Rapamycin treatment of healthy pigs subjected to acute myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury attenuates cardiac functions and increases myocardial necrosis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is a major regulator of cell immunity and metabolism. mTOR is a well-known suppressor of tissue rejection in organ transplantation. However, it has other nonimmune functions: in the cardiovascular system, it is a regulator of heart hypertrophy and locally, in coated vascular stents, it inhibits vascular wall cell growth and hence neointimal formation/restenosis. Because the mTOR pathway plays major roles in normal cell growth, metabolism, and survival, we hypothesized that inhibiting it with rapamycin before an acute myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) would confer cardioprotection by virtue of slowing down cardiac function and metabolism.

Methods

Yorkshire pigs received either placebo or 4 mg/d rapamycin o

SUBMITTER: Lassaletta AD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3943541 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature