Preparing Dilated Cardiomyopathy Models of Rabbits with Adriamycin

Objective To approach the feasibility of preparing dialed cardiomyopathy animal models with adriamycin. Methods The adriamycin (1~2 mg/kg/1~2 w, 8 w) and normal saline (4 ml·kg-1·w-1, 8 w) were intravenously injected into the tested group and the control group, respectively. Transthoracic echocardiogramphy was performed in the experiment rabbits at baseline and 11 w after administration. The left ventricular slices of those two groups were processed for hematoxylin-eosin stain in the 11th w. Results There were no significant difference for the mortal rate between the two groups (P0.05). Comparing with the baseline, the ejection fraction (LVEF%) decreased from 80.0±3.1 to 55.4±6.5 (P0.01), shortening fraction (FS%) decreased from 47.2±3.6 to 27.9±4.4 (P0.01), end-systolic diameters (LVs) increased from 7.1±1.1 mm to 9.0±1.7 mm, end-diastolic diameters (LVd) increased from 11.3±2.1 mm to 14.1±2.3 mm (P0.01). There were no significant difference for LVEF and FS before and after injection in the control group (P0.05). Uneven hypertrophy and dark dyed of cardiac myocytes, cavitation of endochylema in some cardiac myocytes, which are similar to that found in dilated cardiomyopathy of human beings, could be observed in the histopathological slices of the experimental animals. Conclusion Adriamycin can be used to prepare the dilated cardiomyopathy models of rabbits. This model may be useful for the research, and to find effective drugs for the treatment of dilated cardiomyopathy.