[Changes in contraction-relaxation coupling in experimental cardiac hypertrophy in the guinea pig].

Guinea pig myocardium resembles human myocardium with respect to the mechanisms which regulate contractility (enzymatic activity of myosine, functional activity of the sarcoplasmic reticulum). Guinea pig left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is therefore a good experimental model for the study of human LVH. The mechanical properties of 5 months old female guinea pigs' left ventricular papillary muscle, 3 weeks after constriction of the abdominal aorta (N = 10), were investigated. Ten papillary muscles of operated control animals and eight of normal guinea pigs submitted to 20 minutes hypoxia were also studied. The animals had no signs of cardiac failure after constriction of the abdominal aorta but the increase in the ratio of heart to body weight (p less than 0.001) confirmed the LVH. When compared with the operated controls, there was a decrease of the maximum velocity of contraction at zero load, of the velocity of contraction with preload alone (Vc), of the total isometric force normalized for the section of the muscle(s) and of the positive peak of the derivative of the isometric force normalized for section (+ dF/s) (p less than 0.001 for each parameter). The parameters of relaxation were also abnormal: decreased velocity of isotonic relaxation with preload only (Vr) and of the negative peak of the derivative of the isometric force normalized for section (- dF/s) (p less than 0.001 for each parameter), and an increase in the half relaxation time (t1/2) (p less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)