Cardioprotection by selective SGLT-2 inhibitors in a non-diabetic mouse model of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury: a class or a drug effect?
AbstractMajor clinical trials with sodium glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2i) exhibit protective effects against heart failure events, whereas inconsistencies regarding the cardiovascular death outcomes are observed. Therefore, we aimed to compare the selective SGLT-2i empagliflozin (EMPA), dapagliflozin (DAPA) and ertugliflozin (ERTU) in terms of infarct size (IS) reduction and to reveal the cardioprotective mechanism in healthy non-diabetic mice. C57BL/6 mice randomly received vehicle, EMPA (10 mg/kg/day) and DAPA or ERTU orally at the stoichiometrically equivalent dose (SED) for 7 days. 24 h-glucose urinar...
Source: Basic Research in Cardiology - May 17, 2022 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Innate immune cells in the pathophysiology of calcific aortic valve disease: lessons to be learned from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease?
AbstractCalcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is the most common valvular disease in the developed world with currently no effective pharmacological treatment available. CAVD results from a complex, multifactorial process, in which valvular inflammation and fibro-calcific remodelling lead to valve thickening and cardiac outflow obstruction. The exact underlying pathophysiology of CAVD is still not fully understood, yet the development of CAVD shows many similarities with the pathophysiology of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), such as coronary artery disease. Innate immune cells play a crucial role in ASCVD an...
Source: Basic Research in Cardiology - May 17, 2022 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Cardioprotection by selective SGLT-2 inhibitors in a non-diabetic mouse model of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury: a class or a drug effect?
AbstractMajor clinical trials with sodium glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2i) exhibit protective effects against heart failure events, whereas inconsistencies regarding the cardiovascular death outcomes are observed. Therefore, we aimed to compare the selective SGLT-2i empagliflozin (EMPA), dapagliflozin (DAPA) and ertugliflozin (ERTU) in terms of infarct size (IS) reduction and to reveal the cardioprotective mechanism in healthy non-diabetic mice. C57BL/6 mice randomly received vehicle, EMPA (10 mg/kg/day) and DAPA or ERTU orally at the stoichiometrically equivalent dose (SED) for 7 days. 24 h-glucose urinar...
Source: Basic Research in Cardiology - May 17, 2022 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Neonatal injury models: integral tools to decipher the molecular basis of cardiac regeneration
AbstractMyocardial injury often leads to heart failure due to the loss and insufficient regeneration of resident cardiomyocytes. The low regenerative potential of the mammalian heart is one of the main drivers of heart failure progression, especially after myocardial infarction accompanied by large contractile muscle loss. Preclinical therapies for cardiac regeneration are promising, but clinically still missing. Mammalian models represent an excellent translational in vivo platform to test drugs and treatments for the promotion of cardiac regeneration. Particularly, short-lived mice offer the possibility to monitor the ou...
Source: Basic Research in Cardiology - May 3, 2022 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Increased cytosolic calcium buffering contributes to a cellular arrhythmogenic substrate in iPSC-cardiomyocytes from patients with dilated cardiomyopathy
AbstractDilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a major risk factor for heart failure and is associated with the development of life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias. Using a patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocyte (iPSC-CM) model harbouring a mutation in cardiac troponin T (R173W), we aim to examine the cellular basis of arrhythmogenesis in DCM patients with this mutation. iPSC from control (Ctrl) and DCM-TnT-R173W donors from the same family were differentiated into iPSC-CM and analysed through optical action potential (AP) recordings, simultaneous measurement of cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca2+...
Source: Basic Research in Cardiology - May 2, 2022 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Optogenetic manipulation of cardiac electrical dynamics using sub-threshold illumination: dissecting the role of cardiac alternans in terminating rapid rhythms
AbstractCardiac action potential (AP) shape and propagation are regulated by several key dynamic factors such as ion channel recovery and intracellular Ca2+ cycling. Experimental methods for manipulating AP electrical dynamics commonly use ion channel inhibitors that lack spatial and temporal specificity. In this work, we propose an approach based on optogenetics to manipulate cardiac electrical activity employing a light-modulated depolarizing current with intensities that are too low to elicit APs (sub-threshold illumination), but are sufficient to fine-tune AP electrical dynamics. We investigated the effects of sub-thre...
Source: Basic Research in Cardiology - April 29, 2022 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
NADPH oxidase 4 contributes to TRPV4-mediated endothelium-dependent vasodilation in human arterioles by regulating protein phosphorylation of TRPV4 channels
In conclusion, both TRPV4 and NOX4 contribute to ACh-induced dilation in human arterioles from patients without coronary artery disease. NOX4 increases TRPV4 phosphorylation in endothelial cells, which in turn enhances TRPV4-mediated Ca2+ entry and subsequent endothelium-dependent dilation in human arterioles. (Source: Basic Research in Cardiology)
Source: Basic Research in Cardiology - April 25, 2022 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Effects of late, repetitive remote ischaemic conditioning on myocardial strain in patients with acute myocardial infarction
AbstractLate, repetitive or chronic remote ischaemic conditioning (CRIC) is a potential cardioprotective strategy against adverse remodelling following ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). In the randomised Daily Remote Ischaemic Conditioning Following Acute Myocardial Infarction (DREAM) trial, CRIC following primary percutaneous coronary intervention (P-PCI) did not improve global left ventricular (LV) systolic function. A post-hoc analysis was performed to determine whether CRIC improved regional strain. All 73 patients completing the original trial were studied (38 receiving 4 weeks’ daily CRIC, 35 co...
Source: Basic Research in Cardiology - April 23, 2022 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Fibro-fatty remodelling in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy
AbstractArrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (AC) is an inherited disorder characterized by lethal arrhythmias and a risk to sudden cardiac death. A hallmark feature of AC is the progressive replacement of the ventricular myocardium with fibro-fatty tissue, which can act as an arrhythmogenic substrate further exacerbating cardiac dysfunction. Therefore, identifying the processes underlying this pathological remodelling would help understand AC pathogenesis and support the development of novel therapies. In this review, we summarize our knowledge on the different models designed to identify the cellular origin and molecular pathwa...
Source: Basic Research in Cardiology - April 19, 2022 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
