title: Altered microvasculature is involved in remodeling processes in cardiomyopathic hamsters.
abstract: The cardiomyopathic hamster (BIO TO2) is a well-established model of heart failure. Deterioration of cardiac function in BIO TO2 is attributed to a defect in delta-sarcoglycan, whereas cardiac dysfunction in delta-sarcoglycan knockout mice is caused by microvascular abnormalities. We examined the relation between cardiac function and the microvasculature, including angiogenic factors, in BIO TO2.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the age of 5 weeks, percent fractional shortening (%FS) and positive rate of change in left ventricular pressure over time (dP/dt max) were lower in BIO TO2 than in age-matched F1B controls. Capillary density, capillary/myocyte (CM) ratio, capillary domain area (CDA), and myocyte density were similar between BIO TO2 and F1B controls. At the ages of 13 and 20 weeks, BIO had significantly lower capillary and myocyte densities and a significantly higher CM ratio and CDA. Myocyte density positively correlated with %FS and dP/dt max. There were no significant differences in mRNA expression for VEGF, Flt-1, angiopoietin-1, or angiopoietin-2 between BIO TO2 and F1B control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Progressive myocyte loss is responsible for deterioration of cardiac function in BIO TO2. The impaired neovascularization may be involved in the progress of cardiac remodeling in cardiomyopathic hamsters.
authors.affiliation: The Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kumamoto
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chiba
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugawara
authors.forename: Hisao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Onozuka
authors.forename: Taisei
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mikami
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kitabatake
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002196:Capillaries / Q000473:pathology; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006224:Cricetinae; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000473:pathology; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D017725:Ventricular Pressure; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling / Q000502:physiology*