Vidarabine, an Anti-Herpes Virus Agent, Protects Against the Development of Heart Failure With Relatively Mild Side-Effects on Cardiac Function in a Canine Model of Pacing-Induced Dilated Cardiomyopathy.
In heart failure patients, chronic hyperactivation of sympathetic signaling is known to exacerbate cardiac dysfunction. In this study, the cardioprotective effect of vidarabine, an anti-herpes virus agent, which we identified as a cardiac adenylyl cyclase inhibitor, in dogs with pacing-induced dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) was evaluated. In addition, the adverse effects of vidarabine on basal cardiac function was compared to those of the β-blocker, carvedilol.



Vidarabine and carvedilol attenuated the development of pacing-induced systolic dysfunction significantly and with equal effectiveness. Both agents also inhibited the development of cardiac apoptosis and fibrosis and reduced the Na+-Ca2+exchanger-1 protein level in the heart. Importantly, carvedilol significantly enlarged the left ventricle and atrium; vidarabine, in contrast, did not. Vidarabine-treated dogs maintained cardiac response to β-AR stimulation better than carvedilol-treated dogs did.



Vidarabine may protect against pacing-induced DCM with less suppression of basal cardiac function than carvedilol in a dog model. (Circ J 2016; 80: 2496-2505).
Cardiovascular Research Institute, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine.
Takashi
T
Nakamura
Takayuki
T
Fujita
Megumi
M
Kishimura
Kenji
K
Suita
Yuko
Y
Hidaka
Wenqian
W
Cai
Masanari
M
Umemura
Utako
U
Yokoyama
Masami
M
Uechi
Yoshihiro
Y
Ishikawa
D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002227:Carbazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D000077261:Carvedilol; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D006564:Herpesviridae; D006801:Humans; D011412:Propanolamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D014740:Vidarabine / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D002227:Carbazoles; D011412:Propanolamines; D000077261:Carvedilol; D014740:Vidarabine