Chronic blocking of β3-adrenoceptor ameliorates cardiac function in rat model of heart failure

Abstract

Background Stimulation of the heart β3-adrenoceptor (AR) may result in a negative inotropic effect. Being up-regulated, β3-AR plays a more important role in the regulation of cardiac function during heart failure. However, the effect of chronic blocking of β3-AR on heart failure has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we used a selective β3-AR antagonist SR59230A to treat a well defined heart failure rat model chronically, then evaluated its effect on cardiac function and investigated the mechanism. Methods Male Wistar rats were chosen randomly as controls (n=8). Isoproterenol induced heart failure rats were randomly divided into ISO group (n=10) and SR group (n=10). The ISO group received intraperitoneal injection of 1 ml saline twice a day; the SR group received intraperitoneal injection of SR59230A 85 nmol in 1 ml saline twice a day; and the control group received no treatment. The treatment was started 24 hours after the last isoproterenol injection and continued for 7 weeks. Then we measured the following indexes: the ratio of heart weight to body weight (HW/BW) and the ratio of left ventricular weight to body weight (LVW/BW), collagen volume fraction (CVF), left ventricular end diastolic dimension (LVEDd), left ventricular end systolic dimension (LVESd), ejection fraction (EF), fractional shortening (FS) and the ratio of E wave to A wave (E/A), the mRNA and protein expression of β3-AR and eNOS, and cGMP level in the heart. Results The ratios HW/BW and LVW/BW were significantly increased in the ISO group compared with the control group (P<0.01), but they were limited in the SR group (P<0.05 compared with the ISO group). CVF increased in the ISO group and the SR group (P<0.01), but it was significantly attenuated in the SR group (P<0.01). LVEDd, LVESd and E/A ratio were significantly increased in the ISO group compared with the control group (P<0.01), while EF and FS were significantly decreased (P<0.01). Compared with the ISO group, the SR group showed that LVEDd, LVESd and E/A ratio were significantly decreased (P<0.01), whereas EF and FS were significantly increased (P<0.01). β3-AR and eNOS mRNA and protein in the ISO group were significantly increased when compared with the control group (P<0.01). These increases were all attenuated in the SR group compared with the ISO group (P<0.01). The level of cGMP in myocardial tissue was significantly increased in the ISO group compared with the control group (P<0.01), whereas SR59230A treatment normalized this increment (P<0.01). Conclusions Chronic blocking of β3-AR could ameliorate cardiac function in heart failure rats and its mechanism involves inhibition of the negative inotropic effect and attenuation of cardiac remodeling.