Induction of caspase cascade as a nonspecific response to myocardial damage

In three experimental series, acute hemodynamic overload of the left ventricle, focal ischemia of the left ventricle, and diphtheritic intoxication were modeled in rabbits. On days 1, 3, and 5 of the experiments, activity of myocardial caspase-3 and caspase-8 were measured separately in the left and right ventricles. In the left ventricle, caspase-3 activity increased in all 3 modeled pathological processes, while in the right ventricle this parameter increased during acute overload and ischemic injury to the left ventricle. Caspase-8 activity increased only in the left ventricle during its hemodynamic overload and remained unchanged in other cases. It was concluded that induction of the caspase cascade can be considered as a nonspecific response to myocardial damage. In this case, specific mechanisms responsible for generation and transmission of apoptotic stimuli in cardiomyocytes have unique features.