title: Improvement in left ventricular remodeling by the endothelial nitric oxide synthase enhancer AVE9488 after experimental myocardial infarction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reduced endothelial nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability contributes to the progression of heart failure. In this study, we investigated whether the transcription enhancer of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) AVE9488 improves cardiac remodeling and heart failure after experimental myocardial infarction (MI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Starting 7 days after coronary artery ligation, rats with MI were treated with placebo or AVE9488 (25 ppm) as a dietary supplement for 9 weeks. AVE9488 therapy versus placebo substantially improved left ventricular (LV) function, reduced LV filling pressure, and prevented the rightward shift of the pressure-volume curve. AVE9488 also attenuated the extent of pulmonary edema, reduced LV fibrosis and myocyte cross-sectional area, and prevented the increases in LV gene expression of atrial natriuretic factor, brain natriuretic peptide, and endothelin-1. eNOS protein levels and calcium-dependent NOS activity were decreased in the surviving LV myocardium from placebo MI rats and normalized by AVE9488. The beneficial effects of AVE9488 on LV dysfunction and remodeling after MI were abrogated in eNOS-deficient mice. Aortic eNOS protein expression and endothelium-dependent NO-mediated vasorelaxation were significantly enhanced by AVE9488 treatment after infarction, whereas increased vascular superoxide anion formation was reduced. Moreover, AVE9488 prevented the marked depression of circulating endothelial progenitor cell levels in rats with heart failure after MI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-term treatment with the eNOS enhancer AVE9488 improved LV remodeling and contractile dysfunction after MI. Molecular alterations, circulating endothelial progenitor cell levels, and endothelial vasomotor dysfunction were improved by AVE9488. Pharmacological interventions designed to increase eNOS-derived NO constitute a promising therapeutic approach for the amelioration of postinfarction ventricular remodeling and heart failure.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik I, Universitätsklinikum, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fraccarollo
authors.forename: Julian D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Widder
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Galuppo
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Thum
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tsikas
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: Hartmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ruetten
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ertl
authors.forename: Johann
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bauersachs
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001549:Benzamides / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy*; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: C528454:4-fluoro-N-indan-2-yl-benzamide; D001549:Benzamides; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; C496314:NOS3 protein, human; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III