Thyroid hormone induces restrictive cardiomyopathy in β1-adrenoceptor knockout mice.

The purpose of this study was to characterize the role of β-AR signaling and its cross-talk between cardiac renin-angiotensin system and thyroid-hormone-induced cardiac hypertrophy. T was administered at 0.5 mg·kg·day for 10 days in β1-KO and WT groups, while control groups received vehicle alone.

Pulmonary Circulation Under Pressure: Pathophysiological and Therapeutic Implications of BK Channel.

The large-conductance Ca-activated K (BK) channel is widely expressed in the pulmonary blood vessels and plays a significant role in regulating pulmonary vascular tonus. It opens under membrane depolarization, increased intracellular Ca concentration, and chronic hypoxia, resulting in massive K efflux, membrane hyperpolarization, decreased L-type Ca channel opening, and smooth muscle relaxation. Several reports have demonstrated an association between BK channel dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension (PH) development.

Extracellular Vesicles and Cardiac Aging.

Global population aging is a major challenge to health and socioeconomic policies. The prevalence of diseases progressively increases with aging, with cardiovascular disease being the major cause of mortality among elderly people. The allostatic overload imposed by the accumulation of cardiac senescent cells has been suggested to play a pivotal role in the aging-related deterioration of cardiovascular function.

Mitochondrial dysfunction and cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury are attenuated by nandrolone: Role of JAK-STAT3 pathway.

Aim: To investigate the effect of acute treatment with the anabolic steroid (AS) nandrolone decanoate in mitochondrial homeostasis and JAK-STAT3 signaling during the progression of cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury (IR).

Methods: Male Wistar rats (2 months old) were randomly allocated into four experimental groups: Control (CTRL), IR, AS, and AS + AG490. All animals were euthanized 3 days after a single intramuscular injection of nandrolone at 10 mg/kg (AS and AS + AG490 groups) or vehicle (CTRL and IR groups).

Anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity and cell senescence: new therapeutic option?

Anthracyclines are chemotherapeutic drugs widely used in the frontline of cancer treatment. The therapeutic mechanisms involve the stabilization of topoisomerase IIα, DNA, and the anthracycline molecule in a ternary complex that is recognized as DNA damage. Redox imbalance is another vital source of oxidative DNA damage.

β-Arrestin-Biased Agonist Targeting the Brain ATR (Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor) Increases Aversion to Saline and Lowers Blood Pressure in Deoxycorticosterone Acetate-Salt Hypertension.

Activation of central ATRs (angiotensin type 1 receptors) is required for the increased blood pressure, polydipsia, and salt intake in deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertension. TRV120027 (TRV027) is an ATR-biased agonist that selectively acts through β-arrestin. We hypothesized that intracerebroventricular administration of TRV027 would ameliorate the effects of DOCA-salt.

BK Channel Activation Attenuates the Pathophysiological Progression of Monocrotaline-Induced Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Wistar Rats.

Purpose: In the present study, the therapeutic efficacy of a selective BK channel opener (compound X) in the treatment of monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) was investigated.

Methods: PAH was induced in male Wistar rats by a single injection of MCT. After two weeks, the MCT-treated group was divided into two groups that were either treated with compound X or vehicle.

Progression of heart failure is attenuated by antioxidant therapy with N-acetylcysteine in myocardial infarcted female rats.

This study investigated the therapeutic potential of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in the treatment of heart failure in female rats. Myocardial infarcted (MI) rats were given NAC (250 mg/kg/day p.o.

Anabolic steroid excess promotes hydroelectrolytic and autonomic imbalance in adult male rats: Is it enough to alter blood pressure?

Aim: The present study investigated the effects of anabolic steroid (AS) excess on blood pressure regulation.

Methods: Male Wistar rats were treated with nandrolone decanoate (AS) or vehicle (CTL) for 8 or 10 weeks. Saline (1.

Anabolic steroid excess and myocardial infarction: From ischemia to reperfusion injury.

Anabolic steroids (AS) are synthetic testosterone-derivatives developed by the pharmaceutical industry to mimic testosterone biological effects. So far, AS have been implicated in the treatment of pathological conditions, such as hypogonadism, anemia, and cachexia. Since their discovery, though, AS have been illicitly used by elite and recreational athletes, bodybuilders and weightlifters in order to enhance athletic and aesthetic performance.

Cardiac electrical and contractile disorders promoted by anabolic steroid overdose are associated with late autonomic imbalance and impaired Ca handling.

Aim: Investigate cardiac electrical and mechanical dysfunctions elicited by chronic anabolic steroid (AS) overdose.

Methods: Male Wistar rats were treated with nandrolone decanoate (DECA) or vehicle (CTL) for 8 weeks. Electrocardiography and heart rate variability were assessed at weeks 2, 4, and 8.

Paradoxical effect of testosterone supplementation therapy on cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury in aged rats.

Aging is followed by numerous physiological limitations that reduce health span, particularly cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. Testosterone supplementation therapy (TST) has been widely used in the treatment of aging dysfunctions in either adult or aged patients, although recent evidence have suggested that the incidence of myocardial infarction might be increased in elderly patients. So far, though, the effects of TST in the progression of cardiac ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury in aged hearts remain unclear.

Aging-related compensated hypogonadism: Role of metabolomic analysis in physiopathological and therapeutic evaluation.

Aging is a complex process that increases the risk of chronic disease development. Hormonal and metabolic alterations occur with aging, such as androgen activity decrease. Studies aim to understand the role of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) in males, however biomarkers and the metabolic responses to TRT are not well characterized.

Cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury is inversely affected by thyroid hormones excess or deficiency in male Wistar rats.

Aim: Thyroid dysfunctions can increase the risk of myocardial ischemia and infarction. However, the repercussions on cardiac ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury remain unclear so far. We report here the effects of hypothyroidism and thyrotoxicosis in the susceptibility to IR injury in isolated rat hearts compared to euthyroid condition and the potential role of antioxidant enzymes.