Heart Rate Variability Reveals Altered Autonomic Regulation in Response to Myocardial Infarction in Experimental Animals

Noninvasive Tracking of Embryonic Cardiac Dynamics and Development with Volumetric Optoacoustic Spectroscopy

Noninvasive monitoring of cardiac development can potentially prevent cardiac anomalies in adulthood. Mouse models provide unique opportunities to study cardiac development and disease in mammals. However, high-resolution noninvasive functional analyses of murine embryonic cardiac models are challenging because of the small size and fast volumetric motion of the embryonic heart, which is deeply embedded inside the uterus. In this study, a real time volumetric optoacoustic spectroscopy (VOS) platform for whole-heart visualization with high spatial (100 µm) and temporal (10 ms) resolutions is developed. Embryonic heart development on gestational days (GDs) 14.5-17.5 and quantify cardiac dynamics using time-lapse-4D image data of the heart is followed. Additionally, spectroscopic recordings enable the quantification of the blood oxygenation status in heart chambers in a label-free and noninvasive manner. This technology introduces new possibilities for high-resolution quantification of embryonic heart function at different gestational stages in mammalian models, offering an invaluable noninvasive method for developmental biology.

Phosphorylation of cardiac sodium channel at Ser571 anticipates manifestations of the aging myopathy

Diastolic dysfunction and delayed ventricular repolarization are typically observed in the elderly, but whether these defects are intimately associated with the progressive manifestation of the aging myopathy remains to be determined. In this regard, aging in experimental animals is coupled with increased late Na+ current (INa,L) in cardiomyocytes, raising the possibility that INa,L conditions the modality of electrical recovery and myocardial relaxation of the aged heart. For this purpose, aging male and female wild-type (WT) C57Bl/6 mice were studied together with genetically engineered mice with phosphomimetic (gain of function, GoF) or ablated (loss of function, LoF) mutations of the sodium channel Nav1.5 at Ser571 associated with, respectively, increased and stabilized INa,L. At ∼18 mo of age, WT mice developed prolonged duration of the QT interval of the electrocardiogram and impaired diastolic left ventricular (LV) filling, defects that were reversed by INa,L inhibition. Prolonged repolarization and impaired LV filling occurred prematurely in adult (∼5 mo) GoF mutant mice, whereas these alterations were largely attenuated in aging LoF mutant animals. Ca2+ transient decay and kinetics of myocyte shortening/relengthening were delayed in aged (∼24 mo) WT myocytes, with respect to adult cells. In contrast, delayed Ca2+ transients and contractile dynamics occurred at adult stage in GoF myocytes and further deteriorated in old age. Conversely, myocyte mechanics were minimally affected in aging LoF cells. Collectively, these results document that Nav1.5 phosphorylation at Ser571 and the late Na+ current modulate the modality of myocyte relaxation, constituting the mechanism linking delayed ventricular repolarization and diastolic dysfunction.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We have investigated the impact of the late Na current (INa,L) on cardiac and myocyte function with aging by using genetically engineered animals with enhanced or stabilized INa,L, due to phosphomimetic or phosphoablated mutations of Nav1.5. Our findings support the notion that phosphorylation of Nav1.5 at Ser571 prolongs myocardial repolarization and impairs diastolic function, contributing to the manifestations of the aging myopathy.

Potential protective effects of L-carnitine against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in a rat model

Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is a growing concern for global public health. This study seeks to explore the potential protective effects of L-carnitine (LC) against heart ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. To induce I/R injury, the rat hearts underwent a 30-min ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery, followed by 24 h of reperfusion. We evaluated cardiac function through electrocardiography and heart rate variability (HRV) and conducted pathological examinations of myocardial structure. Additionally, the study investigated the influence of LC on myocardial apoptosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the context of I/R injury. The results show that pretreatment with LC led to improvements in the observed alterations in ECG waveforms and HRV parameters in the nontreated ischemic reperfusion model group, although most of these changes did not reach statistical significance. Similarly, although without a significant difference, LC reduced the levels of proinflammatory cytokines when compared to the values in the nontreated ischemic rat group. Furthermore, LC restored the reduced expressions of SOD1, SOD2, and SOD3. Additionally, LC significantly reduced the elevated Bax expressions and showed a nonsignificant increase in Bcl-2 expression, resulting in a favorable adjustment of the Bcl-2/Bax ratio. We also observed a significant enhancement in the histological appearance of cardiac muscles, a substantial reduction in myocardial fibrosis, and suppressed CD3 + cell proliferation in the ischemic myocardium. This small-scale, experimental, in vivo study indicates that LC was associated with enhancements in the pathological findings in the ischemic myocardium in the context of ischemia/reperfusion injury in this rat model. Although statistical significance was not achieved, LC exhibits potential and beneficial protective effects against I/R injury. It does so by modulating the expression of antioxidative and antiapoptotic genes, inhibiting the inflammatory response, and enhancing autonomic balance, particularly by increasing vagal tone in the heart. Further studies are necessary to confirm and elaborate on these findings.

