Comparison of heart sarcolemmal enzyme activities in normal and cardiomyopathic (UM-X7.1) hamsters.

1. The activities of some membrane-bound enzymes such as adenylate cyclase, Na+ + K+-stimulated adenosine triphosphatase (Na+ + K+-ATPase), Ca2+-stimulated ATPase and Mg2+-stimulated ATPase were examined in heart sarcolemmal fractions from control and cardiomyopathic hamsters at different stages of heart failure. 2.

Prevention of myocardial generation in hamsters with hereditary cardiomyopathy.

A number of drugs have been tested for their ability to prevent or change the course of skeletal and heart lesions occurring with a 100% incidence in cardiomyopathic hamsters (UM-X7.1). These drugs were selected because they act either on the metabolism or turnover of Ca or on adrenergic receptors.

Membrane alteration in failing hearts of cardiomyopathic hamsters.

Cardiomyopathic hamsters (UM-X7.1) show clinical signs of congestive heart failure and an abnormal EKG pattern. The sarcolemmal fraction obtained from the failing hearts at advanced stages of myopathy exhibited no change in the basal adenylate cyclase activity; however, the activity of this enzyme in the presence of catecholamines or NaF was lower in the failing heart sarcolemma than that in the control.