[L-carnitine and cardiac metabolism and remodeling indices in alcoholic cardiomyopathy].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the preventive and therapeutic effects of L-carnitine on the metabolic disorder and cardiac remodeling in alcoholic cardiomyopathy.


METHODS
Experimental animals were divided into three groups: alcohol-fed group (A), an alcohol/L-carnitine fed group (B) and a control group (C). Free fatty acid (FFA) and carnitine were detected in the blood serum at different time. mRNA and protein expressions of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARalpha and PPARgamma), retinoic acid receptor retinoid X receptor alpha (RXRalpha), carnitine palmitoyl transferase isoform and medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) were observed with RT-PCR and Western blotting methods.


RESULTS
(1) When group A and B were compared with group C, FFA was increased and carnitine was decreased; mRNA and protein expressions of PPARalpha, RXRalpha, CPT-I and MCAD were decreased with the development of alcoholic cardiomyopathy(ACM), being more significantly in group A than group B (P < 0.05). (2) mRNA and protein expressions of PPARgamma had no statistical significance between these three groups at the end of 2 and 4 months (P > 0.05), but after 6 months, they were increased in group B and decreased in group A (A vs. C, P < 0.01; B vs. C, P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Metabolic disorder and cardiac remodeling occur in the development process of ACM; they are partly prevented by L-carnitine through downregulating mRNA and protein expressions of PPARalpha, RXRalpha, CPT-I, MCAD and PPARgamma.
Jing
Ling
L
Department of Cardiology, the First Clinical Hospital of Haerbin Medical University, Haerbin 150001, China.
Li
Wei-min
WM
Zhou
Li-jun
LJ
Song
Jian
J
D000818:Animals; D002310:Cardiomyopathy, Alcoholic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002331:Carnitine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling / Q000187:drug effects
D002331:Carnitine