Abstract P173: Caloric Restriction Attenuates Diabetic Cardiomyopathy Through the Recruitment of the Antioxidant System
Introduction: Insulin resistance negatively impacts the diabetic heart in various ways, that include impaired insulin-mediated glucose uptake and a reduction in intracellular signalling. Diabetic cardiomyopathy is independent of coronary artery disease and is characterized by increased oxidative stress and extensive fibrotic changes, leading to increased myocardial stiffness and the development of diastolic dysfunction. Caloric restriction (CR) is cardioprotective mainly through its catabolic activity and increased insulin sensitivity. We examined the effect of CR on the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy and changes in oxidative stress and antioxidant genes. Methods: Leptin resistant (db/db) mice suffer from obesity and diabetes. Mice were treated for 4 weeks with angiotensin II (AT) to induce severe cardiomyopathy. Mice under CR were fed 90% of their normal food intake for 2 weeks and 65% for an additional 2 weeks. Each group consisted of 5-6 animals. Results: CR attenuated obesity and the cardiomyopathy phenotype in diabetic mice. CR reduced body weight and heart weight in diabetic mice when compared to control animals (33.7±7.9g vs.44 ±5.9g; 0.137±0.023g vs. 0.17±0.02g respectively, p<0.05); and lowered blood glucose (576±167mg/dL vs 702.5±309 mg/dL, p<0.05). Echocardiography indicated that CR attenuated the hypertrophic phenotype in the diabetic mice when compared to control animals (LV internal diameter 3.34±0.46mm vs. 4.06±0.36mm, p<0.01). Diabetic mice treated with AT suffer from oxidative stress as evident in a 110% increase in serum MDA levels (p<0.011), a reduction of 81% in adiponectin (p<0.001) and 65% in PGC-1α (p<0.0046) mRNA levels in cardiac tissue of diabetic mice compared to WT mice. The attenuation of diabetic cardiomyopathy after CR was accompanied by a reduction in serum MDA levels (p<0.028) and an increase in cardiac adiponectin, HO-1 and PGC-1α levels (p<0.05). Conclusion: These results indicate that a short term CR attenuated the development of AT induced diabetic cardiomyopathy through the activation of the adiponectin- PGC-1α- HO-1-axis. This appears to be a critical module in protecting the diabetic heart from the development of cardiomyopathy.