atrial-natriuretic-factor and Hepatitis-C

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been reported to be associated with cardiomyopathy. However, the mechanism of cardiomyopathy in chronic HCV infection is still unclear. Therefore, we investigate the development of cardiomyopathy in mice transgenic for the HCV-core gene. After the age of 12 months, mice developed cardiomyopathy that appeared as left ventricular dilatation, and systolic and diastolic dysfunction assessed by Doppler echocardiography. Histologically, hypertrophy of cardiomyocytes, cardiac fibrosis, disarray and scarcity of myofibrils, vacuolization and deformity of nuclei, myofibrillar lysis, streaming of Z-bands, and an increased number of bizarre-shaped mitochondria were found in HCV-core transgenic mice. These histological changes are just consistent with cardiomyopathy. In conclusion, the HCV-core protein directly plays an important role in the development of cardiomyopathy.

Topics: Actin Cytoskeleton; Animals; Atrial Natriuretic Factor; Blood Pressure; Body Weight; Echocardiography, Doppler; Fibrosis; Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; Hepacivirus; Hepatitis C; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular; Male; Mice; Mice, Transgenic; Mitochondria, Heart; Myocarditis; Myocardium; Myocytes, Cardiac; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; NF-kappa B; Organ Size; RNA, Messenger; RNA, Viral; Transcription Factor AP-1; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left; Viral Core Proteins

Topics: Animals; Antiviral Agents; Atrial Natriuretic Factor; Cardiomyopathies; Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; Heart; Heart Failure; Hepacivirus; Hepatitis C; Hepatitis C Antibodies; HLA-D Antigens; Humans; Interferons; Mice; Mice, Transgenic; Myocarditis; Myocardium; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; NF-kappa B; Paraffin Embedding; Phenotype; Prevalence; RNA, Viral; Species Specificity; Transcription Factor AP-1; Viral Core Proteins