Probucol attenuates atrial autonomic remodeling in a canine model of atrial fibrillation produced by prolonged atrial pacing

Background We hypothesize that increased atrial oxidative stress and inflammation may play an important role in atrial nerve sprouting and heterogeneous sympathetic hyperinnervation during atrial fibrillation （AF）. To test the hypothesis, we examined whether the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory treatment with probucol attenuates atrial autonomic remodeling in a canine model of AF produced by prolonged rapid right atrial pacing.Methods Twenty-one dogs were divided into a sham-operated group, a control group and a probucol group. Dogs in the control group and probucol group underwent right atrial pacing at 400 beats per minute for 6 weeks, and those in the probucol group received probucol 1 week before rapid atrial pacing until pacing stopped. After 6-week rapid atrial pacing, general properties including left atrial structure and function, atrial hemodynamics and the inducibility and duration of AF were measured in all the groups. Atrial oxidative stress markers and serum C-reactive protein （CRP） concentration were estimated. The degree of nerve sprouting and sympathetic innervation at the right atrial anterior wall （RAAW） and the left atrial anterior wall （LAAW） were quantified by immunohistochemistry, atrial norepinephrine contents were also detected. Atrial beta-nerve growth factor （beta-NGF） mRNA and protein expression at the RAAW and LAAW were assessed by real-time quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting respectively.Results Atrial tachypacing induced significant nerve sprouting and heterogeneous sympathetic hyperinnervation, and the magnitude of nerve sprouting and hyperinnervation was higher in the RAAW than in the LAAW. Atrial beta-NGF mRNA and protein levels were significantly increased at the RAAW and LAAW, and the upregulation of beta-NGF expression was greater at the RAAW than at the LAAW in the control group. The beta-NGF protein level was positively correlated with the density of sympathetic nerves in all groups. Probucol decreased the increase of CRP concentration and attenuated atrial oxidative stress caused by atrial tachypacing. In addition, probucol could effectively inhibit atrial beta-NGF upregulation, significantly attenuate atrial nerve sprouting and heterogeneous sympathetic hyperinnervation, and dramatically reduce the inducibility and duration of AF.Conclusions The atrial over-expression of beta-NGF possibly caused by increased oxidative stress and inflammation may be the main mechanism underlying atrial autonomic remodeling during AF. Probucol attenuates atrial autonomic remodeling possibly by its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions.

Safety and feasibility of emergent percutaneous coronary intervention with the transradial access in patients with acute myocardial infarction

The use of intense anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy in acute myocardial infarction （AMI）potentially increases the risk of bleeding complications during percutaneous coronary intervention （PCI） via the transfemoral approach. Recently, the transradial access has been increasingly employed as an alternative means for diagnostic and interventional procedures. Low incidence of vascular access site bleeding complications suggests the transradial approach as a safe alternative to the femoral technique in AMI, particularly under an aggressive anticoagulation/antiplatelet regimen.Nevertheless, the safety and feasibility of employing the transradial approach for primary PCI in AMI has not been thoroughly investigated so far.

Calpain I inhibition prevents atrial structural remodeling in a canine model with atrial fibrillation

Background Atrial fibrillation （AF） is accompanied by atrial structural remodeling. Calpain activity is induced during AE To test a causal relationship between calpain activation and atrial structural changes, N-acetyI-Leu-Leu-Met （ALLM）, a calpain inhibitor, was utilized in a canine AF model. Methods Fifteen dogs were randomly divided into 3 groups： sham-operated group, control group and calpain inhibitor group; each with 5 dogs. Sustained AF was induced by rapid right atrium pacing at 600 beats per minute for 3 weeks. ALLM was administered at a dosage of 1.0 mg-kg-l-d1 in the calpain inhibitor group. Three weeks later, the proteolysis, protein expression of TnT and myosin, calpain I localization and expression and structural changes were examined in left atrial free walls, right atrial free walls and the interatrial septum respectively. Atrial size and contractile function were also measured by echocardiography. Results Long-term rapid atrial pacing induced marked structural changes such as enlarged atrial volume, myolysis, degradation of TnT and myosin, accumulation of glycogen and changes in mitochondrial shape and size, which were paralleled by an increase in calpain activity. The positive correlation between calpain activity and the degree of myolysis （rs=0.90 961, P〈0.0001） was demonstrated. In addition to structural abnormalities, pacing-induced atrial contractile dysfunction was observed in this study. The pacing-induced atrial structural alterations and loss of contractility were partially prevented by the calpain inhibitor ALLM. Conclusions Activation of calpain represents key features in the progression towards overt structural remodeling. Calpain inhibitor, ALLM, suppressed the increased calpain activity and reversed structural remodeling caused by sustained atrial fibrillation in the present model. Calpain inhibition may therefore provide a possibility for therapeutic intervention in AE