1 Adrenoreceptor agonists induce a hypertrophic phenotype in vitro and in vivo. To investigate the molecular remodeling in chronic cardiac hypertrophy we infused adult male mice with vehicle, isoproterenol, phenylephrine or both agonists for 3, 7 or 14 days. 2 All drugs increased cardiac mass. After minipump removal cardiac mass regressed to control levels within 7 days after PE and ISO treatment whereas ISO+PE treated hearts were incompletely regressed. 3 ANF and b-MHC, but not a-MHC, expression were increased by agonists at all time points. GATA-4, Nkx-2.5, Egr-1, c-jun and c-fos expression were increased after 3, 7 and 14 days of treatment. Expression was greatest after ISO+PE44ISO4PE4vehicle infusion suggesting a synergistic eect of adrenoreceptor stimulation and indicating a greater eect of b-than a-adrenergic action in vivo. 4 After PE or ISO drug withdrawal the HW/BW was normal and Egr-1, c-jun, c-fos and GATA-4, but not Nkx2.5, expression dropped to control levels. HW/BW regression was incomplete after ISO+PE and elevated levels of Egr-1, c-jun and Nkx2.5 expression remained. 5 A hydralazine-mediated reduction in blood pressure had no eect on the agonist-induced cardiac hypertrophy or gene expression. 6 In conclusion, we found that continued agonist stimulation, and not blood pressure, is responsible for the maintained increase in gene expression. Further, we found the decrease in gene expression in the regression after drug withdrawal was gene speci®c.

In order to obtain a transgenic mouse model of sickle cell disease, we have synthesized a novel human beta‐globin gene, beta SAD, designed to increase the polymerization of the transgenic human hemoglobin S (Hb S) in vivo. beta SAD (beta S‐Antilles‐D Punjab) includes the beta 6Val substitution of the beta S chain, as well as two other mutations, Antilles (beta 23Ile) and D Punjab (beta 121Gln) each of which promotes the polymerization of Hb S in human. The beta SAD gene and the human alpha 2‐globin gene, each linked to the beta‐globin locus control region (LCR) were co‐introduced into the mouse germ line. In one of the five transgenic lines obtained, SAD‐1, red blood cells contained 19% human Hb SAD (alpha 2 human 1 beta 2SAD) and mouse‐human hybrids in addition to mouse hemoglobin. Adult SAD‐1 transgenic mice were not anemic but had some abnormal features of erythrocytes and slightly enlarged spleens. Their erythrocytes displayed sickling upon deoxygenation in vitro. SAD‐1 neonates were anemic and many did not survive. In order to generate adult mice with a more severe sickle cell syndrome, crosses between the SAD progeny and homozygous for beta‐thalassemic mice were performed. Hemoglobin SAD was increased to 26% in beta‐thal/SAD‐1 mice which exhibited: (i) abnormal erythrocytes with regard to shape and density; (ii) an enlarged spleen and a high reticulocyte count indicating an increased erythropoiesis; (iii) mortality upon hypoxia; (iv) polymerization of hemolysate similar to that obtained in human homozygous sickle cell disease; and (v) anemia and mortality during development.

Prevention of red cell K+ and water loss is a therapeutic strategy for sickle cell disease. We have investigated in vitro and in vivo the effects of clotrimazole (CLT) and miconazole (MIC) on transgenic mice red cells expressing hemoglobin SAD. CLT

Unmanipulated early growth response-1 (Egr-1)-deficient -/- mice have similar heart-to-body weight ratios but express lower amounts of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), beta-myosin heavy chain (beta-MHC), skeletal actin, NGF1-A binding protein (NAB)-2, Sp1, c-fos, c-jun, GATA-4, and Nkx2.5 than +/+ or +/- mice. alpha-MHC, tubulin, and NAB-1 expression was similar. Isoproterenol (Iso) and phenylephrine (PE) infusion into +/+ and -/- mice increased heart weight, ANF, beta-MHC, skeletal actin, Sp1, NAB-2, c-fos, and c-jun expression, but induction in -/- mice was lower. Only Iso + PE-treated +/+ mice showed induction of NAB-1, GATA-4, and Nkx2.5. Foci of fibrosis were found in Iso + PE-treated -/- and +/+ mice. Surprisingly, vehicle-treated -/- mice displayed fibrosis and increased Sp1, skeletal actin, Nkx2.5, and GATA-4 expression without hypertrophy. Minipump removal caused the agonist-treated hearts and gene expression to regress to control or near-control levels. Thus Egr-1 deficiency caused a blunted catecholamine-induced hypertrophy response and increased sensitivity to stress.

Erythrocyte sickling on deoxygenation in vitro occurs in transgenic SAD mice, hemizygous for a modified human sickle hemoglobin, HbSAD [alpha 2 beta 2S(beta 6val)Antilles (beta 23 lle)D- Punjab (beta 121Gln)] (SAD- 1, 19% HbSAD; beta-thal/SAD-1, 26% HbSAD). The present study examines the cellular defects in vivo and pathologic changes observed in SAD-1 mice at atmospheric oxygenation as well as the effect of acute hypoxia. The transgenic mice showed generalized congestion and microvascular occlusions, occasionally with thrombosis and infarctions of lung, kidneys, penis, and myocardium. The most prevalent chronic organ lesions were congestive splenomegaly (83% of animals) and renal glomerulopathy, which affected 75% of animals by 10 months of age. Further, SAD mice have a mean lifespan that was reduced by 40% when compared with nontransgenic littermates. Premature death of SAD mice was associated with acute vasoocclusive events or severe renal disease. SAD mice developed lethal vasoocclusive processes when exposed to reduced pO2 conditions, whereas control mice survived normally. The sensitivity to hypoxia appears to depend on the cellular level of HbSAD, because death occurred at pO2 of 42 mmHg for SAD mice and 49 mmHg for beta-thal/SAD. Administration of an antisickling agent that increases oxygen affinity (BW12C79) protected SAD and beta-thal/SAD mice from the lethal hypoxic stress. In conclusion, the transgenic SAD and beta-thal/SAD mice developed a pathophysiology that strongly resembles human sickle cell disease. Moreover, this animal model allows studies on the effect of antisickling agents.