title: Effect of dexamethasone on Coxsackievirus B2-infected rat beating heart cells in culture.
abstract: The effects of dexamethasone on cultured rat beating heart cells experimentally infected with coxsackievirus B2 were investigated at an early stage (1-3 days) post challenge. Changes in the release of the cardiac enzyme, aspartate amino-transferase (AST), beating %, cytopathic effect (CPE), virus titre, ultrastructure and alterations of the electrical activity were evaluated. The protective effects of dexamethasone on infected cells were abolished except the release of AST at 5 days post infection. These results suggest that steroids may benefit patients with severe myocarditis if conventional therapy for protection of the myocardium and modulation of immunologic function are concomitantly given.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Zhong Shan Hospital, Shanghai Medical University, P.R.C.
authors.forename: Y Z
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Z X
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Zhow
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: H Z
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral / Q000187:drug effects; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D029822:Enterovirus B, Human; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D003907:Dexamethasone; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases