It takes time to heal a broken heart: Ventricular plasticity improves heart performance after myocardial infarction in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss

Coronary arteriosclerosis is a common feature of both wild and farmed salmonid fishes and may be linked to stress-induced cardiac pathologies. Yet, the plasticity and capacity for long-term myocardial restructuring and recovery following a restriction in coronary blood supply is unknown. Here, we analyzed the consequences of acute (3 days) and chronic (from 33 to 62 days) coronary occlusion (i.e., coronary artery ligation) on cardiac morphological characteristics and in vivo function in juvenile rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. Acute coronary occlusion resulted in elevated resting heart rate and decreased inter-beat variability, which are both markers of autonomic dysfunction following acute myocardial ischemia, along with severely reduced heart rate scope (maximum – resting heart rate) relative to sham-operated trout. We also observed a loss of myocardial interstitial collagen and compact myocardium. Following long-term coronary- ligation, resting heart rate and heart rate scope nor...