Chronic allopurinol administration ameliorates maladaptive alterations in Ca2+ cycling proteins and β-adrenergic hyporesponsiveness in heart failure

Xanthine oxidase (XO) activity contributes to both abnormal excitation-contraction (EC) coupling and cardiac remodeling in heart failure (HF). β-Adrenergic hyporesponsiveness and abnormalities in Ca2+ cycling proteins are mechanistically linked features of the HF phenotype. Accordingly, we hypothesized that XO influences β-adrenergic responsiveness and expression of genes whose products participate in deranged EC coupling. We measured inotropic (dP/dtmax), lusitropic (τ), and vascular (elastance; Ea) responses to β-adrenergic (β-AR) stimulation with dobutamine in conscious dogs administered allopurinol (100 mg po daily) or placebo during a 4-wk induction of pacing HF. With HF induction, the decreases in both baseline and dobutamine-stimulated inotropic responses were offset by allopurinol. Additionally, allopurinol converted a vasoconstrictor effect to dobutamine to a vasodilator response and enhanced both lusitropic and preload reducing effects. To assess molecular correlates for this phenotype, we measu...