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Ultrastructural calcium distribution and myocardial calcium content in human idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

H G Olbrich1, H Michaelis1, G Vandeplassche

  • 1Zentrum der Inneren Medizin, Universität Frankfurt, Germany.

Cardiovascular Pathology : the Official Journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Pathology
|May 21, 2015
PubMed

Insights

This study found no evidence of global myocardial calcium overload in end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy patients. Mitochondrial calcium deposits, a marker of cellular calcium overload, were similar in failing and non-failing hearts.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Cell Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Myocardial calcium overload in chronic heart failure remains a debated topic.
  • Understanding intracellular calcium handling is crucial for heart failure research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate myocardial calcium content and intracellular calcium distribution in end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy.
  • To determine if cellular calcium overload occurs in failing human hearts.

Main Methods:

  • Atomic absorption spectrophotometry for myocardial calcium and magnesium content.
  • Phosphate-pyroantimonate method for ultrastructural calcium distribution.
  • Morphometric analysis of mitochondrial calcium deposits.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences in myocardial calcium and magnesium content were found across heart ventricles and septum.
  • Calcium precipitates were observed in sarcolemma, T-tubules, intercalated disks, and mitochondria in both failing and non-failing hearts.
  • Mitochondrial calcium deposits did not differ between dilated cardiomyopathy and non-failing hearts.

Conclusions:

  • The study suggests no global myocardial calcium overload in end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy.
  • Mitochondrial calcium buffering capacity appears maintained in failing hearts.

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