Myocardial biochemical changes in furazolidone-induced cardiomyopathy of turkeys

This study tested the hypothesis that membrane transport is the major biochemical system of the myocardium altered in furazolidone-induced cardiomyopathy (round heart disease), before the development of myocardial failure, and that metabolic enzymes and contractile proteins are less affected. Compared with controls, maximal percentage depression of activities of myocardium from furazolidone-treated birds were 40 for creatine kinase, 30 for glycolysis, 30 for glycogen, 20 for myofibrils, 20 for Krebs's cycle enzymes, 15 for fatty acid oxidation and 10 for total soluble protein. Sodium and potassium transport, antioxidant system activity, myosin, myosin isoenzyme patterns and amino acid aminotransferases were unaffected. In marked contrast, the calcium-transport ATPase activity of the sarcoplasmic reticulum had undergone a 60 per cent compensatory increase in activity. The pattern of biochemical changes observed is consistent with a role of ischaemia in the pathogenesis of round heart disease and indicates that calcium transport by the sarcoplasmic reticulum is the major biochemical system affected.