Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, often driven by prolonged exposure to pathological stimuli such as pressure and volume overload. These factors contribute to excessive oxidative stress, adverse cardiac remodeling, and dysregulation of the nitric oxide-soluble guanylate cyclase-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (NO-sGC-cGMP) signaling pathway. Given the urgent need for effective treatments, this study investigated the potential of sGC stimulators to mitigate HF progression. We utilized male hypertensive Ren-2 transgenic (TGR) rats and a volume-overload HF model induced by an aortocaval fistula (ACF). Rats received the sGC stimulator BAY 41-8543 (3 mg/kg/day) for 30 weeks, while normotensive Hannover Sprague-Dawley rats served as controls. At the study endpoint (40 weeks of age), left ventricular tissue was analyzed using mass spectrometry, Western blotting, and histological assessment. TGR rats treated with sGC stimulators exhibited a significant increase in key antioxidant proteins (SOD1, CH10, ACSF2, NDUS1, DHE3, GSTM2, and PCCA), suggesting enhanced resistance to oxidative stress. However, sGC stimulator treatment also upregulated extracellular matrix remodeling markers (MMP-2, TGF-β, and SMAD2/3), which are typically associated with fibrosis. Despite this, Masson's trichrome staining revealed reduced collagen deposition in both TGR and TGR-ACF rats receiving sGC stimulators. Notably, all untreated TGR-ACF rats succumbed before the study endpoint, preventing direct assessment of sGC stimulator effects in advanced HF. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of sGC stimulators in HF, particularly through their antioxidant effects. However, their concurrent influence on fibrosis warrants further investigation to optimize treatment strategies.

• Klíčová slova
• heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, reactive oxygen/nitrogen species, renin‐angiotensin system, soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator,
• MeSH
• agonisté guanylátcyklasy * farmakologie   terapeutické užití   MeSH
• krysa rodu Rattus MeSH
• modely nemocí na zvířatech MeSH
• oxidační stres účinky léků   MeSH
• potkani Sprague-Dawley MeSH
• potkani transgenní MeSH
• pyrazoly * farmakologie   terapeutické užití   MeSH
• pyrimidiny * farmakologie   terapeutické užití   MeSH
• remodelace komor účinky léků   MeSH
• rozpustná guanylátcyklasa * metabolismus   MeSH
• srdeční selhání * farmakoterapie   etiologie   patofyziologie   metabolismus   patologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• krysa rodu Rattus MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• agonisté guanylátcyklasy * MeSH
• BAY 41-8543 MeSH Prohlížeč
• morfoliny MeSH
• pyrazoly * MeSH
• pyrimidiny * MeSH
• rozpustná guanylátcyklasa * MeSH

The aim of the present study was to assess systemic circulatory and tissue activities of both the classical arm and of the alternative arm of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in a new transgenic rat line (TG7371) that expresses angiotensin-(1-7) (ANG 1-7)-producing fusion protein; the results were compared with the activities measured in control transgene-negative Hannover Sprague-Dawley (HanSD) rats. Plasma and tissue concentrations of angiotensin II (ANG II) and ANG 1-7, and kidney mRNA expressions of receptors responsible for biological actions of ANG II and ANG 1-7 [i.e. ANG II type 1 and type 2 (AT1 and AT2) and Mas receptors] were assessed in TG7371 transgene-positive and in HanSD rats. We found that male TG7371 transgene-positive rats exhibited significantly elevated plasma, kidney, heart and lung ANG 1-7 concentrations as compared with control male HanSD rats; by contrast, there was no significant difference in ANG II concentrations and no significant differences in mRNA expression of AT1, AT2 and Mas receptors. In addition, we found that in male TG7371 transgene-positive rats blood pressure was lower than in male HanSD rats. These data indicate that the balance between the classical arm and the alternative arm of the RAS was in male TGR7371 transgene-positive rats markedly shifted in favor of the latter. In conclusion, TG7371 transgene-positive rats represent a new powerful tool to study the long-term role of the alternative arm of the RAS in the pathophysiology and potentially in the treatment of cardio-renal diseases.

