Gender-Based Differences in Cardiac Remodeling and ILK Expression after Myocardial Infarction

Background

Gender can influence post-infarction cardiac remodeling.

Objective

To evaluate whether gender influences left ventricular (LV) remodeling andintegrin-linked kinase (ILK) after myocardial infarction (MI).

Methods

Female and male Wistar rats were assigned to one of three groups: sham, moderateMI (size: 20-39% of LV area), and large MI (size: ≥40% of LV area). MI wasinduced by coronary occlusion, and echocardiographic analysis was performed aftersix weeks to evaluate MI size as well as LV morphology and function. Real-timeRT-PCR and Western blot were used to quantify ILK in the myocardium.

Results

MI size was similar between genders. MI resulted in systolic dysfunction andenlargement of end-diastolic as well as end-systolic dimension of LV as a functionof necrotic area size in both genders. Female rats with large MI showed a lowerdiastolic and systolic dilatation than the respective male rats; however, LVdysfunction was similar between genders. Gene and protein levels of ILK wereincreased in female rats with moderate and large infarctions, but only male ratswith large infarctions showed an altered ILK mRNA level. A negative linearcorrelation was evident between LV dimensions and ILK expression in female ratswith large MI.

Conclusions

Post-MI ILK expression is altered in a gender-specific manner, and higher ILKlevels found in females may be sufficient to improve LV geometry but not LVfunction.