Pioglitazone, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma agonist, attenuates left ventricular remodeling and failure after experimental myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma activators have recently been implicated as regulators of cellular proliferation and inflammatory response such as cytokine expression. Because proinflammatory cytokines play a critical role in left ventricular (LV) remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI), we examined the effects of pioglitazone treatment in an experimental model of chronic heart failure.

METHODS AND RESULTS: Mice with extensive anterior MI were treated with placebo or pioglitazone (3 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) as a dietary supplement for 4 weeks starting 6 hours after surgery. Infarct size and glucose levels were similar among all groups. LV cavity dilatation and dysfunction by echocardiography were significantly attenuated in MI mice given pioglitazone. LV end-diastolic pressure was increased in MI mice and was significantly reduced by pioglitazone treatment. Pioglitazone partially normalized LV dP/dt(max) and dP/dt(min), indices of LV contractile function, which were significantly reduced in MI mice. Improvement of LV function by pioglitazone was accompanied by a decrease in myocyte hypertrophy and interstitial fibrosis and a reduced expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, transforming growth factor-beta, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 genes in the noninfarcted LV from MI mice. LV inducible nitric oxide synthase and gelatinase B protein levels were increased in MI and were not altered by pioglitazone treatment.

CONCLUSIONS: Pioglitazone improved LV remodeling and function in mice with post-MI heart failure. This effect was associated with an attenuated LV expression of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma ligands have promise as preventive and therapeutic agents against heart failure.