Effects of different ages on ventricular remodeling after ischemic heart failure in mice

AIM: To observe ventricular remodeling induced by ischemic heart failure in the mice at different ages.METHODS: Three-month-old (young group, n=50) and 18-month-old (old group, n=50) male C57BL/6J mice were selected in the study. Forty mice underwent ligation of left coronary artery with certain infarct size, and 10 were sham-operated for control. Echocardiography was performed after 8 weeks of infarction. All mice were killed and the hearts were collected for examinations. Masson trichrome staining was used to detect myocardial fibrosis. The expression of type I and type Ⅲ collagens was measured by the method of immunohistochemistry.RESULTS: The incidences of cardiac rupture (18% vs 10%, P<0.05) and heart failure (22% vs 10%, P<0.05) were significantly higher in aged mice than those in young mice. The degrees of left ventricular dilation, contractile dysfunction and heart rate were significantly higher in aged mice than those in young mice (P<0.05). The left ventricular mass index, collagen volume fraction, the expression of type I collagen and ratio of type Ⅰ/Ⅲ collagens were significantly increased in aged mice as compared with young mice (P<0.05).CONCLUSION: After heart failure, aged mice show abnormal collagen distribution, and suffer from worse cardiac functions and more serious ventricular remodeling.