Abstract
Reducing sympathetic neurohormone expression is a key therapeutic option in attenuating cardiac remodelling. Present study tested the feasibility of attenuating cardiac remodelling through reducing sympathetic neurohormone level by partial cardiac sympathetic denervation in a rat model of chronic volume overload. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into sham group (S, n = 7), aortocaval fistula group (AV, n = 7), and aortocaval fistula with bilateral sympathetic stellate ganglionectomy group (AD, n = 8). After 12 weeks, myocardial protein expression of sympathetic neurohormones, including tyrosine hydroxylase, neuropeptide Y, growth associated protein 43, and protein gene product 9.5, were significantly up-regulated in AV group compared to S group, and down-regulated in AD group. Cardiac remodelling was aggravated in AV group compared to S group and attenuated in AD group. The myocardial deposition of extracellular matrix, including collagen I and III, was enhanced in AV group, which was reduced in AD group. Myocardial angiotensin II and aldosterone expressions were significantly up-regulated in AV group and down-regulated in AD group. Our results show that bilateral sympathetic stellate ganglionectomy could attenuate cardiac remodelling and fibrosis by down-regulating sympathetic neurohormones expression in this rat model of chronic volume overload.