In rats, injection of nickel sulfide (5 mg) into each pole of one kidney, unlike intramuscular administration, elicits a plethoric condition a few weeks later. The resulting hematologic changes (increased hematocrit, hemoglobin, erythrocytes and circulating erythrocyte mass with normal plasma volume) indicate that the plethoric condition is due to polycythemia, which is not associated with alterations in the 2,3-diphosphoglyceric acid content of erythrocytes. Removal of the treated kidney, following the development of the polycythemia, as well as the tumor growth and expansion in the renal parenchyma, reverse the plethoric condition, suggesting that the erythropoietic changes derive from nickel-induced renal lesions. Further studies are required to elucidate the nature and mechanisms of the cellular alterations.

Early fetal like slow Na+ current in heart cells of cardiomyopathic hamster

Using the whole-cell voltage-clamp technique, early embryonic tetrodotoxin (TTX) and Mn2+-insensitive slow Na+ current was detected in 10-22 week old fetal human heart cells as well as in 1-day-old and young cardiomyopathic hamster myocytes. This slow Na+ current in both heart cell preparations has the same kinetics and pharmacology. This type of slow Na+ current was absent in heart cells of newborn and young normal hamsters and became less present in myocytes of 19 and 22 week old human heart myocytes. Our results demonstrate that the slow Na+ channel does exist in early fetal human life and this type of channel continues to be functional after birth in myocytes of the hereditary cardiomyopathic hamster.