Obesity reduces left ventricular strains, torsion, and synchrony in mouse models: a cine displacement encoding with stimulated echoes (DENSE) cardiovascular magnetic resonance study
Year: 2013
Type: article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Obesity affects a third of adults in the US and results in an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality. While the mechanisms underlying this increased risk are not well understood, animal models of obesity have shown direct effects on the heart such as steatosis and fibrosis, which may affect cardiac function. However, the effect of obesity on cardiac function in animal models is not well-defined. We hypothesized that diet-induced obesity in mice reduces strain, torsion, and synchrony in the left ventricle (LV). METHODS: Ten 12-week-old C57BL/6 J mice were randomized to a high-fat or low-fat diet. After 5 months on the diet, mice were imaged with a 7 T ClinScan using a cine DENSE protocol. Three short-axis and two long-axis slices were acquired for quantification of strains, torsion and synchrony in the left ventricle. RESULTS: Left ventricular mass was increased by 15% (p = 0.032) with no change in volumes or ejection fraction. Subepicardial strain was lower in the obese mice with a 40% reduction in circumferential strain (p = 0.008) a 53% reduction in radial strain (p = 0.032) and a trend towards a 19% reduction in longitudinal strain (p = 0.056). By contrast, subendocardial strain was modestly reduced in the obese mice in the circumferential direction by 12% (p = 0.028), and no different in the radial (p = 0.690) or longitudinal (p = 0.602) directions. Peak torsion was reduced by 34% (p = 0.028). Synchrony of contraction was also reduced (p = 0.032) with a time delay in the septal-to-lateral direction. CONCLUSIONS: Diet-induced obesity reduces left ventricular strains and torsion in mice. Reductions in cardiac strain are mostly limited to the subepicardium, with relative preservation of function in the subendocardium. Diet-induced obesity also leads to reduced synchrony of contraction and hypertrophy in mouse models.
Institutions: University of Kentucky, University of Virginia
Language: English
Subfield: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,000
Funders: University of Kentucky, Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH Office of the Director, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Center for Research Resources, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
Awards: G1546050883, A High-Field Small Animal MR Imager for Biomedical Research, G2481881534, Center of Research on Obesity and Cardiovascular Diseases, Kentucky Center for Clinical and Translational Science, G5799067433, Clinical Scholars In Cardiovascular Science, Kentucky Center for Clinical and Translational Science, Kentucky Center for Clinical and Translational Science, Kentucky Center for Clinical and Translational Science, Exploring the Role of Dyssynchrony in Pediatric Heart Disease with MRI, Kentucky Center for Clinical and Translational Science, G7748040759, G7880731565, G896781292, G9000068936
OpenAlex ID: W2151565833