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Updated: Dec 20, 2025
A Doxorubicin-Induced Murine Model of Dilated Cardiomyopathy In Vivo
Published on: May 16, 2020
A Doxorubicin-Induced Murine Model of Dilated Cardiomyopathy In Vivo
Yihai Liu1, Wenfeng Zhang1, Tingting Hu1
1Department of Cardiology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University.
Insights
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a heart condition that can lead to heart failure. Doxorubicin chemotherapy causes DCM-like symptoms, but a reliable model for studying this has been lacking.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Oncology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a myocardial disorder causing ventricular dilation and impaired cardiac function.
- DCM can progress to congestive heart failure with a poor prognosis.
- Doxorubicin (Dox) chemotherapy, while effective, is limited by its cardiotoxicity, inducing DCM-like myocardial changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a reliable animal model for Doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy (DICM).
- To investigate the mechanisms underlying Dox-induced myocardial toxicity.
Main Methods:
- Administration of Doxorubicin to establish a preclinical model.
- Assessment of cardiac function and myocardial pathology.
Main Results:
- Doxorubicin administration successfully induced DCM-like changes.
- The model recapitulates key features of Dox-induced cardiotoxicity, including oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis.
Conclusions:
- A viable preclinical model for studying Doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy has been established.
- This model will aid in understanding cardiotoxicity mechanisms and developing preventative strategies.
Abstract:
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) refers to a spectrum of heterogeneous myocardial disorders characterized by ventricular dilation and depressed cardiac performance in the absence of hypertension, valvular, congenital, or ischemic heart diseases, and which may be related to infection, autoimmune or metabolic abnormalities, or family inheritance. It can progress into congestive heart failure with a poor prognosis. Doxorubicin (Dox) is widely employed as a chemotherapeutic drug, but its use is limited because it causes DCM-like changes of the myocardium. Its myocardial toxicity is attributed to oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. A model of DCM exploiting these Dox-induced DCM symptoms has not been established.
