Time course and progression of pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy in rats.

Aim: To study the time course and progression of pressure overload-induced left ventricular hypertrophy

Methods: Left ventricular hypertrophy was induced in rats by abdominal aorta constriction and assessed at different time points (10, 15, 20, 25, 35, and 45 days) after operation.

Results: The cardiac index (the ratio of heart weight to body weight) in aortic-banded animals was characterised by phasic changes when compared with the sham operated and the control animals. In aortic-banded rats the cardiac index rose sharply at days 10 and 15 after operation.

A reproducible model of cardiac hypertrophy in rats. Problems and obstacles we faced.

Aim: To develop a reproducible model of significant left ventricular hypertrophy in order to study the role played by the tumor suppressor protein 53 (P53) in the mechanisms of cardiac hypertrophy, the cross-talk with the other factors and the connection between expression and activity of P53, cardiac myocyte apoptosis and heart hypertrophy; to discuss the problems and obstacles we faced.

Methods: Male Wistar rats were used in the experiments. Left ventricular hypertrophy was induced by banding the abdominal aorta.