title: Myocardial remodelling induced by repeated low doses of isoproterenol.
abstract: In the present work, the effect of isoproterenol on the electrical properties of the rat heart and on the cytoarchitecture of the surviving cardiomyocytes was studied. Myocardial remodelling was induced by the daily administration of 5 mg/kg isoproterenol (Iso) for 7 days. Administration resulted in a significant increase (52%) in the ratio of left ventricular weight to body weight. ECG voltage criteria confirmed the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy. QT interval prolongation by 23% and 58% was found in Iso rats and in the corresponding isolated hearts, respectively. Spontaneously beating Iso hearts had a higher incidence of dysrhythmias. The surviving cardiomyocytes showed an irregular shape with cytoplasmic processes rich in ribosomes and rough endoplasmic reticulum. In these regions, myofibril disorganization and mitochondrial fission were observed. A greatly increased incidence of caveolae was seen in the plasma membrane and in the mouth of t-tubules. The membranes of t-tubules showed vesiculation, especially near the dyads. Repeated administration of isoproterenol led to hypertrophy, characterized by the existence of myocytes with simultaneous signs of both mature and postnatally developing cardiomyocytes. Structural microheterogeneities at the level of individual cells may represent one of the factors leading to electrical imbalance in the myocardial tissue remodelled by isoproterenol.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Physiology and Genetics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Vlarska 5, 833 34 Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mikusová
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Králová
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tylková
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Novotová
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stankovicová
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D007545:Isoproterenol