title: Induction of caspase cascade as a nonspecific response to myocardial damage.
abstract: In three experimental series, acute hemodynamic overload of the left ventricle, focal ischemia of the left ventricle, and diphtheritic intoxication were modeled in rabbits. On days 1, 3, and 5 of the experiments, activity of myocardial caspase-3 and caspase-8 were measured separately in the left and right ventricles. In the left ventricle, caspase-3 activity increased in all 3 modeled pathological processes, while in the right ventricle this parameter increased during acute overload and ischemic injury to the left ventricle. Caspase-8 activity increased only in the left ventricle during its hemodynamic overload and remained unchanged in other cases. It was concluded that induction of the caspase cascade can be considered as a nonspecific response to myocardial damage. In this case, specific mechanisms responsible for generation and transmission of apoptotic stimuli in cardiomyocytes have unique features.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, People's Friendship University of Russia, Moscow, Russia. blagonravovm@mail.ru
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Blagonravov
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D053181:Caspase 8 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004167:Diphtheria Toxin; D004790:Enzyme Induction; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D004167:Diphtheria Toxin; D053148:Caspase 3; D053181:Caspase 8