Romanian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences

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VALIDATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A HEART FAILURE ANIMAL MODEL

CRISTINA POP1, CRISTIAN BERCE*2, STELIANA GHIBU1, ANCA POP3, BELA KISS3, ALEXANDRA IRIMIE4, ȘTEFAN POPA5, GABRIEL CISMARU6, FELICIA LOGHIN3, CRISTINA MOGOȘAN1

1.Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Pathophysiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
2.Experimental Medicine and Practical Skills Center, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
3.Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
4.Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
5.Department of Internal Medicine, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
6.Department of Cardiology, Rehabilitation Hospital, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

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The major objective of the present study was to induce left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and subsequently heart failure (HF) by aortic banding in rats. Furthermore, with the use of different markers, we aimed to validate an animal model and to characterize the evolution of the cardiac function from normal to LVH and to HF. We used two study groups: abdominal aortic banding (AAB) (n = 20) and sham (n = 10), four echocardiography time-points (baseline, 8, 18 and 24 weeks post-operation - PO) and two plasma and tissue analysis time-points (18 and 24 weeks PO). Echocardiography parameters such as LVH parameters (heart weight-to-body weight ratio, LV mass, LV mass-index, anterior, posterior and relative wall thickness), LV dimension parameters, LV performance parameters (fractional shortening - FS%; ejection fraction - EF%), histopathology, as well as plasmatic markers such as malondyaldehyde and superoxide dismutase can be used to distinguish between LVH and HF in this animal model. The validated animal model can be used to study the pharmacology of drugs that may prevent or treat LVH and HF.