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Induction of Right Ventricular Failure by Pulmonary Artery Constriction and Evaluation of Right Ventricular Function in Mice
Published on: May 13, 2019
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Pressure Overload Creates Right Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction in a Mouse Model: Assessment by Echocardiography
Bakytbek Egemnazarov1, Albrecht Schmidt2, Slaven Crnkovic1
1Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Vascular Research, Graz, Austria.
Summary
Pulmonary artery banding in mice induced right ventricular (RV) dysfunction. Echocardiography revealed key parameters like RV free wall thickness and isovolumic relaxation time effectively assess RV dysfunction.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Research
- Animal Models
- Echocardiography
Background:
- Noninvasive tools for right ventricular (RV) dysfunction lack understanding of underlying pathologic mechanisms.
- Focus has been on RV systolic function, neglecting RV diastolic function.
- Need for reliable echocardiographic parameters to assess RV diastolic function in mice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify echocardiographic parameters that best reflect RV diastolic function in mice.
- To investigate the association between echocardiographic findings and RV dysfunction markers.
Main Methods:
- Induction of RV pressure overload using pulmonary artery banding (PAB) in mice.
- Transthoracic echocardiography and invasive hemodynamic measurements after 3 weeks.
- Histological analysis and gene expression profiling of cardiac tissue.
Main Results:
- PAB led to RV hypertrophy, remodeling, and increased interstitial fibrosis.
- Significant systolic and diastolic RV dysfunction observed, with elevated natriuretic peptides and collagen.
- Echocardiography showed increased RV free wall thickness, isovolumic relaxation time, and decreased E', correlated with hemodynamic dysfunction and fibrosis.
Conclusions:
- Pulmonary artery banding induces RV hypertrophy and dysfunction within 3 weeks in mice.
- RV free wall thickness, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, E', E/E' ratio, and isovolumic relaxation time are reliable echocardiographic markers for RV dysfunction assessment.
