Effects of valsartan on myocardial calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase-II expression and activity in a rabbit model of heart failure

• Published in: Zhōnghuá xīnxuèguănbìng zázhì Vol. 37; no. 6; p. 501
• Main Authors: Qu, Fu-zheng, Liu, Zhi-hua, Jiang, Bin, Zou, Cao, Li, Hong-xia, Han, Lian-hua, Jiang, Wen-ping
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Chinese
• Published: China 01.06.2009
• Subjects: Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers - therapeutic use; Animals; Calcium - metabolism; Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2 - metabolism; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Heart Failure - drug therapy; Heart Failure - metabolism; Male; Myocardium - metabolism; Rabbits; Tetrazoles - therapeutic use; Valine - analogs & derivatives; Valine - therapeutic use; Valsartan
• ISSN: 0253-3758

To investigate the effects of valsartan on myocardial expression and activity of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase-II (CaMK II) in a rabbit model of heart failure. Rabbits were divided into sham-operated group, heart failure group (volume overload by aortic valve destruction induced aortic insufficiency plus pressure overload induced by abdominal aortic banding) and heart failure plus valsartan (20 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1), n = 9 each). Seven weeks later, echocardiography and hemodynamic examinations were performed and myocardial CaMK II expression and activity were detected by Western blot and CaMK II activity assay kit, respectively. Compared with the sham operated rabbits, left ventricular mass index [LVMI (3.61 +/- 0.09) g/kg vs. (1.32 +/- 0.06) g/kg, P<0.05] and end-diastolic pressure [LVEDP (23.00 +/- 2.37) mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa) vs. (-1.50 +/- 0.5) mm Hg, P<0.05] were significantly increased while left ventricular shortening fractions [LVFS (17.38 +/- 3.13)% vs. (37.83 +/- 3.58)%, P<0.05] and