Cigarette Smoke Exacerbates Ventricular Remodeling and Dysfunction in the Volume Overloaded Heart

Abstract

Cigarette smoking is an independent risk factor for heart disease and is linked to sudden cardiac death. In this study, we examined the effects of cigarette smoke (CS) on the volume overload stressed heart. Our hypothesis was that CS exacerbates volume overload (VO)-induced cardiac dysfunction by accelerating ventricular remodeling. VO stress was surgically induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by abdominal aortocaval fistula (ACF). Rats, with and without ACF, were exposed to either room air or CS (6 cigarettes/day) for 6 weeks. Temporal echocardiogram measurements indicated that CS significantly increased VO-induced left ventricular dilatation, prevented compensatory wall thickening, and depressed fractional shortening. Morphological analysis of ventricular collagen revealed that CS blunted compensatory collagen expression (45% decrease versus ACF alone). CS exacerbated the VO-induced increase of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 expression in the heart. CS also blocked the compensatory increases of HIF-1α, VEGF, and TGF-β in the VO-stressed heart. These data indicate that CS worsens VO remodeling by disrupting compensatory mechanisms, thereby promoting eccentric dilation and dysfunction.

Exposure to chronic alcohol accelerates development of wall stress and eccentric remodeling in rats with volume overload

“…Compensatory hypertrophy due to VO involves remodeling of the ECM, including increased deposition of collagen [32]. Pathological ECM remodeling during LV dilatation involves reorganization of collagen fibrils characterized by increased collagen III and/or reductions in cross-linking, which may contribute to dilatation [33].…”

Acute Preconditioning of Cardiac Progenitor Cells with Hydrogen Peroxide Enhances Angiogenic Pathways Following Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

“…Twenty eight days after CPC implantation in vivo ventricular dimensions and function were assessed as previously described [23] and detailed in the Supplementary Methods.…”

Changes in Water Sorption and Solubility of Dental Adhesive Systems after Cigarette Smoke

“…Many studies have shown that cigarette smoking is associated with deleterious health effects such as heart disease [1], chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer [2], fertility problems [3], and periodontal disease [4]. In cosmetic restorative dentistry, some of the substances coming from tobacco can be absorbed by resin composite, dentin, and enamel surface [5] and lead to tooth/composite discoloration [6–10].…”