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Updated: Jul 5, 2026
Murine Left Anterior Descending LAD Coronary Artery Ligation: An Improved and Simplified Model for Myocardial Infarction
Published on: April 2, 2017
Edoxaban treatment in a post-infarction experimental model
Javier Martínez-Fernández1, Cristina Almengló2, Borja Babarro2
1Servicio de Radiología, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela (CHUS). SERGAS, Travesía da Choupana s/n, A Coruña, Santiago de Compostela, 15706, Spain.
Background:
The sequelae of myocardial infarction (MI) require specific pharmacological therapy to minimise the post-MI remodelling, which in many cases evolves into cardiovascular complications. The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of edoxaban, an oral anticoagulant, on cardiac recovery in a rat model of permanent coronary artery ligation.
Methods:
An experimental method to assess the post-MI remodelling in rats for 4 weeks, based on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and final histological analysis of the hearts was performed. The influence of daily oral treatment with edoxaban (20 mg/kg/day) for 28 days post-MI was analysed in comparison to vehicle.
Results:
In our model, edoxaban was shown to be safe and bleeding was observed in 1 of 10 animals. General physical recovery of the treated animals was shown by higher body weight recovery compared with non-treated animals (38.6 ± 2.9 vs. 29.9 ± 3.1 g, respectively, after 28 days). There was not a pronounced effect of edoxaban in post-MI cardiac remodelling, but mitigated fibrosis was observed by the reduced expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and tumour growth factor β1 in the peri-infarct zone.
Conclusions:
Our analysis provided the experimental basis to support the feasibility of MRI to study cardiac function and characterise myocardial scarring in a rat model. Overall data suggested the safety of edoxaban in the model, and compared to placebo, it showed a better post-MI recovery, probably by reducing fibrosis of the heart. Further research on mid-term cardiac recovery with edoxaban after MI is justified.
