Trace element changes in the myocardium during coxsackievirus B3 myocarditis in the mouse.

During most infections plasma, concentrations of trace elements change, but it is unclear if this reflects changes in infected target tissues. In coxsackievirus B3 (CB3) infection, the myocardium is a target in both humans and mice. The concentrations of 12 trace elements were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in the myocardium of sham-inoculated controls and infected A/J mice 4 and 7 d postinoculation. The size of the inflammatory lesion was positively correlated to the virus content of the heart, as estimated by histopathology and in situ hybridization, respectively. Iron, cobalt, vanadium, and selenium showed transient changes, whereas for the other elements, tendencies on d 4 were manifest on d 7. A three-fold increase in calcium on d 7 suggests prestages of calcification, whereas increases in zinc, selenium, and copper may be the result of the accumulation of immune cells. The magnesium decrease may contribute to the increased sensitivity to cardiac arrhythmias in myocarditis.