desmosterol and Cardiomegaly

20,25-Diazacholesterol, known to induce myotonia in skeletal muscle, also affects cardiac muscle as can be concluded from the development of cardiomegaly. At the same time (Na+, K+) ATPase of cardiac sarcolemmal membranes of the 20,25-diazacholesterol treated rats showed an increased activity as compared with control animals (91 percent and 46 percent stimulation respectively). The Ca++ stimulated ATPase showed the same tendency (96 percent and 64 percent stimulation). In the plasma of the treated rats creatine phosphokinase activity was found to be elevated whereas the amount of protein-bound iodine was decreased, a finding that is common in myotonic dystrophy.

Topics: Adenosine Triphosphatases; Animals; Aza Compounds; Biological Transport; Body Weight; Cardiomegaly; Cholesterol; Desmosterol; Female; Myocardium; Myotonia; Organ Size; Rats; Sarcolemma