title: Protective Effect of Acetyl-L-Carnitine Against Doxorubicin-induced Cardiotoxicity in Wistar Albino Rats.
abstract: Anthracyclines are one of the most preferred agents in practical pediatric oncology despite their dose-dependent cardiotoxic effects. The aim of this study was to investigate whether or not acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR) has protective effects on doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity.
  
  
  
  Wistar rats were divided into four groups; control, DOX, ALCAR and ALCAR+DOX. Rats in the first group were given saline on study days, whereas those in the second group were given a single dose of DOX on the 5thday and saline on the other days. Rats in the third group were given ALCAR and those in the fourth group were given ALCAR on study days but also given only a single dose of DOX on the fifth day of the study. Ejection fractions (EF) were measured by echocardiography before and after drug administration. Heart tissues were evaluated by light and electron microscopy. Apoptotic cells were determined with TUNEL and caspase-3 staining.
  
  
  
  DOX significantly decreased the EF values, whereas ALCAR did not. Cardiac functions were higher in the ALCAR+DOX group when compared to the DOX group. DOX administration caused a cardiac injury not only functionally, but also structurally, whereas ALCAR prevented it.
  
  
  
  ALCAR has a capacity of preventing DOX-induced cardiac injury at both functional and structural levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey. Electronic address: haticeadiguzel@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Hatice Adiguzel
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Dundar
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Muge
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kiray
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kir
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Animal Science, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Efsun
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kolatan
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Alper
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bagriyanik
authors.affiliation: Institute of Oncology, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zekiye
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Altun
authors.affiliation: Institute of Oncology, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Safiye
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aktas
authors.affiliation: Division of Basic Oncology, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hulya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ellidokuz
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Animal Science, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kamer
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mutafoglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Oncology, Institute of Oncology, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nur
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Olgun
mesh_terms: D000108:Acetylcarnitine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D066126:Cardiotoxicity / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D000975:Antioxidants; D000108:Acetylcarnitine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D053148:Caspase 3
keywords: Acetyl-L-carnitine; Apoptosis; Doxorubicin cardiotoxicity; Echocardiography; Ultrastructure