Inhomogeneity of collagen organization within the fibrotic scar after myocardial infarction: results in a swine model and in human samples.
We aimed to characterize the organization of collagen within a fibrotic scar in swine and human samples from patients with chronic infarctions. Swine were subjected to occlusion of the left anterior descending artery followed by reperfusion 1 week (acute myocardial infarction group) or 1 month (chronic myocardial infarction group) after infarction. The organization of the collagen fibers (Fast Fourier Transform of samples after picrosirius staining; higher values indicate more disorganization) was studied in 100 swine and 95 human samples. No differences in collagen organization were found between the acute and chronic groups in the core area of the scar in the experimental model. In the chronic group, the endocardium [0.90 (0.84-0.94); median (interquartile range)], epicardium [0.84 (0.79-0.91)] and peripheral area [0.73 (0.63-0.83)] displayed a much more disorganized pattern than the core area of the fibrotic scar [0.56 (0.45-0.64)]. Similarly, in human samples, the collagen fibers were more disorganized in all of the outer areas than in the core of the fibrotic scar (P < 0.0001). Both in a highly controlled experimental model and in patient samples, collagen fibers exhibited an organized pattern in the core of the infarction, whereas the outer areas displayed a high level of inhomogeneity. This finding contributes pathophysiological information regarding the healing process and may lead to a clearer understanding of the genesis and invasive treatment of arrhythmias after acute myocardial infarction.
Cardiology Department, Hospital Clinico Universitario, INCLIVA, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Arantxa
A
Hervas
INCLIVA, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Amparo
A
Ruiz-Sauri
Cardiology Department, Hospital Clinico Universitario, INCLIVA, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Elena
E
de Dios
Cardiology Department, Hospital Clinico Universitario, INCLIVA, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Maria Jose
MJ
Forteza
Cardiology Department, Hospital Clinico Universitario, INCLIVA, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Gema
G
Minana
Cardiology Department, Hospital Clinico Universitario, INCLIVA, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Julio
J
Nunez
Cardiology Department, Hospital Clinico Universitario, INCLIVA, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Cristina
C
Gomez
Cardiology Department, Hospital Clinico Universitario, INCLIVA, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Clara
C
Bonanad
Cardiology Department, Hospital Clinico Universitario, INCLIVA, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Nerea
N
Perez-Sole
Cardiology Department, Hospital Clinico Universitario, INCLIVA, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Jose
J
Gavara
Cardiology Department, Hospital Clinico Universitario, INCLIVA, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Francisco Javier
FJ
Chorro
Cardiology Department, Hospital Clinico Universitario, INCLIVA, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Vicente
V
Bodi
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000473:pathology*; D003094:Collagen / Q000032:analysis*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000473:pathology*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D013552:Swine; D014945:Wound Healing
D003094:Collagen
fibrosis; myocardial infarction; swine model