Am J Physiol Cell Physiol Fuel your research with LabChart
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 283: C802-C810, 2002. First published May 22, 2002; doi:10.1152/ajpcell.00046.2002
0363-6143/02 $5.00
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
283/3/C802    most recent
00046.2002v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (28)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Vescovo, G.
Right arrow Articles by Dalla Libera, L.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Vescovo, G.
Right arrow Articles by Dalla Libera, L.
Vol. 283, Issue 3, C802-C810, September 2002

L-Carnitine: a potential treatment for blocking apoptosis and preventing skeletal muscle myopathy in heart failure

Giorgio Vescovo1, Barbara Ravara2, Valerio Gobbo2, Marco Sandri2, Annalisa Angelini3, Mila Della Barbera3, Massimo Dona2, Gianfranco Peluso4, Menotti Calvani5, Luigi Mosconi5, and Luciano Dalla Libera2

1 Internal Medicine, City Hospital, 45011 Adria; 2 Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Institute of Neuroscience, Unit for Muscle Biology and Pathophysiology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, and 3 Department of Cardiovascular Pathology, University of Padua, 35100 Padua; 4 Department of Experimental Oncology, National Cancer Institute, 80072 Naples; 5 Scientific Department, Sigma Tau, 00040 Rome, Italy

Skeletal muscle in congestive heart failure is responsible for increased fatigability and decreased exercise capacity. A specific myopathy with increased expression of fast-type myosins, myocyte atrophy, secondary to myocyte apoptosis triggered by high levels of circulating tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha ) has been described. In an animal model of heart failure, the monocrotaline-treated rat, we have observed an increase of apoptotic skeletal muscle nuclei. Proapoptotic agents, caspase-3 and -9, were increased, as well as serum levels of TNF-alpha and its second messenger sphingosine. Treatment of rats with L-carnitine, known for its protective effect on muscle metabolism injuries, was found to inhibit caspases and to decrease the levels of TNF-alpha and sphingosine, as well as the number of apoptotic myonuclei. Staurosporine was used in in vitro experiments to induce apoptosis in skeletal muscle cells in culture. When L-carnitine was applied to skeletal muscle cells, before staurosporine treatment, we observed a reduction in apoptosis. These findings show that L-carnitine can prevent apoptosis of skeletal muscles cells and has a role in the treatment of congestive heart failure-associated myopathy.

tumor necrosis factor; sphingosine; caspases; staurosporine


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Nephrol Dial TransplantHome page
L. A Calo, P. A Davis, E. Pagnin, L. Bertipaglia, A. Naso, A. Piccoli, R. Corradini, M. Spinello, V. Savica, and L. D. Libera
Carnitine-mediated improved response to erythropoietin involves induction of haem oxygenase-1: studies in humans and in an animal model
Nephrol. Dial. Transplant., March 1, 2008; 23(3): 890 - 895.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Nutr Clin PractHome page
B. Schreiber
Levocarnitine and Dialysis: A Review
Nutr Clin Pract, April 1, 2005; 20(2): 218 - 243.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Physiol.Home page
R. Ventura-Clapier, A. Garnier, and V. Veksler
Energy metabolism in heart failure
J. Physiol., February 15, 2004; 555(1): 1 - 13.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Physiol. Cell Physiol.Home page
L. Dalla Libera, B. Ravara, M. Volterrani, V. Gobbo, M. Della Barbera, A. Angelini, D. D. Betto, E. Germinario, and G. Vescovo
Beneficial effects of GH/IGF-1 on skeletal muscle atrophy and function in experimental heart failure
Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, January 1, 2004; 286(1): C138 - C144.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Physiol. Regul. Integr. Comp. Physiol.Home page
C. Selman and C. Leeuwenburgh
The role of Id2 and apoptosis during skeletal muscle remodeling
Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, February 1, 2003; 284(2): R538 - R539.
[Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Visit Other APS Journals Online