Differential calcium handling in two canine models of right ventricular pressure overload.

Background: The purpose of this investigation was to characterize differential right atrial (RA) and ventricular (RV) molecular changes in Ca(2+)-handling proteins consequent to RV pressure overload and hypertrophy in two common, yet distinct models of pulmonary hypertension: dehydromonocrotaline (DMCT) toxicity and pulmonary artery (PA) banding.

Methods: A total of 18 dogs underwent sternotomy in four groups: (1) DMCT toxicity (n = 5), (2) mild PA banding over 10 wk to match the RV pressure rise with DMCT (n = 5); (3) progressive PA banding to generate severe RV overload (n = 4); and (4) sternotomy only (n = 4).

Results: In the right ventricle, with DMCT, there was no change in sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA) or phospholamban (PLB), but we saw a trend toward down-regulation of phosphorylated PLB at serine-16 (p[Ser-16]PLB) (P = 0.