Intrinsic cardiac adrenergic (ICA) cell density and MAO-A activity in failing rat hearts

Van Eif, Vincent W.W.
Bogaards, Sylvia J.P.
Van Der Laarse, Willem J.

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Publication date

February 2014

DOI

10.1007/s10974-013-9373-6

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Abstract

The efficiency (work/oxygen consumption) of isolated papillary muscles from failing hearts is reduced. We investigated whether this can be due to an increase of intrinsic cardiac adrenergic (ICA) cell density. The number of ICA cells in the septum and both ventricular walls was determined by tyrosine hydroxylase immunohistochemistry in rats with monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension. We found that the number of ICA cells is about 200,000 per ,rat heart. ICA cell density was significantly lower in right ventricular myocardium of hypertrophied hearts (P<0.01). MAO-A enzyme histochemistry and inhibition experiments with clorgyline in papillary muscles were performed to localize the enzyme and to determine its oxygen consumption. Upregul...