• Klíčová slova
• Angiotensin II, Angiotensin-(1-7), Renin-angiotensin system, TG7371 transgenic rat,
• MeSH
• angiotensin I * metabolismus   MeSH
• angiotensin II * MeSH
• kardiovaskulární nemoci metabolismus   genetika   MeSH
• krevní tlak fyziologie   MeSH
• krysa rodu Rattus MeSH
• ledviny metabolismus   MeSH
• nemoci ledvin metabolismus   genetika   MeSH
• peptidové fragmenty * metabolismus   MeSH
• potkani Sprague-Dawley * MeSH
• potkani transgenní * MeSH
• protoonkogen Mas MeSH
• receptor angiotensinu typ 1 genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• receptory spřažené s G-proteiny genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• rekombinantní fúzní proteiny metabolismus   MeSH
• renin-angiotensin systém * fyziologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• krysa rodu Rattus MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• angiotensin I (1-7) MeSH Prohlížeč
• angiotensin I * MeSH
• angiotensin II * MeSH
• peptidové fragmenty * MeSH
• protoonkogen Mas MeSH
• receptor angiotensinu typ 1 MeSH
• receptory spřažené s G-proteiny MeSH
• rekombinantní fúzní proteiny MeSH

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) is becoming an increasingly prevalent issue, particularly among the elderly population. Lipids are closely associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) pathology. Lipidomics as a comprehensive profiling tool is showing to be promising in the prediction of events and mortality due to CVD as well as identifying novel biomarkers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, eicosanoids and lipid profiles were measured in order to predict survival in patients with de novo or acute decompensated HF. Our study included 50 patients (16 females, mean age 73 years and 34 males, mean age 71 years) with de novo or acute decompensated chronic HF with a median follow-up of 7 months. Lipids were semiquantified using targeted lipidomic liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. Eicosanoid concentrations were determined using a commercially available sandwich ELISA assay. RESULTS: From 736 lipids and 3 eicosanoids, 39 significant lipids were selected (by using the Mann-Whitney U test after Benjamini-Hochberg correction) with the highest number of representatives belonging to the polyunsaturated (PUFA) phosphatidylcholines (PC). PC 42:10 (p = 1.44 × 10-4) was found to be the most statistically significantly elevated in the surviving group with receiver operating characteristics of AUC = 0.84 (p = 3.24 × 10-7). A multivariate supervised discriminant analysis based on the aforementioned lipid panel enabled the classification of the groups of surviving and non-surviving patients with 90 % accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study we describe a trend in PUFA esterified in PC that were systematically increased in surviving patients with HF. This trend in low-abundant and rarely identified PUFA PC (mainly very long chain PUFA containing PC such as PC 42:10 or PC 40:9 containing FA 22:6, FA 20:5 and FA 20:4) suggests candidate biomarkers.

• Klíčová slova
• Atherosclerosis, Eicosanoids, HF survival, Heart failure, Lipidomics, PC, PUFA, Phosphatidylcholine, Survival rate,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

All anthracyclines, including doxorubicin (DOXO), the most common and still indispensable drug, exhibit cardiotoxicity with inherent risk of irreversible cardiomyopathy leading to heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Current pharmacological strategies are clearly less effective for this type of HFrEF, hence an urgent need for new therapeutic approaches. The prerequisite for success is thorough understanding of pathophysiology of this HFrEF form, which requires an appropriate animal model of the disease. The aim of this study was to comprehensively characterise a novel model of HF with cardiorenal syndrome, i.e. DOXO-induced HFrEF with nephrotic syndrome, in which DOXO was administered to Ren-2 transgenic rats (TGR) via five intravenous injections in a cumulative dose of 10 mg/kg of body weight (BW). Our analysis included survival, echocardiography, as well as histological examination of the heart and kidneys, blood pressure, but also a broad spectrum of biomarkers to evaluate cardiac remodelling, fibrosis, apoptosis, oxidative stress and more. We have shown that the new model adequately mimics the cardiac remodelling described as "eccentric chamber atrophy" and myocardial damage typical for DOXO-related cardiotoxicity, without major damage of the peritoneum, lungs and liver. This pattern corresponds well to a clinical situation of cancer patients receiving anthracyclines, where HF develops with some delay after the anticancer therapy. Therefore, this study may serve as a comprehensive reference for all types of research on DOXO-related cardiotoxicity, proving especially useful in the search for new therapeutic strategies.