Sex Differences in Heart Rate Variability and Vascular Function Following High-Intensity Interval Training in Young Adults

High-intensityintervaltraining (HIIT) issuperiortoothertrainingstrategies in both male andfemalehealthyindividuals. Understanding sex-specificdifferences in cardiac auto-regulation maycontributetothe optimal trainingstrategiesfor HIIT. The presentstudyaimedtoidentifysexdifferences in heart rate variability (HRV) andvascularfunctionfollowing HIIT in youngadults. Twenty-fourphysicallyactiveyoung male andfemaleadults (M: 12, F: 12, age: 19.5 yr, BMI: 22.1 kg·m-2) volunteeredtoparticipate in thestudy. Participantsperformed 10 boutsof HIIT including 20 s of high-intensitycycling at 115-130% Wmaxfollowedby 100 s ofrecovery. The cardiac auto-regulationsincluding HRV andvascularfunctionweremeasured at five different time points. The R-R interval, rMSSD, and SDNN wererecoveredfaster in malesthan in females after 15 min of HIIT. Thereweresexdifferences in theautonomicnervoussystemwhereln LF andln HF activitiesalongwithsympathovagalbalance (ln LF/HF) weregreater in femalescomparedwithmalesimmediatelyand 15 min after HIIT. However, nosignificantdifferences in bloodpressureand brachial-ankle pulse wavevelocitywereobservedbetween male andfemaleparticipants. Overall, HRV was moreactivated in femalesthan in malesfollowing HIIT, but theacuteresponse in vascularfunction was not different betweensexes. In futurestudies, sex-specificadaptationsofcardiacautoregulationfollowingrepeated HIIT mayneedtobeperformed.

Chronic exposure to mercury increases arrhythmia and mortality post-acute myocardial infarction in rats

Introduction: Mercury (Hg) is a heavy metal that causes a variety of toxic effects in eukaryotic cells. Previous studies have reported detrimental effects of mercury toxicity in the cardiovascular system. Given the importance of understanding the relationship between Hg and cardiovascular disease, we sought to investigate if the Hg could worsen the myocardial repercussions following ischemic injury. We demonstrated that once mercury toxicity is established, it can influence the outcome of myocardial infarction (MI). Methods: Male Wistar rats received intramuscular injections of either saline (NaCl 0.9%) or mercuric chloride (HgCl2, first dose of 4.6 μg/kg, and subsequent doses of 0.07 μg/kg/day) for 4 weeks. Three weeks post-exposure, we induced transmural infarction in the left ventricle free wall through coronary artery occlusion surgery. Results: ECG recordings obtained from MI groups demonstrated alterations in the rhythm of the heartbeat/heart electrical activity, as expected, including ventricular extrasystoles and ventricular tachycardia. However, the MI group exposed to Hg (MI-Hg) exhibited augmented ventricular extrasystoles and ventricular tachycardia compared to the MI group. Also, Basckó coefficient revealed that the arrhythmic events-after MI-were aggravated by Hg exposure. Discussion: Our results indicate that the significantly increased mortality in MI-Hg groups when compared to MI (21%, MI vs 32%, MI-Hg) is correlated with greater occurrence of arrhythmias. In conclusion, this study further supports the idea that exposure to mercury (Hg) should be recognized as a significant risk factor that exacerbates the impact of cardiac ischemic injury, potentially leading to an increased mortality rate among patients experiencing acute MI.

Determinants of the heart rate variability in type 1 diabetes mellitus

Background

Evaluation of heart rate variability (HRV) detects the early subclinical alterations of the autonomic nervous system. Thus, impaired HRV is the earliest subclinical marker of cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM).

Objectives

We aimed to explore the HRV parameters in asymptomatic T1DM patients and compare them with the results obtained in healthy subjects. Potential associations between HRV parameters and the established risk factors for CAN and cardiovascular diseases were also investigated.

Methods

Seventy T1DM patients (38 ± 12 years, 46 females) and 30 healthy subjects were enrolled into the study. For HRV analysis, beat-to-beat heart rate was recorded for 30 min. The less noisy 5-min segment of the recording was analyzed by Bittium Cardiac Navigator HRV analysis software. Time domain, frequency domain, and nonlinear indices were calculated.

Results

Regarding ratio of low to high frequency component (LF/HF), no differences were found between the two populations (p = 0.227). All the further, time domain, frequency domain, and nonlinear HRV indices were significantly lower in T1DM patients (each p < 0.001). In multiple linear models, disease duration remained the only independent predictor of LF/HF ratio (p = 0.019). HbA1c was found to be significant independent predictor of all further time domain (SDNN, p < 0.001; rMSSD, p < 0.001), frequency domain (VLF, p < 0.001; LF, p = 0.002; HF, p = 0.006; Total Power, p = 0.002), and nonlinear indices (SD1, p = 0.006; SD2, p = 0.007), alone, or in combination with other factors, such as age or body mass index.

Conclusion

Asymptomatic T1DM patients have significantly reduced overall HRV as compared with healthy subjects, indicating subclinical CAN. Quality of the glycemic control is important determinant of HRV among T1DM patients. This relationship is independent of other risk factors for CAN or cardiovascular diseases.

