Facilitated ethanol metabolism promotes cardiomyocyte contractile dysfunction through autophagy in murine hearts.

ABSTRACT: Chronic drinking leads to myocardial contractile dysfunction where ethanol metabolism plays an essential role. Acetaldehyde, the main ethanol metabolite, mediates alcohol-induced cell injury although the underlying mechanism is still elusive. This study was designed to examine the mechanism involved in accelerated ethanol metabolism-induced cardiac defect with a focus on autophagy. Wild-type FVB and cardiac-specific overexpression of alcohol dehydrogenase mice were placed on a 4% nutrition-balanced alcohol diet for 8 weeks. Myocardial histology, immunohistochemistry, autophagy markers and signal molecules were examined. Expression of micro RNA miR-30a, a potential target of Beclin 1, was evaluated by real-time PCR. Chronic alcohol intake led to cardiac acetaldehyde accumulation, hypertroph

SUBMITTER: Guo R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3405837 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature