The effect of streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats on cardiac contractile proteins.

In order to determine whether diabetic cardiomyopathy in rats is associated with altered contractile proteins, male and female rats were made diabetic with intravenous streptozotocin (STZ). Calcium ATPase activity of cardiac actomyosin was significantly decreased after 1 week of diabetes and was depressed by 60% by 2 weeks. Rats pretreated with 3-O-methyl glucose to prevent the hyperglycemia caused by STZ had normal Ca2+-actomyosin ATPase activities, and non-diabetic rats whose food was restricted to keep their body and heart weights similar to those found in diabetic animals had only a slight fall in actomyosin ATPase activity.

Contractile proteins and sarcoplasmic reticulum in physiologic cardiac hypertrophy.

To study effects of physiologic hypertrophy on contractile protein ATPases and sarcoplasmic reticulum, hypertrophy was caused in female Wistar rats by a chronic swimming program. Nonhypertrophied hearts of female control sedentary rats and rats made to run on a treadmill program were also examined. The swimming program, but not the running program, resulted in a significant increase in heart weight.

Cardiac responses to exercise training in male and female rats.

The purpose of the present study was to determine if contractile function adapts to physical training in the same way in hearts of male and female rats. Male and female rats were trained with a running program sufficient to cause equal increases in cytochrome oxidase activity in gastrocnemius muscles in both groups. Hearts were then studied in an isolated perfused working rat heart apparatus with varying preloads and fixed afterloads.

The effect of diabetes on performance and metabolism of rat hearts.

To explore the effects of diabetes on myocardial function and metabolism we injected male rats with streptozotocin and studied their hearts 8 weeks later. Blood sugar levels in the treated rats were about 600 mg/100 ml. Body and heart growth rates were diminished.