Effect of trehalose on heart functions in rats model after myocardial infarction: assessment of novel intraventricular pressure and heart rate variability

Background

Myocardial infarctions remain a leading cause of global deaths. Developing novel drugs to target cardiac remodeling after myocardial injury is challenging. There is an increasing interest in exploring natural cardioprotective agents and non-invasive tools like intraventricular pressure gradients (IVPG) and heart rate variability (HRV) analysis in myocardial infarctions. Trehalose (TRE), a natural disaccharide, shows promise in treating atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and neurodegenerative disorders.

Objectives

The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of TRE in improving cardiac functions measured by IVPG and HRV and reducing myocardial remodeling following myocardial infarction in rat model.

Methods

Rats were divided into three groups: sham, myocardial infarction (MI), and trehalose-treated MI (TRE) groups. The animals in the MI and TRE groups underwent permanent ligation of the left anterior descending artery. The TRE group received 2% trehalose in their drinking water for four weeks after the surgery. At the end of the experiment, heart function was assessed using conventional echocardiography, novel color M-mode echocardiography for IVPG evaluation, and HRV analysis. After euthanasia, gross image scoring, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and quantitative real-time PCR were performed to evaluate inflammatory reactions, oxidative stress, and apoptosis.

Results

The MI group exhibited significantly lower values in multiple IVPG parameters. In contrast, TRE administration showed an ameliorative effect on IVPG changes, with results comparable to the sham group. Additionally, TRE improved HRV parameters, mitigated morphological changes induced by myocardial infarction, reduced histological alterations in wall mass, and suppressed inflammatory reactions within the infarcted heart tissues. Furthermore, TRE demonstrated antioxidant, anti-apoptotic and anti-fibrotic properties.

Conclusion

The investigation into the effect of trehalose on a myocardial infarction rat model has yielded promising outcomes, as evidenced by improvements observed through conventional echocardiography, histological analysis, and immunohistochemical analysis. While minor trends were noticed in IVPG and HRV measurements. However, our findings offer valuable insights and demonstrate a correlation between IVPG, HRV, and other traditional markers of echo assessment in the myocardial infarction vs. sham groups. This alignment suggests the potential of IVPG and HRV as additional indicators for future research in this field.

Cardiac ischemia and reperfusion in mice: a comprehensive hemodynamic, electrocardiographic and electrophysiological characterization

Malignant ventricular arrhythmias (VA) after acute myocardial infarction remain a major threat. Aim of this study was to characterize the electrophysiological and autonomic sequelae of cardiac ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) in mice during the first week post incident. Left ventricular function was serially assessed using transthoracic echocardiography. VA were quantified by telemetric electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings and electrophysiological studies on the 2nd and 7th day after I/R. Cardiac autonomic function was evaluated by heart rate variability (HRV) and heart rate turbulence (HRT). Infarct size was quantified by planimetric measures. I/R caused significant myocardial scarring and diminished left ventricular ejection fraction. The ECG intervals QRS, QT, QT_c, and JT_c were prolonged in I/R mice. Both spontaneous VA scored higher and the inducibility of VA was raised in I/R mice. An analysis of HRV and HRT indicated a relative reduction in parasympathetic activity and disturbed baroreflex sensitivity up to 7 days after I/R. In summary, during the first week after I/R, the murine heart reflects essential features of the human heart after myocardial infarction, including a greater vulnerability for VA and a decreased parasympathetic tone accompanied by decelerated depolarization and repolarization parameters.

Orexin/hypocretin system dysfunction in patients with Takotsubo syndrome: A novel pathophysiological explanation

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is an acute heart failure syndrome. Emotional or physical stressors are believed to precipitate TTS, while the pathophysiological mechanism is not yet completely understood. During the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, an increased incidence of TTS has been reported in some countries; however, the precise pathophysiological mechanism for developing TTS with acute COVID-19 infection is unknown. Nevertheless, observing the symptoms of COVID-19 might lead to new perspectives in understanding TTS pathophysiology, as some of the symptoms of the COVID-19 infection could be assessed in the context of an orexin/hypocretin-system dysfunction. Orexin/hypocretin is a cardiorespiratory neuromodulator that acts on two orexin receptors widely distributed in the brain and peripheral tissues. In COVID-19 patients, autoantibodies against one of these orexin receptors have been reported. Orexin-system dysfunction affects a variety of systems in an organism. Here, we review the influence of orexin-system dysfunction on the cardiovascular system to propose its connection with TTS. We propose that orexin-system dysfunction is a potential novel explanation for the pathophysiology of TTS due to direct or indirect dynamics of orexin signaling, which could influence cardiac contractility. This is in line with the conceptualization of TTS as a cardiovascular syndrome rather than merely a cardiac abnormality or cardiomyopathy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first publication to present a plausible connection between TTS and orexin-system dysfunction. We hope that this novel hypothesis will inspire comprehensive studies regarding orexin's role in TTS pathophysiology. Furthermore, confirmation of this plausible pathophysiological mechanism could contribute to the development of orexin-based therapeutics in the treatment and prevention of TTS.