Poster Presenter

Treatment With Resveratrol Prevents Norepinephrine Induced Cardiomyocyte Hypertrophy
X. L. Louis, S. J. Thandapilly, L. Yu, T. Yang, D. M. Stringer, S. Zhang, J. Wigle, E. Kardami, P. Zahradkaand T. Netticadan
Canada

Increased adrenergic drive is a major factor influencing the development of pathological cardiac hypertrophy, a stage which precedes overt heart failure. We examined the effect of resveratrol, a polyphenol (found predominantly in grapes), in preventing norepinephrine induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Cardiomyocytes isolated from adult rats were pretreated with resveratrol (30µm) and then exposed to norepinephrine (1µm) for 24 hours. In another experiment cardiomyocytes were treated with NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (100µm), a non-specific nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, before treating with resveratrol and norepinephrine for 24 hours. Cardiomyocyte hypertrophy was determined by morphometrical analysis and [3H] phenylalanine incorporation assay. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity and nitric oxide (NO) levels were measured using commercially available kits. Our results show that stimulation of cardiomyocytes with norepinephrine resulted in an increase in cardiomyocyte size and protein synthesis in comparison with control cardiomyocytes; this increase was prevented upon resveratrol treatment. Addition of L-NAME partially inhibited the effect of resveratrol. Our results suggest that resveratrol is effective in preventing norepinephrine induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. The beneficial effect was found to be partially mediated by NO. Accordingly, treatment with resveratrol may have a potential in preventing cardiac hypertrophy and resultant heart failure.

(This study is supported by funds from Heart and Stroke Foundation of Manitoba, Agriculture and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)