• Klíčová slova
• Chemotherapy induced heart failure, Doxorubicin, Experimental model of heart failure, NO/sGC/cGMP pathway, Ren-2 transgenic hypertensive rat,
• MeSH
• doxorubicin * škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• krysa rodu Rattus MeSH
• ledviny účinky léků   patofyziologie   MeSH
• modely nemocí na zvířatech * MeSH
• nefrotický syndrom * chemicky indukované   farmakoterapie   patofyziologie   MeSH
• oxidační stres účinky léků   MeSH
• potkani transgenní * MeSH
• protinádorová antibiotika škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• srdeční selhání * chemicky indukované   patofyziologie   MeSH
• tepový objem * účinky léků   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• krysa rodu Rattus MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• doxorubicin * MeSH
• protinádorová antibiotika MeSH

Renal nerves play a critical role in cardiorenal interactions. Renal denervation (RDN) improved survival in some experimental heart failure (HF) models. It is not known whether these favorable effects are indirect, explainable by a decrease in vascular afterload, or diminished neurohumoral response in the kidneys, or whether RDN procedure per se has direct myocardial effects in the failing heart. To elucidate mechanisms how RDN affects failing heart, we studied load-independent indexes of ventricular function, gene markers of myocardial remodeling, and cardiac sympathetic signaling in HF, induced by chronic volume overload (aorto-caval fistula, ACF) of Ren2 transgenic rats. Volume overload by ACF led to left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and dysfunction, myocardial remodeling (upregulated Nppa, MYH 7/6 genes), increased renal and circulating norepinephrine (NE), reduced myocardial NE content, increased monoaminoxidase A (MAO-A), ROS production and decreased tyrosine hydroxylase (+) nerve staining. RDN in HF animals decreased congestion in the lungs and the liver, improved load-independent cardiac function (Ees, PRSW, Ees/Ea ratio), without affecting arterial elastance or LV pressure, reduced adverse myocardial remodeling (Myh 7/6, collagen I/III ratio), decreased myocardial MAO-A and inhibited renal neprilysin activity. RDN increased myocardial expression of acetylcholinesterase (Ache) and muscarinic receptors (Chrm2), decreased circulating and renal NE, but increased myocardial NE content, restoring so autonomic control of the heart. These changes likely explain improvements in survival after RDN in this model. The results suggest that RDN has remote, load-independent and favorable intrinsic myocardial effects in the failing heart. RDN therefore could be a useful therapeutic strategy in HF.

• Klíčová slova
• Heart failure, Norepinephrine, Renal denervation, Sympathetic nervous system, Volume overload,
• MeSH
• krysa rodu Rattus MeSH
• ledviny * inervace   metabolismus   MeSH
• modely nemocí na zvířatech * MeSH
• myokard * metabolismus   MeSH
• noradrenalin * krev   metabolismus   MeSH
• potkani transgenní * MeSH
• remodelace komor fyziologie   MeSH
• srdce inervace   patofyziologie   MeSH
• srdeční selhání * patofyziologie   metabolismus   MeSH
• sympatektomie MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• krysa rodu Rattus MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• noradrenalin * MeSH

Heart failure (HF) has been declared as global pandemic and current therapies are still ineffective, especially in patients that develop concurrent cardio-renal syndrome. Considerable attention has been focused on the nitric oxide (NO)/soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC)/cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) pathway. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the effectiveness of sGC stimulator (BAY41-8543) with the same mode of action as vericiguat, for the treatment of heart failure (HF) with cardio-renal syndrome. As a model, we chose heterozygous Ren-2 transgenic rats (TGR), with high-output heart failure, induced by aorto-caval fistula (ACF). The rats were subjected into three experimental protocols to evaluate short-term effects of the treatment, impact on blood pressure, and finally the long-term survival lasting 210 days. As control groups, we used hypertensive sham TGR and normotensive sham HanSD rats. We have shown that the sGC stimulator effectively increased the survival of rats with HF in comparison to untreated animals. After 60 days of sGC stimulator treatment, the survival was still 50% compared to 8% in the untreated rats. One-week treatment with sGC stimulator increased the excretion of cGMP in ACF TGR (109 ± 28 nnmol/12 h), but the ACE inhibitor decreased it (-63 ± 21 nnmol/12 h). Moreover, sGC stimulator caused a decrease in SBP, but this effect was only temporary (day 0: 117 ± 3; day 2: 108 ± 1; day 14: 124 ± 2 mmHg). These results support the concept that sGC stimulators might represent a valuable class of drugs to battle heart failure especially with cardio-renal syndrome, but further studies are necessary.

