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Gender comparison of contractile performance and beta-adrenergic response in isolated rat cardiac trabeculae

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Abstract

It is known that gender can affect susceptibility to development of various cardiomyopathies. However, it is unclear whether basic mechanical contractile function of the myocardium differs between genders, whether they respond differently to stressors, or both. To test for a possible gender factor, contractile parameters of healthy, isolated myocardium were investigated under near physiological conditions. Right ventricular ultra-thin trabeculae from young adult LBN-f1 rats were electrically stimulated to isometrically contract at 37°C. No differences were found in developed force or kinetic parameters. In each muscle, the force-frequency relationship was measured at 4, 6, and 8 Hz, encompassing most of the in vivo range. Again, no differences were observed in force-frequency behavior; developed force rose from 21.6 ± 4.0 at 4 Hz to 30.3 ± 5.8 mN/mm2 at 8 Hz in females and from 23.4 ± 3.4 to 29.8 ± 3.4 mN/mm2 in males. The response to β-adrenergic stimulation was similar; at 1 μM isoproterenol, developed force increased to 34.5 ± 6.2 mN/mm2 in females and 32.3 ± 3.2 mN/mm2 in males (female vs. male, not significant). We conclude that basic mechanical performance of healthy isolated myocardium under physiological conditions is not different between males and females, and a different response to stress must underlie gender-based differences in cardiac performance.

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Abbreviations

dF/dt max :

Maximum rate of force development

−dF/dt max :

Maximum rate of force decline

dF/dt/F dev :

Maximum rate of force development normalized to developed force

−dF/dt/F dev :

Maximum rate of force decline normalized to developed force

F dev :

Developed force

RT50 :

Time from peak tension to 50% relaxation

TT50 :

Time to 50% tension

TTP:

Time to peak tension

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Grant R01 HL-738616 (to PMLJ). Experiments were approved by The Ohio State University’s Animal Care and Use Committee and comply with the laws of The United States of America.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, 304 Hamilton Hall, 1645 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210-1218, USA

    Michelle M. Monasky, Kenneth D. Varian & Paul M. L. Janssen

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  1. Michelle M. Monasky
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  2. Kenneth D. Varian
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  3. Paul M. L. Janssen
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Correspondence to Paul M. L. Janssen.

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Communicated by G. Heldmaier.

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Monasky, M.M., Varian, K.D. & Janssen, P.M.L. Gender comparison of contractile performance and beta-adrenergic response in isolated rat cardiac trabeculae. J Comp Physiol B 178, 307–313 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-007-0223-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-007-0223-y

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