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Updated: Jul 2, 2025

Implantation of an Isoproterenol Mini-Pump to Induce Heart Failure in Mice
Published on: October 3, 2019
Multiple organs injury and myocardial energy metabolism disorders induced by isoproterenol
Xiao-Ting Zhang1, Xu Zhang1, Meng-Wei Wang2
1School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China.
Abstract:
The study sought to assess the detrimental effects of isoproterenol (ISO) on major organs and investigate the potential reversibility of these adverse reactions in mice. Male mice were divided into normal control, 0.2 mg/kg.d and 3.0 mg/kg.d ISO groups, and were subcutaneously administered of the respective doses for 14 consecutive days. Subsequently, a recovery period experiment was conducted, replicating the aforementioned procedure, followed by an additional 2-week recovery period for the mice. Following 14 consecutive days of administration, mice treated with ISO exhibited notable cardiac damage manifested by abnormal ECG patterns, dysregulated energy metabolism, elevated cardiac hypertrophy, and increased heart pathological score. Additionally, the administration of ISO resulted in liver and kidney damage, as evidenced by increased pathological score, serum albumin level, and urea level. Lung damage was also observed, indicated by an increase in lung pathological score. Furthermore, the administration of ISO at a dosage of 3.0 mg/kg.d resulted in a decrease in liver mass index, serum iron content, and an increase in lung mass index. After a 2-week recovery period, mice treated with ISO showed abnormalities in ECG patterns and dysregulated myocardial energy metabolism, accompanied by a decrease in serum iron content. Histopathological examinations revealed continued pathological changes in the heart and lung, as well as significant hemosiderin deposition in the spleen. Furthermore, the group treated with ISO at a dosage of 3.0 mg/kg.d showed an increase in serum AST and TP levels. In summary, the study demonstrates that both 0.2 mg/kg.d and 3.0 mg/kg.d doses of ISO can induce damage to the heart, liver, lung, kidney, and spleen, with the higher dose causing more severe injuries. After a 2-week withdrawal period, the liver, kidney, and thymus injuries caused by 0.2 mg/kg ISO shows signs of recovery, while damage to the heart, lung, and spleen persists. The thymus injury mostly recovers, with minimal kidney pathology, but significant damage to the heart, liver, and lung remains even after the withdrawal period for the 3.0 mg/kg ISO dose.
Insights
Isoproterenol (ISO) causes significant cardiac, liver, lung, kidney, and spleen damage in mice, with higher doses leading to more severe injury. Some organ damage persists even after a 2-week recovery period.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Cardiovascular Pharmacology
- Organ Pathology
Background:
- Isoproterenol (ISO) is a known cardiotoxic agent.
- Understanding ISO-induced organ damage and its reversibility is crucial for risk assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the detrimental effects of ISO on major organs in mice.
- To investigate the potential for recovery from ISO-induced organ damage.
Main Methods:
- Male mice were administered varying doses of ISO (0.2 and 3.0 mg/kg/day) subcutaneously for 14 days.
- A subset of mice underwent a subsequent 2-week recovery period.
- Organ damage was assessed via ECG, metabolic profiling, serum analysis, and histopathology.
Main Results:
- ISO administration induced cardiac damage (ECG abnormalities, hypertrophy), liver and kidney damage (pathological scores, altered serum markers), and lung damage.
- Higher ISO doses (3.0 mg/kg/day) resulted in more severe injuries and decreased liver mass index.
- After recovery, cardiac and lung damage persisted, with spleen pathology and hemosiderin deposition observed. Liver and kidney showed partial recovery at lower ISO doses.
Conclusions:
- Both tested ISO doses induce multi-organ damage, with dose-dependent severity.
- Recovery from ISO-induced organ damage is incomplete, particularly for cardiac and lung tissues, even after a 2-week withdrawal period.
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