Changes in Metalloproteinase and Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase during Tachycardia-Induced Cardiomyopathy by Rapid Atrial Pacing in Dogs

Injection of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Leads to Ventricular Remodeling

OBJECTIVE

Previous studies have found that some ventricular remodeling is accompanied by increased matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in vivo, and MMP-9 inhibitors can reduce ventricular remodeling. However, there is still no direct evidence that MMP-9 causes ventricular remodeling. In this study, MMP-9 was injected into rats to observe whether MMP-9 caused ventricular remodeling, thereby providing direct evidence of MMP-9-induced ventricular remodeling.

METHODS

Forty-eight eight-week-old male Wistar rats were randomly divided, by weight, into control, low-, medium-, and high-dose MMP-9 groups and were administered normal saline or recombinant rat MMP-9 0.7, 1.4, or 2.1 ng/g, respectively, via intraperitoneal injection, twice per week. On the 28th day, six rats were randomly selected from each group (Stage I). The remaining rats continued receiving injections until the 56th day (Stage II). Echocardiography was performed to observe cardiac structure and function, and the left ventricular mass index (LVWI) was calculated. Myocardial pathological changes and the collagen volume fraction (CVF) were observed by HE and VG staining in myocardial tissue. MMP-9 levels in serum were tested using ELISA. Myocardial MMP-9 levels were measured using Western blots, and the myocardial expression levels of MMP-9 mRNA were assessed using RT-PCR.

RESULTS

During Stage I, serum MMP-9 and myocardial MMP-9 mRNA levels are increased; hypertrophic cardiomyocytes, disorderly arrangement of fibers, and endochylema dissolution are observed in the medium- and high-dose groups. The left ventricular weight index (LVWI) and myocardial MMP-9 increased, and the collagen volume fraction (CVF) reduced in the high-dose group. In Stage II, the left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) and diameter (LVIDd) are higher, and CVF decreased in the medium- and high-dose groups. Myocardial pathological lesions intensified. Serum MMP-9 in the model groups and myocardial MMP-9 in the medium- and high-dose groups are increased.

CONCLUSIONS

Injection of MMP-9 can lead to ventricular remodeling.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) in advanced canine myxomatous mitral valve disease

This study investigated mitral valve and myocardial protein and gene expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and plasma MMP and TGF-β concentrations in age-matched dog groups euthanized due to either advanced myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) or other reasons. Furthermore, echocardiographic data and lumen/area ratio were correlated with tissue and plasma levels of MMPs, TIMPs and TGF-βs. Mitral valve and myocardial gene expression of MMP2, MMP14, TGF-β1 and TGF-β2 were increased and plasma MMP9 was decreased in advanced MMVD dogs. Myocardial gene expression of TIMP2 and TIMP3 were increased in advanced MMVD. All affected markers correlated to echocardiographic parameters. Significantly narrowed lumen/area ratio was associated with increased myocardial expression of MMP2, MMP14, TIMP2 and TIMP3. No differences in tissue protein expression were recorded. MMP2, MMP14, TIMP2, TIMP3, TGF-β1 and TGF-β2 appear to play a local role in the development of advanced MMVD.

Expression of matrix metalloproteinases, their inhibitors, and lysyl oxidase in myocardial samples from dogs with end-stage systemic and cardiac diseases

OBJECTIVE

To compare the degree of mRNA expression for matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), tissue inhibitors (TIMPs), and lysyl oxidase in myocardial samples from dogs with cardiac and systemic diseases and from healthy control dogs.

SAMPLE

Myocardial samples from the atria, ventricles, and septum of 8 control dogs, 6 dogs with systemic diseases, 4 dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), and 5 dogs with other cardiac diseases.

PROCEDURES

Degrees of mRNA expression for MMP-1, -2, -3, -9, and -13; TIMP-1, -2, -3, and -4; and lysyl oxidase were measured via quantitative real-time PCR assay. Histologic examination of the hearts was performed to identify pathological changes.

RESULTS

In myocardial samples from control dogs, only TIMP-3 and TIMP-4 mRNA expression was detected, with a significantly higher degree in male versus female dogs. In dogs with systemic and cardiac diseases, all investigated markers were expressed, with a significantly higher degree of mRNA expression than in control dogs. Furthermore, the degree of expression for MMP-2, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 was significantly higher in dogs with DCM than in dogs with systemic diseases and cardiac diseases other than DCM. Expression was generally greater in atrial than in ventricular tissue for MMP-2, MMP-13, and lysyl oxidase in samples from dogs with atrial fibrillation.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Degrees of myocardial MMP, TIMP, and lysyl oxidase mRNA expression were higher in dogs with cardiac and systemic diseases than in healthy dogs, suggesting that expression of these markers is a nonspecific consequence of end-stage diseases. Selective differences in the expression of some markers may reflect specific pathogenic mechanisms and may play a role in disease progression, morbidity and mortality rates, and treatment response.

Noninvasive limb ischemic preconditioning protects against myocardial I/R injury in rats

BACKGROUND

Transient limb ischemia induces remote early preconditioning that protects the myocardium from ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). However, it is unknown whether limb ischemia induces remote late preconditioning and whether it induces the same magnitude of cardioprotection compared with cardial ischemic preconditioning (CIP). We tested the hypothesis that late remote preconditioning of noninvasive limb ischemia (NLIP) offers the same magnitude of cardioprotection against myocardium I/R injury.

METHODS

Thirty Wistar rats weighing 240-260 g each were randomly divided into three groups: I/R, CIP, and NLIP. The mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), ST-segment, ventricular arrhythmia, and CK-MB, cTnI, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were measured after 0 and 30 min of ischemia and after 120 min of reperfusion. Myocardial infarct size, histologic examination, MMP-2, MMP-9, and TIMP-1 protein expression were determined at the end of the experiment.

RESULTS

Compared with I/R groups, CIP and NLIP reduced ST-segment elevation (P<0.01), decreased incidence and duration of ventricular arrhythmia (P<0.01) during ischemia, decreased CK-MB (P<0.05), and cTnI (P<0.01) activity, and increased SOD (P<0.05) activity after reperfusion. The myocardial infarct size (P<0.01) was significantly reduced, and cell injury was attenuated in the CIP and NLIP groups compared with the I/R group. MMP-2 and MMP-9 protein expression was significantly decreased in the CIP and NLIP groups (P<0.01), while TIMP-1 expression was significantly increased in the CIP and NLIP groups compared with the I/R group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSION

Remote preconditioning via NLIP has late cardioprotection against myocardium I/R injury and has a similar magnitude of cardioprotection compared with CIP in rats.