Curcumin ameliorates left ventricular function in rabbits with pressure overload: inhibition of the remodeling of the left ventricular collagen network associated with suppression of myocardial tumor necrosis factor-alpha and matrix metalloproteinase-2 expression.
OBJECTIVE
Curcumin is a wide-spectrum cellular protector with antiinflammatory, antioxidizant, and antifibrotic effects. This study was conducted to investigate its effects on myocardial collagen remodeling in pressure overloaded rabbits.


RESULTS
Pressure overloaded rabbits were established by partial abdominal aorta ligation. The rabbits were divided into the sham-operation group, vehicle group and curcumin group. Curcumin was administered orally at a dose of 100 mg/kg.d in 10 ml of 2.5% polyethylene glycol solution and the other 2 groups were given the same dose of polyethylene glycol solution. Compared with the vehicle group, left ventricular function in the curcumin group was significantly ameliorated, as indicated by decreased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, left ventricle weight to body weight ratio, and the left ventricular posterior wall thickness. The collagen volume fraction in the curcumin group was also reduced. Myocardial tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 expression were significantly overexpressed in the vehicle group and markedly suppressed in the curcumin group at both the 4th and 8th weeks. At the end of the 8th week, the ejection fraction in the curcumin group was increased compared with that in the vehicle group.


CONCLUSIONS
Curcumin improved left ventricular function in pressure overloaded rabbits. This might be due to inhibition of collagen remodeling associated with suppression of myocardial expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and matrix metalloproteinase-2.
Yao
Qing-Hai
QH
Department of Cardiology, The First Hospital of Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
Wang
Dong-Qi
DQ
Cui
Chang-Cong
CC
Yuan
Zu-Yi
ZY
Chen
Shao-Bo
SB
Yao
Xiao-Wei
XW
Wang
Jun-Kui
JK
Lian
Jiang-Fang
JF
D000818:Animals; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D061965:Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011817:Rabbits; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017725:Ventricular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling / Q000187:drug effects*
D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D061965:Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D003094:Collagen; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D003474:Curcumin