Load-Dependent Changes in Left Ventricular Gene Expression in a Pathophysiologically Relevant Murine Model of Reversible Heart Failure (2 weeks heart failure, 2 weeks reversal)

Wild type, female, C57BL/6 mice were subjected to sham (n=6) surgery, or TAC + MI to cause progressive LV remodeling (n=13). At 2wks post-TAC, one group of mice underwent de-banding (HF-DB, n=6), whereas in a second group of mice the band remained intact (HF_shDB; n = 7). LV remodeling was evaluated by 2D echocardiography at 14 days post-TAC+MI , and 2 wks post-debanding. At 4 wks the hearts were excised and analyzed for changes in gene expression using transcriptional profiling. Gene expression in mouse cardiac left ventricular samples was measured after 4 wk of sustained transverse aortic constriction + small apical myocardial infarction (TAC+MI) (HF_shDB group), after 2 wk of TAC+MI with 2 wk of de-banding (HF_DB), and in time-matched animals subjected to sham surgeries both for TAC+MI initiation and for de-banding. 6 individual mice were used per group, except for HF_shDB which used 7 mice.