• Klíčová slova
• ACF, BAY41-8543, Heart failure, Vericiguat, cGMP, sGC stimulator,
• MeSH
• guanosinmonofosfát cyklický metabolismus   MeSH
• guanylátcyklasa MeSH
• hypertenze * farmakoterapie   MeSH
• kardiorenální syndrom * MeSH
• krysa rodu Rattus MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• oxid dusnatý metabolismus   MeSH
• píštěle * MeSH
• potkani transgenní MeSH
• rozpustná guanylátcyklasa metabolismus   MeSH
• srdeční selhání * farmakoterapie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• krysa rodu Rattus MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• guanosinmonofosfát cyklický MeSH
• guanylátcyklasa MeSH
• oxid dusnatý MeSH
• rozpustná guanylátcyklasa MeSH

The aim of the present study was to assess the autoregulatory capacity of renal blood flow (RBF) and of the pressure-natriuresis characteristics in the early phase of heart failure (HF) in rats, normotensive and with angiotensin II (ANG II)-dependent hypertension. Ren-2 transgenic rats (TGR) were employed as a model of ANG II-dependent hypertension. HF was induced by creating the aorto-caval fistula (ACF). One week after ACF creation or sham-operation, the animals were prepared for studies evaluating in vivo RBF autoregulatory capacity and the pressure-natriuresis characteristics after stepwise changes in renal arterial pressure (RAP) induced by aortic clamping. In ACF TGR the basal mean arterial pressure, RBF, urine flow (UF), and absolute sodium excretion (UNaV) were all significantly lower tha n in sham-operated TGR. In the latter, reductions in renal arterial pressure (RAP) significantly decreased RBF whereas in ACF TGR they did not change. Stepwise reductions in RAP resulted in marked decreases in UF and UNaV in sham-operated as well as in ACF TGR, however, these decreases were significantly greater in the former. Our data show that compared with sham-operated TGR, ACF TGR displayed well-maintained RBF autoregulatory capacity and improved slope of the pressure-natriuresis relationship. Thus, even though in the very early HF stage renal dysfunction was demonstrable, in the HF model of ANG II-dependent hypertensive rat such dysfunction and the subsequent HF decompensation cannot be simply ascribed to impaired renal autoregulation and pressure-natriuresis relationship.

• Klíčová slova
• Ren-2 transgenic hypertensive rat, Renal autoregulation, Renal blood flow, Sodium excretion, Volume-overload heart failure,
• MeSH
• angiotensin II farmakologie   MeSH
• homeostáza MeSH
• hypertenze * MeSH
• krevní tlak MeSH
• krysa rodu Rattus MeSH
• ledviny MeSH
• natriuréza MeSH
• potkani transgenní MeSH
• renální oběh MeSH
• sodík MeSH
• srdeční selhání * MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• krysa rodu Rattus MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• angiotensin II MeSH
• sodík MeSH

