| First Author | De Los Santos S | Year | 2018 |
| Journal | Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis | Volume | 28 |
| Issue | 11 | Pages | 1188-1195 |
| PubMed ID | 30143409 | Mgi Jnum | J:352875 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:7707499 | Doi | 10.1016/j.numecd.2018.06.019 |
| Citation | De Los Santos S, et al. (2018) (-)-Epicatechin inhibits development of dilated cardiomyopathy in delta sarcoglycan null mouse. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 28(11):1188-1195 |
| abstractText | BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Several studies propose that (-)-epicatechin, a flavonol present in high concentration in the cocoa, has cardioprotective effects. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of (-)-epicatechin on the development of dilated cardiomyopathy in a delta sarcoglycan null mouse model. METHODS AND RESULTS: delta Sarcoglycan null mice were treated for 15 days with (-)-epicatechin. Histological and morphometric analysis of the hearts treated mutant mice showed significant reduction of the vasoconstrictions in the coronary arteries as well as fewer areas with fibrosis and a reduction in the loss of the ventricular wall. On the contrary, it was observed a thickening of this region. By Western blot analysis, it was shown, and increment in the phosphorylation level of eNOS and PI3K/AKT/mTOR/p70S6K proteins in the heart of the (-)-epicatechin treated animals. On the other hand, we observed a significantly decreased level of the atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) heart failure markers. CONCLUSION: All the results indicate that (-)-epicatechin has the potential to prevent the development of dilated cardiomyopathy of genetic origin and encourages the use of this flavonol as a pharmacological therapy for dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure diseases. |
