Myocardial fibrosis, inflammation, and altered cardiac gene expression profiles in rats exposed to a predator-based model of posttraumatic stress disorder.

ABSTRACT: People who are exposed to life-threatening trauma are at risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In addition to psychological manifestations, PTSD is associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction, arrhythmias, hypertension, and other cardiovascular problems. We previously reported that rats exposed to a predator-based model of PTSD develop myocardial hypersensitivity to ischemic injury. This study characterized cardiac changes in histology and gene expression in rats exposed this model. Male rats were subjected to two cat exposures (separated by a period of 10 d) and daily cage-mate changes for 31 d. Control rats were not exposed to the cat or cage-mate changes. Ventricular tissue was analyzed by RNA sequencing, western blotting, histology, and immunohistochem

SUBMITTER: Rorabaugh BR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6982550 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature