title: Effect of vitamin D analogues on acute cardiorenal syndrome: a laboratory rat model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitamin D has been shown to induce beneficial effects on cardiovascular and renal morbidity by regulating inflammation and tissue fibrosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of vitamin D analogues on cardiac function and fibrosis in an animal model of cardiorenal syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Unilateral nephrectomy was performed and myocardial infarction induced in rats. The rats were treated with vitamin D receptor activator (VDRA, paricalcitol, 40 ng/250 g x 3/week) versus a vehicle. A third group of animals, which served as the control, underwent sham surgery and received no treatment. After 4 weeks of treatment, cardiac function and fibrosis were assessed by trans-thoracic echo and histology, respectively. As a parameter of systemic inflammation, previously shown to be altered in acute coronary syndrome, T regulatory (Treg) cell levels were measured by flow cytometry. Renal dysfunction was documented by standard laboratory tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 4 weeks of treatment, no significant improvement in cardiac function parameters was noted following VDRA administration. VDRA treatment did not significantly alter Treg cell systemic levels. Consistently, despite a trend toward less extent of myocardial fibrosis, we found no clear beneficial effects of VDRA on myocardial tissue inflammation and remodeling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitamin D treatment showed no beneficial effects on cardiac function parameters and fibrosis in an animal model of cardiorenal syndrome.
authors: Department of Cardiology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors: Ofer
authors: O
authors: Havakuk
authors: Department of Cardiology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors: Michal
authors: M
authors: Entin-Meer
authors: Department of Cardiology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors: Jeremy
authors: J
authors: Ben-Shoshan
authors: Department of Cardiology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors: Pavel
authors: P
authors: Goryainov
authors: Department of Cardiology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors: Sofia
authors: S
authors: Maysel-Auslender
authors: Department of lnternal Medicine H, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors: Erel
authors: E
authors: Joffe
authors: Department of Cardiology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors: Gad
authors: G
authors: Keren
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D059347:Cardio-Renal Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004872:Ergocalciferols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005355:Fibrosis; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000378:metabolism*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D004872:Ergocalciferols; C084656:paricalcitol