Surgically Induced Cardiac Volume Overload by Aortic Regurgitation in Mouse

Summary

This protocol presents a practical guide on the surgery for creation of aortic regurgitation (AR) in the mouse. Assessment of the AR mouse by echocardiography and invasive hemodynamic measurement recapitulates its clinically relevant characteristics of volume overload-induced eccentric hypertrophy, suggesting its promising application in the study of cardiac hypertrophy.

Abstract

Aortic regurgitation (AR) is a common valvular heart disease that exerts volume overload on the heart and represents a global public health problem. Although mice are widely applied to shed light on the mechanisms of cardiovascular disease, mouse models of AR, especially those induced by surgery, are still paucity. Here, a mouse model of AR was described in detail which is surgically induced by disruption of the aortic valves under high-resolution echocardiography. In accordance with regurgitated blood flow, AR mouse hearts present a distinctive and clinically relevant volume overload phenotype, which is characterized by eccentric hypertrophy and cardiac dysfunction, as evidenced by echocardiographic and invasive hemodynamic evaluation. Our proposal, in a reliable and reproducible manner, provides a practical guide on the establishment and assessment of a mouse model of AR for future studies on molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets of volume overload cardiomyopathy.

Introduction

In the presence of increased volume overload (preload) or pressure overload (afterload), the heart undergoes enlargement, a condition termed hypertrophy. Although cardiac hypertrophy is a compensatory response to maintain perfusion of peripheral organs before cardiac failure, it is also an independent risk factor for major cardiovascular events^1,2. Volume overload is one of the important manifestations of increased mechanical stress. Volume overload occurs during cardiac diastole and induces eccentric cardiac hypertrophy, which is not only commonly seen in valvular diseases, such as aortic regurgitation and mi....

Protocol

This protocol has received ethical approval from the Animal Care and Use Committee of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, and follows the recommendations of Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (No. 85-23, revised 2011; National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA).

NOTE: Animal experiments were performed on male C57BL/6J mice >10 weeks of age. The surgeon in this protocol should be skillful in the manipulation of murine echocardiography, before he/she performs the AR ope.......

Discussion

The surgical induction of AR in the mouse is a technically challenging, new technique but has significant translational relevance. To master the technique, a surgeon should at least be familiar in advance with murine cervical and cardiac anatomy, mouse handling, and echocardiography. Skillful operation in invasive hemodynamic measurement is a plus. For successful AR operation, special care should be taken on several critical steps.

Cutting open the RCCA is the most crucial step. The hole on th.......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Copper plate	JD.com Inc.	Customized	20 X 15 cm or bigger is prefeered
Curved Tying forceps	66 Vision Tech	53324A	to stretch and isolate muscle, tissue, and vessel
Heating pad	JD.com Inc.	Changzhi 55	warm the copper plate and mouse by the way
Long-handed Curved Tying Forceps	MECHENIC	TS-15	to stretch vessel
Metal Wire (stainless steel)	JD.com Inc.	0.18 mm in diametter	work with a plastic catheter to puncture aortic valves
Needle Holder	Shanghai Jinzhong	131110	suture of skin
Plastic Catheter	Anilab software & instruments	PE-0402	work with a metal wire to puncture aortic valves
Pressure Catheter	Millar Instruments	SPR 835	1.4F in size
Pressure Data Acquisition Device and Analog/Digital Converter	AD Instruments	Labchart 5	connected with pressure catherter
Scissor	Suzhou Shiqiang	Stronger 13Cr	to cut skin
Smallpinch Scissors	Shanghai Jinzhong	YBE030	to cut vessel
Stereomicroscope	Olympus Corporation	SMZ845	for incision and intubation of vessel
Straight Tying forceps	66 Vision Tech	53320A	to stretch and isolate muscle, tissue, and vessel
Thumbforceps	Suzhou Shiqiang	5307B	to clamp and stretch skin and muscle
Ultrasound Gel	PARKER	Aquasonic-100	to transfer ultrasound signal
Ultrasound Imaging System	VisualSonics	2100	includes B-mode, M-model, color Doppler and pulse wave Dopper
Vaporizer	RWD Life Science	R540	for anesthesia