B.K.M. is supported by a National Institute of Health (NIH) / National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) grant (R01- HL085487). M.H. is supported by the American Heart Association National (AHA) Scientist Development Grant (SDG) and the Society of Geriatric Cardiology.

1. Preparation of the Operating Area
<ol>
	<li>The operating surface is first prepared by disinfecting the area with 70% ethanol.</li>
	<li>All surgical instruments are to be sterilized with a hot bead sterilizer before surgery (and in between individual rat surgeries). These instruments include: surgical scissors (2), forceps (1), curved forceps (1), needle holder (2), and a chest rectractor.</li>
	<li>Cotton gauze and applicators are to be available in order to manage bleeding.</li>
	<li>Adjust the temperature o...

<ol>
	<li>Hunt, S. A., Baker, D. W., Chin, M. H., Cinquegrani, M. P., Feldmanmd, A. M., Francis, G. S., Ganiats, T. G., Goldstein, S., Gregoratos, G., Jessup, M. L., Noble, R. J., Packer, M., Silver, M. A., Stevenson, L. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=SC.ACC/AHA+Guidelines+for+the+Evaluation+and+Management+of+Chronic+Heart+Failure+in+the+Adult:+Executive+Summary+A+Report+of+the+American+College+of+Cardiology/American+Heart+Association+Task+Force+on+Practice+Guidelines+(Committee+to+Revise+the+1995+Guidelines+for+the+Evaluation+and+Management+of+Heart+Failure).">SC.ACC/AHA Guidelines for the Evaluation and Management of Chronic Heart Failure in the Adult: Executive Summary A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines (Committee to Revise the 1995 Guidelines for the Evaluation and Management of Heart Failure).</a> Circulation. 104, 2996-3007 (2001).</li><li>Goldman, S., Raya, T. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Rat+infarct+model+of+myocardial+infarction+and+heart+failure.">Rat infarct model of myocardial infarction and heart failure.</a> J Card Fail. 1, 169-177 (1995).</li><li>Tarnavski, O., McMullen, J. R., Schinke, M., Nie, Q., Kong, S., &amp;amp, I. z. u. m. o., S, . <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mouse+cardiac+surgery:+comprehensive+techniques+for+the+generation+of+mouse+models+of+human+diseases+and+their+application+for+genomic+studies.">Mouse cardiac surgery: comprehensive techniques for the generation of mouse models of human diseases and their application for genomic studies.</a> Physiol Genomics. 16, 349-360 (2004).</li><li>Thygesen, K., Alpert, J. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Universal+Definition+of+Myocardial+Infarction.">Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction.</a> Circulation. 116, 2634-2653 (2007).</li><li>Vasilyev, N., Williams, T., Brennan, M. L., Unzek, S., Zhou, X., Heinecke, J. W., Spitz, D. R., Topol, E. J., Hazen, S. L., Penn, M. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Myeloperoxidase-generated+oxidants+modulate+left+ventricular+remodeling+but+not+infarct+size+after+myocardial+infarction.">Myeloperoxidase-generated oxidants modulate left ventricular remodeling but not infarct size after myocardial infarction.</a> Circulation. 112, 2812-2820 (2005).</li><li>McConnell, B. K., Popovic, Z., Mal, N., Lee, K., Bautista, J., Forudi, F., Schwartzman, R., Jin, J. P., Penn, M., Bond, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Disruption+of+protein+kinase+A+interaction+with+A-kinase-anchoring+proteins+in+the+heart+in+vivo:+effects+on+cardiac+contractility,+protein+kinase+A+phosphorylation,+and+troponin+I+proteolysis.">Disruption of protein kinase A interaction with A-kinase-anchoring proteins in the heart in vivo: effects on cardiac contractility, protein kinase A phosphorylation, and troponin I proteolysis.</a> J Biol Chem. 284, 1583-1592 (2009).</li><li>Monte, D. e. l., Butler, F., Boecker, K., Gwathmey, W., K, J., Hajjar, R. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Novel+technique+of+aortic+banding+followed+by+gene+transfer+during+hypertrophy+and+heart+failure.">Novel technique of aortic banding followed by gene transfer during hypertrophy and heart failure.</a> Physiol. Genomics. 9, 49-56 (2002).</li><li>Huang, M. H., Nguyen, V., Wu, Y., Rastogi, S., McConnell, B. K., Wijaya, C., Uretsky, B. F., Poh, K. K., Tan, H. C., Cheng, J., Perin, E., Fujise, K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Synergistic+Infarct+Size+Reduction+by+Combination+Therapy+with+Milrinone+and+Esmolol+at+Early+Reperfusion+during+Acute+Myocardial+Infarction.">Synergistic Infarct Size Reduction by Combination Therapy with Milrinone and Esmolol at Early Reperfusion during Acute Myocardial Infarction.</a> American Journal of Physiology. , .</li><li>Kaiser, R. A., Bueno, O. F., Lips, D. J., Doevendans, P. A., Jones, F., Kimball, T. F., Molkentin, J. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Targeted+inhibition+of+p38+mitogen-activated+protein+kinase+antagonizes+cardiac+injury+and+cell+death+following+ischemia-reperfusion+in+vivo.">Targeted inhibition of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase antagonizes cardiac injury and cell death following ischemia-reperfusion in vivo.</a> J Biol Chem. 279, 15524-15530 (2004).</li></ol>

No conflicts of interest declared.

An acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in rats, also referred to as ischemia-reperfusion (IR), is commonly used to mimic human ventricular remodeling leading to heart failure. The progression of LV dysfunction and heart failure in animal models (rats and mice) is similar to that observed in humans who sustain a MI, survive and then subsequently develops heart failure (Goldman). This procedure outlined one version of this technique and also contained additional notes describing methodological variations. Additional such var...

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">	
		
		<div>
		<table border="1">
		<thead>
		<tr>
		<th>Material Name</th>
		<th>Type</th>
		<th>Company</th>
		<th>Catalogue Number</th>
		<th>Comment</th>
		</tr>
		</thead>
		<tbody>
		
<tr>
<td>Ventilator</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Kent Scientific</td>
<td>TOPO</td>
<td>TOPO Dual Mode</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Thermostatic Circulator E103</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Harvard Apparatus</td>
<td>732802</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Homeothermic Blanket System</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Harvard Apparatus</td>
<td>55-7222F</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Stereo Microscope</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Nikon Instruments</td>
<td>MMA36300</td>
<td>SMZ-645 Zoom Stereo Microscope</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Hot Bead Sterilizer</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Harvard Apparatus</td>
<td>610183</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Electric Shaver</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>General Electric</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Blades and Handles</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>WelchAllyn</td>
<td>690047-1</td>
<td>Standard (Lamp) Laryngoscope Blades</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Surgical Scissors</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Fine Science Tools</td>
<td>14014-17</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Surgical Scissors</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Fine Science Tools</td>
<td>14072-10</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Forceps</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Fine Science Tools</td>
<td>11028-15</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Curved Forceps</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Fine Science Tools</td>
<td>11001-12</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Needle Holder</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Fine Science Tools</td>
<td>12004-18</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Needle Holder</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Fine Science Tools</td>
<td>91201-13</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Chest Retractor</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Fine Science Tools</td>
<td>17008-07</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Masks</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>VWR </td>
<td>47730-640</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Gauze Sponges</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Dermacea</td>
<td>441205</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Sterile Gloves</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Cardinal Health</td>
<td>2D7203I</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>PE 90 tubing</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>BD</td>
<td>427420</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>20 ml Syringe</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>BD</td>
<td>301625</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>6-0 Prolene Suture</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>ETHICON</td>
<td>8706H</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>2-0 Silk Suture</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>ETHICON</td>
<td>K873H</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Pentobarbital Sodium Injection</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>OVATION</td>
<td>NDC 67386-501-55</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Povidone-Iodine</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>NOVAPLUS</td>
<td>V10-8204</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Buprenorphine</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Pharmaceuticals Inc.</td>
<td>NDC 12496-0757-1</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>		</tbody>
		</table>
		</div>

acute myocardial infarction in rats

With heart failure leading the cause of death in the USA (Hunt), biomedical research is fundamental to advance medical treatments for cardiovascular diseases. Animal models that mimic human cardiac disease, such as myocardial infarction (MI) and ischemia-reperfusion (IR) that induces heart failure as well as pressure-overload (transverse aortic constriction) that induces cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure (Goldman and Tarnavski), are useful models to study cardiovascular disease. In particular, myocardial ischemia (MI) is a leading cause for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality despite controlling certain risk factors such as arteriosclerosis and treatments via surgical intervention (Thygesen). Furthermore, an acute loss of the myocardium following myocardial ischemia (MI) results in increased loading conditions that induces ventricular remodeling of the infarcted border zone and the remote non-infarcted myocardium. Myocyte apoptosis, necrosis and the resultant increased hemodynamic load activate multiple biochemical intracellular signaling that initiates LV dilatation, hypertrophy, ventricular shape distortion, and collagen scar formation. This pathological remodeling and failure to normalize the increased wall stresses results in progressive dilatation, recruitment of the border zone myocardium into the scar, and eventually deterioration in myocardial contractile function (i.e. heart failure). The progression of LV dysfunction and heart failure in rats is similar to that observed in patients who sustain a large myocardial infarction, survive and subsequently develops heart failure (Goldman). The acute myocardial infarction (AMI) model in rats has been used to mimic human cardiovascular disease; specifically used to study cardiac signaling mechanisms associated with heart failure as well as to assess the contribution of therapeutic strategies for the treatment of heart failure. The method described in this report is the rat model of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This model is also referred to as an acute ischemic cardiomyopathy or ischemia followed by reperfusion (IR); which is induced by an acute 30-minute period of ischemia by ligation of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) followed by reperfusion of the tissue by releasing the LAD ligation (Vasilyev and McConnell). This protocol will focus on assessment of the infarct size and the area-at-risk (AAR) by Evan's blue dye and triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) following 4-hours of reperfusion; additional comments toward the evaluation of cardiac function and remodeling by modifying the duration of reperfusion, is also presented. Overall, this AMI rat animal model is useful for studying the consequence of a myocardial infarction on cardiac pathophysiological and physiological function.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Acute Myocardial Infarction in Rats at JoVE.com

Acute Myocardial Infarction in Rats

The rat model of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is useful to study the consequence of a MI on cardiac pathophysiological and physiological function.

With heart failure leading the cause of death in the USA (Hunt), biomedical research is fundamental to advance medical treatments for cardiovascular ...

Research

JoVE Journal

Medicine

52.3K Views.  University of Texas Medical Branch. Il modello di topo di infarto miocardico acuto (AMI) è utile per studiare la conseguenza di un infarto miocardico sulla funzione cardiaca fisiopatologici e fisiologici.