Myocardial force development and structural changes associated with monocrotaline induced cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure

In this study alterations are characterized which occur, in myocardial force development morphological appearance and protein composition, during the development of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure in monocrotaline (MCT) treated rats. The transition from cardiac hypertrophy to heart failure was studied by comparing the results from control (CON) and two MCT groups (40 and 44 mg/kg body weight). The three experimental groups consisted of at least five animals each. Parameters studied were: body weight (measured daily), lung/body weight ratio, right ventricular wall volume and thickness, and force development in thin right ventricular trabeculae at 27°C, using different extracellular calcium concentrations and pacing frequencies. MCT injection resulted in marked right ventricular hypertrophy and heart failure as evidenced by an up to 2-fold increase in lung/body weight ratio and a 1.7-fold increase in wall volume. The MCT groups showed a negative force–frequency relation and maximum force was up to 2-fold less than in the CON group. Protein analysis by means of one- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis revealed a marked (7-fold) up-regulation of the slow myosin heavy chain isoform as well as a 4.5-fold increase in the content of the cytoskeletal protein desmin, whereas the mitochondrial protein ATP-synthase content was reduced. Hence MCT-induced cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure result in altered cellular calcium handling, depression of maximum force output, an increase in the economy of myocardial contraction and changes in cytoskeletal structure and energy supply.