Objective: To investigate the association between myocardial ADAMTS-1 expression and myocardial fibrosis in coxsackievirus B(3) (CVB(3))-induced acute and chronic murine myocarditis model.
Methods: Balb/c mice were infected with CVB(3) (single injection or monthly injection for 3 months) to establish acute or chronic myocarditis model. Normal controls received equal-volume Eagles minimal essential medium (EMEM) without CVB(3). Hearts were examined at 7 days or 3 months post CVB(3) infection. Heart slides were stained with collagen specific picrosirius red staining and the collagen volume fraction (CVF) was calculated with image analysis software. The expressions of ADAMTS-1 were determined by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry.
Results: Compared with controls, the CVF levels and myocardial expressions of ADAMTS-1 were significant increased in two myocarditis groups, especially in mice with chronic myocarditis (P < 0.01). The increased expression of ADAMTS-1 was located in endochylema as visualized by immunohistochemistry. Myocardial ADAMTS-1 mRNA was positively correlated with CVF in both myocarditis groups (r(7 days) = 0.65, P < 0.05; r(3 months) = 0.73, P < 0.01).
Conclusions: ADAMTS-1 increased in proportion with collagen accumulation in acute and chronic myocarditis, which might play an important role in the development of myocardial fibrosis by modulating the collagen metabolism.