Different biventricular remodelling of myosin and collagen in pulmonary hypertension

1. To clarify the metabolism of contractile and non-contractile proteins of the ventricles during the development of right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) and accompanying congestive heart failure (CHF) in response to a pressure overload, monocrotaline was injected subcutaneously into Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Myosin isoenzymes (MIE) were analysed by pyrophosphate gel electrophoresis under non-dissociating conditions. Acid-soluble collagens were analysed by an improved, noninterrupted sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Tissue collagen content was also measured after the estimation of hydroxyproline concentration in tissues. 2. Monocrotaline induced RVH, but not left ventricular hypertrophy, at 2 weeks after the injection of monocrotaline, with severe RVH with CHF present at 4 weeks. In the right ventricles (RV) treated with monocrotaline, MIE shifted significantly from V1 to V3 at 2 weeks. The shift of MIE was more pronounced at 4 weeks. The proportion of type III collagen increased significantly compared with controls at 2 weeks. At 4 weeks, the proportion of types III and V collagens increased significantly compared with controls. 3. In left ventricles (LV) treated with monocrotaline, a similar but less remarkable shift of MIE was observed without remodelling of collagen types at 2 and 4 weeks. The concentration of collagen in either the RV or LV treated with monocrotaline showed no significant changes at 2 and 4 weeks compared with controls. 4. These results demonstrate a remodelling of the contractile and non-contractile proteins during the development of RVH and accompanying CHF, and provide evidence for changes in protein metabolism of the counterpart of RV (i.e. the LV). These results may provide important insights into the pathophysiology of adaptive or non-adaptive cardiac hypertrophy in response to a pressure overload.