Cardiac Dysfunction Induced by Obesity Is Not Related to β-Adrenergic System Impairment at the Receptor-Signalling Pathway

PLoS One. 2015 Sep 21;10(9):e0138605. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0138605. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Obesity has been shown to impair myocardial performance. Some factors have been suggested as responsible for possible cardiac abnormalities in models of obesity, among them beta-adrenergic (βA) system, an important mechanism of regulation of myocardial contraction and relaxation. The objective of present study was to evaluate the involvement of βA system components in myocardial dysfunction induced by obesity. Thirty-day-old male Wistar rats were distributed in control (C, n = 25) and obese (Ob, n = 25) groups. The C group was fed a standard diet and Ob group was fed four unsaturated high-fat diets for 15 weeks. Cardiac function was evaluated by isolated papillary muscle preparation and βA system evaluated by using cumulative concentrations of isoproterenol and Western blot. After 15 weeks, the Ob rats developed higher adiposity index than C rats and several comorbidities; however, were not associated with changes in systolic blood pressure. Obesity caused structural changes and the myocardial responsiveness to post-rest contraction stimulus and increased extracellular calcium (Ca2+) was compromised. There were no changes in cardiac function between groups after βA stimulation. The obesity was not accompanied by changes in protein expression of G protein subunit alpha (Gsα) and βA receptors (β1AR and β2AR). In conclusion, the myocardial dysfunction caused by unsaturated high-fat diet-induced obesity, after 15 weeks, is not related to βAR system impairment at the receptor-signalling pathway.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adiposity / drug effects
  • Adrenergic beta-Agonists / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Blood Pressure / drug effects
  • Blotting, Western
  • Calcium / pharmacology
  • Diet, High-Fat / adverse effects
  • GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gs / metabolism
  • Heart / drug effects
  • Heart / physiopathology*
  • Isoproterenol / pharmacology
  • Male
  • Myocardial Contraction / drug effects
  • Obesity / etiology
  • Obesity / metabolism
  • Obesity / physiopathology*
  • Papillary Muscles / drug effects
  • Papillary Muscles / metabolism
  • Papillary Muscles / physiopathology*
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Adrenergic beta-Agonists
  • Receptors, Adrenergic, beta
  • GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gs
  • Isoproterenol
  • Calcium

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Fapes process n° 53618009/2011 and Fapesp process 2012/16647-0. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.