Nitisha Hiranandani

Effects of dietary omega–3 fatty acids on ventricular function in dogs with healed myocardial infarctions: in vivo and in vitro studies

Since omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) can alter ventricular myocyte calcium handling, these fatty acids could adversely affect cardiac contractile function, particularly following myocardial infarction. Therefore, 4 wk after myocardial infarction, dogs were randomly assigned to either placebo (corn oil, 1 g/day, n = 16) or n-3 PUFAs supplement [docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) + eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) ethyl esters; 1, 2, or 4 g/day; n = 7, 8, and 12, respectively] groups. In vivo, ventricular function was evaluated by echocardiography before and after 3 mo of treatment. At the end of the 3-mo period, hearts were removed and in vitro function was evaluated using right ventricular trabeculae and isolated left ventricular myocytes. The treatment elicited significant (P < 0.0001) dose-dependent increases (16.4-fold increase with 4 g/day) in left ventricular tissue and red blood cell n-3 PUFA levels (EPA + DHA, placebo, 0.42 +/- 0.04; 1 g/day, 3.02 +/- 0.23; 2 g/day, 3.63 +/- 0.17; and 4 g/day, 6.97 +/- 0.33%). Regardless of the dose, n-3 PUFA treatment did not alter ventricular function in the intact animal (e.g., 4 g/day, fractional shortening: pre, 42.9 +/- 1.6 vs. post, 40.1 +/- 1.7%; placebo: pre, 39.2 +/- 1.3 vs. post, 38.4 +/- 1.6%). The developed force per cross-sectional area, changes in length- and frequency-dependent behavior in contractile force, and the inotropic response to beta-adrenoceptor activation were also similar for trabeculae obtained from placebo- or n-3 PUFA-treated dogs. Finally, calcium currents and calcium transients were the same in myocytes from n-3 PUFA- and placebo-treated dogs. Thus dietary n-3 PUFAs did not adversely alter either in vitro or in vivo ventricular contractile function in dogs with healed infarctions.

Impact of hydroxyl radical-induced injury on calcium handling and myofilament sensitivity in isolated myocardium

Hydroxyl radicals (OH) are involved in the pathogenesis of reperfusion injury and are observed in acute heart failure, stroke, and myocardial infarction. Two different subcellular defects are involved in the pathogenesis of OH injury, deranged calcium handling, and alterations of myofilament responsiveness, but their temporal impact on contractile function is not resolved. Initially, after brief OH exposure, there is a corresponding marked increase in diastolic calcium and diastolic force. We followed these parameters until a new steady-state level was reached at ~45 min post-OH exposure. At this new baseline, diastolic calcium had returned to near-normal, pre-OH levels, whereas diastolic force remained markedly elevated. An increased calcium sensitivity was observed at the new baseline after OH-induced injury compared with the pre-OH state. The acute injury that occurs after OH exposure is mainly due to calcium overload, while the later sustained myocardial dysfunction is mainly due to the altered/increased myofilament responsiveness.

Effects of Hydroxyl Radical Induced-Injury in Atrial Versus Ventricular Myocardium of Dog and Rabbit

Despite the widespread use of ventricular tissue in the investigation involving hydroxyl radical Aim: (OH*) injury, one of the most potent mediators in ischemia-reperfusion injury, little is known about the impact on atrial myocardium. In this study we thus compared the OH*-induced injury response between atrial and right ventricular muscles from both rabbits and dogs under identical experimental conditions. Methods: Small, contracting ventricular and atrial rabbit and dog trabeculae were directly exposed to OH*, and contractile properties were examined and quantified. Results: A brief OH* exposure led to transient rigor like contracture with marked elevation of diastolic tension and depression of developed force. Although the injury response showed similarities between atrial and ventricular myocardium, there were significant differences as well. In rabbit atrial muscles, the development of the contracture and its peak was much faster as compared to ventricular muscles. Also, at the peak of contracture, both rabbit and dog atrial muscles show a lesser degree of contractile dysfunction. Conclusion:These results indicate that both atrial and ventricular muscles develop a rigor-like contracture after acute OH*-induced injury, and atrial muscles showed a lesser degree of contractile dysfunction. Comparison of dog versus rabbit tissue shows that the response was similar in magnitude, but slower to develop in dog tissue.

Effect of exercise training and myocardial infarction on force development and contractile kinetics in isolated canine myocardium

It is well known that moderate exercise training elicits a small increase in ventricular mass (i.e., a physiological hypertrophy) that has many beneficial effects on overall cardiac health. It is also well known that, when a myocardial infarction damages part of the heart, the remaining myocardium remodels to compensate for the loss of viable functioning myocardium. The effects of exercise training, myocardial infarction (MI), and their interaction on the contractile performance of the myocardium itself remain largely to be determined. The present study investigated the contractile properties and kinetics of right ventricular myocardium isolated from sedentary and exercise trained (10-12 wk progressively increasing treadmill running, begun 4 wk after MI induction) dogs with and without a left ventricular myocardial infarction. Exercise training increased force development, whereas MI decreased force development that was not improved by exercise training. Contractile kinetics were significantly slower in the trained dogs, whereas this impact of training was less or no longer present after MI. Length-dependent activation, both evaluated on contractile force and kinetics, was similar in all four groups. The control exercise-trained group exhibited a more positive force-frequency relationship compared with the sedentary control group while both sedentary and trained post-MI dogs had a more negative relationship. Last, the impact of the β-adrenergic receptor agonist isoproterenol resulted in a similar increase in force and acceleration of contractile kinetics in all groups. Thus, exercise training increased developed force but slowed contractile kinetics in control (noninfarcted animals), actions that were attenuated or completely absent in post-MI dogs.