Cardiomyocyte ultrastructural damage in β-thalassaemic mice

β-thalassaemia is a hereditary anaemia resulting from the absence or reduction in β-globin chain production. Heart complications related to iron overload are the most serious cause of death in these patients. In this report cardiac pathology of β-thalassaemic mice was evaluated by light and electron microscopy. The study was carried out in thalassaemic mice carrying human β-thalassaemia mutation, IVSII-654 (654), transgenic mice carrying human β(E) -globin transgene insertion (E4), thalassaemic mice with human β(E) -globin transgene insertion (654/E4) and homozygous thalassaemic mice rescued by the human β(E) -globin transgene (R), which is generated by cross-breeding between the 654 and E4 mice. Histology showed iron deposition in cardiac myocytes of 654 and R mice, but the ultrastructural damage was observed only in the R mice when compared with the wild type, 654, E4 and 654/E4 mice. Histopathological changes in the cardiomyocytes of the R mice included mitochondrial swelling, loss of myofilaments and the presence of lipofuscin, related to the increased level of tissue iron content. The progressive ultrastructural pathology in R mice cardiomyocytes is consistent with the ultrastructural pathology previously studied in patients with thalassaemia. Thus, this R thalassaemic mouse model is suitable for in vivo pathophysiological study of thalassaemic heart.