Alterations in cardiac structure and function in a murine model of chronic alcohol consumption. Microsc Microanal 2012 Jun;18(3):453-61
Date
05/11/2012Pubmed ID
22571914DOI
10.1017/S1431927612000372Scopus ID
2-s2.0-84861910620 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 21 CitationsAbstract
Male, wild-type, FVB strain mice were fed a nutritionally complete liquid diet supplemented with 4% ethanol v/v over a time course of 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 14 weeks. Controls were offered an isocaloric liquid equivalent and pair fed with their ethanol counterparts. Changes in cardiac physiology were assessed at respective time points via echocardiography. Additionally, the use of histological techniques, mRNA analysis, apoptosis determination, and immunohistochemistry were employed to determine the functional and structural changes on the heart. Echocardiograph analysis revealed a compensatory phase that occurred early in the time course (1-8 weeks) and decompensation reverting toward heart failure at weeks 12 and 14. Throughout the study, an increase in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, cardiac fibrosis, apoptosis, TGF-β, and the presence of α-SMA-positive cells were determined. A compensatory period in mice treated with ethanol occurred early followed by a transition to a dilated phenotype over time. A number of factors may be involved in this process including the activation of myofibroblasts and their fibrotic activities that is correlated with the presence of transforming growth factor beta.
Author List
Law BA, Levick SP, Carver WEMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
Alcohol DrinkingAnimals
Disease Models, Animal
Echocardiography
Ethanol
Heart
Histocytochemistry
Male
Mice
Microscopy
Myocardium
Time Factors
