Abstract:In consideration of clinical implications, it is often complained that short-term experimental diseased heart models do not mimic long-term diseased hearts that are often clinically encountered. The aim of the present study was (i) to compare the left ventricular function between rat cardiac hypertrophy models treated with isoproterenol for 3 days (Iso 3d) and 7 days (Iso 7d) by pressure-volume measurements with a catheter method, and (ii) to follow up the left ventricular function in the same model treated with Iso up to 16 weeks with a less-invasive echocardiography. An infusion of either Iso (1.2 mg·kg -1 ·day -1 for 3 days-16 weeks) or vehicle (saline 24 µl·day -1 for 3 days-16 weeks; Sa group) was performed by subcutaneously implanting an osmotic minipump. There were no significant differences in the systolic pressure-volume area at midrange left ventricular volume (PVA mLVV : a mechanical work capability index) between Iso 3d and 7d groups, though PVA mLVV in both groups was significantly reduced from that in the Sa group. From echocardiography, the left ventricular function of the hypertrophy models at 3 days, 1 week, and 2 weeks was unchanged, but the model at a term longer than 4 weeks resulted in prolonged systolic failure. The results indicated that (i) no marked differences in the left ventricular mechanical work capability were found between the Iso 3d and 7d groups, and that (ii) only a 3-day Iso infusion induced the hypertrophy model similar in shape and function to that induced by a 2-week Iso infusion. We concluded that the 3-day model was sufficient.Key words: conductance catheter, echocardiography, left ventricular volumetry, systolic pressure-volume area.It is known that chronic infusions of a α, β-stimulant, norepinephrine, and a β-stimulant, isoproterenol (Iso), induce cardiac hypertrophy accompanied with enhanced fibrosis among cardiac interstitial cells [1][2][3]. Many studies on mechanisms underlying Iso-induced cardiac hypertrophy have been reported [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]. Cardiac oxidative stress contributes to this type of cardiac remodeling, especially in respect to wall stiffness, based on fibrogenesis in chronically Iso-infused rats (3 mg·kg -1 ·day -1 for 10 days), whereas cardiac phosphorylated MAP (mitogen-activated protein) kinases (extracellular signal related kinase; ERK1/2, c-JUN NH 2 -terminal kinase; JNK, p38) returned to normal [4]. The AT1 (type 1 angiotensin II) receptor plays a crucial role in the development of cardiac hypertrophy and oxidative stress in chronically Iso-infused mice (15 mg·kg -1 ·day -1 for 11 days) [5]. Furthermore, we have recently found that a novel histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor has no effects of antihypertrophic modalities on the Iso-induced rat heart (1.2 mg·kg -1 ·day -1 for 3 days) [6]. Nevertheless, the conclusive mechanisms underlying Iso-induced cardiac hypertrophy have not yet been determined [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13].We have previously succeeded in inducing cardiac hypertrophy by stimulating the β 1 -re...