[Expression of tenascin-X in alcoholic cardiomyopathy and relation thereof to myocardial fibrosis: experiment with rats].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the protein expression of tenascin-X (TN-X) and the relation between TN-X and cardiac remodeling and myocardial fibrosis in alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM).


METHODS
60 Wistar rats were randomly divided into 2 equal groups: alcohol-fed group fed with alcohol to establish ACM models and control group fed with common food. 6 months later the rats were killed and the cardiac structure and function, and myocardial collagen content were measured. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the protein expression of TN-X, and smad-3 and smad-7, the signal transduction proteins.


RESULTS
The levels of left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) and fraction shortening (FS) of the alcohol-fed group were both significantly lower, and the levels of left ventricle end-diastolic diameter (LVEDd) and collagen volume fraction (CVF) were both higher than those of the control group (both P < 0.05). The protein expression levels of TN-X and smad-3 of the alcohol-fed group were (88% +/- 6%, 82% +/- 8%), both significantly higher than those of the control group (33% +/- 11%, 29% +/- 8%) (both P < 0.01), and the protein expression level of smad-7 of the alcohol-fed group were (37% +/- 9%), both significantly lower than those of the control group (79% +/- 10%, P < 0.01). The protein expression of TN-X was significantly negatively correlated with LVEF, FS, and smad-7, and positively correlated with LVEDd, CVF, and smad-3 (all P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Protein expression of TN-X is upregulated in alcoholic cardiomyopathy which may facilitate the myocardial fibrosis in ACM.
Jing
Ling
L
Department of Cardiology, First Clinical Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150001, China.
Li
Wei-min
WM
Song
Jian
J
Zhou
Li-jun
LJ
Li
Shuang
S
D000818:Animals; D002310:Cardiomyopathy, Alcoholic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005355:Fibrosis; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D051900:Smad3 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D019063:Tenascin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling
D051900:Smad3 Protein; D019063:Tenascin; C081865:tenascin X