The aim of the study was to clarify the role of the interplay between hypertension and the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in the pathophysiology of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. We hypothesized that in the late phase of hypertension with already developed signs of end-organ damage, inappropriate RAS activation could impair cardiac tolerance to I/R injury. Experiments were performed in male Cyp1a1-Ren-2 transgenic rats with inducible hypertension. The early phase of ANG II-dependent hypertension was induced by 5 days and the late phase by the 13 days dietary indole-3-carbinol (I3C) administration. Noninduced rats served as controls. Echocardiography and pressure-volume analysis were performed, angiotensins' levels were measured and cardiac tolerance to ischemia/reperfusion injury was studied. The infarct size was significantly reduced (by 50%) in 13 days I3C-induced hypertensive rats with marked cardiac hypertrophy, this reduction was abolished by losartan treatment. In the late phase of hypertension there are indications of a failing heart, mainly in reduced preload recruitable stroke work (PRSW), but only nonsignificant trends in worsening of some other parameters, showing that the myocardium is in a compensated phase. The influence of the RAS depends on the balance between the vasoconstrictive and the opposed vasodilatory axis. In the initial stage of hypertension, the vasodilatory axis of the RAS prevails, and with the development of hypertension the vasoconstrictive axis of the RAS becomes stronger. We observed a clear effect of AT1 receptor blockade on maximum pressure in left ventricle, cardiac hypertrophy and ANG II levels. In conclusion, we confirmed improved cardiac tolerance to I/R injury in hypertensive hypertrophied rats and showed that, in the late phase of hypertension, the myocardium is in a compensated phase.

• Klíčová slova
• ANG II-dependent hypertension, AT1 receptor antagonist, P-V analysis, ischemia/reperfusion injury, renin-angiotensin system,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

INTRODUCTION: The role of eicosanoids, metabolites of arachidonic acid with cardio-renal activity, remains unclear in human heart failure (HF). METHODS: We enrolled 50 patients with HF to measure plasma 14,15-EET and 14,15-DHET levels using commercial ELISA kits and compared them with 25 age- and sex-matched controls. RESULTS: Both of the measured eicosanoids were significantly higher in the HF group: 14,15-EET (91.3 ±25.7 ng/ml vs. 64.95 ±35.4 ng/ml) and 14,15-DHET (10.58 ±2.06 ng/ml vs. 9.07 ±1.60 ng/ml), p for both < 0.001. CONCLUSIONS: We found that peripheral plasma eicosanoid (14,15-EET, 14,15-DHET) levels are raised in patients with HF compared to age- and sex-matched controls.

• Klíčová slova
• dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acid, eicosanoids, epoxyeicosatrienoic acid, heart failure,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of the effect of endothelin type A (ET A ) receptor blockade on the course of volume-overload heart failure in rats with angiotensin II-dependent hypertension. METHODS: Ren-2 renin transgenic rats (TGR) were used as a model of hypertension. Heart failure was induced by creating an aorto-caval fistula (ACF). Selective ET A receptor blockade was achieved by atrasentan. For comparison, other rat groups received trandolapril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi). Animals first underwent ACF creation and 2 weeks later the treatment with atrasentan or trandolapril, alone or combined, was applied; the follow-up period was 20 weeks. RESULTS: Eighteen days after creating ACF, untreated TGR began to die, and none was alive by day 79. Both atrasentan and trandolapril treatment improved the survival rate, ultimately to 56% (18 of 31 animals) and 69% (22 of 32 animals), respectively. Combined ACEi and ET A receptor blockade improved the final survival rate to 52% (17 of 33 animals). The effects of the three treatment regimens on the survival rate did not significantly differ. All three treatment regimens suppressed the development of cardiac hypertrophy and lung congestion, decreased left ventricle (LV) end-diastolic volume and LV end-diastolic pressure, and improved LV systolic contractility in ACF TGR as compared with their untreated counterparts. CONCLUSION: The treatment with ET A receptor antagonist delays the onset of decompensation of volume-overload heart failure and improves the survival rate in hypertensive TGR with ACF-induced heart failure. However, the addition of ET A receptor blockade did not enhance the beneficial effects beyond those obtained with standard treatment with ACEi alone.

• MeSH
• angiotensin II MeSH
• atrasentan MeSH
• endotelin-1 MeSH
• endoteliny MeSH
• hypertenze * komplikace   farmakoterapie   MeSH
• inhibitory ACE farmakologie   MeSH
• krysa rodu Rattus MeSH
• píštěle * MeSH
• potkani transgenní MeSH
• receptor angiotensinu typ 1 MeSH
• receptor endotelinu A MeSH
• srdeční selhání * farmakoterapie   etiologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• krysa rodu Rattus MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• angiotensin II MeSH
• atrasentan MeSH
• endotelin-1 MeSH
• endoteliny MeSH
• inhibitory ACE MeSH
• receptor angiotensinu typ 1 MeSH
• receptor endotelinu A MeSH