Different effects of an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor and a calcium antagonist on protein metabolism in rats with right ventricular hypertrophy.

OBJECTIVE

We examined the effects of a calcium antagonist and an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor on contractile and non-contractile protein metabolism and cardiac function in a monocrotaline-induced right ventricular hypertrophy model, in order to define the effects of these drugs on cardiac hypertrophy.

METHODS

One week after monocrotaline injection, male Sprague-Dawley rats were given either a calcium antagonist (nilvadipine; 3 mg/kg per day) or an ACE inhibitor (delapril-HCl; 30 mg/kg per day) for 2 weeks. Right ventricular pressure, the right ventricle: (left ventricle + interventricular septum) ratio, myosin isoenzymes, collagen concentration, collagen types and contractility of right ventricular free wall were examined.

RESULTS

In untreated rats significant monocrotaline-induced right ventricular hypertrophy with an increase in the proportion of collagen types III and V was observed. There were no significant changes in collagen concentration. Both drugs reduced right ventricular pressure to the same degree and decreased right ventricular hypertrophy. However, the inhibitory effect of delapril on right ventricular hypertrophy was stronger than that of nilvadipine. Nilvadipine reduced the collagen concentration and reversed changes in collagen types, whereas delapril did not have any significant effect on collagen concentration or collagen types. Cardiac contractility was improved by delapril, but not by nilvadipine.

CONCLUSIONS

The results show that a calcium antagonist disproportionately inhibited contractile and non-contractile protein metabolism, whereas an ACE inhibitor proportionally inhibited them and improved cardiac function in a model of right ventricular hypertrophy. The improvement in cardiac function may be due partly to the proportional inhibition of contractile and non-contractile proteins elicited by an ACE inhibitor.