Alpha-linolenic acid-enriched diet prevents myocardial damage and expands longevity in cardiomyopathic hamsters.
Randomized clinical trials have demonstrated that the increased intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids significantly reduces the risk of ischemic cardiovascular disease, but no investigations have been performed in hereditary cardiomyopathies with diffusely damaged myocardium. In the present study, delta-sarcoglycan-null cardiomyopathic hamsters were fed from weaning to death with an alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)-enriched versus standard diet. Results demonstrated a great accumulation of ALA and eicosapentaenoic acid and an increased eicosapentaenoic/arachidonic acid ratio in cardiomyopathic hamster hearts, correlating with the preservation of myocardial structure and function. In fact, ALA administration preserved plasmalemma and mitochondrial membrane integrity, thus maintaining proper cell/extracellular matrix contacts and signaling, as well as a normal gene expression profile (myosin heavy chain isoforms, atrial natriuretic peptide, transforming growth factor-beta1) and a limited extension of fibrotic areas within ALA-fed cardiomyopathic hearts. Consequently, hemodynamic indexes were safeguarded, and more than 60% of ALA-fed animals were still alive (mean survival time, 293+/-141.8 days) when all those fed with standard diet were deceased (mean survival time, 175.9+/-56 days). Therefore, the clinically evident beneficial effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are mainly related to preservation of myocardium structure and function and the attenuation of myocardial fibrosis.
Fiaccavento
Roberta
R
Laboratorio di Cardiologia Molecolare e Cellulare, Dipartimento di Medicina Interna, Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier, 1, 00133 Roma, Italy.
Carotenuto
Felicia
F
Minieri
Marilena
M
Masuelli
Laura
L
Vecchini
Alba
A
Bei
Roberto
R
Modesti
Andrea
A
Binaglia
Luciano
L
Fusco
Angelo
A
Bertoli
Aldo
A
Forte
Giancarlo
G
Carosella
Luciana
L
Di Nardo
Paolo
P
D000818:Animals; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000178:diet therapy*; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006224:Cricetinae; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004719:Endomyocardial Fibrosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008136:Longevity; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D005227:Fatty Acids; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid