Chronic Naltrexone Therapy Is Associated with Improved Cardiac Function in Volume Overloaded Rats.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Myocardial opioid receptors were demonstrated in animals and humans and seem to colocalize with membranous and sarcolemmal calcium channels of the excitation-contraction coupling in the left ventricle (LV). Therefore, this study investigated whether blockade of the cardiac opioid system by naltrexone would affect cardiac function and neurohumoral parameters in Wistar rats with volume overload-induced heart failure.

Methods

Volume overload in Wistar rats was induced by an aortocaval fistula (ACF). Left ventricular cardiac opioid receptors were identified by immunohistochemistry and their messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) as well as their endogenous ligand mRNA quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Following continuous delivery of either the opioi

SUBMITTER: Dehe L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8266787 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature