Alterations in cultured myocardial fibroblast function following the development of left ventricular failure

Abstract A structural event in the progression of left ventricular (LV) failure is myocardial extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. The myocardial fibroblast is a major cell type influencing the ECM, but whether and to what degree specific phenotypic differences in myocardial fibroblasts can be demonstrated to occur in culture with the development of LV failure remains unclear. Adult pigs (25 kg) were used for control myocardial fibroblast preparations ( N  = 5) or following pacing-induced LV failure ( N  = 5; 240 bpm, 3 weeks). LV remodeling occurred with pacing as evidenced by increased LV end diastolic volume (132 ± 11 vs. 60 ± 4 mL for control; P P P 1 integrin density decreased by 50% in LV failure fibroblasts ( P P