Effects of Cimaglermin alfa Administration on LV Function in Rats with Chronic Heart Failure Induced by LAD Occlusion

IntroductionNeuregulin growth factors are essential for the normal development and function of the heart. Neuregulins have been found to protect and restore left ventricular (LV) function in a variety of species with heart failure (HF) induced by myocardial infarction (MI). No report so far has shown the effect of neuregulin administration on LV function when treatment is delayed until 20-weeks post-MI in rats. AimThe goal of this study was to examine the effects of delayed treatment with the neuregulin, cimaglermin, on LV function (echocardiographic) and characterize the effects of withdrawal and re-initiation of treatment in rats with chronic HF induced by LAD ligation. MethodsLAD ligation was performed in (n=10–12/group) 8–10 week old male Sprague Dawley rats. At 20 weeks post-ligation, rats were randomly assigned to vehicle or cimaglermin (0.5 and 2.6 mg/kg IV or 2.6 and 10 mg/kg SC) treatment twice weekly for 1 month. This was followed by a 1 month treatment-free period and a re-treatment period simi...