Direct thrombin inhibition with dabigatran attenuates pressure overload-induced cardiac fibrosis and dysfunction in mice.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

The multifunctional serine protease thrombin exerts proinflammatory and profibrotic cellular effects that may contribute to cardiac remodeling. This study was designed to investigate whether direct thrombin inhibition with dabigatran attenuates myocardial injury in the setting of pressure overload-induced heart failure.

Material and methods

Transverse aortic constriction (TAC) surgery was performed on C57Bl/6J male mice to elicit cardiac hypertrophy. TAC, or sham, mice were randomly assigned to receive chow supplemented with the oral anticoagulant, dabigatran etexilate, or placebo.

Results

Dabigatran did not affect cardiac hypertrophy, as measured by heart weight-to-body weight or the heart weight-to-tibia length, although a non-significant reduction in m

SUBMITTER: Dong A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5722681 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature