Progression of heart failure is attenuated by antioxidant therapy with N-acetylcysteine in myocardial infarcted female rats

• DOI: 10.1007/s11033-020-05907-4
• Publication Date: 2020-10-13T07:02:36Z
• Authors: César R. M. Costa; Fernando A. C. Seara; Milena S. Peixoto; Isalira P. Ramos; Raiana A. Q. Barbosa; Adriana B. Carvalho; Rodrigo S. Fortunato; Anderson L. B. Si...; Emerson L. Olivares
• Keywords: 0303 health sciences; Myocardial Infarction; Heart; Antioxidants; Acetylcysteine; Rats; 3. Good health; Electrocardiography; Oxidative Stress; 03 medical and health sciences; Animals; Female; Rats, Wistar; Reactive Oxygen Species

This study investigated the therapeutic potential of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in the treatment of heart failure in female rats. Myocardial infarcted (MI) rats were given NAC (250 mg/kg/day p.o.) during 28 days after surgery (MI + NAC) or vehicle (MI + Placebo), and sham-operated rats received the same treatments (Sham + NAC and Sham + Placebo). Electrocardiographic and echocardiographic analyses were performed in the last week of treatment. Cardiac mRNA levels of types I and II superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, types I and III glutathione peroxidase (GPX), nerve growth factor (NGF), β1-adrenergic receptor (β1ADR), and type 2 muscarinic receptor (M2R) were assessed. Cardiac levels NADPH oxidase (NOX) activity, total content of reduced thiols, and SOD, GPX, and catalase activity were assessed. Compared to MI + Placebo group, MI + NAC group exhibited decreased NOX activity, increased content of reduced thiols, increased GPX activity, and normalized GPX III mRNA levels (p < 0.05). Heart and lung weights, left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic volume and left atrium/aorta ratio were decreased, while LV posterior wall thickness and ejection fraction were increased in MI + NAC group versus MI + Placebo rats (p < 0.05). Power density of low frequency band was decreased, while power density of high frequency and the root mean square of the successive differences were increased in MI + NAC rats versus MI + Placebo (p < 0.05). These findings indicate that NAC promotes therapeutic effects in the progression of MI-induced heart failure in female rats.