Early dystrophin loss is coincident with the transition of compensated cardiac hypertrophy to heart failure.

Hypertension causes cardiac hypertrophy, one of the most important risk factors for heart failure (HF). Despite the importance of cardiac hypertrophy as a risk factor for the development of HF, not all hypertrophied hearts will ultimately fail. Alterations of cytoskeletal and sarcolemma-associated proteins are considered markers cardiac remodeling during HF. Dystrophin provides mechanical stability to the plasma membrane through its interactions with the actin cytoskeleton and, indirectly, to extracellular matrix proteins. This study was undertaken to evaluate dystrophin and calpain-1 in the transition from compensated cardiac hypertrophy to HF. Wistar rats were subjected to abdominal aorta constriction and killed at 30, 60 and 90 days post surgery (dps). Cardiac function and blood pressure were evaluated. The hearts were collected and Western blotting and immunofluorescence performed for dystrophin, calpain-1, alpha-fodrin and calpastatin. Statistical analyses were performed and considered significant when p<0.05. After 90 dps, 70% of the animals showed hypertrophic hearts (HH) and 30% hypertrophic+dilated hearts (HD). Systolic and diastolic functions were preserved at 30 and 60 dps, however, decreased in the HD group. Blood pressure, cardiomyocyte diameter and collagen content were increased at all time points. Dystrophin expression was lightly increased at 30 and 60 dps and HH group. HD group showed decreased expression of dystrophin and calpastatin and increased expression of calpain-1 and alpha-fodrin fragments. The first signals of dystrophin reduction were observed as early as 60 dps. In conclusion, some hearts present a distinct molecular pattern at an early stage of the disease; this pattern could provide an opportunity to identify these failure-prone hearts during the development of the cardiac disease. We showed that decreased expression of dystrophin and increased expression of calpains are coincident and could work as possible therapeutic targets to prevent heart failure as a consequence of cardiac hypertrophy.

Reduced expression of adherens and gap junction proteins can have a fundamental role in the development of heart failure following cardiac hypertrophy in rats.

Hypertension causes cardiac hypertrophy, cardiac dysfunction and heart failure (HF). The mechanisms implicated in the transition from compensated to decompensated cardiac hypertrophy are not fully understood. This study was aimed to investigate whether alterations in the expression of intercalated disk proteins could contribute to the transition of compensated cardiac hypertrophy to dilated heart development that culminates in HF. Male rats were submitted to abdominal aortic constriction and at 90 days post surgery (dps), three groups were observed: sham-operated animals (controls), animals with hypertrophic hearts (HH) and animals with hypertrophic + dilated hearts (HD). Blood pressure was evaluated. The hearts were collected and Western blot and immunofluorescence were performed to desmoglein-2, desmocollin-2, N-cadherin, plakoglobin, Bcatenin, and connexin-43. Cardiac systolic function was evaluated using the Vevo 2100 ultrasound system. Data were considered significant when p b 0.05. Seventy percent of the animals presented with HH and 30% were HD at 90 dps. The blood pressure increased in both groups. The amount of desmoglein-2 and desmocollin-2 expression was increased in both groups and no difference was observed in either group. The expression of N-cadherin, plakoglobin and B-catenin increased in the HHgroup and decreased in the HDgroup; and connexin-43 decreased only in theHDgroup. Therewas no difference between the ejection fraction and fractional shortening at 30 and 60 dps; however, they were decreased in the HD group at 90 dps. We found that while some proteins have increased expression accompanied by the increase in the cell volume associated with preserved systolic cardiac function in theHHgroup, these same proteins had decreased expression evenwithout significant reduction in the cell volume associated with decreased systolic cardiac function in HD group. The increased expression of desmoglein-2 and desmocollin-2 in both the HH and HD groups could work as a protective compensatory mechanism, helping tomaintain the dilated heart.We can hypothesize that inappropriate intercellular mechanical and electrical coupling associated with necrosis and/or apoptosis are important factors contributing to the transition to HF.